YESHUA MOSHIACH – PART 2

The Significance of the Virgin Birth:
Some of the earliest church fathers stressed the virgin birth more than any other event in Yeshua’s life as proof of the Incarnation and that Moshiach was indeed YHVH. It was essential to their Christology; the significance of Moshiach’s divine role. Justin Martyr and Ignatius defended the virgin birth against opponents at the beginning of the second century. The virgin birth continued to be a hot topic for the next three centuries. Gnosticism was a belief that Moshiach descended directly from heaven and so He was never truly human. On the other hand, others, such as the Arians, also denied the virgin birth because they wanted to say He was never truly YHVH. They say Yeshua was [adopted] as Son of YHVH at His Baptism. The Council of Nicaea in AD 325 affirmed that Yeshua was truly YHVH and then the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451 stated that Yeshua was at the same time truly human and divine. The Apostles’ Creed from the fifth century is still often recited in modern church services. It declares, -- I believe in… Yeshua Moshiach, His only Son, our Adonai, conceived of Ruach HaKodesh, born of the Virgin Mary.

Life in Nazareth:
The years of Yeshua Moshiach’s human development are given only a few lines in the Gospels. Details are given of only one incident belonging to the period of childhood, the discussion of the 12-year-old Yeshua with the Jewish teachers in the temple -- Luke 2:41-50. This event is a pointer to one of the most Characteristic features of Yeshua’s later ministry: His display of irrefutable Wisdom in dialogue with His Jewish contemporaries. It also reveals that at an early age Yeshua was acutely aware of a divine mission. Nevertheless, Luke notes that in Yeshua’s formative years He was obedient to His parents -- 2:51. It is assumed that during thirty years at Nazareth Yeshua learned the carpenter’s trade from His earthly father Joseph and became the village carpenter after Joseph’s death. However, there is no account of this period in the Gospels. This has led many to fill in the blanks about Yeshua’s childhood. Many of these fables are recorded in what are called apocryphal gospels; writings that are steeped in tradition and not counted as the inspired Word of YHVH. Luke’s account is unembellished about the missing facts. Its remarkable reserve is a strong indication of its historical reliability.

Preparatory Events:
All four Gospels refer to a brief preparatory period before Moshiach’s public Ministry. This period focused on three important events.

The Preaching of John the Baptist:
John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness and caused an immediate stir in Judea, particularly as a result of his call to repentance and to baptism -- Matthew 3:1-6. John was like one of the Old Testament prophets, but he disclaimed any importance in his own office except as the herald of a greater person to come. His stern appearance and uncompromising moral challenge effectively prepared the way for the public appearance of Yeshua -- Luke 3:4-6. It is important to note that John the Baptist’s announcement of the imminent coming of the Kingdom -- Matthew 3:2, was the same theme with which Yeshua began His own Ministry -- 4:17. This shows that John the Baptist’s work was an integral part of the preparation for the public Ministry of Yeshua. The same may be said of the rite of baptism, although John recognized that Yeshua would add a new dimension in that He would baptize with Ruach HaKodesh and with fire -- 3:11. As the forerunner of Yeshua Moshiach, John proclaimed that the One to follow would not only be greater than he but would also come with high standards of judgment -- 3:12. The stage was therefore set in stern terms for the initial public act of Yeshua; His willingness to be baptized -- 3:13-15; Luke 3:21.

