Temporarily fast-forwarding to a crucial segment of their Last Supper together, Jesus tells 11 of His apostles, "Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now. But afterward, you will follow." After what and when, His faithful followers understandably want to know, but since He knows what they can absorb when, He goes on to say, "Let not your hearts be troubled. In My Father's house there are many rooms. I'm going to go get your rooms ready. And then I will come back and take you there that we may live together. You know the way where I am going." Thomas says with emphasis, "Lord, we don't know where You're going. How can we know the road to get there?" Jesus answers with emphasis of His own, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
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| Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." |
Philip, taking that in, responds, "Lord, show us the Father. That will be enough for us." Jesus, disappointed, says to him, "Have I been with you so long, and still you do not know Me, Philip? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father?' Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? I have done so many works before your very eyes. And if you cannot believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, then believe on account of the works themselves." Philip replies humbly and in a broken voice, "I'm not saying I don't believe. I'm just trying to understand. You are saying that You are leaving us, and where You go, we cannot come. But exactly when?" Matthew adds, "In the meantime, how will we know what to do without You?"
Jesus says reassuringly, "I'm not leaving you as orphans. I am sending you a Helper to be with you forever, the Holy Spirit. You know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you." Nathanael asks, "He? Another Person?" John says softly, "We only want You." Little James adds emphatically, "We love You." Jesus tells them, "Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, that's who loves Me. I'm saying these things while I'm still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your memory all that I have said to you—and also understanding. I know this is all unsettling." Honest Nathanael replies, "Almost everything you have said this week has been."
"I know," says Jesus reassuringly, "but peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard Me say I am going away and that I will come to you. If you love Me, you'll rejoice because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place so that when it does take place, you may believe." Peter raps on the table, strongly asserting, "I have said this before: Belief is not my problem. I just want to know why I cannot follow You now? I will lay down my life for You." Jesus asks him solemnly, "Will you lay down your life for Me?" (John 13:36—14:29)
A few days earlier, Jesus has just finished disrupting the temple marketeering and is staring hard at the highest religious authorities, whom He holds responsible, His whip still in His hand. A large crowd is watching silently. Roman soldiers move swiftly through the narrow lane in back of Jesus. Atticus, up front by Jesus, orders loudly, "Stay your advance, soldiers. Let Him make a statement." After a few moments of silence, Atticus addresses Jesus directly, "Well, what do You have to say for Yourself?" Jesus answers by marching directly toward the Pharisees and Sadducees, saying in a calm, steady voice, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations' (Isaiah 56:7)? But you make it a 'den of thieves' (Jeremiah 7:11)." Simon Zee, the former Zealot, says out loud this prophecy to fellow Christ followers standing nearby: "Zeal for Your house shall consume Me" (Psalm 69:9).
Rabbi Shmuel, watching Jesus advance, orders the temple guards with panic in his voice to remove the high priest to a secure location, which they do. Jesus, however, turns His back toward them and the Beautiful Gate to address the crowd with an order of His own: "No more purchased animals or sacrifices are to be brought through this gate. Do you hear Me?" Someone in the crowd objects, "But it's Passover." Jesus reiterates, "I said no more." Rabbi Gedara says, "You, what right do You have to halt the sale of offerings?" Shmuel asks, "By whose authority do You do this?" Jesus replies firmly, "My own." The officials in back of Him erupt in fury: "Heresy!" "You want us to believe You? Legitimize Your claim by showing us a sign." Jesus faces them, saying, "You want a sign? Destroy this Temple, and in three days, I will raise it up." Rabbi Yanni replies, "It has taken 46 years to build this temple. Will You raise it up in three days?" (John 2:14-25) "You heard Me," says Jesus. "Is that a threat?" asks Shmuel. "You have already defiled this temple by the greed and dishonesty you have allowed, burdening our people and destroying their worship. I don't even recognize this place, and it is My Father's house!" Jesus says, turning from them and striding away swiftly.
Children standing in the lane where Jesus is about to pass, cry out, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" Soon the whole crowd joins in, which catches the attention of the Romans and the Jewish authorities. Jesus's disciples surround Him as He moves off the temple grounds. The religious leaders are obviously frustrated. As they start huddling together inside the gate, Shmuel calls out for a scribe, insisting they need to record everything that just happened in exact detail. Rabbi Yussif asks, "Why? Because you think people are ever going to forget all that?" "He threatened to destroy the temple!" says Shmuel heatedly. "No," says one of the secretaries, Dunash: "His exact words were, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will rebuild it.'" Rabbi Zebediah quips, "Maybe we do need a scribe: It hasn't been five minutes, and Shmuel's already rewriting the narrative."
