1.  Review of Class Topic: Before getting into the Bible study questions, discuss today’s class presentation by summarizing or reviewing what you learned, commenting or asking any questions.

Answers will vary…

Read Matthew chapters 21 through 24, then answer the following questions:

2.  (Matthew 21:1-22:14) In this section we find Jesus heading to Jerusalem in what is commonly known as the Passion Week and Triumphal Entry, and His persecution intensifies…

The Triumphal Entry

21 When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

⁵ “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold your King is coming to you,
Gentle, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

⁶ The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, ⁷ and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats. ⁸ Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. ⁹ The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting,

“Hosanna to the Son of David;
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest!”

¹⁰ When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹ And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Cleansing the Temple

¹² And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. ¹³ And He *said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”

¹⁴ And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant ¹⁶ and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” ¹⁷ And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

The Barren Fig Tree

¹⁸ Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. ¹⁹ Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He *said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

²⁰ Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” ²¹ And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. ²² And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Authority Challenged

²³ When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” ²⁴ Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵ The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.” ²⁷ And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Parable of Two Sons

²⁸ “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ ²⁹ And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. ³⁰ The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” They *said, “The first.” Jesus *said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. ³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.

Parable of the Landowner

³³ “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. ³⁴ When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. ³⁵ The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. ³⁶ Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. ³⁷ But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸ But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ ³⁹ They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. ⁴⁰ Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” ⁴¹ They *said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”

⁴² Jesus *said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,

‘The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the chief corner stone;
This came about from the Lord,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

⁴³ Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. ⁴⁴ And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. ⁴⁶ When they sought to seize Him, they feared the people, because they considered Him to be a prophet.

Parable of the Marriage Feast

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, ² “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. ³ And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. ⁴ Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ ⁵ But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, ⁶ and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. ⁷ But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. ⁸ Then he *said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. ⁹ Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ ¹⁰ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.

¹¹ “But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, ¹² and he *said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. ¹³ Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Matthew 21:1-22:14 (NASB)

• Cross-reference this important period of time (21:1-11) by reading the other Gospel Narratives about this event: Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44 and John 12:12-19. Summarize what happened and discuss this event with your group. Going Deeper: What Old Testament prophecies are referenced or fulfilled in this event?

Summaries may. Vary, but can include:

From gotquestions.org

“Passion Week (also known as Holy Week) is the time from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday (Resurrection Sunday). Also included within Passion Week are Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Passion Week is so named because of the passion with which Jesus willingly went to the cross in order to pay for the sins of His people. Passion Week is described in Matthew chapters 21-27; Mark chapters 11-15; Luke chapters 19-23; and John chapters 12-19. Passion Week begins with the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday on the back of a colt as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9.

Passion Week contained several memorable events. Jesus cleansed the Temple for the second time (Luke 19:45-46), then disputed with the Pharisees regarding His authority. Then He gave His Olivet Discourse on the end times and taught many things, including the signs of His second coming. Jesus ate His Last Supper with His disciples in the upper room (Luke 22:7-38), then went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray as He waited for His hour to come. It was here that Jesus, having been betrayed by Judas, was arrested and taken to several sham trials before the chief priests, Pontius Pilate, and Herod (Luke 22:54-23:25).

Following the trials, Jesus was scourged at the hands of the Roman soldiers, then was forced to carry His own instrument of execution (the Cross) through the streets of Jerusalem along what is known as the Via Dolorosa (way of sorrows). Jesus was then crucified at Golgotha on the day before the Sabbath, was buried and remained in the tomb until Sunday, the day after the Sabbath, and then gloriously resurrected.

It is referred to as Passion Week because in that time, Jesus Christ truly revealed His passion for us in the suffering He willingly went through on our behalf. What should our attitude be during Passion Week? We should be passionate in our worship of Jesus and in our proclamation of His Gospel! As He suffered for us, so should we be willing to suffer for the cause of following Him and proclaiming the message of His death and resurrection.”

