Learning Jesus | Week 40
Learning Jesus Week 40
King of Truth
Key Word – innocent >> Central Passages – Day 3 & 4 texts
Best engagement = complete all five days at home. Next best = complete Days 3-5 to prep for group.
Day 1 -- The Sanhedrin give their final condemnation at Jesus’ religious trial.
Background Information – As we have read already, Jesus endured physical abuse, and in today’s text He endures the first of eight mockeries. In Mark’s account, he states that the leaders blindfolded Jesus and spit on Him (14:65). Again, this and other events regarding Jesus’ trial were illegal. So perhaps to bring some sort of legal semblance to the trial, the Sanhedrin now question Jesus during the day which is when trials were legally held. They basically ask the same questions. And Jesus answers as He did before. When Jesus states, “You say that I am,” this is the Greek emphatic for “Yes, indeed.”
Read Luke 22:63-65
1. Imagine the scene of guards mocking and beating Jesus and Jewish leadership blindfolding and spitting on Him. At the same time, listen to Psalm 118. This is the last Psalm that Jesus sang with His disciples as they walked to the Garden of Gethsemane. Imagine Jesus singing this song in praise while His people abuse Him.
Background Information – Recall that with His Twelve Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him three times, and this has just come to pass. He also predicted His passion when He said: “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise” (Luke 18:31-33).
2. When Jesus is asked if He is the Son of God, He says “Yes, indeed.” When Jesus is shamefully treated and is told, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” He says nothing. Why do you think that is?
3. Enjoy a time praising the Son of Man|the Son of God, who, though innocent, is condemned by men for whom He went to trial to save.
Day 2 -- Judas commits suicide.
Background Information – Yesterday, we read the conclusion of Jesus’ religious trial. Jesus, who claimed to be the Son of God, was convicted of blasphemy, and under Jewish law, blasphemy was punishable by death. However, in the very year of Jesus’ trial, the Roman senate revoked the Sanhedrin’s power to enforce capital punishment, and so the Sanhedrin had to find an offense that under Roman law was punishable by death. Here is where the Jewish leadership’s investment of thirty shekels for Judas’ betrayal could have yielded more fruit. But....
Read Matthew 27:3-10
Background Information – The ESV reads that Judas “changed his mind,” and other versions use the word “repented.” The Greek word used in this text is not metanoia, which is used to convey a salvific repentance, but the word metamelomai, which means “to be filled with regret or emotion.” Judas does admit to betraying innocent blood and because he is concerned that he betrayed innocent blood, his emotion changed to regret. This does not mean, that he repented as to trusting Christ as Messiah. Judas’ next action is to hang himself. After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, Peter, reflecting on Judas, says,
“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in the ministry.
(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) For it is written in the Book of Psalms, ‘May his camp become desolate and let there be no one to dwell in it’” (Acts 1:15-20a).
Background Information – Matthew states that Judas hung himself while Peter states that Judas fell and burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. This apparent discrepancy is resolved by understanding Jewish law. If a dead body was found within the walls of Jerusalem between the first day and the first night of Passover, then Jerusalem would be declared ceremonially unclean, and the priests could not offer the chagigah sacrifice on the first day. So the priests took down Judas’ body after he hung himself and threw it over the wall. When Judas’ body hit the ground of the Valley of Hinnom, his bowels gushed out.
What’s interesting is that the Valley of Hinnom is connected to Matthew’s reference to a prophecy from Jeremiah being fulfilled in verse 9 of this text. Where the Valley of Hinnom and the Valley of Kidron meet is called Topheth, and since wicked kings sacrificed humans here, God cursed Topheth saying that in this place Jerusalem would bury her people until there was no more room to bury anyone anymore (Jeremiah 7:31-34; 19:11b).
When did this prophecy come true? When the Jews of Jesus’ generation rejected Him by claiming His works were done through the power of Satan instead of the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus prophesied that for this unpardonable sin Jerusalem would be destroyed (Matthew 12:24-45). In 70 A.D. Roman soldiers leveled Jerusalem. During that war, 1,100,000 were slaughtered, so many that they could not bury anymore people in the potter’s field, the same that the chief priests and elders purchased in Judas’ name.
Remember that after Jesus’ death the potter’s field was renamed the Field of Blood because Judas betrayed innocent blood for 30 pieces of silver. The quote that Matthew uses regarding that silver actually comes from Zechariah, not Jeremiah (27:9).
We already learned how at God’s command Zechariah enacted a parable by caring for the sacrificial sheep. After some time, he went to the Jewish leadership of his day and asked what his services were worth to them. In contempt, leadership paid him 30 pieces of silver, the price of a dead slave. God told Zechariah that the contempt of Jewish leadership, the supposed shepherds of Israel, was directed toward Himself. He then told Zechariah to throw the money in the Temple compound as His own demonstration of contempt. Judas demonstrates his contempt when he casts his blood money in this same spot.
