I amaze myself how ignorant I can be in relation to the Scriptures at times. I do not say this because I am trying to "put myself down", rather it is because of my preconceived ideas I have on certain things in reference to the Scripture.
Here is a perfect example in Mark 11. I have always had this "picture" in my mind Jesus comes into Jerusalem riding a colt (donkey), is swarmed by the crowds, carried off by the sheer numbers surrounding Him, and taken for questioning followed by the beginning of His " so-called trial". I thought Gethsemane had already taken place and the final phase was about to begin.
Well, that is not what happened...I wasn't even close. Thank God the Scriptures are readily available and keeps people like myself from getting the whole story all messed up. Here are my Gleanings from Mark 11:1-17...
" As they neared Jerusalem, Jesus and the disciples were at Bethpage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives. (Note: numerous biblical scholars indicate the place Jesus and the disciples were at has symbolic meaning: 1) Zechariah 14:4 "He will make His stand on Mt. Olives, and this mountain will split in half, forming a wide valley that runs from east to west" and 2) Isaiah 64:1-2 "Rip the heavens open, the Lord is coming down, making even the mountains to tremble. The spark has been struck...the fire has started! It will cause the water to boil...and Your enemies will be shocked...and forced to face you. These enemies will tremble...because You are nearby...and they sense Your Presence.")
When they were getting close to Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of the disciples on ahead. He tells them: "Go into the next village, and as you arrive there, you will find a colt tied that has never been ridden by anyone. Untie it, and bring the colt along with you. If anyone asks, "What are you doing untieing the colt?", tell them "the Master needs him, and it will be returned right away."
So, the two went ahead and found the colt just as Jesus has said. Some folks standing nearby did inquire, "What are you doing untieing that colt?" The 2 disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed, and they were permitted to go...no one questioned them.
Then they brought the colt to Jesus, spread some of their own garments on the colt, and Jesus then mounted him.
There was a crowd already gathered around Jesus and the disciples, and they began to spread cloths on the road, while others cut branches from a field and laid them on the road as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. This was a customary way to honor well-known people as they came into the city of Jerusalem.
The crowd was in front of Jesus and behind Jesus, running up and down the road to Jerusalem, while others were following Jesus as He rode the colt. They were calling out in a joyous manner, shouting: "Hosanna (Save us...now!)! Blessed is He who comes to us in the Name of the Lord!"
Jesus entered Jerusalem, then He entered the Temple, carefully looking it all around, taking it all in. (There is no mention of the crowd at this point). Then, He left because it was late in the afternoon, and returned to Bethany that evening with the 12 disciples.
The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He happen to notice a fig tree in full leaf off in the distance, and when He arrived at the tree, He saw there were only leaves on the tree and no fruit, mainly because it was too early in the season to have fruit.
Jesus then spoke to the tree:" May no one ever eat fruit from this tree again...ever!"... and His disciples heard what He had said.
(Note: Ok, much has been written on the story of the fig tree. Most scholars agree this was a symbolic gesture Jesus was doing...He really wasn't upset with the fig tree. In fact, it is apparent He would have known there would be no fruit on the tree at that time of year. Instead, the Fig Tree was in reference to Israel and the fact there was no fruit coming out of Israel. Israel was in poor condition regarding their relationship with the Lord, and Christ was pointing this out to the disciples when it was written earlier "the disciples heard what He had said." Also noteworthy is Jesus was pointing to the fruit of Israel and not necessarily its works. Fruit is written about in Galatians 5:22-23, and this is probably what Jesus was referring to in reference to the fig tree bearing no fruit, particularly having no compassion for the poor. One other thought is the fig tree was a possible sign of Jerusalem's destruction that was to come in 70 A.D. through Roman conquest.
One more thing: In the Greco-Roman culture of the period, they had many gods that related to nature, particularly Dionysus, the tree god. Anytime a tree would die suddenly, it was taken as a sign that destruction was eminent. By cursing the fig tree, Christ Jesus was also showing He was the True Authority...over everything...including any other gods, as well as a warning of what was to come.)
When the disciples and Jesus came into Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple. He went directly to the courts within and began to drive out those who were merchants selling in the Temple. He overturned the 4 foot tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. Jesus would not let people carry their things through the Temple (like a shortcut to where they might be going), making them go outside instead.
Then, He taught them. He said to them:" Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer...to all the nations? But in here, you have made it a safe haven for robbers to operate and hide."
(Note: Here is another episode in the life of Jesus that has been discussed by many. First, I don't think Jesus was upset with the selling of the animals for sacrifice, rather, He was upset they had moved the "whole operation" inside...in the Temple! In fact, this was the area the Gentiles who gave their respect to God were suppose to be at...thus "My House of Prayer...to ALL nations!"
It is also interesting that after He had driven the merchants out etc., He then "taught them"...in other words, He was very much in control of what He was doing.
Of course, the Scriptures indicated they sold the animals for sacrifice at ridiculously high prices...which basically means they were ripping people off...especially those who were poor.)
(One other thought: Israel had been referred to as figs before...in Jeremiah 24; the good figs and the bad figs...and the bad figs had a similar future to that of the fig tree Jesus had declared no one will eat from that tree again..ever!)
So, Jesus was pretty busy up to the time He would face His ultimate conflict...the Cross! As one writer put it; "With all this going on in the final week of His Life here in earth...He had each one of us...on His heart and mind."
