456 – Jesus’ Preparation for His Public Ministry

SEMESTER 4

456 – Jesus’ Preparation for His Public Ministry

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: BIBLE SURVEY IV LESSON # 56
JESUS’ PREPARATION FOR HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY

Read Mat. 3:11-4:11, Mk. 1:9-13, Lk. 3:21-23, 4:1-15, and Jn. 1:29-34.

INTRODUCTION:

1. Jesus’ revealed preparation basically involved two things.

i. His baptism, identifying Him with His people and His life’s purpose.
ii. His temptation, establishing His total obedience to God and His victory over the flesh.

2. It should be understood that neither of these experiences changed or improved Him.
3. He was a totally perfect man in every sense, and was from the beginning completely impeccable.
4. The purpose was at least this: to identify, prove, and declare Him, and to place that identity, proof and declaration in God’s revelation to us.
5. Proof that identity is the issue is established by the fact, that in the Gospel of Luke, the account of His baptism and the account of His temptation is divided by His lineage.

V. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS CHRIST

1. John the Baptist knew that Jesus neither needed nor had repentance, when He came to his baptism, and thus forbade Him. (Mat. 3:14)
2. Jesus instructed him to allow it “to fulfill all righteousness,” yet Jesus had no lack of, or need for, righteousness.
4. His baptism did not bring repentance nor wash away sin, thus does not fit the sacerdotal claims of our day.
5. It identified (in figure) His purpose in earth: to die, to be buried, and to rise again (the very `sign of the Prophet Jonah”). (Lk. 12:50, Mat. 12:39-40)
6. It identified Him with His Heavenly Father. (Mat. 3:16-17)
7. It identified Him with His Church, of which John the Baptist laid the identifying foundation, by his baptism (Acts 1:21-22). The fulfilling of righteousness was, of course, figurative.

VI. THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS

Let it be noted that the only thing that took place between Jesus’ baptism and the beginning of His public ministry was His temptation. Note the order in Luke 3:21-23, Luke 4:1, Luke 4:13-15.

1. Jesus’ temptation came in three areas of human interest that most often touch our lives.

i. The desire for food: A representation of physical needs and desires.
ii. The desire for dominion: created in us by God, but to be in subjection.
iii. The tendency to prove, or test God: a most basic trait of fallen man.

2. It seems that these may relate to us as a triune being: body, soul, and spirit.
3. The Lord’s approach to each of these temptations was exactly what Adam’s should have been in the Garden of Eden: “God has spoken.”
4. His approach was exactly what ours should be to every tempta­tion today; i.e., ‘it is written.’
5. When starvation seems eminent, (Luke 4:2) logic says do what you can, but Scripture says (Luke 4:4, Mat. 6:31-33).
6. When wealth is proffered, (Luke 4:6-7) logic says go for it, but Scripture says (Pro. 3:5-8).
7. When God’s presence is most questionable, logic says test Him, see if He is there. God’s word says trust Him, don’t tempt or try Him. (Luke 4:12)
8. Jesus Christ; “the last Adam” passed every test which the first Adam failed, thus showing Himself to be the redeemer who could deliver up the kingdom unto God. (I Cor. 15:21-24)