JESUS WILL COME AGAIN!

WHAT THEOLOGY BOOKS TRADITIONAL TREATED AS THE "LAST THINGS."  DEATH, JUDGMENT, PURGATORY, HEAVEN AND HELL. AT FIRST GLANCE, FOUR OF THESE FIVE ARE PAINFUL PROSPECTS. CAN THE VISION OF FAITH BRIGHTEN THE NEGATIVE IMAGE?  DEATH. IF WE COULD TAKE A STRICTLY OBJECTIVE VIEW ( WHICH WE CAN'T), WE WOULD SAY OUR LAST DAY, ON EARTH, OUR DEATH, IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER. RATHER AT THE CENTER OF MY LIFE, ALL LIFE, OF TIME AND ETERNITY IS DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS. THAT MAKES SENSE OF EVERYTHING ELSE. JESUS JOINS MY DEATH TO HIS AND MAKES IT BEAUTIFUL. HIS RESURRECTION PREPARES THE WAY FOR MINE. WE ARE NOT TO FEEL GUILTY ABOUT OUR OWN FEARS. DEATH IS NOT NATURAL. WE ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD'S BEAUTIFUL CREATION. BUT SUPPOSE OUR DEATH COULD BE A GENTLE AND  QUICK
 THROUGH THE VEIL BETWEEN TIME AND ETERNITY.  WOULD THAT REMOVE OUR FEAR? PROBABLY NOT, BUT THE FANTASY AT LEAST BRINGS US CLOSER TO THE ATTITUDE THAT "FAITH" PRODUCES IN US, DEEP DOWN, BELOW. A FULLY CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE LOOKS FIRST TO THE "DEATH" AND "RESURRECTION" OF JESUS FOR LIGHT AND STRENGTH.  SO CHRISTIANS, TAKING THEIR LIFE AS  A WHOLE, PLACE IT IN GOD'S HANDS.  INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT.  LUKE (23:46). IS THE PRAYER,  OF LIFE,NOT SOMETHING TACKED ON AT THE END. EVEN IN FEAR AND TREMBLING, CHRISTIANS CAN BE CONFIDENT IN THEIR HEART OF HEARTS, THAT THE GREATEST MOMENT OF LIFE IS DEATH, IN HIS TIME.THROUGH THIS ACT WHICH SAYS, MY WHOLE LIFE IS YOURS. I FREELY GIVE IT TO YOU. BUT NOW IN THE CALMNESS OF PRAYER, WE CAN SEE THE LIGHT OF "ETERNITY" SHINING ON THAT FINAL MOMENT. IS ANYTHING MORE LIKELY TO GIVE US A HEALTHY APPRECIATION OF OUR PRESENT MOMENT. THE DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF JUDGMENT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT CONDEMNATION. WHEN GOD SAID ALL THROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENT, THAT HE WOULD COME TO BRING JUDGMENT FOR HIS PEOPLE, HE PROMISED PRECISELY JUDGMENT FOR THEM---LIKE A JUDGE VINDICATING THE RIGHTS OF THE INNOCENT, RESTORING WHAT HAD BEEN TAKEN AND AWARDING RECOMPENSE. IT WAS ONLY WHEN HIS PEOPLE DELIBERATELY REFUSED TO LIVE BY HIS COVENANT.  THAT GOD'S JUDGMENT WOULD TURN AGAINST THEM.
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THE MEANING OF JUDGMENT IS TEMPERED BY TWO EMPHASES WHICH THROUGH OUT RUNS LIKE TWO VINES INTERTWINED: "ALREADY NOW" AND "NOT YET." WE ARE NOW SAVED, BUT WE ARE NOT YET SAVED. WE SHALL DIE, BUT WE HAVE ALREADY RISEN IN CHRIST. CHRIST HAS COME. CHRIST IS WITH US ALL DAYS, BUT CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN. CHRIST IS VICTORIOUS, ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO HIM;  COMFORTING THE SICK AND IMPRISONED--
A WAY OF LIFE-- IS THE DOOR TO HEAVEN. THESE THINGS ARE DONE FOR HIM, EVEN IF ONE DOES NOT THINK OF HIM EXPLICITLY. TRUE GOD MUST FIND GUILTY ALL THOSE  WHO INFLICTED PAIN AND INJUSTICE ON THE INNOCENT. GOD SAVES HIS PEOPLE--THAT IS, HIS JUDGMENT IS FOR HIS FRIENDS.
                 DAY OF WRATH! O DAY OF MOURNING!
                 SEE FULFILLED THE PROPHETS' WARNING,
                  HEAV'N AND EARTH IN ASHES BURNING.
HOW ARE WE TO UNDERSTAND THESE PASSAGES?  THE SCHOLARS AGREE THAT TWO THINGS ARE TANGLED TOGETHER IN THESE PASSAGES.: THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM IN 7OA.D.  AND THE ACTUAL EVENT OF THE WORLD. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SORT OUT WHICH VERSES REFER TO WHICH EVENT. HERE ARE THE "APOCALYPTIC" PASSAGES OF THE GOSPELS MARK 13, MATTHEW 24, LUKE 21. IT IS A REALITY OF THE FINAL JUDGMENT THAT JESUS EMPHASIZED, NOT ITS DATE. THE PEOPLE OF BIBLICAL FAITH SAW CONCRETE HISTORICAL (PAST) EVENTS AS THE JUDGMENT OF GOD FOR INSTANCE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE BEING TAKEN INTO EXILE.   

JOHN 11). "PASSION PREDICTIONS"

JOHN PRESENTS JESUS COMING FROM THE FATHER IN A CLOUD (CALLED THE SHEKINAH, THE SYMBOL OF GOD'S PRESENCE). HE MANIFESTS HIS GLORY AS THE OBEDIENT SON WHO IS A SERVANT. THOUGH HIS PEOPLE REJECT AND CRUCIFY HIM, HIS CROSS IS ALSO HIS ENTHRONEMENT. AFTER THE FATHER RAISES JESUS FROM THE DEAD, HE GOES TO THE FATHER'S PRESENCE, BUT THEN RETURNS IN AND THROUGH HIS SPIRIT WHO,THROUGH THE WORD, CONTINUES JESUS WITNESS AND WORK, AND INVITES HUMANITY TO SHARE JESUS GLORY IN THIS LIFE, AND PROMISES THOSE WHO COMES TO FAITH THAT THEY WILL FINALLY SHARE JESUS GLORY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE FATHER. TO BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS IS TO  WALK IN THE LIGHT, TO DRINK THE WATER OF LIFE, TO PARTAKE OF THE BREAD OF LIFE, AND TO POSSESS TRUE LIFE IN TIME AND ETERNITY. UP TO THE END.  CHAPTER 12, JESUS IS PORTRAYED AS A PUBLIC FIGURE WHO DOES "SIGNS" FOR ALL TO SEE. THE DIALOGUES COMING UP ARE BETWEEN JESUS AND THE INQUIRERS, OPPONENTS AND MASSES. JESUS IS PORTRAYED AS THE LIFE AND LIGHT, THE SAVIOR AND JUDGE OF THE WORLD.  HOWEVER, THE RESPONSE TO HIM IS NOT UNIVERSAL OR ENTHUSIASTIC. THOSE WHO WISH TO CROWN HIM WANT TO MAKE HIM THE WRONG KIND OF KING OVER THE WRONG KIND OF REALM. HIS OWN PEOPLE DO NOT RECEIVE HIM. HIS SIGN EVOKES ONLY REJECTION.AFTER JESUS RAISES LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD, DEFINITE PLANS ARE MADE TO PUT HIM TO DEATH. THE WORLD APPEARS TO HAVE WON ITS CASE AGAINST JESUS. IRONICALLY, AS PEOPLE PLOT THEIR VERY WORST AGAINST HIM,  THEY REALLY BRING ABOUT HIS ENTHRONEMENT. THREE PASSION PREDICTIONS OCCUR IN JOHN'S GOSPEL,(3:14,15; 8:28; 12:32-33). THEY SET FORTH A THEOLOGY OF THE CROSS. 1.) THE SUSPENSION OF JESUS ON THE CROSS WILL, LIKE THE LIFTING UP OF THE BRONZE
SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, SAVE THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM IN FAITH. 2). ONLY AT THE CROSS WILL THE COMPLETE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS PERSON BE REVEALED. HIS MYSTERIOUS  TERM, "I AM", WILL THEN BECOME CLEAR. 3). PARADOXICALLY, WHEN JESUS IS ON THE CROSS AND SATAN APPEARS TO BE AT HIS BEST, THE TRUTH IS THAT JESUS IS AT HIS BEST AND TRIUMPHS OVER SATAN AND THE WORLD. THE OUR OF THE CROSS, AND THE ENSUING RESURRECTION, ARE CLIMATIC EVENTS JESUS LIFE.
 THEY ESTABLISH THAT A NEW REIGN IN WHICH THE RISEN KING DRAWS  SUBJECTS TO HIMSELF IN MERCY AND GRACE, WHICH LEADS US TO THE "UPPER ROOM," CHS. 13-17, JOHN CONCERNS HIMSELF WITH THESE, AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS. THE POINT OF TRANSITION 13:1-20 WHICH PRESENTS A HIGHLY DRAMATIC PICTURE OF JESUS IN THE UPPER ROOM STOOPING TO WASH THE DISCIPLES FEET. AFTER THE UNFAITHFUL DISCIPLE DEPARTS TO BETRAY HIS LORD, THE FAITHFUL ARE ALONE WITH JESUS DIALOGUES, MONOLOGUES, AND FINALLY A PRAYER  OF THE FAITHFUL (CHURCH) UNFOLD THE RELATION OF TO THEIR LORD AND GOD. THE FOOTWASHING EVENT IS AN ENACTED PARABLE WHICH ILLUSTRATES THE MEANING OF JESUS' IMPENDING DEATH. THE CROSS WASHES CLEAN. BUT THERE IS MORE. JESUS ACTIONS ILLUSTRATE THE NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP THAT MUST EXIST AMONG HIS FOLLOWERS. THEY FORM A COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY MUST FORGIVE AND SERVE ONE ANOTHER. THE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER IS THE BADGE WHICH REVEALS  THEIR IDENTITY TO THE WORLD. JESUS PREPARES THE DISCIPLES FOR THE HOUR OF SEPARATION AND SORROW, WHICH MUST COME IF THEY ARE TO EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE AND JOY OF THE SPIRIT. NOTHING TAKES JESUS BY SURPRISE, "JESUS, KNOWING ALL THAT WAS TOO BEFALL HIM. IN THE JEWISH TRIAL 18: 12-14, WHAT TAKES PLACE CAN HARDLY BE CALLED A TRIAL. IT IS VIRTUALLY OVER BY THE TIME IT BEGINS. NO MENTION OF FORMAL CHARGES.  NO WITNESSES ARE SUMMONED. AT THE SAME TIME PILATE PRESENTS JESUS TO THE JEWS AS KING, THEY RESPOND WITH, "WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR," WHAT IRONY! JESUS JOURNEY FROM PILATE IS DIGNIFIED. IT IS HIS CORONATION PROCESSION! HE IS ON HIS WAY TO HIS ENTHRONEMENT. ANYTHING THAT WOULD DETRACT FROM THE DIGNITY OF THE JOURNEY AND THE CORONATION ITSELF IS OMITTED. THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO SIMON OF CYRENE; JESUS CARRIES HIS OWN CROSS. THERE IS NO MOCKERY ON THE WAY TO CALVARY OR AT CALVARY, NO COMMISERATION FOR THE WEEPING WOMEN OF JERUSALEM, NO DARKNESS, NO POTENTS, AND NO CONFESSION OF FAITH BY A ROMAN CENTURION. ALL ATTENTION IS DIRECTED ON JESUS AS KING, AND HIS MOCK THRONE. PILATE'S SUPERSCRIPTION IS ATTACHED TO THE CROSS TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE KING'S AUTHORITY. THE JEWS OBJECT TO ITS PRESENCE, BUT IT REMAINS. AS IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPEL, HE IS CRUCIFIED BETWEEN TWO THIEVES,. HIS EXECUTIONERS DIVIDE HIS GARMENTS AMONG THEMSELVES. WOMEN OBSERVE THE ENTIRE EVENT. DEATH DOES NOT OVERCOME HIM: HE SURRENDERS HIMSELF TO IT. EVEN HIS BURIAL HAS ROYAL FEATURES. HE IS ANOINTED WITH A ROYAL QUANTITY OF SPICES AND BURIED IN A NEW TOMB, ONE APPROPRIATE FOR A KING.
ONE DETAIL CALLS FOR SPECIAL COMMENT. ACCORDING TO THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS, JESUS CELEBRATED A PASSOVER WITH HIS DISCIPLES IN THE UPPER ROOM., AND PARALLELS, ACCORDING TO THEM, JESUS BEING CRUCIFIED ON PASSOVER DAY ITSELF, FOR THE JEWISH DAY RAN FROM SUNSET TO SUNSET. HOWEVER, JESUS, IN JOHN'S GOSPEL, JESUS LAST MEAL WITH HIS DISCIPLES TOOK PLACE IN THE UPPER ROOM ON " THE DAY OF PREPARATION  FOR THE PASSOVER,"
 BOTH VERSIONS AGREE THAT THE EVENTS TOOK PLACE ON THURSDAY NIGHT, THE CRUCIFIXION ON FRIDAY, AND THE RESURRECTION ON THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY. MARK REPORTS THAT JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED AT 9:OO A.M. JOHN SAYS JESUS WAS HANDED OVER FOR CRUCIFIXION AT MIDDAY. TO BE RITUALLY SLAUGHTERED IN PREPARATION FOR THE PASSOVER MEAL THAT EVENING. JOHN WISHES TO PRESENT JESUS AS THE PERFECT, FINAL, UNIVERSAL PASSOVER LAMB, DYING FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD. IT IS WITH GOOD REASON, THEN, THAT JESUS LEGS WERE NOT BROKEN. NO BONES IN A PASSOVER LAMB WERE TO BE BROKEN IN THE PREPARATION PROCESS IN JOHN, CHRONOLOGY SERVES THEOLOGY. FIVE MAIN THREADS RUN THROUGH JOHN'S PASSION NARRATIVE. JESUS SHOWS HIMSELF TO BE: THE PERFECT PASSOVER LAMB DYING FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD. AS THE GOOD SHEPHERD HE  IS FREELY OFFERING HIS LIFE FOR HIS OWN. THE SON WHO CARRIES OUT THE WILL OF HIS FATHER TO THE LAST DETAIL. THE JUDGE OF THE WORLD AND THE POWERS OF DARKNESS. THE MESSIANIC KING ENTHRONED IN GLORY. JESUS RESURRECTION IS ESTABLISHED. JESUS HIMSELF ANNOUNCES THE RESURRECTION TO MARY. THOUGH SHE HOPES THAT THE PRE-CRUCIFIXION WILL BE RESUMED, JESUS DECLARES THAT HE WILL NOT CONTINUE TO LIVE AMONG HIS PEOPLE THIS WAY. HE MUST GO FROM ONE PLACE TO BE PRESENT IN EVERY PLACE. HE MUST TAKE HIS VISIBLE LEAVE OF HER, THAT HE MIGHT REMAIN INVISIBLY WITH HER AND HIS PEOPLE. ALTHOUGH HE IS ABOUT TO WITHDRAW HIS VISIBLE PRESENCE, HE WILL NOT WITHDRAW HIS PHYSICAL PRESENCE. WHEN JESUS APPEARS AMONG HIS FOLLOWERS, HE DOES NOT "COME" FROM ANYWHERE. HE IS AMONG THEM ALL THE TIME, THOUGH INVISIBLY. AT THE APPROPRIATE MOMENT HE REVEALS HIS PRESENCE IN A VISIBLE. HIS GREETING ON EACH OCCASION IS, "PEACE BE WITH YOU. JOHN'S ACCOUNT COMPRESSES CHRIST'S RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION AND THE GIVING OF THE SPIRIT, HE BREATHED ON THEM..." THOUGH JESUS SAYS HE WILL SEND HIS SPIRIT TO HIS DISCIPLES, HE ALSO SAYS THAT HE HIMSELF WILL COME TO THEM AND HE AND THE FATHER WILL MAKE THEIR HOME WITH THEM. WHEN THE SPIRIT COMES, HIS MISSION WILL CONTINUE JESUS MISSION. HE WILL TEACH AND ACCOMPLISH WHAT JESUS TAUGHT HAD HE NOT GONE AWAY. JOHN DEFINES HIS PURPOSE IN WRITING HIS ACCOUNT-- THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD,  SO PRAYER IS WHAT THE SPIRIT DOES IN US, AND THE FATHER KNOWS WHAT THE SPIRIT MEANS--AND WHAT WE MEAN. WHO DID THIS PRAYING BEST? JESUS OF COURSE. THE SPIRIT DROVE HIM INTO THE DESERT, TO KEEP COMMUNION WITH HIS FATHER, FOR 4O DAYS. LUKE TELLS US THAT HE OFTEN RETIRED TO DESERTED PLACES TO PRAY. WE GLIMPSE JESUS AT PRAYER IN SOME OF THE CRUCIAL MOMENTS IN HIS LIFE: AFTER BEING BAPTIZED, BEFORE CHOOSING THE APOSTLES, ALONE ON THE MOUNTAIN WHEN PEOPLE "WANTED TO MAKE HIM KING TO DO ALL THINGS. HE ASKS THE FATHER TO TAKE THIS CUP AWAY FROM ME. BUT  LET IT BE AS YOU HAVE IT, NOT AS I' "  AN ANGEL APPEARED TO JESUS TO STRENGTHEN HIM--" AND, ABOVE ALL, WHEN HE WAS IN AGONY OF FEAR IN GETHSEMANE. "HE KEPT SAYING, 'ABBA [ TENDER BUT STRONG WORD OF A SON OR DAUGHTER],  YOU HAVE THE POWER,THE COMFORT OF HIS FATHER. THEN, IN HIS ANGUISH HE PRAYED WITH ALL GREATER INTENSITY THAT HIS SWEAT BECAME LIKE DROPS OF BLOOD. THE FIRST PURPOSE OF" OUR" PRAYER IS TO LEARN HOW TO PRAY LIKE JESUS DID. IN DESCRIBING THE TRANSFIGURATION, ST.LUKE SAYS, " WHILE HE WAS PRAYING HIS FACE CHANGED IN APPEARANCE. IN JESUS. IT WAS THE DIVINE GLORY SHINING THROUGH. IN OUR CASE, IT SHOULD BE THE SPIRIT AND OF JESUS POSSESSING OUR MINDS AND HEARTS. PRAYER, THE MOST PERSONAL THING WE DO. THERE ARE NO TWO SETS OF FINGERPRINTS ALIKE IN THE WORLD, AND OF COURSE NOR ARE THERE ANY TWO PRAY-ERS ALIKE. GOD HAS ANIQUE RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERYONE IT'S NOT JUST THAT OUR LOVE IS DEEPER FOR SOME. IT IS HARD FOR US TO BELIEVE THAT OUR VIRTUE IS NOT OUR OWN--THOUGH WE FIND IT EASY TO LET OUR SIN BE SOMEBODY ELSE'S FAULT. AFTER ALL, WE SAY, NOBODY HELPED US. I GOT UP IN THE DARK WENT TO CHURCH, SAID MY PRAYERS, I DESERVE THE CREDIT!
GOD DOES GIVE US THE  CREDIT FOR FREELY DOING WHAT HE ASKS US TO DO. BUT THE MOST BASIC FACT OF LIFE IS THAT WITHOUT HIM WE CAN DO NOTHING. I CANNOT DO A SINGLE GOOD ACT WITHOUT POWER FLOWING INTO ME FROM GOD.
 IT COMES FROM THE HEART OF OUR BEING, WHERE GOD LIVES. "IF I DIE" TO MY
 INTENSE DESIRE FOR REVENGE, THE POWER OF JESUS (WHETHER I AM CONSCIOUS (OF IT OR NOT) JOINS THAT "DEATH" TO HIS AND GIVES ME ANOTHER LITTLE SHARE IN HIS RESURRECTION. IN PRAYER WE ARE ALONE WITH GOD.NOTHING HIDDEN AND NOTHING UNCARED FOR BY A LOVING FATHER. THE PROBLEM IS NOT PRAYING, BUT GETTING READY TO PRAY. OR AS SCRIPTURE HAS IT:
                "IT WAS NOT YOU WHO CHOSE ME,
                 IT WAS I WHO CHOSE YOU
                 TO GO FORTH AND BEAR FRUIT.
                  YOUR FRUIT MUST ENDURE"  (Jn. 15:16)

JESUS "REPLACES" JUDAISM. TRANSFORMS, FULFILLS.

