Faith without religion.
“The Stone the Builders Rejected” – Exploring the Parables and Teachings of Jesus in Matthew 21
Zebedee, humility, faith
In a recent discussion, Shawn delves into the rich tapestry of biblical narratives, focusing on the events in Matthew 21. The conversation begins with a light-hearted mention of Zebedee, humorously likened to a Disney character, before transitioning into the profound symbolism of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. This act, fulfilling ancient prophecy, underscores themes of humility and peace, contrasting the traditional image of a conquering king on a horse.
Shawn explains the significance of people laying down cloaks and palm leaves, a gesture of honor and submission to a victorious king. He highlights the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9, emphasizing Jesus’ power to tame an unridden donkey, symbolizing his dominion over nature and foreshadowing his spiritual authority.
The discussion shifts to the miracle of raising Lazarus, which bolstered Jesus’ popularity among the Jews, setting the stage for his triumphant yet humble entry into Jerusalem. Shawn notes the irony of the crowd’s adulation, which quickly turns to abandonment during Jesus’ trial and crucifixion.
Further, Shawn explores the parable of the fig tree, drawing parallels between the barren tree and the spiritual barrenness of Israel. He explains that the fig tree’s lack of fruit symbolizes Israel’s failure to produce spiritual fruit, leading to its eventual destruction.
The conversation also touches on the authority of Jesus, as questioned by the Pharisees. Shawn admires Jesus’ masterful teaching methods, which often left his challengers speechless. He reflects on the importance of understanding and internalizing these teachings, emphasizing the need for faith and humility.
In discussing the parables of the two sons and the tenants, Shawn highlights the contrast between outward religious appearances and genuine faith. He explains that true obedience to God is demonstrated through belief and action, not mere words.
The session concludes with a powerful reflection on the cornerstone metaphor, urging listeners to willingly submit to Jesus’ transformative power. Shawn emphasizes the choice between being broken by the rock (Jesus) or being crushed by it, illustrating the spiritual journey of surrender and growth.
Overall, the discussion offers a deep dive into the layers of meaning within these biblical stories, encouraging a thoughtful and introspective approach to faith.
Podcast Transcript:
remedy
I want to start off with Zebedee
it almost sounds like it belongs in a
Disney song
that is called the gratuitous laugh from
my daughter
trying to think of what song it would be
I mean some of those names sound just
like
oh we’re on chapter 21 of Matthew
okay so the disciples Jesus has them go
get a donkey from a neighboring Village
a donkey
mom and and baby
um for him to ride because it was a
fulfillment of what was spoken through
the prophet before
um
yeah
how you know that well
hopefully that’s why you’re talking to
me
um
and when he rides it people lay their
cloaks down for him
why like what is that it’s humility it’s
an ancient practice in the Old Testament
when kings would enter a city after they
have had a victory over another
Providence or people they would ride
into their own town and they would ride
on horses and they and the people would
throw their clothing down for him to
ride over as a sign of we lay our
everything before you the Palm leaves
the shouting it’s all to give honor to
the Victorious King but to a Jew who was
under the law of God in their heart they
rode donkeys why because those were not
animals of warfare those were animals of
humility so their King was supposed to
ride in on a donkey not all the Jews
didn’t ride horses because those were of
War so he reads in and it was prophesied
that he would ride in on the whole of an
ass and Zach Mariah nine nine on an
animal that’s never been ridden okay
and so for him to get on the back of an
animal that’s never been ridden shows
that he has the power to curb all animal
appetites because the animal if it’s
never been ridden you’re not going to
get on a donkey’s back if it’s never
been written he was going to get bucked
all the way into Jerusalem right but
he’s the Lord
so he sat on that baby and that donkey
was like
all right just to let you so it was that
it was prophesied
by the way you love the idea of Jesus
getting bucked
it’s hilarious
it was a donkey that even the large
oh my God the king’s pulse is all about
that little book for children is this
donkey could not be tamed by anybody
ever until Jesus sat on its back
the story of that but anyway just to let
