JESUS CHRIST 
IS THE SAME 
YESTERDAY 
AND TODAY 
AND FOR EVER

This is eternal life:  
that they may know you, the only true God, 
and Jesus Christ, 
whom you have sent.

How do we know him?

The purpose of this booklet is 
to show how the four Gospels present Jesus 
with their different emphases and interpretations 
and, secondly, to put Jesus within the context 
of his own contemporary world, 
with its challenges and responses; 
in all, to attempt to acquire a truly realistic picture of 
the Lord whom we are asked to know, to love and to follow.

Sheila Harris
March 2005
THE FOUR FACES OF JESUS

Irenaeus, the Bishop of Lyons, at the end of the second century AD, in endorsing the unique authority of our Four Gospels, wrote that ‘God has given us the Gospel under four forms but bound together by one spirit’ and that these are represented by the four faces of the cherubim – a lion, a man, an ox and an eagle.  Our study of the structure, contents and purpose of these books will enable us to assess the attributions which have been variously assigned.

1. THE TIME IS FULFILLED, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR.

Atmosphere 
The Gospel of Mark leads us straight into the action – ‘the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God’.  The announcement by John, the baptism and the proclamation by God are followed immediately by the call of the disciples and the beginning of the ministry of healing and preaching.  There is a dynamic urgency in the whole book, illustrated by the incessantly repeated ‘immediately’, ‘straightway’, ‘forthwith’, ‘at once’.  It is also powerfully confrontational.  This is a man with a mission to fulfil.  He heals on the Sabbath, proclaims forgiveness, dines with sinners, touches lepers, the unclean and outcasts, provokes opposition and challenges authority and tradition and denounces the Pharisees.  The accounts are more detailed and colourful (green grass 6:39, pillow 4:38) than the other records but they are stark in their presentation of both Jesus and the disciples.  He is angry (3:5) and they are fearful, amazed, unbelieving and rebuked for their lack of faith (4:40).  The story of John the Baptist is recounted with cold realism as if forewarning.  Jesus’ authority is demonstrated by the quelling of the storm, the walking on the water and the feeding of the multitudes.

Structure 
The structure is also revealing, as nearly half of the whole book is dealing with the last week in Jerusalem.  The first half is the record of the Galilaean ministry, culminating in the transcendental appearance to his disciples in the Transfiguration on the mount from which he descends foretelling his death to go to Jerusalem, the goal of his mission, and ‘he went before them and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid’ (10:32).  There, after his triumphal entry, he threw down the gauntlet in the Temple, cursed the fig tree, challenged the confrontations of the leaders of the Jews, proclaimed the destruction of the Temple and was then arraigned before the High Priest and the Governor, culminating in the crucifixion.
The Healings 
The speed and dynamic of this story may leave us breathless; but is it just a picture of challenge and, as some have argued, of defeat?  There are deeper questions to ask.  Clearly the healing ministry is crucial to the whole story.  We are told that he healed innumerable sick, deformed and demented people. Was this just a ministry of compassion?  Why has Mark deliberately selected these few for especial notice?  They are in fact all different, detailed and frequently named – 13 individuals in all, 12 Jews and one Gentile.  Is this a clue? The driving out of the demon, the symbol of evil – is this a sign of his challenge to evil?  Simon’s mother-in-law was healed, the leper was cleansed, the paralytic forgiven and the man with the withered hand made whole.  Legion was released from his chains, the woman with the haemorrhage cleansed of her impurity and Jairus’ daughter restored to life.  The deaf mute was made to hear and to speak, the blind man of Bethsaida given his sight in two stages. The epileptic’s father was challenged for his faith; but Bartimaeus had no doubt.  He came, he saw and he followed.  The Syrophoenician woman acknowledged her status as of the dogs and her daughter was healed.

The Interpretation 
On his entry into Jerusalem Jesus was proclaimed to be the heir to David’s throne.  He was crucified as ‘the King of the Jews’.  Before the High Priest he declared (14:62) ‘I am,’ [the Christ, the Son of the Blessed] – the true Messianic title.  Previously, he had declared this to be a secret that no man should tell.  Was this because his true claim could only be justified in the life poured out?  It was on the cross that he was enthroned as King.  He had come to his people to redeem them, to lead them to fulfil their God-given destiny, to be the people chosen by God to reveal His glory and His love to all the world, as He had promised (Exodus 19:6), that they would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation – to be His witnesses to the world.  But they had turned their religion into exclusivism, their sabbaths into mere ritual and their Temple into vainglory.  Jesus, in the true prophetic tradition, had denounced their confidence in the Temple as Jeremiah had done (7:4) and Isaiah had taught that the true fasts and sabbaths were feeding the hungry, care of the afflicted and providing for the poor (5:8).  But they had not heeded.  Israel had failed to fulfil its divine mission and Jesus, as the embodiment of the true Israel, had come to show them how it would be accomplished by opening blind eyes, forgiving sins, unblocking deaf ears, casting out demons, restoring life, cleansing, healing, liberating and making whole - for Israel the year of release, the jubilee.  Are these 12 recipients of healing in fact symbolic of the twelve tribes?  For example, is it significant that Jair was a descendant of Manasseh who had his priority demoted by his younger brother Ephraim (Genesis 48:19), just as the unclean woman intercepted Jairus?  And perhaps some of these connections are geographic or in the names.  Does Simon stand for Simeon, and Bartimaeus, (the son of Timaeus, the son of honour, the son of the right hand), forBenjamin?

But the divine mission necessitated the outpoured life of God’s Son for its fulfilment, even the acceptance of the Gentile dog.  The Jewish leaders saw their purpose was to resist the Romans.  Jesus called them to repent, to change their whole agenda.  The Kingdom of God had come to be a light to the world with Jesus as the true Israel, the consummation of God’s purpose.  The other Gospels will reveal the implications of this declaration.

