An Exposition of The Gospel According to Luke
\n(Installment 32)<\/p>\n
The Last Journey To Jerusalem
\n(Continued)<\/p>\n
FOR THE LAST two studies we have been examining different events that occurred on our Lord’s last journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, for the Passover at which He was crucified. The events studied in these articles transpired in His last Perean ministry as He journeyed through that section of the country. Our studies have brought us to the point of considering the healing of the blind man at Jericho.<\/p>\n
Healing of the Blind Man at Jericho<\/p>\n
It is important that we study the three accounts given by the synoptic writers in order to get the facts of the healing of this man. There was a great multitude that was accompanying Jesus as He was traveling on His way to Jerusalem. Let us remember that this was the time of the Passover, and that people from all over the country were going up to Jerusalem to observe the Feast. If we will only use our imagination, we can fancy that there was a constant stream of people on all the roads that were converging on Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
Matthew tells us that, as Jesus was going out of Jericho, there were two blind men who were sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out saying, „Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David.“ The multitude rebuked them for doing this. The more they were reproved, the more they cried out, addressing Christ as the „son of David,“ and asking Him to have mercy upon them. As Jesus came up to the place where they were sitting, He stopped, called them, and said, „What will ye that I should do unto you?“ They replied, „Lord, that our eyes may be opened.“ Jesus was moved with compassion and touched their eyes. Straightway they saw. Such is the account of the healing of these two blind men at Jericho when Jesus was leaving the city and as recorded by Matthew (Matt. 20:29-34).<\/p>\n
Mark speaks of this same incident, and of its occurring as Jesus was going out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitued. He tells us that Jesus healed a blind man whose name was „Timeus, Bartimeus, a blind begger“ (Mark 10:46). Mark also informs us that, when he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he addressed Him as „thou son of David.“ The expression, „son of David,“ goes back to the promise and covenant into which God entered with David concerning one of his descendants‘ mounting the throne of David and reigning in righteousness for ever (II Sam., chap. 7). This one, of course, is none other than the Messiah, the God-man, who entered the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth. It was generally understood by the people of Christ’s day that the Messiah was to be a descendant of David, and that he was to enter the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth.<\/p>\n
When Jesus stopped, He instructed those around Him to call the man. When they did, the beggar cast away his garments, sprang up, and came to Jesus. When the Lord asked him what He should do, the blind man replied, „Rabboni, that I may receive my sight“ (Mark 10:46-52).<\/p>\n
Luke give us a little different account, but there is perfect harmony between this record and the other two, when all of the facts are taken into consideration, and when we understand the geographical locations of that time. Luke gives the story in 18:35-43. In verse 35 he tells us that it came to pass, as Christ drew near to Jericho, that a certain man who was sitting beside the road begging heard the multitude and inquired what was the significance of the noise which he heard. Luke states that this case of healing occurred as Jesus was drawing nigh to Jericho.<\/p>\n
We have just seen that the other two records say that Jesus healed a blind man, or two blind men, when He was going out of Jericho. Is there a contradiction? By no means. There were two Jerichos, the Jericho of Joshua’s time, which was destroyed when Israel entered into the Promised Land, and the Roman Jericho that was built by the Romans after their occupation, of the land in 63 B.C. These two locations are about four miles apart. Thus, as Jesus went out of the old Jericho and approached the new Jericho, He came to the place where these two blind men were. As we have seen, Matthew says there were two men. Mark and Luke tell us that there was one. Are the records contradictory? No. There were actually two, but one was more aggressive; hence more prominent. He took the lead when Jesus called. Thus Mark tells us the name of the more prominent one; but both were healed. This healing, of course, was physical. Jesus healed various blind people, demonstrating the fact that He is the Master of disease. When He returns and reigns upon this earth in glory, there will be no blindness or other sickness, because the Lord will heal the blind, the lame, and the diseased. This is seen in Isaiah, chapter 35.<\/p>\n
But at the present time the restoration of spiritual vision is of far greater importance than that of the natural, physical sight. While we appreciate from the depths of our hearts the ability of physically seeing, yet we appreciate much more the faculty of spiritual insight into things as they are, and especially in the Word of God.<\/p>\n
Zacchaeus the Taxgatherer<\/p>\n
Luke, in continuing his narrative, said that Jesus entered and was passing through Jericho, that is, the second Jericho, the Roman city. As He was traveling along the highway with the multitude, there was a taxgatherer by the name of Zacchaeus who was very much interested in Jesus. This man, who was low of stature, was very eager to get a glimpse of Jesus. Knowing that he could not because of the throng, he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order that he might see Jesus. As the group was walking along the road, Jesus came to the place where Zacchaeus was.<\/p>\n
He looked up and said to the taxgatherer: „Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house“ (19:5). Zacchaeus hastily came down and received the Lord most joyfully.<\/p>\n
But when those who were traveling along with Jesus saw that He went in and was received in the house of a taxgatherer, „they all murmured, saying, He is gone to lodge with a man that is a sinner“ (vs. 7). The publicans, or taxgatherers, were disreputable men, as a rule. They purchased the privilege of collecting taxes from the people. The average publican was unscrupulous and squeezed every shekel out of everyone when he could. As a rule, they had no scruples whatsoever. Thus, if a man was recognized as a taxgatherer, he immediately was listed as an out-and-out reprobate, a contemptible sinner. While the general rule was that the taxgatherers were unscrupulous men, there were those who were not. For instance, Zacchaeus and Matthew were of this latter class. Jesus never would have chosen Matthew as one of the disciples if he had been an unprincipled, unscrupulous man.<\/p>\n
That Zacchaeus was an honorable, upright man is evident from what he said to the Lord: „Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold“ (vs. 8). There is every reason to believe that Zacchaeus was honest and straightforward in making this statement to the Lord. He was not dogmatically saying that he had never wronged any man. Recognizing the fact that all men do make mistakes, he stated that if he had wrongfully exacted aught of any man, he would restore it fourfold. Restoration is always a fruit of repentance. To repent is to change the thoughts, purposes, and intentions of the heart, or mind. Whenever a person repents, he will change his life, will restore stolen goods, and make right every wrong of which he is guilty, if possible, when he becomes aware of his wrong. Zacchaeus was unconscious of any wrong, but he was eager to make any wrong right, if the Lord would only show him.<\/p>\n
