Matthew Chapter 4

[cheezgrits]

Originally Posted by Radiant1

Considering He dined with tax collectors and prostitutes and drank wine, I suspect you're right about the beer and a chat.

Well, considering I'm a NAVAIR employee, a retired Sailor and brew my own beer, maybe he would sit down with me!

[Radiant1]

Originally Posted by cheezgrits

Well, considering I'm a NAVAIR employee, a retired Sailor and brew my own beer, maybe he would sit down with me!

Just for the record, I wasn't implying you were akin to a tax collector or a prostitute, but now that you mention NAVAIR and having been in the Navy...!

[hotcoffee]

I'm hoping [well praying really] that by discussing the New Testament chapter by chapter more people will come to have faith in Jesus. At the very least others will see why I place my faith in Him.

I'm sure that if Jesus had turned the rocks to bread, thrown himself from the temple to float on a cloud of angels, or taken a seat to rule over all the kingdoms of the world.... politicos would have picked His reign to pieces. And since Jesus could have chosen to rule for all eternity, there would have been even more people talking saying "how rude" that He should stay in office as King of the Jews for an eternity on earth with angels fawning after His needs. Satan knew that. I'm glad Jesus told Satan to get lost. I love the way He did it.

I can't wait to see Him. I'm sure the banquet will include some fine wine! I won't have to worry about getting drunk on the wine or beer at the banquet.... I'll already be drunk with happiness....

[hotcoffee]

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

I find it interesting that the first two disciples were fishing from the shore and the second two were fishing from the boat. I say that because, according to the study notes in my thumper, it was the custom of the day to cast a round net from the shore or from a boat.

It's also interesting that the four of them left their everything without hesitation to follow Jesus.

Jesus Heals the Sick

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[g] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him

Jesus started a three phased ministry. He was teaching, preaching and healing.

We'll see later in the New Testament that Jesus taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath. During the rest of the week He would have held open air meetings to larger crowds.

If you go back to the map you'll see that Syria was a large area. It's north of Galilee between Damascus and the Mediterranean See.

According to my thumper the people having seizures were said to be "moon struck" because there was a superstition that seizures were caused by changes of the moon.

It also points out that the word Paralyzed is actually from the Greek physicians. In ancient times the Greek physicians were the best. A lot of the current terms derived from those physicians. This must have been respected work done by Jesus. [talk about your scientific verification]

The Decapolis was mostly east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. The area stretched from a point northeast of the Sea of Galilee to Philadelphia [modern Amman] according to the notes in my study thumper.

Busy guy huh!

[Radiant1]

I haven't stopped participating, hotcoffee, I just don't have too much to add to what you've already posted.

Of note, the term "follow" was a rabbinic term for becoming a disciple. It might be easy in one's mind to imagine James and John, sons of Zebedee, to just walk behind Jesus like a puppy dog or something, but that's not the case. In addition, it's not like they just dumped their father Zebedee to work alone with no help because the gospel of Mark talks about hired men remaining behind. Also, in the gospel of Luke it says James and John were partners with Simon. According to the gospel of John, Andrew and Simon were already disciples of John the Baptist and spoke with Jesus, so apparently they were all aware of Jesus before His call to them.

Healing the sick and casting out demons was a sign from the previous prophets that their authority was from God, so it's only reasonable that Jesus would do the same. Kind of like giving the people a hint of who He really was.

[hotcoffee]

Originally Posted by Radiant1

I haven't stopped participating, hotcoffee, I just don't have too much to add to what you've already posted.

Of note, the term "follow" was a rabbinic term for becoming a disciple. It might be easy in one's mind to imagine James and John, sons of Zebedee, to just walk behind Jesus like a puppy dog or something, but that's not the case. In addition, it's not like they just dumped their father Zebedee to work alone with no help because the gospel of Mark talks about hired men remaining behind. Also, in the gospel of Luke it says James and John were partners with Simon. According to the gospel of John, Andrew and Simon were already disciples of John the Baptist and spoke with Jesus, so apparently they were all aware of Jesus before His call to them.

Healing the sick and casting out demons was a sign from the previous prophets that their authority was from God, so it's only reasonable that Jesus would do the same. Kind of like giving the people a hint of who He really was.

Wow, I'm so glad you added all that. I had forgotten about the hired men. I didn't know that Andrew and Peter were disciples of John the Baptist. That makes sense tho.... thanks