Week 8: Comparison of the Jewish leaders

I chose an assignment for this week where I talk about the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ days on earth.  There are scriptures where Jesus says something and it relates to the Jewish leaders somehow.  I will go over those scriptures and explain how the Jewish leaders relate to them.  Here are the comparisons:

Matthew 21:17-20 The Fig Tree.  Jesus was hungry, saw a tree and went to get food from it, but then saw that it had no fruit.  He then cursed it.  This is a difficult one for me, it’s hard to tell.  What I can think of is that the Jewish leaders should be the ones to recognize the Messiah and yet they didn't  and they even wanted Jesus dead.  I hope that connection makes sense to whoever reads this.

Matthew 21:28-32 The Second Son.  Jesus shares a story of a father and two of his sons which he tells them to go work in the vineyard.  The first son said he wouldn't, but then repented and did his father’s will.  The second son said that he would do it, but did not.  The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ days were like the second son.  They were supposedly the ones closer to God and more knowledgeable of the scriptures.  However, they were hypocrites and wanted to kill their Messiah.

Matthew 21:33-41 The Husbandmen.  There was a householder who planted a vineyard and made a wine-press in it and built a tower.  He “let it out” to husbandmen and went away.  Eventually he sent servants to go get the fruits, but the husbandmen would beat or kill the servants.  Eventually the householder sent his son thinking the husbandmen would reverence him, but they desired to kill him also so that they could gain his inheritance.  The Jewish leaders were like the husbandmen.  They wanted to give the Son of God.

Matthew 22:1-14 The Wedding Guests and the Man Without the Wedding Garment.   There was a king who made a marriage for his son and sent servants to tell those who were invited to come but they didn't and the king sent servants a second time to tell them to come but they went and did their own things not caring, and others killed the servants with the message to them.  When the king heard about the murders, he sent his armies to destroy them and their cities.  After that all those who were invited and would not come became unworthy to come and the king had his servants invite those from the highways, both good and bad.  Then the king saw a guest who he originally invited and saw that he had no wedding garment, and had him thrown out because of his unworthiness to be there.  The Jewish leaders were like the man with no wedding garment.  They thought they were good, but they denied the Son of God and so they would end up being in the outer darkness… is what the scriptures made it seem like, but I’m not sure if I’m translating that correctly.

Anyways, the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time were major hypocrites and wanted to kill Jesus.  They were considered to be the highly educated in the scriptures and to be the main examples of how Jews should be.  However, as I said before they were hypocrites.  And, Satan had their hearts and so they would not accept their Savior.  I however know that Jesus is our Savior, and that He suffered and died for our sins that we may have the chance to repent because we are imperfect.  I know that He resurrected and that He still lives and has his body with the nail markings to show who He is.  Jesus is the Christ.