Questions

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 21:12–17

As a “service” to the worshippers, the priests allowed people to sell doves for sacrifices and to operate money exchanges to “facilitate” offerings. But Jesus accused the money changers of being “robbers” and drove them out of the temple (court area). How might the priests justify their actions to allow these things to happen? How did Jesus’ accusation serve to purify their motives?

1. Jesus rarely used violence. Why did He in this very occasion? What can we learn about the heart of Jesus?

2. Jesus expresses His desire that “My house will be called a house of prayer”.

a. In what way(s) may the church truly be called such?

b. And how may you, yourself, participate in making the church a house of prayer?

3. Why were the chief priests and the scribes indignant over the healing of the sick and the children’s shouts?

a. Which might have made them more indignant?

b. How did the children learn to shout Hosanna at Jesus?

c. What can we learn from these children?

4. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 21:18–22

1. The story of the fig tree is a little odd which makes it very interesting. Can you carefully jot down all that seemed odd or unusual to you? (Think of Jesus’ hunger, His foreknowledge, His curse — He never cursed anything before.)

2. Obviously, Jesus did it on purpose. What might be the purposes or lessons that He wanted the disciples to learn by cursing a fruitless tree?

3. Jesus was using the withering of the tree as an object lesson on faith as well and He extended it even to moving mountains. If you were to pray, what might take greater faith — the withering of a tree or the moving of a mountain?

4. How did the apostles apply faith in the Acts of the Apostles? Did they pray for the moving of mountains?

5. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 21:23–27

1. Jesus’ preaching and healing powers were well known to all of the people. Why didn’t the chief priests and the elders join the people in listening to Him preach?

2. Was it not strange that these religious leaders did not question if Jesus performed those miracles, but rather His authority in “doing these things”? What does it tell you about these leaders and their hearts?

3. Jesus has made it clear to them the basis of His authority by always calling God His Father. What then was their problem with Jesus?

4. Why did Jesus not address their question directly, but instead direct the issue to John’s baptism? What was their problem with John the Baptist then?

5. So, how did Jesus reveal to them what really was their problem?

6. Most of the times, Jesus would choose the opportunity to answer directly His opposition, but here He chose not to. What might be the reason?

7. What lesson can we learn when we complain that God does not answer our questions?

8. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 21:28–32

In most parables of Jesus, He was contrasting the religious leaders against the repenting “sinners” whom they despised. This is one of those parables.

1. Why did Jesus use “sons” in this parable?

2. What was the problem with the first son?

3. Why did he rectify his error?

4. What was the problem with second son?

5. How were the religious leaders like the second son?

6. Here, Jesus clearly told us who the sinners so despised by the leaders were. Who were they?

7. Why and how did they (these despised sinners) rectify their erring way?

8. Were the religious leaders hopeless then, according to v. 31?

9. Why should the repentance of the tax collectors and prostitutes have an impact on these religious leaders according to v. 32?

10. What is the essential message of this parable and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 21:33–46

1. “They knew He was talking about them” (v. 45). The vineyard obviously refers to the nation of Israel. What then is the relationship between Israel and God as depicted by this parable?

2. Who are the servants? What is being highlighted in the successive sending of the servants?

3. Can you think of one prophet that was mistreated by the people and how?

4. What is the reasoning behind the sending of the son? Is this expectation reasonable? Why?

5. What is the penalty suggested by the people? Is it reasonable? Why or why not?

6. What does the quote from Psalm 118:22-23 in v. 42 have to do with the parable? Reflect on these emphases: “the builders”, “the capstone”, “the Lord has done it” and “marvelous”.

7. Jesus is obviously the rejected stone.

a. What is meant by “He who falls on this stone”?

b. What is the result of such a fall?

c. What is meant by “he on whom it falls”?

d. What is the result of such a fall?

8. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 22:1–14

1. In what ways is this parable of the wedding banquet different from the previous parable of the vineyard?

a. What is the occasion being depicted?

b. What is the purpose?

c. Who is the inviter?

d. Who are the invitees?

2. In this parable, servants are being sent to those who had already been invited.

a. What are the responses being depicted?

b. In each case, how does it vividly depict the negative response to the gospel of the people today?

c. Jesus’ parable describes them as the “invitees”. In what sense were the Jews the “invitees’?

3. Why did the King say that those people, “did not deserve to come” in v. 8?

4. Who are those being invited next? What do “street corners” represent? (See Eph. 2:12)

5. Why are both the “good and bad” being invited?

6. Why would some end up coming without “wedding clothes”? What are the wedding clothes? (See Rev. 7:9-14.)

7. When confronted, why would the man be “speechless”?

8. What is the result of not being part of the wedding banquet?

9. What is the meaning of “For many are invited, but few are chosen”? In this parable,

a. Who are being invited?

b. Who end up enjoying the banquet?

c. Are they the ones being chosen? Or are they the ones who make their choice (to respond to the invitation and put on the wedding clothes)?

Who chooses whom?

10. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 22:15–22

1. These messengers from the religious leaders gave a rather detailed description of the character of Jesus. Examine yourself in light of Jesus’ character and reflect on how you may imitate Jesus.

a. Man of integrity

b. Not swayed by men

c. Paying no attention to who they are

d. Teaching the way of God in accordance with the truth.

2. Without reading Jesus’ reply, come up with your own reply to their question about “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?” (Remember like most Caesars who were ruthless and violent. Tiberius, who was the Caesar in Jesus’ time, was also slothful, self-indulgent, hypocritical and greatly despised by historians, not to mention being a foreign occupying ruler of the Jews.)

3. If the “image” on the coin confers authority to Caesar, what “image” confers God’s authority on earth?

4. Since what belongs to Caesar really belongs to God, how does Jesus’ reply speak to our relationship with the government of our land? (Refer to Dan. 2:21.)

5. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?