When the child Jesus was born, his mother Mary laid him in a manger (Lk 2:7). The word “manger” comes from the Latin word manducare which means “to eat.” A manger or crib is a wooden or stone feeding trough or food box that holds hay for larger farm animals like cattle, horses, and donkeys. In the New Testament (Mark 11:1–11) it is told that as Jesus approached the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples to a nearby village to fetch him a donkey, or exactly an Onager or wild donkey. Upon their return, Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, where he was met by cheering crowds. It is a common saying at Christmastime that Jesus Christ was Born in a Manger Of course, it wasn’t possible for Him to actually be born in the manger, but that’s where Mary laid Him after His birth (Luke 2:7) Although we are not sure of the exact location of where Jesus was born, we do know that it was near Bethlehem and that there was a manger, or feeding trough, there God promised the Savior’s virgin birth immediately after mankind’s first sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15) Hundreds of years later, the prophet Micah foretold the birth of Christ in the small town of Bethlehem: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2). This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus’ earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, were called to Bethlehem for a census of the entire Roman territory (Luke 2:1–5). While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Jesus to be born (Luke 2:6). Because of the crowds that had come to Bethlehem, there was no room at the inn for Mary and Joseph (Luke 2:7). While tradition says that the inn was a sort of hotel, we don’t know that for sure. In fact, the Greek word translated “inn” (kataluma) could be translated “guest room.” This fact has led some to believe that Jesus may not have been born in a stable or barn, but in a house with a lower floor serving as a nighttime shelter for the families’ animals. If that were the case, it wouldn’t be surprising to find a manger located in that area of the house. When Luke states that there was no room in the kataluma, he could mean there was no room on the upper level, which would have been full of other people sleeping. In any case, Jesus was born at night, in some sort of keeping-place for animals, like a thief in the night, incarnated After Jesus was delivered, Mary His mother wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger (Luke 2:7). Later that same night, shepherds from nearby fields found Him just as the angels told them they would (Luke 2:10–12). So, why was the Savior and King born in a place where animals were kept? And why was He then laid in the animals’ food trough? Surely, God’s Son deserved a high-profile birth in the most elegant of surroundings. But, instead, God’s own Son made His appearance on earth in the lowliest of circumstances. This humble birth conveys an amazing message to creation: the transcendent God condescended to come to us. Instead of coming to earth as a pampered, privileged ruler, Jesus was born in meekness, as one of us. He is approachable, accessible, available—no palace gates bar the way to Him; no ring of guards prevents our approach. The King of kings came humbly, and His first bed was a manger. The Bible does not provide the exact day or even the exact year in which Jesus was born in Bethlehem. But a close examination of the chronological details of history narrows the possibilities to a reasonable window of time. The biblical details of Jesus’ birth are found in the Gospels. Matthew 2:1 states that Jesus was born during the days of Herod the king. Since Herod died in 4 B.C., we have a parameter to work with. Further, after Joseph and Mary fled Bethlehem with Jesus, Herod ordered all the boys 2 years old and younger in that vicinity killed. This indicates that Jesus could have been as old as 2 before Herod’s death. This places the date of His birth between 6 and 4 B.C. Luke 2:1-2 notes several other facts to ponder: “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.” We know that Caesar Augustus reigned from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14. Quirinius governed Syria during this same time period, with records of a census that included Judea in approximately 6 B.C. Some scholars debate whether this is the census mentioned by Luke, but it does appear to be the same event. Based on these historical details, the most likely time of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem is 6-5 B.C. Luke mentions another detail concerning our timeline: “Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age” (Luke 3:23). Jesus began His ministry during the time John the Baptist ministered in the wilderness, and John’s ministry started “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas” (Luke 3:1-2). The only time period that fits all of these facts is A.D. 27-29. If Jesus was “about thirty years of age” by A.D. 27, a birth sometime between 6 and 4 B.C. would fit the chronology. More specifically, Jesus would have been approximately 32 years old at the time He began His ministry (still “about thirty years of age”). What about the day of Christ’s birth? The tradition of December 25 was developed long after the New Testament period. It’s the day Christians have agreed to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but the exact day of His birth is unknown. What is known is that biblical and historical details point to an approximate year of birth. Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea approximately 6-4 B.C. to Mary, His mother. His birth changed history forever, along with the lives of countless people around the world. The name Herod comes up again and again in the New Testament from Matthew 2 to Acts 26. A casual reader might think that Herod had tremendous longevity as a ruler. However, Herod is the family name of a ruling dynasty in Palestine. There are four different Herods in the New Testament as well as Herod Philip II, who is referred to as Philip the tetrarch in the New Testament. Herod I came to be known as Herod the Great and was also called King of the Jews. He ruled from 37 or 36 BC to 4 BC. He is mentioned in the New Testament in Matthew 2. Magi from the East came to Jerusalem looking for the one who had been born King of the Jews. Of course, this would arrest Herod’s attention, as this was his title. Herod called the scribes and determined that, according to prophecy, the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. As the magi left for Bethlehem to find the Messiah, Herod asked them to report back to him with the location of the newborn King “so that I too may go and worship him” (Matthew 2:8). Of course, Herod had no such intentions. The magi find Jesus and worship Him, presenting their gifts to Him, but they are then warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod. When Herod realizes that the magi have not reported back to him, he is furious and calls for the slaughter of all the boys up to two years old in Bethlehem and the surrounding area, hoping to end the life of any potential rival. God warns Joseph that he needs to flee to Egypt with Jesus and Mary. Jesus is not harmed; however, there is a great slaughter of the innocents in and around Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16–18). Such is Herod the Great’s biblical legacy. Herod the Great was the son of a high-ranking official in the Hasmonean dynasty, which was ruling Palestine as an independent kingdom. He was an Idumean or Edomite (a descendant of Esau), but there had been intermarriage between Jews and Edomites, and Herod publicly identified himself as a Jew, although he was not faithful to observe Jewish Law. In 41 BC Herod the Great was named governor of Galilee. However, the Jewish Hasmonean dynasty was in conflict with Rome, and Herod supported Rome in the conflict. He was given the title King of the Jews by the Roman Senate and then charged with the responsibility of conquering Judea so that he could rule as a client king. After about three years of fighting, Herod was victorious in 37 or 36 BC. As king of Judea, Herod the Great’s primary directive was to carry out the wishes of Rome. As always, Rome wanted to maintain peace and foster good will among the local inhabitants who had been conquered. (If that didn’t work, Rome would eventually respond with overwhelming force.) Herod tried to foster good will by reducing taxes, enacting policies that helped bring about economic prosperity, and building public works including the incredible artificial port city of Caesarea, the fortress of Masada, and fortifications around Jerusalem. Herod also built a magnificent palace for himself atop a man-made mountain. The palace was called the Herodium. In order to gain favor with the Jews, Herod the Great greatly enlarged and updated the temple in Jerusalem to a size and magnificence it had never enjoyed before, not even under Solomon. This renovated structure became known as Herod’s temple. He also married Mariamne, a Hasmonean princess, and appointed her brother as high priest. Despite his brilliant and ambitious building projects, Herod the Great had a dark side that showed itself in the events of Matthew 2and in other historical events. He always feared potential rivals. He had his wife’s brother Aristobulus, the high priest, drowned in the swimming pool in his palace. He put to death 46 members of the Sanhedrin. He killed his mother-in-law. He also had his wife Mariamne murdered along with two of their sons, as he considered them potential rivals with legitimate claim to the throne because of their Hasmonean lineage. (Herod had ten wives in all and many other children who did not have Hasmonean blood.) Augustus Caesar is reported to have said, “It is better to be Herod’s dog than one of his children.” When placed in this context, the incident in Matthew 2 does not seem out of character. In BC 4, after a long and excruciating illness, Herod the Great died. This news was reported to Joseph by an angel of the Lord in a dream in Matthew 2:19, so Joseph knew it was safe to return to Israel with Jesus. Of course, our dating system will cause some consternation. We know that Herod died in 4 BC, which means that Jesus must have been born before 4 BC. It is normally assumed that Jesus was born in 1 BC (or perhaps 0 BC or AD 1), but these dates were assigned at least nine centuries later, and there were some errors in the calculations. So Jesus was born some time before 4 BC, and we do not know how much time passed between Joseph’s taking his family to safety in Egypt and Herod’s death. Upon Herod the Great’s death, his sons were appointed rulers in his place. Archelaus was appointed ethnarch (ruler of an ethnic group, but not a king) of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea. He is mentioned once in Scripture: when Joseph heard that Archelaus was ruling in Judea in place of his father Herod, Joseph took his family to Nazareth in Galilee (Matthew 2:22–23). Philip (Herod Philip II) was appointed tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitus. Philip is mentioned later in the New Testament as the one who lost his wife to his half-brother, Herod Antipas, the Herod who was then rebuked by John the Baptist for taking his brother Philip’s wife (Matthew 14:3–4). Herod the Great was an ambitious and ruthless ruler who set himself in opposition to the King of kings and Lord of lords. Throughout history and the scriptural record, we see the Herod family following in the footsteps of their father in opposing Christ. Jesus is referred to as the King of the Jews two times in His earthly life: at His birth by the wise men (Matthew 2:2) and at His trial and subsequent crucifixion (Mark 15:2). All four gospels record the words “King of the Jews” as part of Pilate’s instructions to the angry mob (Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:9; Luke 23:38; John 19:3) and Pilate’s direct address to Jesus (Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3; John 18:33). It is interesting that only non-Jews used this specific title to describe Jesus, underscoring the truth of John 1:11, which says, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” The title King of the Jews had both messianic and political implications. Kings in Israel were anointed with oil as a sign of God’s choosing (see 1 Kings 1:39), and the meaning of Messiah is “Anointed One.” As the Son of David, the Messiah was chosen by God to fulfill the Davidic Covenant and rule on the throne in Jerusalem. When the magi came to Jerusalem seeking the King of the Jews, they most likely had in mind a future political leader, much to King Herod’s chagrin. But the Jews in Jerusalem, hearing the magi’s question, would have thought of the long-awaited Messiah. In Mark 15:32 some mockingly call Jesus the “King of Israel” and associate the title with “Christ” (“Messiah”). What they meant as jeering scorn—what kind of king would be hanging on a cross?—was, ironically, the exact truth. Jesus was the King of Israel, and He was on the cross to save them from their sins. The sign that Pilate posted over Jesus on the cross identified the “criminal” in three languages: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (John 19:19). The Jewish leaders objected to the application of a Messianic title to Jesus: “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews” (verse 21). For reasons he kept to himself, Pilate refused to alter the sign (verse 22), which was another ironic statement of truth. During the trial of Jesus, Pilate had asked Him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (Mark 15:2). Jesus answered, “It is as you say” (NASB). Later, Jesus expanded on the idea of His being a king: “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36). The King of the Jews was rejected by Israel, but there is a broader spiritual kingdom that He still ruled. After the conversation about Jesus’ kingship, Pilate turns to the crowd and asks, “Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” (John 18:39). In no uncertain terms, the crowd shouts their answer: “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” (verse 40). Pilate then allows the soldiers to give Jesus a beating, during which they clothe Jesus as a king, mock Him with cries of “Hail, king of the Jews!” and repeatedly slap Him in the face (John 19:3). After the mockery, Pilate again presents Jesus to the crowd as the King of the Jews: “Here is your king,” he says (verse 14). In response they shout, “‘Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!’ ‘Shall I crucify your king?’ Pilate asked. ‘We have no king but Caesar,’ the chief priests answered” (verse 15). Their choice had been made, and Jesus, their true king, was led away to be crucified (verse 16). Some people during Jesus’ ministry recognized Jesus as the King of the Jews. As Jesus neared Jerusalem the final time, the crowd with Him “thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once” (Luke 19:11). In other words, they believed Jesus was the King of the Jews, and they were ready to help Him set up the earthly kingdom. Jesus told a parable indicating that the kingdom would be delayed (verses 12–27), but the crowd’s enthusiasm did not wane. As He entered Jerusalem, Jesus was greeted with shouts of welcome for the King of the Jews: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (verse 38). God’s people had been expecting a deliverer since God first promised one in Genesis 3:15. God Himself unified the Hebrews under Moses and told them that, as long as they followed and obeyed Him, He would bless and guide them (Deuteronomy 11:8–9; 27:9–10). But the children of Israel rejected the Lord as their leader and demanded an earthly king (1 Samuel 8:7, 19). God gave them what they wanted and appointed Saul as the first king over Israel (1 Samuel 9:17). When Saul disobeyed the Lord, he was then rejected by God, and his sons were not allowed to succeed him on the throne (1 Samuel 15:9–11, 23, 28). Instead, God chose David to be the next king of the Jews (1 Samuel 16:1). God promised David that his name would be forever associated with the throne of Israel (2 Samuel 7:12–16). Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David penned the prophetic Psalm 22, which gave Israel hints about what their future Messiah and Deliverer would endure. But, in their desperation for an earthly king and an earthly kingdom, most of the Jews disregarded those prophetic words as well as the ones in Isaiah 53. When Jesus came, He fulfilled those prophecies. Importantly, He was from the royal line of David (Matthew 1:1; John 7:42) and could rightly take the title King of the Jews, but because Jesus was not what they wanted, “his own people did not receive him” (John 1:11, ESV). A king is a supreme ruler. When the Jews clamored for a king in Samuel’s day, they were rejecting God as their Supreme Ruler (1 Samuel 8:7). Because of their hard hearts, He allowed them temporary kings. But this led to bondage and their destruction as a nation, highlighting the reality that what they wanted was not what they needed. The kingdom was divided after King Solomon’s rule, and both parts of the divided kingdom eventually fell to foreign enemies. Jerusalem was destroyed at least twice, once by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:8–10) and again by the Romans under Titus in AD 70. The Jews who rejected their true King were scattered among the nations for centuries until 1948. Isaiah 11 announced that one day a “shoot from the stem of Jesse” (verse 1) would come and set the world to rights. The Jews have long interpreted such prophecies as foretelling an earthly king for Israel. We understand Jesus to be that King; however, God had bigger plans than just an earthly kingdom. He never resigned Himself to Israel’s rejection of His kingship, but rather used their rejection of Him as an opportunity to demonstrate His love for the whole world (John 3:16). The Son of God took on human flesh, came in the form of a servant, and showed His people what a real Deliverer was like (Philippians 2:5–11; Mark 10:44) Because this King of the Jews did not fit the ideas they had cherished for thousands of years, the Jews again rejected the One they needed. Many Jews are still waiting for the wrong kind of king. Revelation 19:16 describes the day when Jesus will return to rule over the earth. At that time, the ancient prophecies of an earthly kingdom of God will be fulfilled, and no one will doubt that Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Every nation, tribe, and tongue will bow to the King of the Jews 1 Timothy 6:14–16; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10; Revelation 5:9 When they have Finished their Testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is prophetically called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days members of the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb; and the inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to the inhabitants of the earth But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and those who saw them were terrified. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" And they went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies watched them. At that moment there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and Gave Glory to the God of heaven What does Revelation 11:4 mean? Prior verses indicated that these two witnesses would prophesy for 1,260 days. The witnesses are referred to here as the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. The reference is appropriate The Old Testament prophet Zechariah received a vision of a gold lampstand and two olive trees, one on each side of the lampstand The lampstand had a bowl and lamps into which the olive trees poured oil Olive oil was used in Bible times as fuel for lamps The angel who gave the vision told Zechariah: "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6), and he identified the lampstands as "the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth" (Zechariah 4:14). Jesus told a parable about ten virgins. Five of them were wise; they took flasks of oil with their lamps. The other five were foolish; they took no oil for their lamps (Matthew 25:1–4). One can see the oil in Matthew 25 as the Holy Spirit, and the 2 olive trees in Zechariah as the witnesses of Revelation. Based on that, God's Two Witnesses during the second half of the tribulation will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to Shine God's Light into a dark world — Book of Revelation, 11:1–13 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this; Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom Five of them were foolish, and five were wise When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look, Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise replied, 'No! There will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25:1-13) Only two of the gospels give an account of the happenings surrounding Jesus’ birth. Matthew 1–2 gives information about Joseph and includes the story of the magi from the East. Luke 1–2 does not mention the magi but focuses on Mary and various others (Elizabeth, Zacharias, the shepherds, Simeon, and Anna) who praised God for the Incarnation. Various people have claimed that the books of Matthew and Luke contradict each other and that the narratives of Jesus’ birth are in opposition. The claim is specious, and the details provided by Matthew and Luke are easily reconciled into a comprehensive whole. First, here are the details that Matthew and Luke unquestionably agree on: Jesus was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18, 23, 25; Luke 1:27). Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, a town in Galilee (Matthew 2:23; Luke 1:26; 2:4). Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4–7). After Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph returned to Nazareth (Matthew 2:23; Luke 2:39). Second, here are the details that are unique to each writer: The magi visit Jesus (Matthew 2:1–12) Joseph and Mary flee to Egypt to escape Herod’s cruelty (Matthew 2:13–18) A group of shepherds visit Jesus in the manger (Luke 2:8–20) Joseph and Mary make a trip to the temple in Jerusalem in fulfillment of the Law (Luke 2:22–39) Those who claim to see a contradiction in the narratives of Christ’s birth usually point to Luke 2:39, which says, “When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth,” and Matthew 2:21–23, which says that Joseph and his family went to Nazareth on their return from Egypt. According to the critics, Luke, who says nothing about the flight to Egypt, indicates that Jesus was taken to Nazareth directly from the temple; and Matthew, who does not mention the temple observances, says that Jesus was taken to Nazareth directly from Egypt. It’s important to acknowledge that silence does not equal denial. Luke’s omission in his narrative of the flight to Egypt cannot be construed as evidence that it never happened. Luke never says that Joseph and Mary did not go to Egypt; he simply doesn’t comment on the event. Matthew never mentions the shepherds of the nativity—are we to assume because of Matthew’s omission that no shepherds came? Also important is the fact that neither Matthew nor Luke claim that he is penning an exhaustive account of every detail surrounding the birth of Christ. The question then is, does Luke’s narrative allow for enough time for a trip to Egypt? Between the circumcision of Jesus and the trip to the temple was 32 days—about a month. Trying to fit a trip to Egypt and back in that time frame is problematic. A better way to reconcile Matthew’s and Luke’s narratives is to place the flight to Egypt after Jesus’ appearance in the temple. This assumes that Joseph and Mary remained in Bethlehem after Jesus’ birth and that they had a place to stay—the “house” of Matthew 2:11. Luke 2:39 says, “When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.” Note that Luke does not say that they immediately returned to Galilee, and there is no reason to insert that word into the verse. (One could just as easily insert the word eventually.) The fact is that Luke doesn’t specify how much time elapsed. He simply says that, after their visit to the temple, Joseph and Mary settled in Nazareth. It could have been days later. It could have been months. If we place the flight to Egypt in the middle of Luke 2:39, we have a workable chronology: 1) After visiting the temple, Joseph and Mary return to Bethlehem. (In the month since Jesus’ birth, Joseph had probably sought temporary work there, and that work had become more permanent, perhaps. It’s also quite possible that Joseph was planning to resettle his new family in Bethlehem, thinking it would be good for the Son of David to be reared in the City of David). 2) Simeon and Anna begin spreading the news that they have seen the Messiah in Jerusalem (Luke 2:25–38). 3) Sometime later, the magi arrive at Jerusalem and confirm the news on the street that the Messiah has been born (Matthew 2:1–2). Herod sends the magi on to Bethlehem, where they find young Jesus (Matthew 2:3–11). 4) The magi return home a different way, and Joseph is warned in a dream to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:12–13). 5) After a while, Herod figures out that the magi have disregarded his wishes, and he orders the slaughter of all males two years old and younger near Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16). The “two-year” computation indicates that Jesus could have already been that old. 6) Herod dies in 4 BC. 7) Joseph brings his family back from Egypt (Matthew 2:19–21). Out of fear of Herod’s son, Joseph changes his plan to settle in Bethlehem and instead moves back to Galilee (Matthew 2:22–23). There is nothing in the above chronology that contradicts either Matthew or Luke. The only way to find a contradiction between Matthew 2:21–23 and Luke 2:39 is to make assumptions based on a preconceived bias against the veracity of Scripture. Some critics find another supposed contradiction in the genealogies associated with the narratives of Jesus’ birth. Matthew 1:16 says that Joseph’s father was Jacob; Luke 3:23 says that Joseph’s father was Heli. There are several theories, but the best answer to this seeming discrepancy is that Luke is recording Mary’s genealogy and Matthew is recording Joseph’s. There was no Koine Greek word with the exclusive meaning of “son-in-law,” and so Joseph is called the “son of Heli” due to his marriage to Heli’s daughter, Mary. Joseph was a “son” by marriage. The gospels were written by four different men to four unique audiences, so it is natural that they would include different details concerning the life of Christ. But their writing was superintended by the Holy Spirit, who guaranteed that what each wrote was the absolute truth. There are differences, but they can all be harmonized. The narratives of Jesus’ birth found in Matthew and Luke are not contradictory but complementary. Ever wonder why God chose to take on human form, why God the Son needed to become the man, Jesus? I’ve wondered about that. Here’s what I found. I first looked at the holiness of God. God is absolutely holy, absolutely pure. In order to stand in God’s presence, one needs to be absolutely pure as well. But we’re sinful people. How can we do this, and how could the people prior to Christ stand before God? Until the Mosaic Law, men would sacrifice for themselves and/or their families. Able sacrificed to please God (Gen. 4:3) but for himself alone, no one else. Job sacrificed for himself and his family (Job 1:5). In Genesis 8:20, we’re told Noah sacrificed after the flood waters subsided. Things changed, though, when Moses climbed Mt. Sinai and received the Law from God. Now God would use an individual to represent His people before Him, the High Priest. In that Law it as clear the shedding of blood was needed for forgiveness of the sins of Israel (Lev. 16; Heb. 9:22). Indeed, God requires every human be purified by blood before it can enter His presence. The High Priest was a sinful man. He could only stand in the presence of God’s glory once a year. He could step behind the veil of the temple into the Holy of Holies to offer blood for the sins of God’s people (Lev. 16). There was a purification ritual before the High Priest was purified enough to be entitled to enter into the Holy of Holies. This involved blood. Even then, the High Priest needed to purify the altar upon which the sacrifices for God’s people would be made. That was done with blood. When