Where Your Heart Is . . .

Mark 12:38 and following (Also Luke 21:1 and following.)

Mark 11:27 says as Jesus was walking in the temple, the Chief Priests, the Scribes, and the Elders came to Him and began to question Him. 

These were the nation’s leaders and had the authority to take away people’s rights to enter the temple. Because of this authority, people feared these leaders. In John 9:22, we see people that were afraid to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah because the leaders had determined to expel anyone who dared to say Jesus was the Messiah. However, Jesus was not intimidated. Mark chapter 12 gives the account of the confrontation between these leaders and Jesus. Although they were the most clever men in Israel, they could not overcome Jesus through argument or trickery. So, while keeping an eye on Him, they did not try to ask Jesus any more questions.

This brings us to Mark 12:41, where Jesus sits down opposite the treasury. At the beginning of the confrontation, Jesus was walking in the temple. Now, this verse tells us that Jesus was sitting. His location was intentional. Jesus had been in the temple often, yet we are not told that He seated Himself here before this.

Through the writings of Rabbis, history tells us the treasury was made of thirteen brass chests. Each one had a mouth shaped like a trumpet to catch money. They were located in the “Court of the Women,” which was also called the outer court. Each “trumpet” was inscribed with what it was for. Nine chests were for the required temple offerings and sacrifices, that is, money donated in place of other sacrifices. Four strongboxes were for freewill offerings, which were used for wood, incense, temple decoration, and burnt offerings.1

Jesus sat watching the people putting money into the offering boxes.

Let’s think about what Jesus was doing.

On the first day of the week, He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey’s colt. By this action, Jesus declared to all present that He was the expected Messiah, and the common people received Him as the Messiah. They sang praises to God for David’s kingdom, which they thought was soon to be restored. 

However, Jesus had a kingdom in mind that people could not see. Jesus did not head to the seat of government. He did not confront the Roman governor, and he did not claim the throne. Instead, He went to the temple.

The next day He chased all those who were buying and selling out of the temple.

By focusing on the temple, Jesus was pointing to the spiritual kingdom of God. His heart and mission were fixed on the invisible kingdom of God.

When the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt, God sent Moses to deliver them. Then through the period of the judges, God was their king. So, when Israel asked for a king, God told Samuel that they were not rejecting Samuel. Instead, they were rejecting God from ruling over them. Jesus’ generation was doing the same.

The temple was the symbol of God’s presence in Israel. At the time of Moses, during their wilderness travels, the children of Israel saw the cloud by day and fire by night. The cloud and the fire were the visible presence of God. When the temple was built, it replaced the tabernacle. The temple became the reminder of God’s presence in the nation.

However, just like their forefathers, the Jews of Jesus’ day did not want God to rule over them. Their hearts were fixed on the things of this world. They wanted prosperity and freedom and believed they would first have to be delivered from the Romans. They wanted a Messiah who would deliver them from the Romans, and bring prosperity and freedom.

Jesus was the Messiah they were looking for, but it was not time to restore the kingdom to Israel. In Acts 1:6-7, Jesus implies that the time for that is yet to come. However, at this time, when Jesus was in the temple, Jesus had no intention of taking a secular or governmental throne. Instead, He took authority over the temple. Mark 11:16 says, “He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.” How one man could stop a whole marketplace is a question I cannot answer. But Jesus did it. He took control of the temple so that the leaders asked Him by what authority He was acting.

 Jesus’ purpose and mission were to establish the kingdom of God in people’s hearts and minds. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes that Jesus was talking to in the temple had been entrusted with nurturing this kingdom of God. Still, they had instead used their positions for personal gain. In His confrontations with these leaders, Jesus exposed the truth behind their pious behavior; they were hypocrites and fakes. 

Now, He sat watching people give their offerings. And then He called His disciples over to share His observations. 

Now is an excellent place to share an important point. This was Jesus’ last full day of public teaching before going to the cross. Every action He took was meant to communicate crucial truth. He was not sitting because He was tired, but because He wanted to teach something. He had often been in the temple, and He chose this day to cover this subject.

Mark 12:41 says:

Mark 12:41 (NKJV) Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much.

At this point, I want to pay close attention to two words in what we just read. The term “saw” is also translated as “watched,” and carried the meaning of observing or analyzing. The root of the word implies the idea of discerning the meaning of what is being watched. This word “watched” is paired with the word “how.” The definition of this word is “in what manner.” In other words, Jesus was watching to discern in what manner the people were putting in their offerings.

