John's Preaching Of Repentance
Matthew 3:1-12 reads,
3:1
In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 3:2"Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" 3:3For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying,"The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make his paths straight."
3:4
Now John himself had clothing made of camel’s hair, and a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 3:5Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. 3:6They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 3:7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, "You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 3:8Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance! 3:9Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.3:10
"Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. 3:11I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit. 3:12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire."The Time Of The Coming Of The Kingdom Of Heaven Is A Time For Judgement
3:2 shows that John preached to the people that they should repent, for the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Implying that the coming of the kingdom of heaven was to find the people living righteous lives, and not to find them living wickedly. Further implying that the coming of the kingdom of heaven was to be a time of judgement, with people being judged appropriately for their conduct, receiving good for righteous living, and receiving evil for wicked living.
3:6 shows that the people complied with a fundamental aspect of repentance - confession of sins.
"Fruit worthy of repentance" mentioned in 3:8 is consistent with doing righteous actions and ceasing to do evil actions, based on a heart that is now upright, whereas before it was evil and stubborn.
3:10 shows that the lot of the wicked, those who refuse to repent of evil, is being cast into the fire.
Yah'shuah Preached The Same Message That John Preached
Matthew 4:17 reads,
4:17
From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, "Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."It is noted that Yah'shuah preached the same message that John preached.
Yah'shuah Came To Call Sinners To Repentance
Matthew 9:9-13 reads,
9:9
As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, "Follow me." He got up and followed him. 9:10It happened as he reclined in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and reclined with Jesus and his disciples. 9:11When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"9:12
When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. 9:13But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."All Human Beings Should Repent Of Their Sins
Matthew 11:20-24 reads,
11:20
Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works were done, because they didn’t repent. 11:21"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 11:22But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 11:23You, Capernaum, who are exalted to Heaven, you will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until this day. 11:24But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, in the day of judgment, than for you."11:20 shows that Yah'shuah denounces those who do not repent. Implying that it is a duty of all human beings to repent of their sins.
The Performance Of Mighty Works Ought To Lead To Repentance
11:21 and 11:23 show that a purpose of mighty works being done in a given territory is for those dwelling in that territory to repent of their sins, and be spared of the calamities that befall those who remain in sin.
The Unrepentant Deserve Condemnation
Matthew 12:41 reads,
12:41
The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.Those who do not repent of their sins deserve to be condemned. For this is what will happen to those who refuse to repent of their sins even after hearing Yahweh's words from his Son Yah'shuah.
Believe Those Who Come In The Way Of Righteousness
Matthew 21:23-32 reads,
21:23
When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?"21:24
Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you one question, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 21:25The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?"They reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 21:26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all hold John as a prophet." 21:27They answered Jesus, and said, "We don’t know."
He also said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. 21:28But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’ 21:29He answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he repented himself, and went. 21:30He came to the second, and said likewise. He answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but he didn’t go. 21:31Which of the two did the will of his father?"
They said to him, "The first."
Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into the kingdom of God before you. 21:32For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.
The usage of "repented himself" in 21:29 means that the son changed his mind.
21:31-32 shows that we should believe people who come to us in the way of righteousness, and show that belief by appropriately changing our conduct from sin to righteousness, even as the tax collectors and prostitutes did.
John Preached Repentance For Forgiveness Of Sins
Mark 1:4-5 reads,
1:4
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 1:5All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.Yah'shuah Preached Repentance And Belief In The Gospel
Mark 1:14-15 reads,
1:14
Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 1:15and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the gospel."Yah'shuah Came To Call Sinners To Repentance
Mark 2:14-17 reads,
2:14
As he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the place of toll, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he arose and followed him.2:15
It happened, that he was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him. 2:16The scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"2:17
When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."Yah'shuah's Servants Preach That People Should Repent
Mark 6:7-13 reads,
6:7
He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 6:8He charged them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a staff only: no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse, 6:9but to wear sandals, and not put on two tunics. 6:10He said to them, "Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there. 6:11Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"6:12
They went out and preached that people should repent. 6:13They cast out many demons, and anointed many with oil who were sick, and healed them.It should be noted that whoever does not receive Christ's disciples nor hear Christ's words spoken by his disciples will receive less tolerance in the day of judgement than that to be received by Sodom and Gomorrah. For Sodom and Gomorrah did not have the great and saving opportunity that those who hear Christ's words through his servants have.
