Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #7 Matthew 26:26-30 – Keep Doing This in My Memory

Matthew 26:26-30 – Keep Doing This in My Memory

|| Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20

MT26:26 But as they were eating[1] [the Passover meal], Jesus took some unleavened bread and having blessed it he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: “Take. Eat. This is my body.”[2] MT26:27 Next, Jesus took a cup and after giving thanks he gave it to his disciples, saying, “All of you drink. MT26:28 For this is my blood of the covenant[3] [Exodus 24:8] about to be poured out for the forgiveness of many sins.[4] MT26:29 But, I tell you: From now on I shall not drink from the vine until the day that I drink a new fruitage with you[5] in my Father’s Kingdom.”[6] MT26:30 And having sung [Hallel] hymns[7] they went out into the Mount of Olives.

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[1] As they were eating: By inspiration Paul clarifies at 1 Corinthians 11:25, “… after he had the evening meal.” Traditional they have eaten from a roasted lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. There were usually four cups of wine at certain moments in the celebration. The disciples would have life long experience that the lamb was emblematic of that deliverance out of Egypt 1,500 years before.

[2] This is my body: Or, MOF: it means my body. Luke 22:19 adds, “… which is to be given in your behalf.” 1 Corinthians 11:24 adds, “… which is in your behalf.” The Nazarene means his perfect human body is to become a redemptive sacrifice. On the body of Jesus compare Romans 7:4; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 11:24; Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 10:5,10; 1 Peter 2:24.

We note in Matthew’s account there is no indication of a command to continue this observance. However, note Luke 22:19, “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” Paul states on the basis of inspiration or a personal message from the glorified Lord the same words of Luke with regard to both the loaf and the cup. Paul summarizes the reason for the observance: “For as often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

There are several opinions on how often the Memorial (Eucharist, Communion, Lord’s Supper) was to be observed. The historical evidence seems strong that for a very long time Christians observed Nisan 14 as the annual date for the commemoration. It is likely that as the Church wanted more control over the laity the Mass was celebrated more often until it became daily.

[3] This is my blood of the covenant: The KJV reads: “This is my blood of the new testament,” but other Greek texts omit this here though the phrase is in Luke. The phrase here is an allusion to Exodus 24:8 when the first, or “old” covenant was instituted with Israel. 1 Corinthians 11:25 has this, “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood.” Research the phrase blood of the covenant and new covenant for related texts.

[4] About to be poured out for the forgiveness of many sins: Or, PME: to set many free from their sins. The next historical reference to the blood of Jesus is by Paul at Acts 20:26. Paul goes on to use blood in relation to Christ at Romans 3:25; Romans 5:9; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 11:25, 27; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:13; Colossians 1:20. Other books refer to the blood: Hebrews uses the word 23 times; 1 Peter 1:2, 19; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 5:6-8; Revelation 1:5; Revelation 5:9; Revelation 7:14; Revelation 12:11.

[5] Until the day that I drink a new fruitage with you: Or, RIEU: a new kind of wine with you in the Kingdom; BECK: drink it with you in a new way; LAM: drink it anew with you. He may be referring to the new yield from the vine a new and better vintage.

[6] My Father’s Kingdom: This is not the “kingdom of the heavens,” or, the Realm of Heaven, but the actual celestial government and realm of the Father. Compare notes on Matthew 13:43.

[7] Sung [Hallel] hymns: Traditionally the Hallel Psalms 112-118 were sung during and at the end of the Passover meal. These are interesting psalms to read within the context of Jesus’ life at this moment, particularly Psalm 118. During Memorial season these are good psalms on which to meditate. Or, NEB: after singing the Passover Hymn.

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Preceding

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #1 Matthew 26:1-2 – Two Days Before Execution

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #2 Matthew 26:3-5 – Plotting to Seize Jesus

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #3 Matthew 26:6-13 – A Woman to Be Remembered

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #4 Matthew 26:14-16 – The Price of Betrayal

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #5 Matthew 26:17-19 – Passover Preparations

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #6 Matthew 26:20-25 – The Last Passover

Glory of God appearing in our character

14 Nisan a day to remember #4 A Lamb slain

On the first day for matzah

For the Will of Him who is greater than Jesus

Most important weekend of the year 2016

Imprisonment and execution of Jesus Christ

The Most important weekend of the year 2018

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Related articles

1. Objects around the birth and death of Jesus
2. First month of the year and predictions
3. Seven Bible Feasts of JHWH
4. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
5. Spoken in the name of Jehovah God for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience
6. A particular night to share unleavened bread and red wine
7. Shabbat Pesach service reading 1/2
8. Yom Hey, Eve of Passover and liberation of many people
9. Seven days of Passover
10. Deliverance and establishment of a theocracy
11. Not dragged unwillingly to death
12. High Holidays not only for Israel
13. The son of David and the first day of the feast of unleavened bread
14. A Holy week in remembrance of the Blood of life
15. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
16. The Memorial Supper
17. This day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the Most High God
18. A night different from all other nights and days to remember
19. 14-15 Nisan and Easter
20. Vayikra after its opening word וַיִּקְרָא, which means and He called
21. Solution for Willing hearts filled with gifts
22. Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart
23. Observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal
24. Most important day in Christian year
25. Celebrations pointing to events of ultimate meaning
26. Making sure we express kedusha for 14-16 Nisan
27. Able to celebrate the Passover in all of its prophetic fulfilment
28. Memorial Observance 1909
29. The Most special weekend of the year 2018
30. Soon it shall be Erev Pesach and Passover 2019
31. A great evening and special days to look forward in 2019
32. Torah Portion – Pesach B
33. Anointing as a sign of Promotion
34. Lost senses or a clear focus on the one at the stake
35. Inauguration of the New Covenant
36. Death and Resurrection of Christ

