Bible, NT-14, Gospel-5, Luke-1
Part 1
LESSON 14
THE GOSPEL 5
LUKE 1
PART 1
By Rev. G. E. Newmyer
INTRODUCTION TO LESSON 14
This first part of Luke will open the door to denying the self and picking up our cross. Luke is the only Gentile writer (scribe) of the New Testament, and really… he was the only Gentile scribe in the entire Bible; however, it doesn’t take away from the importance of his account. Rather, it proves that the Promise was opened to the Gentiles. The irony of Luke is, how he, as a Gentile, is writing to a Gentile teacher about Jewish mannerisms. Luke was with Paul, meaning that he was privy to knowledge regarding Jewish rites; yet to many Gentiles, the Jewish ways were a mystery, making it hard to teach the Gospel without knowing about them. Thus we find God using a Gentile to teach a Gentile about the Jews.
To the Gentile, self-righteousness had nothing to do with the Law, which can be a clue to those of us who have Gentile backgrounds. Paul said that God (the Sower) gives the Seed, and we in turn, “water it”; but the growth is dependent on the condition of the Ground, whether the ground is Jew or Gentile. We also know God gave the Law to Israel, yet He also gave the “measure of faith” to all. Why then, do we use any of these, and think we’ve done some great and righteous thing? There would be no “step of faith”, without the measure of faith. There would be no “deed under the Law,” without the Law. There would be no “good thing,” unless God gave us the “Good Gift.” Self-righteousness is… using anything from God, and then taking credit for the doing. Abraham believed God, not to gain right standing, but simply because he knew that God was faithful. Abraham didn’t brag in his belief, he held it. Belief is the foundation for our faith, it is not “the unseen,” but nonetheless, without a sound belief, our faith has no direction: let us begin.
LESSON 14
THE GOSPEL 5
LUKE’S ACCOUNT – 1
PART ONE
Today’s society appears to be upside down, inside out, backward, and headed downhill at an alarming pace; and, if ever the cares of this world were able to rock our foundation it becomes obvious, that today’s world is capable. However, we still have a promise of being an over-comer, the Blood of Jesus is still just as powerful, and we are still being cleaned and prepared. The world may suffer tribulation, but the Kingdom of God is unharmed. We are a people set apart to enter the process of Growth, and it won’t stop until we are face to face with the Lord. Luke is a teaching on growth, the area where we can get a handle on this thing called “Denying the self.”
Matthew’s account was directed to the “Seed and Root”; Mark to the “Blade”; now Luke to the “Full Ear”, who are also the “Young Men,” who have overcome the wicked; therefore, this lesson is purposed to place us in a position where our minds are centered on gaining the Power of His Christ, to become the promised overcomer. The Root is usually affected by the world, the Blade maybe, but the Full Ear never: the Full Corn in the Ear are so heavenly minded, that they have to be reminded, there is a world.
As the Full Corn in the Ear, we arrive at the place of continual belief; where will not be those who waver back and forth, but those who are steadily headed for… the purpose of our faith, “even the salvation of our souls.”
Luke wasn’t an apostle or a prophet. We don’t read where he was one of the seven Deacons, nor do we read where he was an Elder; neither was he involved in the early days of the ministry, nor is he recorded to have done any healings or miracles. We don’t see any evidence regarding where he preached, but he is nonetheless the only Gentile scribe in the Bible. It’s so fitting, Luke will be a “no-body Gentile” writing to a Gentile about the Jewish view of the Messiah. Luke will either make direct mention, or hint about various Jewish rites and traditions connecting directly to the viewpoint of the Jew who is looking for the Messiah. Luke is our promise, he was not a theologian, not a Bible scholar, but he was Born Again, and he was fully able to hear the Master’s voice.
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, (1:1).
The word Declaration means a Narrative, or an Explicit statement in written form, which is always better than word of mouth. We see then with 1:1, that Luke is going to put things in writing, a good idea; (and when we get a Word, we should write it down). With this Book of the Bible, Luke is not the first to write, yet he isn’t out to correct anyone; he is out to explain to a Gentile how the Jewish mind saw Jesus.
Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the Word; (1:2).
Luke identifies himself here as the scribe, but he doesn’t claim to be an eyewitness; rather he uses the benefit of having all the eyewitnesses around him. Therefore we find, that both Mark and Matthew were among the eyewitnesses, and as they spoke, Luke listened.
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto you in order, most excellent Theophilus (1:3).
Luke shows, that this Understanding is not based on his own conclusions; rather, Perfect Understanding comes from the experiences that one has with the Holy Ghost. Luke is obviously Born Again, and his Spirit did bear witness to these things being true and “good”.
The name Theophilus is Greek, which actually means “a friend of God”; but in the Hebrew it is Gutlieb, which means A Lover Of God. A search of Roman history shows that there was no procurator (most excellent) person by this name; thus this reference points to the respect due to one who is appointed in the Offices, and here more specifically, a Teacher. Metaphorically we can see that the Holy Ghost is writing to those who are: Lovers of God, who desire to be Friends of God, and to those who desire more teaching on “denying the self and picking up their cross.”
Theophilus is also one of the few Greek names which could be given to a Jewish male at circumcision, adding to the concept of this account and giving us the Jewish perspective, from one Gentile (Luke) to another Gentile (Theophilus,) who loves God.
After Luke wrote this Gospel Account, he wrote another treatise to this same Theophilus, regarding the “Acts of the Apostles” (Acts 1:1). The Book of Acts explores how the teachings of Jesus were applied by the disciples after the Resurrection, as the Holy Ghost operated with the disciples. Here in Luke however, the subject is not the “Acts” of the apostles, but the “Ways” of Jesus. Both this letter and Acts are teaching documents; the structure of this letter especially, lays out events in a teaching mode, and in adding “most excellent,” we find that this letter is written to a teacher for the sake of teaching. The use of the wording, Most Excellent means of Great Dignity, or Great Power and Might. Luke explains why Theophilus was known as most excellent, showing Theophilus as a Christian leader. Felix was known by Luke as “an” excellent governor, not as “the most excellent,” and so we can’t confuse the two (Acts 23:26). The phrase Most Excellent points to one who is appointed and anointed by God, while the term “excellent” points to one who is appointed.
How do we know that the Book of Acts came second? In Acts, Luke said, “the former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all Jesus began both to do and teach” (Acts 1:1). Clearly Acts was written to the same Theophilus as an addition to this document; and the most obvious reference to show this, is a teaching document (is his reference to “teach”).
That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein you have been instructed (1:4).
Theophilus had been instructed in matters, recorded in both Mark & Matthew, since both were open letters to all Christians; thus Luke lifts a layer on these truths, without changing the context of the Truth. Attempting to make the Gospel some natural intellectual endeavor loses much. Luke’s account is an example of how a teacher links premise to concept, based on the knowledge of God, not the knowledge of man. Luke will take some events, place them completely out of order, yet link them to a premise of teaching.
These first four verses give us the scenario for the purpose of Luke’s account. The word Certainty doesn’t mean that Theophilus had false information, rather, this teaching was adding to his basis of Truth, thus Luke is adding precepts on matters that Theophilus had been teaching, not to correct him, but to bring the precept into a more meaningful position. Luke will add information to John’s birth, then show the Jewish concepts regarding the young male; he will show how Jesus, as a youth, was more than exceptional, yet Jesus, as the Son of man, was born of a woman as a Jew…. according to the Law, in order to represent mankind (Rom 1:3).
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth (1:5).
Isn’t it interesting how God stuck to the orders He had established, as we see in “the priests from Aaron, the kings from Judah.” The phrase “daughters of Aaron” was neither in reference to a social or religious club, rather it reflected Elisabeth’s genealogy and went directly to the actual daughters of Aaron. The “course of Abia” speaks of the duty of Abia (which is the Greek for the Hebrew Abijah). This duty was in relationship to keeping the lamps and incense burning. By using the terms Daughters of Aaron with the Course of Abia, Luke covers the first tabernacle maintained by Moses and Aaron, as he brings it to the rebuilt temple in the days of Zerubbabel (Neh 12:1 & 12:4). In the rebuilt temple they continued the same course of Abijah, as did Iddo, who was the father of Zechariah, the prophet, but Zechariah the prophet is not the same person as Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. Neither is this Herod the same Herod who would cut off John the Baptist’s head, rather this is Herod the Great, the father of Herod Antipas; and it was Antipas who cut the head off John the Baptist.
We find that both Elisabeth and Zacharias have lines going back to the original priesthood under Aaron, giving John the Baptist priestly authority under Aaron. It might not seem important, but under the Law only a priest could wash the Sacrifice. God had it all in the plan before Adam took his first breath. Since Zacharias is a temple worker, one would think he would know the importance of prayer, but knowing the importance and believing in our prayers are different, as we will see.
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (1:6).
This form of Righteousness is not based on faith, rather it is based on doing the commandments and ordinances willingly, which is still self-righteousness. However, we must keep in mind that this is still before the Cross, and all man had was his self-righteousness. Yet, we find that man can obey willingly, or reluctantly.
And they had no child, because that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years (1:7).
Zacharias had the knowledge of “Abraham’s belief,” (as found in the Scriptures) as Abraham believed God. But Zacharias is like most of us who presume… “yeah, that’s Abraham”; but Zacharias will soon find that God has a Plan to be done, even if Zacharias doesn’t believe it.
And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord (1:8-9).
It was up to Zacharias to keep the incense burning; the incense represented the prayers of the people, another example of a “duty” being done, but lacking the witness of truly believing. Zacharias had prayed in the past for a child of his own, but did he really believe his prayers? The man is in charge of the Incense, the very symbol of the prayers of the people, surely he would believe his own prayer.
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of the incense, And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense (1:10-11).
The angel appeared on the right side, as a symbol of the Messiah sitting on the right hand side of God, this was a sign of the Authority granted the angel to bring the message; this was not an e-mail from heaven, this was a message from God Himself as if God was standing there.
When Zacharias saw him (the angel), he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for your prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John (1:12-13).
The phrase “Fear not” also means “I’m not of fear”, yet it was up to Zacharias to believe it. The people were praying outside, Zacharias was burning the incense, then the angel says, “Your prayer is heard”; and the man did pray for a child and he was a man in charge of “prayers.” Then adding all the prayers going on outside, surely now he will jump for joy; God has heard him.
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth (1:14).
Wow… Joy, Gladness and Rejoicing; sounds like a “good word”, but like any Word, it must be received. Not only do we have the angel saying that there will be a child, but he even names the sex (he), gives the name of the child, adding the ministry for the child. It’s all in order, the Plan is there, this is not a guess, it’s a fact about to come to pass.
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb, and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God (1:15-16).
Here the wording is Shall; “not” perhaps, as this should have been enough to set Zacharias on a course of belief, so “it might be by faith.”
There is a difference between being Filled with the Holy Ghost for a purpose, and being Filled with the Spirit as a result of the New Birth. John was not Born Again, nor was he baptized with the Holy Ghost; rather the Holy Ghost worked with him in respect to his calling and ministry. The Holy Ghost will not go beyond the authority; John never healed the sick, or cast out devils, as those were not under the authority granted him. John’s position was to “prepare the way,” not make it, as he preached the coming Christ; he was to baptize in water unto repentance. He was to preach that Jesus would be the one to baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire; he (John) was to wash the Lamb of God (Son of man), in reference to the task that he was God’s priest by the Holy Ghost, to present the Lamb to the Father. Only the Holy Ghost could be the true presenter, thus John was filled with the Holy Ghost for the purpose.
And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (1:17).
The angel didn’t say that John would have The Power of Christ, or The Power of God, rather… the power of the prophet, with the same attitude, conviction, and purpose of Elijah. John shall go Before the Lord, and this should have taken Zacharias to Malachi, where it is written, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6). The primary purpose of Elijah, was preparation unto repentance, and John would be no different. John was not a reincarnation, he didn’t have the soul of Elijah; he maintained the Elijah message (conviction and attitude).
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years (1:18).
Everything was going along just fine, until Zacharias decided that all of this depended on his ability. Zacharias wanted some sign, goose bumps, walls shaking, or some other tangible indication; yet there was an angel standing before him, plus the words spoken by the angel came from God. Yet Zacharias wanted a personal sign, some covenant agreement; but the prayer was his request, and it was answered, providing him more than enough reason to believe.
And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season (1:19-20).
Gabriel just finished saying, “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just” (Luke 1:17). Zacharias should have known “the Just live by His faith”, yet, he was still holding unbelief. Well, he would get his sign. Zacharias prayed, but he failed to believe unto the result of the prayer. Doing what God gives us day by day is obedience, believing that we have received the promise takes continual belief, which becomes the foundation for our faith.
God imputes something to us, we believe we receive, then our faith enters until it becomes imparted. Although Zacharias entered unbelief, it didn’t stop the event, so who then, had the faith? It wasn’t a matter of faith, it was a matter of belief. There was past evidence in the life of Abraham indicating to Zacharias that God could do this, what the angel had imparted; the prayer was said, and now answered. Unbelief says that God is not able to start, and Zacharias felt that it wasn’t going to begin. Gabriel is telling Zacharias that, all that God has seen the child do, the child will do, yet Zacharias still says, “how will I know?”; he wanted his own personal sign, yet his prayer was answered, thus he didn’t even believe his own prayer, something to be aware of. It seems that our first area of teaching is, praying in faith and looking for the result, rather than speaking words into space.
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless (1:21-22).
The people looked for a sign as well, but their concern was over the incense. As they were praying, Zacharias was holding the incense before the altar, thus he was standing for the prayers of others, but refused to believe in his own prayers. Zacharias was bound by the attitudes of the Temple at the time. Like many, he sought hope, but really didn’t see any hope about him. When Hope did present itself, he fell into unbelief. This is a very good lesson, showing how our belief must be day to day. In Zacharias’ case, he felt that having a child was impossible, yet he prayed for one, and when the news came and his prayers were answered, he turned back to the “impossible”, causing him to fall into unbelief. His faith never became an issue, but his unbelief stopped any concept of faith before it had a chance to begin.
The physical body movements of Zacharias told the people that he had seen a vision, but he was unable to speak with his voice, or explain what happened. Zacharias wanted a sign and got one; however, it wasn’t the sign he was looking for.
And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein He looked on me, to take away my reproach among men (1:23-25).
Zacharias would finish his course in the temple, then immediately Elizabeth would conceive; but then she hid herself for five months. The thought that “a Jewish man wasn’t a real man until his wife had a man-child” was, (and is) popular in many cultures. Elisabeth hiding herself was a protection of the miracle as well, showing that there are times when we don’t cast our pearls before swine. Later this same Elisabeth will tell Mary, “Blessed is she who believed”, indicating that Elisabeth understood the importance of belief.
The Jewish custom regarding the birth of a male child, as compared to a female child, would send chills down the spine of a modern thinking woman; however, to these people, a male child stood for a sign of the continuance of their family name in the tribe. Also, it was the male who would gain the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant, not the female, thus they felt that a male child was better than a female. The father of a Jewish house would prepare a great feast on the day of delivery, invite all his friends, neighbors, and family, then they would wait to hear the news. If it was a male they would celebrate for days, if a female they would all go home, with no celebration at all. The angel told Zacharias that the child would be a male, which was an additional point for his belief.
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary (1:26-27).
Gabriel was not waiting on earth, he was sent From God to complete the second part of the message. The First Part was promised on earth, and produced on the earth for the family of the earth; the Second Part came from Heaven to link heaven and earth.
Zacharias was very close to binding things to the earth, John was of the earth to announce a heavenly action, yet Mary is a different story. God wasn’t waiting in heaven wondering if Elizabeth would conceive, neither was Gabriel pacing the floor wondering if Elizabeth would go full term. This was something seen from the foundation of the world; it was time for the timing of God to meet the time of man.
The actual date of the birth of Jesus, or of John is not known, but the actual dates of the Cross, Resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost are known. Why not the Birth? The Birth was a beginning, but the Cross brought us our beginning.
The word Espoused refers to the custom wherein the man was engaged to the woman for a period of one year. During the year there was no sexual contact whatsoever; if they could get along with each other without physical contact, then the premise was, that they could marry and maintain as husband and wife. This was not part of the Law, but what the Jew calls, Agenda, or a precept not clear in the Scripture but suggested therein.
It would take much more than simple belief for Mary to go along with the words of the angel. Her belief in the words empowered her faith, she did have the words of the prophet to support her belief (Isa 7:14). She received the words of the angel, as a foundation to believe. From the foundation, her faith could take hold; however, when she meets Elizabeth we will find that “belief”, not faith, brought Mary into the area of being blessed.
Her belief would be tested: if she appeared with child during the espousal period, she would be subject to a stoning, public exposure, and ridicule. Zacharias was married; Mary was not. Elisabeth was expected to be with child; Mary was not. Zecharias prayed for a child, Mary had not. Mary had to believe beyond her condition, and in God’s protection as well. She didn’t have the experience of another, she couldn’t reach for her tape study, and she didn’t run to the prayer circle to find a like experience. Zacharias had Abraham as a past experience; Mary did not. Therefore, we find another premise of belief; to believe what is said, even if there is no prior proof. The angel gave Mary a “Word”, yet the performance had to couple with her belief. There are some who don’t give Mary enough credit for her belief, others who give her too much; but nonetheless she believed, and became blessed among women.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with you: blessed art thou among women (1:28).
This is not a greeting that one would expect, and any of us in the same condition would wonder, “what is going on?” if presented with such a salutation. God said through Isaiah, “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isa 7:14). The name Immanuel means God among us, or God with us; so, it would seem that Mary missed it by calling the child Jesus, but the title Immanuel reflects God’s purpose, rather than the actual name of the child. The identification usage for a name, and the name which represents Authority, are much different. Jesus means “JAH is Salvation”, and the name Jesus appears well over 900 times in the New Testament; however, if we limit the Name to identification, we become a legalist…for instance, in how to pronounce the name or how exactly to spell it. After all, perhaps we should spell it “JSUS” in all due respect. Wrong, the Authority in the Name is the issue. We don’t say, “Come out in the Power of Jesus”, or “Come out in the positional arrangement of Jesus”, rather, we say, In the Name….representing the Authority granted us from God Himself.
No Name (authority) is greater, the Authority (Name) of Jesus is greater than all names (Authorities). Jesus is Immanuel (God with us), after the Resurrection, the Authority of the Trinity… Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, was combined in the Name of Jesus. Whether one says, “the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost,” or “the Name of Jesus,”… it’s still the “Name.” The Birth of Jesus introduced the Name, and the Earthly ministry placed it into action, while the Resurrection made it the only Name by which man can be saved (Acts 4:12).
To the Jew, the word One means indivisible, thus Jews can’t conceive of a Triune God. Jesus said, He and the Father were One, and to the Pharisees, this went six steps past Agenda, and deep into heresy. They could see that God is One in Character, Purpose, and Mind; but they couldn’t conceive of God displaying His Character, Purpose, and Mind in three aspects, yet remaining One.
The Jews knew that they “are the chosen,” and so they held to… Tzadikei umot ha-olam (the righteous of the peoples of the world); however, they forgot that the “works of Abraham’s righteousness” pertained to “belief,” not the “deeds” of the Law. They also forgot the words of the prophet, as they Limited the Holy One by refusing to believe that All things are possible with God, even the concept of God being incarnate (Ps 78:41). The “chosen” aspect of Israel didn’t stretch to heaven, rather it consisted of God having chosen Israel from all the nations of the earth; they assumed that God gave them the Law as a form of honoring them, rather than the Law being a production from God’s Mercy to protect them because of their unbelief.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God (1:29-30).
Mary wasn’t afraid of the angel; it was the saying that troubled her. Perhaps this angel may have stopped at the wrong address; and like many of us, she looked around and said, “Who me?” She wondered what deed she did to gain Favor; she knew that Favor represented a very honorable position. However, it wasn’t her great works, but her belief making her favored before God. We saw how Zacharias was righteous, but here we see the word Favored; is there a difference? The word Favored is the Greek word Charis translated as Grace, thus we find Mary as a type of “imputed Grace” because Jesus was in her, the same imputed Grace we have the instant we receive the Spirit of Christ in us. It was the child in her bringing Grace to her, not her works, social position, or Jewish roots. She was blessed among women, making her a variable, not a constant. John’s account tells us that Grace came with Jesus, thus Mary being “found” in Grace, doesn’t mean she obtained Grace, it means she was carrying Grace in her womb; yet, her belief was seen before the foundation of the world.
Jesus is a constant; He changes not. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. However, Mary will be changed, more than once. The first change is here, when her belief will be enforced; later, on the Day of Pentecost, she will be changed again. However, if Jesus changes not, how then is He the Son of man and Son of God? Being the same, yet operating in different positions is possible. Paul told us that Jesus was made (not created) of the Seed of David according to the flesh, but Declared to be the Son of God with Power, according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection (Rom 1:3-4). Before the beginning, Jesus as the Word “was,” Jesus was also the Son of God before the Resurrection, but the Resurrection “Declared” the evidence and proof of His position.
Jesus is the same, and we can count on it. He won’t have mood swings, yet we know that Jesus is He who grants us Salvation, and yet will also be the same Jesus who administers Judgment. Will He change? No, but aren’t there marked physical differences between the Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, and the Jesus who John sees in the Book of Revelation? Yes, but John sees one “like unto the Son of man,” not the Son of God; thus it’s positional (Rev 1:13). Jesus will judge with the same Honesty and Mercy as He uses in Salvation, the same Character, the same Nature, the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8).
We can continue with Mary, as she builds her belief unto her faith.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name JESUS. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: (1:31-32).
Mary knows that she is a handmaiden. The angel didn’t say, “your son”, or “you are the mother of God”, rather it was “the Son of the Highest,” indicating the importance of who Jesus Is. Mary gave birth to the Son of man, while the Father produced the Son of God, giving us the dual positions noted in Romans 1:3-4. Mary is the line to David; this doesn’t take away from her, but we don’t want to exalt her above measure, doing her a disservice. Mary is hearing something that the prophets talked about, but this for her, went far beyond the known method of conception. Here the angel says, Mary will conceive, yet it was known that God had set forth the rule, and therefore, it took one male and one female to conceive. This angel is telling her that God has “changed”? Some of us would have said, “Get you behind me Satan, you are just trying to trick me”. However, when God formed Adam it was not by conception, yet God told Adam male and Adam female to multiply. However, before Adam was formed, God said, “Let us make man in our image,” thus, the process is beginning here with Mary. God was not changing, He was moving along in the Plan.
Mary had some choices here….she could have asked, “is this of God?” She could have said “can’t be, it’s not in line with the methods of God,” yet it was. With God, the impossible is possible. Was it Scriptural? Yes; the prophet Isaiah said this is exactly how God would do it (Isa 7:14); therefore, Mary had the evidence in Scripture, just as Zacharias did, but the difference is, that Mary believed.
The selection of Mary alone tells us something about her; do we think God would have picked her if she would have marched down the street telling people, “Watch out now, I’m carrying the Son of God, don’t touch me, don’t you dare mess with the anointed of God” or if she strutted down the street telling everyone about her great belief? Not hardly, her meekness and humbleness became her trademarks. On the same note there are variables and constants, the constants change not, but variables are subject to change. God is a constant, Mary was not, she was picked from among women. Special yes, a God, no.
Since Jesus is known as the “son of David,” does this mean that God is going to raise David from the dead so that David can become the father of Jesus? Was the Holy Ghost a reincarnation of David? No, David was the first anointed and appointed king by God, Solomon was appointed by David; but Jesus would take the promised throne of the House of David. Since one can only take the throne when the king dies, it stands that no one can take the throne from Jesus, who Lives forever more. Thus Jesus still has the keys to the House of David. Knowing what we know about the king and priest events just before the Romans took over the land, shows us that the “kingly” position according to God, has to come from the line of David, not Aaron. David was not from the tribe of Levi; God established an order for Israel and one for us. We can’t mix orders, it would make us unequal.
And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end (1:33).
The House of Jacob produced Israel and the Twelve Tribes; the House of David produced the position for the kings; it will be the House of David opening for the Remnant. Jesus will reign over the House forever, yet He has the keys to the House of David, which House has an appointed time and duty.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? (1:34).
Zacharias asked, “Whereby shall I know this?” which is much different, than “how are you going to do it?”. Zacharias wanted a sign, while Mary wanted an explanation. Mary was willing to give up everything based on the promise; Zacharias didn’t have to give up a thing. Mary knew God had a plan, she simply wanted to know her role in it.
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (1:35).
Here Mary is told, that the Creator is going to produce Himself in the womb of a woman, and use her reproductive flesh to develop a covering, so the child will have a right to operate on the earth as the Son of Man; and all this without any special preparation on Mary’s part. Mary didn’t have to stand on her head, bow to the east, pray fifty times a day; she believed.
Paul said that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature” (Col 1:15). From this statement, some tend to think that Jesus was created before time existed, or Jesus is created; however, Paul’s use of the Greek clears up the question. The word Image means “Which Resembles”; it doesn’t mean a reproduction, but it really defines “Let us make man in Our image.” Paul shows that the Image is the New Man; the prophecy may have begun with Adam, but it comes to pass in the New Birth.
The Greek wording used for “First begotten” or First born doesn’t mean “the first one born,” rather it means the cause of creation. Jesus is the cause for all creation, not the result of it. Paul didn’t say Jesus was created (Greek, Ktisheis); rather Jesus is the beginning or the source of creation (Greek, Arche).
Mary was told that she needed to do nothing, except continue to believe; then the Holy Ghost would overshadow her to take care of the rest. This premise proves, “If you have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, you can have the Spirit”; it’s merely asking, then God imputes, then comes the faith, then the Impartation, but it all starts with belief.
And, behold, your cousin Elisabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible (1:36-37).
The confirmation of the promise came as Elizabeth was also with child; the phrase, “with God nothing shall be impossible” goes far beyond what our human minds can conceive. Mary knew that God was able, even though there were no physical conclusions, or past experiences for Mary to trust in. She reached beyond her reasoning and believed beyond any reason to believe. Also, the phrase, “For with God nothing shall be impossible” …reminds us of Sarah as she heard, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” (Gen 18:14). Although these two phrases are related, they are also separated. Sarah laughed, while Mary Believed; Sarah was asked a question, and Mary was given a statement. As soon as Mary heard that God was putting this together, her belief touched her faith, and she submitted to the Power of God. Not a bad lesson to consider, when we hear God promising us, what seems to be impossible.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to your word. And the angel departed from her (1:38).
Gabriel knew that Mary would believe; her confession of belief was evidenced in her words and regardless of what “man” would think, or anyone else, she was going to believe in God. So, Mary said, “Let it be done”, regardless of what she would have to give up, “let it be done.” Grace is a free Gift, but it does cost something to maintain; if it didn’t, why would Jesus tell us to count the cost? None of us can do anything of the flesh to obtain Grace: no good work, no sacrifice, no effort. However, to maintain Grace, will cost us; thus Grace is… the ability to “do Grace.” Once we obtain Grace, it’s proven by having the New Man (Spirit); thus the Ability is found in the New Man, but it still costs us to maintain. Why would Jesus tell us to deny the self and pick up our Cross, if there wasn’t a cost? Everything we need to overcome, is included in the Gift of Grace; thus Grace is the Spirit and Jesus provided the means for us to receive the Gift. Then, through “The Gift” we are able to pay the price willingly.
When Mary heard that Elizabeth also conceived, she knew that much of this event went beyond her, but she considered….. who was she to disbelieve God?
And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and spoke out with a loud voice, and said Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord (1:39-45).
As soon as the angel left, Mary went to see Elisabeth to share their good news; and soon as Mary appeared, Elisabeth prophesied. We also see that Elisabeth was “filled with the Holy Ghost”, but she didn’t lay hands on the sick; the “filling” was specific to the purpose,which was to give a prophecy regarding Jesus, and to pronounce a blessing on Mary.
The fruit of the womb is the product, or the produce at birth; the Fruit of the Spirit is the product of the growth of the Seed of God. Thus we are “Born Again,” so that “Born of the Spirit is Spirit.” We may have a physical body, but we are Spirit, learning how to be spiritual.
Mercy places us in the kingdom of heaven giving us Life, much like the position of Adam, but Adam didn’t have the character of Christ. Instead of God taking character from us, He puts the Christ Character in us; thus the Process of Justification is a forming of our souls by the New Creation, rather than forcing our souls to accept the Character. God has declared us Justified by the Cross, and the New Man is bringing us into the fullness of the justification by growth (Mark 4:28).
In all of this, we come to the conclusion that Mary was special because she believed, and all the other issues are moot. Many of the early church fathers respected Mary, although they didn’t worship her or have her intercede for them. It stands that, if the devil hates any woman, he hates Mary…even more than he hated Eve. The plan would be two fold on the devil’s part: if he can cause one group to place Mary in a position higher than God intended, and then have another group reject her importance by taking away due respect…well, the devil wins on both counts. However, if we are Wise…then we respect Mary without placing her in a position above the one God gave her. Even Paul gloried in his weakness, as he gave God the glory for the thorn in the flesh, knowing it was better to be abased, than exalted above measure. Jesus would also hear a woman say, “Blessed is the womb who bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked” (Luke 11:27). In response Jesus said, “Yes rather, blessed are they who hear the Word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:28). Jesus didn’t say that Mary was not blessed, rather He said she was…but blessed even more are those who Hear the Word of God and keep it. Faith still comes by hearing, blessed are those who hear and obey the voice of the Lord. We also see the phrase, “blessed is she who believed”; therefore, it was not by works here, but by belief.
Think about the people of the time; here we find two families, related to one another, Mary with a child, yet she had never been with a man. What would they call her today? Whacko? Yes, it would be on the news, “Mary the whacko.” We know The Promise, we know that this is of God, yet, to the natural mind of man, many things are “impossible”; however, we also know this is a one-time event, and there will not be another like it. Clarity and discernment by the Word in us, removes the fables and sets our sights on belief and faith. Did Mary claim to be “the mother of God”? No, not at all, she claimed to be a handmaiden for the Lord, as she gave God the Glory.
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior (1:46-47).
Here the word “spirit” is used in the same context as the Old Testament, referring to the outward expression of the inward soul, or better her Expressed Attitude was joy, thus her heart was filled with joy, and the joy was expressed through her heart and soul, becoming obvious on the outside.
Mary had choice in the matter, she picked Joy, but she could have viewed it as a burden as well. She was unmarried, she had to face her future husband, telling him she was with child from a miracle. She looked for the Precious, found it, and joy came. It would surprise us how many times the Lord has presented us with events to obtain the blessing, yet because of our attitude and self-based thinking we have blinded ourselves to the blessing, ending missing the joy, or falling into bitterness.
For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty has done to me great things; and holy is His name. And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation. He hath showed strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy; As He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever (1:49-55).
This entire prophecy speaks to the Full Ear; God has seen us in our low estate, and He lifted us for His Name’s sake, which Name (Authority) is Holy. He has done a mighty work in our hearts; He has given us the Strength of Christ, and He has exposed our wild imaginations. He is saving our souls, scattering the thoughts from the “spirit of man” back to the “Sea,” pulling down strongholds, braking up the foundation, and restoring our souls to their rightful purpose.
Mary’s prophecy also covers the Time Of Comfort, thus the purpose of God was to present the fullness of the Promise; however, having it “at hand,” and having it “in hand” are different. The Pharisees were so close, yet so far away. The Prophecy was presented, the kingdom was presented; and it was all complete in the eyes of God, yet at the same time, God knew, they would reject it.
And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house (1:56).
Since Mary arrived when Elisabeth was six months along, this would mean that Elisabeth was nearing delivery when Mary left. Mary would have been at least three months along after the visit; this also shows that John was about six months older than Jesus.
Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her, and it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child: and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father (1:57-59).
This shows that Mercy was granted to Elisabeth, yet Mary was looked upon as Favored. Mary gained her imputed favor by the child she carried, but this opened for her when “she believed”; the same was/is true with us. It’s the Seed of God in us granting us favor before the Lord. Thus we “believed,” then received; it isn’t the other way around. This allegory shows how John would walk in Mercy, yet proclaim that Grace was approaching, in Jesus. Without the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus, all this would be a mind game; but since we have the Cross and Resurrection, it’s not a mind game, but faith.
Before the Cross no one could impute their old man dead, they had no foundation to do so, but since Jesus died and was raised again the foundation is established. Based on the Resurrection we obtained the Seal of the Holy Spirit, by the evidenced of being Born Again we know the Resurrection is real, yet without the Cross there is no starting place, and without the Resurrection there is no Life.
And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John (1:60).
By this time Zacharias was able to write down enough of his experience for Elisabeth to know at least the name of the child; yet this broke tradition. Before John was even born he was breaking down the “traditions of men.”
And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name (1:61).
John is the Greek Ioannes, but it’s the Hebrew Yowchanan meaning Jehovah favored, or Jehovah has graced. Prior, the angel said, “he shall be great in the sight of the Lord”; therefore, the Greatness was John’s position, making the paths of the Lord straight. Mary was Favored, and she became the vehicle for the Son to take on the form of man, John would present and wash the Sacrifice, yet neither Mary or John could obtain those positions without Jesus being the cause and purpose.
The act of John baptizing Jesus only happened once in the life of mankind; John washed the Sacrifice of God, an act that no high priest, or priest had ever done. Sure, they washed themselves and washed the sacrifices unto God, but none of them washed the One from God. When the Dove and Voice came, the Sacrifice was accepted. This man named John heard and saw the evidence of the Sacrifice of God being accepted, yet he didn’t run off saying, “I’m the cause of Christ”. Humbleness takes choice, we are “sons of God”, but does it mean we run around saying, “Watch it, I’m the anointed”? Hardly, since pride and humbleness are opposed to one another.
And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John, And they marveled all (1:62-63).
They weren’t satisfied with Elizabeth’s answer; they wanted the father to name the child. The name of John didn’t come from either Elisabeth or Zacharias; it was ordained of God before the foundation of the world. John’s name had to point to a past priestly order as evidence, showing his purpose and ministry; and regardless of the crowd, the child would have the ordained name.
And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout the hill country of Judea. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him (1:64-66).
What was the first thing coming forth? Praises unto God, the man learned his lesson well; God has many “classrooms” for us, yet each has a place of graduation as well.
When Zacharias failed to believe, his mouth was closed; and when he made a step of belief, it was opened. Confession isn’t always what we say, rather confession is a manner of life matching the words spoken. With all this, the Jews knew something was special about this child. This child is prophesied over, yet according to Jewish law, the effort shouldn’t come until the child reached his age of responsibility.
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant; the oath which He sware to our father Abraham, that He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life, and thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on High hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace (1:67-79).
The name of the male child was given at circumcision, not at birth, and circumcision came on the eighth day; therefore, these events are at the circumcision of John. Don’t forget, these are Jews; thus they are following the Law of Moses, allowing us to tell from the events taking place what aspect of the Law is being completed. These sayings and events relate to the male child’s circumcision, which was always on the Eighth Day.
Now wait, if God finished all His work on the Seventh Day, why did He allow circumcision on the Eighth? Ahh, a New Beginning; the act of Circumcision related to the Covenant of Abraham, and the Sabbath Day to the Law of Moses. “The Shadow” pointed to the time when another “male child” would open the New Beginning, which would be “The Day,” for the Time of Salvation. The time was at hand for the changing of the Law, from a Law given to the disobedient, to a Law designed for the obedient. The New Beginning was at hand, the circumcision of John explained why God finished His works and rested on the Seventh day; yet God had Abraham begin the mark of the covenant on the Eighth. This was something New, it was the dawn of the Day, the time for the creation of the Day to begin. God is faithful; here we find, several thousand years past the fall in the Garden, that the prophecy was coming to pass. How many prophets of Old desired to see this day? How many of the Pharisees saw it, yet failed to believe it?
In the Book of Revelation we find another “Eighth”… one who is of the Seven (churches and nations, making it Gentile), associated with Perdition (drawing back to – Heb 10:38-39), only one group fits the position, the Wicked, the sons of perdition, the workers of iniquity, so why the “Eighth”? They had the ability to be circumcised of heart, but rejected it for the old heart. This act of circumcision was not by chance, God didn’t make up the “eighth day”, it had a Purpose.
The name John (Ioannes in the Greek) was not among the acceptable Jewish names used for circumcision; the accepted name would either be Jonathan (Yehonoson), or Jochanan. At circumcision, the male child is given a Jewish name for the purpose of the Torah (Law), yet he can have another name for social reasons. When the people asked for the name of the child, they weren’t looking for the child’s social name, but for his name as it relates to the Law of Moses. This is another area showing that a change was taking place; God picked the name for this child. But, was God breaking the very Law that He gave Moses? No, there was a change, an advancement from the natural to the spiritual; this was not in addition to the Old, but something brand New. The Law and Prophets were until John; thus the short time for John was the space between the Old and New, but it held great Changes in the Advancement of the Plan.
According to the Jew, Circumcision is the second commandment of the 613 commandments of the Torah, but the act didn’t come into being until Abraham. They seem to leave out, “thou shall not eat of the fruit of the tree of the Knowledge of good and evil”.
Circumcision of the flesh was a sign to tell the holder that they had a right by the sign, to obtain the Abrahamic Covenant. However, Paul points out that Abraham received the sign after his belief; thus the mark of the Abrahamic Covenant for his offspring is based on his belief, not theirs. The child had no say so in the event, but the mark was merely a token giving them the right to enter. With Abraham, it was imputed righteousness; thus those who enter the Abrahamic Covenant do so under the covering of Abraham, not the covering of Christ. The point was so important, that Paul told the Galatians they were about to fall from Grace because they were seeking signs not afforded to them (Gal 5:4).
The circumcision rites and other Jewish rites explain why there were only ten disciples present at many events, yet the ten were considered Twelve. A Jewish quorum is called a Minyan, and it consists of ten adult males, representing all twelve tribes. When Jesus appeared to the disciples, Thomas was not there, and Judas was dead; but John 20:24 tells us that Thomas is one of the “twelve”, so how can this be? By Quorum, although Judas was dead, the Quorum was still twelve. Perhaps Peter’s reasoning in Acts chapter one, is based on gaining back the twelve, yet they voted based on Quorum. Nonetheless, Peter and the others were told to Tarry, not to appoint. The Holy Ghost is the one who appoints people into the five-fold Offices (Acts 13:1-3). This still shows that when Jesus appeared, there were ten disciples, making the Quorum, which would have been considered a complete unit.
Also we find the Jewish Kiseh shel Elijahu Ha-Navi or “Chair of the Prophet Elijah.” The child is put in the chair as a part of the circumcision rite, thus when John was placed in The Chair, Zacharias started to prophesy as the people were amazed and wondered, could this be Elijah? They all expected the child to get up and do something, thus they had the preconceived concept of Elijah walking down the road as an adult male announcing the coming of the Messiah. This false concept was held by some of the Jews regarding the Messiah as well. Even today we find some who think the word “virgin” means unable to give birth, thus we find males who think the virgin birth of the Messiah will be through them. Silly? Yeah, well most traditions are.
The thought of John being Elijah, the man, will be seen when John begins to baptize; the religious rulers wanted to know if he was Elijah, or the Prophet, or the Messiah. However, John proclaimed, “I am not”. John understood that it was the message of the prophet, not the prophet himself, but the people were looking for the man Elijah, not the message.
The mother of the child is forbidden to be present at the actual act of circumcision, but women in general can be present. The child is kept in another room with the mother, until the time of circumcision, then the Kvatter, (a man designated by the father) brings child into the room where the act is to be performed. The child can, and usually does have a godfather, called a Sandek. The ceremony itself is called, Brit Mila, or simply Briss. The one who does the actual cutting is called a Mohel, who may or may not be a rabbi. The Mohel will call in a Loud Voice, Baruch Ha-Ba or “Blessed be he who comes”, this is done as the child is placed in the Elijah Chair. The entire prophecy of Zacharias centers on this one saying. This shows how the tradition went from a token of the Abrahamic Covenant to including all sorts of things. Surely Elijah wasn’t the son of Abraham, so how does he fit here? Tradition.
The Sandek is the only one who can remain seated during the ceremony, all others must stand. The father of the child says a blessing, similar to, “enter into the covenant of our father, Abraham”. When this blessing is done, all those present say with a Loud Voice, K’shem shenichnass labrit ken y’kaness latorah ul’chupah ul’maasim tovim or “Just as he has entered into the covenant so may he enter into the Torah (study of), marriage and the performance of good deeds”. This shows that the circumcision was not a sign or Token regarding the Law, but it was required of the people to whom the Law was given. The good deeds noted here, are of course all deeds associated to the Law of Moses, just as our “good deeds” are based on Mercy by faith and belief. Once our fleshly heart is cut away, it would not only be foolish, but an insult to the Cross to continue in works of self-righteousness. We can see the type and shadow of our hearts being circumcised, and why Jesus said, “From the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak.” These young males had no choice, they were only eight days old, but we do have a choice to submit to the New Heart.
After the cutting away comes the rite of uncovering and binding. To the Jew, this means releasing the person into the promise, but the circumcision of the heart goes further. Jesus said, “Whatsoever you bind on earth is bound,” but if we release Mercy on earth, the Father releases His Mercy on us and as we forgive, we are forgiven; however, if we refuse to forgive, we bind the Father’s Mercy in heaven from us.
