THE ANOINTING OF JESUS

THE ANOINTING OF JESUS

Peter, at the house of Cornelius, made a statement which helps to explain some of the "why's and wherefore's" of the Ministry of Jesus on earth.

There seems to be some confusion about what it was that started Jesus out in His Ministry, and what ended it while He was on the Cross. Peter gave an explanation of what started that Ministry.

Acts 10:38 How God ANOINTED JESUS OF NAZARETH WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND WITH POWER: (emphasis mine) who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

I doubt that ANY of us can say, with any degree of certainty, what mixture of physical and Spiritual elements Jesus possessed BEFORE HIS BAPTISM in Jordan. I wouldn't argue that point-- even if I could. Except to say, that is, that JESUS WAS NOT GOD INCARNATE AT HIS BIRTH.

If He was INCARNATE AT BIRTH, the Catholics, with their "Mary, Mother of God" teachings, have had us whipped both going and coming.

Something happened in Jordan, which Peter called the ANOINTING. John had argued with Jesus about who should baptize whom before they went into the water. John KNEW who Jesus was before the ceremony took place. John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

John NEEDED NO SIGN from Heaven to know who Jesus was. Mark 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, [saying], Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

Jesus then began to speak the Words of God, though He referred to Himself as the Son of Man. John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure [unto him]. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.

Luke 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

The earthly Ministry of Jesus ended as abruptly as it had begun, as He hung on the cross. Mark 15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard [it], said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put [it] on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

Chronologically, Jesus cried in anguish of having been FORSAKEN of God BEFORE the moment of death. He died, laden with the sins of the world, not as an innocent, sinless man. The transfer of sins and guilt/innocence and purity had been made by God just prior to death. Isaiah 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

II Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Acts 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, [even] to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.