Walking With Jesus - Volume 01 - Lesson 001
LOC – 001 – The Preparation of the World
Lesson Objectives
We will look at the history that prepared the world for the coming of Jesus!
God knows how to accomplish His purpose!
God is still very aware and active in the affairs of this world!
People are searching for what God has to offer!
Lesson Commentary
Welcome to the “Walking With Jesus,” Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ Training Series. Many people since the days of Christ have desired to know Jesus just like some Grecians who were in Jerusalem around the time of His Crucifixion (John 12:21). Even more people claim to believe in Him, but how many really know anything about Him?
Can you give an accurate answer to anyone who asked you about who Jesus is and what He taught? The only way we are going to get to know Him is to study what the Bible says about Him and see how it applies to us today. In so doing, we will become more intimately acquainted with Him and will find ourselves living more like Him. Our desire is to help you see Jesus in a way that will help you to better understand who He is and what He has done and how it applies to your life today. We want to help you grow into a dynamic, personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ in order that you may live your life more like Him.
Overview of the Class
In order to do this, we are going to embark on a three-year journey through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The objective is to get to know Jesus more intimately in an effort to become more like Him. We want to see and feel what He taught and what He did, expecting to become more like Him.
The agenda is to do a weekly Bible study of the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, taking the events of Christ’s life in chronological order as best we can determine. The four Gospels will be arranged side by side when appropriate so that we may see how each writer saw the event being described. This way we will get a better view of what happened, and how it was understood at that time. From this, we will be able to see how we can live our lives in a way that is more pleasing to God.
Why Just the Four Gospels?
We will be using Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in our study as our main study books. They give the historical record of Jesus’ life and teachings on this earth. By concentrating on the Gospels and what they say and how it is understood by the early readers, we will be better able to make application to our own lives. The goal is to get to know Jesus more intimately.
In the Fullness of Time ——The Inter-testament Period
To help us better understand culture and period around which these events happened, we need to look into some of the events prior to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. There are four Inter-testament periods. Each one played a part in the preparation for the Jews and the whole world to receive Jesus and the Good News of His salvation.
1. Persian Rule — 539-331 B.C. Persia conquered Judah thus ending their freedom and independence until they were destroyed by Rome in 70 A.D. Nehemiah rebuilt the temple around 440 B.C. This was the first rebuilding of the Temple. Herod later rebuilt it to an even grander scale than it had ever been before. He started about 25 B.C. and finished around 66 A.D. (91 years in construction.) Herod’s rebuilding of the Temple was going on through Jesus’ life. The Persian era prepared the world for the coming of Jesus through the rebuilding of the Temple.
2. Hellenistic (Greek) Rule — 331-167 B.C., Alexander the Great conquered the world. He was successful in this enterprise because he did not try to annihilate his enemies, but scattered and mixed people from all of the countries that he conquered thus making them into a common nation.
This was accomplished by:
1) Transplanting groups of peoples all over the known world,
2) Teaching all peoples a common (Greek) language, and
3) Educating them in Greek culture and customs.
The Greeks transplanted groups of people to other countries to mix and weaken their cultures and histories and to strengthen the Greek culture and rule. Many Jews went to Alexandria, Egypt, named after Alexander the Great. Others went to other places like Corinth, Macedonia, and even Rome. When the early Christians traveled there, they could speak to their fellow countrymen about the promised Messiah, Jesus, and lead these people to become Christians. This weakened the nationalities and religious beliefs of individual nations, groups and individuals and later was helpful in facilitating the spreading of the Gospel because everyone was able to understand the Greek language. This helped start churches that reached out into that community and teach others about the God who became Man to pay for our sins and give us eternal life.
In Egypt, the Old Testament was translated into Greek during this period. It was translated by seventy scholars and called the Septuagint. Later, the New Testament books were all written in Greek, which made it possible for anyone living in the days of the early Church to be able to read and understand what the authors wrote. They didn’t need anyone to interpret it for them. (The Jewish religion survived during this time by becoming a “church” or religion instead of a state or government.) The Greeks prepared the world for the coming of Jesus by giving them a common language and culture.
The rule over the Jews under the Greeks was sub-divided into two periods:
The Jews were under Egyptian rule from 331-198 B.C. The Ptolemies reigned through this period until about 30 B.C. It was during this time that Cleopatra lived in Egypt. She married Mark Anthony and thus built a relationship with the Caesars in Rome. The Egyptians were kind to the Jews and sponsored the translation of the Old Testament into the Greek language.
Syria (also known as the Seleucids) took Israel away from the Egyptians and ruled over the Jews from 198-167 B.C. They destroyed the walls around Jerusalem and prohibited possessing or reading Hebrew Scriptures.
3. Independent (Maccabean) ruled 167-63 B.C. The Maccabeans were a family of Jews who successfully led a rebellion during this period. The Jews experienced some degree of independence during this time, but it still was not like what they had lived with during the prophets. This period was characterized by strife and discord caused by the lust for power. The Dead Sea Scrolls were written during this era. The Dead Sea Scrolls contributed significantly to the validation of the Old Testament. You can read more about the Maccabeans in the Apocrypha (writings attributed to the period between the Old and New Testaments, but not regarded as Scripture by most protestant churches.) The political aims of the Hasmoneans (as the Maccabeans came to be called) alienated many of the religious Jews. The descendants of the Hasmoneans became the Sadducees of Jesus’ day.
