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Ministry of Jesus
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The Judaean ministry of Jesus
It is in John’s gospel alone that any information is given about the early Judaean ministry, a fact which raises some problems but which need not lead to historical skepticism regarding this period. It may, in fact, be stated that the accounts in the other gospels would be unintelligible apart from John’s account of the initial introduction of the disciples to Jesus. This followed immediately upon the impact of the preaching of John the Baptist upon them (
It is significant that John does not record a mass following, but rather the response of individuals. Discipleship was at this stage loose and needed confirmation by a further specific call later on, as the synoptic gospels record. There is no doubt about the deep impression made by Jesus. He was acclaimed as Messiah by His first two followers. He was acknowledged as Son of God and King of Israel by Nathanael. He was winning men by means utterly different from those suggested by Satan at the time of the Temptation.
During this period of personal contact with future apostles Jesus made a visit to Galilee, and while there He was involved in a wedding at Cana, which is noted by the evangelist as being the place of the first of Jesus’ signs (
Two other incidents in Jerusalem preceded the opening of the public ministry in Galilee. The first was a public act, the second a private conversation. The cleansing of the Temple by the expulsion of money changers (
The conversation with Nicodemus (
John’s account brings out clearly the connection between the work of Jesus and John the Baptist. Both practiced baptism in the Jordan. This similarity caused difficulties among John’s disciples (
When Jesus left Judaea for Galilee to commence His ministry there, He passed through Samaria, and His experiences, recorded only by John, are a significant introduction to the synoptic account of the ministry (
The most striking feature about the whole incident is the self-revelation of Jesus. He acknowledged Himself to be the Messiah (
The Galilean ministry
After the events in Samaria Jesus returns to the place where water was turned into wine and performs another miracle there. Although a similar incident is recorded in the synoptic gospels later on in the ministry, it is best to regard the miracle related by John (
The healing of the official’s son at Capernaum serves as a fitting prelude to the whole Galilean ministry, for Jesus had not yet become well-known in Galilee for His miraculous works, and this fact heightens all the more the father’s faith, which is specifically mentioned as a factor in the healing.
It has already been noted that the Galilean ministry may be divided into three periods, and these will be separately described. It should be observed, however, that although the general heading relates to Galilee, there must have been some activity in Jerusalem, if John’s record is to be taken into account. Most of the time, however, Jesus worked and taught in Galilee.
The period up to the choosing of the Twelve
a. The initial call of disciples. The choosing of the Twelve began in the specific calling of four men from their fishing, Peter and Andrew, James and John (
It is impossible to be certain about the exact order of events in this period, and it is consequently better to group the main incidents into similar categories. With this in mind, the call of Levi will be mentioned, although not occurring until later on in the period (
b. The sermon on the mount (
The main emphasis is ethical. Jesus had in mind the establishment of His kingdom and the consequent need of new patterns of behavior. His own teaching is set forth as an advance on the teaching of Moses. A wide variety of themes is covered, mostly of a social character, such as murder, divorce, retaliation, and attitudes toward one’s enemies. There are, however, many sayings which deal with personal religious motives, such as prayer and fasting, self-deception, and varying reactions to the hearing of the Word. The Beatitudes at the beginning of the discourse similarly encourage spiritual and moral values. Matthew records what the hearers thought of the sermon. They were astonished, and this may be regarded as typical during the early ministry. It was the authoritative nature of the teaching which so deeply impressed the hearers.
Of special importance is the power of Jesus over evil spirits, for this is a marked feature of all stages of the ministry. The work of Jesus was set in an atmosphere of spiritual conflict. The examples quoted showing His power over demoniacs are to be regarded as illustrations of spirtual victories.
