All posts by Luella Campbell

45a BY THE WAY…WHICH ROCK?

Bible Study, ,

I guess, if we allow our imagination to do the work, we could come up with many different interpretations of Jesus’ words to Peter. 

“Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭18‬NLT

Let’s examine the scenario of Jesus’ words to Peter. Which rock was He speaking about…the rock which housed the usurpers laying claim to the territory where they were standing…the literal rock the likes of which would be the site of His rule? The rock of Peter’s confession which Jesus said would be the foundation of His church. Perhaps even Peter himself! After all, didn’t Peter preach the first sermon on the day of Pentecost?

Caesarea Philippi…a region in Israel…yes, Israel…the geographical area where God ruled His chosen people…His holy law the constitution of His kingdom. 

Caesarea Philippi was, in actual fact, the opposite of what Israel represented. It was a region of Caesar worship and site of the grossest of idolatrous practices…the worship of Pan, the grotesque goat-god of fertility and a blatant challenge to the rule of the God of Israel…a declaration of rebellion against the ownership of the  Creator and Lord of heaven and earth. 

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭24‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Caesar may have laid claim to the territory of Israel but…God was still its rightful owner…and He declared His right to rule.  So, Jesus took His disciples right into the heart of this corner of Israel where Satan has staked his claim. 

In full view of the disgustingly depraved goings-on at the base of the massive rocky cliff, Jesus declared…

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The gates of Hades…the underworld of the dead? The pagans believed that evil spirits, which live in the underworld, came and went through a grotto at the base of the cliff, which formed part of the source of the Jordan river. These spirits supposedly retreated to Hades in the winter and were coaxed out by the rituals of the idolatrous pagans in the spring. 

Jesus’ statement is loaded! There is a play on words here. Peter…a stone!  Jesus said, “This rock!”Which rock! Why did Jesus make this statement at this exact spot where the rock face into which niches were carved, housed the images of pagan gods? He could have said something similar anywhere else in Israel. 

Let me tell you what I think. I think that Jesus’ use of “a stone” and “a rock”, both”kepha” in Aramaic, is more simple than theologians make it out to be.  Did Jesus call Peter a “stone” because, at some stage, Peter would become a little more solid and reliable than he was right then, a piece of the rock, Jesus Himself, from which Peter would come forth?

Peter might have made the profound confession that he recognised Jesus as the Messiah but…in the very next breath…he revealed his ignorance of what Jesus the Messiah, meant and would do! 

“Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Through Jesus, Peter would change from a “Simon”…one who hears or, one who listens…to a “stone”, one who is hewn from the rock. 

Let’s catch a glimpse of the Peter who became the stone. He wrote some of the most profound revelations of the Jesus he hardly understood when Jesus made His prediction. Peter, the motor mouth, became Peter, the man with a depth of understanding that few other apostles demonstrated. 

Could “this rock”, the place that represented the worst of idolatry, be the kind of place where Jesus would build His community? By the power of His “yoke”, He would transform the worst of what human behaviour displayed into the very family of God. 

Then came the “keys”…the authority Jesus gave His disciples to open the kingdom of heaven. 

“And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

Matthew 16:19 NLT

To be continued…

44 BY THE WAY…WHY DO PEOPLE COMMIT MURDER?

Christian Life, ,

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus’ coming into the world confirmed a spiritual truth that has been in operation since the beginning of time. When God said,  “Let there be light”, He meant far more than physical light because physical light, in the creation narrative, only happened with the creation of the physical universe, on day four. 

Jesus’ presence at creation and His physical presence on earth came with the fulness of revelation about the Father, Himself the Son, the Holy Spirit and humans, that opens the way for us to have a place in God’s eternal kingdom. 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus presented Himself as the very presence of God’s light in the world. His presence would dispel the darkness of unbelief and sin in the life of everyone who believes in Him. 

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Unbelief allows humans to accept as truth anything that contradicts what God has said because the human heart is at enmity with God and refuses to accept truth. In fact, Paul wrote, people deliberately suppress the truth by their wickedness. 

This rejection of truth causes the mind to become darkened. 

“The Bible describes the darkness of unbelief as a state of spiritual blindness, alienation from God, and a willful preference for sin over divine truth. It is characterized as a condition where the mind is darkened in its understanding and the heart is hardened.” (Source: Google AI)

Let’s examine some of the ways in which darkness is evidenced in people’s behaviour…in particular,  the downward trajectory of anger that ends in murder, either in intention or in action. 

  1. Anger

Anger is the trigger that leads to the next step. Why anger? Let’s see what Jesus said. 

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Anger is murder already committed in the heart. 

