3 Or, and saw them that ... treasury, and they were rich.

a Notice that this was the last occurrence in the Saviour's public ministry, except the trial and the crucifixion. This is the last appearance of Jesus in the Temple. His public teaching is over save the words of defence in his trial and the seven sayings on the Cross. The Pharisees and Sadducees had withdrawn in terror at the explosion of the wrath of Jesus and even the disciples were at some distance as Jesus sat alone by the treasury. It is useless further to plead with his enemies. The task now remains to get the disciples prepared for the Master's death and the time is short and they as yet have completely failed to grasp the fact or the significance of his death and the promise of his resurrection on the third day.

PART XII
IN THE SHADOW WITH JESUS

Tuesday afternoon to Thursday night of Passion Week, A.D. 30 (or 29). Jerusalem.

§§ 139-152. Jesus now seeks to prepare the disciples for the tragedy of His death and for carrying on His work after His departure.

§ 139. SITTING ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, JESUS SPEAKS TO HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, AND HIS OWN SECOND COMING, IN APOCALYPTIC LANGUAGE. THE GREAT ESCHATOLOGICAL DISCOURSEa

(Tuesday Afternoon)

a This great discourse has as its background the death of Christ. Further on as part punishment for this crime lies the destruction of Jerusalem. This catastrophe is itself a symbol of the end of the world and in one sense a coming of Christ in power and judgment. But Christ boldly predicts his own personal return to earth, though the time is not revealed. But he does exhort an expectant attitude toward the promises of his coming and readiness for his return which will be at an unexpected hour. Jesus employs the common Jewish apocalyptic imagery to portray this most difficult subject. Some scholars insist that Jesus was himself merely a wild enthusiast who was carried away by the Messianic hopes of his people, but that is a one-sided and distorted view of Christ's life and ignores the great mass of his ethical teaching. It forgets also that Jesus has a world program of conquest and of power. The various aspects of the discourse are not kept distinct. Some think that the Gospels have misunderstood or misrepresented Jesus in this discourse. But we can catch the general drift of the teaching and leave alone minute details of time and place against which Jesus himself warned us.