MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
The Seven Baptisms
Written by: Max Klein
Baptism means identification or association:
Introduction:
1. This meaning began in Homer's time. Homer wrote of the one-eyed giant, Cyclops who had trapped Ulysses and his men in a cave and was eating them one at a time. The ingenious Ulysses devised a plan. He had his men sharpen a large log and together they rammed this log into the eye of the one-eyed Cyclops rendering him blind. They identified (baptized) the sharpened log with Cyclops’ eye which changed Cyclops from a seeing giant to a blind giant. Having blinded the Cyclops, they were able to maneuver their way out of the cave. Another example by Homer: Homer's Odyssey, book 9, used baptism for hot metal identified (baptized) with water when a smith dipped a piece of hot iron into water. This is how a blacksmith would temper swords in the ancient world. After this identification, the sword was made stronger and so less likely to bend.
2. Xenophon said that the Spartan military recruits after finishing infantry training would identify (baptize) their spears with pig’s blood. They would run by a barrel of pig’s blood and thrust their spears into this blood. This ritual, identified their spears with killing and the soldier’s readiness for combat with the enemy.
3. Euripides used the word for a ship identified with the bottom of the sea when it sank. Before sinking, the ship was valuable; after sinking it had no value at all.
4. So "baptize" in the classical Greek meant to identify one thing with another so that the characteristics of the original thing were altered. Therefore, the interpretation of the word "baptism" is identification with something that brings about a change.
5. There are a number of cognates related to this Greek word such as bapto, baptizo, baptisma, baptismos, baptistes, and embapto. A few examples follow:
6. John 13:26, “Jesus then answered, ‘That is the one for whom, I shall dip [the future of the Greek word bapto] the morsel and give it to him. So, when he had dipped [the aorist participle of bapto; the sop now takes on a new meaning that of honor] the sop [the morsel], He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.”
To give someone a sop [a special bit of food usually a piece of bread or meat with a tasty sauce] was the highest honor of a banquet. At a banquet a special piece of bread or meat was prepared along with a special sauce for the guest of honor who would then honor someone by giving it to that person. Jesus as the guest of honor took this sop and dipped it into a special sauce and gave it to Judas. In this way, the Lord Jesus Christ honored Judas as a member of the family of God, and for his ministry as an apostle to the Lost Sheep of Israel. This honor should have given Judas second thoughts regarding his plan to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin.
7. Matthew 3:7, “but when he [John the Baptizer] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism [identification: the Greek word baptisma], he said to them, “You brood of vipers [poisonous snakes], who warned you to flee from the wrath to come [Baptism of Fire: identification with the fire of Torments and then the Lake of Fire]?”
8. Hebrews 6:1-2, “Therefore, leaving behind the elementary teaching about Christ, let us advance to maturity, not laying again the foundation [of the basics such as]: a change of thinking about dead works [just as an unbeliever must have a change of mind about Christ to obtain salvation, so the believer must have a change of mind about legalism (dead works) in order to obtain the spiritual life], and of faith toward God [Faith-Rest Drill], (2) doctrine of baptisms [the Greek word baptismos; a reference to the seven types of baptism as found in Scripture] as well as the laying on of hands [ritual rebound in the age of Israel], and of resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment [the Great White Throne Judgment].
9. Matthew 3:1, “In those days John the Baptizer [the Greek word baptistes; when John baptized someone into the Jordan River, the converts were identified with the plan of God and his kingdom.] came proclaiming [as a herald] in the desert of Judea.”
There are two categories of identification in Scripture namely an actual identification or a real baptism and a representative identification or a ritual baptism which uses water.
The four real or actual identifications with something that has significance.
1. The Baptism of Moses: 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 presents the baptism of Moses, "For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; (2) and all were baptized [the Greek word baptizo] into Moses in the cloud [the Lord] and in the sea." This was a real identification in which Moses was identified with the Lord and the open path through the Red Sea and the Jews were identified with Moses. By the way, none of the Jews got wet, only Egyptian unbelievers who were immersed in the water as a means of death.
2. The Baptism of the Cross is found in Matthew 20:22, “But Jesus answered [Salome by addressing her sons] and said, “You [plural: a reference to James and John] do not know what you [James and John] ask. Are you [James and John] able to drink of the cup [bear the punishment of all the sins of the world] that I am about to drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism [the sins of the world identified with Christ followed by the Father judging them] that I am baptized with [identified with]?” They [James and John] said to Him, “We are able. [the dumbest statement that James and John ever made]” [I selected the longer text as did Jerome.]
3. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Retroactive Positional Truth and Current Positional Truth) occurs at salvation for Church Age believers only.
Colossians 2:12. Having been buried [aorist participle] with Him [Jesus Christ] by means of the baptism [God the Holy Spirit identified us with the burial of Jesus Christ as part of our salvation] by means of which [Baptism] you have been raised up [main verb] with Him [in union with Jesus Christ seated at the right hand of the Father] through faith [at the point of salvation] in the operational power from the source of God who has raised Him [the humanity of Christ was given a resurrection body] out from the dead [physical death].
Romans 6:3-9:
Romans 6:3: Or do you not know that all of us who [a correlative] have been baptized into [identified with] Christ Jesus [Current Positional Sanctification: we are in union with Christ in his life in heaven], have been baptized into His death [Retroactive Positional Truth and so identified with his substitutionary spiritual death on the cross]?
Positionally, (in union with Christ) we share His righteousness, heirship, priesthood, destiny, election, eternal life, royalty, sonship etc. All these making us a new spiritual species in Christ Jesus. The plural correlative hosoi (ὅσοι) means that if we were identified with Christ in heaven and we were, then also we have been identified with Christ in his substitutionary spiritual death in which he removed the power of sin nature. Thus, the sin nature should not have power over our lives.
A few more points will be noted:
1. Note that the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation enters the believer into union with Christ at the right hand of God the Father which union is called current positional truth.
2. This verse also mentions identification with Christ in His spiritual death on the cross which identification theologians call retroactive positional truth. Retroactive positional truth also includes identification with Christ in His physical death and burial as well.
3. Identification with Christ in His death, then, has a two-fold connotation namely all personal sins were judged at the cross and since that is the case, God the Father is free to provide in grace, the Recovery Procedure. The second connotation is that good and evil were rejected by Jesus on the cross since good and evil are a part of Satan’s policy and plan. On the cross, Jesus relied on the proto-type spiritual life which operated under the two power options namely God’s power system.
4. So, the old sin nature’s ruling power over the Christian has been broken since all sins were judged on the cross and the Recovery Procedure has been provided. So, Retroactive Positional Truth has destroyed the sovereignty of the old sin nature over the life of the Christian.
5. Also, since Jesus rejected the good and evil policy of Satan so should the believer reject Satan’s policy of good and evil as the believer applies Retroactive Positional Truth.
