May
5
Francis Hirak
The whole career of Jesus the teacher, as King-priest, was to educate people in God’s law and will. As the royal Messiah, the foretold “twig out of the stump of Jesse (David’s father),” Jesus, master teacher of all mankind, must manifest the ‘spirit of God in wisdom, counsel, mightiness, knowledge, along with the fear of God.’ Thereby, God-fearing people would find “enjoyment by Him.” (Isaiah 11:1-3) says: “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears;”
Therefore, the career of Jesus, teacher of all, was bearing witness to the truth,’ to the things to which God had sworn. Jesus was thus no shadow Messiah or Christ. He was the real one promised. Jesus was no shadow king-priest. He was, in substance and fact, the true one that had been prefigured. (Rom 15:8) says: “Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers.” Compare (Psalm 18:49) “Therefore I will give thanks to You O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name.”
Jesus, as a teacher, was to accomplish His ministry in bearing witness to the truth. This was a job that required more of Jesus than merely talking, preaching and teaching. Besides shedding His heavenly glory to be born as a human, He had to fulfill all the things prophesied about Him, including the shadows or patterns contained in the Law covenant. (Col 2:16-17) says: “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”
To uphold the truth of His Father’s prophetic word and promises, Jesus our teacher had to live in such a way as make that truth become reality, fulfilling it by what He said and did, how He lived and how He died. Thus, Jesus the master teacher had to be the truth, in effect, the embodiment of the truth, as Jesus our teacher Himself said he was. (John 14:6) says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Jesus the teacher of God’s ways aimed his message not merely at men’s minds but primarily at their hearts, proving Himself to be Jesus, the master teacher, using penetrating questions to cause them to think, arrive at their own conclusions, search their hearts, make decisions. (Matt 17:25) says: “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from “strangers?” (Mark 3:4) says: “He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?” (Luke 10:26) says: He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” (John 8:46) says: “Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?”
Jesus was a teacher that did not strive to win over the masses but to awaken the hearts of those sincerely hungering for truth and righteousness. (Matt 5:6) says: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Jesus, the master teacher, was considerate of the limited understanding of his spectators and even of his disciples and used discernment in His teachings as to how much information to give them. (John 16:12) says: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” Jesus, teacher of God’s word. never watered down God’s massage in a effort to gain popularity or curry favor. His speech was straightforward, even blunt at times. (Matt 5:37) says: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Compare (Luke 11:37-52).
The unparalleled wisdom found in the teachings of Jesus, who was more than Solomon, is one of the most powerful evidences that he was indeed the master teacher, Son of God. The gospel accounts could never be the mere product of imperfect men’s minds or imagination.(Matt 12:42) says: “The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”
Jesus, the teacher’s manner of teaching was remarkably effective for it says in (John 7:45-46) “Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, ‘Why have you not brought Him?‘ The officers answered, ‘No man ever spoke like this Man!’” Jesus presented matters of great weight and depth with simplicity, brevity and clarity. He illustrated His points in His teachings with things well known to His listeners (Matt 13:34-35) – to fishermen (Matt 13:47-48), shepherds (Matt 13:3-9) builders (John 10:1-17), farmers (Luke 14:28-30), merchants and so forth. Simple things like old garments, bread, wineskins, salt and water were used as symbols of things of great importance, even as they were so used in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Jesus, our teacher proved himself to be the promised “wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:12) says: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” By His knowledge of God’s Word and will, by His understanding of human nature, his ability to get at the heart of questions and issues and to show the solution to problems of daily living, Jesus the teacher indeed proved Himself to be the master teacher of all. The well-known “Sermon on the Mount” is a prime example of this. (Matt. Chaps. 5 through 7)
Through the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus, the teacher, who is our master teacher, gives us good counsel on the way to true happiness, the settling of quarrels, how to avoid immorality, how to deal with those showing enmity, the true practice of righteousness free from hypocrisy, the right attitude toward the material things of life, confidence in God’s generosity, the golden rule for right relationships with others, the means for detecting religious frauds, how to build for a secure future. The crowds were “astounded at His way of teaching; for He was teaching them as a person having authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matt 7:28-29).
The whole career of Jesus the teacher, as King-priest, was to educate people in God’s law and will. As the royal Messiah, the foretold “twig out of the stump of Jesse (David’s father),” Jesus, master teacher of all mankind, must manifest the ‘spirit of God in wisdom, counsel, mightiness, knowledge, along with the fear of God.’ Thereby, God-fearing people would find “enjoyment by Him.” (Isaiah 11:1-3) says: “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears;”
Therefore, the career of Jesus, teacher of all, was bearing witness to the truth,’ to the things to which God had sworn. Jesus was thus no shadow Messiah or Christ. He was the real one promised. Jesus was no shadow king-priest. He was, in substance and fact, the true one that had been prefigured. (Rom 15:8) says: “Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers.” Compare (Psalm 18:49) “Therefore I will give thanks to You O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name.”
