April 21, 2022
JESUS CORRECTS THOSE WHO DENY THE RESURRECTION The Sadducees, who denied the resurrection and only accepted the five books of Moses, came to Jesus presenting a question that they thought would make the idea of the resurrection seem ridiculous. However, Christ’s response made their question seem ridiculous instead. After dismissing their multiple wives premise in
April 21, 2021
THE DIVINITY AND PREEXISTENCE OF CHRIST Jesus asked the Jewish leaders this question not to suggest that the Messiah wouldn’t be born into the line of David, but rather to show them that he would be the Son of God. It was a well known doctrine among the Jews that the Messiah would be born
April 20, 2021
SILENT AND AMAZED AT JESUS The Jewish leaders sent spies to entrap Jesus with what they thought was an unanswerable question. They asked Jesus, “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” They had carefully crafted the politically charged question, so that if he answered in the positive, he would offend
April 21, 2019
JESUS EXPLAINS AND PROVES THE RESURRECTION! The Sadducees, who denied the resurrection and only accepted the five books of Moses, came to Jesus presenting a case that they thought would make the idea of the resurrection seem ridiculous. However, Christ’s response made their doubt seem ridiculous instead. After dismissing their multiple wives premise in only
April 20, 2019
JESUS ANSWERS AN UNANSWERABLE QUESTION The Jewish leaders sent spies to entrap Jesus with what they thought was an unanswerable question. They asked Jesus, “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” They had carefully crafted the politically charged question, so that if he answered in the positive, he would offend
April 21, 2018
THE DIVINITY OF THE MESSIAH
Jesus asked the Jewish leaders this question not to suggest that the Messiah wouldn’t be the son of David, but rather to show them that he would be the Son of God. It was a well known doctrine among the Jews that the Messiah would be born into the lineage of David. But they emphasized his human side and missed the divine. Jesus sought to correct their misunderstanding with a question, “Why did David call the Messiah, Lord?” Jesus was teaching them that the Messiah would be both a Son of David and Son of God. He would be born into David’s lineage, but would be greater than David. Thus, David himself would bow to the Messiah as Lord.
Humanly speaking, Jesus was born into the line of David. Both Mary and Joseph were from the line of David and therefore had to return to the Town of David, Bethlehem, for the Roman census. Mary’s line established His human lineage and Joseph’s, His legal right. Yet, as the Son of God, there never was a time that Christ was not. He is God. He is not only greater than David, He is greater than all.
When the Jewish leaders questioned Him saying, “Are you greater than our father, Abraham?” (John 8:53). Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58).
April 20, 2018
THE QUESTION OF AUTHORITY
When the leading priests, teachers and elders interrupted Jesus’ teaching in the Temple to ask the source of His authority, it was actually the source of theirs that came into question. For when He challenged them to answer whether John the Baptist’s authority was from heaven or from man, they balked. The very men that were supposedly set apart to judge whether a prophet was true or false were afraid to give an honest answer because they feared the people who believed in John’s calling from God. So, they lied saying they didn’t know. Their answer revealed their authority, or should I say the lack thereof. For their authority was merely human and dependent on keeping the right people happy. Jesus’ refusal to answer their question actually revealed that His authority was greater than theirs. He felt no obligation to answer to these people-pleasing hypocrites. So, these so-called leaders scurried away, with the tails of their robes tucked between their legs, back into their darkened rooms where they would plan their next scheme for ridding themselves of Jesus.
Jesus’ authority came from God. As the gospel of John quoted Jesus saying, “I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say” (John 12:49-50).
April 21, 2015
The Sadducees, who denied the resurrection and only accepted the five books of Moses, came to Jesus presenting a case that they thought would make the idea of the resurrection seem ridiculous. However, Christ’s response made their doubt seem ridiculous instead. After dismissing their multiple wives premise in only a few words, He used the burning bush story from the book of Exodus (one of the few books they accepted) to show them proof of the resurrection; namely, that God identified Himself as the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Jesus demolished their anti-resurrection argument and left them silent. Yet, Jesus wasn’t finished. He backed up His words with action, becoming the firstborn from among the dead and guaranteeing the resurrection of all those who believe.
April 21, 2014
Jesus challenged the bad theology of the Sadducees (who denied the resurrection and only affirmed the 5 books of Moses). Since they only believed Moses, He used Moses’ words to teach them about the resurrection. Be careful of strict theological systems because they can lead to error. Jesus is the only true criterion for understanding God and His doctrines. Jesus is the lens that brings God’s Word into focus. Only those who have the mind of Christ can rightly divide His Word. Jesus not only proved the resurrection from the Scriptures, He proved it in history by being raised from the dead.
April 20, 2014
After hearing Jesus tell the parable of the evil tenants, the people wondered at how terrible the tenants treated the Owner’s son. At this, Jesus pointed them to the Scripture found in Psalm 118:22 that described how their spiritual leaders would reject the true stone for the temple which would turn out to be the Cornerstone that undergirds their entire worship. The Jewish leaders knew that Jesus was comparing them to the evil tenants and they fulfilled the Psalm by rejecting Him and turning Him over to Pilate to be crucified. Yet, on the third day He arose. The stone the builders rejected became the Chief Cornerstone. The Resurrected Christ is the foundation of our faith! The Church is built on Him!