#1422 Luke 20 Part 1 Authority on Authority

 

Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him 2 and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”

3 But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: 4 The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” Luke 20: 1-8 NKJV

Luke 20: 1-8 What Authority

…17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,… Matthew 28: 17-19

Preached the gospel - The gospel was and is the not so popular message to humanity, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Humans are created beings, and the right of their loyalty, worship, obedience, belongs to the One Who created them. God is the eternal Being, one Being, that is three persons, individual, yet of the same eternal essence and Holy nature, existing in perfect community with one another, needing nothing, completely self sufficient. We, as created beings, are dependent upon God to make us, the world, and universe we live in. Since God is eternal, He is infinite, and since He is holy, He is infinitely, eternally so. We are made in His image, and should therefore reflect that holiness, His glory. When our parents sinned in the garden they offended an eternal Being, their Maker, and in order for God, by nature, to be esteemed as just and to keep His Holiness intact, He must judge this disobedience, which is sin, which stems from the original sin of pride. The gospel also tells us that the wages of sin is death, and so we may summize from this, being that all have sinned, that this is what justice owes us, death, eternal separation from God's good communion, to become the object of His eternal wrath. So why aren't we dead? Why does humanity still persist, and continue to sin? Well, everyone dies physically, and death is a result of the fall, as are our fallen natures that continue to defy God, and in delusion lift up ourselves as the arbiters of truth and good. The Scripture gives us the answer for why mankind is still alive, and it even offers forgiveness for sin while leaving intact the Holiness of God. It says:

15that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.… John 3: 15-17

…31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4: 31-32

…21In the same way, he sprinkled with blood the tabernacle and all the vessels used in worship. 22According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23So it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.… Hebrews 9: 21-23

So in the sacrifice of Christ, the God/Man, the infinite Holiness and justice of God is satiated for all those who believe in Jesus. God and man come together in one Being, Who lives the life that God demanded, and Who dies the death deserved by those who are being saved. There is no injustice in God, and so Christ's perfect life and His death on the cross reveal the crowning attribute of God's holiness intact upon the attribute of His love. 

…4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. 6In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.… Hebrews 10: 4-6

By what authority are You doing these things - Hmmm, well, by what authority did the prophets do things? Kings tried to silence them, even murdering some, yet their words lived. By what authority did Jesus heal the sick, raise the dead, feed the multitudes? If God is sovereign and it is beyond men to do or order such things by the words of their mouths, then what has made it possible for Jesus to give the blind sight and make the lame walk? They are mad about His upbraiding them in the temple court, but also, if you come riding in on a donkey, accepting the praise of the crowd, you are more than suggesting that You are the King, the Messiah, so by whose authority?

Tell us (command in the aorist imperative - Do this now! Don't delay!) by what authority (exousia) You are doing these things - This entire chapter is about authority (exousia). And notice who raises the question - those who were assigned "authority" over the Temple complex. To what do these things refer? Most agree that from the immediate context (Lk 19:45-48+) these things refer to His cleansing of the Temple and expulsion of the corrupt merchants which would have significantly impacted the income of the religious leaders who were skimming off the top. These things (note it is plural supporting more than just the Temple cleansing) would also obviously refer to the enthusiastic reception of Jesus' triumphal entry and the crowd acknowledging Him as Messiah and King (Lk 19:38+). What is sad is that Jesus had in effect told them by what authority He had cleansed the Temple and His authority was the Word of God quoting Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11 in Luke 19:46+! Perhaps these religious leaders did not hear Him state His basis for the cleansing. More likely is they did not want to hear it for although they pontificated and spoke the Scriptures, they did not live the Scriptures, once again showing that they were hypocrites of the highest order! This was about their pocket book not their "hymn book" (so to speak)!

The reaction of the religious leaders to their loss of revenue stream reminds me of Paul in Philippi when he cast out a "spirit of divination" of a slave girl who was bringing her masters much profit by fortunetelling (Acts 16:16+). This act incited the ire of her masters and the pagan crowd who beat Paul and Silas and had them thrown in prison (Acts 16:19-24+).

Stevenson comments "Jesus has not been ordained by any reputable denomination. He has no seminary degrees hanging on His wall. He goes by not title such as "reverend" or "rabbi." So what gives Him the right to overturn money changers’ tables or to drive out animals being bought and sold? What gives Him the right to stop the "business as usual" within the Temple?"