you know it’s a little side thing I have
a Jewish friend and he was a school of
ministry with me and he studied the
Torah he believed it and everything and
he came to Zechariah 9 9 and he has been
to Jerusalem he’s been to Israel his
family’s there and he read that the
Messiah would ride in on a mule and he
said that could not be today it had to
have happened anciently because mules
and donkeys are not ridden by anybody in
Jerusalem anymore it’s all Mercedes and
trucks and he said I came to the light
came on he has come wow
that’s wild isn’t that yeah that’s
really cool
um well something that I didn’t realize
is that he would have the entrance of
people laying their cloaks down like
what when how was he perceived like that
still the connection to that is Jesus
went right before he’s going to get
crucified and uh he does a miracle he
raises Lazarus from the dead okay and
many Jews were there mourning with Mary
and Martha they were mourning Lazarus
death he laid in the Tomb four days
before Jesus came back
the the whole story is that they sent
more to Jesus Lazarus is sick and he
stayed away for four days and Lazarus
died and was buried and so all the Jews
came together to mourn him and Jesus
came and he raised him from the dead and
increased his popularity at the end as
the Messiah Big Time everybody came back
and said and so at the high holidays for
Jerusalem
all these Jews were coming that had
heard of this miracle they want to see
this guy who did it
said oh Jesus that’s how his popularity
boomed at the end when they gathered to
see him right into the uh Jerusalem why
ha we haven’t read about Lazarus though
uh he I don’t uh I don’t think the
account covers it you get that done and
maybe other places oh what the heck read
all the Gospels
oh wow yeah
and it’s big time because the John’s
account says that the Jews tried to kill
Lazarus too because he was evidence of
his power wow
you know him and they sought to kill and
it’s believed that Matthew and them
don’t speak too much of Lazarus to
protect him because he was still alive
when they wrote versus John could write
about it because he probably had died by
then and his life wasn’t in danger wow
that’s crazy yeah because like
yeah why would he
Jesus comes to Jerusalem as king
is I mean that’s the Bible commentaries
description of this section and it’s
like
when did that happen when did he turn to
this like King
thought narrative that’s being added
there he didn’t write in as the as the
accepted King of the Jews he wrote in as
an accepted King to some that were at
the roadside but not all and those some
just
do you have any idea of like percentages
is it like a lot of people it’s small
so irony of that is that he rides in on
that donkey
and they’re throwing stuff and they’re
worshiping or calling him out because
they heard of the miracle of Lazarus
when he’s taken by the Rome Romans and
tried
they all abandoned him
they consider him a failure another
another Messiah guy who’s gonna die big
deal
were they some before that tried this I
assume I’m sure there have been many
people who had pretended to be Christ
would be later after he ascends because
he’ll warn his Apostles don’t believe
those who come and say they’re me
yeah okay
um
that’s the Jerusalem goes to the temple
drives out the merchants second time
second time twice
Tommy’s done it yeah did we talk about
this already
no because it’s not all the accounts are
different
okay call some den of robbers
um the priests and teachers were
indignant when he started to heal
children and praised him
and they praised him saying Hosanna to
the son of David
um and they said do you hear what
they’re saying
yeah
with each other and they’re saying do
you hear what’s going on yeah
how much power he’s got okay just
religion from our hands okay yeah
but it says do you hear what these
children are saying they asked him
and Jesus like yes
now for cancer there yeah so they’re
bringing it back on him in this setting
they’re saying do you hear what they’re
saying about you and what does Jesus say
yes have you never read from the lips of
children and infants
you Lord I’ve called forth your praise
and he left them and went out to the
city
so he just uses the Old Testaments and
have you never heard that you know you
know he just owns them again right
it’s just odd okay
Jesus curses a fig tree
Withers
we’re gonna do interpretive scripture
it doesn’t
it doesn’t it does this is really
important man this is a important it
comes from bethsaida or uh Bethany to
come back to jerusal he left and he went
away comes back right it’s the morning
why did he go away by the way it’s late
just he doesn’t sleep in the city no
he’s not sleeping in the city he leaves
he either went to Mary and Martha’s