the High Priest was holy enough to offer sacrifice for the sins of Israel by sprinkling blood on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant, he could enter the Holy of Holies. All this so Israel could have a mediator between God and the people for their sins. Considering the lengths the High Priest had to go through, it seems clear even after all that ritual, the High Priest was still living on the edge. According to Lev. 16:13, if the High Priest did something wrong God could strike him dead. No one else was holy enough to pass through the veil into the Holy of Holies to retrieve him if that happened. Because of this, Jewish tradition tells us bells were attached to the tassels on the High Priest’s robe and a rope tied to his waist when he entered past the veil. If no bells were heard for a period of time, the other priests would assume the High Priest had made an error and God had struck him down. They could retrieve his body by pulling it out using the rope. So, the point is that God’s mediator must be pure and perfect in his duty. For man to fulfill that role, he must be unique and pure and that purity only remains for a brief period. Then Jesus entered our world physically. According to Hebrews 4:14, He is now our High Priest. He represents God’s people before God. He is also the perfect sacrifice, the perfect Lamb of God Who paid the price for all our sins. His blood covers us as the blood ritual the High Priest needed to perform. The difference is Jesus, our High Priest, is not in danger of error. He is so pure, He may remain in the Father’s presence indefinitely. In fact, His sacrifice made us Christians all holy enough to enter the Holy of Holies too and without the priestly rituals. The veil has been torn to gain us access directly to God (Matt. 27:51). It was torn from top to bottom, from God to us, welcoming us into God’s presence under the credentials of His Son Why is This Important? The importance of this is that the Mediators between God and man is no longer just a man who was made just holy enough to stand in God’s presence briefly. Our Mediator is God the Son in human form. He knows what it is like to be a man and to be God. Jesus is the only one who is fully qualified to argue our case before the Father. He is our Advocate (1 John 2:1) who argues for our forgiveness as He stands before the Father, Himself payment in full for our transgression. God didn’t create some being and send him to take on human form. He could have sent an angel, a perfect being, but no one is good enough but God. His love for us is such that He came Himself. We no longer have to wait a year for someone to sacrifice in the temple for our sins. We no longer have to wait a year for forgiveness. Now we have access to the throne of God (Heb. 4:16) to ask forgiveness or to ask for mercy or for healing. Jesus is the perfect go-between, the perfect Mediator. He connects each realm, God’s and man’s. Jesus paid that price for us around 30 a.d. Just forty years later, the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed by the Roman general, Titus. It was of no use anymore. The needed ultimate sacrifice had been made. The price had been paid. 1 Timothy 2:5 (ESV) 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, https://davidjeremiah.blog/the-two-witnesses-in-the-book-of-revelation/
"Behold, I Am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in him. But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries For My angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I will destroy them. You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds; but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their sacred pillars in pieces. But you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water, and I will remove sickness from your midst" (Exod 23:20-25). The identity of this mysterious messenger has attracted a great deal of attention from traditional Jewish commentators (ancient and modern). Some argue this messenger is the Torah and/or the Ark of the Covenant since God's name is upon them both. Others have argued this is the messenger that redeemed Jacob from all harm (Gen 48:16). And others argue this messenger is Michael (Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1). One Jewish commentator even argues this messenger is none other than God's active presence working among his people, and not a personality that is distinct from God. Given the fact that Israel's exclusive obedience belongs to this messenger, that their forgiveness depends upon this messenger, that God's name is in this messenger, and that a prohibition against false worship and the admonition for true worship appears in the verses immediately following the reference to this messenger (Exod 23:24-25), it is best to identify this messenger as the Messenger of the LORD who appeared to Moses in the bush (Exod 3:2), and who appeared to Israel in the pillar of cloud (Exod 14:19-20). This mysterious Messenger partakes of God's divine identity, yet also has a distinct identity of his own. The worship of and obedience to this divine Messenger is fully consistent with the Torah's revelation of the one true God (Deut 6:4). And though this debate about the messenger's identity has never been resolved within traditional Judaism, there is a biblical Judaism, a Messianic Judaism, that has provided the definitive answer. And O how we pray that our people will soon realize that the God who "embodied himself" in the bush to reveal himself to Moses and the God who "embodied himself" in the cloud to protect our people, is also the God who embodied himself in human flesh to save our people from their sins! "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.... And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-3, 14). Jesus made the statement “many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (Matthew 19:30) in the context of His encounter with the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16–30). After the young man turned away from Jesus, unable to give up his great wealth (verse 22), Jesus’ disciples asked the Lord what reward they would have in heaven, since they had given up everything to follow Him (verses 27–30). Jesus promised them “a hundred times as much,” plus eternal life (verse 29). Then He said, “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (verse 30). Jesus reiterated this truth in Matthew 20:16 at the end of the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, a story designed to illustrate the last being first and the first being last. What exactly did Jesus mean when He said, “Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first”? First, we should eliminate what He did not mean. Jesus was not teaching that the way to get to heaven is to live a life of poverty in this world. Scripture is clear that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9)—and independent of one’s financial status. Also, Jesus was not teaching an automatic reversal of roles in heaven. There is no heavenly law wherein the poor and oppressed must rule over the rich and powerful. The rich aren’t always last in heaven, and the poor aren’t always first. Nor will believers who enjoy wealth and prestige on earth be required to somehow be abased in heaven. Earthly rank will not automatically translate into an inverse heavenly rank. When Jesus told the disciples they would be greatly rewarded in heaven for what they had given up on earth, He was contrasting their sacrifice with the rich young ruler’s lack thereof—the young man had been unwilling to give up much of anything for Christ’s sake (Matthew 19:16–22). God, who sees the heart, will reward accordingly. The disciples are an example of those who may be first, and they happened to be poor (but their poverty was not what makes them first in heaven). The rich young ruler is an example of those who may be last, and he happened to be rich (but his wealth was not what makes him last). The Lord’s statement that the last would be first and the first last might also have held special meaning for Peter, who had just spoken of having “left all” (Matthew 19:27). Perhaps Jesus detected in Peter’s statement a bit of boasting—Peter was on the verge of becoming spiritually complacent—as the rich young ruler was, but for a different reason. Jesus’ response in verse 30 may have been an indirect warning to Peter to always find his sufficiency in Christ, not in his own sacrifice. After all, without love, even the greatest sacrifice is worthless (1 Corinthians 13:3). In the chapter following Jesus’ statement that the first will be last and the last will be first, Jesus tells a parable (Matthew 20). The story concerns some laborers who complain that others, who did not work as long as they, were paid an equal amount. In other words, they saw their own labor as worthy of compensation but considered their companions’ labor to be inferior and less worthy of reward. Jesus ends the parable with the statement, “The last will be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16). The most direct interpretation, based on the content of the parable, is that all believers, no matter how long or how hard they work during this lifetime, will receive the same basic reward: eternal life. The thief on the cross (Luke 23:39–43), whose life of service was limited to a moment of repentance and confession of faith in Christ, received the same reward of eternal life as did Timothy, who served God for years. Of course, Scripture also teaches that there are different rewards in heaven for different services, but the ultimate reward of eternal life will be given to all equally, on the basis of God’s grace in Christ Jesus. There are several ways in which “the first will be last and the last first” holds true. There are some who were first to follow Christ in time yet are not the first in the kingdom. Judas Iscariot was one of the first disciples and was honored to be the treasurer of the group, yet his greed led to his undoing; Paul was the last of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:8–9) yet the one who worked the hardest (2 Corinthians 11:23). There are some who were first in privilege yet are not first in the kingdom. Based on the terms of the New Covenant, the Gentiles had equal access to the kingdom of heaven, although they had not served God under the Old Covenant. The Jews, who had labored long under the Old Covenant, were jealous of the grace extended to the Gentile “newcomers” (see Romans 11:11). There are some who are first in prestige and rank yet might never enter the kingdom. Jesus told the Pharisees that the sinners they despised were being saved ahead of them: “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you” (Matthew 21:31–32). What Jesus is teaching in Matthew 19:30 is this: there will be many surprises in heaven. Heaven’s value system is far different from earth’s value system. Those who are esteemed and respected in this world (like the rich young ruler) may be frowned upon by God. The opposite is also true: those who are despised and rejected in this world (like the disciples) may, in fact, be rewarded by God. Don’t get caught up in the world’s way of ranking things; it’s too prone to error. Those who are first in the opinion of others (or first in their own opinion!) may be surprised to learn, on Judgment Day, they are last in God’s opinion. RUTH AND NAOMI: A STORY FOR OUR TIMES ONE FOR ISRAEL When reading the book of Ruth recently, it dawned on me that the opening scene is a pertinent metaphor for our situation today as believers. Especially when you take into account the Hebrew names of the key characters. “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17) That image of Ruth clinging to Naomi has a lot to say to the church in the West in a time when many are tempted and pulled back by the “spirit of the age”. Here are my thoughts. DECISION-MAKING TIME Sands are shifting, and the world is screaming that good is bad and bad is good… as followers of Jesus, we can foolishly think we are above all that. It’s so very human of us to think that we know what’s really going on, and be convinced by our own opinions. But the Bible warns over and over again about a great deception, a strong delusion, a mass falling away. This could only come about because people are deceived, and people are deceived because they are tricked. They are led to believe something is good when it is not. We think we know the difference, but unless we have a healthy appreciation of our limitations, we are in danger too. Pride comes before a fall. We need to humbly admit that it is possible for our human minds and hearts to fall prey to deception. Who then can stand? Since we all have fallible hearts and minds? In the context of this end times lawlessness and delusion, Paul gives us a sturdy mast to cling onto – the factor by which we will perish or be saved: Love of the truth. “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10) That means, those who do not love the truth perish, and conversely, those who do love the truth will be saved. What does loving the truth look like? HERE’S WHERE THE PICTURE OF RUTH AND NAOMI COMES IN. Naomi in some manner represents the people and the God of Israel—the truth about God and His Word—out in the nations. If Naomi is a representative of the people and God of Israel, Ruth and Orpah can be seen as representatives of the nations that have been invited into that Jewish family. Both loved Naomi, but when hardship hit and Naomi decided it was time to go back to Israel, the two women respond differently. Both loved her, embraced her, valued her and kissed her, but Ruth clung to her and would not let her go. Interestingly, the Hebrew names (as so often happens in the Bible) are highly significant. The root letters of Orpah (ערף) refer to the back of one’s neck, or back. It is the word that God often uses when describing the Israelites as being stiff-necked, and has connotations of turning back or apostasy. Orpah’s name has an additional letter at the end, ה (ah), which in Hebrew often indicates direction when attached to a word. The word “smol” means “left”, and “smolah” means “to the left”, home is “beit”, and if you say you’re going home, you’re going “habeitah”. Orpah, although it means gazelle, can also look like, I’m “turning back”. Ruth, (רוּת) on the other