🙏 Heavenly Father, we return to Your Word today for strength and encouragement so that we can strengthen and encourage others. Amen.
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Points to Ponder: The name Zacchaeus means ‘clean or pure’, but it appears that this man did not live up to his name until he sought out Jesus and allowed Him into his home, into his life. Jesus did not address Zacchaeus’ wealth, but Zacchaeus does himself.
There is something about admitting your sinful behavior to the God who created us, repenting of ‘doing things our way’, that frees us to declare publicly, ‘No more!’ Notice Zacchaeus doesn’t take a vow of poverty, Jesus didn’t ask him to do that. Instead, Zacchaeus announces the change in his behavior as a result of meeting Jesus – and Jesus declares his salvation, for Jesus always looks to be invited into the lives of the lost.
The Parable of the Ten Minas
11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’
14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’
15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
18 “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’
19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’
22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’
26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”
Points to Ponder: This parable uses the analogy of how future kings had to go away to be officially appointed before assuming their authoritative role. This practice was understood by the listeners in Jesus’ day where a ruler had to go to Rome to receive approval before his official position was recognized. In some cases, a local delegation would try to intervene and prevent his rulership. Some of his listeners might remember a failed attempt to intervene before Herod or his sons were made rulers.
We might compare this to how we behave when our own political party is in power and how our behavior might change when our political party is not in power. Our situation, behavior, or attitude might change every four years! The impact of current authority is minimal compared to the coming King of eternity. Focusing on the here and now, while rejecting eternity, is foolish.
Jesus is telling them that the Kingdom of God is coming, but not yet. Jesus is returning as King. How do we use the gifts He has given us while we wait? Clearly patience and perseverance and the commitment to serve our King, always, is the message here. What we do with what He’s given to us matters. It is ours and more will be given to us. If we do nothing for the kingdom with what He’s given us, we face Him again with nothing and what was given to us, will be taken away.
The enemies of Jesus, those that reject Him and His authority, not only lose everything given to them, but they also lose their very life. This is a hard parable to read and wrestle with. 😢
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
Points to Ponder: In the fulfillment of prophesy, Jesus rides into Jerusalem as their king, but ends us weeping because they don’t see it. (See Zechariah 9:9 or Psalm 118) The disciples were praising God for the miracles they saw Jesus do and called Him king. The Pharisees did not see this event in the same way. Jesus is the cornerstone in the House of God. (Psalm 118:22) Believers are the living stones as referenced in 1 Peter 2:4-6 and Isaiah 28:16.
Fun fact: Jesus prophesies here about the upcoming destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, during the reign of Roman emperor Nero, about 7 years after this Gospel was written. (That last line makes the ‘what if?’ mind games start. Forget it… stay focused… and follow Him, today!)
Jesus at the Temple
45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
Points to Ponder: There is nothing inherently wrong with money, but give it time to take root and be aware of what grows! When an institution that is supposed to glorify God and serve His people with services meant to draw them closer to God, becomes a commercial enterprise that only benefits and exalts certain workers, then a major failure has occurred.
Jews from all over the region had to travel by foot or donkey to the temple to observe the law. There would be required sacrifices that had to be made. Those sacrifices had to be flawless. If you could not travel with the required sacrifice… you could buy it there. If you didn’t have the proper currency, you could exchange it there. All of these conveniences cost money. (Does this sound familiar?) None of these extra services honored God or the people drawn to honor Him.
The influence of money had defiled the hearts of those who were meant to serve. The chief priests and religious leaders had allowed the proper, acceptable, religious practices evolve into a system that took advantage of those desiring to meet with God.
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
20 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”
3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: 4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
5 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7 So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”
8 Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
Points to Ponder: Jesus doesn’t answer the Pharisees directly. In their positions of Spiritual leaders, they should have anticipated and recognized John the Baptist as the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3-5. Notice the waffling of the Pharisees… they are not interested in testifying to the truth of Scripture, they are only weighing which answer would serve them best.
