Page 597 - The MacArthur Daily Bible
P. 597

TN_06_MacArthur_Bible_June.qxd  8/8/03  15:52  Page 578







                   JUNE 9
                   who betrayed Him, also stood with them.
                   6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they
                   drew back and fell to the ground.
                     7 Then He asked them again, “Whom are you  18:13 Annas first.Annas held the high priest-
                   seeking?”                               hood office from  A.D.6–15 when  Valerius
                     And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”   Gratus,Pilate’s predecessor,removed him from
                     8 Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am  office.In spite of this,Annas continued to wield
                   He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go  influence over the office, most likely because
                            9
                   their way,”  that the saying might be fulfilled  he was still regarded as the true high priest
                   which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave  and also because no fewer than 5 of his sons,
                   Me I have lost none.”                   and his son-in-law Caiaphas, held the office at
                     10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it  one time or another. Two trials occurred: one
                   and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off  Jewish and one Roman. The Jewish phase
                                                           began with the informal examination by
                   his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
                     11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword  Annas (vv.12–14,19–23),probably giving time
                   into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup  for the members of the Sanhedrin to hurriedly
                                                           gather together. A session before the
                   which My Father has given Me?”          Sanhedrin was next (Matt. 26:57–68) at which
                     12 Then the detachment of troops and the cap-  consensus was reached to send Jesus to Pilate
                   tain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus  (Matt. 27:1,2).The Roman phase began with a
                                 13
                   and bound Him.  And they led Him away to  first examination before Pilate (vv. 28–38a;
                   Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of  Matt.27:11–14) and then Herod Antipas (“that
                   Caiaphas who was high priest that year.  Now  fox”—Luke 13:32) interrogated Him (Luke
                                                  14
                   it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it  23:6–12). Lastly, Jesus appeared again before
                   was expedient that one man should die for the  Pilate (vv. 38b–19:16; Matt. 27:15–31).
                   people.
                     15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so
                   did another disciple. Now that disciple was  who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not
                   known to the high priest, and went with Jesus  also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?”
                                                16
                   into the courtyard of the high priest.  But Pe-  He said, “I am not.”
                   ter stood at the door outside. Then the other  18 Now the servants and officers who had
                   disciple, who was known to the high priest,  made a fire of coals stood there, for it was
                   went out and spoke to her who kept the door,  cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter
                   and brought Peter in.  Then the servant girl  stood with them and warmed himself.
                                     17
                         DAY 9:Who was Naaman, and what does he teach us about obedience to God?
                         In 2 Kings 5:1, four phrases describe the importance of Naaman: 1) he was the supreme com-
                      mander of the army of Syria as indicated by the term “commander,”used of an army’s highest rank-
                      ing officer (Gen. 21:22; 1 Sam. 12:9; 1 Chr. 27:34); 2) he was a great man, a man of high social stand-
                      ing and prominence; 3) he was an honorable man in the eyes of his master, a man highly regarded
                      by the king of Syria because of the military victories he had won; and 4) he was a mighty man of
                      valor,a term used in the Old Testament for both a man of great wealth (Ruth 2:1) and a courageous
                      warrior (Judg. 6:12; 11:1). Severely mitigating against all of this was the fact that he suffered from
                      leprosy,a serious skin disease (v.27).Naaman’s military success was attributable to the God of Israel,
                      who is sovereign over all the nations (Is. 10:13; Amos 9:7).
                         Because of his personal greatness (v. 1), his huge gift of ten talents of silver, six thousand
                      shekels of gold (about 750 pounds of silver and 150 pounds of gold in v.5),and diplomatic letter (v.
                      6), Naaman expected that Elisha would “surely come out to me”(v.11).He expected personal atten-
                      tion to his need. However, Elisha did not even go out to meet him. Instead, he sent his instructions
                      for healing through a messenger (v. 10). Naaman was angry because he anticipated a personal
                      cleansing ceremony from the prophet himself. Besides, if Naaman needed to wash in a river, two
                      Syrian rivers were superior to the muddy Jordan.However,it was obedience to God’s word that was
                      the issue, not the quality of the water.
                         Fortunately, Naaman had a servant who pointed out to him that he had been willing to do
                      anything, no matter how hard, to be cured. He should be even more willing, therefore, to do some-
                      thing as easy as washing in a muddy river. Naaman’s healing restored his flesh to that “of a little
                      child”(v.14).Upon his healing, Naaman returned from the Jordan River to Elisha’s house in Samaria
                      to give confession of his new belief:“there is no God…except in Israel”(v. 15).



                                                       578
   592   593   594   595   596   597   598   599   600   601   602