Romans 6:4: Therefore, we have been buried together with Him through the identification [Baptism of the Spirit] into His death [physical], in order that just as Christ has been raised up from the dead [on Resurrection Sunday], through the glory of the Father [through the Father’s power], [So also we, the dead in Christ, will be raised from the dead by the power of the Father, and those alive at the Rapture, by the power of the Holy Spirit.] in this manner we also might walk in newness of life [Experiential sanctification should reflect our future ultimate sanctification.].
Christ had to die physically “and Jesus having shouted clearly with a loud voice said, Father, into your hands I deposit my [human] spirit, and having said this, he exhaled” (Luke 23:46). This last exhale caused His soul and spirit to depart from his mortal body resulting in physical death. Just as Christ had to die physically in order to obtain his resurrection body, so we must depart from our body of corruption, or mortality in order to receive our eternal body called our resurrection body.
The Newness of Life:
1. The newness of life provided through the baptism of the Spirit includes positional freedom from producing good and evil. Not only are we free from the tyranny of good and evil but we are also free from having to produce good and evil.
2. The believer has no obligation to improve the devil’s world through social action, socialism, welfare state, communism, environmentalism, or any social gospel, social action, getting involved, etc.
3. The human race is protected from Satan’s policy of good and evil through the laws of divine establishment which promote freedom instead of improvement at the cost of freedom.
4. In addition to the Laws of Divine Establishment the believer is insulated from good and evil positionally through the baptism of the Spirit.
5. Divorced from the Old Sin Nature positionally and its useless activity of human good and the function of evil, the life of the believer can be devoted to glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ through maximum knowledge and application of Bible doctrine.
Romans 6:5: For if we have become united with Him [Christ, the new husband] in the likeness of His death [the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross], and we have, and not only this, but also, we shall be [united in the likeness] of His resurrection [Current Positional Truth: in union with the resurrected Christ].
Romans 6:6: Be knowing this [through Retroactive Positional Truth], that our old man [our former husband, the sin nature dates back to the Garden] has been crucified together [with Him], in order that the [human] body, with reference to its sin nature, [the sin nature located in the body] might be rendered powerless [when we use Recovery Procedure and the two power options], that we should no longer be slaves to the sin nature.
“Our old man has been crucified with Him” meaning that the power of the sin nature has been broken on the cross. Since the power of the sin nature was broken by the work of the cross, we as believers have no excuse for not executing the spiritual life. We will not be able to say to Christ at our evaluation that our sin nature was too powerful for us to execute the spiritual life.
A few points for further clarification:
1. Retroactive positional truth is that phase of the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation which identifies the believer with Christ in His spiritual death, physical death and his burial.
2. In the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross all the personal sins in human history were imputed to Christ, but at the same time the other two trends of the old sin nature were not imputed for judgment.
3. Good and evil is the policy of Satan as the ruler of this world and the function of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life. In fact, the sin nature functions as the agent of Satan.
4. Good and evil were not imputed for judgment on the cross. Hence, in the spiritual death of Christ on the cross they were rejected to remain an issue in the angelic conflict, rejected to be perpetuated in human history as an issue every believer must face, and either overcome through the intake of doctrine or be entrapped by ignorance of doctrine and therefore lose out in glorifying God in time.
5. We are identified with Christ in His spiritual death, which means that we must understand that our sins have been judged and that good and evil has been rejected.
6. It all adds up to the fact that the sovereignty of the old sin nature over human life has been made powerless through retroactive positional truth.
7. The imputation of all personal sins of the human race to Christ on the cross means that the believer through the rebound technique is instantly forgiven sins, cleansed from all wrong doing which includes Satanic good and evil, restored to fellowship and filled with the Spirit.
Romans 6:7: For we who have died [the Christian is identified with the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ: theologically called Retroactive Positional Truth] have been acquitted [positional deliverance] from [the power of] the sin nature.
A few points for further clarification:
1. A dead person is discharged from the obligations of his former sphere of life. This is why the word “death” is used in this context. It is not a literal, physical death we are discussing but identification with Christ in His death.
2. As unbelievers we were under the authority of Satan as the ruler of this world, and under the authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life.
3. Both the power of Satan and the old sin nature have been abrogated through the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation.
4. This passage, then, emphasizes the annulling of the power and the authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life.
5. Positionally, the power of the sin nature has been broken. Experientially, the old sin nature controls to the extent that we fail to understand and utilize the provision and support of logistical grace.
Romans 6:8: Now if we have died with Christ, and we have [retroactive positional truth], we also believe that we shall live in association with Him [the instrumental of association; a reference to Current Positional Truth].
In this verse, the 1st Class conditional sentence shows the relationship between Retroactive Positional Truth with Current Positional Truth. The protasis, the ‘if’ clause states the reality of Retroactive Positional Truth and the apodosis, the concluding clause states the doctrinal inference and the reality of Current Positional Truth. While Retroactive Positional Truth presents positional rejection and separation from good and evil as the policy of Satan and the function of the old sin nature, Current Positional Truth relates the believer to the function of the royal family of God. In other words, they have separate functions.
Romans 6:9: Knowing that because Christ has been raised from the dead [He received a resurrection body], no longer can He die; [physical] death is no longer a master over Him.
Analysis:
1. Retroactive positional truth destroys the sovereign authority of the old sin nature over human life. Current positional truth, on the other hand, destroys the limited authority of physical death in human life.
2. Instead of being ruled by the old sin nature located in the cells of the human body and influencing our souls toward sin, good and evil, we now have a new sovereign, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are identified with Him in His deaths, in His burial, resurrection, ascension and session.
3. Before salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit our lives were under the absolute rule of Satan who is the ruler of this world and under the rule of the old sin nature which is the ruler of life, and under the limited rule of physical death. All of that, of course, has been changed since salvation.
4. Now both retroactive and current positional truth have abrogated the authority and power of these former rulers. The power of Satan over our lives has been broken through identification with the rejection of good and evil namely Satan’s policy and plan and through our position in union with Christ. The power of the old sin nature is broken through retroactive positional truth and the power of physical death is broken through current positional truth.
5. Therefore, having studied these things by principle and by implication we are now ready for application, verses 12 & 13 specifically.
6. Having been positionally liberated from the sovereignty of the old sin nature as an absolute ruler, and the authority of physical death, we must recognise and apply doctrine for the experiential victory commanded in verses 11-13.
Galatians 3:25-28, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under the authority of [have need of] a school bus. (26) For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ [identified with Christ through union with Him] have clothed yourselves with Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek [no racial distinction], there is neither slave nor free man [no social or economic distinction], there is neither male nor female [no gender distinction]; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [All Christians have the same privileges and opportunities to execute the spiritual life.]”
Current Positional Truth, Elaborated:
In the Church Age, Current Positional Truth establishes our relationship with Christ as opposed to religion. It refers to the Church Age believer in union with Christ and is the key to understanding the Church Age and how the royal family came into being. Therefore, it is the basis for distinguishing between Christianity and religion. Christianity is a relationship with God without merit whereas religion is a system of works to gain the approbation of God. Never shall the twain meet!
The mechanics of Current Positional Truth is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, whereby the Spirit enters us into union with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For also by agency of the one Spirit we are all baptized [identification resulting in becoming a new spiritual species] into one body [in union with Christ], whether Jews or Greeks [racial distinctions are removed], whether slave or free [class and economic distinctions are removed], even all were made to drink [the aorist passive, the voice of grace] the one Spirit [The Holy Spirit did not ask us whether we wanted to be put into union with Christ or not.].” Ephesians 4:5, “One Lord [becomes our Lord positionally at Salvation]), one faith [faith alone in Christ alone; Acts 16:31], one baptism [Baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at salvation].”
Current Positional truth guarantees that there will be no judgment for believers in eternity, Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Thus, the condemnation which occurred at the first birth was removed at the 2nd birth. As a result of being born with the sin nature and the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin, we were condemned to the Lake of Fire for all eternity, but now that has been removed. Romans 5:12, “For this reason just as through one man [Adam] the sin [nature] entered into the world [procreation], and so spiritual death through the sin [the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin to the sin nature], and so spiritual death spread to all mankind, because all sinned when Adam sinned [since we were all genetically in Adam when he sinned, we will receive Adam’s Original Sin].” However, at our spiritual birth, the 2nd birth, our pre-salvation sins were all forgiven including Adam’s Original Sin. After which, the Spirit entered us into union with Christ where there is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1).
Current Positional truth qualifies the believer to live with God forever. To live with God forever, the believer must have eternal life and God’s perfect righteousness, 1 John 5:11-12, “And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life, and this life is in his son [Since we are in union with Christ, we share this life.]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].” 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And He [the Father] made Him who knew no sin [perfection] to be a sin offering [imputation of sins on the cross] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [current positional truth].” To live with God forever means you must have His life, and you must be as righteous as He is.
Positional truth guarantees the believer’s eternal security, Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death [nothing in death] nor life [nothing in life] nor angels nor principalities [ruling angels] nor powers [human organizations] nor things present nor things to come (39) nor height [nothing in heaven] nor depth [nothing in Hades] nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eternal life in Christ is for all eternity!
Positional truth belongs to all categories of believers whether they be apostate, mature, immature, spiritually adult, or carnal. Since Current Positional Truth occurs at the point of salvation before experience in the Christian life begins, it doesn’t depend on that experience. 1 Corinthians 1:2, “to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus [at salvation], called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.” So, even though you may be carnal or in reversionism, you still have positional truth. Being in union with Christ has nothing to do with what you do [experiential righteousness], or don’t do [failure to execute God’s plan]. Current Positional sanctification is completely the work of God the Holy Spirit and so is not based upon our volition, but on the sovereign decision of God. We make the decision to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, but we don’t make the decision to enter into union with Christ “all were made to drink the one Spirit” as per 1 Corinthians 12:13. God the Holy Spirit graciously did that for us and so it cannot be undone.
Current Positional truth creates a new spiritual species in Christ as per 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power; behold, new things have come to pass.” You become a new spiritual species at salvation by being put into union with Christ. It is what God does for you, and therefore it is grace. It is not what you do after salvation, such as the self-righteous works of legalism. The “old things” have to do with spiritual death and those things related to that death; the “new things” refer to things you receive at salvation such as the 40 assets and the unique spiritual life.
Positional truth should motivate the production of divine good and a pattern of life compatible with royalty as per Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his creation, having been created in Christ Jesus [a new spiritual species with many assets] for the purpose of divine good production [via experiential sanctification] which the God [the Father] has prepared in advance [in eternity past, God the Father provided election and predestination as part of our Portfolio of Invisible Assets], that we in the sphere of them [election and predestination] may pattern our lives.”
Even though a Christian may die the Sin on to Death, he will not lose his position in union with Christ (1 John 5:18-20), and so cannot lose his salvation. In order for a believer to lose his position in Christ, he would have to sin in that status, but since the believer cannot sin in union with Christ, he cannot lose his position in Christ and so cannot lose his salvation. Thus, it is comforting and reassuring to a believer to know that even though a loved one may have died the ‘sin on to death’, he has not lost his salvation.
Because we are in union with Christ, we share His:
1. Eternal life, 1 John 5:11, “And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life [At salvation, God the Father imputes this life to the human spirit], and this life is in his son [The Christian also shares the life of Christ through union with Him]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].”
John 14:6, “Jesus said to him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth and the life [eternal life]; no person [in human history] comes face to face with the Father [having an eternal relationship with the Father] except through Me.’”
2. Perfect righteousness, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And he (God the Father) made him [Jesus] who knew no sin (perfection) to be a sin offering as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him [positional truth]. Sharing the righteousness of Christ, we become the objects of God the Father’s love as per Romans 8:39.
3. Election, Ephesians 1:4, “just as He [the Father] has elected us for Himself in Him [Jesus Christ] before the creation of the world [in eternity past], that we may be set apart [experiential sanctification] and blameless [ultimate sanctification] in the presence of Him [Father].”
4. Destiny, Ephesians 1:5, “By means of love, He has predestined us for the purpose of adoption as adult sons to Himself through Christ Jesus our Lord according to the grace purpose of His will.”
5. Sonship, Galatians 3:26, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
6. Heirship, Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself testifies together [bears witness] with our [human] spirit, that we are the children of God. (17) Now, if we are children and we are, also heirs, on the one hand heirs of God [the Father], and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed [if it is true that], we suffer with Him [pass all three stages of undeserved suffering], that also we might be glorified with Christ.”
7. Sanctification, 1 Corinthians 1:2, “to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.”
8. Priesthood, Hebrews 7:12-19, “For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change in the Law also. (13) For the One [the Lord Jesus Christ] concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe [the tribe of Judah] from which no one has officiated at the altar. (14) For it is evident that our Lord has descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests, (15) and this is clearer still, if another priest arises similar to Melchizedek, and there has, (16) who has become a priest not on the basis of physical requirement [a reference to the Levitical Priesthood] but on the basis of indestructible life [the Lord’s priesthood is forever]. (17) For this reason, it is witnessed, ‘You are a priest forever similar to the order of Melchizedek.’” [We are in union with Christ. Therefore, we are royalty and priests forever. We represent ourselves before God as royal priests.] (18) For, on the one hand, there is a rescinding of the former commandment [the Mosaic Law that authorized the Levitical priesthood] because of its weakness and uselessness (19) (for the Law brought nothing to completion), but on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope [the second door of hope for the Church Age believer—a personal sense of destiny—by which we enter the adult spiritual life] through which we draw near to God.”
