The Weekend Word

Matthew 20:17-34

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time – This will be Jesus’ 3^rd passion prediction.

¹⁷ And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,

• You get a picture here that there is a great crowd either traveling with Jesus or just following along for a way and then as they peel off and return home, perhaps others join in.
• This would be why Jesus needs to take the disciples “aside”.

¹⁸ “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death

• This is huge each time Jesus uses the Daniel like description “The Son of Man”.
• To use this term alongside “condemned to death” – “Delivered over, mocked and flogged, crucified” will just boggle the mind of his hearers.

¹⁹ and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

• Each time Jesus predicts his death, he expands it to the horror of his listeners – his audience.
• This time he is adding the ‘who he will be delivered to — the Gentiles.

 

A Mother’s Request

²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.

• The Sons of Zebedee are James & John
• She would be Mrs. Zebedee
• They have been walking with Jesus but they don’t quite get it yet…. Do they?

²¹ And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”

• Jesus’ kingdom is one of service and they can only perceive power & might.
• Jump ahead and look at v. 26-28
• They heard in Matt 19 Jesus saying they would sit on thrones – so now they are saying (through Mom) “hey Jesus, Pony Up!”
• How is Jesus going to rule? He just told them — by being handed over to his enemies.

²² Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”

• The cup I am to drink? = death
• We are able – so they think.

²³ He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

• Who were the 2 chosen by the Father – “Prepared by my Father” – to sit on the left & right of Jesus?
• The 2 criminals on the cross.

²⁴ And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.

• The other 10 – were they mad at the request or were they mad that mom intervened?

²⁵ But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

• This is obvious – just look at any world leader – good or bad. They lord power and authority over us.
• Make your government mad enough and see if you don’t get a visit from the IRS.

²⁶ It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

²⁷ and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,

• But how is a Christian church leader to be? A servant
• One who must put himself last.
• But is that just the leaders? How about us with each other – How about us in helping our leaders?

 

²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

• They get this after Pentecost … but why then?
• Because in John, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit – that the Holy Spirit would lead them (these 12 – the 12) into the truth in all things.
• As a reminder. It is not us – just the 12.
• Into all truth – which is Jesus.

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

²⁹ And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him.

• Great crowds are typical.
• Here is God in the flesh for the sake of his people – saving from their sins.
• Is it any wonder they would want to follow him and hang on him?

³⁰ And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

• The people have use / need for Jesus
• Just like the Canaanite Woman, they know who he is AND why he has come.
• ‘Lord’ = He is the one true God = Emanuel
• Son f David = They know he is the promised Son of David – The King of   2 Sam 7
• And what he is here to do = have mercy on his people.

³¹ The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

• Who is this crowd? Who is the crowd that does not get it?
• What will it take for us to do this? What does God want from us? He wants us to pray.
• But these 2 have such a hunger for Jesus that they will not let anything stop them.

³² And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”

• Does Jesus not know?
• Perhaps Jesus is waiting for these 2 to first name and then claim their healing.
• I think Jesus wants them to ask for their healing in a specific way so that when he heals, all will see the exactness of what Jesus does.

³³ They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”

• There you go, a specific request

³⁴ And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

• And a specific answer to prayer.
• Note the immediacy of the healing.
• And they followed him – They became believers.
• Isn’t it funny that they are blind, yet they believed what they were hearing?
• They have heard the word of God and they know this man Jesus is the messiah and they trust in him.
• Now that their eyes are open, they can see what their ears heard.
• What had they heard? That this man Jesus, who looks like any other man is the messiah.
• The irony is that they can’t see but they know who he is — as opposed to all the seeing ones who don’t.