Mar 2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
Mar 2:2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
He preached the word unto them.
The word.
Do you suppose the majority were there to hear Jesus speak or to be healed by Him? Do you imagine those who had no illness, no possession by unclean spirits, were just as interested in listening to Jesus speak? Jesus wasn't known as just *The Healer*, Jesus had a message to give, Jesus was first and foremost a teacher- a preacher- with more God-given authority to teach the Scriptures than all the scribes in existence. The way Jesus taught was captivating to His listeners because He taught them differently than others. In imagining this we can only think of the best teacher we've ever had and then think of how it would be if another teacher came along that was a hundred times better.
People make jokes of enlightenment. If you say you've been enlightened you'll get a *knowing* glance from people, perhaps a smirk and a chuckle, people will either outright mock your enlightenment or play along, very few would ask to be enlightened along with you because few believe in enlightenment they equate it with going a bit off your rocker. Of course it all depends on how you've been enlightened- if you've been enlightened to the joys of cooking, heh, people love that. If you've been enlightened to the joy of the mundane that's fine- we all have our passions, right? But if you've been spiritually enlightened then things are just a bit wrong with you. However, if a group of people are enlightened, sometimes that's called mass hypnosis of some sort. Jesus wasn't beyond being called a deceiver, a devil, there were many who were outraged at His ability to *fool* people, to *control* people, to *deceive* people. And we get a glimpse of this sort of belief when we hear of cult leaders and we are the scoffers. Of course we're scoffing with justifiable reason because we know that Jesus alone is our *leader* and no man can take His place. But there were many during Jesus' ministry that scoffed at Him, scoffed at the newly enlightened.
For a long time though Jesus would continue to bring enlightenment to people, lots and lots of people. These people would be so changed by Jesus- not just those healed but those enlightened spiritually and they tell others and if the others scoffed they quickly changed their minds if they went to listen to Him for themselves. This was a MIRACULOUS time! Yet for all that it was a miraculous time - the scoffers existed and would continue to exist growing stronger in their opposition the stronger Jesus became. They saw Him as a threat refusing to all themselves to be enlightened or in their minds- deceived.
Jesus preached and crowds and crowds of people wanted to hear His every word.
Here is yet another instance of His miraculous healing...
Mar 2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
Mar 2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
Mar 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Jesus saw their faith- their belief in Him- and Jesus said… 'Thy sins be forgiven thee.'
What powerful words! Words probably seldom uttered outside of a sacrificial ceremony, as GOD giving forgiveness when people ask for it and offer a sacrifice, when an atonement is made for their sins. No man EVER dared tell another that their *sins* were forgiven them. People could offer forgiveness and tell another that they forgive them for something, some harm committed against them personally, but a person cannot forgive the sins of another that have nothing to do with them personally. I can forgive someone for hurting me, but I can't forgive anything else, any other sin they may have committed in their lives. For me to tell another 'Thy sins be forgiven thee.' would be ludicrous. I have no power to forgive sins another has committed. I can't give you forgiveness for stealing something from a store, I can't forgive you for cursing at your mother, I can't forgive you for coveting your neighbor's house. I can be understanding - one sinning human to another but only God can forgive you- absolve you of your guilt, of my guilt.
To hear this man, albeit a wonderful amazing man- a preacher, a miracle worker, a prophet say those words- 'Thy sins be forgiven thee.'- had to be shocking to those who were not enlightened spiritually by our Savior.
Mar 2:6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Mar 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
Unenlightened these scribes could not understand that the man working miracles right in front of them had power from God to perform these miracles. They'd read about prophets, they'd read about miracles being performed in the past by God's holy men, but they couldn't let themselves believe that Jesus was from God, that Jesus was the Messiah, that Jesus was God's Son on earth.
Mar 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
Jesus knew their hearts, their thoughts, He didn't have to hear them aloud. Jesus knew right away that they were shocked by His words. He was revealing more of Himself, revealing more of the new covenant and they would either accept it or deny it.
Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
Mar 2:9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
The power from God gave Jesus the ability to heal. The power from God would heal people of their illnesses- freeing them from the bondage of sickness. Jesus was to free them from the power of sin as well, forgiving them their sins so He could heal them. When He healed them physically He was healing them spiritually. Free from the oppression of sickness, from the weight of sin. Later on we read Him tell one He'd healed- 'Go and sin no more'. Freed from sin, but still a sinner needing the forgiveness of a Savior daily. We need our Savior, we cannot live without our Savior, He died for us because we could not save ourselves.
Mar 2:10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
Mar 2:11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
Mar 2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
They were ALL amazed!
They glorified God!
They'd never seen anything like it before!
Miracles, forgiveness- and what a miracle forgiveness is! Praise God!
Mar 2:13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
He taught them.
Praise God!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Wondrous Healing!
Mar 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Mar 1:36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.
Mar 1:37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.
Mar 1:38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.
Having spent a long time healing people, Jesus went to pray. The disciples He'd gathered so far followed Him and when they'd FOUND Him, they told Him something He already knew. All men seek Him.
Let's note for a moment here that word 'found'.
Jesus went up to pray- alone. Simon and the rest followed Him. Jesus didn't tell them where He was going, He rose up a GREAT while before day and went to a solitary place. The disciples with Him woke up as well and followed Him but obviously NOT right behind Him. They had an idea of where He was at but they still needed to find Him. Jesus wasn't going to be FOUND until He wanted to be FOUND. He needed time alone to pray to the Father. He needed that time and what does that tell us? Perhaps we as individuals as well NEED to spend time alone with our Father. Okay, there is no perhaps about it. We do need to spend time alone with our Father away from everyone else, even when well intentioned people want to be with us. Even when we *don't * want to be alone, we need to take that time to spend with our Heavenly Father. All things are through our Heavenly Father just as they were for Jesus, His Son. We can't forget where our spiritual power comes from, we have NONE of our own. All we have is a spiritual side to us and that spiritual side is what connects us to our Spiritual Father allowing His power to work in us. We can ignore that spiritual side we have and let our flesh nature rule us, we don't HAVE to pray to our Heavenly Father and we'll keep on living but the life we are living is not the life we are intended to live.
Jesus went off to pray and His disciples *found* Him and when they did they told Him that all men were seeking Him. They wanted Him to go to the crowds of people as He had the day before and teach them, and heal them.
Jesus had other plans though - Jesus replied - 'Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.'
He wanted them to go to the next town, other towns, so He could preach there too. The whole reason for His existence right then and there was to preach - repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand- that was His message for people. Jesus preached, Jesus taught, and Jesus healed. Jesus had to give His message to as many people as He possibly could. Jesus wasn't about to settle down in any one town as some might have done- expecting people to come to Him- Jesus was going to go to others, He would NEVER take on any airs, never. He was there to SERVE the will of God, and it was God's will that He bring the message of salvation to all.
Mar 1:39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.
Mar 1:40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Mar 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
Mar 1:42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
Mar 1:43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;
Mar 1:44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Fame. Wanted or unwanted, Jesus had fame. He needed fame really, it was all in God's plan. People were becoming very receptive to everything Jesus had to say and He was gaining many followers.
Healing this leper, Jesus charged him before sending Him away to SAY NOTHING to ANY MAN, but go to the priest and offer for cleansing as Moses commanded, a testimony. After receiving healing they were required to go to the priest-
Lev 14:2 This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
Lev 14:3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;
Lev 14:4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop
(Read Lev. 14:2-32)
Jesus wanted the leper to go and do as He was required in the testimony of Moses, but the leper had other ideas. He was HEALED of a disease that meant his wasting away, flesh rotting, ostracized for his condition and the only future he had was to be one of misery. We don't know what stage of leprosy he had, we do know that the leper even getting close to Jesus was daring because lepers were supposed to stay far away from others. Jesus had pity on this suffering man and healed him completely and the JOY the man had to feel was beyond what most of us can imagine. I say most of us because some of us do know the joy of healing- though few know the instantaneous healing that our merciful Savior healed the leper with.
Overcome with pure joy, the leper went out and told EVERYONE he saw about his miraculous healing! There had to be people who knew this man before he'd become a leper, people who mourned his coming down with the disease that would leave Him wasting away, never to be with those he loved again. It's no wonder that the news spread far and wide and Jesus couldn't going into that city any longer because there were just TOO many people. Jesus stayed in the desert places- and people came to Him from all over!
Mar 1:45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
We have to understand how wondrous all this was. You know someone that is sick, most people do if they aren't sick themselves and wouldn't you just be overwhelmed if they were healed, if you were healed, if all others around you were healed. If hospitals filled with people were suddenly empty?! If doctor offices closed, if pharmacies had no reason to give out any medicine? If we think of it that way then we are really shocked, really amazed and yes- disbelieving. But this is what was happening on the same level for the time and place- Jesus was healing all that came into contact with Him- hundreds, thousands of people were being healed. Just as we'd be overwhelmed and willing to listen to the Healer's message, people then were willing and Jesus brought them the message of salvation- step by step He was bringing it to them and it was amazing, just as amazing as it is to us today, that same wondrous message. No, we don't have the Healer here, but we have the FULL message given to us in the Word of God and salvation in Christ is everything, EVERYTHING!
By the grace of God may we have FULL understanding! We need full understanding, we need Faith, we need the grace and mercy of our Savior, we need SPIRITUAL healing and that we can have today by the grace of God.
Amen!
Mar 1:36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.
Mar 1:37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.
Mar 1:38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.
Having spent a long time healing people, Jesus went to pray. The disciples He'd gathered so far followed Him and when they'd FOUND Him, they told Him something He already knew. All men seek Him.
Let's note for a moment here that word 'found'.
Jesus went up to pray- alone. Simon and the rest followed Him. Jesus didn't tell them where He was going, He rose up a GREAT while before day and went to a solitary place. The disciples with Him woke up as well and followed Him but obviously NOT right behind Him. They had an idea of where He was at but they still needed to find Him. Jesus wasn't going to be FOUND until He wanted to be FOUND. He needed time alone to pray to the Father. He needed that time and what does that tell us? Perhaps we as individuals as well NEED to spend time alone with our Father. Okay, there is no perhaps about it. We do need to spend time alone with our Father away from everyone else, even when well intentioned people want to be with us. Even when we *don't * want to be alone, we need to take that time to spend with our Heavenly Father. All things are through our Heavenly Father just as they were for Jesus, His Son. We can't forget where our spiritual power comes from, we have NONE of our own. All we have is a spiritual side to us and that spiritual side is what connects us to our Spiritual Father allowing His power to work in us. We can ignore that spiritual side we have and let our flesh nature rule us, we don't HAVE to pray to our Heavenly Father and we'll keep on living but the life we are living is not the life we are intended to live.