Notice that this is the first of a series of questions calculated to trip up Jesus. In this case, if Jesus stated that He was teaching and preaching based on His own authority, these evil men could say He was in effect out of His mind, acting like a meglomaniac! On the other hand if Jesus said He was acting on the authority of God, they would accuse Him of blaspheming God. So it looks good for these tricksters who now think they have Jesus boxed into a corner! - Precept Austin

…17The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.” 19Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message.… John 10: 17-19

I also will ask you one thing - A very gentle and measured approach, considering Who He is, and also that He knows their hearts are seeking anything but the truth. He has ministered in their lands for three years now. It is easy to know what He is about, for He has spoken it in front of large crowds for quite some time. He has also performed many miracles as they are well aware, even accusing Him of doing this by the power of Satan. 

…5Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time. 6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. 7Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.… Colossians 4: 5-7

vs. 4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men - Was John, who recognized Jesus, baptized Jesus, pointed to Jesus, a prophet or not? John came preaching repentance from sin, his baptism being an outward confession of people that they needed to be cleansed. 

5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.… John 1: 5-7

1“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple— the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight— see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts. 2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.… Malachi 3: 1-2

…9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 10 The disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11Jesus replied, “Elijah does indeed come, and he will restore all things.…

…12But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.” 13Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist. Matthew 17: 9-13

If we say from heaven - They can't even tell the truth. Let's see, what should we say, what's our best move considering the crowd around us? We don't want to say, "from heaven", because then we will have to answer for why we are unrepentant and why we did not accept that Jesus was the One for whom John prepared the way, as the prophets foretold 700 and 400 years before him. That will just nullify our question to Him about authority. If John was a true prophet then we are guilty of not listening to him. And there is an aspect of Jesus' procession towards the cross that we often overlook, and it is this crowd. His legend has grown for three years now. There is no one in history, not even Moses, Elijah and Elisha combined that has demonstrated more unique and superhuman power than Christ. The signs, the prophecies, the miracles, all demonstrate an otherliness that is undeniable, yet after all that, these silly questions and scheming from the Jewish leaders.  

From men, all the people will stone us - This is that aspect that goes without consideration, this crowd. They have witnessed a lot, heard a lot, and the significance of them greeting Him with palm fronds as He rides in on a donkey, that was acknowledgement of Him as King. It is a legitimate fear of the Scribes and Pharisees, because the people believed John to be the first prophet to have appeared with a ministry like this after 400 years of silence. If he was right in telling people to repent and in pointing to Christ, then this is the King of kings, and for them to deny Christ is to be traitorous towards the Promised One of God. They would be traitors to their own people as well, but here's a problem I have with them as leaders, and this is only one, but it is significant. If you really believe John to be a charlatan and you are the spiritual leaders of these people, then tell the truth. Just like so many today that make up their own god, their own Christ, they care more about the favor of the crowd than the eternal destiny of the crowd. They need you to like them too much for them ever to be able to love you, and so they are no true shepherds. Jesus is stepping up to show the way, He is going to die for some of these who will reject Him, mistreat Him, and condemn Him to the death that they actually deserve. 

38nor does His word abide in you, because you do not believe the One He sent. 39You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, 40yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.… John 5: 38-40

Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things - They thought they were slick, but it's so much worse than that. He is not going to answer them, not going to try to convince them any further. They have the testimony of the prophets, and they have Jesus' whole life, that which was described as growing in favor with God and man, and then the testimony of John the Baptist, and Jesus' own miraculous ministry of these last three years. That's it, He's done with this part, and now they will see that which was spoken by Isaiah be fulfilled, their betrayal, His unjust trial, and His crucifixion. This is judgment. 

…12He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success. 13He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning. 14They encounter darkness by day and grope at noon as in the night.… Job 5: 12-14

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#1421 Luke 19 Part 4 You Missed It

 

41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

45 And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”

47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words. Luke 19: 41-48 ESV

Luke 19: 41-48 Time of your Visitation

He wept over it - This is a very strong sentiment for someone who is also God, seemingly so far removed from this, but a tear trickled down for Lazarus, and here Jesus mourns Jerusalem's unbelief. It is a strange reaction after the palm fronds, but this is a fickle crowd. It also shows the beauty of Christ's human nature, untouched by sin, blameless, yet He is still intimately associated with this people. This is very personal, crying over the souls of those who will reject you, and a model for us in dealing with the same. It is only by God's grace, provided for us through Christ, quickened in us by the Holy Spirit, that we come to see Him as Lord. The thought and refection of Jesus's walk towards Calvary, His silence before His accusers, His willingness to be our atonement, should be a bottomless reservoir of forgiveness, a well from which we always draw to give others drink. 

