Monday, May 28, 2007
JESUS OUR FORGIVENESS
READ JOHN 8:1-11
1-11) SETTING: Jesus, people who were coming to Him, and scribes which held various important offices in the public affairs of the nation, acted as secretaries of state, whose business it was to prepare and issue decrees in the name of the king. (Today's Dictionary of the Bible) Also there were the Pharisees and the woman caught in adultery.
THE ACCUSATION: This woman had been caught in the very act of adultery. If caught in the very act, where is the man? To legitimize their claim they refered to the Law of Moses. (See Lev. 20:10)
How did they interpret the Law? "Stone such a woman!"
What does the Law actually say? Put to death both the man and the woman (how they were to put to death is not spoken of)
Was the accusation based on truth? NO!
Why were these rulers saying these things to Jesus? To test Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him. This was their true motive. (see v.6)
JESUS REACTION: Jesus calls them on their bluff and exposes their guilt, their sin, being a false witness and testing Jesus. It was the older ones who saw the wisdom of Jesus' comment and the rest followed suit. Jesus then showed the woman that forgiveness was from God. "Forgiveness really is a divine attribute, for it is only God who can forgive sins. Forgiveness is an act of God, releasing sinners from judgment and freeing them from the divine penalty of their sin - death." (Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words) (See Hebrews 2:14-15 and I John 3:8-9)
FATHER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS, FOR WITHOUT IT WE WOULD STILL BE IN OUR TRESPASSES AND SINS. AMEN.
1-11) SETTING: Jesus, people who were coming to Him, and scribes which held various important offices in the public affairs of the nation, acted as secretaries of state, whose business it was to prepare and issue decrees in the name of the king. (Today's Dictionary of the Bible) Also there were the Pharisees and the woman caught in adultery.
THE ACCUSATION: This woman had been caught in the very act of adultery. If caught in the very act, where is the man? To legitimize their claim they refered to the Law of Moses. (See Lev. 20:10)
How did they interpret the Law? "Stone such a woman!"
What does the Law actually say? Put to death both the man and the woman (how they were to put to death is not spoken of)
Was the accusation based on truth? NO!
Why were these rulers saying these things to Jesus? To test Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him. This was their true motive. (see v.6)
JESUS REACTION: Jesus calls them on their bluff and exposes their guilt, their sin, being a false witness and testing Jesus. It was the older ones who saw the wisdom of Jesus' comment and the rest followed suit. Jesus then showed the woman that forgiveness was from God. "Forgiveness really is a divine attribute, for it is only God who can forgive sins. Forgiveness is an act of God, releasing sinners from judgment and freeing them from the divine penalty of their sin - death." (Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words) (See Hebrews 2:14-15 and I John 3:8-9)
FATHER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS, FOR WITHOUT IT WE WOULD STILL BE IN OUR TRESPASSES AND SINS. AMEN.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
WHO IS HE?
READ JOHN 7:40-53
40) The multitudes were thinking about the prophet that Moses had predicted in Dt. 18:15. "However, in their theology, they believed the prophet was not the same individual as the Messiah (cf. Jn. 1:19-21)" (The Feasts of the Lord)
41-43) "Some believed He was claiming to be the Messiah - and, of a truth, He was. However, still others debated this notion with, "Has not the Scripture said that the Christ [the Messiah] comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was? . . . These were ignorant that Jesus was, in reality, a descendant of David, and that His birthplace was Bethlehem. So John recorded, "there was a division among the people because of Him." (The Feasts of the Lord)
44-53) QUOTE: "In the wake of these disturbing events the religious leadership called an emergency security meeting. it was a meeting of the chief priests, those twenty-four priests who were head over the twenty-four divisions of the priesthood (I Cor. 24:1-19). They were aristocratic Sadduccees who controlled the Temple worship. Also present were the Pharisees. They were the perpetuators of the oral extra biblical traditions within Israel. They controlled the synagogue worship. These two groups, usually at great odds over theology and engaged in religious power struggles, were united in their hatred of Jesus. "They summoned the officers to give an account as to why they had not arrested Jesus. The officers were Levites who patrolled the Temple compound and enforced Temple law. They were the security force, the Temple guard, who responsibility it would have been to arrest Jesus for interrupting the service. A few days earlier, the officers had been commanded to arrest Jesus (Jn. 7:14, 30-32), but now they had missed the perfect occasion to do so. The officers, too, had been stunned by His statement, for they answereed in their defense, "No man ever spoke like this Man!" (Jn. 7:46). After being rebuked in great rage, the officers were sent away." (The Feasts of the Lord)
I HAVE QUOTED MUCH THIS TIME FROM THE BOOK THE FEASTS OF THE LORD BY KEVIN HOWARD AND MARVIN ROSENTHAL. AN EXCELLENT BOOK AND WELL WORTH READING.
