God sent his only begotten Son to the world. St Matthew presents him deliver the doctrine of his Father. Sermon on the Mount in ch.5 gives it as the Word become flesh. As the Word there was no higher authority than what he signified in his person. John speaks of his deity thus, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." ( John 1:2).
The Gospel presents him in the following chapters as Man is the Message. Evangelist traces a subtext why he was not received by his own." He came unto his own, and his own received him not"( John 1:11). Conflict between light and darkness must be resolved and it comes to a head on the charges of blasphemy. "I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me./But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."(26:56-57)
When Jesus told the truth, "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" the council that tried him was certain,"Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy." Their entire process was illegal but his role as the Lamb to his slaughter was right on track. "he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."(Is.53:7)
"And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly."(27:14). Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ in denying the truth they were proving that they were unworthy of the other. So the mob crying,"Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children."(v.27) illustrates what precious gift had they trodden underfoot. Holocaust wiped out some six million in the process. Has it sobered them up? Without grace beauty is blind and truth is darkness. We are warned what a terror awaits us if we neglect it.
"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;/And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me."(vv.9-10)
Here St Matthew refers to a quote from the book of Zechariah. In order to give them its proper context we shall consider the v.10. "And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.' This covenant with Israel refers to the Law of Moses. Beauty symbolic sign for Jesus ("For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"- Luke 23:31) In cutting off the Son they were repudiating the covenant and God. Jeremiah then smashing the potter's vessel at the east gate in Je.19 was a public event. Now the crucifixion was going to be a public event.
The inspired writing of the Evangelist did not err, an example of which we have seen in the preceding chapter. The verse"that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled" referred both Isaiah and Zechariah.(26:56) The Spirit presented the potter's vessel as a sign for the Son and where Prophet Jeremiah had begun we have Prophet Zechariah leading to the field, which in general sense signifies the whole land. "The land is mine" and the divine potter "O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel."(Je.18:6)
" Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
"And he (Isaac) called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day."(Ge.26:33)The Spirit uses the phrase 'unto this day' signifying the day decreed for the Son. "Unto this day" as well as "on that day" (In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness-"Ze.13:1) are tags used to refer the Alpha Omega aspect so there shall be much blood spilt for what the nation of Israel did to him. Here is another verse, "For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face."(Je.32:31)
God heard the voice of Abel. He told Cain, "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground./And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand."(Ge.4:10-11) Abel's righteous blood cried from the ground and Jesus in his passion "and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."( Luke 22:44). 'As it were' does not necessarily mean literal blood but the sweat is as meaningful. His cry of agony was like the Amen we say at the Lord's prayer and his Father has respect for his dear Son. "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar./Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation."(23:35-36). For this reason the field of blood or Akeldama (Ac.1:18-19) could be well applied to the whole land of Israel.
"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value."
Before we take up Ch.27 it is worth our while to understand the significance of the earthen vessel in these verses. "Thus saith the Lord, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;/And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate." What Jeremiah spoke before witnesses there has been rephrased by Jesus as he left the Herod's second temple after his woe to ye' discourse. Significance he went by the east gate. He said,"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate./For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."(23:38-39). Death and glory awaited him
Notice that he shall never again return in his old body. As he mentioned during his last supper his body as the potter's vessel in the hand of the prophet was about to be broken up.
Jeremiah foretold them, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle." He also added to which the innocent blood of Jesus could be included, " Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place,.... and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;" (He.19:1-4) Partly it was fulfilled in their generation. In vv.10-12 we have much more, yet to come, "Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,/ And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury." Tophet is interchangeable with valley of Hinnom, "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter." (19:6)
Matt.26:56-75 "Jesus in the hands of his tormentors"
v.56 "But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled."
Here we have a reference to Ze.13:7 "smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones."" As a result 'all the disciples forsook him and fled." The passage where Peter denying Jesus owes to the specific saying of Jesus. "Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."(v.34) Why single out Peter? In following verse, "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples".
Zechariah tells us in vv.8-9 what must occur. Number Three refers to the Son. "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein./And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God." This points to the end times.
The third part refers to what is left in Palestine. What occurs in Gaza must like a boil must burst open till 'all the land' their wound is cleansed and healed. Mal.3:2-3
Peter's problem was that he relied on his powers as a man. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."(1 Co.10:11-12) What happened to St Peter and Israel are examples, "and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
v.67 "Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him" is a fulfillment of Isaiah verse." I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."(50:6-8). The key verse v.56 referred to the prophets and Matthew meant Zechariah and Isaiah.
"Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;/ But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,"
The Seat of Moses is a symbol for authority. It signals the Law of Moses and his piety. What if the man who sits there is actively seeking false witnesses what are we to think of it. That law is an ass, is it not? Hypocrisy of chief priests and the council allowed their temple to be a den of thieves and now a Privy Council of Satan was called to order. They needed two witnesses since in their law two or three witnesses clinched the case against Jesus.
"But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God./Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (vv.63-64)
Simon Peter comments on the trial,"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."(Ac.2:23)
Wicked men in their cloth pontificate and get their victims which explains, the Inquisition and the imposter church has soiled their hands ever since but the Word of God stands sure.
vv.63-64 "Thou hast said"
You shall be judged by what you say and the chief priest who said,"I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God" having said it was in judgment himself. In refusing the truth he was guilty of hellfire as well. This is what Jesus implied. Compare with this question, "The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?"(21:25-27)
There is a sharp change of scene between v.45 and v.46.
