Jesus’ Suffering and Death Foretold

Transcript

GR 715
8/4/1985
Jesus’ Suffering and Death Foretold
Matthew 20:17-28
Gil Rugh

Matthew 20:17-28 is an interesting section that is tied together by one theme: the coming death of Jesus Christ at Jerusalem. The events described in Matthew 20 happened within days of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and Matthew 21 begins with the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, which marks the beginning of the last week of Jesus on earth. At the beginning of this section Jesus predicted the events of His coming death at Jerusalem, and Matthew 20:28 ends this section on the same note: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
So the pervading theme of this section is Jesus Christ giving His life at Jerusalem, His suffering and His death. That was what occupied the mind and attention of Jesus Christ at this point. He was just about a week away from His own death at Jerusalem. But it is interesting to note that on this occasion the attention of the disciples was occupied with something totally different. They were occupied and preoccupied, if you will, with matters relating to their own glory and prestige. They were thinking about their own importance and greatness and how they might enhance that.
Jesus had told them that they were destined to rule and reign in glory with Him in His kingdom, “And Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel’” (Matt. 19:28). The disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah and that He was going to rule and reign, and they believed that they would reign with Him in glory. The problem was they twisted that to a focus of selfish ambition. Jesus used His own life and His own experiences as a pattern for them to follow.
In Matthew 20:17, Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem. Jesus and the disciples were in the vicinity of Jericho. Jericho is to the east of Jerusalem, by the Jordan River, and has a rather rugged terrain. Jericho is also quite a bit lower than Jerusalem, so they were preparing for that rather strenuous climb up to Jerusalem over that rugged terrain. To prepare the disciples for what would be transpiring when they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus wanted to speak to them privately and personally about coming events. “As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them” (Matt. 20:17).

Jesus took them away from the crowd that had gathered so He could address His intimate circle of committed followers. He wanted to prepare them for what was going to happen when they got to Jerusalem. This was at least the third time He talked about this. In Matthew 16:21 it says that Jesus began to prepare them: “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.” In Matthew 17:22 Jesus is recorded as having told them again: “And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them,
‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.’” Then again in the passage in Matthew 20, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up” (Matt. 20:18, 19). Jesus revealed more fully what would transpire in Jerusalem than He had up to this point.
Jesus used His Messianic title as He talked of His suffering and death. The disciples were unable to understand this. They grabbed on to the expression, “Son of Man”, because it was a title that came from Daniel 7. “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13, 14). This passage is important not only for Matthew 20:18, 19 but for what Jesus said a little later in this section. Jesus said the Son of Man is going to Jerusalem to suffer and die. The disciples picked up on the emphasis that He is the Son of Man, the One appointed by God the Father to rule and reign in eternal glory. They remembered that He promised in Matthew 19:28, “When the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones,” and they missed all the rest of what Jesus said. It went right by them.
In Matthew 20:18, 19, Jesus related six basic facts about what would occur in Jerusalem. First He said, “We are going up to Jerusalem.” That is the first fact. What was about to occur, His death, His burial, and His resurrection, would take place at Jerusalem. Second, the chief priests and the scribes would be the ones who would deliver Him up. There would be a verdict or decision rendered by the Sanhedrin, the governing body of the nation Israel, that would deliver up the Son of Man. Third, the Sanhedrin would condemn Him to death, render a verdict of capital punishment. Fourth, the Sanhedrin “will hand Him over to the Gentiles.” That was new information added. Not only would the Sanhedrin condemn Him to death, but they would turn Him over to the Gentiles for the carrying out of the sentence. Fifth, the Gentiles would mock and scourge and crucify Him. The clear prediction was that He would die on the basis of the decision of the Sanhedrin, but at the hands of the Gentiles. He would not be stoned to death, which was the capital punishment that would have been carried out by Jews, but the Gentiles would crucify Him. Sixth, He would be raised up on the third day.

These points could not be any clearer: They were going to Jerusalem; the Sanhedrin would render a verdict of guilty; they would condemn Him to death; they would turn Him over to the Gentiles; the Gentiles would abuse and crucify Him; He would be raised up the third day. How would it be possible for the disciples not to understand it?
Luke recorded this same event, and in Luke 18:34 he wrote, “But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.” They did not understand or grasp it.
