THE GREATNESS OF JESUS.
Mark 9:2-9.
Peter wanted to build three temples on the Mount of Transfiguration: one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for Jesus. The impetuous disciple was so awestruck that he did not really know what he was saying. Just in that moment a cloud covered the little group on the mountain, and out of the cloud a voice spoke: “This is my beloved Son, hear Him.”
When the cloud of God’s presence lifted from the scene, the three disciples - Peter, James and John - could no longer see Moses and Elijah, but “Jesus only” with themselves (Mark 9:8). The Lord is turning our attention away from the law and the prophets - represented by Moses and Elijah - and is instructing us to listen to Jesus. One greater than the law and the prophets, greater than Elijah - and greater even than Moses himself - is here!
*JESUS IS GREATER THAN MOSES
Hebrews 3:1-6
The writer to the Hebrews was at pains to ensure that the eyes of his readers remained focussed on Jesus. For Hebrew Christians to go back to the law of Moses was not an option. Moses was faithful - but Jesus is counted worthy of more glory than Moses.
In the Old Testament, God spoke through dreams and visions, through type and prophecy, and through the sacrifices and ceremonies of a complex cultic ritual (Hebrews 1:1). With some, like Abraham and Moses, He spoke almost ‘face to face’ (Numbers 12:6-8) - but the fathers were walking in the shadow of the promise, and not in the fullness that we now enjoy.
When Jesus came, it was not to abolish all that had gone before, but to bring it to fulfilment (Matthew 5:17). Moses was a witness speaking of things which were still in the future. Jesus is the final word (Hebrews 1:2).
Despite his initial reluctance, Moses did everything that God commanded him (Exodus 40:16). Moses was like a faithful old retainer in a mighty house: but Jesus is the one who built the house. Moses was a servant of the house: but Jesus is the founder and head over His own house; “whose house are we…” (Hebrews 3:6).
*Imagine an “A to Z” of the New Testament names of Jesus. Under “G” we would find references to His Glory, His God-hood, and His Goodness. Then we would find several references to His Greatness: -
1. GREATER THAN ABRAHAM
John 8:53
In talking to some Jews in Jerusalem who had professed belief in Jesus, the Lord sought to encourage them. “If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed: and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
This aroused the ire of His hearers: “We are Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man” (John 8:33). Had they forgotten Egypt; and Babylon, and Persia, and Greece - and Rome? Had they forgotten the Caesar who currently ruled over them with an iron fist?
Jesus did not doubt that these new would-be converts were of the seed of Abraham, but He rebuked them for having such an antipathy to His word that they even harboured murderous intentions against Him (John 8:37). If they were really Abraham’s children, surely, they would not do this (John 8:39-40)? They accused Him of being a Samaritan and having a devil - the two epithets tripped so readily together off their lips (John 8:48).
In John 8:51, when Jesus said, “If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death”, He was referring to eternal and irreversible separation from God, which is the second death (Revelation 20:14-15; 21:8). We are all born into spiritual death under Adam, from which Christian believers are made alive at conversion (Ephesians 2:4-5). Furthermore, even physical death cannot hold us as death and hell have lost their sting (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
Our Lord’s hearers could only think of this in terms of physical death, and the reference to Abraham was too much for them. The Jews asked (John 8:53): “Are you greater than our father Abraham?” The inference is that the answer to the question is “Yes”, as Jesus affirmed in the ensuing conversation.
Abraham foresaw the day of Christ, and was glad (John 8:56). Furthermore, before Abraham was, said Jesus, “I am” (John 8:58). By this statement, Jesus was both claiming to be eternal, and to be the LORD (the great “I AM”). His opponents could not accept this, and picked up stones to slay Him…
2. GREATER THAN JACOB
John 4:12
A woman of Samaria came to a well to draw water, alone, “at about the sixth hour” (John 4:6). Perhaps her neighbours disapproved of her style of life, and she felt compelled to collect her water at a time separate from the other women. Whatever the reason, she was to have a one-to-one encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ which would change her life, and that of her community, forever.
The disciples had gone to the city to buy food, and Jesus was resting by the well. By His appearance, the woman could tell that this stranger was not a Samaritan: so, imagine her surprise when suddenly He spoke to her! After all, the Jews had no dealings with their neighbours in Samaria, nor men with women.
Jesus asked the woman for a drink. Considering who Jesus is, it is incredible that He should ask any of us for anything! The woman said to Jesus, “How is it that you ask me…” (John 4:9) - in effect: “Of all the people that you could have asked, why ask me?”
Jesus turned her question on its head: if she only knew who He is, she would have asked Him for living water! The woman at the well asked, “Are you greater than our father Jacob?” Again, the inference is that the answer to the question is “Yes”!
*The woman at the well was preoccupied with debates about the right place to worship God, which was an area of contention between the Jews and Samaritans. Whilst not allowing her error about the place of worship - for the Jews were in the right (John 4:22) - the Lord explained the spiritual nature of true worship (John 4:24).
As Jesus taught elsewhere, one greater than the Temple was here…
3. GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE
Matthew 12:6
The priests in the Temple were permitted to “profane” the Sabbath, when they offered sacrifice and went about their other duties on that day. Yet, said Jesus, “a greater than the Temple is here” (Matthew 12:5-6). The earthly Temple was temporary, as implied in Jesus’ words to the disciples as He left the Temple for the last time (Matthew 24:1-2).
