Daily Verse and Comment: Isaiah 55:1-3
 |
(1) “Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
(2) Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
(3) Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.
|
|
Remember who is saying this and to whom. Jesus Christ, the God of the Old Testament and our Savior is speaking, not to the world in general as some may think, but to all those who have made the covenant with God.
Under the Old Covenant, this includes Israel and Judah, and under the New Covenant, the church. Verse 1 essentially invites us to come and eat freely, that is, without restriction, because all that He offers is good to eat. However, the English translation hides a tone of pity. In Hebrew, it pleads for us to take advantage of what God has made readily available. It bears a pleading tone because suffering and discouraged people seem to be doing all but the right things to help them overcome their difficulties. These people are “spinning their wheels” in their preoccupation with Babylon, a type of the world.
By contrast, the tone of verse 2 is mildly chiding as well as urgently warning. It admonishes against spiritual foods that indeed may make one feel “full” but really do not nourish the spiritual life’s genuine needs. Eventually, one feels that something is missing. Our Savior does not argue but asks, “Does all this really satisfy you? Is this the end to which you are called? Is this what life is all about?” He implies that those He has invited will have to choose to change their spiritual diet. Then He urges us to listen carefully. It is almost as if He says, “Listen! Listen!”
He then exhorts us to eat what is good, that is, what He has specifically made for this purpose. In verse 3, His admonishment becomes abundantly clear when He says, “Come to Me [and] hear.” What comes from Christ truly nourishes, satisfies, and produces spiritual strength and richness, fortifying the spiritual wall that protects us from falling away.
|
Daily Verse and Comment: Luke 18:2-8
Luke 18:2-8
(2) saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. (3) Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ (4) And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, (5) yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” (6) Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. (7) And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? (8) I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Jesus compares God, not with a good man, but with a godless man to emphasize the vast difference between this unjust judge and the righteous God. The conduct of the unjust judge exposes the chaotic and corrupt judgments in which he had prostituted himself. No one can compel him to do anything because he feels no regard for anyone, including God. He acts purely out of self-interest. Yet, if this unjust judge could avenge a widow whom he distained, how much more will the righteous God avenge his elect (Jeremiah 11:20)?
This parable reveals God’s willingness to hear and answer the supplications of His elect (Luke 18:7), responding when they are offered according to His will. The word “avenge” (verses 5, 7-8) implies the working out of His vengeance in justice, not in retaliation. If God’s elect are wrongly treated, they can be sure of vindication. So, if the unjust judge because of a selfish irritation avenges a troublesome widow, how much more will the selfless God come to our aid? We can expect substantially better treatment from a God of lovingkindness than from a heartless judge.
The widow, who speaks only five words, does not prevail because of her persuasive plea but because of her persistence. Sometimes too many words reveal a scarcity of desire or a lack of purpose. Jesus tells us long prayers and useless repetitions will not make God hear us any better (Matthew 6:7). He already knows our needs (verse 8).
God has assured us that He hears and answers prayer. We must have the faith of Christ that God can provide what we need, enjoys hearing us ask according to His will, and desires to give us abundantly what we should have.
Martin G. Collins
From Parable of the Persistent Widow
Daily Verse and Comment: Matthew 11:25-27
Matthew 11:25-27
(25) At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. (26) Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. (27) All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
John 1:14
(14) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:18
(18) No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
John 14:6-10
(6) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (7) “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” (8) Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” (9) Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (10) Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Moses asked to see the visible glory of God, and He proclaimed His name verbally. Jesus is saying, “If you want to see the mind and nature of God, if you want to see His attitudes, look at Me.” God reveals Himself and declares His glory to us through the life, works, and words of Jesus of Nazareth as He opens our minds by His Holy Spirit.
Jesus is “the way” because of all mankind, only He, unmarred by sin, has intimate knowledge of God. Knowing God depends on our knowledge of the truth about Jesus. He shows the way we must walk, the direction and manner of living and relating to others. This is precisely the knowledge Jesus gives. Many times when we ask directions in a strange city, the response confuses us because we are unfamiliar with the town. But when we ask directions of Jesus, He says, “Come, follow Me, and I will take you there.”
