New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 18: “He Was Lost, and Is Found” Luke 15, 17

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 18: “He Was Lost, and Is Found”
Luke 15, 17

Finding that which is Lost
Luke 15




Sheep
Jesus found himself again in controversy.

“1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”

For the Pharisees and scribes, it was not lawful to sit and eat with the unrighteous. As noted in the Connections blog (see link below) they had a form of shunning that was extremely severe. While in an Amish shunning, the shunned could still eat in the same room with the family (only at a different table), in 1st century Palestine, one could not associate in any manner with sinners. And for many Jews, there were no greater sinner than the publicans (tax collectors). Tax collectors would contract with the Romans to collect taxes from the people, adding a surcharge for their own services. Often, this additional surcharge was extreme (or at least seemed so from the perspective of the tax payer), and so were considered sinners for getting gain as usury (interest) from other Jews.

Jesus expressed his belief in the parable of the 99 and 1 lost sheep. If a shepherd has lost a sheep, he will secure the 99 in the sheepfold (corral), then go out and look for the lost one, until he has found it. The ancient loving link between shepherd and sheep was strong. The sheep recognized their shepherd’s voice and would follow it. If a sheep was missing, the shepherd would know it and seek for it, as if his own child were lost. In reality, sheep wander off as they graze in the mountain pastures. They become easy prey to predators. For a shepherd watching 100 sheep, it would not be hard to have one sheep wander away. However, the rescue is what is important.

According to the early church historian, Eusebius, after returning from being banished and exiled, the apostle John converted and prepared a young man in the gospel. As John prepared to leave for other cities, he charged the local bishop with care of the lad. At first, the bishop taught and cared for him, soon baptizing the young man. Once baptized, the bishop thought the youth would be strong enough to continue in the faith on his own. But he fell in with other youths who took him along in their night time activities, including robbery. Finally pressed into joining their gang, the young man quickly rose through the ranks to be the leader of the robbers. A few years later, the aged John returned to the city and immediately asked the bishop about the youth. The bishop sighed and admitted the child was lost. John instantly left the safety of the town and entered into the dangerous foot hills in search of the lad. The apostle was nabbed by the robbers and brought to the youth, who recognized John and in feeling regret and remorse, tried to flee. But the apostle gathered his energy and caught up with the young man, returning him to the fold once again.

As with Jesus’ shepherd, John went into danger to recover the lamb that had wandered astray. He stood among the wicked, those who should have been shunned, in order to rescue a precious soul. In the parable of the lost sheep, when the shepherd returned he called his friends and they celebrated. We will see this attitude frequently in these parables of the lost. The Lord stated that there would be greater joy in heaven for the lost sheep who repents, than for the 99 who were already saved.

Silver Piece

Jesus did not end with that story, but gave another parable of a lost silver piece. The woman had ten silver pieces, supposedly her entire wealth. So in this instance, she lost 1/10 of her wealth. Unlike sheep, money does not walk away by itself. Inanimate objects get lost because they are carelessly misplaced.

The woman lights a candle to aid her in the search. Obviously, for someone whose wealth consists of only 10 silver pieces, a candle would be an expensive item used only on rare occasions. In today’s (April 2011) high silver prices, if the pieces weighed one ounce each, would only add up to $450. Most Americans today owe more than 20 times that amount on their credit cards.

The woman sweeps the house. The floor is made of dirt, and perhaps an occasional wind can leave the floor with a thick layer of dirt. Sweeping allowed her to stir the dirt up enough to possibly find the coin. she seeks “diligently until she find it”. She does not rest until it is found, as it represents a huge chunk of her wealth. On finding it, she also calls her friends over to rejoice with her. Again, the Lord says that there will be great joy in heaven over one who repents.

The Prodigal Son



There is a great series of blogs on the Prodigal Son being done now (April 2011) at the Connections blog. Check it out below.

A wealthy man had two sons. The day would come when he would divide the inheritance between the two. According to Jewish custom, the older son would receive a double portion (in this case, ⅔) of the property. This would normally occur when the father was old and no longer able to work the farm himself. However, out of rebellion, the younger son demanded his inheritance early. This was a shocking thing to do under the Mosaic Law. First, it showed huge disrespect for the father - possibly a crime punishable by stoning. Second, it risked the inheritance. Mosaic Law required that inherited lands remain in the hands of the family from generation to generation. To sell the lands, particularly to a Gentile, was a sin against all of Israel. It didn’t take long for the son to sell the property, after which he departed into a foreign country. He had been shunned by the Jewish community for his actions.

The lad quickly spent his wealth in “riotous living.” You can always find friends when you are willing to foot the bill. But when the money was gone, the friends disappeared. Suddenly, the reality of life was forced upon the young man. No one offered to help him out in his time of trial. No one offered to feed him, as he had fed them. They abandoned him. He was forced to work as a pig farmer’s helping hand. For a Jew, working with pigs was a major sin, as they were unclean. Worse, to eat the slop given to pigs meant you were lower than unclean. You truly were the dregs of the world.

Finally tired of the tragic life he lived, he came to his senses. He remembered the life he once had in his father’s home. Even the workers had a much better living than he did.

"18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants."

He was in the beginning stages of repentance. He turned away from his Father and the faith of his Father. He was unclean, and hoped as a servant to rise above his current circumstance.

“20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”

His Father saw him come while he was still a long ways off. Father had been looking for him continuously for years. He never stopped. He always had the hope that his son would return. When he returned, a huge celebration occurred, because the Prodigal Son came home.

In discussing the symbolism of the parable of the Prodigal Son, some things are rather easy to understand. The Father is God. His land is the inheritance he wishes to give to all of us, if we will just choose and follow Him. However, some choose their own path, a path that leads to rebellion. Turning his back on righteousness, the person is shunned, kicked out of the presence of God and family. He quickly moves to the land of the Gentiles, an unclean land whose king is Satan, where they encourage him to sin and waste his life in riotous living. Spiritually empty and starving both in body and spirit, the person is left with the inheritance that Satan provides: the husks that the pigs will not eat. He is literally in hell. And if the Prodigal Son remains in this condition, he will remain in Outer Darkness, with no inheritance whatsoever to speak of. Only in humbling himself and confessing his sins in true repentance, is he able to escape the lands of hell and return to the Promised Land of inheritance.

The Father sees the humbled and repentant child and welcomes him home. There is no deep questioning at this time regarding what he has done with his inheritance. That may come later. Now comes the celebration. As the older and obedient son sulks over the celebration over the lost sheep, the Father reminds him that the inheritance that remains is his. The repentant son has lost his huge inheritance, but still will inherit. How much he ends up inheriting depends on the future. Will he act like a true son, as a servant, or rebel once again? Only when it is the proper time for the Father to divide his inheritance with his children, will they know what is theirs.

In the heavens there are three main degrees or levels of heaven (D&C 76, 1 Corinthians 12:1-4). From these, there are probably many minor levels within. We are all saved from death and hell when we believe and repent of our sins. Then, according to our diligence and faith, we will inherit a kingdom that fits who we have become. If we have been valiant and constant throughout, we will inherit all that the Father has (even as the righteous son). For those who are noble, but not valiant, there is a wonderful reward of glory. And for those who were wicked and only repented when compelled by circumstance to be humble, there is a lesser glory, but still wonderful nonetheless. This is how God loves each of us. I’ve discussed more in detail His grace and love in another blog noted below.

The Ten Lepers
Luke 17

Leprosy is a hideous disease, now treatable and rare in most nations. In Jesus’ day, it was one of the key events that made a person unclean. Unlike touching a dead person or doing something that made a person unclean, leprosy was usually a life sentence. Lepers did not live in regular Jewish cities, but in leper colonies, away from the rest of society. They were unclean personified. Not even family could approach them, for fear they too would contract the disease.

Leprosy causes necrosis or death of the skin and organs. Small sores or wounds on the hands, feet, ears or nose can quickly cause gangrene and the limbs must be removed to preserve life. Lepers were often disfigured by the scaly skin it left behind, as well as from the loss of limbs and facial parts.

Jewish law required Jesus to not approach the lepers. Yet he spoke with them and sent them to the priest, the official responsible for determining if leprosy really had healed, so the person could again be pronounced clean. Along the way, all were healed. Nine went to be pronounced clean, while only one returned to thank the Lord.

The nine received their earthly reward. They did not seek the higher and heavenly reward that heals us from spiritual leprosy. After returning to Christ and receiving forgiveness of his sins, the one man was clean both physically and spiritually.

While we may have to await the resurrection to have our physical disabilities healed, we can be healed spiritually now and every day of our lives by calling upon God the Father in the name of Christ, asking Him to heal us. Admit that you are unworthy to be called his son, and then allow him to take you into his embrace and fit you with a ring containing the family crest. We can be healed through Christ. He can rescue us from an earthly and eternal hell, if we will but stop our rebellion, forgive those who have neglected or hurt us, and allow ourselves to be found.

