The Lamb Is Approved

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This is the sixth message in a series of sermons given during Lent in which details of the Passover in the Old Testament are compared to the events surrounding the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation. This message speaks about the Passover lamb that was brought into the household and watched for 4 days prior to slaughter in order to know it was without disease or defect. Jesus, the Lamb of God, entered Jerusalem 4 days before Passover to be "tested and examined" and prove He was worthy to die.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

On the 10^th day of Nisan (which is the first month of the Hebrew calendar), each Jewish family selected a one-year-old lamb from the flock and brought it into the household so they could watch it until the 14^th day – the day of Passover. The purpose for bringing the lamb into the household on the 10^th day was so they could keep a close watch on it and make sure it had no defects or disease. As the lamb interacts with the children and family members the father keeps an eye out for any signs of blemish or defects. It is the father’s responsibility to acknowledge that the lamb is worthy to be slain. The lamb will be slaughtered on the evening of the 14^th as a substitute for every firstborn son in every family. (Adapted from Messiah in the Passover)

Hundreds of years later, on the 10^th day of Nisan, the miracle-working prophet from Nazareth rode down the Mt. of Olives on the back of a donkey and entered the city of Jerusalem. The One whom John the Baptist identified as the “Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world,” has entered the city to be tested, examined, and watched.

It is interesting to note that the Hosanna songs the people were singing as Jesus rode toward Jerusalem are taken from the “Hallel Psalms” that we told you about last Sunday. These are the Psalms (Ps. 113-118) and are sung during the Passover celebration. In just a few days, Jesus would sing that same Psalm with His disciples before going out to the Mount of Olives where He was betrayed.

Four days after His arrival in Jerusalem it will be Passover. Is this Lamb, worthy? Will he pass the tests? The religious leaders and elders are anxious to show to the public that this man cannot be the Messiah. They aim to show that He is not worthy of their devotion because they will show by their confrontations that He can’t pass the test.

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – Throughout this section Jesus’ opponents are variously described as chief priests and scribes… chief priests and elders of the people… chief priests and Pharisees… Pharisees and Herodians… Sadducees… [and] Pharisees... The various power groups in Judaism, who in other respects could not be expected to see eye to eye, are thus all in their different ways drawn into active opposition to Jesus. 

For our message today I want to consider the testing that Jesus went through between Palm Sunday and Passover night as He is proven to be worthy as the sacrifice for all people.

I.    The First Test: What is your authority?

After riding into Jerusalem on Sunday, it is believed that Jesus went to the temple on Monday (day 11) and drove out the money changers and those who bought and sold in the temple. What a display of zeal and authority! It surely must have set the religious rulers on fire with contempt. The following day (Tuesday - day 12), the chief priests and elders came to Him attempting to trick Him into saying something that will reveal He is not worthy to be honored and followed.

Matthew 21:23-27 ^(NKJV) Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" ²⁴But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: ²⁵The baptism of John--where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' ²⁶But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet." ²⁷So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

We are told that these leaders who confront Jesus are the people who are responsible for civil and religious order in the Jewish community. They want to prove that Jesus is not worthy of the Messianic implications in the praise of the people at His triumphal entry as well as His cleansing of the temple. 

Jesus’ response is to ask them a question, which some writers indicate is an approved Rabbinic form of debate. In asking His question, Jesus clearly ties His ministry, message and authority in with the ministry and message of John the Baptist, who had already declared Him to be the Lamb of God. As much as the leaders hated Jesus, they had to walk away defeated because they knew what the common feeling was among the people toward John the Baptist.

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – …by declining to pronounce an ‘official’ verdict on John, whose ministry was so clearly in line with that of Jesus, they had forfeited the right to challenge publicly the authority of Jesus.

The Lamb is victor. He has passed the test. There is no flaw or blemish in Him.

II.  The Second Test: Do you honor civil authority?

In the next test, which takes place on the same day (Tuesday). It comes from a group of Pharisees and Herodians. Two sects within the Jewish community who normally are at odds with each other.

