2010 Theme:"If my people, which are called by my name..." II Chron. 7:14

Jonah is the fifth of the Minor Prophets in our English Bibles. The Minor Prophets are
called the Book of the Twelve in the Hebrew Bible. . Jonah is the only Old Testament
prophet on record whom God sent to a heathen nation with a message of repentance. He
was Israel's foreign missionary whereas Hosea was Israel's home missionary. Both of
these prophets revealed important characteristics about God: Hosea, God's loyal love to
Israel, and Jonah, His compassion for all people, specifically Gentiles.
There are several unbiblical Jewish traditions about Jonah's origin.28 One
held that he was the widow's son whom Elijah restored to life (1 Kings
17:17-24). Another held that he had some connection with the Jerusalem
temple even though he was from the North. Another credited him with a
successful mission to Jerusalem similar to the one to Nineveh. None of
these has any biblical support. They were apparently attempts to fit Jonah
into other inspired stories and to glorify the prophet.
Jonah: 1:2 Jonah was to "cry against it" (NASB) or "preach against it" (NIV) in the
sense of informing its inhabitants that God had taken note of their
wickedness. He was not to identify their sins as much as announce that
judgment was imminent. "Jonah the believer is disgruntled with his calling.
(Whoever thought a missionary would be disgruntled—
except a fellow missionary!)"
Why did Jonah leave Israel? He evidently concluded that if he ran away
God would select another prophet rather than tracking him down and
making him go to Nineveh. By going in the opposite direction from
Jonah: 3:1  God gave Jonah a second chance to obey Him, as He has many of His servants
Peter, John Mark.
Jonah:3:2  Those who speak forth a message from God (prophets) must communicate the Lord's words,
not their own ideas."The will of God will never lead you where the grace of
God can't keep you and the power of God can't use you."
Johna 3:4 A this Point Jonah were ready to be used  The essence of his
proclamation was that Nineveh would be overthrown in only 40 days.79
The Septuagint has three instead of 40, but there is no justification for the
change in the Hebrew text.
Note that Jonah's message was an announcement of impending doom, not
a call to believe in the God of Israel.80 Physical deliverance rather than
spiritual salvation was what the people of Nineveh would have wanted. As
noted above, hostile tribes to Nineveh's north threatened the city.
The same Hebrew word (haphak, overthrown, destroyed) describes the
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:25. Possibly Jonah
expected God to destroy Nineveh as He had overthrown Sodom and
Gomorrah.The basic simplicity of Jonah's message contrasts with the greatness of Nineveh. The
word of the Lord is able to change even a complex and sophisticated urban population.
Jonah's proclamation moved the Ninevites to humble themselves and seek divine mercy.
"Although Nineveh was not overturned, it did experience a turn around."
Johan 3:5 The people repented, apparently after only one day of preaching (v. 4),
because of the message from God that Jonah had brought to them.
Fasting and wearing sackcloth were signs of self-affliction that reflected
an attitude of humility in the ancient Near East ( 2 Sam. 3:31, 35; 1
Kings 21:27; Neh. 9:1-2; Isa. 15:3; 58:5; Dan. 9:3; Joel 1:13-14).
Sackcloth was what the poor and the slaves customarily wore. Thus
wearing it depicted that the entire population viewed themselves as needy
(of God's mercy in this case) and slaves (of God in this case). This attitude
and these actions marked all levels of the city's population (i.e., the
chronologically old and young, and the socially high and low). The
Ninevites did not want to perish any more than the sailors did ( 1:6, 14).
The Ninevites probably viewed these phenomena as
indications of divine displeasure, a common reaction in the ancient Near
East. However this providential "pre-evangelism" is not the concern of
the text. It attributes the Ninevites' repentance to Jonah's preaching.
"God delights to do the impossible, and never more so than
in turning men to Himself. Instead, then, of denying on the
grounds of its 'human' impossibility the repentance that
swept over Nineveh, let us see it as an evidence of divine
power. For this, not the episode of the sea monster, is the
greatest miracle in the book."

Notice that in this section of verses (vv. 5-10) the name "God" (Heb. Elohim, the strong
one) appears exclusively. Earlier and later the name "Lord" (Heb. Yahweh,
the covenant keeping God) occurs frequently. Jonah did not present God, and the
Ninevites did not fear God, as the covenant keeping God of Israel but as the universal
supreme being. Likewise God did not deal with the Ninevites as He dealt with His
covenant people Israel but as He deals with all people generally. His mercy was part of
the "common grace" that He bestows on all people who do right rather than a
manifestation of "special grace." Thus the story teaches that God will be merciful to
anyone, His elect and His non-elect, who live submissively to natural divine law ( Gen.
(9:5-6).