The Ending 
Whether there is a lost page at the end, or the book does actually finish at l6:8, as the Codex Sinaiticus shows, is still a matter of debate.  It is clear that the last verses are a later compilation from the other Gospels, though not much later, as endorsed by the Codex Alexandrinus.  But is it not appropriate that this book, which has left us gasping at the power, the authority and the majesty of the One whose poured-out life was the consummation of God’s purpose, should leave us in awe and amazement at his resurrection – the life risen in spirit-power to fulfil his ongoing ministry in us ‘for he goeth before you into Galilee.’?

Is not this the ox who labours and gives its life in sacrifice?

2. ‘YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!’

Atmosphere 
When we move to Matthew we are faced with an entirely different scenario. The urgent, dynamic appeal has been replaced by a much slower tempo of teaching and instruction.  Although the framework is the same, we have lost much of the colourful detail; individuals are no longer named or personally described; in some places they are doubled (chapters 8 and 9).  The powerful, last-minute challenge of Jesus to the Jews has been replaced by an even sterner note of judgment.  Six times he faces his audience with an ultimate scene of ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (8:12, 13:42,50, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30), the threat of a burning city (22:7) and ultimate destruction of the wicked.  His condemnation of the Pharisees as hypocrites (chapter 23) is unequivocal, both for their present practices and their past history.  Yet this book contains some of the most beautiful purple passages of the New Testament, especially chapter 11:28-30.  Perhaps we are reminded of the prophetic polarities of the book of Deuteronomy.  This Old Testament background is further endorsed by the inclusion of earthquakes, angelic visitations, dreams and the resurrection of the bodies of the saints.

Structure 
After the unique introduction of the birth narrative, this book follows the same pattern as Mark, with the Galilaean ministry leading up to Peter’s confession and the Transfiguration, followed by the journey to Jerusalem and the record of the last week, which incorporates most of Mark’s narrative.  The essential difference between the books lies in the fact that the narrative is interspersed with blocks of teaching material, carefully structured, selected and arranged. The first is the Sermon on the Mount (5-7), the second is chapter 10, instructions on discipleship, then chapter 13, which contains a sequence of parables. Chapters 18 and 19 are concerned with teaching about humility and forgiveness, marriage and riches.  Chapter 25 contains the three well-known parables of the ten virgins, the talents and the last judgment.  It is this predominance of teaching material that led to this Gospel being regarded as the prime Gospel.

The Teachings 
We all turn with welcome relief to the central message of these passages, namely chapters 5 to 7.  The commendation of mercy, peacemaking, forgiveness, non-resistance, generosity, love of enemies, non-judgmentalism and freedom from anxiety have remained as the essential hallmarks of Christianity. The rejection of merely outward appearance in prayer and fasting and the supreme emphasis upon inner qualities and motives rather than external profession – deeds rather than words – remain the abiding message of this Gospel.  This is further endorsed by the teaching of the parables.  The Kingdom of Heaven is not a political realm but a steady increase (leaven and mustard seed ) of the principles of Jesus, the pearl and the treasure which enrich the whole life of his followers.  The essential quality of this ethos lies in humility, mercy and forgiveness (chapters 18 and 19.) and the practical application of these principles in everyday life (the talent and the last judgment, chapter 25 ) though the cost of discipleship may prove an ultimate supreme test (10:39). His advice in the parable of the wheat and tares, unique to this Gospel, ‘Let both grow together until the harvest’ (13:30), could well prove a salutary lesson in many human situations

The Interpretation 
If, as most scholars accept , Matthew’s Gospel depends upon Mark’s, which is commonly believed to be the personal reminiscences of Peter, (as stated by Papias, according to Eusebius), it inevitably places this record in the period after 70 AD, when the city and temple of Jerusalem were destroyed.  This had followed a four-year revolt of the Jews against the Romans, a movement which had been fomented throughout the previous years.  Jewish history had been dominated by a concept of military triumph and conquest, especially in the Inter-Testament period, when the Maccabees had won independence from Antiochus.  It was also inspired by the exploits of Joshua and David.  It is therefore no wonder that the people welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem as the Son of David, the foretold leader for whom they looked to bring them release and liberation.  Had he not chosen among his disciples Simon the Zealot, a member of the revolutionary party?  And what of Judas?  But the revolt had failed;even the last stand at Masada had ended in suicide and mutual slaughter.  Into this situation this Gospel pronounces a powerful protest against violence, recrimination and hostility.  These are the qualities that would have saved the nation!  Jesus had called them to repent, to change their minds from an agenda of resistance.  But they did not listen and so they fell!

They should have known!  Matthew’s story is a steady unfolding of who Jesus truly is, of his unqualified credentials, his claim to authority and his fulfilment of all that God had promised from the beginning.  In the birth narrative we trace his royal ancestry.  Herod and the Magi further endorse his regal claims. Throughout this book, the frequent insertion of ‘that it might be fulfilled’ constantly draws our attention to the Old Testament.  The baby saved from the slaughter of the innocents and the flight into and out of Egypt recall the story of Moses and Israel  This connection is consummated in the New Law pronounced from the mount in contrast to the Mosaic economy.  Here is the new Moses.  His teachings, arranged in five discourses, are strongly reminiscent of the Pentateuch.  On the mount of Transfiguration he meets both Moses and Elijah.  He is also the fulfilment of the promise of light (4:16), of the suffering servant (8:17, 12:17, 13:14, 13:35) and the humble king who rides upon an ass (21:5).  But they did not acknowledge their King.  They exonerated the Romans in the person of Pilate.  They called for his blood upon themselves and they sealed his tomb!

Surely this is the lion of the tribe of Judah - the true King of the Jews.

3.‘LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP’

Atmosphere 
Luke’s Gospel, written in beautiful, elegant, educated Greek, contains many of the best loved stories in the New Testament.  The accounts of the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the shepherds and the visit of the angel to Mary are related with a vitality and a realism which make them live for us.  It is moreover filled with joy and praise and thanksgiving (chapters 1 and 2, 10:17, 24:41,52).  We also see Jesus frequently in prayer (9:18, 10:21, 11:1) and are reminded of the influence of God’s Spirit.  It is full of the light and radiance of the Gospel and clearly written by one for whom this was a living experience. Does this also contain hints of humour and satire such as the rich fool (12) and the unjust steward (16:9)?

