On Jesus
Matthews gospel records,
“Going on from that place, he (Jesus) went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they (the Pharisees) asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?
How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.
But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who he was.
This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.
In his name the nations will put their hope.” Matthew 12:9-21.
It seems here that the Pharisees seem to concluded Jesus was trying to overthrow the mosaic system. Although Jesus said,
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:17,18.
God’s laws are universal and eternal. Jesus did not come to change them in any way.
The Pharisees however interpreted the law very strictly as a result many times this conflicted with the spirit of the law.
For example here with the healing of the mans hand. The Pharisees viewed even the healing of someone on the Sabbath to be work. Thus it was not permitted.
They failed to see that the law against working on the Sabbath was not intended to prevent the doing of good works. Particularly when it comes to healing of someone and especially when God gets the glory.
This according to one commentator I read, is the point in the ministry of Jesus that opposition by the religious establishment starts to grow. Matthew Nothing,
“...But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”
Matthew tells us that aware of what the Pharisees were doing, Jesus rather than fight with them, withdrew to a safer place. Where he continued to minister and heal people.
Matthew points out that this is in keeping with the prophesy of Isaiah
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.
In his name the nations will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:1-4)
Matthew points out that Isaiah the prophet predicted that the Messiah would be someone the nations of the world will put their hope in. In other words non-Jews, the gentile world.
This is happening around the world today. People in nations around the world, Christians, see Jesus as the Jewish Messiah the one who came through the linage of Abraham Isaac and Jacob to reconcile mankind to God.
The writer of Hebrews tells us,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
If Jesus is not the Messiah and Christians have it wrong, which I do not think we do. Christians are doing no harm.
Christians in following the teachings of Jesus to love God, your neighbours, even your enemies are doing good.
In following the teachings of Jesus to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations teaching them to believe in the one true God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is a good and noble thing. One I am sure will please God.
Please think about it.
Matthews gospel records,
“Going on from that place, he (Jesus) went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they (the Pharisees) asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?
How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.
But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who he was.
This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.
In his name the nations will put their hope.” Matthew 12:9-21.
It seems here that the Pharisees seem to concluded Jesus was trying to overthrow the mosaic system. Although Jesus said,
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:17,18.
God’s laws are universal and eternal. Jesus did not come to change them in any way.
The Pharisees however interpreted the law very strictly as a result many times this conflicted with the spirit of the law.
For example here with the healing of the mans hand. The Pharisees viewed even the healing of someone on the Sabbath to be work. Thus it was not permitted.
They failed to see that the law against working on the Sabbath was not intended to prevent the doing of good works. Particularly when it comes to healing of someone and especially when God gets the glory.
This according to one commentator I read, is the point in the ministry of Jesus that opposition by the religious establishment starts to grow. Matthew Nothing,
“...But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”
Matthew tells us that aware of what the Pharisees were doing, Jesus rather than fight with them, withdrew to a safer place. Where he continued to minister and heal people.
Matthew points out that this is in keeping with the prophesy of Isaiah
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.
In his name the nations will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:1-4)
Matthew points out that Isaiah the prophet predicted that the Messiah would be someone the nations of the world will put their hope in. In other words non-Jews, the gentile world.
This is happening around the world today. People in nations around the world, Christians, see Jesus as the Jewish Messiah the one who came through the linage of Abraham Isaac and Jacob to reconcile mankind to God.
The writer of Hebrews tells us,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
If Jesus is not the Messiah and Christians have it wrong, which I do not think we do. Christians are doing no harm.
Christians in following the teachings of Jesus to love God, your neighbours, even your enemies are doing good.
In following the teachings of Jesus to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations teaching them to believe in the one true God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is a good and noble thing. One I am sure will please God.
Please think about it.
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