Yanni wonders, "If not a threat, then perhaps a prediction that the temple may soon be destroyed?" Yussif, considering grammar, counters, "It sounded like He was addressing us in the imperative: Destroy this temple, as in if we destroy it, He will rebuild it in three days." Shmuel insists, "It doesn't matter. The last person who prophesied the destruction of the temple was the prophet Jeremiah. As punishment they lowered him with ropes into a deep cistern, where he sank into the mud." Rabbi Shimon asks, "Who came out looking like the villains in that story?" Yussif reminds them, "Jeremiah was right: The temple was destroyed" (Jeremiah 38-39). Yanni adds, "And it took us half a century to get this new one built."
Shmuel, still in a highly agitated state, says, "He also repeated the blasphemy of calling the temple His Father's house. He makes Himself equal with God by identifying as His Son. How is that not enough for you?" Zebediah, also enraged, states they already have a preponderance of damning evidence against Jesus. Shimon calls them to better sense: "Are you so blind to the larger issue? Thousands of citizens are on His side, hailing Him whenever He defies the establishment." Zebediah visually acknowledges that point, but Shmuel presses on: "We answer to God alone, not the whims of a susceptible proletariat sick with messianic fervor!" "That's not the same as answering to them," says Yussif. "The people are hungry for change. They've found hope in Him—hope they're not finding anywhere else. If nothing else, we should take heed." "Be careful with your words," warns Shmuel. "Someone might take them as an implication that hope is not to be found here."
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| Shimon: Do not be blind to the larger issue. |
Shimon proposes, "What if we just ask Jesus questions directly? He's here for the festival and not going anywhere." Shmuel tells him, "I questioned Him in Bethany, at the house of Lazarus." "It did not end well," adds Yussif. "His teachings contradicted His actions, and He made vague statements about doing away with the law and the prophets," says Shmuel. "Not done away with," corrects Yussif: "fulfilled." Shmuel wants to know what that means so Dunash says he should just ask Him.
Yanni comments, "One thing I will say for this Jesus the Nazarene is He does not dissemble. His words are inflammatory, often challenging, even blasphemous. But He will not lie. Shimon is right: We should just ask Him questions. With the right questions, His honesty could be His undoing if the right audience is there to hear it. So the next time we see Him, we should all be prepared." "Questions that come from what intention: To earnestly understand Him or to entrap?" asks Yussif. "It's not our fault if He answers earnestly and it reveals Him to be a fraud," says Shmuel. "We have the truth on our side!" "So it's entrapment," says Yussif. Shmuel insists heatedly, "He is not the Messiah, Yussif!"
Dunash interrupts their arguing. Zebediah states, "Everyone go back to your offices and prepare questions." Gedara asks, "What about the market? Shouldn't He be fined and forced to pay for damages?" Dunash states, "There is a committee that oversees the market. Why don't you talk to their chairman, and let them sort it out?"
Back at the temple market, people begin to set things back up the way they were before Jesus disrupted it, or to assess their losses. Among the latter group Kafni and his group of malcontents begin to work, starting with a lamb vendor. Kafni asks the man how many lambs he lost when Jesus upended the market. "Around 30," the vendor replies. "They're all scattered now." Kafni asks a question he already knows the answer to: "Will you be able to recover them?" The man answers, "What's the point? They had been without spot or blemish, as the law requires for Passover. Now they're running the streets, getting cuts and scrapes, and coming into contact with unclean animals. They're worthless!" "Passover lambs aren't cheap," observes Kafni. "One year old, right? At a loss of 35 to 40, plus a year's worth of feeding, grooming, and keeping them spotless, plus travel and the market-booth fee, after taxes you're looking at a whole talent of lost income." "More like a third," corrects the vendor. "But it's a lot."
Kafni asks, "How will you feed your family this year?" The man understandably asks, "Why are you pressing salt into my open wound?" Kafni answers with a question that reveals his motives: "Don't you think the person responsible should be held accountable?" The vendor tells him, "From what I know about this Jesus, He doesn't have any money Himself." "Well, then," says Kafni, "maybe He should be forced to pay another way." That gets the vendor's attention. Kafni's associate Amnon is taking notes as they speak.
