Knowing Jesus.docx

Knowing Jesus.docx

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KnowingJesus

附件中是第五课“埃及的宰相”和主题诗歌“我今站在主的言语上"，其它资料可以根据需要到网上下载：

http:

//www.cef-

金句：

因你们知道从主那里必得着基业为赏赐。

你们所事奉的乃是主基督。

（西3:

24）

KnowingJesus

SeeJesus’teachingaboutHisidentity,whatHesaidaboutHimself…

ByStevenL.Pogue

Ifyou’vecommittedyourlifetoChrist,youhavearelationshipwithHim.That’sagreatbeginning!

DevelopingthatrelationshipinvolvesgettingtoknowHimbetter.

ThebestwaytolearnaboutJesusistoreadHisclaimsconcerningHisidentityintheGospels.TheGospelsarethefirstfourbooksintheNewTestamentandtellthe“goodnews”（whichiswhatthegospelmeans）ofJesusChrist.TheywerewritteninthefirstcenturyA.D.andwerebaseduponeyewitnessaccountsofJesus’life.

Jesuswasbornabout4or5B.C.（Ourcalendarsarealittleoff.）ThenationofIsraelhadbeenunderforeignoccupationalmostcontinuouslysincetheseventhcenturyB.C.,andtheJewsfoughttomaintainnationalidentity.EveryfaithfulJewkindledthehopethatonedayMessiahwouldappearandprovidesalvationforthenationbyoverthrowingRomanrule.MessiahisaHebrewwordmeaning“theanointedone,”andChristisatitle,notJesus’lastname.

ThebulkoftheGospelaccountsisdevotedtothethreeyearsthatJesusspentministeringaroundtheSeaofGalileeinnorthernIsrael.Theytellusofthelifeandteachingsofauniqueperson.Jesus,theGospelsexplain,demonstratedhisdivinepowersbyhealingthesick,blindandlame;byraisingthedead;bywalkingonwaterandcalmingastormatsea.Jesus’teachinglackedtheexactinglegalismandpiousnessthatcharacterizedsomuchofcontemporaryJudaism.HebecametremendouslypopularamongthemassesinGalilee.

ThroughouthisministryJesuskeptpointingthepeopletoHimself.Themasseswantedapoliticalliberator.Thereligiousestablishmentwantedtheirpositionsofpowerandpietyrecognized.Jesuspanderedtoneithergroup.

Let’sexaminefourincidentsintheGospelofJohntodeterminewhatJesusclaimedaboutHimself.

John5:

JesusTeachingGodisHisFather

IntheGospelofJohn,chapter5,JesuswasaccostedbyJewishreligiousleadersforhealinganinvalidontheSabbath（theJewish“DayofRest”）.TheyconsideredanyexpenditureofeffortonthatdayaviolationofGod’scommandtomaintainitasadayofrest.Overthecenturiestheyhadmeticulouslycodifiedwhatwaspermissible,andJesus’actionflauntedtheirstrictrules.

JesusdefendedhisactionofhealingontheSabbathbyexplainingthatGod,asthesustaineroftheuniverse,neverrestsbutcontinuallykeepsworking.AndGodisalwaysdoinggoodinhumanhistory.SinceGodcannotstophiswork:

“MyFatherconstantlydoesgood,andI’mfollowinghisexample.”ThentheJewishleaderswereallthemoreeagertokillHimbecauseinadditiontodisobeyingtheirSabbathlaws,HehadspokeofGodashisFather,therebymakingHimselfequalwithGod（John5:

17,18）.

TheJewssawJesus’claimtodeityasavirulentblasphemy.Duringthecenturiesofoccupationbyforeignnations,manyJewshadenduredterriblesufferingstoremainfaithfultoworshipJehovah,theonetrueGod.HowcouldJesus,agoodJew,everthinkofsayingthatHewasequalwithGod?

John8:

JesusTeachingthatHeHasAlwaysExisted

ThreechapterslaterinJohn’sGospel,JesusisconversingagainwiththeJewishleaders.HewasinJerusalemfortheFeastoftheTabernacles,acelebrationcommemoratingGod’sdirectiontoMosesandthenationofIsraelduringtheirjourneyfromEgypttothePromisedLand.

InthisconversationJesusmadeseveralclaims.HesaidthatHewasthelightoftheworld,thatHecouldfreemenfromsinandthatanyonewhobelievedinHimwouldnotdie.TheJewishleaderswereagainincensedbyhisseeminglypreposterousclaimsbutapparentlydecidedtohumorHim,hopingtorevealhisinconsistencies.NotevenAbraham,veneratedfounderofJudaism,hadclaimedtobeimmortal,sohowcouldJesusclaimthis?

Jesusreplied:

“YourfatherAbrahamrejoicedatthethoughtofseeingmyday;hesawitandwasglad.”

“Youarenotyetfiftyyearsold,”theJewssaidtoHim,“andyouhaveseenAbraham!

”

“Itellyouthetruth,”Jesusanswered,“beforeAbrahamwasborn,Iam!

”

Atthis,theypickedupstonestostoneHim…（John8:

56-59,NIV）.

Hisremarkswereevenmoreinflammatorybecauseofhisuseofthewords,Iam.IntheOldTestament,Mosessawaburningbushashewastendingsheepinthedesert.Approachingthebush,GodsuddenlyspoketoMosesandtoldhimtoreturntoEgyptandleadtheIsraelitesoutofbondage.GodassuredMosesthathewouldbewithhim.

MosesaskedGodwhoheshouldsaysenthim.Godreplied:

“IamwhoIam.ThisiswhatyouaretosaytotheIsraelites:

‘IAMhassentmetoyou’”（Exodus3:

14,NIV）.IAMwasnotsomuchalabelforGodasitwasanindicationofGod’scompleteabilitytodelivertheIsraelitesfrombondage.JesusascribedthissamenameandpowertoHimself.