And when we are found, what great rejoicing there will be in heaven!

Bibliography

Jim F’s Lesson 18 at Feast Upon the Word Blog: http://feastuponthewordblog.org/2011/04/26/nt-lesson-18-jf-luke-15-17/

Connections on the Prodigal Son (several part blog): http://donna-connections.blogspot.com/2011/04/pursuing-father-part-1.html

Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History, Chapter 23 on John rescuing the youth: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm

Amazing Grace: How God saves us through Christ: http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2011/04/amazing-grace-how-christs-atonement.html

Amazing Grace - How Christ's Atonement Saves All Mankind

Amazing Grace

By Gerald A. Smith

For the last several months I’ve been studying the concept of grace and atonement. During this time, I’ve also had some interesting discussions regarding it with both LDS and other Christians. Having been really impressed on how grace impacts every moment of our lives and is perhaps the most important concept in Christianity, I felt moved to discuss it here on my blog.

I will briefly explain some of the beliefs of grace given by other Christians, and then explain how grace has been revealed to the prophet Joseph Smith, evidence of the Restoration and its importance for the salvation of mankind. This being Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011, this is my Easter gift to everyone: a better understanding of Christ’s grace in our lives.
The concept of Jesus atonement has brought discussion and disagreement for centuries. The different views on it vary from a very limited grace that focuses on our personal works for salvation, to a universal salvation to all mankind, regardless of what they believe or do in regards to Christ.

Early in Christianity, a concept of grace was developed that attempted to unite faith, works and sacraments or ordinances together, all required for salvation. So important was baptism in the early Christian Church that Saint Augustine proclaimed that without it, little infants would burn in hell for eternity. To try and avoid such a tragic conclusion, the Catholic Church adopted the concept of Limbo, a beautiful place outside of heaven for such infants and others that did not merit hell due to evil works. However, even with this, Pope Benedict XVI recently discarded the concept of Limbo as not being doctrinal. So they again seek guidance as to how grace operates in the lives of infants and those who never had the chance to hear the name of Jesus Christ proclaimed.

John Calvin also struggled with grace. With requirements for works, disagreements over free will and predestination, and other major concerns, he issued the TULIP* doctrine which severely limited Christ’s atonement to just a few, with the remaining being sent to hell regardless of whether they ever had a chance to hear the word of God or not.

For some, “cheap grace” or simply acknowledging Christ is enough to be saved, regardless of whether one keeps the commandments, repents, or does anything holy. For some, “once saved, always saved” suggests that to believe in Christ today means that even if I reject him later in life, I’m still saved.

Clearly, we can see the world struggled and still struggles with the concept of grace.

Grace from a Restored Gospel Viewpoint

“16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3).

Unlike those who believe in a limited atonement, or that infants cannot be saved without baptism, or that our ancestors who never had a chance to hear the name of Jesus Christ would forever burn in hell, the Restored Gospel declares that Christ came to save all mankind, from every time and place, from children to the ancients, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and even atheists, from physical and spiritual death.

For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have doctrines that express the importance of grace, how faith and works figure in together, and how all mankind may be saved by Christ’s atonement. Such concepts are given through modern revelation, allowing Mormons to understand things that the Bible does not explain, or does not explain very well.
The LDS concept of grace is simple, yet contains a completeness often missing in other concepts of grace. We believe that “as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Because of the fall of Adam, both physical and spiritual death came upon mankind. We will all die physically. Spiritually we are dead, because we are not in the presence of God, who gives fullness to life, or eternal life, for those in His presence. Christ opened the door where all will resurrect from the dead, saving them from physical death, and almost all will be saved from spiritual death through the atonement and grace of Christ.

The Resurrection

Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, believe that all mankind will be resurrected. In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Amulek explained:

“40 And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else.
41 Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands of death; for behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand before God, and be judged according to their works.
42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.
43The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.
44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but everything shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.
45 Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption” (Alma 11).

All will be resurrected, regardless of what they do on earth. They will never experience physical pain, grow old, or have the struggles and temptations we now have in the flesh. This is the redemption of mankind from physical death.

Levels of Heaven

As with ancient Jews and Christians, LDS believe there is more than one level of heaven. Paul knew a man who “went to the third heaven” (2 Corinthians 12:1-4). This concept is supported by many early Jewish and Christian writings, such as the Ascension of Isaiah, and the Apocalypse of Paul, where the prophet and the apostle tell of their experiences ascending the various levels of heaven and into God’s presence.

The prophet Joseph Smith was taught that there are three main levels of heaven, with minor levels within at least the top heaven. These three main heavens are called the Celestial, Terrestrial and the Telestial. Through the atonement of Christ, all but the sons of perdition (those who become the complete enemies of Christ and seek gain through murdering innocents) will gain a kingdom of heaven. Of all people born on earth, we know for certain of only one son of perdition: Cain. Perhaps there are others, but we do not know who they are.

The greatest heaven (Celestial) offers the fullness of God’s glory and blessings. It is for those who are valiant in the testimony of Christ, receive the ordinances, and serve God with all their heart, mind and soul. The Terrestrial Kingdom offers many of the blessings of God and much of his glory. It is designed for those who have testimonies of Christ, but were not valiant. These are the noble people of the earth.

The lowest kingdom of heaven, the Telestial, is reserved for those who barely escape perdition. These are the hard hearted and hard headed who finally repent when compelled. This will include those who have murdered, committed adultery, lied, stolen, and done other very evil things, but who have not chosen to be the complete enemy of Christ, denying the Holy Ghost, and glorying in their evil. Such will suffer for their sins (see below) until they repent fully of their sins. At that time, they will be rescued from hell by Christ’s atonement, and will inherit the lowest kingdom of glory. Such is the love of God for his children that even this kingdom reserved for the likes of Hitler, mass murderers and others, will be more wondrous than any place upon the earth (D&C 76).


Salvation for the Wicked

As mentioned above, the Telestial Kingdom is reserved for those who barely escape perdition, or Outer Darkness. In the teachings of the Restored Gospel, we learn that upon dying, our bodies go to the tomb. Our spirits will enter into the Spirit World. A portion of the Spirit World is reserved for the righteous, a place of rest in Abraham’s bosom (see the parable of Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31). For the wicked, however, there is a gulf that separates them from the righteous. The wicked reside in this Spirit World hell until they repent fully of their sins, turning to Christ for salvation and redemption.

In the Book of Mormon, we read an event akin to this. The prophet Alma describes to his own son his wickedness and rebellion as a youth. Alma went about seeking to destroy the Church, leading people astray. One day, an angel appeared to him and told him to repent or be destroyed. This event so overwhelmed Alma that he collapsed into a coma. Indeed, some believe he had a near death experience. Alma explains:

“10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.
11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words—If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of God—I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.
12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.
13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.
14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.
15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.
16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.
17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.
18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.
19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!
21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.
22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.
23 But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God.
24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost” (Book of Mormon, Alma 36).

Here we see that Alma, as with all the wicked, suffered immensely for sins not repented of. For Alma this only took three days for him to humble himself and repent. Others could likely take much longer: years or thousands of years. Still, once they are ready to repent, they are delivered immediately from hell and brought into the Paradise side of the Spirit World, where they are filled with as much joy as they once felt pain.

For salvation, all that is required is to believe and repent. Christ then rescues us from hell. So, physical resurrection comes to all, and spiritual redemption comes to almost all mankind. Jesus’ grace and salvation are near universal. In the end, only those who forever refuse his atonement, who insist on being his eternal enemy, will be sons of perdition. Given the pains of hell, most of the wicked will choose repentance and salvation than to continue in such intense sufferings. They will be compelled by the pains of their own sins to seek Christ’s rescue.
But it must be on the condition of an honest repentance.

Jesus explained to Joseph Smith:

"10 For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—
11 Eternal punishment is God’s punishment.
12 Endless punishment is God’s punishment.
13 Wherefore, I command you to repent, and keep the commandments which you have received by the hand of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., in my name;
14 And it is by my almighty power that you have received them;
15 Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.
20 Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit.
21 And I command you that you preach naught but repentance..." (D&C 19).

Even as Alma suffered for his sins, so will all mankind who will not humble themselves enough to repent. Truly, it is easier to repent now than later. Now, we can humble ourselves and repent, Christ forgiving all our sins. In the Spirit World, we will be compelled by our own pains to repent, and will suffer until we are humbled enough to do so. Yet, in this, Christ seeks to save us from Outer Darkness, an eternity without the glory or blessings of God.

Faith and Works

So how do faith and works fit in this? Through basic faith in Christ and repentance, we are saved from death and hell.

