JODT (Summer/Fall 2016)...118( Editorial! &...

Journal(of(Dispensational(Theology(JODT((ISSN%1947*9492)%

Volume'20,'Number'60'(Summer/Fall'2016)'(formerly"The"Conservative"Theological"Journal)!

!Executive"Editor" " General"Editor"Patrick%E.%Belvill% % Ron%J.%Bigalke%

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Associate"Editor" " Book"Review"Editor%Miriam%Hayes% % Gary%E.%Gilley%

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Editorial"Committee"Josh%Bailey% Christopher%Cone%David%E.%Olander%%%%Michael%Stallard%

!The! Journal!of!Dispensational!Theology! is!published!three! times!per!year! (spring,!summer/fall,!winter)!by!the!Society!of!Dispensational!Theology!in!cooperation!with!Tyndale!Theological!Seminary!as!a!means!for!conservative!evangelical!scholarship!from!a!traditional!dispensational!perspective.!Tyndale(Theological(Seminary,"its"administration," or" its" faculty" does" not" necessarily" endorse" all" the"interpretative"views"represented"by"each"of"the"respective"authors.!!Correspondence! and!manuscripts! can! be! emailed! to! [email protected].! Please!avoid!formatting!articles!or!using!non@standard!fonts.!Authors!are!expected!to!use!The!Chicago!Manual!of!Style!and!A!Manual!for!Writers!(by!Kate!L.!Turabian)!as!the!style! manuals.! Wherein! there! are! differences! between! Chicago! and! Turabian!styles,!potential!contributors!are!encouraged!to!peruse!the!most!recent!volumes!to!observe! submission! guidelines! or! to! view! those! specifics! online! (tyndale.edu)! in!the!document!entitled,!“JODT!Submission!Guidelines.”!!Books!for!review!should!be!sent!to!the!following!address:!Editor,!JODT!701!W.!Pipeline!Road!Hurst,!TX!76053!!Change! of! address! notification,! subscriptions,! and! renewals! can! be! submitted!online!at!www.tyndale.edu/journal.html!or!through!written!communication!to!the!above!address.!!Subscription!Rates!United!States!non@Tyndale!student:!$25!per!year!Foreign!non@Tyndale!student:!$35!per!year!(includes!Canada!and!Mexico)!All!subscriptions!payable!in!United!States!currency!!©! Copyright! 2016! by! Tyndale! Theological! Seminary.! Printed! in! the! U.S.A.! All! rights!reserved.! Materials! in! this! publication! may! not! be! reproduced! without! prior! written!permission.!The!editorial!committee!reserves!the!right!to!reject!articles!and!advertisements!for!any!reason!whatsoever.!

!Volume!20!! ! ! ! ! ! ! Number!60!

!

Journal!of!Dispensational!Theology!!

Summer/Fall*2016**

Contents*!Editorial…………………………..….…….…………….……………………………..117!!!The!Sign!of!Jonah!the!Prophet……........................................................121!

David&Olander!!!The!Distinctive!Sonship!Soteriology!of!Jesus!in!the!Fourth!Gospel,!Part!I.........................…................................….....143!

Don&Trest&

!!Animal’s!Allusions!within!Matthew’s!Gospel….………………...….....165!

James&J.&S.&Johnson&

!!The!Creation!Account:!A!Review!Article….…………………..…...….....181!

Jerry&M.&Hullinger&

!!Book!Reviews………………………………………………………………….….…..194!

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JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY(–(Summer/Fall(2016( 117!(*

EDITORIAL**Jim! Elliot! is! a! well-known! Christian! missionary.! Nearly! three! years! of!jungle!ministry,!in!addition!to!many!hours!of!planning!and!praying,!led!him!to!a!momentous!day!in!1956.!Jim!and!four!companions!would!be!erecting!camp!in!the!territory!of!a!dangerous!and!uncivilized!tribe!in!Ecuador,!then!known!as! the!Aucas,! for! the!purpose!of! sharing! the!gospel!of!God’s!grace!through!faith!in!Jesus!Christ.!Even!though!the!mission!was!dangerous,!Jim!knew!the!Aucas!needed!to!know!who!Jesus!is.!

While! a! student! at!Wheaton! College,! in! 1948,! he!wrote! a! journal!entry!as!follows:!“Father,!make!of!me!a!crisis!man.!Bring!those!I!contact!to!decision.!Let!me!not!be!a!milepost!on!a!single!road;!make!me!a! fork,! that!men!must!turn!one!way!or!another!on!facing!Christ!in!me”!(Elisabeth!Elliot,!Shadow&of& the&Almighty! [1958;! reprint,!Peabody,!MA:!Hendrickson,!1989]!77).! Although! the! initial! meetings! with! the! Aucas! appeared! friendly,! the!Auca!warriors!eventually!speared!to!death!all!five!missionaries.!

The! yearning! to!make! an! eternal! difference! in! the! lives! of! others!was! abundantly! answered.! The! deaths! of! the! five! young! missionaries!inspired!generations!of!Christians.!Sixty!years!later,!the!sacrifice!of!the!five!missionaries!who!died!in!an!attempt!to!share!the!gospel!with!the!Aucas!has!resulted! in! reconciliation! and! transformation! within! the! tribe.! In! their!deaths,!the!five!missionaries!inspired!more!people!to!become!missionaries!who!would!share!the!grace!of!God!in!Christ!Jesus!than!they!ever!could!have!in!life.!In!the!present!time,!the!need!for!devoted!followers!of!God!who!will!dedicate!themselves!to!making!an!eternal!difference!in!the!lives!of!others!is!still!an!urgent!task.!

One!of!the!attributes!needed!to!have!a!positive!effect!in!the!lives!of!others!is!courage.!Witnessing!the!virtue!of!courage!in!others!should!inspire!gratitude!for!those!who!make!sacrifices!for!the!benefit!of!people.!Courage!in!terms!of!spiritual!priorities!is!certainly!what!characterized!the!prophet!Elijah!(cf.!Acts!4:13;!2!Tim!1:7).!

The! prophet! Ezekiel! ministered! for! God! while! the! Lord’s! people!were! in! exile.! When! the! Lord! commissioned! Ezekiel! to! minister! as! his!prophet,!God!informed!the!prophet!that!He!was!sending!him!to!a!hardened,!rebellious,! and! stubborn! nation.! Ezekiel’s! message! would! not! be! well!received,! yet! he! was! to! serve! as! a! watchman,! whose! obligation! was! to!sound!the!alarm,!and!not!to!be!responsible!for!the!response!to!the!alarm.!At!one!point!in!Ezekiel’s!ministry,!the!Lord!God!lamented,!“‘I!searched!for!a!man!among!them!who!would!build!up!the!wall!and!stand!in!the!gap!before!

118( Editorial!&Me!for! the! land,!so! that! I!would!not!destroy! it;!but! I! found!no!one”!(Ezek!22:30).!

The! moral! degradation! was! so! rampant! in! Jerusalem! that! none!could!be!identified!who!adopted!a!leadership!role!(cf.!13:5).!Ezekiel’s!role!was! to! intercede!before!God! as! a!watchman! (cf.! Gen!20:7;! Jer! 37:3;! Ezek!33:1-6).! Being! honest! to! examine! our! lives! continually! for! the! sake! of!determining! whether! we! have! become! callous! to! our! own! sin! and! the!offenses! of! our! land! is! always! urgent.! Personal! concerns! are! never! valid!reasons! to!prevent!one! from!heeding! the!will!of!God.!Elijah!was!one!who!discerned!the!spiritual!need!in!his!nation!(and!almost!entirely!by!himself),!he!was!bold!for!the!sake!of!the!Lord!God.!Although!the!prophet’s!world!was!vastly!different!than!ours,!the!reasons!why!he!displayed!such!courage!and!conviction!for!the!sake!of!God!is!as!relevant!as!ever.!

David&Olander’s&article&“The&Sign&of&Jonah&the&Prophet”!is!important!not! only! for! its! emphasis! upon! biblical! context,! but! also! to! encourage!discernment! regarding! biblical! signs,! miracles,! and! wonders.! By!prioritizing!how!God!authenticated!and!confirmed!the!message!and!Person!of!his!Son,!the!first!article!leads!naturally!to!Don&Trest’s&work&that&explains&“The& Distinctive& Sonship& Soteriology& of& Jesus& in& the& Fourth& Gospel.”! Trest!demonstrates! how! belief! in! the! Lord! Jesus! Christ! is! the! essential!soteriological!content!revealed!in!the!Johannine!Gospel.!His!work!is!helpful!in! responding! to!modern! Johannine!scholars!who!discount! the!historicity!of! the! biblical! account,! and! consequently! question! the! authenticity! of!Scripture.!James&J.&S.&Johnson&provided&a&unique&article&with&demonstrations&of& “Animal& Allusions& within& Matthew’s& Gospel,”! and! particularly! how! they!reinforce! the!dispensational!content.!Certainly,!his!proficiency! in!creation!research! has! resulted! in! an! interesting!manner! for! reading! the!Matthean!witness.! Jerry& M.& Hullinger’s& review& article& considers& essential& matters& of&hermeneutics&in&interpreting&the&creation&account.&The!subsequent!ten!book!reviews!(from!several!contributors)!assess!prevalent!works!encountering!the!modern!church.!As!it!was!in!the!days!of!Elijah,!so!it!is!today!that!God’s!people!speak!with!biblical!conviction.!Elijah!honored!God!with!assurance,!and! demonstrated! that! hesitating! between! opinions!may! be! theoretically!respectable!and!even!politically!correct,!yet!it!is!spiritually!unfeasible!and!intellectually! flawed.! May! the! current! Journal& of& Dispensational& Theology&provide!encouragement,!and!stimulate!biblical! courage!and!conviction!by!God’s!grace!and!for!his!glory.!!

—(Ron(J.(Bigalke,(Ph.D.([email protected]

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JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY(–(Summer/Fall(2016( 121!!!

THE*SIGN*OF*JONAH*THE*PROPHET**

David*Olander*!

But! He! answered! and! said! to! them,! “An! evil! and! adulterous!generation!craves!for!a!sign;!and!yet&no!sign!shall!be!given!to!it!but!the! sign! of! Jonah! the! prophet”! (Matt! 12:39).! And! as! the! crowds!were! increasing,! He! began! to! say,! “this! generation! is! a! wicked!generation;! it! seeks! for!a! sign,! and!yet&no!sign! shall!be!given! to! it!but!the!sign!of!Jonah”!(Luke!11:29).!

!The!question!is!what!is!the!sign!of!the!prophet!Jonah?!The!major!concern!with!all!biblical!interpretation!is!always!context,!context,!context.!The!sign!of!the!prophet!Jonah!is!no!exception.!There!are!two!contexts!that!must!be!explored! concerning! this! sign.! One! is! in!Matthew! and! the! other! in! Luke.!There! must! also! be! discernment! concerning! biblical! signs,! miracles,! and!wonders.!!

SIGNS,!MIRACLES,!AND!WONDERS!!Signs,!miracles,!and!wonders!were!used!first!and!foremost!to!confirm!God’s!messenger! and! his! message.! God! had! made! it! extremely! clear! from! the!beginning!how!to!test!for!true!signs,!miracles,!and!wonders.!They!were!to!be! tested! only! according! to! God’s! standards,! as! He! has! instructed! by! his!inerrant!Word.1! Even! the!messages! were! to! be! thoroughly! tested.2! They!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*" David" Olander," Ph.D.," Th.D.," professor" of" biblical" languages," Tyndale" Theological"Seminary"and"Biblical"Institute"

!1!“If!a!prophet!or!a!dreamer!of!dreams!arises!among!you!and!gives!you!a!

sign! or! a!wonder,! and! the! sign! or! the!wonder! comes! true,! concerning!which! he!spoke!to!you,!saying,!‘Let!us!go!after!other!gods!(whom!you!have!not!known)!and!let!us!serve!them,’!you!shall!not!listen!to!the!words!of!that!prophet!or!that!dreamer!of! dreams;! for! the! LORD! your!God! is! testing! you! to! find! out! if! you! love! the! LORD!your!God!with!all!your!heart!and!with!all!your!soul.!“You!shall!follow!the!LORD!your!God!and!fear!Him;!and!you!shall!keep!His!commandments,!listen!to!His!voice,!serve!Him,!and!cling!to!Him”!(Deut!13:1-4)!

2!“And!it!shall!come!about!that!whoever!will!not!listen!to!My!words!which!he! shall! speak! in!My!name,! I!Myself!will! require! it&of!him.! ‘But! the!prophet!who!shall!speak!a!word!presumptuously!in!My!name!which!I!have!not!commanded!him!to!speak,!or!which!he!shall!speak!in!the!name!of!other!gods,!that!prophet!shall!die.’!