hand, means friendship, from the word for companionship. In the story, and the parable that it is for us today, Ruth represents trust, loyalty – and most importantly of all – relationship. Naomi (נׇעֳמִי) means “my delight”. How do you feel about the Bible? Because there are many Christians today who claim to love Jesus, but when the word of God takes a different path than the wisdom of the world, they end up separated. Others cling to God’s word for dear life. Ironically, the Jewish return to Israel prophesied of so frequently in the Bible is one of the matters that divides many Christians today. What about the Palestinians? That can’t be right? Surely the State of Israel is not the work of God, but the actions of men? And so many reinterpret those prophecies to mean something else, other than the promised literal regathering of God’s people to the Land. In doing so, they miss out on a lot of amazing promises and information in the Bible which we should pay attention to as we watch and wait for Yeshua’s return. (By the way, God has certainly not forgotten the Palestinians, Ezekiel 47:22-23, even as he continues to fulfil his promises to Israel. If you know him, you’ll know he can be trusted to do all things well and that he’s completely just.) Similarly, the Biblical take on issues of gender and sexuality, the horrific reality of hell, and Jesus being the only way to salvation… these all seem so… harsh. Especially if any of these issues affect you personally, or someone you love. The world demands that the Bible must be updated and sanitised for our times, and sadly, there are Christians that agree. Like Orpah, they are too fond of the life and culture they know to go the way of the wild with God and his people. They will not follow the God of Israel along a path that defies commonly held beliefs, because they do not know God well enough to trust that he knows what he’s doing, and that he is right in what he says. Things often get pretty alarming and bewildering with God, it’s just how he rolls. Instead they choose to lean on their own understanding. They adapt the Bible to say what they wish it said, instead of seeing God’s word as their delight. HANG ON TIGHT!But Ruth was welded to her beloved Jewish family through deep relationship. She decided she was willing to risk everything to be with Naomi and the life she’d found with her. The risks were great and there were many unknowns, but like Yeshua’s friend Mary, Ruth had chosen the most important thing. Her mind was made up, because she knew the person she was following. The deceptions are strong and confusing, but we can come to God and ask him for wisdom and insight whenever we need it. Sometimes it’s quite the journey to understanding his heart on a matter, but he does promise that those who seek diligently will find. In the meantime, hang in there, and trust that he does know where he’s going! Here are some other illustrations the Bible gives us of clinging to God for dear life: Moses didn’t dare take a step without God (Exodus 33:15) and Jacob refused to let the Angel of the Lord go until he was blessed (Gen 32:26). In Song of Solomon, the bride (representing us, God’s beloved) clings to her bridegroom. Like Ruth, the Shunamite refuses to budge: “I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go.” (Song of Solomon 3:4) Don’t be an Orpah—be a Ruth! Hold on tight, friends, and don’t let go. The road is getting rocky, but there’s a great future to look forward to. In John 14:17, Jesus says, “Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (ESV). Because the ESV capitalizes Spirit, modern readers can easily infer that the spirit in question is the Holy Spirit. To understand why Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of truth,” let us review the context of John 14. The term word is used in different ways in the Bible. In the New Testament, there are two Greek words translated "word": rhema and logos. They have slightly different meanings. Rhema usually means “a spoken word.” For example, in Luke 1:38, when the angel told Mary that she would be the mother of God’s Son, Mary replied, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word [rhema].” Logos, however, has a broader, more philosophical meaning. This is the term used in John 1. It usually implies a total message, and is used mostly in reference to God’s message to mankind. For example, Luke 4:32 says that, when Jesus taught the people, "they were amazed at his teaching, because his words [logos] had authority." The people were amazed not merely by the particular words Jesus chose but by His total message. "The Word" (Logos) in John 1 is referring to Jesus. Jesus is the total Message—everything that God wants to communicate to man. The first chapter of John gives us a glimpse inside the Father/Son relationship before Jesus came to earth in human form. He preexisted with the Father (verse 1), He was involved in the creation of everything (verse 3), and He is the "light of all mankind" (verse 4). The Word (Jesus) is the full embodiment of all that is God (Colossians 1:19; 2:9; John 14:9). But God the Father is Spirit. He is invisible to the human eye. The message of love and redemption that God spoke through the prophets had gone unheeded for centuries (Ezekiel 22:26; Matthew 23:37). People found it easy to disregard the message of an invisible God and continued in their sin and rebellion. So the Message became flesh, took on human form, and came to dwell among us (Matthew 1:23; Romans 8:3; Philippians 2:5–11). The Greeks used the word logos to refer to one’s “mind,” “reason,” or “wisdom.” John used this Greek concept to communicate the fact that Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, is the self-expression of God to the world. In the Old Testament, the word of God brought the universe into existence (Psalm 33:6) and saved the needy (Psalm 107:20). In chapter 1 of his Gospel, John is appealing to both Jew and Gentile to receive the eternal Christ. Jesus told a parable in Luke 20:9–16 to explain why the Word had to become flesh. “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” In this parable, Jesus was reminding the Jewish leaders that they had rejected the prophets and were now rejecting the Son. The Logos, the Word of God, was now going to be offered to everyone, not just the Jews (John 10:16; Galatians 2:28; Colossians 3:11). Because the Word became flesh, we have a high priest who is able to empathize with our weaknesses, one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). Incarnation is a term used by theologians to indicate that Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh. This is similar to the hypostatic union. The difference is that the hypostatic union explains how Jesus’ two natures are joined, and the Incarnation more specifically affirms His humanity. The word incarnation means “the act of being made flesh.” It comes from the Latin version of John 1:14, which in English reads, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” Because of the near-exclusive use of the Latin Vulgate in the church through the Middle Ages, the Latin term became standard. Biblical support for Jesus’ humanity is extensive. The Gospels report Jesus’ human needs including sleep (Luke 8:23), food (Matthew 4:2; 21:18), and physical protection (Matthew 2:13-15; John 10:39). Other indications of His humanity are that He perspired (Luke 22:43-44) and bled (John 19:34). Jesus also expressed emotions including joy (John 15:11), sorrow (Matthew 26:37), and anger (Mark 3:5). During His life, Jesus referred to Himself as a man (John 8:40), and after His resurrection His humanity was still recognized (Acts 2:22). But the purpose of the Incarnation was not to taste food or to feel sorrow. The Son of God came in the flesh in order to be the Savior of mankind. First, it was necessary to be born “under the law” (Galatians 4:4). All of us have failed to fulfill God’s Law. Christ came in the flesh, under the Law, to fulfill the Law on our behalf (Matthew 5:17; Galatians 4:5). Second, it was necessary for the Savior to shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). A blood sacrifice, of course, requires a body of flesh and blood. And this was God’s plan for the Incarnation: “When Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering [under the Old Covenant] you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me’” (Hebrews 10:5). Without the Incarnation, Christ could not really die, and the cross is meaningless. God did an incredible work in sending His only begotten Son into the world and providing us with a salvation we do not deserve. Praise the Lord for that moment in which “the Word became flesh.” We are now redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19). Jesus was both human and divine. Please read about the divinity of Jesus here. Food is vital for sustaining life. Without proper nourishment, the human body becomes weak and cannot function properly. People must take care of their bodies through eating right and consuming key nutrients, so they not only live but thrive in healthiness. The same principle applies to one’s spiritual life. A proper diet of spiritual food is needed so Christians do not become weak and weary, but rather thrive spiritually in their relationship with God. Regular nourishment for the soul is vital for the Christian life, just as physical food is for the body. Jesus emphasized the importance of spiritual food when He was tempted by Satan: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4, NET). Man is both physical and spiritual, which is why spiritual food is just as important as physical nourishment. This spiritual food is “every word that comes from the mouth of God” God has spoken to us in His Word, the Bible. His Word imparts life (John 6:63). The Bible often speaks of the spiritual food we need: God’s Word provides milk (1 Peter 2:2); it is meat (1 Corinthians 3:2) and bread (Deuteronomy 8:3; Job 23:12); and it is sweeter than honey (Psalm 119:103). The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty” (Jeremiah 15:16). Scripture’s use of food metaphors demonstrates the importance of ingesting God’s Word, of making it a part of us. Scripture is not something merely to study or read but to be “eaten” by God’s people. We read the Word, but we then pause to “chew on it” a while, meditating and reflecting on the meaning and application of what we’ve read (see Psalm 1:1–3). On a couple occasions, Jesus spoke of another type of spiritual food. After Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, the disciples brought Him some food from town. But He did not partake, saying, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about” (John 4:32). This puzzled the disciples, whose minds were stuck on physical food, and Jesus explained: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (verse 34, ESV). Later, after feeding the 5,000, Jesus referred to faith, salvation, and His sacrifice using a food metaphor: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink” (John 6:54–55). We need spiritual food—that is to say we need the Word of God, we need to do the will of God, and we need Jesus Himself. John 14 is part of the Upper Room Discourse (John 13—17), a collection of teachings delivered by Jesus to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. In these final moments, the disciples were greatly distressed about the impending departure of their beloved friend, Jesus (John 14:1). For this reason, Jesus took an extended moment to calm their troubled hearts and reassure them that “another Helper” was on the way (John 14:16, ESV). The Greek term translated as “Helper” (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) is paráklētos. The form of this word is passive and means “one who is called alongside.” At the Son’s request, the Father will send another Helper to encourage and exhort the disciples. John’s use of the term another implies that the disciples already had a helper—the one who would soon depart from the earth. Although the Gospel writers never explicitly refer to Jesus as a paráklētos, the term is applied to Him in 1 John 2:1. Thus, in the context of John 14:16, Jesus promises to send His disciples a helper of the same type, and that helper would continue the ministry that Jesus began. In John 14:17, the identity of the helper is now revealed: He is the Spirit of truth (cf. John 15:26; 16:13). The Spirit of truth is God the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. The Father will send the Spirit to come alongside the disciples. He is called the Spirit of truth because He bears witness to the truth of Jesus Christ (see John 14:6). In contrast to the work of the Holy Spirit is the work of the devil, a being who does not hold “to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Because the unbelieving world remains ensnared by satanic falsehoods, they cannot receive the Spirit of truth (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:14). Tragically, unbelievers prefer to walk by sight and not by faith, failing to understand that sight guarantees nothing. At the moment of His baptism, Jesus received the Holy Spirit: John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him” (John 1:32, ESV). So, in a sense, the Spirit of truth was already with the disciples. Following the departure of Jesus, however, the disciples will know the Spirit more intimately because He would be in them (cf. Romans 8:9–11 and Ephesians 1:13–14). Before the disciples began their ministry, Jesus instructed them to remain in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit: “And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’” (Acts 1:4–5, ESV). Once the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were fully equipped to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ (verse 8). Believers should be thankful that the Spirit of truth is with us, in us, and upon us. For, without His guidance and light, we could not distinguish truth from error. Colossians 1:27 is a powerful verse: “God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Let’s start by clarifying that the apostle Paul is writing to believers in Jesus Christ—the “you” whom he addresses. He calls them “the Lord’s people” in the previous verse (Colossians 1:26). The “Gentiles” are non-Jewish people. A “mystery” in the New Testament is simply something that was hidden in times past but has now been revealed by God. The former mystery, now understood, is that Christ in us is the hope of our future glory. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon certain people to empower them for service, but then He would leave again. New Testament believers have a different experience, as the Spirit indwells us permanently. The permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit given to New Testament believers was a “mystery” to the Old Testament saints. After Jesus ascended to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to live within us, never to leave (John 14:16–17; 16:7). Jesus told His disciples, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father . . . and I am in you” (John 14:20). The Holy Spirit seals us for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). In other words, the Spirit’s presence in our hearts guarantees our ultimate salvation. Though we are in this world, we are not of it (John 17:16). God will continue to work in us until He is finished perfecting us (see Philippians 1:6). This forward-looking guarantee of perfection is what is meant by “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The J. B. Phillips translation of Colossians 1:27 puts it this way: “The secret is simply this: Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with him the hope of all glorious things to come.” The hope of glory is the fulfillment of God’s promise to restore us and all creation (see Romans 8:19–21 and 1 Peter 5:10). This hope is not a wishful thought, but the confident, expectant, joyful knowledge that we are being changed by God and will one day see Christ face to face, having been conformed to His image (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2). The hope of glory includes our resurrection: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11). It includes a heavenly inheritance: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3–4). The Spirit of Christ within us is the “deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14). Christ’s presence in us is the hope of glory, and this truth is full of “glorious riches.” Our once dead, darkened spirits are made alive. Christ is in our hearts, and we know that there is life beyond this earthly existence—a life that will be glorious beyond all imagination. Transformed lives begin with the gospel message of Christ, for in it is the power of God. It is the gospel that brings us salvation: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (Romans 1:16-17). The phrase “transformed by the renewing of the mind” is found in Romans 12:2. Chapter 12 marks the transition in that epistle from the apostle Paul’s theological teaching to his practical teaching. The book of Romans is probably the closest thing in the Bible to a systematic theology. Paul did not found the church at Rome, but he had every intention of visiting that church on his way to Spain. As a result, Paul wrote this epistle as a way of introducing himself to that congregation and to give them an overview of the gospel and what it means in the lives of believers. After teaching the great doctrine regarding the gospel of God’s righteousness that is ours through faith in Christ in Romans chapters 1—11, Paul begins to exhort us to godly living. How are we to live in light of the saving power of the gospel? That is what Romans 12—16 aims to teach. The practical section of Romans begins with a great “therefore.” Seeing all that God did on our behalf, therefore live like this. The first of Paul’s great exhortations is to be renewed in our minds: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1–2). The phrase “the mercies of God” refers to all of what has preceded in chapters 1—11. The exhortation that Paul presents is that since we have been the gracious recipients of God’s great mercies, we are to be “living sacrifices” to God. How do we do this? We are living sacrifices to God by not conforming to this world, but by being transformed by the renewal of our minds. This exhortation really serves as a summary statement of all that follows. A living sacrifice to God is one who does not conform, but is transformed. We are not to be conformed to this world. Paul is using the word world here to refer to the spirit of the age. In other words, world refers to the popular worldview that rejects God and His revelation. As unbelievers, we are naturally conformed to the world (Ephesians 2:1–3). As believers, we are no longer conformed to this world because we no longer belong to the spirit of this age. We have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Colossians 1:13). Therefore, rather than continuing to conform to this world, we are to be transformed by having our minds renewed. It is interesting to note that Paul says that we must be transformed by the renewing of our “minds.” The mind is the key to the Christian life. The reason why non-Christians do not respond to Christian truth is that they cannot discern spiritual truth (1 Corinthians 2:14). The gospel is a call for the unbeliever to repent of his sin and embrace Christ by faith. The Greek word translated “repentance” carries the notion of a change of mind. Our thinking must be changed (transformed) from old, ungodly ways of thinking into new, godly ways of thinking. What we know in our minds to be true forms a conviction in our hearts of that truth, and that conviction in our hearts translates into action. Therefore, we must first renew our minds. The only way to replace the error of the world’s way of thinking is to replace it with God’s truth, and the only infallible source of God’s truth is His revealed Word, the Bible. Transformation through renewed minds comes as believers expose themselves to God’s Word through the faithful exposition of it each week in church, personal Bible study, and group Bible study. A solid church that believes in preaching the Word, reading the Word, and singing the Word is invaluable in helping us renew our minds. There are no shortcuts. There is no magical formula for renewing our minds. We must fill our minds with God’s Word. As Jesus prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). After Paul explains to the Colossians their new position in Christ, he exhorts them to keep seeking the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God the Father (Colossians 3:1). This means that believers should value what Christ values, and one of those things that believers should highly value is to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16, ESV). Believers should be setting their minds on things above, not on the things of earth because of where Christ is and because our lives are hidden in Him (Colossians 3:2–3). One day we will be revealed with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4), but in the meantime we ought to consider the members of our bodies as dead to sinful things (Colossians 3:5–9). We ought to put on the new self—to actually walk according to our new natures—and be renewed according to the true knowledge of Christ (Colossians 3:10). The lives of believers ought to reflect newness of life in every area of our lives (Colossians 3:10–13), and we especially ought to be exhibiting Christlike love (Colossians 3:14). We ought to be filled with His peace, which is part of our calling, and we ought to be filled with thankfulness (Colossians 3:15). Paul urges his readers to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” God’s Word—His message about Christ—should be at home in us. It should be overflowing in us. To let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, we must spend a great deal of time in the Bible learning about Him. We must cherish His Word in our hearts, as the psalmist put it in Psalm 119:11. Paul adds that there are some ways that we ought to express the word of Christ dwelling richly in us. We ought to be teaching and challenging each other with thanksgiving and songs (Colossians 3:16). Ultimately, letting the word of Christ dwell richly in us should help us to do everything in the name of Jesus, that is, according to what He has communicated that He desires (Colossians 3:17). Paul explains in the context what it looks like to let the word of Christ dwell richly in us. In the exhortation to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” Paul provides a vital way to assess whether we are walking according to God’s design. Recall that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10). God has a design for our lives, and He has revealed that design in His Word. If we aren’t spending time in the Bible, listening to what God has said there, then we are missing out on the riches of walking according to our calling (see Ephesians 4:1). We ought to be known as people in whom God’s Word dwells richly. The highest priorities of the believer’s life are loving God and seeking His kingdom first (Matthew 6:31–33). Unfortunately, in our frail human state, we tend to worry too much about the everyday concerns of this life. Worry distorts our perspective and redirects our attention. We focus on meeting temporal needs instead of dedicating ourselves to kingdom pursuits. In Luke 12:22–34, Jesus teaches His followers not to be anxious about worldly concerns like food and clothing: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes” (Luke 12:22–23). Having food to eat is important—a necessity for survival (Genesis 28:20–22; 1 Kings 17:12). We cannot sustain life without food. Solomon tells us that eating and drinking are God’s gifts for our enjoyment (Ecclesiastes 2:24–25; 3:13). But life is more than food—it is not the main event or the object of center stage. Nevertheless, worry blinds us to the truth that God will take care of His creation (Matthew 10:29–31; Luke 12:6–7). God wants us to trust Him to provide everything we need as we give ourselves to kingdom service (Philippians 4:19). God promises always to bless His faithful ones with a sufficient supply of food (Leviticus 26:3–5; Deuteronomy 11:15; 12:7; Psalm 128:1–2; Proverbs 13:25; Isaiah 1:19; 65:13). In the wilderness, God fed the Israelites with manna from heaven (Deuteronomy 8:16; Psalm 78:23–29). He brought them to live in a rich and fertile land flowing with milk and honey (Joshua 24:11–13; Isaiah 7:22). The learned psalmist observes, “Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25, NLT). God cares for the birds in the sky and feeds them. He makes the wildflowers grow and become beautiful. Surely, He will take care of His children, who are worth far more to Him than birds and flowers (Matthew 6:25–34). The Scriptures aren’t implying that we sit around idly and let God meet our needs. Instead, we must trust God and not worry as we co-labor with Him, pursuing His kingdom (2 Thessalonians 3:6–15). If we can say, like Jesus, “Life is more than food,” it means we understand that toiling for necessities is not our chief aim. Instead of putting our confidence in self-provision, we trust God as our provider. After Jesus fasted in the wilderness for forty days and nights, the Bible says He became famished (Matthew 4:2). The devil came and tempted Jesus to depend on His own resources, saying, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread” (Matthew 4:3, NLT). The Lord’s answer showed His wholehearted dependence on God: “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4, NLT). Jesus would not misuse or misdirect His power to provide for Himself and satisfy His hunger. Jesus lived to do His Father’s will only (John 6:38). Once, after a long journey without food, the disciples urged their Lord to eat. But He told them, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about” (John 4:32, HCSB). Then Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34, HCSB). As human beings, we are often tempted to take matters into our own hands—to function independently from God and provide for ourselves. We may become preoccupied with hoarding food and supplies before a storm. Perhaps our sense of security hinges entirely on the figure in our retirement account. We worry about inflation, unemployment, gas prices, and food shortages. But life is more than food. God calls us to recenter our priorities—to trust in Him. Instead of being anxious, we should remember the apostle Paul’s encouragement: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7, NLT). The life of Jesus Christ exemplified obedience. He came to earth to fulfill His heavenly Father’s will no matter how painful the task set before Him. Nonetheless, Jesus spoke honestly with God when faced with His crucifixion: “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me” (Luke 22:42, NLT). In His human state, Jesus did not want to endure a torturous death. Yet in the same breath, He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). This scene in Gethsemane records one of the most desperate hours of anguish in the life of Christ (Matthew 26:36–46; Mark 14:32–42; Luke 22:40–46). He told His disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed to the point of death” (Mark 14:34). Worse than the thought of death, Jesus, in His humanity, must have dreaded the thought of bearing the sins of the world (1 Peter 2:24). In the garden, the Lord fell to the ground flat on His face and offered God this desperate cry of His soul: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). Christ’s words and actions here serve as a great comfort to us, His followers. God wants His children to pour out their hearts to Him in sincerity (Psalm 62:8). He is our refuge, our safe haven. Like Jesus, we can reveal the deepest longings in our hearts to our loving heavenly Father. He knows what we are feeling, and we can trust Him to carry the burdens of our souls. Facing the cross, Jesus was able to pray, “Not my will, but yours be done” because He was wholly submitted to His Father’s will. “My food,” He had said, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34). “By myself I can do nothing,” explained Jesus, “for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me” (John 5:30). Obedience to God’s will was central to Christ’s mission. He told His disciples, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). Hundreds of years before, Scripture foretold Christ’s destiny to come to earth and do God’s will (Hebrews 10:5–7; cf. Psalm 40:6–8). For Christ’s followers, “Not my will, but yours be done” is the definitive prayer that never fails. According to 1 John 5:14–15, we can pray with confidence “if we ask according to his will.” Praying God’s will guarantees that He hears us and will grant what we ask. In fact, one of the primary purposes of prayer is to allow the will of God to be accomplished and to bring glory and honor to His name on earth. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9–10). Those who pray this way, desiring God’s will above all else, reveal that they are indeed Christ’s disciples (Matthew 7:21; see also Matthew 12:50; Mark 3:35; Luke 8:21; John 15:10; Ephesians 6:6). The apostle Paul encouraged Christians to seek the Holy Spirit’s help to pray in agreement with God’s will: “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will” (Romans 8:26–27, NLT). Paul also urged believers to “learn to know God’s will” for their lives because God’s will “is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NLT). When Jesus said, “Not my will, but yours be done,” He surrendered His own will to God’s, fully convinced that His Father knew what was best. When we pray this way, we yield ourselves to God’s wisdom, trusting Him to work out what’s best for our lives, too (Romans 8:28). Paul, in his prayers “for saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1, ESV), asks that God “may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (verse 17). Prior to his prayer for the spirit of wisdom and revelation, Paul reminds the Ephesian believers of the blessings God has bestowed upon them (Ephesians 1:3), their adoption as children through Christ (verse 4), the wisdom and insight they have been given (verse 8), and “the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ” (verse 9). He also reminds them that they have been “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (verses 13–14). Now he desires for them to be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Since Christians receive the promised Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation (John 14:17), the spirit of wisdom and revelation that Paul prays for cannot refer to the initial gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s reference could easily be to an attitude or frame of mind (although the NIV and ESV capitalize Spirit, other translations such as the NASB and BSB translate it as “a spirit,” and the NLT simply has “spiritual wisdom and insight”). If not the Holy Spirit, then what does Paul ask for in his request for “the spirit of wisdom and revelation”? The key is in the phrase that follows, “in the knowledge of him” (ESV), or “so that you may know him better” (NIV). Paul had commended the Ephesians for their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love toward all the saints (Ephesians 1:15), but now he is asking God to give them a deeper and greater understanding of the mysteries of His character and will, to know Him more thoroughly and intimately. Now that they have the Holy Spirit in their hearts, Paul desires Him to grant them more understanding and greater insight. The “wisdom” is a better understanding of the doctrines of God, and the “revelation” is a clearer picture of the divine character and will. In the NLT, the prayer is that believers would have “spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.” The AMP translation has Paul asking that God “may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him.” God is infinite, and He can never be fully known by finite creatures. We all need wisdom from above. No matter how far we may advance in our understanding of God, there is an unfathomed depth of knowledge that remains to be explored. Scripture is full of admonitions to grow in our knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:15). Paul outlines some of the mysteries he wants the Ephesians to understand through this spirit of wisdom and revelation. He desires them to grasp “the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18). This is the hope of eternal life, which Paul refers to as the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14, ESV). We inherit the riches of eternal life through Him who saved us and called us to holiness in Christ before time began (2 Timothy 1:9). Paul also prays the Spirit will reveal God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19)—power so great it raised Jesus from the dead. It’s a power that we can only comprehend as we possess the spirit of wisdom and revelation. The spirit of wisdom and revelation is not some mysterious blessing given to a special few, and it is not the ability to speak as a prophet. Rather, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to help the people of God understand the things of God more fully and completely. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NASB). With those few words—“from glory to glory”—Paul sums up our entire Christian life, from redemption and sanctification on earth, to our glorious eternal welcome into heaven. There is a great deal of content packed into those few words. It’s all so important that Paul labors at great length, from 2 Corinthians 2:14 through the end of chapter 5, to open his readers’ eyes to a great truth. Let’s see why that truth matters so much. The same Greek word for “glory” is used twice in the phrase from glory to glory, yet each usage refers to something different. The first “glory” is that of the Old Covenant—the Law of Moses—while the second is that of the New Covenant, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Both have astonishing splendor. The Old Covenant was given to Moses directly from God, written by God’s own finger (Exodus 31:18). That root of our Christian faith is glorious indeed; it’s the glory we’re coming “from.” Yet the New Covenant, the glory we’re going “to,” far surpasses that of the Old. The transformation is from the glory of the Law. Like the stone it was written on, the Law was inflexible and absolute, applying to all Israelites without much regard for individual circumstances (Hebrews 10:28). Though holy, good, and righteous in itself (Romans 7:12), the Law was, for us sinners, the letter that kills us (2 Corinthians 3:6). The Law was an external force to control behavior. In addition, stone, despite its strength, is earthly and will eventually wear away. The Law was merely a temporary guardian (Galatians 3:23–25) until something better came along. The transformation is to the glory of the New Covenant, which far surpasses the Old in every way. It forgives us of our sin and gives us sinners life (John 6:63). It is written on believers’ hearts by the Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3), so our obedience to God springs up from within us by God-given desires rather than by threats of legal punishment. In place of a cold set of writings as a guide for pleasing God, we now have Father, Son and Holy Spirit making their home with us, fellowshipping in loving intimacy, teaching us everything we must know and do (John 14:23; 16:13). That position in Christ is as permanent, eternal, and spiritual as God Himself, rather than temporary and earthly. Paul is intent on directing Christians to focus on the spiritual glory of the New Covenant rather than physical glory of the Old, as many Jews in his day refused to do. He compared the two types of glory by recalling how Moses absorbed and reflected God’s glory for a time after being in his presence (2 Corinthians 3:7–11, 13; cf. Exodus 34:29–35). Though Moses’ glow had a spiritual cause, there was nothing spiritual about the effect—any person, regardless of his relationship with God, could see the glow on Moses’ face, which he covered with a veil. Not so the glory of the New Covenant. That can be seen only with a believer’s spiritual eyes—what Paul is doing his best to open, so that we discern the gospel’s glory. So he writes, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). But, as we move from glory to glory, there’s something even more important about the glory of the New Covenant that Christians must understand: its supernatural power to transform us. And that brings us to God’s ultimate purpose and destination for every believer, to transform us into the image of his own beloved Son (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:28–30; Philippians 3:20–21). Before he finishes with the topic of being transformed from glory to glory, Paul presents yet one more astonishing claim: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is the invitation the Lord makes to all Christians, to have our lives radically transformed here and now, by opening our eyes to see the glorious journey He is taking us on “from glory to glory.” “The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one” (1 Corinthians 2:15, ESV). This statement is part of a larger context that contrasts the spiritual man with the natural man. In 1 Corinthians 2and 3, Paul explains that there are four kinds of people: the natural man (1 Corinthians 2:14), the spiritual man (1 Corinthians 2:15), infants in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1), and the fleshly person (1 Corinthians 3:3). The natural man will not receive or accept the things of God, because he considers them to be foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:14). While the natural man can have a factual understanding of the words he hears, he can’t judge them accurately because those judgments are spiritual in nature. In contrast, the spiritual man judges all things (1 Corinthians 2:15). That is, he is able to discern or evaluate properly the things of God because they are spiritually perceived. The ingredient the natural man is missing—and the spiritual man has—is the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). The mature believer in Christ is the spiritual man, made alive and possessing a new way of thinking. The spiritual man judges all things because he now has the mind of Christ. The natural man perceives the things of God to be foolishness and refuses to have the thinking of Christ. Infants in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1) are those who are newly born again. They have just come to know Christ and are only now beginning to learn about the things of God. Consequently, they might look like a fleshly person at times, not utilizing the mind of Christ in their own thinking. While the infant has been newly born and has a new spirit, he has not yet learned to judge all things or to use the thinking of Christ that now belongs to him. The fleshly person (1 Corinthians 3:3) often acts like an infant, only without the built-in excuse. Infants are expected to behave like infants because that is what they are. The fleshly person, or carnal person, has not grown as he should have. He should have moved on past infancy and grown to maturity, but his growth has been stunted. Paul chastises the Corinthians because they are thinking and behaving like fleshly people (1 Corinthians 3:3) when they should be thinking like the spiritual man who judges or discerns all things. They were walking like mere men rather than like those who have the mind of Christ. This immaturity was inexcusable and showed up in their thinking and behavior. They were going beyond what was written in Scripture, becoming arrogant and judging wrongly (1 Corinthians 4:6). They were judging so poorly that they were engaging in appalling immorality, and, instead of mourning, they were arrogant about it (1 Corinthians 5:1–2). The spiritual man judges all things, but “but is himself to be judged by no one” (1 Corinthians 2:15). In other words, the man with the Spirit of God is able to discern the things of God in a way that the natural (unsaved) man cannot. At the same time, the spiritual person is misunderstood by the natural man. Those without the Spirit cannot appreciate or fully comprehend the spiritual man’s motives, worldview, or character. The spiritual man has the mind or the thinking of Christ, and that is a mystery to those who do not know Christ. When we believe in Jesus, we are born again and can now think as God has designed us to think. We are no longer natural people whose spirit is not alive. We should move past the immaturities of infancy and press on to maturity. We ought to think and act like spiritual people because that is what we are. As Paul put it elsewhere, we should walk in a manner worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1). We should no longer walk like fleshly people, focusing on the desires of our flesh. Rather, we should use the thinking of Christ and grow to maturity, walking in newness of life. As Paul exhorted the Corinthians to do, we ought to demonstrate Christlike judgment and discernment because we have the mind of Christ. As Jesus prepared to depart this world, He knew that difficult days lay ahead for His disciples. He wanted them to be ready for the most challenging times they would ever face. Jesus explained how they could endure through the troubles of this life: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NLT). Amid the storms of life in a dark and fallen world, inner peace is only possible through a relationship with Jesus Christ. The disciples could not depend on themselves to survive the trials and persecution they would soon endure. Instead, they would have to rely entirely on Jesus and everything He had taught them while living and ministering with them. Fearing for their lives, the disciples would abandon Jesus at the cross (Matthew 26:56). They would be scattered (Mark 14:50; Acts 8:1), arrested (Acts 5:17–21), thrown out of synagogues (John 16:2; Acts 13:14–52), and martyred for their faith in Jesus (Acts 7:54–8:3), but they would not go astray because they would remember the Lord’s words: “Take courage! I have overcome the world” (NASB). The Greek word translated “overcome” means “to defeat, to win a victory over, as in a contest or military conflict.” The “world” is the created physical realm, the domain of existence here on earth, which is considered distinct from the heavenly or spiritual realm. Jesus knows that here on earth we encounter trouble and sorrow. But He has overcome the world and every earthly obstacle for us. What has Jesus overcome for us in the world? Anxieties and cares: Christ’s victory over the world is