Journey to Jerusalem

Teaching About Divorce

(Mt 19:1-12; Mk 10:1-12)

19:1When Jesus finished, he left Galilee and went into the hills of Judaea on the other side of the Jordan. Again ²big crowds followed him, and he healed them there. As usual he was teaching them.

³Pharisees came to him, testing him, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife for any reason whatever?”

³He answered, “What did Moses command you?”

⁴“Moses allowed a husband to WRITE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND DIVORCE HER” [Deut 24:1].

⁴He answered, “You’ve read, haven’t you, that ever since the creation the creator ‘MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE’? [Gen 1:27; 5:2] ⁵So, ‘A MAN IS TO LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE PHYSICAL UNIT’ [Gen 2:24]. ⁶So, they’re no longer two but one. What God has united, people are not to separate.”

⁷They said, “Why then did Moses command ‘TO GIVE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND DIVORCE HER’?” [Deut 24:1]

⁸“Because you’re hardhearted, Moses let you divorce your wives, but ever since the beginning it’s not been that way. ⁹Whoever divorces his wife—except for sexual immorality—and marries someone else, is committing adultery.”

¹⁰In the house the disciples asked him about this again.

¹¹“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. ¹²If a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

¹⁰His disciples said, “If that’s the way a man’s relationship is with his wife, it’s better not to get married.”

¹¹Jesus said, “Not everybody can live that way—only those who have that gift. ¹²Some are eunuchs from birth, some are made eunuchs by men, and some have made themselves eunuchs because of the kingdom of heaven. Let him accept it who can accept it.”

Jesus and the Little Children

(Mt 19:13-15; Mk 10:13-16; Lk 18:15-17)

¹³At that time people were bringing little children and even babies to Jesus so he could touch them and lay hands on them and pray. When the disciples saw it, they fussed at them.

¹⁶But Jesus invited them, ¹⁴“Let the little children alone. Don’t keep them from coming to me. The kingdom of heaven is made up of people like them. I’m telling you, ¹⁵whoever doesn’t welcome God’s kingdom like a little child, certainly won’t get in it.” ¹⁶He took them in his arms and laid hands on them, and left.

The Rich Young Ruler

(Mt 19:16-22; Mk 10:17-22; Lk 18:18-23)

¹⁷As he was going out to the road, an official ran and knelt in front of him and asked, “Good ¹⁶Rabbi, what good thing am I to do to have eternal life?”

¹⁸Jesus said, “Why are you calling me good? God’s the only One that’s good. ¹⁷Why are you asking me about what’s good? You know the commandments.”

¹⁸”Which ones?”

Jesus said, “‘DON’T MURDER, COMMIT ADULTERY, STEAL, LIE, or swindle’; ¹⁹‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER’ [Ex 29:12-16; Deut 5:16-20]; ‘LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF’” [Lev 19:18].

²⁰The young man said, “I’ve kept all of these since I was a boy. What do I still need to do?”

²¹Jesus looked at him and liked him, “If you want to be perfect, ²²there’s one thing left for you to do. Sell what you have and give the money out to the poor, and you’ll have treasure in heaven; and come with me.”

²²When the young man heard this, he was shocked, and went away discouraged because he was really rich.

The Peril of Wealth

(Mt 19:23-30; Mk 10:23-31; Lk 18:24-30)

²⁴When he saw him so sad, Jesus said to his disciples, ²³“It’s hard for a rich man to get in the kingdom of heaven.”

²⁴The disciples were surprised he said that. But Jesus said it again, “Children, it’s so hard to get into God’s kingdom. ²⁵It’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to get in God’s kingdom.”

²⁶The ones that were listening ²⁶were surprised even more, and said to one another, “So who can be saved?”

²⁷Jesus looked at them and said, “It’s not possible with people, but it is with God. Everything’s possible with him.”

²⁸Peter spoke up, “We’ve left everything to follow you.”

He said to them,

²⁸“In the next world when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you that have followed me will sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹Everybody that has left behind a home, a wife, brothers, sisters, parents, children, or fields for my sake and God’s kingdom, will receive houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields a hundred times over with persecution in this time and eternal life in the age to come. Many last will be first; and first, last.”

Parable of Laborers in a Vineyard

(Mt 20:1-16)

20:1“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner that went out early to hire workers for his vineyard. ²He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day, and sent them to his vineyard. ³About nine o’clock he went out and saw some other men standing idle in the market place, ⁴‘You go to my vineyard too, and I’ll pay you what’s right.’ ⁵At noon and one o’clock, he did the same thing. ⁶About five o’clock he found some more standing around, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’

⁷“‘Nobody’s hired us.’

“‘You go to my vineyard too.’

⁸“That evening, he told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them from last to first.’ ⁹When the five o’clock men came, they got a denarius apiece. ¹⁰When the first men came, they thought they’d get more; but they got a denarius too. ¹¹They complained, ¹²’These last hires worked an hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden and scorching heat of the day.’

¹³“The landowner answered one of them, ‘Friend, I’ve been fair with you. Didn’t you agree to a denarius? ¹⁴Take what’s yours and go. I want to pay this last fellow what I paid you. ¹⁵Can’t I do what I want to with what’s mine? Are you jealous because I’m generous?’ 16 In this way, the last will be first; and the first, last.”

