
#

Tishbyte  
Foundational Bible Study Series

by Robby Charters

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2004 by Robby Charters

www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

Permission is granted to make copies for the purpose  
of non-profit distribution (free or at copying cost)

Bible quotations are from New King James Version (NKJV) and

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB), both available on BibleGateway.com

Graphic image on the cover, titled, Lonely Tree, Wadi Rum was downloaded from Wikimedia Commons, credited to: Jorge Láscar from Australia

## About the Author:

Robby Charters has lived most of his life in Thailand where he was born of an Irish father and an American mother, both missionaries with WEC. His wife is Thai, and they have one son who is into computer games. His wife has also spent many years in missions with YWAM. At present they live in Northern Ireland, where Robby designs eBooks.

Robby's earlier work in church planting got him interested in the Apostle Paul, which motivated his first serious attempt to write a novel, _The Emissary_. That led to a lot of research, intensive study of Jewish literature, as well as some involvement in the local synagogue. Though _The Emissary_ never got published, the extra knowledge gained has been valuable in other areas, such as in this present study series.

For more details, look up his website: www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

# Table of Contents

**_Title Page_**

**About the Author**

**_Introduction_**

**_Old Covenant Section_**

**Creation & Fall**  
Beginning with God - Creation as it was meant to be - What came with the knowledge of good and evil

**The Covenants**  
How God's attributes of justice and mercy are combined so that God can interact with humanity on the earth.

**The Law of Moses**  
How the commandments compensate for the knowledge of good and evil - Which ones apply only to Israelites, and which have meaning for Gentiles

**The Holy Spirit in the Torah and Prophets**  
How the Holy Spirit worked through the anointing of priests and kings, and the role of the prophet - The authority that comes with each type of anointing

**The Hope of Messiah**  
The promise that the Kingdom of God would be restored - How it became more clear with each phase of Israel's history so as to instil the hope of Messiah.

**_New Covenant Section_**

**Repentance & Faith**  
The meaning of these two important concepts - The Sermon on the Mount

**Authority of the Kingdom**  
Jesus acts and speaks with authority - He imparts the same authority to His pupils

**The Kingdom Breaks Forth**  
The meaning of the phrase "The violent take it by force" - Breaking through to Sabbath Rest

**Who Is This Man?**  
As Jesus draws the attention of various powers that be, He demonstrates the importance of the smallest in the Kingdom of God, revealing the authority vested in the two or three, and in the congregation.

**The Seven Questions**  
The narrative leading into passion week is centred around 7 questions, including some that were designed to test Jesus' qualifications for Messiahship. One more question leads to a dissertation on the end times.

**The Passover Sacrifice and the First Fruit**  
The crucifixion and the resurrection - How the Messiah, by His own resurrection, initiated an ongoing process by which all the dead will be raised

**The Holy Spirit's Work in the New Covenant**  
How the believers are equipped to do the "even greater works" in the making of Messiah's enemies into His footstool

**What the Gospel Reveals**  
A study through Paul's Epistle to the Romans, which helps put it all together

**_Appendix_**

**A Brief Illustrated Synopsis of this Study Series**  
All the illustrated diagrams from throughout the series set together in order
Tishbyte  
Foundational Bible Study Series

a set of study outlines designed to lay a Biblical foundation beginning with the Old Testament, and moving right into the life and teaching of Jesus, the Messiah.

# Introduction

The pattern we follow in this set of outlines is to treat the Old Testament as being the foundation to the New Testament, and the four Gospels, the sayings of Jesus, as foundation to everything else, just as Jesus said it was. Thus the first five modules cover the Old Testament, and the following five, the life and teachings of Messiah Jesus. This should be useful even to those who have walked with the Lord for many years, as study of the Old Testament, particularly the Torah, is an area that has been generally neglected.

The course of study endeavours to give the participant an understanding of things of the faith in the way the early believers in the time of Jesus and the apostles would have understood them -- first by painting the picture of what the early Jews of Jesus's time expected and understood, and then expanding on that understanding the way Jesus did. In other words, we are seeking to understand the Kingdom of God as it was originally presented. In doing so, we should pick up on things many in the Church have neglected over the centuries since then.

As you study through these outlines, it's recommended that you have a Bible handy and that you open it to all the specific references, so as to understand the context of each quotation.

For those who would prefer to know who I am and where I'm coming from before trusting me to impart Biblical teaching, you're welcome to read my autobiography, _My Journey So Far_ , which youll find at my website. It's 23 pages so far, and growing...

You are welcome to make copies of these outlines to hand out at Bible study groups, classes, or for personal study. Also, if you prefer lighter reading, you may want to try my heavily illustrated Happy Kingdom. 

# Old Covenant Section
## Creation & Fall

#1 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series -- Old Covenant section: Facts about God and His intention for man, gleaned from the first few chapters of Genesis

©1997 Robby Charters

A reader's version of this module, titled _The Beginning_ , is also available at www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

Genesis 1:1-5 -- In the Beginning: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth -- The very first thing we learn from the Bible, if we read it from the very beginning, is about God. What better place is there to begin? The trouble with us today is, we want to go straight to the point. What does all of this have to do with me? we ask. Where do I come in? But before we can understand us, we must begin with God, because in the end that's what defines us. As the very first line in the Bible says, He made us. In the last half of the first chapter it says He made us in His image. We are, therefore, a reflection of Him, so what it all boils down to is this: if you want to understand the copy, you must first understand the original -- or, if you want to understand the object d'art, first, get to know the artist.

  * The Old Testament portion of the Bible, in its original form, was written in Hebrew. From the Hebrew we can learn some things about the character and nature of God.

    * One, and yet, a plurality \-- The word for "God", "Elohim", is actually in the plural. As Rashi, in his commentary on Genesis points out, this could have been taken to infer "many gods", except for the fact that the verb that follows, "...created...", is in the singular (in Hebrew, verbs also have plural or singular forms). This is in agreement with the Old Testament proclamation in Deut 6:4 that God is one, and yet it does suggest a plurality, which we find described in the New Testament. Rashi was, of course, arguing against the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. However, rather than disprove it, his comment helps to clarify it.

    * Justice and mercy \-- We also notice in the first two chapters that the name of God has two forms:

      1. "Elohim" -- (as used in this passage) This is usually translated in English Bibles as "God", the generic term. Rabbinical sources point out that this refers to God in His attribute of justice.

      2. "YHWH" or "the Tetragrammaton" (meaning "name with four letters" -- the exact pronunciation is unknown) -- This word first appears in chapter 2. In most English Bibles this is written as "the LORD" (in capital letters). In some Bibles the word "Jehovah" is used. This name, on the other hand, describes God in reference to His attribute of mercy.

    * Thus, the first two chapters of the Bible, in introducing God by these two names, reveal His attributes of justice and mercy. The entire Bible is a complete explanation of how these two attributes work together in God's plan for humanity.

      * The universe in all its intricate parts runs on justice like clockwork -- In the beginning ELOHIM created Heaven and Earth (1:1)

      * At the creation of man, God combined His attribute of mercy \- as man was to be a creature of free choice, not a robot -- In the day that YHWH ELOHIM made Earth and Heaven... (2:4 note the inclusion of both Names)

        * If there were only justice, the universe could operate, but man could not live in it because the moment he made a wrong choice there would be no forgiveness.

        * If there were only mercy, all the world would be in chaos. There would be no standard of order, and sin would know no bounds.

        * As an exercise, read through the book of Genesis, and observe for yourself which passages refer to "LORD", and which ones, "God". Observe how God's attributes are demonstrated in each passage.

  * Throughout the rest of the chapter, we see yet more detail of God's character. For instance, we see that all the aspects of creation were spoken into existence with "Let there be..." Matter came into being simply through God speaking it into existence.

  * The whole chapter also repeats the phrase, "And God saw that it was good" (vs 4,10,12,18, 21, 25, 31). The Earth and universe were created in perfection. The "law of entropy" was not in effect as it is today.

Creation of man: Vs 24-31 & 2:4-9 -- Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea... Here, we begin to see some fundamental differences between man and the rest of God's creation:

  * And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground...(2:7) Man was not simply created with "let there be..." as the rest of creation, but rather, God formed man out of the earth -- as though taking extra care to man's form, as an artist would a work of art.

  * Man was made in God's own image and likeness. In forming man, it's as though God were expressing Himself -- revealing His own being through the new creation.

  * ...breathed into his nostrils the breath of life...(2:7) Man was made alive with God's breath -- with the very life of God. "Breath", in the Hebrew, or ruach, is the same word as "spirit". When God breathed into man's nostrils, His own Spirit went into him.

  * Man was given rulership over the world and everything God made. He was given authority.

  * Man was created to be the same order of being as God -- to be God's close friend, drawing his very life from God, and exercising God's authority over the world.

  * The Midrash says man was of superior intelligence even than the angels, who served him, bringing him fruit and roasting meat (of a spiritual type) for him.

  * It must, however, be remembered that man isn't God. Man differs from God in the following ways:

    * Man is not to be worshipped as God. God, alone in all the universe is to be worshipped

    * God is omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (is everywhere), and omniscient (all knowing). With God, there are no limits. Man has limitations in all areas.

    * Man will never find fulfilment nor successfully sustain himself apart from God as unconditional Lord of his life. However, when totally submitted to God in obedience and total reliance, and dead to one's own ambitions and ego, man can begin to partake of God's limitlessness.

    * Many passages in the Bible warn us not to apply the title "God" to anyone but God the creator: Ex 20:3; Deut 6:4,5; Isa 43:10-13; 45:18-24 (In a later module, we will look at how God's Son, the Word made flesh (John 1:1-4) is both with God, is God himself, and yet there is only one God).

  * Man's capacity of free choice is a necessary part of being in the image of God.

    * This is the basis of relationship. In entering into a relationship with another, one accepts that the other party has the capacity to choose contrary to one's own wishes. Otherwise it isn't a relationship, but a system of control. God's intention was not to have a "robot" that He could control, but a friend He could relate to.

    * God knew the possible complications that could result from man's free choice -- in fact knew the future

    * God, however, knew that to have a creature in His own image that could relate to himself as a personal friend, He must also accept the potential bad as well as the good.

    * That's why God combined His attribute of mercy at man's creation

  * As long as mankind was in willing obedience to God and totally reliant on Him, man could exercise the authority God had given him and all creation was submitted to man. This is the pattern God intended from the beginning. For the purpose of this series, we can call this the Kingdom of God. The kingdom of God can be defined by the following diagram:

  * God = King and Creator of the universe

has ultimate sovereignty, and authority over ...

||  
\/

Man = ruler over God's creation

as he submits to God, he effectively exercises authority over ...

||  
\/

Creation

The forbidden fruit, Naming the animals, Creation of woman: 2:15-25 "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil..." ... Adam called each living creature, that was its name ... the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman

  * Adam's naming of the animals shows that he had a great mental capacity.

    * Today, even top scientists don't have names for all the animals. Nor can any one person name, from memory, all species of animals known to science.

    * According to rabbinical sources, Adam had intuition into the character of each animal, and named them accordingly, giving them names containing sounds that carried the appropriate value and power. (Speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives utterance gives us similar ability-- Acts 2:1-4; I Cor 14:2)

  * vs18 It is not good that man should be alone...

    * Man was made for relationship

      * He already had a relationship with God, but to be complete, man needs fellow mankind to be complete.

      * This is not necessarily about marriage. God didn't create a wife for Adam. He created another person to be a companion. Adam made the choice to take her as a wife. One can be unmarried and yet fully functional in one's relationships.

      * The two greatest commandments, Deut. 6:5, love the Lord your God with all your heart... and Lev. 19:18, love your neighbour as yourself further illustrate this principal. Man is not fulfilled if he or she is not in relationship with both God and fellow man.

      * In creating man with free choice, as we discussed above, God also laid the foundation for inter-human relationships. The basis of relationship is mutual free choice, and mutual honour. The possible complications exist for man just as they did for God. True relationship involves risk. God understood the risk in creating man with a free will, just as Adam ran the risk of becoming involved in relationship with the woman. We could say it was Adam's relationship with his wife that exposed him to the risk of falling into sin, just as creating man with free will so as to enjoying true relationship, exposed God to the risk of losing man to sin. That is why we also must show both mercy and justice in our relationships.

    * God created woman from Adam's side. One rabbinical opinion is that Adam originally had both sexes, and when woman was taken from out of his side, the two sexes were divided between the two.

  * Man was fulfilled in every way --

    * in a unique relationship with God for which he was created

    * had a human companion

    * Nature and the universe operated perfectly so that man's environment was perfect.

    * Man had insight into the mysteries of the universe.

  * Despite all of man's knowledge and wisdom, the "knowledge of good and evil" was absent. Man's self-consciousness was at a low level, perhaps like a child.

    * The world was not measured in terms of "good" and "evil." Either word only has meaning when compared to the other - i.e.

good = opposite of evil

evil = opposite of good

    * If evil doesn't exist, there is no need for the word "good." Thus, the man and woman were naked and not ashamed about it, because neither thought of their own body as "bad" or something to be ashamed of, because the concept of "bad" didn't exist.

    * Knowledge of good and evil also infers desire to participate and experience the forces one has gained a knowledge of. Not knowing about good and evil, man's interests in evil and destruction had not been aroused. Also, nothing that oneself had could be compared favourably or negatively with what someone else had, so there was no covetousness or ambition that could lead to evil. Therefore, no law was necessary, outside of the one commandment, "Don't eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Contemplate for a moment:

      * Q Why are there no laws against eating rocks and soil? After all, doing so would be quite harmful to the body!

A Because no one wants to eat rocks! Laws are only in existence regarding things humans have the tendency to do, but shouldn't.

    * Because man, in his original state, had no knowledge of good and evil, and thus no desire for evil, no laws were necessary

    * We could say, quoting James 2:8-13 (backed up by Matthew 7:1 & 2), man lived according to the Law of Liberty. Because there wasn't the knowledge of good and evil, we didn't have the capacity to judge the actions of others. On the other hand, according to Matthew 7: 1&2, it's when we judge that we come under judgement by the same set of rules whereby we judged others. Because man didn't judge, there were no laws to be judged by -- except for the one law that would open the door to all that.

    * knowledge of good and evil belonged to God (Gen 3:5,22) ... you will be like God, knowing good and evil ... the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil ... God knew where evil did in fact exist. Therefore, God could see His own creation as "good" (Gen 1:4,10 etc.). It is possible that the fruit that gives knowledge of good and evil was meant for a later time, when God would see that mankind was ready for it. However, partaking of it at the wrong time would have disastrous results.

The temptation: 3:1-7 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made \-- It is generally accepted by Christian tradition and a portion Jewish rabbinical tradition that it was the satan, an evil angel, that took the guise of a serpent, or a snake, to approach Eve. "Satan" means "the adversary" (it's not even a proper name, so we use a small "s" in this series, treating it as a generic word). He is not an all powerful force of evil, but simply a created being who rebelled against God, also called Lucifer (see Isa 14:12-21; Ez 28:11-19). In this section, we can observe the method by which the satan attempts to destroy God's plans:

  * vs 1 -- The satan always looks for the weak point: ... the serpent ... said to the woman \-- in this case, by singled out Eve for deception

    * Adam had been around longer and knew better. We saw that Adam had knowledge into the mysteries of the universe. The serpent couldn't hope to deceive Adam as he did Eve.

    * Eve, just recently created, was more vulnerable. We don't have any way of gauging how long the man and woman were in the garden, nor when Eve was created. However, it appears that Adam knew significantly more, having been around longer (I Tim 2:13,14).

  * deception \-- The method the satan used here is similar to the method he always uses to tempt and deceive:

    * Has God indeed said...? (vs 1) He casts doubt on God's Word -- "did He really say that?"

    * You will not surely die. For God knows ... (vs 4,5) He casts doubt on God's intentions -- i.e. as being selfish, withholding a potential advantage from man; in this case, god-status, and special knowledge

    * ... your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God ... (vs 5) He appeals to self -- "you can be as God"

    * He uses half truths -- a 100% lie rarely convinces

      * No one can convince another that black is white. However, grey, a mixture of black and white can pass for either.

      * The satan mixed a little bit of truth: "the fruit brings knowledge that belongs only to God," with the lie: "God's motives for forbidding the fruit are impure and selfish" and "you won't die."

    * Man was already created in God's image, and had everything going for him. What limitations God had set were all for man's own good, but when one responds to the satan deception, it becomes natural to forget the positive aspects of God's rule, and to dwell on the negative.

  * vs 6,7 -- manipulative control: She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate ... Adam was not deceived, but was drawn in by his desire for Eve -- or fear of losing her. This demonstrates another means by which the satan influences mankind, through manipulative control.

    * He allowed himself to be manipulated by his wife. God said later, "because you listened to your wife..." This passage doesn't tell us what Eve said to influence Adam. It could have been by any of the persuasive techniques people use today to seduce others, or draw them into things they shouldn't. Whatever the case, Adam had the knowledge and the authority to deal with the situation, but he didn't. (This doesn't mean a man should't accept his wife's suggestions, but rather, one must not follow suggestions that go contrary to God's command, as Eve's advise did.)

    * When this kind of test comes, one is faced with the decision to choose between God's way, and something or someone one has grown to love. It can be an ambition, a strong desire, possessions, or as in Adam's case, a relationship. All these things may not be bad in themselves, but when one's love or desire for that person or thing becomes greater than one's love for God, or grows to the point where one finds one can no longer follow unreservedly after God's ways, one becomes double-minded. Double-minded individuals are especially easy for the satan to manipulate.

    * Adam's sin was greater than Eve's, because he wasn't deceived as Eve was (I Tim 2:13,14) but he ate the fruit anyway. In fact, given his knowledge and authority, and what resulted from the act, it was tantamount to high treason.

The effect of Disobedience 3:8-24

  * vs 7 -- knowledge of good and evil: the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked

    * His self consciousness became more acute, and he realised he was naked.

    * Now that the world was seen in terms of good and evil, that became the standard to gauge everything around him. Things suddenly fell into varying degrees of good and evil, greater value or less value, high quality or low quality. His own naked body figured on the lesser side of the comparison.

    * The power to valuate what others possessed, comparing it with what oneself had, lead to unhealthy desire, or covetousness. Man's natural appetites suddenly magnified and became what the rabbis call, the evil urge. The same self consciousness that highlighted his nakedness, also brought shame at having things of less value than his neighbour. This, of course, led to theft, lying, and other forms of injustice, finally, leading to the shame of having committed these things.

    * Further references to the evil urges:

      * Genesis 4:7 -- God's warning to Cain: If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.

      * Genesis 8:21 -- God's assessment of the human race: I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, since the imaginings of a person's heart are evil from his youth.

      * ...and one from the Prophets: Jeremiah 17:9 -- The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

    * People's actions were also seen as good or evil. The power to valuate enabled man, not only to gauge his own actions, and be ashamed of them, but to judge others as well -- often to offset one's own shame. That put humanity into yet another situation. Yeshua said in Matthew 7:1,2: Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. We began judging others, so we came under the threat of judgement. As some psychologists have noted, judging on a personal level often makes us susceptible to doing those things we judging others of.

    * Of course, on another level, judgement in the arbitration of justice was necessary to protect people from one another's evil urge.

    * Therefore, it was necessary for God to reveal his Law as part of His covenant. However, even with that, there's always been a way out, as demonstrated by James 2:8-13, the Royal Law of Liberty: Love your neighbour as yourself.

  * man's authority lost its effectiveness \-- God, in His attribute of Justice, would not retract the authority He had already given to man. However, two factors complicated man's exercise of that authority:

    1. Man's newly acquired sense of good and evil made it impossible to stay in tune with God's ways, as it blinded us to His wisdom, and drowned out His voice. The situation could be compared to trying to get an autistic person to grasp a wider perspective. This made it impossible to remain in submission to God.

    2. 2. Because Adam was no longer in the position of submission to God's Kingship, God's kingdom order was disrupted, and Adam's authority lost it's effectiveness.

    3. Everything outside of God's kingdom, ultimately lies within the satan's grasp. In the beginning, there was very little that was outside God's kingdom, but now, 3. Adam had opened the door to the satan's interference in everything that was under human jurisdiction -- namely, all of creation. Being that the satan, or Lucifer used to occupy a position next to God Himself (Isa 14:12-21; Ez 28:11-19), he is naturally very crafty and can easily outsmart and deceive anyone who isn't operating in God's authority. Thus, everything, including mankind, eventually came under the satan's control. Effective control came by the following means:

      * Through knowledge of good and evil, Man became vulnerable to temptation to do evil, thus complicating things even further.

      * As a result, things in man's life further lost their order of priorities. The doors were further open for the satan and his hosts to interfere, which he did (and still does) each time he had/has the chance.

      * Through the medium of idols and witchcraft, people even began worshipping the satan as god, thus giving him that much more power over their lives. One of the saddest aspects of this is the fact that man, as he was originally created, was above all angels, spirits and even the satan himself in God's hierarchy; but now has reduced himself to worshipping and fearing the satan and demon spirits as though they were greater.

      * The satan is often referred to as the "god of this world": Luke 4:5-7; John 14:30; John 12:31; II Cor 4:4.

Q Where did the satan receive the position and authority spoken of in these verses?

A From Adam.

      * The following, a quote from rabbinical sources, illustrates one aspect of how the sacrificial on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippor) accounted for the satan's authority: Nachmanides quotes the Pirke deRabbi Eliezer that the angel Sammael, who had been assigned power over all peoples except Israel, complained to God, Who informed him that he would have control over Israel on the Day of Atonement if they sinned. The second goat was intended as an offering to Sammael; but since it was not brought into the Sanctuary, it was let loose in the wilderness. (Dr. A. Cohen, The Soncino Chumash, The Soncino Press, 1947, p. 706)

  *  
  * vs 17 -- the world came under a curse: Cursed is the ground for your sake

    * Nature became perverse. Man was no longer in control, but rather, the victim -- i.e. thorns, mosquitoes, floods, famine, earthquakes, storms, etc. etc.

    * Man must now work hard for a living.

  * vs 23 -- man could no longer abide in God's presence: the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden

    * He had to leave the garden

    * He must now approach God by means of a covenant. In the next module, we will discuss the necessity and implications of the Covenant.

  * 2:17, 3:19 -- death now rules: the day you eat of It ...

    * Two animals were killed, thereby immediate physical death was transferred to innocent animals who were sacrificed. Their hides provided a covering for Adam and Eve's nakedness.

    * Adam and Eve's bodies became subject to disease and ageing, which would eventually bring physical death. Thus, the forces of death began to work in the human body.

    * The spirit of man, which was derived from God's breath, was now surrounded by his self-consciousness and the evil urge, therefore cut off its life source -- in effect, dead.

  * so as not to misunderstand \-- It's not as though God is severely limited by His attribute of justice. It's not a limitation, but rather His nature. He is holy and just, and He will not violate this principal. Along the same line, Hebrews 6:18 presents what may appear as a limitation: ...it is impossible for God to lie... However, think again: Has God ever wanted to lie? Did God ever try to lie and found He couldn't? Has God ever wished He could lie? The answer to all of these is, "NO". It's not a limitation, but a strength. After all, who could ever conceive of being able to say truthfully, "Once I've chosen this way, it's impossible that it will ever be otherwise." God's justice is not a handicap to His mercy so that He would wish it out of the way. On the contrary, God's infinite wisdom has found the way for God uncompromised attribute of justice, and His uncompromised attribute of mercy to find their full expression in God's plan for humanity.

  * vs 15 -- the promise: He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel \-- Even as early as that, before pronouncing the curse on Adam and Eve, God's plan began to go into action. He promised mankind a deliverer.

    * The woman's seed will crush the satan's head

    * The satan would bruise his heal

    * justice and mercy would both be completely fulfilled.

The new covenant restores man to his original state he had before he sinned. Rom 5:12-19

  * Adam's disobedience affected all his descendants.

    * They became spiritually dead -- spiritually cut off from God

    * They received the inclination towards evil

    * Human society and environment has become riddled with injustice, suffering and tragedy.

  * Jesus is often called the "second Adam", in that He was tested as Adam was, and His response had repercussions on the whole human race.

    * He is the "seed of the woman." It was necessary for him to be born of a virgin so that he would not inherit Adam's sin.

    * He was pure -- without sin, as Adam was at the beginning.

    * Where Adam failed, Jesus was victorious (Heb 4:15)

    * By his death and resurrection, Jesus "crushed the satan's head", as God promised in Gen 3.

    * Jesus satisfied the demands of justice by dying on our behalf

    * Jesus fulfilled God's mercy by making salvation available to all.

    * vs 17: By believing, we receive His righteousness, and we can "reign in life" just like our father Adam did.

## The Covenants

#2 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series -- Old Covenant section: How God, through both of His attributes of Justice and Mercy, began to put His eternal plan for man's restoration into action

©1997 Robby Charters

The Problem

  * At one time, man had a unique relationship with God:

    * He was created in God's image

    * God's life was in him

    * He was unhindered by worries of right and wrong -- acceptability, etc (knowledge of good and evil)

    * He was God's special friend

    * He was ruler over Earth and all God's creation

  * Man disobeyed God and fell from this relationship. By obeying the satan:

    * Man's body became vulnerable to death

    * Man received the knowledge of good and evil. Results:

      * We became subject to desire for the "good", leading to ambition, often inducing us to commit injustice

      * Gained the tendency to judge others. According to Jesus, when we judge, we come under judgement.

    * The knowledge of good and evil led to our being unclean \-- an object of God's wrath

      * God is a God of justice

      * According to strict justice, man must die for his disobedience

    * Earth came under a curse

    * Man fell from special relationship he had with God. This is the effect this had on God's kingdom order:

      *  Legally, the authority still belonged to man. God, in His attribute of justice, will not overstep that authority which He has already delegated to man. Once having given it to him, God will not take it back arbitrarily.

      * Effectivly, the authority, though legally belonging to man, had lost its potency, as it is only effective when man is in direct submission to God. Man's evil urge kept leading him to sin more, which kept him out of the chain of submission, so that instead of the forces of nature and the animals and plants submitting to man, man now was subject to the forces of nature. It became a case of "the survival of the fittest". Hindered from understanding God's wisdom by an acute knowledge of good and evil, he became easy prey to the satan and his demons, who were the strongest of all outside of God's kingdom. It's as though man's authority became the satan's by default.

      * The result was, God became limited, as it were, by His own attribute of justice from interacting with man in a positive way. (As we saw in the previous module, we don't think of God as being "limited" but rather, that He won't violate His own nature) God will not step in and set things right, because He has already delegated that authority to man. To do so Himself would constitute an injustice.

  * To God, this was a sad state of affairs. From our point of view, it would seem as though God were in a dilemma:

    * For man not to die for his sins would be an injustice. For God to simply step in and arbitrarily "fix" things would also be injustice.

    * God, in His attribute of mercy, could not settle for simply destroying man whom He had created in His own image out of His infinite love. This situation could be described as being like that of a mother longing for her child. However, the mother is made of fire, and the child is made of straw. As much as the mother loves and longs for the child, she knows she can't allow the child to come close, or the child would burn up. Man, in his sinful state, was in a similar position. God's holy nature would consume man the moment he came near, as fire would, dry straw.

    * But God not only consists of justice and mercy. He also has infinite wisdom. No matter how clever a plan the satan or anyone can come up with, God already knows the way to circumvent that plan. It's not that God just "knows more" than the satan -- God's wisdom is in fact infinite! God's infinite wisdom, already had a way to remedy this problem in a way that would thoroughly satisfy the demands of justice and of mercy.

The Solution

  * In order for God to interact with man on Earth, a special arrangement was needed which must:

    * cover man's uncleanness so as not to subject him to God's wrath, and thereby die before God's plan could be fulfilled. Leviticus 15:31 -- Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle that is among them. (See also Leviticus 16:16)

    * provide mutual agreement establishing God's right to fulfil his plan on Earth -- so that God would have, as it were, man's "permission" to do what He will on the earth.

  * The arrangement that makes this possible is called blood covenant

    * Because of God's attribute of justice, man's position with God can only be resolved by death (Rom 6:23). Either man must die himself, or an arrangement can be made based on the following facts:

      * The physical life of both man and beast is in the blood (Lev 17:11 -- that is why the blood is not to be eaten or drunk).

      * Pouring out the blood is the same as pouring out the life of the creature -- resulting in death.

      * Pouring out the life of an innocent clean animal is legally accepted as a substitute for man's life.

    * Lev 17:11 (CJB): For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for yourselves; for it is the blood that makes atonement because of the life.

    * Rashi's commentary: Because the life of the flesh of every creature is dependent on the blood, I have therefore given it for the life of man. Let life come and atone for life!

    * (atone means to compensate for one's sin)

    * Man's sins thus covered through substitutionary atonement, man can once again approach God without being consumed.

    * Once the blood of the substitute animal is poured out, man has access to God, and the two, God and man, are able to make an agreement. This is, of course, the covenant.

    * A covenant, by definition, is an agreement between two parties. In this case, between God and Man.

      * God's part is to establishes His Word concerning His plan on the Earth. These include His promises to Man that are to be enjoyed by the one who keeps the covenant. Also are the promises that set in motion the spiritual and natural forces that will accomplish His ultimate plan on the Earth -- the restoration of the kingdom of God.

      * Man's part in the covenant:

        1. obedience to the conditions of the covenant. This is prerequisite to any benefit to be derived

        2. faith in the Words God has spoken in the covenant. Repeating the words by faith enforces God's will on the Earth. Prayer and proclamation of the covenant word by faith releases a supernatural force which is inherent in those words.

      * God's Covenant Word is what we refer to as "the Bible", or "scripture". This carries ultimate authority in matters of faith and obedience.

      * When in his right position in covenant relationship to God through faith and obedience, man is once more in control over the Earth over which Adam was originally made a ruler (or over that portion of the world which happens to be his or her own share).

    * Each covenant God has ever made with man has provided the framework whereby God could make a further and more far reaching covenant later on, culminating with the perfect covenant of messiah.

  * Blood covenants have been made throughout history between individual people, people groups; and even between people and local spirits; in just about every culture.

    * A weaker party may seek to enhance his/their security by cutting a covenant with a stronger neighbour; or else two equal parties will cut a covenant to enhance their mutual interests, making a strong alliance. The one's weakness is thus supplemented by the other's strength and vice versa.

    * Marriage is a covenant between a man and wife.

    * In many cases, such as in that of many native North American tribes, and various African tribes (as recounted by Sir Henrey Morton Stanley in his account of his explorations of Africa); blood is drawn from each party (or their representative). It is mingled - often in a glass of wine - and drunk by both parties.

      * Marriage is consummated by the mingling of certain other body fluids other than blood. However, in some marriage ceremonies, wine, without the actual blood, is drunk symbolizing the blood of the covenant.

      * Wine is also drunk on other occasions as a show of solidarity, as in a toast, or kiddush, or Eucharist, reminiscent of covenant blood.

      * As already noted, partaking of blood is forbidden in God's Covenant Word. Those in covenant relationship with God must understand that this covenant pre-empts and supersedes all other covenants. Therefore, partaking of blood for a secondary covenant is prohibited. Even marriage must be based on this already existing covenant with God.

    * Covenant partners are often called "brothers" or "blood brothers". The bond is often considered to be closer than that of natural brotherhood.

    * Everything belonging to either party is at the disposal of the other if the need arises.

    * Breaking the covenant brings a curse. In some cultural contexts, the offended party is seen as having the right to kill the offending party.

    * A few outside sources: The Blood Covenant: a Primitive Rite and its bearings on Scripture, by H. Clay Trumbull; Philadelphia, John D. Wattles, 1893; online: archive.org/details/bloodcovenantapr027440mbp; Through the Dark Continent vol 1 & 2, by Henry M. Stanley; London: George Newnes ltd., Southhampton St., Strand; 1899; online: archive.org/details/throughdarkconti01henr (do a word search, using the term "blood-brotherhood"); The Blood Covenant, by E. W. Kenyon; Kenyon's Gospel Publishing Society, U.S.A.; 1969; online: annalizemouton.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/the-blood-covenant-e-w-kenyon.pdf \-- this book contains a very detailed account of an experience by Henry M. Stanley for which I haven't been able to find a primary source apart for very brief mentions in the books cited above. Unfortunately, Kenyon didn't cite his sources. If anyone can point me to a primary source regarding blood brotherhood, mentioning a white goat and a copper wound spear, please email me at robbycharters[at]gmail[dot]com.

    * Another variation of the blood covenant is similar to what is described in Gen 15:9-18. Many other parallels can also be drawn between blood covenants practised by various cultures, and the covenants recorded in scripture. It's likely that the covenant rituals from all the cultures had a common source -- when mankind in general still had a knowledge of God under the covenants with Adam and Noah.

God's covenants with Man \-- God began making covenants with mankind very early. The first ones involved the whole human race, through Adam and Noah.

  * Adam's covenant \-- Gen 3:8-24 -- Probably because most of the requirements of this covenant only applied to mankind until the time of the flood, we are not given clear details of this covenant. However there is sketchy evidence that one was made:

    * The providing of animal skins to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness is believed by many to represent a covenant between God and Adam.

      * Though the text doesn't specifically state it, two animal's would have certainly been killed to supply the skins.

      * At least, animal sacrifice had become a practice by the time of Abel (Gen 4:4), so it would seem that God had introduced the concept to Adam.

    * God promised a deliver -- "woman's seed will crush the satan's head"

    * According to ancient tradition, laws were given to Adam, including the forbidding of animal flesh for food. (This, however, was allowed later under Noah's covenant)

    * It was prophesied at some point -- whether by Adam, or by Enoch -- that the world would be destroyed, once by water and once by fire (Josephus: Antiquities II:3)

  * Noah's covenant \-- Gen 8:20-9:17-- According to rabbinical opinion (possibly confirmed by Acts 15:22-29) this covenant is binding to this day on all gentile nations.

    * After the world was destroyed by water, and the flood waters subsided, Noah offered one of every clean animal and every clean bird as a burnt sacrifice to God.

    * God promised never again to destroy the world with water, or to eliminate the natural annual cycles.

    * Noah and his descendants were commanded not to eat any part of a yet living animal, or the blood; and to uphold justice by seeing that all murderers received capital punishment.

    * According to tradition, there were 7 laws in all:

      1. The practice of equity

      2. Against blaspheming the Name of God

      3. Against idolatry

      4. Against immorality

      5. Against bloodshed without just cause

      6. Against robbery

      7. Against devouring a limb torn from a life animal

(Babylonian Talmud: Sanh 56A)

    * It's possible that this list represents one of several rabbinic traditions that could have existed before the Talmud was compiled. Another possible variation may be that found in Acts 15:22-29, the letter to the Gentiles from the Apostles in Jerusalem.

  * Abram's covenant

    * According to ancient tradition, Abram kept the Noahic covenant by refusing to worship idols. At one point, it is said, he refused to bow down to the gods of Babylon, and that King Nimrod had him thrown into a furnace, but God delivered him. According to the Written Torah, God made a further covenant with Abram that would apply especially to him and his descendants.

    * Gen 12:1-3 -- God's call to Abram fits into the pattern we have described:

      * Command (Man's part of the bargain -- the covenant requirements): "Get out of your country and family to a land I will show you."

      * Five promises (God's part of the bargain):

        1. "I will make you a great nation"

        2. "I will bless you"

        3. "You will be a blessing"

        4. "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you"

        5. "In you, all the families of Earth shall be blessed"

      * Abram's response was one of faith; and blind obedience (being that he had no children through whom God could make him into a great nation; nor did he know where God was leading him). He did, indeed, move away from his country and followed God to the land He was to give him. We see in Abram the two requirements on man's side fulfilled:

        1. faith \-- believing in God's covenant promises

        2. obedience \-- to the requirements of the covenant

    * Gen 15 -- covenant of the Halved Animals

      * vs 5,6 -- God promised Abram a son, and that his descendants would be as the stars. This, Abram accepted by faith.

      * Though, to Abram, the promise of a son may have appeared to be a strictly personal blessing from God; we see in Romans 4 that this was vital to the fulfilling of God's plan in the Earth. Thus, Abram's co-operation with God, through his faith, was vitally important to the future of the Earth, and the salvation of the whole world. Thus, his faith was counted for righteousness. (16-18) ...the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed--the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

      * By believing , he established a precedent which would open the door for there to be a people on earth that would be justified through following his example. Thus, those who believe are his spiritual children, their faith likewise counted for righteousness.

      * Abram's faith made it as good as done. Then, God went a step further by promising that Abram's physical descendants would inherit the land in which he was now sojourning. This, God affirmed with a special covenant.

      * vs 9-18 -- Usually, in this type of covenant, the two parties walk between the halves together, signifying mutual agreement. However, in this case, God went through alone, represented by a blazing torch, signifying that this covenant was unconditional.

      * vs 18-21 specifies the land area that God promised to Abram.

        * The territory specified not only includes the present day borders of the State of Israel, including the occupied areas; but also much of present day Syria as well.

        * The fact that it's an unconditional covenant to Abram and to his descendants, means it applies to his physical descendants to this day.

        * According to Gen 17:15-22 and 35:9-12, it is to the present day Jewish People or Israel that the covenant applies.

        * Rom 9:4,5 shows that the covenant still applies to the physical Jews to this day. (Rom 9-11 covers Israel's present position with God in full detail)

    * Gen 17:1-21 -- The perpetual covenant

      * vs 1 -- Abram is command to be blameless (or pure and sincere before God in faith and obedience). This is the prerequisite to all interaction with God.

      * vs 5&15: God changed Abram's name to Abraham, or "Exalted Father" to "Father of a Multitude" and his wife's name from "Sarai" to "Sarah."

      * vs 7: God promised to establish the covenant with Abraham and with his descendants as well. This was fulfilled through the covenant of Moses, and again, later, through the covenant of messiah.

      * vs 10: Each male born to the family of Abraham was to be brought into the covenant through the blood of circumcision.

    * Gen 18:16-33 -- The covenant Intercessor

      * vs 17-21: Because of Abraham's covenant, God, in His attribute of justice, wouldn't do anything in regard to the promised land without consulting him first. Thus, we see that the covenant restored Abraham to the position of authority that was lost by Adam.

      * vs 23-33: As a covenant man, Abraham had the right to intercede for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah before God.

    * Gen 22:1-19 -- Abraham's Ultimate Obedience to the covenant

      * Abraham had finally been given a son through miraculous circumstances in fulfilment of God's promise. Now, Abraham was being asked to give up this very son, Isaac.

      * Under the covenant, as with all covenants, all that Abraham had was at God's disposal, and all God had was at Abraham's disposal. By asking for Abraham's only son, God was, as it were, testing the parameters of the covenant.

      * Abraham was faithful to the covenant to the ultimate extant by fully intending to slit his only son's throat. Fortunately, God stopped him after his intention became obvious, but before the action was complete.

      * vs 16-18: God reaffirmed the covenant by swearing by Himself (there being no higher power to swear by) that Abraham would:

        1. be blessed

        2. His seed would indeed multiply

        3. They would have power over their enemies

        4. In Abraham's descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

      * The last point is being fulfilled through the covenant of messiah. Because Abraham was faithful in not even sparing his own son, God honoured the covenant by doing likewise, over a thousand years later, in sending Messiah in the person of His own Son.

    * God's Purpose in Abraham's covenant in Establishing His Eternal Plan in the Earth:

      1. To establish a nation that will be a channel of blessing to the whole world: because Israel exists as a nation, God has the right to deal with ALL the nations. In that way, Israel is God's covenant piece.

      2. This nation would have eternal claim to the territory of Canaan/Palestine as specified: As Israel occupies her place in the promised land, all nations are then brought into their foreordained place on the earth before God.

      3. All nations and peoples are to be judged according to how they treat this nation -- ie. by blessing Israel, they are blessed in return; by cursing Israel, they are cursed.

      4. The covenant would be further established and expanded in Abraham's descendant, Moses, as the people reaffirmed this covenant, and took possession of the promised land.

      5. Because Abraham didn't stop short of offering his own son when asked to, now, the door was open for God to reciprocate by sending His own Son through Abraham's seed, Messiah, so that all nations will be blessed.

      6. Because God's promise to Abraham was unconditional, and later reaffirmed by God swearing by Himself, the physical seed of Abraham, the Jews, will play a vital role in establishing and expanding Messiah's Kingdom so that all nations are indeed blessed.

      7. In effect, the presence of the Jewish people on this earth is the official sign of God's eternal covenant to fulfill His attributes of justice and mercy by crushing the satan's head under the heal of Messiah. In fact, by looking at events in Israel today, we can see the signs of the summing up of the ages. Israel is God's calendar. That is also why the satan has persecuted the Jews so.

  * The Mosaic Covenant \-- In the 400 years following the birth of Isaac, the descendants of Abraham went to live in Egypt, grew into a very large group, and were repressed by the Egyptians, forced into slave labour. Exodus 1-15 shows how God kept the covenant promise He made to their father, Abraham, and raised Moses up to deliver the people from Egypt. God confirmed the covenant He had made with Abraham through the **Exodus** , and the giving of the **Torah** :

    * The **_Torah_** that God gave to Moses expanded the covenant in a remarkable way. It provided a means by which God could maintain a tangible presence on the earth through His people, whom He had specifically chosen for that purpose. That tangible presence is called the **_Shechinah_**.

      * Do you remember our illustration of the parent of fire and the child made of straw? Now, imagine that the parent instructed the child (from a safe distance) to construct a firewall that would protect the child, so that the two could enjoy each other's company.

      * Because God desired to dwell among humanity, He commanded Israel, through the Torah, to set up what amounted to a firewall which involved a system of sacrifice for sins, and maintaining cleanliness through ritual immersion and keeping a kosher diet. The tangible presence of God dwelt in a tabernacle, where the people could approach, but only through a priest. Many of the commandments were given for the purpose of maintaining the people of Israel as a holy people who could approach God, and act as a kingdom of priests to God (Exodus 19:5-6; Leviticus 15:3).

    * **The Exodus** \-- The Passover covenant or the covenant of Deliverance

      * God's plan was to fulfil His covenant to Abraham. However, the major world power at that time, Egypt, stood in the way. Behind the strength of Egypt were the spiritual forces of the satan himself. In order to accomplish His plan, God had to demonstrate His power over each of the facets of life which the Egyptians held sacred. This is represented in all 10 plagues described in Exodus. All this was done on behalf of an apparently weak minority group, which, under any other circumstances, could have been persecuted into extinction. What the Egyptians hadn't counted on was the fact that this very group had a covenant with God through their father, Abraham.

      * The final plague is of special interest to us. Because the Egyptians had repeatedly refused to acknowledge God's sovereignty in the matter, despite the previous 9 plagues, they were to come under a special judgement. All the first born were to die.

      * The fact that God had specified that Israel's deliverance would take place 400 years after Isaac's birth, shows that there was precise timing involved. It's possible that it was time for judgement to fall on mankind for his rebellion towards God. Some Rabbinic traditions state that Israel's accepting of the covenant at that point in time, saved the world from destruction.

      * God could interact in the earth to bring about the death of every first born offspring, because mankind deserved this due to his rebellion. This would be a manifestation of God's attribute of justice. However, in doing so, God had no provocative of being selective. He couldn't arbitrarily choose to whom to show mercy in this matter. If judgement was to be poured out, it had to be poured out on all, Israelite and Egyptian alike, and judgement was coming indeed.

      * In Exodus 12, God makes a covenant with Israel, by which the judgement that was to come on all, would become, for Israel, their means of deliverance. This also became a commandment for the Israelite people to keep yearly, and it is kept to this day.

        * A lamb was to be killed, the meat roasted, and the blood sprinkled on the doorpost.

        * No leaven was to be used in their bread, nor indeed, to be found anywhere in the house. The first night of the week long annual feast, unleavened bread is to be eaten along with the roasted meat of the lamb.

        * Along with the ceremony of eating the unleavened bread, wine is also drunk, symbolizing blood of the the passover covenant.

        * Other herbs are taken in this ritual, which also symbolize other aspects of their deliverance from Egypt.

        * Because of the blood on the door, the death that was to come on all the firstborn, bypassed the obedient Israelite homes. It had fallen on the lamb instead.

        * The judgment became selective in its scope, and thereby became, for the Israelites, a means of deliverance. The Egyptians, who had suffered the loss of their firstborn, were only too happy to send the Israelites away, and gave them generous gifts besides.

    * The crossing of the Red Sea, a few days later, was also a means of deliverance from the Egyptians. The water parted for the Israelites, who passed through, and returned to their place when the Egyptians tried to follow. Thus, passing through water was the means of ridding the people of the last remains of Egyptian bondage.

    * The visible cloud of God's glory also accompanied the people, and also served to protect the people from the Egyptians, as well as remind the people of God's presence, and continual guidance.

    * The Sinai covenant \-- Accepting the Yoke of God's Kingdom

      * Having delivered the Israelites from Egypt through mighty wonders, and causing the Red Sea to part for them, and feeding them miraculously in the wilderness, and protecting them from their enemies, God now asks the people to make a decision -- whether or not to commit themselves to His plan.

      * It is important to note that God asked them to accept the Yoke of God's Kingship before giving them the yoke of the covenant commandments. The following passage from the Mekilta illustrates what happened here:

        * "'I Am the Lord Thy God' (Ex 20.2). Why were the Ten Commandments not said at the beginning of the Torah? They give a parable. To what may this be compared? To the following: A king who entered a province said to the people: May I be your king? But the people said to him: Have you done anything good for us that you should rule over us? What did he do then? He built the city wall for them, he brought in the water supply for them, and he fought their battles. Then when he said to them: May I be your king? They said to him: Yes, yes. Likewise, God. He brought the Israelites out of Egypt, divided the sea for them, sent down the manna for them, brought up the well for them, brought the quails for them. He fought for them the battle with Amalek. Then He said to them: I am to be your king. And they said to Him: Yes, yes." (Mekilta: Bahodesh 5)

      * Israel accepted the Yoke of God's Kingdom by answering, "All that the Lord has spoken, we will do."

        * God's plan for the World, and mankind was dependent on this decision. The ongoing existence of the world required a covenant such as God was about to make with Israel at Sinai.

          * According to God's covenant with Abraham, it was through Israel that all the nations of the world would be blessed.

          * According to an ancient tradition, had Israel not accepted the Yoke of God's Kingdom, the world would have come to an end. Because of God's attribute of justice, judgement would have to come on the whole world for sin. It's possible that the death of the firstborn in Egypt was a foretaste of this judgement.

          * This covenant was also a prerequisite to the new covenant of Messiah, because it was within the context of this covenant at Sinai, that the specific details of the new covenant were spoken into existence.

        * It provided a means by which God could maintain a tangible presence on the earth through His people, whom He had specifically chosen for that purpose. That tangible presence is called the  ** _Shechinah_**. Leviticusl 16:16

          * Because God desired to dwell among humanity, He commanded Israel, through the Torah, to set up what amounted to a firewall which involved a system of sacrifice for sins, and maintaining cleanliness through ritual immersion and keeping a kosher diet. The tangible presence of God dwelt in a tabernacle, where the people could approach, but only through a priest.

        * Man's uncleanness was also taken into account. The covenant provided the means for man to compensate for his uncleanness by consuming only clean food, offering clean animals as sacrifice, and surrounding himself with a clean environment. By coming into contact with unclean things such as carcasses, or certain diseases, a person could be restored to a clean state by ritual immersion, and waiting for a certain period of time, depending on the degree of uncleanness. Other rituals were also required for more severe cases.

        * This covenant took into account man's **knowledge of good and evil** by including various commandments by which man could understand God's standards of morality. There were also laws regarding the administration of justice in the context of the community and the nation.

        * The Torah contains many details regarding how to administer the priestly/sacrificial system, the types of sacrifices, etc. Also, there are special commandments just for the people of Israel in their role as the community in which the Shechinah dwells, such as maintaining cleanliness, circumcision, the Sabbath, a kosher diet, etc.

          * Exodus 19:5,6 -- _Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you will be a kingdom of priests for me, a nation set apart._

          * Leviticus 15:31 -- _Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle that is among them._

          * Leviticus 16:16 – _He will make atonement for the Holy Place because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions — all their sins; and he is to do the same for the tent of meeting which is there with them right in the middle of their uncleannesses._

        * Man's proneness to following the evil urge, as well as accidental infractions, were compensated for by various blood sacrifices.

        * The covenant was constantly renewed through special holidays.

          * At Passover, the covenant of deliverance is renewed

          * On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the sins are accounted for -- God's justice is remembered

          * On the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), God's continual presence with Israel is remembered

          * On the Rejoicing of the Law (Simcha Torah), God's mercy is remembered

        * God gave Moses His covenant word in the form of the **_Torah_**. Strictly speaking, the **_Torah_** is the first five books of the Bible, written by Moses, also known as the _Pentateuch_ (the word "Torah" sometimes means the teaching of God's ways in general, ie. Oral Torah, and can also include the rest of the Bible). Genesis recounts all the previous covenants, and Exodus through Deuteronomy explains in detail the deliverance from Egypt, the covenant at Sinai, and all the commandments pertaining to that covenant. Numbers 12:6-8 says that Moses received his revelations from God directly, face to face. Not as all subsequent prophets, who only heard from God in visions, dreams and "dark sayings". Therefore, the Pentateuch is the foundation of all other scripture. Everything that is to be received as Scripture, or revelation from God, must ultimately be based on the **_Torah_**.

        * God's ultimate plan for man was facilitated

          * In the passage referred to above, and Deut 18:18-22, God states that there will be more prophets to come, who will speak God's word, though perhaps not to the same degree of inspiration as Moses. All their words are to be tested according to how they agree with the Torah, the Word already revealed.

            * Deut 13:1-5 ...the signs and wonders come to pass...(and he says)..."Let us go after other gods"...you shall not listen to (him)... This passage shows us that anything that is contrary to revelation that has already been received and proven, is to be disregarded.

              * The Torah and the Prophets can be summed up in one commandment, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength (Deut 6:5).

              * The opposite of this would be the suggestion, "Let us go after other gods." Failure to love God is therefore equal to going after other gods (whether the worship of deities of various religions, or love of material possessions, status or affections that competes with our love for God). Since all the commandments in the Torah are performed out of love for God according to Deut 6:5; violating any commandment would either result in, or some how be equal to going after other gods (that is, failure to love the One God).

              * Therefore, any prophecy that is found to be contrary to the Torah is equal to the suggestion "Let us go after other gods." Therefore, it is not to be regarded. All scripture found in the Bible has been tested and found to be in complete agreement with the Torah, both in spirit and content, and can therefore be relied on in the same way to test further prophecy.

            * The books of the Bible known as the PROPHETS, because of their prophetic inspiration, are: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and the Twelve Minor Prophets.

            * Besides these, are the Writings, or Hagiographa, which are less prophetic in their inspiration, never the less, inspired, and are found to be in full agreement with the TORAH. These are: Ruth, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Daniel, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles.

            * In the above arrangement, we can picture the structure according to their degree of inspiration with the TORAH as the foundation; and resting on that, the PROPHETS; and then, on that, the HAGIOGRAPHA.

            * In the third century BC, the above books of the Bible were translated for the first time into Greek. From this, was derived an order based more on literary content in order to satisfy the Greek mind. This is the order most commonly used in Bibles printed today:

            * PENTATEUCH: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

            * HISTORICAL: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I&II Samuel, I&II Kings, I&II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

            * POETIC: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs

            * PROPHETS: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, The Twelve Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

          * The wording of Deut 18:18, "a prophet like unto you," indicates that there would be one other prophet inspired at least to the same degree as Moses. This is MESSIAH.

            * The inspired books that resulted from the revelation of MESSIAH are known as the new covenant, or new testament. These, also, are firmly based on the the Torah, and the Prophets and Hagiographa. The fact that they fully agreed with Old Testament scripture was a major factor in their acceptance as scripture.

            * Jeremiah, one of the prophets whose words confirmed, and were confirmed by the covenant at Sinai, foretold a new covenant (Jer 31:31-34). This is the covenant of messiah.

            * vs 32, From the wording, we see that the covenant at Sinai was inadequate, in that it was unable to totally do away with man's evil urge. The new covenant, on the other hand, would renew man inwardly.

            * vs 33, The Torah would be written in the hearts, so that the right way comes natural. Man's knowledge of good and evil would be superseded by the light of God shining on the heart. Emphasis would no longer be on keeping outward commandments, rather, doing good would come naturally.

            * vs 34a, The knowledge of God would come naturally, rather than by struggling to study deep things.

            * vs 34b, Man's uncleanness and daily sins would be totally forgiven, and wiped out, so that they wouldn't be so much as remembered.

    * In the next module, we'll look at the specific commandments of the Torah in more detail, and discuss how they apply to believers under the New Covenant.

## The Law of Moses

Why were the commandments given and how were they fulfilled?

#3 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series -- Old Covenant section: How did Jesus fulfil the law? Are there any parts we still need to follow and/or learn from?

©1997 Robby Charters (edited and slightly revised January 2014)

www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

When man ate the forbidden fruit, 4 things happened:

  1. He gained a knowledge of Good and Evil

  2. He lost fellowship with God

  3. He became unclean

  4. He became susceptible to the satan's influence, and was prone to follow him and forget his creator

God remedied this situation by instituting a covenant that provided

  1. Guidelines to follow so as to do good and not evil towards God and one's fellow man -- or commandments of conscience

  2. A framework of sacrifice and priesthood so that the Covenant people could maintain fellowship with God, and in turn, be a priesthood for the rest of humanity -- or covenant commandments

  3. Guidelines for separating the clean from the unclean, so as to cover their uncleanness, in order that God could dwell among His Covenant people, and through them, interact with the rest of humanity -- or commandments of cleanliness

  4. Promises and reminders so that the Covenant people would continue to follow after God, and not forget those promises that remained as yet unfulfilled, so that through maintaining the mutual covenant, God's plan can be fulfilled for all of humanity -- or commandments regarding Sabbaths and feasts

For believers in messiah, the question must be asked, "Are these laws applicable to us today? If Jesus is the fulfilment of the Law, does that mean Christians can ignore all the commandments of Moses?" First, we must define what exactly we mean by "law", and then we will look at the four categories of commandments we have just defined, and how they apply, both to Israel as a priesthood nation, and the rest of humanity.

  * The Hebrew word, **_Torah_** , means "The teaching of the ways of God." In the wider sense, it can be taken to mean "Old Covenant."

  * The Septuagint -- the first version of the Old Testament to be translated from Hebrew into Greek about 200 b.c.e. translated Torah as nomos, or "law." For this reason, Greek speaking Jews said "law" when they meant Torah. The Greek New Testament simply used the word that was in common use to mean Torah, even though in the strictly legal sense, it is not a correct translation.

  * Since the Greek word nomos also means "law" in the legal sense, we sometimes have to look at the context to know what exactly the New Testament writers are referring to:

    * the laws of nature, or the law of the land -- i.e. the Roman empire

    * the code of laws within the Torah, or the mitzvot (plural -- Singular of this word is mitzvah, meaning "commandment.")

    * "Under the law," was the phrase Paul used to mean: legalistic bondage to certain mitzvot, i.e. circumcision, Sabbath laws, etc., or strict adherence to them with the attitude that these or other commandments are an end in themselves. Also, "works of the law" is a phrase used in this context to mean the mitzvot that are followed in a legalistic manner. This was history's first attempt to coin the word "legalism." These phrases have been misinterpreted so as to apply to those who simply fulfil the law out of obedience, simply out of devotion and gratitude, because one believes it is required by God; which is why many Jews both then and now also keep the law. For Joshua, keeping the law was the means to success (Josh. 1:8). It was not a legalistic bondage for him, so he was not "under the law" in the sense Paul was talking about. Being "under the law" can just as easily apply to a commandment of Moses as a commandment of Jesus such as "turn the other cheek," or some statement of Paul such as women wearing a head covering. Even one's vision for ministry (or someone elses's vision) can degenerate into a bondage, and become "works of the law."

  * Two questions that we must ask before looking at how the mitzvot were fulfilled:

    * Has the old covenant been done away with?

      * Gal 3:6-18 -- especially verse 14 should indicate to us (among other things) that the old covenant hasn't been annulled; because if it were, gentiles would have no right to the blessings of Abraham. Jesus didn't annul the Old Covenant, but expanded it to include the gentiles -- and at the same time, cancelled the curse of the law. Verse 17 moreover points out that one covenant doesn't annul another. The Covenant of Moses didn't annul the Covenant of Abraham. Neither does the New Covenant annul the old.

      * According to Matt 5:17, Jesus said, "Do not think I have come to destroy the law (Torah) or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."

      * Rom 10:4, "...Christ is the end of the Law..." The word "end" does not mean "finished off" or "terminated." It means "fulfilled", just as Jesus said. It could read, "Christ is the fulfillment, or the ultimate goal of the Torah." The word "end" can be understood in its older English sense, as in "...to this end..."

    * Are there two types of righteousness that can lead to salvation -- the "works of the law" and "faith"?

      * Rom 7:7 One of the functions of the law is to reveal sin. Therefore, apart from providing a guideline of how to live in society, be successful, and commune with God, the mitzvot also were a measure of how far short man has fallen by God's standards.

        * The only way to please God, as King David found, was to live in continuous repentance. His Psalms generally reflect this.

        * God's divine attributes being justice and mercy: it is quite clear that we cannot live up to God's standard of justice as reflected in the mitzvot. Therefore, we must continuously plead God's mercy by continuous repentance.

        * Matt 22:37-40 Jesus quoted Deut 6:5 and Lev 19:18, saying that on these two commandments hang all the Torah and the Prophets. This is also acknowledged by the rabbis. Hillel is also credited with what we know of as the golden rule: "What you find hateful to yourself, do not do to others. On this hangs the Torah and the Prophets."

        * By violating this mitzvah of love, both under the Old and the New Covenant, we put ourselves "under the law". Jesus stated this when he said, (Matt 7:1-2) "Judge not, that you won't be judged, for the same judgement with which you judged, you will be judged yourself.

        * Even under the Old Covenant, the Jews were able to please God, but not by being "under the Law" but rather by pleading God's mercy through repentance, and by emulating God's mercy towards others.

        * Deuteronomy29:18-20 makes a difference between one who obeys from the heart and one who obeys only outwardly while entertaining evil intentions. Verse 19, where the literal wording (and most translations) render "drunk" and "sober", the Chabad translation (www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9993/jewish/Chapter-29.htm), using Rashi's comment, renders it: And it will be, when he hears the words of this oath, that he will bless himself in his heart, saying, "I will have peace, even if I follow my heart's desires," in order to add the [punishment for the] unintentional sins [of this man] to that of [his] intentional sins. The inference here is, if one's whole heart is towards the Lord, God ignores his/her unintentional sins, whereas if one entertains the "root of bitterness" (previous verse), God imputes the unintentional sins as well. This is an Old Testament foundation for the principal expounded by Jesus regarding the status of the judgemental person.

      * Gal 3:11-12 -- No one is justified by the law. Therefore, that is not a means of righteousness for salvation. In Paul's comparison of living by the mitzvot and living by faith, Paul's application of the phrase, "shall live by...", from Lev 18:5 and Hab 2:4, is for the benefit of the Galatian believers. For the Jew faithfully following God according to the Old Covenant, obeying the commandments was an exercise of faith, as that is what was expected of him by God. For the New Covenant Gentile believer, as the Galatians were, going to the mitzvot is a step backwards, and therefore not an act of faith, as God had opened up the way for Gentiles to be fellow partakers in the Covenant. The Galatians had a better option of walking in the spirit (5:16) and thereby fulfilling the mitzvot without paying attention to the details. It should be noted, also, that "...shall live by..." in both of the original contexts, should be read to mean, "...shall be sustained by..." or "...have life by..." It is not a guiding influence, such as "living by the rules," but rather in the sense of sustenance, as in "man shall not live by bread alone."

      * Rom 10:3-8 seems to point to a duel righteousness. However, let's look at it more closely:

        * "Law" here should be taken to mean Torah.

        * This is not contrasting righteousness of faith with righteousness of the law. Faith has always been the only way to righteousness. The only contrast here is in verse 3: "their own righteousness" and "The righteousness of God"

        * Verse 4, "...Christ is the end of the Law..." as we saw already, should read, "Messiah is the ultimate goal of the Torah"

        * Verse 5, "...live by them," again should read, "have life by them." Under the Old Covenant, those who keep the mitzvot by faith will be sustained, just as Joshua had success by them (Josh 1:8), and ultimately arrive at the "end of the law" which is Messiah.

        * Verse 6, "But..." In Greek, there are 2 words for "but". The word used here does not imply a strong contrast. It could just as well read as "moreover." The righteousness of the Torah (vs. 5) and the righteousness of faith (vs. 6) are the same thing. They are not being contrasted here. This is obvious, because in verse 6, Paul again quotes the Torah (Deut 30:12-14) when he says, "Moreover, the righteousness of faith says, 'Do not say in your heart, who will ascend...'"

      * God did not have one rule for those under the Old Covenant and a different rule for those under the New. The requirements have always been the same -- minding the mitzvot or guidelines as an act of faith in a spirit of repentance, and loving God and our neighbour -- except that under the New Covenant, a new dimension has been added that fulfills the mitzvot for those who walk in it: that is the dimension of the spirit. We will now look at how this fulfills the four categories of mitzvot. The duality alluded to in Romans and Galatians isn't between Old Covenant and New Covenant, but rather between strict justice and mercy. For the New Covenant believer that translates to flesh and spirit.

      * All that being said, we will also study, in this module, how some of the _mitzvot_  apply to all of humanity, while others only apply to the Jewish community, and yet others to Israel only when the Temple is standing and the sacrificial system is in place.

Jesus fulfilled (not destroyed) the law. How did he do so, and which (if any) laws still apply? Let's look at the 4 categories of mitzvot.

