If you knew you were being executed on Friday, how would you spend Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday? I admire Christ's steady courage and unflinching focus in this holy week.
Palm Sunday was Cheering Crowds, Monday was Cleansing the Temple, and Tuesday is Contending for the Truth.
The Lord’s cleansing of the Temple
was such an affront to the religious establishment that they attacked His
authority. Who do You think You are? What
gives You the right to do such things? (cf. Mark 11:27-28). Jesus spent Tuesday back in Jerusalem, confronting His critics and teaching
the Scriptures.
Of course they were no match for Jesus’ intellect or His spiritual
acumen. He ran rings around them. He exposed their hypocrisy (Mark 11:29-33), and
revealed their murderous intent in a parable (Mark 12:1-12).
Our Savior's commitment to preaching the Word even in the last hours of His life makes two things clear. First, even though He is the Word (John 1:1), Jesus relied upon the Scriptures as His authority. And second, the central message of the Scriptures is Christ Himself.
And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,“Sit at my right hand,until I put your enemies under your feet.”’David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?”
And the great throng heard him gladly. (Mark 11:35-37).