Jesus replied to Zacchaeus: „To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.“ Many of the taxgatherers were Romans, but Zacchaeus was a Jew, an upright man who gave a square, righteous deal to everyone. Jesus, knowing his heart, said that salvation had come to that man’s house. He was in the proper attitude and frame of mind to receive salvation. The Apostle Paul preached publicly and from house to house to both Jews and Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Men must repent toward God and put their faith in Christ. This is true now and always of both Jew and Gentile (Acts 20:21).<\/p>\n
Jesus concluded His remarks concerning Zacchaeus‘ case by saying: „For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost (vs. 10). Christ, the Son of man, left heaven and came to this world to seek and to save the lost–those who recognize that they are lost and without God and hope in the world. When men arrive at that conclusion, they are ready to let go and let God have a chance in their lives. They are willing to come to Him and trust Him for salvation.<\/p>\n
The Parable of the Pounds<\/p>\n
Immediately following the incident which we have just been studying, our Lord spoke another parable, because He was drawing near to Jerusalem, and because the people who were accompanying Him supposed that the kingdom of God was immediately to appear. Excitement concerning Jesus and His mission in the world was running high. John the Baptist had broken the silence of four hundred years by saying that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Jesus and the Apostles had sounded the same note. Excitement was running high in expectation that great and mighty changes would immediately take place–upon His arrival in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
In this connection, it becomes necessary for us to notice the expression, kingdom of God. What does it signify? The literal meaning of the words is the reign of God–the government of God here upon earth. The prophets had foretold that God in the person of Messiah–the God-man entering the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth–would come to earth and would reign upon the earth, having His capital at Jerusalem. (See such passages as Isaiah 2:1-4; Micah 4:1-8; Jeremiah 3:16-18; Isaiah 33:17-24; and Zephaniah 3:14-18.)<\/p>\n
There is another phase of the kingdom of God foretold in the Old Testament which is very frequently overlooked. This is the spiritual phase of the reign of God upon the earth, which precedes the glorious, outward, visible manifestation of His regal authority when He returns personally to reign. This phase of the kingdom we call the Church.<\/p>\n
That the Church itself was foreknown and foretold in the Old Testament is clearly seen in Deuteronomy 32:21 and Isaiah 65:1. That these two quotations are prophecies concerning the Church is quite obvious from the interpretation which the Apostle Paul gives to them in Romans 10:16-21. We are therefore on a solid, factual basis in interpreting these two passages of Scripture as predictions concerning the present spiritual phase of the kingdom of God. This position becomes abundantly evident to the one who will study the setting of Isaiah 65:1. It shows that while Gentiles are coming to the Lord and are being received by Him, the Jews are being set aside, awaiting the time of the Tribulation when God’s Judgments will purge out all the wicked from Israel. When He does that, He will return and create new heavens and a new earth according to Isaiah 65:17, which verse introduces the Millennial Age.<\/p>\n
A number of passages foretell the Church Age: For instance, Psalm 110:1,2. The Messiah comes, is rejected by Israel, is executed, buried, and rises from the dead. Then at the invitation of God He leaves this earth, ascends to heaven, takes His seat at the right hand of the throne of God, and remains seated there during this entire Christian Dispensation. At the end of it when Israel acknowledges his national sin and pleads for the Messiah to return, He will do so. Thus we see the two comings of the one Messiah separated by the interval during which He is rejected, the Church Age. Jesus came, launched a preaching ministry which He has been carrying on through believers during the present time. At the end of this age Jesus will return and will set up His kingdom here upon the earth and reign from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.<\/p>\n
This interpretation of the facts is demanded by the parable of the pounds found in Luke 19:11-27. In order to correct the erroneous ideas that some in His audience might have, Jesus spoke this parable of the pounds–because He was near Jerusalem, and because many thought that the kingdom of God in its outward, visible manifestation would appear immediately. He therefore said that the kingdom of heaven was like a nobleman who went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. But before making his journey, he called his servants together and delivered to them his goods, to each one a pound, with the instructions that each should take his pound and should trade therewith and gain interest. When the nobleman receives his kingdom, he comes back and has a reckoning with his servants. Upon his return he finds that one man has invested his pound and has gained ten others; another has used his pound and has gained five others; still another takes his pound and hides it in a napkin. Each is rewarded according to the gain which he has made with his investment.<\/p>\n
The nobleman is the Lord Jesus Christ. The far country to which he goes to get His kingdom is heaven. His servants to whom He delivers His goods are the servants of Christ, the Christians. The time that they are to make the investment is the period during His absence. When He goes into the presence of God at the conclusion of the Tribulation Period (Dan. 7:13,14), He is vested with authority and power and comes back in glory to reign upon the earth–in the very place where He was rejected and by those who refused that He should reign over them.<\/p>\n
During the present spiritual phase of the kingdom of God, we, the servants of the Lord, are each given a pound, so to speak. We are all put on an equality. What do the pounds represent? Undoubtedly, they are one’s natural abilities, capabilities, and talents–the spiritual endowments with which the Christian is blessed and the opportunities of service granted him. Each has the opportunity of being faithful in his own sphere. When the Lord rewards His servants for what they have done, the measure of all gain will be determined by their loyalty and faithfulness. I can illustrate the point by my experience as a teacher in high school and college. I learned my students, their capabilities and their application. I took into consideration, when grading their papers, the advantages, handicaps, and capacities of each person–in fact, I took all factors into consideration. I graded papers, giving an „A“ or an „A plus“ to a student whose paper did not compare with that of another on which I marked an „A minus“ or a „B plus.“ So far as scholarship was concerned, and accuracy and thoroughness, the paper with the „A plus“ could not compare with the one which was graded with a „B plus.“ My reason for grading thus was that the one given the „A plus“ did his best. He acted with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency of the powers and opportunities which he had; whereas, the other student to whose work the standards of accuracy were more rigidly applied could have handed in a far better paper, had he worked with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency.<\/p>\n
