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Chapter 20 - Events Leading up to the Capernaum Crisis (view source)
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==CHAPTER 20==
==CHAPTER 20==
===EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE CAPERNAUM CRISIS===
===EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE CAPERNAUM CRISIS===
THE story of the cure of Amos, the Kheresa lunatic, had already reached Bethsaida and Capernaum, so that a great crowd was waiting for Jesus when his boat landed that Tuesday forenoon. As Jesus spoke with those who had assembled to greet him, Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, made his way through the crowd and falling down at his feet, took him by the hand and besought that he would hasten away with him, saying:
THE story of the cure of Amos, the Kheresa lunatic, had already reached Bethsaida and Capernaum, so that a great crowd was waiting for Jesus when his boat landed that Tuesday forenoon. As Jesus spoke with those who had assembled to greet him, Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, made his way through the crowd and falling down at his feet, took him by the hand saying:
*"Master, my little daughter, an only child, lies in my home at the point of death. I pray that you will come and heal her."
*"Master, my little daughter, an only child, lies in my home at the point of death. I pray that you will come and heal her."
*"Take your brethren back to Zebedee's house and pray with them, especially for your brother, Simon Peter."
*"Take your brethren back to Zebedee's house and pray with them, especially for your brother, Simon Peter."
====Simon Peter's Night Vision====
The apostles, without their Master -- sent off by themselves -- entered the boat and in silence began to row toward Bethsaida on the western shore of the lake. None of the twelve was so crushed and downcast as Simon Peter. Hardly a word was spoken; they were all thinking of the Master alone in the hills. Had he forsaken them? He had never before sent them all away and refused to go with them. What could all this mean?
Darkness descended upon them, for there had arisen a strong and contrary wind which made progress almost impossible. As the hours of darkness and hard rowing passed, Peter grew weary and fell into a deep sleep of exhaustion. Andrew and James put him to rest on the cushioned seat in the stern of the boat. While the other apostles toiled against the wind and the waves, Peter dreamed a dream; he saw a vision of Jesus coming to them walking on the sea.
When the Master seemed to walk on by the boat, Peter cried out:
*"Save us, Master, save us."
And those who were in the rear of the boat heard him say some of these words. As this apparition of the night season continued in Peter's mind, he dreamed that he heard Jesus say:
*"Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."
This was like the balm of Gilead to Peter's disturbed soul; it soothed his troubled spirit, so that (in his dream) he cried out to the Master:
*"Lord, if it really is you, bid me come and walk with you on the water."
And when Peter started to walk upon the water, the boisterous waves frightened him, and as he was about to sink, he cried out,
*"Lord, save me!"
And many of the twelve heard him utter this cry. Then Peter dreamed that Jesus came to the rescue and, stretching forth his hand, took hold and lifted him up, saying:
*"O, you of little faith, wherefore did you doubt?"
In connection with the latter part of his dream Peter arose from the seat whereon he slept and actually stepped overboard and into the water. And he awakened from his dream as Andrew, James, and John reached down and pulled him out of the sea.
To Peter this experience was always real. He sincerely believed that Jesus came to them that night. He only partially convinced John Mark, which explains why Mark left a portion of the story out of his narrative. Luke, the physician, who made careful search into these matters, concluded that the episode was a vision of Peter's and therefore refused to give place to this story in the preparation of his narrative.
*"How long shall I bear with you? Are you all slow of spiritual comprehension and deficient in living faith? All these months have I taught you the truths of the kingdom, and yet are you dominated by material motives instead of spiritual considerations. Have you not even read in the Scriptures where Moses exhorted the unbelieving children of Israel, saying: `Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord'? Said the singer: `Put your trust in the Lord.' `Be patient, wait upon the Lord and be of good courage. He shall strengthen your heart.' `Cast your burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain you. Trust him at all times and pour out your heart to him, for God is your refuge.' `He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' `It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in human princes.'
*"How long shall I bear with you? Are you all slow of spiritual comprehension and deficient in living faith? All these months have I taught you the truths of the kingdom, and yet are you dominated by material motives instead of spiritual considerations. Have you not even read in the Scriptures where Moses exhorted the unbelieving children of Israel, saying: `Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord'? Said the singer: `Put your trust in the Lord.' `Be patient, wait upon the Lord and be of good courage. He shall strengthen your heart.' `Cast your burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain you. Trust him at all times and pour out your heart to him, for God is your refuge.' `He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' `It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in human princes.'