1 Commandments for the Conscience

  * This includes commandments in a moral, civil and agricultural context

  * Many civil and agricultural laws are valid only in the land of Israel while the temple is standing and sacrifices are being offered daily. Many rabbis believe this will only happen again when Messiah comes. Instead of observing the civil laws in the Torah, we are told by Paul and others (Rom 13:1) to be subject to governing authority in which ever place we happen to be -- just as the Jews do.

  * Many of the civil laws found in the Torah are the basis of modern jurisprudence. The concept of two or three witnesses and of twelve people serving on a Jury are all based on Mosaic law.

    * A couple of quotes from the Mishnah:

      * Whence is it that the small Sanhedrin consisted of twenty-three? As it is said, "The congregation shall judge...the congregation shall deliver: (Num 35:24 f). Since a "congregation" judges (i.e. convicts) and a "congregation" delivers (i.e. acquits), we have a total of twenty judges. But whence is it that the term "congregation" denotes ten persons? As it is said, "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation?" (Num 14:27). Here it refers to the twelve spies with the exclusion of Joshua and Caleb (and therefore indicates a body of ten persons). Whence is it that three more are to be added to the twenty? This is deduced from the text, "To be after a majority for evil" (i.e. a conviction, sic Exod. 23:2). I infer that I may follow a majority for good (i.e. for acquittal); if so, what is the purpose of the words "To be after a majority"? They teach that there is a difference in the majority required for an acquittal and a conviction. For the former a majority of one suffices; for the latter two are necessary (and so twenty-two are required); and to avoid the Court being equally divided one more is added, giving a total of twenty-three. What must the population of a town be to qualify for a Sanhedrin of its own? One hundred and twenty. Rabbi Nehemiah said, Two hundred and thirty, so that each member (of the Sanhedrin) should be "a ruler of ten" (Exod. 18:21) (Mishnah: Sanh. 1:6/ A.Cohen, Everyman's Talmud; p. 302 f.)

Civil cases are decided by a court of three. According to Rabbi Meir, each party selects one judge and they jointly select the third. The Rabbis assert, the two selected judges appoint the third. Each party can reject the nominee of the third, so declares Rabbi Meir; but the Rabbis assert, They can only do so on bringing proof that the nominees are related to the litigants or otherwise disqualified. If, however, they are fit to act as judges or are experts, they cannot be disqualified (Mishnah: Sanh. 3:1/ A.Cohen, p. 304)

      * In a modern court of law, a unanimous decision by a jury of 12 is required to convict. This would be equal to the majority required of a Sanhedrin of 23 judges.

      * It is interesting to note that on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell initially on 120 believers, which included 12 apostles. Each apostle was thus a "ruler of ten".

      * Likewise, Jesus's instructions in Matt 18:15-20 regarding church discipline is based on rabbinical practice. This passage can be understood much more clearly once we understand the role of the "two or three witnesses" or judges, and also the role of the congregation.

  * Examples of laws of a moral context are found in Lev 18

    * Paul quoted Lev 18:5 as we saw twice above (Rom 10:5 and Gal 3:12): "You shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord."

    * Paul alluded to Lev 18:8 when he judged the man having sexual relations with his father's wife (I Cor 5:1-8).

    * On one hand, Paul is interpreted by many as using Lev 18:5 to say that we are free from any sort of obligation to the law; whereas here, he turns around and cites a mitzvah which is found 3 verses later in the same context, as the basis to judge the Corinthian man living with his father's wife. Was Paul taking the verse out of context in interpreting it as saying the law doesn't apply to us?

    * As a rabbi and as a Christian teacher, it would have been contrary to Paul's practice to interpret verses out of context. The two passages can be reconciled if we look at Rom 8:1: "There is therefore no more condemnation to those in Messiah...who walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit."

      * The mitzvot are necessary because of our flesh. Gal 5:16 says that if we walk in the spirit, we will not fulfil the desires of the flesh.

      * Rom 6:1&15 shows us that deliberate sinning, or flagrant disregard for the law is not the proper response to the fact that we are not under the law, but under grace. The secret is walking in the spirit.

      * When we walk in the spirit, we are not under condemnation, even if we do tread unintentionally on some minor details. But neither will we tend to do anything contrary to God's standards.

      * If the man in I Cor 5 had been walking in the spirit, he would not have desired his father's wife. The idea would have been revolting to his spiritual nature. The flagrant violation proved that he was definitely out of the spirit.

      * Therefore, according to Rom 8:1, he was under condemnation, because he was walking according to the flesh while thinking that he could disregard all standards of conduct. The mitzvah in Lev 18:8 therefore became a standard to determine whether or not he was in the spirit or not. Since he was not, he was judged by the law.

      * To ask the question in a modern context, "Shall I marry my blood sister? After all, I'm not under the law, but under grace, and the only place that the Bible forbids it is in the law of Moses, and I love her, and think she's cute and ..." -- The answer is of course, "No." If I were to say further, "But God told me to!" The correct response would be, "God wouldn't tell you something like that, because the Bible, which is His word, forbids it."

    * Therefore, these laws are valuable to us and are still binding on us if we walk in the flesh. If we are truly following our spiritual desires we won't tend to infringe on any of them seriously anyway.

    * It should also be remembered that when we judge, according to Matt 7:1,2 -- which we tend to do in the flesh, not the spirit -- we also put ourselves under the law, although not the mitzvot of the Torah necessarily, but the law by which we judged our brother, even if they're of our own making.

    * Other laws that we tend to hold as binding (without realizing that they are the law of Moses) are:

      * against fornication

      * against occult paraphernalia and symbols

      * against astrology

      * against fortune telling

      * many others referred to in the New Testament. They are forbidden there because they are forbidden in the Torah (I Cor 5:1-8; Acts 15:22-29; etc.).

    * To assume that those that aren't mentioned in the New Testament are therefore okay, would simply make the New Testament another law book. To say, "The New Testament forbids it, therefore it's forbidden -- The Torah forbids it but the New Testament doesn't, therefore it's okay," is just as much being "under the law" as following the commandments of the Torah for their own sake.

2 Covenant Commandments

  * These are commandments regarding the bringing of sacrifices and offerings of various kinds; laws regarding Levitical priesthood; laws regarding the temple; rites of passage such as circumcision, redemption of first born, and bar mitzvah. Included with much of the above are rites such as anointing with oil and laying on of hands.

  * The covenant is necessary in order to provide the means for man to approach God. We covered this in our earlier module,The Covenant.

  * These commandments are for the maintenance of the Old Covenant which required blood sacrifice. The key verse is Lev 17:11, "The life of the flesh is in the blood."

    * Lev 17:10-14 therefore forbids the eating or drinking of blood. This does not fall under the category of unclean food since it is not uncleanness that is the reason cited, but rather that the life is in the blood. If it were ritually unclean, it couldn't be offered as a sacrifice. It's the sacredness of life rather than the uncleanness of the blood that is the issue here.

    * The rule of thumb stated in Lev 3:17 is, those parts that are specially removed from the animal sacrifice to be offered on the alter is forbidden for consumption -- namely the blood and the fat surrounding the inner organs.

    * The consumption of blood is part of the pagan practice of blood covenant. Jews under the Old Covenant and believers under the New already have a covenant in blood, and are therefore forbidden to participate in blood covenants in which blood is consumed.

    * The New Testament confirms the prohibition against consuming blood (Acts 15:23-29)

  * Circumcision was the first requirement to be instituted (Gen 17).

    * It involved the drawing of blood in a covenant context. The new born male child of 8 days is thus brought into the covenant.

    * Rabbinical tradition states that a gentile who desires to worship The God of Israel may simply accept immersion and commit himself to follow the "seven commandments of the sons of Noah," or the "Noachide Law" without entering fully into the covenant of Israel, and thus forego circumcision. How early this was generally practised is hard to say. According to tradition, the 7 laws were:

      1. The practice of equity

      2. Against blaspheming the Name of God

      3. Against idolatry

      4. Against immorality

      5. Against bloodshed without just cause

      6. Against robbery

      7. Against devouring a limb torn from a life animal

(Babylonian Talmud: Sanh 56A)

    * After Jesus' resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, it was assumed by some that, being a Jewish faith, all non-Jewish converts would need to be circumcised. However, when the Holy Spirit began to fall on the gentiles, it was shown to Peter (Acts 10:9-28) that the gentiles were not to be treated as unclean. The Holy Spirit came on them and they were immersed.

    * Later, when Paul and Barnabas began to make headway in reaching the gentiles, controversy arose regarding the requirement of circumcision and the other laws. The council of apostles and elders met in Jerusalem (Acts 15) and made the binding decision that circumcision wasn't necessary. Moreover, the gentile believers would only be required to follow the guidelines listed in Acts 15:23-29

    * It's possible that Acts 15:23-29 is an earlier version of the seven Noachide laws to that listed in the Talmud. However, unlike the rabbinical practice, these gentile believers following only seven rules would not be treated as "second class citizens" of God's kingdom, but as full recipients of God's grace and co-heirs with the Jewish believers (Gal 2:1-21; Eph 2:11-3:7)

    * The reality of being co-heirs in Christ was so real to Paul that he rebuked the Galatian believers for thinking that taking the extra step of circumcision would bring them closer (Gal 5:1-15).

    * In Romans 4 and 5, Paul shows us that Abraham was a father in two senses. He first became the father of faith -- of all who would come to the same faith as himself, and then, he became the father of an ethnic clan, the people of Israel who would become the Kingdom of Priests to the wider community of faith (though Paul doesn't state the latter so clearly in this passage, being written to Gentiles). It was only after becoming the father of faith (by believing God's promise) that he was commanded to circumcise himself and his offspring. Therefore, according to Paul, circumcision isn't a requirement for the family of faith, but only of the physical family of Abraham, the Israelites (again, he doesn't emphasise the role of physical Israel here, but his actions show it, when he circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3), took a vow as a Nazirite (Acts 18:18), and performed sacrifices in the Temple (Acts 21:26)).

    * The general rule is, under the New Covenant, anything we attempt in the flesh to improve our standing in Christ is really a step backwards into legalism. That is an act of unbelief, and therefore takes us out of the umbrella of God's grace. Walking according to the flesh rather than the spirit (Rom 8:1), we are once again under condemnation, and judged according to the law. The remedy to this situation is simply to repent, and get back into the spirit and stand totally on faith in Christ.

    * This doesn't necessarily make circumcision wrong -- just so long as it isn't seen as a prerequisite to God's favour.

      * Timothy, who by rabbinical standards was Jewish because his mother was Jewish, was circumcised by Paul (Acts 16:1-3) so that he could better identify with the Jewish community in bringing them the news of Messiah.

      * Some would therefore argue that believing Jews should circumcise their children (or themselves) as a sign of their calling -- not as an attempt to gain acceptance in Christ. For that matter, bar mitzvah, etc. should also be practised. This should not be frowned on. This doesn't make them more holy or more accepted by God, any more than an apostle or prophet is greater than a foot-washer (remember, Jesus was a foot-washer).

      * Paul (Acts 21:15-26) went to the temple shortly before his arrest to make a sacrifice on behalf of fellow Jewish believers who had completed a vow. Scripture doesn't censure him for this act. There is no evidence that New Covenant Jewish believers are discouraged from participating in Jewish ritual in the New Testament. Paul's declaration that he was a Pharisee, before the Sanhedrin (Acts 23:6), is further evidence of this.

      * It's evident that Jewish believers maintained their relationship with the Temple, performing various rites and sacrifices, all the way up to its destruction in 70 c.e. It wasn't until well into the second century that Christians stopped identifying with Judaism, and later still, before the Gentile leaders of the Christian community began discouraging Jewish converts from circumcising their sons and other Torah observances. This is a radical shift from the first century, when the only question was, should Gentiles be allowed to convert without circumcision and Torah observance? Some call this "reverse Galatian-ism".

      * The practice of some Gentile churches today, of initiating a Jewish convert by forcing him/her to eat a ham sandwich, is totally uncalled for. It paces a stumbling block before them, and we become guilty of "offending a little one" (Matthew 18). By believing in Jesus as Messiah, a Jew does not depart from Judaism, any more than a dog ceases to be a dog by becoming a chihuahua.

  * Animal sacrifice has been performed since the time of Abel. Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job and Balaam are all mentioned as having offered sacrifices to God outside the context of the guidelines laid down on Mt. Sinai. In many cases, it was the instrument through which God established His covenant. The blood of the animal substituted for the life of the sinful man offering the sacrifice, and (in some cases) entering into the covenant. With the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, came the requirement that all sacrifices had to be made by means of the Levitical priesthood in the temple.

    * Lev 1-6 describes the five kinds of offerings

      * The Burnt Offering -- was fully burnt on the altar (except for the hide)

      * The Meal Offering -- was any combination of grain meal, fruit, oil, or baked bread, either leaven or unleavened

      * The Peace Offering -- was usually an animal sacrifice for the purpose of communing with God. Only the inner fat and the blood was offered on the altar. Part of it was given to the priest to eat, and the remainder to the one offering the sacrifice to enjoy a covenant meal.

      * The Sin Offering -- was made to atone for general sins. Except for parts that were given to the priest, it was mostly burnt on the altar.

      * The Trespass Offering -- was made to atone for a failed vow, a mistake made in offerings that were supposed to have been made, infraction in violating rules regarding cleanliness, taking God's Name in vain, or accidentally going beyond the limits regarding privileges reserved for Levites and Priests.

    * Many occasions called for more than one of the above -- i.e. a man fulfilling the vow of a Nazarite brings a burnt offering, a sin offering, a peace offering and a meal offering. These were the offerings that the Apostle Paul was assisting his fellow believers with when he was arrested in Jesrusalem.

    * In every case, the one offering the sacrifice laid hands on the animal, or else "waved" or "heaved" the grain offering so as to establish identification with the offering. By this means, guilt was transferred and substitution activated. Laying on of hands is also a New Testament doctrine (Heb 6:1,2). Here, we see the principal of transfer by physical contact.

    * Depending on the type of sacrifice and how it was administered, parts of the sacrifice was eaten as food by the priest, and, in the case of the peace offering, by the one offering the sacrifice.

      * The priest, being the mediator, ate his portion in the sanctuary.

      * The one offering the sacrifice ate his portion with his family in the holy city within a day of his offering.

      * Here, we have the concept of the covenant meal, and the principal of participating in fellowship by dining together.

    * Offerings, especially grain offerings, are to be seasoned with salt (Lev 2:13; Num 18:19). Salt is a cleansing agent, and a preservative.

  * Other instructions regarding the priesthood:

    * Moses was commanded to appoint Aaron and his children to be priests.

    * The priest is to represent the people to God and represent God to the people. Therefore, he was set apart so as to maintain ritual purity at all times.

      * Man, even in his ritually pure state, couldn't come directly to God. He could come only through a mediator. The closest he could come was between the gate of the temple, and the altar.

      * The priest, even though he was set apart, still required a sacrifice for his own sin. Even then, only the high priest could come before God once a year.

    * The temple (or tabernacle) was set up for various degrees of approach to God.

      * The outer court between the door and the altar was for ritually pure Israelites to bring their sacrifice

      * Between the altar and the door of the tabernacle was the laver, containing water for the priests to wash themselves before entering the holy place.

      * Only the priests could enter this holy place. There was special bread for the priests, the menorah that was lit at all times, and the altar of incense which was against the veil separating the holy place and the holy of holies.

      * The Holy of Holies was where the presence of God rested. In it was the ark of the covenant, which was in effect a large box containing the 10 commandments, and a large lid called the mercy seat. All was overlaid with gold.

      * The high priest, only, was allowed to go into the holy of holies once a year on Yom Kippur, so as to offer the blood of the annual atonement sacrifice, sprinkling it on the mercy seat.

    * Ex 40 -- On setting up the tabernacle and installing the priests:

      * Moses anointed the pieces of furniture and the tabernacle

      * Moses then took Aaron and his sons and administered ritual immersion (vs 12)

      * Then, he put the holy garments on them

      * He then anointed them with oil.

      * Washing for purification signifies what baptism means to us under the New Covenant.

      * The clothing represents being accepted, or our righteous standing before God.

      * Oil is significant of the Holy Spirit. Anointing is a medium for imparting the duties of an office on an individual. Kings such as Saul and David were likewise anointed.

      * This is mirrored in the New Covenant when the believer is baptised in water, is accepted by being clothed (figuratively) in righteousness, and receives the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

      * vs 34-38 -- The results of all this -- the cloud of God's glory covered the temple so that Moses couldn't enter the tabernacle.

    * In the New Covenant, the duties of priests, and the function of the sanctuary and the required blood of the covenant sacrifices has been fulfilled by Jesus (Heb 9)

      * The blood of animals could only cover sin temporarily, but the blood of Jesus cleanses sin once and for all.

      * Under the New Covenant, by faith in the blood of Jesus, one is made both ritually pure, accepted, given the privilege of priesthood, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, and is encouraged to enter straight into the holy of holies through Jesus (Heb 10:19-23)

3 Commandments of Cleanliness \-- separating the clean from the unclean

  * This includes most dietary laws; laws regarding unclean diseases; transferral of uncleanness; rituals for cleansing, including ritual immersions and anointing with oil, etc.

  * The underlying principal is, through the knowledge of good and evil, man became an "unkosher animal" or inherently unclean (Lev 16:16). Therefore, to be God's special possession, Israel had to "separate the clean from the unclean" (Lev 20:24-26). He had to have a clean substitute -- a kosher animal without spot or blemish for a sacrifice; surround himself with a clean environment; eat clean food; and be ritually clean when approaching God at the altar in the temple.

  * It was because the nation of Israel had become a Kingdom of Priests (Exodus 20:4-6 ), and the presence of God was in their midst in a special way, that they had to maintain this cleanliness: Leviticus 15:31 -- Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle that is among them. This gives us a basis of understading as to why, as a Kingdom of Priests, Israel was required to keep the kosher requirements, whereas the God  fearing Gentiles weren't. Those Gentiles who desire to worship the God of Israel only needed to follow the seven Noachide Commandments, which we discussed earlier (similar to the Apostolic decision in Acts 15:23-29).

  * The New Covenant doesn't remove these commandments -- as seems to be the teaching of many Christians. They weren't required of Gentiles to begin with. The difference in the New Covenant is that Gentiles who come by faith are now accepted on equal standing with their Jewish brethren.

    * Acts 10:9-23 -- Peter's vision of the animals refers not so much to the animals themselves, but to the gentiles, on whom the Holy Spirit was about to fall. It applied to dietary laws in that, in order to fellowship with Gentiles on an equal basis, Peter would be expected to dine with them.

    * This also became an issue later, as recorded by Paul in Galatians 2. It wasn't in the annulling of kosher laws for Jews, but in establishing a priority. Fellowship with fellow believers in Messiah is more important than keeping to one's own diet restrictions. It's the same choice Torah observant Jews make when they consider that the preservation of human life takes precedence over the keeping of lesser Torah restrictions where the situation dictates.

  * Even though these laws are not obligatory to us, certain aspects deserve special mention -- both for practical reasons and teaching value.

    * Kosher dietary laws

      * Many medical experts have pointed out that most of those animals listed as unkosher in Lev 11 are also unhealthy for medical reasons. Some therefore hold that the kosher laws were given solely for health reasons.

        * It is indeed a miracle that modern medical science has confirmed the ancient distinctions of clean and unclean, not only in this but also the matter of washing of hands, and quarantining the leper (which helped bring an end to the black plague of medieval Europe) etc.

        * However, health was not the sole reason for these laws. Some unkosher animals aren't so obviously unhealthy -- the rabbit for instance. While bathing is hygienic, the New Testament practice that is derived from ritual immersion, baptism, is only practised once in a lifetime. Health experts would suggest something more like once every day. Some of the medical sources also cite blood as being full of germs drawn from the rest of the body, which some Bible teachers say confirms that blood is "unclean". However, the Torah never classifies blood as being unclean. In fact, it is sacred, as the "life of the flesh is in the blood," and for that reason, it's forbidden for food. If it were classified as ritually unclean, it couldn't be offered on the altar.

        * Therefore, the real reason for these laws is not only for reasons of hygiene, but because God said, "Be holy for I am holy." (Lev 11:44,45) -- not, "Eat healthy for I am a health-food nut." If health were the only reason, these foods would still be forbidden to New Covenant Gentile believers, just as marriage to one's blood sibling.

      * Some, for the reason that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, also abstain from unkosher food for health reasons, and reasons of conscience. This is fine, so long as these aren't made to be binding on all believers -- or that others aren't made to feel in any way "less spiritual." (I Tim 4:1-5)

      * Many Jewish believers in Messiah Yeshua also keep a kosher diet so as to identify with their Jewish heritage. As the "gifts and callings are without repentance," They feel that as Jews, they are peculiar people set apart for a purpose, and ought therefore to continue to keep the mitzvot. This is fine, and laudable. Paul himself, for a season, observed the vow of a Nazarite, letting his hair grow long, and abstaining from wine, alcohol, or any by-product of the grape, and not touching anything ritually unclean (Acts 18:18; 21:22-27 -- based on the mitzvah in Num. 6). If Paul observed the vow of a Nazarite as a believer in Messiah (which even for a Jew was going beyond the normal binding obligations), how much more is it permissible for Jewish believers to simply keep an all around kosher diet -- so long as they remember Paul's guideline in Gal 2:11-14 and Peter's in Acts 10:9-23, and not allow this to get in the way of fellowship with gentile believers. The New Testament nowhere commands a Jew to eat pork, but Peter and Paul both affirm that it may be a good idea at times to observe fellowship by eating what the host serves up. Diet is not obligatory, but fellowship is, and eating together is an important part of fellowship. On the other hand, gentiles should also keep in mind that it is no more a bondage for many Jews to keep a kosher diet than for an Englishman to abstain from horse meat. Many would feel just as queasy about ham. If you don't delight in eating horse meat, then keep some kosher food on hand for when you entertain your Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ.

    * Ritual immersion -- This is one mitzvah that has found its way into Christian practice.

      * Lev 15:5,16; 17:15; 11:24-28; 14:8 -- Most of these references contain the phrase, "He (or she) shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water and be unclean until evening, then he shall be clean."

        * The rabbinical rule of immersion (Mishnah: Mikvaot \-- the whole tractate discusses immersion) is that one must fully immerse oneself in a pool or stream of naturally flowing water. A mikvah, used in most synagogues simulates a natural flow that satisfies rabbinical requirements even though it is an artificial pool. According to the Dedache, the early believers had similar requirements for baptism.

        * John the Baptist immersed people in the river Jordan for repentance. The Essenes also immersed people to initiate them into their sects. Conversion to Judaism, to this day, also includes immersion.

        * John's reason was that it's not so much the touching of a carcass, a haemorrhage, or a woman's menstrual cycle that makes one unclean, but sin in the heart, or as Jesus said (Mat 15:10ff), it's that which comes out of the mouth that defiles a man. Outward washing became symbolic of inward repentance.

        * Jesus therefore commanded to baptise (Matt 28:19) as the fulfilment of the mitzvah. This is explained by Peter (I Pet 3:21) as not so much the removing outward uncleanness, but inward -- cleansing the conscience.

        * We could also note that the very same ceremony whereby Israelites cleansed themselves so as to be worthy to enter the Temple and meet with God, is now the preparation for our bodies to become the Temple for the Holy Spirit.

      * Other applications of the mitzvah of washing in the New Testament:

        * Just as a person under the Old Covenant had till sundown to be immersed, the New Covenant believer has till sundown to apologise and forgive those with whom he is angry (Eph 4:26) Bitterness and unforgivness are what makes one unclean and disqualified to enter God's presence (Matt 5:23,24), just as ritual uncleanness disqualified one to approach the altar to present an offering.

        * Just as a Jewish bride would immerse herself so as to be ritually clean for her bridegroom, even so, the church, the bride of Christ is being cleansed with the washing of the water by the Word (Eph 5:25-27). Bitterness, unforgivness, old ways of thinking, bad habits must be purged through the cleansing action of God's Word by the Holy Spirit.

4 Commandments regarding Sabbaths and Feasts

  * In order to keep Israel in remembrance of the covenant, and thus keep the door open to fulfil His plan on the earth, God instituted feasts and Sabbaths.

  * Under the New Covenant, the feasts don't play as significant a role, because the indwelling Holy Spirit keeps the expectation of the glory of God alive in us.

    * In the early church period, some insisted that gentile believers were obligated to observe the feasts, new moons and Sabbaths (Col 2:16,17). Paul wrote to those Gentiles to remind them that their hope is in Christ, and the Holy Spirit within them is what maintains their consciousness of being sons of God (Gal 4:1-11).

    * Interpreting Paul's comments to the opposite extreme, the 2nd and 3rd century church forgot the Jewish feasts altogether, discouraging, and later forbidding Jewish believers from observing any Jewish tradition. Nowhere is this type of attitude sanctioned in the New Testament. Paul's instructions in Rom 14:1-13 were to allow for one another's convictions in these matters. This goes for all the laws we've discussed so far, which some may chose to keep voluntarily.

  * Sabbaths is an especially touchy subject for many New Covenant believers because it is based on one of the ten commandments -- which for some, puts it into an altogether different category of mitzvah.

    * God, after creating the world, rested on the seventh day (Gen 2:1-3). This seems to be a pattern established from the beginning -- cycles of seven days, seven weeks (as between Passover and Shavuot), seven years, and seven sevens of years in a jubilee. It is evident that Paul measured of the passage of time in multiples of seven years (II Cor 12:2; Gal 2:1) rather than in fives and tens, as we would do today.

      * Our body seems to run at its best on a seven day week cycle. Experiments have been made with an eight day cycle, and it was found that the body wears out much faster. Even the ancient Romans and Greeks had a seven day week.

      * Exodus 20:8-11 -- God cited the seventh day of creation as the basis for keeping the Sabbath. On the Sabbath, no work was to be done. Num 15:32-36 indicates that the penalty for breaking Sabbath was death. Other scriptures: Ex 31:12-17; Lev 23:3; Deut 5:12-15

      * Every seven years, farmland in the land of Israel was to be allowed to lie fallow (Ex 23:10,11; Lev 25:1-7). After every seventh Sabbath year (or every 50 years) all slaves in the land of Israel were to be released and land returned to the original owner or his living heir. All land in Israel is uniquely considered as belonging ultimately to God. Therefore, there was no such thing as outright selling of land, but rather, a form of leasing; the expiry of the lease being the year of jubilee.

    * The rabbis divided all forms of work forbidden on the Sabbath day into categories based on the work of building Solomon's temple (Babylonian Talmud: Shabbat)

      * Sabbath was and still is almost like a weekly feast day. Even poor Jewish families save up special items of food for Sabbath. Everyone -- especially guests -- are expected to eat their fill ("C'mon! Have some more! It's shabbat!"). It's the day for forgetting one's troubles and enjoying relationships among family and friends.

      * When a situation occurred on Sabbath that required immediate attention, it made it awkward for one who was trying to keep Sabbath. Some provision were made for such situations, such as life and death situations. A lot of rabbinical discussion were about what could be done on Sabbath, and what couldn't be done. At the time of Jesus, there apparently wasn't yet a consensus as to whether miracles of healing were okay on the Sabbath. Jesus defended it by citing the rabbinical rule that life must be saved on Sabbath, even if it means breaking Sabbath, and that Sabbath is a time of loosing bonds. His discussions are typical of the discussions that took place among the rabbis. But even more strict regarding the Sabbath were the Essenes. The hypothetical case of pulling a cow or sheep out of a pit on Sabbath, didn't originate with Jesus, but was a subject of argument between the Pharisees and the Essenes. The Essenes insisted that one wait until the end of Sabbath to pull the animal out.

    * Heb 3:7-4:10 -- By citing a word occurring both in Psalm 95 and in Ex 20:8-11, "rest," the writer of Hebrews establishes that it was God's ultimate intention that Sabbath rest become a daily 24 hour state of being. We can therefore say that one who is walking in the spirit according to Rom 8 is in his or her Sabbath rest, and is therefore fulfilling that commandment.

    * As for the actual one day a week, the New Testament leaves it up to the individual's conscience (Rom 14:1-13). However, from about the 2nd century onward, as Jews became the minority in the church, observing the 7th day Sabbath began to become discouraged. It began to be emphasized that Christians rather observed the "Lord's day" on Sunday instead of Sabbath on Saturday.

      * There is no commandment anywhere in the New Testament regarding the observance of Sunday as being anything special. In a couple of instances it is evident that believers met on Sunday, but that probably became the custom because Saturday was spent at the temple or the synagogue. At that time, believers were still very much a part of the Jewish community. Only later did Sunday meeting day become identified with the day Jesus rose from the dead, and thus "the Lord's day." This was possibly encouraged by John's brief reference to "Lord's day" in Rev 1:10. It's possible that this had become a tradition by this time (probably between year 86 - 91). However, there is no statement in the New Testament strong enough to suggest that it is a requirement.

      * Tradition, in many cases, is sufficient authority to continue a practice. Tradition is not necessarily a bad thing -- except where it brings people into bondage, and violates scriptural authority. On the other hand, forcing people to discontinue a tradition can also be a bondage. One can be "under the law" in either direction. Since it is evident that "Lord's day" was a very early tradition, there is no reason to insist that it be discontinued, or that people who observe it out of conscience are doing wrong, or out of the spirit.

      * One should, even if just for health's sake, rest at least one day a week. Even if one walks in the spirit 24 hours a day while ministering in the work of the Lord seven days a week, the body can become quite exhausted and prone to breakdown the moment one, out of sheer exhaustion, steps "out of the spirit."

      * In some Muslim countries, churches meet on Friday, just as in Israel, many churches meet on Saturday, because Sunday is a work day just like Monday. Some missionaries and pastors who are responsible for numerous churches, have them meeting on various other days of the week so that they can get around to all of them.

      * Everyone should follow their own conscience. Some believers, even apart from Seventh Day Adventists, are guided by their conscience to rest on Saturday, and do no work. They even feel that they've been blessed physically, spiritually and materially since beginning to do so. Others believe they must observe Sunday as a kind of Sabbath. Yet others, just so long as they fellowship sometime with other believers, and rest at least one day a week (on their day off from work), still feel at peace with their conscience. As long as we all observe Rom 14, there is room for all of these in the body of Christ -- even in the same local church. The more, the merrier!

    * According to Exodus 31:13, the command to keep the Sabbath was a special sign of Israel's unique role: _Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you_. The plural form of  _Sabbaths_ would indicate that this not only applies to the weekly Sabbath, but to the feasts as well. Thus, we can place this as a commandment for the people of Israel by virtue of their being a Kingdom of Priests.

  * In each feast, is the seed of expectation for a new instalment of God's plan fulfilled on the earth. Some of the feasts have been fulfilled already, but others, especially those falling during the autumn harvest season, still contain elements yet to be fulfilled. Therefore, it is good to at least study their significance, if not celebrate them from time to time so as to both remember the elements fulfilled, as well as heighten our expectation of those yet to come. -- After all, there is no command what-so-ever regarding the celebration of Christmas and Easter. Yet, we celebrate them faithfully. Why not the Jewish feasts that are commanded in the Torah, even if they aren't obligatory for us?

  * The feasts fit basically into two times in the year -- the spring planting season and barley harvest: Passover, First fruits and Shavuot (Pentecost); and the autumn harvest feasts: Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur, Succot and Simcha Torah. The spring feasts were fulfilled with Messiah's first coming, his death being on Passover, his resurrection on First fruits and the Holy Spirit being poured out on Shavuot. The autumn feasts have their fulfillment with Messiah's second coming.

    * Passover \-- 14-21 Abib \-- Ex 12:1-20; 13:3-10; Lev 23:5-8; Num 9:1-14; 28:16-25; Deut 16:1-8

      * A quote form the Passover Haggadah:

Rabban Gamliel used to say: Whosoever doth not make mention of the three things used on the Passover, hath not done his duty; and these are they: the paschal lamb, the unleavened cake, and bitter herb.

The paschal lamb, which our ancestors ate during the existence of the holy temple, what did it denote? It denoted that the Most Holy, blessed be he, passed over our fathers' houses in Egypt; as is said: And ye shall say, it is the Lord's sacrifice of the Passover, because he passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed their heads and worshipped.

These unleavened cakes, wherefore do we eat them? Because there was not sufficient time for the dough of our ancestors to leaven, before the Supreme King of kings, blessed be he, appeared unto them, and redeemed them; as is said: And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough, which they brought forth out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry; neither had they made any provision for themselves.

This bitter herb, wherefore do we eat it? Because the Egyptians embittered the lives of our ancestors in Egypt; as it is said: and they embittered their lives with cruel bondage, in mortar and brick, and in all manner of labour in the field; all their service, wherein they made them labour with rigor.

It therefore is incumbent on every Israelite, in every generation, to look upon himself, as if he had actually gone forth from Egypt; as is said: And thou shalt declare unto thy son, on that day, saying, This is done because of that, which the Lord did for me, when I came forth from Egypt. It was not our ancestors only that the Most Holy, blessed be he, redeemed from Egypt, but us also did he redeem with them as is said: And he brought us from thence, that he might bring us to the land which he swore to give unto our fathers.

      * Jesus celebrated the Passover on the evening before his death

        * Before Passover, all leaven (bread with yeast) must be removed from the home. Bread without leaven, called matzah (plural: matzot) is eaten for the Passover ceremony and used in place of bread throughout the whole seven days of Passover.

        * On the first two nights the Passover meal is eaten

          * The meal consists of four glasses of wine, three matzot, bitter herbs (parsley or onion can be used), and instead of the lamb, an egg and a shoulder bone of a lamb (this is because the actual lamb can only be sacrificed when the temple is standing in Jerusalem).

          * The three matzot are placed together under a cloth. The middle matzah is broken in two. The smaller half is wrapped in a napkin and hidden. This is called the afikomen, or "afters."

          * The first glass of wine is received as a kiddush, or a dedication. Then, the liturgy is read which includes the traditional question by the youngest son, and the quotation of Gamliel that we read earlier. Part of the Hallel is sung at this point (Psalm 113 & 114). Later in the ceremony, the second glass (refilling the same glass), just before the matzah and the bitter herbs. Then the meal is eaten. After the meal is over, the third cup is blessed and drunk.

          * Then the children are sent to look for the afikomen. That is then blessed, broken and eaten by all. The rest of the Hallel is sung (Psalm 115 - 118).

          * Then the final cup is blessed and drunk.

        * Luke 22:14-20; I Cor 11:23-26 record the blessing of the afikomen, and the last cup of wine. Luke also mentions one of the earlier cups of wine as well).

          * The three matzot represent Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Many, who believe Jesus was the Messiah, apply this also to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Abraham being the Father, and Isaac being the son who was offered up.

          * The second matzah, "the Son," is broken and the afikomen is wrapped up and hidden until the third glass of wine, just as the Son of God was broken on the cross, wrapped up and buried until it resurrected on the third day.

          * Jesus said, "This is my body," and of the final cup of wine, "This is my blood of the New Covenant."

          * Paul said that as we partake of this, we are proclaiming the death of Jesus until He comes (I Cor 11:26)

      * Jesus fulfilled both the Passover, by dying as the Passover lamb, and also the feast of first fruits, by rising up three days later as the "first fruits of those who have fallen asleep." (I Cor 15:20)

      * Passover has been carried on in the church as Easter and Communion. In many cases, communion is celebrated on Easter, and some also have it once a month, and some, once a week etc.

        * Easter, as celebrated by most of the Church, no longer happens during Passover. The Council of Nicea, under the direction of Emperor Constantine, decided that such an important Christian feast must not follow Jewish tradition. The wording of the decree is vehemently anti Jewish, which I quote here with shame: ...it was desirable to change the situation so that we have nothing in common with that nation of father-killers who slew their Lord... (W. Bright, Socrates' Ecclesiastical History, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1893 -- or look up: www.fourthcentury.com/index.php/urkunde-26) This is another example of anti-Jewish sentiment that became prevalent from the second century onward, of which we, as the Church must repent.

        * The early tradition of "breaking bread from house to house" may be based both on Jesus's interpretation of Passover, but applied to the Jewish custom of Shabbat kiddush, where wine and bread is taken. In this case, regular bread would have been used, and unleavened bread on Passover. Thus, communion was done in the context of a full meal, or a "love feast" (Jude 12; I Cor 1:17-34).

        * Many believers celebrate the Passover Jewish style, observing the Messianic fulfillment of the afikomen and the wine.

    * Shavuot (Pentecost) -- 6 Sivan \-- Ex 23:16;34:22; Lev 23:15-21; Num 28:26-31; Deut 16:9-21

      * The children of Israel were to count seven weeks from the feast of first fruits during Passover week, and the following day, the 50th, was the feast of Shavuot. (Shavuot (Hebrew) = "weeks" & Pentecost (Greek) = "50")

      * According to Jewish calculations, that was the day the Ten Commandments were given from Mt. Sinai -- thus it is the birthday of Judaism.

      * In fulfillment, the same day the Ten Commandments were received, and the children of Israel committed themselves to abide by them; the Holy Spirit was also poured out and 3000 people committed themselves to follow Messiah in Jerusalem (Acts 2). Thus, Shavuot is also the birthday of Christianity.

      * Barley was harvested at that time, as the other crops were being planted. The first fruit offering, therefore, consisted to two loaves of barley bread baked with the leaven. Jesus once described the Kingdom of God as being leaven that leavens the whole lump.

    * Rosh Hashanah \-- 1 Tishri \-- Lev 23:23-25; Num 29:1-6

      * This is the first of the autumn harvest feasts which have their fulfillment in the period leading up to and including Messiah's return.

      * Even though Passover is the religious new year, Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the civil or agricultural year for the Jews. The month of Tishri, in which all the Autumn feasts fall, being the seventh month of the religious year, can be seen as a Sabbath month.

      * Traditionally it is believed that God completed the creation of the world on Rosh Hashanah. This aspect will be fulfilled when God sums up the history of the world at Messiah's coming, fulfilling the reason for creating the world in the first place.

      * The shofar (ram's horn blown as a trumpet) is traditionally blown every day in every synagogue beginning with Rosh Hashanah, until the completion of Yom Kippur on 10 Tishri.

        * From this, we get a fuller understanding of the seven angels with the seven trumpets of Revelation 8-11.

        * Traditionally, the blowing of the shofar signifies 3 things:

          1. Call to repentance

            * The whole period from Rosh Hashanah, climaxing with Yom Kippur is a time of repentance for the Jewish community. During this period, Jews all over -- even secular non-religious Jews -- go around asking each other forgiveness and making up for old arguments of the past year ("Hey -- if I've done anything to offend you this year, forgive me, okay?"). During this time, congregations will make a trip to a body of water to cast in pebbles -- representing their sins -- into the water.

            * In the period leading into the return of Messiah should be a time of repentance for the church for our backslidings, our sectarianism, factions, unforgivness, and how we've treated the Jews. In the end, it will be a time of repentance for Israel, and the nations as the last days harvest is gathered in. When we repent, our sins are buried like pebbles beneath the deepest sea.

          2. To remind God of His covenant -- to appeal to God to deal with His people according to His promise to Abraham.

Both the first and second coming of Messiah are fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. Israel, Abraham's seed after the flesh, still has a part to play. As we appeal to God to fulfill His covenant to Abraham in bringing Israel to repentance, God's plan for the ages can be fulfilled. The book of seven seals in Revelation which only Jesus as the Lamb slain, could open, can be seen as the summing up of God's covenant with Adam when he made him ruler over the earth.

          3. To confuse the satan, who accuses Israel before God on New Years day. While this may sound like a quaint medieval tradition, we never the less see a parallel in Rev 11&12: After the last of the seven trumpets (11:15), we are told in 12:10 that the Devil, the "accuser of the brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down." This seems to be the result of much travail and intercession (12:1,2), spiritual warfare (12:7-9), and personal victory on the part of the believers, who overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (12:11), and loved not their lives even to death.

        * The last trumpet of Rosh Hashanah is actually blown on the completion of Yom Kippur. We will see in a moment why Yom Kippur is significant in all this, but the last trumpet in Rev 11:15-19 and 10:5-7 seems to signify the completion of God's plan on earth. I Cor 15:50-58 signifies that the last trumpet ushers in the resurrection.

    * Yom Kippur (day of atonement) -- 10 Tishri \-- Lev 16; 23:26-32; Num 29:7-11

      * This is the annual day of solemn fasting and of humbling oneself before God.

      * During the time the temple was standing it was the day of the annual atonement sacrifice, with the sacrifice of the bullock for the high priest, and two goats for Israel. That was the only time of the year that the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies.

      * It is also believed to be the day of judgement on all Israelites whose repentance isn't genuine -- a day of reckoning. The credit limit has been used up and Israel humbly comes before God to beg for mercy.

      * The application to the end times is the final day of reckoning for the world.

        * Israel will finally realize the identity of messiah and "look on him whom they pierced," and "mourn for him as one mourns for his only son and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn" (Zech 12:10-14). It will indeed be a time of solemn assembly and fasting and repentance on the part of Israel.

        * For those in the world that don't repent, it will be a time of final judgment -- possibly with the seven last bowls of God's wrath.

        * Then the final trumpet -- the shofar that signals the end of the day of atonement -- and the dead in Christ shall rise ... etc.

    * Succot (Tabernacles) -- 15-22 Tishri \-- Ex 23:16; 34:22; Lev 23:33-36,39-43; Num 29:12-38; Deut 16:13-15

      * Whereas Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur were solemn holidays marked by repentance and humbling of oneself, Succot and Simcha Torah are joyful feasts.

      * This is the holiday celebrating harvest. The tithes and other offerings are brought to the temple during this feast.

      * It commemorates God's presence and protection over Israel in the wilderness until they entered the promised land. To do this, they reside in make shift shelters (succot) during this holiday. They also collect branches of the palm, myrtle and willow to make a lulav or branch, and with that and an etrog (a citrus fruit) they make a special blessing according to Lev 23:40.

      * During this holiday period, a total of 70 bullocks were offered on behalf of the 70 gentile nations, or 70 general groupings that are believed to compose the gentile world.

      * A special ritual was performed in the temple that was to solicit God's favour in granting rain for the following year. A priest was sent to the pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher to fetch water, which was poured, along with another pitcher of wine, at the foot of the altar where it flowed through underground pipes into the brook of Kiddron. While this was being done, the Hallel was sung (Psalm 113 - 118).

      * This again fits into the scenario of Revelation, if we consider Rev 14:14 ff. where the Son of man thrusts in His sickle to reap the harvest of souls from the earth. This seems to be the resurrection, or the rapture -- the harvest that this holiday is ultimately commemorating.

      * Messiah is often referred in the Old Testament prophets as "the Branch." Isaiah 4:2-6 follows a Succot motif, referring to Messiah, "the Branch" as the lulaf and going on to describe God's presence with Israel in the wilderness.

      * The 70 nations are significant in the feast of Succot. Zech 14:16,17 says that in Messiah's kingdom, the nations that are left will come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Succot seems to have special significance in the millennium, which Revelation describes in chapter 20. One Jewish tradition states that Succot will be the only feast celebrated during Messiah's reign.

      * Zech 14:17 further says that those nations that don't participate in the feast of Succot will receive no rain for their crops.

      * Rain is also significant of the pouring out of God's Spirit on all flesh, as we see in Joel. This will indeed happen both in the kingdom, and in the period leading into the kingdom, as Israel speaks the words of the Hallel, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (Ps 118:26) in recognition of who Messiah is, in fulfilment of Jesus' prophecy in Matt 23:39.

    * Simcha Torah is the day of holy convocation on the eighth day of Succot (Lev23:36).

      * On that day, the schedule of Sabbath Torah readings has completed its annual cycle, Jewish congregations having read through the whole five books of Moses. The giving of the Torah from Mt. Sinai is celebrated.

      * Whereas Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are days of dwelling on our deficit before God, and therefore a time of repentance, this is a day of dwelling on "credit" that has been extended to us, or grace (in the Calvinistic sense of "unmerited favour"). The believer, of course, lives by grace and God's imputed righteousness, but walking in that according to Rom 8:1 involves walking in the spirit, which is also a state of continuous repentance and sensitivity towards others in the body of Christ. Confessing our sins, and acknowledging our deficit (I John 1:6-10) -- that by ourselves we are nothing -- should be a daily experience, just as dwelling on our credit -- understanding our righteousness in Christ, and relying on His strength and not our own, and participating in continuous Sabbath rest. Thus, both Yom Kippur and Simcha Torah are daily experiences for the New Covenant believer.

      * On this day, Jewish congregations celebrate by taking the Torah scrolls out of the ark (the place where they are kept in the synagogue), and dancing with them around the bema (podium). After this, the annual reading cycle begins once more with Genesis. Likewise, New Covenant believers receive a deeper foundation to their faith once they understand the Torah, and the purpose of the commandments -- how they have been fulfilled in Messiah, how the Torah serves as the foundation to our New Covenant experience, and which of the mitzvot serve as guidelines for our everyday lives under the New Covenant.

## The Holy Spirit in the Torah and Prophets

#4 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series \-- Old Covenant section: How the Old Covenant provides the basis to understand the New Covenant in regards anointing and authority

©1997 Robby Charters

In the Very Beginning \-- Even at creation, we see the Holy Spirit active both in a creative and in a life-giving role.

  * Gen. 1:1,2 -- His creative role in the creation of the world: The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the deep

    * The Hebrew word for "spirit", ruach means breath. The Holy Spirit is like the breath of God. Human breath consists of oxygen, carbon-dioxide and nitrogen -- the atmosphere God created. God, of course isn't dependent on this atmosphere, but rather, wherever He goes, His own breath goes with Him. Unlike human breath, God's breath is living and where He blows, God's presence is there. In the New Testament, we understand that He is one of the three persons of the One God.

      * Rashi says, The Throne of Glory was suspended in the air and hovered over the face of the waters, sustained by the breath (ruach) of God and His command, like a dove hovering over the nest.

      * The Holy Spirit hovered, or brooded, like a mother hen broods over its eggs, as though bringing creation to hatch. This is also a picture of how He moves in the believers in intercessory prayer.

  * Gen. 2:7 -- His life-giving role at the creation of man: The Lord God formed man...and breathed into his nostrils the breath (ruach) of life

    * Because God doesn't need oxygen to survive, it obviously wasn't oxygen that God breathed into man, but rather, His own breath, the ruach. Man was made alive with God's own life, through His breath, the Holy Spirit.

    * As we saw in the first module, it was this life that later died as the result of man's disobedience (Gen. 2:17). Though created to be a carrier of God's life, man, instead, became subject to death.

    * Through Messiah's work on the cross, man can be made alive once again (John 3:3-8; Rom 5:17; II Cor. 5:17). This is likewise the activity of the Holy Spirit.

The Three Modes of Impartation of the Holy Spirit's Anointing \-- In the Torah, we begin to see that the Holy Spirit's role on the Earth is to work in and through people -- His creation -- in order to carry out God's plan on the Earth. One good way to understand this activity is to note the three ways in which the Holy Spirit is imparted to people for the purpose of carrying out divinely appointed tasks: anointing by transference, anointing with oil, and spontaneous anointing.

  * Anointing by transference \-- In this mode, transferring the Holy Spirit's anointing shares much in common with the transfer of uncleanness and guilt. The three concepts are inseparable, so that to fully understand the one, we have to look at all three.

    * uncleanness was transferred by touch

      * The people of Israel were commanded to "separate the clean from the unclean" (Lev. 20:24-26). This was because man had become inherently unclean through the sin of Adam (Lev 16:16).

        * Touching a dead carcass, or touching someone with an unclean disease causes one to become ritually unclean (Lev 11:24; 15:16-24)

        * While in an unclean state, one could not participate in worship at the temple (Num. 19:11-13)

        * The means of becoming ritually clean includes immersion

          * Lev 15:5,16; 17:15; 11:24-28; 14:8 -- Most of these references contain the phrase, He (or she) shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water and be unclean until evening, then he shall be clean. Ritual immersion, according to rabbinical practice, was done by totally immersing one's self in a stream or a naturally filled pool (Mishnah: Mikvaot). This was the practice commanded by John the Baptist, so it was also the fore-runner of Christian baptism.

          * John the Baptist said of Jesus, he would "baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire"(Matt 3:11). The Holy Spirit, in this way, cleanses, as well as empowers the individual for service. In this way, not only is one legally entitled to enter the sanctuary, as by immersion in water, but the bad habits and attitudes that caused the blemish in the first place are also cleansed from the personality as though burned with fire. Thus, under the New Covenant, immersion for ritual cleansing takes on an added dimension in which the Holy Spirit is directly active.

      * Immersion was also a part of the ceremony for the appointment of the priest (Ex 40:12-15).

    * guilt was transferred by the laying on of hands on the head of the sacrificial animal.

      * Lev 1:4; 3:2; 4:4; etc. -- Then he shall put his hand on the head of the ...offering... For every sacrifice, the one offering it had to lay his hands on the head of the animal to identify himself with it. By thus identifying the animal with the man who brought it, the guilt of the man was legally transferred to the animal.

      * Lev 16:21 -- Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel... On the day of atonement, the priest laid hands on one of the goats for the sacrifice, and confessed the sins of the people. That goat was released in the wilderness so that it carried away the sins transferred to it.

    * The Holy Spirit's power for leadership was transferred from Moses to Joshua by the laying on of hands -- Deut 34:9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him...

  * Institutional anointing \-- by anointing with oil. This is where we get the use of the word "anointing" as meaning the activity of the Holy Spirit on a person's life. There are three situations in which oil was used to anoint: that of the cleansing of the recovered leper, the anointing of the high priest, and the anointing of the king.

    * Lev 14:9-20 the cleansing of the recovered leper -- Again, we see the recognisable pattern in which the Holy Spirit's anointing is related to cleanness.

      * Verse 9 ...he shall wash his clothes and wash his body in water, and he shall be clean \-- the leper is immersed in water

      * Verse 17 ...the rest of the oil in his hand, the priest shall put some on the tip of the right ear...on the thumb on the big toe...the rest...he shall put on the head... \-- the leper is anointed with oil

      * Traditionally, it is believed that leprosy was divine judgement for blasphemy and slander, just as Miriam was so judged for speaking against Moses (Num. 12); and King Uzziah, for intruding on the holy part of the temple (forbidden to all but the priest) (II Chron 26:16-21). Even after recovery, the process of cleansing, described in the above passage, takes a week, which includes the immersion, and anointing with oil in a similar manner as that of the High Priest. On one hand, this shows us the seriousness of the sin of slander and strife. On the other hand, it is a pattern of a sinner coming into the kingdom of God by the blood of the sacrifice, through baptism, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

    * the anointing of the high priest and the utensils of the tabernacle \-- In this situation, we see what appears on the surface to be no more than a ritual, but when done in obedience to God's command, results in the visible and tangible glory of God.

      * Ex 29:4-7 -- Aaron and his sons are immersed and then anointed by pouring oil on the head.

      * Ex 40:9-38 -- Both the tabernacle, the utensils and Aaron and his sons are anointed. The end result (vs. 34,35) was the visible glory of God in a cloud such that Moses couldn't enter the tabernacle.

    * the king's anointing

      * Sam 10:1; 16:1-13 -- Samuel anointed Saul, and later, David as king of Israel

      * Every king after this time was anointed at his ascension to the throne

    * the legitimacy of the anointing: The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed... I Sam 24:6; 26:11; II Sam 1:1-16; Psalm 105:9; Acts 23:1-5 -- The anointing with oil in this way is to be taken seriously. Even when David was being unjustly pursued by King Saul -- with the intent to kill -- he dared not violate the sanctity of Saul's anointing. There is a divine legitimacy about the office even though the person occupying the position may be corrupt, as King Saul certainly was; as was also the High Priest presiding at the hearing of the apostle Paul.

    * the Anointed One The Hebrew word for one who is anointed is Moshiach or "Messiah" (in Greek, this word is Christos, or "Christ", which was the word used by Greek speaking Jews of the first century). The high priest or the king would have been referred to as "Messiah" or the anointed one. In the prophetic scenario, it came to mean the one who would ultimately be the successor to King David that restored the kingdom to Israel. We will develop this theme in more detail in the next module, The Hope of Messiah.

  * Spontaneous anointing \-- that of the prophets. In the scriptures, we also notice that the Holy Spirit was active with the prophets, who weren't appointed to a special office by any ritual. They were simply "filled with the Holy Spirit", or the Holy Spirit "came on them". We use the term "anointing" in regards to this "filling" even though oil was not generally used to initiate the Holy Spirit's activity.

    * the spirit of prophecy \-- We see that the most remarkable manifestation of this anointing is in the area of revelation, or wisdom. Another major one is "mighty acts" or miracles.

      * Ex 31:1-3 -- Bezalel, involved in building the tabernacle, was given the spirit of wisdom, understanding and knowledge

      * I Kings 7:13-14 -- In a parallel passage regarding Solomon's temple, Hiram was given the spirit of wisdom, understanding and skill. The three aspects of spiritual wisdom in both cases can be listed as:

        * knowing the over all plan, or vision;

        * knowing the intermediate steps, or the short range goals; and

        * knowing the technical details how to carry out the steps.

      * Isaiah 11:2 -- This passage speaks of Messiah. Some interpret these qualities to be the seven spirits of God in spoken of in Rev 1:4, including the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. Most of these relate to revelation and wisdom. One, the "Spirit of might" would the miraculous physical acts.

    * Num. 11:24-30 -- the spontaneity of prophecy: Then the Lord came down in the cloud...and took of the Spirit that was upon him (Moses) and placed the same upon the seventy elders... The anointing that was on Moses was transferable to the 70 elders. When they received this transfer, they began to prophecy.

      * Eldad and Modad were among the elders but didn't make it to the gathering, but they began prophesying anyway in the camp

      * When Joshua was worried about them prophesying like that, Moses spoke the desire of God's heart, "I wish all of Israel would prophecy." This desire finds its promise in Joel 2:28-32, and the beginning of its fulfilment in Acts 2.

    * Deut 18:15-22; 13:1-5 -- the prophets to come after: God said through Moses that He would raise up prophets. This statement has two applications:

      * The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst... \-- meaning a special prophet who will come, and have the same impact on Israel as Moses did. This is speaking of Messiah. Deuteronomy gives us a prophetic scenario leading up to this:

        * Deut 28-29 -- the results of disobedience: Because they ignore God's covenant, the children of Israel will be persecuted, and finally driven out and scattered throughout the Earth.

        * Deut 30:1-10 -- restoration to the land of their fathers: All of Israel will be re-gathered to the land of Israel, and the age of Messiah will commence.

      * Prophets in general -- If the prophet's words are indeed from God; i.e. they agree with the Torah (13:2; 18:20), and the predictions come to pass (18:22); this can be taken as proof that the prophet is from God. It is Israel's responsibility to listen to him.

        * Throughout the Old Testament, we see the prophetic anointing as being parallel to the institutional anointing of the priest and king.

          * The institutional anointing was by automatic succession, the new priest or king being officially appointed by those sharing authority; or else meeting the criteria, such as birth in the royal family; whereas the prophet simply popped up out of nowhere.

          * The authority of the institutional anointing was by virtue of divinely established institution, whereas the authority of the prophet was by virtue of truth \-- his words confirming the words of the Torah, and coming to pass, often accompanied with visible power; though the truth spoken was often in conflict with the institutional authority (Amos 7:12-16).

        * The function of the prophet:

          * to bring God's Word to the situation he lives in (Deut 18:15-22; Jer 20:7-9)

          * to warn (Amos 3:2-8; Eze 3:16-21) -- in this function, some prophecies are conditional (book of Jonah)

          * to speak God's plan into existence (Jer 1:4-10)

          * intercessory prayer (Eze 22:30,31)

        * The prophet was often the agent of change

          * Moses, a prophet, established the priestly dynasty of Aaron. Likewise, kingly dynasties were often established through prophets -- i.e. Samuel established both the dynasties of Saul and David (Sam 10:1; 16:1-13); Ahijah prophesied over Jeraboam, launching him into kingly ministry (I Kings 11:28-39); Elijah, through his junior prophets, anointed Jehu as king of Israel, and Hazael as king of Syria (I Kings 19:15-18; II Kings 8:8-15; 9:1-10). Most kings who simply followed the normal succession within the dynasty of their fathers were anointed by the priest.

          * Three people especially were agents of change in the Old Testament:

            * Moses -- established Israel as a nation with the Torah, and the priesthood;

            * Samuel -- began the school of the prophets, whereby the prophets who followed were grounded on the Torah; and established the Davidic dynasty, from which Messiah would come

            * Jeremiah -- who brought the kingdom of David and Solomon, along with all the rest of the divinely established institutions to a close. By his prophetic words, his role was to root out, pull down, destroy, throw down, to plant and to build (Jer 1:10). Under the prophetic anointing, he spoke against the establishment, doing and saying things that under normal circumstances would be considered treasonable, or at the very least, presumptuous. In fact, he was accused of sedition, and put into a dungeon for it.

          * Vital messages for all time

            * Some, today, say that only churches that run under the presbyterian system are valid. Others say that only those with a single leader having autocratic authority are valid. Yet others say that only those leaders appointed by an apostle are to be recognised. In the Torah and the Prophets, we see all of these as valid sources of authority at some time or another. In the New Testament, apostolic succession was established, like in the Old Testament, through the prophets, or the original twelve apostles. That became the institutional authority. However, when this became corrupt, some, like those prophets who claim their authority on the basis of truth, began ministering in opposition. This was valid to a point, in that it was authority based on truth. Now, we have many denominations, or institutions as a result, all with institutional authority. However, just as the Davidic kingdom came to an end at the Babylonian invasion, these also will come to an end, but not by the actions of any single individual (any more than Jeremiah actually did anything other than prophecy and warn).

            * We are told repeatedly in the Bible to obey and respect those over us in the institutional sense. A good example of this faithfulness is the life of David. Even though the prophet Samuel had made the pronouncement that the Holy Spirit had left King Saul, David, never the less, respected the institutional anointing (Sam 24:6; 26:11), not daring to do anything to harm King Saul or remove him from office, even when Saul was pursuing David with the intent to kill. Even Samuel, with the prophetic anointing, didn't encourage revolt, but only spoke forth Saul's rejection by God. Those who think they might have a prophetic calling to override the institutional functions of authority need to be very careful that they are acting in the Spirit of God, and are truly dead to themselves and alive to Christ -- not just a simple matter of "God told me so -- so there!". On the other hand, those who are in authority in the institutional category, need to be aware that God does anoint people spontaneously, and that we are responsible to listen when someone comes to us with truth. There is the need for both types of authority to recognise the other.

Early History of Israel \-- Illustrating the principal:

  * If you have the Word without the Spirit,  
you'll dry up

If you have the Spirit without the Word,  
you'll blow up

If you have both the Word and the Spirit,  
you'll grow up  
\-- from Dennis & Rita Bennet, The Holy Spirit and You

  * The period of the Judges \-- going around in circles

    * God's command through Moses was that the people should teach the Torah to their children, especially the commandment to love God with all their heart (Deut 6:4-9; 4:9; 11:18-21). This command, if followed, would have kept the people on the right path.

    * Judges 2:7-10 -- After the death of Joshua, and the death of all those who had seen the mighty works of God in the wilderness, the people began to turn away from the Lord. Judges 2:11-19 shows us a cycle that we see repeated throughout the book of Judges:

      1. The people turned away from God

      2. Foreigners invade and make life miserable

      3. The people call on God

      4. God sends a man or woman anointed with the Holy Spirit who brings miraculous deliverance

      5. This person judges Israel, or a region of it, and the people serve God as long as the judge is alive

      6. The judge finally dies and a new generation arises

      7. Repeat cycle ...

    * Technically speaking, we can think of the judges as prophets, as they were anointed spontaneously. The most notable manifestations of the Holy Spirit on these people were the mighty acts. However, it is evident that many of them knew very little of the Torah

      * Gideon (chap. 6-8) after he had brought deliverance to Israel from the hoard of Midianites with only 300 men, took his share of the spoil and made an ephod (8:22-27) which the people prayed to as though it were an image of God -- contrary to the commandment not to make any graven images.

      * Jephthah (chap 11), while being used to fight off the Ammonites, made a rash vow to God (vs. 30,31) that on his return to his home, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out the door to meet him. That turned out to be his daughter (34-40). It's possible that the vague wording of this passage indicates that he redeemed her with an clean animal, which would have been legal by rabbinical tradition, though she had to remain virgin; but it also shows an ignorance of what is allowed in the way of sacrifice. Suppose the first creature to come out were a dog or a cat?

      * Samson (chap 13-16) was especially anointed by God, but played it dangerously until his weakness for Philistine women finally caught up with him. Had he obeyed the commandment not to get mixed up with women outside the covenant of Israel, he could have saved himself a lot of heartache and his anointing could have gone a lot farther. In the end, he defeated the Philistines, but at the expense of his own life.

    * Judges 17:7; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25 -- the phrase is repeated 4 times in the last 5 chapters of Judges, In those days, there was no king in Israel, and everyone did what was right in their own eyes. The written word of God was not generally available to the people in general, and no one took the responsibility of teaching it to the people.

  * Samuel \-- establishing the foundation

    * Sam 1:1-11 -- Hanna's prayer for a son could be seen as parallel to the longing to get out of the vicious cycle of the period of the judges. Her desperation was indeed used by God to provide the right man. Though she is barren, her prayer is answered and she has a son, Samuel, who finally brings the vicious cycle to an end.

    * The only place where the Torah was known was in the temple, by the priests. It was only taught by the senior priests to their juniors. However, by Samuel's time, the priesthood had become corrupt, Eli's sons being engaged in all kinds of perverse acts.