John Preached Repentance To Remission Of Sins
Luke 3:1-3 reads,
3:1
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 3:2in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. 3:3He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance to remission of sins.Luke 3:7-14 reads,
3:7
He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, "You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 3:8Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones! 3:9Even now the ax also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire."3:10
The multitudes asked him, "What then must we do?"3:11
He answered them, "He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise."3:12
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what must we do?"3:13
He said to them, "Collect no more than that which is appointed to you."3:14
Soldiers also asked him, saying, "What about us? What must we do?"He said to them, "Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages."
John explained to his audience what fruits worthy of repentance were. It involved the doing of righteous deeds stemming from an upright heart. This included sharing whatever one has with the needy, especially in the area of food and clothing. It also included performing one's duties truthfully and honestly, without falsely abusing one's position to exploit others. It also included contentment with what is due to one.
Yah'shuah Came To Call Sinners To Repentance
Luke 5:27-32 reads,
5:27
After these things he went out, and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and said to him, "Follow me!"5:28
He left everything, and rose up and followed him. 5:29Levi made him a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them. 5:30Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?" 5:31Jesus answered them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. 5:32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."The Performance Of Mighty Works Should Lead Those Witnessing Them To Repentance
Luke 10:13-14 reads,
10:13
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 10:14But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.Mighty works are performed in a given territory in order to bring to repentance the people in that territory.
Preaching Should Bring To Repentance Those Who Hear It
Luke 11:29-32 reads,
11:29
When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet. 11:30For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will also the Son of Man be to this generation. 11:31The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and will condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here. 11:32The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.A purpose of preaching is to bring to repentance those who need to repent.
Luke 13:1-5 reads,
13:1
Now there were some present at the same time who told him about the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 13:2Jesus answered them, "Do you think that these Galilaeans were worse sinners than all the other Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 13:3I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way. 13:4Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them; do you think that they were worse offenders than all the men who dwell in Jerusalem? 13:5I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way."The penalty for the unrepentant is death.
There Is Joy In Heaven Over Repentant Sinners
Luke 15:1-10 reads,
15:1
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. 15:2The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them."15:3
He told them this parable. 15:4"Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? 15:5When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 15:6When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 15:7I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. 15:8Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it? 15:9When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.’ 15:10Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting."The Son Who Wasted His Property And Lived Riotously
Luke 15:11-32 reads,
15:11
He said, "A certain man had two sons. 15:12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his living to them. 15:13Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and took his journey into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. 15:14When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. 15:15He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 15:16He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. 15:17But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! 15:18I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. 15:19I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants."’15:20
"He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 15:21The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no more worthy to be called your son.’15:22
"But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 15:23Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; 15:24for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to be merry.15:25
"Now his elder son was in the field. As he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 15:26He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. 15:27He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ 15:28But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. 15:29But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, and you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 15:30But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’15:31
"He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 15:32But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’"15:13 notes that the younger son wasted his property with riotous living.
Undergoing Suffering Ought To Return A Person To His Senses
15:17 notes that the younger son came to his senses, after having undergone a period of suffering and very difficult living. It appears that sometimes we need to undergo suffering and difficult living in order to come to our senses, especially when we have been behaving in a senseless manner.
Sinful Living Removes Sense And Understanding From One
It should be noted that for the younger son to have "come to himself" shows that when we was wasting his property and living riotously he was not himself. Implying that he had allowed another or others to take him over and after having taken him over waste his property and live riotously. It therefore appears that when a righteous person departs from righteousness and lives wickedly he allows forces of wickedness to take him over and thereby use him to live out the wickedness.
Sinners Are Responsible For Their Sinful Living
It should also be noted that the person who lives wickedly is responsible for that wicked living. He cannot shirk responsibility for his wicked actions, saying that other forces had taken him over and then used him to live wickedly. For these forces can only take one over when one allows them to take one over. Therefore, by choosing the way of wickedness, the person allowed himself to be so taken over, and must therefore be responsible for the wickedness he lived while he was under the influence or control of these wicked forces.
