Studies in the teaching of Jesus & his apostles

Preface

THESE are simple studies on important topics, and not a comprehensive presentation of the teaching of Jesus and His apostles. In these studies the teaching of Jesus as presented in the Synoptic Gospels x and in John's Gospel will generally be separately considered in order justly to bring out the striking peculiarities of each presentation. The critical study of the sources of the Synoptic Gospels has not yet resulted in any theory which, in its application to details, has gained such general acceptance as to warrant its adoption in a work of this character. The teaching of the Synoptic Gospels will, therefore, be considered as a whole. In the study of the teaching of the apostles such discrimination will be made between the different types of apostolic teaching as will serve to bring out the peculiarities of each, so providentially preserved in the New Testament, in so far as such peculiarities may become evident in the consideration of the particular themes selected for study.

The general purpose, determining the whole plan of presentation, is to direct the student in his study of the text, and to furnish him such suggestions as will facilitate rather than prevent the true scholar's joy of independent discovery. The attainments and previous experience in Bible study of those who will use this book are so diverse that more of direct suggestion must be given than may seem to be demanded by the most advanced students, and more than will be demanded by the majority of students when systematic Bible study shall have become common in fitting schools and colleges.

1 Matthew, Mark and Luke are called Synoptic Gospels because they present the life of Jesus from a common view-point. They are strikingly similar in subject-matter and order of arrangement, while John's Gospel is constructed on an entirely different principle.

Preface . v

PART I Jesus' Conception of Himself and His Mission

STUDY

I . Jesus' Announcement of His Messiahship .... I

II. Jesus' Conception of the Kingdom of God ... 9

III. Jesus' Conception of the Kingdom of God (concluded) . 16

IV. Jesus' Conception of Himself and His Mission . • 23 V. Jesus' Conception of Himself and His Mission (continued) 30

VI. Jesus' Conception of Himself and His Mission (continued) 37

VII. Jesus' Conception of Himself and His Mission (continued) 44

VIII. Jesus' Conception of Himself and His Mission (concluded) 51

PART II The Apostolic Conception of Jesus and His Mission

STUDY PAGE

IX. The Apostolic Consciousness 61

X. The Apostolic Conception of the Life of Jesus . . 69

XI. The Apostolic Conception of the Resurrected Christ . 76 XII. The Apostolic Conception of the Resurrected Christ

XIII. The Apostolic Conception of the Eternal Christ . .91

XIV. The Apostolic Conception of the Significance of the

Death of Jesus 99

XV. The Apostolic Conception of the Significance of the

Death of Jesus (concluded') 109

PART III Jesus' Conception of the Disciple and his Mission

STUDY PAGE

XVI. Jesus' Conception of Men as Potential Disciples . . 115 XVII. Jesus' Conception of the Disciple in Relation to Himself 122

XVIII. Jesus' Conception of the Disciple as a Son of the

Heavenly Father 133

XIX. Jesus' Conception of the Disciple jn his Relation to

the Holy Spirit 137

XX. Jesus' Conception of the Disciple in his Relation to

his Fellow Disciples 144

XXI. Jesus' Conception of the Disciple as a Man of Prayer . 152 XXII. Jesus' Conception of the Disciple as a Man of Prayer

XXIII. Jesus' Conception of the Disciple Extending the Kingdom of God 168

X

XXIV. Jesus' Conception of the Disciple Extending the Kingdom of God (concluded} 176

Jesus' Conception of the Disciple and his Mission . 179

PART IV The Apostolic Conception of the Disciple and his Mission

STUDY PAGE

XXV. The Apostolic Conception of the Disciple in the

Church 185

XXVI. The Apostolic Conception of the Relation of the

Disciple to the Holy Spirit . ' . . . .192 XXVII. The Apostolic Conception of the Disciple in the

World . 199

XXVIII. The Apostolic Conception of the Disciple in Eternity 207

XXIX. A Statement of Personal Testimony . . . .214

XXX. The Disciple Choosing his Life Work . . .216

Part I Jesus' Conception Of Himself And His Mission

Studies in the Teaching of "Jesus and His Apostfes

First Day : The Conception of Messiahship Current among the jews

1. One of the great problems before Jesus was to correct and enrich the conceptions of Messiahship current among the mass of His countrymen. These conceptions varied among different classes of society. All agreed in expecting Him to be King in the coming " Kingdom of God ; " but men's conceptions of this Kingdom varied as current ideas of heaven vary to-day, and naturally their conceptions of the King varied with their conceptions of the Kingdom. It is possible to glean the principal features of this conception of Messiahship from the four Gospels and from other Jewish literature that has survived.

