After the birth of Jesus was the flight into Egypt. “And when they were departed, an angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream saying, Arise and take the young child and His mother, and flee into Egypt; and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him.” (My 2:13)
This is Satan’s first attempt to destroy Jesus after His birth. Satan knew of this “seed of the woman” who was to crush his head and restore the people’s dominion to them. (Gen 3:15; 1 Jn 3:8)
Joseph took Jesus and Mary into Egypt and they remained “there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, Out of Egypt I have called My Son.” (Hos 11:1) An angel appeared to Joseph saying, “Arise and take the young child and His mother and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.” (Mt 2:20) Joseph packed them up and went back to Galilee, because Herod’s son, Atchelius was reigning and God warned Joseph in a dream not to enter Judea. They went to Nazareth, which fulfilled the prophecy, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
Joseph, being a carpenter, was a man of little means. Thus Jesus, who at the very first part of His life was born in a stable, spent His childhood years in quite humble surroundings. Nazareth was not historically prominent, though near to two principle trade routes. It can be said that the city was looked down upon by the Hebrews. John 1:14 states, “And Nathaniel said unto him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’
Jesus’ first trip to Jerusalem is significant because in bringing Jesus to Jerusalem “to present Him to the Lord”, fulfills Exodus 13:2; 22:29;34:19; Num 3:12,13; and 18:15. Luke 2:23 states, “As it is written, in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord. To offer sacrifices according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons.” This points to the humanity of Jesus. Galatians 4:4 states, “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of woman, made under the law.”
Jesus laid aside His glory and became incarnate on earth to reveal His humanity. In this case, we see His humanity as: the fruit of the loins; her first born; of this woman’s seed; seed of David; seed of Abraham and made of woman. On earth Jesus was a Jew. In the following of the law concerning the presentation of Him to the Lord, we see Jesus as the “Word made flesh” so that as a man, He could reveal God to man in terms that man could understand. (Mt 11:27), so that man could be revealed to himself through the example of Jesus. (1 Pet 2:21), so that mankind could be saved, to be the perfect sacrifice for sin through His human body, soul, and spirit, and yet be sinless. (Heb 10:1-10) This way, Jesus could destroy the works of Satan and serve as an example to all mankind that Satan can be defeated. (Jn 12:31) Being human, He could fulfill the Davidic Covenant. (2 Sam 7:16; Lk 1:31-33)
It was at this time also that the prophecy of Simeon and the Adoration of Anna came to pass. Simeon, being a “just and devout” man was told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until “He had seen the Lord’s Christ.” Being brought by the Holy Spirit in the temple and upon taking Jesus into his arms, he blessed God and said, “Lord, now letest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people: A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.” The numbers of people who witnessed concerning Jesus was mounting and we also have the first mention of the Gentiles being recipients of salvation through Jesus Christ by a New Testament prophet. This very fact is the cause for most of the problems of the early church and a bone of contention among the Apostles that had to be cleared up by a divine rebuke. (Acts 10:18; 11:18)
It was also the first time that Mary and Joseph had been fully appraised of the significance of the Holy Child and that “this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against: (Yes, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed) Both Mary and Joseph had had enough spoken to them and revealed to them by the angels to enable them to know the mission of Jesus, but like many others, they were slow to comprehend. (Mt 1:18-25; Lk1:27-56)
The reference to “ a sign which shall be spoken against” refers to the Jews who would be unbelievers and seek His death.
The second trip to Jerusalem was made when Jesus was around twelve years of age, which is when every Jewish boy would become: a man of the law” and the redemption money was paid, (Num 3:47), which gave Him legal right of “father”, claiming obedience to the rights and laws. As a “son of the law", Jesus was now old enough to be a servant of Jehovah and His character is shown as He stayed behind at the temple to speak with the “doctors”, and it also shows His divine will.
This is the only incident of His early life that is recounted in some detail. It shows that Jesus knew the miraculous nature of His birth and recognized His Messianic future when He told Mary, “How is it that ye sought Me? Wist ye know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ It is important that, although the greatness and Deity of Jesus was known by Mary, she “ kept all these sayings in her heart” referring to Luke 2:33 and 2:48.
There is nothing to indicate that Jesus had exercised any miraculous powers during His childhood, as the fanciful stories in the apocryphal works, such as the so-called “gospel of Thomas” pretend.
The reason for the brevity of the record concerning those early years is because Jesus had not yet been anointed by God as “ The Christ”, (Mt 16:16), and He had not started carrying out the divine assignment waiting for Him. His childhood and growing up process, like His birth, were a necessary, though incidental, means to an end. As Jesus would later tell Pilate, “For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” (Jn 18:37)
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the time of Jesus’ baptism marked the time of His becoming, in actual fact, the Messiah, God’s Anointed One. ( Lk 2:9-11, 25,26) For six months, John the Baptist had been preparing the way for the “way of the Lord”. (Lk 3:1-6)
Jesus, now about thirty years of age, was baptized over John’s initial objections, voiced because John, until then, had been baptizing repentant sinners. Jesus, however was sinless. Hence, His baptism testified to His presenting Himself to do His Father’s will. (Heb 10:5-9) John the Baptist felt unworthy to baptize Jesus. Jesus’ reply to the doubts that John held was: “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” “Becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” refers to both of them being sent by God and they had to fulfill what they had to do. Why was this? First, our Lord demonstrated in His baptism that, at the beginning of His ministry, His “oneness” to John’s call to the nation, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand.” (Mt 3:2 w/4:17) Second, by being baptized, Jesus crowned John’s ministry, giving John the honor of baptizing Him, whom John had heralded. Third, Jesus showed His self-humbling identification with the godly remnant in Israel who were devoutly waiting for Him and His Kingdom. Fourth, He was a representative of those He had come to redeem. He Had, right at the on-set of His ministry, become a representative “new man”, a “new way”, and a “new savior” for all mankind. He was, after His baptism, identified with all repenting sinners.