I have so much to learn...
Here is a perfect example in Mark 11. I have always had this "picture" in my mind Jesus comes into Jerusalem riding a colt (donkey), is swarmed by the crowds, carried off by the sheer numbers surrounding Him, and taken for questioning followed by the beginning of His " so-called trial". I thought Gethsemane had already taken place and the final phase was about to begin.
Well, that is not what happened...I wasn't even close. Thank God the Scriptures are readily available and keeps people like myself from getting the whole story all messed up. Here are my Gleanings from Mark 11:1-17...
" As they neared Jerusalem, Jesus and the disciples were at Bethpage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives. (Note: numerous biblical scholars indicate the place Jesus and the disciples were at has symbolic meaning: 1) Zechariah 14:4 "He will make His stand on Mt. Olives, and this mountain will split in half, forming a wide valley that runs from east to west" and 2) Isaiah 64:1-2 "Rip the heavens open, the Lord is coming down, making even the mountains to tremble. The spark has been struck...the fire has started! It will cause the water to boil...and Your enemies will be shocked...and forced to face you. These enemies will tremble...because You are nearby...and they sense Your Presence.")
When they were getting close to Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of the disciples on ahead. He tells them: "Go into the next village, and as you arrive there, you will find a colt tied that has never been ridden by anyone. Untie it, and bring the colt along with you. If anyone asks, "What are you doing untieing the colt?", tell them "the Master needs him, and it will be returned right away."
So, the two went ahead and found the colt just as Jesus has said. Some folks standing nearby did inquire, "What are you doing untieing that colt?" The 2 disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed, and they were permitted to go...no one questioned them.
Then they brought the colt to Jesus, spread some of their own garments on the colt, and Jesus then mounted him.
There was a crowd already gathered around Jesus and the disciples, and they began to spread cloths on the road, while others cut branches from a field and laid them on the road as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. This was a customary way to honor well-known people as they came into the city of Jerusalem.
The crowd was in front of Jesus and behind Jesus, running up and down the road to Jerusalem, while others were following Jesus as He rode the colt. They were calling out in a joyous manner, shouting: "Hosanna (Save us...now!)! Blessed is He who comes to us in the Name of the Lord!"
Jesus entered Jerusalem, then He entered the Temple, carefully looking it all around, taking it all in. (There is no mention of the crowd at this point). Then, He left because it was late in the afternoon, and returned to Bethany that evening with the 12 disciples.
The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He happen to notice a fig tree in full leaf off in the distance, and when He arrived at the tree, He saw there were only leaves on the tree and no fruit, mainly because it was too early in the season to have fruit.
Jesus then spoke to the tree:" May no one ever eat fruit from this tree again...ever!"... and His disciples heard what He had said.
(Note: Ok, much has been written on the story of the fig tree. Most scholars agree this was a symbolic gesture Jesus was doing...He really wasn't upset with the fig tree. In fact, it is apparent He would have known there would be no fruit on the tree at that time of year. Instead, the Fig Tree was in reference to Israel and the fact there was no fruit coming out of Israel. Israel was in poor condition regarding their relationship with the Lord, and Christ was pointing this out to the disciples when it was written earlier "the disciples heard what He had said." Also noteworthy is Jesus was pointing to the fruit of Israel and not necessarily its works. Fruit is written about in Galatians 5:22-23, and this is probably what Jesus was referring to in reference to the fig tree bearing no fruit, particularly having no compassion for the poor. One other thought is the fig tree was a possible sign of Jerusalem's destruction that was to come in 70 A.D. through Roman conquest.
One more thing: In the Greco-Roman culture of the period, they had many gods that related to nature, particularly Dionysus, the tree god. Anytime a tree would die suddenly, it was taken as a sign that destruction was eminent. By cursing the fig tree, Christ Jesus was also showing He was the True Authority...over everything...including any other gods, as well as a warning of what was to come.)
When the disciples and Jesus came into Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple. He went directly to the courts within and began to drive out those who were merchants selling in the Temple. He overturned the 4 foot tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. Jesus would not let people carry their things through the Temple (like a shortcut to where they might be going), making them go outside instead.
Then, He taught them. He said to them:" Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer...to all the nations? But in here, you have made it a safe haven for robbers to operate and hide."
(Note: Here is another episode in the life of Jesus that has been discussed by many. First, I don't think Jesus was upset with the selling of the animals for sacrifice, rather, He was upset they had moved the "whole operation" inside...in the Temple! In fact, this was the area the Gentiles who gave their respect to God were suppose to be at...thus "My House of Prayer...to ALL nations!"
It is also interesting that after He had driven the merchants out etc., He then "taught them"...in other words, He was very much in control of what He was doing.
Of course, the Scriptures indicated they sold the animals for sacrifice at ridiculously high prices...which basically means they were ripping people off...especially those who were poor.)
(One other thought: Israel had been referred to as figs before...in Jeremiah 24; the good figs and the bad figs...and the bad figs had a similar future to that of the fig tree Jesus had declared no one will eat from that tree again..ever!)
So, Jesus was pretty busy up to the time He would face His ultimate conflict...the Cross! As one writer put it; "With all this going on in the final week of His Life here in earth...He had each one of us...on His heart and mind."
I have so much to learn...
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