- Published on
‘BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD’
Matthew 2:1-2
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
So let us now look at this work with the eyes of the faithful, in the full knowledge and experience of scripture and see what is revealed.
Jan Gossaert’s painting is a Biblical thesis – on the surface a statement of the Adoration by the Three Wise Men of the infant Jesus – but behind this a rich and powerful exposition of some Biblical truths. But are they truths?
The angels, shepherds and stable are only mentioned in Luke’s gospel. No one anywhere mentions the ox and the ass, nor are the visitors described as ‘kings’. Somewhere along the line, visual artists have drawn their own interpretation from the scripture, and we have learned the vision, and forgotten the words.
But just as the Bible writers – guided by the Holy Spirit – weaved their tales and prophecies and references to reveal the mystery of Christ, so Artists have used some of their own conventions and devices to give visual form to Christian ideas.
The donkey or ass had an interpretation as a beast of burden – and notably was ridden by Jesus when he entered Jerusalem towards the end – the beast of burden bearing the greatest of all burdens – He who was to bear the sins of all mankind. So it would be appropriate to show the ass as present at the birth of Christ as a reminder of the end of the story and ‘cross-reference’ within the picture – and who is to say there wasn’t a donkey there anyway?
And shepherds? They’re plausible too. The shepherd would always be present at the birth of The Lamb. And was not Jesus that ‘great shepherd of the sheep’ according to Paul?
We must at all times remember that – even if the events described in Scripture are literally true — it is unimportant. It is what the spirit of the words says to the spirit in us that counts. Christ himself speaking to the Christ in us. And if the Holy Spirit speaks Truth to us from a painting then God’s work is being done to bring us closer in our relationship to Jesus.
- The gifts are enclosed in what looks to all intents and purposes to be objects that might be found in Gossaert’s day. Gaspar’s goblet, which he has handed to Mary, is more properly a ciborium in which the host (the consecrated wafer used in the Eucharist) is kept. Here – not wafers – gold coins, one of which the Christchild is handing back – a gesture symbolic of the priest (and Christ was our Great High Priest according to the book of Hebrews) administering Holy Communion. And gold was the tribute paid by kings to a king. Jesus is the ‘King of Kings’ and He will be redeemed – not with gold – but with his own body crucified – shown here naked at birth as he would be at death. Christ the King – Christ the Saviour and Redeemer.
- The dove here – as so often – is used to represent the Holy Spirit – part of the Holy Trinity – in John’s gospel ‘I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him’ JOHN 1:32. The dove looks forward to Christ’s baptism – an event thought to have taken place on 6th January – also interpreted as the date of Christ’s first miracle and suggested as the date of the second coming. The artist is showing us here and in other picture elements the ways in which Jesus was revealed as Christ or God.
- And right at the back of the picture an angel announces the coming birth, an event plainly in the past, but in the upper centre of the picture – so this image is also to be read as a timeline showing multiple but related events. It is a sermon on Christ’s birth. The foreground is the Twelfth Night, when the Wise Men visited, but the Shepherds who witnessed the birth are still shown in attendance.
- The capital on the column to the right of Mary shows the old testament scene of Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac – a story firmly connected with Jesus as the Lamb of God – the Sin Offering of the Old Testament embodied in the Offering of Jesus life for all sin.
- The birth of Christ is immediately at the start of the New Testament – a culmination of the Old – the moment when the Law is fulfilled and replaced by the new Covenant. Law replaced by Grace, and Christ’s Church – here embodied for a Catholic audience by Mary rises out of the ruins of the old ...
- ... and Gaspar’s sceptre bears the tiny figure of Moses and the Ten Commandments – ‘For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ’ JOHN 1:17
Jan Gossaert’s painting is a Biblical thesis – on the surface a statement of the Adoration by the Three Wise Men of the infant Jesus – but behind this a rich and powerful exposition of some Biblical truths. But are they truths?
The angels, shepherds and stable are only mentioned in Luke’s gospel. No one anywhere mentions the ox and the ass, nor are the visitors described as ‘kings’. Somewhere along the line, visual artists have drawn their own interpretation from the scripture, and we have learned the vision, and forgotten the words.
But just as the Bible writers – guided by the Holy Spirit – weaved their tales and prophecies and references to reveal the mystery of Christ, so Artists have used some of their own conventions and devices to give visual form to Christian ideas.
The donkey or ass had an interpretation as a beast of burden – and notably was ridden by Jesus when he entered Jerusalem towards the end – the beast of burden bearing the greatest of all burdens – He who was to bear the sins of all mankind. So it would be appropriate to show the ass as present at the birth of Christ as a reminder of the end of the story and ‘cross-reference’ within the picture – and who is to say there wasn’t a donkey there anyway?
And shepherds? They’re plausible too. The shepherd would always be present at the birth of The Lamb. And was not Jesus that ‘great shepherd of the sheep’ according to Paul?
