Part 20 (1/2)

_The Bethlehem Fog_: Matthew 1 and 2. Luke 2. a foggy shadow--suspicion of Mary--a stable cradle--murder of babes--star-students--senate meeting--a troubled city-flight--Galilee.

_The Man Sent Ahead_: the growing boy--John's relation to Jesus--trace pa.s.sages in gospels referring to John.

_The Contemptuous Rejection_: accepted by individuals, rejected by nation--John's drawing power--a dramatic presentation. John 1:19-34.--ominous silence--five satisfied seekers, John 1:35-51.--cleansing of temple, John 2:13-22.--first public work, John 2:23-25.--Nicodemus, John 3:1-21.--helping John, John 3:22, 23. 4:1 with Matthew 3:5-7. Luke 3:7-14. the dispute about the two men, John 3:25-30 (note American Revision)--John's arrest--effect upon Jesus, Matthew 4:12-25.--”withdrew.”

_The Aggressive Rejection_: the second stage--Nazareth, Luke 4:16-30.--seven incidents, _i.e._ (i) healing at pool of Bethesda, John 5:1-47. (2) forgiving and healing palsied man, Matthew 9:2-8 with parallels. (3) criticizing Jesus' personal conduct, Matthew 9:10-17 with parallels. (4) grain fields on the Sabbath, Matthew 12:1-8 with parallels.

(5) healing whithered hand, Matthew 12:9-14 with parallels.--second ”withdrew,” Mark 3:7-12 with parallels. (6) charge of having an unclean spirit, Mark 3:20-30 with parallels. (7) interruption by his mother, Matthew 12:46-50 with parallels.--the murder of John, Matthew 14:1-12 with parallels.--third ”withdrew,” Matthew 14:13 with parallels.--staying in Galilee during fourth Pa.s.sover, John 6:4, 5.

_The Murderous Rejection_: a fugitive from Judea, John 7:1.--fresh attack by southern leaders, Matthew 15:1-20 with parallel in Mark.--fourth ”withdrew”--outside national lines, Matthew, 15:21 with parallel in Mark.--return to Sea of Galilee and request for sign, Matthew 15:29-16:4 with parallel in Mark.--Feast of Tabernacles, John 7: 2-8:59.--the blind man cured, John 9:1-40.--Transfiguration, Matthew 17:1-8 with parallels.--the beginning of the last journey, Luke 9:51. Mark 10:1, 32.

Matthew 19:1.--the Seventy, Luke 10:1-17.--getting nearer to Jerusalem, divorce question, Mark 10:2-12. Matthew 19:3-12.--Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37. Beelzebub, ”vehemently,” Luke 11. fresh tilt over Sabbath question, Luke 13:10-17.--cunning attempt to get Him into Judea, Luke 13:31.--Feast of Dedication, John 10:22-40.--Lazarus, John 11:1-46. formal decision against Him, John 11:47-53. a fugitive, John 11:57. no more openly, John 11:54. crowding pilgrims, John 11:55, 56. Lazarus again, John 12:9-11. the last week; triumphal entry, Matthew 21:1-17 with parallels, daily visits and return to Olivet, Luke 21:37-38; cleansing temple, Matthew 21:12-17 with parallels; duel of questionings, Matthew 22. Mark 11:27-12:34. Luke 20:1-44; His terrific arraignment, Matthew 23:1-39 with parallels; Greeks, John 12:20-36. Bethany feast, Matthew 26:6-13 with parallels, Judas, Matthew 26:14-16 with parallels; with the inner circle, Matthew 26:17-46 with parallels.

_Suffering the Birih-pains of a New Life_: why did Jesus die?--G.o.d's plan of atonement, Leviticus 1:3-9--Paul's statement in effect, Galatians 2:20.--Jesus' dying does not fit into Hebrew ritual--standpoint of Hebrews--what G.o.d counselled, Acts 2:23.--this affects only the form not the virtue of Jesus' death--preaching of Acts, 2:14-36, 38, 39. 3:12-26.

