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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | "Least in the kingdom of God"? | Matt 11:11 | Emmaus | 122653 | ||
Zsuzsi, Look at John 1:12-13 in this context of being born of a woman or born of the Spirit. It is the the Spirit that give birth to etrnal life in the new Covenant. Yes, the OT saints were saved by faith, but thgat was only realized after the cricifixion of Christ when the New Covenant in his blood was established. His Kingdom was esatablishe with the Ascension and all the references to his dominion are mentioned in Daniel 7:13,26-27; 22:69 Acts 7:56. It is the least in the Kingdom that are identified with Christ because they are in Christ and rule with Him as we see in Daniel 7:26-27, Matt 25:45 and various places in the book of Revelation. I think you are on the right track, in the sense that jesus allowed himself to become one of us, but I still beleieve in the passages in question, i.e Matt 11:11 He is referring to his disciples in the Kingdom (Church) who are identified with Him and so greater than those of the OT who were identified with Moses (Romans 10:20). the Pharises were unwilling to stop identifying with Moses and start identifying witrh Jesus. That is a lot of what Romans and hebrews is all about. John the batizer was the greatest of the OT saints becasue he share more fully than any of them in the Messiah's mission even though he died before its consumation on the cross. He was filled with the Holy Spirit even in his mother's womb in order to prepare him for his mission as the forerunner (Luke 1:15,41. It is Jesus Himself who contrasts the Old and new Covenants in various places succh as the anaology of the Old and new Wineskins. He inaugurates His mission by changing water into wine. It is He who called it the New Covenant in Matt 26:28. I am now off the point of the "least" but found it har to stop connection the jots and tittles. Praying you have a Spirit filled Pentecost. Emmaus |
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2 | "Least in the kingdom of God"? | Matt 11:11 | Zsuzsi | 122662 | ||
Emmaus, We are not diverging... :-) I agree with what you said about identifying with Jesus or Moses, and also that John the Baptist was the greatest of all the OT saints. I find your comments about being born of the Spirit very important as well. There are Biblical references that the same Holy Spirit was given to people BC and AC as well: (I will only mention NT examples since the OT was written mostly in Hebrew) -David spoke of the Messiah by the Holy Spirit (Mk 12:36) -The Holy Spirit ascended to Mary at His conception (Matt 1:18,20) -The Holy Spirit ascended onto His shoulders when He was baptized (John 1:32) -The Holy Spirit filled Zecchariah (Luke 1:67) -The Holy Spirit would give the words to the believers' mouth in times of tribulation (Mk 13:11) The Greek word is 'pneuma' in all of these cases - so the Holy Spirit, the very same Spirit Whom Jesus also had, was given to people BC, while Jesus was on earth and also AC. That makes me arrive at the conclusion that the OT saints who trusted in the salvation of the Messiah, were saved in the same way as we are... They also received the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth - the prophets prophesied about Jesus, and they actually desired to see the coming of the Messiah (Matt 13:17)! They did not see Him, just like we do not see Him now, but they had the chance to believe in Him and be reborn, just as we have the chance to believe in Him and be reborn... Jesus was, is and always will be the Rock of all ages.. That is the Gospel! But that was only possible in the New Covenant, through the blood of the Lamb, in which He, the Greatest, did become the least in the Kingdom for the time He was on earth... Although John was the greatest person ever born of women, Jesus, even if at the time He was the least (i.e. most humbled) in heaven, was/is/will be greater than him. Therefore I still think He was referring to Himself... As I see we basically agree, even though we do start from two completely different interpretations of the passage - now that's not bad at all. :-) As I have told Angel, I was really touched by this passage some time ago and since then I appreciate the sacrifice Jesus made for us more than ever. And I am ever so glad to have such a wonderfully loving Lord! Have a blessed Pentecost. Zsuzsi |
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