The Most important weekend of the year 2018

Soon we shall gather to remember two major instances in the history of the People of God. The first remembrance is the liberation from the slavery in Egypt, where God gave enough signs so that people could come to recognise Who is the Most High God above all gods. The second celebration is that of the Jewish master teacher Jeshua (Jesus Christ) who came together at the upper room to remember the Exodus from Egypt but also to install a special moment, namely bringing some symbols in the light of the evening.

Some disciples close to this master teacher had seen how their master had come typically to the Jews in the end of their age as Prophet, (teacher) as Priest (“when he offered up Himself,” `Heb_7:27`.) and as King. (When he rode into their city at the close of his ministry.) But those disciples could see how the moment of glory was very short and how their Jewish brethren did not receive their master in any of these forms.

For a short time they had walked with him and had witnessed miracles. For them it was clear they had some one in front of them who was

“a teacher sent from God“.

They looked up at him, but still expected him to be  a warrior who would defeat the Romans and would become their “King” or ruler.

The Jewish “Feast of Passover” commenced on the fifteenth day of their month Nisan and lasted seven days. Though before that day, there was the the killing of the lamb on the 14th of Nisan, which shall be this coming Friday, March 30, Erev Pesach or Fast of the First born, followed by Nisan 15, 5778 or Pesach 1.

Having the Friday and Saturday the remembrance moments of the liberation of the Jews and the Gentiles, we should jubilate. You could think we should be sad, because Jesus would be slaughtered as a lamb, but we do know that by his offering we were bought free. By his offering at the stake freedom came over mankind, him making an end to the curse of death. And that should bring happiness in our hearts, also three days later mankind got the proof that a man could get out of the dead.

In case Jesus would have been God we would not have any proof that man could resurrect from the death. But now with this man of flesh and blood, the world could see how God had lifted him and has given him a very special place.

Jesus had told his disciples a lot about how to behave and how to treat others, like the homeless, the poor, the needy and how to handle the material provisions, wealth, prosperity, riches, but also poverty and to be prepared to live a life for God. They had heard strange things, like that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. They also had heard that when when their master, the Son of Man, would be sitting on his glorious throne, they who had followed him would also come to sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  (Matthew 19:27-30)

They were so convinced they would come to see that kingdom in their lifetime, but that night this man talked about his death, him leaving them. He took bread and spoke about this being his body. They knew Jesus did not turn the bread into his literal flesh and the wine into his real blood. Jesus’ fleshly body was still intact when he offered this bread and wine. Jesus’ apostles were not really eating his literal flesh and drinking his blood, for that would have been cannibalism and a violation of God’s law. (Genesis 9:3, 4; Leviticus 17:10)

According to Luke 22:20, Jesus said:

“This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.”

The apostles never thought that the cup presented to them literally would have become “the new covenant”. They knew that would be impossible, since a covenant is an agreement, not a tangible object.

Hence, both the bread and the wine have to be looked at as only symbols. The bread symbolizes Christ’s perfect body. Jesus used a loaf of bread left over from the Passover meal. The loaf was made without any leaven, or yeast. (Exodus 12:8) The Bible often uses leaven as a symbol of sin or corruption. The bread therefore represents the perfect body that Jesus sacrificed. It was free of sin.​—Matthew 16:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 5:6, 7; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 2:1, 2.

The red wine represents Jesus’ blood. That blood makes valid the new covenant. Jesus said that his blood was poured out

“for forgiveness of sins.”

Jesus made it clear that humans can become clean in God’s eyes and can enter into the new covenant with Jehovah. (Hebrews 9:14; 10:16, 17) Jesus was convinced that God would accept his offering and consider his act as a covenant, or contract.

Let us come together Friday night to remember that special sent one from god who was willing to give his life for our sins.

 

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Preceding articles

Preparing for the most important weekend of the year 2018

Voorbereiding op het belangrijkste weekend van het jaar 2018

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Additional reading

1. Commemorating the escape from slavery
2. First month of the year and predictions
3. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
4. Seven Bible Feasts of JHWH
5. Preparation for Passover
6. The Atonement in Type and Antitype 1 Sacrifices and High Priests
7. The Atonement in Type and Antitype 2 Going forth to Jesus
8. 9 Adar and bickering or loving followers of the Torah preparing for Pesach
9. Making sure we express kedusha for 14-16 Nisan
10. This day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the Most High God
11. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
12. Yom Hey, Eve of Passover and liberation of many people
13. 8 Reasons Christian Holidays Should Not Be Observed
14. Shabbat Pesach service reading 1/2
15. Who Would You Rather Listen To?
16. Solution for Willing hearts filled with gifts
17. Celebrations pointing to events of ultimate meaning
18. Most important day in Christian year
19. Thinking about fear for the Loving God and an Invitation for 14 Nisan

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Related

1. The Symbol of Blood in Christianity & Upcoming Easter Special
2. Bread and Cup
3. Remembering Passover
4. My Christian testimony: leaving behind the new age deception
5. Everything Jesus had to say about the homeless, wealth, prosperity, poverty, riches, the poor, the needy and giving
6. Nisan 14 Sundown March 30, 2018
7. The Last Supper: What did they eat?
8. Easter
9. Easter, Passover, Abib, and the New Hebrew Sacred Year – and what God says to us
10. The feasts of the lord – part-2
11. The Passover
12. Pesach / Passover
13. Happy Memorial Season!

