Month: October 2019

Matthew 21 records Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem.  As we have seen in reading through all four gospels, only Matthew records Jesus riding on two donkeys at once.  The point is the same: the people recognized Jesus for who He was–the Messiah.  But as we know, this acclamation wouldn’t continue.  By Good Friday, the same crowds called for Jesus’ death.  Next, Jesus cleansed the money changers out of the Temple, which was another major challenge to the religious leaders’ authority.  The next morning Jesus cursed a fig tree for not having fruit. He used the moment to point out the importance of faith in our lives.  After this, the religious leaders went on the offensive asking Jesus to tell them the source of His authority.  He responded with a question for them: Where did John the Baptist get his authority–from God or people.  The leaders knew they were trapped, because if they said from God, Jesus would ask why they didn’t listen to him, but if they said from people, the crowds would attack them, because the crowds believed he was a prophet.  When they said, “We don’t know,” Jesus said He would not tell them where His authority originated either. After this, Jesus told a parable of a man with two sons.  He asked both of them to do some work for him.  One said, “No,” but later did go to work, while the other said, “Yes,” but then didn’t.  Jesus asked which did the will of his father?  They responded, “The one who did his father’s will.”  Jesus told them in the same way the tax collectors and sinners would go to heaven before them, because of their response to Jesus.  The chapter closes with Jesus telling a parable of a vineyard owner whose tenants abused and killed the servants he sent to collect his prophets at the time of harvest.  Finally, the man sent his son, thinking they would respond to him, but they killed him, too.  The message wasn’t lost on the religious leaders, so they decided it was time to get rid of Jesus.

Matthew 22 starts with Jesus telling the Parable of the Wedding Feast, in which all of the invited guests turn the Master down when told it is time to come.  He then invites the poor, the lame, and any who will come.  This again shows how the Kingdom of Heaven will be received by those the religious leaders would never have expected.  This is followed by three “tests” set before Jesus by the religious leaders.  The first was to ask Jesus whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar.  The leaders thought they had Jesus, because whether He said yes or no, they “had” Him. The problem is Jesus didn’t say yes or no. He had a coin brought to Him and asked whose inscription and picture were on it?  When the leaders responded it was Caesar’s, Jesus told them to give to Caesar what was Caesar’s and to God what was God’s.  Next, the Sadducees came with a question about the resurrection.  Because we’ve all read it a number of times at this point, we know they didn’t believe in the resurrection, and their question involved a woman who had been married to seven brothers, and whose wife she would be in the resurrection.  Jesus pointed out we are not married in heaven but are “like” the angels.  He also pointed out that when God confronted Moses’ in the burning bush, He told Moses, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The present tense verb makes it clear the three patriarchs were alive and with God, thus verifying the resurrection of the dead.  Finally, Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment in Moses’ Law?  Jesus answered without hesitation: It is to love God with everything we have, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.  This shut up the leaders.  Jesus ended this encounter by asking them whose son the Messiah is.  He asked this because everyone knew the answer was supposed to be King David, yet David called the Messiah “Lord.” After this no one dared asked Jesus any more questions.

In Matthew 23, Jesus pronounced seven “woes” over the Pharisees. The word used in the original Greek, which is translated “Woe to you” is a strong word that could be translated “damn you”, so Jesus was moving toward His final conflict with the leaders, which would end in His arrest, condemnation, and crucifixion.  The chapter ends with Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem.  He knew the inevitably of this being the place of His crucifixion, even though it was the center and heart of Israel.

As we return to John 19, we read the record of Jesus’ being handed over for crucifixion by Pilate, even though Pilate knew Jesus was innocent.  Then Jesus is crucified, and in John’s account Jesus ensured that John would care for His mother, Mary, after Jesus’ death.  When the soldiers went around breaking the legs of those who had been crucified, they found Jesus was already dead, so they pierced His side with a spear, rather than breaking His legs.  This is significant, because a prophecy in the Old Testament had said not one of His bones would be broken.  Finally, Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, who was a Pharisee, but who had apparently believed Jesus was the Messiah.  Nicodemus assisted Joseph as they buried Jesus and started the embalming process.  As the chapter ends, it seems all hope is lost.  But we know the rest of the story!