Jesus went off to pray and His disciples *found* Him and when they did they told Him that all men were seeking Him. They wanted Him to go to the crowds of people as He had the day before and teach them, and heal them.
Jesus had other plans though - Jesus replied - 'Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.'
He wanted them to go to the next town, other towns, so He could preach there too. The whole reason for His existence right then and there was to preach - repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand- that was His message for people. Jesus preached, Jesus taught, and Jesus healed. Jesus had to give His message to as many people as He possibly could. Jesus wasn't about to settle down in any one town as some might have done- expecting people to come to Him- Jesus was going to go to others, He would NEVER take on any airs, never. He was there to SERVE the will of God, and it was God's will that He bring the message of salvation to all.
Mar 1:39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.
Mar 1:40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Mar 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
Mar 1:42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
Mar 1:43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;
Mar 1:44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Fame. Wanted or unwanted, Jesus had fame. He needed fame really, it was all in God's plan. People were becoming very receptive to everything Jesus had to say and He was gaining many followers.
Healing this leper, Jesus charged him before sending Him away to SAY NOTHING to ANY MAN, but go to the priest and offer for cleansing as Moses commanded, a testimony. After receiving healing they were required to go to the priest-
Lev 14:2 This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
Lev 14:3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;
Lev 14:4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop
(Read Lev. 14:2-32)
Jesus wanted the leper to go and do as He was required in the testimony of Moses, but the leper had other ideas. He was HEALED of a disease that meant his wasting away, flesh rotting, ostracized for his condition and the only future he had was to be one of misery. We don't know what stage of leprosy he had, we do know that the leper even getting close to Jesus was daring because lepers were supposed to stay far away from others. Jesus had pity on this suffering man and healed him completely and the JOY the man had to feel was beyond what most of us can imagine. I say most of us because some of us do know the joy of healing- though few know the instantaneous healing that our merciful Savior healed the leper with.
Overcome with pure joy, the leper went out and told EVERYONE he saw about his miraculous healing! There had to be people who knew this man before he'd become a leper, people who mourned his coming down with the disease that would leave Him wasting away, never to be with those he loved again. It's no wonder that the news spread far and wide and Jesus couldn't going into that city any longer because there were just TOO many people. Jesus stayed in the desert places- and people came to Him from all over!
Mar 1:45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
We have to understand how wondrous all this was. You know someone that is sick, most people do if they aren't sick themselves and wouldn't you just be overwhelmed if they were healed, if you were healed, if all others around you were healed. If hospitals filled with people were suddenly empty?! If doctor offices closed, if pharmacies had no reason to give out any medicine? If we think of it that way then we are really shocked, really amazed and yes- disbelieving. But this is what was happening on the same level for the time and place- Jesus was healing all that came into contact with Him- hundreds, thousands of people were being healed. Just as we'd be overwhelmed and willing to listen to the Healer's message, people then were willing and Jesus brought them the message of salvation- step by step He was bringing it to them and it was amazing, just as amazing as it is to us today, that same wondrous message. No, we don't have the Healer here, but we have the FULL message given to us in the Word of God and salvation in Christ is everything, EVERYTHING!
By the grace of God may we have FULL understanding! We need full understanding, we need Faith, we need the grace and mercy of our Savior, we need SPIRITUAL healing and that we can have today by the grace of God.
Amen!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Sin encrusted hearts- freed!
Mar 1:29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
Mar 1:30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.
Mar 1:31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
Leaving the synagogue after astonishing all with the authority with which He spoke and commanding an unclean spirit to come from a man, Jesus went into the house of Simon and Andrew. Inside the house Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a fever. The brothers told Jesus about the sick woman and Jesus went to her.
Taking her by the hand he lift her up and IMMEDIATELY the fever was gone! Healed instantly! The poor woman lay there all morning maybe into the afternoon sick with a fever and we all know how awful you feel when you're feverish. Too sick to get out of bed, she languished there and was probably longing for the fever to leave her just as we all long to feel better when we're ill. I know after a recent illness where I was feverish and sickly, confined mostly to bed that, I couldn't wait to feel better again. Had someone came into my bedroom and taken my hand lifting me up from the bed and I was instantly healed I would be in shock! This woman was healed and instantly grateful she was eager to minister to them. They'd just come from a Sabbath morning/early afternoon in the synagogue and they were most likely in need of sustenance. Ministering to them as if she'd never been bed-ridden earlier was amazing! I don’t know about you but for a lot of illnesses which make me bed ridden it takes a while to get my full strength back, a few days at the least as I gradually recover. This woman felt none of the lingering weakness an illness brings, she was fully healed and able to minister to the men. Praise God! Can you just imagine the joy in that house? I can.
After the sabbath was over people began to leave their houses. While they'd been taking their own sabbath repast, while they'd been continuing their worship of God in celebrating the weekly rest, the weekly God ordained sabbath, they were all thinking about Jesus. They'd witnessed something miraculous and they weren't forgetting it at all, would you have? I doubt very highly any of us would forget witnessing a miracle such as that. We know they didn't forget in fact every one in that synagogue went to their homes and discussed all they'd witnessed. As soon as the sabbath was passed they came to Jesus as Simon and Andrew's house and they didn't come alone. Just picture it… that first knock upon the door. Inside Jesus and the four disciples with him along with Simon's mother-in-law had enjoyed a wonderful sabbath and well rested physically, mentally, spiritually they were probably ready to discuss what would Jesus have them do next, where would they go next, what would they do, what were they going to learn. Then that knock sounded. Behind that door there was a gathering crowd of people who had brought their sick and possessed loved ones to Jesus. How big do you think the crowd was? Well ALL the city was gathered there! All the people of the city gathered at the door to that one house with all the hope of a miracle in them. Do you know anyone who is sick? Do you know anyone who you might suspect is possessed? Chronic illness is very, very common today and in younger and younger people, it'd be shocking if you didn't know of a single sick person, a single person suffering. I know of more than one personally and if I'd been there I'd have had them there waiting at that door praying for a miracle for them.
Jesus did not disappoint. He healed many that were sick of all sorts of diseases and He cast out many devils. It's important to note here that we are told that He suffered NOT the devils to speak- why? Because the devils knew Him. Of course they did! All the devils, all the evil spirits know who the Son of God is! They all know the sinless Son of God, they knew who He was from the moment He was born. God's protection kept them from attacking and killing Him, but they tried. Remember Herod asking the wisemen to come back and tell them where the Messiah was born? The wisemen didn't do that and an angry Herod had all the male babies two and under killed. Why'd he do that? It was at Satan's urging and it was because he had to try and destroy the Savior. Jesus at that point had been taken to Egypt at the urging of an angel to Joseph, and to safety. The Savior would be allowed to grow, to mature and then to begin His ministry. The devils all knew Him though. In His presence they couldn't survive and they knew that too.
So why didn't Jesus want the devils naming Him for who He was? Because He was creating a new covenant way and that new covenant would be established on faith in Him as the Savior, through a personal acceptance of Him after hearing His message. The healing, the freeing from possession was all part of opening the hearts, the minds, and the eyes of a people long blinded by untruths. To have devils speaking from the mouths of those they possessed would have meant people listening to the evil spirits as they cried out against their destruction- and honestly- people hearing these others speaking with the evil spirit voice declaring Jesus the Son of God would not have made those people believe in Jesus as the Son of God. They would not suddenly have an opened mind and heart saying to others- that's Jesus, the Son of God- an evil spirit said so. No, Jesus would not be declared the Son of God by evil spirits. The evil spirits wanted to fight for their existence, they wanted to bring the spiritual fight into the corporal world. The things they would say would not bring any edification to the people at all. It was enough that Jesus was destroying them, He didn't have to let them give voice to their existence- the recovered people were proof enough that they'd been possessed. We know evil spirits tell lies and there was no telling at all what sort of lies they might spew if they'd been allowed to speak.
Mar 1:32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.
Mar 1:33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.
Mar 1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
After all that healing Jesus went to sleep but He couldn't have slept long because before day light had come He was out of bed and out of the house. Jesus found a place where He could be completely alone and there He prayed.
Mar 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
We pray to Jesus don't we? We pray to God the Father but we also pray to Jesus and someone might contend that Jesus didn't need to pray. But HE DID, He needed to pray! And if the Son of God needed to pray how much more do WE need to pray? Seriously. Jesus received ALL His power from the Father. Jesus had to commune with God! Jesus was committing His life to God's will, wanting God's plan, the plan they'd made together before He'd taken on humanity, wanting their plan to be realized. Jesus was no longer in spirit form, Jesus no longer of His own self to anything. All things had to be done through the power given to Him by God the Father.
Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
Jesus alone, without God the Father could do NOTHING. This is the truth spoken of by Jesus Himself!
Yes, Jesus prayed and prayer is what? Prayer is talking to God, it's talking to the Father. Jesus even told us to pray…
Our Father which art in heaven.
How wondrous was the message our Savior was bringing to us! Jesus was revealing the Father to us in a way no other could do! It was the will of the Father that people be healed. It was the will of the Father that people be freed from unclean spirits, freed from devil possession. It was the will of the Father that people understand that the bondage they were captive to was a result of living in a sin-sick world and it wasn't a sin-sick world that God wanted! He wanted people to live free from sickness, free from possession! Revealing this to people was vital because sin had hardened the hearts of so many, the hearts needed to be cultivated, the hard ground broken so that the message of the Savior could have a chance to thrive.
Today we live in a world even more immersed in sin than ever before and it's the message that Jesus came and gave to us that we need to live and breath in order to allow Him to thrive within us. We have His message it is given to us as it was given to them and we need to live it, really live the message, really live the faith!
By His amazing, amazing grace!
In His love!
Amen.
Mar 1:30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.
Mar 1:31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
Leaving the synagogue after astonishing all with the authority with which He spoke and commanding an unclean spirit to come from a man, Jesus went into the house of Simon and Andrew. Inside the house Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a fever. The brothers told Jesus about the sick woman and Jesus went to her.