Another Prediction of His Death

(Mt 20:17-19; Mk 10:32-34; Lk 18:31-34)

³²On the way up to Jerusalem, Jesus was ahead of them. They were wondering what was going to happen, and the ones following were afraid. He took the twelve disciples aside again and explained to them what was about to happen: ³¹“We’re going to Jerusalem to accomplish everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man. ¹⁹He’ll be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, and they’ll condemn him to death. They’ll turn him over to the Gentiles. They’ll make fun of him, spit on him, and abuse him. ³³When they’ve flogged him, they’ll crucify him. Three days later he’ll resurrect.”

³⁴They didn’t understand any of this; it was hidden from them; they couldn’t make sense of it.

James and John’s Request for Rank

(Mt 20:20-28; Mk 10:35-45)

²⁰Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came with her sons, bowed down, and asked him for something.

²¹“What do you want?”

“Say that my two sons will sit on your right and left hand in your kingdom.”

²²Jesus answered, “Youpl don’t know what you’re asking. Can you drink the cup that I’m about to drink, or be baptized with the baptism I’m baptized with?”

“Yes.”

²³“You’ll drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism I’m baptized with. But I don’t decide who sits on my right and left hand. They’re the ones my Father prepared it for.”

²⁴When the ten heard it, they were indignant over what James and John had done.

²⁵Jesus called them over to him,

“You know the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones act like tyrants toward them. ²⁶It’s not that way with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant, ²⁷and whoever wants to be first among you will be your slave—²⁸just like the Son of Man didn’t come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Healing Two Blind Men at Jericho

(Mt 20:29-34; Mk 10:46-52; Lk 18:35-43)

⁴⁶They came to Jericho. As he, his disciples, and a sizable crowd were leaving the city, Bartimaeus [“son of Timaeus”], a beggar, and another blind man were sitting by the road, begging. When they heard a crowd go by, they asked what was going on. People told them Jesus the Nazarene was going by.

They yelled out, “Jesus, have mercy on us, Lord, son of David.”

The people out in front ³¹sternly told them to be quiet, but they yelled louder, “Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David.”

Jesus heard them and ⁴⁹ stopped, and said, “Call them over here.”

They called the blind men, “It’s okay; get up; he’s calling you.”

Bartimaeus ⁵⁰threw his cloak aside and jumped up, and they came to Jesus.

“When they got there, Jesus asked them, ³²“What do youpl want me to do for you?”

³³“Lord, make us able to see again.”

³⁴Jesus was sympathetic and touched their eyelids, “Receive your sight.” Immediately they could see again. “Go, your faith has made you able to see again.”

They went with him on the road, ⁴³glorifying God. When the people saw it, they praised God.

Jesus and Zacchaeus

(Lk 19:1-10)

^19:1He was passing through Jericho. ²A rich tax collector named Zacchaeus ³wanted to see who Jesus was, but he couldn’t because of the crowd; he was too short. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree, because Jesus was heading that way. ⁵When Jesus got to the spot, he looked up, “Zacchaeus, hurry and climb down. I need to stay at your house today.” ⁶He hurried and climbed down and welcomed him happily.

⁷When people saw it, they started grumbling, “He’s going in to be a guest with a sinner.”

⁸Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Half of what I own, sir, I’m going to give to the poor. If I’ve cheated anybody on anything, I’ll repay it four times over.”

⁹Jesus said in regard to him, “Salvation has come to this house today, because he’s a son of Abraham too. ¹⁰The Son of Man came to seek and save sinners.”

Parable of the Pounds

(Lk 19:11-29)

¹¹While he had their attention, he went on to tell a parable, because he was close to Jerusalem, and they were supposing God’s kingdom would appear right away.

¹²“A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom and come back. ¹³He called ten servants and passed out ten minas, ‘Do business with these till I get back.’

¹⁴“His citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, ‘We don’t want this man to rule us.’ ¹⁵When he got back from receiving the kingdom, he had the servants called that he gave the silver to, so he could find out what business they’d conducted.

¹⁶“The first came up, ‘Sir, your mina has made ten more.’

¹⁷“‘You did well, good servant. Since you’ve been reliable in a small matter, take responsibility for ten cities.’

¹⁸“The second came, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’

¹⁹“‘Be over five cities.’

²⁰“Another servant came, ‘Sir, here’s your mina that I’ve kept in a handkerchief. ²¹I was afraid of you, because you’re an exacting man. You pick up what you didn’t lay down and reap what you didn’t sow.’

²²“‘I’ll judge you out of your own mouth, you worthless servant. You knew, did you, that I’m an exacting man, picking up what I didn’t lay down and reaping what I didn’t sow? ²³Why didn’t you put my silver in the bank? When I got back, I would’ve collected it plus interest.’

²⁴“He said to the bystanders, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one that has ten.’

²⁵“‘Sir, he has ten.’

²⁶“‘I’m telling you, everybody that has will be given, and the one that doesn’t have will lose even what he does have. ²⁷But, bring these enemies that didn’t want me to rule them and put them to death in front of me.’”

²⁸After he said this, he took the lead on the way up to Jerusalem.