After Jesus had come up from the water, “the heavens were opened up to him and he saw the Spirit of the Lord descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him. And lo, a voice from heaven saying, “This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I AM well pleased.” (Mt 3:17)
Jesus was the first person to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit in all fullness; “…. for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.” (Jn 3:34) This implies that God did give the Spirit by measure unto all others before Jesus. That the Spirit was given “without measure” is clear from Matthew 3:16-17; 20:21-23. It was the fullness of the Spirit and power foretold to be given the Messiah. (Isa 11:1-2; 42:1-7; 61:1-2 and fulfilled in Mt 3:16-17; 11:2-6; 12:18; Lk 4:16-21; Acts 10:38)
Jesus’ anointing with the Holy Spirit appointed and commissioned Him to carry out His ministry of preaching and teaching, and also to serve as God’s Prophet. Over and above this, it appointed and commissioned Him to as God’s promised King, the heir to David’s throne. (Lk 1: 32,33,69; Heb 1:8,9), and to be an everlasting Kingdom. For that reason, He could later tell the Pharisees, “The Kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Lk 17:20,21) Similarly, Jesus was anointed to be God’s High Priest, not as a descendent of Aaron, “but after the likeness of Melchizedek.” (Heb 5:1,4-10; 7:11-17)
Jesus had been the Son of God from the time of His birth, even as the perfect Adam had been the “son of God”. (Lk 3:38) The angels had identified Jesus as the Son of God from His birth onward. So when, after Jesus’ baptism, His Father’s voice was heard saying, “This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I AM well pleased," it seems reasonable that this declaration accompanying the anointing flow of the Holy Spirit was more than just an acknowledgement of Jesus' identity.
The evidence is that Jesus was then begotten or brought forth by God as His Spiritual Son, “born again, as it were with the right to receive life once more as a Spirit Son of God in the heavens.” (Jn 3:3-6)
“…in Whom I AM well pleased” also testifies to the sinlessness of the silent thirty years before Jesus’ baptism. This is also the first time that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit was objectively exhibited.
The Wilderness Temptation
Immediately after Jesus’ baptism, He underwent the wilderness temptation. (MT 4:1-11) “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”
The manhood of Jesus is shown in two ways. One in the act of the Holy Spirit leading Him out into the wilderness and the other in His testing.
One of the attributes of the Holy Spirit is in the guidance of men who are godly. (Mt 4:1; Lk 4:1) This is shown in Ezekiel 3:12; Lk 2:27; 1 Kings 18:12; and Acts 8:39. In each case, mortals were guided, led, or taken up by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit, which He had received at the baptism. The contrast between God the Son and the Son of God is clearly shown between Matthew 3:17 and 4:1. On one hand, we see the absolute glory of Jesus as being one with the Father and in the very next verse we see Jesus, the man, the servant being led by the will of the Father through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was to be tested just as anyone is tested. Jesus, being the “second Adam”, was to go through the same tempting as Adam had gone through and had failed. Jesus’ humility is shown also in His hungering after fasting forty days and forty nights. This is when Satan made his move as he does all of us when we are weary and our guard is down. In the tempting of Jesus by Satan, Jesus used three quotations from Deuteronomy: 8:3, 6:16, and 6:6. Jesus used God’s words to put Satan away from Him by saying, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve.”
Satan used Jesus’ manhood to try and lure Him away from His purity as Satan does us. Satan does this by using “the body” in the command to make bread out of stones, “the soul” by commanding Jesus to cast Himself down and “the spirit” that Jesus would worship him. In three attempts to tempt Jesus, Satan tried the approaches of reason, questionable actions and absolutely wrong actions. We, as humans, easily fall for the first approach in our materialism, the second approach is taken in as ‘excitement and daring” and this is practiced, the third approach comes into being in that the practice becomes habit. Habit becomes bondage and when the bondage level is reached, we are actually worshipping Satan.
After the temptation, we see Jesus brought back to His full divineness and Deity. The devil leaves Jesus, as he does when we have defeated him and all glory and fullness returns to us as it did Jesus when the “angels came and ministered to Him.” (Mt 4:11)
If we look at the wilderness fasting of Jesus and the temptation, we see that this was not a pleasant experience. It is not something one would do ordinarily. All people are surrounded by wilderness and times of trouble in their earthly lives. We look around and see all sorts of loneliness, hunger, deprivation, evil, ungodliness, and suffering. We wander about in the wilderness every day of our lives. As we wander, we are tempted on all sides. We are beset by unbelief, instant gratification, materialism, lawlessness, sexual perversion, the worship of material objects, drugs, alcohol, money and the bondage that is a result of such worship. Sometimes we give in and in sinning, we face judgement of our actions. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, we have salvation through His blood and our repentance. If we are able to be strong in faith as Jesus was and is, we may be bruised and beaten by our refusal to give in to the temptations of Satan in our lives, but we will be ministered to by the angels and by the refilling of the Holy Spirit.
The fasting of Jesus relates to our fasting from the Word of God. When we stray from His Word, we find ourselves in a wilderness, for from God, yet we are made near through the Blood of Jesus Christ. We must remain strong in faith and in the Word if we are to survive the “wildernesses” that we encounter in our eerily wall with God.
After the temptation, we find Jesus going back to John the Baptist. Why did He do this? It has to do with the purpose of John’s ministry, and Jesus knew, full well, that purpose. In Matthew 3:15, Jesus said to John concerning the baptism, suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus’ return to John, who was to prophetically announce Jesus as the “Lamb of God”, was to show His readiness to assume His meditorial office as Prophet, Priest, and King and as the Messiah to His people. Upon seeing Jesus, John announces, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” (Jn 1:29)
This statement says in just thirteen words the entire porpoise of Jesus’ ministry on earth.
To further illustrate the Deity of Jesus, John goes on to say in John 1:30 that Jesus is “preferred” before him and has been with God from the very beginning. (Mic 5:2; Isa 9:6-7; Heb 1:8; Rev 1:8)
The reason for Jesus coming back is now very clear that He was in need of being announced officially and completely as the Savior of the World, Kin of Israel, and the Son of God.
The Ministry Begins
The day after John’s announcement of Jesus as the “Lamb of God”, Jesus began His ministry and teachings. In these first signs, witnesses and contacts, we see Jesus Christ as life and the revelation of Jesus Christ.
