A cousin of Jesus and His prophesied forerunner (Isa 40:3), John the Baptist led a short but intensely significant life. John was set apart as a Nazarite (nazir, נזיר) from birth and lived in the desert where he became “strong in spirit” (Luke 1:80; Num 6:1-21). His ministry was characterized by preaching in the wilderness a baptism “of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4). Even though he performed no miracles (John 4:41) as a prophet, Jesus said that John was the greatest of prophets. He baptized Jesus “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt 3:15). Soon afterward, John understood that he “must decrease” in influence so that the Messiah could “increase” (John 3:30). Not afraid to confront authorities, he called the Pharisees a “generation of vipers” (Matt 3:7) and judged Herod Antipas for marrying his brother’s wife, Herodias (Matt 14:4). For this last act John was thrown in prison at Machaerus on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea (Unger, Dictionary, 600). While there John apparently became discouraged and sent his disciples to ask if Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus confirmed this through eyewitness testimony of several miracles and his proclamation of the good news to the poor (Matt 11:2-6). Soon afterwards John the Baptist was beheaded for having offended Herodias about her marital state, even spoken about by the Jewish historian Josephus (Matt 3:1-13; Luke 1:7-39). –JK
1When they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2and said to them, “Go your way into the village that is opposite you. Immediately as you enter into it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has sat. Untie him and bring him. 3If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs him;’ and immediately he will send him back here.”
4They went away, and found a young donkey tied at the door outside in the open street, and they untied him. 5Some of those who stood there asked them, “What are you doing, untying the young donkey?” 6They said to them just as Jesus had said, and they let them go.
7They brought the young donkey to Jesus and threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it. 8Many spread their garments on the way, and others were cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9Those who went in front and those who followed cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
11Jesus entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
12The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry. 13Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it.
15They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered into the temple and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves. 16He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the temple. 17He taught, saying to them, “Isn’t it written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?But you have made it a den of robbers!”
18The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.
19When evening came, he went out of the city. 20As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots. 21Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.”
22Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says. 24Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them. 25Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. 26But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”
27They came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him, 28and they began saying to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”
29Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30The baptism of John—was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me.”
31They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we should say, ‘From heaven;’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32If we should say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all held John to really be a prophet. 33They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”