Tag: Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

Posted on

The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 147

Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

In our last post, we continued to examine the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, we explore some more of Yeshua’s parables mid-day with His talmidim. Yes, we are still on Tuesday, BUT…

Discourse on Future Events ~ Part 5

The Parable of the Talents

Like the illustration in Mattityahu 24:45–51, this parable focuses on responsibility in the master’s absence.

14 “For it will be like a man about to leave home for awhile, who entrusted his possessions to his servants. 15 To one, he gave five talents (the approximate dollar equivalents would be in six or seven figures.); to another, two talents; and to another, one talent—to each according to his ability. Then he left. 16 The one who had received five talents immediately went out, invested it, and earned another five. 17 Similarly, the one given two earned another two. 18 But the one given one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

The man on the long journey symbolizes Yeshua and the lengthy delay preceding His second coming. Rather than making money and gaining a profit, the servant given the one talent merely preserved what the master entrusted to him (compare 13:44; Luke 19:20).

19 “After a long time, the master of those servants returned to settle accounts with them. 20 The one who had received five talents came forward, bringing the other five, and said, ‘Sir, you gave me five talents; here, I have made five more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Excellent! You are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been faithful with a small amount, so I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and join in your master’s happiness!’ 22 Also, the one who had received two came forward and said, ‘Sir, you gave me two talents; here, I have made two more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Excellent! you are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been faithful with a small amount, so I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and join in your master’s happiness!’

24 “Now the one who had received one talent came forward and said, ‘I knew you were a hard man. You harvest where you didn’t plant and gather where you didn’t sow seed.

Rather than present his master with the results of his assignment (compare vv. 20, 22), this servant tries to justify his inaction.

25 I was afraid, so I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here! Take what belongs to you!’ 26 ‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ said his master, ‘So you knew, did you, that I harvest where I haven’t planted? and that I gather where I didn’t sow seed? 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers so that when I returned, I would at least have gotten back interest with my capital! 28 Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. 29 For everyone who has something will be given more so that he will have more than enough; but from anyone who has nothing, even what he does have will be taken away.

Faithfulness results in blessing and reward (see Mattityahu 13:12; Proverbs 9:9). This statement’s inverse is also true.

30 As for this worthless servant, throw him out in the dark, where people will wail and grind their teeth!’ [1]

The faithful servants (true talmidim) used their gifts and resources responsibly and were generously rewarded. The evil, lazy servant (a false talmidim) failed to use the resources and was severely punished. He attempted to excuse his failure by assaulting the character of his master (v. 24). However, the master’s treatment of the other servants demonstrates that the wicked servant’s slander was unfair.

In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week.

Click here for the PDF version.

[1]  Mattityahu 25:14–30.

Posted on

The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 146

Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

In our last post, we continued to examine the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, we explore some more of Yeshua’s parables mid-day with His talmidim. Yes, we are still on Tuesday, BUT…

Discourse on Future Events ~ Part 4

Wise and Foolish Virgins

Continuing His discourse on the Mount of Olives, Yeshua tells another parable that underscores His call to be prepared for the Son of Man’s arrival (Mt. 24:44, which we looked at in our last post).

1 “The Kingdom of Heaven at that time will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. (They would escort him to the wedding banquet.)  2 Five of them were foolish, and five were sensible. 3 The foolish ones took lamps with them, but no oil, 4 whereas the others took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 Now the bridegroom was late, so they all went to sleep. 6 It was the middle of the night when the cry rang out, ‘The bridegroom is here! Go out to meet him!’ 7 The girls all woke up and prepared their lamps for lighting. 8 The foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

The bridesmaids least expected the groom to arrive in the middle of the night. This signifies the suddenness of Yeshua’s return (Mt. 24:36, 42). The shout announcing the groom’s arrival parallels the trumpet blast in Mattityahu 24:31.

