The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 23 - Christogenea on Talkshoe 12-21-2012

We saw Luke chapter 22 end with the mock trial of Yahshua Christ in the court of the high priests. That trial was not a real trial, but probably only served so that the Judaeans could draw up the charges which they would present to Pilate, since in Judaea at the time only the Roman authority had the lawful power to try capital offenses. The first Herod had that power, when Judaea was a kingdom. However under Herod Archelaus Judaea was reduced to the status of an imperial province and the local rulers lost that authority.

All four gospels offer quite different perspectives on the mock trial of Yahshua before the high priests. It must be noted that the four quite different perspectives of the events of both trials and the crucifixion of Christ was probably the result of the disciples being scattered after Christ was seized in the garden, which is seen at Mark 14:50. One thing that is apparent in all four gospels, however, is that there were really no charges of substance worthy of a capital or even a minor offense which could have been brought, except that the high priests and scribes cared not for justice but for expediency, so they merely invented charges. As Mark wrote in his version of the account, “56...many had testified falsely against Him, and the testimonies were not the same. 57 And some arising gave false testimony against Him saying 58 that: “We heard Him saying that ‘I shall destroy this temple made by hand and after three days I shall build another not made by hand!’” 59 Yet not even thusly was their testimony the same.” Matthew said “59 Then the high priests and the entire council sought false testimony against Yahshua, that they may kill Him, 60 yet they found not many false witnesses coming forth. But later two having come forth 61 said 'He said this: ‘I am able to destroy the temple of Yahweh and in three days I will build it!’” While on the surface the accounts seem to conflict because of the differing perspectives, in many ways they compliment and corroborate one another. Luke did not record the matters concerning the temple, but all three gospels generally agree where Luke records the high priests as having asked “67 'If You are the Christ, tell us!' And He said to them: 'If I should tell you, you shall not believe it, 68 and if I shall ask, by no means will you answer. 69 But from this time the Son of Man shall be sitting at the right hand of the power of Yahweh.'” The apostle John in his gospel did not record any of the charges which the high priests and their followers had contrived before bringing Yahshua before Pilate.

The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 22, Part 2 - Christogenea on Talkshoe 12-07-2012

Satan is not in heaven. In his mailing this month, Clifton Emahiser sent out my reply to the assertions of Don Spears which had been presented here as a foreword with the presentation of Luke chapter 8 last July 7th. Since Don is a former Baptist preacher, his opinions on the issue generally reflect those which are held by Baptists on this matter. Unfortunately a very few people understand that once one comes to the truths of Christian Identity, one cannot put the new wine of these truths into old skins. Rather, one must put the new wine into new bottles, in order that the truth be maintained.

With this dispute in mind, we will begin our presentation of the second part of Luke chapter 22 with some of that which we had left off last week, with Luke 22:31 and the admonishment of Peter by Christ.

31 “Simon, Simon, behold! The Adversary demanded you, for which to winnow you as grain! 32 But I made supplication concerning you, that your faith would not fail. And when you have turned about, you must strengthen your brethren.”

The Baptists would insist that the Adversary, or Satan, of Luke 22:31 is a spirit demon, however that is not necessarily the case. The precedent Scripture with which to understand just what Peter was prevented from is found in the story of Job in the Old Testament. Yet the Baptists would insist that the Satan of Job was a spirit demon, and not an bodily one. They would then claim that this Satan had access to both heaven and earth, and reference the story of Jacob's Ladder in order to justify that claim.