One more interesting connection – in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Valley of Hinnom is known as Gei Ben- Hinnom, which means “Valley of the son of Hinnom.” In the Talmud, it was called Gehinnam or Gehinnom, the place of human sacrifice. Then these Hebrew words were Hellenized to Ge’enna, which later became Gehenna,
which is the term for the lake of fire where unbelievers will spend their eternity after the final judgment. This connects back to Jeremiah where God curses the Israelites for burning their own sons and daughters in sacrificial fire. When Jerusalem is destroyed by fire, this near prophecy comes true. At the final judgment before Jesus sets up His Kingdom, unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire. Then the woes, the curses, of Jesus upon Jewish leadership shall vindicated. Jesus’ first woe condemned the Pharisees because their man-made laws kept people from heaven. His second woe noted that the Pharisees make their proselytes twice as much a son of hell (Gehenna) than themselves. In His seventh woe, Jesus condemns the Pharisees as murderers of true prophets, and He promises that upon them shall fall the guilt of the blood of these righteous prophets from Abel to... Zechariah.
1. Go back to the text and to the notes. It’s a lot to take in. Write down some of your observations and insights here.
2. It was a lot to take in, but it was so worth it!
o How do you see the attributes of God revealed here? His sovereignty, wisdom, power, justice....
o Enjoy a time of praising God Himself and praising His sovereignty over HIStory.
3. Warning: Challenging Q! -- Why do you think Matthew says that the prophecy of Jeremiah is fulfilled when the story he describes comes from Zechariah? Consider why Matthew, whose gospel was written for a Jewish audience, would want to allude to Jeremiah while including the Zechariah story details.
Day 3 -- Pilate declares Jesus innocent at the first part of His civil trial.
Background Information – Because Roman senate no longer allowed the Sanhedrin to carry out capital punishment, Jewish leadership needed to present an accusation to start the trial with Pontius Pilate, the governor. Judas was supposed to be their spokesperson, but after Jesus’ religious trial, Judas committed suicide. So now they will need to invent an accusation themselves and present it to Pilate. According to the Law, Jews who enter Gentile establishments defile themselves, so Pilate met leadership outside the Praetorium. He was expecting them because he had sent a cohort to accompany Judas when they arrested Jesus.
Read John 18:28-32.
1. We have a lot of leaders gathered outside the Praetorium. We have Jewish leadership, Pilate the governor, and Jesus the Messiah. Who is really in charge? How do you know?
Background Information – Jewish leadership’s statement “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you” was not specific enough to warrant a trial. So Pilate tells them to put Jesus on trial themselves. But they want Jesus to die, so they invent three specific accusations recorded in Luke’s account: “And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”
The charge of “misleading our nation” means they are accusing Jesus of misrepresenting them by mixing heresy and truth. Ironic, right? This is a clever accusation because Pilate would want to subdue anything that incited the Jewish people to riot. The charge of forbidding tribute to Caesar is in direct opposition to what Jesus said when Jewish leadership tested him about paying taxes (Matthew 22:21). He asked for a Roman coin that bore the head of Caesar and told them to render to Caesar what was his and to render to God what was His. The last accusation about Jesus’ claim to be a king would definitely pique Pilate’s interest because if this were true, then this could stir unrest among the Jews in subjugation to King Caesar. Now that Pilate has these three accusations, he can open the trial by questioning the defendant.
Read John 18:33-38.
2. What does Jesus tell Pilate about Himself? Make a list.
Background Information – Jesus asks Pilate if he posited the question on his “own accord” because Jesus’ claim to be a king would mean one thing to Rome and another thing to a Jew who knew what Scripture taught about the Messiah. Scripture does not teach that the Messiah would depose a Gentile king and sit upon his throne. It teaches that the Messiah will establish His own throne, the throne God promised to David (2 Samuel 7:11b-16; ). Because the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah, Jesus rescinded His offer of this kingdom. He will establish it at His second coming; therefore, Jesus is assuring Pilate that He is no threat to Caesar. Pilate then clarifies that Jesus is claiming to be a king but one who will not seek to overthrow Caesar. To this, Jesus replies basically, “I am the King of Truth.”
Matthew’s account concludes: “But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, ‘Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?’ But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.”
3. Jesus’ Defense
o What does Jesus mean that His kingdom is not of this world?
o How do you think Caesar received Jesus’ claim to be the King of Truth?
Day 4 – The Son of David will receive His promised throne in the Father’s timing.
Read the two passages below where God makes a covenant with King David.
2 Samuel 7:11b-16
Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”
1 Chronicles 17:10b-14
Moreover, I tell you that the LORD will build a house for you. When your days are fulfilled that you must to be with your fathers, that I will set up one of your descendants after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.
1. Underline the differences you notice in 2 Samuel 7:11b-16 and 1 Chronicles 17:10b-14.
Background Information – In 2 Samuel 7:11b-16, God promises David that a son of his shall sit on the throne. In this text the focus is on his son Solomon who will prove to be unfaithful, but in 1 Chronicles 17:10b- 14, God promises David that a son of a son of a son..., in other words a descendant, of his shall sit on his throne. This time God is focusing on the Son of David who is the Messiah. This Son, unlike Solomon, will be without sin and an utterly faithful King. This person must, therefore, be fully God and fully Man. So in the Davidic Covenant the Scriptures promise an eternal dynasty, a kingdom, and a throne. These are only eternal because of the promised Person who is and was and always shall be.
