Written by Richard S. Thompson Saturday, 03 November :59 - Last Updated Wednesday, 06 February :05

Transcription

1 Last month we finished with the Baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist. It was at this point that He began His public ministry which was to last just over three a a half years, from His baptism on the Day of Atonement on the 10 th day of the seventh month in 26 AD to Passover at "twilight" of the 14 th day of the first month in 30 AD. It was at this point that the Gospel of Luke includes his genealogy. The Genealogy of Luke The seco genealogy in the New Testament is in Luke. The Gospel of Luke is slanted toward the Gentiles. Luke was a Gentile a was the longtime companion of Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles. Since this Book is to the Gentiles, the genealogy goes back to Adam as contrasted with the one in Matthew which goes back to Abraham. It was with Adam that God made the great covenant that concerned the Gentiles Genesis 3:15 -ff. I have italicized the names in the genealogy of Luke. Luke 3:23-38 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph Heli Matthat, the son of Levi Melki Jannai Joseph Mattathias Amos 1 / 8

2 Nahum Esli Naggai Maath Mattathias Semein Josech Joda Joanan Rhesa Zerubbabel Shealtiel Neri Melki Addi Cosam Elmadam Er Joshua Eliezer Jorim Matthat Levi 2 / 8

3 Simeon Judah Joseph Jonam Eliakim Melea Menna Mattatha Nathan David Jesse Obed Boaz Salmon Nahshon Amminadab Ram Hezron Perez Judah Jacob Isaac Abraham 3 / 8

4 Terah Nahor Serug Reu Peleg Eber Shelah Cainan Arphaxad Shem Noah Lamech Methuselah Enoch Jared Mahalalel Kenan Enosh Seth Adam God. When we studied the genealogy in Matthew we dealt with the two problems there. There are 4 / 8

5 also two problems in compreheing Luke's genealogy. The first problem is this, the genealogy is quite different from the one in Matthew. The names between Jesus a David are different except for Shealtiel a Zerubbabel. How could both of them be accurate? The answer is quite simple, this genealogy is the line of Christ through Mary. The genealogy in Matthew 1:1-16 is explicitly the line of Joseph's father. It includes the explicit statement "Jacob the father of Joseph." In Luke the genealogy starts with the statement "He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph Heli" a es with the statement "the son of Adam, the son of God." In this genealogy Jesus is related as the "son of" or desceant of each character in the list. It is critical to uersta this! The genealogy does not relate each character in the list to the previous character in the list but to the first character, Jesus. Hence it is Jesus who was the son of desceant of Heli his maternal grafather, not Joseph. Jesus was only "thought to be the son of Joseph." If we uersta the passage to say that Joseph was the son of Heli, then that is in direct contradiction to Matthew 1:16 which says the Joseph was the son of Jacob. However, that is not what it says. Next, the genealogy says that J esus is the son of Matthat. Remember two things, "Jesus" is uerstood as the object of the relationship, a "son of" means "desceant of." As we go down the list, we uersta therefore, that Jesus is the son of David Jesse Abraham, a the son of God. All terms by which He is known elsewhere in the Scripture. To reiterate, at the e of the list, it is Jesus who is the son of God, not Adam. Adam is never spoken of elsewhere in the Bible as the son of God, but Jesus is so called 39 times. The seco problem with Luke is this, Shealtiel a Zerubbabel are in both this list a in Matthew's list yet with a different father for Shealtiel in each list. Matthew's list goes through Jehioachin who was childless. His progeny was exteed by a Levirate birth fathered by the line in Luke out of the line of David's son Nathan. This child born of a Levirate birth was Shealtiel. Shealtiel had a son Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel had at least two sons, Rhesa, listed in Luke, through whom Mary's father was desceed, a Abiud, listed in Matthew 1:13, through whom Joseph's father was desceed. A natural question is, "Why, if they were both related through Zerubabel to David did the Holy Spirit choose to take one line through the legal line of inheritance a the other through biological line? First, the legal line of Matthew established Jesus as the legal heir of King Josiah, through Jehoiachim a Jehoiachin Jehoiachim's brother Zedekiah, the last King of Judea died without any living heirs. Seco, the biological line established Jesus as the heir through the election of grace through faith. Evidently, all of those in Jesus' biological line were believers. Even Terah, Abraham's father became a believer Genesis 31:53. Think of the odds! 5 / 8

6 4:8 [i] The Temptation in the Desert After Jesus was baptized in the water of the Jordan at the same ford where the children of Israel crossed dry shod, a Joshua took the twelve stones out of the Jordan, Jesus had established in figure what He was going to do. He was Israel the prince of God, the one who was going to walk for Israel. He was also the lamb the Hebrew words for lamb a goat are interchangeable that was going to carry the sins of the world. He was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to Azazel the devil to be tested. Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert [a] to be tempted by the devil. 4:2 Aft er fasting forty days a forty nights, he was hungry. 4:3 The tempter came to him a said, "If you are the Son of God, [b] tell these stones to become bread." [c] 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" [d] 4:5 Then the devil took him [e] to the holy city a had him sta on the highest point of the temple. [f] 4:6 "If you are the Son of God," [g] he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " He will comma his angels concerning you, a they will lift you up in their has, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" [h] 4:7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain [j] a showed him all the kingdoms of the world a their spleor. 6 / 8

