CLEANSING THE TEMPLE
12. John 2:15, Deut. 14:25
13. Is. 56:7, Jer. 7:11, Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46
14. Is. 35:4-6, Gen. 49:10, Deut. 18:15-19, Is. 7:14-16, Is. 9:6-7, Is. 35:5
15. Is. 11:1-5
16. Ps. 8:2
17. Mark 11:11, John 11:18
The money changers were like our modern day bankers. When we go to another country, they exchange our money for the equivalent of that country. They were taking the Greek and Roman coins and giving holy money instead. I will illustrate this in terms of our modern money. Pennies are the holy money and silver coins (nickels, dimes and quarters) are Greek and Roman money. The temple tax can only be paid with holy money. The temple tax is 10 pennies. You have no pennies but you do have silver coins. You can't pay the tax with 2 nickels or a dime. It has to be pennies. So, you go to the moneychangers. Instead of giving you 10 pennies and you giving them 2 nickels or a dime, they were making you give them $.30 in silver for 10 pennies.
The temple was a place for worship and prayer. It was holy and sacred. The money changing and selling of sacrificial animals should have been done at a fair price and outside of the temple property. We need to be careful about what we do and what we allow others to do not only inside the church, but also outside. God will not allow people to disrespect His house or the property it is on.
THE WITHERED FIG TREE
21. Matt. 17:20, Luke 17:6, James 1:6, 1 Cor. 13:2
22. Matt. 7:7, Mark 11:24, Luke 11:9, James 5:16, 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:14
23. Luke 20:1, Ex. 2:14, Mark 11:27, Acts 4:1-11, Acts 7:27
24. Job 5:13
26. Matt. 14:5, Luke 20:6, Mark 6:20
My Interpretation
Fig trees produce fruit at different times in different locations. The fruit comes first and then the leaves. All the trees in this group was barren except one and it was covered with leaves which meant it had a lot of figs. However, there were no figs. We have to be careful about the company we keep, the people and music we listen to, and the books we read. Just because it looks Christian on the outside doesn't mean it is Christian on the inside. A true Christian is known by his fruit.
The Desire of Ages
It was not the season for ripe figs, except in certain localities. But, this one appeared to be in advance of all the others. It was already covered with leaves. It is the nature of the fig tree that before the leaves open, the growing fruit appears. Therefore, this tree, in full leaf gave promise of well-developed fruit. But its appearance was deceptive. Upon searching its branches, from the lowest bough to the topmost twig, Jesus found "nothing but leaves." It was a mass of pretentious foliage, nothing more. That barren tree, flaunting its pretentious foliage in the very face of Christ, was a symbol of the Jewish nation. The Saviour desired to make plain to His disciples the cause and the certainty of Israel's doom. For this purpose He invested the tree with moral qualities, and made it the expositor of divine truth. The Jews stood forth distinct from all other nations, professing allegiance to God. They had been specially favored by Him, and they laid claim to righteousness above every other people. But they were corrupted by the love of the world and the greed of gain. They boasted of their knowledge, but they were ignorant of the requirements of God, and were full of hyprocrisy.
THE PARABLE OF THE 2 SONS
31. Luke 7:29
32. Matt. 3:1-2, Luke 3:12-14
My Interpretation
The publicans and the harlots refused to follow God for a while. Then they became sorry and started following Him. The scribes and pharisees said they would. They even proclaimed to every one that they did, but in secret they did what they did what they wanted instead of seeking God's will in every aspect of their life. Even though the publicans and harlots had repented and were no longer living a sinful life, the scribes and pharisees still judged them as sinners. We should always do what He tells us to do, but it is better to say no and then go ahead and do it than to say yes and don't.
THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD
33. Ps. 80:8-10, Solomon 8:11, Isaiah 5:1-10*, Jer. 2:21, Mark 12:1, Luke 20:9, Matt. 25:14
34. Solomon 8:11
35. 2 Chr. 24:20-21, 2 Chr. 36:14-16, Neh. 9:26, Matt. 23:34, Acts 7:52, 1 Thess. 2:15, Heb. 11:32-38
37. Gal. 4:4
38. Ps. 2:8, Heb. 1:2, Ps. 2:2, John, 11:45-53, Acts 4:26-27
39. Acts 2:22-23
41. Luke 20:16, Deut. 4:26, Luke 21:24, Heb. 2:3, Acts 13:46, Romans 9:1, Romans 10:1, Romans 11:1
42. Ps. 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, Mark 12:10, Acts 4:11, Eph. 2:19-22, 1 Peter 2:6-8
43. Matt. 8:12
44. Isaiah 8:14, Zech. 12:3, Isaiah 60:12, Dan. 2:44
46. John 7:39-44
*Ezek. 45:11 - The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer.
God is the householder, Israel is the vineyard and the priests, scribes, Pharisees, etc. are the husbandmen. Everyone He sent to warn them and try to get them to turn from their wicked ways they beat or killed. So, He sent His Son but they killed Him also.
I hope this has been helpful to you. I will post my other lessons as soon as I can. I will also post any future lessons I may have and anything else God wants me to put on here that He knows will help you. I may think I know but it is the Heavenly Father who knows all and knows best. Have a wonderful day and may God bless you in all that you do to expand His kingdom.