Matthew 18 offers us several brief teachings from Jesus.  First, He told the disciples the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven is the one who is like a child–childlike, not childish.  Childlikeness means being trusting, loving and filled with wonder. Childish means immature, short-tempered and filled with self.  Next, Jesus warned us not to be the ones who put temptation to sin in the way of one of His little ones.  Then, Jesus tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep, and how it isn’t His Father’s will for even one person to perish.  The chapter closes with Jesus telling us how important it is to forgive those who sin against us.  After telling us of its importance, He offers a powerful parable about a servant who owed his master vast sums of money.  The master showed compassion on the servant and forgave him.  But then the servant went out and failed to forgive a fellow servant who owed him a small sum of money.  When the other servants brought this servant’s action to the master, the master had the servant and his family thrown into prison!  This shows us how important it is for us to forgive others as Jesus has forgiven us.

In Matthew 19 we read a similar account to that in Mark 10, where the Pharisees question Jesus about divorce.  The next two aspects of the chapter are also the same. It was likely the same moment.  Jesus asked the Pharisees what the Law of Moses said about divorce.  They told Him the Law permitted it.  Jesus told them that was only because of human hardness of heart, but from the beginning God’s intention was for a man and woman to be married for as long as they lived.  That is still His intention for us!  Next, Jesus is approached by some families with their children for Jesus to bless the children.  The disciples attempted to stop them, but Jesus rebuked the disciples, laid his hand on the children and blessed them.  Finally, we read of a rich young man who came to Jesus seeking eternal life.  When the man had told Jesus, he had followed the Law since his youth, Jesus told him to go sell all he had, give it to the poor, and he would have riches in heaven.  Then he could come and follow Him. The man went away said, because he couldn’t give up his wealth.  The disciples were astonished, because they assumed worldly wealth was a sign of God’s favor.  Often it is.  In this case it was the prison that kept the young man from being free to serve Jesus.

In Matthew 20 Jesus tells the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard.  As we know by now, the parable tells of a vineyard owner who went to the town throughout the day at various times and hired workers.  He told the ones hired in the morning he would pay them a denarius, or a day’s wage.  The rest he told he would pay fairly.  As it turned out, the master paid those who worked only one hour a denarius.  When the ones who started first received their pay, they were upset, because they also received one denarius–the amount they had agreed would be their wage at the beginning of the day.  They said the master was being unfair.  He reminded them he had paid them fairly, and he had the right to be generous to the others if he desired.  The point of the parable is no matter when in a person’s life he or she comes to the Lord for salvation, each one receives the same reward–salvation!  Next, Jesus told the disciples of His impending death for a third time.  This time, the mother of James and John came to Jesus and asked Him to put her sons in the positions of authority and power at His right and left when He came into His Kingdom.  Jesus told her He didn’t have the right to make that commitment.  It was up to His Father.  The other ten disciples became upset when they heard of the request, so Jesus took the opportunity to remind them the greatest in God’s Kingdom is the one who serves the most.  Finally, Jesus takes some time while the group is walking along to heal two blind men.  This time Jesus tells them it would be done according to their faith, and their faith was enough, because they were healed. 

As we return to John 18, we return to the account of Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, questioning before Annas and Caiaphas, the high priests, Peter’s denial of Jesus, and Jesus trial before Pilate.  We have read the account in all four gospels, and what stands out to me in each account is Jesus’ calmness while everyone else is in a frenzy.  He knew He was going to beaten and crucified, yet He answered calmly or remained silent.  When the crowds jeered, He stayed calm.  He watched and listened as Peter denied Him, but in Luke’s gospel alone we’re told after the third denial Jesus turned to Peter and looked at Him.  Imagine that: Jesus’ friend, follower, and confidante Peter, denied ever knowing Him, and Jesus looked calmly into His eyes.  Only the Savior of the world could have responded in that way.

As we return to Matthew 14, we read of John the Baptist’s death, of Jesus feeding the 5,000, walking on water, and healing many people in Gennesaret.  John’s death shows us how callous King Herod was.  Jesus miracle of feeding the 5,000 is the only one of His miracles recorded in all four gospels.

