Overview: The Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew-John)
2022-12-20
Introduction and Doctrinal Background
Everything in the Bible points to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament pointed forward to His coming; the epistles look back at His first coming and look forward to His second coming. The Gospels tell the story of our Lord and His life of service toward sinners, though He is King and the Son of God. The word “Gospel” means “good tidings” or “good news.” This good news is explicitly defined as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). More on this in a moment.
Jesus did not come without warning. The first promise to Adam and Eve after they sinned was the coming of the virgin-born Deliverer that would destroy Satan (Genesis 3:15). After this prophecy, there are numerous prophecies about Jesus, most of which have been fulfilled already. See a list of some here.
The words Christ and Messiah mean “anointed king.” This is Jesus’ title, as He was the promised king from the line of David.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This is a statement of His Deity. He is fully God, but He also became a human being. He is both fully God and fully human. He is God, yet distinct from God the Father. These subjects are encapsulated in the field of study “Christology.”
Jesus’ Birth and Childhood
Jesus was born of a virgin. Theologically, this is important because Jesus needed to become a human being, yet not a descendant of Adam. His mother according to the flesh was Mary, who was espoused to a man named Joseph. She gave birth away from her home of Galilee, in Bethlehem, because of a census. He was born in a stable and laid in a feeding trough.
Not much was known of Jesus’ childhood. He was honored by shepherds and eastern mystics early in His life. At the age of 12, He reasoned with Jewish scholars in the Temple, astonishing them with His knowledge.
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was a prophet who prepared the way for Jesus’ coming. John’s mother and Jesus’ mother were cousins; John and Jesus were born about six months apart. John came in the power of the prophet Elijah, being a messenger before the Lord’s coming. “As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Mark 1:2-3). He came preaching a message of repentance, since the Lord was coming. People came to him in the wilderness and were baptized, hence identifying themselves with his message of the coming Messiah and His kingdom.
Jesus’ Ministry: Teaching and Miracles
When Jesus began His earthly ministry, He came to John the Baptist in the wilderness. He himself was baptized, identifying Himself with human beings. At that time, God the Father said to His Son Jesus, “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22), as the Spirit of God descended upon the Son. The distinction between the Father, the Son and the Spirit of the LORD is seen at this scene.
After His baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness, fasting and being tempted of Satan for 40 days. From there, He went to Galilee and began to teach. Much of His teaching involved parables, which were stories that encapsulated spiritual truth. Some of His teaching involved forgiveness of enemies and inward purity rather than showy religiosity. Much of His teaching shows us our need for a Savior for our sinful shortcoming while also needing regenerating power from God to do His commands.
His teaching was accompanied by numerous miraculous signs, including healings, raising people from the dead, casting out devils, feeding multitudes with small amounts of food, turning water into wine, and many such wondrous things.
Jesus’ Followers
The Lord Jesus had numerous followers, but He had a core twelve disciples that He entrusted the most teachings to, and three of those He was especially close to: Peter, James, and John. James and John were brothers. Many of these men were fishermen. They were not from the religious elite. He had the most resistance from the religious leadership and experts in the Law, while they should have been the most aware of who He was. Some of them accused Him of being demon possessed. Many other of His followers were converted outcasts. He extended forgiveness to people such as prostitutes and tax collectors, who believed on Him and forsook their former ways of living. He often showed how “many that are first shall be last; and the last first” (Mark 10:31).
Jesus delegated His authority to the 12 and to another 70, who went out preaching about Jesus and His coming kingdom. At another time, at an event called the Transfiguration, some of His disciples saw Him in His full glory, where He consulted with Moses and Elijah, and the Father affirmed Jesus’ Sonship in their presence.
Jesus’ Ascent to Jerusalem and Final Teaching
Toward the end of His ministry, Jesus began His final ascent to Jerusalem. His entry into the city was called the triumphal entry, where He rode a donkey into the city, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9. The people welcomed Him, saying, “Hosanna.” This event is called Palm Sunday on many religious calendars. While there, He had a series of confrontations with the religious elite, who questioned his authority and tried to trick Him with hard questions. He preached hard against them as well. He warned the disciples of the end times in a message called the Olivet Discourse.
At what is called the Last Supper, He ate the Passover with His disciples, reminding them much about the things He would suffer and how He would be betrayed. He instituted what is called the Lord’s Supper for His disciples to remember Him by. He also taught them about service to one another by foot washing. He told them about the coming of the Holy Spirit and His own promised return, though they would forsake Him. Jesus foretold specifically about Peter’s denying Him once He would be arrested.
Jesus led His disciples to a garden called Gethsemane, where they often prayed. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, was hired by the religious leaders to lead a band of men to arrest Jesus.
Jesus’ Trial, Torture, Death, Burial and Resurrection
Jesus stood before Caiaphas the high priest and was questioned. False witnesses came forward, but the accusations did not agree. When Jesus said that He was the Christ and the Son of God, they charged Him with blasphemy. “But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy” (Matthew 26:63-65).
They brought Jesus before the governor Pontius Pilate to be questioned. Because Jesus was a Galilean, He was also sent to Herod, but He then was sent back to Pilate. Because of the pressure of the crowds, Pilate had Him scourged (a severe beating that few survived), and then He was crucified, a barbaric execution which involved slowly torturing the man to death. He was nailed to crossbeams through His hands and feet, while His ripped-up back rubbed against the wood of the cross.
While on the cross, our Lord said seven specific things that fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. You can read about those here. While on the cross, while He went through much physical torture, He also bore the sins of the world. “...his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). The wrath of God was poured out on His Son. “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him” (Isaiah 53:10).
Jesus truly died. “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:33-34). A rich counsellor named Joseph of Arimathaea and a Pharisee named Nicodemus took the body of Jesus, and preparing Him for burial, placed Him in a grave. Jesus was buried for three days.
On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead and was seen of many witnesses over a 40-day period. They saw the holes in His hands and feet and in His side. Mary Magdalene and her companions were the first to see Him risen from the dead. The eleven remaining disciples, which were called apostles, saw Him after the ladies did. Jesus’ half-brother James and a Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus (Paul) also saw Him alive, as well as more than 500 other unnamed individuals.
Jesus’ resurrection affirms that His death as a sacrifice for sin was accepted. “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:11-12).
The Great Commission
After He rose from the dead, Jesus told His disciples to declare to the world the Gospel: that He died for their sins (and ours), was buried, and that He rose again. They were witnesses to those events. They were to teach all nations what Jesus taught and baptize them. They were to wait in Jerusalem to receive the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit. He would give them power to preach the Gospel. They were to begin in Jerusalem, and move out to the surrounding areas, eventually going to the ends of the world (i.e., everywhere), preaching the good news of Jesus Christ. After this, our Lord ascended to heaven, was enthroned at the right hand of the Father until the time He would return.
These writings exist as a very small part in bringing this good news to the world.
Jesus’s death was for all humanity. Hope beyond the grave exists only by trusting in Jesus Christ.