Most important weekend of the year 2016

Assembled together on the night before he died, Jeshua and his disciples and closest friends came together in an upper room to celebrate the Passover meal.  They recalled the great story of deliverance: how the people of Israel had been freed from bondage and slavery by God’s power through the prophet Moses.  They remembered how the blood of the lamb marked the lintel and doorposts so that the Angel of Death would pass by the people as it brought devastation to the land of Egypt.  They ate the unleavened bread, mindful that the Israelites were in such a hurry to depart Egypt that their own bread had not yet risen.

That night the 14th of Nisan is one Jesus wanted to be remembered for an other occasion as well. Not only had his followers to remember the deliverance of God’s Chosen People, the Israelites, but now their rabbi had opened they way for others than Jews.

By his own example the sent one from God showed how his followers had to become servants for God and for the People of God. Like Jesus had called for people to follow him, the apostles had to come to do so too. They too had to become as humble as Christ was. As a sign of humbleness Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. The work which is reserved for servants Jesus did and he also asked them to do the same for one another.  There is no ambiguity in this moment, no chance to say it is merely a symbol.  Christ shows them what to do and tells them to do it (John 13:1-15); the path that leads to freedom from sin and death is marked by our care for our brothers and sisters.  Simply put, our lives are meant to be offered for others – giving ourselves in service.

In the end, in life which passes so quickly and everything is vanity (like Solomon writes in today’s reading – Ecclesiastes 1) everything turns around “Giving and Receiving”.  We all have received the Grace of God by the sent one from God, who is the son of man and the son of God, who gave his life for our sins.

Like Jesus offered himself as a lamb of God to have his blood as a signpost to deliver us from the punishment of death, we too should offer our lives as we are strengthened by the Messiah and are giving life-spirit by the blood of Christ, being partakers in the Body of Christ.

Thanks to the ransom offer brought by Jesus God blesses us with the gift of life and faith so that we in turn might be a gift to those around us.

As God commanded to remember the night the firstborns of Israel where saved so also Jesus asked his followers to remember the day he gave his body and poured out his blood for the salvation of mankind.

Long before the Mosaic Law covenant was altered, Jehovah foretold through the prophet Jeremiah that He would make with the nation of Israel “a new covenant.”

32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers on the day I took hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt,+ ‘my covenant that they broke,+ although I was their true master,’* declares Jehovah.”

33 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares Jehovah. “I will put my law within them,+ and in their heart I will write it.+ And I will become their God, and they will become my people.”+(Jeremiah 31:32, 33)

Stained glass image of the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) with a Christian banner. photo by John Workman in St. Ignatius church in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Throughout history we have seen how God made Himself a people. For a very long time it was for the People of Israel that there was a covenant on which they could count. One of the regulations or demands was to remember how the exodus from Egypt was made possible. That putting of blood at the doorposts could also considered as a signature of choosing for God, which made it possible to be passed over for damnation or destruction. After that event there was still a need of offers to be brought to the temple or synagogue. But on the 14th of Nisan Jesus spoke about an other offer which would not have to be repeated any more and which would be sufficient for all times. though that offer would not take away the remembrance of the liberation marks.

Jesus came to institute and Evening Meal on Nisan 14, 33 C.E. Speaking of the cup of wine, he told his 11 faithful apostles:

“This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.” (Luke 22:20)

Matthew’s account quotes Jesus as saying regarding the wine:

“This means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.” (Matt. 26:27, 28)

Jesus’ shed blood validates the new covenant. That blood also makes possible the forgiveness of sins once and for all time.

A few years later the apostle Paul would remind the new followers

14 Therefore, my beloved ones, flee from idolatry.+ 15 I speak as to men with discernment; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of the Christ?+ The loaf that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of the Christ?+ 17 Because there is one loaf, we, although many, are one body,+ for we are all partaking of that one loaf. (1 Corinthians 10: 16-17)

On that special intimate night rabbi Jeshua had taken the bread and the wine.

26 As they continued eating, Jesus took a loaf, and after saying a blessing, he broke it,+ and giving it to the disciples, he said: “Take, eat. This means my body.”+(Matthew 26:26)

19 Also, he took a loaf,+ gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “This means my body,+ which is to be given in your behalf.+ Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”+(Luke 22:19)

Notice how Jesus says

Keep doing this in remembrance of me.

