The Root of Jesse
1Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse,
and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
2The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him--
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and strength,
the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
3And He will delight in the fear of the LORD.
He will not judge by what His eyes see,
and He will not decide by what His ears hear,
4but with righteousness He will judge the poor,
and with equity
He will decide for the lowly of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth
and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.
5Righteousness will be the belt around His hips,
and faithfulness the sash around His waist.
6The wolf will live with the lamb,
and the leopard will lie down with the goat;
the calf and
young lion and fatling will be together,
and a little child will lead them.
7The cow will graze with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8The infant will play by the cobra’s den,
and the
toddler will reach into the viper’s nest.
9They will neither harm nor destroy
on all My holy mountain,
for the earth
will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the sea is full of water.
On that day the Root of Jesse will stand
as a banner for the peoples.
The nations will seek Him, and His place
of rest will be glorious.
On that day the Lord will extend His hand
a second time to recover the remnant of
His people
from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush,
from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath,
and from the islands of the sea.
12He will raise a banner for the nations
and gather the exiles of Israel;
He will collect the scattered of Judah
from the four corners of the earth.
13Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart,
and the adversaries of Judah will be cut off.
Ephraim will no longer envy Judah,
nor will Judah harass Ephraim.
They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines to the west;
together they will plunder the sons of the east.
They will lay their hands on Edom and Moab,
and the Ammonites will be subject to them.
15The LORD will devote to destruction
the gulfi of the Sea of Egypt;
with a scorching wind He will sweep His hand
over the Euphrates.
He will split it into seven streams
for men to cross with dry sandals.
16There will be a highway for the remnant of His people
who remain from Assyria,
as there was for Israel
when they came up from the land of Egypt.
Jeremiah 23:5
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
Matthew 1:1
This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Luke 3:23-38
Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, / the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, / the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, ...
Revelation 5:5
Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Romans 15:12
And once more, Isaiah says: “The Root of Jesse will appear, One who will arise to rule over the Gentiles; in Him the Gentiles will put their hope.”
Zechariah 3:8
Hear now, O high priest Joshua, you and your companions seated before you, who are indeed a sign. For behold, I am going to bring My servant, the Branch.
Zechariah 6:12
And you are to tell him that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Here is a man whose name is the Branch, and He will branch out from His place and build the temple of the LORD.
Matthew 2:23
and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
John 7:42
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
Acts 13:23
From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.
Revelation 22:16
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”
Hosea 14:5-6
I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. / His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.
Jeremiah 33:15
In those days and at that time I will cause to sprout for David a righteous Branch, and He will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
2 Samuel 7:12-16
And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. / He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. / I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. ...
Isaiah 53:1
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
Zechariah 6:12
And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
Revelation 5:5
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Isaiah 11:10
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Ruth 4:17
And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
1 Samuel 17:58
And Saul said to him, Whose son artthou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.
Isaiah 4:2
In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.
Jeremiah 23:5
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
Jeremiah 33:15
In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
Virgin Birth
Jewish Mother
Fathers Ancestry
Jospeh Jewish Heritage but not physically
related
Holy Spirit; Seed of Abraham
Faith
Jesus Christ had no natural father
conceived by Mary
through the power of the Holy Spirit
Paul expressly interprets the “seed” to whom
Abraham's promises
were given to refer to Christ alone
(Gal. 3:16).
The apostle states that all who have
the faith of
Abraham are blessed with Abraham
and are regarded as heirs
because they are
in Christ, the true “seed” of Abraham
(Gal. 3:7–9)
The question “who are the
seed of Abraham?”
can be answered several ways, and it is important to
make some distinctions.
There is the Seed of Abraham
(Seed being singular);
there is the seed of Abraham physically
(descendants of Abraham according to the flesh);
and there is the seed of Abraham spiritually
(those who, like Abraham, have faith in God).
The (singular) Seed of Abraham is Christ,
as Galatians 3:16, quoting Genesis 12:7, says,
“The promises were spoken
to Abraham and to his seed.
Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people,
but ‘and to your seed,’
meaning one person,
who is Christ.”
The passage goes on to explain that an inheritance was
promised to
Abraham’s Seed (Christ) apart from the Law
Later, the Mosaic Law was introduced, but it did not annul the
promises made to Abraham
or to
Abraham’s Seed (Christ).
Just as Abraham believed God and his faith was counted as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), so are all today who believe in God’s Son justified apart from the Law. In this way, Abraham is the “father” of all who believe (Romans 4:11–17). “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
Of course, the seed of Abraham can also refer to the Hebrew people who descended from Abraham through Isaac. Still more broadly, the seed of Abraham could include Arabs, who trace their lineage through Ishmael. This is the physical seed of Abraham. The spiritual seed of Abraham (believers in Jesus Christ) is comprised of people of all nationalities and ethnicities.