    * Samuel grew up in the temple, and learned the Torah from Eli. While still a child, the Holy Spirit moved on him.

      * Though he was a Levite, he was not in the lineage of Aaron, and therefore not a priest. His anointing, therefore was the spontaneous anointing of a prophet, or a judge; rather than the institutional anointing of a priest.

      * Later, this anointing was recognised, and he judged Israel for many years.

      * Unlike the judges that went before, he was well versed in the Torah. He had both "the Word and the Spirit".

        * He is believed to have started a school for prophets (I Sam 10:5,6,10ff; 19:20-24; II Kings 2:3,5,7,15-18; 4:38-44; 6:1-7). The "sons of the prophets", as the junior prophets were called, lived with the senior prophet and learned both from his lifestyle as well as his teaching. Their training would have included memorising large portions of the Torah -- if not the whole thing (Ps 1:2; Joshua 1:8).

        * As a result, not only the priests, but also the prophets that came afterwards knew the Torah, and there was much greater stability in the nation.

        * Even if Samuel had not established the institution of the monarchy, leadership under the judges who would have come after would have been more stable.

        * It could be speculated that Samuel transcribed the Torah from Egyptian hieroglyphics into the more popularly read Phoenecian script, possibly upgrading the, by then, archaic language of the Mosaic script. He would have had the prophetic inspiration to do so. That's my own idea -- also, that Jeremiah and/or Ezra performed a similar service later on. Languages do evolve over centuries of time. Facts:

          1. The ancient Hebrew script based on Phoenecian, probably didn't exist at the time of the Exodus. However, Moses was well educated in Egyptian. However, the Philistines would have later popularised the phonetic alphabet, which would have therefore come into use, making it a logical choice for transcribing the Torah. Thus, people would be enabled to read it themselves rather than having it read to them by the priests.

          2. After the exile, the Scriptures were transcribed using the Aramaic script, which the Israeli people learned in Babylon, also based on the old Phoenecian alphabet, in the form of what we now recognise as modern Hebrew.

    * When the people insisted on a king, Samuel established the dynasty of Saul, and then when God's time was right, he anointed David to be the initial king of a new dynasty that would eventually give birth to Messiah -- the anointed one to fulfil both the role of prophet, priest and king.

## The Hope of Messiah

#5 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series -- Old Covenant section: How God worked through the Old Covenant to prepare the world for Messiah, God's ultimate fulfilment of justice and mercy

©1997 Robby Charters

Under the covenant with Abraham, The people of Israel were to occupy all the territory from the Negev Dessert to the Euphrates river (Gen 15:18-21). We also saw, that it is through Israel that God has the right to deal with all the nations (Gen 12:1-3 ...I will bless those who bless you... & ...In you, all the families shall be blessed...) Whenever Israel is fully occupying her rightful territory, and in right relationship with God, in faith and obedience to the covenant, all the nations of the world will also be in their right place in God's plan.

Only once in the history of the world has Israel fully occupied the territory promised to Abraham. That was during the reigns of King David and his son, King Solomon. The state of the nation and the world at that time reflects the above principal that blessing comes on and through Israel in-so-much as Israel occupies all the territory promised to her.

  * II Sam 8:1-14 & I Kings 4:20,21 gives the extent of the territory under Israel's control during their reigns.

  * Both David and Solomon were God's choice for king. Both feared God (although Solomon wavered towards the end), and were used of God to bring God's blessing on Israel -- David, by conquering the territory round about, and Solomon, by building the Temple, and being a channel of wisdom and wealth.

  * I Kings 10:14-29 & II Chron 9:13-28 describe the extant of Solomon's wealth. It is said, (vs 23) King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom; and (vs 27) silver became as common in Jerusalem as stones.9

  * II Chronicles 9:22-28 adds that Solomon was very influential, and known for his wisdom, so that kings of the earth sought his presence. (e.g. the Queen of Sheba, II Chron 9:1-12) They all also brought gifts to him. Whereas David's reign was marked by military victory, Solomon's reign was distinguished by favour with all the kingdoms of the earth.

  * The first Temple was planned by David and built by Solomon and was known for it's magnificence. The site was confirmed by God as being the permanent location of the covenant sanctuary (II Chron 7:12-16)

  * The peace that reigned at that time, with Israel at the epicentre, would seem to confirm that things were indeed in their proper order, as a result of Israel being in her proper place. This unique period of history, therefore, was a foretaste of the kingdom of God, and became the point of reference for all the promises concerning Messiah.

God made some promises both to King David and King Solomon \-- many of which did not fully come to pass during their immediate dynasty.

  * II Sam 7:12-16 -- God promised to David that He would set up his seed after him, and establish his kingdom. The kingship would never leave David's family, but David's throne would be established forever. - This was understood, in the immediate sense, to mean Solomon - However, many aspects of this haven't fully come to pass yet

  * I Kings 9:1-9 -- God makes a similar promise to Solomon, saying his kingdom would be established forever.

    * This was understood, then, to mean the immediate dynasty of David (which only lasted for four hundred years, until the Babylonian captivity).

    * Again, this hasn't fully come to pass yet.

  * Psalm 2 -- was written to celebrate the coronation of a king of David's lineage, and was written from prophetic inspiration

    * vs 8 -- God promises the nations and the ends of the earth to be the possession of the king.

    * vs 9 -- The king will break the nations with a rod of iron, and crush them like a potter's vessel.

    * vs 10-12 -- The kings and peoples of the world are advised to serve the Davidic king, and put their trust in him.

    * This was never fulfilled completely during the immediate dynasty of King David before the captivity, and has yet to have its complete fulfilment.

  * Psalm 45 -- was written on the occasion of a royal wedding, and also has prophetic implications

    * vs 6 -- The king's throne (the Hebrew word for God can also mean "king"), would last forever, and his authority is described as "a sceptre of righteousness."

    * vs 7,8 -- Emphasis is placed on the anointing with oil. Kings were anointed with oil as a sign of their appointment by God (More on this later).

    * vs 16,17 -- The bride is told here that her children will be kings in all the earth, and people will praise her forever and ever.

    * Nothing like this happened during the Davidic dynasty that immediately followed, which only enjoyed continuous succession for 400 years.

  * Psalm 72 -- is a prayer for King Solomon, and also moves into prophetic declarations

    * vs 2-4 -- The kingdom described will be one of ultimate justice, with compassion on all the needy, and the defeat of the oppressor.

    * vs 5-7 -- This king will be feared throughout all generations, and peace will result from his reign which will last "until the moon is no more."

    * Needless to say, no earthly king has ever fulfilled these pronouncements.

The dynasty of David and Solomon lasted about 400 years until the Temple was destroyed, and the whole nation was taken into captivity. The Davidic dynasty was never reestablished. Nor did Israel again occupy all of the land promised to Abraham (even during the Davidic dynasty after the death of Solomon). Nor, since the Babylonian captivity, was there ever again a time when all Israelites return to live in the land promised to them. There have only been partial migrations, with the majority of Israelites still living outside the Holy Land.

After the return from captivity, prophecies concerning the Davidic dynasty began to be interpreted in a different light.

  * During the Davidic dynasty, when the kings showed promised, it was assumed that God was fulfilling his promises to David through the present king, or one shortly to follow. Psalms and prophecies were uttered, such as those referred to above, which reflected this hope.

  * When the kings were bad, prophets spoke of another king who would do justice. It was often assumed that these also referred to a king shortly to be born or to ascend the throne.

    * Isaiah 9:1-7 (8:23-9:6 in some Bibles) is an example. For unto us a child is born was taken to be a prediction of the birth of King Hezekiah. However, unlike the prediction, his kingdom did come to an end. Neither was the yoke of the enemy (Assyria) completely broken. However, Hezekiah partially fulfilled this by a miraculous defeat of Assyria when Jerusalem was besieged under his administration.

    * Other examples include Isaiah 7:10-14 and Isaiah 11:1.

  * Many of the prophets themselves foresaw a period of exile, which Moses, also, had foretold; if the people of Israel did not continue in faith and obedience, but left the ways of God, and worshipped idols (Deut 28:64-30:10).

    * Some, like Isaiah foresaw the end of the Davidic dynasty as they knew it, and a period in which the house of Jesse (David's father) would be reduced as a tree, to nothing more than a stump. Isaiah 11:1-12 foresees this, but that out of the dry stump, would spring a shoot that would be the revival of David's kingdom.

    * In the same passage we see a colourful description of the kingdom of God, which the prophets hoped for: The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.

    * A recurring phrase is, ...the earth will be full of [the knowledge of] [the glory of] the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9; Numbers 14:21; Habakkuk 2:14).

    * Again, it was thought that this would take place shortly after the Babylonian exile.

    * A General return of the entire remnant dispersed worldwide was prophesied (Deut 30:1-10; Jer 29:14; Isa 43:5,6). This has not been completely fulfilled yet -- neither through the return from Babylonian captivity, nor, as yet, through the current Zionist movement.

  * The future scenario also included a new Temple, which would replace Solomon's Temple:

    * I Kings 9:6-9 -- God warned Solomon that if he or his descendants turned from following Him, not walking in faith and obedience, the Temple would be destroyed.

    * Jer 7:4-14 -- Jeremiah, who prophesied to the very generation that was sent into exile, echoed the warning that the Temple would be destroyed because of sin and injustice.

    * The Temple of Solomon was indeed destroyed by the Babylonian army, as they stormed Jerusalem, and took almost the entire population into captivity.

    * Ezekiel, who began prophesying just before, and then during the first part of the exile, also prophesied about the Temple.

      * ch 8-10 -- Ezekiel is given a vision of the gross sin taking place even within the precincts of the Temple. He then watches, as the presence of God departs from the Temple.

      * 25:15-27 -- Through the death of Ezekiel's wife, and God's command not to mourn for her, the message is that the Temple is shortly to be destroyed, but no one is to mourn, as the glory and presence of God have already departed.

      * ch 40-47 -- Ezekiel has a very vivid and detailed vision of the future Temple. Judging by the description, this Temple has yet to be built.

    * Other prophecies concerning the Temple include: Haggai 2:6-9; Zechariah 1:12-17; Daniel 9:24-27

    * The 2nd Temple fell short even of Solomon's standards; and King Herod's renovations, later, were also not according to either Solomon's nor Ezekiel's specifications. This, plus the corrupt High Priestly system, prompted many, from 1st century BC to 1st century AD, to look for a third Temple which they expected to be a part of the kingdom of Messiah. Thus, Jesus's proclamation, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19), was as good as saying, "I am Messiah."

  * The gentile nations will be included in the future kingdom.

    * Amos 9:11,12 -- Some gentiles will be called by God's Name.

    * Zech 14:16 -- All peoples that survive the war of Israel's deliverance will come to worship God at the feast of Tabernacles.

  * The hope of the kingdom of God on earth also included the resurrection of the dead.

    * The clearest passage is Daniel 12:1-3.

    * Because this book wasn't written until as late as the Babylonian Captivity (and its authenticity, as inspired scripture, was in doubt in the minds of some), and there are no direct references to the resurrection in the Torah or Prophets, some groups, such as the Sadducees and the Samaritans doubted the resurrection. The Pharisees, however kept the hope alive both by means of Oral Torah, and by pointing out indirect references in the Written Torah, as Jesus also did (Matthew 22:23-33). (Since then, Daniel has been unanimously accepted as being a part of the cannon of scripture by both the Jewish community and the early Christians. The other prophecies have been verified as having come to pass, and being in line with the Torah.)

    * Other writings not included in the cannon of scripture, also reflect the hope of the resurrection, such as a passage in the book of Enoch. Whether or not the Book of Enoch was wholly written by Enoch before the flood can be debated. At least the manuscript didn't come to the attention of the Jews until probably about 2nd or 3rd century BC. However, part of this passage is also quoted by Jude in the New Testament:

      * I Enoch 1:8,9 \-- "And there shall be a judgment upon all, (including) the righteous. And to all the righteous he will grant peace. He will preserve the elect, and the kindness shall be upon them. They shall all belong to God and they shall prosper and be blessed; and the light of God shall shine unto them. Behold, he will arrive with ten million of the holy ones in order to execute judgment upon all. He will destroy the wicked ones and censure all flesh on account of everything that they have done, that which the sinners and the wicked ones committed against him."

  * After the Babylonian captivity, it was quite obvious to all, that all the earlier prophecies had a more far reaching implication than the natural succession of kings of the Davidic dynasty -- especially when new prophecies continued to come forth through prophets like Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.

  * Several things must be remembered when trying to understand prophecy (this also applies to personal prophecy and revelation):

    1. Very rarely is there ever a timetable given as to exactly when the prophecy will be fulfilled (we will later look at a couple of exceptions to this). Most prophets thought their prophecies were to be fulfilled immediately

    2. Many prophecies have a dual application -- to something in current history, and a second application in the future. Sometimes, this is because similar spiritual principals are involved in both instances. Often, that spiritual dynamic can also be derived from the passage and applied no mater what the period.

    3. Many prophecies are fulfilled gradually over a span of time -- i.e. the return from Babylonian captivity only began 70 years after the destruction of Jerusalem and the first Temple. The Israelites didn't completely return at that time. They are still in the process of returning even to this day.

    4. Some prophecies are conditional -- i.e. Jonah prophesied the destruction of Nineveh in 40 days, but because the Ninevites repented before God, that destruction was delayed. However, those based on an unconditional covenant, such as God made with Abraham, and made with David (with merit to David's faithfulness), are definitely to be fulfilled. Some prophecies could have been fulfilled by the kings to whom they were prophesied, had they fulfilled certain conditions, but await a second application, which is definite.

    5. Rarely is prophecy ever given for the sole purpose of informing people of future events. Rather, it is an instrument of God's covenant with man, whereby God can legally speak things into existence, or speak forth their destruction (Jer 1:9,10) so as to fulfill his plan for justice and mercy on the earth.

The concept of Messiah

  * "Messiah" literally means "anointed one." The word is used in reference to the High Priest, who was consecrated for service by application of oil; and for kings, such as Saul, and David, who were likewise anointed.

  * Oil is often used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, so that one who is anointed, is expected to move and work with His supernatural power.

  * It gradually came to be understood that, what all the unfulfilled prophecies had in common, was the description of an individual, to be born of the lineage of David, who would be anointed by God to deliver Israel from her enemies, and establish the kingdom of God on the earth which would fulfil all of the promises made to David and Solomon, and their dynasty. Because he was seen as a successor to King David, he is referred to as Messiah, or the anointed one. (In Greek the word was translated, Christos, from which we derive the title, Christ.)

  * Psalm 18:50 is quoted with a commentary in the Midrash Rabbah (to counter an opinion that David himself would rise up and become the promised Messiah): "Great deliverance giveth He to His King, and showeth loving kindness to His anointed (Hebrew: "Messiah"), to David and to his seed, forevermore;" -- it is not written here, "to David" but "to David AND to his seed" (Lament R 1:51).

All the above represents the expectation of the Jewish people in first centuries BC and AD. In addition to what we have seen, the following things can be also known about Messiah from studying the prophets:

  * Messiah would become a man: Isaiah 9:6 (9:5 in some Bibles)

  * Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, Judah: Micah 5:2,4,5

  * Messiah would be born of a virgin: Isaiah 7:14

  * Messiah would spend a part of his early childhood in Egypt, and be called there from (thus identifying with the people of Israel): Hosea 11:1

  * Messiah would be called a Nazarene: Isaiah 11:1 (the word "branch" in Hebrew, can also be read "Nazarene" if left without the vowels -- a common rabbinical practice for gaining added shades of meaning to a passage)

  * Messiah would come into Jerusalem riding on a colt: Zechariah 9:9

  * Messiah would be an exalted individual, higher than Abraham, Moses and David (see Midrash to Isaiah 53:12); and even considered to be divine:

    * David, in his Psalms referred to Him as his Lord, even though he would be a descendant: Psalm 110:1

    * Jer 23:6 -- Some early rabbis suggested that Messiah's name would be "YHVH" based on this verse.

    * Early rabbinical sources indicate that Messiah was chosen before the world began (Babylonian Talmud: Pes.54a). Pesikta Rab 152b says, "From the beginning of the creation of the world King Messiah was born, for he entered the mind (of God) before even the world was created."

    * Micah 5:2 "...whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."

    * The plain meaning of Isaiah 9:6 (9:5 in some Bibles) indicates that one of Messiah's titles is "Mighty God".

    * Daniel 7:13,14 -- An individual, identified as the "Son of Man," is described as a glorious being, along side the "Ancient of Days."

    * Messiah is called God's Son: Psalm 2:7,12; II Sam 7:12-16; Prov 3:4

  * Messiah would be anointed for earthly ministry:

    * Isaiah 61:1-3; 11:1-4

    * The following passage is found in a manuscript believed to date from 2nd or 3rd century BC:

      * Testament of Levi 18:2,3,11-13 \-- And then the Lord will raise up a new priest to whom all the words of the Lord will be revealed. He shall effect the judgement of truth over the earth for many days. And his star (see Num 24:17) shall rise in heaven like a king; kindling the light of knowledge as day is illumined by the sun. And he shall be extolled by the whole inhabited world...And he shall open the gates of paradise; he shall remove the sword that has threatened since Adam, and he will grant to the saints to eat of the tree of life. The spirit of holiness shall be upon them. And Beliar (the satan) shall be bound by him. And he shall grant to his children the authority to trample on wicked spirits. And the Lord will rejoice in his children; he will be well pleased by his beloved ones forever.

    * This represents a body of opinion leading up to the first century c.e., also held by the Essenes, that along with King Messiah, Son of David, there would be a priestly Messiah who would work hand in hand with King Messiah to reform the corrupt Temple system. However, we see in the Book of Hebrews, these two roles combined in Messiah Jesus.

  * Messiah would be betrayed: Psalm 41:9; Zech 11:12,13

  * Messiah would also fill the role of a "suffering servant":

    * Isaiah 52:13-53:12 -- Even though there are some that say that Judaism doesn't recognise this as a Messianic passage, the Targum of Jonathan, and all other Jewish commentators until approximately AD 550 interpret this passage as referring to Messiah. The following is from the Musaph prayer for the Day of Atonement, which alludes to Isaiah 53 in reference to Messiah.:

    * Messiah...hath borne the yoke of your iniquities and our transgressions and is wounded because of our transgressions. He beareth our sins on his shoulder, that he may find pardon for our iniquities. We shall be healed by his wounds...

    * Zechariah 12:10 -- This passage influenced some early rabbis to conclude that there would be two Messiahs - one who would suffer and die, called Messiah ben Joseph and another who would reign as king, called Messiah ben David. In actuality, both roles were fulfilled by one Messiah.

    * Psalm 22

  * Messiah would rise up after being dead three days:

    * Psalm 16:10 -- "You will not leave my soul in Sheol (Hell) nor will You allow your Holy One to see corruption;" -- indicating physical resurrection.

    * Psalm 22:21,22 -- The whole Psalm describes the suffering and death of Messiah. The phrase, "You have answered me," and the following lines, indicate the resurrection.

    * Isaiah 53:10-12 -- The chapter in Isaiah describing the torment of the "suffering servant" end in these verses, indicating that the suffering and death culminated in resurrection, and victory, whereby Messiah shall divide the spoil with the strong, after having poured out his soul unto death.

    * Hosea 6:2 -- On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. The pronouns, "us" and "we" indicate Messiah's identifying with the people of Israel.

    * Daniel 12:2 -- Messiah will usher in the resurrection of the dead: And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. This aspect began to gain more prominence during the Second Temple era, as evident from Pseudographical literature, the Dead Sea Scrolls and early rabbinical literature.

  * Messiah would be rejected by the leadership of Israel before he is finally accepted: Psalm 118:19-26

    * vs 22 -- ...the stone that the builders rejected became the chief cornerstone.

    * vs 26 -- Israel's leadership will welcome Messiah, from the "House of God" (the Temple), saying, Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord.

    * Zech 12:10

  * The time of Messiah's arrival:

    * Daniel 9:24-27 -- Daniel was given, in a vision, a timetable (the exception to the above guideline) whereby to expect Messiah's arrival. "Week" indicates a period of 7 years, as described in Lev 35:1-11. The following table can be seen: 7 weeks

      * 49 years \-- 445-396 bc -- from Artazerxes's decree until the covenant was renewed in Jerusalem

      * 62 weeks 434 years -- 396 bc-32 ad -- from the dedication of the second Temple to the death of Messiah

      * 1 week 7 years -- yet to be fulfilled

    * Babylonian Talmud: Sanhedrin 97a \-- "It was taught in the School of Elijah, The world will endure six thousand years -- two thousand years in chaos, two thousand with Torah, and two thousand years will be the days of the Messiah."

      * It is calculated that from creation to God's revelation to Abraham was 2000 years, and from then until 1st century AD was another 2000 years. The third 2000 year period is almost up!

      * Another part of this same passage of Talmud refers to yet a seventh 1000 year period following this, which is interpreted as a 1000 year Sabbath, or Millennium.

      * A comparison of Psalm 90:4 and Hosea 4:2 are also discussed by the rabbis, in this passage.

        * This would infer a 2000 year period in which the land is desolate

        * This can now be said to have been true of the land of Israel. The third 1000 year period of Hosea 4:2, would coincide with the Sabbath rest.

        * In this way, Messiah's death followed by resurrection on the third day is in identification with Israel's death and revival as a nation.

      * The following quotation is from Jerome, 4th century AD, regarding Papias and Irenaeus, pupils of Apostle John:

      * Jerome de vir. illust. 18 \-- This (Papias) is said to have promulgated the Jewish tradition of a Millennium, and he is followed by Irenaeus, Apollinarius and the others, who say that after the resurrection, the Lord will reign in the flesh with the saints.

      * Jerome, himself, believed in the idea that the Millennium (Rev 20:4) was only a spiritual state, and not a literal time period -- a belief that had become prevalent during his time. However, since Papias was a pupil of John, and very likely penned the Gospel of John at his dictation, he would have certainly understood how John interpreted his own reference to the Millennium in the book of Revelation.

  * Most of the above scriptures describing Messiah were known to the Jewish people, although they were unable to understand how it was all to come together before it actually happened.

Because of all of the above points, and the situation the Jews found themselves in during the first centuries BC and AD, expectation was very high regarding the imminence of the kingdom of God on earth.

  * The nation of Israel was under repressive foreign domination by Rome, in contrast to what they knew were their national rights under the covenant.

  * The puppet king, Herod the Great, was only half Jewish, and half Edomite. Even though he renovated the Temple, his reign was very oppressive (e.g. - Matt 2:16-18). His successors were also not worthy leaders.

  * The Temple, even though it had been very richly decorated, it also was under the control of unworthy leaders. The High Priests, though descendants of Aaron, were however not descended through Zaddok, the first High Priest of Solomon's Temple, who was revealed to be God's chosen of all the families descended from Aaron. In fact, the Roman Governor was the one who granted the appointment to the highest bidder.

    * The appointment also included civil power, which the Pharisees and other groups didn't see as rightfully belonging to the office of High Priest.

    * Most of the High Priests, moreover, were adherents of the Sadducee party, who didn't believe in the resurrection of the dead, nor in spirit beings. Often, they deliberately altered the sacrificial practices so as to only comply with the letter of the Written Torah, but not with what the Pharisees and other groups believed was the original intent preserved through the years through tradition.

    * According to the historian, Josephus; the High Priests often abused their office, and even oppressed the common people. Tithes and first-fruits were collect in the same manner as taxes. For animal sacrifice, only the high priced bred animals sold on the temple precinct could be used -- not ones brought from home -- thus profiting the High Priest's coffers; hence, Jesus's clearing of the temple, saying they had turned it into a den of thieves (Matt21:12, 13).

    * The Pharisees, even though violently opposed to the Sadducees, never-the-less, respected the High Priest's office (see Paul's attitude reflected in Acts 23:1-9). Other groups, such as the Essenes, excluded themselves from the Temple system and lived in monastic communities. They all expected that Messiah would build a new Temple and appoint a new administration that would run according to righteous standards.

  * The people were taxed heavily by all of the above three institutions, so that they groaned under their burden. Many people were dispossessed of their land and livelihood because of the burden, and many of these took to wandering the countryside as bandits. The revolutionary party of the Zealots came about in this fashion. The country-side therefore was no longer a safe place to live or travel; and Judea (as the province was called) became a hot-bed of revolution.

  * All of these above national hardships were understood by many as "birth-pains", which were a prelude to the "birth" of the kingdom of God. Many, indeed were expectantly awaiting the coming of Messiah, such as Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38).

# New Covenant Section

## Repentance & Faith

Covers Matthew 3-7

#6 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series: How Repentance and Faith as basic to God's kingdom

#1 of the New Covenant section

©1997 Robby Charters (significant revisions made, August 2013)

www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

Preparing the way

  * The prophet Isaiah declared that before Messiah came, one would go before and prepare the way (Isa 40:3-5) This person would "Make the path straight."

  * In what way must the path be made straight?

    * Mal 4:5,6 -- This messenger, here referred to as "Elijah" would:

      1. Turn the hearts of the fathers to the children

      2. Turn the hearts of the children to the fathers

      3. His message would be one of restoration and reconciliation, especially in the area of relationships.

    * Why? "Lest He (Messiah) strike the earth with a curse."

    * This ministry is of utmost importance to the fulfilment of the hope of Messiah. Mal 2 & 3 pivoting on 3:1 highlights this theme

  * Luke 1:5-25 -- These prophecies were fulfilled partially (or in their initial application) through John the Baptist (Matt 17:12,13)

    * vs 15-17 gives specific points regarding his ministry

      * A will turn many of the children to God

B will go before Messiah

C will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children (as in Mal 4:35)

D Will make ready a people prepared for the Lord

        * Q Why must there be a people prepared for the Lord?

A Mal 4:6 "Lest Messiah strike the earth with a curse."

          * Mal 2 & 3 speaks of many sins committed both by the general public as well as their leaders.

          * Under these conditions, God cannot bless His people because God's justice demands obedience.

          * However, God's mercy accepts repentance where obedience has failed. Repentance accompanied by the appropriate sacrifice covered man's disobedience under the old covenant.

          * For God's K ingdom to be a blessing and not a curse, the people (or a representative portion) must be repentant.

  * John's message of repentance Matt 3:1,2; Mark 1:2,3; Luke 3:5,6; Matt 3:4-7; Luke 3:8-20

    * His message (Matt 3:2) was "Repent, for the kingdom of God is near."

    * Matt 3:6, People came confessing their sins. Confession is a vital part of repentance

    * The people were baptised (immersed). This was the means provided in the Torah for becoming purified from any kind of defilement.

    * vs 7, Brood of vipers, who told you to flee from the wrath to come?

      * There were two possible answers: "The Holy Spirit warned us by pricking our hearts", and "It's the fashionable thing to do."

      * It's a fact of life, as Jesus noted later, that moves of God and servants of God can enjoy seasons of popularity. John wasn't content with numbers. He insisted that repentance come from the heart, producing visible results:

        * The people were commanded to bear "fruits worthy of repentance" -- not just verbally repent but to turn their lives around.

        * They were commanded not to trust in their religious sense of security. No one was exempt from the need to repent. All classes of society were addressed.

        * John's response to his popularity was opposite to what many tend to do today. Instead of carefully maintaining his public image, he called them snakes. Jesus also followed the same example (John 6), as the crowds began to follow Him, he intensified his call to discipleship and self denial until they began leaving Him. In John's case, he kept it up until he got arrested and later beheaded.

  * This message brought about a movement of repentance which altered the mood of Jewish society of the first century and prepared the ground for the ministry of Messiah.

  * Matt 17:10-13 The prophecy regarding the Elijah type ministry was only partially fulfilled in John, but will have its complete fulfilment in the end times bringing restoration not only to Israel but to the Church as well.

  * The meaning of baptism (immersion):

    * In the Torah, immersion is prescribed as part of the purification process for those who have contracted ritual defilement -- i.e. by touching a human corps or an animal carcass; after recovering from a disease such as leprosy or an issue of blood; after touching one with such a defilement; sexual intercourse or seminal excretion, giving birth, the menstrual cycle, etc. (for references, see previous modules in this series -- especially The Holy Spirit in the Torah and the Prophets)

    * This involved fully immersing oneself into a flowing river or stream, or a pool into which water has flowed by natural means -- not poured from a vessel. (see: Mishnah: Mikvaot; for the early Christian understanding, which was similar to the Jewish, see: Didache 7)

    * Gentiles wishing to accept the yoke of the Jewish Law underwent immersion as a part of their initiation into Judaism -- purifying themselves from their uncleanness as Gentiles.

    * John commanded people to be immersed, purifying themselves of their lack of faith and obedience to the covenant. The lack of faith and obedience constituted a defilement that disqualified the people from the covenant blessing. Cleansing came through repentance and immersion.

  * John's introduction of Messiah Matt 3:13-17

    * John announced that just as he himself baptised in water, Messiah would baptise people in the Holy Spirit and with fire.

    * Jesus was indicated as being the promised Messiah through receiving all of these baptisms.

      1. He was baptised in water by John

      2. He was baptised in the Holy Spirit, who descended on Him as a dove

      3. Matt 4:1-11 or Mark 1:12.13 -- Part of the baptised in fire involved being driven into the wilderness and being tempted by the devil.

The Temptation of Messiah -- Matthew 4:1-22

  * This passage reveals to us the humanity of Jesus.

    * By becoming human, He made Himself vulnerable. If he weren't susceptible to the possibility of sinning, then it wouldn't be accurate to call this a temptation. In one sense, God took a great risk.

    * Because he was tempted, Jesus is qualified to be our representative, or our High Priest ... since in every respect he was tempted just as we are, the only difference being that he did not sin. \-- Hebrew 4:15. The experience of Matthew 4 would not, of course, be the only time Jesus was ever tempted.

    * Because Jesus was willing to fully experience being human in this way, he became what we call "the second Adam". That terminology was inspired by Paul's description in Romans 5:12-21.

    * In each of the temptations, Jesus responded, not by using His own human wisdom, or attempting a war of wits, but by quoting scripture. This is the only sure way of combating the satan's attacks.

  * Like he did with the temptation of Eve, the satan appealed to the human desire to be God. As Jesus was already God, this was a temptation to act on His divinity, and disregard His humanity: " If you are the Son of God... "

  * This sort of temptation isn't unique to Jesus. It's also an appeal to one's status as a leader, or an authority of any sort. The temptation is to think of one's position in terms of Godhood.

    * II Samuel 11 describes a situation in which King David sinned by committing a sexual act with Bathsheba, and then deliberately sending her husband to his death, as a cover-up.

      * The temptation could very well have been, "You are the king. You can do anything you want!"

      * In II Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan approaches David with a parable about a commoner -- albeit a very rich commoner -- who owns a vast number of sheep, but instead of slaughtering one of his own sheep for a guest, takes the only one belonging to his poor neighbour. This story highlighted the fact that, though he was king, David was human, and was therefore subject to the same standards of justice as any of his fellow Israelites.

      * Fortunately, King David's response was that of repentance .

      * This is the same temptation that comes to anyone in a position of leadership, who experiences great success in some way, or who becomes recognised as an authority. The thrill of success can blind us to our own vulnerability. That's the reason many great leaders have fallen, and why we need accountability.

    * In contrast to the satan's appeal to Jesus' position as the Son of God, or as Messiah, Jesus' own response to each temptation emphasised His humble position as a human being, subject to the same standards as other humans.

      * vs 4 -- Jesus, as a human, lived by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

      * Though, in the second temptation (vs 5-7), the satan cunningly quotes scripture himself, suggesting the promise of angelic protection, Jesus still relied on a passage that forbade Him as a human to tempt God. In John 8:28; 14:10, Jesus emphasised that He did nothing on His own initiative, but only what the Father showed him to do. Doing anything more would have been "tempting the Lord, your God". Later, in John 14, Jesus states that his disciples will do the same works as He, and greater.

      * In the third temptation (vs 8-10), the satan hits at Jesus' ultimate mission as Messiah by offering Him a short-cut. His mission was to accomplish what is spoken in Revelation 11:15: The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and his Messiah... Though this certainly seemed a daunting task from where Jesus stood at the time, He never-the-less declared with blind faith, according to Deuteronomy 6:13, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.

    * Philippians 2:5-10 sums up Jesus' attitude as the example for us to follow. The passage speaks for itself.

The appearance of Messiah -- Mark 1:14-34

  * His message , (vs 15)

    1. The kingdom of God has come (in Hebrew, "draw near" and "arrived" are synonymous)

    2. Repent

    3. Believe the Gospel (good news)

  * Jesus re-emphasised John's message by saying, "repent and believe the gospel."

    * The requirements of man under the covenant are obedience and faith.

    * The remedy for failure to believe and obey are "repent and believe."

  * The following table clarifies this principal:

    * Covenant Requirements:

| 
    * Remedy for Failure:

---|---  
    * 1. Obedience

| 
    * 1. Repent (of disobedience, or failure to meet God's demands of justice)

    * 2. Faith (in the covenant)

| 
    * 2. Believe (in God's mercy)

  * Repentance simply means to turn around. We can examine John's command to repent, to see what this involves:

    1. Don't say, "we have Abraham as our father" \-- Stop trusting in your own religious self sufficiency. Realise that no matter where you stand, God requires faith and obedience. Repentance is not only a one time act, but an ongoing attitude of complete dependence on God's mercy, knowing we can never measure up to His standards of justice -- a constant "turning around" from our natural tendency to rely on our own ability, to God's mercy.

    2. The people came confessing their sins \-- Confess your sins of disobedience and lack of faith. If your faith is in your own ability, it is not the faith God requires. It is dead works. repent of it.

    3. The people...were baptised by him \-- Immersion, here, means a cleansing from defilement. Receive the cleansing Jesus came to give. If you are just now coming into Christ, receive baptism in water. If you have already been baptised, receive the cleansing through His blood (I John 1:7-9) and His Word (Eph 5:26).

    4. Bear fruits worthy of repentance \-- Entering the kingdom of God entails a change of lifestyle. Determine to be obedient to Messiah's covenant. Have faith for God's strength and God's ability to enable you to obey. God never commands you to do anything that He doesn't also give you the means to accomplish. Another section below shows how to exercise faith.

  * vs 16-20 -- an example of repentance

    * vs 17 -- Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men. Jesus called Simon and Andrew to change their lifestyle.

      * Repentance doesn't always mean a change of occupation as in the case of Simon and Andrew, but their lifestyle was certainly changed (we already looked at what we repent from in our study of John's message).

      * Jesus described the new lifestyle in terms of Simon and Andrew's present occupation -- that of fishermen. The same description applies to our calling in Christ:

        * fishing for "men" by proclaiming the kingdom of God, and commanding them to repent.

        * Our message is, "Follow Jesus, and you will become a fisher of men." One big advantage in "fishing for men" that is not present in "fishing for fish" is that the "fish," in our case, are able to join us in fishing for more men.

        * The whole principal of discipleship is encapsulated in Jesus's command to Simon and Andrew. It is growth by multiplication. That is how the kingdom of God is to be expanded.

        * Repentance is from disobedience and lack of faith to a lifestyle of expanding God's kingdom through discipleship.

  * faith can be summed up by the statement of Jesus found in Mark 11:22-24

    * vs 22 -- Have faith in God is literally translated Have the faith of God. It is not simply mental exertion, but an energy provided by God. It is available to those who have repented, and chosen to come to God. God meets the repentant individual by providing faith.

    * vs 23 -- ...shall not doubt but believe... Direct that God-given energy towards receiving that thing you know in your heart God wants you to have (basing it on a covenant promise in scripture). Don't doubt but believe.

    * vs 23 -- Whoever shall say... he shall have whatever he says. Speak forth that thing you are claiming by faith. Repeat the covenant promises out loud.

    * vs 24 -- ...believe that you receive... present tense \-- because you have asked by faith, believing it is yours right now, whether you see it or not.

    * vs 24 -- ...you will have them. It will come to pass physically in God's time -- if you don't doubt.

    * First and foremost, faith goes with repentance. The first thing you must believe for is strength and ability from God to obey His covenant (Eph 3:20; Gal 5:16-22; Phil 4:13; II Cor 5:17).

      * We have repented by turning from our previous lifestyle, and our ability to make it on our own, to a total dependence on God's mercy.

      * Now we excercise faith in God's mercy, as revealed in the cross of Jesus the Messiah,

      * also faith must be in God's strength to carry out the decision. The ongoing attitude of repentance should remind us that it is only by faith that we can have the ability and strength to do what we should.

    * Remember it is God's faith (Mark 11:22) and therefore not a tool for the fulfilling of selfish ambition. Where selfish ambition comes in it must be repented of by following all the steps in the previous section.

  * Throughout the New Testament the message of repent and believe is shown as the requirement for entering the kingdom of God.

    * The book of Acts has the most clear examples of how the gospel should be preached:

      * Acts 2:38 -- repent and be baptised

      * Acts 3:19 -- repent and be converted

      * Acts 17:30 -- God...now commands all men...to repent

      * Acts 20:21 -- repentance towards God and faith towards...Christ

    * Heb 6:1-2 lists the elementary teachings of Christ or the foundations of the kingdom -- six in all. (This was written to people who were well versed in these things, thus the exhortation "not laying again." However they must be taught to us in order to understand the kingdom of God) All of them can be seen directly or indirectly in the message of John the Baptist and Jesus

      * Repentance from dead works -- preached by both John and Jesus

      * Faith towards God -- preached by Jesus: "Repent and believe"

      * Baptism's (plural) -- baptism in water for repentance which John administered and Jesus also received, and baptism in the Holy Spirit and in fire which Jesus not only received, but was also to impart

      * Laying on of hands \-- often included in baptism, and commanded in the Torah as accompanying various sacrifices and other rituals.

      * Resurrection and

      * Eternal Judgement \-- both will have their fulfilment when the kingdom of God has fully come. They have always been understood by the Jews as being a part of the advent of Messiah

The ministry of Messiah \-- Mark 1:14-34

  * We already noted how Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit through John's baptism. His title is "Anointed One" or "Messiah" (the Greek translation of this word is "Christos" or, as pronounced in English, "Christ"). We covered the concept of Messiah in our earlier outline, The Hope of Messiah.

  * We also observed how the narrative of the temptation in the wilderness highlights the humanity of Jesus. He came out victorious by using resources that were available to Him as a human.

    * Even though Scripture confirms His deity, he laid that aside to become born as a man (Phil 2:5-11).

      * It was necessary for Him to be born as a man in order for the plan of redemption to be fulfilled. It had to be accomplished by a member of the human race.

      * The fact that he relinquished the status of supreme God, and even went so far as to be born as a man, and then to die, and go to the lowest parts, shows the ultimate act of humility.

    * Acts 10:38; John 14:10 -\- It was therefore as a simple human being, but anointed by the Holy Spirit that Jesus accomplished His work on earth.

  * Under this anointing, during the 3 ½ years of his earthly ministry, Jesus did 3 things:

    1. boldly announced the gospel of the kingdom

    2. confirmed the arrival of the kingdom through signs, wonders and miracles

    3. taught regarding the kingdom of God

These 3 points are expanded in the following sections:

  * Having been anointed with the Holy Spirit, be began to boldly announce the gospel of the kingdom

    * "Gospel" is translated from a Greek word "Evangelion" meaning "good news." It is used in the Bible to mean the "news of the arrival of Messiah's kingdom."

    * By boldly announcing "The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God has arrived," Jesus was summing up the hope that was in the hearts of the people.

      * This was the language of the prophets in declaring the hope of Messiah.

      * John the Baptist had further excited their expectancy of Messiah through his message.

      * There was no doubt in everyone's mind what Jesus' declaration meant.

  * Jesus confirmed the message of God's kingdom through signs and wonders proving that the kingdom of God that He proclaimed did indeed have power over the works of the satan, and over the effects of man's separation from God.

    * Many think of Jesus as one of the "great teachers" of history. This shows a misunderstanding of His actual role, and how he was perceived in his time. A thorough examination of all the facts (by knowledgeable historians such as E.P. Sanders in Jesus and Judaism, examining the Gospel texts in light of Rabbinical literature and the Dead Sea Scrolls and other recent finds), shows that he was viewed more as a miracle worker. A teacher would not have gained such a large following as Jesus did. His role, as perceived by the people in his day (remembering the tumultuous times, and the level of Messianic expectancy described in the last module) was as follows:

      1. He was seen and heard boldly proclaiming that the kingdom of God had arrived.

      2. He demonstrated the message of the kingdom through signs and wonders.

        * The signs and wonders are what drew the larger crowds to Jesus

        * Signs and wonders will be demonstrated when:

a the anointing of the Holy Spirit is present

b the kingdom of God is being announced

        * And ...

      3. ...(see following)

  * Having drawn the crowds, Jesus began to teach about the kingdom of God.

    * All of the parables have one theme in common: the kingdom of God.

    * Citizens of the kingdom of God gain a full understanding of God's ways. The Torah is written on the hearts, and understood fully in relation to God's character and attributes (Jer 31:33). Jesus, therefore, clarified the Father's intention in giving the Torah by defining certain commandments in terms of ultimate justice and ultimate mercy. i.e:

      * The intention behind the commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," was to bring man into harmony with God's standard of justice in the marriage relationship. One who is thoroughly in harmony with God's attribute of justice will not only refrain from committing adultery, but will also keep his mind pure from the suggestion of it (Matt 5:27,28).

      * To harmonise one's self with God's attribute of mercy means loving our neighbour as ourselves (Lev 19:18). To be in absolute harmony, means to love even our enemies (Matt 5:44), and to treat even the undesirables as we would want to be treated (Luke 10:27-37).

    * These and many others of Jesus' statements reflect what is the natural result of the Torah being written on our hearts. Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matt 5:48).

The Foundational Sayings of Jesus (Matt 5-7 also known as the Sermon on the Mount)

  * Matt 7:24-27 -- The parable of the house on the rock and the house on the sand

    * ...whoever hears these sayings of mine... refers to the sayings of the last three chapters

    * By comparing the one who hears and does "these sayings" to the wise man who builds on the rock, Jesus is stating that the sayings found in these 3 chapters are foundational for faith and conduct.

    * These three chapters are therefore the starting point for studying of the foundational principals of Heb 6:1,2 -- especially repentance and faith.

      * repentance and faith \-- throughout the three chapters

        * repentance is especially strong in chap. 5,6

        * faith is especially strong in chap. 6,7

      * baptisms and laying on of hands

        * ch 5:23,24 -- bringing one's gift to the altar in a state of disharmony has parallels to the subject of uncleanness, whereby washing was required

        * ch 7:7-12 -- ask ... seek ... knock -- applied by Luke to the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:9-13)

        * ch 7:15-20 -- knowing the tree/prophet by the fruits -- indirectly refers to the supernatural prophetic aspects of Baptism in the Holy Spirit and laying on of hands

        * ch 7:21-23 -- "Have we not prophesied/cast out demons/done wonders in your name? -- same as above

      * resurrection of the dead \-- inherent in the word kingdom

        * the 9 categories of kingdom subjects -- ch 5:3-12

        * Lord's prayer ("your kingdom come") -- ch 6:9-13

        * ...seek first the kingdom \-- ch 6:37

        * Belief of the resurrection was always held alongside the hope of Messiah's kingdom

      * rewards

        * the 9 categories of kingdom subjects -- ch 5:3-12

        * cutting off what offends -- ch 5:29-30

        * ...they already have their reward -- ch 6:1-6; 16-18

        * laying up treasures -- ch 6:19-21

        * "depart from me" ch 7:21-23

  * Kingdom Categories \-- Matt 5:3-12 (also known as the Beatitudes) Jesus describes the groups who will be included in God's kingdom. It's not so much a list of things to do so as to be blessed, but a list of types of people, the emphasis on being.

    * Note: The phrases, "kingdom of God" and "kingdom of heaven" mean exactly the same thing. One would often use the word "heaven" to signify "God", as the exclamation, "Heaven forbid!" suggests; meaning, of course, "God forbid". Passages that use the term "kingdom of heaven" are usually not referring to the afterlife, but the kingdom of God as it begins to manifest on Earth in this age, and/or the kingdom of Messiah, when He returns to Earth. If you would like to read a discussion of the afterlife, please refer to the article, The Judgement and Afterlife, a Study .

    * **poor in spirit** \-- The closest meaning is the literal one -- the poor rather than the rich. It's not that God has anything against wealth, rather it's human nature. Jesus said in Matthew 19:23,24 "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." He made this statement after advising the rich young ruler to sell all he had and give it to the poor, and follow Him. This would have enabled him to be among the poor in spirit, to whom would have belonged the Kingdom of Heaven. On the other hand, there are many who are rich in the financial sense, but who can truly be described as "humble as a poor man." Two Old Testament references are:

      * Isa 66:2 ... But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.

      * Jeremiah 31:8,9 -- Among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and the one who labours with child, together; A great throng shall return there. They shall come with weeping... The "blind and the lame" speak of literal poverty. "Weeping" would be the link to the next attribute, those who mourn

      * "Poor in spirit" therefore means:

        * the attitude that results from being the underdog, knowing there's no way up or out but by the grace of God

        * the same attitude, even if it is exhibited by a person of means, but who views it in the right perspective so that he/she thinks him/herself as no better than the underdog. In the New Testament, we see this attitude proven by ones generosity (ie. by Zaccheus and Barnabas, in contrast to the rich young ruler).

    * **mourn** \-- sorrow for one's own sins and for those sins and injustices one sees around about. It arises from deep dissatisfaction with the way things are -- i.e.. hypocrisy, injustice and general arrogance one sees where it shouldn't be. The groaning and travail that arises from the dissatisfaction brings about the spirit change in climate. These divine results of the travail are what will comfort the mournful. Again, note the above quoted passages in Isaiah 66:2 and Jeremiah 31:8,9.

    * **meek** \-- (Compare with Psalm 37:11) humble, unassuming, fully trusting God to bring about justice on one's own behalf, thereby reacting in the opposite spirit to what one faces in society, i.e.. reacting to hate with love, pride with humility, etc. This attitude, though not out to help oneself, will ultimately conquer all. ... for they will inherit the earth -- This is the opposite of being the ambitious "go-getters" whom we normally think will get the biggest share of the "pie".

    * **hunger and thirst for righteousness** \-- Only spiritual hunger will drive one towards the kingdom of God at the necessary pace to actually arrive. When one does arrive, one knows ultimate satisfaction. Lack of hunger is the worst trap to fall into. As in biological life, it is the instinct that keeps one alive.

    * **merciful** \-- easily touched by another's needs. Easily moved with compassion. This was the secret of Jesus's being in the centre of His Father's will. His greatest works were accomplished when He was "moved with compassion" (Matt 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; Mark 1:41; Luke 7:13). In this state of mind/spirit one is sensitive to the movings of God's Spirit to accomplish the things closest to God's heart with no other motive but that of God's mercy. One is then also on the receiving end of God's mercy both for oneself and for others.

    * **pure in heart** \-- single minded; no hidden agendas; One's only desire is to be close to God, satisfied with nothing less than pure love, pure anointing, pure motives, pure presence of God, and the glory going only to God. They will receive just that -- they'll see God in His pureness.

    * **peacemakers** \-- those who facilitate the coming together of members previously disjointed; desires to include rather than exclude; desires unity and hates strife; goes out of the way to bring together those whose (perhaps only) common denominator is that they desire to go with God. They are the sons of God as this is God's own desire (John 18:26)

    * **persecuted for righteousness sake** ... when all men revile you and persecute you \-- those who have all of the above attributes to the extent that people notice and begin to react. When going all out to see the kingdom of God established, the kingdom of the satan will react.

      * vs 10 would refer to persecution coming from authorities, as the word persecution literally means to be pursued, as though by authorities, or an organised group.

      * vs 11 -- "all men", meaning family, former friends, neighbours and the public at large. This comes on a more personal level.

  * Salt and light \-- ch 6:13-16

    * You are the salt of the earth The message to all of the above: the underdog, the crushed underfoot, the broken, the grieving, the unimportant, the sidelined, those yearning for justice, the sensitive hearts, those making peace, the human bridges, the misunderstood, the persecuted -- you are the salt and the light. It's for you that the world exists. As long as you remain on the face of the earth, there is hope.

    * Uses (Luke 14:34,35) -- in rock form, salt was dug up from the Dead Sea area and was used to spread over the "dung hill" after going to the toilet, so as to contain the contamination. Also, it was used in food as seasoning. It is also known to help maintain water absorption in the body.

    * ... but if the salt loses its flavour... Salt, while it cleanses, also irritates. The 9 categories of Kingdom subject are the flavour, but to the satan's kingdom, they are an irritant. Don't allow the persecution that comes as a result manipulate you into decreasing your "saltiness".

    * The 9 categories of Kingdom subjects aren't something one can simply start "doing". It's a matter of being , not doing . One can only begin to be one thing through ceasing to be the wrong thing -- through repentance. That was the very reason for the ministry of John the Baptist.

  * Fulfilling the law \-- Matt 6:17-48

    * "Destroy the Torah" was a common idiom among the rabbis. If one rabbi gave an outlandish interpretation, another might accuse him saying, "You destroy the Torah!" meaning that he had watered down or neutralised some particular commandment, or made it meaningless. The original rabbi could answer, as Jesus did, "On the contrary, I've established it!" (The Hebrew word for fulfil was used to mean "establish" in this usage) Then he would go on to show how he was in actual fact, giving prominence to that commandment he was accused of neutralising.

    * Jesus went on to demonstrate that running roughshod over the commandments is not the way of the kingdom of God, but rather to go back and observe what God's intentions were when He gave the commandments in the first place.

      * It's always been believed by the rabbis that Messiah will clarify the Torah when he comes. Here he does so. If anything, certain commandments, according to God's original intentions, are to be adhered to more strictly even than the Pharisees kept them.

      * The elders of the Great Assembly, which was founded by Ezra, said, "Build a fence for the Torah" (Mishnah: Pirke Avot 1:1). This means to teach what measures are necessary so as to insure that one doesn't violate the principals behind the individual commandments. Jesus shows here how individual commandments reflect God's intentions, and thus, "builds a fence for the Torah."

    * vs 21-48 -- the commandments: (note: For many of the following, and other passages, a clearer meaning can be understood once we realise that Jesus most probably spoke Hebrew, as many scholars now believe, and that the Greek text is a word for word translation that preserves the Hebrew usages and idioms in their original form. Translating them back into Hebrew again, one can recognise meaning that didn't appear in the Greek. To understand this in detail, read: Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus, by David Bivin and Roy Blizzard Jr., Destiny Image Publishers, Shippensburg, Pa. 17257, USA,1983,1984)

      * vs 21-26 You shall not murder (Ex 20:30) -- Not only must one refrain from actual murder, but also from the state of the heart that can eventually lead to murder: hate, anger etc.

        * Lev 19:17,18 shows that God's commandment is the opposite of these attitudes. Love your neighbour as yourself, in its original context, includes the commands against holding a grudge, and the injunction to rebuke ones neighbour so as not to let the emotions be pent up inside where they would ultimately result in murderous intent.

        * Such a negative attitude (vs 23,24) is equated with uncleanness which disqualifies one from bringing a gift to the alter. Eph 4:26 brings in another facet to complete the picture. Don't let the sun go down on your wrath. When there was uncleanness, one was required to "bath" oneself by ritual immersion and "be unclean until evening". Jesus and Paul are saying that one has until evening to cleanse oneself of the uncleanness of anger and grudge, so as to offer a pure offering at the alter.

          * This not only includes a grudge we may have, but also grudges others may have against us (vs 23)

          * Moreover, be quick to agree with your adversary. How so? When he or she is offended by something you don't remember saying or something they misunderstood you to say. Don't belabour the point but ask their forgiveness for what they thought you said. Their relationship with you is more important than the fact of whether it was this or that, or your pride. If you belabour the point, you will be bound, as though in prison by ours and their bitterness.

      * vs 27-30 You shall not commit adultery (Ex 20:14) --

        * Not only refrain from the act, but from the lust that can eventually lead to the act

        * vs 29,30 -- Remove from yourself, or remove yourself from anything that you know will ultimately cause you to fall into sin, even if it's your right eye or right hand.

          * This is of course figurative, as it is not these that cause you to sin, but rather, the double mind. After all, what sin can one perform with one's right eye that one can't do just as well with one's left eye.. .etc ?

          * If a situation, a position, a possession, a goal or desire, or your own proximity to a person makes you vulnerable, even if it/he/she is as precious to you as your right eye or right arm, remove it, even if it hurts as much as cutting off your arm or eye. Then you will be left with the single mind that it takes to inherit the kingdom of God.

      * vs 31,32 Provision for divorce (Deut 24:1) -- God's intent in the guidelines for divorce found in the Torah, was to uphold the sanctity of the marriage relationship. Divorce is therefore not a light thing. Relationship must be given priority ahead of all personal desires, dreams and goals.

      * vs 33-37 Against swearing falsely (Lev 19:12; Deut 23:2) -- God's intention was to uphold the sanctity of one's word of honour. If one has to make an oath every time one means to keep one's word or tell the truth, his word has been cheapened. A mouth that can't carry one's own word with integrity is likewise not worthy to speak God's word with Authority.

      * vs 38-42 An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Ex 21:24) -- was meant as a guideline for carrying out civil justice. But don't be a stickler for justice for it's own sake, or for the sake of pride. In your own life and relationships, don't let "tit for tat" become your rule of life.

        * But I tell you not to resist an evil person (vs 39) -- In Hebrew, this dos not infer that one must allow unscrupulous people to endanger one's safety or welfare. In that case it is one's responsibility to protect oneself by turning to the civil authority, whose guideline is then, "eye for eye and tooth for tooth". The Hebrew meaning expressed by the Greek transliteration is actually, "Don't compete with an evildoer." Jesus was reiterating Psalm 37:1 and Proverbs 24:19, which state, Do not fret because of evildoers.

        * Paul says in Rom 12:18, Where it is possible (or where it's up to you) live at peace with all men. Where the opponent is not some gangster or some unscrupulous person, but rather a "proud neighbour", and where the damage is in the form of public insult or slap in the face or something of that nature; or where returning good for evil will defuse a tense situation, then be the peacemaker.

        * If involved in a civil suit (not a criminal act against you, as described earlier) then try to settle "out of court", giving your tunic and your cloak if that will bring peace. It's better to suffer injustice than to be "right" at the expense of the testimony of the kingdom. On the other hand, if the unscrupulous were simply walking in and out of your house with anything they can get their hands on, when it's in your power to stop it, that would be a bad testimony.

        * Jesus ends this section with two lines in poetic fashion:

Give to him who ask you,

And from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away

"Give" in Hebrew is often synonymous with "lend". This parallels Prov. 25:21, If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In so doing, you reap read-hot coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. If the "bad neighbour" in vs 39 & 40 is suddenly in need, you be the one to help him out, and lend a helping hand.

      * vs 43-48 Love your neighbour (Lev 19:18) and hate your enemy

        * The first half is written Torah, the latter half was inferred from some passage outside the context of relationship and not literally quoted from the written Torah (probably from Deut 23:3-6). As far as relationships, Jesus elsewhere included even Samaritans (outcast in those days) as being within the context of love your neighbour as yourself.

        * To only love one's friends is to remain in a static state. One moves only within the same circle one has always moved in. Mafia Godfathers and pagan cultists do as much. But to love one's enemies expands that circle to include the previously excluded. That is the dynamic of the kingdom of God -- an ever expanding circle that will ultimately engulf the whole world through love.

        * God's intention from the beginning has been for that circle to expand -- for Abraham's descendants to be a blessing to "every family on Earth". It is therefore required to all who would be a part of the kingdom of Messiah to love one's enemies.

      * vs 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect \-- To fulfil all these commandments in the way they are in the kingdom is to fulfil Lev 11:44-47 & 20:24-26 Be holy even as I am holy.

        * The emphasis has been on repentance

        * The Torah shows us how holy God is

        * Jesus has emphasised further how the commandments highlight God's holiness

        * The 9 categories in vs 3-12 are the attitudes of repentance whereby one realises how far short one comes of God's standards, but who also determines to become transformed to God's standard of holiness. This can only happen by faith. Matt 6 begins to talk about sincere faith. Matt 5 showed us what is the prerequisite to this faith -- repentance that:

          1. acknowledges how far short one has fallen

          2. determines to be transformed by those standards

  * Faith \-- For those who fit into the 9 categories, who have glimpsed God's holiness as the Torah presents it, faith comes naturally. In this next section we see how faith will work for the repentant, the poor, the underdog, the pure, the merciful, etc. In this and the next section, we'll see a number of parallels to the Epistle of James, the brother of Jesus.

    * ch 6:1-6,16-18 faith is without hypocrisy: Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men \-- Where true faith is present (under-girded by a repentant attitude, freely acknowledging where one is falling short) it makes no difference what the public sees because true faith is to God. This is not to be confused with the concept of letting one's "light shine before men" (5:16). That verse speaks of the fruit of one's repentant attitude and life of faith, not of attempting to prove one has faith.

      * Giving by faith (vs 1-4) is done to God as a response to God, not as an enhancement of one's public image. If no one knows it, so much the better.

      * Prayer and fasting as to God (vs 5,6,16-18), not for show. Whether or not some first century Jews actually blew a trumpet before doing their good deeds, or if it's simply a figure of speech, it doesn't matter. If one bows ones head before eating in a public place or in a restaurant so it can be seen that one is "saying grace" but one's mind isn't directed towards God, one is just as guilty of hypocrisy as some of the affluent Jews Jesus spoke of.

    * vs 7-13 faith is confident that God is listening: when you pray, do not use vain repetitions ...

      * Constant repeating of formulas is useless without faith -- i.e.. mantras, incantations, seders, liturgy, "word of faith" confessions -- simply repeated as a ritual will not guarantee anything.

      * However, the fact that Jesus did give us a prayer in "seder" format (vs 9-13) shows that seders and liturgy can be used as long as faith is the force behind the words and one's heart is directed towards God.

      * The only thing required is simple faith ...and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. That means being confident in God, no matter who else even knows we're praying. James, emphasises that if we need something, such as wisdom, simply pray (James 1:5,6), and it will be done. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting... In his epistle, he goes on to deal with the countless reasons why people pray and don't get answers. They all have to do with one's deficiency in the 9 categories of Kingdom people.

      * The prayer in vs 9-13 is also a model that illustrates that prayer should cover 7 basic needs of the believer (courtesy of Larry Lea):

        1. the paternal need: Our father in heaven (vs 9) \-- intimacy with the Father has been the divine intention ever since God created man for that purpose

        2. God's holiness: Hallowed be Your name \-- recognising that He is holy, and it is only through His attribute of mercy, made available through Jesus's atonement, that we can come to Him

        3. God's priorities: Your kingdom come... (vs 10) \-- Seek first His kingdom. Our prayer energy should be channelled towards seeing God's ultimate plan fulfilled on earth as it is in heaven

        4. God's provision: Give us this day our daily bread (vs 11) -- As we will see later, God is more than ready to supply our needs. This is the clause that should consume all worry for our livelihood and well-being

        5. God's forgiveness: forgive us our debts... (vs 12) -- The 9 kingdom attitudes will keep us relying on God's ever willingness to forgive, and also flowing in God's compassion to forgive others

        6. God's protection: do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us... (vs 13) -- Kingdom authority can be exercised through prayer over all of the satan's attacks against us. Psalm 91 is also good to r epeat as a prayer.

        7. God's partnership: For yours is the kingdom ... the power ... the glory ... \-- All the glory achieved through kingdom authority, exercised through prayer or any other action, must go to God, who works with us to enable victory.

At the end of this module, I've pasted an extract from my pamphlet The Happy Kingdom, which expands on this prayer as a way of life in the Kingdom of God.

    * vs 14,15 faith works with love: ... if you forgive men their trespasses ... \--Where one has unforgiveness, communication is blocked. We stand in God's mercy only as we show mercy (5:7). We only have peace with our Father as sons as we make peace (5:9). We only receive God's benefits as we freely allow these benefits to flow to others. If we don't forgive, we're not forgiven. We must then follow 5:23,24, leave our gift at the altar and deal with the unforgiveness so that faith will work and our prayer will be heard.

    * vs 16-18 fasting, an aid to faith: when you fast... (not if ) -- Fasting is an aid to our faith in that it allows us to devote time and energy to our spiritual faculties while putting our flesh "on hold". Our spiritual faculties are given a boost.

      * The reward (vs 18) is therefore the closer intimacy with God, and the results of unimpeded faith. Doing it a as show for people to see actually causes distraction from the true objective and therefore neutralises the desired effect (or reward)

      * Just as repetition of liturgy (6:7) fasting in and of itself doesn't guarantee that we'll be heard by God, but rather it's our faith. It's just that, while fasting, our faith has better chance to break through our fleshly barriers to reach out to God. Fasting, in God's Kingdom, is not a hunger strike.

    * vs 19-21 faith in regard to resources and day to day needs: ... lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...

      * Earlier, we talked about the poor in spirit who are not poor in means, who prove their poverty of spirit by their generosity. Here, Jesus talks about how the faith of such a one will enable them to live supernaturally.

      * Faith sees beyond the earthly realm into the eternal. This is so, both in the matter of giving of what one has, and of spending ones energy and resources

        * in giving \-- if our faith is in God's supply, not in our own resourcefulness, we will feel free to give all the more. Luke 6:38 Give and it will be given to you ... Our treasures are in heaven, but not just for when we die and go to live there, but it becomes an ever richer source of supply for the spiritual realm even as we are on earth.

        * energy and resources \-- The choices we make, whether to take advantage of opportunities for financial gain, or to expend our energies for the kingdom of God, when one is at the expense of the other, shows where our heart is.

    * vs 22,23 the good eye: The lamp of the body is the eye ... \-- This choice reflects on how much we are in the light, or how good our "eye" is.

