The two fold designation Jesus Christ combines the personal name Jesus and the title Christ, meaning "Messiah" "anointed One". To be the friend of the Lord Jesus Christ, we certainly need to understand who Jesus was and what He accomplished, that is to say: His Life, Birth, Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, His proclamation and teachings, His person and His work.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a town about ten kilometers (six miles) south of Jerusalem, toward the end of the Herod the Great reign as king of the Jews in 37-4 B.C. Early in His life He was taken to Nazareth, a town of Galilee. There He was brought up by His mother, Mary, and her husband, Joseph, a carpenter by trade. Hence He was known as "Jesus of Nazareth" or more fully "Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" - John 1:45 - Since Jesus was known in Nazareth as 'the carpenter', He may have taken Joseph's place as the family breadwinner at the early age. - Mark 6:3; John 6:42 -
The little village of Nazareth overlooked the main highway linking Damascus to the Mediterranean coast and Egypt. News of the world outside Galilee probably reached Nazareth quickly. During His boyhood Jesus probably heard of the revolt led by Judas the Galilean against the Roman authorities. This happened when Judea, to the south, became a Roman province in A.D. 6 and its inhabitants had to pay tribute to Caesar. Jews probably heard also of the severity with which the revolt was crushed.
Galilee, the province in which Jesus lived was ruled by Herod Antipas, youngest son of Herod the Great. So the area where He lived was not directly involved in this revolt. But the sympathy of many Galileans were probably stirred. No doubt the boys of Nazareth discussed this issue which they heard their elders debating. There is no indication of what Jesus thought about this event at the time. But we do know what what he said about it in Jerusalem many years later. - Mark 12:13-17 -
Sepphoris, about six kilometers northwest of Nazareth, had been the center of an anti-Roman revolt during Jesus' infancy. The village was destroyed by the Romans but it was soon rebuilt by Herod Antipas. Antipas lived there as tetrarch of Galilee and Perea until he founded a new capital for his principality at Tiberias, on the western shore of the Lake of Galilee (A.D.22) Reports of happenings at his court while he lived in Sepphoris, were probably carried to Nazareth. A royal court formed the setting for several of Jesus' parables.
Scenes from Israel's history could be seen from the rising ground above Nazareth. To the south stretched the Valley of Jezreel where great battles had been fought in the earlier days. Beyond the Valley of Jezreel was Mount Gilboa where king Saul fell in battle with the Philistines. To the east Mount Tobor rose to 562 meters, the highest elevation in that part of the country. A growing boy would readily find his mind moving back and forth between the stirring events of former days and the realities of the contemporary situation: the all-pervasive presence of the Romans.
Jesus began His public ministry when He sought baptism at the hands of John the Baptist. John preached between A.D. 27 and 28 in the lower Jordan Valley and baptised those who wished to give expression to their repentance. The descent of the dove as Jesus came up out of the water was a sign that He was the One anointed by the Spirit of God as the Servant-Messiah of His people. - Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-34 - Is. 11:2, 42:1, 61:1 -
A voice from heaven declared, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased". - Luke 3:22 - This indicated that He was Israel's anointed King, destined to fulfill His kinship as the Servant of the Lord described centuries earlier by the prophet Isaiah. - Is. 42:1, 52:13 -
Jesus baptism is followed immediately by His temptation in the wilderness. -Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13 - This testing confirmed His understanding of the heavenly voice and His acceptance of the path which it marked out for Him. He refused to use His power as God's Son to fulfill His personal desires, to amaze the people or to dominate the world by political and military force. Apparently, Jesus ministered for a short time in southern and central Palestine while John the Baptist was still preaching. - John 3:22-23, 4:41-42 - But the main phase of Jesus' ministry began in Galilee after John's imprisonment by Herod Antipas.
What is the character of this kingdom? How was it to be established?
A popular view.......
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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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