DAY #34: February 3, 2009 - Matthew 21:1-22

Today, we see the beginning of the end. This was the first day of the week that Jesus would be crucified (commonly know now as Palm Sunday), and the great Passover festival was about to begin. Jews would come to Jerusalem from all over the Roman world during this week-long celebration to remember the great Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:37-51). Matthew takes the next few chapters to show Jesus’ authority and superiority over the Jewish leaders and their way of thinking.

We see Jesus enter Jerusalem by way of the Mount of Olives. This is a ridge about two and a half miles long on the other side of the Kidron Valley east of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives is the place of God’s final revelation and judgment (Ezekiel 43:2-9; Zechariah 14:1-19). Jesus was in Bethphage and sent two disciples to a nearby village (probably Bethany) to get the donkey and her colt and bring them back. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt, He affirmed his messianic royalty, as well as his humility. The people recognized that he was fulfilling prophecy. The first part comes from Isaiah 62:11, the rest from Zechariah 9:9.

The colt, never having been ridden (Mark 11:2), did not have a saddle, so the disciples threw their garments over the colt so that Jesus could sit on it. The action of placing the cloaks on the donkey and Jesus riding it connotes majesty (2 Kings 9:13). Crowds of people had already gathered on this stretch of road a mile outside of Jerusalem, going to the city for the festival. The crowd’s spontaneous celebration honored Jesus as they spread their coats on the road ahead of Jesus and cut branches from the trees. Some were spread along Jesus’ path; others were probably waved in the air. The branches, probably from olive or fig trees, were used to welcome a national liberator and symbolized victory. This verse is one of the few places where the Gospels record that Jesus’ glory was recognized on earth. Today, we celebrate this event on Palm Sunday.

The crowds chanted words from Psalm 118:25-26. “Long live the King” was the meaning behind their joyful shouts because they knew that Jesus was intentionally fulfilling prophecy. This was the crowd’s acclamation that he was indeed the long-awaited Messiah. The people were sure their liberation from Rome was at hand. While the crowd correctly saw Jesus as the fulfillment of these prophecies, they did not understand where Jesus’ kingship would lead him. They expected him to be a national leader who would restore their nation to its former glory; thus, they were deaf to the words of their prophets and blind to Jesus’ real mission. When it became apparent that Jesus was not going to fulfill their hopes, many people would turn against him. Another crowd would cry out, “Crucify him!” when Jesus stood on trial only a few days later.

Jesus entered the great city and went to the Temple, entering its outer courts, as did many in the crowd. People came to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. However, the religious leadership had established four markets on the Mount of Olives where such animals could be purchased. This greatly angered Jesus. The high priest had authorized a market with merchants and money changers to be set up right in the Court of the Gentiles, the huge outer court of the Temple. The Court of the Gentiles was the only place Gentile converts to Judaism could worship.

But the market filled their worship space with merchants so that these foreigners, who had traveled long distances, found it impossible to worship. The chaos in that Court must have been tremendous. The money changers exchanged all international currency for the special Temple coins—the only money the merchants would accept. The money changers did big business during Passover with those who came from foreign countries. The inflated exchange rate often enriched the money changers, and the exorbitant prices of animals made the merchants wealthy.

Because both those who bought and those who sold were going against God’s commands regarding the sacrifices, Jesus began to drive them out. This is the second time that Jesus cleared the Temple (John 2:13-17). Jesus became angry because God’s house of worship had become a place of extortion and a barrier to Gentiles who wanted to worship. Jesus quoted from Isaiah 56:7 and used it to explain that God’s Temple was meant to be a place of prayer, but the merchants and money changers had turned it into a den of thieves.

It was significant that the blind and the lame came to Jesus in the Temple. Usually they were excluded from worship in the Temple based on laws stemming from 2 Samuel 5:8. With the coming of the Messiah, Jesus himself welcomed them and healed them there in the Temple.
Jesus’ actions in the Temple provoked the anger of the religious leaders. The children who were in the Temple were crying out, “Praise God for the Son of David,” echoing the cries made by the crowd along the road to Jerusalem. The religious leaders’ question indicated that they objected to the concept of Jesus as “the Son of David.” But Jesus heard what the children were saying and did not stop them, for what they said was true.