  1. Covetousness

The Ten Commandments conclude with a comprehensive list of what people must not covet…

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬

“In the Bible, covetousness is a strong, inordinate desire for what belongs to others, considered a serious heart sin and a form of idolatry, essentially replacing God with possessions or people as your ultimate satisfaction. It’s forbidden in the Tenth Commandment (Exodus 20:17) and described by Paul as linked to immorality and greed, leading to a lack of contentment and a divided heart, making a person an idolater.

(Source: Google AI)

Why would anger lead to covetousness?

  1. Envy

In Matthew’s record of Jesus’ trial, he slipped in this comment…

“For he (Pilate) knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭27‬:‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Envy” is more the jealousy. It includes the idea of a corrupted, depraved heart that seeks to harm the person it envies. 

Envy is the counterpart and inevitable consequence of covetousness. Envy often leads to a murderous intent. 

“In the Bible, envy means feeling bitter sorrow or resentment at another’s blessings, success, or possessions, often coupled with a desire to harm them or take what they have, and it’s consistently condemned as a destructive “work of the flesh” leading to strife, division, and spiritual decay, unlike “jealousy,” which can sometimes reflect God’s zeal for His own glory. Key examples include Cain’s envy of Abel (Genesis 4) and Saul’s envy of David (1 Samuel 18).” 

(Source: Google AI)

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“In the Bible, covetousness (wanting what others have) and envy (resenting others for having it, wanting them to lose it) are deeply connected sins, both stemming from discontentment with God’s provision and a lack of trust, often leading to idolatry, strife, and evil practices. Covetousness focuses on “I want that,” leading to greed, while envy focuses on “I don’t want them to have it,” leading to hatred and division, but both are rooted in selfish desire and a fleshly heart, as seen in Cain’s envy of Abel or Jacob’s early jealousy…”

“In essence, covetousness is the initial desire for what someone else has, while envy is the bitter resentment that they possess it, both leading to disorder and turning hearts away from God.”

Covetousness and envy drive the world, motivated by greed and…at the heart of this pattern is the choice to live in the kingdom of “I don’t need God. I am my own god.” 

Murder is often the bitter fruit of covetousness. The one who covets takes the life of the victim to snatch the prize. 

Jesus put anger as trigger for murder. It seems that covetousness and anger are bedfellows. One cannot simply covet without being angry with the person who, one deems, has no right to have what the other wants. 

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The path to murder begins with anger, even if the deed in not literally carried out. Just as lust is the first step to adultery…so also murder is the inevitable outcome of anger…in the heart or in practice. 

The human heart is a complex mixture of emotions…and difficult to disentangle at times.  Very often, anger is a convenient coverup for emotional pain. A person is not angry by nature. He/she develops an angry disposition to hide the pain they are afraid to reveal. 

The angry person may recognise something in the victim they crave, be it emotional or material. So, the goodness of Jesus, accompanied by popularity, and an enthusiastic following of the people, enraged the religious leaders. They refused to tolerate who He was. The outcome was illegitimately contrived murder. 

Scripture’s solution is…guard your heart! Envy can only be eradicated by cultivating an attitude of contentment. 

“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul himself had to go through the process. 

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Godly contentment is a barrier to envy that can’t be breached because it is Jesus who builds the protection and is, Himself, the guardrail. We can only immunise ourselves from murderous intent, even if in the heart alone, by remaining in Him, since, outside of Jesus, no one can know the lengths to which we can go to get what we want. 

43 BY THE WAY…WHAT MUST WE DO TO BE “READY”?

Christian Life, ,

Jesus is coming again…soon! He gave His disciples three instructions in preparation for His coming…”be watchful”…”be ready” and…”be prayerful”. 

Some people believe that being ready means…giving up their jobs…packing up their homes…gathering emergency supplies…and retreating to some safe, hidden place to await His return! 

That’s not what Jesus meant. 

Being ready is much simpler than that!

Let’s look at it this way. Let’s say you are an employee in a very big company. The business has many branches worldwide, with many officials in charge of its multiplicity of departments. The company’s CEO has delegated his authority to competent people, trusting that they will faithfully carry out their leadership functions while he oversees the entire enterprise.

How will this CEO ensure that his company functions at full capacity? He will issue his instructions and trust his employees to do their work to the best of their ability under the reliable leadership of the each departmental head.  Since he cannot be everywhere at once, he must entrust his authority to his delegated subordinates. 

What if some of some of his officials decide, in his absence, to go rogue…to sit at their desks and do nothing while the subordinates do whatever they like.  Worse still…what if they actively channel the company’s profits into their own bank accounts while the CEO is elsewhere?

Which of the department’s heads would the CEO reward on his return, and which would he fire? Of course, he would commend those who were doing their work as instructed when he turned up unexpectedly. It was not his intention for his employees to do anything else than carry out his instructions. He was not looking for initiators or innovators. He was looking for those who would faithfully do what he wanted. 