In one he required his disciples to keep watch in his hour of sorrow with him. They failed at it. Now he says," Sleep on now, and take your rest."
Without their aid he was fortified from above. St Luke mentions that in his agony, of an angel from above being present.( Luke 22:43-44) God makes "his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire." When Jesus warns us not to despise 'these little ones' he is referring to their angels. "That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."(18:10-14). It is not for us to know in what manner but God does not leave those who are least esteemed in the eyes of the world without support. "A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation."(Ps.68:5-6)
They disciples are let to take ease since his hour was at hand. "For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me."(Ro.15:3) He was about to claim his victory.
vv.53-54 "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?/ But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" Lucan Gospel as mentioned earlier introduces the angel in strengthening Jesus in his agony.This helps us to understand the Angel of the Lord sees to the fulfilment of the scriptures. All His promises are 'yea' in his Son. Jesus speaks of legions of angels which are saints battle girt and shall do valiantly in battle. We see them in St John's vision,"And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean."(Re.19:14). They follow the Word of God which is Person specific. Whether one angel or legions of them what comes to our aid is our Savior Lord, who warned us, "Without me you can do nothing." Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever."
We see a variation to the upper room in the Acts. "Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour." His falling into a trance and the vision that was about to unfold had a great import on the course of the early church. So the Spirit isolates Simon Peter to make him prepared. There are few other examples which is not germane to the topic of the prayer of Jesus.
Lastly the prayer of Jesus recorded by John is the transcription of the Holy Spirit putting to words 'the unspoken' prayer ( John 17) which as St Paul explains, "but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered./And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Ro.8:26-27) The Spirit is not narrating the life of Jesus as with biographies of the secular literature in a linear fashion but it is rendered for our spiritual instruction from both worlds of the Spirit and of the flesh. (2 Ti.3:16-17)
"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."(2 Co.13:1)
Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me..And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed."
The Spirit gives us an insight into the manner he has arranged the prosaic aspects of the Son of man with the Son who is the Word become flesh. As with *'the upper room' this space separating his inner circle with the rest of disciples is marked by this phrase 'a little further'.
The Last supper was arranged beforehand. How the Spirit works is similar to how he works with those born of the Spirit. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."( John 3:8) In keeping with this principle the tribute money shall be found for Jesus and Peter when required as the ass with her colt. In the case of this room similarly it only needed to be claimed. St Luke informs us thus "And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready." ( Luke 22:12)
Now Jesus takes the three apart from the rest. He puts to practice the doctrine of his Father. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."(18:20). Peter and the two sons of Zebedee owing to their weakness in flesh may have slept through but the Spirit records his payer just the same. Thrice he prayed the same words. "vv.39-44) Jesus intercedes for them.
*The upper room serves as the world of the Spirit apart from the everyday world. Elijah raised the widows son and it makes the point clear. "And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed." He stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried. In the end "And the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.(1 Ki.17:19-23)
The superscription is the Latin phrase for the Savior of the World and while we study the last supper let us keep this aspect of the Son in our mind. Each gospel has something to tell us about the significance of it.
"And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;/ For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."(26:27-28) Luke also treats the same. He does it after he blesses the cup. which is by offering it to his Father. "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves." Divide it among yourselves is similar to the act of the Sower in the Parable. "Behold, a sower went forth to sow;" The field is the world where the heart is not alike. In vv.4-6 we read how the seed come to nought or produced very little. the fault lay entirely with the heart of man. "but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."( 1 John 1:7-9). Blood of Jesus is not at fault but the heart of man is. Out of it comes heresies since it is not entirely good. Like the proverbial curates egg it is half half. So some of the time man runs with his brethren and claims."I have seen the light Hallelujiah" and at other time he is chasing with politicians to do their bidding. Limited salvation as some sects claim is a case in point. If they stumble at this what else is there for them? "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."(Jas.2:10)
Notice it is "after supper" that he said " Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." As with the bread they have had partaken the bread during the Last supper "this do in remembrance of me."( Luke 22:19-20). If one makes 'this cup' to mean his blood, what are we to assume? Man's reason is at fault.
Heart of a man who neglects his heart can be a treacherous place. He is a sluggard and void of understanding who quenches the Holy Spirit freely given from above. Instead of a well watered garden,"And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down."(Pr.24:31)
Jesus in his passion told his disciples to watch with him. "And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy./ Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me."(26:36-39). We see the same conflict of the flesh with the spirit. "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." The pain principle makes the flesh cry out,"Spare me from this pain" but the Spirit of Christ ever watchful to the Word and its fulfillment would want to submit. It was a crisis to which the disciples were not not well tuned to. In lab tests if an electrode is introduced an amoeba want to avoid pain. Flesh and spirit of man similarly seeks pleasure and takes the line of least resistance. It is thus the way to hell is paved.
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:/Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."(7:13-14)
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." The spirit that Jesus speaks here is of the spirit of man which St Paul finds as an essential tool, and he asks,"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."(1 Co.2:11) St Peter's flash of brilliance by fits and starts brought Jesus to commend him on one occasion, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God./And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."(16:16-17). When God breathed into the nostrils of man he made him a living soul and thereby he opened a way for the Spirit to work with Him. The Spirit of Christ for instance moved holy men of old to seek the path of righteousness. Jesus refers to it as 'dry places' so when an unclean spirit prompted Peter to speak a little later on it raised his master's ire. "Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee./But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."(16:22-23). Peter was capable of savouring things that be of man' equally as that of God. Jesus spoke a Parable, let me quote, "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places,"(12:43-45) is where the prince of the power of the air can move about. But the heart of a child of God is qualified as Isaiah says,"And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."(Is.58:11)
"And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives./ Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad."