2. Read Matt. 2 : 3-6 and John 7 : 41, 42, to ascertain the popular expectation regarding His birth-place, but see in John 7 : 27 indication of another view, unless, as is quite probable, this last passage simply means that He was expected to come forth suddenly from some unknown place of concealment. Note in Mark 9:11 whose reincarnation was expected to precede Him, and compare Malachi 4 : 5 as the basis of the expectation.

3. His kingly functions were involved in the popular designation of Him as the " Anointed," the Hebrew form of which expression has furnished us the word "Messiah," and the Greek form, the word '* Christ." His royal lineage and office were expressed in the common title, "Son of David." See Matt. 22:42; Mark 10:47; John 7 : 42. David had been promised the throne forever (2 Sam. 7 : 12-16), and the Messiah, therefore, would necessarily be a Son of David. Cf. Is. 11 : 1, 10, remembering that "Jesse " was David's father.

4. The Messiah was also currently called " Son of God" (Matt. 16 : 16; 26 : 63). The nation had been accustomed to call itself " God's Son" (Hosea 1 : 10 ; 11 : 1), and to think of its great Messianic head as par excellence God's Son, as He is called in Ps. 2 : 7-12. It needs to be borne in mind that among the Jews this expression, " Son of God," was a mere official title, with little of the significance later given to it by the personality and teaching of Jesus.

5. Note in John 7:31 that the Messiah was expected to do wonderful works, and in Matt. 3 : 7- 1 2 that He was expected, in a Messianic judgment, to remove from the nation all that were morally offensive. Yet see in Matt. 16 : 21, 22 that He was thought of, even by the best of the nation, as one who might act unwisely, and be set right by a trusty counsellor. Read carefully Matt. 22 : 43-46, noting that the Pharisaic theologian did not expect Him to be possessed of such dignity as would make it natural for David to call Him his "Lord."

6. Other features of the popular Messianic expectation appear in Jewish literature of the day, outside the Old and New Testaments. It was expected that the Messiah would be attacked by a coalition of the heathen powers, but would overcome them (4 Esdras 13 : 8-1 1, 32-48). After this conflict He would purify and rebuild Jerusalem (Psalms of Solomon 17 : 25-33), and call home to Palestine the Jews scattered over the world (Psalms of Solomon 11 ; 17 : 28-34). Then He would begin to administer His world-empire, or " Kingdom of God." The popular view was that this Kingdom would last forever (Psalms of Solomon 17 : ^ ; John 12:34), although another view, perhaps a little later, was that it would be of limited duration. According to 4 Esdras 7 : 28, 29 the Messiah would die after four hundred years.

7. It is to be said regarding these views that a degree of vagueness characterized them, and that each class probably emphasized those most attractive to it. The Pharisees, whose ideal was a social state in which every member would punctiliously conform to the rabbi's wearying multitude of interpretations of the Mosaic law, felt no great practical need of a Messiah, except in so far as a Messiah might prove serviceable in fending off any who should interfere with the rabbi's purpose.

The patriotic Zealot, whose watch-cry was " No leader but God," and who was ready on occasion to assassinate the obnoxious Roman official, longed for the Messiah as a deliverer from political bondage. Probably all classes, even the most pious, agreed in thinking of the Kingdom of God as (1) a political organization, (2) a strictly Jewish institution, and (3) as designed to give execution to the Mosaic law. The Messiah was the royal personage under whom these anticipations would be realized.

8. Among these intense, excitable, racially conceited Jews came Jesus with ideas of Messiahship and the Kingdom of God destined to seem to the Pharisee irreligious, to the Zealot unpatriotic, and to His best friends, for a time, painfully unintelligible and disappointing.

As you worship your Lord to-day, think of Him as once really in this perplexing situation, praying much over it, and steadily facing the prospect of suffering inevitably involved in it.

