But not our own. I absolutely love this verse of Scripture and I have pondered it for a while.
... by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11)
Christ stands in utter contrast to the other people of Israel and their leaders.
The ox knows his master,
the donkey his owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.” (Isaiah 1:3)
While the Israelites offered totally useless sacrifices that were ruined because of the corruption of those offering them (Isaiah 1), Christ offered a sacrifice that worked amazingly (Isaiah 53). He knew just what it would take to please God. Like a skilled surgeon, Jesus is a skilled saviour. Jesus knew exactly what medicine we needed. And even more foundationally, he truly knew God in a way that none of us ever did. Knowing God is also a moral category. We twisted and turned from our knowledge of God and yet Christ retained it.
The one who alone truly knew God,
knew how God wanted to be known like no one else did,
knew how to please God like no one was doing,
knew how to save people like no one else could do,
and gave up everything
to bring us to know God.
... by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11)
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Jesus is our father
I've just seen another one!!!
I've been making a list of the places in the Bible which describe the Son of God, the Messiah, as the father of a new people. It is a profound theological point. He is our brother and in another way he is our father or ancestor. He is the new Adam after all for all who put their faith in him. Here is where I'm up to
1. Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
2. Isaiah 6:13
And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down,
so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.
(This is part of remnant theology. If Christ is the true remnant of Israel, all new Israel is his progeny).
3. Isaiah 8:18
Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.
(Hebrews 2:13 puts these words in Jesus' mouth)
4. Isaiah 50:1-2
Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness
and who seek the LORD:
Look to the rock from which you were cut
and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
When I called him he was but one, and I blessed him and made him many.
(I think this verse is setting up God to bring the many from the one again!)
5. Isaiah 53:10
Yet it was the LORD’S will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring (lit. seed) and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
6. Hebrews 2:13-15
And again, “I will put my trust in him.”
And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
(Jesus is both brother and father in this passage)
7. New Adam Typology / Remnant theology in the New Testament
8. (the one I just found) Jeremiah 33:22 (ASV - much more literal; NIV obscures this one)
As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.
(I think that the remarkable thing is that the seed of David and the new Levites are one in the same in Christ)
If Jesus is our ancestor ... this puts a profoundly new emphasis to the sometimes maligned word 'Christian' - one who belongs to and follows Christ. We are Christians not just because we follow him in faith and obedience but also because we come from him. We are his spiritual progeny after all.
I've been making a list of the places in the Bible which describe the Son of God, the Messiah, as the father of a new people. It is a profound theological point. He is our brother and in another way he is our father or ancestor. He is the new Adam after all for all who put their faith in him. Here is where I'm up to
1. Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
2. Isaiah 6:13
And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down,
so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.
(This is part of remnant theology. If Christ is the true remnant of Israel, all new Israel is his progeny).
3. Isaiah 8:18
Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.
(Hebrews 2:13 puts these words in Jesus' mouth)
4. Isaiah 50:1-2
Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness
and who seek the LORD:
Look to the rock from which you were cut
and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
When I called him he was but one, and I blessed him and made him many.
(I think this verse is setting up God to bring the many from the one again!)
5. Isaiah 53:10
Yet it was the LORD’S will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring (lit. seed) and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
6. Hebrews 2:13-15
And again, “I will put my trust in him.”
And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
(Jesus is both brother and father in this passage)
7. New Adam Typology / Remnant theology in the New Testament
8. (the one I just found) Jeremiah 33:22 (ASV - much more literal; NIV obscures this one)
As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.
(I think that the remarkable thing is that the seed of David and the new Levites are one in the same in Christ)
If Jesus is our ancestor ... this puts a profoundly new emphasis to the sometimes maligned word 'Christian' - one who belongs to and follows Christ. We are Christians not just because we follow him in faith and obedience but also because we come from him. We are his spiritual progeny after all.
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
Between the Resurrection and the Ascension: From Galilee to the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem
Where did Jesus appear to his disciples? Where was he when he ascended? How do the gospels fit in with each other and the book of Acts? Are there reasons for Jesus' geographical choices?
The Evidence:
1. The disciples keep being called 'men of Galilee' in and around the resurrection / ascension / and early days of the church. This designation seems important.
2. The disciples are told several times that they will see Jesus in Galilee after he rose from the dead.
4. At the end of John's gospel, Jesus appears to his disciples at Lake Galilee and at a near-by location recommissions Peter.
5. And yet, none of the gospels say that Jesus ascended in Galilee.
6. Luke/Acts does not record any mention of Jesus going to Galilee and yet very clearly that Jesus ascended near Jerusalem, on the mount of Olives.
7. A reconstruction is not impossible, because Jesus appeared to his disciples in many ways and times over a forty day period.