Early in His ministry, Jesus taught about giving. He said:

Matthew 6:1–4 (NKJV) ¹Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ²Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ³But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

“The Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you.” Jesus taught that giving was done for God and not for people. He also warned against giving for appearance or show. In Mark 12, the text does not say that the rich were giving dramatically or giving for performance. However, in Jesus watching and discerning in what manner the giving is done is implicit the idea that He knows what is in the heart. For example, how did He know that the two mites the widow put in were all that she had?

Mark 11:41 reminds us that God is interested in our giving and watches it.  But He does not observe the offering box to see how much is put in. He sees and knows how much, but He is more interested in the heart doing the giving. 

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 teaches us some principles for giving.

2 Corinthians 9:6–7 (NKJV) ⁶But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

From this, we gather that giving should be planned or purposed. It should be abundant, and it should be done cheerfully.

However, Jesus defines “abundantly” for us with the example of the widow. Although her gift was very small, Jesus said she had put in more than all those giving to the treasury. Mark takes the trouble to explain the value of the coins she put in. She put in two mites, which make a quadrans. Putting this in today’s money is tricky because of inflation and the differences in our economies. However, I will do my best. My numbers are taken from the pulpit commentary, but the commentaries do not all agree on amounts. The quadrans spoken of here was one-fourth of a Roman “as.” An “as” was one-tenth of a denarius. A denarius is often considered the equivalent of one day’s labor. So, if we arbitrarily say that a day of work would bring $100, then the two mites the widow gave would be worth about $2.50. This is not enough to buy a gallon of milk, but Jesus said she put in more than everybody else.

In his account, Luke tells us that Jesus said, “For all these out of their abundance have put in offerings.” (Luke 21:4)

We value things according to our measures. In the thinking of all that were there, the rich were obviously giving much more — larger coins in larger amounts. We have a tendency to judge in the same way. This is why James says:

James 2:1–4 (NKJV) ¹My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. ²For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, ³and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” ⁴have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

The ending of James’ statement is ominous — “with evil thoughts.” We focus on this world and all it contains, but God knows our hearts.

Jesus spent a lot of time trying to help His disciples and the people of His day see where their values were. At one point, He said:

Matthew 6:19–21 (NKJV) ¹⁹“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This statement is at the core of what Jesus was teaching:

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

When he and His disciples left the temple, one of the disciples mentioned the temple’s magnificence. It indeed was a magnificent building. But Jesus warned that it would soon be destroyed.

Out of all the people in the temple that day, one poor widow got it right. While everyone around her was worried about kingdoms, authority, position, possessions, and power, she humbly gave everything she had to God. 

This is what it means to love the Lord our God with all our hearts. Our fixation on the things of this world and its kingdoms is described as evil thoughts by James. Are we willing to trust God with our whole livelihood?

 1. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mark/12-41.htm. Accessed March 5, 2021.

The Wicked Vinedressers

 

Mark 12:1-40

What is a “vinedresser?”

Vinedressers are farmers who take care of grapevines. Their job requires constant, daily attention to the vines. They must ensure that the grape plants receive enough water and are protected from pests, and do not develop disease. In Mark 12, Jesus speaks of vinedressers, and the profession continues to be practiced to this present day. Without careful, attentive vinedressers, the world would not enjoy a supply of grapes, grape juice, and, of course, wine.

One critical task of the vinedresser is pruning. Pruning is where the name “vinedresser” comes from. As the vinedresser cuts away dead or unnecessary branches, and excess, diseased or stunted fruit, he or she makes room for new growth and a healthier, more abundant harvest.

In Mark 12:1-12, Jesus tells a story about a man who planted a vineyard. The man put a lot of time and money into making the vineyard just right. He built a wall, a wine press, a lookout tower and then leased the vineyard to some tenant farmers. 

Lease agreements for farmland and fields are common even today. I am not knowledgeable about various lease arrangements. Still, I know that one type of lease agreement is for the landowner to receive a percentage of the harvest. This is an oversimplification of leases. There are divisions of expenses, production costs, and many other details to be considered.

In Jesus’ story, the vinedressers are wicked and chase away, beat, and even kill those sent to collect the owner’s share. This owner sent many servants, and they were all treated the same way. Finally, the owner sent his son, and they killed him too. 

