In this special bonus episode recorded at the Samuel's Mantle school, join Murray Dueck's as he untangles the mystery behind Jesus as the Messiah. It's a biblical murder mystery and an FBI-like investigation into the disciples' beliefs where Murray delves into Old Testament prophecies, examining clashes between the disciples' expectations of an earthly king, and the unfolding reality of Jesus' mission. This thought-provoking bonus episode challenges us to question how clearly we'd hear the Messiah today amid cultural, educational, and religious filters.
For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/
For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/
In this special bonus episode recorded at the Samuel's Mantle school, join Murray Dueck's as he untangles the mystery behind Jesus as the Messiah. It's a biblical murder mystery and an FBI-like investigation into the disciples' beliefs where Murray delves into Old Testament prophecies, examining clashes between the disciples' expectations of an earthly king, and the unfolding reality of Jesus' mission. This thought-provoking bonus episode challenges us to question how clearly we'd hear the Messiah today amid cultural, educational, and religious filters.
For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/
For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/
A murder and Jesus is getting turned. The FBI files. And, hey, so if that happened today, let's see Jesus day today, there would be an investigation into this. And they need to know something. Why? Modus operandi. I would be the nice technical turn term. Why did they do it right? You have to know, right? If you're going to be charged with first degree murder.
Second degree murder. Right. Thing is a third degree, isn't it? I can give you the third degree. Trent, who to Why now? To get an idea what's going on. We need to get into the belief system of what do the Jews think when they think Messiah? Right. Right. What are they looking for? Right. What do they want? What are the.
And because the 12 apostles, 12 disciples, they are a culture, right? They're part of their culture. They're part of their their family traditions, their cultural traditions, their religious traditions. They've been they've heard this book, the Old Testament anyway, ever since they were Little Rascals. And what's their view of Jesus and what's Judas's view? So we're not going to specifically focus on Judas, but it makes it more interesting, doesn't it?
And so let's take a look. So messianic view. Now, the Jews would quote this verse and this one you have on your paper, and it's a really important one, Isaiah Chapter five or six. You know, I'm going to give you a couple others to write down there just so you can or you can fill it out a little bit right?
Because there's more than one verse that says this. If you have a pen, I'll tell you what, I'll quote them to you right now. Here are the other verses you can write down there if you so choose to use that pen muscle. Let's see, Isaiah 11 1 to 5. That would be good. Isaiah 11 1 to 5. And I'll repeat these things a couple of times for you.
Daniel C seven, verse 13 That would be good. And Daniel 244 would be good as well, and there's a bunch of others, but that would be enough. So that would be Isaiah 11 1 to 5, Daniel seven and 13 and Daniel to 44. And I just don't want to go quoting verses all the time for tape sake, but so I'm going to read you a passage and I'm going to read it to you first.
How we currently in our Western tradition, read this Western church tradition, right? Christian tradition. This is Isaiah nine verses six and seven. So the parts of it don't emphasize I'm going to read and quiet the parts me really emphasize. I'm going to read them loud, right? Because it Jews would emphasize the other part right in their time. Here's how we would read this for to us, a child is born and to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called Wonderful counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace of the increase of his government, there will be no end.
And he will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom. Right. And the Jews would really like this for to us, a child is born to us, his son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called a wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father of the increase of his government and peace. There will be no end His son.
He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding with justice and righteousness. From this time on and for ever, the zeal of the Lord will accomplish this. Right now the idea is when they think Messiah, they think a ruler who is going to come and sit on David's throne and he's going to rule forever and ever and ever.
He cannot die. He is eternal and he has political power. Right. Here's another example. I'll just read you a few of them. Daniel seven, verse 13. In my vision at night, I looked and there before me was one like the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the ancient of days and was led into his presence.
He was given authority and glory and sovereign power over all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and the kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. All right. So we're thinking political earthly kingdom now. What are the disciples thinking? Well, we know if we flip over to chapter one and we'll do that later.