122( Sign(of(Jonah!&were!to!be!tested!to!confirm!all!that!was!being!presented!was!from!Him.!As!a! note,! one!does! not! have! sign!miracles! today! in! the! church! age! (sign! or!revelational!gifts! in!any!sense)!as!God!has!already!completed!his! inerrant!Word!or!message!by!his!messengers.3!There!is!no!more!revelation!given!by!God!for!all!revelation! is!complete4!and!no!more!authenticating!signs!(this!includes!all!signs,!miracles,!and!wonders)!are!necessary.!

One! must! continually! note! that! the! actual! Author! of! his!Word! is!God!the!Holy!Spirit.!As!God!is!the!ultimate!Author!there!can!be!no!error!in!any! kind! in! his! Word! even! though! the! Infinite! used! the! finite.! The!Scriptures!are!complete!and!there!is!no!need!for!any!further!authenticating!signs.!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!“And!you!may!say!in!your!heart,!‘How!shall!we!know!the!word!which!the!LORD!has!not!spoken?’!“When!a!prophet!speaks!in!the!name!of!the!LORD,!if!the!thing!does!not!come! about! or! come! true,! that! is! the! thing!which! the! LORD! has! not! spoken.! The!prophet! has! spoken! it! presumptuously;! you! shall! not! be! afraid! of! him”! (Deut!18:19-22).!

3! “For! this! reason!we!must! pay!much! closer! attention! to! what! we! have!heard,! lest!we!drift! away! from& it.! For! if! the!word! spoken! through! angels!proved!unalterable,! and! every! transgression! and! disobedience! received! a! just!recompense,!how!shall!we!escape!if!we!neglect!so!great!a!salvation?!After!it!was!at!the!first!spoken!through!the!Lord,!it!was!confirmed!to!us!by!those!who!heard,!God!also! bearing! witness! with! them,! both! by! signs! and! wonders! and! by! various!miracles!and!by!gifts!of!the!Holy!Spirit!according!to!His!own!will”!(Heb!2:1-4,!emphasis! added).! The! word! of! “great! salvation”! was! first! proclaimed! by! Christ!Himself,! then!by!his!commissioned!disciples,!as!attested!by!miraculous!signs!and!gifts! of! the!Holy! Spirit! (1!Cor!12).! See!Merrill! Frederick!Unger,!The&New&Unger’s&Bible&Handbook,!rev.!ed.!(Chicago:!Moody!Publishers,!2005)!603.!

4!Very!few!realize!that!God!has!sealed!his!Word!with!a!curse.!There!can!be!no!more! added! revelation! as! it! is! all! complete! and!without! error! for! it! is! God’s!Word! and! He! cannot! err.! “I! testify! to! everyone! who! hears! the! words! of! the!prophecy!of! this!book:! if! anyone!adds! to! them,!God!shall!add! to!him! the!plagues!which!are!written! in! this!book;! and! if! anyone! takes! away! from! the!words!of! the!book!of!this!prophecy,!God!shall!take!away!his!part!from!the!tree!of!life!and!from!the!holy!city,!which!are!written!in!this!book”!(Rev!22:18-19).!The!testimony!is!not!just!a!reference!to!the!book!of!Revelation!but!the!entire!revelation!as!this!is!a!seal!God! has! placed! upon! his!Word! as! final! and! complete! (i.e.! nothing!more! can! be!added! by! anyone).! No! more! authenticating! signs! are! necessary.! One! must!remember! that! the!Revelation!covers! the!entire!church!age,! the!beginning!of! the!day!of!the!Lord!with!the!1,000!year!reign!of!Christ,!and!into!the!eternal!state!which!is! literally! the! new! heavens! and! the! new! earth.! The! Revelation! actually! covers!more!time!than!any!one!book!in!the!Text.!

JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY(–(Summer/Fall(2016( 123!!

However,! Jesus! had! performed! a! great!many! signs,!miracles,! and!wonders.5!Peter!made!it!very!clear!concerning!Jesus!and!his!sign!miracles.!“Men!of! Israel,! listen! to! these!words:! Jesus! the!Nazarene,! a!man! attested![confirmed,! proved,! etc.]6! to! you! by! God!with!miracles! and!wonders! and!signs! which! God! performed! through! Him7! in! your! midst,! just! as! you!yourselves!know”!(Acts!2:22).!God!confirmed!Jesus!as!both!his!eternal!Son!and! the! sinless! Son! of! man,! who! is! the! Lord’s! ultimate! and! perfect!Messenger.!

God!clearly! confirmed!his!Messenger.!God!was!speaking! to!men!–!primarily! Israel! –! through! the! Son.! “God,! after! He! spoke! long! ago! to! the!fathers! in! the!prophets! in!many!portions!and! in!many!ways,! in! these! last!days! has! spoken! to! us! in!His& Son,!whom!He! appointed! heir! of! all! things,!through! whom! also! He! made! the! world”8! (Heb.! 1:1-2).! All! these! sign!miracles!were! simply! confirmatory,! authenticating! the! Eternal! Son,! quite!literally!the!God/man!and!his!message!of!the!coming!kingdom.!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!5! “And! there! are! also!many! other! things! which! Jesus! did,! which! if! they!

were!written!in!detail,!I!suppose!that!even!the!world!itself!would!not!contain!the!books!which!were!written”!(John!21:25).!

6!“Men!of!Israel,!listen!to!these!words:!Jesus!the!Nazarene,!a!man!attested!to! you! by! God! with!miracles! and! wonders! and! signs! which! God! performed!through! Him! in! your! midst,! just! as! you! yourselves! know”! (Acts! 2:22,! emphasis!added)(NASB).! Ἄνδρες! Ἰσραηλῖται,! ἀκούσατε! τοὺς! λόγους! τούτους·! Ἰησοῦν! τὸν!Ναζωραῖον,!ἄνδρα!ἀποδεδειγμένον!ἀπὸ!τοῦ!θεοῦ!εἰς!ὑμᾶς!δυνάμεσι!καὶ !τέρασι!καὶ ! σημείοις! οἷς! ἐποίησεν! δι᾽! αὐτοῦ! ὁ! θεὸς! ἐν! μέσῳ! ὑμῶν! καθὼς! αὐτοὶ! οἴδατε!(NA27).! ’Aποδεδειγμένον! ἀποδείκνυμι! .! .! .! attest,! commend;! claim,! proclaim;!place,! set! forth;! prove! [UBS! 4,! lexicon);! ἀποδείκνυμι! .! .! .! (1)! as! demonstrating!approval!show&clearly&to&be&genuine,&endorse&(Acts!2.22);!(2)!as!demonstrating!by!argument!prove,&show&to&be&true!(Timothy!Friberg,!et!al.,!Analytical&Lexicon&of&the&Greek&New&Testament![Victoria,!BC:!Trafford!Publishing,!2005]!65).!Signs,!miracles,!and!wonders!confirm!the!message!and!the!messenger.!Luke!made!this!very!clear!in!Acts!2:22.!

7! Note! very! carefully! “with!miracles! and! wonders! and! signs! which! God!performed!through!Him,”!that!is,!God!“performed.”!

8!Πολυμερῶς!καὶ!πολυτρόπως!πάλαι!ὁ!θεὸς!λαλήσας!τοῖς!πατράσιν!ἐν!τοῖς!προφήταις! ! ἐπ᾽! ἐσχάτου! τῶν! ἡμερῶν! τούτων! ἐλάλησεν! ἡμῖν! ἐν! υἱῷ,! ὃν! ἔθηκεν!κληρονόμον!πάντων,!δι᾽!οὗ!καὶ!ἐποίησεν!τοὺς!αἰῶνας·!He!made!the!ages,!which!is!infinitely!more! than! just! creation! of!matter.! Every! possible! second! (and! less)! is!fully!planned!and!created!by!Him,!which!involves!matter!and!all!else.!

124( Sign(of(Jonah!&

JESUS’!MESSAGE!!Jesus! had! one! primary! message! and! that! was! of! his! coming! reign! and!kingdom.! He! was! offering! to! Israel! the! covenanted! Davidic! kingdom!because,!as!their!covenanted!king,!He!is!the!true!Davidic!Heir!Apparent!to!the!throne!of!Israel.!Jesus!is!Israel’s!Messiah;!He!is!the!true!anointed!One!to!rule!on!David’s!throne!forever.9!!

Now! when! Jesus! came! into! the! district! of! Caesarea! Philippi,! He!began&asking!His!disciples,!saying,!who!do!people!say!that!the!Son!of!Man! is?! And! they! said,! Some! say& John! the! Baptist;! and! others,!Elijah;!but!still!others,!Jeremiah,!or!one!of!the!prophets.!He!said!to!them,! but!who! do! you! say! that! I! am?!And! Simon! Peter! answered!and!said,!Thou!art!the!Christ,!the!Son!of!the!living!God!(Matt!16:13-16).!

!All!the!signs,!miracles,!and!wonders!were!divine!authentication!or!

confirmation!(exclusively!authenticating!signs)!proving!exactly!the!Person!of! Jesus! and! his! message.! One! must! believe! that! Jesus! is! the! Christ,! the!eternal! Son! of! God,! in! order! to! know! Him! and! have! eternal! life.! If! one!denies!who!Jesus!is,!that!is,!the!eternal!Son,!God!has!not!opened!the!heart!to! believe! in! Him.! “And! Simon! Peter! answered! and! said,! ‘Thou! art! the!Christ,! the! Son! of! the! living! God.’! And! Jesus! answered! and! said! to! him,!‘Blessed! are! you,! Simon! Barjona,! because! flesh! and! blood! did! not! reveal!this&to!you,!but!My!Father!who!is!in!heaven’”!(Matt!16:16-17).!“Many!other!signs!therefore!Jesus!also!performed!in!the!presence!of!the!disciples,!which!are! not! written! in! this! book;! but! these! have! been! written! that! you!may!believe!that!Jesus!is!the!Christ,!the!Son!of!God;!and!that!believing!you!may!have!life!in!His!name”!(John!20:30-31).!

He! made! this! very! clear! to! anyone! listening! to! Him! that! He! was!doing! the!works!of! the!Father.! “If! I!do!not!do! the!works!of!My!Father,!do!not!believe!Me;!but!if!I!do!them,!though!you!do!not!believe!Me,!believe!the!works,!that!you!may!know!and!understand!that!the!Father!is!in!Me,!and!I!in!the!Father”!(John!10:37-38).!He!was!only!doing!the!works!of!the!Father.!

!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!9! Jesus! is! the! Christ! (literally! the! Messiah,! anointed)! to! sit! on! David’s!

covenanted! throne.!He! is! also! the! eternal! Son!who! took! on! a! human! nature! not!only!to!reign!in!the!line!of!David!but!also!to!die!for!the!sins!of!the!world.!“Whoever!believes!that!Jesus!is!the!Christ!is!born!of!God;!and!whoever!loves!the!Father!loves!the!child&born!of!Him”!(1!John!5:1).!


• “But! if! I! cast! out! demons! by! the! Spirit! of! God,! then! the!kingdom! of! God! has! come! upon! you”! (Matt! 12:28,! emphasis!added).!!

• “But! if! I! cast! out! demons! by! the! finger! of! God,! then! the!kingdom! of! God! has! come! upon! you”! (Luke! 11:20,! emphasis!added).!!

!Both!the!“if!clauses”!are!first!class!conditions,10!and!are!assumed!as!

true.! One! of! the! ultimate! signs! or! miracles! was! that! Jesus! was! fully! in!control,! even! over! Satan’s! demonic! world! empire.! Jesus’! message! was!simple:!the!kingdom!of!God!had!come!to!Israel!in!the!Person!of!David’s!Son,!the!Son!of!man.!He!was!literally!offering!the!kingdom!to!them!(Israel),!yet!they!would!have!to!receive11!Him!to!be!given!his!kingdom.!

The!arrival!of!the!kingdom!was!only!an!offer,!yet!they!rejected!the!King!and!his!kingdom.!There!was!no!start!or!beginning!to!his!kingdom!in!any! manner! at! his! first! coming.! Jesus! made! this! very! clear! to! them.!“Therefore!I!say!to!you,!the!kingdom!of!God!will!be!taken!away!from!you,!and!be!given!to!a!nation!producing!the!fruit!of!it”!(Matt!21:43).12!However,!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!10!εἰ !δὲ!ἐν!πνεύματι!θεοῦ!ἐγὼ!ἐκβάλλω!τὰ!δαιμόνια,!ἄρα!ἔφθασεν!ἐφ᾽!ὑμᾶς!

