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Tag: Matthew

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…

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
March 26, 2024
King for a Common Era Holy Week – 1
KING jesus! KING jesus! KING jesus!

A.D. 30
an account of a single fictional witness

Palm Sunday
HOSANNA! King Jesus! Thank God for our conquering KING!

YESTERDAY was some day with a festive parade into town by our savior king.

WE took branches from palm trees and covered the road as our KING ascended into town on his regal ride. Then WE joined the multitudes who went before

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

and those who followed cried out, saying:

“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

WOW, the stories we’ve heard about this powerful KING who IS ONE of US riding into town!

jesus entering Zion just like KING DAVID a THOUSAND YEARS AGO — just like we sing of days long past —

The LORD Is on My Side

Psalm 118
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1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.	
1הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

Let Israel now say, 
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron now say, “His mercy endures forever.”	
Let those who fear the LORD now say, 
“His mercy endures forever.”
--	
I called on the LORD in distress.. 
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6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
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Oh those Romans, how WE hate their rule over US. 

And Herod? What an impotent king collecting favors and taxes for a foreign Governor Pilate.
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10 All nations surrounded me, But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

They surrounded me, Yes, they surrounded me; But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the LORD helped me.

21 I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation.

from the Lord’s teaching later in the week:

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’ ?

Gospel of Matthew 21:42 NKJV

The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.
Psalm 118:22 אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה׃

ὡσαννά
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HOSANNA! save now, I pray
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Will this KING jesus now conquer our captors? 

Will he bring to US riches like KING Solomon?
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24 This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
Psalm 118:26 NKJV

Gospel of Matthew 21:

10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

So the multitudes said,

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

Now what?
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And concluding yesterday's account of a single fictional witness, we look forward to MONDAY of Holy Week (as we have long designated this festival)..
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I wonder what our conquering KING will do today?

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?

To be continued.. God-willing…

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
March 25, 2024
Letters from Proselytes of Galatia to Paul
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Premise: The Apostle Paul likely received one or several letters to which the Apostle responds with Epistles to several churches and certain important persons.
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Who wrote to the Apostle Paul?

Think about this —

Paul and other Apostles come into your town or city, proclaim some Good News, build a church of Christ followers, establish some local leaders. AND then after some time these missionaries leave to go somewhere else into all the world.

ACTS of the Apostles details some of these encounters which occur after numerous encouraging visits of various apostles sent out to them.

Apostles Sent to the Gentiles with a Letter of the Council

Many apostles and letters communicate Good News of one faith in Christ for all the world.

Although we have no preserved documentation of any messages or letters delivered to the Apostle from the Gentiles, I suspect that Paul perceives a crisis of faith in the churches of Galatia — a crisis conveyed to him by faithful disciples of the risen Christ and perhaps even believers considering IF they should abandon The Way of the Lord for a more prevalent cultural Judaism.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The Apostles, including the Twelve and Paul, James and other church leaders communicate in person and by messenger by the Spirit who has sent them out into each mission.

Who are the Galatians?

In Paul’s day, the word Galatia had two distinct meanings. In a strict ethnic sense, Galatia was the region of central Asia Minor (modern Turkiye) .. a Celtic people who had migrated to that region from Gaul (modern France) .. (in) 25 B.C. when Galatia became a Roman province, incorporating some regions not inhabited by ethnic Galatians (e.g., parts of Lycaonia, Phrygia, and Pisidia). In a political sense, Galatia came to describe the entire Roman province, not merely the region inhabited by the ethnic Galatians.

Paul founded churches in the southern Galatian cities of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (Acts 13:14–14:23).
Commentary of John MacArthur – BlueLetterBible.org
You will recognize these Galatian cities from Paul's early missions into all the world.
WHY did Paul write to the Galatians?

Regardless of who founded any of the Galatian cities in the A.D. first century Roman Empire, every town had an ethnic challenge common to all churches established by the apostles in every Roman province.

Proselytes – Judaizers fleeing Persecution for the Cross of Christ

The covenantal culture of the Jews opposed the pagan practices of peoples of other cultures. SO the Jews insisted on certain traditional identifications of Jewish men such as circumcision.
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Who are these proselytes?
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Even as Paul, Barnabas, Silas and other apostles had encountered opposition from Jews seeking their own disciples, so had the Lord Jesus.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
Gospel of Matthew 23: 15 LSB
The Lord Jesus Christ describes the culture of Judaizers rejecting their own Messiah

An Apostolic Urgency to Write to the Galatians

PAUL must urgently address the concerns of those men in Galatia struggling in the faith

AND like all Christians, pursued by the Jews.