Every Christian has his pound; can work with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency; can lay all on the altar and with faithfulness and loyalty to Christ and God can act in such a way as to get „A plus.“ But how many are doing-this? Unfortunately, the great majority of Christians are not taking their service in the Master’s cause seriously enough.<\/p>\n
I might illustrate the type of judging mentioned above by the case of the poor widow who put the last two coins she possessed–the smallest Roman coin then in existence–into the treasury. Jesus said that she out of her extreme poverty had given more than all of the rich put together, and yet what little she did was infinitesimally small in comparison with what they had given. There is, therefore, the invisible qualities of loyalty, faithfulness, and consecration that determine the pound delivered to each one. Each one can take his pound and can invest it and can gain ten pounds no matter who he or she may be.<\/p>\n
Let us not confuse the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:11-28) with the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). In the latter parable the landlord delivers to his servants his goods according to each one’s ability. To one he gives five talents, to another, two talents, and to another, one. The one who receives the five talents has capacities and abilities to use with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency that amount of money. The two talent man is more limited in his capacities and abilities and opportunities. He cannot invest and handle the five talents because of lack of ability, but he can with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency handle the two talents. God wants quality service; hence, He gives to each one according to his ability and expects each to work with one-hundred-per-cent efficiency. Everyone can do that.<\/p>\n
When Jesus comes back to this earth, lifts the curse, and establishes His reign of righteousness, He will make His servants who have been faithful to Him officials in His government. They shall judge the nations (I Cor. 6:1ff). In the language of the parable of the pounds the one who gains ten pounds with his one, will reign over ten cities. The one who gains only five pounds will reign over five cities. These cities are cities of the millennial kingdom. The earth is not populated now. Just a few people live in certain spots. But during the Millennial Age the earth’s population will increase most rapidly and there will be hundreds of millions of people by the time the thousand-year reign is over. Christ will need those the traits of honesty, integrity, loyalty, and faithfulness to assist Him in the government of the local and provincial governments of His Kingdom.<\/p>\n
It is a holy ambition and a laudable desire to take one’s pound and gain ten pounds and thus reign over ten cities. Those, however, who do not gain anything, but who are saved, will not reign with Christ. A person must suffer with Christ, make sacrifices, if he is to reign with Him.<\/p>\n
In the eternal world, that everlasting Jerusalem that comes down out of the eternal heavens and rests upon the eternal earth–the place which Jesus has gone to prepare for us now–we shall reign with Christ throughout all eternity.<\/p>\n
People are saved by the grace of God through faith, but they are to be rewarded according to their work.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
From Bethphage to Jerusalem<\/p>\n
LET US remember that from Luke 17:11 to 19:44 we are studying the last journey that our Lord made to Jerusalem, at the time of the Passover when He was crucified. There were different stages of this trip. From 17:11–18:34 we have an account of the events which took place on that part of the journey which was from Galilee to Jericho, east of the Jordan. In 18:35–19:27 we have the events that occurred when He and His disciples were passing through ancient Jericho, captured by Joshua, and going forward towards the Jericho of Roman times. Luke 19:28 takes Jesus from Jericho to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. In the present study (vss. 28-44) we shall note some of the events as recorded by Luke, that occurred when Jesus made His entry into Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
Jesus made His home with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, who lived at Bethany on the east slope of the Mount of Olives just before the crest of the mountain is reached. When He arrived in the vicinity of Bethphage and Bethany, He sent two of His disciples to the village opposite them in order that they might procure an ass upon which Jesus could ride into the Holy City. Matthew is the one who gives us this information. He also tells us that a colt would be with this ass. Mark and Luke, however, mention only the colt. We may be certain that Jesus gave instructions regarding both the ass and its colt, as Matthew informs us. Why He should instruct them to bring both we are not told. From the records of Mark and Luke we know that Christ rode on the colt, on which no one had ever ridden before. It was therefore appropriate that Jesus should be the first one to ride on this colt.<\/p>\n
Jesus instructed His disciples that, as they would enter the village, they would find a colt tied in the street before the house. They were to loose it, and, if anyone should speak to them regarding the colt, they were to say, „The master has need of it.“ They went into the village and found things exactly as Jesus said. As they unloosed the colt, the owner asked why they were doing it. They informed him that the Master had need of it. He immediately gave his consent. Evidently he knew and honored Christ, the Master of the disciples.<\/p>\n
This colt was procured for the Lord Jesus in order that He might ride into Jerusalem as was foretold by Zechariah: „Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0 daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee; He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass. 10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace unto the nations: and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth“ (Zech. 9:9,10).<\/p>\n
It is absolutely certain that Zechariah in vision saw Christ as He would enter Jerusalem on this occasion. In this particular prophecy he explained the purpose of the Lord’s entering Jerusalem in this manner. He therefore urged the people of Jerusalem of the Saviour’s day to rejoice and shout aloud, because this One who comes riding upon the colt of an ass is Zion’s King, who is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt, the foal of an ass. Note the fact that He comes riding upon an ass, and not upon a warhorse. His coming in this manner is in harmony with His statement that He came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:15).<\/p>\n