The chief priests covenanted with Judas to pay thirty pieces of silver. Their conspiracy to kill Jesus was born out of their human failings which however connected with the Word that underpins the everlasting covenant. Who shall betray him was a question that cropped up when Jesus foretold it. "And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me./ The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born."(vv.23-24). Jesus knew all along what role his disciple would play and as the Word become flesh he did not refuse him but his deity demanded grace must be shown and it is what he did. John gives us that account. Peter professed his faith, saying, "And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God./ Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?/ He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. "( John 6:69-71).
vv.14-16 It was purely Judas' free will to judge the event in the house of Bethany that tilted his decision to betray his master. He did not have to wait too long because the word sent forth before the worlds began was in control of every events ever since he sent it, and Judas chose to do the bidding of Satan,- and Jesus equates the son of perdition as the devil himself. "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Ze.13:7 was about to be fulfilled. In the following passages we shall see how the little ones fared after smiting the shepherd.
"This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead."( John 21:14)
Now we shall go back to the key text:
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body." Jesus speaks of bread as my body.' He is referring to the act of breaking,- and his spiritual body is never to be broken, and the sacrament was to be done in memory of him. "this do in remembrance of me."(1 Co.11:24)
Similarly the wine refers to his blood. "For this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins."(v.28) From v.29 the Spirit clues us in what sense we are to interpret the bread and wine. The bread and wine they drink foreshadowing the everlasting covenant shall continue in the day of regeneration as well. The newness of heaven and the earth refers to their regeneration. Same testament but their spiritual bodies shall make it all new. "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."(v.29) until I drink it 'new' ought to make it clear the testament is not the subject but the creation. That day is the day of regeneration. Alpha and Omega aspect both hinge on the day decreed as the covenant. Unto this day and that day refers to the Son.
"Take, eat; this is my body."(v.26) "For this is my blood of the new testament,"
All gospels save that of John narrate the last supper before his passion. It occurred in the evening.
John instead gives us the first supper in the day of regeneration. This we shall examine before we consider 'my body' for bread and "new testament"
The disciples according to the Gospel of John did not recognize their master. He was there in his risen body, naturally."but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus." ( John 21:4). Significance is in the morning, "But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore." The Spirit uses the morning to indicate that their repast shall be breaking the fast. He was evidently in his spiritual body and for forty days he was seen of them since he was risen. At the mount before his passion he carried both physical and spiritual bodies and transfiguration was merely a foretaste of what was to come. Death had no more hold on the risen Christ so while he stood on the other shore he was in his spiritual body.
He asks the disciples present there, "Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No." (v.5). But soon they shall find a miraculous draught of fish and also bread. "As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread."(v.9). The catch was apart from the fish. Their labour and the catch brought ashore was their testament. While what was the testament of the spiritual body? Is it not the fish laid thereon a fire of live coals and the bread? Thus there are to aspects to what we mean by the body.
"A body hast thou prepared me" (He.10:5-7; Ps.40:7) is Word based so it points to the covenant between the Father and the Son. "Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,/I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."
The fish and bread witness the spiritual body of the risen Christ.
"Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,/ And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver."
This covenant is between men. Now Judas well knew what the box of alabaster with its contents cost. "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?" The Spirit in setting this event is aligning it in terms of the everlasting covenant. The number Three whether counted in terms of value of the ointment or price of the betrayal referred the Word become flesh. The word 'covenant' is used with reference to the everlasting covenant. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ."(2 Co.5:10)
The Spirit has organized the entire salvation program where it pleased the Father that in his Son should all fulness dwell so there is only one covenant which is everlasting that is between God and Man(the Son). The everlasting refers the holiness of God. His calling and gifts are irrevocable.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to day and forever. In order to show the fulness of Jesus Christ we have the Gospel of John as a testimony. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."( John 1:1-2,14) Secondly we have the Law, "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven."(Ps.119:89)
Without following the signposts set up by the Holy Ghost the Covenant theology to mean five or seven covenants are heresy.
When God has by a decree given a day to the Son how can man interpret seven days as stated in the opening chapters of the Book of Genesis as separate days?. The covenant between Judas and the Jews point to the everlasting covenant between God and the Son so judgment on them must be accordingly. Je.32:40 mentions the same everlasting covenant.
The Gospel of St Matthew sets the episode of breaking the alabaster box in between the conspiracy of the Jews. "The chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,/And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty." Death of Jesus was on their agenda. Little did they realize it was already set in motion before they had any inkling. So the spirit gives us clues so the Scriptures might be fulfilled. Jesus told his disciples, "Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified."(v.2).He announces the feast as three days from hence. Compare how John approaches the same event giving us a seven day period between. The command Number Three is the tag for the Son and similarly the number Seven refers to his Alpha aspect.
