Jesus' highlight reel

(Originally written January 11, 2006 in Notebook 20)

Reading Notes

The Promise & the Blessing

John 1:1-11:57
Matthew 1:1-20:28

The New Testament is not a biography of Jesus' life and career; it is a highlight reel.

-John the Baptist was born to a priest named Zechariah and his barren wife, Elizabeth.
-John the Baptist was a Nazarite.
-After Gabriel informed Zechariah & Elizabeth of the baby to be born to them, Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would give birth. Joseph decided to quietly divorce her but an angel told him not to.
-Jesus is born. The Magi visit him. Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to Egypt and return. Jesus grows up and at age 12 disappears only to be found teaching in the Temple. This is all that is written of Jesus' childhood.
-John's ministry led people to ask if John was the Messiah. He said, "no" and eventually baptized Jesus around A.D. 29.
-After being baptized Jesus left for the Wilderness and was tempted while he fasted for 40 days. Jesus resisted by quoting Scripture.
-After coming from the Wilderness Jesus calls his first disciples: Andrew, Simon (Peter), Philip and Nathaniel
-These four and Jesus go to the wedding in Cana where Jesus performs is first miracle.
-Jesus cleanses the Temple during his first recorded Passover.
-After cleansing the Temple Jesus stays and teaches a while, then goes to Samaria (woman at the well)
-Next Jesus heals the boy from a distance

The first portion of Jesus' career starts to show what he is about with two key incidents:
1) Jesus heals the Leper: this shows Jesus' power to heal and make a person "clean"
2) Jesus heals the paralytic: this shows Jesus has the power to forgive sins

Jesus' miracles were purposeful to validate his claim to being the Messiah.

Structure of Matthew's Gospel

Teaching about the Kingdom of God

"The Kingdom of heaven is near" - Matthew 4:17/Mark 1:15
"The Kingdom of God has come to you" - Matthew 12:28/Luke 11:20
"Thy Kingdom Come" - Matthew 6:10

Two Meanings of "Kingdom" in Jesus' teachings
1) Reign or rule (primary meaning)
2) Realm or territory over with one rules

Matthew 1-28:20
John 1-21:25
Acts 1-7

After the feeding of the 5,000 some disciples began to leave Jesus for political, material and theological reasons.

Chapter 19 Review Questions

1) Jesus refused to give a sign to the praises because the only sign they would see was that of the prophet Jonah
2) The Mount of Transfiguration was where Jesus was transformed in to his Glorious self and talked with Moses & Elijah. It was significant because Peter, James and John saw him in his glory.
3) Jesus came to the festival of Succoth later to avoid drawing a crowd, but appeared publicly to teach.
4) Jesus waited so that he could raise Lazarus from the dead.
5) We determine the date of the crucifixion by determining it happened after the last supper (passover) and by the customs of starting days at sunrise or sunset based on the culture
6) The triumphal entry was Christ riding into Jerusalem on the donkey with crowds laying palms at his feet saying, "Hosanna"
7) The Last Week of Christ
- Jesus' entourage arrived in Bethany on Friday
-Jesus eats with Lazarus, Mary and Martha where Mary pours perfume on his feet (Saturday)
-Sunday was the Triumphal entry (Palm Sunday)
-Monday: Jesus curses the fig tree
-Tuesday: Jesus goes into Jerusalem and confronts the religious leaders
-Wednesday: Prayer & Meditation
-Thursday: Last Supper
-Friday: Trial and Crucifixion
8) The last night of Jesus' life was prayer at Gethsemane where he was betrayed by Judas, arrested and tried.
9) Jesus' trials were mockeries for many reasons. First, he was brought to Ananias who had no authority to interrogate Jesus. Second, he was tried in Caiaphas's palace instead of the council champers. Third, the testimony was contradictory. Lastly, the death penalty was given which they had no authority to do.
10) We know Jesus was really dead because the Centurion in charge of the execution proclaimed him dead and they stabbed him with a spear to ensure of his death
11) The evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead was:
-That he appeared to Mary
-That he appeared to Cleopas and another
-Jesus appears to the disciples in a locked room. Then he appeared to the disciples and this Thomas believed
12) Jesus appeared to numerous people and taught his disciples more

Chapter 20 Review Questions
1) The last question the disciples asked Jesus about the kingdom was, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel?"
2) The events of Pentecost were: the disciples were praying when a strong wind came over the house. A tongue of fire came in to the room, split and hung over their heads. They spoke different languages to the men who came to listen. They spoke all the listener's native languages.
3) The Jews who accepted the Messiah were the early Church and preached in his name boldly, healed and performed signs. This frightened the Jewish leadership and they ordered the church to stop.
4) Some of the problems of the early Church were human problems:
-Ananias & Sapphira lied about the money they were giving and were struck dead for it
- The 12 were oppressed by the Sadducees and thrown in jail
- They were distracted by secondary issues like the Hebraic widows receiving more attention than the Hellenistic ones
5) Stephen was stoned for arguing with a group of men from the synagogue of freedmen. They couldn't defeat him in argument so they took him to court with false witnesses.
6) Saul was searching for the leaders of "The Way" (The Church) to stop their heresy. On the road to Damascus he encountered a bright light (Jesus) and he asked Saul why he was persecuting him. Saul was blinded for three days. He reflected inwardly. Ananias was called by God to restore Paul's sight. When Saul was unblinded he got up and was baptized as a believer.