Christ in the Temple & on the Cross

Vol 3 - No 60, August 23, 2011

Dateline, Tunis, Tunisia:

“Believe” in Matthew, Mark & Luke - Part 27:

Israel’s Chief Priests, Scribes & Pharisees, 1 of 2:

We’ve been studying the 35 occasions the Greek word Pisteuo, unusually translated “believe,” is used in Matthew, Mark and Luke:

1. Once by the Angel Gabriel sent from God to speak to the Priest Zacharias, see Vol 3, No 35,

2. Once by Elizabeth, wife of the Priest Zacharias, mother of John the Baptist, speaking to Mary, mother of Jesus, see Vol 3, No 36,

3. 25 times by Jesus Himself, Vol 3, No’s 33, 34 & 37 - 59,

4. 5 times by Chief Priests, Scribes & Pharisees,

5. Once by the father of the demon possessed boy,

6. Twice by the Gospel writer Mark in his narrative.

Today we’ve come to the five (5) times “believe” is recorded as has having been uttered by the Chief Priests, Scribes and Pharisees. The number five in Scripture usually represents grace but it’s obvious these leaders of Israel knew nothing of God’s grace and in fact trampled it under foot. They are recorded as having said believe during two incidents, the first occurred in the Temple in Jerusalem when they evaded a question Jesus’ asked them; the second was when they mocked Him while He hung in agony on the cross. All three Gospels record them saying “believe” during the incident in the Temple but while all three Gospels report the incident at the cross, only Matthew and Mark indicate that they said it.

First incident: “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.” Matthew 21:23 - 2723 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

; also Mark 11:27 - 3327 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.

33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.

33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

and Luke 20:1 - 81 And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,

2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:

4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

6 But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.

8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

1 And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,

2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:

4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

6 But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.

8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

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This occurred during the Passover week, which was celebrated once a year in Jerusalem, and this was the third and last Passover Jesus observed during His 3-year ministry. The day before this confrontation, Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem on a donkey while being acclaimed by throngs of Jews shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” Matthew 21:99 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

. He then went to the Temple where He drove out those who bought and sold, overturned the tables of the moneychangers and healed the lame and blind, Matthew 21:12 - 1412 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

. The Chief Priests and Scribes were very unhappy when they witnessed these things, Matthew 21:1515 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,

, which is not surprising because they were in charge of what went on in the Temple and therefore no doubt had a monetary interest in the business conducted there. So Jesus was not only calling into question their authority, He was messing with their business. Thus, when Jesus returned to the Temple the next day they called Him on the carpet, so to speak, by asking by what authority He did these things. (It should be noted that Jesus had also cleansed the Temple in this manner during the first Passover of His 3-year ministry, as recorded in John 2:13 - 2313 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

.)

Jesus answered them with a question that went straight to the heart of their problem, which was that they didn’t believe or accept the Gospel proclaimed by John the Baptist. Jesus didn’t ask them if they believed He was the Son of God and Israel’s promised Messiah. He had not finished His work on the cross and needed to be crucified and rise up from the dead in order to provide salvation and justification to those who believed in Him. And so we need to examine John the Baptist’s background and ministry, i.e., the Gospel he preached. We learned in previous studies that John the Baptist’s mother Elizabeth had been barren and was too old to have children when an angel appeared to her husband, a priest named Zacharias and told him that he and Elizabeth would have a son who they were to name John; he would be great in God’s sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost from the time he was in Elizabeth’s womb; he would turn many in Israel to the Lord their God; he would go before the Lord their God (Jesus Christ) in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn Israel’s hearts to the Lord and make Israel ready for the Lord, Luke 1:5 - 175 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

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In order to understand the significance of John coming in the spirit and power of Elijah we must go to the second to the last verse in the Old Testament: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:” Malachi 4:55 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

. This verse makes two important points; first, that Israel was to look for Elijah and second that Elijah would precede “the great and dreadful day of the Lord,” which we know as the Great Tribulation. Elijah had warned Israel to turn back to God; condemned the wickedness of Israel’s King Ahab, Queen Jezebel and the decay of Israel; shown great signs and miracles that only God could perform; and was caught up to heaven without experiencing death (See first & second Kings). It was years after Elijah was taken up to heaven when God revealed to Malachi that He would send Elijah back before He rained judgment down on this world. After Malachi 4:5 was revealed, God was silent for 400 years, that is, He did not manifest Himself to Israel until the Angel appeared to Zacharias.

