On The Way To Jerusalem
Introduction
“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (v.38), so shouted the expectant crowd that surrounded Jesus as he made his way to Jerusalem. The subject of that verse clearly expresses a major theme of chapter 19. The Gospel writer, Luke continues to develop the theme of kingship through the narratives in chapter 19. He draws the reader to look at the nature of kingship on earth as prescribed by men and to compare it with the kingship that Jesus will usher in as the Son of God. Luke challenges the members of his own congregation as he does all Christians in two fields. One challenge is to acknowledge and accept the different nature of the kingship that Jesus offers compared to that of an earthly king. The other challenge is to live within both the kingdoms under the lordship of Jesus, the King of kings who reins from his throne in heaven.
Luke was probably a Gentile by birth. His writing reveals that he was well educated in the Greek and Jewish culture of the day in Palestine. He understood the good news of Jesus where he brings joy, hope, and salvation to all people including the Gentiles. In chapter 19 as elsewhere, Luke introduces stories out of the life of Jesus that would be of particular interest and relevance to the Gentiles. He reveals that Jesus brings salvation not only to his own people, the Jews, but also to all sinners.
Luke 19:
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
Jericho was a large wealthy city in the southern part of the Jordan valley. It lay at the junction of two major roads that accommodated a large volume of traffic in trade through the region. King Herod built his winter palace there. One of his major building projects was the connection of the various fresh water springs with aqueducts and thereby turning the region into a green oasis of agriculture. The population of Jericho consisted of Jew and Gentile. Greeks and Romans were part of the Gentile population who lived there amongst the tens of thousands of Jews. The setting of Jericho allowed it to become a major tax collecting centre for the Romans.
Despite what Jericho had to offer through its opulence and wealth, Jesus was only passing through. He was on the road to Jerusalem and to all that awaited him there. Even though he knew that death awaited him in Jerusalem he was eager to get there as if a beloved relative or friend needed his help. Jesus was on a mission to bring salvation to all people beginning in Jerusalem. The words, “Jesus was passing through” gives a sense of urgency that he had no time to waste. Whether the people in the city of Jericho knew it or not, Jesus was on a mission for their benefit.
2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
Tradition has ascribed Zacchaeus to be a Jew. The reason primarily comes from the statement that Jesus says of him, “This man, too, is a son of Abraham” (v9). This is understood in the light that Abraham is the revered forefather of the people of Israel. However, there is another explanation to the meaning of Jesus’ statement about Zacchaeus and that will become clear later on.
Zacchaeus was probably a Greek by ethnicity. His name was probably derived from a Hebrew equivalent meaning ‘pure or righteous’. It would have been an acceptable name in the multicultural region of Palestine. The meaning of the name sounds immediately contradicting to the nature of the man himself. However, through his meeting with Jesus his name becomes justified.
Luke would have chosen a narrative for his audience with a character that they would have known and could relate to in more ways than one. Zacchaeus was a Gentile and a wealthy business man. He was a chief tax collector of the kind that would have tendered for the business of collecting taxes for the Romans on goods and produce being transported through Jericho. He would have managed a team of tax collectors. The tax that he would have charged a trader included a calculated component owed to the Roman government as well as a surcharge for collecting the tax. It was that excessive surcharge that made Zacchaeus wealthy and considered unfair by the people. Many traders both Jew and Gentile would have had contact and dealings with Zacchaeus and his team of tax collectors. They themselves may have been wealthy too. Zacchaeus would have been one of many in the region who had at times listened to the stories about Jesus.
3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.
4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
The narrative of Zacchaeus has many parallels with the preceding narrative where Jesus heals a blind man on the approach to Jericho (text listed below). For example: in the narrative of the blind man, Jesus was passing by; in the narrative of Zacchaeus, Jesus was passing through. Both the blind man and Zacchaeus where considered by the crowd as lost sinners. They both had an interest in Jesus. The crowd hindered both the blind man and Zacchaeus in meeting with Jesus. Although Jesus was passing by and passing through, he did stop to speak with both the sinners and to deal with their needs. Jesus gave sight to the blind man. By giving him his sight, Jesus had also removed the stigma from him of being a lost sinner. From what the blind man had received leaves the question, “What did Jesus give to Zacchaeus in their meeting?”
Luke 18: 35 As Jesus approached Jericho; a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." 38 He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied. 42 Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Luke has constructed an image of a short man in a sycamore fig tree that would have been understood by both Jew and Gentile. Zacchaeus was a short man, a Gentile and in the sight of the Jews, he was definitely a second grade person. The Gentiles were an unwanted minority group in the land the Jews called their own. They were classed as sinners and contact with them made the Jews ritually unclean. Therefore, it was in the interest of the Jews to avoid any contact with them. This perspective from the Jews was clearly understood by the Gentiles who lived amongst them.
