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As you read this week, look out for the following:

• Jesus gives his clearest warnings against the religious leaders as he challenges them to think about who the Christ really is.
• He has more praise for the unknown, poor widow who gives all she has out of her poverty than for the self-righteous Pharisees
• He is also unimpressed with the physical temple, prophesying its destruction.
• He goes on to speak of other signs of the end as they are often called. It is clear that some of what he is speaking is about the destruction of the Jewish temple in history (AD70) but other parts are about the actual end of time and the return of Jesus.
• There are multiple fulfillments of these prophecies of wars and earthquakes, false Messiahs and prophets, persecutions etc. but we are to see them as opportunities to testify and believe that the Holy Spirit will help us. All concern the coming of the Kingdom both in history and at the end of history.
• As we don’t know the actual time of the end, the important thing is to stay alert, as the parable of the house owner illustrates.
• At Bethany, Jesus is anointed with perfume and this is prophetic of his coming burial.
• Once again we have an account of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, and of the last supper. He is clear that the wine represents both the blood of the new covenant, and the new wine of the coming Kingdom.
• We then read of the familiar events leading up to Jesus’ death – his prayers at Gethsemane, his arrest, his mock trials before the Sanhedrin and then Pilate, Peter’s denial of him, the mocking of the soldiers and then his crucifixion. The religious and political powers join forces to crucify the saviour of the world.

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