again or because they were his friends
or he or else but he came back is the
morning time and he sees the Fig Tree
from afar off
and it it’s it’s its leaves look so
attractive and he gets there to get some
fruit and there’s nothing there so he
curses the fricker
and then the other account and it
withered quickly
withered right yeah
how did they feed me wither so quickly
they asked yeah yeah
if you go back to the Garden of Eden
what they probably were forbidden from
eating were figs probably not apples
okay and when they ate the fruit that
was forbidden to them
they made
costumes of fig leaves
to hide behind and that was the first
expression of religion
I’m going to dress myself up
and I’m gonna hide behind leaves uh to
so because God when God came he’s like
you know what are you wearing here you
know what did you bring up here for
years I could see your nakedness and
your sin well they thought they could
hide behind the Fig leaves so you come
out to the nation of Israel that’s going
to be destroyed and that fig tree
represented a nation that outwardly had
all the leaves and looked like it would
have fruit but when he went to get the
fruit there was nothing there and he
destroyed that fricker and that’s a
picture of what he’s gonna do to Israel
he’s gonna wipe them out because they
have all the pretense of being religious
big leaves but they have no fruit
so it’s not that we will wither that
quickly if we aren’t bearing fruit well
that’s how uh somebody using fear to get
people
it’s really specific to the house of
Israel they were God’s people and they
had covenants that he blessed them and
they did everything against what he said
everything they had come their Messiah
had even come and now they were going to
put him to death so he just foreshadows
it and says you don’t have fruit you
Jews you don’t being fruit worthy of
repentance you’re screwed and he’s he
showed that by that yeah it’s a lot of
sense I didn’t obviously yeah
um
I just want to reread what he read what
he said then
um what he read them
she’s good shakes
Julia I tell you if you have faith and
do not doubt not only can you do what
was done to the Fig Tree but also you
can say to this mountain go throw
yourself into the sea and it will be
done if you believe you’ll receive
whatever you ask for in prayer so
I would assume that’s why people apply
this tree analogy to ourselves but like
um and the promise Jesus gave there to
themselves that they could move a
mountain with faith so you have Bethel
and you have these colleges that are
saying it says it right here he’s
talking to his apostles who are going to
stay behind and do Miracles yeah
like a Jew you can move mountains he
doesn’t mean it literally he’s talking
about the great things they’ll do
not us and it’s sorry but just to
re-clarify it’s the Fig Tree is the is
the Jewish Nation at that time yeah he’s
telling them if you have faith
you can do what I just did and kind of
put to death religion and all these
different things and yeah okay that
makes sense
that makes sense is my answer to
everything but well good that’s what we
want
something making sense seems important
It’s gotta I mean we’re supposed to
worship him with our mind you know if
that makes sense to your mind you know
how do you worship Him
yeah
but like faith it does not make sense
like some things don’t make sense
yeah I think there’s uh is outside of
proof
but we do have evidence evidences that
contribute proofs that contribute to
Faith we’re not looking to vacuum but it
depends on how hard your heart is if you
look at a child born and develop if you
look at nature if you look at the stars
and you say this is all biological you
have a hard heart so you have no faith
I don’t know
okay
um
authority of Jesus is questioned
so when he goes back to the temple
courts that day
the next day he was teaching they ask
what Authority do you have to teach from
this is the story from the previous
episode where I was like he throws out a
question that I this is the first time
I’m seeing it where like they could have
said so many different things and you’re
told that they deliberate on what they
should say yeah if they said any of
those answers he probably would have had
that’s why he’s called the master
teacher when you really look at what he
says relative to the options and to what
they what he was doing with them
he was slaughtering him left him right
with what his words because he’s the
word of God
yeah so what do they say oh they say you
know what gave you this Authority and
he’s like let me ask you one question
what what uh where did John’s baptism
come from heaven or human origin and
they sit back and they go if we say it’s
from heaven then why did he’ll say why
don’t you believe him but if we say some
