Understanding and Teaching the Bible

(1) The significance of Christ's temptation in the wilderness Luke 4:1-13:

It would be difficult to over-estimate the importance of this event in Christ's life. It is much more than simply Christ demonstrating his victory over temptation as an encouragement to us - although it is that too. (Heb.4:15 'For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weakness, but we have one has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin.')

The first thing to note here is that we are seeing Christ actively fighting temptation to sin. He was not just passive towards temptation and sin, as if it could not touch him. Although we find it difficult to get our heads round the implication of this, we need to recognise that it was not just a question of Christ being incapable of sin, but of actually fighting it. The righteousness he lived was not just passive (needing no effort) but active - positively needing effort. He kept the Covenant Law perfectly, not automatically, but by a supreme act of will. It is this active righteousness that it is credited to all who believe (Rom.3:22). (For further explanation of this see the Doctrine for Everyone Article 1).

Here in Luke 4 we find Christ answering the devil three times by quoting from the Old Testament (vs.4, 8, 12). Certainly this confirms that Jesus believed the OT to be authoritative. If the Scripture had no authority what would have been the point of using it? For more examples of Jesus' use of the OT, see the Information, Application and Implication Article 4.

But, there is more. As you may be able to see from footnotes, all three quotations Jesus uses were from the Book of Deuteronomy (8:3, 6:13, 6:16) when - and here comes the surprise - Israel was being tested in the wilderness - as he was!

So now we see confirmed that Jesus is the New Israel. All that Old Israel was intended to be - a covenant-keeping people - is now going to be focussed into him. They failed - he would not fail. They deserted the covenant - he would keep it perfectly. God appointed Israel to represent Him to the world, but that act was pointing ahead to the time when it would be the Christ who would do that - and do it perfectly and completely.

So what was the devil trying to do? He challenges Jesus twice - 'If you are the Son of God ..'. He was not trying to get Jesus to doubt himself, but to exploit his status.

As if to say 'If you are the Son of God you can do anything you like - authority and splendour in the world is yours for the asking.'' (v.6). But despite who he is, Jesus is not free to exploit his status. THE BIG ISSUE IS that if he follows the devil's way, he will avoid the CROSS! Would that have been a real temptation for Jesus? Of course it would!

That's what is going on here. The battle for the Cross is being fought out. Jesus says in Mark 10:45 'For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.' That is what the devil is after - that Jesus should not go the Cross. The devil feared that above everything, because he knew it would seal his fate.

So the victory of Christ over the devil in the wilderness was supremely important - no victory > no Cross > no salvation for all who believe. But he was victorious: he was willing to suffer before he would see glory - for you and me.

Of course, the big question here is why Jesus felt that He should be baptised. John the Baptist was quite right to ask in v.14 and assert that it was HE who needed to be baptised by Jesus, not the other way round. We recall that John's baptism was for repentance and the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4). Jesus certainly did not need that! It seems clear that the purpose of Jesus being baptised was for 'identification' ie he was identifying himself with all humanity. He came to be our substitute on the Cross: he hung in our place: he took the punishment due to us. Indeed even his life was lived for us - because it is his sinless life that is credited to us so that we can meet God's demand for righteousness.

So submitting himself to baptism was Jesus' first public act of identification with humanity he came to save. He was baptised for repentance even though he did not need to repent: he died the penalty for sin even though he had no sin of his own to die for.

What we must not conclude is that this was the moment at which Jesus became divine, as some have asserted! There is no suggestion of this. He was conceived divine and grew up divine - see Mark 2:49. In the temple at the age of 12 (Mark 2:42) he told hs parents 'Did you not know I had to be in my Father's house?'.

Unfortunately there are some who appear to teach something that seems very close to the error just refuted - namely that Jesus was baptised in the Spirit at this time. Even implying that he did not have the Spirit until then. There is no case for this. He was clearly baptised in the water and to imply that he did not have the Spirit until this point is tantamount to doubting his previous divinity.

The remarkable thing we must recognise in vs.16,17 is the presence of all three persons of the Trinity. We must always look out for the presence of the Trinity (for more on this subject please see the Article on the Doctrine for Everyone page).

The Son came out of the water; the Spirit descended 'like a dove'; and thee Father spoke from heaven. This was an exquisite moment when the Father and Spirit endorsed the work of the Son. Whoever else witnessed the event with understanding apart from John, the Trinity here demonstrated its solidarity. That it was a serene moment of encouragement to Christ for the work he had to do cannot be doubted.

In particular the Father's words are especially significant. The first phrase in God's statement is reminiscent of Ps.2:7b. (your Bible may well have a cross reference to Matt.3:17) But the big significance of this is that this 'cosmic' psalm was used at the coronation of Israel's kings. The Father is addressing Jesus as a king!

But the second half of the Father's words reflect Is.42:1b. (Note the cross reference again). While the words may not match exactly (probably because of translation via the Septuagint - the Greek version of the OT) the sentiment is clear - 'with whom I am well pleased' = 'in whom I delight'. The significance of this is that Is.42 speaks of God's servant who is to come.

Thus this apparently straightforward declaration by God speaks volumes - because it designates Jesus Christ as KING and SERVANT. Is not this the tension we see in the Gospels? Christ acts with the authority of a king (healing diseases, casting out demons, commanding nature, forgiving sins) and yet declaring himself the servant of all (Mark 10:45 'For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.')

In v.2 God tells Moses that he is the God who over 400 years earlier had made covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were the chosen line through which God was going to bring about his great plan. Now He is going to act to rescue this line from slavery. (They went into Egypt only 17 people - a highly vulnerable group of desert dwellers, endangered by famine - but came out at least a million strong!) But they are slaves.

Now in vs.6-8 God tells them what he is going to do. He speaks of freedom, redemption, judgement, adoption, and fulfilment of his covenant promise of a homeland - a promise he originally made to Abraham. Identify these features in the verses.

But there is a remarkable parallel in these words with what God will ultimately do at Calvary. Through Christ's atoning death those who believe are redeemed and freed from slavery to the 'law of sin and death' (Rom.8:2). This salvation was indeed a 'mighty act' of judgement - which Christ bore on our behalf (with 'outstretched arms'!) . And God adopts all who believe, making them his own. To be 'in Christ' by faith is indeed to be safe in our homeland of promise, which at the moment we see only by faith but one day will see in all its reality.

In these verses God declares to Israel that being the object of his covenant love makes them his own unique treasured possession. The whole earth is his. He could have chosen any other nation on earth, but he chose them. See Deut.7:6-8. This is going to mean both enormous privileges and enormous responsibility. They are called to be the pattern of holiness for all the earth to see (Deut.4:6). And they are to be a nation of priests (1 Peter 2:9,10) representing God to the world and the world to God.

So when chapter 20 opens we discover the way that God expects his people to live - we call them the Ten Commandments. But it is important to note that God chooses and adopts Israel before he gives them the Commandments - not the other way round. They do not become his people BY obeying the commandments. This is consistent with the whole Bible's teaching that we do not gain God's acceptance by works. Israel's good works should follow now that they are in a faith-and-trust-relationship with God. So it is with us. Our good works should be a thank-offering for our acceptance into a faith-relationship with God through Christ. Salvation is by faith alone, but good works/holiness should follow.

Matthew is setting out to convince his readers that Jesus is the Christ promised in the OT. To do this he gives (1) Christ's genealogy, and (2) five quotations from various prophets, interpreting what they say as applying to Jesus Christ.

(i) See, 1:22,23: here he quotes from Isaiah showing that Christ's virgin birth was foretold. Note too the insistence that Christ is divine,saying - 'which means "God is with us" ' - not God's representative but God!

(ii) Then in 2:5,6 he uses the directions given to the magi to confirm that the birthplace of Jesus accords with what the prophet Micah predicted.

(iii) Moving on to 2:15 we find him quoting form Hosea "I called my Son out of Egypt". This is rather more controversial for the Jewish readers because they believed that God's reference to His 'Son' always referred to Israel as a people. Indeed God did use 'Son' in that way, but this was a pre-cursor to the specific application to Christ Himself. Matthew sees the quotation as referring to the flight of Jesus' and His parents' into Egypt to escape Herod.

(iv) Then in 2:17 Matthew quotes from Jeremiah, this time in the interpretation of the reference to Herod's awful slaughter of the boys under two years old, in an attempt to eliminate Jesus.

(v) Finally, in 2:23 Matthew refers to Jesus' low social standing since He was brought up in Nazareth. Nazareth was a 'nowhere' place - a place of absolutely no consequence or importance. Enigmatically, there is no specific passage in the prophets making this assertion, but His 'low estate' and His rejection by men are certainly predicted (eg. Ps.22:6-8, Is.49:7, 53:2,3). This is a particularly potent point because Matthew is warning his readers not to miss Jesus because He was not a conquering King. The description of Him as 'Jesus of Nazareth' was at first a term of derision or scorn (John 1:46).