The Jewish religious leaders of the first century took pride in that they were Abraham’s seed. They saw their physical connection to Abraham as a guarantee of God’s favor. This attitude kept them from seeing their need for repentance of the heart—and brought condemnation from John the Baptist, who warned them to repent. Anticipating their fallback argument that they were the seed of Abraham, John said, “Do not think you can say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our father.’
I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham”
(Matthew 3:9).
Jesus dealt with the same issue later. In speaking to the unbelieving Jews, Jesus emphasized their need to receive His words as truth and obey His commands. They replied, “We be Abraham’s seed” (John 8:33, KJV). Jesus then rebukes them for plotting ways to murder Him; their stubborn response was again, “Abraham is our father” (verse 39a). At this, Jesus makes a distinction between the physical seed of Abraham and the true, spiritual seed of Abraham: “If you were Abraham’s children . . . then you would do what Abraham did” (verse 39b). The conversation heats up as the Jews for a third time reference their connection to Abraham: “Are you greater than our father Abraham?” they ask Jesus (verse 53). Jesus provokes them further: “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad” (verse 56).
The Jews’ are incredulous that Jesus would claim to
be a contemporary of Abraham,
and that’s when
Jesus brings the exchange to a climax with a
claim to full deity:
“Very truly I tell you, . . .
before
Abraham was born, I am!”
verse 58
In a fury, the Jews attempted to stone Jesus
(verse 59),
again proving that
being the physical seed of Abraham is not enough
they had to be born again (John 3:3).
Paul sums up
the difference between the seeds of Abraham
in Romans 2:28–29:
“A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly,
nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.
No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart,
by the Spirit, not by the written code.
Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.”
The Hebrew word for “seed” here means “offspring,”
which is how many translations render it (e.g., NIV, ESV, CSB). The figurative language in Genesis 3:14 (“dust you shall eat,” ESV) indicates that the subsequent verse speaks of a spiritual war between Satan (the serpent) and humanity (the seed of the woman).
The woman spoken of is Eve, the mother of humanity (Genesis 3:20). The prophecy is that her offspring would be continually harassed by Satan and his followers (the offspring of the serpent). Sin entered the world through Adam’s disobedience, and we all suffer because of it (Romans 5:12–14). The perpetual war Satan wages against humanity began in the Garden of Eden.
There is an indication of number in Genesis 3:15 that we cannot overlook. The woman’s offspring is referred to by the singular noun seed, and that seed is immediately antecedent to the singular pronouns he and his. So, the seed of the woman is individualized. There is one Seed in particular who is to come. The sole tempter will be countered by the sole Savior.
Also, Genesis 3:15 speaks of the seed of a woman rather than the seed of a man.
This unusual wording could indicate that the woman’s offspring would not have an earthly father.
In that case, the protoevangelium is certainly
fulfilled in Jesus Christ,
who was begotten
of the
Holy Spirit and born of a virgin
(Luke 1:34–35)
The enmity spoken of in Genesis 3:15 is ultimately between Satan and Christ. Satan “bruised the heel” of the Savior when Jesus was crucified—Jesus suffered in His flesh. But the story does not end there. On the third day, Jesus rose from the grave. In so doing, He crushed the power of Satan, sin, and death—He crushed the serpent’s head. Jesus is the Seed of the woman who has won the victory over the tempter and enemy of mankind. And, to His eternal praise, He grants victory to everyone who believes in Him (John 16:33). “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne”
(Revelation 3:21).
Romans 11:26 plainly says, “All Israel will be saved.” The question that arises is: “What is meant by Israel?” Is the future “Israel” literal or figurative (i.e., referring to the ethnic Jews or referring to the Church)? Those who take a literal approach to the promises of the Old Testament believe that the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be restored to a right relationship with God and receive the fulfillment of the covenants. Those who advocate replacement theology basically affirm that the Church has completely replaced Israel and will inherit God’s promises to Israel; the covenants, then, will be fulfilled only in a spiritual sense. In other words, replacement theology teaches that Israel will not inherit the actual land of Israel; the Church is the “new Israel,” and ethnic Israel is forever excluded from the promises—the Jews will not inherit the Promised Land as Jews per se.
We take the literal approach. The passages that speak of future Israel are difficult to view as figurative for the Church. The classic text (Romans 11:16–24) depicts Israel as distinct from the Church: the “natural branches” are the Jews, and the “wild branches” are the Gentiles. The “olive tree” is the collective people of God. The “natural branches” (Jews) are “cut off” the tree for unbelief, and the “wild branches” (believing Gentiles) are grafted in. This has the effect of making the Jews “jealous” and then drawing them to faith in Christ, so they might be “grafted in” again and receive their promised inheritance. The “natural branches” are still distinct from the “wild branches,” so that God’s covenant with His people is literally fulfilled. Romans 11:26–29, citing Isaiah 59:20–21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33–34, says:
“And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’ As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”
Here, Paul emphasizes the “irrevocable” nature of Israel’s calling as a nation (see also Romans 11:12). Isaiah predicted that a “remnant” of Israel would one day “be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD” (Isaiah 62:12). Regardless of Israel’s current state of unbelief, a future remnant will in fact repent and fulfill their calling to establish righteousness by faith (Romans 10:1–8; 11:5). This conversion will coincide with the fulfillment of Moses’ prediction of Israel’s permanent restoration to the land (Deuteronomy 30:1–10).
