V. The Cultivation of the King’s Disciples 16:13-20:34
A. Peter’s confession of Christ 16:13-20
Peter’s confession of Christ as king exposes the Fathers revelation concerning the foundation of the church. It also suggests that Jesus is the Son of the living God; therefore all things are given unto his hands. This is important in context because it reveals that Jesus Christ is the rock in which the church is founded upon. Contrary to the flesh of men but the Father who is in heaven thereby the church would stand against the very prevalence of hell.
B. Jesus predicts his death 16:21-28
Jesus predicts His death reveals his suffering from the elders, priests and scribes. However on the third day he would be raised from the death. Jesus rebuke of Peter concerning His death suggests his observation was not of God but those of men. This is important in contextually for the coming kingdom because if we are to be Disciples of Christ there must be a denial of self in humble servitude of others. Therefore who ever save his life will lose it, who ever lose his life for the sake of Christ will gain eternal life.
C. The Transfiguration 17:1-13
Jesus along with Peter, James and John experience the transfiguration suggests the Messiah as the glorified Son of the Father greater than Moses had come. This is important in context because it reflects the future of the kingdom of God, suggesting that Moses was faithful as a servant in God’s house, but Christ is faithful as a Son over God’s house.
D. The healing of a boy with a demon 17:14-23
The story of healing the boy who was possessed with demons illustrates failures of religious presumptions. Jesus disappointment with his disciples not being able to cast out the demons reveals their lack of faith. This is important in contextually for the kingdom because we must recognize it is the words from Jesus that gives us spiritual powers not from human presumption.
E. The temple tax 17:24-27
The temple was the center of Jewish worship, and its maintenance was costly. A tax was levied on every male above nineteen. In context the key element of the passage, that the new community, the new Israel which Jesus was creating, was free in the world, answering to its own king. The relationship with the Messiah superseded the relationship to the temple, and God, as Sovereign King, Lord over the temple, does not exact payment from His Son or the sons of the kingdom.
F. The need for humility 18:1-14
This new teaching on humility suggests how costly the kingdom of heaven is therefore the coming kingdom is different from the patterns of the world. This is important in context because we must be willing to fellowship with those who are forgotten and be willing to forgive in act of humility.
G. The need for discipline 18:15-20
As it relates to discipline, the community must know how to deal with failure. It also suggests patterns for reconciliation with our brother who sins against us. When there is a fault between brothers, we must act with responsibly to initiate action for restoration.
H. The need for forgiveness 18:21-35
The nature of forgiveness is a most profound aspect of reconciling grace. To forgive means that one genuinely loves and this love can move beyond the issue to the person, and that one cares more about the person than about what he or she has done. This is important for the kingdom because forgiveness liberates. Forgiveness frees the person for options of living.
I. The question of divorce 19:1-12
This passage deals with marriage and divorce, with sexual abstinence or celibacy, and with the beauty of children and family. This is important in context because Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount regarding the God-given covenant of love and the sanctity of the marriage relationship as indissoluble.
J. The little children blessed 19:13-15
The blessing of the children suggests that the kingdom would be compared to it. “Let the little children come to me for such is the kingdom of heaven.”
K. The rich young ruler 19:16-30
The story of the rich you ruler is a story of the cost of discipleship. For the rich young ruler, the issue was the idolizing of wealth and lack of compassion for the needy. As it relates to the kingdom of heaven one must “sell what you have and give to the poor” as he advised Nicodemus.
L. The parable of the landowner 20:1-16
This parable is unique of the kingdom of God presenting the nature of God’s grace. By sending laborers into his vineyard all through the day as he finds them unemployed in the marketplace. In context at the end of the day he paid the last first, an aspect of the story arranged for emphasis.
M. Jesus again predicts His death 20:17-19
The death of Christ was not an accident, it was an achievement. The confrontation with the principalities and powers was inevitable and Jesus knew this. In context going to Jerusalem was consciously a part of God’s plan to confront man with clarity that would expose man’s rebellion and express God’s redemption. So he confirms his death by predicting it a second time.
N. The request by the mother of James and John 20:20-28
The request for position exposes the nature of selfish ambition. The disciples’ interest is on the status and power, not on empathy and participation in the suffering of Christ. In context Jesus share His victory with His disciples the cup of suffering and the baptism of martyrdom as referred to in the response of Jesus. Ultimately the mission is to share its cost.
O. The healing of the two blind men 20:29-34
This is the last episode of compassionate healing before Jesus entered Jerusalem. The two blind men, request was immediate. In context this theme can be developed from the perspective of the blind men who needed a touch from the Master, first the awakening of faith, and recognizing of faith.
VI. The Climax of the King’s Offer 21:1-27:66
A. The official presentation of the King 21: 1-22
Jesus entered Jerusalem not on a white charger, but on a lowly beast of burden, not on a horse as a
symbol of power, but on a colt of an ass as a symbol of humility. This is important in context because it show God’s humility contrary to the Jewish leaders’ perception of a king.
B. The challenge of leaders 21: 23-22:46
This story is an exposure of the failure of the religious leaders, and has a positive message that the kingdom of God is open to all who are prepared to enter into it.
C. The condemnation of the Scribes and the Pharisees 23:1-39
He exposed them in the Sermon on the Mount as well in His warning about false prophets. He then addressed the leaders directly, and completely unmasked them before the multitude. The seven woes stand in a contrasting relation to the statements of blessing in the first seven Beatitudes.
D. The Olivet Discourse 24:1-25:46
In the Olivet Discourse Jesus addressed those with words that made clear that His earlier statements in the temple were not just passing comments. But Jesus predicted its complete destruction, for the end of Jewish temple cultism was at hand.
E. The Passion narrative 26:1-27:66
This fourth prediction associates the death of Jesus with the Passover by identifying Him with the Paschal Lamb. The Son of Man is now seen as a sacrifice it was arranged by the official religious and political body, the Sanhedrin, as they plotted Jesus’ death.
VII. The Confirmation of the King 28:1-20
The story of Jesus does not end with His death; it begins a new chapter with His Resurrection. The writer of Acts referred to His former treatise being of all that Jesus began both to do and teach setting the stage for a second treatise of all that Jesus continues to do and to teach through the Spirit. The crucified Lord is risen and back in business.