4:8-12. 5:29-32, and on, first church council, Acts 15.13-18 with Amos 9:11-12.--the superlative of hate--Jesus' death voluntary, John 10:17, 18--ten attempts before the cross; three to kill at once, Luke 4:30. John 8:59. 10:31. other attempts, Matthew 12:14. John 5:18. 7:1, 30, 32. 10:39.

11:53 Jesus' own explanation:--the temple, John 2:19. lifted up, 3:15.

Matthew 9:15 with parallels. His flesh, John 6:53-57. with Jesus' own interpretation, good Shepherd, John 10:11; for the sheep, 10:15; other sheep, 10:16; take it again, 10:17; of Myself, 10:18. cross, Matthew 10:38 with parallels. Jonah, Matthew 12:39, 40. 16:4 with parallel in Luke.

Greeks, John 12:24-33. the Father's command, John 14:31. for friends, John 15:13. sanctified, John 17:19. the Father's cup, John 18:11. John's comment, John 12:47-52.--the necessity for dying--a step in a wider plan--for the nation--wholly voluntary--six elements in a perfect sacrifice--Jesus alone is a perfect sacrifice--Paul's comment, Romans 3:26.--G.o.d's master-stroke--faith--Hebrew heathen and Christian grouped.

4. Some Surprising Results of the Break.

_The Surprised Jew_: a clash of wills--thousands of believing Jews--the church displacing kingdom--two-fold division of men formerly--now three-fold--church different in organization from kingdom--the Baptist puzzled--Jesus did not fill out Hebrew prophecy--two characteristics, personal and official--personal details fulfilled--official not because of rejection--out of situation grew four gospels--Mark--Matthew's the gap gospel--Paul's audiences--Luke's gospel--these three tell of rejection mainly--John's gospel--the order of the gospels in canon.

_The Surprised Church_: G.o.d holds to His plan--mixed ideas of kingdom and church--a handy principle of interpretation--one law consistently applied--the church to fulfil its mission and go--the kingdom simply r.e.t.a.r.ded, yet to come--the plan enriched--sliding scale of fulfilment--the King must come--- even this in Hebrew picture, Zechariah 12:10. New Testament teaching. Peter, Acts 3:21.--keeping truth in proportion--the gospel of the kingdom--Paul, 1 Thessalonians 1.10. 2:19. 3:13. 4:13-18.

5:10-23. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10. 2:1-9. 1 Corinthians 1:7, 8. 3:13. 5:5.

15:23, 25, 51, 52. 16:22. 2 Corinthians 1:14. 5:2-4. Romans 8:18, 19, 23.

11:12-29. 13:11, 12. 16:20. Colossians 3:4. Ephesians 1:10, 14, 18. 4:4, 30. 5:27. Philippians 1:6, 10. 2:16. 3:20. 4:5. 1 Timothy 1:1 (note Paul's use of ”hope” throughout). 6:14. t.i.tus 2:13. 2 Timothy 1:12, 18. 2:12.

4:1, 8.--The Book of Revelation--the coming surprise. _The Surprising Jew_: greatest surprise--for all--the puzzle of history--divinely preserved--the keystone of the coming kingdom--Jesus the spirit magnet for Jew and all.

II. The Person of Jesus.

1. The Human Jesus.

_G.o.d's meaning of ”Human”:_ man's fellow--two meanings of word human--original meaning--natural limitations.

_The Hurt of sin_: sin's added limitations.

_Our Fellow_: Jesus truly human--up to first standard--His insistence--perfect in His humanness--fellows.h.i.+p in sin's limitations--hungry, Matthew 16:5. John 4:6-8.--tired, John 4:6. Mark 4:38.--poverty, Matthew 13:55. Mark 6:3.--hard toil, John 19:25-27.--homeless, Luke 4:16-30. Matthew 8:20. Luke 9:58.--discipline of waiting.