When Paul says Israel will be “saved” in Romans 11:26, he refers to their deliverance from sin (verse 27) as they accept the Savior, their Messiah, in the end times. Moses said, “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live” (Deuteronomy 30:6). Israel’s physical inheritance of the land promised to Abraham will be an integral part of God’s ultimate plan (Deuteronomy 30:3–5).
So how will “all Israel be saved”? The details of this deliverance are filled out in passages such as Zechariah 8—14 and Revelation 7—19, which speak of end-times Israel at Christ’s return. The key verse describing the coming to faith of the future remnant of Israel is Zechariah 12:10, “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” This occurs at the end of the tribulation prophesied in Daniel 9:24–27. The apostle John references this event in Revelation 1:7. The faithful remnant of Israel is epitomized in Revelation 7:1–8. These faithful ones the Lord will save and bring back to Jerusalem “in truth and righteousness” (Zechariah 8:7–8, NASB).
After Israel is spiritually restored, Christ will establish His millennial kingdom on earth. Israel will be regathered from the ends of the earth (Isaiah 11:12; 62:10). The symbolic “dry bones” of Ezekiel’s vision will be brought together, covered with flesh, and miraculously resuscitated (Ezekiel 37:1–14). As God promised, the salvation of Israel will involve both a spiritual awakening and a geographical home: “I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land” (Ezekiel 37:14).
In the Day of the Lord, God will “reclaim the surviving remnant of his people” (Isaiah 11:11). Jesus Christ will return and destroy the armies gathered against Him in rebellion (Revelation 19). Sinners will be judged, and the faithful remnant of Israel will be set apart forever as God’s holy people (Zechariah 13:8—14:21)
Isaiah 12 is their song of deliverance; Zion will rule over all the nations under the banner of Messiah the King.
The Bible describes Jesus as both a
Jew and a Samaritan,
but the terms are used in different ways:
- Jew
In John 4:9, a Samaritan woman refers to Jesus as a Jew. This is the only place in - the Gospel of John where Jesus is identified as a Jew.
- Samaritan
- In John 8:48, Jewish people refer to Jesus as a Samaritan to distance themselves from him. This was an insult that mocked Jesus' birth and accused him of heresy. The Samaritans were a half-Jewish, half-Gentile people who intermarried with Assyrians after the captivity.
Jesus treated Samaritans with compassion and love, healing them and ministering to them.
He even used them as examples to his Jewish brethren
Calling Him a Samaritan
was
a derogatory way
of denying
Jesus is The Christ:
And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” (John 7:26-27 ESV)
Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” (John 7:41-42)
The Christ would not come from Samaria or be a Samaritan. So in addition to the insult, being born of sexual immorality (8:41) and an illegitimate son of Abraham (He does not know His true father), the claim He is a Samaritan means He cannot be the Christ.
Jesus does respond, albeit obliquely:
Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. (8:49)
He does know who is Father is.
The primary focus of the Jewish people was the human ancestry and birthplace of the Christ. While Matthew and Luke each affirm Jesus fulfilled these requirements, John explains the Christ was also the pre-existent I Am:
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” (8:53)...Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (8:58)
Which is the reason John wrote:
She said to him,
“Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
(11:27)
but these are written so that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by
believing you may have life in
his name
(20:31)
This conversation between Jesus and the Pharisees dispels any myths that Jesus was weak, passive, or timid. In response to His claims, the religious leaders of Jerusalem have gone so far as to question Jesus' birth. They did this by insinuating that He was "born of sexual immorality," which could actually be seen as an attack on His mother (John 8:41). These same men have also tried to have Jesus arrested (John 7:32) and even killed (John 5:18). All of this is grounded in their refusal to accept His message (John 8:43), which they do not understand specifically because they have no intent to listen.
Here, the men opposing Jesus sink even lower in their approach. The Jewish people saw Samaritans as despised half-breeds. This cultural hatred was a major reason why Jesus' actions in the Samaritan town of Sychar were so controversial (John 4:1–9). Calling Jesus a "Samaritan" combined two insults into one: mocking His birth and accusing Him of heresy. Referring to someone as demon-possessed was, in that day, equivalent to calling them crazy. Unable to give reasonable answers to His teaching, those opposed to Jesus are resorting to petty insults. Unfortunately, this tactic is still common in debates today, where mocking and slurs take the place of actual discussion.
