The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 4:1-3,
"Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee."
I am somewhat fascinated to read of the strategy Jesus employed during his public ministry the last three years of his life.
When Jesus found out the Pharisees had learned he was gaining in influence and was developing a greater following than John the Baptist, he left Judah and went back up to Galilee. It is clear Jesus was not afraid of the Pharisees, as he boldly confronted them in fascinating ways on a number of occasions. Rather, his move to Galilee had a tactical purpose.
Jesus employed strategies culminating in a multifaceted outcome that would serve his purpose. We read his primary purpose was to effect a substitutionary atonement for the sins of all mankind, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10. Additionally, he employed fulfilled prophecy and utilized miracles to establish his bona fides - demonstrating the veracity of his teachings and establishing who he was.
He was not here simply to gain a big following or to be mistaken as some kind of military leader (as the judges were in Gideon's day.) John made the following observation, "After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, 'Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.' Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself." John 6:14-15. Jesus came to die on a cross, not to assume the throne in Jerusalem (not at this time... he will assume it yet in the future.)
Jesus' comings and goings were dictated by his design to manipulate outcomes and the achievement of all he set himself to do while here. Notice this fascinating account by John, "After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to him, 'Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.'" John 7:1-4.
Jesus determined his sacrificial death be by his design, not the design of the Jewish leaders. So, he moved in a way to accommodate that. Although his half-brothers were merely taunting Jesus, they pointed out that if Jesus wanted to make a name for himself, he needed to show up at various events for the exposure. His response to his brothers was, "You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come." John 7:8.
Strategy, manipulation, bringing about his desired outcomes, were all employed by the greatest mastermind the world has known.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee."
I am somewhat fascinated to read of the strategy Jesus employed during his public ministry the last three years of his life.
When Jesus found out the Pharisees had learned he was gaining in influence and was developing a greater following than John the Baptist, he left Judah and went back up to Galilee. It is clear Jesus was not afraid of the Pharisees, as he boldly confronted them in fascinating ways on a number of occasions. Rather, his move to Galilee had a tactical purpose.
Jesus employed strategies culminating in a multifaceted outcome that would serve his purpose. We read his primary purpose was to effect a substitutionary atonement for the sins of all mankind, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10. Additionally, he employed fulfilled prophecy and utilized miracles to establish his bona fides - demonstrating the veracity of his teachings and establishing who he was.
He was not here simply to gain a big following or to be mistaken as some kind of military leader (as the judges were in Gideon's day.) John made the following observation, "After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, 'Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.' Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself." John 6:14-15. Jesus came to die on a cross, not to assume the throne in Jerusalem (not at this time... he will assume it yet in the future.)
Jesus' comings and goings were dictated by his design to manipulate outcomes and the achievement of all he set himself to do while here. Notice this fascinating account by John, "After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to him, 'Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.'" John 7:1-4.
Jesus determined his sacrificial death be by his design, not the design of the Jewish leaders. So, he moved in a way to accommodate that. Although his half-brothers were merely taunting Jesus, they pointed out that if Jesus wanted to make a name for himself, he needed to show up at various events for the exposure. His response to his brothers was, "You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come." John 7:8.
Strategy, manipulation, bringing about his desired outcomes, were all employed by the greatest mastermind the world has known.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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