Jesus, as a teacher, was to accomplish His ministry in bearing witness to the truth. This was a job that required more of Jesus than merely talking, preaching and teaching. Besides shedding His heavenly glory to be born as a human, He had to fulfill all the things prophesied about Him, including the shadows or patterns contained in the Law covenant. (Col 2:16-17) says: “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”
To uphold the truth of His Father’s prophetic word and promises, Jesus our teacher had to live in such a way as make that truth become reality, fulfilling it by what He said and did, how He lived and how He died. Thus, Jesus the master teacher had to be the truth, in effect, the embodiment of the truth, as Jesus our teacher Himself said he was. (John 14:6) says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Jesus the teacher of God’s ways aimed his message not merely at men’s minds but primarily at their hearts, proving Himself to be Jesus, the master teacher, using penetrating questions to cause them to think, arrive at their own conclusions, search their hearts, make decisions. (Matt 17:25) says: “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from “strangers?” (Mark 3:4) says: “He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?” (Luke 10:26) says: He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” (John 8:46) says: “Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?”
Jesus was a teacher that did not strive to win over the masses but to awaken the hearts of those sincerely hungering for truth and righteousness. (Matt 5:6) says: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Jesus, the master teacher, was considerate of the limited understanding of his spectators and even of his disciples and used discernment in His teachings as to how much information to give them. (John 16:12) says: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” Jesus, teacher of God’s word. never watered down God’s massage in a effort to gain popularity or curry favor. His speech was straightforward, even blunt at times. (Matt 5:37) says: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Compare (Luke 11:37-52).
The unparalleled wisdom found in the teachings of Jesus, who was more than Solomon, is one of the most powerful evidences that he was indeed the master teacher, Son of God. The gospel accounts could never be the mere product of imperfect men’s minds or imagination.(Matt 12:42) says: “The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”
Jesus, the teacher’s manner of teaching was remarkably effective for it says in (John 7:45-46) “Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, ‘Why have you not brought Him?‘ The officers answered, ‘No man ever spoke like this Man!’” Jesus presented matters of great weight and depth with simplicity, brevity and clarity. He illustrated His points in His teachings with things well known to His listeners (Matt 13:34-35) – to fishermen (Matt 13:47-48), shepherds (Matt 13:3-9) builders (John 10:1-17), farmers (Luke 14:28-30), merchants and so forth. Simple things like old garments, bread, wineskins, salt and water were used as symbols of things of great importance, even as they were so used in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Jesus, our teacher proved himself to be the promised “wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:12) says: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” By His knowledge of God’s Word and will, by His understanding of human nature, his ability to get at the heart of questions and issues and to show the solution to problems of daily living, Jesus the teacher indeed proved Himself to be the master teacher of all. The well-known “Sermon on the Mount” is a prime example of this. (Matt. Chaps. 5 through 7)
Through the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus, the teacher, who is our master teacher, gives us good counsel on the way to true happiness, the settling of quarrels, how to avoid immorality, how to deal with those showing enmity, the true practice of righteousness free from hypocrisy, the right attitude toward the material things of life, confidence in God’s generosity, the golden rule for right relationships with others, the means for detecting religious frauds, how to build for a secure future. The crowds were “astounded at His way of teaching; for He was teaching them as a person having authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matt 7:28-29).
May
4
True Religion
Filed Under News And Society | Leave a Comment
Glen Copple
Religion is defined by the dictionary as a system of belief. It is usually used in regards to believing in God or some Supreme Being or beings that are ascribed worth (worship) in hopes of gaining some favor. More relevant to Jews and Christians, religion is a reference to what we believe about God and our relationship with Him. In Christianity alone, there are over 200 recognized denominations, each with their own version of what is right or wrong in their beliefs. Sadly, like the Jews, we often spend more time fighting over who is right and who is wrong when we should be engaging the world about the salvation that is available to all denominations through Jesus Christ and fighting Satan and the sin that hinders our relationship with God.
In Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-39, Jesus is still in the middle of the last week before He is to be crucified for our sins. The Pharisees tried to trap Him with a question and were exposed as hypocrites. Now the Sadducees (They are “sad U see” because they don’t believe in life after death) take a try at trying to make Jesus look foolish. During this election year, they remind me of some politicians. They are full of misconceptions in their religious beliefs. Let’s see how Jesus straightens them out and consider what it means to us.