9 ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both you and us. Go to the oil dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But as they were going off to buy, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready went with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. 11 Later, the other bridesmaids came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they cried, ‘Let us in!’ 12 But he answered, ‘Indeed! I tell you, I don’t know you!’ 13 So stay alert because you know neither the day nor the hour. [1]

The foolish bridesmaids represent those who fail to persevere by waiting for Jesus’ return with constant vigilance. The cry ‘Sir! Sir!’ is identical to that of the false talmidim in Matt. 7:21. By portraying Himself as a spiritual bridegroom, Yeshua implied His deity. God was often described as a bridegroom in the Tanakh (Isa 54:4–6; Eze 16:7–34; Hos 2:19).

I realize this post is a little short for me, but the following parable is a little too long to add here. You’ll have to wait until Wednesday’s post for the Parable of the Talents.

In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week.

Click here for the PDF version.

[1]  Mattityahu 25:1–13.

Posted on

The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 145

Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

In our last post, we continued to examine the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, explore Yeshua’s answer to the talmidim question on when the Temple will be destroyed from Mark 13:4. Yes, we are still on Tuesday, BUT…

Discourse on Future Events ~ Part 3

The Exact Times Are Unknown

Yeshua teaches His talmidim to be ready because no one knows precisely when the Parousia (Second Coming) will occur. They should live in expectation, always prepared for His return. That is still true today.

36 “But when that day and hour will come, no one knows – not the angels in heaven, not the Son, only the Father. [1] 37 For the Son of Man’s coming will be just as it was in the days of Noach. 38 Back then, before the Flood, people went on eating and drinking, taking wives and becoming wives, right up till the day Noach entered the ark; 39 and they didn’t know what was happening until the Flood came and swept them all away. It will be just like that when the Son of Man comes. 40 Then there will be two men in a field – one will be taken, and the other left behind.

One will be taken, and the other left behind might describe the gathering of God’s people to Himself (Matt 24:31); if that is the case, there is no indication of what happens to the remaining people. The point of this parable is that Believers need to be vigilant for Yeshua’s return because it will be sudden and unexpected.

Yeshua uses the following parable to reiterate the need to be faithful.

41 There will be two women grinding flour at the mill—one will be taken, and the other left behind. 42 So stay alert because you don’t know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But you do know this: had the owner of the house known when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore, you too must always be ready, for the Son of Man will come when you are not expecting him.

Believers should not merely keep looking for the coming of the Son of Man. Instead, we should be completing the work of the Great Commission (Mattityahu 28:19–20) and being prepared and expectant because the time of Yeshua’s return is unknown.

Yeshua Urges Watchfulness

45 “Who is the faithful and sensible servant whose master puts him in charge of the household staff to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will go well with that servant if he is found doing his job when his master comes. 47 Yes, I tell you that he will put him in charge of all he owns. 48 But if that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is taking his time’; 49 and he starts beating up his fellow servants and spends his time eating and drinking with drunkards; 50 then his master will come on a day the servant does not expect, at a time he doesn’t know; 51 and he will cut him in two and put him with the hypocrites, where people will wail and grind their teeth!  [2]

People will wail and grind their teeth refers to great anguish – signaling that Yeshua means this type of person will experience God’s judgment upon His return.

In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week.

Click here for PDF version.

[1] See Acts 1:7 & Zechariah 14:7.
[2] Mattityahu 24:36–51.​

Posted on

The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 144

Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

In our last post, we continued to examine the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, explore Yeshua’s answer to the talmidim question on when the Temple will be destroyed from Mark 13:4. Yes, we are still on Tuesday, BUT…

Discourse on Future Events ~ Part 2

Yeshua’s Response to the Talimidim’s Question

4 Yeshua replied: “Watch out! Don’t let anyone fool you! 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. 6 You will hear the noise of wars nearby and the news of wars far off; see to it that you don’t become frightened. Such things must happen, but the end is yet to come. 7 For peoples  (ethnic groups) will fight each other, nations will fight each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various parts of the world; 8 all this is but the beginning of the ‘birth-pains.’

The notion that the Messianic Age will be ushered in with a series of convulsions in history referred to as the “birth pains” is familiar in rabbinic Judaism. The “Messianic Age” refers to the period after Yeshua’s Second Coming (see v. 30), when He will establish peace among the nations and fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah 2:1–4.

9 At that time, you will be arrested and handed over to be punished and put to death, and all peoples will hate you because of me. 10 At that time, many will be trapped into betraying and hating each other,

Deuteronomy 32:36 states: “Yes, Adonai will judge His people, taking pity on his servants, when He sees that their strength is gone, that no one is left, slave or free.

The phrase, “when he sees that their strength is gone,” means that the people of Isra’el will be at the mercy of informers. Then, God will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants by redeeming them through the Messiah, the Son of David.

11 many false prophets will appear and fool many people; 12 and many people’s love will grow cold because of increased distance from Torah. 13 But whoever holds out till the end will be delivered. 14 And this Good News about the Kingdom will be announced throughout the whole world as a witness to all the Goyim. It is then that the end will come.

As Yeshua’s talmidim, we probably undergo intense persecution and destruction before He returns. As Believers, we already see that in our woke culture.

15 “So when you see the abomination that causes desolation spoken about through the prophet Dani’el standing in the Holy Place” (let the reader understand the allusion),

When Antiochus IV (“Epiphanes”) conquered Yerushalayim in 167 BCE, he erected an altar to Zeus in the Temple. 1 Maccabees 1:54 and 6:7 refer to this as fulfilling Daniel’s prophecy, but Yeshua points to an additional, future fulfillment.

16 “that will be the time for those in Y’hudah to escape to the hills. 17 If someone is on the roof, he must not go down to gather his belongings from his house; 18 if someone is in the field, he must not turn back to get his coat. 19 What a terrible time it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that you will not have to escape in winter or on Shabbat. 21 For there will be trouble then worse than there has ever been from the beginning of the world until now, and there will be nothing like it again! 22 Indeed, if the length of this time had not been limited, no one would survive; but for the sake of those who have been chosen, its length will be limited. 23 “At that time, if someone says to you, ‘Look! Here’s the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ don’t believe him. 24 For there will appear false Messiahs and false prophets performing great miracles—amazing things! – so as to fool even the chosen, if possible. 25 There! I have told you in advance! 26 So if people say to you, ‘Listen! He’s out in the desert!’ don’t go; or, ‘Look! He’s hidden away in a secret room!’ don’t believe it. 27 For when the Son of Man does come, it will be like lightning that flashes out of the east and fills the sky to the western horizon. 28 Wherever there’s a dead body, that’s where you find the vultures.

Wherever there’s a dead body, that’s where you find the vultures. Birds preying on carrion seem to refer here to persons used by demonic spirits to carry out evil purposes; they gather around false messiahs (corpses) and draw people away from the truth. Scholars surmise that Yeshua is quoting a folk proverb.

29 “But immediately following the trouble of those times,
the sun will grow dark,
the moon will stop shining,
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers in heaven will be shaken. (see Isaiah 13:10, Haggai 2:21)

30 “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, all the tribes of the Land will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with tremendous power and glory.

All the tribes of the Land will mourn. Zechariah 12:10–14 refers to the day when the people of Isra’el will mourn over God, who has been pierced, as they would mourn over a firstborn son.

31 He will send out his angels with a great shofar, and they will gather together his chosen people from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Shofar, “ram’s horn,” or, loosely, “trumpet.” The ram’s horn is blown at the Jewish High Holy Days season, one hundred times on Rosh-HaShanah (New Year), also called the Feast of Trumpets; and once at the end of Yom-Kippur (Day of Atonement). Judaism also understands that blasts will announce the Day of Judgment on the shofar. Ten Tanakh verses mentioning the shofar are recited in the Rosh-HaShanah synagogue service.

32 “Now let the fig tree teach you its lesson: when its branches begin to sprout, and leaves appear, you know that summer is approaching. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you are to know that the time is near, right at the door. 34 Yes! I tell you that this people will certainly not pass away before all these things happen. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. [1]

In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week.

Click here for the PDF version.

