The Ultimate Price
Who or what was Jesus? Was He nothing more than a charismatic religious leader? Can we believe Jesus was the Christ, Son of God who healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and even made wine out of water or rose from the dead? Should we believe? Should we really care whether Jesus was the Son of God, was just a man, or a myth? Most people just don’t really think about Jesus as they go about their daily lives. Virtually, the only time Jesus’ name is on some of their lips is during a spat of profanity.
Can we be religious but lost? There will be a multitude of religious people who expect to get into God’s kingdom when they die. In the Scriptures there are many warnings directed to religious people concerning the possibility of being deceived and lost. “It is not those who say Lord, Lord," who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name? Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you: away from me, you evil men,” (Matthew 7:21-23)! Could you be one of those people, religious but lost?
This passage leads us to believe that a multitude of religious people who expect to get into God’s kingdom when they die will instead be “cast into the lake of fire and be burned up,” (Matthew 25:21). These will be good, moral people, members from all church denominations, including the Popes, Priests, Preachers, yes, even Elders, Deacons, and Sunday School Teachers.
Oh, yes, the largest religion in the world arose in His Name. Christianity is supposedly based on the teaching of Jesus. Religious people use the name of Christ. One billion people profess to believe in Him. Yet most people don’t read and study and find out just what Jesus really did for us. Very few even read it on a regular basis. Thus, Jesus of Nazareth, the most influential human being who has ever lived remains a mystery to most people today, about His Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection and the purpose of His coming.
Remember, the cross is absolutely necessary. It is not a matter of choice-it is a must. One cannot walk acceptable with the living God and not be surrendered to His divine will. True, you can choose not to take up your cross and follow Him, but in doing so, you have cut yourself off from the very source of eternal life.
The first family that was created sinned against God with their disobedience and brought death to all generation thereafter: God foresaw this disaster of the sins of Adam and Eve, so He made provisions before the foundation of the world that His precious Son Himself would have to come and die as a means of salvaging their heavenly family that was foreordained before the “foundation of the world,” (Revelation 13:8). Not only was His family foreordained, the very means of securing their salvation and longevity was provided beforehand! His plan was thus sealed with a guarantee, or surety by the sacrifice of His only Son He loved on the cross, “The Ultimate Price.”
So, you think that Jesus resurrection from the dead is one of a number of myths surrounding His life. Was the resurrection a pious fraud spun into the story of Jesus life? Let’s be serious. Would anyone die for something he or she knew to be a lie? What did this man Jesus promise that impelled His followers to give up everything-sometimes even their lives-just to follow Him?
It was inevitable that His teaching would make for Jesus many powerful enemies among those He fearlessly denounced. These enemies began to plot His destruction and to lay traps for Him. The Master sensed that He was already walking in the shadow of the cross. The powerful drama of Jesus life was brought to an end at a place called Calvary, outside of Jerusalem.
You would think that the Scribes, a class of learned men who made their professional occupation in studying and teaching of the law, along with the Pharisees who were a religious party and the Sadducees which recognized the legal interpretation of the Scribes, accepted the law as the basis for the regulation of all of life, and made it their primary task to study, interpret, and expound that law, as the rule of life would have believed. Because the suffering of Jesus was told by the Prophets such as Isaiah, Zechariah, Daniel, Jeremiah and even in Genesis, Exodus and Psalms, and Lamentation. Peter made a statement that, “All the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of the days,” (Acts 3:24). And we wonder why the Scribes, Pharisees and the Sadducees did not know that Jesus was the one that the prophets of old were speaking about? From the beginning of Jesus Birth to His crucifixion on the cross was prophesied in every detail and was spoken by the prophets of old in the Old Testament. We know more about Jesus Christ the Son of God by their writing than by His own disciples that He chose during His ministry.
Isaiah was inspired to write: A young woman known to both of them would conceive and bear a Son whose name would be Immanuel, which means “God with us.” He would be a symbol of the presence of God and the truthfulness of the prophecy. Before He reached young manhood, the feared king would be destroyed, (Isaiah 7:14-16).
About the same time the prophet Micah was inspired to name the exact town, Bethlehem. Having anticipated the coming kingdom, Micah proceeds to describe a leader, “That is to be ruler in Israel. A language is used about the one who will be a shepherd “feed the flock,” and a “bringer of peace,” (Micah 5:2).