Misconceptions Abound – Matthew 22:23-28; Mark 12:18-23; Luke 20:27-33 The Pharisees failed, but the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; decide to make an attempt to trap Jesus with one of their favorite arguments. They challenge Jesus with a point of the Jewish Law about marriage. If a man dies with no children, his wife is to marry his brother and bear children for him through the brother. In their example, the man’s brothers also die without producing children for him. The Sadducees take this to an extreme in a futile effort to try to prove that there is no resurrection. They ask Jesus about who the woman will be married to in eternity since she was married to all seven in this life.
Even in Christianity, we have over 200 denominations, each trying to explain some doctrine or practice from Scripture that they have chosen to emphasize at the expense of other Scriptures and often times judging anyone who does not agree or conform to their beliefs. Way too often, preachers spend more time condemning another denomination’s beliefs than they do trying to fight the devil and evangelize the lost.
God is the Authority – Matthew 22:29; Mark 12:24; Luke 20:34 The Sadducees cite Moses, who got his Law from God. In like manner, Jesus cites God as the ultimate authority in this matter. Jesus takes the initiative to tell the Sadducees that they are in error on their beliefs about the resurrection. He will follow His statement with evidence from a source that they recognize to prove that they need to change their thinking.
There are times when we need to address what other Christians believe and work for clarification and maturity in our faith. We don’t want to engage in putting them down, but in examining the Scriptures together in a spirit and effort to find the truth of the Gospel. We should seek an attitude of mutual openness in case our beliefs are incorrect, go to the Scripture with them and try to build harmony on what the Bible teaches so we can live together in harmony instead of fighting with one another. Remember that our focus is to reach the lost for Christ, not spend time fighting among each other over things that do not matter in eternity.
Life After This Life – Matthew 22:30-31; Mark 12:25-26; Luke 20:35-37 Jesus is not shy in talking about and believing in the Resurrection. He first informs the Sadducees that marriage is for this life. There is no marriage in eternity. Therefore, their argument is based on false information. He also cites passages from the Old Testament that the Sadducees know and will believe as proof to them that there is a resurrection and it is much different than the limitations that restrain us on this earth.
Most denominational doctrines result from taking one or two issues and building an entire belief system around them. We all want to please God and do what is right before Him. In so doing, we sometimes get focused on one or two teachings of Scripture at the disregard or outright exclusion of other Scriptures in the Bible. That doesn’t mean that we are wrong, but often, a particular issue will cloud our understanding of the actual teaching of the rest of Scripture. If we use this to divide us, then we cause problems. Our enemy is sin and Satan, not other believers. Instead, we should seek to understand and accept one another and fight the devil instead of each other.
God Lives Forever – Matthew 22:32-33; Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38-39 Finally, Jesus concludes this verbal interchange pointing out that God is eternal. God talks about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as if they are still living. That is testimony to His power and to the fact that there is a resurrection for us to look forward to.
If God is the Supreme Being who created us, then it is no problem for Him to live forever and grant eternal life to those who will follow His commandments. Our hope is that our eternal state will be far beyond what this world can offer. Our joy is in knowing that we are forgiven because we have accepted Jesus Christ as God’s Son and our Lord and Savior. If God lives forever and we are His children by adoption through Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins, then it is no problem for us to live forever with them in eternity. God bless you and have a great week!
Religion is defined by the dictionary as a system of belief. It is usually used in regards to believing in God or some Supreme Being or beings that are ascribed worth (worship) in hopes of gaining some favor. More relevant to Jews and Christians, religion is a reference to what we believe about God and our relationship with Him. In Christianity alone, there are over 200 recognized denominations, each with their own version of what is right or wrong in their beliefs. Sadly, like the Jews, we often spend more time fighting over who is right and who is wrong when we should be engaging the world about the salvation that is available to all denominations through Jesus Christ and fighting Satan and the sin that hinders our relationship with God.
In Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-39, Jesus is still in the middle of the last week before He is to be crucified for our sins. The Pharisees tried to trap Him with a question and were exposed as hypocrites. Now the Sadducees (They are “sad U see” because they don’t believe in life after death) take a try at trying to make Jesus look foolish. During this election year, they remind me of some politicians. They are full of misconceptions in their religious beliefs. Let’s see how Jesus straightens them out and consider what it means to us.
