The Passion Week of Christ: A Study from the Book of Mark
Week 3:The Servant Arrives - He Is Prophet
Mark 11:15-19
I. Introduction
A. Did ya'll hear about the very prestigious psychologist who was called to testify at a trial? A severe, no-nonsense professional, she sat down in the witness chair, unaware that its rear legs were set precariously on the back of the platform. "Will you state your name?" asked the district attorney. Tilting back in her chair she opened her mouth to answer, but instead catapulted head-over-heels backward and landed in a stack of exhibits and recording equipment. Everyone watched in stunned silence as she pulled herself up, rearranged her disheveled dress and hair and was reseated on the witness stand. The glare she directed at onlookers dared anyone to so much as smirk. "Well, doctor," continued the district attorney without changing expression, "we could start with an easier question".
B. On Tuesday of Passion Week, Jesus again enters the temple, but this time He is asked a series of searing questions by the religious leaders of Israel. He, unlike the psychologist is unfazed by these questions. In fact, His answers, and in turn His own question, to the religious leaders left them knocked off their feet in their own sense. In fact the Gospels tell us they were awestruck, astonished out of their senses, literally unable to speak. Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us that after this encounter, from that day forward, "no one dared to ask him anymore questions."
C. As we explore that Tuesday of Passion Week, we will find that Jesus was asked a question of authority, a question of responsibility, a question about eternity, and a question of priority and that He then in turn asked His own question of identity. For each, we will look at The Delegation, Their Question and Jesus' Response. Discuss different format this week due to multiple passages
II. Context, Context, Context
A. Read & Discuss Mark 11:27.
- And they came again to Jerusalem - It's Tuesday sometime; this is Jesus' 3rd trip into Jerusalem from nearby Bethany - the first being as King on Sunday, the second as Judge on Monday and the third today as prophet.
- And as he was walking in the temple - This was in the Court of the Gentiles in an area called the Royal Cloister, it consisted of four rows of white marble columns, 6 ft in diameter, 30 ft high, 162 columns total. It was common for rabbis and teachers to stroll in these columns and teach as they walked. And this Jesus did, like an OT prophet speaking God's words to the people. But not merely as a messenger of revelation from God, but He himself the SOURCE of revelation from God. Rather than saying "Thus says the Lord," Jesus could begin divinely teaching with an amazing, "But I say unto you."
B. Pray - Jesus, we too are awestruck by your person and your work and your presence. Speak to us, Teach us what you would from your day of questioning that we may apply it to our lives to love you even more.
III. A Question of Authority (Mark 11:27-33)
A. The Delegation: the chief priests and the scribes and the elders This was members of the Sanhedrin, the 70 member ruling body of Judaism. Recall from last week, that after the Temple cleansing, they are continually seeking a way to destroy Jesus. They plan to trap Him in a question that will either lead to His falling out of favor with the people or, better yet, arrest & death.
B. The Question: Read & explain 11:28. These things = primarily his actions in cleansing the temple but also in general his entire ministry. Now in context, we must admit that this is a most natural question. The Sanhedrin = official guardians of the law, thus they had the right & responsibility to investigate anyone who claimed to be sent by God and that included Jesus. Jesus after all by the standards of the day is an unlearned, untrained, unschooled carpenter from Nazareth (cf. John 1:46). He's Joseph's boy! Yet we also know in context the group's motivation. Is it truth? No! It's to destroy Him! If Jesus said His authority, He would be arrested as a megalomaniac or His ministry discredited. If Jesus said God's authority, He would be charged with blasphemy, arrested and sentenced to death.
C. The Answer: Read & explain 11:29-30. Jesus put them on the defensive and made their evaluation of John's authority a test case for their evaluation of His own authority. He gave them 2 options, with no room to run! Read & explain 11:31-32. Option #1 = from heaven Naturally then, why didn't you believe and repent? Further, John was forerunner of Christ and pointed all to Christ. Thus...Jesus is 1) divinely attested and needed no further authority, 2) Messiah and they would be compelled to accept Him as such! Option #2 = from man There was NO way they could say this for they all held that John really was a prophet. Luke records the leaders saying all the people will stone us if they say such of John. Read & explain 11:33. We do not know - what a cop out!!! These guys are like the lion in the Wizard of Oz - no courage! Actually, more like the Tin Man - no heart or at least a hardened one! Jesus on the other hand didn't refuse to answer their question; just to refuse to accept and endorse their hypocrisy. He then taught them a parable (Parable of the Tenants) to confront them and reveal their hypocritical character.
