Comprehensive Edition

II. Ministry, Death and Resurrection

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Chapter 12  Part II

Ministry, Death and Resurrection

The life Jesus Christ lived has been unparalleled in word and deed. It culminated in his sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection by God. How we respond to the NT’s testimony to these events and their significance, will determine our eternal destiny.

Jesus Christ’s Miracles

See also:

The earlier section Jesus Christ’s Power from God, also spoke of Jesus’ miraculous deeds, in referring to God as the source of Jesus’ power. The focus of this section is on Jesus’ use of his power in his ministry, which was largely in performing miracles that brought people deliverance from some form of bondage or difficulty. In performing these miracles Jesus demonstrated power over all other forces.

Jesus performed miraculous deeds that greatly amazed people

Mark 7:37  People were completely astounded and said, “He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. NET

Jesus delivered people from demons and Satan – demonstrating power over evil

Matt 8:16  When it was evening, many demon-possessed people were brought to him. He drove out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. NET

Luke 11:14, 21-22  Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak, and the crowds were amazed. … 21[Jesus:] When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe. 22But when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder. NET

In v. 22 Jesus refers to his own overpowering of Satan – breaking Satan’s stranglehold on Satan’s earthly domain – a truth demonstrated by Jesus driving out demons (v. 14).

Jesus delivered people from disease and disorders

Matt 4:23-24  Jesus went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease and sickness among the people. 24So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them. NET

Jesus even raised the dead

Luke 8:53-55  And they began making fun of him, because they knew that she was dead. 54But Jesus gently took her by the hand and said, “Child, get up.” 55Her spirit returned, and she got up immediately. Then he told them to give her something to eat. NET

Jesus exercised control over nature, in rescuing and helping people

Mark 4:37-41  Now a great windstorm developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. 38But he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?” 39So he got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Be quiet! Calm down!” Then the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. 40And he said to them, “Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?” 41They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!” NET

John 6:9-11  [Andrew, to Jesus:] Here is a boy who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what good are these for so many people?” 10Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” (Now there was a lot of grass in that place.) So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed the bread to those who were seated. He then did the same with the fish, as much as they wanted. NET

 Questions for Section A

Jesus Christ’s Teaching

Jesus was a prophet . . .

Luke 24:19b  [Two followers, unknowingly speaking to Jesus:] Those things that happened to Jesus from Nazareth. By what he did and said he showed that he was a powerful prophet, who pleased God and all the people. CEV

As a prophet Jesus was a representative and spokesperson of God, speaking and acting on God’s behalf. His speaking role as a prophet included: teaching, admonishing and prophesying.

. . . As a prophet, Jesus taught and preached to the people

Mark 6:34  As Jesus came ashore he saw the large crowd and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many things. NET

Matt 11:1  When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their towns. NET

Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom of God

Matt 4:17, 23  From that time Jesus began to preach this message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”23Jesus went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease and sickness among the people. NET

The kingdom of God (or the kingdom of heaven) was the most prominent theme in Jesus’ teaching.

Jesus’ teaching was not his own; what he spoke was from God

John 14:24  [Jesus:] Those who do not love me do not obey my teaching. This teaching that you hear is not really mine; it is from my Father, who sent me. NCV™

Jesus’ teaching is the truth . . .

John 8:31-32  Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” NET

. . . Jesus himself is identified with truth

John 14:6  Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. NET

Jesus did not just simply teach the truth, he is “the truth” – the embodiment of truth.

Jesus’ teaching was amazing – leading people to believe in him . . .

Matt 22:33  When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching. NET

John 4:41-42  And many more believed because of the things he said. 42They said to the woman, “First we believed in Jesus because of your speech, but now we believe because we heard him ourselves. We know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” NCV™

. . . However, many others did not believe Jesus

John 7:5  For not even his own brothers believed in him. NET

John 7:48  [The chief priests and Pharisees:] None of the rulers or the Pharisees have believed in him, have they? NET

 Questions for Section B

Jesus Christ’s Rejection and Death

Jesus was rejected

Luke 17:25  But first [before Jesus returns] he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. NET

John 1:11  He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. NET

Jesus was rejected by the Jewish people as a whole, but in particular by the Jewish religious leaders.