Such numbers are set in the frame of reference to the day decreed for the Son. " I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." this day of salvation as well as the day of regeneration are hinged on the Alpha Omega aspect of the Son. In short his authority over hell and death are alike complete. Seven signifies it. " I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."(Re.1:18)
The high priests were totally in dark over the truth and they made much of the Psalms which was no different than what the modern churches make of the Bible. Without following the lead of the Spirit they still speak of Sabbath and God's covenant with Israel. Like these foolish shepherds the council of Jewish leaders would not lay hands on Jesus because they were afraid of the people. Hypocrites! they claim they serve God but they hunger in fact for praise of men!
"But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people."(v.5)
Jesus in the house Bethany is a private world of the larger world to which God sent his Son. He loved the world so he sent him as only begotten meaning the word was literally in the house. It is in this sense Jesus accosted Zachaeus," This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham."( Luke 19:9). Simon the leper is of the same weight as Zachaeus in that God made man a living soul equally. Truth makes every man born of woman in need of salvation.
Jesus commended the woman "for she hath wrought a good work upon me.". Those who had no business to criticize did for no good reason. She brought the alabaster box and broke it in order to wrought a good work upon him. Jesus understood her service was spot on. This explain the Parable in the preceding chapter.
Jesus was there in his humanity, which St Luke emphasizes in his version. His host is Simon and a Pharisee. So the short colloquy in vv.40-47 establishes this human interaction between the host and him. John's Gospel gives us a clue to his deity instead. "Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany" The event and Passover is thus established. The Gospel of Mark sets his version closely similar to that of Matthew. " She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying./Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."( Mark 14:8-9). The importance of service a believer does to another is tantamount to serving the Lord directly. All four gospels include this event. How do we erect memorials in heaven?
"Let brotherly love continue./Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares./Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body." (He.13:1-3)
"What does the throne of glory signify? The white throne judgment is not about color but holiness of God so when he judges it is good, with no fear or favor. God is the Father of lights and all judgment is under the authority of his Son who is the true Light. So the glory of his throne is the Law and truth. "Thy word is truth" gives sovereignty of the Word binds every soul to him."Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."(He.4:13).
Before the white throne all things are naked and open to him. "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it."(Re.20:13-15) names not found in the book of life are those earmarked for the lake of fire. Men may cheat death in the court of law but they shall not escape the second death where their souls are on the dock. Outer darkness spells where the presence of God shut them out so no memory of them shall taint the Land of the living.
What does 'one of the least of these my brethren' say Emmet Till or MLK represent? They shall be avenged for certain. The lame shall take the prey, the word of God has set down in the book of life which applies to all from the beginning of the world.
"for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well./My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth./Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them."(Ps.139:14-16)
Those who judge by appearances are certainly deceived. "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."(Jas.4:4) Knowing the right people to go high despising the poor is to despise his Maker
"For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial."
Faith with works in the case of Jesus was perfect."And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." Col.1 19-20) "Reconciling all things unto himself" is explained in the episode in the house of Bethany. In him is the fulness so the king in the Parable rewarded " Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."(25:40)
"Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker." Pr.17:5. In our times so much anger and ill-will that has spawned a whole lot of platforms where those who espouse their grievances converge. Domestic terrorism is bred on social platforms so who spreads as well as listens are equally to blame. "A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue." It is thus nations have advanced with good seed and the tares intermingled. There shall be a day of judgment where the separation shall be strictly between the goats and the sheep. Many are called but few are chosen.
This being the case there are no sheep or goats preserved by geographical borders or by doctrine of men. Every man shall give account of himself.
Needless to say, Satan has deceived the man who believes in his country above others. He may call the migrants as 'vermin' because his color is not right, neither is his culture. He is wicked no less. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."(Jas.2:10). When he invokes from a position of authority, as the pope of yore who invoked people of faith to crusade he is guilty. "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven:"(Matt.5:19)
The Parable clearly lays out total sanctification for those who are called to be kings and priests. " For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;/And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself."(Col.1:17-20). Receiving a prophet "in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward." But kingdom of God lays out the preceding verse as the rule: "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."(10:40). Consequently without 'Christ in me' by faith, charity is merely lip service.(1 Co.13). Laws of nations create a system and those who know it escape from justice reserved for lawbreakers. Sheep on the right speaks of the nation of light. They are those who saw the light in the true light. (Ps.36:9)
As kings our judgment must be fair. "A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes."(Pr.20:8) abiding in Christ we ought to train ourselves which explains faith with works. So one cannot serve mammon as well as serve God. As priests "Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity."(He.5:2). Having a beam in the eye one need to be circumspect before he wants to remove the mote in someone else's eye.
"And by him all things consist," Priestly garments of righteousness are of God we put on in our daily walks. We bear the burden of others which denote the breastplate and judgment, evokes the urim and thummim. Hearts can be very treacherous if let so by the light of the word we conduct our lives in all humility so grace may have perfect working in us. "Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits."(Ro.12:16,1-2) Our bodies are living sacrifices, "holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
Just a quick update. My husband Steve, tested positive for covid this morning. He began Paxlovid just as I did. I expect he will have similar results as I have had. I am nearly recovered now, with just a slight cough. I guess the CDC changed the isolation rules for covid March 1 and as long as one is improving and without a fever, one no longer needs to isolate but care should be taken when around vulnerable people.
God sent his only begotten Son to the world. St Matthew presents him deliver the doctrine of his Father. Sermon on the Mount in ch.5 gives it as the Word become flesh. As the Word there was no higher authority than what he signified in his person. John speaks of his deity thus, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." ( John 1:2).