Still, we mentioned above that there are several heavens of glory. The level of heaven we obtain depends on what kind of person we become. If we become holy, one who always seeks the will of God, then we will receive his highest glories and blessings in the Celestial Kingdom. If we are good people, but not truly valiant, then we will receive glory in the Terrestrial Kingdom. And those who were wicked and just barely rescued by Christ will receive glory in the Telestial Kingdom. Those in the lower kingdoms will enjoy the blessings of God, but are not ready to receive all of God’s blessings.

"21 And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.
22 For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
23 And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
24 And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory” (D&C 88).

Those in lesser glories will be happy in those kingdoms of heaven, because that is who they are. It is the amount of Christ’s gift of salvation they want. The Telestial would not feel happy nor comfortable dwelling in the full presence and glory of God, but are happy with a portion of his glory (Mormon 9:4).

"29 Ye who are quickened by a portion of the celestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
30 And they who are quickened by a portion of the terrestrial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
31 And also they who are quickened by a portion of the telestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
32 And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.
33 For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift” (D&C 88).

Each will receive the kingdom they are willing and able to receive. Even those in Outer Darkness go there, because they refuse the gift of Christ’s grace and atonement. Those in the lower heavens receive all the blessings and glory they are capable of receiving with joy, unable to experience greater glory without feeling pain and sorrow, because they did not become holy enough to enjoy greater glories of God.

Grace

For many Christians, grace is an all or nothing event. Either you receive Christ’s grace, or you don’t. In Calvinism, either you receive the irresistible grace of the elect, or you are damned to hell. There is no other choice.

For others, as mentioned, it is a cheap grace, where any and all can be saved by basic faith without works. Yet, it does not reach out to those in other religions or periods of time, who have never had a chance to hear of Jesus and his gospel.

In LDS teaching, grace is something we gain a little at a time. All it takes is just a little grace to be saved from hell. As mentioned above, there are levels of heaven. The greater the grace we have, the greater blessings and glory we receive.

The Lord showed to Joseph Smith ancient doctrine taught by the apostle John regarding Jesus’ mortal life:

"11 And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.
12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;
13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;
14 And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first” (D&C 93).

We are then taught that even as Christ went from grace to grace, or one level of holiness to the next, we must also. And as we become holy to a certain level, we receive greater grace from God, until we receive a fullness of that grace.

Free Will and Agency of Man

Through all of this, the atonement of Christ gives us freedom of choice. We can choose righteousness or wickedness. We can choose to listen or ignore, obey or disobey, do works of good or evil. Agency is important, because without it, any judgment of God upon us would be unfair. How could God cast people into hell fire, if they never were taught about Jesus Christ? How could God reject little children, after Jesus said, “of such is the kingdom of heaven”? (Matthew 19:14).

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Mormon explained to his son, Moroni, that little children are saved in Christ’s atonement. They are unable to choose good from evil, and so are innocent. Christ automatically saves those who are innocent, until they arrive at the age of accountability (or maturity), where they begin to make decisions based on understanding of good and evil. (Moroni 8).

And in the LDS revelation entitled the Book of Moses, the prophet Enoch taught the people that original sin had no eternal effect on the people, because Christ would pay the price for it (Pearl of Great Price, Book of Moses 6:54).

So important is atonement for our agency and free will that the Nephite prophet Jacob explained that without the atonement, we would be trapped forever without resurrection and redemption. In such a state, we would only have one choice: to be subject to the devil forever.

The Infinite Atonement

"7 Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.
8 O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more.
9 And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.
10 O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.
11 And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave.
12 And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.
13 O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.
14 Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.
15 And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God.
16 And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away, that they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end.
17 O the greatness and the justice of our God! For he executeth all his words, and they have gone forth out of his mouth, and his law must be fulfilled.
18 But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever” (2 Nephi 9).

Conclusion

Thanks to the Infinite Atonement of Christ, we are free from physical and spiritual death. We will all resurrect. We all have the choice of following Christ, rather than being subject to Satan. Almost all of us will be rescued from hell and Outer Darkness. Each of us will receive the kingdom of glory we are ready to receive, based on our obedience and becoming Christ-like.
Jesus truly is the Savior, the Messiah of the world. We do not have to struggle over what grace is or isn’t. We can believe in a God who truly loves the world enough to send Christ to save all mankind. And we can have faith that Christ can and will save us.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* TULIP (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism)
1. Total depravity: man’s complete inability to be holy, due to the Fall of Adam.
2. Unconditional election: God’s choice from the beginning of eternity for those to be saved by Him is not based upon any virtue, merit or faith in those people. It is solely based on God’s mercy.
3. Limited atonement: this teaches that only the sins of those already elected by God are washed away in Christ. God could have elected all mankind and saved them through Christ, but chose instead to save just a few.
4. Irresistible grace: those who are the elect are transformed by God, so that they have no choice but to obey God and be redeemed through Christ.
5. Perseverance of the Saints: also known as the preservation of the saints, means that all those elected by God will continue in faith until the end, regardless of what the world does.


Bibliography
Calvin’s TULIP: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism

Ascension of Isaiah: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/ascension.html

Apocalypse of Paul: http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/ascp.html

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 17: “What Shall I Do That I May Inherit Eternal Life?” Mark 10, 12, Luke 12, 14, 16

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 17: “What Shall I Do That I May Inherit Eternal Life?”
Mark 10, 12, Luke 12, 14, 16

--- Due to very busy work and church schedules, and the fact that you guys don’t pay me well enough to retire on my blogging, this lesson will sadly be shorter than normal. Hopefully I’ll get things back up to speed within a couple weeks. ---

The Foolish Rich Man
Mark 10:17-31

One day as Jesus taught, a young rich man asked him what was necessary to obtain eternal life. In asking this, the young man had called Jesus, “Good Master.” Jesus asked him why he called him “good” when no one is good except for God.

In this moment, Jesus showed the separateness of the Father and himself. While pure, Jesus still was not perfected and glorified. He had not yet completed his own mortal experience. His mission was not complete, and he was not yet resurrected. He was not yet ready to be called “good” or complete. In this same sense, the mortal Jesus encouraged his disciples to be “perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Later, the resurrected Jesus would tell the Nephites to be perfect as both God and he are perfect (Matthew 12:48). In other words, Jesus was holy, but had not obtained a fullness of divinity yet.

The young man was not asking about basic salvation. Jesus’ atonement covers all mankind that will turn towards the Savior. He was asking about eternal life, or exaltation in the highest level of heaven. Basic salvation does not require works, except for faith and repentance. But to receive the fullness of God’s blessings requires us to become holy, even as Christ is holy. This means keeping the commandments, and then some.

In answering the young man, he first asked him if he kept the 10 commandments of Moses. These were the basics necessary for worthiness. When the young man admitted he had kept these since his youth, the Lord “loved him”. He appreciated the good this young man had done through his life in his search to be holy.

“21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

“22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.”

The law of Moses is a good law that leads us to better things. But it is not the greater law of Christ’s gospel. In the Lord’s law, we must be willing to give up all things and follow him for any and all reasons.

The Lord may not ask us to give up all our riches. Instead, he will ask each of us what thing is of greatest worth to us, and ask us to give it away and follow him. What thing in our life is the one thing that will keep us out of heaven, simply because we love it more than following Christ? Today, people have addictions to wealth, alcohol, drugs, television, video games, sex, eating, pride, anger, and a very long list of other things.

We each must look inside ourselves and determine what one thing it is that we must be willing to give up, and then give it up. It isn’t an easy thing to do. If it were, then it would not be the ultimate sacrifice to the Lord. Jesus would also have to do the same thing. In Gethsemane and on the cross, he would have to give up the one thing: his own will and desire. He would desire not to pass through the pains of the world. Nonetheless, he wanted to do God’s will, not his own. And in swallowing up his own desires in God’s, he became the One to follow to eternal life, exaltation.

Bibliography

LDS New Testament teacher’s manual for lesson 17: http://lds.org/manual/new-testament-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-17-what-shall-i-do-that-i-may-inherit-eternal-life?lang=eng

New Testament Lesson 16: “I Was Blind, Now I See” John 9-10

New Testament Lesson 16: “I Was Blind, Now I See”
John 9-10

Light and Darkness
John 9





Not long after the Feast of Tabernacles and probably before the Feast of Dedication, Jesus walked in Jerusalem with his disciples. As they walked, they noticed a man begging in the streets who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked whose fault it was that the man was blind: the man or his parents. Jewish tradition suggested that those born with defects were obviously cursed of God for some reason.

For Latter-day Saints, this suggests an understanding of the premortal existence. How else could the man have sinned at or before birth to merit such condemnation from God? And if it was the parents’ sins that caused the curse, why did it fall upon the child and not on them?