This is the exact picture Jesus gave His disciples and those who come after them. Being ready for the Master’s return is not about hiding in a secret place to escape trouble or failing to carry out His orders.  It’s about carrying out the Master’s instructions right up to the moment He appears. It’s about being faithful to one’s specific calling no matter what it costs. 

In the enterprise of the kingdom of God, the number of functions is as vast and as varied as the number of those who participate. Every person has a unique place in a mosaic of gifts for the benefit of the whole body. If one gift is missing, the picture will be incomplete. 

So, Jesus explained…being ready simply means doing one’s job faithfully until the second He turns up….and finds you doing what He told you to do. 

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭45‬-‭47‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What, then, does “watch” mean?

It would be easy to think that “watching” would cancel out “being faithful”. How can one watch and work at the same time? 

“When Jesus told his disciples to “watch” (using the Greek word gregoreuo), he meant staying spiritually alert, awake, and vigilant rather than falling into spiritual complacency or physical sleep.”

“Key Meanings of “Watching”

  • Staying spiritually alert: Being fully aware of one’s inner spiritual condition and the unseen moral and spiritual realities around you. 
  • Resisting temptation: Guarding against sin, compromise, and the weaknesses of human nature, famously summarized in Matthew 26:41 (“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation”). 
  • Preparing for the future: Keeping ready for unexpected trials, persecution, or the eventual return of Christ. 
  • Partnering with prayer: Combining alertness with constant prayer to receive God’s strength where human willpower fails. (Source: Google AI)

I refer my readers to an excellent article in www.gotquestions.org…

“What does it mean to watch and pray?” 

Watch, then, is not about literally “watching” for danger, interference, or distraction…but for the spiritual counterparts that would take one’s attention away from one’s designated duty in the kingdom. 

The “pray” part of Jesus’ instruction is equally important for at least two reasons…

1.Prayer keeps us in touch with headquarters. We must know our day-to-day functions as well as the overall calling on our lives. Jesus does not leave us to plot our own course. He needs us to report for duty daily as part of our faithful service. 

2.Prayer acknowledges our capacity to go astray. 

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭41‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There will be times when we are tempted to run ahead, to act alone, to change course, to take the initiative, or to opt out when we are tested, tired, disappointed,  or disillusioned. Prayer is the antidote to falling into any of these temptations that might disqualify us from receiving our reward. 

To summarise…being ready for Jesus’ return is…being faithful, being alert, and being prayerful. 

42 BY THE WAY…HOW FAR IS EARTH FROM HEAVEN?

Bible Study, ,

Will we, mere humans, ever understand, how far it was for Jesus to come from heaven to earth?

Where is heaven?

Heaven, God’s  unseen realm, is where God is…and God is everywhere. 

“God is everywhere at the same time, existing both beyond our physical universe and intimately close to humanity.

Where God is Found

  • In Heaven: Scripture teaches that God sits on a holy throne and rules the universe.
  • Everywhere: God is omnipresent, meaning no place in creation is hidden from His presence.
  • Within Believers: In Christian faith, God lives inside the hearts of believers through the Holy Spirit.
  • In Difficult Times: When life hurts, faith views God as close to the brokenhearted and active even when His work remains unseen.” (Google AI)

Jesus’ journey from heaven to earth was not measured in miles or kilometres. He came from the environment of perfection to a world of imperfection. He came from holiness to sin, from wholeness to brokenness, from functional to utterly non-functional. He came  from the realm of love, joy, and peace to the world of greed and wickedness, alienation, impurity, chaos, and confusion…to set the universe and its inhabitants back on course to fellowship with the Father. 

In His heavenly realm, Jesus was clothed in the robe of perfect righteousness, His thoughts and actions perfectly just, and His nature pure love. He was equal in essence, substance, and nature, with the Father and the Spirit. 

Jesus’ role on earth was to navigate this corrupted realm, from His conception to His return to glory, without conceding, in a single second, to the pressures of His environment…not reciprocating to the corrupt society in which He had to function…living the perfect life of “the last Adam”, to redeem mankind from its lostness, beyond mere existence, to real life. 

The cost was enormous, beyond human understanding. This God-man had to lay aside every privilege and power as God…equal in glory with the Father and the Spirit. He had to submit Himself without question to the very ones with whom He shared His place in heaven, in every detail, without a second’s hesitation, whatever was required, as a frail and fragile human. 

Jesus had to depend on the directions He received from the Father…obey without question, without flinching, the Father’s will…and rely on the Spirit’s power without which He could do nothing. 

Jesus’ own testimony to His perfect fulfilment of every requirement cannot be challenged. He did it! 

“The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How was it possible for a human being to fulfil all these requirements without ever missing a beat?