In and overview of John 1:35-42, we see Jesus being announced as the Lamb of God showing His deity and sacrifice. The disciples, Andrew and John leave John the Baptist to follow Jesus, thereby showing that Jesus is the one who is coming.
Jesus asks the disciples,” What seek ye?” (Jn 1:38). One of the most blessed redemptive benefits is people’s identification with Jesus in His work for His fellow man. By identification with Jesus we mean our union with Him in all phases of His redemptive work. Everyone who believes in Jesus must become identified with Him in every phase of His life, death, burial, resurrection, and manifestation.
The first disciples, as with all of His disciples, came to Him because the recognized Him as their Lord and not only their divinely appointed Savior and owner by virtue of His holiness but also because of His Kingly position and authority, It was in the full regal, as well as priestly authority represented by Jesus’ name that His followers came to Him, preached, baptized disciples, disfellowshiped immoral persons, and exhorted and instructed the Christian congregations the shepherded. It follows then; that those approved for life by Jesus could never put faith in or render to rule but must show unbreakable loyalty to the name of Jesus Christ. (Mt 12:18,21; Rev 2:13; 3:83)
In the action of Andrew finding Peter, we see that finding Jesus changes the life. (2 Cor 5:17-18) One will seek out others to bring them to Jesus.
“And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, He said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonah: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by way of interpretation, “a stone.” (Jn 1:42) This shows how Jesus could judge a person at first look. He knew Peter to be firm and strong in soul and hard and unyielding in purpose.
“The day following, Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Phillip, and saith unto him, Follow Me.” (Jn 1:43) Upon hearing Jesus’ initiation, Phillip did as much as Andrew had done the day before. Andrew had searched out his brother, Simon Peter, and brought him to Jesus. Phillip now did this with Nathanael saying, “We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” The statement that “Jesus found Phillip” may indicate some prior acquaintance between them, as do Phillip’s words to Nathanael, inasmuch as Phillip gave Jesus’ name, His family, and where He lived.
When Jesus saw Nathanael, He said,” Behold an Israelite indeed, in who there is no guile.” (Jn 1:47) This is the second man in this chapter that Jesus knows and judges with just one look. This is a compliment to Nathanael as Psalm 32:2 states, “Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” Also in Romans 22:28-29, “For he is not a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter whose praise is not of man, but of God.”
Nathanael questions how Jesus could know who he was and Jesus tells him, “Before that Phillip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.” The omniscience of our Lord is shown in this passage and Phillip, upon hearing this, declares, “Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God.” This further affirms the Deity and station of Jesus.
Jesus is amazed and tells Nathanael, “Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these.” Verily, verily I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (Jn 1:51) When this verse is to be fulfilled is not clearly stated. It may be fulfilled in the eternal Kingdom of Jesus on earth when angel will ascend and descend. This section marks the first prophecy of Jesus and speaks of His mission on earth and His rule in His Kingdom. Nathanael did see many greater works over the nest three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
In this trip to Cana, we see the difference between Jesus and His forerunner. John the Baptist was solitary, unsociable, and stern in his denunciation of sin that he might get people to flee from it. The Messiah, by contrast, entered into people’s lives to share their joys, problems, and sorrows and give them victory over sin.
His attendance at the wedding set His seal on marriage, as an institution ordained by God to promote the happiness and welfare of mankind. Also, in Cana we have the beginning of Jesus’ miracles. He, who would not work a miracle in the wilderness to meet His own needs, here performs a miracle to supply a luxury for wedding guests. By divine power, by not even touching the vessels, the water is turned into wine. In this miracle we see His Deity and His beneficent grace. It is the addition of sweetness and joy to the common relationship of life. It was also a sign symbolically pointing to the contrast between the old and new covenant and the work of Jesus as a transforming, enriching, glorifying of the natural through divine grace and power.
“His disciples believed on Him.” The demonstration of our Lord’s power established faith in His Deity and it proved to them His power to work every miracle.
Mary, in John 2:3 tell Jesus that “They have no wine.” Mary had never witnessed the performance of a miracle by Jesus. Knowledge of His divine mission was one of the tings locked up in her heart that she had pondered over for many years. Jesus’ answer to His mother seems harsh, however when taken in the light that He is now past His mother’s influence. We see that His answer was merely a statement of fact. Scofield paraphrases the statement as, “Madam, that concerns you, not Me; My hour has not yet come.”
The filling of the empty pots with the water that would be wine typifies us in that when we first come to Jesus we are as empty vessels and at our first hearing of the Word, we are as water. Through the receiving of God’s Word, we are saved by the Blood of Christ, which is the wine.
In verse 10 of John 2, the statement is made that “Every one at the beginning doth set forth good wine.” This is so typical of the new believer as as the believer walks with God, the believer tends to lose the excitement as the hard work begins and the believer must maintain the walk. “…but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” Through the dispensations, we see innocence, conscience, human government, law, and the dispensation of grace. Mankind has failed miserably through these dispensations. At the time that John is speaking of, they were still under the dispensation of the law, but Jesus was now in their midst and the promise of the dispensation of grace, (Acts 2), was at hand. The best has been saved for last in the dispensation of the Kingdom.
The word, “miracle” in the Greek is the same as for “sign,” (simeion). A sign or a token by which something is known: a token of confirmation of a divine work or call, generally used of miracles and wonders wrought by people to confirm their call and mission from God. Dr. Baxter states that this first miracle corresponds with the eighth miracle in John. Both of these miracles, the “water into wine” and the “drought of fishes,” are mainly to show the glory of God and His Son so that belief in Them would come about. There is also a similarity between the first and the very last miracle before Jesus’ ascension. The wine and the bread being in remembrance of Him.
The lessons to be learned from this miracle are: Those who are truly His, see His glory. “The servants knew, His disciples believed,” (Jn 2: 9-11); the world and sin give what they call their “good” first and afterward, that which is “worse”; Jesus gives His best, last. (Jn 2:10); Satan turns good into bad and worse; Jesus turns good into better and best. Our main business in life is to go through the world turning water into wine and those water pots fulfilled the Lord’s purpose so He can use the poorest means. We are but poor earthen vessels, and somewhat cracked, yet He can use the weak things to comfound the mighty.
