Genesis 28; Matthew 27
Daily Catechism
QUESTION 3: HOW DO WE KNOW THERE IS A GOD?
Answer: The light of nature in man, and the works of God, plainly declares that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only, do effectually reveal him unto us for our salvation.
Scripture: Romans 1:18-20; Psalm 19:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:15; 1 Corinthians 1:21-24; 2:9, 10; Matthew 11:27.
Comment: The question distinguishes two kinds of knowledge: one is natural and comes from conscience (“the light of nature in man”) and from the works of God in nature; the other is spiritual or saving, and comes from the recognition of the true value of God and the beauty of his character. Natural knowledge is possessed by all people and thus makes all people accountable to honor and thank God. Spiritual knowledge is possessed only by those whose natural blindness has been overcome by the Spirit of God. (1 Cor. 2:14-16). Our children must come to see the difference between these lest they think they are saved by much natural knowledge about God—which the devils also have James 2:19).
Genesis 28
Ready:
The stolen blessing was yesterday Lord and your working through the errant and misguided people that you have chosen.
Reading thoughts:
In this chapter Jacob flees from Esau and heads to Haran to find a wife. He is sent with Isaac’s blessing and Isaac gives no sense of being ticked but seems to be content that the Lord has chosen to pass the blessing to Jacob. Isaac’s servant had met Rebekah’s family by the providence of God and now Jacob is sent to her family specifically to seek out a cousin for marriage. This probably would have been done by sending a servant if it were not for the fact that the driving force here was getting away from Esau. On the way Jacob has an encounter with God where God speaks and tells him that the promise indeed has extended to him and that God will now keep covenant with him. God now announces himself as the God of Abraham and Isaac…the list of patriarchs is building. God is advancing his kingdom purposes.
Key Verses:
“1 Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women.” (Genesis 28:1, ESV)
“3 God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. 4 May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!”” (Genesis 28:3–4, ESV)
“13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.” (Genesis 28:13, ESV)
“15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”” (Genesis 28:15, ESV)
“16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”” (Genesis 28:16–17, ESV)
“20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God,” (Genesis 28:20–21, ESV)
I take the theme as- God protect and provides for Jacob, his chosen offspring to whom the covenant with Abraham is extended.
Rumination thoughts:
v1-5. Most impressive here is that Isaac seems to have just moved on and there is no indication that he has blown up the family over the stolen blessing. I take it that he realized the hand of God at work and he is trusting in the Lord. He blesses Jacob and with the prodding of Rebakah (for Jacob’s safety) Isaac agrees to send his son to Haran to fetch a wife. Jacob should be over 40 years old at this point so not as young as I would picture.
v6-9. Interesting here how Esau decides he wants to impress his parents by taking a relative as a wife. He already has more than one Canaanite wife but he now adds a relative of Ishmael. So Jacob is taking a wife from the family of Abraham’s brother Nahor while Esau now adds a wife from Abraham’s son’s family (the unchosen son).
v10-17. Here Jacob has a dream while on his way to Haran and God speaks to him with an announcement of his identity as the God of Abraham and Isaac. Later God will announce himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is a pivotal point in Jacob’s life because this is where God first speaks and extends the covenant that Isaac told him was to be extended. So God is faithful and he puts confidence and hope into Jacob here. v18-22. When Jacob wakes he builds an alter to the Lord and he commits to be God’s people. “I will be their God” God had said in Gen 17. Here Jacob announces with a vow that God shall be his God since he has extended this promise indeed and Jacob now expects that the faithful God of his fathers will indeed provide for him and protect him and bring him back into the land of Canaan to dwell. Jacob also names the place Bethel (house of God) and decides that he will give to God the first 10% of all that God provides him with (a tithe). Jacob shows here another way to worship God apart from song and this is by giving of our first fruits and therefore exalting God and giving him thanks for his provision for us.
Meaning, Implications, and Significance
1. God is faithful and he has now come to the third generation of his promise to Abraham. Jacob vows in response to God’s promised faithfulness and he trusts God with his needs. Jacob’s response to God’s promise to make basic provision is worship. The implication for today is the same as evidenced by Jesus’ command in Matt 6:33 that we are to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness trusting all our other needs would be met by God one way or the other (paraphrase). This is the same message as what Jacob understood here. So the significance for me is that I too can trust God to meet my needs and I can give generously to his kingdom work and I can trust that he will sustain me and give me what I need…not what I want when I want wrong things, but what I need to be sustained so that my family can seek him and honor him.
Response:
“Private”
Reaction:
“Private”
Matthew 27
Ready:
Coming off of the redefining of the passover and Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane we see Jesus abandoned and questioned before the Jewish council. They patently reject Jesus and Jesus tells them "from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Even Peter denies Jesus three times.
