Ask Mr Bible

What was truly unique concerning Jesus Christ’s death on the cross?

 In the Old Testament two specific factors were involved in the offering up of an
 acceptable sacrifice.  The first was the service of a qualified priest (from the
 Tribe of Levi, Num. 3:5-8) and the second involved an acceptable victim (from
 the list of clean animals, Lev. 20:25).  

 On the cross Jesus functioned as both priest (even though He came from the
 Tribe of Judah, Heb. 7:14), and acceptable victim!

Author Ray Stedman writes:

 As a priest, Jesus Christ could find no unblemished sacrifice that He could offer except Himself, so He offered Himself as a sacrifice; there was found no other priest worthy of offering such a sacrifice, so Christ became both Priest and Victim.
 (What More Can God Say?, Regal Press, p. 115)

This dual arrangement can be seen by listening to His seven final sentences
while on the cross.  The first three demonstrate His priestly ministry while the
final four speak of His sacrificial role.

A. His priestly ministry.
 1. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
 2. “Verily, I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
3. “Woman, behold thy son! … Behold thy mother!” (John 19:26, 27).

 B. His sacrificial ministry:
  1. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46).
  2. “I thirst” (John 19:28).
  3. “It is finished” (John 19:30).
  4. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

Note the record involved:

● The event in Genesis 35

“And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which [is] Bethlehem” (Gen. 35:16-19).

● The event in Luke 2

“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:4-7).

Note the relationships involved:

● Both describe two mothers giving birth.

  It would be Rachel’s final birth.
  It would be Mary’s first birth.

● Both babies were boys.

● Both were born in Bethlehem.

● Both would bring sorrow to their mothers.

Rachel would die giving birth to her son.

Mary would later be grieved watching her son die.

“And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34, 35).

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home” (John 19:25-27).

● The names given to the first son would later apply to the second son.

Rachel called her infant son, Ben-oni, meaning, “son of my sorrow.”

Jacob however, called him Benjamin, meaning, “son of my right hand.”

Spiritually speaking, Jesus was later known as Ben-oni.

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isa. 53:3).

Spiritually speaking, Jesus is now known as Benjamin.

“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool” (Heb. 10:12, 13).

Who is this controversial candidate whose platform promises universal peace and justice?  Can He really deliver, or is this just some more political mumbo jumbo?  Can we trust Him?  Will He raise our taxes?  Here is His resume.  Read it and decide for yourself!

● His place of birth: Bethlehem (Lk. 2:4-7)

● The nature of His birth: Born of a virgin (Matt. 1:18-23)

● His own personal nature: Said to be both fully human and divine (Isa. 9:6)

● His father: The first person of the Trinity (Lk. 1:35; 2:49)

● His mother: A virgin named Mary (Lk. 2:7)

● His half-brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, Judas (Matt. 13:55)

● His half-sisters (Matt. 13:56)

● His famous ancestors: Abraham and David (Matt. 1:1)

● His first historical reference: The seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15)

● His overall occupation: Creator (Jn. 1:3), redeemer(1 Peter 1:18, 19), shepherd (Jn. 10:11), judge (Jn. 5:22), and prophet
(Matt. 13:57)

● His platform: Given in detail by the Sea of Galilee (Matt. 5-7)

● His temperament (Matt. 11:29, 30; 12:19, 20)

● His recent accomplishments: Healing the sick (Matt. 4:23, 24), raising the dead (Jn. 11:43, 44), feeding the hungry (Jn. 6:5-13), comforting the comfortless (Matt. 11:28)

● Place of death: Outside Jerusalem on a hill (Matt. 27:33)

● Manner of death: Crucifixion (Jn. 19:18)

● Age at death: Approximately 34 years old

● Place of resurrection: From a Garden Tomb (Jn. 19:41; 20:11-17)

● Place of ascension: The Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-12)

● Current Activities: Serving as a Great High Priest in heaven, praying for His earthly followers (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24)

● Anticipated place of His return: The Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4)

● Final assignment upon returning: To rule over all creation’s realm as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 11:15)

This brief resume has been prepared by the Third Person in the Trinity (the Holy Spirit), upon the approval of the First Person in the Trinity (the Father).  Its accuracy is thus assured! 

How many false philosophies does the first verse in the Bible refute?

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).

● It refutes atheism, for creation is the work of God’s hand.
● It refutes evolution, for the universe was created and did not evolve.
● It refutes materialism, for the universe did not always exist.
● It refutes polytheism, for there is only one God.
● It refutes pantheism, for God is apart from and independent of his creation.

When did the Holy Spirit first appear on earth? Many erroneously believe he originally came at Pentecost in Acts 2, but here he is seen at the very beginning of creation.

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2).

However, a comparison may be seen between Gen. 1 and Acts 2: In Gen. 1 the Holy Spirit is seen hovering over the waters, infusing it with life and energy. In Acts 2 He did the same with the 120 believers assembled in Jerusalem.

Who created the universe?

● According to David, the Father created all things.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psa. 19:1).

● However, John declared the Son did it.

“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:3-4).

● Finally, in other passages, the Holy Spirit is said to have performed the initial act of creation. What are we to believe? The answer is, of course, that all three persons in the Trinity had a part. As an illustration let us consider an important executive who determines to build a spacious and expensive home. He, thus, employs an architect to design the necessary plans for this home. The architect then secures a competent contractor to follow his blueprints. In this illustration the executive is the Father, the architect is the Son, and the contractor is the Holy Spirit. The following verses, then, refer to the work of this Divine Contractor.

“Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth” (Psa. 104:30).

“The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life” (Job 33:4).

How many heavens are there? The word heaven in Gen. 1:1 is plural in the Hebrew. Actually there are three heavens mentioned in the Bible and in the beginning God created all three.

● First heaven: home of the birds and clouds—“The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it” (Dan. 4:12).

“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matt. 6:26).

● Second heaven: home of the sun, moon, and stars—“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psa. 19:1).

● Third heaven: home of the angels and departed saints—“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:2).

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