During this earlier period of the ministry, one miracle is recorded which affected the world of nature, i.e., the stilling of the storm (
d. Popularity and criticism. The evangelists are deeply interested in the impact Jesus made on various types of people. This is most marked in their comments on the early popularity of Jesus. Matthew’s summary in
At a later stage of the ministry, Jesus makes some pointed criticisms of the Pharisees, mainly on the grounds of their hypocrisy (cf.
e. The choosing of the Twelve. The naming of twelve specially chosen disciples and the description of their first mission is of such importance that all the synoptic gospels mention them. In both Matthew and Mark (
Such importance did Jesus attach to the mission of the Twelve that He gave them specific instructions which served not only for their immediate benefit on their first preaching tour, but also as a pattern for the subsequent missions of the Christian Church. The charge to the Twelve is more fully recorded in Matthew than in the other gospels (
The advice is obviously to prepare Jesus’ disciples for future rather than immediate opposition and is well illustrated from the story of the Early Church. To fortify them they are reminded of the certainty of their heavenly Father’s care over them. The most startling prediction given to the Twelve was the certainty that the message of Jesus would result in serious division within households. He who had Himself experienced the hostility of the Pharisees, even during this initial period, was in no doubt concerning the difficulties which would confront His disciples. Victory would not come except through enduring much for Christ’s sake.
Some comment has already been made on the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist, but Matthew and Luke include further sayings of Jesus on the subject which deserves notice. It has been seen that Jesus began by preaching what John had preached, but He soon went on to proclaim His unique message. John had already recognized and publicly announced Jesus to be greater than he, but it is not surprising that he became perplexed by later developments. When doubts arose, he sent messengers from his prison, where he had been incarcerated by Herod, to ascertain whether Jesus was prepared to confirm His Messiahship (
The period up to the withdrawal of Jesus from northern Galilee
a. Sabbath controversies and healings. It is convenient at this point to include the incident recorded only by John, when an impotent man was healed at the pool of Bethesda. It is impossible to identify the feast during which the healing occurred (
Another Sabbath controversy occurred when the disciples plucked ears of grain from a grainfield on the Sabbath (
During the course of his accounts of healing miracles Matthew refers to the fulfillment of prophecy, citing a passage from the Servant songs of Isaiah (
An incident which shows the deep human understanding of Jesus is the anointing of His feet by a woman, well-known for her sinful character, in the house of a Pharisee (
b. Division and attack. Controversies were never far away in the ministry of Jesus, but one of the most pointed of these followed the exorcism of a devil (
It was necessary now for Jesus to make clear His true relationship to His family, and He shows the development of a relationship which far transcends family ties (
c. Samples of the teaching of Jesus. The teaching of Jesus remained much the same as in the earlier period. Luke records many sayings parallel to those in the Sermon on the Mount, although in a different context. There is no doubt that Jesus frequently repeated the same sayings, and there is no need therefore to identify Luke’s sermon with Matthew’s. The common people who gladly listened to Jesus needed constant repetition of the teaching. Luke records some material common with Matthew, but his sermon is brief, and even in the common material shows a fair amount of variation in the wording. Acknowledgment of the fact that much of the teaching material was given on a number of occasions supports the contention that in some respects the teaching methods of the rabbis influenced the method of Jesus (cf. B. Gerhardsson’s Memory and Manuscript [1961]). The uniqueness of Jesus’ teaching material and method must, nevertheless, be fully acknowledged. He understood better than the rabbis the psychology of teaching.
Luke gives an interesting insight into one aspect of Jesus’ life at this period. Not only was He accompanied by the Twelve, but also by a group of women, some of whom were wealthy enough to supply means of support for the company (
Several parables of the kingdom were taught by Jesus in the course of His preaching tours. It is Matthew who shows a special interest in these and collects them into a group (
d. Unbelief at Nazareth. Another incident in His own town of Nazareth occurred at this time. Although the synagogue congregation was astonished at the wisdom with which He taught, esp. in view of His humble family connections, yet they were offended because of Him and they disbelieved in Him (
e. The death of John the Baptist. So far there has been little indication of the attitude of the civil authorities toward Jesus, but all the synoptic gospels mention that Jesus’ fame reached the ears of Herod. It troubled Herod because rumors were spreading that John the Baptist, whom he had beheaded, was risen from the dead. It was for this reason that he desired to see Jesus. Both Matthew and Mark relate the circumstances of the beheading (