Jesus was telling this story in the temple to the religious leaders who had just asked Him by what authority He had cleansed the temple. These leaders were tenants who were entrusted with tending God’s vineyard, the nation of Israel. The nation was God’s chosen people. Through the nation of Israel, God prepared for and sent His Son, the Savior of the world.

In our day, the Church is made up of God’s chosen people. As Jesus approached the final week of His tenure on earth, He was rejected and persecuted by the tenants whom God had chosen to care for His people, His vine. In our day, as we approach the final week, the seven-year tribulation promised in the book of Daniel, we also see rejection and opposition to the truth.

As we look at Mark chapter 12, we will see three types of error that tend to mislead the people of God. This is not a complete list of possibilities, but it is a list of what Jesus confronted. We must trust the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to guide us and to guard us. 

First, let’s consider the three different groups of religious leaders present when Jesus was in the temple. These were: The Pharisees, The Sadducees, and The Scribes. 

In His story about the vinedressers, Jesus foretells His death. And the religious leaders understand that they are the wicked vinedressers of the story. Mark 12:12 tells us:

Mark 12:12 (NKJV) And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

Although this passage says they went away, the next verse says they sent some people to trap Jesus in His words. In other words, they went out to plot their answering strategy. By telling this story, Jesus is once again giving them a chance to repent as He tries to help them see their error. He reminds them that their position of power and authority was not of their own making but was an assignment from God.

However, instead of listening to what He says, they are angered by it and seek to trick Jesus into saying something for which they could arrest Him.

In verses 13 through 40 of Mark chapter 12, the three different groups of leaders (The Pharisees, The Sadducees, and The Scribes) each send delegations to try to trick Jesus. In verses 12 through 17, the Pharisees try; in verses 18 through 27, the Sadducees take a shot at Him, and finally, in verses 28 through 34, the Scribes have their go at it.

As we consider the confrontation between these groups and Jesus, we need to understand what each group represented. 

First, the Pharisees were the religious conservatives of the day. They believed in the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures, the resurrection of the dead, the spiritual world (including the devil), the afterlife, heaven, and hell.

Second, the Sadducees were the religious liberals of the day. They were Hellenists. In other words, they were Jews who had adopted Greek culture, philosophy, and beliefs. They did not believe the Scriptures were literal. Instead, they interpreted the Scriptures allegorically. They did not believe in a seven-day creation, the devil, hell, or the resurrection. 

Third, the Scribes were experts in religious law. They were the lawyers of Mosaic law. They understood the commandments and principles of God’s word. Because of this understanding, they held places of honor among the nation.

These three groups, with all their teachings, beliefs, and practices, were the ones who Jesus represented as the wicked vinedressers. They had been entrusted with the safety and education of God’s people. Still, when God sent prophets such as John the Baptist, they would not listen but persecuted and opposed God’s messengers. Now they were challenging the Son of God and His right to the Kingdom.

The Pharisees were the first to bring their challenge. Naturally, when the Pharisees asked their question, they led with an unsolvable dilemma for the religious Jew. How could one devoted to the God of Israel give money to the evil Roman Empire? However, publicly teaching that one should not pay taxes would get one in trouble with the Roman government.

The text tells us:

Mark 12:14 (NKJV) When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 

Consider carefully what these men are saying because they condemn themselves with their words. They say, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth.”

If they knew that He was true, why didn’t they listen to Him? Again, their words hold the truth. While they recognized that Jesus did not regard the person of men, they themselves did. At a different time, Jesus told them:

John 5:44 (NKJV) How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?

Their unbelief and was because they sought honor and recognition from men rather than God. They abused their position and did not properly care for the vine as vinedressers because they sought recognition from men rather than God. We should take warning and always seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. This problem of seeking honor from men rather than God is in the Church today. Whenever we find ourselves doing this, we must repent and pray for God to deliver us from this terrible trap.

The Pharisees failed to trick Jesus as Jesus easily escaped. So, the Sadducees tried. We find their attempt in Mark 12:18-27.

The Sadducees claimed to be religious, but they believed according to the Greek way of thinking. They took the writings of Moses to be symbolic and allegorical and not literal. They taught that hell and the devil were stories for teaching and not real. Mark 12:18 tells us that they said there is no resurrection. 

Their kind is alive and well in the Church today. Some pastors and denominations do not believe the Bible to be the literal Word of God. They deny foundational truths of our faith, saying things like, “There are other ways to heaven than Jesus Christ.”

