Passion Week Day 2

Today, we will remain on Tuesday, March 31, AD 33. After his eventful entrance into Jerusalem on Sunday and his confrontation in the temple on Monday, Jesus returns to the temple to teach and confront the religious authority there trying to entrap him so they might arrest him. Immediately his authority is questioned, “When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” (Matt 21:23, NASB1995). This event is captured by all three Synoptic Gospel authors. Jesus then teaches three parables: the parable of the two sons (in Matthew only), the tenants (in all three), and the wedding banquet (in Matthew only).

All three parables are direct attacks on the Jewish religious authorities’ rejection of Jesus. In interpreting a parable, it is important to remember that the story is unlikely an actual event and that the characters stand for something. For instance, in the parable of the tenants, the vineyard owner is God, the vineyard is Israel, the slaves are God’s prophets, and the son is Jesus. Two questions you should ask is what does the destruction of the evil tenants stand for? And what does the giving of the vineyard to others stand for?
Here are the readings for today. Enjoy and be blessed by them.

Jesus Teaches in the Temple and Confrontations with the Sadducees and Pharisees

Authority Questioned (Matt 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8)
The Parable of the Two Sons (Matt. 21:28-32)
The Parable of the Tenants (Matt 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; 20:9-19)
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matt 22:1-14)