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They led Him to the brow of the hill -- that they might throw Him down over the cliff.
-- Luke 4:29
As we begin our study this week, a brief review is needed. We are considering the three time periods in the New Testament, and I want to clarify a little.
1 - The Old Testament economy in the New Testament began at the beginning of the NT time period. It ended (approximately) when Jesus was twelve years old. At that time, Jesus began to change the lifestyle and practice of the Jewish people. The highest law we have today is that which came from the mouth of the very Son of God.
2 - The Transitional period began when Jesus was twelve and ended when He died on the cross. At that time the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom.
Last week, I mentioned the Transitional period, and we saw how the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus. To be able to grasp this, we must understand the times in which Jesus lived and the history leading up to His birth. It was very much like today, corruption, greed, and immorality abounded everywhere; this was also true in the religious and political scene.
Political leaders were killing each other in their lust for power, gold, silver, and control over people. The office of the high priest could be bought, sold, or bestowed on a certain person, even from the days of the Maccabees, I Maccabees 11:27.
When Jesus was arrested, He was led away to Annas first, even though Caiaphas was actually the high priest at that time, John 18:13. There is something a little fishy here, it could be they were doing this to respect Annas. Then He (Jesus) was led to Caiaphas who was the legitimate high priest, and also the son-in-law of Annas.
According to OT prophecy, the Redeemer (Messiah) would come through the kingly line of David, II Samuel 7:12-16. Even the common people knew this. In Luke 18:37-39, a blind man who was begging sat by the road. When he heard Jesus was passing by he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." When the people asked him to be quiet, he cried out all the more, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me."
Now if Jesus really was from the kingly line, why was this a problem? Because the authority and power of the religious leaders were being threatened. Also, they did not want a king like Jesus; they wanted someone who would deliver them from the Romans.
And besides that, He was going to take away their livelihood, as He made changes, and ushered in the church age. He also condemned the Pharisees and their legalistic man-made religion.
So here is my last thought; if you take away the legalism from the modern church, you are getting closer to the gospel message that God would have us proclaim. Contact the author at: (thoughtsonword@gmail.com) if you have any comments or questions.
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Lyndon Stimeling, of Richfield, has been writing about faith and family for many years. He has self-published four books, Common Thoughts on The Word in 2016, Eye of a Needle in 2017, Common Thoughts on The Word II in 2019 and A Bridge Between in 2023. He has also had articles published in The Coming Home Journal and local newspapers and has written a children's book.