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In this eighteenth installment expounding the book of Matthew, John Ritenbaugh observes that as Jesus Christ is walking toward Jerusalem in chapter 20, He is evidently deep in thought pondering the prophetic Psalms of his impending crucifixion, while His disciples, still largely carnal, concern themselves about more selfish and mundane things. The mother of His first cousins asked for the chief positions on His right and left hand, causing a furor among the other disciples. Jesus, gently rejecting apparent nepotistic expectations, suggested that conversion and qualification, rather than friendship or kinship, would determine positions of responsibility, adding that leadership constitutes becoming a servant and sacrificing self. True greatness or recognition does not lie in dominance, but in service. The essence of love is sacrifice. The cup we must all partake of is to submit to Christ, no matter where He takes us, whether through a grinding life of overcoming or outright martyrdom. The healing of the blind men and their reactions parallel our spiritual blindness as we are called. Like the blind men, we must aggressively seize the opportunity and be persistent, being bold in our requests to God, thinking expansively, and being grateful for what God has given us. Chapter 21 describes Jesus dramatic entry into Jerusalem before Passover, getting the attention of perhaps 2,500,000 people, many of which acclaimed Jesus the Messiah, demanding Hosanna (save now !!), expecting that He would release them immediately from Roman domination. God frequently has acquired peoples’ attention by dramatic spectacles in both the Old and New Testaments, forewarning His people of drastic consequences or future occurrences. In his dramatic entry into Jerusalem, Jesus was making a deliberate Messianic claim, symbolically paralleling the previous course of Judas Maccabee who had earlier cleansed the temple. The spiritual temple (God’s called out ones) is in the process of cleansing and preparing for Christ’s return. [NB: This series of Bible Studies from 1981-82 is incomplete.]

Ahijah Allotted portion Census of Jerusalem Cleansing the temple Cup of the master Deacon Deakonos Desire to dominate Dramatic Dulos Expectation of earthly kingdom Ezekiel Hammer, the Healing Hosanna Hosea Influence of Protestantism James and John Jeroboam Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem Judas Maccabees Martyrdom of James Mary Magdalene Mary the Mother of Jesus Ransom Judas Maccabee Recognition Rehoboam Sacrifice Salome Servant leadership Servant Submission to one another

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