Taking her by the hand he lift her up and IMMEDIATELY the fever was gone! Healed instantly! The poor woman lay there all morning maybe into the afternoon sick with a fever and we all know how awful you feel when you're feverish. Too sick to get out of bed, she languished there and was probably longing for the fever to leave her just as we all long to feel better when we're ill. I know after a recent illness where I was feverish and sickly, confined mostly to bed that, I couldn't wait to feel better again. Had someone came into my bedroom and taken my hand lifting me up from the bed and I was instantly healed I would be in shock! This woman was healed and instantly grateful she was eager to minister to them. They'd just come from a Sabbath morning/early afternoon in the synagogue and they were most likely in need of sustenance. Ministering to them as if she'd never been bed-ridden earlier was amazing! I don’t know about you but for a lot of illnesses which make me bed ridden it takes a while to get my full strength back, a few days at the least as I gradually recover. This woman felt none of the lingering weakness an illness brings, she was fully healed and able to minister to the men. Praise God! Can you just imagine the joy in that house? I can.
After the sabbath was over people began to leave their houses. While they'd been taking their own sabbath repast, while they'd been continuing their worship of God in celebrating the weekly rest, the weekly God ordained sabbath, they were all thinking about Jesus. They'd witnessed something miraculous and they weren't forgetting it at all, would you have? I doubt very highly any of us would forget witnessing a miracle such as that. We know they didn't forget in fact every one in that synagogue went to their homes and discussed all they'd witnessed. As soon as the sabbath was passed they came to Jesus as Simon and Andrew's house and they didn't come alone. Just picture it… that first knock upon the door. Inside Jesus and the four disciples with him along with Simon's mother-in-law had enjoyed a wonderful sabbath and well rested physically, mentally, spiritually they were probably ready to discuss what would Jesus have them do next, where would they go next, what would they do, what were they going to learn. Then that knock sounded. Behind that door there was a gathering crowd of people who had brought their sick and possessed loved ones to Jesus. How big do you think the crowd was? Well ALL the city was gathered there! All the people of the city gathered at the door to that one house with all the hope of a miracle in them. Do you know anyone who is sick? Do you know anyone who you might suspect is possessed? Chronic illness is very, very common today and in younger and younger people, it'd be shocking if you didn't know of a single sick person, a single person suffering. I know of more than one personally and if I'd been there I'd have had them there waiting at that door praying for a miracle for them.
Jesus did not disappoint. He healed many that were sick of all sorts of diseases and He cast out many devils. It's important to note here that we are told that He suffered NOT the devils to speak- why? Because the devils knew Him. Of course they did! All the devils, all the evil spirits know who the Son of God is! They all know the sinless Son of God, they knew who He was from the moment He was born. God's protection kept them from attacking and killing Him, but they tried. Remember Herod asking the wisemen to come back and tell them where the Messiah was born? The wisemen didn't do that and an angry Herod had all the male babies two and under killed. Why'd he do that? It was at Satan's urging and it was because he had to try and destroy the Savior. Jesus at that point had been taken to Egypt at the urging of an angel to Joseph, and to safety. The Savior would be allowed to grow, to mature and then to begin His ministry. The devils all knew Him though. In His presence they couldn't survive and they knew that too.
So why didn't Jesus want the devils naming Him for who He was? Because He was creating a new covenant way and that new covenant would be established on faith in Him as the Savior, through a personal acceptance of Him after hearing His message. The healing, the freeing from possession was all part of opening the hearts, the minds, and the eyes of a people long blinded by untruths. To have devils speaking from the mouths of those they possessed would have meant people listening to the evil spirits as they cried out against their destruction- and honestly- people hearing these others speaking with the evil spirit voice declaring Jesus the Son of God would not have made those people believe in Jesus as the Son of God. They would not suddenly have an opened mind and heart saying to others- that's Jesus, the Son of God- an evil spirit said so. No, Jesus would not be declared the Son of God by evil spirits. The evil spirits wanted to fight for their existence, they wanted to bring the spiritual fight into the corporal world. The things they would say would not bring any edification to the people at all. It was enough that Jesus was destroying them, He didn't have to let them give voice to their existence- the recovered people were proof enough that they'd been possessed. We know evil spirits tell lies and there was no telling at all what sort of lies they might spew if they'd been allowed to speak.
Mar 1:32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.
Mar 1:33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.
Mar 1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
After all that healing Jesus went to sleep but He couldn't have slept long because before day light had come He was out of bed and out of the house. Jesus found a place where He could be completely alone and there He prayed.
Mar 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
We pray to Jesus don't we? We pray to God the Father but we also pray to Jesus and someone might contend that Jesus didn't need to pray. But HE DID, He needed to pray! And if the Son of God needed to pray how much more do WE need to pray? Seriously. Jesus received ALL His power from the Father. Jesus had to commune with God! Jesus was committing His life to God's will, wanting God's plan, the plan they'd made together before He'd taken on humanity, wanting their plan to be realized. Jesus was no longer in spirit form, Jesus no longer of His own self to anything. All things had to be done through the power given to Him by God the Father.
Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
Jesus alone, without God the Father could do NOTHING. This is the truth spoken of by Jesus Himself!
Yes, Jesus prayed and prayer is what? Prayer is talking to God, it's talking to the Father. Jesus even told us to pray…
Our Father which art in heaven.
How wondrous was the message our Savior was bringing to us! Jesus was revealing the Father to us in a way no other could do! It was the will of the Father that people be healed. It was the will of the Father that people be freed from unclean spirits, freed from devil possession. It was the will of the Father that people understand that the bondage they were captive to was a result of living in a sin-sick world and it wasn't a sin-sick world that God wanted! He wanted people to live free from sickness, free from possession! Revealing this to people was vital because sin had hardened the hearts of so many, the hearts needed to be cultivated, the hard ground broken so that the message of the Savior could have a chance to thrive.
Today we live in a world even more immersed in sin than ever before and it's the message that Jesus came and gave to us that we need to live and breath in order to allow Him to thrive within us. We have His message it is given to us as it was given to them and we need to live it, really live the message, really live the faith!
By His amazing, amazing grace!
In His love!
Amen.
Friday, March 4, 2011
That they might cast him down
Luk 4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
Being glorified of all. Amazing! He taught in their synagogues and everyone glorified Him. Jesus was honored by all. Again I must liken this to a famous person in our world today- any famous person known for their eloquence, known for their power of public speaking, known for having things to say that are enlightening. When a person of such renown is in our area and we have an opportunity to hear them speak we want to take that opportunity because we too want to hear what this person has to say, we want enlightenment. People may even have a special dinner party for this person- in his honor because they want to celebrate the person's ability to enlighten. We understand this in our day and age and because we can understand it we can understand it in light of Jesus being glorified by all, being honored by all. He was NEW, the things He was saying were NEW. He'd preach from the scriptures and bring enlightenment that hadn't existed before and this made Him worthy of being honored as someone special. Fame spread near and wide about this obviously NOT ordinary man, and just like today when famous people come to our towns to speak- not ALL believed because not all even wanted to listen.
Now Jesus comes to Nazareth- where He lived prior to beginning His ministry.
Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
As His custom Jesus went into the synagogue on the sabbath day and stood up to read.
The book given to Him to read from was the book of Isaiah the prophet.
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD
Luk 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
You can picture this can't you? Jesus closed the book of Isaiah and gave it to the minister- the one who had given it to Him and then Jesus sat down among the others there. However, ALL eyes were FASTENED on Jesus. Why? You know why. Because they knew, all of them there knew, that if the things they heard were true then they could expect something more to come from Jesus than a mere recitation of scripture. He would expound on what He read in some way that would bring enlightenment from the scriptures in a way they'd never experienced before. They wanted to hear what He was going to say, the expectation was there and ALL eyes were on Him and He wasn't going to disappoint. He didn't remain quiet- He spoke...
Luk 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Was it what they expected to hear? No. Or maybe it was. Maybe they weren't there hoping to be enlightened but rather they were there waiting to hear something that would enable them to refute the fact that one of their own, an ordinary man they'd known since childhood, could be anything important.
That scripture fulfilled? That prophecy fulfilled? How could it be?!
Luk 4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
ALL bare him witness.
All wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.
And they said…
Is NOT this Joseph's son?
This is a man we know, this is the son of Joseph how can he say such things?
Luk 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Jesus knew their thoughts, unvoiced as of yet. Jesus knew they wanted Him to prove Himself the miracle worker they'd heard he was elsewhere. The fame He brought with Him wasn't only for bringing enlightenment to scriptures but healing all manner of sickness, all manner of disease, casting out devils. They wanted Jesus to do more than just preach about what He could do- they wanted Him to do it, to prove Himself.
Jesus wasn't about to *prove* Himself. Jesus knew that the hearts of the men surrounding Him were not receptive to the truth He had to bring to them. He told them…
Luk 4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Luk 4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
Luk 4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
1Ki 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
Elijah was sent to ONE widow but there were MANY widows.
Luk 4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
2Ki 5:8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
2Ki 5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
Elisha was to heal ONE man of leprosy but there were MANY lepers.
These two very important prophets to the children of Israel did wondrous things but NOT to everyone. Jesus was a prophet and He too would do wondrous things but not to everyone. God was in control. God was guiding. Not a single healing would be done to prove God, not a one! Satan tempted Jesus to prove Himself and we all know how that went. God isn't mocked. Jesus knew the people in that synagogue who asked Him to read from the scriptures, the people who looked at Him expecting Him to confirm His fame they'd heard about, that they really didn't WANT Him to enlighten them. They wanted to PROVE Him.
Luk 4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
All those that had moments before seemed receptive to Jesus' teaching were FILLED with wrath? Why? Why were they so suddenly angry? What had Jesus done? He told them who He was, why He was there and then when they wanted Him to prove Himself He told them that a prophet isn't accepted in His own country. He claimed to be a prophet on the level of Elijah and Elisha. God sent them and God sent Him too. They couldn't allow themselves to believe this. What Jesus was saying was blaspheme to them. The Messiah would be the one that God would send to heal brokenhearts and to set captives free, not the son of Joseph. To them no matter what had been said they couldn't allow themselves to think of Jesus as anything other than the son of Joseph- certainly not a prophet of God. That He claimed to be a prophet, that He claimed to fulfill the part of a prophecy they held in reverence for a future Messiah was pure blasphemy to them and they weren't going to tolerate it, they'd take care of Him- they'd kill this imposter, this blasphemer. It was their duty to kill a law breaker and one claiming such things as Jesus was certainly was breaking their law. God could not approve of such a blasphemous person. He had to die!