*"And now do you all see that the working of miracles and the performance of material wonders will not win souls for the spiritual kingdom? We fed the multitude, but it did not lead them to hunger for the bread of life neither to thirst for the waters of spiritual righteousness. When their hunger was satisfied, they sought not entrance into the kingdom of heaven but rather sought to proclaim the Son of Man king after the manner of the kings of this world, only that they might continue to eat bread without having to toil therefor. And all this, in which many of you did more or less participate, does nothing to reveal the heavenly Father or to advance his kingdom on earth. Have we not sufficient enemies among the religious leaders of the land without doing that which is likely to estrange also the civil rulers? I pray that the Father will anoint your eyes that you may see and open your ears that you may hear, to the end that you may have full faith in the gospel which I have taught you."
*<u>"And now do you all see that the working of '''miracles''' and the performance of material wonders will not win souls for the spiritual kingdom?</u> We fed the multitude, but it did not lead them to hunger for the bread of life neither to thirst for the waters of spiritual righteousness. When their hunger was satisfied, they sought not entrance into the kingdom of heaven but rather sought to proclaim the Son of Man king after the manner of the kings of this world, only that they might continue to eat bread without having to toil therefor. And all this, in which many of you did more or less participate, does nothing to reveal the heavenly Father or to advance his kingdom on earth. Have we not sufficient enemies among the religious leaders of the land without doing that which is likely to estrange also the civil rulers? I pray that the Father will anoint your eyes that you may see and open your ears that you may hear, to the end that you may have full faith in the gospel which I have taught you."
Jesus then announced that he wished to withdraw for a few days of rest with his apostles before they made ready to go up to Jerusalem for the Passover, and he forbade any of the disciples or the multitude to follow him. Jesus was preparing for a great crisis of his life on earth, and he therefore spent much time in communion with the Father in heaven.
Jesus then announced that he wished to withdraw for a few days of rest with his apostles before they made ready to go up to Jerusalem for the Passover, and he forbade any of the disciples or the multitude to follow him. Jesus was preparing for a great crisis of his life on earth, and he therefore spent much time in communion with the Father in heaven.
The second night of their sojourn at Gennesaret the Master again told the apostles the parable of the sower and added these words:
The second night of their sojourn at Gennesaret the Master again told the apostles the parable of the sower and added these words:
*"You see, my children, the appeal to human feelings is transitory and utterly disappointing. The exclusive appeal to the intellect of man is likewise empty and barren. It is only by making your appeal to the spirit that lives within the human mind that you can hope to achieve lasting success. And accomplish those marvelous transformations of human character that are presently shown in the abundant yielding of the genuine fruits of the spirit in the daily lives of all who are thus delivered from the darkness of doubt by the birth of the spirit, into the light of faith -- the kingdom of heaven."
*"You see, my children, the appeal to human feelings is transitory and utterly disappointing. The exclusive appeal to the intellect of man is likewise empty and barren. <u>It is only by making your '''appeal''' to the spirit that lives within the human mind that you can hope to achieve lasting success.</u> And to accomplish those marvelous '''transformations''' of human character that are presently shown in the abundant yielding of the genuine fruits of the spirit in the daily lives of all who are thus delivered from the darkness of doubt by the birth of the spirit, into the light of faith -- the kingdom of heaven."
Jesus taught the appeal to the emotions as the technique of arresting and focusing the intellectual attention. He designated the mind thus aroused and quickened as the gateway to the soul, where there resides that spiritual nature of man that must recognize truth and respond to the spiritual appeal of the gospel in order to afford the permanent results of true character transformations.
Jesus taught the appeal to the emotions as the technique of arresting and focusing the intellectual attention. He designated the mind thus aroused and quickened as the gateway to the soul, where there resides that spiritual nature of man that must recognize truth and respond to the spiritual appeal of the gospel in order to afford the permanent results of true character transformations.
[[category: PART II: The God-Man (A.D. 26 - A.D. 29)]]
[[category: PART II: The God-Man (A.D. 26 - A.D. 29)]]