Psalm 24, 29; Zech. 12:9-11,13:1,7-9; 1 Tim. 6:12-16; Matt. 21:12-17
This is an interesting bit of prophecy that says that they will have guilt for piercing this one yet it will also cause them to have a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy. This piercing will lead to cleansing from sin. The connection cannot have been particularly clear at the time it was given. How could the shedding of what seems to be innocent blood be the catalyst for God to pour out His Spirit in this way and heal His people? We can sort out the paradox because we live on the other side of Easter and know what actually happened to fulfill the prophecy. Jesus was indeed pierced for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. He indeed is the healer and in Him we find forgiveness and life. He is the solution to the problem of sin, and not for only the house of David and the people of Jerusalem, but for non-Jews as well and as John reminds us in his first epistle, not for us only but for the sins of the whole world. The club is much bigger than anyone anticipated.
The dealers in sacrificial animals and those who changed money for the pilgrims there for the festival have taken over the courts of the temple and there is no access for the people. They would have taken the area called the court of the Gentiles, where these non-Jews would have been able to come near to the worship and to hear teaching to learn of the God of the nation. Those who were there to make a buck had crowded out those who were there to worship and pray. Clearly, Matthew wants us to see the distinction in the reaction to Jesus of the blind, the lame and the children and that of the chief priests and scribes. They both saw the same things yet the children were crying out “Hosanna to the Son of David” in recognition of Jesus’ greatness and the others were indignant.
How do we fight the good fight of faith? We persevere in all things to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. We worship Him and praise Him always without fear of man, we contend with all our might with the powers of darkness that war against Him and us. We work so long as there is breath in us at the mission we were given of making disciples and spreading the Gospel to all people. We trust in Him who is indeed the King of kings and Lord of lords and we fear only Him. We cry Hosanna, Lord save us and we proclaim Him to the world as the answer to that cry.
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.
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