Study i.—^esttsi' Announcement of J>ta JHefisiaJjalnp

Second Day: Jesus' Preliminary Concealment of His Messiahship according to the Synoptic Gospels

i . It required the utmost tact and deftness on the part of Jesus to meet the situation outlined in yesterday's Study. His task was to modify, in fundamentally important particulars, religious ideas that seemed to those who held them sacred and God-given. The accomplishment of such a task required time and the prolonged attention of the nation. An abrupt and clear proclamation of His Messiahship would have defeated His purpose. In response to such an announcement the more excitable elements in the nation might indeed have rushed to Him, but they would have immediately fallen away in a reaction of disappointment and impatience, when they discovered that He was not willing to be the kind of Messiah they were looking for, and He would have lost His opportunity to modify their moral ideals. The question to be raised to-day is this : Is there evidence in the Synoptic Gospels that Jesus concealed His consciousness of Messiahship from the nation for a considerable time after His first public appearance ?

2. In the first place ascertain whether the passages which describe the baptism of Jesus, Matt. 3 : 13-17 ; Mark 1 : 9-1 1 ; Luke 3:21, 22, necessitate the opinion that the heavenly announcement of Messiahship was made to any other than John and Jesus. Consider whether Jesus' first Galilean preaching, Mark 1 : 14, 15, contained an announcement of His Messiahship. Note also Jesus' strenuous treatment of the statements made by demoniacs, Mark 3 : 1 1, 12, 1 : 34.

3. Examine Mark 6 : 7-13 to see whether the first preaching of the Twelve included any proclamation of Jesus' Messiahship. Note particularly Mark 8 : 29, 30 and Mark 9 : 9.

4. Notice next the evidence in Mark 8: 27, 28 (Matt. 16 : 13, 1 4) that well on in His ministry the friendly element in the nation considered Him to be only a prophet, and not the Messiah. If He had definitely announced Himself as the Messiah it would have been necessary to have accepted Him as such, or to have considered Him to be an impostor. It would have been impossible to regard Him as Elijah, for Elijah would surely not claim to be the Messiah.

It is assumed that Jesus' favorite title, "Son of Man," was not a current Messianic designation, and that its constant use did not constitute a public declaration of Messiahship.

Study I. — ^egtts' &tinatmcement of J)is jpteggtaMip

Third Day : Jesus' Suggestion of His Messiahship according to the Synoptic Gospels

i . Although Jesus scrupulously refrained from any public proclamation of His Messiahship, and suppressed all announcement of it on the part of others, He said and did many things calculated to attract the attention of the nation to Himself as a great prophet sent from God ; and these actions may well have led men here and there to wonder whether He would not turn out to be the Messiah.

2. Examine the following typical passages and determine whether in any case He was understood distinctly and publicly to proclaim Himself the Messiah. Read Matt. 9 : 2-8, noting particularly what v. 8 represents to have been the effect upon the people. Read Matt. 12:1-8, noting the assumption of superiority to David, the temple, and the sacred Sabbath law ; and determine whether the statements would necessarily be understood to be a formal declaration of Messiahship. Read also Matt. 12:28, 41, 42. Consider also the effect produced upon the nation by the miracles Jesus performed in connection with these statements. There are statements in Matt. 10 and in 13 : 4 1 , that are stronger than any cited above, but they were made privately to His disciples ; and, furthermore, since Matthew's arrangement seems to be logical rather than chronological, they may have been made late in His ministry when He was prepared to disclose His consciousness of Messiahship.

3. Whatever be the impression made upon us by these and other passages, it is evident from Mark 8 : 27, 28 that, well on in His ministry, the nation did not understand that He considered Himself to be the Messiah, and from Mark 8 : 30 it is evident that Jesus did not intend that they should.

4. At the end of His public ministry, when He had done all He could to get before the nation His new conception of Messiahship and the Kingdom of God, He presented Himself in the capital in a way that constituted a dramatic, though tacit, proclamation of Messiahship. With this thought in mind read Luke 19 : 29-40. Note that it was still very difficult in the final trial to find evidence that Jesus had represented Himself to be the Messiah, and that it was upon His own confession that He was finally convicted (Mark 14 : 55-64).

5. State the reasons, as they now appear to you, for Jesus' peculiar method of procedure in the announcement of His Messiahship.

