Harmony of the gospels
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS 19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done 20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. The account, which the Jewish writer David Ganz gives of this Herod, and of this fact of John's reproving of him for it, and the consequence of it, perfectly agrees with these statements by Luke. "Herod Antipater, and there are some that call him, "the tetrarch", was a son of Herod the Great, and brother of Archelaus'. He was the third king of the family of Herod; and was very wicked, and a destroying man. Many wise men of Israel he slew with the sword; and he took the wife of his brother Philip, whilst he was alive, to himself for wife; and John, because he reproved him for this, he slew him with the sword, with many of the wise men of Israel.'' And John reproved him not only for this sin, but others: his revellings, debaucheries, murders, &c. all which John, in great faithfulness, and with much freedom rebuked him for. Herod had had a particular respect for him, and often had him with him, and heard him gladly when John had an opportunity of speaking personally to him. HARMONISATION There are no apparent problems with a direct harmonisation of these accounts APPLICATION It is important for Christians when they are confronted with outright evil to stand up and be counted. By so doing you are guiding people from degeneration. You are not going to be popular if you do such things. All reproof must be done in love with the object of returning the person or group to a better situation. Changes of actions can improve the situation but only regeneration through faith in Christ can save the individual. DOCTRINES GOD: DIVINE INSTITUTIONS - MARRIAGE 1. Man and angels have personality but only men and animals have "nephesh" and experience physical death. Angels do not die because they are spirits. 2. Marriage requires both personality and life, therefore it is only applicable to man. There is no marriage in the angelic realm. (Matthew 22:30) 3. Definition:- the personal relationship between a male and female member of the human race which typifies the saving relationship between Christ and believers. 4. God's instruction - "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish and the fowl and every living thing". This shows that man should subdue and have dominion over the animal kingdom. 5. If God was a solitary personality there would be no divine example of relationships, however with the three personalities in the Godhead relationships are demonstrated. He is a personal God and we can therefore have a relationship with him. 6. Marriage typifies the relationship between Christ and the church. a) In the form of grace and faith (Ephesians 5:22), the word submit meaning to fall into line to the law of God which the carnal mind cannot do. (Romans 8:7; 10:3) b) You submit yourself by an act of freewill. c) A family can strain marriage relationships if they are not submissive. (Romans 13:1, 5) 7. Grace is typified by the male and faith by the female. If this pattern is not adhered to it results in misery and suffering. 8. Grace and the man. a) the man is in the role of an initiator. b) the man provides information to which the woman can respond but must not coerce her free will. c) the man has to show his character to the woman. d) the man has to be patient, a form of grace.
a) the woman is in the role of a responder. b) the woman makes the choice of her free will. c) she is the one who uses faith. d) the woman needs time to grow.
a) The glory of God is shown in the man in the form of a changed life through regeneration. b) The glory of the man is shown in the woman by changes in the woman.
a) The important area of compatibility is that in the spiritual realm as one can be psychologically compatible with many people. b) Spiritual compatibility is indicated by the phrase "one flesh" and is a picture of the union of Christ and the church.
a) the death of one of the partners. b) the desertion of a believer by an unbelieving spouse where one of the two partners has become a Christian after marriage. (1 Corinthians 7:10-16) c) inappropriate marriage partners such as close relations as specified in (Leviticus 18). d) adultery or fornication as this causes the destruction of the one flesh principle by forming another one flesh. (Matthew 5:32; 19:9)
b) To test and develop faith, so bringing glory to Himself. 3. There will be no suffering for believers in eternity (Revelation 21:4). 4. Unbelievers will suffer forever in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:12-15). 5. Suffering can be caused by: a) Discipline for your own sins b) The effect of the sins of others on you - gossip, war, crime c) Self-induced suffering as a result of your own actions – e.g. sickness from smoking, poverty from poor stewardship d) The sovereign will of God - health, weather.