Did Christ, as is often asserted, come in this manner, riding upon an ass, and offer Himself to Israel as his King? There is nothing in the context that would indicate this idea. On the contrary, He is represented as coming in the humblest manner–offering salvation to the nation. He did offer salvation to the Jewish people, but the bulk of the people did not see and recognize in Him their Saviour. Hence, they rejected Him as such.<\/p>\n
Some assert that Zechariah 9:10 is a prediction of the things that the Saviour will do when He comes to reign as King over Israel. This is true, for when the Lord returns He will stop all wars and will speak peace to the nations as is set forth in this verse. Though it follows verse 9 immediately, we are not to conclude that, when He came nineteen hundred years ago riding on the ass, He offered to stop all wars and speak peace to the nations. We must remember that these two verses are related, one to the other, by the law of double reference. Frequently the prophets speak of two remotely separated events and blend them into one picture. Zechariah 9:9 is a prediction of Christ’s first coming and His entry into Jerusalem at the time of which the Evangelists speak in their Gospels. The entire Christian Dispensation is passed over in silence between verses 9 and 10. But in verse 10 the second coming of Christ and what He will do at that future time are foretold. The account of our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem on this occasion is recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-10, Luke 19:29-40, and John 12:12-19. Each of these four accounts should be read before we continue this study.<\/p>\n
We usually hear people speak of Christ’s going into Jerusalem on this occasion as His triumphant entry. It is difficult for me to speak of it in these terms. Yes, He entered Jerusalem attended by a great throng of people, who acclaimed Him as the Son of David, the King of Israel. It was the custom of conquerors of those days, after some victorious campaign, to return to their capitals accompanied by their armies, and with the captives taken in the war which had just been completed. For instance, the Romans erected arches in commemoration of their warriors and their conquests. As an example; Titus conquered the Jews, destroyed Jerusalem, returned to Rome, was acclaimed a great hero, and a triumphal arch was erected, with certain inscriptions and engravings, to commemorate the fact that he had successfully conquered the Jews and was victor over that unfortunate people.<\/p>\n
But the Lord Jesus Christ did not enter Jerusalem as a conqueror on this occasion. He entered the city as the meek and lowly Nazarene, offering salvation to the people, salvation in the spiritual sense of the term.<\/p>\n
But He will return at the end of the present, dispensation and will then enter Jerusalem as a triumphant Warrior. Isaiah saw Him returning and coming into the beloved city (Isa. 63:1-6). Again, we see Him coming to Jerusalem as the King of Glory, who is described as „Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle.“ His coming as Israel’s King and as the Conqueror of the world is graphically set forth in Psalm 24:7-10:<\/p>\n
\n„7 Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates;
\nAnd be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors:
\nAnd the King of glory will come in.
\n8 Who is the King of glory?
\nJehovah strong and mighty,
\nJehovah mighty in battle.
\n9 Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates;
\nYea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors:
\nAnd the King of glory will come in.
\n10 Who is this King of glory?
\nJehovah of hosts,
\nHe is the King of glory.“<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/p>\n
Jerusalem is called upon by the psalmist to lift up its head from its state of dejection and to welcome Him so that He will come in. This thing the people of Israel will do at the end of the Tribulation, when the remnant of the nations, having repudiated the national sin, seeks His face:<\/span><\/p>\n
„6 This is the generation of them that seek after him,
\nThat seek thy face, even Jacob“ (Ps. 24:6).<\/p>\nThe disciples put their garments upon the colt, and Jesus sat upon them. Some of the multitude cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road over which Jesus was coming. Part of the multitude preceded and part followed Him. As they were reaching the descent of the Mount of Olives, the multitude burst forth into one mighty shout–in ecstasy–for Jesus, the Prophet of Nazareth. According to Mark’s account they cried: „Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 10 Blessed is the kingdom that cometh, the kingdom of our father David: Hosanna in the highest.“ (Mark 11:9,10). Luke tells us that they shouted: „Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest“ (Luke 19:38). And John informs us that they cried: „Hosanna: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.“ Obviously, they had Psalm 118:25,26 in mind. They interpreted these verses as a reference to the Messiah of Israel. He will come in glory and in power to take the reins of government into His strong hands and to establish His reign of righteousness upon the earth. It is obvious that the great masses of the people who were interested in Jesus thought that He was at that time going to restore the kingdom to Israel and reign as King. That the quotation from Psalm 118 does refer to the second coming of Christ in glory and power is evident from a study of this psalm, but the people of that generation were doing some wishful thinking. They were tired of the oppressing, galling yoke of the Romans and wanted deliverance. They saw in Jesus the mighty power of God working. They were ready to acclaim Him as their King, if He would but bring deliverance from the Roman yoke. The great masses were not thinking in terms of the spiritual and moral reformation that must come before the outward political deliverance. Jesus did not do anything to contribute to this erroneous idea, entertained by the effervescent and enthusiastic masses. These people, accompanying Jesus, were like the multitudes in Galilee, who, when the Lord fed the five thousand, „were about to come and take him by force, to make him king“ (John 6:15). Jesus, however, did not do nor say anything that would encourage them to believe that He was going to play the role of a political Messiah at that time.<\/p>\n
But even the Apostles still entertained the idea that He at that time would restore the Kingdom to Israel, for at the time of the ascension they asked, „Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?“ (Acts 1:6). Our Lord’s reply was, „It is not for you to know the times or seasons, which the Father hath set within his own authority. 8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth“ (Acts 1:7,8). Jesus admitted that He will restore the Kingdom to Israel–at some future time.<\/i> It was not necessary for the Apostles to know the „times or seasons“–the date when He will do this. He then took their minds off this future restoration of the kingdom to Israel and focused them upon the immediate duty of their being witnesses for Him, and to the fact that He is the Saviour of the world who offers salvation full and free to all. In other words, Jesus showed that the spiritual phase of the kingdom was to precede its outward, visible manifestation, which will occur at His second coming.<\/p>\n