8How could I give you up, O Ephraim? How could I surrender you, O Israel? How could I make you like Admah? How could I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within Me; My compassion is stirred! 9I will not execute the full fury of My anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man—the Holy One among you—and I will not come in wrath.… Hosea 11: 8-9

Vs. 42 Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace - The Jews could know the time of their visitation based upon the prophecy of the 70 weeks of Daniel 9. When He started healing the sick, raising the dead, feeding the 5,000, those should have been huge signs to look into the possibility of Him being the Messiah. When He comes in riding the donkey that fulfills a prophecy as well, but He has to die in order to make peace, and they have to repent. None of these things are foreign to the Old Testament teachings. There is this huge breach between God and those made in His image, He is holy and we are not. We are so fallen as not see it, not to understand our state.

…28And the LORD heard the words you spoke to me, and He said to me, “I have heard the words that these people have spoken to you. They have done well in all that they have spoken. 29If only they had such a heart to fear Me and keep all My commandments always, so that it might be well with them and with their children forever. 30Go and tell them: ‘Return to your tents.’… Deuteronomy 5: 28-30

…12So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. 13If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways, 14how soon I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!… Psalm 81: 12-14

…17Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who directs you in the way you should go. 18If only you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like waves of the sea. 19Your descendants would have been as countless as the sand, and your offspring as numerous as its grains; their name would never be cut off or eliminated from My presence.”… Isaiah 48: 17-19

…31Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? 32For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live! Ezekiel 18: 31-32

As testimony to the fact that the Jews should have known THIS DAY it is notable that over the centuries that have passed since Daniel's prophecy of the 70 Weeks, the Holy Spirit has used the truth of this incredible prophecy to save other Jews such as Leopold Cohn when went on to found a local mission to Jewish people which eventually gave rise to the .Chosen People Ministries (See Daniel 9:24-27 and Conversion of Leopold Cohn). Over 50 years later a man named Moishe Rosen left that ministry to form what eventually became Jews for Jesus. This one passage, Daniel 9:24-27, radically changed an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and led to the birthing of ministries that have touched literally thousands of Jewish and Gentile lives around the world! Here is a quote from the Chosen People ministry

It was during these years of rabbinic study that certain portions of Scripture leapt off the page to Rabbi Leopold, especially the passages in the book of Daniel that describe the timeline of Messiah’s coming. According to Daniel’s timeline, the Messiah should have already come two thousand years ago! Cohn asked himself, “Is it possible that the time which God had fixed for the appearance of our Messiah had passed away without the promise of our true and Living God being fulfilled?” Cohn was perplexed…if Daniel was correct, then the rabbis of the Talmud were wrong. Rabbi Cohn decided to dig deeper, but after much searching, he could find no satisfactory answers for his troubled soul. One rabbi in a distant town advised him to go to America where people knew more about the Messiah, so Cohn immediately made his preparations to leave for the United States. (ED: And as the saying goes, the rest of the story is history or better yet "His-story" for every new creation in Christ is God's Story of redemption. Won't heaven be a joy as we will likely hear of all the manifold ways God's Story played out in the lives of millions of souls bringing them to a saving knowledge of the Messiah! Glory!) - Precept Austin

But now they are hidden from your eyes - They had been given the truth through the word of God; the prophets and the law were with them for a long time. The people that rejected Him had seen the truth of God, knew many things from the OT about the Messiah, and many were actually studied spiritual leaders. They are the most negligent and gross in this, because like people trust doctors, scientists, and other academics, so the words of these leaders were also held in high esteem by their followers. The teaching of God never changes, and it has always been a call to repent, but these teachers thought they had nothing to repent of, which is the same as calling God a liar. This wall of pride, making light of things that God calls sin, is also helping to lead a whole nation into a very dark age. The judgment that comes will be God turning them over to the lie they want, a reprobate mind, adding iniquity upon iniquity, all which must be either atoned for by Christ or paid for by the reprobate in an eternal, never ending cycle of sin and judgment. When we see the truth, that God calls what I am doing, sin, then the first part of repentance is acknowledging God as right in this, then asking for forgiveness and strength to overcome. 