Jesus is striding several paces ahead of His disciples. Judas races to catch up to Him, saying, "Master, I'm just trying to make sure I heard You clearly. You said no more sacrifices are to be brought into the temple?" "Yes, Judas," answers Jesus wearily. "Then how are the people supposed to observe Passover?" He walks past their lodgings in the city as the others stop. Peter asks where He is going. He answers, "I need to be alone, Peter. I have many more things to say later on, and I need to pray." "But they'll be looking for You," Zee objects. "Maybe they'll find Me, Zee," Jesus says. "Maybe he who seeks shall find."
As Jesus walks away, Peter orders, "Everyone inside. We need to talk." Zee is tempted to watch after Jesus from a distance, but Big James urges him to come inside, saying, "We're going to need each other more than ever." John asks the assembled group, "Who here has known Him the longest?" Thaddaeus raises his hand and says he never saw Jesus do anything like that. John then asks if anyone has ever seen Jesus exhibit any physical aggression. Apart from innocent arm wrestling in good fun, no one has anything to report. Andrew comments, "We've all heard Him shout before," mentioning the strong rebuke against Akiva and other Pharisees in Capernaum. "But that was all verbal," counters Peter. "He didn't lift a finger." Thomas points out, "He allowed violence to escalate all around Him on account of His words, and took no action to stop it."
Matthew says, "I think we should be very clear about something: He did not strike any person or animal in the market. He overturned tables and inanimate objects. He did not whip the animals. He opened their pens, cracked His whip, and drove them out." Nathanael responds that he saw merchants and money changers get knocked to the ground by the stampeding animals and the tables flipping. "But did He physically assault anyone?" John asks. "Does it matter," wonders Nathanael, "when the overall outcome is that people did get hurt?"
Judas says, "Who cares if a few people got bruised? The entire event was an assault on our nation's religious system of worship and sacrifice." Big James replies, "That's no observation. Jesus said as much." Philip adds helpfully, "It was an assault on the wrong version of our system of sacrifice and worship. I think we can trust Him to know the difference." But Judas presses, "If we're asked to make a statement, how can we defend His behavior and words?" Zee asks, "Are you saying you wouldn't defend Him?" Judas says bitterly, "This week there is a chance for the Messiah to unite all of our people. Everyone is listening to Him, and He just made even more enemies. I want to defend Him, Zee, but I don't know how."
The group dissolves into arguing and talking over each other. Mary Magdalene suddenly rises and walks out of the room. Andrew notices and follows her, asking where she is going. Mary answers that she is going to get help, but is unwilling to say more.
Meanwhile, Pontius Pilate is getting a back massage. Atticus and the high priest Caiaphas breeze past Pilate's secretary and closed door, which forces him to sit at his desk and listen to their report. Atticus informs him that Jesus not only took responsibility for His actions, but also was proud of what He did, as if He had every right. Caiaphas speaks up in a smooth voice, "It will be handled, Governor. There is no need for you to get involved at this point." That's what Pilate wants to hear so he can get back to his massage, but Atticus says, "The people are cheering in the streets." "Not the vendors in the temple," Pilate guesses. "Not everyone loves Him," admits Caiaphas, "but He's a popular figure, there's no question. He may be able to act with impunity in their eyes, but not in ours, I assure you. There is a plan in place to question Him directly. Until such time as we have obtained written statements, there is no point in troubling yourself."
Atticus counters, "That sounds like a very fine and slow plan. The opportunity to collect tax from the money changers is vanishing every second. Your market is in shambles. The holiday is in three days." Caiaphas says in a light tone, "The market will be swiftly reassembled." Atticus remarks, "When is swiftly? Unless you know the answer to that, Governor, you have a problem." Pilate complains that Emperor Tiberius ignored his request to send extra officers and regiments to accommodate the extra crowds at this particular Passover, saying in a petulant voice, "Maybe the emperor needs to see and feel the consequences of understaffing Jerusalem during pilgrimage holidays." "So you intend to teach the emperor a lesson?" queries Atticus. Attempting now to sound more responsible, Pilate asks, "Caiaphas, you say it's being handled within your administration, yes?" Caiaphas answers softly, "Yes, Governor, you may rest assured. I will let you know when we need your help." Pilate says with irritation, "I'm neither rested nor assured, but I'll take your word for now. We're finished here."
Atticus orders in a commanding voice, "Steward, see the high priest out." Caiaphas, noticing the tension between his Roman counterparts, leaves them to talk in private. "Are you asleep at the helm of the ship?" inquires Atticus. Pilate answers with sarcasm, "I'm from the equestrian class. I don't do nautical metaphor." "All right, then," says Atticus, "In the saddle? Delusional? Tiberius is not going to look at what happened and think, I should have sent Pontius reinforcements." "Of course not, Atticus," says Pilate. But I'm on notice so I can't punish a popular rabbi and cause a riot. I'll lose my job. Caiaphas doesn't know that." Atticus informs him, "You grossly underestimate the way information spreads in this town. It is naive of you to think that the details of your relationship with the emperor haven't reached his ears. Caiaphas knows exactly why you've slowed down executions." Pilate says blithely, "What did Julius Caesar say when he crossed the Rubicon? The die has been cast." Atticus reminds him, "Julius Caesar declared himself dictator for life, and then was stabbed to death in the capitol. His crossing the Rubicon River led to a civil war that put an end to the Roman Republic." Pilate, trying a little too hard to act like all this isn't troubling him, says, "Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that. I'll speak to you later, Atticus," hopping back onto his massage table. Atticus leaves him for now.
Andrew, sitting with several of the disciples in their bedroom, asks them, "Do you ever wonder what it would be like to see some of the things Jesus did if you weren't His follower?" Nathanael says, "You've poorly stated the question, but I wonder that all the time. I think today I would have thought, That man is having a terrible day. I'm going to stay as far away as I possibly can." Andrew counters, "I seem to remember people singing and chanting. They were enthusiastic."
Matthew leaves the room and sits on a bench in the inner courtyard, deep in thought. In walks Jesus so Matthew calls out to Him. Jesus says, "Oh, hello, Matthew. I'm going to preach. Would you like to come?" Matthew asks, "Do the others know?" Jesus tells him, "No, not yet. Let's talk for a bit. Maybe you can decide if I should invite them," laughing a bit. Matthew asks in all seriousness, "Why wouldn't we invite the others?" Jesus tells him, "I was only being slightly facetious. I know how some of the things we've already seen this week would come as a shock." Matthew says, "I can only speak for myself, but I'm willing to be surprised. I crave surprise in that it is unexpected, but it brings me closer to understanding. Shock, on the other hand, separates me from understanding." "And above all, you seek understanding," says Jesus in response. "Above all, I seek You," affirms Matthew. "Then you already understand," says Jesus with delight.
Matthew reminds Jesus of when he served as His scribe for the Sermon on the Mount, and thanks Him for that learning opportunity. Jesus smiles and says, "You will teach others." Matthew confesses, "I know to seek You, but this week I feel that lack of understanding again. I need to work with You again—" "I know, Matthew," interrupts Jesus gently, "but there's no more time for Me to work with you one-on-one, in person. It's time you start discerning My message so you can teach others." He is now on His feet so Matthew also rises, but says, "There's still so much I don't—" Jesus tells him, "You understand enough, and you will understand more this week if you listen and observe. It won't be simple or easy, but it will make sense soon enough."
Philip, walking out with Big James, Andrew, and Nathanael, notices Jesus and asks, "Rabbi, are You going somewhere?" Jesus tells him, "Matthew and I were just discussing sermons, and I'm on My way to deliver one to a very special audience. I was thinking of telling the story of the vineyard." "Seriously?" says Andrew, backslapping the others. "We're ready. We've been preparing for this!" They dash off quickly to retrieve props. Jesus smiles.
A large crowd is listening to Jesus, who tells them the Parable of the Talents: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a journey who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability." Scattered in the crowd are friendly and familiar faces, of Rabbi Yussif in peasant disguise, Jairus the Capernaum synagogue administrator, and Barnaby and Shula. Jesus goes on to explain that after the man went away, "He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, making five talents more. So also he who had two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground, and buried—" (Matthew 25:14-30).
Jesus stops speaking when He notices several religious leaders approaching Him in the crowd as a group. He singles out one of them, saying, "Shmuel, so good to see you again. I don't suppose you've come to sit and listen to My teaching?" Shmuel announces, "We have questions." Zebediah adds, "Questions that must be answered in the hearing of these people." Gedara adds further, "So they know whom they are listening to." Peter shouts out, "They already know." Jesus says, "It's all right, Peter." Then He says to the leaders graciously, "Please, go ahead."