f. The feeding of the multitude. When the apostles returned from their preaching mission, Jesus invited them to come apart from the crowds for a time. No doubt they had much to report and some solitary place would be more conducive for this than the midst of a bustling multitude. On this occasion solitude eluded Jesus and His disciples, who were seen crossing the sea of Galilee by boat. As a result, a multitude gathered to welcome Jesus when His boat arrived at the shore, and this provided an opportunity for further extensive teaching and for a miraculous feeding of the multitude. This latter event was so remarkable that all four evangelists record it (
A more important aspect of the incident, which John alone reveals, is the discourse of Jesus on the theme of the true bread from heaven (
The type of discussion which John relates must have been typical of many dialogues. It shows Jesus always taking the initiative in turning attention to spiritual issues. The Jews wanted to satisfy their curiosity as to when Jesus had arrived on the far side of the sea; then they wanted to know what work they must do to accomplish God’s work; and they requested a sign as a basis of belief, citing God’s gift of manna in the wilderness. To each question Jesus gives a spiritual answer: to the first, an exhortation to seek food which endures; to the second, an exhortation to believe in God’s messenger, Jesus; to the third, a reminder that the bread of God is sent from heaven, not by Moses but by God Himself. This bread is then identified with Jesus Himself. This latter theme is developed in the second part of the discourse, which shows the spiritual importance of the work Jesus came to do—to give His flesh for the life of the world (
g. The walking on the water. Reference must be made to the incident of Jesus’ walking on the sea of Galilee, which is recorded by all the evangelists except Luke, immediately after the feeding of the multitudes (
h. The tradition of the elders. The encounter between Jesus and some Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees (
The period up to the departure of Jesus for Jerusalem on His last journey
a. In a Gentile district. After this criticism of current traditions, Jesus proceeds to the predominantly Gentile district around Tyre and Sidon, which visit is notable because of His treatment of the Syro-Phoenician woman, who came to Him on behalf of her demon-possessed daughter (
Matthew gives in summary form other healings after Jesus’ return from Tyre and Sidon (
b. The second feeding of a multitude. It is at this point that Matthew and Mark relate the feeding of the four thousand (
If it be maintained that the details became enhanced in process of transmission, it would be necessary to regard this account as more primitive than the account of the feeding of the five thousand. It is difficult to see why another thousand people were added and why two less loaves and less fish were introduced, and yet five more baskets of fragments were added. Moreover, both evangelists used a different word for basket in the present account as compared with the former story. Nevertheless, if two such events actually took place, some reason must be found for the inclusion of both of them in Matthew and Mark. They both must have considered the repetition of similar incidents of some importance. Both record the specific reference by Jesus to the two events (
c. Caesarea Philippi. One may pass by the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida, which is notable mainly because it was performed in two stages (
No reasons are given why Peter and, presumably, others were led to identify Jesus so confidently with the long awaited Messiah. They had seen many evidences of His power, but many others had done the same and yet had not believed. Jesus Himself reminded Peter that He had not come to this conclusion through any human agency, but by revelation from God the Father.
It is impossible to ascertain what content was conveyed by the title “Son of the living God,” but Peter was clearly recognizing some claims to deity. What such a confession meant to Jesus may be inferred from the blessing that He immediately pronounced on Peter, and from His prediction about him. When Jesus said to Peter, “on this rock I will build my church” (
It is impossible to discuss here the problems which have been raised concerning this statement, but the crux of the matter is the interpretation of the word “rock.” Is Peter himself intended, or is it his confession? In favor of the former is the play on Peter’s name, and in favor of the latter is the teaching of other Scriptures which speak of Christ as the Church’s foundation. If the former is correct, it could only draw attention to the important place which Peter would occupy in the coming Church, and one may recall that it was through his preaching that both the first Jews and the first Gentiles became Christians (
He was further given the promise of the keys of the kingdom, which carried with it the power to bind and loose. This must be understood in conjunction with the similar injunction in
That Caesarea Philippi marks a turning point in the ministry of Jesus is clear from the fact that He at once began to share with His disciples something of the dread events which He knew lay ahead. It is significant that this first prediction of the Passion was inseparably linked to the Resurrection, as were the subsequent predictions.
It was not easy for the disciples to grasp the need for Jesus to suffer, and it was still harder for them to understand the place of suffering in their own lives. Self-denial is no easy lesson to learn, and it was necessary for Jesus to begin the conditioning process at this stage of the ministry to allow opportunities for much more teaching in the same vein.
d. The Transfiguration. The immediate sequence of events at this period is not in doubt, for all three synoptists agree on the order of events. The Transfiguration of Jesus follows the Caesarea confession, and this is followed by the healing of the epileptic boy, the second prediction of the Passion, and the dispute about greatness (cf.
