Well, who is the Jesus Christ that John is talking about? In 1 John, he's proving His humanity after he proved His deity. So, you can take the Gospel of John and just shove it off to the side and just use the Lord's name, Jesus Christ. Well, the question is which Jesus Christ are you talking about?
I don't know if you know this or not but in 2 Corinthians Chapter 11, Paul says that there is more than one Jesus. He says you Christians in Corinth, when I came and preached to you, after I left teachers came in and you are following another Jesus, a different one, a different Gospel, and a different spirit.
Now these are Christians who obviously couldn't tell the difference. But Paul says you are following another Jesus. It is very important to realize that even as Christians, not in a perverted way, but a very dangerous way, every believer has their own idea and understanding and realization of who Jesus is. If we were to get in a circle and share about "our" Jesus, we might hear somebody say that is a different Jesus than what I have. But there is only one Jesus Christ, Jesus the Christ.
And if you understand all of John's writings, and you can throw Revelation in with John if you like because John talked about the earthly ministry of God in the flesh, and in the book of Revelation, he presents Jesus Christ as the reigning King of kings and Lord of lords that is going to come and bring judgment.
But 1, 2 and 3 John is all about the humanity of Christ. John says that He is 100% God and 100% man, not 50-50, 100% of each! And anything less than that, as far as early church goes and as far as the scriptures are concerned, anything less than that is not the right Jesus Christ.
VI. ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT:
TIME:
The Gospel of John was next to the last book written. Of course, the last one written was the book of Revelation. So, this is an older book, but it is at the beginning of the New Testament.
COMPARISON TO JOHN'S OTHER BOOKS:
Now here's a fascinating thing that about the comparison to John's other books, and you have to know this, again the fool proof understanding of scripture, you need to know this about John's writings.
The Gospel of John was written to establish the Deity of Jesus Christ. But remember, John's gospel establishes the deity of Jesus Christ. That is, that He was, and is 100% God.
1, 2, and 3 John were written to establish the Humanity of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John the deity of Christ. 1, 2, and 3 John the humanity of Christ because the Gnostics came and they believed that all physical was evil and that Jesus didn't have a physical body, so He was not man. And then there are groups that don't believe that he was God, just a prophet, or just one of the gods.
The reason why we need to know this information is because in 1 John Chapter 4 Verse 2, John says hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
You might be thinking how is that a trick statement? Except the cults completely ignore the Gospel of John and they say we believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, so you are saying we are cults, we are false teachers, but it says right here, that every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: Therefore, we are of God!
John is written to the church, written around 95 A.D., approximately 30 to 35 years after the other Gospels were written. And the Gospel of John was one of the last letters written. In fact, there's a lot of evidence to say that the Gospel of John, 1, 2 and 3 John, and Revelation which were all written by John, but there's evidence that he wrote all those letters one right after another all at the same time.
John wrote to present Jesus Christ as the Son of God, not the Son of Man, but the Son of God. Son of God is a title known to the Jewish people for two things: Number one, the Son of God is the Messiah. And number two, the Son of God is God.
And here's where some of the cult groups get off track and actually lead people in the wrong way. They say how can Jesus be God if He's the Son of God? Well, the word Son in the title "Son of God" doesn't mean son by birth. There are different words used in the Greek New Testament for the word son.
This is a son by inheritance and so it has nothing to do with a father-mother-son relationship like we know here on the earth or in the human. It has to do with inheritance and that the Son of God is God coming to His inheritance.
In Jeremiah Chapter 35, the Rechabites entered the walled city of Jerusalem fleeing from the invading Babylonian army. This army took the people of Judah into exile to Babylon. Were the Rechabites also taken into exile to Babylon or did they remain in Judah to live out their nomadic lifestyle? Or do we simply not know of what happened to the Rechabites since I am not aware of them being mentioned again in the Bible.
And by the way, the difference between a preface and prologue is that a preface is an introduction, and a prologue is like a book within a book. When you read the first 18 verses of John's gospel, that is a prologue, not a preface. So, this is a preface. This is an introduction, Verses 1 through 4.
CHAPTER 1:5 THROUGH 2:52: The Pregnancies of Elizabeth and Mary.
CHAPTER 3:1-4:13: The Preparation for the Ministry of both Yochanan ha-Matbil, that is John the Baptist, and Yeshua, for Jesus.
CHAPTER 4:14-9:50: The Preaching of Jesus in Galilee
CHAPTER 9:51-19:27: The Prompting of Jesus toward Jerusalem.
One of my favorite verses is Luke 9:51. When it came time to for Jesus to go to Jerusalem, it says He set His face towards Jerusalem, and that many villages rejected Him because His face was set towards Jerusalem.
As believers, we have to ask ourselves, what is our Jerusalem? What does God want us to do? What are we here for? When you find out what God wants you to do, set your face toward Jerusalem. Don't stop. Don't go to the left or to the right.
And you'll find that people will reject you because you're just passing through. You've got something God wants you to do and you are doing it. Very, very important section! It is almost 10 chapters of people rejecting Jesus because He had His face set towards Jerusalem.
CHAPTER 19:28-21:38: The Preaching of Jesus in Jerusalem. That final week, Passover week.
CHAPTER 22:1-23:56: The Particulars of the Crucifixion of Jesus, His suffering, the different trials, and the actual crucifixion itself.
CHAPTER 24:1-53, THE ENTIRE CHAPTER 24 OF LUKE: The Promise of the Resurrection of Jesus.
That is the Introduction to Luke's Gospel. I will share with you the introduction to the Gospel of John soon, Lord willing!
I wanted to know from the Body of Christ, do you know of any scripture that specifically or closely speaks against the AI technology that is going on right now in our country and other western nations currently? I do not like it at all, because of the obvious problems it brings with it, in coming against us as human beings in altering things, and doing things that definitely goes against the Holy Bible and the Lord himself, such as having an image of a person saying or doing something, and it not really be the actual person! THATS HORRIBLE AND DANGEROUS! Or doing things to those in the music industry, using their voice likeness to a song or songs they never did or do not approve of, that is not of them, especially for those already deceased. In the hands of those who are evil and have evil motives to do wickedness in the earth against the Lord, in harming innocent people, this is a dangerous tool, but i know the Lord knows all, and is aware of all evil persons who would try to use technology to harm innocent people in the earth. I just don't see any reason to use it, and i think it's invasive and not good AT ALL! I want nothing to do with it, I don't see how it serves any good purpose, for us human beings, i think this is another way that fallen wicked man, that invents technology like this, is trying to play "god" with the lives of those who are unsaved and do not know the Lord, and who have access to computers in the earth and to say we can do anything to anyone and destroy anything innocent and clean they would do in their lives, (e.g. patents trademarks etc.). It's a very evil slippery slope to me. I love computers and the good it does and the ability to spread the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to do good things and research clean, good, normal, everyday topics and stories and other things in life, but I honestly don't see it with the AI, ChaptGT technology, I'm EXTREMELY uncomfortable with it all and don't like it at ALL.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. ( Proverbs 4:23).
Normally I prefer KJV (and after all that is the focus here) but in this case I prefer the word "Guard" to begin the sentence found in several other versions. In the case of dying to self; and focusing all our energies into serving the Lord several statements below may seem to contradict behaviors normally associated with being a Christian.
Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. ( Song of Solomon 8:6).
