PART 5

THE 12 DISCIPLES, THE FEEDING OF 5,000 PEOPLE,

AND PARABLES  OF THE MESSIAH

THE TWELVE DISCIPLES SELECTED

MARK  3:13-19.   MATTHEW 10:5-8

Y’shua went up on the mountain and called near to Him those He wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.

       "The Twelve" whom He appointed were:

1 Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter;

2 James the son of Zebedee, and

3 John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, ‘Sons of Thunder’;  

4 Andrew,

5 Philip,

6 Bartholomew,

7 Matthew,

8 Thomas,

9 James the son of Alphaeus,

10 Thaddaeus, 

11 Simon the Canaanite; and

12 Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Him.

These twelve Y’shua sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go into 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 Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”

THE RETURN OF THE TWELVE

MARK  6:30-31

And the apostles gathered around Y’shua, and reported to Him all that they had done and taught. Then He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have a chance to eat).

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASKED

MATTHEW  13:54-58

When Y’shua had come to His own country, He taught the people in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and asked, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother called Miryam? And aren’t His brothers, James, Joses, Simon and Judas? And His sisters, aren’t they all with us? Where then did this Man get all this power?”

So they took offence at Him. But Y’shua said to them, “A prophet has honour except in his own country and in his own house.” And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

THE BEHEADING OF JOHN 

MARK  6:14-29

King Herod heard of Y’shua, for His Name had become well-known; and Herod said, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” Others said, “He is Elijah.” But others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

But when Herod heard of it, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has risen from the dead!” For Herod himself sent and had John arrested and bound in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

And Herodias held a deep grudge against him and wanted to kill him; but could not do so, for Herod feared John, and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. And when he heard him, he did many things; yet he gladly listened to him.

Then an opportune day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. And when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those reclining with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you; up to half of my kingdom.”

So she went out and asked her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And Herodias replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” Then at once she hurried in to the king with the request, “I want you to give me, right now, the head of John the Baptist on a plate.” And although the king was greatly distressed, yet because of his oaths, and because of those who sat with him, he was unwilling to refuse her.

And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded John’s head to be brought in. And he went and beheaded him in prison, and brought his head on a plate, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. And when his disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.

Y’SHUA FEEDS FIVE THOUSAND

MARK  6:32-44

So they went away by themselves in the boat to a solitary place. But many people who saw them going, recognized Y’shua, and ran ahead on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them, and came together to Him.

When Y’shua arrived and saw a huge crowd waiting, He was filled with compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things.

By this time it was quite late in the day, so His disciples came up to Him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy food for themselves, for they have nothing to eat.”

He answered them, “You give them something to eat!”

They said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them to eat?”  (The equivalent of 200 days wages)

“How many loaves do you have?” He asked them. “Go and see!”

When they found out, they said, “Five - and two fish.”

Then He directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

Then Y’shua, taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, gave thanks, praising God; and He broke the loaves (and kept on breaking them) and gave the broken pieces to His disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.

They all ate and were satisfied, and they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces of bread and of the fish. Now the number of the men who had eaten the loaves was five thousand.              

WALKING ON THE SEA

MARK  6:45-56

And immediately Y’shua made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. And after taking leave of them, He went away to the mountain to pray.

When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and Y’shua was alone on the land. And seeing them straining at the oars - for the wind was against them - at about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea; and He acted as if He wanted to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were frightened. But immediately He spoke to them and said, “Take courage; it’s Me! Don’t be afraid!”

And He climbed up into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves, because their hearts were hardened.

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. And when they came out of the boat, immediately Y’shua was recognized, and people ran about that whole country-side, and began to carry the sick on stretchers or mats, to wherever they heard He was.

And wherever He went, into villages, or cities, or the countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him to let them just touch the fringe of His garment. And all who touched Him were healed.

A WARNING TO CERTAIN CITIES

MATTHEW 11:20-24

Then Y’shua began to denounce the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

“And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades (the realm of the dead); for if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”    

REST FOR THE WEARY

MATTHEW  11:25-30

At that time Y’shua prayed, “I thank You, Father, Master of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and have revealed them to babies. Yes, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.”

