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Introduction.
John’s Meeting with Mary.
Now it came to past,when the virgins which braided the vail were athirst,that Mary took a pitcher and went out to fill it with water. And John,the Messenger of the lord,standing by the well saluted her,saying,
“Hail Mary,thou that art highly favoured,the Lord is with thee;blessed art thou among women!”(This is the secret code/password).
An Mary said “Let thy handmaid find grace in thy sight.If that thou sayest is true,be it unto me according to thy word(John’s word).
John answered:Go to the house of my mother Elizabeth,and hasten with her to the place that I have appointed.
And he departed from her.And when she had filled the pitcher she went away trembling and sat down in her seat,saying naught to her companions.
And Mary arose and went with haste and entered into the house of Elizabeth.
When therefore Mary knew that the Messenger(John) spake no deceit she abode with Elizabeth three days and afterward went with her to Beth-Nimrah across Jordan,even as (Messenger)John had appointed.
Nazarene Gospel 3:16-20.
Marriage of John & Mary.
At Beth-Nimrah’s Temple Across Jordan
Where is thy father”?
Jesus reply:”Ye neither know me nor my father.If ye had known me ye should have
known my father also.” John 8:19.
Saying of Jesus:1.Do not commit adultery.
2.Do not kill.
3.Do not steal.
4.Do not bear false witness.
5.Honour thy father and thy mother.
Mark10;29 How did Jesus obey the 5th of the commandments?”But I honour my father,and ye
do dishonour me”.John 8:49.
“And the Pharisees came to Jesus and asked him,”It is lawful for a man to put away his wife? “Tempting him?”..”From the begining of the creation of God made them male and female”.For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife”.What therefore God hath joined together,let no man put assunder.”
Mark 10:2-9
Jesus’ Statement-“True”Claim,
“False” Interpretation.
Jesus Statement.
“Verily,Verily,I say unto you,before Abraham was
I Am.” John 8:58.
Christians: They interpret these words of Jesus to mean that Jesus was before Abraham.
They hold this proof that Jesus is immortal. He existed before creation.
By this claim,they argue,that Jesus is God incarnated in human flesh.
Occasion:
In verbal clash between Jesus and Jewish clergy in the Treasury of Jerusalem’s Holy Temple. John 8:48-59.
Jews:
They accused Jesus of being possessed of a Devil by his saying:
“Verily,Verily,I say unto you,if a man keep my saying,he shall never tast of death.”
Text 8:52-56.
Jews:
“Now we know that thou has a devil.Abraham is dead and the Prophets;and thou sayest,if a man keep my saying,he shall not taste of death.
Art thou greater than our father Abraham,which is dead?
And the Prophets are dead;who makest thou thyself?
Jesus:
“If I honour myself,my honour is nothing;it is my father that honoureth me;of whom ye say is your god.
Yet ye have not know him; but I know him;and if I should say,I know him not,
I shall be a liar like unto you,but I know him and keep his saying.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my days;and he saw it,and was glad”.
Text 8:57-58.
Jews:”Thou art not yet fifty years old,and hast thou seen Abraham?” John 8:57.
Jesus:
“Varily.Verily,I say unto you,before Abraham was,I Am”.John 8:58.
Question:
1.According to 8:58.Who was before Abraham?
Jesus or God?
2.According to 8:58.Who was “I Am.”
Jesus or God?
Before Abraham was I am.”
Who was “I am”?Jesus or God?
Exodus 3:13-15.
“And Moses said unto God,’Behold,when I come unto the children of Israel,and shall say unto them,The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you;and they shall say unto me,what is His Name ?What shall I say unto them?And God said unto Moses, I Am that I Am;And He said,thus shall thou say unto the children of Israel,I Am hath sent me unto you.
The Lord God of your fathers,the God of Abraham,the God of Isaac,and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you;this is My Name,
for ever and this is my memorial unto all generations.”
God’s Name:Moses:’God,What is your name’?
God:’I AM THAT I AM’.
God:’Say unto the children of Israel,I AM hath sent me unto you.’
