Holy Tuesday: Parables, Preparadness, and the Second Coming of Christ
After Israel’s failure to properly represent God as a chosen nation, the people endured 400 years of silence from God. This means there was no preaching or prophecy during that time! The only teachings available came from the Pharisees, scribes, and other religious leaders.
God is a gentleman—He will not impose Himself on anyone who chooses not to follow Him. Yet, continuing His plan of redemption for ALL humanity, Jesus—the King of Kings and Lord of Lords—transposed His glorious state and wrapped Himself in human flesh as a seed. He came as the third Person of the Triune God, fulfilling many prophecies of the Old Testament, all in divine timing.
The Public Ministry of Jesus
As Jesus’s ministry developed, He went public at age 30. He was baptized by His cousin John in the Jordan River. During His baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove, and God the Father spoke from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
The overriding theme for Holy Tuesday is to look forward to and be ready for the Second Coming of Christ. That event is something extraordinarily special, isn’t it? Something God wants everyone to be prepared for, right?
Jesus and the Parables: Unlocking Their Meaning
On Holy Tuesday, Jesus chose to speak to the multitudes in parables (Psalm 78:2-4). You may wonder: Why did Jesus use this method to communicate? A parable is simply a short fictitious story that uses common, familiar examples to illustrate a moral attitude, religious principle, or an instructive lesson.
Jesus didn’t want His teachings to be mysterious or hidden. In Matthew 21:45, the Chief Priests and Pharisees recognized that Jesus’s parables were directed at them, but they did nothing for fear of the people.
Later, in Matthew 22:15, the Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus with a question about taxes. When Jesus asked for a coin and pointed out “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s”, they were left speechless. His parables didn’t just reveal truth; they exposed the corruption of the religious leaders’; attitudes and values.
Be Ready: The Parable of the Ten Virgins
In Matthew 25:1-12, Jesus shares a parable about being ready for His return: “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five were wise, and five were foolish...”
The parable highlights the importance of preparedness. Five virgins were wise, bringing oil for their lamps, while five were foolish and unprepared. When the bridegroom arrived, the unprepared virgins were shut out.
This story serves as a reminder: Believers, beware! In 2025, as we proclaim God’s word, the world may try to trap us (2 Timothy 3:2). Let us keep watch, for we don’t know the day or hour of Christ’s Second Coming.
About the Authors:
Reverends George & Shirley Burke
Licensed & Ordained Ministers
TC Attender Since April 2023
