Tuesday's Learning and Questions

Tuesday we didn't talk about as much in class, so we'll see how this goes :)

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On this Tuesday approximately 2000 years ago........

(this section happened the day before)
¹² The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.


(this happened on that Tuesday)

The Withered Fig Tree

 ²⁰ In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. ²¹ Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

   ²² “Have^[f] faith in God,” Jesus answered. ²³ “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ²⁵ And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.^[g]”

......and then......

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

 ²⁷ They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. ²⁸ “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

 ²⁹ Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ³⁰ John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!”

 ³¹ They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘From men’…” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)

 ³³ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

   Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Okay then.... wow!  He actually was questioned several more times after this, but I figured you may not want or have time to read them (if you want to, go to Mark 12).  Do you hear the wisdom rolling out of him?  I think it's amazing how he says it it seems without having to think about it, while the Priests thought for a while, contemplating these things.  Ha :)

So the disciples are standing there while Jesus says, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!".   This was probably seen by them as just an expression of being frustrated, kinda like of us saying "Darn it" or, in Jesus' case "Stupid fig tree.  It won't have fruit for anyone else again.".  So when the disciples heard that, they probably didn't think much about it.  But when they walk by again the next day and it is withered, they are thinking,  as my youngest brother would say, "We are messing with the real deal."  

And, if I trust God enough, I could tell a mountain to jump in the ocean and it would do it.  That's ridiculous and would take an amazing amount faith.  Wow.  I don't feel like that faith is even fathomable to me.  Later on, he is questioned about his authority which was really a trick question.  And he replies with something I could, of  course, never come up with: another question.  Not only another question, but a good one.  And again, it just comes out of him, straight from God.  I think this really shows how close he is to God and God to him: they and the Holy Spirit are ONE.  So then people are in awe of Jesus, and the Priests are shamed and walk away quietly, probably afraid to do anything else for fear of embarrassment.  But secretly, they are plotting to kill Jesus: they want an end to this blasphemy-er.  

Ah, and this is where our story concludes for the evening.....

Until tomorrow....

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EDIT: i forgot a VERY important turn in the story: Tuesday is also the day that Judas contracts to betray Jesus.  So Judas, who was tempted with the amount of money offered, decided to betray Jesus 


Mark 14

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. ¹¹ They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Also, Tuesday (which apparently was a very busy day) was when the woman poured perfume on Jesus' feet, and it was very expensive perfume.  How did she know it was preparing him for his burial?? This puzzles me....  Anyways, right after this Judas went and betrayed Jesus :)

**If you are wondering why I put a happy face after that incredibly sad betrayal note, its because I'm very sad for Jesus and God, but very happy for his plan and my being saved :)  So I suppose I owe Judas a thank you....... but I think I may still be holding a grudge against him..... ;)**