• • Going Deeper: Old Testament references to the Triumphal Entry (Mt. 1-11) include Isaiah 62:11; Zechariah 9:9; 2 Kings 9:13; and Psalm 118:26

• This is the second time Jesus cleared the Temple (21:12-17). What was going on there and why did Jesus do this? What did the religious leaders say about the things He had done and by who’s authority; and how did Jesus respond (21:15-16 and 23-27)?
  • The Gospel of John records the first time Jesus cleared the Temple (John 2:13-17). Merchants and moneychangers set up their booths in the court of the Gentiles, crowding out the Gentiles who had come from all over the civilized world to worship God, and these merchants took advantage of the people, overcharging them and deceiving foreigners who didn’t know the exchange rates.
  • According to the LASB: “Their commercialism in God’s house frustrated the people’s attempt to worship, and of course, this greatly angered Jesus. Any practice that interferes with worshiping God should be stopped.”
  • The religious leaders response to Jesus’ actions was that “they became indignant and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?””
  • When the religious leaders later came to Him and asked “by what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” Jesus responded with a question back to them: “The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” Jesus said He would answer them if they could answer that question, but they could not because they feared their answer would either confirm Jesus, or anger the people who revered John. Jesus shut them down with His wisdom, and then continued His teachings among the people.
• Going Deeper: Choose one of the three parables Jesus taught here (21:28-22:14) and discuss its meaning in detail with your group (include any Old Testament references you might come across).

Parable choices will vary, but one example might include…

• All these parables teach something about the Kingdom of Heaven. In the parable of the wicked vine-growers (21:33-46), Jesus teaches about a landowner who rented out His vineyard, but the renters were greedy and mistreated the servants of the landowner when He sent them, so the landowner finally sent His Son, the heir, and they killed Him thinking they would now be the permanent owners of the vineyard, But the owner of the vineyard, when He comes, will bring those wretched wicked renters to an end and give the vineyard to another people who would produce fruit for the owner.
• The main elements in this parable are 1) the landowner=God 2) the vineyard=Israel 3) the renters/vine growers=the Jewish religious leaders 4) the landowner’s servants=the prophets 5) the son=Jesus 6) the other vine growers=the Gentiles – Jesus was exposing the religious leaders murderous plot, and God’s future intention.
• Old Testament references used in this passage: Isaiah 5:1; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 8:14-15

3.  (Matthew 22:15-40) In this chapter Jesus faces more intense questioning by the religious leaders as they try to trap Him, and He does not back down…

Tribute to Caesar

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said. ¹⁶ And they *sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any. ¹⁷ Tell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?” ¹⁸ But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. ²⁰ And He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” ²¹ They *said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He *said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” ²² And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away.

Jesus Answers the Sadducees

²³ On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, ²⁴ asking, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up children for his brother.’ ²⁵ Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; ²⁶ so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. ²⁷ Last of all, the woman died. ²⁸ In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.”

²⁹ But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. ³⁰ For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ³¹ But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: ³² ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” ³³ When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

³⁴ But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. ³⁵ One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” ³⁷ And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the great and foremost commandment. ³⁹ The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:15-40 (NASB)

• What question did the Pharisees ask and how did Jesus silence them (22:15-22)? Discuss: How might that apply to our thinking about government today?
  • The religious leaders tried to trap Jesus by asking Him “Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?” Jesus, knowing their intentions outed them by saying, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?” He then asked them bring Him a denarius and asked, “Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to Him “Caesar’s.” Then He said them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.””
  • Discussion may vary, but could include… In application for us today, Jesus teaches that we are to do what those in authority ask if it is rightly theirs and in the governing law, and not against God’s law or Biblical teachings. We should pay taxes accordingly and honor our leaders so far as we never put them, or anyone else, above our honor and loyalty to God.