Some people may teach truth, but He embodies truth; He is “the truth.” A man may teach geometry, and his character may not affect his teaching. But if one teaches moral truth, character is paramount. Keeping the third commandment properly revolves around knowing the truth about God and His way.
Colossians 1:15; 2:9 are among the strongest statements in the Bible about the divine nature of Jesus: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. . . . For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” He not only is equal to and reflects God, but He also reveals God to us because He is God. He is completely holy and has authority to judge the world.
We can have no clearer view of God than by looking at Christ. He is the full revelation of God to man. He is the complete expression of God in a human body. He is unique: God became a man, imposing upon Himself the same time-space limitations as other men.
He had every opportunity to waste time, get sick, eat gluttonously and become overweight, drink and experience a hangover, “fly off the handle” in anger, or attack others when someone pricked His vanity. He could have become bitter from rejection or depressed when things did not go His way. He could have worked or played with intense competitiveness to “win at all costs.” He had to face death, His own as well as of loved ones. He could have felt “the deck was stacked” against Him.
The gospels show God coping with life on the same terms as men. Now we can really see what kind of character God possesses. Jesus’ life gives us firsthand knowledge of what the true way of life is, allowing us to cooperate with Him in His purpose. Among many other things, we see God teaching, healing, sacrificing His life, correcting in love, guarding His flock, and patiently counseling.
John W. Ritenbaugh
From The Third Commandment (1997)
—————————————————————
Bahasa Indonesia
| Matius 11:25-27 |
| 11:25 |
Pada waktu itu berkatalah Yesus: “Aku bersyukur kepada-Mu, Bapa, Tuhan langit dan bumi, karena semuanya itu Engkau sembunyikan bagi orang bijak dan orang pandai, tetapi Engkau nyatakan kepada orang kecil. |
| 11:26 |
Ya Bapa, itulah yang berkenan kepada-Mu. |
| 11:27 |
Semua telah diserahkan kepada-Ku oleh Bapa-Ku dan tidak seorangpun mengenal Anak selain Bapa, dan tidak seorangpun mengenal Bapa selain Anak dan orang yang kepadanya Anak itu berkenan menyatakannya. |
| Yohanes 1:14 |
| 1:14 |
Firman itu telah menjadi manusia, dan diam di antara kita, dan kita telah melihat kemuliaan-Nya, yaitu kemuliaan yang diberikan kepada-Nya sebagai Anak Tunggal Bapa, penuh kasih karunia dan kebenaran. |
| Yohanes 1:18 |
| 1:18 |
Tidak seorangpun yang pernah melihat Allah; tetapi Anak Tunggal Allah, yang ada di pangkuan Bapa, Dialah yang menyatakan-Nya. |
| Yohanes 14:6-10 |
| 14:6 |
Kata Yesus kepadanya: “Akulah jalan dan kebenaran dan hidup. Tidak ada seorangpun yang datang kepada Bapa, kalau tidak melalui Aku. |
| 14:7 |
Sekiranya kamu mengenal Aku, pasti kamu juga mengenal Bapa-Ku. Sekarang ini kamu mengenal Dia dan kamu telah melihat Dia.” |
| 14:8 |
Kata Filipus kepada-Nya: “Tuhan, tunjukkanlah Bapa itu kepada kami, itu sudah cukup bagi kami.” |
| 14:9 |
Kata Yesus kepadanya: “Telah sekian lama Aku bersama-sama kamu, Filipus, namun engkau tidak mengenal Aku? Barangsiapa telah melihat Aku, ia telah melihat Bapa; bagaimana engkau berkata: Tunjukkanlah Bapa itu kepada kami. |
| 14:10 |
Tidak percayakah engkau, bahwa Aku di dalam Bapa dan Bapa di dalam Aku? Apa yang Aku katakan kepadamu, tidak Aku katakan dari diri-Ku sendiri, tetapi Bapa, yang diam di dalam Aku, Dialah yang melakukan pekerjaan-Nya. |
Musa pernah meminta untuk dapat melihat kemuliaan Tuhan secara kasat mata, dan saat itu Tuhan menyatakan nama-Nya secara verbal. Yesus berkata, “Jika kamu ingin melihat pikiran dan sifat Allah, jika kamu ingin melihat perilaku Allah, pandanglah Aku.” Kepada kita semua, Tuhan menyingkapkan keberadaan-Nya dan menyatakan kemuliaan-Nya melalui hidup, pekerjaan dan perkataan Yesus dari Nazaret dan di saat yang sama Tuhan membuka pikiran kita oleh Roh-Nya yang Kudus.