ἡ!βασιλεία!τοῦ!θεοῦ!(Matt!12:28);!εἰ !δὲ!ἐν!δακτύλῳ!θεοῦ![ἐγὼ]!ἐκβάλλω!τὰ!δαιμόνια,!ἄρα!ἔφθασεν!ἐφ᾽!ὑμᾶς!ἡ!

βασιλεία!τοῦ!θεοῦ!(Luke!11:20)!11!“He!came!to!His!own,!and!those!who!were!His!own!did!not!receive!Him”!

(John!1:11);!“As!you!therefore!have!received!Christ!Jesus!the!Lord,!so&walk!in!Him”!(Col.!2:6).!When!one!has!trusted!Christ,!or!believed!in!Him,!one!has!received!Him.!Salvation!is!really!receiving!Christ.!One!is!truly!trusting!in!Him,!that!is,!who!He!is!(i.e.!the!Eternal!Son!of!God).!He!died!for!our!sins!and!was!raised!on!the!third!day!(1!Cor!15:1-4).!

12!One!should!be!amazed!by!how!many!believe!He!is!building!a!kingdom!in!this!age!or!there!is!a!taste!of!the!kingdom!in!the!church!age,!which!is!not!possible!in! any! sense.! Just! read! the! view! of! Christ! of! the! seven! churches.! Sad! how!many!believe!He!is!building,!or!the!church!is!building!a!kingdom!today.!“Therefore!I!say!to!you,!the!kingdom!of!God!will!be!taken!away!from!you,!and!be!given!to!a!nation!producing! the! fruit! of! it”! (Matt! 21:43,! emphasis! added).! διὰ! τοῦτο! λέγω! ὑμῖν! ὅτι!ἀρθήσεται! ἀφ᾽! ὑμῶν! ἡ! βασιλεία! τοῦ! θεοῦ! καὶ! δοθήσεται! ἔθνει! ποιοῦντι! τοὺς!καρποὺς! αὐτῆς.! The! word! for! “nation”! is! easily! translated! “people”! (and! from!classical!Greek![LS]!ἔθνος!,!ἔθνος,!εος,!τό,!…!a&number&of&people&accustomed&to&live&together,&a&company,&body&of&men,&…!3.!a&special&class&of!men,!a&caste,&tribe).&There!is!nothing!at!all! to! suggest! that! the!covenanted!kingdom!was! in!any!sense! taken!from!national!Israel!and!given!to!some!other!people!(this!is!not!possible!because!of!the!eternal,!unconditional!covenants!with!Israel).!While!the!kingdom!was!“taken!

126( Sign(of(Jonah!&they!all!knew!He!could!do!the!miraculous!signs,!and!these!signs!confirmed!every!truth!about!Him,!for!He!is!the!absolute!truth.!!Jesus’&Miraculous&Signs&Were&Common&Knowledge&&&

Most! everyone! who! came! into! contact! with! Jesus! (especially! the!leadership)! knew! Jesus! could! do! miraculous! signs.! Nicodemus! came! to!Jesus! and! made! this! exceedingly! accurate! assessment,! which! speaks!volumes.!“This!man!came!to!Him!by!night,!and!said!to!Him,!Rabbi,!we!know!that!You!have!come!from!God!as&a!teacher;! for!no!one!can!do!these!signs!that! You!do!unless!God! is!with!him”! (John!3:2).13!Many!others!were! also!drawing!the!same!conclusion.!“But!many!of!the!multitude!believed!in!Him;!and! they! were! saying,! When! the! Christ! shall! come,! He! will! not! perform!more!signs!than!those!which!this!man!has,!will!He?”!(John!7:31).!

However,! there! was! also! much! disagreement! and! division!concerning!his!Person.!“Therefore!some!of!the!Pharisees!were!saying,!this!man! is! not! from!God,! because!He! does! not! keep! the! Sabbath.! But! others!were!saying,!how!can!a!man!who!is!a!sinner!perform!such!signs?!And!there!was!a!division!among! them”!(John!9:16).!The!conclusion!of! the!Pharisees!went!something!like!the!following:!

!• He!was!accused!of!not!keeping!the!Sabbath;!• He!was!performing!such!great!signs;!• How!can!a!sinner!perform!such!signs;!and!thus,!• He!is!not!from!God.!!

Leaders!were!summoned!together!concerning!Him,!especially!in!regard!to!all! his! miraculous! signs.! “Therefore! the! chief! priests! and! the! Pharisees!convened!a!council,!and!were!saying,!what!are!we!doing?!For! this!man! is!performing!many!signs”!(John!11:47).!

During! the! various! trials! of! Christ! prior! to! his! crucifixion,! Pilate!sent! Jesus! to!Herod,! for!Herod!was!anxious! to!see!a!sign!performed.! “But!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!away”!by!God!because!of!their!rejection!of!Christ!and!his!kingdom,!it!will!again!be!offered! to! Israel! and!accepted!by!his! covenanted!people,! Israel.!Christ!made! this!very!clear.!

13! “And! a! great!multitude!was! following!Him,! because! they!were! seeing!the! signs! which! He! was! performing! on! those! who! were! sick”! (John! 6:2).! “But!though!He!had!performed!so!many!signs!before!them,!yet&they!were!not!believing!in!Him”! (John!12:37).! “Therefore! the! chief! priests! and! the!Pharisees! convened!a!council,!and!were!saying,! “What!are!we!doing?!For! this!man! is!performing!many!signs”!(John!11:47).!

JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY(–(Summer/Fall(2016( 127!!when!Pilate!heard!it,!he!asked!whether!the!man!was!a!Galilean.!And!when!he!learned!that!He!belonged!to!Herod's!jurisdiction,!he!sent!Him!to!Herod,!who!himself!also!was!in!Jerusalem!at!that!time.!Now!Herod!was!very!glad!when!he!saw!Jesus;!for!he!had!wanted!to!see!Him!for!a!long!time,!because!he! had! been! hearing! about! Him! and! was! hoping! to! see! some! sign!performed!by!Him”!(Luke!22:6-8).!

Nevertheless,! even! with! all! the! confirming! sign! miracles! He! had!done,! there! were! very! few! turning! to! Him! from! the! nation! Israel.! “But!though!He! had! performed! so!many! signs! before! them,! yet& they!were! not!believing! in!Him”! (John!12:37).! Just!because!many! followers!and! leaders,!such!as! the!Pharisees!and!Sadducees,! and! literally! all! his! enemies! (et! al.)!acknowledged! the!miraculous! signs! does! not!mean! they!were! turning! to!Him!and!believing! in!Him.! Indeed,!all! these!miraculous!works!will!have!a!final!conclusion!by!the!Pharisees,!and!those!with!them,!that!was:!“this!man!is/was!not!from!God.”!!They&Were&Seeking&to&Kill&Him&!“For! this! cause! therefore! the! Jews!were! seeking! all! the!more! to! kill!Him,!because!He!not!only!was!breaking!the!Sabbath,!but!also!was!calling!God!His!own!Father,!making!Himself!equal!with!God”!(John!5:18).!“If!I!do!not!do!the!works!of!My!Father,!do!not!believe!Me;!but!if!I!do!them,!though!you!do!not!believe!Me,!believe!the!works,!that!you!may!know!and!understand!that!the!Father!is!in!Me,!and!I!in!the!Father”!(John!10:37-38).!“Therefore!they!were!seeking!again!to!seize!Him,!and!He!eluded!their!grasp”!(John!10:39).!They!did! not! believe! his!message! and! they!were! denying! his! signs!were! from!God.!They!did!not!believe!Him,! so!all! they!wanted! to!do!was!destroy! this!supposed!Son!of!God.!Nonetheless,!all!the!signs,!miracles,!and!wonders!(all!his!works)!proved!precisely!who!He!was.14!!Immediate&Context&of&Matthew&12:39&&

The!Pharisees!were! accusing!Christ! and!his!disciples!of!doing! that!which!was! not! lawful! on! the! Sabbath! (Matt! 12:1-8).15! The! leaders! could! not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

14! Apparently,! many! students! of! his! Word! do! not! realize! the! true!purpose(s)!of!signs,!miracles,!or!wonders!(i.e.!his!works).!“He!came!to!His!own,!and!those!who!were!His!own!did!not!receive!Him”!(John!1:11).!

15!“At!that!time!Jesus!went!on!the!Sabbath!through!the!grainfields,!and!His!disciples!became!hungry!and!began!to!pick!the!heads!of&grain&and!eat.!But!when!the!Pharisees!saw!it,!they!said!to!Him,!‘Behold,!Your!disciples!do!what!is!not!lawful!to!do!on!a!Sabbath.!But!He!said!to!them,!Have!you!not!read!what!David!did,!when!

128( Sign(of(Jonah!&condemn! Jesus! and! his! disciples! enough! over! every! superfluous! and!imagined! violation! of! the! law.! They! had! one! agenda! and! that! was! to!destroy! Him,! and! everyone! and! everything! around! Him.! “And! departing!from! there,! He!went! into! their! synagogue.! And! behold,! there& was& a!man!with!a!withered!hand.!And!they!questioned!Him,!saying,!is!it!lawful!to!heal!on!the!Sabbath?!in!order!that!they!might!accuse!Him”!(Matt!12:9-10).!

Jesus!made!it!a!point!to!prove!that!He!was!not!breaking!the!Sabbath!in! any! manner! but! He! was! demonstrating! compassion! for! there! was! a!genuine!mercy! displayed! by! the! law.16! Both!man! and! animals! have! basic!needs!(even!for!survival)!and!as!such!compassion!should!be!demonstrated!pertaining! simply! to! the!needs!of! life.17! “And!He! said! to! them,!What!man!shall!there!be!among!you,!who!shall!have!one!sheep,!and!if!it!falls!into!a!pit!on!the!Sabbath,!will!he!not!take!hold!of!it,!and!lift!it!out?!Of!how!much!more!value! then! is! a!man! than! a! sheep!! So! then,! it! is! lawful! to!do! good!on! the!Sabbath”!(Matt!12:11-12).!

The!leaders!had!established!their!own!law(s)!by!violating!what!was!the!true!intent!of!the!law,!that!is,!to!love!God!and!your!neighbor.18!Indeed,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!he!became!hungry,!he!and!his!companions;!how!he!entered!the!house!of!God,!and!they!ate!the!consecrated!bread,!which!was!not!lawful!for!him!to!eat,!nor!for!those!with!him,!but! for!the!priests!alone?!Or!have!you!not!read!in!the!Law,!that!on!the!Sabbath!the!priests!in!the!temple!break!the!Sabbath,!and!are!innocent?!But!I!say!to!you,! that! something!greater! than! the! temple! is!here.!But! if! you!had!known!what!this! means,! ‘I! desire! compassion,! and! not! a! sacrifice,’! you! would! not! have!condemned!the!innocent.!For!the!Son!of!Man!is!Lord!of!the!Sabbath”!(Matt!12:1-8).!

16!“And!He!said!to!them,! ‘What!man!shall! there!be!among!you,!who!shall!have!one!sheep,!and!if!it!falls!into!a!pit!on!the!Sabbath,!will!he!not!take!hold!of!it,!and!lift!it!out?!‘Of!how!much!more!value!then!is!a!man!than!a!sheep!!So!then,!it!is!lawful! to!do!good!on!the!Sabbath”! (Matt!12:11-12,!emphasis!added).!πόσῳ!οὖν!διαφέρει!ἄνθρωπος!προβάτου.!ὥστε!ἔξεστιν!τοῖς!σάββασιν!καλῶς!ποιεῖν.!Note!the! present! active! infinitive! used! in! regards! to! doing! “good”! continually! on! the!Sabbath.!There!was!never!a!problem!in!just!doing!that!which!is!good!or!beneficial!(esp.!towards!someone’s!life).!Christ!was!endorsing!doing!good!on!the!Sabbath.!He!only!did!that!which!was!good!and!beneficial.!

17! “And!He!said!to! them,! ‘Which!one!of!you!shall!have!a!son!or!an!ox! fall!into!a!well,!and!will!not!immediately!pull!him!out!on!a!Sabbath!day?!(Luke!14:5).!“When!you!enter!your!neighbor’s!vineyard,!then!you!may!eat!grapes!until!you!are!fully! satisfied,! but! you! shall! not! put! any! in! your! basket.! When! you! enter! your!neighbor’s!standing!grain,!then!you!may!pluck!the!heads!with!your!hand,!but!you!shall!not!wield!a!sickle!in!your!neighbor’s!standing!grain”!(Deut!23:24-25).!