We must at all times remember that – even if the events described in Scripture are literally true — it is unimportant. It is what the spirit of the words says to the spirit in us that counts. Christ himself speaking to the Christ in us. And if the Holy Spirit speaks Truth to us from a painting then God’s work is being done to bring us closer in our relationship to Jesus.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
JOHN 1:29-31
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'
I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'
I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."
BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD — G F Handel (“Messiah”)
PRAYER requires CONCENTRATION
GET TO WORK and seek, narrow your interests to this one thing. Have you ever really sought God, or have you only given a languid cry to Him after a twinge of moral neuralgia?
[from ‘Our Brilliant Heritage’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘Our Brilliant Heritage’ by Oswald Chambers]
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION BY CLICKING ON ‘DOWNLOAD FILE’ BELOW
COMING NEXT… (487) THE ADORATION OF THE KINGS 3
- Published on
‘UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN’
Matthew 2:1-2
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
We are so familiar with the story of the birth of Jesus that we recognise a painting such as ‘The Adoration of The Kings’ by Jan Gossaert, as a depiction of the Nativity. It could be a Christmas card. Surely this is how it was – this, or something like it. And yet when you consider the detail of the painting, this is not a straightforward interpretation of the story from Matthew.
This painting introduces many elements that are improbable from a realistic point of view and I do not believe that it is intended to be a realistic vision of the actual occasion. So what are these ‘improbabilities’? Well, let’s consider…
There is an emphasis on symbolism, and perhaps this is the clue to the interpretation here. I am sure that you are probably ahead of me by now, for this is not a depiction of the Christmas scene that we might expect illustrated on the aforementioned Christmas card. Nor is it an Artists Interpretation. No, this is an interpretation by the book. And the book of course, is the Bible. But the painting weaves various stories together to illustrate more than just the visit of a few dignitaries to the baby Jesus. It is a work which attempts to interpret the spirit of the story, and present the viewers – who would be before the altar – with visual theology. This is a Christmas sermon in pictorial form. Nowadays we might see a film version of these events.
Like Muslims and Jews – who share a lot of the same texts – Christians are people of The Book – a Word that has been poured over and interpreted for centuries now – but unlike these other faiths, the earliest Christians can say that they have seen their God – Jesus was ‘the Word made flesh’, and it can therefore be said to be a religion of the image. Our Lord has been interpreted and re-envisioned over and over again, and yet no artist will ever capture the thrill of a personal relationship with the Living God. Through the eyes of those who knew Jesus, we too, see Him.
I recall a discussion I had some years ago with a dear man of God, who disagreed strongly with this interpretation of scripture as visual, and I understand his point-of-view. Jesus is ‘the Word’. My own feeling is that these words are intended to impact in us in a complete and all-embracing way and that includes a visualisation within us, which is part of our connection to the Almighty through His Holy Spirit. Not how Jesus actually looked but of how He shows Himself to us. Often, I can recall moments when the Holy Spirit has touched me, with memories of where I was and my circumstances at the time.
However, He speaks to us in different ways, according to our individuality, and praise The Lord that it is so! These Kings, or wise men, bring their gifts to the birth of the Divine Spirit. They bring aspects of the eternal God, from God, to impart to His birth in us.
This painting introduces many elements that are improbable from a realistic point of view and I do not believe that it is intended to be a realistic vision of the actual occasion. So what are these ‘improbabilities’? Well, let’s consider…
- This ‘stable’ is one of the oddest we have ever seen. These ruins are fairly imposing, and frankly would not offer much in the way of accommodation for any ox, ass or lamb.
- And Mary – she seems to be doing rather well, so sumptuously turned out is she. (And a painting note here – the dress would have been painted in a blue pigment made from ground up lapis lazuli brought at enormous cost from the lapis mines of Afghanistan. It would have been a matter of devotion to depict Mary in such an expensive colour — something seen in many paintings of the time.)
- And the baby – the Christchild – is naked and exposed to the elements at only a few days old — in what looks to be wintery Europe, and not first century Judea.
- The bystanders here are all togged up as if for a pageant – the Three Kings have put on their designer labels, and the shepherds are not exactly dressed for shepherding at any time of year.
- The gifts are held in exceptionally elaborate vessels, so one cannot exactly distinguish what they represent, and look like nothing that Jesus would have recognised.
- The angels are expected, but there is a dove here at the top which seems to be making an early appearance
There is an emphasis on symbolism, and perhaps this is the clue to the interpretation here. I am sure that you are probably ahead of me by now, for this is not a depiction of the Christmas scene that we might expect illustrated on the aforementioned Christmas card. Nor is it an Artists Interpretation. No, this is an interpretation by the book. And the book of course, is the Bible. But the painting weaves various stories together to illustrate more than just the visit of a few dignitaries to the baby Jesus. It is a work which attempts to interpret the spirit of the story, and present the viewers – who would be before the altar – with visual theology. This is a Christmas sermon in pictorial form. Nowadays we might see a film version of these events.
