Transcript Fig Tree

Sea of Galilee
Menorah
Josephus describes the menorah as "made of gold but constructed on a different pattern from those we
use in ordinary life. Affixed to a pedestal was a central shaft, from which there extended slender
branches, arranged trident-fashion, a wrought lamp being attached to the extremity of each branch; of
these there were seven, indicating the honor paid to the number among the Jews" (War 7.148-50).
Temple Scroll
Blocks from Herodian Temple
Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus Awareness of Rejection
Jesus’ Cup and Baptism
Mark 10:38: Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us
whatever we ask." 36 "What do you want me to do for you?"
he asked. 37 They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and
the other at your left in your glory." 38 "You don't know what
you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or
be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?“
What does Jesus say about his death in this passage?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus Awareness of Rejection
Rejected Stone
Mark 12:10-11: Have you not you read this scripture: "The
stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 11
the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”
(Psalm 118:22-23)?
Luke 20:18: He who falls on this stone will be broken to
pieces, and he on whom it falls will be crushed.
How does Jesus use the Old Testament to interpret his coming
death?
Question
What are the ways in which Jesus expresses his awareness
of the rejection of him and his message of the Kingdom of
God?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus’ Condemnation of his Generation
Uncooperative Children
Luke 7:31-35: To what, then, can I compare the people of
this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like
children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one
other: "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.” 33 For John the
Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and
you say, “He has a demon.” 34 The Son of Man came
eating and drinking, and you say, “Here is a glutton and a
drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” 35 But
wisdom is proved right by all her children.
What is Jesus’ evaluation of his generation? What is the
simile that he uses?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus’ Condemnation of his Generation
Guilty of Righteous Blood
Matt 23:34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise
men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify;
others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town
to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous
blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of
righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah,
whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar. 36 I
tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.
What does Jesus say about his generation?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus’ Condemnation of his Generation
Missing the Significance of the Present
Luke 12:54 He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud
rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and
it does. 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's
going to be hot,' and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to
interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it
that you don't know how to interpret this present time?
Matt 16:2 He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will
be fair weather, for the sky is red,' 3 and in the morning,
'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You
know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you
cannot interpret the signs of the times.
What is the nature of Jesus’ criticism of his generation in
these sayings?
Question
In what ways does Jesus criticize his generation for its
rejection of him and his message of the Kingdom of God?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
The Destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem
Fig Tree Cut Down
Luke 13:6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree,
planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but
did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the
vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for
fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why
should it use up the soil?' 8 "'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it
alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9
If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"
What is Jesus’ point in this parable?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
The Destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem
House Abandoned
Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the
prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to
gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood
under her wings, and you would not have it. 35 Behold, your
house is left to you desolate; and I say to you, you will not see
me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is he who
comes in the name of the Lord.”
What is the regret that Jesus expresses in this passage?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
The Destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem
Not Recognizing the Time of Visitation
Luke 19:41: When he approached Jerusalem, he saw the city
and wept over it, 42 saying, "If you had known in this day,
even you, the things that make for peace. But now they have
been hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon
you when your enemies will lay siege to you, and encircle you
and hem you in on every side. 44 They will raze you to the
ground, you and the children within you. They will not leave
one stone on another because you did not recognize the time
of your visitation
What does Jesus say will be the result of his generation’
rejection of “the things that make for peace”?
Question
According to Jesus what will the consequences be of his
generation’s rejection of him and the Kingdom of God?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Offer of the Kingdom of God Extended to Others
Giving the Vineyard to Others
Mark 12 1 He then began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a
vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a
watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on
a journey. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from
them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him and
sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then he sent another servant to them; they
struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 He sent still
another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they
beat, others they killed. 6 "He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He
sent him last of all, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 7 "But the tenants said
to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will
be ours.' 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the
vineyard. 9 "What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill
those tenants and give the vineyard to others.
What is the central point of this parable?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Offer of the Kingdom of God Extended to Others
A People who Produces Fruits of the Kingdom
Matt 21:42: I say to you that the Kingdom of God will be taken
from you and given to a people who produce its fruits.
To whom is the Kingdom of God to be offered?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Offer of the Kingdom of God Extended to Others
Banquet Still Held
Luke14:16 But He said to him, "A man was giving a big dinner, and
he invited many; 17 and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say
to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready
now.' 18 "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one
said to him, 'I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and
look at it; please consider me excused.' 19 "Another one said, 'I
have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out;
please consider me excused.' 20 "Another one said, 'I have
married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.' 21 "And the
slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of
the household became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once
into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and
crippled and blind and lame.'
What is Jesus’ point in this parable?
Question
What happens to the offer of the Kingdom of God when it is
rejected by Jesus’ generation?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus’ Community
Simon the Rock
Matt 16:13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he
asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They
replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others,
Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 "But what about you?" he
asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are
the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are
you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and
blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are
Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades
will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of
Heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he
warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
What does Jesus say about the “church” in this passage? What is
the relationship between the church and the Kingdom of Heaven?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus’ Community
New Covenant
Jer 31:31 Behold, days are coming," declares Yahweh, "when
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with
the house of Judah…
Luke 22:20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup,
saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is
poured out for you.”
How does Jesus interpret Jeremiah’s “new covenant”?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus’ Community
To All Nations
Matt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age."
To whom does Jesus now send his disciples?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus’ Community
Giving of the Spirit
Luke 24:29: "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of my
Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are
clothed with power from on high.”
What does Jesus say about the giving of the Spirit? How
does this relate to what John the Baptist said about the one
who would come after him?
Question
What is Jesus’ community and how does it relate to the
Kingdom of God?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus and the Future
Israel’s Future Hope
Luke 22:14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles
reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, "I have
eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I
suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds
fulfillment in the Kingdom of God….18 For I tell you I will
not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of
God comes."
What is Jesus’ view of Israel’s future hope?
The Kingdom of God in a Rejection Context
Jesus and the Future
Events at the End
Mark 13:24: But in those days, following that distress, the sun
will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the
stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be
shaken.' 26 At that time men will see the son of man coming
in clouds with great power and glory.
What does Jesus foresee as happening in the future?
Question
What does Jesus foresee with respect to the future?
Kingdom of God in Rejection Context