Today it is clear because we are looking back on the event, and it is obvious that this prediction was accurately and clearly fulfilled. But the disciples were thinking about His being the Son of Man, destined to reign in glory, and that they were going to reign with Him. Jesus knew that they did not understand, so why did He tell them at this point? John 14:29 says, “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.” Jesus recognized that they would not understand these things, but He told them to prepare them, so that after it happened they would recognize the truth of what He predicted and their faith would be strengthened. After the events happened, they would look back and realize that this was exactly what He said would occur.
John 16:4 says, “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them.” What often happens is that a message from the Word is given and we are not quite ready for it. We’re not going through that right now, so it only half registers in our minds. For example, there may be a message on suffering, but my life is going pretty well without any particular suffering or trials, in fact, things seem to be going pretty smoothly, and so I don’t really grab onto that truth at that point. But the Spirit of God may be preparing me for the future by allowing me to hear that message. Down the road when the trial or pressure comes, the Spirit of God brings to your mind that portion of the Word and it becomes alive and rich and you latch onto it. That is why I need to be careful to absorb the Word as the Spirit gives it. It may be that it does not seem to fit today, but the Spirit of God is preparing me for my tomorrows. That is what was happening with the disciples. They wanted to talk about reigning in glory and power! But God was preparing them for the trials that would be coming.
In Matthew 20, the disciples were concerned about the kingdom. They had allowed themselves to be influenced by worldly perspectives on the kingdom. What do you think of when you think of ruling? Power and authority and might! While Jesus was talking about His coming suffering and agonizing death at Jerusalem, the disciples were absorbed with how they could get the inside track on being the most important and greatest person in the kingdom. “Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him” (Matt. 20:20). The sons of Zebedee were James and John. Mark 10:35 indicates that the two disciples themselves came with this request.
Put the two accounts together and it becomes clear what happened: the two disciples, James and John, were the instigators and they had their mother go as their representative to seek a commitment from Christ that they would be the most important ones in the kingdom. This becomes evident even in Matthew’s account because in Matthew 20:22 Jesus addressed them and said, “You do not know what you are asking” and the word “you” is plural addressing not only the mother but also the two disciples. In Greek the word “you” can be singular or plural; whereas in English the context determines whether “you” refers to one or more than one. In Matthew 20:24 the other disciples became indignant with the two brothers because they realized the two brothers had instigated this.
It might be easy to dismiss this by thinking that all mothers want their sons to be great and important. But she did not do this without her sons. We think of John as the beloved disciple who wrote the tremendous gospel of John, who wrote the epistles, who wrote the Book of the Revelation; he would never allow himself to fall into such a fleshly ambition, would he? But John, the beloved disciple, was absorbed at this point with his own selfish, fleshly ambition and hoped to get a commitment from Christ that he would be one of the most important in the kingdom to be established.
The mother of James and John came with her request on behalf of her sons, “And He said to her, ‘What do you wish?’ She said to Him, ‘Command that in your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left’” (Matt. 20:21). In the kingdom, Christ will sit on a throne. His right hand and His left will be the places of most intimacy, closest to Him, indicating the most honor and authority. That is what people want, power and authority. Note how faith and spiritual insight joined together with fleshly ambition create something ugly.
True faith and spiritual insight were evident by this request. The disciples recognized Jesus as the Messiah. They really believed that He would establish a kingdom over which He would rule and reign in glory. They really believed what He said about the disciples being destined to rule and reign with Him. That took tremendous faith. This small rag-tag band was about to walk to Jerusalem, not ride in splendor, but walk to Jerusalem, and they wanted to talk with Him about who would be appointed to the positions of honor. That indicated real faith in Him as the Messiah and in His Word about establishing a kingdom. But they took that and used that as a foundation on which to build selfish ambition. It became something ugly. Often we do the same thing: We take some spiritual truth and tie it to our own selfish desires; and instead of something beautiful, we have something ugly. Instead of something that displays the character of Christ, we have something that distorts the character of Christ. We need to be very careful about that.
When you look at the foundation of their request, you think it has to be good. It was based upon the fact that He was the Messiah, He will rule and reign in glory, and He promised that they will rule and reign with Him. But it was motivated by selfish ambition. That becomes clear by the way Jesus responded to it. “But Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking’” (Matt. 20:22). Very simply, He told them that they did not understand their request. They were asking something in ignorance. They did not know what it meant to have the positions of honor and greatness in His kingdom.