Again from Isaiah: “For a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the Government will be upon His shoulders; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Again, it was Isaiah whose words were that Christ, “a servant would be despised and rejected, smitten and afflicted, wounded for our transgressions was bruised for our iniquities and was cut off out of the land of the living,” the sorrow of the servant, the suffering of the servant, the death of the servant, (Isaiah 53:3-9).
The first prophecy of Jesus’ suffering comes in Genesis 3:15, man deserves to die, but God will surely not allow evil to defeat his good purpose for man. A way will be found to get man back into that garden. It does not tell us how. It remains for the prophets to declare that Jesus will fulfill this passage. In Him man has finally conquered Satan, (Revelation 12:9).
All of the prophecy of Jesus suffering began at the first Passover when the Lord spoke unto Moses that the ordinance was to be kept by taking a lamb of the first year and sacrificing it and that neither shall ye break a bone thereof, (Exodus 12:46). The Jews asked Pilate to have Jesus legs broken but when the solders came He was already dead, they did not break His legs, (John 19:31-33). “He keepeth all His bones: not one of them is broken,” (Psalms 34:20). “I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me,” (Psalms 22:17).
We have seen so far that the prophets of old have prophesied of Jesus death and there is much more to be revealed about the suffering of Christ. The Old Testament speaks of how Jesus would be taken from the living and nailed to the cross-impaled by three old rusty nails and hung between two thieves
“For dogs have compassed me.” This refers to the Roman soldiers, and others by whom our Lord was surrounded at His trial, and at the cross. They “Pierced my hands and my feet.” This did not happen to David, but the piercing of the hands and feet was peculiar to our Lord, therefore this verse passed for a direct revelation of Jesus death, (Psalms 22:16)
The anguish occasioned by crucifixion was so intense that there are no words to express the suffering and torment in general. The punishment was the most dreadful of all others for both the shame and the pain of it. It was the punishment of robbers and murderers and offenses against the government of Rome.
“I may tell all my bones they look and stare upon me.” I may tell my bones,” this refers to the violent extension of His body when the whole of its weight hung upon the nails, which attached His hands to the top of the cross. The body being thus extended, the principle bones became prominent, and easily discernible, (Psalms 22:17).
“They part my garment among them, and cast lots upon my vesture,” “They parted my garment.” This could not have happened to David. The fact took place at the crucifixion of our Lord. The soldiers divided His upper garment into four parts, each soldier taken a part, but His inward vestment being without seams, woven in one entire piece, they agreed not to divide, but to cast lots to see who would have it, (Psalms 22:18; John 19:23-24).
If ye think good give me my price and not forbear so they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver, (Zechariah 11:12). “Then was fulfilled that was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, and they took the thirty pieces of silver and price of Him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value,” (Matthew 27:9).
“He sitteth alone, and keep silent. He put His mouth in the dust, there may be hope, He gave His cheek to them that smitteth Him,” (Lamentation 3:28-30; Micah 5:1). “I was not rebellious, neither turn my back away. I gave my back to be smitten, and my cheeks to them that plucked of my hair (beard). I hid not my face from shame and spitting upon me,” (Isaiah 50:5-6). Then did they spit in His face, this was done as mark of the most profound contempt. Then Herod now delivered Him unto the hands of the mob. And buffed Him, smote Him with their fists. “Beat with the hands, the fingers being clenched. Smote Him with the palms of their hands. Smite the cheek with the open hand,” (Matthew 26:67; Mark 15:17-20; Luke 22:63-65).
“And when He thus spoken, one of the officers that stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, answer thou the priest,” (John 18:22). This was an outrage to all justice. For a prisoner, before he is found condemned, is ever considered to be under the protection of justice; nor has anyone a right to touch Him, but according to the direction of the law. But it has been observed before that if justice had been done to Christ, He could have neither suffered nor died.
“Many were astonished at Him: his face was so marred, more than any man, and His body scarred more than the sons of men,” (Isaiah 52:14) “But I am a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people,” (Psalm 22:6; Isaiah 53:3). They treated Him as nothing, lower than a robber or a thief, like a worm.
