Matthew

Chapter 21 – Jerusalem

Jesus enters into Jerusalem and into the final days of his life. There is cohesion to this chapter. I will handle it point by point.

Triumphal Entry

Thematically we face Jesus entering the Holy City on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). The manner of his entry reflects the entry of David at the time of his coronation. He enters on the donkey and stops at the Temple to be made king.
All of these references to David hint back to the Messianic promise to David by Nathan the prophet. These David/Messianic recognition points mark Jesus as the Messiah who entering Jerusalem to establish the Kingdom of God. For those in Jerusalem (as Matthew has been careful to tell us along) there was a disparity between Jesus’ idea of the Kingdom and theirs. Jesus was not going to return that piece of land that was held by the Romans. Jesus’ kingdom was of a different kind.
The crowd yells Hosanna to the Son of David. Once again, the David reference is clear. Hosanna means “O Save.” In later usage, it becomes a more joyous proclamation, but the meaning is still present. The term was reserved only for God, and Jesus was being recognized as a “savior” as her road into the city that day.

The Temple

This is an important first stop. The Temple’s importance to the people of Israel was monumental (you should excuse the pun). The Temple was the only tangible item that they were given to remind them concretely of God’s presence. Of this Temple, God said in Deuteronomy, “I will cause my name to dwell there.” In the life of Israel, it was the place that God met humanity on their plane.
Jesus cleanses the Temple – The animal sales were for the benefit of the Jews who had to come once a year to offer their sacrifices to God. It was far more convenient to buy the animal that was guaranteed acceptable for the sacrifice rather to travel great distances with it and risk the animal not making it. They money changes were there to transfer “gentile” coins into those acceptable in the Temple. They were not even allowed to accept gentile money in God’s house. I believe that this may be a great part of the cause for Jesus’ anger. Recall how many times that Jesus accepted gentiles into his presence and gave them his blessings and healing. At many times, Matthew reminds us that while the Jews rejected Jesus, the gentiles accepted him. Jesus opened the doors of God’s kingdom to the gentiles as Abraham had been commanded to do. The Temple had become a monument to the very things that God did not stand for, and ultimately entered the mortal world to rectify. The Temple no longer served the purpose for which God gave. The new place on earth where God joined humanity was not a building. It was Jesus Christ. That day, Jesus tore down the old system to replace it with himself.

The Fig Tree

This stands as a strange parable. Most of the references indicate that when Jesus approached the fig tree it had already gone past the seasonal time of bearing fruit, and yet Jesus condemns the tree never again to bear.
Fruit being is an essential element in his parable. The trees that Jesus plants in the kingdom of God are supposed to bear fruit to feed the hungry and care for the broken. Not to bear fruit, is to be like the old temple system that no longer fulfills the purpose to which God has given it.
Faith, however, is at the center of this parable also. The disciples were amazed at what Jesus had done. The point that Jesus’ makes is that faith produces greater things than killing a fig tree. Faith, at its heart of connection to God, is what produces the fruit that God is looking for. Have faith and bear fruit.

Challenges on Authority

Jesus in the Temple is confronted by the scribes and Pharisees and challenged on his authority to clean out the Temple as he did. The Temple is precisely the place for such dialogue. One of the primary functions of the Temple was being a place of teaching. People could question the rabbis and learn from them.
Who gave you the authority to tear down the structures of the Temple? Jesus presented a challenge in return regarding the baptism of John. What John’s baptism from God or of human origin. The answer to that question is the key because if they were willing to deal with heart and core of that baptism and John’s place in the Kingdom of God, they would have their question about Jesus’ authority answered as well. If John’s baptism and message was from God, then Jesus is the Messiah and that would give Jesus all authority in the Temple. The Scribes and Pharisees refused to deal with the real issue at stake, and therefore Jesus allowed them to remain in their denial of what God was doing in the world.
Jesus presents two parables with similar meaning and content

Parable of the two sons – They are given a task from their father. The first outright refuses to do the job, and then repents and does what he has been asked. The second, says yes, and then refuses. Jesus’ point is this: those who were first on God’s track lost their way and refused to be put back on the right track; while those who started out alienated from God and on a track headed for destruction repented and turned to God in the end. The Scribes and Pharisees who should have known him did not while the prostitutes, tax collectors and sinners came in droves to him.
Parable of the Vineyard Tenants (Stewards) – This parable taught of God’s kingdom being “let out” to tenants. The normal arrangement would be that the landowner would receive a portion of the proceeds of his land. The tenants refused to pay their dues. Slaves were sent to encourage the tenants to keep their obligation. The tenants killed or injured them. More slaves were sent with the same end. Then the son (heir) was sent and they killed him to take possession of the vineyard. Jesus’ point was this: God’s kingdom had been in the hands of a people for a long time and they did not return to God what was due. God sent messengers and servants to correct the problem (the prophets) and they did not accomplish the task. Finally God send the Son whom they were about to kill. In the end, the kingdom of God was placed into other hands for management. The Kingdom of God has been placed in our hands, we who follow the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It is crucial that we take stock as the new stewards of the vineyard how we are managing God’s property. Is our stewardship of the vineyard any better than the former stewards?

Thursday, November 30, 2006