"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour."
Three hours as the Spirit records it intends the darkness as a sign independent of natural cause of a solar eclipse. The number Three decidedly favors the spiritual darkness enveloping in their rejection of the Son; by the same token we have another sign, of graves letting out their contents as though in protest; The torn veil of the temple is a symbolic act as the word of God fulfilling as in the case of the hour of darkness that had now taken over the land. Jesus was correct in the timing. "I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me./But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." (26:55-56) The word of God zeroed in, that the Word become flesh could not have missed. (To digress a little, obedience of Jesus Christ was perfected in letting the word of his Father work with him.)
The voice came from heaven and in the Gospel of John Jesus explains it clearly. "Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes."( John 12:30). It was while he was alive. By the same token the death of the Son could not have passed on without some visible signs of it. There are so many strange signs and bizarre light and sound show in the sky. What does the man on the street say,"UFO sighting." His reasonable mind wants to hitch his mind to anything however silly it may be. But he rejects any suggestion that rejecting the word concerning shall have serious consequences. The mind of the centurion who witnessed the events, was much more of noble cast. " they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."(v.54) Consider the chief priests and the Pharisees who would hush up his resurrection, what was their mind like? (vv.62-66) Do you think the modern churches shall disband their churches or abjure their heresies in the face of truth revealed?
Psalm 22 gives us a graphic account of the agony of Jesus on the cross. Jesus knew well that he was hung up not only on two wooden crossbeams but also between his deity and humanity,- and St Luke pithily sums it up: "For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end." ( Luke 22:37). Gospel of St Luke does well in dwelling on the Man component while John and Matthew give us the Alpha aspect of Christ.
Ps. 22:6-9 " But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people./All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,/He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him." Isaiah also refers more or less the same. "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him;"(Is.53:3)
In real time he was despised and they 'laugh me to scorn'. "And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,/And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." while some, "let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him." Chief priest befitting their holier-than- thou stance, "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God."
"He was despised, and we esteemed him not." His death did not mean much to the man on the street other than a spectacle of three 'malefactors'. Unless one makes 'the word' in his heart as the truth God has planted and unless you daily care for it do you think you would have been any different than the passersby? We are marvelously created and set on two timescales and blessed in his Son to be his witnesses.
We have in this chapter a few dilemmas created by wicked men.
1.Dilemma of 'other man's riches'
v.5 " And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself." Judas realized all too late his actions were irrevocable. Thirty pieces of silver did not help him to clear his name or conscience. Money was other man's riches so the chief priests hired him to do a job would not want to touch it; the enormity of guilt over betrayal of an innocent man's blood, no money could handle. Satan is the designated 'other man' since value of thirty pieces of silver has also changed. Who shall price an abstract thing as conscience? Chief priests whose piety was in observing traditions of their fathers set a price accordingly as 'unclean'. "And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood." Instead bought the land thereby fulfilling the scriptures. "Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet."
2 Dilemma of duty imposed by ungodly man.
Pontius Pilate despite of honor and authority was a pawn or a loser. " For he knew that for envy they had delivered him." He was a clever and worldly wise to have risen the ranks of a brutal regime, where dog eats dog principle prevailed. Envy killed you as well as slip of the tongue cast you down at any moment. He saw through the hypocrisy of the religion. He believed that Jesus was innocent. All he could do was wash his hands. "When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it."(v.24). If life was as simple as that but Judas realized it was not. He as well as Pilate were accountable to a Just God who could cast their soul to death and hell. Man in honor abides not.(Ps.49:20)
Love is patient; love is kind. ( 1 Corinthians 13:4-8). This section of scripture gets into all of the attributes of true love which characterizes "agape" which is the deepest kind of love which we can experience coming from heaven itself. Every other type of human affection is stereotyped by a particular relationship; but cannot stand the test of time truly without the Lord's love being in the mix. "Storge" for instance is defined as a type of familiar bond; which I would think describes a kinship with family members.
This is often flipped as to the responsibility and frustrations of a parent for a child then later on for a caretaker as myself the burden of assisting family members losing their physical stamina; mental acuity; as well as the emotional volatility that can result from such deterioration. fThere is another term for "self love" which up until now I am unfamiliar with called "philautia" which I suspect is retlated to "philia" which is a sort of plutonic affection (without eros) for others. As a Christian; of course we are instructed to die to self and live out the new life of Christ; nonetheless the law itself says to love your neighbor as yourself ( Leviticus 19:18 as well as quoted in the Gospels. There are other passages that state we should care for our wives as our own body ( Ephesians 5:29).
What is necessary; of course is to honor what God has given us stewardship over; whether it is our own bodies; our finances; marriages; or anything else the Lord has given us. Trusting God to provide; as well as guide us through self deprivation; fasting; and suffering even leading to death needs to be done trusting that God has the best ultimately even if it means martyrdom in terms of our eternity. This allows us to have the proper commitment to others entrusted to our care as well as having a love for the brothers and sisters both in our midst and abroad preaching the Good News. We need to trust God in maintaining what He has provided for us
A good example is likening God to a tap of water. We drink as much as we wish. We turn the tap as much as we want, The tap is there, the water is there, but we drink as much as we turn that tap. The more we turn it the more we drink. It is up to us. God is always there. As simple as that.
About the kids brother, the problem with kids nowadays is not only a matter of overprotectiveness and lack of punishment. I think it is mainly of what people teach to their children. On top of that nowadays kids get their standards in life, not from the family, or the church and the Word of God, but mostly from the internet. Often from the rich and famous, the celebrities, who usually are drug or alcohol addicts, violent (don't you see how the gangsters are heroized on TV?) with broken families where fornication and adultery are the usual thing. Sex and violence is what the Kkids eat nowadays. As there is no censorship on the net, kids see and learn all sort of weird things there and then spread them to others.