God:’This is my “Name for ever”.
God:’This is my Memorial unto all generations’
Understanding Jesus’s Speech.
Since:God’s personal name is I AM.
Therefore:’I AM’ is God by name.
Thus :’Before Abraham was,I AM.
Means :’Before Abraham was,God.
Or :God was before Abraham.
Better yet: In ages before Abraham was,God.
What Jesus meant.
False:That he Jesus was before Abraham.
True: That God was before Abraham.
I AM was not Jesus:
1.I AM is God.
2.I AM is God’s name for ever.
3.By God’s own testimony.
Jesus:
Why do ye not understand my speech?even because ye cannot hear my word.
And because I tell you the truth,you believe me not.
Which of you convinceth me of sin?And if I say the truth,why do ye not believe me?
He that is of God heareth God’s words;Ye therefore hear them not,because ye are
not of God. John 8:43-47.
Jesus’ Claim:
1.Destroy this Temple and in three days I will rise it up.
2.I am the King of Israel.
3.I am the son of God.
These claims were deemed,
1.Sedition.
2.Treason.
3.Blasphemy.
4.Offences,for which,the punishment was crucifixion.
The 3 charges aganist Jesus precisely defined. Matthew 27:39-43.
And they that passed by reviled him,wagging their heads,and saying,
1.’Thou that “destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three days”,save thyself ,If thou be the son of God,come down from the cross.’
Likewise the chief priests mocking him,with the scribes and elders,said,
2.’He save others;himself cannot save;if he be “The King of Israel” ,let him now
come down from the cross,and we will believe him.’
3.’He trusted in God;let him deliver him now,if he will have him;for he said,”I am the son of God.”
Innocent/Not Guilty.
‘Destroy this Temple and in three days I will rise it up’.
Jesus was referring to his body not the temple of Jerusalem which was 40 years
in building.
‘I am the King of Israel.’
Jesus was speaking of his spiritual Kingdom ruled over by Augustus Caesar.
‘I am the son of God.’
Jesus meant he was the son of John who by name and by law was God represented on earth.
Judgement Pronounced by Pilate.
‘Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people,and behold,I,having examined him before you,have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him.And he said unto them the third time,Why,What evil hath he done?I have found no cause for death in him.When Pilate saw he could prevail nothing,but rather a tumult was made,he took water and washed his hands before the multitude,saying,I am innocent of the blood of this just person;see ye to it.
They answered,all the people,and said,his blood be on us,and on our children.’
Matthew 27:24/Luke 23:14.
“Destroy this Temple,and in three days I will rise it up.” (The 1st Charge)As written in the Gospel Text:
‘And the Jews’ passover was at hand,and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.And he found
in the Temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves,and the changers of money sitting;And when he had made a scourge of small chords,he drove them all out of the Temple ,and the sheep and the oxen,and poured out the changers’money and
overthrew the table;And said unto them that sold doves,take these things hence;make not my father’s house an house of merchandise;Then answer the Jews
and said unto him;What sign showest thou unto us seeing that thou doest these things?Jesus answered and said unto them,”Destroy this Temple,and in three days I will rise it up.” Then said the Jews,forty and six years was this temple in building,and wilt thou rear it up in three days?’
John 2:13-20.
Misunderstanding of Jesus’ Words.
When Jesus challanged the Jews to “Destroy the Temple and in three days I will rise it up”,was he referring to the physical structure of Jerusalem’s Holy Temple?
No.But,then,that was how the Jews interpreted his words.And so,they questioned him,thus,” forty six years was this Temple in building and wilt thou rear it up in three days?”
The Temple Jesus meant was his personal physical body.
‘Reveals the truth of Jesus’ words:’John 2:21-22.
But he spake of the Temple of his body.
‘When therefore,he was risen from the dead,his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them,and they believed the scripture,and the word which Jesus had said.’
Foretelling his resurrection likewise.
An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign,and there shall no sign be given to it,but the sign of the Prophet Jonas.For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly,so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth,’ Matthew 12:40.
The 1st charge against Jesus.
Was he guilty or innocent?