Jesus explained that many are born with disabilities so that God’s work and power could be shown forth. In this instance, Jesus was able to heal the man, showing God’s mercy and power, as well as demonstrating that Jesus had the power of his Father. In other instances, such physical challenges allow individuals to rise above them and do marvelous things in their lives. While not born with disabilities, Helen Keller became blind and deaf at the age of 19 months of either scarlet fever or meningitis. For most children in her situation they normally were put away where no one would see them. But through the hard work of Anne Sullivan and Helen’s own efforts, she learned sign language and to speak. She was the first blind-deaf person to receive a college degree. She became an author and a sought-after speaker.

Neither the man nor his parents had sinned. Such things happen so that great miracles may occur to help people believe in God. Jesus used a pagan magic healing method to heal the man. Using clay and spittle to create a paste, he placed it on his eyes. He then sent the man to the pool of Siloam to wash his eyes, whereupon he received his eyesight. The pool of Siloam is where the priests obtained water for use as a holy libation or sacrifice during the Feast of Tabernacles, which ended just days before. The water was considered sacred and blessed. Jesus compared himself to the living waters during the feast. Symbolically, the man was healed by the living waters of Christ, who is the true water libation.

As he healed the man, Jesus explained:

“4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
“5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Again, Jesus referred back to the events of the Feast of Tabernacles, where giant menorah (candelabra) were placed on the temple walls, seen throughout the city. Throughout the 8 day festival, the priests would perform dances with torches every night. In the darkness of night, the torches, the menorah, and Jesus shone for the world to see. But did they comprehend that light? (see John 1:4-5 for the answer).

The man went about praising his healer. The Pharisees brought him in for questioning. How dare he praise Jesus for healing him! They brought in his parents to verify the event. Terrified that they would be excommunicated (literally cast out or exiled from Jerusalem), they answered that it was their son, but that he was old enough to answer for himself. The Pharisees explained that Jesus was a devil and healed by that evil power, especially since it was done on the Sabbath. However, the man insisted that Jesus was a prophet of God:

“32 [the man said] Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
“33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
“34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.”

So the traditions of the Pharisees won out. No one was allowed to heal on the Sabbath unless it was by the power of the devil. People born blind were born in sin, and therefore were liars. They insisted on their theological ties to Moses were greater than the miracles Jesus performed. The man was cast out. Later, upon meeting Jesus, the man would learn that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, and would worship him.

“39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
“40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
“41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.”

The Pharisees did not realize they were showing themselves as the darkness, represented by blindness and ignorance. However, they were neither blind nor ignorant, but chose the darkness purposely. They chose the torches of the dancing priests over him whose temple and festival truly belonged.

The Good Shepherd
John 10

In John 9:39-41, Jesus gave a segue into his next discussion. There are those who are shepherds, and those who are hirelings. Anciently, shepherds took their flocks out by day and pastured them together in a corral at night. One shepherd would watch over the sheep fold or corral, while the others slept. In the morning, the shepherds would come again to the corral and call out. Their sheep would recognize the voice of their particular shepherd, who showed fondness and kindness to the flock. They would willingly follow him anywhere.

However, some of the religious leaders of the Jews were more like hirelings. They did the job as long as it paid well, and there were no major obstacles. If a bear or lion came to attack the flock, while a shepherd would defend the sheep with his life, the hireling would run off and leave the defenseless sheep to fend for themselves. Many Jewish leaders were glad to lead the people, and collect their alms and offerings, until it was no longer convenient, or worth the money and risk. They spent their time focusing on protecting the Jews from good works on the Sabbath, rather than protect them from the enemies of God or pointing them to the living waters, the refreshing meadows, the true light, the Living Christ.

Other religious leaders were like those who sought access to the corral at night, but not by the main entrance. The corral was guarded, and only true shepherds were given access to the sheep from the entrance. Others would have to climb the back side of the fence to steal away sheep. Some tried to gain converts to their version of the Jewish faith by force, such as what happened to the blind man in John 9. If he wouldn’t quickly agree with the Pharisees, they would threaten him and his parents with excommunication and other dangers.

But the True Shepherd is heard by his flock when he calls them in the morning to take them to the meadows of grass for grazing. He calls and they come. They recognize his voice. They will not follow other shepherds or anyone else. Those who truly embrace Jesus are his sheep. Some sheep are totally dedicated to his voice and will follow him wherever he will lead them. Other sheep are not as dedicated, and will occasionally follow the voice of another shepherd. These are believers that should follow Jesus completely, but instead waver and are not dedicated to the true shepherd. Some find that they are instead following a Pharisee or Satan, disguised as a shepherd. But if they will listen to the voice, they can and will recognize Him.

Jesus explains that he will lay down his life for his sheep. He foresaw his destiny. His sheep needed rescue from death and hell, and only the true shepherd could do so. In the atonement and resurrection, Jesus broke the chains of death and hell for those who will listen to the shepherd’s voice, repent of their sins, and follow him.

Jesus, the Son of God

Around the winter equinox, the Jews celebrated the Feast of Dedication. This celebrated the rededication of the temple in the times of the Maccabees (165 BC), who rescued Israel and the temple from desecration by Antiochus Epiphanius. This gentile ruler sought to destroy the Jewish religion, burning pigs on the temple altars, and setting up a statue of Zeus inside the temple. To reconsecrate and cleanse the temple became an important festival.

Jesus again stood in the temple and was asked about his sermon concerning the sheep, and whether he truly was the Messiah. He told them they had seen signs enough and were told enough that they should believe. Yet they did not. They were angered when he explained, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30), meaning that they were united in all things. This also meant that Jesus placed himself on the same level as God. The Jews began again to grab stones to throw at him, but he quickly explained scripture to them:

“34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
“35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
“36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
“37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
“38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
“39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,”

He explained that the Jews were the children of God and were heirs of God. They were supposed to become gods under Heavenly Father. This was a difficult concept for Jews who had changed the rites of Solomon’s temple, rejecting the concepts of ministering angels, the Tree of Life, and other liturgy believed before the days of King Josiah.

But Jesus’ miracles and teachings testified that he truly was the Messiah, the son of God. He sought to guide his sheep to become what they were truly meant to be: Christ-like and the true children of God. Sadly, many of the sheep were led astray by those teaching other doctrines that lower mankind’s prospects on the marvelous things God has in store for us, if we just listen to the Shepherd’s voice.


Bibliography

Helen Keller - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller

Feast of Tabernacles in Lesson 15 - water libation, menorah and torches: http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-testament-gospel-doctrine-lesson-15.html

Commentary on John 10: http://bible.org/seriespage/exegetical-commentary-john-9

Feast of Dedication: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dedication#Feast_of_Dedication

Josiah’s Reforms to the Temple:
http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/08/ot-gospel-doctrine-lesson-30-come-to.html

http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/04/lesson-17-beware-lest-thou-forget.html

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 15 “I Am the Light of the World” John 7-8

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 15 “I Am the Light of the World”
John 7-8

Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles



The Jewish new year begins in the spring. Seven months after the new year (usually in September or October), there are three great festivals: The Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.

Yom Kippur is a very solemn festival, focusing on the Day of Atonement. It is a time of fasting and prayer. The high priest would enter the Holy of Holies, sanctifying it and then the entire people of Israel. Two goats would be brought forth. The first would be sacrificed, while the second would have all the sins of Israel laid upon it, then led off into the wilderness. There is a lot of Messianic symbolism connected with the Day of Atonement, as the Messiah would come to atone for Israel - being the sacrificial goat, as well as the one receiving all the sins of the world and then carrying them alone into the wilderness.

Contrasted to Yom Kippur was Sukkot, or Feast of Tabernacles. This was an eight day festival celebrating the harvest. People would build tabernacles, tents or booths of reeds, branches, etc. They would eat their meals and often sleep in these booths during the event, as a reminder of the tents that Israel lived in for 40 years in the wilderness with Moses. As a harvest festival, it is sometimes called the Feast of In-gathering.

It is the last of the three pilgrimage festivals of the year, where Israel would travel to gather to the temple. During the festival, a bundle of plants called the Four Species (palm, citron, willow and myrtle branches) are bound and waved for two events. First, they are waved to all six directions (north, south, east, west, up, down) and said with a blessing to show that God is all around us. During Hallel, the Four Species is also used, waved to bless as people walk in circuits. Anciently, they would walk in circuits to and around the holy temple, waving the fronds and praying “Hosha na” (please save us).

All of this goes back to Moses at Sinai. According to tradition, Moses spent 40 days on the Mount receiving the law of God until the original Day of Atonement. Upon descending during the first Sukkot, Moses began to build the original Tabernacle of God, which would travel with Israel through the desert for 40 years, and then settle in the promised land. So important was this period that Solomon would later dedicate the Jerusalem temple during Sukkot.