Granted; the whole book of Song of Solomon is focused on the story of human love but surely we can glean some meainings from this book which is included in the accepted Canon (although probably the most reluctantly by the early church). In any case; our God is a jealous God; and we can also apply this to the Spirit which contends against the flesh ( Gal. 5:24).
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. ( Matt. 7:6).
This can perhaps be best understood in conjunction with the admonition in Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure. ( 1 Tim. 5:22). There are several meanings for laying on of hands which could relate to delegating a promotion of church office or imparting spiritual gifts (I would suggest both would happen simultaneously). In any case; within the house of God we must be discerning enough to recognize those with bad fruit who are going to take whatever they have and use it for nefarious purposes. We also need to be careful that we aren't tempted by the sins of others who wer are attempting to help; whether by reason of our own weaknesses or those who are devious enough to entice us or unwary victims of Satan.
Fascinating study! One last thing I want to share with you before I end this introduction is the section outline of the Gospel of Mark:
CHAPTER 1 VERSES 1 TO 13 - is the prologue.
CHAPTER 1 VERSE 14 THROUGH THE END OF CHAPTER 9 - is The Service of the Servant, His ministry in Galilee.
CHAPTER 10 - is the Submission of the Servant, His ministry in Judea.
CHAPTERS 11 THROUGH 16 - We have The Sacrifice of the Servant, His ministry in Jerusalem. And as you can see, it is divided up into the three geographical locations that the Lord was in, Galilee, Judea, and then Jerusalem.
I realize this was a long introduction. The book (Mark) actually moves very fast. It is presented in a way as if we don't know anything about Jesus, or we are a doubter, or we have heard about Him, but He got crucified. How does that work out with the King of kings and Lord of lords? And as we read through Mark's gospel, even if we are a believer, we are going to know even more and more who Jesus is.
Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." That is the theme of the Gospel of Mark.
VIII. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:
It was written to the Romans and written in a style to reach the Roman mindset.
HERE'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE INTRODUCTION:
The Roman mindset was one that followed the judicial system. You had to prove everything by the law. If you couldn't prove anything by the law, they didn't buy it. It was strictly judicial. That's why the book of Romans, which is called the Constitution of the Christian faith, every doctrine is found in the book of Romans. The book of Romans is written like a legal brief. Romans is written like a lawyer would present a case in a courtroom.
And that is how he is talking to the people in Rome. Well, that is what Mark does also. I don't know if you have noticed or not, but Mark's gospel is pretty short and pretty blunt. He doesn't give a lot of details. If he didn't think something was necessary to prove a point, he left it out.
Mark does not give it to us because it is not necessary for proving the point. Mark presents his gospel like a script, fact after fact, and he is presenting it like a legal brief to the court. Jesus Christ will be presented to us as the Suffering Servant. Mark says I'm going to prove it to you, so that you people in Rome that have this mind that is governed by the judicial system, you'll find evidence. You are going to have to figure out what are you going to do with this Jesus? He didn't come as a king. He came as a servant. But I am going to prove to you that He is the Messiah.
And you and I need to take stock of this book because Mark is presenting to us a Messiah who refused to let the world make Him a king. Jesus Christ will never let this world make Him a king, period! He will not allow this world to honor Him as a king. He will come back at His second coming, and He will defeat all the enemies, and then (He) will set Himself up as king. But He won't let the world do it.
Even now, in many instances, the world honors Jesus Christ. But when He came, He was born in a cave, and He took the low road. He is presented as the Suffering Servant. Can you imagine God Himself coming in human form and you are one of His disciples, and you are looking forward to Him ruling and reigning out of Jerusalem, and He takes off His robe and wraps Himself with a servant's towel, and He begins to wash the disciples' feet?
Our man Peter says "You're not going to wash my feet. You are the Lord." And Jesus said if you don't let me wash your feet, you have nothing to do with me. Peter says "Well, then bathe me all over if it is going to be that important!" It was humbling and humiliating to have the Messiah come to be the servant of all, rather than say "I am Messiah," and get the applause and get set up as king.
The way you and I can learn from this book, is that we too do not yet rule and reign with Christ upon this earth. There are some teachers through our culture that will present the fact that we need to take the world now. No, we are just passing through. We are just servants. We are the lowly. We are not kings and queens. We are servant's following in the path of our Master. But one day, we are going to rule and reign with Him. I'll wait for that day because it's frustrating to do it any other way!
He is going to set His kingdom up on earth just like Isaiah said. "Oh, this is a great day!" Except once they got into town, they listened to His teachings, but by the end of the week He was nailed to a cross. They were devastated. Their hopes were gone, dashed!
And one of the reasons that Paul was so angry against the Christians was because the Christians were presenting this man who died on the cross as a criminal, as being the Messiah. That is blasphemy. Paul's thinking was that He died between two thieves because He Himself was a criminal, and only criminals get crucified. That is what made him angry, that people would make the Messiah out to be this type of a person.
Some Jewish scholars actually believed that there would be two messiahs. Some Jewish scholars say, well, we read certain portions of the Old Testament, and it looks like the Messiah is going to come and suffer. But the majority said no, the Messiah is going to come, and He's going to ride in on a white horse and He is going to become victorious.
You see, you had two groups of scholars that were saying how can He be both? What is He going to do? Is He going to ride in, suffer, and then jump on the white horse? I mean, how is this whole thing going to work? One guy suffers the whole time, the other guy conquers, which is why when John the Baptist was put in prison, he sent his disciples to Jesus and says are you the coming one, or do we look for another?
The word "another" in Greek means another of the same kind. So, he figures this must be the suffering Messiah. Are we expecting the next one to come too? They were not too far off! But you can imagine the confusion and all that they were going through. Little did they know that Messiah would come as the Suffering Servant, He would come not to rule and to reign, but to serve.
That's why in Luke, Luke records for us that Jesus, when He wept over Jerusalem, He said if you only knew this your day of visitation. In the Greek text, it's very emphatic, not just a general "Well if you knew what a special day this was!" He is making an allusion back to Daniel's prophecy. He's saying you guys are up on it. You should know that this is the 178,880 day. It is your day. Messiah is riding in. But He said you didn't. You rejected Him.
It also helps us, and I'll explain later why different people would come out, like with John the Baptist would come out and they would ask Him, what are you doing? Who are you? Because many Jewish scholars believed that sometime around that time in history, the Messiah was coming.
And there were actually quite a few people that presented themselves as being the Messiah about the same time that Jesus did. And they sent a delegation out to check John out. Who are you? Who do you say you are? And they would watch him, just like they did Jesus.
So, it is interesting that some Jewish leadership at that time were actually aware that around that time in history, the Messiah's supposed to come. And if they were really up on their scriptures, they would have known it was to the exact day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem. They should have known from Daniel's prophecy.
But He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (the beast the burden), as a sacrifice. That week was Passover week. So, Jesus rode into Jerusalem as the Passover Lamb who would sacrifice His life for the sins of the world. But when He rode into Jerusalem, all the Jews were reciting the Hallel Psalm ( Psalm 118), that the Messiah is riding into Jerusalem, blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord, because they're anticipating that once He gets into town, this Roman government is going to be defeated.
We are up to the point now where Peter, in 1 Peter 5:13, he calls Mark "my son." Many historians believe that Peter actually led Mark to the Lord when he was in Jerusalem. And Mark may have figured that he needed some grounding, some foundation or something, some establishment in the Lord. So, when he came back from the second missionary journey, he says "Peter, I am your son in the faith. Let me be your disciple. Teach me." So, he travels with Peter. Later on, we see a quote about his relationship with Peter.