Dea. Beed

Jesus' anointing for burial 26:6-13 (cf. Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8)

26:6-7 This event evidently happened on the previous Saturday evening (John
12:1).The reference to two days before the Passover in verse 2 dates
the plot to seize Jesus, not the anointing in Simon's house. Apparently
He spent the evening of that Saturday in the home of Simon, a healed
leper, with His disciples and other guests. John recorded that Lazarus was
there, his sister Martha helped with the serving, and their sister Mary was
the woman who broke the vial and anointed Jesus' head (and feet, John
12:2-3). Perhaps Matthew did not mention them by name to keep Jesus
central in his story. John also recorded that the pound of perfume cost 300
denarii, about one year's wages for a workingman (John 12:3, 5). Matthew
and Mark just said it was very expensive. The perfume was nard that
probably came from India.
Matt: 26:8,9
Evidently Judas Iscariot led the disciples' criticism of Mary's act (John
12:4). The disciples failed to appreciate what Mary was doing and that
such an anointing was appropriate in view of Jesus' impending death (cf.
16:21-28; 17:22-23; 20:18-19). Regardless of Judas' true motive the
other disciples felt righteous indignation in view of the needs of the poor.
They did not realize that the sacrifice that Jesus was about to make would
solve the basic need of every poor person throughout all of history. Their
objection was not evil but wrong due to lack of understanding. Mary does
not seem to have understood that Jesus was going to die any more than the
disciples.
26:10-11 Jesus probably overheard His disciples talking, though His awareness of
their thoughts could have been supernatural (cf. 16:8). Jesus regarded the
disciples' criticism of Mary as a bother to her. He called a beautiful thing
what they called a waste. The disciples would always have poor people
they could help, but they would not have the incarnate Son of Man with
them much longer.
"The disciples' concern for the poor is by no means
incorrect. In this one instance, however, the timing was
wrong
Matt: 26:12 Normally friends of the deceased would prepare the body for burial after
death, but that was impossible in the case of criminals. Mary may not
have understood the full significance of what she was doing, but Jesus
used the situation to remind His disciples of His coming crucifixion.

The preview of the kingdom 17:1-8 (cf. Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36)

The Transfiguration confirmed three important facts. First, it confirmed to the disciples

that the kingdom was indeed future. Second, it confirmed to them that Jesus was indeed

the divine Messiah. Third, it confirmed to them that Messiah had to suffer.

17:1.

Peter, James, and John constituted Jesus' hand-picked inner circle of

disciples (cf. 26:37; Mark 5:37). Interestingly when Moses ascended Mt.

Sinai he took with him Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu (Exod. 24:1).

The mountain where the Transfiguration happened is traditionally Mt.

Tabor, a 1,900 foot hill that rises conspicuously at the east end of the

Jezreel Valley. Some scholars have suggested Mt. Hermon as the site. It

was close to Caesarea Philippi, and it was 9,232 feet high. This was

probably the location.

Fortunately we do not have to identify the mountain to understand the text.

It is significant that the Transfiguration happened on a mountain, however.

Moses and Elijah both had intimate encounters with God on mountains,

probably Mt. Sinai in both cases (Exod. 19; 24; 1 Kings 19). A close

encounter with God is what Jesus' three disciples had, too. These were

very special revelatory events in all three instances. The location of these

"mountain top experiences" also insured privacy.

17:2

Jesus experienced a metamorphosis. Mean to transform or change in form." It was not just

His appearance that changed, but His essential form became different.

Probably Jesus assumed His post-resurrection body that was similar to, but

somewhat different from, His pre-resurrection body (cf. 2 Pet. 1:16-18;

Rev. 1:16).

Matthew's statement that Jesus was transfigured before the disciples

indicates that the transformation was for their benefit. Jesus' face shone, as

Moses' face had, and His garments became as white as light because they

radiated God's glory (cf. Exod. 34:29-30).

This vision of Jesus would have strengthened the disciples' faith that He

was the Messiah. It would also have helped them understand that the

sufferings He said He would experience would not be final (16:21). They

would see Him glorified "coming in His kingdom" (16:28).

Matt 17. 3 Both prophets had unusual ends. Perhaps Moses

represented those who will be in the kingdom who had died and Elijah

those whom God had translated.732 The disciples may represent those there

who had not died.

Both Moses and Elijah played key roles in God's plan for Israel. Moses

established the covenant under which Israel proceeded to live, and Elijah

led the people back to God after their worst apostasy. Both experienced a

vision of God's glory on a mountain. Both experienced rejection by Israel

(Acts 7:35, 37; 1 Kings 19:1-9; cf. Matt. 17:12). Moses was the greatest

figure associated with the law, and Elijah was the greatest of the Old

Testament prophets. The disciples would later learn that Jesus was greater

than either of these great men (vv. 5, 8). However now the disciples saw

Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus.

