Saturday, June 1, 2019

Luke 22:63-71 comments: under interrogation Jesus makes it clear that He is the Son of man, the Son of God, the Messiah


22:63 ¶  And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. 64  And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? 65  And many other things blasphemously spake they against him. 66  And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, 67  Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: 68  And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. 69  Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. 70  Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. 71  And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

We believe and have faith that Jesus Christ was God walking in human flesh.

John 1:1 ¶  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  The same was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

It is astounding to think of the creator of all things being subjected to such treatment by the things He created. Not only that but subjected to this maltreatment at the hand of the special people He made out of the nations of the earth.

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Mocking and making sport of is a characteristic trait of the wicked when they have power over someone and that person appears helpless. Mocking a helpless enemy is a terrible sign of a spiritual weakness and evil. It has been a common thing throughout history.

Judges 16:25  And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

Jesus acknowledges that He is the Messiah and in 69 and 70 we see that the phrase the Son of man with a capital S and the Son of God with a capital S are synonymous as understood by the Jews of this time. This clears up any questions on that issue as to why Jesus used that title often as reported in every gospel. The Son of man is the Son of God as Jesus was fully man and fully God, the Messiah, God in the flesh.

Note the prophetic importance of that title in Daniel.

Daniel 7:13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

The Jews understood Jesus’ claim to being the Christ, the Messiah.

John 5:18  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

It is not politically convenient for them to believe Him so they do not, having accused Him of blasphemy. Christ has validated His claim to being the Messiah by the miracles and healings He has performed. He also has done it by the prophecies concerning His death that are littered throughout the gospels. Some people have claimed that He was simply a great moral teacher, such as Thomas Jefferson, an early president. But, either Jesus was God or He was crazy or He was evil. You must decide what you believe about Him because the Bible clearly says that if you do not believe what He said about Himself then God’s wrath abides on you.

John 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Jesus said that He was the only way to God the Father.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

He said to have seen Him was to have seen the Father.

John 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

He declared, as He did in this passage in Luke, that He was the Son of man, the Son of God, the Messiah and Christ. Notice this passage in John.

John 4:25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

The Bible says that you must believe in a physical resurrection to be saved from Hell and ultimate destruction in a lake of unquenchable fire in eternity.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 ¶  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek [general term for non-Jews in Roman culture]: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Do you believe?

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