But remember, the disciples say to Jesus, Lord, at this time, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel? So they're thinking political kingdom. And he said, It's not for you to know the time to the date set by the father, but you will be. My witness is now go and preach. But they're thinking in their heads Political kingdom, aren't they?
Now, very interesting. I even got you a do more research on that. But think about this terms. You can do this later if you want. The devil's temptations of Jesus. If you turn there, why did the devil pick these three? These are three temptations. And and by the way, don't look at the back of your page that has the answer on it.
No peeking. And if you have already, the Lord will forgive you. That's okay. But try not to peek. Yeah. Here's the devil's temptations. It starts with this. I'm going to read them out of order. But the first temptation, he says, is if you are the son of God and here's the point are you the Messiah? If you're the Messiah, the coming king, you need to prove your Messiah ship.
Can you do these things? How about this one? This is verse eight again. The devil took him to a very high noon and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And he said, I will give this to you if you will bow down to me, what would that fulfill? Scripture? Surely that's one of the things the Messiah supposed to do.
He's supposed to have dominion over the whole world, and he's supposed to reign in rule. So that would fulfill scripture wouldn't have no problem. So, I mean, if the devil if somebody came to you and said, Mickey Mouse will take over the world, Right. You wouldn't believe it. It's stupid. But what if somebody said, I don't know, I'm going to be too political?
Let's see, the European Union leader will take over the world or something. You might think about it a little bit more. Why? there might be some truth in there, right? The devil, when he tells you he's going to sell some truth in there. So what about this one? And then the devil took him to the holy city.
So I'm going backwards verse five and haven't stand on the highest point of the temple. So in a public place, way up on the highest point. And he says this If you are the son of God, he said, throw yourself down. So it is written right. He won't let you strike your foot against the stone. The angels will come and lift you up.
And the point is, you know, according to many commentators, Jesus would have fallen off the temple in front of all these people and they would have seen this miraculous salvation. Well, obviously he's the Messiah. But here's the point, right? Of the increase of his government, there will be no end and he will live on an eternal throne. Right.
He cannot be killed, his eternal being. Right. So in other words, he cannot die. Interesting. So could that be a test to see whether he's eternal or not? Absolutely it could. That would fulfill scripture if he jumped off of there and he was saved. No problem. That falls in line with Jewish prophecy. Well, how about this one? The tempter came to him and said, If you are the son of God, tell these stones to become bread.
And Jesus answered, It is written. A man does not live by bread alone, but comes from every word that comes through the mouth of God. I watched that a little bit, but that's interesting. If you turn to John six, you read a really interesting story and Jesus has just turned down all the bread, right? Or all the what did he multiply the bread?
That's what he was doing. And here's how the people respond. They respond with this. John Chapter six What do the people believe about the Messiah? So Jesus multiplies the bread and this is what the people say in verse 14 After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, Surely this is the prophet who is to come into the world Jesus knowing they intended to come and make him king by force, earthly king with June to the hills, why would multiply a food?
Why would they say this is a prophet? And why would that make him king? And here's the deal. The Jews believe Moses who said they believe the words of Moses. Moses. He said, I'm going to send you another prophet just like me. Right? And the idea was that the Messiah should do the works of Moses. So right. Moses in the desert for 40 years, Jesus in the wilderness, 40 days, Moses has 70 elders, Jesus sends out the 70 man, Moses multiplies food, so does Jesus, right?
And they're going the Messiah. He's supposed to do this. Let's make him king. Okay, so what are they looking for? They're looking for earthly power disciples at this time. Are you going to restore the Kingdom of Israel? Yeah. We see this. You want to back that up a little bit? Right Back it up a little bit. So why is Satan testing with bread?
If you are the son of God, do this. He's testing his Messiah ship. So he's doing. Yeah. Do you want a little bit more of a test of this? Remember Matthew Chapter two, Baby Jesus is born the magic show up, and they say, Where is he born? King of the Jews. And all of Jerusalem is disturbed. And so the Herod and the Magi, they find out it's in Bethlehem, they go and worship Jesus.