IN JOHN 1:51, JESUS REPLACES THE HOLY OF HOLIES, AND THE FOUNDATION STONE.  IN JOHN 11 HE REPLACES THE TRADITIONAL JEWISH EXPECTATION CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. BETWEEN THESE TWO EVENTS, JOHN REPORTS JESUS REPLACING THE INSTITUTIONS  AND PRACTICES OF JUDAISM. WE LOOK AT THE PURIFICATION RITES, THAT JOHN REFERS TO JESUS MIRACULOUS DEEDS AS "SIGNS," AND SAYS THE FIRST OF THESE TOOK PLACE IN CANA IN GALILEE. JEWS WERE IN THE MINORITY IN "GALILEE OF THE GENTILES," AND CAME IN REPEATED CONTACT WITH GENTILES, AFTER WHICH THEY HAD TO MAKE THEMSELVES RITUALLY CLEAN AGAIN THROUGH A CEREMONIAL WASHING. (MARK 7:3,4.) THE OLD TESTAMENT SUGGESTED THAT, WHEN THE MESSIAH FINALLY CAME, THERE WOULD BE AN ABUNDANCE OF WINE, AMOS 9:13; JOEL 3:18. THE NON CANONICAL 2 BARUCH 29:5 SAID SOMETHING SIMILAR. "THE EARTH SHALL YIELD ITS FRUITS TEN THOUSANDFOLD, AND EACH VINE THERE SHALL BE A THOUSAND BRANCHES AND EACH BRANCH SHALL PRODUCE A THOUSAND CLUSTERS, AND EACH CLUSTER A THOUSAND GRAPES, AND EACH GRAPE PRODUCES A THOUSAND GALLONS OF WINE.
JESUS BRINGS INTO EXISTENCE AN ABUNDANCE OF WINE, DECLARING THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE HAS COME. WATER UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO PERFORM A HOST OF RITUAL WASHINGS IS TRANSFORMED INTO WINE WHICH MAKES THE HEART GLAD. WHERE JESUS IS PRESENT, ALL PREVIOUS RITUALS AND INSTITUTIONS ARE SUPERSEDED. TO BE IN JESUS PRESENCE IS AN EXPERIENCE OF COMPLETE, CONTINUING JOY. HE ALONE ESTABLISHES AND SUSTAINS HUMANITY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER. THE TEMPLE COMPLEX, JESUS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THE HOLY OF HOLIES AND THE FOUNDATION STONE,
(1:51) HE NOW DECLARES THAT THE ENTIRE TEMPLE COMPLEX BE REPLACED BY HIS RESURRECTED "(BODY") WHICH WILL COME INTO EXISTENCE  AS A RESULT OF HIS VICTORY OVER THE GRAVE. JOHN 2:13-17 REPORTS JESUS CLEANSING THE TEMPLE
 (2:18-22) THE ENSUING CONVERSATION. HERE, AS FREQUENTLY ELSEWHERE, JOHN USES AN "EPISODE---DISCOURSE" STRUCTURE. THE MODE OF ENTRY (CH.3) NICODEMUS BELIEVES THAT THE PERSON BORN OF A JEWISH WOMB IS AUTOMATICALLY A CHILD OF GOD. JESUS INFORMS HIM THAT ADMISSION INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD IS BY A DIFFERENT BIRTH PROCESS ALTOGETHER---THE RADICAL ACTIVITY OF GOD WORKING THROUGH HIS SPIRIT IN THE WATERS OF BAPTISM. IN (CH.4) JOHN REPORTS JESUS CONVERSATION WITH A SAMARITAN WOMAN. AFTER ASKING HER TO DRAW HIM WATER TO DRINK, HE ASSURES HER HE HAS LIVING WATER TO GIVE-- A STATEMENT SHE FINDS PUZZLING. WHEN JESUS CONFRONTS HER ABOUT HER PAST AND PRESENT ILLICIT SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS, SHE CHANGES THE SUBJECT AND RAISES THE ISSUE OF LEGITIMATE WORSHIP LOCALITIES. THE SAMARITANS BELIEVED THAT THE TEMPLE ON MOUNT GERIZIM WAS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE PLACE FOR THE PURE WORSHIP OF GOD, WHILE THE JEWS RESERVED THAT HONOR FOR MOUNT ZION IN JERUSALEM. JESUS DECLARES THAT THAT THE "HOUR IS COMING, AND NOW IS" WHEN BOTH NOTIONS ARE INVALID. HE HIMSELF IS THE FOCAL POINT OF ALL TRUE WORSHIP.  JOHN 5 REPORTS JESUS HEALING A  CRIPPLED MAN AT THE POOL OF BETHZATHA  AND SPILLS OVER INTO A DISCUSSION OF HIS AUTHORITY. THE EPISODE OUTLINED IN (4:46-54) CAN BE LINKED TO THAT REPORTED IN (5:1-16.) THEY TELL OF JESUS HEALING TWO PEOPLE, THE SON OF A  NOBLEMAN, AND A SICK MAN AT THE POOL OF BETHZATHA. IN HEALING THE NOBLEMAN'S SON, JESUS GIVES NEW LIFE TO ONE AT THE BRINK OF DEATH IN HEALING THE MAN AT THE POOL OF BETHZATHA, HE GIVES NEW LIFE TO ONE WHO IS OTHERWISE HELPLESS. BOTH HEALINGS ILLUSTRATE THE LIFE-GIVING POWER OF JESUS WORD. THE SECOND HEALING TAKES PLACE ON THE  SABBATH. IN ACTING AS HE DOES, JESUS DEMONSTRATES HIS AUTHORITY OVER THE SABBATH, AND REPLACES IT AS AN ORDINANCE WITH HIMSELF THE AUTHORITY OF GOD, FOR HE IS GOD.  S GOD HE ONCE FED HIS PEOPLE WITH MEAT AND MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS, SO JESUS AT PASSOVER TIME FED THE PEOPLE WITH BREAD AND MEAT. THE PEOPLE ARE SO IMPRESSED THAT THEY ATTEMPT TO MAKE HIM KING OVER THEIR LAND, POSSIBLY TO HAVE HIM LEAD THEM IN A REVOLT AGAINST THE ROMANS.. LATER HIS DISCIPLES SEE HIM WALKING TOWARDS THEM ACROSS THE SEA OF GALILEE. JESUS POWER OVER THE FORCES OF NATURE.DUPLICATES THE POWER OF GOD DESCRIBED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT e.g.PSALM 89:9; 107:23-32.  JESUS THEREFORE MUST BE GOD INCARNATE FORM. HE IS THE RULER OF THE UNIVERSE. JESUS ACTIONS DECLARE HIM TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. MOREOVER, HE IS JUDGE OF THOSE WHO ENCOUNTER HIS LIGHT THE PHARISEES PROBLEM IS THAT THEY CALL EVIL GOOD, AND GOOD EVIL. THEIR CONCERN IS RITUAL, NOT HUMAN NEED. THEY SLANDER AND CONDEMN JESUS AND THE ONES HE HEALS. JUDGMENT IS EXERCISED ON THE PHARISEES, NOT BY THE PHARISEE. THOSE WHO THINK THEY CAN SEE ARE DECLARED BLIND THOUGH JESUS OWN PEOPLE REJECT HIM, HE DRAWS A NEW COMMUNITY FROM AMONG THEM AND TAKES THEM INTO AN UPPER
ROOM, WHERE HE DEMONSTRATES THE NATURE OF HIS KINGSHIP AND THE FORM LIFE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM IS TO TAKE.

JEWISH TRIAL [JOHN'S GOSPEL].

 JOHN'S GOSPEL HAS A DRAMATIC OVERARCHING THEME. IT PICTURES JESUS COMING INTO THE WORLD TO FACE SOMETHING LIKE A  COURT TRIAL. THE ACCUSATION AGAINST HIM IS THAT HE IS AN IMPOSTER AND A BLASPHEMER. WITNESSES FOR THE PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE ARE CALLED AND THE WORLD SEEMS TO GAIN THE VICTORY UNTIL THE RESURRECTION PUTS THE RECORD STRAIGHT. THIS POINT EMERGES MORE CLEARLY WHEN THE FOLLOWING TEXTUAL DETAILS ARE CONSIDERED. CHS 13-17 DESCRIBES EVENTS IN THE UPPER ROOM. JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES PROCEED FROM THERE TO THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE WHERE HE IS CAPTURED. THOSE WHO SEIZE AND BIND HIM TAKE HIM TO ANNAS. ANNAS HAD BEEN HIGH PRIEST UNTIL 15 A.D., WHEN HE WAS DEPOSED BY THE ROMANS. FOUR OF HIS SONS SUCCEEDED HIM AS HIGH PRIEST, AND CAIAPHAS WAS HIS-SON-IN LAW; HERE ARE THE FIRST STAGES OF PETER'S DENIAL  OUTLINED" IN" JOHN 18:15-18. THE "HIGH PRIEST" THEN  QUESTIONS JESUS---HE MUST BE ANNAS, NOT CAIAPHAS; 18:19,24,28. WHAT TRANSPIRES BETWEEN ANNAS AND JESUS IS NOT A TRIAL, BUT A CONVERSATION IN WHICH ANNAS QUESTIONS JESUS ABOUT HIS DISCIPLES AND TEACHING. ANNAS SENDS HIM TO CAIAPHAS, THOUGH THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO A TRIAL, OR CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE LATTER AND JESUS. FURTHER DETAILS OF PETER DENIAL ARE THE GIVEN, AFTER WHICH JESUS IS TAKEN TO PILATE. 918:28). WHY HAS JOHN OMITTED ANY REFERENCE TO A FORMAL JEWISH TRIAL? THE ANSWER BECOMES CLEAR WHEN THE EVENTS OUTLINED IN CHS. 11 AND 12. ARE UNDERSTOOD. WHEN JESUS GOES TO THE AID OF LAZARUS, HE IS MET BY MARTHA AND MARY. BOTH PROFESS FAITH IN HIS POWER. MARTHA EXPRESSES HER
CONVICTION THAT LAZARUS WILL RISE IN THE RESURRECTION AT THE LAST DAY,
 EXPRESSES (AT THE TIME) JEWISH HOPE. JESUS ASSURES HER THAT HOPES CONCERNING DEATH AND RESURRECTION HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED, FOR HE IS PRESENT. 11:25-27. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, HE RESTORES LAZARUS TO LIFE. THE RESPONSE TO JESUS ACTION IS IMMEDIATE. SOME REJOICE, BUT SOME INFORM THE PHARISEES WHAT HE HAS DONE (THE PHARISEES BELIEVED IN A RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, TO TAKE PLACE AT THE CLOSE OF THE AGE WHEN MESSIAH CAME). JESUS ACTIONS CAUSE THEM DISTRESS. HAS THE MESSIANIC AGE COME,  AND IS JESUS THE MESSIAH?  IMPOSSIBLE! THE FORMAL JEWISH TRIAL FOLLOWS. THE MEMBERS OF THE SANHEDRIN DETERMINE THAT, RATHER THAN RISK LOSING THEIR NATION AND TEMPLE, JESUS MUST GO. ACCORDINGLY, JESUS IS TRIED IN ABSENTIA AND CONDEMNED TO DEATH. FURTHERMORE, A DECISION IS MADE TO KILL ALSO LAZARUS, "EXHIBIT A" IN THE DISTURBING RESURRECTION EVENT. THE IMPLICATIONS OF JESUS RAISING LAZARUS ARE SCANDALOUS TO THE JEWS. THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, PLACED BY JUDAISM IN THE FUTURE, IS ALREADY TAKING PLACE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS AS MESSIAH. THOUGH 5:25-29 ANTICIPATES A FUTURE RESURRECTION, JOHN EMPHASIZES ELSEWHERE THAT THE FUTURE HAS ALREADY MOVED TO THE PRESENT FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS. THE RESURRECTION IS ALREADY TAKING PLACE. THE FUTURE AGE HAS COME! "IMPOSSIBLE THE JEWS CRIED. JESUS MUST GO!"

JOHN!