Hidden (krupto - divine passive) from your eyes is the antithesis of Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:18-19 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe." Note the key phrase "us who believe." Keep the context in mind. When is Jesus making this pronouncement? The irony is that He is making this judicial declaration at the very time the nation of Israel is seemingly receiving Him as their Messiah and their King! Of course as the story goes, we know the cries for coronation soon turned to cries for crucifixion. The fact is they not truly receive Jesus as Messiah and King, for He did not fulfill their expectations of a King who would conquer Rome. He conquered far greater enemies - sin, death satan! And so instead of the eyes of their heart being enlightened to true freedom found only in Christ, the eyes (of their heart/mind) were judicially blinded as God dropped a veil over their spiritual vision, which will only be fully removed when Messiah makes His "second (and absolute) triumphal entry" at His Second Coming (described in Zechariah 9:10), for then God promises (also through the prophet Zechariah wherein ironically we saw the prophetic promise of His First Triumphal entry in Zechariah 9:9) "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me (THEIR EYES NOW SPIRITUALLY ENLIGHTENED) Whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn (NOTE THE IRONY - JESUS WEEPS AT HIS FIRST TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. ISRAEL WEEPS AT HIS SECOND AND TRUE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY!)." (Zechariah 12:10+). Until that time as Paul explains "just as it is written, "GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY." And David says, "LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM.10 "LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER." (Romans 11:8-11+). - Precept Austin

V. 43 For the days will come upon you - The plural of day is used, which I think conveys the tragic reality of Jewish persecution throughout the ages. There is a siege coming soon though in seventy A.D., when Rome will take the city and destroy the temple. The Jews will suffer in holocaust in Russia, Poland, Germany and antisemitism is still strong in the Middle East to this day. The Messiah will end all of this, but in wanting only this, and not acknowledging the greater evil of their sin, they missed out on relief of the lesser as well. So remind yourself of this, Christ cried over them, yet so vile a thing is sin that He still punished their unbelief. Stop pretending that it is a small thing. 

…7then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. Then Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all peoples. 8And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and will hiss and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 9And others will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the LORD their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—because of this, the LORD has brought all this disaster upon them.’ ”… 1 Kings 9: 7-9

Drive out those who sold - Some have said this proves Jesus a sinner, that He made a whip and drove out the money changers. No, this is His house, and they were trespassers, making it into something it was not intended. For the record, outside the temple also belonged to Him as well, for He made the universe and everything in it, including you. There are places now where men and women break man's laws in order to keep God's mandate and repeat what He said.

…28“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.” 29But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.… Acts 5: 28-30

…16But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? 18And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”… 1 Peter 4: 16-18

You have made it a den of robbers - Not the place of prayer or beacon of light and hope it should have been. So many churches and "Christian" book stores have modeled themselves after this today. The Roman Catholics sold their indulgences, book stores sell misleading self help, copy and paste garbage, all under the guise of Christianity. "Pastors" get up on stages rather than accurately expounding the Word of God from pulpits, they instead say what is pleasing to the masses. They always have a thermometer stuck in the culture, hoping to draw big crowds and stay relevant. They preach a prosperity gospel, a political gospel, but not the gospel. It becomes a place to make people more lost than they were when they first arrived. 

The Shushan Gate - The Eastern Gate, (aka the "Beautiful Gate") one of the five gates of the Temple Mount. The source of the name Shushan: The Jews that returned from the Babylonian/Persian exile etched the image of the city of Shushan (the Persian capitol) on the gate - to signify their appreciation to the Persian kingdom that was instrumental in building the Second Temple. A medieval Jewish tradition "foretells" (aka "prophesies") that the prophet Elijah will lead the Mashiach (Messiah) into the Temple grounds through this Shushan Gateway. Elijah is a Kohain (Priest) and a Kohain may not enter a cemetery. Many centuries ago, some scheming Muslims placed an Arab cemetery along the Eastern Wall to foil Messiah's entrance. The tragedy is that the Messiah entered the Temple (most likely) through the Eastern Gate (at that time named the Sushan Gate) and the Jews failed to recognize the time of His visitation! - Precept Austin

And began to drive out (ekballo) those who were selling - This is like throwing a match into a can of gasoline! Explosive fire! Jesus is exercising His authority in a clear, unmistakable way and this act will force the hand of the religious leaders to destroy him. He was now destroying one of their sources of income. As Bock points out " In the other Synoptic Gospels, when the trials of Jesus start it is his attitude toward the temple that is the prosecution's launching point." Keep in mind this is to have been a place of worship! The painting above by A N Mironov shows Christ with a "scourge of cords" which is specifically described only in His first cleansing of the Temple at Passover in John 2:13-16. Robertson quips "It is amazing how short a time the work of reformers lasts!" It is intriguing that Jesus began His ministry cleaning out the corruption in the Temple complex and three years later ended His ministry carrying out the same cleansing! Is there a message here for us in America where so many are using their version of "Christianity" to make money and receive acclaim from men? (That's a rhetorical question!) For context let's look at His first Temple cleansing...