They're weren't warned to leave a different way. And Herod, we find out he's been tricked. He kills all the children. Two years and younger. Why would here it be so upset of the coming king? He'd kill all those kids with. The idea is he thinks he's going to get replaced because he's going to be an earthly king and Herod is going to lose his throne because this king is going to sit on his throne.
Right. His the messiah earthly king sitting on the throne He fought in that. We get that Jewish belief system. Yeah. If the Jews believe that and Herod believes that, what do the disciples believe about Jesus? Well, guess what? They believe the same thing. Now, let me just play this out for you. Think about like this. There's a movie called Life of Brian and Monty Python movie.
And in the beginning they make look Jesus look really good. In the last part of it kind of goes downhill. But it's a funny movie and they really play on Jewish culture well. And there's a scene where John Cleese and these guys are leading a bunch of rebels that are rebelling against Rome, and they want to overthrow the Roman government because the Jews are always trying to overthrow the Roman government.
You might have seen Masada way back when, right? Instead of being killed by the Romans, all the Jews commit mass suicide. It just they're not going over. And so in this clip, John Cleese is a leader of this group, and he goes, What have the Romans ever done to us? And there's a moment of silence. And one of the people in his group goes, Well, he did give us public sanitation and roads and safety to go in the streets at night.
And there's commerce and schools and John Cleese goes, Well, besides roads and sanitation and it's safe to go on the streets and commerce. What did the Romans ever done for us? Not they kill the Romans, right? Jewish belief system. There should be a messiah. And if you read a math or a X5, Gamaliel is saying because he'd just written Peter and John anything you guys there is a guy named satires.
He rose up and 400 men followed him into the desert. And then after him was this Judas guy. And all these guys followed him into the desert. There's always somebody coming along claiming of the Messiah wanting to be king, Right? And the Jews are worried. Is Jesus another one of those guys? Is he? Well, it makes sense then.
And now you can send your page over, but don't read the bottom way things like this happen and this. And you wouldn't write this right at the top of your page. This is a bonus little verse. Matthew 2020. Matthew 2020. Then the mother of Liberty Sons. So James and John's mother came to Jesus with her sons, Eli, down before him and asked for a favor.
What is it you want? He asked. She said, Grant me and these two sons of mine, They're right to sit on the me. Let me say that again. Mine may sit at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom. Right. You don't know what you're asking for when you come into your kingdom, Do one of my son sit on your left and one on your right.
What are they asking for? When Jesus becomes earthly king, they want to be the two guys with power, right? And in verse 24, when when the tin heard about this, they were indignant. Remember, these guys are always fighting about who's going to be the greatest yet. Why It's really important if you're going to sit at the right hand of Jesus, isn't it?
If you're going to rule in Earthly Kingdom, it's really important. He's got the power. Let's see here, Pit. You have this one on your page. I think it's Mark ten, maybe a parallel passage. But let me read this, too. This might be when they're fighting. Nope, nope. Same thing. 1035 And Mark, then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to teacher.
They said, We want you to do for us whatever we ask. What a great question. What if your kids ask you that? Now, I'm not going to tell you the question, but just do whatever I ask you. Right? Here's what they ask. James. Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left when you come into your glory.
Hey, they want some power. Now, not only those guys. The disciples are fighting about this constantly and all the time they're fighting about who's going to who's the greatest. Now, let me just read you a couple of those who just to kind of give you the background. Luke 946 So remember, these are Jesus's best friends and arguments started among the disciples to which of them would be the greatest.
And Jesus took him aside knowing their thoughts, He said, Unless you become like a little child, right, who's going to be the greatest? Let's see here. What's another one? That's Luke 904 Mark ten might be a good one. I think that my brain just went dead. I didn't know where Mark was for second. Mark 1035 So this. no, I did that already.
My brain did go down. Mark 933 They came to Capernaum and it was at the house. He asked them what we argue about on the road, but they kept quiet because on the way they'd been arguing about who was the greatest sit down. Jesus said, If anyone wants to be first, he must be servant of all again. And you know what?
