Chapter 17

_Suffering the Birih-pains of a New Life_: why did Jesus die?--God's plan of atonement, Leviticus 1:3-9--Paul's statement in effect, Galatians 2:20.--Jesus' dying does not fit into Hebrew ritual--standpoint of Hebrews--what God counselled, Acts 2:23.--this affects only the form not the virtue of Jesus' death--preaching of Acts, 2:14-36, 38, 39. 3:12-26. 4:8-12. 5:29-32, and on, first church council, Acts 15.13-18 with Amos 9:11-12.--the superlative of hate--Jesus' death voluntary, John 10:17, 18--ten attempts before the cross; three to kill at once, Luke 4:30. John 8:59. 10:31. other attempts, Matthew 12:14. John 5:18. 7:1, 30, 32. 10:39. 11:53 Jesus' own explanation:--the temple, John 2:19. lifted up, 3:15. Matthew 9:15 with parallels. His flesh, John 6:53-57. with Jesus' own interpretation, good Shepherd, John 10:11; for the sheep, 10:15; other sheep, 10:16; take it again, 10:17; of Myself, 10:18. cross, Matthew 10:38 with parallels. Jonah, Matthew 12:39, 40. 16:4 with parallel in Luke. Greeks, John 12:24-33. the Father's command, John 14:31. for friends, John 15:13. sanctified, John 17:19. the Father's cup, John 18:11. John's comment, John 12:47-52.--the necessity for dying--a step in a wider plan--for the nation--wholly voluntary--six elements in a perfect sacrifice--Jesus alone is a perfect sacrifice--Paul's comment, Romans 3:26.--God's master-stroke--faith--Hebrew heathen and Christian grouped.

4. Some Surprising Results of the Break.

_The Surprised Jew_: a clash of wills--thousands of believing Jews--the church displacing kingdom--two-fold division of men formerly--now three-fold--church different in organization from kingdom--the Baptist puzzled--Jesus did not fill out Hebrew prophecy--two characteristics, personal and official--personal details fulfilled--official not because of rejection--out of situation grew four gospels--Mark--Matthew's the gap gospel--Paul's audiences--Luke's gospel--these three tell of rejection mainly--John's gospel--the order of the gospels in canon.

_The Surprised Church_: God holds to His plan--mixed ideas of kingdom and church--a handy principle of interpretation--one law consistently applied--the church to fulfil its mission and go--the kingdom simply retarded, yet to come--the plan enriched--sliding scale of fulfilment--the King must come--- even this in Hebrew picture, Zechariah 12:10. New Testament teaching. Peter, Acts 3:21.--keeping truth in proportion--the gospel of the kingdom--Paul, 1 Thessalonians 1.10. 2:19. 3:13. 4:13-18. 5:10-23. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10. 2:1-9. 1 Corinthians 1:7, 8. 3:13. 5:5. 15:23, 25, 51, 52. 16:22. 2 Corinthians 1:14. 5:2-4. Romans 8:18, 19, 23. 11:12-29. 13:11, 12. 16:20. Colossians 3:4. Ephesians 1:10, 14, 18. 4:4, 30. 5:27. Philippians 1:6, 10. 2:16. 3:20. 4:5. 1 Timothy 1:1 (note Paul's use of "hope" throughout). 6:14. Titus 2:13. 2 Timothy 1:12, 18. 2:12. 4:1, 8.--The Book of Revelation--the coming surprise. _The Surprising Jew_: greatest surprise--for all--the puzzle of history--divinely preserved--the keystone of the coming kingdom--Jesus the spirit magnet for Jew and all.

II. The Person of Jesus.

1. The Human Jesus.

_God's meaning of "Human":_ man's fellow--two meanings of word human--original meaning--natural limitations.

_The Hurt of sin_: sin's added limitations.

_Our Fellow_: Jesus truly human--up to first standard--His insistence--perfect in His humanness--fellowship in sin's limitations--hungry, Matthew 16:5. John 4:6-8.--tired, John 4:6. Mark 4:38.--poverty, Matthew 13:55. Mark 6:3.--hard toil, John 19:25-27.--homeless, Luke 4:16-30. Matthew 8:20. Luke 9:58.--discipline of waiting.

_There's More of God since Jesus Went Back_: the Nazareth home--fellowship with His brothers--"In the shop of Nazareth"--a Man on the throne.

2. The Divine Jesus.

_Jehovah-Jesus:_ John 1:1-18. the intimacy of John, John 13:23. 19:26. 20:2. 21:7, 20. "with Jesus," John 18:15.--John writes of Jesus--- when he wrote--getting the range--his literary style--the beginning--the Word--this was Jesus--the tragic tone.

