Jesus Has It All

 In Matthew 11:27, Jesus makes this statement ... "All things are delivered unto me of my father ..."

The first thing I notice is that there is a difference between Jesus the man and God the Father.  Even though Jesus was God in the flesh, (which I teach as much as anyone) ... things were delivered unto Christ.

God the Father had nothing delivered unto Him ... He has always had all things, all power, all glory, and is to be considered the utmost of any and all things, and as such was never in need of anything.  But as man, Jesus needed more than what His physical body afforded him.  So what was delivered unto Him from God the Father?

First of all ... Jesus was not given the Holy Spirit in measure (John 3:34) like we are.  That's just the starting point. His spirit man was the Holy Spirit.

The two words, "all things" are really one in the original, the word "pas," which means ... the whole of everything.

Jesus said, they are "delivered" unto Me.  Delivered is an interesting choice of words as used here.  My dictionary states that it is a verb that means ... "to bring and hand over" ... which is exactly what God the Father did.

The meaning in this scripture is the same, (God did hand things over) but as the original Greek always does, adds a little more information.  The word originally used is, "paradido-mi" ... (pronounced par-ad-id'-o-mee) and means ... to surrender, yield up and entrust.

You see ... when the "Word" in heaven entered Mary's womb to become flesh ... He first emptied Himself of all that was God, (if that is possible) and was born as a man.  The phrase in Philippians 2:7 ... "made Himself of no reputation" ... in the original reads, (to make empty.)

Philippians 2:7 in the Amplified Bible says that Jesus ... "stripped Himself of all privileges which make God God ..."
     
This is why the man Jesus needed all these "things" delivered again unto Him from the Father.  God ... entrusted all, the whole of everything with Jesus.     

This includes what Jesus tells His followers in Matthew 28:18 ... "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

What's in this power?  To find that out, we need to look at the Greek word that our English word "power" was translated from.  There are several descriptive terms that collectively represent the nature, character and authority of who Jesus was. 

The word is ... "exousia" ... (pronounced ex-oo-see'-ah) and means ... in the sense of ability, privilege, freedom, mastery, control, influence, and authority as a magistrate or potentate.     

You can take your pick as far as which particular word fits your understanding of the definition of "power" ... but when dealing with Jesus, it is my opinion that we need all of them to fully comprehend that He was literally, fully God.   

This explains His ability to have total control over every situation He was confronted with, whether nature, man, or Satan.

I want to look at just a few of the examples the Holy Scriptures have to say about the position Jesus has been given concerning the power and authority, (included in the "things") that have been delivered unto Him.

King David, speaking to God in Psalms 8:6 said this ... "Thou madest Him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet." 

The Apostle Paul at least twice quotes the Psalmist David ...

1st Corinthians 15:27 ... "For He hath put all things under His feet."

And in Ephesians 1:22 ... "And hath put all things under His feet ..." 

John the Baptist said in John 3:35 ... "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand."

Jesus added a new wrinkle when He said this in John 5:22 ... "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son ..."

Now why would God make Jesus the judge of all?  Because He delivered and handed over all things unto His Son ... even judgment.

Philippians 2:9-11 ... "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The translators put the word ... things ... in this scripture, with good reason.  Jesus has had all things entrusted into His hands.

Jesus has it all.

It Comes Down To Choice

The battle is still real.  For me, even after six decades.  Why?  Because I'm just old ... not dead. 

As long as you are above ground, your greatest battle is going to be with yourself.  It almost seems sometimes as if God set us up to fail by giving us a "free will" ... which means we are always making choices.  And then we must live with them.

In Romans 7:14-21, the Apostle Paul spoke about his personal problems concerning  life's choices when he said ...

"But I am carnal, sold under sin.  For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that I do."  ... The old King James language is a little archaic and hard to understand, so let me put it into my own words.

My translation ... "I live in a body of flesh that is still a slave to sin.  And my flesh overcomes my will not to do the very things I loathe and detest, and so I end up doing those things I don't want to do."  ... I"m not sure about you, but I find this is how I feel more often than I would like. 

But there is hope; Paul goes on with this reasoning ...

"If then I do that which I would not ... it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."

That sounds like a good excuse to me ... "It really wasn't me that did it, I couldn't help myself ... the devil made me do it."  Now where have I heard that before?

But you know, the truth is ... it's not the devil ... it's just that the natural man is a fallen creature.  Your soul may get re-born, but your flesh stays the same.  Paul explains as he continues ...

"For I know that in me, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will (to do good) is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."