In Matthew 15, Jesus and the religious leaders debate over the Jewish ceremonial hand washing.  The religious leaders condemn the disciples for not always making certain they did it, and Jesus condemns the leaders for not following the actual Law of Moses.  Jesus made it clear it isn’t what we eat that defiles us, but what’s in our hearts.  Next, we read of a Canaanite woman’s faith. At first, Jesus wasn’t going to heal her child, because she wasn’t a Jew, but then she offered Jesus a great response to His unwillingness to heal the child, so He does.  Jesus heals many people after this, and feeds four thousand men and their families miraculously.

Matthew 16 offers us another example of the Pharisees demanding Jesus for a “sign” of His authority, which is odd considering He just fed 4,000 people.  Jesus tells them they won’t receive a sign. Then as Jesus and the disciples travel, He warns them of the “leaven” of the Pharisees.  He was not talking about yeast, but about their teaching and lives.  In one of the most important actions of his life to this point, Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ, the son of the living God.  Jesus blesses Peter for this announcement, but shortly after, Peter tells Jesus he ought never die.  Jesus calls Peter “Satan” for such a statement, because it focuses on Peter’s earthly desire, rather than God’s divine plan.  Then Jesus tells the crowd to follow Him, they must deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow Him.

Matthew 17 records Jesus’ transfiguration with Moses and Elijah, which was witnessed by Peter, James, and John. After this amazing time, they return to the rest of the group to find the other nine disciples unable to cast a demon out of a boy.  Jesus casts out the demon after noting His frustration with them.  Jesus again predicts His death, and the chapter closes with the account of Jesus sending Peter to catch a fish that will have coins in its mouth, with which Peter can pay the Temple tax for Him and Peter.

As we return to John 17, Jesus offers His “High Priestly Prayer” on behalf of the disciples.  This closes out the long section of prayer Jesus offers to His Heavenly Father on their behalf.  This also is the last thing that happens before Jesus is betrayed by Judas, arrested and starts the process of moving toward His crucifixion.

Luke’s record of Jesus’ move toward Jerusalem takes longer than Matthew or Mark.  After Peter’s confession of Jesus in the other two gospels, we see Jesus moving intentionally toward Jerusalem and confrontations with the religious leaders that led to His ultimate arrest, trial, conviction and crucifixion.  Here, it takes until chapter 19, before Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  While He does have some interaction with religious leaders along the way, these chapters are more about Jesus teaching, or Jesus healing people.  The action is straightforward, and intentional on Jesus’ part, but a bit slower in getting to the climactic confrontations with the religious leaders. 

In Matthew 11, the disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus to ask whether He was the One who was to come, or if they should look for another?  The question was John’s not theirs.  John had been arrested for his work, and as he sat in prison, he wondered whether Jesus was really the Messiah. Jesus’ answer was a quote from Isaiah’s prophecy of what the Messiah would do.  Jesus affirmed John as the greatest man ever born of woman, and then said the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.  As the chapter continues Jesus condemns Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their unwillingness to trust Him as Messiah and to repent.  Finally, Jesus tells the crowds if any are tired and overburdened to come to Him, because His “yoke” is easy, and His burden is light.  The yoke was used to couple two ox or cows together to multiply their work.  When we yoke ourselves to Jesus every burden and work is lightened and made easier.

In Matthew 12, Jesus tells the religious leaders He is Lord of the Sabbath, when they question Him about His disciples picking grain to eat on the Sabbath.  Jesus also heals a man on the Sabbath, which evoked their wrath.  Jesus pointed out to everyone that He is God’s chosen servant.  When the Pharisees say Jesus cast out demons by the prince of demons, He responds that every sin we commit will be forgiven but sin against the Holy Spirit.  He defined the sin against the Holy Spirit here as attributing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus went on to tell us a “tree” is identified by its “fruit,” meaning we can judge between Him and the religious leaders by the work accomplished.  Jesus told the people who would not give them a sign of who He was except for the “sign of Jonah,” which referred to His three days in the tomb, as Jonah had been in the belly of a great fish.  Next, Jesus tells a parable warning of the danger of having an evil spirit cast out of a person, without the person then being filled with the Holy Spirit.  Finally, Jesus’ mother and brothers come to see Him, but Jesus responds His mother and brothers are those who do the will of His Father in heaven.

In Matthew 13, Jesus told the Parable of the Sower, and told the disciples why He told parables.  After that, He explained the Parable of the Sower.  Then Jesus told the Parable of the Weeds, and of the Mustard Seed and Leaven.  Then He explained the Parable of the Weeds. After Jesus tells several more parables, He was rejected in Nazareth.

