The Rabbi-Talmid relationship

THE RABBI-TALMID RELATIONSHIP

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2012

 

Jesus had many followers, those attracted by his teaching. They were disciples or talmidim, and their commitment varied, from nominal adherents to fervent devotees. Jesus placed exacting demands on his followers.

Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.... 33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Some demands were more than his followers were able or willing to abide.

John 6:60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" ...66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Those who remained with him held the title disciple, which generally describes the close (sincere) follower of a respected teacher.

 

Most Christians' first encounter with disciples is in reading the New Testament, but discipleship was not an innovation of Jesus or even of the Late Second Temple Period. As the Jewish historian Josephus notes, this arrangement had existed for hundreds of years, at least since the time of Moses. Moreover, other religious figures, besides Jesus, also had disciples (John the Baptist, Pharisees).

 

Disciples came from a variety of backgrounds, both occupationally and educationally. Jesus accepted disciples who were...

• Fishermen
• Taxmen
• Scribes
• Militants
• Politicians

Some disciples were in training for a specific position:

• Prophet
• Apostle
• Evangelist

The rabbi generally chose the position he thought best suited the student.

 

Although most disciples were male, Jesus had several female followers. They were not called disciples and may not have been (officially) considered as such, that term being applicable only to males (so their distinction from "the Twelve").

Luke 8:1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Dining with Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)

DINING WITH ZACCHAEUS (Luke 19:1-10)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2018

Everyone knows that one of the major food groups is chocolate. What everyone does not realize is how vital chocolate is to sustaining life. Follow this case in point:

A good piece of chocolate has about 200 calories. Steve enjoys two servings per night, and a few more on weekends. He consumes about 3,500 calories of chocolate in a week, which equals one pound of weight per week. In the last 3-1/2 years, Steve has had a caloric intake of about 180 pounds of chocolate, and he only weighs 165 pounds. So... without chocolate, Steve would have wasted away to nothing about three months ago!

Ergo, chocolate is vital to sustaining life.

 

Chocolate was an Aztec food that originated in Mesoamerica about 1900 BC. It did not reach the Middle East until long after Jesus' day, so it was not part of that cuisine. It is amazing Israel survived without it. NB: Israel has some very good chocolate now, so the people are no longer deprived of this life-sustaining staple.

 

Jesus is traveling from Galilee, and he is passing through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem. This is a familiar trip, one he has taken annually since he was very young: "Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover" (Luke 2:41). Now a respected teacher with his own disciples, his reputation is such that he attracts a crowd wherever he goes, and this journey is no exception. Jesus pauses along the way when someone catches his attention and ends in his "Dining with Zacchaeus."

 

I. Zacchaeus attends a public assembly (Luke 19:1-6).

A. He watches Jesus from a tree.

Luke 19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

As a high-ranking ("chief' v. 2) government contractor, Zacchaeus makes a lot of money, in part because he sets the tax rates, which does not endear him to the local populace. Consequently, most people have a very low opinion of him and of tax collectors in general.

 

When Zacchaeus hears about Jesus' visit to the area, he looks for a vantage point to view the procession that will inevitably accompany the famous rabbi. He will probably not find a good place along the road, not given his short stature. Besides, who will want to stand next to a tax collector? The place he chooses, while it allows him easily to see Jesus, also allows Jesus easily to see him, and the tax collector draws some unexpected attention that culminates when....

B. He welcomes Jesus to his home.

Luke 19:5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

Jesus' circumcision and consecration (Luke 2:21-24)

JESUS' CIRCUMCISION AND CONSECRATION (Luke 2:21-24)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2018

The parents of an infant have many challenges that are simply part of their new responsibilities.

Jack and Jill, both graduate students, recently celebrated the arrival of their first child. At Jill's insistence, they had paid their entire medical bill and were now worried about meeting other payments. They were discussing their sad financial situation one evening when their son demanded a diaper change. As Jill leaned over the baby's crib, Jack heard her mutter, "The only thing in the house that's paid for, and it leaks."

The parents of an infant have many challenges that are simply part of their new responsibilities. The parents of the messiah have many challenges that are simply part of their new responsibilities, such as seeing to "Jesus' Circumcision and Consecration."