There were numerous sycamore fig trees in Jericho. They were different to the fig trees that were prized for its fruit. They were mostly grown for their wood and shade rather than their fruit. Although it produced abundant fruit, they were small and second grade just like the small man sitting in its branches waiting to see Jesus. The image of the small man in the sycamore tree accentuates the idea of the unworthy character of Zacchaeus as it also does the minority groups living amongst the Jews.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
Jesus was passing through and spotted the small man in the sycamore fig tree. He called him by name as one would to a friend. The urgency Jesus had in reaching Jerusalem for the sake of salvation for the world was once more interrupted by the sight of Zacchaeus. Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem had always been punctuated by events that brought about healing to one person or another. On the approach to Jericho, Jesus stopped to heal a blind man and gave him sight. All those singular events of healing demonstrated that Jesus had come to bring salvation to the individual as well as to the corporate body that is to all people. Therefore, Jesus could not by nature or mission just simply pass by or pass through where healing and salvation was needed.
Jesus was passing through and yet there is the imperative ‘I must’ stay at the house of Zacchaeus. He insisted in interrupting his journey to stay at a house of a Gentile in the sight of all the people. He invited himself to be a guest of Zacchaeus. The Gentiles were also in the crowd that came out to see Jesus pass through. In their sight this was good news. They saw that Jesus respected and accepted a person that was generally loathed in the community. This gave the other Gentiles hope that they too would be accepted by Jesus and included in his mission for salvation.
6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
The crowd see that a well-known and respected Jew has gone into a house of a Gentile. They see that Jesus, a righteous man, a worthy man has gone with Zacchaeus, an unworthy man. The crowd has made judgements about the people in their community whether they are worthy or not. Through their judgements and prejudice they have segregated individuals and minority groups towards a life of isolation and hardship. Jesus however judges no one. He is inclusive of everyone and gives them life. This is evident of Jesus going to stay at the house of Zacchaeus.
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Zacchaeus was thrilled that Jesus, a Jew, a community leader, a teacher took notice of him and invited himself to spend time with him at his house. While there, Zacchaeus accepted Jesus as his Lord. This was a response to Jesus who first accepted Zacchaeus as a worthy person and as a friend.
A further response to this mutual friendship was that Zacchaeus was willing to give half his wealth to the poor. He had accumulated his wealth through a surcharge for collecting the tax on goods being transported through Jericho. Under Roman law he was entitled to do so, but now he may have felt guilty that he had extracted too much from the traders. Hence, Zacchaeus was willing to give away half his wealth not back to the traders, but to the poor. Through the love of Jesus towards him, he had recognized that the poor also needed life. The willing act of giving from one’s abundance to those in need is characteristic of a life that has been touched by Jesus. Such people like Zacchaeus are a blessing bearer of God who carries the blessings that they have first received from God to those in need.
Within his new relationship with Jesus, Zacchaeus said in truth, “If I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” His wealth had not come from cheating, but from being too greedy. His commitment to pay back four times the amount is a mark of his new integrity that came from his relationship with Jesus.
Zacchaeus like many people in Jericho sought happiness through gaining wealth and material possessions. They were active in building their own personal kingdom of glory and power. After meeting with Jesus, Zacchaeus gave away half his wealth. On the approach to Jericho, Jesus gave sight to a blind man. Then, the question remains, “What did Jesus specifically give Zacchaeus?” The answer: Jesus gave Zacchaeus eternal life. That means; he gave him a place in his own kingdom. In the kingdom of Jesus there is no need or room for material wealth. Happiness is achieved not through the accumulation of wealth but through a relationship with Jesus. The evidence that Zacchaeus had received eternal life from Jesus was the fact that he gave half his wealth away. Such would be the good news to all Jew and Gentile, rich or poor that a relationship with Jesus leads to true happiness and eternal life.
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The response that Zacchaeus gave to Jesus was the result of faith in Jesus. He believed in Jesus as the Lord, the Son of God. He believed that he had eternal life through Jesus. He believed that he had entered the kingdom of heaven in which Jesus rules. He believed in happiness through Jesus. Zacchaeus had faith in Jesus. His faith in the Son of God was akin to the faith Abraham had in God. Abraham’s faith was counted as righteousness before God as was the faith of Zacchaeus. He is considered the forefather of the people of Israel, as he is more importantly considered the father of the faithful. Through faith alone one becomes part of the family of faithful, and part of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus had established. Therefore, it was right that Jesus said of Zacchaeus, “This man, too, is a son of Abraham”. Through faith in Jesus, Zacchaeus’ name meaning ‘pure or righteous’ is then justified.
