“Was it not necessary for Messiah to suffer and enter His glory?”  Luke 24:26

THE ABOVE VERSE RECORDS JESUS’ WORDS TO TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS, ON THE DAY OF HIS RESURRECTION.

THE DISCIPLES WERE EARNESTLY DISCUSSING THE MOMENTOUS EVENTS ABOUT JESUS LIFE AND DEATH WHEN JESUS JOINED THEM. THEY WERE KEPT FROM RECOGNIZING HIM. HAD THEY RECOGNIZED JESUS THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SO EXCITED THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN ANY CONDITION TO RECEIVE THE TRUTHS THAT JESUS WANTED TO IMPART TO THEM.

WHEN JESUS ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WERE DISCUSSING, THEY TOLD HIM THAT JEUSUS THE NAZARENE, WHO WAS A PROPHET MIGHTY IN DEED AND WORD IN THE SIGHT OF GOD AND ALL THE PEOPLE, WAS DELIVERED UP TO THE SENTENCE OF DEATH BY THEIR RELIGIOUS RULERS AND CRUCIFIED. AND THEY WERE HOPING THAT THIS JESUS WAS GOING TO REDEEM ISRAEL. AND BESIDES ALL THIS, HIS TOMB WAS FOUND EMPTY AND SOME ANGELS SAID THAT HE HAD RISEN AND WAS ALIVE.

THEY HAD PROBABLY BEEN PRESENT AT THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS; AND THAT PICTURE OF JESUS DYING WAS A HORRIBLE SHOCK TO THEM. THEY HAD HEARD FROM THE WOMEN THAT HE HAD RISEN, BUT THEY HAD NOT YET SEEN HIM. THE IMAGE OF THEIR DYING MESSIAH FILLED THEIR MINDS AND HEARTS.

IT IS THIS THAT JESUS ADDRESSES. “WAS IT NOT NECESSARY FOR THE CHRIST TO SUFFER THESE THINGS AND TO ENTER INTO HIS GLORY?” THEN HE PROCEEDS TO EXPLAIN TO THEM FROM THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES “THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF.”

ONLY AS WE KNOW AND UNDERSTAND JESUS CAN WE UNDERSTAND HIS DEATH. “FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.” Revelation 19:10 JESUS ALONE CAN EXPLAIN HIS SUFFERING AND DEATH. THE JEWISH ANIMAL SACRIFICES WERE BUT SYMBOLS OF THE REALITY WHICH IS JESUS HIMSELF.

“BEGINNING WITH MOSES AND THE PROPHETS” HE OPENED THE WORD TO THEM AND EXPLAINED IT TO THEM. AS A GROWING BOY AND YOUNG MAN, JESUS HIMSELF HAD STUDIED THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES. AS THE LIVING WORD OF GOD, HE HAD A NATURAL AFFINITY FOR THEM, AND HE LEARNED ABOUT HIMSELF IN THEM!

HIS FIRST RECORDED SERMON WAS GIVEN IN HIS HOME TOWN OF NAZARETH IN THE SYNAGOGUE ON THE SABBATH. HE WAS GIVEN THE SCROLL OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. HE READ FROM CHAPTER 61. Luke 4:18

I QUOE FROM THE SEPTUAGINT TRANSLATION. “JACOB IS MY SERVANT, I WILL UPHOLD HIM, ISRAEL IS MY CHOSEN ONE, MY SOUL HAS EMBRACED HIM; I HAVE PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM; HE WILL PUBLISH JUDGMENT TO THE NATIONS. HE WILL NOT SCREAM NOR URGE WITH VEHEMENCE; NOR WILL HIS VOICE BE HEARD ABROAD IN THE STREETS. A BRUISED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK, NOR EXTINGUISH A DIMLY BURNING TAPER; BUT WILL PUBLISH JUDGMENT TO ESTABLISH TRUTH. HE WILL SHINE OUT, AND SHALL NOT BE BROKEN UNTIL HE HAS ESTABLISHED JUDGMENT ON THE EARTH. IN HIS NAME THEREFORE LET THE NATIONS TRUST. THUS SAYS THE LORD, THE GOD WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND FIXED IT; WHO ESTABLISHED THE EARTH AND THE THINGS THEREIN AND WHO GIVES VITAL AIR TO THE PEOPLE ON IT, AND BREATH TO THEM WHO TREAD THEREON. I THE LORD GOD HAVE CALLED YOU UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND I WILL TAKE HOLD OF YOUR HAND AND STRENGTHEN YOU; FOR I HAVE GIVEN YOU FOR THE COVENANT OF A RACE – FOR THE LIGHT OF NATIONS; TO OPEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND; TO LEAD OUT FROM CHAINS THEM WHO ARE BOUND; AND OUT OF PRISON, THEM WHO ARE SITTING IN DARKNESS. I AM THE LORD GOD; THIS IS MY NAME. THIS GLORY OF MINE I WILL NOT GIVE TO ANOTHER, NOR THESE POWERS OF MINE TO THE GRAVEN IDOLS. WITH REGARD TO THE FORMER PREDICTIONS, BEHOLD THEY ARE COME TO PASS; AND THESE ARE NEW THINGS WHICH I NOW DECLARE; AND BEFORE THEIR PROMULGATION THEY ARE REVEALED TO YOU.”