The rite of uncovering and binding is called P’riah. The procedure is to bind the wounded area, while leaving the rest of the body exposed. This is a type and shadow of being open and naked before God. This doesn’t end the rite, the Mohel then takes a cup of wine and recites a blessing during which the boy’s name is proclaimed. Until this time the name of the child was secret, as a type and shadow of our hidden name found in Jesus, it’s a name no man knows, yet it’s known by all men. Our new Name is The Name Of Jesus, for as He is, so are we in this world. No one can understand the Three Positions of Jesus (Son of man, Son of God and God the Son), unless they have Jesus in them of a Truth. The mystery takes us from knowing Jesus as the Son of man by the Cross, to knowing Jesus as the Son of God by the Power of the Resurrection, and to knowing Jesus as God the Son, through the Blood and Sacrifice. As the Son of man, Jesus represented man to God through the Mercy of the Father; thus Jesus would speak from His position of flesh and blood as the Son of man. Yet as the Son of God, He represented God to man, as He speaks from the position based on the Grace of God. As God the Son, He rules His Kingdom by His Righteousness; the three positions could be equated to Savior, Lord, and Master, yet He is still One.
Without the Holy Ghost giving us the Greater He in us (the Spirit or New Man), we could not call Jesus Lord (I Cor 12:3 & I Jn 4:1-5). This doesn’t mean that one can’t mouth the words, “Jesus is Lord”, nor does it refer to Jesus being their Savior; rather it means, one can’t be a true Servant without the Spirit. One can say all sorts of things, but their “Ways” will show if their words match their doings. A hypocrite says one thing, but does another. We know the word Hypocrite is a compound word meaning to judge under, or judging someone under us, so we can feel superior; but it’s defined as “an actor”, or “a pretender”, so how can it be? The actor in times past, would hold a clay mask before their face, thus they would pretend to be something they were not; a hypocrite thinks they are one thing, but in truth they are another. The Pharisees and other religious rulers gave off an appearance of holiness, but inside they were doubters and judges of things they knew nothing about.
The Torah has a means to postpone the ceremony of circumcision; if the child is weak, sick, or unable to endure the process, the ceremony can be postponed. Really, any commandment can be postponed if there is a danger of death. The saying goes, “The Torah is to live by, not to die by”… showing that it doesn’t bring life; rather it gives man a means to live on this earth without having the curse fall on them. This saying after becoming twisted, produced the false concept that the Pharisees held; they presumed that since they read about Life and did the Law of Moses, that they had Life. But Jesus corrected the false concept by saying that the Scriptures spoke of Him (Jn 5:38-41). The same is still true, the Bible talks about Life and Grace, but only Jesus can give us Life. We can also see how they twisted the concept of the Law which was the “law of sin and death,” not “remission and life.” The letter of the Law still kills, even if one says it doesn’t.
Since we are considered dead to the flesh, the 613 commandments of the Law of Moses are not designed for us; rather, the Law of Moses is purposed for those who have not died. The Law of the Spirit is for those who have died, are buried and raised again by the Power of the Spirit. It seems impossible for us, but God imputes, then imparts. From this premise we can call the old nature dead, yet we live by the life of Christ living in us, and by the Faith of Jesus who loved us, before we loved him, as He gave Himself for us, long before we accepted Him (Gal 2:20).
There were also the rules governing a child born to a mixed marriage, where one parent was Jewish, the other a Goy (Gentile); this was called the Dam Ha-brit, or the Blood Of The Covenant. In this case the child had to wait until eight days before the Age of Reason (13 years), thus giving them choice in the matter. In order for one to be Jewish, their mother had to be Jewish, thus this ceremony related to a child who had a Jewish mother, but a Gentile father, just as Paul who was Jewish by his mother, but Roman by his father, thus he could claim to be a Jew to the Jews, and a Roman to the Romans.
The Circumcision is a sign of the covenant; it’s not the covenant. Thus, it became a secret mark reminding the male that he was promised a position in the Abrahamic Covenant. Without the circumcision of the flesh, any attempt to claim the Abrahamic Covenant would be illegal. The Gentile is called “not of the circumcision”; whereas, the Jew is classed as, “of the circumcision”, which simply means, that a Gentile has no right whatsoever to enter the Abrahamic Covenant, but every Jew does. This also helps us define the term “Jew”; which is different from the term “Israel”. Israel is a nation, a Jew is a person. There is no nation called “Jew”, there is one called “True Israel”, and someone from Israel is called an Israeli. The term Jew comes from the name Judah; Judah was one of twelve sons, he was not all twelve. It has become a generic term over the years, but it means that one has a token to allow them entry into a covenant with God. We however, are circumcised at Heart, making us a “true Jew,” meaning, the circumcised Heart is the Seal of the Holy Spirit.
Most all orthodox Jews, whether Ashkenazim, Sephardim, or among the Others, can’t see any correlation between the Old Testament and the New; to them the New is/was merely a means for a Gentile to move around the Law of Moses to steal a position in the Abrahamic Covenant. This has a hint of truth, but lacks a great deal. As Gentiles, we came around the Law by faith, while the Jews came out of the Law by faith. However, as Paul points out to the Galatians, if any of us under the New, attempt to obtain the token of the Abrahamic Covenant… we fall from Grace. The Abrahamic Covenant had 153 blessings, Peter had to make his choice, the “153 blessings” or Jesus; he couldn’t have both.
People who pick acts of self-righteousness over the Righteousness of God, do so for various reasons: some want to appear holy before men, some want to appear holy before their own self, some think they are impressing God, some think they have validated God’s love for them. They mistake the blessing on (from) the deed, for affection from God on the person. It’s sad, but the Jews hold a like-thought process; they assume that since they have the Law of Moses, that they have the inroad to God’s love. The Law of Moses came from God’s Mercy, provoked by God’s wrath. God loves us all, He even loves cockroaches and bugs, since they are created; but acts of self-righteousness will never gain God’s love. He first loved us, before we loved Him. One receives the Love of God, they don’t earn it.
These acts conducted by the Jews had to do with position, not affection, as the child was given a position from which to choose. The like-element for us would be the kingdom of heaven; we are pulled from the darkness by the Cross to become a “living soul” by the Mercies of God, free to make a choice without the influence of the prince of the power of the air. Our decision will be based on belief and faith, as we accept the Spirit coupled with the guidelines regarding Mercy and Grace in order to have Life more abundantly. A Living Soul is still earth related and natural thinking, but free of the darkness, as Adam before the Fall; but in the end he failed. The fall proved one thing above all else, natural thinking man is unable to understand spiritual matters. Paul says we are sealed by the Holy Spirit; he also tells us not to grieve the same Holy Spirit that we are sealed by. An example of some who were delivered from the world, and had the Spirit, yet who remained carnal…. would be the Corinthians. Luke will be the only Gospel scribe to use the title “Holy Spirit”, showing that the Holy Spirit is the New Man, a product of the Seed given us by the Holy Ghost.
God is still God, the devil is not; yet there is a “god of this world.” Paul said that the “god” of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not (II Cor 4:4). The Greek word used for “god” in the text is Theos referring to God, or something from God. What Power has God instilled on this earth? How about the Law of Moses? Yes, in the same place where we find “god of this world” we find Paul talking about the Veil of the Law of Moses, as this same Veil “blinds the mind” (II Cor 3:13-18).
The Law of Moses is a Principality, and the Ten Commandments, a Power (Col 2:14-15). A Principality is a place, or element within a realm, it is not the realm. From a Principality would come a Prince, and the Prince is known by the Principality he represents. The Law of Moses is a result of the Ten Commandments, making the Law of Moses the prince. In the case of Jesus we find that He is the “Prince of Peace”; thus Peace is not all the Kingdom is, but peace is within the Kingdom. On the other hand, we find that there is the prince of the power (authority) of the air (unseen natural realm around us – Eph 2:2). This Principality is not the “air”, but rather…. “disobedience” (Eph 2:-3 & Col 3:6). With all this we find all these traditions to be winds of doctrine coming from the Covenant which God gave Abraham, plus the Law which God gave Moses.
However, why would Paul think that God would allow some to be blinded? “The Night,” the “Remnant” cannot know of the Gospel, yet hold to the Commandments. However, if we know of the Gospel, then claim to be of the 144,000, we lie and the truth is not in us.
At the time of John’s birth, we find the ruling order was Rome; yet the people at the circumcision were amazed when Zacharias said, “That we should be saved from our enemies”; so, who is this child, what manner of child is this? What should we look for? They ask but won’t see it, for the child would grow as any child, but with an attitude making him much different from the other children. We don’t read where John walked as a holy child, but we do know that he was separated as a Nazarite; whether he acted out any childish rebellion or not, really becomes moot, since the Nazarite vow was accepted as a sign of what might be.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel (1:80).
The spirit talked about here, goes back to the “spirit of Elijah”; the message was growing in John, and we can see that he was separated until “the time of his message” joined “the timing of God.” We know, for the most part, that prophets aren’t a lot of fun to be around. They have a propensity to make all things naked and open, and therefore, some people go out of their way to avoid the prophet, simply because they don’t want “things open”.
Early Jewish writings indicated the ages where a male was considered at age; one age was thirteen, when the male was considered responsible to their learning and adhering to the Commandments. Really neither John nor Jesus had to prove that they would adhere to the Commandments; they lived them. John lived in the shadow of Mercy before it was given as Pardon by Jesus; thus he was a type of the Red Sea. He wasn’t the Old, and he wasn’t the New; he was between the two. Luke now goes to the birth of Jesus and fills in some Jewish gaps.
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria (2:1-2).
Cyrenius was also known as Quirinus, which produced the title Quiritarian meaning a Roman citizen by Roman Law. This taxing was not something new, but something Caesar decided was a good idea; yet we know that Caesar didn’t dream this idea up; God allowed it to be formed. Couldn’t God simply tell Joseph, “Go to Bethlehem”? No doubt; but there was more involved here, than simply going to Bethlehem. The “going” had to be by decree, and it had to be from an outside source. More specifically it had to be as a result of something the Oppressor purposed, thereby removing any thought of Joseph attempting to bring prophecy to pass.
In order to include the Gentile, God made sure that the Romans had a hand in the birth by association; it didn’t open the Door, but it did bring the Gentile to it. The evidence shows how God used the events of man, it doesn’t mean God manipulated them, rather God knew the events before man did.
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: (because he was of the house and lineage of David:). To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child (2:3-5).
Joseph didn’t write to Rome and suggest the tax, neither did he assume that the child would be born in Bethlehem; he was following the commands of the civil government. Joseph didn’t sit down and say, “You know Mary, if we do this just right, all of them will think this kid is the Christ”. No, the man simply obeyed the law of the land.
There are three cities known as the City of David, but only one where David was born. Zion is the promised City of David, where the House of David waits for the Time of Comfort (Rev 14:1 & 3:7). The city of Jerusalem is built on the mount known as Zion, thus David also took Zion the City of David by force (I Chron 11:4-5). Jerusalem is the City where David ruled as king, but it was also the city that he was run out of, by his rebellious son. Jesse was David’s father, and he was known as a Bethlehemite, which is not with respect to a tribe, but a city. Both Jesse and David were of the tribe of Juda (I Sam 16:1). Bethlehem means House of Bread or House of the Shewbread; therefore, the House of David in Jerusalem is set aside for the Remnant, the House of Jesus is centered on The Bread Of Life. It depends on which “city of David” one is talking about, here it’s the city of David’s birth which was Bethlehem, later Jesus will weep over Jerusalem, yet the Remnant are marked on Zion, three areas, all have a time and timing in the plan of God.
Joseph and Mary had to travel from Nazareth in Galilee through Nain, along the river Jordan past Sychar and Ephraim and Jerusalem to reach Bethlehem. Bethlehem was located approximately eight miles south of Jerusalem, but Nazareth was nearly 90 miles north east of Bethlehem. They didn’t take the train or even a bus, they traveled as any person would in those days.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered (2:6).
Since Mary was with child, the trip took time, and when they reached Bethlehem, many, if not all the other people from the house of David were already there. Joseph couldn’t rent a room, but it wasn’t because he didn’t have money. If Joseph didn’t have the money, why would he look for a room? God saw there would be no rooms available; Joseph tarried as a result of God’s will. It wasn’t time to open the Door to the House of David, thus Jesus had to be born outside the House, yet in the line to the House.
Jesus was born in the open, just as Adam was formed in the open. Jesus was born within the sight of the Pasture where the sacrificial lambs were being raised, near enough for the shepherds to honor the true Lamb of God. God knowing the mind of man, made sure that no man would be able to claim, “Jesus was born here” or “Joseph slept here.” Some Wicked person would end up making a profit by selling pieces of the Inn, as his counterparts would continue selling the Inn for the next fifteen hundred years. Today in Israel we can find people selling “pieces of the Cross,” but if all those pieces were put together the Cross would be taller than the Empire State Building, hardly the case. Selling the Dove was a sin during the earthly ministry; it’s still a sin drawing the Lord’s anger.
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn (2:7).
Not only was there no room in the inn, but Mary didn’t bring any clothes for the child, nor did she have any furniture for the child, simply because… they came to Bethlehem to pay their taxes and then go directly home; however, God had a plan with a timing and purpose. Did Mary expect to have the child in Bethlehem? No, or she would have prepared for it; but God knew this, then allowed the event to be just as it was. This event may not have appeared good to either Joseph or Mary, since they knew that the child was special. By the way, this was approximately three months after John was born. Surely Mary and Joseph knew of the great event regarding this birth, or how close it was to the time of delivery. Yet, here they were…no rooms available… now, here comes the birth. How could a good God allow His own Son to be born with a bunch of animals? Wow, could Mary have something to blame God for? Well, she didn’t; she knew God had a plan and purpose. Our concept of good, is not always the same as God’s. Our souls tend to define Good by how comfortable our flesh feels during the circumstance, or if the event makes us happy. Being happy and holding Joy are different, being blessed gives us a reason to be happy; Joy brings us into happiness, regardless of the event.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night (2:8).
The phrase, Watch over their flock by night, could also read, “These were night watchers of the flock; thereby showing that the sheep were the temple sacrificial sheep; thus the shepherds left the things purposed for a sacrifice, to worship Him who is the Sacrifice.” God’s wisdom also made sure that the shepherds didn’t have to ask any man in the inn which room the King of the Jews was born in; rather they followed the sign. Ahh, the “sign”; the time was changing, and there was a New Sign for a New Covenant. Could God bring a New Covenant? Yes, the Law of Moses was a new covenant, and really the Abrahamic Covenant was new to Abraham, as the Noahic Covenant was new to Noah.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people (2:9-10).
This is Gabriel, as shown by the phrase, The angel of the Lord, rather than An angel of the Lord. Right from the beginning we see the promise of something New “at hand”; the Good tidings (Gospel) will be for all people, not just the Jews. The Jews rightly proclaim that the Torah was only given to them, as they are “the chosen,” but under the Law of Moses. However, “being chosen by the Law”, and “answering the Call to be among the Chosen”… are different. God picked Israel from all the nations of the earth; but God has another Kingdom not of this earth. Jesus would later say, salvation was for the Jews, yet we know Jesus knew from the beginning, the Jews would reject Him; therefore, the purpose of God was to present the one means where “the called” could become “the Chosen.” The Reality of God knew, that they would reject it; thus He also said, “Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:2-3). Walking in the Law of Moses is not “agreeing with God,” it’s “agreeing with the Law”; walking in the Spirit is agreeing with God, by having the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord (2:11).
The term “A Savior”… doesn’t mean one among many, rather it shows the Jewish meaning of, “God Our Savior.” This was made clear by Paul, when he wrote to Titus and said, “God our Savior” two times (Titus 1:3 & 3:4); then, “Lord Jesus Christ our Savior” two times (Titus 1:4 & 3:6); then he linked them together by saying, “Looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Paul didn’t have a problem calling Jesus “God our Savior”; thus the True Savior incorporates the Gentiles and Jews into the Newness, yet leaves room for the Remnant, but it’s still One Savior. It’s one thing to save man from other men, but another to save: man from himself, man from sin, man from the sin nature, as well as from the confines of the earth.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace, good will toward men (2:12-14).
The phrase “sign unto you” shows that Jesus is the Sign of the New, as the New Man is created after God’s holiness and righteousness to be our Sign of the New (Eph 4:24).
This separation is for our benefit; the angels knew that the Father was in heaven, but Jesus was on earth, and the connection was presented and complete. To the Jew, this is impossible, but not to God; Is anything too hard for the Lord? The Peace noted here is on the earth, not the world, rather this is Peace with God on earth, thus Peace in our Season is only found in the heart of the Believer. Since this Peace is in Jesus, it stands that when we enter Jesus, we enter His Peace as well.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds (2:15-18).
By this time in Jewish history, the shepherds were considered lower class, the night watchers were considered even lower; therefore, the priests avoided contact with them. Jesus didn’t come down the road all decked out as a Pharisee, or as a King covered with jewels, a mystic making miracles (some side show); He came a little lower than the angels, in the form of a common man, faced with the common decisions of growing up in a strict religious atmosphere (Ps 8:5 & Heb 2:7-9).
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them (2:19-20).
Seeing and hearing these things would set a mother back; here the shepherds show up, yet she knows the child is special, but not even Samson had this much attention, no not David, or even Abraham, what is going on?
Luke shows that there were witnesses to the birth of Jesus, yet the Pharisees wouldn’t consider these witnesses reliable. Simply put, the shepherds were not among the inner group, and “they weren’t ordained, don’t you know.” We tend to run into this problem whenever the Pharisees rule and reign. Pharisees are Pharisees regardless of the time in man’s history. While the faithful are out doing the work of the Lord, the Pharisees are holding meetings attempting to ascertain “by what Authority” the faithful are operating under. The metaphor “Pharisee” came about by the actions of the Pharisees during the earthly ministry of Jesus; thus we find Pharisees are called, but they are among those who reject the call to be Chosen. They followed/follow the spirit of the world, with their envy, and strife.
Mary and Joseph were still under the Law of Moses, still under the civil authority of Rome, and they were just two common people. Since they were under the Law, it also stands that if Mary just had a baby, she was unclean and unable to travel for seven days, but nonetheless… they had to get home. Ahh, they were near Jerusalem, thus they waited the eight days to take care of two requirements of the Law at the same time. It just so happened that all these events came to pass in these locations; it just so happened that they completed many prophecies. Just so happened? We know better, Amen?
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, His name was called, JESUS, which was so named of the angel before He was conceived in the womb, and when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him before the Lord; (As it is written in the Law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord) (2:21-23).
This would be in accordance with the Pidyon Ha-Ben, or the Redemption of the Firstborn son (Ex 13:2, 13:13 & Numb 18:15). If the child is the firstborn male, the boy’s father is under an obligation to redeem the child. God took the Levites, which included the Cohanim in place of the firstborn sons, thus the father is really compensating the Cohen (Levite) for serving in the firstborn’s place. If the man is married more than once, the firstborn of each wife must be redeemed. The phrase, “Which opens the womb,” is only applicable to the firstborn of the woman, whether she had any more children or not. Simply saying,”The firstborn”, doesn’t mean that the woman had more children; it means, the firstborn who Opened the Womb. Jesus opened the Kingdom of God, by bringing the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven becomes the Womb for the Kingdom of God, the place where the Firstborn from the Dead saves us from death.
The redemption is a matter of someone of the Cohen coming to the home, breaking bread, and then the father pays the Cohen a sum of money (five seliam or shekels).
In the story of Jesus, the Father sent the three wisemen to the house of Joseph to pay the tribute according to the Law, which makes it impossible for them to be in Jerusalem when Jesus was eight days old. Why? The Law said that the child had to be at least one month old before the tribute could be paid, yet the child could be any age after one month: Numbers 18:16 says, “from a month old”, not “up to a month”.
This also shows that by Jesus submitting to the Cross, He paid the price for us to change family orders, which took effect on Pentecost, some fifty days past Passover. God looks at each of us as “joining the Firstborn from the dead,” which makes each person who is Born Again a type of the Firstborn. None of us are going to be raised unless we die first, thus God used Abraham to show us the principle of imputing.
The name of the child is supposed to be from the father and mother, with the father’s desire being the prominent one, yet accepted by the mother. Here an angel told Mary the name that The Father wanted for His Son.
The days of Mary’s purification would be according to Leviticus 12:1-3; a woman who gives birth to a male child is unclean for seven days; on the eighth day the foreskin of the male shall be circumcised, and the mother makes an offering for herself in order to be called clean again. Mary made her sacrifice as prescribed by the Law; she wasn’t without money, rather she gave the sacrifice according to the Law, nothing more, nothing less. This gives us an exact time element, Jesus was still in the area of Jerusalem at eight days of age. The taxing was the purpose for going to the “city of David”; thus they remained in the area for at least eight days.