Hebrews 7:26-28, “For it is fitting that we should have such a high priest, impeccable integrity, the One who cannot do evil, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; (27) Who does not need daily, like those Levitical priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He [Jesus] offered up Himself. (28) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of His [God the Father’s] oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, who has become perfect forever [Jesus Christ is a perfect high priest].”
9. Royalty, 1 Peter 2:9, “ But you and only you are an elect [elect by God the Father] race [as a new spiritual species], a royal priesthood [since Jesus is a king-priest], a holy nation [God’s entity: a nation of priests: every Christian is a priest], a people for God’s own possession [a protected people], so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him [Christ] who has called [in eternity past] you out of darkness [spiritual death and the Cosmic Systems] into His amazing light [his plan];”
10. New Spiritual Species, 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power [Old Covenant]; behold, new things have come to pass [This would include the New Covenant to the Church.].”
Current Positional Truth changes our relationship with Angels.
1. Through current positional truth the believer is higher than angels positionally.
2. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, and so superior to all angels. By virtue of being in union with Christ, every believer is now positionally superior to angels.
3. Positional truth has fulfilled the believer’s triumph with Christ in the angelic conflict. We are victorious with Him already.
4. Furthermore, positional truth demands compatibility with experiential righteousness. Therefore, the believer’s walk on this earth must be compatible with positional truth since we have perfect security in Christ, we have the freedom to choose for Jesus Christ, to love Jesus Christ, to respond to His love, and to fulfill our purpose on this earth.
What positional truth is not?
1. It is not an experience, emotions or ecstasies.
2. It is not progressive; it cannot be improved in time or eternity.
3. It is not related to human merit or ability.
4. It cannot be changed by God, man or angels. It is eternal in nature.
5. It is not obtained gradually as you grow in grace, but in toto at salvation.
6. It is not known apart from the metabolization of doctrine.
7. From understanding the doctrine of positional truth, we progress in our spiritual life, but we cannot improve it since it is perfect at salvation.
8. We are not in Christ because of what we do (execution of the spiritual life) or fail to do (fail to execute the spiritual life), but because of what God has done.
A few points of explanation:
1. The conclusion from positional truth, whether retroactive or current, is that the Christian must apply these doctrines to his spiritual life.
2. In Romans 7:1-4 where we have an illustration of a woman whose first husband has died freeing her to marry another. This is what actually happens to us as believers at salvation. The old sin nature is the husband up to the point of salvation, but at the moment we believe in Jesus Christ positionally the sin nature is dead, as it were, the first husband has died and we have a new husband through union with Christ. Retroactive Positional Truth removes our first husband, the sin nature whereas Current Positional Truth enters us into union with Christ, our new husband.
3. The old sin nature-husband is still around, still seeking to regain his control over his former wife, the believer. But union with the second husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, has broken the first husband’s authority over the former wife.
4. The Baptism of Fire:
Matthew 3:11, “On the one hand I [John the Baptizer] baptize you [believers] by means of water because of a change of thinking [about Christ], but the one coming after me is mightier than I whose sandals I am not worthy to lace [loosen, remove]. He himself will baptize by means of the Holy Spirit [a reference to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age] and by means of fire [a reference to the Baptism of Fire at the 2nd Advent].”
Baptism of Fire: The baptism of fire (identification with fire) is defined as the judgment of unbelievers both Jew and gentile at the Second Advent. They will be removed from the earth and placed in fire for 1000 years until the Last Judgment, Luke 3:16-17; Mathew 25:31, 33. The analogy to the Baptism of Fire is found in Matthew 24:36-41. The one left in the field is the mature believer; the one taken is the unbeliever.
Parables of the Baptism of Fire:
1. The wheat and the tares (the unbelievers), Matthew 13:24-30, 36-40.
2. The good and bad fish (unbelievers), Matthew 13:47-50.
3. The ten virgins: five wise, five foolish (the unbelievers), Matthew 25:1-13.
4. The sheep and the goats (the unbelievers), Mathew 25:31-46.
5. The talent test, Matthew 25:14-30. The one talent man represents the unbeliever.
If Jesus Christ had not been rejected by the Jewish people, then the age of Israel would have continued until its completion (the Tribulation completes the age of Israel). (However, they did reject Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah and so the client nation was destroyed, and the Church age was intercalated that is inserted before the age of Israel was complete.) After the completion of the age of Israel at the end of the Tribulation, comes the wrath of God namely the Baptism of Fire when the Lord removes both Jewish and gentile unbelievers from the earth and identifies them with fire forever. After which, the Millennial reign begins.
The Three Ritual Baptisms. None are extant at the present time. They are representative identifications in which water is used as a training aid to represent some principle of doctrine.
1. The Baptism of John is found in Matthew 3:2-6, “Saying, ‘Change your thinking [regarding Christ] for the kingdom of heaven is near.’ [The future king was already on the earth] (3) For this is what was communicated through Isaiah, the prophet saying, ‘The voice of one [John the Baptizer] proclaiming loudly in the desert [of Judea]. Prepare [the aorist tense is a one time-decision] the way of the Lord [an idiomatic expression for salvation]. Keep on making upright [the use of the Recovery Procedure followed by the development of experiential righteousness] His paths!’ (Isaiah 40:3) (4) Now, John himself kept on having a garment of camel’s hair [very uncomfortable] and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. (5) Then [after John went where God wanted him to be] Jerusalem kept on going out to him [face to face] and all Judea and all the districts around the Jordan. (6) and they were being baptized [identified with the kingdom] by him [under John’s authority] in the Jordan River [where Israel crossed when they entered the land], and they kept on confessing their sins [post-salvation confession of sins].”
MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
The Gospel of Matthew: Chapter Twenty-One
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
Matthew 21:2
λέγων αὐτοῖς, Πορεύεσθε εἰς τὴν κώµην τὴν κατέναντι ὑµῶν, καὶ εὐθέως εὑρήσετε ὄνον δεδεµένην καὶ πῶλον µετí αὐτῆς· λύσαντες ἀγάγετέ µοι
saying to them, “Go into the village [Bethphage: house of unripe figs] over there [across from you]. And immediately you will find an ass [jenny] tied, and a colt [hinny] with her. Untie them and bring them to Me.
Bethphage was between Jerusalem and Bethany. Bethany, the home of Lazarus was located on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives about 1.5 miles from Jerusalem.
The colt, a male hinny, the offspring of a Jenny (female donkey) and a stallion. In kindness, Jesus did not separate the foal from her Jenny-mother.
Matthew 21:3
καὶ ἐάν τις ὑµῖν εἴπῃ τι, ἐρεῖτε ὅτι Ὁ κύριος αὐτῶν χρείαν ἔχει· εὐθὺς δὲ ἀποστελεῖ αὐτούς
And if anyone challenges [says anything to] you, you shall say, ‘The Lord [title of deity] has need of them, and immediately He will send them.’”