THE EAGLE FLIES HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER BIRD, AND IS SAID TO BE THE ONLY LIVING CREATURE  WHICH CAN LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN AND NOT BE DAZZLED BY IT. THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES, THE CHURCH HAS USED THE EAGLE AS A SYMBOL FOR THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST.JOHN. THE CHOICE IS APPROPRIATE, FOR ST JOHN'S GOSPEL. FOR IT SOARS AT SUBLIME HEIGHTS. JOHN FOLLOWS DIFFERENT CHRONOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL PATTERNS THAN THE FIRST THREE GOSPELS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS (MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE) REFER TO JESUS ATTENDING ONLY ONE PASSOVER. JOHN REFERS TO THREE PASSOVER OBSERVANCES; COMPARE MARK 14:1, 12, 14, 16, WITH JOHN 2:13,23;6:4; 11:55; 12:1; 13:1; IS JOHN TALKING ABOUT THREE DIFFERENT PASSOVER OBSERVANCES; OR IS HE MERELY TALKING ABOUT THE PASSOVER INSTITUTION?  VARIOUS ANSWERS ARE SUGGESTED, AND ARE USED TO SUPPORT THEORIES ABOUT THE LENGTH OF JESUS MINISTRY.  AS THE GOSPEL BEGINS JESUS IS SOMEWHERE NEAR WHERE JOHN THE BAPTIST IS WORKING, PRESUMABLY JUST NORTH OF THE DEAD SEA, JESUS GOES BACK TO GALILEE  AND AND WORKS IN CANA AND CAPERNAUM AND THEN TO JERUSALEM.  THERE IS NO "MESSIANIC SECRET," JESUS DEITY'  IS DECLARED FROM THE OUTSET. A SERIES OF TITLES IS ASCRIBED TO HIM IN JOHN'S FIRST CHAPTER, CULMINATING  IN A REFERENCE TO HIM REPLACING THE FOUNDATION STONE IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES OF THE JERUSALEM TEMPLE. AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, THOMAS ADDRESSES HIM  AS LORD AND GOD.IN JOHN 1:48, JESUS ALLUDES TO NATHANAEL SITTING UNDER A FIG TREE, AN ILLUSION TO CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO PREVAIL WHEN THE "MESSIANIC AGED"  BROKE IN, MICAH 4:4; 1 KINGS 4:25. THOUGH THE MESSIANIC AGE BROKEN IN WITH JESUS, THE NATURE OF HIS KINGSHIP WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT HIS PEOPLE WERE
EXPECTING, FOR HE ASSUMED THE ROLE OF SERVANT.  JESUS REVEALS HIS GLORY TO THE WORLD. JOHN SHOWS THAT HIS GOSPEL INCORPORATES TRADITIONS OLDER THAN THOSE FOUNDED IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS. OTHERS ARGUE JOHN MOVES FROM THEME TO THEME WITH A GRAND INDIFFICANCE TO THOSE FINER POINTS OF CHRONOLOGY WHICH EXERCISE THE MINDS OF CONTEMPORARY WESTERN HISTORIANS. THEY ARGUE THAT HE INTENDED HIS GOSPEL TO BE A SERIES OF SERMONS ABOUT TRUTHS JESUS TAUGHT., RATHER THAN A BIOGRAPHY. AT TIMES IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINES WHERE JESUS FINISHES SPEAKING, AND WHERE THE EVANGELIST ADDS HIS OWN WORDS: TO ILLUSTRATE WHERE SHOULD QUOTATION MARKS BE PLACED 3 :13-16?  JESUS IDENTITY IN MARK CHS. 1-8 JESUS DOES NOT SPELL OUT IN WORDS WHO HE IS, AND DISCOURAGES ANY REFERENCE TO HIS   MESSIAHSHIP  UNTIL HIS ACTIONS HAVE DEMONSTRATED WHAT KIND OF MESSIAH
HE HAS COME TO BE BE. ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE GOSPEL, HE ASKS WHO THE CROWDS THINKS HE IS, MARK 8:27-30. JOHN APPROACHES THE QUESTION OF, JESUS IDENTITY QUITE DIFFERENTLY. FROM THE VERY OUTSET. HE DECLARES WHO JESUS IS, AND WHY HE HAS COME.. IN DOING SO, JOHN DRAWS HEAVILY ON OLD TESTAMENT AN INTERTESTAMENTAL CONCEPTS. JOHN APPROACHES THE QUESTION OF JESUS IDENTITY QUITE DIFFERENTLY. FROM THE VERY OUTSET, HE DECLARES WHO JESUS IS, AND WHY HE HAS COME. THE EXPRESSION "IN THE BEGINNING..." (1:1)  HARKS BACK TO GENESIS (SOME INTERPRETERS DETECTS HINTS OF A SEVEN DAY SCHEME. JOHN DESIRES IS TO DECLARE THAT JESUS LIFE AND MISSION BROUGHT A NEW BEGINNING TO THE CREATION/ HUMAN RACE. THE TERM "WORD" WAS WIDELY USED IN PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSION IN JOHN'S WORLD. THE PAGAN WORLD THOUGHT OF "WORD" (LOGOS) AS THE CONTROLLING POWER THAT PERMEATED THE CREATIVE ORDER, AND URGED HUMANITY TO DISCOVER WHAT IT IS AND TO LIVE IN HARMONY WITH IT; TRANQUILITY AN ORDER WOULD RESULT. THE JEWS TALKED ABOUT WISDOM AS THE DIVINE BLUEPRINT IN CREATION AND LIFE WISDOM WAS THE FIRST THING GOD CREATED, AND AFTER IT CAME INTO EXISTENCE IT ADVISED GOD ABOUT ALL SUBSEQUENT CREATIVE ACTS. EVENTUALLY WISDOM WAS THOUGHT OF AS A 'PERSON." THE OLD TESTAMENT
 UNDERSTANDS "THE WORD OF GOD" AS GOD'S REVELATION OF HIMSELF, WHETHER IN CREATION, IN DEEDS OF POWER AND GRACE, OR IN PROPHECY. JOHN CALLS CHRIST "THE WORD," HE REVEALS AND IS THE DIVINE WISDOM, PLAN AND BLUEPRINT. HE IS GOD INCARNATE, COME-IN-THE-FLESH.  HE IS GOD'S ULTIMATE OF HIMSELF. THROUGH INVOLVEMENT IN ISRAEL'S HISTORY AND THE WORD'S OF THE PROPHETS, HE NOW REVEALS HIMSELF IN A PERSON. WHEN JESUS IS  SUBSTITUTED
FOR "WORD" JOHN'S MESSAGE BECOMES CLEAR. ALTHOUGH JOHN MAKES NO MENTION OF THE FALL INTO SIN (GENESIS 3), HE USES TERMS LIKE "DARKNESS AND "LIGHT" TO DECLARE THAT FALLEN HUMANITY LOVES DARKNESS OF IGNORANCE AND SIN RATHER THEN THE LIGHT OF GOD'S SAVING TRUTH 3:19,20.  TERMS USED IN GENESIS 1 TO REFER TO THE PHYSICAL CREATION ARE USED TO DESCRIBE SPIRITUAL PROCESSES. THOUGH THE WORLD PUT THE SON OF GOD TO DEATH, IT WAS NOT ABLE TO SNUFF OUT THE LIGHT THAT HE BROUGHT. CHRIST'S LIGHT SHINES MORE BRIGHTLY, AND THE WORD RINGS OUT MORE CLEARLY. DARKNESS IMPLIES THOSE WAYS OF THINKING, ACTING AND SPEAKING  THAT ARE NOT IN KEEPING WITH THE "LIGHT' GOD HAS REVEALED IN CHRIST. DARKNESS" DESCRIBES CONDITIONS WHERE GOD IS ABSENT, AND "LIGHT" THE OPPOSITE, ALSO LOOK AT EPHESIANS 5:1-14. JOHN STATES THAT THOSE WHO COME TO FAITH IN JESUS UNDERGO A NEW BIRTH. THIS IS NOT A SECOND PHYSICAL BIRTH, BUT BEING BORN INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD. THIS BIRTH TAKES PLACE THROUGH THE WILL OF GOD WHEN HE, IN GRACE AND THROUGH HIS SON GATHERS PEOPLE BACK INTO HIS DIVINE FAMILY AND TEACHES THEM TO WALK AS HIS BELOVED CHILDREN ONCE AGAIN. TRAGICALLY, WHEN CHRIST CAME TO HIS OWN CREATION, IT DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM. THOSE CLAIMING TO BE THE PEOPLE OF GOD REFUSE TO WELCOME HIM, EVEN SO, SOME DID COME TO FAITH AND MEMBERSHIP IN THE ETERNAL FAMILY. JESUS THE ETERNAL WORD, DID NOT ARRIVE UNANNOUNCED. JOHN THE BAPTIST HERALDED HIS COMING. JOHN INSISTED THAT HIS OWN ROLE WAS MERELY TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE GREAT FINAL EXODUS (RESCUE) THAT WAS SOON TO TAKE PLACE. THE EVANGELIST LOCATES JOHN'S MINISTRY ON THE EAST BANK OF THE JORDAN, INDICATING THAT HE CALLED HIS JEWISH HEARERS OUT OF THE LAND, AND MADE IT NECESSARY FOR THEM TO ENTER IT AGAIN THROUGH A WATER-CROSSING. O.T. EXILE-PARTING THE RED SEA. "AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US, "DWELT" LITERALLY MEANS "TENTED" OR "TABERNACLED."  JOHN DECLARES THAT GOD NOW DWELLS AMONG HIS PEOPLE, NOT INVISIBLY IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES WHICH ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST COULD ENTER ONE DAY EACH YEAR, BUT IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST. BECOMES  THE INVISIBLE GOD BECOMES VISIBLE IN THE DIVINE-HUMAN WORD. JOHN 1:29-51 CONTAINS A SERIES OF TITLES WHICH STATE WHO JESUS IS, AN DEFINE HIS MISSION. THESE ARE: "LAMB OF GOD," RABBI (TEACHER), "MESSIAH," "SON OF GOD, KING OF ISRAEL," "SON OF MAN," FURTHERMORE, JESUS SAYS TO NATHANAEL, " BEFORE PHILIP CALLED YOU, WHEN YOU WERE UNDER THE FIG TREE, I SAW YOU,  DURING  THE PREVIOUS CENTURIES  THE HOPE WAS THAT WHEN THE MESSIAH CAME, PEOPLE WOULD EXPERIENCE THE SECURITY AND PLENTY OF SITTING UNDER A PERSONAL VINE AND FIG TREE. JESUS STATEMENT IN 1:51 IS PUZZLING: " TRULY, TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, YOU WILL SEE HEAVEN OPENED, AND THE ANGELS OF GOD ASCENDING AND DESCENDING UPON THE SON OF MAN." THE HOLY OF HOLIES IN THE POST EXILIC AND HEROD'S TEMPLES WAS EMPTY, APART FROM A LOW, FLAT STONE BUILT INTO THE FLOOR AT ITS CENTER. THE STONE WAS CALLED "THE FOUNDATION STONE".
IT WAS ABOUT EIGHTEEN INCHES SQUARE, AND THREE FINGERS BREADTH HIGH. JEWISH TRADITION HELD THAT JACOB SLEPT ON THIS STONE WHEN HE SAW A LADDER REACHING UP TO HEAVEN, WITH ANGELS ASCENDING AND DESCENDING ON IT, GENESIS 28. IN JESUS DAY THE RABBIS ASCRIBED NUMEROUS FUNCTIONS TO IT. IT WAS THE POINT FROM WHICH THE WORLD GREW IN THE INITIAL CREATIVE PROCESS, THE "NAVEL OF THE EARTH." IT WAS THE POINT OF CONTACT BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH, BETWEEN GOD AND HUMANITY. IT HELD THE SUBTERRANEAN WATERS IN CHECK. IT WAS ALSO THE PLACE WHERE, ON THE ANNUAL DAY OF ATONEMENT, BLOOD WAS SHED TO ATONE FOR THE NATION'S SIN. JESUS DECLARED THAT HE REPLACED THE STONE AND THE HOLY OF HOLIES, AND THEIR FUNCTIONS.
 THIS WAS BUT THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF "REPLACEMENTS" THAT OCCURS IN THE ENSUING CHAPTERS. AT THE TIME OF JESUS, THE JEWS VIEWED DEATH AS A GRIM EXPERIENCE AND BELIEVED THAT ISSUES OF JUDGMENT AND ETERNAL LIFE WOULD BE RESOLVED IN THE RESURRECTION THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE WHEN MESSIAH CAME. JESUS TAUGHT THAT THOSE WHO BELONGED TO HIM HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED THE VICTORY OF THE RESURRECTION, AND THAT ISSUES OF JUDGMENT AND ETERNAL LIFE ARE DETERMINED ALREADY IN THIS LIFE. DEATH IS MERELY THE DOORWAY INTO ETERNAL LIFE. JESUS ENABLES US TO SEE BEYOND IT AND WHAT IS TO COME, NAMELY "THE GREAT "SEPARATION," AND ' THE WELCOME HOME FOR HIS OWN.



























 

MESSIANIC BANQUET

 THE PROPHETS PROCLAIMED THAT WHEN MESSIAH CAME, HE WOULD CREATE HAPPINESS AMONG THE POOR AND THE AFFLICTED, FOR HE WOULD GATHER THEM INTO HIS BANQUETING COMMUNITY, ISAIAH. IN SO DOING, THE MESSIAH WOULD RESTORE FELLOWSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND HUMANITY. DURING JESUS MINISTRY, HIS OPPONENTS CALL HIM A GLUTTON AND A DRUNKARD FOR HE DINES WITH SINNERS. AT THE TIME OF THE FINAL CONSUMMATION OF THE KINGDOM THE DISCIPLES WILL EAT AND DRINK WITH JESUS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, PEOPLE WILL BE GATHERED FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE EARTH TO SIT AT TABLE WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS. ON THESE OCCASIONS THE LEADERS AMONG THE JEWS INVITE JESUS TO EAT WITH THEM.  THERE IS STRIFE BETWEEN JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES. ON THE ONE HAND. JESUS KNOWS AND TEACHES THE WISDOM OF GOD. PHARISEES REJECT IN REJECTING JESUS. THOUGH LEADERS INVITE JESUS TO SHARE TABLE WITH THEM, THEY CRITICIZE HIM FOR EATING WITH OTHERS. THEY  FAIL TO SEE THE REAL BANQUET THAT IS IN PROGRESS WITH THE PRESENCE OF JESUS. JESUS INSTRUCTS THOSE PRESENT AT A MEAL HOW THEY ARE TO RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER. AT THE LAST SUPPER THE DISCIPLES ARGUE ABOUT WHO WILL BE THE GREATEST IN JESUS KINGDOM. JESUS  DOES NOT ALLOW JUDAS TO KISS HIM. JESUS HEALS THE SERVANT WHOSE EAR PETER HAD CUT OFF. HE IS LED AWAY TO THE HIGH PRIEST HOME. THE SANHEDRIN MEETS WHEN DAY COMES AND CHARGES JESUS WITH CLAIMING TO BE THE MESSIAH. JESUS SPEAKS THREE FROM THE CROSS: "FATHER FORGIVE THEM; FOR THEY KNOW WHAT THEY DO; " TRULY I SAY TO YOU, TODAY  YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE," FATHER INTO THY HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT. THE WOMEN WHO GO TO THE TOMB ARE MET BY TWO MEN IN DAZZLING APPAREL WHO INFORM THEM WHAT HAS HAPPENED. AFTER THE WOMEN HEAR THE MESSAGE AT THE TOMB, THEY RETURN TO THE CITY AND SHARE THE NEWS WITH THE "APOSTLES" (NOTE THE TERM!) WHO DO NOT TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY AND DISMISS THEIR REPORT AS AN IDLE TALE. JESUS JOINS TWO MEN ON THE WAY TO EMMAUS AND EXPLAINS EVENTS IN JERUSALEM DURING THE LAST FEW DAYS IN THE LIGHT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES. HOWEVER, HIS TRAVELING COMPANIONS  STILL DO NOT RECOGNIZE HIM UNTIL THEY SHARE A MEAL TOGETHER, REFLECTS (.EUCHARISTIC TERMINOLOGY) AT THAT VERY MOMENT JESUS VANISHES OUT OF THEIR SIGHT. THEY RUSH BACK TO JERUSALEM AND SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE ELEVEN AND THOSE WITH THEM. JESUS AGAIN MANIFESTS HIS PRESENCE. THOSE WHO SEE HIM ARE SO OVERWHELMED THAT "THEY DISBELIEVE FOR JOY," AGAIN JESUS EATS WITH THEM. (LUKE DOES NOT MENTION A POST RESURRECTION APPEARANCE IN GALILEE. JESUS IN CLOSING EXPLAINS FURTHER TO THE GROUP OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LIGHT OF THE SCRIPTURES (MOSES, PROPHETS, PSALMS")  AND COMMISSIONS THEM TO PREACH FORGIVENESS IN HIS NAME TO ALL NATIONS, AND INSTRUCTS THEM TO WAIT IN JERUSALEM UNTIL THEY ARE CLOTHED "WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH," AND THEN DEPARTS FROM THEM. THE DISCIPLES RETURN TO JERUSALEM. WE CELEBRATE A NEW BEGINNING, EVEN AS JOSEPH AND MARY'S JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM BROUGHT A NEW BEGINNING INTO THIS WORLD FOR ALL OF US! WHAT MORE COULD WE ASK.  

LUKE ( CHRIST AS MAN. ) LUKE

 ALTHOUGH THE GOSPEL  ACCORDING TO MANIFESTS CONCERN FOR ALL NATIONS, IT MAKES NO MENTION OF JESUS PREACHING TO  THE GENTILES. WHY?  THE GOSPEL IS THE FIRST VOLUME OF A TWO VOLUME WORK LUKE-ACTS CONTINUES FROM WHERE THE GOSPEL CONCLUDES. WHAT JESUS PROCLAIMS TO THE JEWS IN LUKE, HE PROCLAIMS TO THE GENTILES IN ACTS. LUKE-ACTS.LUKE-ACTS CONSTITUTES ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE NEW TESTAMENT-- GREATER PERCENTAGE THAN PAUL'S WRITINGS. LUKE PROLOGUE (1:1-4) IS WRITTEN IN THE BEST GREEK IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, INITS COMPLEX SENTENCES. LUKE ACKNOWLEDGES THE EFFORTS OF PREDECESSORS, STATES HIS OWN PURPOSE IN WRITING AND ADDRESSES THE PATRON TO WHOM THE WORK IN DEDICATED. HE INFORMS THEOPHILUS THAT HIS ACCOUNT OF JESUS LIFE WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT CHRISTIANITY IS NO EVIL THING, BUT THE WAY OF TRUTH. WHEN LUKE SET OUT TO DEFEND THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, HE DID NOT ARGUE ABOUT IT. HE SIMPLY LET IT TELL ITS OWN STORY. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS IN TERMS OF LENGTH AND CONTENT. MATTHEW AND LUKE CONTAIN AN INFANCY NARRATIVE; MARK DOES NOT. EACH CONTAINS THREE PASSIONS PREDICTIONS; THE MESSAGE IN LUKE  9:9-18. IS OF A COMPASSIONATE CHRIST. MATTHEW REPORTS POST-RESURRECTION APPEARANCES IN JERUSALEM AND GALILEE, MARK IN GALILEE, AND LUKE IN JERUSALEM. ONLY LUKE REPORTS JESUS ASCENSION. MATTHEW PRESENTS JESUS AS THE FULFILLMENT OF OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES. MARK HIGHLITES THE CHALLENGE JESUS CONSTITUTES TO ISRAEL AND HIS FOLLOWERS. LUKE EMPHASIZES JESUS COMPASSIONATE NATURE IN DEALING WITH OUTCASTS AND LOWLY IN THE NATION.  IT IS GENERALLY ASSUMED THAT MARK WAS WRITTEN FIRST, THAT BOTH MATTHEW AND LUKE MADE EXTENSIVE USE OF MARK (MATTHEW MORE THAN LUKE.), THAT BOTH MATTHEW AND LUKE MADE USE OF ANOTHER SOURCE REFERRED TO AS "Q" (GERMAN QUELLE, "SOURCE"), THAT MATTHEW ADDS HIS OWN SPECIAL MATERIAL REFERRED TO AS "M", AND LUKE ADDS HIS OWN SPECIAL MATERIAL REFERRED TO AS "L". (LUKE 1:1-5). LUKE PRESENTS JESUS AS THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING GOD'S PURPOSE IN UNIVERSAL HISTORY. HE DIVIDES ALL INTO THREE ERAS: FROM ANCIENT ISRAEL TO JOHN THE BAPTIST, 16:16. JOHN'S WORK MARKS THE END OF THE ERA OF THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS. THOUGH REDEMPTIVE PROMISES WERE MADE DURING THIS PERIOD, THEY WERE NOT FULFILLED. THE EARTHLY MINISTRY OF JESUS, 4: 16:30; NOTE VERSE 21 IN PARTICULAR. THIS IS DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS: JESUS EARLY MINISTRY IN GALILEE, HIS MINISTRY ON THE WAY TO JERUSALEM, AND HIS MINISTRY IN JERUSALEM. FROM JESUS ASCENSION UNTIL THE END OF THE AGE. DURING THIS PERIOD, CHRIST, SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER, ACCOMPLISHES HIS PURPOSES THROUGH THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT AT WORK IN THE CHURCH. LUKE TRACES JESUS ANCESTRY BACK TO ADAM (3:23-38), AND CALLS ADAM "THE SON OF GOD,"3:38. GOD IS MAKING A NEW BEGINNING TO THE HUMAN RACE ( NOT JUST THE CHOSEN PEOPLE) AS IN MATTHEW), AND THE NEW SON OF GOD IS HIS  INSTRUMENT
 TO BRING THIS ABOUT. LUKE EXPRESSES HIS UNIVERSAL CONCERN IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER: HE ALONE OF ALL THE EVANGELISTS INCLUDES IN QUOTATION FROM ISAIAH, " AND ALL FLESH SHALL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD," 3:6, SEE ISAIAH 40:3-5. SIMEON SPEAKS OF THE SALVATION WHICH COMES WITH JESUS AS " A LIGHT FOR REVELATION TO THE GENTILES," 2:32. THE SAMARITANS ARE MENTIONED FAVORABLY, 9:51-56; 10:30-37;  17:11-19. THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH AND NAAMAN, THE SYRIAN LEPER, DEMONSTRATED FAITH WHILE ISRAEL OFTEN DID NOT, 4:25-27. AS IN MARK, A ROMAN CENTURION MAKES AN ADMIRABLE CONFESSION BENEATH THE CROSS, 23:47. THE LISTS OF OFFICIALS IN 2:1ff AND 3:1ff
 INDICATE THAT JESUS MINISTRY WILL HAVE UNIVERSAL REPERCUSSIONS. JESUS LOVES TO BE IN THE COMPANY OF THOSE THE JEWS AVOID: HE POOR, SAMARITANS, LEPERS, PUBLICANS SOLDIERS, PUBLIC SINNERS IN DISGRACE, UNLETTERED  SHEPHERDS.  JESUS INVITES HIMSELF TO THE HOUSE OF A TAX COLLECTOR FOR A MEAL, THUS VIOLATING JEWISH LAWS OF CEREMONIAL PURITY, 19:1-10. THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST ALREADY HINTS AT WHAT IS TO COME IN JESUS LIFE, 3: 10-14. A TAX COLLECTOR WAS CONSIDERED A TRAITOR FOR HIS COLLABORATION WITH THE ROMANS. SOLDIERS RAN THE RISK OF BEING CALLED TO SERVE ON A SABBATH; ANY JEW WHO CHOSE THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER EXCLUDED HIMSELF FROM THE COVENANT PEOPLE. YET JOHN GIVES DIVINE COUNSEL TO BOTH A TAX COLLECTOR AND SOLDIERS. THE EVENTS SURROUNDING JESUS BIRTH MAKE A POWERFUL STATEMENT ABOUT THE NATURE OF HIS PERSON AND MISSION.  A CHILDLESS AND AGED COUPLE GAVE BIRTH TO THE FORE-RUNNER, JOHN THE BAPTIST , 1:18. MARY AND JOSEPH ARE WITHOUT SOCIAL STANDING. AN AGED MAN AND WIDOW ACKNOWLEDGE JESUS IN THE TEMPLE, 2:22-35,36-38. JESUS'S ARRIVAL IS NOT HERALDED BY A COSMIC FIREWORKS DISPLAY;  HE COMES QUIETLY DOWN THE BACKSTAIRS AT BETHLEHEM AND PLACES HIMSELF INTO THE CROOK OF AN UNKNOWN WOMAN'S ARMS. THE FIRST TO BE TOLD OF HIS ARRIVAL ARE THE SHEPHERDS, THOSE CONSIDERED OUTCASTS BY THE RELIGIOUS ELITE IN JERUSALEM. THE FAVOR SHOWN TO SHEPHERDS THREATENED THE NATIONS POWER STRUCTURES RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OPPRESSION. LUKE IS THE GOSPEL OF GREAT PARDONS. JESUS DEALS WITH A "SINFUL WOMAN" IN A MOST COMPASSIONATE WAY, 7:36-50. JESUS TELLS ZACCHAEUS THAT HE WANTS TO DINE WITH HIM, 19: 1-10. AT CALVARY, JESUS PRAYS FOR HIS EXECUTIONERS  (23:34), AND MAKES A SUBLIME PROMISE TO ONE OF THE THIEVES EXECUTED WITH HIM (23:39-43.