As we return to John 16, Jesus continues His farewell discourse to the disciples, which included more information about the Holy Spirit as well as words of comfort that they would be sorrowful (at His death), but eventually their sorrow would turn to joy. 

Matthew 8-10 are action-packed when compared with the teaching chapters of Matthew 5-7.  Matthew 8 starts with Jesus cleansing a leper.  This miracle is recorded in Mark 1, so we see the Gospel writers didn’t always record the events in the same sequence.  They did record the details quite similarly in most cases.  Some have seen these “discrepancies” as “proof” the gospels were made up stories and not actual events.  The slight variations in details are what we would expect if various witnesses had seen the same thing happen and told someone about it.  Matthew was with Jesus from Matthew 9 on, so he wasn’t there for all the events recorded.  Mark is thought to have written his gospel from Peter’s perspective.  In any case, Matthew tells us about Jesus healing the leper, then the centurion’s servant, then Peter’s mother-in-law and many others.  Next, Matthew interjects the account of Jesus telling a few men the cost of following Him.  Finally, we read what is the account of “Legion” in Mark 5, but here is the account of two men filled with demons.  This is an important detail, so it might have been two separate events.  However, Matthew also has Jesus ride two donkeys at His triumphal entry into Jerusalem rather than the one recorded in the other three gospels.  The details differ, but the point is the same: Jesus has powerful authority over evil spirits.

In Matthew 9, Jesus heals a paralytic, but first forgives his sins.  This causes an uproar among the religious leaders.  Next, Jesus calls Matthew to follow Him, and Matthew throws a party to introduce Jesus to his friends.  This causes another uproar among the religious leaders, because Jesus was hanging out with tax collectors and other “sinners.”  Jesus pointed out He came to call the sinners, not the righteous to repentance.  John the Baptist’s disciples come to ask Jesus why his disciples didn’t fast?  They noted they fasted, as did the disciples of the Pharisees.  Jesus pointed out no one fasts when the wedding feast is taking place.  Jesus was comparing Himself to the bridegroom, and He said His disciples would fast when He was taken away.   After this, we find the record of Jesus healing a dead girl, and a woman who had been suffering from a bleeding disorder for twelve years.  Next Jesus healed two blind men, and finally a man who was deaf and unable to speak.  Matthew shows us Jesus’ power to bring the Kingdom of God to the earth in all these examples.  As Jesus surveys the crowds, He turns to the disciples and tells them the “harvest” is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Then He tells them to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send workers.

As chapter 10 begins, Jesus calls those He just told to pray for workers as His twelve disciples and sends them out on their first missionary endeavor.  Jesus gave the twelve extensive directions before sending them out.  He told them to rely on God’s provision.  He told them they would be persecuted.  In the midst of that, they were to rely on God’s provision.  He promised them if they remained faithful, they would receive great rewards even for the smallest act of kindness done in Jesus’ name.

As we return again to John 15, Jesus continues His discourse with the disciples before His arrest.  He uses a powerful analogy to show the disciples how vital it is for us to stay “connected” to Him.  Jesus says He is the vine, and we are the branches.  He makes the point clear: If we remain in Him, we will bear fruit, much fruit, and more fruit.  If we don’t stay connected to Him, we will die.  Jesus reiterates His new commandment for us to love one another.  Then He tells the disciples the world will hate them, because it first hated Jesus.  He promises the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, will come to be with them, and He will bear witness to them, and they will bear witness to the people about Jesus.  What a powerful reminder that remaining connected to Jesus means living in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Matthew 5-7 are Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  These three chapters contain so much powerful content!  This is our fourth time reading through it, so the teachings ought to be part of our store of “information” about Jesus.  The key for us, though, is to take the information and let it transform us by applying it in the power of the Holy Spirit.  As you read these three chapters today, select one section, and pray through it asking Jesus to fill you with the Holy Spirit and let you live it out.  For example, it could be Matthew 7:12: Do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.  Ask Jesus to empower you to treat others as you would want to be treated.  Better yet: Ask Jesus to empower you to treat others as He would treat them!