Jesus’ answer to the Sadducees should be a warning to us all. He says:

Mark 12:24 (NKJV) Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?

The Sadducees were mistaken because they did not know the Scriptures or the power of God. The problem with their knowledge of Scripture was that their reading of Scripture was not united with faith. We must heed the warning of Hebrews 4.

Hebrews 4:1–2 (NKJV) ¹Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. ²For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

The Bible can be tested. Historically it is accurate. Its prophecies have been and are being fulfilled. It has proven reliable in every way. When we come upon things that we find hard to understand, do we trust the philosophies of men, or do we trust the Word of God? The world takes offense at claims that Jesus is the ONLY way to God. So, do we change that truth to satisfy the world? That is what the Sadducees did, and it is what some do today.

Jesus summed up His words to the Sadducees by saying:

Mark 12:27 (NKJV) You are therefore greatly mistaken.

The Sadducees had no answer to this. Jesus exposed their foolishness in His response. (Although we have not recited the whole thing here, read His answer carefully.) Seeing that the Pharisees and Sadducees failed, one of the Scribes had his go.

Being the lawyer, the Scribe asked a question about the law. “Which commandment is the greatest?” (Mark 12:28) Surprisingly, after a brief interaction with the Scribe, Jesus said:

Mark 12:34 (NKJV) You are not far from the kingdom of God. 

The Scribe answered Jesus wisely. Jesus and the Scribe agreed on the interpretation of the Scriptures. However, Jesus did not say, “You got it! You will be saved.” “Not far from” also means “not.” The Scribe was not in the kingdom of God. He was close, but not quite. Just a note here: When I hunt, I find that if I miss by a little or miss by a lot, the result is the same.

Mark 12:34 says that after the Scribe, no one dared to question Jesus further. However, Jesus was not through with the Scribes. While they were close, they still missed the mark. Jesus points to two ways in which they erred.

The first error that kept the Scribes from recognizing Jesus as Messiah was their limited understanding of Scripture. Jesus asks a question. How is it that the Christ is both the Son of David and David’s Lord? The Scribes said the Christ was to be the Son of David, which is revealed in the Old Testament. However, they did not grasp the truth that David recognized the Christ as being his Lord.

Thinking they understood the Scripture, the Scribes made the mistake of not continuing to seek the Scriptures for answers. Two people stand out as having recognized Jesus as the Christ from the day He went into the temple as a baby. The Bible tells us that both Simeon and Anna were devout, devoted to fasting and prayer, and waiting for the revelation of the Christ. The difference was in their heart attitude. They practiced loving God with all their heart. The difference in the Scribes that caused their limited understanding of Scripture was their heart. This is what Jesus pointed out as the second error of the Scribes.

In Mark 12:38-40, Jesus tells the people to watch out for the Scribes. The problem was that they loved recognition. They wore long robes and enjoyed special recognition wherever they went. They did not recognize Christ because they did not love His appearing, but instead, they loved their appearance. They understood the law, so they were not far from the kingdom, but they did not obey the law, so they missed it.

We are all vinedressers in the field that God has entrusted to us. In the workplace, home and market, we interact with people every day. 

We can divide the world by three types of people. Some people live their lives primarily motivated by their reactions. The Pharisees represent these people. They seek justice, action and righteousness. Other people are ruled more by emotions. They seek harmony, peace and acceptance. The Sadducees represent this group. Still others are ruled by their intellect. They are governed by cognitive processes. These are the Scribes. 

Every person is unique, and such generalizations that I have just made might tempt us to put everyone in a box. However, apply it to yourself. Taken in a broad manner, which group would you say you are most like? Don’t weasel out of it and say you are not like any of them. Each of us at different times can be more like one or the other of these groups.

We can be like the Pharisees and be very religious, or we can be like the Sadducees and try to fit in with the world. We can be intellectual about life like the Scribes. The problem is not in your tribe. There were Pharisees who were great men of faith. The Apostle Paul was a Pharisee. No matter which group we might be in, the question each of us must answer is, “Am I building my own kingdom or am I building God’s kingdom? Whose vineyard is my life? We must never forget that we are but tenants. God created us, gave us life and has leased His vineyard to us. When we meet Him, He will ask us for His share of the harvest. Will we be prepared? We are also nearing the final week. Are we pruning away the bad, keeping the good, and being good vinedressers?