THE PASSION HISTORY--------------------THE RESURRECTION.

 SOME DETAILS ARE FOUND ONLY IN MATTHEW. JUDAS ASK THE CHIEF PRIESTS HOW MUCH THEY WILL GIVE HIM IF HE BETRAYS JESUS, 26:15. JESUS NAMES JUDAS AS THE ONE WHO WILL BETRAY HIM, 26:25. NO MENTION IS MADE OF THE ROMAN SOLDIERS AMONG THOSE WHO GO TO GETHSEMANE TO CAPTURE JESUS26:59.  JUDAS REPENTS OF HIS ACTIONS, RETURNS THE MONEY TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND ELDERS, AND HANGS HIMSELF. THE MONEY HW RETURNS IS USED TO BUY POTTER'S FIELD, 27:3-10. PILATE'S WIFE WARNS HER HUSBAND NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH JESUS; SHE IS TROUBLED BY A DREAM., 27:19. PILATE WASHERS HIS HANDS BEFORE A CROWD, 27:24-26. LIKE MARH, MATTHEW QUOTES ONLY ONE WORD FROM THE CROSS, 27:46. AFTER JESUS DEATH ( IN WHICH HE YIELDS UP HIS SPIRIT, 27:50), THE EARTH SHAKES, ROCKS SPLIT OPEN, TOMBS ARE ARE OPENED AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THEM APPEAR TO MANY IN JERUSALEM AFTER JESUS RESURRECTION, 27:51-53. FINALLY, THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND PHARISEES ARRANGE TO HAVE JESUS TOMB SEALED AND GUARDED. DURING THE MOCKY SCENE IN HIS PASSION, JESUS IS GIVEN NOT ONLY A CROWN, BUT ALSO A MOCK SCEPTER, 27:29 THE OPENING OF JESUS TOMB IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN EARTHQUAKE AND TH VISIT OF AN ANGEL. THE GUARDS ARE TERRIFIED BY THIS EXPERIENCE. THE RISEN JESUS MEETS WOMEN NEAR THE TOMB, AND THERE IS A MUTUAL GREETING. THE PROBLEM WITH  THE EMPTY TOMB IS REPORTED TO THE AUTHORITIES  WHO IN TURN TRY TO KEEP THE MATTER QUIET BY RESORTING TO BRIBERY. JESUS MEETS HIS DISCIPLES IN GALILEE. THOUGH SOME WORSHIP HIM,, OTHERS DOUBT. JESUS POINTS TO HIS KINGLY AUTHORITY AND SENDS HIS DISCIPLES FORTH TO DRAW PEOPLE FROM ALL NATIONS INTO HIS COMMUNITY. HIS DISCIPLES ARE TO TEACH ALL NATIONS, AND TO BAPTIZE THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. THEY ARE TO TEACH HIS NEW FOLLOWERS TO OBSERVE (NOT JUST "BELIEVE"). ALL THAT HE COMMANDED THEM. THE GOSPEL CLOSES WITH JESUS ASSURING HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE WILL BE WITH THEM TO THE CLOSE OF THE AGE,ch.28. THOUGH MATTHEW FOLLOWS THE SAME GEOGRAPHICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL OUTLINE AS MARK, IT IS STRUCTURED AROUND A " FIVE BOOKS" PLAN. MATTHEW STRESSES THAT JESUS DESCENDED FROM BOTH ABRAHAM AND DAVID. JESUS WAS A" NEW MOSES"  WHOSE MINISTRY BROUGHT A NEW CHOSEN PEOPLE INTO EXISTENCE, A NEW ISRAEL. JESUS WAS MUCH MORE THAN A GIVER OF NEW LAWS. AT THE NEW MOSES (JESUS CAME TO RESCUE GOD'S PEOPLE FROM BONDAGE FROM SIN, SATAN, JUDGMENT AND DEATH. HE WAS ALSO THE SON OF DAVID, THE PROMISED MESSIANIC KING, WHO CAME TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HUMANITY THAT IT MIGHT HAVE FORGIVENESS OF SIN AND ETERNAL LIFE AS A PRESENT POSSESSION. JESUS REPEATED IN HIS LIFE THE HISTORY OF THE"OLD ISRAEL," THE OLD SON OF GOD. HE WENT DOWN INTO EGYPT, WAS CALLED OUT OF EGYPT, PASSED THROUGH WATER, AND WAS TEMPTED IN THE WILDERNESS. HE CONQUERED SATAN AND GATHERED A NEW PEOPLE AROUND HIMSELF. AS GOD GAVE HIS LAW TO OLD ISRAEL ON A MOUNTAIN, SO TOO JESUS GAVE HIS NEW WILL TO HIS NEW PEOPLE ON A MOUNTAIN. HIS NEW WILL STRIPPED AWAY ALL HUMAN MANIPULATIONS OF THE LAW AND MADE CLEAR GOD'S ORIGINAL INTENTION FOR HUMANITY-- THAT PEOPLE SHOULD LOVE GOD AND ONE ANOTHER. JESUS IS NOT AN "ABSENT KING," BUT THE EVER PRESENT IMMANUEL, "GOD WITH US." HE WILL REMAIN AMONG HIS PEOPLE UNTIL THE CLOSE OF THE AGE. THE NEW ISRAEL HE BROUGHT INTO EXISTENCE IS TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS BY BAPTIZING THEM, AND TEACHING THEM ALL THAT HE WOULD HAVE THEM BELIEVE AND DO.     

MATTHEW'S FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY.

 WHEN QUOTING FROM OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES, "MATTHEW" USES THE FOLLOWING FORMULA ( OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO IT). " THIS WAS DONE TO FULFIL WHAT WAS SPOKEN BY THE LORD THROUGH THE PROPHET," 1:22; 2:15; 2:17; 2:23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 27:9-10; MATTHEW ADJUSTS THE ORIGINAL MEANING OF THESE QUOTATIONS TO MEET THE NEW SITUATION IN RELATION TO CHRIST; COMPARE HOSEA 11:1 WITH MATTHEW 2:15; JEREMIAH 31:15 WITH MATTHEW 2:18; ZECHARIAH 11: 12,13, JEREMIAH 32:6-15, 18:2,3 WITH MATTHEW 27:3-10.  MATTHEW'S USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IS SIMILAR TO THE QUMRAN COMMUNITY'S USE OF IT. THOUGH ON THE SURFACE OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES DID NOT SEEM TO REFER TO THE READER'S PRESENT HISTORY, THE INTERPRETERS SAW IN THEM CLUES TO HOW GOD WAS AT WORK IN THEIR OWN SITUATION, WHICH THEY UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE LAST DAYS. MATTHEW PRESENTS JESUS AS ONE WHO REPEATS ("RECAPITULATES") THE HISTORY OF OLD ISRAEL, BUT DOES SO WITHOUT SIN.
 JESUS IS LOOKED UPON AS THE NEW MOSES. MATTHEW'S GENERAL OUTLINE, SUGGEST THAT HE SAW IN JESUS A NEW MOSES WHO CAME TO CARRY OUT A NEW EXODUS, TO FREE GOD'S PEOPLE FROM BONDAGE TO SIN, SATAN, JUDGMENT AND CONDEMNATION, AND TO LEAD THEM INTO INHERITANCE OF AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER. SOON AFTER HIS MINISTRY BEGINS, JESUS TAKES HIS NEW PEOPLE TO A MOUNTAIN AND TEACHES THEM HIS WILL, CHS.5-7. THE FIRST WORD HE SPEAKS IN THIS SERMON IS "BLESSED" A TERM WHICH OCCURS NINE TIMES IN NINE VERSES, 5:3-11. THE PATH OF LIFE HE SPELLS OUT IS NOT A PLAN TO ESTABLISH FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, BUT A GUIDELINE FOR REFLECTING FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. HIS TEACHINGS SUPPLANT ALL PREVIOUS TEACHING. HE REMOVES THE YOKE OF THE SCRIBAL DEMANDS FROM THE NECK OF GOD'S PEOPLE, AND REPLACES THEM WITH HIS OWN LIGHT YOKE. MATTHEW 11:28-30. THOUGH SOME PHARISEES THANKED GOD THAT THEY WERE NOT BORN AN OUTCAST, A GENTILE OR A WOMEN, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE "SERMON ON THE MOUNT"  JESUS SHOWS COMPASSION TO A LEPER (8:1-4).  A GENTILE (8:5-13).  AND A WOMEN (8:14-17). ALL HUMAN CRITERIA CONCERNING WORTHINESS MUST YIELD TO THE PRINCIPLE OF SUPREME MERCY. JESUS COMING DEMONSTRATES HE IS FULFILLING OF THE LAW,
 AND HIS TEACHING PROCLAIMS, THE PURPOSE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW (TORAH).  OBEDIENCE INVOLVES A SINGLE MINDED DEDICATION TO REFLECTING GOD'S BEHAVIOR PATTERNS IN DEALING WITH OTHERS,5:44,45,48. CALCULATION AND MANIPULATION IN DETERMINING THE WILL OF GOD ARE RULED OUT. UNLIKE THE PHARISEES WHO TEACH CORRECTLY, BUT DO NOT LIVE CORRECTLY (5: 17-20, ch.23).
THEY ARE TO EMULATE THE EXAMPLE OF THEIR LORD WHOSE LIFE DEMONSTRATES
 THE INTENDED MEANING, PURPOSE AND FULLNESS OF THE LAW. JESUS DOES NOT CALL HIS FOLLOWERS TO VAGUE "GOOD WORKS," BUT TO SPECIFIC COMPASSIONATE ACTS: GIVING FOOD TO THE HUNGRY, DRINK TO THE THIRSTY, LODGING TO THE STRANGER, CLOTHING TO THE NAKED, HELP TO THE SICK, AND COMPASSION TO THE PRISONER, ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT  HE WILL CONDEMN THOSE WHO CLAIM TO KNOW HIM (MATTHEW 25:44, "LORD"). BUT HAVE DONE NOTHING TO DEMONSTRATE IT. NO DEED OF SERVICE IS TO BE DONE FOR THE SAKE OF REWARD, BUT TO MEET NEED FOR ITS OWN SAKE (MATTHEW 25:37-39.) THOSE FINALLY RECEIVED INTO THE FATHER'S HOUSE ARE WELCOMED ("COME" 25:34) ONLY BECAUSE THEY ARE "BLESSED" BY CHRIST'S "FATHER"; THEY "INHERIT" THE "KINGDOM"  PREPARED "FOR THEM" (NOT BY THEM") BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, MATTHEW 25:31-34). ALL CAUSE FOR HUMAN BOASTING IS RULED OUT. GRACE REIGNS SUPREME. CHRIST ALLOWS NO ROOM FOR ESTABLISHING FIRST, SECOND, OR THIRD LEVELS OF PRIORITY IN THE USE OF LIFE, FOR OBEDIENCE IN HIS KINGDOM IS A FULL TIME AFFAIR. HE SUMMONS HIS FOLLOWERS TO DEVOTE ALL LIFE TO WORSHIP AND SERVICE TO GOD., MATTHEW 4:10 ("ONLY"). HE INTENDED MEANING OF MATTHEW 6:33 IS CLEARER IF THE WORD "FIRST" IS OMITTED IN ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS; SEE LUKE (12:31). CHRIST FOLLOWERS ARE TO DEVOTE LIFE ITSELF TO LEARNING AND  DOING THE THINGS OF THE FATHER'S KINGDOM. SERVING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH JESUS LOVE. JESUS DOES NOT CALL HIS FOLLOWERS INTO A PRIVATE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF, BUT INTO THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS COMMUNITY. GREATNESS WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT DETERMINED BY ACHIEVEMENT
FOR SELF, BUT BY SERVICE RENDERED TO OTHERS.  2:25-28. EACH MEMBER MUST DO NOTHING TO HARM THE FAITH OF ANOTHER (18:1-9), BUT MUST FORGIVE WITHOUT LIMIT (18:21,22), SEEK THE STRAYING WITH COMPASSIONATE ZEAL (18: 10-14), AND CONFRONT THE INDIFFERENT WITH LOVING FIRMNESS, 18:15-20. THOUGH BOTH GOOD AND BAD WILL BE FOUND IN THE COMMUNITY, THE BEDIENT ARE NOT TO WASTE TIME EVALUATING THEIR PERFORMANCE OR RECTIFYING UNDESIRABLE SITUATIONS, BUT ARE TO SOW ENERGETICALLY AND LEAVE GOD TO REAP THE HARVEST, 13: 24-30. THEY MUST APPLY THEMSELVES TO GOD'S WILL THROUGHOUT LIFE LEST THEY BE FOUND AMONG BAD FISH TO BE THROWN INTO THE FIRE ON THE LAST DAY, 3:47-5O. MATTHEW STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING SERIOUSLY THE RETURN OF CHRIST AT THE END OF TIME. THE FAITHFUL MUST BE READY AT ALL TIMES, 25:12. HE ENCOURAGES THE FAITHFUL AND WARNS THE LAX,24:45-51.
WHEN THE LORD RETURNS, SOME WILL BE READY AND SOME WILL BE CAUGHT UNPREPARED 25:1-13. THE FAITHFUL ARE TO USE THEIR ABILITIES AND POSSESSIONS
 RESPONSIBLY WHILE WAITING FOR THAT FINAL DAY, 25:14-30.
 WHILE ANTICIPATING THE END.  WHEN THE END FINALLY COMES SOME WILL BE CAUGHT, UNAWARE, AND THE FAITHFUL AT THAT MOMENT MUST BE WITNESSING TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL"(1O:5,6). 

"SON OF DAVID"

 IN TRACING JESUS GENEALOGY  BACK TO ABRAHAM, MATTHEW SHOWS THAT THE NEW CHOSEN PEOPLE WAS NOT AN UPSTART GROUP. IT GREW DIRECTLY OUT OF THE OLD PEOPLE OF GOD, FOR JESUS WAS A DESCENDANT OF ABRAHAM.  JESUS ALSO DESCENDED FROM DAVID. IN MATTHEW, JESUS IS CALLED "SON OF DAVID" MORE OFTEN THAN IN ALL THE OTHER GOSPELS PUT TOGETHER, 1:1; 9:27; 12;23; 15:22; 20: 3,31, 21:9,15. MARK USES THE TITLE ONLY IN 10:47, LUKE IN 18:37,38 AND JOHN NOT AT ALL. THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR. GOD HAS CERTAINLY KEPT HIS PROMISES TO THE FATHERS. THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM LIVES ON, FOR THE HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD CONTINUES THROUGH JESUS AND THE NEW AND TRUE ISRAEL. GOD HAS KEPT HIS PROMISE, FOR A "SON OF DAVID" WILL BE KING OF HIS PEOPLE TO ALL ETERNITY, 2 SAMUEL 7. SOME DETECT IN MATTHEW 1:1 AN ALLUSION TO GENESIS 1:1, AND TRANSLATE IT, " THE BOOK OF THE GENESIS OF JESUS CHRIST,SON OF DAVID, SON OF ABRAHAM." JUST AS GOD BROUGHT CREATION INTO EXISTENCE, SO HE BEGAN A NEW THING WITH JESUS CHRIST, THE NATURE OF WHICH THE GOSPEL DEFINES. THE LIST OF NAMES IN MATTHEW 1:1-17 IS MADE UP OF THREE SECTIONS
 OF FOURTEEN  NAMES EACH. MATTHEW 1:17 POINTS OUT  THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EACH SECTION: FROM ABRAHAM TO DAVID, FROM DAVID TO THE BABYLONIAN EXILE AND FROM THE BABYLONIAN EXILE TO THE BIRTH OF JESUS.  IT MAY BE AN COINCIDENCE, BUT IN HEBREW DAVID'S NAME HAS THE MATHEMATICAL VALUE 14; D=4, V=6,D=4.  (WRITTEN HEBREW MADE NO USE OF VOWELS, HENCE NO MATHEMATICAL VALUE COULD BE ASSIGNED TO THEM).FINALLY, MATTHEW'S GENEALOGICAL TABLE CONTAINS THE NAMES OF SEVERAL WOMEN, NAMELY TAMAR, RUTH, BATHSHEBA (" THE WIFE OF URIAH" 1:6), AND MARY WOMEN WERE NOT ALWAYS HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM` IN THE ANCIENT WORLD, BUT THEY WERE PRECIOUS TO ME AND TO GOD. SOME OF THOSE LISTED WERE ANYTHING BUT SAINTS. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE PATRIARCHS WAS A  OR KINGS WAS A SAINT. GOD
DEALS WITH PEOPLE AS THEY ARE, TO GET DONE WHAT HE WANTS DONE.  LOOKING AT THE NATIVITY NARRATIVE, 1: 18-25. JOSEPH FEATURES PROMINENTLY  IN MATTHEW'S ACCOUNT, JUST AS MARY DOES IN LUKE'S. IN MATTHEW, GOD COMMUNICATES WITH JOSEPH THROUGH DREAMS;  IN LUKE, HE COMMUNICATES WITH ZECHARIAH THROUGH AN ANGEL. MATTHEW 1:22 INTRODUCES US TO THE FORMULAR MATTHEW USES REPEATEDLY IN HIS GOSPEL."ALL THIS TOOK PLACE TO FULFILL WHAT THE LORD HAD SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET." THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST, AND ALL THAT TOOK PLACE IN HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY, WERE NOT CHANCE EVENTS. THEY WERE PREDICTED AND PLANNED. MATTHEW DOES NOT REFER TO JOSEPH AND MARY MAKING A JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM, BUT IT TAKES FOR GRANTED THAT JESUS WAS BORN THERE,2:1. THE NAME THE ANGEL INSTRUCTS JOSEPH TO GIVE JESUS DEFINES HIS MISSION. IN JUDAISM AT THIS TIME, MANY HELD THAT A PERSON WAS SAVED BECAUSE HE WAS A JEW.  THE NAME GIVEN MARY'S CHILD MAKES IT CLEAR THAT MEMBERSHIP IN THE NEW AND TRUE ISRAEL IS BASED ON A DIFFERENT PRINCIPLE. MARY'S SON IS NO ORDINARY HUMAN BEING. HE HAS NO HUMAN FATHER. HIS CONCEPTION IS CAUSED BY THE GRACIOUS SUPERNATURAL INTERVENTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE CHILD IMMANUEL, "GOD WITH US." IN MARK'S GOSPEL, THE TERM "SON OF GOD," USED IN THE GOSPEL'S OPENING VERSE IS REPEATED AT CALVARY, 15:39. SIMILARLY, THE TERM "IMANUEL"  USED IN MATTHEW 1:22 IS ECHOED IN THE CLOSING VERSE OF THE GOSPEL, 'I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE CLOSE OF THE AGE," 28:20. THE INCARNATE SON OF GOD DID NOT COME TO PAY HIS PEOPLE A BRIEF CALL; HE CAME TO TAKE UP RESIDENCE AMONG THEM UNTIL THE CLOSE OF AGE. IN THE MEANTIME, THE GOSPEL OF LUKE, TELLS US THE WISE MEN PAY A VISIT, (2: 1-23). THE WISE MEN HAVE BEEN SUBJECT OF COLORFUL SPECULATION. THE BIBLE DOES NOT SAY THAT THEY NUMBERED THREE, THAT THEY RODE CAMELS, THAT THEY WERE KINGS, OR THAT THEY WERE GENTILES-- THEY MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN DIASPORA JEWS FROM BABYLON. POSSIBLY THE MESSAGE IS THAT THE WISE MEN OF THIS WORLD COME TO JESUS TO FIND TRUE WISDOM, FOR IN HIM ONE GREATER THAN SOLOMON HAS COME,1 KINGS 4:34; 10:23-25; MATTHEW 12:42. (FULFILLMENT  O.T.). THOUGH THE "WISE MEN" BRING CHRIST GIFTS FIT FOR A KING, THOSE IN THE POWER STRUCTURES (HEROD AND ALL IN JERUSALEM) ARE PERTURBED 2:3. JESUS COMING THREATENS THEIR AUTHORITY, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY OBTAINED AND EXERCISE IT. HEROD IN PARTICULAR DETERMINES TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. ACCORDINGLY, A RULER ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY THE NEW SON OF GOD JUST AS MUCH EARLIER ANOTHER RULER SOUGHT TO DESTROY THE FORMER SON OF GOD (EXODUS 1). HEROD'S EFFORTS RESULT IN JESUS BEING TAKEN TO EGYPT, AND THE RECAPITULATION OF HOSEA 11:1, "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON." AFTER JOSEPH AND MARY RETURN FROM EGYPT, THEY SETTLE IN NAZARETH IN GALILEE, AGAIN AN ACT WHICH IS VIEWED AS A FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY, 2:23. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT MATTHEW 
 UNDERSTANDS "NAZARETH" TO REFLECT THE HEBREW WORD FOR "BRANCH""
(NEZER) IN ISAIAH 11:1.