And as there are no borders nowadays the sin is propagating from one country to another very easily. Sin is like a virus, a spiritual covid, that goes from a place to another easily if there is nothing to stop it. And nowadays there is nothing to stop it. It is written that the people of the end times will be the worst of all times. And we see that in our countries, don't we?
Wel,l maybe I say the same thing as you do but with different words. GBU
Agape still comes from the Spirit; if I understand correctly it is equivalent to the fellowship or communion of the saints hence a commandment to love one another. It is part of His body; with Christ the head being the source of all things and the head of that body. I appreciate your expertise in Greek.
My point is as you can tell that all other loves in themselves have no inherent good in them without the Lord in control of us. It is like anything else in the sense that there is nothing bad in itself provided that God's laws are followed with a covenant marriage for instance in expressing the deepest human love. Even in that context; however when we allow any human passions to be in charge of our souls our sin nature utilizes these innate desires to steer us in the wrong way. The issue; of course is that there is no eternally lasting love that is in the human soul that can live outside of the life of Christ in us; and in 1 John 2:17 we see evidence of that truth. Doing the will of God is of course impossible ultimately in our human understanding. The world system for instance steers people toward a mindset that any punishment is too harsh and is judging someone and taking away their inherent value. Thus the innocent aren't vindicated and the guilty forced to deal up front with their issues and allow God's chastisement to take effect; which according to scripture can even lead believers to an early demise in taking communion unworthily; for instance. We can also look to the thief on the cross; his salvation came when dying for what he justly deserved which he himself stated to the other thief mocking Christ. Overprotectiveness for kids also is related at least in this country where kids who are spoiled and underworked find all kinds of trouble (drugs; sex; theft) rather than being in a household where there is a value of respect for parents; a work ethic; etc. Agape love presents the truth so one can be saved not make people content in sin.
Well, I understand love a bit different than you do. I believe that man's love and God's love are not different things. The difference is in the "quantity" of love. Man's love is finite. Depending on the person it can be "as much" as to "love themselves" ("philautia" is extreme love for oneself that leads to selfishness and lack of concern for other people), then love for their own, like their children, then love for their friends or relatives and as love increases a man can love more and more people. So love expands from loving myself (or not even myself) to love everybody else, even my enemies, people that make my life tough. So it is a matter of quantity (or quality). If we try to make a scale of love from zero to infinity, the far end is God's love, it is infinite, God is actually love. Somewhere inbetween, depending on the person, man's love can be placed. Even loving my enemy can be variable. Just think. Can I love one who swears at me? If yes, then can I love somebody who hurts me? If yes, can I love someone who hurts my child? If yes then can I love someone who killed my child? On a cross? And going even further can I love all people and give my son to death to save them? This is what God did for us. So you see there is a scale of love.
Since love originates from God and it is an aspect of His character, the only way one can increase their love for others is through God. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is, among others, love. So when one is filled with God's Spirit then their love increases. So it is something that is given by God's Spirit. There is no other way that we can love our enemies. A man who is not born again can never love their enemies, the most they could do is forget what they had done to them, but definitely not love them.
Inside the church firstly we learn how to love our brothers and sisters. When we realize that we lack in love we just have to go and ask God to provide love to us. We can not manage anything on our own.
"Agape" is grk for "love", no matter where it comes from, God or man. There isn't any specific grk word for God's love.
"Philautia" is grk for "self love". It comes from the verb "philao" or "philo" which means "to love" and the noun "eautos" which means "self" (masc.). The modern word "auto" comes from this word, which means something that does something by itself, like an automatic machine. "Philao" is used for" love" between friends, hence "philos" is grk for "friend". "Storge" does not mean love but it is something that originates from love. The nearest Engl. word for it is "affection". It includes warm feelings, tenderness, care and love for another person. It is used for members of a family, mainly (if not only) from parents to children.
"And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:" James 2:3 KJV
The people in the back should be sitting in the front. The very front so they can get the help and support they need and become stronger and overcome. The people in the back might be struggling with very weighty issues and those with the weightest of issues need to sit closest to the front. So that the stronger ones can pray for them and show their love, support and compassion with hopes of making those that were sitting in the back that are now in the very front, overcomers.
Respectfully submitted in the name of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ.
"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;" 1 Timothy 3:2 KJV
Being blameless means having the ability and capacity to be responsible to duties and obligations; and be an example for others on how a responsible person should act or carry themselves.
Earlier in I Timothy 3 it states that if one desires the office of a Bishop. "This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work." 1 Timothy 3:1 KJV. Any good desires a man (or woman) has comes from God. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17 KJV The desire itself to become a Bishop comes from God. According to scripture only men (or males) can become Bishops.
God sent his only begotten Son to the world. St Matthew presents him deliver the doctrine of his Father. Sermon on the Mount in ch.5 gives it as the Word become flesh. As the Word there was no higher authority than what he signified in his person. John speaks of his deity thus, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." ( John 1:2).
The Gospel presents him in the following chapters as Man is the Message. Evangelist traces a subtext why he was not received by his own." He came unto his own, and his own received him not"( John 1:11). Conflict between light and darkness must be resolved and it comes to a head on the charges of blasphemy. "I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me./But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."(26:56-57)
When Jesus told the truth, "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" the council that tried him was certain,"Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy." Their entire process was illegal but his role as the Lamb to his slaughter was right on track. "he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."(Is.53:7)
"And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly."(27:14). Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ in denying the truth they were proving that they were unworthy of the other. So the mob crying,"Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children."(v.27) illustrates what precious gift had they trodden underfoot. Holocaust wiped out some six million in the process. Has it sobered them up? Without grace beauty is blind and truth is darkness. We are warned what a terror awaits us if we neglect it.