At the Last Supper here, Jesus has told them He's going to die Last supper. Guess what they're fighting about. Luke, 22. He's breaking the bread. Hard to believe. First 24. And let's see here. This cup is a new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. All right. And then they began to question among themselves, which would do this.
Also, a dispute arose among them to which of them would be the greatest, the kings of the Gentiles lorded over them. And those who exercise authority or call themselves benefactors. But it should not be like this with you constantly acting alone. Now, are you going to set up the kingdom? Can you imagine being with these guys and they see you in the wrong light the whole time?
Remember Matthew? Jesus, Peter had it right, at least partly. Matthew I think it's 16 where he says, Who did to Do you say who do people say that I am in? Simon? Peter answers, You are the Christ. You're the son of a living God and God. And Jesus says, Blessed are you, Simon of Joan. This is not revealed to you by by man, but by my father.
And just a little bit later, same passage. From that time on, Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things and die. Peter took him aside and said to Jesus, Never, Lord, He said, This shall never happen to you. Why is he upset that Jesus would die? He's a messiah and this is not supposed to die.
And Jesus says, Get behind me, Satan, for you have and and see here, let me read that out of my sight. Satan, you are a stumbling block to me. You do not have in mind the sins of God, but the sins of man right here on one hand, Peter see it clearly. Yes, you're the Messiah. But Part two, you're not going to die.
There's no way, according to Scripture, the Messiah supposed to die. He will reign forever. We shall reign with you. All right. There's confusion in their belief system that's important for us. If Jesus stood right in front of us today, would we hear him clearly? Or would you see him through our culture, our education, our religion, our worldview? Would we do the same thing?
All right. So these guys had him with him for three and a half years face to face, and they still saw them through those things. Now, here's what Jesus is promising them, right? There are some really good promises and this is a bit farther down on your page, but how about this? Now, let's keep in mind Judas here, because Judas is involved in this little plot and Jesus does make this statement to them in Matthew 1928, and it's on your page, but it's a little bit lower down and it says this.
I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the son of man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles, including Judas. You 12 You're going to sit on the throne. Judas is in the midst of things here. Matter of fact, in Luke, I think it's Luke No.
Nine. Matthew, Mark are doing it again. My brain is going dead. Mcnearney says this When Jesus had called the 12 together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases. And he sent them out to preach the Gospel, including Judas. He's one of the 12. How many Old Testament prophets cast out All Demons Kill the Sick?
I think the other parallel passage says a healed all sickness. If you think of it, all prophets who did that continually. Judas has incredible power given by Jesus, doesn't he? And he's been offered a throne. Very interesting. What's his motive? The Pharisees are offering that kind of power. Jesus is offering in power. Interesting. Okay, so let's just take a minute.
What do the disciples know about Jesus? Well, you know what? Jesus gets into a crowd like a lead for 28, and they're going to kill him. He just walked right on through. He can't be killed. And here's here's a verse. It's Luke 428. You can write that down if you want. All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
They got up, drove them out of town and took him to the brow, the hill on which the town was built in order to throw him down the cliff. I think I said that wrong down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd, went his way. Nobody can touch him if he doesn't want them to. What about natural disasters?
Remember Luke eight? They're all in a boat. The waves are coming and everything's going to get swamped. 825 Let's see here. He got up and we beat the wind and the raging waters. The storm subsided and always come. Where is your faith? He asked the disciples. In fear and amazement. They asked one another, Who is this? He commands even the wind and the water.
And they'll be him. Right? You guys ever watch The Matrix movies when Storm is there and you don't go through all the storms and you can just think about that? That's what they're seeing somebody do. He controls weather. He walks through crowds. He canceled all the demons, He multiplies food. He does the works of Moses, right? He is a superhero with a big J on his chest, but no cape.