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers (kermatistes = only here = dealer in small money) seated at their tables. 15 And He made a scourge of cords (NOT DESCRIBED AT HIS SECOND CLEANSING), and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers (kollubistes) and overturned (anatrepo) their tables; (STOP FOR A MOMENT AND IMAGINE GENTLE JESUS FLIPPING OVER TABLES!) 16 and to those who were selling the doves (CHARGING POOREST OF POOR EXORBITANT RATES!) He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” (John 2:13-16+) - Precept Austin

Seeking to destroy Him - We know that it has to happen because it has been prophesied and God is always faithful to His word, but here we see the real reason for their fury. They were mad because He interrupted their business, not because He defiled the temple, for they had been doing that themselves for some time. They wanted Him dead and called Him a blasphemer, but that is who they are.

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#1420 Luke 19 Part 3 The Colt Of Christ

 

28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Luke 19: 28-40 ESV

Luke 19: 28-40 On A Donkey

24 “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. 25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. 26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. 27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.” Daniel 9: 24-27

Now let’s take the whole figure of 483. From 445 B.C., we want to go 483 years. You have sixty-nine times seven years, which equals 483 years; and then you have 483 years times 360 days. And that’s the figure I want you to get. The total of days is 173,880 day. That is 483 years times 360 days. Remember I told you we’re dealing with a 360-day year; so in order to convert that to a 365-day calendar like we have, we have to reduce it to days, and then divide it back again. So we’re dealing with 173,880 days from the decree of Artaxerxes in 445 B.C. to the coming of Messiah the Prince. The Messiah will come in 173,880 days.

Now there are only two events in His life, the life of Christ, where He is officially set apart. One is the baptism, and two is the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Now some believe it’s the baptism. But as I said, it can’t be, because He was not being presented to men there but to God. And the men didn’t even know what was going on. There is utterly no reference to Israel. There is no statement about messiahship; only, “This is My beloved Son.” And so if it isn’t the baptism, it has to be the triumphal entry; it has to be. There’s really no other alternative. - J Mac

More on the 70 Weeks of Daniel, a prophecy given hundreds of years before Christ came.

When we look at verse 26 of Daniel 9 we are seeing the middle of a prophecy that spans from the time of the people returning from Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem, and then all the way to Christ's coming into Jerusalem as foretold by Zechariah. In Daniel 9:26 we are also given the knowledge that this Anointed One will be cut off, which is terminology used for removed from the living, in other words, killed. Jesus is on His way to fulfill Isaiah's prophecies about Him being our atonement. He is going to be the scapegoat, the sacrificial Lamb without blemish. The 70 weeks of Daniel are equivalent to 70, 7's, and based upon the text they are equal to years. I encourage you to read the link above for more on this. But these 490 years are the time of God's dealing with His people, Israel, and God is Sovereign so it is a set time, down to the minute. Jesus is getting ready to present Himself to the people, riding in on a donkey, and the image is going to be so staggering because this is during the Passover week. He is coming to atone for sin, but by this time all are aware of the miracles He has been performing.

9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.… Zechariah 9: 9-10

…4Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. 5But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 6We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.… Isaiah 53: 4-6

Where on entering you will find a colt tied - This is a great example of Christ's omniscience, even preparing them in case someone ask, "why are you doing that?" He even knows that no one else has sat on this colt. 

v. 31 The Lord has need of it - We already know that the disciples struggle with Christ's role as the Passover Lamb, yet He has made that known to them on a number of occasions, that He must be rejected and give His life. No one does the things He does, heal the sick, raise the dead, calm the sea, without word spreading really quickly, and now He is asking for a donkey. We find out later in John that this doesn't even register with His disciples, so when people refer to them as twelve ordinary men, this is no exaggeration, it may even be a compliment. The Scribes and the Pharisees, anyone who spent time studying the prophets, would be familiar with Zechariah, and the image of Jesus coming on a donkey, not on a war horse, would be eerily familiar. "Your King comes to you, righteous and victorious," He was doing that very thing, fulfilling all righteousness, "humble and riding on a donkey." Who comes? Your King. Remember though, the Pharisees don't want Him to be their King, but here is this image from the prophecies of Scripture, an image that anywhere from 200,000 to 2 million people are going to witness because Jerusalem is packed out for Passover week. Jesus has His face set like a flint, moving toward the cross, and many watching are hoping that this is the Messiah and that He will vanquish Rome. Others are looking for a reason to kill Him, and this entry will bring it to a fever pitch, "how dare He conjure up an image like this. Who does He think He is?"