Who or what was Jesus? Was He nothing more than a charismatic religious leader? Can we believe Jesus was the Christ, Son of God who healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and even made wine out of water or rose from the dead? Should we believe? Should we really care whether Jesus was the Son of God, was just a man, or a myth? Most people just don’t really think about Jesus as they go about their daily lives. Virtually, the only time Jesus’ name is on some of their lips is during a spat of profanity.
Can we be religious but lost? There will be a multitude of religious people who expect to get into God’s kingdom when they die. In the Scriptures there are many warnings directed to religious people concerning the possibility of being deceived and lost. “It is not those who say Lord, Lord," who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name? Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you: away from me, you evil men,” (Matthew 7:21-23)! Could you be one of those people, religious but lost?
This passage leads us to believe that a multitude of religious people who expect to get into God’s kingdom when they die will instead be “cast into the lake of fire and be burned up,” (Matthew 25:21). These will be good, moral people, members from all church denominations, including the Popes, Priests, Preachers, yes, even Elders, Deacons, and Sunday School Teachers.
Oh, yes, the largest religion in the world arose in His Name. Christianity is supposedly based on the teaching of Jesus. Religious people use the name of Christ. One billion people profess to believe in Him. Yet most people don’t read and study and find out just what Jesus really did for us. Very few even read it on a regular basis. Thus, Jesus of Nazareth, the most influential human being who has ever lived remains a mystery to most people today, about His Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection and the purpose of His coming.
Remember, the cross is absolutely necessary. It is not a matter of choice-it is a must. One cannot walk acceptable with the living God and not be surrendered to His divine will. True, you can choose not to take up your cross and follow Him, but in doing so, you have cut yourself off from the very source of eternal life.
The first family that was created sinned against God with their disobedience and brought death to all generation thereafter: God foresaw this disaster of the sins of Adam and Eve, so He made provisions before the foundation of the world that His precious Son Himself would have to come and die as a means of salvaging their heavenly family that was foreordained before the “foundation of the world,” (Revelation 13:8). Not only was His family foreordained, the very means of securing their salvation and longevity was provided beforehand! His plan was thus sealed with a guarantee, or surety by the sacrifice of His only Son He loved on the cross, “The Ultimate Price.”
So, you think that Jesus resurrection from the dead is one of a number of myths surrounding His life. Was the resurrection a pious fraud spun into the story of Jesus life? Let’s be serious. Would anyone die for something he or she knew to be a lie? What did this man Jesus promise that impelled His followers to give up everything-sometimes even their lives-just to follow Him?
It was inevitable that His teaching would make for Jesus many powerful enemies among those He fearlessly denounced. These enemies began to plot His destruction and to lay traps for Him. The Master sensed that He was already walking in the shadow of the cross. The powerful drama of Jesus life was brought to an end at a place called Calvary, outside of Jerusalem.
You would think that the Scribes, a class of learned men who made their professional occupation in studying and teaching of the law, along with the Pharisees who were a religious party and the Sadducees which recognized the legal interpretation of the Scribes, accepted the law as the basis for the regulation of all of life, and made it their primary task to study, interpret, and expound that law, as the rule of life would have believed. Because the suffering of Jesus was told by the Prophets such as Isaiah, Zechariah, Daniel, Jeremiah and even in Genesis, Exodus and Psalms, and Lamentation. Peter made a statement that, “All the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of the days,” (Acts 3:24). And we wonder why the Scribes, Pharisees and the Sadducees did not know that Jesus was the one that the prophets of old were speaking about? From the beginning of Jesus Birth to His crucifixion on the cross was prophesied in every detail and was spoken by the prophets of old in the Old Testament. We know more about Jesus Christ the Son of God by their writing than by His own disciples that He chose during His ministry.
Isaiah was inspired to write: A young woman known to both of them would conceive and bear a Son whose name would be Immanuel, which means “God with us.” He would be a symbol of the presence of God and the truthfulness of the prophecy. Before He reached young manhood, the feared king would be destroyed, (Isaiah 7:14-16).
About the same time the prophet Micah was inspired to name the exact town, Bethlehem. Having anticipated the coming kingdom, Micah proceeds to describe a leader, “That is to be ruler in Israel. A language is used about the one who will be a shepherd “feed the flock,” and a “bringer of peace,” (Micah 5:2).