The Gospel presents him in the following chapters as Man is the Message. Evangelist traces a subtext why he was not received by his own." He came unto his own, and his own received him not"( John 1:11). Conflict between light and darkness must be resolved and it comes to a head on the charges of blasphemy. "I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me./But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."(26:56-57)
When Jesus told the truth, "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" the council that tried him was certain,"Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy." Their entire process was illegal but his role as the Lamb to his slaughter was right on track. "he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."(Is.53:7)
"And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly."(27:14). Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ in denying the truth they were proving that they were unworthy of the other. So the mob crying,"Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children."(v.27) illustrates what precious gift had they trodden underfoot. Holocaust wiped out some six million in the process. Has it sobered them up? Without grace beauty is blind and truth is darkness. We are warned what a terror awaits us if we neglect it.
"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;/And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me."(vv.9-10)
Here St Matthew refers to a quote from the book of Zechariah. In order to give them its proper context we shall consider the v.10. "And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.' This covenant with Israel refers to the Law of Moses. Beauty symbolic sign for Jesus ("For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"- Luke 23:31) In cutting off the Son they were repudiating the covenant and God. Jeremiah then smashing the potter's vessel at the east gate in Je.19 was a public event. Now the crucifixion was going to be a public event.
The inspired writing of the Evangelist did not err, an example of which we have seen in the preceding chapter. The verse"that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled" referred both Isaiah and Zechariah.(26:56) The Spirit presented the potter's vessel as a sign for the Son and where Prophet Jeremiah had begun we have Prophet Zechariah leading to the field, which in general sense signifies the whole land. "The land is mine" and the divine potter "O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel."(Je.18:6)
" Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
"And he (Isaac) called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day."(Ge.26:33)The Spirit uses the phrase 'unto this day' signifying the day decreed for the Son. "Unto this day" as well as "on that day" (In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness-"Ze.13:1) are tags used to refer the Alpha Omega aspect so there shall be much blood spilt for what the nation of Israel did to him. Here is another verse, "For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face."(Je.32:31)
God heard the voice of Abel. He told Cain, "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground./And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand."(Ge.4:10-11) Abel's righteous blood cried from the ground and Jesus in his passion "and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."( Luke 22:44). 'As it were' does not necessarily mean literal blood but the sweat is as meaningful. His cry of agony was like the Amen we say at the Lord's prayer and his Father has respect for his dear Son. "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar./Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation."(23:35-36). For this reason the field of blood or Akeldama (Ac.1:18-19) could be well applied to the whole land of Israel.
"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value."
Before we take up Ch.27 it is worth our while to understand the significance of the earthen vessel in these verses. "Thus saith the Lord, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;/And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate." What Jeremiah spoke before witnesses there has been rephrased by Jesus as he left the Herod's second temple after his woe to ye' discourse. Significance he went by the east gate. He said,"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate./For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."(23:38-39). Death and glory awaited him
Notice that he shall never again return in his old body. As he mentioned during his last supper his body as the potter's vessel in the hand of the prophet was about to be broken up.
Jeremiah foretold them, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle." He also added to which the innocent blood of Jesus could be included, " Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place,.... and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;" (He.19:1-4) Partly it was fulfilled in their generation. In vv.10-12 we have much more, yet to come, "Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,/ And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury." Tophet is interchangeable with valley of Hinnom, "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter." (19:6)
The same is true for my three sons. They loved the Lord as children and youth, but walked away in their high school years.
We can pary as one for all of our children who have left the Lord for the world and its deceits.
v.56 "But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled."
Here we have a reference to Ze.13:7 "smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones."" As a result 'all the disciples forsook him and fled." The passage where Peter denying Jesus owes to the specific saying of Jesus. "Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."(v.34) Why single out Peter? In following verse, "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples".
Zechariah tells us in vv.8-9 what must occur. Number Three refers to the Son. "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein./And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God." This points to the end times.
The third part refers to what is left in Palestine. What occurs in Gaza must like a boil must burst open till 'all the land' their wound is cleansed and healed. Mal.3:2-3
Peter's problem was that he relied on his powers as a man. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."(1 Co.10:11-12) What happened to St Peter and Israel are examples, "and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
v.67 "Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him" is a fulfillment of Isaiah verse." I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."(50:6-8). The key verse v.56 referred to the prophets and Matthew meant Zechariah and Isaiah.
"Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;/ But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,"
The Seat of Moses is a symbol for authority. It signals the Law of Moses and his piety. What if the man who sits there is actively seeking false witnesses what are we to think of it. That law is an ass, is it not? Hypocrisy of chief priests and the council allowed their temple to be a den of thieves and now a Privy Council of Satan was called to order. They needed two witnesses since in their law two or three witnesses clinched the case against Jesus.
"But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God./Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (vv.63-64)
Simon Peter comments on the trial,"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."(Ac.2:23)
Wicked men in their cloth pontificate and get their victims which explains, the Inquisition and the imposter church has soiled their hands ever since but the Word of God stands sure.
vv.63-64 "Thou hast said"
You shall be judged by what you say and the chief priest who said,"I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God" having said it was in judgment himself. In refusing the truth he was guilty of hellfire as well. This is what Jesus implied. Compare with this question, "The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?"(21:25-27)
There is a sharp change of scene between v.45 and v.46.