It should also be noted that in chapter 3, Matthew again applies an OT description from Is.40 to John the Baptist thus emphasising that what is going on in his gospel is the fulfilment of OT prophecy.

These are fantastic verses! Verse 4 begins the section by describing God's GRACE: the kindness and love of God, not because of righteous things we had done... but because of his mercy. Here is the source of our salvation, this where and by whom it was initiated - in and by God the Father Himself. Note that He is called 'God our Saviour'. This designation emphasises of the union of Father and Son in our salvation.

The same verse (as if not full enough already with potent words) goes on to describe the work of the Holy Spirit in (1) washing (2) new birth, and (3) renewal. This is the only place in the NT where our 'renewal' is mentioned and it is nothing to do with a post-conversion experience, but refers to what happened AT our conversion. That is when we were renewed (2Cor.5:17).

This work of the Spirit was, according to v.6, poured out generously (speaking of abundance) on us through (the atoning work of) Jesus Christ our Saviour .. WHO ... v.7 justified us (put us right with God) by HIS grace. Both father and Son acted out of Grace. (For more on 'Grace' see the article on 'The Big Words of Salvation' on the Doctrine for Everyone page.)

But notice the two 'so that' s: end of v.5 'renewal by the Holy Spirit' ...v.7 'so that ..... we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life' and middle of v.8 'so that ... those who have trusted in God (in all that has been said here) may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.' To do 'what is good' presumably includes doing God's will as revealed in the teaching of Scripture in believing and living; in obeying and conducting holy lives; in defending and telling the Gospel here described so vividly.

In v.3a we were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by (unworthy) passions and pleasures, but now (as a result of 'But when ... God') we must be careful to do good. We once lived (v.3b) amidst broken relationships with our fellow family members or work/school mates, seeing everyone else as untrustworthy and competitors, but now (as a result of 'But when ... God') we have a new hope (v.7) and the opportunity to devote ourselves to what is 'excellent and profitable for everyone.'

In his letter to the Colossians Paul is seeking to offset the teaching of false teachers in the Colossian church who are leading the people astray by saying that there is a higher plane of Christian life-experience that can be reached by following their formula for success. Paul is adamant that fulness is found in Christ alone and available to every believer - not only to a superior class of believer.

So in chapter one Paul tells us what he prays for the Colossian believers. Read vs. 9,10,11. The phrases fall over with one another as he piles-in one desire and one propose after another. Notice that he begins v. 10 with 'We pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the the Lord that may please him in every way.' This is the controlling thought. This is what he is aiming at. At the beginning of v.11 there is a continuing phrase implying a basis on which this worthy life can be built ; 'being strengthened' -by what? 'with all power' -what sort of power? 'according to his [God's] glorious might. Now that does seem to be the highest possible type or quantity of power. But what is this superlative power to be for? To perform great works of healing or evangelism? Or display spiritual gifts to the amazement of all? Not here in Col.1 it isn't! Perhaps you'd like to find a place in the Bible where it teaches that power in our lives is for this purpose! (Don't give to much time to it: it will be a fruitless search!)

No! the purpose of this power is much less exciting that we might expect or imagine! Well, lets get to the text. In the middle of v.11 we find a SO THAT (always look for them - 'in order that' v.10 has the same portent)) 'so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.' God wants to give us His power so that we will PERSEVERE as Christians and live lives of THANKFULNESS.

That may sound far too ordinary for us. But to persevere as a Christian is not easy. The world, the flesh and the devil are ranged against us. We have to work at persevering. There are far too many examples of people who do not stay the course as Christians. Or of Christians living half-hearted lives. Something takes them away - the attraction of worldly pleasures, suffering, the wish for popularity, an inappropriate marriage, or just sheer laziness. They are all out to get us.

And to what extent can each of us claim to be living lives of thankfulness? We know we all fall short in this. Again we have to work at it. Do you think there might be a connection between those who live thankfully and those who try to speak of Christ to others? Between those who live thankfully and those who give generously and even sacrificially? Surely there is.

One further point: don't you think those who persevere and live thankfully bring the greatest glory to God? Those who don't persevere bring shame on God and the gospel. Those who live thanklessly surely don't warm the heart of God. That's why we need such power to be able to live lives worthy of the Lord (v.10).

