Winter-Spring 33 AD Withdrawal from Jerusalem to Bethany
Because of the increasing hostility in Jerusalem, Jesus escaped from them and went beyond the Jordan River, to the place where John had where John began his ministry of baptism (John 10:40-42). This area was probably east and northeast of the Sea of Galilee. Teaching Eternal Life
As Jesus went about traveling toward Jerusalem, teaching, He spoke of eternal life. He said that many people would seek to enter heaven unsuccessfully, more would be lost than saved (Luke 13:22-24). Many of the Gentiles, and some Jews, will be saved, through their faith in Jesus Christ, but many Jews, as well as Gentiles, will be lost, and spend eternity without God. When these unbelieving hypocrites see the Old Testament prophets in the kingdom of God, and they find themselves being cast out, there will be inconsolable grief and unrelenting torment (Luke 13:28-30). Warning From Herod
That same day some Pharisees came to Jesus and advised Him to leave, because Herod would kill Him. Jesus told them to go tell Herod, calling him a fox, that He needed to travel that day, the next day, and the following day, because it could not be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. Nothing could prevent Jesus from His planned visit to Jerusalem, and He would go there on His own terms (Luke 13:31-33). Jesus knew the people in Jerusalem had rejected Him, yet He wept for them, knowing they would eventually be judged for that rejection (Luke 13:34-35).
Healing Man with Dropsy on Sabbath
Jesus was invited to the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat on the Sabbath day, and there was a man there who had dropsy. Dropsy is an old name that today is known as Edema, this is a collection of fluid in the tissues of the skin. Jesus healed the man, while pointing out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who would rescue an animal that had fallen into a ditch on the Sabbath but would condemn Him for helping this man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6).
Jesus continued His teaching while in Perea, teaching humility (Luke 14:1-11) telling about Israel's rejection of God and the call of the Gentiles (Luke 14:15-24) and that those who would be disciples should count the cost (Luke 14:25-35).
As everyone drew near Jesus to hear Him, the Pharisees and scribes complained because Jesus would sit with, and eat with sinners. So Jesus spoke to them in parables (Luke 15:1-3). He gave the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7; Matthew 18:12-14) a parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10), and a parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). These parables are about going to the lost and those that have gone astray, to show them the truths of God, instead of the self righteous. Jesus is teaching them why He sat and ate with the sinners (Luke 5:32).
To the disciples, Jesus gave the parable of the unjust steward. This parable shows that we are stewards of God. Everything we have belongs to God, and it is our responsibility, as His children, to use all His resources wisely (Luke 16:1-13). We are stewards of God's possessions and one day we will give an account for how we have used the things God shared with us.
Then, Lazarus died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom. Abraham's bosom was the place of dead who are saved, it is also called "paradise" (Luke 23:43). The rich man also died and was buried, and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment. He saw Lazarus in paradise and cried, " Father Abraham have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue, because he was tormented in the flames." Abraham replied, "Son, remember in your life you received the good things and Lazarus the evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides, there is a great gulf fixed between us so that we can't go from here to you, nor can anyone there come to this side." (Luke 16:22-26). This refutes the idea of purgatory --whichever place you go to will be where you stay.Then the rich man asked for Lazarus to be sent to his fathers house, where his five brothers lived, so he could tell them about this place, so they wouldn't go there when they died. Abraham told him that they have Moses and the prophets and to let them hear them. The rich man protested that if they heard from someone who came to them from the dead they would repent. Abraham responded that if they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, neither would they listen to one who came from the dead (Luke 16:27-31).
We can see from this that at death we will not be annihilated, but will be conscious. While we are alive in this world we have God's Word, the Holy Bible, and Moses and the prophets can speak to us through that, as well. Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again, to pay for our sins. He is the only way to heaven.
This is a different Lazarus from the one in the previous story. This Lazarus was the brother of Mary, the Mary that anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair. When Her brother became sick, Mary and Martha sent for Jesus, telling Him the one He loved was sick (John 11:l-3).
When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He said it wasn't meant to be for a permanent death, but for the glory of God. Jesus had been ministering in Perea and it was four days before He arrived in Bethany, where Lazarus was (John 11:4-6). When Jesus arrived, He was told that He had waited too long, that Lazarus was now dead. Jesus said, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. . . " Jesus asked where Lazarus was and they took Him to the tomb. Jesus had them take away the stone. Then Jesus called, "Lazarus, come forth." Lazarus then came out of the tomb bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was bound with a napkin. Jesus told them to loose him, and let him go (John 11:7-44).
Some of the people that had seen Lazarus raised from the dead went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. The Pharisees gathered a council to decide what to do about Jesus. They knew that Jesus had performed many miracles and that if they let Him alone everyone would believe in Him. Then the Romans would come and take away their rights, freedoms, and positions in the nation of Israel and the nation also (John 11:45-48).