In one he required his disciples to keep watch in his hour of sorrow with him. They failed at it. Now he says," Sleep on now, and take your rest."
Without their aid he was fortified from above. St Luke mentions that in his agony, of an angel from above being present.( Luke 22:43-44) God makes "his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire." When Jesus warns us not to despise 'these little ones' he is referring to their angels. "That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."(18:10-14). It is not for us to know in what manner but God does not leave those who are least esteemed in the eyes of the world without support. "A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation."(Ps.68:5-6)
They disciples are let to take ease since his hour was at hand. "For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me."(Ro.15:3) He was about to claim his victory.
vv.53-54 "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?/ But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" Lucan Gospel as mentioned earlier introduces the angel in strengthening Jesus in his agony.This helps us to understand the Angel of the Lord sees to the fulfilment of the scriptures. All His promises are 'yea' in his Son. Jesus speaks of legions of angels which are saints battle girt and shall do valiantly in battle. We see them in St John's vision,"And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean."(Re.19:14). They follow the Word of God which is Person specific. Whether one angel or legions of them what comes to our aid is our Savior Lord, who warned us, "Without me you can do nothing." Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever."
I have prayed for you today. May God bring a great healing and restoration to you and your life in Him.
We see a variation to the upper room in the Acts. "Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour." His falling into a trance and the vision that was about to unfold had a great import on the course of the early church. So the Spirit isolates Simon Peter to make him prepared. There are few other examples which is not germane to the topic of the prayer of Jesus.
Lastly the prayer of Jesus recorded by John is the transcription of the Holy Spirit putting to words 'the unspoken' prayer ( John 17) which as St Paul explains, "but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered./And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Ro.8:26-27) The Spirit is not narrating the life of Jesus as with biographies of the secular literature in a linear fashion but it is rendered for our spiritual instruction from both worlds of the Spirit and of the flesh. (2 Ti.3:16-17)
"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."(2 Co.13:1)
Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me..And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed."
The Spirit gives us an insight into the manner he has arranged the prosaic aspects of the Son of man with the Son who is the Word become flesh. As with *'the upper room' this space separating his inner circle with the rest of disciples is marked by this phrase 'a little further'.
The Last supper was arranged beforehand. How the Spirit works is similar to how he works with those born of the Spirit. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."( John 3:8) In keeping with this principle the tribute money shall be found for Jesus and Peter when required as the ass with her colt. In the case of this room similarly it only needed to be claimed. St Luke informs us thus "And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready." ( Luke 22:12)
Now Jesus takes the three apart from the rest. He puts to practice the doctrine of his Father. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."(18:20). Peter and the two sons of Zebedee owing to their weakness in flesh may have slept through but the Spirit records his payer just the same. Thrice he prayed the same words. "vv.39-44) Jesus intercedes for them.
*The upper room serves as the world of the Spirit apart from the everyday world. Elijah raised the widows son and it makes the point clear. "And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed." He stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried. In the end "And the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.(1 Ki.17:19-23)
The superscription is the Latin phrase for the Savior of the World and while we study the last supper let us keep this aspect of the Son in our mind. Each gospel has something to tell us about the significance of it.
"And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;/ For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."(26:27-28) Luke also treats the same. He does it after he blesses the cup. which is by offering it to his Father. "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves." Divide it among yourselves is similar to the act of the Sower in the Parable. "Behold, a sower went forth to sow;" The field is the world where the heart is not alike. In vv.4-6 we read how the seed come to nought or produced very little. the fault lay entirely with the heart of man. "but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."( 1 John 1:7-9). Blood of Jesus is not at fault but the heart of man is. Out of it comes heresies since it is not entirely good. Like the proverbial curates egg it is half half. So some of the time man runs with his brethren and claims."I have seen the light Hallelujiah" and at other time he is chasing with politicians to do their bidding. Limited salvation as some sects claim is a case in point. If they stumble at this what else is there for them? "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."(Jas.2:10)
Notice it is "after supper" that he said " Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." As with the bread they have had partaken the bread during the Last supper "this do in remembrance of me."( Luke 22:19-20). If one makes 'this cup' to mean his blood, what are we to assume? Man's reason is at fault.
Heart of a man who neglects his heart can be a treacherous place. He is a sluggard and void of understanding who quenches the Holy Spirit freely given from above. Instead of a well watered garden,"And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down."(Pr.24:31)
Jesus in his passion told his disciples to watch with him. "And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy./ Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me."(26:36-39). We see the same conflict of the flesh with the spirit. "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." The pain principle makes the flesh cry out,"Spare me from this pain" but the Spirit of Christ ever watchful to the Word and its fulfillment would want to submit. It was a crisis to which the disciples were not not well tuned to. In lab tests if an electrode is introduced an amoeba want to avoid pain. Flesh and spirit of man similarly seeks pleasure and takes the line of least resistance. It is thus the way to hell is paved.
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:/Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."(7:13-14)
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." The spirit that Jesus speaks here is of the spirit of man which St Paul finds as an essential tool, and he asks,"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."(1 Co.2:11) St Peter's flash of brilliance by fits and starts brought Jesus to commend him on one occasion, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God./And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."(16:16-17). When God breathed into the nostrils of man he made him a living soul and thereby he opened a way for the Spirit to work with Him. The Spirit of Christ for instance moved holy men of old to seek the path of righteousness. Jesus refers to it as 'dry places' so when an unclean spirit prompted Peter to speak a little later on it raised his master's ire. "Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee./But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."(16:22-23). Peter was capable of savouring things that be of man' equally as that of God. Jesus spoke a Parable, let me quote, "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places,"(12:43-45) is where the prince of the power of the air can move about. But the heart of a child of God is qualified as Isaiah says,"And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."(Is.58:11)
"And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives./ Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad."