…15“Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion. See, your King is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey.” 16 At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him. 17Meanwhile, many people continued to testify that they had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead.… John 12: 15-17

V. 36 They spread their cloaks on the road - The Pharisees have to be having an aneurysm at this point. Remember, they reject Jesus, and will say, "we have no king but Caesar." The worlds always looking for someone other than Christ, which is antichrist, "the prince to come", in the second part of verse 26 of Daniel 9 above. He comes from the people who destroy the city, and this will be the Roman empire which history tells us of in 70 A.D. The final antichrist will come from the area of the Roman empire. He will come in the 70th week, and it's a lot so again, I encourage you to go to the link above and read. 

Hendriksen - At this point it is important to take note of the fact that the crowd that accompanied Jesus as he started out from Bethany does not remain the only one that participates in the activities pertaining to the triumphal entry. A caravan of pilgrims had arrived at Jerusalem previously. Having heard that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead and was now on his way toward the city, these people came pouring out of the eastern gate to meet him. With fronds cut from palm trees they go forth to welcome Jesus (John 12:1, 12, 13a, 18). Having done so they turn around and, as it were, lead Jesus down the western slope of the mount of Olives and so into the city. The crowd from Bethany continues to follow. (Borrow Exposition of the Gospel of Luke)

As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road - This was an honor bestowed on a king and expressed their submission to Jesus as their King. The idea is that they were "in effect" placing themselves under His feet. So instead of doing it physically people would throw their coats beneath His path. - Precept Austin

In 2 Kings 9:13 we see a similar act of casting cloaks in the path of one acclaimed as king....

"Then they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!” Then they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and blew the trumpet, saying, "Jehu is king!" 2 Kings 9: 13

V. 38 Blessed is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord - They are calling Him, King, Messiah, and this is going to come up at His trial as well. It is also causing the pace to quicken.

Warren Wiersbe comments - This is the only time that Jesus permitted a public demonstration on His behalf, and He did so for at least two reasons. First, He was fulfilling prophecy and presenting Himself as Israel’s king (Zech. 9:9). How much of this the crowd really understood we cannot tell, even though they responded by quoting from a messianic psalm (Ps. 118:25–26). No doubt many of the Passover pilgrims thought that Jesus would now get rid of the Roman invaders and establish the glorious kingdom. The second reason for this demonstration was to force the Jewish religious leaders to act. They had hoped to arrest Him after the Passover (Matt. 26:3–5), but God had ordained that His Son be slain on Passover as the “Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29; and see 1 Cor. 5:7). Every previous attempt to arrest Jesus had failed because “His hour had not yet come” (John 7:30; 8:20; also see John 13:1; 17:1). When they saw this great public celebration, the leaders knew that they had to act, and the willing cooperation of Judas solved their problem for them (Matt. 26:14–16). (Be courageous Luke 14-24) - Precept Austin

22 The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief corner stone.

23 This is the Lord’s doing;

It is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which the Lord has made;

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 O Lord, do save, we beseech You;

O Lord, we beseech You, do send prosperity!

26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;

We have blessed you from the house of the Lord. Psalm 118: 22-26

…19For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, 20and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross. 21Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds because of your evil deeds.…

…22But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence— 23if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. Colossians 1: 19-23

v. 39 Teacher, rebuke Your disciples - Make them stop, they are promoting the idea that You are the Messiah, the King, the heir to the throne of David. This goes on to this day, people rejecting the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe, as if it is up to them how He should be presented. This attitude follows after His disciples as well, all but one end up martyred for the gospel. It always amazes me how much men are willing to speak against the truth, but how few are willing to stand for it or speak against apostasy. 

1While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 2greatly disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in custody until the next day.… Acts 4: 1-3

…16“What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it. 17But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in this name.” 18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.… Acts 4: 16-18

If these were silent, the very stones would cry out - The whole of Creation groans, waiting for God to make all things right. It's quite a picture, many 12 year old boys there for for their right of passage into manhood, some probably participating, laying down palm branches, the anticipation would be high, but without the gift of faith, the mind will seek to destroy this Man on the donkey and replace Him with it's own image of messiah. These children are going to be told by their elders that this is not so significant, this is not Him. 