Yesus adalah “Jalan” karena seluruh umat manusia, hanya Dia yang tidak dirusak oleh dosa, yang memiliki pengetahuan yang mendalam akan Allah. Untuk mengenal Allah, itu semua tergantung pengetahuan kita yang sesungguhnya akan Yesus. Karena Yesus yang menunjukkan jalan yang harus kita lalui, arah jalan dan norma kehidupan dan untuk berhubungan dengan orang lain. Berikut adalah gambaran cara Yesus memberikan pengetahuan kepada kita. Ketika kita berada di kota yang asing bagi kita, sering kali kita haru bertanya akan arah jalan, terkadang jawaban yang kita dapat malah membuat kita lebih bingung karena kita tidak mengenal kota itu. Tapi ketika kita bertanya arah jalan kepada Yesus, Dia menjawab, “Mari, ikutlah Aku, dan Aku akan membawamu ke sana”
Beberapa orang mungkin ada yang mengajar tentang kebenaran, akan tetapi pribadi Yesus adalah kebenaran; Yesus adalah “Kebenaran” itu sendiri. Seseorang mungkin mengajar geometri, dan karakter si pengajar mungkin saja tidak akan mempengaruhi ajarannya. Tapi jika seseorang mengajarkan kebenaran moral, karakternya pasti kualitas tertinggi. Menjaga hukum Taurat ketiga dengan benar akan membuat kita tetap pada orbit pengetahuan yang sebenarnya akan Allah dan jalan-Nya.
Kolose 1:15; 2:9 adalah salah satu ayat di dalam Alkitab di antara banyak pernyataan kuat lainnya akan sifat ilahi Yesus: “Ia adalah gambar Allah yang tidak kelihatan, yang sulung, lebih utama dari segala yang diciptakan. Sebab dalam Dialah berdiam secara jasmaniah seluruh kepenuhan ke-Allahan.” Karena Yesus adalah Allah, maka Yesus tidak hanya setara dengan Allah dan mencerminkan Allah, akan tetapi Yesus juga menyingkapkan pribadi Allah kepada kita. Yesus sepenuhnya kudus dan memiliki wewenang untuk menghakimi dunia.
Tidak ada cara lain untuk melihat Tuhan dengan jelas selain memandang kepada Kristus. Dia adalah wahyu Allah yang seutuhnya kepada manusia. Dia adalah wujud Allah yang sempurna dalam tubuh manusia. Dia itu unik: Allah yang menjadi manusia, di saat yang sama sebagai Allah di ruang waktu yang terbatas dengan manusia lainnya.
Yesus memiliki setiap kesempatan yang sama dengan manusia, menyia-nyiakan waktu, menjadi sakit, makan dengan rakus dan menjadi overweight, minum minuman keras dan mengalami hangover, dikuasai amarah atau menyerang orang lain ketika ada orang yang menusuk keagungan diri-Nya. Dia bisa saja menjadi pahit hati karena penolakan atau menjadi depresi ketika sesuatu tidak berjalan seperti yang direncanakan-Nya. Dia bisa saja bekerja atau bermain dengan tingkat persaingan yang ketat untuk dapat memenangkan dengan sgala cara. Dia harus menghadapi kematian, kematian diri-Nya sendiri sebagaimana orang-orang yang dikasihi-Nya. Dia bisa saja sudah merasakan orang-orang berkumpul memusuhi diri-Nya.
Injil menunjukkan Tuhan menjalani hidup dalam kondisi sama seperti manusia lainnya. Barulah sekarang kita dapat melihat karakter seperti apa yang Tuhan miliki. Kehidupan Yesus memberikan pengajaran langsung kepada kita akan jalan hidup yang sesungguhnya, memberikan kita kesempatan untuk bekerja sama dengan-Nya dalam rancangan-Nya. Di antara itu juga, kita melihat Tuhan mengajar, menyembuhkan, mengorbankan nyawa-Nya, menegur dalam kasih, menjaga kumpulan domba-Nya, dan dengan sabar menasihati kita.