Right. He's got a robe. But that's what they're seeing. They're seeing Superman in the flesh. Nothing stops this guy. He's impregnable. I think they put an extra concert in there. But anyway, you know, you get the idea, right? You. That's what they're seeing. The remember, he's eternal. His government will reign forever and ever. He cannot be killed. Right?
He has all power. And this is what they think. Okay. Yeah. Let's see here. What's the power? Okay, now everything is going pretty good. Everybody's on board. And Judas hasn't done the deal yet. And if you look, turn it, look 19 and you won't want to follow me. There, because this is a really important part. The triumphal entry.
Yeah. Remember what people are shouting Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord, right? All the kings of olden days. Guess where they go to get crowned? Jerusalem. Remember they were going to grab them before drag them off and make him king by force. Well, here he comes. And guess what They're thinking earthly.
KING And John, 11, the Pharisees are freaking out about this. It's a parallel passage. But let me read it to you. Here's what the Pharisees are thinking. Very good 20 pages of my left hand. John 11 just laid on the back room. 1145 to 51. Let's see here. He's just what are we accomplishing? The ass? So here's the Pharisees talking.
Talking. Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him. And then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. Why would why we have healing all these people cause the Romans to come? Well, if he's a messiah and he becomes king, Herod has a deal.
He's paid a lot of money to be king, right? A lot of money. And if here it goes, guess what the Romans do they come back in and take over everything. So what happens if they make him king? What if this crowd puts him on the throne? The Romans come in and kill everybody. So the Pharisees, politically, they don't believe he's the Messiah.
They're stuck in a quandary, aren't they? Police system. How do they see him? So here comes Jesus. Look, 19 triumphal entry. Let's see here. How far back should we go? You know the story. Jesus goes. He says, Go and get a hold of a donkey. Untie it, bring it to me. And so they do that. Let me just skip down here Over 33 as it untied the Court, I'm turn the Court Its owners asked him why you went on.
The Court They replied, The Lord needs it. They brought it to Jesus. They threw their clothes on it on the court and put Jesus on it. As he went along. People spread their cloaks on the road. So two signs of kingship in the Old Testament. One riding on a donkey or a mule to spreading your cloaks on the ground.
Those were done for Old Testament Kings and I'll read you the verses in a minute. When he came near the place where the road goes down to the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they'd seen. Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.
And some of the old passages say Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna was a word used when an earthly king was coming in back to the city, Praise be to the king. And so say, Here comes the king. Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said the Jesus teacher, rebuke You disciples, I tell you replied, If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.
So far, according to everybody's belief system, the reign of the earthly king is about to happen, and the disciples are. They're pumped. Now, those two verses I told you about, I'll see if I can read them to you quickly. They're not on your page. You're going to have to write this down first. Kings 133. And you know what?
I'll just tell you that when that is, when Solomon is going to be made king, they take the king's mule and they put Solomon on it and they parade him around the city. Think here is the king. And in the Old Testament, if a king came to the city on a horse, it was for war. But if he came on a donkey or a mule, he came for peace.
Right? So there is a message in that too. In Second Kings. This is the other one. This one I'll read you because I think it's kind of fascinating because they're throwing their cloaks on the ground in front of Jesus. Right? Second Kings Night in. Let's see here now, who is this Jay who has just been told by a prophet you're going to be king and the Prophet's taking you into this little secret room so nobody else knows.
So he's a leader of his men. He comes out. Let's see, here's what his his people say to him. His soldiers. He Is everything all right? What did that madman come to you? What did he say? you know the things he says. Jay replied. That's not true. Tell us, Jay. You said. Here's what he told me. This Prophet.
This is what the Lord says. I know you. King Over Israel, they hurried and took their clothes and spread them under him on the bare steps. And then they blew the trumpet in show Jay, who's king just like Jesus. They put their cloak from the ground, from the walk on it. The reason being right, your cloak is your mantle of authority.
And the lady that Jesus has feet because he has ultimate authority, because he's king. Everything's looking good. Now, remember, though, remember the devil's temptations if you're king, if you're if you are the Messiah, you will do these things. You will have earthly power, You will multiply food, and you cannot be killed. So far, disciples believe all those things, don't they?