TWO QUESTIONS HERE:
- WHO represents the earthly authority of GOD?
- IF it is CHRIST, what is PAUL’s authority over the JEW and non-Jew?
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Later, I will get to a Twenty-first century C.E. challenge
of this AUTHORITY in Christ which has now challenged the Church for some 500 years.
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How will the Apostle answer?

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
Galatians 5:1 KJV

Galatians 1 – Paul’s Authority
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The Apostle begins his Epistle to the Galatians by firmly establishing his authority and leadership of the churches.
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Paul, an apostle—not sent from men
- nor through man,
- but through Jesus Christ
- and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—
- and all the brothers who are with me,
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Pretty convincing.

Paul opens fire against familiar enemies of Christ (Judaizers).
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6 I marvel that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel, which is really not another, only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
- Paul clearly states that the Galatians must choose:
  - – between him as a representative of God the Father and Christ Jesus OR
  - – teachers of a false and distorted gospel
    
    (which is not good news but a Jewish tradition chained to the Law and regulations of the flesh).
Paul defends not only his credentials and calling by Christ, but once more presents his case of Christ’s freedom to these gentile believers caught between the Gospel and the yoke of the Judaizers.

2:17 But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be!

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.
Galatians 2:21 LSB
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PAUL goes straight to the QUESTION of deceitful men claiming a GOSPEL other than Christ crucified and risen -- Judaizers seeking to lure these Galatian Christ-followers back to a Law of social Judaism. 
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3 O foolish Galatians, who bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?

THEN the Apostle clearly asks these men of the church a key QUESTION of their calling.

2 This is the only thing I want to learn from you:

Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law,

or by hearing with faith?

“The righteous shall live by faith.”

What does Paul seek to prove here refuting Judaizers requiring circumcision of gentile proselytes?

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying,

“All the nations will be blessed in you.”
Galatians 3:8 LSB

The Apostle QUOTES Hebrew SCRIPTURE from BEFORE the LAW.

From Genesis 22:

22:18 וְהִתְבָּרֲכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקֹלִי׃
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 “By Myself I have sworn, declares Yahweh, because you have done this thing and have not spared your son, your only one, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.

“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have listened to My voice.”
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LATER comes THE LAW of Moses by which the Christ was crucified on a Cross as a redemptive Sacrifice for our sins. (It was NOT ONLY for the Jews, but for ALL the seed of Abraham — every sinner.

The Apostle makes further legal arguments and adds an allegory comparing:
- Ishmael & Isaac
- flesh & promise
- Hagar & Sarah,
- Jerusalem and Mount Sanai and slavery,
- Moses & Christ
- the Jerusalem above and freedom. (Study its juxtaposition if you like.)
The Apostle’s closing argument
1. 5:4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are being justified by law; you have fallen from grace!
2. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are eagerly waiting for the hope of righteousness.
3. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
Faith Reformed in Fact

Jewish faith — to Christian faith — to Scriptural faith informed in the Good News of the Word of God…

Who has believed our message?

The Galatians and every other culture encountered by the Apostles —

~ ano Domini 49 – 50

~ A.D. 49 Paul has just written to the Galatians out of the Apostle’s concern for their failing faith being replaced by a false gospel.
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NEXT: Paul will also write to the THESSALONIANS out of his same love for the children of Christ Jesus the Apostles have led so far.
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WHERE could other gospels lead these Christian flocks of the Empires?

A fall of Rome, a division with an Orthodox New Rome (Constantinople) and Western father of Bishops and Princes competing for pawns of populace.

New temples built as CATHEDRALS for poor pilgrims to look up to God and well-mannered robed men who could actually READ the Holy Bible of God…

And then printing presses and challenges by Reformers pointing to Scripture in place of the yoke of Law and even Church law.

In my heart reigns this one article, faith in my dear Lord Christ, the beginning, middle and end of whatever spiritual and divine thoughts I may have, whether by day or by night.
From Luther’s Introduction, ano domini 1538

THEN what should happen in yet another 500 years once common men and women of the Common Era COULD (yet did not) actually READ the BIBLE?

a brief application …

My HOT reaction to a 1st. c. Hot Topic

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Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
January 26, 2024