MATTHEW! ("CHRIST THE KING".) " FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT TO THE NEW TESTAMENT."

 AS WE DESCRIBES POSE THE CHALLENGE THAT JESUS PERSON AND MINISTRY.
HE WAS TO GREAT FOR HIS DISCIPLES. AND IN VIEW OF WHAT HE PLAINLY SAID, IS IT ANY WONDER THAT ALL WHO WERE RICH AND PROSPEROUS FELT A HORROR OF STRANGE THINGS, A SWIMMING OF THEIR WORLD AT HIS TEACHING? PERHAPS THE PRIESTS AND RULERS AND RICH MEN UNDERSTOOD BETTER THAN HIS FOLLOWERS.
HE WAS DRAGGING OUT ALL THE LITTLE RESERVATIONS THEY HAD MADE FROM SOCIAL SERVICE INTO THE LIGHT OF A UNIVERSAL  RELIGIONS LIFE. HE WAS LIKE A TERRIBLE MORAL HUNTSMEN, DRAGGING MANKIND OUT OF THE SNUG BURROWS IN WHICH THEY HAD LIVED HITHERTO. IN THE WHITE BLAZE OF HIS KINGDOM THERE WAS TO BE NO PROPERTY, NO PRIVILEGE, NO PRIDE AND NO PRECEDENCE, NO MOTIVE AND REWARD BUT LOVE. IS IT ANY WONDER THAT MEN WERE DAZZLED AND BLINDED, AND CRIED OUT AGAINST HIM. IS IT ANY WONDER THAT TO THIS DAY THIS GALILEAN IS TOO MUCH FOR OUR SMALL HEARTS. THE EVENTS OF JESUS LIFE WERE PATTERNED AFTER THOSE OF THE "OLD ISRAEL". SOON AFTER HIS BIRTH IN BETHLEHEM, DAVID'S BIRTHPLACE, HE WAS TAKEN INTO EGYPT. THE NEW TRUE SON OF GOD (HOSEA 11:1) WAS THEN CALLED OUT OUT EGYP HE WAS ANOINTED INTO OFFICE AS THE MESSIANIC KING AT HIS BAPTISM. HE OVERCAME SATAN'S TESTINGS IN THE WILDERNESS. HE GATHERED HIS NEW PEOPLE TO HIMSELF AT THE MOUNTAIN, AND THERE GAVE THEM HIS WILL FOR LIFE. HIS LIFE AS THE SON OF DAVID, THE LONG-AWAITED KING, TOOK THE FORM OF A SERVANT, AND HE TAUGHT THE MEMBERS OF HIS COMMUNITY THAT THEY WERE TO LIVE SIMILARLY. THROUGH HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION, HE OPENED THE WAY THROUGH THE "FINAL JORDAN" (DEATH). HE PROMISES IN HIS  NEW COMMUNITY THAT HE WILL REMAIN IN THEIR MIDST UNTIL THE CLOSE OF THIS PRESENT AGE, FOR HE IS IMMANUEL, "GOD IS WITH US."` ENTWINED IN THIS THREAD IS THE  CONVICTION THAT JESUS IS THE "NEW MOSES. AS JESUS MINISTRY" PROGRESSED IT  BECAME INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT "OLD ISRAEL" TURNED ON HIM AND REJECTED ALL THAT HE STOOD FOR. HOW EVER, JESUS GATHERED SOME OUT OF "OLD ISRAEL"  TURNED ON HIM AND REJECTED ALL THAT HE STOOD FOR. HOWEVER,  JESUS GATHERED SOME OUT OF "OLD ISRAEL". TO HIMSELF, AND MOLDED THEM INTO HIS NEW PEOPLE, "THE NEW AND TRUE ISRAEL." ENTWINED IN THIS THREAD IS THE CONVICTION THAT JESUS IS A  NEW MOSES AND TRUE ISRAEL, RESCUES IT FROM BONDAGE TO SATAN, SIN DEATH, INSTRUCTS IT, BESTOWS ON IT THE NEW PENTATEUCH, AND LEADS IT INTO TRUE INHERITANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE. CLAIM TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE PEOPLE OF GOD DOES NOT REST ON NATIONAL TIES OR RITUALS RIGHTLY PERFORMED, BUT ON FAITH IN, AND ALLEGIANCE TO, THE TRUE SON OF GOD, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD AND THE KING OF CREATION.

TRIUMPH! "FIRST EASTER SERMON"

 SOON AFTER SUNRISE THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY, SOME WOMEN WENT TO THE TOMB TO COMPLETE THE BURIAL PROCEDURES. IT WAS EMPTY. IT WAS THEIR PRIVILEGE TO HEAR THE FIRST EASTER SERMON EVER PREACHED: " DO NOT BE AMAZED; YOU SEEK JESUS OF NAZARETH, WHO WAS CRUCIFIED. HE HAS RISEN, HE IS NOT HERE; SEE THE PLACE WHERE THEY LAID HIM;  BUT GO, TELL HIS DISCIPLES AND PETER THAT HE IS GOING BEFORE YOU INTO GALILEE; THERE YOU SHALL SEE HIM, AS HE TOLD YOU." (MARK 16:6,7). JESUS WAS ALIVE! THEY WOULD SEE HIM AGAIN! SOON! IN GALILEE!  THE REFERENCE TO PETER PICKS UP JESUS PREDICTION IN 14:28. MARK MAKES NO MENTION OF THE RISEN JESUS BEING SEEN IN JERUSALEM. HE WILL BE SEEN IN GALILEE. A PROBLEM ARISES REGARDING (MARK 16:9-20.) IT IS NOT FOUND IN THE OLDEST MANUSCRIPTS. ALTHOUGH SOME ARGUE THAT MARK INTENDED TO END HIS WORK AT (16:8). OTHERS FIND IT HARD TO ACCEPT THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO CONCLUDE SO ABRUPTLY. SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE:  (1) MARK'S ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT WAS MUTILATED SOON AFTER IT WAS WRITTEN. (2) MARK DIED BEFORE HE COULD COMPLETE THE WORK. (3) HE WROTE MORE AFTER (16:8), BUT IT WAS SUPPRESSED FOR SOME REASON. IF THE CONCLUSION WAS LOST, IT WAS LOST AT A EARLIER DATE. THE LONGER ENDING CAN BE OUTLINED AS FOLLOWS:  THE APPEARANCE OF MARY MAGDALENE, 16:9-11; SEE JOHN 20:11:18. THE APPEARANCE TO THE TWO TRAVELERS, 16:8 BUT IT 16:12-13; SEE ALO LUKE 24: 13-32.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE ELEVEN, 16: I4-18; SEE ALSO MATTHEW 28:16-2O; LUKE 24: 36-49; JOHN 20: 19-23 ALSO LUKE 24: 50,51. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE GOSPEL CLOSES AT 16:8.  EVERYWHERE IT PRESUPPOSES THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD. THE MESSAGE OF 16:1-8 CULMINATES IN THE REACTION OF THE WOMEN, AND CHALLENGES THE CHURCH TO FACE THE GOSPEL'S CLAIMS ABOUT JESUS PERSON AND MESSIANIC MINISTRY. EVERYWHERE IT PRESUPPOSES  THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD. THE MESSAGE OF 16:8 CULMINATES IN THE REACTION OF THE WOMEN(V.8), THE CONCEPT OF JESUS AUTHORITY PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN MARK'S GOSPEL. JESUS DEMONSTRATED HIS AUTHORITY OVER NATURE, 4:35-41, 6 45-52. IN DOING SO, HE MANIFESTED THE POWER THE OLD TESTAMENT ASCRIBES TO GOD HIMSELF. JESUS POSSESSED AMAZING AUTHORITY AS A TEACHER, 1:21-22. THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES TENDED TO GET BOGGED DOWN IN A MULTITUDE OF DETAILS, AND CONTINUALLY APPEALED TO RABBINIC OPINION TO BUTTRESS THEIR OWN POSITIONS. JESUS DID NOT EVEN SAY, " THUS SAYS THE LORD."  HE SAID SIMPLY, "I SAY UNTO YOU." THE IMPLICATIONS ARE OBVIOUS. JESUS DECLARED THAT HE HAD THE POWER TO FORGIVE SINS, AUTHORITY OVER DEATH 5: 21-43 HIS ACTIONS IN RAISING THE DEAD DECLARED IN HIM THE MESSIANIC AGE HAD BROKEN IN. REMEMBER: ONLY GOD HAS SUCH AUTHORITY.

TRAGEDY. MARK CLOSES

 MARK 12 CLOSES WITH A WARNING AGAINST THE SCRIBES AND THEIR HYPOCRISY, AND THE ACCOUNT OF THE WIDOW'S MITE, 12:38-40, AND 41-44. MARK 13 CONTAINS TWO STRANDS. ONE SPEAKS OF THE COMING DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM BY THE ROMANS IN 7O A.D. THE OTHER OUTLINES WHAT THE DISCIPLES AND THE CHURCH WOULD EXPERIENCE IN THE PERIOD BETWEEN BETWEEN THE ASCENSION AND THE SECOND COMING. IT IS ROUNDED OFF WITH AN EXHORTATION TO BE READY AT ALL TIMES. THE PASSION HISTORY IS OUTLINED IN CHS 14 AND 15. MARK 14:1-11 OUT LINES WHAT TRANSPIRED ON THE WEDNESDAY OF THAT FINAL, CLIMATIC WEEK; LEAVING US TO LOOK AT THE EVENTS OF GOOD FRIDAY. WHY DO I DEVOTE SO MUCH SPACE TO THE EVENTS OF ONE DAY? JESUS LIFE CULMINATED VERY DIFFERENTLY FROM TRADITIONAL EXPECTATIONS, IT WAS NECESSARY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WHAT HAPPEN TO BE ALL TRAGEDY WAS REALLY ALL TRIUMPH.  ON WEDNESDAY MORNING OF HOLY WEEK, THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES DISCUSSED  HOW TO GET RID OF JESUS, 14: 1,2.  THAT SAME MORNING A WOMEN ANOINTED HIS HEAD WITH OINTMENT. THE VALUE OF THE OINTMENT WAS APPROXIMATELY A YEARS WAGES, FOR A DENARIUS WAS THE USUAL AMOUNT PAID FOR A DAYS WAGES.
JESUS ACCEPTED  THE GESTURE AS A LOVING PREPARATION FOR HIS COMING BURIAL, 14:8.EVENTS FOLLOWED QUICK SUCCESSION. JUDAS MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO BETRAY JESUS TO THEM. MARK DOES NOT MENTION JUDAS ASKING FOR MONEY, THOUGH THEY PROMISED TO GIVE HIM SOME, 14:10:11. PREPARATIONS WERE THEN MADE FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THEY WOULD HAVE NO TROUBLE FINDING A ROOM FOR OBSERVING THE PASSOVER, FOR A MAN CARRYING A JAR OF WATER WOULD LEAD THEM TO IT, 14:13. USUALLY ONLY WOMEN CARRIED WATER JARS; MEN CARRIED WATER CONTAINERS MADE OF SKINS. DURING THE PASSOVER CELEBRATION, JESUS TOLD THE DISCIPLES THAT ONE OF THEM WOULD BETRAY HIM, BUT MENTION NO NAME., SEE MATTHEW 26:14-16; LUKE 22:3-6; MATTHEW 26: 20:25; LUKE 22: 14,21-23; JOHN 13:21-30. THE PASSOVER OBSERVANCE MADE USE OF RITUALS AND SPECIFIED FOODS TO REMIND JEWS OF THEIR MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT. IT ALSO POINTED FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN THE MESSIAH WOULD ACCOMPLISH A SECOND MIGHTY DELIVERANCE FOR HIS PEOPLE. THAT NIGHT IN THE UPPER ROOM THE DISCIPLES SHARED TABLE WITH THE EXPECTED DELIVER. HOWEVER, HE HAD COME TO DELIVER THEM, NOT FROM THE ROMANS, BUT FROM SATAN, SIN, DEATH, JUDGEMENT, DAMNATION, AND THEMSELVES. WITH JESUS COMING, THE PASSOVER OBSERVANCE HAD COMPLETED ITS TIME OF USEFUL SERVICE. JESUS REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER OBSERVANCE, ONE IN WHICH HE GAVE TO HIS NEW COMMUNITY HIS OWN BODY AND BLOOD TOGETHER WITH THE BREAD AND WINE THAT HE PASSED AROUND. THIS OBSERVANCE WAS TO BE AN ASSURANCE THAT WHAT JESUS HAD COME TO ACCOMPLISH WAS FOR THEM. IT WAS ALSO TO ASSURE THEM THAT THEIR LORD WOULD REMAIN AMONG THEM THROUGHOUT LIFE. FURTHEMORE ( AS PAUL REMINDED THEM, 1 COR. 11:26) TO ENCOURAGE THEM
TO LOOK TWO WAYS, BACKWARDS AND FORWARD TO THAT DEATH WHICH HAD DELIVERED THEM MIGHTLY. THEY WERE TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN HE WOULD COME AGAIN TO LEAD THEM ACROSS THAT FINAL JORDAN" OF DEATH INTO THE HEAVENLY CANAAN. FINALLY, IN SHARING THE LORD'S CUP THEY WERE DECLARING THEIR WILLINGNESS  TO SHARE THEIR LORDS LOT IN LIFE AND TO USE THEIR LIVES AS HE USED HIS-- IN THE SERVICE OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER AND OTHERS. THE CONTINUING OBSERVANCE OF THEIR LORD'S SUPPER WAS TO CELEBRATE  THAT THEY WERE ETERNAL SERVANT SUBJECTS OF THEIR ETERNAL SERVANT KING. SEE MARK 14:22-25. DURING THE PASSOVER MEAL, JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT THEY WOULD ALL DESERT HIM. YES, EVEN PETER WOULD DO THAT.
HOWEVER, AFTER HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION THEY WOULD MEET HIM. AGAIN IN GALILEE. AFTER THE PASSOVER OBSERVANCE JESUS WENT WITH HIS DISCIPLES TO THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE. THERE, THE REALIZATION OF WHAT WAS BUT A FEW HOURS AWAY CRUSHED HIM. THE DISCIPLES FOUND IT HARD TO KEEP HIM COMPANY IN HIS PRAYER VIGIL, AND FELL ASLEEP. EVENTUALLY, JUDAS ARRIVED WITH AN ARMED GROUP INTENT ON TAKING JESUS INTO CUSTODY. PERHAPS JUDAS INITIAL OFFER TO AUTHORITIES WAS TO LEAD THEM TO JESUS AT A TIME AND PLACE WHERE THERE WOULD BE NO OPPORTUNITY  FOR THE CROWDS TO PROTEST.
JUDAS USE OF A KISS WAS NOT UNUSUAL; A KISS WAS THE CUSTOMARY GREETING
THAT A DISCIPLE OFFERED TO HIS TEACHER. JESUS CAPTURE FRIGHTENED THE DISCIPLES. THEY FLED.  PETER FOLLOWED AT A DISTANCE, BUT WHEN PUT UNDER PRESSURE, DENIED JESUS, 14:66-72. WHEN JESUS BEGAN HIS MINISTRY, THE TRUE ISRAEL NUMBERED ONE PERSON, HIMSELF. AS HE CARRIED OUT HIS MINISTRY, THE NUMBER GREW. AS THE THRUST OF JESUS MESSAGE BECAME CLEAR, THE GROUP DIMINISHED IN SIZE. THE JERUSALEM AUTHORITIES , WHO HAD BEEN HOSTILE TOWARDS HIM THROUGHOUT, STIRRED UP THE CROWDS AGAINST HIM. JUDAS BETRAYED HIM. THE DISCIPLES FELL ASLEEP IN GETHSEMANE, AND FLED WHEN THE CAPTORS ARRIVED. PETER DENIED HIM. THE CROWDS BENEATH THE CROSS MOCKED HIM. THE THIEVES WHO WERE HIS COMPANIONS IN DEATH, REVILED HIM 15:32. FURTHERMORE MARK REPORTS ONLY ONE " WORD FROM THE CROSS," " MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?", 15:34 IT SEEMED EVEN THE FATHER HAD FORSAKEN HIM! THEN CAME DEATH. HE WAS SO, SO ALONE. WAS HE?
 A ROMAN SOLDIER STOOD BENEATH THE CROSS AND CONFESSED THE TRUTH EXPRESSED IN THE OPENING VERSE OF THE GOSPEL (" THE SON OF GOD," 1:1), " TRULY THIS MAN WAS THE SON OF GOD!" 15:39. HE CONFESSED THE VERY TRUTH THE SANHEDRIN HAD DENIED. JOSEPH OF ARIMETHEA, A MEMBER OF THE SANHEDRIN, ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR JESUS BURIAL, 15:42-47.   