[1] Mattityahu 24:4–35.​

Posted on

The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 143

Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

In our last post, we examined the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, we walk with Yeshua as He returns to Yerushalayim for the final time. Yes, we are still on Tuesday, BUT…

Discourse on Future Events ~ Part 1

So far, on Tuesday, Yeshua has been at the Temple teaching and condemning the Torah teachers and P’rushim. At the conclusion, He and His talmidim make their way out of the Temple. When one of His talmid comments on the beauty of the Temple and its stones, Yeshua makes a cryptic comment that there will come a time when the Temple will be destroyed. Yeshua and His talmidim then go to the Mount of Olives, just east outside of the city walls. Kefa, Andrew, Ya’akov, and Yochanan come to Yeshua privately, wanting to know more about the Temple’s destruction.

Temple to Be Destroyed

1 As Yeshua came out of the Temple, one of the talmidim said to Him, “Look, Rabbi! What huge stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “You see all these great buildings?” Yeshua said to him, “They will be totally destroyed – not a single stone will be left standing!”

What huge stones! What magnificent buildings! The First Temple, built by King Solomon and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, was a building of great magnificence (1 Kings 6–7). The Second Temple, built under Z’rubavel in 516 B.C.E., could not compare with it (Haggai 2:3). King Herod the Great undertook its renovation to ingratiate himself with the Jewish people and expansion. According to Yochanan 2:20, it took 46 years, but it was successful, and the remodeled Second Temple dominated all of Yerushalayim. A scale model of first-century Yerushalayim on display at the Holyland Hotel in West Yerushalayim impressively demonstrates the majesty of the Temple Yeshua’s talmidim saw.

Not a single stone will be left standing! This prophecy was fulfilled literally in 70 CE when Rome overwhelmed the First Jewish Rebellion by capturing Yerushalayim and sacking the Temple. Excavations made after the Six-Day War revealed enormous stones from the Western Wall of the Temple Court (of which the still-standing “Wailing Wall” is part) lying helter-skelter, not one left on another.

Talmidim Ask Questions

3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the Temple, Kefa, Ya‘akov, Yochanan, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what sign will show when all these things are about to be accomplished?” [1]

Yeshua’s response is lengthy, so we must wait until the next post to find out what He said.

Click here for the PDF version.

[1] Mark 13:1–4.

Posted on

The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 142

Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

In our last post, we examined the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, we walk with Yeshua as He returns to Yerushalayim for the final time. Yes, we are still on Tuesday.

Hypocrisy Condemned

25 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside, they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Parush! First, clean the inside of the cup so that the outside may be clean too.

Although they maintain an outward appearance of purity, they are inwardly filthy. True external holiness (righteous behavior) can be accomplished only after a person is cleansed internally (matters of the heart).

27 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but inside are full of dead people’s bones and all kinds of rottenness. 28 Likewise, you appear to people from the outside to be good and honest, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and far from Torah.

Jews would paint their tombs white so that other Jews would not become unclean through accidental contact with a corpse (compare Num 19:16; Luke 11:44). Whitewashed tombs were especially common during the Jewish festivals when many travelers visited Yerushalayim.

And far from Torah is a significantly cutting denunciation when aimed at those who considered themselves the authoritative expositors of the Law.

Persecution Condemned

29 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the tzaddikim, 30 , and you say, ‘Had we lived when our fathers did, we would never have taken part in killing the prophets.’ 31 In this, you testify against yourselves that you are worthy descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead then, finish what your fathers started! 33 “You snakes! Sons of snakes! How can you escape being condemned to Gei-Hinnom? (Literally, the garbage dump outside the walls of Yerushalayim. Metaphorically, hell.)

Based on their current actions, the Torah-teachers and the P’rushim are on their way to experiencing God’s judgment and wrath. Yeshua’s rhetorical language warns the P’rushim of the inevitability of their judgment unless they change course.

