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From Jim McGuiggan... Aroma Of Life & Death


Aroma Of Life & Death

Moses (who had been captured by God) was the reluctant but commissioned leader whose authority was forever being misunderstood and undermined. The book of Exodus in various ways defends his commission by showing us in the early chapters, for example, that he had to be "bullied" into the job by God when he resisted the call. In the concluding chapters it "tediously" repeats that the Tabernacle was built in accordance with the commands God had given Moses (nine times in chapter 39 alone).
The narrative of Numbers reflects the same situation even more clearly. Miriam and Aaron accuse Moses of hogging authority (chapter 12). The Korah incident (chapter 16) is so like the Corinthian situation. He and his group accuse Moses of lording it over the people (16:3,13--compare 2 Corinthians 1:24) and of making promises he didn't keep (16:14--compare 2 Corinthians 1:15-18) as well as taking it on himself to bring them out of Egypt (16:13,28--at times it seems clear they thought Moses himself had come up with the scheme to depart from Egypt and establish community rules).
The Korah incident as described in Numbers 16 & 17 has numerous terminological connections with 2 Corinthians. For example, there is "separation" and "don't touch", there's being "sent", there's "death" and "life", there's "incense" that burns among the living and the dead and there's "perishing" and "glory" (see 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 and 6:14-17).
Beyond the terms there is the whole drift of the section that parallels 2 Corinthians. God's sent men (compare Numbers 16:28 and 2 Corinthians 2:17) are opposed by people who incite the people of God against the true "apostles" and there's the notion that those who oppose the true apostles are opposing God himself. Numbers 16-17 is an especially important section that points out the danger of arrogating authority to oneself and the danger involved in undermining the work of God in a duly commissioned servant. (Numbers 16:15 might give us some insight into Paul's refusal to take money from the Corinthians.)
It's in this context (if the above has any merit) that Paul goes into speaking about letters that establish authority (2 Corinthians 3).

2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... David’s Son And David’s Lord


                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                David’s Son And David’s Lord (12:35-37)

INTRODUCTION

1. Teaching in the temple on Tuesday of the Last Week, Jesus easily
   silenced His critics...
   a. Those who questioned His authority - Mk 11:27-33
   b. The Pharisees and Herodians, regarding taxes - Mk 12:13-17
   c. The Sadducees, regarding the resurrection - Mk 12:18-27
   d. A scribe, regarding the foremost commandment - Mk 12:28-34

2. Jesus then asked the Pharisees a question...
   a. Concerning the Christ (Messiah) as the son of David - Mk 12:35
   b. How could that be if David by inspiration called the Christ
      "Lord"? - Mk 12:36-37
   c. Seemingly a conundrum they could not answer

3. The passage Jesus referenced was Psalms 110...
   a. The most frequently quoted OT text in the NT
   b. Quoted or alluded to 33 times in the NT - D. M. Hay

[While the Pharisees could not answer, we have the benefit of completed
revelation to understand how the Christ could be both David’s son and
David’s lord, and how Jesus proved to be both...]

I. THE CHRIST IS DAVID’S SON

   A. ACCORDING TO PROPHECY...
      1. As prophesied to David, with Solomon as a prefigure of Christ
         - 2Sa 7:12
      2. As promised by the prophets - Isa 11:1-5; Jer 23:5-6
         Ezek 34:23-24; 37:24-25
      -- At the time of the NT, the common Jewish expectation was that
         the Christ would be a descendant of David

   B. JESUS IS THE DESCENDANT OF DAVID...
      1. Jesus was David’s son through the royal ancestry of Joseph - Mt 1:1-17
         a. Matthew’s gospel shows that Jesus was the royal descendant
            of David
         b. Following the lineage of David through his son Solomon - Mt 1:6
      2. Jesus was David’s son through the fleshly ancestry of Mary- Lk 3:23-38
         a. Luke’s gospel shows that Jesus was the fleshly descendant of
            David
         b. Following the lineage of David through his son Nathan - Lk 3:31
      -- Jesus was a descendant of David on both sides of His family
         (mother and step-father)!

[Jesus’ question was not to cast doubt on Christ as David’s son.  It
served to stump His critics for they did not comprehend how David’s son
could also be David’s lord. Today, we understand how...]

