The Baptist questioned the value of Christ’s teaching/pastoral ministry when he didn’t continue the wrecking-ball attacks his initial Temple cleansing promised. Nevertheless, knowing that his entire ministry modeled the strong teaching and active compassion God wanted from Messiah, Jesus appealed to John’s initial faith to power him through his doubts Luke 7:18-23,John 1:29-36.
Jesus never had that opportunity with the leadership. They never had faith in him. Not when he began, not as he continued, not as he systematically shredded their every effort to match insights with him, not as he silenced them with the question of Messiah’s identity. Nothing he said or did surfaced even a hint of belief. Jesus had no illusions. His Parable of the Tenants proved that he knew their intention: “This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance” Matthew 21:38c. From Psalm 110, however, Jesus offered the gathered leaders insuperable scriptural proof of his true Identity. First, if the Christ had been only a descendant of David, he, under the Spirit’s inspiration, would certainly have called his offspring son. But he didn’t. Second, instead, the LORD—Jehovah—said to David’s Lord—Adonai—“Sit at my right hand....” David didn’t talk to anyone. He recorded only what YHWH said to Adonai—God the Father to God the Son. Inescapable conclusion then: the ONE revealing the prophecy’s meaning stood before the leaders as the embodiment and interpreter of all Scripture: Jesus, called the Christ. Indeed, as Gabriel made clear to both Joseph and Mary, he called Jesus the Son of God before referring to his descent through David Matthew 1:21,23, Luke 1:31-33. Since in that culture no father yielded allegiance to his son, David’s Lord is none other than the Son of God, David’s sovereign, not merely his descendant. The Holy Spirit as a dove proved Jesus God’s Son John 1:31-34. The Resurrection of Jesus proved Jesus God’s Son Romans 1:4. Two historic events 3 ½ years apart. One a message to Israel: Here is your Messiah. The other a message to the world: Here is your God. Jesus embodied the Kingdom of God as Robert E. Lee embodied the Confederate cause in 1861-1865. Jesus embodied a living, successful, spiritual cause and Lee but a failed, cursed national hope. Jesus embodied the Kingdom of God in Israel and the kingdom of God world-and-history-wide. And on into eternity as the Forever-High Priest interceding with God for his Chosen Saved. End Part VII
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
May 2024
Categories
All
|