But apparently after Peter dies, around 63 to 64 A.D., Mark joins up with Paul. Now that is not a good combination at all. Paul did not want this guy around! Well, Mark is now changed. He is now matured in the Lord. Later, we see that Paul found him helpful to the ministry. As a matter of fact, in Philemon, Verse 24, Paul calls Mark "my fellow worker."
And then right before Paul died, and 2 Timothy is Paul's final letter that he wrote before he died there in Rome, but Paul asks Timothy to bring Mark with him because "he is useful to me for ministry." So, at the end of Paul's life, and at the end of his ministry, John Mark was somebody who was a strong pillar in the church and very effective for Christ. Hopefully that gives you hope.
IV. THE AUTHOR OF THE GOSPEL OF MARK:
Mark wrote his Gospel from the testimony of Peter. So, when Mark traveled around with Peter, he gained the information from Peter himself. Mark was not there to witness. In fact, he's the only one that did not have this historical presentation of what Jesus said and did. Papias, the Bishop of Hierapolis, wrote in 140 A.D. that Mark's presentation is like a lecture. So, John Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark. What a brilliant statement! I mean who else would write Mark? But I guess there were some people that doubted it.
Serving the brothers and sisters in the Lord. Time and effort as well as finances should be toward supporting the local Body of believers. We are to open up our homes and be open to financial aid for those in need if the Lord has enabled us to do so and also made it clear that we should. We may not be in a state of famine or intense persecution necessitating an Acts 2:45 stance; but we should see the benefit in caring for the needs of each other. Loving the brethren according to 1 John 2:10 shows we are in the light and is commanded by Christ; 1 John 4:20 shows the opposite; we cannot love God and hate our brother.
Sharing in hobbies and interests
Since we bring nothing into this world and cannot take anything with us when we leave; ( 1 Timothy 6:7) why not start giving away things we have collected-(that is something I am starting to do myself). Some things we need to abandon; but things we are talented in and perhaps find some financial gain with why not train others or invest with other believers; or donate to a worthy cause? People of like interests shouldn't be a primary goal; but can be used as a witnessing tool. Discretion as always is needed if it is encouraging hoarding or addictive behaviors among others or ourselves in these situations. This seems to be a strange category here but there are some as I was who tended to obsess on collectables for the sole purpose of my own financial security and gain. This concept also can be extended to transferring what we have done with a career for many years and skills aquired to shift focus toward charity work or eliminating labor costs; for instance in fixing up our local church.
Not putting career ahead of God. Finding a balance between serving our employers honorably and not always seizing every opportunity for extra hours or promotions takes prayer and wisdom. We should pray for doors to open or close according to His will and timing not our own ambition
Matthew is his Greek name. Matthew means gift of Yahweh. His Jewish name is Levi. And because his name is Levi, that tells us that he is from the tribe of Levi, and he is a priest of all people. Priests come from the tribe of Levi.
But what is interesting is this next part.
Occupation:
In Matthew 9:9, we find out that Matthew was a tax collector when Jesus called him. Now the Roman government would put the tax collection business up for bid every five years. The one that bid the highest gets to be the tax collector. And he would collect both what we call income tax and travel tax, and he would send it to the Roman government as they have prescribed. But he can tack on any amount he wants to keep for himself. So, tax collectors were very rich.
The problem is that we have a Jewish man from the tribe of Levi who should be serving as a priest in the temple, and he bids on the tax collector's job, and he starts working for the Roman government to tax his own people. Tax collectors were considered traitors by the Jews. They were unclean and unable to participate in the synagogue.
And so, here's Matthew saying I don't care, I am a rich man. Of course, the fellow Jews are calling him names and getting angry with him. But he doesn't care because he gets their money! But he is sitting at the tax collection booth when he is called by Jesus. And he gets up immediately and leaves. Right after this, and we see it in Matthew Chapter 9, but right after this, Matthew has a dinner in his home, and he invites all of his tax collector friends. He wants them to meet Jesus.
So then religious leaders got a little upset because they wanted to know why Jesus and the disciples, the people who were with Him at the beginning, why they were sitting down with tax collectors and sinners? A sinner to a Jew is somebody who didn't keep the law. They were considered traitors.
From the beginning of Paul's letters, all the way through to the end of Revelation, that is 63 years of church history. So, if you want to know in 63 years of the early church history, with all of the apostles there, and all of the apostles who have their testimony, why in 63 years of church history didn't Paul or anybody else teach that new teaching that some person just told you about? It's because it is not in the word and it is not God's word.
INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPELS
I. The Synoptic Gospels
The word Synoptic comes from the Greek word SUNOPSIS, and it means "to view together."
A. Matthew
Matthew wrote his gospel in five sections. Most Jewish writers did this in order to lineup with the first five books of the bible, the Torah, or Law. So, Matthew wrote his gospel in five sections.
Matthew's gospel was written to the Jews. It was written to present Jesus as the coming Savior/Messiah. Notice I said "Savior/Messiah?" The Jews were not just expecting the Messiah, but they were expecting the Messiah to come as a Savior.
We see in Matthew 1:21 that it says, "And she shall bring forth a Son, (the angel said this about Mary), and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." That's what the Jews believed, that when the Messiah would come, He would save His people from their sins.
Matthew is presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of the coming Savior/Messiah. Matthew ends with the resurrection. It is all good Jewish literature. All Jews hold to a resurrection. So, Matthew ends his book with a resurrection.
Paul's writings are at the beginning of the teaching section. And in Galatians 1:8-9, Paul makes a very bold statement. He says, "If anyone preaches any other Gospel than that which I have preached, let them be accursed." Even if an angel comes down, or if we change our teaching and give you a different gospel, it is only the gospel that Paul preached.
And that is what the early church went by, and that is why the New Testament is laid out the way it is. It is so that they would have history, and then they would have Paul's writings at the beginning of the teaching section. And everyone else's teachings had to line up with Paul's. If it was different than Paul's, it was not considered legitimate because the early church had already accepted the fact that Paul was chosen to be the instrument to reveal the mysteries of Christ. Nobody else!
This layout of the New Testament is "Foolproof!" If we are presented something from scripture that doesn't seem quite right, all we need to do is go to Paul's teachings. What did Paul teach about that? Well, we know that Paul was taught by Jesus Himself while he was out in the desert for three years. So, if we are presented something, we have the responsibility to search the scriptures. What did Paul teach? If it is different from what he taught, we are not to even entertain it!
We in the church today are under the same thing as far as what we preach and teach. If we preach any other gospel than what Paul preached, we are in trouble, and that's paraphrasing it lightly!
Even in the Jewish literature section (Hebrews through Revelation), in their writings, they would make reference back to Paul's teaching, and you'll never find anything in the Jewish literature section that contradicts anything that Paul said. They all blend together.
"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
The disciples asked Jesus 3 questions and he answered them in verse 15.
Verses 4-14 would be non signs of the end of the world. He says that in verse 6. "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."
And then he goes on with the beginning of these sorrows as mentioned in Matthew 24:8 until he gets to verses 14 and15.
Vs 14. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Vs 15. "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by "DANIEL THE PROPHET, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
WHOSO READETH, LET HIM UNDERSTAND!!:
Jesus is diverting them back to Daniel 9:27 as the key to end time prophecy. The 70th week of Daniel.