F. Application (? of Authority): The question of authority remains THE crucial question about Jesus. How do you view Jesus and His authority for your life? Especially you youth - is it BFF, then friends, then parents, then Jesus? Or is it Jesus #1, Jesus #1?! What about you sir? Ma'am? Is He an unlearned, untrained common man or is He God? Is He Kyrios to you...Lord?! Is He Lord of your life, your schooling, your marriage, your home, your career, your parenting? The authority of Christ = God = to disbelieve or disobey Him is to disbelieve or disobey God!
IV. A Question of Responsibility (Mark 12:13-17)
A. The Delegation: And they (the Sanhedrin members) sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians. Politics make strange bed fellows. These two groups hated each other!
- Herodians: loyal to Herod's dynasty and Roman status quo as it was the Romans who gave them authority to rule.
- Pharisees: considered the Herod clan evil usurpers of the throne of David for Herod was an Edomite not a Jew; also opposed the poll tax the Romans had inflicted on Judea and resented the very presence of Rome!
Note their desire: to trap him in his talk As much as these two groups hated each other, they had one thing in common - a dual hatred of Jesus. Trap = "agreuo," only NT use = to catch or capture, to take by hunting. Matthew = They sent their disciples Luke = sent spies who pretended to be righteous, so they could catch Him in what He said, to hand Him over to the governor's rule and authority. Absolute trickery! Hunting for Jesus in a kill and destroy kinda way!
Note the deception to accomplish this desire: Read & explain 12:14a-b. Their compliment of Jesus was oozing with kindness and sincerity but it reeked of a fake flattery. Yet, the irony? It was the greatest and truest of compliments - it in essence says Jesus is God for only with God is there no partiality and He truly taught the way of God because He is God!
B. The Question: Read & explain 12:14c-15a. The tax in question is the census or poll tax that Rome had enacted on all conquered people. Every male 14-65yo and every female 12-65yo empire wide was required to pay this one denarius tax. And it was despised empire wide! Judas the Gaulonite = "taxation was no better than an introduction to slavery." He called on the people to rise, and that God would continue to bless them only if they resorted to all the violence they could muster. "No tribute to the Romans" became a rallying cry for the more fanatical Jewish patriots. Just as before, Jesus seemingly has only 2 options: 1) PAY = cannot be the Messiah come to free His people; influence with the people is done! He is a Jewish traitor and would lose His authority and popularity. 2) NOT PAY = now He is guilty of treason, a revolutionary seeking to overthrow Rome and could be arrested and put to death! Jesus doesn't fall for their trickery or flattery.
C. The Answer: Read & explain 12:15b-17. Why are you testing Me? Let me just go on record and say this is NEVER a good idea to test God in the flesh!Jesus' response exposed their true motive! Matthew = malice, Mark = hypocrisy, Luke = craftiness - "panourgia," unscrupulous cunning that stops at nothing to achieve a selfish goal. "The man who practices panourgia is ready to do anything, up to every trick." (Hughs) Bring Me a denarius He didn't have one Himself...the One who owns the cattle on a 1000 hills doesn't have a penny! Cf. 2 Cor. 8:9. Why a denarius? Only way the tax could be paid. Inscription on the denarius: front = Tiberius Caesar Augustus son of divine Augustus, back = picture of Tiberius seated on throne, pontifex maximus. The Jews considered these images idolatry forbidden by the 2nd commandment which made the tax doubly offensive! Yet, Jesus literally says that the Jews and everyone else owed a debt to even the hated Roman government. Render = "to pay or give back," implies a debt. The government provided the citizens with multiple benefits (today = fire, police, national defense, etc) - can't be all benefit & no responsibility! Yet on a deeper, theological level, even the Roman government was God ordained therefore they were under divine obligation to submit and pay taxes. The state has divine sanction NOT divine status!