John W. Ritenbaugh
From The Third Commandment (1997)
The Berean: Siapakah Yesus?
Siapakah Yesus?
diterjemahkan dari: http://dawords.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/the-berean-who-is-jesus/
Di dalam hati keKristenan, terpusat sebuah pertanyaan, “Siapakah Yesus Kristus sesungguhnya?” Pertanyaan ini mungkin masih terdengar menarik bagi sebagian orang, karena pertanyaan seperti ini masih berlaku setelah keKristenan beraktifitas hampir dua milenia. Dan mungkin akan terlihat aneh bahwa penganut agama Kristen belum menemukan kesepakatan akan siapa sesungguhnya yang mendirikan agama mereka. Fakta ini akan bermakna besar kepada siapapun yang mengaku “Orang Kristen”, yang pada dasarnya berarti “pengikut Kristus.” Jika orang-orang Kristen dapat dengan penelitian mendalam menyatakan ketidak sepakatan mereka mengenai pribadi Yesus Kristus, dapatkah mereka sesungguhnya mengikuti Pribadi yang sama?
Subjek kali ini menjadi yang terpenting sejak pada umumnya keKristenan menyatakan mereka menyampaikan pesan tentang Yesus. Apa yang satu orang percaya mengenai Yesus, lalu orang tersebut akan menyampaikan pemahamannya akan agama Kristen yang dianutnya. Kita dapat melihat hasil dari proses pemahaman tiap-tiap orang ini pada kehadiran ribuan denominasi Kristen yang tersebar di penjuru dunia. Mereka semua mengaku sebagai orang Kristen, akan tetapi tiap denominasi memiliki penekanan masing-masing akan Yesus dalam pengajaran mereka. Contoh:
» Baptis
Denominasi ini menamai diri mereka seturut teladan Yesus saat dibaptis dan mereka secara turun temurun menekankan kepada aturan perilaku tertentu seperti: Tidak boleh minum minuman keras, tidak boleh bermain kartu, tidak boleh menari. Yesus bagi penganut aliran ini adalah seorang Guru besar yang mengajarkan nilai-nilai moral.
» Pentakosta
Mereka yang menganut aliran ini, menyebut diri mereka sebagai orang-orang yang menerima janji Yesus akan karunia Roh Kudus, yang mana digenapi saat perjamuan Pentakosta setelah kematian dan kebangkitan Yesus. Penganut aliran ini dikenal dengan baik karena merindukan untuk mengekspresikan karunia-karunia Roh. Pada umumnya mereka mampu berbicara dalam bahasa Roh. Dengan kata lain, Yesus bagi mereka adalah Pembuat Mujizat.
» Advent Hari ke Tujuh
Denominasi ini mengambil nama mereka dari hari ke tujuh, yaitu hari Sabat. Yang mana Yesus sendiri dengan jelas tercatat memegang amanat ibadah Hari Sabat ini, sama seperti akan janji-Nya untuk datang kembali. Penganut aliran ini memposisikan Yesus di tempat yang lebih tinggi sebagai pembawa tempat peristirahatan yang akan datang dari Tuhan.
» Metodis
Penganut aliran ini disebut Metodis karena John Wesley menekankan pada terstrukturnya metode pendekatan akan pendalaman Alkitab dan cara hidup orang Kristen, John mengajarkan bahwa orang-orang percaya harus melatih “free will” yang mereka miliki untuk diarahkan untuk datang kepada Kristus (sebagai cara perlawanan yang benar-benar agar ditakdirkan untuk keselamatan). Dengan demikian, mereka mengangkat banyak perintah Yesus kepada jemaatnya untuk aktif terlibat dalam keselamatan pribadi masing-masing dan pertumbuhan keKristenan.
» Gereja Reform
Gereja Reform yang merupakan pengikut ajaran John Calvin, menggaris bawahi pentingnya penebusan melalui iman kepada Kristus. Denominasi ini merupakan gerakan perlawanan terhadap penyimpangan penerapan doktrin Gereja Katolik jaman kerajaan. Dalam pandangan mereka, Yesus dilihat sebagai Penebus yang agung.
