THIS Man Is the Son of God

By Mary Vee
Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 9 

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee
Land near Jerusalem

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus. 

The other disciples and I returned with Jesus to the Galilean country. It seemed to me that something had changed in Jesus, I didn't know why, but I sensed sorrow in him.

In our day, the people of Israel suffered under Roman rule. We all longed for a leader. One who would stand up for us and rebel against the Romans. One who had the strength to lead a rebellion and return the land to us.

On many occasions during these past three years, I had thought Jesus was such a man. He was powerful. Learned. A great speaker with words that turned the people's heart to his message. I was not alone.

Jesus grew up in Nazareth which was in the Galilean country. As a youth, he must not have had the qualities found in a rebel, someone who stood up to the guards and rulers. Those who knew him mocked him the most. 

I looked around at the men living in this area of the country. Those who listened at first then turned away from Jesus' message. The ones who said what good could come from Galilee? The ones who said he was only a carpenter, how could he lead a rebellion? 

Like me, they hadn't listened to the heart of his message. Jesus did not come to overpower the Romans. He didn't come to lead a rebellion. He came to show us the way to have everlasting life. I know that now.

And still, I don't think I fully understand the depth of his message.

I soon learned Jesus wanted to return to Galilee to say goodbye. Men walked away from him, grousing about Jesus' unwillingness to fight the Romans. James and John grew angry. They drew close to Jesus. Their faces red. "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them like Elijah did?"

Photo by Mary
Land near Jerusalem

Jesus turned suddenly to them. "You don't know what you are saying. The Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."

We had so much to learn. I suppose in a way we still thought Jesus had a plan to rid the country of the evil Romans.

Once again, Jesus confirmed he had no intentions of gathering a gang of followers and setting out to conquer the world. His purpose was much greater. One that would last all of eternity.

This man is the Son of God and in every way had demonstrated his mission: to save us.

Come back to read the next story.

*Author of blog's note: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

Jesus Explains Who The Good Shepherd Is

By Mary Vee
John 10 

Peter

The hill where shepherds watched their sheep
overlooking Bethlehem.
Photo by Mary Vee

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus. 

The Pharisees joined a crowd of people standing outside of the temple. They'd stood close to Jesus and listened to him talk about the Good Shepherd. These teachers of the law said they didn't understand what Jesus meant by the words Good Shepherd.

So Jesus explained. "I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me. Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 

"I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice. There will be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I am willing to lay down my life for my sheep then rise up again and return to heaven. No one can take my life from me. I choose to lay down my life on my own accord. I have the authority to lay it down and the authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

The hill overlooking Bethlehem
where shepherds watched over their sheep by night.
Photo by Mary Vee"I am the Good Shepherd."

When he finished speaking these words, the Jews took sides. Many of them said, "Jesus is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?"

But the others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon heal a blind man?"

These discussions between the two groups lasted a long time. We left with Jesus before they ended their discussion and traveled back north to Capernaum. 

 

Come back to read the next story.

*Author of blog's note: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

The Pharisees Are Thieves!

By Mary Vee
John 9 

Peter

The hill where shepherds watched their sheep
overlooking Bethlehem.
Photo by Mary Vee

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus. 

The Pharisees persistently tried to find ways to prove Jesus wrong. They followed him nearly everywhere he went, asking him questions before the crowds and hoping to steer the people away from him. Today was no exception.

Jesus had healed the man born blind. This turned into a long ordeal. I'm not saying it took Jesus a long time to heal the man, he, of course, did that in an instant. But afterward, the Pharisees followed the man born blind, conducting an investigation, looking for ways to disprove Jesus' words and actions. You can read what happened before this moment in the last post.

Jesus is currently speaking with the man who was blind. Outside the temple. Even here the Pharisees looked to cause a disruption.

Jesus had just said He left Heaven to help the blind see, and make those who pretend they see-blind. 

The Pharisees said, "Does that mean you're calling us blind?"

The hill overlooking Bethlehem
where shepherds watched over their sheep by night.
Photo by Mary Vee

They knew he was.

Jesus said, "If you were really blind, you would be blameless, but since you claim to see everything so well, you are held accountable for every fault and failure you do.

"For example, if a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, he is up to no good. He is a sheep rustler. The true shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice.

"He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out then shows them the way to find food and water. They follow because they trust his voice. The same sheep, though, will scatter across the countryside if a stranger calls to them. They will wander here and there not knowing where to go."

From the looks on the Pharisees' faces, they didn't understand what Jesus was talking about. 

I wasn't surprised when Jesus offered to give another explanation, even to these Pharisee who only wanted to harm him.

"Then I will tell you the meaning," said Jesus. "I am the gate for the sheep. Everyone else is up to no good, they are sheep stealers. The sheep won't listen to the thieves. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for. They will freely go in and out and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal, kill, and destroy. I came to give the sheep real and eternal life, a more and better life than they ever dreamed of having. 

"I am the Good Shepherd."

Jesus is going to explain what he means by the Good Shepherd. Stop by next week to see what he says. 

 Come back to read the next story.

*Author of blog's note: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

Jesus Searched for the Man Thrown Out of the Temple

By Mary Vee
John 9 

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee. View from the Mount of Olives facing
the Temple area

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus. I am in the temple courts. 

Last time I told you about a man born blind whom Jesus miraculously healed. The Pharisees have had a problem with what was done. First, they didn't believe the man who could now see was the man born blind. His parents had to be called to the courts to prove the fact. 

Next, the Pharisees couldn't believe that Jesus was the one who performed the miracle. Their reason: No one who performs a miracle can be from God if it is done on a Sabbath. No work is to be done on the Sabbath according to the law of Moses. That was the proof for their dispute. 

When the man born blind confirmed that Jesus was the one who gave him sight and that he firmly believed Jesus was God, the Pharisees became so angry they threw him out of the Temple.

By this time the other disciples and I joined up with Jesus. We looked and found the man born blind outside the temple. 

Jesus said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

The man born blind had a puzzled look, "Who is he, sir? Tell me. I want to believe in him."

Jesus said, "You have now seen him. He is speaking with you."

Photo by Mary Vee.
The pool where people came to be healed.
Jerusalem

The man looked at Jesus and smiled. "Lord, I believe." He bowed to his knees and worshipped Jesus.

Jesus put his hand on the man, "I have come into this world to help the blind see and to cause those who see to become blind."

A few Pharisees had followed the man and listened to this conversation. They squinted in anger. One said, "Are you saying we are blind?"

Jesus has a fantastic answer that will take another post. I will share it with you next time.

Photo by Mary Vee
The blind man wasn't the only person
Jesus healed. This sign is near the pool
shown above. Jerusalem

The battle isn't over. 

What happened next? Next week I will tell you more. 

 Come back to read the next story.

*Author of blog's note: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

Why The Pharisees Lost a Debate with A Blind Man

By Mary Vee
John 9 

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee. View from the Mount of Olives facing
the Temple area

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus. 

A few moments ago, Jesus healed a blind man. He told his friends and neighbors. They didn't believe he was the same man who had been blind all those years. 

The Jews took the man to the Pharisees who asked the man, "How is it that you can see when you have been blind?"

The man answered, "A man named Jesus put mud on my eyes and told me to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. I did as he said, and now I see."

The Pharisees shook their heads and whispered to each other before saying, "Jesus cannot have come from God as He claims. This is the Sabbath, a day in which we are to rest. Healing this man is an act of work. He has disobeyed the Law of Moses."

Some of the people in the crowd asked, "If that is so, then how can a sinner do such a miraculous sign?"

The two groups argued for some time. They finally turned to the blind man and asked, "Tell us about this man, Jesus. It was your eyes that you claim he opened."

The man said, "Jesus is a prophet."

The Jews standing there still didn't believe that the man standing before them used to be blind. They sent for his parents to come and settle the matter. The Pharisees asked them, "Is this your son?"

The man and wife looked at the one who said he used to be blind. "Yes. He is our son."

The Pharisees still did not seem satisfied. They asked, "Is this the one you say was born blind. If that is so, explain to us how he can see right now?"

The father shook his head. "I know my son. This is him. He has been blind since birth. As for how he is able to see now, or who was it that caused him to see, I don't know. Ask him. He is old enough to answer your question. Let him speak for himself." 

The parents were afraid of these Jews. The Pharisees had announced: anyone acknowledging Jesus as the Christ would be banished from the synagogue. 

Photo by Mary Vee.
The pool where people came to be healed.
Jerusalem

The Pharisees called the man who had been bind again and said, "Give glory to God. We know this man, Jesus, is a sinner."

The healed man said, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I have no idea. But this I know, I was blind but now I see!"

The Pharisees said, "Tell us what he did. How did he open your eyes?"

"I told you already and you didn't listen. Why should I tell you again? Do you want to become one of his disciples?"

This made the Pharisees very angry. "You are a disciple of Jesus. We are disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, Jesus, we don't even know where he comes from."

Photo by Mary Vee
The blind man wasn't the only person
Jesus healed. This sign is near the pool
shown above. Jerusalem

The man who had been blind said, "Now isn't that amazing! You say you don't know where Jesus comes from, yet he opened my eyes and gave me sight. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man did not come from God, he couldn't do any miracle. 

The Pharisees said, "You were full of sin at birth. That is what made you blind. How dare you lecture us as though you are smarter than us!" They grabbed the man who had been blind and tossed him out of the temple area."

The battle isn't over. 

What happened next? Next week I will tell you more. 

 Come back to read the next story.

*Author of blog's note: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.