JESUS THE SUFFERING SERVANT

The centre of Mark's Gospel is the Cross of Christ. Once the twelve grasped who Jesus was and had confessed him as the Messiah, he began to teach them about the Cross.It was a turning point in Jesus' ministry and so also in Mark's Gospel. Before this time Jesus had been made much of as a preacher and healer. But he had not come to be that kind of Messiah. So from now on he taught his disciples openly about the necessity of his sufferings and death Mark 8:31. Mark records on three more separate occasions Jesus solemnly predicted his death. Indeed one third of Mark's Gospel is devoted to his passion (suffering).

The evidence of Jesus' teaching is found in the statement that "The Son of Man must suffer" Why must he suffer? What is the origin of his sense of compulsion? It is because the Scriptures must be fulfilled. Why then the Son of Man"? By using this Hebraism for a human being, Jesus was referring to Daniel 7. In this vision "one like a son of man" (that is, a human figure) comes on the clouds and approaches the Ancient of Days (GOD). He is given authority and sovereign power so that all people will serve him, and his kingdom will never be destroyed. (Dan 7: 13-14)

Jesus adopted the title (Son of Man) but changed his role. According to Daniel all nations would serve him. According to Jesus he had come to serve, not to be served. In fact Jesus did what
nobody else had done : he fused the two Old Testament images, Isaiah's servant who suffers and Daniel's son of Man who reigns. First Jesus must bear our sins and only then rise and enter his glory from whence he will rule and reign until his Second advent when he will come in power and great glory, to call all Men to account.

Yours Aye

Roy

Jesus the Internationalsit

Last time we saw that Matthew portrays a Jewish Jesus.Indeed he proclaims him as the long expected Messiah.The evidence for this Jewishness is indisputable. Jesus was steeped in the Old Testament. He saw himself as the fulfillment of all Old Testament Prophecy.

More than that, Matthew records two occasions, which are not paralleled in the other Gospels, in which Jesus appears to be guilty of nationalism or ethnic prejudice. Firstly referring to his own ministry, Jesus said, "I was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel" Matt 15:24 Secondly,referring to the ministry of his disciples, he said to them,"Do not go among the Gentiles....go rather to the lost sheep of Israel." Matt10: 5-6.

This however as we see in later scripture is only an historical limitation. Jesus was giving Israel a last chance. But he added immediately that later his disciples would be "witnesses...to the Gentiles" (v18) And the same Matthew who recorded these sayings about Israel's "lost sheep" also recorded that at the beginning of his gospel the visit of the Gentile Magi, and at its end the great commission to "go and make disciples of all nations" (28:19)

So although Matthew's picture of Jesus is the most Jewish of the four pictures, it would be impossible to represent Jesus as guilty in any way of ethnic pride or prejudice. On the contrary, Jesus made it clear that the renewed Israel would be an international nation.

"I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven" Matt 8:11

Yours aye

Roy