Septembeer 7-10, 2010

Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth, and said to them, “Whom do you see?” They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene,” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also who was betraying Him, was standing with them. (John 18:4-5)

I don’t care how many times I traverse this path, I will always be amazed at its ruggedness. The sinful course of man’s existence started in a garden with the first Adam. Once again, Satan takes on a disguise, and comes to the garden in an effort to overcome the Last Adam. If he can kill Jesus before He gets to the cross, he will win! Satan had entered the heart of Judas and the wheels of destruction were in motion. But, unlike the first Adam, Jesus was ready for the deceiver.

When Jesus asked, “Whom do you seek?” their answer was quite specific. “Jesus the Nazarene.” Have you ever questioned what a Nazarene was? Was it simply one who was from Nazareth? And what does it mean in Matthew 2:23 where it say:

And came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

At the time Isaiah spoke this, there was no city called Nazareth. As a matter of fact, if we turn the clock back and listen to Isaiah, we will hear something that sounds quite different.

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. (Isaiah 11:1)

Are you scratching your head a bit and saying, “Huh?” What does Isaiah’s words have to do with Jesus being called a Nazarene? Just EVERYTHING!!! If we could read Hebrew, we would quickly see that the word translated “branch” is “netzer” and refers to the lineage Jesus would come from. Out of the old tree stump of Jesse would come a branch. Hopefully you member who Jesse was, but just in case you’ve forgotten, Jesse was King David’s father. There would be many shoots from Jesse, i.e. many clans from his seed, but the Messiah would be a “branch” - a “Nazarene.”

Nazareth in the time of Christ was no more than a small village of about 120-150 people. From the excavations found, it is believed that the settlers of Nazareth returned from their Babylonian exile somewhere around 134-104 B.C. The Maccabean era gave many of the exiles hope that the nation would once again be established and encouraged many to return to the homeland. As was normal in Hebrew tradition, the family clan would have stayed together. As we learned in our travels with Ezra and Nehemiah, family genealogies had been maintained during their Babylonian captivity. Families of the priesthood and those of royal descent would have been extremely careful in keeping their records in order to validate their decent with regard to the priesthood and the Messianic promise.

Julius Africanus, a Jewish Christian from Emmaus and an historian from the end of the second century, tells us that Jesus’ relatives lived in the villages of Kochaba and Nazara. The names of both of these Jewish settlement carry messianic suggestions; Nazara meaning “the branch” and Kochaba meaning “a star.” From all indications and archeological findings, many are convinced, as I am, that the small hamlet of Nazareth became known for the clan that settled there - the clan of the Nazarene. So when Jesus asked them, “Whom do you seek?” their answer could be more intensely defined as, “Jesus, the One who is from the Davidic line known as the Branch who is from Nazareth – Jesus the Nazarene.”

JESUS BEFORE THE COUNCIL

This week we find ourselves in the kangaroo court organized by the Council of Jewish leaders. As we stand on the sidelines and listen to the conversation between Jesus and the council, we get a closer look into the life and minds of the Jewish leadership and the art of rabbinical teaching. Even in Jesus’ darkest hours, He stayed true to who He was and is. Rabbis in the time of the Temple used a Jewish hermeneutics technique known as “remez.” The word “remez” means “hint.” In their teaching they would quote a portion of Scripture with the assumption that those who were listening would have ample knowledge of Torah, fully knowing the passage in its context, and as a result hear a fuller meaning that what was actually said. I am convinced that each time Jesus spoke to the priests, scribes, or the Pharisees using quotes from the Old Testament, He was using remez. Jesus’ words to the high priest and the elders at this mock trial were no exception.

During the examination when false accusations were plentiful, Jesus didn’t bother to answer, but when the high priest demanded in the name of the Living God that Jesus tell them if He was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, Jesus answered, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, AND COMING ON THE COUDS OF HEAVEN.” But what was Jesus really saying? Was He merely admitting openly that He was who always said He was, or was there more to His statement than meets the untrained ear. I believe we will see more clearly if we look at His statement in the broader text. In this one statement, Jesus quoted from two different portions of Scripture. Let’s look at them in context.

The Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power:

The Lord says to my Lord; “Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” The Lord will stretch for His strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies. (Psalm 110:1-2)

The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country. He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore he will lift up His head. (Psalm 110:4-7)

Did you catch what Jesus told them?!?

1. He told them they were His enemies.
2. He said He would rule over them.
3. He clearly told them that, through Him would come the new priestly order.
4. He told them that He would one-day rule as King over the nation.
5. He told them that He would judge the nations.

And if that wasn’t enough, listen to the next part!!!

And coming on the clouds of heaven:

I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away; and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14)

These passages would have been well known to the high priest and the members of the council, and would have been more confronting than any words Jesus could have spoken. Their mock trial had turned into a heavenly courtroom. The accusers had been given the verdict of “guilty,” and their sentence was clear; they would be shattered!!!

May we become so familiar with the Word of God that we are able to hear the things that are only discerned by those who have become accustomed to the word of righteousness. Solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5:13-14) May we continue to walk as true disciples who know the Word, both the spoken and the Living!!!