Hi Jazzmanrd. Not sure whether you're wanting to better understand this phrase in Nehemiah 1:5, or not. In case you are, Nehemiah, in his anguished prayer to God, described how he viewed this mighty God, Who alone could save His people & prosper his (Nehemiah's) request to the Babylonian king, Artaxerxes.
Sometimes, our present understanding of English words have changed as culture & word usage evolves. So here in this verse, Nehemiah describes the Almighty God as "great and terrible". In Hebrew, the word used for 'terrible' is 'yare', which means 'to take fright'. One might think, why should we be frightened or terrified of a God Who is merciful, kind & gracious? Though many Christians today hold only to such a view of God, we know from reading all the Scriptures, that God is also a God of Wrath & of Justice, all within His Glorious Holiness. So, in confronting such a God, anyone whose heart is not right with Him, would do well to tremble & shake in His Presence, even as Nehemiah knew this God Who had the Power to consign all of Israel to destruction for their many sins. Even the Hebrews writer could state, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" ( Hebrews 10:31).
So the word we could use today instead of 'terrible' would be 'awesome', not as the world uses the word, but unto the Living God before Whom we would stand struck with awe in both His Power, but also His great Grace.
The proper translation of that Hebrew word is "being feared". In the ancient times the mighty people were being feard, because they were poweful and could do to other people anything they wished. As you said it actually shows the power of God, the almighty God. The Bible says that God is love but He also is a "consuming fire" (Hebr 12:29)
"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;/And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me."(vv.9-10)
Here St Matthew refers to a quote from the book of Zechariah. In order to give them its proper context we shall consider the v.10. "And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.' This covenant with Israel refers to the Law of Moses. Beauty symbolic sign for Jesus ("For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"- Luke 23:31) In cutting off the Son they were repudiating the covenant and God. Jeremiah then smashing the potter's vessel at the east gate in Je.19 was a public event. Now the crucifixion was going to be a public event.
The inspired writing of the Evangelist did not err, an example of which we have seen in the preceding chapter. The verse"that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled" referred both Isaiah and Zechariah.(26:56) The Spirit presented the potter's vessel as a sign for the Son and where Prophet Jeremiah had begun we have Prophet Zechariah leading to the field, which in general sense signifies the whole land. "The land is mine" and the divine potter "O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel."(Je.18:6)
" Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
"And he (Isaac) called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day."(Ge.26:33)The Spirit uses the phrase 'unto this day' signifying the day decreed for the Son. "Unto this day" as well as "on that day" (In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness-"Ze.13:1) are tags used to refer the Alpha Omega aspect so there shall be much blood spilt for what the nation of Israel did to him. Here is another verse, "For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face."(Je.32:31)
God heard the voice of Abel. He told Cain, "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground./And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand."(Ge.4:10-11) Abel's righteous blood cried from the ground and Jesus in his passion "and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."( Luke 22:44). 'As it were' does not necessarily mean literal blood but the sweat is as meaningful. His cry of agony was like the Amen we say at the Lord's prayer and his Father has respect for his dear Son. "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar./Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation."(23:35-36). For this reason the field of blood or Akeldama (Ac.1:18-19) could be well applied to the whole land of Israel.
"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value."
Before we take up Ch.27 it is worth our while to understand the significance of the earthen vessel in these verses. "Thus saith the Lord, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;/And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate." What Jeremiah spoke before witnesses there has been rephrased by Jesus as he left the Herod's second temple after his woe to ye' discourse. Significance he went by the east gate. He said,"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate./For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."(23:38-39). Death and glory awaited him
Notice that he shall never again return in his old body. As he mentioned during his last supper his body as the potter's vessel in the hand of the prophet was about to be broken up.
Jeremiah foretold them, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle." He also added to which the innocent blood of Jesus could be included, " Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place,.... and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;" (He.19:1-4) Partly it was fulfilled in their generation. In vv.10-12 we have much more, yet to come, "Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,/ And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury." Tophet is interchangeable with valley of Hinnom, "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter." (19:6)
Matt.26:56-75 "Jesus in the hands of his tormentors"
v.56 "But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled."
Here we have a reference to Ze.13:7 "smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones."" As a result 'all the disciples forsook him and fled." The passage where Peter denying Jesus owes to the specific saying of Jesus. "Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."(v.34) Why single out Peter? In following verse, "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples".
Zechariah tells us in vv.8-9 what must occur. Number Three refers to the Son. "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein./And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God." This points to the end times.
The third part refers to what is left in Palestine. What occurs in Gaza must like a boil must burst open till 'all the land' their wound is cleansed and healed. Mal.3:2-3
Peter's problem was that he relied on his powers as a man. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."(1 Co.10:11-12) What happened to St Peter and Israel are examples, "and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
v.67 "Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him" is a fulfillment of Isaiah verse." I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."(50:6-8). The key verse v.56 referred to the prophets and Matthew meant Zechariah and Isaiah.
"Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;/ But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,"
The Seat of Moses is a symbol for authority. It signals the Law of Moses and his piety. What if the man who sits there is actively seeking false witnesses what are we to think of it. That law is an ass, is it not? Hypocrisy of chief priests and the council allowed their temple to be a den of thieves and now a Privy Council of Satan was called to order. They needed two witnesses since in their law two or three witnesses clinched the case against Jesus.