human then they’ll fear that we didn’t
think John was a prophet so they say we
don’t know and he said that I’m not
gonna tell you
I love it it’s really funny yeah even if
like
truthfully this stuff helps me
understand you more
yeah because I think you take these same
teaching strategies oh yeah like
naturally and because you see that’s how
Jesus Spirit yeah yeah how he does it so
I’m gonna do the same thing yeah I
I don’t know it for a long time didn’t
register and I like didn’t get why you
would do it that way and I still
I see now why you do it that way because
Jesus did it that way I wonder why Jesus
did it that way sometimes like it feels
like
showman me for some reason
like it feel do you know what I’m trying
to say I do and but you see we got to
remember we’re humans so humans have to
eat they have to drink they have to and
you can’t just give humans
something they’re not ready for so you
have to use wisdom and judgment on how
much you give when you give it and how
you give it if you care that they
understand now when they receive it
they’re going to be angry and they get
mad and they think that you’re a dick or
something like that but he knew how and
I tried to do the things that are going
to cause them to not look at me like I’m
anything but to look inwardly and think
what the hell is that jerk saying to try
to bring that forward so when he’s tough
that’s what I’m trying to do it’s not
out of trying to win it’s out of trying
to love better yeah
do you think that he is doing things to
deter the attention from himself to God
to the father I think he’s trying he’s
trying to keep that in order in order
but at the same time he’s paradoxically
trying to get them to look to him and
Believe on him yeah and my job is to
take any attention off me and put it all
on him always to put it on him because
when you start to put it on yourself and
that’s why he gives it all to his father
because that’s what’s empowering him he
was still in flesh he was still being
tempted he was still gonna die yeah
okay
um
I think so there are two more
Parables parable of the two sons parable
of the tenants
um
before that though the Pharisees do not
oh so he’s saying these Parables to the
Pharisees who just questioned him on his
authority
teach and so I wondered if the Pharisees
we’ll see like in The Parables the
Pharisees know the answer to these
I just was curious I just wanted to say
that they know the answer to them but
then they respond by like still wanting
to kill him I don’t know their answers
were curious to me so it’s just a thing
to note before I talk about The Parables
but okay so the Parables of the two sons
um first son
I think it’s just sorry I think it’s
just the language that’s confusing me
particularly with the Pharisees answers
to The Parables so the parable of the
two sons the first son says he won’t do
work this and then he does the second
son says he will do work and then he
doesn’t and Jesus says which of the two
did what his father wanted the first is
what the Pharisee said and Jesus said
truly I tell you the tax collectors and
the prostitutes are entering the kingdom
of God ahead of you for John came to
show you the way of righteousness and
you didn’t believe him but the tax
collectors the prostitutes did and even
after you saw this you did not repent
and believe him so I guess I’m just
wondering like which I don’t understand
if the Pharisees were correct in saying
the first or what Jesus is actually
is saying here I just didn’t get it
I think what he’s saying is there’s one
type of son who will give you lip
service yeah yeah no I’ll go and there’s
another type of son who has an attitude
of no but they go and do it well
comparing the Pharisees to the one son
and the horrors and the tax collectors
to the other right she’s the ones who
says we do it with our mouth we we
worship God but their their lips speak
it but their hearts are far from him
but we have the the and the
prostitutes and all that same thing and
they might not say oh uh speak all the
religion but they go and do the father’s
will which is to believe and it says
he’s making a comparison between those
sons and those two people I think what I
was confused is that the believing is
the work like the belief is what is
being likened to work in the parable yes
yeah
yeah do not repent and believe him
okay that makes I that makes sense I get
that now
something about the way it was worded
really confused me and I thought The
Parables or the Pharisees were right
somehow
okay but then it goes to the parable of
the tenants this one was wild to me so
the
there’s a landowner planted the vineyard
built all the stuff and the tenants
basically destroy anyone who comes to
try to reap the Harvest from that these