…7Let the sea resound, and all that fills it, the world, and all who dwell in it. 8Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy 9before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.… Psalm 98: 7-9

…8Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. 9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.… Matthew 3: 8-10

Henry Morris - Even the inanimate creation is under God's control for He made it, and the opposition of mere men to the fulfillment of prophecy is no impediment to the Creator and Sustainer of all things. When God created Adam, He breathed life into the dust of the ground; He could do the same for stones if need be. (Borrow The Defender's Study Bible)

W A Criswell - If men will not recognize the significance of this day, the rocks will find a voice to praise Jesus (Hab. 2:11). (Believer's Study Bible)

Matthew Henry - Christ's triumphs, and his disciples' joyful praises, vex proud Pharisees, who are enemies to him and to his kingdom. But Christ, as he despises the contempt of the proud, so he accepts the praises of the humble. Pharisees would silence the praises of Christ, but they cannot; for as God can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham, and turn the stony heart to himself, so he can bring praise out of the mouths of children. And what will be the feelings of men when the Lord returns in glory to judge the world! - Precept Austin

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#1419 Luke 19 Part 2 Invested

 

11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’” Luke 19: 11-27 ESV

Luke 19: 11-27 Minas

As they heard these things - What things? Well, we just finished the story of Zacchaeus, which Christ rounded out by telling the people that the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. He is still heading toward Jerusalem where He will give His life to save those He came seeking. There is still a Messianic buzz about Him, especially when He references Himself as, "Son of Man", because He is the rightful heir to the earthly throne of David, and many are longing for the establishment of this. 

Do not confuse this parable of the minas (found only in Luke) with the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, which was given several days later in the middle of passion week and had different details and a different application (see summary). While there are some similarities between the two parables, the major difference is that the talents (a unit of money much greater than a mina) represent abilities much like our English word talent speaks of abilities, as with a "talented" individual. As discussed below most commentators agree that the "mina" in this parable speaks not of ability but of a common deposit of the Gospel which is shared equally by all of God's servants. As the parable in Luke unfolds, Jesus tells of a nobleman who is going away to receive a kingdom from someone with higher authority and will return to rule over that kingdom. While he is gone, he gives his servants money with which to do business and gain a profit that demonstrates their faithfulness as well as their respect and love for him. Upon the nobleman's return, all the servants will be evaluated for what they did with his funds. This is the gist of the story, and what is fascinating is that this parable is based on or at least has similarities to a historical event about which most of the Jews of Judea (Green area on map) would have been familiar.

The following discussion summarizes the detailed account by Josephus of the historical event which had occurred in Jerusalem and Judea some 30 years prior (click here for more on this story of intrigue). When Herod the Great died, he left his reign in the hands of three people: Philip, Herod and Archelaus. Archelaus (mentioned in Mt 2:13-21, 22, 23) was to rule over Judea but in order to be proclaimed king he had to go to Rome and have Caesar approve his kingship. However, before he was able to make this trip, there was an demonstration by Jews at the Temple who were mourning the killing of some of their religious leaders by Archelaus' recently deceased father, King Herod. When Archelaus sent a general accompanied by some soldiers to quell the Jews, the Jews turned and stoned the soldiers and returned to their sacrifices as if nothing had happened! In reaction, Archelaus ordered Roman soldiers to invade the Temple with the result that 3000 Jews were killed. Archelaus then sent heralds throughout Jerusalem announcing that the Passover feast was cancelled. Archelaus quickly sailed for Rome to get Caesar's approval of his kingship, but there he was opposed by his brother Antipater (who had been recently removed from his father Herod's will) and a group of dissident Jews protesting his killing of 3000 countrymen. Because of this resistance to Archelaus, Caesar would only grant him the title of "ethnarch" (ruler over an ethnic group) and not the title of king, which he would have to earn, but never did, eventually being deposed and banished in 6 AD because of his continued cruelty. Herod the Great had made a similar journey to Rome where he was crowned King of Judea in 40 B.C., although he was not able to claim his kingdom until 37 B.C.. - Precept Austin

To receive for Himself a kingdom and then return - Historically, and very recently, the people had a notion of what that looked like physically in the story of Archelaus above. Jesus is using familiar imagery to show that He must leave as He has been saying. He is going to Jerusalem to pay the price for His kingdom, to buy out from slavery those who are lost. He will die, rise from the dead, and then leave His followers with a commission to protect and proclaim the gospel until He returns. He is going to the right hand of the Father, going to His inauguration as King, having the title of ownership taken back from sin and the present ruler of this age, and handed over to Christ. 

