Mount of Olives Discourse

Mount of Olives Discourse

• Jesus' disciples asked him about the timing and signs of future events on the Mount of Olives.
• The lengthy reply included references to the Jewish wars against Rome in A.D. 66-70 and 115-117.
• The reply also included Jesus' Second Coming.
• Jesus will return in glory to judge the world.
• The discourse ended with the description of the Son of Man's coming in glory, with angels.
• He will sit on a glorious throne in order to gather and separate all nations.
• People will be separated like a shepherd separates sheep from goats.
• The sheep will be put on the right and the goats on the left.
• The King will reward those who helped when he was in need.
• The generous will ask when they helped and he will respond that helping the least of his brethren helped him.
• Those who refused help when needed did not do it for him.
• Concluding, Jesus stated that those who are righteous will go to eternal life and those not will receive eternal punishment.

The Betrayer

• The priests and Jewish men of influence met in Caiaphas' palace to plot Jesus' death.
• They agreed they were required to seize him with caution.
• They feared his followers could fight to save him.
• Judas offered to deliver Jesus to them after waiting outside the council chamber.
• This was what they needed and it was someone close to Jesus, who knew how to hand him over safely.

Parable Teachings

• The parable calls to the conversion of everyone.
• This includes those whose sins are notorious.
• The parable is a call to those whose interior sins of envy and resentment gnaw at their hearts.
• The parable is a call to those challenged to show mercy rather than demand that others pay for their wrongdoing.
• The parable is a timeless metaphor for the readiness of our Father in Heaven to forgive His erring, repentant children.

Parable of The Wicked Tenants

• It is among the parables where Jesus reproaches the Jewish authorities for rejecting him.
• The parable was delivered to the chief priests and Pharisees in Jerusalem.
• The parable occurred shortly before Jesus' arrest, trial, and ultimate execution.
• A landowner leased a vineyard to tenants and went to a distant country.
• At harvest, the landowner sent servants to collect his share, but the wicked tenants beat, killed, and stoned them.
• The landowner sent more servants, but they suffered the same fate.
• The landowner sends his son, but the tenants murder him to have his inheritance.
• The owner symbolizes God, the tenants symbolize the Jewish authorities, and the servants are the Old Testament prophets.
• Jesus uses the parable to question what the owner will do to the tenants.
• His listeners uneasily answered that "they would put those tenants to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants."

Trial and Crucifixion

• The crowd threatened Pilate
• Pilate felt like he was losing control so gave up Jesus
• Pilate ostentatiously washed his hands in a basin of water.
• Before the execution Pilate wrote an inscription to be put around Jesus' neck:
• It called Jesus "The King of the Jews"
• The Jews grumbled but Pilate insisted
• The chief priests were ecstatic that they killed Jesus
• Judas burst in with "I have betrayed innocent blood"
• Caiaphas said "What is that to us?"
• Judas flung down 30 pieces of silver
• The priests were too scrupulous to put the blood money in the treasury
• They bought a potter's field for the burial of strangers
• Jesus staggered towards his execution site, weighed down by the cross beam.
• Due to him falling, Simon from Cyrene (Libya) was made to help carry the cross beam.

Lazarus

• Mary wept at Jesus' feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
• Jesus wept with her.
• Jesus told them to take away the stone from Lazarus' tomb.
• Martha stated that there would be an odor because Lazarus had been dead four days.
• Jesus ordered and they rolled back the stone.
• With a prayer Jesus called, "Lazarus, come out."
• Lazarus, still wrapped in his burial cloths, emerged living from the tomb.

The Sanhedrin's Plan

• Having learned about the miracle in Bethany, the high priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin.
• They considered their options with the new development, fearing that his followers would garner support and begin an uprise
• Caiaphas took charge and stated one man should die so the whole nation would not perish and he would die for the people.
• John wrote that they took counsel to put him to death.

The Transfiguration Event

• Peter, James, and John went with Jesus to Mount Hermon to pray
• Jesus' appearance changed and his clothing became dazzling white.
• Moses and Elijah appeared, speaking about Jesus' exodus to be accomplished at Jerusalem
• Peter and those saw his glory with the two men.
• As the men were parting from him, Peter sought to build three booths for Jesus, Moses and Elijah
• He did not know what he said.
• A cloud came and overshadowed them and a voice called out and spoke
• "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!".
• When the voice had spoken, Jesus was alone
• The Transfiguration took place in prayer, giving a glimpse into the heart of Jesus' own prayer.
• Pope Benedict called the Transfiguration the profound interpenetration of Jesus' being with God, as well as about his unique mission as Messiah-Redeemer.
• Moses and Elijah represent the law and the prophets.

Redemption Throught Embracing The Father's Will

• Embracing the Father's will caused Jesus to accomplish our redemption.
• The centurion declared "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
• It was the day of Preparation so, because the impending Sabbath was a major feast, the Jews wanted to make sure that the bodies were not left hanging on the cross.
• Pilate ordered that the legs of the three crucified men be broken.
• The soldiers broke the robbers' legs.
• To be sure, they pierced Jesus' side with a spear and water and blood flowed out.
• Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus brought myrrh and aloes to bury Jesus.
• They wrapped Jesus' body in linen cloths with spices, put him in the tomb, and put a stone in front of the entrance
• The priests left in silence and sorrow.

Satan's Temptation of Jesus

• Satan proposed to Jesus to worship him, offering the kingdoms of world in return for the worship.
• The truth was: You shall worship the Lord your God
• Angels came and ministered to Jesus and Luke reports Satan departed until opportune time.
• Jesus was tempted with food to sway him from suffering in the desert.
• Victory over this temptation is the supreme act of obedience for his father.

Jesus' Temptation Lessons

• The main conflict is not against flesh and blood but against principalities.