• What question did the Sadducees ask and how did Jesus silence them (22:23-33)? Going Deeper: What Old Testament references did Jesus use?
  • The Sadducees were religious leaders who only taught and believed in the Torah, they did not believe in a resurrection of the dead, or angels or demons.
  • They questioned Jesus by asking whose wife would a woman be if she had seven husbands (who had died consecutively) in the resurrection, but Jesus showed their lack of understanding by saying “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven. But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” The crowd of people were amazed at His wisdom and teachings.
  • Going Deeper: Jesus used Exodus 3:6 where God spoke from the burning bush to Moses concerning His identity.

• What question did both the Pharisees and Sadducees come together to ask Jesus, and how did Jesus answer them (22:34-40)? Going Deeper: What is the Old Testament cross-reference for Jesus’ answer and what titles are they both typically referred to?
  • One final time the religious leaders came together to try to trap Jesus by asking (via a lawyer in the group), “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” Jesus responded with something they knew well, “’YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
  • Going Deeper: Here Jesus quoted from the Old Testament something they knew well, the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:5), and also from Leviticus 19:18. In the New Testament Jesus’ reference is known as the Great Commandment. Imagine if we all truly lived by this ‘Great Commandment’ how good this life would be, but we know that in God’s eternal Kingdom that is the way we will live!

4.  (Matthew 22:41-23:36) In this section Jesus begins to push back and condemn the religious leaders…

⁴¹ Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: ⁴² “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They *said to Him, “The son of David.” ⁴³ He *said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

⁴⁴ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet”’?

⁴⁵ If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” ⁴⁶ No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

Pharisaism Exposed

23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, ² saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; ³ therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. ⁴ They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. ⁵ But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. ⁶ They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, ⁷ and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. ⁸ But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. ¹⁰ Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. ¹¹ But the greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹² Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Eight Woes

¹³ “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. ¹⁴ [Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.]

¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ ¹⁷ You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? ¹⁸ And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.’ ¹⁹ You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? ²⁰ Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. ²¹ And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it. ²² And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. ²⁴ You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. ²⁶ You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰ and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. ³³ You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

³⁴ “Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, ³⁵ so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. ³⁶ Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Matthew 22:41-23:36 (NASB)

• What question did Jesus ask the religious leaders and how did they answer (22:41-46)? Going Deeper: What Old Testament passage did He use and what is the significance as it applies to who Jesus is?
  • Jesus asked the religious leaders: “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He? They said to Him, “The Son of David.” He then asked them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET’? If David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”
  • None of the religious leaders could answer Him, and they gave up questioning Him from that day on, although they would now make it their mission to kill Him.
  • Going Deeper: Jesus used the Old Testament passage found in Psalm 110:1 and Jesus quoted from there to show that the Messiah would be greater than David, and in fact would be God in the flesh. Hebrews 1:13 also confirms this, and Jesus fulfilled it all.

• Make a list of the things that Jesus warned the people about the religious leaders (23:1-12). Discuss: What did Jesus say about the importance of humility, and why is that important for us today (23:11-12)?
  • They say things and do not do it themselves; they place heavy burdens on the people, but are unwilling to do it themselves; they do all their deeds to be noticed by others; they love the place of honor and attention in public by begin honored and addressed as Rabbi.
  • Discussions may vary, but could include… Jesus teaches to do just the opposite of the religious leaders by not being proud leaders and teachers, but by being humble servants of others. He says: “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” This is an example for all Christians as role models for Jesus.
• In this passage (23:13-36) Jesus pronounces a list of woes, condemning the religious leaders. How may woes are there? List a few that stand out to you, and why.
  • There are eight woes
  • An example summarization: They shut off the kingdom of heaven to others; they devour widows’ houses; they use long prayers for pretense; they turn proselytes into worse people then themselves; they swear by the gold of the Temple instead of the Temple; they swear by the offerings instead of the alter it represents; they revere tithes and gifts more than justice, mercy and faith; they clean the outside things when inside they are dirty/wicked. In addition, because of their actions, they honor those who murdered the prophets though they say they would not have done the same, but they do the same and do not realize it.
  • These all stand out because it shows their hypocrisy, and yet there are many Christians who live as hypocrits today. We must constantly examine our lives before condemning others.