Sebagian besar denominasi dapat dikenali – bahkan ada yg bilang dapat digambarkan – dengan mengenali konsep mereka akan pribadi Yesus itu sendiri. Yesus memang sosok pusat dari keKristenan; jadi cara seseorang memandang pribadi Kristus menentukan apa yang orang tersebut percayai dan agama yang dianut.
Kebingungan mengenai pribadi Yesus sesungguhnya telah dimulai ketika Ia masih hidup, bahkan hal ini terjadi di antara orang-orang yang telah mengenal-Nya seumur hidup-Nya selama mengambil rupa manusia:
Setibanya di tempat asal-Nya, Yesus mengajar orang-orang di situ di rumah ibadat mereka. Maka takjublah mereka dan berkata: “Dari mana diperoleh-Nya hikmat itu dan kuasa untuk mengadakan mujizat-mujizat itu? Bukankah Ia ini anak tukang kayu? Bukankah ibu-Nya bernama Maria dan saudara-saudara-Nya: Yakobus, Yusuf, Simon dan Yudas? Dan bukankah saudara-saudara-Nya perempuan semuanya ada bersama kita? Jadi dari mana diperoleh-Nya semuanya itu?” Lalu mereka kecewa dan menolak Dia (Matius 13:54-57a)
Sepertinya juga ada perdebatan secara umum di daerah Yudea akan siapa Yesus itu sesungguhnya:
- Setelah Yesus tiba di daerah Kaisarea Filipi, Ia bertanya kepada murid-murid-Nya: “Kata orang, siapakah Anak Manusia itu?” Jawab mereka: “Ada yang mengatakan: Yohanes Pembaptis, ada juga yang mengatakan: Elia dan ada pula yang mengatakan: Yeremia atau salah seorang dari para nabi.” (Matius 16:13-14)
- Dan ketika Ia masuk ke Yerusalem, gemparlah seluruh kota itu dan orang berkata: “Siapakah orang ini?” Dan orang banyak itu menyahut: “Inilah nabi Yesus dari Nazaret di Galilea.” (Matius 21:10-11)
- Beberapa orang Yerusalem berkata: “Bukankah Dia ini yang mereka mau bunuh? Dan lihatlah, Ia berbicara dengan leluasa dan mereka tidak mengatakan apa-apa kepada-Nya. Mungkinkah pemimpin kita benar-benar sudah tahu, bahwa Ia adalah Kristus? Tetapi tentang orang ini kita tahu dari mana asal-Nya, tetapi bilamana Kristus datang, tidak ada seorangpun yang tahu dari mana asal-Nya.” (Yohanes 7:25-27)
Tentunya, musuh-musuh Yesus pun memiliki pertanyaan-pertanyaan akan diri-Nya yang sesungguhnya:
- Tetapi ahli-ahli Taurat dan orang-orang Farisi berpikir dalam hatinya: “Siapakah orang yang menghujat Allah ini? Siapa yang dapat mengampuni dosa selain dari pada Allah sendiri?” (Lukas 5:21)
- Dan mereka, yang duduk makan bersama Dia, berpikir dalam hati mereka: “Siapakah Ia ini, sehingga Ia dapat mengampuni dosa?” (Lukas 7:49)
- Maka kata sebagian orang-orang Farisi itu: “Orang ini tidak datang dari Allah, sebab Ia tidak memelihara hari Sabat.” Sebagian pula berkata: “Bagaimanakah seorang berdosa dapat membuat mujizat yang demikian?” Maka timbullah pertentangan di antara mereka. (Yohanes 9:16)
Akan tetapi, Matius 16:15-17 menunjukkan kepada kita titik awal yang terbaik untuk mengenal diriNya dan dikonfirmasikan oleh Kristus sendiri ketika Ia menjawab pertanyaan, “Siapakah Yesus?”
Lalu Yesus bertanya kepada mereka [murid-murid-Nya]: “Tetapi apa katamu, siapakah Aku ini?” Maka jawab Simon Petrus: “Engkau adalah Mesias, Anak Allah yang hidup!” Kata Yesus kepadanya: “Berbahagialah engkau Simon bin Yunus sebab bukan manusia yang menyatakan itu kepadamu, melainkan Bapa-Ku yang di sorga.