"But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God./Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (vv.63-64)
Simon Peter comments on the trial,"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."(Ac.2:23)
Wicked men in their cloth pontificate and get their victims which explains, the Inquisition and the imposter church has soiled their hands ever since but the Word of God stands sure.
vv.63-64 "Thou hast said"
You shall be judged by what you say and the chief priest who said,"I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God" having said it was in judgment himself. In refusing the truth he was guilty of hellfire as well. This is what Jesus implied. Compare with this question, "The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?"(21:25-27)
There is a sharp change of scene between v.45 and v.46.
In one he required his disciples to keep watch in his hour of sorrow with him. They failed at it. Now he says," Sleep on now, and take your rest."
Without their aid he was fortified from above. St Luke mentions that in his agony, of an angel from above being present.( Luke 22:43-44) God makes "his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire." When Jesus warns us not to despise 'these little ones' he is referring to their angels. "That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."(18:10-14). It is not for us to know in what manner but God does not leave those who are least esteemed in the eyes of the world without support. "A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation."(Ps.68:5-6)
They disciples are let to take ease since his hour was at hand. "For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me."(Ro.15:3) He was about to claim his victory.
vv.53-54 "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?/ But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" Lucan Gospel as mentioned earlier introduces the angel in strengthening Jesus in his agony.This helps us to understand the Angel of the Lord sees to the fulfilment of the scriptures. All His promises are 'yea' in his Son. Jesus speaks of legions of angels which are saints battle girt and shall do valiantly in battle. We see them in St John's vision,"And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean."(Re.19:14). They follow the Word of God which is Person specific. Whether one angel or legions of them what comes to our aid is our Savior Lord, who warned us, "Without me you can do nothing." Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever."
We see a variation to the upper room in the Acts. "Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour." His falling into a trance and the vision that was about to unfold had a great import on the course of the early church. So the Spirit isolates Simon Peter to make him prepared. There are few other examples which is not germane to the topic of the prayer of Jesus.
Lastly the prayer of Jesus recorded by John is the transcription of the Holy Spirit putting to words 'the unspoken' prayer ( John 17) which as St Paul explains, "but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered./And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Ro.8:26-27) The Spirit is not narrating the life of Jesus as with biographies of the secular literature in a linear fashion but it is rendered for our spiritual instruction from both worlds of the Spirit and of the flesh. (2 Ti.3:16-17)
"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."(2 Co.13:1)
Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me..And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed."
The Spirit gives us an insight into the manner he has arranged the prosaic aspects of the Son of man with the Son who is the Word become flesh. As with *'the upper room' this space separating his inner circle with the rest of disciples is marked by this phrase 'a little further'.
The Last supper was arranged beforehand. How the Spirit works is similar to how he works with those born of the Spirit. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."( John 3:8) In keeping with this principle the tribute money shall be found for Jesus and Peter when required as the ass with her colt. In the case of this room similarly it only needed to be claimed. St Luke informs us thus "And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready." ( Luke 22:12)
Now Jesus takes the three apart from the rest. He puts to practice the doctrine of his Father. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."(18:20). Peter and the two sons of Zebedee owing to their weakness in flesh may have slept through but the Spirit records his payer just the same. Thrice he prayed the same words. "vv.39-44) Jesus intercedes for them.
*The upper room serves as the world of the Spirit apart from the everyday world. Elijah raised the widows son and it makes the point clear. "And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed." He stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried. In the end "And the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.(1 Ki.17:19-23)
The superscription is the Latin phrase for the Savior of the World and while we study the last supper let us keep this aspect of the Son in our mind. Each gospel has something to tell us about the significance of it.
"And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;/ For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."(26:27-28) Luke also treats the same. He does it after he blesses the cup. which is by offering it to his Father. "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves." Divide it among yourselves is similar to the act of the Sower in the Parable. "Behold, a sower went forth to sow;" The field is the world where the heart is not alike. In vv.4-6 we read how the seed come to nought or produced very little. the fault lay entirely with the heart of man. "but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."( 1 John 1:7-9). Blood of Jesus is not at fault but the heart of man is. Out of it comes heresies since it is not entirely good. Like the proverbial curates egg it is half half. So some of the time man runs with his brethren and claims."I have seen the light Hallelujiah" and at other time he is chasing with politicians to do their bidding. Limited salvation as some sects claim is a case in point. If they stumble at this what else is there for them? "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."(Jas.2:10)
Notice it is "after supper" that he said " Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." As with the bread they have had partaken the bread during the Last supper "this do in remembrance of me."( Luke 22:19-20). If one makes 'this cup' to mean his blood, what are we to assume? Man's reason is at fault.
Heart of a man who neglects his heart can be a treacherous place. He is a sluggard and void of understanding who quenches the Holy Spirit freely given from above. Instead of a well watered garden,"And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down."(Pr.24:31)
Jesus in his passion told his disciples to watch with him. "And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy./ Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me."(26:36-39). We see the same conflict of the flesh with the spirit. "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." The pain principle makes the flesh cry out,"Spare me from this pain" but the Spirit of Christ ever watchful to the Word and its fulfillment would want to submit. It was a crisis to which the disciples were not not well tuned to. In lab tests if an electrode is introduced an amoeba want to avoid pain. Flesh and spirit of man similarly seeks pleasure and takes the line of least resistance. It is thus the way to hell is paved.
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:/Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."(7:13-14)
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." The spirit that Jesus speaks here is of the spirit of man which St Paul finds as an essential tool, and he asks,"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."(1 Co.2:11) St Peter's flash of brilliance by fits and starts brought Jesus to commend him on one occasion, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God./And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."(16:16-17). When God breathed into the nostrils of man he made him a living soul and thereby he opened a way for the Spirit to work with Him. The Spirit of Christ for instance moved holy men of old to seek the path of righteousness. Jesus refers to it as 'dry places' so when an unclean spirit prompted Peter to speak a little later on it raised his master's ire. "Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee./But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."(16:22-23). Peter was capable of savouring things that be of man' equally as that of God. Jesus spoke a Parable, let me quote, "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places,"(12:43-45) is where the prince of the power of the air can move about. But the heart of a child of God is qualified as Isaiah says,"And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."(Is.58:11)
"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour."
