2, the zealots were 'leaders' in a sense, but not the ones identified in the scenes in the gospel accounts.
I already explained that the zealots were part of the cut off Jews. If they were not zealots, they would have believed in Jesus.
They wouldn't be lost if they already belonged by faith.
That is not so, for they were called ‘sheep’. Sheep is a name given to those whom God has saved. They were lost because they did not have a shepherd to shepherd them. They had the hypocrite Pharisees and teacher’s of the law.
They are lost in a different sense at that point. They are 'near' the law but can't see what it really means. They have the advantage of its background but the official leaders are misguiding them. Some historians say the official leaders were actually generating the zealots by perpetuating the belief in an actual monarchy in their own way.
The purification/ceremonial works had to be obeyed. There were Jews who had faith in God and they also did the ceremonial works, and then there were the Jews who obeyed the ceremonial works and did not have faith in God. God came first for those who already belonged to Him and He cut off the rest. Here is the scripture that says they were God’s:
John 17:6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.
The other Jews were cut off and hardened and could not hear Jesus to be saved at that time.
But now, one more try about the background and denial of the disciples. They grew up in zealot infested places, and 2 of them were zealots, including the eventual betrayer. That background kept on, stayed intact, until it came to a head at the Confession/Transfiguration scenes, where it explodes in Peter the spokesperson. I think it is the 'unless you take up your cross line' that really causes the uproar. It is loaded with paradox, beyond just personal discipleship. The last thing they wanted to do was be one of the many zealots and malcontents crucified (ie caught by Roman admin).
Are you losing sight of the fact that it is the JEWS who had Jesus killed?
And Jesus did not mean that He (Jesus) was going to actually die as a failed/caught zealot. He meant that he was going to die sacrificially and that their "cross" was going to be the mission taking that message around and on to the world. That is the "cross" they were going to have to take up. The closest you get to this in the followers own words is Paul in Galatians, ch 2 and 6.
Well, during the laying of the foundation, many would be killed for preaching the Truth.
(This conflicts with today's popular 'discipleship' method of using this verse; so be it. The meaning of an expression depends entirely on the group to whom it is originally addressed. It did call for a self-denial among that kind of zealot-background person, and the particulars are quite different from the affluent, self-satisfied suburban college kid today).
Well the foundation has already been laid, but that is not saying we will not be judged and even maybe prosecuted in one way or another for our belief in the truth. Some are ostracized by family and friends and society, and there are still Christians killed for their beliefs. I do agree though that Jesus’ teachings are not so hard as if I am taking up a cross every day, for my giving up sin was a pleasure, in hindsight.
So: what happened between the starting announcements and calls to discipleship by Jesus and the Con/Trans? It is an issue only in the synoptics; this is not an issue in John, which does not feature the Con/Trans the same way. Instead, there is Jn 6 which is where a following, that recently wanted to force him to be king, that gives up on him EXCEPT for the disciples, who solidly believe in his sacrificial death--they understand 'eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Christ.'. I have not resolved these two views myself.
Eating and drinking Jesus is believing and obeying Jesus.
I think in the synoptics they believed he was a miracle-Messiah who would surely be able to summon such powers in a conflict with Rome. They began blocking out anything that had heard about the Lamb, the dying for sins, the burial, etc. When the Con/Trans happened they were quite sure he was completely confused.
Maybe they knew very well, but it was just that it was hard to take when the day finally arrived.
Remember how they looked for Jesus expecting him to rise from the dead after he died.
The problem with MAD here or with Jerry is not accounting for what happened from the start to the Con/Trans. The confusion the disciples claim to exist in Christ at the Con/Trans is believed by MAD and Jerry to be a decision made just then to die, never thought of before, based on an assessment that Israel had rejected Him.
That is almost unbelievable. Do you think they really think that?.
This is why Jerry makes a huge deal of a split between 'being the Christ' and 'dying for sins.' He thinks they are unrelated and has some Dallas Seminary quote to support it, which is ridiculous.
It is ridiculous.
What was the rejection at the Con/Trans for? I don't know, because MAD and the two-program people have the whole plot so totally mixed up. I don't even know why wanting a monarchy would be the ground for rejecting him in a system that thinks he was going to set up a monarchy.
Some madists have explained to me that Jesus gives commands for only the Jews to obey. Why would Jesus only want Jews to obey? Why would the Old Testament prophecy about Jesus dying for OUR SINS have obedience excluded? Why would they think that Paul would teach we have another gospel? I believe that Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and others have brought confusion because of scriptures that they do not understand. Many of the scriptures are confused by misunderstanding Paul when he says not of by works. So then, one false belief must also spin another false teaching, and then another, etc.
The synoptics texts give us a ground for rejecting him: that he returned to the original announcements that he was to perish sacrificially and NOT provide a independent, free Israel monarchy. That is why the disciples fled from him. As for the leaders of Judaism, it was the claim of being the anointed Messiah and Son of God figure from the OT. There is a slight overlap in the rejection, but the leaders of Judaism of that generation never wanted to be very vocal about having a separate king. Caiahphas (as you quoted) wanted to 'save' Israel grief by getting rid of Jesus, and appear helpful to Rome doing so.
This kind of stuff spirals so far out of control that I have even heard a two-program pastor say that before the millenium starts in the future, Jesus would be crucified again so that the Jews would have the chance to accept and believe that all over again! (Sorry I don't have the source on that.)
I believe you. I have heard people say the Jews were going to do animal sacrifices again after Jesus lives on earth with them. How in the world would they ever get that Jesus is going to let these people worship him that way when HE IS THE LAMB that takes away sins?
He was trying to solve how Jews would be saved in the future when they don't believe any of the events of the Gospel actually happened as preached by the apostles. Talking about demanding signs!
Exactly! When Jesus comes again, it will not to be to bear sins, so if any are not in him by the time he comes again, it will be too late, for he comes as a thief in the night. We are all bound now to the same place. The cut off Jews were bound over to the same place the Gentiles were, and that is without God. We all are condemned until we come to him in living faith.