 

When God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt He does not set them free only to wander in the wilderness aimlessly. They are now His people and, as such, they enjoy the protection of His presence with them even as He expects their compliance with His commands for them. Some commands apply to the whole nation, like the Sabbath. Other commands apply only to a portion of the nation, like those governing the addition of a newborn male, commands about circumcision and consecration.

 

What God does with circumcision is actually the renewal of an old practice He instituted centuries earlier:

 

I. Circumcision is a practice God established through Abraham.

A. It entails a surgical procedure.

...on every infant male eight days old. The timing is very specific and, although Abraham was unaware of the reason, it is probably because circumcision is a minor operation for a newborn male, with a fast recovery time, and the eighth day presents the lowest risk of bleeding.

 

Circumcision is a foundational element in Jewish society. Even though it only includes half the population, circumcision still marks participation in the Abrahamic covenant and is a requirement to eat Israel's annual rehearsal of the exodus—the Passover seder:

Any uncircumcised male...will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant (Gen 17:14).

An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the Lord's Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat of it. (Exod 12:48)

Ananias—Heeding God's call to support (Acts 9:10-19)

HINENI: HEEDING THE CALL OF GOD (Acts 9:10-19)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2002

Most students do not look forward to exams. Consequently, part of the relief of graduating is knowing that you will never have to take another test...or so you think.

A teacher, a thief, and a lawyer all die in the same freak accident. When they reach the pearly gates, St. Peter tells them that, unfortunately, heaven is almost full, so they each have to answer a question correctly for admission. The teacher is first, and St. Peter asks, "Name the famous ship that was sunk by an iceberg?" "Phew, that one's easy," says the teacher, "The Titanic." "Right," says St. Peter, "you may pass." Then the thief gets his question: "How many died on the Titanic?" "That's tough," the thief replies. "Fortunately, I just saw the movie. The answer is 1500 people." So he passes through. Last, St. Peter gives the lawyer his question... "Name them."

Tests do not end with graduation and, while there may not be an entrance exam for heaven, there are occasions on earth when God will ask something difficult. When that happens, I hope you are up to the challenge, as was the person in this morning's passage, the only New Testament example in the series: Ananias—Heeding God's Call to Support.

 

The response to Peter's sermon on Pentecost marked the start of significant growth by the church. On that day alone, "three thousand were added to their number" (Acts 2:41). With the healing of a lame beggar in the temple court, "the number of men grew to about five thousand" (Acts 4:4). Even "a large number of [temple] priests became obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7). Given this rate of increase, the reform movement Jesus founded had the potential to spread throughout most of Judaism within a few years. Alas, the gospel had its opponents, those who viewed the messianic message as heretical and who attempted to suppress it. The murder of Stephen at the hands of an angry mob emboldened the opposition in Jerusalem and initiated "a great persecution" (Acts 8:1) that caused many believers to flee the city. Not satisfied with their dispersal, a most ardent adversary named Saul attempted...

Acts 8:3 ...to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

Saul then sought to expand his heresy hunting to include Jewish communities outside Israel, such as the sizable one in Syria.

Acts 9:1b He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

Saul's goal was not merely their incarceration but their execution. Luke calls Saul's intention "murderous" (Acts 9:1), and later, Saul himself says...

Acts 22:4a I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death....

Isaiah—Heeding God's call to speak (Isa 6:1-13)

HINENI: HEEDING THE CALL OF GOD (Isa 6:1-13)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2002

Life is full of frustrating experiences, situations that try our patience and make us wonder if a particular task is worth the effort.

A teacher was helping one of her kindergarten students put on his boots. He had asked for her aid, and she could understand why. Even with her pulling and his pushing, the boots resisted. By the time the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost sobbed when he said, "They're on the wrong feet." She looked and, sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her composure, though, as they worked together to get the boots back on—this time on the right feet. He then announced, "These aren't my boots." She bit her tongue rather than scream, "Why didn't you say so?" Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off. Then he said, "They're my brother's boots. My mom made me wear them." She didn't know if she should laugh or cry, but she mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots on his feet again. "Now, where are your mittens?" she asked. "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots."