Three hours as the Spirit records it intends the darkness as a sign independent of natural cause of a solar eclipse. The number Three decidedly favors the spiritual darkness enveloping in their rejection of the Son; by the same token we have another sign, of graves letting out their contents as though in protest; The torn veil of the temple is a symbolic act as the word of God fulfilling as in the case of the hour of darkness that had now taken over the land. Jesus was correct in the timing. "I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me./But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." (26:55-56) The word of God zeroed in, that the Word become flesh could not have missed. (To digress a little, obedience of Jesus Christ was perfected in letting the word of his Father work with him.)
The voice came from heaven and in the Gospel of John Jesus explains it clearly. "Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes."( John 12:30). It was while he was alive. By the same token the death of the Son could not have passed on without some visible signs of it. There are so many strange signs and bizarre light and sound show in the sky. What does the man on the street say,"UFO sighting." His reasonable mind wants to hitch his mind to anything however silly it may be. But he rejects any suggestion that rejecting the word concerning shall have serious consequences. The mind of the centurion who witnessed the events, was much more of noble cast. " they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."(v.54) Consider the chief priests and the Pharisees who would hush up his resurrection, what was their mind like? (vv.62-66) Do you think the modern churches shall disband their churches or abjure their heresies in the face of truth revealed?
Psalm 22 gives us a graphic account of the agony of Jesus on the cross. Jesus knew well that he was hung up not only on two wooden crossbeams but also between his deity and humanity,- and St Luke pithily sums it up: "For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end." ( Luke 22:37). Gospel of St Luke does well in dwelling on the Man component while John and Matthew give us the Alpha aspect of Christ.
Ps. 22:6-9 " But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people./All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,/He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him." Isaiah also refers more or less the same. "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him;"(Is.53:3)
In real time he was despised and they 'laugh me to scorn'. "And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,/And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." while some, "let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him." Chief priest befitting their holier-than- thou stance, "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God."
"He was despised, and we esteemed him not." His death did not mean much to the man on the street other than a spectacle of three 'malefactors'. Unless one makes 'the word' in his heart as the truth God has planted and unless you daily care for it do you think you would have been any different than the passersby? We are marvelously created and set on two timescales and blessed in his Son to be his witnesses.
We have in this chapter a few dilemmas created by wicked men.
1.Dilemma of 'other man's riches'
v.5 " And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself." Judas realized all too late his actions were irrevocable. Thirty pieces of silver did not help him to clear his name or conscience. Money was other man's riches so the chief priests hired him to do a job would not want to touch it; the enormity of guilt over betrayal of an innocent man's blood, no money could handle. Satan is the designated 'other man' since value of thirty pieces of silver has also changed. Who shall price an abstract thing as conscience? Chief priests whose piety was in observing traditions of their fathers set a price accordingly as 'unclean'. "And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood." Instead bought the land thereby fulfilling the scriptures. "Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet."
2 Dilemma of duty imposed by ungodly man.
Pontius Pilate despite of honor and authority was a pawn or a loser. " For he knew that for envy they had delivered him." He was a clever and worldly wise to have risen the ranks of a brutal regime, where dog eats dog principle prevailed. Envy killed you as well as slip of the tongue cast you down at any moment. He saw through the hypocrisy of the religion. He believed that Jesus was innocent. All he could do was wash his hands. "When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it."(v.24). If life was as simple as that but Judas realized it was not. He as well as Pilate were accountable to a Just God who could cast their soul to death and hell. Man in honor abides not.(Ps.49:20)
This is often flipped as to the responsibility and frustrations of a parent for a child then later on for a caretaker as myself the burden of assisting family members losing their physical stamina; mental acuity; as well as the emotional volatility that can result from such deterioration. fThere is another term for "self love" which up until now I am unfamiliar with called "philautia" which I suspect is retlated to "philia" which is a sort of plutonic affection (without eros) for others. As a Christian; of course we are instructed to die to self and live out the new life of Christ; nonetheless the law itself says to love your neighbor as yourself ( Leviticus 19:18 as well as quoted in the Gospels. There are other passages that state we should care for our wives as our own body ( Ephesians 5:29).
What is necessary; of course is to honor what God has given us stewardship over; whether it is our own bodies; our finances; marriages; or anything else the Lord has given us. Trusting God to provide; as well as guide us through self deprivation; fasting; and suffering even leading to death needs to be done trusting that God has the best ultimately even if it means martyrdom in terms of our eternity. This allows us to have the proper commitment to others entrusted to our care as well as having a love for the brothers and sisters both in our midst and abroad preaching the Good News. We need to trust God in maintaining what He has provided for us
A good example is likening God to a tap of water. We drink as much as we wish. We turn the tap as much as we want, The tap is there, the water is there, but we drink as much as we turn that tap. The more we turn it the more we drink. It is up to us. God is always there. As simple as that.
About the kids brother, the problem with kids nowadays is not only a matter of overprotectiveness and lack of punishment. I think it is mainly of what people teach to their children. On top of that nowadays kids get their standards in life, not from the family, or the church and the Word of God, but mostly from the internet. Often from the rich and famous, the celebrities, who usually are drug or alcohol addicts, violent (don't you see how the gangsters are heroized on TV?) with broken families where fornication and adultery are the usual thing. Sex and violence is what the Kkids eat nowadays. As there is no censorship on the net, kids see and learn all sort of weird things there and then spread them to others.