Jesus also said, “Today, salvation has come to this house”. The meaning of ‘this house’ can on a simple level mean Zacchaeus and perhaps all those who were with Jesus in the house of Zacchaeus. On a broader level ‘this house’ can have a similar meaning as in the meaning of the house of King David referring to all that made up the kingdom of David. Jesus was speaking in broader terms, metaphorically as he did about the faith of Zacchaeus. He was saying that, today salvation has come to the house of the Gentiles. Through faith alone in Jesus, all gentiles are able to call themselves sons of Abraham, and part of the family of faithful in the kingdom of Jesus. For all the gentiles in the crowd who knew Zacchaeus and heard Jesus speak, this was good news.
Jesus has made his intentions clear, he has come to seek and save the lost. God is concerned about the welfare of all his creation. He desires and wills through Jesus to bring salvation to both Jew and gentile no matter who they are and what they have done. Jesus calls them by name and calls them into his kingdom.
The Parable of the Ten Minas
11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.
Jesus used his relationship with Zacchaeus to teach the crowd. He taught them that happiness comes from a relationship with him and not through wealth. He continued to tell them a parable about wealth and the nature of those who strive for it.
The parable came as a consequence of the crowd’s expectations of Jesus and his mission. Many people in the crowd believed that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to seize it and to declare himself as the new king. While others believed that Jesus would just continue performing his miracles and through a miracle dispose of the Roman occupation, and restore Jerusalem to its former glory. Their expectations were based on their experiences and knowledge of the kingdoms on earth with their perennial rise and fall. They knew nothing else than the brutality of a kingdom on earth that exploited its people to enrich the few. They understood the violent process that was required to overthrow a kingdom and to install a new leader, but they did not fully understand Jesus and his mission to Jerusalem.
Jesus told them this parable to remind them of the nature of their own earthly kingdom in Jericho. The story of a noble man in the parable runs parallel with their contemporary history in Palestine. At one time, King Herod and later his sons all had to go to a distant country and seek permission from the Roman Emperor to rule a designated area in Palestine. Sometimes a delegation would follow an ambitious prince to protest before the Roman Emperor against the nobleman’s request to rule over them.
12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.
13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’
14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’
15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
18 “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’
19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth.
21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’
22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?
23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’
26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”
The king in this parable is typical of kings and rulers in many places and throughout time. He returned quickly to take up his newly appointed position. He had only one concern, wealth for himself. He called upon his servants to check how much money they had made for him during his absence. He called a servant “good and trustworthy” only if he had gained a lot of wealth for his master. Such a servant was of similar nature and mind as his master. In like manner the “good” servant of the king was also a person of exploitation. In contrast, the so called “wicked servant” says of the king, “you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow”. Zacchaeus was such a person, and hence a “good” servant of the king. Furthermore, the kings with his “good” servants were willing to destroy any opposition towards establishing their kingdom. Such is the nature of kingdoms on earth.
Jesus told them this parable also for another reason. This parable of the kingdom on earth is in contrast to the kingdom that Jesus will usher in, the kingdom of heaven. On his approach to Jerusalem, he had already demonstrated the nature of his coming kingdom. He has shown his concern for the welfare of all people. He has stopped on route to heal and give life to people. He comes not appointed by the Roman Emperor like the earthly kings, but by God. Jesus has a divine appointment in which his authority exceeds that of the kings on earth. He comes as the true blessing bearer of God for the welfare of all people, and not for himself. Jesus comes in contrast to the kings on earth.
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them,
30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.
33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.
36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
The donkey had a significant role in the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Its significance is better understood through a similar story where an ailing King David makes Solomon successor to his throne (1Kings 1:28-48). David called his faithful servants to take Solomon and sit him on his royal donkey. They led him in a procession to the royal throne and anointed him as the new king. The people followed rejoicing in the new king riding on a white donkey. They would have recognized King David’s donkey through the royal insignia of his kingdom on the cloth saddle. It was customary at the time to have such a public display and procession to introduce the new king. It was a means in which the ailing king David could show his approval and authority of the new heir to the royal throne.
In comparison, Jesus rode a donkey that had never been ridden before. It is to make the point that Jesus came not on the authority of any other lord or king on earth. Jesus came by a higher authority, that of God. So a new donkey was chosen, one without the blemish of reputation of another, for a new kingdom was about to begin.
Jesus’ disciples threw their cloaks onto the donkey to act as the cloth saddle for him. Their cloaks became the royal insignia displaying the foundation of the Kingdom of Jesus. The layered saddle of cloaks was an indication that Jesus would build his kingdom upon the faith of his servants.