34 Therefore, I am sending you prophets and sages and Torah-teachers—some of them you will kill. Indeed, you will have them executed on stakes as criminals; some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so, on you, will fall the guilt for all the innocent blood that has ever been shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Hevel (Abel) to the blood of Z’kharyah Ben-Berekhyah (Zechariah), whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar. 36 Yes! I tell you that all this will fall on this generation!

Lament Over Yerushalayim

This lamentation comes from the seventh woe (vv. 29–36). Recalling the past rejection of God’s prophets, Yeshua laments His people’s unwillingness to believe and repent.

37 “Yerushalayim! Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets! You stone those who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you refused! 38 Look! God is abandoning your house to you, leaving it desolate. 39 For I tell you, from now on, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai.’” [1]

The Widow’s Offering

41 Then Yeshua sat down opposite the Temple treasury and watched the crowd as they put money into the offering boxes. Many rich people put in large sums, 42 but a poor widow came and put in two small coins. 43 He called his talmidim to him and said to them, “Yes! I tell you, this poor widow has put more in the offering box than all the others making donations. 44 For all of them, out of their wealth, have contributed money they can easily spare; but she, out of her poverty, has given everything she had to live on.” [2]

Two small coins, literally, “two lepta, which equals a quadrans,” the smallest Roman coin; 64 of them equaled a denarius, which was a day’s wages for a common laborer.

In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week.

Click here for the PDF version.

[1] Mattityahu 23:25–39.
[2] Mark 12:41–44.

Posted on

The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 141

Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

In our last post, we examined the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, we walk with Yeshua as He returns to Yerushalayim for the final time. Yes, we are still on Tuesday.

False Religion Condemned

13 “But woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! For you are shutting the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces, neither entering yourselves nor allowing those who wish to enter to do so. 14 Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! For you swallow up widow’s houses while making a show of davvening (praying) at great length. Because of this, your punishment will be all the worse!

Nowhere is it more evident than here that the image of “gentle Jesus, meek and mild” falls short of reality. The repeated slashing litany, Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim angers Jews, mystifies Gentiles, and embarrasses Believers, who find Yeshua remarks intemperate, antisemitic, even “un-Christlike.” But Yeshua, like all the prophets, spoke the words of God without fear or favor. He comforted those who were open to Him and made repeated invitations to those who opposed Him. Still, when it had become evident that these particular Torah-teachers and P’rushim were hardhearted, closed-minded, and interested only in confronting or trapping him, He seized the initiative, revealing His accusers for what they were. Was He “unloving” toward them? Love must sometimes be challenging. Even less was He antisemitic: His within-the-family correction was aimed at making these Jewish brothers of His live up to their high calling. If Yeshua was unloving or antisemitic, one must say the same of all the Jewish prophets, from Moshe to Malachi.

Legalism Condemned

16 “Woe to you, you blind guides! You say, ‘If someone swears by the Temple, he is not bound by his oath; but if he swears by the gold in the Temple, he is bound.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is more important? the gold? or the Temple, which makes the gold holy? 18 And you say, ‘If someone swears by the altar, he is not bound by his oath; but if he swears by the offering on the altar, he is bound.’ 19 Blind men! Which is more important? the sacrifice? or the altar which makes the sacrifice holy? 20 So someone who swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it. 21 And someone who swears by the Temple swears by it and the One who lives in it. 22 And someone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and the One who sits on it.

According to Exodus 29:37–38: “ … the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches the altar will become holy. This is what you are to offer upon the altar: two lambs a year old every day, continually.”

Injustice Condemned

23 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You pay your tithes of mint, dill, and cumin, but you have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah – justice, mercy, and trust. These are the things you should have attended to – without neglecting the others! 24 Blind guides! – straining out a gnat, meanwhile swallowing a camel!  [1]

The weightier matters of the Torah – justice, mercy, and trust. Yeshua seems to be alluding to Micah 6:8: “ … what does Adonai require of you but to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God?”

These … you should have attended to—without neglecting the others! Yeshua clearly upholds keeping even the minutiae of the Law. Those who encourage Messianic Jews to stop observing the Torah ignore His advice here and in Mattityahu 5:17–20. Nevertheless, the main point in this and the following verse is that one should adequately order one’s priorities to live a life pleasing to God. We will get to that following verse in our next post.

