DANGER AHEAD
The world is a dangerous place. The apostle Paul said he encountered “dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, danger from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren” (2 Corinthians 11:26 All scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.). Aside from the physical hazards, there was also danger from the devil and the spiritual forces of wickedness.
Knowing all this, God the Father sent His Son “that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17). Jesus did not come in a chariot of fire or ride on a cloud. The only ones who noticed were His parents, some shepherds, and the magi. Jesus came as a helpless baby as the the song El ShaddaiVocalist: Amy Grant •
Songwriters: John W. Thompson
and Michael J. Card makes clear, “Your most awesome work was done Through the frailty of your son.”
Jesus, during His life, was often in physical danger, but did He ever come close to sinning? Jesus was tempted in all things, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). One sin would compromise all creation. How close did Jesus come to crossing the line?
Young Jesus
The parents of Jesus fulfilled the law of Moses by offering a sacrifice for the newborn and having Him circumcised (Luke 2:21-24). They obeyed the Lord and fled to Egypt when Herod, the king, attempted to destroy Him (Matthew 2:13). They taught Him to observe the Passover and introduced Him to the Jewish way of life. At some point, He also learned to read and write. Jesus was in submission to His parents, who were His guardians.
At what point does a youth enter adulthood with all the rights and privileges of a Jewish man? The apostle Paul described this transition, “As long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner (lord) of everything, but he is under guardians and managers (stewards) until the date set by the father” (Galatians 4:1-2).
Jesus as a youth seemed to dishonor his parents (Exodus 20:12) when He stayed behind in Jerusalem after celebrating the Passover (Luke 2:41-43). There are several possibilities to explain this:
Perhaps God the Father and Joseph did not agree concerning the time set for the heir. Joseph, in his occupation, needed His help as a craftsman. Mary needed Him to help with His brothers and sisters.
Perhaps Jesus was ready for the higher education offered in Jerusalem. If Jesus had gone in this direction, He would have been working from within. Instead, He was an outsider from a questionable little town (John 1:46); and perhaps even spoke with a Galilean accent as Peter did (Matthew 26:73).
Perhaps something akin to the bar mitzvahBar mitzvah is Hebrew for “son of command-
ment.” It is a coming-of-age ritual recognizing
that a young man is no longer a minor according
to Jewish law but has the same religious rights
and privileges as an adult. occurred with the transition into adulthood. If there was a ceremony, did Jesus take them at their wordKeeping one’s vow to the Lord had such importance that Jephthah sacrificed his daughter (Judges 11:30-35).?
Perhaps this was simply a misunderstanding between Jesus and His parents, who searched for Him for three days in Jerusalem (Luke 2:46). Why did it take them so long to find Him? Jesus thought His mother would understand why He stayed behind, but she did not (Luke 2:49-50).
Then again, perhaps Jesus sought direction from His Father. What was the next step in His life? The teachers in the temple did not add much to His understanding (Luke 2:46-47). The answer He received was to continue in submission to His parents (Luke 2:51). There were lessons yet to be learned. Presumably, Joseph would later die, and Jesus would have new responsibilities at home.
Patience
Consider what Jesus said shortly after the transfiguration, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you?” (Matthew 17:17). There were times when the patience of Jesus wore thin.
On another occasion, the Jews harassed Jesus since they did not believe He was Christ. When they persisted, Jesus said, “What have I been saying to you from the beginningΤὴν ἀρχὴν – A noun phrase in the accusative.?” (John 8:25 NASB). This verse could translate as “Why do I talk to you at allΤὴν ἀρχὴν – An adverbial phrase meaning
at all, wholly, altogether, originally.?” (John 8:25 RSV Margin).
Separation
Satan knew that if he could separate Jesus from the Father, he might prevail against Him. Satan asked permission to sift Peter like wheat (Luke 22:31) such that Peter denied Jesus three times. Similarly, as God and Satan discuss the fate of Job, what was said was recorded (Job 1:6-12, 2:1-6).
Before being betrayed, Jesus said, “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me” (John 16:32). Just before He died on the cross Jesus said, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46, Psalm 22:1). It must have felt like the Father had deserted Him; He felt separated from the Father, yet He remained steadfast until the end.
Decision Making
In man, the heart is active in the decision process. If your heart agrees with what your mind wants, you feel happy to do it. If your heart does not agree with what your mind wants, you reluctantly or begrudgingly do it. If your heart is adamant about not doing something, you probably will not do it.
The night before the crucifixion, Jesus was deeply grieved (Mark 14:34), and in prayer, He said, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove2nd Person Imperative Mode: Jesus was strongly exhorting the Father. this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will” (Mark 14:36). Similarly Jesus said, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass3rd Person Imperative Mode: In English this
sounds like a request, but it is actually an urgent
plea. from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus could have saved Himself by appealing to the Father for more than twelve legions of angels (Matthew 26:53).
Jesus and the Father were not in agreement. Therefore Jesus reluctantly accepted the will of the Father. Jesus did not cheerfully bear the cross, but “for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2); crucifixion was the worst kind of disgrace and humiliation.
Desires of the Flesh
Jesus had a close relationship with a few of His disciples, and some women followed and supported Him during His ministry. There may have been a special relationship with Mary Magdalene (Matthew 27:55-56, John 20:16-18). Could we find fault with Jesus if He thought about taking a bride? Jesus will indeed take a bride but in keeping with His true character (Revelation 19:7).
white space
