Sunday, 29 March The Messiah Claims His Kingdom on Earth. Matt. 21:18—22:14
The first event in this passage – the cursing of the fig tree – is often misunderstood. Matthew included it as a metaphor for everything that has just happened and that would happen in the next couple of days. (I don’t mean it wasn’t a real event, just that Matthew included it in his Gospel with a particular purpose as a metaphor for larger events.)
Jesus has just staked his claim over the city and the temple. He is about to have his authority challenged by the religious leaders, and he is about to put them very firmly in their places. This figtree event is the prologue, the Greek chorus, the little play that summarises the whole drama that we are about to witness. The time of those who have held power for so long is about to come to an end. They have used up the ground space, but they have not borne fruit. Their rule is over. A New Order is in place.
In v45, it is clear that the religious authorities knew that he was speaking to them in all of these parables. But it wasn’t as though they hadn’t asked for it! Back in v23, they haughtily demanded that Jesus show his credentials, produce his badge, prove his licence to do what he was doing: When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"
Remember the title we have given to this section of Matthew: The Messiah Claims His Kingdom on Earth.
Up until now, the Jews had been God’s chosen people – to live in such an admirable way before the watching world that those outside Israel would seek to come and learn the truth about the one, true God. The priests and ruling religious classes were the ones who had been tasked with the authority and responsibility to carry out the leadership of this grand scheme. They were, as the Old Testament frequently described them, the shepherds of Israel. Note carefully Jesus’ response to their demands that he prove himself.
Jesus answered their arrogant demand for a proof of his authority, by showing them his powerful person and word. He completely skipped over their question. No doubt, he reckoned that he had done nothing else but prove his credentials for the past three years. They had merely been too arrogant to recognise it. The time was past for proving who he was. Now he was the King come to claim his kingdom. This was no time for proofs. It was time for them to face up to some strong questioning, not him!
He told them three parables in quick succession. He didn’t even give them time to draw breath between them. Our Bible editors put a chapter division in the middle of them, but this just confuses the inattentive reader. The three form one continuous thread. That is clear from the joining words: Listen to another parable…(21:33); Once more Jesus spoke to them… (22:1). The next section (where tomorrow’s reading begins) is in 22:15, where we read Then the Pharisees went…
The first parable: two sons were asked by their father to go and work in the vineyard. Now, let’s be clear. This was a Middle Eastern father telling his two sons to do a job. It was not a modern Western father, who wondered whether his sons might perhaps, if they didn’t mind, please, to just go and do a few things in the garden for him. The word of a Middle Eastern father was law. Sons did not have the option to refuse.
The refusal of both sons (in different ways) was a tremendous affront to the Master’s will. The Pharisees well understood that Jesus was saying that the second son represented them. They had promised to undertake God’s work and will. But then they had not done what he had wanted at all. In fact, the common people (the first son) who had been careless sinners for so long, had at last yielded to the Father’s will and were now entering the kingdom in droves
The second parable: the distant landowner was God who had entrusted his precious investment to Israel’s priests and rulers. As God, he had sent prophets and messengers to Israel for centuries. They were soundly beaten up and rejected by the religious and ruling classes. Just read the books of 1 & 2 Kings for those stories. And now, finally, God was sending his own son. The religious leaders will ultimately kill him too, but woe betide those who refuse to accept this final emissary from God.
Reject me, said the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will break yourselves on your own rejection. You won't destroy me; you will only destroy yourselves. You have been warned.
The third parable: it follows the same theme. The kingdom of heaven is like a wedding banquet. All you Israelites have been invited. But I know, said Jesus, that you will spurn my invitation – especially you religious leaders. So, here is what will happen.
The covenant my Father made with you as his chosen people will be suspended. After you finally reject me, the invitation will go out to those whom you despise – Romans, Greeks, foreigners from across the whole world, even places you haven’t even imagined to exist. And they will leap at the chance – Australians, Africans, Americans, Asians, Britons, Europeans, people of all skin colours and ethnic identities. They will be given this Gospel and they will enter joyfully. You will be locked out, and there will be weeping and wailing.
The Messiah has already staked his physical claim on the religious ground of Jerusalem and the temple. Now he stakes his claim on the people who will be called to live in his kingdom. Jesus is leaving no stone unturned in his majestic authority.
Let there be no doubt. This is no gentle Jesus, meek and mild, living through this Jerusalem week. This is the revolutionary King, sweeping away the past and warning all those who refuse to bow their knee at his coming. This is the royal King, banishing rebels and welcoming those who seek to live under his royal sway.
The stakes are high. The lines are clear. Who is with Him? If you are not with Him, you are against Him. You and I have to be careful when we believe that we have the truth about a particular point or strand of Christian teaching. We always need to hold our positions with humility and the possibility of error. Not so with Jesus. He is the Truth. He is the Word.
Jesus claims his Kingdom. He tells us: Make your choice. And live (or die) with that choice. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone … The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls (21:42–4).
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, I bow my knee at your words. You alone hold the words of life. You alone are the True King. All others are pretenders. I reject them. Thank you for coming as the King and declaring so boldly your claims on your territory and your people. Help me to reflect that boldness in my own relationships with others. Amen.
