Living God's Word by J. Scott Duvall

Author:J. Scott Duvall [Duvall, J. Scott; Hays, J. Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-310-49142-2
Publisher: Zondervan Academic
Published: 2012-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory

“For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.”

– 2 PETER 1:16 – 18

Jesus’ Journey to Jerusalem

Jesus has made it clear that his mission is to suffer and die in order to set people free from their sins and offer them a relationship with God. Three times in Mark’s gospel Jesus predicts his passion or suffering: 8:31 – 32; 9:31 – 32; 10:32 – 34. Each time the disciples respond with pride and ignorance. Peter rebukes Jesus (8:33), they argue about which one is the greatest disciple (9:33 – 34), and they maneuver for the most important positions in the kingdom (10:35 – 41). After each of the three responses, Jesus teaches them what it means to follow him. Followers of Jesus have their own cross to bear (8:34 – 38), they are last rather than first (9:35 – 37), and they are servants rather than masters (10:41 – 44). This leads Jesus to proclaim in Mark 10:45 (the theme verse of that gospel) that “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus is a Suffering-Servant King. In Jerusalem he will suffer and die, and to Jerusalem he must go.

Jesus’ “journey to Jerusalem” lies at the heart of Luke’s gospel. The journey begins in Luke 9:51 and runs through 19:44. That journey doesn’t take a straight path to the Holy City. For example, in 10:38 – 42 he is in Bethany (just a short distance from Jerusalem), while later on he passes between Samaria and Galilee in the northern part of the country (see 17:11). We shouldn’t imagine a strict timetable or schedule either. We call it a “journey” in a general sense to describe the phase of Jesus’ ministry leading up to the final week. Although he travels in a roundabout way, Jesus’ ultimate goal is Jerusalem, where he will fulfill God’s plan to be a Suffering-Servant King. It is a journey of divine destiny.

Later in the book of Acts, the Christian movement will be described simply as “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22). It’s almost as if Jesus’ final journey to the Holy City becomes a pattern for the spiritual journey mapped out for his disciples. On the way, Jesus talks about loving God, about our mission to this world, about commitment in the face of opposition, about generosity, about prayer and forgiveness, about serving each other, about looking for Christ’s return, about suffering, and much more. He teaches his followers many things about “the Way” on his way to give his life as a ransom for many.

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