The vision itself consisted of three stages. First, Jesus was changed so that not only His face but also His clothes radiated an extraordinary light, and there appeared with Him Moses and Elijah. Second, Peter makes his perfectly understandable, but thoroughly inappropriate, suggestion that some kind of dwelling booths should be constructed for the transfigured Christ and His two heavenly companions. Third, a voice from the cloud urged them to concentrate on hearing Jesus because He is the beloved Son in whom God delights. The reaction of awe on the part of the disciples marks the climax of the occasion, after which Jesus resumes His normal appearance.
In assessing the place of this event in the mission of Jesus various factors must be borne in mind. It showed the true nature of Jesus, and by way of contrast helps mankind to understand more fully the meaning of His humiliation through the incarnation and subsequent Passion. This was no ordinary man. He was truly the Son of the living God, as Peter had just previously confessed. The confession, if but dimly understood when made, assumed a glorious realization for Peter as he gazed at the transfigured Christ. Neither for Peter nor for the other two did that transient glimpse of the glories of Jesus allay the apalling doubts, and, in the case of Peter, prevent the emphatic denials which were to mark their reactions to the Passion of Jesus. Their abiding grasp of the glories of Jesus was not to come this way, but by the hard experiences of His Passion leading to His Resurrection.
Another factor of this event to bear in mind is the part played in it by Moses and Elijah. It is generally supposed that they represent the law and the prophets, to which Jesus is seen to be superior. Luke tells that they talked about the coming decease of Jesus at Jerusalem, and this must have been designed to add supernatural sanction to the prediction of His death which Jesus had made to His disciples just prior to the Transfiguration. It was not intended to be generally understood until after the Resurrection, for Jesus forbids the three disciples to tell any others until then (
The sight of Elijah in the vision raised a problem in their minds. They recalled the scribal teaching about Elijah as the forerunner of the Messiah. Perhaps they wondered why they had not seen him before, since it had now dawned upon them that Jesus was the Messiah. This opened the way for Jesus to make clear to them that John the Baptist had fulfilled the role of Elijah.
The second prediction by Jesus of His Passion and Resurrection is a natural sequel to the Transfiguration (
There are two more events which throw light on the approach of Jesus during this period. Matthew records the occasion when Peter was asked whether His master had paid the Temple tax, and he answered in the affirmative. The incident led Jesus to point out to him that only subjects of kings, not sons, are obliged to pay taxes (
Many have found difficulties about this story on the grounds of the strange character of the miracle and the fact that it was performed for Jesus’ own needs. Some seek a solution by attributing the story to less reliable tradition and claim it as an example of embellishment of the miraculous which took place in the tradition. The evidence does not require such a theory. The miracle is essentially of supernatural knowledge rather than a suspension of the laws of nature. It is certainly strange and indeed unexpected, but these are not sufficient factors to disprove its authenticity.
f. More sayings of Jesus. Of the sayings of this period the most notable is Jesus’ answer to the disciples when they were disputing about who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. He used a small child as an object lesson and taught by this means that humility is of the greatest importance in His kingdom (
Matthew includes a striking parable to illustrate the need for forgiveness (
The closing period of the ministry
This is the most difficult period in which to arrange the narrative in any certain sequence either chronologically or geographically. Matthew and Mark are very brief, while Luke collects into a journey narrative a great deal of material which appears to be loosely linked.
