What parable does Matthew alone relate in Mat 21:28-30? To whom does He address it, and why? See Mat 21:23-27 and note that Jesus posed this parable to the delegation of Jewish leaders in response to their hardness of heart that refused to acknowledge the heavenly authority of both John’s baptism and His own ministry. …
Recall that on Tuesday of Passion Week while Jesus was teaching in the temple He was confronted by a delegation of Jewish leaders from the Sanhedrin challenging Him about His authority to go about teaching the people and cleansing the temple as He was doing. In answer to their question He asked them if John…
Recall that Jesus was confronted by a delegation of Jewish leaders from the Sanhedrin about His authority to teach and go about cleansing the temple as He was doing. They assumed that because they were in a position of authority in matters relating to God that they were the final authority in such matters and…
Who was it that confronted Jesus? See Mat 21:23, Mar 11:27, Luk 20:1. Who did they represent? See Mar 15:1, Luk 22:66, Act 4:5-7,15, 5:21,27, etc… and note that the NAS “Council” refers to the Sanhedrin or ruling body of the Jews (see text notes). On what day of Passion Week would it have been…
How does Jesus summarize what He is teaching His disciples in regard to the withered fig tree? See Mat 21:22, Mar 11:24. In light of His immediately preceding statement, what is the significance of the word “all” in these two verses? Again, what does this teach us about the potential power of prayer? Are there…
What does Matthew record was the disciples’ reaction to the withering of the fig tree? See Mat 21:20. Which disciple in particular does Mark say expressed his surprise? See Mar 11:21. What question did the disciples ask, and what does their question and amazement indicate about the withering of the fig tree being more than…
Recall that as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem on Monday morning after spending the night in Bethany, He saw a fig tree at a distance that had leafed out. Being hungry He went looking for some of the immature developing fruits that one would expect to find at that time, but instead found it to…
Recall from our context that Jesus was returning to Jerusalem on Monday morning after spending the night in Bethany. On the way, He saw a fig tree at a distance that had leafed out. Being hungry He went looking for some of the immature developing fruits that one would expect to find at that time,…
Recall that Jesus has just made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem in a manner quite unlike that which heralds the kingdoms and rulers of this world. Also recall that as in the days of Judas Maccabeus who cleansed the temple of the “abomination of desolation” (Dan 11:31), Jesus had also immediately begun to cleanse the…
What was Jesus’ response to the religious leaders’ indignation at the children’s hosannas? See Mat 21:16. Was it the case that those who were indignant had never read the passage Jesus quoted? Although they had surely read it, had they taken to heart the spirit of its meaning? Why not? Is it possible for a…