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Tag: Isaiah

King for a Common Era Holy Week 2
KING jesus! KING jesus! KING jesus!

A.D. 30
Monday in Herod’s Temple

an account of a single fictional witness
SUNDAY had been a day with a festive parade into town by our savior KING.

HOSANNA! King Jesus! Thank God for our conquering KING!
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In case you missed my account from SUNDAY:
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King for a Common Era Holy Week – 1

WE joined the multitudes with palm branches and our coats spread on the ground before the KING’s colt upon which he rode triumphantly to the gate.

(I think two or three THOUSAND of US ready to breach the hopeless walls of our captive capital)

I wonder what our conquering KING will do today?
How WE hate the Roman rule over US. And Herod? Unlike the Great is an impotent king collecting favors and taxes for Pilate the Prefect.
WE can’t wait to get into the city with the early CROWDS.

Is this KING jesus like DAVID or SOLOMON?

Will he finally call on us to take up arms against our ROMAN rulers?

WILL his insurrection now unseat HEROD?

NOW I have to report that yesterday on MONDAY, this KING jesus did NOT do at all what WE had expected.

WE were all there.

(I arrived in the Temple courtyard early, before the Christ WE anticipated would once more return triumphantly as the day before.)

The crowds packing the TEMPLE and city today can hardly be numbered!

AND when Jesus arrived I could again hear a few men flattering him with the glory of a KING.

Gospel of Matthew 21:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
Hosanna in the highest!”
Gospel of Matthew 21:9b – New King James Version

10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying,

“Who is this?”
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HOSANNA! save now, I pray
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- Will this KING jesus now conquer our captors?
So the multitudes said,

“This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Gospel of Matthew 21:11 New King James Version

And now what?
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Continuing from yesterday's account of a fictional witness, we look to MONDAY of Holy Week (as we have long designated this festival)..
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Jesus Cleanses the Temple

Solomon’s Portico – crowded for the festival

Then Jesus went into the temple of God..

.. and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple,

.. and overturned the tables of the money changers

.. and the seats of those who sold doves.
Gospel of Matthew 21:12 New King James Version

for years Before Christ

Now I have to tell you, God’s Temple, with its several strict regulations of the Sanhedrin has always been a lucrative place for a Jew to do business.

The Pesach festival week this year had not seemed to be much different than any the last five decades since Herod the Great began construction of the still not-quite-finished Temple grounds for God’s ordinary people.

Trouble is that more and more Zealots have more openly attacked our occupiers’ Legions even though ROME has included Judea in its ‘peace‘ for a hundred years or so.

Every Jew coming to the festival knew all-to-well of their obligation to buy a kind of kosher indulgence.

This KING Jesus who called himself Son of Man (rather than son of David) would have none of it.

There were already dozens of these authorized vendors at work with hundreds of early bird customers like us.

When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”
Gospel of John 2:15-16 NKJV

Prophesy of Isaiah

As a good Jew I thought I knew these sayings this new Prophet Jesus quoted. One is about the gentiles — and believe me they were all there too.

Even them I will bring to My holy mountain,
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
Will be accepted on My altar;
For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Isaiah 56:7 NKJV

And He said to them, “It is written,

‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
Gospel of Matthew 21:13 NKJV

You know what else I remember from this Prophet from seven centuries ago concerning Israel’s leaders?

His watchmen are blind..

And they are shepherds
Who cannot understand;
They all look to their own way,
Every one for his own gain,
From his own territory.
Isaiah 56:11b NKJV

Isaiah calls them ‘greedy dogs’ who are never satisfied.

It seems fit that this Man would clear the Temple of these dogs indulging our Council of leaders comfortably walled-up away from God’s place of worship.

THIS JESUS even knew that our captive weeping Prophet had called it “a den of thieves!”

We tried to follow this KING

This Jesus had our attention. He was right in everything he said and did.

But because of the crowds WE could only get glances of this King as He moved about the Temple courts.

WE kept hearing stories though — confirmation of things Jesus did that no other man or prophet could do.

Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple,
and He healed them.
Gospel of Matthew 21:14 New King James Version – witness of Jesus in the Temple

ALL of Jerusalem was abuzz with this Jesus, who had ridden into our captive city like a KING!