The chief priests covenanted with Judas to pay thirty pieces of silver. Their conspiracy to kill Jesus was born out of their human failings which however connected with the Word that underpins the everlasting covenant. Who shall betray him was a question that cropped up when Jesus foretold it. "And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me./ The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born."(vv.23-24). Jesus knew all along what role his disciple would play and as the Word become flesh he did not refuse him but his deity demanded grace must be shown and it is what he did. John gives us that account. Peter professed his faith, saying, "And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God./ Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?/ He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. "( John 6:69-71).
vv.14-16 It was purely Judas' free will to judge the event in the house of Bethany that tilted his decision to betray his master. He did not have to wait too long because the word sent forth before the worlds began was in control of every events ever since he sent it, and Judas chose to do the bidding of Satan,- and Jesus equates the son of perdition as the devil himself. "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Ze.13:7 was about to be fulfilled. In the following passages we shall see how the little ones fared after smiting the shepherd.
"This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead."( John 21:14)
Now we shall go back to the key text:
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body." Jesus speaks of bread as my body.' He is referring to the act of breaking,- and his spiritual body is never to be broken, and the sacrament was to be done in memory of him. "this do in remembrance of me."(1 Co.11:24)
Similarly the wine refers to his blood. "For this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins."(v.28) From v.29 the Spirit clues us in what sense we are to interpret the bread and wine. The bread and wine they drink foreshadowing the everlasting covenant shall continue in the day of regeneration as well. The newness of heaven and the earth refers to their regeneration. Same testament but their spiritual bodies shall make it all new. "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."(v.29) until I drink it 'new' ought to make it clear the testament is not the subject but the creation. That day is the day of regeneration. Alpha and Omega aspect both hinge on the day decreed as the covenant. Unto this day and that day refers to the Son.
"Take, eat; this is my body."(v.26) "For this is my blood of the new testament,"
All gospels save that of John narrate the last supper before his passion. It occurred in the evening.
John instead gives us the first supper in the day of regeneration. This we shall examine before we consider 'my body' for bread and "new testament"
The disciples according to the Gospel of John did not recognize their master. He was there in his risen body, naturally."but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus." ( John 21:4). Significance is in the morning, "But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore." The Spirit uses the morning to indicate that their repast shall be breaking the fast. He was evidently in his spiritual body and for forty days he was seen of them since he was risen. At the mount before his passion he carried both physical and spiritual bodies and transfiguration was merely a foretaste of what was to come. Death had no more hold on the risen Christ so while he stood on the other shore he was in his spiritual body.
He asks the disciples present there, "Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No." (v.5). But soon they shall find a miraculous draught of fish and also bread. "As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread."(v.9). The catch was apart from the fish. Their labour and the catch brought ashore was their testament. While what was the testament of the spiritual body? Is it not the fish laid thereon a fire of live coals and the bread? Thus there are to aspects to what we mean by the body.
"A body hast thou prepared me" (He.10:5-7; Ps.40:7) is Word based so it points to the covenant between the Father and the Son. "Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,/I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."
The fish and bread witness the spiritual body of the risen Christ.
"Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,/ And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver."
This covenant is between men. Now Judas well knew what the box of alabaster with its contents cost. "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?" The Spirit in setting this event is aligning it in terms of the everlasting covenant. The number Three whether counted in terms of value of the ointment or price of the betrayal referred the Word become flesh. The word 'covenant' is used with reference to the everlasting covenant. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ."(2 Co.5:10)
The Spirit has organized the entire salvation program where it pleased the Father that in his Son should all fulness dwell so there is only one covenant which is everlasting that is between God and Man(the Son). The everlasting refers the holiness of God. His calling and gifts are irrevocable.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to day and forever. In order to show the fulness of Jesus Christ we have the Gospel of John as a testimony. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."( John 1:1-2,14) Secondly we have the Law, "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven."(Ps.119:89)
Without following the signposts set up by the Holy Ghost the Covenant theology to mean five or seven covenants are heresy.
When God has by a decree given a day to the Son how can man interpret seven days as stated in the opening chapters of the Book of Genesis as separate days?. The covenant between Judas and the Jews point to the everlasting covenant between God and the Son so judgment on them must be accordingly. Je.32:40 mentions the same everlasting covenant.
Jesus provided an answer to that question in Matthew 6:5-15.
Matthew 7:21 - not everyone who claims to follow Jesus will be saved.
The Gospel of St Matthew sets the episode of breaking the alabaster box in between the conspiracy of the Jews. "The chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,/And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty." Death of Jesus was on their agenda. Little did they realize it was already set in motion before they had any inkling. So the spirit gives us clues so the Scriptures might be fulfilled. Jesus told his disciples, "Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified."(v.2).He announces the feast as three days from hence. Compare how John approaches the same event giving us a seven day period between. The command Number Three is the tag for the Son and similarly the number Seven refers to his Alpha aspect.
