Jesus the Christ Part 37

FOOTNOTES:

[694] Matt. 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6.

[695] Luke 4:28-30. See pages 179-181.

[696] Pages 254, 274.

[697] Note 2, page 273.

[698] Note 1, end of chapter.

[699] Matt. 10:5-42; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-5.

[700] Mark 3:14.

[701] Matt. 10:5-42; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6.

[702] Note 2, end of chapter.

[703] Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15. Page 695 herein.

[704] Note 3, end of chapter.

[705] Matt. 10:18-20; compare Mark 13:9; Luke 12:10-12.

[706] Mark 6:7.

[707] John 5; pages 206, 216.

[708] Matt. 11:2-19; Luke 7:18-34; see page 252.

[709] Page 259.

[710] Mark 6:12, 13; Luke 9:10. Note similar testimony of the Seventy, who were sent out at a later time, and who returned rejoicing in the power that had been manifest in their ministry; Luke 10:17.

[711] Note 4, end of chapter.

[712] John 6:5-14; compare Matt. 14:15-21; Mark 6:35-44; Luke 9:12-17.

[713] John 6:4; Matt. 14:19; Mark 6:39.

[714] Note 5, end of chapter.

[715] Matt. 14:22-33; compare Mark 6:45-52; John 6:15-21.

[716] Page 321.

[717] Note 6, end of chapter.

[718] That is to say, "since" or "inasmuch".

[719] Compare Peter's impetuous leap into the sea to reach the resurrected Lord on the sh.o.r.e, John 21:7.

[720] Mark 6:52.

[721] Note that this is the first occurrence of this t.i.tle in the Synoptic Gospels, as applied to Jesus by mortals; compare an earlier instance of its application by Nathanael, John 1:49.

[722] "Articles of Faith," v:11-13--"Faith a Principle of Power."

[723] Josephus, Wars. iii, 10:7, 8.

[724] Mark 6:53-56; compare Matt. 14:34-36. Note 7, end of chapter.

[725] John 6:22-27.

[726] Note 8, end of chapter.

[727] John 6:32-59.

[728] John 4:13-15; page 174 herein.

[729] Isa. 54:13; Jer. 31:34; Micah 4:2; compare Heb. 8:10; 10:16.

[730] Note 9, end of chapter.

[731] Note 10, end of chapter.

[732] Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19, 20. Page 596.

[733] John 6:59-71.

[734] Luke 3:16, 17; Matt. 3:11, 12.

[735] Compare this confession (John 6:68, 69) with Peter's later testimony (Matt. 16:16). Note 11, end of chapter.

CHAPTER 22.

A PERIOD OF DARKENING OPPOSITION.

Our Lord's last recorded discourse in the synagog at Capernaum, which followed close upon the miracle of feeding the five thousand and that of walking upon the water, marked the beginning of another epoch in the development of His life's work. It was the season of an approaching Pa.s.sover festival;[736] and at the next succeeding Pa.s.sover, one year later, as shall be shown, Jesus would be betrayed to His death. At the time of which we now speak, therefore, He was entering upon the last year of His ministry in the flesh. But the significance of the event is other and greater than that of a chronological datum-plane. The circ.u.mstance marked the first stage of a turn in the tide of popular regard toward Jesus, which theretofore had been increasing, and which now began to ebb. True, He had been repeatedly criticized and openly a.s.sailed by complaining Jews on many earlier occasions; but these crafty and even venomous critics were mostly of the ruling cla.s.ses; the common people had heard Him gladly, and indeed many of them continued so to do;[737] nevertheless His popularity, in Galilee at least, had begun to wane. The last year of His earthly ministration was inaugurated by a sifting of the people who professed to believe His word, and this process of test, trial, and separation, was to continue to the end.

We are without information as to Jesus having attended this Pa.s.sover feast; and it is reasonable to infer that in view of the increasing hostility on the part of the rulers, He refrained from going to Jerusalem on the occasion. Conjecture as to whether any of the Twelve went up to the festival is profitless; we are not told. Certain it is that immediately after this time, the detectives and spies, who had been sent from Jerusalem into Galilee to watch Jesus, became more active than ever in their critical espionage. They dogged His footsteps, noted every act, and every instance of omission of traditional or customary observance, and were constantly on the alert to make Him out an offender.

CEREMONIAL WAs.h.i.+NGS, "AND MANY SUCH LIKE THINGS,"[738]