457 – The Early Ministry of Jesus Christ

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: BIBLE SURVEY IV LESSON # 57

THE EARLY MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST

INTRODUCTION:

1. Any serious Bible student will soon see that none of the four gospels is dedicated to chronological order.
2. Consider this by trying to establish the beginning of His ministry by comparing Mat. 4:12-17

and Mk. 1:14

to Jn. 3:22-24

.
3. Consider the complexities of John’s personal acquaintance with Jesus by comparing Jn. 1:33

to Mat. 3:13-17

.
4. I call these apparent difficulties to your attention only to show you our need to approach the study of Christ’s life with great care and humility.

I. JOHN THE BAPTIST AND JESUS’ PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP

1. We know that by maternal parentage they were cousins, probably second or third cousins. (Lk. 1:36

)
2. We know that as children they were, at least to some extent, separated. (Lk. 1:80

)
3. This separation could have been broadened by their tribal differences. Compare Lk. 1:5

with Jesus’ genealogy. (Lk. 3:31

and Mat. 1:6

)
4. Remember though that by some marital relationship their mothers were cousins. (Lk. 1:36

)
5. As an adult, John knew of Christ’s character, if not His identity, before he baptized Him. (Mat. 3:13-14

)
6. Yet, he needed to learn more of that identity, and did so by divine revelation. (Jn. 1:32-33

)
7. Still he later questioned his accuracy in that identity. (Mat. 11:2-6

)

II. WHY THE DIFFICULTY IN IDENTIFYING JESUS AS THE CHRIST

1. At first this may appear a mysterious situation, which makes John’s conviction seem to waver. (Mat. 11:2-3

)
2. I suggest to you that identity was not so much the problem as the nature of Jesus’ ministry. (Mat. 11:1-6

)
3. Notice that John’s question in Mat. 11:3

is answered in verse 5, by a definite reference to the Messianic prophecy in Isa. 61:1

.
4. The common Jewish expectation of the Messiah was that He would immediately establish an earthly kingdom.

i. Note John’s message of Him. (Mat. 3:1-2

)
ii. Notice Peter’s misconception of His ministry. (Mat. 16:16-23

)
iii. Consider the request of James and John. (Mat. 20:20-22

)
iv. Consider Peter’s concept of total commitment. (Mat. 26:31-35

, Lk. 22:33

)
v. Note the expectation of the Emmaus disciples. (Lk. 24:19-27

and 44-48

)
vi. Finally, consider all the apostles expectation in Acts 1:6-7

III. CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF HIS EARLY MINISTRY

1. It started with His baptism in Jordan, immediately followed by forty days temptation in the wilderness. (Mat. 3:16-4:11

)
2. He then returned to Jordan where John identified Him as the Lamb of God, the Messiah. (Jn. 1:29-36

)
3. At this point some of His disciples, who would later become apostles, began to follow Him. (Jn. 1:35-51

)
4. His first miracle and the beginning of His public fame was at the wedding at Cana. (Jn. 2:1-11

)
5. After this, He began to publicly teach and baptize in Judea. (Jn. 3:22-24

and Jn. 4:1-2

)
6. About the time of John’s imprisonment, Jesus began to call His disciples to public ministry. (Mat. 4:12-22

)
7. Only later would twelve of these disciples be called apostles. (Mat. 10:1

and Lk. 9:1-10

)

Berean Baptist Church