Structure 
After Luke’s unique introduction of the birth narrative, the framework is still the same as Mark’s - a Galilaean ministry, culminating in the Transfiguration, followed by the journey to Jerusalem and the events of the Last Week.  Much of this material is identical with Mark’s, though as in Matthew, often less detailed.  A considerable amount of Matthew’s teaching material is also in Luke; in fact some think that they are drawing from a common source.  But the actual handling of the text is entirely different.  Where Matthew presents Jesus’ teaching in blocks, in Luke it is scattered throughout the narrative, though frequently identical in substance.  The pattern of Luke’s Gospel is wholly different.  The journey to Jerusalem begins in chapter 9:51-56 and continues with frequent references (17:11) on the way to Jerusalem (18:31) and eventually (19:28) he ascends up to the city.  This is not an urgent, pressing mission to a destined goal but a leisurely progression, interspersed with meetings, encounters, conversations, interrogations, discussions, healings and teachings - a rich profusion of experiences and people.  This section has been called ‘the Travel Document’ and illustrates most of the main distinctive features of Luke’s account, which is consummated in the last chapter with the story of Emmaus.  The overall picture is of Jesus moving among people of all kinds, meeting them at their point of need, answering their problems, healing their sicknesses and teaching his immortal lessons of truth and right.

The Contents 
The unique features of Luke lie in his special subject matter.  The birth narratives of both John the Baptist and Jesus, revealing the prominent parts played by Elizabeth and Mary, the shepherds, Simeon and Anna, emphasise his special interest in the expectation of the people and the joy of its fulfilment  This is especially seen in Mary’s song, Simeon’s prayer and Zacharias’ prophecy.  This is in fact a wonderful paean of praise to the inauguration of a new, long-awaited era.  The light has now dawned and the doors are opened wide ‘a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel’ (2:32).  This theme is further developed by the acceptance of the lost sheep, coin and prodigal son (15), the commendation of the good Samaritan (10), and the Samaritan leper (17).  The emphasis upon the women - the widow of Nain (7), the bowed woman (13), the prostitute in the house of the Pharisee (7), and the story of Mary and Martha (10) indicates the concern to include all into the call of the Gospel.  In the parable of the Great Supper (14), the poor, the maimed, the halt and the blind are pressed to come, in contrast to Matthew’s Marriage Feast, to which only the good and bad are invited and the one without a wedding garment is thrust out ( Matthew 22:10).  The acceptance of the unpopular tax-collector Zacchaeus is a recognition of the universal appeal of the Gospel.

Interpretation 
After John the Baptist had appealed to the people for a moral and social reform (3), in the synagogue at Nazareth (4) Jesus proclaimed his own agenda as foretold by Isaiah 61, ‘to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.’  This was no longer an appeal to Israel alone, nor a condemnation of them, but an outgoing mission to the world.  This was further endorsed by the reference to the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian.  Jesus had come to baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire (3:16), to accomplish, through his anointing by the Spirit, his own life, death and resurrection, what God had intended from the beginning.  Jesus had come to answer the needs of the world, especially the rejected and the downtrodden.  He had come for all humanity.  His genealogy, traced back to Adam (3), had identified him with the whole of the human race.  His sermon on the plain (6:17) had reduced his appeal to the humble and the lowly -‘Blessed are the poor and the hungry.’

Of the seven sayings of Jesus from the cross, three are in Luke.  He pleads with God to forgive those who are crucifying him ‘for they do not know what they are doing’, presumably an exoneration of the Romans (23:34).  To the thief, crucified with him, he promised a future blessing (23:43) and commended his spirit into God’s hands (23:46).  And the story does not conclude there.  The journey to Emmaus is the commission of the risen Lord, revealed to them in breaking of bread, to go out in his name to teach all people as witnesses of all these things, foretold of old.

The Gentile Mission 
This is the theme of this book.  Jesus had told his disciples to ‘launch out into the deep’ (5:4) and to become fishers of men.  Luke, the author of this first volume, of which Acts is the second, was Paul’s companion on some of his missionary journeys.  He experienced both the challenge and the thrill of the mission in Philippi (Acts 16), Jerusalem (21) and the voyage to Rome (27), its joy and its response.  He saw Jesus as the one who had gone before, blazing the trail, and present with them on their own travels into the Gentile world in which he had placed Jesus at the beginning (3:1) and before which he was sent for trial before Herod (23:7).  Surely this is the story of the light to the Gentiles, the true illumination of the rich panorama of humanity, and Jesus the man for all peoples.

Does Luke envisage the Christian mission as a parallel to the Master’s life and throughout empowered by his presence?

4. BEHOLDING THE GLORY - JOHN

Provenance and Atmosphere 
This wonderful book, which is designed to show the relationship between Jesus, his Father and ourselves, has from antiquity been associated with Ephesus.  It was here, according to tradition that John brought Mary, Jesus’ mother, to care for her after Jesus’ death and where John, Jesus’ beloved disciple, died at an advanced age and was buried.  Clear evidence, from the scrap of papyrus in the John Rylands Library in Manchester, proves that it was written about the end of the first century, well within the living memory of eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry.  Ephesus was an important centre of Greek culture and this book reflects that influence.  The language, although simple, is pregnant with meaning.  Words such as eternal, knowledge, truth. light, way etc. convey ideas rather than facts.  Platonic philosophy, the dominant influence at that time, taught that true reality does not lie in the outward appearance but in the inner meaning.  Moreover much of the book consists of discussion, debate, questions and answers, the dialectic method to discover truth through enquiry.  So is this book essentially Greek?

