Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus, “charged … his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ”, and in chapter sixteen and verse twenty-one of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus, “began … to show unto his disciples” that He would be “killed, and be raised again” where we read:
From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
The verse reads, “From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, ...”. Matthew began with the words, “from that time forth” or “separate and apart from the time when Jesus instructed His disciples not to make Him known as the Christ” “began Jesus” which means “Jesus commenced” “to show” or “to reveal, give evidence and proof” “unto his disciples” which refers to “Jesus' students, pupils and attendants”, “how that he must go” or “that it was necessary, commanded and Jesus duty to depart and go away” “into Jerusalem” which means “set you double peace” and was “the capital of Palestine”. Matthew shared how Jesus started to “tell” His disciples how it was necessary that He travel to “Jerusalem”.
The verse goes on to say, “... and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” Matthew continued with the words, “and suffer many things” which means “and be affected by, experience and undergo sad and bad plights” “of the elders” or “from the members of the great council or Sanhedrin” “and of the chief priests” or “the high priests who comprise, in addition to one holding the high priestly office, both those who had previously discharged it and although disposed, continued to have great power in the State, as well as the members of the families from which high priest were created, provided that they had much influence in public affairs” “and scribes” which means “men learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings and an interpreter or teacher. Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law and added to the Mosaic law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion”, “and be killed” or “be destroyed, allowed to perish, abolished and inflicted with mortal death”, “and be raised again” which means “and aroused, arisen, and awakened from the dead” “the third day” which refers to “the third day after Jesus dies”. Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples that He would be afflicted with “many things” by the religious leaders, be put to death and “raised from the dead” three days afterward.
When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus knew in advance what would happen to Him when He went to “Jerusalem”. The “Sanhedrin”, “Chief priests” or “High priests” wanted Jesus to die, however, they did not know that He would be “raised to life again” three days later. God wants people to know His plan of “salvation” through His Son Jesus, and when they yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”, they shall know the great lengths of life, death and life again that He purposed for Himself to save them from their “sins”.
Next time Matthew shares how Peter, “took him, and began to rebuke him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
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Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
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