John 8:31–59 dovetails with John 2:13–22. There, Jesus drove corrupt businessmen from the temple. These Scriptures disprove any myths that Jesus was weak, timid, passive, or soft. In this exchange with the Pharisees, Jesus pulls no punches. Jerusalem's religious leaders, and their followers, continue to resist Jesus' preaching. They rely on arrogance and insults, to which Jesus responds with blunt, unfiltered condemnation. This culminates in Jesus making an overt statement of His own divinity, punctuating the debate by declaring
''before Abraham was, I am!''
The apostle Paul refers to the law of sin and death in Romans 8:1–2: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” What is the “law of sin and death”?
In these verses, Paul contrasts two laws: the law of the Spirit and the law of sin and death. The law of the Spirit is the gospel or good news of Jesus, the message of new life through faith in the resurrected Christ. The law of sin and death is the Old Testament Law of God. The Law is holy, just and good (Romans 7:12), but, because we cannot keep God’s Law on our own, the result is only sin and death for those under the Law.
Romans 7:5 explains Paul’s focus on the Law as leading to sin and death: “For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death.” In contrast, the “way” or law of the Spirit is noted in Romans 7:6: “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” The Law itself is not sinful (Romans 7:7). However, the Law defined sin and stirred up our natural rebellion against God’s rules, resulting in sin and death.
Romans 7:10–11 speaks of how sin, death, and the Law are connected: “I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.” This death refers to spiritual separation from God. Shackled by our depraved nature, we naturally opposed the Law, and we found that God’s life-giving Word served only to sentence us to death. It is because of this that Paul can refer to the Law as the “law of sin and death.”
The conclusion of Romans 7 shows the need of the gospel to deliver us from the consequences of sin under the Law: “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:22–25).
The next chapter, Romans 8, begins by declaring there is no longer any condemnation or judgment for those who are in Christ. We have been released from the law of sin and death. Paul’s argument from Romans 7transitions in Romans 8 to a rejoicing over the change the gospel makes in the lives of those who believe in Jesus. The chapter concludes by confirming, in the strongest terms possible, that believers can never be separated from God’s love: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39).
The initial three chapters in Ephesians illuminate God’s actions on our behalf, and within this context, Ephesians 2:14 states, “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” The “wall of hostility” is also called the “wall of separation” (NKJV), and it signifies the enmity that existed between Jews and Gentiles prior to the latter’s inclusion into God’s family through Christ’s sacrifice.
The symbolic wall of separation can be traced back to the Old Testament. After God rescued Israel from Egypt, He provided them with moral, civil, and ceremonial laws that set the Israelites apart. Israel was God’s “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). The distinction between Jews and Gentiles primarily had a spiritual dimension, as evident from Gentiles who turned to God being welcomed to the family. Notable examples include Rahab, Ruth, Uriah the Hittite, Naaman, and Jethro. Furthermore, the Torah contained laws for the fair treatment of foreigners, such as Leviticus 19:34, which states, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
However, due to cultural differences between Jews and Gentiles, the tension extended beyond matters of religious worship. Jews considered other nations to be ritually impure and consequently adopted an attitude of superiority. In fact, a literal wall of separation in the temple courtyard of Jerusalem barred Gentiles from some areas, and Paul faced hostility after being wrongly accused of bringing a Gentile across this barrier (Acts 21:27–29).
Fortunately, Christ has symbolically broken down the wall of separation between Gentiles and Jews. He accomplished this by “setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace” (Ephesians 2:15). Christ forged a new creation from both Jews and Gentiles, as prophesied in the Old Testament (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; Micah 4:2).
The unity between Jews and Gentiles was a challenging concept for the Jews of Paul’s era to grasp, and conflict arose, beginning with Peter’s preaching to Cornelius, a Roman centurion. In Acts 11:1–18, Luke recounts the confrontation between Peter and disgruntled Jews regarding his visit to Cornelius. Although that particular conversation concluded positively (verse 18), ongoing tension persisted, culminating in a church council over whether Gentiles had to be circumcised to be saved (Acts 15). The stern letter from Paul to the Galatians highlights this issue. Nevertheless, the fundamental truth remained that Christ had united both Jews and Gentiles, breaking down the dividing wall. The same applies to other categories, as Galatians 3:28 affirms that all in Christ have equal spiritual standing: “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
We may not encounter the same division between Jews and Gentiles today, but there are groups of people we may consider unclean. While we should lead holy lives that are separate from sin, we must resist constructing walls of separation that Christ has already broken down. Anyone in Christ is our brother or sister, regardless of tribe, country, skin color, language, etc.
Release from the Law
(Galatians 3:15–25)
1Do you not know, brothers (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? 2For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. 3So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
4Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. 5For when we lived according to the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, bearing fruit for death.6But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
God’s Law Is Holy
7What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”a 8But sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
9Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10So I discovered that the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death. 11For sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through the commandment put me to death.