people that are like renting the land
including the Sun finally and throat
cast him out and don’t allow him in the
vineyard
clearly a type for Christ
um
and the Pharisees again they Jesus asked
therefore when the owner of the Vineyard
comes what will he do to those tenants
and the Pharisees say he will bring
those wretches to a wretched end they
replied and he will rent The Vineyard to
other tenants who will give him his
share of the crop at Harvest Time and
Jesus said have you never read in the
scriptures
the stone the builders rejected has
become the Cornerstone the Lord has done
this and it’s marvelous in his eyes
and continues do you want should I keep
reading no okay contain but remember
where you left off okay so important to
your understanding of the scripture
relative to the times
tell us a parable and what he’s saying
is God
he had a Vineyard
and he said I’m going to make this
Vineyard for my people the Jews and
print it out to them so they can build
it up and I’m gonna they’re gonna do
this and they’re gonna do that and
they’re gonna do this right and then I’m
gonna send my servant into that Vineyard
to collect the fruit from them
that was with the prophets of the Old
Testament and when those prophets would
come to those Jewish people who were
building up this Kingdom that God had
given them on the on his land
they say we don’t want to give these
prophets the fruit
so they kill them and they killed the
prophets along the way
so then Jesus says well at the end after
all these years of killing the prophets
the owner of valance’s
I’ll send my son
him they’ll receive
right so the Sun comes and they kill him
so Jesus asked those Jews
what will happen when God comes back
to those people who killed the prophets
and killed his son and the Jews
themselves describe what’s going to
happen to them in 70 A.D oh yeah and so
it’s all to them it has nothing to do
with us
that’s what that whole Parable is about
no two that he says last of all I’ll
send them last of all I’ll send them my
son does he say that
um
therefore I tell you the kingdom
see that
before he sends the Sun what is the what
is the owner of the land say oh yeah I
see what you’re saying um yeah last of
all he sent his son to them they will
respect my son yeah so and he does and
that freaking Nation who’s killed the
prophets they’ve wanted to hide his name
they wanted to just be what they had
idols and everything else he sends his
son John the Baptist prepares the way
and they don’t want him either and so
Jesus says so what should happen to them
and those Jews say oh they should be
destroyed
wow not only do they not want them they
say this is their Heir let’s kill him
and take his inheritance like because we
know that they were driven like Matthew
says by Envy they knew who he was and
they wanted the power they did not want
to surrender anything over to the sway
they wanted to keep what was theirs
which has been the Jews whole thing the
whole time they have wanted to be the
people and the power and God has been
like you’re supposed to invite everybody
to this party you keep wanting to hide
everything so and this time Jesus the
last of all comes and that’s enough we
are done with you so forget this Israel
here on go to Jerusalem and we all that
stuff done
I did okay several things I didn’t know
profit sorry this is dumb but prophets
were killed yeah he says the prophets
were killed
well not all of them but most of them
died and when they would go and tell the
people the will of God they would kill
the prophets wow as you who kill the
prophets you’ve killed the prophets
right yeah there’s that question what
was the other one I had no idea that
this was the parable okay
um
he will rent The Vineyard to other
tenants who will give him his share of
the crop at Harvest time which I assume
is Gentiles yeah gentiles
okay
we’ll bring forth the fruit that God has
wanted from that Vineyard
he wouldn’t do it
wow
and then so
they get the answer right this is that
question about the Pharisees they see
exactly what should happen and Jesus is
wrong says have you never read in the
scriptures
the stone the builders rejected has
become the Cornerstone the Lord has done
this it’s marvelous in our eyes yeah
he’s not in the Old Testament do you not
interpret that correctly that I am the
one I am the Cornerstone of this whole
thing that has been sent to see do you
not understand the scripture
wow therefore I tell you that the
kingdom of God will be taken away from
you and given to people who produce its
fruit anyone who falls on this Stone
will be broken in pieces anyone whom it
falls will be crushed
oh it’s such a beautiful teaching right
there then bring it down to reality what
Jesus is saying to those Jews is you