In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week.

Click here for the PDF version.

[1]  Mattityahu 23:13–24.

Posted on

The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 140

Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

In our last post, we examined the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, we walk with Yeshua as He returns to Yerushalayim for the final time. Yes, we are still on Tuesday.

Self-Righteousness Condemned

In Mattityahu 23, Yeshua’s denunciation of the establishment (vv. 1–36) is combined with compassionate regret at their rejection of Him (vv. 37–39). First, He talks about them (vv. 1–12), then speaks to them (vv. 13–36). We will be looking at the entire chapter over this and the next one or two posts.

1 Then Yeshua addressed the crowds and His talmidim: 2 “The Torah-teachers and the P’rushim,” He said, “sit in the seat of Moshe.

The Torah teachers and the P’rushim… sit in the seat of Moshe, exercising the power of “the cohen or judge in office at that time” (Deuteronomy 17:8–13), officially interpreting the Torah.

3 So whatever they tell you, take care to do it. But don’t do what they do, because they talk but don’t act! 4 They tie heavy loads onto people’s shoulders but won’t lift a finger to help carry them. 5 Everything they do is done to be seen by others; for they make their t’fillin broad and their tzitzit (fringes) long,

T’fillin (pictured below) are small leather boxes containing parchment scrolls on which are written excerpts from the Torah (precisely, Deuteronomy 6:4–9, 11:13–20, Exodus 13:1–16). Observant Jewish men past bar-mitzvah age (13) strap one on one arm and the other around the head during the morning weekday synagogue service, in literal obedience to Deuteronomy 6:8, “You shall bind them [that is, God’s mitzvot] for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.”

6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and they love being greeted deferentially in the marketplaces and being called ‘Rabbi.’

Rabbi means, literally, “my great one,” and, less directly, “my master,” “my teacher.” It became a title of respect used for Torah scholars by everyone, even those of the same or higher rank.

8 “But you are not to let yourselves be called ‘Rabbi’; because you have one Rabbi, and you are all each other’s brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘Father.’ because you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to let yourselves be called ‘leaders,’ because you have one Leader, and he is the Messiah! 11 The greatest among you must be your servant, 12 for whoever promotes himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be promoted. [1]

In contrast to the P’rushim, Yeshua commands us to avoid the pride and prestige accompanying the title of Rabbi. Personally, I prefer Pastor for those who lead a community of Believers.

In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week.

Click here for the PDF version.

[1] Mattityahu 23:8–12.

Posted on

The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 138

Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

In our last post, we examined the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, we walk with Yeshua as He returns to Yerushalayim for the final time. Yes, we are still on Tuesday.

P’rushim Try to Trap Yeshua on the Issue of Taxes to Rome

15 Then the P’rushim went away and put together a plan to trap Yeshua with His own words. 16 They sent Him some of their talmidim and some members of Herod’s party. They said, “Rabbi, we know that you tell the truth and really teach what God’s way is. You aren’t concerned with what other people think about you since you pay no attention to a person’s status.

The P’rushim wanted the Jewish theocracy restored and opposed oppressor Rome and its taxes. Herod’s party – political, not religious – supported the Herodian dynasty set up by Rome and encouraged abiding by the Roman tax laws; they were not usually friendly with the P’rushim. The trap consisted in putting together an alliance of convenience in which both would ask Yeshua’s opinion, hoping His response would alienate Him from one group or the other.

17 So tell us your opinion: does Torah permit paying taxes to the Roman Emperor or not?” 18 Yeshua, however, knowing their malicious intent, said, “You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used to pay the tax!” They brought Him a denarius; 20 and He asked them, “Whose name and picture are these?” 21 “The Emperor’s,” they replied. Yeshua said to them, “Nu, give the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor. And give to God what belongs to God!” 22 On hearing this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

Nu is an all-purpose Yiddish word often used with this meaning “Can’t you figure it out for yourself?!”- thus precisely conveying the tone of Yeshua’s answer.