18!“Teacher,!which!is!the!great!commandment!in!the!Law?”!And!He!said!to!him,!“‘You!shall!love!the!LORD!your!God!with!all!your!heart,!and!with!all!your!soul,!and! with! all! your! mind.’! “This! is! the! great! and! foremost! commandment.! “The!

JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY(–(Summer/Fall(2016( 129!!love! for! God! and! neighbors! were! more! important! than! sacrifice! (Mark!12:29-33).19! “Therefore,! however! you! want! people! to! treat! you,! so! treat!them,!for!this!is!the!Law!and!the!Prophets”!(Matt!7:12).!

!Healing&of&First&Man&&!Christ! demonstrated! to! everyone! (especially! the! Pharisees)! that! doing!good!anytime!was!lawful.!“Then!He!said!to!the!man,!stretch!out!your!hand!!And!he!stretched!it!out,!and!it!was!restored!to!normal,!like!the!other”!(Matt!12:13).!The! response!by! the!Pharisees!was!only! too!predictable.! “But! the!Pharisees!went! out,! and! counseled! together! against! Him,!as& to&how! they!might!destroy!Him”!(v.!14).!The!context!of!Matthew!12:39!gets!sadder!and!more!bizarre!with!each!additional!jot!and!tittle.20!

!Healing&of&Second&Man&and&Spirit&Blasphemy&&!“Then! there!was! brought! to!Him!a! demon-possessed!man!who&was&blind!and!dumb,!and!He!healed!him,!so!that!the!dumb!man!spoke!and!saw.!And!all!the!multitudes!were!amazed,!and!began&to!say,!‘This!man&cannot!be!the!Son!of!David,!can!he?’!But!when!the!Pharisees!heard!it,!they!said,!‘This!man!casts!out!demons!only!by!Beelzebul!the!ruler!of!the!demons’”!(Matt!12:22-24).!The!response!of!the!Pharisees!is!biblically!known!as!the!blasphemy!of!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!second! is! like! it,! ‘You! shall! love! your! neighbor! as! yourself.’! “On! these! two!commandments!depend!the!whole!Law!and!the!Prophets”!(Matt!22:36-40).!

19! Jesus!answered,! “The! foremost! is,! ‘Hear,!O! Israel!!The!Lord!our!God! is!one!Lord;!and!you!shall! love! the!Lord!your!God!with!all!your!heart,! and!with!all!your!soul,!and!with!all!your!mind,!and!with!all!your!strength.’!“The!second!is!this,!‘You!shall!love!your!neighbor!as!yourself.’!There!is!no!other!commandment!greater!than!these.”!And!the!scribe!said!to!Him,!“Right,!Teacher,!You!have!truly!stated!that!He!is!One;!and!there!is!no!one!else!besides!Him;!and!to!love!Him!with!all!the!heart!and! with! all! the! understanding! and! with! all! the! strength,! and! to! love! one’s!neighbor!as!himself,! is!much!more! than!all!burnt!offerings!and! sacrifices”! (Mark!12:29-33).!

20!“But!Jesus,!aware!of!this,!withdrew!from!there.!And!many!followed!Him,!and!He!healed!them!all,!and!warned!them!not!to!make!Him!known,! in!order!that!what!was! spoken! through! Isaiah! the!prophet,!might! be! fulfilled,! saying,! “Behold,!My!Servant!whom!I!have!chosen;!My!Beloved!in!whom!My!soul! is!well-pleased;!I!will!put!My!Spirit!upon!Him,!And!He!shall!proclaim!justice!to!the!Gentiles.!“He!will!not!quarrel,!nor!cry!out;!Nor!will!anyone!hear!His!voice!in!the!streets.!“A!battered!reed!He!will! not! break! off,! And! a! smoldering!wick!He!will! not! put! out,! Until!He!leads!justice!to!victory.!“And!in!His!name!the!Gentiles!will!hope”!(Matt!12:15-21).!

130( Sign(of(Jonah!&the!Holy! Spirit,! or! blasphemy!of!God! the!Holy! Spirit.! The!Pharisees!went!much! too! far! in! their!unholy! assessment!of!Christ! Jesus.!To! reject!Him! is!one!thing!but!to!attribute!the!work!of!God!the!Holy!Spirit!to!Beelzebul!(or!Satan)! is! completely! blasphemous.! There! would! be! no! forgiveness!concerning! this! sin.! Jesus! made! this! very! clear! to! these! leaders.! “And!whoever! shall! speak! a!word! against! the! Son! of!Man,! it! shall! be! forgiven!him;! but! whoever! shall! speak! against! the! Holy! Spirit,! it! shall! not! be!forgiven!him,!either!in!this!age,!or!in!the!age&to!come”!(Matt!12:32).!!Jesus&Could&Not&Be&Doing&All&This&in&the&Power&of&Satan&&

Jesus!made!all!this!very!clear!that!He!could!not!be!continually!doing!this!in!Satan’s! power! for! this!would! be! eroding! Satan’s! kingdom.! “And! knowing!their!thoughts!He!said!to!them,! ‘Any!kingdom!divided!against! itself! is! laid!waste;! and!any! city!or!house!divided!against! itself! shall!not! stand.!And! if!Satan! casts! out! Satan,! he! is! divided! against! himself;! how! then! shall! his!kingdom! stand?’”! (Matt! 12:25-26).! Jesus!made! it! absolutely! clear!what! is!being!said.!If!He!were!doing!these!things!in!the!power!of!Satan,!the!devil’s!kingdom!would!fail!and!finally!fall.!Just!as!an!enemy!might!shoot!one!of!his!own! to! prove! an! allegiance! (although! a! deception),! one! could! not! keep!shooting!his!own!for!there!would!be!none!remaining.!Christ!could!not!keep!doing! this! if! He!were! of! the! enemy! or! Satan’s! power.! He! could! not! keep!releasing!those!in!Satan’s!power!or!bondage,!or!Satan’s!house!would!fall.!

“And!if!I!by!Beelzebul!cast!out!demons,!by!whom!do!your!sons!cast!them! out?! Consequently! they! shall! be! your! judges”! (Matt! 12:27).! The!statement! is!almost! like!a! riddle!yet! so!profound.!There!was! the!sense!of!known! demon! possession! at! that! time.! They! should! have! recognized! the!reality! of! all! that! Christ! was! doing,! especially! in! comparison! to! others.!What!follows!is!so!obvious.!“But! if! I!cast!out!demons!by!the!Spirit!of!God,!then!the!kingdom!of!God!has!come!upon!you.!Or!how!can!anyone!enter!the!strong!man's! house! and! carry! off! his! property,! unless! he! first! binds! the!strong!man?!And!then!he!will!plunder!his!house.!He!who!is!not!with!Me!is!against!Me;!and!he!who!does!not!gather!with!Me!scatters”!(Matt!12:28-30).!They! should! know!exactly!what!Christ!was!doing.! They!were! either!with!Him!or!against!Him.!

“Therefore! I! say! to! you,! any! sin! and! blasphemy! shall! be! forgiven!men,!but!blasphemy!against!the!Spirit!shall!not!be!forgiven.!And!whoever!shall! speak! a!word! against! the! Son! of!Man,! it! shall! be! forgiven! him;! but!whoever! shall! speak! against! the!Holy! Spirit,! it! shall! not! be! forgiven! him,!either! in! this!age,!or! in! the!age& to! come”! (Matt!12:31-32).!What! the!Lord!said!is!exactly!what!they!were!doing!(i.e.!attributing!the!works!of!God!the!

JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY(–(Summer/Fall(2016( 131!!Holy!Spirit!to!Satan).!Effectively,!they!were!accusing!Christ!of!being!demon!possessed!and!thus!being!in!league!with!Satan.!As!a!note,!one!could!not!do!this! today! in! the! same! manner! for! these! people! actually! witnessed! his!miracles! and! actually! saw! his! works.! They! could! not! deny! his! many!miracles.! The! leaders! had! to! have! an! answer! for! the! people! concerning!how!these!miracles!or!signs!could!occur.!Their!conclusion!was:!“this!man!is!associated!with!Satan.”!

Jesus! response! to! these! accusations! was:! “Either! make! the! tree!good,!and!its!fruit!good;!or!make!the!tree!bad,!and!its!fruit!bad;!for!the!tree!is!known!by! its! fruit.!You!brood!of!vipers,!how!can!you,!being!evil,! speak!what! is!good?!For! the!mouth!speaks!out!of! that!which! fills! the!heart.!The!good!man!out!of!his&good!treasure!brings!forth!what! is!good;!and!the!evil!man!out!of!his&evil!treasure!brings!forth!what!is!evil.!And!I!say!to!you,!that!every!careless!word!that!men!shall!speak,!they!shall!render!account!for!it!in! the! day! of! judgment.! For! by! your!words! you! shall! be! justified,! and! by!your!words! you! shall! be! condemned”! (Matt! 12:33-37).! Their! own!words!would!come!back!on!them,!confirming!their!condemnation.!

Herein! is! the! context! of!Matthew! 12:39.! Jesus! did! two!wonderful!miracles!by!healing!two!men,!and!the!response!was!the!accusation,!“Jesus,!you! are! demon! possessed.”! However,!with! all! the! signs! they!were! given,!they! foolishly! asked! a! simple! yet! completely! irrational! question.! “Then!some! of! the! scribes! and! Pharisees! answered! Him,! saying,! ‘Teacher,! we!want!to!see!a!sign!from!You’!(Matt!12:38).!They!really!did!not!want!a!sign!or!miracle.!They! just!wanted! to! trap!Him!once!more,!but! the! snare! failed!with! Christ’s! very! words.! They! were! approaching! Jesus! with! complete!contempt! and!hatred,! and!all! they! sought!was!his! total! destruction.!They!committed!the!blasphemy!of!the!Holy!Spirit.!The!sign!He!gives!them!does!not!speak!well!for!them.!

The!context!of!Luke!is!similar!and!possibly!identical.!“But!some!of!them!said,!‘He!casts!out!demons!by!Beelzebul,!the!ruler!of!the!demons.!And!others,! to! test!Him,! were! demanding! of! Him! a! sign! from! heaven.! But! He!knew!their!thoughts,!and!said!to!them,!any!kingdom!divided!against!itself!is! laid!waste;! and! a! house!divided& against! itself! falls.! And! if! Satan! also! is!divided! against! himself,! how! shall! his! kingdom! stand?! For! you! say! that! I!cast! out! demons!by!Beelzebul.! And! if! I! by!Beelzebul! cast! out! demons,! by!whom!do!your!sons!cast!them!out?!Consequently!they!shall!be!your!judges.!But!if!I!cast!out!demons!by!the!finger!of!God,!then!the!kingdom!of!God!has!come!upon!you’”!(Luke!11:15-20).!

Mark! spoke! of! the! Pharisees! seeking! signs! but! the! context! is!different.! “And! the! Pharisees! came! out! and! began! to! argue! with! Him,!seeking! from!Him!a! sign! from!heaven,! to! test!Him.!And!sighing!deeply! in!

132( Sign(of(Jonah!&His!spirit,!He!said,!why!does!this!generation!seek!for!a!sign?!Truly!I!say!to!you,!no!sign!shall!be!given!to!this!generation”!(Mark!8:11-12).!!

THE!SIGN!OF!THE!PROPHET!JONAH!IN!MATTHEW!AND!LUKE!!

Matthew!But! He! answered! and! said! to!them,! “An! evil! and! adulterous!generation! craves! for! a! sign;!and!yet&no! sign! shall! be! given!to!it!but!the!sign!of!Jonah!the!prophet;! for! just! as! Jonah!was! three! days! and! three!nights!in!the!belly!of!the!sea!monster,! so! shall! the! Son!of!Man!be!three!days!and!three!nights! in! the! heart! of! the!earth.! “The! men! of! Nineveh!shall! stand! up! with! this!generation! at! the! judgment,!and! shall! condemn! it! because!they!repented!at!the!preaching!of! Jonah;! and! behold,!something! greater! than! Jonah!is! here,! “The& Queen! of! the&South! shall! rise! up! with! this!generation! at! the! judgment!and! shall! condemn! it,! because!she!came!from!the!ends!of!the!earth! to! hear! the! wisdom! of!Solomon;! and! behold,!something! greater! than!Solomon!is!here.!

(Matt!12:39-42)!