The blood+ of the covenant,+ which is to be poured out in behalf of many+ for forgiveness of sins + should, like the blood of the lambs for the liberation of the Jews from the Egyptian slavery, be contributed to the heathen or pagan people who are willing to come under the blood of Christ, whitewashed from sin. But they should remember it and come together, more than once in a year, because Jesus asks it to do it often and whenever we do it to do it in remembrance of him.

23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night+ on which he was going to be betrayed took a loaf, 24 and after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body,+ which is in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”+ 25 He did the same with the cup+ also, after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant+ by virtue of my blood.+ Keep doing this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”+  (1 Chorinthians 11: 23-26)

For that reason we should come together today and remember the Exodus out of Egypt, out of slavery of the worldly work, but also the exodus from the slavery of sin and death.

14 “‘This day will serve as a memorial for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to Jehovah throughout your generations. As a lasting statute, you should celebrate it.(Exodus 12:14)

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Please read also the related articles concerning this special weekend, 14 Nisan and following days:

1. 1 -15 Nisan
2. Yom Hey, Eve of Passover and liberation of many people
3. This day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the Most High God
4. 14-15 Nisan and Easter
5. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
6. Getting out of the dark corners of this world
7. A Holy week in remembrance of the Blood of life
8. Around the feast of Unleavened Bread
9. The son of David and the first day of the feast of unleavened bread
10. Day of remembrance coming near
11. A new exodus and offering of a Lamb
12. Observance of a day to Remember
13. Jesus memorial
14. Holidays, holy days and traditions
15. Seven Bible Feasts of JHWH
16. White Privilege Conference (WPC) wanting to keep the press out for obvious reasons
17. First month of the year and predictions
18. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
19. Death of Christ on the day of preparation
20. A Great Gift commemorated
21. Shabbat Pesach service reading 1/2
22. Passover and Liberation Theology
23. Seven days of Passover
24. Kingdom Visions of Rainbowed angel, Lamb in Mount Zion
25. Kingdom Visions of God’s judgements and Marriage of the Lamb
26. The Song of The Lamb #2 Sevens
27. The Song of The Lamb #7 Revelation 15
28. Why we do not keep to a Sabbath or a Sunday or Lord’s Day #3 Days to be kept holy or set apart
29. Easter holiday, fun and rejoicing
30. Like grasshoppers
31. Peter Cottontail and a Bunny laying Eastereggs
32. Who Would You Rather Listen To?
33. Focus on outward appearances
34. After darkness a moment of life renewal
35. Deliverance and establishment of a theocracy

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Related articles

• An Easter Encouragement
• BEHOLD the Lamb of God – prayer for all pagan nations – prayer for The Jewish Nation
• Editorial: Faith
• When’s Easter?
• The Last Supper was a Passover meal
• God will provide the Lamb.
• Good Friday 3 April AD 33 – Lunar and Solar Eclipses as Christ died on the Cross
• Good Friday
• We are called to a radical obedience
• Passover Tradition

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We wish you a nice memorial day and a holy Pesach

Johannes de Doper wijst Christus aan als het Lam Gods. Ca. 1500-1510 – Saint John the Baptist Pointing Out Christ as the Lamb of God Philadelphia Museum of Art – Master of the Saint John Altarpiece

With child and righteousness greater than the law

The last few weeks in many denominations they looked at a time of remembrance of the coming on earth of the Messiah. At the end of the month many Christians use the birthday of the goddess of light and creation, to celebrate the birth of Christ (who was born in 4 bCE October 17) This birth is the beginning of the New World whereof the evangelist John is talking about when he looks at that new period like at the beginning of everything new, or the Bereshith (Bereshit or Bereishit), the Genesis. In the Genesis book by Moses you may find God Speaking and by speaking or uttering His Word, everything came into being. In the same way spoke God and the child came into being.

“In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” (NWT) (John 1:1)

The story of the Eden Garden. The temptation of Adam & Eve by the devil. Pedestal of the statue of Madonna with Child, western portal (of the Virgin), of Notre-Dame de Paris, France (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Word, which was spoken before everything existed had also spoken in the Garden of Eden. That was a time long before Abraham. As such God His Word came unto the 1° Adam and promised to provide a solution for his misstep. Adam and Eve came to hear the first promise for their descendants. Later the Word of God would come to other offspring, who at their turn also told the world to look out for that Saviour or Messiah.

Not the evangelist John his work was placed first in the Books of the New Covenant. Matthew got the honour to open the New Testament. His account of the birth of Jesus in Matthew 1:18-25 has one primary concern: to establish the identity and mission of Jesus from the very beginning of his story. For the evangelist Matthew, who came to know the Nazarene Jeshua early in his public life, this special teacher no doubt is the Messiah or Christ (see Matthew 1:18), the agent of God who will establish God’s kingdom and save his people from their sins (see Matthew 1:21).

Lots of people do want to find a very special person and a very special story. Because they can not find that in the Bible they started creating several stories to make their evening of remembrance much greater.

“Annunciation”, fresco (ca. 1371) by Jacopo di Cione (ca.1325-after 1390)(?), interior of the façade of the basilica of San Marco in Florence, Italy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The evangelist Matthew brings a very human story involving a young couple: Joseph and Myriam or Miriam, by most English speaking people known as Mary (others know her as Maria, or Blessed Virgin Mary). Mary gets a message which may have been very strange for her and any other human being. The messenger of God, an angel pronounces that she has found great favour with God. We do find a simple village girl through whom God decides to work His plan of redemption.