II. THE CHRIST IS DAVID’S LORD

   A. ACCORDING TO PROPHECY...
      1. As prophesied by David in the text Jesus quoted - Ps 110:1-7
         a. The Christ would be David’s lord
         b. Ruling at God’s right hand as both king and priest forever
      2. As prophesied by Isaiah - Isa 9:6-7
         a. The Christ would be a Son, Mighty God, Everlasting Father
         b. Over a government with no end
      3. As prophesied by Micah - Mic 5:2
         a. The Christ born in Bethlehem would be a ruler
         b. Who would be from everlasting!
      -- OT prophecy declared the kingship and deity of the Christ!

   B. JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD...
      1. As accepted and claimed by Jesus
         a. Jesus accepted the title "Son of God" in worship - Mt 14:33
         b. Jesus referred to Himself as the "Son of God" - Jn 5:25;
            10:36; 11:4
      2. As proclaimed by others
         a. God called Jesus His Son - Mt 3:17; 17:5
         b. Peter confessed Jesus as the Son of God - Mt 16:16
         c. Mark began his gospel declaring Jesus as the Son of God - Mk 1:1
         d. The angel Gabriel spoke of Jesus as the Son of God - Lk 1:35
         e. John the Baptist testified that Jesus is the Son of God - Jn 1:34
         f. Nathaniel, Martha, and John confessed Him as the Son of God
            - Jn 1:49; 11:27; 20:31
      3. Being called the Son of God alludes to His pre-existence
         a. As expressed in John’s prologue to his gospel - Jn 1:1-2
         b. As claimed by Jesus Himself - Jn 8:56-58
         c. As taught by the apostle Paul - Php 2:5-7
      -- NT scriptures clearly declare the deity of the Christ!

   C. JESUS IS THE KING OF KINGS...
      1. Jesus now has all authority in heaven and on earth - Mt 28:18
      2. All things (including David in heaven!) have been subjected to
         Him - Ep 1:20-23; 1Pe 3:22
      3. He is the ruler of the kings of the earth - Re 1:5
      4. The King of kings and Lord of lords - 1Ti 6:14-15; Re 17:14
      5. Who will reign until all enemies are placed under His feet,
         death being the last - Ps 110:1; 1Co 15:24-26
      -- NT scriptures clearly declare the kingly reign of the Christ!

CONCLUSION

1. This is the answer to the conundrum posed by Jesus...
   a. The Christ is David’s son by virtue of His incarnation in the
      lineage of David
   b. The Christ is David’s lord by virtue of His eternal deity and
      present reign!

2. The apostle Paul would later write that Jesus is...
   a. The Son of David according to the flesh - Ro 1:3
   b. The Son of God as evidenced by His resurrection - Ro 1:4
   c. "Our Lord" - Ro 1:3

Not only did David rightly call his Son "lord", but so should we.  Have
we accepted David’s Son (Jesus) as Lord, serving Him as "volunteers in
the day of Your power"...? - cf. Ps 110:3; Lk 6:46



Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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From Gary... Rainbow, rainbow


Over the past few years I have become fascinated by photography.  Only recently have I started taking my own pictures and reading elementary books on the subject; but I have to admit it has stirred-up my interest.  Even more since my grand-daughter Elizabeth has also become interested in the same thing.  Now, we are interested TOGETHER!!!  Things happen like that sometimes, and I am glad they do.  Take the above picture for example- just a simple picture of a rainbow, but when taken on a lake...  Wow, a circular rainbow!!!!!   Consider the parallel between this picture and the following passage of Scripture....

2 Peter, Chapter 1
 1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:  2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,  3 seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue;  4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.  5 Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;  6 and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control patience; and in patience godliness;  7 and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.  8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

When we become a Christian, we make a covenant with God.  However, it takes time to rid oneself of old habits and ways of doing things.  I like the idea of adding things to your commitment base and gradually improving yourself.  It is like the rainbow.  Its beauty is a composition of colors and the truly spiritual person also has a composite of the above list of additions in their life.  Both have a reflection of a light from heaven and grow on you.  Only thing left to say is... give me more rainbows!!!