Luke 20:1-8 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me, John’s baptism — was it from heaven, or from men?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
Matthew 5:20 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 11:11 I Tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
The people viewed John the Baptist as a prophet of God, a holy man. They considered him a mouthpiece for God; his lifestyle fulfilled the letter of the Law and the words of the Prophets, a validation of his authority. Since he was recognized by the common people as a righteous man above all other men, the Jewish elite could not say anything against John. Jesus said, there was not anyone greater than John the Baptist. Jesus knew the elite did not appreciate John's ministry or his position of respect with the people, so He put the leaders on the spot by asking them where John received his authority. Regardless of their answer, the leaders would have been condemned; therefore, out of fear they would not answer Jesus.
The Jewish leaders considered Jesus a troublemaker, a law breaker. According to them, Jesus was breaking the law when he allowed his disciples to pick grain and when he healed on the Sabbath because these acts constituted working on the Sabbath. Additionally, He ate with sinners, and He associated with the wrong people, even Roman collaborators (the tax collectors). He touched lepers. For sure they knew Jesus did not respect their authority as priests and teachers of the law. To them Jesus was not a temperate man; He was a man out of control, bucking their authority and leading men away from them. Therefore, they wanted to harass Jesus by asking who gave him the authority to act as He did. But Jesus did not answer their question directly.
Who do we follow, John the circumspect man or Jesus the rule breaker? Both were God's instruments; both served God in everything they did. But John said that he was not worthy of even tying Jesus' shoes. However, as far as the Pharisees were concerned, Jesus broke the commandments of God. He should not have been performing any activity on the Sabbath. In the Old Testament, a man who picked up wood on the Sabbath was stoned for his activity. Jesus said, Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Should Jesus have allowed his disciples to pick grain on the Sabbath? The Pharisees asked Jesus where He received authority to do these things, to break the rules of God. Jesus knew they would not understand, but He could have said that He was the Lord of the Sabbath, the completer of the Sabbath.
Jesus is the Sabbath rest for all mankind. As God ceased from his work on the Sabbath, IN CHRIST we cease from our works, from our efforts to please God because IN HIM we are pleasing to God. At his baptism and again on the Mount of Transfiguration, God acknowledged Christ's authority. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. (Matthew 17:5 KJV) He is not the law breaker the Pharisees supposed; He is the complete fulfillment of the Law. He satisfies every requirement of the Law, and He brings his righteous, HIS HOLINESS, to his people. THAT IS WHY WE CHRISTIANS PUT OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN JESUS: He satisfies God's commandments for righteousness. He alone completely pleases God the Father; HE ALONE PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS. It is his works not ours that purchased our salvation. It is not John, the man, and his efforts to please God, it is not the works of man, but it is the works of God that we trust as our Sabbath rest. IN CHRIST, THE LAMB OF GOD, WE FIND RIGHTEOUSNESS; IN HIM WE ARE KNOWN AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD. Today walk in grace and speak confidently of God's sufficiency in your life. Spread the good news that Christ died to save sinners.
No comments:
Post a Comment