Dates#

The dates of Jesus’ public ministry remain somewhat obscure, partly because of uncertainty concerning the way Luke figured the beginning of Tiberius’s reign (Luke 3:1). But the three-and-one-half-year period leading up to A.D. 33 is as likely as any, though many scholars prefer A.D. 30. Traditionally, this span of time has been divided into a year of obscurity, a year of popularity, and a year of rejection.

MAIN EVENTS IN JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY

Obscurity#

The year of obscurity began with the heralding ministry of John the Baptist. He may have grown up in the Essene community at Qumran, but on his appearance in public he looks to be a lone, hermit-like prophet whose preaching to crowds and baptizing of people in preparation for the coming of God’s kingdom differ from the social withdrawal of those Essenes.

By the time of John it may have been required of Gentile proselytes that they baptize themselves as a rite of initiation into Judaism, but John required baptism for Jews as a sign of repentance from sins. Or if proselyte baptism had not yet come into Judaism (the evidence is disputed), John may have borrowed from the Essenes their practice of ritual self-washings and endowed it with new significance.

Jesus received this baptism. Satan tempted him. And having resisted temptation, Jesus made his first disciples and started preaching, teaching, and performing miracles and exorcisms, mainly in Galilee but occasionally also on pilgrimages to Jerusalem.

Popularity Turning into Rejection#

The activities of preaching, teaching, and performing miracles and exorcisms continued in Jesus’ year of popularity. Increasingly large crowds attended him, so much so that he sought privacy for himself and his disciples, not always successfully.

The year of rejection may be something of a misnomer, for large crowds kept flocking to Jesus. When able to gain some privacy, he devoted himself to teaching the disciples. Sometime during this period Peter, speaking for the rest of them, confessed the messiahship of Jesus; and Jesus began predicting his death and resurrection. The transfiguration occurred. The last journey to Jerusalem began.

According to the Fourth Gospel, Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead convinced members of the Sanhedrin they should eliminate Jesus and, with him, what they thought to be the threat of a messianic revolt. According to the Synoptic Gospels, which do not mention the raising of Lazarus, Jesus’ cleansing of the temple after his triumphal entry on Palm Sunday made the Sanhedrin determine to eliminate him. Judas arranged to betray him.

Rules for Trials#

In capital cases, later (and possibly earlier) Jewish trial procedure required (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 4.1.3-5a; 5.1):

• A trial begin during the daytime; that if unfinished it be adjourned during nighttime;

• A majority of only one sufficed for acquittal, but that a majority of at least two was necessary for conviction;

• A verdict of acquittal might be given on the very first day, but that a verdict of guilty must be delayed until the next day so that the judges might carefully weigh a condemnatory decision overnight;

• No trial should be held on the eve of a Sabbath or festival day;

• The accused not be forced to witness against themselves or be convicted on their own testimony

It is possible that the Sadducees, who dominated the Sanhedrin in Jesus’ time, lacked the consideration for accused people that characterized the later Sanhedrin, dominated by heirs of the Pharisees. On the other hand, the danger that members of the Sanhedrin thought Jesus posed may well have led them to violate their normal rules of trial procedure.

Last Supper#

The Last Supper, a Passover meal, took place the following Thursday evening. The Passover liturgy included a blessing; the passing of several cups of wine around the table; a recital of the exodus story by the host; an eating of the roasted lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs; and the singing of psalms. In line with the Jewish expectation of a messianic banquet, Jesus had already compared the kingdom of God to a supper. He had also described his suffering as a cup to be drunk.

Furthermore, the Passover commemorated God’s redeeming Israel from Egyptian slavery by virtue of the sacrifice of a Passover lamb. But Jesus had intimated that Israel was now rejected. Therefore he instituted the Lord’s Supper to commemorate the redemption of a new people of God, the disciples, from slavery to sin by virtue of his own sacrificial death.

Death and Resurrection#

The arrest and Jewish trial of Jesus took place Thursday night, the Roman trial early Good Friday morning, the crucifixion from midmorning to midafternoon, and the burial in late afternoon.