Moving toward Jerusalem
a. From Galilee to Bethany. In none of the other gospels is Jesus’ own dramatic awareness of the nearness of the climax brought out as vividly as it is in Luke’s brief comment on the commencement of the final journey (
Some mission activity must still nonetheless be organized. First, the disciples needed instruction about what type of people were suitable to be followers of Christ, and Luke records Jesus’ dealing with three typical examples (
The mission of the Seventy was presumably of short duration, for Luke tells of their return with joy soon afterward. It was their power over demons which esp. elated them, but Jesus has to warn them to get their priorities right: God’s estimate of them is of greater moment than their authority over demons (
Unlike the Matthaean parables, the Lukan parables are not generally collected into groups, but they have as their setting some incident which gives them their immediate purpose. The parable of the good Samaritan is an admirable illustration of this (
By this time Jesus had arrived at Bethany, near Jerusalem (
b. Some teaching on prayer. The disciples must often have watched Jesus praying, and on one occasion they asked Him to teach them to pray. He gave them a pattern prayer similar to the one in the Sermon on the Mount, only more brief (
c. More teaching by parables. In the remaining section of Luke where much of the material is peculiar to him, the sequence appears to be governed by alternating passages dealing with the disciples and the Pharisees. It is evidently Luke’s purpose to illustrate by this means the different approach of Jesus to the two groups. It will be convenient to split Luke’s material at
In response to a question about inheritance from one of the crowd surrounding Jesus at the time, He told the parable of the rich fool (
d. Encounters with Pharisees. In the next section Pharisees are mainly involved, although not exclusively. It was the ruler of a synagogue who took exception to Jesus’ healing, on the Sabbath day, an infirm woman, whose illness was of long standing (
While Jesus was again on His way toward Jerusalem, He was accosted by some Pharisees who advised Him to flee from Herod (
e. Jesus at two Jewish feasts. Luke’s story will be left at this point to consider John’s account of the events which took place at the Feasts of Tabernacles and Dedication, both held at Jerusalem.
John recounts that Jesus was in Galilee just before the Feast of Tabernacles (
Many were looking for Him at the feast. People were privately expressing diverse opinions about Him. When He finally did show Himself, it was without ostentation, in the role of a teacher. Indeed, His skill in that role caused the Jews to marvel. This led Jesus to make some comments about the theme of authority (
Teaching of this sort among the people prompted the Pharisees to take action to arrest Jesus. Officers were commissioned to do this (
John records more specific teaching about the Holy Spirit than any of the other evangelists. The statement in the present context is important because it makes clear that the gift of the Spirit depends on and consequently follows the glorifying of Jesus (
Such teaching as this only further baffled the hearers and caused a dispute as to whether or not Jesus could possibly be the Christ. His Galilean connections caused difficulties (
There followed further discussions with the Jews, mainly about the testimony of Jesus to Himself (
The conversation next turns to Abraham and the relation of the Pharisees to him (
The strength of the conflict in which Jesus was engaged is vividly seen. The accusers still cannot get away from the Abraham theme, for they challenge Jesus to say whether He is greater than Abraham (
John’s account of the healing by Jesus of a man born blind and the subsequent encounter of the man with the Pharisees is dramatically told (
John traces the growth of the man’s faith as he disputes with the Pharisees. Every conceivable reason was advanced for disbelieving the reality of the miracle, but the man himself asserted his own personal experience, which could not be gainsaid. As a result of his bold testimony, he was cast out of the synagogue.
Knowledge of this having come to Jesus, He sought him out in order to challenge him regarding his faith. The confession which this drew from the man forms the climax of the story. With restored physical sight and awakened spiritual insight, he contrasts strongly with the Pharisees who constantly demonstrated their blindness, although they were not aware of it.
Following this, John records further teaching of Jesus concerning Himself, this time under the imagery of a shepherd (
Another important factor is that Jesus distinguishes between folds and flocks. Not all belong to the same fold, but all belong to the same flock (
Once again the teaching of Jesus evoked the charge of demon possession from some of the Jews, but others were not convinced of this in view of the character of the sayings and the miraculous healing of the blind man.
Similar teaching was given by Jesus at the Feast of Dedication held in winter time. Some of the Jews wanted Jesus to state plainly whether or not He was the Messiah, and Jesus rebukes them for not believing. The reason for their unbelief, He says, was that they did “not belong to the sheep” (
At this point Jesus goes again to Trans-Jordan (
f. Jesus dines with Pharisees (
Luke next records a parable which was esp. designed for the guests of the dinner (
One of the Pharisees ventured to draw attention to the blessedness of eating bread in the kingdom (
g. Address to the multitudes. Jesus was once more followed by great multitudes and turned to address them on the subject of the cost of discipleship (
The same principle of forethought should apply to Christian discipleship. It demands wholehearted renunciation, and those not willing for so great a cost would be well-advised to make no start. Disciples who begin and then lose their effectiveness are like salt which has lost its taste and hence becomes good for nothing. In this simile Jesus was using a Jewish proverb.
h. Further parables for the Pharisees. Pharisaism had no message for sinners and little sympathy for those who were concerned about them. In their eyes sinners and tax collectors were outcasts of society. No wonder, therefore, that they regarded with contempt anyone who actually sat down to a meal with them. It was common knowledge that Jesus shared their hospitality, and when the Pharisees and scribes saw that Jesus had so large a following among these outcasts, they murmured against Him in His hearing.