CAPERNAUM, JERUSALEM, AND PASSOVER
“After this He went down into Capurnaum, He and His mother and His brothers, and His disciples, and they continued there not many days.” (Jn 2:12) Jesus did not stay in Capernaum long because “…the Jew’s Passover was at hand.” (Jn 12:13)
It was at this Passover that Malachi’s prophecy was fulfilled. (3:1,2) “Behold, I will send my messenger, and He shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, who ye delight in; behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. But who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap.”
“And Jesus found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves and the changers of money sitting.” (Jn 12:14)
According to Josephus, 256,500 animals were sacrificed each Passover so the market must have been great. The priests sold licenses to the vendors so this profanation must have been a large source of revenue. These dealers were very unpopular because of the extortions and they were also conscious that they were profaning the temple and violating the law. "“. He drove them out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and poured out the changer's money, and overthrew the tables. And said to them that sold doves, Take these things hence, make not My Father’s House an house of merchandise.” (Jn 12:15-16)
They asked for a sign showing Jesus’ authority for doing what He did and He said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up…But He spake of the temple of His body.” (Jn 12:18,21)
This was a powerful prophecy that the Jewish leaders never forgot. Although they used it against Him at His trial and mockery, it is clear that this was worrying them when they approached Pilate in Matthew 27:63, and said, “Sir, we remember what the deceiver said, while He was yet alive, “After three days I will rise again.
In verses 17 and 22 of John 12, we have the two cases of the disciples remembering and believing because of the scriptures: “The zeal of thine house hath eaten Me up”’and, “…and they believed the Scriptures, (Ps 16:10), and the word that Jesus had said.”
This was the first prophecy of His death. “Now when He was in Jerusalem, at Passover, on the feast day, many believed in His name, when they saw the miracles which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and needed not that they should testify of Him: for He knew what was in man.” (Jn 12:23-25)
Jesus knew that the people were not yet genuine in faith and character. There is something about this scene that is overlooked by many in that Jesus is not always the meek lamb. He always became angry when the bigoted Jews sought to keep Him from doing His work with petty rules.
NICODEMUS INTERVIEW
After the cleansing of the temple, many in Jerusalem were amazed at this Galileean prophet for having challenged the chief authorities of the nation. Most of the established order were hostile and critical, but there were some that were impressed by Jesus and the sayings of John the Baptist, ringing in their ears, and they were curious.
Nicldemus, a Pharisee, a Rabbi, and a member of the Sanhedren and one of the richest men in Jerusalem went to see Jesus “by night.” (Jn 3:2) If he went of his own accord, the night visit was probably to avoid the persecution of his peers. Some suggest that he went as an emissary of the Pharisees. If that is the case, then he probably went by night because it was the most convenient time and Jesus would be by Himself and accessible for a meeting.
The Pharisees knew that Jesus came from God, “…for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” This is the secret of power. “…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with Power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38)
Nicodemus made three steps towards knowing Christ. He came to Jesus, (Jn 3:1), he testified for Him and of Him, (Jn 7:50-51), and he did service for Him. ( Jn 19:39)
Jesus came right to the point in answer to Nicodemus’ questions of Him. “Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (Jn 3:3)
To be “born again” is to become a new person. (Eph 4:24) It is the regenerate person as distinguished from the “old person” of Romans 6:6 and is a new person as having become a partaker of the divine nature and life, (Col 3:3-4; 2 Pet 1-4), and is in no sense the “old person “ made over, or improved, (2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15; Eph 2:10; Col 3:10) The new person is Christ “formed” in the Christian. (Gal 1:27;1 Jn 4:12)
This regeneration is brought about by the necessity of the new birth because of man’s incapability to “see” or “enter” into the Kingdom of God. He cannot obey, understand, or please God by himself. It is the creative act of the Holy Spirit. (Jn 3:5; 1:12-13; 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:10; 4:24) the condition of the new birth is faith in Christ crucified. (Jn 3:14,15) The believer becomes a member of the family of God, (Gal 3:26); and is a partaker of the divine nature, the life of Christ, Himself. (Gal 2:20)
Nicodemus should have been able to understand “ re-birth” because Ezekiel 36:24-26 states that one must be of “ clean water”, “new spirit,” and of a “new heart.” (Jn 3:3,5,7)
The term “born again” is in the Greek, “genethe anothen”, begotten from above, which literally means that there must be a transformation from God and a renewal in righteousness and true holiness to be saved. ( 2 Cor 5:17-21)
This concept is misunderstood because of human terms of birth. These are “earthly things” and not “heavenly things.” (Jn 3:12) Jesus restates His pronouncement and adds, “ of water and of the Spirit.” The words, cannot enter are also added. The first thing that happens at re-birth is that we are able to “see” or “understand” the Kingdom of God and then we are baptized of the water and the Spirit so that we can enter the Kingdom of God and become part of it.
In John 3:6 we find that “flesh is flesh and Spirit is Spirit.” This is a fundamental law in both the natural and spiritual realms. We either live after the flesh or after the Spirit. (Rm 8:1-13; Gal 5:16-26)
Jesus goes on to tell Nicodemus, in hopes that he will understand about “re-birth.” “The Spirit is as the wind; He goes where He will and one can hear the Spirit in those that are indwelled with the Spirit but we don’t know from where He comes or where He goes.” ( Jn 3:8) The coming of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is not to happen until after Jesus has ascended to the Father. (Acts 2) This is why the people around Jesus had such a hard time understanding Him. The “Law” was so ingrained in them that it was very hard for them to accept this new concept. (Jn 3:9,10)
Jesus tells Nicodemus of His coming ascension by using the example of Moses lifting up the serpent as a sign, (Num 21:9 w/ Jn 3:14)
The sacrifice for sins had it’s start in Genesis 3:21. The coats of skins provided for Adam and Eve by God obviously came from slain animals. The first clear instance of sacrifice is in Genesis 4:4 and explained in Hebrews 11:4. Abel’s righteousness was manifested by his sacrifice. This righteousness was not the result of his sacrifice but of his faith. ( Gen 11:3) Before the giving of the law, the head of the family was the family priest. By the Law, an order of priests was established who alone could offer sacrifices. Those sacrifices were but “shadows” or types, expressing vicariously the guilt and need of the offender in reference to God and all pointing to Jesus and fulfilled in Him. As foreshadowed by the types and explained by the New Testament, the sacrificing of Christ was penal, (Gal13: 13; 2 Cor 5:21); substitutionary, (Lev 1:4; Isa 53:5-6; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 2:24); voluntary, (Jn 10:18); redemptive, (Gal 3:13); propitiatory, (Rm 3:25); reconciling, (2 Cor 5:18-19); efficacious, (Jn 12:32-33), and revelatory, (Jn 3:26; Rm 3:25-26; Jn 4:9-10).