Then Caiaphas, who was the high priest that same year, said that it was expedient for them that one man should die for the people, that the whole nation would not perish. From that day on the Jews took council to put him to death. Jesus then went into an area near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with the disciples (John 11:48-54). The leaders of Israel were plotting to keep their nation and rejecting the kingdom that God had promised them.
On His way to Jerusalem Jesus was asked for help by ten lepers. He healed them from a distance. Jesus told them to show themselves to the priests, and on their way they were healed. Nine of these lepers were Jews, and if they had gone back and showed the priest they were healed, the priest could explain away one case of healing but certainly not nine (Luke 17:11-14).
Only the Samaritan came back and thanked Jesus for what He had done. This was typical of most of the leaders and Jewish people, they were willing to accept Him as one who could heal and feed them, but not willing to accept Him as the Messiah. The Samaritan and others outside the nation of Israel were responding to Jesus as the Messiah (Luke 17:15-19).
Pharisees Ask About the Kingdom
Next, the Pharisees demanded of Jesus to know when the kingdom of God would come. Jesus said that the kingdom of God does not come with outward show but the kingdom of God is within the midst of you (Luke 17:20-21). The kingdom of God was present within them, since the King was present and a group of citizens, represented by His disciples. Jesus will one day soon return with the Church to set up His kingdom on earth. In Mark 1:15 Jesus announced that the kingdom of God is at hand and this because the King was present. But, He continued in John 18:36, that His kingdom was not of this world.
A wealthy ruler came to Jesus and wanted to know how to inherit eternal life. Jesus mentioned five commandments that involved man's relationship to man. The young ruler said that he had kept these from his youth up. The young ruler was then told to give all he had to the poor, and the young man then was sorrowful. The young ruler failed to recognize that all his good works and keeping the law would not get him into the kingdom of God. Jesus continued by telling him that riches hindered ones entrance into the kingdom of God. Many times riches distract one from the important things in life and away from their spiritual needs. This makes it difficult, but not impossible, for a rich man to be saved (Luke 18:18-30; Matthew 19:16-20:16; Mark 10:17-31).
Jesus Foretells Death and Resurrection
Jesus now proceeds to Jerusalem with His disciples, who were afraid. Jesus began to tell them of things that should happen to Him next. He told them that the Son of man, Jesus Himself, would be delivered to the chief priests and scribes. They would condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles. They would mock Him, scourge Him, spit on Him, and kill Him, but on the third day He would rise again. These sayings were hidden from the disciples, they did not understand anything that was spoken at this time (Mark 10:32-34; Matthew 20:17-28; Luke 18:31-34).
As Jesus was leaving Jericho, He was with His disciples and a large number of people. He came upon Blind Bartimaeus. Blind Bartimaeus was sitting by the road begging and when he heard the commotion, and that it was Jesus passing by, he began to cry out calling him the Son of David, the King who would sit on David's throne forever, the Messiah. Jesus heard him and asked what he desired. Bartimaeus replied that he wanted his sight. Jesus told him to go his way his faith had made him whole, and he immediately received his sight and followed Jesus (Mark 10:46-52).
Zacchaeus was a rich tax collector for the Roman government and a Pharisee would have nothing to do with such people. However, Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). Because he was small, Zacchaeus climbed a tree so he could see Jesus. Jesus looked up and saw him and told him to come down because today He would go to Zacchaeus' house (Luke 19:2-5). Those present murmured because Jesus was going to be guest at the house of a sinner. As a Roman tax collector, Zacchaeus and his fellow tax collectors routinely extracted more in taxes than was required by law, and pocketed the proceeds. Zacchaeus stood up and said that he would give half of what he owned to the poor and repay fourfold all he had wronged. This is similar to what Jesus had asked the rich young ruler to do in Luke 18:22. Jesus then said to him that today salvation has come to this house (Luke 19:6-10).
Jesus was now nearing the time of the cross so it was necessary that he soon go to Jerusalem. His disciples believed that the kingdom of God should immediately appear, and Jesus wanted to get rid of any disappointment they might have, so He spoke to them in a parable (Luke 19:11).
He told about a nobleman that went into a distant country to receive a kingdom and to return. This is a picture of Jesus. He had ten servants he gave ten pounds and told them to trade until he returned. When he returned he called them to account, and gave them rewards in his kingdom, according to their faithfulness while he was gone. Likewise, those who are faithful with what Jesus has given them, will be rewarded in His coming kingdom (Luke 19:12-27).
This parable can be used to teach a lot of things but the primary purpose of the parable was so the disciples could understand that the kingdom was not going to be set up at this time.
Events in the Final Week of the Life of Jesus Christ