The Prologue 
The prologue sets the scene.  Unfortunately most translations do not help, as they are dominated by a belief in a pre-existent Christ.  But the subject of the first 13 verses is the word, as endorsed by Tyndale, the word through which all things were created.  And immediately we are taken back to Genesis 1, where God’s creative word, dabar in Hebrew, means both word and work.  His thought breathed out through spirit stirred the elements to produce our world.  But not only so, this living, dynamic word inspired patriarchs, prophets, psalmists, priests and kings - Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah etc.  God’s word was the life force of Israel, moulding, shaping, guiding, judging, enlightening and illuminating.  It was the light and the life through which they became God’s people.  But it was only a glimmer in the darkness, until the true light shone in Jesus (1:14), bringing grace and truth.  So, however Greek the format, the substance lies in the Old Testament.

The ‘I Ams’ 
Many times does Jesus claim this: title ‘I am’.  In Gethsemane he faced those who came to arrest him with the same declaration. Whether we read into these his identity with the name of God, there are still 7 declarations of his claims, which have been thought to present Jesus as the ultimate revelation of the abstract concepts of light and truth.  A closer look proves that they are all deeply rooted in the Old Testament, in the history of Israel and God’s involvement in it.  He is the light which illuminated their path through the desert, the Good Shepherd Who led the way, the door through which alone they could gain access to God, the bread which sustained them, the way and the truth which guided and instructed and supremely the true vine, the channel through which the spirit would flow to produce fruit to God as he had purposed through Israel (Psalm 80).

All that God had been and purposed in Israel was now consummated in Jesus, as Dr. Thomas showed in his last pictorial illustration of ‘Deity Manifested in the Flesh’.  But it does not stop there.

The Signs  
The fact that the so-called miracles of John’s Gospel are called signs, proves that these seven incidents are carefully selected, as John tells us they are (20:30), to illustrate some fundamental truths.  Whatever their factual origin (and John assures us that his account of Jesus’ life is rooted in historical detail, hence his emphasis upon witnesses) this book is not intended to be a literal historical document, but a spiritual insight into the person, work and meaning of Jesus’ life and death.  There is no reason to question the authorship as that of Jesus’ own disciple, as the book claims.  But it is an inspired reflection upon Jesus’ life and death and no doubt John’s own personal experience of it. So the seven signs are designed to illustrate the Lord’s power to change, to heal, to bring life, light, sight and renewal.  The turning of water into wine is the transformation of the natural into the spiritual; the healing of the nobleman’s son shows the healing touch unlimited by space.  The cripple at Bethesda is cured by response to the Master’s command.  The provision of bread and the walking on the water, both recall the work of God in the past and the dynamic of creation.  The man born blind receives new sight and Lazarus new life.  But all of these demand response, for not even God can work unless we draw out, go to meet Him, rise up, receive Him, obey, offer our small contribution and come forth in answer to the Master’s call.

Symbols 
John gives us many clues to interpret the book.  In chapter 1 he cites seven witnesses to attest to the claim of Jesus to seven titles.  He enumerates the first two signs and he dates the events by feasts and by days.  He begins the first sign with the phrase ‘on the third day’.  We later have several mentions of ‘after 2 days’, ‘38 years’ and finally ‘4 days’, ‘the first day’, and ‘the 8th day’.  Jesus himself had so often taught his disciples that on the 3rd day he would rise.  We recall Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22).  It is the day of resurrection.  The ministry of Jesus was a foretaste of the power of the risen Lord to bring new life, new sight, healing, restoration and spiritual vitality into those who will come, receive and obey.  The 8th miracle, his resurrection, was the initiation into the new age, the 8th day, beyond the third and the seven of the Jewish order.  In chapters 14-16 he tells his disciples of his indwelling power which through the spirit will flow through them to bring forth fruit, as they become branches of the true vine, receiving from him the life force of his own abiding presence - the true ladder betwixt earth and heaven - the eagle which swoops down to catch its young and bear them on its wings (Deuteronomy 32:11).

In Jesus we see God’s supreme involvement with man, to draw us up to Him (12:32).  This book is the post-resurrectional experience of the living presence and empowering spirit of the Lord.

THE CHALLENGES OF JESUS

1. THE CHALLENGE TO EXCLUSIVISM

The most amazing testimony to the power of the Gospel is the speed with which it spread from an obscure backwater of the Roman Empire to the very heart of the capital, so that the Roman historian Tacitus could record that in Rome in 64 AD there was a huge multitude of Christians who were willing to face martyrdom for their faith; and that within 30 years of the crucifixion!  The Good News had indeed stepped beyond the narrow confines of Judaism. Was this the apostolic message, the Christ of faith or the hallmark of the Master, the Jesus of history?

The people of God 
We must evaluate the message of Jesus against the background of his own contemporary world.  The Jews traced their unique status back to the Exodus experience when at Sinai they entered into a covenant with Yahweh and were constituted His especial people with whom He had an exclusive relationship; or was it meant to be so?  In Exodus 19 God promised them through Moses that they would be to Him ‘a peculiar treasure’ and were to become ‘a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’.  The function of priests is to be the medium through whom God speaks.  This is further endorsed in Deuteronomy, where we are told that it was because of their forefathers that God had a special relationship with this people.  The patriarchs Abraham, Jacob and Joseph had indeed been receptive of God’s word and therefore channels of His grace.  To Abraham He promised that in him all families of the earth would be blessed.And this was the purpose for which God called them, as the prophets clearly state, ‘to be a light to the Gentiles’ (Isaiah 49:6).  But especially in the Inter- Testament period, when the Jews fought for their independence from Antiochus Epiphanes, they became fiercely nationalistic, asserting their claim to autonomy.  This was the position of the most devout members of the nation, the Pharisees and the revolutionary groups such as the Zealots, who sought to win their freedom and independence from Rome.