They were approaching this like the world does. In the world it matters who you know, how you can assert your influence, and if you can get the inside track. If you want to be somebody important, if you want to get into a position of influence, the world says that you have to have the right contacts, you need someone to put in a good word for you. James and John were using good business tactics, worldly tactics, if you will, to get the inside track. The indication seems to be that James and John were cousins of Christ. They may have thought that their mother, probably the aunt of Christ, could talk to Him so that they could get the inside track. Since they were family, maybe they could get a commitment from Him so that when the kingdom was set up, they would have the positions of honor and greatness. Jesus told them that they didn’t understand what they were asking for; they didn’t understand honor and greatness in the kingdom.
Then He asked a question, “‘Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?’ They said to Him, ‘we are able’” (Matt. 20:22). They answered, but they did not have any idea what the cup was that He was about to drink of. Luke’ s account indicated that they did not understand what He was talking about when He talked about His suffering and death at Jerusalem. That word used of the cup to drink comes from the Old Testament and it means to fully partake of experiences, either good or bad. The experience that Christ was about to partake of was His suffering and death.
They were going to partake of that cup. “He said to them, ‘My cup you shall drink’” (Matt. 20:23). That meant they were going to suffer for Him. In Acts 12, James died as a martyr for his testimony for Christ. In Revelation 1:9, the aged Apostle John wrote that he was exiled to the rocky, barren island of Patmos for his testimony for Christ and his stand on the Word of God. Both James and John were going to suffer as Christ suffered. Some of the disciples gave their lives even as Christ gave His life in His testimony for His Father. Jesus’ answer indicated that they would drink the cup He was about to drink even if they didn’t know what they had committed themselves to.
Jesus continued, “but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father” (Matt. 20:23). Jesus said that the Father alone assigns the positions of honor in the kingdom. Even Christ does not make that decision. That fits the account given in Matthew 20:1-16. The rewards were dispensed to the laborers in the vineyard at the solemn, gracious determination of the owner of the vineyard. So it will be with the positions of honor in the kingdom; they will be given at the sovereign determination of the Father. Although the disciples, the inner circle of twelve, have had the most opportunity to have an advantage if there are any positions of honor, that is not the way it works in the coming kingdom. It is not who you know and how much influence you exert. That’s not it at all. The Father has decided for whom those positions are prepared.
What was the reaction of the other disciples? Matthew 20:24, “And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers.” In light of what Christ said in the following verses instructing the disciples on true greatness, it becomes clear that the other ten were not appalled that the two, James and John, could be so unspiritual. What really grated on them was that these two tried to get the inside track, and the other ten also coveted the positions of honor. They had not come to grips with what real greatness is; they just did not like it when someone else tried to assert themselves. One commentator said it is easy to condemn in others what we excuse in ourselves. With their mouths they are saying, how could you guys do that? That’s awful! That’s pitiful! And in their minds they’re thinking, and besides, you ought to know that I deserve the position of honor. If it’s going to anybody, it ought to go to me. Who do you think you are, just because you ’re a cousin? Who do you think has the most leadership ability here anyway? And none of them understand what real greatness consists of. So Jesus intervenes, and He doesn’t stand up for the ten against the two but He takes the expression of the two as a chance to instruct the twelve on what real greatness and honor consist of in the kingdom of God.
Jesus gave them some instruction on real greatness. Matthew 20:25, “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.’” The world measures greatness in terms of power and authority. I was reading some articles this week in a secular publication, and one of the articles was about some influential businessmen, column after column talking about their lifestyle and how they run their businesses, and it all centered on their power. The article described how when they spoke things happened and how many lost their jobs when they took over and how they did that. It described the authority they exerted and the power. That is the measure of the world’s greatness. If you want to talk about somebody great in the world, you have to talk about their influence, their power, their ability to speak, that’s the way the world operates.
But Jesus said that is not the way it is to be among you. Matthew 20:26, “It is not this way among you.” This is one of the problems we have as believers. We must operate on a different system than the world, and when we forget this, we begin to operate in the church as the world operates. This creates great problems and destroys any effectiveness in the Church of Jesus Christ. “It is not so among you.”
