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Jesus-Preparing for His Entry to Jerusalem
June 6, 2020

In our study of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, we are coming ever closer to the time of His crucifixion. It was the raising from the dead of Lazarus, a dear friend of Jesus, that spurred the Pharisees and Chief Priests to design the final plot to kill Jesus. Because of this, Jesus was purposely avoiding contact with the people of Judea because it was not yet His time to die. He found himself in Galilee and Samaria and came across ten lepers.

Up until recent times, Leprosy was a feared disease, almost as much as COVID-19 is feared at the present time or HIV was feared a few years ago. Caused by a bacteria, leprosy can be easily cured today and the World Health Organization provides free medication to people who have leprosy, and during the last twenty years, more than sixteen million people were quietly cured. Before the modern era, no cure that man could make existed and people with leprosy were isolated from society living in separate colonies. The remnant of one of these colonies sits on an isolated part of the island of Molokai in the state of Hawaii.

Today, isolation is no longer needed, and even Jesus came across people with leprosy during His time on earth. As He entered a village He was met by ten men who had leprosy, who respectfully kept their distance and asked that Jesus have mercy on them. Jesus told these men to go show themselves to the priests, who during this time would decide if they had leprosy or not. By the time they came to the priests, they had already been healed, and they were healed not only because Jesus had mercy on them, but because they acted in faith going to the priests at the word of Jesus. One of the ten, a Samaritan, who had been healed returned to Jesus and with a loud voice gave glory to God falling down in reverence before Jesus giving thanks. Jesus brought to this man’s attention and to all who read this account that only one of the ten returned to give glory to God and to give thanks making a point that it was faith that had healed this man.

Luke 17:11-19
And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

During His time on earth, Jesus frequently reminded people not to trust in themselves that they were righteous. When people see themselves as righteous, they have no need for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. These same people also are more likely to look down on other people who they see as sinners or somehow unworthy of salvation. Because we do not know how or when God the father may be drawing somebody to Jesus Christ, we are not in a place to judge or despise other people.

Jesus gave the example of a Pharisee and publican, a tax collector, who went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee saw himself as above other people and even looked down on the publican who was also at the temple and even mentioned how he fasted and tithed. For Christians who hold fast to the weekly Sabbath and Christian Holy Days who see ourselves as the elect of God and called to be separate from this world, we cannot allow ourselves to fall into the trap of despising others, especially others who claim to be Christians who might observe Sunday and holidays like Easter and Christmas. While it is perfectly acceptable to be grateful for the Sabbath and Holy Days, it is not acceptable to despise others who do not observe. Instead of despising these people who may later persecute us, we need to have compassion on these people because at this time, God has not revealed these Biblical truths to them. There is a difference between gratitude for being called now and despising other people. In this parable, the Pharisee despised other people and saw these people as less than him.

The other person praying in the temple that day was the publican, the tax collector, who in praying to God the Father did not gaze up into heaven, did not proclaim his own goodness, did not show how other people were evil compared to him. This publican asked God to show mercy for his sins. Jesus then explained how the publican was justified and the Pharisee who saw himself as religious was not justified. Religious people can really go overboard explaining doctrines of justification. Here is what you need to know. When we are justified before God, the Greek word dikaioo, shows we are innocent before God. Being justified is like if a criminal trial were being held and you were found not guilty. Jesus shows us through this parable that if we humble ourselves before God as this publican did, we will be exalted, we will be found not guilty of sin and enter into eternal life. If we exalt ourselves before God, like the Pharisee did, and proclaim our own goodness while condemning other people, Jesus shows we will be abased, and in the parable this could only mean that we would be found guilty of sin, and in the judgment this verdict comes with a death sentence in the lake of fire.

Luke 18:9-14
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

As Jesus neared Jerusalem, it was clear in His mind that the people thought the Kingdom of God would be established immediately, and knowing this was not to be the case, Jesus taught a parable explaining that He would need to leave to a far country to claim His kingdom and that people would remain here on earth. In the parable, Jesus likened Himself to a ruler who gave a sum of money to each servant prior to his departure. This ruler after returning asked each servant to give an account of how they did with what they were given. The first servant grew the money ten times and was rewarded by being given authority over ten cities. The second servant grew the money five times and was given authority over five cities. The third servant did not grow the money at all which angered the ruler who explained at the very least, the servant should have deposited the money with bankers to earn interest. This person’s money was taken from him and given to the servant who grew his money the most.

Although this caused concern to the people hearing the parable, Jesus explained that people who have spiritual gifts will be given more gifts and those who do not grow spiritually will have taken away the gifts they were given. With this parable in mind, Jesus was at the entrance to Jerusalem and started ascending up to the gate.

Luke 19:11-28
And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds. For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

Jesus was ascending up to Jerusalem for the final time before His crucifixion.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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