Queen's Road Cell

1. Exactly what was Jesus denouncing 19:45-48? Think about Luke 19:46. In your own words, explain what Jesus found wrong with the religion being practiced at the temple.   All four Gospels speak of Jesus driving traders out of the temple precincts, but the first three place it at the end of Jesus’ ministry and John at the beginning. There were probably two cleansings. ... The traders would have been in the court of the Gentiles, the only place Gentiles could go to pray. (Morris). - hence Jesus' emphasis on the 'all nations' in His denunciation. The first cleansing would have been a warning; the second, a final judgment. For those involved, the Temple existed purely for commercial purposes - there was no reverence involved. Their activities hindered true worship and distracted true worshippers. And the religious establishment condoned this. They likewise had no concern about the true meaning of the Temple.     How was Jesus' action different from the political p...

 Jesus travels westward from Jericho, reaches Bethany at the eastward slopes of the Mount of Olives (2 miles from Jerusalem, Jn 11:18), and along the road to Jerusalem reaches a lookout point.   As in 22:13 Jesus either displays divine foreknowledge or prearrangement that His disciples were unaware of until called on to obey. So it is with our response to the Lord. We trust that He knows and has made arrangements that we do not see.   A colt never previously ridden was thus unspoiled by previous use and was suitable for sacred purposes (cf. Num. 19:2; 1 Sam. 6:7). Jesus adds the password to be used if anyone hinders them: The Lord has need of it. The disciples obeyed instructions and the colt’s owners responded to the information that the Lord needed the animal. The plural, its owners, may point to poverty. Even so small an animal was shared. Matthew 21:3 mentions both a donkey and the colt. Luke only mentions the colt, on which Jesus was to ride. Luke says nothin...

7. What prompted Jesus to tell this parable (19:11)? "Because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately" (cf.7:51)   Jericho was 17 miles from Jerusalem - Jesus' journey would climax soon, but not in the way the crowds expected.  Jerusalem was the political capital, where any change of regime by the Messiah would be expected.   8. How does the returning king reward his servants who have multiplied their minas tenfold and fivefold (19:15-19) The first 2 servants do not claim credit, but ascribe their success to the money left by the master. Both are rewarded and promoted to greater responsibility. The reward is not rest, but opportunity for wider service (Morris). We are not told what happens to the 7 other servants! The rounded number 10 may mean that this teaching applies to all Jesus' followers.   The unusually high 500- 1000% profit by the first and second servants represent unusual wisdom and faithfulne...