Reading thoughts:
Here is Matthew’s account of the Roman trial and the crucifixion of Jesus.
Key Verses:
“1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.” (Matthew 27:1, ESV)
“3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”” (Matthew 27:3–4, ESV)
“13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.” (Matthew 27:13–14, ESV)
“17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.” (Matthew 27:17–18, ESV)
“21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!”” (Matthew 27:21–22, ESV)
“24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”” (Matthew 27:24, ESV)
“29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”” (Matthew 27:29, ESV)
“39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”” (Matthew 27:39–40, ESV)
“42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.” (Matthew 27:42, ESV)
“45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”” (Matthew 27:45–46, ESV)
“50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.” (Matthew 27:50–51, ESV)
“54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”” (Matthew 27:54, ESV)
“64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.”” (Matthew 27:64, ESV)
I see the theme summed up by Caiaphas- “49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”” (John 11:49–50, ESV). His life for mine.
Rumination thoughts:
v1-2. With Jesus now in their possession the council determines in the morning that they will take Jesus to the governor and order that he be killed. The Jews wanting to deflect the killing of Jesus onto the Romans bound him and took him to Pilate.
v3-10. Here Judas realizes his error and he declares that Jesus is innocent of any charge and he throw the silver coins into the temple and then proceeds to kill himself. A right and true assessment of his own guilt and the righteousness of Christ was made by Judas…but not a repentance unto the obedience of faith. Judas did not turn to Jesus in recognition of his guilt but he saw himself helpless and doomed without any hope. Judas did not call upon the name of the Lord but he simply gave up.
v11-14. Here Jesus meets Pilate and he acknowledges Pilate with an affirmative answer regarding being the King of the Jews (though put back on Pilate as the one making the confession). This incited the chief priests and elders who then hurled accusations at him. Jesus does not give any answer to their accusations. I suppose this is for more than one reason. Perhaps he knows that his innocence is plain to Pilate and certainly because he knows the mission is to die a sacrificial death on the cross that was planned before the creation of the world. Perhaps also because he already told the Jews that their next dealing with him would be at his second coming (Matt 26:64)…he was essentially done with them. Pilate tries to convince Jesus to defend himself probably since he perceives the purity and innocence in the man standing before him. But Jesus is resolute. He has a purpose that will not be thwarted by anything whatsoever.
v15-23. This section probably happens after Jesus is sent to Herod to be interviewed but only Luke’s gospel records that account. So now back at the governor’s palace we see Pilate, who seems to believe Jesus to be innocent, make an effort to secure his release. Pilate figures that is the option of two prisoners to release was a really bad choice then perhaps the crowd would be sensible and release Jesus and then Pilate can rest assured that Justice was served. Like Solomon declaring that the baby be cut in half and the true mother immediately steps back and tells him rather to give the child to the lying kidnapper, Pilate give the people this choice. But the people shout as it were “cut the baby in half then”. The crowd chooses Barabbas to be released! But to release Jesus would be to condemn the world to destruction and to forfeit the covenant to Abraham so there is no doubt that the Father intends Barabbas to be released. Pilate, no doubt, is in a pickle of huge proportions because he knows that Jesus is innocent and the Jews are killing him from envy and he perceives some truth in his wife’s vision that Jesus is righteous. Like Judas who faced the true understanding of his own guilt and Jesus’ innocence now Pilate faces a true understanding of Jesus’ innocence and he must decide what it means to him. Pilate receives the gospel truth staring him in the face and he must decide whether to sacrifice his post and possibly face death if the mob riots and he is blamed by the emperor for this uproar or if he goes limp and lets the crowd make his decisions. The crowd is corrupted by the lies of the chief priests and elders (the Jewish council) and they shout for the crucifixion of Jesus. v24-26. Pilate fails. He believes Jesus is innocent but he does not truly have saving faith in the identity of this promised offspring and he does not walk in the obedience of faith but chooses himself. Recognizing still that he is sending a righteous man to his death he attempts to cleanse his own conscience with a washing of his hands but the washing he needs will not be had. This was an insurmountable test of the integrity of Pilate and he showed himself ultimately to be like all of mankind, an enslaved sinner.
v27-31. Here Jesus is mocked and beaten by the Roman soldiers before being led off to be crucified. Jesus is now in the midst of enduring hate and rejection and dishonor from the people whom he created and whom he sustains in existence.