During Sukkot, a water libation brought from the pool of Siloam in a gold vessel was poured out at the ancient temple as a sacrifice to God. As the water was poured, the people would pray: "Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity."

Four towering menorahs (candelabras) were lit at night, where the priests would stand on the temple walls giving a light show with torches for all those below to view, while the Levites would play instruments.

It is believed that this festival will continue into the Messiah’s reign during the Millennium, with people gathering to the temple to celebrate the In-gathering harvest of souls, as well as the return of the Messiah in power. Many Jews believe the coming of the Messiah will be during Sukkot.

A portion of the festival period is Rosh Hoshana, or the Festival of the Trumpets. This is a festival that celebrates the coming of the Messiah in glory to rescue Israel. In it, trumpets are sounded to announce the harvest period. It is believed that Israel will be gathered during these high holidays.

Interestingly, Joseph Smith received the gold plates from Moroni on Rosh Hoshanah. For LDS, this was a key symbol of the latter day in-gathering of both spiritual and physical Israel.

So, Jesus entered into Jerusalem during the high holy days of Israel to celebrate the festivals prepared anciently to prepare for his Messiah-ship.

My Time is not yet come

Jesus’ brothers did not yet believe he was the Messiah. They mocked him, goading him into going up to the feast in Jerusalem, encouraging him to perform his miracles there, so that they would believe him. Instead, Jesus explained to them that the Jews would not believe his miracles, because they hate him.

Why did the Jews hate Jesus? For various reasons. First, many Jews were looking for a political Messiah who would force Rome to leave. Since Christ was not willing to be that type of Messiah, many rejected him. Second, his teachings caused a power play among other Jewish sects, especially among the leaders of the Sadduccees and Pharisees. They were concerned that this up start would gain great power and the people would leave their sects for Jesus. In his trip to Jerusalem, Jesus will give them more reasons to hate him and seek his death.

Jesus arrived in the middle of the feast, after everyone else had built their booths. He taught at the temple, probably in the outer court. The Jews were amazed that an unschooled man from Nazareth could know so much about the scriptures.

“16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
“17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
“18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
“19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
“20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
“21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel” (John 7).

The people thought Jesus must be crazy or paranoid to think there were people out to kill him. Jesus then explained that because he was known to have healed people on the Sabbath, some wanted to kill him. For Moses, it was okay to circumcise babies on the Sabbath, but Jesus was being plotted against for healing on the Sabbath.

The people listening then realized that the leaders sought to kill Jesus. Some asked, “But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?” (v21). They claimed they knew where he was from (Nazareth), but the prophesy of the Messiah was that none would know where he was from. Given that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a fact his audience did not know, this prophesy the people quoted was fulfilled.

In verse 28, we read, “Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught....” Often, we think of Jesus as a stoic, quiet speaker. Yet he cried, most likely meaning he shouted out in a strained voice against those speaking against him.

“28...Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
“29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
“30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
“31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?”

Jesus proclaimed himself as the Messiah. He established that his enemies, those who ran the temple, did not know God. Because they rejected Jesus, and sought to kill the Christ, they did not know God. While many wanted him dead, they did not lay hands on him at that point, probably because many believed on him and they did not wish to grab him in public, turning him into a martyr during the festival.

The Living Waters

On the last day of the festival, Jesus encouraged all to come to him, for he was the living waters. Part of Sukkot was the pouring of the waters from the pool of Siloam as a holy libation and sacrifice. Jesus compared himself to this water:

"37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
"38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
" 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
"40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
" 41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?”

Some thought he was the prophet Elias, who would prepare the way for the Messiah. Others did think he was the Messiah himself. However, contention arose as people argued over the location where the Messiah should come from. Even officers sent by the Pharisees to arrest Jesus were confused and returned to the court without him.

In this council, the Pharisees and other leaders argued concerning Jesus. When Nicodemus attempted to establish that Jesus had not been found guilty of anything, they turned on him asking if he was a confederate. For no prophets ever came out of Galilee!

Returning to the Temple
John 8



Jesus rested at the Mount of Olives. On the mount, at the place called Gethsemane is a cave where an olive oil press was located. Often during periods when the harvest season was over and the festivals were going, travellers would stay in such locations overnight. During the festivals, no work was allowed, so the olive press would not have been working during this time frame.

Returning to the temple on the following day, he again taught the people. The scribes and Pharisees brought forth a woman caught in adultery to him. The law of Moses demanded the woman be stoned to death. Had Jesus agreed and called upon them to stone her, they could have said he was not compassionate as the Messiah was supposed to be. Yet, in showing compassion, he would have ignored the Law of Moses.

Ignoring them briefly as he scribbled in the dirt, he finally arose and said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” (vs 7). Then he began scribbling in the dirt again. Soon, the accusers left. The Savior finally looked up and seeing no one around them, he asked the woman,

“Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
“She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (vs 10-11).

Missing in this event is the man who committed adultery with the woman. How could she have been caught in adultery, if there were also no man caught? Each of the accusers was convicted by his own conscience, and quietly left the temple grounds, because they knew that they had each been involved in similar sins. They were not clean. They should not have been in the temple. Even more, they were not willing to admit to their own actions, which would have lead to their being stoned also.

The Light of the World

The Festivals were over, yet many of the exciting events lingered in the minds of those still worshiping in the temple. The priests had given giant light shows that lasted the entire night. These shows included giant menorah lit and viewable from all parts of the city. The priests danced on the walls at night, holding torches, to entertain the people during the festival.

It was in this context that Jesus then proclaimed, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

The Jewish leaders instantly questioned him. A man who proclaimed something by himself was obviously speaking falsely. Yet Jesus could show he had witnesses.

First, his actions compared to those actions of the Jewish leaders. They had wrongly judged the woman (after the flesh), where he had not judged anyone. He knew his true roots, but they did not.

And God the Father bore witness of Christ. However, when Jesus stated that his Father bore witness of him, the Jews first thought it was an earthly parent, not a celestial one. As they then understood that Jesus spoke concerning God, they again wanted to kill him, but did not dare lay hands on him.
While his teachings confused those with hardened hearts, yet many still believed on his words.

“"31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
"32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

The Great I Am

But those who rejected him would die in their sins. They thought themselves to be the children of Abraham, and so free. But Jesus explained that they were servants of sin, and as servants, under eternal bondage except they repent and exercise faith in the Messiah.

A discussion ensues on who is the real Father of the Jews. First they claimed Abraham. But Jesus said they should follow God. Then they claimed God as their Father. Again Jesus told them that in their sins, they were the children of the devil. Had they been God’s true children, they would have accepted and embraced Jesus as their Savior. Instead, they were filled with hatred and murderous intentions - the same as the devil has always had.

Jesus told them that if they believed on him, they would never taste of death, but live forever. Amazed, they asked if he were greater than Abraham, who had died.

“56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
“57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
“58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
“59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”

Abraham saw in revelation that Jesus would come to save all mankind. He rejoiced in the day. Abraham knew the great king of Salem, Melchizedek. He paid tithes to the king. Melchizedek literally means “King of Righteousness.” That Melchizedek was a symbol of the future priest/king Messiah was clear. When the Jews asked how Abraham could have known about Jesus, the Savior explained that he was the Messiah.

If we change the comma around, we could read verse 58 as saying, “Before Abraham, was I AM.” “I AM” is the literal translation of the name-title Jehovah/Yahweh. He is the Being that Exists. It was I AM that sought out Abraham to begin the nation of Israel, striking a covenant with him that promised him seed as massive as the stars in the heavens.

Jesus was proclaiming that not only was he the Messiah, but that he was also Yahweh, the God of Israel under his Father Elohim.

There no longer was any fence sitting. Either people must accept Jesus as the Lord God and Messiah, or reject him for blasphemy. In this, the Jews sought to kill him, but Jesus was able to slip out among the crowd to safety.

Today we each must determine whether we give God lip service, as did the Pharisees and Sadduccees, or not. Will we put up a pretence, changing the laws of God to where they fit our own standard, or not? Are we ready to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, the Lord Jehovah over all the earth? And are we willing to repent of our sins: our false accusations, or our accusing others while we retain the greater sin, our outward signs of religion while inwardly we rot from sin? Will we pick up stones to kill the Lord and his prophets when they speak things that are not easy to hear? Will we care enough to pick a side?

Or will we embrace him?

Bibliography

Feast of Tabernacles:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Sukkot/sukkot.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14425a.htm


Rosh Hashanah, Moroni and Joseph Smith: http://lds.org/ensign/2000/01/the-golden-plates-and-the-feast-of-trumpets?lang=eng

The Covenant between Abraham and Yahweh/Jehovah:
http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/02/lesson-7-abrahamic-covenant.html

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 14: “Who Is My Neighbour?” Matthew 18, Luke 10

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 14: “Who Is My Neighbour?”
Matthew 18, Luke 10

Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
Matthew 18:1-6

The disciples of Jesus were very competitive. Many sought to be the greatest. One mother would ask the Lord to place her sons, one on each side of him in heaven (Matthew 20:21). The answer was a surprise to them all. They had to be like a little child.