"And he/Antichrist shall confirm the covenant with many FOR ONE WEEK: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,)
The Great tribulation begins in the middle of the 70th week with Jesus describing Daniels prophecy as the key and details this event in Matthew 24:16-21.
Daniel 12:9-11 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed TILL THE TIME OF THE END.
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the ABOMINATION THAT MAKETH DESOLATE set up, there shall be a (thousand two hundred and ninety days). 3.5 years!
In ( Mt. 24:21-22) v21 "For then shall be great tribulation"
v22 Tells us "for the (elect's) sake those days shall be shortened"
The word (elect's) is #1588; it means select, by implying favorite, chosen, to select, make choice, choose (out) chosen.
God's elect are His favorite, His chosen ones in whom He will choose (out) ( Mt. 24:40-42) True Believers.
In ( Mt. 24:29-31) v29 "Immediately AFTER the tribulation"
v30 "and they shall see the Son of man (Jesus Christ) coming (in the clouds) of heaven with power and great glory"
v31 "and they shall gather together his elect"
AFTER the tribulation is when the (elect) are gathered together.
In ( Rev. 7:9) "After this I beheld, and, lo, ((a great multitude, which no man could number)), of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands".
( Rev. 7:14-17) v14 Tells us "These are they which ((came out of great tribulation)), and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb"
A great multitude that no man could number ((came out of great tribulation)), the Son of man (Jesus Christ) comes in the clouds to gather together His elect (Immediately AFTER the tribulation)
v17 Tells us "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall ((feed them)), and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes"
When will the Lamb feed them?
The marriage supper of the Lamb is when those who came out of great tribulation will be fed in ( Rev. 19:7-9)
A great multitude that no man could number comes out of great tribulation.
When God pours out His wrath on the earth no man will be able to enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled, ( Rev. 15:7-8)
All seven vials full of the wrath of God will be poured out on the earth and no man will be able to enter into the temple.
Just read this & thought how timely this fits in with our discussion, thinking it would be a sin not to share it, in that it could help us all, He expounds it so much better than I.
A Christian is to be a follower of Christ, and consequently must have the same rule to walk by as Christ had. A Christian proceeds from Christ, hath the same life in him, and needs the same rule. Christ had the fulness of life, and of his fulness we all receive a measure of the same life. "We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Yea, we came out of the same spring of life from whence he came: "For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren." Now what was his rule? Was it not the fulness of life which he received? And what is their rule? Is it not the measure of life which they receive? Was not Christ's rule the law of the spirit; the law which the spirit wrote in his heart? And is not their rule the law of the spirit; the law which the spirit writes in their hearts? How was Christ made a king and a priest? Was it by the law of a carnal commandment? or by the power of an endless life? And how are they made kings and priests to God? Rev. 1:6. Is it by the law of a carnal commandment? or is it by the power of the same endless life? "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God," says Christ, "when he cometh into the world." Heb. 10:5,7. But by what rule? By what law? "Thy law is within my heart." Psalm 40:8. And the same spirit who wrote it there, is also to write the new covenant, with all the laws of it, in the heart of every Christian, from the least to the greatest. Heb. 8:9 10. Yea, the same spirit that dwelt in Christ's heart, is to dwell in their hearts, according to the promise of the covenant. Ezek. 36:27. This was Paul's rule, after which he walked,
The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus." Rom. 8:1-2. This made him "free from the law of sin and death." Where is the law of sin written? Where is the law of death written? Is it not written in the heart? And must not the law of righteousness and life be written there also, if it be able to deal with sin and death? The spirit forms the heart anew, forms Christ in the heart, begets a new creature there, which cannot sin "(He that is born of God sins not)." And this is the rule of righteousness, the new creature, or the spirit of life in the new creature. Gal. 6:15-16. "In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but a new creature. And as many as "walk according to this rule, peace be on them." Mark: there is the rule; the new creature, which is begotten in every one that is born of God. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature;" and this new creature is to be his rule. And as any man walks according to this rule, according to the new creature, according to the law of light and life that the spirit continually breathes into the new creature, he hath peace; but as he transgresses that, and walks not after the spirit, but after the flesh, he walks out of the light, out of the life, out of the peace, into the sea, into the death, into the trouble, into the condemnation. Here then is the law of the converted man, the new creature; and the law of the new creature is the spirit of life which begat him, which lives, and breathes, and gives forth his law continually in him. Here is a Christian; here is his rule: he that hath not the new creature formed in him, is no Christian; and he that hath the new creature, hath the rule in himself. "Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." 1 John 2:20. How came they to know all things? Doth not John say, it was by the "unction"? The anointing was in them, a fountain or well-spring of light and life, issuing forth continually such rivers and streams of
life within, as they needed no other teacher in the truth and way of life. verse 27. The "Comforter" did refresh their hearts sufficiently, and led them into all truth. Search the apostles' epistles, and ye shall find them testifying of the Lord's sending his spirit into the hearts of Christians; and exhortations to them not to grieve or quench the spirit, but to follow as they were led. They were to "live in the spirit," and to "walk in the spirit." Gal. 5:25. And the spirit was to walk, and live, and bring forth his own life and power in them. 2 Cor. 6:16. And what can be the proper and full rule of God's sons and daughters, but the light of the spirit of life, which they receive from their Father? Thus God did advance the state of a believer above the state of the Jews under the law: for they had the law, though written with the finger of God, yet but in tables of stone; but these have the law, written by the finger of God in the table of their hearts. Theirs was a law without, at a distance from them, and the priest's lips were to preserve the knowledge of it, and to instruct them in it; but here is a law within, nigh at hand, the immediate light of the spirit of life shining so immediately in the heart, that they need no man to teach them; but have the spirit of prophecy in themselves, and quick, living teachings from him continually, and are made such kings and priests to God, as the state of the law did but represent. The gospel is the substance of all the shadows contained in the law. A Christian is he that comes into this substance, and lives in this substance, and in whom this substance lives; and his rule is the substance itself, in which he lives, and which lives in him. Christ is the substance, who lives in the Christian, and he in Christ: Christ lives in him by his spirit, and he in Christ by the same spirit: there he lives, and hath fellowship with the Father and the Son, in the light wherein they live, and not by any outward rule. 1 John 1:6-7
Each of us must make a decision regarding the Spiritual Authority for doctrine and practice in our life. That is, what constitutes the Word of God in which we trust and follow? Is it going to be the Bible Alone? Is it going to be the Whole Bible? Or is it going to be something more or something less than this.
I believe that God very clearly put
that choice to us as He completed the Bible.
Revelation 22:18,19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
And there is no getting around the fact that if we are trusting in a vision or a voice or dream or a tongue that we believe is a direct communication from God Himself, we have a wider Authority than the Bible Alone.
"I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows right well. My body was not hid from you, when I was made in secret, and curiously formed in the lowest parts of the earth [the living soul]. Your eyes did see my body yet being limited; and in your book all my members were written, which in longevity were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:14-16
In the verse above, David explains how God made and formed him in the lowest parts of the earth. The lowest part of the earth he refers to is the natural part of his understanding, the place of the living soul. Paul is saying Yeshua first originated in the lowest parts of the earth before rising to a place above that of living soul.
Men teach that Yeshua went into the belly of earth or hell before his ascension. Does it mean he literally went down into the belly of the earth?