All right. There's no reason not to. They're all in line with that. So back to Luke 19. Here comes Jesus. He looks like he's going to be made an earthly king, and he does something incredibly and earthly king should not do. He goes to the temple. Let me just get to the right spot. The Trample injury. He enters the town Jesus at the temple, first 45.
Then he entered the temple arena and he began driving out. Those who are selling it is written. He said to them, My house would be a house of prayer, but you've made it a den of robbers every day. He was teaching in the temple, but the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.
Yet they couldn't get the people hungry anywhere. Well, here's the problem. It looks like Jesus is going to become king. But the power brokers, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, he's taking them all the time. He's calling them bad names. You brood of vipers. He's flipping over all the tables. He's blowing it. He wants to be a king, isn't he?
You've got a problem here. The two groups aren't getting together. They're not working this thing out. Yeah, Introduce into Judas and the Pharisees are. Both are worried about losing their land. Judas comes in, John 1246. I'll just repeat it. They offer him 30 pieces of silver, which was the price of the slave to sell. To sell Jesus. Well, if you look it up in the commentary, that's only worth $20.16 or something like that, right?
Not enough to even buy a kosher pizza, right? It's nothing. Well, why would you just do it with the Judas? Sell them out for power? I don't know. I mean, he's going to reign on the throne of power given by by Jesus at his right side or somewhere in there. Not only that, he's moving into power and authority, probably on the level of an Old Testament prophet.
People love this guy. And if you read scripture, Herod finds out what's going on, you have these 12 guys out moving in the miraculous, including Judas. And Herod finds out and he thinks he's John the Baptist, come back to life to come back and get revenge. So Judas isn't doing it for power because Jesus is giving him all the power, the authority that the Pharisees aren't giving him that, and he doesn't appear to be doing it for money because he's you're not making enough.
And matter of fact, if you look it up, Judas, I think it's Luke nine. Judas had control of the money bag. If you do remember, it is on your page. I'm not sure if this is the right person. Let me see. Now, that's Judas sending the 12 out and now that they're curing the diseases, healing the sick here, the children heard about it and he's perplexed because he's thinking John the Baptist been raised to life.
I mean, these guys are causing a stir. Now, remember when the lady came I don't have the verse here somewhere.
thank you. Let's see here. it's right on top of the page there, John. Well, thanks, Adrian. Here comes this lady. She breaks the alabaster jar, and it's a year's wage rate, this expensive perfume. She pours it all over. Jesus, a year's wage worth. But one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected.
Why wasn't this perfume sold? And the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages. He didn't care this because he didn't say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, a keeper of the money bag. And he used to help himself to what was ever in it. Right? So he's a thief.
So just think about it. Jesus is healing the high priest servant. I mean, people with money right now. If you look at any modern ministry, when they have a lot of power going on, they make a lot of a lot of moolah. Right. And I mean and Jesus, obviously people are taking a year's wage and dumping at his feet.
I would say that there's probably more than 30 pieces of silver in that money bag, that if Judas was doing it for cash, he's in the right position with Jesus to live off pilfering out of that bag for the rest of his life. Right. So is he doing it for money? You know, I don't think so. I don't think he's doing it for money.
It doesn't look like he's doing it for power. He's got all the fever of all the people because of miracles Jesus has given them. So he can't be doing it for a favor. Why would he betray an interesting get in? So what's next? Could he be doing it for revenge? Yeah, maybe. Maybe. Maybe He's a hit man, right?
Maybe he wants him dead just for pure old fashioned revenge. Well, interesting. If that's the case, you turn to Matthew 27. So here's where. Where Jesus dies and the end Judas hangs himself. And for this, I want to get my New Testament, man. So you look at this. I actually own a nice Bible. See that? Me, Not my writing one, but new King James to read publicly is a little bit stilted and unless you get used to it.
