Yeshua in the War Zone — A Template for Ministry

Mark 1–3

It is interesting to note the order of events as Yeshua was launching his ministry. He was about to enter a war zone!

After John baptized Yeshua and he received his heavenly empowerment, he first went through a spiritual boot camp before stepping onto the battlefield of public ministry. Once in the “war,” it’s worth noting where the battle lines fell.

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  • His spiritual boot camp was the wilderness where he fasted for forty days and nights to get his body, soul and spirit, and his mind, will and emotions in sync with the will of his Father in heaven (Mark 1:12–15).
  • His first battle was an internal one. The devil tested him in three areas: his body, soul and spirit, or, to put it another way, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (Mark 1:13). After overcoming himself and submitting to the will of his Father, he was now ready to launch into the war zone of public ministry.
  • His mission was to preach the message of the gospel of the kingdom of Elohim and repentance from sin (i.e. Torahlessness, 1 John 3:4; Mark 1:14–15).
  • Next he chose his cadre of spiritual warriors — his “army”— the twelve disciples (Mark 1:16–20).
  • Where better to start proclaiming the gospel message than in the local synagogue on the Sabbath (Mark 1:21)? After all, the religious folks there should be overjoyed to hear this good news, fresh message from heaven. Right?
  • His first recorded act, other than preaching, was to cast an unclean spirit out of someone in his local synagogue (Mark 1:21–28). Interesting. He didn’t have to go to the First Church of Satan, a witches coven, a Hindu temple, or a mosque to do this. The demons were right there in the church!
  • Next, Yeshua brought miraculous physical healing to those around him (Mark 1:32–34). The exorcism and physical healing opened the doors for him to begin ministering to those in that city. He preached the gospel, and signs and wonders followed as the kingdom of Elohim was expanded at the devil’s expense.
  • He continued preaching and, with compassion, healed the sick and oppressed. His ministry spread to the surrounding areas as he ministered to people at their point of need with the powerful gospel message (Mark 1:40–2:12).
  • It wasn’t long before Yeshua aroused the attention of the religious leaders with his controversial methods that ran cross-grain to the religious establishment status quo (Mark 2:6). The scribes began to question him about his healing methods and his spiritual authority. They seemed more occupied with issues relating to religious rituals and protocols than the fact that a paralyzed man had been healed.
  • Next the scribes and Pharisees questioned Yeshua’s associations. He didn’t fit their criteria as to how a Jewish rabbi should act or with whom he should associate (Mark 2:15–17).
  • After this, the Pharisees butted heads with Yeshua over his non-ascetic lifestyle. They didn’t like the fact that he didn’t fast as often as John the Baptist (Mark 2:18–22).
  • Then the Pharisees criticized Yeshua for not observing the Sabbath according to their extra-biblical religious criteria (Mark 2:23–28).
  • Finally, several of these controversial issues converged when the Pharisees questioned Yeshua in a synagogue on the Sabbath as to whether it was legal to perform a miraculous healing on that day or not (Mark 3:1–6).
  • Because the religious establishment viewed Yeshua as a threatening anomaly, they begin plotting how to destroy him (Mark 3:6). Their first aggressive act against him was false accusation, and smearing him publicly by accusing him of exorcizing a lower demon through a more higher, powerful demon (Mark 3:22). The Torah prescribes the death penalty for this (Deut 13:5; 18:20). It appears that the scribes (the legal experts) from Jerusalem were coming to apprehend Yeshua for this alleged crime. His family seeing that he was at risk of being arrested, sought to take him into protective custody before the scribes could seize him. Even his own family, though concerned for his well-being, thought “he was out of his mind” (Mark 3:21).
  • From time to time, Yeshua had to withdraw from the battle zone for some spiritual rest and recuperation (Mark 1:35; 3:7, 13 cp. 1:45; 2:13). Even such a stalwart as Yeshua needed downtime occasionally to recharge his spiritual batteries.

Though Yeshua was the Son of Elohim and was endued with vast spiritual power, being in the ministry wasn’t easy even for him and right from the start! He and to pass numerous tests, overcome imposing obstacles and opposition of all kind, endure false accusations, betrayal,  mocking and scorning and even flee for his life at times. His authority was questioned, he came under fire for his unconventional healing methods, his non-religious lifestyle, his questionable associations, and his controversial theology that didn’t line up with the traditions of his day. But his steadfastness to his mission was firmly established in his forty day testing period in the wilderness. There, like an immovable rock, he resolved to be faithful to his Father in heaven regardless of the attacks by the world, the flesh and the devil that were about to assail him with full force.

Should his disciples today expect anything less —unless they’re not even in the war?

 

1 thought on “Yeshua in the War Zone — A Template for Ministry

  1. Natan. Great article, but for me thought provoking. I had never considered the implication of the “gospel” message before the shedding of Yeshua’s blood as opposed to after his death and resurrection. As I understand it there was no Torah sacrifice for intentional sin. Was Yeshua’s pre-resurrection gospel a new message that with repentance and belief in God there was forgiveness as Mark 1:15 would seem to imply? This would truly seem a radical new doctrine and one the Pharisees felt threatened by. In the healing of the leper, where Yeshua told him to go make the appropriate offering (Luke 5:14), this was not as I understand it a sacrifice for sin, but a thank offering for healing. Would appreciate your thoughts.

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