Jesus did not come to abolish the sacrificial system, but to fulfil it, and to offer Himself as the supreme and final sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9:25-26). When Jesus’ work upon the Cross was finished, the veil in the Temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom (Matthew 27:51). Although the Temple rituals continued for a transitional period, the need for sacrifice had been met in His death.
He is none other than the One who inhabits the Temple (Matthew 23:21) - for who else could be greater than the Temple?
4. GREATER THAN JONAH
Matthew 12:41
A demon-possessed man - who was physically both blind and dumb - had been brought to Jesus, and He had healed him (Matthew 12:22). In their continuing malice against Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign (Matthew 12:38). What had the religious leaders just seen if not a sign, both of Jesus’ authority, and of the presence of the kingdom of God amongst them?
Jesus granted them a sign. It was the sign of the prophet Jonah. Just as Jonah was three days in the belly of the whale, so Jesus would be three days’ dead in a tomb. Just as Jonah came out of the belly of the whale alive, Jesus would rise from the dead. The tomb could not hold Him, and death would lose its sting.
Continuing to relate the history of Jonah, theirs would be a sign of judgment. The men of Nineveh who had repented at the preaching of Jonah would rise in judgment against them, because the scribes and Pharisees refused the preaching of one greater than Jonah.
5. GREATER THAN SOLOMON
Matthew 12:42
Likewise, the Queen of the South testified against the perversity of their unbelief. She had travelled many dangerous miles to hear the wisdom of Solomon, yet now a greater than Solomon was here in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
*The ignorant Gentiles believed the prophet Jonah, and the Queen of Sheba sought out the wisdom of King Solomon, yet the Scribes and Pharisees - the religious leaders of the day - failed to recognise Jesus as their expected Prophet and King!
6. GREAT SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP
Hebrews 13:20
The closing benediction of the letter to the Hebrews is addressed to the God of peace, who brought again from the dead “our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep” through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
The peace spoken of is the holistic healing and salvation which comes from Jesus’ sacrifice. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus is proof of the efficacy of that sacrifice.
The covenant is an eternal covenant, whereby our sins and iniquities are remembered no more (Hebrews 10:16-17). The blood of the covenant is His blood, shed on Calvary for His people’s sins.
Jesus is the good shepherd, who gives His life for the sheep (John 10:11). The shepherd calls His own sheep by name, and He leads them out. Those who hear the voice of Jesus will follow Him, and He leads us beside the still waters, and into the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:2-3).
Jesus is the Shepherd of Israel (Psalm 80:1), but His flock includes those out of every nation, throughout all of time, who respond to His call.
*Peter instructs church elders how to behave - and how not to behave - in relation to the “flock” over which they are overseers. The Apostle reminds them that they are under-shepherds of the “chief Shepherd” - to whom they will be held accountable at His appearing, and rewarded accordingly (1 Peter 5:1-4).
7. GREAT HIGH PRIEST
Hebrews 4:14
The priesthood of Jesus is superior to that of Aaron. A man like ourselves, Jesus is a merciful and faithful high priest capable of facing (Hebrews 2:17-18) - and overcoming (Hebrews 4:15) - temptation. Yet though a man, Jesus is also the Son of God (Hebrews 5:5).
The earthly tabernacle is only a shadow of the heavenly (Hebrews 9:11-14). The sons of Aaron needed to repeat their sacrifices and offerings repeatedly, per a complex ritual: morning and evening, Sabbaths, new moons, festivals; day by day, month by month, year by year. Jesus has provided the one full final perfect sacrifice for sins, once and for all and for ever, by His own blood (Hebrews 9:24-26).
Jesus’ priesthood is of a better order than that of Aaron (Hebrews 5:10; Hebrews 7:11). It is not genealogy which qualifies our Great High Priest, but the power of an indissoluble life (7:16). Jesus has passed into the heavens (Hebrews 4:14) - and is set on the right hand of God (Hebrews 8:1) - and there makes continual intercession for His people (Hebrews 7:25-27).
This gives us boldness to approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
8. THE GREAT GOD
Titus 2:13
It is the grace of God (Titus 2:11), manifested in the salvation purchased by Jesus (Titus 2:14), which teaches us to be good (Titus 2:12). Our posture is to be that of those who are looking for the hope that brings blessings, and hastening toward the final “appearing of the glory of” the “great God and our Saviour” Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). This latter expression appears to be a bold assertion that Jesus is God.
a) Grammatically, the presence of only one definite article to cover both these titles (“great God” and “our Saviour”) suggests that they both refer to the one Person: “Jesus Christ.”
b) Historically, this was how the early (Greek) fathers of the church understood the phrase.
c) Contemporaneously, it was also in keeping with common usage which referred to so-called “gods” - and even the Roman Emperor - as “God and Saviour.”
d) Contextually, the passage progresses from speaking of the “epiphany of glory” to speaking of Jesus’ death.
e) Theologically and textually, every other reference to “epiphany” in the New Testament refers to either the first or final appearances of Christ.
CONCLUSION
There are other passages of Scripture to confirm that Jesus is God (e.g. Matthew 1:23; John 1:1; John 20:28; Romans 9:5 etc.). It was also Jesus’ understanding of Himself - as is evident in the “I AM” sayings, and in His refusal to deny His deity when challenged. This was how His enemies understood Him - and the reason for their constant accusations of blasphemy, and of their murderous intentions towards Him.
Jesus is greater than Moses and Elijah, the law and the prophets - and the Temple. He is our great Shepherd, our great High Priest - and the great God.
