Friday, May 16 – Matthew 21, 22 – Additional reading, Further Reading: Desire of Ages, chapters 65 and 66

1. What was the significance of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey? Matthew 21:4, 5

2. Why did Jesus make such a commotion in the temple? Matthew 21:13

3. Why did Matthew recall Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree right after He turned over the tables in the temple, and how does it relate to the Jewish leaders questioning His authority? Matthew 21:18-20

4. What was Jesus trying to get the Jews to think about by referencing how David referred to the Messiah? Matthew 22:41-45

These chapters come from the final week of Jesus’ life. He is about to go to the cross and die, and the leaders of the Jewish faith that He established would be the primary ones calling for His execution. These chapters depict Jesus’ last efforts to convince the Jews to recognize Him as the long-awaited Messiah.

We first read about how Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey. It was unusual for Jesus to seek publicity, but He took the initiative to have His disciples get a donkey. In Matthew 21:3, this is the first time that Jesus refers to Himself as “Lord.”

The stage is now set for the next part of the chapters. Jesus enters the temple, and when He sees the corrupt practices of overcharging people for their sacrifices, He overturns the money changers’ tables. He is not only the King but also the Judge of the Universe, evaluating the impure motives of those leading His nation. Matthew notes that the leaders were indignant; they did not appreciate being judged. However, he also mentions that the children were praising Him and understood Jesus’ good intent to make this a house of prayer and healing for sin-sick souls. This initiates a pattern in these two chapters where we see division in how people relate to Jesus. It also prepares the way for asking His nation to produce “fruit” that would praise God.

Immediately following this incident, Jesus shares three parables, each serving as a rebuke to the leaders of the Jewish nation who were doing everything possible to prevent people from believing in Him.
The first parable is about two sons. One son is told by his father to go into the vineyard and work. He initially says “no” but later changes his mind and agrees to work. The other son says “yes” but decides not to work in the vineyard. Jesus implies that those who claimed to be working for God actually aren’t, while the “tax collectors and harlots” who had originally rejected God’s call on their lives are now going to work for Him.

He follows that parable with another one about a wicked vinedresser whose landlord sent them his representatives, and they beat his servants and killed his son. Even the Jewish leaders agreed that in the parable, this behavior was unacceptable, and they pronounced judgment on themselves when they declared the landlord should “destroy those wicked men” (21:41).

If that wasn’t enough, Jesus told a third parable about a wedding where a king wanted to honor his son, so he sent out invitations to his honored guests, but they refused to come. Not only that, but some of them also killed the servants who had issued the invitations, which caused the king to unleash his wrath on these wicked people.

Then he sent servants to the “highways and byways” to invite guests, and many people responded.

But then Jesus introduced an interesting detail about a man who ended up there but lacked the proper wedding garments. It seems this guest intentionally chose not to wear the appropriate attire because Matthew states he was “speechless” (22:12). This suggests that those whom the Judge of the Universe rejects are turned away because they have deliberately failed to develop characters worthy of entering eternal life.

These three parables serve as a complete rebuke to the Jewish leaders because God had called them to labor in His vineyard, and though they agreed and bore His name, they failed to do the work. They sought ways to kill the Son of the King of the Universe because they disagreed with His message.

Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise us that the remainder of chapter 22 details those whom Jesus rebuked as they tried to ensnare Him and sway public approval of His ministry towards themselves.

In these two chapters, Jesus emphasizes His identity as the Messiah. He subtly rebukes the hardheartedness of the Jewish leaders and their refusal to study Scripture to understand that He is, indeed, the Messiah.

Each attempt they made to disprove him or ensnare him in theological or political traps backfired. By the end of the chapter, Jesus directly exposed their misunderstandings of Scripture and the true nature of the Messiah.

These chapters remind us to continue studying Scripture, believe in the redemption Jesus offers, and develop our character by working in the Lord’s vineyard.