have refused
to be to break upon the rock
you have let your traditions and your
lust and your power mongering it stops
you from being broken so listen
Jesus there and in the Old Testament
he’s the rock okay and what he’s saying
to them is you have never fallen upon me
and been broken by me so guess what’s
going to happen the rock is gonna fall
upon you
remind you to powder that’s what he says
and this is the way life works for all
of us we can choose to fall on the Rock
and let him break up our attitude and
our mind and our will and our emotion
our sin we can choose to willingly let
him break us or we can say no way not me
I decide he’ll be like fine and then the
afterlife punishment described in
Revelation is really the best definition
of it is a stone that slowly erodes away
uh something
it’s it’s called a touchstone that’s
have you ever heard of fire and
brimstone Brimstone is a rock that they
use to rub off metal and get rid of the
rust and everything that’s the right
understanding of what God does with
those who are outside and don’t want and
and choose to come in that stone will
grind off everything that’s not him to
powder so our choice here is to choose
to willingly submit and be broken on the
Rock and continually throw ourselves on
him or wait right now that was specific
to the Jews and it literally materially
happened to them I don’t think it
literally materially happens anymore I
think it’s all spiritual but I think the
same principle exists he will
spiritually erode you away to nothing if
you refuse to let him or you can be
broken on him and he’ll heal you
that’s amazing isn’t it amazing that’s
really great calls himself the Good
Shepherd and that good Shepherds they
will go out and if they have one of the
sheep in the flock that continues to go
astray
the good Shepherds of that day and would
break that sheep’s legs
and bind them up again talk about being
broken bind them back up put them around
his neck and then walk with the flock
so that that little sheep would learn
that this is the way to walk because
you’re taking you’re taking the whole
flock off the path so a Good Shepherd
will use pain where they fall and break
to help heal us and bring us to the
place he wants or you just not to
continually refuse him you only break
your legs however many times and then
you’re going to get ground to dust by
the Wolves of this world it will grind
you down and you will then reach out
from the dust and say help me that’s the
picture of what you’re getting there
oh my gosh it’s there and it is all tied
into their history
that is such an insane Parable isn’t it
yeah it’s like all the others seemed
like
just like principles but this one
literally tells the tale of what’s it
tells the process yeah and it can and
that’s why I say I don’t have proof but
why I say the scripture is spiritually
interpreted now
God’s been reconciled to this world he
doesn’t want to give you cancer and AIDS
and as punishment but he does want you
to surrender your will and you can fall
on him or he’ll fall on you
oh it’s beautiful they’re like yeah
well their reaction was that they heard
it they knew he was talking about them
and they looked for a way to arrest him
yeah typical let’s get rid of the
problem
that’s pretty crazy
oh we’re coming up to a chapter Delaney
we’re coming up to two chapters gonna
rock your world really I’m excited
I hope I don’t ask the wrong questions
you won’t
um
are we done or yeah that’s it let me
stop recording though
what
stop recording though I’m gonna stop
stop I’m going to stop don’t stop it yet
wait I wanna
listen fall upon the rock
fall upon him because that those breaks
that he allows in your body he will heal
them back right that’s what he did for
me he healed me back better and that’s
what he does and you don’t want to wait
until he’s going to start rubbing that
stuff off that’s no fun out of love too
it seems like he still rubs the stuff
off so but it’s like voluntary it’s like
you’re different with it
I think you you go through the fire here
real go through the fire there yeah and
like it’s the same thing as the workers
the the labor Parable like
the same amount is paid but
one you get to like choose and you’re
like out in the sun and you’re working
and you’re gaining something from the
payment and the other it’s just a
payment and like you could see that as
unfair but you can also see it and as
cool and I don’t believe in ndes but
most of them say whatever truth is there
is that everything in life had a reason
and when you die you understand and you
no longer are saying why why why you get
that he was working with you the whole
time I believe there’s something true to
that I don’t know how but yeah yeah I do
too
nothing
you may shut off now hey adios