The Pharisees claim to be faithful to the Scriptures and despise any compromises with the pagan Roman authorities. The Herodians are supportive of the Roman civil rule. Normally they do not join together in any kind of common effort, but today they do so in order to trap Jesus into saying something that will either inflame the Roman authorities or the loyal Jews.

Matthew 22:15-22 ^(NKJV) Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. ¹⁶And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. ¹⁷Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" ¹⁸But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? ¹⁹Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius. ²⁰And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" ²¹They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." ²²When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

(Lenski New Testament Commentary) – Luke 20:20 calls these emissaries of the Pharisees "spies who feigned themselves to be righteous," and adds that their plot was to deliver Jesus into the hands of the governor. These disciples were men whom Jesus had not met before, who thus could pose as honest inquirers. The Pharisees arranged matters so that their disciples were accompanied by the Herodians. The latter were to act as witnesses, and their word would be more effective with the Roman governor than that of mere disciples of the Pharisees. 

These people not only believe that they have the perfect question to capture the Teacher in a dilemma and force Him to indict Himself, but they begin with flattery. 

Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men…

We are told that the specific tax they are referring to here is paid directly to Rome, and the Jews viewed it as representing their subjection to a foreign power. (Tyndale Commentary)

Is it lawful? – No question that it was the Roman law. They’re asking if it is permissible for God’s people to pay this tax which could be viewed as allegiance to a foreign power. Will this Man, the One who has made some unbelievable claims to be the Son of God, be able to pass this test? Will the Lamb prove to be above reproach?

Yes, He not only shows that they cannot trap Him in a situation that indicts Him, but He traps them in their own dilemma they cannot escape. Rather than Jesus going away with head hanging because of His answer, His accusers walk away defeated. Instead of trapping the Lord in a political/moral dilemma, they walk away realizing that Jesus has just exposed their hypocrisy. They who have the image of God stamped in their very existence do not rightfully “render to God the things that are God’s.”

III. The Third Test: Do you understand Scripture?

Continuing on into the day, Jesus is confronted by another group that is intent on showing that He is not worthy of the devotion and honor that people have been giving. These people are called “Sadducees.” The specific characteristic that is mentioned about them in Scripture is this: they do not believe in the resurrection. They appear to come with the intent of proving that Jesus does not know the Scriptures as well as they do. (Messiah in the Passover)

Matthew 22:23-33 ^(NKJV) The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, ²⁴saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁵Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. ²⁶Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. ²⁷Last of all the woman died also. ²⁸Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her." ²⁹Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. ³⁰For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. ³¹But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ³²'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." ³³And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

Conclusion:

All three of these tests that we have discussed probably took place on the same day – Tuesday of Passion Week. But these are not the only times Jesus was “being tested.” Throughout the week there were other questions asked (What is the greatest commandment?) and additional lessons and discourses that Jesus taught.

In all of the questioning and in all of the speaking, Jesus is proven over and over to be without defect, flaw or sin. When the week winds down at the trial of Jesus, it’s as though the four days of “testing” are summed up in the words of Pilate when he announces to the crowd, “I find no fault in Him.”

For the very first Passover and every subsequent observance of Passover, the head of the household would have to approve the lamb after watching it for 4 days. He would have to verify that the lamb is truly without defect and worthy to be slain for Passover. On the night of Passover, right after Jesus celebrated the event with His disciples, the Father presented Him as the Passover Lamb who was worthy to die, not just for firstborn sons, but in the place of every human being. Jesus has been examined, watched and tested. He has been proven worthy to be the sacrifice for all mankind.

(Biblewise.com, “Chronology of Passion Week”) In Moses' Passover in Egypt, death was merely avoided. In the Passover Jesus celebrated, death wasn't avoided: it was confronted and conquered for all mankind.

All through the service today the worthiness of our Redeemer has been celebrated. The songs we’ve sung, the Scripture that was read, the special music, and the message of the sermon have all pointed to the fact that Jesus Christ, “the Lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world,” is worthy to be slain. When we look into the book of Revelation, we read the Lamb that was slain is worthy of all praise. 

Revelation 5:11-13 ^(NKJV) Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ¹²saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!" ¹³And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!" 

Let us close the service today by singing the chorus: Worthy Is the Lamb