Just picture this next scene. Gone was the tranquil Sabbath service in the synagogue- replaced by an angry, violent mob. They grabbed Jesus up bodily and threw him out of the city! They pushed Him along to the top of a hill where their city was built and they intended to throw Him over the cliff head first!
Luk 4:29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
How horrific! Gone was any and all peace in that throng of crazed men. Today, this very day we have thongs of crazed men and women protesting in various countries for a change in their governments- the sight of a violent mob is a reality. The violence of people isn't fiction, it exists and has existed for thousands of years. Blasphemy is a very real thing in some countries- not that it isn't real or shouldn't be real to us all- but right now, recently in Pakistan there is a law for blasphemy - read a bit of it - not all--
(The Islamic Republic of Pakistan uses its Penal Code to prohibit and punish blasphemy against Islam. The Criminal Code provides penalties for blasphemy ranging from a fine to death.
Several sections of Pakistan's Criminal Code comprise its blasphemy laws.[3] § 295 forbids damaging or defiling a place of worship or a sacred object. § 295-A forbids outraging religious feelings. § 295-B forbids defiling the Quran. § 295-C forbids defaming the prophet Muhammad. Except for § 295-C, the provisions of § 295 require that an offence be a consequence of the accused's intent. Defiling the Quran merits imprisonment for life. Defaming Muhammad merits death with or without a fine. (See below Sharia.) If a charge is laid under § 295-C, the trial must take place in a Court of Session with a Muslim judge presiding.[4]
§ 298 states:
Whoever, with the deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person, utters any word or makes any sound in the hearing of that person or makes any gesture in the sight of that person or places any object in the sight of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
Pasted from )
This is happening TODAY. Just recently a Christian minister in Pakistan was assassinated.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/02/pakistan.minister.shot/index.html?hpt=Sbin>
Obviously just by being a Christian He would offend the Muslims that hold to this law.
Yes, this is a real, existing way of life and if it exists today we know that this scripture revealing to us the way Jesus was taken up in an angry crowd of Israeli men who literally took Him from their synagogue were truly ready to kill Him and they thought they were doing the will of God. They thought themselves Godly men, men of the synagogue, men with the right to destroy life in the name of God. They believed they were doing a GOOD thing. We KNOW they weren't, we know they were trying to kill the Son of God!
As they were leading Jesus to that cliff intent on murdering Him, Jesus passed through them and went on His way. Jesus escaped them. God protected Jesus. God led Him out of that angry, blood-thirsty mob giving Him safe passage. No one chased Him, no one noticed He'd gone for at least as long as it took for Him to pass through the crowd and walk out of their sight on His way to Capernaum.
Luk 4:30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,
Luk 4:31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
Bringing the new covenant, bringing Himself, bringing enlightenment to all didn't mean all would accept what He had to give Him and that holds true today as well.
It's hard to believe but the majority of people in the world do NOT believe in Jesus, truly believe in Him. Many say they do, but He's going to tell them He never knew them. We have to really, really imagine this… seriously! We have to make this REAL to us. The majority of Christians do NOT believe in the Savior, truly believe with a living, real faith. They will say they believe- but we know they don't, and they're deceived into believing they do.
While we sit here and read this, saying to ourselves 'How could they do that?! How could they try to throw Jesus off a cliff?! How could they reject Him?!' We have to be so very, very careful that we are not among those Jesus will one day tell to get away from Him because we have rejected the enlightenment He has to give us, we've rejected Him.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we NEVER be among those that don't really know Him! Please God Help us to know our Savior and to be known of Him!
All glory and honor to our God, our King, our Savior!!!!
All praise to Jesus!
Amen.
Being glorified of all. Amazing! He taught in their synagogues and everyone glorified Him. Jesus was honored by all. Again I must liken this to a famous person in our world today- any famous person known for their eloquence, known for their power of public speaking, known for having things to say that are enlightening. When a person of such renown is in our area and we have an opportunity to hear them speak we want to take that opportunity because we too want to hear what this person has to say, we want enlightenment. People may even have a special dinner party for this person- in his honor because they want to celebrate the person's ability to enlighten. We understand this in our day and age and because we can understand it we can understand it in light of Jesus being glorified by all, being honored by all. He was NEW, the things He was saying were NEW. He'd preach from the scriptures and bring enlightenment that hadn't existed before and this made Him worthy of being honored as someone special. Fame spread near and wide about this obviously NOT ordinary man, and just like today when famous people come to our towns to speak- not ALL believed because not all even wanted to listen.
Now Jesus comes to Nazareth- where He lived prior to beginning His ministry.
Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
As His custom Jesus went into the synagogue on the sabbath day and stood up to read.
The book given to Him to read from was the book of Isaiah the prophet.
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD
Luk 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
You can picture this can't you? Jesus closed the book of Isaiah and gave it to the minister- the one who had given it to Him and then Jesus sat down among the others there. However, ALL eyes were FASTENED on Jesus. Why? You know why. Because they knew, all of them there knew, that if the things they heard were true then they could expect something more to come from Jesus than a mere recitation of scripture. He would expound on what He read in some way that would bring enlightenment from the scriptures in a way they'd never experienced before. They wanted to hear what He was going to say, the expectation was there and ALL eyes were on Him and He wasn't going to disappoint. He didn't remain quiet- He spoke...
Luk 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Was it what they expected to hear? No. Or maybe it was. Maybe they weren't there hoping to be enlightened but rather they were there waiting to hear something that would enable them to refute the fact that one of their own, an ordinary man they'd known since childhood, could be anything important.
That scripture fulfilled? That prophecy fulfilled? How could it be?!
Luk 4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
ALL bare him witness.
All wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.
And they said…
Is NOT this Joseph's son?
This is a man we know, this is the son of Joseph how can he say such things?
Luk 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Jesus knew their thoughts, unvoiced as of yet. Jesus knew they wanted Him to prove Himself the miracle worker they'd heard he was elsewhere. The fame He brought with Him wasn't only for bringing enlightenment to scriptures but healing all manner of sickness, all manner of disease, casting out devils. They wanted Jesus to do more than just preach about what He could do- they wanted Him to do it, to prove Himself.
Jesus wasn't about to *prove* Himself. Jesus knew that the hearts of the men surrounding Him were not receptive to the truth He had to bring to them. He told them…
Luk 4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Luk 4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
Luk 4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
1Ki 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
Elijah was sent to ONE widow but there were MANY widows.
Luk 4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
2Ki 5:8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
2Ki 5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
Elisha was to heal ONE man of leprosy but there were MANY lepers.
These two very important prophets to the children of Israel did wondrous things but NOT to everyone. Jesus was a prophet and He too would do wondrous things but not to everyone. God was in control. God was guiding. Not a single healing would be done to prove God, not a one! Satan tempted Jesus to prove Himself and we all know how that went. God isn't mocked. Jesus knew the people in that synagogue who asked Him to read from the scriptures, the people who looked at Him expecting Him to confirm His fame they'd heard about, that they really didn't WANT Him to enlighten them. They wanted to PROVE Him.
Luk 4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
All those that had moments before seemed receptive to Jesus' teaching were FILLED with wrath? Why? Why were they so suddenly angry? What had Jesus done? He told them who He was, why He was there and then when they wanted Him to prove Himself He told them that a prophet isn't accepted in His own country. He claimed to be a prophet on the level of Elijah and Elisha. God sent them and God sent Him too. They couldn't allow themselves to believe this. What Jesus was saying was blaspheme to them. The Messiah would be the one that God would send to heal brokenhearts and to set captives free, not the son of Joseph. To them no matter what had been said they couldn't allow themselves to think of Jesus as anything other than the son of Joseph- certainly not a prophet of God. That He claimed to be a prophet, that He claimed to fulfill the part of a prophecy they held in reverence for a future Messiah was pure blasphemy to them and they weren't going to tolerate it, they'd take care of Him- they'd kill this imposter, this blasphemer. It was their duty to kill a law breaker and one claiming such things as Jesus was certainly was breaking their law. God could not approve of such a blasphemous person. He had to die!
Just picture this next scene. Gone was the tranquil Sabbath service in the synagogue- replaced by an angry, violent mob. They grabbed Jesus up bodily and threw him out of the city! They pushed Him along to the top of a hill where their city was built and they intended to throw Him over the cliff head first!
Luk 4:29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
How horrific! Gone was any and all peace in that throng of crazed men. Today, this very day we have thongs of crazed men and women protesting in various countries for a change in their governments- the sight of a violent mob is a reality. The violence of people isn't fiction, it exists and has existed for thousands of years. Blasphemy is a very real thing in some countries- not that it isn't real or shouldn't be real to us all- but right now, recently in Pakistan there is a law for blasphemy - read a bit of it - not all--
(The Islamic Republic of Pakistan uses its Penal Code to prohibit and punish blasphemy against Islam. The Criminal Code provides penalties for blasphemy ranging from a fine to death.
Several sections of Pakistan's Criminal Code comprise its blasphemy laws.[3] § 295 forbids damaging or defiling a place of worship or a sacred object. § 295-A forbids outraging religious feelings. § 295-B forbids defiling the Quran. § 295-C forbids defaming the prophet Muhammad. Except for § 295-C, the provisions of § 295 require that an offence be a consequence of the accused's intent. Defiling the Quran merits imprisonment for life. Defaming Muhammad merits death with or without a fine. (See below Sharia.) If a charge is laid under § 295-C, the trial must take place in a Court of Session with a Muslim judge presiding.[4]
§ 298 states:
Whoever, with the deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person, utters any word or makes any sound in the hearing of that person or makes any gesture in the sight of that person or places any object in the sight of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
Pasted from
This is happening TODAY. Just recently a Christian minister in Pakistan was assassinated.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/02/pakistan.minister.shot/index.html?hpt=Sbin>
Obviously just by being a Christian He would offend the Muslims that hold to this law.
Yes, this is a real, existing way of life and if it exists today we know that this scripture revealing to us the way Jesus was taken up in an angry crowd of Israeli men who literally took Him from their synagogue were truly ready to kill Him and they thought they were doing the will of God. They thought themselves Godly men, men of the synagogue, men with the right to destroy life in the name of God. They believed they were doing a GOOD thing. We KNOW they weren't, we know they were trying to kill the Son of God!
As they were leading Jesus to that cliff intent on murdering Him, Jesus passed through them and went on His way. Jesus escaped them. God protected Jesus. God led Him out of that angry, blood-thirsty mob giving Him safe passage. No one chased Him, no one noticed He'd gone for at least as long as it took for Him to pass through the crowd and walk out of their sight on His way to Capernaum.