Jerusalem is another city of David, and the Kingly Order was now taking place. Since this was in Jerusalem, the name of the child, the birth place, parents names, with the child’s genealogy would be recorded in the Temple records. The evidence showing that Jesus was born in Bethlehem was before the priests the whole time. Whether they looked or not, we don’t know; whether they had the evidence or not is clear. The records were intact until 70 AD, when the temple was destroyed; thus the high priests, religious rulers and Pharisees all had the evidence they needed to determine if Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Like any evidence, we must make the choice to receive it, before it can do us any good.
This evidence will cast off another tradition; in Matthew it’s clear, that the wisemen show up, give their gifts, and after they leave, Joseph takes his family into Egypt. According to these Scriptures it would be impossible for Joseph to take an infant and a woman who just gave birth, into Egypt, yet get back to Jerusalem on the eighth day in order to have the child circumcised…not withstanding, Mary giving her sacrifice, much less giving the offering for the firstborn male. These verses affirm the premise showing that the wisemen went to the House of Joseph, at a time when Jesus was a youth, but not an infant.
And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons (2:24).
There were three different events this day: first the child was named when He was circumcised, and Mary gave her sacrifice for purification; then came the offering of the first male unto the Lord. Yet all were according to the Law, all eight days after the birth of Jesus. Luke clearly shows that the offering was according to the Law, not according to their income.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ (2:25-26).
Since the Holy Ghost was “upon Simeon,” this indicates that it was for this purpose. We don’t see the title “Holy Ghost” in the Old Testament, although Peter says, that the men of Old were moved by the Holy Ghost. Peter also says, that the purpose for those holy men of Old to write, was based on the Spirit of Christ; thus their words in them projected to our hope in Christ. Again we find that the function of the Holy Ghost, either “in” or “on” a person, is relative to the function of the calling of the person. In our case we have the Seed granted by the Holy Ghost, yet when it comes to dealing with the Masses, the Holy Ghost will fill us multiple times. So, we only get one Seed of God, but many fillings of the Holy Ghost.
In Acts, the disciples were Born Again, but they were filled with the Holy Ghost several times, and each time was to deal with the masses in some manner. The Seed of God in us is the Spirit, who has two functions: to save our souls and Witness Jesus. The Manifestation of the Spirit is for those one on one encounters, and the filling of the Holy Ghost is for the masses. The anointing on the Office is for the leaders to assist the Body, but we need something more to present Jesus to the masses, thus the Holy Ghost will fill us for the purpose (Acts 4:29-31).
We will also see Anna, and she will give a “like prophecy,” but there are differences between the two, for good reason. Simeon points to the nation Israel and the Consolation of Israel, the word Consolation means Comfort, referring to the Time of Comfort, or the Restoration of Israel. The time for Restoration was at hand, the promise was before them, yet the Day must come before the Night.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him after the custom of the law, (2:27).
If there was any question as to the location, here is the answer; they were in Jerusalem in the Temple, for the specific purpose of completing the “Custom of the Law.” All this adds to our time table; Mary being unclean, wasn’t going anywhere until her offering was made, yet it couldn’t be made until the eighth day. Jesus was circumcised the same day; thus there isn’t any room for the wisemen to show at the house in Nazareth, then have Joseph, Mary and Jesus leave for Egypt, and then get back to Jerusalem for the offerings. Clearly the wisemen did show, but they showed up at the house of Joseph several months after the birth of Jesus.
The words, Spirit and Ghost come from the same Greek word; the translators of the Authorized Version were making a distinction between the directional action of the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit in us. The Holy Ghost brings the Seed, while the Seed is the Spirit Holy, or “the Spirit that is of God” (or the Holy Spirit) as Luke will point out (Luke 11:13). The Spirit has specific authority and tasks, as does the Holy Ghost. The Spirit is connected with Salvation and Grace, while the Holy Ghost has other functions, including being a part of the Record in heaven with the Father and Word. (1 John 5:7)
The Holy Ghost brings the ability for us to be the Witness (Water, Blood, and Spirit). Jesus will be filled with the Holy Ghost, but He will also have the Spirit on Him.
Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest Thou, Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people: a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel (2:28-32).
Later Jesus will take the little children in His arms, saying, Hinder not the little ones. Jesus knows what it feels like to be in the arms of a prophet; we have a better promise of being in the Hand of the Lord. The phrase “Your Salvation”, could also read “Jehovah’s Salvation”, and even the simplest of rabbis should have seen this prophecy. When someone is blinded to the Gospel, they are blinded. It’s important to see how Simeon is pointing to the “people Israel”, not all people.
And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him (2:33).
The word Marveled means To hold in admiration; therefore, they knew that something was special about Jesus; they had all the prophecies, but the greatness of the importance…. it wouldn’t be known for years, in fact Joseph won’t be alive to see it. How many of us have a “word” or a “prophecy” regarding our children, yet forget how God has given us the word or prophecy to show what will be, not necessarily what is. As the child is growing we do wonder, and at times we tend to force the word to come to pass, but we must trust in God to bring the Word to pass.
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary His mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against: (2:34).
This shows that there must be a Fall, before the Rising can take place. This generation will reject Him and fall, but later God will put His hand a Second Time to Recover Israel through the Time of Comfort. Simeon was blessed, and he blessed God; but now he blesses both Joseph and Mary. This also gives us the first and second purpose of God for Israel, leading to the Restoration of Israel (Isa 11:11). The first purpose was to bring the Christ for the Salvation of the Day, and the second purpose is to make the enemies of Jesus His footstool in the Night. Since the first did come to pass, we know that the second will surely come to pass.
(Yes, a sword shall pierce through your own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed (2:35).
The Word of God is able to separate for clarification, (bringing clarity to our intents and thoughts). Yet, we are also told that the unbeliever and the unlearned hear prophecy and fall on their face when their hearts are exposed. Of course the Wicked get in our face when they’re exposed. On the same note, the Believer and the Learned jump for joy when prophecy comes…three different responses to prophecy, yet the prophecy was presented.
Simeon speaks in the future tense; the Sword is not the sword of some Roman solider, rather we find it connects to “spoken against” which is the Greek Antilego meaning to gainsay, which also means “to oppose or declare false.” Some prophecy… but really it’s good, Simeon speaks of the Wicked who will say things evil of Jesus, but they will also say evil things of the “vessels of honor” as well. Once Simeon testified, the second witness would speak as the two agreed, yet pointed to two different aspects.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day (2:36-37).
Luke gives us the qualifications of Anna, showing that she didn’t partake of the lawful ceremony to marry her husband’s brother, but joined herself to the temple. The widow lived with her husband from her virginity for Seven Years, this doesn’t mean she was a virgin during the Seven Years; rather it points to her being a virgin at the time of her marriage.
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spoke of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their own city Nazareth (2:38-39).
This prophecy goes to the City of Jerusalem, the Woman, or to those who look for Redemption, not Restoration. This goes to the time when God places His hand a Second time to Redeem the Remnant. The Time of Comfort is not a fable, or a dream; it’s prophecy yet to come, but it’s still for the Night. We are children of the Day; we are not children of the Night, or of the Darkness.
Luke shows that Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth in Galilee, as their duties under the Law were complete. This is vital; putting the time element together, we can cast away some traditions. Jesus was circumcised at eight days of age according to the Law (Lev 12:1-3, Luke 1:59 & 2:21). Mary gave her sacrifice on the eighth day as well, and Joseph gave his according to the law of the firstborn (Luke 2:22-23). Then, they went home to their “house.” Some time later, the wisemen showed up in Jerusalem where they spoke to Herod. Herod feared that the coming Messiah would displace him, thus he had all the children two years old or younger slain (Matthew 2:16). When the wisemen left Herod, they started to travel to Bethlehem, but they noticed that the star was not toward Bethlehem, thus they turned to find Jesus “in the house” (Matt 2:9-11). When they entered the house they found the Young Child Jesus, (not an infant), and this identifies “The House” to be the same one noted here (Luke) as being in Nazareth. The wisemen then had a dream of warning, and went back a different way. Herod believing that he had been mocked…had the children in Bethlehem (from two years of age and under) killed. “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth…” (Matthew 2:16) Joseph also had a dream of warning, then took Jesus and Mary into Egypt. All these events take place over a period of at least 18 months, to perhaps two years. So, having the wisemen show up at the same time as the shepherds makes a good “tale,” but it doesn’t match the Scriptures (Matt 2:2-23).
The three wisemen were known as Magi or Star Watchers, but there is a vast difference between looking at the stars to find God, and looking at the stars to find man’s future.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him (2:40).
One function of a teacher is to end controversy; Luke puts to rest the heresy of “Jesus became the Son of God at the baptism.” There is a difference between Knowledge and Wisdom, and between “having the Holy Ghost fall on someone” and “being Filled with The Spirit”; there is a difference between “being filled with the Holy Ghost” and “being Born Again.” If the “child Jesus” was “strong in spirit,” why did the form of a dove fall at baptism? The baptism of Jesus was the presentation and acceptance of the Sacrifice; and the Holy Ghost signified the opening of the ministry to deal with the masses. So, the dove was related to the Mercy of the Father, and connected to the purpose of the ministry, which was to present Salvation through Grace.
On the same note… the acceptance of the Fourth Cup points to Judgment. Jesus operated as the Son of man in the presentation of Mercy, but the goal was Grace as the Son of God, then maintaining the Kingdom as God the Son.
Paul was a teacher, prophet, and apostle; and when he operated as a teacher, he was a teacher. When he operated as an apostle, he was an apostle. Jesus, as the Word, “was” from the Beginning, but we find that His witness on earth is His Blood (I Jn 5:7-8). The correlation between the Record and Witness is important, the connection for the Father is the Water (Mercy), the connection to the Word is the Blood (Grace), the connection to the Holy Ghost is the Spirit. When we see the phrase “ the Grace of God was upon Him,” we can understand the connection of the Dove to Mercy leading to Grace; as the Dove was the sign of the ministry. The premise of Jesus becoming the Son of God by the baptism, would mean that He wasn’t The Word prior, since Paul tells us the Declaration is based on the Resurrection; so all this shows that the baptism was the beginning, not the end of the race.
The Book of Acts explains it best; Peter went to preach to Cornelius. While there, Peter talked about the Holy Ghost, and then Cornelius and his house received the “gift” from the Holy Ghost, the evidence of which was when they spoke in other tongues. Peter wanted water to baptize them in the Name of Jesus. Later, Peter equated the Holy Ghost as having given the gift, when speaking about John the Baptist as having said, “ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 10:45-46 & 11:15-16). So, we see two different acts here…”the baptism by the Holy Ghost which brought the Gift of the Spirit,” and then Peter water baptized them. This verse represents one of those important areas, and later in the Temple Jesus will say, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me,” which shows authority and power with which to begin the earthly ministry….yet here we find (verse 2:40) that the Grace of God was upon Him. Both Grace and Truth came in Jesus, giving us His purpose and character, He never lied, pretended. Grace was His purpose, but it began with Mercy, leading to Grace.
Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover (2:41).
Joseph and Mary didn’t leave the child home, they joined as a family. The Jewish custom of having the children in one group with the adults in another, was for the children, not the adults. The children didn’t see each other often, thus the family groupings allowed them to mingle.
Luke moves forward in time, to a time when Jesus was not yet at the age of accountability, yet He had grown (waxed strong). There are some who have assumed that Joseph was a poor man; but this yearly trip was more than a vacation, and it was very costly. The Passover was one of three feasts where the males were required to travel to Jerusalem, if they could afford it. The Passover is the main time indicator in John’s account, showing the beginning, middle, and end of the earthly ministry.
The Jew holds the Passover above all the other feasts, and without knowing it, they are really proclaiming the importance of the Cross, since God picked the Passover to bring the Cross. To the Jew, the Passover represents the deliverance from Egypt, as a reminder of “what was,” but to us, Jesus is our Passover, Delivering us every day. One would assume Rosh Hashana (which is the New Year or the time to celebrate God’s creation of the world, or even Yom Kippur known as the Day of Atonement), would be more important than the Passover; however, Passover is the most important feast day of celebration to the Jew.
We have two Times (feast days), and half a Time (feast day), our two Times are Passover and Pentecost, and the half of a Time is found in the Feast of Trumpets. The Last Trump will sound the opening of the Jewish New Year, a time when the Jew believes that the devil will be bound, as Peace comes to and from Jerusalem. But to us, it marks the Rapture; both premises are correct. The Promise was opened on Passover, but it came on Pentecost, and it will end at the sound of the Last Trump. Thus, Paul longed to go to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost, not Passover. Without Pentecost there is no purpose for being saved from the world; yet without our Passover, we can’t reach Pentecost, and without the Last Trump, all of it is moot. We accept the Cross, but we must also accept our Pentecost to continue to the time of the Last Trump.
When God told the Jew, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and the house of slavery,” it marked Passover and became most important feast of all the feasts and celebrations for the Jew. The day before Passover is the Taanit B’chorim, or the fast day for the firstborn male; this fast was not a celebration as such, rather it included the mourning for the firstborn of Egypt who died, as well as the firstborn of Israel being spared. God didn’t like doing what He had to do, but do it, He did, and He expected His people to feel the same compassion or sorrow He felt for the acts He had to do in Egypt. God takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner.
Included in the Passover is Ma’ot Chittim, or the collection of money, food, and wine to feed the poor. Today, as it was during the earthly ministry of Jesus, the act is important; even the disciples assumed that Judas was going out to feed the poor, which would have been the act of Ma’ot Chittim. However, he was going out to engage with Lilith (demons), and Terach (idol worshipers) as the Datan (traitor). No Jew would ever name their child, Lilith, Terach or Datan, which to them are all names inviting demonic activity.
And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast (2:42).
Luke wants us to know here, that Jesus was twelve years of age, which would have been one year before His obligation to the Torah. He was already circumcised, linking Him to the Abrahamic Covenant. The age 13 was partly based on the age of Ishmael when he was circumcised, history shows that the Arabians picked up the rite and circumcised their males at the age of 13; but to the Jews it an age of separation unto the Torah and Commandments.
The Age of Reason for any Jewish male is thirteen; another name for the Age of Reason is the Age of Rebellion (Josephus Antiquities 12:2). The assignment to the Commandments was not circumcision, since it was done when the male was eight days old, and this is when they are 13 years old. According to the Talmud in the Pirkei Avot, the age of 13 was assigned as the age when one was to begin to learn the Torah, including the Commandments. The child would also be accepted or granted a position among the Minyan or Quorum, but until the age of 13 they were restricted to asking questions at home. Perhaps this could have been Paul’s point with the Corinthians; being carnal, they were not able to understand spiritual matters….so, best for them to learn at home as “infants.” However, here we find at the age of 12 Jesus not only asked questions, He gave answers, something unheard of. Today we know the ceremony as Bar Mitzvah, but the Bar Mitzvah is only a few hundred years old, and it’s nothing like the obligation to the Torah found in the days of the earthly ministry of Jesus. We should not confuse the two; in the days of Jesus it was a simple prayer on sabbath, and today, it’s a big undertaking.
And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and His mother knew not of it. But they supposing Him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey and they sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance (2:43-44).
As already mentioned earlier, it was a custom for the children to travel with other children; Joseph and Mary assumed then, that Jesus was with the other children, or riding with some of their relatives, yet, He was in the Temple doing His Father’s business. Since Jesus was also applying Mercy before the fact, it stands that Mercy endures. Often the foundation for Godly warfare is based on Mercy; if we can respond in Mercy we are far better than entering retaliation. Jesus didn’t heal anyone, do any miracles, or make any statements regarding His future works, yet it’s clear, He knows who His Father is.
Why is it so important to know that Mercy endures forever? Why doesn’t God say, Grace endures forever? One would think so, considering that we are saved by Grace through faith. Ahh, Grace goes in the Rapture; God’s Mercy is the little strength that the 144,000 use, as they send the knowledge of God from Jerusalem during the Time of Comfort. Without Mercy, we lack the ability to forgive as we are forgiven, and now we know that the manner in which we forgive dictates how we are forgiven. God’s people are destroyed for a Lack of knowledge, and it’s not because God withholds Knowledge, rather His people reject it. How so? They reject Mercy causing them to be blind to Knowledge. This shows why Jesus told the Pharisees to study what it means, “I would have Mercy,”…. mercy is an eye opener.
And when they found Him not, they turned again to Jerusalem, seeking Him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers (2:45-47).
It would almost appear as if the devil would have something to accuse Jesus with; after all, it does appear as if He disobeyed His parents, or did He? His parents brought Him to Jerusalem for the Passover, and He was about His Father’s business; thus He did all things free of sin. Yet He, Himself, was tempted in all ways, as we are. Since Jesus was tempted, yet “God cannot be tempted to do evil,”… does this mean that Jesus is not of God? Hardly; the concept of “do evil” must be included, as well as Jesus succumbing to the temptation, which He did not.
Did Mary chasten the Lord? No, she voiced her concern; but we know we are chastened of the Lord. On the one hand, a lack of Chastisement means we are bastards; but, on the other, it means we have missed something, and thus to be Chastened of the Lord is not evil, but to miss this point is. God will Chasten us to keep us from being condemned with the world, but the purpose is, for us to bring the Fruit of Righteousness. Yet if we reject the chastening, or take pride in the fact of being chastened, we will miss the purpose, as well as the point (Heb 12:7-11).
Today, there is a Jewish celebration for the girls called Bat Mitzvah, showing when the girls move from being a child, to womanhood. Once the girl reaches Bar Mitzvah, she can no longer remain with her father in the men’s section of the synagogue, but must take her place among the women. In the extreme Orthodox synagogues, as it was in the days of Paul, the women were not allowed to sing or speak within the hearing of the men. Paul used this symbol to explain why women (congregation) should remain silent in carnal churches, and why carnal churches are still under the Law. In order to be free of the Law we must be Spiritual in nature, or at least attempting to be (I Cor 11:1-7). If we desire to hold to the premise, “women remain silent”, we are also admitting we are carnal, or lacking in Spiritual awareness. Traditions, traditions… they make more veils than the Law of Moses. Traditions spin from some factual element, but end so far out of sync, that it is hard to determine where they even came from.
The Bar Mitzvah came from the simple obligation to the Torah by a 13 year old male, and the Bat Mitzvah was the time when a female was moved from sitting next to her father in synagogue, to sitting with the women. Today it’s a big deal, with celebrations, nothing like the events Jesus faced. Nonetheless, we can see how Jesus at 12 years of age was answering questions, something unheard of for a child His age. Luke shows that Jesus had knowledge and wisdom well before the baptism; thus the baptism didn’t make Jesus the Son of man or the Son of God. The tradition regarding Jesus becoming the Son of God at the baptism stems from those who reject or ignore the Baptism with the Holy Ghost. To them, water baptism grants them the New Birth; but we know that Scripture says, that the Baptism with the Holy Ghost grants us the Gift (Acts 11:15-16, 15:8 et al).
It was Mercy healing the people; thus we can be forgiven of our sins, and still fail to enter the Blood of Jesus. Yet, the Blood is the basis for the New Covenant, as it cleans us from unrighteousness, bringing the Remission of sin. A form of Iniquity or being unequal, would be to accept Mercy, but reject Grace, or worse, to think that Mercy is Grace.
And when they saw Him, they were amazed: and His mother said unto Him, son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing (2:48).
This is so classic to the time when the Body of Jesus would be in the tomb, as His soul was going through the battle for us. Mary shows sorrow, as it appeared to her that they had lost the one possession God entrusted them with; and like us, they found that Jesus was never lost, we were. Perhaps she felt this was the “sword” spoken of by Simeon (Luke 2:35).
And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought Me? Knew ye not that I must be about My Father’s business? (2:49).
What is “His Father’s business”? Mercy. This shows the difference between the circumcision which relates to the Abrahamic Covenant and being responsible to the Torah. Perhaps in the mind of Joseph, he assumed that Jesus was repairing the structure of the temple; and in some degree He was. A carpenter either builds afresh, or repairs something broken. Jesus was doing both.
And they understood not the saying which He spoke unto them. And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but His mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man (2:50-52).
Until Jesus becomes Of Age (Thirty Years of Age), His responsibility is still to His family. We might think: This is Jesus, He could leave at any time, who was to stop Him? However, until the Law of the Spirit is established, the Law of Moses prevails. The devil accuses by the Law of Moses, since it points to sin and death, he doesn’t understand a thing regarding the Law of the Spirit; thus the Law of the Spirit has made us free of the Law of Sin and Death.
Now 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 Iturea, and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene (3:1).
The word Tetrarch means One of four rulers: Pontius Pilate was the governor, Philip was the Tetrarch, (he was still married to Herodias), while Herod his brother (and Tetrarch) was over Galilee. Herod’s father was also named Herod, so we don’t want to confuse them. Rome appointed Herod as king; but that king was still subject to the oppressor. The conflict between Pilate and Herod was well known in those days, Herod thinking he was king, but Pilate knowing that he was a governor representing Rome.
Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness (3:2).
John the Baptist didn’t have a physical manifestation of God appear to him; rather the “Word of the Lord” came to him, as it did to the prophets of old, although John was more than a prophet. This is important, it keeps things in order. John didn’t hear, “You are my beloved Baptist,” nor did a dove descend on him; the Word of the Lord came to him, and then he began his ministry.
Annas was the son of Seth; he was installed as high priest by Quitinius, during the time when Herod Antipas and Philip were administering their Tetrartchies. Yet, Annas was removed, and his son-in-law Caiphas installed. The third Caesar was Tiberius, who appointed Valerius Gratus to succeed Rufus as procurator over the Jews, according to Josephus (Antiquitates, XVIII, iv, 3), Caiphas was appointed the high priest of the Jews by the Roman procurator Valerius Gratus (predecessor to Pilate), around 18 AD. However a switch took place by the procurator Vitellius who took office in Palestine around 36 AD, since he put Annas back in the position of high priest, with Caiaphas (Acts 4:6). All this shows the power of Rome over the priesthood, as the priests not only feared for their positions, but used their Roman connection in their accusations of Jesus. Jesus will face five trails, the first in front of Annas, then Caiaphas, Pilate, Herod, and back to Pilate.
After Annas, (the father-in-law to Caiphas – Jn 18:3) was removed, and Caiphas was installed as high priest, we find that Annas still had influence over Jewish affairs even though his son-in-law held the position. This explains the above passage; when we find other passages indicating that only Caiaphas was high priest. Luke brings the “hidden influence” to the surface, indicating that Annas still had “strong suggestive authority” behind the scenes.
Caiaphas and Annas were appointed from the Sadducees, showing their connection back to the Zadoc priesthood. The Romans really didn’t want any “rebel forces” from the Maccabees in any position of authority. However, we can see how God allowed a rebel to illegally make himself both king and priest for a purpose, bringing back the Zadoc line for another purpose. In 1990 an archaeologist discovered a burial cave on the outskirts of Jerusalem which contained a collection of bone boxes. During the first century, bodies of the dead were laid in caves, but after the flesh had decomposed, the bones were gathered and put into boxes; therefore, we find the grave of Jesus was “never used” before. One of the casket-like bone boxes found in 1990 was inscribed with, “Joseph, son of Caiaphas”, or Joseph BenCaiaphas, showing that Caiaphas perhaps had a son. One might say, “big deal,” but we find the meaning of the name Joseph is Adding, or Jehovah has added; and Caiaphas felt he was eliminating Jesus the Son of God, but found that his actions only Added to Jehovah’s Salvation, as many converts with Jesus in them surfaced.
Both of these high priests would be involved in the trials of Jesus, yet neither wanted to know the Truth, much less search it out. Watch dogs search for things feeding their pride; they never have time for the Truth. These two priests were suppose to be examples of someone seeking God, but they became examples of religious watchdogs searching out sin in others to exalt their own egos and positions. The influence of Annas is obvious in Scripture: he headed the first trial of Jesus, and then Jesus was taken before Caiaphas for the second trial (Jn 18:13). Accordingly, the father-in-law, and son-in-law stood in judgment over the Son of The Father.
It’s also evident that John was in the wilderness, and not among his family members. He was separated unto God under the order of the Nazarites, according to the Nazarite Law. Oh, I get it, we denounce our family members, right? No, not at all, Jesus didn’t say that, neither did John denounce his. We keep God in first place; however, for many, their family order is in first place, which causes them to fail time and again. This principle is not about denouncing our family; it’s a matter of determining our priorities, of keeping first things first. The placement of John shows how the Wilderness is still the place of training, and God does some of His best work in the Wilderness. Separated is also the meaning of the title Pharisee, but it doesn’t mean that the Nazarite was separated unto the Pharisees; far from it. Rather, the Nazarite was separated unto God, while the Pharisees were supposed to be so.
And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make His paths straight (3:3-4).
Simeon saw the Consolation of Israel in the child Jesus, Simeon didn’t foresee an act, or some event, rather he looked on the Baby Jesus, then saw the restoration in the Face of Jesus. John is merely proclaiming the Consolation, proclaiming the time of man, and the timing of God at its purposed juncture.
In reference to the Consolation, Isaiah wrote, “Comfort you, comfort you My people, saith your God” (Isa 40:1). This is just prior to Isaiah saying, “the voice of him crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isa 40:3). The Hebrew word used for God in Isaiah is Elohiym, rather than El, the title LORD, means JAH; thus John was preparing the way for Jehovah to bring Jehovah’s Salvation to the people of God. Jehovah-Jireh was being completed, the Lord was seen among His people.
John preached the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins, he didn’t perform it; rather, he performed the Baptism of Repentance saying that the people should believe “on Him who was to come.” Jesus would baptize with the Holy Ghost “unto the Remission of sin.” What does it mean, “to make the Paths straight?” This would be…to remove hindrances. Repentance is the act of turning from sin, unto the Kingdom; and repentance to avoid danger lacks fruit, while repentance seeking the Lord, has fruit.
The purpose of Yom Kippur was to present a sacrifice in the person’s place in order to Atone or balance the person’s sin against the Commandment. But the act didn’t Pardon the person’s sin; it merely balanced the scale of Justice for the moment. If the Law of Moses pardoned, then there would be no need to make continual sacrifices. When Jesus said “go and sin no more” He announced Pardon, something which the Law could not do. The sentence was there, as the Law of sin and death had declared it; but Jesus, by the Mercy of God, Pardoned the person from the sentence, giving them a fresh start, with the proviso of “sin no more”.
Today, Jewish Agenda says that Atonement and Pardon are the same; but this is based on Minhag Israel, Torah Hi, or “The customs of Israel are Law.” This is really strange, since no where in the Law does it permit the premise; thus the premise goes beyond the confines of the Law, and in so doing violates itself. Therefore, we find that Atonement and Pardon are not the same, since they look at sin differently, and as they handle it differently. This false premise caused Jesus to rebuke the Pharisees for their traditions; thus the traditions of men always make the Word to no effect. Unrelated inferences, void of connecting Scriptural evidence making the inference clear, ends in traditions of men, soon to be elevated to “doctrines of men.”
The Jews during the time of Jesus as well as the Jew today, also hold to Minhag Oker Din or “A custom can abolish a Law.” This same thinking changes the Law to fit the mind of man, rather than the mind of man fitting the Law. Of Course, the Body adopted the same tactics, changing the Commandments of the Lord through Agenda. It’s also the reason behind the tradition of Bar Mitzvah, today we find some Jewish leaders wanting to do away with Bar Mitzvah, and go back to the type of dedication done during this time.
Today through mountains of Traditions, we forget what baptism stands for, or what the words Atonement or Pardon mean, much less the blessing of Pardon unto Remission. These traditions are not our fault, but we are nonetheless victims, yet we have a choice to turn it around. It’s when we continue in the tradition or promote it as doctrine, making us no longer victims, rather we become the oppressors.
We say, that Jesus has forgiven our sins, yet we don’t know what forgiveness (Pardon) means; thus we confess, yet know not, missing the Blessing, rather than gaining from it. “Pardon,”… is Mercy, granted directly from God on/to the person, void of deed or sacrifice; whereas, “Atonement,” is granted on the basis of the act or sacrifice, presented by the person. “Remission” is the removal of the sin (conciseness and nature), becoming fully Justified (innocent to the point where there is no charge against us).
Pardon will be the one area where the Pharisees become the most offended, since they know what it means; they even said, “who can forgive sins but God alone.” They had the knowledge, but lacked understanding.
The three areas of Pardon, Atonement, and Remission all differ, yet all relate to the “releasing of the sin” issue. Pardon is “direct forgiveness based on Mercy,” which for us began when Jesus said, “Father forgive them.” This saying of Jesus, allowed the Father to impute Mercy on us as a Pardon; but the Blood of Jesus is where we find Remission. Pardon is based on the conclusion of “not enough evidence to indicate we are completely guilty under the Law”; therefore there is no reason to keep us in prison. This doesn’t say that we did nothing; rather it says we did, but the Mercy of God claims that we have suffered enough. Atonement is when someone presents a lower innocent life form, like an animal (in their place) to balance their sin against the Commandment. Remission is completely different however; Remission negates the definition of sin, to the point that…. where there is no definition, there is no accusation. Remission says, “what sin? you are pure because the Spirit of Christ is in you”; thus we find the Commandment, “Ye must be Born Again”.
“What about the unpardonable sin?”…one might ask. The Unpardonable sin becomes unpardonable because the person refuses to ask for Pardon. They might say, “forgive me”; but they not only go back to the same ways, but they really don’t consider them sin, and, they rather enjoy using the ways of darkness. Thus, they failed to turn from the darkness, to gain the light.
If all sins are forgiven, yet the unpardonable sin remains, then Cross is limited, which can’t be the case. In Matthew, the teaching on the unpardonable sin was based on the Pharisees equating the works of Jesus to the devil; but we will also find how it leads to self-deception. The “unpardonable sin” is really the result of Iniquity, when the person feels that what they are doing is Godly, yet their words lack Mercy; for instance…they can be slanderous and nasty, attacking the work of the Gift of the Holy Ghost in the person who is Born Again. And whatever the Born Again person does, the vessel of dishonor attacks. The exception is, that when the vessel of dishonor is the center of attention, then they allow to gain the fame.
“Ask, receive, and believe,” is true, as God is able to forgive us from All sin, and as He raises us up. “Well, I spent the last ten years slandering everyone in the Body, so I’m lost; it’s over.” Wrong, “I write unto you little children, that you sin not, and if Any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ The Righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the Whole World” (I Jn 2:1-2). When we find words like, “Any Man”, and “Whole World”, don’t you think it would include us as well? Sure, thus the unpardonable sin is only unpardonable because the person refuses to admit that their slanderous behavior is sin. Enjoying sin, and wanting to be free of sin are much different.
Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God (3:5-6).
Isaiah 40:4, says, “every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low.” The Mountains are nations, and the valleys are those places below the mountains where the shadow of death reigns. This verse doesn’t say “The Mountain”; rather it’s plural, including all nations. During the Time of Comfort the Mountain of the Lord will sit on the mountains of the world, yet they will be brought low; whereas, the Remnant who walked the valley will be raised.
Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham (3:7-8).
The Wrath to come is the Great Winepress, the Fire is not the Fire of God’s Affliction, but the fire of hell becoming the transfigured lake of fire on the last day, when the earth turns inside out. Here the Jews presumed being a Jew was all they needed; but we find they were appointed to the Wrath to come as well, if they fail to repent.
Fruit is the product of the tree, and it identifies the type of tree from which it came. The tree cannot produce a fruit from another group: apples come from apple trees, not orange trees. The Fruit of repentance begins when the person admits that they have sinned, or that they are a sinner, adding to the desire to turn from the sinful life. It doesn’t end it, since one can admit they are a sinner, then turn toward some earthly religion. The Product of the fruit is when we turn toward the Kingdom, by accepting God’s principles regarding Mercy and Grace.
The Pharisees were a “generation of vipers” because they lacked the desire to repent; rather they felt that their self-righteousness took the place of repentance. They assumed that they had Life, and they assumed that they had Right Standing before God by virtue of their efforts, just as the modern day Pharisee thinks that they are saved by their efforts and intellect. There are all sorts of examples of Right Standing; for instance, there is “Right Standing before the Law,” but the Right Standing we have by the Spirit, is Right Standing before God.
The “stones” John refers to are not associated with “The Rock”; this is a different Greek word, it was used in the phrase “stone of stumbling.
And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire (3:9).
“Trees,” as a plural shows the produce, then we see the singular (Tree), regarding the source. Each person is a Tree, and the root produces the growth of the Tree, while the Fruit is the product of the growth; however, all trees come from one tree, so …..we need a tree transplant, from the corrupt to the Good.
There is good fruit from a good tree, but corrupt fruit from a corrupt tree, and the fruit of repentance is not going about saying, “Oh Lord, I’m just an old sinner”; rather, it’s a humble heart seeking the Greatness of God, with the constant awareness of our potential position and condition which God has to offer. We know that the potential for sin exists in the flesh, yet the power and authority of the old nature (with the deeds of the flesh) are imputed dead on the Cross. But, this doesn’t mean that the old man’s mouth is shut. The old man still entices as he looks for his targets; but we also know that he is ineffective, and he can’t deceive us, because sin has lost its authority over us. But the potential is still flesh based, thus we known there is no condemnation for those who walk after the Spirit.
And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? (3:10).
The Pharisees didn’t say, “What should we do?”; they said, “What do you think you’re doing?” The evidence of the people repenting was the evidence of the work; here John didn’t heal anyone, or cast any devils out, or do any miracles, thus the Elijah “spirit” is the message. However, the people repenting, indicated a sign of “good works.” How many people do we read about, repented at the messages of the Pharisees in the Temple? Not one, but we do read about the money changers and such; thus, the people repenting, became an offense to the religious rulers. And they should have questioned why they themselves were offended, rather than allow the offense to act for them.
Some of us think, that if we ask forgiveness, then we must do some act to make up for our sin; we use phrases like, “go to the priests” or “give our offering” as our foundation. But in-so-doing, we fail to see that the only purpose for those acts would be to give a testimony against the religious rulers, rather than perform some effort to secure the forgiveness. When we presume that we must add to God’s forgiveness, we introduce self-righteousness into the process, ending right back where we started. We must receive the forgiveness, then move on with the New Man on the path of the Faith of Jesus.
These were Jews, and it would seem by their background, that a reasonable answer for the Pharisee would be, “Do the Law of Moses as your fathers commanded.” In our time, there is the saying, “Have faith”; yet as James points out that the Testing of our faith is to help us determine if our words and actions are the same. It’s easy to say, “have faith”; it’s another to do it. Faith is hard, sin is easy. It’s not merely “having Faith,” but knowing what Faith entails. There are all sorts of self-defined areas of faith: one can have faith in the Law of Moses, faith in one’s self, faith in a government, faith in one’s denomination, faith in the man of God, faith in the system, faith in each other….any of this, yet never have Faith In God. One can have the faith to move mountains, but not a faith, working by love.
He answered and said unto them, He that has two coats, let him impart to him that has none; and he that has meat, let him do likewise (3:11).
John didn’t say, “give both coats,” rather he simply says, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” as acts of Mercy; thus the Preparation was to introduce the people to the Mercy of God. It would connect to “having our feet shod with the Preparation” of the Gospel.” Mercy is powerful, yet it doesn’t mean “to lay down and let them drive a truck full of stones of theological abuse over us.” It means that we center ourselves in the Ministry of Reconciliation, by not “imputing” sins on the people, but making a way for them to be free in Jesus (II Cor 5:18-20).
In the latter days, the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets will again call for the Sackclothe of Repentance; but the Woman will find herself in violation of the very Law she proclaims. According to the Jew, the wife cannot divorce the husband under any circumstance; however, if she has reason for a divorce she appears before a Jewish court, or Bet Din and if her case is legitimate, the Bet Din can demand for the husband to divorce her. In essence she can’t obtain the divorce, but she can force her husband to divorce her; the result is the same, it’s just that the procedures differ for the husband and wife. All this connects to the Woman in the Book of Revelation: the divorce must have Two Witnesses who sign the Sh’tar (bill of divorcement). These Two Witnesses must be observant Jews, not related to either the husband or wife, or each other. The Law and Prophets are not the sons of God, but Servants. Thus they stand next to the Lord of the whole earth, they don’t stand as the Lord of the whole earth; they will be the Witnesses in the end.
If the married woman is found in an adulterous relationship, she is forbidden to marry the person with whom she had the affair, even after the divorce. If she does marry him, she is considered the Adulterous Woman, and a Prostitute. This is important when we read the Book of Revelation as it relates to the Woman; as we found in Ezekiel, the city was adopted and it is that she came from the heathen to marry the Beast of the Sea after God has saved her, which makes her the “whore.” According to the Jewish divorce rules, the name of the woman’s lover is actually written on the Sh’tar, to warn future rabbis of the adulterous affair. The Lover of the Woman in the Book of Revelation was written many years ago; in the latter days, she proclaims she is not a Widow, yet she still joins to the bed of adultery with the Beast, ending as the Whore, as a city known as Babylon. She begins by giving two coats, but ends by taking them.
Under the Law, any property given the woman who is divorced because of the adulterous affair, must be returned to the husband; therefore, the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, but in the end, all Glory is seen with God, as it is taken from those who abused it, or used it for adulterous reasons, or attempted to bring it into the bed of adultery.
The essentials of the marriage ceremony for the Jew haven’t changed for centuries, although both the Sephardim and Ashkenazim have added some elements. The marriage to the Jew is a contract, or a legal document. The ceremony itself s called Kiddushin (Sanctification); therefore, it’s a shadow, relating to the Marriage of the Lamb. We are Justified to be Glorified, and the process is one of sanctification. The word Sanctify means Holiness, or More Than a Saint. The word Sanctuary means a building or place of Holiness, or the place where Holy Things are kept. Mary was told, “therefore also the Holy Thing which shall be born of you, shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). This is a future tense reference to the Son of God, but a present tense reference to the Holy Thing. Mary became the Sanctuary; the Body of Christ is the Temple of God, with those of us in the Body being formed into Tabernacles.
The marriage for the Jew was not centered on The Two Shall Be One, rather it was centered on “Be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth.” The word Replenish means, To Fill Completely, or Re-Fill; thus the hidden element in the Jewish ceremony points to the Christian. Paul said, “be you not unwise, but understanding what the Will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be Filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:17-18). This shows a Fruitful Multiplying within us, as often the works of our faith are, “speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks Always for All Things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 5:19-20). When the event turns upside down, then our faith will determine the source. If we slander, panic, attack, curse, hate, or use the same means as the world, then the source is still the old man.
Although, marriage to the Jew is a business transaction with compensation paid by the husband in the form of a ring, without stones, it nonetheless reflects to us. The ceremony is held under the Cuppa, or canopy, being held by four friends of the groom, and this covering points out the groom and bride for all to see. Metaphorically, it points to a covering. Before the wedding takes place the Bridegroom submits to Oifrifung, or He is “called up” to the Torah; the Oifrifung takes precedence over all other matters. It’s customary for the bride and groom to be separated for at least one day before the ceremony, so their joy at the meeting under the Cuppa will be Greater. This premise is based in the Jewish idiom, “It’s for the wife’s sake for a man’s house to be blessed.”
There are Two cups of wine served to the Bride and Groom, and they both drink from the cups together. Jesus took of the Fruit of the vine when He gave the Sacrifice before the Father; thus our Mansion (Bridal House) is waiting in heaven. The marriage is actually performed by the Groom, who acquires the Bride by Both Word and Deed in the Presence of Two Witnesses. The Two Witnesses in our case are not the Law and Prophets, but the Father and Holy Ghost. The rabbi or the m’sader kiddushin is simply an overseer, to ensure that the ceremony is conducted according to the Law. John came as the Friend of the Bridegroom, but he was also a son of a priest. Thus he was telling these people how to obtain an invitation to the Wedding, since the word Invitation refers to a Calling; in order to be Chosen one must enter the Baptism with the Holy Ghost.
Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed to you (3:12-13)
A Publican is a collector of public taxes; this is different from the term Tax Collector. Matthew was at the Gate of Custom, collecting taxes on goods, whereas, a publican took taxes based on property or personal value already in the possession of the person. Publicans were also the Assessors; they had authority to overcharge, then keep the excess. John isn’t telling them to stop collecting, rather he is saying to be honest about it. This premise is, “love thy neighbor, or do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.” Hypocrites become outraged over wrongs done to them, while they do the same wrong to others.
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? and he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages (3:14).
The soldiers had the authority to do violence to men without cause, they also had authority to bring charges against people. It was a common practice for the soldiers to bring false charges, then take bribes to forget the charges. John tells them to stop stealing under the color of authority, or to “love your neighbor as yourself,” an act of Mercy. All these areas of admitting wrong, then seeking the correction, are fruits of repentance. We have two Basic areas of Commandments, Jesus gave us the Least Commandments of Mercy, meaning that these are the least we can do. The Mercy Commandments are the Royal Law kept by the Good kings in the Kingdom; they have authority, but they simply don’t use their liberty as a cloak of maliciousness (James 2:8 & I Pet 2:16). We also have Commandments of Grace, starting with loving one another as Jesus loves us, as we Believe in the Name of Jesus. If we believe in the Name of Jesus, we believe in the effectiveness of the Name as well as the ability of the Name to forgive sins and raise us, just as we believe the ability of the Name to cast out devils, heal the sick, or bring us into the presence of the Father.
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire (3:15-16).
