life of christ, section 7: later galilean ministry, miracles

The church in the wildwood -

the little brown church, Nashua, Iowa

Sunday, 15 September 13

The church in the wildwood -

the little brown church, Nashua, Iowa

"The Church in the Wildwood" was written by Dr.

William S. Pitts in 1857 following a coach ride that

stopped in Bradford, Iowa -the church was

not actually built until several years later.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_S._Pitts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_S._Pitts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford,_Chickasaw_County,_Iowa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford,_Chickasaw_County,_Iowa

There's a church in the valley by the wildwoodNo lovelier spot in the daleNo place is so dear to my childhoodAs the little brown church in the vale.(Oh, come, come, come, come)Come to the church by the wildwoodOh, come to the church in the valeNo spot is so dear to my childhoodAs the little brown church in the vale.How sweet on a clear Sabbath morningTo listen to the clear ringing bellsIts tones so sweetly are callingOh come to the church in the vale.


The Ministry of Jesus

The later stages of Galilean Ministry


Time for some miracles!


Time for some miracles!

Does God still do miracles today - for

whom, by whom, how...?


Everything in Christ astonishes me. His spirit overawes me, and his will confounds me. Between him and whoever else in the world, there is no possible term of comparison. He is truly a being by himself….I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel. Neither history, nor humanity, nor the ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary.

Napoleon Bonaparte


“Jesus’s teaching consistently attracted the irreligious while offending the Bible-believing, religious people of his day. However, in the main, our churches today do not have this effect. The kind of outsiders Jesus attracted are not attracted to contemporary churches, even our most avant-garde ones. We tend to draw conservative, buttoned-down, moralistic people. The licentious and liberated or the broken and marginal avoid church.


“...That can only mean one thing. If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did.”

Timothy Keller


The synoptic gospels continue to deal with Jesus’ ministry topically at this time - and that is the simplest way for us to follow:Parables Mk 4:1-34Miracles Mk 4:34-6:6, 6:30-56Sending out the 12 will be discussed afterwards and the death of JTB has already been dealt withWithdrawal from Galilee Mk 7:1-9:50 - critique of Jewish traditions (going north and east) and then brief return before the journey to Jerusalem


MiraclesImportant questions for us to consider:- are the miracles of Jesus real events, a breakthrough of supernatural power?- are they a way of deifying Jesus much as Greeks/ Romans would have done with their heroes? - can we still believe in miracles happening today?- are all miracles the same in essence i.e. over nature, healings, deliverances etc.

Stein says that: 34 separate miracles are performed by Jesus in the GospelsAlong with these are 15 references to Jesus’ miracle working activityJesus is also the recipient of miraculous activity - virgin conception, events at baptism, transfiguration, resurrection etc.

Does that tell us anything?


MiraclesImportant questions for us to consider:- are the miracles of Jesus real events, a breakthrough of supernatural power?- are they a way of deifying Jesus much as Greeks/ Romans would have done with their heroes? - can we still believe in miracles happening today?- are all miracles the same in essence i.e. over nature, healings, deliverances etc.


Mark 4:35 - 6:36Jesus has power and authority over: disaster, demons, disease and death

Stilling the stormMk 4:35-41- this is frequently applied by believers to say Jesus will ‘still the storms of life’ - is this promised within the passage?




35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.40 He said to his disciples,‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’41 They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’


- the gospels use it to ask a question, “Who is this, that even the wind and sea obey him?”- God stilled the storm for Jonah- a fragment from a Qumran manuscript promises the heavens and earth will obey Gods Messiah- we see Jesus having great power and the disciples little faith (4:40)


The GeraseneDemoniac


Jesus restores a demon-possessed man (NIV)5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%205&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;DARBY#fen-NIVUK-24366a

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%205&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;DARBY#fen-NIVUK-24366a

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!’ 8 For Jesus had said to him, ‘Come out of this man, you impure spirit!’9 Then Jesus asked him,‘What is your name?’‘My name is Legion,’ he replied, ‘for we are many.’10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, ‘Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.’ 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.Sunday, 15 September 13

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man – and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.19 Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’ 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b]how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.Sunday, 15 September 13

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%205&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;DARBY#fen-NIVUK-24385b

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%205&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;DARBY#fen-NIVUK-24385b

The first half of Mark is dedicated to the demonstration of Jesus’ authority over sickness, laws of nature, and the demonic world. He also calls, appoints, and sends out his disciples while regularly teaching in a unique and authoritative way.