This a very powerful story. It is not difficult to imagine the scene. Simon the Pharisee is the host and he is looking forward to an interesting evening, no doubt questioning this new preacher and finding out what he had to say for himself. There is no indication that Simon was beginning to believe in Jesus. He shows Jesus no courtesy - see v.45,46. As the unfolding story shows he had not even begun to understand what Jesus was about.

This is the third time in chapter 7 that Jesus has performed something that is unique to him. Vs. 1-10 tell us of the healing of the centurion's servant without Jesus even visiting him (v.10); vs.11-17 recounts the raising to life of the widow of Nain's son as he is being carried in his coffin. Jesus halts the funeral. What a dramatic scene! Here now in our story in Simon's house Jesus performs the most important thing of all - he forgives the woman's sins (v.48). Surely this is the Kingdom of God (or rather 'the King' himself ) come to earth. The incident with John's message (v.18-23) confirms that we are on the right lines here, because Jesus' answer to John is precisely that He, Jesus, is doing what the OT foretells that the anointed One of God (the Messiah) will do.

Each of the recipients of Christ's grace here receive something they could not do for themselves. They had no claim on God and His goodness. To quote Wilcock in his Bible Speaks Today Commentary on Luke, 'the centurion was a mere gentile, the widow a mere woman, and the woman at the party a mere sinner.'

At the beginning of v.37 the text contains an exclamatory phrase that does not always survive in our English translations. The verse begins 'And look' as if Luke is trying to draw to our attention that a very significant thing is about to happen. She somehow slips into the house - with great courage considering her reputation - and identifying where Jesus is, she stands at his feet (Jesus would have reclining with his head towards the centre leaning probably on his left arm and his feet extended behind him). She must have been very highly motivated not only to enter the Pharisee's house, but she had also brought with her an alabaster jar of perfume. Something wonderful had already happened to her. That she was a 'sinner' is driven home by vs. 37,39 and 47. Over against this triple assertion we are told three times that Jesus is the forgiver of sins - vs.47,48,49.

Clearly from her actions the woman must have been overwhelmed by the remembrance of her own sins AND by the change that had come over her through her previous encounter with Jesus, whatever that was. Her ruined life had been rescued. She is overcome by love and gratitude. Her heart is bursting. Her tears fall on his feet and she wipes them with her hair. Luther called those tears 'heart water'. She even pours the perfume over them. Disgusting! That is Simon's reaction - doesn't he know what kind of woman she is!

Jesus' little inoffensive story of the two men (v.41,42) is a sharp as a knife. Jesus declares in effect that the outpouring of her love is the result of her overwhelming sense of forgivenss.

BUT the point is, Simon did not think he needed forgiveness. He thought as a self-justifying Pharisee that he was the righteous one who needed no forgiveness. How wrong he was!

He had not recognised who Jesus was. He had not understood that even he needed to be forgiven. He was ready to point the finger at the woman - she was a sinner - but not him. The woman - a self-confessed sinner - was right, while he - the self-righteous strictly religious man - was wrong! He had not allowed his meeting with Jesus to teach him anew about God. He thought he knew it all.

Why did Simon get it so wrong? Because his religion was a dead religion - it had no life in it. It was a religion of rules and regulations that gave no room for the grace of God. It had shut out any possibility that God needed to intervene to change his heart. He was hooked on observance and ceremony. He thought he was an expert on the Old Testament but he had missed its message by a mile! (John 5:37-40).

A homely scene. We can imagine it. Especially the situation where one member of the household is left to do all the work while her sister sits with the guest. We can deduce where the village was. From John 11:1 and 12:1-3 we see that Martha and Mary had a brother Lazarus and they lived in Bethany. So it must have been Bethany; only 2 or 3 miles from Jerusalem on the Jericho road.

We must not miss the reference in v.38 that Jesus and his disciples 'were on their way'. This refers back to 9:51. Jesus was on his way - was it to his glorious coronation as King of Israel - to re-conquer Jerusalem in triumph. No! to arrest, a false trial, a ferocious beating and a cruel death on a Roman cross. He was on his way.

Of course, in the story of Martha and Mary we all want to justify Martha; she was being hard done to. We understand how she felt. But Jesus' mild and gentle rebuke draws Martha away from her chores to - well to what or to whom? Well, to himself. Mary has 'chosen what is better.' The Master is there, where else to be but at his feet listening. The 'better' thing is of the greater long-term value.

This episode also speaks to us of our need to be personally attached to Jesus. We cannot , of course, detach what Jesus DID from who he WAS, but we would do well to give greater attention to our affection for and our attachment to Jesus himself. We are to love him.