D. App (? of Responsibility): 2000 years later gov't is still God ordained (cf. Romans 13:1-7, Titus 3:1, 1 Peter 2:13-14) and we still are under divine obligation to submit until and when the gov't exalts self > God. Do you obey civil authorities? Speed, cheat on taxes (7 million kids disappeared one night), illegal drugs. Do you respect civil authorities? Pray for leaders? Do you pay lip service to Jesus (insincere compliments - We love Jesus yes we do)? Do you understand and appreciate that Jesus for your sake, though rich, became poor?
V. A Question About Eternity (Mark 12:18-27)
A. The Delegation: Read & explain 12:18. The Sadducees, like the Herodians, didn't exactly get along with the Pharisees:
- Pharisees: middle class, "out" group, believed in angels & resurrection, accepted Torah, oral law experts & relied heavily on tradition.
- Sadducees: upper class/wealthy, "in" group (controlled High Priesthood + politically powerful), denied angels & resurrection, accepted Pentateuch only, rejected oral law and tradition.
And so Sadducees came to him Probably thinking these dumb Pharisees couldn't trip up Jesus, we got this! And they asked him a question, one designed to make belief in the resurrection look ridicilous
B. The Question: Read & explain 12:19-23. Moses wrote - Recall they only accepted the Pentateuch and so they come to Jesus with a question on the levirate law in Deut. 25:5-6. Levirate law said if brothers lived together and one died it was the duty of the next to take his brother's widow as wife. This was a God ordained law to protect #1 the family name continued and #2 property remained in the family. They take such a law and twist and abuse Scripture for their own gain - they left out about living together & seven brothers takes the hypothetical to the ridiculous! Why? They want to confound the Pharisees who say there is a resurrection (they would answer she belongs to the 1st husband) and more so they want to trip up Jesus to destroy Him and His ministry.
C. The Answer: Read & explain 12:24-27. Why did Jesus say the Sadducees were wrong? #1 They don't know the Scriptures. Their ignorance of the Scriptures extended to their lack of understanding regarding the miracles God performed throughout the OT (if He could part the Red Sea couldn't He raise a dead body - He did 3x they just didn't accept those Scriptures). Thus, #2 They don't know the power of God.
- the power of God: God is all powerful, He had miraculously brought them out of Egypt which they all would celebrate at Passover in a few days! It follows He could raise a dead body and create a whole, unseen spirit world of angels - both of which the Sadducees denied. Resurrection bodies will be sexless like the angels, therefore marriage will no longer exist. New bodies will be perfect & no death so no need for marriage or procreation.
- the Scriptures: have you not read in the Book of Moses Talk about some biting sarcasm! Jesus says it's Bible Drill time sons...crack out your Bible! Notice he doesn't point them to Job 14/19, Psalm 23, Isaiah 25/26, Daniel 12 all of which affirm the truth of the afterlife & resurrection. He meets them on their own turf! You want proof in the Pentateuch? You claim to accept the authority of Moses but have failed to notice that Moses taught the continuation of life after death! Go to Exodus 3:6 He says - I AM the God of AM = present tense thus Abraham, Isaac & Jacob were STILL alive. In fact, more alive than they EVER had been! God is not God of the dead, but of the living.
Thus, as Jesus concluded You are quite wrong.
D. App (? of Eternity): Do you accept the whole of Scripture as authoritative for your life? Are there parts you leave out, ignore, twist to your liking, advantage, abuse? Haven't you read - are you moving the bookmark forward or growing? Are your beliefs, your theology spiritually/intellectually arrogant?
VI. A Question of Priority (Mark 12:28-34)
A. The Delegation: One of the scribes approached Scribes were experts in the law; their trade was to know and apply the oral law which the Sadducees didn't accept. This scribe no doubt found great pleasure in Jesus' having silenced them. His motive? Matt = to test him
B. The Question: Read & explain 12:28. This question was often a matter of debate in Rabbinic schools. In Judaism, there was a double tendency: 1) expand the law limitlessly into 100s of rules/regulations, 2) shrink the law into one sentence. They had 613 precepts, 365 (-) & 248 (+), as well as heavy & light categories. Rabbi Hillel was asked by a proselyte to instruct him in the whole law while standing on one leg. His answer? "What thou hatest for thyself, do not to thy neighbor. This is the whole law, the rest is commentary. Go and learn." Yet others held even the smallest principle was equally binding and to try to distinguish between importance was highly dangerous. WWJD? WWJS?
