Adam Knowlden
02-06-2005, 10:52 PM
The Secret of Jesus Title
· Jesus did not clearly proclaim His title (He did do so indirectly - John 6:41,42; 8:58; 17:4,5) as the Son of God.
· Jesus not clearly state in public, "I am the Messiah", even when they demanded that He do so (Luke 22:67-70)?
· Jesus rarely used the title "the Son of God"? (John 5:25; 10:36; 11:4) Even though by calling God His "Father" He certainly implied it (Matt. 27:43). Instead, He chose the title, "The Son of Man?"
· Examples of those whom knew His identity, yet He forbade to reveal it:
· The disciples: 20Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. " (Matthew 16:15,16,20; also Mark 8:29,30)
· Demons: - “He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was." (Mark 1:24-34)
· The people He healed: 15Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, 16warning them not to tell who he was. (Matthew 12:15,16) (Matthew 8:3,4) (Mark 5:42,43)
· Those He chose to refuse challenges to prove His identity:
· Satan: - 3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4)
· The mockers: - 39Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” (Matt. 27:39,40)
· The chief authorities, teachers and elders: - 41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42“He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
· He spoke in mysteries: 10The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. (Matthew 13:10,11,13,14,34,35)
· His Humbleness masked Him:
"He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him." (John 1:10)
The Fullness of His Identity was not yet Complete:
· There are two things about Christ a person cannot understand by independent of the Father through the Holy Spirit:
1. "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." ... "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in Heaven." (Matthew 16:15-17)
2. The comprehension of spiritual matters- "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing . . . The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:14)
· The Revelation of who He is can only be manifested fully by the Spirit: Deut. 29:29; Job 28:11; Is 45:15; Is.48: 6; Jeremiah 33:3; Daniel 2:22;John 6:37,44-45,65; 1 Corinthians 2:1-13;Colossians 1:26,27; 2:2,3; 4:3
· And the Word- " . . . these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 5:39,40; 20:31; Rom.16: 25,26; Eph.3: 4,5)
· Spiritual Warfare to unbind the minds Satan has blinded: "The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ . . . " (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Why would Jesus want his disciples not to tell anyone about him?
It was not the right time for the people to hear. The seeds were not yet harvested and the time not fulfilled (Genesis 15:1-12; Galatians 4:1-7; Luke 20:9-19; Romans 11:1-32; 2 Peter 3:9-10; Luke 12:41-53).
Mark 4
The Parable of the Sower
1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”
9Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that, “ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”
13Then Jesus said to them, “Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop–thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”
The right time for Christ’s title to be known was after He had been executed and raised from the dead, and only after the dispensation of the Holy Ghost. Jesus was sowing the seeds during His ministry, but only after His death and resurrection was the time of harvest at hand.
Only after Christ mission was complete and the Holy Spirit feel, could the real purposes and understanding of God in sending Messiah be understood for what it truly was.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
“there is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven”…“a time to plant and a time to harvest” and “a time to be quiet and a time to speak up.”
The time to spread the Name of Christ came after his resurrection; until his resurrection, there could not be sufficient understanding of who he really was. Even the disciples were consistently ignorant about Jesus’ full identity and mission until after the resurrection (Mark 6:52; 8:17).
Reflection:
· What gifts has God given you? How do you dispense them? “Blessed to be a Blessing”
· Does God’s humbleness flow through you?
· When we pray for people, we tend to show them more active care. Which non-believing friends, co-workers or neighbors are you actively praying for?
Application:
· The people’s expectation of Messiah was a conquering, sword-bearing King. What they received was a humbling servant, not seeking his own Glory.
· The Holy Spirit reveals Christ; the manifestations of the Holy Spirit do not reveal Christ, i.e. casting out demons, miracles, and supernatural events, they only manifest His power and presence. Like Pharaoh, the Pharisees saw miracles and still did not believe. God “hardened their heart” or “God’s presence inflamed their ego”. The miracles did not humble them; in fact they only made them more spiteful as the miracles revealed their lack of control. Only the recognition of their sinful selves and the knowledge they were living in open rebellion to God could humble them.
· Often in our lives we want Great, Right now, visible victories. But God often works subtly in our lives, molding us. Changing us from “Glory to Glory”, working to develop our character and to produce fruits.
· Development comes from sowing seeds. There are two types of seeds that are sown in the two commandments of Christ.
· 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
· ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind- Often in the form of praying, studying, fasting, meditating, going to church/studies and tithing. The seeds reap a closer relationship with God
· ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘But I tell you: Love your enemies’-Tithing of time and energy towards others. Letting Christ be revealed in us for all to see. (1 Peter 2:12; 3:15; 4:10;Galatians 6:10; Colossians 4:6; 1 John 4:7-13; Philippians 2:12-13; Psalms 18:20-28)
· These seeds reap Christ-like characteristics and fruits of the Spirit. Spiritual maturity.