Like Muslims and Jews – who share a lot of the same texts – Christians are people of The Book – a Word that has been poured over and interpreted for centuries now – but unlike these other faiths, the earliest Christians can say that they have seen their God – Jesus was ‘the Word made flesh’, and it can therefore be said to be a religion of the image. Our Lord has been interpreted and re-envisioned over and over again, and yet no artist will ever capture the thrill of a personal relationship with the Living God. Through the eyes of those who knew Jesus, we too, see Him.
I recall a discussion I had some years ago with a dear man of God, who disagreed strongly with this interpretation of scripture as visual, and I understand his point-of-view. Jesus is ‘the Word’. My own feeling is that these words are intended to impact in us in a complete and all-embracing way and that includes a visualisation within us, which is part of our connection to the Almighty through His Holy Spirit. Not how Jesus actually looked but of how He shows Himself to us. Often, I can recall moments when the Holy Spirit has touched me, with memories of where I was and my circumstances at the time.
However, He speaks to us in different ways, according to our individuality, and praise The Lord that it is so! These Kings, or wise men, bring their gifts to the birth of the Divine Spirit. They bring aspects of the eternal God, from God, to impart to His birth in us.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
ISAIAH 9:6-7
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
GABRIEL’S MESSAGE — Moya Brennan
PRAYER requires CONCENTRATION
ON THE MOUNT with God, you saw that all power has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth. Are you going to be skeptical in the valley of humiliation? You have gone to God about the thing that is perplexing you over and over again and nothing has happened.
"Why could we not cast it out?" Our Lord never gives an answer to questions of that description, because the answer lies in a personal relationship to Himself.
"This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting," that is, by concentration on God. That is the one purpose for which we are in the world
[from ‘The Love Of God’ by Oswald Chambers]
"Why could we not cast it out?" Our Lord never gives an answer to questions of that description, because the answer lies in a personal relationship to Himself.
"This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting," that is, by concentration on God. That is the one purpose for which we are in the world
[from ‘The Love Of God’ by Oswald Chambers]
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION BY CLICKING ON ‘DOWNLOAD FILE’ BELOW
COMING NEXT… (486) THE ADORATION OF THE KINGS 2
- Published on
John 19:38-42
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.
And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.
Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.
Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.
And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.
Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.
Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.
At a time of great sorrow and loss, and most likely, also of disappointment and bewilderment, Jesus’ followers lay Him to rest. What had seemed to be a time of promise and of new beginning had been taken away. Pilate gave permission to Joseph of Arimathea to bury Jesus’ body in a tomb — a tomb newly made — leaving no doubt that only Jesus lay there, and no other.
This was not the expected grave for a ‘common criminal’, this was for one of exalted position. Nicodemus prepared Jesus body for the entombment — using myrrh (one of the gifts at Jesus’ birth, according to Matthew), the anointing for burial. Also, His body was bound in strips of linen, mentioned as covering garments for High Priests, angels and all who are pure and holy.
Linen is made from flax, and as well as its use in garment making it was used to make wick for candles — to bring light. We see this in Isaiah 42:3 in a passage about the Messiah … A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. The Light of the World will not be extinguished.
All has proceeded just as prophesied. Now, God’s plan of salvation for mankind can be realised.
This was not the expected grave for a ‘common criminal’, this was for one of exalted position. Nicodemus prepared Jesus body for the entombment — using myrrh (one of the gifts at Jesus’ birth, according to Matthew), the anointing for burial. Also, His body was bound in strips of linen, mentioned as covering garments for High Priests, angels and all who are pure and holy.
Linen is made from flax, and as well as its use in garment making it was used to make wick for candles — to bring light. We see this in Isaiah 42:3 in a passage about the Messiah … A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. The Light of the World will not be extinguished.
All has proceeded just as prophesied. Now, God’s plan of salvation for mankind can be realised.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
REVELATION 19:13-16
He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS — Reawaken Hymns
PRAYER requires CONCENTRATION
CONCENTRATION ON THE part of a Christian is of more importance than consecration.
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’ by Oswald Chambers]
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION BY CLICKING ON ‘DOWNLOAD FILE’ BELOW
COMING NEXT… (485) THE ADORATION OF THE KINGS 1
- Published on
John 19:31-37
Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken."
And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced."
Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken."
And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced."
As the song says, “There is power in the Blood”. The horror of Jesus death on the Cross is made all the more tragic for our Lord with each humiliation heaped upon Him. Attacking His person in mind, body and spirit. This is godless man believing that He can destroy every trace of what he cannot comprehend. The ‘power in the Blood’ is to be eradicated, and make man’s way paramount.
