prw/ton pantwn

First of all, then,

I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men,

1 Timothy 2:1 

LIFE TOGETHERUpper Room Study

logoV “LOGOS”

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which he loved us, even when

we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together in Christ.” Eph. 2:4-5

Why are we here?

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20

Our Foundation:

1. Jesus is the Christ Matthew 16:15-16 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son the living God.”

2. Jesus is Resurrected from the Dead

John 11:25 Jesus said to her (Martha), "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies,

3. Jesus is coming back

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again,

and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Upper RoomMay this place always drive us to Christ and his amazing gift!

Jesus is Lord and Teacher

John 13:13 You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.

Example for us to serve and love each other John 13:14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to

wash one another’s feet

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

Hope in Jesus

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Obedience To Christ’s WordJohn 14:23 If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word;

Holy Spirit John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,

He will teach you all things,

Peace of Christ John 14:27 My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. let not your heart be

troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Protection – The Lord’s Prayer John 17:15 I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.

Jesus’ Desire - Unity John 17:22-23 And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be

one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me

Summary of the Upper Room Discourse – John 13-17:

John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.

In honor of Ross “didaskalojV” MunnerlynSu oun, teknon mou evndunamou/ evn th/| ca,riti th/| evn Cristw/| Ihsou/ 2 kai a] h;kousaj par= evmou/ dia pollw/n marturwn tau/ta paraqou pistoi/jV avnqrwpoijV oi[tinej ikanoi e;sontai kai eterouj didaxai

2 Timothy 2: 1-2

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 40:8

• LOGOS – UPPER ROOM STUDY• Bible Quiz:

•  

• EASY:

• 1. Jesus was most likely Greek living in a Jewish culture? True False• 2. Which of the following was not a biographer of Jesus? A. Matthew B. Mark • C. Timothy D. John• 3. Abram’s wife was Hagar. TRUE FALSE• 4. David is known as “a man after God’s own heart” because he did not sin. T/F• 5. For which prisoner--rather than for Jesus--did the crowd in Jerusalem cry out for a

release from Pilate? Matthias or Barabbas• 6. Have the Jewish people been independent politically from foreign oppression for

most of their existence?• 7. During the time of Jesus, Israel was ruled by the Syrians? T F• 8. God changed Jacob’s name to _________• 9. Most of the prophets in the OT lived within 400 years of Jesus’ birth? • 10. Since Jesus was resurrected after “three days”, was he dead for 72 hours?•  

•  

• INTERMEDIATE:

• 1. “Christ” means “prophet” - TRUE FALSE

• 2. Jesus was born in 0 A.D

• 3. The Jewish people of Jesus’ time in Israel were directly ruled by Roman political leaders. T F

• 4. One of the messianic expectations was that the Messiah would bring good news to the poor. T F

• 5. Did Jesus spend time baptizing people during his ministry?

• 6. Which NT gospel author starts his writing with a long genealogy?

• 7. Each of Matthew, Luke and John were part of the 12 disciples?

• 8. The reason why Romans is the first book listed in the NT by Paul is because it was his first letter written.

• 9. The Israelite captivity in Egypt lasted? About… 50 years 100 years 400 years

• 10. The book of John contains more miracle stories than the other gospel writers? T F

• ADVANCED STUDY:•  1. Did the Pharisees believe in physical bodily resurrection?• 2. Which languages did Jesus speak or understand?• 3. Where did the term “Palestine” originate from?• 4. What is the difference between the philosophies in translation between the New Living

Translation, NASB, and the NIV?• 5. “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness

of your sins”. Does the Bible teach that baptism is necessary for salvation?• 6. In Matthew 12,what does the unpardonable sin of “blaspheming the Holy Spirit” refer to?• 7. Is Jesus teaching “that we should be compassionate to others” in the parable of the good

samaritan in Luke 10?• 8. What evidence is there that God uses the period of time of “three days” in the OT to point

to the redemption of his people through Christ’ resurrection?• 9. Do we now have full scholarly agreement as to the contents of the original New

Testament?• 10. What is the best strategy of interpretation:• a. Understanding what the original authors meant to their original audience b.

Understanding what the scripture means through the lens of our own current situation.

OVERVIEW – CLASS 1“Preparation of the Christ”

1. Geography2. Dates 3. Political Environment4. Messianic Expectation5. OT Foreshadowing of Christ6. Religious Groups of NT

1. GEOGRAPHY

Caesarea

Galilee Region

Capernaum

Sermon on the Mount

Sea of Galilee

Dead Sea

Jerusalem

2. OT DATES (approximate) – see handout

• 2100 BC – • 1900 – • 1800 – • 1450 – • 1400 – • 1400-1000• 1000 –

• 931 –

• 722 – • 586 – • 539 –

• 430 -

• Abraham and Sarah• Joseph in Egypt• Egyptian Captivity• Exodus• Joshua enters Canaan• Period of Judges• Monarchy: Saul, David, Solomon• Solomon’s Temple – 1st Temple built

• Divided Kingdom: Israel (north) Judah (south)– 875 Elijah; 825 Elisha; 740 – Isaiah

• Fall of Israel to Assyrians (Nineveh)• Fall of Jerusalem to Babylonians: Nebuchadnezzar

• Fall of Babylon to Persia- 50,000 Jews return to Israel – Rebuilding of 2nd Temple