When there was such an outburst of praise and frank expression regarding Christ’s being the King of Israel of whom the psalmist spoke, the Pharisees, who were always present to oppose Jesus if possible, spoke from the multitude and said to Him, „Teacher, rebuke thy disciples“ (Luke 19:39). They also said one to another: „Behold how ye prevail nothing; lo, the world is gone after him“ (John 12:19). Then envy and jealousy of Jesus were getting the better of them. From John’s statement it is clear that the Pharisees already had worked out secret plans to oppose Jesus–even to the point of making away with him. Those making these remarks admitted that their cause was a hopeless one. „… Ye prevail nothing,“ they said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nAn Exposition of The Gospel According to Luke
\n<\/span><\/p>\n(Installment 34)
\n
\nThe Last Journey To Jerusalem
\n(Continued)<\/i><\/center><\/center><\/center>From Bethphage to Jerusalem<\/p>\nThe Turn in Jewish History Intimated<\/p>\n
„41 And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace; but now they are hid from thine eyes. 43 For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44 and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation“ (Luke 19:41-44): The expression „wept over it,“ is properly rendered, „burst into tears over it.“ If the people of Jerusalem and the nation had only known God and the Scriptures; they would have recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah and Saviour of the world (Acts 13:27). Their attitude and their conduct toward Him would have been entirely different. Had they acted differently toward Him, Jerusalem would not have been delivered over to the Romans to be destroyed, and the nation would not have been scattered among the peoples of earth as they have been for the last nineteen hundred years. That this is the proper interpretation of the passage which we are examining is evident when we notice this exclamation: „If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the thing’s which belong unto peace!“ What does this mean? There is but one possible interpretation, which is that if the Jews had known, at that time the things which belonged to peace, they would have acted differently, and the city would have been spared the calamity of A.D. 70. But since they did not know those things, they took a hostile attitude toward Him and rejected Him as their Saviour and Redeemer. As a result of their refusal to accept Him, the city would be destroyed–which prediction was fulfilled in A.D. 70.<\/p>\n
The Davidic Covenant<\/center><\/p>\n This teaching is in perfect harmony with that of the Old Testament Scriptures. When David purposed to build a temple in Jerusalem for the glory of God, the Lord forbade his doing that, but entered into a covenant with him, promising Him that He would build him, David, a house, a dynasty, and a kingdom which was to continue through the centuries. (Read II Samuel, chapter 7, carefully.) His throne was to be established forever. God assured David that, if any of his descendants on his throne should commit iniquity, He would punish them; but He assured David that He would not take His loving-kindness from him, as He had done from Saul. Here the promise is made that the Davidic dynasty should continue through the centuries. At the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, God said to the king: „And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and mine ordinances; then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom over Israel for ever, according as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. But if ye shall turn away from following me, ye or your children, and not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all peoples“ (1 Kings 9:4-7). Note the fact that the continuance of the kingdom of Israel and a man at all times to sit upon the throne of David were assured to Solomon if the nation would but be faithful and true to God.<\/p>\n
God made the same promise to Israel through Jeremiah. „And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith Jehovah, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain for ever. And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places round about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the lowland, and from the hill-country, and from the South, bringing burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, and meal-offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving, unto the house of Jehovah. But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched“ (Jeremiah 17:24-27). Note the specific language: „If ye diligently hearken unto me, saith Jehovah, to bring in no burden … on the sabbath day, but to hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; 25 then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David … this city shall remain forever.“ The obvious meaning of this passage is what was intended; namely, that, if Israel would only obey the commandments of God and be faithful to Him, the Davidic dynasty would continue through the centuries, and Jerusalem would remain, forever. Now turn and read Jeremiah 22:1-9 for the same promise reiterated.<\/p>\n
Our Lord’s language was very specific in Matthew 23:37-39: „O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.“ In the last public utterance that our Lord made before His crucifixion, He exclaimed to Israel that He often would have gathered her scattered children together as a hen does her brood under her wings, but Israel willed not that He should do it.<\/p>\n
Reversal in Israel’s History<\/center><\/p>\n In the light of the original promise of II Samuel, chapter 7, and I Kings, chapter 9, and in the further light of the promises made through Jeremiah and the one made by the Lord Jesus himself, we see that the dynasty of David would have remained through the centuries intact and Israel would have continued in the land of the fathers, had the Jews only been true to God. There would have been no destruction of the nation by the Babylonians; nor would there have been any Exile. Neither would there have been the overthrow of the nation in A.D. 70 and Israel’s world-wide dispersion. On the contrary, the nation of Israel would have remained in the land and enjoyed its independence.<\/p>\n
These promises are in perfect harmony with Isaiah 48:17-19: „Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am Jehovah thy God, who teacheth thee to profit, who leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the grains thereof: his name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me.“ In Isaiah 48:3-17 the prophet–being carried forward in vision to the time of Christ (II Peter 1:21)–impersonated the person of the Trinity, God the Son, the Creator of all thing’s. That he thus impersonated Christ at His first coming is evident from his continued use of the personal pronouns, I, me<\/i>, and my<\/i> in these verses. At the same time he spoke of himself as God the Creator. Thus the prophet enacted the role of Messiah at His first coming and concluded his impersonation with these words: „Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; from the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I [God the Son]: and now the Lord Jehovah [God the Father] hath sent me [God the Son], and his Spirit [God the Holy Spirit]“ (Isaiah 48:16). In this passage the prophet makes the Messiah, whom he impersonates, say that the Lord Jehovah has sent Him to His people, but that they have not hearkened: „Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from of old thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou didst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb“ (Isa. 48:8). From this verse we see that the nation does not receive Him nor His message. Thus with sadness did the prophet close his impersonation of Messiah at His first coming.<\/span><\/p>\n
