Page 51 - Life of Christ w videos

wanted a prominent position. Jesus had to remind them that to be first, they must assume the last
position.

Word came to the disciples that there were disciples not of the twelve that were casting out demons in
Jesus’ name. John asked Jesus to command them to stop. In a sense, John demonstrated jealousy in
that others were doing what only his disciples should be doing. John revealed the heart of the disciples
– that they had refused to accept Jesus’ words concerning His own death, as well as His insistence that
they too must be ready to take up a cross and prepare for death.

It is at this point that Jesus concluded His ministry in Galilee and directed His journey toward Jerusalem.
He was planning to attend the Feast of Tabernacles which would put this trip in October of the year
before he died.

From Galilee to Jerusalem

The second segment of Jesus’ ministry is His journey from His native Galilee toward Jerusalem during
the final year of His life. The Synoptic Gospels relate only one visit to Jerusalem by Jesus during His
ministry years -his final visit that ended in His crucifixion. However, the Gospel of John reports a series
of visits corresponding to the traditional Jewish pilgrimage feasts.

Only Luke gives extended attention to Jesus’ specific journey from Galilee to Judea. Much of the
information about Jesus’ ministry that is unique to the Gospel of Luke is found in Luke 9:51 through
18:14 in which Luke emphasizes Jesus’ ultimate destination, Jerusalem. Jesus’ main ministry was with
his disciples, teaching them the meaning of discipleship. All during this time, he steadfastly continued
His journey south to the Holy City and toward the climax of His earthly ministry.

The Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths or Sukkot, was
th
celebrated at the end of the grape harvest in September and October. The Feast takes place on the 15
of the Hebrew month Tishri. It begins five days after the Day of Atonement and at the time the fall
harvest had just been completed. The seven days of this feast were a time for great joy. It was a
celebration of God’s continued provision for them in the current harvest as well as a time of
remembering His provision and protection during the 40 years in the wilderness.

Many scholars believe that Jesus was born
either on the Day of Atonement or very
shortly after during the Feast of Tabernacles.
The date for Christ’s birth on December 25
th
was not established until the 4 century AD by
the Roman Catholic Church as a day to
celebrate His birth but does not necessarily
state it is the day of His birth. It is interesting
that in John 1:14 that John wrote, “And the
Word became 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”. The word John chose to speak of Jesus
coming to “dwell” among us is the word Celebrating the Feast of Tabernacle
“tabernacle”, which means to “dwell in a

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