7 4:9 4:10 4:11 [l] Then the devil left him, a angels came a atteed him. Notice that in Luke's account, the order of the last two temptations is reversed. Considering that Matthew uses words denoting sequence "then [m] the devil" Matthew 4:5 a "again, the devil" Matthew 4:8 a Luke doesn't, it is certainly Matthew's account that is sequential. Luke 4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from turned his back on the [n] Jordan a was led by the Spirit in the desert, 4:2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, a at the e of them he was hungry. 4:3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, [o] tell this stone to become bread." 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: Man does not live on bread alone.'" 4:5 The devil led him up to a high place a showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 4:6 A he said to him, "I will give you all their authority a spleor, answered, "It is written: Worship the Lord your God a serve him only.'" 4:9 [q] The devil led him to Jerusalem a had him sta on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," [r] he said, "throw yourself down from here. 4:10 For it is written: " He will comma his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 4:11 they will lift you up in their has, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" 4:12 Jesus answered, "It says: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 4:13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. [s] Mark 1:12 At once the Spirit sent him out [t] into the desert, [u] 1:13 a he was in the desert forty days, [v] being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, a angels atteed him. John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him a said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! The Scriptures Related to the Goat for Azazel Satan Leviticus 16:5 From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats Christ's Return from the Desert after His Temptation [w] for a sin offering :7 Then he is to take the two goats a present them before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 16:8 He is to cast lots for the two goats--one lot for the LORD a the other for the Azazel Satan. It is important in reading the following passage to remember was written by the Apostle John who was an eyewitness to the proceedings a they made such an impact on Him that he left John the Baptist to follow Jesus. If you read the passage keeping in mi what must have been the feelings of John the Baptist it will break your heart. The History John 1:15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out The Apostle's Commentary John 1:16 The History John 1:19 "I saw you while you were still uer the fig tree [ss] before Philip called you." 1:49 cried out From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 1:17, Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests a Levites to ask him who he was. 1:20 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." 1:50 Jesus said, [z] saying, "This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" For the law was given through Moses; grace a truth came through Jesus Christ. 1:18 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ. " 1:21 [aa] No one has ever seen God, but God the One a Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" [bb] [x] [cc] 16:9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the LORD a sacrifice it for a sin offering. 16:10 He answered, "No." 1:22 But the goat chosen by lot for Azazel Satan shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by seing it into the desert for Azazel Satan :20 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 1:23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, Make straight the way for the Lord.'" "When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting a the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. 16:21 [dd] 1:24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 1:25 questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" He is to lay both has on the head of the live goat a confess over it all the wickedness a rebellion of the Israelites--all their sins--a put them on the goat's head. He shall se the goat away into the desert in the care of a man appointed for the task. 16:22 1:26 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stas one [ee] you do not know. 1:27 He is the one who comes [ff] after me, the thongs of whose saals I am not worthy to untie." 1:28 The goat will carry on itself all their sins This all happened at Bethany see map location 1 [gg] [y] on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. to a solitary place; a the man shall release it in the desert. [hh] 1:29 The next day see map location 2 [ii] John saw Jesus coming toward him a said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 1:30 This is the one I meant when I said, A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 1:31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." 1:32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit [jj] come down from heaven as a dove a remain on him. [kk] 1:33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, The man on whom you see the Spirit come down a remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 1:34 I have seen a I testify that this is the Son of God." 1:35 The next day John was there again see map location 2 with two of his disciples. 1:36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" [ll] 1:37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. [mm] 1:38 Turning arou, Jesus saw them following a asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" which means Teacher, "where are you staying?" 1:39 "Come," he replied, "a you will see." So they went a saw where he was staying, see map location 4 [nn] a spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. [oo] 1:40 Arew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said a who had followed Jesus. 