And as there are no borders nowadays the sin is propagating from one country to another very easily. Sin is like a virus, a spiritual covid, that goes from a place to another easily if there is nothing to stop it. And nowadays there is nothing to stop it. It is written that the people of the end times will be the worst of all times. And we see that in our countries, don't we?
Wel,l maybe I say the same thing as you do but with different words. GBU
My point is as you can tell that all other loves in themselves have no inherent good in them without the Lord in control of us. It is like anything else in the sense that there is nothing bad in itself provided that God's laws are followed with a covenant marriage for instance in expressing the deepest human love. Even in that context; however when we allow any human passions to be in charge of our souls our sin nature utilizes these innate desires to steer us in the wrong way. The issue; of course is that there is no eternally lasting love that is in the human soul that can live outside of the life of Christ in us; and in 1 John 2:17 we see evidence of that truth. Doing the will of God is of course impossible ultimately in our human understanding. The world system for instance steers people toward a mindset that any punishment is too harsh and is judging someone and taking away their inherent value. Thus the innocent aren't vindicated and the guilty forced to deal up front with their issues and allow God's chastisement to take effect; which according to scripture can even lead believers to an early demise in taking communion unworthily; for instance. We can also look to the thief on the cross; his salvation came when dying for what he justly deserved which he himself stated to the other thief mocking Christ. Overprotectiveness for kids also is related at least in this country where kids who are spoiled and underworked find all kinds of trouble (drugs; sex; theft) rather than being in a household where there is a value of respect for parents; a work ethic; etc. Agape love presents the truth so one can be saved not make people content in sin.
Well, I understand love a bit different than you do. I believe that man's love and God's love are not different things. The difference is in the "quantity" of love. Man's love is finite. Depending on the person it can be "as much" as to "love themselves" ("philautia" is extreme love for oneself that leads to selfishness and lack of concern for other people), then love for their own, like their children, then love for their friends or relatives and as love increases a man can love more and more people. So love expands from loving myself (or not even myself) to love everybody else, even my enemies, people that make my life tough. So it is a matter of quantity (or quality). If we try to make a scale of love from zero to infinity, the far end is God's love, it is infinite, God is actually love. Somewhere inbetween, depending on the person, man's love can be placed. Even loving my enemy can be variable. Just think. Can I love one who swears at me? If yes, then can I love somebody who hurts me? If yes, can I love someone who hurts my child? If yes then can I love someone who killed my child? On a cross? And going even further can I love all people and give my son to death to save them? This is what God did for us. So you see there is a scale of love.
Since love originates from God and it is an aspect of His character, the only way one can increase their love for others is through God. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is, among others, love. So when one is filled with God's Spirit then their love increases. So it is something that is given by God's Spirit. There is no other way that we can love our enemies. A man who is not born again can never love their enemies, the most they could do is forget what they had done to them, but definitely not love them.
Inside the church firstly we learn how to love our brothers and sisters. When we realize that we lack in love we just have to go and ask God to provide love to us. We can not manage anything on our own.
"Agape" is grk for "love", no matter where it comes from, God or man. There isn't any specific grk word for God's love.
"Philautia" is grk for "self love". It comes from the verb "philao" or "philo" which means "to love" and the noun "eautos" which means "self" (masc.). The modern word "auto" comes from this word, which means something that does something by itself, like an automatic machine. "Philao" is used for" love" between friends, hence "philos" is grk for "friend". "Storge" does not mean love but it is something that originates from love. The nearest Engl. word for it is "affection". It includes warm feelings, tenderness, care and love for another person. It is used for members of a family, mainly (if not only) from parents to children.
"And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:" James 2:3 KJV
The people in the back should be sitting in the front. The very front so they can get the help and support they need and become stronger and overcome. The people in the back might be struggling with very weighty issues and those with the weightest of issues need to sit closest to the front. So that the stronger ones can pray for them and show their love, support and compassion with hopes of making those that were sitting in the back that are now in the very front, overcomers.
Respectfully submitted in the name of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ.
"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;" 1 Timothy 3:2 KJV
vigilant means alert (not disillusioned about reality); able to avoid danger (having the wisdom to keep God's people safe).
An example of thinking and doing right, a good decision maker.
Being blameless means having the ability and capacity to be responsible to duties and obligations; and be an example for others on how a responsible person should act or carry themselves.
Earlier in I Timothy 3 it states that if one desires the office of a Bishop. "This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work." 1 Timothy 3:1 KJV. Any good desires a man (or woman) has comes from God. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17 KJV The desire itself to become a Bishop comes from God. According to scripture only men (or males) can become Bishops.
A Bishop must be blameless (responsible).
God sent his only begotten Son to the world. St Matthew presents him deliver the doctrine of his Father. Sermon on the Mount in ch.5 gives it as the Word become flesh. As the Word there was no higher authority than what he signified in his person. John speaks of his deity thus, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." ( John 1:2).
The Gospel presents him in the following chapters as Man is the Message. Evangelist traces a subtext why he was not received by his own." He came unto his own, and his own received him not"( John 1:11). Conflict between light and darkness must be resolved and it comes to a head on the charges of blasphemy. "I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me./But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."(26:56-57)
When Jesus told the truth, "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" the council that tried him was certain,"Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy." Their entire process was illegal but his role as the Lamb to his slaughter was right on track. "he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."(Is.53:7)
"And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly."(27:14). Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ in denying the truth they were proving that they were unworthy of the other. So the mob crying,"Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children."(v.27) illustrates what precious gift had they trodden underfoot. Holocaust wiped out some six million in the process. Has it sobered them up? Without grace beauty is blind and truth is darkness. We are warned what a terror awaits us if we neglect it.