John10:

JesusTeachingthatHeIsEqualToGod

ThisthirdclaimisrecordedinthetenthchapterofJohn.ItoccursattheFeastofDedication,orHanukkah.JesusisagaininJerusalem,andthereisconsiderablespeculationamongthecrowdsandreligiousleaders:

WillJesusannouncethatHeistheMessiah?

TraditionhadalwaystaughtthattheMessiahwouldberevealedatonesuchfeast.

TheJewishleadersgatheredaroundJesusandaskedHimifHewastheMessiah.Itmayhavebeengenuinecuriosity,butmorelikelytheyintendedtosetatrapforJesus,forcingHimtosaysomethingthatwouldwarranthisarrestandexecution.Insteadofgivingthemadirectanswer,JesussaidthatHehadalreadytoldthemwhoHewasandthattheyhadnotbelievedHim:

“Mysheeprecognizemyvoice,andIknowthem,andtheyfollowme…myFatherhasgiventhemtome…IandtheFatherareone.”

Thenagain,theJewishleaderspickedupstonestokillHim.

Jesussaid,“AtGod’sdirectionIhavedonemanyamiracletohelpthepeople.Forwhichoneareyoukillingme?

”

Theyreplied,“Notforanygoodwork,butforblasphemy;you,amereman,havedeclaredyourselftobeGod”（John10:

27-33）.

John11:

JesusTeachingthatHeOffersLifeEternal

Lazarus,aclosefriendofJesus,becameill.HelivedinBethany,lessthantwomilestotheeastofJerusalem.Jesusatthetimewasmanymilesfurthertotheeast,ministeringalongtheJordanRiver.AfterHeheardofLazarus’illness,Jesuswaitedtwodaysbeforedeparting.BythetimeHearrivedinBethany,Lazaruswasalreadydeadandburied.

Martha,Lazarus’sister,wentouttomeetJesusandexclaimedthatherbrotherwouldstillbealiveifJesushadarrivedsooner.Thenfollowsthisexchange:

Jesussaidtoher,“Yourbrotherwillriseagain.”

Marthaanswered,“Iknowhewillriseagainintheresurrectionatthelastday.”

Jesussaidtoher,“Iamtheresurrectionandthelife.Hewhobelieveinmewilllive,eventhoughhedies;andwhoeverlivesandbelievesinmewillneverdie.Doyoubelievethis?

”

“Yes,Lord,”shetoldHim,“IbelievethatyouaretheChrist,theSonofGod,whowastocomeintotheworld”（John11:

23-27,NIV）.

Jesusmovednearthecave-liketombwhereLazaruswasburied.Prayingaloud,HethankedhisFatherforhearingHim:

“Iknewthatyoualwayshearme,butIsaidthisforthebenefitofthepeoplestandinghere,thattheymaybelievethatyousentme:

（John11:

42,NIV）.Hisprayerfinished,JesuscommandedLazarustoleavethetomb,andthedeadmancameout,stillwrappedingraveclothes.

WhatJesus’ClaimstoDeityMean

JesusmadewhatseemedtobeextravagantclaimsaboutHimself:

equalityandonenesswithGod,eternalpre-existence,andthesourceofeverlastinglife.Thesearenotthestatementsofameremortal（atleastasaneone）.JesusalsodeclaredthatHehadfinalauthorityoveralltheearth,thatHewouldonedayreturnandjudgetheearth,thatHecouldforgivesinandthatHewastheonlywaytoGod.HesaidHecouldgivelifeandfillman’sgreatesthunger.HecalledHimselftheSonofMan,anOldTestamentprophetictermfortheMessiah.HeallowedotherstoworshipHimeventhoughJewsweretoworshipGodalone.

Duringthetrialprecedingthecrucifixion,theJewishleaderssaidthistotheRomangovernorPilate:

“Wehavealaw,andaccordingtothatlawHemustdie,becauseHeclaimedtobetheSonofGod”（John19:

7,NIV）.JesusofNazarethwaskillednotforwhatHedid,butforwhoHeclaimedtobe.C.S.Lewis,theCambridgeUniversityliteratureprofessorwhojourneyedfromskepticismtoChristianity,onceremarked:

“IamtryingtopreventanyonesayingthereallyfoolishthingthatpeopleoftensayaboutHim:

‘I’mreadytoacceptJesusasagreatmoralteacher,butIdon’taccepthisclaimtobeGod.’Thatistheonethingwemustnotsay.AmanwhowasmerelyamanandsaidthesortofthingsJesussaidwouldnotbeagreatmoralteacher.Hewouldeitherbealunatic—onalevelwiththemanwhosaysheisapoachedegg—orelsehewouldbetheDevilofHell.Youmustmakeyourchoice,eitherthismanwas,andis,theSonofGod:

orelseamadmanorsomethingworse.”1

Jesus’LifeandTeachingAreUnique

Ofallthefoundersofmajorworldreligions,ChristaloneclaimedtobeGod!

Abraham,Mohammed,Confucius,Buddha—noneclaimedtobeGod.Buddha,forexample,toldhisdisciplesneartheendofhislifenottoworryaboutrememberingHim,buttorememberhisteachingabouttheWayofenlightenment.

Eachofthesefoundersofworldreligionscanbedivorcedfromhisteachingwithoutatotalandirreparablelosstothatreligion.ButChristianityisbuiltuponChrist:

whoHeclaimedtobeandwhatHedid.Histeachingisalmostembarrassinglyself-centered.Whatelsecanbesaidofsomeonewhodeclares:

“Iamthewayandthetruthandthelife.Noonecome