When John the Baptist came on the scene he was called the prophet of the Highest because he went before the Lord (Jesus Christ) to prepare His way; to give the knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins; to give light to those in the darkness of death and guide them to peace, Luke 1:7676 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

, 77 & 79; 3:4. His ministry was introduced thus: “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea. And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:1 & 21 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

. See also Mark 1:2 - 42 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

. John the Baptist said his mission was to make Jesus Christ known to the Nation of Israel, John 1:6 - 86 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

, 15, 23, 30 - 31 and testified that Jesus was the Son of God, John 1:32 - 3432 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

. Some in Israel thought John might himself be the Christ. John answered them stating that he baptized with water and he was not worthy to unlatch the shoes of the one he announced who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. John the Baptist would have fulfilled Malachi’s prophesy by coming in the spirit of Elijah had Israel repented and turned to God, but they didn’t. However Elijah will come again some day in the future and preach to Israel before/ during the Great Tribulation, Luke 3:15 - 1715 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;

16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

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John the Baptist was indeed Spirit filled and he carried out his mission as ordained by God, but he was not privy to God’s entire plan. He even had doubts about the Messiahship of Jesus when he was imprisoned as evidenced by the fact he sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the one for whom they were waiting or should they look for another, Matthew 11:2 & 32 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

; Luke 7:18 - 2018 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

. Jesus told them to report back to John what they saw Him doing; healing the sick, casting out evil spirits, giving sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, the dead were raised to life and the Gospel was preached to the poor. Matthew 11:2 - 182 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,

17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

; Luke 7:18 - 2318 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

. This evidence would convince John that Jesus was indeed the Messiah because all He did fulfilled the Old Testament prophesies concerning Him, Isaiah 35:5 & 65 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

; 61:1. But John, like everyone else, did not understand that Christ had to die before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD, Malachi 4:5. (Subsequent to Christ’s ascension into heaven and after Israel rejected the witness of the 12 Apostles to Israel as recorded in the first part of Acts, The Lord Jesus Christ revealed God’s secret to the Apostle Paul about the Church, the Body of Christ, Romans 16:25 & 2625 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

; Ephesians 3:1 - 91 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

, which will be caught up to heaven before the Great Tribulation, 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 1813 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

. After that, Elijah will be sent to witness to Israel during the first part of the Great Tribulation, after which the Lord Jesus Christ will return as Israel’s Messiah and establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, as promised.)

But back to the point of this study; the fact the Chief Priests, Scribes and Pharisees had to ask themselves how they were going to answer Jesus’ question about whether the baptism of John was from heaven, or of men. They were obviously spiritually dead and so were blind to the truth and therefore had to use their human reasoning; if they said John the Baptist’s ministry was from heaven then Jesus would ask why they didn’t believe him? On the other hand if they answered that John’s ministry was of men, they feared the people because the people believed John was a prophet. So they told Jesus they couldn’t tell. And He said unto them, “Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.” Matthew 21:23 - 27. See also Mark 11:27 - 33 and Luke 20:1 - 8. Thus, the salvation of the Chief Priests, Scribes and Pharisees hung on whether they believed John the Baptist was sent from God. If they believed they would have submitted to being baptized as a sign of their repentance from their sins; acknowledging that Jesus was their Messiah. But they didn’t believe they had anything to repent of; they were self-righteous and depended upon their own works; they were lost and separated from God.

Continued and completed next study.