[:en]SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 21
“It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers” (Matthew 21:13)
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22)
“Therefore, I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to people who will produce its fruits” (Matthew 21:43)
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY (vs. 1-11)
Jesus sent His disciples to find a donkey for him to ride. A very large crowd welcomed Him and shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest” (v. 9)
JESUS AT THE TEMPLE (vs. 12-22)
When Jesus entered the temple, He saw people buying and selling outside. He was angry and drove them out saying: “My house will be called a house of prayer but you are making it a den of thieves” (*v. 13). When the chief priests and teachers of the law saw Jesus healed the blind and the lame at the temple, and the children shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David, they were indignant. But Jesus left them and went out of the city to Bethany.
THE FIG TREE WITHERS (vs. 18-22)
When Jesus saw a fig tree without fruits, He cursed the tree and it withered immediately.
THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS QUESTIONED (vs. 23-27)
The chief priests and elders were questioning Jesus’ authority. Jesus answered them with another question: “John’s baptism – where did it come from? Was it from heaven or from men? ” (v. 15). They could not answer it because if they said it is from heaven, the people will question them why they did not believe John. But if they said it is from men, they were afraid of the people because they all hold that John was a prophet.
THE PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS (vs. 28-32)
A man had two sons. He asked the first son to work in the vineyard. The first son refused but later on went to work. Then the father went to the other son. And the son consented but he did not do. Jesus asked them:” “Which of the son did the father want?” They answered: “The first”.
Then Jesus said to them : “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not repent nor believe him” (v. 31-32)
THE PARABLE OF THE TENANTS (v. 33-45)
There was a landowner who rented a vineyard to some farmers. When the harvest time arrived, he sent his servants to collect his fruits. The tenants seized his servants, beat one, killed another and stoned a third. The landowner then sent more servants than the first time. The tenants treated them the same way. So the landowner sent his son thinking that they would respect him. When the tenant saw the son, they saw the heir coming, so they killed him so that they could take his inheritance. When the landowner came, he will bring them to the wretched end and rent the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time” (v. 41)
Christ called Himself “the stone which the builders rejected” (v. 42). It is the stumbling stone to Israel but the foundation stone to the church. Sinners who “fall on the stone” in humility will be broken but saved. But those who resist Christ will be crushed by the stone in judgment.
SUMMARY:
- Jesus is worthy of our praise.
- The temple of God should be a place of worship, not a market place.
- If we only have leaves and never bear fruits, we have only the outward form of godliness and is in danger of judgment.
- Jesus has the ultimate authority because He is the Son of God
- Obedience is manifested by our willingness to do what the Father told us to do.
- The farmers of the vineyard represent Israel. The nation rejected John and killed Jesus. They will be judged while the Gentiles will be saved.
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