In Jesus’ next statement we have God’s love and eternal life promised through Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jn 3:16)
The eternal life is part of the eternity which s to come. It is the life of God revealed in Christ and is imparted n a new birth by the Holy Spirit, acting upon the word of God to every believer in our Lord, Jesus Christ. ( Jn 3:3-15) The life that is life that is imparted is not new life except in the sense of human possession; it is still “that which was from the beginning,” but the recipient is a new creation. ( 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15)
The life of God, which is in the believer, is an unsevered part of the life, which eternally was and eternally is in Jesus Christ. One life in Him and the believer: Vine and Branches; Head and Members. (Jn 15:15)
In the phrase, “He Gave”; we have the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The reasons for His incarnation are to reveal God to man, to reveal man, to provide a sacrifice for sin, to destroy the works of Satan, to be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to fulfill the Davidic Covenant, and to become head over all things to the Church which is the new creation; the new humanity.
THE SYCHAR WOMAN
At the time of this happening, most of the Jews had ceased taking the route through Samaria because of the bad feelings between Jews and Samaritans. The people of Samaria were of mixed blood, part heathen, and part Israeli.
John 4:4-“ And He must needs to through Samaria.” Jesus did this for two reasons. One, according to Josephus, it was three days shorter of a journey to Galilee and two, it was to obey divine orders so this lesson could be manifest. Starting early in the morning, He and His disciples left the Jordan on their way north, stopping for rest and refreshment at a well located near the town of Sychar. This well was famous because in that it had been dug by Jacob, (Gen 29:2) and “Jesus being wearied with His journey sat down by a well.” (Jn 4:6) That Jesus was wearied shows His humanity and yet He is a haven for “all ye that labor and are heavy laden.” (Mt 11:28)
While Jesus was waiting for His disciples to return from town with food, His solitude was broken by the approach of a Samaritan woman who was coming for water. Jesus asked her, “Give Me to drink.” This is the first of seven addresses to the woman and in these addresses, Jesus gradually leads up to His declaration, “I AM HE” The woman, knowing that Jesus was a Jew was puzzled at His speaking to her and asked why He would do so. Jesus answered, “If thou knowest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldst have asked of Him and He would have given thee living water.” (Jn 4:10)
“The Gift of God” is explained in Romans 5:15 as, “the gift by grace which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded to many.”
“Living water” is the unfailing eternal water of Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13; and Zachariah 12:8. In John 7:38-39, we read, “He that believeth on Me; as the Scripture hath said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spoke He of the Spirit, whom they that believe on Him should receive.”
In verses 11 and 12 of John 4, the woman asks, “from where then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob?” In response, Jesus says to her, “I will give you a well of water of eternal life.”
The Greek word for “well” is “paga” and it is used meaning “fountain or spring.” The “well of water “ is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, as previously discussed.
The woman’s next request is like a prayer. “Sir, give me this water; that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.” This woman, once she has the “water of eternal life” will forever have peace and will never have to ask it again.
At this moment, Jesus changes the conversation. “Go call thy husband to come hither.” This was Jesus’ way of getting to thee root of the woman’s troubles, so He could legally give her salvation. The sinner must accept that sin has occurred and repent of that sin.
The woman answered, “I have no husband.” Jesus counters with, “You hast well said…. For thou hat had five husbands; and he whom thou hast is not thy husband: in that saidest thou truly.”
The woman was then convinced that Jesus was a prophet. Jesus possessed in perfection the credentials of a true prophet. Not only was He able, through His own power to perform miracles, but also His message was completely harmonious with the Word of God, He, Himself, being the Living Word.
He told forth divine truth and foretold the divine prophetic program. Jesus was Prophet, Priest, and King. (Zech. And Mat.)
Not eager to linger on the facts of her own history, the woman’s mind leaped to the great questions that agitated the passions of her people, and which was the basis of the controversy between her race on the Jews. This controversy was centered around whether to worship on Mt. Gerizim or Mt. Morah. Since Jesus’ words proved Him to be a prophet, the woman took the opportunity to have this question answered.
In John 4:21-24, Jesus told her that she should worship God in Spirit and in Truth wherever she is. “Woman believe Me, the four cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem , worship the Father.” The answer embodies a great principle that true worship is that of the heart and not of or any particular place. The woman was deeply moved, but how could she change her whole belief on the words of a passing stranger? She merely sighed and said, “ I know that the Messiah cometh, which is the Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things.” Jesus answers, “I that speak to thee am He.”
The disciples then returned with the provisions and were amazed that Jesus would speak to the woman. Ordinarily, a Jewish man might not talk to a woman on the street, even if she were his own wife or daughter. This coupled with her being a Samaritan woman added to their amazement.
The woman hurried away in the joy of her discovery, and went boldly to the people and told them that she had found the Messiah. When finding Jesus, we can’t wait to tell others of our newfound salvation.
The disciples invited Jesus to eat, but Jesus told them, “My meat is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and finish His work.”
The true sustenance of life is to do God’s work that He has laid out for us to do. We are sustained by the successes we have while doing His work and by God while we are working on His behalf.