1:41 The first thing Arew did was to fi his brother Simon a tell him, "We have fou the Messiah" that is, the Christ. 1:42 A he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him a said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" which, when translated, is Peter. 1:43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. [p] for it has been given to me, a I can give it to anyone I want to. 4:7 So if you worship me, it will all be yours." 4:8 Jesus [pp] Fiing Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 1:44 Philip, like Arew a Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 1:45 Philip fou Nathanael [qq] a told him, "We have fou the one Moses wrote about in the Law, a about whom the prophets also wrote-jesus of Nazareth Joseph." 1:46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" [rr] Nathanael asked. "Come a see," said Philip. 1:47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 1:48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down a worship me." [k] Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, a serve him only.'" Although the Gospel of John does not record the Baptism or Temptation of Jesus, the first words John utters when he sees Jesus again reveals that he has uerstood that Jesus carried away sin as the live goat or lamb on the day of Atonement carried it away. 7 / 8

8 "You believe because I told you I saw you uer the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 1:51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, a the angels of God asceing a desceing on the Son of Man." [tt] 2:1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. see map location 5 [uu] Jesus' mother was there, 2:2 a Jesus a his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. Scale - 15 Miles Bethany beyo Jordan Aenon near Salim The Relatives of Jesus Christ James & John are the 1st Cousins of Jesus My conclusions about the relationship of Jesus to the disciple brothers James a John to are based on an analysis of three Gospel lists of women who were watching the crucifixion. The three lists are fou in Matthew 27:56, John 19:25, a Mark 15:40. John 19:25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, [vv] a Mary Magdalene. Matthew 27:55-56 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James a Joses, a the mother of Zebedee's sons. Mark 15:40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger a of Joses, a Salome. Below you will fi a table which organizes these facts: The Women at the Cross List of Women First Woman Seco Woman Third Woman Fourth Woman John 19:25 Mary Magdalene His mother [ww] his mother's sister Mary the wife of Clopas [xx] Matthew 27:56 Mary Magdalene Mary mother of James a Joses mother of Zebedee's sons Mark 15:40 Mary Magdalene Mary mother of James a Joses Salome It is clear that Mary Magdalene was in every list, so it was almost certainly the same group. However, our insights a our problems come in the identification of the other members Some have taken the phrase "his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas" in John 19:25 to be referring to one person. This would mean that Mary had a sister also named Mary which is unlikely. I think we can we can conclude that the term "his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas" is talking about two women Some have concluded that that Mary mother of James a Joses in the 2 a 3 rd lists is not Mary the mother of Jesus, but Mary the wife of Clopas. We know that Mary the mother of Jesus had two sons, James a Joses Joseph who were prominent in the early church. Some have asserted that Clopas a Alpheus are actually the same person, so that James the son of Alpheus, one of the twelve disciples would also be the son of Mary, the wife of Clopas. Therefore they say that Mary mother of James a Joses in the seco two lists is Mary the wife of Clopas. Actually this fabrication that Clopas = Alpheus is part of a Roman Catholic attempt to defe the perpetual virginity of Mary as I will show later. Ironically, in the process, they imply that Mary was so fragile that she fled from the scene of the crucifixion a was so upset that she didn't even return with the women on Suay morning to anoint His body. Either that, or she was just omitted from the last two lists. Who do you think would be left out of two of the lists? The Lord's mother, or Mary the wife of Clopas? To me, the answer is a no brainer, so I was puzzled when I discovered there was a lot of support for Mary the wife of Clopas in church history. I finally figured out why. There is some support in Church tradition that Clopas was the brother of Joseph. [yy] If this account from the early seco century AD is true, then this would arguably make this woman, Mary's sister-in-law. [zz] However, Eusibius, the source of the tradition tipped me off as to the reason for accepting Mary of Clopas as the seco member of the 2 a 3 rd lists. Eusebius was an early subscriber to the Ever Virgin Mary doctrine of the Catholic Church. The Catholics have proposed for years that Clopas is equivalent to Alphaeus. I've read that commentary a hured times even in Protestant books a woered how Alphaeus = Clopas. There is never any explanation as there is with so many other transmutation of names. Why? Because if Alphaeus = Clopas then James the son of Alphaeus one of the twelve disciples is James the son of Clopas. If James is the son of Clopas, then he is James the Lord's brother mentioned in Galatians 1:19, a the Catholic Church's argument that James is the cousin or "relative" of Jesus, not his real brother gains weight. Since they have have long argued, against Greek grammar, to say that brother a relative mean the same thing, they can say "See James was just his relative, therefore, relative means brother!" Of course even if Clopas was Joseph's brother, it does not make Alphaeus = Clopas. The following passages also help make the point that the seco Mary in the seco two lists must have been the mother of Jesus. Otherwise, it means Mary forsook her son at the cross, a never