Jesus was despised

John 8:52-53  Then the people said [to Jesus], “Now we are sure that you have a demon. Abraham is dead, and so are the prophets. How can you say that no one who obeys your words will ever die? 53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” CEV

John 15:18  [Jesus, to his disciples:] If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first. NET

Jesus faced intense opposition, with efforts to kill him

John 5:16-18  Now because Jesus was doing these things [miracles] on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began persecuting him. 17So he told them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” 18For this reason the Jewish leaders were trying even harder to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God. NET

Jesus’ betrayal and arrest

Matt 26:45-50  Then he [Jesus] came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer is approaching!” 47While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. 48(Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him!”) 49Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him. 50Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold of Jesus and arrested him. NET

The unjust condemnation of Jesus – who was innocent of any charge

Luke 23:4, 20-24  Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation against this man.”20Pilate addressed them once again because he wanted to release Jesus. 21But they kept on shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22A third time he said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guilty of no crime deserving death. I will therefore flog him and release him.” 23But they were insistent, demanding with loud shouts that he be crucified. And their shouts prevailed. 24So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. NET

The horrific suffering and death of Jesus

Matt 27:26-31, 35, 39-40, 45-46, 50  Then he [Pilate] released Barabbas for them. But after he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified. 27Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole cohort around him. 28They stripped him and put a scarlet robe around him, 29and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him: “Hail, king of the Jews!” 30They spat on him and took the staff and struck him repeatedly on the head. 31When they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.35When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes by throwing dice. … 39Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads 40and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are God’s Son, come down from the cross!”45Now from noon until three, darkness came over all the land. 46At about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”50Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. NET

In v. 46, Jesus’ cry (cf. Ps 22:1) suggests that the intimate relationship between himself and God had in some way or sense been impaired.

Jesus’ death was planned . . .

Matt 26:2, 18  [Jesus, to his disciples:] “You know that the day after tomorrow is the day of the Passover Feast. On that day the Son of Man will be given to his enemies to be crucified.”18Jesus answered, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover with my followers at your house.’” NCV™

. . . It was God’s will that Jesus die – for everyone

Acts 2:23  [Peter, to a crowd of largely Jews:] In accordance with his own plan God had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed him by letting sinful men crucify him. GNT

Rom 8:32a  God didn’t spare his own Son but handed him over to death for all of us. GW

In accordance, Jesus suffered and died willingly

John 10:11, 17-18a  [Jesus:] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.17This is why the Father loves me – because I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again. 18No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will. NET

 Questions for Section C

Jesus Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension

God raised Jesus from the dead, by his power

Acts 2:24  But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. NET

1Cor 6:14  By his power God has raised the Lord from the dead and will also raise us from the dead. NCV™

Jesus’ body was not found in his tomb

Luke 24:22-24  [An early believer:] Furthermore, some women of our group amazed us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23and when they did not find his body, they came back and said they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him. NET

Jesus was raised in a bodily form

Luke 24:39-40  [Jesus, to his disciples:] Look at my hands and my feet; it’s me! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones like you see I have.” 40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. NET

Jesus appeared to people after his resurrection

Acts 1:3  To the same apostles also, after his suffering, he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day period and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God. NET

Acts 2:32  [Peter, to a crowd of largely Jews:] This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. NET

Jesus was taken up to God in heaven

Acts 1:9-11  After he [Jesus] had said this, while they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10As they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly two men in white clothing stood near them 11and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.” NET

Because he had willingly suffered death, God exalted and glorified Jesus Christ

Phil 2:8-11  He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! 9As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth  -11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. NET

Heb 2:9b  We see him now crowned with glory and honor because of the death he suffered. GNT

 Questions for Section D

Pray for persecuted Christians