King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 12 notes
1And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judæa by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.
2And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
Why such a question? What prompted this thought process for them to tempt him with this particular question of all questions 🙋?
Had Jesus made a statement indicating his stand on divorce, hence this angle of questioning used against him?
3And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
He sends them back to the law ⚖.
He knew these Pharisees, else they start to spread rumors that Jesus teaches the people against the law of Moses.
It seems they had tried this before, because somewhere Jesus drives home the point that he had come not to break the law but to fulfill it.
4And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
5And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
Wow, this Jesus... Imagine this young 30 year old man 👨🏿 teaching and instructing these learned leaders and elders, doctors and teachers of the law.
No wonder they detested him so much.
He was disdainful... Such a young man commanding such authority.
Indeed, is this not Joseph the carpenter's son?
6But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
7For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
I think children are a good depiction of the one flesh.
Sharing the chromosomes of both parents.
Is that what happens when you have sex?
You share your body and yourselves. You intertwine in a way.
1 Corinthians 6:18 KJV
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
1 Corinthians 6:16 KJV
What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
I'm trying to figure out how the one flesh is accomplished, but it seems there is something about sex that makes people exchange of themselves.
9What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
10And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
11And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
So after giving his public view on the matter, he tells his private view to his disciples.
12And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
13And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter there in.
16And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
17And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
He couldn't forgo the great possessions for the eternal life he so claimed he wanted, and which laws he had kept from childhood.
Now Jesus was offering him something greater than the eternal.
A place with him, God.
What can be compared to God? But he missed it.
Lord, have mercy and let us not miss you, we pray.
23And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
So obviously, like is natural to men, we all want some comfort.
And indeed it is not anti-Christ to desire good things.
So Jesus saying it could hinder their part in the kingdom bothered them.
For they loved the kingdom also very much 🙏.
So Jesus clarified and brought balance to the discussion.
27And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
28Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
29And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
30But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
31But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
32And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,
33Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:
34And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
Jesus had seen his own death many times.
How else could he have so vividly described what was about to happen to him?
35And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
36And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?
37They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
38But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
39And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
40But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
41And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.
Such faith, they so trusted Jesus that they were already sharing heavenly inheritance they were yet to see.
This was how compelling the evidence for Jesus as Messiah was.
Yet this same evidence for others meant he needed to die, lest they lose their place, i.e. the Pharisees.
42But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
43But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
44And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
46And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimæus, the son of Timæus, sat by the highway side begging.
47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
It seems the common man on the streets knew about the Messiah and certain key attributes he was to possess.
For example, here the blind man knew he was to be a son of David.
The disciples after the transfiguration on the mountains knew that Elijah was to come first.
So they knew the signs of the Messiah in general, just that at times Jesus confused them a bit, but all in all he chose to demonstrate and prove who he was rather than to make verbal claims.
48And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
49And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
50And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
51And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
52And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
Go thy way is the command, but after receiving his healing, as is the case for most of us 🙏... Go thy way becomes a voluntary I will rather follow your way, because there is something you know that I don't know.
So obviously you know a better way than my way.