He did it!

“For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.”

‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Every moment, every second was a test and a testimony to that commitment. Jesus was under scrutiny for His obedience to the Father. 

“Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Obedience and suffering…His lot for every day of His human life. 

Yet… over and above all that…how could a person endure a death so horrendous that no imagination can ever wrap around every detail with any kind of understanding. How could He die as He lived without falling apart and becoming like any other human who had to suffer as He did, just because the Father required it?

He did it…willingly and completely!

“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer…

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭10‬a NIV‬‬

The testimony of Scripture is that Jesus did it…every bit…every detail…every second…as was expected of Him…as the Word predicted about Him. 

“Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away. I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭50‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let’s turn our attention to the cross itself…the culmination of every minute detail of Jesus’ obedience to the Father. Jesus submitted before it happened, knowing full well that He could never accomplish His mission outside of the cross. 

“Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭35‬-‭36‬ NIV

Even in the agony of knowing, He settled it…once and for all…in the garden… three times…in a resolve so strong that He did not flinch…not even once…through it all. 

What did they do to Jesus…the ones who stood in our place…doing what we would have done…because we were one of them?

They stripped Him! 

They took His freedom. They took His dignity. They flogged Him until His flesh hung in ribbons from the bone. They took His blood. They took His clothes. They took His friends and His family…alienated and terrified. They took His breath…and His life. He died empty and alone…and He said nothing!

“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…or did they? 

No, they could not take a thing from Him that He did not freely give. From His first breath to His last, Jesus gave!

“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Did you get that?

Out of this intimate union with the Father, Jesus gave what no one could take from Him. He gave until He had nothing left to give. 

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How far was earth from heaven…then…and now? Only as far as we want it to be…a million miles or…into the centre of our being. 

41c BY THE WAY…WHY DID JESUS WEEP?

Bible Study, ,

Why did the Holy Spirit choose Peter to reveal Jesus’ secret of victory? Where did Peter get the insights into the way Jesus dealt with injustice, that he could tell us His true story? 

Was it not from Peter’s own sorry failure, finally deeply understood, that he could write about what Jesus’ did at the cross?

Peter was so sure of himself, on the eve of his greatest test, that it was unthinkable to him that he would fail. He spoke with all the brazenness of his own fleshly self- confidence, that he would never desert Jesus. He failed even entertained the idea that his courage would cave in when the chips were down. 

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.” But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Pete was so sure of himself that he refused to heed Jesus’ warning. He was completely unprepared for what lay ahead of him, self-assured that his own will power, his own courage, would stand up under the pressure. 

So, what happened in the courtyard of the high priest’s residence? Peter fell headlong into the trap he had set for himself. He was cocksure, self-confident, and completely unaware of his own vulnerability. He was empty inside, and he imploded under the press. 

Was Peter’s failure the real reason for the violent death that Jesus predicted at the lakeside, he would suffer? Did Jesus allow this end for Peter to redeem his failure. Did He give him the opportunity to suffer with Him by refusing to retaliate?

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now, let’s look at the way Jesus handled His moment of crisis? 

He was prepared. He faced the possibility of failure before it happened. He turned to the Father…He prayed for deliverance but…not His way…not from, but through the cross. He rested His full weight on the Father and embraced the Father’s will without reservation. 

“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭36‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus knew what lay before Him…the possibility of losing everything, including who He was…the Son of God…if He gave in during His greatest test. Up to that point, He had never failed in any challenge. In fact, He had confidently demanded of His most fiery opponents…

“Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭46‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus’ secret was eternal vigilance…with “fervent cries and tears!”

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered…”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The battle against self-preservation was so fierce that it cost Him “fervent cries and tears”. We note with awe that Jesus didn’t weep for protection from His enemies. He wept for

protection from His human nature…from giving in to the potential of His humanity. 

Again, Peter understood the agony of Jesus’ battle. Where Peter fell, Jesus stood firm. 

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,”

‭‭I Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“…. Christ suffered for us in the flesh…”

We have already discovered, in a previous post, that Jesus suffered being tempted…tempted to fight back…to protect His ego… and that His victory lay in His refusal to retaliate. 

“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus’ submission to the Father’s will was perfect and complete in His final moments…through agony and tears…when He chose the cross. 

His tears, as always, were not for His own vindication or comfort, but for the strength to endure the test until the final victory…for you and for me. 

They stripped Jesus of everything…His honour, His reputation, His name, His dignity, His clothing, His flesh…even to the bone, His human form, His blood, until there was nothing left…just a shredded and unrecognisable human body hung on a pole…and He said nothing!

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth… Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭7‬, ‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Peter felt it, with unbearable pain… the glorious victory of Jesus against the misery of his own failure…and he marvelled!