Misconceptions Abound – Matthew 22:23-28; Mark 12:18-23; Luke 20:27-33 The Pharisees failed, but the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; decide to make an attempt to trap Jesus with one of their favorite arguments. They challenge Jesus with a point of the Jewish Law about marriage. If a man dies with no children, his wife is to marry his brother and bear children for him through the brother. In their example, the man’s brothers also die without producing children for him. The Sadducees take this to an extreme in a futile effort to try to prove that there is no resurrection. They ask Jesus about who the woman will be married to in eternity since she was married to all seven in this life.
Even in Christianity, we have over 200 denominations, each trying to explain some doctrine or practice from Scripture that they have chosen to emphasize at the expense of other Scriptures and often times judging anyone who does not agree or conform to their beliefs. Way too often, preachers spend more time condemning another denomination’s beliefs than they do trying to fight the devil and evangelize the lost.
God is the Authority – Matthew 22:29; Mark 12:24; Luke 20:34 The Sadducees cite Moses, who got his Law from God. In like manner, Jesus cites God as the ultimate authority in this matter. Jesus takes the initiative to tell the Sadducees that they are in error on their beliefs about the resurrection. He will follow His statement with evidence from a source that they recognize to prove that they need to change their thinking.
There are times when we need to address what other Christians believe and work for clarification and maturity in our faith. We don’t want to engage in putting them down, but in examining the Scriptures together in a spirit and effort to find the truth of the Gospel. We should seek an attitude of mutual openness in case our beliefs are incorrect, go to the Scripture with them and try to build harmony on what the Bible teaches so we can live together in harmony instead of fighting with one another. Remember that our focus is to reach the lost for Christ, not spend time fighting among each other over things that do not matter in eternity.
Life After This Life – Matthew 22:30-31; Mark 12:25-26; Luke 20:35-37 Jesus is not shy in talking about and believing in the Resurrection. He first informs the Sadducees that marriage is for this life. There is no marriage in eternity. Therefore, their argument is based on false information. He also cites passages from the Old Testament that the Sadducees know and will believe as proof to them that there is a resurrection and it is much different than the limitations that restrain us on this earth.
Most denominational doctrines result from taking one or two issues and building an entire belief system around them. We all want to please God and do what is right before Him. In so doing, we sometimes get focused on one or two teachings of Scripture at the disregard or outright exclusion of other Scriptures in the Bible. That doesn’t mean that we are wrong, but often, a particular issue will cloud our understanding of the actual teaching of the rest of Scripture. If we use this to divide us, then we cause problems. Our enemy is sin and Satan, not other believers. Instead, we should seek to understand and accept one another and fight the devil instead of each other.
God Lives Forever – Matthew 22:32-33; Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38-39 Finally, Jesus concludes this verbal interchange pointing out that God is eternal. God talks about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as if they are still living. That is testimony to His power and to the fact that there is a resurrection for us to look forward to.
If God is the Supreme Being who created us, then it is no problem for Him to live forever and grant eternal life to those who will follow His commandments. Our hope is that our eternal state will be far beyond what this world can offer. Our joy is in knowing that we are forgiven because we have accepted Jesus Christ as God’s Son and our Lord and Savior. If God lives forever and we are His children by adoption through Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins, then it is no problem for us to live forever with them in eternity. God bless you and have a great week!
May
4
The Virgin Birth of Jesus – Did it Really Happen?
Filed Under Jesus – Did It Really Happen? | Leave a Comment
Rob VandeWeghe
In two of the four New Testament gospels we read that Jesus is born of a virgin (Mary) who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Matthew does not give us many details how this happened and just mentions the basic facts: “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18).
In Luke’s gospel many more details about the background of Mary, her encounter with an angel and her relationship with Joseph are revealed. Luke explicitly mentions that Mary was a virgin (Luke 1:34: “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”), that she was engaged to be married (Luke 1:27: “a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.”) and that the child was not conceived by a man but by God through the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35: “The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”).
That Jesus was to be born from a virgin through the Holy Spirit is with our 20/20 perfect hindsight completely understandable and considered a great miracle. Jesus can only be (the Son of) God if He was not just human. By having a divine Father and a human mother we can intuitively understand that He is both God and man at the same time.
And we now know that through the virgin birth the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” was to the letter fulfilled. Not only because Mary was His virgin mother. Jesus’ divinity also explains the name “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.” Since Jesus is God, that part of Isaiah’s prophecy was literally fulfilled.
But how do we know that the virgin birth account was not just added to the gospels to embellish Jesus’ birth as fulfilled prophecy and a supernatural event? It is obviously not possible for us 2000 years after this event to study any medical or other scientific evidence to support this claim. However through logical analysis combined with our knowledge of life and the culture of those days the case for the virgin birth seems surprisingly strong.