40) The multitudes were thinking about the prophet that Moses had predicted in Dt. 18:15. "However, in their theology, they believed the prophet was not the same individual as the Messiah (cf. Jn. 1:19-21)" (The Feasts of the Lord)
41-43) "Some believed He was claiming to be the Messiah - and, of a truth, He was. However, still others debated this notion with, "Has not the Scripture said that the Christ [the Messiah] comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was? . . . These were ignorant that Jesus was, in reality, a descendant of David, and that His birthplace was Bethlehem. So John recorded, "there was a division among the people because of Him." (The Feasts of the Lord)
44-53) QUOTE: "In the wake of these disturbing events the religious leadership called an emergency security meeting. it was a meeting of the chief priests, those twenty-four priests who were head over the twenty-four divisions of the priesthood (I Cor. 24:1-19). They were aristocratic Sadduccees who controlled the Temple worship. Also present were the Pharisees. They were the perpetuators of the oral extra biblical traditions within Israel. They controlled the synagogue worship. These two groups, usually at great odds over theology and engaged in religious power struggles, were united in their hatred of Jesus. "They summoned the officers to give an account as to why they had not arrested Jesus. The officers were Levites who patrolled the Temple compound and enforced Temple law. They were the security force, the Temple guard, who responsibility it would have been to arrest Jesus for interrupting the service. A few days earlier, the officers had been commanded to arrest Jesus (Jn. 7:14, 30-32), but now they had missed the perfect occasion to do so. The officers, too, had been stunned by His statement, for they answereed in their defense, "No man ever spoke like this Man!" (Jn. 7:46). After being rebuked in great rage, the officers were sent away." (The Feasts of the Lord)
I HAVE QUOTED MUCH THIS TIME FROM THE BOOK THE FEASTS OF THE LORD BY KEVIN HOWARD AND MARVIN ROSENTHAL. AN EXCELLENT BOOK AND WELL WORTH READING.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
FINDING JESUS
READ JOHN 7:32-39
32-39) Chief Priests and Pharisees represent the ruling council, the Sanhedrin. The officers were Temple police. SETTING: Jesus is avoiding getting arrested at this point because His hour has not yet come, v.30. It was not time for Him to be arrested, Jesus was in full control of His life. No one could arrest Him, nor kill Him untIl the time was right as called by the Father. In these verses Jesus announces that He is going somewhere. (The Jews think He is going to the dispersion among the Greeks. These were Jewish People, "...not living in Palestine, but "dispersed" or scattered among the Gentiles...they were referred to as "Greeks" here." (The Bible Knowledge Key Word Study) The reality of what Jesus was telling these Jewish authorities was that they would die in their sins and so could not come to be with Him in heaven. A sad commentary for these Jewish leaders! (See also John 6:65)
37-39) On the last day of the feast, the eighth day, Jesus cries out to the crowd.
QUOTE: "The year was somewhere around A.D. 30. It was Hoshana Rabbah, the last day, the great day of the Feast of Tabernaciles. The bright morning sun was almost too warm as the throngs crowded the Temple courts for the Hoshana Rabbah service. As the people intently watched the priest conduct the service, a loud voice rang out from the crowd. The priests glared in consternation, and the people whipped around in great surprise to see who dared interrupt the service. They say a young Galilean in His early thirties, the one whom many held to be a great rabbi, a prophet, or even the Messiah. He boomed: "If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (Jn 37-38; cf. Jn. 4:14). In other words, He said: I am the answer to your prayers, I am the Messiah. I can save you now so that you will never thirst for salvation again." (From the book The Feasts of the Lord)
From here a spirited debate broke out among the people and we will look at this debate next time.
O ADONAI, TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO ENTER YOUR GATES AND GIVE THANKS IN YOUR COURTS IS A BLESSING BEYOND MEASURE. AMEN
32-39) Chief Priests and Pharisees represent the ruling council, the Sanhedrin. The officers were Temple police. SETTING: Jesus is avoiding getting arrested at this point because His hour has not yet come, v.30. It was not time for Him to be arrested, Jesus was in full control of His life. No one could arrest Him, nor kill Him untIl the time was right as called by the Father. In these verses Jesus announces that He is going somewhere. (The Jews think He is going to the dispersion among the Greeks. These were Jewish People, "...not living in Palestine, but "dispersed" or scattered among the Gentiles...they were referred to as "Greeks" here." (The Bible Knowledge Key Word Study) The reality of what Jesus was telling these Jewish authorities was that they would die in their sins and so could not come to be with Him in heaven. A sad commentary for these Jewish leaders! (See also John 6:65)
37-39) On the last day of the feast, the eighth day, Jesus cries out to the crowd.
QUOTE: "The year was somewhere around A.D. 30. It was Hoshana Rabbah, the last day, the great day of the Feast of Tabernaciles. The bright morning sun was almost too warm as the throngs crowded the Temple courts for the Hoshana Rabbah service. As the people intently watched the priest conduct the service, a loud voice rang out from the crowd. The priests glared in consternation, and the people whipped around in great surprise to see who dared interrupt the service. They say a young Galilean in His early thirties, the one whom many held to be a great rabbi, a prophet, or even the Messiah. He boomed: "If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (Jn 37-38; cf. Jn. 4:14). In other words, He said: I am the answer to your prayers, I am the Messiah. I can save you now so that you will never thirst for salvation again." (From the book The Feasts of the Lord)
From here a spirited debate broke out among the people and we will look at this debate next time.