Zebediah begins, "You've said some bold things and yesterday did some bold things. And yes, You've performed some impressive signs, but if they're legitimate, let me ask you this: By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?" Jesus responds, "That's an important question, but before I answer, I will ask you one question. If you tell Me the answer, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things." When Zebediah looks at his colleagues and gestures that they accept that condition, Jesus says, "If you want to talk about authority and credentials, let Me ask you this: The baptism of John: From where did it come, from heaven or from man? His work of his baptisms of thousands, of what origin was it, human or divine?"
The religious leaders huddle together. Jesus says, "Ah, I'm glad you are taking your time." The crowd laughs. "As the leaders of these people," Jesus tells them, "we expect you to be careful in your teachings." The leaders say to one another, "It's a trap! If we say John the Baptizer's authority came from heaven, He'll ask why didn't we believe him (Luke 7:29-30). If we say from man, the people will stone us to death because they are convinced John was a prophet." They decide to tell Jesus, "We cannot answer certainly as to the human or divine origin of John's work." Jesus replies, "You cannot answer My question? Then neither will I answer your question and tell you by what authority I do these things" (Matthew 21:23-27).
Turning back to the crowd, Jesus asks them to listen carefully to another story, the Parable of the Vineyard: "There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard, put a fence in it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, leased it out to tenants, and went out into another country." As Jesus speaks, He looks toward a large, wide staircase, where Andrew, in a purple cape, gesticulates comically as he acts out what Jesus describes. The crowd laughs. Jesus continues, "When the season came to harvest the grapes, he sent a servant to collect the profits, but they beat him and sent him away empty-handed." Andrew gestures broadly for Thaddaeus to go, but he is beaten and sent away when he reaches the tenants, portrayed vigorously by Peter, Big James, and Zee. The crowd expresses surprise at that wicked treatment.
Jesus continues, "Again, he sent to them another servant, but they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully." Judas portrays that servant, but looks ill at ease being there and does not enter into the acting spirit of the other disciples. "Still yet another servant he sent," says Jesus, "and him they stoned to death," evoking "Oh!" from the crowd. Nathanael acts out that servant's part so convincingly that Jesus says, "Oh, that looks painful. He is quite dead," which now elicits chuckles.
"Finally," says Jesus, "the master sent his son to them." Andrew, the master, kisses Little James on the forehead and declares loudly, "Surely they will respect my son." "But when the tenants saw the son," explains Jesus, "this is what they said to themselves." Peter announces, "This is the heir." Big James says, "Come, let us kill him, so that this inheritance may be ours." Zee asks, "How would that work?" Peter answers, "Well, since the owner is out of the country, if we eliminate the heir, we can seize control of the vineyard ourselves and collect the profits." By this time they are surrounding Little James. Jesus tells the crowd to their consternation, "They took him, and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"
Jesus then faces the religious authorities and says, "I'm asking you, Shmuel. These people desire to hear from you. And you, you are a truth teller." Shmuel answers, "He would put them to death." Andrew acts that out, colorfully dispatching Peter, Zee, and Big James to the crowd's amusement. Jesus goes on, "He'd then entrust the vineyard to others, yes?" Shmuel says with impatience, "Yes, ones who will actually deliver the profits. What is Your point?" Jesus stares hard at him so Shmuel says in response, "I don't get it." Yanni says soberly, "I'm afraid I do." Jesus asks, "Have you never read in the Scriptures, 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone' (Psalm 118:22-23)?" Gedara says, "Wait, is He talking about us?" Jesus addresses them firmly: "Therefore, I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits" (Matthew 21:33-46). Barnaby shouts out, "It's a whole new world!" clapping with joy. The crowd swiftly shares his enthusiasm.