Have you ever wondered why the miracle of the virgin birth of Jesus only received limited attention in the New Testament? Yes, both Matthew and Luke briefly mention it at the beginning of their gospels, but it is not brought up again by them or any of the other New Testament books as an evidence for the Divinity of Jesus anywhere. Actually the Bible is remarkably quiet about this. Why was this great and important miracle not mentioned again and again?
For us to understand this, we need to go back to the culture at the time of Jesus. In those days a girl’s greatest asset was considered to be her sexual purity. Only a young woman who retained her virginity could expect to secure a good man for a husband. Mothers kept their daughters out of the public eye as much as possible to not expose them to temptation. A pregnant unmarried woman was considered a grave insult to the honor of her family. As still seen today in many Arab countries (whose citizens still live under the Islamic laws and culture as it was in the ancient Middle East) such pregnancies would often lead to honor killings. The father and/or her brothers, lamenting her inability to marry, could kill her to avoid the disgrace.
Against this background Jesus’ virgin birth was not heralded as a miracle. Especially for Matthew, writing about Jesus’ birth must have presented a real dilemma. As a devout Jew, Matthew’s decision to record that Joseph, representing the royal bloodline of Jesus, was not Jesus’ natural father, could open up a potential flood of compromising criticisms that Jesus was born out of wedlock. This account in Matthew’s gospel shows his unconditional commitment to writing the truth without altering any of it.
Therefore the most logical conclusion is that the mere mentioning of the conception and birth of Jesus from a young woman who was not married and still a virgin IS the compelling evidence that it really happened. If the gospels were not factual, mere legends and embellished stories, the account of the virgin birth would not have been included.
In two of the four New Testament gospels we read that Jesus is born of a virgin (Mary) who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Matthew does not give us many details how this happened and just mentions the basic facts: “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18).
In Luke’s gospel many more details about the background of Mary, her encounter with an angel and her relationship with Joseph are revealed. Luke explicitly mentions that Mary was a virgin (Luke 1:34: “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”), that she was engaged to be married (Luke 1:27: “a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.”) and that the child was not conceived by a man but by God through the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35: “The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”).
That Jesus was to be born from a virgin through the Holy Spirit is with our 20/20 perfect hindsight completely understandable and considered a great miracle. Jesus can only be (the Son of) God if He was not just human. By having a divine Father and a human mother we can intuitively understand that He is both God and man at the same time.
And we now know that through the virgin birth the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” was to the letter fulfilled. Not only because Mary was His virgin mother. Jesus’ divinity also explains the name “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.” Since Jesus is God, that part of Isaiah’s prophecy was literally fulfilled.
But how do we know that the virgin birth account was not just added to the gospels to embellish Jesus’ birth as fulfilled prophecy and a supernatural event? It is obviously not possible for us 2000 years after this event to study any medical or other scientific evidence to support this claim. However through logical analysis combined with our knowledge of life and the culture of those days the case for the virgin birth seems surprisingly strong.
Have you ever wondered why the miracle of the virgin birth of Jesus only received limited attention in the New Testament? Yes, both Matthew and Luke briefly mention it at the beginning of their gospels, but it is not brought up again by them or any of the other New Testament books as an evidence for the Divinity of Jesus anywhere. Actually the Bible is remarkably quiet about this. Why was this great and important miracle not mentioned again and again?
For us to understand this, we need to go back to the culture at the time of Jesus. In those days a girl’s greatest asset was considered to be her sexual purity. Only a young woman who retained her virginity could expect to secure a good man for a husband. Mothers kept their daughters out of the public eye as much as possible to not expose them to temptation. A pregnant unmarried woman was considered a grave insult to the honor of her family. As still seen today in many Arab countries (whose citizens still live under the Islamic laws and culture as it was in the ancient Middle East) such pregnancies would often lead to honor killings. The father and/or her brothers, lamenting her inability to marry, could kill her to avoid the disgrace.
Against this background Jesus’ virgin birth was not heralded as a miracle. Especially for Matthew, writing about Jesus’ birth must have presented a real dilemma. As a devout Jew, Matthew’s decision to record that Joseph, representing the royal bloodline of Jesus, was not Jesus’ natural father, could open up a potential flood of compromising criticisms that Jesus was born out of wedlock. This account in Matthew’s gospel shows his unconditional commitment to writing the truth without altering any of it.
Therefore the most logical conclusion is that the mere mentioning of the conception and birth of Jesus from a young woman who was not married and still a virgin IS the compelling evidence that it really happened. If the gospels were not factual, mere legends and embellished stories, the account of the virgin birth would not have been included.