Life is full of frustrating experiences. When such a situation is God's doing, it really makes us wonder, as it probably did for Isaiah—Heeding God's Call to Speak.

 

After Solomon's reign, when the United Kingdom split into northern and southern factions, the rulers of these two entities did not always follow God as they should. In the Northern Kingdom of Israel, all the kings were apostate. Despite repeated prophetic warnings, they forsook the Lord and embraced the gods of the surrounding, pagan nations. In the Southern Kingdom of Judah, those who occupied the throne vacillated between serving the Lord and serving idols. They, too, had the benefit of a prophetic witness, calling for righteousness and devotion to God alone, but not all the Judean kings heeded that call. In both kingdoms, as is often the case (even today), the general populace followed the lead of their rulers. Good kings had a good influence on society; bad kings had a bad influence on

society.

 

The eighth century BC saw the ministry of several prophets: Amos and Hosea in the north, Micah and Isaiah in the south. Isaiah, perhaps the most well-known and well-respected of these divine spokesmen, seems to have had free access to the royal court of Judah and used that access to represent God before the king. Early in the prophet's ministry, perhaps even before he assumed the prophetic mantle, Isaiah had a disturbing vision. Please turn to Isa 6, where the new prophet receives a command from God, and...

 

I. The order is startling (Isa 6:1-8)

Isa 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Send me!"

Samuel—Heeding the call of God (1 Sam 3:1-18)

HINENI: HEEDING THE CALL OF GOD (1 Sam 3:1-18)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2002

Because children will often test the limits of acceptable behavior, it is important for parents, youth leaders, coaches, anyone who works with them, to establish clear boundaries from the start, to make sure they know who the boss is.

A schoolteacher injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. Fortunately, it fit unnoticed beneath his shirt, so he did not have to explain his condition to everyone he met. On the first day of the new term, still wearing the cast under his shirt, he discovered that he was assigned to the toughest class in the school. It was a particularly hot day, so when he walked into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window as wide as possible before sitting at his desk. A strong breeze made his tie flap around, annoying him and causing a titer among the students that grew louder as he kept trying to rearrange it. Finally, fed up with the flapping, he grabbed the stapler from his desk and stapled the tie to his chest in several places.... Discipline was never a problem after that.

Proper discipline can prevent problem behavior. Without such restraint, however, the natural tendency some children have to indulge their sinful nature can run unchecked. At that point, the only thing left to do is to watch them self-destruct. That was, in part, what Samuel did with the sons of Eli, Heeding God's Call to See.

At this time, a couple from Ephraim dedicate their son, Samuel, to the Lord, which means they relinquish their claim on him and leave him in the care of the priests, whose ranks he will eventually join. While Samuel is still a young boy, God speaks to him. At first, Samuel thinks it is the voice of Eli that he hears, until Eli realizes it is the Lord.

Moses—Heeding God's call to service (Exod 3:1-14)

HINENI: HEEDING THE CALL OF GOD (Exod 3:1-14)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2002

There are sayings that advise us to be cautious, such as, "Look before you leap" and "Watch your step." Many times these warnings are just figures of speech, expressions that admonish us to be careful. Other times they are quite literal.

Driving down a country road, Dennis came up behind a Mennonite buggy. This was not an unusual sight in southern PA, and normally he would just go around it. The road, however, curved too much to see if any cars were coming from the other direction, so Dennis came to a virtual crawl. What he noticed—and would certainly have missed had he simply passed the buggy and moved on—was a hand-printed sign on the back of the carriage that read: "Energy efficient vehicle: Runs on oats and grass. Caution: Do not step in the exhaust."

In our passage this morning, Moses gets a similar warning to watch his step but for an entirely different reason. He is about to encounter the Lord, and the very ground of that meeting place is holy. It is the prelude to a remarkable series of events, and Moses soon finds himself Heeding God's Call to Service.

 

The history of God's people suffers a significant gap in the biblical record. After the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—their descendants spend over 400 years in Egypt. The only description of that period, though, is a single verse in the opening chapter of Exodus...