This brought from Jesus a sequence of three parables to illustrate God’s attitude toward those who were being officially treated as lost, for whom Pharisaism held out no hope (
The application of the parables to the Pharisees is clear enough. They did not even desire the restoration of sinners, let alone show any inclination to rejoice over the possibility. There is no doubt that their murmuring, which formed the setting for the parables, finds a distinctive echo in the attitude of the elder brother in the third parable, who objected to the rejoicing over a brother who had lived so utterly irresponsibly. This elder brother was a typical Pharisee, more concerned about his own loyal achievements than about the miserable state of his brother, and more anxious to condemn than to forgive.
The vividness of the parables in their portrayal of human sentiments throws further light on the human insight and sympathy of Jesus. He was ever more concerned with the uplift of human lives than with those who considered themselves to be too superior to stir a finger to help the needy.
i. Teaching for the disciples. The next brief section (
Jesus recommends the disciples to make friends by means of unrighteous mammon. Does this mean that Jesus is condoning an unprincipled approach? It may at first sight appear so, but it must be kept in mind that the details of the parable should not be pressed. The major purpose is to urge greater wisdom on the part of disciples than was evident among unprincipled men. On purely materialistic principles, unrighteous mammon is man’s only means of security.
Jesus proceeded to contrast with this unrighteous mammon true riches. Faithfulness in using the one is the test for the using of the other. Unrighteous mammon is therefore to be regarded as no more than a means to an end. No one can serve both mammon and God. This section of the teaching of Jesus illuminates His own attitude toward materialistic things. He did not ignore their usefulness, but demanded their subservience to God.
j. Another clash with the Pharisees. The preceding parable fell on some Pharisaic ears and caused scoffing at Jesus’ attitude to money (
The Pharisees, with their love of money, would see the point of the challenge. The rich man’s plight was not because he was rich, but because of his failure to use his riches to alleviate the needs of others, while indulging in luxuries for himself.
k. The apostles receive teaching about service. Jesus now appeals to common procedure in the employment of servants (
1. The healing of the lepers. Luke again draws attention to the fact that Jesus was approaching Jerusalem and then introduces an event which happened in the vicinity of Samaria (
m. Sayings about the kingdom and about the future. A question put by the Pharisees about the kingdom drew from Jesus a statement that the kingdom was in their midst or was within them (
Luke then records some teaching of Jesus addressed to the disciples (
n. Two parables about prayer. Luke includes two parables presumably addressed to the disciples, which possess certain features in common, and which deal with different aspects of prayer (
When Jesus applies the parable He argues from the lesser to the greater. What a rascally unrighteous man will do is nothing compared with what may be expected from a righteous God. Jesus leads up to an exhortation to His hearers that such constancy of faith, as was exemplified by the persistent widow, might be found when He returns.
The other parable presents in strong contrast the attitude of a self-righteous Pharisee and the attitude of a man whom the Pharisees despised—a tax-collector. Both are represented as praying in the Temple, but the Pharisee is more conscious of himself and of his own superiority over others than he is of God. Consequently, his prayer is regarded as ineffective. The tax collector, overwhelmed with a deep sense of his own need, can do no more than cry to God for mercy. The egotism of the Pharisee may have been heightened to emphasize the contrast between these two men, but there is enough evidence to prove that self-righteousness was an accepted characteristic among the Pharisaic party. No Pharisee would readily have admitted that his achievements were useless in his approach to God, for his whole religious life centered around what he himself could do in the pursuit of piety. How very distasteful such attitudes must have been to Jesus is suggested by His warm commendation of the opposite quality, humility.
At this point Luke returns to material which is shared by the other synoptic gospels, and these two parables may be said to terminate His special travel narrative. Before starting the final journey to Jerusalem, it will be necessary to include the account of the raising of Lazarus at Bethany and to consider the consequences (
o. The raising of Lazarus. This is unquestionably the most astonishing of all the miracles performed by Jesus. It is the climax of John’s Book of Signs and sets out the humanity as well as the deity of Jesus (
What distinguishes this story from a narrative of sheer wonder-working power are the deep personal reactions which are faithfully reported. There are: the fear of the disciples to go to Judaea, followed by their rash resolve to die with Jesus; the different reactions of Martha and Mary, the former more outspoken than the latter; the comment of the Jews when they saw Jesus weeping; and the reaction of the Pharisees and the chief priests in renewing their plans to kill Jesus.