MARK III

 AS WE CONTINUE ON THE "CONFUSION" CYCLE  THAT FOLLOWED JESUS STATEMENT IN MARK 11.) THAT HE IS TO SUFFER MANY THINGS AND THEN BE PUT TO DEATH AND THREE DAYS LATER WILL RISE FROM THE GRAVE, AND THIS STATEMENT WAS TO MUCH FOR PETER. IT MADE NO SENSE TO HIM AT ALL. THIS TALK ABOUT ABUSE AND DEATH SOUNDED LIKE NONSENSE TO HIM.-- AND HE TOLD JESUS SO. JESUS TURNED  QUITE SHARPLY ON PETER AND ADDRESSED HIM AS "SATAN" AND TOLD HIM TO GET AWAY--FROM HIM. PETER WAS OPPOSING GOD HIMSELF. JESUS POINTED OUT THAT NOT ONLY WAS THE WAY OF THE CROSS ESSENTIAL FOR HIM, BUT ALSO FOR ANYONE INVOLVED IN HIS COMMUNITY. JESUS HAD COME TO USE HIS LIFE IN THE  SERVICE OF HIS HEAVENLY FATHER AND OTHER PEOPLE, TO CARRY THE CROSS OF SERVANTHOOD.MARK CONTAINS THREE OF THESE "PREDICTION"---CONFUSION---CLARIFICATION" CYCLES. THE FIRST  TOOK PLACE TOWARD THE CLOSE OF JESUS GALILEAN MINISTRY THE SECOND TOOK PLACE (9:30--32) AFTER JESUS TRANSFIGURATION (9:2:9) , SEE ALSO  EXODUS 24:15-18). THE THIRD TOOK PLACE (10:32--45) DURING JESUS JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM AND DEATH,10:1. A REFERENCE TO CONFUSION OCCURS ALSO IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRANSFIGURATION, JESUS TOLD THOSE WHO  WITNESSED THE EVENT THAT THEY WERE NOT TO SPEAK TO ANYONE ABOUT WHAT THEY HAD SEEN UNTIL THE "SON OF MAN"SHOULD HAVE RISEN FROM THE DEAD"(9:9. MARK CONTINUES; " SO THEY KEPT THE MATTER TO THEMSELVES, QUESTIONING  WHAT THE RISING FROM THE DEAD MEANT 9:10. THEY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND JESUS TALK ABOUT RESURRECTION BECAUSE HE DIDN'T EXPECT JESUS WOULD DIE!  WHY ALL THIS CONFUSION? APPARENTLY THE DISCIPLES ACCEPTED THE COMMON NOTION THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BRING HONOR, PRESTIGE, WEALTH, PRIVILEGE AND POLITICAL LIBERTY FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE. A FEW DAYS BEFORE IS DEATH, JESUS STOOD ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AND LOOKED ACROSS THE KIDRON VALLEY TO JERUSALEM. HIS CHOICE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM WAS NO ACCIDENT. LONG BEFORE, ZECHARIAH POINTED OUT THAT WHEN ZION'S KING EVENTUALLY CAME HER, HE WOULD IN HUMILITY  ON AN ASS WHEN ON A MISSION OF PEACE. JESUS WANTED HIS MODE OF ENTRY TO SAY TO THE CROWDS THAT HE HAD NOT COME TO FOMENT POLITICAL REVOLT AGAINST THE ROMANS. HE HAD COME TO GIVE GOD'S PEACE TO SINNERS AND TO TEACH HUMANITY THE WAYS OF PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER. HIS AUDIENCE MISSED THE POINT-- AND NO WONDER. THEY WANTED A MESSIAH WHO WOULD BE A CARBON COPY OF DAVID OF OLD WHO WOULD RESTORE TO THEM THE KIND OF NATIONAL PRESTIGE THEY ONCE ENJOYED. THEY WERE BLIND! AFTER JESUS HAD ENTERED THE CITY, HE WENT TO THE TEMPLE. WHAT HE SAW ANGERED HIM. THE NEXT DAY HE RETURNED TO THE TEMPLE AND CREATED A HOLY HAVOC AMONG THE MONEY CHANGERS AND ANIMAL SELLERS. HE SENT THEIR WARES FLYING AND FORBADE ANYONE FROM CARRYING ANYTHING THROUGH THE TEMPLE (THE MISHNAH FORBADE THE IRREVERENT  USE OF THE TEMPLE AS A SHORTCUT, 11:16 HIS AUDIENCE WAS LEFT WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION. IS IT NOT WRITTEN," 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS?  (ISAIAH 56:7:11). BUT YOU HAVE MADE IT A DEN OF ROBBERS.

MARK'S GOSPEL PART II

 MARK 1:1-13 DEALS WITH PREPARATION FOR JESUS MINISTRY. THE LONG SECTION THAT FOLLOWS (V1:14-8:26) DESCRIBES JESUS' ACTUAL MINISTRY IN AND AROUND GALILEE. HE FULFILLED THE ISAIANIC SIGNS, DEMONSTRATED HIS POWER OVER NATURE, PUT THE DEMONIC WORLD IN ITS PLACE AND RAISED THE DEAD. DURING THIS MINISTRY JESUS MADE NO CLAIMS IN WORDS ABOUT WHO HE WAS. HE PROCLAIMED THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAD COME, PERFORMED MIRACLES, DEMONSTRATED BY PERSONAL EXAMPLE THE NATURE OF LIFE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND TAUGHT-BUT HE LEFT IT TO HIS AUDIENCE TO WORK OUT WHO HE WAS. STRANGELY ENOUGH, THOUGH THE DEMONS RECOGNIZED HIM, EVERY ONE ELSE REMAINED STRANGELY SILENT. DURING THIS PERIOD, JESUS DID NOT REFER TO HIS APPROACHING PASSION AND CRUCIFIXION. HE HAD REASONS FOR THIS. NOT ONLY DID HE WANT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE WAS THE MESSIAH, BUT HE ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY WHAT KIND OF MESSIAH HE HAD COME TO BE, NAMELY A "SERVANT MESSIAH."  AT THIS TIME (PART ONE OF MARK) OF JESUS MINISTRY WAS DEVOTED TO TEACHING, AND DOING ISAINIC SIGNS, AND DEMONSTRATING HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER NATURE. THEN JESUS ASKED HIS DISCIPLES WHO THEY THOUGHT HE WAS. THOUGH THEY HAD CONCLUDED THAT HE WAS THE MESSIAH, THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF A MESSIAH HE HAD COME TO BE. JESUS PREDICTED HIS APPROACHING PASSION THREE TIMES; EACH PREDICTION  FOLLOWED AN IMPORTANT EVENT IN HIS LIFE. WHEN HE WAS CRUCIFIED, THE ONLY PERSON WHO SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND WHO HE WAS, A ROMAN CENTURION. WHEN JESUS BEGAN HIS MINISTRY, HE WAS "ISRAEL REDUCED TO ONE.." AS HIS MINISTRY PROGRESSED, THE CROWDS GATHERED AROUND HIM. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND HIS MESSAGE, THEY DESERTED HIM. AT THE CROSS, ONLY ONE PERSON CONFESSED WHO HE WAS. DURING HIS FINAL WEEK IN JERUSALEM, JESUS FOUND HIMSELF LOCKED IN CONTROVERSY WITH THE AUTHORITIES ABOUT PAYING TAXES TO CAESAR, LIFE AFTER DEATH., THE LAW, HIS AUTHORITY AND MESSIAHSHIP ( MARK 12:13-37). SOMETHING REMARKABLE FOLLOWED. JESUS FOR THE FIRST TIME SPOKE ABOUT HIS EXPECTED PASSION, DEATH, RESURRECTION. HIS COMMENTS AMOUNTED TO THIS: " YOU HAVE ANSWERED CORRECTLY. I AM THE MESSIAH. TO BE MESSIAH MEANS I MUST SUFFER MANY THINGS AT THE HANDS OF THE ELDERS, CHIEF PRIEST, AND SCRIBES. THEY WILL PUT ME TO DEATH. BUT AFTER THREE DAYS I SHALL RISE FROM THE GRAVE.

OBSERVATIONS MARK'S GOSPEL. PART I"

JESUS CLAIMED FOR HIMSELF THE RIGHT TO FORGIVE SINS,2:1-12. HIS CLAIM INCENSED THE SCRIBES, WHO INSISTED ONLY GOD COULD FORGIVE SINS,2:7. THEY WERE CORRECT, BUT IN THEIR BLINDNESS COULD NOT SEE WHO STOOD BEFORE THEM. JESUS NEVER DID ANYTHING TO BENEFIT HIMSELF. HE CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO USE HIS DIVINE POWER TO PERFORM A MIRACLE TO SERVE HIS OWN PERSONAL NEEDS. EVEN WHEN HE WAS HUNGRY, HE CHOSE TO REMAIN HUNGRY  RATHER THEN CHANGE STONES INTO BREAD, MATTHEW 4:4. JESUS WAS ALWAYS THE "SERVANT";  HE SOUGHT ONLY TO PLACE HIMSELF AND HIS POWERS AT THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY. AS JESUS MOVED AMONG PEOPLE, HE DEMONSTRATED REMARKABLE COMPASSION. FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE HEALING A LEPER, HE REACHED OUT AND TOUCHED HIM, 1:40-45. THE PHARISEES   ON OCCASION THREW ROCKS AT LEPERS AND SAID THEIR SUFFERING  WAS THE RESULT OF SOME SIN THEY HAD COMMITTED. FURTHERMORE, JESUS SOUGHT THE COMPANY OF SINNERS, TAX COLLECTORS,"  AND THE LIKE, 2:15-17. HIS ACTIONS UPSET THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES FOR THEY FELT THAT IF HE REALLY WAS THE MESSIAH, HE WOULD SEEK OUT THE "RIGHTEOUS" (NAMELY THEMSELVES). JESUS CONCERN FOR THE GENTILES WOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN REPUGNANT TO  MANY IN ISRAEL WHO BELIEVED THAT WHEN FINALLY THE MESSIANIC AGE  CAME THE GENTILES WOULD BE DESTROYED OR AT BEST MADE SLAVES OF THE JEWS; 7: 24-30 JESUS REPEATEDLY  IGNORED TRADITIONAL ATTITUDES CONCERNING THE OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH., WHAT MATTERED TO JESUS WAS THE WELL BEING OF HIS PEOPLE, NOT THE KEEPING OF RITUALS AND TRADITIONS. THIS WAS BOUND TO BRING HIM INTO HEADLONG CONFRONTATION WITH THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, FOR HIS ACTIONS CALLED INTO QUESTION THE VALIDITY OF THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAW. ALL BUT ONE OF JESUS MIRACLES (AS REPORTED IN MARK)  ARE DONE IN AND AROUND GALILEE; HE HEALS BLIND BARTIMAEUS NEAR JERICHO 10:46-52. HE PERFORMS NO MIRACLES IN OR NEAR JERUSALEM, THE "CITY OF OPPOSITION."  WHEN JESUS WAS RECOGNIZED, HE WARNED THE PERSON OR SPIRIT WHO HAD RECOGNIZED HIM
 TO SAY NOTHING ABOUT THE MATTER,1:33,44; 5:43;9:9. WHY? FIRST JESUS WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE HAD COME AND THAT HE INDEED WAS THE MESSIAH. SECOND, HE WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT KIND OF A MESSIAH
HE HAD COME TO BE. THE COMMUNITY CONTAINED MANY BURNING WITH DESIRE TO BE RID OF THE ROMANS AND TO GAIN POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE. JESUS NEEDED TIME TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE WAS NOT THE KIND OF MESSIAH WHO WOULD FIT THAT KIND OF EXPECTATION. HE HAD NOT COME TO BE A POLITICAL DELIVER. IN MARK 8:27--30. JESUS PUTS TWO QUESTIONS TO HIS DISCIPLES. THE FIRST IS: "WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM?!  THE SECOND IS:WHO DO YOU SAY THAT  I AM?"  THOUGH HE DID NOT PREVIOUSLY PUT THESE QUESTIONS TO ANYONE. HE WAS RECOGNIZED PRIOR TO THAT TIME--BY THE DEMONS! (1:24; 1:34; 3:11; 5:7). THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF MARK'S ACCOUNT, JESUS DISCOURAGES PEOPLE AND EVIL SPIRITS ALIKE FROM DECLARING WHO HE IS.  THOUGH HE WANTED PEOPLE TO COME TO FAITH IN HIM AS THE MESSIAH, HE WANTED THEM TO SEE CLEARLY WHAT KIND OF MESSIAH HE HAD COME TO BE. WHEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AUTHORITIES IN JERUSALEM, " THE CITY OF OPPOSITION, "  CAME NORTH TO WHERE HE WAS WORKING, USUALLY THEY CAME TO CHALLENGE AND OPPOSE HIM. JESUS LIFE WAS ALWAYS THAT OF A SERVANT. HE DEMONSTRATED GREAT COMPASSION TO THOSE HE CAME IN CONTACT. AT THE SAME TIME, HE CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO USE HIS POWER TO BENEFIT HIMSELF IN ANY WAY. THE PEOPLE, THE AUTHORITIES AND HIS DISCIPLES FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO RELATE HIS LIFESTYLE TO TRADITIONAL EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BE LIKE AND WHAT HE WOULD ACCOMPLISH. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST.MARK CONTAINS NO INFANCY NARRATIVE. IT BEGINS WITH A REPORT OF HOW JESUS WENT FROM NAZARETH IN GALILEE TO WHERE JOHN WAS WORKING TO BE BAPTIZED BY HIM. AT HIS BAPTISM HE WAS ANOINTED INTO THE MESSIANIC OFFICE. HIS TITLES WERE ANNOUNCED, AND THE NATURE OF HIS MISSION WAS DEFINED. AFTER HIS BAPTISM HE RETURNED TO GALILEE. JESUS MINISTRY TOOK PLACE IN AND AROUND GALILEE. HE LEFT IT TO MAKE JOURNEYS TOWARDS TYRE AND SIDON, INTO THE DECAPOLIS  AND TO THE REGION OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI, AND THE HEADED SOUTH FOR HIS FIRST AND FINAL VISIT TO JERUSALEM. MARK GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT JESUS MINISTRY WAS SHORT; HE MENTIONS JESUS ATTENDANCE AT ONLY ONE PASSOVER OBSERVANCE.
THOUGH JESUS TAUGHT EXTENSIVELY DURING HIS MINISTRY, MARK REPORTS ONLY A LIMITED AMOUNT OF WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY SAID. HE CONCENTRATES MORE ON JESUS ACTIONS, IN PARTICULAR HIS MIRACLES. THESE CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS FOLLOWS. 1.) THE ISAIANIC SIGNS
                     2..) MIRACLES OVER NATURE.
                     3.) MIRACLES OVER THE REALM OF THE DEMONIC.
                     4.)MIRACLES OVER DEATH. 

MESSIANIC MINISTRY.

 WHEN JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS ARRESTED, JESUS GOES INTO GALILEE WHERE HE PROCLAIMS: THE TIME IS FULFILLED AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND; REPENT, BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL,"1:15.  WITH THIS JESUS MESSIANIC MINISTRY GETS UNDERWAY. WHAT HAPPENS?  THE TRUE ISRAEL BEGINS TO GATHER ABOUT HIMSELF A NEW PEOPLE. HE CONFRONTS PETER AND ANDREW, JAMES AND JOHN AND SAYS "FOLLOW ME!" 1:17. THEY FOLLOW. THERE IS NO TESTS TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THEY ARE WORTHY OF BEING IN JESUS COMPANY. NO STUDY IS MADE OF THEIR FAMILY BACKGROUND TO CHECK OUT THEIR PEDIGREE. THERE IS ONLY AN URGENT SUMMONS. 2:13,14. A LITTLE LATER, THE TWELVE ARE ST ASIDE AS THE NUCLEUS OF THE NEW ISRAEL THAT IS BEING FORMED 3:13-18. THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY IS INDEED GETTING UNDERWAY. WHAT FORM DID THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY TAKE?  1:14-8:30 OUTLINES THE BULK OF JESUS MINISTRY, HOWEVER, IT IS ONLY TOWARD THE CLOSE OF THIS MAJOR SECTION OF JESUS MINISTRY. THAT HE PUTS TWO CRUCIAL QUESTIONS. THE FIRST IS:" WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM?" THOUGH JESUS DOE NOT ASKS THIS QUESTION IN WORDS PRIOR TO THIS OCCASION, NEVERTHELESS HE POSES THIS QUESTION TO HIS WATCHING AUDIENCE AND TO HIS DISCIPLES CONTINUALLY THROUGH HIS ACTIONS!  THE WHOLE POINT OF HIS EARLY MESSIANIC MINISTRY TO MAKE PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT WHO HE IS, WHAT HE IS DOING, AND WHY HE IS DOING IT. THROUGHOUT 1:14-8:30 MARK DEVOTES MUCH ATTENTION TO JESUS MIRACLES. TRUE, MARK FREQUENTLY DESCRIBES JESUS AS "TEACHING." HE RECORDS TEN INSTANCES WHERE JESUS IS ADDRESSED AS "TEACHER."  HE SAYS JESUS HEARERS  ARE ASTONISHED AT HIS TEACHING. DESPITE ALL THIS, MARK TELLS US LITTLE ABOUT WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY TAUGHT. HE RECORDS ONLY TWO EXTENDED PARABLES, EVEN THOUGH HE SAYS JESUS WAS ACCUSTOMED TO USE THIS FORM OF TEACHING, 4:2, 12:1. IF MARK PLACES SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON JESUS MIRACLES, ONE MUST ASK: "WHAT WAS THE INTENDED MESSAGE. JESUS  STATED ON ONE OCCASION THAT OTHERS IN PALESTINE, APART FROM HIM, WERE ABLE TO CAST OUT DEMONS, MATTHEW 12:27: IT WAS BELIEVED THAT A PERSON COULD PERFORM MIRACLES NOT ONLY IN THE POWER OF GOD., BUT ALSO IN THE POWER OF SATAN, MARK 3:22. THE MIRACLES JESUS DID WERE DESIGNED TO SPEAK A POWERFUL MESSAGE ABOUT WHO HE WAS, AND WHAT AGE HAD BROKEN IN WITH HIS MINISTRY. WHAT FORM DID THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY TAKE? MARK 1: 14-8:30. OUTLINES THE BULK OF JESUS MINISTRY. HOWEVER, IT IS ONLY TOWARD THE CLOSE OF THIS MAJOR SECTION OF JESUS MINISTRY THAT HE PUTS TWO CRUCIAL QUESTIONS TO HIS DISCIPLES. THE FIRST IS:" WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM?"  " WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM? THOUGH JESUS DOES NOT ASK IN WORDS PRIOR TO THIS OCCASION, NEVERTHELESS HE POSES QUESTION THIS QUESTION TO HIS WATCHING AUDIENCE AND HIS DISCIPLES CONTINUALLY THROUGH HIS ACTIONS!  THE WHOLE POINT OF HIS EARLY MESSIANIC MINISTRY IS TO MAKE PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHO HE IS, WHAT HE IS DOING, AND WHY HE IS DOING IT.  THROUGHOUT 1:14-8:30, MARK DEVOTES MUCH ATTENTION TO JESUS MIRACLES. TRUE, MARK FREQUENTLY DESCRIBES JESUS AS "TEACHING."  HE RECORDS TEN INSTANCES WHERE JESUS IS ADDRESSED AS "TEACHER." HE SAYS THAT JESUS HEARERS ARE ASTONISHED AT HIS TEACHING. DESPITE ALL THIS, MARK TELLS US LITTLE ABOUT WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY TAUGHT. HE RECORDS ONLY TWO EXTENDED PARABLES, EVEN THOUGH HE SAYS THAT JESUS WAS ACCUSTOMED  TO USE THIS FORM OF TEACHING, 4:2, 12 :1.  IF MARK PLACES SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON JESUS MIRACLES, ONE MUST ASK: " WHAT WAS THE INTENDED MESSAGE OF THOSE MIRACLES?!  JESUS STATED ON ONE OCCASION THAT OTHERS IN PALESTINE, APART FROM HIM, WERE ABLE TO CAST OUT DEMONS., MATTHEW 12: 27.  IT WAS BELIEVED THAT A PERSON COULD PERFORM MIRACLES NOT ONLY IN THE POWER OF GOD BUT ALSO IN THE POWER OF SATAN, MARK 3:22. THE MIRACLES DID WERE DESIGNED TO SPEAK A POWERFUL MESSAGE ABOUT WHO HE WAS, AND WHAT AGE HAD BROKEN IN WITH HIS MINISTRY. THESE MIRACLES CAN BE DIVIDED INTO FOUR GROUPS. THE ISAIANIC SIGNS, THIS TERM "ISAINIC"  IS DERIVED FROM THE NAME "ISAIAH."   
 JOHN THE BAPTIST IS IN PRISON. HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER. HE SENDS SOME OF HIS FOLLOWERS TO  JESUS TO ASK IF HE REALLY IS THE ONE THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. JESUS DOES NOT WITH A VERBAL "YES ". INSTEAD HE POINTS TO THE THINGS HE HAS BEEN DOING. JESUS ACTIONS REVEAL WHO HE IS!
 IN MATTHEW 11:5 JESUS SAYS, " THE BLIND RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT AND THE LAME WALK, LEPERS ARE CLEANSED AND THE DEAF HEAR, AND THE DEAD ARE RAISED UP, AND THE POOR HAVE THE GOOD NEWS  PREACHED TO THEM." HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE, THE PROPHET ISAIAH WROTE, "THEN (WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE
FINALLY COMES) THE EYES OF THE BLIND SHALL BE OPENED AND THE EARS OF THE DEAF UNSTOPPED: THEN SHALL THE LAME MAN LEAP LIKE A HART, AND THE TONGUE OF THE DUMB SING FOR JOY," ISAIAH 35:5,6; NOTE ALSO ISAIAH 42:7 AND 61:1. THE JEWS BELIEVED THAT WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE BROKE IN, THE "SIGNS" ISAIAH HAD REFERRED TO WOULD BE DONE---EVIDENCE THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE FINALLY CAME.  THEREFORE, THOUGH THE MIRACLES JESUS DID FOR THE BLIND, DEAF, DUMB, AND THE LAME WERE STUPENDOUS AND ASTONISHING, THEY WERE PRIMARILY INDICATIONS THAT THE HOPES ISRAEL HAD LONG CHERISHED WERE BEING FULFILLED. THAT SAID VOLUMES ABOUT WHO JESUS WAS. JESUS ACTIONS NEEDED TO BE READ WITH GREAT CARE.TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF HIS MINISTRY, JESUS QUESTIONED THE DISCIPLES ABOUT HOW THEY HAD READ THOSE ACTIONS, MARK 8: 27-30.