Except that it cannot be done, and human arrogance always leads to a mighty downfall, while God’s way endures — eternally. As believers, we surely know this to be the case, but do we allow that knowledge to become who we are? There is no shame in understanding that we oft-times do not grasp the fullness of the message of the Cross of Christ.
We were created as reasoning beings, but reason does not explain the ‘power in the Blood’. That is why Scripture reveals prophetic words again and again. Prophecy is not reason, it shows the workings of the unseen, and awakens the heavenly realms buried deep within us; it produces faith and belief in life in the Spirit, by offering proof to our reasoning mind that there is more to life than reason, as we learn from these verses.
Everything in The Bible speaks of Christ and His life touching ours. Here is what commentator Matthew Henry says of these verses…
Except that it cannot be done, and human arrogance always leads to a mighty downfall, while God’s way endures — eternally. As believers, we surely know this to be the case, but do we allow that knowledge to become who we are? There is no shame in understanding that we oft-times do not grasp the fullness of the message of the Cross of Christ.
We were created as reasoning beings, but reason does not explain the ‘power in the Blood’. That is why Scripture reveals prophetic words again and again. Prophecy is not reason, it shows the workings of the unseen, and awakens the heavenly realms buried deep within us; it produces faith and belief in life in the Spirit, by offering proof to our reasoning mind that there is more to life than reason, as we learn from these verses.
Everything in The Bible speaks of Christ and His life touching ours. Here is what commentator Matthew Henry says of these verses…
“A trial was made whether Jesus was dead. He died in less time than persons crucified commonly did. It showed that he had laid down his life of himself. The spear broke up the very fountains of life; no human body could survive such a wound. But its being so solemnly attested, shows there was something peculiar in it. The blood and water that flowed out, signified those two great benefits which all believers partake of through Christ, justification and sanctification; blood for atonement, water for purification. They both flow from the pierced side of our Redeemer. To Christ crucified we owe merit for our justification, and Spirit and grace for our sanctification. Let this silence the fears of weak Christians, and encourage their hopes; there came both water and blood out of Jesus’ pierced side, both to justify and sanctify them. The Scripture was fulfilled, in Pilate’s not allowing his legs to be broken.”
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
ZECHARIAH 12:10-11
And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
PSALM 22:16-17
For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
PSALM 22:16-17
For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD — Acapeldridge
LOVE with all your STRENGTH
NEITHER NATURAL LOVE nor Divine love will remain unless it is cultivated. We must form the habit of love until it is the practice of our lives.
[from ‘Our Brilliant Heritage’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘Our Brilliant Heritage’ by Oswald Chambers]
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION BY CLICKING ON ‘DOWNLOAD FILE’ BELOW
- Published on
John 19:28-30
After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"
Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
It is finished; all is accomplished; no more need be done. However, Jesus last request was “I thirst!” and He was given sour wine. At this last moment He was denied water, symbolic of ‘the word of God’ and was given a bitter spirit instead — certainly not the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Sufferings were laid upon Him to the full. He could withstand no more and thus God’s purpose was realised in Jesus.
This is the pivotal moment when God’s Eternal Plan is released to mankind. All we have now in the Holy Spirit stems from this. “It is finished!” is the new beginning. It is the finish for Jesus the man on this earth, but the beginning of Jesus the Christ, the Promised Messiah, but only after He has come through the pits of hell — separated from The Father, and bearing all sin.
For many, this is a difficult concept to get to grips with. This is understandable, for it is inconceivable. It is the stuff of fantasy to the natural mind, and yet Christ’s message has gripped the human race for more than two thousand years and, despite a decline in recent times — mainly in the ‘civilised’ west, who evangelised so many other nations — following Jesus Christ is still the largest religion by far, across the globe.
And yet it is not a religion.
If not religion, then what is it? It is a relationship. A personal meeting of each one of us with Jesus Christ, who intercedes with Father God for us. And that personal is combined with every other believer to form a global Church of Jesus Christ, a mighty fellowship, which is the body of Christ, with Jesus the head … becoming one.
This is the pivotal moment when God’s Eternal Plan is released to mankind. All we have now in the Holy Spirit stems from this. “It is finished!” is the new beginning. It is the finish for Jesus the man on this earth, but the beginning of Jesus the Christ, the Promised Messiah, but only after He has come through the pits of hell — separated from The Father, and bearing all sin.
For many, this is a difficult concept to get to grips with. This is understandable, for it is inconceivable. It is the stuff of fantasy to the natural mind, and yet Christ’s message has gripped the human race for more than two thousand years and, despite a decline in recent times — mainly in the ‘civilised’ west, who evangelised so many other nations — following Jesus Christ is still the largest religion by far, across the globe.
And yet it is not a religion.