When John records this stupendous miracle, he does so with a spiritual objective. It is part of his testimony to lead people to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. If this incident is true, then Jesus immediately is seen to have unique power. However conceivable it might be to explain away some of the other miracles, it is impossible in this case. It is a foreshadowing of the far greater event of the Resurrection of Christ.
Throughout the incident Jesus took advantage of the opportunity to impart teaching so that the significance of the miracle might be understood. He told the disciples that Lazarus’ illness was for God’s glory (
John pays special attention to the Pharisees’ reaction. They were worried about the probable impact of the signs upon the common people, particularly if it led to any action by the occupying Rom. forces. It was Caiaphas the Sadducee who gave the official opinion of the hierarchy (
Because of the decision of the Sanhedrin to seek His death, Jesus withdrew for a time to Ephraim (
The journey into Jerusalem
Jesus is now in the region of Perea from where He proceeded toward Jerusalem by way of Jericho and Bethany. Various incidents took place and discourses were given before He arrived in Jericho.
a. Conclusion of the ministry in Perea. The Pharisees were still pursuing Jesus, trying to trap Him with difficult questions. This must have happened frequently during this period, but both Matthew (
Next comes a charming interlude which shows Jesus in another role (
A rich young ruler now comes to Jesus and asks Him about eternal life (
Since riches could be such an obstacle, Jesus makes some general comments on the danger of riches and goes on to tell a parable which had a bearing on this theme. He acknowledged that wealthy men would find it more difficult than poor men to enter the kingdom, but He made it clear that it was not impossible for them to do so with the help of God. One of the requirements of the kingdom was to put the interests of Christ before everything else, even before one’s closest family connections.
The parable of the workers in the vineyard, which is related only in Matthew (
At this point, as they drew nearer to Jerusalem, Jesus addressed Himself to the Twelve. He reminded them for the third time that He was going up to Jerusalem to be killed, even to be crucified (
The most significant feature of this incident is the statement of Jesus’ own purpose in terms of service—to give His life a ransom for many (
b. In Jericho. It is not without some point that all the synoptists relate a healing of the blind at this stage in the ministry (
Luke alone recounts the meeting of Jesus with Zacchaeus in Jericho (
A parable recorded in Luke’s gospel is esp. fitting as a prelude to the entry into Jerusalem (
c. Jesus at Bethany. It was six days before the Passover. The mind of Jesus is more than ever on His approaching Passion, and He seeks retreat at Bethany with Mary, Martha and Lazarus. While seated at supper, Jesus is anointed by Mary with precious ointment (
As if to prepare still further for the doom awaiting Jesus in Jerusalem, John mentions that the Jews now proceeded to add the further intention of killing Lazarus to the earlier decision to kill Jesus (
The ministry in Jerusalem
The preceding events have all prepared for the concluding events in Jerusalem. The hour of the Messiah has come. He had arrived only to be rejected by the leaders of His people. The point of entry is therefore the beginning of the end. But the real significance of it came to the disciples only later when they were more able to see these closing events as a whole.
a. The entry into Jerusalem and the cleansing of the Temple. The fact that all four gospels relate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem shows the importance which must be attached to it (
As Jesus drew near, He wept over the city and predicted its doom (
According to Matthew, the first action of Jesus in Jerusalem was to cleanse the Temple (
The fig tree was impressive because of its leaves, which that year appeared earlier than usual for the time of year. It caught the eyes of Jesus who supposed that the first figs, which normally appear before the leaves, should have been on the tree. On finding none, Jesus cursed the tree. According to Mark, it was not until the next day that the disciples noticed that the tree had suddenly withered. They drew the attention of Jesus to this fact, revealing in doing so that to them it was no more than a marvel, although He, no doubt, intended it to be symbolic of Israel. The nation had all the external appearance of flourishing religiously, but had not produced the fruits of righteousness. The destruction of the tree was an illustration of God’s judgment on Israel. Jesus knew, as the disciples did not, that that judgment was not far distant, as far as Jerusalem was concerned.
