10 October

Bible In 365 Days                        

Matthew 20-21

Matthew 20

One great principle of rewards is laid down in this parable. It is that they will be given, not according to length or amount of service, but according to fidelity to opportunities.

The Master was now taking the last journey to Jerusalem, fully conscious of its deep significance in His mission. Beyond the Cross He saw the glory of the new life. He called His disciples to Him, and told them of His coming death and resurrection. Here as in every case during the last sad days His account of His own suffering to come is broken in on by some little question of precedence among them. We are tempted to be angry with them. He was not. Patiently He laid down for them the principles of true greatness, service even unto sacrifice.

In the neighborhood of Jericho He performed a gracious act. While on His way to ratify in actual word and deed what, in effect, has already taken place (His rejection as King) two needy men sought a favor of Him as "the Son of David," a manner of address that signified their acknowledgment of His Messiahship. Straightway His compassion was touched, and He exercised His wondrous power to answer their prayer, and gave them sight.

Matthew 21

In this cleansing of the Temple for the second time (He had done the same at the outset of His ministry) the Lord revealed His conception of the secret of all civic righteousness and strength. He revealed for all time the laws of civic purity. He came to His city and His Temple, which He cleansed so that the very sources of the streams of influence being pure the streams must become pure.

The cursing of the fig tree was the only miracle of judgment that Jesus wrought, and the principal force of it is not direct, but parabolic. He had a perfect right to make what use He chose of the creations of His own power to teach His lessons.

We now come to the beginning of the last conflict. The chief priests and challenged His authority. He met their question with another. He had been baptized by John, and at that baptism had received the anointing of authority for public ministry. Now He asks them what was the authority for John's baptism. They could not say, "Of men," for they were cowards. They would not say, "Of heaven," for they were hypocrites. So, with a calm dignity, conscious of the fact that He had already answered them, He refuses to enter further into the question of authority.

Our Lord now exercised His authority by speaking in their hearing authoritative parables directly applicable to them, as they themselves discovered.