Jesus' Last Trip to Jerusalem

Mark 10:28-34

“Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.  But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.” (Mark 10:28-31)

Jesus had warned the disciples how that one had to make a choice between God and material wealth.   Peter pointed out that, although they were not rich men, each of the disciples had given up careers and business to follow Christ.    He and several of the others had had businesses as fishermen.  Matthew had had a career as a Roman tax collector, and others had had other jobs.  In order to follow Christ they had walked away from those careers.   They were not like the man who turned away because he was not willing to give up his wealth. 

Jesus told them that everyone who is willing to forsake his personal benefits for Christ’s sake and his salvation will receive far more in this world, gaining a whole new family and new lands and homes, but that they would be accompanied by persecution.  As I look back, I look at how many Christian brothers and sisters I have had the privilege of knowing, the different places I have lived and country I have been blessed to enjoy in the process of serving God, even though there were problems in every place.  It makes one realize how much they have been blessed, and especially when we realize we still have eternal life with God to look forward to.    It is important to realize many of those who have seemed most blessed and successful here will be the least rewarded there, and some of those who have had least success here will be most blessed.   We have no way of judging how much a person is really doing for Christ. 

“And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.” (Matthew 10:32-34)

This was Jesus’ last trip to Jerusalem, in the spring of 31 AD.  I realize that this is different from the traditional date, but as Isaac newton noted almost four hundred years ago, Passover in 33 AD fell on the Sabbath, and thus that could not be the proper year.  It could not fall in 32 AD. Because Passover fell on Monday and Christ was raised on Sunday. 

The disciples were concerned about Jesus leading them back to Jerusalem because the Pharisee’s opposition was so strong.  Jesus explained that he was going to be arrested and turned over to the Romans to be mocked and executed.   It was exactly what they were worried about, and I suspect made them more nervous, even though He tried to reassure them that he would be raised from the dead.