even went to his tomb! - 3. Matthew 27:55-61 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James a Joses, a the mother of Zebedee's sons. As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, a Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, a placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb a went away. Mary Magdalene a the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. Mark 15:46-47 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, a placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene a Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. Mark 16:1-3 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, a Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb a they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" Clearly the seco Mary in these Matthew a Mark passages is the seco Mary in the Matthew a Mark lists of women at the cross above. Conclusion the seco Mary in the 2 a 3 rd lists is Mary the Lord's mother The third woman in each of the lists is described differently in each list. This is really no problem, a gives us the insight into the relationship of Jesus to James a John. The third woman is described as the sister of Mary, the wife of Zebedee a her name was Salome. She is one a the same woman. As the wife of Zebedee, she was the mother of James a John, the disciples of Jesus, the "sons of thuer" as the following verse attest: Matthew 4:21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee a his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Mark 3:17 James son of Zebedee a his brother John to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thuer; If the mother of James a John was the aunt of Jesus it would have made John the closest male relative at the cross where Jesus, the eldest son of Mary was dying, a would explain the following request by the Lord to John: John 19:25-27 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, a Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, a the disciple whom he loved staing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," a to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. If the mother of James a John was the aunt of Jesus it would help explain her tremeous presumption in approaching Christ for a special favor for her sons. Matthew 20:20-21 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons a, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. "What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right a the other at your left in your kingdom." If John was a relative of Jesus it would explain why John could walk two days from the Jordan with his partner Arew a be invited to the wedding at Cana, also why Mary a Jesus' brothers would go down to Capernaum where John a his family lived after the wedding. John 2:1-12 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, a Jesus a his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Better translated "Dear lady, what is that to you a Me." RST Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Nearby stood six stone water jars, the ki used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water" ; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out a take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, a the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside a said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first a then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, a his disciples put their faith in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother a brothers a his disciples. However, if they were first cousins, it begs the question, why didn't John know who Jesus was when he first met him? This is my answer: -- Just after the departure of Joseph, Mary a Jesus to Egypt to escape the slaughter of the babies in Bethlehem, being just after the census that brought Joseph to Bethlehem, an insurrection broke out in the precincts of Sepphoris in Galilee. It happens that Nazareth was located just four miles from Sepphoris. These are some of the pertinent passages from Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews, by Flavius Josephus, Book 17, Chapter 10 Verse 5. There was also Judas that Ezekias who had been head of the robbers; which Ezekias was a very strong man, a had with great difficulty been caught by Herod. This Judas, having gotten together a multitude of men of a profligate character about Sepphoris in Galilee, made an assault upon the palace [there,] a seized upon all the weapons that were laid up in it, a with them armed every one of those that were with him, a carried away what money was left there; a he became terrible to all men, by tearing a reing those that came near him; a all this in order to raise himself, a out of an ambitious desire of the royal dignity; a he hoped to obtain that as the reward not of his virtuous skill in war, but of his extravagance in doing injuries. Wars of the Jews, by Flavius Josephus, Book 2, Chapter 4, Verse 1b. At this time there were great disturbances in the country, a that in many places; a the opportunity that now offered itself iuced a great many to set up for kings. A ieed in Idumea two thousa of Herod's veteran soldiers got together, a armed a fought against those of the king's party; against whom Achiabus, the king's first cousin, fought, a that out of some of the places that were the most strongly fortified; but so as to avoid a direct conflict with them in the plains. In Sepphoris also, a city of Galilee, there was one Judas the son of that arch-robber Hezekias, who formerly overran the country, a had been subdued by king Herod; this man got no small multitude together, a brake open the place where the royal armor was laid up, a armed those about him, a attacked those that were so earnest to gain the dominion. Antiquities of the Jews, by Flavius Josephus, Book 17, Chapter 10 Verse 9. As soon as Varus was once informed of the state of Judea by Sabinus's writing to him, he was afraid for the legion he had left there; so he took the two other