![]() ![]() Attached to Jesus’ prophecy of his death is the promise of his resurrection. The Lord promises to go ahead to Galilee. You may not face the same occasion of scattering, but you are just as liable to go astray. You may be tempted to say, “I’d never make the mistake of Peter’s boast.” But do you recognize just how contradictory of your relationship with the Lord is sin in your life? Do you understand that what we dismiss as petty, little, sins, are a direct affront to God’s holiness? Do you appreciate that it was precisely because of these sins (among others) that the Shepherd had to be struck? When you’re really honest with yourself you recognize that you, in yourself, are no more faithful or capable of standing than was foolish Peter. We understand what the Messiah was about. You and I have greater light than Peter did at this point. Before you point your finger at foolish Peter (and his boast was foolish), recognize your own liability to sin. ![]() Peter may have been the most vocal, but the other disciples expressed the same sentiment. But Peter, instead of heeding the sobering warning, avers his willingness to die for his Lord. Jesus responds by warning Peter that before cockcrow, he will have denied his Lord three times. Here in Matthew 26, he does not contradict the idea of the Shepherd being struck - he just affirms that he will never deny his Lord. In Matthew 16:21–23, when Jesus had spoken of his death, Peter had taken Jesus aside and rebuked him. Impetuous Peter strongly denies the he will fall away, verse 33. There is no indication that the sheep will be in great danger, and what danger exists, they escape by flight. The striking of the Shepherd will result in the scattering of the flock. As terrible as the events of the next few hours will be, they are not accidental, but the fulfillment of God’s will, which had been recorded in the prophetic Scriptures (“for it is written,” verse 31), see also verse 24.ĭespite their denials, the sheep scatter. But this flock is going to be redeemed precisely through the striking of the Shepherd. 169) One would expect the flock to be preserved by the well-being of the shepherd. Here is perhaps the profoundest and most precious aspect of the theology of this book: like the great prophet Isaiah before him, Zechariah understood that the Messiah would have to suffer if sin were to be atoned for and Israel’s relationship with God were to be restored.” (Barry G. In other words, the striken shepherd is the Messiah. The book of Zechariah has provided us with only one person who fits this description, namely the ideal king of 9:9, whose coming was anticipated in the promises concerning ‘the Branch’ in 3:8 and 6:12. He is clearly a ‘good’ shepherd, approved by God, and is someone intimately connected with God - but he cannot simply be equated with God. God refers to him as the man who is close to me (7). “But the stricken shepherd here cannot be God, because he is expressly distinguished from him. But this is the Good Shepherd, the messianic figure, who is struck down by the Father’s will. ![]() Earlier, in Zechariah 11:17 it is the foolish shepherd that is struck. Note the first person singular of the verb in the quote (an imperative in the Hebrew of Zechariah). In support of the warning he quotes Zechariah 13:7. On his way to Gethsemane Jesus predicts the desertion of his disciples. How much more when the Shepherd has been struck down! But this Shepherd, described in Matthew 26:31–35, is able to lead even scattered sheep. ![]() Sheep, by their very nature, tend to scatter. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |