3 comments

• Comment Link Friday, 24 April 2009 18:11 posted by Jeremiah Jenkins

  Well, to be technical, Jesus was speaking only to a small number of people, probably all Jewish, when he spoke the words recorded in Matthew 11:28-30. However, they are a concise summary of what Jesus teaches elsewhere in the Gospel. It seems to me though that two claims are being made against the relevance of this scripture. One, that it only applies to the people who lived 2000 years ago, and, two, that it only applies to the Jews.
  
  We already have a discussion going on in another part of the forum regarding whether or not Jesus came to save just the Jews or all people. So, if you'd like to discuss the relevance to non-Jews, please go to that topic.
  
  Now, regarding the time frame of the relevancy of Jesus' statement, if this were the only time that Jesus ever said something like this, I would be inclined to believe that He was only speaking to His immediate audience, only those who were within ear shot. However, I believe that the Bible strongly indicates that the Son of God fully intended... er... intends to help anyone that calls on Him for help.
  
  Below is an excerpt from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) translation of John 14. Jesus speaks all these words to His disciples less than twenty-four hours before His death:
  
  12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
  
  13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
  
  14 "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
  
  15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
  
  16 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
  
  17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
  
  18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
  
  19 "After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
  
  20 "In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
  
  21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."
  
  And from John 15
  7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
  
  8 "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples."
  
  According to the Scripture, Jesus was arrested just a few hours after He said this and then He was crucified on the cross several hours after that. It seems to me that Jesus' is just as able to help us today as He was during the final hours before His death.
  
  To go much more in this direction in this thread would take us deep into the realm of "theology", and it takes us very far from the point of the original article. Jesus is alive and He IS able to help mankind. He is God and therefore not confined by space, time, language, culture, or anything else.
  
  As Paul says to the church in Rome during the 1st century, years after Jesus' death,
  
  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
  Romans 8:38-39 NIV

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• Comment Link Friday, 24 April 2009 00:40 posted by Sam S

  Jeremiah
  Matthew 11:28-30 was spoken by Jesus to the nation of Israel in their time of distress in the first century. Is it your understanding that what Jesus stated to the first century Christians applies to people today? And if so where are the scriptures that back this up. I can not find anything in the scriptures that points to what Jesus stated in all his teachings that apples to the nations today, or from 70CE, onward. Thanks!

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• Comment Link Thursday, 23 April 2009 17:45 posted by Jeremiah Jenkins

  ...and Jesus said,
  "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." ~Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

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