Going Places With A Purpose

Psalm 31

Beside going to the cross maybe one of the most notable times we read Jesus determined to go to a specific place was when we read, "I need to go through Samaria" which to the disciples with Him wasn't a popular choice. Occasionally someone sent for Him to come to their house because of a sick family member or to eat with them, or some like Zaccaeus he again determined to go. Though some might say, see, that was the fully God part of Jesus. Yes, He healed people without being there. But then I might counter that my wife had such a heart for people that occasionally she determined to go places to help people and give the words of Jesus. When I became chronically ill she was was concerned for people because she couldn't see them to minister as often as she typically would.

But there are other times in the life of Jesus that were because of other choices that needed to be made. Right in the middle of His ministry years there is this far northeastern corner of Galilee where we see:

And from thence he rose, and went into the borders of Tyrus and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would that no man should have known: but he could not be hid.

Mark 7:24 GNV

What??? Jesus trying to hide? Now I know that couldn't be the fully God part of Him. Sorry people. The fully God/fully human Jesus, where one went the other was present all the time. For a believer we have a hard enough time seeing the balance in our own lives between the new man created in Christ Jesus and the old man in sin at enmity against the Holy Spirit.

But this isn't the only time Jesus went places to hide or avoid people and situations. Don't get me wrong, going to a Mediterranean costal town to get away isn't a bad choice, but what purpose did Jesus have behind this?

Okay. Yes, while we don't think of it actually "during" His ministry, in fact was the first place He went for His ministry to begin (Luke 3:21-23a) at thirty years old (appropriate for a priest - Numbers 4). But that very beginning of his ministry was forty days in the wilderness. And so we ask about the fully God/fully man during this time of temptations. What we know is Jesus was led (Matthew 4:1) and driven (Mark 1:12) and full of the Holy Ghost (Luke 4:1) into that wilderness to be tempted of the devil, Satan. After the forty days and three specific temptations angels came to minister unto Him. These two facts alone beg the questions: First, Jesus being fully God yet we're told He was full of the Holy Ghost. That sounds more like a fully man need. And then angels came to minister unto Him after physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion, definitely a fully man need. The only other time we're told of angels ministering to Him was in the garden when He prayed. And that had some irony in it. Within the hour Jesus is telling Peter, Don't you know I could call for a legion of angels to fight for me.

But when else did Jesus go somewhere that He may have been prompted to do so? Luke 3:19, 20 tells of John being shut up in prison and Matthew 4:12 (Mark 1:14, 15) says that when Jesus heard that He left and went to Galilee. Then a very brief moment in Luke 4:16 - 30 where Jesus has the wrath of everyone in the synagogue, His hometown synagogue, His teaching offended them so they were about to throw Him from the top of a high hill by Nazareth, but He passing through the midst of them went His way. And in that case Jesus moved out of town (Matthew 4:13-16).

Mark 1:45 gives a hint of why Jesus would choose to go elsewhere, He could no more openly enter the city where He performed healing because of people seeking Him for their own healing. Another serious reason was growing animosity from challenging the scribes and Pharisees by telling the paralytic his sins were forgiven and then proving He had that authority to forgive sins He healed the man right then and there. Jesus then heals a man from an infirmity on the Sabbath Day (John 5:13-18). At this point His enemies begin planning to kill Him, first for healing a man on the Sabbath Day and then because in what He said to them about it equated Himself with God. Killing Him becomes not enough for the Pharisees, the scribes, and now the Herodian part of the group when He heals a man with a withered hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath Day simply they asked Him in front of everyone present if if was lawful to heal on the Sabbath Day (they wanted full out in the open to accuse Him with witnesses even). Jesus replies with thoughts of Exodus 23 asking a question back what they themselves allowed for on the Sabbath Day in just getting their animals out of a bad situation on the Sabbath Day. His answer then is that it is lawful to heal a man on the Sabbath Day. Now for these enemies it's not a matter of just killing Him, but they feel they will only be content destroying Him, maybe as they felt their own selves had been in front of the people they would see next Sabbath and every Sabbath thereafter. (Matthew 12:9-14; Mark 2:1-6; Luke 6:6-11) Yes, it was driving them to madness, and this was only about halfway through His ministry.

At this point Jesus officially selects His twelve apostles, those whom He would send. After the teaching the Sermon on the Mount, which in itself challenged some teaching of the Pharisees and scribes (Matthew 7:27, 28). He resumes healing and adds to it raising the son of the widow in Nain with Luke 7:17 and ends up needing to acknowledge the spreading of His fame. Still after that even a Pharisee was bold enough to ask Him to dinner. Unknown as to why the Pharisee didn't do certain things, intentional slight and disdain or just not that hospitable this Pharisee doesn’t have his guests feet washed, doesn’t give a formal mideastern greeting, or doesn't even annoint Him as an affectionate honor. This woman, of all things, enters where she's neither invited or welcomed, washes Jesus feet with her tears, kisses His feet, and with extremely costly perfume, her greatest treasure on this earth garnering extreme disgust from both the host, other guests, and even disciples alike. Jesus identifies the omissions of His host, a Pharisee, and tells this woman two things that bring both comfort and honor to her and further contempt and anger from His host, that her sins are forgiven and later that her faith has saved her. Jesus wasn't the only guest so when the others heard Him say that her sins were forgiven with their host they questioned, Who is this who forgives sin?

Much of the remaining year and a half of Jesus ministry is recorded as teaching, parables, more healing and raising from the dead, and sending out the disciples to teach as well. All that Jesus did and taught challenged and directly opposed what the Pharisees and scribes taught and did. Jesus occasionally called to attention their failures, but what He did and taught wasn't to purposely offend or oppose, but focused on teaching to know and understand the truth God wanted them to know. But early on during this second part of His ministry we are reminded in John 7:1-10 that Jesus spent most of His time teaching in Galilee. He didn't want to walk in Jewry, Jerusalem, because the standing order of the day was that the Jews were seeking Him to kill Him. Even so a short time later in Jerusalem where Jesus had gone up secretly, in John 8 a woman was brought to Him because she was taken in adultery. Jesus neither condemned them or her. In fact He welcomed them to stone her with the stipulation that only the ones who were without sin could do it. As Jesus taught the Jews, the leaders began challenging Him even more only to be refuted time and again. But when it came to Abraham they really became upset with His response. The end of John 8 Jesus told them (v 58) "Before Abraham was, I am." They knew exactly what He was saying and took up stones to kill Him on the spot. Again like when His home town crowd wanted to throw Him off the cliff He walked right through the midst of them.

Not much more than three months later Jesus was in Jerusalem again for yet aother feast and in His teaching He says, I and my Father are one (John 10:30). Again fully understanding what He is saying those around once again pick up stones to stone Him. Further elaboration made clear what He meant. John 10:39 records specifically that He escaped out of their hands, going away and crossing Jordan.

Even then another Pharisee asks Him to have dinner with him. But this time Jesus is more direct with the Pharisees and scribes (lawyers) present (Luke 11:37-54). Attitudes and words became violent in intent just trying to get Him to say something wrong.

Weeks passed by as Jesus taught and He became increasingly under more scrutiny. He heals a woman in a synagogue on the Sabbath Day. Once again He was challenged and His challengers were left ashamed (Luke 13:10-17).

The culmination of all these events and looking as to why would someone fully man, but also fully God have to, by all appearances, run away and hide certainly becomes more obvious even though there is the argument, "but He was fully God".

In a surprising interchange (Luke 15) Pharisees are murmuring anout Jesus having publicans (tax collectors) and sinners surrounding Him Jesus tells three parables. The first parable was about a lost sheep and the importance of the one. It has a point, but not super offensive. The same way of the woman losing a special coin, again not super offensive. But the lost son who gets lost intentionally of his own will and volition offending his father, taking his inheritance, spending it willfully on self indulgences, well the Pharisees couldn't stand him, goodby and good riddance. Though we're not told this the Pharisees considered the father who always loved his son, welcomed him back, and threw a party for him rejoicing that his lost son was found the love that man had for that son flew in the face of everything they believed, taught, and practiced. And the son who had stayed, they were on his side in his anger. Just an added thought on the rising attitude toward Jesus.

Between Luke 16 and John 11, the stories of the two Lazaruses, the disciples bring up that they themselves are very aware of what is going on between the Jews and Jesus. In John 11:7 Jesus says to His disciples, "Let's go up into Judea." The telling response of all the disciples is:

The disciples said unto him, Master, the Jews lately sought to stone thee, and doest thou go thither again?

John 11:8 GNV

After Lazarus was raised to life the Pharisees and council really began to sweat it (John 11:47-54). Again Jesus goes into hiding with a very clear reason to do so. His final time going up to the environs of Jerusalem Jesus took the disciples aside and specifically told them what was about to take place (Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-34), that He would be arrested and crucified. Just know that the Pharisees felt they were ready too (John 11:55-57; 12:8-11; Matthew 26:1-5; Mark 14:1, 2; Luke 22:1, 2). Then their final piece fell into place (Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10, 11; Luke 22:3-6).

Though a bit longer than usual no question remains as whether Jesus had vicious cunning enemies. Jesus made wise choices to avoid them unless He was ready to meet with them or He knew it was His time to yield to their culture, what they would ultimately seek to do with Him. He knew they would find a way to convict Him one way or another.

While David says a very few things in this psalm that might be hard pressed to say, Yes, this could apply to Jesus praying, there is seen that another quote from the cross is found here.

Into thine hand I commend my spirit: for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

Psalms 31:5 GNV

But as has been seen Jesus could fully openly unquestionably pray the following because after all Jesus went to the cross with a purpose.

For I have heard the railing of great men: fear was on every side, while they conspired together against me, and consulted to take my life. But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thine hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, and save me through thy mercy.

Psalms 31:13 - 16 GNV