The Ministry of Jesus 
This was the backdrop to the ministry of Jesus and we are faced here with some problems.  To the Syrophoenician woman he declares ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs’ (Mark 7:27) and in Matthew 15:24 he declares that he has not been sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  But he does say ‘Let the children first be fed.’  Does this lead us to a true evaluation of his real mission, for which he gave his life?  Had he in fact come to reform the nation, to lead them to fulfil their own God-appointed destiny of being God’s witness to the world?  As such, he was in the true tradition of the prophets  The rest of the Gospel story does confirm this interpretation.  When his disciples wished to call down fire upon the unreceptive Samaritans, he rebuked them with ‘You do not know what kind of spirit you are of’ (Luke 9:55).  We have in fact abundant evidence of his outreaching ministry in the account of his meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), the story of the Good Samaritan and the healed Samaritan leper (Luke 17:16).  Jesus had indeed come to open the eyes of the blind, not just physically but spiritually, to awaken the nation to their true inheritance.  His mission was to inspire others and through them to spread the Gospel to the world. It was their rejection of this mission that led to his death but also to the triumphant power of his resurrection without which his purpose could not be accomplished.  His followers needed his power with and in them.  The Gospels all end with this unfulfilled mission and ongoing commission into the world. Matthew 28 ends with the instruction to go and teach all nations.  In Luke the risen Lord travels with them and reveals himself in bread and wine.  Mark leaves us in wonder and awe and in John Peter is appointed as the shepherd to the flock.  Jesus’ work was not limited to his personal ministry but to be fulfilled in the witness of his disciples in the world both then and now.

The Apostolic Ministry 
Even among his closest disciples this message was hard to accept.  We see in Peter, in spite of his close association with Jesus, this barrier required a divine revelation to be broken down.  Although we have in the Gospels the account of the centurion’s servant and Jesus’ commendation of him, the story of Cornelius is the turning point.  It was one thing to heal a Gentile, it was another to acknowledge him as one of God’s people.  ‘What God has cleansed, you must not call common.’  The whole book of Acts is an exciting adventure relating the spread of the Gospel first to Samaria, then, through the Ethiopian eunuch to Africa and through Paul to Asia Minor, Greece and eventually Rome - a breathtaking story of people, places and often persecution.  The opposition came from the Jews who resisted the challenge to their exclusive status and could not accept the inclusion of Gentiles into the family of God.

Paul’s Teaching 
It was to the Galatians that Paul had to make his most passionate appeal - to challenge them with forfeiting their redemption in Christ by a return to the Law.  And so he declared that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female.  ‘You are all one in Christ Jesus,  And if you areChrist’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise’ (Galatians 3:28).  To the Ephesians he states that Jesus has broken down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:14).

2, THE CHALLENGE TO LEGALISM

The Law 
The Law given by God to Moses, as traditionally believed, (however much modified and adapted to later circumstances, as some argue,) provided for the people of Israel, as it emerged into history, the hallmark of their identity, their religion, their morals and the structure of their daily life.  Built upon the universally acknowledged basic principles of the Ten Commandments, the so-called Book of the Covenant ( Exodus 21-24) lays down fundamental principles of behaviour, of relationships, of rights and duties.  It recognises responsibilities towards slaves, strangers and women and provides a pattern for their lives in the observance of the Sabbath to ensure rest to animals and servants (Exodus 23:12) and the celebration of three feasts in the year to coincide with the agricultural seasons.  These basic laws were elaborated further, whether contemporaneously or later, to include specific rules for diet, hygiene and worship.

The Talmud 
Even within the Biblical record scholars have traced evidence of later authorship to apply to altered circumstances, as they moved from nomadic to agricultural life, as appropriate to this whole literature as a living record of the history of a nation.  But it was in the Inter-Testament period that the Rabbis, the teachers of the Law, produced the Talmud, a comprehensive body of civil and ceremonial law, consisting of over 600 specific rules.  It was and is this which marks out the Jewish way of life as unique and separate, the distinctive characteristic of their independence and autonomy for which they had fought.  The simple basic rules of the Mosaic economy were expanded into detailed instructions.  The simple command ‘You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk’ was turned into a divine edict not to mix milk and meat.  Orthodox Jewish kitchens always have two sections to keep milk and meat apart.  Restrictions also on what may be eaten make it impossible for them to eat in non-orthodox homes.  Some of the most stringent rules apply to the observance of the Sabbath.  Jews are forbidden to do any kind of work from sunset Friday evening to sunset Saturday.  This applies not just to employment but also to lighting fires, turning on lights and using mechanical equipment and even opening envelopes and travelling.  The exclusion of the disabled, physically and mentally, sick or morally defiled, the so-called sinners, led to the hypocritical self-righteousness of the Pharisees.  The cornerstone of their faith was and is the passage from Deuteronomy 6. called the Shema, ‘Hear O Israel.’  These verses are enclosed in the mezuzah, fixed on their doorposts and in the tefillin, small boxes worn by the men on their foreheads and left forearms, in the synagogue, as a literal fulfilment of the command.  Such adherence to the letter of the Law was condemned by the prophets such as Amos, who rebuked the traders for counting the minutes to the end of the Sabbath to begin their exploitation of the poor.  Isaiah chapter 58 teaches that the true Sabbath observance is care for the poor.

The Ministry of Jesus 
It was this literal application of the Law that Jesus challenged in his whole ministry.  His acts of healing on the Sabbath aroused the hostility of the Pharisees.  In this he sought to illustrate the principle that doing good was not an infringement of the Law.  Did they not take their animals to water on the Sabbath?  ‘The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath.’  His claim to be Lord of the Sabbath further enraged them.  His eating with publicans and sinners challenged their restrictive dietary laws.  But, above all, his consorting with the socially or physically outcast, the leper, the prostitute, the adulteress, demoniacs and publicans, further increased their animosity.  But his most outspoken challenge is in Matthew 23, where he denounces the Pharisees as hypocrites, because in obeying the minutiae of the Law - tithing mint and anise and cummin - they had omitted the weightier matters of justice, mercy and the love of God.  He condemns them for their pride, lust for power and position, outward show of holiness and exploitation of the poor.

The Sermon on the Mount 
It is in this great discourse that Jesus expounds the true meaning of the Law - not the observance of the letter but the outworking of the spirit.  He turned the negative commands of the Law into positive, constructive action - ‘turn the other cheek’, ‘go the second mile’, ‘love your enemies’, ’be reconciled’.  He showed that the essence of the Law lay not in the execution of minute, detailed rules but in the spirit which lay beneath it.  What matters are motives, thoughts, intentions.  The whole Law was truly an education in relationships and attitudes towards both God and man.  It required a whole attitude of mind, of faith, trust, hope, generosity, kindness and compassion which reveals itself in good works rather than vain words and proves itself by humility and forgiveness of others.
This inner conversion of mind and thought is not the result of discipline or training but truly the fruit of the reception of the spirit of Jesus poured out from his resurrection for those who will receive it.

The Letter to the Galatians 
It is much easier to follow rules and obey edicts than submit oneself to the flow of divine grace and the freedom which may lead whithersoever we know not.  It is no wonder then that the Jews, converted to Christianity on Paul’s first missionary journey, soon reverted back to the security and familiarity of their Jewish faith which ensured for them feelings of satisfaction and merit.  But, as Paul unequivocally denounced them, in so doing they were denying the validity of their Christian faith, the faith which had set them free from the bondage to law.  ‘For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.’

‘For the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, meekness, gentleness, goodness, faith and temperance.’  These are the qualities not developed by rules but from acceptance of the spirit of the living Lord.

Again we see how the whole life, work, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus is the very pivot of the whole purpose of God - the true fulfilment of all that God had intended from the beginning and the enabling power to fulfil this in his disciples.

3. THE CHALLENGE TO RITUALISM

The Pattern of Worship 
We have seen how Jesus’ challenges to the perversions with which the Jewish leaders had corrupted the foundations of their society inevitably provoked violent opposition, as he struck at the heart of their claim to be the unique people of God and secondly at the legalism which had destroyed the true spirit of the Law.  His third attack was upon the very centre of their worship.  It is no wonder that they put him to death - though this very act released the spiritual power through which God’s purpose would ultimately be accomplished.  As God had laid down a fundamental structure on which to build, in both the Covenant and the Law, so He had provided a basic pattern for their worship in the detailed instructions given to Moses at Sinai.  These were apparently enlarged into a comprehensive system, primarily of sacrifice, as became appropriate in the later history of the people.  But the basic pattern had been laid down in the structure of the Tabernacle.
The Tabernacle 
This was essentially a tent, such as, it is believed, nomadic people did use for worship.  But this was carefully designed to provide a total education in approach to God.  First of all it was placed in the centre of the camp of Israel, so that it was equally accessible to all.  Then the actual tent was placed within a courtyard fenced round with only one entrance.  There was consequently only one way of approach and the ordinary Israelite who brought his offering to God could proceed no further than the altar of burnt offering where his lamb or kid was received by the priest and offered up as a burnt sacrifice.  From there, the only access was for the priest who next had to wash at the laver before actually entering the tent through the only opening in the outer curtain.  He then proceeded into the first part of the tent, the so-called Holy Place, in which was placed the shewbread and the 7 branched candlestick, the Menorah, and the altar of incense, which was situated immediately in front of the intricately-woven veil which concealed the Most Holy Place, a perfect cube in which was placed the Ark of the Covenant, overshadowed by cherubic figures.  The Ark contained the Tables of the Law, a pot of manna and Aaron’s rod that budded.  The lid of the Ark was brilliantly translated by Tyndale as ‘the Mercy Seat’, for it was here that the very presence of God resided.  But this Most Holy Place was entered only once a year on the Day of Atonement by the High Priest.  This whole structure was designed to teach that God could only be approached by those who came with due offerings and through specially chosen priests.  It was to teach the majesty, the awesomeness and the glory of the God who was their Guide and Redeemer and whose presence was revealed to them by a cloud by day and a fire by night over the Most Holy Place.

The Temple 
When the Israelites were finally settled in the land and were at peace with their neighbours, after David’s conquests, he recognised the need for a more permanent building.  This was accomplished by Solomon, who built a magnificent Temple, based upon the same pattern as the Tabernacle.  So the meaning was the same, to teach the right approach to God.  This building suffered various vicissitudes of fortune in the history of the Jews until it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC.  A much inferior temple was constructed after the return from captivity and many of the details of sacrificial worship were probably developed in this period.  Eventually it was replaced by Herod from about 19 BC and was the Temple of Jesus’ day.

The Ministry of Jesus 
All four Gospels contain the account of what is called the cleansing of the Temple.  In the Synoptic records this action is clearly presented as the ultimate provocation of the hostility of the scribes and priests.  Mark’s dynamic record (chapter 11) seems to imply that this was Jesus’ supreme challenge.  John, whose Gospel is based upon theological rather than chronological structure, places this incident early in the ministry, as if to indicate its extreme importance.  Furthermore, in the Synoptics, Jesus follows this up by foretelling the total destruction of the building (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21).  He accused them of turning the Temple, which should have been a house of prayer for all people, into a den of thieves.  Some have thought that he was purely condemning the trading, but in fact the charge was far more serious; it was in reality a challenge to the whole system.  Modern research has clearly proved the corruption of the priests, who by now had no inherited rights to the priesthood. But more than that, mere external ritual had replaced true education in approach to God.  Jeremiah had protested this centuries earlier (chapter 7.) when the Temple restored by Josiah, after the idolatry of Manasseh, had become to the people a symbol of divine favour rather than a stimulus to the essential qualities of care and compassion.  ‘To obey is better than sacrifice’ had been proclaimed also much earlier (1 Samuel 15:22) by Samuel.  Ezekiel also, a young priest in exile, had to learn that God would be with His people wherever they were, without a building (Ezekiel 1), though he did later envisage a restored temple if the people repented.  Even Solomon, who built the Temple, declared (1 Kings 8:27) that God cannot be contained within a building, a statement which cost Stephen his life.