      * "Good eye" is a Hebrew idiom meaning "generous heart".

      * Here, Jesus used the idiom as a pun: "The eye is a lamp" -so- "with a good eye you'll have light"

      * Generosity can be described as the ratio of importance one assigns between people and resources. A generous person, or one with a "good eye", therefore, sees people as vastly more important than resources and will therefore give of his/her resources to help people.

      * That is the way God sees people, so to have a "good eye" is to see people as God sees them. Therefore, to have a good eye, is equal to being in the light -- God's light. It's the measure of ones mercy (5:7) or how prone one is to being "moved with compassion" (see note on mercy).

    * vs 24 No one can serve two masters...: Faith is single minded in following the good eye and the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God, followed with a "good eye" must have absolute priority. Any goals outside of that, whether open or hidden will distract, if it isn't definitely prioritised and "died to" if necessary. In the end, they will pull one away altogether.

      * James has a lot to say about the double minded. In 1:6-8, following the verse we quoted earlier about simple faith: he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Later, in James 4:9, he gives the remedy. We'll cover that later in this outline.

      * James also has a lot to say about the rich. If they are serving two masters, they are double minded, and therefore not among the poor in spirit . James 1:9, 10 -- Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. The "lowly brother" is the poor of whom Jesus said, Blessed are the poor... The rich, by glorying in his humiliation can also become poor in spirit , and thereby glory along with the "lowly brother" because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven .

    * vs 25-34 the confidence of single-minded faith: do not worry about your life ... \-- The care free existence described here is something we have rarely seen in our time, yet, according to Jesus, is not only possible, but should be our normal way of life. It's a description of how truly rich we are in the Kingdom of God when we are among the poor in spirit, the merciful, the peacemakers, those do don't fear to be persecuted and treated as the underdog, and those with a good eye .

      * The key phrase here is verse 23: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

      * Luke 12:32 -- On one hand, it is the single minded individual who will go far in the kingdom of God. On the other hand, ...it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

  * Judging \-- There are two kinds of judging, one that will put a stop to our quest for the Kingdom of God, and one that we must know how to do if we are to avoid pitfalls. We don't have to choose between being cynical and naive. The type of judging we're warned against, is unrighteous judging . However, often we may simply say judging to mean that, and use other terms, like seeing the fruit , and restoration to mean righteous judgement.

    * ch 7:1-6 how to stop the flow \-- by judging (that is, unrighteous judging). Judge not, that you be not judged -- Just as the one showing mercy is in the position to receive mercy -- thus keeping up the vertical to horizontal flow; so the one who judges is suddenly in the position to be judged -- thus stopping that flow. By judging others, we've, in effect, chosen to be recipients of God's justice rather than His mercy.

      * We saw in the very first outline, Creation and Fall, how judging is directly linked to the knowledge of good and evil. The sense of knowing what's good, what's bad, making comparisons, shame of one's own inferiority, leading to dissatisfaction, covetousness and ambition; also motivates us to judge others.

        * James 2:8-13 Showing partiality to the desirable types falls into this category, and is the same as judging. Here, James presents it as being the opposite to the commandment of Leviticus 19:18, love your neighbour as yourself. He refers to that commandment as the Royal Law of Liberty .

        * Those who follow the said law, are the Merciful, one of the 9 categories.

        * The Messianic Natzratim translation from the Syriac Aramaic Peshitta, by William Carlson, renders verse 13: For judgment without mercy shall be on him, who has practiced no mercy: by mercy, you will be raised above judgment .

        * In fact, the context of this passage shows that by being merciful, by following the Royal Law of Liberty, we fulfill not just one commandment, but the whole Torah. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

    * Righteous and Unrighteous Judging

      * vs 3-5 -- why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye...? Just as the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil caused our first parents to be aware of their nakedness, and to try to cover it with fig leaves (according to early Jewish tradition, from the very tree that bore the forbidden fruit), so we tend to compensate for the awareness of our shortcomings by hiding them behind other people's. Unrighteous judging is the attempt to cover up what we know deep inside is wrong with us (the plank in our eye) by dwelling on the imperfections of others (the speck in their eye). However, doing that only digs us all the deeper into the trap by putting us all the more under judgement.

      * By obeying the Royal Law of Liberty , we not only break free from judgement, but we are in a much better position to actually deal with the "planks" in our eye.

        * When we love our neighbour as ourselves, we are less inclined to sin against them. Loving God with all our heart, soul and strength covers all the rest. The Apostle Paul's words: I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16), and There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1). Thus, the Royal Law of Liberty covers both with the judgement against us for sinning, and with our tendency to sin.

        * Jesus' words regarding the speck in our brother's eye is not a warning never to bother with specks in other people's eyes, only to remove the plank from our own eye first . Once we've done so, we will be in a better position to remove the specks in a loving way, out of genuine concern for the person with the speck.

        * Restoration is often necessary if we are to see more people included in the Kingdom of God. Recognising sin is not judgement. It begins with the fear of the Lord. If you fear God, and you see one you love committing sin; you fear for that person, and warn them with the intention of restoring them; that isn't judging. It's restoration .

      * vs 6 -- Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor ... pearls before swine ... Don't waist your time trying to restore one who doesn't want restoration, or are not ready for what takes to be included in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes it's only the humble that will recognise the authority that comes from humility. Willingness to refrain from casting our pearls before swine could be a further test of whether one is truly following the Royal Law of Liberty. One who is speaking in unrighteous judgement might try to belabour the point in order to appear vindicated ... but you (vs 7) ask ... seek ... knock ... Even when others don't hunger and thirst for it, you keep seeking righteousness.

    * vs 7-12 increasing the flow: Ask, and it will be given to you ... \-- Those with the repentant attitude, and poor in spirit, and hungry and thirsty for righteousness, are the ones who will be motivated to ask, seek and knock until they receive.

      * The Greek tense for these words indicates continuous asking, seeking and knocking until the answer comes.

      * Luke 11:9-13 quotes this same saying in reference to the Holy Spirit, a vital component of the Kingdom of God. The context that follows in Luke brings up the question of Jesus doing His work by the power of the satan or demons -- a common question asked today in reference to those operating in the kingdom (or claiming to do so). When true repentance, hunger for righteousness and total reliance on God's mercy through the cross of Jesus is the foundation for ones faith in persistent asking, seeking and knocking, then one needn't fear that when one asks for bread, one will be given a stone, or a snake in place of a fish etc. Luke 12:32 says, Fear not ... it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

      * Matt 7:12 (back to Matthew's context) -- the golden rule: ... whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them ... Jesus quotes an already known saying here, earlier quoted by Rabbi Hillel: What is hateful to yourself, do not to your fellow-man. (Talmud: Shabbat 31a -- who actually originated the saying no one knows. It's found also in the Apocryphal book of Tobit in the way Hillel quoted it. Also in the Didache (Didache 1), an early Christian writing, also quoted in this way.) Jesus quoted it in the positive, whereas Hillel quoted it in the negative. Both can apply to our context:

        * Applied in the negative: Do you want to receive a stone in the place of bread? or a snake in place of a fish? Then don't be of the kind that gives what is holy to dogs or pearls to swine (vs 6). Don't give out critical words or slander. It's those with judgemental attitudes -- not the repentant seekers -- that are in danger of demonic influence. They will receive what they do to others.

        * Applied in the positive: Do you like to receive from your heavenly Father? Then be one who gives to others what they ask -- not a stone in place of bread, nor a snake in place of a fish, nor criticism and judgement in place of blessing and showing mercy to your enemy.

    * vs 13,14 the narrow way vs the easy way: Enter by the narrow gate ... \-- the easy way is to attempt faith without true repentance, or without the 9 attitudes in 5:3-12. Many have thought they were doing others a favour by making the plan of salvation simple and easy, offering conversion to Christianity without true discipleship. Often, we've been to quick to assure the seeker that they're now "saved" after they've read a prayer off the back of a tract, or raised their hand during an alter call. In spite of this, many who were truly hungry and thirsty for righteousness have managed to find the narrow way.

      * vs 15-20 Beware of false prophets ... \-- False prophets will come showing the easy way -- that of faith without repentance. Often continuing in the ministry for the "profitability" rather than the "prophetic". Many of these, themselves, came by the easy way. Jesus said, by their fruits you will know them.

      * Checking for visible fruit is not the same as unrighteous judging. The most obvious place to look for fruit, according to James, is the words of our mouth (James 3).

        * vs 12 -- James refers to it as fruits as from a tree, showing what sort of tree it is.

        * vs 16 & 17 -- James lists the fruits: For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

      * Whereas Jesus was referring to false prophets, James is speaking of double minded believers. In our churches, the prophets are those believers who are gifted as such. Just as James begins chapter 3 advising not many to try to become teachers, too many who have come by the easy way have become prophets and other ministries. The bottom line is, we need to be cleansed of our double-mindedness.

      * James 4, the first 5 verses lists more of what could be called fruit. The list includes wars and fights resulting from desires for pleasure. Also, unanswered prayer: You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures (vs 2,3). With that, we come full circle on the issue of prayer/faith/motive.

      * James offers the remedy for double-mindedness in verses 7-10: Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. Discussing the beatitudes, we said that they were not things to do , but it was a list of who is included in God's Kingdom -- not doing, but being. It's not a simple thing for one to become poor in spirit (ie. The rich young ruler, whom Jesus instructed to sell all he had, give it to the poor and follow Him, or the positive examples of Zacchaeus and Barnabas), or become one who hungers and thirsts (how does one begin to hunger if one isn't hungry?), or for a highly ambitious person to become meek. All things are possible with God. He could bring a cataclysmic event that shakes the world around us, reducing us all to poor and broken people. The other way, for one who knows one needs to be poor in spirit, but is daunted by the prospect, is to spend time, as James says, and remain in the state of seeking God until one receives (continuing to ask, seek and knock). This is a far cry from alter calls we often here today.

      * vs 21-23 Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven ... \-- The gifts of healing and prophecy aren't always dependent on one's heart being pure. I Corinthians 12 to 14 show that genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit can be manifested through those with a double mind and in a spirit of pride. In our own time, we've seen people whose ministries have reached thousands for the Kingdom, while allowing sin in their personal lives.

        * In the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-29, we are told that the fruit might not manifest right away, and not make any hasty judgement.

        * In Mark 9:38-41, the disciples report to Jesus regarding one who wasn't of their number, yet was casting out demons in Jesus' name. Jesus's response was, He who is not against us is on our side.

        * In Philippians 1:15-16 Paul writes that he was glad for those preaching the gospel, even out of spite.

        * The bottom line: each one, no matter what their status in the church, must examine their own heart and assure themselves that their lives are built on the rock .

        * For a discussion on how this would relate to one's state in the afterlife, refer to my article, The Judgement.

    * vs 24-27 built on the rock: Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock ...

      * This message is not restricted to those living in a particular "dispensation" or other, but to all who will hear "these sayings" of Jesus (Matt 5-7) and either do them or not do them. They are foundational to Church age faith.

      * ... these sayings ... in the broader sense: The 5 sections of Matthew treating the earthly ministry of Jesus all end (or begin) with this phrase (or one similar): When Jesus had finished these sayings ... (vs 28) This and the next 4 modules are based on this basic format, while also bringing in material from the other gospels to supplement. Thus, we will lay a basic foundation -- on the rock Himself, Jesus the Messiah, on which your faith may stand.

The Our Father as a Way of Life in the Kingdom of God

reprinted from The Happy Kingdom

Our Father, who is in Heaven ... Probably the greatest benefit of citizenship in the Kingdom, is having God, Himself, as our Father. It's a relationship that is every bit as intimate as any between a father and a young son or daughter - in fact, more so. For those who never knew the love of a father, or whose relationship with the one they had was more traumatic than up-building, it is a healing experience. As you partake of the relationship through prayer, reading the Bible, and worship, you'll find that His love is deeper and more satisfying than you will ever imagine. However, He isn't a "sugar daddy", as we see in the next line:

... Holy is Your Name ... Through intimacy with Him, we come to know both the love of God, and the fear of God. We learn to be both intimate with Him and hold Him in absolute reverence and highest respect. He loves us, but sometimes we find it's a "though love". He expects us to both be his children, and to "grow up". That's the only way we can live out the next line:

... Your Kingdom come, Your will be done in earth as it is in Heaven ... Of course, that's what we've been talking about (in this study outline, or The Happy Kingdom ) . Through our life and our prayer, we seek to see His will done in everything we come in contact with. That's how we spread the Kingdom of God. Our sole aim in life is the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

... Give us this day, our daily bread ... When we're sold out to His Kingdom, we can confidently ask for anything we need. We don't have to worry about our fundamental needs, as Yeshua said, Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Simply ask and you'll receive, but ask in the right spirit.

... Forgive us our wrongs, as we forgive those who have wronged us ...

Since we're living above the knowledge of good and evil, and following the Royal Law of Liberty, we have to be careful to remain in that state by forgiving everyone who wrongs us. It's as we forgive, that we continuously receive forgiveness, or as I John 1 puts it, as we walk in the light, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

... Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil ... Don't forget that we do have an advisory, the satan, who doesn't take lightly to his kingdom being infringed on. He does everything in his power to stop the Kingdom of God. He does it through deceit and by planting discord. However, the Kingdom of God is stronger, and as we, the citizens, move in unity and love and submission to God, there is deliverance from evil. God has actually given us power over the satan in the Name of Jesus (but that's a subject for a different teaching).

... For Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever, Amen. As we pray this prayer, don't forget this last bit. Proclaiming His greatness and His Kingdom and glory is a part of our worship experience. Sometimes, just singing and proclaiming His greatness is enough to dispel evil.

## Authority of the Kingdom

Covers Matthew 8:1 -11:1

#7 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series: Authority and Compassion as two basic components of kingdom anointing

#2 of the New Covenant section

©1997 Robby Charters (edited and slightly revised August & December 2013)

www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

Introduction

  * This is the second in a series of five study modules based on the Gospel of Matthew.

    * Besides the opening section (the Nativity) and the closing section (the Passion), Matthew can be divided into five parts. At the end of each section, there's a passage that says something like: 'When Jesus had finished these sayings...' or '...finished teaching...' etc. , followed by 'He went ...(somewhere)'.

    * We see this pattern in 7:28-8:1; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1 and 26:1. At each of these divisions, we see a change to a new theme, usually expressed in a narration of events, followed by a teaching, usually to His disciples. This present set of modules is based on that format. However, we won't always be sticking strictly to Matthew's account, but bringing in parallel passages from the other Synoptic Gospels where they shed light on the narrative.

  * One rabbinical rule of Bible interpretation states that events in the Bible are not always recorded in chronological order. However, there's always a reason for the order in which they were written. We can learn a lot when we examine why they were placed the way they are.

    * This becomes obvious when we compare Matthew's account with parallel accounts in Mark and Luke. We see any of the same events but stated in a different order.

    * This portion of Matthew opens with narrative after narrative of situations in which the most striking feature is Jesus' authority.

    * We'll begin by pulling in a passage in Mark that doesn't appear in Matthew's account, but is instructional regarding Jesus' authority.

Speaking out with Authority

  * Jesus, during the 3½ years of His public ministry as Messiah, did 3 things:

    1. boldly announced the gospel of the kingdom

    2. confirmed the arrival of the kingdom through signs, wonders and miracles

    3. taught regarding the kingdom of God

  * Of Jesus's foundational teaching in Matt 5-7, it says, And so it was ... that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (7:28,29)

  * Mark 1:21-28, regarding Jesus's visit to the synagogue in Capernaum, tells of another instance of the public being amazed because of His teaching with authority.

    * Since the canon of scripture had been completed in the time of Ezra, 400 years before, it was believed God would not anoint any more prophets until Messiah. Spontaneous prophetic anointing had ceased. Being that there was no anointed king in Israel (with the spiritual anointing like David), authority only rested with:

      * the anointed priests

      * the community

        * congregation of at least 10 men (more about this in a later module)

        * local judicial councils of 3 or 23 judges, as specified in the Torah (both directly and by inference), consisting of rabbis and village elders. 3 for civil cases and minor infractions and 23 for capital offences.

        * the great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, consisting of 72 elders (including rabbis and sometimes the high priest). There was also a smaller sanhedrin consisting of 23.  
These councils had the authority to make decisions, not only in criminal and civil cases, but also to settle questions that arose regarding points of the law. Decisions made by councils of 23, and the sanhedrin of 72 were called diney torah. "binding" and "loosing" were also terms used in this regard. Being that their role was to make decisions in matters of truth, and therefore speak with the authority of truth, the rabbis thus believed that the Sanhedrin and the smaller councils had inherited the authority of the prophets.

    * When teaching, individual rabbis always chose to quote one another, or refer to the council decision rather than make any bold pronouncements on their own behalf (since they weren't anointed, that was the safest way). A typical phrase in the Talmud sounds like this, Rabbi Dosethai Bar Jonai, quoting Rabbi Myer, said, "Whoever...etc." (Pirke Avot 3:10)

    * Jesus now came with spontaneous prophetic anointing as Messiah, and exercised the authority of truth. He boldly spoke the truth to bind and loose and make judgements regarding the application of the Torah (diney torah). A statement typical of Jesus was, You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy," but I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you...etc. (Matt 5:43,44) Many were put off by Jesus's audacity, but others recognised the truth in His words, probably wondering why someone hadn't said them sooner. An example of a typical reaction is found in John 7:45,46.

    * vs 23-25 ... there was a man ... with an unclean spirit ...

      * Jesus's authority had such an impact that even the demons were caught off guard. The demon had to obey his command.

      * This shows us that authority in the kingdom of God lies in two areas:

        1. binding and loosing in the area of truth, or declaring God's purposes and judgements (diney torah)

        2. over the spirit world and the physical elements (casting out demons and healing diseases etc.)

      * In this case (as it often did) Jesus's authority over the spirits confirmed His authority in announcing the kingdom of God.

How kingdom authority works

  * Mark 1:40-45 with compassion: a leper came to Him ... Jesus, moved with compassion ... touched him, and said ... "I am willing, be cleansed"

    * Many of Jesus's greatest acts of authority were performed when He was "moved with compassion": Matt 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; Mark 6:34

    * Jesus, operating in the kingdom attitude of mercy was reflecting God's attribute of mercy.

  * Matt 8:5-13 while under authority: when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him \-- The centurion recognised Jesus's authority as proceeding from His being under God's authority.

    * Just as the centurion only had authority to command as he operated under the authority of Rome, so Jesus's authority over sickness, demons and the elements came from being under God's authority.

    * The centurion had, in essence, defined the kingdom of God:

      * God is King

      * man, God's creation, submits to God

      * man exercises authority he has been given by God,

      * the rest of God's creation submits to man

    * This is the order God intended when He created Adam. All of creation works as it should when things are in this order. Only when man fails to submit to God, do things then fail to work the way they should, because they will no longer submit to man, just as the centurion only had authority over his soldiers as he operated in submission to Rome.

    * John 5:19,30; 6:38; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10 -- Jesus did not act on His own, but only did what He saw His father do.

      * I John 4:8 God is love \-- This statement reflects God's attribute of mercy and compassion. When Jesus was moved with compassion, that was the signal from God to act.

      * Matt 5:7 -- Mercy, proneness to being moved with compassion, is thus one of the vital kingdom qualities, vital also to kingdom authority. With it, we are able to know God's leading, and walk in the light through our "good eye" (6:22,23) and thus exercise kingdom authority.

What does kingdom authority include? (Matt 8:14-9:8)

  * ch 8:14-17 authority over sickness: when Jesus had come into Peter's house ... his wife's mother lying sick ... He touched her ... When evening had come ... He ... healed all who were sick ... as spoken by Isaiah ...

    * Healing is especially within the scope of kingdom authority, since vs 17, quoting Isaiah 53:4, applies Jesus' Messianic role as carrying away disease: He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sickness

    * Thus, Isaiah 53:5, in the same context as the quoted passage, can also be taken literally as a promise for healing in the New Covenant: ...and by his stripes (His atonement) we are healed.

  * vs 18-23 truth and discernment: as evident in Jesus' response to two inquirers. He discerned their needs, and their readiness to fully embrace the Kingdom of God.

    * In one case, he dissuaded the enquirer who probably wasn't ready for the lifestyle of "roughing it". In the second, He challenged the seeker to "cut his losses" and go for it. Each response was specific to the one addressed.

    * How does this fit with the context? As this passage begins and ends with the intention and the act of boarding a boat, it's possible that at least one of the would-be followers actually approached Him at that point in time. However, Jesus' response to the first one is consistent with the instructions He gave to his disciples in chapter 10, which we'll observe later in this outline.

  * vs 23-27 authority over the elements: when He got into the boat ... suddenly a great tempest arose ...

    * Jesus was so confident of His authority that He actually went to sleep. Was he already feeling sleepy earlier, when he said, The son of man has no place to rest his head...? In any case, it's a vivid case in point.

    * vs 26 Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?\-- Jesus also expected the same confidence from His disciples.

  * vs 28-34 authority over demons: When He had come to the other side ... there met Him two demon-possessed men ... \-- Here, we see Jesus's authority in a very specific way, telling the demon's just where they could go. In Mark's account (5:1-20), He even goes so far as to ask them their name.

  * ch 9:1-8 authority to forgive sin: ... they brought to Him a paralytic man lying on a bed ... He said ... "... your sins are forgiven you."

    * It's possible that during the period before the destruction of the second temple, the common belief was that suffering was the result of personal sin. Jesus perceived that this was so in this case, so He dealt with the root cause first.

    * ... which is easier ...? Anyone can say, "Your sins are forgiven," but to solve the problem for which the sin was the root cause is a different story. Actually, once the sin (the root problem) was remitted, curing the surface problem (the paralysis) was the easier of the two.

    * Kingdom authority includes the authority to deal with the root causes of the visible problems, whether sickness, demon possession or disabilities -- provide the recipient is repentant. For that. For that purpose, Jesus also said (John 20:23), If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.

Kingdom authority in the right time and place (Matt 9:9-31)

  * ... not always what we've been brought up to think

    * vs 9 -- the calling of Matthew.

      * Unlike the other disciples, Matthew forsook a very lucrative career to follow Jesus. This could be another example of the miracle of a camel passing through the eye of a needle (Matthew 19:23-26).

      * We're not told the story behind Matthews decision -- in spite of Matthew being the author of this narrative. However Jesus' action here was an example of authority with discernment, at just the right timing in Matthew's life.

      * We're told that Matthew was the one who kept a running journal of Jesus's actions and sayings over the course of His ministry. Historical and textual evidence points to such a document, referred to as Q Source, which doesn't appear to have survived. The present book of Matthew is probably an edited version of that document, probably with input from the book of Mark.

    * vs 9-13 as Jesus sat at the table ... many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him

      * Being moved with compassion, Jesus often did what people would not have done otherwise i.e. mixing with the worst of society. Dining with the publicans and sinners would have been the first century equivalent of going to night clubs, gay bars and cocktail parties.

      * Both then, and now, it is thought beneath good righteous standards -- at best, an unwise thing to do, as it would be putting oneself in the way of temptation. Psalm 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful... would be applied in many cases.

      * While these considerations are legitimate, and one would be wise to make it a general rule not to frequent such places; mercy and compassion should always be given priority -- however, not given as an excuse to get in over one's head. Moving ahead when compassion isn't the moving force, in such cases, could lead to trouble.

    * vs 14-17 "Why do...your disciples not fast?" ...new wine into old wineskins... \-- Just as in the above example, in which some things that would seem socially wrong, when done in the right time, are the right thing to do; so also, many things that would seem good, such as fasting, could be as inappropriate (or even harmful) as putting new wine in old wineskins, if done solely out of habit, when the timing of the kingdom may indicate otherwise.

  * moving with the timing of kingdom authority: one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name ... "My little daughter lies at the point of death" ... a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years ... (Mark 5:21-42)

    * Jairus's daughter was already beyond medical help, and it would seem that to impart supernatural help, one must rush urgently to the scene. However, Jesus was slowed down by a large crowd.

    * A woman with a flow of blood, believed that Jesus could heal her. As she became aware that Jesus was passing that way, she realised that she must act now, if she were to receive healing. One could, however, say that she should have considered the family with the dying child, and the fact that Jesus was therefore in a hurry. Indeed, she did simply go up from behind and touch His garment.

    * Despite the urgency of the situation, Jesus stopped when he felt that power had gone out, and made what might have been a lengthy inquiry and comment to the woman on her faith. In fact, people from Jairus' home actually did arrived and informed him that his daughter had in fact died, and not to take up any more of Jesus' time. However, Jesus continued just as before, saying, Do not be afraid; only believe. The daughter was in fact raised from the dead.

    * John 11:1-44 -- Another time, Jesus actually waited 2 days before travelling to help his good friend, Lazarus, when he knew he was about to die. It's possible that even when he did go, he took his time, because when he finally arrived, Lazarus had in fact been dead 4 days. Because of the delay, the miracle was that much more remarkable.

    * This is not to be mistaken for slothfulness or indifference -- or vice versa. When moving with compassion and with kingdom authority, things will work out with the right timing.

  * spontaneous events: your faith has made you well ... according to your faith let it be to you (Matt 9:22, 27-31) -- It's possible that in the case of the woman with the flow of blood, and with the two blind men (vs 27-31), Jesus didn't feel any special flow of compassion, as they occurred unexpectedly while He was travelling from one place to another (in the case of the woman, hurrying to Jairus's home). However, the faith of the woman and of the two blind men drew out the flow of kingdom authority. In the case of the blind men, Jesus asked them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? When he saw their faith, he proceeded to touch them, saying, According to your faith let it be to you.

Multiplication of authority (Matt 9:35-10:42) -- The appointing and sending out of the 12 apostles

  * motivated by compassion: when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion (vs 35-38)

    * His compassion, in this case, was for a specific group -- Israel -- and for a specific reason -- they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

    * Accordingly, He asked His disciples to pray for labourers for the "harvest" of people ready to respond to the gospel of the kingdom.

  * appointment: when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power (authority) -- (ch 10:1-4) The word here, often translated "power" in English, actually means authority.

  * target group: do not go the way of the Gentiles, and ... Samaritans ... but ... to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (vs 5,6)

    * There is a timing involved for all possible target groups. Following God's authority through compassion will channel us to the right people at the right time.

    * This guidance came through being "moved with compassion" (9:36). The compassion was very specifically for the multitudes of the house of Israel who were "weary and scattered like sheep having no shepherd". Thus the specific command, "Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (10:6)

  * the message: preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand". Heal the sick ... freely you have received, freely give (vs 7,8)

    * Throughout the New Covenant, signs and wonders go together with the message of the kingdom of God.

    * Kingdom authority entails responsibility to give of what one has received. Again, mercy (compassion) is a vital component to kingdom authority.

  * provision: provide neither gold nor silver ... nor bag for your journey ... (vs 9,10)

    * God is well able to supply, even those who go forth with nothing. Striking examples of this are the children of Israel in the wilderness, and Elijah (I Kings 17)

    * Timing is also important. This particular instruction was especially for this occasion. Luke 22:35-37 indicates that at other times extra supplies may be appropriate.

      * Paul, though spreading the gospel of the kingdom with all his time and resources, yet worked with his hands to support himself (Acts 18:1-3; 20:34,35; I Thess 2:9). At the same time, he also held that it is normal to be supported by the church (I Cor 9:6-11)

      * Though many models are presented for us -- Elijah; the disciples sent 2 by 2; the disciples at the last supper; Paul; etc. -- no one model is shown to be ultimately superior to the exclusion of all others.

      * However, this instruction follows Jesus' own example, as He described it to the would-be follower in chapter 8:20 -- The foxes have holes, and the birds flying about have nests, but the Son of Man has no home of his own.

  * strategy: whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out ...whoever will not receive you ... shake off the dust from your feet ... he who receives you receives me (vs 11-15; 40-42) -- based on building relationships

    * vs 11 inquire who in it is worthy \-- Foremost among other "worthy" qualities in Jewish tradition, hospitality to strangers is a highly extolled trait.

      * Abraham was said (according to tradition) to excel in hospitality. Example:

        * his hospitality to the three angels, probably not knowing at first who they were. Also, Lot's hospitality to the 2 angels stands in contrast to that of the men of Sodom.

        * Sodom is seen as the antithesis of hospitality. It is also true that Sodom was rife with homosexual perversion, but so also were many other cities. When the sexual perversion began to express itself in the abuse of strangers (opposite of hospitality), that's when the breaking point came and judgement was sure to follow.

      * The old man in Judges 19:16 ff., in contrast to the men of Gibeah (ch 19-21). Gibeah, in this passage, is traditionally compared to Sodom. Vs 15,18-20 indicate that it was seen as horrifying that no one would take the young man into their home for the night. Vs 21 -- washing feet, eating and drinking are all signs of hospitality.

    * ... and stay there till you go out ... bless it ...

      * Acknowledge their hospitality by blessing it and remaining there, not moving around. Moving abruptly to another home would offend the original host's hospitality.

      * A "good eye" -- seeing relationship as being vital to the kingdom of God (both as the opportunity and as a vital component) -- should compel the disciple to remain with the original host for the sake of relationship; preferring to overlook his shortcomings, while turning down any opportunity to move to more comfortable lodgings with a more charming host.

    * vs 13-15; 40-42 If the household is worthy ... whoever will not receive you ... he who receives you receives me ... \-- Hospitality and relationship is the key to their acceptance of the kingdom

      * By accepting you, they receive Messiah. By receiving Messiah, they receive God.

      * but if it is not worthy ... \-- even after enquiring who is worthy (hospitable) some will appear to be so in order to take advantage, or just to put on a social front.

        * Don't be quick to move on (vs 11). By developing a relationship, you may encourage a more open accepting attitude to surface. Because you are their only chance, it's important that you have a "good eye".

        * The ultimate test is if they accept you, the disciple. If they totally reject you and your words, it's the same as rejecting Messiah. Their spiritual inhospitality will eventually surface as social inhospitality.

        * This inhospitality is compared (even unfavourably!) with that of Sodom and Gomorrah (vs 15).

  * expected response: I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves ... they will deliver you up to councils (vs 16-26) -- and what to do about it

    * This includes both persecution from official community and legal sources, as well as from immediate family and neighbours.

      * vs 18 -- You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake ...

      * vs 21 -- Now brother will deliver up brother to death ... (also vs 34-36)

    * When going out with the gospel to the target groups -- in this case, the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" -- many will show themselves inhospitable and become your persecutors. When it becomes quite obvious that this is the case, despite developing personal relationships with them, even to the point where they would betray their own brothers and members of their own family (or at least turn against them) (vs 21), then, the instruction of vs 14 & 23 is "shake the dust off your feet ... and flee to another city."

      * vs 23 -- ... you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes or "Don't worry about running out of places to flee to. If you communicate the gospel like I told you, it will keep you until I come."

      * Preaching the gospel according to Jesus's instructions, is not a matter of saying, "Repent or perish", and shake of the dust of your feet at the first sign of rejection. Many go preaching this way, but they soon run out of cities to flee to, and the Son of Man hasn't returned yet! They went too quickly! The way of Messiah is:

        * Move according to the compassion God gives you as the guide to what city of people group to go to (9:36; 10:6). That is both your motive and your guiding light (which you can see only with a "good eye")

        * The method of flowing in compassion is more often through relationships (10:11-13). This takes much longer than simply preaching and seeing how they respond.

        * You may preach publicly, as Jesus often did, but relationships should be the core of your strategy -- just as Jesus not only preached to the masses, but spent much time both with his own pupils, and also in other people's homes and one-on-one (Matt 9:10-13; Luke 4:38,39; 7:36-50; 10:38-42; 11:37; 14:1; 15:2; 19:5-9; 24:13-31; John 3:1,2; 12:1-8).

        * In this way, people who would have otherwise been hostile to a "repent or perish" message, may show themselves hospitable. In this way, you will spend much longer in each place bearing fruit along the lines of relationships before true opposition begins to build up to where you must indeed "flee to the next city".

    * Why the persecution? vs 24-26 -- a disciple is not above his teacher ... if they have called the master ... Beelzebub, how much more ... [the disciple]? The principal of authority will produce not only the multiplication of fruit, but also the multiplication of negative reaction to that fruit. A fuller exposition of this principal is found in John 15:18-25.

      * The kingdom of God is the restoration of all things back to the order God set up, with man submitted to God and all creation under man's rulership.

      * The satan, who's been the "god of this world" ever since man's disobedience, naturally stands opposed to this, and uses every resource at his disposal to come against it.

      * Those who refuse to submit to the kingdom of God, become by default part of the kingdom of the satan, and become his tools to oppose the kingdom of God -- thus, persecution.

    * Whom to fear vs 28-33 -- In this passage, we see fear treated in three categories: fear of the persecutors, the fear of the Lord, and fear for one's safety and welfare.

      * The fear of the Lord is the key to a lot of our problems. However, it doesn't come by simple assent. It's a product of true faith, as well as the identifying sign of that faith. Solomon described it as the key to knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:7 & 9:10), and to choosing right over evil (Prov 8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil). In the Bible,we see it arising from three sources:

        1. In early Old Testament times, it was culturally ingrained. People assumed that if they looked on God, they'd be struck dead (Genesis 32:30, Exodus 20:19, Judges 6:22, 23). However, where this was no more than a superstition, it didn't always motivate one to right action.

        2. It came through witnessing visible signs and wonders -- ie. seeing the Red Sea part, hearing God's voice from Mt. Sinai, etc. Even this didn't always guarantee one's actions.

        3. The most effective way is through the Holy Spirit's work on the heart. In the Old Testament, this would have happened through prophetic experience. In the New Testament, He convicts of sin (John 16:8). In either case, the message of Solomon's words in Proverbs is, we must choose to act out of the fear of God. It isn't automatic.

      * vs 28 -- ... do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul ... The true fear of God should overcome fear of our persecutors.

      * ...rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Though this isn't the thrust of this particular context, this phrase is never-the-less a key to correcting a current misunderstanding. Today, we often evangelise by attempting to induce a fear of hell. However, the Bible nowhere tells us to fear hell. This passage tells us, rather, to fear God, who has the power of hell. Anyone, with clever use of psychology, can stimulate a fear of hell. Only the Holy Spirit can induce the fear of God. We'll talk more about the work of the Holy Spirit in a later module. Suffice it to say here, we need to wait on, and expect the Holy Spirit to do His work.

      * vs 29 - 31 -- Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? One who fears the Lord is enabled to trust God with his/her safety and welfare. Birds do fall to the ground on occasion, but not apart from the Father's will. Likewise, we can trust God to know what He's doing with our lives. If our life is spent, it's for a good purpose in God's economy, and we won't lose our reward.

      * vs 32, 33 -- ...whoever confesses Me before men ... whoever denies Me ... The object is to fear God more than we fear people or dangerous situations. The fear of God has been called "the fear that removes all fear".

    * vs 34-39 ... I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother ... he who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me \-- Where some are determined to remain in the satan's kingdom, the kingdom of God brings division.

      * vs 34,35 -- The pure gospel will bring that division despite our compassion and commitment to relationships, simply because the god of this world hates it. Those who choose not to respond will eventually be overcome with the satan's hostility, and so the parting of ways comes.

      * vs 36-39 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me ... he does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me \-- Where this happens, those who choose to seek God's kingdom must choose to do so even at the expense of these friendships and old family relationships, even if it means their life.

      * It's where the pure gospel is proclaimed, with full authority being exercised through compassion, with an emphasis on relationships, with signs following, and the command to repent, that this polarisation begins to take place. At the time of this writing, we've been seeing very little of that, particularly in Western countries that were historically thought of as the "Christian" nations. However, it's in the plan of God for the Kingdom of God to begin to become more evident to the world through such proclamation.

  * confidence in kingdom authority: Therefore, do not fear ... whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light ... whoever confesses Me before men ... (vs 26-33)

    * The covenant mandate to speak God's word and God's plan for the world into being is a part of kingdom authority. It is powerful in destroying the satan's kingdom. Therefore put all confidence in it and speak out, not fearing those under the satan's control who can only kill the body, but not the soul.

      * Fear is the tool of the satan to intimidate the disciple into not using his or her full authority in the kingdom of God.

      * Faith, the opposite of fear, holds on to Jesus' promises in these words, and will cling to the reality of God's kingdom, even when people all around us (as part of the satan's kingdom), as well as immediate circumstances all tell us it's not so.

    * vs 29-31 not one [sparrow] falls to the ground apart from your Father's will ... you are of more value than many sparrows \-- God, the giver of that authority, is all powerful, all knowing and all present. We must have all confidence in Him

  * ultimate goal -- worthy disciples: whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before My Father ... do not think that I came to bring peace on earth ... he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me (vs 32-42)

    * vs 40 He who receives you receives Me \-- By maintaining the hospitable attitude towards the bearers of the message, even when others begin to persecute, the door is open to true faith and repentance.

    * vs 32 whoever confesses Me before men ... \-- True repentance and faith will embolden one to confess Jesus before men, having turned away (repented) from one's old ways, and from any participation in the satan's kingdom; and placing faith in God's kingdom, and God's sovereign power to see one through.

    * vs 37,38 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of me ... he who does not take his cross ... \-- A parallel passage to these two verses is Luke 14:26-33

      * vs 26 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother ... \-- The usage of the word "hate" is a Hebrew usage; not to be confused with its use in modern English. One isn't required to be devoid of love or wish evil towards ones parents. That would be to defile the fifth commandment. In Hebrew, "hate" was used as an opposite to what one preferred. For example, in Hebrew, one could have said, "I love pizza and hate spaghetti," meaning simply that one preferred pizza to spaghetti -- although one would still gladly eat spaghetti if not offered the choice of pizza. Therefore, anyone who prefers acceptance with ones family to following the kingdom of God, is not worthy to be a disciple.

      * vs 26,27 ... yes, and his own life ... and whoever does not bear his cross and come after me ... \-- Jesus spoke these words long before there was any question in anyone's mind of Jesus being crucified. The picture in everyone's mind, as Jesus spoke, would have been that of condemned revolutionaries carrying the cross bars from which they would be suspended, to the place of crucifixion. They were indeed paying the ultimate price for their revolt against Rome, which they knew from the beginning would be their lot, if and when captured. Jesus was saying, in essence, "Whoever has not prepared himself to pay the ultimate cost is not worthy to follow me." Jesus, then, later underscored the meaning of these words by paying the ultimate cost Himself, through this very means of execution.

      * vs 28-32 which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down and count the cost ... \-- There is both the ultimate cost -- torture and death by the cross or whatever other means -- and the lesser costs, which could include rejection by ones family; losing ones job; forfeiting ones inheritance, or position, or the choice to adopt a lifestyle of not having a place to lay one's head (8:18, 19), or as in the case of Peter and Andrew leaving their nets to follow Jesus. Not all of these will necessarily be so for all who choose to follow Jesus, but one must set out from the beginning prepared for it just the same. Once the decision is made, God's grace is available to carry through.

    * The saying of Matt 10:24 is also quoted by Luke (6:40) A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. This is the dynamic of discipleship. It is the essence of "multiplication of authority". Jesus had the authority of the kingdom as Messiah. He imparted that authority to His disciples so they could go out with the compassion Jesus had, doing signs and wonders that confirm the gospel of the kingdom. Those who received them and made the choice through repentance and faith to follow Jesus, then, become disciples, and again, are sent with the same kingdom authority. Thus, kingdom authority is multiplied until it covers the whole world.

## The Kingdom Breaks Forth

Covers Matthew 11:2-13:52

#8 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series: How the "violent" break through into God's Sabbath rest

#3 of the New Covenant section

©1997 Robby Charters (significant revisions made, September 2013)

www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

The Breach (Matt 11:1-30)

  * John, his query and his ultimate role (vs 2-19)

    * vs 2-6 -- Verification of the kingdom of God: when John had heard in prison ... he sent two of his disciples ... "Are you the Coming one ...?"

      * The question could have just as well been worded, "Are you ushering in the kingdom of God?", as the two phrases were recognised as synonymous -- the "coming one" would, by everyone's understanding, usher in the kingdom of God.

      * It's probable that John's sending of his disciples was for their benefit rather than his own doubts, as the wording here is, When John heard ... about the works of Christ ... In view of the answer Jesus gave, what "John heard" was the confirmation to his question, which John, being the "messenger that went before" Messiah (vs 10), would have understood without a doubt.

      * Jesus's answer, ...The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them ... "Blind and lame" is a reference to Isaiah 35:5-6; "The dead are raised," is recognisable from Isaiah 26:19; and "the poor" to Isaiah 61:1; all references John would have recognise as speaking of the Kingdom of God. A gain, we note that signs and wonders are a vital part of the preaching of the kingdom of God.

    * vs 7-15 -- John, the breach maker: What did you go out into the wilderness to see? ... the kingdom of heaven suffers violence ... Elijah ...

      * vs 7-11 -- His role was as the last prophet of the Old Covenant, to make the way for the kingdom of God -- yet, not as part of it, as Jesus says, he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. He went before to announce the kingdom, but suffered martyrdom at the hands of King Herod before he could have a part in the kingdom. However, before this happened, he urged his disciples to participate.

      * vs 12-15 -- from the days of John ... the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force

        * The use of the word "violent" and "violence" represents a literal Greek translation of the Hebrew meaning, "breached" or "breaking forth", which we could picture in our own century as a dam breaking. However, the original allusion was to sheep breaking through the breach in their pen. The sheep would spend the night in a make shift pen made from stones. In the morning, the shepherd would make a breach by tossing some stones aside, and the sheep would anxiously push their way out, having been cramped in their crowded quarters all night.

        * Jesus's allusion to the breaking forth is a reference to Micah 2:12&13:

          * ... I will put them together like sheep of the fold.

Like a flock in the midst of their pasture, they shall make a loud noise because of so many people.

The one who breaks open (or breach-maker -- Heb. poretz) will come up before them:

They will break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it;

Their king will pass before them, the Lord at their head

        * An ancient midrash (Radak to Micah 2:13) gives the interpretation likely held widely at that time, treating the "one who breaks open" and the "king" as two different people: Elijah as the "breach maker" (Mal 4:5), and Messiah as the king.

        * Jesus's statement here, then, could be just as well translated: From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is breached (suffers violence) and those who are breaking free (the violent) break free by forcing their way through.

          * A parallel saying of Jesus is found in Luke 16:16: The law and the prophets were until John (or prophesied of John). Since that time, the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. Some translators render the Matthew passage as though the "violent" are attempting to destroy the kingdom. However, Luke seems to corroborate our rendering by means of a paraphrase.

          * Both the saying in Matthew and in Luke refer to John. The following 2 verses in Matthew's context state, ... if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. John, under the mantle of Elijah, made the breach, and Jesus, the king has been leading before the people, who like sheep are pouring out, as though out of the confines of the crowded sheep pen. (see also, Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin & Roy Blizzard Jr; Destiny Image Publishers, 1984)

      * Membership in the kingdom is for whoever will take it! The message of this whole passage is, "The kingdom of God is here; go for it!"

    * vs 16-19 -- the response of the sheep: But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children ... \-- God, in His mercy uses whatever means available to get the message through; but no matter how the message is presented, whether by John's austere puritanical style, or by Jesus' socially interactive style, some people always find a reason not to accept; like one group of children trying to induce another group into playing. "What's the matter with you? We played this, but you didn't want to join. Then to please you, we did that, but you still wouldn't play!" Despite the kingdom of God having "broken forth", many still seemed to prefer the "cramped sheep pen" to the freedom being freely offered.

  * The consequences of rejection and rewards of acceptance (vs 20-30)

    * vs 20-24 -- the responsibility to act on the message received: Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! ... it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgement ... \-- Often those closest to God's covenant are the most difficult to persuade to go for yet more of God's grace when it becomes available, whereas those on the outside are more eager to join in. Yet, being so close, the "insiders" have received more, and are therefore responsible for what they have been given. They will therefore be under a more severe judgement for having rejected the message.

    * vs 25-29 -- those who break through ...: I thank you ... You have hidden these things from the wise ... revealed them to babes ...

      * vs 25, 26 -- God's mercy is equal towards all, but in His justice, He gives the opportunity first to those who have taken their places in God's covenant earlier -- i.e. the leaders, and the established community. However, in His mercy, He is just as please to reward the "babes", or those who have previously been "on the outside", however unsophisticated they may seem -- especially when the former have rejected it. In fact, he is even more pleased with the "babes" and the unsophisticated because of their teachability and eagerness to accept.

      * vs 27-29 -- ... find rest: All things have been delivered to Me by My Father ... Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the son will reveal Him ... Come to Me all you who labour ...

        * Jesus's kingdom authority includes revealing the Father to whom he will. Therefore, he chooses to reveal Him to the "babes", the overworked and downtrodden.

        * vs 28 ... I will give you rest \-- Life in the kingdom of God is a life of rest. When one is walking in close intimacy with the Father, and has faith in His leading and provision, that faith displaces all worry. Fear and worry are the opposite of faith, and cannot exist where faith is fully present.

        * vs 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me ... \-- This is a picture of the training of a young ox by yoking it with a stronger and more experienced ox. The older, stronger ox would bear the brunt of the weight, and at the same time, know the master's commands. The younger ox would learn, by moving with the older ox, how to respond to the master's commands. By being intimate with the Father through Jesus, one learns to hear and obey His voice, doing what one sees Jesus do, just as Jesus does what ever He sees the Father do (John 5:19); and learning to feel His compassion when He is moved with compassion.

      * The "babes" -- those who have exerted their all to "violently break through" through repentance and faith, now find rest from their labour of "breaking through," and the burden of the evil world (the cramped sheep pen) by which they have been heavy laden. They find not only rest, but also learn by intimacy with Him how to operate in the kingdom of God, which is the way of Sabbath rest.

True Sabbath Rest (Matt 12:1-50) -- After the call to come to Jesus and find rest, comes a section on the way of Sabbath rest:

  * Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath: Jesus went though the grain fields on the Sabbath. And His disciples ... began to pluck heads of grain ... (12:1-14)

    * vs 1-4 Have you not read what David did when he was hungry ...? \-- The understanding among the rabbis, at least after this period in history, is that basic needs take precedence over Sabbath law, and therefore, in a state of severe hunger with no food otherwise near by, the disciples did the right thing by plucking grain to eat. The Pharisees, in this case, were local Torah teachers and scholars who may have followed their own strict traditions, as would have the Essenes and the Sadducees, rather than some of the more lenient interpretations of some of the Jerusalem Pharisees.

    * vs 3-8 ... what David did ... the priests in the temple ... Lord of the Sabbath \-- Jesus refers both to:

      * King David (I Sam 21:1-9)

        * "messiah" in that he was anointed as king -- the first "messiah" in the kingly line of King Messiah, Jesus

        * His severe need for food took precedence over the sanctity of the holy bread

        * The result of the action was relief -- or rest -- from the inconveniences of his hurried flight from King Saul; being that he had had to flee without making preparation.

      * the priests in the temple

        * "messiah" by virtue of his priestly anointing

        * Their holy duties take precedence over the sanctity of Sabbath

        * Doing ones duties in the very presence of God, as was the job of the priests, one is in a state of continuous rest, just as Moses was able to remain in the presence of God on Mt. Sinai for 40 days without food or drink. (Ex 34:28)

      * Messiah Jesus

        * Messiah, both in the sense of his anointing as "Prophet like Moses", as "Son of David", as well as the "High Priest of the good things to come" (Heb 9:11). Therefore, he said, ... in this place there is one greater than the temple (vs 6)

        * His reason was, I desire mercy and not sacrifice (vs 7 -- quoted from Hos 6:6).

        * vs 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

          * Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath rest \-- Coming to Jesus, as in the previous passage (11:28), one finds rest, no matter what day of the week. Heb 3&4 speaks of rest, quoting Psalm 95:7-11:

            * Today, if you will hear His voice:  
"Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion ..  
...So I swore in My wrath,  
'They shall not enter My rest.'"

          * By obeying God's voice, and yielding to it, not hardening our hearts, we enter God's rest, which is the ultimate fulfilment of the purpose for which the children if Israel were to enter into the promised land. The context of the passage in Hebrews shows how it's connected with Sabbath by comparing the passage in Psalms with Gen 2:2 and Ex 20:11 (Heb 4:4,5)

          * The details of carrying out Sabbath rest also falls within the jurisdiction of kingdom authority. When performing one's role in the kingdom of God, just as the priests do in the temple, while operating in the attitude of mercy (vs 7 & 5:7) -- that is, openness to being moved with compassion -- that compassion may move one to do things that seem contrary to the details of the law, especially where human need take precedence over particular laws. This is the way of rest, just as the young ox sharing the yoke of a stronger, more experienced ox, is working in a state of rest.

    * vs 9-14 He went into their synagogue ... there was a man with a withered hand

      * Jesus's response here illustrates the principal of human need taking precedence over such laws as Sabbath law, as we just saw.

      * The wording of vs 9 would indicate that it was the same day as the incident in the grain field, and, moreover, He went into their synagogue, where he was no doubt confronted by the same group of Pharisees -- therefore all the less reason to conclude that their understanding of the Sabbath was universal. It could be that some groups of Pharisees from the smaller towns were more strict and otherwise less refined than the Pharisees in Jerusalem. Vs 14&15 states that this group of Pharisees began to plot to destroy Him, so Jesus withdrew from that area.

      * A study of the Dead Sea Scrolls reveals that Jesus didn't invent the analogy of pulling a farm animal out of a pit on the Sabbath. This was already a point of contention between the Pharisees and the Esse nes. The latter held that it was unlawful to help an animal out of a pit on Sabbath. The Pharisees were the more lenient. This opinion on their part gave Jesus the added leverage in His argument.

  * the restful response: when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there ... He warned them not to make Him known ... He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets ... (vs 15-21)

    * Jesus' response to opposition was not argumentative, except to refer to commonly held opinions (i.e. a sheep in the pit on Sabbath), and scriptural precedents (i.e. David and the showbread; the priests in the temple), almost as though teaching. This basic style of argument was also used by the rabbis, referred to as pilpul. Other than that, he simply spoke authoritatively.

    * Jesus' instruction to His disciples on answering their opponents is found in Luke 12:11,12 -- do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. That, being his instruction, was obviously his own way of answering. Throughout the gospels, we see that no one was ever able to answer Him back. Sometimes, as he demonstrated at His trial, it's best to say nothing. It's the way of Sabbath rest.

    * When the situation became life threatening (vs 14,15), instead of trying to make a point and risk early martyrdom (vs 19), he simply withdrew.

    * He warned them not to make Him known ... Unlike most ministries today, Jesus didn't require, nor did he even desire extra publicity. He could rest in His confidence that His Father would draw those to Him that needed His ministry (John 6:44).

    * Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1-4, which describes the restful way in which Messiah would go about His mandate to bring justice to the world. ...nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets... Though He did announce the Kingdom of God publicly (Mark 1:14, 15), He didn't rely on a massive PR campaign. Once His reputation began to spread, He didn't need to raise His voice to call attention to Himself.

    * Remember, one of the temptations during His 40 day fast, was to call attention to Himself by leaping from the pinnacle of the Temple.

  * the polarisation of the two kingdoms: this fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub ... Every kingdom divided against itself ... will not stand ... bind the strong man ... (vs 22-30)

    * In this situation, the Pharisees hadn't even verbalised their accusation in His presence, but again, Jesus knew their thoughts, and spoke by impulse of the Holy Spirit, so as to finish the argument before it even started. In light of the warning Jesus gave them later in the passage, this was for their benefit.

    * vs 25,26 If satan casts out satan ... The most basic principal of winning a battle is unity. Even the satan's kingdom operates on this principal to a point. The idea of Jesus casting out devils by Beelzebub, therefore doesn't make sense.

    * vs 27,28 ... if ... by Beelzebub ... by whom do your sons cast them out ... but if ... by the Spirit of God ...the kingdom of God has come ... \-- Miracles and exorcisms were performed by some of the rabbis and others, such as Honi "the Rainmaker", and Haninah ben Dosa (as examples from that period mentioned in the Talmud).

      * Miracles and exorcism were therefore not new in Israel, but the method of commanding demons to leave, with authority, was. This method was superior to that of the exorcists, so if it was by the power of Beelzebub, then what of the exorcists in God's own covenant community? Is Beelzebub therefore more powerful than God?

      * But if Jesus's casting out of spirits by the Spirit of God, the kingdom of God has definitely come. The rabbis all recognised that the Holy Spirit had ceased to be bestowed on prophets since the time of Ezra and Malachi 400 years earlier. He would only be granted to individuals again during the time of Messiah, the anointed one. Jesus's healing and casting out demons by the Holy Spirit, then, was proof that He is Messiah.

    * vs 29,30 how can one enter a strong man's house ... unless he first binds the strong man? \-- Luke 11:21-23 gives a clearer picture. Unity in the satan's kingdom is forced from the top through a hierarchy of "strong men". The way of Sabbath rest is to simply bind the strong man over the area one is to plunder. Then, the job of plundering the satan's kingdom (setting people free, and calling them into God's kingdom) is simple.

    * The passage we're looking at is a foundational passage in describing the satan's power as a definite kingdom in opposition to the kingdom of light that Yeshua came to usher in.

      * The rabbinical view of the person of the satan is probably best described by the scenario painted for us in the book of Job, and in I Kings 22:11-19. There, for the lack of more information, we are left to believe that the satan is one of God's angels responsible for bringing about the negative aspects, or the dark side of God's will. That's what he's believed to be according to rabbinical tradition.

      * The Old Testament is very sketchy when presenting the satan. Perhaps, more specific than the above passages are Isaiah 14:12-21, Ezekiel 28:11-19 and Daniel 10:13. Even there, the identity of the subject as actually being the satan, is only by inference by the fact that it couldn't possibly be talking about a human, but rather, an angel or spirit being. One of the passages refers to him as a Cherub.

      * Why does the Old Testament say so little about the satan? Probably for two reasons:

        1. Because that's all the attention he deserves. Perhaps it's us who make too big a thing about him -- especially when even the New Testament doesn't give us all that much information about him -- only that he's God's enemy.

        2. In the Old Testament, we don't see the kingdom of God as a present reality. It's spoken of in God's covenant with Israel through Abraham, Moses, David and others, as a future reality. Those who responded in faith were citizens in advance as it were. Since the New Testament describes it as a present reality, there is more reason to clarify the satan's kingdom in more detail in order to contrast it with God's Kingdom -- where the satan's kingdom has been overthrown, or pushed back through Messiah's authority.

      * Therefore, Jesus says, it would be illogical to think that demons were being forcibly cast out by Beelzebub himself, as that would go against his agenda -- he isn't, after all, the administrator of God's 'dark side' -- whereas if it's by God that demons are being driven out, then that's proof that the kingdom of God is being established in opposition to the satan's kingdom.

      * Some rabbis have described this point of view as 'Dualism', meaning that we believe, not in one God in control of the universe, but rather, God as representing good, and the satan representing evil.

        * Going by the way we often emphasise the satan's power and activity, one would easily arrive at that conclusion.

        * On the surface, the belief that God is limited by His attribute of Justice, and is therefore restrained by the satan's kingdom in His showing of mercy, appears to be dualism. On another level, as we pointed out in the first outline in this series, Creation and Fall, God's wisdom is so deep, and His mercy goes to such lengths, that in spite of the satan's best efforts, he only manages to fulfil God's ultimate plan. Though he is the enemy of God, it's as though he were working on His behalf as though he were administrating God's dark side, if He had one.

    * Through the activity of Messiah, the two kingdoms began to polarise.

      * The kingdom of the satan is now distinct as being in opposition to God's Kingdom, not as representing God's "dark side".

      * He who is not with Me is against Me (vs 30) -- The Kingdom of God has been proclaimed, so that those who are motivated to seek it, are breaking through the breach into Sabbath rest. The next few verses describe the polarisation between those who have broken through, and those who resist.

  * ways in which the polarisation happens: ... blasphemy against the Spirit ... a tree is known by its fruit ... an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign ... when an unclean spirit goes out of a man ... takes with him seven other spirits ... (vs 31-45) -- again, this teaching parallels Heb 3&4 and Psalm 95:7-11 -- the warning against hardening ones heart and failing to enter the rest.

    * by "making a statement": ... blasphemy against the Spirit ... (vs 31-32)

      * This grave warning was given in response to the notion that Jesus cast out demons by Beelzebub. According to Jesus's statement in vs 28, it was by the Holy Spirit, and therefore the sign that the kingdom of God had come. To speak against the Holy Spirit's presence in such a way, one is in danger of permanently locking oneself outside of God's kingdom.

      * As we saw in vs 25, Jesus gave the response before anybody actually verbalised the accusation, just from "knowing their thoughts". Thus, the warning came to them before they could actually step across the line.

      * As Jesus did not actually say, "You've committed the unforgivable sin", but rather warned against it, it is still not clear to what extant one must go before one reaches the eternally unforgiven state. Taking into account the Greek tense of the verb, the wording should be: ...whoever keeps on speaking against the [Holy Spirit] will never be forgiven (vs 32, CJB). Most likely, the following cases would constitute crossing the line:

        * \-- where one has good reason to know that the Holy Spirit is indeed at work, and yet -- probably through jealousy or pride -- refuses to accept it, and goes yet further to make a statement so as to publicly justify their position. If someone simply repeats what he or she has been taught, ie. "This is of the devil!", but without having experienced it for oneself up close, he or she probably hasn't crossed the line. Likewise, one whose only contact with the power of the Holy Spirit has been through people who go about it with an immature attitude, or to other factors that tend to confuse. In some cases, the level of true manifestation of the Holy Spirit is minimal -- enough to bless those who believe, but not to the level one could call "signs and wonders" that would leave one without excuse. In the latter cases, probably no one opposed to the move has crossed the line. As I said earlier, at the time of this writing, the Church in Western Europe and North America has yet to experience the power of God on this level.

        * \-- where the Holy Spirit has been convicting of the need to repent, but one continually refuses to respond, or forever procrastinates, the Holy Spirit will eventually stop convicting, as the heart has become irreversibly hardened.

        * If one is worried that one may have committed the "unforgivable sin", and is saddened by the thought; that is a sign that God's grace is still available; as it is the Holy Spirit Himself who convicts of sin, and pricks the conscience.

      * Never-the-less, the warning stands and it would be well to fear God and not test the limits of the Holy Spirit's grace.

    * manufactured spirituality: ... a tree is known by its fruit ... (vs 33-37) -- Where true faith and repentance are absent, the fruit of ones life will eventually show where one stands. The true rest that Jesus gives, whereby one enters through repentance, and breaks through by faith; will stand up under pressure. One's words, even the seemingly innocent idle words will give away where ones heart really is.

      * Interestingly, Jesus calls them "snakes": Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? (vs 34). Compare with John's use: Brood of vipers... bear fruits worthy of repentance (3:7).

      * The only way to change the nature of the fruit is through repentance. Again, the book of James verifies this as an issue for New Testament believers (James 3:12, 16, 17; 4:7-10).

      * This is not a Judaism vs. Christianity thing. In spite of our doctrines, church people can find themselves on the wrong side, when polarisation begins to happen. The only remedy for this, in many cases, is deep repentance.

    * unbelief: ... an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign ... the men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgement with this generation ... (vs 38-42)

      * Many of the Pharisees, including the scribes (rabbis) were interested in Jesus, but wanted further proof of His Messiahship. Despite their sincerity, Jesus's answer was directed to their unbelief. Having already heard the gospel preached, and seen the signs and wonders already manifest, their request for a more explicit sign was a sign of unbelief -- probably the fruit of attempting faith without repentance.

      * The only sign Jesus offered was one that would require true repentance and further faith to accept; that of "the prophet Jonah". This was referring to the fact that Jesus would be put to death, and spend three days and nights in Sh'ol (Hebrew for the place of the dead), and then be raised again. The concept of death before final resurrection is the opposite to what anyone would expect as a sign; with the exception of those who have died to their past through repentance, and by faith, have broken through to the life of rest.

      * The fact that they demanded further signs to confirm what they had heard proclaimed, made them less worthy of the kingdom than even the "men of Nineveh", and the "queen of the South".

        * The men of Nineveh believed the preaching of Jonah with no signs what-so-ever, except the very sign Jesus was offering the scribes and Pharisees; the sign of Jonah, who miraculously emerged from the fish after three days and nights.

        * The queen of the South, motivated by what she had heard about the blessings of God on King Solomon, took the long journey to visit Solomon. Only then did she discover that, "... indeed the half was not told me" (I Kings 10:7).

      * I Cor 1:22,23 Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness ... \--

        * The Jews stumbled because they demanded a sign first. Yet, through out the scripture, we see that the kingdom of God is proclaimed with signs and wonders -- not human wisdom. Of the two emphases: the Greek emphasis on wisdom, and the Jewish emphasis on a sign; the Jewish one is the more scriptural. It's just that the scribes and Pharisees had it backwards. The ultimate sign follows faith in the words of the kingdom; it doesn't precede it.

        * The church, in the mean time, has inherited the opposite failing of the Greeks; that of interpreting the scriptures through Greek style logic only, while leaving out any Jewish based understanding. This has also led to unbelief -- the message must sound logical, or fit ones preconceived framework, before one will believe.

    * not following through: When an unclean spirit goes out of a man ... he says, "I will return..." ... he goes and takes with him seven other spirits ... (vs 43-45) -- The last phrase of this passage, ... so shall it also be with this wicked generation, indicates that Jesus is not only speaking of the state of one who is delivered of demons, but of the whole established order. However, to understand how it works for the whole nation, we must understand how it applies to the individual:

      * When one has been delivered of demonic oppression or sickness as a result of kingdom authority being exercised, one is then faced with the opportunity to "break through" to the whole plan of the kingdom of God, through repentance and faith. However, once one has found oneself in a more comfortable position as the result of the miraculous deliverance, one is tempted to neglect the ongoing attitude of repentance (the 9 kingdom attitudes of Matt 5:3-12) and become lax in faith; thereby not following through into God's rest. One is then vulnerable to further demonic activity even worse than at the first.