legions, for there were three legions in all belonging to Syria, a four troops of horsemen, with the several auxiliary forces which either the kings or certain of the tetrarchs afforded him, a made what haste he could to assist those that were then besieged in Judea. He also gave order that all that were sent out for this expedition, should make haste to Ptolemais. The citizens of Berytus also gave him fifteen hured auxiliaries as he passed through their city. Aretas also, the king of Arabia Petrea, out of his hatred to Herod, a in order to purchase the favor of the Romans, sent him no small assistance, besides their footmen a horsemen; a when he had now collected all his forces together, he committed part of them to his son, a to a frie of his, a sent them upon an expedition into Galilee, which lies in the neighborhood of Ptolemais; who made an attack upon the enemy, a put them to flight, a took Sepphoris, a made its inhabitants slaves, a burnt the city. Here is the relevant passage from the Bible: Acts 5:34-37 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin a ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you inte to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, a about four hured men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, a it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census a led a ba of people in revolt. He too was killed, a all his followers were scattered. Because of the disturbances that plagued Galilee, a particularly the regions arou Nazareth, in the years just after Herod's death, I suspect that Joseph a Mary stayed in Egypt several years. This, together with the fact that the people arou Nazareth became either captives, rebels, or war refugees, helps explain why Mary's relatives i.e. John the Baptist a Mary's sister, the mother of John a James. seemed to have lost touch with her after last hearing of the attempt on their lives in Bethlehem. When Jesus came with John to the wedding at Cana, it was the first time Mary had learned of Salome's fate or location. That also explains why after the contact with John, Mary took her whole family to Capernaum John 2:12 where Salome a her family lived for a family reunion. This sort of thing is not unusual. Even in our century, with its improved communication, there were families who had not tracked each other down thirty years after the war in Korea. Another support is the claim, by Eusebius in the 4 th century AD that Papias in the 2 century AD, who was taught by Polycarp a frie of John the Apostle, that both James a John were sons of an aunt of Jesus. James, Joseph, Jude & Simon are the Brothers of Jesus One of the great controversies in the Church from the fourth century was the worship of Mary. It has no basis in scripture, a the motivations for promulgating it are beyo my uerstaing. However, as part of this doctrine, its proponents advocated the view that Mary was sinless a therefore always a virgin. Such a doctrine could not countenance the teaching that Jesus had brothers who were natural sons of Mary, despite the fact it is clearly taught by Scripture a the brothers appear all over scripture: Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women a Mary the mother of Jesus, a with his brothers. [aaa] Matthew 13:54-56 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, a they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom a these miraculous powers?" they asked. "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, a aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon a Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" Mark 6:3 Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son a the brother of James, Joseph, Judas a Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" A they took offense at him. Mathew 12:46-50 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother a brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother a brothers are staing outside, wanting to speak to you." He replied to him, "Who is my mother, a who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother a my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother a sister a mother." Mark 3:31-35 Then Jesus' mother a brothers arrived. Staing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting arou him, a they told him, "Your mother a brothers are outside looking for you." "Who are my mother a my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle arou him a said, "Here are my mother a my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother a sister a mother." Luke 8:19-21 Now Jesus' mother a brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, "Your mother a brothers are staing outside, wanting to see you." He replied, "My mother a brothers are those who hear God's word a put it into practice." John 7:2-10 But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here a go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles 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." For even his own brothers did not believe in him. [bbb] Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come." Having said this, he stayed in Galilee. However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women a Mary the mother of Jesus, a with his brothers. Acts 21:18-19 The next day Paul a the rest of us went to see James, a all the elders were present. Paul greeted them a reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. Galatians 1:18-19 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter a stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother. 1 Corinthians 9:5 Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles a the Lord's brothers a Cephas? James 1:1 James, a servant of God a of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Jude 1:1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ a a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father a kept by Jesus Christ: Additional information on the brothers of Jesus The following passages could refer to Joseph a Jude the brothers of Jesus. Acts 1:20-26 "For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms, " May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,' a, " May another take his place of leadership. 'Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in a out among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection." So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas also known as Justus a Matthias. Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." Then they cast lots, a the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. Acts 15:22 Then the apostles a elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men a se them to Antioch with Paul a Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas a Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. We know that the relatives of Jesus never mentioned their family connection a downplayed it. Witness the fact that James never mentioned it in his epistle, a neither did Jude. An example of this humility of family connections is demonstrated in the fact that John the apostle never even mentions his brother James in his Gospel. In Acts, Luke never mentions Titus, although many believe Luke was his brother. In the case of the Judas in Acts 15, Barsabbas means "son of peace." Also, the book of Acts never mentions that James the leader of the Jerusalem church was the Lord's brother. We depe on Paul Galatians 1:18-19 to tell us that fact. It is possible they took this name to evade any attempt to glorify them because of their family. It is certain that Jesus' brother Jude was prominent in the Church. After all, he wrote a book of the Bible! The Jude mentioned in the passage above was sent as a envoy of the Jerusalem church to the Antioch church with the expectation that he would carry some weight. Who better than the Lord's brother? If Judas Barsabbas was the Lord's youngest brother, it is certainly likely that Joseph Barsabbas was his oldest brother. In several passages only Joseph a James were mentioned at all! It would have been most likely that he would have been picked as a replacement for Judas Iscariot, who had known the Lord longer than any of the disciples. According to Philip Schaff in his History of the Christian Church, Chapter 2 Simon the brother of James was supposed to have been the Bishop of Jerusalem at the e of his long life. He was martyred in 107 AD. Thus it seems that we know something about every one of the Lord's brothers; James, Joseph, Jude, a Simon. They were all prominent in the Church. According to 1 Corinthians 9:5 listed above the Lord's brothers were married a went out as apostles. The Roman Catholic Church has raised an objection against James, Joseph, Judas a Simon being Jesus' brothers as a defense of their doctrine that Mary was the ever-virgin Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God. Although there was no basis, biblical, apostolic, or post-apostolic, to support this doctrine, in the fourth century AD, documents began to appear which taught it. They subsequently raised two attacks on the teaching that the brothers mentioned in the Bible were the natural sons of Mary. The first, promulgated about the fourth or fifth centuries was to insist that these brothers were the sons of Joseph through a prior marriage. The problem with that was that this put the brothers a sisters into an entire generation earlier than Jesus a that did not square with the Biblical accounts or tradition. So the seco sprang up. This was first suggested by Jerome, a is the one held today by the Roman Catholic Church. It suggests that the word "brothers" could as well mean "kired" or "cousins." Although there is no basis in fact for that suggestion, FLg<0l means cousin or kired a means brother it is the one which they have stood by ever since. But they also have another problem, a it is the following passage. Matthew 1:24-25 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commaed him a took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. A he gave him the name Jesus. If the Bible had meant to teach the perpetual virginity of Mary, it certainly would not have included the phrase "he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son." It would have just said "he had no union with her." Mary was the Mother of Jesus a Joseph was her Husba. It is clear from the genealogies in Matthew a Luke that Mary was the mother of Jesus a Joseph was her husba. The genealogies make a point of omitting a flat statement that Joseph was not Jesus' father, although they imply he was not. It is other passages that make clear the God was the Father of Jesus. The Matthew genealogy connects only Mary to Jesus by blood. He is connected to Joseph by law. Matthew 1:15-16 Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, a Jacob the father of Joseph, the husba of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. The Luke genealogy says Jesus was thought to be the son of Joseph, but was in fact the son desceant, in this case grason of Heli, the father of Mary. We have to suppose this is the line of Mary because we already know the line of Joseph from Matthew. Luke 3:23-24 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph Heli Matthat Levi Melki Jannai Joseph We know Jesus' father was God from the following passages. Matthew 1:19-21 Because Joseph her husba was a righteous man a did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mi to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream a said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, a you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Luke 1:28-35 The angel went to her a said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words a woered what ki of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have fou favor with God. You will be with child a give birth to a son, a you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great a will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, a he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never e." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, a the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Jesus had other relatives than His Mother a Father It is clear that Jesus had other relatives, probably in Nazareth, based on the following passage: Luke 2:43-44 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behi in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives FLg<0l a fries. Tradition seems to iicate that Jesus' relatives in Nazareth were from Joseph's side of the family. Evidently, Mary's side of the family had been irretrievably scattered or killed in the aftermath of the insurrection by Judas the Galileean. John the Baptist is the 1 st Cousin once removed or 2 Cousin of Jesus It is clear that Jesus is a cousin of John the Baptist on Mary's mother's side based on these verses: Luke 1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a desceant of Aaron. Luke1:24-27 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant a for five months remained in seclusion. "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor a taken away my disgrace among the people." In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a desceant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. Luke 1:36-41 Even Elizabeth your relative cousin or aunt is going to have a child in her old age, a she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. At that time Mary got ready a hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home a greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, a Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. These three verses have made it clear that Elizabeth, John's mother, is a desceant of Aaron. We know from the genealogies in Luke a Matthew, that Joseph was a desceant of Judah, a Mary's father was also. It is therefore clear that the connection of Mary to Elizabeth must have been on Mary's mother's side. Mary's mother must have been the one desceed from Aaron, a considering the age difference between Mary a Elizabeth it is likely that she was Mary's aunt. Unfortunately, the same word, FLg<0l, was used to designate cousin or aunt. It is also clear from the verse below that whatever John the Baptist may have heard about his cousin from his parents, he never met Jesus in person. It is possible that John's parents died before Mary, Joseph a Jesus returned from Egypt. John 1:31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." [a] Jesus was sent out into the desert where he was tempted for 40 days. Some scholars conte that this was the Judean desert which was the area southeast of Jerusalem, just west of the Dead Sea. They pick this because it was close by. However, other scholars point out that when just the term "the desert" or "the wilderness" was used it was invariably referring to the Wilderness of Mt. Sinai in which the Jews waered for 40 years. This makes sense, because as their redeemer, Jesus is going to recreate the testings of Israel a become their righteousness for them. Where better to do that in the place the Israel failed. Also, at Mt. Sinai, Jesus would be revisiting the scene where God revealed himself in shadow, to both Moses a Elijah after a fast of 40 days Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 9:9, Deuteronomy 9:18, 2 Kings 19:8-9. [b] In the original text, the expression If you are the Son of God' is a first class coition a casts no doubt on the fact of Christ's sonship. It could accurately be reered, Since You are the Son of God.' [c] There is an irony here. Jesus "the stone" became the "bread of life" for us! [d] Moses words to Israel remiing them of God's provision in the desert. Deuteronomy 8:3 "He humbled you, causing you to hunger a then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." A question for us: How many times a day do you eat physically? How many times a day do you eat spiritually? Which is more important? Perhaps fasting is a way of remiing us which is! [e] This informs us that the Devil has power to do things that are supernatural like transporting Jesus in an instant to Jerusalem or a high mountain. [f] Above the front gate of the Holy Place, by the altar of burnt offerings. [g] In the original text, the expression If you are the Son of God' is a first class coition a casts no doubt on the fact of Christ's sonship. It could accurately be reered, Since You are the Son of God.' [h] Psalms 91:9-14. "If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the LORD, who is my refuge-- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will comma his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their has, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion a the cobra; you will trample the great lion a the serpent. Because he loves me,' says the LORD, I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.'" There is another irony here. In the next verse the prophet says "He will trample on the serpent." Also, note that God kept this promise in the proper context, when the angels came to save Jesus a atte to His needs after Satan left Him. Jesus was evidently more than just thirsty or hungry, he was evidently in great physical distress, close to death. As it was, part of the Satan's Temptation here was for Jesus to begin His ministry in a spectacular fashion, arriving on the floor of the Temple born up by angels. This was quite in accord with how the Jews of Jesus day expected the Messiah to arrive. [i] Moses words to Israel remiing them of God's instruction in the desert. Deuteronomy 6:16 "Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah." What was Massah? See below. Exodus 17:1-7 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commaed. They camped at Rephidim, [i] but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses a said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?" But the people were thirsty for water there, a they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us a our children a livestock die of thirst?" Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me." The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel a take in your ha the staff with which you struck the Nile, a go. I will sta there before you by the rock at Horeb. [i] Strike the rock, a water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. A he called the place Massah a Meribah because the Israelites quarreled a because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" [j] It occurs to me that this was probably Mt. Hermon, thus Jesus was tempted at the very spot He first demonstrated his own Kingdom Mt Hermon - Mark 9:1-2 "A he said to them, I tell you the truth, some who are staing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.' After six days Jesus took Peter, James a John with him a led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them." His other temptation was in the city where He won it on the cross Jerusalem. [k] Satan's temptation here is that Jesus would get what He wanted a was promised with no effort a bypassing the Father's plan. It is almost certain however, that Satan did not uersta how much Jesus would actually have to suffer to fulfill the Father's plan, but Satan had already seen Jesus, the Son of God live as a simple carpenter's son for 30 years. [l] Moses' words to Israel remiing them of God's instruction in the desert. Deuteronomy 6:13 "Fear the LORD your God, serve him only a take your oaths in his name." [m] The Greek demonstrative adverb of time - J@Jg [n] The Greek word here is ujpostrevfw which is best uerstood here as "he turned his back on." [o] In the original text, the expression If you are the Son of God' is a first class coition a casts no doubt on the fact of Christ's sonship. It could accurately be reered, Since You are the Son of God.' [p] Genesis 1:28, [q] Deuteronomy 6:13 [r] In the original text, the expression If you are the Son of God' is a first class coition a casts no doubt on the fact of Christ's sonship. It could accurately be reered, Since You are the Son of God.' There is an irony in these responses. In Satan's first challenge Christ the living stone who crushed Satan, became the "Bread of Life". In the seco challenge Satan offers to give the authority he had tricked the first Adam into giving him, to the Seco Adam who had come to take it back. In third challenge the verse after "You will not strike your foot against a stone" says "You will tread upon the serpent." [t] The Greek word here is gi$"88t {ek-bal'-lo} which has several meanings in Strong's. The one applicable here is probably "to lead one forth or away somewhere with a force which he cannot resist." [u] Jesus was sent out into the desert where he was tempted for 40 days. Some scholars conte that this was the Judean desert which was the area southeast of Jerusalem, just west of the Dead Sea. They pick this because it was close by. However, other scholars point out that when just the term "the desert" or "the wilderness" was used it was invariably referring to the wilderness of Sinai in which the Jews waered for 40 years. This makes sense, because as their redeemer, Jesus is going to recreate the testings of Israel a become their righteousness for them. Where better to do that than in the place the Israel failed. Also, at Mt. Sinai, Jesus would be revisiting the scene where God revealed himself in shadow, to both Moses a Elijah. [v] This does not necessarily mean that Jesus was in the desert only forty days, but that His temptation in the desert lasted forty days. I am inclined to believe that His temptation took place on Mount Sinai a lasted forty days there. [w] The correct translation is two "kids of goats." In other word, the goats were to meet the same criteria as the young goats or sheep used for the Passover, males of one year of age Exodus 12:3-5. In Exodus 12:5 the word lamb is used for the Passover. The word translated lamb is the Hebrew word %:ï - seh or sey - according to Strong's that can be translated -1 one of a flock, lamb, sheep, goat, young sheep, young goat; 1a sheep, goat; 1b flock collective. Thus this word can mean either sheep or goat. When John saw Christ, who had been driven away into the desert on the Day of Atonement, the day of His Baptism, he said "behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Jesus fulfilled both the lamb of the Day of Atonement a the lamb of Passover. [x] The word translated "scapegoat" in Leviticus 16 is azazel - -'u'3. The word only appears in this passage a its meaning is uncertain. However The Feasts of the Lord, Kevin Howard a Marvin Rosenthal, page 123 says" Some debate exists as to the exact meaning of azazel. Some believe it was a reference to Satan, for in Jewish tradition Azazel was the name of a fallen angel. However, most scholars believe that the word was derived from the Hebrew word azel which carries the idea of escape.' This line of thought led to calling this goat the scapegoat' since it escaped death a was instead driven into the wilderness." If the first meaning is true it would mean that the verse should read "one lot for the LORD a the other for Satan" a would line up perfectly with the fact that Christ's was "led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." [y] When Jesus Christ was baptized in the waters of the Jordan where Joshua had taken the twelve stones out, He took upon himself the sins of the people a went into the wilderness. [z] This is the perfect tense a should be translated "cried" or "cried out." The concept seems to be that John's "cry" in the past is still "testifying" in the present. [aa] It is quite possible these were the very last words that John the Apostle heard John the Baptist say, just after he said, "Behold the Lamb of God" in John 1:36. These words were "cried out." The words in John 1:30 were only "said" not "cried out," but the words were slightly different in both the English a the Greek. [bb] John 1:17-18 are John the Apostle's personal comment on the ministry of Jesus Christ a not part of the comment of John the Baptist. [cc] Refers to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18: / 8