The word “Mused” means “To deliberate by reflection, or Discussion,” or “To meditate at length,” usually entailing the use of reason. The word, “Expectation” means “To watch with anticipation,” with a root word meaning “To expect.” This defines the method in which we Watch; watching without expectation isn’t watching at all. The word Expect means, “Looking forward to the appearance of something,” but it doesn’t mean to dictate what the something must be, nor does it mean to go about using the pride of life to accomplish “the something.” The Guard watches for intrusion, the night watchman looks for intrusion; we Look for the Door to open, taking us to meet the Lord in the air.
Matthew and Mark laid out the foundation for casting the shoe, but Luke shows us the Jewish mindset. The casting of the shoe is known as the Chalitza; if one’s theology is limited to making this classes of gender, they miss the importance of the lesson. The Chalitza became effective at the death of a husband, yet God isn’t dead, neither does He have a brother for the wife to take; but John’s context is not in reference to the death of the husband, but the death of the Old to bring about the New Covenant. It’s obvious that the Law of Moses isn’t dead, but we can be dead to it by receiving the Death of Jesus. Thus, we were subject to the old man under the Law until death, yet if the old man is imputed dead, we then live by the New Man according to the New Covenant. It took the Old Covenant to maintain the people, until the New was at hand. Thus when John began to Baptize, it was a New Thing, something the Pharisees knew would come; but they didn’t like the method which God picked, rather they would have preferred to be the center of attention.
Why didn’t God use these religious people? After all, they did know the Old better than most. Well, they were locked into a religious mindset, lacking Mercy; they enforced the Letter of the Law, not the reason for the Law. They wanted an extension of the Old, rather than a Newness. The New means a New thing, to raise one above the Old, without destroying the Old for those it was intended for. This was so New, that the Pharisees simply couldn’t adjust to the newness, because they held too tight to the old.
According to the Talmudic, the Chalitza called for both the widow and the brother-in-law to agree, thus there can be no marriage without consent of both parties. The brother-in-law has the option of refusing to marry his dead brother’s wife, but the widow must still enter Chalitza before she can remarry. If the brother-in-law refuses the widow, she takes a shoe, usually provided by the Bet Din (Jewish legal body), then she spits on the ground. The Shoe is a symbol or her “walking papers,” releasing her to walk away from the old family to find the New. She then obtains a document called the Gett Chalitza; she is then free to marry whomever. All this is only relative, if there were no male children in the first marriage. If there were male children, than a different set of rules apply.
Paul used this same premise in Romans; in Chapter seven of Romans, Paul speaks of the “natural person under the Law”, as they desire to do good in their mind, but the effort has to be through the flesh, making the entire matter against the Commandment, Thou shall not covet. Chapter eight is how one is released from the bondage, but in Romans 7:1-4 we find the same premise John is speaking of, that as long as the husband lives, the woman is bound to the Law, but if the husband dies she is free to marry; thus we impute the old dead on the Cross of Jesus, to gain the Power of the Resurrection by the Spirit.
Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable (3:17).
The word “Fan” goes further than the earthly ministry of Jesus, it means A scattering like spittle. Jesus tells the Lukewarm Laodiceans, “so then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue (spew) you out of My mouth” (Rev 3:16). In the Hebrew there are two words used for the English word Fan, one means “To scatter anything,” the other means “To scatter the chaff” (covering for the Grain). This adds to the Grain of Mustard Seed, as it relates to the Transfiguration. Since our English word Metamorphosis comes from the same Greek word translated as Transfigured, we can determine the purpose. Transfigured is not the change in and of itself, it’s the point between changes. The caterpillar is a devouring little bug, who goes about thinking of nothing but the flesh; it eats and lusts for more. Then one day it enters a cocoon (Greek Kokkos), and when the time ends, it comes out a butterfly, one of God’s most colorful creations. It changes course, form, and purpose, and what it was before, is done away with, so what it’s purposed to be can live. As the caterpillar, it lusted for the flesh, but the butterfly spreads life from one flower to another. As a caterpillar, it was bound to the ground, but as the butterfly, it’s loosed to the air. We will either be scattered to pieces, or enter the saving of the soul to have the Chaff scattered so the Grain can live.
Isaiah said, “for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they who wait for Him” (Isa 30:18). Then he tells us about the last days, by saying, “His lips are full of indignation, and His tongue as a devouring fire” (Isa 30:27). This makes sense when we read, “the oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which has been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan” (Isa 30:24). The position of the Son of man has two areas, for two purposes: the first is Salvation, the second is Judgment. During the Day it’s strictly Salvation: the Lord shall divide the Wheat from it’s own chaff, (the chaff represents the old nature); then He brings the Wheat (fruit or Beauty) into His house, but the wood, hay, and stubble will all burn. We are Baptized with the Holy Ghost to gain the Spirit; but the Baptism of Fire burns away the stubble which kept/keeps us identified to Egypt. Some seek the Baptism with the Holy Ghost, yet run from the Baptism of Fire; but it’s the Fire bringing the Power to the Baptism.
And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people (3:18).
The word “Exhortation” means, “To incite, by giving advice and counsel.” It doesn’t mean “to Edify or Comfort”; rather Edify means to Charge One from an outside source, at times entailing shaking our cages to get our attention. The words of a prophet will give us direction and doctrine, but personal prophecy will edify, exhort, and comfort us, but either source has to be of God. John is giving Godly counsel, preparing the people to receive what was to come. Did John yell at some? Yes, but the purpose was not to belittle them; it was to bring them to a point where they could see the Truth, so they could enter in.
But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, added yet this above all, that he shut John in prison (3:19-20).
The only reason Herod was reproved, was based on his own conduct; thus in order to maintain his evil, yet not be reproved, he cast John in prison. Luke gives us the reason, rather than a specific time. While Jesus was in the forty day fast, John was still active, but when Jesus came out of the wilderness John was in prison (Jn 3:22-24, Mark 1:14 & Matt 4:12).
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art My beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased (3:21-22).
In John’s account, we find the disciples of Jesus, (and John’s disciples) baptizing in water after this point in time, showing that Jesus had a few disciples, even in the wilderness experience. Luke adds information for us. In this verse we find “and praying”; thus Jesus didn’t repent, He was the Sacrifice, washed by someone who had the Holy Ghost. This shows us that Mary had to be “overshadowed by the Holy Ghost”, but John had to be filled by the Holy Ghost (not to be confused with having the Gift/Spirit, since no one had been born again yet); no human had a position or authority to touch or bring to pass, “the Word made flesh.” It had to be a heavenly endeavor, with earthly benefits.
Luke points to John (the Baptist) being a Jew, born a Jew, raised a Jew, and purposed for acts of a Priest of the Jews, by the connections of both his mother and father to Aaron. But what about Jesus? Matthew showed the kingly line, thereby bringing Jesus into the Jewish Thanksgiving prayers of, “Blessed are You, O Lord (Adonai) our God (Elohenu), King of the Universe..” as the purpose of all creation.
The modern Jew, as his counterpart in the days of the earthly ministry of Jesus, felt it unwise and improper to ask a woman before shaking her hand in case she was unclean; thus they refused to touch any woman, and in some cases it was a stoning offense for the woman to touch a man, if she was unclean. After the seven days the woman would take a bath of total immersion or the Purification Bath, known as Mikva. Accordingly, each temple had a Mikva, but where no Mikva existed, the ritual of purification could take place in a River, but her entire body had to be covered by water. Although this associates to our Water Baptism or Purification in some degree, it is mainly a shadow (Jn 3:25); it’s still the person doing the act, thus it’s not Justification, but Purification Preparation. Although water baptism is our Token regarding entrance into the Body, we also find that the Purification is our acceptance of the Justification to take place, once we enter the Body and receive the Spirit. The Jews knew what “Purification” stood for, baptism to them was more than a bath; it indicated a preparation to reach a position of being declared Clean.
There is no commandment to be water baptized, since the person is outside the Body giving their token for entrance. However, we are commanded to teach and then baptize anyone after they acknowledge their belief in Jesus. All the signs for the token are in the shadow, but not the Act. It would take someone from the Body to baptize the candidate, or it would be in vain (Acts 19:1-5). To be Baptized in the Name of Jesus, means that the person doing the baptism has the Authority (name); yet no one had the authority until Jesus granted it in Matthew 28:19. Prior, the only other water baptism was John’s, even when the disciples of Jesus baptized people in water before the Cross it was still unto repentance, saying the people “should believe” (Jn 3:22-36).
And Jesus Himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli (3:23).
From the outset there is a difference between Luke’s genealogy account, and the one given by Matthew, yet they agree regarding purpose. As we found in Matthew, in order for one to be Jewish, their mother must be Jewish, and in order to be the king they must be in line to the kingly position established by God in David. Since 70 AD the evidence or proof is impossible to obtain, for good reason. The Jewish concept of the Messiah today, is no different from the one held by the Pharisees during the earthly ministry. They are not looking for one raised from the dead; they are looking for someone to establish the Torah and Jerusalem as the center of the earth.
The genelogy was important for Jesus, but since God allowed all the records to be destroyed in 70AD, it indicates that the records have served their purpose. Our genelogy is simple, “Three bear Record in heaven are the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one, the Three bear Witness in earth are the Water, the Blood and the Spirit” and these three agree in one, showing the Witness of God in us joining us to our heavenly family (I Jn 5:7-8).
The Messiah (Hebrew Mashiach) must be a direct descendant of the House of David, and announced by Elijah the Prophet; this is God’s design and it came to pass when John said, “Behold the Lamb of God”; therefore John is Elijah (by message), if we receive it. The error of the religious rulers was thinking the Messiah and Elijah had to come from their ranks, also making the Messiah subject to them; thus they were looking to the flesh.
David had sons, and his son Solomon was the king after David, but Nathan was also a son of David. Solomon’s mother was not Jewish, but Nathan’s was; but in reference to the kingly line it made no difference, as long as the person descended from David. Nathan means, Lift up, or Give; there was also a Nathan who was a prophet in the House of David, but not a son of David. Nathan the son of David was born in Jerusalem, as well as ten other sons of David; thereby giving us eleven sons of David, all pointing to the quorum of Apostles (II Sam 5:14-16). These eleven came after David knew in his heart, that God had confirmed him as king, as a type of the Kingdom lifted up on High (I Chron 14:2). Nathan was older than Solomon, but Nathan never challenged David’s choice, nor did he challenge Solomon as king over Israel.
David’s Eleven sons were named, Shammuah (renowned), Shobab (rebellious), Nathan (lift up), Solomon (peaceful), Ibhar (choice), Elishua (God of supplication), Nepheg (To spring forth or sprout), Japhia (bright), Elishama (God of hearing), Eliada (God of the king) and Eliphalet (God of deliverance). Out of the eleven there was only one named rebellion, yet in the context it shows rebellion is conquered, not exalted.
Heli would not have been Joseph’s father, rather Heli was Mary’s father. The Jewish method of saying “as was supposed” is used in two meanings by Luke, and both fit. First Jesus, was….”as was supposed,” the son of Joseph, but in truth He was not. The second use points to the family line of the wife. In Matthew, it’s clear that the name of Joseph’s father is Jacob, and the Hebrew for Heli is Eliy, not Jacob (Matt 1:16). Correctly, to the Jew this should read, “Jesus, the son of Joseph, as was supposed Heli”, but it’s not how Luke wrote it. In the manner he displayed… we find that Joseph was the “supposed” father of Jesus, showing that the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary; thus Luke covered both areas with “as was supposed”.
This was a complex system, yet it was the only method to prove one is Jewish, while not using the names of the women. Without the temple records, it’s impossible to determine both sides of the genealogy beyond a reasonable doubt. Why? One has to go through the maiden names all the way back to David, then back to Abraham. Now we find that the general term “Jew” means anyone who has a mother who is Jewish. What about Ruth? She wasn’t a Jew, yet she is in the line to Jesus. Ahh, the death of Ruth’s husband, who was Naomi’s son, coupled with Ruth rejecting her past family order and becoming the daughter of Naomi, made it possible for Ruth to be a Jew (Ruth 2:22). If Ruth would have remained with her past family order, the entire process would have fallen apart, but God knew. So, why does it have to be the mother? This goes back to Sara; if it was based on the father, then Ishmael would have been a Jew, but Ishmael’s mother was not Jewish, she was not married to Abraham, neither Hagar or Ishmael were of the Promise. Somewhat complex, but with God we find so many things are, showing us how God has all this well in hand.
In the Beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God, then the Word became flesh for us. Which was first, Adam or the Word? Ahh, the Word; thus when we receive Life, we obtain a position like unto Adam, but then when the Word lives in us, we move to a time before the Beginning, a place before the fall, a place before earth, a place with God in God’s heaven, before sin was defined. Thus we sit with Jesus now, although it doesn’t appear to the natural eye to be so. “I got it…. imputed position, based on a present condition.”
Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son Juda, which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, which was the son Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Jacob, which was the son Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lemech, which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jered, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God (3:24-38).
Luke also uses a different word regarding the generations; whereas Matthew shows one beget another, Luke shows one Which was the son of another, thereby pointing to the mother of the child, showing how each was Jewish. Matthew begins with Abraham, then leads to Jesus, whereas, Luke begins with Mary then goes back to Adam, then God. We also see a great change when we get to David’s sons, in Luke’s line we find “Nathan”, but in Matthew it was “Solomon” (Matt 1:6). Also in Matthew we find, “David the king begat,” showing the kingly line; thus Matthew establishes the Kingly right, and Luke, the Jewish position.
In either case, we do not find “Moses” or “Aaron,” simply because neither the kingly order or the order of Mary’s line came from the tribe of Levi. However, we find that John’s did; thus John was a cousin, not a brother, giving us different lines. John’s parents go back to Aaron, but the line of Jesus does not….another complexity, yet showing God’s hand in all this.
Since Jesus was not of the line of Aaron, His Priesthood called for a New Law for the New Order of Priests (Heb 7:12). Our Order is much different from the Levitical, although they both are called “priesthoods.” Our High Priest had to be more worthy than all the priests under the Order of Aaron. This new High Priest not only had to present the most holy of all Sacrifices in a place where no earthly priest was ever authorized to perform, but this High Priest had to be the Sacrifice as well. The Order had to be special, and had to encompass both the Jew and Gentile. Melchisedec was a man, but he was also a priest who had an Order. The Book of Hebrews talks about the man, but centers on the Order of the man’s priesthood.
The genelogy of Luke points to being Jewish, thus all Jews could trace their mother and father, but this Melchisedec could not. If one is not a Jew, then, they are a Gentile; thus Melchisedec was Gentile standing for the Gentiles (Heb 7:3). Jesus took the “Seat of David” establishing His kingship, but His act of giving the Sacrifice opened up the New Priestly Order. If one is of the New Order, they can’t be of the Old (Heb 7:12). This New Law called for many things; there are some “like terms” found in both the Old and New but they differ by definition.
The phrase “Adam, which was the son of God” doesn’t mean that Adam and Jesus are alike; rather it shows that Adam was the Beginning, to bring about The Son of man on earth. Adam was not born of earthly parents, he was formed of the earth, then God breathed the breath of life into his nostrils; God didn’t place a spirit in Adam, neither did He breath some spirit into Adam, Adam was a living soul before the fall, not a “quickening spirit.” Adam was a mixture of elements, Jesus is Pure in all respects.
The paradox shows that Adam was formed of the earth, then God breathed into him, but “Jesus was” in the Beginning; He took on the form of man, He was not created. Adam had no choice, he was formed of the elements of the earth, Jesus not only had choice, but took on flesh as a matter of submission. Wow, does it mean Jesus was a separate god in heaven? No, it shows how God’s Word is still God, “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was God”; the Word took on flesh to represent man as the Son of man. Then The Word defeated “him who had the power of death”; and then the Spirit of Holiness declared the Word the Son of God by the Resurrection, making it possible for the Holy Spirit in us to declare us to be sons of God by the Power of the Resurrection (Rom 1:3-4, et al).
Luke points to purpose: thus the purpose of Adam is/was Jesus, the purpose of Mary is/was Jesus, the purpose of you and I, is still Jesus,and the purpose of every Jew, Gentile, and pf creation for that matter, is Jesus in us, the Hope of Glory. The Jews are so offended by the Name of Jesus, that they refer to Him as Otohaish, or “that man”, yet they refer to Mohammed as Mohammed. According to one Jewish scholar, “Scratch a Christian and you’ll find a spoiled pagan”; this concept was not arrived at without cause. To the Jew any Image is an idol, yet we are being formed into the Image of God’s Son. To the Jew it’s the same as idol worship, to us it’s salvation. On the same note, the Jew holds the Law of Moses in the same position as God; thus without them knowing it, they have an Image. To the Jew they worship Through the Law, but in so doing they also must worship the Law. We on the other hand worship Him who brought us the New Covenant, much different. Jesus said the Father was seeking those who could worship Him in Spirit and Truth; thus the people lacked the ability, yet John (of 1 Jn) shows we that have the Spirit of Truth, if we are Born Again (I Jn 4:1-4).
The word Image means “something resembling something”; an idol is a physical resemblance of some element, but the design is a product of the mind of man. However, we are not a physical resemblance of Jesus, we are in the Image of His Character and Nature by the Spirit, a likeness of His Love, Hope, Faith, Grace and Mercy, or a likeness of Jesus by having the Same Mind, Attitude, Nature and Character; thus it’s not a robotic state, but one being formed by the Spirit in us, to change our souls from natural, fleshly-thinking, to Spirit-thinking, bringing to pass “that Born of the Spirit is Spirit.” An idol is by the efforts of man, based on the will of man; John the apostle, tells us that the New Birth is not by the will of man, nor by the efforts of man (Jn 1:13). Perhaps a fine line, but a line nonetheless.
When we fail at the Likeness of Christ, yet remain religious, we then are no different from any other religious group on earth. How are we suppose to drive them to jealousy, when we have become the bunt of their jokes (Rom 10:19)? We can acquire Agenda, then form Winds of Doctrine, as fringe areas in a Doctrine become more important than the Doctrine itself. “Winds” produce foolish questions and strife, yet a Spirit filled teacher is centered on removing controversy, and bringing unity; a false teacher brings controversy and produces division (II Cor 12:19-21 & I Cor 3:3). Luke is removing controversy by showing that Jesus was Jewish, not a Gentile; yet the purpose was to join Jew and Gentile into One Body. Whether lost tribes or not, it doesn’t matter, we are of Jesus, who is proven as the Son of man relating to the Jews, yet the Son of God by the Spirit of Holiness (Rom 1:3-4).
Luke points out that Mary was a direct descendent of David, then he adds: Heber, Noah, Abraham, Seth, and Enoch in the line of Jesus, showing that Jesus goes back past the Jewish line to the Beginning. The Jew stops at Jacob, the Hebrew stops at Abraham, and many stop at Moses; yet Luke shows, that unless God is involved, there are no Jews or Gentiles, when Adam was formed and created. When Jesus is alive in us, we are neither Jew or Gentile, rather we go back to before there were any Jews or Gentiles, and even before time was a factor.
Most Jews stop at the Torah and Moses, yet claim the promises of Abraham. The sign of the Abrahamic Covenant is still circumcision of the flesh; the sign of the Law of Moses is keeping the sabbath. One has choice in keeping the sabbath, but none in the circumcision. According to the Jew, God in His love, gave the Torah and Sabbath to the Jew alone, which is not true; God by His love gave them Jesus, God’s mercy provided the Torah, but the unbelief of the children caused it.
When we recognize how the Torah was given because of disobedience, but that Jesus came to free us of disobedience…. we can stop making claims to the Law of Moses, or we can stop producing imaginations causing us to hold the Truth in unrighteousness.
Luke also adds some female names, breaking tradition. The females are: Joanna, Janna, and Maath, showing that God looks at the heart, not the flesh. Luke gives us Jesus as the purpose of the Jews, then moves right into the temptations. This is Paul’s point, he uses allegories for the “head of the woman”; yet Luke a companion, lists females as equals.
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days He did eat nothing: and when they were ended, He afterward hungered (4:1-2).
It’s so clear that the Spirit led Jesus into the Wilderness, for the purpose of His being tempted of the devil. Why then, do some of us assume that we won’t be taken into the wilderness to defeat the works of the devil? God cannot be tempted to do evil, yet the Spirit of God took the Son of man to a place to be tempted. Therefore, the Spirit took Jesus, yet the Spirit didn’t tempt Jesus. Although the devil did the tempting, we find that Jesus was not tempted. The temptation unto evil is only complete when the one doing the temptation has a lust, and the one tempted reacts from a lust to complete the temptation. If the temptation is rejected, then it’s a test. However, the reverse is also true, God can send a test, yet we can filter it through a lust making it evil, but it doesn’t mean God tempted us unto evil. Therefore, we find that exposure for the child of God is a blessing, thus we Rejoice when we fall, it’s time to be clean.