“In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,” (Luke 1:26 NIV)

“The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.” (Luke 1:28-29 NIV)

“And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34 ASV)

From the evangelist and apostle Matthew we come to know she got to know the workman Joseph and also in Luke is written:

“to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.” (Luke 1:27 NIV)

“The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”” (Luke 1:28 NIV)

“18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” (Matthew 1:18-19 NIV)

Matthew grounds his lofty message about Jesus’ identity and mission as the Christ in the earthiness and complexities of human life. It doesn’t get much earthier than a pregnancy out of wedlock; put that together with the fact that the young couple had not yet had sex and you have the makings of a real potboiler. This young girl could be killed for what she got herself into. Regardless of the cost to her societally, she is willing to submit to God’s will for her life. For her the wrath of the Law and the weight of the village’s condemnation have no value opposite the message she got from a celestial being. Though she did not get stoned because most rabbis required a lesser penalty, including divorce and public shaming. The public shaming may have come over the fiancée of labourer Joseph who was still willing to take her as her bride.

Matthew portrays Joseph as a righteous man who confronted a significant dilemma. Him at first in love with this young Essene girl, had to face a very devote Jew who seemed to have been unfaithful to him. Most people usually understand the description of Joseph as “righteous” to mean that he was a good man, a kind man. But Joseph’s “righteousness” in this context has a specific meaning: it refers to Joseph’s thorough adherence to the law, the Torah. Joseph was also a devout, practising Jew. His decision to divorce Mary was the right one according to the law.

Matthew tells us that while Joseph had decided to sever his relationship with Mary, in accordance with the law and the custom of his time, he had decided to do this so “quietly,” evidently to reduce Mary’s public disgrace. Joseph had found a way to be faithful to the requirements of the law, but to do so in a respectful and sensitive manner. Joseph struck a remarkable balance between righteousness and compassion.

In the Torah were given many examples of how strange God’s ways might be for man. More than once appeared celestial beings to man to turn their coarse. This disappointed workman also came to hear an angel of God in a dream. Believing in the truth of his dream he abandoned adherence to the law by accepting the angel’s exhortation to take Mary as his wife. In this extraordinary situation, Joseph’s righteousness transcended the letter of the law. For Joseph, being righteous no longer meant blind, literal adherence to the Torah; the instruction from the angel trumped the law. The imminent arrival of Jesus somehow transformed the righteousness expected of Joseph. This is a theme that Jesus would articulate again and again later in this Gospel: there is a righteousness greater than the law.

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Preceding articles:

Story of Jesus’ birth begins long before the New Testament

Nazarene Commentary Luke 1:26-38 – Gabriel’s Appearance to Mary

Nazarene Commentary Luke 2:15-20 – Shepherds Find the Infant Christ

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Literature of interest:

1. With God All Things Are Possible
2. Message from the family tree in the Tanakh
3. Why do we need a ransom?
4. A promise given in the Garden of Eden
5. The Seed Of The Woman Bruised
6. Written to recognise the Promissed One
7. OT prophesies and the NT fulfilment of them
8. Prophets making excuses
9. Belief of the things that God has promised
10. About a man who changed history of humankind
11. Which man is mentioned most often in the Bible? Jesus, Moses, Abraham or David?
12. Together tasting a great promise
13. Patriarch Abraham, Muslims, Christians and the son of God
14. The Immeasurable Grace bestowed on humanity
15. Virgin Mary’s girdle
16. The Gabriel Revelation Real or forgery
17. Who was Jesus?
18. Jesus and his God
19. The Christ, the anointed of God
20. Around pre-existence of Christ
21. A season of gifts
22. Christmas, Saturnalia and the birth of Jesus
23. Wishing lanterns and Christmas
24. Jesus begotten Son of God #1 Christmas and Christians
25. Jesus begotten Son of God #2 Christmas and pagan rites
26. Jesus begotten Son of God #3 Messiah or Anointed one
27. Jesus begotten Son of God #4 Promised Prophet and Saviour
28. Jesus begotten Son of God #5 Apostle, High Priest and King
29. Jesus begotten Son of God #6 Anointed Son of God, Adam and Abraham
30. Jesus begotten Son of God #7 A matter of the Future
31. Jesus begotten Son of God #8 Found Divinely Created not Incarnated
32. Jesus begotten Son of God #9 Two millennia ago conceived or begotten
33. Jesus begotten Son of God #13 Pre-existence excluding virginal birth of the Only One Transposed
34. Jesus begotten Son of God #14 Beloved Preminent Son and Mediator originating in Mary
35. Jesus begotten Son of God #15 Son of God Originating in Mary
36. Jesus begotten Son of God #17 Adam, Eve, Mary and Christianity’s central figure
37. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
38. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #14 Prayer #12 The other name
39. God has visited His people
40. Jesus spitting image of his father
41. A man with an outstanding personality
42. Lord or Yahuwah, Yeshua or Yahushua
43. Ember and light the ransomed of Jehovah
44. The Beginning of the life of Jesus Christ
45. What Jesus did: First things first
46. Servant of his Father
47. Anointing of Christ as Prophetic Rehearsal of the Burial rites
48. A Messiah to die
49. Impaled until death overtook him
50. Cursed is the one hung on a tree
51. Atonement and the race been bought
52. Jesus three days in hell
53. What Jesus Did – Misleading around the Messiah and the final assessment
54. Christ having glory
55. Words in the world
56. Ignorance of Today’s Youth (and Adults)
57. God or a god

