Talk of JESUS . com

Category: 4 Gospels + Good News of the NEW Testament

What are the Gospels?

FOUR Gospels:

GOOD NEWS! (That’s what Gospel means.)

Matthew, Mark, Luke & John begin the New Testament proclaiming the Good News of Israel’s long-awaited Messiah and talk of JESUS Christ.

The four Gospels are first hand witness + proclaiming GOOD NEWS

  • by two Jewish Apostles of the Messiah JESUS, Matthew & John
  • Two gentile (non-Jewish) followers of THE WAY of Jesus Christ, Mark & Luke, who proclaim the GOSPEL recorded from witness of Peter, Paul and other Apostles and disciples of JESUS in the first century.

READ the Good News of the Messiah and Savior Jesus from accounts of His twelve Apostles & others witnessing the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the four Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

SHARE the Gospel

  • with your Christian friends and those who do not yet believe in JESUS CHRIST.
  • Comment on a Talk of JESUS post and SHARE in your social media world.
  • for it was not the season for figs – 7

    for it was not the season for figs – 7

    The Lord Christ Jesus preaches the Prophets as well as the Law.

    Read Habakkuk or any prophet and see the Lord predicted in days & centuries Before Christ.

    Jesus shares scripture in ways few understand. Application may well apply to these last days as well. RH

    Roger@TalkofJesus.com 
    This series from summer 2017 began here.
https://talkofjesus.com/not-season-figs-prologue/

    The Lord warns of the tree and it’s fruit

    In the early preaching of Jesus (right after the golden rule) Jesus offers this warning.

    A Tree and Its Fruit

    15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. 

    Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

    17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

    19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

    Though the fig tree does not blossom

    What shall we do?

    “We live thistle-bound lives in lands of lost promise.”

    “For the nations are led astray by men and women who seek not the will of the Lord.”

    The garden of the Lord seems long lost to sin.

    Leaders listening to the Lord’s command are no more.

    Judges enact rules of unrighteousness.

    Kings conquer, covet and divide.

    Prophets no longer warn of God displeasure of even ‘christians‘ living this ‘life’ and the Lord’s silence disheartens the generations.

    In the first century A.D. during Jesus’ ministry:

    The head of John the Baptist has passed on a platter and crowds of Jerusalem under Rome look for a Messiah and King. 

    A prophet seven centuries earlier had cursed a fig tree on their behalf echoing the hearts of this Passover procession with Palms – our Palm Sunday multitude.

    Habakkuk 1: NKJV

    O Lord, how long shall I cry,
    And You will not hear?

    Why do You look on those who deal treacherously,
    And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours
    A person more righteous than he?

    O, faithless fig tree, dear dried up vine; do you believe that you alone have cried out to the Lord for mercy?

    Habakkuk 3:

    O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid;
    O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years!
    In the midst of the years make it known;
    In wrath remember mercy.

    A Hymn of Faith

    17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer's;
    he makes me tread on my high places.

    A second look at a triumphal entry

    17 Though the fig tree may not blossom,
    Nor fruit be on the vines;
    Though the labor of the olive may fail,
    And the fields yield no food;
    Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
    And there be no herd in the stalls—
    18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will joy in the God of my salvation.


    Matthew 21:
    4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

    5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
    ‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
    humble, and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

    9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

    10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”

    11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

    12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

    14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.

    17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

    To be continued…

  • for it was not the season for figs – 1

    for it was not the season for figs – 1

    Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and he who guards his master will be honored.

    – Proverbs 27:18

    Consider the Creator of the garden approaching a fig tree before its season. Who will guard the Son of Man as He enters the Temple and fast-approaches the reproach of the Cross?

    Prologue to this series (in case you missed it)

    Mark 11: [ESV]

    Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

    12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

    Jesus Cleanses the Temple

    15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons…

    A triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as an anointed King of Israel. Jesus stays in a nearby town (Bethany) for the night, then returns to Jerusalem. A fig tree is not an uncommon sight along the rural roads leading to the gates of Jerusalem. He curses the tree with no fruit, then enters the Holy City, clearing the Holy Temple of unrighteousness.

    The authorities will have to plot against this powerful and righteous Son of Man, lest their comfortable authority would be overthrown.

    19 And when evening came they went out of the city.

    Jesus leaves town. 

    Another night away from Jerusalem (probably once again with disciples in Bethany).

    The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree

    Mark 11:20-21 http://talkofJesus.com

    20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.

    21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

    22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

    Another miracle (kind of a scary one, though). Jesus had cursed a tree and it withered and died in a day.

    (Have you ever thought that your life could pass just as quickly?)

    Now, in typical rabbi fashion Jesus makes a teaching moment from fulfillment of His curse.

    24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

    And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

    Mark 11:25

    “Even a holy week spent in prayer is of no value to the unforgiving worshiper. You with ears to hear, forgive ,” learn the lesson of the fig tree.

    Forgive, “… so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

    Tend the tree of life and forgiveness. 
Bear the fruit of love. 
Guard the Lord, our Master and Savior.
He will curse the tree without fruit at the Judgment.
    Roger@talkofJesus.com

    Scripture has much more to say about the fig tree. Jesus does not choose such an important symbol of Israel to curse without cause.

    To be continued

  • for it was not the season for figs – prologue

    for it was not the season for figs – prologue

    Lost in the glory of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday we find a brief story much overlooked. The story of Jesus cursing a fig tree not only seems much out of character for the Lord, but relatively insignificant. I cannot recall ever hearing it preached simply on its own merits.

    In a brief series (for a single post does not give this story its due) we will examine in more depth the significance of the fig tree. As an introduction let’s begin with one telling of the story by the Gospel writer, John Mark, a disciple introduced in Acts.

    Mark 11: [ESV]

    Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

    12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

    Gospel of Mark 11:12-14 ESV

    That’s it.

    Prior to this Mark records:

    8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields.9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

    11 And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

    The story of Palm Sunday, as we have become so familiar, nearly too familiar.

    Jesus comes riding up the road to Jerusalem, received like a King and Messiah, followed and worshiped by hundreds. He takes a look at the Temple, it’s late, they head to a local town to stay the night.

    The fig tree encounter takes place the next day. Yet like the Apostles  and hundreds of followers who would fall away before the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, we miss the point of the fig tree.

    Mark continues the commentary of the next day with actions of Jesus from another, most-familiar story:

    Jesus Cleanses the Temple

    15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.

    Gospel of Mark 11:15-18 ESV

    But what of the fig tree?

    To be continued…