Introduction to the Gospels Part 4 – Christ’s Final Ministry in Judea & Perea

The Journey to Jerusalem

Just six weeks after the raising of Lazarus from the dead in Bethany, Jesus journeys from the obscure wilderness and arrives again in the small town that is a suburb of Jerusalem. The Sanhedrin and other Jewish religious leaders have been searching for Jesus, that they might seize Him privately and avoid public resentment, but this popular “miracle-worker” has the audacity to show up on their doorstep in full public view! To make matters worse for them, Jesus is now reunited with Lazarus, the man who after spending four days dead in a tomb has drawn a large and curious crowd. If only they could have captured Jesus before He got near to Jerusalem. In their thinking, there would be no secret arrest and death of Jesus now, not unless…

Suddenly, Lazarus comes under the malevolent scrutiny of the chief priests. Lazarus must be removed! With his death, the man who had become the most visible icon of Jesus’ power, the crowds would go away. When the host of people dispersed, Jesus could be privately seized and put to death. Yes, a living Lazarus was too much of a nuisance for them to deal with Jesus. They failed to realize, however, that Jesus was about to take the conflict to a higher level.

The Messiah’s enemies were stunned when the popular Rabbi came riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, like some long-awaited King! The multitude gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread and joined with Jerusalem’s inhabitants to welcome Jesus with open arms. They waved palm branches, and carpeted His path with them, shouting “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9). Imagine the fury of Jesus’ enemies, when under the protective acceptance of the vast throng, the Rabbi again entered the Holy Temple and drove out the moneychangers and the sellers of animals for sacrifice for the second time. It became clear to the Jewish leaders at that juncture, that they would need another plan to deal with Jesus.

The ministry style of our Savior changed radically during this time. First of all, while Jesus had previously avoided most direct confrontation with the Jewish religious hierarchy, He now confronted them openly. The 23rd chapter of Matthew records Jesus’ comprehensive and scathing rebuke of them. The way Jesus condemns their hypocrisy stands in point-by-point contrast to His teaching of the Kingdom citizen from the Beatitudes.

In addition, Jesus had very little time left to spend with His disciples. His direct ministry and teaching took on more urgency. He had taught them all of the important things, but it was time for a focused review of the most essential. In the Kingdom University, these men were about to be given their final exams. If there was one week they’d spent with Jesus that they wouldn’t forget for the rest of their lives, this was it.

Jesus prophesied about the world conditions and events that would occur just prior to His second coming. Of all the warnings He gives, the strongest one concerns religious deception. They were to understand (as we are today), that false prophets and even some proclaiming to be the Messiah would arise and lead many astray. By understanding that our Lord’s return would be a cataclysmic, unmistakable, worldwide occurrence, they could avoid the attempts of others to subvert their faith in Christ. Secondly, they were told to brace themselves for the terrible calamities that would come upon the world prior to His return.

The Lord also gave them further parabolic teachings about God’s Kingdom covering topics such as tenacity in prayer, true righteousness, divorce and celibacy, the cost of discipleship, servant-style leadership, childlike faith, the danger of pride, and the dangers of making carnal comparisons. The last parables and object lessons of Christ related directly to His second coming: the cursing of the fruitless tree, the faithful and unfaithful servant, the marriage supper, the wise and foolish virgins, the parable of the talents, the commendation of the faithful, and the condemnation of the unfaithful.

At the Last Supper, just prior to Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Lord conducted the most intimate and important training class yet experienced by His disciples. In the upper room, Jesus performed His last great act of love to them prior to His trial and death, kneeling before them to wash their feet, bestowing upon them the most fundamental principle of Kingdom service: to love one another even as He had loved them. Jesus would ask just one thing of them for Himself, that they would remember Him by gathering to partake of the bread and the wine to commemorate His death. The Lord would also teach on faithful ministry, the Holy Spirit, coming persecution upon the church, and further directives to love one another, but these will be considered in the final lesson studies covering the gospels. Sadly, there isn’t enough room in this study to address everything these Scriptures entail. We trust, however, that your study of God’s Word will be enhanced by our effort. May the Lord bless your study!

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