On the return of His 12 disciples, they withdrew under Jesus' leadership from the publicity that surrounded them in Galilee to the quieter territory east of the Lake of Galilee. This territory was ruled by Antipas brother, 'Philip the tetrarch' who had only a few Jews among his subjects. Philip was not as likely to be troubled by Messianic excitement. But even here Jesus and His disciples found themselves pursued by enthusiastic crowds from Galilee. He recognized them for what they were, "sheep without a shepherd" aimless people who were in danger of being led to disaster under the wrong kind of leadership.
Jesus gave them further teaching, feeding them also with loaves and fishes. But this only stimulated them to try to compel Him to be the King for whom they were looking. He would not be the kind of King they wanted and they had no use for the only kind of King He was prepared to be. From then on, His popularity in Galilee began to decline. Many of His disciples and followers no longer followed Him. He took the Twelve further north, into Gentile territory. Here He prepare them for the crisis they would have to meet shortly in Jerusalem. He knew the time was approaching when He would present His challenging message to the people of the capital and to the Jewish leaders. - John chapter 6 -
Jesus decided the time was ripe to encourage the Twelve to state their convictions about His identity and His mission. When Peter Simon declared that Jesus was the "Messiah" and through Him where they receives eternal life. This showed that the Twelve had given up most of the traditional ideas about the kind of person the Messiah would be. But the thought that Jesus would have to suffer and die was something they could not accept. Jesus recognized that He could now make a beginning with the creation of a new generation or community of God's people, the ideals of the kingdom He proclaimed would be realized. - John chapter 6 -
I tell you most solemnly,
if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink his blood,
you will not have life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood
has eternal life - John 6:53-54 -
It is the spirit that gives life,
the flesh has nothing to offer.
The words I have spoken to you are spirit
and they are life. - John 6:63 -
After this Jesus goes up to Jerusalem as he could not stay there any longer because the Jews were out to kill him. At the Feast of Tabernacles in the fall of A.D. 29, Jesus went to Jerusalem with the Twelve. He apparently spent the next six months in the southern part of Palestine. Jerusalem, like Galilee, needed to hear the message of the kingdom of God. Jerusalem was more resistant to it even than Galilee. The spirit of revolt was in the air; Jesus' way of peace was not accepted. This is why He wept over the city. He realized the way which so many of its citizens preferred was bound to lead to their destruction. Even the magnificent Temple, so recently rebuilt by Herod the Great would be involved in the general overthrow.
These ideals which Jesus taught were more revolutionary in many ways than the insurgents spirit that survived the overthrow of Judas the Galilean. The Jewish rebels against the rule of Rome developed into a party known as the Zealots. They had no better policy than to counter force with force which in Jesus' view was like invoking Satan to drive out Satan. The way of non resistance which Jesus urged upon the people seemed impractical. But it eventually proved to be more effective against the might of Rome than armed rebellion.
Jesus taught each day in the Temple area. In the Zealots eyes, to acknowledge the rule of a pagan king was high treason against God, Israel's true King.
Next they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to catch him out in what he said. These came and said to him, 'Master, we know you are an honest man that you are not afraid of anyone because a man's rank means nothing to you and that you teach the way of God in all honesty. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay, yes or no?' Seeing through their hypocrisy he said to them, 'Why do you set this trap for me? Hand me a denarius and let me see it'. They handed him one and he said, 'Whose head is this? Whose name?' 'Caesar's' they told him. Jesus said to them, 'Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar - and to God what belongs to God'. This reply took them completely by surprise. - Mark 12:13-17 -
This answer disappointed those patriots who followed the Zealot line. Neither did it make Jesus popular with the priestly authorities.
The people whom Jesus taught already had.......
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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