The Messiah’s Secret Revealed – Easter Reflection
I give thanks and praise that the Messiah’s Secret Revealed identifies Jesus who he is ‘the Christ’ and by accepting him in faith transforms the soul which enables me to follow his teachings empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in grace.
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On the cross Jesus forgave those who had sinned against him, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Luke 23: 34
The Messiah’s secret -the Jewish people were not aware that God had planned the Messiah’s death and resurrection.
The Jews had been taught from the law that when the Christ came he would remain forever; they were not taught that the Christ would come and die. The scriptures concerning his death were hidden by God and were revealed to the disciples on the evening of his resurrection. Luke 24: 44-48.
“So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” John 12: 34
The crowd wondered who this Son of man was that would be lifted up and draw all men to himself. (Jesus said he would be lifted up to show what death he was to die verse 33).
God allowed their ignorance and gave Caiaphas a prophecy that would determine that Jesus died at the hands of the Romans.
God had given to Caiaphas who was chief priest, the main man of the Sanhedrin, a prophecy: “That one man should die for the people and that the whole nation should not perish” so when the council gathered to plot against Jesus, Caiaphas told them the prophecy, they believed that Jesus was’ the man’ and that it was God’s will for him to die.
They had acted in ignorance when they handed Jesus over to be tried for blasphemy before Pilate, “They began to accuse him saying, ”We found this man perverting the nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king.” Pilate said that found no crime in this man, He sent him to Herod, and Herod too found no fault, nothing deserving death. Luke 23: 2, 7.
Pilate consulted the crowd outside the Praetorium, ”Whom shall I release Barabbas or Jesus? They shouted for Barabbas to be released from prison and Jesus to be crucified. The Pharisees, scribes and others shouted to him, “He saved others but he cannot save himself, come down from the cross and we will believe in you.” Mark 15: 15, 31, 32.
They did not expect the Messiah to come and die.
They did not expect the Messiah to come and die.
Jesus was condemned to death by the crowd that was made up of both Jews and Gentiles.
Acts 4: 27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever they hand and thy plan had predestined to take place.”
Caiaphas’ prophecy had a double meaning: “That one man should die for the people and that the whole nation should not perish.” Jesus, died to save not just the Israelites but for the whole of humanity. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16.
Shortly after Pentecost Peter and John were going up to the temple to pray. As they came to the ‘Gate Beautiful’ the crowd gathered Peter gave testimony to the resurrection of Jesus and announced that they and their rulers had crucified Jesus in ignorance. If they would repent, the Lord would bring in the times of refreshing and send Jesus the appointed Messiah. Jesus would have returned and the crowd who heard him say that they would see the Son of man come with the holy angels and the Kingdom of God come in with power would have witnessed it. Acts 3: 17 – 21. Mark 8: 38. 9: 1.
This was the Messiah’s Secret Revealed that the Messiah, or Greek translation ‘ the Christ ‘ had to die and be resurrected and ascended into heaven before he could be received by the leaders of the whole of Israel as their Messiah, Christ the King.
Paul wrote, “The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognise Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.” Acts 13: 27
The Messiah’s call was to the nation and from them they would take the ‘Good news’ to the world. The time for the nation to receive Jesus Christ was at and after Pentecost and not before his death as I was taught. Lord, thank you for forgiving my ignorance.
Paul wrote, “The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognise Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.” Acts 13: 27
The Messiah’s call was to the nation and from them they would take the ‘Good news’ to the world. The time for the nation to receive Jesus Christ was at and after Pentecost and not before his death as I was taught. Lord, thank you for forgiving my ignorance.
Jesus in his humanity, in his dying moments in faith he commended his spirit into his Father’s hands. In obedient faith Jesus handed his whole being into his Father’s hands, making sure that there was no contention over his body like that of Moses. Moses had fallen into sin and therefore did not enter into the Promised Land, but Jesus was free from sin in his obedience in doing the will of his Father, his body was raised from the dead by God. Jude verse 9.
Jesus died and to make sure so there is no doubt a soldier pierced his heart with his sword.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus went to Pilate and asked if they could take his body down from the cross and place it in a tomb. Pilate gave permission and put a seal on the tomb with soldiers to guard it.
On the third day when the disciples were told by the women at the house that someone had stolen his body they must have been so distraught. John raced to the tomb and Peter followed, John stood back to allow Peter to go in before him. Only the linen strips and the napkin were there.
As that day progressed Jesus appeared to Mary, Peter, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and those gathered in the house. Jesus had been raised up from the dead, raised up by God the Father.
“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is the devil.” Hebrews 2: 14.
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Hebrews 2: 9.
Jesus’ victory over the devil was complete, The perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality. “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” Isaiah 25: 8 1 Corinthians 15: 54, 55.
Sadducee Caiaphas and the majority of the Sanhedrin failed to see what God was doing in the involvement of the Gentiles in Jesus’ death through crucifixion, Jesus being the final atonement sacrifice for all sin and its causes and sadly King David’s prophecy of the resurrection of the Messiah failed to register with the Sadducee’s who did not believe in the resurrection.
John wrote of what he had observed, He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.”
John’s words are true for today to receive Jesus is to have faith in him. The Holy Spirit is given to us to empower our faith and enlightens our understanding of God who is our Father, so therefore, we are Children of God.
To the sceptic history records through the historian Josephus who was not a Christian recorded Jesus’ existence, his ministry and resurrection
Antiquities of the Jews – Book XVIII First Century Historian Josephus
Chapter 3
3. Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ.
And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, (9) those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; (10) as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”
Psalm 24 what a welcome he received in heaven
“Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! 9 Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!” Psalm 24: 7-10