Study I. — Jesus' Announcement of {us JHegfiitaljg&ip

Fourth Day : Jesus' Preliminary Concealment of His Messiahship according to the Gospel of John

i. The Gospel of John, at first glance, seems to represent Jesus as pursuing a policy in the announcement of His Messiahship quite different from that portrayed in the Synoptic Gospels. Upon closer inspection the difference appears less marked.

Here, too, there is some evidence of Jesus' desire to suppress all announcement of Messiahship. John the Baptist seems to have proclaimed the Messiahship of Jesus to only a small inner circle of his own disciples (John I : 32-36). To the great body of them he spoke of Jesus in general terms, as one far superior to himself (John 1 : 26, 27, 30). The designation, " Lamb of God" (1 : 29), whatever it may have meant to the Baptist's mind, could hardly have suggested Messiahship to the average man, engrossed in the kingly aspect of the current Messianic expectation. That the Baptist did not publish the Messiahship of Jesus to the main body of his disciples seems evident from John 3 : 22-26. Read this passage carefully, and note that the Baptist's disciples seemed surprised and displeased because Jesus was attracting more general attention than the Baptist. But if the Baptist had already proclaimed Jesus' Messiahship, they would have expected this to happen, and would have rejoiced in it. Nicodemus also saw in Jesus nothing more than a teacher sent from God (3 : 1, 2).

We are to suppose that Jesus and the Baptist had many conferences with each other, and the supposition is near at hand that Jesus laid upon the Baptis-t the same strict prohibition of any public mention of His Messiahship that the Synoptic Gospels represent Him to have enforced in the case of the demoniacs and the Twelve. Note in John 3 : 22, 23 that the Baptist seems to have gone right on preaching the nearness of the Kingdom as he had done before Jesus appeared, and as Jesus himself did (Mark 1 : 14, 15).

2. There is further evidence that Jesus, at a point well on in His ministry, had made no formal announcement of Messiahship. Read carefully John 1 o : 24, comparing it with the passage already studied in the Synoptic Gospels, Mark 8 : 27, 28. The reply of Jesus, 10 : 25, 26, asserts that His conduct had been such as would have seemed to them Messianic, if their moral vision had been really clear ; but it is evident that there had been no formal presentation of Himself to the nation as Messiah, or they could not have asked the question.

Study I. — testis' &niumncement of |)isi JHeggialjfli^ip

Fifth Day : Jesus' Announcement of His Messiahship according to the gospel of john

1 . While the Gospel of John, in fundamental agreement with the Synoptic Gospels, represents Jesus as for a time repressing all formal proclamation of Messiahship, it contains certain distinct avowals of Messiahship that do not appear in the Synoptic Gospels. They are, however, either private, or, if public, not entirely free from obscurity, and are never a formal appeal to the nation.

2. Note first the private announcements of Messiahship. Read John I : 35-51, and note the recognition of Jesus' Messiahship with which the first disciples gathered about Him, especially the encouragement He gave to Nathanael (49-51).

3. If John 3 : 16-21 contains the words of Jesus, and is not a parenthetical comment by the author of the Gospel, then in a private conversation with a Jewish senator Jesus plainly declared His Messiahship. In any case, vv. 13-15 are the words of Jesus. Consider whether Nicodemus would have understood them to be a declaration of Messiahship.

4. Note in John 4: 25, 26 the unreserve with which Jesus expressed Himself, still in private, to one far removed from Jewish respectability. Consider to what extent this declaration was further known in the locality (28-30, 39-42).

5. Read in John 9 : 35-38 the account of His disclosure of Messiahship to another outcast.

6. What considerations induced Jesus to make to these individuals the revelation of His Messiahship that He withheld from the nation as a whole ?

"It is strange that Christ should often speak His most remarkable words to the least remarkable persons. Here is a woman who for one splendid moment emerges from the unknown, stands as in a blaze of living light, and vanishes into the unknown again. But while she stands she is immortalized, the moment becomes an Eternal Now, in which Christ and she face each other forever, He giving and she receiving truths the world can never allow to die. ,,

Fairbairn, Studies in the Life of Christ.

Study I. — 3T**tici' Announcement of fyis ^egstaljglrip

Sixth Day : Jesus' Announcement of His Messiahship according to the gospel of john (concluded)

1 . In addition to the distinct announcement of Messiahship made to certain individuals, there is also less of reserve on this subject in His public utterances as recorded in the Gospel of John than appears in the Synoptic Gospels. He speaks of Himself as the " Son/' and of God as the " Father/ ' in a way that seems to be an application to Himself of the Messianic title, " Son of God. " Note instances of this in John 5: 17-29.