The first half of Mark is dedicated to the demonstration of Jesus’ authority over sickness, laws of nature, and the demonic world. He also calls, appoints, and sends out his disciples while regularly teaching in a unique and authoritative way.

A legion was the largest unit of the Roman army and at full strength had 6,000 soldiers. The incident occurs near Gerasa, a small town by the sea.A fifth-century church excavated in Kursi possibly marks the traditional location of this event, on the eastern shore of Galilee.


Mk 5:1-20- multiple demons- a man with a history of being very savage- the demon is named “Legion”- why did Jesus allow the demons to go into the pigs? Possibly as this is not the time for final judgement (cf Matt 8:29)- the demon destroys life, but not human life- we assume the farmers are not Jews (Gentiles) as pigs are killed


- the result is a testimony and instilling of faith v19-20- v17, why did the people plead with Jesus to leave their area? Did they see a holy man and (much like Peter) feel the weight of their sinfulness?The Greek word daimonizo is usually translated “demon possession”- in fact the word means “to demonise” so the extent of possession or oppression is not made clearCf 1 Jn 4:4


Blomberg observes 7 general aspects of demonic activity (from encounters with Jesus):1. Disregard for personal dignity (naked)2. Social isolation3. Retreat to a simple shelter4. Recognition of Jesus’ deity5. Demonic control of speech6. Shouting7. Extraordinary strength


Raising Jairus’ daughter and healing the woman with the flow of blood

Mark 5:21-43Jesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick woman21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered round him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, ‘My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.’24 So Jesus went with him.


A large crowd followed and pressed round him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, ‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.’29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.30 At once Jesus realised that power had gone out from him. He turned round in the crowd and asked,‘Who touched my clothes?’


31 ‘You see the people crowding against you,’ his disciples answered, ‘and yet you can ask, “Who touched me?”’ 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. ‘Your daughter is dead,’ they said. ‘Why bother the teacher anymore?’36 Overhearing[c] what they said, Jesus told him, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk%205&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;MOUNCE#fen-NIVUK-24401c

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk%205&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;MOUNCE#fen-NIVUK-24401c

38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.’ 40 But they laughed at him.After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’).42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.


Jesus is summoned to help with the daughter of a synagogue ruler who is at the point of deathHow much courage would it have taken for a man in his position to come and seek out Jesus?How humbled would he have felt that for all his good religious practice God does not appear to be hearing or acting through this prayers?


- along the way he encounters a woman who has been suffering for 12 years- in both cases the person requiring help would have been ceremonially unclean, impure- also both are shown to receive healing in some way in response to faithIs such faith still required to see healing happen today?Is a lack of faith preventing the church seeing people supernaturally healed?



He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. ‘Your daughter is dead,’ they said. ‘Why bother the teacher anymore?’36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’


Luke 7: Jesus raises a widow’s son11 Soon afterwards, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out – the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry.’14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said,‘Young man, I say to you, get up!’ 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. ‘A great prophet has appeared among us,’ they said. ‘God has come to help his people.’ 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.