Jesus’ sayings spoken from the cross are called “The Seven Last Words.” Jesus’ resurrection occurred very early on Sunday, and Jesus appeared to his disciples a number of times during forty days of postresurrection ministry. Finally, he ascended to heaven little more than a week before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

The Seven Last Words#

1. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

2. “I tell you truly, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43, spoken to the repentant criminal crucified with Jesus).

3. “Woman, look—your son! … Look—your mother!” (John 19:26-27, spoken to Jesus’ mother Mary and to the beloved disciple).

4. “I am thirsty” (John 19:28).

5. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).

6. “They are finished” (John 19:30).

7. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

Excursus: The Miracles and Resurrection of Jesus Miracles#

The miracles of Jesus raise a question of the supernatural, to which people who consider themselves scientifically minded often object. But if there is a God who has acted in history, especially by revealing himself through Jesus Christ, how else may we expect him to have acted than supernaturally? If he had not, we could point to a lack of historical evidence that it really was God acting. The very fact that other religions often lay claim to the supernatural shows that people really do expect the divine to show itself in ways not subject to naturalistic explanations.

There were many eyewitnesses to Jesus’ career. Those who allied themselves with him endured ostracism, torture, and even death for what they proclaimed concerning him; and they felt constrained to make proclamation even at such costs. They could have saved themselves by admitting falsehood in their testimony or simply by ceasing to testify.

Furthermore, the records of Jesus’ ministry began to be written well within half a century after he lived. The very supernaturalism in the stories makes it unlikely that they were fabricated and accepted during the period when eyewitnesses were still living. Similarly, Paul would hardly have dared to argue from miracles that he had performed among the Galatians if they had never seen him do any. Thus the claim of other religions to the miraculous does not at all undercut Christianity’s similar claim when both are tested by the tools of historical research in an open-minded way.

The Resurrection#

That Jesus really did rise from the dead is supported by the shortcomings of alternative hypotheses.

One is that Jesus only appeared to die, that he lapsed into a coma and later revived for a while. But his death is indicated by the brutal beating he endured, by the six hours of hanging on a cross, by the thrusting through of his rib cage with a spear and the resultant gushing out of watery fluid and blood, by his partial embalming and being wrapped up in grave clothes, and finally by his being sealed in a tomb.

Others hypothesize that the disciples stole Jesus’ corpse. But to do so they would have had to overpower the Roman guards, an unlikely event, or bribe them, equally unlikely, since the guards knew they would be subject to capital punishment for failing to protect Jesus’ body from theft. That the graveclothes lay undisturbed (not even unwrapped) and the turban still twirled up and set to one side militates against a hasty removal of the corpse by theft. Thieves do not usually take time to tidy up. Here they would probably have taken the body along with its wrappings.

The surprise, even unbelief, of the disciples at Jesus’ resurrection further shows that they did not steal his corpse, unless their surprise and unbelief were fabricated to make the story look convincing. But such a fabrication seems “too clever by half.” It also seems unlikely that stories would have been fabricated in which the apostles are first portrayed as unbelievers in the resurrection, for the early church soon began to revere the apostles.

Yet others hypothesize that the disciples experienced hallucinations. But the New Testament gives evidence of Jesus’ appearances in different locations at different times to different parties numbering from one to more than five hundred (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). The appearances were too many and too varied to have been hallucinations. Furthermore, the disciples were psychologically unprepared for hallucinations, since they did not expect Jesus to rise and actually disbelieved the first reports that he had risen. All that unbelieving Jews would have had to do when the report of Jesus’ resurrection began circulating was to produce the corpse. But they never did.

Still others hypothesize that the disciples modeled Jesus’ resurrection after the dying and rising of gods in pagan mythology. But the differences loom far greater than the similarities. History does not provide a framework for the myths as it does for the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection. The New Testament draws no connection with the annual dying and reviving of nature, as in the pagan myths, associated as they are with the agricultural cycle and fertility. The matter-of-fact style of reporting in the Gospels contrasts sharply with the fantasies that abound in myths. And accounts of the resurrection appear immediately in the early church, without the lengthy interim required for an evolution of detailed mythology.

Because Jesus did rise, there is a human being in heaven interceding for those who believe in him as the sacrifice for their sins. His resurrection also provides power for Christian living and guarantees both his return and the resurrection and eternal life of those who believe in him.