• Malachi – Close of OT

Political Kingdoms Up to NT• Sumer: 5000-2000

• Old Babylon- 2000

• Egypt – 2700-2000

• Assyria – 860-620

• Babylonians – 620-539

• Medes/Persian – 539-330

• Home of Abram (Gen 11:28)-invented writing- loved poetry similar to Job and Proverbs- polytheists

• Code of Hammurabi: Laws, Gilgamesh (Flood epic)

• Pyramid Age-Pharoah as God-Nile Delta

• 722 conquered northern kingdom- Brutal to Jews – Start of Samaritans: people from Samaria who became assimilated into foreign customs and religions-deemed impure and hated by Jews-eventually built their own temple on Mt. Gerizim: see John 4:20

• 605: Daniel and friends taken exile to Babylon

• 586 – Destroyed Jerusalem and temple – King Nebuchadnezzar – study of astronomy

• Cyrus’ decree to allow Jews to return back home and rebuild the temple (2 Chr. 36:23, Ezra 1:2) – developed astrology – origin of the Magi

Intertestamental Kingdoms

• 330-167 – Greek:– Development of governmental city

states• Athens: intellectualism• Sparta: military

– Religious Worship• Mythological• Temples

– Alexander the Great• “Hellenized” the known world

– Contributions:• Philosophy • Skeptical – Examining view• Reason: Logic: Literature• Athletics,Art, Sculpture , Education• Socrates• Plato• Aristotle

– Koine Greek: Common Language

– Antiochus (Greek) punishes Jews for failure to conquer Egypt

– Ransacks, steals gold and desecrates temple

• 167-63: Maccabean Jewish Independence– Maccabees– Hasidim: “pious ones”

vs. Hellenists– Pharisees + Essenes– Sadducees

ROME

• After 63 BC

• Heavy Influence from Greek – Greco-Roman Period

• Relative Peace – Pax Romana

• Government - Emperors:– Caesar Augustus – 27 BC to 14AD

• Institutued Emperor worship

– Tiberius – 14 AD to 37• Jesus ministered in this time

– Caligula – 37-41• Ordered a statue be placed of

himself in the temple in Jerusalem

– Claudius 41-54 – Expelled Christians from Rome

– Nero – 54-68 – Persecution of Christians

• Rome allowed for natives to rule –

• Herod the Great – 37 to 4 BC• Scheming, jealous, cruel• Was actually an Edomite

(Esau)– not viewed as legitimate Jewish leader by Jews –

• Matt. 2: 16-18 – had infants in Bethlehem slaughtered

• Misrule of his sons in Israel led to Roman governors – Pilate

• Great contribution- Enhancement of the Temple

• Roman rule: “Pay taxes, be peaceful, don’t cause trouble, worship Caesar”

• Political empire peace, roads and travel, common language allowed for spead of Christianity

• Roman destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70

• Destroyed the Temple

• Masada – Herod’s Fortress – last stand

• Ended sacrificial system in Judaism

• Emphasis now: Torah

• Jewish state has not existed until 1948.

4. Messianic ExpectationFuture anointed King who will bring salvation to

Israel

• Gen. 3:15• Deut. 18:15• Isaiah 7:14

• Micah 5:2

• Psalm 22

• Messiah will defeat Satan• God will raise up a prophet• Born of a virgin

– Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel

• Born in Bethlehem –– Micah 5:2 But as for ayou, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From byou One will go forth for Me to be cruler in Israel. 2His goings forth are dfrom long ago, From the days of eternity."

• Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?

Isaiah 61 - Luke 4

• Isaiah 61:1-2 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives, And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. And the day of vengeance of our God. To comfort all who mourn.

• Luke 4:16-21 16 ¶ And He came to aNazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, bHe entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and cstood up to read. 17 And the 1book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the 1book, and found the place where it was written, 18 a"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are downtrodden, 19 aTo proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." 20 And He aclosed the 1book, and gave it back to the attendant, and bsat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him. 21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your 1hearing."

5. OT Foreshadowing of Christ“three days”

• Gen. 40

• Gen. 22

• Ex. 19

• Jonah 1

• Joseph interpreting the dream of the cupbearer: “within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office”

• Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac:

Genesis 22:4 the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.

• God meeting his people down from Mt. Sinai Exodus 19:11 and let them be ready for the third

day, for on athe third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people

• Jonah 1:17 17 ¶ 1And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the astomach of the fish three days and three nights.

Fulfillment in Jesus – Salvation to God’s People

• Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.

• 1 Corinthians 15:3-4  ¶ For aI delivered to you 1as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died bfor our sins caccording to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was araised on the third day baccording to the Scriptures,

Religious Background of NTVarious perspectives on the coming kingdom

• Pharisees– Study of the OT laws and their own traditions,

called “oral” traditions of the rabbis– Legalistically imposed– Those who did not follow their laws were

sinners and outcasts– Emphasis of the synagogue– Desired to be viewed as the righteous among

the people

• Sadducees– The Priestly party– Dedication and preservation of the Temple– Cooperation with Roman authorities– More open to outside influences– Part of the Aristocracy: Upper class– Did not believe in Resurrection

• Sicarii – from “dagger”– Violent group who advocated death to Rome or those who were

sympathetic with Rome– Terrorists

• Essenes: – Emphasized the study and copying of the Torah– Were separatists living in their own commune - Qumran

• Zealots– Denied any Roman authority as it is opposed to God’s rule– Did not obey Roman government: i.e. paying taxes– Advocated revolt– From the “Maccabean” zeal