Read: Matthew 21
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: The events of Holy Week (as it has come to be known) begin with Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Matthew, in keeping with his overall theme, shows that Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy by presenting Himself as the Son and Heir of David, the true King of Israel. Matthew also reveals the newest and most dangerous group to come into conflict with Jesus: the chief priests of the temple in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. The shouts of "Hosanna!" ("Save us!") from the crowds, along with Jesus' overturning the tables of those in the temple courts who were preying on poor pilgrims (Jesus called them "a den of robbers"), left the chief priests indignant. They questioned the authority of Jesus, but Jesus reply to the chief priests exposes the fact that they were only interested in protecting their own authority (verses 21.23-27). Jesus' parable of the two sons (verses 21.28-32) points out the difference between lip service and repentant obedience in response to God's will, and His resulting declaration that tax collectors and prostitutes were entering the Kingdom of God ahead of them undoubtedly outraged the chief priests.
If we read Isaiah 5.1-7 before we study Matthew 21.33-46, we discover the Biblical image of the people of Israel as a vineyard planted by God for His purposes. In the parable of the tenants, Jesus clearly compares the chief priests with those who were responsible for tending the vineyard, and He compares Himself to the son of the vineyard's owner. The parable ends with a stark prediction by Jesus directed to the chief priests: "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit" (verse 21.43). The meaning of the parable was obvious to the temple officials, and they began looking for a way to arrest Jesus. Events are now moving quickly.
Before we leave this passage, we should note Jesus' cursing of a fig tree in verses 21.18-22. At first glance, this act seems quite out of character for Jesus. However, consider the following: a unique characteristic of a fig tree is that its fruit appears before the leaves. If there were leaves on the tree there should have been small but sweet fruit buds, but there were none to be found. It appeared well and useful, but it was actually a useless tree, leading people passing by to believe it had something to offer when it was really of no value. As Barbara Bowen writes, "It was a type of profession without productiveness. Our Lord could not endure hypocrisy in any one or any thing, and condemned it more than any other sin. Here Christ is giving His disciples an illustration they would not easily forget."
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