Jesus Maccabee?

## God was to appear immediately.”

## Immediately Today

“As they heard these things.” What things? Maybe they picked up on the word “today”. Speaking to Zacchaeus in the previous verses, Jesus says, “I must stay at your house today,” and, “Today salvation has come to this house.” So they started thinking, “Ah, the Kingdom of God will appear immediately”. Maybe they started whispering as they often did, “Hey, we’re getting close to Jerusalem. What kind of plans do you think He has?” Just a few hours before, walking to Jericho, Jesus said, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished...” I think that’s when their hearing shut off, for He went on about the suffering, the beating, and the flogging He expected. Oh yea, and the death part. They didn’t seem to catch the death part.

## Jesus Maccabee Messiah

John informs us the crowds waved palm branches as Jesus approached Jerusalem (John 12). We think of this as a sign of peace, but the palm branch was a symbol of military victory in Israel; a war banner, a battle flag. The Jewish people expected Messiah to show up in military commander role. In the 400 years of history between Malachi and Matthew, Simon, the brother of Judas Maccabee (Maccabee was a nickname given meaning the “Hammer”), triumphed over their Greek overlords. People in Jerusalem had a parade in his honor waving palm branches. They set Simon up as “great high priest and commander and leader of the Jews” (1 Maccabees 13:42). As Jesus rode into Jerusalem (John 12), they waved palm branches to openly say, “Start a fight! We want a Messiah Maccabee; an

Anointed Hammer. Free us from Rome!” I’m sure they would've followed suit exactly and made Him great high priest and ruler.

## Self-Check

Knowing all of this, Jesus began to tell a parable to calm their fervor. He did this to keep them informed of the truth. There’s a lot of incorrect hype in the world and the Church about who Jesus is, what He did, and what He’s going to do. He hides nothing and shares with His followers what they need to know...if they’ll only listen. Jesus had bigger plans...He was heading for the Throne of David by way of the Cross. He would not be made Great High Priest and

## Ruler by people, but by God!

His Hand will not be forced by your wrong expectations of Him. If you’re His follower, trust He’s including you on the important stuff.

## For Us