(Looking across the Kidron Valley from the Mount of Olives west towards the Temple mount.)
4. Herodion and Roman Rule ran 63 B.C.-70 A.D. After the Greeks had spread their culture, the Romans rose to power and conquered them and the other nations of the known world. The Romans made travel very easy by building roads and aqueducts, and relocating groups of peoples to other locations. This further weakened nationalities, but it also encouraged commerce and travel. When the early Christians spread out from Jerusalem, it was easy to travel to another community, share the Gospel, and start a church in that community. This also facilitated the Apostles in spreading the Gospel through the world. As they traveled or wrote their letters, it was fairly easy to get the message out to other Churches and bodies of believers. The Romans contributed for the coming of Jesus by making travel easy for the early evangelists.
Herod the Great got control of Israel through the influence of his father, Antipater, an Idumean. Idumeans were descendants of Esau from the southern portion of the Dead Sea. Herod was an efficient ruler and a clever politician. He provided subsidies during famine and began many building projects, including the beautifying of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. In spite of this, most devout Jews hated him. He was known for his jealousy for power that caused him to murder some of his wives and children.
Ways That God Prepared the World for His Church
This is basically another look at how God prepared the world and saw the timing come together for the advent of His Son to save mankind from their sins by instigating a New Covenant that was available to all men, regardless of ancestry or personal history. This is a review of what we have just covered, but in a different light to make it more understandable and useable.
1. Fullness of Time Politically
Common Language – Because of Alexander the Great conquering of the Jewish people and teaching them the Greek language and culture, they had a common language which allowed all men to understand the message when the Apostles started the church several years later. Though many Jews also spoke Aramaic, it was the Greek language that spread the Gospel around the world.
Scattered People – Jews were transplanted all over the “known world” by both the Greeks and the Romans. When the early Christians tried to flee the persecution that started in Jerusalem, they went to their Jewish neighborhoods in other cities and told them about Jesus as the promised Messiah. This started Churches all over the world very rapidly.
Common Government – Rome ruled with an iron hand, but there was no war during this period of time. This is the only time in the earth’s history that there was not a war somewhere. Oh what a difference the true presence of Jesus makes!
Ease of Travel – Roman roads made travel easy. One government meant there were no problems with “border crossings”, no need to learn a new nation’s laws and customs. This will later facilitate the rapid spread of the Gospel.
It is the fullness of time today – As we see the events currently transpiring around the world, we don’t know the details, but there is a high expectancy of the Second Coming occurring soon! Souls are seeking peace and significance through politics, possession and media. Man needs to make God the ruler of his political life.
2. Fullness of Time Economically
Pending Depression – Though there was a wealthy Jewish aristocracy, most Jews were poor farmers, craftsmen or businessmen. Over half of the world’s population were slaves under the Roman Empire. After a severe war and Herod’s extravagance after the war, the Jews were discouraged and depressed. They are experiencing the rejection of God, which was the result of their rebellion and disobedience to Him. They believed that wealth was proof of God’s blessing on those who had it. Their lives were care ridden, with worry, anxiety and despair. Jesus came and offered hope, forgiveness and life. Those who were slaves were full of fraud, deceit and immorality.
It is the fullness of time today – In a world that is filled with financial insecurity, greed and economic turmoil, man needs to look to something besides money for security and meaning. Jesus Christ is the rock of stability on which we can build a foundation that will give us security whether we have money or not.
3. Fullness of Time Morally
Spirit of Despair – Israel had grown neglectful of God’s absolute moral standard. They thought they could write their own “laws” and break them at will. Because of their abandonment of God and general moral decay, evil was pursued to disaster and oblivion. They thought it was acceptable as long as they didn’t get caught. The prevailing attitude was to eat, drink and be merry because they saw no hope, future or reason to try to do otherwise.
Jesus presented a moral alternative of abstaining from sin and justification from past sins. Many people decided to repent of their sin and follow Him. To them, He gave hope and a reason to live a moral and righteous life.
It is the fullness of time today –immorality and crime can only be rehabilitated through a relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the alternative to sin and hell. There are many people today who want a reason to not do evil. They want to know of a moral absolute that provides some security and hope instead of the hedonistic selfishness that leaves people empty and lonely.
4. Fullness of Time Religiously
Jews had a great expectation of Messiah coming after 400 years of prophetic silence. But the prophetic signs given in the Old Testament show that it was time for the Messiah to come. Many false messiahs had recently come and gone. John the Baptist increased that expectation by his establishing himself as a prophet. No prophet has lived among the people of Israel for 400 years. Into this expectation, Jesus came and went and many missed Him because they had different expectations than what He delivers.
It is the fullness of time today – false saviors, cults, Satanism and misconceptions surround us and leave many people seeking, wanting, feeling condemned and without hope. Jesus is the solution to their problems and events indicate that He could be coming soon. It is time to get ready now!
Today is the Day of the Lord. What is your role in it? What are you doing to help others in “Walking With Jesus?” Maranatha – “Come Lord Jesus” – If Jesus comes before we have completed “Walking With Jesus,” class will be completed in Heaven. See you there!
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