In verse 4:35 of John we have the first lesson on missionary work and it’s rewards. “Lift up your eyes.” The harvest of souls was already at hand, produced in one day. The lesson is that we are not to sit and wait for the spiritual harvest. We can have immediate harvest of the seed that Christ has sown. “And he that reapeth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” (Ps 66:6; Rm 6:22; 1 Thes. 2:19)
Christ had sown the seed in the woman and had already received the wages of gratification of saving a soul. The sower, Jesus, and the reapers, the disciples and us, will share in the joy in His Kingdom.
“I sent you to reap.” Christ had sent the disciples out to reap the benefits of the labors and to carry on the work of the prophets and others before them, including Himself and John the Baptist. They had already baptized many and had preached to and healed many.
The woman’s words made a remarkable stir. It should be remembered that a few months before, the preaching of John the Baptist had moved the whole region. The people had probably heard of John’s announcement that the Messiah had come. Therefore, upon hearing the words of the woman that a wondrous prophet had come into their area, they poured out to meet Him.
What a wonderful contrast for Jesus to have such adoration. Especially after the poor reception He had received in Jerusalem.
Upon hearing the Word of God from Jesus after two days of His teaching, “many more believed of His Word.” (Jn 4:14)
“And they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of your saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the World.”
Those two days of preaching and teaching yielded abundant fruit, and the results were the first fruits of the great Gentile harvest that was to come. No doubt it was the teaching of those two days that played a large part in the rich harvest of souls that took place a few years later when Phillip went down to Samaria and preached Christ to them. (Acts 8) Jesus might have stayed longer, but to stay might have hampered His mission in Jewry, and He turned His steps to Galilee. Jesus had, by that time, announced and opened His ministry and purpose to the Jews and Gentiles alike. It was typical that Samaritans would receive him with vigor and the people of His homeland would reject Him.
THE NOBLEMAN’S SON
“Now after two days, He departed and went into Galilee. For Jesus, Himself, testified that a prophet hath no honor in his own country, Then, when He was come to Galilee, the Galatians received Him, having seen all the things that He did at Jerusalem at the feast; for they also went to the feast.” (Jn 4:43-45)
“So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He made the water wine. And there was a nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.” (Jn 4:46)
This is the first recorded healing miracle performed by Jesus. The circumstances of the healing miracle and the “water to wine” miracle are oppositely opposed. In the first, there is a marriage, joy, and added gladness. In the latter, there is an anxious home, sorrow, and banished sadness. In Jesus returning to the place of His manifested glory, He brought Himself into a closer union with the disciples He made here.
There is something quite beautiful in the nobleman’s search for Jesus. It was a quest of faith. In all the healing miracles, Jesus takes the utmost pains to call out the faith on the part of those who sought healing for their loved ones. Sometimes Jesus is directing a weak faith and another time, He is teaching that a miracle is not the cause of faith so much as it is a reward: that bodily cures are chiefly of use to bring spiritual help; that belief in Him as a Healer is meant to lead men to faith as a Savior.
Even though the nobleman’s faith was very weak, it was put in the right place. It is not the faith that receive, but the Power of the One in whom we believe. The record of this faith is that the man’s son was cured. The man took Jesus at His word and left, thereby expressing the “rest” of faith. The son is healed of his sickness and the nobleman was healed of his lack of faith. A lesson from this for us is that faith builds on faith.
The nature of this miracle is that of “long distance.” From Cana to Capernaum was about twenty miles and Jesus healed the boy with just a Word from His mouth.
Jesus healed using many methods according to what is needed by the individual. He commanded the sick be brought to Him, He healed without seeing the afflicted, by word, touch or both, and He used means and sometimes was direct.
The residents of Nazareth heard of this miraculous work in Cana and they expected Him to repeat it in His own city. (Lk 4:23) But Jesus didn’t do any miracles there. The evidence of His holy life for thirty years should have been enough proof for them.
THE BETHESDA CURE AND CONFRONTATION
“After this there was the feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem Now there is in Jerusalem, by the sheep gate, a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue, Bethesda, having five porches.” (Jn 5:1-2)
“And a certain man was there, having and infirmity thirty and eight years.” (Jn 5:5) Bethesda means, “house of mercy or compassion” in the Greek. When Jesus came upon it, it was a house of misery for those who were there. The traditional pool of Bathesda in now identified as “The Fountain of The Virgin,” where there is still an intermittent spring. Most Greek texts omit the “descending angel” portion of the account, but apart from the doubt of the “angel,” It is evident that God has His agencies, visible and invisible, fulfilling His will. It is John who again describes the activity of “the angel of the waters,” (Rev 16:5), accomplishing the divine purpose.
Our Lord’s omniscience is shown by His knowing that the man had been there a long time waiting for his turn to be healed. At this pool both omniscience and omnipotence come to bear.
“Wist thou be made whole?” (Jn 5:6) This questions speaks of the utter futility the man must have been feeling after being there such a long time and nothing had happened. The man’s reply is, “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to pit me into the pool.” How many of us, when we are struck down by some situation in our lives just sit and wait for someone to come to our aid. Through the cross, we have adequate aid in all of life’s experiences in Jesus Christ. This man was about to receive full knowledge of Jesus’ help and aid. “Rise and take up thy bed.”
This man, who had spent all this time waiting for the angel and the troubling of the waters, is healed by Jesus with just six words. The man could not rise on his own. It was the omnipotent command of Jesus that raised this man up.
The sure was instantaneous, immediate, perfect, and free as is the spiritual restoration Jesus supplies to us. The phrase, “Take up thy bed and walk” was a proof of is healing, a proof of his identity as the man who had visited so long at the pool, and it was a test of the man’s faith to see if he would follow Jesus’ command.
Others at the pool were not healed. He came not to heal man’s bodies except to the healing of their souls and spirits. As all of the other miracles Jesus performed to the glory of God, faith had to be present.
When questioned by the Jews, the man’s healing and the miracle itself was not considered. These “high and mighty” leaders were most concerned with the breaking of the Sabbath law in the man’s carrying of his bed. As the inner life of those who would profess great knowledge of the laws and prohibitions of their particular brand of religion becomes dead to the spiritual truths of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they become attached to petty rules, religious rites, and objects. And the trappings of the individual services. They forget the basic, eternal meanings of salvation by the Blood of Jesus Christ.