      * The whole nation had been primed for the coming of the kingdom of God through John, the "breach maker". The breach having been made, Jesus, "the King", went through before the sheep as they pressed through to the kingdom of God. However, that generation as a whole, despite the breach made and the opportunity to "enter the Sabbath rest", chose to harden their hearts and continue their old ways. Jesus's warning was that the opportunity wouldn't always be available, as the Holy Spirit wouldn't persist in convicting forever. Moreover, their state would be worse than before, thus creating the polarisation between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of the satan.

  * The true family: Who is My mother and who are My brothers?... whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother. (vs 46-50) -- Those who have broken through and entered the Sabbath rest of the kingdom of God have been born into God's family. We are a family in a very real sense.

Natural Growth of the Kingdom as told in Parables (Matt 13:1-52) As we have seen in previous modules, the telling of parables and story-telling is a common rabbinical teaching method.

  * Jesus' reason for telling parables: they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding (vs 13-15) Jesus indicated by quoting Isaiah 6:10, that parables were a means of teaching those with an ear to hear -- those who are breaking through -- while leaving those who refuse the way of repentance, with nothing more than a nice story.

  * levels of responsiveness: Behold, a sower went out to sow ... (13:1-32) The sower sows the word ... (Mark 4:14) -- The parable of the sower and the explanation in vs 18-23 show four levels of responsiveness -- one that breaks through the breach to Kingdom rest, and three who fail for one reason or another. They apply not only to initial repentance and faith, but also subsequent hearing/reading, digesting and application of the word of God, which, if wholly received, would keep one in the Sabbath rest -- not neglecting the "9 kingdom attitudes" of Matt 5:3-12. One can be a good, faithful church member, a regular tither and born again; and yet fit into any one of these 4 categories.

    * vs 4&19 ... by the wayside ...

      * Just as the hard footpath, where the seed doesn't so much as sink into the ground; so is the one who merely hears passively, and immediately forgets what was spoken. It is as though he never heard at all. This can also apply to those who went to church and acknowledge that the preacher preached a "fine sermon", but can't remember a single thing he said.

      * On the other hand, one can remember the message, but one's own previous learning, position, social ties, and pride immediately veto any intention to follow through on what is heard. They fail to receive, and eventually, they become the opponents of those who do.

    * vs 5,6&20,21 ... on stony places ... \-- those who easily become enthusiastic over a novel idea or a fad. When reality sets in, they are the first to leave. They are usually the first to jump onto every "bandwagon", but also the first ones off when the band stops playing. This is the result of attempting faith without true repentance. It takes a deep work of the Holy Spirit to "get the stones out" so the roots can grow deep, so that true repentance can precede solid faith. Moreover, when persecution starts, these can easily join whole heartedly with the opposition.

    * vs 7&22 ... among thorns ... \-- those whose roots grow deeper, and have come by true repentance and faith. However, they fail to remove the distractions from their lives, and thereby soon neglect the ongoing attitude of repentance; or the 9 kingdom attitudes. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches take one away from the Sabbath rest. "Care" is the opposite of "rest" (see also I Peter 5:6,7 -- the way to humility is casting all your cares on Him). Many things aren't wrong in themselves, but they can distract one from focusing on the kingdom. It is said, "the good is often the enemy of the best."

    * vs 8&23 ... on good ground ... \-- those who have not only broken through in repentance and faith, but continue in the "9 kingdom attitudes", displaying an ongoing repentance and humility, and continuing in the Sabbath rest through faith. "Fruit" can mean both the fruits of one's life, as in the "fruits of the spirit" (Gal 5:22); and the multiplication of oneself in helping others to break through into the rest.

  * the counterfeits: ... a man who sowed good seed ... his enemy came and sowed tares ... (vs 24-30&36-43) -- These can be an additional category to the above parable (of the sower), or else they may be among the first three.

    * There are some who go along with everything taught, and put on an outward display of repentance and faith. What other motives they have are well hidden. In this case, they pass for those receiving the seed in good ground.

    * As "tares" are a common plant in the Middle East that closely resembles wheat until the grain appears at harvest time, so are the "counterfeits". It is dangerous to attempt to weed them out beforehand, as one may mistake a true believer for a "tare". Instead, Jesus commands us to wait until the harvest comes, or else when the fruit truly reveals itself.

    * This parable provides a balance to Jesus' sayings, which we studied earlier, you will know them by their fruit. There, he was speaking of good fruit or bad fruit. Where no fruit is visible yet, where it's not yet the season for fruit and/or the influence of the Kingdom of God hasn't reached such a level as to bring about polarisation, it's better to leave off judgement.

    * This can also be taken as a warning not to quickly reject those who seem different from ourselves -- those of a different church or denomination or have a different interpretation of the Bible from our own; those with spiritual experiences different from ours; or those who put their faith to practice according to their own cultural background instead of ours -- but who have come to God through repentance and faith in Jesus. Those who are most like "us" can just as easily be the "tares" as any of the others. A tree is known by its fruit (12:33)

  * The seed principle: The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed ... like leaven ... (vs 31-33)

    * In the parallel passage of Mark 4, Jesus begins his explanation of the parable of the sower, saying in vs 13, "Don't you understand this parable? How will you be able to understand any parable?" It's possible that the parable of the sower, with seeds being the object, was a key to the others. The parable of the mustard seed is the most concise in expressing the power of the seed, also true of the lump of leaven.

    * Previously, the kingdom of the satan was dominant, resulting in general misery, sickness, demonic oppression, poverty and death. Now, since John, the "breachmaker", the kingdom of God has been breaking through, leaving healing, deliverance and life in its wake. However, the breaking through is not in the way that the public at large and the leaders had expected -- the sudden appearance of a new powerful government. Rather, it starts small and multiplies.

      * The way of Sabbath rest is that of achieving maximum growth from a minimum of effort -- simply planting a seed. Just as in nature, so the principle of sowing and reaping is central to the kingdom of God.

      * The leaders expected the kingdom of God to come at once in power. However, to uproot the satan's kingdom and, at the same time, deliver all those under his bondage (without automatically damning them all along with the satan, their master), requires not only power, but also wise strategy. In God's infinite wisdom, He chose the way of the small, insignificant but potentially powerful seed.

      * If you start by planting one kernel of grain, that kernel will sprout and produce perhaps 50 or so (depending on the type of grain). If you plant those, you will then reap thousands of kernels of the same grain. Soon, you will have enough to plant an entire field. The produce from that field will produce 50 fields, and so on, until you've covered the entire world. This is how the kingdom of God will take over the kingdom of the satan. Thus, the importance of these parables on the seed.

  * breaking through with all ones strength and resources: the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden ... a merchant seeking beautiful pearls ... (vs 44-46)

    * Both of these parables can be seen both as Jesus, the Son of God giving his all to secure the treasure, or the pearl of great price; or else as those who recognise the ultimate value of God's kingdom, and sacrifice their all to "break through".

    * This is not to suggest that entry into God's kingdom isn't free. However, placing oneself in a position where one's "soil" is free of the "rocks" (vs 5), and removing the "thorns" (vs 7) may require all one's resources and strength. Jesus's instruction the young rich man in 19:16-22 was, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. This is not the requirement for all who are to break into the kingdom; rather, Jesus knew that the young man's possessions would become the "thorns" as described in His parable of the sower, and would prevent him from bearing fruit.

    * In both parables, the one finding the treasure/pearl considered the find to be many times more valuable than his present possessions. "For joy" (vs 44) he sold it all so as to gain the ultimate value. In the same way, nothing that we presently have can possibly be compared with Sabbath rest we find when we have "broken through".

  * the final separation: the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet ... (vs 47-50) -- To sum up his parables on the kingdom breaking out as a seed, Jesus gives a parable on the final judgement:

    * The fate of the wicked -- those who rejected the kingdom of God, and God's righteousness will be cast into "the furnace of fire". Revelation 20:14,15 calls this the "lake of fire".

    * Here, Jesus specifies the "wicked", as opposed to the "just". Various passages of the Bible speak of the afterlife, and the state of those who oppose the Kingdom of God, or become stumbling blocks to those who would enter, or habitually refuse to show mercy when it's in their power to do so. There is a place of torment for such. However the Bible isn't 100% clear as to the state of those in between the two extremes. We do know that God is a righteous judge. We've also observed in this outline, that at the end of the age, as the Kingdom of God comes to full fruition, there will have been such a polarisation that those who haven't broken through into the Kingdom of God will be violently opposed to it. Their state will be as also described in Rev 2:11;3:5, Mark 9:43-48; and II Thess 1:8,9.

  * wisdom: every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom ... (vs 51,52)

    * Earlier, the disciples had asked Jesus why He spoke in parables (vs 10-17). Jesus answered, It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to the people at large, it had to be illustrated plainly through the parables. Then, according to Mark's account (4:10-13), they asked Him to explain the parable of the sower. Jesus said, Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? This illustrates the centrality of the seed principal to the entire message of the kingdom.

    * At the end of all these parables, Jesus then asks, Have you understood all these things? He then said that a "scribe" (a rabbi, or one well versed in the scripture) who has been "instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven" will use both the old forms of teaching -- i.e. the use of parables, knowledge of the Old Covenant, traditions etc. -- as well as the new revelation that has been revealed by the Holy Spirit and whatever he finds at hand in order to best help others to break through into the Sabbath rest.

## Who Is This Man?

Covers Matthew 13:53-18:35

#9 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series: The man who came as king, and yet chose to be a servant; Jesus' design for the church

#4 of the New Covenant section

©1997 Robby Charters (edited and slightly revised September 2013)

www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

The Question and the Responses (Luke 4:16-30) -- This section begins with a series of incidents that can be summed up by the question, "Who is this man?" People of all types -- some notable personalities -- are attracted to Jesus, and are confronted by the question. Their responses show to what degree they had responded to John's message of repentance.

All of these passages follow closely after that of the parable of the sower (13:3-23) and show the different types of ground.

  * 13:53-58 -- the question confronted by: The People who Knew Him: When He had come to His own country ... they were astonished and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom..."

    * response: Over familiarity -- they could not humble themselves before someone of their own kin.

    * result: Their inability to humble themselves resulted in the lack of a repentant attitude, which meant no faith was possible. Jesus could therefore do no mighty work. The hearts of the fathers were not turned to the children, nor the hearts of the children to the fathers (Mal 4:6). If one has a sense of cordiality towards visitors and colleagues outside the home (or village or local setting), but finds it easy to be rude to ones own family members; it's is a sign of this condition. Love and humility must be shown towards those close -- i.e. ones spouse, parents, mother-in-law, etc. Otherwise, one's faith will be deficient.

    * True humility can receive wisdom and guidance from any source, even from those one perceives as being less mature, or below ones own status in the family or society.

    * Jesus' analysis: vs 57 -- A prophet is not without honour except in his own country and in his own house.

    * type of ground: hard -- through over familiarity and pride

  * 14:1-12 -- the question confronted by: King Herod the Tetrarch: Herod the tetrarch heard about Jesus, and said ... "This is John the Baptist..."

    * response: based on guilt of having succumbed to a double mind in executing John the Baptist.

    * result: Despite having heard and listened to John the Baptist with interest (according to the account in Marks 6:14-29), there was still no repentance. Though he had shown enthusiasm at times, he finally gave in to his wife, just as King Ahab did to Jezebel. Other passages show that he had a desire to see Jesus, but it was out of a desire for self justification, or for a novelty:

      * Luke 9:7-9 -- Herod sought to see Jesus

      * Luke 13:31-33 -- Herod sought to kill Jesus

      * Luke 23:6-12 -- Jesus was brought before Herod, who first hoped to see miracles for which Jesus was famous, and then treated him with contempt.

    * Jesus' analysis: Jesus knew Herod's heart, and knew it was useless to say or do anything in response. In the account of Luke 13:31-33, Jesus referred to him as a "fox". At His trial before Herod in Luke 23:6-12, Jesus didn't even answer him.

    * type of ground: Rocky -- short lived spurts of enthusiasm without repentance

  * Matt 14:13-21 -- the question confronted by: the general public (at the feeding of the 5000): ...those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. This and the next miracle (walking on water) are listed in John's account (6:1-15) as signs and wonders which drew people to faith in Him.

    * response: They recognised that Jesus was Messiah (John 6:15)

    * result: According to John's account, they were about to take him by force and make him King. Then, in John 6:22-59, when confronted with the demands of discipleship -- the demand to be totally reliant on Jesus -- they were offended. This showed their faith to be of the type that seeks signs (vs 30) but lacks repentance.

    * type of ground: Rocky -- enthusiastic as long as there were benefits, but unable to cope with the demands of discipleship

  * 14:22-33 -- the question confronted by: the disciples (on seeing Jesus walking on water): ...Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

    * response: The general response was, "Truly you are the son of God." On Peter's part, he answered Jesus' call, and stepped out on the water himself, the only one actually willing to take the risk. However, he was still weak and prone to distraction.

    * result: Peter was distracted, and sank. After Jesus pulled him up, he continued to walk on the water with Jesus.

    * Jesus' analysis: "Oh, you of little faith. Why did you doubt?"

    * type of ground: verging on good ground, but with less fruit (30 fold as opposed to 100 fold). Perhaps some thorns remained, which destracted him, causing him to sink, but he was certainly in the process of developing true faith.

  * 15:1-20 -- the question confronted by: the rabbis and Pharisees from Jerusalem: Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying ... Previously, Jesus had encountered only the local Pharisees around about Galilee, but these were the more sophisticated ones from Jerusalem; possibly members of the Sanhedrin. Even Herod was a local king, governing only the North -- unlike his grandfather, Herod the Great. These, on the other hand, were close to the mainstream of Judaism, and their words carried more weight.

    * response: They assumed that if Jesus was from God, he must understand the Torah in line with the traditions they had received. However, Jesus did not fit into their pre-existing framework.

    * result: Since Jesus didn't fit into their pre-existing framework, they had a hard time seeing Jesus for who he was.

      * True repentance must look to God as God regardless of the framework by which we traditionally understand Him.

      * They had not come by repentance, and were therefore hindered by their own understanding.

    * Jesus' analysis: "Why do you transgress the command of God by your traditions?..."

      * The rabbinical word for "tradition" would be "Oral Torah". That is the compilation of decisions and rulings (halachot or denay torah) by the rabbinical councils. Some are based on inferences to scriptural interpretation, some are reinterpretations of otherwise obsolete laws (the Torah was given over 1500 years before that), some are based on laws that were believed to have been given but simply weren't written. The Pharisee beliefs in a final resurrection of the dead, in an afterlife, and in angels were preserved for us through this means, as these subjects aren't addressed directly in the Torah.

      * Traditions in and of themselves aren't bad, only when they hinder our understanding of what God can and will do, or what he will lead His anointed to do.

      * The only guideline as to what God can and will do (through His servants or otherwise) is scripture -- the Written Torah. Not necessarily our interpretation of it.

      * Jesus, here, made what amounts to a denay torah (a binding decision) in the rabbinical sense: "The plain meaning of scripture (Written Torah) always takes precedence over tradition (Oral Torah or our interpretation of it)".

      * vs 13, 14 He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted...they are blind leaders of the blind" Through repentance and coming to understand God as He reveals Himself through His Word, even if it contradicts the accepted standard interpretation, one is planted by the Father. Lack of repentance is blindness -- one's vision having been obscured by the "standard interpretation".

    * type of ground: Thorny -- the thorns being the traditions and standard interpretations

  * 15:21-28 -- the question confronted by: a gentile woman: ...behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him... This was someone outside of Jesus' target group (vs 24; 10:5,6). Jesus' focus in His scope of ministry was Israel. Being God's covenant people God's plan for man must begin with them. Jesus' objective was to lay the foundation for God's kingdom, with Israel as the launching point. To minister to gentiles at this point in time would have been to "spread himself out too thin" so as not to have enough impact on the target group. However, the gentile woman's faith, as it were, overrode Jesus' objective.

    * response: Convinced that Jesus was the source of life (children's bread), her attitude was that of worship, demonstrating that she was totally at the end of herself and flinging herself on His mercy, even willing to come as a dog receiving the crumbs from under the masters table. It was at this point that her faith overrode Jesus' main focus.

    * result: This attitude of faith displayed with humble worship/repentance got her what she desired.

    * Jesus' analysis: "Great is your faith." True faith must display worship and humility.

    * type of ground: Good -- it bore fruit

  * 16:1-12 -- the question confronted by: Pharisees and Sadducees: Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him, asked ... The Sadducees represented the ruling class -- the society that the high priest associated with. The Pharisees that came along would certainly have been members of the Sanhedrin. By asking Jesus for a sign, they were carrying out their office of leadership in determining whether was indeed Messiah.

    * response: The signs and wonders seen so far, not being witnessed directly by them, seemed too subjective. This left too much room for doubt. Some were known only by hearsay, some focused on unlikely points, like blind beggars and lepers etc. -- not done openly with the intent of clearly demonstrating his Messiaship -- as though designed to be observed and understood only by the "poor in spirit" and those "hungering and thirsting for righteousness" with a repentant attitude (Matt5:3-12).

    * result: a display of what Jesus referred to as the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." (vs 6) this meaning their teaching (vs 12).

    * Jesus' analysis: "You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times..." Jesus' signs and wonders were not meant to stand alone, but to be read along with the signs of the times.

      * At the basis of David's kingdom (which was the prototype of the Kingdom of God) were the sons of Issachar, "Who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do" (I Chron 12:32).

      * The hungry and repentant, who had already received John's message, readily recognised Jesus' signs and teachings to be of God, and as indicating His Messiaship -- just as physical hunger makes ones taste buds extra sensitive so as to discern taste in food, so spiritual hunger enhances spiritual discernment.

      * vs 6 -- beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees \-- As the wording here is "Pharasees and Sadducees", Jesus was not pinpointing "doctrine" as we think of it today, as meaning ones creed, as the two disagreed on just about every point; but rather, teaching, or any style of teaching or impartation that causes one to become dull to the signs of the times. He was warning us to avoid the critical attitude that is slow to accept the spiritual value of an event or a movement and disregarding any signs that fall short of ones own criteria. As for points of belief, Jesus and other New Testament writers tend to agree with the Pharisees. Jesus could have just as well called it the "leaven of the Evangelicals", or "leaven of the Pentecostals". No movement, no matter how close to God they were at any time in the past, is beyond becoming "leaven", even if it were based on this set of study outlines.

    * type of ground: Hard -- their traditional standards (based on their interpretation) prevented them from even an initial response

  * 16:13-20 -- the question confronted by: the disciples: But who do you say that I am?

    * response: (by Peter) "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

    * result: Peter had responded to the Father's prompting in his heart. He had gone beyond hungering and reading the signs, to responding positively to them, and opening himself to the Father's revelation.

    * Jesus' analysis: "You are Peter (Rock)". By receiving the revelation, Peter had qualified as a building stone To fully understand this, we must understand I Pet 2:4,5, the "spiritual house" that Jesus envisioned here. The revelation imparted by the Father of who Jesus is, is the foundation of the spiritual house, Jesus' church. The prerequisite to being a part of this building, is the revelation of who Jesus is, as Peter received it, or as the gentile woman.

      * ...not with the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees -- critical evaluation based on one's own perspective

      * ...not with a preconceived framework as the Pharisees from Jerusalem

      * ...not with shallow excitement that lacks repentance, as the crowds that wanted to crown Jesus as king by force

      * ...not with a double mind like Herod

      * ...not with a familiarity that refuses to acknowledge the honour of one's own close kin, as the people of Nazareth

    * All these are the antithesis of the kingdom attitudes in Matt 5:3-13. To those who respond to this revelation, Jesus gives the keys of the kingdom. This spiritual building and the authority of those who make up its stones, we will discuss in the final section of this module.

    * type of ground: good

The Glory and the Cross (16:21-18:35) So far, we have seen in this module, Jesus attracting the attention of various notable personalities, who all treat the question, "Who is this man?" Finally, the question is answered for us by a revelation from the Father to Peter; that this is, in fact, Messiah, and the very Son of God. Such a glorious introduction of Jesus contrasts with the following passages that follow in the rest of the section. We now find that just a revelation of Christ is not enough. It's just the starting point.

  * 16:21-28 -- The contrast: a targum of Matt 16:21: From this time, now that it was firmly established in the minds of the disciples who Jesus was, Jesus began to show to His disciples a fact that sharply contrasted with that of being the anointed Son of God; namely, that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

    * Peter, the one who had received the revelation from the Father of who Jesus was; was also the first to demonstrate that he yet lacked the other vital component to being a disciple, an understanding of the cross. To Jesus, lacking this understanding was a serious (if not fatal) flaw that identified him with the satan's side rather than the Father -- even an offense to Jesus. How could Peter, one minute speak forth a revelation straight from the Father, and the next minute be a mouthpiece of the satan? The same way anyone does who only has a revelation of Christ but lacks an understanding of the cross. James 3:10-12 gives us a graphic description of both kinds of speech coming from the same mouth. The root problem, treated extensively by James, is the double mind (1:6-8; 3:10-12; 4:7-10), or more simply, revelation without the cross.

      * King Herod's double-mindedness was on a more fundamental level that prevented him from even choosing to repent and follow the kingdom of God, let alone receive a revelation of Messiah. In Peter's case, he had conquered double-mindedness through initial repentance, in choosing to follow Jesus, and had received the revelation of Messiah; but in the process had begun to neglect the kingdom attitudes (Matt 5:3-12) and the repentant attitude. He had fallen back into the "comfort zone" while enamoured with the revelation of Christ, no doubt thinking that all would be fine in every field, as we too often tend to do today.

      * Simply to have a revelation of Messiah is not enough. To be a disciple, one must deny self, take up one's cross and follow Jesus.

        1. deny self \-- in contrast to Peter's idea of simply remaining in the "comfort zone" while reveling in the revelation of Jesus, grabbing the best of both worlds, Jesus said, He who would save his life will lose it.

          * A double mind, which James gives as the major hindrance to spiritual growth, consists of undenied self mixed with a revelation of Jesus. Perhaps a beginning has been made in denying self to follow Jesus, but some aspects of self remain undenied, or partially denied. The situation can be described by the following equation:

double mind = revelation + undenied self

or

double mind = a bit of denied self + a bit of undenied self

          * Any desire or ambition that has not been scrutinised in the light of Christ can make for a double mind. It may be an evil desire, such as a sexual fantasy, or a desire to ultimately get revenge; or it may be a desire that's not obviously evil -- even an honourable goal -- such as the desire to have wealth, or security, or to succeed in a certain area. If one has never died to that ambition or desire, it becomes a hindrance. It takes up space in the heart where the revelation of Jesus ought to dwell supreme. Moreover, there always remains the uncertainty (even if ever so slight) whether, if one had to choose between that desire and God's perfect plan, what the choice would be. But if we offer our all to God, as Abraham did in sacrificing his only son, God, in return, makes His all available to us.

        2. take up one's cross \-- The cross Jesus was referring to was not a religious emblem. It only became that much later. It was a symbol of one of the most horrifying means of execution known -- a slow tormenting death while entirely stripped one one's dignity.

          * Before there was any question of the means Jesus would die, he used this as the equivalent to choosing to follow Him. "Voluntarily take up the instrument of your execution -- giving up your right to life and dignity -- and follow me to your death."

          * Just as execution means the ultimate end of a criminal life, or a life of revolution and terrorism; voluntarily taking up our cross to follow Jesus is the end of all hope of fulfilling all desires but those that are in total submission to Him. It is the only way to a truly single mind.

        3. follow Jesus \-- Following Jesus involves more than simply assenting to the revelation that Jesus is the Son of God.

          * To believe in Jesus is not simply to believe one will "go to heaven" when one dies. While a future in heaven is one of the more comforting aspects of the gospel, that is not the ultimate goal. The goal, rather, is that voiced in Jesus' prayer, "Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Not, "If I die before I wake, I pray to God my soul to take")

          * For that to be fulfilled requires not a crowd of church-goers assured of heaven, but disciples who have denied self and are following the life of the cross; whose goal is to see the kingdom of God fully come in power. Those who put this goal before even their own life, receive life in return. Those who are afraid to risk their life, lose that which they were afraid of losing (Perhaps they will make it to heaven, but without the rewards).

      * vs 28 -- Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. This verse is hard to understand. It would seem that some, though they risk their lives on behalf of the kingdom, will in fact witness the kingdom come in power with their lives intact. That having been said nearly 2000 years ago leaves us with four possible interpretations:

        1. It referred immediately to those who would witness the transfiguration. This is the opinion of many Bible commentators. However, the context seems to suggest His ultimate coming, as the previous verse speaks of His coming in the "glory of His Father with His angels" to "reward each according to his works". He certainly didn't do that on the mountain six days later.

        2. It was a conditional prophecy. The kingdom could have come earlier than it did, but was delayed through some failure early on on the part of the church (perhaps the book of Hebrews can be interpreted as a warning to an entire generation not to fail in entering the rest. In this case, the consequences lasted, not forty years, as befell the children of Israel, but 2000 -- Hebrews 4:1-11).

        3. Some of the early disciples still haven't died, even 2000 years later, and are hidden on earth somewhere, or else were taken up like Elijah and Enoch -- doubtful at best.

        4. If we look at the saying in its context, we could understand the phrase, "Taste death" in verse 28 as being synonymous with the wording just a few verses earier (vs. 26), if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life (CJB) . Those who willingly give up their life, according to verse 25 ( whoever loses his life for My sake will find it ), are those who won't taste death. That's to be understood in the sense of John 8:51,52, where Jesus says, He who believes in me shall not see death . See also, I Corinthians 15:55, 56, where Paul quotes Hosea 13:14, O Death, where is your sting?... The sting of death is sin... All of those present, as Jesus was speaking, did die in the literal sense, but not all experienced the "sting of death".

      * It is hypocrisy to simply accept a conclusion simply for the sake appearing to know. A thoroughly valid answer could be, "I don't know."

      * However, my opinion is, interpretation number 4 is the most correct, but that number 2 also applies. There was the chance for the end of the age to happen within the lifetimes of those present, but because the conditions weren't met, the promise applies to a later time. Taste death, can therefore be taken both ways at once.

  * chap 17&18 -- the glorious reality and the earthly reality

    * 17:1-13 -- the glory: Now after six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain... This passage, following after the previous two -- the revelation of Jesus and denying self to follow the life of the cross \-- shows us that the next progression, once these are in place, is to witness the glory of God. However, in application, it may not be as vivid as the disciples saw it, but may involve other areas of supernatural activity. Perhaps in the area of revival, visions and prophetic words, healing or supernatural provision.

      * Even here there is a progression:

        1. Peter was awed to see the shining glory, and to actually see Moses and Elijah -- the focus of all Judaism -- both standing along side Jesus, as though as to confirm that Jesus was at least in the same class as they. The previous revelation of Messiah was in his heart, and had to be received by faith; this one was vivid, before his physical eyes.

        2. The voice from heaven said, "This (Jesus) is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him." Jesus was thus revealed vividly to Peter as the focal point of all glory, even that of the traditions of Moses and Elijah.

        3. In II Peter 1:16-21 esp. vs 17&19 -- Peter states that "we have an even more sure word" -- that of the prophets, the written word of God. The written word takes precedence even over bat khol, or the audible voice of God.

      * In this series of live object lessons, Peter learned:

        * ...by revelation by the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. This was an inward revelation that he had to embrace by faith.

        * To implement that revelation, he must deny self, take up his cross and choose to follow Jesus. Only by dying, comes glory.

        * In seeing Jesus in His glory, Peter learned that Jesus is the focus of all, even the Torah and the Prophets, as exemplified by Moses and Elijah, and that moreover, Jesus is supreme.

        * By the time he wrote his second epistle, his experience had matured to the point that he put more confidence in the written word of God than even the voice from heaven.

        * This almost parallels the progression of Christian experience as listed in Heb 6:4,5:

          * enlightened \-- drawn to the kingdom through repentance, and gaining an understanding of the cross of Christ

          * tasted of the heavenly gift \-- the revelation of Messiah

          * become partakers in the Holy Spirit \-- (not yet received at this point)

          * tasted the good word \-- confidence in God's written word

          * tasted the powers of the age to come \-- witnessed the glory of Jesus in day to day experience

    * 17:1-21 -- the earthly reality: ...when they had come to the multitude... Some might entitle this passage, "back to reality". That would convey a wrong impression, because the glory on the mountain top was indeed reality -- just as real if not more so than daily life. It was the reality of God's glory, and of Jesus being Lord of all. But then, they descended the mountain to be confronted with the other reality -- that the world is still in a mess. One can readily picture Jesus sighing, closing his eyes, saying, "O faithless perverse generation...How long must I bear with you?" According to the account in Mark 9:14-28, Jesus found himself suddenly in middle of a heated argument between unbelieving rabbis and his bungling disciples over an epileptic boy, whose father was now so confused that he found it hard to believe anything any more.

      * The stark contrast between this and the mountain top experience gives urgency to the prayer, "Your kingdom come; Your will be done in earth as it is in heaven."

      * For the glorious reality to overcome the earthly reality, takes faith as a mustard seed (Matt 17:20).

        * As we saw in the earlier module, the seed is a simple but profound illustration. Just as a small seed becomes a tree, so faith, though small but true, has infinite leverage.

        * vs 21 -- However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. In some cases, for faith to have this kind of leverage, prayer and fasting are necessary. Fasting doesn't change things, but rather, prepares the believer so his faith can be more focused.

      * vs 22, 23 -- The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men... Again, Jesus reminds his disciples that before the glorious reality can become the norm, the earthly reality requires death.

      * vs 24-27 -- From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes...? The earthly reality involves such menial things as payment of taxes. However, the faith leverage brought the glorious reality to work, even in the paying of the tax.

    * 18: 1-35 -- how must the kingdom of God network cause the glorious reality to override the earthly reality?: At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" In this final passage of the section, Jesus again refers to the spiritual building of 16:17-19, describing it as a network of fellow believers who have authority in the kingdom of God. The word "church" and the statement about binding and loosing, are what link that passage with chapter 18. To fully understand this network, we must look at both passages together, as well as a parallel passage in Mark.

      * 16:17-19 -- the building: ...on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it...

        * We saw earlier that the revelation of Messiah qualified Peter to become a building stone in this building.

        * The word "church" as we understand it today, didn't exist in the time of the Bible (although this passage does apply to the church as we know it today). The Greek word, ecclessia, is the word we translate today as "church". That simply meant an assembly, or literally, "a calling out". In Greek usage, it was a meeting of citizens "called out" to discuss a political course of action, or to vote for civic leaders. Greek speaking Jews used the word to mean the congregation that met at the synagogue. Jesus would have originally spoken these words in Hebrew; and being that it was translated ecclessia, he would have used the word in Hebrew meaning "congregation". That would be understood as a minyan, or a quorum of ten men that constitute a legal congregation according to rabbinical law. When we discuss 18:17, we will see how this applies to authority in the kingdom.

        * vs 19 -- I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven ... God's kingdom network, the church, has authority to bind and loose. In the rabbinical practice, this is called denay torah, or making a binding decision regarding the interpretation of the Torah. However, it includes more than that. We will discuss the full scope of this authority when we come to 18:17-20.

      * 18:1-4 -- who's who in the kingdom network: ...whoever humbles himself as this little child... Just as the kingdom attitudes emphasise (Matt 5:3-12), humility is the key to achieving anything in the kingdom of God. Here, we have a graphic illustration what it means to be humble -- that of becoming a child. To enter the kingdom, one must become as a child -- teachable, not ambitious, not seeking to control others, readily available without preconditions and accepting of others. It's the same mindset as that of our first parents before they partook of the knowledge of good and evil (see the first outline Creation and Fall). The more one excels in this quality, the greater one becomes in the kingdom. Those seeking greatness, as the disciples were when Jesus answered their question, are disqualified from it. True greatness only comes to those not actively seeking it, but rather, seeking to serve others.

      * Mark 9:38-42 -- who is included in the kingdom network: ...he who is not against us is on our side... John assumed that anyone not immediately associated with their group was not qualified to exercise kingdom authority, because he didn't "follow us". He was not a part of the authority structure within their immediate group, or perhaps his understanding of the Bible was different. Today we would say he couldn't claim apostolic succession nor apostolic covering. Jesus' response to John shows that kingdom authority does not rest exclusively with any one church or organisation, but that all who exercise faith in the name of Jesus are a part of the network, however distantly related. It is indeed a network, not an organisation. Even a small act like offering a glass of cold water (verse 41) ties one into the network. The object is to include rather than to exclude.

      * Matt 18:5-14 -- the priority in the kingdom network: Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones ... a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray... The requirement of a childlike attitude, and the object of inclusiveness gives us a clue as to the priority of the kingdom network. The general attitude of the world is, "It's okay to offend the 'little people' (i.e. children, the underprivileged, the 'peons', etc.) who have nothing to offer anyway; but we must respect the 'great', because it is they that will offer us the chance to get ahead become great ourselves." The kingdom attitude is just the opposite. It's not our objective to become "great", but rather, to humble ourselves, become as children and serve others. This attitude gives much greater priority to the "little people".

        * vs 6-9 -- Woe to the world because of offences! For offences must come, but woe to that man by whom the offence comes! The worldly attitude is the cause of the offences in the world. Viewing the situation from a kingdom perspective, with kingdom priorities, we see that offending others is a serious matter. Any part of our lives, even a hand or foot, that causes "little people" to stumble (or causes us to commit the sin of offending them), get rid of it.

          * The inclusion of the passage on the man casting out demons in Jesus name in Marks account, and the man with 100 sheep in Matthew's account indicates that the "little people" means more than the young in age, but also those of less influence, "the peons", etc. Therefore, this sin can cover anything from betraying a child's trust, to giving the "cold shoulder" to someone of less "importance".

          * To underline the seriousness of offending others, verses 8 and 9 warn of judgement in the life to come. The wording, ...cast into the everlasting fire... indicates that in this case, Jesus is speaking of Hell. Chapter 5:27-30 has very similar wording with reference to murder and adultery (or anger and lust that could lead to such). What both of these passages have in common is the destruction of someone's life, whether it be by offence (think: child abuse, leading some astray, etc.), destroying a marriage, or ones life by murder; or remaining in the state of mind that leaves one vulnerable to committing these acts -- valuing ones own desires and emotions more than another's life.

        * vs 10-14 -- If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray... Not only is attention given to the seemingly insignificant, but also to the individual, apart from the collective whole. Each one, regardless of their age, or place in society, is worthwhile going out of one's way for.

      * vs 15-20 -- authority in the kingdom network: ...if your brother sins against you...if two or three of you agree... Now that the goals and priorities are clearly stated, we see how the kingdom network actually goes about exercising authority. The context makes it clear that the verses following are not about, "How to get rid of an erring brother (or sister)," but, "How to restore the erring brother." Each step in the process is not for the purpose of verifying that he is indeed in error or sin; but rather, an additional attempt to induce him to repent and be restored. He is the lost sheep that the kingdom network must go out of its way to bring back to the fold. Once we understand this clearly, only then can we look at how authority works in the kingdom of God.

        * In the context of the kingdom network, we see that authority rests in two groups:

          1. vs 16 -- two or three witnesses (Deut 17:6; 19:5)

          2. vs 17 -- the congregation, or the minyan

In the Jewish court system, a panel of three sat to judge minor cases, and a panel of 23 sat to judge capital offenses. The 23 was two minyans so that one congregation of 10 plus enough for a sufficient majority could give the verdict. This is inferred from Num 35:24,25, which is interpreted to mean two congregations ("a congregation judges ... a congregation acquits"). The 3 judges for minor offenses is inferred from Deut 17:6, which Jesus also quotes here. This also applies to verse 18, ...if two of you agree... The normal judicial process called for only one or the other of these processes; but Jesus' instructions for discipline in the church calls for both \-- the 2 or 3, and the congregation -- adding that much more of a chance for restoration, and that much more difficult to get rid of the one in sin.

        * vs 18-19 -- the authority of two or three: ...whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven...if two of you agree on earth concerning anything...

          * To "bind" and "loose" are rabbinical terms that refer to diney torah, or the binding decision. Where there was a question regarding the application of a point of the law, and the wording in the scripture seemed to give no obvious solution, the court would discuss the situation, and search for further scripture and other possible meanings of the words. When a decision was made, it was then a set precedent that could be referred to in later cases. Many of these precedents, or halakot, are recorded in the Mishnah and the Talmud.

          * However, this authority is not merely for the purpose of determining the interpretation of a scripture, or passing judgment on one who has sin. Jesus demonstrated that this authority is also over spiritual and natural forces as well, in Mark 1:23-25 ... there was a man ... with an unclean spirit ... This passage illustrates Jesus' authority in two different realms at the same time, in declaring truth (diney torah), and over demons. The people were impressed that Jesus spoke with authority in his teaching, and then Jesus proceeded to demonstrate it further by casting a demon out of one who was present. In fact, the exercise of authority in diney torah was probably what excited the demon into manifesting to begin with. We see later that this authority also worked towards healing the sick and even calming the sea.

          * In the kingdom network, the church, this translates in both areas. The two or three have the authority to judge, or determine if a course of action is scriptural or not (with the confirmation of the congregation according to vs 17); and they have the power of agreement in casting out devils and praying the prayer of agreement.

            * In agreement prayer, the dynamic of Deut 32:30 is also at work: How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their rock had sold them... (also Lev 26:8) Thus two in agreement are much more powerful in prayer than just one.

            * Jesus' diney torah in Matt 15:3-6 indicates that the plain meaning of God's word takes precedence over any decision (which for the scribes and Pharisees, had become a part of their tradition). Truth is the ultimate authority, and overrides any decision of two or three, or the congregation. Thus, those exercising kingdom authority have the responsibility to see that they understand God's will through the scriptures and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Agreement prayer, likewise, is effective when prayer is according to God's will.

            * The entire context of this chapter indicates that the purpose of this authority is to restore rather than cut off; give life rather than pronounce death; and serve rather than control. Those exercising this authority must be those who truly exhibit the kingdom attitudes of Matt 5:3-13, and whose motivation is to serve, rather than to control or promote oneself. Effective leaders exercising authority according to the responsibility given them, are those who only became leaders through their childlike spirit, and desire to be a servant of all. Others in the network (apart from leaders), also exercising authority in their more limited spheres of responsibility, likewise must be motivated with the desire to build up, restore, and support others in the network, rather than gain more power. (cautionary note: authority is only valid in the area one has been given responsibility)

        * vs 20 -- ...where two or three are gathered together in My name... Jesus, in saying this, has identified Himself as the Shechinah, or the presence of God. The following passage from the Talmud seems to convey the same truth:

          * Whence is it that when ten assemble for prayer the Shechinah is in their midst? As it is said, "God standeth in the godly congregation" (Ps. lxxxii. 1). And whence is it that when three sit and judge, the Shechinah is in their midst? As it is said, "In the midst of the judges He judgeth" (ibid). And whence is it that when two sit and occupy themselves with the study of the Torah, the Shechinah is in their midst? As it is said, "Then they that feared the Lord spoke one with another, and the Lord hearkened and heard" (Mal iii. 16). And whence is it that even if an individual sits and occupies himself with the study of the Torah the Shechinah is with him? As it is said, "In every place where I cause My name to be remembered I will come unto thee and will bless thee" (Exod. xx. 24). (Talmud, Berachot 6a)

        * This passage includes all the authority structures we have discussed in this section. When two or three have the kingdom attitudes, and their desire is to serve rather than control, include rather than exclude, and restore the lost sheep to the fold rather than "get rid of a pest" (or to command, or agree in prayer for something in line with God's will); the Shechinah, the presence of Jesus is with them, and His own authority is there to carry out the decision. So also, the congregation. Kingdom authority exercised in this way is what will cause the glorious reality to override the earthly reality. This is yet another answer to the question, "Who is ths man?" He is the Shichinah.

      * vs 21-35 -- how to remain in the kingdom network: ...how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Once we remember that we are in God's kingdom only because God forgave us of such a great burden of debt, then our attitude towards the others will also be that of forgiveness and the desire to restore them, and even to promote them beyond our own situation. It's the kingdom attitudes of being poor in spirit (realising our own lack), hunger and thirst for righteousness, meekness, peacemaking etc. that will keep us mindful of how much we've been forgiven of, and how much he continues to forgive us of each day. The moment this ceases to be our attitude, we begin to stop forgiving, and His forgiveness towards us looses its effect.

      * This parable, besides stating the importance of forgiveness, also brings up another prospect, the consequences of unforgiveness. Whereas verses 8 and 9 mention dire consequences of being a stumbling block as being permanent, here we see that the punishment is ...until he paid back everything he owed... (vs 34 CJB), which suggests a temporary state. We won't go into detail here, but we will cover similar issues in the next module, titled The Seven Questions. We also discuss this subject in much greater detail in an article titled, The Judgement and Afterlife - a Study.

So, Who is This Man?

  * For those who have received the revelation from the Father, He is, the Christ, Son of the living God

  * For those who have single-mindedly chosen to follow him, He is, our example in dying

  * He is the glorious reality to override the earthly reality

  * He is the Shechinah, or the presence of God who is with the kingdom network as we carry out kingdom authority.

## The Seven Questions

Covers Matthew 19:1-25:46

#10 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series: The Kingdom of God in the End Times

#5 of the New Covenant section

© 2013 Robby Charters

www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

Overview \-- The first four chapters in this extra long section can be divided between a series of seven questions. We begin with two, each followed by a dialogue with Jesus and His disciples; then the narrative of the Triumphal Entry and a few related events that follow. Then, we get to the other five questions. We'll note a thread that flows through all the questions, to do with the imminent dawning of the Kingdom of God. What do the questions mean to those in leadership? And then, Jesus gives his assessment as to how ready Israel is for the Messiah. The long and the short: it's not going to happen yet. Finally, Jesus responds to the question of His disciples: when will it happen?

The Questions (Matthew 19:1- 22:46) -- To understand the reason for the questions, we first have to take a brief look at Jesus' denunciation of the Pharisees in Chapter 23:1-39. This passage begins and ends with two striking statements: The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat... (vs 2) and you shall see Me no more till you say... (vs 39). As members of the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees were a part of the authority structure that had the responsibility of recognising and proclaiming Messiah, should He arrive. These two statements of Jesus affirm that authority. Knowing how they understood their role, helps us understand the intent of some of the questions they asked -- though not all of the questions were asked by these authority figures.

1 Marriage and Divorce 19:1-12 -- Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?

Among the pharisees, there were two opinions on divorce. The School of Shammai ( Beit Shammai) was very strict as to when divorce was permitted, whereas Beit Hillel held that one could divorce one's wife for "ruining one's dinner". In most matters, Beit Shammai was the more stringent, placing a lot of emphasis on strict observance, whereas the followers of Hillel emphasised the study of Torah, believing that ones deeds would naturally follow through.

  * The reason for this question on the part of the Pharisees, was to determine where Jesus stood on the issues. Though many of Jesus' sayings agree with Beit Hillel (ie. The "Golden Rule", the greatest commandment, etc.) here, he supports Shammai. Regardless, Jesus passed the test by showing that He knew the Torah, pointing out from Genesis that when two are married, they become one.

  * The reason for the inclusion of this question in the text, however, is to be found in the discussion between Jesus and his disciples. The disciples were shocked and disturbed at His statement about marriage and divorce. The teaching can be summarised as follows:

    * Marriage is meant to be permanent. This passage is quite clear, and there's very little we could add to explain the Biblical standards for marriage and divorce.

    * For some, for whom the saying "has been given", it's as the disciples exclaimed, "It's better not to marry", as they have been called to forsake the prospect of marriage for the Kingdom's sake.

    * As Jesus said, it's only for certain ones, not even for all those present. Peter had a wife -- Paul, much later, mentions that fact. We will develop this further as we go.

  * The Children: vs 13-15 -- lest anyone go to the other extreme, and insist that all must swear off all family relationships, the narrative of Jesus blessing the children is included here. The disciples rebuked the parents who brought the children to be blessed, possibly assuming that Jesus' earlier statements meant he had no time for families. That is certainly not the case. Of such is the kingdom of heaven.

2 The Rich Young Ruler's Question 19:16-20:19 -- Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?

Though this wasn't a question meant to test Jesus, like many of the others here, it follows the same pattern as the previous question: it leads into a dialogue with the asker, a surprised response by his disciples, leading to further teaching.

  * Preoccupation with "good" -- In some translations, the young man, often referred to as the "Rich Young Ruler", uses the word "good" twice in the same sentence. Jesus' answer could be paraphrased as, "Why this preoccupation with 'good'?" The correct answer would have been, the effect of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

  * Jesus' answer begins with a list of specific commandments.

    * The ten commandments could be categorised according to the two great commandments: 1. Love God with all your heart/soul/strength; and 2. Love your neighbour as yourself. The specific commandments Jesus quoted fit under the second category, followed by that same commandment.

    * The young man quickly said, "I've kept all of these commandments from my youth." Being affected by the Knowledge of Good and Evil, his emphasis was on performance of the five commandments Jesus quoted to him, as defining "doing good". If he understood the meaning of love your neighbour as yourself , would he have been so quick with his answer?

    * Jesus' final answer was a test of the extent to which he truly loved his neighbour.

  * The ultimate answer to the young man's question: To inherit eternal life, love your neighbour every bit as much as you love yourself. The proof of that love, is how much of "yourself's" resources you make available to provide for your neighbour's needs?

    * In the case of the Rich Young Ruler, Jesus' answer was, If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.

    * This is not a hard and fast rule. According to Luke's account, shortly after this event took place, Jesus invited himself to the home of the publican, Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). On his declaration that he intended to give half of his wealth to the poor, and to restore anything he'd cheated, four-fold; Jesus didn't say, "No, you have to sell it all ," rather, "Salvation has come to this house." Zacchaeus' response revealed what was in his heart, the sudden outflow of love for his neighbour, which marked him as having a share in the Kingdom of God. Jesus' advice to the Rich Young Ruler, therefore, wasn't a general rule, but a specific answer tailored to his need -- the way to break out of his particular cocoon.

    * This was the opportunity to number himself among the poor in spirit (Matt 5:3). It's what repentance looks like for one who appears to have nothing to repent of.

    * On the other hand, we should not shy away from pointing out the Rich Young Ruler as an example of entering the Kingdom of God. Conversion to the Kingdom of God shouldn't be presented as an easy "one fix cures all" proposition. Spiritual discernment and wisdom is needed.

  * The Problem of the Rich 19:23 ff -- It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. The surprised response of His disciples: Who then can be saved? Jesus' reply: With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Indeed, it was possible to Zacchaeus, and people like Barnabas in the book of Acts. The fact that Zacchaeus is mentioned by name indicates that he was probably known in the early church at the time Luke wrote his account.

  * The Reward vs 27-29 -- Those who leave everything to follow Jesus will receive back 100 fold.

    * Mention of family members and spouse ties this with the previous passage. leaving family relationships, only where they conflict with the kingdom

    * in this life Mark 10:29, 30 -- not about getting 100 fold blessing every time you give, this is about forsaking everything. It's about having access to God's unlimited supply in return for giving our all.

  * Motives (parable of the workers) 19:30 - 20:16 Many that are first will be last... This is not necessarily a punishment for those used to being "first". The key phrase is the answer of the landowner in verse 15, Is your eye evil because I am good (or ...because my eye is good -- remember the Hebrew idiom "good eye")?

    * The workers who were first, had undoubtedly come into the Kingdom through being poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3 ff), but they had gradually moved from their focus and had lost their meekness. This is about motives.

    * The point of this parable is, continue to be humble, even to the point of rejoicing with (rather than begrudging) those who have been moved up to be first in the Kingdom.

    * A parallel teaching on this is Jesus' example of the servant's attitude in Luke 17:5-10. After teaching on faith, using the example of the mustard seed, Jesus suddenly instructs them to follow the example of a servant, saying, "We're just ordinary slaves, we have only done our duty."

      * This may seem like a contradictory statement to John 15:15 I no longer call you slaves...I call you friends. It's not talking about our relationship to Him, but about our attitude and motive. It's the spirit of humility that doesn't expect any special reward after performing great exploits of faith, but rejoices when others are elevated.

      * One who truly maintains this attitude, thus following Jesus' teaching of humbling oneself as a child ( 18:1-4 and 19:13-15), is actually the greatest in the Kingdom. This is possibly why Jesus only said in 19:30, "Many who are first will be last," not " All ".

  * Jesus' announcement and Mrs. Zebedee's request 17-28 -- This section may or may not have happened right after the above events. However, its placement in this context continues the theme of the first shall be last.

    * 20:17-19 -- The Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes... Jesus presses onward to Jerusalem, knowing full well what's in store. Luke 9:51 (NIV) says he resolutely set out for Jerusalem . We also get a sense of this in Luke 12:49-51. Jesus had only one purpose in his life, and that purpose consumed Him. While it was possible for Him to enjoy the small pleasures of life, he didn't live for that, like many of us do. In His dialogue with James and John and their mother, He refers to it as the "cup that I am about to drink".

    * 20:20-28 -- Here, the prospect of the ultimate reward in the world to come, is the issue. Just as the choice of who got the full wage belonged to the land owner, the question of who sits on which throne is the choice of the Father -- regardless of the fact that James and John will, indeed, partake of the cup of suffering.

    * The message Jesus gives his disciples here, parallels the message of the washing of their feet at the last supper (John 13:2-17). If you want to be great in the Kingdom, be the servant. The least will be the greatest. True leaders are those who choose to be servants.

  * Two blind men 20:29-34

    * Along with children, blind beggars could probably have been regarded as among the least in society. The two blind men, having absolutely nothing to lose, no dignity to maintain, no shame; cried out, embarrassing everyone within ear-shot. Their cry, "Son of David", while many believed it, was most certainly a politically and socially incorrect thing to say. However, their humility and shamelessness attracted Jesus' attention.

    * Instantly they received their sight and followed him -- Bartamaeus, identified by name in Mark's account as being one of the two, was probably known in the early Church at Mark's time.

    * They were undoubtedly still following Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem, where the phrase, "Son of David" figured quite prominently. Is it possible that these two inspired/initiated the cry?

Signs of Messiah-ship 21:1-22 --

We now come to passages where Jesus becomes more direct in His claim to Messiah-ship. Though He never states, "I am Messiah", His actions and other statements, taken with the understanding and expectation of Jewish society of that time, say just as much.

  * The Triumphal Entry 21:1-11 -- His riding into Jerusalem on a donkey's colt appears to be a deliberate fulfilment of Zechariah 9:9.

    * Not only does the prophecy predict the event, but also the nature of Messiah's entry: Look! Your King is coming to you, riding humbly on a donkey, and on a colt, the offspring of a beast of burden! This is not the typical mode of transport for a king -- more in keeping with one who makes time to bless children, gives priority to blind beggars, and boldly makes a trip into a city (and its environs) knowing what intense suffering awaits Him there.

    * "Hosanna" isn't an alternative praise word to "Hallelluja". The Hebrew is Hoshea na , meaning save or deliver us . The people were quoting Psalm 118:25-26. This was known to be a prayer for the coming of Messiah. The people understood the significance of Jesus' entry, and were responding with the appropriate cry.

  * Cleansing the Temple vs 12-14

    * Malachi 3 and other passages, as well as the tradition of the time stated that Messiah would reform the Temple. Some traditions expected that He would totally rebuild it. Jesus' driving the sellers from the outer court of the Temple (the Court of the Gentiles), thus seems to be another deliberate sign of His Messiah-ship.

    * According to a parallel passage, John 2:13-19, Jesus was confronted during His cleansing of the Tempe by the Temple leaders, demanding a sign of His authority. His answer, if understood according to the beliefs and traditions of His day, was another statement of His Messiah-ship: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again. (For more on the expectations of those times, see: E. P. Sanders, Jesus and Judaism 1985 SCM Press ISBN 0-334-02091-3)

    * The historian, Josephus, tells us that the rank of High Priest was granted by the Roman authorities to the highest bidder, usually Sadducees, particularly the family of Annanas ben Seth (or Hannan in Hebrew). They were a powerful and corrupt family who made a great profit from the temple system, collecting tithes as a government would taxes, and other atrocities; among them, their use of the Court of the Gentiles for the marketing of sacrificial animals and exchanging Temple currency. They ran this as a monopoly, unfairly manipulating the prices, so it was, indeed, a den of robbers.

    * According to Mark 11:17, Jesus' statement was, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. The words nations and gentiles are the same in Hebrew. It was the worship experience of the God fearing gentiles that was inhibited by the market atmosphere of the Court of Gentiles.

  * Acclamation of Messiah by Children vs 14-17 -- The Priests and Torah teachers were offended by the cry of, "Save us ( Hoshea-na ), Son of David!" by children and the blind and lame. Again, Jesus affirms the prominence of children in the Kingdom by quoting Psalm 8:2, From the mouth of children and infants you have prepared praise for yourself.

  * The Fig Tree vs 18-22

    * This passage is parallel to Mark 11:22-24, which we covered in Repentance and Faith, the first module of the New Testament section of this series. Jesus used the event to demonstrate the power also available to His disciples if they have faith and do not doubt. We'll see more emphasis on this principal later in the same chapter.

    * Besides being a demonstration of faith, this could also be interpreted as a sign. In popular Jewish tradition, the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve ate in the garden, was a fig (just as popular European tradition later identified it as an apple). This may have been intended as a sign that the knowledge of good and evil, received by humanity from the forbidden tree, would no longer have full power over humanity.

    * Also a sign, could be the mountain Jesus was referring to. As they spoke, they were walking towards the Mount of Olives. Compare this passage with Zechariah 14:2-9, which speaks of the Mount of Olives being split into two, and being moved on the day that the Lord comes to rule over the world. It could be that pure faith without doubt on the part of the Church, will play a vital role in this event, which is yet to be fulfilled. Later, we'll see what it means to have faith without doubt .

The theme now reverts back to the questions...

3 Question Regarding Authority 19:1-12 -- By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?

This question was asked by the chief priests and elders, no doubt, members of the Sanhedrin.

  * This was a chance for Jesus to proclaim His Messiah-ship. However, instead of simply saying it, He asks a counter question, The baptism of John--where was it from? From heaven or from men? vs 24 ff. Their response to this question showed two things: whether they were ready for a straight answer, and if not, why not.

    * We already discussed the importance of John's message to the coming of Messiah. Only those who had responded to it in repentance would be ready to receive Messiah. Many of the elders and Torah teachers hadn't thus humbled themselves.

    * Their inability to answer Jesus' question revealed another deep problem, an inability to make a firm decision based on what they truly believed. Even saying, "John's baptism was from a human source", would have been better, as far as ultimately leading the to truth. Of course, answering that they believed it from God, would have lead them there even faster, as that would have entailed repentance (which it wasn't too late to do).

    * This connects with the theme of have faith and do not doubt . As we'll see later in this module, this group of chief priests and elders were the ones empowered to proclaim the beginning of the Messianic age by welcoming Jesus. Just as the unwavering faith it takes to move the Mount of Olives into the sea will one day enable the beginning of God's Kingship on earth, so the double-mindedness of the leaders prevented it.

    * The answer they were seeking from Jesus was the most powerful truth to be revealed to humanity, one that would signal the beginning of the Messianic age, but their response to Jesus' question revealed that they weren't ready.

  * The Parable of the 2 Sons vs 28-32 -- Jesus gives a simple parable of two sons who were asked by their father to work in the field, one who said he wouldn't but changed his mind and did, and one who said he would, but didn't.

    * It's still on the subject of John the Baptist and his message of repentance. On the surface, it appears to be a statement of "action over words". However, compare the two phrases: He answered, 'I don't want to'; but later he changed his mind and went... and later: ...but you, even after you saw this, didn't change your minds later and trust him. Jesus' point was, even though they had initially rejected John's message, the chief priests and elders could have followed the example of the first son, and changed their minds afterwards.

    * The Message of Jesus in this and the following parables is, they could still change their minds. The question about John's baptism was an invitation to do just that. They didn't, but as we'll see at the end of chapter 23, they may yet change their minds.

    * This applies not only to the chief priests, elders and Torah teaches, but also to anyone who has spoken out against a teaching, a movement or another's spiritual experience, only to realise that they may have possibly been wrong themselves. Perhaps they've written books and articles about it, they've invested their career into it, and their name is known for having stood against that position. For such a one to change their mind would be a great act of humility. It would be equal to the Rich Young Ruler giving away all his goods to become a disciple. Like a later Pharisee, Rabbi Paul of Tarsus, they would become a valuable asset to the Kingdom of God. That's exactly what Jesus was inviting these chief priests and elders to do.

  * The Parable of the Vineyard Tenants vs 33-46 -- Jesus then launches into another parable, this time more direct regarding His Messiah-ship. This is also about a group of people (the tenants) who also could have changed their minds.

    * As He often did in His parables, He stretched a point beyond probable limits to illustrate God's mercy: imagine a landowner deciding to extend grace after the tenants have beaten up and even murdered some of his servants! We also see this done in Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32 -- after wasting all his inheritance, the son receives it back again on his return to his father -- unheard of!).

    * When Jesus pops the question, What will [the landlord] do to those tenants? The listeners had probably been ready with their answer since the part where the the tenants abuse and murder the servants -- let alone the son: He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to [better] tenants! Their emotion over the horrible injustice blinded them to the fact that, unlike the parable of the Prodigal Son, this one was not about publicans and sinners but about themselves.

    * Jesus brings them down to earth with yet another quote from Psalm 118:22,23, The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This appears a few verses before the passage quoted at Jesus's entry into Jerusalem. It appears, the prayer for Messiah's rule in Psalm 118, did come with a warning.

  * The Parable of the Wedding Feast 22:1-14 -- Next, Jesus tells the Parable of the Wedding, which is similar to the Parable of the Supper in Luke 14:16-24.

    * In Luke's account, it's an ordinary (although obviously well off) man who gives a supper, and those who should have been the candidates for invitations seemed to have other priorities. The message seems to be, "God is throwing a party and you're missing it!"

    * In Matthews account, there's more of a tension and a sense of urgency, given the rank of the one doing the inviting, the king, and the occasion, the marriage of his son (the wedding of Messiah and Israel?). There's added tension in that some of the invitees, like the tenants in the previous parable, abuse and even murder the messengers bringing the invitations. This reflects the fact that it is the last week before the climax.

    * An interesting difference here is the addition of another detail, the man who failed to dress for the occasion.

      * This is obviously not about life after death, but inclusion in the Kingdom. If it were about simply being saved so as to go to Heaven, how did the man manage be there, as though one gets to Heaven by wandering in? From this we know that the recurring phrase, outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth is not always synonymous with final judgement in hell. This is also evident in various other passages. However, this should not be taken as licence, or removal of an incentive to follow God's will. Weeping and gnashing of teeth is still an expression of intense regret -- not something to take comfort in. I, for one, don't plan to rush headlong into outer darkness, nor plant myself on the wrong side of the door just because it might not include fire and brimstone.

      * The context in which this appears is that of John's baptism of repentance. In other passages, righteousness is pictured as a white robe.

      * We already noted in chapter 7:21-23, that even some who have prophesied and performed miracles in Jesus' name, fail to be included in the Kingdom of God, if they don't truly do the will of the Father.

    * Verse 14: For many are invited, but few are chosen. This parable covered both types. The ones who violently refused the invitation are the son who refused to go into the field (but still hasn't changed his mind), and the inappropriately dressed man is the son who said "I will go", but didn't. In both cases, it all comes down to one factor: repentance, of which John was the messenger.

  * Now, the questions are more directly an attempt to test Jesus.

4 The Question Regarding Taxes 22:15-22 --

The Herodians come with a question designed to trap Jesus into saying something that would either get Him in trouble with the Roman authorities, or with the rebellion.

  * However, Jesus' answer is remarkably simple and ingenious. If pressed, this answer could be taken two ways.

  * By so answering, Jesus showed that He had the wisdom to be a King after the example of Solomon.

5 The Sadducees' Question Regarding the Leverite Marriage in the World to Come 22:23-32 --

According to early literature of the time, it was believed by the Pharisees and the Essenes that Messiah would usher in the Resurrection of the Dead, and the world to come. The Sadducees, on the other hand, didn't believe in any life apart from ones present physical existence. Their question was an attempt, not only to discredit Jesus, but also the tradition of there being a resurrection.

  * Jesus' answer appears to be a fresh revelation on the Resurrection of the Dead, that earthly marriage isn't binding in the next life. This reveals wisdom that could only come from the One who will usher in the Resurrection.

  * Jesus not only answers the question, but stumps them with another (vs 29-32). His argument from the Torah is similar in style to others of the rabbis. Here are a couple of arguments found in the Talmud:

    * Where do we find an allusion to the Resurrection of the Dead in the Written Torah? For it states ( Numbers 18:28) : And you shall give from it G-d's Terumah to Aaron the Priest. Now, is Aaron alive forever? Why, he never even entered the Land of Israel -- that they should give him Terumah! Rather, this teaches that [Aaron] is destined to live again in bodily form, and the people of Israel will then give him terumah . ... It has been taught: R. Simai said: Whence do we learn resurrection from the Torah? \-- From the verse, And I also have established my covenant with them, [sc. the Patriarchs] to give them the land of Canaan: '[to give] you' is not said, but 'to give them' [personally]; thus resurrection is proved from the Torah. ( Babylonian Talmud : Sanhedrin 90b)

  * We can see from this that the Torah was written in such a way that, even though it isn't directly set forth, the grammar and syntax actually makes more sense by assuming the doctrine of the Resurrection and an afterlife, as Jesus and the rabbis point out. It's as though it's hidden, but becomes embedded into the subconscious belief of those who make a practice of reading the Torah regularly. The same could be said about other things, like the issues of slavery and women's rights. Though, on the surface, the Torah appears to make allowances for slavery and male leadership, social reforms through the last few centuries can be traced to Biblical revelation through both the Jewish and Christian communities. This also helps us understand the origin of "Oral Torah".

