Although the scribes were dedicated to the study of the Scriptures, they did not see from chapter nine of Daniel the year that the Messiah would be cut off, put to death. Daniel 9 tells us that from the decree to build up Jerusalem “unto the Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks…and after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off…” (vv. 25-26). The “weeks” here refers to years, with each week being the equivalent of seven years. Therefore, the length of time from “the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem” unto the cutting off of the Messiah would be four hundred eighty-three years. It should have been rather easy for the scribes to calculate the year in which the Messiah would be cut off. However, because they cared for tradition and were occupied by it instead of caring for the pure Word, they did not see this matter.
Just as the scribes were preoccupied by tradition and not by the pure Word, so the majority of today’s Christians are occupied by traditional teachings instead of the pure Word of God. Many are not willing to come back to the Word and study it directly in a pure way. If the ancient scribes had been willing to forget traditional teachings and study the Scriptures in a pure way, they would have known the exact year in which the Messiah would be cut off. Moreover, they would have realized that in that very year they were trying to arrest the Lord Jesus.
Although the scribes did not know when the Messiah would be cut off, the Lord Jesus knew the time when He would be put to death. He knew the year, the month, and the day. He knew that He would be put to death on the Passover, that is, on the fourteenth day of the first month in the Jewish calendar. Knowing this, He went boldly to Judea, not wanting to be delayed. He knew that it was necessary for Him to be in Jerusalem four days before the Passover. That was the period of time when the Passover lamb was examined.
The Lord Jesus certainly knew all the prophecies and types concerning His death. He knew, in particular, that He would be crucified on Mount Moriah, another name for Mount Zion. The Lord knew that He should not be crucified in Galilee. It was necessary for Him to be crucified on Mount Moriah, at the very place where Abraham offered Isaac and received God’s provision. The Lord also knew that He would be put to death by being crucified, by being lifted up on a pole, as typified by the brass serpent in Numbers 21:8-9.
Although the matters related to the death of Christ were clearly prophesied and typified in the Old Testament, nevertheless the scribes, those who claimed to be “doctors” in the law, did not know these things. This should serve as a warning to us. If we fall under the influence of traditional teachings, our eyes also will be veiled from seeing the revelation in the pure Word. Therefore, we need to lay aside the traditional teachings and come back to the pure Word of God. If we do this, we shall receive much light from the Lord.
Mark 10:1 says that when the Lord came into the district of Judea, He taught the people, as He was accustomed. In 10:15 we see that here the Lord taught concerning the kingdom of God: “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a young child shall by no means enter into it.” This verse indicates strongly that the Lord’s teaching in 10:13-16 concerning young children is directly related to the kingdom of God.
In verse 15 we see two aspects regarding the kingdom: receiving the kingdom and entering into the kingdom. Have you received the kingdom of God? To this question we all can answer, “Amen! I certainly have received the kingdom of God.” Do you also have the assurance that you will enter into the kingdom of God? We may hesitate in answering this question, for although we are endeavoring to enter into the kingdom of God, we do not have the definite assurance that we shall enter into that kingdom.