Matthew 21:4
Τοῦτο δὲ γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος,
All this was done so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet [Zechariah], saying,
Matthew 21:5
Εἴπατε τῇ θυγατρὶ Σιών, Ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεταί σοι, πραῢς καὶ ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὄνον, καὶ ἐπὶ πῶλον υἱὸν ὑποζυγίου
Tell the daughter of Zion [the citizens of Judea], ‘Behold, your King comes to you, humbly, and sitting on an ass, even a colt, the foal [male hinny] of an ass [Jenny].’ (Zechariah 9:9).
In the 1st Advent, Jesus rides a hinny; at the 2nd Advent Jesus Christ comes riding a white stallion, a war horse.
Matthew 21:6
πορευθέντες δὲ οἱ µαθηταὶ καὶ ποιήσαντες καθὼς συνέταξεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς
And the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.
Matthew 21:7
ἤγαγον τὴν ὄνον καὶ τὸν πῶλον, καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπí αὐτῶν τὰ ἱµάτια, καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν ἐπάνω αὐτῶν
And they brought the hinny [it apparently had never been ridden], even the colt [with her mother], and put their clothes on them, and He sat on them [the clothes on the foal-hinny: Luke 19:35].
Even though this hinny had never been ridden, not been broken, there was no problem since the Lord has control over the animal kingdom.
Matthew 21:8
ὁ δὲ πλεῖστος ὄχλος ἔστρωσαν ἑαυτῶν τὰ ἱµάτια ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, ἄλλοι δὲ ἔκοπτον κλάδους ἀπὸ τῶν δένδρων καὶ ἐστρώννυον ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ
And a very great crowd [mostly unbelievers from Jerusalem] spread their garments on the way. Others [believers from Bethany: John 12:9] [recognizing that He was the Messiah] cut down branches from the [palm] trees [John 12:12, 13] and spread them on the way.
They put their coats on the path so that the hooves of the ass and colt would not touch the mud. This was homage to a king. However, they were not interested in a spiritual kingdom. They just want to use Jesus to get rid of the Romans though the Romans had built roads for them; provided trade for them; protected them from bandits and invasions etc.
The branch is used to represent the Messiah (Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 3:8; Isaiah 11:1). So, the ones who were placing branches down were acknowledging him as Messiah.
Matthew 21:9
οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι οἱ προάγοντες αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες ἔκραζον λέγοντες, Ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ ∆αυίδ· Εὐλογηµένος ὁ ἐρχόµενος ἐν ὀνόµατι κυρίου· Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις
And the crowds [of unbelievers] who went before [from Jerusalem], and those [believers] who followed [from Bethany], cried out, saying, “Hosanna [please deliver us] to the Son of David! Blessed is He [Jesus Christ] who comes [as the Messiah] in the name of the Lord [the Father]! Hosanna in the highest!”
It is interesting what they quoted and what they did not quote from Psalm 118. These Jewish unbelievers and believers quoted the verses related to the crown of the 2nd Advent (parts of verses 24-26), and skipped the verses (verses 22-23) related to the cross of the 1st Advent. They wanted Jesus Christ to remove the Roman power and to establish them as a strong nation. The Jewish unbelievers wanted the crown without the cross and the Jewish believers wanted freedom from Rome without spiritual advance, without a pivot. A couple of days later in the temple, Jesus presented the parable of the vine-grower in which he quotes Psalm 118:22-23, the two verses which the Jews omitted on Palm Sunday. They wanted freedom without truth yet the Scriptures state that truth must come first (John 8:32).
Psalm 118:22-26 the first two verses speak of the 1st Advent; the last three of the 2nd Advent. This was sung for the first time at the dedication of the 2nd Temple in 516 B.C. by Zerubbabel, Joshua, the High Priest, Haggai, Zechariah and other Jewish believers. Also, Psalm 118 was usually sung at the Passover Feast, and during Palm Sunday, they shouted it namely verses 24-26. This Psalm will be sung for the last time at the 2nd Advent.
Psalm 118:22, 23 The rock [Jesus Christ] which the builders [the Jews during the 1st Advent] rejected [on Palm Sunday] has become the chief corner stone [between Israel and the Church]. This is the Lord’s [Father’s] doing [his plan]; it is marvelous [that is the cross] in our eyes.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day [historically, the dedication of the 2nd temple; by prophetic application, the 2nd Advent] which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be happy in it [the Millennial reign of Christ].
Psalm 118:25 O Lord, please deliver us now [at the 2nd Advent]; O Lord, we beseech You, cause us to prosper now [sung for the last time at the 2nd Advent].
The Jews on Palm Sunday wanted deliverance from the Romans and establish an independent country in which all the taxes would go to the Sanhedrin; They did not want to wait for the 2nd Advent. Many in that crowd were born-again believers. The unbelievers wanted to bypass the cross; the believers wanted to ignore the principle that as the believer goes so does the client nation. Both groups wanted a political solution; not a spiritual one.
Psalm 118:26 Blessed is he [sung by believers in the 2nd Temple regarding believers entering the temple] who enters [at the dedication of the 2nd Temple] in the name of Lord; we have blessed you [from offered prayer] out from the house of the Lord.
Matthew 21:10
καὶ εἰσελθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς Ἱεροσόλυµα ἐσείσθη πᾶσα ἡ πόλις λέγουσα, Τίς ἐστιν οὗτος;
And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved [shook], and kept on saying, ‘Who is this’?
This was a great event. So, they were amazed and shaken by it.
Matthew 21:11
οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι ἔλεγον, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ προφήτης Ἰησοῦς ὁ ἀπὸ Ναζαρὲθ τῆς Γαλιλαίας
And the crowd [of Jewish unbelievers] said, “This is Jesus the prophet [just like any other prophet], from Nazareth of Galilee [Galileans were looked down upon].”
Yes, he was a prophet, but more importantly he is the Mediator and Savior. The savior, the son of David was born in Bethlehem. Yes, he lived in Nazareth part of his life, but so did he in Egypt. This answer, the wrong answer they learned in the temple from the Jewish religious leaders. They did not answer as Peter did in Matthew 16.
There are two discourses in the latter part of Matthew. The Temple Discourse begins here with verse 12 and concludes in chapter 23, and the Olivet Discourse is found in chapters 24, 25. The Temple Discourse was given as a result of Palm Sunday. The religious Jews wanted to bypass the cross for they only wanted the crown namely Jesus Christ ruling as Messiah without going to the cross.
Beginning on Palm Sunday, Jesus for three days in a row gave the Temple Discourse. Each day he and his disciples would leave Bethany on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives and return in the evening. He would return to the home of Lazarus rather than stay in Jerusalem where the religious leaders were trying to kill him. Verses 11-22 were given on the first day of this series on the Temple Discourse.