The Letter to the Hebrews 
It is in this letter that the whole question of the Temple is elaborated and the true key is stated in chapter 10.  As Jesus died on the Cross the veil of the Temple was rent from top to bottom.  This allowed free access into the very presence of God.  He entered into the Most Holy Place as the true High Priest, thereby making it possible for us to gain access through him.  By the offering of his own life, his sacrifice had superseded all other sacrifices and therefore rendered them unavailing.  So the function of the building had been replaced by the indwelling spirit of Jesus.  He had in fact declared that he is the true temple that would be raised in three days (John 2:19).  Paul also states that the body of the believers, the community of the saints, is the temple because in it dwells the very presence of God (1 Corinthians 3:16).  So true worship is to enter God’s presence through Jesus for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and finally, in the book of Revelation, John writes that, in the final age, there will be no need for a Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it (Revelation 21;22).
4. THE CHALLENGE TO JESUS’ CLAIMS

The question of authority 
However enraged the scribes and Pharisees were by Jesus’ overriding of their unique claim to privileged status, the details of their legal system and the sanctity of the Temple, it was when he reached the Temple in Jerusalem, the ultimate aim of his mission, that the final challenge was made.  This time it was by the priests and the scribes who questioned his authority and the source of that authority (Mark 11:28).  In reply he challenged them with the parable of the wicked husbandmen (Mark 12:1-8), with its culmination in the death of the heir, and ultimately with the quotation from Psalm 110, foretelling a greater son of David (Mark 12:35-7).  The implication of this must have been clear, as he had been welcomed into the city as David’s son.  He was openly declaring himself to be the promised son and heir to David’s throne.  Before the High Priest Jesus replied to the question ‘Are you the Christ the Son of the Blessed?’ with the declaration ‘I am.’ (Mark 14:61).  It was for this that he was condemned for blasphemy, with the charge of ‘King of the Jews’ written upon the cross, as the ground for his condemnation.  He was put to death for his claim to be the Son of God.  However much the post-resurrectional accounts may have been elaborated and extended, this fact remains at the very heart of the Gospel record.

The Fourth Gospel 
It is John’s Gospel, clearly written under the influence of post-resurrectional experience, that draws out the deeper implications of this basic message.  Jesus died because of who he claimed to be.  This Gospel, which is considered to be the spiritual Gospel, is in fact the most controversial, full of discourses, arguments and disputes.  It is full of conversations between Jesus and the Jews, who challenge his claims of sonship to God.  He was attacked for claiming equality with God: ‘He that hath seen me hath seen the Father’, ‘I do the works of God’, ‘I and the Father are one’.  Whatever the original authority of these words, they are clearly rooted in the original Gospel record.  But what are the implications?  Is ‘I am’ in fact a claim for identity with God?  Mark gives us the foundation but John reveals the implications.

The ‘I Ams’ 
If we look at what these claims are and what they meant to the original hearers, we too may find them breathtaking and astounding.  First of all he is ‘The Word made flesh’.  To the Jew the Word was the very outspoken authority of God Himself, the inspiration through the Law, prophets, priests and kings.  ‘I am the light of the world.’ - light, the very source of life itself.  ‘The Good Shepherd’ - was not this God Himself (Psalm 23)?  How could a mere human fulfil these vast concepts?  The Bread of life is that which sustains and supports our very existence.  And what of the Way, the Door, the Truth and the Resurrection?  John the Baptist had declared him to be ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.’  And ultimately we have ‘the Vine’ - the very symbol of Israel as the channel through whom God’s spirit would flow out in fruitfulness into the world.  All of these claims, enormous as they are, have their roots in God’s dealings with Israel.

The Pattern of Worship 
God had laid down a pattern of worship for Israel in the Tabernacle which was ultimately copied in the Temple.  Jesus declared himself to be the true Temple (John 2:18-21), that through him the whole approach to God could be made. Does this pattern in fact provide a ground plan for the Gospel?  We start with the sacrificial lamb and the ritual washing before entering by the only Door into the Holy Place where the Bread and the Lamp are situated.  We are guided by the Shepherd who leads us in the Way.  Through the Resurrection we are led through the veil into the Most Holy Place, into the very presence of God where the inflowing spirit can produce fruit (the Vine).

Is it possible to trace this same pattern in the story of redemption in the Exodus from Egypt?  This begins with the Passover Lamb and the Red Sea crossing and proceeds through the wilderness where the people are fed with manna and guided by the light as their Shepherd leads the way eventually through the Jordan into the Promised Land.

Is Jesus being presented as the fulfilment and consummation of all God’s dealings in the past?

The Signs  But are these just ideas and concepts?

Each of these is worked out in human life and endorsed by the miracles, the so-called signs, because they each reveal an aspect of the power of the risen Lord.  He gives new life on the third day by turning water into wine, heals from afar, restores a cripple, gives bread to the crowd, walks on the water, gives sight to the blind and raises the dead.  All these are symbolic of his on- going power.  And perhaps the numbers are significant - seven ‘I Am’ claims and seven signs - the sacred number of Judaism.  But with the eighth sign, his own resurrection, we enter the eighth, the new age in which the disciples are given the spirit, the Comforter, with which to fulfil their divine commission. For the whole work of God is accomplished through Jesus’ humanity.  He is tired, thirsty and weeps for his friend.  He mixes with all people from the highest to the lowest - Nicodemus, a member of the Council, the Samaritan woman, the adulteress, the man born blind, Mary, Lazarus, his own mother and, finally, he commissions Peter to feed the flock, the whole gamut of human experience.

In Jesus we see God’s supreme involvement with man in drawing us up to Him in the new age of God’s Kingdom, initiated at the triumph of the cross. The Jesus who walked the streets of Nazareth is truly the risen Lord, the Christ of faith.

