“That the Message he delivered from God to his kinsmen, the Jews, was a call to repentance from every evil work, the assertion of his divine sonship and Jewish kingship; and the proclamation of the glad tidings that God would restore their kingdom through him, and accomplish all things written in the prophets.” Article XI
” . . But Unto The Lost Sheep Of The House Of Israel”
During His ministry, the Son of Man frequented the synagogues where he could meet and persuade the Jews of the truth of His claims.
The fact that Jesus was specifically sent to the Jews dwelling in the land of Judea is difficult for many to apprehend. In the parable of the wicked husband-men, he depicts himself as the Son sent by God to the nation of Israel. To the Syro-phenician woman, who pleaded for her daughter’s life, Jesus said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Only her importunity, her perseverance in entreaty finally won the Lord’s favor, and her daughter was healed.
Zacchaeus, chief among the publicans, was favored with a visit from Jesus in spite of the murmurings of the Jews. The reason given by the Lord: “This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.” (Luke 19:9, 10) In a similar statement, He justified His healing of a woman on the sabbath day by declaring, “And ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” (Luke 13:16)
When the Master sent His disciples out to preach the Kingdom of God, He explicitly told them where they should and should not go. “. . . Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt. 10:5-7) Their immediate ministry was to be confined to the land of Israel. This is understandable and reasonable if we keep in mind the purpose which Jesus was to accomplish, the nature of the kingdom of God, and the place which Israel is to occupy in the Father’s plan. It was to the ancient people that the Messiah was to first come, not to the Gentiles. Though they would summarily reject Him, and though He was indeed to be a light of the Gentiles, and Saviour of the world, His purpose it hand was to testify to the Jews and attempt to convince them of His messiah-hip.
“The Kingdom Of Heaven Is At Hand.”
The message which both Jesus and the twelve were to bear to the Jews consisted of the proclamation of the restoration of the Kingdom under the leadership of Jesus of Nazareth. “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” was the cry of Jesus. It was at hand, not in he sense of being impending or imminent, but rather in the person of the Messiah. The Kingdom had come nigh to Israel in the ministry of the Son of God, for it would only be through Him that any would be allowed to enter therein. An invitation to enter the kingdom (when the time came for its establishment) was made to the Jews dwelling in the land. For the first time in that nation’s history, the Kingdom of God had come near — and had done so in he person of its king. As the Master lad stated, “The law and the prophets vere until John, and since that time, the Kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.” The law had been in force until the ministry of Jesus. heralded by John Baptist. The law mediated by Moses could not bring immortality to its adherents, and was thus, incapable of bringing any into the Kingdom of God. Only with the ministry of John and Jesus was the real invitation given for the repentant to enter the kingdom. It was in this sense that the kingdom was at hand, or had come nigh. There were some in Israel at that time who misconstrued His proclamation, and thought that Jesus would immediately set up His kingdom. This idea was repudiated, for in Luke 19:11 we are advised that Christ spake a parable to them, “because they thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear. The parable of the nobleman follows, in which the Lord taught them that It would only be after a long period of time, during which He would be absent that the kingdom would be established.
“Repent.”
Intertwined in His preaching of the Kingdom of God was a call to repentance. After the imprisonment of John the Baptist, Jesus for the first time urged men to repent from their evil ways. In both Matthew’s and Mark’s account, the record indicates that the call to repentance was made only after the imprisonment of John. “Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee . From that lime Jesus began to preach. and to say. Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt. 4: 12, 17—see also Mark 1:14, 15) In His inspiring sermon on the mount, an unparalleled exposition of the law of God, the Lord displayed what was truly involved in godly repentance. Men were to abandon not only their sinful ways, but their evil thoughts as well. There must be an inward cleansing as well as outwardly. The attitude of mind and purity of thought were important to Him who searched the hearts and reins. The contemplation of an evil act was just as unacceptable to God as the act committed.
“Fear Not, Little Flock.”
In His preaching of the Kingdom Jesus taught that it would only be through Him that God would set it up. As a consequence, He was empowered to offer to those who came to Him in faith, places of rulership and authority therein. When the disciples came to the Lord and asked what they should have since they had forsaken all, and followed Him, Jesus replied, “Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” (Matt. 19:27-29) Later, the Lord promised to all who constitute His flock, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) Never are the brethren of Christ called to be the subjects of the Kingdom of God. They are promised places of authority wherein they will rule the nations “with a rod of iron” (Rev. 2:26, 27); are assured that if they suffer with Him, they will also reign with him (2 Tim. 2:12); and are to enter the kingdom as possessors (Matt. 25:34, Dan. 7:22, 27).
A Threefold Witness
His authority for proclaiming these things lay in the fact of His being the Messiah. One of the greatest marvels of His time was Israel’s almost universal rejection of His claims. It was a cause of wonderment in the prophecy of Isaiah, who asked, “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” Though the truth of His claims were amply demonstrated in the revelation of the “arm of the LORD,” His brethren refused to believe in Him. The signs were evident enough, so there was no excuse for their disbelief. As Peter pointed out in his accusation against them, “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.” (Acts 2:22) The word, “approved” in the Greek means to point out, exhibit, prove by demonstration. And His claims of Messiah-ship were amply witnessed to by the wonders which God wrought by His hand. The Lord brought this forcefully to the attention of the Jews on several different occasions, as He called the powers of heaven to witness against them.
On one instance, at the Feast of Dedication, the confusion of the Jews, tottering between the accusations of the Jewish rulers and the signs which Jesus performed, is evident when they asked him, “How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ (Messiah), tell us plainly.” The Master then brought them face to face with the issue; “I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.” (Jo. 10:24, 25) His claims to being the Messiah were amply attested to by the signs, which even the Jews had to confess were impossible for mere man to perform. When we read the tremendous claims which Jesus makes in the 5th chapter of John, it is obvious that such assertions must be corroborated. The Lord then brings His threefold witness to bear upon His claims. The first is that of John: “Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.” Though the witness of John was indeed great, there was yet another witness which none could honestly reject—that of the Father: “But I have a greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me.” (Jo. 5:32-37) This, none could deny. Though the voice of God spake to them through His Son, and though the power of the Almighty was evident in the miracles done by Jesus, the Jews failed to be moved. Thus the Lord declares, “Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.” (V. 37) The third witness called upon to testify to the veracity of His claims was the written word: “And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (VV. 38, 39) The fulfillment of prophecy in the experiences of Jesus was strong evidence upon which to rest His claims. Because they could not recognize God’s Word embodied in Jesus, He accused them of not having “His word” in them. The three.cord witness which Jesus called upon them, left them without excuse. Without acknowledging His claims, they were doomed to die in their sins.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One