v32-44. Jesus is put on the cross and mocked and they challenge him to save himself if he indeed is who he claims to be. Jesus already faced this temptation in the desert after his baptism but this liar has returned again to tempt Jesus as he is in the midst of a greater suffering than he faced while fasting in the desert. But this temptation and this suffering and this shame was known to Jesus in the moment that he conferred with the Father in Genesis 1:26 when God paused in his creation to converse between the Father and Son “Let us make man in our own image”. No doubt there is an acknowledgment of the book of life of the lamb that was slain (Rev 13:8) in which the names of the children of Abraham will be written in the moment of this decision to move forward with creating mankind. I see Jesus without a human body yet but clothed in light “smiling" with a well of glorious submission to his Father as he pictures this scene at Calvary and responds with “Yes Father, let us create him in our image.” Jesus teaches his would be followers to count the cost…as he did.
v45-50. Comparing gospels it seems that Jesus was now on the cross for about three hours when the sky become dark. I see this next three hour period (12pm-3pm) as the real suffering endured by our King. I believe the darkening of the sky illustrates the judgement and wrath of God that is being poured out upon Jesus in an unseen suffering. Jesus endures in 3 hours the wrath what I would have spent eternity under. 2 Cor 5:21 says that Jesus became sin on the cross. Jesus became on this cross the embodiment of all evil and idolatry and hatred of God and selfishness and wickedness and immorality and murder and lies and the totality of the sins of all the sheep. R.C. Sproul said that in the cross hung the greatest concentration of evil that the world has ever known. Jesus became sin in his flesh, though he knew no sin, so that the Father could kill it…destroy it…dethrone it. And he did…for three hours. Worse yet than this wrath of the Father came next. Silence. No more fury but now an absence. The Father turns his face away and Jesus is abandoned for the first time in the 33 years of his humanity there is no communion whatsoever with the Father. Jesus is separated (in his flesh) from his Father. Now the cry where he quotes the opening verse of Psalm 22 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Of course we know that he was forsaken so that we would never be. Again the humanity of Jesus is seen as it was in the Garden. Psalm 22, written by King David, is an amazing glimpse into the cross…give it a read. The final cry of Jesus is not explicitly described in this gospel but is no doubt the cry “It is finished!” and in Psalm 22 (assuming that it indeed is a view of the entire cross experience of Jesus) it appears that there is a point in the middle of verse 21 where God answers the Son and the relationship is restored. Perhaps this is the final moments on the cross and Jesus knows that the payment is complete…the job is done and he now has no further use for his earthly life…and so he gives it up by choice.
v51-54. At this point the earth shakes and rocks split and tombs burst open (they were built into the rock of the hills) and greatest of all the curtain of the temple splits. God announces here that reconciliation is made. Sin is conquered (and death would be next to fall pretty soon). The sin that enslaved and separated man from God and caused the need for the elaborate sacrificial system and the annual atonement in the most holy place of the temple behind the curtain is defeated (Col 2:13-15). Jesus has once for all paid the price…he is the sacrifice (Heb 9:12, Rom 6:10). Access to God without intermediary priests is now a reality (Eph 2:8 &13, Eph 3:12). Comparing with other gospels it seems that the raising of the dead from these tombs probably occurred after Jesus’ resurrection rather than immediately after the tombs break open. There is a Roman Soldier (with other witnesses) here who recognized the significance of what they see and what they heard and they make a confession of Jesus as the Son of God. Perhaps this guard, who was likely to be closest to Jesus as he hung in the darkness those last three hours, was watching intently. Perhaps he saw the Son of God suffering and he witnessed the harmony or the creation’s reaction to this author of life. Perhaps he saw the pain and agony turn to relief and suddenly an earthquake announces the victory! Could this man have seen the harmonizing of these events and realized that the person on that cross was none other than the creator and sustainer of this earth? I don’t know but that is one conversation I look forward to!
v55-56. Here Matthew mentions the women that were at a distance watching this happen. I take not of the mother of the sons of Zebedee here. Remember in chapter 20 that she approached Jesus with her sons (James and John) asking if they could sit at his right and at his left and his response was “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup I that am to drink?” Wow…now she might have a clearer picture. To his right and left were dead men.
v57-61. Here prophesy is fulfilled (Isaiah 53:9) when a rich man comes and give his personal tomb for Jesus to be buried in. Mary Magdalene and another Mary (probably not Jesus’ mother) watch as the body is placed in the tomb and it is closed.
v62-66. Finally the chapter closes with Pilate agreeing to the request of the Jewish Council in assigning Romans Soldiers to guard the tomb against any foul play that they fear would happen since they recalled Jesus claiming that he would raise again. They do not believe it will happen but they think someone might steal the body to make it appear so. Therefore the guards are placed and the tomb is “sealed”. I take this to mean that they checked the body and closed it back up and stood there with who knows how many guards with the intention of waiting past the “three days”. But something scares them off...
Response:
“Private”
Reaction:
“Private”
Soli Deo Gloria!