Matthew 27. This Bible has some of the new, new, new King James. When they have a commentary right on the bottom, it's really nice to have that in case you want to look a little bit deeper at verses. So here's Judas, right? He's turned Jesus over. He's betrayed him with a kiss. And I'm just going to read in verse 127 one when the morning came, all the chief priests in the elders plotted against uses to put him to death when they had bound him, they led him away and delivered him the Pontius Pilot, the governor, then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that he'd been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to
the chief priest. And now they're saying I have sinned and betrayed innocent blood. And they said to him, What's this to us? You see to it they threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself. Well, isn't that interesting? Now, if he's a hit man, right, I would imagine that a hit man, when he does a job, he goes out for a beer later on and congratulates himself.
Right. I don't think too many hitmen, if they're intent on killing somebody, going pop themselves after they show remorse, interesting reaction. And not only that, according to Jewish law, eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, right to make it right. Life for a life. Judith goes and does the right thing. He hangs himself. According to Jewish law.
That's what he would need to do. Now, why would a guy, if he wants to see Jesus dead, why would he feel remorse? And some of the commentators say surprised and then go and try to make it right by life for a life? Well, that's interesting to do. So it doesn't look like he's doing it for power. He doesn't look like he's doing it for favor with the people.
It doesn't look like he's doing it for money and it doesn't look like he's doing it for revenge. What's in it for Judas Modus operandi. What's his motive? Right. So you guys don't have to answer that. I just think about that. Judas is a product of his culture and he sees the Messiah in a certain way. And he's been offered something.
He's been offered a throne. Here's what the commentators in my Bible say. Let's see here 27 three Judas. Judas felt remorse because he had not planned for this to happen. That's an interesting comment from a commentator. Don't you think Judas hadn't planned for this to happen? He may have betrayed Jesus in order to force him to take action against his enemies and inaugurate his kingdom.
But this was not God's plan. So here's what here's what the commentator saying. Some commentators believe Jesus comes in on the on the Trample injury. Everybody's yelling Hosanna to the King Long live the king. They're laying down their robes. He's riding on the donkey. It all looks perfect. According to the Old Testament, Jesus blows it. He goes into the temple, He flips over tables.
He basically gives all the Pharisees a finger. Basically, it's not working in what some commentators think is this Judas. What? You know what? I need to get Jesus along with the Pharisees so he will perform a miracle and then they will know he's the Messiah. If I can set that up, if I can force them into a meeting, he'll have to take his throne.
He will become king then, and I will get the reigning power. A lot of commentators believe Judas did it to force Jesus to inaugurate his kingdom on Earth. But guess what? He was a product of his culture and he didn't even realize in the Old Testament when Jesus said, I have to die for the sins of the world.
He completely missed it. You remember the other disciples? They're not in it for power, for money, right? Judas is in it for power, and he's in it for money. Make no mistake. But the other disciples, they're still thinking earthly kingdom and they all flee. They all run for it. And they're still asking him in Acts one now is it going to be an earthly kingdom?
Because they just don't get it? And Jesus explains to them from the beginning why he had to die and suffer, right? He said, 40 days to take them. Come on, you guys. Let me explain what the Bible says too. How is it possible? That's true about Judas? You know what I what I believe. Could you absolutely prove it?
No, but I think that makes sense. But the point for us today is this. This is the important point. Why does God use symbolic language? Why the effects of the tree in the garden, the knowledge of good and evil have put self on the throne. And even the disciples who were with Jesus for three and a half years and saw him face to face still did not get what he was about, did not understand his mission, and even though they were his best friends, still believed all the temptations of the devil he rather than Jesus, who stood with them face to face.
Right. They believed all those temptations of the devil inaugurate your kingdom can't be killed, Right? Practice multiplication. And remember, Jesus was hanging on the cross. You remember the Pharisees say they see this and you? Matthew 2742 You have it right in front of me. Why would the Pharisees say this? And everybody says, Well, they were just mocking him.
Well, they were mocking him, but guess what? Let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him. He trusted in God, let him deliver him now is if he will have them free. Said, I'm the son of God. If you are the son of God, come down from that cross and will believe you. Why? It's an eternal kingdom.
