Chapter 8
Ministry in Judea
We are going to explore Jesus
ministry in the Judean region of Israel. John puts this ministry following a
visit to Jerusalem, which the other Gospel accounts do not mention. John may
have wanted to show a desire by Jesus to win over the leadership of Israel and
have them acknowledge Him as Messiah. If that had happened the world would have
changed dramatically and the need for the crucifixion may have no longer been
needed. John may have wanted the Gentile world to know that Jesus had the
desire to bring change without the necessity of sacrifice. In the four Gospel
accounts, His ministry in Judea is where most of His teaching occurs.
I often refer to this section as the
Beginning of the End since it is here that Jesus begins the process of making
true disciples, teaching the hard lessons of discipleship and setting His
vision on Jerusalem, death and resurrection. It is during this period of time
that He begins to let the disciples in on the coming events and how their world
is about to dramatically be changed. But it is also a time of testing for them,
assuring that they understand the lessons He is teaching them.
We begin with an interesting account
in Matthew 19 about the confession of Peter. Jesus reaches out to the disciples
asking them who they believe Him to be. Peter says that Jesus is the Messiah.
It is at this point that Jesus tells Peter that he will be the person who will
build the new church of followers of Jesus. It is important to note here that
the other two Gospel accounts do not make this assertion so it is possible that
Matthew, speaking to the Jews, is trying to increase their awareness of Peter’s
importance and authenticate the movement. What is also interesting is that
Matthew’s account does not follow the departure of the other disciples who find
Jesus teaching too difficult.
Jesus begins the process of telling the disciples what the future holds
though it is doubtful that they truly understood until after His death and
resurrection. All three follow this story in the same way so it is highly
likely that Jesus did in fact have this conversation with the disciples and it
is recorded here. Why is it important? For us the readers thousands of years
later, we know by this account that at this point in time Jesus had full
knowledge of what awaited Him in Jerusalem. This is immediately followed by the
transfiguration story where Jesus meets Elijah and Moses on the mountaintop and
is transfigured into the heavenly image. Again, did this story happen in this
way is not the question though the fact that all three accounts report it is
important. This event would mark the disciples for the future and gave them a
glimpse of how Jesus really is. Matthew and Mark follow this story with the
story of Elijah. The reasoning for this account is to show fulfillment of the
prophecy that Elijah would come before the Messiah. Both authors want the
reader to see John the Baptizer as the spirit of Elijah who would come to
proclaim the coming of the Messiah. Surprising Luke does not include it in his
Gospel account.
Jesus continues to teach the disciples and admonishes them to stay faithful
not only to the teachings but not to teach others differently than what they
have been taught. All three share the same story although Mark tells it earlier
in the ministry than Matthew and Luke. Do not cause others to stumble is the
way Jesus admonishes all of us to stay faithful and that we are to be judged
more harshly as teachers if we teach a false Gospel. (See James 3:1 to see this
understanding stated for those who teach.)
Several of the stories we are familiar with like the sending of the seventy
out into the world ahead of Jesus and storing treasures in heaven are only in
the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke. There is a possibility that Mark was
not familiar with those stories or that they had no special relevance for his
ministry to the Gentile world. It is interesting that Matthew sends the seventy
out much earlier than Luke does. Luke’s accounts suggests that Jesus sends them
out to pave the way for His movement toward Jerusalem.
We then come to another story that is included in all three Gospel
accounts. Interestingly enough, John does not include this account in his
account of Jesus teaching. Matthew includes it earlier in the ministry than
Luke and Mark likely because it fit better there. Mark and Luke indicate that
the first will be last and the last will be first and in fact this all Mark has
to say about this. Matthew and Luke spend more time focusing on how hard it is
to be a follower and included. Another interesting note is that Matthew and
Luke both allude to a future time when the followers will come to Israel, from
the east and then the west, the north and then the south. For those who may be
interested in “End times” revelation, this is precisely how the repopulation of
Israel by the Jewish people has taken place and the migration from the south is
the most recent large migration of people into Israel.
Finally, we come to the story known as “The Day of the Son of Man”. All
three Gospel writers account for this story and most theologians believe this
is Jesus teaching on how He will return. It is a prophetic message of the
coming again of God and in fact Matthew and Mark use the same words as clearly
referencing the Day of the Lord in Joel 2: 30-31. Jesus message from these
three Gospel accounts in many ways is a parallel to the Parables where He
preaches to be prepared and ready for His return.
In the next chapter, we will explore Jesus entrance into Jerusalem and the
Olivet Discourse.
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