The Day of Visitation

Mark 11, 

(Behold the Lord shall come suddenly into His temple. Malachi 3:1)

We are living in unprecedented, difficult times. Riots, unrest, and divisions plague our nation and our world like never before. Each generation has said pretty much the same thing, and each generation has been right, in a sense. With each generation, the end draws closer and closer. In 1 Timothy 4:1 and following, the Holy Spirit warns us that there will be an increasing turning from the truth in the Church as the end draws near. And 2 Timothy 3:1 and following tells us that evil will increase in the world.

We need to be aware of the times we live in and how they relate to God’s plan for the world. The people of Jesus’ day were misled and thus missed the day of their visitation. Jesus and the Apostles tell us to watch and be sober. (Parable of the virgins and 1 Thessalonians 4) There are two things that must concern us. One concern is that we are prepared for His return, and the other is that we are engaged in what the Father has given us to do.

In the Scriptures,  God’s coming or visitation can mean either blessing or punishment. In our context today, it can mean either. For those who are ready, it will meaning blessing, but for the unprepared, it will mean suffering. Jesus warned the people of His day about missing their day of visitation (God’s coming to them). For example, in Luke 19:43-44, He says:

Luke 19:43–44 (NKJV) ⁴³For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, ⁴⁴and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

In our study of Mark 11, we will see that Israel was neither prepared nor engaged in the Father’s business. Therefore, they missed the day of their visitation.

 

First, in Mark 11:1-11, we see the promised King entering Jerusalem.

There are two sides to this picture. The first side of the image is Jesus preparing to enter Jerusalem. The second side of the image is the people welcoming Jesus.

In preparation for entering Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of His disciples ahead of Him to bring back a donkey’s colt. He told His disciples what would happen, and it happened just as Jesus said. In this action, Jesus showed His sovereignty and foreknowledge. He even knew the words that would be spoken before the disciples went.

This action should have instilled confidence in the disciples and increased their faith, and it probably did. However, by the end of the week, they all deserted Jesus and fled during the time of trial. We are no different. This is why the New Testament tells us repeatedly to stand firm and persevere. I will give one text as an example.

Matthew 24:12–13 (NKJV) ¹²And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Lawlessness is abounding more and more, but we must never forget that Jesus told us this would happen. Everything is under His control.

In choosing to enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey, Jesus also showed that He was King. His actions proclaimed that He knew who and what He was. All Israel knew to expect their King to come to them riding on a donkey. The prophet Zechariah said:

Zechariah 9:9 (NKJV) Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your King is coming to you;

He is just and having salvation,

Lowly and riding on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.

By His actions, Jesus announced that He was the expected King. As He entered the city, the people demonstrated that they understood.

As Jesus and His disciples enter Jerusalem, the second picture comes into focus as a crowd gathers and welcomes the King into the city. As the people shout and sing Hosanna, their song of praise shows they know He is the King. For example, Mark 11:10 says,

Mark 11:10 (NKJV) Blessed is the kingdom of our father David, That comes in the name of the Lord!

These are the words of the people celebrating the coming of their King.

Having established who He was, Jesus waited until the next day to confront Jerusalem. We see this confrontation in Mark 11:12-24.

At this point, the Holy Spirit inserts a vital illustration. On the way to town, Jesus and those accompanying Him come upon a fig tree. But when Jesus found it had no fruit, He cursed the tree. Mark 11:20 tells us that in the morning, the disciples observed that the fig tree was dried up. When questioned about it, Jesus used it as an opportunity to tell His disciples they must have faith. However, in the bigger picture of the context, the fig tree symbolizes the nation of Israel. In the Old Testament, God sometimes uses a fig tree to represent Israel. For example, in Joel 2:21-25, healthy fig trees represent a restored nation.

In contrast to this, withered fig trees represent God’s judgment. Faith enters into this discussion because the lack of faith in the nation was what was bringing judgment. Unbelief is what Jesus was confronting. Israel as a nation was about to be judged and would wither. Jesus even warned of this when He told them:

Mark 13:2 (NLT) Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!

Jesus illustrated what was about to happen to the nation. This was the day of visitation by the King, and they were missing it. The consequences would be the shriveling and dying of the nation.