Sometimes, our present understanding of English words have changed as culture & word usage evolves. So here in this verse, Nehemiah describes the Almighty God as "great and terrible". In Hebrew, the word used for 'terrible' is 'yare', which means 'to take fright'. One might think, why should we be frightened or terrified of a God Who is merciful, kind & gracious? Though many Christians today hold only to such a view of God, we know from reading all the Scriptures, that God is also a God of Wrath & of Justice, all within His Glorious Holiness. So, in confronting such a God, anyone whose heart is not right with Him, would do well to tremble & shake in His Presence, even as Nehemiah knew this God Who had the Power to consign all of Israel to destruction for their many sins. Even the Hebrews writer could state, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" ( Hebrews 10:31).
So the word we could use today instead of 'terrible' would be 'awesome', not as the world uses the word, but unto the Living God before Whom we would stand struck with awe in both His Power, but also His great Grace.
The proper translation of that Hebrew word is "being feared". In the ancient times the mighty people were being feard, because they were poweful and could do to other people anything they wished. As you said it actually shows the power of God, the almighty God. The Bible says that God is love but He also is a "consuming fire" (Hebr 12:29)
"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;/And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me."(vv.9-10)
Here St Matthew refers to a quote from the book of Zechariah. In order to give them its proper context we shall consider the v.10. "And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.' This covenant with Israel refers to the Law of Moses. Beauty symbolic sign for Jesus ("For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"- Luke 23:31) In cutting off the Son they were repudiating the covenant and God. Jeremiah then smashing the potter's vessel at the east gate in Je.19 was a public event. Now the crucifixion was going to be a public event.
The inspired writing of the Evangelist did not err, an example of which we have seen in the preceding chapter. The verse"that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled" referred both Isaiah and Zechariah.(26:56) The Spirit presented the potter's vessel as a sign for the Son and where Prophet Jeremiah had begun we have Prophet Zechariah leading to the field, which in general sense signifies the whole land. "The land is mine" and the divine potter "O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel."(Je.18:6)
" Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
"And he (Isaac) called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day."(Ge.26:33)The Spirit uses the phrase 'unto this day' signifying the day decreed for the Son. "Unto this day" as well as "on that day" (In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness-"Ze.13:1) are tags used to refer the Alpha Omega aspect so there shall be much blood spilt for what the nation of Israel did to him. Here is another verse, "For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face."(Je.32:31)
God heard the voice of Abel. He told Cain, "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground./And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand."(Ge.4:10-11) Abel's righteous blood cried from the ground and Jesus in his passion "and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."( Luke 22:44). 'As it were' does not necessarily mean literal blood but the sweat is as meaningful. His cry of agony was like the Amen we say at the Lord's prayer and his Father has respect for his dear Son. "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar./Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation."(23:35-36). For this reason the field of blood or Akeldama (Ac.1:18-19) could be well applied to the whole land of Israel.
"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value."
Before we take up Ch.27 it is worth our while to understand the significance of the earthen vessel in these verses. "Thus saith the Lord, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;/And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate." What Jeremiah spoke before witnesses there has been rephrased by Jesus as he left the Herod's second temple after his woe to ye' discourse. Significance he went by the east gate. He said,"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate./For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."(23:38-39). Death and glory awaited him
Notice that he shall never again return in his old body. As he mentioned during his last supper his body as the potter's vessel in the hand of the prophet was about to be broken up.
Jeremiah foretold them, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle." He also added to which the innocent blood of Jesus could be included, " Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place,.... and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;" (He.19:1-4) Partly it was fulfilled in their generation. In vv.10-12 we have much more, yet to come, "Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,/ And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury." Tophet is interchangeable with valley of Hinnom, "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter." (19:6)
v.56 "But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled."
Here we have a reference to Ze.13:7 "smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones."" As a result 'all the disciples forsook him and fled." The passage where Peter denying Jesus owes to the specific saying of Jesus. "Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."(v.34) Why single out Peter? In following verse, "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples".
Zechariah tells us in vv.8-9 what must occur. Number Three refers to the Son. "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein./And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God." This points to the end times.
The third part refers to what is left in Palestine. What occurs in Gaza must like a boil must burst open till 'all the land' their wound is cleansed and healed. Mal.3:2-3
Peter's problem was that he relied on his powers as a man. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."(1 Co.10:11-12) What happened to St Peter and Israel are examples, "and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
v.67 "Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him" is a fulfillment of Isaiah verse." I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."(50:6-8). The key verse v.56 referred to the prophets and Matthew meant Zechariah and Isaiah.
The same is true for my three sons. They loved the Lord as children and youth, but walked away in their high school years.
We can pary as one for all of our children who have left the Lord for the world and its deceits.
"Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;/ But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,"
The Seat of Moses is a symbol for authority. It signals the Law of Moses and his piety. What if the man who sits there is actively seeking false witnesses what are we to think of it. That law is an ass, is it not? Hypocrisy of chief priests and the council allowed their temple to be a den of thieves and now a Privy Council of Satan was called to order. They needed two witnesses since in their law two or three witnesses clinched the case against Jesus.
"But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God./Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (vv.63-64)
Simon Peter comments on the trial,"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."(Ac.2:23)
Wicked men in their cloth pontificate and get their victims which explains, the Inquisition and the imposter church has soiled their hands ever since but the Word of God stands sure.
vv.63-64 "Thou hast said"
You shall be judged by what you say and the chief priest who said,"I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God" having said it was in judgment himself. In refusing the truth he was guilty of hellfire as well. This is what Jesus implied. Compare with this question, "The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?"(21:25-27)
There is a sharp change of scene between v.45 and v.46.