JESUS THEN ROLLED UP THE SCROLL, GAVE IT BACK TO THE ATTENDANT, SAT DOWN, AND SAID, “TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE HAS BEEN FULFILLED EVEN AS YOU HEARD IT BEING READ.”

AS JESUS READ THOSE WORDS, HE WOULD BE REMEMBERING HIS RECENT EXPERIENCE AT THE JORDAN RIVER, HIS BAPTISM, THE HEAVENS BEING OPENED, THE HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDING UPON HIM, AND THE VOICE OF GOD SAYING, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.”

LISTEN TO GOD’S WORDS CONCERNING HIS SON FROM THE PROPHET ISAIAH. “HE WILL PUBLISH JUDGMENT TO THE NATIONS….TO ESTABLISH TRUTH. HE WILL SHINE OUT, AND SHALL NOT BE BROKEN UNTIL HE HAS ESTABLISHED JUDGMENT ON THE EARTH….I THE LORD HAVE CALLED YOU UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND I WILL TAKE HOLD OF YOUR HAND AND STRENGTHEN YOU; FOR I HAVE GIVEN YOU FOR A COVENANT OF A RACE, FOR A LIGHT OF NATIONS; TO OPEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND; TO LEAD OUT FROM CHAINS THEM WHO ARE BOUND; AND OUT OF PRISON THEM WHO ARE SITTING IN DARKNESS.”

“HE WILL SHINE OUT, AND SHALL NOT BE BROKEN UNTIL HE HAS ESTABLISHED JUDGMENT ON THE EARTH.” SIN WAS NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH JESUS UNTIL HE HAD ACCOMPLISHED THE WORK GOD HIS FATHER HAD GIVEN HIM TO DO.  LISTEN TO JESUS WORDS FROM HIS PRAYER TO THE FATHER BEFORE HIS ARREST. “I GLORIFIED YOU ON THE EARTH BY COMPLETING THE WORK YOU GAVE ME TO DO.” John 17:4 THAT WORK WAS TO REVEAL THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD AND ABOUT MAN. JESUS TOLD PILATE, “FOR THIS I HAVE BEEN BORN, AND FOR THIS I HAVE COME INTO THE WORLD, TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTH.” John 18:37

AS THE VERY OFFSPRING OF GOD, JESUS REVEALED GOD IN MANKIND. HE WAS THE FIRST HUMAN BEING TO REALIZE GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE WHICH WAS THAT MAN BE IN HIS OWN IMAGE AND LIKENESS. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE REVELATION OF JESUS IS MANIFOLD. HIS WORDS, DEEDS, AND BEING REVEAL BOTH GOD AND MAN.

WE JUDGE OURSELVES BY ONE ANOTHER. SINNERS BY SINNERS. BUT NOW, SINCE THE INCARNATION, WE HAVE A NEW COMPARISON. WHEN PETER FIRST GOT A GLIMPS OF THIS NEW MAN, HIS NATURAL REACTION WAS, “DEPART FROM ME FOR I AM A SINFUL MAN O LORD.” Luke 5:8 WHEN A BRIGHT LIGHT IS SHOWN INTO OUR EYES, WE NATURALLY WANT TO TURN AWAY FROM IT AS A PROTECTIVE REACTION.

THE HOLINESS OF JESUS’ HUMANITY CONDEMNS OUR SINFUL HUMANITY. THE “SHINING OUT” OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS, BEAUTY, AND HOLINESS OF JESUS IS WHAT CONDEMNS OUR SIN. HIS HOLY HUMANITY IS OUR JUDGMENT.

THE APOSTLE PAUL STATES IT IN THIS WAY, “ALTHOUGH GOD HAS OVERLOOKED SUCH TIMES OF IGNORANCE, (BEFORE THE INCARNATION AND THE REVELATION OF JESUS), HE NOW COMMANDS ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE TO REPENT, BECAUSE HE HAS SET A DAY ON WHICH HE IS GOING TO JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, BY A MAN WHOM HE DESIGNATED, HAVING PROVIDED PROOF TO EVERYONE BY RAISING HIM FROM THE DEAD.” Acts 17:30-31

JESUS NOT ONLY KNEW WHAT WAS IN MAN, IN YOU AND IN ME, BUT HE KNEW WHAT WAS IN HIMSELF; AND NOT FOR A MOMENT WOULD HE COMPROMISE GOD’S TREASURE IN HIMSELF. HIS FAITHFULNESS AND OBEDIENCE IN FULFILLING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD AMONG SINFUL HUMANITY LED HIM ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH SIN AND EVIL. THE ONLY WAY THE CROSS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WAS TO LEAVE THE WORLD OR DESTROY IT.

