Tag: Judea

Walking in the Light with Jesus

Barbara Weber

John 11:7-11,16 WEB

Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let’s go into Judea again.” [8] The disciples told him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” [9] Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. [10] But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn’t in him.” [11] He said these things, and after that, he said to them, “Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.” [16] Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go also, that we may die with him.”

Jesus was not afraid of dying at the hand of the Jews. He knew what the Father was going to do, so he knew where to place his feet. The Father showed Jesus that Lazarus was going to return from death and Jesus told the disciples. Jesus knew he was going to wake Lazarus from death because the Father showed him. Jesus did not fling his safety away thoughtlessly. Rather, he had confidence in God and in his purpose in God.

Jesus was walking in the light of God’s counsel. He only did what he saw and heard from the Father, so we know that the Father showed him what was about to happen. In this light, Jesus walks into danger with peace because he can see where he is going. But Jesus also reminds us the opposite is true. We can also walk in the dark.

It is amazing the disciples, who saw firsthand all the miracles, still doubted. The disciples were not convinced it was safe to go into Judea and began to murmur against the Lord. At least some of the disciples were walking in the dark. At least some of the disciples did not have enough relationship and time with the Father to know what he was doing. Therefore they walked in the dark.

Lord, help me trust the Father the way you trust the Father. Lead me into devotional practice that will reveal your plans and purposes. Enlighten my understanding and save me from trying to navigate life in the dark. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Missing the Mark

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John 7:40-43 WEB

Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the prophet.” [41] Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee? [42] Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” [43] So there arose a division in the multitude because of him.

The Pharisees did not reject Jesus because of where he was born. The Pharisees rejected Jesus because of prejudice in their hearts. They rejected him because he was a Galilean. Practically all Pharisees came from Judea. The idea of being associated with a Galilean was revolting to Judeans. So, the Pharisees did not take the time to find out more. There were people right there with Jesus who knew where he was born.

If the Pharisees had honestly inquired, they would have learned Jesus was born in Bethlehem. But instead, they assumed their prejudice was true. For this reason, they did not even inquire. So profound was their hate they would not even consider Jesus might be the Messiah. The Pharisees knew so much about the word of God and so little about true godliness.

Godliness is not being perfect. It is having a heart that seeks God’s ways. Take meekness for example. Meekness is not strictly a New Testament addition to the faith. In Numbers 12:3 the bible says Moses was meek above all men. So, the value of meekness was revealed in the Old Testament. Yet the Pharisees, with their hundreds of rules for serving God, did not have enough meekness to consider the possibility that Jesus was the Messiah. They lost touch with the personal God and turned the living God into an idol.

The Pharisees saw riff-raff when they looked at Jesus. However, if the Pharisees curried meekness the way they curried wealth and influence, they may have realized the truth about Jesus. The truth was Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament. Yet because of prejudice, the most devoted of God’s followers did not see the Messiah.

Lord Jesus, please open my understanding that I can discern the things of God. Remove any blinders from my spiritual eyes and lead me into repentance if prejudice lives in my heart. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.  

Discounted Jesus

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John 7:13-15 WEB

Yet no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews. [14] But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught. [15] The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?”

Surely the Father equipped Jesus for ministry. Jesus was from a family of tradesmen (Mark 6:3). He was from Galilee (John 7:52). More, he had a grasp of scripture that was uncommon. Jesus is recorded as quoting 23 different scriptures from the Old Testament. In addition, he referenced 17 stories from the Old Testament (1).

Jesus was almost certainly educated (2). However, the prejudice of those judging Jesus in the above passage caused them to assume he was unable to understand scripture. Ironically, the evidence he knew the Word of God was right in front of their eyes. They had heard him teach and preach (Mat 7:28) and still, they could not get beyond their prejudice (John 7:52).

The Judeans were disgusted by Galileans. Judeans were educated. Many of them probably studied with a rabbi. Consequently, they viewed tradesmen as having lower status. Even though Jesus was surely a brilliant craftsman, all they could see was he wasn’t like them. And for that, he was ridiculed as foolish (Mat 9:11, 34, 12:2, 14, 24.)

Jesus was also ridiculed for coming from Galilee. Judeans despise Galileans (3). They had their own accents, clothing styles, and values which offended Judeans. Practically all Pharisees were from Judea. Anyone from Galilee would be instantly recognized by their speech and clothes (Mark 14:69-70). And, due to prejudice, they were not chosen as disciples. The prejudice of the Pharisees had the power to divide the two people groups causing one to have a significant disadvantage.