Then, as the spokesman of Jehovah the Son, the Messiah–rejected indeed of men, but accepted and glorified by Jehovah the Father–the prophet revealed to the unbelieving and disobedient people of Israel how different their lot would have been if only they had accepted the Messiah and His salvation when He came bringing salvation: „18 Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: 19 thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the grains thereof; his name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me“ (48:18,19). Jewish history, as stated above, would have been entirely different from what it has been since the nation rejected the Messiah.<\/p>\n
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The Crucifixion and Dispensation Determined by the Lord<\/span><\/center><\/p>\n If Israel had been obedient to the law and had remained in the land, how would the crucifixion of Christ have occurred? It would have taken place, in the providence of God, in a way which is not revealed to us. The reason for this assertion is to be found in Acts 2:23: „… Him [Jesus], being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay.“ Jewish history would have been different–entirely different from what it has been for the last nineteen hundred years; but the Christian Dispensation would have run its course through the centuries, because it was foretold that it would. In Psalm 110:1,2 we see the two comings of the one Messiah, separated by the interval during which He is in rejection, and during which He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Thus He came to His own and was rejected, crucified, and buried. But He arose from the tomb and returned to heaven, sitting down at the right hand of the throne of God from the time of the ascension until Israel acknowledges his national sin of rejecting Him and pleads for Him to return. The Christian Dispensation, therefore, would have ran its course even though Israel’s particular history, nationally, would have been different. This is the thought that our Lord had in mind in the passage which we are studying, Luke 19:41-44. The leaders of Israel, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God, clamored for the death of the Son of God (Acts 13:27-31). The calamity of A.D. 70, therefore, occurred in fulfillment of this and other predictions.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Jesus in Jerusalem<\/span><\/center><\/p>\n Our Lord entered Jerusalem on Sunday, the first day of the week. He went immediately to the Temple and inspected every phase of life and activity there (Mark 11:11). While He was there, He healed many people. The children in the Temple cried out saying, „Hosanna to the son of David.“ This outburst of praise infuriated the chief priest and scribes and Temple authorities (Matt. 21:14-17). Jesus then went out to Bethany, where He spent the night, returning on Monday morning to the city. As He was coming into the city, He saw a fig tree clothed with leaves, but without fruit, which He cursed–not in rage, as critics have said, but because it was a symbol of the Jewish nation. On certain occasions the Biblical writers used the fig tree as a symbol of Israel; but the facts of the context, studied in the light of related passages, must indicate such a symbolic significance before it can thus be applied. But the curse is not to remain upon Israel forever, as I have shown in my booklet: Is the Fig Tree Cursed Forever?<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n
When Jesus reached the Temple on Monday, He cleansed it, driving out those who were commercializing on religion (Luke 19:45,46; Mark 11:11,12,15). This is a cleansing different from the one mentioned in John, chapter 2, which occurred at the first Passover in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n
At evening time Jesus returned to Bethany where He lodged. He returned to the Temple on Tuesday and engaged in a great ministry. Probably this was the last day of His public ministry, but He continued actively in the service of the Lord until the very end.<\/p>\n
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\nAn Exposition of The Gospel According to Luke
\n(Installment 35)<\/p>\nJesus Attacked By The Jerusalem Authorities<\/p>\n
OUR LAST study closed with the ministry of Jesus in Jerusalem during the last week of His earthly life. We know that He entered the city on Sunday, the Lord’s Day. Then He spent the night at Bethany. He cursed the fig tree on His way to the city on Monday morning and then cleansed the Temple that day. Again he lodged at Bethany with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus Monday night and returned to the city on Tuesday. Of these facts we may be certain.<\/p>\n
In Luke 20:1 we have the statement: „And it came to pass, on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, there came upon him the chief priests and the scribes with the elders.“ We know that He taught on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Did He return to the city on Wednesday and teach again? Then again on Thursday? We cannot be positive about this. There is nothing in the text of any of the Evangelists that gives this highly desirable information. We do know that He observed the Passover on Thursday evening and was crucified, as we shall learn later, on Friday. It is altogether possible that the expression, „on one of these days, as he was teaching the people in the temple,“ refers to some work which He did on Wednesday, or possibly on Thursday morning. It is quite likely, however, that the things which are recorded in Luke, chapter 20, occurred on Tuesday–as we shall presently see.<\/p>\n
Jesus Authority Questioned by Chief Priests, Scribes, and Elders<\/p>\n
Upon arriving in the city on Sunday morning, Jesus went to the Temple and engaged in a great teaching and healing campaign–as Matthew informs us. On Monday, when He returned to the city, He cleansed the Temple by driving out the money-changers and those who sold doves, and who were commercializing upon sacred things at the Temple. It was probably on Tuesday morning when He returned to the Temple, the authorities challenged His actions. In Luke 20:2, Matthew 21:23, and Mark 11:27-29 we are told that the Temple authorities came and challenged Jesus, asking: „By what authority doest thou these things? Or who is he that gave thee this authority?“ (Luke 20:2). Probably by „those things“ the Temple authorities were referring to His healing ministry and the cleansing of the Temple.<\/p>\n
These leaders felt that they were the supreme authority at the Temple and in Jerusalem, as well as all over the country. They seemed to attempt dominating the conduct and the lives of all the Jewish nation. Especially were the Pharisees of this persuasion.<\/p>\n
Jesus Reply and Refutation of the Challenge<\/p>\n