Leigh
12. John 2:15, Deut. 14:25
13. Is. 56:7, Jer. 7:11, Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46
14. Is. 35:4-6, Gen. 49:10, Deut. 18:15-19, Is. 7:14-16, Is. 9:6-7, Is. 35:5
15. Is. 11:1-5
16. Ps. 8:2
17. Mark 11:11, John 11:18
The money changers were like our modern day bankers. When we go to another country, they exchange our money for the equivalent of that country. They were taking the Greek and Roman coins and giving holy money instead. I will illustrate this in terms of our modern money. Pennies are the holy money and silver coins (nickels, dimes and quarters) are Greek and Roman money. The temple tax can only be paid with holy money. The temple tax is 10 pennies. You have no pennies but you do have silver coins. You can't pay the tax with 2 nickels or a dime. It has to be pennies. So, you go to the moneychangers. Instead of giving you 10 pennies and you giving them 2 nickels or a dime, they were making you give them $.30 in silver for 10 pennies.
The temple was a place for worship and prayer. It was holy and sacred. The money changing and selling of sacrificial animals should have been done at a fair price and outside of the temple property. We need to be careful about what we do and what we allow others to do not only inside the church, but also outside. God will not allow people to disrespect His house or the property it is on.
THE WITHERED FIG TREE
21. Matt. 17:20, Luke 17:6, James 1:6, 1 Cor. 13:2
22. Matt. 7:7, Mark 11:24, Luke 11:9, James 5:16, 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:14
23. Luke 20:1, Ex. 2:14, Mark 11:27, Acts 4:1-11, Acts 7:27
24. Job 5:13
26. Matt. 14:5, Luke 20:6, Mark 6:20
My Interpretation
Fig trees produce fruit at different times in different locations. The fruit comes first and then the leaves. All the trees in this group was barren except one and it was covered with leaves which meant it had a lot of figs. However, there were no figs. We have to be careful about the company we keep, the people and music we listen to, and the books we read. Just because it looks Christian on the outside doesn't mean it is Christian on the inside. A true Christian is known by his fruit.
The Desire of Ages
It was not the season for ripe figs, except in certain localities. But, this one appeared to be in advance of all the others. It was already covered with leaves. It is the nature of the fig tree that before the leaves open, the growing fruit appears. Therefore, this tree, in full leaf gave promise of well-developed fruit. But its appearance was deceptive. Upon searching its branches, from the lowest bough to the topmost twig, Jesus found "nothing but leaves." It was a mass of pretentious foliage, nothing more. That barren tree, flaunting its pretentious foliage in the very face of Christ, was a symbol of the Jewish nation. The Saviour desired to make plain to His disciples the cause and the certainty of Israel's doom. For this purpose He invested the tree with moral qualities, and made it the expositor of divine truth. The Jews stood forth distinct from all other nations, professing allegiance to God. They had been specially favored by Him, and they laid claim to righteousness above every other people. But they were corrupted by the love of the world and the greed of gain. They boasted of their knowledge, but they were ignorant of the requirements of God, and were full of hyprocrisy.
THE PARABLE OF THE 2 SONS
31. Luke 7:29
32. Matt. 3:1-2, Luke 3:12-14
My Interpretation
The publicans and the harlots refused to follow God for a while. Then they became sorry and started following Him. The scribes and pharisees said they would. They even proclaimed to every one that they did, but in secret they did what they did what they wanted instead of seeking God's will in every aspect of their life. Even though the publicans and harlots had repented and were no longer living a sinful life, the scribes and pharisees still judged them as sinners. We should always do what He tells us to do, but it is better to say no and then go ahead and do it than to say yes and don't.
THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD
33. Ps. 80:8-10, Solomon 8:11, Isaiah 5:1-10*, Jer. 2:21, Mark 12:1, Luke 20:9, Matt. 25:14
34. Solomon 8:11
35. 2 Chr. 24:20-21, 2 Chr. 36:14-16, Neh. 9:26, Matt. 23:34, Acts 7:52, 1 Thess. 2:15, Heb. 11:32-38
37. Gal. 4:4
38. Ps. 2:8, Heb. 1:2, Ps. 2:2, John, 11:45-53, Acts 4:26-27
39. Acts 2:22-23
41. Luke 20:16, Deut. 4:26, Luke 21:24, Heb. 2:3, Acts 13:46, Romans 9:1, Romans 10:1, Romans 11:1
42. Ps. 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, Mark 12:10, Acts 4:11, Eph. 2:19-22, 1 Peter 2:6-8
43. Matt. 8:12
44. Isaiah 8:14, Zech. 12:3, Isaiah 60:12, Dan. 2:44
46. John 7:39-44
*Ezek. 45:11 - The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer.
God is the householder, Israel is the vineyard and the priests, scribes, Pharisees, etc. are the husbandmen. Everyone He sent to warn them and try to get them to turn from their wicked ways they beat or killed. So, He sent His Son but they killed Him also.
I hope this has been helpful to you. I will post my other lessons as soon as I can. I will also post any future lessons I may have and anything else God wants me to put on here that He knows will help you. I may think I know but it is the Heavenly Father who knows all and knows best. Have a wonderful day and may God bless you in all that you do to expand His kingdom.
Leigh