multifaceted. First, He gives His followers peace to overcome their troubled hearts: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Those who believe in Jesus Christ don’t have to live with anxious hearts but can experience the gift of His otherworldly peace (John 14:1). We do this by bringing every situation to Him in prayer, depending wholly on Him to meet our needs (Philippians 4:6). The Lord’s peace transcends all the confusion, fear, and anxiety of this world like a shield set over our minds and hearts as we live secure in Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:7). Hatred and persecution: It’s important to remember that Christ’s victory over the world does not physically remove us from the battle. We will face the same hatred Jesus did: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:18–20). We overcome the world because we belong to God. His Spirit lives in us and “is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Paul asked the Romans, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?” (Romans 8:35, NLT). He answers his own question with a resounding, “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:37, NLT). Sin and temptation: Temptation to sin will always be a part of our lives in this world, but Christ gives us victory over sin. Before salvation, the Bible says we lived like we were dead in disobedience and sin “just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God” (Ephesians 2:1–2, NLT). We used to follow only the passions and inclinations of our sinful nature (Ephesians 2:3). “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. . . . For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4–6, NLT). Spiritual forces: Jesus not only paid the penalty for our sin, but He also won a pivotal victory over Satan and all the supernatural powers of evil who are aligned with him (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14). The devil has been defeated through Jesus Christ. As believers, we appropriate Christ’s victory when we put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10–18). Sorrow and death: Death is an inevitable reality for all people, but for believers in Jesus Christ, death means victory over our last enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26–27). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection, Jesus overcame the world by conquering death. He shares that victory with all who repent and believe in Him as Lord and Savior: “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4–5, NLT). Christ’s death grants salvation and eternal life to all who believe in Him. Jesus told Martha after the death of her brother Lazarus, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25–26, CSB). Christ grants that we overcome the world in Him, and He gives us the right to sit with Him on His heavenly throne at the right hand of God the Father (Revelation 3:21; Hebrews 10:12; Romans 8:34). There, in our eternal home in God’s kingdom, we will live forever in the Lord’s presence: “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:3–4, NLT). When we read of the "world" in the New Testament, we are reading the Greek word cosmos. Cosmos most often refers to the inhabited earth and the people who live on the earth, which functions apart from God. Satan is the ruler of this "cosmos" (John 12:31; 16:11; 1 John 5:19). By the simple definition that the word world refers to a world system ruled by Satan, we can more readily appreciate Christ’s claims that believers are no longer of the world—we are no longer ruled by sin, nor are we bound by the principles of the world. In addition, we are being changed into the image of Christ, causing our interest in the things of the world to become less and less as we mature in Christ. Believers in Jesus Christ are simply in the world—physically present—but not of it, not part of its values (John 17:14-15). As believers, we should be set apart from the world. This is the meaning of being holy and living a holy, righteous life—to be set apart. We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the insipid, corrupt mind that the world creates. Rather, we are to conform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2). This is a daily activity and commitment. We must also understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness. We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is something “different” about us. Christians who make every effort to live, think and act like those who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice. Even the heathen knows that “by their fruits you shall know them,” and as Christians, we should exhibit the fruit of the Spirit within us. Being “in” the world also means we can enjoy the things of the world, such as the beautiful creation God has given us, but we are not to immerse ourselves in what the world values, nor are we to chase after worldly pleasures. Pleasure is no longer our calling in life, as it once was, but rather the worship of God. In 1 Corinthians 2:16, Paul quotes Isaiah 40:13 and then makes a statement concerning all believers: “We have the mind of Christ.” Having the mind of Christ means sharing the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ, and it is something that all believers possess. Having the mind of Christ means we understand God’s plan in the world—to bring glory to Himself, restore creation to its original splendor, and provide salvation for sinners. It means we identify with Christ’s purpose “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). It means we share Jesus’ perspective of humility and obedience (Philippians 2:5-8), compassion (Matthew 9:36), and prayerful dependence on God (Luke 5:16). In the verses leading up to 1 Corinthians 2:16, we note some truths concerning the mind of Christ: 1) The mind of Christ stands in sharp contrast to the wisdom of man (verses 5-6). 2) The mind of Christ involves wisdom from God, once hidden but now revealed (verse 7). 3) The mind of Christ is given to believers through the Spirit of God (verses 10-12). 4) The mind of Christ cannot be understood by those without the Spirit (verse 14). 5) The mind of Christ gives believers discernment in spiritual matters (verse 15). In order to have the mind of Christ, one must first have saving faith in Christ (John 1:12; 1 John 5:12). After salvation, the believer lives a life under God’s influence. The Holy Spirit indwells and enlightens the believer, infusing him with wisdom—the mind of Christ. The believer bears a responsibility to yield to the Spirit’s leading (Ephesians 4:30) and to allow the Spirit to transform and renew his mind (Romans 12:1-2) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and He pronounced that everything was very good (Genesis 1:31). Yet mankind sinned, marring God’s creation. The world was “good” no longer. From Genesis 3through Revelation 20, the earth and everyone in it experiences sin and death (Romans 5:12). Yet something will change after the great white throne judgment. After sin is eternally judged, God promises a new heaven and a new earth where suffering, pain, sin, and death cease for all eternity. This future creation gives believers hope and affects our lives on earth as we eagerly await for this promise to be fulfilled: “Behold I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5, NKJV). In Revelation 21, John recounts seeing the new heaven and new earth. He sees a magnificent Holy City, where God dwells among His people. It is here that God promises to wipe every tear from His people’s eyes. There will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. Finally, all creation will be free from the reign and effects of sin. After observing all this, John sees Jesus seated on the throne declaring, “Behold I make all things new.” This new heaven and earth is what believers long for, along with all creation (see Romans 8:19). When someone trusts in God for salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells him, and he becomes a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The believer is no longer bound by sin; we become new creations, able to please God and live in His ways. Galatians 2:20 sums up our newness well: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” No longer do we live for ourselves, but we live for the One who is life (John 1:3–4). A transformation occurs in those who surrender to God, and of them it can also be said, “Behold I make all things new.” Becoming a new creation affects the way we live. God’s Word reminds us to put off our former, sinful ways of life (Ephesians 4:22–24, Colossians 3:9). Instead of living in sin and for ourselves, we are called to “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:10, ESV). Regeneration happens at the moment of salvation, but sanctification continues as we grow in faith and in His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). Some ways we grow are through studying God’s Word, praying, having fellowship with other believers, and suffering. “Behold I make all things new” is a statement that affects the way we live when we trust Christ for salvation. “Behold I make all things new” is a truth anticipated from the beginning. When Adam and Eve sinned, God gave glimpses of this promise as He meted out judgment on sin and promised the Messiah (Genesis 3). The prophet Isaiah declares that salvation is found in God alone and that He will certainly judge sin, and he prophesies of the new heaven and new earth: “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered” (Isaiah 65:17). This sinful, depraved world is not God’s ultimate destiny for those who trust in Him, and we, like Paul, long for the time when God will “bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Ephesians 1:10). Decay, destruction, death, and evil are all part of our lives on this earth. Even nature groans to be delivered from the curse (Romans 8:22). Yet Jesus’ declaration, “Behold I make all things new,” affords the hope that one day we will be free from the consequences and effects of sin and will live with Him in a new heaven and earth. This truth makes us live with eager expectation, seeking to know Him more, become more like Him, and make Him known. Our hopeful future is what changes how we live as we await Jesus’ making all things new. “I am the way and the truth and the life” is one of the seven “I Am” statements of Jesus. On the last night before His betrayal and death, Jesus was preparing His disciples for the days ahead. For over three years, these men had been following Jesus and learning from His teaching and example. They had placed their hopes in Him as the Messiah, the promised deliverer, yet they still didn’t understand how He was going to accomplish that deliverance. After the Last Supper, Jesus began speaking about His departure, which led to questions from His disciples. In John 13:33, Jesus said, “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.” This prompted Peter to ask where He was going (verse 36). Peter and the others did not understand that Jesus was speaking of His death and ascension to heaven. Jesus’ response was, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter was still misunderstanding and declared that he would follow Jesus anywhere and even lay down His life if necessary. As Jesus patiently continued to teach His disciples, He began speaking more plainly about heaven, describing the place He was going to prepare for them (John 14:2–3). Then Jesus said, “You know the way to the place where I am going” (verse 4). Speaking for the others, Thomas said they did not know where He was going, so how could they know how to follow Him there? It was in answer to this question that Jesus uttered one of the seven famous “I am” statements. I am – In the Greek language, “I am” is a very intense way of referring to oneself. It would be comparable to saying, “I myself, and only I, am.” Several other times in the Gospels we find Jesus using these words. In Matthew 22:32 Jesus quotes Exodus 3:6, where God uses the same intensive form to say, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” In John 8:58, Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am.” The Jews clearly understood Jesus to be calling Himself God because they took up stones to stone Him for committing blasphemy in equating Himself with God. In Matthew 28:20, as Jesus gave the Great Commission, He gave it emphasis by saying, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” When the soldiers came seeking Jesus in the garden the night before His crucifixion, He told them, “I am he,” and His words were so powerful that the soldiers fell to the ground (John 18:4–6). These words reflect the very name of God in Hebrew, Yahweh, which means “to be” or “the self-existing one.” It is the name of power and authority, and Jesus claimed it as His own. The way – Jesus used the definite article to distinguish Himself as “the only way.” A way is a path or route, and the disciples had expressed their confusion about where He was going and how they could follow. As He had told them from the beginning, Jesus was again telling them (and us) “follow me.” There is no other path to heaven, no other way to the Father. Peter reiterated this same truth years later to the rulers in Jerusalem, saying about Jesus, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The exclusive nature of the only path to salvation is expressed in the words “I am the way.” The truth – Again Jesus used the definite article to emphasize Himself as “the only truth.” Psalm 119:142 says, “Your law is the truth.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminded His listeners of several points of the Law, then said, “But I say unto you . . .” (Matthew 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44), thereby equating Himself with the Law of God as the authoritative standard of righteousness. In fact, Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17). Jesus, as the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1) is the source of all truth. The life – Jesus had just been telling His disciples about His impending death, and now He was claiming to be the source of all life. In John 10:17–18, Jesus declared that He was going to lay down His life for His sheep, and then take it back again. He spoke of His authority over life and death as being granted to Him by the Father. In John 14:19, He gave the promise that “because I live, you also will live.” The deliverance He was about to provide was not a political or social deliverance (which most of the Jews were seeking), but a true deliverance from a life of bondage to sin and death to a life of freedom in eternity. In these words, Jesus was declaring Himself the great “I Am,” the only path to heaven, the only true measure of righteousness, and the source of both physical and spiritual life. He was staking His claim as the very God of Creation, the Lord who blessed Abraham, and the Holy One who inhabits eternity. He did this so the disciples would be able to face the dark days ahead and carry on the mission of declaring the gospel to the world. Of course, we know from Scripture that they still didn’t understand, and it took several visits from their risen Lord to shake them out of their disbelief. Once they understood the truth of His words, they became changed people, and the world has never been the same. So how do we follow Him today? The same way the disciples did long ago. They heard the words of Jesus and believed them. They took His words and obeyed them. They confessed their sins to Jesus as their Lord and God. They believed that He died to take the punishment of their sins and rose from the dead to give them new life. They followed His example and command to tell others the truth about sin, righteousness, and judgment. When we follow Him in “the way,” we can be assured of following Him all the way to heaven.