„And he answered and said unto them, I also will ask you a question; and tell me: The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, From men; all the people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet. And they answered, that they knew not whence it was. And Jesus said unto them, neither tell I you by what authority I do these things (Luke 20:3-8). Our Lord Jesus was more than a match for these learned Temple authorities. He therefore asked them concerning the baptism of John, whether it was from heaven or from men. His query immediately put them on the defensive. Figuratively speaking, they went into a huddle to determine the answer which they would give Him. They reasoned as follows: If we say that John’s baptism is from men, the people who have great confidence in John will stone us. On the other hand, if we say that it is from God, He will ask why we did not accept it. They were therefore faced with a dilemma.<\/p>\n
Instead of facing the issue as it was, honestly and conscientiously, they pleaded ignorance by saying they did not know. When they took this attitude, Jesus refused to answer their question with reference to the authority by which He had done the things to which they referred. For Him to answer them was to cast pearls before swine and that which was holy before the dogs. Whenever men are not honest with themselves, with the truth, and with God, it is useless to argue or dispute or even attempt to reason with them. Jesus would have gladly told them by what authority He was performing and engaging in teaching, had they been honest and conscientious.<\/p>\n
Though Jesus would not discuss the question as who gave Him authority to do the work which He performed, He proceeded to instruct them and to show the situation with which they were faced. Mark and Luke both tell us that He answered them by the parable of the vineyard. Matthew, who was writing especially for the Jews, gave the full reply which He made, and informed us that Jesus used three parables to set the situation before His opponents. Each of these parables presented one phase of the truth, whereas all combine to make His complete answer. I therefore shall look at the text of Matthew and incorporate the information which he gives us.<\/p>\n
In order to lay bare the hypocrisy and the insincerity of His opponents, the Lord Jesus gave them the parable of the two sons (Matt. 21:28-32). It is as follows: There was a man who had two sons. To the first one he said, „Go work in the vineyard.“ This one said to the father, „I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went“ (Matt. 21:29). To the second he said the same thing. He replied, „I go,“ and went not. Then Jesus put a direct question to his opponents. „Which of the two did the will of his father? And they answered, „The first“. Then Jesus drove the truth home to their hearts in the following words: „Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him. (Matthew 21:31-32)<\/p>\n
The first son represents the religious type of people who were the leaders in the affairs of the nation. When John came preaching and calling upon the nation to repent and turn to God, the leaders were astounded and refused the baptism of John and his preaching (Luke 7:29). Though they made that decision, they should have repented and believed on Jesus, of whom John spoke. But no, they stood by their resolution to reject both John and Jesus.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the publicans, the taxgatherers, and the harlots, and out-and-out sinners scoffed at the messages at first, but finally the truth went home to their hearts and many of them accepted the Messiah and salvation. Thus this parable was the wholesale condemnation of the leaders who persisted in their unbelief and rejection of the truth and of the Messiah.<\/p>\n
The second parable, spoken on this occasion and illustrative of the point at hand, is that of the vineyard. In order to appreciate it, one should read Psalm 80:8-19 and Isaiah, chapter 5. These Old Testament passages provide the material out of which the parable, used by our Lord on this occasion, was made. The reader should study carefully Matthew 21:33-46, as well as Luke 20:9-13.<\/p>\n
The gist of the parable is this: A certain householder had planted a vineyard and did everything that could be done to make it fruitful. After he had done all that was necessary, he turned it over to husbandmen who were to take care of it for him and, when he had returned from his trip to another country, they were to turn over the fruit to him. At the season of fruit, however, when the owner sent his servants to receive the crop, or the proceeds from the sale of the same, these wicked husbandmen beat one of the servants who had been sent, killed another, and stoned still another. Then the owner sent another group of servants (Matt. 21:36) to receive the fruits of the vineyard. The husbandmen treated them in the same way as they had done the first party. Finally, he sent his son, thinking that the husbandmen would respect him and would recognize that he was the rightful heir to the vineyard. But when they saw the son they said, „This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance“ (Matt. 21:38). They then cast him forth out of the vineyard and killed him.<\/p>\n
Then Jesus put the direct question to His opponents: „When therefore the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do unto those husbandmen?“ (Matt. 21:40). Their reply was, „He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will let out the vineyard unto other husbandmen, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons.“ In other words, the lord of the vineyard would destroy the wicked men and turn the vineyard over to faithful men who would render the fruits in their seasons. Their answer was correct.<\/p>\n
Thereupon, Jesus asked them if they had never read the passage found in Psalm 118, which speaks about the rejection of the stone by the builders, and which is a prophecy of the rejection of the Messiah by the leaders of Israel–as is shown by the facts of the context of Psalm 118.<\/p>\n
At this point Jesus warned the Temple authorities that the kingdom of God would be taken from them and would be given to another nation which would bring forth the fruit thereof. He concluded with the prediction that the ones who would fall upon that stone (Himself, the Messiah) in violence, by having Him crucified, the stone (Messiah) would break such a one to pieces; but upon whomsoever it (Messiah) shall fall (at the second coming of the Messiah), it will scatter him as dust. The Pharisees caught the point and recognized that He spoke this parable against them. But they were afraid to do anything about it because of the multitude that considered Jesus as a prophet.<\/p>\n
The vineyard was Israel, the house-holder was God the Father, the servants sent to receive the fruit were the prophets and men of God of old who were rejected by the leaders in Israel, and the son was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, against whom the leaders had already laid their plots to accomplish His murder by crucifixion. They were infuriated to the extent that they would have seized Him and slain Him on the spot if it had not been for fear of the multitudes that considered Him as a prophet or the Messiah.<\/p>\n
The kingdom of God was taken away from the Jewish people and was given to another nation, the people from both Jews and Gentiles who want truth, and who accept Jesus as their Messiah and Saviour. These people constitute the nation to whom the interests of God have been turned over during the present dispensation.<\/p>\n
This third and final parable of the series of three, answering the Temple authorities who challenged Jesus, is the parable of the marriage feast and the slighted invitation, which is found in Matthew 22:1-14, and which reads as follows:<\/p>\n