Zebediah says sourly to his companions, "He should be arrested for such slander, but the crowds would never allow it." Yanni says, "Now is the time to do what Caiaphas has been talking about," directing his colleagues to draw the attention of Roman guards nearby as he prepares to trap Jesus with a question he has crafted about Roman taxes. Yanni turns to Jesus and announces, "I have an important and respectful question to ask this rabbi, and it pertains to every single person here, to your day-to-day lives. Teacher, though we may disagree on a few interpretations, one thing no one can deny is that You speak with integrity. You don't mince words, and I think it is abundantly clear to everyone that You are not influenced by public opinion, for You are not swayed by appearances. You are the kind of impartial person we can ask this question to, and not expect a politician's obfuscation or avoidant response. Tell us, then, what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
The crowd murmurs. Kafni folds his arms, waiting for the response. Jesus sighs, "Ah, you want to put Me to the test. All right. Show Me the coin for the tax to Rome." Someone in the crowd hands Him a denarius. Jesus thanks him and holds it up to Yanni, saying, "Tell Me, whose likeness and inscription is this?" Yanni answers, "The likeness is of Caesar, and the inscription—I don't like to utter pagan things—" Jesus tells him, "It's all right. You're just answering a question," so Yanni responds, "Tiberius Caesar Augustus Fili Divi: Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus." The crowd boos.
Jesus responds to them, "The answer to his question is obvious, yes? How can we justify paying taxes to someone we find blasphemous? Zee, who led the revolt over this issue over 30 years ago?" Zee promptly answers: Judas of Galilee, the founder of the Zealots. You all still appreciate his resistance. We shouldn't be giving money to this occupying power that has no right to God's land. That would be the obvious answer. Caesar identifies as the son of a god. However, so what? Just because it's written on a coin doesn't make it true."
Several Roman soldiers are listening attentively. Yanni declares, "How can we be the chosen people of the one true God, yet pay taxes to a pagan who claims to be divine?" Jesus explains, "Paying your taxes doesn't mean affirming his claim of divinity. It means funding things, like well-maintained roads and Rome's protection of this country from foreign invasion. In the end, this is God's world. The Romans just live in it and inscribe empty phrases on coins. The coin belongs to Caesar," Jesus says, handing the coin back to its owner. "You belong to Him. Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 21:15-22).
The crowd murmurs in a way that acknowledges a brilliant reply, and Jesus's opponents look dumbfounded, but Kafni and his malcontents are ready to pounce. He shouts, "The Messiah, loyal to Rome?" Amnon and those with him and Kafni holler, "No Messiah! No Messiah! No Messiah!" Others in the crowd loudly counter, "Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!" Rabbi Gedara roars, "Enough!" Barnaby suggests loudly to Jesus, "Finish the story about the talents!" That quiets the crowd. Jesus says, "Ah, yes. Where was I?" As He picks up where He left off, the religious leaders huddle together. Zebediah admits having no more questions to ask. Yanni is encouraged that at least some of the people turned against Jesus. Shmuel says, "We know He has claimed to be above the Law multiple times, but these people haven't heard it. Let's hear Him talk about it."
Shmuel calls out, "Excuse me, Rabbi. We have one more question: Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replies instantly, "That's easy: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind' (Deuteronomy 6:5). This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' (Leviticus 19:18). On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:34-40).
Shula comments, "You'd never know it, the way they require so much of us." Jesus asks to clarify, "Who, them?" pointing to the religious leaders. "Listen," says Jesus, "the Pharisees sit on Moses's seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do, for they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others." Zebediah protests, "This is outrageous!"
Jesus illustrates what He is talking about: "They make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts, and being called Rabbi by others." Yanni insists, "We are rabbis." Peter shouts out, "Stop interrupting Him!" Jesus continues, "I've said some of this in Capernaum, but now I say this to you here in Jerusalem, in the courts of the temple itself:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the Kingdom of heaven in peoples' faces and you yourselves don't go in, but you don't let anyone else in either.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves." Shmuel cries out, "Jesus, stop this at once!"
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" says Jesus. For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. For you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within, you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. You build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' But in your actions you now—and will—reveal that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. You serpents. You brood of vipers. How will you escape being condemned to hell?"
Shumel yells, "Every one of Your words will be recorded and reported to the high priest!" "By all means," says Jesus, "follow in the footsteps of your ancestors!" The religious leaders turn and quickly make their way out of the crowd. Nathanael says to himself, "He's inviting them to kill Him."
Jesus, breathing heavily, walks a few steps backwards and looks around Him, saying in a softer voice, "Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it: How often I would have gathered you as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!" Barnaby calls out that they cannot hear Him, but Jesus does not speak louder. Peter says to his fellow apostles, "I think we need to get Him out of here. Something's not right. Let's go."