May
4
Preaching Jesus Means Preaching Baptism
Filed Under Whatever Happened To The Church Christ Built? | Leave a Comment
Denny Smith
“And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:35-36 NAS)
This is the account of Philip and his encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch. It shows that when Jesus is preached baptism is preached as a part of preaching Jesus to an alien sinner. When the preaching is received (Acts 2:41) or believed (Acts 8:12) it results in people being baptized. The case of the Ethiopian eunuch was no exception.
Why would the eunuch request baptism if he had not been taught it by Philip? Furthermore, why would he request it unless he felt some urgency about it, unless he felt there was a need?
Philip taught the eunuch baptism because as Peter said on the Day of Pentecost baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) without which one cannot be saved.
When Philip preached in the city of Samaria the Bible says he preached “the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12 NAS) with the result being that men and women “were being baptized.” Here in Acts 8:35-36 he has an audience of only one man and in a different location but we still see him preaching with the same result – baptism. This time it is just said that “he preached Jesus to him.”
In the book of Acts up to this chapter we have had two Holy Spirit inspired men preaching – first Peter and now Philip. In each case baptism was a part of what was preached. They preached it because the Holy Spirit by which they spoke required it. Either that or they just got up and said whatever they wanted. Which do you believe?
“And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:35-36 NAS)
This is the account of Philip and his encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch. It shows that when Jesus is preached baptism is preached as a part of preaching Jesus to an alien sinner. When the preaching is received (Acts 2:41) or believed (Acts 8:12) it results in people being baptized. The case of the Ethiopian eunuch was no exception.
Why would the eunuch request baptism if he had not been taught it by Philip? Furthermore, why would he request it unless he felt some urgency about it, unless he felt there was a need?
Philip taught the eunuch baptism because as Peter said on the Day of Pentecost baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) without which one cannot be saved.
When Philip preached in the city of Samaria the Bible says he preached “the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12 NAS) with the result being that men and women “were being baptized.” Here in Acts 8:35-36 he has an audience of only one man and in a different location but we still see him preaching with the same result – baptism. This time it is just said that “he preached Jesus to him.”
In the book of Acts up to this chapter we have had two Holy Spirit inspired men preaching – first Peter and now Philip. In each case baptism was a part of what was preached. They preached it because the Holy Spirit by which they spoke required it. Either that or they just got up and said whatever they wanted. Which do you believe?
May
4
The Quintessence of Religion
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Anand Krishna
Atmano Mokshartham Jagat-Hitaya cha. Those in Bali who are still committed to the spiritual values and cultural heritage of their ancestors consider this the quintessence of their belief. Iti Dharma: this is righteousness; this is religion.
But what does the maxim mean?
Literally, it means “For one’s own liberation and for the welfare of the world.”
Unfortunately, in the popular Indonesian translation, this meaning is completely lost. “Bahagia lahir batin, dan kesempurnaan abadi,” or “physical/emotional happiness, and eternal perfection” – as the phrase is translated – misses the very spirit of this maxim popularized by Swami Vivekananda about 100 years ago.
“For one’s own liberation and for the welfare of the world” – the maxim calls for personal, individual moksha, or liberation, before the welfare of the world. Let us remember this: moksha first, and everything else comes next.
Moksha, here, does not pertain to a state after death, as commonly believed, but to a state here and now. It is total freedom in this very life, which explains the placement of moksha before the welfare of the world. This maxim is very life-friendly, and very practical too.
We must also bear in mind that moksha is not the same as “salvation” from the religious point of view. For salvation may require a saviour and a complete “salvage program,” including but not limited to an institution to endorse the programme. Moksha does not depend on a person or an institution to liberate. It relies on its own virtue. Moksha implies total freedom, freedom from all kinds of dependencies.
Moksha is freedom from the vagaries of mind, turbulence of emotions and, above all, freedom from fear. It is freedom from self-imposed limitation upon the soul, as also freedom from delusion, and ignorance.
An ignorant person cannot think of his own welfare – how can he then think of the welfare of the world? So we must first free ourselves from our ignorance. Let us not think of others. Let us first think of ourselves. No mater how selfish this may sound to many of us, conditioned with certain dogmas and doctrines, this is the only sensible course of action.
Can I help a drowning person, if I do not know how to swim? Can I help you if I am handicapped and in need of help myself? Can I donate a single cent if I do not have any money?
Your “self” comes first; your health comes first; your welfare, and your security, comes first. This is practical religion. For it is only when you are healthy, well and secure that you can possibly share health, wellbeing and security with others. Be joyful first, for it is only then that you can share your joy with others.