Luk 4:30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,
Luk 4:31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
Bringing the new covenant, bringing Himself, bringing enlightenment to all didn't mean all would accept what He had to give Him and that holds true today as well.
It's hard to believe but the majority of people in the world do NOT believe in Jesus, truly believe in Him. Many say they do, but He's going to tell them He never knew them. We have to really, really imagine this… seriously! We have to make this REAL to us. The majority of Christians do NOT believe in the Savior, truly believe with a living, real faith. They will say they believe- but we know they don't, and they're deceived into believing they do.
While we sit here and read this, saying to ourselves 'How could they do that?! How could they try to throw Jesus off a cliff?! How could they reject Him?!' We have to be so very, very careful that we are not among those Jesus will one day tell to get away from Him because we have rejected the enlightenment He has to give us, we've rejected Him.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we NEVER be among those that don't really know Him! Please God Help us to know our Savior and to be known of Him!
All glory and honor to our God, our King, our Savior!!!!
All praise to Jesus!
Amen.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
What new doctrine is this?
Mar 1:21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
Mar 1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Mar 1:23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
Mar 1:24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
Mar 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
Mar 1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Mar 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
Mar 1:28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.
There in church, yes, I'm saying church because that's what we grew up knowing it as, right? Do you go to church, have you been to church lately… we know what it means to go to church so saying this event happened in the middle of church isn't farfetched.
There in church where Jesus was teaching with unique authority not as those the people were used to listening to, was a man and this man had an unclean spirit.
An unclean spirit.
Sitting there in church- was an unclean spirit inside a man. This unclean spirit filled man sat there let's just say week after week, who knows maybe even year after year, listening to the scribes. Then in comes Jesus and after teaching this unclean spirit cannot stand to be in the presence of God's Son.
Jesus didn't single this man out and command the unclean spirit to come out. The unclean spirit couldn't help but cry out. The man opened his mouth and being controlled by the unclean spirit these words came out…
'Let us alone, what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.'
Let US alone.
US. The plural there could mean the unclean spirit was talking about the man and itself, or maybe there was more than one unclean spirit in the man, however it was we do know that this unclean spirit was controlling the man and the evil it was ruled the man's thoughts but NOT enough to make himself noticed to others. He came into the synagogue, he was there as the scribes and all others spoke including Jesus and then He spoke up.
When we catch this picture we have to understand how momentous this was. Ordinary human beings don't rise the ire of unclean spirits. Ordinary human beings are ripe for the picking for them. Jesus wasn't an ordinary human being and the unclean spirit knew this. Unable to keep quiet that unclean spirit had to cry out.
The unclean has NOTHING to do with the clean, and wanted nothing to do with the clean and Jesus was CLEAN. The unclean KNEW that here was someone who could DESTROY them. The unclean spirit KNEW exactly who was near them- THE HOLY ONE of GOD.
The unclean spirit announced who it was there in their presence. And what was Jesus' immediate reaction?
Mar 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
Be quiet!
Shut up!
Stop speaking!
No, Jesus didn't say shut up, but he did say, hold thy peace and that means stop talking. He told that unclean spirit to be quiet and say no more. Was it in part because He wasn't ready for such a forceful exclamation of His holiness? We do know that later on He tells His mother it wasn't time for Him to be doing the things she was asking of him yet. There was a time for all things to be revealed and it is quite possible that He wanted the unclean spirit to be quiet because there were those there in that synagogue not yet ready to hear just yet. And if it were the right time, Jesus wanting this evil spirit to be quiet revealed His authority to command the evil spirits. He didn't have to listen to the evil spirit speak, the evil spirit had NO power where Jesus is concerned, no power at all whatsoever. The people there in the synagogue witnessed Jesus telling the unclean spirit inside this man- a man they all probably knew for awhile- to hold its peace and COME OUT of that man. Come out, release that man, get out of that man, free that man, no longer remain inside him. Jesus did not want that unclean spirit around, He wanted Him destroyed. Just as the unclean spirit knew and the unclean spirit wanted to be left alone but Jesus wasn't about to listen to any unclean spirit. Jesus had been given the power to do miracles and He was doing them. It was and is a miracle to release a captive by freeing them from an unclean spirit.
Mar 1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Mar 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
Mar 1:28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.
The unclean spirit TORE the man, the unclean spirit had powers of its own. We're not sure just how much or what sort of power unclean spirits have but this unclean spirit tore at the man. The unclean spirit had a physical way of affecting the man. Obviously the unclean spirit didn't make it a habit to tear at this particular man or he more than likely would NOT have been there in the synagogue. But, faced with destruction this unclean spirit wasn't about to be destroyed without a fight, a fight it knew it couldn't win. Going out with a bang, this unclean spirit wasn't going to leave quietly. Tearing at the man the unclean spirit cried out with a LOUD voice- and it had no choice but to LEAVE that man he was possessing. Just imagine it, we have to do that, we are given these words so that we can imagine the situations and make them real to us, so that we can relate and understand to the fullest possibly level that we can with the Holy Spirit's guidance to enlighten us.
When we imagine this we have to picture the man left there, probably thrown to the ground and then released from the evil controlling him- freed from spiritual bondage. A miracle. Is it any wonder they were ALL amazed? Is it any wonder they questioned among themselves? It's totally understandable that they were saying- What thing is this? - What's going on?! What new doctrine is this! What authority commands Jesus! Even unclean spirits obey Him! What the heck is going on?! I mean come on NOTHING like this had ever happened before, not ever!
Did you read that? 'WHAT NEW DOCTRINE IS THIS'
The new covenant was being introduced- Jesus, salvation in Jesus! PRAISE GOD!
They knew it was new and it happened right there in their synagogue, right there in front of them, an unclean spirit had been removed from a man- a man just like they were, by a man they thought was just another man like them.
All of this set the tongues a wagging and they had to wag, they had to because this was something totally unheard of and it was REAL, it was happening, and no one knew what it all meant.
A new covenant and it was being brought to the people as it needed to be brought, introduced as it had been prophesized. The Messiah was there and setting up the kingdom, but in HIS way, not man's way.
By the grace of God we'll come to a full understanding of all we need to understand. May the Holy Spirit guide us in all ways. May salvation found ONLY in our Savior by ours by His mercy! May we fully live under His new covenant, understanding the kingdom, repenting of our ways, and living in Christ!
By His LOVE!
Amen.
Mar 1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Mar 1:23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
Mar 1:24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
Mar 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
Mar 1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Mar 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
Mar 1:28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.
There in church, yes, I'm saying church because that's what we grew up knowing it as, right? Do you go to church, have you been to church lately… we know what it means to go to church so saying this event happened in the middle of church isn't farfetched.
There in church where Jesus was teaching with unique authority not as those the people were used to listening to, was a man and this man had an unclean spirit.
An unclean spirit.
Sitting there in church- was an unclean spirit inside a man. This unclean spirit filled man sat there let's just say week after week, who knows maybe even year after year, listening to the scribes. Then in comes Jesus and after teaching this unclean spirit cannot stand to be in the presence of God's Son.
Jesus didn't single this man out and command the unclean spirit to come out. The unclean spirit couldn't help but cry out. The man opened his mouth and being controlled by the unclean spirit these words came out…
'Let us alone, what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.'
Let US alone.
US. The plural there could mean the unclean spirit was talking about the man and itself, or maybe there was more than one unclean spirit in the man, however it was we do know that this unclean spirit was controlling the man and the evil it was ruled the man's thoughts but NOT enough to make himself noticed to others. He came into the synagogue, he was there as the scribes and all others spoke including Jesus and then He spoke up.
When we catch this picture we have to understand how momentous this was. Ordinary human beings don't rise the ire of unclean spirits. Ordinary human beings are ripe for the picking for them. Jesus wasn't an ordinary human being and the unclean spirit knew this. Unable to keep quiet that unclean spirit had to cry out.
The unclean has NOTHING to do with the clean, and wanted nothing to do with the clean and Jesus was CLEAN. The unclean KNEW that here was someone who could DESTROY them. The unclean spirit KNEW exactly who was near them- THE HOLY ONE of GOD.
The unclean spirit announced who it was there in their presence. And what was Jesus' immediate reaction?
Mar 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
Be quiet!
Shut up!
Stop speaking!
No, Jesus didn't say shut up, but he did say, hold thy peace and that means stop talking. He told that unclean spirit to be quiet and say no more. Was it in part because He wasn't ready for such a forceful exclamation of His holiness? We do know that later on He tells His mother it wasn't time for Him to be doing the things she was asking of him yet. There was a time for all things to be revealed and it is quite possible that He wanted the unclean spirit to be quiet because there were those there in that synagogue not yet ready to hear just yet. And if it were the right time, Jesus wanting this evil spirit to be quiet revealed His authority to command the evil spirits. He didn't have to listen to the evil spirit speak, the evil spirit had NO power where Jesus is concerned, no power at all whatsoever. The people there in the synagogue witnessed Jesus telling the unclean spirit inside this man- a man they all probably knew for awhile- to hold its peace and COME OUT of that man. Come out, release that man, get out of that man, free that man, no longer remain inside him. Jesus did not want that unclean spirit around, He wanted Him destroyed. Just as the unclean spirit knew and the unclean spirit wanted to be left alone but Jesus wasn't about to listen to any unclean spirit. Jesus had been given the power to do miracles and He was doing them. It was and is a miracle to release a captive by freeing them from an unclean spirit.
Mar 1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Mar 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
Mar 1:28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.
The unclean spirit TORE the man, the unclean spirit had powers of its own. We're not sure just how much or what sort of power unclean spirits have but this unclean spirit tore at the man. The unclean spirit had a physical way of affecting the man. Obviously the unclean spirit didn't make it a habit to tear at this particular man or he more than likely would NOT have been there in the synagogue. But, faced with destruction this unclean spirit wasn't about to be destroyed without a fight, a fight it knew it couldn't win. Going out with a bang, this unclean spirit wasn't going to leave quietly. Tearing at the man the unclean spirit cried out with a LOUD voice- and it had no choice but to LEAVE that man he was possessing. Just imagine it, we have to do that, we are given these words so that we can imagine the situations and make them real to us, so that we can relate and understand to the fullest possibly level that we can with the Holy Spirit's guidance to enlighten us.