C. The Answer: Read & explain 12:29-34. Jesus says #1 Love God He quotes the Shema, Deut. 6:4-5, to hear so as to do! The Shema had three uses: 1) sentence with which synagogue service always began and still begins, 2) contained in phylacteries (little leather boxes on foreheads & wrists), 3) cylindrical box (Mezuzah) that was and is still affixed to door of every Jewish home and door of every room. Every devout Jew would/should agree with Jesus. Jesus says #2 Love people He quotes Lev. 19:18 but with a twist. In the original context = fellow Jews only. He takes an old law and gives it new meaning by extending it to Gentiles as well. In fact, He did something NO rabbi had ever done before, He combined these two into one. In fact, He said there is no other command greater. He took a big ole pile of TNT to legalism and said religion is not a bunch of rule keeping. For Jesus, religion = Love God, love people. Dr. Wiersbe: "We do not live by rules but by relationships."
D. App (? of Priority): Is Christianity to you a relationship or is it about religion? On a scale from 1-10, how much emphasis do you put on rules & rule keeping? How are you doing at loving God? Loving yourself? Loving people? It's impossible to love God and hate those made in His image. It's impossible to love your neighbor as yourself if you don't love yourself. Youth app: not tall enough, fast enough, smart enough, rich enough, good looking enough. To criticize yourself is to criticize your Maker! You are just as God wants you!
VII. A Question of Identity (Mark 12:35-37)
A. We often lose sight of the fact that Jesus was a preacher - He preached the greatest sermon ever preached. Having established Himself, His teaching and His words as divinely attested through a series of question and answers, He now busts out a question of His own which in fact is an invitation. An invitation to accept Him or reject Him. But as what?
B. Read & explain 12:35-37. How can the scribes say The religious leaders were convinced that the Messiah would be no more than a man, a physical descendant of David. Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1, a messianic psalm, and asked if this were the case then how could David's son also be David's Lord. David would not have called one of his descendants Lord. Thus the Messiah is more than the Son of David (a mere man), he is also the Son of God. Jesus was proclaiming the Messiah's deity, and thus His own. Which in turn answers the first question posed to Him - by what authority are you doing these things. His authority, like Himself, is divine. He is Immanuel, God with us, Messiah, Son of David and Son of God.
C. Notice lastly: the large crowd was listening to Him with delight This word delight in Greek means "sweetly." They may have well been singing "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, sweetest name I know, fills my every longing, keeps me singing as I go." And yet, I wonder, what do you think the facial expressions of the Sanhedrin, Pharisees, Herodians, Sadducees, and scribe that Jesus had silenced looked like? One group responded with joy and acceptance and one responded with hate and rejection. Which group do you stand in this AM? Let's pray.
VIII. Conclusion & Invitation
A. There was another member of the Sanhedrin who came asking Jesus questions about His Authority & Identity and about eternity. His name was Nicodemus and he came to Jesus at night - read John 3:14-16. How did Nicodemus respond to Jesus' claims about His authority and identity? Read John 19:38-40. Did Nicodemus believe Jesus' claims about Himself? Absolutely. But as we've seen this AM many of his fellow members of the Sanhedrin did not. Oh, they thought they were right in many matters but they were horribly wrong about Christ.
B. Dr. Rogers said, "It doesn't matter what you are right about if you are wrong about Jesus." I imagine many of those men that asked Jesus questions that Tuesday of Passion Week will spend eternity in Hell separated from Christ because in all their questioning they were wrong about Jesus. I equally believe when we get to heaven Nicodemus will be there with us for all eternity.
C. Ask yourself your own question this AM: right or wrong about Jesus? My friends one day every person God has ever put breath into will either spend an eternity in heaven or an eternity in hell based on whether they were right or wrong about Jesus in this life. Don't leave this AM wrong about Jesus!