The evidence shows that Jesus is more than man; the temptations came, yet not once was Jesus tempted to do evil. He defeated the temptations, one by one, showing by Him, that we too, can win in the wilderness.
Luke covers the three temptations, however, he uses a different order than the one noted in Matthew, for good cause. Luke brings the teacher into the picture, showing us that the temptations don’t come in some formed order. The devil uses darts, not mallets; he is the prince of the power of the air, not the king of the air, or even the prince of the air, merely the prince of the power (authority) of the natural realm. Thus the weapons of our warfare are not Carnal (natural air), but mighty through God (spiritual air). The prince of the power of the air is also the “spirit of disobedience”; the old man is a product of the authority (power), making the old man subject to the carnal, natural things of man. However, we are subject to the “Law of the Spirit,” meaning that the old nature is not invited into the New Covenant. The old man is not our soul; it’s the nature of fallen man affecting our soul. Our soul is still the treasure, the very element that the New Man is working to save (cleanse, justify).
Although the devil’s intent is to kill, rob, and destroy, it doesn’t mean that the result has to end in his favor; rather God has a purpose, “to turn things around for Good to those called according to His purpose, and for those who love the Lord.” The wilderness of Jesus proves this; Jesus defeated the devil in the wilderness, then destroyed him through the death of the Cross.
And the devil said unto Him, If You be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread (4:3).
This is different from Matthew’s account, in Matthew it was stones (plural), here it’s one stone (Matt 4:3). We can conclude that either Luke made a mistake, or since all Scripture is inspired by the Holy Ghost, that there is more here for us. The latter is better. Matthew uses the Greek word Lithos meaning A millstone, or A stone of stumbling. Luke uses the same Greek word, but in the singular (as “this stone”); it’s the same Greek word that John the Baptist used prior, showing that God is able to make children of Abraham from the Lithos. This is not the Rock, since it’s a different Greek word (Petros or Petra). In Matthew the temptation points to gaining our need outside of the proper order; here, the teacher is given a deeper conceptual aspect. The devil is tempting Jesus to take a stone of stumbling and make it Bread; yet the Scripture says that the Gospel is a stone of stumbling, but only to the unbeliever. This goes further than food for the flesh, this temptation is to force unbelievers into the Bread (Body), or to make people believe, rather than produce evidence so they can believe. It suggests the use of manipulation over choice. Did Jesus come so the stone of stumbling could become the Bread? Yes, but not by deceptive ways, and surely not at the suggestion of the devil.
How do we know that this is suggestive manipulation? We know by the word “command”; it’s the Greek Epo, a primary verb used only in definite past tense, showing that once spoken, it must be, regardless of the choice or desire of what it’s spoken to. Here it’s simply making the people believe; yet in the last chapter of Mark, we found Jesus upbraiding the disciples with their unbelief, then telling them the signs follow the believer, showing that the temptation was defeated for all time, if we receive it.
Matthew writes to “people” Luke to “one person”; yet both are giving us the same example. The Gospel is not four opinions, but one Gospel with one Author. Taking Matthew and Luke, we find that the devil sends his darts based on the same three evils, but uses them in different manners. Whether it’s, “change the masses,” or “one person,” it’s still the temptation to “make someone believe,” rather than present evidence, so they can make the change.
The devil questions our position and condition, bringing his lies as the basis for his attack. Bowing to the suggestion will rob us of our ability and anointing. The devil can’t raise himself to our position, but he can convince us to lower ourselves to his. Then comes the various IF attacks, “if you say you are who you are, do this”; “if you can do this, then you will prove who you are”; “if you are who you say you are, then show me your power”; or “If God said…”. Perhaps the most common one is “If God said…”, but all the “IF attacks” entice us to use our position to prove our condition, and each is designed by the devil to pull us from our position into self-justification, which empowers the self, the very thing he uses to destroy us.
Clearly we can see how these attacks point to entering self-justification. The devil didn’t say, “if God be God”; rather he attempted to make Jesus prove His position to satisfy the devil. This same temptation spills out of the mouth of the modern day Pharisee, who is bound in the traditions of man. We read a verse, yet they say, “if it’s still true, why don’t you….”, or “I see you say..”, those statements remove the teacher from being led of the Spirit, as it challenges the person. If they said, “I see God said through you…” their question would be a direct challenge toward God. The devil is challenging the Father, but challenging the Father through the position of Jesus. Tempting words entice us to prove ourselves, causing us to enter self-justification; we end using carnal weapons, thereby falling into temptation. Is it bad? Only if we ignore it. It has nothing to do with legitimate questions, it has to do with someone tempting another.
Stones are hard; bread is soft. Since Bread is a metaphor for the Body, which we are, we can see that this would be turning the unbeliever into Bread without giving them choice, which act would be demonic. The devil didn’t say, Turn the stone into chicken soup, or Turn the stone into prime rib, rather it pointed directly to bread alone. The word for Bread is the Greek Artos meaning Bread, but it also means the Shewbread, not the Manna.
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God (4:4).
This is one area proving the Unity of the Body is not the call, rather we are to enter the Unity of the Spirit by the Unity of the Faith. The Greek word used for Word in the phrase, “every Word of God”, is Rhema, not Logos, we notice the phrase, “proceeds out of the mouth of God”, is missing here. Faith comes by hearing, but the hearing by the Rhema (word). We have three areas noted by Jesus, “it is Written”, “Bread” and “Word”, each with a different aspect. The Scriptures are not the only “Word of God”, the Scriptures define themselves as the Holy Scriptures, they define Jesus as the Word (Logos), and the Rhema metaphorically points to the Spirit (Jn 1:1, Rom 10:17 & II Tim 3:15-4:3). Rhema thinking is always Life centered, as life seeks Truth, Hope, Faith, Light and Love (Jn 6:63). The Living Word is Jesus in us, not the Bible. Even cultic systems use Scripture, as do Pharisees, yet Jesus said the Pharisees didn’t have the Word (Logos) in them, but He told them to read the Scriptures (Jn 5:37-40). Since the Pharisees read about life, they assumed they had it, but man does not live by the Body (Bread, I Cor 10:17) alone, we need the Rhema of God based in seeking Life by the Spirit.
The influence of Paul on Luke is displayed in this account; if any of the disciples after Pentecost knew anything about Jewish teaching and tradition, it was Paul. This same Paul was a devout student of Gamaliel, who was one of the most renowned teachers of the Rabbinical order at the time (Acts 5:34 & 22:3). These teachings would have a greater meaning to the orthodox Jew, or the Gentile who was informed of the orthodox Jewish concepts, rather than the modern day Christian. We also know Jesus came for the Jews, thus much of what He did is explained by Jewish concepts. We also know Paul counted his past education and intellectual endeavors as a waste (Ph’l 3:8 et al). Why? No spiritual influence, thus someone can quote every verse in the Bible, yet be void of spiritual understanding.
Stones were used by the Jews as memorials, even the stacking of stones as a memorial to God was common and reported in the Torah (Gen 28:11 & 31:46). Stones were also a sign of judgment and punishment (Deut 13:10). Although stones were used as memorials, once a tool was placed against the stone to change its appearance, it became an idol (Ex 20:25). Changing stones into bread would also be a form of idol making. The temptation didn’t stop at merely changing the stone, it reached to changing the stone into something specific. John said God was able to turn the stones into children of Abraham, but here the temptation went further (Matt 3:9). It’s one thing to know God is able, it’s another to tempt Him to prove it. The stones referred to by John, were the people who refused to repent of their sins; therefore, the stones who did change, did so by hearing, then accepting the choice to be changed, no one forced change on them (Matt 3:5).
To the Jew the acceptable bread must come from the five acceptable grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and red wheat [spelt]). The number Five represents Grace, the Grains used by the Jew reflect to the Faith of the Grain of Mustard Seed, but Bread to the Jew is still a symbol of Life. The Hebrew blessing for washing before anyone can eat bread is, Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu al netilat yadaim, translated as; Blessed are You, O Lord, our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us in His commandments and commanded us to raise up our hands”. This blessing has nothing to do with washing, but with the Raising of hands, but to the Jew it means to raise the hands after the washing in order to allow them to dry, to us it means, “Praise ye the Lord”. Within the blessing, or within many of the Jewish blessings we find the Trinity. First is Adonai (Lord or Spirit), then the Father (God or Elohenu), then the King of kings (Son or Melech). One might ask, does the first usage of Adonai really refer to Jesus? Jesus said, David said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord (Jehovah) said to my Lord (Adonai), sit at My Right Hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool, thus the first usage points to Jesus, but in context we also find we sit with Jesus in high places. Jesus as the Son of man is our example of walking in Mercy, as the Son of God He is our example of walking with God in Grace by the Spirit.
The blessing for bread cannot be conducted until two things are done, first is the prior blessing, but a Jew never eats bread without some Salt. Jesus said, if our Salt has lost his saltness, we are inept, thus the Bread without the Blessing and Salt, is not Bread, but a stone. The blessing for bread in the Hebrew reads, Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz, or “Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who brings bread out of the earth”. This means more to us, when we recall Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life”, with “Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the Bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die” (Jn 6:35 & 6:48-50). To the Jew the manna was the Bread from heaven, but it was not so, the command came from heaven, the manna from the ground, thus the manna was a type indicating the growth of the Seed, but the Shewbread is a type of Jesus. The Jew stops at the bread from the earth, we have the Bread from heaven.
Jesus didn’t say, “Stones is stones and bread is bread”, nor did He say, “pieces are pieces”, rather He went to the Scriptures, more specifically to the Torah, the heart of all Jewish belief. The key was Every Word (Rhema) Of God, not just the ones we pick, or the ones fitting our theology, yet here Jesus picked certain words from the Scriptures, yet He spoke the Rhema; therefore, He used Scripture, but the words had Life behind them. The devil will also use Scripture, but instead of life, there will be death and destruction behind them. This is the difference between reacting and responding, the Pharisees and other religious leaders used Scripture, but as their father the devil they did so to attack Jesus, but Jesus responded by the Rhema. Debates are reactions against reactions, when the Rhema is introduced, there is no debate.
The devil is defeated by the promises of God, thus traditions made into doctrines of men are methods used by the devil to destroy the promises. The temptation comes to force us to use a God given premise in a twisted carnal manner to gain some self-desire. We must submit to the Scriptures, yet live by the Rhema, by allowing the Rhema to bring Life through the Logos in us.
The pride of life inserts Agenda to make the Scripture fit our thinking, faith submits to the Logos (Word) to bring a change by the Rhema. This also helps us understand those times we Heard from God, but then comes a Pharisee with Scripture with their supposed error. God is asking us to believe in the imputing, but the carnal minded who hear the old carnal nature come with a hindering attitude to stop us before the impartation takes place. It’s not theology at question, but obedience regarding the Rhema of God.
We understand, In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God (in His bosom), the Word is God, then the Word was made flesh; however, to the Jew, the concept of one’s words becoming flesh is impossible, yet Is anything too hard for the Lord? One of the holiday blessings for the Jew entitled the Blessing of Rosh Hashanah or the Kiddush for Rosh Hashanah says in part, “..Your Word is Truth and endures forever”. To the Jew this means the Law of Moses, but we know the Word (Logos) is Jesus.
This shows how Pilate looked at a What is Truth, while he was looking at Truth (Jesus). Misinterpretation of the Truth caused Pilate to miss the greatest moment of his life. The Jews look for the Messiah as a Jewish man, yet they failed to see the Messiah as the Word of God made flesh, yet they know God’s Word is Truth. This connects to John 3:6, the Word of God is Spirit, since God is Spirit, yet the Word took on flesh to die so we can live. In the process we find the Holy Ghost brings the Seed of God, the Seed of God is the Holy Spirit we are sealed by, also known as the New Man, the Greater He, Another Comforter. The New Man is Spirit, but our souls are fleshly, thus the process of change is by the Spirit in us making our souls Spirit in nature, turning us from the flesh. The devil attempts to introduce the flesh again, based on the premise “that born of the flesh is flesh”.
These Jewish concepts were well known to the Pharisees, bringing the Gospel to it’s real Glory. When Jesus said, I Am the Truth, the Life and the Resurrection; the religious rulers went Tilt, tilt, tilt. These three areas were not items one could see or touch, they were invisible attributes of God, yet Jesus was standing before them. The invisible became visible for the Jew first, then the Gentile, if they receive it. God presents, then imputes, we believe and doubt not, then God imparts. A mind game falls apart, or jumps to witchcraft, thus a mind game is never based on Faith, it based on presumption.
And the devil taking Him up into a high mountain showed unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto Him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me: and to whomsoever I will I give it. If You therefore will worship me, all shall be thine. (4:5-7).
The High Mountain is Zion, the mountain of the Lord. From Zion, all the kingdoms of the world were seen, but the devil made the wrong assumption; he felt he had the power to give. Psalm 24:1 says, “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world and they who dwell therein.” The devil was attempting to give something that he didn’t possess, which is the same trick he pulled at the tree. Recalling how the devil uses the flesh to tempt Eve, we see the same acts of temptation going on here. When Eve (Adam female) saw that the tree was good for food, the” lust of the flesh” birthed in her. When she saw that it was pleasant to the eyes, the “lust of the eye” was birthed; then, the desire “to make one wise” produced the “pride of life,” or self-confidence, (making the flesh superior). The first act of Adam-male, as a result of the fall, was to cover his flesh; that born of the flesh was flesh, which could not change until Jesus made it possible. The flesh loves the darkness and void nature; the soul attaches to it’s guide, and if the flesh is the guide, then man loves darkness rather than light (Jn 3:19). However, within the soul is the “measure of faith,” looking for the Holy Ghost and the Proceeding Word of God.
The flesh being earthly, loves sensual matters, but the end thereof is death. The Jewish concept of hell is/was much different from ours, and their concept was much different from the one taught by Jesus. The Jew usually calls heaven Gan Eden, or the Garden of Eden, commonly known as Paradise. Jesus didn’t extend Paradise back to the Garden of Eden, rather He called it the Bosom of Abraham, showing that one “entered” based on faith, not deeds of the Law. How do we know? It wasn’t called the “Bosom of Moses.” The Jew also assumes that the “world to come” is Paradise; thus they hold to Isaiah 60:21-22, which to the Jew means, “All Israel will have a place in the world to come.” Paul said, All Israel will be saved, but he added, not all who call themselves Israel are of Israel.
Hell in the Hebrew is called Gehinnom, from which we get the word Gehenna. Jesus said, hell is a place where the worm dies not, the metaphor Worm points to the soul of man. However, to the Jew, no Jew can stay in hell for longer than a year. This is seen today in the placing of a headstone on a grave, a Jew doesn’t place the headstone on the grave immediately, they wait for nearly one year. To them once the headstone is in place the person is taken from hell, if it so happens that the soul passed through there. They also believe that the sabbath is so holy, that even heaven and hell are shut down for the sabbath. If this was true, there would be no evil, or death on the sabbath; thus “man was not made for the sabbath, but the sabbath for disobedient man.” The sabbath is not God, or a god, it’s a sign of the covenant which God gave man, but the covenant was between man and the Law of Moses, not between man and God. It was more than keeping the day, it was keeping the meaning of the day; thus man took the sabbath, and rather than make the day holy, they felt that they were holy for keeping the day, forgetting the very premise for keeping the day. The concepts regarding hell by the Jew are Agenda, since there is no obvious written teaching in the Torah regarding hell. In the end, hell is tossed into the lake of fire; it’s the lake of fire burning eternally as the place for those resurrected into damnation, or those of the Second Death.
The temptation entices us to bow one time to the devil, or use the ways of the flesh, after we have imputed it dead, meaning, we end using death in the place of life. Most temptations are based on reasoning: after all, Jesus came to take Zion, to bring Peace to Zion, Salvation to Zion, to set the captives free. The devil had a simple plan, it wouldn’t take the Cross, the earthly ministry, the mocking from the Pharisees, nor any length of time; all Jesus had to do, was bow once, not twice, or forever, just give the devil one bit of worship, then the devil would have released every Jew; however, behind the request was the trap.
We also find another mystery, Jesus allowed the devil to take Him, but He didn’t follow the devil’s suggestions. It would almost seem as if Jesus submitted, but we can see how Jesus allowed the devil to take Him to a place, and then he defeated the devil at the place. Does it mean we should allow the devil to take us “wherever?” Hardly; Jesus knew what He was doing, but we must have ears to hear, knowing when to submit, or respond.
Matthew postions this temptation last, but Luke is adding to the teaching for the Full Ear. Here we will find Jesus telling the devil to “get behind Him,” or better, to leave and remain in a place of lower authority, or as a slave who is not allowed to walk beside; yet the devil came right back with another temptation. Simply because the one temptation is defeated, doesn’t mean another isn’t close behind. Above all else, we know, that the devil doesn’t use a game plan conducive to our benefit. Each of the three temptations relate to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the pride of life, as each is sent to steal, kill, and destroy, and all are looking to entice us to use the power, seat, or authority of the devil; all three of the elements are motivated by the spirit of the world, as the “he of the world.”
God will test us, but He will never tempt us with evil, nor will we tempt Him to do evil; all three of these temptations by the devil are “unto evil,” yet it was the Spirit who brought Jesus into the wilderness, and for the specific purpose of being tempted of the devil.
Why the Spirit and not the Holy Ghost? The temptations relate to Salvation, the Holy Ghost relates to the ministry, or toward the masses (providing guidance to); this is an example of the Spirit in us protecting us in the face of danger. God proves our faith, He doesn’t tempt us to do evil, if we’re doing some evil, yet claim it’s something God told us to do, we’re sadly mistaken.The Father could not tempt Jesus unto evil, thus there was nothing in the Father that the Father could use. The Spirit couldn’t tempt Jesus, there is no evil in the Spirit, yet Jesus had to face the same three temptations from the same tree to overcome them in order to separate the tree from the kingdom. Does it mean we will not be tempted? No, it means that we have power over the temptations, more important it means if we fall, God has provided a means of escape (I Cor 10:13).
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind Me, Satan: for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve (4:8).
From this we can find a key, or a secret to warfare; did Jesus come “against” the devil? No, this was the devil coming against Jesus, Jesus was resisting the temptation by placing Scripture between Him and the temptation. When we come against the devil, we must venture into his realm, but when we Stand with the New Man (Armor of God) we are “resisting evil.” We could use, “well I come against the devil and it works, in fact, I do it every day”; if we have to do it everyday, it’s not working. This doesn’t mean we don’t come against the Wiles (works) of the devil, clearly we do, and clearly Jesus did; but we must discern the differences between demons, the power, authority, seat of Satan, and the Wiles of the devil. We could spend hours rebuking the devil by using the wiles of the devil to do it, and be none the better.
Here Jesus uses the term “Satan”, as we found that Satan is opposed to the people, especially the people of God. This attack was against Jesus, but it affected the people whom Jesus was sent to. Jesus defeated the devil, so we can defeat the works of the devil. Jesus didn’t say, “As far as it is translated correctly, it is written…”, or “I think it is written…”, or “From the original transcript it is written.” Jesus as the Word, spoke the Scriptures with authority, thus because the Word (Jesus) used the Scriptures, we find validity in the Scriptures. The same is true with us, the Word in us is the Power from on High, the God granted ability to walk by faith.
Regardless of the Translation, we must seek the Interpretation to determine what the Author was thinking when the words were written. We can find various texts, even find some where it appears that verses are missing, but why? The hand of man? Even so, we find a two edged test. We can seek out reasons to believe in finding other evidence to support the presentation of the verses. Or we can doubt, and once we doubt the veracity of the Bible, we will doubt in the Word, allowing the devil to have us questioning everything, even the obvious. Once we begin to question the veracity of God, or the Scriptures, we fall into the “If” trap, ending hanging ourselves by our own tongue.
Jesus is life, the devil is death, and the two can’t mix. The devil attempts to make us think that he is more than he is, while telling us that we are less than we are. Then he adds the false concept, of God being unable to finish what He started. Instead of debating the issue with the messengers of the devil, we merely say, “It is written”; then we walk in faith, love, and hope, backed up by the Word in us.
One can use Scripture to bring harm, just as one can use the Word to bring life and peace. We preach the Word; yet anyone can read Scripture, and even the devil used Scripture. Thus, it’s not the use of Scripture alone, but adding the Word in us to bring Life, which is the Logos in us being used to speak the Rhema to those who have Rhema ears.
And he brought Him to Jerusalem, and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee: and in their hands they shall bear You up, lest at any time You dash Your foot against a stone (4:9-11).
This temptation points to the pride of life; the temple is where the Pharisees and Scribes were holding service. Therefore, if Jesus jumped from the top of the temple and made an open display of His greatness to prove Himself, with the obvious observance of angels holding Jesus up, the Pharisees would have been convinced by what they saw. However, the issue of faith and receiving Jesus on the principle of belief and love, is more important than showmanship. On the day of the Cross, Herod called for Jesus, simply to see some miracle, but Jesus did nothing; thus, this temptation came again, but it was nonetheless defeated.