12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.
Samaria became a place of refuge for all the outlaws of Judea (Joshua 20:6-7; 21:21). The Samaritans willingly received Jewish criminals and refugees from justice. The violators of the Jewish laws, and those who had been excommunicated, found safety for themselves in Samaria, greatly increasing the hatred which existed between the two nations.
In John 4:22 Jesus says, “You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews” (NKJV). Those words are immediately followed by this beautiful truth: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (verse 23).
Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman remains a favorite for many modern Bible readers, both for how it breaks cultural boundaries and for salvation truth. When a Samaritan woman left her house to fetch water alone, she never expected to encounter a Jewish man or for Him to initiate a conversation. What started as a simple request for water turned into Jesus revealing the salvation plan applicable to both Jews and Gentiles. The interaction reached its pinnacle when the wary woman turned into an enthusiastic evangelist: “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (John 4:29). Within the discourse, Jesus stated that salvation is of the Jews in response to the woman’s statement in verse 20 pointing out that the Samaritans had a different holy site than the Jews.
In stating that salvation is of the Jews, Jesus asserted that the Jews hold a pivotal role in God’s redemptive plan. God chose them to be the people through whom the Messiah came to earth. He also entrusted them with His covenant, as Paul affirms in Romans 3:1–2, “Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God” (ESV; cf. Deuteronomy 4:8; Psalm 147:20). The Old Testament, often referred to as the Hebrew Scripture, reflects this deep-rooted connection.
As Christians, we can appreciate God’s intentionality and careful progress in orchestrating the Savior’s arrival through the Jews. Christ’s birth “in the fulness of time” (Galatians 4:4) and sacrifice on the cross were not an accident or a backup plan. Speaking of the people of Israel, Paul says, “Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen” (Romans 9:4–5). The simple fact is that God chose Israel—the people and the land—to set the stage for the Savior of the world. In this way, salvation is of the Jews.
However, while salvation is of the Jews, it is not for them alone. Jesus made this quite clear in His conversation at the well: “But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23–24, NLT). We now live in an era where the gospel has gone far beyond Jewish borders, “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The time has arrived for genuine worshipers to worship God in spirit and truth, as Jesus declared. His conversation with the Samaritan woman and her enthusiastic response foreshadowed what we now experience today: true worshippers emerging from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds.
The propagation of the gospel commenced on the day of the Pentecost when over 3,000 Jews turned to Christ (Acts 2:41). Thereafter, the message moved to Gentiles, from the Ethiopian eunuch to the Roman Cornelius (Acts 8:26–40; 10—11). After the conversion of Paul, missionary activity to Gentiles took formal shape, and we continue to see the message spread to more Gentiles today.
To sum up, salvation is of the Jews because they had God’s covenant and were the custodians of the Scriptures and keepers of the temple. Physically, they were the Savior’s people. However, God’s blueprint always encompassed people of all nations. He promised Abraham, “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3), and that continues to be fulfilled today.
For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
The Parable of the Mustard Seed is contained in all three of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 13:31–32; Mark 4:30–32; Luke 13:18–19). In this parable, Jesus predicts the amazing growth of the kingdom of heaven. The mustard seed is quite small, but it grows into a large shrub—up to ten feet in height—and Jesus says this is a picture of kingdom growth. The point of the Parable of the Mustard Seed is that something big and blessed—the kingdom of God—had humble beginnings. How significant could the short ministry of Christ be? He had but a handful of followers, He was a man of no rank and without means, and He lived in what everyone considered a backwater region of the world. The life and death of Christ did not catch the world’s attention any more than a mustard seed would lying on the ground by the road. But this was a work of God. What seemed inconsequential at first grew into a movement of worldwide influence, and no one could stop it (see Acts 5:38–39). The influence of the kingdom in this world would be such that everyone associated with it would find a benefit—pictured as the birds perched on the branches of the mature mustard plant.
Elsewhere in Scripture, the kingdom of God is also pictured as a tree. A passage in Ezekiel, for example, parallels the Parable of the Mustard Seed in many ways. In this prophecy, the Lord God promises to plant a shoot “on a high and lofty mountain” (Ezekiel 17:22). This small sprig “will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches” (Ezekiel 17:23). This messianic prophecy foretells the growth of Christ’s kingdom from very small beginnings to a sizable, sheltering place.
Faith and Belief
(James 2:14–26)
1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
3Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?4Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing? 5Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?
6So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”a7Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham. 8The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”b 9So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Christ Has Redeemed Us
10All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”c11Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”d 12The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”e
13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”f 14He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abrahamg would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
The Purpose of the Law
(Romans 7:1–6)
15Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended. 16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,”h meaning One, who is Christ.
17What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.
19Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator. 20A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.
21Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law. 22But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
23Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
Sons through Faith in Christ
26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
Paul restates in this verse what he has said in the previous verses, but he describes it from the positive perspective. He has been talking about God's promises to Abraham and his descendants. He says once again that receiving the promised inheritance depends on faith, not on following the law. Because it is received by faith, the promise rests on God's grace. This is critical, since no human effort can secure this inheritance (Romans 3:23). Our own failures to follow God would make us ineligible for that righteousness (Romans 3:10). Salvation comes as a gift, and it is guaranteed to all of Abraham's offspring: offspring defined by faith, not by legalism.
Paul has been careful to show that since Abraham was declared righteous by God for believing God, everyone who comes to God by faith is Abraham's offspring. This includes both Jews and Gentiles who believe in God. In that way, Abraham is the father of all believers.
Romans 4 is all about the faith of Abraham. God declared Abraham righteous because of his faith, not because of his works. A declaration of righteousness was God's gift, not a payment. This righteousness is available to everyone, circumcised or not. God declared Abraham righteous many years before he was circumcised, making him the spiritual father of all who believe, whether circumcised or not, whether Jew or Gentile. God's promises to Abraham and his offspring can't be received by keeping the law, only by faith. Abraham's faith in God's promise of a son with Sarah did not waver even as he grew older. God will declare us righteous, as well, if by faith we believe in the God who delivered Jesus to die for our sins and raised Him back to life for our justification.
As the apostle Peter opens his first letter, he includes a section of thanksgiving to God for the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3–12). God’s gift of salvation produces great anticipation of an indestructible, pure, and eternal inheritance: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (verses 3–5, NKJV).
The recipients of Peter’s letter are identified as “God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Peter 1:1, NLT). These regions of Asia Minor were where the believers had likely been scattered due to persecution. Peter wrote to encourage them as they struggled to maintain their Christian identity and testimony. He wanted them to know that, even though they were far away from the core community of God’s people and Christ’s church and possibly feeling the pressure of separation, they were still “kept by the power of God through faith for salvation.”
In the original Greek, the word translated as “kept” in 1 Peter 1:5 means “to be guarded, shielded, or watched over.” It is a military term that describes how a soldier protects his charge. The verb tense shows continuous action and indicates that believers are under God’s perpetual, round-the-clock protection.
“God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see” (1 Peter 1:5, NLT), declared Peter to these isolated believers. They needed to know they were not forgotten or insignificant. Like all believers everywhere, they were shielded and secure by God’s power through faith. Later in the same letter, Peter reminded them that their struggle was only temporary: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10, ESV).
Our present sufferings do not negate the certainty of our future inheritance. The apostle Paul affirmed, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:17–18). Being guarded or kept by the power of God does not mean we get a free pass from pain, suffering, and hardship in this life. It means our heavenly Father watches over our salvation. He is “able to keep [us] from falling away and will bring [us] with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault” (Jude 1:24, NLT).
When we place our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, our reservation in heaven is guaranteed—not because of anything we have done, but because the power of God guards us through faith. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Our faith unites us to Jesus. Then His power keeps us (2 Corinthians 3:5). We are not kept secure by our own strength or obedience, but by His divine power and abundant faithfulness (Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 55:22; Romans 8:31; 2 Peter 1:3: 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 2 Corinthians 9:8).
Our part on this journey is to keep believing and growing in our relationship with Christ. As we feed on His Word, yield to the control of the Holy Spirit, commune with God in prayer, and submit our will to His, we are increasingly transformed into Christ’s image. We experience a foretaste of the salvation that will be fully revealed when Jesus returns (1 Peter 1:8–9; Romans 8:19–23).
As we commit ourselves to Christ by faith, we are kept by the power of God. Even though we suffer, like Paul, we can confidently say, “I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return” (2 Timothy 1:12, NLT).
When we ask why God tests us or allows us to be tested, we are admitting that testing does indeed come from Him. When God tests His children, He does a valuable thing. David sought God’s testing, asking Him to examine his heart and mind and see that they were true to Him (Psalm 26:2; 139:23). When Abram was tested by God in the matter of sacrificing Isaac, Abram obeyed (Hebrews 11:17–19) and showed to all the world that he is the father of faith (Romans 4:16).
In both the Old and New Testaments, the words translated “test” mean “to prove by trial.” Therefore, when God tests His children, His purpose is to prove that our faith is real. Not that God needs to prove it to Himself since He knows all things, but He is proving to us that our faith is real, that we are truly His children, and that no trial will overcome our faith.
In His Parable of the Sower, Jesus identifies the ones who fall away as those who receive the seed of God’s Word with joy, but, as soon as a time of testing comes along, they fall away. James says that the testing of our faith develops perseverance, which leads to maturity in our walk with God (James 1:3–4). James goes on to say that testing is a blessing, because, when the testing is over and we have “stood the test,” we will “receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). Testing comes from our heavenly Father who works all things together for good for those who love Him and who are called to be the children of God (Romans 8:28).