If not religion, then what is it? It is a relationship. A personal meeting of each one of us with Jesus Christ, who intercedes with Father God for us. And that personal is combined with every other believer to form a global Church of Jesus Christ, a mighty fellowship, which is the body of Christ, with Jesus the head … becoming one.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
MORE OF YOU — Marty Nystrom
LOVE with all your STRENGTH
"ANGUISH" COMES FROM a word meaning to press tightly, to strangle, and the idea is not a bit too strong for the things people are going through. They are not sentimental things, but real things, where every bit of a man's life is twisted and wrung out to the last ebb.
Can the love of God in Christ hold there, when every thing says that God is cruel to allow it, and that there is no such thing as justice and. goodness? Shall anguish separate us from the love of God? No, we are more than conquerors in it, not by our own effort but by the fact that the love of God in Christ holds.
Can the love of God in Christ hold there, when every thing says that God is cruel to allow it, and that there is no such thing as justice and. goodness? Shall anguish separate us from the love of God? No, we are more than conquerors in it, not by our own effort but by the fact that the love of God in Christ holds.
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION BY CLICKING ON ‘DOWNLOAD FILE’ BELOW
- Published on
John 19:25-27
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!"
Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!"
Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
Jesus here entrusts His mother, Mary, to the care of the disciple whom [He] loved, who we understand to be John himself. And this bond is to be reciprocated by Mary. She is to be a mother to John. Our Lord puts a seal on a relationship which may well already have been a close one, ensuring that each has support at such a distressing time. This is only to be expected in the natural, so there must also be a spiritual dimension to this moment, which is relevant to us today.
Jesus is handing over His love and care for His mother to John, to whom He seems to have trusted as a guardian of His truth. Jesus saw that Peter was the rock on which His church would be built. (Matthew 16:18). Other disciples were given responsibilities that best suited their abilities. Matthew was perhaps chosen because, as a tax collector, he could give an accurate account of things, but John was the carrier of Jesus’ spiritual truth.
The point I wish to make is that we understand that Jesus’ church is the mother of us all [Galatians 4:26b], in that we are raised to the fullness of faith by being in the gathering, part of the Christian community as a participant in a church or fellowship setting. This gathering of Jesus’ church was to be our spiritual mother, raising us to a place where we can come to know Jesus in an intimate and personal way.
It is easy to see from this that a misunderstanding of the ‘mother church’ could lead to a reverence to Mary above that of her son. I do not believe that this was ever Our Lord’s purpose. No, He was showing us that His teaching, would be continued through His church.
Jesus is handing over His love and care for His mother to John, to whom He seems to have trusted as a guardian of His truth. Jesus saw that Peter was the rock on which His church would be built. (Matthew 16:18). Other disciples were given responsibilities that best suited their abilities. Matthew was perhaps chosen because, as a tax collector, he could give an accurate account of things, but John was the carrier of Jesus’ spiritual truth.
The point I wish to make is that we understand that Jesus’ church is the mother of us all [Galatians 4:26b], in that we are raised to the fullness of faith by being in the gathering, part of the Christian community as a participant in a church or fellowship setting. This gathering of Jesus’ church was to be our spiritual mother, raising us to a place where we can come to know Jesus in an intimate and personal way.
It is easy to see from this that a misunderstanding of the ‘mother church’ could lead to a reverence to Mary above that of her son. I do not believe that this was ever Our Lord’s purpose. No, He was showing us that His teaching, would be continued through His church.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
GENESIS 17:16
“And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her."
GALATIANS 4:26-27
but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written:
"Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labour!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband."
“And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her."
GALATIANS 4:26-27
but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written:
"Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labour!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband."
I KNOW NOT WHY GOD’S WONDROUS GRACE — Stuart Townend
LOVE with all your STRENGTH
THE MOST PAINFUL and most crushing thing to a man or woman is unrequited love. In summing up the attitude of men to Himself, God says that that is the way men treat Him, they "un-requite" His love. It is only when we come to our wits' ends, or reap a distress, or feel the first twinge of damnation and are knocked out of our complacent mental agility over things, that we recognize the love of God.
[from ‘Still Higher For His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘Still Higher For His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers]
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION BY CLICKING ON ‘DOWNLOAD FILE’ BELOW
- Published on
John 19:23-24
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.
They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:
"They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots."
Therefore the soldiers did these things.
They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:
"They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots."
Therefore the soldiers did these things.
To ‘cast lots’ seems like gambling, the throwing of dice to determine an outcome, but it was also seen in past times as an expression of divine will; hence the expression ‘divination’, which is sometimes eluded to. The story makes mention of this in all four gospels, and the purpose of this is expressly to confirm the prophecy, from Psalm 22 that for my clothing they cast lots. Those Roman soldiers were bidding for possession of our Lord’s clothing — ‘the shirt off His back’ as we might say nowadays — a souvenir of The Messiah’s crucifixion.
