Questions Jesus Asked #52

Matthew 25:37-40 – “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'”

            40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ “  NIV

These questions were asked in a prophecy that Jesus told about judgement when the Messiah returns to earth in glory.  The beginning goes like this:

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Questions Jesus Asked #51

Matthew 25:26-27 – “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.”  NIV

This is indeed an interesting question contained in the Parable of the Talents.  Jesus is speaking through the “Master” in the parable to a servant who chose to do nothing with what the Master had entrusted to him. When called to give an account of his “stewardship” or management of what he had been entrusted, the servant blamed his lack of good management on the Master with these words:

“Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'”  (Matthew 25:24-25 – NIV)

Questions Jesus Asked #50

Matthew 24:45-46 – “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.”  NIV

Jesus is finishing answering His disciples’ questions about the destruction of the Temple and the end of the age – two separate events. He has given several prophetic signs and warnings that will indicate that these events are about to happen. The prophecies about the destruction of the Temple were fulfilled in 70 A.D.  Many of the prophecies about “the end of the age” if not most of them have been fulfilled by now. Individuals keep indicating that Jesus will return soon. Some even predict a date. It’s obvious that the “end of the age” is nearer now than it was when Jesus spoke these words.

Questions Jesus Asked # 49

Matthew 24:1-2 – Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” NIV

We are so into our things. We worry about protecting our things. We want other people to notice our things. We often form opinions about people based on how many things they have, how they take care of their things, and if they share their things with others. Many times those things include buildings: houses, stores, offices, and even church buildings.

Questions Jesus Asked #48

Matthew 23:16-22 – “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.”   NIV

 

Jesus has just finished the give and take between the Jewish religious leaders and himself in the Temple courts. In Matthew 23, Jesus goes on to tell his audience that “the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat.”   I take this to mean that God has given them the responsibility and authority to teach people the Law. Jesus says in that case people need to obey what they say about the Law.  However, He has some more commentary on their actions: “But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” (Matt. 23:3-4 – NIV)   “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” (Matt 23:13 – NIV)

Questions Jesus Asked #47

Matthew 22:43-46 – He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, 44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ‘ 45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?”  46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions. NIV

The day of questions in the Temple continues between Jesus and the religious leaders. Jesus has just established the fact that the Messiah would be born from the line of King David. Now He goes on to ask questions revolving about David’s words in Psalm 110. This Psalm deals with the succession of  kings in David’s line and, also, had been commonly accepted by most Jews as a Psalm referring to the promised Messiah.  As Jesus quotes the first line of this Psalm, which literally says: “Yahweh (The Lord) said to my Adonai (Lord) …”  God is saying to someone David calls “Lord” to sit at His right hand as the one who carries out God’s orders.

Questions Jesus Asked #46

Matthew 22:41-42 – While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?”

         “The son of David,” they replied.  NIV

These are the closing days of Jesus’ ministry, and He is teaching in the Temple. Both the Pharisees and the Sadducees have come to Him with question in hopes of trapping Him in some way. Jesus has just refuted the logic of the Sadducees in regard to the resurrection of the dead, and now Jesus takes the discussion to the Pharisees with this question.  Why would He want to press the discussion about His identity that could get Him accused of blasphemy? I think that He wanted to give everyone an opportunity to believe in Him as the promised Messiah (Christ).