When we imagine this we have to picture the man left there, probably thrown to the ground and then released from the evil controlling him- freed from spiritual bondage. A miracle. Is it any wonder they were ALL amazed? Is it any wonder they questioned among themselves? It's totally understandable that they were saying- What thing is this? - What's going on?! What new doctrine is this! What authority commands Jesus! Even unclean spirits obey Him! What the heck is going on?! I mean come on NOTHING like this had ever happened before, not ever!
Did you read that? 'WHAT NEW DOCTRINE IS THIS'
The new covenant was being introduced- Jesus, salvation in Jesus! PRAISE GOD!
They knew it was new and it happened right there in their synagogue, right there in front of them, an unclean spirit had been removed from a man- a man just like they were, by a man they thought was just another man like them.
All of this set the tongues a wagging and they had to wag, they had to because this was something totally unheard of and it was REAL, it was happening, and no one knew what it all meant.
A new covenant and it was being brought to the people as it needed to be brought, introduced as it had been prophesized. The Messiah was there and setting up the kingdom, but in HIS way, not man's way.
By the grace of God we'll come to a full understanding of all we need to understand. May the Holy Spirit guide us in all ways. May salvation found ONLY in our Savior by ours by His mercy! May we fully live under His new covenant, understanding the kingdom, repenting of our ways, and living in Christ!
By His LOVE!
Amen.
Come and see!
Joh 1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
Joh 1:44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
Joh 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
Joh 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
In the gospel of John as Jesus began His ministry- bringing the new covenant direction to people- we read of this happenstance as He gathered His disciples.
Let's go on another imaginary journey for a moment. Have you ever had a moment, maybe more so as a child or young adult, but have you ever had one of those times when you've run to someone and said- "You've got to see this!" That sense of urgency when you want someone to share something with you, something exciting. I just imagine Philip having that *WOW* excitement as he went to Nathanael.
"We found Him! We found the one who Moses in the law and prophets wrote about! It's Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph!"
Just picture the moment there, the thrill of realizing prophecy coming to life and wanting to share it with others. Of course just like reality is and not fiction, not all are just as thrilled as we want them to be when we're excited about something. Sometimes they put a damper on things don't they? And Nathanael quickly put a damper on Phillip's enthusiasm.
"Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?"
A bit of history on Nazareth-
Nazareth in Ancient Times
The city of Nazareth was a small and insignificant agricultural village in the time of Jesus. It had no trade routes, was of little economic importance and was never mentioned in the Old Testament or other ancient texts. Archaeological excavations indicate Nazareth was settled continuously from 900 – 600 BCE, with a break in settlement until 200 BCE, from which time it has been continuously inhabited.
Pasted from
*
Small and insignificant. Nothing important, nothing exceptional, it'd be like us saying some amazing new superstar, hero, movie, singer, or politician coming from this itty bitty no where town population 500. It'd be remarked on and has been in the past- giving the history of a celebrity. And the reaction of some people that knew of this tiny town might just be- really, something good coming out of that place?
Can any good thing come out of Nazareth, it's almost as if Nathanael is scoffing at Phillip's exciting news and he really is, he's skeptical and being skeptical isn't always a bad thing it can bring necessary caution with it.
How does Phillip respond? He says- "Come and see!" He's not surprised by Nathanael's reaction, he doesn’t try to refute what he's saying. I can picture Him still grinning, still thrilled with His news as he tells Nathanael to come and see Jesus.
Joh 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
Joh 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
Joh 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
Nathanael didn't jump up and run to Jesus did he? I can picture him standing up and shrugging his shoulders saying, okay, okay, I'll come see. He most likely was walking as Jesus saw him coming to Him. Do you picture Jesus smiling? I do. Smiling and saying… "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!"
An Israelite indeed- as if- we'd say about someone… "An American indeed!" What would we mean by saying that? We'd think of all the GOOD things about American's and feel perhaps a kinship to that person. Of course some might have the opposite reaction- those who do not like Americans but that's not this case. Jesus was saying 'An Israelite indeed' as a good thing. And adding- in whom is no guile because a TRUE good Israelite has no guile- right? Just as if we would say, an American indeed whom isn't deceitful. This would be a GOOD person, a really good person, a good American.
This compliment is really amazing because Jesus knows all of us unlike any other can and He knew inside of Nathanael's heart, His deepest thoughts.
How did Nathanael respond? Not with gratitude, or a thank you, but with more skepticism.
"How do you know me?" He wanted to know how Jesus could make such a statement about him when he didn't even know Him, and if he didn't know Jesus, Jesus couldn't know him, right?
Jesus answered, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
Now we need to think about this for a moment because it's very possible Jesus saw Him in passing, right? Saw Nathanael before Philip went to find him. But this revelation of Jesus' surprises Nathanael into losing ALL skepticism instantly. So Nathanael was under a fig tree- perhaps in a hidden garden, somewhere no one could have seen Him? I don't know, I'm just speculating here, but if Nathanael was out in the open where anyone could have seen Him this wouldn't have been amazing. Philip went to Nathanael, but before Philip went to him, Nathanael was somewhere else and in that secluded spot where no one could have possibly known He was- Jesus knew. Jesus knew where Nathanael was at in that special place spending time under that fig tree. Jesus KNEW Nathanael as no other ever could, as He knows EACH and every one of us. He knows when were under our individual 'fig trees' so to speak. We cannot hide anyway from Jesus, we shouldn't want to hide. We should have 'no guile' in us just at Nathanael had no guile in Him and that was a very good thing.
Joh 1:50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
Joh 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
I can still picture Jesus smiling, answering, "Because I told you I saw you under a tree, you believe?"
It would be amazing if someone told me they saw me in a spot I believed I was alone in and no one knew I was there. I'd be shocked senseless. I'd want to know HOW they knew I was there. Knowing it was impossible, that no one could possibly know especially a stranger, I'd believe it was a miracle and if they performed this miracle of knowledge then I'd be very, very impressed and I'd be inclined to believe they were performing a true miracle of God. Nathanael believed it was a miracle and it helped that Philip had told Him to come see that they'd found 'him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. '
Jesus went on to say- 'Thou shalt see greater things than these.'
If you think that was good just wait! That was nothing, but you're going to see something that is really spectacular.
'Truthfully I'm telling you that you're going to see heaven open. You're going to see angels of God going up and down on the Son of man.'
Amazing! Truly amazing! We have no idea how wondrous this is. Jesus had *powers* powers to see things He should have no way of seeing. Powers to predict the truth in the future. Jesus wasn't bragging at all not in any way whatsoever. There was no arrogance in His statement. Jesus wanted Nathanael to know that he was in the presence of the , Moses in the law and prophets wrote of, he was in the presence of the Messiah, the Son of man. Only angels of God would interact with the Son of God in this way. It was wondrous news, a wondrous revelation. This telling of how one of the 12 disciples came to follow the Savior. This was given for our learning, our hearing, our heart's knowledge.
We are known, wherever we are we are known by our Savior.
Our Savior knows us and our Savior wants us to know, and wants us to know that He knows us and loves us. Our Savior was empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the Father's will. Enlightenment came to Jesus to do supernatural acts through the same Holy Spirit that was promised to us. God's will has to be our desire before anything else, just as it was for our Savior. We can only fall at the feet of our Savior and beg His mercy, His compassion, His grace and ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance in our lives in anyway the Savior sees fit for the Holy Spirit to guide us an empower us to love Him in all ways.
By His amazing grace!
Amen.
Joh 1:44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
Joh 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
Joh 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
In the gospel of John as Jesus began His ministry- bringing the new covenant direction to people- we read of this happenstance as He gathered His disciples.
Let's go on another imaginary journey for a moment. Have you ever had a moment, maybe more so as a child or young adult, but have you ever had one of those times when you've run to someone and said- "You've got to see this!" That sense of urgency when you want someone to share something with you, something exciting. I just imagine Philip having that *WOW* excitement as he went to Nathanael.
"We found Him! We found the one who Moses in the law and prophets wrote about! It's Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph!"
Just picture the moment there, the thrill of realizing prophecy coming to life and wanting to share it with others. Of course just like reality is and not fiction, not all are just as thrilled as we want them to be when we're excited about something. Sometimes they put a damper on things don't they? And Nathanael quickly put a damper on Phillip's enthusiasm.
"Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?"
A bit of history on Nazareth-
Nazareth in Ancient Times
The city of Nazareth was a small and insignificant agricultural village in the time of Jesus. It had no trade routes, was of little economic importance and was never mentioned in the Old Testament or other ancient texts. Archaeological excavations indicate Nazareth was settled continuously from 900 – 600 BCE, with a break in settlement until 200 BCE, from which time it has been continuously inhabited.
Pasted from
*
Small and insignificant. Nothing important, nothing exceptional, it'd be like us saying some amazing new superstar, hero, movie, singer, or politician coming from this itty bitty no where town population 500. It'd be remarked on and has been in the past- giving the history of a celebrity. And the reaction of some people that knew of this tiny town might just be- really, something good coming out of that place?
Can any good thing come out of Nazareth, it's almost as if Nathanael is scoffing at Phillip's exciting news and he really is, he's skeptical and being skeptical isn't always a bad thing it can bring necessary caution with it.
How does Phillip respond? He says- "Come and see!" He's not surprised by Nathanael's reaction, he doesn’t try to refute what he's saying. I can picture Him still grinning, still thrilled with His news as he tells Nathanael to come and see Jesus.
Joh 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
Joh 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
Joh 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
Nathanael didn't jump up and run to Jesus did he? I can picture him standing up and shrugging his shoulders saying, okay, okay, I'll come see. He most likely was walking as Jesus saw him coming to Him. Do you picture Jesus smiling? I do. Smiling and saying… "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!"
An Israelite indeed- as if- we'd say about someone… "An American indeed!" What would we mean by saying that? We'd think of all the GOOD things about American's and feel perhaps a kinship to that person. Of course some might have the opposite reaction- those who do not like Americans but that's not this case. Jesus was saying 'An Israelite indeed' as a good thing. And adding- in whom is no guile because a TRUE good Israelite has no guile- right? Just as if we would say, an American indeed whom isn't deceitful. This would be a GOOD person, a really good person, a good American.
This compliment is really amazing because Jesus knows all of us unlike any other can and He knew inside of Nathanael's heart, His deepest thoughts.
How did Nathanael respond? Not with gratitude, or a thank you, but with more skepticism.