 

MESSIANIC MINISTRY.

 THE WORDS  OF ISAIAH 40:3 (MARK 1:3) ARE FOUND IN ALL FOUR GOSPELS AND DEFINE THE SIGNIFICANCE  OF JESUS APPROACHING MINISTRY. ISAIAH FIRST SPOKE THESE WORDS TO THE EXILES IN BABYLON. HE ASSURED THEM THAT WAS  ABOUT TO RESCUE THEM FROM CAPTIVITY  AND LEAD THEM BACK TO THEIR HOMELAND!
 THEIR MESSAGE IN THE GOSPELS IS: GOD IS ABOUT TO CARRY OUT THE GREAT AND FINAL RESCUE OF HIS PEOPLE. THEY ARE BEING HELD CAPTIVE, NOT TO EGYPT, ASSYRIA OR BABYLON, BUT TO THE POWER OF SIN, SATAN AND DEATH. THEY ARE CAPTIVE TO THEIR TRADITIONS AND RITUALS, AND TO THEIR OBSESSIONS WITH THE DESCENT FROM ABRAHAM AND FAMILY GENEALOGIES. JESUS IS COMING TO FREE THEM FROM THESE BONDS, AND TO LEAD THEM INTO LIBERTY OF TRUE SONSHIP WITH GOD. AS MALACHI OF OLD PREDICTED (3:1, 4:5), ONE HAD BEEN SENT TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE MESSIAH. JOHN THE BAPTIST HAD CARRIED OUT HIS MISSION IN THE WILDERNESS, THE PLACE OF EXPECTATIONS, NEW BEGINNINGS, THE PLACE GOD TOOK HIS PEOPLE TO RENEW THEM. AND DRAW THEM CLOSER TO HIMSELF.  APPARENTLY, CONSIDERABLE  NUMBERS WENT OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO HEAR JOHN AND BE BAPTIZED BY HIM. THAT JEWS SHOULD HAVE SUBMITTED TO HIS BAPTISM IS REMARKABLE, FOR TRADITIONALLY ONLY GENTILES WERE BAPTIZED WHEN THEY CONVERTED TO JUDAISM. AS THE OLA SON OF GOD PASSED THROUGH THE WATERS OF THE RED SEA AND THE JORDAN, SO THE NEW SON OF GOD MUST PASS THROUGH WATER, THE WATER OF JOHN'S BAPTISM. HE WOULD LEAD HIS PEOPLE INTO THE INHERITANCE OF AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER. WHEN JESUS WAS COMING UP OUT OF THE WATER AFTER HIS BAPTISM, " HE SAW THE HEAVENS OPENED AND THE SPIRIT DESCENDING UPON HIM LIKE A DOVE," 1:1O. CENTURIES BEFORE, THE PROPHET HAD CRIED OUT, " O THAT THOU WOULDEST REND THE HEAVENS ASUNDER AND COME DOWN," ISAIAH 64:1. AT JESUS BAPTISM THE HEAVENS WERE INDEED RENT, AND THE SPIRIT HIMSELF CAME DOWN IN A FORM THAT RESEMBLED A DOVE. AND HOVERED OVER THE HEAD OF JESUS. THE RABBIS (TEACHERS) SPOKE OF A DOVE AS A SYMBOL OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL. AT JESUS BAPTISM, THE SPIRIT IN THE FORM OF A DOVE HOVERED OVER THE HEAD OF THE NEW "SON OF GOD," THE TRUE ISRAEL. HE WAS TO LEAD A LIFE DIRECTED ENTIRELY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. AT HIS BAPTISM JESUS WAS ANOINTED BY THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN: " THOU ART MY BELOVED SON: WE THEE I AM WELL PLEASED. THIS STATEMENT SPEAKS VOLUMES. "THOU ART MY BELOVED SON," REFLECTS PSALM 2:7. THIS PSALM WAS USED IN ANCIENT ISRAEL AT THE CORONATION OF A KING FROM THE LINE OF DAVID. THE VOICE AT JESUS BAPTISM DECLARED THAT GOD HAD KEPT HIS PROMISE AND HAD NOT LET THE LINE O DAVID TO DIE OUT.
 JESUS WAS INDEED, THE LONG AWAITED  DESCENDANT OF DAVID, THE LONG--EXPECTED MESSIANIC KING WHO HAD COME TO RULE GOD'S PEOPLE THAT THEY MIGHT FIND THE ULTIMATE BLESSEDNESS WHICH HAD BEEN THE FOCUS OF ALL THEIR HOPES. THE DIRECTION THE LIFE OF THIS MESSIANIC KING WOULD TAKE WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MANY WERE EXPECTING. " WITH THEE I AM WELL PLEASED" IS A QUOTATION FROM ONE OF ISAIAH'S SERVANT SONGS (42:1-4; NOTE V. 1).  AS MESSIANIC KING JESUS WOULD BE THE SERVANT.. HE WOULD BE DESPISED, REJECTED, AND HIS PEOPLE WOULD DO THEIR VERY WORST TO HIM.
 THEY WOULD CRUCIFY HIM! HOWEVER, THROUGH HIS DEATH HE WOULD LAVISH ON THEM THE OFFER OF A COMPLETE, PERFECT AND ETERNAL PARDON,  AND DRAW
 THEM INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF, WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE LIFE, NOW AND FOREVER. AFTER JESUS WAS ANOINTED INTO OFFICE AS THE LONG AWAITED KING, AND THE NATURE OF HIS KINGSHIP DEFINED., HE WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS. OLD ISRAEL HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO A WILDERNESS AFTER PASSING THROUGH WATER. SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN THERE TO BE TESTED AND TRIED, AND HAD DONE LITTLE ELSE BUT SIN.  THE RECORD OF HER "FORTY YEARS" IN THE WILDERNESS IS A MISERABLE ONE. THE NEW ISRAEL, THE NEW SON OF GOD, WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS, TO BE TESTED AND TRIED BY SATAN FOR "FORTY DAYS."  THERE JESUS PUT AN END TO SATAN'S RUN OF SUCCESSES WITH THE HUMAN RACE--HE DID NOT YIELD TO HIM. IN CHRIST, SATAN DID NOT MEET HIS MATCH, HE MET HIS CONQUEROR!
 MARK STATES IN 1;3b, " JESUS WAS WITH THE WILD BEASTS, AND THE ANGELS MINISTERED TO HIM". SOME SEE IN THIS VERSE A REFERENCE TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE MESSIANIC AGE IN TERMS OF " PARADISE RESTORED," ISAIAH 11:6-9; 65:25; HOSEA 2:18. SOME SEE IN IT A REFERENCE TO THE NEW ADAM REGAINING CONTROL OVER THE REALM OF NATURE ON A COSMIC SCALE. OTHERS SEE IN THIS VERSE A SUBTLE SUGGESTION THAT JESUS REMAINED "IN THE WILDERNESS OF TEMPTATION," LOCKED IN COMBAT WITH SATAN THROUGHOUT HIS MINISTRY. MATTHEW 4:11 AND LUKE 4:13; SOME SAY THAT SATAN LEFT JESUS AFTER THE TEMPTATION. THAT COMMENT IS NOT MADE IN MARK, WHERE THE CONFLICT BETWEEN JESUS AND SATAN CONTINUES TO THE CROSS WHERE THE APPARENT CONQUEROR (SATAN) IS CONQUERED. ( NOTE: THAT THE FIRST MIRACLE JESUS PERFORMS IN MARK AFTER HIS TEMPTATION INVOLVES A STRUGGLE WITH A DEMONIAC.) AFTER JOHN THE BAPTIST IS ARRESTED, JESUS GOES INTO GALILEE WHERE HE PROCLAIMS:" THE TIME IS FULFILLED, AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND, REPENT, AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL,"1:15.  WITH THIS, JESUS MESSIANIC MINISTRY GETS UNDER WAY. WHAT HAPPENS? THE TRUE ISRAEL BEGINS TO GATHER ABOUT HIMSELF A NEW PEOPLE. HE CONFRONTS PETER AND ANDREW, JAMES AND JOHN, AND SAYS, "FOLLOW ME! " 1:17. THEY FOLLOW. THERE IS NO TEST TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THEY ARE WORTHY OF BEING IN JESUS' COMPANY. NO STUDY IS MADE OF THEIR FAMILY BACKGROUND TO CHECK OUT THEIR PEDIGREE. THERE IS ONLY AN URGENT SUMMONS, 2:13,14. A LITTLE LATER, THE TWELVE ARE SET SIDE AS THE NUCLEUS OF THE NEW ISRAEL THAT IS BEING FORMED 3: 13,14.  THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY IS INDEED GETTING UNDER WAY.   

MARK: [ CHRIST THE SERVANT].

 HOW DOES ONE STUDY THE GOSPELS? SHOULD ONE STUDY MATTHEW FIRST IN VIEW OF ITS PLACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?  IF A PERSON DOES JUSTICE TO MATTHEW, IS IT NECESSARY TO READ ANY OF THE OTHER GOSPELS/ WHY NOT STUDY ALL FOUR GOSPELS AT THE SAME TIME? WHY NOT USE SCISSORS AND PASTE, AND TRY TO FIT ALL FOUR ACCOUNTS INTO ONE HARMONIOUS WHOLE ? IT IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS THAT. ANY ATTEMPT TO MIX ALL FOUR GOSPELS INTO A SINGLE ACCOUNT GAINS NOTHING AND LOSES MUCH. WHEN TATIAN TRIED TO COMBINE THE GOSPELS, THE EARLY CHURCH SOON REALISED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL INSIGHTS EACH GOSPEL HAS TO OFFER WERE LOST IN THE PROCESS. JESUS PERSON AND MINISTRY ARE LIKE A INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND WITH COUNTLESS FACETS TO IT. EACH GOSPEL WRITER CONCENTRATES ON ON PARTICULAR FACETS OF THE ONE DIAMOND. TO JUMBLES THE GOSPELS TOGETHER IS TO BLUR THREE TOTAL PICTURE THAT EMERGES WHEN EACH GOSPEL IS STUDIED IN ITS OWN RIGHT.
 WHEN EACH EVANGELIST WROTE  HIS RESPECTIVE GOSPEL, HIS GOAL WAS NOT TO PRESENT HIS READERS WITH A COMPLETE ACCOUNTS OF EVENTS IN JESUS LIFE.  HE DESCRIBES THE LIFE MINISTRY, MISSION OF JESUS ONLY IN BROAD OUTLINE. WHAT DETAILS HE SELECTS ARE CHOSEN FOR A PURPOSE THAT HIS READERS MAY "BELIEVE" AND HAVE LIFE,"  JOHN 20:30,31.
  TWO FACTS ABOUT MARK'S GOSPEL ARE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.
 FIRSTLY, IT IS GENERALLY AGREED THAT MARK WAS WRITTEN FIRST. THERE IS ALSO GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT MARK SERVED AS A BASIS FOR THE WRITING OF BOTH MATTHEW, AND LUKE. MARK CONTAINS 661 VERSES. MATTHEW REPRODUCES 606 OF THESE AND LUKE 32O. ONLY 31 OF MARK'S 661 VERSES DO NOT APPEAR IN EITHER MATTHEW OR LUKE. MATTHEW OCCASIONALLY VARIES MARK'S ORDER OF EVENTS WITHIN  HIS GOSPEL; LUKE DOES THE SAME. HOWEVER, MATTHEW AND LUKE TOGETHER NEVER VARY THE ORDER;  ONE OF THEM ALWAYS AGREE WITH MARK'S ORDER OF EVENTS, AND MOST OFTEN BOTH DO. A KNOWLEDGE OF MARK HELPS A PERSON READ MATTHEW AND LUKE MORE INTELLIGENTLY. SECONDLY, DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE SECOND CENTURY A.D.,  THE BISHOP OF HIERAPOLIS IN SOUTH PHRYGIA WAS A MAN CALLED PAPIAS. PAPIAS TOOK AN INTEREST IN COLLECTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE GOSPELS. HE WROTE ON ONE OCCASION THAT MARK CONTAINS THE MATERIAL THAT PETER USED IN HIS PREACHING.  HE SAID THAT MARK WAS PETER'S INTERPRETER, AND THAT HE WROTE DOWN THE THINGS PETER USE TO SAY ABOUT JESUS. IF WE ACCEPT PAPIAS'S
 STATEMENT AT FACE VALUE, IT WOULD MEAN THAT IN MARK WE HAVE  VIRTUALLY AN EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT OF JESUS LIFE. IF THIS IS SO, ONE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY MARK QUOTES AN OCCASIONAL WORD OF JESUS IN "ARAMAIC": "TALITHA CUMI,"  5:41; "EPHPHATHA," 7:34; "ABBA,"  14:36. IN THESE VERSES JESUS ORIGINAL WORDS  ECHO DOWN TO US THROUGH PETER'S VIVID MEMORY. WE CAN ALSO UNDERSTAND WHY MARK OFTEN USES A TENSE THAT WE MIGHT CALL A HISTORIC "PRESENT" 151 TIMES IN ORIGINAL GREEK;  IT READS MUCH LIKE THE REPORT OF AN EYE-WITNESS. MARK'S GRAMMAR AND STYLE HAVE BEEN 'IMPROVED" TO PRODUCE A MORE POLISHED  LITERARY PRODUCT. OTHER FEATURES OF MARK STYLE ARE WORTH OF NOTE. MARK IS VERY FOND OF THAT LITTLE WORD "AND."  OFTEN WHEN TELLING A STORY, HE JOINS ITS DETAILS TOGETHER BY ADDING "AND... AND... "AND..."  IN THE GREEK OF CHAPTER THREE, 29 OF 35 VERSES BEGIN WITH "AND."
 MARK IS ALSO FOND OF THE WORD "IMMEDIATELY." HE USES IT 41 TIMES IN HIS GOSPEL . 10 TIMES IN THE FIRST CHAPTER ALONE. HIS USE OF THE WORD CREATES A SENSE OF URGENCY---" THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE. LISTEN NOW! BELIEVE NOW!
 FOLLOW NOW! MARK'S STORY DOES NOT MARCH ALONG IT GALLOPS ALONG WITH SUCH SPEED THAT THE IMAGINATIVE READER HAS LITTLE TIME TO CATCH HIS BREATH.

FIRST CENTURY JUDAISM

 UNTIL A FEW DECADES AGO, THE POPULAR VIEW WAS THAT, IN JESUS TIME, JUDAISM WITHIN ISRAEL KEPT ITSELF PURE FROM FOREIGN INFLUENCES, BUT JUDAISM OUTSIDE ISRAEL WAS INFLUENCED BY GREEK AND ROMAN CULTURE.  THIS VIEW HAS BEN ABANDONED. ARCHAEOLOGY HAS SHOWN THAT MANY SYNAGOGUES IN ISRAEL HAD GREEK CHARACTERISTICS. THE WRITINGS OF RABBIS REVEAL THOSE WHO LIVED IN THE HOLY LAND HAD A TASTE FOR GREEK CULTURE, IDEAS, TERMS AND METHOD OF INTERPRETATIONS. THERE WAS TRAVEL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND JEWISH CENTERS AROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD;  FOR EXAMPLE, EACH YEAR EMISSARIES  WERE SENT FROM  JERUSALEM TO THE JEWS OF THE DISPERSION WHO WERE EXPECTED TO PAY THE ANNUAL HALF- SHEKEL TEMPLE TAX. THE RESULT WAS A CERTAIN UNITY OF THOUGHT AMONG JEWS EVERYWHERE, A UNITY THAT WAS EXPRESSED IN THE UBIQUITOUS SYNAGOGUE. THOUGH THE OF JESUS DAY WAS COMPLEX ND CONTAINED A NUMBER OF SECTS AND MOVEMENTS, JUDAISM , EVERYWHERE HAD MUCH IN COMMON. LET'S LOOK AT THE BASIC BELIEFS OF  JUDAISM IN THE TIME OF JESUS. THE GREEK MIND SOUGHT GOD THROUGH REASON, AND EXPLAINED GOD FROM THE WORLD AND ITS LIFE FROM GOD, BELIEVING THAT HE MAKES HIMSELF  KNOWN THROUGH REVELATION. THE EXISTENCE OF GOD POSED PROBLEMS FOR THE HEBREW MIND. GOD EXISTED, AN D WAS LORD OVER ALL CREATION AND LIFE., DEUTERONOMY 6:4. ISRAEL WAS HIS "SON,"  EXODUS 4:21,22. DURING THE POSTEXILIC PERIOD, THE JEWS SOUGHT INCREASINGLY TO PRESERVE THE "OTHERNESS OF GOD. FROM THE THIRD CENTURY B.C. ONWARDS, THE NAME YAHWEH (LORD) WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE READINGS
OF SCRIPTURES, AND THE NAME ADONAI WAS USED INSTEAD. THE GREEK TRANSLATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT (SEPTUAGINT) TRANSLATED YAHWEH BY KURIOS (LORD. THE TARGUMS (ARAMAIC) TRANSLATIONS OF THE HEBREW TEXT) USED THE WORD MEMRA (WORD). IN THE LITURGY OF THE DAY OF ATONEMENT, THE HIGH PRIEST MUMBLED THE NAME FOR GOD SO THAT NO ONE  COULD UNDERSTAND IT. TO GIVE A PROPER NAME TO GOD WAS TO SUGGEST THAT HE WAS A GOD AMONG GODS. BY NOT USING GOD'S NAME, THE JEWS DECLARED THAT HE IS ABOVE AND BEYOND ANYTHING CREATED. SOME MIGHT ARGUE THAT THIS INSISTENCE ON GOD'S "OTHERNESS"  REMOVED HIM FROM THIS WORLD. JUDAISM ANSWERED BY SAYING THAT ONE COULD EXPERIENCE GOD'S PRESENCE ON EARTH THROUGH HIS "SHEKIAH" OR (DOXA (GLORY). THOUGH THE "SHEKIAH"  GOD MADE HIS PRESENCE AMONG THE PEOPLE THROUGH HIS HOLY SPIRIT WHICH CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS  POSSESSED AND SPOKE TO HIS PEOPLE THROUGH HIS OWN "VOICE" OR "THE DAUGHTER OF A VOICE" MATTHEW 3 :17; 17:5; JOHN 12:28. THE JEWISH ATTITUDE TOWARDS GOD WAS NOT ONE OF FEAR. THOUGH PROVERBS 1:7 SPEAKS OF "THE FEAR OF THE LORD" AS THE BEGINNING  OF WISDOM."  THE TERM "THE FEAR OF THE LORD" IS ROUGHLY THE EQUIVALENT OF "RELIGION"  ISRAEL EMPHASISED  GOD'S LOVE FOR HER AS MUCH AS HER REVERENCE FOR HIM.