White donkeys were rare and bred for the purpose of riding. They were expensive and only afforded by wealthy land owners, lords and kings. Donkeys by and large are timid creatures. When they are fearful or sense danger they appear to be stubborn and refuse to continue. For better results, it is up to the owner and rider of the donkey to build a trusting partnership. By feeding, grooming and caring for the donkey in every way then the donkey develops a trust in its master and rider. As a result, the donkey will go where ever its master will lead it even through a noisy crowd on the way to Jerusalem. The donkey had a sense of trust in Jesus to safely lead it.
A people anywhere would have rejoiced to see their lord or king come riding with ease on a white donkey. It was a display that was acknowledgement by all concerned of the rider’s good and trusting relationship with his donkey. It was further understood and hoped that the king would likewise care for his people and servants as he did for his donkey. In response the people would put their faith in him and serve him willingly. Jesus came riding his donkey into Jerusalem demonstrating the kind of king that they would receive. He came as the new king to care for all people so they could put their faith and trust in him as their loving king.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Jesus had arrived at the summit and about to go down from the Mount of Olives. The Mount had often been a place of worshipping God even before the time of Abraham. From there and across the Kidron valley a person could look down into Jerusalem and come face to face with the Temple Mount. There on the summit, the people rejoiced and praised God for all the miracles they had seen. They were worshipping God for the messiah they had in their midst and who was about to rule from Jerusalem. They believed that God was with them once more as the miracles testified to his presence. Whether they knew it or not their act of worship was further testimony that Jesus is indeed the Son of God.
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
The Pharisees understood quite well the significance of the event on the Mount of Olives and the people’s belief in Jesus as the coming messiah and king. They were fearful of a clumsy coupe attempt upon the Roman occupancy of Jerusalem. Rome would not stand for another challenge to its authority as the current ruler of the land. The Pharisees feared Roman retribution upon the people and the Temple if it came to an attempted overthrow of the government. They called out to Jesus to implore his disciples to be quiet. Jesus’ reply needs to be understood in the context of where they were: descending from the Mount of Olives. The slopes from the summit to the floor of the Kidron valley are covered with grave stones, thousands of them. People had been specifically buried there for hundreds of years in the belief that they would be the first to be raised to life in the event of the coming of the messiah. Should the disciples be made to be silent then Jesus declared that these memorial stones that had been waiting for the coming messiah would praise God instead.
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it
42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.
43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.
44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
In the midst of the people rejoicing and praising God, Jesus wept. From the Mount of Olives in view of Jerusalem there was a contrast between the rejoicing disciples and the lamenting Jesus. The disciples together with the rejoicing people expected Jesus to rule his kingdom from Jerusalem by miraculously disposing of the Roman occupation. They had seen the miracles performed by Jesus and therefore expected more of the same. They expected a new golden era for Jerusalem where Israel would be glorified once more and their enemies disposed of. Such was the basis of the joy and expectation of the procession that followed Jesus into Jerusalem. However, Jesus did not share in their optimism. He came as the divine saviour, but not of the kind that the people had expected.
When Jesus saw Jerusalem, he lamented at the destruction that will come upon it as a result of its own self-centred actions. Jesus continued to say of Jerusalem, “because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” The subject of Jesus’ accusation was not the failure of recognizing that God’s was with them but rather the failure of not recognizing the time. They failed to recognize the signs that would become the time of God’s coming to you. The signs were many and only a few are listed here: the widow and orphan were not cared for, the poor went hungry, the sick were left unattended, the mighty oppressed the weak, the wealthy did not share, the unclean and unholy had no access to God. The people of Jerusalem like all people everywhere had failed to do the will of God, and that was to care for all of God’s creation so that they may have life. Jesus came to fulfil what all people had failed to do. He came to heal the sick, to feed the hungry, to care for the poor, to teach about the kingdom of heaven, and above all to forgive and to restore God’s creation to himself. Jesus was on the road to bring about salvation for all people, but not according to the earthly expectations of the people.
Jesus at the Temple
45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling.
46 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
In the past, revolutionaries with their troop would march on the palace and attempt to overthrow the foreign occupation of Jerusalem. In contrast to the expectations of the people, Jesus instead entered the temple courts and caused a revolt there. He had entered the temple to cleanse his “Father’s House”.