I cannot imagine that most participants in this moment had the least inkling of the importance of this time in history. Some, maybe, but most — as is always the case — are more concerned with their day-to-day lives. Let us be honest with ourselves and recognise that this is us also — at least before our Lord got hold of us.
The puzzle for me is why the casting of lots for His garments is so important as to be mentioned in every gospel rendition. It is thus important in all creation. (“the fourth thing, and the number four always has reference to all that is created”. — E W BULLINGER ‘Number In Scripture’)
I am speculating here, but I believe that His garments represent God’s covering — and at the crucifixion, our Jesus was stripped of that — And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" [Mark 15:34] — and so our Lord had to be stripped of that Divine covering in the natural as well as the spiritual realms to allow Him to descend into the deepest depths of the pit for us.
I feel so dreadfully humbled at that thought, but also so elevated and encouraged at the same time. We should see that deepest understanding in this circumstance. Jesus divested Himself of all things that He is — the light of the world — to become ultimate darkness and nothingness; by taking to Himself every sin of ours. Why? To be our Saviour!
We must realise that in our darkest moments — in the turmoil and confusion — our Lord Jesus Christ has been there before us, suffered for us, so that we can be presented clean and perfect before the Father. That is love beyond measure.
I cannot imagine that most participants in this moment had the least inkling of the importance of this time in history. Some, maybe, but most — as is always the case — are more concerned with their day-to-day lives. Let us be honest with ourselves and recognise that this is us also — at least before our Lord got hold of us.
The puzzle for me is why the casting of lots for His garments is so important as to be mentioned in every gospel rendition. It is thus important in all creation. (“the fourth thing, and the number four always has reference to all that is created”. — E W BULLINGER ‘Number In Scripture’)
I am speculating here, but I believe that His garments represent God’s covering — and at the crucifixion, our Jesus was stripped of that — And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" [Mark 15:34] — and so our Lord had to be stripped of that Divine covering in the natural as well as the spiritual realms to allow Him to descend into the deepest depths of the pit for us.
I feel so dreadfully humbled at that thought, but also so elevated and encouraged at the same time. We should see that deepest understanding in this circumstance. Jesus divested Himself of all things that He is — the light of the world — to become ultimate darkness and nothingness; by taking to Himself every sin of ours. Why? To be our Saviour!
We must realise that in our darkest moments — in the turmoil and confusion — our Lord Jesus Christ has been there before us, suffered for us, so that we can be presented clean and perfect before the Father. That is love beyond measure.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
PSALM 22:16-19
For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.
But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.
But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me;
O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
O LORD, YOUR TENDERNESS / SUCH LOVE — Graham Kendrick and Nicki Rogers
LOVE with all your STRENGTH
THE LOVE OF God in Christ Jesus is such that He can take the most unfit man - unfit to survive, unfit to fight, unfit to face moral issues -and make him not only fit to survive and to fight, but fit to face the biggest moral issues and the strongest power of Satan, and come off more than conqueror.
[from ‘Run Today’s Race’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘Run Today’s Race’ by Oswald Chambers]
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION BY CLICKING ON ‘DOWNLOAD FILE’ BELOW
- Published on
John 19:17-22
And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,
where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the centre.
Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was:
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.
Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews."'"
Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."
where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the centre.
Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was:
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.
Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews."'"
Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."
BEARING HIS CROSS
We know that Jesus is ‘The Pattern Son’. Everything about Him, of Him and in Him, is for our instruction and edification, leading us on to His perfection manifested in us. He goes to His Death, as was foretold, carrying the full weight of the burden placed on Him by The Father. The Cross is His — we each have our cross to bear — but this is His and His alone, and He did so then, that now our individual and collective burdens will be immeasurably lighter.
THE PLACE OF A SKULL
Near the present day site of Golgotha is what looks like a skull, hewn in the rock face, and it is said that this is how that place got its name. Maybe so, but it was also the site of many crucifixions — a place of death. But the symbolism of this is that it was the final attack on the ideology of those who were to die. You were an enemy of the established order. Thus, all that was contained within the head — the mind, the intelligence, the passion, the emotions and ideas — were being brutally stripped away, and in a particularly cruel way.
JESUS IN THE CENTRE
Our Lord is always ‘in the centre’ of everything. It is important that for each believer, that Jesus is the centre. He is not on one side or the other; He is the epitome of complete balance. There is no wavering or deviation from the righteous path in Him — and the more we let Him in, the more He will be the centre of each and every existence for every one who knows Him. The Holy Spirit needs to be the centre of our lives, so that we can know Jesus saying to us each day "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” [Luke 23:43]
“WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN, I HAVE WRITTEN”
In effect, Pilate is saying that he is in charge and his pronouncement is final, thus attempting to put all blame onto the Jews, and showing that he lacked the courage of his conviction that Jesus was King of the Jews. Pilate may have tried to absolve himself of blame, but he is troubled nonetheless. It shows clearly how we can get in a mess, leading to appalling mistakes, when we cannot see Jesus in our midst.