The drastic action of Jesus in casting out the moneychangers from the Temple is also symbolic. It was the practice for these people to exchange other currencies for the Temple currency, in which money alone the Temple tax could be paid. This enabled the unscrupulous to charge more than was due, and the same applied to the sellers of pigeons. It was no wonder that Jesus’ wrath was kindled against them. His act of righteous indignation was representative of the revulsion of perfect goodness at the sight of all injustice, esp. in the name of, and in the central place of, the worship of God. All the synoptic gospels record the quotation from the Scriptures made by Jesus in justification of His action. What was intended as a house of prayer had become a den of thieves. It was a symbol of what had happened to Israel as a whole. Judgment would come to it as surely as it had come to the Temple. The evangelists report various reactions to what Jesus had done. Children cried out in the Temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David”; the multitude was astonished; at the same time the chief priests and scribes intensified their determination to kill Jesus. Such a cross section of reactions was also representative of the nation as a whole.
b. Days of controversy. During the closing days in Jerusalem one of the marked features was the number of conflicts which Jesus had with religious leaders and others. The priests, scribes and elders debated with Him the question of authority, but He countered with a challenge on the problem of the authority of John the Baptist (
The next controversy concerned tribute money to Caesar (
Following this, the Sadducees asked a question about the Resurrection, but they fared no better (
Jesus Himself now put a question to the Pharisees about the lineage of the Messiah and the interpretation of
All the quibbling of the Jewish religious leaders led Jesus to denounce in strong terms the abuses of the scribes and Pharisees (
The language of denunciation as reported in
Other features which came in for heavy criticism from Jesus were their burdensome ritual requirements and their opposition to God’s true messengers. In connection with the first, an example is cited from their interpretation of ritual cleansing. The outside of the cup is to be cleansed at all costs, but the inside is neglected, said Jesus, by which He meant that external adherence to cleansing regulations was useless unless it was accompanied by spiritual renewal. Another illustration which Jesus turned against them was their practice of whitewashing sepulchers so that men might see them and avoid defiling themselves by walking over them. He likened the sepulchers to their hearts, and the whitewashing to their outward show of piety. He further criticized them for outwardly honoring the prophets and yet inwardly being of the same spiritual outlook as their fathers who murdered the prophets. All through the comments of Jesus upon the scribes and Pharisees runs the same theme—they professed one thing and did another.
It is not to be supposed that every Pharisee was guilty of all the abuses that Jesus mentioned, nor may it even be supposed that these abuses were generally typical. Jesus saw the logical results of the tendencies which a legalistic system must produce, and by exposing these results He aimed to warn men against them.
It is fitting that after such denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees Jesus should once again lament over Jerusalem. Moreover, an incident which He observed at the Temple treasury served by way of contrast to illustrate His own concept of true piety. It was not the many rich men giving their large sums, but a poor widow giving a humble gift who was commended by Him (
There were, however, some sincere inquirers who came to Him, for John records the quest of some Greeks who sought Him (
c. Words about the future. As His own hour draws near, Jesus instructs His disciples about future happenings. All the synoptists record parts of this eschatological teaching (
More will be said about the future aspects of the kingdom when the teaching of Jesus is separately considered, but it is worth noting here that He did not hesitate to use apocalyptic language to express His meaning. This does not require us to think that He shared much in common with the apocalyptists. Their approach was largely pessimistic. They were visionaries whose hopes were based on insecure foundations. They testify, however, to earnest aspirations which the Christian Gospel was able to fulfill in an infinitely better way than they were able to conceive. The eschatological teaching of Jesus centers upon the coming triumph of the Son of man.
In Matthew’s account of the discourse three parables are included—the ten virgins, the talents, and the sheep and the goats—all of which also contain practical implications. The wise virgins who took oil in their lamps while they waited for the bridegroom to come are commended for their preparedness, but the sorry outcome for those who did not take oil and who were not ready for the bridegroom is intended as a solemn warning. In the parable of the talents, the men who used their resources to gain other talents for their master are commended for their faithfulness, whether their gains were large or small. It was the man who did nothing, and was therefore unfaithful, who was condemned. In the third parable, it is the need of others which is the focus of attention. The sheep are those who cared for others, the goats those who did not. The former are commended, but the latter are condemned. All three parables bring out the sharp distinctions which arise in connection with the kingdom.