These leaders were so tied up in their “laws,” that their zealousness would lead to Jesus’ death. They held no joy for the healed man. All they cared about was the fact that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. This kind of action always brought persecution. Is it any wonder that God predicted that He would do away with the Sabbath? ( Isa 1:13-15;Hos 2:11) God is displeased with any church, law, ritual, or form of religion that violates good and exalts pride and hypocrisy.
The call to “take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath,” (Jer 17:21), was for the “rest” of man that he would not constantly toil.
The man had no idea who had healed him. Christ “conveyed Himself away”. (Jn 5:13). The Greek word used here for “conveyed” is “ekoedo” which means “to slip away, to escape.” Being at the time of the feast of the Jews, there would be many people present and it would be easy for Jesus to slip away. There were many sick people at the pool. There was no need for Jesus to endanger Himself at this place by staying around, considering the anger of the Jewish leaders. Some have suggested that Jesus made Himself inviolable, but there is no Scriptural evidence of this taking place.
The next meeting between Jesus and this man shows us that when one is healed or saved, then gratitude is in order. “Afterward, Jesus finds him in the temple, and said to him, Behold, you are made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thin happens to you.”
What was the man’s sin? We are not to know, but Jesus knew and we are reminded that constant sinning, especially after one has been saved, can and will cause greater misery than before. Sin and suffering go hand in hand. There is no way around it. If one sins, he will suffer. Never in the history of mankind has this happened.
The lessons learned by this miracle are that Jesus will not heal us if we do not have faith, that sin and suffering go hand in hand, that when we are divinely healed of our infirmities, we are also freed of sin, and after we are saved, we are to continue with our walk with God.
After Jesus had talked with the healed man, we are confronted with a particular situation. The man left and told the Jews that Jesus had healed him. This man had been afflicted for 38 years. Jesus did not tell him not to tell others that Jesus had healed him. It was out of gratitude and out of wanting to tell others so that they might also find the salvation that Jesus offers the world.
As far as healing on the Sabbath is concerned, Jesus, as God the Son certainly had the authority to do what ever He wished to do on the Sabbath. This is one of the main points to remember when we study the Jewish leader's hatred for Jesus. They knew in their hearts that this man was sent from God. No matter what the healed man would say to the leaders, they were angry that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. In the next series of verses, we have a truly grand discourse by Jesus in His claiming equality with the Father in John 5. He claimed equality in nature, in power and works, in resurrection power, in judgement, in honor, in giving spiritual life, power over death and destiny, by absolute justice in His own right, by the witness of John the Baptist, His own works, the Father, the Scriptures, and in the rebuke of the leaders for their unbelief.
Two great truths are revealed in this discourse. First, the distinction of the persons in the Trinity: “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do…for the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgement to the Son.” (Jn 5:19,22) Second, Christ reveals man’s duty. “That man should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father who sent Him.” (Jn 23) Jesus showed them that not only was He the Messiah, but He was the Divine Messiah. Jesus rebuked the Jews for not believing the witnesses. The leaders knew the Scriptures. Why didn’t they believe they believe them? It was because of their pride. “How can you believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only?” (Jn 5:44) Jesus tells them that they reject He who had come in the name of the Father and yet they are ready to accept the antichrist in his own name. (Jn 5:43)
The next part of the great sermon concerns the resurrection of the dead. “Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life: and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.” (Jn 5:28-29)
This prophecy is an ongoing fulfillment. “The dead” is spiritually dead. (Rm 10:9-17)
Since the hour of “spiritual resurrection” had already lasted nineteen centuries, it is possible for the future “hour of physical resurrection” to extend over a span of one thousand years. The righteous are raised at the beginning of the Millenium, the evil at the end. (Rev 20)
How do we take part in this resurrection of life? Verily, verily I say unto you, He that hears My word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life…. The hour is coming and is now, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.” (Jn 5:24-25)
He had revealed His identity and mission in all of its glorious fullness. They would reject Him and He would go to Galilee and continue His work. All of the great truths came out of the necessity of going to Bathesda and curing the ailing man.
“And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through the entire region round about.” (Lk 4:14-15)
The people of Galilee welcomed and received Jesus warmly and He “was glorified of all.” Jesus’ life was starting to take on a pattern of being welcomed in one place and rejected in another. There was also a problem with the miracles He was performing. Instead of the people praising God, they were coming to Jesus because to them He was a “miracle worker.” They were missing the point. Those who had heard Him speak and those who had not heard Him speak thought of Him a just a wonderment.
From the adoration of Galilee we find Him in Nazareth for His first sermon in His hometown after being “ in the Spirit” and He is to be rejected. They couldn’t resist His wisdom, but they did resist His witness. Although they rejected His love and His work, they couldn’t destroy His joy and His influence because He became life and immortality through His Gospel to all who would receive it. Those opposed to Him are dead, physically and spiritually, as are those who oppose Him today, but He lives on, on the right hand of the Father and in believer’s hearts forever.
In the sermon He preached, was the two-fold ministry of the Messiah. He was “appointed to preach the Gospel to the poor, deliverance to the captives in sin, sickness and death”, and the “acceptable year.” He was appointed to heal the broken heart, mind, soul, and body. (Acts 10:38), the blind in sight and spirit; those in darkness, the bruised, and completely crushed and shattered in life, the oppressed and the broken. (Mt 4:16;Isa 58:6-14) A comparison with the passage that Jesus read, Luke 4:18, and Isaiah 61:1-2, gives us an instance of the accuracy of our Lord’s use of the Scriptures. Jesus stopped at “the acceptable year of our Lord” and did not refer to “the day of vengeance of our God.” This belongs to the Second Advent of Christ. (Jn 4:18-19)
The people were amazed and as He sat down, all eyes were upon Him, and He said, “This day is the Scripture fulfilled in your ears.” (Lk 4:20-21) One can feel the absolute awe of those in attendance and when some of the amazement subsided, they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” The people excepted more miracles from Him like they had heard about in Cana, Galilee, Capernaum, and the Bathesda pool. He told them,”…no prophet is accepted in his own country.” The people did not have any faith. The widow of Sidon and Naaman had faith and they were healed; Gentiles in the midst of Jews. (Lk 4:12-27)
Jesus’ statements and teaching angered them and they were “filled with wrath” and they moved to kill Him. “But He, passing through the midst of them, went His way.” (Lk 4:30)
THE DROUGHT OF FISHES
“And He preached in the synagogues of Galilee. And it came to pass that, as the people pressed upon Him to hear the Word of God, He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret.” (Lk 4:44-5:1)
Only Luke records this miracle which led to the further discipleship of Peter and his partners. In the other two Gospels, Matthew and Mark, the call of the disciples was recorded unto itself.
