><>...JESUS THE CHRIST...><>
On the other side of Galilee, Jesus met a demoniac and drove the demons from him into a herd of swine, which immediately plunged to their death in the sea. When the townspeople came out to meet Christ, they found the demoniac fully clothed and in his right mind. Surprisingly, they begged Jesus to leave. He did so after He had sent the man to tell his friends of the Messiah (Matt. 8:28; Mark 5:1–20).
We are told of two miracles that Jesus performed when He returned to Capernaum: He raised Jairus' daughter from the dead and cured a woman with an issue of blood when she touched the hem of His garment (Matt. 9:18–26; Mark 5:21–43; Luke 8:40–56).
Jesus made a third tour of Galilee that included a number of miracles and a second rejection at Nazareth. Jesus yearned for more laborers to reap the spiritual harvest. He sent His disciples two-by-two to call the cities of Israel to repentance, granting them power to heal and cast out demons. Thus their ministry extended His own (Matt. 10:5–15; Mark 6:7–13; Luke 9:1–6).
At this point, we read the report of John the Baptist's death. Herod Antipas had long hesitated before killing John because he feared the people; but his wife Herodias plotted John's death using her daughter Salome to achieve her goal. Herod's guilty conscience led him to ask if Jesus was the resurrected John.
Grieving at John's death, beleaguered by crowds, and exhausted from work, Jesus gathered the Twelve and crossed the Sea of Galilee. But the crowds got there before them, and Jesus taught the masses all day. The session was climaxed when Jesus fed the entire multitude (5,000 men) by dividing and multiplying five loaves and two fish. When the leftovers were gathered they filled 12 baskets (Matt. 14:13–21).
Immediately after the miracle Jesus put the Twelve into the boat and sent them back across the Sea of Galilee, even though a storm was brewing. He retreated into the mountains to escape the overly enthusiastic crowd, which wanted to make Him king by force. Three hours after midnight, the disciples were caught in a violent storm in the middle of the lake. They were frightened. But when disaster seemed certain, Jesus came walking toward them on the water (Matt. 14:22–36; Mark 6:45–56). After He calmed their fears, Peter asked Jesus if He would permit him to come and meet Him. On the way, Peter lost heart and began to sink. Jesus took his hand and led him back to the boat. The water was calmed immediately.
In Capernaum Jesus began to heal the sick who streamed to Him from everywhere. Soon the crowd who had been fed arrived. Finding Jesus in a synagogue, they heard Him explain that He was the true bread of life from heaven.
They were now faced with accepting the authority of this teaching, spelled out in terms of eating Jesus' flesh and drinking His blood. This offended many of them and they left (John 6:22–66). Jesus asked the Twelve if they too were going to leave. This elicited Peter's well-known confession, “Lord, to whom shall we go? ... We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69).
After His discourse on the bread of life, Jesus turned from public teaching and devoted Himself to instructing His disciples (Matt. 15:1–20; Mark 7:1–23). The Jewish authorities resented Jesus' rejection of their religious ceremonies and His bold rebuke of their claims to authority. Jesus moved from place to place, seeking to avoid public exposure; but He could not always do this. In the area of Tyre and Sidon He healed a Gentile's daughter (Matt. 15:21–28), and in Decapolis He healed many who were brought to Him by the crowds (Matt. 15:29–31). He fed 4,000 people by multiplying loaves and a few fish (Matt. 15:32–39; Mark 8:1–10).
Back in the area of Capernaum, He was again besieged by the Jewish religious officials. To escape, He took a boat across the Sea of Galilee again. On the way He warned the Twelve of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herod (Matt. 16:1–12; Mark 8:11–21). In Bethsaida Jesus healed a blind man (Mark 8:22–26). Then He and His disciples journeyed north to the area of Caesarea Philippi, where Peter confessed Him to be the Messiah, “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied that Peter's faith made him a rock, and that He would build His church upon this rock—that is, faith such as Peter had (Matt. 16:13–20; cf. Mark 8:27–9:1). At this point Jesus described His approaching suffering, death, and resurrection.
About a week later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain and revealed to them His heavenly glory (the Tranfiguration). He conversed before their eyes with Moses and Elijah (Matt. 17:1–13; Mark 9:2–13; cf. Luke 9:28–36). At the foot of the mountain Jesus healed a demon-possessed boy whom the disciples had been unable to help (Matt. 17:14–23; Mark 9:14–32; Luke 9:37–44).
Jesus again toured Galilee but this time secretly. He again told the Twelve of His coming death and resurrection, and again they were unable to receive what He said.
Jesus paid the temple tax with money that was miraculously provided. On the way to Capernaum, He taught the disciples concerning the true nature of greatness and forgiveness (Matt. 17:22–18:35).
After many months, Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
He had refused to go with His family but later He made the trip privately. In Jerusalem the people's opinions about Him were divided. Jesus publicly affirmed that He was sent from the Father; He was the Messiah, the Savior of the world. The top religious authorities sent officers to arrest Jesus, but they were so impressed by Him that they were unable to fulfill their task. Then the religious authorities attempted to discredit Him by getting Him to violate the Law. But they were not successful. They brought to Him a woman taken in adultery and He completely turned the incident against them (John 8:1–11).
During this period Nicodemus tried to calm the hatred of the Sanhedrin (the high council of Jewish religious authorities). But while Jesus was in Jerusalem, He healed a blind man on the Sabbath. This provoked a great controversy and the man was cast out of the synagogue (a terrible disgrace). Jesus found the man, who recognized Him as the Messiah (John 9). Here Jesus delivered His famous discourse on the Good Shepherd (John 10:1–21).
James I. Packer, Merrill C. Tenney and William White, Jr., editors, Nelson's illustrated manners and customs of the Bible
To be continued |