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Related articles

• Be Thankful: 5 Things God Has Given Us We Should Thank Him For (authorbrianlknack.wordpress.com)
  Be Thankful God Gave Us Life  –  Not only did he breathe the breath of life into us that we might become a living soul but he has given us New Life in the New Covenant through the blood of His son Jesus! God put us here for a purpose and that purpose is to live for Him and experience the joy of His presence every day. For those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives God has also given to us the gift of Eternal Life in Him!
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  Because God loved us so much, He didn’t want us to continue to drift away from Him in our selfish, self-centered existence. He loved us so much that He gave us the gift of His Son, Jesus, to be the way back to Him. That gift is the best, most amazing, most expensive, most valuable gift ever given, and it was given to us. He loved us enough to give us Jesus.
• Focus On God (christianmotivations.weebly.com)
  the Bible teaches us that the flesh (since we are all born in sin through the fall of Adam and Eve) is enmity against God.
• The Tense of Life – Future Perfect (cerkas.wordpress.com)
  In truth, time is but a fabrication and rationalization of our minds in an attempt to avoid confusion and chaos.  Simply, time helps us comprehend our existence within the limits of our knowledge.
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  The true beauty of Christianity, however, is that by being born again via Baptism, we are cleansed from sin’s blemish on our soul and are blessed to have the opportunity to live this earthly life in God’s Light, striving to become like Him, understanding that at times, we will falter and sin.  And in the wisdom of our Creator, He provided a mechanism for us to redeem ourselves of sins via repentance, along with his Grace via forgiveness.
• Why does God make a way for us to return to paradise? (christianitymatters.com)
  Because we are mostly focused on the negative, we think a lot about why things are bad and messed up in this world but we spend little time thinking about why God makes a way for us to return to paradise.
• Found By Grace (ponderingtheheartofjesus.com)
  When people can’t talk about difficulties together, they tend to avoid just like Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden when they realized they had sinned against God.
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  Have you trusted in the mediator Jesus as your Savior from the wages of sin? God is pursuing you and inviting you to be reconciled to Him right now, this Christmas.
• Oh, Christmas Tree! (atimetoshare.wordpress.com)
  We are introduced to two trees in the Genesis account of creation – the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  The first inhabitants were given the Tree of life for food.  The other one they ate from in hopes of becoming as wise as God.
• History of Christmas Trees part 1 (joannerambling.wordpress.com)
  In 1584, the historian Balthasar Russow wrote about a tradition, in Riga, of a decorated fir tree in the market square where the young men “went with a flock of maidens and women, first sang and danced there and then set the tree aflame”. There’s a record of a small tree in Breman, Germany from 1570. It is described as a tree decorated with “apples, nuts, dates, pretzels and paper flowers”. It was displayed in a ‘guild-house’ (the meeting place for a society of business men in the city).
• Come Together (dbethandrews.wordpress.com)
  There are a lot of people in recent days talking about what divides us as a nation and how to bring some sort of reconciliation between people. We have all seen the protests and the anger and hurt. We have seen grief and sadness and bitterness and distrust – and all our protesting and postulating and town-hall meetings only seem to make the chasm wider. In this season of Christmas, this time when there should be “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14) and we should “love one another” (John 13:34) we see everything but. How did we become such an angry society? What is the root of our discord? And how do we reclaim the peace we’ve lost?
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  God gave Jesus as His gift to humanity to reconcile the creation with the Creator. To bring us peace. And when we are restored to God, when we have peace with God, we can then be restored in our human relationships and have peace with one another. But not until we first receive the gift of Jesus into our lives.
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  Peace that Never Ends
  God offers peace in our “dark night of the soul,” bringing His light to the night that surrounds us.
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  One day, and I think not so very far away, Jesus Christ will return, and bring with Him the fulfillment of God’s promise of peace. He will come, not as the baby in the manger, but as the victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He will come with power and authority.  He will bring an end to evil and wickedness.  He will bring punishment to those who love evil and hatred and corruption – to all who rejected Him in this life.
• The Bible and Mythology (ezracommentary.wordpress.com)
  Myths are stories that people make up to explain various aspects of life and to express worldview, how we see and interpret the world. There are myths about the world and the creation of the sea. There are myths to explain where man and woman came from. Some myths are about the islands and how they came to be populated. There are myths that try to explain good and evil. Other myths have to do with how man and woman are to relate to one another and to each other’s families. There are myths about children and the consequences of disobedience. There are myths about the afterlife, what happens to a person and where he goes when he dies.

  So myths are stories which attempt to explain life and its meaning. They often share wisdom as to how we should live and relate to others and to the world around us. Myths are meant for teaching so that the wisdom can be transmitted from one generation to another.