Jesus says in a louder voice, "See, your house is left desolate. I tell you, you will not see Me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,'" a quotation at the end of Psalm 118, the Messianic psalm Jesus referenced earlier regarding His being the Cornerstone (Matthew 21:42; Matthew 23). He begins walking away from the crowd. They repeatedly shout out Hosanna! as He does, His disciples now flanking Him as they leave the temple. Kafni and his gang chant No Messiah!
Just before leaving the temple grounds, Jesus turns around to face the interior. Peter asks, "Master, what is it?" Jesus says, "Just taking it all in, one last time." Peter looks too and remarks, "It is something—such gorgeous buildings made of beautiful stones." Jesus tells His apostles, "These buildings you see? Truly I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down" (Matthew 24).
Now walking through a city alley, Jesus comments, "Well, that was that. No more public preaching or teaching." Big James says, "Wait, You mean no more preaching for today? We are losing light, the sun is going down—" Jesus looks at him and says with finality, "I've said all I came to say to the crowds." When James starts to protest, everyone stops walking and John tells his brother, "He said what He said." "You mean this is the end?" James asks. "Yes, Big James," says Jesus, who turns and walks out of the city alone.
Peter says, "Listen, everybody: Go back to the house. We're going to talk to Him privately. We'll update you when we get back. It's all right. I just don't want to overwhelm Him." Some of them don't want to leave, but peacemaker Philip says, "Peter's right. It's been a big day, and He said some big things. We're all tired. We should go back to the house." John tells them, "We'll be right behind you." He heads out of the city with Peter and their brothers, Big James and Andrew.
They find Jesus sitting on a grassy slope with trees dotted about overlooking the city. Big James comments on the location: "The Mount of Olives. The prophet Zechariah foretold that the Messiah would appear on this very mountain at the end of the age (Zechariah 14:4). Peter asks, "Master, please help us to understand: You said 'desolate' before, that the stones will be gone. Is this for the new Kingdom? Is the time now? We're ready, but You need to give us what signs to look for. You haven't been telling us." Jesus pats the ground on both sides of Him, inviting them to sit.
Jesus tells them, "You will know soon enough. But in the meantime, see that no one leads you astray, for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ.' They will lead many astray. And you will hears of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place. But the end is not yet, for nation will rise against nation, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death. You will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray and hate one another, and many false prophets will arise, leading many astray. Because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
"Then this Gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. But to answer your question concerning that day or hour, no one knows: Not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard. Keep awake, for you do not know when the end will come."
After a few moments of silence, Peter concedes, "Well, that's a lot." Jesus agrees: "It is." Andrew says with a breaking voice, "You're telling us everything You just told us, which included our deaths and the end of the age, and not even You know when?" Jesus shakes His head no and repeats, "Only the Father." John asks, "Are You really not going back to the temple?" Jesus answers by placing a hand on John's shoulder and saying, "If you'll all leave Me, I'll come back to the house after dark. I just need a moment" as He takes one last look at Jerusalem outside as He did from the inside. They honor His request with respect and love.
As Jesus watches darkness approach the city, He weeps deeply and says, "Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem: Would that you, even you, had know this day the things that make for peace. But now they are hidden from your eyes" (Luke 19:42). He repeats those phrases and beats the ground in sorrow.
Amid His lamentation, He hears low singing from Psalm 5: "But I, through the abundance of Your steadfast love, will enter Your house. I will bow down toward Your holy temple in the fear of You. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemy. Make Your way straight before me." By this time Jesus has risen to His feet to follow the voice and the nearby bleating of sheep. In dim light He sees a young shepherd surrounded by sheep, sitting on a large rock and playing a stringed instrument as he sings.
The shepherd continues, "For there is no truth inside their mouths. Their inmost self is destruction. Their throats are open graves, where they flatter with their tongues. Make them bear their guilt, O God, let every one fall by their own counsel. Let all who take refuge in You rejoice, let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, for those who love Your name exalt in You." Jesus smiles as He listens, obviously blessed. When the shepherd turns and looks at Him with a warm smile, Jesus recognizes the divinely inspired author of Psalm 5: David.
Jesus smiles again, but when He blinks, the vision is gone. Only sheep remain. Jesus again weeps, holding His head, but then He stands erect, eyes forward, as the darkness deepens.
Illustrated Summaries of All The Chosen TV Series Episodes (Quotes, Links, and Photos)
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