He can't be killed. So if he is a messiah, he should be able to walk down according to them, as an earthly king, because no one can kill him. And they're standing there just watching and mocking them. Right. Pretty harsh. You know, for us here today, it's important because God has poured out a language at chapter two, how poor my spirit and all flesh.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy you. Old men will have dreams. You young men will have visions. I'll pour my spirit on all people. They will prophesy the language of the prophet, dream and vision and feeling and impression and picture the way the church is birth and acts ten with a silly vision that doesn't mean anything that God never explains the language of the Prophet poured out to help us get past where our culture and religion and education and wounding and all those things dictate to us what is truth and what is right, when in fact we're not seeing the picture right there.
Solution is there, and the Lord has released His spirit to guide us into all truth, to get us past that to a place we can see face to face right. Really important. How strong are paradigms? How much did they affect the prophets in the Old Testament and the disciples in the new? Has the Lord made away? Absolutely He has.
But for that, for us to get it, we need to now value the language of the Prophet. Why Jesus spoke in parable. Why did he? There's a reason people didn't seem right. We'll look at that next week. So just a bit of a review last time if I want to learn language. We talked about this last week. If I want to learn French, I can learn it to get out of school and get a good grade, Right.
I can learn French to get a good job at Air Canada or the government a little better. I got more motivation, but what if I marry somebody and that's their first language and all their relatives speak that? What's my motivation then? What's the motivation? Love. So, Lord, thank you that you you've left away. And Father, I just ask that you imprint on us how much of our cultural values in church, in our education, in our religion, all of those things, how much they affect us.
But you have promised to give us another counselor, the Holy Spirit, who would guide us and lead us into all truth that you have not left us as orphans. And for the language you speak in that Lord, that we could value that because you want to lead us to a place where the kingdom is birthed through us. As we encounter you and we listen a man.
So there you go. I kind of beat you over the head with a stick. But important. Important to why God values this little, little bit of something for you to study hard. The dirty words. We don't want to use the word here because you don't have to do it. Now. I want, you know, realize this has something to do with what we're just talking about, Right.
I want you to go to let's see if it's on your fax. And it's a story about eagerness, and I'm not quite sure where it is off the top of my head, but that's okay. You can find it. If you remember this story, Paul has been warned by the Holy Spirit not to go to Jerusalem. Kind of weird.
How can the Holy Spirit, through some people are saying don't go to Jerusalem. But he believes the Holy Spirit is telling him to go to Jerusalem. Got a bit of a problem there, don't we see? Not only that, along comes Jacob as this kind of crazy guy who's got a good track record because he's prophesied a famine and it's come true.
He takes his belt, puts it around Paul, his own hands and feet, and he says, the owner of this belt just like this, the Jews will bind him up and turn him over to the Romans. All right. Read that prophecy. Does it come true just like that? Take a look at it. Does it come through in general? Absolutely.
Take a look at belief systems paradigms. And I think that's all I have to say. So lots to think about. Next week, we will talk about some Old Testament stuff. We're going to do the Disneyland train. You know, you go to Disneyland, you get on that little train on the outside, you take a big tour around. You don't really ride on any one particular thing, but you kind of get to look at it.
We're just going to do a quick trip in the first half of class. Symbolic language. If this is God's method to get around it right, how much is there? How much is there In our Bible as Christians, there's more symbolic language in this book, I would bet you, than probably any other religious text in the world. Right. It's pretty amazing to think about that.
So we're going to just go through it quick. Just do a little trip. Bob Mumford John Wilbur used to say in Scripture, you major on the majors, your minor on the minors, that the Bible doesn't talk a lot about something. You know, don't talk a lot about it. But guess what? The Bible talks a lot about symbolic language.
Lots. If you take a look at that and you'll take a look at why did Jesus speak in parables, why did he do that? How important is it to Jesus? Right. He's a guy we follow, so we'll dig around in that a little bit. Then we could get.