The testing or trials we undergo come in various ways. Becoming a Christian will often require us to move out of our comfort zones and into the unknown. Perseverance in testing results in spiritual maturity and completeness. This is why James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2). The testing of faith can come in small ways and daily irritations; they may also be severe afflictions (Isaiah 48:10) and attacks from Satan (Job 2:7). Whatever the source of the testing, it is to our benefit to undergo the trials that God allows.
The account of Job is a perfect example of God’s allowing one of His saints to be tested by the devil. Job bore all his trials patiently and “did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (Job 1:22). However, the account of Job’s testing is proof that Satan’s ability to try us is limited by God’s sovereign control. No demon can test or afflict us with beyond what God has ordained. All our trials work toward God’s perfect purpose and our benefit.
There are many examples of the positive results of being tested. The psalmist likens our testing to being refined like silver (Psalm 66:10). Peter speaks of our faith as “of greater worth than gold,” and that’s why we “suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1:6–7). In testing our faith, God causes us to grow into strong disciples who truly live by faith and not by what we see (2 Corinthians 5:7).
When we experience the storms of life, we should be like the tree that digs its roots ever more deeply for a greater grip in the earth. We must “dig our roots” more deeply into God’s Word and cling to His promises so we can weather whatever storms come against us.
Most comforting of all, we know that God will never allow us to be tested beyond what we are able to handle by His power. His grace is sufficient for us, and His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). “That is why,” Paul said, “for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Israel's Only Savior
But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
who are deaf, yet have ears!
All the nations gather together,
and the peoples assemble.
Who among them can declare this,
and show us the former things?
Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,
and let them hear and say, It is true.
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after me.
I, I am the Lord,
and besides me there is no savior.
I declared and saved and proclaimed,
when there was no strange god among you;
and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God.
Also henceforth I am he;
there is none who can deliver from my hand;
I work, and who can turn it back?”
Thus says the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“For your sake I send to Babylon
and bring them all down as fugitives,
even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.”
Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
who brings forth chariot and horse,
army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
“Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
The wild beasts will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches,
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself
that they might declare my praise.
“Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;
but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings,
or honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
or wearied you with frankincense.
You have not bought me sweet cane with money,
or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins;
you have wearied me with your iniquities.
“I, I am he
who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins.
Put me in remembrance; let us argue together;
set forth your case, that you may be proved right.
Your first father sinned,
and your mediators transgressed against me.
Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary,
and deliver Jacob to utter destruction
and Israel to reviling.
Isaiah 6 describes how the prophet Isaiah, through a vision from the Lord, begins his ministry for God.
In the vision, the Lord asks,
““Whom shall I send?
And who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8a). Isaiah’s response was to volunteer for service:
“Here am I; send me”
(verse 8b, KJV).
After a 52-year reign of relative peace, King Uzziah of Judah died of leprosy in 739 BC (2 Chronicles 26:16–23), the same year Isaiah began his prophetic ministry. In a vision Isaiah saw the Lord, “high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1). The Lord had a message to deliver to the nation of Judah, and He expresses His desire for a messenger in verse 8. Isaiah’s exclamation “Here am I; send me” marked the very beginning of his ministry; the priest was now a prophet, and the Lord’s message for Judah eventually became the book of Isaiah.
Before Isaiah could say, “Here am I; send me,” he had a problem that had to be addressed. Isaiah 6:5 describes how Isaiah was made aware of his own unworthiness: “Woe to me! . . . I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Standing in the Lord’s presence, Isaiah is made painfully aware of his sin, and he is broken about it in the same way as were Job (Job 42:6) and Peter (Luke 5:8) when they were confronted with the presence of the Lord. God was preparing Isaiah for his cleansing and commission.
After Isaiah acknowledges his sin, a seraph takes a burning piece of coal from the altar, touches Isaiah’s lips with it, and says, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for” (Isaiah 6:7). Some details are important here: Isaiah could not remove his own guilt, the atonement is made possible by the altar—the place of sacrifice—and the purification is specifically applied to the point of Isaiah’s sin—his lips—making Isaiah acceptable as a minister of God’s words.
It is only after Isaiah is cleansed of his sin that he says, “Here am I; send me.” Prior to that point, he saw himself as an unworthy messenger; once he was forgiven, he immediately desired to serve the Lord in whatever way possible. The Lord asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”—He wants willing volunteers in His service—and a grateful and enthusiastic Isaiah doesn’t hesitate in taking the opportunity: “Here am I; send me.” And for the rest of his life, Isaiah serves the God who had forgiven and saved him.