Jesus had cursed the fig tree on His way into Jerusalem. On this second day, Jesus went straight to the temple and chased the banking interests and the livestock marketers out of the temple. While doing this, He said:

Mark 11:17 (NKJV) Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”

Treating the house of prayer as a market shouts unbelief. They had no faith in prayer or that there even was a God who listened to their prayers. Their temple was filled with what they worshiped - MONEY. Their minds were set on earthly things, so they missed the day of their visitation and actively opposed the King.

Jesus confronted the problem of their unbelief by challenging what they were doing in the temple. However, this did not bring about their repentance. Instead, they hardened their hearts, and as verse 18 tells us, they sought to destroy Him. Those that sought to kill Jesus were the leaders. The people had recognized Jesus as the promised King. However, the leaders were more interested in their own position and authority. These leaders misled the people.

Our day is no different. Underlying the unbelief of the world is the worship of money. Jesus taught that a person cannot serve God and money at the same time. Our day of visitation is drawing near, but few are prepared and doing the King’s business.

After confronting Jerusalem in the temple, Jesus went out of the city for the night. Let’s review. On day one, Jesus entered the city as King. On day two, He confronted the unbelief of the nation. Then, on day three, Jesus answered Jerusalem. His answer is found in Mark 11:27-33.

Jesus’ answer starts with the leaders of the nation asking Him a question. They asked by what authority He was doing these things, referring to Him chasing all the money and livestock people out of the temple. Power over the temple belonged to them, and they controlled the temple police. So, what business did Jesus have to be playing God in their temple! Jesus recognized their unbelief and commitment to themselves, their position, and their money. For this reason, Jesus asked a question of His own.

Mark 11:29–30 (NKJV) ²⁹But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: ³⁰The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

This is a straightforward question. The men Jesus was talking to were the shepherds of Israel. Knowing what was and was not from God was their job.

The discussion between these men that followed is enlightening.

Mark 11:31–33 (NKJV) ³¹And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, 'From heaven' He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him? ³²But if we say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. ³³So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.”

As we look at this discussion, we notice that they are not asking what the truth is. The leaders are looking at how to protect themselves. Their consideration is only political in nature. 

Such reasoning is a symptom of their unbelief. For Jesus to tell them that He was God and this was His temple, would have been a waste of breath. After learning that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, these were the same people who did not believe but considered how they could kill both Lazarus and Jesus to silence the truth.

Therefore, Jesus simply said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” 

On several occasions, Jesus pointed to the evidence that is available for faith. Jesus told a parable about a rich man who did not believe and was in hell after he died. Suffering much, this man asked for water, and when he could not have water, he asked that his brothers be warned. In response, he was told:

Luke 16:31 (NKJV) But he said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.”

This was proved true when Jesus rose from the dead. When the Jews asked for a sign so that they could believe, Jesus said:

Matthew 16:4 (NKJV) A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

This reference to the sign of Jonah points to the three days and three nights that Jesus spent in the grave.

The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are sufficient evidence for our faith. However, there is much more. Let’s read the rest of the context of Matthew 16:4.

Matthew 16:2–4 (NKJV) ²He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; ³and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. ⁴A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.

 

Before telling them of the evidence of His resurrection, Jesus told them that they had all the evidence they needed. The signs of the times refer to the Old Testament’s prophecies being fulfilled in their day. The Scriptures speak for themselves. No other book tells us what is going to happen with 100% accuracy.

Our day is no different. People that ask for a sign only get the answer, “Consider the evidence.”

We are living in unprecedented times, and Jesus will be returning soon. He will come as King, riding on a horse as a conquering King. However, a few things must happen first. The day of God’s wrath, the Great Tribulation, must first occur, but the Church is not destined for God’s wrath, so we must first be taken out of the way. The Church being removed will be a huge sign, and many will believe. However, most will continue in their unbelief. 

Since we do not know the day or the hour, it is essential for us to always be ready and to always be about the Father’s business. One of the signs of the times is the leaves appearing on the fig tree. A few decades after Jesus ascended to the Father, the nation of Israel ceased to function as a nation. In an effort to erase the memory of the nation, the land was given the name “Palestine.” However, in 1947, Israel was reborn. Consider the prophecy of Matthew 14.

Matthew 24:32–34 (NLT) ³²“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. ³³In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. ³⁴I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.

The generation that will not pass away is the generation that sees the branches bud and leaves begin to sprout. If the nation of Israel is the fig tree, then our day of visitation is very near. Are we ready? Are we about the Master’s business?