The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ.

Session 6: Jesus in Judea and Perea

Beatitudes

  A.  “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven”

B.    “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”

C.    “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”.

D.    “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled”.

E.     “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

F.     “Blessed are the Pure in Heart, for they will see God”

G.    “Matthew “Blessed are the Peacemakers for shall be called children of God”

1.     At peace with God within the Kingdom.

2.     At peace within ourselves.

3.     At peace with those around us.

4.     Isaiah 26:3.”You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.”

H.    The Beatitudes:

1.     Acknowledge them - A neutral position - Agnostic.

2.     Accept them - passively in our mind. (1 and 2 only involve the mind, the move to 3 involves the whole person, the will).

3.     Affirm them.- “the intent of the will”.

4.     Embrace them.- “in doing”

5.     Rejoice in them. - Seeing from the God’s perspective or spiritually seeing.

Class Note: We will revisit the “Teachings” of Jesus more in depth during the last few weeks of class.

I. The Beginning of Jesus’ Public ministry.

II.    Summary of Galilean Ministry.

III. Jesus’ Travels Outside Galilee

A.    Travels to Tyre and Sidon (travels outside Herod Antipas territory after conflict.) John 6:66 “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him”

B.    Jesus proclaimed Messiah at Caesarea Phillippi. (Matt. 16:13-20, Mark 8:27-30, Luke 9:18-21). Look @ Matthew and Luke’s descriptions.

1.     Matt 16:21 “From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem”

2.     Luke 9:51 “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” (Set his face toward)

C. The Kingdom of Heaven placed in the hands of men.

a.      Power to bind/loose - preaching the gospel.

D. Increasing unfolding of the Cross. (In the context of Messiah proclamation by Peter)

1.     Jesus predicts His death (Matthew 16:21-28)

a.      “Not so, Lord” - This is a contradiction of terms.

b.     Jesus rebuke of Peter.  (note p.i. immediately after “rock”)

2.     Deny oneself (Luke 9:23-27.)

E. The transfiguration.

1.     A glimpse of the other side of the cross.

2.     The 2^nd explicit time the Father speaks. - God himself ratifies and affirms)

F. Point about this period in Jesus’ ministry.

1.     Jesus continuing to explain who He is, and the cost of discipleship.

2.     Continued inability by the disciples to really perceive.

3.     Explicit unfolding of the cross and meaning of discipleship.

4.     God the Father affirming and ratifying.

IV. The Judean and Perean Ministry

A.    Jesus continues healing, teaching and preaching (as he did in Galilee).

1.     Lazarus

2.     Healing in the Temple.

B.    Jesus continues to live independently of  Jewish additions to the law.

1.     Washing

2.     Healing on the Sabbath

C.    More open conflicts with the Pharisees.

1.     Soon to escalate to the Sanhedrin.

2.     Jesus waits for the right time (“fullness of time”- Gal.4:4, Mark 1:15 ) John 7:10-12 “However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.  ¹¹ Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, “Where is that man?” ¹² Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.”  ¹³ But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.”

D.    Less travel and more centralized activity around Jerusalem.

1.     Bethany as basecamp, approx. 30 minute walk to Jerusalem.

E.     Greater urgency of message - He sends out 72.

F.     Marked emphasis on the cost of discipleship.

1.     Focus in on the cost

2.     Rich young ruler

3.     The Narrow Gate - “few”.

G.    Emphasis on the present reality of the Kingdom.

1.     Jesus as guarantee/proof.

H.    Strong denunciation of hypocrisy particularly within the religious hierarchy.

I.       Greater identification and open association with the lost.

J.      Repeated statements on the death and resurrection. (disciples still clueless).

K.   Parables emphasize  grace and salvation in a new fashion.

1.     Prodigal Son

2.     Lost Sheep

3.     Mustard seed and leaven parables.

4.     Greatness in the Kingdom. (first/last and last/first.) (Dr. Elwell’s comment - Our service (death) is our victory (life)).

5.     We give up our own claim to greatness. (Isn’t that being saved by grace?)

V.    Some episodes from the Judean Ministry.

A.    Rejection by Samaritans.

1.     Luke 9:51-55 “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.  ⁵² And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him;  ⁵³ but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.  ⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”  ⁵⁵ But Jesus turned and rebuked them,  ⁵⁶ and they went to another village.”

n      v51 from NASB, “And it came about, when the days were approaching for His ascension, that He resolutely set His face to go to Jerusalem”

n      He again plans ahead by sending an advance team.

n      James and John recall 2 Kings 1:9-11.

n      Jesus exhorts them to tolerance.

B.    Healing the man born blind in the Temple.

1.     Healing in the Temple. John 9:1-41.

a.      Who sinned this man or his parents?

b.     “that the power of God would be manifest”

c.      Nothing outside the will of God.

d.     Jn. 9:38 Jesus accepts worships right in the Temple!!

e.      Jn 9:40 “You are condemned in your spiritual blindness”

C.    Warning and Exhortations in Matthew 12:1-7, and 13:1-5

1.     Be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy. 12:1

a.      yeast as unnoticeable yet pervasive influence.

b.     cf. Mark 8:15 from last week.

c.      Why is hypocrisy so important to Jesus’?

2.     Nothing is secret from the Father. 12:3

3.     Fear those who can do more than physical harm. 12:4,5

4.     Even the hairs on your head are numbered. 12:7

5.     Luke 13:1-5 “Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.  ² Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?  ³ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.  ⁴ Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?  ⁵ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

n      All are human, calamity can happen to any.

n      Being killed or not killed is not a measure of righteousness.

n      In fact, all are destined to die. Only God’s grace causes any to live at all. (recall Matt. 12:7).

n      Only repentance can bring life. (The common lot of all).

D.    Jesus at a Pharisee’s House.  - Luke 14:1-24.

1.     Another glimpse into the Kingdom - the value differ from prevailing thought.

2.     Jesus associating with the entire gamut of individuals wherever they’re at.

3.     Consistently, intent takes precedence over form.

4.     Humility as strength.

E.     Lazurus is raised - John 11:1-46.

1.     v.6 Jesus operating on God timing.

2.     v. 33,34 Jesus moved by their feelings.

3.     v.35 “Jesus wept”.

4.     v. 43 “Lazarus, Come out!”. Reminiscent of Jn 5:28, and an object lesson on life. (St. Augustine once remarked if Jesus had not said Lazarus’ name, all the dead would have risen!).

5.     The stakes are raised again, as the Pharisees immediately plot to kill Jesus.

F.     The Plot to Kill Jesus and Jesus’ retreat to Ephraim. (John 11:45-54)

1.     v. 45. Always a variety of responses to the person of Jesus.

2.     v. 50. It is “better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish” - The rationalization of the world’s perspective.

3.     v.51-53 - John discerns the working of God in Caiaphas’ words.

G.    Rewards for service and Laborers in the Vinyard (Matt. 19:27-20:16)

            1. The “renewal of all things” 19:28. (Amen).

H.    Jesus predicts His death the 3^rd time and James and John seek glory. (Matthew 20:17-28, Mark 10:32-45.)

1.     Matthew has James and John’s mother making the request, Mark cites James and John themselves.

2.     Jesus defers the prerogative to the Father.

3.     Disciples still do not understand His teaching on humility.

4.     A Contrast of leadership styles (Gentiles vs. The Kingdom).

I.       Jesus anointed by Mary at Bethany. (Matt. 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, John 11:55-12:11).