The phrase translated “I am who I am” in Hebrew is ehyeh asher ehyeh. The word ehyehis the first person common singular of the verb to be. It would be used in any number of normal situations: “I am watching the sheep,” “I am walking on the road,” or “I am his father.” However, when used as a stand-alone description, I AM is the ultimate statement of self-sufficiency, self-existence, and immediate presence. God’s existence is not contingent upon anyone else. His plans are not contingent upon any circumstances. He promises that He will be what He will be; that is, He will be the eternally constant God. He stands, ever-present and unchangeable, completely sufficient in Himself to do what He wills to do and to accomplish what He wills to accomplish.
When God identified Himself as I AM WHO I AM, He stated that, no matter when or where, He is there. It is similar to the New Testament expression in Revelation 1:8, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” This is true of Him for all time, but it would have been especially appropriate for a message in Moses’ day to a people in slavery and who could see no way out. I AM was promising to free them, and they could count on Him!
Moses and Aaron delivered the message to Pharaoh: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:1–2).
Pharaoh stood in opposition to the LORD. Pharaoh was not willing to concede that there was a power higher than himself. He was not willing to yield his plans to the One who was all-powerful and all-sufficient. In essence, Pharaoh was saying “I am who I am, and therefore I will not yield to another.” This seems to be the besetting sin of humanity. God is “The Great I AM,” but we continually want to be our own “I AM.” We make plans and determine that we will fulfill them no matter what. Even evidence to the contrary does not readily convince us of our weakness and contingency.
Jesus, in response to the Pharisees’ question “Who do you think you are?” said, “‘Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.’ ‘You are not yet fifty years old,’ the Jews said to him, ‘and you have seen Abraham!’ ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’ At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds” (John 8:56–59).
The violent response of the Jews to Jesus’ “I AM” statement indicates they clearly understood what He was declaring—that He was the eternal God incarnate. Jesus was equating Himself with the "I AM" title God gave Himself
in Exodus 3:14.
If Jesus had merely wanted to say He existed before Abraham’s time, He would have said, “Before Abraham, I was.” The Greek words translated “was,” in the case of Abraham, and “am,” in the case of Jesus, are quite different. The words chosen by the Spirit make it clear that Abraham was “brought into being,” but Jesus existed eternally (see John 1:1). There is no doubt that the Jews understood what He was saying because they took up stones to kill Him for making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). Such a statement, if not true, was blasphemy and the punishment prescribed by the Mosaic Law was death (Leviticus 24:11–14).
But Jesus committed no
blasphemy;
He was and is God,
the
second Person of the Godhead,
equal to
the Father in every way
Jesus used the same phrase
“I AM”
in seven declarations about Himself. In all seven,
He combines I AM
with tremendous metaphors which express
His saving
relationship toward the world.
All appear in the
book of John
They are I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51); I AM the Light of the World (John 8:12); I AM the Door of the Sheep (John 10:7, 9); I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14); I AM the Resurrection and the Life(John 11:25); I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6); and I AM the True Vine (John 15:1, 5).
Challenging both culture and human nature, Jesus has commanded His disciples to love their enemies. In doing so, they will be imitating God as sons naturally imitate their fathers. After all, God does good for everyone on earth, no matter whether they love Him or hate Him. He provides sun and rain to all (Matthew 5:43–46).
Merely loving your neighbors is not righteous enough to be like God the Father. Nobody is rewarded in the kingdom of heaven for loving people who already love them. Matthew, the former tax collector, included a quip from Jesus in the previous verse: that "even the tax collectors" love others who love them first (Matthew 5:46). It requires no special integrity or faith to love someone who is good to you.
Now Jesus gives an example of what loving an enemy might look like: greeting them! Jesus said that everyone greets their brothers, people who love them. By implication he is saying that only the truly righteous greet those who are opposed to them, meaning their enemies. In this cultural context, to greet someone gladly and mean it required removing any animosity in your heart toward that person. Someone who greets their enemies in this way is truly demonstrating God's love for everyone. This is a love and righteousness that goes way beyond what is normal for humanity. It's what Jesus expects of His disciples.
The Sermon on the Mount continues in chapter 6, which is entirely composed of the words of Christ. Jesus teaches that God rewards deeds motivated by sincere devotion to Him, not by approval from other people. He teaches a simple and authentic model prayer. Christ warns against stockpiling money and possessions on earth. Instead, believers should make choices that store up treasure in heaven. A person's top priority can either be God, or money, but cannot be both. Along with that, Jesus says believers should fight against anxiety about daily needs. The heavenly Father knows what we need. All we need to do is pursue His kingdom and righteousness; He will take care of our needs, one day at a time.
Pharisees ask Jesus if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause. Jesus reminds them marriage was designed by God at creation. Divorce, then, is lawful only in the case of sexual immorality. A rich young man asks Jesus what good thing he must do to have eternal life. Jesus insists only God is good. He challenges the man's sincerity by asking him to give all his wealth to the poor and follow Him. The man's refusal demonstrates how easy it is to prefer wealth to dependence on God. In response to the disciples' question, Jesus says salvation is impossible with men but not with God
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
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 3 through 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).
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)