In one he required his disciples to keep watch in his hour of sorrow with him. They failed at it. Now he says," Sleep on now, and take your rest."
Without their aid he was fortified from above. St Luke mentions that in his agony, of an angel from above being present.( Luke 22:43-44) God makes "his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire." When Jesus warns us not to despise 'these little ones' he is referring to their angels. "That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."(18:10-14). It is not for us to know in what manner but God does not leave those who are least esteemed in the eyes of the world without support. "A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation."(Ps.68:5-6)
They disciples are let to take ease since his hour was at hand. "For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me."(Ro.15:3) He was about to claim his victory.
vv.53-54 "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?/ But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" Lucan Gospel as mentioned earlier introduces the angel in strengthening Jesus in his agony.This helps us to understand the Angel of the Lord sees to the fulfilment of the scriptures. All His promises are 'yea' in his Son. Jesus speaks of legions of angels which are saints battle girt and shall do valiantly in battle. We see them in St John's vision,"And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean."(Re.19:14). They follow the Word of God which is Person specific. Whether one angel or legions of them what comes to our aid is our Savior Lord, who warned us, "Without me you can do nothing." Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever."
We see a variation to the upper room in the Acts. "Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour." His falling into a trance and the vision that was about to unfold had a great import on the course of the early church. So the Spirit isolates Simon Peter to make him prepared. There are few other examples which is not germane to the topic of the prayer of Jesus.
Lastly the prayer of Jesus recorded by John is the transcription of the Holy Spirit putting to words 'the unspoken' prayer ( John 17) which as St Paul explains, "but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered./And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Ro.8:26-27) The Spirit is not narrating the life of Jesus as with biographies of the secular literature in a linear fashion but it is rendered for our spiritual instruction from both worlds of the Spirit and of the flesh. (2 Ti.3:16-17)
"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."(2 Co.13:1)
I have prayed for you today. May God bring a great healing and restoration to you and your life in Him.
Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me..And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed."
The Spirit gives us an insight into the manner he has arranged the prosaic aspects of the Son of man with the Son who is the Word become flesh. As with *'the upper room' this space separating his inner circle with the rest of disciples is marked by this phrase 'a little further'.
The Last supper was arranged beforehand. How the Spirit works is similar to how he works with those born of the Spirit. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."( John 3:8) In keeping with this principle the tribute money shall be found for Jesus and Peter when required as the ass with her colt. In the case of this room similarly it only needed to be claimed. St Luke informs us thus "And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready." ( Luke 22:12)
Now Jesus takes the three apart from the rest. He puts to practice the doctrine of his Father. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."(18:20). Peter and the two sons of Zebedee owing to their weakness in flesh may have slept through but the Spirit records his payer just the same. Thrice he prayed the same words. "vv.39-44) Jesus intercedes for them.
*The upper room serves as the world of the Spirit apart from the everyday world. Elijah raised the widows son and it makes the point clear. "And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed." He stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried. In the end "And the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.(1 Ki.17:19-23)
The superscription is the Latin phrase for the Savior of the World and while we study the last supper let us keep this aspect of the Son in our mind. Each gospel has something to tell us about the significance of it.
"And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;/ For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."(26:27-28) Luke also treats the same. He does it after he blesses the cup. which is by offering it to his Father. "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves." Divide it among yourselves is similar to the act of the Sower in the Parable. "Behold, a sower went forth to sow;" The field is the world where the heart is not alike. In vv.4-6 we read how the seed come to nought or produced very little. the fault lay entirely with the heart of man. "but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."( 1 John 1:7-9). Blood of Jesus is not at fault but the heart of man is. Out of it comes heresies since it is not entirely good. Like the proverbial curates egg it is half half. So some of the time man runs with his brethren and claims."I have seen the light Hallelujiah" and at other time he is chasing with politicians to do their bidding. Limited salvation as some sects claim is a case in point. If they stumble at this what else is there for them? "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."(Jas.2:10)
Notice it is "after supper" that he said " Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." As with the bread they have had partaken the bread during the Last supper "this do in remembrance of me."( Luke 22:19-20). If one makes 'this cup' to mean his blood, what are we to assume? Man's reason is at fault.
Heart of a man who neglects his heart can be a treacherous place. He is a sluggard and void of understanding who quenches the Holy Spirit freely given from above. Instead of a well watered garden,"And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down."(Pr.24:31)
Jesus in his passion told his disciples to watch with him. "And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy./ Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me."(26:36-39). We see the same conflict of the flesh with the spirit. "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." The pain principle makes the flesh cry out,"Spare me from this pain" but the Spirit of Christ ever watchful to the Word and its fulfillment would want to submit. It was a crisis to which the disciples were not not well tuned to. In lab tests if an electrode is introduced an amoeba want to avoid pain. Flesh and spirit of man similarly seeks pleasure and takes the line of least resistance. It is thus the way to hell is paved.
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:/Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."(7:13-14)
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." The spirit that Jesus speaks here is of the spirit of man which St Paul finds as an essential tool, and he asks,"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."(1 Co.2:11) St Peter's flash of brilliance by fits and starts brought Jesus to commend him on one occasion, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God./And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."(16:16-17). When God breathed into the nostrils of man he made him a living soul and thereby he opened a way for the Spirit to work with Him. The Spirit of Christ for instance moved holy men of old to seek the path of righteousness. Jesus refers to it as 'dry places' so when an unclean spirit prompted Peter to speak a little later on it raised his master's ire. "Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee./But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."(16:22-23). Peter was capable of savouring things that be of man' equally as that of God. Jesus spoke a Parable, let me quote, "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places,"(12:43-45) is where the prince of the power of the air can move about. But the heart of a child of God is qualified as Isaiah says,"And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."(Is.58:11)