Page 68 - Life of Christ w videos

The idea of a suffering Messiah was foreign to most Jews. The news of His impending death seemed to
fly over the heads of His disciples. To them, the Messiah would set up His Kingdom and reign as King of
Kings and Lord of Lords. Even James and John, after being told of Jesus’ impending death asked Jesus if
they could sit on His right and left hand in the Kingdom. This request brought an indignant response
from the other ten disciples who also wanted such a position. Matthew’s Gospel lessens the negative
image of James and John by depicting their mother, not the disciples themselves, as the one making the
request.

All three Synoptic Gospels recount how Jesus healed a blind beggar while passing through the city of
Jericho on His way up to Jerusalem. Matthew’s Gospel mentions the healing of two blind men, of which
one may have been Bartimaeus. This episode is another in a long line of stories which illustrate the
remarkable faith of the people that Jesus healed. Bartimaeus proclaimed his faith in Jesus as the
Messiah by calling Him the “Son of David”. The blind man was fully confident in Jesus’ power to heal
him.

Two episodes unique to Luke’s Gospel continue Jesus’ progress toward Jerusalem. In the city of Jericho
Jesus sought out a tax collector, a story that illustrates Luke’s favorite theme of Jesus’ concern for the
“lost” and the outcast. Contrary to the assumptions of the crowd and His disciples, Jesus proclaimed
Zacchaeus to be a faithful son of Abraham. Even a wicked tax collector who normally took advantage of
his own people could be saved!

In another unique account to Luke, he explains that Jesus told the parable of the pounds to correct the
mistaken impression that the kingdom of God would appear immediately. Jesus and the disciples were
now near Jerusalem and some Jews expected a political revolution to take place. The Messiah, they
thought, would set up His kingdom!

The Triumphal Entry. This event was unspeakably important with respect to Old Testament prophecy
and to the ministry of Jesus. It did not happen accidentally. Jesus planned and strategized to make it
happen. The day was Sunday and Jesus was planning to enter Jerusalem for the last time.

The Triumphal entry was perhaps the
greatest fulfillment of Old Testament
Prophecy of all. Fulfilled prophecy is an
important evidence of the Divine origin
of the Scriptures. Let’s go back to the
book of Daniel.

In 538 B.C. Daniel wrote the following
bold prediction:

Daniel 9:25 “So you are to know and
discern that from the issuing of a decree
to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until
Messiah the Prince there will be seven
weeks of years and sixty-two weeks of
Mount of Olives – View from the Kidron Valley
years.”

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