Exod 1:7 ...the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

That is not much to say about four centuries, and it raises many questions.

• Did God appear to the people during this period?
• Who served as the great religious leaders, the stalwart examples of faith?
• Did the Israelites' spiritual condition keep up with their numerical increase?

We do not know the answers. When next God speaks, however, He does include some theological education.

 

Before we get there, though, let me make one observation: While this series about Heeding the Call of God focuses on men, I do not want to give the impression that women play an insignificant role in the history of God's people. On the contrary, as we make our way to this next subject of our investigation, it is not the men who distinguish themselves. They are, in fact, conspicuously absent from the narrative. Recounting these events, the author of Exodus, acknowledges the crucial role of women in advancing the divine plan.

• When Pharaoh attempted to disrupt that plan by killing all newborn males, the text says nothing about the fathers' reaction but does tell how...

Exod 1:17 The midwives...feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.

• When the infant Moses was in jeopardy, it was not his father who intervened but his sister, encouraging another woman, Pharaoh's daughter, to care for the child.

Without the actions of these women, there might not have been a Moses, Heeding the Call of God. That is just an aside to help keep us men from thinking too highly of ourselves.

Jacob—Heeding God's call to safety (Gen 46:2-7)

HINENI: HEEDING THE CALL OF GOD (Gen 46:2-7)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2002

No one likes to be in a hazardous situation and, given the choice, a person wants to extricate himself as quickly as possible. There are, however, some circumstances that might cause hesitation in responding to a possible rescue.

A farmer decided his injuries from an accident were serious enough to take the trucking company responsible for the accident to court. In court, the company's lawyer questioned the farmer. "Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine?" The farmer said, "Well, I had just loaded my favorite mule Bessie..." "I didn't ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted. "Just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'" "Well," the farmer replied, "I had just put Bessie into the trailer...." Again the lawyer interrupted. "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the highway patrolman that he was fine. Now, several weeks after the accident, he's trying to sue my client. I believe he's a fraud. Please instruct him simply to answer the question." By now, the judge was interested in the farmer's answer, so he said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what the plaintiff has to say about the mule." The farmer thanked the judge and proceeded.. "Well, I had just loaded Bessie into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this semi ran the stop sign and hit my truck. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurtin' pretty bad and didn't want to move, but I could hear Bessie groaning and knew she was in terrible shape. When a highway patrolman arrived, he heard Bessie's moaning, so he went over to her. After he looked at her, he took out his gun and shot her. Then he came across the road and said, 'Your mule was in such bad shape, I had to shoot her.... How are you feeling?"

There are times when a person might hesitate in responding to a possible rescue. A similar hesitation may have been the initial response of Jacob—Heeding God's Call to Safety.

 

The author of Genesis records highlights from the lives of the three Patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—including some of their encounters with God. To each of the patriarchs, God made the same promise:

• To Abraham, God said...

Gen 17:8 "The whole land of Canaan.. I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you...

• To Isaac, God said...

Gen 26: 3b "to you and your descendants I will give all these lands."

• To Jacob, God said...

Gen 28:13b "I will give you and your descendants the land..."

The Lord made this repeated promise a prominent component in the patriarchs' expectation of what He would do. When God then appears to Jacob and tells him to leave the land...

 

I. The order is surprising. (Gen 46:2-4)

 

Please turn to Gen 46, and we will look at Jacob's response.

Gen 46:2 . . . God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, "Jacob! Jacob!" [He replied: Hineni] 3 "I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."

Abraham—Heeding God's call to sacrifice (Gen 22:1-14)

HINENI: HEEDING THE CALL OF GOD (Gen 22:1-14)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2002

When adults are kidding, sometimes children take them seriously. The opposite is also true. When children are kidding, sometimes adults take them seriously.

