Based on Marc 11, 12 & 13
In the morning Jesus and his disciples traveled back to Jerusalem. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes were waiting for Jesus in the temple to catch him with his own words. This was going to be the last day of Jesus public ministry. While they were walking back to Jerusalem the fig tree which was cursed by Jesus on the previous day was already withered along with its root. Peter noticed it and brought to the attention of Jesus and his fellow disciples.
How to get a prayers answered?
Jesus stood before the fig tree that was withered and taught three key ingredients that are required to get answers from God in prayer.
1. Do not doubt while praying
2. Believe that you have already received it.
3. If you have anything against anyone during the prayer forgive them. So that the father in heaven will forgive you.
Attempt to find fault with Jesus
When Jesus entered the Jerusalem temple the Pharisees, Sadducees and the scribes were waiting for him to bombard with questions. They wanted to catch Jesus with his answer and use them when he was arrested. There were looking for evidence to punish Jesus. Here are the questions posed to Jesus by High priests, Pharisees, and elders.
1. On What authority Jesus was doing these things?
As a response, Jesus asked another question to them. Was the baptism of John came from Heaven or from men? When the high priests and Sadducees refused to respond Jesus also refused to respond.
2. Is it lawful to pay tax to Caeser or not?
Jesus asked them to pay what belongs to Caeser and pay what belongs to God.
3. If a man marries a wife and if he dies without a child and subsequently all the seven brothers marry the same women and dies without a child, who will be the wife’s real husband in heaven?
Jesus rebuked at the lack of scriptural knowledge of Sadducees. When men rise from dead they neither marry nor given to marriage. They live like angels.
4. The last question was from an expert on Jewish law. Which commandment is the first and most important of all?
Jesus Christ summarized all the commandment under two major commandments. Loving God and Loving others.
People were amazed at the answers provided by Jesus. The high priests, Pharisees, and Sadducees could not collect any evidence to use against Jesus.
Widow’s offering
While Jesus was in the temple, he watched people putting money in the treasury. A poor widow came and put two small copper coin. The money she put in the treasury was all she had. Jesus said, "The poor widow had contributed more than everybody else". While the old testament commandments focus on tithe, Jesus admiration on the poor widow was focused on devotion and commitment with which she gave the offering. This was the only place in the new testament Jesus commented on offering to church. But he gave us new learning. Jesus was not interested in ritualistic giving to fulfill old testament laws but expects people to give with deep devotion and love.
Destruction of Jerusalem Temple Foretold
While Jesus and his disciples were walking out of the temple one of his disciple was amazed at the construction of the Jerusalem temple. How beautiful and big it was? Jesus said, “You see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another which will not be torn down!”. What Jesus told was fulfilled in the year AD 70. The Jerusalem temple was burnt down during the Roman war against the Jews. Most of Jesus disciples did not live to see that disastrous day except apostle John.
In the evening Jesus and his disciples walked back to Bethany. On the way they sat down in the mount Olivet facing the Jerusalem temple. From Mount Olivet, the Jerusalem temple was in western direction. They probably were watching the beautiful sunset behind the temple. During this time there was a private conversation between Jesus and his close disciple. Jesus at length explains about the end days.
This was the end of Jesus public ministries. The next two days he focused primarily on the private discussion with his closed circle of a disciples before getting arrested and crucified. Bible does not say what Jesus did two days before the Passover. A day before Passover Jesus came back to Jerusalem from Bethany along with disciples for the last supper.
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Dear friend, before you leave, if you have accepted Christ and want to know more about Jesus, you can read here =>
Do you want to know more about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, you can read here =>