Moksha demands truthfulness and honesty in their stark nakedness. Moksha is freedom from hypocrisy. It is facing the facts of life, no matter how hard. It is staring at the reality of life, no matter how bitter. Moksha is the way of the warriors. A coward cannot walk this way.
Once liberated in your soul, you are ready to think about the welfare of the world. Not before that. Alas, nowadays even the welfare of the world is institutionalized. And people who are still enslaved by their mind, fears, obsessions and outdated, irrelevant social customs and traditions head the institutions.
Pseudo-leaders run our villages, towns, cities and states. They are slaves in the garb of leaders. Weakened by their hunger for power and authority, their soul is not free. Yet they get elected. Why? This is because, we, the people who elect them, are equally weak and not free.
It’s time for reflection now. Before venturing upon jagat hita – the welfare of the world – let us strive to attain moksha first – total freedom. Let us liberate ourselves from the ******* of mind and emotions. Let us free ourselves from the shackles of irrelevant, age-old traditions and social customs. Let us be reborn anew.
Then the next step is to realise the following four Ss. The first is Sensitivity. Are we sensitive enough to the suffering of others? We have to be very honest about this. Is my sensitivity towards them, the others, in the same measure as my sensitivity towards those who are near and dear to me?
If I put my family affairs above the affairs of my village, my town, my city or my state – then I am not ready to head any of them. Similarly, if I am overtly concerned about my state and my nation, then I am not in the position to do anything good for the world. Forget the welfare of the world.
Why do we spend so much time and money, and waste so much energy, discussing climate change, global warming and other issues? The answer is that we have not positioned ourselves as world citizens. Not yet. We are still thinking of our short-term monetary gains and losses, forgetting the fact that our state, our nation and we have no existence outside this world. What kind of economy is this? And what kind of sensibility? A bunch of insensible economists are involved in discussions on the environment. They are the very same economists who have failed us time and again with their wrong predictions, forecasts, and speculations. God save us!
The second S stands for Sincerity. Are we sincere about our concerns? Are we really thinking about the welfare of the world? Most of our so-called social activists would not move an inch if not funded by agencies inside and outside the country. For them, activism is a profession. What can we expect from them?
Sincerity implies working without any selfish motive. Selfishness is shunned once we attain moksha, or total freedom. It is only the free that can work selflessly. It is only the free that can serve without any selfish reason. Slaves work for their living. They cannot possibly serve. Service is a virtue of free men and free women.
The third S is Solution. We can be very sensitive, and very sincere about our concerns, but do we have solutions? Where are we different from those who are currently running the affairs of the world?
Lastly, the fourth S is for Skill. We must be skilful enough to translate our solutions into an applicable plan of action. If we are not, then we must first develop such skills.
These four Ss are four pillars upon which we can build our personal integrity. Next, we capitalize on such integrity to work selflessly for the welfare of the world.
What an ideal! What a definition of religion!
Shame on us, if we use “Atmano Mokshartham Jagat-Hitaya cha” as a slogan only. And shame on us if we misinterpret the slogan to suit our convenience.
We have forgotten the true goal of religion. Our children are taught the wrong meaning of the slogan right from their primary education. It is no surprise, therefore, if we find so many ills in our society.
We have to transform our society; mere reformations here and there are not sufficient. There is a lot of work to be done. Sleep no more; slumber not – night is past. It is time to wake up. “Utishtthita Jagrita Prapya-Varan Nibodhayata” – Arise, Awake, Stop not, till the Goal is Reached!
Atmano Mokshartham Jagat-Hitaya cha. Those in Bali who are still committed to the spiritual values and cultural heritage of their ancestors consider this the quintessence of their belief. Iti Dharma: this is righteousness; this is religion.
But what does the maxim mean?
Literally, it means “For one’s own liberation and for the welfare of the world.”
Unfortunately, in the popular Indonesian translation, this meaning is completely lost. “Bahagia lahir batin, dan kesempurnaan abadi,” or “physical/emotional happiness, and eternal perfection” – as the phrase is translated – misses the very spirit of this maxim popularized by Swami Vivekananda about 100 years ago.
“For one’s own liberation and for the welfare of the world” – the maxim calls for personal, individual moksha, or liberation, before the welfare of the world. Let us remember this: moksha first, and everything else comes next.
Moksha, here, does not pertain to a state after death, as commonly believed, but to a state here and now. It is total freedom in this very life, which explains the placement of moksha before the welfare of the world. This maxim is very life-friendly, and very practical too.