Tradition tells us that the small child that Jesus picked out of the crowd and blessed was Ignatius, who would later be one of the great early Christian Fathers and martyrs of the Church. Ignatius would grow up to be a disciple of the apostle John, and later become bishop of Antioch. Roman Catholics believe him to be one of the successors of Peter as Pope of the Christian Church. He sought his entire life to emulate Christ. He wrote several letters to the Christians, encouraging them to be faithful in their testimonies. Several of these were written as he traveled in chains to Rome, where he was slain by lions in the Coliseum.

Such is the testimony of a small child that continues in the testimony of Christ his entire life. He eagerly seeks to emulate his Master, and to encourage others to do the same. He is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, but will preach it in the face of death. When things get difficult, he does not seek a way out, but seeks the way up to God.

And as the disciples of Christ learn to be child-like, they also become as little ones, worthy of the special blessings and considerations of the Savior.

If thy hand offend thee
Matthew 18:7-14

As a continuation of the discussion on the little ones above, the Lord warns us not to offend. It is better for us to remove the thing that offends the child of God, than to allow it to remain. Offenses often drive people away from Christ, and it is a matter for which the Lord will some day ask us how we treated those around us. So important is it to refrain from offending that the Lord stated it would be better to pluck out the offending eye or cut off the offending arm (both important body parts that we can live without), than to drive ourselves and those around us to hell.

In discussing the lost sheep that we must go out to find, we learn that we must not only avoid offending, but also seek out those who have been offended in the past and recover them.

The early Church Historian Eusebius of Caesarea gives an account concerning the apostle John that had been passed down to his day. In his travels to establish churches, John found a wonderful youth who converted to the gospel and eagerly followed the teachings of the apostle. As John prepared to leave to other cities, he directed the bishop of the city to care for the youth. The bishop accepted his charge.

“8. But the presbyter taking home the youth committed to him, reared, kept, cherished, and finally baptized him. After this he relaxed his stricter care and watchfulness, with the idea that in putting upon him the seal of the Lord he had given him a perfect protection.
“9. But some youths of his own age, idle and dissolute, and accustomed to evil practices, corrupted him when he was thus prematurely freed from restraint. At first they enticed him by costly entertainments; then, when they went forth at night for robbery, they took him with them, and finally they demanded that he should unite with them in some greater crime.
“10. He gradually became accustomed to such practices, and on account of the positiveness of his character, leaving the right path, and taking the bit in his teeth like a hard-mouthed and powerful horse, he rushed the more violently down into the depths.
“11. And finally despairing of salvation in God, he no longer meditated what was insignificant, but having committed some great crime, since he was now lost once for all, he expected to suffer a like fate with the rest. Taking them, therefore, and forming a band of robbers, he became a bold bandit-chief, the most violent, most bloody, most cruel of them all” (Eusebius, book 3, chapter 23).

Here, due to neglect and then sin, the young man became offended. The bishop assumed he only had to do some quick preparations and then baptize the boy, and then everything else would work out just fine. Instead, the child went from being among the faithful to being one of the most feared crime bosses in the area. He led a gang of youth in the worst of crimes, thinking there was no longer any salvation for him and that no one cared about him anymore.

After making rounds throughout the area, the aged apostle John finally returned to the town. Upon meeting with the bishop, John’s first words were:

“12...'Come, O bishop, restore us the deposit which both I and Christ committed to you, the church, over which you preside, being witness.'
“13. But the bishop was at first confounded, thinking that he was falsely charged in regard to money which he had not received, and he could neither believe the accusation respecting what he had not, nor could he disbelieve John. But when he said, 'I demand the young man and the soul of the brother,' the old man, groaning deeply and at the same time bursting into tears, said, 'He is dead.' 'How and what kind of death?' 'He is dead to God,' he said; 'for he turned wicked and abandoned, and at last a robber. And now, instead of the church, he haunts the mountain with a band like himself.'
“14. But the Apostle rent his clothes, and beating his head with great lamentation, he said, 'A fine guard I left for a brother's soul! But let a horse be brought me, and let some one show me the way.' He rode away from the church just as he was, and coming to the place, he was taken prisoner by the robbers' outpost.
“15. He, however, neither fled nor made entreaty, but cried out, 'For this did I come; lead me to your captain.'
“16. The latter, meanwhile, was waiting, armed as he was. But when he recognized John approaching, he turned in shame to flee.
“17. But John, forgetting his age, pursued him with all his might, crying out, 'Why, my son, do you flee from me, your own father, unarmed, aged? Pity me, my son; fear not; you have still hope of life. I will give account to Christ for you. If need be, I will willingly endure your death as the Lord suffered death for us. For you will I give up my life. Stand, believe; Christ has sent me.'
“18. And he, when he heard, first stopped and looked down; then he threw away his arms, and then trembled and wept bitterly. And when the old man approached, he embraced him, making confession with lamentations as he was able, baptizing himself a second time with tears, and concealing only his right hand.
“19. But John, pledging himself, and assuring him on oath that he would find forgiveness with the Saviour, besought him, fell upon his knees, kissed his right hand itself as if now purified by repentance, and led him back to the church. And making intercession for him with copious prayers, and struggling together with him in continual fastings, and subduing his mind by various utterances, he did not depart, as they say, until he had restored him to the church, furnishing a great example of true repentance and a great proof of regeneration, a trophy of a visible resurrection” (Ibid).

Who among us would, at any age, ride into harm’s way and pursue the lost until we brought them back? Or would we be as this bishop, chocking it up to bad fortune, and counting the child forever lost? Even with his many violent crimes, John was able to promise the child forgiveness, peace, and joy in the atonement of Christ.

Forgiveness
Matthew 18:15-22

How often shall we forgive? Seven times? Seventy times seven times (490)? In the previous stories of small children being the chief in heaven, of searching for the lost sheep, and of casting off the offending thing, we find a common story: thinking of the other person before ourselves.

We are not always going to agree with everyone. Some we will never agree with. But there is a right way and a wrong way to dealing with such. Many are quick to hire an attorney over every little thing that occurs. For example, imagine a judge suing a dry cleaners for millions because they ruined his favorite pair of pants. Such lawsuits, though seemingly crazy, happen all the time when people do not follow the teachings of the Savior.

In telling Peter that we must forgive “seventy times seven” times, Jesus was telling Peter that we must not stop forgiving. The Lord gave no exceptions, when he commanded,

“10 I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men” (D&C 64).

Forgiveness is not only a commandment, but it is necessary for us to experience the true peace that Jesus offers us. To hold onto anger and judgment is to establish that we are no longer one of the little ones, but among those who offend. Instead of plucking out the offending eye, or cutting off the offending arm, we allow them to become gangrenous, spreading poison throughout our system until we too are offensive. Eventually, the poison leaves no room for the Spirit, and it departs from us. We forget how to be one of the little children, as we become one of the offenders.

Who is my neighbor?
Luke 10:25-37

In the Mosaic Law, we are commanded to love our neighbor, but “hate thine enemy” (Matthew 5:43). The Lord was asked what must be done to obtain eternal life. In his teaching, he commanded that all must love their neighbors. Perhaps one of the most important questions asked in the New Testament was this: “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus would give the Jews an entirely new way to look at this commandment through the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Samaria was located north of Jerusalem. More than six hundred years before Christ, when Israel and Judah were carried off by Assyrians and Babylonians, the area was resettled by foreigners who mixed in with the few Israelites still dwelling in the land. When the Jews returned from the Diaspora, they refused to allow the Samaritans to assist them in building the temple, because their blood lines had been tainted by the mixing and intermarriages among Israelites and Gentiles. There were few peoples worse than Samaritans, according to Jewish belief.

So, when a good Jewish man is injured by robbers in Jesus’ story, the first two people to come across him were a priest and a Levite. These were supposed to be men of God, but each gave their own reason to walk on the other side of the road to avoid contact with the injured. Only the Samaritan, he who was hated by the Jews, came forth to help. He went beyond helping, in fact, as he paid for the man’s care and feeding in an inn.

The Samaritan did not think about what was in it for him. This is plainly what the Levite, priest, and judge who sued over his ruined pants did. Instead, he looked outside himself and asked, “what is it that I can do for this little one of Christ?” In searching for the lost lamb, he didn’t have to travel far - just across the street. But once there, he didn’t think, “I’ll do only a little.” Instead, he asked himself, “What would Christ have me do that is sufficient or more than sufficient to bind this man’s wounds and heal him?”

The stories and teachings in this lesson come together in this one thought: What must I do to be Christ-like?