When Yeshua came into this world, like David, he was also wonderfully made and curiously formed in the same way as David. God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh [lowest parts of the earth]. He took on the image and likeness of the first man Adam who was formed from dust and made a living soul [son of man]. The Lord God formed man of the dust of ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul [came into knowledge of God's will]. It is the spirit [the breath of God] that revives; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Romans 1:16 -2:10 mentions 3 times "to the Jew first & then to the Gentile/Greek".! Reading them Im not understanding Gods purpose of placing It in that order. Is it because He knew they'd be harder to turn to Christ? And whats the signifacance of them remaining His 'chosen' ppl after they had Jesus crusified? it does make sense "if" when they Finally Realize who Jesus truly was/is, they will be so happy they found Gods truth they will be more faithful servents,.! Any other ideas or facts?
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
Deuteronomy 7
6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth
Amos 3
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
Matthew 15
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Luke 1
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
Romans 9
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Well, who is the Jesus Christ that John is talking about? In 1 John, he's proving His humanity after he proved His deity. So, you can take the Gospel of John and just shove it off to the side and just use the Lord's name, Jesus Christ. Well, the question is which Jesus Christ are you talking about?
I don't know if you know this or not but in 2 Corinthians Chapter 11, Paul says that there is more than one Jesus. He says you Christians in Corinth, when I came and preached to you, after I left teachers came in and you are following another Jesus, a different one, a different Gospel, and a different spirit.
Now these are Christians who obviously couldn't tell the difference. But Paul says you are following another Jesus. It is very important to realize that even as Christians, not in a perverted way, but a very dangerous way, every believer has their own idea and understanding and realization of who Jesus is. If we were to get in a circle and share about "our" Jesus, we might hear somebody say that is a different Jesus than what I have. But there is only one Jesus Christ, Jesus the Christ.
And if you understand all of John's writings, and you can throw Revelation in with John if you like because John talked about the earthly ministry of God in the flesh, and in the book of Revelation, he presents Jesus Christ as the reigning King of kings and Lord of lords that is going to come and bring judgment.
But 1, 2 and 3 John is all about the humanity of Christ. John says that He is 100% God and 100% man, not 50-50, 100% of each! And anything less than that, as far as early church goes and as far as the scriptures are concerned, anything less than that is not the right Jesus Christ.
V. ABOUT THE THEME OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN:
Again, it is the deity of Jesus Christ.
VI. ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT:
TIME:
The Gospel of John was next to the last book written. Of course, the last one written was the book of Revelation. So, this is an older book, but it is at the beginning of the New Testament.
COMPARISON TO JOHN'S OTHER BOOKS:
Now here's a fascinating thing that about the comparison to John's other books, and you have to know this, again the fool proof understanding of scripture, you need to know this about John's writings.
The Gospel of John was written to establish the Deity of Jesus Christ. But remember, John's gospel establishes the deity of Jesus Christ. That is, that He was, and is 100% God.
1, 2, and 3 John were written to establish the Humanity of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John the deity of Christ. 1, 2, and 3 John the humanity of Christ because the Gnostics came and they believed that all physical was evil and that Jesus didn't have a physical body, so He was not man. And then there are groups that don't believe that he was God, just a prophet, or just one of the gods.
The reason why we need to know this information is because in 1 John Chapter 4 Verse 2, John says hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
You might be thinking how is that a trick statement? Except the cults completely ignore the Gospel of John and they say we believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, so you are saying we are cults, we are false teachers, but it says right here, that every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: Therefore, we are of God!
John is written to the church, written around 95 A.D., approximately 30 to 35 years after the other Gospels were written. And the Gospel of John was one of the last letters written. In fact, there's a lot of evidence to say that the Gospel of John, 1, 2 and 3 John, and Revelation which were all written by John, but there's evidence that he wrote all those letters one right after another all at the same time.
John wrote to present Jesus Christ as the Son of God, not the Son of Man, but the Son of God. Son of God is a title known to the Jewish people for two things: Number one, the Son of God is the Messiah. And number two, the Son of God is God.
And here's where some of the cult groups get off track and actually lead people in the wrong way. They say how can Jesus be God if He's the Son of God? Well, the word Son in the title "Son of God" doesn't mean son by birth. There are different words used in the Greek New Testament for the word son.
This is a son by inheritance and so it has nothing to do with a father-mother-son relationship like we know here on the earth or in the human. It has to do with inheritance and that the Son of God is God coming to His inheritance.
VI. SECTION OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE:
CHAPTER 1:1-4: The Preface.
And by the way, the difference between a preface and prologue is that a preface is an introduction, and a prologue is like a book within a book. When you read the first 18 verses of John's gospel, that is a prologue, not a preface. So, this is a preface. This is an introduction, Verses 1 through 4.
CHAPTER 1:5 THROUGH 2:52: The Pregnancies of Elizabeth and Mary.
CHAPTER 3:1-4:13: The Preparation for the Ministry of both Yochanan ha-Matbil, that is John the Baptist, and Yeshua, for Jesus.
CHAPTER 4:14-9:50: The Preaching of Jesus in Galilee
CHAPTER 9:51-19:27: The Prompting of Jesus toward Jerusalem.
One of my favorite verses is Luke 9:51. When it came time to for Jesus to go to Jerusalem, it says He set His face towards Jerusalem, and that many villages rejected Him because His face was set towards Jerusalem.
As believers, we have to ask ourselves, what is our Jerusalem? What does God want us to do? What are we here for? When you find out what God wants you to do, set your face toward Jerusalem. Don't stop. Don't go to the left or to the right.
And you'll find that people will reject you because you're just passing through. You've got something God wants you to do and you are doing it. Very, very important section! It is almost 10 chapters of people rejecting Jesus because He had His face set towards Jerusalem.
CHAPTER 19:28-21:38: The Preaching of Jesus in Jerusalem. That final week, Passover week.
CHAPTER 22:1-23:56: The Particulars of the Crucifixion of Jesus, His suffering, the different trials, and the actual crucifixion itself.
CHAPTER 24:1-53, THE ENTIRE CHAPTER 24 OF LUKE: The Promise of the Resurrection of Jesus.
That is the Introduction to Luke's Gospel. I will share with you the introduction to the Gospel of John soon, Lord willing!
God Bless!!!
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. ( Proverbs 4:23).
Normally I prefer KJV (and after all that is the focus here) but in this case I prefer the word "Guard" to begin the sentence found in several other versions. In the case of dying to self; and focusing all our energies into serving the Lord several statements below may seem to contradict behaviors normally associated with being a Christian.
Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. ( Song of Solomon 8:6).
Granted; the whole book of Song of Solomon is focused on the story of human love but surely we can glean some meainings from this book which is included in the accepted Canon (although probably the most reluctantly by the early church). In any case; our God is a jealous God; and we can also apply this to the Spirit which contends against the flesh ( Gal. 5:24).
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. ( Matt. 7:6).
This can perhaps be best understood in conjunction with the admonition in Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure. ( 1 Tim. 5:22). There are several meanings for laying on of hands which could relate to delegating a promotion of church office or imparting spiritual gifts (I would suggest both would happen simultaneously). In any case; within the house of God we must be discerning enough to recognize those with bad fruit who are going to take whatever they have and use it for nefarious purposes. We also need to be careful that we aren't tempted by the sins of others who wer are attempting to help; whether by reason of our own weaknesses or those who are devious enough to entice us or unwary victims of Satan.