a) All suffering is designed for blessing in the Christian walk (1 Peter 1:7, 8, 4:14) b) Even discipline is designed to restore fellowship (Hebrews 12:6) c) Suffering follows the principle of grace (Romans 8:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:18). 7. Purpose of Christian Suffering: a) To receive discipline for carnality or backsliding (Psalm 38) b) To glorify God (Job 1:8-12, Luke 15:20, 21) c) To illustrate doctrine (Book of Hosea) d) To learn obedience (Philippians 2:8, Hebrews 5:8) e) To keep down pride (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) f) To develop faith (1 Peter 1:7, 8) g) To witness for Christ (2 Corinthians 13:4) h) To demonstrate the power of God (2 Corinthians 11:24-33, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10) i) To manifest the fruit of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 4:8-11) j) To help others who suffer (2 Corinthians 1:3-5) k) From indirect action - because other believers get out of fellowship (Romans 14, 1Corinthians 12:12, 13, 26, 1Samuel 21, 1Chronicles 21). 8. Dealing With Suffering - Applying Spiritual Daily Orders: To be a believer is to be associated with suffering. It is not a strange thing, it is our duty, and we are to take it as a soldier takes the rigours of a long campaign; without complaint, and with dignity and strength. The five “Daily Orders” for the battle against the adversary, to be applied in the church age, in the power of the Holy Spirit are found in 1Peter 5:8,9. They will protect us against the cunning of the “lion”. a) Be Sober! - At all times be self controlled, not under the control of any emotion, or any other substance(drink or drugs), but only by the Holy Spirit. Romans 13:11-13. 1 Thessalonians 5:6 -8. b) Be Vigilant! - At all times, stay awake to danger, don’t relax your guard, don’t get careless. c) Resist! - Stand up to, resist, oppose everything he stands for. Zero tolerance of evil is to be the standard for our lives. Also refer, Luke 4:3-12, Ephesians 4:27, 6:11-13, James 4:7. d) Be steadfast in the faith once delivered to the apostles! Be unbreakable, stand as a solid mass of soldiers resisting attack. Stand with the apostolic doctrines, and their practices. As a local church be united, stand together, tight and committed to each other. e) Keep on knowing you are not alone! All believers suffer pressures when they stand for their Lord. JOHN THE BAPTIST - HERALD 1. SCRIPTURE - Matthew 3:1-15; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 1:5-25, 57-80. 2. BIOGRAPHY John the Baptist (or Baptiser) was born in 6 BC to Zacharias the priest of the course of Abia (Luke 1:5) and Elisabeth, both of whom were descended from Aaron. He was related to Jesus through his mother, who was a cousin of Mary (Luke 1:36). He grew to manhood in the wilderness of Judea (Luke 1:80). He received his prophetic call (Luke 3:2) and became famous as an unorthodox preacher calling for national repentance. Jesus called John the greatest prophet (Luke 7:28) under the old covenant. He dressed in a coat of camel hair and ate locusts and wild honey. Many flocked to hear him preaching. He baptised those who had repented but refused the religious leaders who considered baptism as a possible source of power, calling them vipers (Matthew 3:1-7). Jesus was baptised by John to commence His ministry, John pointing to Him as the Messiah and contrasting his water baptism with the future spirit baptism of Christ (Matthew 3:11). John returned to the area of Herod Antipas (or Herod the Fox) causing turmoil with his messianic teaching. He also criticised Herod for marrying his brother Philip's wife Herodias. He was imprisoned in the Perean fortress of Machaerus and eventually beheaded (Mark 6:17-29). John was the herald of the king, Jesus Christ the Messiah. 3. EVALUATION: Matthew 3:1-12. a) John preached in the wilderness. There are no people in the desert but people flock to hear him (verse 1). b) His message is four-fold: c) Identification of Jesus Christ (John 1:29). d) The message is more important than the messenger (John 3:30). e) A call to repentance (Matthew 3:2). f) Faith in Christ brings salvation (Acts 19:4). g) He shows he is fulfilling Isaiah 40:3 (verse 3). h) The crowds did not go to see a fine dresser but went to hear his message (verses 4,5). i) He baptised in the Jordan those who had confessed their sins (verse 6). j) Religious leaders from Jerusalem approached John for baptism. John was intolerant of them and warned them of the baptism of fire to come (verse 7). k) He tells them to produce good of eternal value which can only be performed after conversion (verse 8). l) The Pharisees and Sadducees were proud of their ancestry to Abraham but John warns them that this will not save them (Romans 9:6-8) (verse 9). m) The future dispersion of Israel is prophesied (verse 10) and that unbelievers will be judged. n) John announces Jesus Christ as one who would give the superior baptism of the Holy Spirit or fire (verses 11, 12). o) The herald, who, through a fore-shadowing of Elijah (Malachi 4:5), is not Elijah (John 1:20-34), baptises the king, Jesus Christ to commence Jesus' ministry (verses 13-15) (Acts 10:37, 38; 13:24,25). 