I would say it this way ... "I know that there is nothing good in my natural body of flesh; and even though the will within me is to do what is right, I can't find how to carry it out."  

Paul sums up his thought with ... "I find then a law, (a fact of life) that, when I would (choose in my heart to) do good, evil (my unsaved flesh) is present with me."

I think Paul is saying ... "I am in such a condition, (under this law of nature) that when I would do good, when my will is intent on obedience to God, and is in opposition to sin ... this evil sinful nature is in my flesh."

Paul is not saying that he is still in his old un-regenerated state as he was before he was born again.  I believe he is teaching that even after the new birth we still have to do battle with our "unsaved" bodies.  It's just that simple.

For the born-again believer ... just as the "will" to do good is constantly at hand, the principle of sin is also equally present in us.  The question then becomes ... does your "will" to do good, have dominion over the appetites and passions of the flesh, or will the sin nature dominate your soul?

Again ... it comes down to choice.

Our "will" can consent to sin.  And because it is "free will," it must possess this power ... yet at the same time it is impossible to force it to sin.  Even Satan himself cannot do this; and before he can get it to sin, he must get it's consent.  Know this ... your "will" can be worn down.  That's what the battle is all about.

We all have the power of choice. 

Choose wisely.

The Young Prophet … Part II

1st Kings 13:19-34 ...

Please note: only Bible Scripture itself is in italics, the rest is commentary.

The story continues with ...

But he (the old prophet) ... lied unto him ...

And as it turned out, what the old prophet said was wholly a device and stratagem of his own to persuade the man of God, (the young prophet) to return with him, that he might have his company and conversation.

So the young prophet ... went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water ... in which he sinned; for as he had most certainly the command of God not to eat and drink in that place, he ought to have had before he went back with him, the countermand from the Lord and not trusted in another person.

There are some things which may be said in the young prophet's favor, as if an apology for him ... as this old prophet was an ancient prophet of the Lord, as he appeared to be; and although he was forbidden to eat and drink in Bethel, he (the young prophet) thought he might be allowed to eat and drink with a prophet of the Lord.

Especially so, after the old prophet affirmed he had the direction of an angel of the Lord for it; nor could he conceive that the old prophet had any interest of his own to serve by it; but rather he might have thought the Lord, out of compassion on him as he sat under that oak, had countermanded his former orders, and the circumstances he was in might have made these pretenses plausible.

But the reality is ... he ought to have taken no directions but from the Lord himself; and in this he failed; he did eat bread in his house, and drink water; contrary to the express command of God.

And it came to pass as they sat at the table, that the Word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back ... that is, to the old prophet, who with a lie was the means of bringing back the young man of God to Bethel.  The Word of the Lord did not come to the young prophet who had transgressed the command of the Lord, but to him who was the cause of it.

And he (the old prophet) being greatly affected, partly on his own account by the lie his conscience must have accused him of, and partly with the word that God brought unto him; cried unto the man of God, (the young prophet) that came from Judah, saying ... "Thus saith the Lord" ... being obliged to deliver, in the name of the Lord, what God said unto him ...

"Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord" ... the order that came out of His mouth ... "and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee" ... not to eat nor drink in Bethel ... "but camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, eat no bread, nor drink no water" ... this command he observed when first there, when he was invited to do such by the king.

Yet, after he had left Bethel, he was prevailed upon to return and transgress the command, the result being ... "thy carcass shall not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers" ... signifying that he should die before he came back to the land of Judah, and he should be buried in another place which was about to be verified.

And it came to pass, after he (the old prophet) had eaten bread, and after he had drunk ... after he had finished the meal, which no doubt was shortened because of the word given him ... that he saddled for him the ass for the (young) prophet whom he had brought back ... that he might not walk on foot as he had when he first came.

And when he (the young prophet) was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him ... perhaps not far from Bethel ... and his carcass was cast in the way ... in the road, where it seems the lion seized him, and he fell ... and the ass stood by it ... disregarded and unhurt by the lion, though the (young) prophet was pulled off of him ... the lion also stood by the carcass ... not offering to tear it in pieces and devour it, but rather, as if he was the guard of it, to keep off all others from meddling with it.

These circumstances are very surprising, and show the thing to be of God ... for when the lion had done what he had a commission to do, which was to kill the young prophet, he was to do no more.

And behold, men passed by ... travelers on the road; nor did the lion offer to seize them, nor desert the carcass upon their approach ... and saw the carcass cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcass and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt ... in Bethel, and through them he came to have knowledge of it.

And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof ... the old prophet that had deceived him, by telling him a lie ... he said, "it is the man of God, (the young prophet) who was disobedient unto the word of the Lord" ... but not a syllable does he say of his own sin in deceiving him; though one would think his own conscience must smite him for it.

... "therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the Lord, which he (God) spake unto him."

And he spoke to his sons, saying, "saddle me the ass" ... it seems he had more than one, for he had sent away the man of God with one before.

And he went and found his carcass cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcass; the lion had not eaten the carcass, nor torn the ass ...

This had to be of God, in that the ass the young prophet rode upon should stand so quietly, and without fear by the carcass ... along with the lion and not run away; but both stayed till the old prophet came to take care of the young prophet's dead body, which shows the singular providence of God in this affair; though He chastised the man of God (the young prophet) with a temporal judgment for his offense, his death; yet he was dear to Him, (God) and even his corpse precious in His sight.


(A comment by Matthew Henry) ... "The preservation of his dead body ... was a token of God's mercy remembered in the midst of wrath.  The lion that gently strangled him, or tore him, did not devour his dead body, nor so much as tear the ass.  Nay, what was more, he did not set upon the travelers that passed by and saw it, nor upon the old prophet (who had reason enough to fear it) when he came to take up the corpse.  The lion's commission was to kill the prophet, but he should go no further.  Thus God showed that, though He was angry with him, the punishment went no farther than death ... his soul being preserved."


The lion perhaps made off as soon as he came, or if he stayed, the prophet was not afraid of him, seeing he did not attempt to devour the carcass, nor touch the ass, nor do any hurt to those that passed by ... And the (old) prophet took up the carcass of the man of God and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back and the old prophet came to the city to morn, and to bury him ... to perform the funeral rites, according to the custom of the place.

And he laid his carcass in his own grave ... perhaps in Bethel which he had prepared for himself; for the young prophet came from Judah and could not be buried in the sepulcher of his fathers.  This was showing all the respect, and doing all honor to him that the old prophet could ... and they mourned over him.

And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying "when I am dead, then bury me in the sepulcher wherein the man of God (the young prophet) is buried" ... as it was his own, it might be reasonably thought they would bury him in it; but, lest they should not, he gives them this charge ... "lay my bones beside his bones."

The old prophet's view in this was, that later when Josiah came to burn the bones of the priests, he would spare the bones of the man of God (the young prophet); and so his bones, lying by them, and mingled with them, would also be spared ... For the saying which he cried by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel ... was so proven in 2nd Kings 23:18.

After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way ... from the idolatrous practices he had started; that the priests should be offered on the altar in Bethel, and men's bones be burnt upon it ... although he had seen his altar rent, and the ashes poured out just as the man of God predicted; his own hand withered and restored again upon the prayer of the young prophet; all had been done already.

And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.

From John Gill's Commentary ... (edited for clarity.)



I wonder; did Jesus, as ... the lion of Judah ... stand guard over this young prophet's dead body as a sign that He watches over His saints even if bad things are allowed to happen to them?

Jeremiah 1:12 ... "Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it."  (Amplified Bible)

One must conclude, at least concerning the young prophet ... that God was watching very closely over His Word.

A word of caution: we should learn from this ... as we often have to say no to the counsel of men in the world; we should also take pause, examine and put to the test those things which ... "Men of God" ... instruct us to do as we follow them.

This story has a mysterious and fascinating quality about it; I guess that is why I am intrigued by it.

I do wonder though ... why the young prophet was dealt with so harshly by God, when others were not.

The Young Prophet … Part I

This is a different type of posting for me ... something I haven't done before.  This story is one that most Bible teachers never get around to covering.  I find it interesting in that it is one of deception between two men of God ... both prophets.  At the end of Part II ... I give what I would consider a word of caution when following spiritual leaders such as this older prophet you read about in the following story from the Word of God.  This story is given for a reason ... but it's up to you to decide just what that reason is.

Please note: only Bible Scripture itself is in italics, the rest is commentary.

1st Kings 13:1-34 ...

There came a man of God, (the young prophet) out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense ... when the man of God came ... he (the young prophet) cried against the altar in the word of the LORD ... by God's order and command, and said ... "O altar" ... addressing himself not to Jeroboam, but to the altar; the altar being as ready to hear as Jeroboam.

... "thus saith the Lord, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name" ... who was not born until three hundred years after this, clear proof of the pre-determination of God with respect to future events, even in giving a name to this child.

... "upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee." ... all of which was fulfilled by Josiah, as recorded in 2nd Kings 23:15.  It may be read, "the bones of a man" which signify that, instead of the bones of animals, which were burnt on it, the bones of men should be burnt, and later even bones of the priests themselves; proof of the truth of this prophecy, and the divine revelation of it.

And he gave a sign the same day, saying "this is the sign which the Lord hath spoken" ... as a confirmation of the truth of what the prophet had said, and for the proof of his being a true prophet of the Lord ... "Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out." ... of itself, by an invisible hand, by the power of God; signifying it should be entirely demolished, not only shaken but destroyed.

And it came to pass, when King Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, (the young prophet) who had cried against the altar in Bethel, he was highly provoked, so that he put forth his hand from the altar; on which he was burning incense, saying, "lay hold on him."

He put forth his hand, and either shook it at the prophet, threatening what he would do to him; or as beckoning to the people to seize him, which he also expressed ... and his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him ... he could not move it one way nor another, but it remained in the same position.

The altar also was rent ... split into two parts perhaps, and one fell one way, and the other another ... the ashes poured out from the altar, the ashes of the burnt offering, these were spilled on the ground ... all which was done without any outward force, or any visible means thereof ... according to the sign which the man of God (the young prophet) had given by the word of the Lord ... by His direction and order.

And the King answered and said unto the man of God ... in a different tone than when he bid the people lay hold on him; not in a haughty, but humble manner; not as threatening, but supplicating ... "entreat now the face of the Lord thy God."  He does not say, my God, for he had apostatized from Him, and served other gods; but thy God, "and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again."

The man of God (the young prophet) besought the Lord ... not rendering evil for evil; but being of a forgiving spirit, though the king had stretched out his hand against him, he lifted up his hands to heaven for him ... and the king's hand was restored again, and became as it was before.

This was further proof of the young prophet's divine mission and another instance of divine power, from which it might be concluded that what he had prophesied of ... would be fulfilled, and was an instance also of divine goodness to the king, which should have led him to repentance, but did not.

And the king said unto the man of God, (the young prophet) "come home with me and refresh thyself" ... by eating a meal with him, after such a journey he had taken, and delivered his prophecies, and put up his prayers for the king ... "and I will give thee a reward" ... for his prayers, by means of which his hand was restored to him; but the king takes no notice of the Lord, the author of this miraculous cure, nor does he express the least degree of thankfulness and gratitude to God.

And the man of God ... (the young prophet) in answer to his request to him, to assure him it was not out of contempt to him, or ill will to him, or slight of his favor, but in obedience to the will of God ... said unto the king; "If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread, nor drink water in this place; for so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou came."

This was the command of the Lord, by which he came to Bethel, and cried against the altar there ... signifying that no communion was to be had with idolaters, nor any example to be set and followed; but the way (the path) to them, and their idolatry, was to be shunned and avoided ... So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.

He neither ate nor drank with the king, (though that is not expressed) nor did he go back the same way he came; but in each ... he observed the divine command, and was obedient to it.

Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel ... which raises the question ... why was he dwelling in such an idolatrous place, allowing his sons to attend idolatrous worship, and later telling the man of God, (the young prophet) a premeditated lie.

... and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God, (the young prophet) had done that day in Bethel ... how the altar was rent, and the ashes poured out as he had said, and that Jeroboam's hand withered, and was restored upon his prayer to God ... the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.

And their father said unto them, "what way went he?" ... having a strong inclination to see him, and converse with him ... for his sons had seen what way the man of God, (the young prophet) went which came from Judah; they took notice of it and they showed it to their father.

And he said unto his sons, "saddle me the ass" ... he used to ride on; intimating he had a mind to ride after him and overtake him, as he might reasonably think he might, since the man of God, (the young prophet) was on foot.

So they saddled him the ass, and he rode thereon after the man of God, (the young prophet) and found him sitting under an oak ... to shelter him from the heat, and being faint, hungry and thirsty, the ancients of old made use of oaks for a covering.

And the old prophet from Bethel said unto him ... "Art thou the man of God that came from Judah?"  And the man of God, (the young prophet) said, "I am."

Then the old prophet said unto him ... "Come home with me, and eat bread."  An invitation in which no doubt was heart felt, and might have no ill design in it, only perhaps to have some conversation with him as a prophet of the Lord, especially upon the subject of his prophecies at Bethel.

And the young prophet said ... "I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest."

Being forbidden of God, the young prophet was resolute and determined to abide by the commandment of the Lord, though there is reason to believe that he was now both hungry and thirsty.

Although it is not expressed as such, the young prophet must have told the old prophet that the commandment came to him by an angel that was sent to him, who gave him his message and instructions; and therefore looked upon himself as under obligation to regard them as from the Lord.

Therefore ... the old prophet said to the man of God, (the young prophet) ... "I am a prophet also as thou art" ... meaning, that he also was a prophet of the true God, and not of any idol deity as those of Bethel; that he not only believed in God, and worshipped God, and had revelations from him of the same things as the man of God, (the young prophet) had; and that he (the old prophet) believed that what he (the young prophet) had prophesied of, would certainly come to pass ... but ... he (the old prophet) said ... "an angel spoke unto me by the word of the Lord" ... with the following message for the young prophet ... "Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water" ... to be refreshed, and be fit to proceed on his journey.

But he (the old prophet) ... lied unto him ...


To be continued ...


From John Gill's Commentary ... (edited for clarity.)

Leaving the Principles

Once again I find myself being directed to discuss a portion of Scripture that many, including myself, find difficult to fully understand.  So, as I try to analyze Hebrews 6:1-2, perhaps we can learn together.

The writer of Hebrews starts this chapter off with the word, "Therefore" ... which means, "because of what has just been said."  He has been speaking in the previous chapter of the fact that these Christian Jews were drinking the "milk of the Word," still needing teachers themselves instead of growing in Christ and eating real "spiritual meat."

He wants that to change, and tells them ... "leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection ..."

We need to look at some of these words and their meanings, getting as close to the original as we can find.  "Leaving the principles" ... normally would mean to walk away from something basic.  When I leave home, I walk or drive somewhere else; I'm no longer where I was ... I change positions physically.  In this text, leaving means ... "to lay aside."  You don't change it or do away with it, (the principles of Christ) you go on from them.

The "principles" spoken of here are basically this ... it is the starting point, the beginning, the corner stone of the foundation that the Christian belief is founded upon ... that only in the name and through the blood of Jesus, can mankind find salvation from sin.

So, "leaving the principles" means ... let us no longer linger here, let us go on to higher and greater attainments.  Advance in love and understanding and engage in a higher calling, not just your own salvation.

Let us go on unto ... "perfection."  I'm sure you have seen the little sign that says, "I'm a work in progress."  Well, that's us.  And guess what ... God will never get done with us until we leave this earth.  Perfection ... that's really not the true meaning as used in the scripture.

Perfection means to be free of all flaws or defects, and in a faultless condition.  I doubt that any of us fit that description physically or even more so spiritually.  The word  that the writer penned in the letter for perfection was "teleiote," and means ... completeness ... instead of perfection. 

He is saying ... let us go on unto perfection ... this completeness in the power of the Holy Spirit who will carry us forward in His love to whatever degree necessary for our calling.  The goal is to be like Christ, even though none have ever attained that goal completely.
 
It's like trying to jump and touch the moon.  Just because you might be able to jump six inches higher than someone else ... don't brag about it ... you're still so far from being able to touch the moon, it's not worth sharing.  But don't stop, keep trying; just don't talk about how close you think you are to it.  The moon or perfection.

It's kind of like being humble.  When you think you are ... you're not.

Part of reaching closer to that stage of completeness is ... "not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God ..."

If the Body of Christ, and I'm speaking of the New Testament Church, was to be built ... then believers must not keep laying the foundation again and again.  The foundation is important, but the idea is, that the cornerstone and the foundation were already laid ... it's now time to go on and build the building. 

We need to remember that this letter was written to Christian Jews who had been used to offering sacrifices for the forgiveness of sin.  That sin was both, things done that broke the Law, as well as things not done ... not performing the things required in the Law.  These would now be considered as "dead works" since Jesus fulfilled the Law.

The general principles and practices of the Jews are not the principles of the Christian faith.  There is a sharp contrast between now meaningless dead works and faith.  They are contrary.  One of the first things a Jew embracing Christianity had to understand was what the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 2:16 ...

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ ... for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."    

So the writer of Hebrews is speaking to them, not as Gentiles, but as Christian Jews ... any works you continue to practice, have nothing to do with your salvation.  You are free from dead works.

This isn't scripture, but the idea is the same ... "dead works is like putting perfume on a corpse ... it still stinks."

Continuing in verse two, he gives four examples of the type of greater, more important things that need to be part of the church they are beginning to build.

"... of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."

I like how the Amplified Bible adds this note to this second verse.  It reads ... "These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago."





Comments welcome.