17:4 In addressing Jesus, Peter called Him "Lord," a title of general respect (cf.

7:21 That title would later take on the idea of unqualified

supremacy when applied to Jesus, but Peter's appreciation of Jesus was not

Mature enough to recognize that yet. The proof of this is Peter's rebuke of

Jesus (16:22) and his putting Jesus on a par with Moses and Elijah here.

Peter did not speak because someone had spoken to him.735 He evidently

spoke because he perceived the greatness of the occasion, and he wanted

to offer a suggestion.

Matt: 17:5

The cloud may have "overshadowed" (NASB) or "enveloped" (NIV)

them. However, Luke wrote that they entered into the cloud (Luke 9:34).

The voice from the cloud essentially repeated what the voice from heaven

had said at Jesus' baptism (3:17). It confirmed Jesus' identity as both God's

Son and His Suffering Servant (cf. Ps. 2:7; Isa. 42:1). Thus the voice from

the cloud, God's voice, identified Jesus as superior to Moses and Elijah.

The words "Hear Him" or "Listen to Him" with Moses present indicated

that Jesus was the prophet greater than Moses whom Moses predicted

would come (Deut. 18:15-18; cf. Acts 3:22-23; 7:37). God had said

through Moses of that prophet, "You shall listen to Him" (Deut. 18:15).

Jesus was the climax of biblical revelation, and now people should listen

to what He said (cf. Heb. 1:1-2).

"The voice is that of God, and for the second time [cf. 3:17]

God bursts into the world of Matthew's story as 'actor' and

expresses his evaluative point of view concerning Jesus'

identity

Matt:17 6-8 17:6-8 This revelation had the same effect on Peter, James, and John that the

revelation God gave Daniel had on him (cf. Dan. 10:8-12). When people

see the glory of God revealed and realize that they are in His presence, the

result is terror. The Transfiguration was mainly for the disciples' benefit.

Jesus brought the three disciples to the mountaintop, the Transfiguration

happened before them, and the voice spoke to them. The disciples did not

understand the significance of all they saw immediately. However, it was a revelation that God continued to help them understand especially after The Resurrecation (2 Pet. 1.16-19)

Immediately it did give them a deeper conviction that Jesus was the Messiah.

Matt.16.13

Whom do men say ...This passage has been variously rendered. Some have translated it, "Whom do men say that I am? The Son of man?" Others, "Whom do men say that I am-I, who am the Son of man-i.e., the Messiah." The meaning is nearly the same. He wished to obtain the sentiments of the people respecting himself.

Verse 14. And they said ... They supposed that he might be John the Baptist, as Herod did, risen from the dead. See Matt 14:2. He performed many miracles, and strongly resembled John in his manner of life, and in the doctrines which he taught.

Verse 16. And Simon Peter answered ...Peter, expressing the views of the apostles, with characteristic forwardness answered the question proposed to them by Jesus: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

The Christ the Messiah, the "Anointed" of God. The Son of the living God.  That is, the Son by way of eminence-in a special sense. This appellation was understood as implying divinity, John 10:29-36.

 The term "living" was given to the true God to distinguish him from idols, that are dead, or lifeless blocks and stones. He is also the Source of life, temporal, spiritual, and eternal. The word "living" is often given to him in the Old Testament, Josh 3:10; 1 Sam 17:26,36; Jer 10:9-10, etc. In this noble confession Peter expressed the full belief of himself and of his brethren that he was the long-expected Messiah. Other people had very different opinions of him, but they were satisfied, and were not ashamed to confess it.
Verse 18. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter] The word "Peter," in Greek, means "a rock." It was given to Simon by Christ when he called him to be a disciple, John 1:42. Cephas is a Syriac word, meaning the same as Peter-a rock, or stone. The meaning of this phrase may be thus expressed: "Thou, in saying that I am the Son of God, hast called me by a name expressive of my true character. I, also, have given to thee a name expressive of your character. I have called you Peter, a rock, denoting firmness, solidity, stability, and your confession has shown that the name is appropriate. I see that you are worthy of the name, and will be a distinguished support of my religion."

This passage has given rise to many different interpretations. Some have supposed that the word "rock" refers to Peter's confession, and that Jesus meant to say, upon this rock, this truth that thou hast confessed, that I am the Messiah and upon confessions of this from all believers, I will build my church. Confessions like this shall be the test of piety, and in such confessions shall my church stand amid the flames of persecution, the fury of the gates of hell. Others have thought that Jesus referred to himself. Christ is called a rock, Isa 28:16; 1 Peter 2:8. And it has been thought that he turned from Peter to himself, and said, "Upon this rock, this truth that I am the Messiah-upon myself as the Messiah, I will build my church."