The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem, dialed the employee's home phone number, and was greeted with a child's whisper, "Hello." Is your daddy home?" he asked. "Yes," whispered the small voice. "May I speak with him?" The child whispered, "No." Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your mommy there?" "Yes." "May I talk with her?" Again the small voice whispered, "No." Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, "Is anybody else there?" "Yes," whispered the child, "a policeman." Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked "May I speak with the policeman?" "No, he's busy", whispered the child. "Busy doing what?" "Talking to Daddy and Mommy...and the fireman," came the whispered answer. Growing concerned and even worried as he heard what sounded like a helicopter, the boss asked, "What is that noise?" "A hello-copper" answered the whispering voice. "What is going on there?" asked the boss, now alarmed. In an awed, whispering voice the child answered, "The search team just landed the hello-copper." Alarmed, concerned, and even more then just a little frustrated the boss asked, "What are they searching for?" Still whispering, the young voice replied along with a muffled giggle: "ME."

Hide-and-Seek is not a game to play with God. (The prophet Jonah tried that and became fish food.) Not only is there no place you can hide from God, when you hear His voice, you had best answer, Heeding the Call of God.

There is a little Hebrew word that appears in scripture well-over 1000 times. Because of its frequent occurrence, many readers tend to overlook it. Even modern translations often ignore it. When we encounter this word in the KJV, our impression is of a quaint, archaic form of speech. No one uses it today, but in the biblical period it had several practical functions. The Hebrew word is traditionally rendered "behold." One of its common uses was in response to a call, in which case the word adds at the end, which means "I," The result is: Hineni. Try it. This is something you can use to answer people and to impress them at the same time. So, when someone asks, "Where are you?" You can respond..

This word is particularly significant in answer to God's call, and there are only six people in scripture who hear the divine summons and respond in this way: Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, and, in the New Testament, Ananias. It sounds like an exciting prospect—to get a call from God. ("Wouldn't you like to get a call from God?") For these men it is exciting...until they hear what God has to say. Then it is probably distressing, even frightening. What He expects of them is not easy, but the Lord apparently regards it as essential to His program. The only question is: Will they heed the call?

"Only by prayer" (Mark 9:14-29)

"ONLY BY PRAYER" (Mark 9:14-29)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2018

Prayer is a skill best learned when young and best taught as a thoughtful, unhurried act of devotion.

A 4-year-old boy was asked to give the meal blessing before a holiday dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the meat, the gravy, the salad, the deserts, even the Cool Whip. Then he paused, and everyone waited—and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, "If I thank God for the broccoli, won't He know I'm lying?"

Prayer is a skill best learned when young. Some situations do require a thoughtful, unhurried approach, such as when Jesus teaches the disciples that certain evil spirits are exorcised "Only by Prayer."

 

Peter, James, and John return from their experience on the Mount of Transfiguration, only to find the rest of their group in an intense discussion about an unsuccessful expulsion of an evil spirit. What should have been a joyful reunion' was instead a heated debate over the perils of demon possession, when...

 

I. The disciples encounter a difficult exorcism (Mark 9:14-24).

Mark 9:14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the. teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. 16 "What are you arguing with them about?" he asked. 17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." 19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. 22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." 23"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." 24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

The people who follow Jesus range from those who are curious about him, like these "teachers of the law" (v. 14), to those who want something from him, like the father of this demon-possessed boy. in both cases they are "overwhelmed with wonder" (v. 15), and this is before the exorcism. Jesus is not, however, enamored by their obsequious fawning. He seems rather annoyed: "How long shall I put up with you?" (v. 19). Jesus has been ministering in Galilee for several months. He has healed many diseases and exorcised numerous demons, never encountering an obstacle he could not overcome. What would make people think this challenge with the boy might exceed his ability? His record is one of complete victory over the forces of evil. Still, "the powerlessness of the disciples...has led [this father] to doubt Jesus' ability to offer real assistance to his son" (Lane 1974:353).

The priority of the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28)

THE PRIORITY OF THE SABBATH (Mark 2:23-28)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2018

Sometimes different people have different ideas about addressing a problem, like losing weight.

A nurse asked a fairly hefty patient: "Are you on any special diet?" "Yes" he replied. "I drink Slim-Fast twice a day, but it's not working. In fact, I've gained several pounds." "Really?" the nurse asked. "Do you think skipping meals to drink a shake makes you so hungry that you overeat later?" The patient replied, "What do you mean... 'skipping meals'?"