5. THE INAUGURATION OF GOD’S KINGDOM

An Age of Expectancy
Jesus was born into a world of expectancy, not only the Jewish but also the Roman, where Augustus sought to establish a new era of peace and security.  In the Jewish world, as we learn from Luke’s Gospel chapters 1 and 2 and 24, there were those who were looking for redemption and a Messianic leader to liberate them from the overlordship of the Romans.  Rebellion was brewing beneath the surface, ready to burst forth as it did in 66 AD.  Jesus, who had inspired the people to follow him by his healings, teachings and especially by his lineal descent from David, must have appeared the true Messianic figure to lead the revolt, as the Maccabees had in the past.  No wonder they streamed out to welcome him with palms and chants of Hosanna.  At last their freedom would be won by a true Davidic King.

The Enthronement of the King
He chose to enter the city on a donkey, not a prancing steed, as the prophet had foretold.  He wept over the city.  He entered into debate with the priests and scribes and overturned the tables of the money changers at the Temple.  His challenge was against the leaders, not the power of Rome.  In response, the chief priests and Pharisees sent a band of armed men to arrest him in the garden.  After his agonised prayer to God, knowing what lay before him, he yielded without resistance, forbidding violence.  This was his supreme victory, the total conquest of self, the utter freedom of surrender.  After that he was in their hands, declaring, in response to questioning, his true claim to kingship. Before Pilate he presented the nature of his kingship as non-violent, non-aggressive, not relying on power and might like the kingdoms of this world. And so he faced the horror of the Cross with words of forgiveness, of hope and of care - truly a triumph.  He had prayed that this should be a glory, as indeed it was - a total victory over self and every kind of human evil.  And his vindication was the resurrection - God’s total endorsement of all his claims - the total defeat of all the motives that had put him there.

‘I, if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me.’
So the exaltation of the Cross was the initiation into new life for all men who would be drawn.  He had already explained this to his disciples, as John records in his chapters 14-16.  The life of Jesus, now a spirit power, unlimited in space or time, would be the power by which they would be guided into a true understanding of the work, the truth of Jesus’ whole person and ministry. Moreover it would be an indwelling power, inspiring them to bring forth the fruits of love, joy and peace.

The Kingdom of God
Is this in fact the Kingdom of God?  The basic prayer for it is of course the Lord’s Prayer - ‘Your Kingdom come.’  Is this some heavenly realm?  But it continues, ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’  So this kingship or sovereignty, which is the correct translation of the Greek basileia, is in fact an earthly realm worked out in human dimensions.  Some see this as a future reign of God when the world is finally blessed with His glory as God Himself declared (Numbers 14:21): ‘As truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with my glory.’ - surely the ultimate desire of us all.  But what does Jesus teach about kingship?  If we look at his parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 13 and 25) we see a much more down to earth picture.  He shows us the Word of God as a seed being cast into the world, often rejected and unheeded but also bringing forth fruit.  He teaches the joy of the discovery of God’s truth like treasure or a pearl, that when found is worth more than any money can buy.  He also shows that the Kingdom does not grow without opposition.  There are weeds as well as wheat in God’s field and the great lesson that Jesus teaches is ‘Let both grow together until the harvest.’  Human judgment may be faulty in discerning the good but each may learn by interchange, dialogue and communication until the final decision of God’s judgment is made at the end.  As Jesus says ‘Judge not that you be not judged.’  So this kingdom, initiated by the King, who himself suffered for his outgoing mercy, care and love, is distinguished by the same spirit ‘inasmuch as you have done it to the least, you did it unto me.’  The same spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation, mercy and compassion dominates his whole teaching.

The New Age in Christ
From the resurrection of Jesus the world entered a new age.  As God had promised, through Jeremiah (31:31) and Ezekiel (36:26), He would make a new Covenant with His people - a covenant of the heart not the letter.  He would give them a new spirit by which they would know God individually. And this is the new life which Paul declares is the experience of the Christian who through Christ may also be a conqueror for
neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers,
 nor things present nor things to come, 
nor height nor depth, nor any other creature 
shall be able to separate us from the love of God 
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 
(Romans 8:38-39)

And surely this is the true kingship of Christ wherever he is acknowledged as King.  And the ethos of the Kingdom is that of the King who
when he was reviled, reviled not again; 
when he suffered he threatened not,
(1 Peter 2:23)

who made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant 
and was made in the likeness of men 
and being found in fashion as a man 
humbled himself and became obedient unto death, 
even the death of the cross,
(Philippians 2:7-8)

and was made perfect through suffering
(Hebrews 2:10.)

but declared to his disciples that

‘In the world you have tribulation:
but be of good cheer; 
I have overcome the world!’
(John 16:33)

Sheila Harris
March 2005
FOLLOW  THOU  ME

	‘Follow thou me.’  ‘But whither goest thou,
O Lord?  The way is dark, the path unknown.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
I do not see the road that stretches on.
The past shines clear; the future black and lone.’ 
	‘With me as guide, your footsteps will not fail.
Each step I’ll show before you as you go,
Through trials and tribulations, pain and woe,
While kingdoms totter and their rulers fall,
Your life a prey - a mockery to all.
But if your eyes are fixed on me alway,
I’ll be your leader and your guide throughout.
Whate’er the world may bring of joy or woe,
My spirit shall be with you as you go.
Follow me into homes of pain and grief,
Into the thoroughfares of men of sin,
To mix with all who find the weight of life
A weary burden, source of tears and strife:
You will not be alone, I know the way
This path I’ve trod, its pain and sorrow too,
Through trials and scourgings, mockery and death,
I’ve conquered all and conquered them for you.’

	And as I contemplate the way ahead
I see before my feet the path to tread -
A lonely heart in need of comfort’s cheer,
A weary soul whose painful cry I hear.
The life of pilgrimage is always, ‘On’.
With Jesus as our leader, captain, guide,
I’ll find the way before me as I go,
However dark the path, unknown, untried. 
	And over all the arch of God extends
In glowing colours, shimmering in the sky, - 
His love outstretched like overshadowing wings
Of mother bird o’er fledglings as they fly.
And at the end there lies a golden gate
Into the city, long prepared by God,
With pearly doors and light of Lamb enthroned,
For all who’ve followed in the path He trod.
Sheila Harris