Disciples misunderstand that

- JS’ kingdom is an earthly one with positions of power available

- A social reformer type of Messiah
- An earthly king with power and glory
- A miracle worker to impress the people and to make their life easier in material
ways
- Liberate the Jewish people form Roman oppression
- Bring wealth and glory to the Jewish nation
They misunderstand and refuse to accept
- JS’ role as a suffering Messiah
- A Messiah of humble service to others
- A Messiah who would come into conflict
 Messianic Secret

Action Reason JS’ response/ Lesson

JS spook in clear direct Peter tempting JS to give up Direct response, rebuke, intend words to be a lesson
language; Peter’s rebuke, strong way of suffering and way of for them all. JS will follow what his Father wants, not
action on behalf of student to cross, the thinking of men but what Satan or human beings want.
teacher not God’s plan
Cannot understand why JS want Contradict preconceived ideas
them the keep transfiguration a of the Messiah.
secret; want to stay on mountain
top Discuss what does ‘rising
from death mean’
Question why teachers say Elijah had been carried up into JS answer Elijah had already come in the person of
Elijah has to come first; glory without having been put JTB who was like Elijah in spirit. Though sent by
to death. They have never God to prepare the way, he was persecuted, rejected
heard of a Messiah who would and killed.
die and rise again. Why does JS attempt to teach his disciples the truth about the
he not straight away enter into
suffering Messiah. If JTB had been prosecuted and
his glory?
killed, so too will JS.
After JS speaks again about Did not yet understand the
death. ‘did not understand’ need for a suffering Messiah;
‘afraid to ask him’ fear stopped them from
wanting to know more
Third prediction JS’ strong determination to go
to Jerusalem to meet what was
in store for him which really
alarmed them
T Request of James and John Their worldly ambitions for Partly excuse them for ignorance
greatness Foretold the two brothers would indeed suffer a lot.
God the Father will decide who deserves any special
rewards in his Kingdom.
Other disciples angry and Had same way of thinking In an earthly kingdom the rulers rule through power
jealous and complete authority over their subjects. The more
power and authority you have, the greater you are
considered. To be a true follower of Christ, however,
is not to follow the way of the world. True ‘great’
disciples are those who serve others, who become
servants to those whom they lead. JS himself, the Son
of Man, has set the example for them. Unlike normal
worldly leaders concerned with power and glory, his
disciples are to engage in humble service of others.