5.  (Matthew 23:37-24:51) In this section Jesus grieves over Jerusalem and begins an important teaching on “End-Times” and His ultimate return…

Lament over Jerusalem

³⁷ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. ³⁸ Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! ³⁹ For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Signs of Christ’s Return

24 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. ² And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

³ As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. ⁵ For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. ⁶ You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. ⁸ But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

⁹ “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. ¹⁰ At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. ¹² Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. ¹⁴ This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Perilous Times

¹⁵ “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), ¹⁶ then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. ¹⁸ Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. ¹⁹ But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰ But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. ²¹ For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. ²² Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. ²³ Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. ²⁴ For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ Behold, I have told you in advance. ²⁶ So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. ²⁷ For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. ²⁸ Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

The Glorious Return

²⁹ “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

Parable of the Fig Tree

³² “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; ³³ so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. ³⁴ Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

³⁶ “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. ³⁷ For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. ³⁸ For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰ Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

Be Ready for His Coming

⁴² “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. ⁴³ But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶ Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. ⁴⁷ Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸ But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; ⁵⁰ the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, ⁵¹ and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 23:37-24:51 (NASB)

• As Jesus grieves over Jerusalem He heads to the Mount of Olives with His disciples. At this point His disciples ask Him: “When will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and the end of the age?” Make a list of the things Jesus says will happen in advance and what He tells them to watch for (24:4-25).
  • Jesus gives a few things to aware of and watching for in order to discern the times of the end:
    • See to it no one misleads you, or says that they come in Jesus’ Name
    • We will hear of wars and rumors of wars
    • Do not be frightened when we hear these things
    • Nation will rise against Nation
    • There will be famines and earthquakes
    • All these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs
    • Believers will be delivered up to tribulation and killed and hated because of Jesus’ Name
    • Many false prophets will arise and mislead many
    • The one who endures to the end will be saved
    • This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached to the whole world and then the end will come
    • When the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, as spoken of through the prophet Daniel, is seen standing the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains
    • There will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will
    • God will cut those days short for the sake of the elect
    • Again, He emphasizes: False Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect
    • Jesus tells us that He has told us in advance

• What does Jesus then say will happen immediately leading up to His return, and at His return (24:26-35)?
  • Jesus says it will happen quickly: “For just as the lightening comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
  • He also says the following will happen immediately after the tribulation of those day:
    • The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken
    • The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the tribes of the earth will morn
    • They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory
    • He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other
  • Other studies in the book of Revelation along with Old Testament prophets such as Daniel, Ezekiel and Zechariah may help connect this teaching.

• What does Jesus specifically tell us about His return and how it compares to the days of Noah (12:36-41)? Discuss: Jesus ends this description with a warning (12:42-51): How should we be prepared for our LORD’s return (or our meeting the LORD before that time), and how it relates to a faithful versus an evil servant?
  • Jesus says, in verse 36, “But of that day. And hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” This is very important to remember so as to not get caught up in false teachings, prophecies or predictions – we should only stay true to what Scripture says.
  • Jesus also says, just as in the days of Noah will be the coming of the Son of Man. In making this statement Jesus confirms the truths of Noah and the worldwide flood that was a result of God’s punishment of the wicked of that day, and which also foreshadowed the final punishment of the wicked in the end of days. Jesus said people would not be aware, nor believe, that the end was coming and it would take them by surprise, as it did then.
  • Discussion answer may vary, but could include…
    • We must be alert and know what Scripture teaches
    • The Son of Man will come at an hour we do not think will happen
    • We should ask ourselves: If Jesus came tonight, what would he find us doing? Will he find a faithful servant, or a hypocrite?

Join us next week as we continue our “Case for the Gospels!”

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in!  Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

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Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15