Bibliography

Wesley on Matt 18:1-6 and Ignatius being the child: http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/wesleys-explanatory-notes/matthew/matthew-18.html

St Ignatius of Antioch - wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_of_Antioch

Eusebius’ account of John the Beloved (book 3, chapter 23): http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 13: “I Will Give unto Thee the Keys of the Kingdom” Matthew 15-17

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 13: “I Will Give unto Thee the Keys of the Kingdom”
Matthew 15-17

Traditions
Matthew 15:1-9

Several Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus to question him. The Pharisees believed in protecting the Torah by building a wall of tradition and rules around it. This would prevent people from seeking loop holes on what they felt was important. One of the traditions of the Pharisaic Jews was to wash their hands before eating, as a symbol of being clean. Jesus was not into traditions, but into commandments and the Law of Moses.

He turned straight to the Ten Commandments, the most important of all the laws of Moses.

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee” (Exodus 20:12).

This meant that children needed to not only speak kindly and with respect to their parents, but to also take care of them in their later years. However, in the new Pharisaic tradition, if a person chose, he could offer sacrifice “a gift” once a year at the temple in place of caring for their parents. This enriched the temple priests and Sanhedrin (who obtained a portion of the gift, as well as sometimes receiving a contribution), but did nothing to strengthen the family.

Today society has the same attitude towards honoring parents, especially the aged. We expect the government to care for their needs. We put them away in nursing homes and only visit when it is convenient for us. We do not take the time to learn their stories or history.

Recently, I visited my own mother, who lives hundreds of miles away. It was an opportunity to ask her questions regarding her own childhood. She recalled growing up in the farmland of western North Dakota during the Great Depression. Her grandfather (who I knew when I was a child) left to find a better place to live, outside of the great Dustbowl. He soon found a place in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana. He wrote my grandfather and told him to bring everything. My grandfather built a second seat on the truck, loaded up everything. My mother sat next to grandfather as they drove 500 miles on dirt roads to their new home. By the time they arrived at the Bitterroot Valley, my grandfather had 25 cents left in his pocket. My mother has a photo of the old homestead my grandfather and great-grandfather purchased and then expanded on in Montana. What a great story that I can now share with my own family!

How often we forget the wonders our ancestors went through, even a generation or two ago, because we are too busy with our own lives. Instead, we send a gift to assuage our conscience. But it is we who are losing out.

Canaanite woman begs for scraps
Matthew 15:21-28

Jesus traveled to the border of the Jewish nation along the Meditterranean coast to the city of Tyre. Not far from Tyre was the town of Sidon, which was a Gentile town. In this setting, Jesus was accosted by a Canaanite woman to heal her child from demonic possession. The Canaanites long had been neighbors of the Israelites, but were often enemies. Centuries before Jesus, the Canaanites were major competitors of Israel and its God. Canaan’s major god, Baal, competed against Yahweh for primacy in the days of Elijah. The Canaanite Jezebel and her husband Ahab, king of Israel, introduced Baal worship to the kingdom. Family members would later bring Baal worship to Jerusalem’s temple. There was a very long period of distrust and feuding between the two gods and their nations.

As the Canaanite woman begged for help, Jesus chose not to do so. He told her he was sent only to the House of Israel. Not long before, he commanded his apostles to

“not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israe”' (Matthew 10:5-7).

Not until years after Jesus’ death would Peter receive the vision to bring the gospel to the Gentile nations. But Jesus was not sent to the Gentiles, only to Israel. In clarifying this view, he explained to the woman that the dogs do not eat from the Master’s table. The term he used is closer to the idea of a lap dog than that of a wild dog, often used in the Middle East as a derogatory term towards other men. But the Gentiles were not Israel, and could not eat at the table. She took up the idea of lapdog and ran with it. The lapdogs still ate the scraps from the table. Because of her faith and determination, she succeeded in receiving the blessing she sought.

To this day, we do not know why God occasionally limits who shall receive gospel blessings. But it has happened often in Bible times. The Levites were the holders of the priesthood for most of Jewish history, but this meant others could not have the same benefits or blessings. Later, the gospel of Christ would be limited to Israel until after Jesus’ death. With the family of Cornelius accepted by the Lord, Peter could extend the gospel to all mankind, opening the door for Paul’s missionary efforts.

Again, we do not understand the full reason for this. However, God has promised that the “first shall be last, and the last first.” Those at the end of the line will be brought forward first. Their conversion will be a bigger event than that of Jews who had been raised with the expectation of a Messiah, and so their reward will be given them first in the heavens to come.


Thou Art the Christ
Matthew 16:13-20

Alone with his disciples, it was time to question them and see what they had learned of most importance.

What do others think of Jesus? He is a prophet, John the Baptist, Elias, or Jeremiah back from the dead. They knew Jesus was special, because of the miracles he performed. Yet they placed their sites too low.

Peter was able to say, “

Thou art the Christ (Anointed One, Messiah), the Son of the living God.”

Jesus proclaimed that Peter did not learn this from anyone else, since they all thought Jesus was a dead prophet. Instead, Peter gained the witness through revelation from God.

This is how any of us gains faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Many believe in the Bible, call themselves Christians and believe in Jesus. Yet to ask them, most cannot explain how they have such a belief. I’ve had many tell me because the Bible tells us. But for the logical thinker, we could ask why we believe the Bible and not in any other ancient book. Why don’t we believe in Buddhism, or in Zeus?

It is because God wishes to speak to each of us. And he does it through personal revelation. He wishes to reveal to us who Jesus Christ truly is. As the angel explained to the apostle John, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). If we have a testimony of Christ, it is because God has witnessed it to us. This occurs through the power of the Holy Ghost. He is a member of the Godhead, whose main purpose is to reveal God and Christ to mankind.

As Nephi discovered in talking with the Holy Spirit concerning his belief in Lehi’s dream of the Tree of Life,

“6 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired” (1 Nephi 11:6).

Each of us must do as Peter and seek our own witness of the Christ. It is through that personal revelation that we not only logically learn about Jesus, but we have a spiritual rebirth. We are born anew in the witness we gain of Christ. Jesus miraculously fed thousands, but most walked away when the bread was gone. But Peter stayed. It was because of the spiritual witness he gained from Heavenly Father concerning Jesus the Christ. He knew that the Messiah came to not only feed us bread, but to feed us with the Bread of Life. Because of Jesus, death would soon have no sting. Jesus is the only one who can take us back into the presence of the Father. He is the Christ.

Bibliography

Jewish tradition of giving a gift instead of caring for parents: http://www.newadvent.org/bible/mat015.htm
http://bible.cc/matthew/15-5.htm

The Canaanite woman: http://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-hermeneutics-matthew-1521-39

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 12: “I Am the Bread of Life” John 5-6, Mark 6, Matt 14

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 12: “I Am the Bread of Life”
John 5-6, Mark 6, Matt 14



The Pool at Bethesda

The pool of Bethesda (House of Mercy) was a place believed to be enchanted. Occasionally, an angel would dip its foot in the pool and stir it. The disabled person who was first into the pool would be healed. Dozens of disabled and sick surrounded the pool, hoping to be the first in. Jesus found one man who was unable to enter the water soon enough to be healed, and healed him. We do not see in the story the Savior stayed long enough to heal anyone else. Instead, the healed man is soon approached about carrying his bed on the Sabbath, and he claims that his healer told him to do so. Arriving at the pool, the man and the Pharisees do not see Jesus among the sick. Obviously, the Lord has not stayed to heal others. Why not?

Here we have an event that is extraordinary. Whether an actual angel healed randomly at the pool, we do not know for certain. However, recent archaeological digging has uncovered a pagan healing shrine next to the pool, dating back to the times of Christ. The shrine is to the Semitic God Eshmun, the god of healing. The pool of Bethesda lies outside of the city walls, and therefore not considered part of the holy city or in the suburbs of the temple. It is near a Roman fortress, Antonio. Therefore it is very possible that this pool was believed to be magical due to the angel of a god or goddess.

Even as Moses confronted the priests and magicians of Egypt, and Abraham confronted Pharaoh for priesthood primacy (Book of Abraham 1), Jesus would confront the pagan god of healing. Christ showed forth his power to heal the disabled, and demonstrate his divine status at the altar of a pagan god. Others would have seen Jesus heal someone who laid by the pool for years without being healed by the pagan god. This would give Jesus potential divine status, not only among the Jews, but among the Romans and foreigners in the city, as well.

Jesus: Son of God or blasphemer?

This would also explain the reactions of the man who was healed. When the Pharisees asked him why he was disobeying the Sabbath by carrying the bed, he had no problem in helping them find Jesus. The healed man, though probably grateful to an extent, was definitely not a disciple of Christ. Perhaps he was also not a Jew, as he sat at a pagan healing shrine for years waiting to be healed. Keeping in line with the religious leaders in Jerusalem was politically smart for someone eager to enjoy his new life.