“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”                       

A WOMAN ANOINTS Y’SHUA’S FEET

LUKE  7:36-50.  8:1-3

Then Simon, one of the Pharisees, asked Y’shua to eat with him. So He went to the Pharisee’s house, and reclined at the table.

Now watch this! When a woman who lived a sinful life in the city learned that Y’shua sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wet His feet with her tears, and to wipe them with the hair of her head; and she was kissing His feet and anointing them with the fragrant oil.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him - that she is a sinner.”

Y’shua said to him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” 

“Tell me, Teacher,” he said.

“A certain creditor had two debtors. One owned five hundred denarii, and the other fifty denarii. (A denarius was a silver coin equivalent to a day’s wage.) And when they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. Tell me, then, which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And Y’shua said to him, “You have judged correctly.” Then turning to the woman He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not stopped kissing My feet from the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little, loves little.”

Then Y’shua said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

He then said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Now after this, He went through every town and village, preaching and bringing the Good News of the Kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases - Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had come out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, a steward of King Herod, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him out of their own resources.                                                   

THE SIGN OF JONAH

MATTHEW 12:38-40

Some of the scribes and Pharisees responded by saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA-MONSTER [Jonah 1:17]; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”                  

The Master was prophesying of the three days during which His dead body would be in the tomb.       

Y’SHUA’S “MOTHER AND BROTHERS” 

MATTHEW 12:46-50

Y’shua was still talking to the crowd when suddenly His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to Him. Then someone said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.”

But He replied to the person who spoke to Him; “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” Then stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother, and sister, and mother.”

THE PARABLES OF Y’SHUA

Y’shua often spoke in parables, or used illustrations  to convey spiritual truth in simple terms. Sometimes the meaning was quite clear, but some parables needed an explanation which the Master usually gave afterwards. Sometimes the message was intended only for spiritual minds - for those with “ears to hear.”

THE SOWER

MATTHEW 13:1-23

Y’shua went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. And such great crowds gathered about Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying:

“Listen! A farmer went out to sow seed. As he scattered his seed, some fell beside the road, and birds came and devoured them. Some seed fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow, but when the sun came up, the plants were scorched; and they withered because they had no root.

Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on the good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty, or thirty times more than what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear!”

Then the disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Y’shua replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. This is why I speak to them in parables; for having the power of seeing they do not see, and having the power of hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled:

YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;  AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE. FOR THE HEARTS OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BECOME INSENSITIVE. THEY HARDLY HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES TIGHTLY, SO THAT THEY MIGHT NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS AND RETURN FOR ME TO HEAL THEM.  [Isaiah 6:9-10]

“But blessed are your eyes, because they do see; and your ears, because they do hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown beside the road.

“The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the Word, and immediately receives it with joy. But since he has no firm root, it lasts for only a short time, and when affliction or persecution comes because of the Word, he quickly falls away.

“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the Word; but the cares of this life, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, making it unfruitful.

“But the one who received the seed that was sown on good soil is the man who hears the Word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit - a crop yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times more than what was sown.”

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

MATTHEW 13:24-30

Y’shua presented another parable to them:

“The kingdom of heaven,” He said, “may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while the men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed wild black grain also among the wheat, and went away.

“When the wheat sprang up and formed ears, then the wild grain became evident also.  So the servants of the landowner came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field?  Where then did the wild black plants come from?’

“‘An enemy has done this!’ he replied. The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us then to go and pull them up?’

“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling up the wild plants, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest-time I will say to the reapers: First gather up the wild plants and bind them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn’.”      

THE KINGDOM LIKE MUSTARD SEED

MATTHEW  13:31-32

Another parable He told them:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. This is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

THE KINGDOM LIKE YEAST

MATTHEW 13:33-43

He told them yet another parable:

“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in three measures of flour, and waited until it was all leavened.

All these things Y’shua spoke to the multitudes in parables, and He did not say anything to them without using a parable. This was in fulfilment of what was spoken through the prophet,

I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD.”   [Psalm 78:2]

He then left the crowd and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the wild grain in the field.”

He answered them, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The wild plants are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

“Just as the wild plants are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom everything that causes sin, and all who do evil, and will cast them into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”        

LIKE HIDDEN TREASURE

MATTHEW 13:44

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; and then for joy over it, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

LIKE A MERCHANT

MATTHEW 13:45-46

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for beautiful pearls; and when he had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”      

LIKE A FISHING NET

MATTHEW  13:47-50

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught every kind of fish. And when it was full, they pulled it to the shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into containers, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”     

PART 6

THE BREAD OF LIFE, THE TRANSFIGURATION,

AND THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES 

“I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE"

JOHN  6:22-71

In the following teaching, Y’shua likens His body to bread, and His blood, to drink. He says one must eat His flesh and drink His blood to have everlasting life. He is speaking FIGURATIVELY. His flesh and blood speak of his LIFE which we all may receive through faith in Him, and through constant fellowship with Him.

The next day, the crowd that was standing on the other side of the sea, saw that there was no other boat there, except the one into which His disciples had entered; and they observed that Y’shua had not entered the boat with His disciples, but they had gone away alone. But other small boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate the bread after the Master had given thanks.

So when the crowd saw that neither Y’shua nor His disciples were there, they themselves got into the small boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Y’shua. And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”

Y’shua answered, “I am telling you the truth; you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for the Father, God, has set His seal on Him.”

Then they asked Him, “What should we do to do the works of God?”

Y’shua said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

So they said to Him, “What sign will You give then that we may see and believe You? What will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert, as it has been written, HE GAVE THEM BREAD FROM HEAVEN TO EAT.”  [Psalm 78:24]

Then Y’shua said to them, “I tell you the truth; Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.” So they said to Him, “Master, give us this bread always.”

Then Y’shua said to them, “I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty. But as I said to you, you have seen Me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast away. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Then the Jews were grumbling against Him because He said, “I am the Bread that came down from heaven.” And they said, “Is this not Y’shua, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

Y’shua answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves.  No-one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets,  

AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.  [Isaiah 54:13]

“Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. No-one has seen the Father, except He who is from God - He has seen the Father. I am telling you the truth! He who believes in Me has everlasting life.

“I am the Bread of Life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die - I am the Living Bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and indeed, the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

The Jews therefore began to quarrel with one another, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

Then Y’shua said to them, “I am telling you the truth! Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood lives in Me, and I live in him. As the Living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven - not as the fathers ate the manna and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

These things He said in the synagogue, as He taught in Capernaum. When they heard this, many of His disciples said, “This word is difficult; who can accept it?”

But Y’shua, knowing in Himself that His disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Does this make you stumble? What if you should see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh does not profit at all. The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”

For Y’shua knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him by My Father.”

From then on many of His disciples withdrew, and no longer walked with Him. Then Y’shua said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

Simon Peter answered Him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life; and we have believed and have come to know that You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Y’shua answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” He was speaking of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, who was about to betray Him, although he was one of the twelve.

A PHOENICIAN CHILD DELIVERED

MARK 7:24-30

Y’shua taught and ministered almost entirely within the provinces of Israel.  But He did visit Tyre and Sidon, coastal areas of Phoenicia, which is called Lebanon today.  Tyre and  Sidon still exist under the same names.

Y’shua arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon, and entered a house. He did not want anyone to know it, but He could not keep His presence secret. And a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and immediately she came and fell at His feet.

Now the woman was Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by nationality, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.  Y’shua said to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

But she answered, saying to Him, “Yes, Master, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And He said to her, “Because of this word, go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” And when she came to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.           

DEAF AND DUMB HEALED

MARK  7:31-37

Then Y’shua left the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, and came through the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. And they brought to Him one who was deaf and could not talk clearly, and they begged Him to put His hand upon him.

Taking him away from the crowd by himself, Y’shua put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spat and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

And immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. And Y’shua gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.  And they were completely amazed, saying, “He has done everything well!  He makes even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.”                                        

PETER’S CONFESSION

MATTHEW 16:13-20

When Y’shua came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and still others say, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter replied,

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

Y’shua answering, said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father in heaven. And I also tell you that you are Peter (Petros, a pebble), and upon this Rock (Petra, a bedrock) I will build My assembly - My Body; and the gates of Hades - Hell - shall not overpower it.”

The Rock is Y’shua Himself, not Peter. Y’shua is called the “Rock of All Ages.” But the Master is teaching that Peter and the disciples all have a very important role in building His Body of believers, and His Kingdom.

“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound, having been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth will be loosed, having been loosed in heaven.”

Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Messiah.  

(That meant, for the time being. Later, they would proclaim the truth everywhere that Y’shua was the Messiah.)

“IF ANYONE WANTS TO COME AFTER ME”

MATTHEW 16:21-28

From that time on, Y’shua began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and scribes - the teachers of the Law, and that he must be killed, and on the third day be raised to life.

And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Be kind to Yourself - don’t think like this, Master! This shall never happen to You.” But Y’shua turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to Me; for you are not mindful of the things of God, but of the things of men.”

Then Y’shua said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he gains the whole world, and loses his own life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and WILL THEN RECOMPENSE EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS. [Psalm 62:12]. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Y’SHUA TRANSFIGURED ON THE MOUNTAIN

MATTHEW  17:1-13

After six days Y’shua took with Him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And then, Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Him.

Then Peter said to Y’shua, “Master, it is good for us to be here. If You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them; and a voice was heard out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I delight. Hear Him!”

And when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces terrified. But Y’shua came near and touched the.  “Get up,” He said, “and don’t be afraid.”

When they looked up, they saw no one except Y’shua. And as they were coming down from the mountain, Y’shua commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

Y’shua answered, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I tell you, that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”

Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.                       

MT TABOR IN N. ISRAEL, BELIEVED TO THE BE MOUNT WHERE THE TRANSFIGURATION TOOK PLACE

Photo by courtesy of www.BiblePlaces.com

A DEMON-POSSESSED SON DELIVERED

 MARK  9:14-29

Coming to the disciples, Y’shua saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. And immediately, when all the crowd saw Him, they were amazed; and running up to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, “What are you arguing with them about?” 

One of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit that makes him dumb; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and gnashes his teeth, and falls into a stupor. So I asked Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do so.”

“Oh unbelieving generation,” Y’shua replied, “how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”

So they brought the boy to Him. And when the demonic spirit saw Him, immediately it threw the boy into a convulsion. Falling to the ground, he began rolling around, foaming at the mouth.

Y’shua asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been happening to him?” 

He answered, “From childhood. And it has often thrown him both into fire and into water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”

“If you are able to believe!” Y’shua said to him. “All things are possible to him who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe, Master; help me in my unbelief.”

And when Y’shua saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.”

After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out of him; and the boy became so much like a corpse that many of them said that he was dead.

But Y’shua took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet; and he stood up. And when He had come into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why were we unable to cast it out?” And He said to them, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.”                                     

Y’SHUA AGAIN TELLS OF HIS DEATH

MARK  9:30-32

And leaving that place they passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know, for He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and on the third day after being killed, He will rise again.”  But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.                                            

ON PAYING TAXES

MATTHEW  17:24-27

When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the two-drachma tax came to Peter, and said, “Doesn't your teacher pay the two-drachma tax?” He said, “Yes, He does.”

(This was the temple tax which every Jew paid yearly.)

And when he came into the house, Y’shua spoke to him first, asking, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?”  Peter said to Him, “From strangers.”

Y’shua said to him, “Then the sons are exempt. But, lest we give them offence, go to the sea, and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.”

Y’SHUA REJECTS HIS BROTHERS’ ADVICE

   JOHN  7:2-12, 32

Now Sukkot, the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, was drawing near. So Y’shua’s brothers said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His brothers were believing in Him at that time.

Y’shua therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves; I am not yet going up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.”

And having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.  But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not openly, but as it were in secret.

The Jews therefore were seeking Him at the feast, and asking, “Where is He?” And there was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him. Some were saying, “He is a good man;” others were saying, “No! He leads the crowds astray.”

Then the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to seize Him.

THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES 

JOHN 7:37-52

SUKKOT (meaning booths or tabernacles) was one of Israel’s main festivals. It was an 8-day celebration that looked back to Israel’s 40 years of dwelling in tents (or booths) in the Sinai desert. That was immediately after being delivered from slavery in Egypt.  Sukkot (the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles) also looks forward to the Messianic era when the LORD will dwell in and among His people. (Ezekiel 37:27. Revelation 21:3)

Now on the final and most important day of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, Y’shua stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes and trusts in Me, as the Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from his innermost being.”  By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Holy Spirit had not been given, because Y’shua had not yet been glorified.

Then many of the crowd, when they heard these words, were saying, “Truly, this is the Prophet.” Others were saying, “This is the Messiah.” Still others were saying, “What! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? Doesn't the Scripture say that the Messiah will come from the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”

So there was a division in the crowd because of Him. And some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him. Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?”

The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this Man.” The Pharisees then asked them, “Have you also been led astray? Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd which does not know the Law, is accursed.”

Nicodemus who had come to Y’shua by night, being one of the rulers, said to them, “Does our Law judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing?”

They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” 

A WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY  

JOHN  8:2-11;  3:17

Early in the morning Y’shua came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and having sat down, He was teaching them.

The scribes and the Pharisees then brought to Him a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in their midst, they said to Him, “Rabbi, this woman has been caught committing adultery - in the very act! Now in the Law, Moses commanded us that such transgressors should be stoned; what then do You say?”

They said this to test Him, so that they might have grounds to accuse Him. But Y’shua stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

And when they heard this, being convicted by their conscience, they began to leave, one by one, beginning with the older ones. And Y’shua was left alone, and the woman, where she had been, in the midst.

Y’shua straightened up, and seeing no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are they - your accusers? Did no one condemn you?” And she said, “No one, Master.” And Y’shua said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way, and do not sin any more.”

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world;

but so that the world might be saved through Him.”  

PART 7

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, THE GOOD SHEPHERD,  

AND THE GOOD SAMARITAN

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

JOHN  8:12-20

Then Y’shua spoke to them again, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You are bearing witness about Yourself. Your witness is not true. It's not valid.”

Y’shua answered them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true; for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you do not know from where I have come, or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh - by human standards; I do not judge anyone. But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone - there are two - I and the Father who sent Me. Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness concerning Myself, and the Father who sent Me is the other who bears witness of Me.”

Then they asked Him, “Where is Your Father?”

Y’shua answered, “You know neither Me, nor My Father. If you knew Me, you would have known My Father also.”

These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no-one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE

JOHN  8:21-36

Once more Y’shua said to them, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”

Therefore the Jews were saying, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

And He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” And Y’shua said to them, “Just what have I been saying to you from the beginning?  I have much to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and what I heard from Him, I speak to the world.”

They did not realize that He spoke to them about the Heavenly Father. So Y’shua said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but I speak whatever the Father has taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.”  As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

Y’shua therefore said to those Jews who had believed in Him, “If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples, and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.”

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will become free’?”

Y’shua answered them, “I tell you the absolute truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin. And the slave does not remain in the house forever; but the Son remains forever. If then the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”              

A MAN BLIND FROM BIRTH HEALED

JOHN  9:1-41

Now as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind?”

Y’shua answered, “Neither this man sinned nor his parents sinned; but it was so that the works of God might be revealed in him. It is necessary for Me to work and complete the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no-one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”

Having said this, He spat on the ground and made clay of the saliva, and applied the clay to the eyes of the blind man, saying to him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam,” (which translated, means ‘Sent’). And so the man went away and washed, and came back seeing.

Then the neighbours and those who previously saw him as a blind beggar were asking, “Isn’t this the one who was sitting and begging?”

 Some were saying, “Yes, he’s the one,” while others were saying, “He is like him.” But the man himself kept saying, “I am the one.” So they asked him, “How were your eyes opened?”

He answered, “A Man called Y’shua made clay and applied it to my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the Pool of Siloam, and wash.’ So I went away and washed, and I received my sight.”

And they said to him, “Where is He?”  “I don’t know,” he replied. Then they brought the man who was formerly blind, to the Pharisees.

Now it was a Sabbath day when Y’shua made the clay and opened the man’s eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.”

Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?”

And there was a division among them. So they asked the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”

However, the Jews did not believe that he had really been blind, and that he had received his sight, until they called his parents.

They questioned them, “Is this man your son who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

JERUSALEM IN THE TIMES OF THE MESSIAH

His parents answered them, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he can now see we don’t know; or who opened his eyes we don’t know. He is of age; ask him, he will speak for himself.”

His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess that Y’shua was the Messiah, he should be put out of the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this Man is a sinner.” To this he answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; but one thing I do know - once I was blind, and now I see.”

Then they asked him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples also?”

Then they reviled him, and said, “You are His disciple; but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses; but as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”

The man answered them, “Well, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes! We know that God does not hear sinners; but if any one is a worshipper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could have done nothing.”

To this they retorted, “You were steeped in sin at birth - and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.

Y’shua heard that they had cast him out, and when He found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

He answered, “Who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?”

Y’shua said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the One who is now speaking with you.”

Then he said, “Master, I believe.”

And he bowed down and worshipped Him.

Then Y’shua said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see; and that those who see may become blind.” Then those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Y’shua said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see’; therefore your sin remains.”                                      

“I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD”

JOHN  10:1-21

“I am telling you the truth!” Y’shua said.  “He who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens for him; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Y’shua used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what He was telling them. So He said to them again, “I am telling you the truth!  I am the door of the sheep.  All who came before Me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will go in and go out, and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they might have life, and might have it beyond measure.

“I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  But he who is a hired hand, not being the shepherd who owns the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees. Then the wolf attacks the sheep, and scatters them. The hired man flees because he is hired, and he is not concerned about the sheep.

“I am the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock with one Shepherd.

“Because of this the Father loves Me  -  because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. These are the instructions I have received from My Father.”

Then again there was a division among the Jews because of these words. And many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why do you listen to Him?” Others were saying, “These are not the words of a demon-possessed man.   Is a demon able to open the eyes of the blind?”

SEVENTY DISCIPLES APPOINTED

LUKE  10:1-12, 17-22

Now after this the Master appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of Him, to every city and place where He Himself was about to go. And  He said to them, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few; therefore beseech the Master of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest. Go your way. Look! I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Do not take a purse, or a bag, or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the way.

“And whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon the house; if not, it will return to you. And stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you; for the labourer is worthy of his wages. Do not move from house to house. When you enter any city, and they welcome you, eat what is set before you; and heal the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

“But when you enter a city, and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to us, we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, the kingdom of God has come near to you.’ I say to you that it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that Day of Judgment, than for that city.”

And the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Master, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name.”

And He said to them, “I saw Satan falling like lightning out of heaven. See, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. But do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

At that very time Y’shua rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will and good pleasure.” 

“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

LUKE 10:25-37

A certain expert in the law stood up and put Him to the test, asking, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

Y’shua said to him, “What has been written in the Law?  How do you read it?” And the law expert answered (quoting from the Old Testament);

“YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.”   [Deuteronomy 6:5. Leviticus 19:18]

And Y’shua said to him, “You have answered correctly; DO THIS, AND YOU WILL LIVE.” [Leviticus 18:5]. But wishing to justify himself, the law expert said to Y’shua, “And who is my neighbour?”

Y’shua replied, giving this illustration: “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, and they stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and went off leaving him half dead.

“And by chance a certain priest was going down that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

“But a certain Samaritan, while on a journey, came across the man; and when he saw him he felt compassion and came to him, and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And when he was departing the next day, he took out two denarii (equivalent to two days wages) and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and whatever more you spend on him, I will repay you when I return.’

“Now which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbour to him who fell into the robbers’ hands?”

And the expert in the law said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” And Y’shua said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

THE HOSPITALITY OF MARTHA & MARY

LUKE  10:38-42 

Now the Master entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also was seated at Y’shua’s feet listening to the Master’s words.  But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him, and said, “Master, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Then tell her to help me.”

Y'shua said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, and Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Y’SHUA ACCUSED OF USING EVIL POWER

MARK  3:20-21, LUKE  11:14-20, MARK  3:28-30

Again the crowd came together; so many that Y’shua and His disciples were unable even to eat bread. And when His relatives heard about this, they went to take control of Him; for they said, “He is out of His mind.”

Y’shua was casting out a demon that made a man dumb; and it happened that when the demon had gone out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marvelled.

And the scribes, the teachers of the Law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub (the god of flies and filth),” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”

But knowing their thoughts, Y’shua said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against a house falls. So if Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Consequently they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

“I tell you the truth; all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may speak, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is subject to eternal condemnation.” He said this because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

GREED AND POSSESSIONS

LUKE  12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Y’shua, “Teacher, speak to my brother and tell him to divide the family inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me as judge or arbitrator over you?”

Then He said to them, “Watch out, and beware of covetousness and greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Then He told them a parable:  “The land of a certain rich man was very productive. And he was reasoning within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store all my crops? ... This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul will be required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So it will be with the one who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

“UNLESS YOU REPENT”

LUKE  13:1-5

Now there were some present at that time who told the Master about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Y’shua replied to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered like this? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you think that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, were worse culprits than all the men living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no!  But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”                                                                   

A GREAT BANQUET 

LUKE  14:12-24

And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not ask your friends or your brothers, your relatives or rich neighbours, lest they also invite you in return, and that will become a repayment to you. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, lame, and blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God!”

But Y’shua said to him, “A certain man prepared a great banquet, and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses.

“The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field and I need to go and see it; please excuse me.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please excuse me.’ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and because of this I am unable to come.’

“And the servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Master, what you have commanded has been done, and still there is room.’

“And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways along the hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were originally invited, will taste of my dinner’.”

DISCIPLESHIP

LUKE 14:25-33

Now great crowds were going along with Him; and Y’shua turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.

Y’shua sometimes made statements that were hard for hearers to accept, such as this one above. Why would a Teacher who had come from God, tell His disciples to hate their near and dear ones?  The answer is that the Master was using a comparative. He was comparing normal love for relatives with the much greater love they needed, if they were going to follow Him. This superior love for the Master would make normal love look like “hatred.”  A disciple needed even to “hate” his own life - that is, he needed to be willing to give His own life for the Master's sake. Y’shua goes on to emphasize that a disciple must first count the cost.

“For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid the foundation, and is unable to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’

“Or what king, before going out to wage warfare with another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? So that if not, while the other is still far away, he may send a delegation and ask terms of peace.

“Likewise, any one of you who does not give up all that he has, cannot be My disciple.”         

PART 8

THE LOST SHEEP, THE LOST COIN, & THE LOST SON

 THE RICH, THE POOR, AND THE NEEDY 

THE LOST SHEEP

LUKE  15:3-7

Y’shua told them this parable: “Which man among you who has a hundred sheep, and if he loses one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine even in the desert, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he finds it, he will put it on his shoulders, rejoicing; and when he reaches home, he will call together his friends and his neighbours and say to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

THE LOST COIN

LUKE 15:8-10

“Or if a woman who has ten silver coins loses one coin, will she not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, will she not call together her friends and neighbours and say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’?  In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

THE LOST SON

LUKE 15:11-32

And Y’shua continued by telling another parable:

A certain man had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the estate that will be mine.”  So he divided his wealth between them.

Not long after that, the younger son gathered everything he had together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth in wild and wasteful living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no-one gave him anything.

When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough food, and here I am starving to death! I’m going to get up and go back to my father, and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men’.”   

So he got up and went back to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him.

The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”   

But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us have a feast and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.”  

So they began to celebrate. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. “Your brother has come,” he said, “and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.”    

Then the elder son became angry, and refused to go inside. So his father came out and entreated him.  But he answered his father:

“Look! For so many years I have been serving you, and I have never disobeyed your orders; yet you have never given me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your wealth with prostitutes comes back, you kill the fattened calf for him!”        

“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything that I have is yours. But it is right to celebrate and be glad, for this brother of yours was dead, and he is alive again! He was lost but has been found.”

A RICH MAN AND A DESTITUTE MAN

LUKE 16:19-31

The following is a short, factual account of the lives and destinies of two men. Y’shua the Messiah made it clear that death was not the end of a man; and wealth and material advantages in life do not contribute towards eternal rest. On the contrary, riches can be a stumbling block to spiritual life. In fact, riches lead many to an eternity of remorse and torment.

Now there was a certain rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen, and lived merrily and in luxury every day. And there was a certain destitute man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who was laid at his gate, and who was longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table. And even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.

Now in due time the destitute man died and he was carried away by the angels and placed in Abraham’s arms.  And the rich man also died and was buried.  And in Hades (Hell) he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his arms.

And he cried out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.”

But Abraham said, “Son, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus received evil things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who are willing to go over from here to you are not able, and that no-one may cross over from there to us.”

And he said, “Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house - for I have five brothers - that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.”

Abraham said to him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them listen to them.”

He said, “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!”

But Abraham replied, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded even if someone should rise from the dead.”                                                      

A RICH YOUNG RULER 

MARK 10:17-31

On another occasion, Y’shua warned that it is hard for those who have riches to enter the Kingdom of God.

As Y’shua was setting out on the way, a man came running, and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

Y’shua said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One - God alone. You know the commands,

DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOUR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.”      [Exodus 20:12-16]

Answering, the man said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.”

Then Y’shua, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack; go and sell all you possess, and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me, taking up the cross.”

But at these words the man's  face fell and he became gloomy, and he went away grieved, for he had many possessions.

Then Y’shua, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the Kingdom of God!”

And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Y’shua replying, said to them again, “Children, how hard it is for those trusting in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”

And they were utterly amazed, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”

Looking at them, Y’shua said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left everything and have followed You.”

“I tell you the truth,” Y’shua replied, “there is no one who has left house, or brothers or sisters, mother or father, wife or children, or farms, for My sake and for the Good News, who shall not receive a hundred times as much now in the present age - houses and brothers, and sisters and mothers and children and farms - along with persecutions; and in the world to come, eternal life.

“But many who are first will be last; and the last first.”

THE SINNER’S PRAYER

LUKE 18:9-14

Y’shua told this parable to some who trusted in themselves, thinking that they were righteous, and who viewed others with contempt:

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one was a Pharisee, and the other, a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this way to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men - swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I pay tithes of all that I get.’

“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, would not even raise his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’

“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.

ZACCHEUS - THE LITTLE TAX-COLLECTOR

LUKE 19:1-10

In this event, Y’shua showed that it was possible for a rich person to be saved. Repentance and faith in the Messiah led to this man's salvation.

Then Y’shua entered and was passing through Jericho, where there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus. He was a chief tax-collector and was rich, and he was trying to see who Y’shua was, but he was unable because of the crowd, for he was a small man.

So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was about to pass by. And when Y’shua reached that place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zaccheus, come down immediately, for today I must stay at your house.” So he came down at once and received Him joyfully.

And when they saw it, the crowd began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay with a man who is a sinner.”

And Zaccheus stood up and said to the Master, “Look, Master, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have taken anything from anyone falsely, I will give back four times as much.”

Then Y’shua said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”                   

BLIND BARTIMAEUS

MARK 10:46-52

As Y’shua was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Y’shua of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Y’shua, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

And many were scolding him, telling him to be quiet, but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Y’shua stopped and commanded, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man,  saying to him,  “Take courage!   Get up!  He is calling for you.” And getting up, he threw his cloak aside, and came to Y’shua. “What do you want Me to do for you?” Y’shua asked.

The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, (my teacher), I want to regain my sight!” Then Y’shua said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Y’shua on the way.    

STUMBLING BLOCKS & FORGIVENESS

LUKE 17:1-4

Y’shua said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves! If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”                          

FAITH

LUKE 17:5-6

The apostles said to the Master, “Increase our faith!” 

Y’shua replied;

“If you had faith like a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

TEN LEPERS HEALED

LUKE 17:11-19

Now it happened as Y’shua went to Jerusalem, that He crossed the border between Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered a certain village, He was met by ten leprous men, who stood at a distance; and they raised their voices, crying, “Y’shua, Master, have mercy on us!”

And when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed.

Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at Y’shua's feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.

Y’shua answering, said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine - where are they? Were none found who turned back to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” Then He said to him, “Rise, go your way; your faith has made you well.”

END PART 8