Again from Isaiah: “For a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the Government will be upon His shoulders; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Again, it was Isaiah whose words were that Christ, “a servant would be despised and rejected, smitten and afflicted, wounded for our transgressions was bruised for our iniquities and was cut off out of the land of the living,” the sorrow of the servant, the suffering of the servant, the death of the servant, (Isaiah 53:3-9).
The first prophecy of Jesus’ suffering comes in Genesis 3:15, man deserves to die, but God will surely not allow evil to defeat his good purpose for man. A way will be found to get man back into that garden. It does not tell us how. It remains for the prophets to declare that Jesus will fulfill this passage. In Him man has finally conquered Satan, (Revelation 12:9).
All of the prophecy of Jesus suffering began at the first Passover when the Lord spoke unto Moses that the ordinance was to be kept by taking a lamb of the first year and sacrificing it and that neither shall ye break a bone thereof, (Exodus 12:46). The Jews asked Pilate to have Jesus legs broken but when the solders came He was already dead, they did not break His legs, (John 19:31-33). “He keepeth all His bones: not one of them is broken,” (Psalms 34:20). “I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me,” (Psalms 22:17).
We have seen so far that the prophets of old have prophesied of Jesus death and there is much more to be revealed about the suffering of Christ. The Old Testament speaks of how Jesus would be taken from the living and nailed to the cross-impaled by three old rusty nails and hung between two thieves
“For dogs have compassed me.” This refers to the Roman soldiers, and others by whom our Lord was surrounded at His trial, and at the cross. They “Pierced my hands and my feet.” This did not happen to David, but the piercing of the hands and feet was peculiar to our Lord, therefore this verse passed for a direct revelation of Jesus death, (Psalms 22:16)
The anguish occasioned by crucifixion was so intense that there are no words to express the suffering and torment in general. The punishment was the most dreadful of all others for both the shame and the pain of it. It was the punishment of robbers and murderers and offenses against the government of Rome.
“I may tell all my bones they look and stare upon me.” I may tell my bones,” this refers to the violent extension of His body when the whole of its weight hung upon the nails, which attached His hands to the top of the cross. The body being thus extended, the principle bones became prominent, and easily discernible, (Psalms 22:17).
“They part my garment among them, and cast lots upon my vesture,” “They parted my garment.” This could not have happened to David. The fact took place at the crucifixion of our Lord. The soldiers divided His upper garment into four parts, each soldier taken a part, but His inward vestment being without seams, woven in one entire piece, they agreed not to divide, but to cast lots to see who would have it, (Psalms 22:18; John 19:23-24).
If ye think good give me my price and not forbear so they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver, (Zechariah 11:12). “Then was fulfilled that was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, and they took the thirty pieces of silver and price of Him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value,” (Matthew 27:9).
“He sitteth alone, and keep silent. He put His mouth in the dust, there may be hope, He gave His cheek to them that smitteth Him,” (Lamentation 3:28-30; Micah 5:1). “I was not rebellious, neither turn my back away. I gave my back to be smitten, and my cheeks to them that plucked of my hair (beard). I hid not my face from shame and spitting upon me,” (Isaiah 50:5-6). Then did they spit in His face, this was done as mark of the most profound contempt. Then Herod now delivered Him unto the hands of the mob. And buffed Him, smote Him with their fists. “Beat with the hands, the fingers being clenched. Smote Him with the palms of their hands. Smite the cheek with the open hand,” (Matthew 26:67; Mark 15:17-20; Luke 22:63-65).
“And when He thus spoken, one of the officers that stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, answer thou the priest,” (John 18:22). This was an outrage to all justice. For a prisoner, before he is found condemned, is ever considered to be under the protection of justice; nor has anyone a right to touch Him, but according to the direction of the law. But it has been observed before that if justice had been done to Christ, He could have neither suffered nor died.
“Many were astonished at Him: his face was so marred, more than any man, and His body scarred more than the sons of men,” (Isaiah 52:14) “But I am a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people,” (Psalm 22:6; Isaiah 53:3). They treated Him as nothing, lower than a robber or a thief, like a worm.