Pondering the Last Week of Jesus, part 2

Thoughts to help you pause, appreciate and experience more deeply Jesus’ final week on earth in human form.  And thus, experience Easter Sunday more fully. As you read these, try to put yourself in Jesus’ place: how would you feel, what would you be thinking, how would you act?  Then thank Jesus for all He went through for us, for you.

WEDNESDAY

As I wrote yesterday, there is nothing recorded about Jesus’ last Wednesday, so let’s look at the final events of Tuesday.

THE CONSPIRACY OF THE JEWS

Think how Jesus felt - the Jews were the people God had chosen in the past, and Jesus was God.  Now, the very people He had chosen were conspiring to kill Him. Think what it would have been like feeling that hatred and knowing of that plot as Jesus was teaching and working with His followers.

         Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot.” Mark 14:1–2 (NIV)

A GREAT GIFT

At the end of Tuesday, Jesus was dining with a friend, when the sister, (name was Mary), of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, sacrificed an alabaster jar of pure nard. It was an extremely costly perfume, worth ABOUT A YEAR’S WAGES!! Think about how much you make in a year. Worth that much. WOW! In a moment of time Mary expressed her deep gratitude and deep love for Jesus by breaking an expensive jar and using that perfume to anoint Jesus before His death.  It must have overwhelmed Jesus to be loved and honored so profusely.

          While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Mark 14:3 (NIV)

HARSH CRITICISM

Have you ever had a grand moment deflated by someone’s selfishness? Just as Jesus is being honored by this great sacrifice, some of the guests essentially said, “Jesus is not worth it.”  Even some of His disciples. Rather than “wasting” this on Jesus, they claimed the perfume should have been sold for a year’s wages and given to the poor.  In reality, at least one of the disciples (Judas) was stealing money from the group’s funds and took the loss personally.  Others were being so practical they lost the significance in the extravagance.  It begs the question: “Is Jesus worth all to you?”

            Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. Mark 14:4–5 (NIV)

Think how Jesus must have felt.  He was the Son of God and about to give Himself to be abused and crucified for these people – to give His all.  Though the gift was extravagant by human measures, it was NOTHING compared to what He did for us!  Think of the sadness and hurt He must have felt as the moment was sucked away and He had to scold those present.

       “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14:6–9 (NIV)

FINAL BETRAYAL

Jesus knew it was coming, but being fully human, it must have sliced His heart out! That one of His closest friends, a man with whom He had spent 3 years was holding the knife that would stab Him in the back.  Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests offering to betray Jesus.  The Jewish leaders finally had a way to capture and kill Jesus without starting a riot.  And Jesus knew what Judas and the religious leaders were doing.  Oh, the pain it must have caused Him!

        Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over. Mark 14:10–11 (NIV)

Ponder on these things and thank Him as you think of Jesus’ last week.

Boldly, Pastor Herb

Pondering the Last Week of Jesus, part 1

To truly celebrate Easter, we must pause to consider what the week leading up to Easter was like for Jesus.  Each day I will give you some thoughts from a study of that Gospel of Mark to help you get started. I missed yesterday, so here is both Monday and Tuesday.

MONDAY

CURSING THE FIG TREE

Jesus pronounced God’s judgement on the unbelieving Jews by cursing a fig tree.  It was supposed to have buds on it, but did not.  It had the green leaves that from a distance promised this simple nourishment. But the promise was empty, so Jesus cursed it.

         The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. Mark 11:12–14 (NIV)

CLEANSING THE TEMPLE

Jesus then went into the Temple and drove the money changers and sellers of animals from the outer court of the Temple.  It was the only area that non-Jewish people could worship, but it had been turned into a marketplace and a short cut so that it was impossible to worship.  Jesus’ anger exploded into violent removal.

         On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” Mark 11:15–17 (NIV)

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

When Jesus cleansed the Temple, He was claiming He had greater authority than the Jewish High Priest.  Thus the gauntlet was thrown down. As a result, the Jewish leaders started looking for a way to kill Jesus.

         The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. When evening came, they went out of the city. Mark 11:18–19 (NIV)

TUESDAY

NOTE: Mark 12:1-14:11 (appear to all happen on Tuesday, with no mention of anything on Wednesday.  The Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John are the same. It appears nothing was recorded about Wednesday, so I’m going to break Tuesday into two parts.  It is just as well because so much happened.

Ponder a moment: if you had only three days left, and you knew today was the final day of telling your followers what matters, what would you say?  Jesus spent the day jousting with the Jewish religious leaders and teaching. It was the last day of teaching the crowds recorded, so we can assume these were important lessons.  Here are just a few highlights.  I encourage you to read the chapters for yourself.

It was an exhausting day for Jesus. On the hot seat with religious leaders, the intensity of last words He wanted to impart, the plot to kill Him hanging over His head, and always the knowledge that He was headed to the most CRUEL DEATH in three days.

BACK TO THE FIG TREE

On the way into Jerusalem, the disciples notice the fig tree is shriveled from the roots up. Amazed, they bring to Jesus’ attention.  He responds nonchalantly:

          “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:22–25 (NIV)

TRAPS SET BY THE JEWISH AUTHORITES

“Where do you get your authority?” Jesus was asked where He got His authority. He refused to answer because they would not answer His question about John the Baptist’s authority

“Should we pay taxes to Roman government?” If He says yes, He is in trouble with the Jews. If He says no, He is in trouble with Rome.  So He says, 

                Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him. Mark 12:17 (NIV)

 “How can you claim there is a resurrection?” the Sadducees (one branch of the Jewish leaders) asked.  Jesus shows them the next life if not like this one and we have different bodies and different relationships.

“What is the greatest commandment?” This was not a trap, but a sincere inquiry.  Because of it we have the MEANING OF LIFE. 

                Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30–31 (NIV)

NO MORE TRAPS, JESUS THEN TEACHES

After Jesus turned the traps on them, no one dared ask Him any other questions.  However, it made the Jewish leaders even more intent to kill Him.

Jesus taught important lessons on His identity, generosity (the widow’s offering), what will happen in the future, and that NO ONE KNOWS WHEN HE WILL RETURN.  That last one is especially important for us.

Ponder on these things and thank Him as you think of Jesus' last week.