A Commentary on the Four GOSPELS - Christ in You

1 CHRISTOCENTRIC Commentary SERIES. A Commentary on the four GOSPELS . k JESUS. CONFRONTS. RELIGION. James A. Fowler CHRISTOCENTRIC Commentary SERIES. A Commentary ON THE four . GOSPELS . k Jesus Confronts Religion James A. Fowler ciy Publishing Box 1822. Fallbrook, California 92088-1822. A Commentary ON THE four . GOSPELS . k Jesus Confronts Religion ~ Christocentric Commentary Series ~. Copyright 2006 by James A. Fowler ISBN-10 1-929541-12-0. ISBN-13 978-1-929541-12-6. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (includ- ing photocopyings, recording, electronic transmission) without the prior written permission of the author, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles or book reviews.

2 For information contact the author at Publishing. Published by Publishing Box 1822. Fallbrook, California 92088-1822. Printed in the United States of America Scriptural quotations are primarily original translations from the Greek text of the New Testament, but otherwise from the New American Stan- dard Bible, copyrights 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation, LaHabra, California. CHRISTOCENTRIC Commentary SERIES. Cognizant that there are a plethora of New Testament Com- mentary series available on the market, the question might legitimately be asked, Why another series of New Testament commentaries?

3 Although many capable commentators with varying theological perspectives have exegeted the text of the New Testament over the years, seldom do they bring with them into their studies a Christocentric understanding that the Christian gospel is solely comprised and singularly centered in the Person of the risen and living Lord Jesus Christ . The Christocentric Commentary Series will exegete and comment on the text of the New Testament from the perspective that the totality of what Jesus came to bring to the world of mankind is Himself nothing more, nothing less. Having historically died on the cross and risen from the dead, He is not confined to the parameters of the Historical Jesus, but as the Spirit of Christ He continues to live as He spiritually indwells those who are receptive to Him by faith.

4 This recognition of the contempo- rary experiential dynamic of Christ 's life in the Christian will form the distinctive of the Christocentric Commentary Series, bearing out Paul's Christ -centered declaration, I have been crucified with Christ ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Gal. 2:20). All legitimate exegesis of the scriptures must pay close attention to the context in which the texts were originally writ- ten. The historical context of a text's sitz im leben, the setting in life of the author and recipients, is particularly important, for otherwise the interpretation will simply read into the text the presuppositions of the commentator and become eisegesis instead of exegesis.

5 The CCS will carefully consider the his- torical context as well as the textual context of the scriptures. Whereas the CCS is not intended to be a devotional com- mentary series or a detailed technical Commentary citing all contemporary scholarship, our intent is to steer a middle course that maintains non-technical explanation that is academically viable. Although reference will be made to words from the Hebrew and Greek languages, those words will be converted to Roman lettering, allowing those who do not know the original languages to pronounce them. Citations, quotations, and end- notes will be kept to a minimum.

6 A diversity of interpretive formats will be utilized in the CCS. Some volumes will employ a verse-by-verse exegetical format (cf. Hebrews and Galatians), whereas others will pro- vide comment on contextual passages (cf. The four GOSPELS and Revelation). Regardless of the interpretive format, the CCS. will render a literal interpretation of the scripture text, that is, in accord with the intended literary genre of the author. As most biblical commentaries are utilized by pastors and teachers, or studious Christians seeking to understand the scriptures in depth in order to share with others, we join the Apostle Paul in the desire to entrust these to faithful men (and women) who will be able to teach others also (II Tim.)

7 2:2). In so doing, may you do all to the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31). TABLE OF CONTENTS. Chapter One Jesus Confronts Religion.. 1. Chapter Two Jesus' Birth and 19. Chapter Three Jesus Begins to Reveal 43. Chapter four Jesus in His Home 69. Chapter Five The Sermon on the 95. Chapter Six Continued Ministry in 129. Chapter Seven Parables of the 153. Chapter Eight Training of the 175. Chapter Nine Jesus Faces-off in Judea.. 205. Chapter Ten Jesus Pulls-back in 239. Chapter Eleven The Show-down in 269. Chapter Twelve Final Instructions to the 289. Chapter Thirteen The Arrest, Trials and Execution of 319.

8 Chapter Fourteen The Resurrection and Ascension of 343. 359. 361. Harmony of the 365. Index of Consecutive Scriptures and 377. Foreword There is a great need today for Christians to develop a basic understanding of the general theological thrust of Jesus' life and ministry. Jesus' statements and actions have too often been taken out of historical or textual context and used for proof- texting existing presuppositions of doctrine or morality. This generalized Commentary on the four gospel -records of Mat- thew, Mark, Luke and John in harmony is an attempt to see the big-picture of the radically new good news that Jesus in- troduced as inherent within Himself, and the inevitable contrast and conflict encountered as He revealed Himself in the context of the prevailing religion and culture of Palestine in the first- century.

9 Written in a non-technical, readable style, this com- mentary is designed to give the reader a clearer understanding and appreciation of the life and ministry, the Person and work of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ . The harmonization utilized in this work is an adaptation of that employed in A Harmony of the GOSPELS for Students of the Life of Christ by A. T. Robertson, which was a revision of the previous harmonization made by John A. Broadus. The general sequence of these foregoing harmonizations has been retained with only slight variations, but the subdivisions have been ex- panded to give more precision to the particular action or issue being reported.

10 James A. Fowler Chapter One Jesus Confronts Religion The purpose of Jesus' incarnational advent and His ministry here on earth as a man was not to establish a new religion, nor to inculcate a new teaching, nor to lay down a new morality system. Jesus came to bring Himself, the presence and dynamic of His own divine being, expressed in the humanity of one per- fect man, so that He might be expressed as divine, eternal life in the humanity of all men. The gospel that Jesus brought was entirely Christocentric. There is no message of good news . apart from the ontological reality of the very Being of God in Jesus Christ who is the essence of Christianity.