Fascinating study! One last thing I want to share with you before I end this introduction is the section outline of the Gospel of Mark:
CHAPTER 1 VERSES 1 TO 13 - is the prologue.
CHAPTER 1 VERSE 14 THROUGH THE END OF CHAPTER 9 - is The Service of the Servant, His ministry in Galilee.
CHAPTER 10 - is the Submission of the Servant, His ministry in Judea.
CHAPTERS 11 THROUGH 16 - We have The Sacrifice of the Servant, His ministry in Jerusalem. And as you can see, it is divided up into the three geographical locations that the Lord was in, Galilee, Judea, and then Jerusalem.
I realize this was a long introduction. The book (Mark) actually moves very fast. It is presented in a way as if we don't know anything about Jesus, or we are a doubter, or we have heard about Him, but He got crucified. How does that work out with the King of kings and Lord of lords? And as we read through Mark's gospel, even if we are a believer, we are going to know even more and more who Jesus is.
I will share my introduction to Luke next.
God Bless!!!
VII. THE THEME OF THE BOOK:
Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." That is the theme of the Gospel of Mark.
VIII. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:
It was written to the Romans and written in a style to reach the Roman mindset.
HERE'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE INTRODUCTION:
The Roman mindset was one that followed the judicial system. You had to prove everything by the law. If you couldn't prove anything by the law, they didn't buy it. It was strictly judicial. That's why the book of Romans, which is called the Constitution of the Christian faith, every doctrine is found in the book of Romans. The book of Romans is written like a legal brief. Romans is written like a lawyer would present a case in a courtroom.
And that is how he is talking to the people in Rome. Well, that is what Mark does also. I don't know if you have noticed or not, but Mark's gospel is pretty short and pretty blunt. He doesn't give a lot of details. If he didn't think something was necessary to prove a point, he left it out.
Mark does not give it to us because it is not necessary for proving the point. Mark presents his gospel like a script, fact after fact, and he is presenting it like a legal brief to the court. Jesus Christ will be presented to us as the Suffering Servant. Mark says I'm going to prove it to you, so that you people in Rome that have this mind that is governed by the judicial system, you'll find evidence. You are going to have to figure out what are you going to do with this Jesus? He didn't come as a king. He came as a servant. But I am going to prove to you that He is the Messiah.
And you and I need to take stock of this book because Mark is presenting to us a Messiah who refused to let the world make Him a king. Jesus Christ will never let this world make Him a king, period! He will not allow this world to honor Him as a king. He will come back at His second coming, and He will defeat all the enemies, and then (He) will set Himself up as king. But He won't let the world do it.
Even now, in many instances, the world honors Jesus Christ. But when He came, He was born in a cave, and He took the low road. He is presented as the Suffering Servant. Can you imagine God Himself coming in human form and you are one of His disciples, and you are looking forward to Him ruling and reigning out of Jerusalem, and He takes off His robe and wraps Himself with a servant's towel, and He begins to wash the disciples' feet?
Our man Peter says "You're not going to wash my feet. You are the Lord." And Jesus said if you don't let me wash your feet, you have nothing to do with me. Peter says "Well, then bathe me all over if it is going to be that important!" It was humbling and humiliating to have the Messiah come to be the servant of all, rather than say "I am Messiah," and get the applause and get set up as king.
The way you and I can learn from this book, is that we too do not yet rule and reign with Christ upon this earth. There are some teachers through our culture that will present the fact that we need to take the world now. No, we are just passing through. We are just servants. We are the lowly. We are not kings and queens. We are servant's following in the path of our Master. But one day, we are going to rule and reign with Him. I'll wait for that day because it's frustrating to do it any other way!
He is going to set His kingdom up on earth just like Isaiah said. "Oh, this is a great day!" Except once they got into town, they listened to His teachings, but by the end of the week He was nailed to a cross. They were devastated. Their hopes were gone, dashed!
And one of the reasons that Paul was so angry against the Christians was because the Christians were presenting this man who died on the cross as a criminal, as being the Messiah. That is blasphemy. Paul's thinking was that He died between two thieves because He Himself was a criminal, and only criminals get crucified. That is what made him angry, that people would make the Messiah out to be this type of a person.
Some Jewish scholars actually believed that there would be two messiahs. Some Jewish scholars say, well, we read certain portions of the Old Testament, and it looks like the Messiah is going to come and suffer. But the majority said no, the Messiah is going to come, and He's going to ride in on a white horse and He is going to become victorious.
You see, you had two groups of scholars that were saying how can He be both? What is He going to do? Is He going to ride in, suffer, and then jump on the white horse? I mean, how is this whole thing going to work? One guy suffers the whole time, the other guy conquers, which is why when John the Baptist was put in prison, he sent his disciples to Jesus and says are you the coming one, or do we look for another?
The word "another" in Greek means another of the same kind. So, he figures this must be the suffering Messiah. Are we expecting the next one to come too? They were not too far off! But you can imagine the confusion and all that they were going through. Little did they know that Messiah would come as the Suffering Servant, He would come not to rule and to reign, but to serve.
That's why in Luke, Luke records for us that Jesus, when He wept over Jerusalem, He said if you only knew this your day of visitation. In the Greek text, it's very emphatic, not just a general "Well if you knew what a special day this was!" He is making an allusion back to Daniel's prophecy. He's saying you guys are up on it. You should know that this is the 178,880 day. It is your day. Messiah is riding in. But He said you didn't. You rejected Him.
It also helps us, and I'll explain later why different people would come out, like with John the Baptist would come out and they would ask Him, what are you doing? Who are you? Because many Jewish scholars believed that sometime around that time in history, the Messiah was coming.
And there were actually quite a few people that presented themselves as being the Messiah about the same time that Jesus did. And they sent a delegation out to check John out. Who are you? Who do you say you are? And they would watch him, just like they did Jesus.
So, it is interesting that some Jewish leadership at that time were actually aware that around that time in history, the Messiah's supposed to come. And if they were really up on their scriptures, they would have known it was to the exact day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem. They should have known from Daniel's prophecy.
But He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (the beast the burden), as a sacrifice. That week was Passover week. So, Jesus rode into Jerusalem as the Passover Lamb who would sacrifice His life for the sins of the world. But when He rode into Jerusalem, all the Jews were reciting the Hallel Psalm ( Psalm 118), that the Messiah is riding into Jerusalem, blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord, because they're anticipating that once He gets into town, this Roman government is going to be defeated.
We are up to the point now where Peter, in 1 Peter 5:13, he calls Mark "my son." Many historians believe that Peter actually led Mark to the Lord when he was in Jerusalem. And Mark may have figured that he needed some grounding, some foundation or something, some establishment in the Lord. So, when he came back from the second missionary journey, he says "Peter, I am your son in the faith. Let me be your disciple. Teach me." So, he travels with Peter. Later on, we see a quote about his relationship with Peter.
But apparently after Peter dies, around 63 to 64 A.D., Mark joins up with Paul. Now that is not a good combination at all. Paul did not want this guy around! Well, Mark is now changed. He is now matured in the Lord. Later, we see that Paul found him helpful to the ministry. As a matter of fact, in Philemon, Verse 24, Paul calls Mark "my fellow worker."