The Bible states emphatically in Galatians 5:1 that believers are free in Christ "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” Galatians 5:1 Before Jesus died on a Cross, God’s people lived under a detailed system of laws that served as a moral compass to guide their lives. The Law, while powerless to grant salvation or produce TRUE Freedom, nevertheless pointed THE WAY to Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:19–24) Through His sacrificial death, Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law, setting believers free from the law of sin and death God’s laws are now written in our hearts through the Spirit of God, and we are free to follow and serve Christ in ways that please and glorify Him (Romans 8:2–8) In a nutshell, this is the definition of Christian freedom We find the law of liberty first mentioned in James 1:25, “But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” James here refers to The Gospel, which, although it is called here a law, is not, strictly speaking, a law comprised of requirements and enforced by sanctions. Rather, it is a Declaration of Rightuousness and Salvation by Christ, an offer of Peace and Pardon by Him, and a free Promise of Eternal LIFE Through Him The juxtaposition of the two contradictory terms—“law” and “liberty”—made the point, especially to the Jews, that This was an Entirely NewWay of thinking about both. Paul uses this same technique when he refers to the “law of Faith” in Romans 3:27 The Perfect Liberty Found in Christ fulfills the “Perfect law” of the Old Testament because Christ was the ONLY ONE who could Those who come to Him in faith now have freedom from sin’s bondage and are able to obey God. Christ Alone can set us free and give us TRUE liberty (John 8:36) The phrase “law of liberty” is found again in James 2:12. In this portion of his epistle, James is discussing the sin of showing partiality within the church. He reminds his hearers that to show favoritism toward others is a violation of the command to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Jesus Himself reminded us that all of the Law that God gave to Moses could be summed up into one concise principle—to love God with all the heart, soul and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–40) God’s Word teaches plainly that all have sinned and stand condemned before God (Romans 3:10, 23; 6:23). No one but Jesus Christ has ever fully obeyed the law of God He who knew no sin became sin for us (Isaiah 53:5–6; 2 Corinthians 5:21)! Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross has redeemed from the curse of the Law All who Trust in Him by Faith (Galatians 3:10–14) Believers have been justified (declared righteous) by His grace (Romans 3:24–28) and are no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). All who have trusted Christ have received the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9) It is His power in us that gives us the ability to please God (Galatians 5:13–16). Christ’s perfect sacrifice brings release from the eternal death sentence that the Law brings upon all sinners, and it gives believers the ability to please God as we put off the works of the flesh (Colossians 3:1–9), put on love (Colossians 3:12–17), and walk in (or by) the Spirit day by day. It is by the Spirit’s filling and control (Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 5:17–21) that we can walk in love and please our Heavenly Father. What perfect liberty we now enjoy! What a blessed privilege to have received mercy, to be redeemed (liberated) from the bondage of sin, and to be empowered for service by our Creator! Our love for others proves the reality of our faith (1 John 4:7–11) Let us love one another even as He has loved us (1 John 4:19) JESUS A PALESTINIAN?! ONE FOR ISRAEL Palestinian activist, Linda Sarsour, might have made big waves by saying that Jesus was a Palestinian, but the claim isn’t new. The assertion is made as a way of trying to separate Jesus from the people of Israel and his Jewish identity. It tries to recast Jesus as a political freedom fighter who would stand against the nation of Israel, rather than the Messiah of Israel who came to take away the sin of the world. Linda Sarsour even took a quote from the biblical book of Revelation (1:14-15) about John’s vision of Jesus and said it came from the Qu’ran! She was mistaken on many levels. It’s obvious that Jesus was a Middle Eastern man rather than a white caucasian, but there’s no getting away from the fact that he was a Jew, living in Judea, who said he was called first and foremost to the people of Israel. Even Benjamin Netanyahu’s son took issue with the controversial tweet, telling Sarsour that Jesus had “King of the Jews” written over his head on the cross. JEWISH JESUS AND HIS ISRAELI IDENTITY Jesus was not just any Jew – he was (and is) the King of the Jews! He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He was circumcised on the eighth day and called the Jewish temple in Jerusalem “my Father’s house”. He taught, kept and respected the law of Moses. He celebrated Passover and other Jewish feasts, and when asked what the most important commandment in the Scriptures was, he recited the Shema: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:29-30) When he spotted Nathaniel sitting under a fig tree (symbolic of Israel) Jesus says to him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” Nathanael replies, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” In Acts, Peter addresses the crowd at Pentecost as “fellow Israelites”, or “people of Israel”, as does Paul. From [King David’s] descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. (Acts 13:23) Jesus said he was called the lost sheep of Israel (Matt 15:24), and referred to the land as either Judea or Israel (eg. Matt 8:10, 10:23). He prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, he taught in synagogues, and said he was only coming back when the Jewish people were living in Jerusalem, ready to welcome him in the name of God (Matt 23:37-39) Moreover many others in the New Testament, both friend and foe, described the land as “Israel”, whereas Palestine is not mentioned. The angel who warned Mary’s husband, Joseph, to flee to Egypt, gave them instructions about when to return to Israel. Not Palestine. Those mocking Jesus on the cross called him the King of Israel, and many times crowds are amazed saying nothing like this had happened in the land of Israel, and praised the God of Israel. Luke 1 and 2 describes the faithful saints, Simeon and Anna, who recognised that Jesus as the One sent to bring redemption to Israel. “When will you return the kingdom to Israel?” Ask the disciples in Acts 1:7. Instead of rebuking the idea that such a thing would happen, Jesus simply says that only God knows the timing. They probably didn’t imagine 2000 years would pass by before Israel was an autonomous state once again, and we are still waiting for the fullness of God’s Kingdom rule and reign from Jerusalem. But it will come. Nope, there’s just no getting around it. Jesus was as Israeli as they come. He was born in Israel, lived, died and rose again in Israel, and will return to Israel. THE PALESTINIAN CONNECTION Yeshuas family in Nazareth were Jewish, his friends were Jewish, and he was from a town with a Hebrew name in the Galilee region. However, today Nazareth is a largely Arab town, over 80% Muslim, many of whom identify as Palestinians. The Arab Christians of Nazareth (some of whom serve on our team here at ONE FOR ISRAEL!) may feel very much in the minority there now, but 2000 years ago they would have been even more so. Nazareth was once a Jewish town, and the Galilee was replete with synagogues and a Jewish population1. Not so many Christians around at that point! Much less Muslims – Arabs were by and large still in Arabia until the Muslim conquests many centuries later. But did you know that the term “Palestine” did not originate with the Romans?! It’s true that the Romans renamed the land after the historical enemies of the Jewish people, the Philistines, but in actual fact, the name Palestine goes back hundreds of years before Jesus lived in the land in the flesh. In about 350 BC, Aristotle wrote this about the Dead Sea in Palestine: “Again if, as is fabled, there is a lake in Palestine, such that if you bind a man or beast and throw it in it floats and does not sink, this would bear out what we have said. They say that this lake is so bitter and salt that no fish live in it.” Even further back, in the fifth century BC, the ancient historian Herodotus also wrote of an area called Palestine: “…The Phenicians, together with the Syrians who dwell in Palestine furnished three hundred; and they were equipped thus, that is to say, they had about their heads leathern caps made very nearly in the Hellenic fashion, and they wore corslets of linen, and had shields without rims and javelins. These Phenicians dwelt in ancient time, as they themselves report, upon the Erythraian Sea, and thence they passed over and dwell in the country along the sea coast of Syria; and this part of Syria and all as far as Egypt is called Palestine.” It seems that the general area had indeed been known as Palestine for a very long time. Perhaps we can talk of the historical area of Palestine as we might say “The Levant”, or “The Mesopotamian Basin” – not referring to a defined nation state, but a general area. In this sense, it could be argued that Jesus was indeed a Palestinian, since he came from that region. We could similarly say that Abraham was a Mesopotamian wanderer, and that the patriarchs were from the Levant, but we must respect the fact that Jesus never identified himself as a Palestinian, and the Bible speaks only of Israel and Judea. As far as ethnicity, he was not a Philistine or a Phoenician or an Arab, even though all those peoples are loved by God. Jesus was most certainly a Jew, from the Israelite tribe of Judah. IS IT WRONG TO SAY JESUS WAS PALESTINIAN? Given that Jesus only ever “identified” as a member of the house of Israel, it does seem a bit rude to recast his heritage to be something other, even if he was from an area sometimes known as Palestine. But more importantly, there are subversive forces at work which we need to be aware of. It is often hatred of Jewish people and the nation of Israel that has resulted in this attempt to reinvent Jesus, with prominent Palestinian official Saeb Erekat calling Jesus the first Palestinian “shaheed”, or martyr. Since his version of the word martyr tends to mean killing other people for your cause rather than giving up your own life for your cause, it could hardly be more inappropriate. It also rejects what God has done in bringing his people back and reestablishing Israel, as the Bible said he would do. David Parsons writes in the Jerusalem Post that another source of this assertion has come from liberation theology which flourished in Latin America in the last century: “As Marxist elements started stirring revolutions throughout the region, many local Catholic priests began supporting the cause by portraying Christ as a revolutionary who fought Roman oppression.”4 But Jesus never lifted a finger against Roman oppression. He never rose up against Rome in word or deed, nor did he encourage others to do so, but rather taught the powerful principles of turning the other cheek and going the extra mile. He had far more important business in mind, and knew that the empire would fall in the not too distant future. He was as non-violent as a person could be in very oppressive circumstances. His version of resistance was very different – he had other more eternal matters on his agenda. THERE’S ENOUGH ROOM FOR ALL IN THE ARMS OF JESUS Even though salvation came from the Jews, as the Samaritan woman confessed in John 4, Yeshua came to bring his salvation to every nation, tribe and tongue. If a Palestinian reads about Jesus and identifies with him today as a man from their neck of the woods who understood oppression, that is good news! Because he died for them too. Palestinians are welcomed by Jesus – his arms are open wide to embrace all who come to him. It’s interesting that just as the God of Israel was getting ready to go out to the nations, we see Jesus distancing himself from the man-made religion of the Pharisees and the Jewish leaders of his time. Jesus speaks in such a way that people of every culture and nationality are able to relate to him, and come to know him as friend, brother, Lord and Saviour. If Linda Sarsour sees Jesus as someone who cares about her people, she is right. He does. But she would be wise not to try to separate him from his own people of Israel, lost as they may be. He is still the Lion of Judah |
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