Galilee had been prophesied by Isaiah 9:1,2, as an important place of the activity of Jesus and He had come here, taught the people, and when He had finished, He addressed Simon and Simon answered Him in doubt of any fishing success but, “Nevertheless, at Thy Word I will let down the net.”
Peter shows partial obedience to Jesus’ command by only using one net; instead of the “nets” that Jesus had suggested. Peter will show this kind of reaction to Jesus’ words throughout the rest of Jesus’ ministry and beyond to the disagreement with Paul over the issue of the “gentiles.”
The result was a catch large enough to break the net and Peter would need help gathering the catch. Jesus, being creator of all things in eternity past, was Lord of heaven, earth and sea, “the sovereign of all things,” (Ps 8) and the fish respond to that power. This miracle of power led to a miracle of grace. Jesus’ omnipotence and omniscience was so striking that Peter felt unworthy and “fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, oh Lord.” (L k 5:8)
This miracle gave Jesus to catch Peter, James, and John in His net. “Fear not, from henceforth you shall catch men.” (Eziekiel 47:9-10- the river of sanctuary) “And when they brought their ships to land, the forsook all, and followed Him.”
This is the requirement of the Gospel. (Mt 19:27-30) It means a willingness to follow God regardless of the price. It never means to forsake responsibility. Even these men still retained their own homes, families, and responsibilities. (1 Tim 5:8) The main idea is to put God first in all things. (Mt 222:37; Lk 14:16-27)
The Synagogue Demonic
Capernaum was a city of unusual prosperity. It was a fishing center, on several of the Greek trade routes, and therefore, it was a very busy place. It was well situated for Jesus’ ministry.
Jesus went to the synagogue and taught the people on Sabbath days. “And they were astonished at His doctrine: for His Word was with power.” (Lk 4:31-32) Here Jesus is again, going from absolute rejection to absolute adoration. This “roller coaster” life is not much different from our own lives. There are many ups and downs but if we live as Christ lived on earth, we will end this earthly walk of our eternal life on a high plateau with Jesus in Glory.
This day was to be a most memorable day. It was the Sabbath and it was a day of intense activity and spiritual events. During this day Jesus would take possession of the Sabbath and the synagogue.
During Jesus’ teaching, the service was suddenly disturbed. “And in the synagogue there was a man which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Let us alone, what have we to do with you Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know you and you are: Holy One of God.” (Lk 4:34)
Demons know Jesus to be the Holy One of God as well as they know their fate to be one of torment. They also know the time of their torment implying knowledge of God’s eternal plan. (Lk 3:4; 8:28; Mt 8:29; 2541)
The distinguishing feature of this demon is that it was unclean. It is no wonder that the demon violently recoiled from the pure holiness which was in Jesus. This man’s personality was invaded by a demon. The Devil copies God’s work for evil purposes. Judas became possessed; the recipient of the indwelling of Satan, just as believers must allow the indwelling of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. He did not allow the demon’s testimony of Christ and Jesus could not and would allow or receive testimony from such a diabolical source. It was expelled verbally by Jesus. Jesus rebuked not the man but the demon that was possessing him. Note the change of pronouns used by the demon. "What have we to do with you…are you come to destroy us?” Satan’s purpose is to take us with him. It is like a robber using a hostage as a shield. This demon was afraid and rightly so. The very One of God was in its presence.
Then, when the demon sensed that he was not to be destroyed at this time, he became brave and said, “I know you…”
“And Jesus rebuked him saying, Holy your peace, and come out of him! And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him and hurt him not.” (Lk 4:35)
The people were rightly amazed that Jesus would have the power and authority over devils. “And the fame of Him went out into every place of the country round about.”
Satan tries to interrupt the work of Jesus and God’s divine plan. We see this in our everyday lives and with the power and authority over Satan that we now possess in Jesus Christ, we also are able to be victorious over him.
PETER’S MOTHER-IN-LAW
“And He rose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought Him for her.” (Lk 5:38) “And He stood over her and rebuked the fever; and it left her and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.” (Lk 5:39)
Having just exercised His power over evil in the synagogue, He would again prove that He is also a mighty power over disease. Matthew 8:14 adds to the scene, “And He touched her hand, and the fever left her.” Mark adds more, “And He came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up: immediately the fever left her….” (Mk 1:29)
We notice that Jesus “rebuked the fever” as if it were His enemy. Anything or anyone that would harm our Lord’s people is His enemy. (Isa. 13:6)
This is a double miracle in that Jesus healed the woman of her fever and also gave her enough strength to minister to her guests and tend to her household. As to the faith required for her to be healed, being Peter’s mother, she undoubtedly had the faith to be healed as well as the companions of Jesus being there also.
God does not want His people to suffer so He certainly does not cause the sickness. He does, however want us to call upon Him when we are afflicted so that He may save us and we might glorify Him. (Ps 50)
Jesus was also “made perfect through suffering”. (Heb 2:10)
This very day would end with a mass healing that would show an even more impressive display of the miraculous healing power of our Lord.
Although tired and needing rest, Jesus could not but help them. No sufferer ever came to Jesus without receiving His help. “He healed them all and laid hands on every one of them.” This wonderful Lord would bear all “our infirmities, our sicknesses, and our sins to the Cross so that we might gain eternal life.