4. PRINCIPLES a) Before the king are heralds: John the Baptist and the Herald angels for the first advent, and Moses and Elijah and the mighty angel for the Second Advent (Revelation 11:3-6). b) As a herald, John emphasised the person and ministry of the king rather than his own ministry (John 3:30). c) There are many messengers but only one message. Messengers pass away but the Word of God abides forever (Luke 21:33). d) Tradition and religion are antagonistic to the truth (Matthew 23). e) Divine good can only be produced by believers (Hebrews 11:3-39; James 2:18). f) Ritual without reality has no meaning; in fact it can be a stumbling block (Isaiah 1:11). g) Your ancestry or culture is unimportant as far as God is concerned (Romans 2:10, 11). God treats everyone on an individual basis. h) Christ is the answer to every problem (John 14:6). HARMONY IMPRISONMENT OF JOHN THE BAPTIST But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by John the Baptist for all the evils which he had done and for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and added yet this above all, that he bound and shut up John in prison. He did this for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 36 DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST MATTHEW 14:6-12 6 But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. 7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. 8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. 10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. KEY WORDS
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS 6 But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. 7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. The birthdays of kings or princes, both of their birth and accession to the throne of government were kept with festivals by the Gentiles as seen by the Egyptians in Genesis 40:20. This custom was also reported on in the ancient world as being kept by the Persians by Herodotus and the Romans by Pliny. However it was not the custom of the Jews who considered these feasts as among the feasts of idolaters. The Mishna stated "These are the feasts of idolaters; the "Calends", and the "Saturnalia", the time kept in memory of subduing a kingdom (or when a king takes possession of it, the day of his accession) and the birthday of kings" (when they are made and crowned, the day of coronation), and the day of birth, and the day of death.'' The daughter of Herodias danced in the middle the company and pleased Herod to such an extent that he promised with an oath whatever she wanted. 8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. In verse 8 the action of the participle precedes the action of the main verb. The main verb is to demand the head of John the Baptist after Salome had been instructed [participle] by her mother Herodias. Salome went to her mother immediately, as soon as she had received the king's promise, and took advice of her, what she should ask. Herodias told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist; and accordingly she went in to take him at his word, and said “give me here John Baptist's head in a charger” She desires his head and this to be brought to her that her mother might be sure of his death; and have an opportunity of insulting that mouth and tongue that had spoke against her marriage. She desires to have it given "here", in that very place, at that very time, where, and while the company was together, who were witnesses of the king's promise and oath so that he would not change his instructions. The mother and daughter seem to be much alike on the basis of revenge and cruelty. The historian Nicephorus says that Salome, the daughter of Herodias, as she walked over a river which was frozen in the winter season, the ice broke, and she fell in, and the pieces of ice cut off her head. The "lex talionis", the law of retaliation, was righteously executed on her. |