Conflicts
Could not be avoided. As God made man gad to speak truth about God, His
relationships with human beings and inter-personal relationships.
1. Jealousy
2. Attitude to the Law
3. Attitude to traditions
4. Politics
5. Vested interests
6. Authority
7. Hypocrisy
JS’ action JRL’s reason Lesson
Public Opposition to established social order; 6. Not defending God’s name but their own social power and
healing and challenge ‘reasoning’ and power of JRL to influence, since it was the teachers of the Law- not God-
granting divide people into good and sinners excluded who declared certain people to be outcasts and sinners.
forgiveness from full status in the community, a threat to
their positions as religious leaders; 2. JS’
interpretation of the Law conflicted with that
of the religious authorities that only God can
forgive sin.
Nowhere in the OT did any prophet forgive
sins.
Eat with Servants of the Romans were ‘unclean’; 4. JS came to call sinners, not self-righteous people like the
outcasts like too much favour towards Roman rule or Pharisees.
Levi towards nationalist Jewish feeling would be
dangerous.
Conflict JS shows the incompatibility of the new spirit of
over ritual Christianity with the old spirit of Judaism. The new spirit
fasting is not a piece added to the old but an entirely new situation
requiring new ways of thought, attitude and behaviour.
Conflict 3. JS’ attitude seemed too liberal or he Healings by lake Galilee: large corwds around JS is proof
over claimed many traditions were simply man- of his popularity and success both as a teacher and a
Sabbath made. miracle worker. It explains why the Pharisees were so
Heal man with paralyzed hand on Sabbath: afraid of JS.
Was it lawful to save life or to kill? This The Law can be disobeyed. It is not as strict as the
question revealed the evil intention of the Pharisees maintain.
 Pharisees. They thought it was wrong for JS The Sabbath was made for man. The Law was god’s gift to
to perform a miracle of healing on the his people and was intended to aid and guide them in living
Sabbath. But they didn’t think it was wrong according to his will, not as a burden.
for them to plot an evil trick on the Sabbath; The Son of Main is Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath Law
they The JRL’s silence show they refused to has no binding force in the presence of Son of Man.
accept JS' teaching; they had already decided
that JS was trying to destroy their social and
religious customs.
Condemns 7. JS sometimes draw attention to the gap They are hypocrates so taken up with the traditions that
the between people’s words and their actions they ad lost sigt of god’s Commandments. They are guilty
Pharisees’ especially on relation to some of the of false teaching. By quoting ‘Corban’, He shows their
teaching Pharisees. violating the teaching laid down by the Law of Moses,
about 5. Jesus’ words and actions could cause them considering legalistic customs more important than the
traditional Law of Moses, showing that their heart was not in
money.
law harmony with the will of God.
Demand a 1. they had no appreciation for the sinless They wanted the same kind of proof that Satan was asking
miracle man but was jealous of His success, for when he tempted JS to prove that he was God’s Son by
popularity and authority. changing stone into bread. But JS was true to himself, not a
clown.
Trap 1. 3. 6. Moses’ Law permits divorce only because of the hardness
question on of the people’s hearts, it was not God’s ideal.
divorce
The misuse 5. the religious authorities had vested Dishonesty: short change, second-class sacrifices
of temple interests in a place like the Temple. Desecration: God’s house commercialized for purposes
unworthy of worship. They made it a religious market, a
hangout for thieves.
Discrimination: trading in Gentile area effectively prevents
Gentiles from praying there.
God intent the Temple to be a house of prayer for all
nations, not just for Israel.
Trap 1.6. JS refuse to discuss his authority because as long as they
question were unwilling to acknowledge the Forerunner, it was
about His obvious that they would not acknowledge the Messiah
authority
Trap 1. 4. Man has responsibility both to the state and to God. Their
question on great failure had not been in the first area, but in the
playing tax Skillful: answer can be freely interpreted, saw second. They had paid their Roman taxes, though
trap, turned into his own question, force them reluctantly, but they had disregarded the commandments of
give their own answer, made them realize God
duties
Trap They want to make JS and anyone who Marriage relationship does not continue in heaven where
question believed in the resurrection of the dead look they will be totally occupied with God like angels.
rising from stupid. God spoke of himself as the God of Abraham, Issac and
death
Jacob at the burning bush. They are still living in heaven
 with God. There is resurrection.
Praise The commandment of love is the final standard by which
insight of JS decided all his actions. This was the reason why he set
teacher of aside traditional laws. Love of God or someone in need
law demanded sth more important of him than obeying
customs and traditions. Loving God with one’s heart is
more important than the holy pilgrimage to the temple to
offer sacrifice on the altar.
JS ask The fact that JS is a descendant of David is true but not the
question whole truth. As David’s Son he would be human. As
about the David’s Lord, he would be divine.
Messiah JS was a human being like us. The only thing that made
him different from the rest of us was his sinlessness. He
always did the will of God.
JS 5. 7. Outward show of long robes, high sounding titles, places
condemns of honour in the synagogue and social distinction, inward
teachers for greed: rob widows of property and livelihood to enrich
hypocrisy themselves, pretending the money was for the Lord. Recite
and greed ong prayers of words alone, honour God with lips but
hearts far away form God.
Jesus did not want to reveal his identity because
- The people’s expectations of the Messiah were largely false. He did not want to
encourage this concept. People would want to make him king.
- The people would follow JS as a ‘miracle worker’ rather than following his way
of life. Such publicity would only hinder his mission. His mission was to call
sinners, not to show off his powers.
- The time was not yet ripe. He would arouse too much opposition before he had
completed his mission.
- He needed time to teach his disciples, leading them very gradually by word and
deed to understanding. (Peter’s confession- did not fully understand what the
Messiah will be. Full understanding of JS’ identity will come only after his death
and resurrection.; The Transfiguration- would publicize only the glorious
experience and raise people’s hopes.)
- JS would not accept the confession of demons as it is not of real faith. Accepting
the title of 'Son of God' from demons mean he is cooperating with the devil,
whose kingdom he had come to destroy. He would not let the devil take control of
his teaching.
- In the Ten Towns where JS heals a man with evil spirits, JS urge him to tell about
his healing because the Ten Towns region was Gentile, The danger of premature
arrest and misconception of political messiahship does not exist.
- JS did not hesitate to make public the cure of the woman to correct the
misconception that JS’ clothes cured her, to let the authorities know they had to
 readmit her into the synagogue, and to encourage Jairus to have real faith.
- JS healed blind Bartimaeus in public because he wants people to follow him, he
would soon die.