21He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
· Jesus did not clearly proclaim His title (He did do so indirectly - John 6:41,42; 8:58; 17:4,5) as the Son of God.
· Jesus not clearly state in public, "I am the Messiah", even when they demanded that He do so (Luke 22:67-70)?
· Jesus rarely used the title "the Son of God"? (John 5:25; 10:36; 11:4) Even though by calling God His "Father" He certainly implied it (Matt. 27:43). Instead, He chose the title, "The Son of Man?"
· Examples of those whom knew His identity, yet He forbade to reveal it:
· The disciples: 20Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. " (Matthew 16:15,16,20; also Mark 8:29,30)
· Demons: - “He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was." (Mark 1:24-34)
· The people He healed: 15Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, 16warning them not to tell who he was. (Matthew 12:15,16) (Matthew 8:3,4) (Mark 5:42,43)
· Those He chose to refuse challenges to prove His identity:
· Satan: - 3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4)
· The mockers: - 39Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” (Matt. 27:39,40)
· The chief authorities, teachers and elders: - 41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42“He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
· He spoke in mysteries: 10The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. (Matthew 13:10,11,13,14,34,35)
· His Humbleness masked Him:
"He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him." (John 1:10)
The Fullness of His Identity was not yet Complete:
· There are two things about Christ a person cannot understand by independent of the Father through the Holy Spirit:
1. "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." ... "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in Heaven." (Matthew 16:15-17)
2. The comprehension of spiritual matters- "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing . . . The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:14)
· The Revelation of who He is can only be manifested fully by the Spirit: Deut. 29:29; Job 28:11; Is 45:15; Is.48: 6; Jeremiah 33:3; Daniel 2:22;John 6:37,44-45,65; 1 Corinthians 2:1-13;Colossians 1:26,27; 2:2,3; 4:3
· And the Word- " . . . these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 5:39,40; 20:31; Rom.16: 25,26; Eph.3: 4,5)
· Spiritual Warfare to unbind the minds Satan has blinded: "The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ . . . " (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Why would Jesus want his disciples not to tell anyone about him?
It was not the right time for the people to hear. The seeds were not yet harvested and the time not fulfilled (Genesis 15:1-12; Galatians 4:1-7; Luke 20:9-19; Romans 11:1-32; 2 Peter 3:9-10; Luke 12:41-53).
Mark 4
The Parable of the Sower
1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”
9Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that, “ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”
13Then Jesus said to them, “Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop–thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”
The right time for Christ’s title to be known was after He had been executed and raised from the dead, and only after the dispensation of the Holy Ghost. Jesus was sowing the seeds during His ministry, but only after His death and resurrection was the time of harvest at hand.
Only after Christ mission was complete and the Holy Spirit feel, could the real purposes and understanding of God in sending Messiah be understood for what it truly was.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
“there is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven”…“a time to plant and a time to harvest” and “a time to be quiet and a time to speak up.”
The time to spread the Name of Christ came after his resurrection; until his resurrection, there could not be sufficient understanding of who he really was. Even the disciples were consistently ignorant about Jesus’ full identity and mission until after the resurrection (Mark 6:52; 8:17).
Reflection:
· What gifts has God given you? How do you dispense them? “Blessed to be a Blessing”
· Does God’s humbleness flow through you?
· When we pray for people, we tend to show them more active care. Which non-believing friends, co-workers or neighbors are you actively praying for?
Application:
· The people’s expectation of Messiah was a conquering, sword-bearing King. What they received was a humbling servant, not seeking his own Glory.
· The Holy Spirit reveals Christ; the manifestations of the Holy Spirit do not reveal Christ, i.e. casting out demons, miracles, and supernatural events, they only manifest His power and presence. Like Pharaoh, the Pharisees saw miracles and still did not believe. God “hardened their heart” or “God’s presence inflamed their ego”. The miracles did not humble them; in fact they only made them more spiteful as the miracles revealed their lack of control. Only the recognition of their sinful selves and the knowledge they were living in open rebellion to God could humble them.
· Often in our lives we want Great, Right now, visible victories. But God often works subtly in our lives, molding us. Changing us from “Glory to Glory”, working to develop our character and to produce fruits.
· Development comes from sowing seeds. There are two types of seeds that are sown in the two commandments of Christ.
· 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
· ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind- Often in the form of praying, studying, fasting, meditating, going to church/studies and tithing. The seeds reap a closer relationship with God
· ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘But I tell you: Love your enemies’-Tithing of time and energy towards others. Letting Christ be revealed in us for all to see. (1 Peter 2:12; 3:15; 4:10;Galatians 6:10; Colossians 4:6; 1 John 4:7-13; Philippians 2:12-13; Psalms 18:20-28)
· These seeds reap Christ-like characteristics and fruits of the Spirit. Spiritual maturity.
21He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”