…9Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.… Philippians 2: 9-11

20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,

23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1: 20-23

…6who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen. 7Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him— even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen. 8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.… Revelation 1: 6-8

Engage in business until I come - Unlike the talents in another parable, each of these 10 receives the same, a Mina. It is the approximate equivalent of 3 months wages. This would test them, would prove them out, in their loyalty and usefulness. Notice they are given what belongs to Him in order to multiply it. 

…9Show hospitality to one another without complaining. 10As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another. 11If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.… 1 Peter 4: 9-11

Steven Cole - Again, we must distinguish this parable from the parable of the talents, which teaches a different lesson. That parable shows that different servants have been given different abilities, and that the danger is for the person with relatively smaller ability to do nothing. This parable shows that every servant has been given the same gift and that the difference in results is not due to differing gifts, but to differing levels of diligence in using the gift.The fact that each of ten servants received a mina shows that it was not just the twelve apostles who were in view, but rather, God’s servants in general. Thus the parable is not directed just to those in leadership, but to all of Christ’s subjects. The fact that each was given the same amount shows that it is not referring to differing gifts, but to something that all followers of Christ share in common, namely, the Word of God and in particular, the central message of that Word, the gospel. We all have been given the same gospel and we are told to do business with it for our King during His absence. If you do not possess the gospel as your own, you are not a Christian, no matter how often you attend church. A Christian has heard the good news that Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and has personally believed that good news as his own. In other words, a true Christian does not just believe in a general sense that Jesus is the Savior. He believes it in a personal sense, that Jesus is my Savior. He died for my sins. When I stand before God and He asks, “Why should I let you into heaven?” my only plea will be, “Because I have trusted in Your Son Jesus who shed His blood in my place on the cross.” If you have personally believed that message, then the Gospel has been entrusted to you. And it has not been entrusted to you just for you to treasure for yourself. (Doing Business for Jesus) - Precept Austin

But His citizens hated Him - This was true of Jesus, and it hearkens back to Isaiah, "despised and rejected of men", the Prophet Who was without honor amongst His own people. Remember, He came to seek and to save the lost, and most of Israel couldn't see themselves as lost. The ego is a horrible thing, only those that come to see themselves as dead in their trespasses and sins will ever look so fondly on a Savior. Israel wanted a different sort of hero.

Your mina has made ten more minas - Sweet, short, humble, "it's your money, and look what it has grown into." The gospel is God's redemptive story, and what will you do with it?

You shall have authority over ten cities - He was faithful with something small, something that had also been given to others. This was the proving ground, the testing and growing of his faith. I have met with Jesus, studied Jesus, now proclaim Jesus.

26 ‘He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the 1nations;

27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;

28 and I will give him the morning star.

29 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ Revelation 2: 26-29

I was afraid of you because you are a severe man - Fear is only the beginning of knowledge, and this reminds us of God walking through the garden. Prior to the fall there was peace, love, community between God and man.

…6The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, 7because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.… Romans 8: 6-8

Reap what you did not so - It's Your fault God, "the woman You made gave me the fruit and I ate", if You wouldn't have made her then we wouldn't be having this awkward conversation. I wouldn't feel naked and exposed. He sewed a mina with this man. He has every right to harvest whatever He likes from His creation. He spoke it into being, including this man. He placed our parents in a garden with a simple command, not to eat of the fruit of that one tree. He gave the boundaries, and even here with the minas, the king did not require 10, but was pleased with the five as well. Now the king is being accused of being a thief, though it was His seed, His land, and in the case of Christ, we are His creation. 

Why then did you not put my money in the bank - That was too much trouble, I suppose, he couldn't be bothered. Maybe he resented his master and thought he didn't want him to prosper any more. Look how little would have been acceptable though. You could have put it in a low interest earning savings account, and that would have been better. 

Lord, he has ten minas - People can't stand someone getting more. The king didn't forget that the other guy already had 10, no, he knew the guy with 10 is the better investment, and who are you to question him about his money? The man with one was a terrible steward, spending more time on excuses than on investing. He only looked after himself, and in the end ruined himself.

…8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55: 8-9

Even what he has will be taken away - The word of God is given to us, let it not be a brief examination. Let us read, study, and proclaim the word of God. The wicked servant did not truly know his Master, for that would be to love Him. An acquaintance is different than a friend. Jesus told them He was going, but He is also telling them that He is coming back, and will judge.

7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded. 9Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son.… 2 John 1: 7-9

Who did not want me to reign over them - They wanted Him crucified instead. Later they would even remark that Caesar was their choice.

…34Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town. 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.… Matthew 23: 34-36

…14It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” 15At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests. 16Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified, and the soldiers took Him away.… John 19: 14-16

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