And then right before Paul died, and 2 Timothy is Paul's final letter that he wrote before he died there in Rome, but Paul asks Timothy to bring Mark with him because "he is useful to me for ministry." So, at the end of Paul's life, and at the end of his ministry, John Mark was somebody who was a strong pillar in the church and very effective for Christ. Hopefully that gives you hope.
IV. THE AUTHOR OF THE GOSPEL OF MARK:
Mark wrote his Gospel from the testimony of Peter. So, when Mark traveled around with Peter, he gained the information from Peter himself. Mark was not there to witness. In fact, he's the only one that did not have this historical presentation of what Jesus said and did. Papias, the Bishop of Hierapolis, wrote in 140 A.D. that Mark's presentation is like a lecture. So, John Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark. What a brilliant statement! I mean who else would write Mark? But I guess there were some people that doubted it.
Serving the brothers and sisters in the Lord. Time and effort as well as finances should be toward supporting the local Body of believers. We are to open up our homes and be open to financial aid for those in need if the Lord has enabled us to do so and also made it clear that we should. We may not be in a state of famine or intense persecution necessitating an Acts 2:45 stance; but we should see the benefit in caring for the needs of each other. Loving the brethren according to 1 John 2:10 shows we are in the light and is commanded by Christ; 1 John 4:20 shows the opposite; we cannot love God and hate our brother.
Sharing in hobbies and interests
Since we bring nothing into this world and cannot take anything with us when we leave; ( 1 Timothy 6:7) why not start giving away things we have collected-(that is something I am starting to do myself). Some things we need to abandon; but things we are talented in and perhaps find some financial gain with why not train others or invest with other believers; or donate to a worthy cause? People of like interests shouldn't be a primary goal; but can be used as a witnessing tool. Discretion as always is needed if it is encouraging hoarding or addictive behaviors among others or ourselves in these situations. This seems to be a strange category here but there are some as I was who tended to obsess on collectables for the sole purpose of my own financial security and gain. This concept also can be extended to transferring what we have done with a career for many years and skills aquired to shift focus toward charity work or eliminating labor costs; for instance in fixing up our local church.
Not putting career ahead of God. Finding a balance between serving our employers honorably and not always seizing every opportunity for extra hours or promotions takes prayer and wisdom. We should pray for doors to open or close according to His will and timing not our own ambition
I. About the Author (Name and nationality):
Matthew is his Greek name. Matthew means gift of Yahweh. His Jewish name is Levi. And because his name is Levi, that tells us that he is from the tribe of Levi, and he is a priest of all people. Priests come from the tribe of Levi.
But what is interesting is this next part.
Occupation:
In Matthew 9:9, we find out that Matthew was a tax collector when Jesus called him. Now the Roman government would put the tax collection business up for bid every five years. The one that bid the highest gets to be the tax collector. And he would collect both what we call income tax and travel tax, and he would send it to the Roman government as they have prescribed. But he can tack on any amount he wants to keep for himself. So, tax collectors were very rich.
The problem is that we have a Jewish man from the tribe of Levi who should be serving as a priest in the temple, and he bids on the tax collector's job, and he starts working for the Roman government to tax his own people. Tax collectors were considered traitors by the Jews. They were unclean and unable to participate in the synagogue.
And so, here's Matthew saying I don't care, I am a rich man. Of course, the fellow Jews are calling him names and getting angry with him. But he doesn't care because he gets their money! But he is sitting at the tax collection booth when he is called by Jesus. And he gets up immediately and leaves. Right after this, and we see it in Matthew Chapter 9, but right after this, Matthew has a dinner in his home, and he invites all of his tax collector friends. He wants them to meet Jesus.
So then religious leaders got a little upset because they wanted to know why Jesus and the disciples, the people who were with Him at the beginning, why they were sitting down with tax collectors and sinners? A sinner to a Jew is somebody who didn't keep the law. They were considered traitors.
From the beginning of Paul's letters, all the way through to the end of Revelation, that is 63 years of church history. So, if you want to know in 63 years of the early church history, with all of the apostles there, and all of the apostles who have their testimony, why in 63 years of church history didn't Paul or anybody else teach that new teaching that some person just told you about? It's because it is not in the word and it is not God's word.
INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPELS
I. The Synoptic Gospels
The word Synoptic comes from the Greek word SUNOPSIS, and it means "to view together."
A. Matthew
Matthew wrote his gospel in five sections. Most Jewish writers did this in order to lineup with the first five books of the bible, the Torah, or Law. So, Matthew wrote his gospel in five sections.
Matthew's gospel was written to the Jews. It was written to present Jesus as the coming Savior/Messiah. Notice I said "Savior/Messiah?" The Jews were not just expecting the Messiah, but they were expecting the Messiah to come as a Savior.
We see in Matthew 1:21 that it says, "And she shall bring forth a Son, (the angel said this about Mary), and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." That's what the Jews believed, that when the Messiah would come, He would save His people from their sins.
Matthew is presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of the coming Savior/Messiah. Matthew ends with the resurrection. It is all good Jewish literature. All Jews hold to a resurrection. So, Matthew ends his book with a resurrection.
Now, back to Paul's writings:
Paul's writings are at the beginning of the teaching section. And in Galatians 1:8-9, Paul makes a very bold statement. He says, "If anyone preaches any other Gospel than that which I have preached, let them be accursed." Even if an angel comes down, or if we change our teaching and give you a different gospel, it is only the gospel that Paul preached.
And that is what the early church went by, and that is why the New Testament is laid out the way it is. It is so that they would have history, and then they would have Paul's writings at the beginning of the teaching section. And everyone else's teachings had to line up with Paul's. If it was different than Paul's, it was not considered legitimate because the early church had already accepted the fact that Paul was chosen to be the instrument to reveal the mysteries of Christ. Nobody else!
This layout of the New Testament is "Foolproof!" If we are presented something from scripture that doesn't seem quite right, all we need to do is go to Paul's teachings. What did Paul teach about that? Well, we know that Paul was taught by Jesus Himself while he was out in the desert for three years. So, if we are presented something, we have the responsibility to search the scriptures. What did Paul teach? If it is different from what he taught, we are not to even entertain it!
We in the church today are under the same thing as far as what we preach and teach. If we preach any other gospel than what Paul preached, we are in trouble, and that's paraphrasing it lightly!
Even in the Jewish literature section (Hebrews through Revelation), in their writings, they would make reference back to Paul's teaching, and you'll never find anything in the Jewish literature section that contradicts anything that Paul said. They all blend together.
"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
The disciples asked Jesus 3 questions and he answered them in verse 15.
Verses 4-14 would be non signs of the end of the world. He says that in verse 6. "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."
And then he goes on with the beginning of these sorrows as mentioned in Matthew 24:8 until he gets to verses 14 and15.
Vs 14. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Vs 15. "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by "DANIEL THE PROPHET, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
WHOSO READETH, LET HIM UNDERSTAND!!:
Jesus is diverting them back to Daniel 9:27 as the key to end time prophecy. The 70th week of Daniel.
"And he/Antichrist shall confirm the covenant with many FOR ONE WEEK: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,)
The Great tribulation begins in the middle of the 70th week with Jesus describing Daniels prophecy as the key and details this event in Matthew 24:16-21.
Daniel 12:9-11 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed TILL THE TIME OF THE END.
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the ABOMINATION THAT MAKETH DESOLATE set up, there shall be a (thousand two hundred and ninety days). 3.5 years!
Also see Revelation 12:14.
( time, and times, and half a time,)
Another way of saying 3.5 years!