As we return to John 14, we return to one of the most powerful statements Jesus ever made.  We find it in John 14:16: I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me!  The entire chapter contains some of Jesus’ final words to the disciples before His arrest, trial, crucifixion, death, and resurrection.  But these words remind us no one but Jesus can lead us to our Heavenly Father.  No one but Jesus can give us truth for living, and no one but Jesus gives us the life that is truly life.  The word John used for life is “zoe,” which is God’s life.  It is different than the typical word the Greeks used for life, which was “bios.”  We use the word bios to make our English word, biology. But zoe is the abundant life Jesus told us He came to bring in John 10:10.  Here in John 14, He reminded us He doesn’t only have such life to offer us.  He is that life!

As we turn to Malachi, we find a prophet who served after Haggai and Zechariah.  Their calls to return to the LORD and to build the Temple had been partially heeded, as the Temple was rebuilt.  However, the people’s hearts had not returned to the LORD.  Malachi condemned the priests for their unfaithfulness, the people for their lack of true worship, for their injustice, and for their unwillingness to offer tithes to the LORD.  Malachi refers to both John the Baptist and Jesus, calling them “messengers” of the LORD. 

In Malachi 1, the LORD tells the people of Israel of His love for them and reminds them He loved Israel but hated or rejected Esau.  Thus, the people needed to return to the LORD. The LORD rebukes the priests harshly for offering blemished animals to Him.  He reminds them that a son offers allegiance to his father, and a servant to his master, but He is their father and master and they offer “blind” and “lame” sacrifices to Him.  He asks them whether the governor would accept such offerings and calls them to repent.

In Malachi 2, the LORD continues to rebuke the priests for their failure to offer true worship.  He tells them they will be humiliated and their offspring as well.  He reminds them of His relationship with Levi, and how the priests were blessed in earlier times, because they honored that relationship.  The LORD also rebukes Judah as a whole.  One of the chief complaints the LORD offers is the men’s lack of commitment to their wives.  He tells them He hates divorce and calls them to honor their commitments to the wives of their youth.  As Malachi 2 closes we start to read about the LORD’s coming messenger.  (Remember, the chapter and verse distinctions are artificial, so chapter three is a continuation of these closing verses.)

In Malachi 3, we read about the messenger of the LORD who will come and prepare His way.  This is a prophecy about John the Baptist.  We’re told the messenger will condemn the injustices practiced by the people and call them to faithfulness.  In this chapter the LORD focuses on how the people have “robbed” Him.  He even asks rhetorically, “How can a man rob God?”  He answers His own question: In tithes and offerings.  While we live after the time of Jesus, in an age of grace, not Law, the point here is so vital: Everything we have belongs to God.  When we fail to recognize that and keep everything He has entrusted to us for ourselves we are robbing Him.  We must be generous as He is generous.  He tells the people to “test” Him.  In so many places, God tells us not to test Him, but here He tells us to test His generosity and faithfulness.  When we are faithful God is more so!  The LORD tells the people, He will put the names of the faithful in a book of remembrance.  What an amazing picture for us, and we know in the final book of the Bible, Revelation, we read of the Book of Life, where the names of the faithful are recorded.  This book is also referred to in Daniel, so we can be sure of its reality.

In Malachi 4, the prophecy ends with a picture of the coming day of judgment.  In that day the people will be separated into those who are faithful and those who are not.  The LORD promises to send His messenger, who will be like Elijah, the final promise of the final prophet of the Old Testament is the message will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.  He tells us if this does not happen it will usher in destruction.  As we look around in our day, we see the need for this prophecy to be fulfilled.  The hearts of many fathers and children are not toward each other.  We must all repent of our part in that and move toward our children or parents as the case might be.  We can only do that in the presence of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, but we must do it.

As we return to John 12, the chapter begins with Jesus being anointed by Mary, Lazarus’ sister.  Some in the group, led by Judas Iscariot complained about the “waste” of money, because the ointment Mary used was costly, and the money it would have brought could have been used to feed the poor.  On the face of it, the argument seems sound.  But Jesus proclaimed Mary’s act was the generous one, because it showed her deep love for Him.  We must never let our desire to do the expedient thing in Jesus’ name, overcome our desire to do the loving thing. Following this, Jesus marches triumphantly into Jerusalem, and is recognized for who He is: The King of kings.  The triumph is short-lived as more bickering erupts between Jesus and the religious leaders and people.  They still don’t understand who Jesus is, and when He tells them He must be “lifted up” i.e. crucified, they respond with their theology that the Messiah must remain forever.  In the end, Jesus tells them He came to save the world, not to judge it.  The distinction He makes is powerful: The word will judge the people, not Him.  In other words, when we know the truth and reject it, we are judged by our response to the truth.  Jesus came to offer us a saving relationship with Him, and when we do, we move from darkness to light.  How vital it is for us to take that step, because unless we do, we will face the judgment we brought on ourselves for that failure, when we face Jesus at the end of our earthly lives.