Suffering Is Very Useful In Bringing A Person To Repentance
Again it should be reiterated that suffering serves a very useful function in such circumstances. For it brings a person who is beside himself to the point whereby he again comes to his senses and purposes again to live righteously. In other words, suffering is very useful in bringing a person to repentance.
The Household The Son Grew Up In
15:17-19 shows the family environment that the younger son had grown up in. His father was a righteous man who provided for all in his household, not only his sons, but also his servants. The people he provided for had to abide by his righteous ways, abiding by his commands.
The younger son realised that there was a way that he could end his suffering that he was then undergoing. That way was to return to his father's household. And a fundamental aspect of returning to his father's household was abiding by his father's righteous commands. The younger son therefore undertook to repent of his sins and commence to live righteously, and by so living righteously be accepted back into his father's household. In this manner his suffering would cease and his life would then become more comfortable than it then was.
Physical Experiences Teach Us Spiritual Lessons
It appears that we human beings, who are physical, need to undergo physical experiences to teach us spiritual lessons. For in seeking a better physical lifestyle we are prepared to repent of our sinful living and live righteously.
15:18-19 shows that the younger son had repented in his heart, in that he had a change of mind from his sinful lifestyle to a righteous lifestyle. He also undertook to acknowledge and confess his sin before both heaven and his father. He also realised that he no longer deserved the high status he formerly had, that of a son, and could now only have the status of a servant.
Those Who Abuse An Exalted Position No Longer Deserve To Remain In It
It should be noted that the younger son, in his repentant state of mind, was correct in his assessment of his new status in his father's household if his father received him back. Having abused his status as a son he no longer deserved that status. He could only return to that household in a lesser status, that of a servant. It should therefore be clear to us that once we have abused an exalted status we no longer deserve to retain or return to that status. If we remain or return to that household we deserve to do so only in a lesser status.
The Father Was Moved With Compassion
15:20 shows that the father was moved with compassion when he saw his younger son returning back to his household.
Be Merciful And Forgiving Towards Repentant Sinners
In this the father teaches us that we should likewise be moved with compassion when one who has sinned against us returns from his way of sin and seeks reconciliation. In other words, we should be merciful and forgiving towards the repentant errant person, and receive that one back into our fold.
It Is Appropriate To Celebrate When Someone Repents
15:23-24 shows that it is appropriate to celebrate when someone repents, when someone returns from the way of death to the way of life, from being lost in sin to being found in righteousness. We should therefore celebrate when a sinner repents and returns to the way of righteousness.
The Father Was Not Glorifying Sin In The Celebration
15:28-30 shows that the elder son misunderstood the reason for his father celebrating the return of his brother. For the elder son thought that their father was glorifying a sinful lifestyle of wasting property and living with prostitutes, while not appreciating a righteous lifestyle of faithful service in obedience.
His father therefore reassured him in 15:31-32 that he was not really glorifying his brother's sinful lifestyle. He was instead celebrating a resurrection to life from death, a finding of that which was lost. His father also assured him that all his remaining property was indeed his, and did not belong to the younger son. In other words, even though the younger son had been received back into his father's household, his status was decidedly less than that of the elder son, on account of his past abuse of his status.
The Father's Righteous And Merciful Judgements
It should therefore be noted that the father's judgement in the matter was righteous, with respect to the respective statuses of his sons. It should also be noted that righteous judgement should also have compassion and mercy, for the father showed compassion and mercy toward his repentant younger son, and received him back into his household, even though in a status lower than what he formerly had prior to departing his household.
What We Learn About The Father's Nature
It should therefore be clear to us that our Father in heaven is merciful and compassionate towards us, and forgives us our sins, and receives us back into his household, even after we have left our senses and temporarily departed from it. It should also be noted that when we depart from our Father's household in sin, thereby abusing whatever position he had placed us in, when he receives us back we do not deserve the position that he had formerly accorded us. We should therefore not expect to be restored to such position, but should be very content with whatever lesser position that he gives us. For even the lowliest position in his household is better than any position outside his household. For Christ said that even the lowest in the kingdom of Yahweh is greater than John, who was the greatest of those born of women bar Yah'shuah himself. For Matthew 11:11 reads,
11:11
Most assuredly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.[Previous Section] [Contents] [Next Section]
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