The 70th week of Daniel is future.
God bless.
In ( Mt. 24:21-22) v21 "For then shall be great tribulation"
v22 Tells us "for the (elect's) sake those days shall be shortened"
The word (elect's) is #1588; it means select, by implying favorite, chosen, to select, make choice, choose (out) chosen.
God's elect are His favorite, His chosen ones in whom He will choose (out) ( Mt. 24:40-42) True Believers.
In ( Mt. 24:29-31) v29 "Immediately AFTER the tribulation"
v30 "and they shall see the Son of man (Jesus Christ) coming (in the clouds) of heaven with power and great glory"
v31 "and they shall gather together his elect"
AFTER the tribulation is when the (elect) are gathered together.
In ( Rev. 7:9) "After this I beheld, and, lo, ((a great multitude, which no man could number)), of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands".
( Rev. 7:14-17) v14 Tells us "These are they which ((came out of great tribulation)), and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb"
A great multitude that no man could number ((came out of great tribulation)), the Son of man (Jesus Christ) comes in the clouds to gather together His elect (Immediately AFTER the tribulation)
v17 Tells us "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall ((feed them)), and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes"
When will the Lamb feed them?
The marriage supper of the Lamb is when those who came out of great tribulation will be fed in ( Rev. 19:7-9)
A great multitude that no man could number comes out of great tribulation.
When God pours out His wrath on the earth no man will be able to enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled, ( Rev. 15:7-8)
All seven vials full of the wrath of God will be poured out on the earth and no man will be able to enter into the temple.
Truth matters!
Just read this & thought how timely this fits in with our discussion, thinking it would be a sin not to share it, in that it could help us all, He expounds it so much better than I.
A Christian is to be a follower of Christ, and consequently must have the same rule to walk by as Christ had. A Christian proceeds from Christ, hath the same life in him, and needs the same rule. Christ had the fulness of life, and of his fulness we all receive a measure of the same life. "We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Yea, we came out of the same spring of life from whence he came: "For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren." Now what was his rule? Was it not the fulness of life which he received? And what is their rule? Is it not the measure of life which they receive? Was not Christ's rule the law of the spirit; the law which the spirit wrote in his heart? And is not their rule the law of the spirit; the law which the spirit writes in their hearts? How was Christ made a king and a priest? Was it by the law of a carnal commandment? or by the power of an endless life? And how are they made kings and priests to God? Rev. 1:6. Is it by the law of a carnal commandment? or is it by the power of the same endless life? "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God," says Christ, "when he cometh into the world." Heb. 10:5,7. But by what rule? By what law? "Thy law is within my heart." Psalm 40:8. And the same spirit who wrote it there, is also to write the new covenant, with all the laws of it, in the heart of every Christian, from the least to the greatest. Heb. 8:9 10. Yea, the same spirit that dwelt in Christ's heart, is to dwell in their hearts, according to the promise of the covenant. Ezek. 36:27. This was Paul's rule, after which he walked,
The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus." Rom. 8:1-2. This made him "free from the law of sin and death." Where is the law of sin written? Where is the law of death written? Is it not written in the heart? And must not the law of righteousness and life be written there also, if it be able to deal with sin and death? The spirit forms the heart anew, forms Christ in the heart, begets a new creature there, which cannot sin "(He that is born of God sins not)." And this is the rule of righteousness, the new creature, or the spirit of life in the new creature. Gal. 6:15-16. "In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but a new creature. And as many as "walk according to this rule, peace be on them." Mark: there is the rule; the new creature, which is begotten in every one that is born of God. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature;" and this new creature is to be his rule. And as any man walks according to this rule, according to the new creature, according to the law of light and life that the spirit continually breathes into the new creature, he hath peace; but as he transgresses that, and walks not after the spirit, but after the flesh, he walks out of the light, out of the life, out of the peace, into the sea, into the death, into the trouble, into the condemnation. Here then is the law of the converted man, the new creature; and the law of the new creature is the spirit of life which begat him, which lives, and breathes, and gives forth his law continually in him. Here is a Christian; here is his rule: he that hath not the new creature formed in him, is no Christian; and he that hath the new creature, hath the rule in himself. "Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." 1 John 2:20. How came they to know all things? Doth not John say, it was by the "unction"? The anointing was in them, a fountain or well-spring of light and life, issuing forth continually such rivers and streams of
life within, as they needed no other teacher in the truth and way of life. verse 27. The "Comforter" did refresh their hearts sufficiently, and led them into all truth. Search the apostles' epistles, and ye shall find them testifying of the Lord's sending his spirit into the hearts of Christians; and exhortations to them not to grieve or quench the spirit, but to follow as they were led. They were to "live in the spirit," and to "walk in the spirit." Gal. 5:25. And the spirit was to walk, and live, and bring forth his own life and power in them. 2 Cor. 6:16. And what can be the proper and full rule of God's sons and daughters, but the light of the spirit of life, which they receive from their Father? Thus God did advance the state of a believer above the state of the Jews under the law: for they had the law, though written with the finger of God, yet but in tables of stone; but these have the law, written by the finger of God in the table of their hearts. Theirs was a law without, at a distance from them, and the priest's lips were to preserve the knowledge of it, and to instruct them in it; but here is a law within, nigh at hand, the immediate light of the spirit of life shining so immediately in the heart, that they need no man to teach them; but have the spirit of prophecy in themselves, and quick, living teachings from him continually, and are made such kings and priests to God, as the state of the law did but represent. The gospel is the substance of all the shadows contained in the law. A Christian is he that comes into this substance, and lives in this substance, and in whom this substance lives; and his rule is the substance itself, in which he lives, and which lives in him. Christ is the substance, who lives in the Christian, and he in Christ: Christ lives in him by his spirit, and he in Christ by the same spirit: there he lives, and hath fellowship with the Father and the Son, in the light wherein they live, and not by any outward rule. 1 John 1:6-7
Does it take place at the end of the thousand years after the devil is cast into the lake with the false prophet and the antichrist?
Thanks!
Each of us must make a decision regarding the Spiritual Authority for doctrine and practice in our life. That is, what constitutes the Word of God in which we trust and follow? Is it going to be the Bible Alone? Is it going to be the Whole Bible? Or is it going to be something more or something less than this.
I believe that God very clearly put
that choice to us as He completed the Bible.
Revelation 22:18,19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
And there is no getting around the fact that if we are trusting in a vision or a voice or dream or a tongue that we believe is a direct communication from God Himself, we have a wider Authority than the Bible Alone.
And that is a place I never want to be.
In the verse above, David explains how God made and formed him in the lowest parts of the earth. The lowest part of the earth he refers to is the natural part of his understanding, the place of the living soul. Paul is saying Yeshua first originated in the lowest parts of the earth before rising to a place above that of living soul.
Men teach that Yeshua went into the belly of earth or hell before his ascension. Does it mean he literally went down into the belly of the earth?
When Yeshua came into this world, like David, he was also wonderfully made and curiously formed in the same way as David. God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh [lowest parts of the earth]. He took on the image and likeness of the first man Adam who was formed from dust and made a living soul [son of man]. The Lord God formed man of the dust of ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul [came into knowledge of God's will]. It is the spirit [the breath of God] that revives; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Genesis 17
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
Deuteronomy 7
6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth
Amos 3
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
Matthew 15
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Luke 1
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
Romans 9
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.