2. Just what significance the Jerusalem theologians attached to these references to God as His Father seems uncertain. Sometimes they pretended not to know whom He meant (8:19). At other times they called the expression the raving of a lunatic (10 : 20). Sometimes it seemed to them a blasphemous implication of equality with God (5 : 17, 18 ; 10 : 30-33). Since their conception of Messiahship was a low one, possibly such assertions of special relationship to the Father, far exceeding what would have been involved in the mere official use of the title, would have seemed to them blasphemous even on the lips of one whom they had been inclined to accept as Messiah.

3. The Johannine representation of Jesus, as speaking somewhat freely of His Messiahship, is almost wholly confined to the account of His Judean ministry, while the Synoptic presentation is mainly concerned with the Galilean ministry. Is there any probability that Jesus could safely speak of His Messiahship with greater freedom to the trained rabbis of Jerusalem, the theological leaders of the nation, than to the people of Galilee ? If so, why ? In this connection consider, as having a possible bearing upon the question, Luke 2 : 46-49 ; John 3 : 1, 2 ; 12 142, 43 ; Luke 23 : 50-53. Note also the light thrown on the Galilean temper by John 6 : 12-15.

Studies in the Teaching of fesus ajid His Apostles

Study I. — testis' Announcement of Ibis ^ilesifiiia[)fii|)ip Seventh Day : Review of the Week

i. The work of the week has introduced a topic of fundamental importance. The central event of all history is the entrance of Jesus into humanity's life. How could such a being, with standards of conduct and aims so much higher than those of the men to whom He proposed to come so close, adjust Himself to them ? What would He have in common with them ? How would He make Himself known to them ? How would He proceed to transform their ideas without repelling them ?

Review to-day the work of the week, and make your final statement of Jesus' method of procedure in the announcement of His Messiahship, and of the reason for it.

"The greatest problems in the field of history center in the Person and Life of Christ. Who He was, and what He was, how and why He came to be it, are questions that have not lost and will not lose their interest for us and for mankind. For the problems that center in Jesus have this peculiarity : they are not individual, but general — concern not a person, but the world. How we are to judge Him is not simply a curious point for historical criticism, but a vital matter for religion. Jesus Christ is the most powerful spiritual force that ever operated for good on and in humanity. He is to-day what He has been for centuries — an object of reverence and love to the good, the cause of remorse and change, penitence and hope to the bad ; of moral strength to the morally weak, of inspiration to the despondent, consolation to the desolate, and cheer to the dying. He has created the typical virtues and moral ambitions of civilized man ; has been to the benevolent a motive to beneficence, to the selfish a persuasion to self-forgetful obedience ; and has become the living ideal that has steadied and raised, awed and guided youth, braced and ennobled manhood, mellowed and beautified age. In Him the Christian ages have seen the manifested God, the Eternal living in time, the Infinite within the limits of humanity. . . . For the very greatness of the work makes it the more necessary that we see the Worker, not as He lives in our faith and reverence, but as He lived on our common earth ; a man looking before and after, speaking as a man, and spoken to by men. ... By all means let us get near enough to Jesus to see Him as He really was."

Fairbairn, Studies in the Life of Christ.

Studies in the Teaching of fesus a?id His Apostles

Study II.—%ft£>u&' Conception of tjje l&ingtoom of (Stiti

First Day : Origin of the Expression and its Prominence in the Teaching of Jesus

i. We have seen that Jesus could not proclaim Himself Messiah until He had endeavored to prepare the nation to receive such a Messiah as He was willing to be. The question that naturally arises, therefore, is, What kind of Messiah was He ? What did He conceive the chief business of a Messiah to be ? But Jesus' view of Himself and of His mission can be rightly understood only when we see what His view of the Kingdom of God was. In studying the character of a king, the first thing to ascertain is the ideal that he cherishes for his kingdom. It will then be in place to inquire by what course of action he proposes to realize his ideal, or what he conceives his chief business to be.