AND also this Jesus from Nazareth also showed many SIGNS of power by His own hand.

To be continued.. God-willing…

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March 26, 2024
Apollos and Paul – Apostles crossing paths
Apollos arrives in Ephesus

Acts 18:

The Connection of Christ’s Missions

21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.

[No mention here of Silas, Luke or Timothy also part of this 2nd mission. Email me or comment if you know where these apostles of the church might be as Paul begins his 3rd missionary journey. – Roger@TalkofJesus.com ]
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Notice where Ephesus fits into our A.D. 51-52 timeline as the noted Jewish teacher Saul of Tarsus [Paul] departs and Apollos, another notable Jewish apostle to the gentiles begins working alongside disciples of The Way of the Messiah Jesus.

Priscilla and Aquila (also Jews) remain in Ephesus as Paul sails back to Jerusalem and Antioch, Syria [his home church].
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Paul’s Third Missionary Journey Begins

23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

As you can see on a map more familiar to Saul of Tarsus than 21st century christians who simply see modern Turkey, the Apostle Paul has once again set out to visit the churches of his Second Missionary Journey.

Ephesus is miles ahead where Paul will journey through the mountains to the Aegean coast where Apollos has already arrived and preached.
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Luke continues his detailed account of Acts of the Apostles by way of introduction to Apollos.
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Who is this Messianic Jew Apollos?

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.
- He was an eloquent man,
- competent in the Scriptures.
- 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord.
  - (Not by Paul, but by other disciples of the risen Christ.)
- And being fervent in spirit,
- he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus..
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We'll leave it there for the moment. 
Pretty good credentials for a new Preacher of Jesus to the Jews in Asia Minor (Ephesus).
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Apollos the Baptist

Now, perhaps, some controversy might arise from calling apollos a ‘Baptist.’ This is no mere division of denomination of an early church in Asia Minor. No, the Baptist moniker in the year of our Lord 52 would have referred to the preaching of John the Baptist.

MANY would have heard of the Baptist, perhaps even hearing him preach prior to Herod beheading him.
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A.D. 30 - Twenty some years earlier from Luke's Gospel (yet to be published ten years from now along with ACTS of the Apostles sometime between A.D. 60 and A.D. 62.)
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Gospel of Luke 9:

Verses 18-21 Legacy Standard Bible

And it happened that while He [JESUS] was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying,

“Who do the crowds say that I am?”

And they answered and said,

“John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again.” And He said to them,

“But who do you say that I am?”

And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

But He warned them and directed them not to tell this to anyone..
- AND suppose that Apollos and other disciples had heard The Baptist preach and yet as must have been the case for many never heard the Christ of God preach in Person?
- What might these disciples of JESUS recall some twenty years later?
Luke 3:

[John] .. came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;
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Now unlike most 21st century christians, these 1st century Jews knew their SCRIPTURE!
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as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
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“THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.

‘EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED,

AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW;

THE CROOKED WILL BE STRAIGHT,

AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH.
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AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.’”
Luke 3:6 LSB quoting: Isa 40:5; Isa 49:6; Isa 52:10

a response to Apollos OR The Baptist OR JESUS

“But indeed the ax is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what should we do?”
Luke 3:9-10 LSB

John answered, saying to them all,

“As for me, I baptize you with water, but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the strap of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

“His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn,

but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

So with many other exhortations he proclaimed the gospel to the people.

Gospel of Luke 3:18 LSB of the preaching of John the Baptist

Refining the Preaching of Apollos

Acts 18 continued in Ephesus

26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
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It is expected that mature believers must instruct new followers of JESUS Christ more accurately. 

Even as Aquilla must have given exhortation to Apollos, the Apostle Paul on the way to Ephesus is most like doing the same as he revisits the new churches of previous missionary journeys (some to whom the Apostles has already written an Epistle).
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27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him.

God-willing, ACTS of the apostles Paul, Apollos, Aquila and many others — To be continued

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September 1, 2023
Scandalous Faith – a Millstone around our neck
Lent 2023 AD +
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Original post date: 29 March, in the year of our Lord 2022
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Today’s topic is scandal!

