Hanukkah and the Messiah p. 3 The Forerunner of the Messiah p

John and Antipas. The scandalous conduct of Herod Antipas and Herodias is cited in the first three gospels in connection with the reproof administered by John the Baptist to Herod Antipas, and is treated quite at large by Josephus (Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 3; Ant. 18.7.1). For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife” (Mark 6:18). Luke added, “But when Herod the tetrarch was reproved by him on account of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and on account of all the wicked things which Herod had done, he added this also to them all, that he locked John up in prison” (Luke 3:19-20).
The first two gospels mention “the daughter of Herodias,” but neither gives her name. Josephus says that her name was Salome (Ant. 18.5.4). The occasion referred to by both evangelists and historian, in which so much interest centers, was a festive party of the nobles who assembled at the tetrarch’s palace to celebrate his birthday. Salome first appears in sacred history in this scene. On the mother’s side she was granddaughter of Simeon, the high priest. Now the fact that a child was born to Philip and Herodias by the first marriage of the mother was a bar to her second marriage under Jewish law. Her marriage to Antipas, while her proper husband and his proper wife were still living, was aggravating to the Jews because she was a Jewess and belonged to the royal family; and their evil reputation was the more conspicuous in that Herod Antipas was the ruler of the Jews and had shamelessly defied the Jewish laws (Leviticus 18:18; Leviticus 20:21).
This anniversary was the occasion, and this daughter, Salome, was made the guilty person by whom Herodias secured revenge for the reproof given her husband for living with her unlawfully. After Salome danced before the nobles to the great fascination and gratification of Herod, he promised her anything she might ask of him, to the half of his kingdom. Herodias saw her opportunity and induced her daughter to request the head of John the Baptist, who was then in the nearby prison. “And although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests” (Matthew 14:1-10). The executioner was sent to the prison at once, and the ghastly gift was given. John the Baptist was beheaded, the man who “among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater” (Matthew 11:11; Luke 7:28). The voice of one crying in the wilderness was at last silenced. “And his disciples came and took away the body and buried it; and they went and reported to Jesus” (Matthew 14:12).
The place of John the Baptist’s prison was anciently known as Machaerus, but the modern name is Mkaur. It is located in the mountain fastnesses with a deep ravine below, on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, between Abarim and Pisgah, not far from the northern extreme of the sea. It is said that the rock-hewn dungeon was beneath the splendid banquet hall in which the nobility were entertained when the swordsman was sent to bring in the prisoner’s head. Here in the same mountains in which Israel sought for the grave of her first prophet (Moses), the last prophet (John) was entombed.

10. 
    Write true or false in the blank: In John 3:24 we learn that the daughter of Herodias was Salome ____________
    
11. 
    Matthew 11:1-6; Luke 7:18-23. Why do you think John was doubting Jesus?
    

12. 
    What was the purpose of Jesus’ works and teachings?
    

13. 
    Summarize in your own words what you have learned about the relationship between the ministry of John the Baptist and that of Messiah Jesus.
    

14. 
    How did John the Baptist die? __________________________________________
    
15. 
    List some important lessons for your life that you can learn from the life of John the Baptist. Please be thoughtful in your answers.
    

16. 
    In what Scriptural passage are disciples of John found outside of the four Gospels? ________________________
    

The Birth of the Messiah

1. 
   Of the 24 false ideas of Jesus listed, was there ever a time when you thought one or more of these was who Jesus was? If yes, which one (s)?
   

2. 
   Luke 1:26-38. List below the things you can learn about Jesus from what the angel said.
   

3. 
   Matthew 1:18-25: Imagine you are asked to teach a class on this passage. Outline the main points of the passage with a short explanation of each.
   

4. 
   Choose one of the proclamations by human beings on pages 22-23 that you find the most interesting. Explain why this one is the interesting to you.
   

5. 
   Under “Messiah Presented” to God the Father by His parents, what are some things you can learn about Joseph and Mary from this passage?
   

6. 
   Where did Jesus come from when He came to John at the Jordan river to be baptized? _______________________________
   
7. 
   From Matthew 3:16-17 what do we learn about the relationships between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit?
   

8. 
   Compare Matthew 3:16, Isaiah 11:2, 42:1, 61:1-2a and Luke 4:17-21. Summarize in your own words why it is important to compare these passages and what can be learned from them.
   

9. 
   What does John the Baptist mean when he identifies Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”? _____________________________________
   

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10. 
    In what passage is the official presentation of Jesus to the nation of Israel as their Messiah? _____________________________________________________
    
11. 
    What Old Testament passage does this fulfill? ________________________________
    

12. 
    Imagine that a friend asks you to tell them who Jesus is. From what has been presented in this lesson what would you tell them. Use some Scriptures to support your answer.
    