With the religious leaders plotting to kill him, Jerusalem would hardly be a safe place for Jesus to spend the night. So when evening came, Jesus and the disciples left the city and returned to Bethany. By cursing the fig tree, Jesus was showing his anger at religion without substance. Jesus’ harsh words to the fig tree could be applied to the nation of Israel and its beautiful Temple. Fruitful in appearance only, Israel was spiritually barren. Just as the fig tree looked good from a distance but was fruitless on close examination, so the Temple looked impressive at first glance, but its sacrifices and other activities were hollow because they were not done to worship God sincerely.

After Jesus spoke these words, the fig tree withered up. This parable of judgment on spiritually dead people revealed its severity. Jesus did not explain why he cursed the fig tree, and we don’t know whether the disciples understood Jesus’ meaning. Yet his words to them could mean that they must have faith in God. Their faith should not rest in a kingdom they hoped Jesus would set up, in obeying the Jewish laws, or in their position as Jesus’ disciples. Their faith should rest in God alone.

Jesus then taught them a lesson about answers to prayer. Jesus had cursed the fig tree; the fig tree had died; the disciples had expressed surprise. Jesus explained that they could ask anything of God and receive an answer. Jesus then used a mountain as a figure of speech to show that God could help in any situation. Jesus’ point was that in their petitions to God they must believe and not doubt. The kind of prayer Jesus meant was not the arbitrary wish to move a mountain of dirt and stone; instead, he was referring to prayers that the disciples would need to faithfully pray as they faced mountains of opposition to their gospel message in the years to come.

Their prayers for the advancement of God’s Kingdom would always be answered positively—in God’s timing. This verse was not a guarantee that the disciples could get anything they wanted simply by asking Jesus and believing. God does not grant requests that will hurt people or that will violate his own nature or will. Jesus’ statement was not a blank check to be filled in by believers, not a “name it and claim it” theology. To be fulfilled, requests made to God in prayer must be in harmony with the principles of God’s Kingdom. They must be made in Jesus’ name (John 14:13-14). The stronger our faith, the more likely our prayers will be in union with Christ and in line with God’s will; then God will be happy to grant them. God can do anything, even what seems humanly impossible.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

I think about the throngs of people who worshipped on Palm Sunday. The crowds were convinced that Jesus would usher in an earthy kingdom. When He didn't do as they wished, the crowds turned on him. How fickle we are.

"For forty years, that was why that generation sickened me and I said, ‘Always fickle hearts, that cannot grasp my ways!'" Hebrews 3:10 (NJB)

God doesn't answer a prayer like we want Him to and our love grows cold. God doesn't come through like we think He should and our doubts about Him grow. I get angry at these folks, but how many times am I one of them? Today, I once again proclaim my allegiance and devotion and love to You Lord. You have saved me and loved me and given so much to me. Everything I have and enjoy in this life comes from your hand.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..." James 1:17 (NIV)

So many of us are like that fig tree. We look good from the outside, but we are barren. We have the trappings of a successful life, yet upon closer examination, there is no fruit. We have been in church for years, claimed to be followers of yours, yet our faith is so shallow.

PRAYER

Lord, grow us. Mold us, shape us and mature us. Remove the dross from our lives. The petty and meaningless, help us to discard. Grow the people of COV. Teach us to cling on to the eternal and jettison the temporary. Lord, shake things up. Make things a bit uncomfortable for us. Move us into a ministry where we are serving and sharing. Stretch us. Grow a church here where people don't just show up for a worship service and split. Grow people who will have a burden to put their spiritual gifts into action. Lord, grow true disciples here at COV. There are so many prayer needs. Lord, watch over Your people. Meet their needs. Provide for them. Walk closely with Pastor Dave and Cathy. Be kind and merciful to them in these days.