The Time of Visitation

Palm Sunday: The day we celebrate the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem where he would be sentenced to death a few days later.

I'd like to look at the time just before His triumphal entry:

Luke 19:11-14, While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.' 14 "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' 15 "He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. 16 "The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.' 17 "'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.' 18 "The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.' 19 "His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.' 20 "Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.' 22 "His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?' 24 "Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.' 25 "'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!' 26 "He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them-bring them here and kill them in front of me.'" NIV


Luke 19 is the setting for the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. He had been on his pilgrimage towards this place even though he knew rejection was in store for him.
Just before he gets to Jerusalem , he was in a little place called Jericho, and we have this incredible scripture which tells us the reason that Jesus was going to tell a parable. That is rare. Sometimes Jesus tells a parable and explains it afterwards, but it is rare that the writers of the scripture tells us the "why" of a parable before it is given.

The Bible tells us that he gives the parable for two reasons. 1) He was near Jerusalem which would be the place of his triumphal entry, and 2) the people thought that the kingdom was going to appear immediately.

Therefore we know that an express purpose of His telling this parable was to deflate their notions in some way that the kingdom was going to be manifested immediately.

Here Jesus tells the people a story that is in reality about himself. Jesus of course is the "king" and he goes to a "distant country" that He would be appointed king over them. In that day, that is how kingdoms were given in the Roman empire: The potential king would travel to Rome to receive the kingdom that was to be bestowed on him. In fact, at around that time, a king went to Rome to obtain from Caesar Augustus a confirmation of his title to reign over that part of Judea. The Jews, knowing the potential king's character sent an embassy of 50 men to Rome, to prevail on Augustus "not" to confer the title on him, but they could not succeed. He "received" the kingdom, and reigned in Judea. So Jesus' hearer's would understand exactly what He meant.

Now, this parable deals with two groups of people and their reaction to the nobleman.
1) Those who were supposed to be the citizens of his kingdom and 2.) Those that were the servants of the nobleman.

Let's concentrate on the potential citizens for a second and not on the servants. Those that were supposed to be his citizens sent a delegation saying that they did not want Him as King. This in fact was the picture of Israel. Jesus was about to ride into Jerusalem. His "servants" would praise Him as king, but Israel refused to acknowledge Him as such. Why?

One of the reasons is that Israel was looking for a conquering king. You see, they were expecting a triumphant king riding in on a horse to save Israel from Rome. Jesus was going to be rejected! Even His disciples didn't want to hear that. They didn't get it. They just wanted Jesus to defeat Rome and establish his kingdom immediately. No one really understood the idea of a suffering servant.

What becomes of the rejectors? Jesus parable is clear.

Luke 19:27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them-bring them here and kill them in front of me.'"

By the behavior of the citizens in the parable, and their punishment, we are taught that Israel, would reject Jesus, and try to prevent His reigning over them in his spiritual kingdom, and would for that crime be severely punished.

Israel wanted a savior from their problems, they did not want a savior from their sin. Are we the same way?