The sellers had a legitimate place in the Temple court as did the priest in providing a service according to the Temple function. They provided the animal sacrifices at a price so that an individual may present it to the priest for an offering to God in the hope of receiving a blessing. Jesus was leading a revolution at the heart of Israel’s long established Temple culture wherein God was approached and worshipped. Without the sellers many people would find it difficult to purchase an offering to be sacrificed by the priest on their behalf. Without the seller the Temple system would fail those who came to make peace with God. As it was, the Temple system was inadequate and many people could not approach God because they were classed as unclean or unworthy to come near God. As foretold by Jesus, the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 A.D. With its final destruction came the end of the means to approach God and the end of the seller and priest.
Jesus as the Son of God brought revolt and change when he entered the Temple, his Father’s House. From a theological perspective, Jesus entered the Temple as the one and final High Priest, and to give of himself as the one and final sacrifice for the sins of all people. No longer were the seller and priest required. Jesus came to fulfil what the Temple system had failed to do. Through the actions of Jesus no one was required to bring a sacrifice of any kind to meet with their God. Jesus became that sacrifice whereby all people have been made right with God. The stone walls of the Temple would no longer separate a people from their God. Jesus made it possible to approach God simply through prayer. Such was the revolution when Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a white donkey.
While Jesus was in the Temple, his main activity was teaching. As part of the revolution, Jesus needed to teach the people that there is a loving God, a God who cares for his creation, a God who is willing to forgive, a God who is approachable, a God who is for everyone, a God who gives eternal life for all, and a God who can be considered as a loving Father who is in heaven.
Jesus as the revolutionary became a threat to the order of the established society and therefore a threat to the leaders of the Temple and the leaders of the city. They planned to kill Jesus. However, they had to abide their time, since the people were united in their thirst to hear the good news that Jesus was teaching in the Temple.
Jesus did not consider a march on the Roman occupation of Jerusalem. In his kingdom, Rome was considered as a servant amongst others. Like the disciples of Jesus including Judas, Rome was a servant too. Like Judas who had betrayed Jesus, Rome also had a part to play to bring about salvation for all. Even today, civil governments continue to be a servant in the kingdom of God and are called by God to help bring about good order, justice and to promote life for all people. Unfortunately, not all servants adhere to the will of God and they too will be judged and dealt with as Jesus had lamented over Jerusalem.
Concluding Thoughts
The author of the Gospel, Luke explores the life of Jesus particularly Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. Jesus was on his way to establish his kingdom. On the way he would demonstrate his nature and the type of king that all the people could expect. He would meet with the people and teach them about the coming kingdom of heaven. Jesus demonstrated what it meant to live in his kingdom by healing the people, feeding them and caring for them in every way. Jesus came as their blessing bearer from God the Father so that all people may have life and have it abundantly. In one example, Jesus befriended a tax collector, Zacchaeus and gave him the gift of eternal life.
In comparison of kingdoms, Luke reminded the people of the type of kingdom and king that they were currently living in and governed by. This reminder came as a parable, ‘The parable of the Ten Minas.’ Like all kingdoms on earth, they are marked and identified by their very nature of serving their self-interest. They can range from democratically elected governments to tribal rule, company managers, church leaders, and within families. Such earthly kings demand performance and service from the people in their charge. It is simply a master servant relationship in order to enrich the master in wealth, glory and power.
Jesus was followed into Jerusalem by his disciples and a band of enthusiastic supporters. They expected Jesus to take the city in some way from its current rulers and to declare himself the new king of Jerusalem. Their expectations were in most part based on their experience and understanding of living under rulers and masters who knew very little of God and his will. Those that followed Jesus had in part experienced what Jesus could do. Therefore, they expected a benevolent king although still operating in an earthly system that they were accustomed to.
It was not at the palace where the revolt occurred, but at the Temple, the Father’s House. Jesus removed those elements that were related in nature to the kingdoms on earth. They restricted the giving of life to those in need. The successful revolt or more precisely, the restoration of the Father’s House indicated that Jesus was indeed the new king of the Father’s House. Jesus became the king of kings, the king of the Kingdom of Heaven, as appointed by God, his Father in heaven.
The main activity that Jesus carried out in the Temple at Jerusalem was to teach the people about the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus desired to expand and lift the people’s experience and knowledge about what it means to live in his kingdom. All kingdoms are appointed by God and are called to carry out the will of God. All who rule in a kingdom whether they are kings, governors, generals, managers, supervisor, leaders, teachers, parents and neighbours are called to do the will of God. God’s will for all of us is simple. He desires all of us to care for his creation so that it may have life and have it abundantly. In this way, we all receive life. Jesus had set the example. On the road to Jerusalem, on the road to his destination Jesus stopped to give life to others according to their needs. Jesus teaches that we all need to stop from time to time and give life to someone in need. In this way we live in the Kingdom of Heaven and are pleasing to God.
Amen.
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