We know that Jesus is ‘The Pattern Son’. Everything about Him, of Him and in Him, is for our instruction and edification, leading us on to His perfection manifested in us. He goes to His Death, as was foretold, carrying the full weight of the burden placed on Him by The Father. The Cross is His — we each have our cross to bear — but this is His and His alone, and He did so then, that now our individual and collective burdens will be immeasurably lighter.
THE PLACE OF A SKULL
Near the present day site of Golgotha is what looks like a skull, hewn in the rock face, and it is said that this is how that place got its name. Maybe so, but it was also the site of many crucifixions — a place of death. But the symbolism of this is that it was the final attack on the ideology of those who were to die. You were an enemy of the established order. Thus, all that was contained within the head — the mind, the intelligence, the passion, the emotions and ideas — were being brutally stripped away, and in a particularly cruel way.
JESUS IN THE CENTRE
Our Lord is always ‘in the centre’ of everything. It is important that for each believer, that Jesus is the centre. He is not on one side or the other; He is the epitome of complete balance. There is no wavering or deviation from the righteous path in Him — and the more we let Him in, the more He will be the centre of each and every existence for every one who knows Him. The Holy Spirit needs to be the centre of our lives, so that we can know Jesus saying to us each day "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” [Luke 23:43]
“WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN, I HAVE WRITTEN”
In effect, Pilate is saying that he is in charge and his pronouncement is final, thus attempting to put all blame onto the Jews, and showing that he lacked the courage of his conviction that Jesus was King of the Jews. Pilate may have tried to absolve himself of blame, but he is troubled nonetheless. It shows clearly how we can get in a mess, leading to appalling mistakes, when we cannot see Jesus in our midst.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
MICAH 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
JESUS BE THE CENTRE
LOVE with all your MIND
THE SPIRIT OF God corrupts our natural virtues. If we are naturally pure-minded, good-tempered, loving, we shall find that since we became spiritual God's corruption has been put on everything that was of old, because the natural virtues are not promises of what we are going to be, but remnants of what we were created to be, and the new life re-forms its own virtues.
It is the most woeful thing to see people in the service of God depending on what they have by the accidents of heredity. Intellectually we nearly always sympathise with pagan virtues, while spiritually God is trying to get us into contact with the real life of the Lord Jesus Christ that cannot be described in terms of natural virtues,
[from ‘Notes on Jeremiah’ by Oswald Chambers]
It is the most woeful thing to see people in the service of God depending on what they have by the accidents of heredity. Intellectually we nearly always sympathise with pagan virtues, while spiritually God is trying to get us into contact with the real life of the Lord Jesus Christ that cannot be described in terms of natural virtues,
[from ‘Notes on Jeremiah’ by Oswald Chambers]
Listen to this meditation by clicking on ‘download file’ below
- Published on
John 19:10-16
Then Pilate said to Him, "Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?"
Jesus answered, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."
From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, "If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar's friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar."
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"
But they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar!"
Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away.
Jesus answered, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."
From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, "If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar's friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar."
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"
But they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar!"
Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away.
‘Gabbatha’ means ‘the raised place’, or ‘elevation’, and in Jerusalem it was known as ‘The Pavement’, because of the square hewn stones which were laid there. It was also the Jewish name for the Roman tribunal which sat there — a place of judgement.
Judgement dispensed here is not God’s Judgement, but man’s, and man putting himself above God — not that many of the players in this drama understood that distinction. In any courtroom that I have seen, the judge, magistrate, sheriff or Law Lord is in a raised or elevated position. In the natural world, judgement (but not necessarily justice) comes from that self-elevated place. However, with God, justice and judgement are handmaidens and the place of elevation is who He is.
Pilate says again, that he finds no fault in Jesus, even to the point of saying "Behold your King!" The crowd disagree and Pilate in his weakness accedes to their cries. The mob had their way, just as those who stormed the Capitol in Washington on January 6th 2021, were intent upon having their way — some believing they had been given licence to attack their governmental representatives; others merely to create havoc and chaos.
The Lord always gives us a free will choice, He never coerces. He allows us to choose the ruler of this world, and many plainly do. Their eyes are blinded to The Truth. At this point in the Gospel story, Jew and Gentile collude in the death of Jesus. This is a fundamental truth which shows that the Jews alone were not responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion — and in that part of every one of us untouched by the life of Christ, the responsibility lingers on. Never was going ‘on to perfection’ a calling of greater importance.
Jesus is sent to be crucified by those of the world, but it is worth remembering Paul’s words in Galatians 2:20, words that bind us inescapably as believers to our Lord -- I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Judgement dispensed here is not God’s Judgement, but man’s, and man putting himself above God — not that many of the players in this drama understood that distinction. In any courtroom that I have seen, the judge, magistrate, sheriff or Law Lord is in a raised or elevated position. In the natural world, judgement (but not necessarily justice) comes from that self-elevated place. However, with God, justice and judgement are handmaidens and the place of elevation is who He is.