6 Which is the Greatest Commandment? 22:33-40 --

Jesus' response to the question of the Sadducees highlighted arias of belief that Jesus held in common with the Pharisees. Their questions begin to take a different tack. In fact, the parallel account in Mark 12:32-34 seems to indicate that the next question was more of a friendly discussion. Jesus ends up telling the one who asked, You are not far from the Kingdom of God. However, Matthew's account calls it another test. It's possible that, once they had heard how Jesus dealt with the Sadducees, they asked the question in order to confirm that He understood the Torah. Probably, the question was asked by a Torah teacher of the House of Hillel. Rabbi Hillel was known to have expounded the Golden Rule, the same as Jesus quoted in His Sermon on the Mount, following it up by saying, "That is the entire Torah, the rest is commentary." ( Babylonian Talmud : Shabbos 31a) At that point, many of the Pharisees, especially those of the House of Hillel, were probably ready to proclaim Him as Messiah. However, things took a different turn.

7 Jesus' Question about Messiah, Son of David 22:41-46 --

Now, Jesus has a question for the Elders and Torah teachers. If Messiah is David's son, how does David address Him as Lord in Psalm 110:1? The only possible answer is, the son of David, in this case, is actually the Son of God. Rather than open this can of worms, the elders call it quits with their questions.

Jesus Denounces the Pharisees 23:1-39 -- At this point, many of the rabbis may have been ready for, or at least resigned to the prospect of Jesus being the Chosen One. However, not after Jesus' next act.

  * The Pharisees Sit in Moses' Seat 23:1-3 -- The major difference between the Pharisees and the Sadducees was, the Pharisees believe, as does modern Judaism, in community involvement in interpreting the Torah. We examined this aspect in our study of chapter 18 (in #8: Who Is This Man? ), where decisions are made by either a panel of 3 judges, or 23 (two congregations plus three judges). The final authority as to how a commandment was to be applied in a given situation was usually made by the Great Sanhedrin, consisting of 72 members. We also saw how this worked in our study of chapter 15 (#8: Who Is This Man? ). Here, Jesus confirmed this as their legitimate role when He said, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do... However, that was the only good thing He had to say.

  * The Denounciation 23:4-36 -- . .. but do not do according to their works... Jesus went on and gave a whole list of things for which God was displeased. We won't study each point. However, it would be good to emphasise that this isn't about Judaism. The following is reprinted from my book, Johnny -- Who? It's a rewrite of Luke 11:37 ff, along with a few parts of Matthew 23. It's authors imagination of what could have happened had Jesus been living now:

And as He spoke, a certain big city pastor asked Him to dine at a restaurant with a few of the local ministers. So He went in and sat down to eat. When the pastor saw it, he marvelled that He did not first say grace before eating.

Then the Lord said to him, "Now you pastors make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. You know all the proper Christian etiquette, but inside, your thoughts are not anywhere near to God. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?

"But rather be a blessing to others with such things as you have, then, indeed all the food you eat will be blessed.

"But woe to you pastors! For you teach so strongly on tithing, and giving good offerings, and regular attendance. You think a good member is one who tithes faithfully and attends regularly, but you pass by justice and the love of God. Of course, tithing is important, so these you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

"Woe to you pastors! For you love the best seats up on the platform during city-wide crusades and regional conferences, and greetings in the marketplaces, and dining with the mayor and chief of police and to be called by men, 'Oh Reverend! Pastor!'

"But you, do not be called 'Pastor'. Your sheep aren't even yours for One is the Shepherd of your souls, the Christ, and you are all brethren.

"Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called MDiv or PhD; for One is your PHD, the Christ, who helps you to 'Preach, Heal and Deliver.' But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

"Woe to you, Bible teachers and pastors; hypocrites! For you have your wonderful ministerial exterior and lovely bedside manner, but really, you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

"Woe to you pastors! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You know there is revival in the church next door to yours. You did not go yourselves, and those who were about to go, you hindered, saying, 'Go not to hear those off-balance lunatics. Be faithful to your own church!'"

Then one of the travelling evangelists answered and said to Him, "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also."

And He said, "Woe to you also, evangelists! For you load new believers with burdens hard to bear, and expect people off the street to turn over night into sweet Sunday school children and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

"Woe to you, evangelists and Pastors, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him say all the right words, and tow the party line, and become twice as sectarian as yourselves.

"Woe to you, Bible teachers, evangelists, and Pastors; hypocrites! For you devour widows' pensions to finance your expensive projects, and for a pretence make long prayers for their 'hundred-fold return'. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

"Woe to you! For you build the tombs of earlier revival movements, martyrs of the past, and the Jewish victims of the holocaust, and the European pogroms and inquisitions; and your fathers killed them. You say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of our fellow believers and of the Jewish people,' and 'Had we lived in Germany in the days of Hitler, we would not have turned a blind eye as our neighbours, the Jews, were taken to the gas chambers.' Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the Jews and your fellow believers. That part of your history you refuse to accept, you are doomed to repeat, so fill up, then, the measure of your fathers guilt."

And as He said these things to them, the evangelists and the local pastors began to assail Him vehemently, calling him a dangerous heretic, and a nutcase, and all kinds of other names.

This is not intended to cast everyone with a good bedside manner and letters after their name in a bad light (particularly if it's the fruit of gentleness), any more than the original text accuses every single Pharisee of being a hypocrite. It's only to make the point that the Bible isn't just about "them".

  * The Final Declaration 23:37-39 -- ...you shall see Me no more till you say ... Again, we find a quotation from Psalm 118. Verses 25 and 26 say: Save now (hoshea na) , I pray, O Lord ; O Lord , I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord ! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord .

    * The last line of the above indicates that the declaration is spoken from the House of the Lord (the Temple). The crowd accompanying Jesus as He entered Jerusalem on a donkey, were not saying it from the House of the Lord. The crowd also did not consist of the leaders and elders.

    * According to Jesus, He will not enter Jerusalem as King Messiah until the call is made by those who occupy Moses' seat.

    * We also saw, earlier, that it was the Priests and the Elders who have the responsibility to recognise and proclaim Messiah. This has yet to happen.

    * Instead, the passage a few verses before the above happened: The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. The "builders" had decided, on behalf of the human race, that the world wasn't ready yet for King Messiah to reign. Therefore, history turned in another direction, one that would lead to victory for the Kingdom of God, and the redemption of all things.

  * The Widow's Offering Mark 12:41-44 -- According to Mark's account, either during or shortly after the above discourse, Jesus notices a widow putting two small coins into the offering box. He points out that she has, in fact, given more than all the more wealthy people, some of whom were giving large sums. In the following scene (Mark 13:1, 2 and Matthew 24:1, 2 -- though the account of the widow isn't included in Matthew), the disciples are pointing out the magnificent furbishments of the Temple which were made possible by generous donations. Perhaps they were responding to Jesus' apparent belittling of the rich donations in favour of the two small coins given by the widow (as well as the general impression from Jesus' denunciation of the Pharisees and Temple leadership).

    * The point was not about the spending power of the offering. Of course, the two coins wouldn't go very far at all towards building an extension, or gold plating a gate post. The item of value was the widow herself, a person so dedicated to God that she gives all she has out of her love.

    * Jesus' answer to the disciples is, regardless of how rich and grand this appears, it will soon be torn down, and be no more. The widow, on the other hand (though she isn't mentioned here), will be forever a part of God's kingdom.

    * The comment by Jesus is so shocking, and yet, reverberating with Messianic implications (that of destroying and rebuilding the Temple), that it prompts the disciples to ask further questions regarding the end times.

The Discourse on the End Times 24:1-25:46 -- Through hearing Jesus' final statement to the Pharisees and Temple leaders, and His comment about the destruction of the Temple, it begins to dawn on the disciples that Jesus isn't about to reign as King Messiah just yet. This prompts them to approach Jesus, as they're settling down for the night on Mt. Olives, and ask a few questions -- in fact, for teaching purposes, this could be classed as the "seventh question" in this module (if you decide not to include Jesus' question). They basically ask three questions: When will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? (verse 3) Jesus' answer can also be divided into three parts -- though not according to the questions:

  * The Beginnings (Birth Pains) 23:4-23 -- This section seems to describes a general and gradual worsening of the worlds situation leading up to the end. It could be argued that it has been happening ever since Jesus' time. The key phrase here is, these are only the birth pains.

    * False Messiahs vs 4-5 -- The word "Messiah", or "Christ" simply means anointed. This may be a warning regarding those claiming to be the Christ, or simply about those that claim to be anointed, but are not, in fact, sent by God. They could be people trying to start their own cult, or those described in chapter 7:21-23, who cry, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name...?" For most believers, the latter would be the greater danger.

    * Wars and Earthquakes vs 6-8 -- Such things must happen, but the end is yet to come (CJB).

      * Verse 7 says "...nation will rise against nation..." The word nation can just as well be applied to ethnic group as a political state. This would include racial tensions and ethnic wars.

      * Again, these are not a sign of the end. In fact, we don't really know if things like wars and earthquakes have really increased in our time. What has increased is the media coverage in our modern world. In other words, we hear more "rumours of wars" in far off places.

    * Arrested because of Jesus, and Betrayals vs 9, 10 -- Some of the next few signs may be felt more, or less, depending on what part of the world one lives. In the West, we don't see people being arrested for their faith, whereas in many countries it's a daily occurrence. In Saudi Arabia, one can be beheaded simply for turning to Christ.

    * False prophets, Love growing cold vs 11, 12 -- This would affect the Western world, or that part of the world that doesn't experience persecution.

      * The false prophets might be those who offer false security, or who prophesy to people's desires rather than speaking the True word of God to a situation. Those prophets, who have been entrusted with the task of fanning the fire of God in people's hearts, instead lull them towards coldness and self satisfaction in their comfort zone -- the opposite of the Kingdom attitudes of Matthew 5.

      * In those parts of the world affected by persecution, we don't tend to find this. In fact, we tend to see the Christian community very strong in places like China and other countries that have a history of persecution. The Church is growing massively in those areas, while the numbers tend to be shrinking in the West.

    * Holding Out Till the End vs 13 -- Whether the temptation is to be lulled to sleep with a comfortable lifestyle, or to give in to intense persecution, it's those who hold their faith to the end who will be saved.

    * The Gospel Preached to All Nations vs 14

      * After the death and resurrection of Jesus, the apostles were commissioned to preach the Gospel in all the earth, beginning at Jerusalem. While they made a glorious start (as we'll study in future modules), the task is still incomplete. Many parts of the world still have no knowledge of the Gospel of God's Kingdom.

      * Some interpret the Bible in a way that assigns this verse to a "dispensation" following that of the Church, saying that believers will be raptured out of the world first, and then the Gospel will be preached to the ends of the world by 144,000 Jewish saints. However, this section is addressed by Jesus to His 12 apostles, who would shortly be instrumental in launching the Church "dispensation". If it were about a subsequent Jewish "Kingdom dispensation", it would have been addressed to the Pharisees, or other Jews who wouldn't have a part in the "Church dispensation". Therefore, we can confidently assume that these two chapters are all about what will befall both the Church and Israel, as both are a part of the Kingdom of God.

  * Tribulation 24:15-31 -- Now, after the build-up, we get to the climax.

    * Abomination that causes devastation vs 15-20 -- This passage seems to be parallel to the prophecies in Daniel, particularly chapters 11 and 12. These seemed to be fulfilled through the Maccabean revolt against Antiochus Epiphanes -- so accurately that some scholars have been tempted to conclude that Daniel was written after the fact. Antiochus had removed all worship of God, and set up an image of Zeus sculpted with his own facial features, in the Holy Place, had outlawed Torah observance, and began sacrificing pigs on the holy alter. However, Jesus referred to the prophecies as though they had yet to be fulfilled. Emperor Caligula later ordered the set up an image of himself in the Holy Temple, but died before he could carry out his plan. The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 c.e. by Titus also came close, with intense tribulation during the seige, but there was no image set up. The book of Revelation using similar imagery to Daniel, seems to indicate it's yet in the future. Verses 29-31 were definitely not fulfilled, so we should look to a future fulfilment. However, it is said that the believers in Jerusalem, when they saw the Roman Legion surrounding Jerusalem, heeded this prophecy, and fled to safety.

    * Tribulation vs 21, 22 -- great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be... This is a reference to Daniel 12:1-3. Some believe that this will be a period of exactly seven years, or alternatively three and a half years, based on numbers given in Daniel and Revelation. Others believed this was fulfilled during the siege of Jerusalem before its destruction in 70 c.e. This would mean that the destruction of the Temple was the Abomination of Desolation. The fact that it's the most difficult time that has ever come since the beginning of the world, or ever will again, it seems it can only be one or the other. For myself, I don't believe it's necessary to act as though we know for sure.

    * False Messiahs vs 23 -28 -- Again, there are false Messiahs. This time, it's probably more than just the claim to a Divine anointing. They will perform signs and wonders that will catch people off guard, gathering followers like a dead body gathers vultures (verse 28). That's not to say that the true believers won't also be performing signs and wonders, but they won't be calling attention to themselves, but to the true Messiah, and to life. The reference to dead bodies and vultures is an indication that those who are truly intimate with God through the Holy Spirit, will discern the signs of life and death. As for His final appearing, verse 27, in the CJB says, ...when the Son of Man does come, it will be like lightning that flashes out of the east and fills the sky to the western horizon.

    * Signs in the Sky, and the Gathering vs 29 - 31 -- Since such profound happenings didn't occur immediately after the destruction of Jerusalem, it's more likely that all this has yet to happen. It appears to be the very end of the age. Verse 31 describes what could only be the rapture -- however, not a secret rapture. Those who believe that a secret rapture occurs before the time of tribulation, usually hold that this whole passage refers to another dispensation where the Church isn't involved. However, as we showed, Jesus was addressing the Apostles, who were to become the pillars of the Church. These were things that they, and the Church under their leadership were to look out for.

  * Parables Regarding the Timing 24:32-25:46

    * Sign of the fig tree vs 32 - 35 -- Just as the the greening of the fig tree is a sign of a change in season, so all the forgoing events, including the Abomination of Desolation, signify the soon arrival of God's Kingdom. This generation can mean a person's lifetime, or a people group, or an age.

    * The suddenness vs 36 - 41 -- ...no one knows...the days of Noah...taken and left ... This section is a parallel passage to Luke 17:26-37. By looking at them together, we might get a more accurate picture of what Jesus meant. In Luke's account, Jesus had just told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God isn't a geographical location, but is among you. It's eventual full manifestation will be as the lightning, lighting up the sky from one horizon to the other. But first, Messiah must be rejected by the present generation. We'll piece together details from the two passages:

      * Matthew 24:36 -- No one knows the timing. Though many have written books on it, every prediction has fallen through so far. When Emperor Caligula publicised his plan to set up an image of himself in the Holy Temple, many believers, no doubt, thought that was the sign of the end. He didn't actually do it, and the end didn't happen then. Others have used numbers and signs found in Scripture such as the length of a "generation", one day equals a thousand years, things such as the Mayan Calendar, etc., and even Homer Simpson got in on the game. The only tangible sign seems to be the "Abomination of Desolation", which we'll probably only know when we see it.

      * vs 37 - 39 (Luke 17:26-29) -- ...the days of Noah ... the time of Lot... These aren't calling attention to the sinfulness of those times (how sinful is getting married, or doing business?), but rather the seemingly normal "life-as-usual" mode the people were in. People were going on with their lives (getting married, etc.) and the economy appeared to be doing fine (buying, selling, planting and building), and then the end came suddenly. In this case, it's the appearance of the Son of Man -- the lightening from the East lighting up the sky to the West.

      * Luke 17:31-33 -- In Matthew's account, which we've already covered, the reference to going for one's coat etc. (or not, as we are advised), follows the appearance of the Abomination of Desolation. That sudden interruption of life-as-usual (as Noah's and Lot's time), is the sign for believers to begin moving in the opposite direction of the crowd (who will be flocking like vultures to a corps). Instant action is called for, even if it puts ones life at risk, or the loss of one's possessions \-- remember Lot's wife. Jesus again reiterates the principal, what you hold on to, you'll lose. What you willingly release for the sake of the Kingdom (even your life), you will gain.

      * Matthew 24:40,41 (Luke 17:34-37) -- ...one will be taken, and the other left... If it were for only Matthew's account, we could assume this is the rapture. However, in Luke's account, the disciples ask, "Where?" Jesus replies, Wherever there's a dead body, that's where the vultures gather (CJB). That doesn't sound to me like being raptured into the air to meet the Son of Man, but being removed to something unpleasant. Matthew's account used the imagery of the vultures to allude to people flocking to false prophets.

      * Putting it all together:

        * The Gospel will be proclaimed in all the world, to every ethnic group before the end comes. However, it will also be a time when many turn cold, and others are intensely persecuted.

        * Wars, earthquakes and economic crisis aren't the sign of the end, but only the birth pangs. In fact, at the end, the economy may be booming -- buying, selling, building, getting on with married life, as in the days of Noah and Lot.

        * The sign of the end will be the Abomination of Desolation. We can't pretend to know who or what that is before it happens. We certainly don't know when. ...when that day and hour will come, no one knows -- not the angels in heaven, not the Son, only the Father.

        * It could be that the dividing of ways between the people of God's Kingdom and those of satan's will come at that time, with people flocking to the Abomination of Desolation and/or false prophets and messiahs, like vultures to a dead body; while those who disregard their lives for the sake of the Kingdom, not even going back for their coat.

        * There will be a gathering, the "rapture", of the chosen -- those who endure to the end; and possibly a "rapture" of those who follow satan's kingdom -- to judgement.

        * We don't need to pretend to know more than what's plainly written. All that's needed in order to be prepared is to be on the alert, faithful, prepared, and bearing fruit, as the parables in the remaining part of this section show us.

    * The house owner and the thief vs 42 - 44 -- ... if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come... As Jesus warned, news of wars, disasters and other current events aren't an indicator of when the end will come. Therefore, we have to be ready and alert to the Spirit of God at all times.

    * The faithful and the unfaithful servants vs 45 - 51 -- Who then is a faithful and wise servant ...

      * Jesus, again, drops the hint that His reign as King Messiah may be a long time in coming. The mark of a wise servant is that, no matter how long the wait, he remains faithful to what he's called to do, ruling wisely and giving sustenance those under his responsibility. The challenge is to persist, despite life going on "as-usual" for a prolonged period of time.

      * But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming'... Unfortunately, many have tired of that and begun to use their role in the Kingdom as a tool for enhancing their own lifestyle, even to the point of becoming abusive and corrupt.

      * The time will finally come, and those who are caught out will be excluded from the Kingdom. ...and shall separate him and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth...(RHE) "Cut in pieces" or "cut in two", as some translations render, can also be taken to mean, "cut off" -- probably another way of saying "outer darkness". Again, this might not necessarily mean eternal life in hell, but it does involve intense regret.

    * The 10 bridesmaids 25:1 - 13 -- ... the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins...those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them...

      * Lest anyone say, "I'll wait until the signs of the end, then I'll get on the ball," Jesus gives a parable. By the time the Abomination of Desolation is revealed, that will be like jumping on to a speeding train.

      * What does one do to be prepared? In a time of crises, one needs a light to see by. To keep the light going, one needs oil. Oil, in Bible imagery, is usually significant of the Holy Spirit. We will discuss what various New Testament passages say about the Holy Spirit in a later module. However, a good place to start is John 15:1-8, regarding abiding in Jesus as a branch abides in a vine, so as to bare fruit -- which brings us to the next parable...

    * The parable of the talents vs 14 - 30 -- Any of these parables, if taken by itself, would leave us with an incomplete picture of our mandate as believers waiting for the full manifestation of the Kingdom of God. With only the three preceding parables, we'd be left to think it's enough to keep on the lookout, and minding the household, while keeping a large jug of oil within arm's reach. The Parable of the Talents puts it into another perspective. We're to actually expand the existing boundaries of the Kingdom.

      * The earlier prophecy in vs 24:14, that the Gospel must be proclaimed to every ethnic group before the end will come, is our collective mandate. This parable brings it down to each of us individually growing and increasing what God has endowed to each of us. We could assume that the total of all of our investment would mean the fulfilment of the condition in 24:14.

      * This is related to the previous parable, about to the oil of the Holy Spirit. The first few verses of John 15 talk about baring fruit. The branch that doesn't bare fruit is cut off (like the one-talent servant), whereas the one that does, is pruned so it can bare more fruit. Those who rely on the Holy Spirit's power are the ones who will spontaneously bare fruit.

      * Like the business dealings of those who received the five and the two talents, this involves conscious effort as well as risk. The low risk option that the one-talent servant could have taken would have been to deposit it in an interest baring account. That could mean supporting someone else's work through prayer, our giving (our Talent being our financial means), and other resources.

      * A different version of this parable is found in Luke 19:11-27. An additional detail in this story is a group that is opposed to the nobleman who's about to receive a kingdom. Their punishment is even more severe than that of the servant who failed to invest his share. They are brought before the Lord and executed. We can probably conclude that the casting into outer darkness in Matthew's account, therefore isn't the ultimate penalty.

    * Separating the sheep and the goats vs 31 - 46 -- The previous parables were about the servants of the Kingdom. The last one is about those outside.

      * All the nations will be gathered before Him... Again, nations refer to ethnic groups, not political entities. The same word is can also signify gentiles, or the world at large.

      * Some interpret this as judgement on whole nations based on how they treated the nation of Israel. While Israel most likely will play a central role in the end times, this is more likely a judgement of individual people. The last verse of the passage states that they either gain eternal life or everlasting punishment. This could hardly apply to a whole collective group.

      * The separation of the "sheep" and the "goats" seems to go contrary to conventional theology. The "sheep" on the King's right seem to be surprised that they have been judged worthy of eternal life. It was because they showed mercy on the "least of these My brethren". Compare this with what Jesus said in chapter 10:40-42 ... whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward...

        * It appears, from these passages, that one can find oneself included in the Kingdom of God simply by having received the messengers of the Kingdom, or acted out of mercy. It would seem like we're espousing "easy salvation". However, the difference here is, those showing mercy, clothing the naked, and even offering a glass of cold water are doing so in response to their compassion. It's an act of faith that they're doing the right thing -- even if they haven't heard a clear message of the Gospel.

        * Compare that to the "easy salvation" message that we hear too much of these days: "Receive Jesus as your saviour and you'll go to heaven," usually accompanied with "say this prayer", as though the "sinner's prayer" were magic words. If this is done in true repentance and faith, then it's a genuine experience, and a noticeable transformation will be the result. However, too often, people are lulled into believing they're saved, despite the lack of any fruit in their lives. If these ones never go out of their way to show mercy, when it's in their power to do so, they will find themselves among the "goats".

  * We will discuss some aspects of the final Resurrection as a part of our next study, on the Death and Resurrection of Messiah. Apart from that, this concludes our discussion on the end times. There's a lot more that could be gained by studying the book of Revelation and other passages. However I don't plan to include a study of Revelation as a part of this series.

Likewise, this concludes the five part series covering the life of Messiah based on Matthew's Gospel. This will be followed up by a module on the death and resurrection of Messiah, and then one on the Holy Spirit's work in the Church.

## The Passover Sacrifice and the First Fruit

#11 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series

#6 of the New Covenant section

© 2014 Robby Charters

www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

In world history, and sometimes in our own individual histories, there come pivotal points in which one is forced to prove one is ready for the next phase. This happened for Israel, as they were about to enter the promised land. The incident of the 12 spies proved that they weren't up to the task, so it took another 40 years.

  * The same thing happened again during the first century. The nation of Israel proved that they weren't ready for the reign of King Messiah.

    * The denunciation by Jesus of the leaders in Matthew 23, which we studied in the last module, reflects this turning point.

    * This is not to speak disparagingly of the Jewish people. Israel, as the nation of priests, made this decision on behalf of humanity. We gentiles would have made the same choice. We've proven that over and over again by persecuting the Jewish people, and branding them as "Christ killers" (all the while "killing Christ" ourselves by doing it to the least of these, My brethren).

  * While not fulfilling the role of King just yet, Jesus did combine two other roles of Messiah, ushering the resurrection of the dead, and performing the ultimate sacrifice -- an unlikely sounding combination, but necessary for the fulfilment of the Kingdom of God. This discussion is about these two elements.

The Raising of Lazarus John 11:1-45 -- The Pharisees, Essenes, and the writers of earlier Pseudepigraphical Apocalyptic literature all connected the coming Kingdom of Messiah with the resurrection. In fact, Messiah would usher in the resurrection of the dead.

  * John's narrative of the final week leading up to the crucifixion, comes right after his account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. It doesn't seem likely that the event actually took place during the final journey to Jerusalem. That makes it all the more meaningful that John would place it at that point, before the Passion narrative.

  * Jesus' arrival at the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus seems carefully timed to happen well after the death of Lazarus. In fact, he had been dead four days. This is unusual, even for raising the dead. Most of these type of miracles happened just shortly after the death of the recipient.

  * Jesus says to Martha, Your brother will rise again. Then she acknowledges her belief in a final resurrection, to which Jesus replies, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. (verse 25). If this were in the same class as the other raising-the-dead miracles, it wouldn't have been necessary to make such a profound declaration. This one was a special sign of the coming resurrection.

  * The Gospel of John, unlike the other Gospels, is all based around seven major miracles of Jesus, classed as signs, rather than His usual every day miracles. This was the seventh.

  * Judging by the reaction of the elders and leaders, they knew exactly what this meant.

Parallel Naratives John 11:46-52 -- John's Gospel brings out a behind the scenes set of events that convey a double meaning, giving us two parallel narratives. It begins with the High Priest inadvertently giving what John calls a prophecy. You people don't know anything! You don't see that it's better for you if one man dies on behalf of the people, so that the whole nation won't be destroyed. (verse 49, 50 CJB) While the High Priest was referring to the delicate situation between Rome and the Nation of Israel, the Holy Spirit's meaning was the relationship between God and humanity. We'll point out other events in the parallel narrative as we come to them.

Anointing for Burial \-- Matthew 6:6-13, Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-8,

  * If you compare these accounts, there seem to be some discrepancies. Did this incident happen two days before Passover (as in Matthew and Mark), or six days before (as recorded by John)? If you read closely, neither passage tells exactly when the actual incident took place.

    * John 12 says that six days before Passover, Jesus and his disciples came to Bethany. Then, at some point, they had a dinner in His honour. According to Matthew and Mark, two days before Passover, the Chief Priests and certain Torah teachers were thinking about ways to have Jesus arrested. Judas, one of Jesus' disciples, offered to help them. Why such a drastic move? At some point between day six and day two, was the dinner, at which something happened that greatly offended Judas: the anointing of Jesus with the expensive spikenard. John's account mentions Judas as being the one offended, as well as having other issues regarding the use of money. Matthew and Mark show him going off to the chief priests as though prompted by this incident.

    * John's account names the woman as Mary, the sister of Martha. This account differs from Matthew and Mark by saying that it was on Jesus' feet that she poured the ointment, and then wiped them with her hair. Matthew and Mark say it was the head. It could have been both. Matthew and Mark mention that the host was name Simon. Some translations say "Simon the Leper", but the Hebrew could also be rendered "Simon the Potter".

    * There's also a similar account in Luke 7:36-50, which could very well be a separate incident altogether. The dinner host in this case is also named Simon, but a Pharisee, who could have also been a potter by trade (the early rabbis were known to support themselves with a trade). The woman, in this case, also pours the oil on Jesus' feet and wipes it with her hair, as Mary did in John's account. If this is to be understood as the same event (though there are other details that would need to be reconciled), then it was an emotional experience for the woman, as it was with her tears that she had begun washing Jesus' feet.

  * Could this have been a prophetic act? In any case, the act was symbolic, an act of worship, and could be what we'd today describe as a work of conceptual art. Jesus appreciated it, and lauded it as something that would be remembered for all time as a memorial to her. In fact, He said it was done in preparation for His burial.

    * As with many works of conceptual art, some people were offended. If this is the same incident as the Luke 7 account, Simon was put off by the woman's history. In the Matthew, Mark and John account, Judas was angered because of the expense -- the money could have been used to feed the poor.

    * In our day, by contrast, many people are offended by large amounts of money being given to the poor. They interpret Jesus' words, the poor you will always have with you, as meaning we shouldn't emphasise supporting those in need. However this is the only time we ever find Jesus seeming to say anything unfavourable about giving to the poor. In fact, He was only paraphrasing Deuteronomy 15:11, The poor will not cease from the land, in which the context states that the people of Israel must continue supporting the poor, and that it will be an never-ending job. It doesn't diminish the importance of showing mercy to those in need, any more than Jesus' comment on fasting when the bridegroom is present, is a mandate for us not to fast. Like Matthew 9:15, this is also about doing the right thing at the right time. According to the many other teachings of Jesus, the right time for showing mercy to the poor is most of the time.

    * Judas had certainly been influenced by Jesus' teaching regarding alleviating the needs of the poor. Just a few days before, he had heard Jesus' words to the Rich Young Ruler, as well as many other such sayings. Judas was entrusted with the funds, so he probably understood better than any of the disciples the guidelines for their use -- when to give, who to help, etc. However, John says he was less than transparent about his handling of the money. Did he really covet the money spent on the expensive ointment, or was this a self-righteous overcompensation for his own faults? The fact that he translated the offence over Mary's "overspending" into anger with Jesus for the way He handled it, would suggest the latter. Even when one has adopted the radical lifestyle such as Jesus and His disciples led, it's still possible to fall into a religious spirit. That became Judas' ultimate undoing.

    * A lesson here is, along with our duty to help the poor and needy, there is still room for creative expressions of worship when it comes out of a deep love for God. It's also okay to spend money, even on luxury, when one's priorities are right, and the Kingdom of God remains the central focus.

    * The message of the prophetic act, according to Jesus, is that it's an anointing for His burial. This places it in its context following the raising of Lazarus.

The Passover Seder Luke 22:17-20

  * At this point we need to acknowledge that the Gospel records aren't 100% clear on whether the following was, in fact, a Passover Seder, nor even what day the meal took place.

    * The Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke seem to indicate that this was, in fact, the Passover meal, traditionally observed in the evening following the Passover sacrifices on the Day of Preparation. The evening would have been the actual Passover holiday began.

    * John's account, however, indicates that the last meal took place the night before, and that on the day of the Passover Sacrifice (the day of Preparation), is when Jesus was crucified. This scenario makes it clearer in showing that Jesus was in fact the Passover Sacrifice. That would also place the resurrection two days later, on the Feast of First Fruits.

    * The Passover meal was always the evening after the Passover Sacrifice. On the Day of Preparation, the representative of the family (or group of families partaking together) would take the lamb to the Temple for the sacrifice, where it would be slaughtered and the blood collected and put on the Altar. Then, they would bring the carcass home (or wherever the group was lodging) to be roasted for the Passover Seder that evening. Numerous ovens were set up all over Jerusalem for that purpose. So, either the Last Supper was at the usual time of the Passover Seder, and therefore was the Seder, or the Crucifixion was at the time of the Passover Sacrifice, but not both.

    * While this seems like a three to one majority in favour of the Last Supper being the Passover Seder (Matthew, Mark and Luke versus John), we must remember that many records of events recorded by the Synoptic Gospels were probably drawn from a common source. Mark and Luke weren't actual witnesses, rather, they collected the information from various sources, arranging and wording them so as to bring out the message the Holy Spirit was inspiring them to teach. Also, one could interpret the wording in those Gospels as being very general, as writers in the first century often tended to be. Also, the Synoptic Gospels do mention that the day of the crucifixion was Preparation Day (Mark 15:42), though it's easy to read it as preparation for a normal Sabbath.

    * Because it isn't entirely clear, no one can make an emphatic statement as to what actually happened when. However, John's account seems to carry more weight. It is very unlikely that the authorities would have consented to a trial on a high holy day. That would have gone against halachic regulations. In fact, John states that the Chief Priests and Elders, when appearing before Pilate, wouldn't enter the Praetorium so as not to defile themselves before taking the Passover Seder (which hadn't happened yet). After the crucifixion, they insisted on the bodies being taken down from the crosses before evening, which was both a Sabbath and the high holy day. As mentioned above, this places the crucifixion at the same time as the Passover Sacrifice, giving it the meaning that it's supposed to have, that of Jesus as the Passover Sacrifice.

    * While it may not have been the actual Passover Seder, it's still evident that Jesus placed the same meaning on it. In Luke's account, Jesus says I have really wanted so much to celebrate this Seder with you before I die! (Luke 22:15 CJB) This could be taken as an acknowledgement that it wasn't the right time for it, but that He knew He wouldn't be alive for the actual Seder. Communal meals were an important part of Jewish life and ritual. It wouldn't have been unusual for groups and societies like this to have a special meal leading up to a major Holy Day, giving the various elements a similar interpretation. Therefore, the account in the Synoptic Gospels can still be interpreted as a Passover Seder.

    * For more study on the question of the date and significance, look up the following: www.derekleman.com/musings/passover-last-supper-crucifixion-2011-notes-part-1/ and www.derekleman.com/musings/passover-last-supper-crucifixion-2011-notes-part-2/

  * The Significance

    * At the very first Passover, there was no Temple nor a common altar. In fact, they were slaves in Egypt. Moses commanded each family to slaughter a lamb, dab the blood on the door post, and roast the remainder as a meal, burning the inedible and uneaten portions. This was to be done so as to protect the first born of each family from the death that would come on all the first-born sons of Egypt. The blood of that lamb was the atonement for the life of the first-born son, separating the people of Israel from the judgement that was to come on the rest of the population -- a judgement that everyone deserved, Israelite and Egyptian, because of sin (though God is merciful, his attribute of justice wouldn't allow Him to bring judgement on the Egyptians without also judging the rest who deserve it). The ultimate purpose was deliverance from their life of slavery in Egypt. In remembrance of this event, the people of Israel were commanded to celebrate every year thereafter, by eating unleavened bread (matzot), and sacrificing a lamb for each family or group, but pouring the blood on the alter (instead of the doorpost), and roasting the rest for the passover meal (The lamb is only to be sacrificed when the people are in the land of Israel, with the sacrificial system in place. That's why Jewish families celebrate Passover these days without a lamb, just as it also wasn't slaughtered while the Children of Israel were still in the wilderness -- only after they entered the promised land).

    * The fulfilment of Passover through Messiah \-- Just as Moses brought deliverance from slavery in Egypt, Messiah ushers in the Kingdom of God, and the resurrection of the dead. Just as the first born sons of Israel were saved from death, and made candidates for deliverance from slavery, so the blood of this Passover Sacrifice (Messiah) would bring salvation from death, leading to Resurrection -- thus fulfilling the High Priest's prophecy, ...one man dies on behalf of the people, so that the whole nation won't be destroyed...

    * By having this Passover Seder with His disciples, Jesus added new meaning to the elements. Though the Passover Haggadah we have now only dates back to the second century, it is probably based on traditions that had been in place since long before. The account in Luke seems to fit the most closely with this.

      * Luke 22:17 -- In the traditional Passover Seder, there are four cups of wine taken with the meal, each having its own significance. After the second cup, the matzot is broken and eaten along with the meal, then, the third and fourth cup. The last cup is described by Matthew and Mark. Luke, however, also mentions the second cup that is taken before the matzot. When Jesus pours this cup, He says, Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on, I will not drink the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes. Thus, Jesus takes the vow of a Nazerite, which is why He refused the sour wine later, on the cross.

      * Three matzot are placed together under a cloth. They represent Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Many, who believe Jesus was the Messiah, apply this also to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Abraham being the Father, and Isaac being the son who was offered up. The middle matzah, the "son", is broken in two. The smaller half is wrapped in a napkin and hidden. This is called the afikomen, or "afters." Most of the matzot are taken after the second cup of wine. The afikomen is taken after the third, followed by the fourth cup. It's the afikomen and the fourth cup that appear to make up what we know of as the "Lord's supper" or Eucharist". The "son" is the piece that was broken.

      * Of the final cup, Jesus said, This is my blood of the New Covenant. Just as the lamb's blood saved the first-born, which led to deliverance from Egypt, so the blood, as represented in the fourth cup, atoned for sin, making resurrection possible.

    * The early believers carried on this tradition, not once a year, as would be expected of a Passover Seder, but every time they met. This follows the example of the first Eucharist, which wasn't actually on Passover night. It was celebrated by the early believers in the context of a meal, similar to a kiddush meal held in a synagogue or a Jewish home. Paul said that as we partake of this, we are proclaiming the death of Jesus until He comes (I Cor 11:26), in the same way that the Passover Seder proclaims the deliverance from Egypt. We therefore partake of the communion in anticipation of the Resurrection of the Dead.

Judas and Peter \-- We saw earlier how unresolved issues in his life led to Judas being offended by Jesus' response to the anointing by Mary. In fact, he fell for the same trap that Jesus continually warned the Pharisees and other religious leaders about, sic. the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees". This is an indication that His warning doesn't just apply to the "status quo", but to the "radical left" as well.

  * Satan entered into him Luke 22:3, John 13:2, 27

    * If left unattended, such issues can lead to the worst things, not only to betrayal, but to hypocrisy of the worst kind, as when Judas identified Jesus to the captors by kissing Him (Mark 14:44, 45).

    * Once having opened the door to the satan, Judas was suddenly face to face with forces of evil beyond his comprehension, that were exploiting every avenue possible to abort the Kingdom of God. This was also the case with Peter, when he denied Jesus three times.

  * Better not to have been born Matthew 26:24 -- Jesus says that regarding Judas. This is truly a tragic commentary, the only time a statement like this appears in the Bible. The fact that Judas is singled out for such a description highlights the reverse: that life is a gift, and that by default, it is a good thing to have been born.

  * In Peter's case, Jesus had prayed for him in advance (Luke 22:31-34) as well as encouraged him to ... pray that you will not be put to the test -- the spirit indeed is eager, but human nature is weak. (Matthew 26:41 CJB). Jesus predicted that he would recover from his fall, and even be an encouragement to others.

Intense prayer in the garden, and the arrest Luke 22:39-53 --

  * As we noted earlier, the forces of evil were at their most powerful, attempting to snuff out the Kingdom of God. In fact, according to Jesus' word in verse 53, ...this is your hour -- the hour when darkness rules. It's as though God had removed all the restraints to allow darkness unrestrained leeway.

  * While praying in the garden, Jesus was aware of what had to happen in order to bring full redemption from the power of death that hung over humanity, and the part He had to play. It would involve a most horrific, torturous death, involving a period of separation from the Father -- an ordeal that we can't even begin to imagine.

    * There's a hint in verse 42 that things could have possibly been worked out differently: Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, let not my will but yours be done. Had the authorities embraced the King-ship of Jesus, could it perhaps have been different? Was there a plan "B"? Could they have settled for "second best"? ... or could they have opted to let the world slip into destruction?

    * Whatever the case, Jesus, faced with the full burden of what was approaching, chose to fulfil the perfect will of the Father out of love for humanity.

  * The ultimate peacemaker verses 48-51-- As the crowd of people arrived to arrest Jesus, a situation erupted that could have easily escalated into violence, resulting in more injury and death. Given the level of spiritual activity, it certainly would have, except for Jesus' mediation as the peacemaker (Matthew 5:9). The disciples were prepared to use their swords, and Peter actually did cut the ear off the Priest's servant. According to Luke's account, Jesus healed the injured ear, but the greater miracle was probably the fact that peace was restored.

The Trial before the High Priest Matthew 26:59-68; Luke 22:54-71 --

  * There where two Sanhedrins, a greater one with 72 members and a lesser one with 23. This was probably the lesser Sanhedrin, as the greater Sanhedrin was rarely presided by the High Priest. One rare occasions that it was, is recorded in Acts 23:4 & 5, which appeared to take Paul by surprise.

  * In John's account (18:12-22), Jesus is taken first to Annas, the father-in-law of the High Priest. According to Josephus, Annas ben Seth was the one who wielded power, buying the title of High Priest from the Roman governor, and appointing each of his sons in turn, as well as his son-in-law Joseph Caiaphus, as High Priests. John's account emphasises the purity and transparency of the one they were seeking to sacrifice on behalf of the nation. This brings us back to the parallel narrative we began to look at at the beginning of this module. Though the High Priest would have preferred to find something worthy of execution, he finds this Passover Sacrifice without any blemish, just like the lambs that were to be sacrificed later that day.

  * After hearing many witness statements that couldn't hold water, the Synoptic Gospels record two men saying This man said, 'I can tear down God's Temple and build it again in three days.' The occasion where Jesus actually said something like this is only recorded in John's Gospel in his account of Jesus cleansing the Temple (John 2:19). We see from this that He was slightly misquoted. However, it seems to be the only testimony the Sanhedrin took seriously. To their credit, there were at least enough members of the Sanhedrin with enough integrity to scrutinise the testimonies so that the false ones were thrown out.

  * When nothing else seemed to be working, it looks as though Jesus deliberately made it easy for them by making an assertion that can only be accepted if one believes in the divinity of Messiah, which the High Priest didn't.

  * The synoptic Gospels record that Jesus suffered physical abuse while in the custody of the High Priest. Luke (2:63-65) is a bit more explicit that it was those who were holding Him that committed the abuse. Some of these, according to John 18:3, would have been Roman soldiers and Temple guards.

The Trial before Pilate John 18:28 - 19:16 -- This section, as recorded by John, continues the parallel narratives.

  * King or not a king? Verses 28 to 38 are about Pilate trying to determine what the offence is, and whether or not Jesus is to be regarded as a "king".

    * John doesn't record the actual charges, but in Luke 23:2 we read: We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the Emperor and claiming that he himself is the Messiah -- a king! (CJB)

    * Pilate, then asks Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" (all the Gospels). In John's Gospel, Jesus' reply reflects the current state of His Messiah-ship. He is Messiah, but My kingship does not derive its authority from this world's order of things (The Complete Jewish Bible gives us this wording).

      * Other translations, usually have wording like My kingdom is not of this world ... which convey a wrong impression, that the Kingdom of God is other-worldly, or only present in the spiritual realm. The CJB translations makes it clear that it's not the jurisdiction He's referring to, but rather the source of His authority.

      * Because the source of His Kingly authority is God (vs 36), it's not necessary to try to establish it through military might, politics, nor even radical "people power". ...[otherwise] My servants would fight... (vs 36, NKJV). In the same way, David's original kingdom was also established without him having to use force -- even to defend himself against King Saul. When it was God's time, he was recognised and proclaimed king, initiating the very dynasty which Jesus was now re-establishing.

      * A nother meaning that could be derived from Jesus' words is that the Priests and Elders had yet to proclaim Him as Messiah, so at present His Messiah-ship was strictly due to God's choosing. This is also reminiscent of David, who was anointed by Samuel to be King, therefore in God's eyes he was the King, even while he was still being pursued by the remnants of the old kingdom. In fact, this was precisely why Jesus was brought to trial before Pilate.

  * " King of the Jews" John 19:1-3 -- The Roman soldiers undoubtedly had a low opinion of Jewish people, so their mock coronation of Jesus was an insult, both to Jesus, and the Nation of Israel. Because Jesus had become the focal point of those hoping for deliverance from Roman rule, as far as the Romans were concerned, this was their king -- thus, another chapter in the parallel narrative.

  * At this point, Luke records the incident of Jesus appearing before King Herod (23:6-12). Herod apparently feels flattered, has been wanting to see a miracle by Jesus, but is disappointed. As a joke, he sends Him back, wearing a royal robe. The idea of "King of the Jews" seems to become a running joke, which brings Herod and Pilate together as friends.

  * The ball having bounced back into his court, Pilate tries again to resolve the issue. According to the Synoptic Gospels, Pilate tries to take advantage of an annual holiday custom, that of releasing one prisoner of the people's choice. That would give him an easy out, but the crowd calls, instead, for Barabbas, a revolutionary. It's apparent here that the crowd is under the influence of the Sadducees, perhaps some paid to out-shout the rest and get the crowd going.

  * John records reactions from the crowd that must have been quite bewildering to Pilate (19:9-16). Prodded by the High Priest's people, they say things that must have had Pilate asking his interpretor if he were indeed giving him a correct translation -- things like, If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar's friend (vs 12). When Pilate says, "Here is your king," they respond with, Crucify Him! and We have no king but Caesar! (vs 14, 15). Jesus was, indeed, the sacrifice for the sin of rebellion against Rome. He was offered up, complete with the affirmation that Caesar, only, was their king.

  * The final chapter in the parallel narrative is the placard Pilate ordered to be nailed on the cross, which read, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews (vs 19). When the High Priest and his people tried to get it changed, he retorted, What I have written, I have written \-- as if to say, "You offered him up as your king, your king he is." So, officially, Jesus' death sentence was for the offence of being King of the Jews.

The Crucifixion Matthew 27:32-56; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-49; John 19:23-37 --

  * The ways in which Jesus suffered:

    * Being beaten, while being ridiculed (Luke 22:63-65)

    * Being misquoted (Matthew 26:61) -- 'I can tear down God's Temple and build it again in three days.'

    * The crown of thorns, and racist ridicule by Romans (John 19:1-3; Matthew 27:27-31)

    * The flogging (Matthew 27:26) -- done with a multi strand whip, with pieces of bone tied to the ends of each strand. It tears at the flesh with each stroke.

    * The crucifixion (Matthew 27:35; John 19:18) -- one of the most inhumane forms of execution, which the Romans reserved for terrorists and the worst kind of criminal which, today, we would equate with blowing up a school bus full of children. It took many hours to die this way, and each second was torture. For each breath, one had to push down on the nails that were through the feet, so as to relieve the pressure on the lungs. Besides that, was the shame of hanging naked in a public place.

    * Further taunting (Matthew 27:39-44) -- all the while, suffering the above ordeal, while hanging before them, naked.

    * Watched as his clothes were gambled away by greedy soldiers (John 19:23-24)

    * Separation from the Father (Matthew 27:45, 46) -- This may have been the most horrifying ordeal of all, being deserted and alone in the universe. None of us has ever experienced loneliness to this extent, where one is cut off, not just from fellow humans, but from God as well. This took place just before He expired.

  * And yet...

    * He prophesied on the road to the execution site (Luke 23:28-31)

    * Spoke kind words to the thief crucified next to Him (Luke 23:39-43)

    * Took responsibility for the care of His mother (John 19:25-27)

    * Forgave everyone (Luke 23:34) -- Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. If nothing else does, this line removes any excuse to retaliate against the Jewish community and brand them as "Christ killers". If Messiah pleaded forgiveness for them, especially during His most intense moment, what business has anyone else to pour blame on them?

  *  
  * He gave up His spirit (Matthew 27:50-54) -- Several things happened at that point:

    * The sky had been dark since about noon. This was the time that Jesus cried to the Father, "Why have you forsaken me?" Then, at Messiah's expiration, there was an earthquake. This prompted a Roman officer to exclaim, "Was this was a son of the gods, or what?!" (my own paraphrase).

    * The dividing curtain covering the Holy of Holies in the Temple was torn from top to bottom. This was the sign that the ultimate sacrifice had been performed, that the blood of the Passover Lamb had been acknowledged by the Most High.

    * At this point, Matthew records that graves were opened, and righteous people who had died before came out and appeared to people. It's easy to miss the fact that this actually took place at Messiah's resurrection (vs 53).

The Resurrection Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20 --

  * The empty tomb John 20:1-18 --

    * The women discover the Tomb is empty. In John's Gospel only Mary of Magdala is mentioned, but the Synoptic Gospels mention other women a well, including another one, also named Mary (Miryam in Hebrew, which was a common name. Outside the Crucifixion and Resurrection narrative, Mary of Magdala is only mentioned in Luke 8:2, as one out of whom Jesus cast out 7 demons, and accompanied the group that followed Jesus. It's safe to assume that she is not to be confused with Mary, the sister of Martha, nor the woman who anointed Jesus at the home of Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36-50), as Luke would have identified her by that name). The Synoptic Gospels record that the women were told by an angel that Jesus had risen. Apparently, Mary of Magdala wasn't with them. But she becomes the first one to whom Jesus actually appeared.

    * On being told the tomb was empty, Peter and John rushed to the tomb. There, they see the grave clothes. John, on seeing this, believes (vs 6-8), and Peter goes away marvelling (Luke 24:12). What they saw were the grave clothes, stiff from the dried embalming liquid, like a shell that contained the body, except there was no body in it. It would have been very difficult to extract the body without unwinding the fabric.

  * Putting it in perspective Luke 24:13-7 -- Jesus appears, incognito, to two disciples who are not among the 12, but are on their way home to Emmaus. Here, we find that the whole chain of events, while it appeared to be an unpredictable and tragic turn, was all foretold by the Torah and the Prophets. Then, Jesus demonstrates one of the qualities of His resurrected body by vanishing from sight.

  * The tangibility of Jesus' resurrected body John 20:19-29 -- More demonstrations of the nature of a resurrected body, as Jesus appears among His disciples behind locked doors. Some would be tempted to say it's only a spiritual body, no physical substance, but Jesus proves otherwise by eating a meal in their presence. He also says, Touch me and see -- a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones, as you can see I do (Luke 24:39). This puts to rest the faulty theology of some fringe groups.

  * Witnesses to the resurrection According to Acts 1:3 &15, Jesus appears to at least 120 people after His resurrection. In I Corinthians 15:4-8, Paul states that He appeared to over 500 people during the period following, most of whom were still alive. The fact that Paul and Luke make such statements so close to the time in question, would say something. Anyone who wanted to refute their statements only had to go and search out any of the 500 witnesses. They would have been faced with the same problem as one would, today, who tried to deny that the sinking of the Titanic ever happened.

  * The First Fruit It's significant that Jesus' resurrection happened on the Feast of First Fruits. In I Corinthians 15, Paul demonstrates how Jesus' resurrection is just the first step in a process of bringing about the general resurrection of the dead. In fact, He is the firstfruits of those who have died (vs 20). This chapter is helpful in understanding how it relates, as well as other dynamics of the resurrection:

    *  
    * vs 12-13 -- Paul expresses amazement that some believers in Corinth don't believe there will be a resurrection of the dead. He states that the whole point in Jesus rising from the dead is to enable the resurrection of all who have embraced the Kingdom of God. The two are inseparably linked: If there is no resurrection of the dead, then the Messiah has not been raised.... One doesn't happen without the other.

    * vs 14-19 -- Paul takes it a further step, creating the following logical progression:

      1. If there's no resurrection, then Messiah didn't rise from the dead.

      2. If Messiah didn't rise from the dead, then, our message is rubbish. The resurrection is the whole point of the Gospel.

      3. If the resurrection didn't happen (vs 17), your trust is useless, and you are still in your sins. The Passover Sacrifice of Messiah was, therefore, a failure according to this logic. All of Paul's efforts and sacrifice, and that of others, are all for nothing

    * vs 20 -- But, Paul affirms, that's not the case. Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died.

    * The theology vs 21, 22 -- Paul sums up what we've been talking about throughout this whole series of studies. Humanity fell under the power of death through our first parents, and restoration, in the form of resurrection, comes through Messiah, sometimes referred to as the "second Adam".

    * The timing vs 23-28 -- Paul then outlines the process:

      1. Messiah rose, as the first fruits.

      2. There follows a period when all things are brought under subjection to Him, until he puts all his enemies under his feet. In other words, the Kingdom of God is being established and is bringing the kingdom of the satan under His dominion.

      3. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. (vs 26) -- or, the resurrection of the rest of us.

    * The nature of the resurrection vs 35-50 -- Just as a seed dies when it goes into the ground, and then grows into something that is hard to imagine from just looking at the seed, so with the human body. Jesus gave a small demonstration of His resurrected body when He appeared out of thin air to His disciples.

    * The "rapture" vs 51-54 -- Paul describes order of events at the final resurrection. At the same time as the dead are raised, the living are instantly changed into new bodies in what many have called "the rapture". I Thessalonians 4:13-18 also includes a description of this event.

    * The part in between Ephesians 1:15 - 2:10 -- Paul repeats a prayer for the believers in Ephesus, asking God to enable them to have a deep understanding of the power of the resurrection as it applies to the believer's life. On the tail of this prayer, he launches into a description of the result of this event, both for Messiah, Himself, and for those who believe and embrace the Kingdom of God:

      * The resurrection resulted in a victory over all the powers of darkness listed in verse 21, which He now has power over from His position at the right hand of the Father.

      * From that position, He also acts as head of the Church, the Messianic Community, which Paul calls His body, and the expression of Messiah on earth (vs 22, 23). This is one of the passages where we get the term "Body of Messiah" as referring to the Church.

      * Paul goes on in verses 1-10 to describe how this works for us. The first three verses describe the general state of humanity under the control of the evil one, and our own uncontrollable nature -- the evil urge. But in spite of the mess we'd made of ourselves, His resurrection initiated a process that infused life into our spirits (raised us up together), and placed us into a position of favour with God (made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus).

      * Verse 10 shows us that that's not the end of it. It's not just to lounge about on a throne in the heavenlies (like a bunch of "throne-potatoes") that we've been raised up, but we've been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. In the next module, we'll go in depth into the relationship between the good works, and the process of putting all his enemies under his feet. Suffice it to say here, that the whole of the Christian experience is all about this transition between Messiah's resurrection to the general resurrection of the dead. It's the Kingdom of God taking hold.

    * **_How was all this made possible?_** In what way was the sacrifice of Jesus as the Passover Lamb essential to the plan of God to re-establish His Kingdom?

      * Okay, let's remember our story of the fiery parent and the straw child that we referred to in module 2.

        * Remember that though the parent made of fire loved her straw child very much, it was impossible to come close enough for an embrace.

        * But then, through a firewall, the parent and child were able to come within communicating distance and enjoy each other's company. That was a picture of the Temple/Tabernacle and the Levitical system set up by Moses  in the Torah. We based this on Leviticus 15:31; 16:16 and Exodus 19:5,6.

      * Now, let's take that a step further. Imagine that it was possible to transform the child so as to enable him to become more like the parent. It involved directing some of the parents own fire into the child.

        * But how can the straw child get close enough to the parent to be transformed by the parent's fire, without getting burned up in the process?

        * There is a way, but it would be difficult to use our parable to illustrate, so we'll have to revert back to the real life situation:

          * In the same way that the system of animal sacrifice enabled Israel to come into closer contact with God within the precincts of the Temple, the sacrifice of Yeshua made it possible for the essence of God to dwell in a person's body, as though it were the Holy Temple. This essence is what we call the Holy Spirit.

          * In fact, I Corinthians 6:19 says our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

            * Because of the sacrifice that Messiah offered of Himself, the Holy Spirit is able remain there in spite of the effects of the knowledge of good and evil, our occasional judging, and giving in to our evil urge.

            * But because the Holy Spirit is right there in our body, His Temple, He's in the position to take us through the process of transformation.

    * The feast of First Fruits is when Israel was commanded to begin counting off each day (counting the Omar) until they reached 49, or seven weeks. The following day, the 50th, was Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost. That's wen the Holy Spirit made His entry. In our next module, we'll discuss the significance of this feast, and how, like Passover and First Fruits, it figures into God's plan to restore His creation to its original purpose.

## The Holy Spirit's Work in the New Covenant

#12 of the tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series

#7 of the New Covenant section

© 2014 Robby Charters

www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

The Holy Spirit's Role in the Kingdom of God: In the 4th module covering the Old Covenant, titled The Holy Spirit in the Torah and the Prophets , we discussed the various modes by which the Holy Spirit interacted with humanity, especially under the Covenant. We saw how one of the ways that the Holy Spirit was imparted to people was by anointing them with oil. The one receiving the anointing was called an anointed one , literally, Messiah . We later saw how that designation came to mean a particular King who would one day restore the dynasty of King David and establish the Kingdom of God. Therefore, our understanding of the concept of Messiah, is directly linked to the activity of the Holy Spirit.

  * The relationship between the Father & the Son through the Holy Spirit: Jesus repeatedly stressed that all his actions were not performed by his own initiative. The following quotes are examples:

    * John 5:19 -- the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing ...

    * John 14:7-10 is part of a longer discourse by Jesus, which He began by describing His relationship with the Father.

      * Whoever has seen me has seen the Father... (vs 9 CJB)

      * The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. (vs 10 NKJV)

    * Peter's sermon in Acts 10:38, when compared with the above sayings of Jesus, show us how His relationship with His Father was carried on: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil... This fits perfectly the context of John 14, which He then went on to talk about His relationship with us...

  * The relationship between the Son & us through the Holy Spirit: John 14:11-18 \-- Jesus continues His discourse, pointing out that the very same dynamics that worked for Him, also apply to us:

    * In verse 12, we find a rather startling statement: he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater... (NKJV)

    * In the second half of the sentence, we find that there is a specific dynamic at work here: ..because I am going to the Father. In fact, whatever you ask for in my name, I will do...(vs 12, 13 CJB). Jesus also says later, It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. (16:7 NKJV).

      * The pattern to notice here: the Son, when linked to the Father by the Holy Spirit, was capable of mighty works that verified the Kingdom of God. The believer, when linked to the Father and the Son by the Holy Spirit, is capable of even greater works, because there are now Two in Heaven instead of One.

      * Later, again, Jesus affirms this in His prayer for the disciples: ...that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us... (17:21). This highlights another aspect. The greater works depend not only on the link between us and the Godhead, but also with the unity between us and other believers in the Body of Messiah, the Church. Just as there's unity in heaven, there must be unity on earth.

    *  
    * I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper ... (vs 16 NKJV) As Jesus is to, henceforth, be with the Father, He appears to be be in a better position to ask the Father to send us the Holy Spirit. However, the wording in the Greek is worth noting: another Helper \-- There are two possible words for another, one would signify another of a different kind, and the other, another of the same kind. The usage here is another Helper of the same kind, meaning another person, whose presence with us is just like having the Incarnate Word with us. In fact, the Holy Spirit is one of the Persons of the Trinity, the same Spirit who brooded over the face of the void in Genesis 1:2, who was breathed into Adam's nostrils to bring him to life.

    * I will not leave you orphans... (vs 18 NKJV) The rabbis then, and to this day, refer to a pupil whose master has died before completing the full course of training, as an orphan. When we observe the character and level of maturity of the pupils of Jesus at His death, it would be easy to conclude that they were orphaned. They still seemed to have a long way to go and a lot to learn -- what with Peter denying Him, Judas betraying Him, the others not able to foresee the resurrection, and the constant bickering over who was the greatest. However, Jesus was confident that the Holy Spirit would complete the process. In fact, from Acts chapter 2 and onward, we do see a remarkable transformation.

  * The Work of the Holy Spirit: Between reiterations of the promise, Jesus also shows us some dynamics of the Holy Spirit's work. We see His activity in three areas:

    * Understanding scripture: John 14:25-27 -- The Holy Spirit ...will teach you everything; that is, he will remind you of everything I have said to you...(vs 26 CJB). For the disciples, it meant that the Holy Spirit would remind them and expand on what Jesus told them in person. For us, it would be what we read in the Bible. As we read, or think over what we have read, the Holy Spirit opens it up for us and enables us to grasp the meaning.

    * Transformation through Intimacy: John 15:1-8 -- Through the Holy Spirit, we maintain a direct link to Jesus, the true vine (vs 1), which enables us to grow and be transformed, and enables us to produce results, both in our own life and in the Kingdom of God. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit... (vs 5 NKJV)

    * Outreach to non believers: John 16:7-11 -- He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement ...(vs 8 NKJV) To convict, in this context, means to instil a consciousness that something is wrong, in order to prod one to action. Understanding the three things that the Holy Spirit convicts of, should help to know what to communicate to the non-believers, so as to work together with the Holy Spirit. If we fail to understand this, we might go off course, trying to correct their cultural perceptions, sorting out their political agenda, going after sins that we personally find offensive -- usually doing more harm than good. The Holy Spirit's strategy is far more simple. He convicts of:

      * ... of sin , because they do not believe in Me ... Just as there was only one rule in the Garden of Eden, the breaking of which led to a proliferation of rules so as to manage humanity's knowledge of good and evil; so, there is now only one sin that stands in the way of life (we could allude to the other tree in the garden, the Tree of Life). It's not the multitude of sins that the Holy Spirit convicts of, but the one sin of not believing in Jesus.

      * ... of righteousness , because I go to My Father and you see Me no more ... There are two aspects to Messiah's absence:

        1. His ministry as High Priest -- Other parts of the New Testament, which this series doesn't cover (though certainly worthwhile studying -- cf. The Epistle to the Hebrews), speak of Jesus as, not only the Passover sacrifice, but as the High Priest, who presents the blood of that sacrifice directly before the Father.

        2. His sending of the Holy Spirit to perform His role in the New Birth (3:3), the recreation (Ephesians 2:10; II Corinthians 5:17)

      * The way to gain righteousness is through the new birth, and availing ourselves of the High Priestly ministry of Messiah.

      * ... of judgement , because the ruler of this world is judged ... The Kingdom of God is displacing the kingdom of satan. To be on the winning side, that of the Kingdom of God, one must repent of one's part in the satan's kingdom, believe in Jesus, and embrace righteousness by receiving the Born Again experience. This entails all three parts of the Holy Spirit's message to the unbeliever. Next, we'll look at how the Holy Spirit acts on those who respond to His message:

      * The New Birth John 3:1-8 -- Much earlier, Jesus and the rabbi Nicodemus had had a dialogue, in which Jesus said some things that came off as a shock: ...unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...(vs 3). This passage is where we got the phrase, "born again". Jesus explained what He meant: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (vs 6).