"How do you know me?" He wanted to know how Jesus could make such a statement about him when he didn't even know Him, and if he didn't know Jesus, Jesus couldn't know him, right?
Jesus answered, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
Now we need to think about this for a moment because it's very possible Jesus saw Him in passing, right? Saw Nathanael before Philip went to find him. But this revelation of Jesus' surprises Nathanael into losing ALL skepticism instantly. So Nathanael was under a fig tree- perhaps in a hidden garden, somewhere no one could have seen Him? I don't know, I'm just speculating here, but if Nathanael was out in the open where anyone could have seen Him this wouldn't have been amazing. Philip went to Nathanael, but before Philip went to him, Nathanael was somewhere else and in that secluded spot where no one could have possibly known He was- Jesus knew. Jesus knew where Nathanael was at in that special place spending time under that fig tree. Jesus KNEW Nathanael as no other ever could, as He knows EACH and every one of us. He knows when were under our individual 'fig trees' so to speak. We cannot hide anyway from Jesus, we shouldn't want to hide. We should have 'no guile' in us just at Nathanael had no guile in Him and that was a very good thing.
Joh 1:50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
Joh 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
I can still picture Jesus smiling, answering, "Because I told you I saw you under a tree, you believe?"
It would be amazing if someone told me they saw me in a spot I believed I was alone in and no one knew I was there. I'd be shocked senseless. I'd want to know HOW they knew I was there. Knowing it was impossible, that no one could possibly know especially a stranger, I'd believe it was a miracle and if they performed this miracle of knowledge then I'd be very, very impressed and I'd be inclined to believe they were performing a true miracle of God. Nathanael believed it was a miracle and it helped that Philip had told Him to come see that they'd found 'him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. '
Jesus went on to say- 'Thou shalt see greater things than these.'
If you think that was good just wait! That was nothing, but you're going to see something that is really spectacular.
'Truthfully I'm telling you that you're going to see heaven open. You're going to see angels of God going up and down on the Son of man.'
Amazing! Truly amazing! We have no idea how wondrous this is. Jesus had *powers* powers to see things He should have no way of seeing. Powers to predict the truth in the future. Jesus wasn't bragging at all not in any way whatsoever. There was no arrogance in His statement. Jesus wanted Nathanael to know that he was in the presence of the , Moses in the law and prophets wrote of, he was in the presence of the Messiah, the Son of man. Only angels of God would interact with the Son of God in this way. It was wondrous news, a wondrous revelation. This telling of how one of the 12 disciples came to follow the Savior. This was given for our learning, our hearing, our heart's knowledge.
We are known, wherever we are we are known by our Savior.
Our Savior knows us and our Savior wants us to know, and wants us to know that He knows us and loves us. Our Savior was empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the Father's will. Enlightenment came to Jesus to do supernatural acts through the same Holy Spirit that was promised to us. God's will has to be our desire before anything else, just as it was for our Savior. We can only fall at the feet of our Savior and beg His mercy, His compassion, His grace and ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance in our lives in anyway the Savior sees fit for the Holy Spirit to guide us an empower us to love Him in all ways.
By His amazing grace!
Amen.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Not as the scribes
Mar 1:21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
Mar 1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Jesus taught them as ONE that had authority and NOT as the scribes.
Just HOW did the scribes teach? It's important that we learn more about the scribes of Jesus' time before we can truly understand this verse.
*******
Scribes
The word “scribe” is the English translation of the Greek word “Grammateis”, which means “student of the scriptures.”
Scribes were men whose primary occupation was writing out copies of the Jewish Scriptures and teaching the people what the law said.
Because they copied the Old Testament books, they were familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures and were respected in society for their literacy and knowledge.
The scribes provided teaching that was the religious and moral backbone for the Jewish people during the time of Jesus. Because of their role, there were often addressed as, “Teacher.”
They were trusted as professional interpreters and as ones who could judge individual cases as they related to Jewish law.
Scribes were, therefore, also trusted as lawyers within Jewish society.
As the scribes were the most learned individuals on the fine details of following Jewish law, their duties also consisted of deciding on specific questions of the law in individual cases.
Scribes had no authority in themselves, but rather they continually deferred to the authority of other scribes and traditions to support their positions.
The scribes were some of Jesus’ most adamant opponents. In their minds, the Messiah who the Old Testament Scriptures spoke about did not seem to match up with who Jesus was.
Pasted from
SCRIBE- Thayer's Greek Definitions
G1122
γραμματεύς
grammateus
Thayer Definition:
1) a clerk, scribe, especially a public servant, secretary, recorder, whose office and influence differed in different states
2) in the Bible, a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an interpreter, teacher.
Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law; added to the Mosaic law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion.
Since the advice of men skilled in the law was needed in the examination in the causes and the solution of the difficult questions, they were enrolled in the Sanhedrin; and are mentioned in connection with the priests and elders of the people. See a Bible Dictionary for more information on the scribes.
3) a religious teacher: so instructed that from his learning and ability to teach advantage may redound to the kingdom of heaven
They devoted themselves to the careful study of the text, and laid down rules for transcribing it with the most scrupulous precision. As time passed on the "words of the scribes" were honored above the law. It was a greater crime to offend against them than against the law. The first step was taken toward annulling the commandments of God for the sake of their own traditions. ( Mark 7:13 )
Mar 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye
The casuistry became at once subtle and prurient, evading the plainest duties, tampering with conscience. ( Matthew 15:1-6 ; 23:16-23 )
Mat 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
Mat 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Mat 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
Mat 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Mat 23:16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
Mat 23:17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
Mat 23:18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Mat 23:19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
Mat 23:20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
Mat 23:21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
Mat 23:22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
We can therefore understand why they were constantly denounced by our Lord along with the Pharisees. While the scribes repeated the traditions of the elders, he "spake as one having authority," "not as the scribes." ( Matthew 7:29 )
While they confined their teachings to the class of scholars, he "had compassion on the multitudes." ( Matthew 9:36 )
While they were to be found only in the council or in their schools, he journeyed through the cities and villages. ( Matthew 4:23 ; 9:35 ) etc.
While they spoke of the kingdom of God vaguely, as a thing far off, he proclaimed that it had already come nigh to men. ( Matthew 4:17 )
In our Lords time there were two chief parties:
1. the disciples of Shammai, conspicuous for their fierceness, appealing to popular passions, using the sword to decide their controversies. Out of this party grew the Zealots.
2. The disciples of Hillel, born B.C. 112, and who may have been one of the doctors before whom the boy Jesus came in the temple, for he lived to be 120 years old. Hillel was a "liberal conservative, of genial character and broad range of thought, with some approximations to a higher teaching."
In most of the points at issue between the two parties, Jesus must have appeared in direct antagonism to the school of Shammai, in sympathy with that of Hillel.
So far, on the other hand, as the temper of the Hillel school was one of mere adaptation to the feeling of the people, cleaving to tradition, wanting in the intuition of a higher life, the teaching of Christ must have been felt as unsparingly condemning it.
III. Education and life. --The special training for a scribes office began, probably, about the age of thirteen. The boy who was destined by his parents to the calling of a scribe went to Jerusalem and applied for admission in the school of some famous rabbi.
After a sufficient period of training, probably at the age of thirty the probationer was solemnly admitted to his office. After his admission there was a choice of a variety of functions, the chances of failure and success. He might give himself to any one of the branches of study, or combine two or more of them. He might rise to high places, become a doctor of the law, an arbitrator in family litigations, ( Luke 12:14 ) the head of a school, a member of the Sanhedrin.
He might have to content himself with the humbler work of a transcriber, copying the law and the prophets for the use of synagogues, or a notary, writing out contracts of sale, covenants of espousals, bills of repudiation.
The position of the more fortunate was of course attractive enough. In our Lords time the passion for distinction was insatiable. The ascending scale of rab, rabbi, rabban, presented so many steps on the ladder of ambition. Other forms of worldliness were not far off. The salutations in the market-place, ( Matthew 23:7 ) the reverential kiss offered by the scholars to their master or by rabbis to each other the greeting of Abba, father ( Matthew 23:9 ) the long robes with the broad blue fringe, ( Matthew 23:5 ) --all these go to make up the picture of a scribes life.
Drawing to themselves, as they did, nearly all the energy and thought of Judaism, the close hereditary caste of the priesthood was powerless to compete with them.
Unless the Priest became a scribe also, he remained in obscurity.
The order, as such, became contemptible and base. For the scribes there were the best places at feasts, the chief seats in synagogues. ( Matthew 23:6 ; Luke 14:7 )
Pasted from
*******
These articles from the web (dictionaries, etc.) are very insightful. Let's read the verses from the top again.
Mar 1:21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
Mar 1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
There was a VAST difference between the way Jesus taught and the way the teachers of the day - the scribes - taught people.
I imagine it to be like the preachers, priests, ministers, etc, today that talk DOWN to people, they talk with an air of superiority, they aren't really teaching so much as revealing the fact that they are knowledgeable in ways the listeners aren't, and can never be. They want adoration as being learned men rather than the knowledge they've brought any sort of enlightenment to people. Bottom line- they didn't care if people learned anything at all, they just wanted to be honored.
Worse than that when they desired to be honored, when they desired to be thought of as superior to other people they were in their hearts wanting to be worshipped and we KNOW that only GOD deserves our worship. When anyone desires to be honored that's selfishness, isn't it? Self adoration, self esteem- yes, I said self esteem and just because the popular belief is that we are supposed to have great self esteem doesn't make it right. We are supposed to be SELFLESS, not selfish. We are supposed to think greater of others than our selves. We are supposed to understand that our worth is ONLY found in the worth of our SAVIOR and not where else. When we desire to find self worth (and make no mistake the devil wants us to spend all our lives seeking self worth) it isn't something that Jesus wants for us. Jesus did NOT seek self adoration and did not tout self esteem, self worth but the opposite. We were to hold others in a much higher position that ourselves, the servant is greater. We are so incredibly warped in our thinking that the humble person is thought to be a lesser person one needing to be given lots of lessons in self esteem. When we see someone supposedly letting others *walk* all over them we pity them, we do NOT look at them and desire to be more selfless as they are. We are too incredibly wound up to believe that it is good to be a lowly servant. We don't want to be servants, we want to be served. Being served means being important, being a servant means being beneath another person in status, in class, in station, in life, in many ways. Jesus came and dispelled this belief completely!