Sometimes different people have different ideas about addressing a problem, like when the disciples were walking through a grain field and were hungry. Jesus proposed one solution—"Pluck and eat the grain. Some Pharisees preferred a different solution—"It's the Sabbath, so you'll have to go hungry." Their disagreement was about The Priority of the Sabbath.

 

When God redeems the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from Egypt, among the blessings He gives these former slaves is something they did not previously enjoy—a regular day off. They may have received an occasional period to renew themselves but nothing consistent.

 

Although God established the Sabbath for Himself at the beginning of creation, there is no indication then that He intended it for anyone else and no evidence that anyone else in Genesis observed it. God made the Sabbath a requirement only for Israel and only after the exodus: "The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant" (Exod 31:16). In fact, God's stated purpose for the Sabbath is to make Israel separate, not to make everyone else the same. The only gentiles who observe it are those attracted to Israel's God (i.e., resident aliens).

 

In the late Second Temple period the Sabbath is a point of contention between Jesus and other Pharisees, and their dispute raises the question of relative priority: In the larger scope of God's precepts, how important is the Sabbath command? Please turn to Mark 2 where some question if hunger is a permissible reason to suspend the command to rest.

 

I. Jesus feeds his disciples on the Sabbath, despite the prohibition against harvesting on that day (vv. 23-24).

Mark 2:23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"

The command to rest is both clear and consistent.

"The seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work" (Exod 20:10a).

"For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord" (Exod 31:14a).

"There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest" (Lev 23:3).

To explain what God meant by work, He gives several examples:

• No gathering manna
• No lighting fire
• No collecting wood
• No transporting goods
• No doing business

Moreover, the penalty for disobedience is both clear and costly:'

"Whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people" (Exod 31:14b).

"Whoever does any work on it must be put to death" (Exod 35:2).

Revelation

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

JOHN'S VISION OF THE FUTURE
Because of its length (50 pages) most of this study is only available as a pdf

Dr. Paul Manuel—2018

Outline

I. Salutation: John addresses seven churches in Asia Minor (Rev 1:1-3:21).

A. He introduces himself to his audience (1:1-20).

B. He addresses each of the churches (2:1-3:22).

1. He writes to the church at Ephesus.
2. He writes to the church at Smyrna.
3. He writes to the church at Pergamum.
4. He writes to the church at Thyatira.
5. He writes to the church at Sardis.
6. He writes to the church at Philadelphia.
7. He writes to the church at Laodicea.

Application: As a Christian, your life is not a private matter, as some might assume, but a public testimony of your faith (2 Cor 3:2).

II. Judgment: John predicts the seven seals of God's wrath (Rev 4:1-6:14).

A. He describes the heavenly court (4:1-5:14).

B. He describes each of the seals (6:1-17).

1. The first seal is about conquest (white horse and rider).
2. The second seal is about war (red horse and rider).
3. The third seal is about famine (black horse and rider).
4. The fourth seal is about death (pale horse and rider)
5. The fifth seal is about martyrdom (saints requesting vengeance).
6. The sixth seal is about upheaval (nature in turmoil).
7. The seventh seal is about announcement (seven trumpets).

C. He describes five angelic representatives (7:1-3).

D. He describes 144,000 Jewish servants (7:4-8).

1. He describes innumerable gentile martyrs (7:9-17).

Application: Being a follower of Jesus may entitle you to more than a normal share of difficulty (John 16:33).

Kingdom parables in Matthew 13

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2017

Contents

I.	"The Different Soils" (Matt 13:1-23)
II.	"The Meddlesome Weeds" (Matt 13:24-30, 34-43)
III.	"The Mustard Seed" (Matt 13:31-32
IV.	"The Leavened Loaf" (Matt 13:33)
V.	"The Hidden Treasure" (Matt 13:44)
VI.	"The Precious Pearl" (Matt 13:45-46)
VII.	"The Fisherman's Net" (Matt 13:47-50)
VIII.	"The Productive Scribe" (Matt 13:51-52)

Jesus introduces several of his parables by noting that they are descriptive in some way of the divine program: "The kingdom of God is like..." Of the parables Matthew includes in his gospel (26), he concentrates the greatest number (8) in chapter thirteen, and they are all in some way about the kingdom. Because these parables appear together, the initial step in understanding them—determine the setting—is the same.