Pilate says again, that he finds no fault in Jesus, even to the point of saying "Behold your King!" The crowd disagree and Pilate in his weakness accedes to their cries. The mob had their way, just as those who stormed the Capitol in Washington on January 6th 2021, were intent upon having their way — some believing they had been given licence to attack their governmental representatives; others merely to create havoc and chaos.
The Lord always gives us a free will choice, He never coerces. He allows us to choose the ruler of this world, and many plainly do. Their eyes are blinded to The Truth. At this point in the Gospel story, Jew and Gentile collude in the death of Jesus. This is a fundamental truth which shows that the Jews alone were not responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion — and in that part of every one of us untouched by the life of Christ, the responsibility lingers on. Never was going ‘on to perfection’ a calling of greater importance.
Jesus is sent to be crucified by those of the world, but it is worth remembering Paul’s words in Galatians 2:20, words that bind us inescapably as believers to our Lord -- I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
HEBREWS 6:1-8
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
And this we will do if God permits.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God;
but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
And this we will do if God permits.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God;
but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
IT’S NO LONGER I THAT LIVETH
LOVE with all your MIND
IF MY WORSHIP is consumed in the glory of the Lord till that is the one thing left in my mind, I have come to the right place of vision. Anything that belittles or obliterates the holiness of God by a false view of the love of God is untrue to the revelation given by Jesus Christ.
[from ‘Notes On Isaiah’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘Notes On Isaiah’ by Oswald Chambers]
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION BY CLICKING ON ‘DOWNLOAD FILE’ BELOW
- Published on
John 19:1-9
So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him.
And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck Him with their hands.
Pilate then went out again, and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him."
Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Behold the Man!"
Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him."
The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God."
Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid,
and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.
And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck Him with their hands.
Pilate then went out again, and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him."
Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Behold the Man!"
Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him."
The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God."
Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid,
and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.
Pilate shows Jesus to the gathered crowd to say that he has found no fault in Him. His method of establishing this was to have Jesus scourged, or flogged, and then let his soldiers have their way. Thus Jesus was attacked in body, mind and spirit. His body was violated by the scourging, His mind pierced by thorns (the darts of the enemy) and His spirit repeatedly mocked and denigrated.
Despite such humiliation and brutality, no fault could be found in Him, because there was none to find. The crowd however, were not so easily dissuaded, and demanded that He be crucified. Reading this passage from John 19, we are confronted by a fundamental reality. The world does not want Jesus; it has no wish to embrace Jesus or His Truth, let alone accept the Life that He offers.
We must remember that Jesus accepted this as the natural outcome of His time on earth. He knew what was in man. (But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. JOHN 2:24-25)
The lesson for each of us who follow Jesus is that this world will assail us as it did Jesus. We will receive blows in the little problems and irritations of our earthly existence, every bit as much as in the affliction of major trials. Our salvation rests on the very fact that He went before us, securing our redemption and opening the gate to eternity. Every one of us should surely be profoundly affected by Jesus’ sufferings. Therefore, hold fast to your faith and rest in Him. To the end He proves that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Despite such humiliation and brutality, no fault could be found in Him, because there was none to find. The crowd however, were not so easily dissuaded, and demanded that He be crucified. Reading this passage from John 19, we are confronted by a fundamental reality. The world does not want Jesus; it has no wish to embrace Jesus or His Truth, let alone accept the Life that He offers.
We must remember that Jesus accepted this as the natural outcome of His time on earth. He knew what was in man. (But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. JOHN 2:24-25)
The lesson for each of us who follow Jesus is that this world will assail us as it did Jesus. We will receive blows in the little problems and irritations of our earthly existence, every bit as much as in the affliction of major trials. Our salvation rests on the very fact that He went before us, securing our redemption and opening the gate to eternity. Every one of us should surely be profoundly affected by Jesus’ sufferings. Therefore, hold fast to your faith and rest in Him. To the end He proves that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
DANIEL 6:3-9
Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.
So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.
Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God."
So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: "King Darius, live forever!
All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter."
Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.
So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.
Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God."
So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: "King Darius, live forever!
All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter."
Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
BEHOLD THE MAN — Kathryn and Sean Donaldson
LOVE with all your MIND
WATCH THE MARGINS of your mind when you begin to take the view that it doesn't matter whether God is holy or not; it is the beginning of being a traitor to Jesus Christ. Spiritual insight does not so much enable us to understand God as to understand that He is at work in the ordinary things of life, in the ordinary stuff human nature is made of.
[from ‘Disciples Indeed’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘Disciples Indeed’ by Oswald Chambers]