Mat 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Mar 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
The scribes did not want to be servants at all. The scribes wanted to feel superiority and only God deserves any sort of superiority not a single man. We lose something vital when we desire to be honored by others in any way whatsoever for anything we do, and yet we've been TRAINED to believe that it's only right and natural. We're the first to comfort someone who is lamenting how awful others treat them by not appreciating them and all they do. We're the first to say 'you're right, you do deserve more respect, more admiration'. We are all trained so deeply to believe this is the right way of it that my even saying it makes me sound like I'm advocating abuse when I'm not at all because being a servant, NOT demanding (even internally to self) respect, is NOT abuse- mentally, emotionally, or physically but rather it is a state of selflessness that understands that OTHERS come first, that God comes first and self is not important. Ah, if only the conditioning we've had wasn't so deep, so engrained, so driven into us that it seems from the moment we're born we are set on a course to self-absorption, self-centeredness, selfishness.
This verse spoke of how Jesus taught differently than the scribes- Jesus wanted NO glory brought to Him but all glory given to God. Jesus was SELFLESS in all His teachings. Jesus taught as one desiring to being enlightenment. Jesus wanted people to understand, to LEARN. God's word was meant for one and all, not for a select few and this is what Jesus was opening up to the people who heard Him- this was way He was not teaching as a scribe but with authority. Jesus' authority gave Him the power to really teach people so that they could believe all that He was bringing to life from the scriptures they'd heard since they were young.
May we learn from the greatest teacher of all - our Savior. May we learn selflessness, as we learn love of God and love of our fellow man.
By the grace of our Savior! By His love! By His mercy always!
Amen.
Mar 1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Jesus taught them as ONE that had authority and NOT as the scribes.
Just HOW did the scribes teach? It's important that we learn more about the scribes of Jesus' time before we can truly understand this verse.
*******
Scribes
The word “scribe” is the English translation of the Greek word “Grammateis”, which means “student of the scriptures.”
Scribes were men whose primary occupation was writing out copies of the Jewish Scriptures and teaching the people what the law said.
Because they copied the Old Testament books, they were familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures and were respected in society for their literacy and knowledge.
The scribes provided teaching that was the religious and moral backbone for the Jewish people during the time of Jesus. Because of their role, there were often addressed as, “Teacher.”
They were trusted as professional interpreters and as ones who could judge individual cases as they related to Jewish law.
Scribes were, therefore, also trusted as lawyers within Jewish society.
As the scribes were the most learned individuals on the fine details of following Jewish law, their duties also consisted of deciding on specific questions of the law in individual cases.
Scribes had no authority in themselves, but rather they continually deferred to the authority of other scribes and traditions to support their positions.
The scribes were some of Jesus’ most adamant opponents. In their minds, the Messiah who the Old Testament Scriptures spoke about did not seem to match up with who Jesus was.
Pasted from
SCRIBE- Thayer's Greek Definitions
G1122
γραμματεύς
grammateus
Thayer Definition:
1) a clerk, scribe, especially a public servant, secretary, recorder, whose office and influence differed in different states
2) in the Bible, a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an interpreter, teacher.
Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law; added to the Mosaic law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion.
Since the advice of men skilled in the law was needed in the examination in the causes and the solution of the difficult questions, they were enrolled in the Sanhedrin; and are mentioned in connection with the priests and elders of the people. See a Bible Dictionary for more information on the scribes.
3) a religious teacher: so instructed that from his learning and ability to teach advantage may redound to the kingdom of heaven
They devoted themselves to the careful study of the text, and laid down rules for transcribing it with the most scrupulous precision. As time passed on the "words of the scribes" were honored above the law. It was a greater crime to offend against them than against the law. The first step was taken toward annulling the commandments of God for the sake of their own traditions. ( Mark 7:13 )
Mar 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye
The casuistry became at once subtle and prurient, evading the plainest duties, tampering with conscience. ( Matthew 15:1-6 ; 23:16-23 )
Mat 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
Mat 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Mat 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
Mat 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Mat 23:16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
Mat 23:17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
Mat 23:18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Mat 23:19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
Mat 23:20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
Mat 23:21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
Mat 23:22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
We can therefore understand why they were constantly denounced by our Lord along with the Pharisees. While the scribes repeated the traditions of the elders, he "spake as one having authority," "not as the scribes." ( Matthew 7:29 )
While they confined their teachings to the class of scholars, he "had compassion on the multitudes." ( Matthew 9:36 )
While they were to be found only in the council or in their schools, he journeyed through the cities and villages. ( Matthew 4:23 ; 9:35 ) etc.
While they spoke of the kingdom of God vaguely, as a thing far off, he proclaimed that it had already come nigh to men. ( Matthew 4:17 )
In our Lords time there were two chief parties:
1. the disciples of Shammai, conspicuous for their fierceness, appealing to popular passions, using the sword to decide their controversies. Out of this party grew the Zealots.
2. The disciples of Hillel, born B.C. 112, and who may have been one of the doctors before whom the boy Jesus came in the temple, for he lived to be 120 years old. Hillel was a "liberal conservative, of genial character and broad range of thought, with some approximations to a higher teaching."
In most of the points at issue between the two parties, Jesus must have appeared in direct antagonism to the school of Shammai, in sympathy with that of Hillel.
So far, on the other hand, as the temper of the Hillel school was one of mere adaptation to the feeling of the people, cleaving to tradition, wanting in the intuition of a higher life, the teaching of Christ must have been felt as unsparingly condemning it.
III. Education and life. --The special training for a scribes office began, probably, about the age of thirteen. The boy who was destined by his parents to the calling of a scribe went to Jerusalem and applied for admission in the school of some famous rabbi.
After a sufficient period of training, probably at the age of thirty the probationer was solemnly admitted to his office. After his admission there was a choice of a variety of functions, the chances of failure and success. He might give himself to any one of the branches of study, or combine two or more of them. He might rise to high places, become a doctor of the law, an arbitrator in family litigations, ( Luke 12:14 ) the head of a school, a member of the Sanhedrin.
He might have to content himself with the humbler work of a transcriber, copying the law and the prophets for the use of synagogues, or a notary, writing out contracts of sale, covenants of espousals, bills of repudiation.
The position of the more fortunate was of course attractive enough. In our Lords time the passion for distinction was insatiable. The ascending scale of rab, rabbi, rabban, presented so many steps on the ladder of ambition. Other forms of worldliness were not far off. The salutations in the market-place, ( Matthew 23:7 ) the reverential kiss offered by the scholars to their master or by rabbis to each other the greeting of Abba, father ( Matthew 23:9 ) the long robes with the broad blue fringe, ( Matthew 23:5 ) --all these go to make up the picture of a scribes life.
Drawing to themselves, as they did, nearly all the energy and thought of Judaism, the close hereditary caste of the priesthood was powerless to compete with them.
Unless the Priest became a scribe also, he remained in obscurity.
The order, as such, became contemptible and base. For the scribes there were the best places at feasts, the chief seats in synagogues. ( Matthew 23:6 ; Luke 14:7 )
Pasted from
*******
These articles from the web (dictionaries, etc.) are very insightful. Let's read the verses from the top again.
Mar 1:21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
Mar 1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
There was a VAST difference between the way Jesus taught and the way the teachers of the day - the scribes - taught people.
I imagine it to be like the preachers, priests, ministers, etc, today that talk DOWN to people, they talk with an air of superiority, they aren't really teaching so much as revealing the fact that they are knowledgeable in ways the listeners aren't, and can never be. They want adoration as being learned men rather than the knowledge they've brought any sort of enlightenment to people. Bottom line- they didn't care if people learned anything at all, they just wanted to be honored.
Worse than that when they desired to be honored, when they desired to be thought of as superior to other people they were in their hearts wanting to be worshipped and we KNOW that only GOD deserves our worship. When anyone desires to be honored that's selfishness, isn't it? Self adoration, self esteem- yes, I said self esteem and just because the popular belief is that we are supposed to have great self esteem doesn't make it right. We are supposed to be SELFLESS, not selfish. We are supposed to think greater of others than our selves. We are supposed to understand that our worth is ONLY found in the worth of our SAVIOR and not where else. When we desire to find self worth (and make no mistake the devil wants us to spend all our lives seeking self worth) it isn't something that Jesus wants for us. Jesus did NOT seek self adoration and did not tout self esteem, self worth but the opposite. We were to hold others in a much higher position that ourselves, the servant is greater. We are so incredibly warped in our thinking that the humble person is thought to be a lesser person one needing to be given lots of lessons in self esteem. When we see someone supposedly letting others *walk* all over them we pity them, we do NOT look at them and desire to be more selfless as they are. We are too incredibly wound up to believe that it is good to be a lowly servant. We don't want to be servants, we want to be served. Being served means being important, being a servant means being beneath another person in status, in class, in station, in life, in many ways. Jesus came and dispelled this belief completely!
Mat 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Mar 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
The scribes did not want to be servants at all. The scribes wanted to feel superiority and only God deserves any sort of superiority not a single man. We lose something vital when we desire to be honored by others in any way whatsoever for anything we do, and yet we've been TRAINED to believe that it's only right and natural. We're the first to comfort someone who is lamenting how awful others treat them by not appreciating them and all they do. We're the first to say 'you're right, you do deserve more respect, more admiration'. We are all trained so deeply to believe this is the right way of it that my even saying it makes me sound like I'm advocating abuse when I'm not at all because being a servant, NOT demanding (even internally to self) respect, is NOT abuse- mentally, emotionally, or physically but rather it is a state of selflessness that understands that OTHERS come first, that God comes first and self is not important. Ah, if only the conditioning we've had wasn't so deep, so engrained, so driven into us that it seems from the moment we're born we are set on a course to self-absorption, self-centeredness, selfishness.
This verse spoke of how Jesus taught differently than the scribes- Jesus wanted NO glory brought to Him but all glory given to God. Jesus was SELFLESS in all His teachings. Jesus taught as one desiring to being enlightenment. Jesus wanted people to understand, to LEARN. God's word was meant for one and all, not for a select few and this is what Jesus was opening up to the people who heard Him- this was way He was not teaching as a scribe but with authority. Jesus' authority gave Him the power to really teach people so that they could believe all that He was bringing to life from the scriptures they'd heard since they were young.
May we learn from the greatest teacher of all - our Savior. May we learn selflessness, as we learn love of God and love of our fellow man.
By the grace of our Savior! By His love! By His mercy always!
Amen.
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