Matthew 21:12
Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὸ ἱερόν, καὶ ἐξέβαλεν πάντας τοὺς πωλοῦντας καὶ ἀγοράζοντας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, καὶ τὰς τραπέζας τῶν κολλυβιστῶν κατέστρεψεν καὶ τὰς καθέδρας τῶν πωλούντων τὰς περιστεράς,
And Jesus went into the temple [1st day: 21:12-22; ‘of God’ not found in the original] and threw out [by physical violence] all those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of those who sold doves [a poor man’s offering: they were not only fleecing the rich, but also the poor].
In the beginning of his public ministry the Lord cleansed the temple by throwing out the money changers (John 2:13-16). Now on Palm Sunday, since his ministry was coming to a conclusion, he again cleansed the temple of the Jewish mafia doing business in the temple. They even had soldiers in the temple to protect their operation. It is interesting that no one challenged Christ for the simple reason he was the strongest man in his human body that ever lived.
1. Apostasy had removed the designation ‘temple of God.’
2. The real issue: if things are wrong in the temple, they would be wrong elsewhere.
3. The source of the apostasy was Herod’s Temple. The week before his death, Jesus will spend his time in the temple to clarify the issue namely what was wrong with the Jewish people.
4. Religion always has a money-making racket and is always anti-truth.
The chief priests were the heads of a Jewish mafia. Part of their operation was in the Negev where they robbed caravans, another part was involved in the pick pocketing business in Jerusalem, but the biggest operation related to the temple for example selling as it were ‘holy animals’ to the people (John 2:13-16). No one could bring their own animals; they had to be procured in the temple and the price was about 10 times greater. Usually, the Romans were excluded from this operation, but one Roman procurator, Felix also got his cut by not sending out the soldiers when they should have been sent.
Matthew 21:13
καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Γέγραπται, Ὁ οἶκός µου οἶκος προσευχῆς κληθήσεται, ὑµεῖς δὲ αὐτὸν ποιεῖτε σπήλαιον λῃστῶν
And He said to them, “It is written, “My house [every article of furniture spoke of Christ] shall be called the house of prayer"; but you have made it a den of robbers [a robber takes by force and pressure whereas a thief comes through stealth].” (Jeremiah 7:11 mentions “a den of robbers;” Isaiah 56:7 mentions “a house of prayer”)
Matthew 21:14
Καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ τυφλοὶ καὶ χωλοὶ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτούς
And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
Once again, he is fulfilling the Old Testament prophesies regarding his being the Messiah.
Matthew 21:15
ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ γραµµατεῖς τὰ θαυµάσια ἃ ἐποίησεν καὶ τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς κράζοντας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ καὶ λέγοντας, Ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ ∆αυίδ, ἠγανάκτησαν
And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things [the miracles of the previous verse] which He did, and the children [came into the temple] singing [Psalm 118] in the temple, and saying, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David, they were aroused to a fierce anger [and expressed it vociferously].’
Religious people hate the Lord Jesus Christ, and these religious Jews were no different.
Matthew 21:16
καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, Ἀκούεις τί οὗτοι λέγουσιν; ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς, Ναί· οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε ὅτι Ἐκ στόµατος νηπίων καὶ θηλαζόντων κατηρτίσω αἶνον;
And they said to Him, “Do you hear what these [children who had believed in Christ] are saying [through their singing]?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes, haven’t you ever studied [read and given it careful consideration], ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, you have perfect praise?’” (Psalm 8:2)
Psalm 8:2 having been written about 1000 years before its fulfillment on Palm Sunday.
When the two crowds outside of the city gates sang parts of Psalm 118, they sang blasphemously.
Matthew 21:17
Καὶ καταλιπὼν αὐτοὺς ἐξῆλθεν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως εἰς Βηθανίαν, καὶ ηὐλίσθη ἐκεῖ
And leaving [in disgust] them [the chief priests and scribes], He went out of the city [of Jerusalem] to Bethany, and spent the night there [in the home of Lazarus].
Since the religious crowds were trying to kill him, he did not remain in Jerusalem during the night.
Matthew 21:18
Πρωῒ δὲ ἐπανάγων εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐπείνασεν
And returning early to the city [Jerusalem], He hungered.
Apparently, he left without breakfast.
Matthew 21:19
καὶ ἰδὼν συκῆν µίαν ἐπὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ ἦλθεν ἐπí αὐτήν, καὶ οὐδὲν εὗρεν ἐν αὐτῇ εἰ µὴ φύλλα µόνον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῇ, Μηκέτι ἐκ σοῦ καρπὸς γένηται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. καὶ ἐξηράνθη παραχρῆµα ἡ συκῆ
And seeing a fig tree in the way [probably near Bethphage], He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And He said to it, “let no fruit grow on you forever [analogous to that generation of Jews who had no production].” And immediately the fig tree withered away [analogous to 5th cycle of discipline which would occur in August of 70 A. D.].
This fig tree having no fruit was analogous to Israel having no grace production. God expected the Jews in Israel to have production (figs) since he gave them all the assets to produce. The fig tree without production was a warning to the Jews that they were on the brink of great discipline. Religion is leaves without figs.
In the garden the first parents initially became religious by putting on fig leaves; they tried to solve their problem through an act of human good. They thought that putting on fig leaves would make them respectable before God. Only perfect righteousness makes a person respectable before God.
Matthew 21:20
καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ µαθηταὶ ἐθαύµασαν λέγοντες, Πῶς παραχρῆµα ἐξηράνθη ἡ συκῆ;
And when the disciples saw [Monday evening on their return to Bethany] they marveled, saying, “How quickly the fig tree has withered away” [analogous to Israel’s 5th cycle of discipline and the destruction of the temple]!
Matthew 21:21
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ἀµὴν λέγω ὑµῖν, ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν καὶ µὴ διακριθῆτε, οὐ µόνον τὸ τῆς συκῆς ποιήσετε, ἀλλὰ κἂν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ εἴπητε, Ἄρθητι καὶ βλήθητι εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, γενήσεται·
Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not entertain doubts [passive voice: one receives doubts], you shall not only do this miracle of the fig tree, but also; if you shall say to this [he points] mountain [the Mount of Olives], Be moved and be thrown into the sea [the waters of the Mediterranean will then flow through it]; it shall be done [will be fulfilled at the 2nd Advent].
A future generation of Jews will say to the Mount of Olives move and it will move for the Lord will split it in two (Zechariah 14). Faith works in the greatest of pressures. During the siege of Jerusalem there will be maximum pressure. At that time there will be Jews who understand the Scriptures will have the faith to realize that the Lord will split the Mount of Olives and they will be delivered.
Matthew 21:22
καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσητε ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ πιστεύοντες λήµψεσθε
And all things, whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”
They will pray ‘Mount of Olives move’ based on their understanding of Zechariah 14, and it will be split all the way to Haifa and from the Dead Sea down the Arabah to the Red Sea.
The second day of the Temple Discourse: the rest of this chapter and the first 15 verses of the next chapter.
Matthew 21:23
Καὶ ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν προσῆλθον αὐτῷ διδάσκοντι οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ λέγοντες, Ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς; καὶ τίς σοι ἔδωκεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην;
And when He had come into the temple [Monday morning, the second day in the temple: 21:23-22:15], the chief priests and the elders [heads of tribes etc.] of the people came to Him as He was teaching, and they said, [these rude religious types interrupted His teaching] “By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority [attacking His credibility; under Judaism He has no authority]?”
Religious people may put on a smiling face, but they are rude and vicious. They walked in and kept on interrupting his bible class with questions. Eventually, he had to deal with this rudeness. Out of their jealousy, they wanted to discredit him. In the framework of Judaism, the Lord has no authority since it is Satan who sponsors Judaism.
On this second day of his temple discourse, Jesus will present 3 parables denouncing religion: a subtle method of criticism. Later he just clobbers them verbally, “Woe unto you Pharisees, Scribes, hypocrites.”
Verses 24-27: discrediting those who discredit or the great authority debate: Jesus Christ is going to answer a question with a question, a debater’s technique. He does so since he knows that they are not seeking information.
Matthew 21:24
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ἐρωτήσω ὑµᾶς κἀγὼ λόγον ἕνα, ὃν ἐὰν εἴπητέ µοι κἀγὼ ὑµῖν ἐρῶ ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ·
And Jesus answered and said to them, “I will also ask you one thing; which if you tell Me [3rd class], I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things [teaching and performing miracles].
Matthew 21:25
τὸ βάπτισµα τὸ Ἰωάννου πόθεν ἦν; ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων; οἱ δὲ διελογίζοντο ἐν ἑαυτοῖς λέγοντες, Ἐὰν εἴπωµεν, Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἐρεῖ ἡµῖν, ∆ιὰ τί οὖν οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ;
The baptism of John, where was it from: from Heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we shall say, From Heaven, he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
John the Baptist did not have his ministry in the temple, but in the desert. Since many people were going out to hear him, the Pharisees, scribes and chief priests also went out there. They didn’t particularly like John after he called them vipers. John did not get his authority from them and so they were not able to control him.
Matthew 21:26
ἐὰν δὲ εἴπωµεν, Ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, φοβούµεθα τὸν ὄχλον, πάντες γὰρ ὡς προφήτην ἔχουσιν τὸν Ἰωάννην
But if we shall say, ‘From men, we fear the people; for all hold that John as a prophet.’”
Religion is always concerned about what people think. So, religion always has a lot of public relations and gimmicks in it. The criterion is not what is truth, but what do the people think.
Matthew 21:27
καὶ ἀποκριθέντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἶπαν, Οὐκ οἴδαµεν. ἔφη αὐτοῖς καὶ αὐτός, Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑµῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ
And they answered Jesus and said, “We are not able to say.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Although this shut up the religious hierarchy, they stayed to find a way to discredit him. So, Jesus directs three parables to them: the first verses 28-32, the second verses 33-42 and the third, chapter 22:1-15, parables which condemn the religious crowd. ***
Matthew 21:28
Τί δὲ ὑµῖν δοκεῖ; ἄνθρωπος εἶχεν τέκνα δύο. καὶ προσελθὼν τῷ πρώτῳ εἶπεν, Τέκνον, ὕπαγε σήµερον ἐργάζου ἐν τῷ ἀµπελῶνι
But what do you think [designed to refocus attention]? A man had two sons; and he came to the first and said, Son [defined in verse 31 as the tax collectors and the prostitutes], go to work today in my vineyard [Israel executing the Father’s plan for salvation; the vineyard is Israel as per Isaiah 5;].
A lot of people were shocked by the way Jesus talked to the chief priests and the elders. So, Jesus has to refocus their attention. Jesus will now communicate in parables for two reasons: first to help regain their attention via a story and second in a subtle manner discredit the religious leaders.
The tax collectors and prostitutes had the following in common: they were both ostracized by society and they had no illusions about people. They generally did not have a problem with self-righteousness and so responded to the gospel in due time.
Matthew 21:29
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν, Οὐ θέλω, ὕστερον δὲ µεταµεληθεὶς ἀπῆλθεν
He answered and said, I will not go [no interest at first]. But afterwards, he regretted [what he had said to his father] and went [analogous to salvation: “come unto me and I will give you rest”].
When a person says ‘no’ to God, the Lord does not press the issue. God does not force anyone to believe in Jesus Christ. The son going is a picture of the tax collectors and prostitutes being saved during the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Initially, many said ‘no,’ but then after thinking about it, believed in him.
Matthew 21:30
προσελθὼν δὲ τῷ ἑτέρῳ εἶπεν ὡσαύτως. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν, Ἐγώ, κύριε· καὶ οὐκ ἀπῆλθεν
And he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, I will go, sir [the sincerity and hypocrisy of religious unbelievers, but had no intention to go]; and did not go [did not believe in Christ].
Religion gives lip service to God, but doesn’t believe in Christ. This is a direct criticism of the religious leaders who were hypocritical and dishonest and were not interested in the truth.
Matthew 21:31
τίς ἐκ τῶν δύο ἐποίησεν τὸ θέληµα τοῦ πατρός; λέγουσιν, Ὁ πρῶτος. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Ἀµὴν λέγω ὑµῖν ὅτι οἱ τελῶναι καὶ αἱ πόρναι προάγουσιν ὑµᾶς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ
Which of the two did the will of the father? They [the religious leaders] said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax-collectors and the prostitutes will go into the kingdom of God before you [the religious leaders: this means that it is very difficult for a self-righteous, hypocritical religious person to be saved].”
How was it that the tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the Kingdom of God before these religious Jewish leaders? The tax collectors and prostitutes knew that they were sinners whereas the religious people were blinded by their arrogance and so were not able to see their own sins. Sinners understand that they need help; religious people do not see this need. Therefore, since the tax collectors and prostitutes realized that they were sinners and unrighteous, they sought the righteousness of God, whereas arrogant self-righteous people rarely do.
Matthew 21:32
ἦλθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης πρὸς ὑµᾶς ἐν ὁδῷ δικαιοσύνης, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ· οἱ δὲ τελῶναι καὶ αἱ πόρναι ἐπίστευσαν αὐτῷ· ὑµεῖς δὲ ἰδόντες οὐδὲ µετεµελήθητε ὕστερον τοῦ πιστεῦσαι αὐτῷ
For John came to you in the way of righteousness [he communicated the truth], and you did not believe him [the religious crowd rejected the message of John]. But the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him [his message]. And when you had seen it [understood the gospel message and had rejected it], you did not repent afterwards [they had no regret about rejecting Christ so they never gave it another thought] that you might believe in him [Christ].