We are going to revisit a portion of the text from Day 3 in order to go deeper in understanding Israel and her promised Messianic Kingdom through God’s covenant with David. Re-read John 18:33-38 and focus on Jesus’ statement that His kingdom is not of this world.
2. King of Truth Consider Pilate and Jesus’ conversation and what God says about His Son in 1 Chronicles 17. o For what purpose was Jesus born?
o Why is Jesus so confident as He stands before Pilate?
o Why does it make sense that the King of Truth would rule a kingdom that is not of this world?
o Who listens to this King?
3. Enjoy a time of praising God that the King of Truth spoke to you and you heard His voice.
Deep Think (Optional)
Replacement theologians, especially those holding an amillennial eschatology, claim that when Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world that He means that His kingdom will not be a literal earthly kingdom. Greg L. Bahsen says that this statement of Jesus is “much abused” and that Jesus is referring to the source of His reign, not the nature of His reign. The source of His reign originates with God. It does not originate with an earthly power or authority. If we compare this to Jesus’ statement that His followers are in the world but not of the world, we see an example of “nature.” The nature of Jesus’ followers is not of this world. Jesus’ kingdom will be in this world, but it will not be of this world. When Jesus says His kingdom is not of this world, He means it is not from now. By contrast, this would be mean that His kingdom will be established later and a literal later.
A replacement theologian believes that the Church will receive the promises that God promised Israel and that Israel shall not receive these promises because she rejected Jesus as Messiah at His first coming. Below is a quick summary of just a few Scriptures that counter this theology and clearly promise that God shall fulfill His covenant with David.
Isaiah 9:6-7 – The Son of David is eternal and His kingdom shall be eternal because of God’s loyal love for Israel.
Isaiah 16:5 – This passage reiterates the eternality of the Son of David’s throne and states that truth will characterize this King.
Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:14-26 – This King is called Jehovah our righteousness and because of Jehovah’s character, Judah and Israel can trust they shall be saved and safe. The Davidic Covenant is unconditional and under no circumstances will God fail to sustain the House of David. If you continue to read Jeremiah, the prophet just affirms repeatedly that God will fulfill all the conditions of the Davidic Covenant (dynasty, kingdom, throne, and Person).
Other Scriptures include – Zechariah 14:9; Psalm 89:3-4; Amos 9:11-12
Day 5 -- It’s Jesus or Nothing Video & Personal Reflection Questions
Dr. David Wood, who co-founded Acts 17 Apologetics “Making Truth Famous,” created a video titled “It’s Jesus or Nothing: How God Destroyed My Atheism.” While Wood was in prison, he basically asked the question “What is truth?” of his cellmate Randy, a follower of Christ. He said that Randy seemed like he was “from another world,” and this intrigued him.
I encourage you to watch Wood’s video to see how Randy, a modern little Jesus (Christian), could engage with David Wood, a modern Pilate. This video is for a mature audience because Wood describes his violent past (a past Pilate shared). This video affirms what we know of God – He can save anyone and after saving “anyone,” God can use him anywhere. To watch the video, either click the link or search You Tube for “It’s Jesus or Nothing: How God Destroyed My Atheism.”
Use this space to record how Randy witnessed to David.
Reflection Questions
1. Do others see you as someone who, because of what you say and do, “seems to be from another world”?
2. What did you see in Randy that you would like to imitate? How would you do that?
Wood closes quoting from Paul, who had blasphemed Christ and murdered Christians --
Optional Memory Verses – It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Timothy 1:15-17).
REFLECTION Questions for Group
1. How would you explain that Jesus is the King of Truth over the world to someone who asks like Pilate “What is truth?” In other words, how is it “Jesus or Nothing” for the world?
2. How would you explain that Jesus is and has been the King of Truth in your life to someone who asks like Pilate “What is truth?” In other words, how has it been “Jesus or Nothing” for you?
3. Who are people in your circle who might ask like Pilate “What is truth?” whom you would like to engage in a conversation about Jesus?
4. If you were able to watch the video “It’s Jesus or Nothing: How God Destroyed My Atheism,” what did you learn from Randy, the one who shared the gospel with David?
5. Praise God for His sinless Son, “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God.” Seek God on behalf of those who do not know Jesus as THE Truth. Ask Him to prepare you to be a faithful witness to them. Ask to see His glory in saving them and in growing them to be little Christs.
COMMUNITY GROUP TIME
Discuss the Central Passage questions. (This week that is Days 3-4.)
Open Share Time -- Allow time for each to share “starred” insights or questions from Days 1-5. Allow others
to respond to the shared insight.
Is anyone able to recite all or part of 1 Timothy 1:15-17?
Discuss Reflection Questions.
Close in prayer.
God’s joy and strength to you,
kpaulson@gracelaredo.org