Luke!And! as! the! crowds! were!increasing,! He! began! to! say,!“This! generation! is! a! wicked!generation;! it! seeks! for! a! sign,!and!yet&no!sign!shall!be!given!to!it! but! the! sign! of! Jonah.! “For!just! as! Jonah!became! a! sign! to!the!Ninevites,!so!shall!the!Son!of!Man!be!to!this!generation.!“The!Queen!of! the!South! shall! rise!up!with! the!men! of! this! generation!at! the! judgment! and! condemn!them,!because!she!came!from!the!ends! of! the! earth! to! hear! the!wisdom!of!Solomon;!and!behold,!something!greater!than!Solomon!is! here.! “The! men! of! Nineveh!shall! stand! up! with! this!generation! at! the! judgment! and!condemn! it,! because! they!repented! at! the! preaching! of!Jonah;! and! behold,! something!greater!than!Jonah!is!here.!

(Luke!11:29-32)!!

!Note!the!slight!differences!between!Matthew!and!Luke.!In!Matthew,!Christ!said,! “an! evil! and! adulterous! generation! craves! for! a! sign;”! and,! in! Luke,!“this! generation! is! a!wicked! generation;! it! seeks! for! a! sign.”! As! has! been!discussed,!Christ!had!done!many!signs,!and!He!had!been!accused!of!being!demon! possessed! or! doing! these! signs! in! the! power! of! Satan,! yet! they!asked!Him!for!another!sign.!


The!sign!being!given! that!generation! is!not!one!of!blessing,!which!can!be!understood!quite! readily!by!his!describing! that!generation!as!evil,!wicked,! and! adulterous.! He! also! made! it! very! clear! that! “the! men! of!Nineveh! shall! stand! up! with! this! generation! at! the! judgment,! and! shall!condemn! it! because! they! repented! at! the! preaching! of! Jonah.”! Jesus! also!made! it! very! clear! that! something! greater! than! Jonah! was! there.! The!implication! is! also! very! clear! that! the! first! century! generation!would! not!repent!as!Nineveh!did.!He!then!gave!them!the!sign!of!the!prophet!Jonah.!!

!• Matthew:! and! yet&no! sign! shall! be! given! to! it! but! the! sign! of!

Jonah! the! prophet;! for! just! as! Jonah! was! three! days! and!three!nights!in!the!belly!of!the!sea!monster,!so!shall!the!Son!of!Man!be! three!days! and! three!nights! in! the!heart! of! the!earth.!

!• Luke:!and!yet&no!sign!shall!be!given!to!it!but!the!sign!of!Jonah.!

For!just!as!Jonah!became!a!sign! to!the!Ninevites,!so!shall!the!Son!of!Man!be!to!this!generation..!

!Jesus!was!not!giving! them! the!gospel,! as!He!did! to!his!own!or!his!

disciples.!The!sign!of!the!prophet!Jonah!was!and!is!not!the!gospel!of!Jesus!Christ! (1! Cor! 15:1-4).! Note! from! the! previous! (the! sign! of! the! prophet!Jonah)! there! is! nothing! about! his! death,! burial,! or! resurrection! of! Jesus!Christ.!

As!the!three!days!and!three!nights!of! incarceration!in!the!heart!of!the!earth!stress! the! time!sequence,!He!was!not!saying!anything!about!his!death!and!his!resurrection.!Note!the!following!verses!and!there!are!many!more!which!stress!his!death!and!his!resurrection!on!the!third!day.!!

• “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”!(Matt!16:21).!

• “And!while! they!were!gathering! together! in!Galilee,! Jesus! said!to!them,!“The!Son!of!Man!is!going!to!be!delivered!into!the!hands!of!men;!and!they!will!kill!Him,!and!He!will!be!raised!on!the!third!day.”!And!they!were!deeply!grieved”!(Matt!17:22-23).!

• “Behold,!we!are!going!up!to!Jerusalem;!and!the!Son!of!Man!will!be! delivered! to! the! chief! priests! and! scribes,! and! they! will!condemn!Him!to!death,!and!will!deliver!Him!to!the!Gentiles!to!


mock!and!scourge!and!crucify!Him,!and!on!the!third!day!He!will!be!raised!up”!(Matt!20:18!-19).!

• “But! He!warned! them,! and! instructed! them&not! to! tell! this! to!anyone,!saying,!The!Son!of!Man!must!suffer!many!things,!and!be!rejected! by! the! elders! and! chief! priests! and! scribes,! and! be!killed,!and!be!raised!up!on!the!third!day”!(Luke!9:21-22).!!

• “Jesus!answered!and!said!to!them,!‘Destroy!this!temple,!and!in!three! days! I! will! raise! it! up.! The! Jews! therefore! said,! ‘It! took!forty-six!years! to!build! this! temple,!and!will!You!raise! it!up! in!three! days?! But! He! was! speaking! of! the! temple! of! His! body.!When! therefore! He! was! raised! from! the! dead,! His! disciples!remembered!that!He!said!this;!and!they!believed!the!Scripture,!and!the!word!which!Jesus!had!spoken”!(John!2:19-22).!

!The!sign!of! the!prophet! Jonah!includes!the!three!days!and!three!nights! in!Matthew,!where! in!Luke! Jonah!becomes! the!sign.!The!sign!of! the!prophet!Jonah! and! the! gospel! of! Jesus! Christ! are! not! identical.! One! cannot! just!assume!they!are!the!same!because!of!the!three!days!and!three!nights.!To!do!this!one!has!to!believe!Jonah!died,!but!did!he?!!

DID!JONAH!DIE?!!Many! assume! the! prophet! Jonah! died! and! was! raised! on! the! third! day.!Could! it!be! true! that! Jonah!died?!One!has! to!prove! that! the!prophet! truly!died.!When!someone!dies!in!the!Text,!the!Bible!is!very!clear!that!they!died.!The!Scriptures!leave!no!guessing!game!and!they!will!make!it!very!obvious!that! that! person! died.! One! needs! to! peruse! the! Old! Testament! (Hebrew!Text)! and! there! will! be! no! doubt! concerning! a! person’s! death,! which! is!even!clearer! if!God!put!the!person!to!death!(as!some!believe!with! Jonah).!Even!more!apparent!is!if!God!raises!someone!from!the!dead.!If!Jonah!were!raised! from! the! dead,! God!would!make! this! even!more! evident.! There! is!nothing! like! this! in! the! Text,! and! it! is! not! necessary! for! the! sign! of! the!prophet!Jonah.!

There! is! also! the! problem! of! Jonah! himself! almost! praying! for!death.!Certainly,! it!would!be!almost!cruel!to!raise!him!from!the!dead!if!he!wanted!to!die!or!was!already!dead.!He!never!wanted!to!go!to!Nineveh,!and!even!to!the!end!he!must!have!truly!hated!these!people.!!

• “Therefore!now,!O!LORD,!please!take!my!life!from!me,!for!death!is!better!to!me!than!life”!(Jon!4:3).!


• “And!it!came!about!when!the!sun!came!up!that!God!appointed!a!scorching!east!wind,!and!the!sun!beat!down!on!Jonah's!head!so!that!he!became!faint!and!begged!with!all&his!soul!to!die,!saying,!death!is!better!to!me!than!life”!(v.!8).!

• “Then!God!said!to!Jonah,!Do!you!have!good!reason!to!be!angry!about! the!plant?!And!he! said,! I!have!good! reason! to!be!angry,!even!to!death”!(v.!9).!

!Jonah!was! truly! concerned! about! the! plant,! but! not! the! people! of!

Nineveh.! Consequently,! it! seems! as! if! he! would! rather! die! than! have!compassion!upon!the!people.!God,!however,!demonstrated!his!compassion!for!the!people!by!sending!and!preserving!Jonah.!For!God!said,!“And!should!I!not!have!compassion!on!Nineveh,!the!great!city!in!which!there!are!more!than!120,000!persons!who!do!not!know!the&difference&between!their!right!and!left!hand,!as!well!as!many!animals?”!(Jon!4:11).!Jonah!had!none!of!that!compassion,!but!we!do!learn!much!from!Jonah.!God!continually!displays!his!wondrous!grace!not!only!to!Nineveh!but!also!to!the!prophet!himself.!

Would! it! not! be! better! to! understand! that! Jonah! came! close! to!death! (or! the! grave)! but! God! delivered! him! supernaturally?! “Water!encompassed!me!to!the!point!of!death.!The!great!deep!engulfed!me,!weeds!were! wrapped! around! my! head”! (Jon! 2:5).! Would! it! not! be! more!miraculous! that! Jonah! was! delivered! by! this! great! fish! and! kept! safe?!Jonah’s! deliverance!might! have! been! a! greater!miracle,! for! the! Ninevites!would! not! know! of! Jonah’s! death! and! resurrection,! but! they!would! have!known!he!was!delivered!safely!by!a!fish.21!

Some!believe!Jonah!gave!a!prayer!of!thanksgiving!from!the!fish!for!delivering! him.! “This! prayer! by! Jonah!was! not! a! plea! for! deliverance! for!there!were!no!petitions!in!it.!The!prayer!is!a!psalm!of!thanksgiving!(v.!9)!to!God! for!using! the! fish! to! save!him! from!drowning.!The!prayer!was!made!while! Jonah!was! in! the! fish’s! stomach! (v.! 1)! but! it!was!written! of! course!after!he!was!expelled! from! the! fish’s! stomach.! Sensing! that! the!great! fish!was! God’s! means! of! delivering! him,! Jonah! worshiped! God! for! His!unfathomable!mercies.! Jonah! praised! God! for! delivering! him! from! death!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!21! There! is! an! excellent! work! titled! “The! Sign! of! Jonah”! (Journal& of& the&

Evangelical&Theological&Society&23![March!1980]:!23-30)!by!Eugene!H.!Merrill.!He!drew! great! attention! to! the! fish! cult! that!was! at! Nineveh! and! this! sign! of! being!preserved! by! a! fish! confirmed! Jonah! to! them.! They! then! repented! at! the! sign! of!Jonah.!The!three!days!and!nights!preserved!in!the!fish!was!the!sign,!and!then!Jonah!became!the!sign.!

136( Sign(of(Jonah!&(cf.!Ps.!30:3)!in!a!watery!grave.”22!Again,!there!is!absolutely!no!proof!Jonah!died!in!the!water!or!in!the!fish.!Jesus!was!not!dependant!upon!Jonah!for!his!coming! death,! burial,! and! resurrection! (as! a! type! or! kind);! this! was! not!needed,!but!the!time!sequence!was!given!and!is!critical.!!The&Essential&Comparisons&of&Jonah&and&Jesus&&Jesus!made!this!very!distinct!association!as!part!of!the!sign!of!Jonah!(Matt!12:39-40).! “And!yet&no! sign! shall! be! given! to! it! but! the! sign! of! Jonah! the!prophet;!!!

• for!just!as!Jonah!was!three!days!and!three!nights!in!the!belly!of!the!sea!monster,!

• so!shall!the!Son!of!Man!be!three!days!and!three!nights!in!the!heart!of!the!earth.”!

!Note!the!sign!does!not!consist!of!the!death,!burial,!and!resurrection!but!of!a!confinement! for! three! days! and! three! nights.! The! latter! is! the! key! for!understanding! the! sign! of! the! prophet! Jonah.! The! three! days! and! three!nights!are! in! the!accusative!case! in!Greek!so! this!would!be!continuous! in!time,23!which!does!not!mean!it!has!to!be!exactly!seventy-two!hours!for!it!is!not.! As! Jonah! would! disappear! for! a! time,! he! would! reappear! just! after!three!days!and! three!nights.!The!prophet’s! reemergence! is! crucial! to! this!part!of!the!sign.!

Jesus! also! made! this! comparison! (Luke! 11:29-30).! “And! as! the!crowds! were! increasing,! He! began! to! say,! this! generation! is! a! wicked!generation;! it! seeks! for!a!sign,!and!yet&no!sign!shall!be!given! to! it!but! the!sign!of!Jonah;!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

22! John! D.! Hannah,! “Jonah,”! in! The& Bible& Knowledge& Commentary:& An&Exposition&of& the&Scriptures,!eds.! John!F.!Walvoord!and!Roy!B.!Zuck!(Wheaton,! IL:!Victor!Books,!1985)!1467.!

23!“But!He!answered!and!said!to!them,!An!evil!and!adulterous!generation!craves! for! a! sign;! and! yet& no! sign! shall! be! given! to! it! but! the! sign! of! Jonah! the!prophet;! for! just!as! Jonah!was!three!days!and!three!nights! in!the!belly!of! the!sea!monster,!so!shall!the!Son!of!Man!be!three!days!and!three!nights!in!the!heart!of!the!earth”! (Matt! 12:39-40,! emphasis! added).! ὁ! δὲ! ἀποκριθεὶς! εἶπεν! αὐτοῖς·! γενεὰ!πονηρὰ! καὶ! μοιχαλὶς! σημεῖον! ἐπιζητεῖ,! καὶ! σημεῖον! οὐ! δοθήσεται! αὐτῇ! εἰ! μὴ! τὸ !σημεῖον!Ἰωνᾶ !τοῦ !προφήτου.!!ὥσπερ!γὰρ!ἦν!Ἰωνᾶς!ἐν!τῇ!κοιλίᾳ!τοῦ!κήτους!τρεῖς!ἡμέρας!καὶ !τρεῖς!νύκτας,!οὕτως!ἔσται!ὁ!υἱὸς!τοῦ!ἀνθρώπου!ἐν!τῇ!καρδίᾳ!τῆς!γῆς!τρεῖς!ἡμέρας!καὶ !τρεῖς!νύκτας.!


• for!just!as!Jonah!became!a!sign!to!the!Ninevites,!• so!shall!the!Son!of!Man!be!to!this!generation.”!

!Consequently,! the! “signs”! have! to! be! put! together! for! it! was! shown! that!both!context!are!about!identical!for!this!sign!to!be!given.!The!first!century!generation!had!effectively!committed!the!blasphemy!of!the!Holy!Spirit,!and!they! wanted! a! further! sign! from! Jesus! to! confirm! He! was! from! God.!Nevertheless,!this!sign!is!exactly!that,!but!not!for!blessing!but!for!a!proof!of!their!condemnation.!!

• For!just!as!Jonah!was!three!days!and!three!nights!in!the!belly!of!the!sea!monster,!

• so!shall!the!Son!of!Man!be!three!days!and!three!nights!in!the!heart!of!the!earth.!

• For!just!as!Jonah!became!a!sign!to!the!Ninevites,!• so!shall!the!Son!of!Man!be!to!this!generation.!

!Just!after!the!three!days!and!three!nights,!Jonah!himself!became!a!

sign! to! the!Ninevites.! They! recognized! Jonah!was! sent! from! a! powerful!God! and! the! true! God.! They! believed! Jonah! and! his! message! and! they!repented.! In! a! similar! and! contrasting! manner,! Jesus! would! reappear!from! the! grave! and! would! become! “the! sign”! as! Jonah! had! been! to!Nineveh.!However,!they!repented!at!the!sign!of!Jonah.!The!generation!to!whom!Jesus!spoke!did!not.!This!sign!secured!their!condemnation.!!

Then! some! of! the! scribes! and! Pharisees! answered! Him,! saying,!“Teacher,!we!want! to! see! a! sign! from! You.! But! He! answered! and!said! to! them,!An!evil! and!adulterous!generation!craves! for!a! sign;!and! yet& no! sign! shall! be! given! to! it! but! the! sign! of! Jonah! the!prophet;! for! just!as! Jonah!was! three!days!and! three!nights! in! the!belly!of!the!sea!monster,!so!shall!the!Son!of!Man!be!three!days!and!three!nights! in! the!heart!of! the!earth.!The!men!of!Nineveh!shall!stand! up! with! this! generation! at! the! judgment,! and! shall!condemn! it!because! they! repented!at! the!preaching!of! Jonah;!and!behold,!something!greater!than!Jonah!is!here”!(Matt!12:38-41).!

!And! as! the! crowds! were! increasing,! He! began! to! say,! “This!generation! is! a!wicked! generation;! it! seeks! for! a! sign,! and! yet&no!sign! shall! be! given! to! it! but! the! sign! of! Jonah.! For! just! as! Jonah!became!a! sign! to! the!Ninevites,! so! shall! the!Son!of!Man!be! to!this!generation.!The!Queen!of!the!South!shall!rise!up!with!the!men! of! this! generation! at! the! judgment! and! condemn! them,!


because!she!came!from!the!ends!of!the!earth!to!hear!the!wisdom!of!Solomon;!and!behold,!something!greater!than!Solomon!is!here.!The!men! of! Nineveh! shall! stand! up! with! this! generation! at! the!judgment! and! condemn! it,! because! they! repented! at! the!preaching!of!Jonah;!and!behold,!something!greater!than!Jonah!is!here”!(Luke!11:29-32).!!

! As!a!final!note,!Matthew!12:41!and!Luke!11:32!are!identical!in!the!Greek!New!Testament.!The!translations!may!not!be!the!same!but!the!original!is.!!

“The! men! of! Nineveh! shall! stand! up! with! this! generation! at! the!judgment,! and! shall! condemn! it! because! they! repented! at! the!preaching! of! Jonah;! and! behold,! something! greater! than! Jonah! is!here”!(Matt!12:41).!!“The! men! of! Nineveh! shall! stand! up! with! this! generation! at! the!judgment!and!condemn!it,!because!they!repented!at!the!preaching!of!Jonah;!and!behold,!something!greater!than!Jonah!is!here”!(Luke!11:32).!!ἄνδρες! Νινευῖται! ἀναστήσονται! ἐν! τῇ! κρίσει! μετὰ! τῆς! γενεᾶς!ταύτης! καὶ! κατακρινοῦσιν! αὐτήν,! ὅτι! μετενόησαν! εἰς! τὸ!κήρυγμα!Ἰωνᾶ,!καὶ!ἰδοὺ!πλεῖον!Ἰωνᾶ!ὧδε!(Matt!12:41).!!ἄνδρες! Νινευῖται! ἀναστήσονται! ἐν! τῇ! κρίσει! μετὰ! τῆς! γενεᾶς!ταύτης! καὶ! κατακρινοῦσιν! αὐτήν·! ὅτι! μετενόησαν! εἰς! τὸ!κήρυγμα!Ἰωνᾶ,!καὶ!ἰδοὺ!πλεῖον!Ἰωνᾶ!ὧδε!(Luke!11:32).!

!CONCLUSION!

!Even!with!all!the!sign!miracles!Jesus!presented!to!the!nation,!they!repented!not!or!simply!did!not!believe!Him.!Did!Jesus!give!them!a!final!sign!to!prove!He!was!of!God?!He!surely!did.!The!final!sign!of!the!prophet!Jonah,!that! is,!his!reappearance!after!three!days!and!three!nights!not!only!fully!confirmed!Him,!but!also!this!sign!guaranteed!their!eternal!condemnation.!

By!not!believing,!one! is! finally!saying!he!or!she!does!not! trust! the!Lord!or!his!Word.!God!calls!upon!all!men!to!believe!in!Jesus!for!He!died!for!all!men.!All!one!has!to!do!is!believe.!Nothing!is!added!to!faith!because!one!is! saved!only!by!his! grace,! and! faith! is! the! conduit! for! receiving! this! free!gift.!Faith! is! simply! taking!God!at!his!Word.!Without!his!Word,! faith!does!not!exist!!


The!gospel!consists!of!two!essentials!and!both!concern!exclusively!the!Person!and!work!of!Christ.!One!must!believe!Jesus!is!the!eternal!Son!of!God!for!He!is!the!One!who!died!for!sinners!and!was!raised!on!the!third!day!according!to! the!Scriptures!(1!Cor!15:1-4).!The!good!news!of! Jesus!Christ!concerning!eternal! life! is!all!about!Him.!A!believer!makes!no!promises!or!commitments!for!this!would!be!of!the!flesh!and!is!a!false!gospel.!Eternal!life!is!a!free!gift!provided!by!the!Infinite!to!the!finite.!Anything!man!can!do!for!eternal! life! is!abysmally! finite!and!sinful,!even!promises!or!commitments.!Salvation! is! a! completely! free! gift.! If! it! is! not! free! but! laden! with!commitments,! promises,! prayer,! –! literally! anything! but! belief! (which! is!trust)!–!it!is!simply!a!false!gospel.!

The!gospel! is!only!about!Christ! Jesus!and!his! finished!work!at! the!cross;! it! is! his! literal! blood! which! accurately! makes! genuine! atonement,!and!nothing!else!!Scripture!is!very!clear!concerning!this.!Anything!added!to!who! He! is! and! what! He! did! is! a! false! gospel.! The! gospel! of! salvation!includes!only!the!following:!!

one!simply!believes!or!trusts!• who!the!Lord!Jesus!is!

and&

• what!He!did.!!

Salvation! is! completely! a! free! gift.! One! does! nothing! but! believe.!Anything! else! is! a! false! gospel.! “Many! other! signs! therefore! Jesus! also!performed! in! the! presence! of! the! disciples,!which! are! not!written! in! this!book;! but! these!have!been!written! that! you!may!believe! that! Jesus! is! the!Christ,! the!Son!of!God;!and! that!believing!you!may!have! life! in!His!name”!(John!20:30-31).!

The!only!way!one!can!know& for& certain! that!he!or! she!has!eternal!life! is!that!one!has!believed!what!has!been!written!concerning!the!Person!of! the!Son!of!God.! “These! things! I!have!written! to!you!who!believe! in! the!name!of!the!Son!of!God,!in!order!that!you!may!know!that!you!have!eternal!life”! (1! John! 5:13).! The!message! is! so! easy! anyone! can! believe! by! taking!God!at!his!Word!and!believing!all!is!true!about!his!Word!and!his!Son.24!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!24! All! signs,!miracles,! and!wonders!were! proving!who!He! is,! that! is,! the!

eternal!Son!of!God.!Scripture!is!very!clear!that!He!is!the!eternal!Son,!and!to!deny!this!is!to!deny!who!He!is.!One!cannot!be!a!believer!and!deny!the!eternal!Sonship.!

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JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY(–(Summer/Fall(2016( 143!!!

THE*DISTINCTIVE*SONSHIP*SOTERIOLOGY*OF*JESUS*IN*THE*FOURTH*GOSPEL,*PART*I*

*Don*Trest*

!John,!more! so! than!Matthew,!Mark,! and!Luke,! highlighted! the! correlation!between! believing! in! the! Son! and! receiving! eternal! life! from! the! Son.!Believing!in!the!Son!to!receive!eternal!life!from!the!Son!is!the!soteriological!center! in! the! Fourth! Gospel,! but! not! so! in! the! Synoptic! Gospels.! Jesus!proclaimed! to!his!audiences! (in! John’s!Gospel),! “For! this! is! the!will!of!my!Father,! that! everyone! who! looks! on! the! Son! and! believes! in! him! should!have! eternal! life,! and! I!will! raise! him!up! on! the! last! day”! (6:40).1! “Truly,!truly,! I!say!to!you,!whoever!believes!has!eternal! life”!(v.!47).!The!Sonship!depositions!reported!by!John!in!the!Fourth!Gospel!establish!Sonship!as!the!requisite! element! in! the!messianic! claim!of! Jesus! to! Israel! and! constitute!the!soteriological!underpinning!for!the!gospel!in!the!church!age.!

Martha!(in!her!John!11:25-27!confession!of!faith)!encapsulated!the!response!Jesus!required!of!the!Jewish!leadership!and!the!Jewish!people!to!his! messianic! ministry,! and! consequently! to! people! everywhere!throughout!the!world!in!the!church!age.!Jesus!made!a!twofold!statement!to!Martha!and!gave!two! implications.!He! then!asked!Martha!to!believe!what!He! had! said! to! her.! Jesus! said! to!Martha,! “I! am! the!Resurrection! and! the!Life;”!the!implications:!1)!the!one!who!believes!in!Jesus,!though!he!may!die!physically,!he!shall! live!—!bodily!resurrection!from!the!dead!in!the!age!to!come;!and,!2)!the!one!who!physically!lives!and!believes!in!Jesus!shall!never!die! —! eternal! life! in! this! age! and! forever.! In! her! response,! Martha!confessed! to! Jesus,! “Yes,!Lord;! I!believe! that!you!are! the!Christ! (Messiah)![in!redemptive!relationship!to!Israel!and!mankind!as!the!Savior],!the!Son!of!God![in!essential! relationship! to!God!as! the!eternal!Son!having! the!divine!prerogative! of! resurrection! and! life],! who! is! [the! One]! coming! into! the!world! [sent! by! the! Father! into! the! world! in! fulfillment! of! the! divine!promises! as! recorded! in! the! Bible! and! validated! in! the! actual! life! and!ministry! of! Jesus].”! In! John,! the! redemptive! value! of! Christ’s! death! and!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*" Don" Trest," M.B.S.," D.Min.," professor" of" Bible" &" theology," Tyndale" Theological"Seminary"and"Biblical"Institute"(

1! Unless! otherwise! noted,! all! Scripture! references! are! from! the! English!Standard!Version.!

144( Sonship(Soteriology!&resurrection! is! in!proportion! to! the! relationship!of! the!Son! to! the!Father.!Therefore,!belief! in!Jesus!—!the!Christ,! the!Son!of!God,!sent!by!the!Father!into!the!world!—!is!the!essential!soteriological!content!revealed!in!John.!!

THE(SONSHIP(SOTERIOLOGY(OF(JESUS(!Theologians! of! all! persuasions! observe! the! remarkable! Christological!disposition! of! the! Fourth! Gospel.! Andrew! Lincoln! conveyed! the! popular!sentiment! regarding! the! distinctive! presentation! of! Jesus’! Person! in! John!over!that!contained!in!the!Synoptic!Gospels:!“The!greatest!differences!are!to!be!found!in!the!Fourth!Gospel’s!portrayal!of!Jesus!.! .! .!where!there!is!an!explicit! and! full! development! of! his! sonship! in! relation! to! the! Father.”2!Andreas! Köstenberger! further! noted,! “John! is!more! overtly! interested! in!the! theological! underpinnings! of! Jesus’s! person! and! work! than! are! the!Synoptics.”3!Merrill! C.! Tenney! likewise! contended,! “The!Gospel! of! John! is!predominantly!theological.!Although!all!four!Gospels!present!the!person!of!Jesus!from!a!theological!viewpoint,!John!emphasizes!it!most!strongly.”4!

The!Fourth!Gospel’s!distinctive!Christological!perspective!is!based!in!the!Sonship!proclamations!reported!exclusively!by!the!author!of!John!in!the!text!of!the!Fourth!Gospel.!Two!essential!aspects!of!the!Sonship!of!Jesus!are!presented!in!the!Fourth!Gospel:!!

1) The! Son! exists! in! eternal! affiliation! to! the! Father! (1:1-4,! 18;!17:5)! as! the! Son! of! God! (1:34,! 49;! 3:18;! 5:25;! 11:4,! 27;! 19:7;!20:31)!who!was!sent!from!the!Father!into!the!world!(5:36-38;!6:38-39;! 7:33;! 8:26-29;! 11:42)! “to! accomplish! his! [Father’s]!work”!(4:34);!

2) The! Son! entered! redemptive! relationship! to! mankind! as! the!Son!of!Man!(1:51;!3:13-14;!5:27;!6:27;!8:28;!9:35;!12:23;!13:31)!through!the!incarnation!(1:14,!34,!35),!which!was!subsequently!validated!in!the!Lord’s!death!and!resurrection!(2:19-22;!11:25-

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!2! Andrew! T.! Lincoln,! The& Gospel& According& to& Saint& John! (London:!

Continuum,!2005)!27.!3! Andreas! J.! Köstenberger,! Encountering& John:& The& Gospel& in& Historical,&

Literary,& and& Theological& Perspective,! 2nd! ed.,! ed.! Walter! A.! Elwell! (1999;! Grand!Rapids:!Baker,!2013)!23.!

4! Merrill! C.! Tenney,! “The! Gospel! of! John,”! in! The& Expositor’s& Bible&Commentary,! gen.! ed.! Frank! E.! Gaebelein,! 12! vols.! (Grand! Rapids:! Zondervan,!1976-84)!9:17.!


27;!20:24-29)!as! “the!Lamb!of!God!who! takes!away! the! sin!of!the!world”!(1:29).(

(According! to! John,! the! Father! sent! the! Son! into! the! world! to!

accomplish! the! work(s)! the! Father! gave! Him! to! do.! Once! the! Son! had!finished! the!work(s),!He!returned! to! the!Father! in!heaven.! Jesus!affirmed!that!his! “works”!established!Him!as! the!Son! in!eternal!relationship! to! the!Father:! “But! the! testimony! that! I! have! is! greater! than! that! of! John! [the!Baptist].! For! the! works! that! the! Father! has! given!me! to! accomplish,! the!very!works!that!I!am!doing,!bear!witness!about!me!that!the!Father!has!sent!me”!(5:36).!

Jesus! charged! his! Jewish! listeners! to! believe! that!He!was! the! Son!sent! from! the!Father:! “If!God!were!your!Father,! you!would! love!me,! for! I!came! from!God!and! I!am!here.! I! came!not!of!my!own!accord,!but!he!sent!me”!(7:28).!“If!I!am!not!doing!the!works!of!my!Father,!then!do!not!believe!me;!but!if!I!do!them,!even!though!you!do!not!believe!me,!believe!the!works,!that!you!may!know!and!understand!that!the!Father!is!in!me!and!I!am!in!the!Father”!(10:37-38).! Jesus! further!charged!his!disciples:! “Believe!me!that! I!am!in!the!Father!and!the!Father!is!in!me,!or!else!believe!on!account!of!the!works!themselves”!(14:11).!Thus,!the!one!who!believes!in!Jesus!as!the!One!sent!from!the!Father!to!do!the!work(s)!of!the!Father!and!who!returned!to!the!Father!once!the!work(s)!was!completed!is!given!eternal!life!by!the!Son.!“Father! .! .! .! you!have! given!him! [the! Son]! authority! over! all! flesh,! to! give!eternal! life! to! all!whom!you! have! given! him.!And! this! is! eternal! life,! that!they!know!you! the!only! true!God,! and! Jesus!Christ!whom!you!have! sent”!(17:1-3).!!

THE(LIMITED(SYNOPTIC(SONSHIP(AFFIRMATIONS!!All! Four! Gospels! show! that! the! assertion! of! Sonship! was! the! supposed!crime! for! which! Jesus! was! tried! and! sentenced! to! death.! However,! John!was!the!only!gospel!writer!to!actually!report!on!the!Sonship!discourses!of!Jesus! as! delivered! in! Jerusalem.! Luke! reported! that! the! Jewish! council!indicted!Jesus!on!the!charge!that!He!claimed!to!be!the!Son!of!God.!“So!they!all!said,!“Are!you!the!Son!of!God,!then?”!And!he!said!to!them,!“You!say!that!I!am.”!Then!they!said,!“What!further!testimony!do!we!need?!We!have!heard!it!ourselves!from!his!own!lips”!(Luke!22:70,!71).!

Matthew!wrote!that!the!high!priest!of!Israel!enunciated!the!official!charge!at! the! trial!of! Jesus,! reminiscent!of! the!confession!of!Martha!(John!11:25-27)!and!the!purpose!John!gave!for!his!Gospel!(20:30-31),!!

146( Sonship(Soteriology!&

And!the!high!priest!said!to!him,!“I!adjure!you!by!the!living!God,!tell!us! if! you! are! the! Christ,! the! Son! of! God.”! Jesus! said! to! him,! “You!have!said!so.!But!I!tell!you,!from!now!on!you!will!see!the!Son!of!Man!seated! at! the! right! hand! of! Power! and! coming! on! the! clouds! of!heaven”! Then! the! high! priest! tore! his! robes! and! said,! “He! has!uttered!blasphemy.!What!further!witnesses!do!we!need?!You!have!now! heard! his! blasphemy.! What! is! your! judgment?”! They!answered,!“He!deserves!death”!(Matt!26:63-66).!

!At!the!crucifixion,!“those!who!passed!by!derided!him.!.!.!.!If!you!are!

the!Son!of!God,!come!down!from!the!cross”!(Matt!27:39-40).!Following!the!death!of!Jesus,!“When!the!centurion!and!those!who!were!with!him,!keeping!watch!over!Jesus,!saw!the!earthquake!and!what!occurred,!they!were!filled!with!awe!and!said,!“Truly!this!was!the!Son!of!God!”!(v.!54).!Apart!from!the!Sonship! accusations! at! the! trial! and! crucifixion! of! Jesus,! the! Synoptic!Gospels!are!relatively!silent! in!regards!to!the!unique!relationship!of! Jesus!to!the!Father!as!the!Son!of!God,!which!is!emphasized!by!John!in!the!Fourth!Gospel.!!

THE(BIYDIRECTIONAL(MESSIANIC(MISSION(OF(JESUS(TO(ISRAEL(!The! storyline! and! theological! ideas! in! the!Gospel! attributed! to! John! read!quite!differently!from!those!ascribed!to!Matthew,!Mark,!and!Luke.!Whereas!the! three! Synoptic! Gospels! are! similar! in! their! accounts! of! the! life! and!ministry!of!Jesus,!the!Fourth!Gospel!is!dissimilar!—!as!much!as!ninety-two!percent!of!the!material!in!John!is!not!duplicated!in!the!Synoptics.5!Paul!N.!Anderson! considers! this! a! “great! and! puzzling! fact! of! biblical! studies! .! .! .!that! John! is! very& different! from! the! Synoptics.”6! Issues! in! the! historicity,!composition,! and! theology! of! John! typically! revolve! around! questions! of!why!the!Jesus!in!the!Fourth!Gospel!appears!divergent!from!the!Jesus!in!the!Synoptic!Gospels!—!in!particular,!the!Jesus!that!saves.!

The! stories! reported! by! John! are! set! principally! in! and! around!Jerusalem!over!a!period!of! several! visits! covering! three!or!more!years! in!the! ministry! of! Jesus.! Blomberg! observed,! “John! actually! contains!more&details& of& time& and& place! in! the! course! of! Jesus’! ministry! than! do! the!Synoptics.! It! is! only! from! John! that!we! are! able! to! determine! that! Jesus’!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!5!Köstenberger,!Encountering&John,!553–54.!6! Paul! N.! Anderson,! “Why! This! Study! Is! Needed,! and!Why! It! Is! Needed!

Now,”! in! John,& Jesus,& and&History,& Vol.& 1:& Critical& Appraisals& of& Critical&Views,! eds.!Paul! N.! Anderson,! Felix! Just,! and! Tom! Hatcher! (Atlanta:! Society! of! Biblical!Literature,!2007)!16.&

JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY(–(Summer/Fall(2016( 147!!ministry! spanned! approximately! a! three-year! period.”7! The! stories!highlight! aspects! of! the! messianic! ministry! of! Jesus,! and! are! directed!principally! to! the! Jewish! leadership! who! assembled! in! Jerusalem! during!the!Passover!and!other!prescribed!times.!

The!Fourth!Gospel’s!dissimilarity!to!the!Synoptic!Gospels!is!due,!in!part,!to!the!bi-directional!messianic!mission!of!Jesus!to!Israel.!!

1. The!Fourth!Gospel!accentuated!the!initial!presentation!of!Jesus’!messianic! claim! to! the! Jerusalem! leadership! and! the!supervening! refusal! of! the! leadership! to! certify! Jesus! as! the!promised!Messiah! in! the! first! and! third! periods.! The! focus! in!John! is! the! Sonship! depositions! of! Jesus! in! Jerusalem.! The!Fourth! Gospel’s! distinctive! soteriological! perspective! is! based!in!Jesus’!Sonship!proclamations!reported!by!the!author!of!John!in!the!text!of!the!Fourth!Gospel.!The!Sonship!assertions!further!substantiated!Jesus’!messianic!claim!to!the!Jewish!leadership.!

2. The! Synoptic! penmen! documented! the! subsequent!presentation! of! Jesus’! messianic! credentials! to! the! people! of!Israel! located! throughout! the! territories! of! Israel! (Galilee,!Judea,! Decapolis,! Perea,! Phoenicia)! in! the! second! and! third!periods,! upon! the! refusal! of! the! Jewish! leadership! to! endorse!Him! as! the! Messiah.! Matthew,! Mark,! and! Luke! reported!samplings! from! the! teachings,! miracles,! parables,! and! other!aspects! of! Jesus’! ministry,! undertaken! principally! in! Israel’s!territories! to! certify! Jesus’! messianic! credentials! to! future!generations!in!Israel!and!in!the!church.!

!Whereas! John! emphasized! the! Sonship! declarations! of! Jesus!

presented!before!the!Jewish!leadership!in!Jerusalem!(in!the!first!and!third!periods!in!the!messianic!ministry!of!Jesus!to!Israel),!the!Synoptic!penmen!registered! the!messianic! credentials!of! Jesus!presented!before! the!people!of! Israel! in! the!public! forum!of! the! territories!of! Israel! in! the! second!and!third! periods.! The! Synoptic! Gospels! bypassed! the! Johannine! Sonship!declarations! given! by! Jesus! to! the! Jewish! leadership! in! Jerusalem.! John!likewise! ignored! the! ministry! of! Jesus! undertaken! in! the! territories! of!Israel!reported!by!the!Synoptic!penmen.!Although!the!Synoptic!writers!do!not!report!the!same!Johannine!Sonship!discourses!of!Jesus!or!any!Sonship!discourse!of!Jesus,!they!do!concur!with!John!that!the!Sonship!assertion!of!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!7! Craig! L.! Blomberg,! Jesus& and& the& Gospels! (Nashville:! B&H! Publishing,!

2009)!182.!

148( Sonship(Soteriology!&Jesus!was! the! necessary! component! in! the!messianic! claim! presented! to!Israel!by!Jesus.!!The!Messianic!Claim!of!Jesus!Disallowed!by!the!Jewish!Leadership!in!Jerusalem!&The! focus! in! John! is! the! Sonship! pronouncements! posted! by! Jesus! in!Jerusalem!in!the!first!and!third!periods!of!his!messianic!ministry!to!Israel.!The! priests! and! the! elders,! along! with! their! agents! (the! scribes! and!Pharisees),! represented! the!official! leadership! that! acted!on!behalf! of! the!Jewish! nation! before! God.! The! Jewish! leadership! had! the! authority! and!responsibility! under! the! Mosaic! system! to! decide! the! merit! of! Jesus’!messianic! claim.! Instead! of! endorsing! Jesus! as! the!Messiah! of! the! Jewish!nation,! Israel’s! leaders! contested! Jesus’! messianic! assertions! and!eventually! sentenced!Him! to! death.! During! the! Jerusalem! visits! recorded!by!John,! the!religious!authorities,! time!and!again,!refused!to!acknowledge!and! validate! Jesus! as! the! Messiah! of! Israel.! The! running! battle! with! the!“Jews”! was! the! backdrop! for! the! Sonship! assertions! reported! by! John.!John’s!interest!was!in!documenting!the!continued!defiance!of!the!Jerusalem!leadership!to!the!messianic!claim!of!Jesus.!

The! Synoptic! writers,! on! the! other! hand,! reported! the! messianic!credentials! presented! by! Jesus! in! the! public! campaign! to! the! people! of!Israel! in! the! territories! of! Israel! in! the! second! and! third! periods! in! the!messianic! ministry! of! Jesus! to! Israel.! Consequent! to! the! refusal! of! the!Jewish! leadership! to! endorse! the!messianic! claim!of! Jesus,! Jesus! took! his!messianic!campaign!“on!the!road”!to!the!people!of!Israel!in!the!territories!of! Israel! to! document! his! messianic! credentials! as! a! matter! of! public!record.!The!unfavorable!response!by!the!Jewish!leadership!in!Jerusalem,!as!reported! by! John,! necessitated! the! very! public! messianic! presentation!undertaken!in!Galilee!in!the!Synoptic!Gospels.!!The!Messianic!Credentials!of!Jesus!Displayed!in!the!Territories!of!Israel!!The!miracles,!parables,!and! teachings!of! Jesus!catalogued!by! the!Synoptic!writers! tended! to! certify! the!messianic! authority! of! Jesus! as! the! rightful!claimant!to!the!throne!of!David!in!accord!with!the!covenant!promises!and!prophecies!given!to!Israel.!The!Synoptic!Gospels!essentially!preserved!for!future! generations! in! Israel! and! in! the! church! a! record! of! the!messianic!credentials! of! Jesus! presented! before! the! people! of! Israel.! The!messianic!credentials! reported! by! the! Synoptic! penmen! affirm! the! messianic!

JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY(–(Summer/Fall(2016( 149!!authority!of!Jesus!as!the!Son!of!David!to!future!generations!in!accord!with!the!messianic!expectation!of!the!prophets!of!Israel.!

John!acknowledged!that!much!more!could!have!been!written!about!the!life!and!times!of!Jesus!the!Messiah,!but!intentionally!limited!the!scope!of!the!material!he!included!in!his!Gospel.!John!stated,!“Now!there!are!also!many!other!things!that!Jesus!did.!Were!every!one!of!them!to!be!written,!I!suppose! that! the!world! itself! could! not! contain! the! books! that!would! be!written”! (John! 21:25).! To! this! end,! John! deliberately! selected! episodes!from!the! life!of! Jesus! that!best! represented! the!exalted!Christology!of! the!Person! of! Christ! in! relation! to! eternal! life.!Whereas! the! Synoptic!writers!focused! on! preserving! the! apostolic!witness! to! the!messianic! credentials!presented!by!Jesus!in!the!public!forum!of!the!territories!of!Israel,!John!gave!the!Sonship!declarations!of!Jesus!delivered!in!Jerusalem!and!explained!the!“whole!world”!soteriological!implications!of!the!Sonship!of!Jesus.!!

“THE(RESURRECTION”(AND(“THE(LIFE”(IRREGULARITIES(

“Resurrection”! and! “life”! represent! companion! ideas! in! the! soteriology!of!John.! Jesus! told!Martha,! “I! am! the! resurrection! and! the! life”! (ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή).!Whoever! believes! in!me,! though! he! die,! yet! shall! he! live,! and!everyone!who!lives!and!believes!in!me!shall!never!die”!(John!11:25-26).!He!then! asked!Martha,! “Do! you! believe! this?”! (v.! 26).! Martha! responded! by!professing,!“Yes,!Lord;!I!believe!that!you!are!the!Christ,!the!Son!of!God,!who!is! coming! into! the!world”! (v.! 27).! Jesus! then! raised! her! brother! Lazarus!from!the!dead!to!substantiate!that!claim!(vv.!38-44).!!“The!Resurrection”!(Ἡ!Ἀνάστασις)!Johannine!Amplification!*Jesus!revealed!more!about!resurrection!in!the!Fourth!Gospel!than!he!did!in!the!Synoptic!Gospels,!as!shown!in!the!three!resurrection!vignettes!in!John!5:16-29,! 6:35-51,! and! 11:23-27.! The! point! made! in! these! three!resurrection! discourses! is! that! the! Son! shares! equally! with! the! Father!(Sonship)! the! divine! prerogatives! of! resurrection! (ἀνάστασις)! and! life!(ζωή).!“For!as!the!Father!raises!the!dead!and!gives!them!life,!so!also!the!Son!gives!life!to!whom!he!will.!.!.!.!For!as!the!Father!has!life!in!himself,!so!he!has!granted!the!Son!also!to!have!life!in!himself”!(5:21,!26).!

According!to!John,!there!can!be!no!resurrection!apart!from!the!Son.!The! Son! will! raise! from! the! grave! the! dead! bodies! of! those! who! have!believed!in!Him.!Jesus!said,!“For!this!is!the!will!of!my!Father,!that!everyone!who! looks! on! the! Son! and!believes! in! him! should!have! eternal! life,! and! I!will!raise!him!up!on!the! last!day”!(6:40).! In! the!soteriology!of! John,! those!

150( Sonship(Soteriology!&believing!in!the!Son!have!the!expectation!that!Jesus!will!one!day!raise!their!bodies!from!the!dead.!!The!Resurrection!(Ἡ!Ἀνάστασις)!Synoptic!Limitation!*The!Synoptic!Gospels!affirm!an!eschatological!resurrection!in!accord!with!the!teachings!of!the!Old!Testament!prophets,!especially!the!resurrection!of!faithful! Jews! in! Israel,! but! do! not! identify! Jesus! as! the! One! who! will!resurrect! from!the!dead!those!believing! in!Him,!as!did!John.!For!example,!when!invited!to!the!“house!of!a!ruler!of!the!Pharisees”!(Luke!14:1)!to!dine!on! a! Sabbath!day,! Jesus! “told! a! parable”! (v.! 7)!wherein!He! advised! those!present,!“But!when!you!give!a!feast,!invite!the!poor,!the!crippled,!the!lame,!the!blind,!and!you!will!be!blessed,!because!they!cannot!repay!you.!For!you!will! be! repaid! at! the! resurrection! (ἡ ἀνάστασις)! of! the! just”! (v.! 14).! The!emphasis! in! the! parable! is! reimbursement! in! the! afterlife! for! charitable!deeds!done!for!the!poor!and!needy.!

Resurrection! (ἀνάστασις),! with! and! without! the! article,! appears!only!twelve!times!in!the!Synoptic!Gospels.!Ten!of!those!appear!in!reference!to! a! question!posed! to! Jesus!by! the! Sadducees! about! the!plausibility! of! a!future,! eschalatological! resurrection! (Matt! 22:23,! 28,! 30,! 31;!Mark!12:18,!23;!Luke!20:27,!33,!35,!36).!!

The! same! day! Sadducees! came! to! him,! who! say! that! there! is! no!resurrection,! and! they! asked! him! a! question.! .! .! .! And! as! for! the!resurrection!of! the!dead,!have!you!not! read!what!was!said! to!you!by!God:!‘I!am!the!God!of!Abraham,!and!the!God!of!Isaac,!and!the!God!of!Jacob’?!He!is!not!God!of!the!dead,!but!of!the!living.”!And!when!the!crowd!heard! it,! they!were!astonished!at!his! teaching! (Matt!22:23,!31-33).!

!The! other! two! Synoptic! resurrection! references! also! say! nothing!

about!the!Son!giving!eternal!life!to!those!who!believe!in!Him,!nor!show!that!the! Son! in! conjunction! with! the! Father! raises! the! dead.! The! Luke! 14:14!reference,!mentioned! previously,! addresses! a! future! remuneration! at! the!time!of!the!resurrection!for!good!deeds!done!to!poor!people:!“and!you!will!be!blessed,! because! they! cannot! repay! you.! For! you!will! be! repaid! at! the!resurrection! of! the! just”! (Luke! 14:14).! The! other! reference! in! Matthew!27:53! refers! to! those!who!were! resurrected! at! the! time!of! the!death! and!resurrection!of! Jesus:!“and!coming!out!of!the!tombs!after!his!resurrection!they!went!into!the!holy!city!and!appeared!to!many.”!The!Synoptic!penmen!tell! of! the! resurrection! of! Christ,! the! healing! of! sick! people! (including!raising! recently! deceased! individuals! from! the! dead),! and! the! future!

JOURNAL(OF(DISPENSATIONAL(THEOLOGY(–(Summer/Fall(2016( 151!!(eschatological)!resurrection!when!all!people!will!be!raised,!but!are!silent!in! regards! to! the!shared!relationship!of! the!Son!and! the!Father! in! raising!from! the! dead! those! who! believe! in! the! Son,! as! described! in! the! Fourth!Gospel.!!The!Synoptic!“Eternal!Life”!(ζωὴν!αἰώνιον)!Anomaly!!The! Synoptic! authors! essentially! bypassed! the! Johannine! “eternal! life”!(ζωὴν αἰώνιον)!and!“[the]! life”! (ἡ ζωή)!sayings!of! Jesus!with! the!emphasis!John!placed!upon!believing!in!the!Son!to!receive!eternal!life!from!the!Son.!Jesus! proclaimed! to! His! audiences,! “Truly,! truly,! I! say! to! you,! whoever!believes! [in! the! Son]! has! eternal! life! (ζωὴν αἰώνιον)”! (John! 6:47).! Jesus!professed!to!His!disciples!in!His!John!17!prayer!that!the!Father!had!“given!him![the!Son]!authority!over!all!flesh,!to!give!eternal!life!(ζωὴν αἰώνιον)!to!all!whom!you!have!given!him”!(John!17:2).!Believing!in!the!Son!to!receive!eternal!life!from!Him!is!the!soteriological!center!in!John,!but!not!so!in!the!Synoptic!Gospels.!!

Whereas!John!showed!in!his!writings!that!ἡ ζωή!(the!life)!resides!in!the!Person!of!Jesus!as!an!essential!aspect!of!the!unique!relationship!of!the!Son! to! the! Father,! the! Synoptic! writers! merely! emphasized! how! deeds!done! in! this! life,! good! or! bad,! affect! the! quality! of! the! afterlife! to! come,!particularly! in! relation! to! Mosaic! Law! observance.! “And! if! your! hand! or!your!foot!causes!you!to!sin,!cut!it!off!and!throw!it!away.!It!is!better!for!you!to!enter!life!crippled!or!lame!than!with!two!hands!or!two!feet!to!be!thrown!into!the!eternal!fire”!(Matt!18:8).!

Matthew!reported! three! “eternal! life”! (ζωὴν αἰώνιον)! sayings! from!the!ministry!of!Jesus!(Matt!19:16-23;!19:28-30;!25:41-46).!Mark!essentially!repreated! the! Matthew! 19:16-23! saying! in! 10:17-23;! in! addition! to! the!Matthew! 19:28-30! saying! in! 10:28-31.! Luke! posted! three! “eternal! life”!(ζωὴν αἰώνιον)! passages! in! his! gospel.! Two! are! questions! about! how! to!obtain!eternal!life,!on

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