The pride of life calls out, “Show them your power”, or “look at the power you have”, or “tell the rain to go away, take control”, all producing some “Jesus Christ and His traveling puppet show”, with theatrics, ending in self-exalting. This same temptation comes when we attempt to force our Agenda, or enter self-justification to prove our position. The devil enjoys seeing us use his Wiles to come against demonic elements. The devil doesn’t care if we’re coming against him, it’s the method used that he either fears or enjoys.
The devil started the quote, but he forgot the rest of the quote, which reads, “because he has set His love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he has known My name” (Ps 91:14). Faith without a love for the Lord, ends in using the pride of life to seek self-pleasure. The Scripture shows that God will deliver because we love Him; but the devil turned the Scripture into, “Show them who you are, prove Yourself.” So, one is trusting in God, the other is promoting the self; the former is faith, the latter is sin, yet both are based in Scripture.
And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God (4:12).
The devil was tempting Jesus, attempting to get Jesus to tempt the Father. Jesus again quoted the Torah; all His answers come from the Law (Deut 6:16). Does this mean that we can only quote the Law? Does this mean that the only means to defeat the devil is by the Law? The answer is, No. Jesus used the Law for the disobedient in the face of the “spirit of disobedience,” proving that even the Law of Moses can rebuke the devil, but it takes the Spirit to defeat the works of the devil. Adding to this, we know at this time, that the Bread and Cup were not presented. The real premise is how the devil used manipulation, deception, and subtle methods; but Jesus used Scripture the way it was intended to be used. Jesus stood as the Son of man, the challenge was directed to prove He is the Son of God.
And when the devil had ended all the temptations, he departed from Him for a season (4:13).
This verse is a promise; after the wilderness, when the Root has faced the three temptations of: the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things, the devil is removed for a Season. However, as we know, the works of the devil continued to attack Jesus through the religious leaders. Warfare? Yes, yet Jesus was not moved by the temptations. There isn’t one temptation facing us, which Jesus hasn’t faced.
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all (4:14-15).
Jesus started by Teaching, not doing miracles; John tells us, that when Jesus turned the water into wine, it wasn’t time, yet Jesus did it to please His mother. The second miracle came after Jesus left Galilee, and was on His way to Capernaum (Jn 2:4 & 4:54). After Jesus entered Capernaum, the healings and miracles were all part of His ministry; however, the Jews were first given the opportunity to Hear and gain faith. Signs and Wonders are great, they prove that we believe, but faith still “comes by Hearing,” so we must move from belief to faith, without ignoring either.
This verse shows, that after the wilderness, Jesus went about doing many things; this verse is a preview to the events, not a matter of the events all happening at one time. In John, Nicodemus viewed the cleaning of the temple as a miracle, as any Jew would. To the Jew, if anyone did what Jesus did, such as rebuking those who sold the dove, it would be a miracle. Power used outside of given authority is rebellion and witchcraft; so, the religious leaders saw the power, yet the temple was in their hands. Thus, the religious leaders questioned His authority, not His power.
And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read (4:16).
It was always the Custom of Jesus to teach. Luke tells us that this custom was prevalent when Jesus was twelve years old. Not only was it His custom to be in the synagogue, but He was going there to read. The chapter and verse were not in the Bible until the 1600’s; therefore, the Jew knew the Scriptures, they also knew where to find Scripture without having to look at chapter and verse.
And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when He had opened the book He found the place where it was written, (4:17).
The phrase, “He found”, doesn’t mean that Jesus was playing Bible roulette; rather it means that He sought out a specific area. The practice on the Sabbath was not to read from the Prophets, but from the Torah. The reading of the text on the sabbath is called the Kiddush; yet Jesus departed from the norm, not to make an uproar, but to open a door for the people to be free indeed.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor, He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord (4:18-19).
This is a Proclamation, according to Jewish history which was done when one army knew that it could take the enemy with ease. The Proclamation was given to allow the enemy to surrender. The ones bringing the Proclamation were dressed in White, thus showing the tradition of the white flag for surrender. Only in this case, the ones dressed in white were asking the enemy to surrender. Jesus defeated the devil in the wilderness, but here He is putting the works of the devil on notice, that they are defeated as well.
A Proclamation is also the means of the “Report in heaven” (1 John 5,) proclaiming something as done, while the Witness on earth is bringing it to pass. If we look at Justification we would find verses indicating that it’s a past issue once we enter the Body; but we would also find verses showing it’s “unto”, or a process. The Report proclaims it done, the Witness is bringing it to pass. For God it’s calling something done, while we are in the process. Once the ability is granted, God considers it done. We Believe God Is; in this respect we believe that God has given us the ability, our faith then hold the Reward is “in hand,” although we are in the process.
We must see the order here: the Spirit was on Jesus because of the Anointing, not the other way around. When we receive Jesus, the Righteousness of Jesus is “imputed,” then the Anointing comes to complete the task given. We don’t need to run all over looking for the Anointing; if you have the Spirit, you had the Anointing first.
Jesus used the word Preach three times, and the first point of faith is “to hear.” Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-2; however, He left off, “and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn” (Isa 61:2). To the Jew, God’s Mercy and Justice (Judgment) are the same; here, Jesus divides the two, showing God’s Mercy frees us from His Justice. Many mysteries in the Bible are found in the little words.
And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (4:20-21).
The Scripture wasn’t fulfilled to their Eyes, but in their Ears; thus faith was “at hand,” but not “in hand.” The choice was before them: to either believe and enter in, or reject and be rejected. This group will be the first to see the Sower Sow the Word; what they did with it became the evidence of the Parable of the Sower.
And all bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son? (4:22).
The Seed did bear Witness, but the devil brought his character in full force as Satan bears witness with Satan. They wondered at the Words proceeding out of His mouth, yet they also trusted in their own limited thoughts, ending with rejecting the Seed as soon as it was Sown. The religious leaders came with the same temptations as the devil did in the wilderness; the works of the devil were working in them, yet Jesus didn’t cast the devil out of them, why? These are the works of the devil, not devils.
And He said unto them, Ye will surely say unto Me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country (4:23).
This is something they will say at the time, as a result of what Jesus will do in Capernaum, not what Jesus has done. The verse does not say, “you are saying”, rather it points to the future, “you will surely say.” They will Hear of the great works in Capernaum, thus Jesus is speaking a prophetic message, knowing what will be. He is not guessing at the events yet to come; He is not speaking words to make the events happen. He is speaking words about events yet to happen.
The people birthed their own unbelief, rather than accepting the Seed, regardless of any prior knowledge they may have. When someone speaks, we must be able to discern the words, regardless of the person. God is able to turn the stones into children of Abraham; we would be surprised at who God uses to make the point. Viewing the person to determine if they speak the truth or not always hinders us; discerning the words they speak regardless of who they are is the goal.
These people expected Elijah to come marching down the road, or be displayed in such a manner that faith would not be at issue. They also expected the Messiah to come with wondrous signs, including the promise of taking Edom, Moab and the children of Ammon. They expected the Messiah to place the Mountain of the Lord, over the mountains of the world; however, they confused times and seasons. God warned them regarding the mixing of Seasons and times, yet they missed the warning. Here the Messiah personally is presenting the signs; in the Book of Revelation we find that the Messiah will use the 144,000, without personally appearing until the very end… two Seasons, two Reasons, two Methods, two different goals, one Result.
No Jew would consider the Season of Passover the same as the Season of Shavuot. Passover is the Season of Freedom, whereas, Shavuot is the Season of the giving of the Torah. The Jew knows that one must leave Egypt before they receive the Torah. They can’t receive the Torah, then leave Egypt. To the Jew it’s either Torah, Agenda, or foolishness; thus, to the carnal mind, spiritual things are foolishness. The Kuddish regarding the Exodus from Egypt, states in part, “He has chosen us and sanctified us above all people and Your Holy appointed times have You caused us to inherit in joy and gladness.” The Curse falls because we fail to serve the Lord with joy and gladness of heart for the abundance of All things (Deut 28:47). The choice to receive the change of Seasons with joy and gladness, or to remain in an Old Season which was ineffective in respect to defeating the devil…. was the premise; yet Jesus never forced choice, He presented it.
And He said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; but unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian (4:24-27).
The example shows how the same blessing was “At hand” to many widows, yet only one received it”In hand,” because she obeyed the prophet; thus she survived the Change in Season. There were many lepers, but Naaman made a decision to believe the prophet, and he was healed when he obeyed. At first Naaman didn’t obey, but then he had a change in heart and did, it’s the issue here. The Widow was the only one that the prophet was sent to; the Jews were the only ones the Christ was sent to. Although Naaman didn’t believe at first, he did change and obey the words of the prophet, no matter how silly they sounded. These people did see, heard and obeyed not.
The Jew still knows that God will present the Kingdom to the Jew first, thus if Jesus wasn’t Who, He said He was, then their time is still yet to come; however, if Jesus was/is Who He said He was/is, then the times and Seasons have changed. The Jew is convinced that the Time of Comfort and the coming of the Messiah are linked into one Season, one time, one event; therefore, if Jesus didn’t bring peace for the nation by defeating the Romans, then He was not the Messiah. They confused the term Peace, assuming Peace first comes to the nation, then to the person, rather than Peace having to be established between the person and God before there can be any peace at all.
In order to make a Difference, one must be a Difference; Difference doesn’t come to make the person different, the person moves to the place to become a Difference. The Difference was presented, but one has to enter therein.
And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath (4:28).
The offense came, the choice was made, what they missed, others would gain; but nonetheless, they missed it. Offense is not to be taken lightly, and whenever, or whatever the offense, it must be discerned before we react. The soul reacts to protect itself, and anger is a method we use to turn the offense back on the other person, while justifying our inept condition. This offense came in the synagogue, and the reaction came in the synagogue. Two people can be in the same church: one can receive the offense and “enter in,” the other can “retort” and miss the blessing; yet it was the same offense, same message, same church.
And rose up, and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him unto the brow of the hill whereon the city was built, that they might cast Him down headlong (4:29).
Jesus was taken to a High Mountain; He could have allowed the people to toss Him off, then have the angels save Him, and then they would believe. However, Jesus won’t/didn’t submit to the manipulation, nor would He retort or attack it. From this we find that we cannot tempt God to do evil; it doesn’t mean we can’t send the temptation, rather it means it won’t be received by God. Rather, He will send back a test of exposure. Clearly the children in the wilderness tempted God, but they couldn’t tempt God to do evil. Instead, God sent a test back to expose the children, and what they did with the test proved the point.
But He passing through the midst of them went His way, and came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee and taught them on the sabbath days (4:30-31).
Jesus simply walked away in Peace, leaving the people with their wrath. Jesus would leave this area then travel through Cana to reach Capernaum. While in Cana, He would do His second miracle. Jesus could have healed someone, anyone in Nazareth, but the premise was still based on the faith of the people. When He reaches Cana there will be one in need, yet He will say, “Except you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” Therefore, signs and wonders are for those who must “see to believe,” yet signs and wonders follow the Believer. The Believer doesn’t look for the signs and wonders, they bring them; while the unbeliever looks for signs and wonders before they believe. However, in many cases it’s the signs and wonders drawing the unbeliever to become a believer.
Cana sits between Nazareth and Capernaum, John’s account fills in the gaps by showing that Jesus didn’t do any miracles in Nazareth (Jn 4:44-54). John’s account of the events in Cana are not related to the healing of the Centurion’s servant in Capernaum. Jesus did many miracles before the Centurion’s servant was healed, John shows that the second miracle was done in Capernaum, but came from Cana (Jn 4:46-50, Matt 4:23 & 8:5-13). Why would Jesus heal this man’s son, yet do no miracles in Nazareth? First, while in Nazareth no one asked Him, nor did they believe He could, second Jesus already did one miracle in Cana, when He turned the Water into Wine.
When Jesus turned the Water into Wine it was near the time of the Passover Feast (Jn 2:1 & 2:12-16). After Jesus turned the Water into Wine in Cana, He cleaned the temple; thus we find that even the cleaning of the Temple is a type of miracle. But the real miracles came after the Fast, and after He preached in Nazareth (Jn 2:11-16 & Mark 2:1-17), since the turning of Water into Wine was near the Passover, and the fast lasted forty days. We find that Jesus went home to Nazareth where he entered the synagogue there. After leaving, He started toward Capernaum, and on the way, a man stopped Him in Cana as the man’s son was sick in Capernaum. After the healing, then Jesus went to Capernaum.
The time element to the Jew is very important: Jesus turned the Water into Wine at a Wedding, healed the man’s son on the Path to Capernaum, and both relate to the Feast days. The Passover was a time of deliverance, whereas, Pentecost is the time of Rejoicing and Filling. No one was healed at the Wedding, but they Saw the vessel filled. In Cana, the Word went forth regarding the man’s son being healed.
The differences between the son being healed and the servant noted in Matthew’s account are great. In John’s account, Jesus is in Cana, but in Matthew Jesus is in Capernaum. In John’s account it’s the son of the Nobel man, but in Matthew it’s the servant of the Centurion. The only connections are Jesus and the healing, all the other circumstances and times are different. Luke picks up the events in Capernaum, again going to the area of the synagogue where Jesus started teaching; however, the difference between the people in Capernaum and those in Nazareth is obvious, and the result is also obvious. In Nazareth the people did bear witness to the words spoken, but they failed to couple the Word presented with faith; rather they began using natural reasoning.
And they were astonished at His doctrine: for His word was with power (4:32).
Once the Sower Sowed the Seed, these people received, and the Proverb, “Physician, heal thyself,” was taking effect. They didn’t use mind power, they received the Seed and used faith in Jesus.
And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with You, You Jesus of Nazareth? Are You come to destroy us? I know You, Who You are; the Holy One of God (4:33-34).
Did Jesus destroy the devil? Yes. Will the devil be bound? Yes. But here, the temptation is to do it before the time. The phrase “Holy One of God” is interesting, it shows how the devils are now temping Jesus. Isaiah and others term Jehovah as the Holy One (Isa 5:24, 10:20 et al), in essence the devils are calling Jesus “Jehovah, the Son of God”; but Jesus was acting as the Son of man. James tells us that even the devils know there is one God, the problem is they continually tempt Him (James 2:19).
The Jews have many Agendas regarding demons, some of those are still held today. When Jesus asked, “Who do they say I Am”; the disciples said, “Some say, Moses, some Elijah, some Jeremiah, some the other prophets.” The concept of a soul not filling its intended purpose or assignment in one life, then coming back after death to finish its course in another body, was a common thought among the Jews, and even the disciples held like thoughts. It was also a common thought regarding a vengeful soul coming back to invade a body to finish its evil work. This was considered the person being possessed with The Evil Eye to finish the assignment in life; thus they were left alone. After all, they were nonetheless a Jew; they were only completing their assignment in life. Jesus broke the agenda by casting out devils, thus showing it was not the soul of a person finishing an assignment, but a devil invading the soul of a person. The Pharisees felt that Jesus was interfering in the assignment of life, yet it was obvious that the people were demon possessed. When the disciples told Jesus, “some say You are Moses, or Elijah”, He asked, “who do you say I am?”, thus putting an end to the foolish concept of a soul coming back to finish an assignment. Accordingly, if the Evil Eye took over someone, the possessed was a victim and not allowed Choice to pick good or evil; therefore, the Evil Eye violated the commandment of the free moral choice (choosing Life or Life – Deut 30:19). The term Evil Eye is called the Ayin Hara, the Jews make noises at weddings, births, and other events to frighten off the evil influences, but the religious leaders couldn’t understand why Jesus cast out devils, by simply saying, “Come out.” Jesus also said, If the Eye offend thee, pluck (cast) it out. Instead of casting out the Evil Eye, the Pharisees gave it a chief seat.
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold your peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not (4:35).
This event gives us a different view of demon possession, other than the one we obtained from the man in the tombs. In this case the demon was one demon, yet used the plural Us, by saying, “Let us alone” thereby incorporating the person into the request. It would appear as if Jesus violated the man’s free moral choice; if he wanted to remain possessed, why not let him? However, the man was already voided of free moral choice by being possessed, thus devils invade the soul, inserting their thoughts and pleasures, removing the person’s choice. Jesus operated in the Wisdom of God (James 2:1-2), thus He knew the demon was speaking, not the person. Of course there are some who think they are better off with the demon, than without; however, once the demon is vacated, they can see their former state wasn’t good at all. If the person loved the demon, yet the demon is cast out, they will fail to fill their heart with faith, allowing the demon to return. However, they at least had a choice in the matter, they were free, but loved darkness rather than Light.
The demon was told to muzzle it’s mouth; the only power any devil has is their mouth. Demons go about “as a roaring lion,” they are not “roaring lions”; rather, they are like a cockroach with a mouth like a lion. Fear of demons is a sign of our lack of belief in the Name of Jesus; Paul called it “Superstitious” (Acts 17:22). If we lack belief in the “Power and Authority in the Name of Jesus,” we have no business casting out devils, neither should we conduct water baptisms. We were all in darkness and under the power of the spirit of disobedience (Eph 2:2-3); but we left the old realm, by entering a place with a higher authority, where there is no reason to fear demons, or the powers of darkness. If we are in the Body, and all things are under the Feet of Jesus, then we are above the things of the world; thus, never fear the inferior, put your fear in the Superior One, God.
The word Thrown means “A sudden motion,” or “A deliberate hurl to deposit something,” or “To toss back,” thus the demon tossed back the person with a sudden motion, yet the person was unharmed.
And they were all amazed, and spoke among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out (4:36).
The wording “What a word is this!”, is not a question, but a statement of amazement. These people had never seen Authority coupled with Power; in like manner, they never saw Satan cast out of anyone. They assumed, since the Pharisees allowed it, it must be in accordance with the Torah.
And the fame of Him went out into every place of the country round about. And He arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought Him for her. And He stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them (4:37-39).
Peter’s mother-in-law wasn’t demon possessed, and the demon possessed man wasn’t sick. Peter’s mother-in-law had a great fever, thus Jesus rebuked the fever; He didn’t rebuke the woman, or Peter, or the devil. The word Rebuked means Dismissed; it’s a compound word meaning To smite or To cause to leave. The Jewish divorce action is called a Dismissal of the marriage; Paul said that there would be a falling away, and in the Greek, this means a Divorce Action from The Faith. Jesus isn’t about to leave us, but it doesn’t mean we can’t divorce Him. In this case the fever was Dismissed from the woman, the woman wasn’t Dismissed from the fever, there is a difference.
Luke isn’t simply repeating events for the sake of correcting either Mark or Matthew, he is bringing us into the Full Corn in the Ear, the knowledge of the Jewish viewpoint, which includes their religious viewpoint and which tells us why these Pharisees rejected the obvious, while others received. The spirit lusting to envy is a killer, it attacks, yet claims it’s doing a good deed, it slanders, yet calls it “truth”, it’s motivated by the power of darkness, it’s the fall nature of man.
Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with different diseases brought them unto Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them, and healed them (4:40).
Jesus laid hands on men and women; to the Jewish male, this was a violation of the Law of Moses, but the violation was based on Agenda and tradition. According to Jewish Agenda, the woman could be unclean, thus laying on of hands would transfer the uncleanness to the one laying on the hands. Some of us have picked up a “like Agenda” based on something Paul said; but the Agenda uses it backward. Paul warned us about who we lay hands on, not who lays hands on us (I Tim 5:22). Paul’s warning tells leaders to be careful about who they ordain to “Helps” ministries; be wise, consider the person, not the need to fill an office.
And devils also came out of many, crying out and saying, You are the Christ the Son of God. And He rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that He was Christ (4:41).
This verse expands our definition of a “devil”; there are entities or evil spirits who are devils, but anything opposed to the Will of God is a devil. Thus Jesus called Judas a devil (Jn 6:70). When James says that the devils believe there is one God, he doesn’t limit the term “devils” to the fallen angels (James 2:19). If one Believes in the “One God,” they also believe in His Son; if they say they believe in the One God, yet reject His Son, James terms them as devils. The Jews called idols devils, based on their opposition to God.
And when it was day, He departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought Him, and came unto Him, and stayed Him, that He should not depart from them. And He said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. And He preached in the synagogues of Galilee (4:42-44).
This doesn’t mean that the Kingdom of God was available at the time, rather Jesus was going to “Preach it” as a matter of preparation.
The people wanted Jesus to remain in the area of Galilee, but Galilee was not all of the land of Israel; it was merely a portion of the land. The devils couldn’t stop Jesus, the people couldn’t stop Him; but the unbelief of the people stopped the people from receiving.
By Rev. G. E. Newmyer – s.b.i. les14 rev6/© 2003