Jesus did not let his demographics define him or his ministry. Being from Galilee, he would not be chosen to follow a rabbi. However, Jesus clearly wanted to serve God and he likely tried the path of the disciple. We cannot know for sure, but the evidence we have from his childhood reveals a deep hunger for the things of God (Luke 2:44-46). The path of a rabbi would be a normal path. For Judeans. Not Galileans. This surely gave the Lord compassion and mercy on those rejected for things out of their control.

Lord, please forgive me for pridefully comparing myself to others, especially those who are different than me. Forgive me for discounting people and help me see others as you see them. In Jesus’ name, amen.

  1. (bit.ly/3tbQyx6)
  2. (bit.ly/3vrE3Af)
  3. (bit.ly/36Frln3)

#Jesus #Rabbi #God #Carpenter #Disciple #Galilee #Judea

Birthplaces

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John 4:43-50 WEB

After the two days he went out from there and went into Galilee. [44] For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. [45] So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast, for they also went to the feast. Jesus came therefore again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water into wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. [47] When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him, and begged him that he would come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. [48] Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe.” [49] The nobleman said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” [50] Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem and that made him a Judean. He was raised in Nazareth and seemed to base his ministry out of Capernaum of Galilee, yet still, he identified himself as coming from Judea. Jesus knew where he came from. He knew the stories of his miraculous birth. Jesus recognized he was from a better place and that is where he identified as his home country.

Every person who is in Christ has been born into the heavenly realms. This world is no longer our home. We are not from a certain country or continent, rather, we are from heaven. Having a correct orientation to our birthplace will define everything we do. Where we are born gives us a part of our identity. Where we are born gives us our purpose. Jesus knew he was born in a better place than Galilee, He knew he was from the royal line of David.

It is interesting to note that when Jesus returned to Galilee, it was that which was done in Jerusalem of Judea that caused the people of Capernaum to have an interest. It was that which originated in Jesus’ province of birth that caused interest in the Galileans.

Speaking of the first birth we all relate to a physical location on earth. Yet, when we experience the second birth that is by the Spirit, we have heaven as our hometown. Those things we get from our hometown of heaven will attract the attention of the lost here on earth. In the above text, Jesus chides the man for wanting to see a sign and then heals the child with no sign. Signs attract the attention of the world. But it is our faith that will help the lost make appropriate sense of signs when they come.

Lord Jesus, please help me identify as a person from heaven so that I can have a correct perspective on earth. Please let my life shine light into others’ darkness that I may lead some to salvation.

No Shame

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John 4:7-10 WEB

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” [8] For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. [9] The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) [10] Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

Jesus was tired and he took his rest in the most unlikely place. He sat down at Jacob’s well in Samaria. In Jesus’ time, Israel had a right place to live and a wrong place to live. The right place was Judea, and the wrong place was Galilee. However, all Jewish people agreed that they were better than Samaritans. When Jesus sat down in Samaria and sent his disciples for food, he was ignoring basic protocol that any decent Jew would know and come into conformity. His disciples went for food and Jesus stayed for a drink.

The drink would come from the hand of a sinner. Not only a Samaritan but one that had lived a scorn-worthy life. For Jesus, this was another level of non-conformity. Yet, the Samaritan woman loved God and Jesus had a believing heart set as the target of his attention. Without a doubt, Jesus was hearing from the Spirit of God. He did not shrug off conformity because he was anti-social. Jesus was not a nonconformist for attention. He was simply more interested in the condition of people’s hearts than he was interested in social mores.

Lord, please help me care more about the spiritual condition of the people around me than I care for my reputation and social standing. Forgive me for caring so much about conformity that I have refrained from sharing the gospel. Help me follow your example. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

The First Soul Winner

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John 1:39-42 WEB

He said to them, “Come, and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour. [40] One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. [41] He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ). [42] He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is by interpretation, Peter).

I appreciate the story of Andrew. He was a Galilean which means that most rabbis would not be interested in having him as a disciple. This is because Galilee was the wrong area to be from if you wanted to pursue serving a rabbi. It was practically mandatory to be from Judea if you had aspirations to become a Pharisee. So, this passage starts by revealing John the Baptist had gone to Galilee to find some of his disciples.

More, though Jesus lived in Judea he went to John in Galilee to be baptized. Jesus went to the wrong place, to be baptized by the wrong person, to find the wrong disciples. And what did Andrew do when his teacher, John the Baptist, told him that Jesus was the Christ? He followed him. After Andrew saw where Jesus lived, he went straight out and brought his first soul to Christ. That means Peter was the first soul brought into the Kingdom by a believer. It also means Andrew was the first soul winner.

Lord Jesus, please bless me and help me bring others to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.