A question we ought always to ask when reading the Gospels in particular, is 'why did the writer record this incident and why put it here?' [As you know the gospel writers did not always write a chronological story - it was not the way in those days - but assembled events to make particular points.]

In this case there does seem to be a particular reason why Luke records this event at this point. In his account of Jesus there are going to follow from chapter 11 onwards, a long section of Jesus' words interspersed with little action. So is Luke telling us to sit at Jesus feet, as Mary did, and just LISTEN - and not be distracted by the ordinary things of life? I think he is.

The two disciples on the road were clearly close enough to the 'action' to take Jesus's death very seriously indeed. They were devastated - v.17 'their faces were downcast'. v.21 'we had hoped ...' how deeply meaningful those words were - 'we had hoped'. But what had they hoped? v.21 'that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.' Now all those hopes had been dashed - Jesus was dead - and not just dead, but crucified by the authorities. How could things have gone so wrong? But then, to their utter perplexity, there were rumours that the tomb was empty. Jesus' body was nowhere to be seen. Their thoughts were in turmoil: they didn't know what to think.

Into this situation steps this stranger whom they do not recognise. He doesn't mince his words - 'how foolish you are, and how slow of heart ...' I think we can detect a gentleness born of sadness at their distress.

Of course, Jesus words in v.26 strike right at the crux of the matter. How could anyone believe that the messiah should suffer! Even if the men had understood that, it would have been almost impossible for them to countenance it. They knew of Isaiah 53 but they thought it referred to Israel's suffering, not the messiah's. It was not that there would be no glory for the messiah, but that there would be suffering first (v.26).

Then Jesus did a wonderful thing: 'beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [that is from the whole OT] he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.' What a privilege to hear that - what a shame it isn't on record! What we need to grasp here, is that Jesus would have explained much much more than the proof-texts of where he would be born and all that. The OT was about him in a much more profound way than that...

Christ is the complete fulfilment not only of all the Old Testament prophecies and promises, and of its moral and ceremonial law, but also the One towards whom all its history moved and its progressive revelation pointed.

That is how completely the OT is dedicated to the preparation for Christ. This is what he would have told them.

The story begins on a surprising note because Jesus, a Jew, asks the Samaritan woman for a drink (vs. 7-9). But the woman is in for a second surprise, Jesus says that if she knew who he is she would ask him for a drink! - because he can give 'living water'. She misunderstands and thinks he means 'spring' (bubbling) water as opposed to well water. But in any case, as she quickly points out, he doesn't even have a bucket. But this woman isn't dull of spirit: she demands to know if he thinks he is greater that Jacob who gave the well so long ago. Such irony!

This prompts Jesus to make the statement that dominates this passage - vs.13,14. The water that Jesus can give is remarkable. It will quench thirst for ever. In the person who drinks it, the water will be a spring welling up to .... ah! so this isn't just some superior version of earthly water, this is supernatural water - because it produces eternal life, which is not just everlasting but spiritual - of the Spirit of God. Jesus must be referring to this water as the water of life, but it is so closely identified with true spiritual life, that we can regard it as life itself. The consummation of this is pictured for us in Rev.7:17 ('springs of living water') and Rev.21:6 'To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.' Then in Rev.22:1 in the new Jerusalem we are shown the river of the water of life (in abundance) flowing down for the throne of God and of the Lamb.

But the woman still thinks Jesus means earthly water (v.19). Jesus is patient, he changes the subject, he hasn't finished with her yet. But eventually something begins to dawn in the woman's mind - v.19 'You are a prophet'. And she goes on to raise the question of where God should be worshipped. It is not clear why she does that. But this is the moment for Jesus to make another major statement. The woman thinks that worship is tied to a PLACE but Jesus is telling her that now he has come that is changing. He says that worship is no longer going to be a matter of rites and places but a spiritual matter. It is too veiled for the woman to understand at this stage but Jesus' reference to spirit and truth needs to be taken together with his later claim that he is truth (John 14:6). In the new era he is bringing, worship is going to be orientated through and towards him.

The imagery of a shepherd, and later of the difference between a shepherd and a hireling, will be all too familiar to his hearers. But in the light of Ez.34 it is crystal clear that Jesus is not just claiming to be a 'good' shepherd or even the best shepherd that could ever be, but he is claiming to be none other than the fulfilment of Ez.34:23.