So incensed that Jesus would challenge their interpretation of the Sabbath Day rules, they sought to kill him. Jesus then incensed them even more, stating:

“17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
“18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5).

Jesus now claimed godhood as the literal Son of God. He challenged the pagan god. Now he would challenge the defenders of Yahweh’s temple and the Torah (writings of Moses). Jesus was changing the long held beliefs and rules of the Sabbath. Why? Because he was the Son of God and had the power to do as he thought best on that day. Second, the Savior’s claim that he was the Son of God put them into the position of either accepting that he was worthy of worship, or to reject him as a blasphemer, worthy of death. There would be no middle ground or sitting on the fence. Either he was the Messiah, or he was not. The Jews chose to believe he was a fraud and despite healing an invalid, they decided to plan his death.

Law of Witnesses

Jesus understood the law of witnesses. If a man witnessed alone, his testimony was left in doubt. But if the man had solid witnesses, then he could be considered trustworthy in his testimony. Jesus first provided John the Baptist as a witness for him. Second, God himself would be a witness. How?

"19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
"20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
"21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will....
"36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me."

Jesus saw that God the Father could heal and raise men up. God raised men from the dead through prophets such as Elijah, Elisha, and others. If Jesus were truly God’s son, then he would also have this power, which indeed the healing of the disabled man was proof of. Jesus’ miracle was proof that the Father had shared his power with the Son. This was the testimony given by God of his son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus then foretells the resurrection, He will be the actual force behind the resurrection of the dead:

"28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
"29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
"30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."

The Savior then explains that the Jews have never experienced the revelation of God, for they have rejected the Melchizedek Priesthood, which holds the “key to the mystery of godliness” (D&C 84:19-27). Left with only the Levitical priesthood, they cannot see God’s face. But if they were to accept Jesus, they could again return into God’s presence:

"37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
"38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
"39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
" 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

The Jews would not or could not receive a witness of Jesus through the Spirit. They rejected that personal revelation and witness from God. The only witness available to them were the scriptures. Sadly, the Jews thought their eternal life came from obedience to the law of Moses and the sacrificial rituals therein. They focused on keeping the Sabbath holy by not carrying beds, and in focusing solely on the literal letter(s) of the law, they missed the verses prophesying of the coming Messiah. True eternal life does not come from the scriptures, but from devotion to God through his Son, Jesus Christ. The Jews had the scriptures, thinking they were saved by studying it copiously. Instead, it became an albatross around their necks, preventing them from accepting the Son of God, even he who commanded Moses in the first place! And because they would not come unto Christ, they would not have eternal life.

Interestingly, many Christians, including Latter-day Saints, use verse 39 out of context, as encouragement to study the scriptures. In context, we find that the scriptures are good to learn about Jesus, but they will not save us, heal us, or return us back into the presence of God. The Jews showed that the scriptures, when used improperly, can be used to justify a lifestyle that is blind to true devotion to God. The Bible, while the word of God, is not where one obtains God’s authority nor power. Instead, Jesus showed that he was the true source of power and authority. The scriptures may help us to understand Jesus and his holy work, but they are not a replacement for having an actual devotion and covenant with Christ the Savior.

"45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
"46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
"47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?"

Moses would condemn them, for Moses’ law and teachings were geared to lead mankind to Christ. Since the Jews had twisted the prophetic words to the point that they now were an ends to themselves, they could lead no one to the Messiah. In other words, Moses is one last witness for Jesus Christ, and a true believer in Moses’ words will find his way towards belief in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus that we are reconciled to God. No prophetic writing could ever do that for us.

Feeding the Five Thousand

Thousands followed Jesus into the wilderness, where he taught them his gospel. Through a miracle and a lad’s fish and loaves, five thousand people were fed. Afterward, many decided,

"14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
"15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone" (John 6).

To the people, this was that prophet, the Messiah. Many Jews believed the Messiah would come, destroy the Roman yoke of servitude off their necks, and feed them manna for the rest of their lives. Eagerly they accepted many false Christs, hoping they had indeed found the real one and install him as their king. Jesus realized that they were going to make him king, so he could drive out the foreign invaders and give everyone plenty to eat.

Just as the Jewish leaders were “looking beyond the mark” in their approach to the scriptures, so the people were beyond the pale in their hopes for a new King David. They were not interested in Jesus’ teachings of being peacemakers, merciful, and repentant followers of God; looking forward to the resurrection of the dead and exaltation in God’s presence. Instead, they sought their own Garden of Eden. And if Jesus would not give it to them willingly, they were willing to take it by force. This is similar to the attitude of the people at the Tower of Babel. They sought heaven, but sought it in their own way. They sought to build a tower to heaven, then overthrow God and his angels, so they could have the place for themselves. Instead of embracing Christ as their Savior, they wanted to bottle up his power, using it for their own wicked purposes and evil designs.

The Living Bread

Jesus escaped the people, but they soon caught up to him the next day.

"26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, anot because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
"27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
"28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
" 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
"30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
"31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
"32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
"33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
"34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
"35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
"36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not."

Jesus offered them celestial glory. They only wanted food to stuff into their cheeks. Moses offered bread/manna that lasted only a day, and then they were hungry again. Jesus offered them spiritual bread that would crown them children of God. When they asked, “evermore give us this bread”, they wanted actual bread. They did not want the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The day before, Jesus fed this people and they decided he must be the Messiah of God. Now, as Christ would not feed their faces with what they wanted, they rejected him.

"41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
"42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?”

Still, Jesus tried to explain to them, He is the true bread of life. Those who ate Moses’ manna were dead and buried. But those who embraced Christ as Savior of mankind and as the Son of God would live forever in God’s presence. Again, the Jews scoffed him. They were pretended ignorance to Jesus’ teachings, refusing to partake of his flesh in symbolic form so they could be saved.

“66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”

Today, many people only serve God when there’s something in it for them now. Right now. Given the world as it is, most people do not think much on Christ, except in times of great need. In most cases, it is a request to be physically fed or cared for. This is not what salvation is about. We are to come unto Christ in all times and places, hoping on his resurrection to heal us spiritually. So that even if great worldly tragedies fall upon us, we can have joy and peace; assured that Jesus Christ has paid for our sins if we will just repent and place our hand in his. Discipleship comes at a price: rejecting the world and embracing Jesus and God.

Walking on Water



In this lesson, there are a few accounts of Jesus walking on water. Perhaps the most detailed and interesting is in Matthew 14.

While Jesus prayed alone in the mountains, his disciples set off for a night time crossing of the Sea of Galilee. The waters were rough, and the disciples struggled. In the fourth watch, or between 3 and 6 in the morning, when they saw a person walking towards them on the water. At first they were afraid, but the Lord told them it was he. Peter asked if he could join him on the water, and Jesus told him to come to him.

"26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
"27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
"28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
"29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
"30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
"31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

Occasionally, the Lord asks us to step out of our comfort zone in order to build faith. Peter stepped out with faith. After all, he spent the previous day watching Jesus heal many people. Initially, Peter walked with faith and boldness. But then he was distracted by the crashing waves around him. The distraction caused him to forget his Savior and the power of the Son of God. He was instantly caught up in his worldly fears and they paralyzed him. Fear replaced faith, and without faith he could not stand. He began to sink into the rough waves.

Jesus miracle only worked based on Peter’s faith. While Peter believed, he could perform the miracle. When he feared, God had no power to save him. For each of us this becomes a clear warning. Satan and the world will throw many waves to crash around us. We may allow ourselves to become distracted and dismayed at the sight. Our whole world may feel like it is sinking down around us. Panic may sit in as we helplessly see ourselves go under for the third time. But the Lord would have us to focus on him. Do not let the world distract us with scary fears, politics or video games. Our focus should remain steadfast on Jesus Christ. Where our heart is, there will also be our treasure. If our focus is mainly on the distractions of the world, whether good or bad, then we are not focusing on Christ. Our faith cannot grow if it is neglected or transplanted by fear.

Miracles occur when we focus our faith in Christ. He can heal us physically, emotionally, spiritually. He can give us hope when all seems lost. He can help us look forward to a better world, even when we are still engaged in this one. He can resurrect us and give us Eternal Life with God and our families, if we but believe and focus on that belief. Our faith must grow, if we ever hope to be able to have sufficient faith for Jesus to exalt us. As with Peter, we must focus on the face of Christ, and not become distracted by any wind or wave of false doctrine, thought of fear, or even pleasant distraction that keeps us from developing an eternal relationship with God.


Biography

Eshmun pagan shrine at Bethesda: http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2007/11/Divine-Healer-Jesus-vs-Eshmun.aspx