Glory of God appearing in our character

The Face of Moses and Law on Tablets of stone

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Law on stone tablets, his face shone. (Exodus 34)  The apostle refers to that in his letter to the Corinthians.

“Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was,” (2 Corinthians 3:7 NIV)

Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound (Romans 5:20) and we had condemnation but Jesus spread the Good News and brought the ministry of righteousness and therefore exceeds in glory. [Galatians 3:10] Believing in the death of Christ accepting that this dead man was taken out of the gave by his Father, we have the epistle of Christ, ministered by the apostles, not having been written with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, the Father of Christ Jesus [2 Corinthians 3:3 ] but also our Father to whom we can come up thanks to Jesus his offering and his will to communicate in our name with his Father. Jehovah God allowed Jesus to mediate on our behalf.

With the death of Christ Jehovah accepted Jeshua’s offering and that old system of law etched in stone was led to death. Today we should not have our ‘law of God‘ on tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of our heart. Like Moses his face shone with the glory of God so also did Jesus his face shone with even more glory.

Flames in heart and soul

After Jesus had gone away from this earth, taken up in the sky by his Father, God gave the disciples of Jesus His Power, the Holy Spirit, who came down on them in the room where they had hid themselves, afraid for the persecutors of the followers of Jesus. By receiving the Holy Spirit those men got the glory from God to speak in Jesus his name but also to speak in God His name. Before the Holy Spirit came over them they where like buried in that room. They had died in the fear for men who were against Jesus Christ.

Are you afraid for those who do not like it that you speak with admiration for Jesus? Are you afraid to show your reverence for the son of God, daring to tell the world that it was a man of flesh and blood who was willing to give his life because he believed in the Creator of heaven and earth in which you believe too? In admiration for Christ Jesus we should go out into the world and spread the Gospel of liberation brought by a man who proofed he could be faithful to the One and Only God.

The apostles got the Holy Spirit over them, but we when we became baptised also got the Power of God in us. We should feel that force, and it should give us also the power it gave those first Christians to tell others the Truth. Shouldn’t we expect also far greater glory when the Holy Spirit is giving life to us? If the old or first covenant, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new covenant, which makes us right with God! We believe in that sanctification by the blood of Christ. God is a Spirit who has no flesh and no blood and can not be seen by man, but Jesus was a real human being who shared lots of his time with the underdogs of the community who could see and touch him. He was not afraid to be considered part of the mad ones or the ones to be avoided. The oppressed and poor listened to his voice which brought a message of love and peace, telling them about a better world where we can be part of it.

Showing divine character

In everything Jesus did he showed a divine character. He showed the love of his Father. He showed others how his father was prepared to take them all up in His Kingdom when they where willing to follow the words of Christ and changing their character as well. We too have to work at our character and blend it in with the Law of Christ and with the Law of God.

We know now that that first glory by Moses was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new covenant. So if the old covenant, which has been set aside, was full of glory, then the new covenant, which remains forever, has far greater glory.

“7 If, however, the administration of death, written with letters and engraved on stones, began in glory, so that the children of Israel could not gaze steadily on the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face–a glory even then fading– 8 how much more shall the ministry of the Spirit abide in glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, far more is the ministry of righteousness radiant in glory. 10 Indeed that which once was glorious has lost its glory, because of the glory which surpasses it. 11 For if that which was fading came in glory, far more will that which ever abides be glorious.” (2 Corinthians 3:7-11 MONTNT)

It’s because in the presentation of Jesus as an ransom offering for all, the wisdom, love, justice, mercy, goodness, and the faithfulness of God are displayed in all that God has done. He displays His glory in the ‘Cross’.

Becoming part of the Forgiven much

When we accept the death of Christ as a peace offering we also may be part of the people called ‘the forgiven much’.  In that understanding we should also be willing to take on the armour of Christ and be willing to become like him. It shall demand of us to work on our attitude and to rebuild our character. We shall to be prepared to learn from the Word of God and intensify our Bible Study. When we understand that, we will love much and will serve much, and worship much, and adore Him, out of a heart of devotion and not just do it because we’re Christians’ and we’re meant to do that kind of thing.

In the resurrection  of Christ Jesus we can see the acceptance of God and we can find that kind of hope to excite us. When we listen carefully to all those prophesies in the Old Testament and compare them with the writings of the New Testament, we can come to the understanding that those books complement each other and can give us all reason for nothing to hold us back.  In the glory of the dead Christ taken up into the realm of God we are giving the hope of the resurrection and should  have nothing to hide any more. Everything can come out in the open with us.

“12  Therefore, cherishing such a hope, I use great freedom of speech. 13 I do not do as Moses did, who used to cover his face with a veil to keep the children of Israel from beholding the passing of a fading glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:12-13 MONTNT)

Being transformed

The apostles were “being transformed” into the likeness “with ever-increasing glory.”  Even more than that, back in the days of Moses it was an outward and a physical reflection, whereas this glory the Holy Spirit creates in us is an inward spiritual transformation. At the time of of Jesus’ Transfiguration the disciples looked on with utter amazement at what was happening to Jesus. Peter really didn’t know what to say other than to want to stay there. The glory of God was shining right through him. It defied description. God has a transfiguration to accomplish in us so that we are changed into the same image. All creatures are made in the image of God, but they have to shine by becoming part of God His World and not by being part of the unbelieving world.