Zechariah 12-14 flows as more of a unit than some of the other chapters have.  The overall tone of the chapters is the restoration of Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem in the days ahead.  We find references to the future time of Jesus once again, as at one point we’re told, they will “look upon him whom they have pierced.”  This could be a reference to Jesus.  We also find that in the time that is prophesied, the LORD will live among the people.  This is most certainly a reference to the end time.  We’re told those who still remain against the LORD’s people will die horrible deaths, but the remnants of the nations will come to Jerusalem and worship the LORD.  As is nearly always the case, this prophecy ends with a proclamation of the LORD’s mercy, His goodness, His ultimate triumph, and the triumph of His people.

As we return to John 11, we read one of the most amazing accounts in Jesus’ life: the raising of Lazarus.  We’re introduced to the situation, when someone comes to tell Jesus His friend, Lazarus, is sick.  Jesus tells the disciples it will be okay, and that Lazarus has fallen asleep.  The disciples think, “If he’s sleeping, he’ll get better.”  But Jesus was referring to Lazarus having died.  Jesus doesn’t arrive at the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha until four days after Lazarus has died.  Jesus has two poignant encounters, one with each of the sisters, and ultimately breaks into weeping, before calling Lazarus to come out of the tomb.  Can you imagine what it was like?  Everyone thought Lazarus was dead and gone. Now, here he stood, alive!  We might think when the Pharisees heard about this amazing miracle, their minds would have changed about Jesus, and they would have proclaimed Him as the Messiah.  Precisely the opposite happened.  They decided because Jesus had done such a miracle, they needed to get rid of Jesus before the people turned to Him and caused an uprising that Rome would be compelled to squash.  Speaking prophetically without knowing it, one of the leaders said, “Better for one to die than for the whole nation to be destroyed.  Jesus would, indeed, be the one person who died not only to save Israel, but to save the entire world from our sin!

Zechariah 9 starts with a proclamation of judgment against the nations surrounding Israel.  Then the LORD foretells the coming of the Messiah, who will be humble and riding on a donkey.  This is the prophecy we turn to when we read Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  Finally, we’re told the LORD Himself will appear and lead His people.  What an amazing future we have to look forward to as God’s people!  We also see how a prophecy can speak of the immediate future, the distant future, and the time of the consummation of history, when Jesus returns.

Zechariah 10 promises the restoration of Israel and Judah.  The LORD starts with a rebuke of the false shepherds that have served in Judah but moves on to proclaim although the people of Israel and Judah have been scattered, they will be brought back, and they will be so numerous the land will not hold them.  The LORD offers a powerful rebuke against Egypt and tells us the Nile will be dried up as part of the process of restoration.

In Zechariah 11, we return to the LORD renouncing the wicked shepherds, and in the midst of that, the LORD tells us the shepherd will receive wages of thirty pieces of silver, precisely the amount Judas received for betraying Jesus.  The thirty pieces of silver were poured out in the potter’s field, which again refers to the events in Judas’ life.  While it isn’t always possible to make the connections between the prophecies we find in the Jewish Scriptures and the life of Jesus, in this case the connection is much more obvious.

As we return to John 10, Jesus offers us the image of Himself as the Good Shepherd.  For anyone familiar with the Jewish Scriptures or Old Testament, Psalm 23 comes to mind immediately.  In it, King David proclaimed, “The LORD is my shepherd.  I shall not want.  Analogously, Jesus tells us as the Good Shepherd, He lays down His life for His sheep.  As we might expect, this once again brought disagreement among those who heard Jesus.  The religious leaders condemned Jesus again.  They said He had a demon, but others among the Jews said He didn’t speak as one with a demon.  As the conversation continued, Jesus told them He and His Father were one, which brought about more condemnation.  While we’re only halfway through John’s gospel, it’s easy to see the direction of Jesus’ interaction with the religious leaders is leading to His crucifixion.