That reference on its own is a puzzle because God declares that the new shepherd will be David - but he has been dead for 400 years. So is it going to be David resurrected? No, surely this is a reference to the messiah, of whom David the glorious King was a forerunner. Notice the next paragraph in Ez. 34 is full of what God will do 'I will make' .. 'I will bless' ..'I will send' ...'I will provide'. All looking ahead to the messianic age to come.

But note in John 10:11 that Jesus' claim is immediately followed by the assertion that the shepherd will die - for the sheep! In v.14 Jesus makes the claim again but this time asserts that he has sheep whom he knows and who know him! An this knowledge is just as intimate as the Father and the Son know each other! (v.15). There really is here the strongest possible indication that both the Father and the Son have a chosen people who are known by them and who will recognise Jesus for who he is. Jew and Gentile ('other sheep' v.16) will listen to him. And v.18, no one will take Jesus' life from him, he will lay it down. This is his Father's will.

This is a monumental chapter. First we note that Jesus does not appear to have rushed to Bethany to be with Lazarus and his sisters 11:3 > 4 >5 >6. Why? see v.11-14. Jesus knew Lazarus had died? How did he know that? Imagine what else Jesus must have known because of his divinity!

Martha went out to meet Jesus as he approached the village (20). She expresses considerable confidence in Jesus .. 'Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died' Then her confidence jumps to a new dimension ..'But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.' Wow, what understanding. She understood that Jesus and the Father were that close, that at-one. Then Jesus tests her (he knew what he was going to do) by referring to the resurrection at the End - whatever that meant to Martha. She is confident of that. Now Jesus makes this monumental claim (25,26) about himself knowing that this faithful (full of faith) woman in front of him could take it. 'I am [those two small words of great portent] the resurrection and the life' - meaning presumably that he is the and the only, way to resurrection and resurrection life. Moreover, 'he who believes IN ME [not in religious things but in him personally] 'even though he dies ...will never (never) die' (die yet not die!) 'Do you believe this' is akin to Jesus' question in Mark 8 'Who do you say that I am?' Martha opens her heart and replies with utmost sincerity 'Yes Lord, I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.' How wonderful that she had come to see that and with such enthusiasm.

Why did Jesus weep (and groan as was their way), when he knew that it was not the end for Lazarus? Because that was Jesus' response to the scandal of human death and the awful sadness that goes with it. How different things could have been if mankind had not turned its back of God. From Adam to now we have brought death upon ourselves by our sin - our disobedience to our Creator. It broke the heart of the one who came to reverse the curse upon us.

What a scene to imagine, the staggering and bound Lazarus coming out of the cave (44)? Everyone's breathing must have stopped in amazement. What a time for rejoicing. Some believed (45). But not everyone rejoiced. For some this was the end of the road (46). A meeting was called (47) then (53). But in that meeting Caiaphas the high priest unwittingly made the most astonishingly accurate statement of what was happening .. v.50 'it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation die.' If only he knew what he was saying. They thought they we going to take Jesus' life - what they did not have any idea about was that it was Jesus who was going to lay-down his life (John 10:18). They were not in control, he was!

Peter had not always been a brave man. Remember he had denied Jesus vehemently on the night of the trial - and reproached himself terribly for it. But now, Jesus had graciously re-instated him (John 21:15-19), and the Holy Spirit had empowered him to speak openly and forthrightly about his Jesus the Christ. His address on the Day of Pentecost was remarkable for its understanding and its biblical theology of salvation. Our few verse (22-24) are packed tight with theological punch. There is much to note about them.

For instance we see that they are chronological about Christ's life >ministry >messianic signs > death>resurrection. Note too the assertion that it was all God's work ..(22a) a man accredited by God ...which God did (22b) ..handed over to you by God (23) .. But God raised him (24).

He begins by earthing Jesus' humanity > 'Jesus of Nazareth'. A man not a spirit, nor and angel. He was accredited by God to you by the miracles he performed. Wonders and signs only the messiah could have done and indeed prophesied to be the typical manifestations of the messiah. He did them among you - you couldn't have missed them - indeed you did not miss them (you took offence at them!).

You did not take him and condemn him on your own authority. God handed him over as his 'set purpose and foreknowledge'. But none the less, you carry the guilt for crucifying him as a criminal with the help of wicked men (who lied in court). You thought you had him under your control, but not only did God hand him over according to his own purpose but he also raised him to life again. Do you realise who he was? You have missed and misinterpreted the very work of God among you, under you very noses!

Peter picks up the resurrection theme again in v.32. God raised Jesus to life again and we are witness - why? because we have seen him!

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