8. Luke emphasises, 'remain in Jerusalem' whereas in the other gospels, the disciples are told to go to Galilee.
A proposed reconstruction:
1. Jesus rose from the dead
2. He met some of his disciples in Jerusalem
3. Jesus wanted all of his disciples to go to Galilee
4. Jesus met them at Galilee
5. They returned to Jerusalem
6. He met them in Jerusalem
7. He urged them to stay in Jerusalem after he departs until they receive the Holy Spirit
8. He ascends in the clouds just outside Jerusalem at the mount of Olives
9. They now begin to witness to Jesus throughout the world
A theory I've just thought about:
Why Galilee? Why Jerusalem? Why the mount of Olives?
I wonder whether post resurrection, Jesus is taking the disciples on the same journey they have already been on (or more particularly - that he had already been on).
1.He takes them back to Galilee, to the mountain where perhaps he commissioned them. He recommissions Peter at Galilee, calls them to be fishers of men, and calls them to feed his sheep.
2. He takes them to the mount of Olives which is the location of the night before Jesus died, he cried in agony to his father. It was also the mountain on which most of his disciples deserted him. Now they did not want him to desert them.
3. Then he tells them to remain in Jerusalem, where he was killed and rose again. And where all scripture had to be fulfilled in Jesus' betrayal, death, resurrection and where forgiveness of sins would now be preached.
What an amazing journey to go through a second time. From Galilee to the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem again.
I had these thoughts on the train today as I was preparing my youth church talk for Sunday. I'm leaving these all out of my talk for Sunday - I think they'd all thank me for that. ;)
Love to hear your thoughts.
The Evidence:
1. The disciples keep being called 'men of Galilee' in and around the resurrection / ascension / and early days of the church. This designation seems important.
2. The disciples are told several times that they will see Jesus in Galilee after he rose from the dead.
(by Jesus) But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. (Matthew 26:32)3. At the end of Matthew, Jesus gives the great commission on a mountain in Galilee.
(by the angel) Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:7)
(by the risen Jesus) Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:10)
(by Jesus) But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. (Mark 14:28)
(by the young man at the tomb) But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' (Mark 16:7)
There is a translation question in the NIV Bible that I just noticed. It could be that they were to go to the mountain that Jesus appointed or the mountain where he had appointed them (ie. Lk 5:12-16; maybe the same mountain as the sermon on the mount)
(NIV) Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. (Matthew 28:16)
(GNT) Oi˚ de« eºndeka maqhtai« e˙poreu/qhsan ei˙ß th\n Galilai÷an ei˙ß to\ o¡roß ou∞ e˙ta¿xato aujtoi√ß oJ ∆Ihsouvß
(ASV) But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
4. At the end of John's gospel, Jesus appears to his disciples at Lake Galilee and at a near-by location recommissions Peter.
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. (John 21:1-4)
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. (John 21:7)
5. And yet, none of the gospels say that Jesus ascended in Galilee.
6. Luke/Acts does not record any mention of Jesus going to Galilee and yet very clearly that Jesus ascended near Jerusalem, on the mount of Olives.
When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. (Luke 24:50-51)
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. (Acts 1:11-12)
7. A reconstruction is not impossible, because Jesus appeared to his disciples in many ways and times over a forty day period.
After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3)
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:25)
8. Luke emphasises, 'remain in Jerusalem' whereas in the other gospels, the disciples are told to go to Galilee.
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. (Acts 1:4)
But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ (Mark 16:7)
A proposed reconstruction:
1. Jesus rose from the dead
2. He met some of his disciples in Jerusalem
3. Jesus wanted all of his disciples to go to Galilee
4. Jesus met them at Galilee
5. They returned to Jerusalem
6. He met them in Jerusalem
7. He urged them to stay in Jerusalem after he departs until they receive the Holy Spirit
8. He ascends in the clouds just outside Jerusalem at the mount of Olives
9. They now begin to witness to Jesus throughout the world
A theory I've just thought about:
Why Galilee? Why Jerusalem? Why the mount of Olives?
I wonder whether post resurrection, Jesus is taking the disciples on the same journey they have already been on (or more particularly - that he had already been on).
1.He takes them back to Galilee, to the mountain where perhaps he commissioned them. He recommissions Peter at Galilee, calls them to be fishers of men, and calls them to feed his sheep.
2. He takes them to the mount of Olives which is the location of the night before Jesus died, he cried in agony to his father. It was also the mountain on which most of his disciples deserted him. Now they did not want him to desert them.
3. Then he tells them to remain in Jerusalem, where he was killed and rose again. And where all scripture had to be fulfilled in Jesus' betrayal, death, resurrection and where forgiveness of sins would now be preached.
What an amazing journey to go through a second time. From Galilee to the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem again.
I had these thoughts on the train today as I was preparing my youth church talk for Sunday. I'm leaving these all out of my talk for Sunday - I think they'd all thank me for that. ;)
Love to hear your thoughts.
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