2. The term "Kingdom of God" was current before John the Baptist and Jesus appeared. Read rapidly Daniel 7 : 1-18, which seems to indicate that the Kingdom was called God's Kingdom in contrast with the various world kingdoms with which the Jews had to do.

3. In the Gospel of Matthew the expression '* Kingdom of God " occurs only a few times. Cf. Matt. 4: 17 with Mark 1 : 15, in order to ascertain the expression that most frequently occurs in Matthew. The expression found in Matthew is not found elsewhere in the New Testament. Note in Matt. 19 : 23, 24 the evidence that the two expressions are synonymous.

4. According to the Synoptic Gospels, one or the other of these expressions was constantly upon the lips of Jesus. Glance rapidly at the following references in the Gospel of Matthew : 4:17; 5:20; 6: 10, 33 ; 9: 35 ; IO: 7 ; 13 : II, 24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47 ; 20 : 1 ; 22 : 2.

5. Strangely enough, in the Gospel of John the expression occurs only in the passage 3 : 3-5. Do you see any reason for its absence in this Gospel ? Read John 20 : 3 1 , and see whether you detect there one of the characteristic words of the Gospel, that may possibly correspond to the idea expressed in the phrase " Kingdom of God."

Read Luke 8:1, and try to realize something of the hope and enthusiasm which Jesus felt, and desired to produce, as He told His synagogue audiences that the Kingdom of God was at hand.

Study II. — %z&\x&* Conception of tlje Kingdom of <3tfii Second Day : The Nationality of the Kingdom

i. We have now to take up one by one a few of the principal features in Jesus' conception of the Kingdom. The first question is, Whom did He propose to have in the Kingdom ? Did He propose to admit any besides Jews ? The popular idea among the Jews was, that the Kingdom was a Jewish monopoly. Note the evidence in Acts 1 1 : 1 8 and the preceding context, also in Acts 15:1, that, even some years after the resurrection, the apostles and other Christian Jews supposed that the Kingdom was only for the Jews and Jewish proselytes.

2. First note the evidence that Jesus, for a time, confined the efforts of Himself and His disciples exclusively to the Jews. Read Matt. 10 : 5, 6, remembering that there was a large Gentile population interspersed among the Jews in Palestine. Read also Matt. 15 : 21-24. What was the reason for this exclusiveness on the part of Jesus ?

3. On the other hand, note the evidence that Jesus foresaw and planned a World-Kingdom in which all nationalities might find a place. Consider Jesus' conduct on certain occasions. Read Matt. 8 : 5-13, which describes His treatment of a Roman army officer, who, though not a Jew, was so enthusiastic an admirer of the Jewish religion that even the synagogue authorities respected him (Luke 7 : 3-5). The most significant feature of the incident is the remark concerning the Messianic banquet, attributed to Jesus by Matthew in this connection (8:11, 12). Who are the " sons of the Kingdom " in this passage ? Why are they so called ? Notice in Matt. 15 : 28 that He finally made an exception to the exclusive principle in accordance with which He was acting at the time. What bearing, if any, has Matt. 13 : 38 upon this theme?

4. Picture to yourself Jesus looking with powerful penetration through the centuries, and seeing the vision of a great World- Empire, even when His rejection by His own countrymen was a certainty to Him. Let the confidence of Jesus make you confident, as you look out upon the world in which the vision has not yet become a reality.

Study II. — %zm& y Conception of tlje !& inborn of <3cto

Third Day : The Nationality of the Kingdom according to the Gospel of John

1. The references to a World- Empire become more frequent and clear in the record of the latter part of Jesus' ministry. Even when the sepulchre seemed, to His quick imagination, vividly opening before Him, and He felt that His body was being prepared for burial, note the confident thought that was uppermost in His mind according to Mark 14:9. Read also Matt. 24: 14, and the definite statement made by Him after the resurrection, Matt. 28 ; 19, 20 (Luke 24 : +7)-

2. In the Gospel of John there is no such emphasis laid upon the Jewish character of His mission as in Matt. 10 : 5, 6. This Gospel was written late in the first century, at a time when the breadth of Jesus' plan had long been evident. He is represented as going freely to the Samaritans in one instance, and they recognize Him as "the Saviour of the world" (4: 39-42). The whole outlook of Jesus in chapters 14-17 is world-wide. His disciples are left in the " world" (17 : 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16), and are destined to affect the life of the " world " (17 : 23).