The Parable of the Tenants
9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’
14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”
17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
Points to Ponder: The Jewish leaders were given the very Words of God to restore relationships between God and man. Although God was faithful to them, they repeatedly rejected God and worshipped other authorities and looked after their own self-interests. This parable tells them that time is up for such behavior and attitudes. Jesus knows that the final rejection of God by the Jewish leaders will occur when they kill Him. He gives them this final warning that the vineyard, the nation of Israel as God’s representative to others, will be taken away from them. The people are aghast; the leaders, however, aren’t repentant, just angry enough to want to remove Jesus for issuing such a warning out loud to everyone.
Paying Taxes to Caesar
20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
Points to Ponder: Is it right to pay taxes? What a loaded question after minimally flattering Jesus as a good teacher. Taxes have been part of ancient civilizations long before Rome and have continued through history. Governments – bodies of authorities – rule by their mouths and written decrees. They do not produce an income on their own. Subjects of these authorities owe payment for them to exist. Prior to currency, payments were made by food and manual labor… cows, oils, spices, military or civil service.
Jesus doesn’t address the right or wrong about these systems here, He reminds us that even though we are subject to a governing authority now where we must pay taxes, we are also citizens of God’s realm. We are made in His image and we are to be subject to Him and His will as His obedient children.
The Resurrection and Marriage
27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” 40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Points to Ponder: The Sadducees offer an obvious outlier scenario to try and trap Jesus into supporting their view against the resurrection. He doesn’t bite. Instead, He reveals a few insights about marriage for those of us who believe; calling us children of the resurrection – I like that! He also reminds them of the Scripture verses where God reveals Himself to Moses. In those verses God also reveals that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are alive to God.
Whose Son Is the Messiah?
41 Then Jesus said to them, “Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David? 42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms:
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
43 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’
44 David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”
Points to Ponder: Jesus follows the teaching on the resurrection with a reminder that our perception of ‘time’ is misleading. Our human understanding of how God would redeem His people was limited. While the Jews believed the Messiah to be a human descendent of David, David himself declared that ‘The Lord said to my Lord…’ We can reconcile this mystery with the concept of the Triune God where God the Father speaks to God the Son. God the Son, Jesus, is eternal, just as God the Father is eternal. And David called Jesus, Lord. David prophesies in Psalm 110:1 what we see play out in the Scriptures after Jesus is resurrected and He ascends to God’s right hand.
Read the rest of Psalm 110 for the rest of David’s claims regarding Jesus as Lord. These Sadducees and the teachers of the law should have been thoroughly schooled in what Jesus was warning them.
Warning Against the Teachers of the Law
45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
Points to Ponder: The Jewish leaders are at the height of their pride when they are performing their religious duties, but they are far from the heart of God. Jesus is warning His disciples to be different. Jesus always submitted to the will of the Father; He modeled power, authority, and compassion to the people. Jesus’ disciples should do the same. The message we bring to the world should always point to Jesus as our Savior. On our own, we bring nothing of value – we need to examine ourselves to make sure we don’t exalt ourselves. When people talk to us or observe us, are we reflecting Jesus?
Summary: These chapters highlight the steadfast nature of Jesus as He is winding down His earthly ministry. Before entering Jerusalem, He brings salvation to Zacchaeus, a tax collector – and people muttered. His two parables of the Ten Minas and the Tenants speak to His authority and our future as decisions are made to submit or continue in rebellion. He is King now and He is coming back as King, where His subjects will be held accountable. The Jewish leaders, who were trusted with His message, have failed to do their duty to God – they have only exalted themselves. The disciples are given these lessons to prepare them for the transition that occurs between Jesus’s ascension and His return – the Age of the Church.
🙏 Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word. Your Spirit speaks to our heart when You reveal Yours. We are humbled by Your great love, Your faithfulness, and Your promises. Let us hold onto the hope You give us as we show others the reason for our hope – Our Lord, Jesus. It is His great name we pray this. Amen.