JESUS PREDICTS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. [MATTHEW 16:21-28]

 "THE WORD MESSIAH" COMES FROM A HEBREW WORD WHICH MEANS TO "ANOINT," AND THEREFORE "THE MESSIAH" IS THE "ANOINTED ONE." AMONG THE JEWS, PEOPLE WERE "ANOINTED" INTO CERTAIN HIGH OFFICES, EXAMPLE PROPHETS (1 KINGS 19:16), PRIESTS (EXOD. 28:41), AND KINGS (1 SAM.16:12,13; Ps. 69:20).  THE WORD "MESSIAH" IS USED ONLY TWICE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AND ON BOTH OCCASIONS, IT IS TRANSLATED BY THE WORD "CHRIST" (JOHN 1:41; 4:25), "CHRIST" IS THE GREEK WORD FOR THE "ANOINTED ONE.".JUST AS "MESSIAH"  IS THE HEBREW WORD FOR IT. JESUS BEGAN TO SHOW HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE MUST GO TO JERUSALEM, AND SUFFER MANY THINGS. FROM THE ELDERS AND CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, AND BE KILLED, AND BE RAISED ON THE THIRD DAY.
THEN PETER TOOK HIM , " ASIDE AND BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM, SAYING, "FAR BE IT FROM YOU, LORD;  THIS SHALL NOT HAPPEN TO YOU. IF WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SAINT PETER, IN HIS TRAVELS WITH JESUS OVER THE THREE YEAR PERIOD, WAS THAT HE PUT HIS FOOT IN HIS MOUTH MANY TIMES OVER. JESUS SAID TO PETER
"GET BEHIND ME SATAN!  JESUS TURNED AND SAID YOU ARE OFFENSE TO ME, FOR YOU ARE NOT MINDFUL OF THE THINGS OF GOD, BUT THE THINGS OF MEN.  BY BLOCKING THE MESSIAH'S APPOINTED WAY, PETER BECOMES AN OBSTACLE TO CHRIST AND BECOMES UNWITTINGLY THE TOOL OF SATAN. THEN JESUS SAYS TO HIS DISCIPLES, " IF ANYONE DESIRES TO COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME. FOR WHOEVER DESIRES TO SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT. ,BUT WHO EVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT.  WE MUST NOW TALK ABOUT THE LEGEND OF CHARLEMAGNE, AND THE INTERESTING STORY OF HIS BURIAL, AND HOW 200 HUNDRED YEARS LATER, WHEN DUG UP, FOUND SITTING ON HIS LAP A BIBLE AND A BONEY FINGER POINTING TO THIS PASSAGE IN MATTHEW 16:26: FOR WHAT PROFITS A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSES HIS OWN SOUL? FOR THE SON OF MAN WILL COME IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH HIS ANGELS, AND THEN HE WILL REWARD EACH ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS. "BUT WHOEVER WANTS TO KNOW GOD AND HIS WILL CORRECTLY, SHOULD GO THE RIGHT WAY. THE RIGHT WAY IS CHRIST THE LORD, WHEN HE SAYS" NO MAN COMES UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SON TO GET TO THE FATHER.WHOEVER WANTS TO KNOW THE FATHER AND COME TO HIM, LET HIM COME TO CHRIST FIRST. THAT CHRIST IS THE SON-OF GOD AND THE ALMIGHTY, ETERNAL GOD. YOU MAY ASK JUST WHAT THE SON OF GOD DO? HE BECOMES MAN FOR OUR SAKE, HE BECOMES SUBJECT TO THE LAW, IN ORDER TO REDEEM US FROM THE LAW. HE PERMITS HIMSELF TO BE CRUCIFIED AND DIE ON THE CROSS, IN ORDER TO PAY FOR OUR SINS; AND HE RISES FROM THE DEAD, IN ORDER TO MAKE, BY HIS RESURRECTION AND ENTRANCE INTO ETERNAL LIFE, AND BRING HELP AGAINST ETERNAL DEATH. AND HE SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, IN ORDER TO ADVOCATE FOR US, SENDING THE INTO OUR LIFE THROUGH BAPTISM, THE HOLY SPIRIT, BY WHOM WE MAY BE RULED AND LED AND KEPT AGAINST EVERY TEMPTATION AND SUGGESTION OF THE DEVIL. THAT MEANS TO KNOW CHRIST RIGHTLY. WHEN, THEN, THIS KNOWLEDGE IS GOOD AND FIRM IN YOUR HEART, THEN BEGIN TO THINK OF HEAVEN AND TRY TO SOUGHT IT OUT. IT IS NOT HIS WILL THAT WE SHOULD BE LOST, BECAUSE HE USES ALL OF HIS SUPREME MEANS TO HELP US TO LIFE. IN THIS WAY WE MAY COME TO GOD IN THE RIGHT MANNER, AS CHRIST HIMSELF PREACHES; IN JOHN 3;16: "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE."  JUST HOLD THESE THOUGHTS IN THE TIME THE DEVIL TRY'S TO PLANT OTHER THOUGHTS WHEN TRYING TO DRAW US AWAY, IN TIMES OF WEAKNESS, AND DISTRESS, WHERE WE FEEL SEPARATED FROM GOD, THINKING THAT WE CAN EXPECT NOTHING GOOD FROM GOD. WE MUST FIRST LEARN TO KNOW CHRIST THE LORD FIRST, AND THEN ALL DEVILISH THOUGHTS TURN OUT TO BE BLASPHEMIES. FOR THAT REASON GOD HAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED SO GENERALLY AND PUBLICLY THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HEAR, BELIEVE, AND ACCEPT IT AND THUS BE SAVED. BUT SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T GO LIKE THAT?  AS THE GOSPEL TELLS US: " MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW
ARE CHOSEN, THAT IS FEW ACCEPT THE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE GOSPEL THAT TELLS THEM THAT GOD LOVES THEM. SO SOME HEAR IT AND PAY NO ATTENTION.
SOME HEAR IT AND DO NOT CLING FIRMLY TO IT, AND ALSO DO NOT WANT TO SACRIFICE OR SUFFER FOR IT; SOME HEAR IT BUT PREFER MONEY AND GOODS AND WORLDLY LUSTS. BUT THAT IS NOT PLEASING TO GOD, AND HE DOES NOT WANT SUCH PEOPLE THAT IS WHAT CHRIST CALLS  "NOT BEING CHOSEN,"  THAT,IS, NOT TO BEHAVE SO THAT GOD CAN BE WELL PLEASED WITH THEM. BUT THOSE ARE THE CHOSEN PEOPLE AND WELL PLEASING TO GOD, THAT HEAR THE GOSPEL DILIGENTLY, BELIEVE IN CHRIST, MANIFEST THEIR FAITH IN GOOD WORKS, AND SUFFER ON THAT ACCOUNT WHAT THEY MUST SUFFER. AT TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS THAT FLOOD US, IN THE WAYS OF THE DEVIL, AND HIS SUGGESTIONS, AND PRAY FOR PROTECTION, PATIENCE, AND  AND ASSISTANCE AND THINGS WILL GO WELL. LISTEN TO GOD'S COMMAND: THOU SHALL HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND BELIEVE IN CHRIST, THAT HE HIS OUR SAVIOR AND HAS PAID FOR OUR SINS. REMEMBER THIS COMMAND, TO FOLLOW IT. IF YOU FIND YOURSELF WITHOUT FAITH, OR WEAK, PRAY GOD FOR HIS HOLY SPIRIT AND DO NOT DOUBT THAT CHRIST IS THE SAVIOR AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED THROUGH HIM. TODAY'S GOSPEL READING REMINDS US THAT LIFE IN CHRIST, RATHER THAN SIMPLY COMFORTING US OR EXCUSING US FROM THE PAIN OF THIS WORLD, STRENGTHENS US TO FACE WHAT WE FEAR MOST: SUFFERING AND DEATH. JESUS DOES NOT TURN FROM PAIN AND LOSS; INDEED HE OFFERS STRENGTH AND HOPE TO HIS PEOPLE. GOD'S ADOPTION OF US IN THE WATERS OF BAPTISM AND OUR COMMUNION IN CHRIST'S BODY AND BLOOD- SIGN S OF HEALING AND COMMUNITY---STRENGTHEN US TO OFFER OURSELVES AS SERVANTS TO A WEARY AND FRIGHTEN WORLD. JESUS SET HIS FACE TOWARDS JERUSALEM. HE PUT HIS BEST FOOT FORWARD, MOVING CONFIDENTLY INTO SERVANT HOOD. ALL ALONG THE WAY THE DISCIPLES HAD BEEN SAYING SENSIBLE THINGS LIKE SEND THE CROWDS AWAY. LET THEM GET THEIR OWN FOOD. ASSOCIATE WITH YOUR OWN KIND. TAKE CARE OF YOUR SELF'S FIRST. THE DISCIPLES WERE INTERESTED IN THE SAFEST ROUTE,  BENT ON SELF-- PRESERVATION. THE DISCIPLES WERE GOOD WITH SURVIVAL SKILLS, BUT JESUS WAS GOOD WITH GOSPEL SKILLS. THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD'S REIGN IN LOVE WOULD ENLARGE THEIR LIVES BEYOND SURVIVAL SKILLS.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END! (PROPHECY) (MARK 13:1-8). (PSALM 22).

INTRO: THE PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE BEFORE US TODAY IS KNOWN AS THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, WHICH TOOK PLACE ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. THIS SERMON, WHICH WAS DELIVERED BY JESUS., IS ALSO RECORDED IN MATT. 24-25 AND IN LUKE 21. IN THE END OF THE WORLD SERMON JESUS TALKS ABOUT THE END OF TIME AND THE EVENTS WHICH SURROUND THE END OF THE WORLD " WHAT I SAY TO YOU DISCIPLES"
 AND TO US "WATCH!" THIS PROPHECY TOOK PLACE ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. THIS PASSAGE IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. BECAUSE OF THIS FACT, MOST, VARIOUS FALSE TEACHINGS ABOUT THE END TIMES, THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, AND EVEN ABOUT SALVATION HAVE ARISEN. WE WANT TO TAKE OUR TIME AS WE MOVE THROUGH THESE VERSES. WE WANT TO GET A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE LORD JESUS IS TRYING TO TEACH US.
 FIRST, THIS PASSAGE NEVER MENTIONS THE CHURCH OR THE RAPTURE. WHY? IT DOESN'T MENTION THESE THINGS BECAUSE THIS PASSAGE. IT DOESN'T MENTION THESE THINGS BECAUSE THIS PASSAGE WAS NOT WRITTEN TO THE CHURCH, IT WAS WRITTEN TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL. THIS IS PRIMARILY A JEWISH PROPHECY. STILL, THERE ARE MANY TRUTHS WE CAN GLEAN FROM THESE VERSES. SECOND, HIS PROPHECY COVERS A TREMENDOUS EXPANSE OF TIME. OVER 3,OOO YEARS OF HUMAN HISTORY ARE IN VIEW HERE.THESE VERSES CONTAIN PROPHECIES THAT HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY FULFILLED AND THAT WILL BE COMPLETELY. IN THE FUTURE, WHEN CHRIST RETURNS. SO, WE WILL BE LOOKING BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS AT THE SAME TIME.
THIRD, AS WITH ANY PROPHETIC PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE THAT NO ONE HAS ALL THE ANSWERS. NO BIBLE SCHOLAR HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO  SOLVE ALL THE THEOLOGICAL RIDDLES HIDDEN WITHIN THE "OLIVET DISCOURSE,"  THUS WE MUST APPROACH THESE GREAT VERSES WITH A HUMBLE HEART. KNOWING NONE OF US KNOWS IT ALL. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES WITH THOSE THOUGHTS IN MIND, LET'S LISTEN IN  ON THIS CONVERSATION BETWEEN JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES, AS HE TEACHES THEM ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT WILL CHARACTERIZE  THE END OF TIME. I TRUST WHAT THE LORD SAYS HERE WILL BE A CHALLENGE AND AN HELP TO US AS WE STUDY THIS TEXT TOGETHER.LET'S LOOK.  I WANT YOU TO SEE A STRANGE PREDICTION; A STARTLING PANORAMA AND A SOBERING PROMISE. LETS LOOK AT THESE TRUTHS AND THINK ABOUT " "THE BEGINNING OF THE END." V1-2 "A STRANGE PREDICTION." ETHE TEMPLE AND ITS DESIGN. NOW JESUS IS LEAVING THE TEMPLE. FOR THE LAST TWO CHAPTERS WE HAVE SEEN JESUS AND HIS ENCOUNTERS WITH THE RELIGIOUS JEWS. IT HAS BEEN A TENSE TIME TO JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES. SURELY THEY ARE BAFFLED BY THE LORD'S WORDS AND BEHAVIOR  IN THE TEMPLE. THEY PROBABLY THOUGHT THAT JESUS  WOULD TRY TO WIN FAVOR OF THE JEWS AND THE JEWISH LEADERS. INSTEAD, JESUS DID EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO EXPOSE THEM AS RELIGIOUS PHONIES. NOW, THEIR TIME IN THE TEMPLE IS OVER AND ONE OF THE DISCIPLES TRIES TO LIGHTEN THE MOOD. AFTER ALL NEGATIVITY THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE, THIS WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE. SO, HE CALL THE LORDS ATTENTION TO THE TEMPLE, ITS CONSTRUCTION AND ITS BEAUTY. NOTE:  SOLOMON SPENT "7" YEARS ON THE TEMPLE, 13 YEARS ON HIS OWN HOUSE!  THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM WAS CONSIDERED TO BE AMONG THE MOST SPECTACULAR WONDERS OF THE ANCIENT ROMAN EMPIRE. THE ORIGINAL TEMPLE CONSTRUCTED BY SOLOMON WAS A MAGNIFICENT BUILDING THAT TOOK SEVEN YEARS AND MANY A MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BUILD..THE TEMPLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND THE BABYLONIANS AND THE BABYLONIANS WERE TAKEN INTO EXILE. 6OO BC. LIKE EVERY OTHER JEW, THIS DISCIPLE WAS IMPRESSED BY THE TEMPLE. HE WAS PROUD THAT IT WAS PART OF HIS NATION AND HIS RELIGION. SO, HE CALLS THE LORD'S ATTENTION TO THE BUILDING AND ITS WONDERS. THE RESPONSE OF JESUS IS SOMEWHAT STRANGE. JESUS HEARS  THE EXCLAMATION OF THIS DISCIPLE AND RESPONDS BY TELLING HIM THAT THE TEMPLE HE LOVES SO DEARLY WILL EVENTUALLY BE DISMANTLED AND DESTROYED.  THIS WAS LITERALLY FULFILLED IN 7O A.D. WHEN THE ROMAN GENERAL TITUS AND HIS ARMY CONQUERED THE CITY. TITUS ORDERED THE THE TEMPLE TO BE SPARED,BUT THE BUILDING WAS GUTTERED BY FIRE AND THE CITY TOTALLY DESTROYED. TODAY, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE STONE LEFT FROM THE GREAT TEMPLE HEROD BUILT. THEN, DURING THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST, A FINAL TEMPLE WILL BE BUILT IN JERUSALEM. LET'S LOOK AT THE LORD AND HIS REVELATION. THE DISCIPLES ARE BAFFLED BY WHAT JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXPLANATION. THESE MEN COME ASKING THE LORD THE SAME QUESTIONS PEOPLE STILL ASK ABOUT THE END TIMES. EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW "WHEN" IT WILL HAPPEN AND "WHAT" WILL BE THE SIGNS THAT IT IS HERE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO GUARANTEE A GOOD CROWD IN ANY SERVICE IS TO ANNOUNCE THAT YOU WILL PREACH ON THE END TIMES. PEOPLE WILL COME TO HEAR THAT, AND BRING A FRIEND. LETS CONSIDER OUR LORD'S RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION WHAT THE "SIGNS" WILL BE, AS THE END TIME APPROACHES. THE FIRST THING TO NOTE: IS THE POTENTIAL OF DECEPTION. JESUS EVEN WARNED HIS DISCIPLES THEY COULD BE DRAWN AWAY BY THE THINGS THEY MIGHT HEAR OR SEE AND THE POTENTIAL. STILL EXISTS. JESUS SAYS THAT MANY FALSE MESSIAHS, AND WE MUST BE GROUNDED IN WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS AND WHAT WE BELIEVE  [1 PET. 3:15]. WE  NEED TO HAVE OUR DOCTRINE NAILED DOWN IN OUR HEARTS, SO WHEN DECEPTIONS COME, WE CAN STAND FAITHFUL TO OUR LORD. ACTS 5:36-37 MENTIONS TWO WOULD-BE MESSIAHS THAT LIVED BEFORE THE TIME OF JESUS. THERE WAS ONE NAMED "THEUDUS". HE CLAIMED TO BE ABLE TO PART THE JORDAN RIVER. HE DECEIVED  ABOUT 400 PEOPLE AND LED THEM TO THEIR DEATHS. OUR WORLD HAS BEEN MARKED BY WARS, AT THE END TIMES, JESUS SAID THAT WARS AND RUMORS WOULD INCREASE AS THE END TIME APPROACHED. JESUS SAID, " THESE THINGS MUST NEEDS BE." THAT IS GOD IS USING THE TERRIBLE TRAGEDY OF WAR TO SHAPE THE WORLD FOR HIS COMING OF HIS SON. THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN EARTHQUAKES. SCIENTISTS TELL US MORE THAN 13 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN EARTHQUAKES OVER THE PAST 4,OOO YEARS. A POWERFUL QUAKE OCCURRED UNDER THE PACIFIC OCEAN IN DECEMBER 2OO3 WHICH SPAWNED A TSUNAMI THAT KILLED 3OO,OOO PEOPLE. JESUS SAID IT WILL BE THAT WAY. THERE WILL BE FAMINES. WHEN JESUS IS COMING, BUT WHEN HE DOES, IT WILL NOT BE ANNOUNCED. WHEN JESUS COMES, HE WILL COME AS A "THIEF IN THE NIGHT," [1 THES. 5:2].