_God's Spokesman_: the Creator was Jehovah--- Jehovah is Jesus--the Spokesman--Old Testament revelations, Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the elders of Israel, Isaiah, Ezekiel,--Whom these saw--various ways of speaking--John's Gospel a battlefield--finding the Man. _Whom Moses Saw_: Jesus' own standpoint--"down from heaven," John 3:13, 31. 6:38. 8:42. would go back again, John 6:62. John 16:5, 10. 13:1. come on an errand, then going back, John 16:28 13:3. He only had seen the Father, John 6:46. only begotten Son, John 3:16, 18. His own Father, John 5:17, 18. 10:32-33. 19:7.--Jesus' answer to Jews' objection, John 5:19-47.--"He wrote of Me," the true meaning--I and the Father one, John 10:30.--the Father in Me, John 10:38. the name Father in Old Testament, 2 Samuel 7:14. 1 Chronicles 17:13. 22:10. Psalm 68:5. 89:26. 103:13. Isaiah 63:16. 64:8. Jeremiah 3:4, 19. Malachi 3:17.--Jehovah the common name--trace Jesus' use of Father about 180 times--manna, John 6:32.

_Jesus is God Wooing Man_: "Abraham--saw and was glad," John 8:33-59--supposed meanings--natural meaning--"I am"--Jesus is Jehovah come Himself to woo man.

3. The Winsome Jesus.

_The Face of Jesus_: Jesus drew crowds, men, women, children, bad people, enemies--His personality--face--impress of experiences--the glory of God in that face, 2 Corinthians 4:6. Hebrews 1:3.

_The Music of God in the Voice of Jesus_: the eye--Jesus' eyes, Luke 4:16-30. John 8:59. 10:31. 7:32, 45, 46. 18:6. Mark 10:32. 9:36. 10:13-16. Luke 19:48.--His voice, Matthew 26:30. personal touch, Matthew 8:3, 15. 9:29. 17:7. 20:34. Mark 1:41. 7:33. Luke 5:13. 22:51. (John 14:16-20). His presence irresistible. Moses' request, Exodus 33:18. Jesus draws men--yielding to His power.

III. The Great Experiences of Jesus' Life.

1. The Jordan: The Decisive Start. Matthew 3:13-17. Mark 1:9-11. Luke 3:21-22.

_The Anvil of Experience_: knowledge only through experience--the Fourth, Daniel 3:25.--three Hebrews, Daniel 3.--Babylonian premier, Daniel 6:16-23.--George Mueller--Jesus made perfect through experience, Hebrews 2:10. 5:8, 9. 7:28, l.c.--all our experiences, Hebrews 2:14-18. Philippians 2:7. Hebrews 4:15, except through sin, Hebrews 4:15, l.c. 7:26. 2 Corinthians 5:21, f.c. 1 Peter 2:22. 1 John 3:5, l.c.--Jesus' suffering, Philippians 2:6-8. Hebrews 2:9, 17, 18. 4:15. His obedience, Luke 2:51. Matthew 26:39. John 10:18. 14:31. Philippians 2:8. Romans 5:19. Hebrews 5:8. knowledge through experience--common experiences--mountain peaks--the tragic in each.

_Our Brother_: Jesus coming for baptism--John's objection--why baptized--getting in touch--the point of contact--choosing for Himself the Father's choice--the dangers--His strong purpose--the Father's approval--three times the voice, here, transfiguration, Matthew 17:5. Mark 9:7. Luke 9:35. Greeks, John 12:28. the decisive start.

2. The Wilderness: Temptation. Matthew 4:1-11. Mark 1:12, 13. Luke 4:1-13.

_The University of Arabia_: Jesus' naturalness--the Spirit's presence--intensity, Luke 2:45-51.--a true perspective--- the temptation's path--sin's path--John's grouping, 1 John 2:16.--the Spirit's plan--why--the devil's weakness--the Spirit's leading--a wilderness for every God-used man, Moses, Elijah, Paul.

_Earth's Ugliest, Deepest Scar_: Jesus the only one led up to be tempted--the wilderness--its history, Genesis 13:10-13. 18:16-19:38.--Jesus really tempted--no wrong here in inner response--every temptation--by the devil.

_Waiting the Father's Word_: the tempter's skill--acting divinely--a stone for hunger--not wrong in itself--recognizing temptation--"man"--waiting the Father's word--the trained inner ear--not our power but God's through our obedience.

_Love never tests_: a more agreeable setting--touching tender chords--the religious temptation--only through consent--bad scripture quoting, Psalm 91--a helpful dust-cloth--using power only to help--a true quotation, Deuteronomy 6:16.

_The Devil acknowledges the King_: a dazzling scene--analyzing the tempter's proposition--a common cunning trap--Jesus' kingly conduct--the devil obeys Him--but to return--a coward--our safety in Jesus--lead us not into temptation.

3. The Transfiguration: An Emergency Measure. Matthew 16:28-17:1-8. Mark 9:1-8. Luke 9:27-36.

_God in Sore Straits_: the darkest hour save one, fugitive, John 7:1. ban, John 9:22, 34. pushing, Matthew 15:1. Mark 7:1.--the danger zone, "withdrew," Matthew 4:12. 12:15. 14:13. 15:21. Tabernacles, John 7:32. 8:59.--Galileans desert, John 6:60-66.--the inner circle infected, John 6:67-71.--God needs men.

