First, we take a look at three examples when Jesus came to fulfill the Law. Next, we see some miracles He did on earth, and preached the Gospel for us who are poor in spirit. Thirdly, we speak about some spiritual things He did, and are glad to know that He proclaimed the favorable year of the Lord. From an example of the Old Testament, we can see that we need God to open our eyes to see spiritual things. Next, we talk about some teachings by Jesus regarding the fact that miracles are sometimes necessary, and one miracle that Christians should be able to get. We talk about why we should be one in love, and His promise about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Finally, we’ll discuss why we are destined in Jesus since Genesis.
The Bible records clearly according to Luke in the Gospel Luke what Jesus did and taught. He not only taught but also did miracles and signs to verify His Words [1]. In Matthew 5:17-18, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” What He did and taught indeed accomplished the Law. Let us use three examples in the Old Testament to illustrate this.
First, He started to preach when he was about thirty years old [2], which is consistent with what it says according to the Law in Numbers 4:21-23, “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers’ households, by their families; from thirty years and upward to fifty years old, you shall number them; all who enter to perform the service to do the work in the tent of meeting.” Apparently, a priest is a one who enters to perform the service to do the work in the tent of meeting.” He is a priest [3]. Secondly, He had no sin [4], but got baptized in a way that is fitting to fulfill all righteousness [5], and it is also as our example. Thirdly, He said in Matthew 5:20, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” For example, He obeyed the true meaning of Sabbath, not like the Pharisees who obeyed the Law on the surface [6].
Next, let us take a look at what Jesus said what He did in Matthew 11:4-5, “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” We’ll not described what He did on earth since the four Gospels have their detailed description. The poor refers not only to those in low income, but also to us who are poor spiritually.
As a matter of fact, He told us at the beginning what He did including spiritual things in Luke 4:17-19, “And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”” Indeed, the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him as said in John 3:34, “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.”
So, are we ready to believe that this is our situation? It is said in Isaiah 42:18-20, “Hear, you deaf! And look, you blind, that you may see. Who is blind but My servant, Or so deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is so blind as he that is at peace with Me, Or so blind as the servant of the Lord? You have seen many things, but you do not observe them; Your ears are open, but none hears.” Indeed, we need God to open our spiritual eyes to see spiritual things like described in 2 Kings 6:15-17, “Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
Here, let us see some teachings He taught us. Since we’ll talk about miracles next, we may talk about what is the definition of miracles in our opinion. It should indicate the trajectory of God or what God does. In this definition, Satan can only do supernatural things [7]. Therefore, miracles in a loose sense include that God created air, water, etc. These are all things that God did. So, we are ordinarily talking about miracles in narrow sense, which were what was described in the four Gospels. Knowing and truly believing are different. Sometimes, it is necessary to see miracles as described in John 4:46-48, “…And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. …So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”” If you think that there is no need to see miracles, you don’t see one normally. However, the Holy Trinity has the absolute authority [8]. If He let you see miracles, you see them. In fact, the change of life itself is a supernatural miracle, which we can’t do ourselves since life comes from God alone [8]. Therefore, the way of sanctification is passive. We can only be willing, and work with God. Every Christian can at least have this miracle.
Jesus’ teachings are plenty in the Bible. It is impossible to go through all of them in this short article. We have to read the Bible to get the details. Here we mention one more teaching and one promise. First, we need to become one in love as He and Father are. In John 17:11, it says, “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.” For the teaching, He also says as follows. “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.”(John 15:9) “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.”(John 15:12) For the one promise, He promised that the Holy Spirit would come. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”(John 14:26) “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me.”(John 15:26) “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.”(John 16:7)
We had discussed all the words He said on the cross. Next, we’ll state briefly the final process when He was nailed at the cross. First, He was betrayed by the symbol of love ‘kiss’ as said in Matthew 26:48-49, “Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.” “…Then all the disciples left Him and fled.”(Matthew 26:56) Peter also denied Jesus three times, but realized it and repented immediately as stated in Matthew 26:75 “And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.” Next, He was brought before Caiaphas, the high priest [10]. “Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death; and they bound Him, and led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate the governor.”(Matthew 27:1-2) At end, He had no sin, but was nailed on the cross for political reasons. He had no sin as was said clearly by the governor, “For he (Pilate) knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.”(Matthew 27:18) In Matthew 27:23-24, it says, “And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!” When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”” Do you think that he could wash away his sin just by washing his hand? Definitely not. Lastly, we’ll talk about His burial. “When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock;. ..”(Matthew 27:57-60) This was prophesied long time ago in Isaiah 53:9, “His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, …” You can find out the details in the corresponding Bible verses.
Finally, why do we say that we have destined to be in Jesus since Genesis? In Hebrews 2:6-8, it says, “But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? “You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. …” So, since Genesis, we had made lower than the angels. Satan is a fallen angel, but still an angel. However, Hebrews 2:8-9 also says, “…But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” Only the resurrection of Jesus prevailed against Satan. We are lower than Satan since Genesis. If we are not in Jesus, how can we prevail at all? So, we have destined to be in Jesus since Genesis.
Some related verses
[1] Acts 1:1-3, “The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.” Acts 2:22, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know.” John 6:14, “Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.””
[2] Luke 3:23, “When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, …”
[3] Hebrews 8:1, “Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest (Jesus), who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.”
[4] Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”
[5] Matthew 3:15, “But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.”
[6] Matthew 23:23, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.” Luke 13:15-16, “But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?””
[7] Job 1:16, “While he was still speaking, another (messanger) also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.””
[8] Romans 9:15, “For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”*
[9] 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”
[10] Matthew 26:56-57, “But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled. Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.”
(Verses refer to those in NASB unless otherwise specified.)
(You can get all articles in “https://a-christian-voice.com/” under “On spiritual understanding about life.”)
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