B. W. Bacon entitles this narrative the "Conflict and Consummation," this discourse as "Revelation of the End," and the ending formula is found in 26:1, "When Jesus had finished saying all these things, He said to His disciples." Jesus has told His disciples twice that He must go to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and on the third day be raised to life. They did not understand, but they have called Jesus the Son of the Living God (14:33 & 16:16). In these chapters we see the conflict arose between Jesus and the religious leaders, and that is mainly due to the fact that the people were praising Him, as if He were the Messiah, the Son of David.
Jesus described the kingdom of heaven as "upside down." It was a place for people like the little children, but not for the hypocritical religious leaders, or for the rich. "But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first" (19:30 & 20:16). Jesus entered the city on "Palm Sunday," and the crowd praised Him. Jesus cleansed the temple of the money changers, and even rebuked the religious leaders for their hypocrisy. The Pharisees and Sadducees tried to stump Jesus, but every attempt failed. Jesus however stumped them with a question about Psalm 110:1, "If David calls him, 'Lord,', how can he be his son?" After that they never asked Jesus another question.
At the end of this section, Jesus answered the disciples' question about when these things would happen, what will be the sign of His coming, and about the end of the age. The key is to keep watch, be ready, and don't fear you will miss Him, because He will come for you, and everyone will know. As believers we are to work faithfully with the "talents," He's giving us until He comes again in all His glory, with His angels.