Jawaban yang dinyatakan oleh Bapa adalah Yesus adalah Mesias yang telah dijanjikan, yang secara hurufiah merupakan Anak dari Penguasa Agung alam semesta. Tentunya, Dia lebih berkuasa daripada ini, tadi dua fakta ini merupakan adalah dasar kita berpijak kepada pemahaman yang lebih rohani akan keagungan sang Pencipta. Mereka memberikan dasar dari hubungan-Nya dengan kita dan masa depan kita, sebagaimana pula hubungannya dengan sifat ilahi, membuat Yesus sebagai jembatan antara manusia dan Tuhan. Dengan dasar ini, barulah kita dapat memulai pertimbangan yang lebih mendalam akan Yesus secara alkitabiah.
Diterjemahkan dari: The Berean
The Berean: Who is Jesus?
Who is Jesus?
At the heart of Christianity is a central question, “Just who is Jesus Christ?” It may be astounding to some that such a question is still relevant after nearly two millennia of Christian activity, but as strange as it may seem, even Christians do not agree about the nature of the founder of their religion. This fact says a great deal about those who profess to be “Christian,” which at its most basic means “follower of Christ.” If Christians display such profound disagreement about Jesus Christ Himself, can they all really be following the same Person?
This subject becomes all the more important since, in its most common form, Christianity is proclaimed as a message about Jesus. What a person believes about Jesus, then, informs his understanding of the religion itself. We can see the result of this process in the thousands of Christian denominations in all parts of the world. While they all proclaim to be Christian, the individual sects emphasize different aspects of Jesus in their teaching. For instance:
» Baptists name themselves after Jesus’ practice of baptizing converts, and they traditionally stress conformity to certain behavioral rules: no drinking, no card playing, no dancing. Jesus, to them, is a great moral Teacher.
» Pentecostals, on the other hand, call themselves after Jesus’ promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit, which was fulfilled on the Feast of Pentecost after Jesus’ death and resurrection. They are known for their great desire to express the gifts of the Spirit, particularly being able to speak in tongues. In other words, their Jesus is a Miracle Worker.
» Seventh-day Adventists take their name from the seventh-day Sabbath, which Jesus is plainly shown to have kept, as well as from His promise to come again. They promote Jesus as the bringer of the soon-coming rest of God.
» Methodists are so called because John Wesley emphasized a structured, methodical approach to Bible study and Christian living, teaching that believers must exercise their free will to come to Christ (as opposed to being absolutely predestined to salvation). Thus, they highlight Jesus’ many commands for the individual to be actively involved in his own salvation and Christian growth.
» The Reformed Churches, descendants of the teaching of John Calvin, underscore the necessity of grace through faith in Christ, a reaction to abuses of the medieval Catholic Church’s doctrine of works. In this way, they see Jesus as a gracious Redeemer.
Most denominations can be characterized—some would say caricatured—by identifying their concepts of Jesus Himself. He is Christianity’s central figure, so how one views Christ determines what one believes and the religion he follows.
This confusion about Him actually began during His own life—even among those who had known Him all His life:
When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” So they were offended at Him. (Matthew 13:54-57)
It seems that there was general disagreement in Judea over just who He was:
» When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:13-14)
» 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.” (Matthew 21:10-11)
» Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” (John 7:25-27)
Of course, His enemies had questions about Him too:
» And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Luke 5:21)
» And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” (Luke 7:49)
» Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. (John 9:16)
However, Matthew 16:15-17 provides us with the best starting point, confirmed by Christ Himself, in answering the question, “Who is Jesus?”
He said to [His disciples], “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”
The God-revealed answer is that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the literal Son of the Supreme Being of all the universe. Of course, He is a great deal more than this, but these two facts are the most foundational to our spiritual understanding of this wonderful Being. They give us the basis of His relationship to us and our future, as well as His relationship to Deity, fixing Him as the bridge between man and God. From this foundation, we can begin a deeper consideration of the biblical Jesus.
From: The Berean