Such numbers are set in the frame of reference to the day decreed for the Son. " I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." this day of salvation as well as the day of regeneration are hinged on the Alpha Omega aspect of the Son. In short his authority over hell and death are alike complete. Seven signifies it. " I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."(Re.1:18)
The high priests were totally in dark over the truth and they made much of the Psalms which was no different than what the modern churches make of the Bible. Without following the lead of the Spirit they still speak of Sabbath and God's covenant with Israel. Like these foolish shepherds the council of Jewish leaders would not lay hands on Jesus because they were afraid of the people. Hypocrites! they claim they serve God but they hunger in fact for praise of men!
"But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people."(v.5)
Jesus in the house Bethany is a private world of the larger world to which God sent his Son. He loved the world so he sent him as only begotten meaning the word was literally in the house. It is in this sense Jesus accosted Zachaeus," This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham."( Luke 19:9). Simon the leper is of the same weight as Zachaeus in that God made man a living soul equally. Truth makes every man born of woman in need of salvation.
Jesus commended the woman "for she hath wrought a good work upon me.". Those who had no business to criticize did for no good reason. She brought the alabaster box and broke it in order to wrought a good work upon him. Jesus understood her service was spot on. This explain the Parable in the preceding chapter.
Jesus was there in his humanity, which St Luke emphasizes in his version. His host is Simon and a Pharisee. So the short colloquy in vv.40-47 establishes this human interaction between the host and him. John's Gospel gives us a clue to his deity instead. "Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany" The event and Passover is thus established. The Gospel of Mark sets his version closely similar to that of Matthew. " She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying./Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."( Mark 14:8-9). The importance of service a believer does to another is tantamount to serving the Lord directly. All four gospels include this event. How do we erect memorials in heaven?
"Let brotherly love continue./Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares./Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body." (He.13:1-3)
"What does the throne of glory signify? The white throne judgment is not about color but holiness of God so when he judges it is good, with no fear or favor. God is the Father of lights and all judgment is under the authority of his Son who is the true Light. So the glory of his throne is the Law and truth. "Thy word is truth" gives sovereignty of the Word binds every soul to him."Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."(He.4:13).
Before the white throne all things are naked and open to him. "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it."(Re.20:13-15) names not found in the book of life are those earmarked for the lake of fire. Men may cheat death in the court of law but they shall not escape the second death where their souls are on the dock. Outer darkness spells where the presence of God shut them out so no memory of them shall taint the Land of the living.
What does 'one of the least of these my brethren' say Emmet Till or MLK represent? They shall be avenged for certain. The lame shall take the prey, the word of God has set down in the book of life which applies to all from the beginning of the world.
"for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well./My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth./Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them."(Ps.139:14-16)
Those who judge by appearances are certainly deceived. "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."(Jas.4:4) Knowing the right people to go high despising the poor is to despise his Maker
Thanks for sharing that encouraging update!
Tell your husband we will be praying for him also.
God bless you.
"For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial."
Faith with works in the case of Jesus was perfect."And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." Col.1 19-20) "Reconciling all things unto himself" is explained in the episode in the house of Bethany. In him is the fulness so the king in the Parable rewarded " Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."(25:40)
"Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker." Pr.17:5. In our times so much anger and ill-will that has spawned a whole lot of platforms where those who espouse their grievances converge. Domestic terrorism is bred on social platforms so who spreads as well as listens are equally to blame. "A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue." It is thus nations have advanced with good seed and the tares intermingled. There shall be a day of judgment where the separation shall be strictly between the goats and the sheep. Many are called but few are chosen.
This being the case there are no sheep or goats preserved by geographical borders or by doctrine of men. Every man shall give account of himself.
Needless to say, Satan has deceived the man who believes in his country above others. He may call the migrants as 'vermin' because his color is not right, neither is his culture. He is wicked no less. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."(Jas.2:10). When he invokes from a position of authority, as the pope of yore who invoked people of faith to crusade he is guilty. "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven:"(Matt.5:19)
The Parable clearly lays out total sanctification for those who are called to be kings and priests. " For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;/And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself."(Col.1:17-20). Receiving a prophet "in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward." But kingdom of God lays out the preceding verse as the rule: "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."(10:40). Consequently without 'Christ in me' by faith, charity is merely lip service.(1 Co.13). Laws of nations create a system and those who know it escape from justice reserved for lawbreakers. Sheep on the right speaks of the nation of light. They are those who saw the light in the true light. (Ps.36:9)
As kings our judgment must be fair. "A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes."(Pr.20:8) abiding in Christ we ought to train ourselves which explains faith with works. So one cannot serve mammon as well as serve God. As priests "Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity."(He.5:2). Having a beam in the eye one need to be circumspect before he wants to remove the mote in someone else's eye.
"And by him all things consist," Priestly garments of righteousness are of God we put on in our daily walks. We bear the burden of others which denote the breastplate and judgment, evokes the urim and thummim. Hearts can be very treacherous if let so by the light of the word we conduct our lives in all humility so grace may have perfect working in us. "Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits."(Ro.12:16,1-2) Our bodies are living sacrifices, "holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
Just a quick update. My husband Steve, tested positive for covid this morning. He began Paxlovid just as I did. I expect he will have similar results as I have had. I am nearly recovered now, with just a slight cough. I guess the CDC changed the isolation rules for covid March 1 and as long as one is improving and without a fever, one no longer needs to isolate but care should be taken when around vulnerable people.
So, I think I am good to go now. Great!