THERE WAS A POINT IN JESUS’ MINISTRY WHEN MANY WHO HAD BEEN FOLLOWING HIM TURNED AWAY. IT WAS WHEN HE SAID TO THEM THAT, “UNLESS YOU EAT THE FESH OF THE SON OF MAN AND DRINK HIS BLOOD YOU HAVE NO LIFE IN YOURSELVES.” MANY RESPONDED BY SAYING, “THIS IS A DIFFICULT SAYING! WHO CAN UNDERSTAND IT?”

JESUS WAS ACCEPTABLE AS LONG AS HE KEPT HIS HOLINESS TO HIMSELF USING HIS SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS HEAVENLY FATHER TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANTED – BREAD, FISH, GOOD HEALTH, AND FREEDOM FROM THE ROMAN YOKE. BUT TO BE LIKE THIS MAN, THAT’S MORE THAN I WANT! JESUS THEN SAID TO THEM, “WHAT THEN IF YOU SHOULD SEE THE SON OF MAN ASCEND WHERE HE WAS BEFORE?” John 6:53-63

PETER MUST HAVE REMEMBERED THESE WORDS WHEN HE WITNESSED JESUS BEING TRANSFIGURED BEFORE HIM ON THAT MOUNTAIN. HE OFFERED TO MAKE THREE BOOTHS, ONE FOR JESUS, ONE FOR MOSES, AND ONE FOR ELIJAH. WAS PETER AFRAID THAT JESUS WAS GOING TO DO JUST THAT, ASCEND OUT OF THEIR SIGHT? BUT JESUS DID NOT LEAVE US IN OUR SIN. HE DESCENDED THE MOUNTAIN AND MET OUR SIN IN THE CROSS AND RENDERED IT POWERLESS.

IN GETHSEMANE WHEN HE WAS AGONIZING OVER OUR SIN, THERE STOOD WITH HIM TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS THAT COULD HAVE DESTROYED US IN LESS THAN A MOMENT. BUT JESUS CAME NOT TO DESTROY US BUT TO SAVE US. NO COMPROMISE, NO LEAVING US, NO DESTROYING US; THEREFORE THE CROSS. “WAS IT NOT NECESSARY FOR MESSIAH TO SUFFER?”

THE TRUTH ABOUT MAN IS NOT JUST ABOUT OUR SIN. REMEMBER, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS A TRUE MAN. WHEN JESUS CRIED OUT DAVID’S PROPHETIC WORDS FROM PSALM 22, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME,” HE WAS PROCLAIMING HIS OWN PERFECTION AND WORTH, AND THAT WORTH WAS GREATER THAN ALL OF OUR SIN.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER JESUS SPOKE THOSE WORDS, THE DARKNESS WHICH HAD LASTED FOR THREE HOURS LIFTED. THE ONE THROUGH WHOM ALL THINGS CAME INTO BEING NOW HOLDS ALL THINGS TOGETHER BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER. Hebrews 1:3

LOOK AT THE PASSAGE IN ISAIAH AGAIN. “I HAVE GIVEN YOU FOR A COVENANT OF A RACE, FOR A LIGHT OF NATIONS; TO OPEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND; TO LEAD OUT FROM CHAINS THEM WHO ARE BOUND; AND OUT OF PRISON THEM WHO ARE SITTING IN DARKNESS.” HERE IS THE GOSPEL, THE GOOD NEWS. GOD HAS GIVEN HIS SON TO US. THE HUMAN RACE IS NOW CREDITED WITH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD FOUND IN A HOLY MAN.

IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THE TWO DISCIPLES RECOGNIZED JESUS WHEN HE BROKE THE BREAD AND GAVE IT TO THEM. THEY WOULD SEE THE SCARS IN HIS HANDS. WHAT A CONCLUSION TO ALL THAT HE HAD BEEN SAYING TO THEM. HIS FLESH BORE THE MARKS OF THEIR SIN. BUT THOSE SCARS ALSO WERE EVIDENCE OF WHY HE WAS SITTING THERE WITH THEM AND ABLE TO GIVE THEM THAT BREAD, THE SYMBOL OF HIS OWN BODY, HIS HOLY HUMANITY, THAT THE FATHER HAD RAISED UP OUT OF OUR DEATH. IN HIS DEATH OUR SIN DIES. IN HIS RESURRECTION WE LIVE. WHEN WE RECEIVE HIS LIFE INTO OUR BEING, WE DIE TO SIN AND LIVE TO GOD.

AFTER JESUS BROKE THE BREAD AND GAVE IT TO THOSE TWO DISCIPLES, HE DISAPPEARED FROM THEIR SIGHT. THEY SAID, “DIDN’T OUR HEARTS BURN WITHIN US WHILE HE WAS SPEAKING WITH US ON THE ROAD, WHILE HE WAS EXPLAINING THE SCRIPTURES TO US?”

MAY OUR HEARTS BURN WITHIN US AS WE ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OPEN THE SCRIPTURES TO US REGARDING THE THINGS CONCERNING OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Rosemary E Hyslop

October 7, 2016