Study Desk

In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

"But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.'

When Jesus heard his answer, he said, "There is still one thing you haven't done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

But they didn't understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.

Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.

Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.

Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.'

But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.'

After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples.

When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.

"But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'

"I'll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others." "How terrible that such a thing should ever happen," his listeners protested.

So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent.

They posed this question: "Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother's name.

Since David called the Messiah ‘Lord,' how can the Messiah be his son?"

Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said,

Some of his disciples began talking about the majestic stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said,