Jesus patiently walked up to John the baptizer. Like a spark flickering to a flame – John’s heart exploded, or stopped, or started, but he knew.
The One… the promised Son of David was in front of him! In that same moment (which John must have practiced 100s of times), Jesus’ direction didn’t make any sense to him. Somehow John’s 1st words to his long-awaited King – balked opposition. He finally found, “I should be washed by you, not the other way around.”
God’s way is simple, but it’s hard.
Our people may have begun with Abraham, and been delivered from slavery through Moses, but we weren’t a nation until David. For over 1,000 years David’s eternal heir (“The Chosen-One”) completed hope’s focus and personified the object of our faith.
Jesus said, “Let this happen, because it’s the appropriate way for us to complete all that is right.” As Jesus came out of the water, John saw the Spirit of God (looking like a dove) landing on him. Then; a voice from the sky said,
“This is my son.
I am very pleased with him.
Listen to him.”
Then… Jesus just walked off into the wild.
After 40 days without food, the Enemy (named False-Accuser) sprung the first trap – to exploit Jesus’ physical hunger. Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘You will live by not only eating bread, but by every word that comes out of God’s mouth.” The Accuser then baited him to give God the opportunity to be in the spotlight… to provide physical proof of Jesus’ super-power. Jesus replied, “Again; it is written, ‘It is not for you to test the Powerful-One, your God.’”
The enemy then laid out the fulfillment of every appetite of power this world offers – in exchange for Jesus bowing down to worship him. Jesus commanded, “Get behind me… Enemy. Because; it is written, ‘You will worship the Powerful-One your God, and he is the only one you will serve.’” The False-Accuser left, and looked for a different time to entrap him.
Jesus returned to town.
Andrew and Phillip were two of John’s students, and happened to be standing with John when he again pointed out Jesus. They started walking behind Jesus until he said, “What are you looking for?” They asked where he was staying, and he replied, “Come, and see.”
Andrew, first, found and returned with his brother, and Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You will be called ‘The Rock’.” (which is translated as Peter)
NEXT UP:
AFTER:
…or
Bible Dictionary: a list of Bible words and phrases (typically Jesus’ words) which don’t have clear meaning when used in daily talk, and are simplified / culturally paraphrased in this story – in pursuit of understanding.
…or
…what is your theology again?
SOURCE
TEXTS:
This post includes all Jesus’ words from:
CLARIFIED
WORDING:
- “Jesus” is Greek for “Joshua”. His name (and it’s meaning, “I-AM-saves”) is a central theme across all Jesus’ teaching, but in order for the story to flow with understanding… Jesus was used rather than Joshua (even though Jesus is the Greek translation of Joshua. Clarity, rather than correctness, is the goal.
- “Lord” is fittingly replaced with “Authority” or “Leader” or “Owner”, but the central statement of, “Jesus is Lord” running through Christianity leads Lord to be left for continuity and clarity sake. Our society doesn’t have aristocracy, so Lord is unable to be given context required for definition.
- “Christ” is Greek for “Chosen One”. It is true that the actual term is “The Anointed One”, but to anoint means to smear or wipe… which anymore is a bio-hazard. This individual was anointed because that way the method with which designation was communicated – washed with oil. This action signified what King Arthur’s sword pulled out of the stone signified; a choosing of that individual.
- “Baptizing” is a bible/Jewish word for “washing”. It was a type of religious washing which carries no modern equivalent, so “washing” is the most understandable articulation. Still physical baptizing is still an action across most every brand of Christian community, so baptizing was left.
- “Satan” is literally The “Enemy”. The devils translates to False-Accuser, but that is only from the story section, and these paraphrase notes are focused on Jesus’ words.
- “Man” historically identified both male gender (as compared to female), and general humankind/mankind. Human is used for clarity sake.
- “coming down on [him]” culturally paraphrased with “landing on [him]”.
- “well” is replaced with “very”. There is no one I know who uses well in this way. We have multiple replacements for “well” pleased, but “well” isn’t one we use. Very’s the most common, and so it was used first.
- “Worship” is expanded into “exalt the worth of” or “exalt [TARGRET-OF-WORSHIP]’s worth.
- “Peter” is replaced with “The Rock”… because that’s what it means, and what was being communicated.
- View a list of words/phrases simplified on the Bible Dictionary post.
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