O ADONAI, TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO ENTER YOUR GATES AND GIVE THANKS IN YOUR COURTS IS A BLESSING BEYOND MEASURE. AMEN
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
IS HE THE CHRIST?
READ JOHN 7:12-31
12-14) The multitudes were grumbling among themselves with conflicting views of who Jesus was. Some thought of Him as a good man, upright, honorable, free from guile, particularly from a desire to corrupt the people, for they had seen an assemblage of corruption within the Jewish leadership and Jesus did not seem to associated Himself with these Jewish leaders. Others saw Him as one who would lead people astray, to lead away from the truth, to lead into error, to deceive. In their eyes He was just another man who would in the end fall into corruption.
15-19) Mystery - Where did Jesus get His education? He came from Nazareth, a carpenter's son, no formal education. In the eyes of the Jews He, ". . . was not a disciple of a particular rabbi (cf. Paul in Acts 22:3) and lacked advanced instruction in the Mosaic Law under a recognized rabbi. Ironically, when the Jewish leaders came face to face with the Word-become-flesh--they treated him as an untaught, unlearned person without the formal qualifications to be a teacher." (The Bible Knowledge Key Word Study)
Jesus' answer: He was speaking for God, if He was speaking for Himself alone He would be seeking His own glory and not that of God's, who is true and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Cause: Willing to do His will
Effect: Know from where the teaching comes from.
Anyone who does God's will will be able to judge the authority of Jesus' teaching. Moses had given them the Law and yet they did not carry out the Law, meet its demand.
Why were they seeking to kill Jesus who is meeting the demands of the Law and they were not?
20-25) Jesus is being accused of acting and speaking as though He were mad. He was possessed by a demon.
Jesus' answer: Jesus points out that if circumcision is allowed on the Sabbath (Lev. 12:3), should not also a deed of mercy? (John 5:5-9) You dare to judge? Don't judge by outward appearances alone, but with righteous judgment (render to each his due; and that in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others, in other words judgment is given without prejudice or partiality.)
26-31) The crowds of people were questioning as to the authenticity of Jesus, is He the Messiah, the Christ? He had performed many signs and that was proof that He could be the Messiah, but John is emphasizing here that true belief is not in signs, but in the fact that Jesus came from the Father. Jesus said, "You know me from where I came from, Nazareth, but I am more than a mere man, I am sent from God, who is true. Who better to explain God or to express the truth than Jesus
O MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE, THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR SON. IT IS THROUGH HIM THAT WE CAN TRUELY COME TO KNOW YOU. AMEN
12-14) The multitudes were grumbling among themselves with conflicting views of who Jesus was. Some thought of Him as a good man, upright, honorable, free from guile, particularly from a desire to corrupt the people, for they had seen an assemblage of corruption within the Jewish leadership and Jesus did not seem to associated Himself with these Jewish leaders. Others saw Him as one who would lead people astray, to lead away from the truth, to lead into error, to deceive. In their eyes He was just another man who would in the end fall into corruption.
15-19) Mystery - Where did Jesus get His education? He came from Nazareth, a carpenter's son, no formal education. In the eyes of the Jews He, ". . . was not a disciple of a particular rabbi (cf. Paul in Acts 22:3) and lacked advanced instruction in the Mosaic Law under a recognized rabbi. Ironically, when the Jewish leaders came face to face with the Word-become-flesh--they treated him as an untaught, unlearned person without the formal qualifications to be a teacher." (The Bible Knowledge Key Word Study)
Jesus' answer: He was speaking for God, if He was speaking for Himself alone He would be seeking His own glory and not that of God's, who is true and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Cause: Willing to do His will
Effect: Know from where the teaching comes from.
Anyone who does God's will will be able to judge the authority of Jesus' teaching. Moses had given them the Law and yet they did not carry out the Law, meet its demand.
Why were they seeking to kill Jesus who is meeting the demands of the Law and they were not?
20-25) Jesus is being accused of acting and speaking as though He were mad. He was possessed by a demon.
Jesus' answer: Jesus points out that if circumcision is allowed on the Sabbath (Lev. 12:3), should not also a deed of mercy? (John 5:5-9) You dare to judge? Don't judge by outward appearances alone, but with righteous judgment (render to each his due; and that in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others, in other words judgment is given without prejudice or partiality.)
26-31) The crowds of people were questioning as to the authenticity of Jesus, is He the Messiah, the Christ? He had performed many signs and that was proof that He could be the Messiah, but John is emphasizing here that true belief is not in signs, but in the fact that Jesus came from the Father. Jesus said, "You know me from where I came from, Nazareth, but I am more than a mere man, I am sent from God, who is true. Who better to explain God or to express the truth than Jesus
O MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE, THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR SON. IT IS THROUGH HIM THAT WE CAN TRUELY COME TO KNOW YOU. AMEN
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