Mat 23:1-3 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His
disciples, saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
"Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but
do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do."
Our Lord knew that
the Jews were faithless because their Jewish leaders were hypocrites (please
read Mat 23). John the Baptist the last OT prophet was sent to bring these Jews
back to God by getting them to repent of their faithlessness and hypocrasy for
the kingdom of God was at hand so that they might believe their Messiah.
He kept the Mosiac
law by sending those healed to see the priest and offer sacrifices according to
the law.
Mat 3:7-8 But when
he (John the Baptist) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his
baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from
the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,"
Our Lord humbled
Himself to believe and accept the message of John the Baptist. So He and His
disciples preached John's message, and He even followed John in scolding the
Jewish leadership as 'brood of vipers', those who destroyed the faith of the
Jewish people.
Luke 1:16-17 And he will turn many of the children of
Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and
power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the
disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the
Lord.”
John the Baptist
was effective in getting the Jews to repent and come back to God because they
accept him as a prophet of God
Mat 14:5 And
although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they
counted him as a prophet.
Jesus' Mighty Works
Mat 13:54 And when
He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they
were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these
mighty works?"
Similarly for the
Jews to listen to our Lord, He had to show them that He was sent by God. He was
able to perform signs and wonders, which were normally blessings to them so
that they would appreciate His mighty works. Most of them accepted Him as the
Messiah the King of Israel and many repented and were baptized.
John 4:1-2 Therefore,
when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized
more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His
disciples)
Jesus Observed the Passover
Luke 22:7, 15 Then
came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed... And He
sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we
may eat." Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have
desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
All Jews must keep
the Passover. So our Lord observed this last Passover with all His apostles.
During this last
supper, the Lord instituted the holy Communion of the New Covenant, which would
only be effective after His death.
Mat 26:27-28 Then
He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it,
all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many
for the remission of sins.
At His death on
the cross, the Mosiac law or Old Covenant was made obsolete, being replaced by
the New Covenant of His blood shed for the remission of the sins of all
believers.
After supper He
continued to prepare them to be transformed into His own image of love. He
washed their feet, told them to love one another as He loved them (dying on the
cross). His last sermon in John 14-16 will help every Christian to be
overcomers.
