The scene opens with Jesus sitting upon the mount of Olives, over against the temple with some of His disciples. Peter, James, John and Andrew privately ask Jesus about the events that would take place in the last day. Toward the end of the conversation, Jesus repeats an analogy that He refers to various times before and after. That is,"[For the Son of man is] as a man taking a far journey, who left His house, and gave authority to His servants, and to every man His work, and commanded the porter* to watch. Watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the Master of the house comes, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning ... lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping." (Mark 13:34-37) * (a porter can be equated to a doorkeeper)
In another place, Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to a man travelling into a far country, calling the servants together, and delivering unto them His goods. And, in yet another scripture, a certain householder, or a certain nobleman who tells his servants to occupy therein till He returns.
"For [the kingdom of heaven is] as a man travelling into a far country, [who] called h/His servants, and delivered unto them h/His goods." (Matthew 25:14) Or, as a certain householder; which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country ..." (Matthew 21:33) "Or, like a certain nobleman that went into a far country to receive for h/Himself a kingdom, and h/He called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them, "Occupy till I come." (Luke 19:12-27; Luke 20:9-19)
These references highlight some of the parables Jesus used to reveal His hidden identity, and the mystery that was hidden in the bosom of the Father from the very beginning. The mystery that is godliness -- God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) The Lord God coming forth as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6) He Himself who knew no sin becoming sin for us. But I digress.
For this day, let's focus on the Son of man -- leaving His house [heaven] to take a faraway journey, fully knowing that He would be opposed by those citizens who would not have Him reign over them.
But h/His citizens hated h/Him and sent a message after h/Him, saying, "We will not have this [man] to reign over us." (Luke 19:27) Indeed, they reasoned among themselves, as Jesus relates in another parable, saying about the son -- "This is the heir; come, let us kill Him, that the inheritance may be ours." (Luke 20:9-19)
Interestingly, David puts Jesus' words into perspective, when the psalmist asked the Lord so many decades before, "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that Thou visits him? For Thou hast made Him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned Him with glory and honour. Thou made Him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all [things] under His feet; all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea [and whatsoever] passes through the paths of the sea. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent [is] Thy Name in all the earth." (Psalm 8:4-9; I Corinthians 15:27; Hebrews 2:6-8)
Thankfully, in this current dispensation of grace, we are no longer at a disadvantage, looking forward to the promised Christ/Messiah, as were the prophets from afore, inquiring and searching diligently, who could only prophesy of the grace that would come unto us. "Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow ..." (I Peter 1:10-11; II Peter 1:21)
Indeed, the living Word of God is readily available. And, as such, we can rightly divide the Word of truth, while searching to understand what Jesus meant when He referred to the Son of man in parables. (John 1:1-18; II Timothy 2:15) The only begotten. (John 3:16) We have ample opportunity to give diligence to His Word make our calling and election sure. (II Peter 1:10)
[As an aside, how sad it will be when this realization hits home -- how we fell short of His calling, and His willingness to reason with us daily through His Word, and yet, we chose to do other things! O, how the Lord must grieve!]
Still, herein, Jesus is attempting to reveal Himself to His disciples. "I and My Father are ONE!" (John 10:30) "If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6-18) And to the others who were afar off -- "Ye neither know Me, nor My Father; if ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also." (John 8:19)
Who is the Son of man? This same Jesus whom ye have crucified is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. The King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 1:8, 11) "I am He that lives and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death." (Revelation 1:18)
Jesus the promised Christ -- made of the seed of David according to the flesh. (Romans 1:3) The Word made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) "And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His Name is called -- The Word of God." (Revelation 19:13) "I am the Lord; that is My Name, and My glory will I not give to another ..." (Isaiah 42:8)
"... therefore, Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me ..." (Isaiah 63:5; Isaiah 41:28) " ... therefore, His arm brought salvation unto Him, and His righteousness, it sustained Him." (Isaiah 59:16) "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see [it] together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken [it]." (Isaiah 40:5)
As David again points out, "O, sing unto the Lord a new song. For He hath done marvelous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory. The Lord hath made known His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly showed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God." (Psalm 98:1-3, 6; Isaiah 40:5, 10, 18, 25; Isaiah 52:10; Isaiah 53:1; Isaiah 59:16; Isaiah 62:2; Isaiah 63:5)
"And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Luke 3:6)
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people and He hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David ...) (Luke 1:67-77) " ... through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the "dayspring" from on high hath visited us." (Luke 1:78) "for unto us is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour -- which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)
"For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings ..." (Hebrews 2:10-11)
For this cause came He into the world, "that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears My voice." (John 18:37; Matthew 5:17; Matthew 20:28; Isaiah 55:4; John 10:27)
"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28; John 13:34; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:27; Isaiah 53:10-12; Romans 5:15, 19; Daniel 9:24, 26)
"Sacrifice and offering Thou would not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me; in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book, it is written of Me,) to do Thy will." (Hebrews 10:5-7; Psalm 40:6-8; The Word made flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1-18)
And, as apostle Paul adds, "... which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:22)
In this context, the Lord God prepared for Himself a body, so that He Himself who knew no sin could become the perfect sacrifice on a cross, and thus, as a consequence provide His free gift of salvation to you and I. (Philippians 2:4-11)
God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16)
After the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. (Titus 3:4-7)
"For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men ... looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14)
"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the "body" of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:10; John 17:19; Hebrews 9:2)
"After the second veil, which is called the Holiest of all ..." (Hebrews 9:2)
But while the first tabernacle was yet standing, "the Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest ..." (Hebrews 9:8; John 14:6)
Only when He did come, as was foretold by the prophets of old, would He give authority to His servants to continue the work which He began while in the world -- to remain steadfast in the apostles' doctrine. (Acts 2:36-47)
Yes, "He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)
And then, to come full circle with Jesus' parables, we --on that blessed day, when the Lord finds His servants doing His work according to His will, then shall He say, "Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when He comes, shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that He will make him ruler over all that he hath ..." (Luke 12:42-46)
Then will the Lord say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:21)
Yes, even before the world was formed, the Lord was thinking of you and I, when He being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made "Himself" of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men ... and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross -- wherefore, God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every other name." (Philippians 2:4-11)
" .. and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His Name JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins ... God with us!" (Matthew 1:21-23)
This is why Jesus could say -- "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6) Because Jesus was the Father who loved us enough to become our Saviour. It was He who left that faraway place so that He could redeem His beloved people.
If you haven't already, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and be water baptized (and clothed) in the precious Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:36-47)
Stand in the offering plate.
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