This takes place at sometime during the later stages of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee- Blomberg describes it as revivification not resurrection, explaining this applies to a return to life but that will at some point still end in death- this is only found in Luke and has similarities with Elisha raising the Shunnamites son 2Kings 4:18-37- Nain in fact occupies approximately the same location as Shunem did


Blomberg also suggests that Matthew 9:27-24, the healing of blind men and a dumb demoniac could be included here - they are similar to other miracles we see later and will be talked about then

Jesus is rejected in Nazareth - Mk 6:1-6- Probably the same rejection we dealt with in Luke 4- it fits in here as the comment that after doing many miracles in other places...4 Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honour except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.’ 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few people who were ill and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.


Interestingly this is the only passage to name the brothers and sisters of Jesus - and to name him a carpenterJesus left there and went to his home town, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.‘Where did this man get these things?’ they asked. ‘What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing?3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him.


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk%206&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;MOUNCE#fen-NIVUK-24411a

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk%206&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;MOUNCE#fen-NIVUK-24411a


- Some say they are literally brothers of Jesus, sons of Joseph and Mary.- Others say they were his legal half-brothers, sons of Joseph by a former marriage.- Others that they were cousins of our Lord - sons of a sister of Mary, also called Mary, the wife of Cleophas, Clopas, or Alpheeus. (There is evidence that there were four sons of Clopas and Mary, whose names were James, and Joses, and Simon (or Symeon), and Judas. Mary the wife of Clopas is mentioned in Matthew 27:56 as the mother of James the less and of Joses.)Catholics suggest that the word used here means not only "a brother," but generally "a near kinsman." In the same way the "sisters" would be cousins of our Lord.


Feeding the 5000Mk 6:30-4430 The apostles gathered round Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognised them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.


34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. ‘This is a remote place,’ they said, ‘and it’s already very late.36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.’37 But he answered, ‘You give them something to eat.’They said to him, ‘That would take more than half a year’s wages[e]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?’


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk%206&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;MOUNCE#fen-NIVUK-24445e

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk%206&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;MOUNCE#fen-NIVUK-24445e

38 ‘How many loaves do you have?’ he asked. ‘Go and see.’When they found out, they said, ‘Five – and two fish.’39 Then Jesus told them to make all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied,43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.


Feeding the 5000 Mk 6:30-44What was the motive for Jesus performing this amazing miracle?- compassion- sheep without a shepherd reminds us of Ezekiel 34 where Israel’s leaders are rebuked for their lack of caring for the people


Feeding the 5000 Mk 6:30-44What was the motive for Jesus performing this amazing miracle?- compassion- sheep without a shepherd reminds us of Ezekiel 34 where Israel’s leaders are rebuked for their lack of caring for the people

- Dt 18:18 - I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him - which had led people to expect greater miracles along the lines of Moses feeding the people in the desertJohn 6 has an account pointing more directly to Jesus as Messiah and including the bread of life statementIn fact having seen the miracle they wanted to make him king by force Jn 6:15


Jesus walks on waterMark 6:45-52 / Matthew 14:28-31 - where Peter walks on water tooImmediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.


Jesus walks on waterMark 6:45-52 / Matthew 14:28-31 - where Peter walks on water tooImmediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’28 ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’29 ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.Sunday, 15 September 13

Only Matthew's version has the incident with Peter- in fact in 14-18 Matthew has five incidents which do not make Peter look good15:15, 16:17-19, 17:24-27, 18:21- possibly this is correcting an exalted view of Peter which had started to exist in the early church?- the confession will appear again in Matt 16:16ff though Mark ends with a declaration of lack of understanding due to hardened hearts 6:52


Matthew and Luke finish this subsection with a rebuke of cities which failed to recognise and respond to Jesus - Matt 11:20-30- it will be less bearable for these cities than for those in the OT which symbolically were God’s enemies (tyre, Sodom, Gomorrah and Sidon)- Matt then contrasts this with a call to take up the yoke of Jesus vv27-28


life of christ, section 7: later galilean ministry, miracles

Spiritual

ministry of jesus

jesus ministry

activity jesus

jesus christ

jesus miracle

miracles of jesus real

miracles mk

way of deifying jesus