_Fire and anvil for Leaders_: mental strength--seasoned leadership--Simon and Peter.

_An Irresistible Plan_: alone with the twelve--the changed plan, Matthew 16:18-21.--Peter's stupid boldness, Matthew 16:22, with Mark 8:32.--the best available stuff--to see the Jesus within--getting Paul, Acts 9:1-9. 22:6-11. 26:12-18.

_The Glory of that Light_: while praying--changed from within--absorbed with Jesus' master-stroke--the jarring human note--the glory obscured--through an opened door--the kingdom.

_A Vision of Jesus_: gleams of light--the purpose secured, John 20:19, 24, 26-29.--an indelible impress, John 1:14. 12:41. Mark 9:3 with 1 Peter 1:16-17. Acts 12:2.--changed while looking, Acts 22:11. 2 Corinthians 3:18.

4. Gethsemane: The Strange, Lone Struggle. Matthew 26:36-46. Mark 14:32-42. Luke 22:39-46. Hebrews 5:7.

_The Pathway in_: messengers ahead--Jesus _felt_ the cross drawing near--the look of His face, Luke 9:51-55.--His disciples afraid, Mark 10:32.--indignation against sin, John 11:33, 38. marginal reading American Revision.--the Greeks, John 12:20-28.

_The Climax of Suffering_: the darkest shadow--why the struggle is strange--shock of extremes--His purpose in yielding--separation from the Father--Matthew 27:46. Mark 15:34 margin.--the superlative degree of suffering.

_Alone_: a full evening, Matthew 26:17-19 with parallels. John, chapters 13 to 17.--for prayer--on knees and face--the changed prayer--ready for the worst.

5. Calvary: Victory. Matthew 26:47-27:61. Mark 14: 43-15:47. Luke 22:47-23:56. John 18:1-19:42.

_Yielding to Arrest_: the betrayal--protecting the disciples--checking Peter's violence--the arrest--the disciples forsake Him--except two, John 18:15, 16.

_The Real Jewish Ruler_: Annas the intriguer--an unrebuked insult--the case settled at once--before Caiaphas--difficulty in fixing a charge--the dramatic question and solemn answer--second condemnation--gross insults.

_Held Steady by Great Love_: Peter gains entrance through John, John 18:16.--the stammering denial--the bolder--with oaths and curses--Jesus' look--Peter's tears.

_An Obstinate Roman_: before the senate--trying to make a case--the formal condemnation--before Pilate--an unexpected set-back--alone with Pilate--acquitted--shrill protests--off to Herod.

_A Savage Duel_: before Herod--no word for him--more insults--a second acquittal--back to Pilate--his character--his summing up--their protests--his wife's message--Barabbas or Jesus--Pilate weakening--the scourging and coarse mocking--Pilate's surprise--a new charge--the governor startled--alone again with Pilate--the use of Caesar's name--renunciation of national hopes--the defeated governor's small revenge--the duel over.

_Victory_: out to Calvary--the pitying women--crucified--praying for the soldiers--pitching dice for His clothes--the inscription--coarse taunts and jests--winning a man at the very last--providing for His mother the darkness--the agonizing cry--the shout of victory.

6. The Resurrection: Gravity Upward. Matthew 28:1-15. Mark 16:1-8. Luke 24:1-49. John 20:1-21:25. 1 Corinthians 15:4-7.

_A New Morning_: early visit to the tomb--Mary Magdalene's alarmed call for Peter--the message of the angels--Peter and John come--another group of women get an angelic message.

_Jesus seeking out Peter_: Mary Magdalene meets Jesus--He meets other women--the soldiers' story--alone with Peter.

_Made Known in the Breaking of Bread_: the Emmaus travellers--the Stranger's explanation--the evening meal--the Master!

_Even so Send I you_: the meeting in Jerusalem--the Master's unexpected presence--the sure proofs--breathing on them--Thomas' stubborn doubts--a week later--a second great catch of fish--to James--to five hundred--on Olives' top--the Bethany home not represented.

_Gravity Upward_: the resurrection not expected--fully assured--the new victory-day--Jesus was raised--He rose at will--His dying voluntary, so the rising--man's true gravity--sin's gravity--Jesus' gravity upward.

_The Life Side of Death_: bodily changes in Jesus--personal identity unchanged--limitations gone--the Leader of a new sort of life.

7. The Ascension: Back Home Again Until----

_Tarry ye--Go ye_: the Jerusalem meeting--the walk to Olives--not Palestine only, but a world--the last word--upward--seen no more.

_Coming again_: gazing upward, Acts 1:10, 11.--a continuation upward--the Olivet outlook.

Footnotes

[1] Genesis 2: 25.

[2] Schiller.

[3] "An Indian Priestess." Published by Hodder & Stoughton.

[4] Mary A. Lathbury.

[5] Nathaniel Parker Willis.

[6] Arthur Peirce Vaughn.

[7] So the best manuscripts.

[8] Frances Ridley Havergal.

Transcriber's Notes

[A] Original text read "disguest".