Tz’dukim Try to Trap Yeshua on the Issue of the Resurrection

23 That same day, some Tz’dukim came to Him. They are the ones who say there is no such thing as resurrection, so they put to Him a sh’eilah (authoritative question): 24 “Rabbi, Moshe said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother must marry his widow and have children to preserve the man’s family line.’  [1] 25 There were seven brothers. The first one married and then died, and since he had no children, he left his widow to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second brother, and the third, and finally to all seven. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 Now in the Resurrection – of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all married her.”

29 Yeshua answered them, “The reason you go astray is that you are ignorant both of the Tanakh and of the power of God. 30 For in the Resurrection, neither men nor women will marry; rather, they will be like angels in heaven. 31 And as for whether the dead are resurrected, haven’t you read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz’chak and the God of Ya’akov’? He is God not of the dead but of the living!” [2]

Yeshua derives the doctrine of the resurrection from the Torah because the Tz’dukim accepted only the Torah as absolutely authoritative. This is why He cites Exodus 3:6 rather than the more obvious Scriptural refutations in Isaiah 26:19, Daniel 12:2. and Job 19:26.

In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week.

Click here for the PDF vesion.

[1] Deuteronomy 25:5-6.
[2] Mattityahu 22:15–32.

Posted on

The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 137

Passion Week ~ Tuesday (continued)

In our last post, we examined the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, we walk with Yeshua as He returns to Yerushalayim for the final time. As we will see in this and several more posts, Tuesday is hectic.

Religious Leaders Angered

45 As the head cohanim and the P’rushim listened to His stories, they saw that He was speaking about them. 46 But when they set about to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds; because the crowds considered Him a prophet. ~Mattityahu 21:45-46.

Parable of the Wedding Banquet

1 Yeshua again used parables in speaking to them: 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son,

Festivities for such an event would have lasted several days. In this parable, Yeshua alludes to the great end-times feast (compare 8:11), when God’s people will enjoy fellowship with the Messiah in His fully inaugurated Kingdom (compare Revelation 19:6–10).

3 but when he sent his slaves to summon the invited guests to the wedding, they refused to come.

Refusing such an invitation from the king was a shocking insult. These invited guests represent those who respond to the message of the Kingdom of Heaven with indifference (v5) and hostility (v. 6).

4 So he sent some more slaves, instructing them to tell the guests, ‘Look, I’ve prepared my banquet, I’ve slaughtered my bulls and my fattened cattle, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding!’ 5 But they weren’t interested and went off, one to his farm, another to his business; 6 and the rest grabbed his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was furious and sent his soldiers, who killed those murderers and burned down their city.

Verse 7 foreshadows the Romans’ destruction of Yerushalayim in 70 CE.

8 “Then he said to his slaves, ‘Well, the wedding feast is ready; but the ones who were invited didn’t deserve it. 9 So go out to the street corners and invite to the banquet as many as you find.’ 10 The slaves went out into the streets, gathered all the people they could find, the bad along with the good; and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “Now when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who wasn’t dressed for a wedding; so he asked him,

This man accepted the king’s invitation but, on his terms, – which the king found improper. Kings sometimes give banquets for their subjects and invite them all, regardless of status, providing suitable clothing for those unable to afford it. Therefore the one not wearing what the king had provided was without excuse.

12 ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him outside in the dark!’ In that place, people will wail and grind their teeth, 14 for many are invited, but few are chosen.” [1]

Verse 14 summarizes the theme of the preceding parables (21:28–22:14). God invites many people into His Kingdom, as seen in this parable Yeshua has just told. However, as the man thrown out of the wedding feast illustrates (vv. 11–13), not all who consider themselves part of God’s Kingdom are genuine members (compare 7:13–14, 21–23). Those who hear and respond favorably to God’s invitation can join Him in celebration (compare 25:31–46).

In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week.

Click here for the PDF version.

[1] Mattityahu 22:1–14.

%d bloggers like this: