Summer 31 AD

The Disabled Man at the Pool

In the summer of 31 A.D., Jesus went up to a feast in Jerusalem. By the sheep market there was a pool where a great number of disabled people waited for the waters of the pool to move. It was thought that an angel would come and stir the waters and the first one to get into the pool would be cured (John 5:3-4). There was a man there who had an infirmity for 38 years, and he explained to Jesus that he couldn't make it into the pool because the others always beat him into the pool. Jesus told him to get up, pick up his bed, or mat, and walk. Immediately he took up his bed and walked (John 5:5-9). The disabled man told the Jews that it was Jesus that made him whole. This made the Jews want to kill Jesus , because He had done these things on the Sabbath day. Jesus told them that His Father is at work, even now, and that He, too, is at work. Now, the Jews were even more angered because Jesus said God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. The Jews considered this blasphemy. Jesus went on to tell them that He and the Father are equal in works and what the Father can do, He can do (John 5:19-47).

Another (Sabbath) Controversy

Jesus and His disciples were returning to Galilee on aSabbath day,and went through some corn fields, and as they went, they plucked ears of corn to eat, because they were hungry. The Pharisees were angry and wanted to know why Jesus did that on the Sabbath day, which is not lawful (Mark 2:23-24; Luke 6:1-2; Matthew 12:1-2). Jesus pointed out that David did much the same thing when he was hungry, he ate something that, according to the Jewish law, was forbidden. Jesus reminded them that the priest worked on the Sabbath in the temple, a work of necessity, and that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Matthew 12:3-5; Luke 6:3-5; Mark 2:25-27). Jesus pointed out that in this place there was One greater than the temple, referring to Himself as the Messiah (Matthew 12:6). He continued on to say, "For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day" (Matthew 12:8).

The Man with the Withered Hand

When He returned to Galilee, Jesus went into a synagogue and taught. There were scribes, Pharisees, and a man with a withered hand in the synagogue. The scribes and Pharisees watched Jesus to see if He would heal again on the Sabbath day. Without touching the man, Jesus told him to stretch forth his hand, and it was healed. This angered the scribes and Pharisees, and they held a council against Him, trying to figure out how they might destroy Him. When Jesus knew this, He left, went down to the seaside and a great multitude followed Him, and He healed them all (Matthew 12:9-15; Luke 6:6-11; Mark 3:1-7).

Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles

Jesus went out to a mountain to pray, and spent the night in prayer. When it was day, He called His disciples and chose from them twelve, whom He named apostles (Luke 6:12-13; Mark 3:12-14). These twelve were, Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who was also the traitor (Luke 6:14-16). He specifically chose these men so that He might send them out to preach

the kingdom of God, to heal sickness, to cast out devils, and to raise the dead (Mark 3:14-15; Matthew 10:7-8; Luke 9:1-2). Since the apostles were called near the middle of the ministry of Jesus, they were with Him for almost two years, and not His entire ministry.

Sermon on the Mount

Jesus went up on a nearby mountain and gave us the Sermon on the Mount. There have been many interpretations of this sermon. One thing it does do, it tells us how Jesus will fulfill the Old Testament promises during His Millennial reign.

Jesus told the people He had not come to destroy the law, or the prophets, but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). Jesus also gave us His standard of righteousness, so that we might be able to enter into the kingdom of God, by saying that except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, we would not be able to enter into the kingdom (Matthew 5:20).

The Pharisees had thought that because of their knowledge of the law and traditions, God would accept them into the kingdom. In contrast, the Bible teaches that to be in a right relationship with God, one had to be born again (John 3:3-6). When one is born again the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed, or applied, to their account. Jesus told the disciples to "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you", (Matthew 6:33). They were to enter the kingdom by receiving the King, and the King would, in turn, provide them with the righteousness that was required to enter the kingdom.

The Centurion's Servant Healed

Jesus now proceeded to Capernaum and a centurion came to Him asking that He heal his servant, who was suffering with palsy.(Palsy is a medical term which refers to various types of paralysis, often accompanied by loss of feeling, and often uncontrolled body movements.) A centurion is a Roman officer who has charge over one hundred soldiers. Jesus said He would go, but the centurion said that he wasn't worthy that the Lord should even come under his roof, but He could just speak the word and his servant would be healed (Matthew 8:5-9; Luke 7:1-8). Jesus then marveled at the centurion's faith, and said He had found no greater faith in Israel.

Jesus was amazed at the faith of this Gentile Centurion, who had more faith than His own people. Jesus then commended the Centurion's faith, and condemned the Israelite's for their unbelief. Jesus said that many (referring to Gentiles) would come from the east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom. This shows that even though Jesus came to the Israelite's, Gentiles will be a part of the kingdom. Gentiles are all the nations except Israel. Then He added that those who rejected the King will be cast out into outer darkness, away from the presence of God (Matthew 8:11-12).

Jesus then told the centurion to go back home, and the healing would be done for him just as he believed. The centurion's servant was healed the same hour (Matthew 8:13; Luke 7:9-10). This was a second long distant healing, one in which Jesus had not seen, nor touched, the servant that was sick, but healed them by speaking the word.

Widows Son Restored to Life at Nain

The day afterward, Jesus went to the city of Nain,and His disciples, as well as many people went with Him. At the gate of the city there was a dead man being carried out. He was the only son of a widow who was walking alongside the body that was being carried, along with a number of other people from the city. Jesus saw all this, and He came near them, and they stopped and stood still. He spoke to the widow's son, and told him to get up. The dead son sat up and began to speak, then Jesus gave him back to his mother alive. There came a fear on all that were there, and they glorified God (Luke 7:11-17).

John the Baptist

John the Baptist had been imprisoned for preaching against Herod Antipas who had convinced his brother's wife to leave her husband and marry him, and John had been in prison for about a year now. He sent two of his disciples to question Jesus, to see if He was really the Messiah. When they arrived, Jesus told them to go back to John and tell him what they had heard. The blind had received their sight, the lame walked, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them (Matthew 11:2-6; Luke 7:19-23). These were proof that

Jesus was God,the Messiah that the prophets of the Old Testament had prophesied would come (Isaiah 29:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1).

Anointing of Jesus' Feet

An unbelieving Pharisee came to Jesus and wanted Him to come and have a meal at his house. When Jesus had sat down to eat with him, a woman, who was a sinner, came into the house and washed the feet of Jesus. The Pharisee thought to himself that, if Jesus allowed this unclean woman to touch Him, then He wasn't a prophet, nor the Messiah. According to the Pharisees interpretation of the law, this would make Him ceremonially unclean (Luke 7:36-39).

Then, because of her faith, Jesus told the woman that hersins were forgiven. This brought up a problem for the Pharisees again, with the question of who could forgive sins but God. Therefore, the Pharisees present at the dinner would not accept Jesus as God, and rejected Him. They thought He should act according to their idea of righteousness (Luke 7:40-50).

The Third Galilean Tour

Afterward, Jesus and His twelve disciples went throughout every city and village, preaching the good news of the kingdom of God (Luke 8:1). Jesus is preparing His disciples for their future ministry, and the following spring He sent them out into Galilee again, two by two.

During this third Galilean tour there were many healed of evil spirits and infirmities. Seven devils were sent out of Mary, called Magdalene, probably because she was from a city named Magdala, and many others were healed (Luke 8:2-3).

Demon Possessed Blind Man Who Was Unable to Speak Healed

Next, they brought one to Jesus who was possessed by a devil, blind, and unable to speak, and Jesus healed him. The people were amazed, but the Pharisees said He cast out devils by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of the devils (Matthew 12:22-24; Mark 3:20-23).

Jesus then began to question them in return. He said that, if they were right, then was it

Satan that was casting out Satan? If so, then Satan was divided against himself. And since some of the scribes' own sons had cast out Demons, He asked them another question, "By whom do your sons cast out Demons?" Then Jesus said that if He had cast out Demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God had indeed come to them (Matthew 12:25-28; Luke 3:23-26). This was the proof of who He was and His ministry. The scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign from Jesus, but He told them they would not receive a sign other than that of Jonah, referring to His own death, burial, and resurrection. Back in the Old Testament, the prophet Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of a large sea creature, perhaps a whale, so Jesus was giving them a point of reference. Still, the religious leaders of Israel rejected Him as the Messiah, and this was a turning point in His ministry.

His Rejection by Friends and Family

Jesus had been preaching for almost two years now that the kingdom of God was at hand, and was rejected by many. Up to this time there were those who thought Jesus was a liar. Others, including friends and family, thought that He was insane (Mark 3:21). Others, which included the common people, publicans, who were tax collectors, harlots, and the centurion believed, and recognized, that Jesus was the Messiah . Jesus said the lawyers and Pharisees that rejected Him were behaving like children who were determined not to be pleased ( Luke 7:30-34 ).


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