Though regret (in the Greek metamelomai) is not a necessary step in salvation, it can be a start in the right direction. On the other hand, a change of thinking (metanoeo) toward Christ is the first step for some unbelievers especially for Jewish people. They must change their thinking about Christ and then believe on Him. The religious Jews had no interest in grace at all; they were totally fascinated with manufacturing human good. As such, they had no regret in rejecting the gracious message of salvation.
Verses 33-42: the 2nd Parable:
Matthew 21:33
Ἄλλην παραβολὴν ἀκούσατε. Ἄνθρωπος ἦν οἰκοδεσπότης ὅστις ἐφύτευσεν ἀµπελῶνα καὶ φραγµὸν αὐτῷ περιέθηκεν καὶ ὤρυξεν ἐν αὐτῷ ληνὸν καὶ ᾠκοδόµησεν πύργον, καὶ ἐξέδοτο αὐτὸν γεωργοῖς, καὶ ἀπεδήµησεν
Hear another parable [the second parable taught in the Temple]. There was a certain housemaster [a ruler of a great estate analogous to the Lord] who planted a vineyard [analogous to Israel: Isaiah 5] and hedged it round about [provided protection], and dug a winepress in it [provided for production], and built a tower [protection from foreign enemies], and rented it to vinedressers [for production], and went into a far country.
Matthew 21:34
ὅτε δὲ ἤγγισεν ὁ καιρὸς τῶν καρπῶν, ἀπέστειλεν τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ πρὸς τοὺς γεωργοὺς λαβεῖν τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτοῦ
And when the time of the harvest drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers that they might receive its production [God expected production from Israel].
Matthew 21:35
καὶ λαβόντες οἱ γεωργοὶ τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ ὃν µὲν ἔδειραν, ὃν δὲ ἀπέκτειναν, ὃν δὲ ἐλιθοβόλησαν
And the vinedressers [the chief priests, the Pharisees, and scribes] took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
This is the treatment Israel gave to the prophets and priests etc.
Matthew 21:36
πάλιν ἀπέστειλεν ἄλλους δούλους πλείονας τῶν πρώτων, καὶ ἐποίησαν αὐτοῖς ὡσαύτως
Again he sent other servants [more communicators of God’s Word], more than the first, and they did the same to them.
Matthew 21:37
ὕστερον δὲ ἀπέστειλεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων, Ἐντραπήσονται τὸν υἱόν µου
But last of all he sent his son [analogous to the Lord Jesus Christ] to them, saying, “They will respect [reverence] my son.”
Matthew 21:38
οἱ δὲ γεωργοὶ ἰδόντες τὸν υἱὸν εἶπον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κληρονόµος· δεῦτε ἀποκτείνωµεν αὐτὸν καὶ σχῶµεν τὴν κληρονοµίαν αὐτοῦ
But when the vinedressers [analogous to the chief priest, scribes, Pharisees and the elders of the people] saw the son, they said among themselves, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and get hold of his inheritance.”
Matthew 21:39
καὶ λαβόντες αὐτὸν ἐξέβαλον ἔξω τοῦ ἀµπελῶνος καὶ ἀπέκτειναν
And taking him, they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him [a reference to the cross].
Matthew 21:40
ὅταν οὖν ἔλθῃ ὁ κύριος τοῦ ἀµπελῶνος, τί ποιήσει τοῖς γεωργοῖς ἐκείνοις;
Therefore when the lord of the vineyard comes [the Lord comes to discipline: the 5th cycle of discipline to Israel in 70 A.D.], what will he do to those vinedressers?
Matthew 21:41
λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, Κακοὺς κακῶς ἀπολέσει αὐτούς, καὶ τὸν ἀµπελῶνα ἐκδώσεται ἄλλοις γεωργοῖς, οἵτινες ἀποδώσουσιν αὐτῷ τοὺς καρποὺς ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶν
They [the religious leaders] said to Him, “Evil men! He will destroy them in a terrible way [fulfilled in 70 A.D.] and will rent out his vineyard to other vinedressers [the Church] who will give him the production in their seasons [at the harvest time].”
Matthew 21:42
λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς, Λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίµασαν οἱ οἰκοδοµοῦντες οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας· παρὰ κυρίου ἐγένετο αὕτη, καὶ ἔστιν θαυµαστὴ ἐν ὀφθαλµοῖς ἡµῶν;
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The rock [Christ] which the builders [the Jewish religious people] rejected, this One has become the head of the corner; this is from the Lord [God the Father], and it is marvelous in our eyes?’” (Psalm 118:22, 23)
These are the two verses which they omitted on Palm Sunday. Jesus Christ is the corner stone; one wall is Israel and the other is the Church. Jesus will rule both. Christ will be the ruler of Israel as David’s greater son, and is now the ruler of the church.
Matthew 21:43
διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑµῖν ὅτι ἀρθήσεται ἀφí ὑµῶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ δοθήσεται ἔθνει ποιοῦντι τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς
Therefore, I say to you, “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you [you rulers of Israel] and given to a people [the Church] bringing forth the productions thereof.”
Matthew 21:44
[Καὶ ὁ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὸν λίθον τοῦτον συνθλασθήσεται· ἐφí ὃν δí ἂν πέσῃ λικµήσει αὐτόν.]
And he who falls on this Stone [to stumble over the stone: to reject Christ] shall be broken into pieces [every religious person will be destroyed along with its religious system in 70 A.D.], but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder [the judgment of the Baptism of Fire at the 2nd Advent].
Matthew 21:45
Καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι τὰς παραβολὰς αὐτοῦ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι περὶ αὐτῶν λέγει·
And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard His parables [the first two], they perceived that He spoke about them.
Matthew 21:46
καὶ ζητοῦντες αὐτὸν κρατῆσαι ἐφοβήθησαν τοὺς ὄχλους, ἐπεὶ εἰς προφήτην αὐτὸν εἶχον
But seeking to lay hands on Him, they feared the crowd, because they held Him for a prophet.
Since public opinion makes it possible for religion to function, they were sensitive to it. Even though the people considered the Lord to be a prophet, the majority still had not believed on him.
“Always be happy” (1st Thessalonians 5:16); “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1st Thessalonians 5:18)
Matthew 21:1
Καὶ ὅτε ἤγγισαν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυµα καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Βηθφαγὴ εἰς τὸ Ὄρος τῶν Ἐλαιῶν, τότε Ἰησοῦς ἀπέστειλεν δύο µαθητὰς
And when they drew near to Jerusalem [Sunday morning both Roman and Galilean time, but it would not be Sunday, Judean time until 6 that evening], and had come to Bethphage [located on the Mount of Olives], to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples [unknown],