Matt 13:1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3a Then he told them many things in parables.

The variety of parables in this chapter accords with the diversity of occupations in first century Judaism. Five of these eight parables relate in some way to food, growing it, preparing it, or catching it. Two parables are mercantile, and one parable is scribal. As such they are akin to the lifestyles of most people in Jesus' audience.

Funeral: "Abundant life" (John 10:7-10)

FUNERAL MEDITATION: "ABUNDANT LIFE" (John 10:7-10)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2015

Where below you read "the deceased" Pastor Manuel

inserted the name of the individual.

When a person is a Christian as long as the deceased was, he develops a cadre of favorite biblical passages, those that express for him the essence of life with God. One such passage (NASB) is what Jesus said:

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b)

This portion of scripture comes at the end of a extended pastoral metaphor Jesus uses to depict the central role he has in God's program, especially for his followers, whom he describes as sheep. Jesus makes two important claims about his mission, claims that the deceased recognized and embraced.

Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. (John 10:7-8)

This section follows a debate with some religious leaders about whether or not Jesus is the messiah, the one who would enable people to approach God. In his first claim, Jesus likens himself to the door on a sheep pen, indicating that...

 

I. He is the means of access to God.

 

Jesus introduces his comments here in a distinctive way, with a word that typically closes legal testimony or a public pronouncement ("Amen"). certifies a speaker's veracity, that what he asserts is factual, and Jesus doubles it here for emphasis: "Truly, truly."

 

He then says that those who came before him were selfish. Caring only for what they can take, they were "thieves and robbers," attempting to lure the sheep away from the safety of the fold. Nevertheless, the sheep could resist their trickery. Whether or not they recognized the attempt to deceive them, the sheep knew that the safest place for them was inside the fold, and they ignored whoever would lead them astray.

Funeral: "Safe in the arms of Jesus" (Mark 10:14,16)

FUNERAL MEDITATION: "SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS" (Mark 10:14,16)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2001

Where below you read "the deceased" Pastor Manuel

inserted the name of the individual.

There is much about life we do not understand, much about life we cannot explain. When things go wrong, we try to find the cause, perhaps even someone or something to blame. Occasionally, we can identify the reason for an accident or an illness...often we cannot. Ultimately, such things happen because we live in a fallen universe, in a world that has been broken, because sin has introduced serious flaws into God's perfect design. We can make certain repairs, temporary fixes that keep things and us running, but we cannot resolve the basic problem. Only God can do that.

 

It is curious that God did not erase it all, that after our repeated and persistent defying of His will, He did not just destroy us or abandon us. Instead, He offered us a remedy that would not only fix the problem, it would improve our situation by drawing us close to Him. This He did by sending His Son Jesus to pay the ultimate penalty for our sin. The cure is not automatic. It requires conscious and deliberate action on our part: a turning from our sinful past and a commitment to serving God. When we take that decisive step, we must still live in this fallen universe, but God gives us purpose, direction, and hope for a life with Him that will never end.

 

What about those who are unable to take that step, those who cannot understand the problem, let alone the solution? Does God make provision for people who pass from this life while they are very young? The biblical writers suggest that He does, and Jesus, before his own death, confirms God's concern for children. When parents wanted Jesus to ask God's blessing on their children, he said to his disciples:

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them...." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them. (Mark 10: 14b, 16)

At other times and on several occasions, Jesus makes clear that he represents the Father, that Jesus' words and works are precisely what God the Father would say and do. Jesus said:

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:9b)

Jesus does not mean that he physically resembles the Father but that he represents the Father, speaking and acting on His behalf. So, Jesus' attitude toward children here reflects God's attitude toward them. In these verses, we see that...

• He welcomes children.

Jesus was both busy and tired, so the disciples wanted to turn them away, but he would not have it. When Jesus welcomed the children, he showed that God the Father welcomes them too. Unlike us, God is never too busy or too tired or too distracted. He always has time for people, including children. We also see that...