Jesus continued, “but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave” (Matt. 20:26, 27). True greatness and honor in the kingdom that Christ will establish, true greatness and honor before God, is determined not by power and influence, but by your service to others. He used two different words, “your servant” in Matthew 20:26 and “your slave” in Matthew 20:27. You are to occupy yourself with the giving of yourself on behalf of others. That is what brings true honor before God. In effect Christ said, “I cannot delegate to you the position of honor in the kingdom. The Father will do that. And what will be the basis? Your service to others, how well you’ve served, how well you’ve given of yourself. ”
This is a difficult adjustment. The world does not honor service to others. The world looks up to the person who is being served. It is important to be careful that this attitude does not creep into the church so that the church honors what the world sees as greatness and those the world deems as important people. The whole celebrity mentality in the world has become the mentality of the church in some cases. They want the important people. When that happens in the church, what do we find? We find people in the church who want to have a position of influence, of power.
We find people who want others to see how important they are and want people to listen to them. They have adopted the world’s standard and brought it into the church, and then they wonder what happened to the power and effectiveness of the church. God is not honoring those individuals or that manner of functioning.
Rather, our attitude ought to be: how can I more effectively serve other believers? What can I do for their benefit? This is true biblical love. What is true love? It is agape or agapao love. What is the central characteristic of that kind of love? It is self-sacrifice or self-giving. When we are willing to give of ourselves and to give ourselves totally to others and for others in meeting their needs, then that is what it means to truly love others. When we get to the kingdom, those who have given of themselves without reservation in serving others will be honored and have the place of greatness.
If I were going to make a list of great Christians today, what criteria would I use? I have read of many of those who are famous, those who are well known, those who influence people, and those who have authority over large churches or large organizations. God is making His list of great Christians, those who are in humility giving of themselves to serve others, who have sacrificed themselves or their honor so that another believer or believers might benefit and grow and mature. When we come to the kingdom, they will have the positions of honor. They are truly great as God sees them. The tragedy of wanting to be great before the world is losing the esteem of God. If I want to be admired in this world and want people to think of me as important and significant and worthy of honor, then the tragedy of that is that I cannot have that and have the esteem of God as one who is truly great and worthy of honor. So I have to readjust my thinking and realize that it is more important to be honored before God than it is to be honored before men.
The concern of my life must be how can I invest it in serving you? The great example is in Matthew 20:28, a tremendous theological statement: “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” This tremendous theological statement was given as an example for us in serving others. We get caught up in debating the theology of verse 28 and we forget the purpose for which it was written. It was written so that you and I might have this great example of Christ in how to give ourselves in serving others.
In this verse, Jesus uses the Messianic title again, “the Son of Man,” describing the One who will come before Almighty God, the Father, and be given total, sole rule over all creation for eternity! This One came to earth not to be served by others but to serve them. That is a tremendous statement! The One who alone is worthy of all service, who is worthy that all might bow and serve and honor Him, came not that men might serve Him but that He might serve them. That is why He became a man, not because He needed anything. He could have been served by all by maintaining His position in glory, but He came that He might serve us.
Why did He come? “To give His life a ransom for many.” The word ransom was used of paying the penalty necessary to release a slave. You and I are the slaves of sin, and the penalty for sin is death. Jesus Christ came to earth that He might do what was necessary for us to be set free, that He might serve me. What do I need above all else? I need One who can release me from my bondage by paying the price demanded by a holy and righteous God. Jesus Christ came and did just that. He gave His life a ransom for many. He paid the price, which was death. John wrote in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” That is the ultimate act of service.
There is only one way for mankind to get to God, and that is Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” There is one God; there is one mediator. Jesus paid the penalty for sinful, fallen humanity so that we might be brought to God. He was the mediator to bring us to God. The penalty had to be paid. The penalty is death, which separates us from God. But through the death of His Son, God has brought us into right relationship with Himself. He ransomed us; He paid the penalty as a ransom for all.
In Matthew 20:28 it says “a ransom for many.” There is a theological debate over limited and unlimited atonement. I take it that “many” refers to “all” just as in Romans 5:15 by the sinful act of Adam, the many became sinners, and by the obedience of Christ, the many became righteous. How many became sinners by the fall of Adam? All did. So “many” in Romans 5:15 refers to all humanity. So here I take it that all of us have had the ransom paid, however we have not all availed ourselves of that because that only becomes effective when we believe in Jesus Christ.
Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:18-19, “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” Our redemption was not purchased by things, by heritage, by possessions, by family ties, or by religious associations, but with the blood of Christ, because the penalty for sin is death. That is why religious people can go to hell, because the penalty for sin is not being religious. That is why people who are baptized can go to hell, because the penalty for sin is not being baptized. That is why church members can go to hell, because the penalty for sin is not church membership. The penalty for sin is death, and the payment of the price, redemption, was accomplished by Christ. He died so that I am cleansed and forgiven by believing in Him and relying upon the fact He died for me and was raised because He had paid the penalty; by believing that I am redeemed and ransomed by Him.
That is the thrust of Matthew 20:28. Jesus came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom. There are two truths given. If you confuse them, you come up with heresy. Following the example of Jesus Christ does not save you. If you have a life of suffering and hardship and heartache and you die a martyr, that does not mean you will go to heaven. Following the example of Christ does not save you. Having the penalty for your sin paid by Christ saves you. That occurs when you believe in Him. You are justified by faith in Jesus Christ. We are sons of God by faith in Christ. But when we become sons of God by faith in Christ, then we are to follow the example of Christ. As He gave of Himself completely for others, so we are to give of ourselves in unselfish service for others.
Jesus said “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you” (John 15:12). What is the standard? You are to love each other like He loved you. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). That is how much Christ loved me, how much He loved you. He died for you. He commands you to love one another like He loved you, to even be willing to give your life for one another.
I wonder, is that how we really live? Am I so absorbed in loving you that it does not matter how inconvenient it is? Am I so absorbed in serving you that it does not matter how much hardship it brings to me? Is all that matters whether I am serving you effectively? Am I being used of God in your life for the accomplishing of His purposes? Am I being a slave and a servant to believers and to the Body of Christ? Paul wrote in Romans 5:8 that the great demonstration of love is that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” That is the great picture of love. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). He gave Himself for us. Many of us have memorized John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” But you ought also to memorize 1 John 3:16, “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Obviously, I do not give my life as a ransom for you because the ransom has been paid in the death of Christ. But I am to give my life to love and serve you. That was the flaw in the disciples’ thinking in this section. There had to be a major adjustment in their thinking. Instead of “How can I have more honor and more greatness, ” they needed to become more absorbed with, “How can I serve these fellow believers more effectively? How can I give myself on their behalf? ”
Stop and think, what is going through your mind right now? Some people will think this message is for this church because it really needs to hear more about love. Or, it’s about time the importance of love was emphasized because nobody has taken time to reach out and meet my needs. You know what that indicates? It means they are right where the disciples were when Christ began to address them. They are glad I’m preaching this sermon on serving others because maybe it will make others more effective in serving them.
But the thrust and emphasis of what Christ is saying is that as believers we need to concentrate on how we can more effectively serve other believers. How can we become slaves to other believers to help them in their walk with Him? We have to be careful not to allow bitterness and frustration to settle in that we have had such great needs and no one reached out to us. If everybody who thought there was a tremendous lack of love would begin to manifest love, the problem would be taken care of in abundance.
The real tragedy is not that there are not enough people meeting my needs, the tragedy is that I am not concerned enough about meeting someone else’s needs. That is something I can resolve. I cannot change you. I cannot make you different. But you know what I can do? I can give of myself more to you. I can give of myself more on your behalf. I can say, “God make me more of a servant, more of a slave to other believers. ” We can’t change as a group by saying; “I hope this whole body will be that way. ” The only way it will be changed is if I begin to function that way, if you as an individual begin to function that way. But my attitude should be, “God I want to be your slave and your servant regardless of what anybody else does. " If you are the only totally committed servant or slave in this body, cheer up because God will honor you at the proper time. I trust that will be true of us.
Stop and think about this past week. How much have you given of yourself for other believers on behalf of the Body of Christ? Is that what has occupied you or occupied me? Don’t think about others, think about yourself. Stop and think, Lord, how can you use me in someone else ’s life? How can I make myself more available to them? Maybe there is a tremendous lack of love, but the correction for that is to ask the Lord to use me. Make me willing to be the servant and the slave that will honor you. If that absorbs each of us, the body will be changed and we will begin to see the character of Christ. We will not just be preaching about Him, but we will be living out the beauty of His character and His life will be seen in us. This will transform us and through us others as well.