„And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come. Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise; and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them. But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast. And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was filled with guests. But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few chosen.“ (Matthew 22:1-14)<\/p>\n
The heart of this parable may be stated as follows: The kingdom of heaven, this reign of God upon earth, is like a certain king who made marriage festivities for his son. When he had made everything ready for the marriage, he sent forth his servants to those who had already been bidden to attend the ceremony. But none of them would come. Then he sent another group of his servants saying, „Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.“ But they made light of the invitation and went their way to attend to their own private interests, one to his farm, another to his merchandise. But the rest of them laid hold of the king’s servants and mistreated them. At this the king became very wrathful. He sent for his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he told his servants to go out into the highways and byways and hedges and invite everyone whom they might meet to come to the marriage festivities of his son, that the wedding and banquet hall might be filled with guests. The king came in to see the guests and his eyes fell upon a man near him who had come in without the marriage garment. Immediately he asked the man how it was that he had come in without the wedding garment, but the man was speechless. The king, turning to his servants, said: „Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.“<\/p>\n
Though this parable is not explained, its meaning is quite obvious. The kingdom of God, the reign of God upon earth, is compared to this story which Jesus related. The king is none other than God the Father. The son is Christ, the Son of God. The guests who had been invited to the wedding feast were the Jewish people. The servants who had extended the invitation to them first were the prophets, whom the people mistreated. Finally, the time came for the festivities to begin. The king sent his servants to make the announcement. These servants were none other than John the Baptist, and the Apostles when they were on the restricted commission, going to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The invited guests, the Jewish people, had determined that they would not accept the message. Finally, the King (God the Father) sent other servants saying, „Tell them that are bidden, Behold I have made ready; come to the marriage feast.“ The word in the original Greek, translated in our version as „dinner,“ literally means „breakfast,“ and it should be thus rendered. The servants making this announcement were none other than the Apostles, who at Pentecost proclaimed the fact that the spiritual banquet for Israel had been prepared. They were therefore to come, accept, and partake of the good things prepared for them; but they, instead of doing this, made fun of the invitation and went about their own personal affairs. At the same time, they beat and killed some of the servants of God the King, namely, the Christians who were pleading with the nation of Israel to accept Jesus as their Messiah.<\/p>\n
This indifferent attitude on the part of the invited guests and their treatment of His servants enraged the King so that He got His armies, the Roman armies, and brought them against the city of the invited guests, namely, Jerusalem, and destroyed it in A.D. 70. The leaders who had been instrumental in the rejection of Christ were destroyed at the downfall of the nation. Those of the people who survived were scattered abroad throughout the Greco-Roman world.<\/p>\n
After that fateful event the invitation was extended to all peoples everywhere to come in and get ready for the marriage supper, or dinner, of the Lamb. The gospel was preached to all nations, and all were given an invitation to come and partake of the dinner, or rather, the marriage supper, of the Lamb at His second coming.<\/p>\n
In our parable we see that, when the supper, or dinner, was ready to be served, the king came in to look at the guests. Immediately, he saw there was one present without a wedding garment, and this one was cast into the outer darkness because–according to custom–a garment had been prepared for him, but he refused to put it on. He therefore was cast into outer darkness where there are weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.<\/p>\n
Our Lord’s use of the expression „breakfast“ is most significant. After the breakfast is rejected, the invitation is then extended to all to come and eat the supper, which is observed after darkness–because the one without the wedding garment is cast into the darkness without, or „outer darkness.“ It is clear from these facts that the Lord thinks of His dealing’s with the Jewish people in terms, of a literal day. Breakfast is eaten in early morning, while the principle meal which ends the festivities, is eaten at the end of the day, after nightfall. This supper to which all are invited is the marriage supper of the Lamb, which will be observed at the end of the Christian Dispensation. You may be certain, therefore, that the Lord was thinking of the entire Christian Dispensation. At the beginning of it He offered breakfast to the Jewish people, the invited guests. When they did not accept the invitation as a nation, the call of the gospel went out to the peoples of all nations to come and partake, not of the breakfast, but of the final meal at the end of the day, the marriage supper of the Lamb. Thus the entire Christian Dispensation is passed over between the breakfast and the supper.<\/p>\n
What was offered to Israel at the breakfast invitation? If he had accepted this invitation and had become a Christian nation, special privileges and advantages would have been given to him. Israel would have been the first Christian nation. Israel would have enjoyed a rest in the land of his fathers, which was promised in Psalm 95, and which was offered to the people in the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapters 3 and 4.<\/p>\n
But since Israel would not accept the breakfast invitation, but persecuted the servants of God, the Christians, the Lord „sent his armies“–the Roman hordes–and overthrew the Hebrew nation, scattering the people to the four corners of the globe.<\/p>\n
After that event the gospel went out to all nations and has been sounded forth throughout the centuries. By doing so God is visiting „the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name“ (Acts 15:14).<\/p>\n
But there are many who come into the kingdom of God, and who are not saved. The kingdom of God at the time of the marriage supper of the Lamb will be found to have „both bad and good“–people who are professors, not possessors, claiming to be Christians, but never having been really born again, professing Christians but not wearing the wedding garments of Christ’s righteousness. All of these will, at the last, be cast into outer darkness. All the bad the unsaved, will be cast into outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.<\/p>\n
Thus our Lord answered the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes when they made their attack upon Him. They were not able to reply!<\/p>\n
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