We must also bear in mind that moksha is not the same as “salvation” from the religious point of view. For salvation may require a saviour and a complete “salvage program,” including but not limited to an institution to endorse the programme. Moksha does not depend on a person or an institution to liberate. It relies on its own virtue. Moksha implies total freedom, freedom from all kinds of dependencies.
Moksha is freedom from the vagaries of mind, turbulence of emotions and, above all, freedom from fear. It is freedom from self-imposed limitation upon the soul, as also freedom from delusion, and ignorance.
An ignorant person cannot think of his own welfare – how can he then think of the welfare of the world? So we must first free ourselves from our ignorance. Let us not think of others. Let us first think of ourselves. No mater how selfish this may sound to many of us, conditioned with certain dogmas and doctrines, this is the only sensible course of action.
Can I help a drowning person, if I do not know how to swim? Can I help you if I am handicapped and in need of help myself? Can I donate a single cent if I do not have any money?
Your “self” comes first; your health comes first; your welfare, and your security, comes first. This is practical religion. For it is only when you are healthy, well and secure that you can possibly share health, wellbeing and security with others. Be joyful first, for it is only then that you can share your joy with others.
Moksha demands truthfulness and honesty in their stark nakedness. Moksha is freedom from hypocrisy. It is facing the facts of life, no matter how hard. It is staring at the reality of life, no matter how bitter. Moksha is the way of the warriors. A coward cannot walk this way.
Once liberated in your soul, you are ready to think about the welfare of the world. Not before that. Alas, nowadays even the welfare of the world is institutionalized. And people who are still enslaved by their mind, fears, obsessions and outdated, irrelevant social customs and traditions head the institutions.
Pseudo-leaders run our villages, towns, cities and states. They are slaves in the garb of leaders. Weakened by their hunger for power and authority, their soul is not free. Yet they get elected. Why? This is because, we, the people who elect them, are equally weak and not free.
It’s time for reflection now. Before venturing upon jagat hita – the welfare of the world – let us strive to attain moksha first – total freedom. Let us liberate ourselves from the ******* of mind and emotions. Let us free ourselves from the shackles of irrelevant, age-old traditions and social customs. Let us be reborn anew.
Then the next step is to realise the following four Ss. The first is Sensitivity. Are we sensitive enough to the suffering of others? We have to be very honest about this. Is my sensitivity towards them, the others, in the same measure as my sensitivity towards those who are near and dear to me?
If I put my family affairs above the affairs of my village, my town, my city or my state – then I am not ready to head any of them. Similarly, if I am overtly concerned about my state and my nation, then I am not in the position to do anything good for the world. Forget the welfare of the world.
Why do we spend so much time and money, and waste so much energy, discussing climate change, global warming and other issues? The answer is that we have not positioned ourselves as world citizens. Not yet. We are still thinking of our short-term monetary gains and losses, forgetting the fact that our state, our nation and we have no existence outside this world. What kind of economy is this? And what kind of sensibility? A bunch of insensible economists are involved in discussions on the environment. They are the very same economists who have failed us time and again with their wrong predictions, forecasts, and speculations. God save us!
The second S stands for Sincerity. Are we sincere about our concerns? Are we really thinking about the welfare of the world? Most of our so-called social activists would not move an inch if not funded by agencies inside and outside the country. For them, activism is a profession. What can we expect from them?
Sincerity implies working without any selfish motive. Selfishness is shunned once we attain moksha, or total freedom. It is only the free that can work selflessly. It is only the free that can serve without any selfish reason. Slaves work for their living. They cannot possibly serve. Service is a virtue of free men and free women.
The third S is Solution. We can be very sensitive, and very sincere about our concerns, but do we have solutions? Where are we different from those who are currently running the affairs of the world?
Lastly, the fourth S is for Skill. We must be skilful enough to translate our solutions into an applicable plan of action. If we are not, then we must first develop such skills.
These four Ss are four pillars upon which we can build our personal integrity. Next, we capitalize on such integrity to work selflessly for the welfare of the world.
What an ideal! What a definition of religion!
Shame on us, if we use “Atmano Mokshartham Jagat-Hitaya cha” as a slogan only. And shame on us if we misinterpret the slogan to suit our convenience.
We have forgotten the true goal of religion. Our children are taught the wrong meaning of the slogan right from their primary education. It is no surprise, therefore, if we find so many ills in our society.
We have to transform our society; mere reformations here and there are not sufficient. There is a lot of work to be done. Sleep no more; slumber not – night is past. It is time to wake up. “Utishtthita Jagrita Prapya-Varan Nibodhayata” – Arise, Awake, Stop not, till the Goal is Reached!