Jesus In His Time
The children of Israel were taught to follow after the leadership of their time. The high priests, captain of the temple guard, Jewish council (Sanhedrin), rabbis, the Pharisees and Saducees were the leaders in Jesus’ time. The majority of these men were very religious, but not really connected to the father God. They followed the law and the traditions of those who interpreted the torah and prophets as a form of ritual but not true worship toward God. Many of them were hypocrites who lived their lives for the approval of man. The religious things that they did, were for the accolades of men, and not to please God as an act of worship. It’s in the midst of these men and their mentality, that Christ Jesus came on the seen as a revolutionary.
He called men and women to himself, to follow him and to become his disciples. Throughout the gospels Jesus was constantly calling people to follow him. In Mathew 4:19 Jesus called Peter and Andrew his brother to follow him. He called James and John his brother, the “Sons of thunder” as they were called in Mathew 4:21 The tax collector Mathew was called in Mathew 9:9 The scripture does not give detail on him calling the others, but we know that he called them, because they were called his disciples in Mathew 10:1-8, when he summoned them to confer upon them authority to cast out devils, to heal the sick, and to preach the gospel. He calls the people to come to him to find rest. To take his yoke upon them to learn of him and that his yoke is easy and his burden light. Matthew 11:28,29 He was declaring himself to be the Son of God and the messiah, the Christ of God, and drawing them from the law of Moses to himself who came with grace and truth. John 1:16-18
He interpreted the law and set the standards for holiness at a much higher level. Matthew 5:20-48 He constantly went against the traditions of the elders and the leadership of his time, because they contradicted the law by following the traditions of men. Matthew 23:1-36 He did not tolerate hypocrisy, but spoke out against it. When he dealt with the leaders of his time, God used him as the source to break up the fallow ground in their hearts, so that he could sow the word of the kingdom into their hearts. He gave them every opportunity to repent of their sins and to follow him. Matthew 21:12-46 He wanted all who followed him to be connected to him or in union with him and with the father. He also wanted them to bear his character and nature. He used the metaphor of being the true vine and his father the care taker. This was to get people to connect with him and to learn how to rely upon him as their source for everything. John 15:1-16
Jesus clearly stated that he (is) the Son of God, Christ the Messiah. He called God his father, and stated that he was sent by him to earth to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom and to die for the salvation and eternal life of those who believe. John 3:14-21; 4:25,26; 5:19-47; John 10:28-38, Matthew 26:63-65
If Jesus is truly the Son of God, Christ the Messiah, then how does that impact and affect us? Well, we can truly trust him because he is totally reliable. 2 Peter 1:19 We can come to him for what he offers us, ie. (eternal life), and we can be confident that we will receive exactly what he offers us. John 3:15,36 We can know that our sins are forgiven completely and that we are in right standing with God the father. 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 5:1 Heaven is our home. Philippians 3:20
