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Showing posts from April, 2022

Servant and King

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The theme of fulfillment is prominent in Matthew’s gospel. In Jesus of Nazareth, the promises of God found their fulfillment and intended applications. He was the Son of God sent to redeem Israel and rule the nations. Peter, for example, confirmed that he was the “ Messiah .” Nevertheless, he failed to understand that he would undertake that role as the suffering “ Servant of Yahweh ” who came to “ bear the sins of many .” His true identity was revealed in his sacrificial act.
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Kingdom in Adversity

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Jesus started proclaiming the Kingdom of God after the arrest of John the Baptist, an incident that foreshadowed the opposition that would characterize his own ministry. Palestine consisted of three territories - Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, and the latter included a mixed population of Jews and Gentiles. His ministry commenced in the villages of Galilee. Unlike the prophets of Ancient Israel, his mission did NOT begin or center in Jerusalem, though it certainly ended there - (Matthew 4:13).
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Herald of the Kingdom

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After his baptism, the Spirit “ drove Jesus into the wilderness… for forty days and nights .” Like Moses on Mount Sinai, the Messiah of Israel found himself alone in the Judean wilderness where he was confronted by the Devil. His only guide was the Word of God. Like Israel, he was “ tested .” Unlike that nation, he overcame every challenge and emerged victorious from the experience “ FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ,” and he then began to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom in the villages of Galilee.
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This is My Son!

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In the  Gospel of Mark , Jesus first appears when he is baptized by John the Baptist. He is identified with his hometown of Nazareth, a village of no consequence, though its very insignificance plays an important role in the story. He is the “ Servant of the LORD ” anointed by the Spirit who does not conform to popular expectations about the Messiah,  BOTH THEN AND NOW .
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Voice in the Wilderness

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All four gospel accounts apply the passage in the  Book of Isaiah  to John the Baptist, the messenger who called men to repent “ for the remission of sins ” in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah. The passage identifies John as the forerunner who was expected before the “ Day of Yahweh ” to summon the faithful - “ The voice of one crying, in the wilderness, prepare the way of the LORD ” - (Isaiah 40:3-5).
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The Gospel Begins

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The  Gospel of Mark  opens with a declaration based on passages in the Hebrew Bible, providing the scriptural basis for the ministry of John the Baptist, and setting the stage for the mission of Jesus. In this way, Mark’s account begins on a note of fulfillment. This man from Nazareth was the Messiah and Savior promised by the God of Israel in the Scriptures.
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Son of Abraham

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The introduction to the Gospel of Matthew declares that Jesus is the “ Son of Abraham ,” the descendant destined to fulfill the covenant promises made by God to the Patriarch, Abraham. His identification as the son of Abraham in Matthew stresses the theme of fulfillment. Through Jesus, the promises become reality.
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The Incommunicable Name

The Incommunicable Name of God, its meaning and significance, according to Joseph Bryant Rotherham .  The following article is from the Introduction to the 1902 edition of the  Emphasized Bible  by Joseph Bryant Rotherham ( Public Domain ). It explains the background and meaning of the Hebrew name of God, Yahweh, and the key reasons why it has been lost to a great many Christians over the centuries.
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His Name is Jesus!

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Jesus means ‘Yahweh saves.’ In this Man of Nazareth, the Salvation promised by the God of Abraham and Israel has arrived for all men . The child carried by Mary was “ begotten of the Holy Spirit .” The angel instructed Joseph to name the child ‘Jesus’: “ Call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins .” His name pointed to the saving act of God for humanity that was about to unfold. Men and women would behold the long-promised  Salvation of Yahweh  in Jesus of Nazareth.
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Nuestro Gran Sumo Sacerdote

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Jesús es el Sumo Sacerdote del santuario mayor "hecho sin manos" prefigurado por el Antiguo Tabernáculo . Jesús es el Sumo Sacerdote que sirve en el “ Verdadero Tabernáculo erigido por el Señor y no por el hombre ” y presagiado por las estructuras religiosas y los rituales del Antiguo Israel. El Hijo de Dios se ha convertido en nuestro “ sacerdote para siempre ” que ministra por nosotros “ a la diestra del Trono de la Majestad en los Cielos ” – (Hebreos 8:1-2).
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La Purificación de los Pecados

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Habiendo logrado la purificación de los pecados, Jesús se sentó a la diestra de Dios donde intercede por su pueblo como su Sumo Sacerdote . Un punto clave de la Carta a los Hebreos es la victoria del Hijo en nombre de su pueblo y su exaltación a la “ diestra ” de Dios como su Sumo Sacerdote. Jesús aseguró lo que ninguno de sus predecesores pudo hacer jamás. A través de su sacrificio “ una vez por todas ”, él “ logró la purificación de los pecados ” y “ se sentó ” en el “ verdadero y mayor Tabernáculo ” donde ahora intercede por sus santos.
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