ASH WEDNESDAY in the year of our Lord 2023, we begin with TODAY’S subject:

Christians in the shoes of Jonah
Lent 2023 AD +
Christians in the shoes of Jonah
Jesus Warns disciples
A last-days appeal to the Evangelical
Scandal – Do you recognize it in the warnings of Jesus?
Luke 17:
The Millstone
So what’s the scandal?
Repent, Jonah!

It’s raining and you are NOT Noah who will save only his own family from the flood.

The ground is shaking in the year of our Lord 2023 and you are NOT Abraham who will rescue only his family from the evil and the fate of Sodom or the judgment of Gomorrah.

This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says:
“I, myself, have risen against Babylon!
I will destroy its children and its children’s children,”
says the LORD.
Isaiah 14:16 NLT

Yet the Prophet Jonah REFUSED to preach to the few who could be saved from the wrath to come to the city of destruction.

Ashes of Ash Wednesday + a Preparation of Repentance

So YOU claim to be an evangelist of JESUS to the nations?

GO into all the world and preach Good News, the Gospel of forgiveness and eternal life for those who will REPENT of their sinful past and FOLLOW Jesus Christ as our Lord.

The Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection, however, becomes BAD NEWS to any who turn the other way – in the direction away from God’s grace.

Such bad news for evangelicals! christians who suddenly turn in the other direction + a direction of SELF and a gospel of what God has done for ME (and should do for you).
- Have you turned to a path AWAY from the word of God, even like Jonah?
- Won’t sailing away from the command of the Lord have dire consequence?
I WON’T PREACH THAT, Jonah responded by sailing away from the command of God.

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness
1st letter of Paul to the church at Corinth 1:23 KJV

Christians proclaim a scandalous faith. Our Cross worn as jewelry may well be a millstone worn around our neck.

Repent, Jonah! Lest Christ who hung on a Cross hang a millstone around your neck.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV

Jesus Warns disciples

As we have learned in ACTS of the Apostles, disciples are followers of Christ Jesus.

Evangelical christians who claim His Name but turn away from God’s command become obstacles to the Lord saving others from the cities of destruction.

At the moment Jonah turned away from Nineveh even this Prophet of God was not an obedient disciple ‘chosen‘ for eternal life.

A last-days appeal to the Evangelical

Evangelicals who claim other cause of the world above Christ cannot boast of the burden of the millstone placed around their necks.

And evangelicals who embrace condemned cultures of the cities of destruction without revealing the cost of the Cross may find the weight of the Cross around their neck weighing down their witness with veiled hope while singing of ME and JESUS.

Scandal – Do you recognize it in the warnings of Jesus?

Luke 17:

Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!

“It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Luke 17:2 NKJV

“Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

Luke 17:3

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry.

Jonah 4:1 NKJV

Then the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city.

– Jonah 4:4-5

The Millstone

“It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck..
- Does this punishment (even self-inflicted) remind you of Jonah?
And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.”
Jonah 1:12 NKJV

So what’s the scandal?

Returning to the Gospel of Luke (NASB20) and Jesus’ warning:

“It is inevitable that [temptations to sin] stumbling blocks come, but woe to one through whom they come!

σκάνδαλον – skandalon

the movable stick or trigger of a trap, a trap stick
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(And evangelicals with ears to hear, now hear this:)
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any person or thing by which one is (entrapped) drawn into error or sin

Scandal: fig. applied to Jesus Christ, whose person and career were so contrary to the expectations of the Jews concerning the Messiah, that they rejected him and by their obstinacy made shipwreck of their salvation

Is your faith scandalous because you dare Talk of JESUS?

‘But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling^G4625 block^G4625 before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 2:14 LSB
+ for one of the most influential churches of 1st c. AD Christianity at Ephesus

OR will your reluctance to share the Good News of Christ, including the cost of His CROSS, leave you in the same boat as Jonah?

‘Therefore repent. But if not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.

‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle John 2:16-17a LSB
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Your comment on this post and these Scriptures encourage the witness of this author. RH  (original post date 29 March in the year of our Lord, 2022)
Thanks.
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February 22, 2023