        * Just as ones physical body is born from a physical mother, one who is born of the Spirit gains life on a spiritual dimension. II Corinthians 5:17 words it a different way: if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation . It's the ability to be in tune to God in a way that was lost to us when we partook of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

        * The Knowledge of Good and Evil will never be wiped from our minds. Therefore, as long as we're still in this life, we will be affected by the evil urge , which v arious New Testament passages refer to as the flesh . Having been born again, however, we have the choice, whether to be guided and motivated by the flesh, or by our born again spirit , as Galatians 5:16 states: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh .

        * James speaks of the same choice in chapter 2:8-13 of his epistle. In his words, the choice is between judging / showing partiality (which we do through the knowledge of good and evil), and fulfilling the royal law of liberty .

        * I Peter 2:2 describes the new creation as though it were a new born infant, suggesting a way to nurture it along: ... as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby ... The reading of scripture, taking advantage of the Holy Spirit's role in teaching us (John 14:26), and abiding in Jesus as a branch abides in a vine (John 15:1-5), are the means of encouraging the new Born Again creation to grow and have more influence over us than the flesh tainted with the knowledge of good and evil.

The Mandate: Through the sending of the Holy Spirit, we have been placed in a grand position, indeed. However, we must understand that He's been sent to us for a purpose far beyond occupying a pew on Sunday morning. We have a major job to do. Before He departed from the earth, Jesus gave his disciples what we often refer to as the "great commission". The same mandate is recorded several times in the New Testament. The following passages probably all relate to separate occasions in which Jesus gave similar instructions:

  * Matthew 28:18-20 -- This instance of the Great Commission places it in the context of His Messianic authority, and His ascending to sit at the right hand of the Father.

    * All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go ... (vs 18, 19 CJB). We also find a parallel to this in Paul's epistle to the Ephesians 1:20-23. We get the picture of Jesus as Head of the Church, with the authority flowing down to us via the Holy Spirit, which we described earlier, for the purpose of reaching the world.

    * Where the other instances of the Great Commision say to "preach the gospel", or "be witnesses", here we are instructed to make disciples (vs 19 NKJV). A disciple isn't just someone who had given his or her assent, but one who is totally sold out and committed to the Kingdom of God. We've seen this in the earlier modules, where Jesus talks about the life of the disciple.

    * all nations \-- Today, we tend to define "nation" as a sovereign political entity. In Biblical times, it meant an ethnic group. Rather than looking at a map of the world, it would be more helpful to consider how many languages are spoken throughout the world. Some countries, like India, Indonesia and Brazil have hundreds of tribal/ethnic groups, each speaking a different language.

  * Matthew 24:14 -- While this isn't one of the instances where Jesus actually gave the Great Commission, it does reveal the scope and the context in which it's to be carried out: this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. We could also note Revelation 7:9-17 as showing the fulfilment of this: I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues ... This, of course, confirms our understanding of the word "nation".

  * Mark 16:15-20 -- This instance reveals the aspect of Messiah working directly with us through the Holy Spirit.

    * ... these signs shall follow those who believe . .. (vs 17 NKJV) There follows a list similar to the works that Jesus did, which reminds us of His statement, ... the works that I do he will do also; and greater ... (John 14:12). Of particular note here: it isn't just the Apostles who are performing the signs, but all those who believe as the result of their preaching.

    * Later in the passage, Mark sums up, in one sentence, what happens throughout the whole book of Acts: ... they went out and proclaimed everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the message by the accompanying signs ... (vs 20 CJB)

  * Acts 1:8 -- This instance of the Great Commission is given alongside instructions to wait for the Holy Spirit's arrival: ... you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me ...

How it Came Together \-- In the last module, we saw that Jesus fulfilled the feast of Passover by becoming the Passover Sacrifice, and then the feast of First Fruits, by rising from the dead as the First Fruit of those who have died. Now, we'll see how Jesus also fulfilled the feast of Shavuot (the feast of weeks, or Pentecost) by sending the Holy Spirit to enliven the Church on the very day that commemorates when God spoke to the Children of Israel with an audible voice from Mt Sinai.

  * Shavuot: Exodus 19 recounts that in the third month after the Exodus, they arrived at Mt. Sinai (saying "the third month" was a normal way of saying that the time period covered parts of three month, from the 15th of Nissan, the whole month of Iyar, to about the 5th of the month of Sivan.). The following is the sequence of events leading to the first Shavuot.

    * Exodus 19:4-6 -- Moses brought a message from God, summarising what He had done for them so far in the deliverance from Egypt, asking for their total commitment, offering to make them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation .

    * vs 8 -- The people respond, saying, All that the Lord has spoken we will do . Thus, according to rabbinical terminology, they accepted the yoke of the Torah .

    * vs 10-15 -- Moses instructs the people to consecrate themselves and wash their clothes in preparation for God's appearance.

    * vs 16 through chapter 20 -- The people encounter God as He speaks from a dark cloud over Mt. Sinai in a thunderous voice, issuing the ten commandments.

    * We see the same pattern for one accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of God, wherein one commits oneself to follow God and rejects the kingdom of the world (repentance), becomes baptised, and then encounters God through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

  * The fulfilment: Jesus had told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. When the day of Pentecost ( Shavuot ) came, as the 120 of them were gathered, the Holy Spirit came, as promised.

    * In Acts 2:1-4 we read that the effect was very noticeable. Besides other visible manifestations, they began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak ... (vs 4 CJB). People who were there for the high holy day heard them speaking in languages they recognised. Others simply thought they were drunk, which draws our attention to another sign: an extra powerful move of the Holy Spirit can have an effect similar to drunkenness.

    * Peter takes the lead and gives an inspired sermon that turns the hearts of 3000 people. This is quite a change from the Peter we saw in the Gospels. However, it would be wrong to say that it was only due to the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Beginning on the night of Messiah's final meal, Peter had been through a traumatic time . We could say that as Messiah was being tried and executed, Peter's ego was also crucified.

      * Luke 22:31-34 -- Jesus says to Peter, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat . He also predicts his restoration, and that he will be in a position to strengthen the others. Then, He goes on to predict that he will deny Him.

      * Luke 22:54-62 describes how the overconfident Peter follows the band of armed men into the High Priest's courtyard. There, he suddenly feels intimidated, and denies having known Jesus, just as predicted. Afterwards, he is broken.

      * John 21:15-22 -- After the resurrection, Jesus reaches out to Peter in a rather dramatic way, in which Peter, broken and emptied of any other motive and ambition, realises that his love for Messiah is the key to serving Him.

      * Armed with the only real motive that God honours, Peter was a ready vessel for the Holy Spirit once the day of Shavuot arrived.

    * Acts 2:37-40 -- The message that Peter preached

      * vs 17-21 -- Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32. The prophecy is in two parts: one describing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which is what they are witnessing; the other part foretelling events of an apocalyptic nature, such as the sun becoming dark, etc. To Peter, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit following the resurrection of Messiah was the sign that they were in the end times. This confirms our observation, in the last module, that the resurrection of Messiah was only the prelude to the general resurrection of the dead -- giving it eschatological significance. To us, living some 2000 years later, things appear to have settled into life as usual. However, it's anything but that. It's us, who must beware lest we become like the unfaithful servant in Matthew 24:45-51. Peter, later, warns us in his epistle (II Peter 3:3-9) about making these kind of assumptions.

      * vs 22-36 -- He recounts the recent crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus and how it fulfils the prophecies. The sermon itself isn't rich in theology, only stating that it happened, and that He had risen from the dead, and that it fulfils prophecies, quoting Psalms 16:8-11 and 110:1. The fact that Jesus is now at the right hand of God, naturally leads to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as the people now witness.

      * The people are profoundly affected. Many of them had assumed that the the authorities were simply doing their just duty in trying and crucifying Jesus. The signs that had manifest through the disciples, the simple but direct message by Peter, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, suddenly revealed otherwise. At their response, Peter says, Repent, and let every one of you be baptised ...(vs 38 NKJV), and later, Save yourselves from this perverse generation! (vs 40 CJB). The latter statement clarifies the meaning of repentance, the perverse generation being the kingdom of the world (or satan) which is now being challenged by the Kingdom of God. We also begin to see the pattern that involved repentance followed by baptism as being the means of entering the Kingdom of God. We'll take a closer look at this pattern a little later.

    * Acts 3:12-26 -- Peter's second recorded message

      * This message is the follow-up to a healing of lame man who's presence at his usual begging spot was a familiar sight to all. The people readily recognised the man who was now walking and leaping, so there was no doubt that a miracle had occurred. This was a sign of the Kingdom of God, and Peter lost no time in pressing the point home: ... His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know ...(vs 16)

      * Again, the command is to repent (vs 19).

      * Peter again places it in an eschatological context in verse 20-21: ... whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things ... This is a rephrasing of of Psalm 110:1, which Peter quoted in his sermon of 2:35, ... till I make Your enemies Your footstool .

  * Church life \-- A number of passages in Acts describe the community that began to grow.

    * Acts 2:41-47 shows us what began to come together immediately after the Shavuot experience. Some of these are essential components of church life, and others are the result.

      * ...were baptised...(vs 40) Again, the way into the Kingdom community was through baptism.

      * ...continued faithfully in the teaching of the emissaries...(vs 42CJB) Sound teaching is an important aspect of a healthy Kingdom community. The teachings would have been based on what the Apostles had learned from Jesus, as presented to us in the Gospels. Being that this was a Jewish setting, everyone would have already had an adequate knowledge of the Torah and the Prophets, enabling the to readily understand the words of Jesus. That's why we have structured the Tishbyte Foundational Series beginning with a study of the Old Testament, followed by a study of Messiah's sayings and acts as presented in Matthew. Teaching is one of the main components of church life.

      * ...fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers ...(vs 42) Another of the main components of church life is fellowship. Healthy church life is anything but a spectator event. It's about interacting with one another. Breaking of bread is a part of this, especially as dining together was an important part of social life in the first century middle east. Another aspect of breaking of bread is the sacrament of remembering the death of Jesus, and applying it to ourselves by faith. Prayer is another part of fellowship. As we saw in Matthew 18, prayer becomes all the more vital when a group is united together for that purpose.

      * ...many wonders and signs were done through the apostles... (vs 43) in accordance to Jesus' statement that the same works that He did, and greater, would be done by those who believe. We see, as time went by, that the Apostles weren't the only ones performing miracles. Examples are Philip (Acts 8:6), Ananias, who ministered to Saul (Acts 9) and Saul himself are examples mentioned directly. According to I Corinthians 12, supernatural manifestations are to be expected in any local church setting.

      * ...stayed together and had everything in common...(vs 44 CJB) This wasn't a once-every-Sunday event for the early believers. They saw each other daily, and it seems many stayed in the homes of fellow believers. Because Jerusalem was the hub of worldwide Judaism, the population of the city swelled to many times it's usual size every high feast day. Many stayed on from Passover through to Shavuot. Those who began to embrace the Kingdom of God probably stayed even longer, making it necessary for local believers to open their homes. Hospitality was already a highly valued trait in the Jewish community; how much more so for the new believing community.

      * ...distributed the proceeds to all who were in need ...(vs 45 CJB) The same thing that came naturally to Zaccheus, and not-so-naturally to the Rich Young Ruler, appears to have become the norm for the early believers.

      * ...with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house...(vs 46) The Temple was the centre of activity. The early believers were Jewish, and there was no question about separating to start a new religion. Even as late as the events of Acts 21, the believers, including the Apostle Paul, still performed rituals in the Temple as was normal for Israelites. The Temple was where the believers congregated en mass, a few thousand of them (3000 of them from the beginning, plus 2000 more a few days later, and counting), comparing with many mega-churches today. However, they also met from house to house, where they would dine together, partaking of the sacrament of remembrance. Both elements are an important part of church life: celebration among a vast number of believers, and the intimate fellowship provided by a small group meeting in a home.

      * ...the Lord added to the church...(vs 47) Having all of the components of a healthy church, the community steadily grew.

    * Acts 4:32-35 -- As time went on, the dynamics increased, as dedication increased and unity deepened.

      * ...one heart and one soul...(vs 32) Why did so many signs and wonders happen there in Jerusalem that we don't see as much of later? Why don't we see miracles on the same level today? One thing that distinguishes the early believers in Jerusalem from all others, was their unity. Jesus' prayer in John 17:20-23 indicates that unity would be the key to the success of the church. Later, as the Gospel spread to various Gentile groups, it's only natural that the diversity would put pressure on the relationships within the church as a whole. However, once the church continues to mature, the unity throughout the Body of Messiah should again stabilise, and we should, once again, see the greater works. That hasn't happened yet.

      * ...no one claimed any of his possessions for himself ...(vs 32 CJB)...Nor was there anyone among them who lacked...(vs 34) The question of whether or not the early Jerusalem church engaged a lifestyle of communalism, is a big point for discussion in some circles. On the left are those who extol them as an example for all of us. Among those on the far right, are some who say that their over-generosity and "unwise use of resources" led to so many of them being destitute later on, when the church of Antioch had to come to their aid (Acts 11). To understand the issue we need to look at several considerations:

        * It's possible there was some influence from the Essenes, who did practice communalism as well as celibacy in some of their communities.

        * It's true that many did share freely, even giving all their means. However, it's evident from Peter's answer to Ananias (Acts 5:4) that the sharing wasn't mandatory to being a part of the community. ... While it remained, was it not your own?

        * No one was pushing it as a political ideology, but as a voluntary lifestyle.

        * If they went too far into over-generosity, it seems Barnabas who was among the foremost of givers in selling all his property and laying it at the apostles' feet, never learned his lesson. We see in chapter 11 that he was the leader of the church of Antioch when they all gave generously to send an offering to Jerusalem.

        * To understand the "if" and "why" of the matter, we need to comprehend the dynamics of the Church of Jerusalem. The newly believing community was largely composed of those who had been away from home ever since Passover and Shavuot, who stayed on so as to learn the way of the Kingdom. While some were generous with their means in supporting them, these ones were sacrificing their family life and livelihoods back at home.

        * Jerusalem, being the hub of worldwide Judaism, as well as of the new Messianic group within Judaism, was the centre of gravity for anyone, anywhere who had problems that required the help of the community. Destitute Jewish people from world over would have known that the place to find generous Jews was in Jerusalem. Therefore, it was natural that a stockpile of grain be maintained in Jerusalem -- hence the offerings being sent from Antioch, and later from the Gentile churches in Phillippi and Corinth through Paul.

        * Finally, nowhere do we find in scripture any rebuke of the early believers for their lack of "wisdom" in giving too much.

      * ...With great power the emissaries continued testifying to the resurrection of the Lord...(vs 33 CJB) The purpose of signs, wonders and miracles are to testify of the resurrection of Jesus. Many of the signs and wonders in the Gospel of John were signs of the coming resurrection of Jesus. In the same way, signs and wonders in our age result from the power that was released in His resurrection (thus proving that it happened), and are also signs of the coming resurrection of all those who have died.

    * Acts 5:12-35 -- This chapter begins with the death of Ananias and Saphira, an incident that also illustrates the powerful dynamic of unity and spiritual power present in the church. The death of the couple was not because they failed to give all the proceeds of the sale of land -- Peter indicated that it was their choice -- but due to their hypocrisy regarding the matter, saying they had given it all when they hadn't. This leads us to the question: If the Holy Spirit were to move in our midst as strongly as it did in Jerusalem at that time, how many of us would be left alive? Does this indicate how the church, as a whole, must proceed before we begin seeing the "greater works"?

      * ...through the emissaries many signs and miracles continued to be done among the people...(vs 12 CJB) -- This is a further repetition, adding more emphasis to confirm the fact. A few verses later, we see that people were healed as Peter's shadow passed over them.

      * ...United in mind and purpose, the believers met in Shlomo's Colonnade ...(vs 12 CJB) The passage that follows indicates that no one dare to join with them unless they were serious. There were no casual "church goers". Incidents like the above brought on the fear of the Lord.

      * ...believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes... (vs 14) Another repetition, but with the word multitudes added.

    * Paul's experience in Ephesus \-- Acts 19:9-12 and Acts 20:20, 21 show us that Jerusalem wasn't the only place we see the same dynamics of church growth.

      * Paul's message was, ...repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ...(vs 21)

      * When speaking to the elders of Ephesus, Paul reminds them that he ...taught [them] publicly and from house to house...(20:20) This is the same balance we saw in chapter 2:46. T. L. Osborn aptly calls this pattern, "20-20 vision".

      * The result was that ...all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus...(vs 10)

      * Verses 11 and 12 describe the miracles that happened: ...handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them...

    * To sum up this section describing the dynamics of the early church, I'll reprint a list from my pamphlet The Happy Kingdom . While it may be difficult to find a community that has all of the dynamics working as described above, one that fits the criteria listed below will at least be well on the way:

Eight Criteria to Look For in a Church .

      1. If you are looking for a community of believers to join with, look for the following eight criteria in descending order of importance (the first three being absolutely vital) -- a church...

      2. ...where the Messiah Jesus is central to all, and is the prime focus, and is Lord of every area of life and community activity. Where He is recognised as the Son of God, and that He is God.

      3. ...where it is firmly believed that Jesus was born as a man, died on the cross physically for our sins, and then, physically rose again from the dead; and that the power of His resurrection is what enables us to live the Kingdom life.

      4. ...where the Bible, both the Old and New Testament - from Genesis to Revelation - is indisputably recognised as the word of God; that it is relevant to us today, and is accepted as the final authority over and above any teaching, prophetic word or vision etc.

      5. ...where the people's personality and character have been noticeably transformed through abiding in the presence of God (through worship, repentance, prayer and Bible reading) so that the image of Jesus is seen in the lives of the people. Where it is understood and practised that this transformation must continue through out our whole lives on earth.

      6. ...where they are not involved in strife among themselves, nor with other Christian groups. Love is the motivating factor -- not fear, intimidation or jealousy.

      7. ...where emphasis is placed on what they have in common with other believers (those who fit the first 3 criteria - no matter what their background) and not on what distinguishes them as a unique fellowship/church/denomination. Believers from other backgrounds are regarded as just as much their brother and sister in Messiah/Christ as are fellow members of their group, and not looked down on in any way. High priority is given to maintaining relationships.

      8. ...where they are open to experiencing the power of God and hearing His voice in a personal way, or corporately.

      9. ...where the leaders are humble and childlike, they are the leaders by virtue of being servants of all, and their greatness in the kingdom is by virtue of being the least in their own eyes. The eighth may be the most difficult to find. You may just have to pray that the church you do find that fits most of the above seven will soon attain to the eighth as well.

Churches may differ in many ways - in their traditions, pattern of worship, administration, and teaching - but if they fit the above eight criteria, you are on safe ground. The community is a very important part of the Kingdom of God, just as the citizens any country are to that country. In spite of the many variations that the church takes in it's local expression, we are one Church .

  * Examples of repentance, baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit \-- We'll proceed to observe several recurring patterns that show up in the book of Acts, going through instances where people or groups were converted and/or received the Holy Spirit. Since we already covered the first couple of instances, we'll move on...

    * The Refilling: Acts 4:23-31 -- After the first arrest by the Temple authorities, Peter and John relate their experiences. They pray, and the Holy Spirit falls again, showing us that being filled with the Holy Spirit isn't just a one-time experience: ... _when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness_.

    * The Samaritans: Acts 8:4-25 -- After persecution began in Jerusalem, many people, including Philip, fled to various places, spreading the word as they went. Philip went to Samaria, where there was a great response.

      * The Samaritans ...heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did...(vs 6) Again, we see miracles and healings as a part of the evangelism, confirming the Kingdom of God.

      * New of this reached Jerusalem, whereupon Peter and John went there and ...prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus...(vs 15, 16) This is an interesting variance from the previous instances, in that the Samaritans didn't receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit right away, but afterwards.

      * The narrative of Acts doesn't mention that they spoke in tongues, but it does indicate that something happened to the people as Peter and John laid their hands on them that caught the attention of Simon, a professional magician. ...when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given...(vs 18). The situation here is similar to that of the incident of Ananias and Saphira. Peter rebuked Simon because he wanted to use the gift of God for personal enhancement.

    * The Ethiopian Eunuch: Acts 8:26 --

      * The narrative of Philip illustrates various ways that God communicates with people. First, an angel appears to him instructing him to go to the south. On seeing the Eunuch's chariot, the Spirit speaks in Philip's heart to catch up. Then, he follows common sense logic in striking up a conversation. After the eunuch's conversion, the Holy Spirit apparently "teleports" Philip to a different location again, from where he again follows common sense logic in making his way to his home in Caesaria, preaching as he goes.

      * When the Eunuch indicates a repentant heart, the natural next step is immersion in water: ..."See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may."...(vs 36, 37). As we observed earlier, the means of entering the Kingdom was through baptism. The pattern seems quite consistent throughout the book of Acts that this was the way of expressing ones faith in Messiah. Some, today, insist that such an act constitutes "works", that since we aren't saved by works but by faith, praying a prayer of repentance and faith is the only way. Baptism, they say, is ony a symbolic act after the fact. If "works" is the issue, why is baptism a "work", and not the reciting the "sinner's prayer" (as though it were a mantra or an incantation), or walking to the front during an altar call? The act doesn't save in either case, but the faith that's strong enough to motivate the action. The "sinner's prayer" isn't found anywhere in scripture, but the commands to baptise and be baptised are (Matthew 8:19 and Acts :38). On the other hand, it would be a grave mistake to assume that anyone who has expressed repentance and faith by praying the "sinner's prayer", without being baptised, is still unsaved. Later, we'll see an example that blows that assumption away.

    * Saul's conversion: Acts 9:1-19 -- Saul, often referred to by his Greek name, Paul (Jewish people born and raised in Greek cities like Tarsus often had both a Jewish and a Greek name), has been persecuting the believers, until he has a face to face encounter with Messiah on the way to Damascus.

      * Saul remains blind for three days before Ananias comes to lay hands on him. Perhaps, forced into a corner, the three days was the time it took to come to terms with what had happened and to develop a ready repentant heart. In a similar scenario, Zacharius, on being told by the angel that he would father John the Baptist, was struck mute because he had begun expressing unbelief, perhaps because it could have possibly jeopardised the plan of God. Nine months of silence probably did for him what three days of darkness did for Saul, as his first words on speaking again were a prophecy.

      * Ananias told Saul that Jesus had sent him that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit (vs 17). It's not clear in this context, exactly when Saul received the Holy Spirit, or whether he spoke in tongues or not at that time. However, much later he wrote to the Corinthian believers, I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all (I Corinthians 14:18).

      * After his healing, he was baptised (vs 18).

    * Cornelius: Acts 10 --

      * The description of Cornelius goes against some of the assumptions we often make in our theology. ...a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always...(vs 2) He was a gentile who feared the God of Israel (probably following the Noachide laws as they were interpreted at that time), who didn't know about Jesus. Yet, his works, done out of a hunger for God, attracted God's attention. An angel appears to him, saying, Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God (vs 4).

      * Peter is directed by the Holy Spirit to accept Cornelius' invitation. A remarkable thing happens: ...While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word...(vs 44). ...they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God...(vs 46)

      * Cornelius and his household show evidence of having been filled with the Holy Spirit before there's any question as to whether it's appropriate to baptise them. If we've had one assumption blown out of the water (see the comment above regarding the Ethiopian Eunuch), it was an even bigger paradigm shift for Peter and his companions. ...Then Peter answered, "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" (vs 46, 47) It appears that Cornelius, being one who readily responded to his heart and conscience, was a ready candidate for the Holy Spirit as soon as the words of Peter ignited his faith. Once it was evident that God had set His approval, baptism was the most obvious next step. It was a matter of the alpha male catching up with the herd.

    * The Philippian Jailer: Acts 16:25-34 -- This passage is the source of the popularly quoted saying of Paul, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household (vs 31). Some would point out the lack of the command to repent. However, let's take a closer look at the details:

      * First, Paul and Silas performed the exorcism of a major spirit medium (a pythia ). The local populace and the magistrates became blind with rage, throwing them into the deepest part of the local prison. Either Paul didn't get a chance to protest that he was a Roman citizen, or if he did, they didn't listen. The spiritual principality over that city had been offended (Ephesians 6:12).

      * Paul and Silas were in prayer and praising God all night despite being in a cramped prison cell, no doubt engaged in spiritual warfare. Then, came the earthquake. All the doors swung open. However, instead of fleeing, like any sensible prisoner would, all the inmates stick around. Why? We could venture a good guess that, accompanying the earthquake, there was a sudden change in the atmosphere over the whole city. The spiritual principality that controlled that city had been cast down. A spirit of conviction came over the prisoners, and they, like the jailer, were probably trembling and weeping. This has been known to happen in intense times of revival, such as during the time of John Wesley, Charles Finny, Jonathan Edwards and others.

      * The jailer was already in a state of repentance, so all Paul had to do was say, "believe...". Afterwards, the jailer and his whole household were baptised. When Paul said "household", he may have meant the jail-house full of prisoners.

      * The next morning, back to their rational senses, the magistrates suddenly wondered how they could have been so unreasonable the night before, and decided to release Paul and Silas. Their change of demeanour is noticeable from the text. They were dismayed when Paul brought up the matter of his Roman citizenship.

      * This scenario fits in with what has been described by Peter Wagner and others as "strategic level spiritual warfare" (See his book, Territorial Spirits , edited by Peter Wagner, Sovereign World Ltd. Feb 1991, ISBN 978-1852400552).

    * The Ephesian believers: Acts 19:1-7 -- On another journey, Paul went to Ephesus, where he found a group of people who were disciples of Jesus, but had probably moved away from Palestine before the events in Acts occurred. The only baptism they knew about was that of John the Baptist. This passage also provides us with more examples:

      * Paul doesn't make any assumptions that being a disciple means one is filled with the Holy Spirit. He asks, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? (vs 2) It was an accepted fact that conversion, or being born again, didn't always include the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

      * On further enquiry, Paul found that they had only undergone the baptism of repentance as prescribed by John.

        * That immersion was for the purpose of preparing the people of Israel for the coming of Messiah. Paul proceeded to administer the baptism the Jesus had commanded.

        * In the book of Acts we often find the terminology, "baptised in the name of Jesus", whereas in Matthew 8:19, 20, we read that the command is to baptise in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There are some who use the wording in Acts to insist that baptism must be administered in the name of Jesus only. This formula for baptism goes along with their rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity, believing that Jesus is the only person of the Godhead. We've already shown from various passages that Jesus, the incarnate Word, the Shechina of God, both communicated with the Father in prayer, was with God at the beginning, and is God (according to John 1:1). The difference between Matthew's wording and that of Acts is probably due the Luke, the writer of Acts, using that as a way to distinguish it from the baptism of John.

      * After the baptism, ...when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied (vs 6). The filling of the Holy Spirit was a separate experience from the baptism in water. Again, it was accompanied by the speaking in tongues and prophecy.

    * Observations regarding the experience of the Holy Spirit's infilling:

      * Sometimes we see the Holy Spirit given immediately on repentance and baptism, sometimes later, and at one instance, after faith but before baptism. We can't make any assumptions as to the order in which it must occur.

      * More often than not, we see the infilling of the Holy Spirit accompanied by the speaking in tongues and prophecy. Some have concluded that tongues is the test of whether one is filled with the Holy Spirit or not. However, I believe it's a mistake to make that assumption. Some, known to myself, have been used in other gifts, such as prophecy, healing and the casting out of demons, who haven't spoken in tongues.

      * While there seems to be a crisis moment where one receives the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and thereafter moves more freely in certain gifts of the Spirit, it shouldn't be taken for granted as though it were a rites of passage. Ephesians 5:18 advises us, do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. The tense in the Greek for the words, be filled , is present continuous. The Complete Jewish Bible says, keep on being filled with the Spirit . Note, also, the experience of the Apostles being _refilled_ in Acts 4. It's an ongoing experience that must be maintained through abiding in the vine, Jesus (John 15:1-4).

    * The theme of repentance: There are some who downplay the subject of repentance, saying it isn't a message for the age of the Church (the "age of grace"). However, from what we've seen so far, repentance was very central to the message of the Gospel. The following are two more examples from Paul, whose epistles are often miss-use in order to distil the message of casual salvation (note Peter's warning in II Peter 3:16):

      * Acts 17:30, 31 -- Paul, preaching to the sophists in Athens, proclaimed that God ...now commands all men everywhere to repent ... because, He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. This goes along with what we observed in John 16:8, that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgement, wherein we linked the concept of repentance to judgement.

      * Acts 26:19-20 -- Paul, in describing his ministry to King Agrippa, says that his message to the Gentiles was ... that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance (vs 20). The last phrase helps us in reconciling the words of Paul and those of James (James 2:17).

How to receive: Luke 11:9-13 -- In Luke's version of the "ask, seek, knock" saying, in the example of the son asking of the father, Jesus says, ... how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! If we take this into account, we could conclude that there are two ways to receive the Holy Spirit, through the laying on of hands, and through asking the Father.

  * The laying on of hands could be the most effective way, especially in a situation where the Holy Spirit is moving, and/or the one laying hands is gifted to do so. We'll talk more about gifts later in this module. However, it's been known to work where one isn't aware of any special gifting.

  * In asking of the Father directly, we should be aware that the Greek tense used for "ask" is present continuous. The Complete Jewish Bible , which usually translates the present continuous tense where it exists, renders verse 13: ... how much more will the Father keep giving the Ruach HaKodesh from heaven to those who keep asking him!

    * Notice that the giving of the Holy Spirit by the Father is also in the present continuous, which should further emphasise to us that it should be seen as much more than a one time "rites of passage".

    * The older Pentecostal churches practice "tarrying" for the Holy Spirit, often waiting for hours before God in prayer for the infilling. The later Charismatic movement, especially the Word of Faith and others, tend to disparage "tarrying" as being done in unbelief, in face of scriptures like the above that seem to say, "just ask". However, it's easy to miss the present continuous tense of the passage. Many have received the infilling of the Holy Spirit right away, but if it doesn't happen immediately, waiting in faith before God may be the thing to do. However, if it takes a very long time, it would be good to seek the help of other believers in the community, especially those who have had experience in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Also, don't necessarily leave off "tarrying" just because you do begin to experience the infilling. In fact, do it on a daily basis. It's a good time to learn to hear His voice, and further "abide in the vine".

  * ... if his son asked him for a fish, would instead of a fish give him a snake? (vs 11 CJB) Some are afraid of seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit for fear of becoming demon possessed. This passage assures us that, provided one is sincere in asking the Father for the Holy Spirit out of a pure hunger for God and a truly repentant heart, one doesn't need to worry that one will get a demon instead of the Holy Spirit. If the motive is right, it should be straightforward. However, if there are issues that need to be dealt with, a time of "tarrying" may be what is needed to bring them to the surface, and further repentance of things that the Holy Spirit reveals. Doing it in the context of the believing community is the ideal situation.

Unity and Diversity: Now, we'll turn our attention to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As the gifts are given for a specific purpose, we can't simply talk about the gifts themselves without also discussing why they were given: to equip the Body of Messiah in the expansion of the Kingdom of God. They enable the community to act as a body, each member having it's own function. There are several lists in the New Testament, each including some gifts that others don't. Very few of them include a detailed definition, with the exception of tongues and prophecy, which we'll also look at. Interestingly enough, Paul is the author of four of the lists. It's not an exact science, as probably no two people have the same exact gift or mix of gifts. We can only give a general set of guidelines based on people's observation and study. For further reference, read Howard Carter's Questions & Answers on Spiritual Gifts , (1976 Harrison House, Tulsa Ok, ISBN 978-1-57794-065-4), and Peter Wagner's Discover Your Spiritual Gifts: Indentify and Understand your Unique God-Given Spiritual Gifts ; 2014 Regal, ISBN 978-0830762316).

  * I Corinthians 12:4-31 contains two of the lists in one chapter. The whole chapter is instructive and self explanatory. It would be worthwhile reading both chapters 12 and 13. We will go into detail with one of the two lists of the gifts of the spirit here, the one in verses 8 to 10. There is another found between verses 28 and 30.

    * The first list (vs 8-10). Some commentators divide this list into three, the revelation gifts, power gifts, and utterance gifts. The descriptions will be loosely based on what has been taught by Howard Carter (see the above reference). Some people may have different definitions of some of the gifts, which may suit them better. As long as we know that a manifestation is from the Holy Spirit, it doesn't always matter what exactly we call it. At least this list will give us an idea what to expect.

      1. The Word of Wisdom: One of the revelation gifts -- can come as supernatural understanding of what to do, or what God's will is for a person or a particular situation.

      2. The Word of Knowledge: A revelation gift -- knowledge of something that could have come by no other way but by the Holy Spirit

      3. Faith: A power gift -- a special confidence that God will respond to a particular course of action that might seem foolhardy under normal circumstances.

      4. Gifts of Healings: Power gift -- in which the power of God us present to heal. This is in the plural, as some people seem to have success with certain types of ailments.

      5. Working of Miracles: A power gift -- involve powerful acts that are beyond the ordinary course of nature, such as changing the physical state of something. In a matter of physical health, it might entail growing a new limb or organ. Alternatively, it could be the operation of special signs and wonders that draw attention to the Kingdom of God.

      6. Prophecy: An utterance gift -- a spoken word that comes from the Holy Spirit. We'll look at the prophetic gift in more detail later in this module.

      7. Discerning of Spirits: A revelation gift -- the ability to know whether spiritual activity has it's source from God, the human spirit or is demonic. In the case of demonic, sometimes this gift allows the believer to know which type of demon, so as to aid in exorcism and/or spiritual warfare.

      8. Different Kinds of Tongues: Utterance gifts -- the ability to speak in another language unknown to the speaker. We'll also look at this in detail later.

      9. Interpretation of Tongues: An utterance gift -- the ability to translate a message in tongues. It could be said that in most cases, a message in tongues followed by an interpretation is equal to a prophetic utterance. Some prophecies have been given after the speaker has spoken in tongues quietly in his/her own heart.

    * The second list (vs 28-30) repeats some of the gifts, and adds that of Apostle, Prophet, Teacher, Helps and Administrations. Another similar list in Romans 12:6-8 also includes ministry, giving, leading and showing mercy. Some of the ones in both lists are also ministry gifts.

  * I Corinthians 13 -- This often quoted chapter is strategically placed where it is to help us maintain our perspective -- in fact, to impress it on the Corinthian believers, some of whom tended to go over the top.

    * We've already noted the relationship between James' statements regarding the Royal Law of Liberty (love your neighbour as yourself), and Paul's terminology of walking in the spirit. The love of God, which expresses itself in compassion and true desire for the other's welfare, is the test of whether we're in the spirit. Any other motivation for moving in the gifts is simply a lot of noise, as verses 1-3 poetically state.

    * In verses 4 to 7, we find a perfect description of love. It's a good passage to memorise. The kind of love that qualifies is pure, without selfish motives or ambitions, thinking only of the object of that love.

      * Note, it's the love itself that is pure, not necessarily our hearts. We may have both pure love, along with some other desires and ambitions.

      * On one hand, the only one who has ever had 100% pure motives was Jesus. If an act of mercy also happens to make you "look good", just try to give the glory to God, and remain humble by an act of choice. However it is our goal for love to become dominant in our lives. The more difficult choices in life will show which is which, and making the right choice will strengthen the love factor.

    * Verses 8 to 11 have been interpreted by some as signifying that the gifts of tongues, prophecy and healing were soon to be discontinued, that they were only for the early days of the Church age. The phrase, that which is perfect, is taken to mean the canon of scripture.

      * Though having the Bible is a good thing, it doesn't make our knowledge perfect. Even with numerous translations, Bible teachers and commentaries, we still see through a glass darkly. As for a complete canon, though all of the books of the New Testament were completed within the 1st century, it wasn't until after 300 a.d. that it was generally agreed which books were to be included in the canon of scripture. Even then, it was only available in handwritten form, and one often had to travel miles just to read it. Some, throughout history and in our day still don't have access to the Bible.

      * There's also no evidence that miracles and other manifestations of the Holy Spirit ever did cease, at least not at the end of the apostolic age. Various writings of the Church Fathers, most notably, Justin Martyr, refer to miracles, tongues and other manifestations occurring in their time. A thorough study of church history will show that they've been present in almost every age.

      * If we examine the terminology of verses 9 through 12, we find that it's more likely a description of what we hope to be after the resurrection. After all, it's the Resurrection of the Dead that we have been looking forward to ever since the Jesus became the First Fruit, not an extended holding pattern assisted by a more complete canon of scripture.

  * I Corinthians 14 -- This chapter is instructive regarding the gifts of tongues and prophecy. A lot if it, however, is directed at the excesses by some of the believers of Corinth. While it's worth reading the whole chapter for the sake of avoiding the same mistakes today, we'll only highlight those verses that help us understand the purpose and nature of tongues and prophecy.

    * Tongues:

      1. ...is for speaking to God (vs 2)

      2. Vs 4 -- By speaking in tongues, one edifies oneself.

      3. Vs 5 -- ...is something to be desired (notwithstanding that to prophesy is more so), and that Paul wished all the Corinthian believers could do it, which shows us not everyone did.

      4. Vs 13 -- It's possible to ask God for an interpretation of one's utterance in tongues.

      5. Vs 15 -- It's good to pray and to sing both in the spirit (in tongues) and with the understanding. Singing in the spirit can be a useful medium of worship.

      6. Vs 17 -- It's a good way of giving thanks to God

      7. It's apparent that tongues can serve two purposes, as a message to be uttered in the congregation along with an interpretation, and as a means of edifying one's self -- meaning one's recreated born again spirit. It's one of the means by which one can wait on God while "abiding in the vine".

    * Prophecy: This chapter makes only one statement about prophecy, which is found in verse 3: ... he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort ... We tend to think of prophecy as foretelling a future event. That is often true in the case of a prophet. However, it's apparent in the New Testament that not everyone who prophecies is necessarily a prophet. Of the two lists in I Corinthians 12, the first includes prophecy, and the second, which seems to include ministries, says "prophets". Chapter 14 discusses the gifts in terms of being used by believers in general. The purpose for prophecy, according to vers 3, is: edification, exhortation and comfort. It's for believers to give one another words from God that will encourage and spur them onward. In the next section we'll look at examples of the work of prophets in the New Testament, which included rebuke, giving direction and foretelling the future.

  * Ephesians 4:7-16 includes a list of ministry gifts, sometimes referred to as the "Fivefold Ministry", or "Ascension Gifts".

    * These gifts are for those who serve the Kingdom community in a special way, the ones we would think of as the leaders. Before we run with that description, however, let's stop and remember that Jesus' requirement for leaders was that they were first the servant of all. It was not a status thing, like in many churches today. Also, in times of persecution (as is the case in many parts of the world today), the leaders were the ones must vulnerable to arrest and other forms of abuse. These gifts, which are to enable these leaders to serve , are:

      * Apostle: basically a messenger, a legate or an emissary.

        * The Jewish community then and to this day, have the title of emissary. Paul would have been recognised as an apostle/emissary when he travelled to Damascus with authorising letters from the High Priest. In that sense, anyone who is sent out as a missionary is an apostle, in that they are sent as an emissary from their home congregation, or mission board.

        * If we look at what all the apostles in the New Testament had in common, however, we can also make other inferences. More often than not, they were involved in planting new congregations, or in establishing the Kingdom of God in new places. They were the ones who laid the foundation, both for the churches, and for the new believers.

        * There was often a prophetic side to their ministry. We think of the Old testament as being written by Prophets, and the New, by Apostles.

        * Some prefer to only think of the 12 appointees of Jesus as being genuine apostles. They are certainly apostles in a unique sense. However, there are altogether 24 people mentioned in the New Testament as being apostles, including Paul, Barnabas, Perscilla (a woman) and Aquilla, Andronicas and Junia (also a woman), Matthias (who took the place of Judas), Epaphroditus (emissary of the congregation in Phillippi), among others.

      * Prophet: We talked about the role of a prophet in module 4, The Holy Spirit in the Torah and Prophets . It could be helpful to reread that.

        * The prophets in the New Testament would have a similar function, namely, to speak God's word to a situation, warn and bring correction, and in some cases, become agents of change.

        * As we said earlier, the original 12 apostles, as well as Paul and others also had a prophetic edge to their ministries. This is especially evident in their writings which make up most of the New Testament.

        * Some e xamples of prophetic ministry:

          * Peter's rebuke of Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11). Some insist that prophets in the New Testament era, in which we live, don't confront people with personal sin or in a negative way. This example, and a few others below, seem to indicate otherwise.

          * Peter's rebuke of Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:18-24)

          * Agabus' prediction of a famine (Acts 11:28)

          * Paul's rebuke of Elymus (Acts 13:8-12), accompanied by a supernatural sign (like the case of Ananias and Saphira)

          * Silas and Judas sent by the Jerusalem church to exhort and strengthen the new Gentile believers (Acts 15:32)

          * Philip's daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9)

          * Agabus' prediction of Paul's imprisonment (Acts 21:11)

          * John's prophecy to the seven churches (Revelation 1-3), which includes a number exhortations, encouragements and rebukes with severe warnings. The whole book of revelation is a prophecy, almost like some of the Old Testament prophetic books.

          * The book of James also contains a number of warnings directed at believers living at that time, delivered with a prophetic tone: Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! (5:1)

      * Evangelist : One who takes the Gospel to the non believers. Actually, that's everyone's job, but an evangelist may be one who leads and equips others in that function, or does so on a mass scale, like Philip in Samaria. In Acts 21:8, Philip is referred to as an evangelist.

      * Pastor : The word literally means, a shepherd. A good study would be Psalm 23, and John 10, both making reference to a shepherd and his sheep. A pastor might not necessarily be one in leadership over a church, but perhaps a cell leader. Perhaps he/she might initially show a special abilities in this are through working one-on-one, and later expand be given responsibility over more.

      * Teacher : A teacher is one who is able to teach the Bible in a way that people can understand it and apply it to their own lives. Some interpret the text as listing Pastor and Teacher as the same gift, as the wording is, ... and some pastors and teachers . As we've observed, no two people have exactly the same giftings, so this could be so in some cases, and not so in others. However, a pastor/teacher would be the ideal one to lead churches modelled on our current traditions.

    * Now, let's look at the purpose of these gifts in verses 12 to 16:

      * Verse 12, in some translations, is sometimes misread so as to mistake the first phrase as being two items: for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry (there should be no comma between "saints" and "for"). The ministries listed in verse 11 are assigned to equip and train the rest of the believers for the work of ministry, not just do it themselves.

      * Verse 13 gives us the scope as to how long we need the ministry gifts. Some say that the time for Apostles and Prophets is past, that it was only for the first century. However, the text here says that they are there to equip us until we've come to the unity of faith, and have been perfected ...to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. We need them for as long as the Body of Messiah has not attained to that sort of unity. That includes all Protestants, Catholics, Free Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Plymouth Brethren, Charismatics, Baptists, Methodists, Calvinists, Arminians, Messianic Jewish, Supersessionists, Dispensationalists, Evangelicals, Emergent, Fundamentalist, Progressive, everyone claiming salvation through the blood and resurrection of Messiah. It is easier for a rich man to go through an eye of a needle than for some of these groups to be reconciled and come into unity, but with God, all things are possible. It will happen before the end of the age.

      * Vs 14-16 show the process of maturing, both individually and corporately until we are truly a unified body, with Messiah as the head. Verse 16 is a graphic description of how the matured church should look using the metaphor of a human body. Not only is each part important, but also the joints, which are where two or more parts join. It's only in this environment of unity that the greater works mentioned in John 14:12 can start to happen.

The Next Module, _What the Gospel Reveals_ should give us a more complete understanding of the Holy Spirits work in the believer and the Body of Messiah

## What the Gospel Reveals

A study of Paul's Epistle to the Romans

#13 of the Tishbyte Foundational Bible Study series

#8 of the New Covenant section

© 2015 Robby Charters

www.RobbyCharters.co.uk

Chapter 1 – What the Gospel Reveals – Paul launches his message with verses 16,17 – For I am not ashamed of the Good News, since it is God's powerful means of bringing salvation to everyone who keeps on trusting, to the Jew especially, but equally to the Gentile. For in it is revealed how God makes people righteous in his sight; and from beginning to end it is through trust — as the Tanakh puts it, "But the person who is righteous will live his life by trust." (CJB)

  * Key phrase: For in it is revealed how God makes people righteous in his sight... If we take the key word revealed as a clue, we can divide the first part of Romans into sections: What's revealed is 1. God's wrath (1:18 – 3:20), and 2. God's means of making people righteous (3:21 ff).

    * vs. 18: What is revealed is God's anger from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who in their wickedness keep suppressing the truth...(CJB)

    * The rest of chapter 1 can be divided into two parts: the root problem, and the symptoms.

  * The Root Problem: verses 18-23 describe humanity's refusal to acknowledge God,

    * The root of it all is humanity's suppression of the knowledge of God. By not thanking and glorifying God, humanity has lost the focus, and become futile, undiscerning and lost in the dark.

    * Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Vs 18-23 describes the inverse of Prov 1:7.

  * The Symptom, or the result of suppressing the knowledge of God:

    * vs 23-32 describes the outward results. By rejecting the "beginning of wisdom" they let themselves in for every form of sin (Prov 8:13 – The fear of God is hatred of evil.)

    * Emphases is on the rejection of the knowledge of God in vs 18-22. The situation described in vs 24-32 is secondary. Much of the failure of religion is due to not distinguishing the symptoms (vs 18-22) from the root problem (vs 23-32).

Chapter 2:1-3:20 – How we, as humans, tend to deal with the root problem and the symptoms. It's easy to notice the symptoms (1:23-32), but understanding the root cause (1:18-23) takes more perception. However, the clues are there for those who will look for them.

  * Verses 1-16 describes those who fail to regard the symptoms as secondary, and instead, judge their fellow humans by their failures. Though some interpret this as referring to the Jews, the wording of this verse, ...whoever you are..., makes it clear that Paul is addressing humanity in general.

    * According to Jesus and James, judging puts us in the position to be judged according to the criteria by which we judge. It only serves to highlight the fact that we have no excuse when we do the same things. Whether we actually do it to a greater or lesser degree than those whom we've judged, doesn't matter. What does matter is that we've set up those standards as a criteria by which we will be judged.

      * ...without excuse... Adam and eve, before gaining the knowledge of good and evil from the forbidden fruit, did have an excuse. They were incapable of judging. However, their natural appetites and instincts hadn't become corrupted by the knowledge of good and evil so that they weren't driven by the evil urge1, and they maintained the full knowledge of God, which made it unlikely that they would commit any of the other sins. By judging, we show that we are driven by the knowledge of good and evil, and are therefore under the same judgement whereby we judge.

      * Vs 4: By judging, we despise His kindness. He is still patient with us even with our judgemental attitude. When we stop judging, we put ourselves in position to receive His kindness in leading us towards repentance.

    * Vs 6-8: ...who "will render to each one according to his deeds"eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honour, and immortality (NKJV)... As this is written about humanity in general, it reveals a ray of hope for those who have never heard of the Torah or the Gospel, and a clue to the question "what about those who have never heard?"

    * vs 9-16: This makes even clearer the principal that everyone is judged according to their knowledge, whether they actually have the written Torah, or simply have an intuition of what's the right thing to do. The phrase, To the Jew first, then to the Gentile is repeated several times.

      * In verses 13-16, Paul applies it to the Gentiles in a positive way. For whenever Gentiles, who have no Torah, do naturally what the Torah requires, then these, even though they don't have Torah, for themselves are Torah! (vs 14 CJB) If we compare this statement with the following quotes from the Talmud and other Rabbinical sources, we see that Paul is speaking out of his upbringing as Pharisee:

        * "Which man shall carry out and by which he shall live." (Leviticus 18:5) Rabbi Yirmiyah would say: We see from here that even a gentile who fulfils his laws is like (equal in rank to) a [Jewish] high priest. (Midrash Sifra, Acharei Mot 9:13)

Rabbi Jeremiah said: Whence can you know that the gentile that practices the law is equal to the high priest? Because it said, "which, if a man do, he shall live through them" (Lev. 18:5)... (Sifra 68b; b. Baba Kamma 38a)

And yet if a Gentile study the Law for the purpose of observing the moral laws of Noah, R. Meïr says he is as good as a high priest, and quotes: "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them" (Lev. xviii. 5). The text does not specify an Israelite or a Levite or a priest, but simply "a man"—even a Gentile ('Ab. Zarah 26a).

This is not just an obscure rabbinical opinion, as the same statement is made in three different sources, one from a Midrash, and two from the Talmud.

      * However, as we also saw back in the earlier part of the chapter, even for those gentiles who are themselves Torah, truth is a two-edged sword. The same intuition that enables one to become "Torah for themselves", or be "equal to the High Priest", also makes them responsible for that knowledge. Not only do they show it by obeying their intuition, but also, according to 1:20, by judging others.

  * In verses 17-29, Paul applies the same principal, showing how much more is truth a two edged sword for the Jews, who do have the Torah.

    * Vs 26 – 29, Paul reiterates the same rabbinical concept as verse 14, which we compared to other statements of the rabbis: ...won't his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? (vs 26).

    * In verse 28 and 29 we find the statement: For the real Jew is not merely Jewish outwardly: true circumcision is not only external and physical. On the contrary, the real Jew is one inwardly...

      * Paul is not trying to define who's a Jew and who isn't. We find statements made like this throughout rabbinical literature, used for stressing a point. Compare with the statement: "A true Scotsman eats his porridge oats with butter and salt" (So, are we to believe that Scottish people who take their oatmeal with milk and sugar aren't really Scotsmen? Of course not!). It's only Paul's typically Jewish way of saying to the Jew, "discover who you really are!" Many rabbis, then and now, would say the same thing.

      * Joshua 1 and Psalm 1 both show us that prosperity and success come to the one who internalises the Torah so that the knowledge of it helps keep them on course regarding conduct and making the right decisions, as well as knowing God. This is an Old Testament concept. We're still talking Judaism. We haven't even got to how this is further expanded on in the New Testament.

  * 3:1,2 – What's the point of it all? ...What is the value of being circumcised? Much in every way! \-- Some treat this verse as though Paul were being sarcastic or condescending, as if to say, "Now, don't get me wrong – I'm not saying it's bad, it's good! – though personally, I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot poll!" Paul is not using that kind of language. He sincerely believes as he says, that circumcision and being a Jew is a real advantage.

    * The passage isn't saying that simply having Torah puts us under that judgement. Having the very words of God (3:1) is an advantage. It works for us if we are:

      1. not using it as an instrument of judging the faults of others (unless one is in the position of administering justice or arbitrating a dispute – that's not the judgement we're talking about here)

      2. not attempting to force ourselves out of the category of Romans 1:23-32 (the symptoms) through legalistic observance of Torah commands (3:20)

But...

      * The Torah, being "the very words of God" (3:2), has the potential of correcting the root problem (1:18-23), by enabling us to embrace the knowledge of God, the rejection of which was what produced the symptoms in the first place.

      * Moreover, the Torah and the Prophets point us to the ultimate remedy described in 3:21 ff...

  * vs. 2-20 brings it all to bear in highlighting God's righteousness

    * The people of Israel were entrusted with the words of God. Through the covenant of Abraham, and the ratification of such at Sinai, Israel is the Kingdom of Priests between God and humanity. They are in a position of trust. We saw in the previous module, The Seven Questions, that they even had authority to declare Jesus as King Messiah.

      * In light of this, Paul asks, Does their faithlessness cancel God's faithfulness? (vs 3). "No," he says. If anything, it will only highlight God's righteousness. Paul goes more into this in chapters 9-11.

      * On the other hand, did God need (or predestine) Israel's unrighteousness just to highlight His own righteousness? Again, the answer is "no".

      * 3:5-6 – God isn't simply righteous in contrast to unrighteous humanity (which could have been said of the pagan gods). He is the ultimate standard of righteousness, by which He will judge the world. He doesn't need human sin to highlight the contrast.

    * Vs 9 ff – The fact remains that humanity is sinful and in need of God's righteousness.

      * This isn't talking about the concept of Original Sin as a theological absolute, but an observation of how humans are.

      * The various passages quoted were uttered as a sigh of desperation that no one was "getting it" at whatever point of history the context is set in. The emphasis is on the actual sinning.

    * Vs 20 – The Torah shows people how sinful they are, not so much by listing more commandments than we can possibly keep, but by showing us the process of atonement necessary so that God can dwell in the midst of His people (Leviticus 16:16).

      * We must not make the mistake of missing the positive side of the Torah (3:1), which was to enable God to dwell with humanity in a way that wasn't available before the Sinai experience.

      * Also note David's experience with the Ark of the Covenant, and how the family of Oved Edom were blessed while the Ark was with them (II Samuel 6:11-12). At the same time, note the severe consequences of not handling the Ark in the proper way, as in the case of Uzah (ibid vs 6, 7) – illustrating the reason for many of the commandments.

  * If all of the preceding could be summed up in one line, it would be, truth is a two edged sword. On one hand, knowing the truth brings us near to God. The clearer the truth (ie. the Torah), the more effective it is, but even those who are distant from any written or spoken medium of truth can also benefit. However, it also implies responsibility, the clearer the truth, the more accountable we're held.

Chapter 3:21-31 – Remember the key phrase from the introduction (1:17): For in it is revealed how God makes people righteous in his sight... Previously we saw that What is revealed is God's anger from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who in their wickedness keep suppressing the truth... Now, Paul progresses to the next level: to what is revealed regarding God's way of making people righteous, through the faithfulness of Jesus, the Messiah.

  * Vs 21 – apart from the Torah – meaning apart from the requirements to keep the commandments – although the Torah and the Prophets give their witness – In the next chapter we examine one such witness, the account of Abraham as recounted from the Torah. The Torah, in fact, points beyond itself to something else, the Kingdom of God.

    * In one sense, God's way of making people righteous has always been around.

      * In the next chapter, we see how God imputed righteousness to Abraham. It's always been by faith.

      * Keeping the requirements of the Torah has always been regarded as the response to faith, the next step after one has already been accepted in the covenant of Israel. Legalism is not inherent in Judaism, it's simply a human tendency, which also crops up in Christian circles. To many in the Jewish community, even to this day, there are both types, those who are Torah observant because it makes them good Jews, as well as those for who keeping the mitzvot is the way to speed up the coming of Messiah. Even if they believe He hasn't come yet, the hope of Messiah is the focal point, which is what the Torah and the Prophets give their witness to.

      * Cases in the Old Testament that illustrate that legalism isn't the norm, include the life of King David, Samson, and other kings and judges.

    * What is new is, Messiah has now come and made it possible for us to step, by faith, into a continuous state of righteousness. This is both a state of spontaneous forgiveness of our sins, and transformation from within so that the evil urge begins to have less influence over us. It's actually possible to stop sinning through God's grace.

  * Vs 22, 23 – ...there is no distinction, for all have sinned... – meaning both Jew and Gentile. Chapters 1 and 2 showed us that truth, the two edged sword, exposes sin in both groups. No matter how much truth one receives, no one successfully avoids sinning. Again, this isn't stated as a theological absolute (as in "all have original sin from birth"), but the fact that we've all failed to live up to what we know.

  * ...and fall short of the glory of God... Because all of us are in this state, we are unable to approach God's presence. We've been in the same dilemma as the child of straw in our parable of the fiery parent2. It's the very reason the nation of Israel had to have the Temple system whereby they could only approach God through the priests offering animal sacrifices. However, God's original intention was for humanity to share in His glory.

  * Vs 24-26 – Now that we have been justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, we now have access to His glory. The problem that kept us out of His presence has been dealt with trough Jesus becoming the ultimate sacrifice so now, Jesus' righteousness had been extended to us.

  * Vs 27-30 – It's all of His doing. No one can say they've managed to live up to the right to approach God's presence. It's a gift. There always has been only one way of becoming righteous before God, and that is through faith. Boasting, or earning points has never had a place in God's plan. Circumcision and other requirements of the Torah are required of the people of Israel as an act of obedience, but righteousness has always been by faith, whether for the circumcised Jew, or the uncircumcised Gentile.

  * 3:31 - 4:1 – To those who think Paul is coming up with something entirely new, he says, On the contrary, we confirm the Torah... (then, opening the Torah itself, he continues) ...what should we say Abraham, our forefather has obtained...? This takes us into the next chapter...

Chapter 4 – This is in 2 parts: what's not the way of the Torah, and what is

  * What it's not: Chapter 4 is Paul's rabbinical style argument that legalism is neither supported nor implied in the Torah.

    * Vs 1-5 – Abraham's case is one that demonstrates that one is righteous by virtue of trusting God. It's not through keeping all the commandments.

In reference to legalistic observances, Paul says, But this is not how it is before God (vs 2), and he goes on to quote the Torah to support his statement.

    * Vs 6-8 – Lest anyone say that Abraham was an exception because he lived before the Torah was given, David is also given as an example. In David's case, he had actually transgressed some commandments, but was forgiven through repentance.

Abraham's righteousness was through his faith, David's through repentance.

    * Vs 9-12 – The big question is, are repentance and faith only applicable once a person has been circumcised?

      * Paul shows how Abraham was declared righteousness on the grounds of faith before the command to be circumcised, showing that circumcision was not a condition, but rather a demonstration of his dedication. We could add that the same applies to the sacrifice of Isaac much later.

      * Vs 11 – In fact, Abraham's trust initiated a process by which many would eventually be declared righteous through the same trust.

      * Vs 12 – The more immediate heirs of Abraham, the people of Israel, also come the same way. Circumcision and the keeping of the commandments aren't a condition for being included in God's program, but rather the willing obedience of those who already love and trust God. This is also the belief within Orthodox Judaism today, just as it was held by the Pharisees from whom they descended.

    * The Pharisees believed, as do the Orthodox rabbis to this day, that gentiles who wish to follow God don't need to follow all the commandments that were meant for Israel, unless they want to fully convert to Judaism. They only need to follow the 7 commandments given to Noah, which are similar to the guidelines given by the apostles to the Gentile believers (Acts 15:22-29). Examples of God-fearing Gentiles were the centurion that asked Jesus to heal his servant, who was respected by the local Pharisees, Cornelius, and various Gentiles that attended the synagogues in the places that Paul visited.

That raises the question: If not the Pharisees, where did the notion originate that all believer in Messiah had to be circumcised? Historical sources tell us that the Essenes did believe that circumcision was required of all. James, the brother of Jesus, is thought to have been an Essene. Even though he agreed with the guideline that the Gentiles didn't need to be circumcised, his associates seemed to have been the ones raising the question (Galatians 2:12, and Acts 15). So, it was probably partly through Essene influence that circumcision became an issue in the first century church.

    * Vs 13-15 – law brings punishment...where there is no law, there is no violation... "Law" here should be taken as meaning law in general, or the concept of right and wrong. As chapter 2:14,15 says, some, who don't have the Torah, are nevertheless affected by their conscience. Ultimately, it's rooted in the knowledge of good and evil. This is not saying that God gave the Torah so as to have a reason to judge everyone. We covered this in chapter 2.

  * What it is:

    * Vs 16-22 – Is more specific on the faith of Abraham. His faith in God's promise that He would make him a father of many nations, resulted in him becoming the father, not only of Isaac and his descendants, but also of all who follow his example by believing in Messiah, a physical descendant of Isaac, who birth and life on earth was made possible by Abraham's faith.

    * Verses 18 to the end of the chapter provide us with a good defining description of his faith:

      1. God gave him a promise;

      2. He held on to hope when all visible cause for hope was gone, believing in spite of his 100-year-old body, and Sarah's who had already been barren even before her menopause, that God would honour that promise in causing Sarah to give birth to a son;

      3. God credited that faith to him as righteousness;

      4. God honoured his faith in enabling Sarah to actually give birth to the promised son;

      5. That son's distant descendant, Jesus, opened the way for all who follow Abraham's example of faith to also be declared righteous, and thus be the spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham, thus further fulfilling the promise of a multitude of children to Abraham.

Chapter 5 – Grace: what exactly it is, and how we come to receive it. A outline of history in light of the fall and the redemption, centring on Adam and Jesus.

  * Vs 1 – since we have been made righteous, by the same faith as Abraham, we have peace with God [though some Greek texts render it an exhortation: let us continue to have peace with God] through our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

  * Vs 2 – also through Jesus, by our faith, we've gained access to the grace in which we stand (Eph 2:13 – brought near by his blood).

    * The grace in which we stand is what leads to the hope of the glory of God – the grace is what enables the Holy Spirit to administer the process of transformation resulting in the glory of God. This is what had previously been rendered impossible for us as we studied earlier, according to 3:23 – ...all have sinned and fall short of (are excluded from) the glory of God.

    * Grace is the English translation of the Greek word Charsma (in the New Testament), which basically means "favour freely given". It is also used in the context of a gift, for example, the gifts of the Spirit. The ancient Greeks used the term to apply to attributes of their gods, such as charm, beauty, nature, human creativity or fertility. In the Old Testament, it's the translation of the Hebrew word Hen, or Hanan – to find favour. An apt description of "grace" would be, ...the paradigmatic image of the charismatic hero is the figure who has received God's favour." (Scheper, George L. "Charisma" in Encyclopedia of Religion edited by Lindsay Jones. Macmillan Reference USA, 2005, v 3, p. 1545.)

Often, when Bible teachers define the term "grace" as "unmerited favour", they could just as well be using the term "mercy". Taking all the above into consideration, "grace" means so much more. In some cases, it's a supernatural power. Paul, in Romans 1:5, Galatians 1:1,11-16 and II Corinthians 12:8-12, refers to his enablement to spread the Gospel as a special grace. The same word is used in regard to the gifts of the Spirit.

  * vs 3-5 details how the Holy Spirit works through circumstances to facilitate this transformation.

    * He does this by infusing God's love into us – the opposite force to that released by the knowledge of good and evil (chapter 8 again picks up the theme of the Holy Spirit's role in our transformation)

    * That love originates with God. God is the ultimate judge, however, while we were being controlled by the knowledge of good and evil, giving in to the evil urge, and judging one another, God acted towards us in the opposite force, love.

  * Vs 6-8 describe how God's grace was extended to us through Messiah dying for us when we should have been thought of as not being worthy of anything.

  * Vs 9 adds that we are saved from the wrath of God

    * The wrath of God can be described as the inevitable result of the fact that God is holy, and we are habitual sinners. In fact, as Hebrew 12:28 says, Our God is a consuming fire. Let's refer again to our parable of the parent of fire with a child of straw: as much as the parent loves the child, they can't come close. Simply coming close enough to embrace the child would burn the child.

    * However, out of His love, God set in motion a plan whereby He could again be close to humanity.

      * The Levitical system enabled the people to be able to come close enough to communicate with God, and be a kingdom of priests to the rest of humanity. The system of sacrifices and ritual purification, kosher laws and circumcision, administrated by the priests, were like a firewall enabling the parent of fire (in our parable) to communicate with the child of straw.

      * However, this was still not enough to actually transform us from the inside out. That would require being closer to God's presence than most people can stand. It's as though the child of fire could be transformed to be like the parent, but how could that be done without the child burning up?

      * Jesus' sacrifice is what brings us to the place of peace with God so we can actually be that close to Him. The grace in which we stand is that position of closeness to God. The grace is for the purpose of enabling the Holy Spirit to live in us, and do the work of transforming us by instilling a new set of values, and a set of pure desires capable of overriding the evil urge, and through the process of endurance leading to character and hope arising from our tribulations as described in verses 3-5.

  * Vs 10 – All of happened while we were enemies with God. Jesus' death is what reconciled us. ...how much more will we be delivered by his life...?

    * His life, which he gained back when the Holy Spirit raised Him from the dead, sets the precedent so that the rest of humanity can become transformed by the same power that brought Him back to life. This transformation is what the Bible calls "salvation".

    * Vs 11 – This is both a future thing (the resurrection of the dead at the last day), and something we participate in right now. We've now received that reconciliation, and are in that position where the Holy Spirit is working daily in our lives.

  * Vs 12-21 – Adam and Messiah – a brief outline of history in light of the fall and redemption:

    * Sin began with Adam. Ever since our father, Adam, people have been sinning, following the evil urge

    * ...death passed through to the whole human race, inasmuch as everyone sinned. Death is the result of each of us, individually, sinning [A careful examination doesn't seem to indicate St. Augustine's3 doctrine of Original Sin]. The two issues here are our constant sinning (the evil urge), and death that results. Adam gained for us the knowledge of good and evil, which lead to humanity being subject to the evil urge. This led to our constant sinning, which leads to death.

    * The Torah was given as the first step towards the remedy. Verses 13 and 20 show us the role of the Torah and the commandments in our lives, in society and the facilitating of God's presence among His people:

      * Vs 13 – Sin was indeed present in the world before Torah was given, but sin is not counted as such when there is no Torah...

        * Here we see that ignorance of what's right and wrong minimises the judgement against us for the wrong. It also minimises our judging of others, because we don't have the ammunition by which to to judge, again minimising the judgement we receive.

        * However, ignorance also lead to a very disorderly society and dangerous environment, often bringing early death. The Torah brings order to society by enhancing people's consciousness of right and wrong and justice.

        * The side effect of that is to enable us to judge, and therefore be judged. This especially happens if we major on the details regarding right and wrong action without focussing on God Himself.

        * The higher level of knowledge had advantages, but it also demanded greater responsibility.

      * Vs 20 – And the Torah came into the picture so that the offence would proliferate; but where sin proliferated, grace proliferated even more.

        * Here we find that the Torah came into the picture so as to highlight our offences that result from the evil urge.

        * However, Grace is also present in the Torah, because where sin is highlighted, Grace is also made available, encouraging us to acknowledge sin and come clean before God. The sacrificial system was included in the Torah for that purpose, so that God could interact with humanity, in spite of uncleanness.

    * For the rest of this chapter, Paul compares the deed done by Adam with that of Messiah. He mentions the two in comparing statements five times.

 | Through Adam: | Through Messiah:

---|---|---

Vs 12 - 15 | The evil urge caused all to sin, so that many died | The free gift of grace overflowed to many

Vs 16 | We received condemnation | We receive justification (acquittal)

Vs 17 | Death reigned | We reign in life

Vs 18 | Condemnation for all | Justification and life for all

Vs 19 | Many made sinners | Many made righteous

  * The Three Approaches: There are three ways to respond to grace and salvation, only one being the way God intended. The other two are derivatives of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil:

  1. Go on sinning and/or doing as you please, since we're under grace. In other words, go on following the evil urge. This is covered in Romans chapter 6.

  2. By legalisticly attempting to do good according to our knowledge of good and evil. Romans 7 covers this.

  3. The way of the Spirit, the new nature, which we get a glimpse of in chapter 6, but in more detail in chapter 8.

Chapter 6 – Approach 1: go on sinning since we're under grace

  * Verses 1,2 – "Shall we sin so that grace may abound?" That is the notion of those who take salvation as no more than a free ticket to heaven, and it misses the whole point. While it does cover sins committed, past, present and future, the reason for grace is to allow the Holy Spirit enough access to us so as to complete the transformation process. It's to enable us to stop sinning. Paul exclaims, in response, "How can we, who have died to sin, still live in it?"

    * Verses 3-11 describe the identification process. We identify with Messiah when we are baptised. The immersion is not just for cleansing, but also signifies descending into death, specifically the death He died. We are buried in water to identify with His burial in the ground. Identifying with Him in this way then qualifies us to also partake of His resurrection.

      * This is not just a symbolic ritual like what some go through to join the Masonic Lodge. Jesus really died and then rose from the dead. It happened in the real world to the "Jesus of history", therefore, when we are baptised, the same power that actually raised Jesus from the dead, the Holy Spirit, is present to begin the transformation process in our lives, culminating in the resurrection – ...united with him in a resurrection like his (vs 6).

      * By identification, our old self was executed along with Him. The ultimate outcome is that our consciousness of good and evil and the evil urge is rendered powerless over us so that we don't need to be controlled by it any longer. The death not only paid the penalty of sin, but also neutralises the evil urge that caused the sin. However, the knowledge of good and evil and the evil urge don't just suddenly disappear. It's a transformation process that will occupy us for the rest of our lives on earth.

    * Verses 12-16 show that we now have a choice, whether to follow the old set of desires (offer any part of yourselves to sin as an instrument for wickedness – the evil urge and the inclination to judge others), or the new set of desires (offer yourselves to God as people alive from the dead...)

      * It's not a matter of, "now you're a Christian, you must follow this set of rules". Rather, it a choice to follow a different set of desires. It's as though you had been partial to a particular dish that was high in fat, cholesterol, and contained ingredients known to cause cancer. You know it's bad for you, but you can't stop eating it. Then, someone introduces you to a new dish that you find even more delicious, but full of nutrition, low in cholesterol, fewer calories, and made only of wholesome ingredients. It's no longer simply a matter of forcing yourself to stop eating the one food, but choosing to eat the new one instead, and gaining even more enjoyment from it.

      * The Shepherd of Hermas, a book of visions that came out in the second century, describes it this way:

        * But clothe yourself in the desire of righteousness, and, having armed yourself with the fear of the Lord, resist [the evil desires]. The fear of God dwells in the good desire. If the evil desire sees you armed with the fear of God and resisting, it shall flee far from you, and shall no longer be seen of you, being in fear of your weapons... If you serve the good desire, and are subject to her, you will have power to master the evil desire, and to subject her, according as you will. (The Shepherd of Hermas – Mandates 12:2)

      * Paul says pretty much the same thing, but the terminology he uses is being a slave of one or the other.

      * The transformation is a process that takes time. Continually choosing to follow the Godly desires takes practice. Spending time in communing with God through prayer, worship, reading the Bible and fellowship, will help us be more in tune to the right desires. However, there are times when the evil urge will seem stronger, and sometimes we slip and give in to them. At those times, the grace of God acts as a safety net, as verse 14 says, you are not under legalism, but under grace.

  * Vs 15 – Therefore, what conclusion should we reach? "Let's go on sinning, because we're not under legalism but under grace"? Heaven forbid! – There are those who choose to remain in the safety net as their permanent lifestyle. To them, salvation is no more than a free ticket to Heaven, and they choose to ignore (if not ignorant of) the Holy Spirit's availability for helping us overcome the evil urge.

    * Vs 16 – Paul's response is to explain that one becomes a slave to whichever desire one follows. By taking the attitude of "Let's go on sinning because we are, after all, under grace" is the same as offering oneself as a slave to sin, which eventually will lead to death.

    * Vs 17-23 – Paul doesn't dwell on this fact, but takes the attitude of "who would want to do that?" He continues reiterating the point of having been set free from the slavery to sin (free to stop following that desire), and offering ourselves as slaves to righteousness (following the good desires), adding, ...what benefit did you derive from the things of which you are now ashamed? This leads to the verse 23 that we've been so fond of quoting, which we can now see in its context: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Chapter 7 – Approach 2: Legalisticly attempting to do good according to our knowledge of good and evil -or- The two Torahs

  * Paul takes up this whole chapter to demonstrate the limitations of Torah observance. However we won't get the main point until towards the end.

  * He begins with an analogy of a married woman. As long as she and her husband are alive, she's bound by the Torah commandments regarding marriage. However, if he dies, she's no longer bound. The message here is, the only way out of the arrangements provided by the Torah is through death.

    * Paul compares the requirements of the Torah with this marriage. Remember, we also referred to this earlier as the "firewall" that enabled God and humanity to be in fellowship and communication on a regular basis. It involved taking into account the knowledge of good and evil by clarifying God's standards of morality and justice. In order to remain in communication with God, it was necessary to follow the prescribed way of approach through the priesthood and animal sacrifice. We see that though people like King David and Joshua and others, it was ultimately seen as a blessing that they could, indeed, carry on a relationship with God, and benefit from the promises. But the fact remains, there was the downside, in that the people were constrained by the requirements.

    * We see both the upside and the downside in the life of King David (II Samuel 6) when Bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. On their first attempt, they didn't follow the guidelines prescribed in the Torah. One of the people accompanying the ox-cart carrying the Ark put his hand out to steady it, and was struck dead. David decided to keep the ark in the home of Oved-Edom who lived nearby. While the ark was in their home, Oved-Edom's family and business prospered tremendously. Three months later, David had the Ark brought into Jerusalem in the correct manner, carried on the shoulders of the priests. David expressed his joy by dancing around the Ark as it was being carried.

    * The old covenant, thus provided an approach to God, but it was restricted, with conditions attached, and harsh consequences for violating the sanctity of God's presence.

    * Paul's point is, the only way out of this arrangement is death.

  * In verses 4-6, Paul reiterates the point made in chapter 6, that in Messiah, we have, indeed, died to the requirements of the Torah.

  * In verses 7-26, Paul paints a picture of the one seeking to please God by trying to obey all the commandments of the Torah. The problem is, by using our knowledge of good and evil as our motivating and guiding force, we also unleash the evil urge. Paul describes this in verse 21: So I find it to be the rule, a kind of perverse "torah," that although I want to do what is good, evil is right there with me! It's as though there's an "anti-torah" that has the list all backwards, switching the "things to do" around with the "things not to do".

  * We should also note here that even though the application of the Greek word, "law" often means "Torah", it can also mean "law" in the general sense. We should understand that the legalism that Paul warns us of doesn't just apply to Torah observance, but also any set of rules that we come up with. To forbid keeping Passover, Yom Kippur and Simcha Torah, while making it mandatory to keep Christmas and Easter is just as legalistic as the other way.

Chapter 8 – Approach 3: The way of the Spirit – how the Holy Spirit works in us with a goal: the final resurrection.

This section on Romans 8 was originally a part of the previous module, The Holy Spirit's Work in the New Covenant before I added this study of the whole book of Romans as a separate module.

  * The previous chapter was about how conquering the evil urge is a losing battle when armed only with the knowledge of good and evil .

  * Verse 1 of chapter 8 brings us the good news, a much better way to conquer the evil urge. It's a two prong approach:

    * ... no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus ... Those things that the knowledge of good and evil failed to curb, are now forgiven. That's the "safety net" that we referred to in our study of chapter 6. Paul uses the phrases, in the spirit, or in Christ Jesus, to mean "born again". It's the result of the Holy Spirit infusing Himself into our soul in the same way that God breathed into the nostrils of the first human. This is not to be confused with walking in the spirit , or living according to the spirit, which this passage goes on to talk about.

    * ... the righteous requirement of the [Torah] might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (vs 4). This is not about trying to stay out of hell, but interfacing with the Kingdom of God, which was what we were created for (Ephesians 2:10). We blend in with this new life by walking in the spirit, which defeats the evil urge. Galatians 5:16 uses the same wording to say the same thing: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

    * Some translations end verse 1 with the same phrase that appears at the end of verse 4. The oldest Greek manuscript doesn't have it in verse 1. Verse 4, about our transformation, is conditional to our walking in the Spirit; whereas verse 1, no condemnation, is unconditional once we've repented and been born again – it's the safety net.

  * What Paul calls the law of the Spirit of life is the same principal taught by Jesus, that we are not judged as long as we don't judge; by James, that the Royal Law of Liberty places us above judgement; and John, in his first epistle, of walking in the light (I John 1:5-2:2).

  * ...has set me free from the "Torah" of sin and death... – meaning the "anti-torah" that induced us to do the very opposite of what the Torah of God teaches (7:21). We're no longer controlled by the evil urge (sin), nor the consequences (death).

  * Verses 2-8 continues with the dynamics of law of the Spirit of life, showing how it became available through the sacrifice of Messiah. Not only did forgiveness come by that sacrifice, but our evil urge was also crucified. We now have two sets of desires, the evil urge and the love that God has placed in us. Instead of having to constantly suppress the evil urge, we simply choose to walk in the spirit, which we find from verse 5 on, is a daily choice

  * Verse 9 shows us that the basis of our having the choice of walking in the spirit is that we are of the Spirit , since we've been born again, as the Holy Spirit of God dwells in us.

    * In fact, it's the Holy Spirit that raised Messiah from the dead who now dwells in us, and will, one day, give life to your mortal bodies (vs 11).

    * Verse 12 -- We're not debtors to the flesh; we have an alternative: walking in the spirit, which our new born-again spirit is capable of. However, if we fail to take advantage of that, and continue to be driven by the evil urge/flesh, the end result will be death.

    * We discussed earlier how some choose to live in that place which was only meant to be a safety net, believing that once they're born again, walking in the spirit is optional. Their only worry is making it to heaven. While it's true that one doesn't pop in and out of salvation by walking in the spirit some days and not others; it's no more optional than driving a car for miles and miles every day without checking the oil and water. It can be done, but the car will soon overheat and break down in a major way. In the module, Seven Questions , in the discussion on Matthew 24 and 25, we looked at various warnings Jesus gave to those who fail to prepare for the Master's return, particularly, the Parable of the Brides Maids .

  * Verses 14 - 30 -- shows us that our relationship as sons and daughters of God is also administrated by the Holy Spirit, as a process:

    * Verses 14-17 describes our position now. As we commune with God through the Holy Spirit (abiding in the vine), the Holy Spirit assures us of our son-ship in an intimate way, even enabling us to use a term of endearment, "Abba".

    * With our close father-child relationship, also comes another aspect, that of being an heir, in fact, a joint-heir with Jesus.

    * Verses 17 through 27 show how both our recreated spirit, as well as all of God's creation groans for the revealing of the children of God -- the final resurrection and the restoration of all things.

      * When we say things like "This world is not my home", we're right, but only in regards to the world's system under the control of the evil one. However, we must understand that the earth is our home . As the meek (Matthew 5:5), we will inherit the earth. Our father Adam was given a mandate to rule over and take responsibility for the state of the earth. That mandate was never taken away. We make a grave mistake when we remain passive as modern technology systematically destroys the environment, because that same creation is what groans and labours with birth pangs together until now (Romans 8:22).

      * In fact, it's the contrast between the world system under satan's control, and the earth as it was meant to be, that produces the groanings of creation, and the suffering through persecution that we experience as people being not of this world system. Jesus said in John 16:33, In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

      * Vs 26 -- The Holy Spirit within us also groans. In his role as our helper (John 14:16), He helps us when we don't know how to pray, or what to pray for. The groanings described in this verse may be accompanied with praying in tongues, which is another means by which the Holy Spirit helps us pray. However, many who have never spoken in tongues have also had the experience. It's as though one is experiencing birth pains in the spirit realm, bringing to birth another aspect of the Kingdom of God on the earth, or enabling repentance for someone, or a group of people. Thus, one step at a time, the Holy Spirit is moving us to the point of the final resurrection of the dead, and the restoring of all things.

    * Verses 28-39 -- When the Holy Spirit is allowed to work in us, all things work together for good (vs 18), even the seemingly bad things. Things move, by God's infinite wisdom, towards restoration and the resurrection of the dead.

      * ...those He foreknew He also predestined... The word "predestined" is a source of a lot of debate between those who believe God has already chosen who will be saved and who won't, and those who believe in "free will". The issue seems to be one's final destiny, whether it's heaven or hell. However, as we've been observing throughout this series, the Gospel isn't all about heaven or hell when we die, but about the Kingdom of God, both here and in the here-after. What's predestined, therefore, isn't our eternal destiny, but how we'll be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. That's where the Holy Spirit comes in. We'll note another aspect of predestination later in this module.

      * ...those He foreknew... As far back as St. Augustine, there have been those who believe God stands outside of time, seeing both the beginning and the end.

        * More recently physicists on the cutting edge of the study of quantum mechanics, have also adopted the view that past, present and future exist simultaneously in four dimensional space, time being the fourth dimension. This is called Eternalism), a theory of time debated by such people as Albert Einstein and Karl Popper (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternalism_(philosophy_of_time))). To many, that would assume a fatalistic view, such as Augustine held; that the four dimensions would therefore be viewed as a solid immovable block with all future choices already hard-circuited. This is called Determinism. However, Indeterminism is also a view that argues that the shape of four dimensional space is influenced by its many parts. Each of us, by the sum of all the choices we make in life, have a part in determining the final shape, even though we're only aware of the process one moment at a time.

        * In our understanding, God is the only one who actually sees the entire four dimensional image at once – perhaps like a giant river – acting on various parts of it and observing the results, as it were, downstream. He foreknows, and predestines by influencing us by His Holy Spirit.

        * The rest of this chapter (31-39) is written in prose, describing the ultimate victory that is ours, in spite of all the obstacles, as we follow the Holy Spirit's leading – a good piece to meditate on.

Chapter 9 – In chapters 1 through 8, Paul has laid a foundation for the rest of the epistle. In the next three chapters he deals with the question, What about Israel? Some, in the course of this study, might question: considering that Israel's calling was to be a nation of priests, their whole lifestyle designed to enable the Shichinah to dwell in their midst; now that Messiah has opened up the way for the Holy Spirit to well in each human as though we were all the temple of God; does that not make Israel's role redundant? Paul lays to rest any doubts that that God yet has a glorious plan involving the Jewish people.

  * vs 1-5 – Paul begins this section by expressing his intense passion for the Jewish community, while underscoring the fact that all the components of the faith, by right, belong to them. Even the Messiah is actually theirs. Rightfully, all of Christianity is a sect of Judaism. Yet, for the most part, Israel has rejected Him.

  * Vs 6-33 – Before going on to put it all together, Paul reiterates the groundwork from which he will proceed to reveal the wider picture.

    * He begins in verse 6: But the present condition of Israel does not mean that the Word of God has failed... This is the point he made in 3:3, If some of them were unfaithful, so what? Does their faithlessness cancel God's faithfulness?

    * Vs 7, Paul again clarifies who is the seed of Abraham.

      * He had shown us in chapter 4 that through the faith of Abraham, all who follow his example of faith become his seed.

      * He then expands on this, showing that certain of his physical offspring such as Ishmael and Esau were not included in the promise. In the same way, not all the sons of Jacob are be reckoned as the seed of Abraham, but only those who received the Torah by faith.

      * In order to insure that there would always be at least a core group who would keep the faith and pass it on, God moves on certain ones throughout the history of Israel. He even goes so far to harden some hearts, as in the case of Pharaoh.

      * If misunderstood, this goes against some people concept of fairness. Why, they ask, does God then judge people if He hardened them?

        * First, it's not up to our own concepts of fairness, but according to God's sovereign choice as to how to Administer grace. He has the right to act according to His wisdom.

        * God does not predestine anyone to go to Hell. On the contrary, God chooses some to be receivers of His grace so that an even greater number (even among those not specifically chosen) would also be enabled to follow through in faith. In the case of Pharaoh, the hardening was only up to when Israel was free of his influence. Who's to say that once his army drowned in the Red Sea, he didn't repent of his stubbornness and give glory to God? Even Judas the betrayer had the option of repenting in the end, but chose to kill himself instead.

        * The purpose of choosing, then, is not to exclude the unchosen from the Kingdom of God, but to make sure that at least some do make it in, in spite of the tendencies of human nature.

      * Because Israel, though zealous for the Torah, had generally refused to pursue it through humble acceptance, God chose a course of action that would open the door to Gentiles to come to faith.

    * We said earlier that legalism is not a necessary part of Judaism. However, Judaism as she is taught is not always identical to Judaism as she is practised by the average Jew. Lest this sound like a criticism of Judaism, the same is true of much of Christianity, and every other religion. People tend to slip into legalism when they've failed to grasp the wider picture. The tension between Jesus and the Pharisees was not over their teaching, but their attitude. As we observed in earlier modules, the non acceptance of Messiah by the Jewish community was the result of their failure to respond to the proclamation of John the Baptist and his command to repent. Repentance and humility are the environment in which true faith develops. Because this didn't happen, Jesus the cornerstone became the stone of stumbling.

Chapter 10

  * Paul, again expresses his burden for Israel. The Jewish zeal for the Torah is not enough to obtain righteousness, as it's misdirected. Instead of looking to the overall goal and purpose towards which the Torah points, they have become stuck trying to work it out according the knowledge of good and evil. As in the first and second chapter of Romans, they've concentrated on fixing the symptoms instead of using the Torah to enable them to fix the root problem.

  * Messiah is the goal of the Torah, the ultimate cure for the root problem. However, before we can understand how this fits in with the rest of the chapter, we need to clear up a translation problem with verses 4 to 6.

    * Verse 4 is sometimes rendered, For Christ is the end of the law... which if misread, gives impression that Messiah ended the Law. However the Old English use of "end" should be understood as "purpose", as in, To this end was the Son of God manifested... (I John 3:8). Another translation would be: For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah... (CJB).

    * Verse 5, ...The one who does these things will live by them... is interpreted by some to mean, "live by a set of rules", implying that once one starts to obey the Torah, one is obligated to keep all of the commandments. However, a simple reading of Leviticus 18:5, which Paul is quoting here, would show that isn't the correct meaning. "Live by" should be interpreted the same way as Man shall not live by bread alone... The Complete Jewish Bible renders this verse, Moses writes about the righteousness grounded in the Torah that the person who does these things will attain life through them. This is the same meaning that's to be gleaned from the rest of the Torah, as well as Joshua 1, Psalm 1, Psalm 119, and many other parts of the Bible.

    * The above two points aren't actually mistranslations, but rather a misunderstanding of old English usage. However, the conjunction between verses 5 and 6 should have been better rendered by some translators. The one often used is "but", which the Greek word can mean in some cases, but there is a different word that should have been used had Paul actually intended to highlight a contrast. The word that is used here, can also mean "moreover", or "furthermore".

      * In verse 6, Paul isn't showing a contrast between righteousness from the Torah and righteousness by grace. There is no such contrast. As we've already seen, the Torah doesn't prescribe attaining to righteousness through keeping all of the commandments. Verse 5 and 6 are really building on the same principle. The reason for the commandments isn't to earn righteousness, but to enable Israel to maintain purity so as to fulfil her calling as a kingdom of priests.

      * Also, it wouldn't make sense to understand verse 5, regarding what the Torah says, as a contrast to verse 6, because there Paul also quotes the Torah (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).

  * The following is how the passage flows once we understand the word usage:

    * Vs 4 – Messiah is the goal at which the Torah aims. Through Him, we receive righteousness through faith.

    * Vs 5 – Moses confirms this by saying (in Leviticus 18:5) that we attain life by going in the direction in which the Torah points, which is Messiah.

    * Vs 6-10 – Moreover, Moses also states (in Deuteronomy 30:11-15) that the way to Messiah is close at hand, ready to be spoken with our mouth and believed in the heart.

    * Vs 9-17 – This passage describes a set of dynamics that are applicable not only in the communication of the news of Messiah to the Jewish community, as in Paul's immediate situation, but also to evangelism in general. It can be quoted as a stand-alone text (without being take out of context) for a fuller understanding of the proclamation of the Gospel to everyone who needs to hear.

      * Verses 9 and 10 can be used as the basis of declaring ones faith in Messiah, and entering the Kingdom of God. Proclaiming that Jesus is Lord can be understood as a statement of repentance inasmuch as one is pledging obedience to Him as Lord, while rejecting other "lords". To believe that God has raised Him from the dead is to believe in the power that is thereby available to transform us and eventually resurrect our mortal bodies.

      * It's from verses12 and 13 that we understand that this a general principle for Gentiles as well as the Jews. Paul quotes Joel 2:32, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

      * Verses 14-15 describe the mandate and call to missionary evangelism. To believe and be saved, one must hear the message that God has raised Him from the dead (vs 9).

      * Vs 17, sums up the principal that hearing the message is what brings the spark of faith, which, when acted on in repentance, brings salvation.

    * vs 16-21 – It's that faith, which comes by hearing the message of Messiah, that the Jewish community has failed to act on. The problem isn't that they haven't heard, but that they haven't responded to it. Instead of looking in the direction that the Torah is pointing, they've become too fixated on details in the Torah itself. Therefore, God has chosen to send the message to the Gentiles, so as to provoke the Jews to jealousy (more on "jealousy" later).

Chapter 11

  * Now that Paul has laid the groundwork explaining the present state of the people of Israel, he gets to the main point: Is God through with His people? The answer is a resounding "No"!

    * There is, to this day, a large body of theological opinion that says that Israel no longer has a place in the plan of God, but that the church replaces Israel. This view is called Replacement Theology, or Supercessionism. Even though that opinion wasn't as pervasive in Paul's time, this is exactly the issue that Paul is addressing here. It's as though Paul saw it coming.

    * Vs 1 – Paul gives himself as a example of evidence to the contrary. The question isn't, "can Jews be saved if they convert from Judaism to Christianity?" Paul still identifies himself as a Jew, from the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Elsewhere Paul announced to the Sanhedrin, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! (Acts 23:6) That was a few days after he had gone to the Temple to perform a ritual with regard to his Nazarite vow. Paul never converted from Judaism. His place in the Kingdom of God was as a Jew dedicated to the Messiah of Israel.

    * Vs 2-6 – Just as God once told Elijah, God has reserved a remnant within Israel who are chosen by grace (remember, the purpose of the choosing is to make sure there are some who make it).

      * Paul seems to be stating here that there were and always will be a remnant within the Jewish community who are chosen by grace. This begs the question: from the dark ages until recent history (until the rise of the Hebrew Christian and Messianic Jewish movements), where were they?

      * Around about the third century, the leaders of the Church had begun to remove Jewish traditions from Church practice, even going so far as to insist that Jewish people who wished to declare their faith in Jesus, renounce their Judaism. Much later, the Church began to portray the Messiah in a way that was totally unrecognisable by the Jewish community. To the Jews, conversion to Christianity became equal to converting to a pagan religion. Later again, the only thing Jewish about the Christian message was the accusation that the Jews had killed Christ. We waved crosses at them, tortured them, expelled them from our countries, and massacred whole communities. So, again, where was the remnant?

      * The answer is the same as to the question of, "what about those who haven't heard?" In chapter 2:7-10, ...To those who seek glory, honour and immortality by perseverance in doing good, he will pay back eternal life... There have always been those in the Jewish community who love the Torah, and seek to look in the direction that the Torah points, even though they haven't been able to recognise the distorted picture of Jesus, as present by the church of their time, as being their own Messiah.

    * Vs 7-10 – It appears that apart from the few that God has reserved by grace, the rest have succumbed to a general hardening. To this day, we continue to see two reasons for rejecting Jesus as Messiah: 1. the Jesus that has been presented to them has been distorted through centuries of persecution of the Jewish community by none other than the church, therefore to accept Jesus as Messiah is tantamount to betraying ones heritage; and 2. the original reason that is still given by many, that Jesus of the first century both offended the leaders of the Jewish community and failed to perform what was expected of Messiah. The second reason is the offence of the cross (I Corinthians 1:23). The first reason is an offence that we created, which is most tragic, because Jesus, in every way, is Jewish. As we'll see, they have more natural right to Him then we do.

  * Vs 11-15 – Paul begins this section by asking again whether the Jewish community has, ...stumbled with the result that they have permanently fallen away? This chapter follows the same pattern as chapter 6, where Paul repeats a key question (there the question was, "Shall we keep sinning so there will be more grace?"). Paul answers the question, describing it as a temporary state, and part of a bigger plan:

    * At the beginning of the module, The Passover Sacrifice and the First Fruit, we observed that there are pivotal points in history where a person's or a group's choice in a matter reveals their readiness to proceed into a new phase. Their choice sets off the chain of events that God, in His wisdom, has arranged to set the course of that next phase. It happened when the Children of Israel were about to enter the promised land, but their fearful response triggered a chain of events that resulted in their wandering in the wilderness an additional 40 years; and also when the Priests and Elders of the Temple failed to acknowledge Jesus as Messiah, resulting Jesus becoming the Passover Sacrifice. In this case, the general choice by the Jewish community affected whether God would keep them as the primary focus, or would make it an opportunity for the Gentiles to come to faith.

    * The plan is that Gentiles would be reached with the gospel, and that the dynamics of the Kingdom of God working among them would attract the attention of the Jewish people in a way that would provoke them to jealousy.

      * This would mean that the blessings of being in a covenant with God, the signs and wonders, the love and unity, and the presence of God in their midst would all be visible in a way that the Jewish community would recognise as being the result of their faith in the God of Israel. That would result in the Jewish community turning back to their Messiah.

      * Needless to say, this has never happened. So far, the general disunity within each church – let alone between countless denominations; the notable absence of supernatural signs and wonders; the level of morality that, according to some polls, is no higher than that of the general public; is not driving anyone to jealousy. Possible exceptions would be the church in China, and other parts of the world where believers are under intense persecution.

      * Perhaps the driving the Jews to jealousy is the litmus test of whether or not the Gospel has been successful in the Christian community. We do have a long way to go. But it will happen.

    * Though Paul says that because of the Jewish community's rejection of Messiah, blessing has come to the Gentiles, this situation isn't permanent.

      * Some would think that it's an either/or proposition, that if the Jewish community were to suddenly embrace Messiah, that would reverse the blessing. However, Paul doesn't say it like that. He says, if the Jewish rejection of Messiah meant blessing for the Gentiles, how much greater a blessing will come to the Gentiles once Israel embraces Messiah.

      * Vs 29 says God's free gifts and his calling are irrevocable. As we've seen, Israel's calling is to be a kingdom of priests. Once Israel has been restored, the Gentile nations will then be able to fully benefit from this calling.

      * It's as though two vital components of the Kingdom of God were broken off from one another. Each part is incomplete without the other. Before the Kingdom of God can be fully realised on the earth, the two parts, Israel and the Messianic community, must be reconciled.

      * By Israel taking her place in the Kingdom of God, they will bring a completeness that will lead to the resurrection of the dead (vs 15)

  * Vs 16-28 – Now that Paul has explained what has and will happen with the Jewish community, he goes on to what may be his purpose of writing this epistle to the Romans: a solemn warning, veiled in the parable of the olive tree.

    * Vs 16 – Now if the firstfruits offered up are holy, so is the whole batch... The firstfruit, as we saw in the previous module, is Jesus, who had become the Passover sacrifice, and a couple of days later, rose from the dead as the First Fruit. The whole batch, which is made holy, is Israel. Far from being branded "Christ killers", they were made holy by the Passover and First Fruit offering by the one who also said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing." Paul makes a similar allusion with the olive tree. The root is Jesus and the branches, again, are Israel. From this verse, we understand that the branches are holy, in spite of being pruned, as the following verses describe.

    * Then, Paul describes what is an actual horticultural technique practised by olive growers in the Middle East to this day. When an olive tree becomes unproductive, the farmer prunes off the branches, and grafts in wild olives. This revitalises the tree so that it once again begins growing olives, however, good olives such as the cultivated tree naturally grows, not the type found on the wild olive tree. Native branches that subsequently grow on the cultivated tree also are affected. (Sir William M. Ramsay, Pauline and Other Studies in Early Christian History; pp 219 ff, Hodder & Staughton, MCMVIII; www.archive.org/stream/paulineotherstud00ramsrich)

    * vs 23 – Paul then diverts from the actual practice by stating that the original branches will be grafted back in...

    * ...but not before the dire warning in verses 18-22. Don't boast against the branches that were cut off. You, the Gentiles, as branches from a wild tree, stand only by your faith.

    * It is quite evident that the church through the ages has ignored this warning. Thus, the tragedy of the Jewish rejection of Jesus as their Messiah has been severely complicated by the Church's rejection of the Jewish people. Thus, the problem is twofold.

      * Most of the persecution the Jewish community has been through in the past two millennia has been at the hands of Christians.

        * It began with reinterpreting various points of doctrine to exclude Jewish influence, marginalising those groups of Jewish believers in Messiah that did exist in Palistine, making it mandatory for Jew interested in embracing Messiah to renounce Judaism and cease from Torah observance. Some of these changes were made while the church was still under persecution by the Roman Empire.

        * Much later, there were attempts to forcibly convert Jews to Christianity, and marginalising the Jewish community in other ways as Christian baptism became the expected norm for citizenship in Christian countries. Then, there were atrocities committed during the Crusades where whole Jewish communities were annihilated, the Spanish Inquisition, Russian Pogroms, and many other events.

        * At least Hitler's Holocaust wasn't Christian, though it could be said that the movement gained inspiration from ideas put forth by Christian theologians.

      * There are still Christians that go so far as to insist that not only are the Jews totally outside of God's plan for the ages, but even to assert that Jesus Christ wasn't Jewish! This is a contradiction in terms. If He wasn't Jewish, He couldn't be Christ (Greek for "Messiah"). To be Christ, He would have had to be of the lineage of King David, who was certainly Jewish. The whole concept of His Messiahship is a Jewish concept, based on the Torah and the Jewish prophets.

  * Vs 25- 38 – Paul sums it up, warning against spiritual pride and elitism. It's not to our credit that God's favour has shifted towards the Gentile community while hardness has come on the Jews. It is, rather, a stroke of fortune for us that we've been a season in which the Holy Spirit has been moving on various other ethnic nationalities. However, the time will come when God turns His attention again on the Jews, when, as verse 26 says, All Israel will be saved. This is not to be understood as Universalism, simply that as a rule rather than the exception, they'll be embracing Messiah; and as a nation, they'll once again be the centrepiece of God's Kingdom.

Chapter 12 – This chapter begins with the word, Therefore. It's been said that when we see the word "therefore" in scripture, we must study the context to see what it's "there for" (the pun only works in English. The point is, never take the word "therefore" for granted). This chapter is the direct application of the concept that was defined in chapter 11.

  * vs 1-8 – In chapter 11, we see that the climax of Paul's discourse on the present state of Israel, was an exhortation to be humble, and to avoid elitism, and to live in the fear of God. To the wild branches grafted into the olive tree, Paul points out the way to receive the full advantage of God's grace:

    * Vs 1, 2 – Our immediate response – The following passage is familiar to many as a stand-alone passage. While it still imparts meaningful truth when taken on its own, it is all the more richer when seen in the context of the rest of the Epistle to the Romans.

      * ...present your bodies as a living sacrifice... Elsewhere, we observed how our bodies have become the Temple of the Holy Spirit, whereby He brings about our transformation. Paul's advice is to give the Holy Spirit full leeway, as ...it is the logical "Temple worship" for you...(CJB). Worship is the expressing of our love to God. If we do, in fact, love God with all our heart, our mind and strength, then the "logical" expression of that is to offer our bodies.

      * Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind... As we give the Holy Spirit full sway through the sacrifice of ourselves, we further enable the transformation by receiving the Word, meditating on it (gazing in the direction in which it points), as well as by prayer, worship, fellowship with other believers, and listening to good Bible teaching. These all help to renew our mind, changing our habits and thought patterns so that we are less prone to judge others, more influenced by love, and trusting God for His miraculous intervention.

      * ...so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed... Those who have allowed their minds to be renewed will readily recognised and understand the value of God's plan, including the role of Israel and the various Gentile groups in the Kingdom of God.

    * Vs 3-8 – Verses 1 & 2 were about humility before God, in presenting our bodies as a sacrifice and giving the Holy Spirit full leeway. The verses following are about humility towards one another, especially in recognising each other's functions in the Body of Messiah.

      * In chapter 11, Paul told us that Israel's gift and calling is still in effect. He then instructs us to maintain humility in recognising this fact.

      * In the following verses, he then encourages us to recognising one another's gifts, as well as finding our own. There follows a list, similar to those we studied in the module, The Holy Spirit's Work in the New Covenant. However, in this context, the passage is at least as much about valuing each other's gifts as about finding one's own.

      * The gifts are described in ways that would seem to define humility: ...if it is serving, use it to serve ... if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully. Don't let love be a mere outward show ....

  * vs 9-21 – The list of gifts seems to blend in with the next set of injunctions, that begins with, Don't let love be a mere outward show... The list is quite clear and self-explanatory, so we don't need to elaborate on it. Just read it and meditate on it. If all Gentile believers in Messiah allowed the Holy Spirit to do His full work until this became an accurate description, we would be well on the way to provoking Israel to jealousy.

Chapter 13 – This chapter begins with a continuation of the set of injunctions Paul began chapter 12.

  * Vs 1-7 clarifies our relationship to government authority:

    * In the previous module, The Passover Sacrifice and the First Fruit, in our study of John 18:36, we observed that it isn't the mandate of the believers in Messiah to attempt to grasp political power. Only Israel had the divine mandate for an earthly kingdom, and our King Messiah will again reign once He returns to the earth, through Israel. Until then, our duty is to submit ourselves to secular government. The modern state of Israel, even though God's hand has been on them in a special way, is one such secular government. So is the Palestinian Authority.

    * In Acts 5:29, Peter clarifies that in cases where a government's orders go against the laws of God, We must obey God, not men.

  * Vs 8-10 – Narrows the commandments in the Torah down to love, specifically to the commandment in Leviticus 19:18, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. The conclusion is, therefore love is the fullness of Torah.

  * Vs 11-14 – Brings it all to bear on the times in which we live: Besides all this, you know at what point of history we stand; so it is high time for you to rouse yourselves from sleep...(CJB)

    * Two seemingly incongruent facts: this was written close to two thousand years ago, and Paul writes as though expecting the Kingdom to be established in its final form within their lifetime.

      * We see this expectation in other parts of the New Testament as well. One exception is the second epistle of Peter 3:8-10, where it seems to have dawned on Peter that the second coming may take longer than originally expected, and he makes the comparison of one day equalling a thousand years.

      * Some sceptics have picked up on passages like this in questioning the validity of the Bible.

        * However the answer is not to act as though we have pat answers to every objection, when that is not the case. Peter's exhortation (I Peter 3:15) to Always be ready to give a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you... does not mean we always have to come up with a response, however half-baked. Sometimes replying with ,"I don't know," is the best response, showing them that at least, we're humble and honest.

        * The best answer, perhaps, is to take II Peter 3:8-10 as our guide.

      * One possible factor is that there has been a delay. If the Epistle to the Romans was written as a warning that believers must respond to the Jewish rejection of Messiah in humility and faith, perhaps we have failed to take that warning to heart. This could have been the prelude to a detour, similar to Israel's forty-year stint in the wilderness. This would mean that not only did Israel trigger a shift in the course of history by their rejection of Messiah, but so also did the Church in our attitude towards the Jewish community.

    * Regardless of the passage of so much time, this is still an urgent call to us to be awake to the Spirit, allowing Him to do His complete work in us, taking hold of all the resources He makes available, crowding out the evil urge with the pure desires that come from the born again spirit. By all of us doing this, we may speed up the coming of our Messiah.

Chapter 14:1-15:13 – The issue of Jews and Gentiles highlights an immediately practical issue, that of differences in culture and personal moral stance. Not only did it apply to the culture of that day, but much more so to us as cultures have gone through so much change and become increasingly diverse through technology and education. In fact, in our century, we can probably broaden the scope from the matter of diet, which is where Paul begins, to countless issues that face us today.

  * vs 1 – Accept anyone who is weak in faith... What did Paul mean by, "weak in faith"? Are people who are not as flexible in their diet actually less mature as believers than the rest of us?

    * Many of the people who would have fit into that category were also ones who joyfully gave their lives as martyrs. It was in Jerusalem that the first believers, all Torah observant Jews, were killed for their faith. I don't think many of us today would be in a position to make any judgements as far as that goes. If we were, we'd certainly not be prone to judging.

    * This issue is also quite specific: faith in regards to what? As we'll see later in this chapter, diet isn't the only issue that would fit the principles that Paul brings to light here. Because of the increased multiculturalism in our world, I think that every ethnic group, including Westerners, would have areas in which they tend to be "weak in faith".

    * Where this becomes a sensitive issue is where one has been so sheltered in ones own culture and their own accepted set of moral standards that they can't imagine anyone, in good conscience, behaving any differently. Their reaction to seeing it for the first time might be, "Gasp – they can't possibly be Christians!" Of course, we're talking about areas that are not directly addressed in the Bible. Things like fornication, adultery, murder, lying, etc. don't fall into this category.

  * Vs 2 – One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables.

    * The reason for eating only vegetables would have been because it was difficult to find meat that hadn't been sacrificed to idols before being taken to the market. I Corinthians 10:11-33 also sheds light on this. In our age, food sacrificed to idols is still an issue in many non-Western countries, and/or places with large Chinese, Indian, Thai or other ethnic communities. An example would be food given away to friends and relatives at Chinese New Year, which has been offered to ancestral spirits. In the spirit of the context, I'll leave it to each one to make their own conclusions based on a study of these two passages.

    * Verse 5 hints that some of the reasons may be related to Torah observance. Kosher restrictions regarding one's diet would fit into the context of Romans, as we've observed so far. Many Jewish believers, both then and now, continue to maintain their role as a kingdom of priests by keeping the commandments in the Torah.

    * The wording of verse 5 also indicates that this isn't only about diet, but can include a host of other reasons for personal rules of conduct.

  * Vs 4 – who are you to pass judgement on someone else's servant? "Master" and "servant" are a metaphor for the basis one may have for following a set of rules. This may be due to ones culture. However, by "culture", we not only mean ones ethnic group, but it can also be ones church denomination, social class, socio-political background, education, etc. Each culture has its rules and standards of conduct and relationship. It draws the boundary lines which the people of that culture are expected not to overstep. As we grow up in that culture, those rules become a part of our conscience. We'll list a few areas in which our culture "draws the line", beginning with issues directly mentioned in this chapter:

    * Diet, including the issue of the kosher laws in the Torah, and the issue of food sacrificed to idols. Today, we also have vegetarians and vegans for various reasons. Some restrict themselves to fish on Fridays. We could expand this if we mentioned types of food that probably wouldn't be so much a moral issue, as one having the stomach for it, such as eating dog, horse meat, worms and grubs, extremely spicy, and other exotic foods; and, of course, various food allergies, diabetes, being on a strict diet, etc.

    * Sabbath, and other holy days (vs 5): In Paul's time, the only question regarding Sabbath was whether to observe it or not. Today, there are many who keep the Sabbath on Sunday, those who simply regard Sunday as the "Lord's day" without the Sabbath restrictions, as well as groups such as Seventh Day Adventists, a few Pentecostal and Messianic Jewish groups who still keep it on Saturday. We also have not only the Jewish feasts listed in the Torah, but also Christian holidays. The various ways of celebrating Christmas, Easter, saints days, etc., range from those who treat them as obligatory high holy days to those who don't believe in celebrating Christmas and Easter at all.

    * Verse 21 mentions wine. Alcohol consumption is never clearly forbidden in the Bible. It's treated as a part of life, however there are warnings against drunkenness. It's both a beverage and a drug, and each culture tends to treat it one or the other. For those to whom it's a beverage, it's something to enhance a good meal and aid in digestion. For societies who think of it as a drug, it's the source of many an evil, and is therefore subject to a boundary line. Those who have been the victims of the addiction, both the addict and the family members who live in the nightmare, identify with the latter. Various Christian communities follow different rules regarding alcohol, from allowing wine at dinner, a pint at the pub, to take only on special occasions, using it for communion, to insisting on total abstinence. What is certain is, those who have recovered from alcohol addiction should certainly abstain, as they could be prone to be drawn back into it by just one drink. Believers who do feel free to partake of it need to beware of not only those who believe it to be wrong, but recovered alcoholics and their area of weakness.

    * Pre-marital courtship: In the first century, most marriages were arranged. Even adult marriage often involved a middle-man, or matchmaker. In some cultures, this is still the norm. In countries that have been influenced by modern European/American culture, where it has become the norm for young people to propose directly to one another, there are many standards of what's allowable before marriage, from chaperoned dating, to holding hands, to kissing and caressing. Most Christian communities at least draw the line at extra-marital sex, and homosexual relationships, as the Scripture is quite clear on this.

    * Clothing:

      * First century dress was more or less similar to traditional Middle-eastern and Indian dress of today. One notable exception was that in Greek and other cultures it was sometimes okay to be nude in public (historians now believe that the instances of nudity in ancient Greek art weren't just "artistic" but actual depictions of every-day life). The Jewish community tended to discourage nakedness, though numerous Biblical references to "clothing the naked" reveal that there were people who were that way by reason of poverty. In those days, clothing often had to be home-spun and then hand-woven, and therefore hard to come by. Also, even the most conservative of that time still bathed at the river bank or at the public bath house.

      * In today's world, there are a number of issues regarding clothing, including the differentiating of masculine and feminine styles (whether or not unisex is okay), how revealing is the hemline or neckline, how extravagantly one is dressed, the amount of jewellery and make-up. One must be aware, not only of offending other believers, but also the local population.

      * We pointed out already that nudity, at least to a certain level, was tolerated in the ancient world. In our own age, the standards also vary from culture to culture. In some parts of the West, it isn't tolerated at all except in male-only or female-only shower rooms in schools and health clubs, and young boys believe they've lost their virginity if a girl glimpses them naked. By contrast, in Finland, families often invite their guests to join them in the sauna. In many countries of the world, it's a common site to see children skinny-dipping at the local riverbank, or bathing at a public well. One missionary tells of how, early in the last century in a Japanese village, she met a respectable gentleman, a member of her church, walking leisurely home from the local bath house. He greeted her cordially just as he would have in church, with no sign of any self-consciousness about the fact he was stark naked.

An interesting aside is how the culture has changed in places like Japan, Thailand and other recently Westernised countries. Back when it was a common site for people to bathe naked at the river bank, teen age boys and girls didn't so much as hold hands, and any courtship was closely chaperoned. Now, through the influence of the film industry, older boys and girls not only hold hands, but hug and kiss in public, and sometimes require birth control. However, because of the same Westernising influence, younger children all wear pants when swimming in the river. Innocence has been lost as they've gone from a "look but don't touch" to a "touch but don't look" society. One can imagine God walking in the cool of the day, saying, "Who told you you were naked?"

On the other hand, one of the issues regarding nudity is its association with sex. While some can appreciate a painting that features nudity purely on an artistic level, others are unable to distinguish it from pornography. In fact, there's a warning for both sides, which we'll discuss in a moment.

    * Entertainment: In the 20th and 21st centuries, we have forms of entertainment not even dreamed of in the first century. I don't need to elaborate. Various Christian communities follow different standards. Most discourage pornographic films and shows, and rightly so. Other tolerance/acceptance levels range from general family films all the way to hard-core violent, sexy films featuring strong language that fall just short of pornography. Others, again, are sensitive regarding the message portrayed by a film. Some refrain from watching films at all, or even owning a TV.

    * Other cultural considerations: Cultures differ in how people treat one another, how to show respect to one another, as to who in the family or local community receives more or less honour, how one communicates, whether it be non-verbal, idioms, whether one should be direct or indirect in making a statement, how to confront, and much more. We can offend simply by saying or communicating in the wrong way, or using the wrong body language. Local Christian communities are, in part, a product of their culture. So is every individual alive. For that reason, Paul's statement about those "weak in faith" applies to all of us in some way or another.

  * This passage has two applications: how we regard our brothers and sisters in Messiah, and how we mind ourselves.

    * The rule of love says, (vs 15) For if your brother is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy that one Christ died for by what you eat (or drink, or wear, etc.). Their relationship to you as a brother and sister in Messiah should mean more to you than any activity you enjoy that may be seen as morally wrong by their culture. We observed in the module, Who is This Man?, in the study of Matthew 18:5-14, what a great priority it is in the Kingdom of God that we not offend, but rather protect and preserve the weaker ones, the "children".

    * In the parallel passage of I Corinthians 10:11-33, Paul brings out the other side of the issue. The one weak in faith and thus vulnerable to our offence may be none other than ourselves. In verse 12, he says, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. The boundaries drawn by our culture are for our protection. Once having crossed the line to the extent of forcing our conscience to be okay with it, there may be nothing else to prevent us from slipping all the way into immorality.

    * The following examples support both applications:

      * In some cultures, the prohibition against alcohol is their protection against crossing over into the life of an alcoholic. By having half a glass of red wine with someone from a different culture that allows a few drinks, he or she crosses the line and runs the risk. For the second person, for whom wine is a mundane, everyday thing, there's possibly a very general line at two or three glasses, preventing him or her from actually getting drunk, but no such line exists for the first person. He/she has already crossed his line. For him/her, it's a novelty experience, which by the time it wears off, he or she could already be an alcoholic.

      * The rules regarding nudity represent another line. Someone who has grown up in a society that keeps nakedness carefully covered, if on a visit to a tribal village, might need to take care if they chance on a river bank where people are bathing naked, and avoid gazing at sights that would arouse him sexually – and certainly refrain from skinny-dipping himself.

      * If the same person were they to take a liking to a local of the opposite gender, he would do well to mind the local rules regarding courtship, lest he/she induce the other into crossing a line drawn by their own culture, and enter into what would be, for them, dangerous ground.

      * The cultures mentioned earlier that went from a "look but don't touch" to a "touch but don't look" society, probably went through a self adjustment. As one of the lines had become less distinct, an alternative form of protection became necessary.

  * Paul, himself, was the expert in culture, capable of being all things to all people (I Corinthians 9:22), going to all sorts of places in order to proclaim the news of God's Kingdom. He went into people's homes, ate all sorts of things, like Peter did at the home of Cornelius, and no doubt met unsavoury characters, as Jesus did when he dined with publicans and prostitutes. How did they do it? Many times in his epistles, Paul refers to special grace for spreading the message (Romans 1:5; Galatians 1:1,11-16; II Corinthians 12:8-12; etc.). Many today have this grace to go into pubs and nightclubs and other places where it would be unwise for some of us to go, others to countries where the food is something that wouldn't be polite to describe at the dinner table at home, and where people wear very little if anything at all. Some have to pick their way carefully around their host culture, while finding a way to communicate the Gospel without offending them – or in a way they'll understand it. Not all of these people are from cultures that are liberal in these matters, but they have the grace to do so, so they proceed by faith. If God sends you, go, but if He doesn't, stay where you have the grace of God to be. In verse 23, Paul speaks from experience when he says, ...anything not based on faith is a sin.

  * 15:1-13 – Paul had begun this section with the exhortation to, offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God (12:1). We observed how that was the ultimate expression of our love to God. Paul went on from there to talk about our responding in love and humility towards our fellow believers. In chapter 14, we've seen that this involves being sensitive to the things that may offend them, or cause them to stumble. Now, it's come full circle. Our sacrifice of ourselves to God should result in our sacrificing ourselves for our brothers and sisters in Messiah, living a lifestyle that supports them rather than destroy.

    * It's easy to say we'd give up our life, but what are the chances of being called on to actually do that? Here, Paul asks us for something less but much more likely: give up, not our life, but our right to the lifestyle we would have much rather chosen, for the sake of our fellow believers. As Jesus once said, "Which is easier to say...?"

    * Vs 5 – ...may God...give you the same attitude among yourselves as the Messiah had... Compare this passage with that of Philippians 2:5-11 – Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus (NKJV)...

    * Vs 13 – This way of live is ultimately the most joyful and satisfying, as Paul finishes the central message of his epistle with: Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (HCSB)

Chapter 15:14-16:27 – To close, Paul gives a bit of current news on his own life and ministry, as well as greets a few people. In doing so, he offers a few useful things worth knowing about:

  * Vs 19 – Paul's definition of having "fully proclaimed" the message of Messiah necessarily included miraculous signs and wonders, and by the power of God's Spirit (HCSB). This can be a clue to the question of whether the world, or any given region, has truly received the gospel or not.

  * We can tell from the context that this Epistle was written from Corinth on what's been called his third missionary journey. According to verses 25-27, he was taking a large donation from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia (the region that includes Corinth) for the believers in Jerusalem. He refers to this offering in his second epistle to the Corinthians, in which he urges them to give generously (II Corinthian 8). It's the journey that was recorded in Acts 20 and 21.

  * Vs 24, 28 – Paul's intention was to go to Spain after stopping in at Rome. He did, indeed stop at Rome – he was sent there as a prisoner according to the latter chapters of Acts – but whether or not he made it to Spain after his release, we don't know.

  * Interesting facts about various people:

    * 16:1 – Pheobe was a probably a businesswoman from Cenchrea, near Corinth, from where Paul wrote this epistle. She carried the letter to Rome on a business trip to that city. Paul refers to her as a "servant" of the church in Cenchrea, meaning she could have been a deacon or a pastor.

    * Vs 3 – Priscilla and Aquila were a couple that Paul had met when he first arrived in Corinth (Acts 18). They had been exiled from Rome along with the whole Jewish community over a disturbance. They became close associates of Paul, in Corinth, later moved to Ephesus, where they helped a preacher named Apollos come to a more correct understanding of the Kingdom of God (vs 24 ff). After that, they apparently moved back to Rome. From Paul's greetings in this chapter, we glean two things: 1. The church in Rome, as was probably the pattern elsewhere, consisted of small groups meeting in homes. 2. Pricilla, the wife, is named before her husbands. This was not done at that time, unless the wife had more prominence. It's probable that she was the main leader of the church in their home. So far, we've seen two women in leadership, her and Pheobe. There's at least one more named in this chapter:

    * Vs 7 – Andronicus and Junia were another couple whom Paul knew, and were involved in ministry. Junia was the wife. Paul mentions that they were of note among the apostles, which could have meant that they were apostles themselves. From this, we observe two facts: 1. Two more people, apart from the original 12, are referred to as apostles. Altogether, there are about 24 people in the Bible mentioned as apostles. 2. Junia, a woman, is an apostle. We saw that Pheobe and Priscilla were also church leaders. Some passages in Paul's epistles would seem to indicate that he disapproved of women in leadership. This chapter would seem to indicate otherwise. If we take all the references as a whole, we're left with the assumption that Paul's instructions to Timothy and the Corinthians were based on the fact that women, in those days, as a rule, were uneducated and rarely saw much of the world beyond their back garden. There were exceptions to the rule, such as Pheobe, Priscilla, Junia, as well as Lydia of Thyratira, the purple fabric merchant Paul met in Philippi, and others also listed in this chapter.

  * Paul finished his epistle with a request for prayer on his behalf.

* * *

1 When we ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we gained the power to compare things according to how good or bad they were, or superior or inferior, desirable or undesirable. Besides giving us the capacity to judge, it also affected our natural drives and appetites, originally given to us to ensure our survival thorough the need to eat, drink, seek safety and procreate. The knowledge of good and evil distorted these natural drives, causing us to seek more than just the necessary things, but better than what others had, things that would enhance our image, give ultimate sexual satisfaction, power over others, etc. The rabbinical term for this is the evil urge, or evil inclination. The New Testament calls it the flesh.

2 The following is quoted from an early module, The Covenants:

...This situation could be described as being like that of a mother longing for her child. However, the mother is made of fire, and the child is made of straw. As much as the mother loves and longs for the child, she knows she can't allow the child to come close, or the child would burn up. Man, in his sinful state, was in a similar position. God's holy nature would consume man the moment he came near, as fire would, dry straw.

3 St. Augustine of Hippo lived during the fourth and fifth centuries. He was converted from pagan Greek philosophy to Messiah through an experience in which the Holy Spirit intruded into his consciousness in which he heard a child sounding voice saying, "take up and read". He immediately began reading the Epistle to the Romans, chapters 13 through 15. The account of his conversion, as well as the dedication of his mother who prayed earnestly for his salvation, in the Confessions of St. Augustine, are among of the more inspirational literary pieces of Church history. His background in Greek thought and philosophy contributed to his ability to convince intellectual non-believers to repent and believe, as well as his teaching of Christine doctrine. Whether or not he actually formulated the doctrine of Original Sin, he at least contributed to it and made it into one of the major doctrines of not only the Catholic Church but also that of Calvin, Luther and the other Reformers. The Calvinistic teaching on Predestination is also from Augustine.

Before the time of Augustine, it's difficult to find any teaching on Original Sin. One of the most complete works of systematic theology from before the time of Augustine is Irenaeus' Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching. This work probably reflects the teaching and faith as understood by the early church closest to the time of Paul and the other Apostles. The afterlife is described in terms of the final resurrection – not very much about life in heaven. Sin is described as something that one does, not a state of being.

# Appendix

## A Brief Illustrated Synopsis of this Study Series

_All the illustrated diagrams from throughout the series set together in order_

This concludes the Tishbyte Foundational Bible Study Series

# More by Robby Charters

## More on the Kingdom of God

**For a briefer explanation** of what the Kingdom of God is all about, check out my online comic book: **The Happy Kingdom**

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**More:**

**Johnny -- _who?_ **\-- But for the work of John the Baptist, the arrival of Messiah could have turned out to be a curse instead of a blessing. Why is this so important to us today?

**Included in the same volume: _The Judgement and Afterlife: a study_** A discussion of what the Bible says about the afterlife, and who, according to the Bible, is a candidate for hell. Does the Bible allow for other options? What about Purgatory? We don't give pat answers, but rather, a starting point for discussion.

**Eyes**\-- What did Jesus mean when he said, "If the eye is good, the body is full of light,"...? A simple Hebrew idiom that could turn your life around.

**Included in the same volume: _Wearing the Whole Armour of God_** \-- protecting ourselves from spiritual and mental attack. You've heard of the Armour of God, how do you actually wear it?

* * *

## Novels

**What does the Gospel look like in a futuristic dystopia?**

The world of the late 21st century is divided between Greater China, the Western Block, the Islamic Block and the Southern Free States of Africa and South America. The Western Block is dominated by the multinational corporations, who have created a paradise for its citizens -- so everyone thinks.

Mickey O'Brien is the Eurasian, half Asian and half Irish. He has a problem with that, because all his friends are fully Asian. However, no one has actually met each other -- only their virtual projected images they show on their on-line classroom environment. He and his classmates meet each other for the first time as they go on a class trip to America. It turns out they all had things to hide.

In America, they accidentally discover what the Multinationals have been trying to hide. Their hover van is hijacked, and they are left trapped in the great American outback, a vast area of what was once U.S.A., now divided between countless republics. Some are Nazi, some are militant Christian and other redneck cowboy states, some Native American Nations, Mafia kingdoms, etc etc. The wild west is again wild. Once having stumbled in, can they ever find their way out again?

It's a story of finding out what's real, and discovering true faith as they become involved in an espionage war trying to prevent a Nazis takeover.

Available in Print and as E-Book

The year is 2020. We have people living on Mars, but haven't sorted out life on earth yet. In an age of robotics and rail-less magnetic trains, life at the bottom is probably worse for the ware.

Pepe doesn't know his true identity but his existence poses a national security threat. He lives in an abandoned construction site with Po, his "sister". President Don Juan Clemente, a quadriplegic, brain linked to massive computer system including killer robots, is poised to destroy any threat to his power, and the hunt is on. Help comes from a young computer hacker named Raul, and an aged mystic named Atsuko, and a few others. But will that be enough to save Pepe?

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The Ben Hur of SF: Eetoo, a shepherd from an obscure planet, was the one prophesied to seek the truth from the birthplace of humanity. He has help from fellow humans as well as non humans. Some species would rather see humanity extinct, and for good reason. The ancient Nephteshi Empire showed how evil humanity can be. The paradox keeps Eetoo searching for answers, taking him to first century Earth.

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Ernie Magawan has been bothered by bazarre recurring dreams of outer space and a green crystal. He's tempted to agree with his twin that he might be off in the head - until, during an archaeology dig, he finds the very crystal and realises he's on an mission that started before he was born. The stability of the universe depends on their success. He has to find and wake up six others like himself...

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Catrick is a professor at the Feline University in Catropolis. As a young cat, he had a life changing experience that set him on his mission in life, to proclaim that animal species can live in harmony. All the while, the rodents are rising up against cat rule. Catrick and his friends meet political agendas, prejudices, and countless other reasons for not doing the obvious. vailable in Print and as E-Book