The Baptism of Yeshua:
John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. Since Yeshua submitted to this, are we to suppose that Yeshua Himself needed to repent? If this were the case, it would mean that Yeshua had sinned. This is contrary to other evidence in the New Testament. But if Yeshua did not need to repent, what was the point of His requesting baptism at the hands of John? Yeshua had come on a mission to others and it is possible that he deliberately submitted to John’s baptism in order to show that He was prepared to take the place of others. This explanation is in line with Paul’s later understanding of the Work of Yeshua Moshiach -- 2 Corinthians 5:21. Matthew is the one Gospel that records John’s hesitation to baptize Yeshua -- Matthew 3:14-15. The most important part of the baptism of Yeshua was the Heavenly Voice, which declared pleasure in the Beloved Son -- Matthew 3:17. This announcement by YHVH was the real starting point of the public Ministry of Yeshua. It revealed that the Ministry was no accident or sudden inspiration on the part of Yeshua. He went into His work with the full approval of the Father. A further important feature is the part played by Ruach HaKodesh in this scene. The dovelike description is full of symbolic meaning -- 3:16. The activity of Ruach HaKodesh in the Ministry of Yeshua, although not emphasized in the Gospels, is nevertheless key to having a true understanding of Yeshua Moshiach.

The Temptation of Yeshua:
Yeshua’s baptism showed the nature of His mission. The temptation showed the nature of the environment in which He was to Minister -- Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1-2. Confrontation with adverse spiritual forces characterized Yeshua’s whole Ministry. Only Matthew and Luke record details of the temptations to which Yeshua was subjected by the devil. All these temptations presented spiritual shortcuts to Yeshua’s Mission. However, Yeshua gained the victory. Both Gospels show that He accomplished this by appealing to Scripture. Yeshua leading by example shows us the proper weapon against temptation. Yeshua is also seen in this event as a genuine human who, like all other humans, was subject to temptation. The writer of the Hebrews notes that this fact qualified Yeshua to act as High Priest and to intercede on behalf of His people -- Hebrews 2:18; 4:15. He was fully YHVH and fully Man. He was like us in every way, except that He never sinned. As a result, He was the perfect, innocent sacrifice required for our sins.

The Early Ministry of Yeshua in Judea and Samaria:
Only John’s Gospel tells of the work of Yeshua in Judea following His baptism. It first describes His calling of two disciples, John and Andrew -- John 1:35-39. This event is set against the background of John the Baptist’s announcement of Yeshua as the Lamb of YHVH who was to take away the sin of the world -- 1:29. Three others soon joined these first two disciples: Peter, Philip and Nathanael -- 1:41-51. These five formed parts of the nucleus of Yeshua’s followers who came to be known as the Twelve. One feature of John’s account is the early recognition by the disciples of Yeshua as Moshiach -- 1:41, and Son of YHVH -- 1:49. Soon after Yeshua began His Ministry in Jerusalem, John relates an incident at Cana in Galilee in which water was turned into wine -- John 2:1-10. This event is important in John’s account because it is the first of the signs that he records -- 2:11. He saw Yeshua’s miracles as signs of the truth of the Gospel rather than as mere wonders. John sets two incidents at Jerusalem in this initial period. The first is the cleansing of the temple -- 2:13-16. Matthew, Mark and Luke all place this event just before Yeshua’s trial, but John places it at this early stage. The moral intention of Yeshua’s work is seen in His driving out the moneychangers who were inappropriately profiting from worshipers. This was apparently acceptable in Judaism but was unacceptable to Yeshua. The other Gospel writers imply that this authoritative act was the event that sparked the final hostility of His opponents. John tells the story for a theological reason; to him, the cleansing of the temple was a parable telling of what Yeshua had come to do. The other incident in Jerusalem is the meeting between Yeshua and Nicodemus -- 3. Nicodemus was closely associated with Judaism, yet he was also searching for truth. He was unable to understand however, the spiritual truth about being born again through the Spirit. Believers receive a new start in life; as if they had been born again. Their spiritual rebirth marks the moment they accept Yeshua Moshiach as Adonai and Saviour and receive Ruach HaKodesh. John’s story then moves from Judea to Samaria and the story of the Samaritan woman at the well -- John 4:1-42. Yeshua used her physical thirst to point to her deeper spiritual thirst. She realized that Yeshua had something to offer her that she had not previously known. As a result of this woman’s experience and testimony, many of the Samaritan people came to believe in Yeshua as the Saviour of the world -- 4:42. In this case, John appreciates the fuller significance of the Words of Yeshua by viewing them in the light of the resurrection.