Even today when the proclamations of that old, bankrupt government are read out, humans can’t see through it. Only Christ can get rid of the veil so they can see for themselves that there’s nothing there.  Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are — face to face! It is up to us to recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiselled stone.  All those illustrations, crosses with a Jesus on it, sculptures presenting holy figures or even presenting God, are an abomination to the Most High and going in against His Commandments not to make any statue to worship in front.

Radiant with the very glory of God

We should not need any figures or images to bring us an idea of a Godhead or to show us the Glory of God. The Glory of God should shine in our heart. It is that glory which should get our heart beating even faster, bringing it ‘on fire’.  Our character should be made by the feeling of the presence of God. Yes He is personally present, a living Spirit. This Eternal God should bring new life in us bringing awareness in us that, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it!  All of us! By the blood of Christ everything became whitewashed and all the borders and fences between us and God were taken away. This liberation should make our faces shining with the brightness of Jesus his face. And so we should also become transfigured much like the Messiah.

From our baptism onwards, we should enter into a new word of grace and glory in which our lives gradually will becoming brighter and more beautiful as Jesus enters our lives and we become like him.

 “15 Yes, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts; 16 but when their heart turns to our Lord the veil is stripped away. 17 (The Lord means the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord abides there is freedom.) 18 And we all, with unveiled faces, reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are ourselves continually being transformed into the same likeness, from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:15-18 MONTNT)

It’s the sole prerogative of God the Holy Spirit to transform our characters that they might be radiant with the very glory of God. The Holy Spirit shall work from the inside out to change us into the image of the Lord Jesus, so that he may be glorified through us.  The Spirit of the living God has all the power to renew us and to make us ‘anew’.  We do a real injustice to God’s greatness and majesty when we limit His power, and the possibilities of His power, in our own minds. One of the great things about being in Christian ministry is seeing God’s power by the Holy Spirit taking broken and spoiled people and making them into new people. It’s fantastic to see how God etches into their lives something of the glory and beauty of Jesus. This is what gives us the strength to go on.

When the glory of God begins to appear through a person, it shall make that person more human, not less human. There’s a fire in the glory of God that not only burns but also warms and draws people into God’s love. And it’s this way that people are set free to be truly human and truly natural. We can never be all that we’re meant to be until God’s spirit begins his work in us.

It is by sharing the glory of Christ, wanting to have a shining face, expressing the love for God, love for the Word of God and the love for the whole creation that we can build up a community of people wanting to follow the master teacher Jesus, and as such becoming true Christians.

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Preceding article: In the death of Christ, the son of God, is glorification

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Read also:

1. Greatest single cause of atheism
   The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is
   christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips
   and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle.
   That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.
   
2. Without God no purpose, no goal, no hope
3. How do trinitarians equate divine nature
4. Creator and Blogger God 2 Image and likeness
5. The Law of Christ: Law of Love
6. Ransom for all
7. Golden rule for understanding in spiritual matters obedience
8. A learning process for each of us
9. Faith a commitment to the promises of Christ and to to the demands of Christ
10. A Living Faith #9 Our Manner of Life
11. We have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace
12. How we think shows through in how we act
13. Followers with deepening
14. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
15. Raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair
16. Abhor evil. Adhere to goodness
17. Our attitude at a difficult task
18. Spread love everywhere you go
19. Ask Grace to go forward
20. In the death of Christ, the son of God, is glorification
21. We all are changed into the same image from glory to glory
22. Life in gratitude opens glory of God
23. Invitation to all who believe

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Related articles

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  You and I have been made a part of the Church through the work of the Holy Spirit. We are brought in through faith and made clean by the blood of the Lamb. We share in the life of Christ and His glory. Notice what John says here: it is the glory of God. He doesn’t say that it is the glory of the people. There is a reason for that: the people of the Church are sinful. It is by Christ’s life, death, and resurrection that the Church reflects the glory of God because we have been clothed with Christ’s righteousness. In other words, it’s not by our doing but by Christ’s doing. That is the way it should be and the way that it has to be.
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  we boast in the hope of the glory of God. We enter grace, or forgiveness, by faith in what Christ did. And when Paul says that we stand in grace, he implies that this is a state in which we can remain. Because of God’s grace, based on what Christ did in the past, we rejoice in the hope that this gives us for the future the hope of sharing in the glory of God. This hope is not just a “wishful thought”.. it is confidence based on what God has done for us…
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  Paul is telling the church at Philippi that their life should be filled with the fruit – the good works, the character, and the attitudes produced by Christ as a result of their salvation – such that their lives become a billboard for God that causes people to give glory to Him.
• Father’s Glory (wrob77.wordpress.com)
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  The Holy Spirit comes to glorify Jesus by introducing Him to people as the crucified and risen Christ. That is what He comes to do for the disciples and that is what He comes to do for us. The Holy Spirit comes to introduce us to what the truth is about: Jesus. The disciples weren’t prepared for all Jesus has to say, as He tells them, for they were too worked up over Jesus’ impending departure. But He wasn’t going to leave them empty-handed. He leaves them the Holy Spirit who will testify of Him and what He has done.
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