The Mission of the Messiah

1. 
   From what passage does Jesus read in Luke 4:14-21? __________________________
   
2. 
   Why does He not read the entire passage? ___________________________________
   

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3. 
   Why did the Jews come up with the idea of two different Messiah and what did they say about them?
   

4. 
   Write true or false in the blank: Modern Judaism has almost forgotten the two-Messiah theory ________________
   
5. 
   Explain how there is only one Messiah:
   

6. 
   List below the five-fold mission of the Messiah as presented in the notes:
   

1. 
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2. 
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3. 
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4. 
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5. 
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7. 
   List below the five-fold mission of the Messiah from Isaiah 61:1-2a
   

1. 
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2. 
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3. 
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4. 
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5. 
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8. 
   What does the word “afflicted” (or “poor”) mean? ___________________________
   

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9. 
   List below the four aspects of salvation that Messiah Jesus brought at His first coming
   

1. 
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2. 
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3. 
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4. 
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10. 
    Select one of the passages listed at the bottom of p.27 that you find the most meaningful and explain why you selected this one. ___________________________
    

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11. 
    What does the word “justified” mean? ____________________________________
    

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12. 
    According to 1 Timothy 1:16 what do we believe in Jesus for? _______________________________________________________________________
    
13. 
    Define the word “believe”: _______________________________________________
    

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14. 
    Isaiah 11:6-9. List below some things you can learn about the coming Messianic Kingdom from this passage.
    

15. 
    The word “bind” in Isaiah 61:1 means ______________________________________
    

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16. 
    What does it mean to say Jesus is the “Last Adam”?
    

17. 
    Why is it important to know that Jesus, as the Last (Second) Adam, lived a sinless life?
    

18. 
    Fill in the blank: “The Law shows people just how _________ they really are in the ________________ of ____________.”
    
19. 
    Why are people considered “brokenhearted”? _______________________________
    

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20. 
    Define imputed righteousness: ____________________________________________
    

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What is one of the Scriptures that define this? _______________________________

21. 
    Check which one is true (and only one is!):
    

_____ Imputed righteousness means the perfect eternal righteousness of God is credited to us

_____ Imputed righteousness means the perfect human life lived by Jesus in time is credited to us

22. 
    Fill in the blank: God created mankind to ____________ over all creation.
    
23. 
    Consider Hebrews 2:8-10. Why is Jesus as the perfect Last Adam important to man’s God-given destiny of rulership over creation?
    

24. 
    List below some of the things you can learn about the Messiah from Isaiah 9:6-7:
    

25. 
    What is the most exciting promise you see in this passage?
    

26. 
    Read Deuteronomy chapters 27-30. Did you do this? _________
    
27. 
    Imagine you were a Hebrew listening to Moses preach. Which of the promises listed in the first half of the chapter would be most meaningful to you? Why did you pick this one?
    

28. 
    Now imagine listening to the warnings section in the last half. Which of these would be the most meaningful to you. Why did you pick this one?
    

29. 
    Why had the promised Messianic Kingdom never happened?
    

30. 
    What would have happened if the Jews had accepted Jesus as their national Messiah?
    

31. 
    In what passage is Jesus rejected by the leaders of Israel? ____________________
    
32. 
    Write yes or no in the first blank: Has God rejected Israel? ___________. What Scripture passage demonstrates this? _________________________________
    
33. 
    When will the Nation of Israel and their leaders accept Messiah Jesus? _______________________________________________________________________
    
34. 
    What verse in Isaiah 42 speaks of the Messiah releasing prisoners? _____________
    
35. 
    What are some of the prisons people are held in by Satan?
    

36. 
    Jesus death on the cross was the fulfillment of what verse in Genesis? __________
    
37. 
    According to Hebrews 2:14-15 mankind is held in fear of what? ________________
    
38. 
    To what does “the favorable year of the Lord” refer? _______________________________________________________________________
    
39. 
    In what passage is the first mention of the Church in the Bible? ________________
    
40. 
    Fill in the blanks: The Church was established on the day of _________________ in Acts ______
    
41. 
    What picture is Paul giving us in Ephesians 1:22-23 and Colossians 1:18, 2:19?
    

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42. 
    In what specific ways does this image help us think correctly about the Church? (You might find some help by reading 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
    

Summary Questions

1. 
   One of the main objectives of all Bible study is to get to know God better. From these four lessons what are three things you have learned about God’s character?
   

2. 
   Since God has given the Bible to guide us into spiritual maturity, what needed corrections or adjustments to my thinking and/or behavior come to mind as a result of this study?
   

3. 
   Write yes or no in the blank: I have read ALL of the Scriptures listed in this study. ________