Lesson 196 - Senior
Memory Verse
"My house shall be called the house of prayer" (Matthew 21:13).
Cross References
I The Son of God in the House of God
1. Jesus, seeing again the prevalent abuses of God's house, vigorously casts out the evildoers, [MAT:21:12-13]; [MAK:11:15-17]; [ISA:56:7]; [JER:7:11].
2. He followed this action by doing other works of God there, [MAT:21:14]; [LUK:19:47-48]; [LUK:20:1]; [LUK:21:37].
3. The unfaithful leaders were displeased at the assumption of His rightful authority, openly opposing Him, [MAT:21:15-16]; [MAK:11:18]; [LUK:19:47-48].
4. Jesus used the Word of God to answer them, [MAT:21:16-17]; [PS:8:2].
II The Lesson from the Barren Fig Tree
1. Jesus, being hungry, looked for figs and found none, [MAT:21:18-19]; [MAK:11:13]; [PS:1:1-6].
2. The barren tree is a type of unfruitful Israel and also of unproductive professors of religion, [MAT:13:22]; [JHN:15:1-9], [JHN:15:16]; [GAL:5:22-23].
3. The judgement was for unfruitfulness, [MAT:21:19-20]; [MAT:3:10]; [LUK:19:20-26]; [ROM:11:29].
4. Faith's value, power, and necessity was shown, [MAT:21:21-22]; [ROM:14:23]; [HAB:2:4]; [JHN:6:28-29]; [EPH:6:16]; [HEB:11:1], [HEB:11:6]; [JAM:1:5-6].
III Jesus' Tact and Sagacity
1. Christ's authority, divine commission, and Deity were again challenged, [MAT:21:23]; [JHN:12:44-50]; [JHN:13:20].
2. Jesus' unanswerable reply was actually a statement of His authority, [MAT:21:24-25].
3. Being unable to answer correctly and still denying Christ's Messiahship, they evaded the question by lying, [MAT:21:25-27]; [LUK:20:5-8].
4. Deceit and insincerity robbed them of the truth, [MAT:21:27]; [MAT:13:4], [MAT:13:19]; [2TS:2:10-12].
IV The Father and His Sons
1. The first son, his refusal and subsequent repentance, was like a sinner who ultimately repents, [MAT:21:28-29].
2. The second son, his agreement and subsequent rebellion, was like a hypocrite, [MAT:21:30].
3. The illustration was applied to Israel, chosen by God but disobedient to God, [MAT:21:31-32]; [EXO:19:5-6], [EXO:19:8]; [JER:31:31-32].
Notes
Jesus, the Son of God
Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem was past, as well as the day on which it occurred. The people had praised and worshiped Him as the Son of David, the One who came in the name of the Lord. They had praised God for all His mighty works, saying, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Luke 19:37, 38). On the second day of the week, the day that corresponds to our Monday, Jesus again left the town of Bethany and was found in Jerusalem where, we understand, He spent the greater part of the week.
The home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus was located at Bethany. Jesus often went there, for He found fellowship and Christian love in the home of these devout disciples. Bethany was a little city on the side of Mount Olivet, a quiet place where He could rest and find relief from the crowds that were in the busy city of Jerusalem.
Near the beginning of His ministry Jesus had gone into the Temple and had driven out the money-changers and those that sold oxen, sheep, and doves. This abuse of the house of God was no doubt tolerated, or perhaps even instituted, by the Jewish rulers of that day under the pretext that it was necessary for the convenience of those who came from faraway places to worship in the Temple.
The Law of Moses had made a provision that those who came from long distances could changed their offerings into money to facilitate their labour of bringing the actual offering to Jerusalem ([DEU:14:24-26]). When they reached Jerusalem they were then to purchase the desired items necessary for their worship, and these would be accepted by God. But God did not mean that His house was to be made the trading place. His Temple was to be a place of prayer; but greed caused those who sold to come to the immediate precincts of what should have been God's dwelling place, that they might profit from the sale of animals and doves.
It is significant that Jesus, at the beginning of His earthly ministry and also as He neared its end, acted against this abuse of the house of God. He spoke strong words at the time of the first incident ([JHN:2:13-17]), but He spoke in a still sharper manner at the final one. His whole ministry was to the end that God -" and not the works of man -" should be glorified; that the house of God should be sacred, a place of prayer where the pure Word of God could be heard, and should not be a "den of thieves" " a harbour of wicked men.
He had a right thus to assert Himself. He was God the Son, equal with God the Father and God the Holy Ghost. He was from the beginning! And since this Temple was the house of God, Jesus was actually master over it. His prerogative could not be rightfully questioned or challenged; and those who did question it were actually denying His Deity, His Messiahship, His authority, and His commission. In doing this, these unfaithful ones were denying God Himself and the words of all God's prophets from the very beginning. There was sufficient evidence in the things they saw during the years of His ministry, in the words of the prophets that spoke of His coming, and in the Spirit that attended His very presence, to show them without doubt that He was the Son of God. But they denied Him. And because of that, we may say they became the progenitors and first disciples of the Antichrist who is to assume power during the Tribulation ([1JN:2:18], [1JN:2:22]; [1JN:4:2-3]).
The Barren Fig Tree and Unfruitful Disciples
En route from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus became hungry. This was not the time for ripe figs, generally speaking; but while He was far away He saw a tree that had advanced to the stage when its fruit should have been ripe. But when He looked for fruit on it, He found none. We are told that there are several kinds of fig trees, and there are several crops a year on each. A peculiar habit of the fig tree is that the fruit comes before the leaves. When a tree is in full leaf the fruit is nearly ready for picking. The fact that this tree was seen by Christ a long way off tells us that the other trees were not yet in full leaf; it was not the harvest time for figs. But since this one tree was already in full leaf we know that it was an early variety, and Christ was therefore justified in looking for fruit on it.
God never asks anything that is unjust. He does not expect the unreasonable, or the impossible. It has been said that, "God's commands are His enablings." Christ did not come to this fig tree looking for olives, dates, or grapes. He came looking for figs, and He had a right to do so since the full-leaf condition of the tree was evidence that its figs should have been ripe.
God does not want us to imitate another person. To be accepted by God, we are required to abide in the same calling wherein we are called ([1CO:7:20]), since the "gifts and calling of God are without repentance" (Romans 11:29). God expects us to bear only our own fruit; but He does expect us to bear that fruit. We shall be held accountable to Him for that responsibility.
The judgement of God is perfectly just. He expects fruit from us according to the measure of the Gospel that we have received. Some people have greater advantages, and therefore more is expected of them. Some have greater privileges, and they will be held accountable if they do not avail themselves of those glorious God-given opportunities. The fig tree was on the roadside, in a place where it could have blessed many -" but it bore no fruit! Many today are also on the "roadsides" of life and have an incomparable privilege of working for God and bearing fruit for Him, but they are not doing so. The Israelites are an example of these, since it was God's plan that they should be the messengers of the Covenant, the custodians of the Holy Oracles, and the nation through which the Messiah would come. But we have already learned that they withdrew from the Covenant they made with God and, as a nation, bore but little fruit for God. The sacred Covenant-privileges were filled by individuals instead -" both Jew and Gentile -" who, during all dispensations, have willingly assumed the obligations of the Covenant.
How significant that the Holy Spirit has preserved for us an admonition of what is easily seen to be one of the most important kinds of fruit bearing -" intercessory prayer. There are many avenues of service, but one of the greatest of these is prayer. Nothing can be successfully accomplished for God without it. And it, in itself, is valueless unless it is in accord with the will and promise of God. But, potent though each kind of service may be, it is powerless unless faith is exercised to bring the will of God into action. True faith insures the blessing that is being sought. The Lord used this miracle to strengthen and increase the faith of His disciples -" and ours also -" as well as to increase the fruitfulness of all of us.
The Challenge that Prompted a Challenge
The chief priests and elders of the people were seeking a means to overthrow Jesus. His assumption of real authority over the Temple, in casting out those who defiled the house of God, in teaching the Word of God there, and in doing miracles which attested His Deity and Messiahship, caused them vehemently to oppose Him. Seeking to trap Him, they directed a challenge to Him: "By what authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this authority?" They sought their appointments from man; and, to them, no other appointment was as good. Jesus was divinely commissioned and authorised, but this fact meant little to these self-confident and self-glorying hypocrites.
He who was the Lord of the House of God answered their challenge with a challenge that they would not answer. They could have done so. They had the means of knowledge sufficient to have answered it completely. But to do so would have exposed their own hypocrisy and sin. John's preaching was of Jesus. Every event of his ministry pointed to the Lamb of God. If they accepted John's messaged they would have to accept Jesus. But, specifically, it was at the baptism of Jesus that God the Father said, from Heaven, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). It was there that the Holy Spirit descended upon the head of that holy, undefiled Son of Man as a witness to His authority. The answer to their question was in the question that Jesus put to them. He never received His authority from man; it came from God and, therefore, it superseded all man-given authority.
The Unwilling Sons
During the middle days of the week Jesus taught in the Temple and there He told the assembled people of a man who had two sons who were called to work in a vineyard. If we accept the usual symbolism of the Bible that pictures a vineyard as God's harvest field, we can se some great truths here.
One son was like a willful sinner who is called into the Kingdom by the Spirit of God, who answers that he will not go, but afterward repents and goes to work for his Father. The other was like the Jewish nation who said they would go, but afterward did not do so. The one who went did the will of the Father.
It is possible to say that Christ is a Prophet, and not submit to His teachings. It is possible to say that He is King, and not be loyal to Him. One can acknowledge His authority, and still not render faithful service. It is possible even to admit that He is the Son of God, and not worship Him. And there are some, sad to say, who agree that He is the only Saviour, but who do not receive Him as their Saviour. The one who does the will of the Father is the one who answers His call!
Questions
1. What great event had preceded our present lesson?
2. What events took place in the Temple that proved that Jesus was the Son of God?
3. What did the children do in the Temple?
4. Where did Jesus spend His quiet hours during this last week?
5. Tell the story of the barren fig tree.
6. What great lesson did Jesus give us from this incident?
7. Quote the great promise that is recorded in Matthew 21:22.
8. Why did the chief priests and elders challenge Jesus' authority?
9. What was His answer?
10. Apply the story of the man and his two sons to God's Covenant plan.