Teaching#

Jesus’ speech was colorful and picturesque. Figures of speech abounded. He often created epigrams, not easily forgotten, and delighted in puns, which usually fail to come through in translation. Many sayings are set in the parallelistic forms of statement characteristic of Semitic poetry.

Parables#

Jesus often taught in parables, which were more or less extended figures of speech, often in story form. Now scholars are recognizing that no hard and fast distinction exists between parables containing a single point and multifaceted parables. Allowance must then be made for some allegorism in parables, especially in the longer ones.

In the content of his teaching Jesus built on the Old Testament foundation of ethical monotheism, that is, of belief in one God of love and righteousness who acts redemptively and judgmentally in history according to his covenantal relations with human beings. By declaring sins forgiven, claiming to be the judge of everyone’s eternal destiny, demanding utter allegiance to himself, making astounding “I am …” statements, and introducing many sayings in a tone of ultimate authority with amen (translated “truly” or “verily”), Jesus put himself forward as a unique person.

He preferred to speak of himself as “the Son of Man” whom Daniel saw in a vision as a superhuman figure coming from heaven to judge and rule the whole world (Daniel 7:9-14). But Jesus also associated the suffering of the “Servant of the LORD” (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) with himself as the Son of Man.

Significantly, the designation “Son of Man” occurs for Jesus almost exclusively on his own lips. Among the Jews it was largely or entirely unused in a messianic sense. As a result, Jesus could build up his own definition. The additional term “Son (of God)” occurs both in his claims for himself and in the words of others about him.

Loving God and loving one’s neighbor compose the two main ethical imperatives, according to Jesus. His view of righteous living emphasized inward motivation as opposed to outward show. The Golden Rule, which occurs in its positive form, helps define what he meant by loving.

The Kingdom#

The message of both John the Baptist and Jesus focused above all on “the kingdom.” Often the two phrases “of God” and “of heaven” modify this term. The phrases are synonymous. Parallel usage occurs in the same passage. The phrases also alternate in parallel accounts of different gospels. For example, “to such as these [children] belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14) becomes “… of heaven” in Matthew 19:14.

On the other hand, Matthew does not hesitate to use God’s name elsewhere; so perhaps “kingdom of heaven” reflects Daniel 2:44 and, like that Old Testament passage, accents universality: Just as heaven arches over the whole earth, so also the kingdom encompasses it.

Jesus may have used both phrases, his choice depending on the audience and on the emphasis he wished to give. Or Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” represents Jesus’ phrase, which the other evangelists translated into “kingdom of God” for Gentiles who might not understand the use of “heaven” for “God.” Or, most likely, Jesus regularly used “kingdom of God,” and Matthew substituted “kingdom of heaven.”

The term kingdom carries two meanings:

1. a sphere of rule

“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24). In other words, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the sphere where God rules!”

2. the activity of ruling

“The kingdom of God is among [or ‘within’] you” (Luke 17:21). In other words, “God reigns ‘among’ [or within] you.”

Because of the verbal idea in this second meaning, many scholars prefer the translation “the reign (or rule) of God.” Both meanings are present in the New Testament use of kingdom. Context determines which of the two predominates. The activity of ruling includes the delivering of its subjects from oppression and the bringing of blessing to them as well as the exercise of authority over them.

Realized Eschatology#

John the Baptist and Jesus said that the kingdom was “near” and that people must prepare for it by repenting of their sins (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Mark 1:14-15). Once his ministry got under way, Jesus said that the kingdom had indeed come: “If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20; compare Matthew 11:12-13; Luke 16:16; 17:20-21).

In other words, God’s rule was invading the world in the person and activity of Jesus. One must therefore enter the kingdom by faith in him (John 3:3). Emphasis on an arrival of the kingdom in his appearance and ministry is called “realized eschatology,” a phrase associated with C. H. Dodd.

Consistent Eschatology#

In another vein, Jesus also spoke about the kingdom’s arrival when the present evil age comes to an end: “… until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God” (Mark 14:25); “many will come … and recline [at banquet] … in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28-29). The petition Jesus taught his disciples in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come,” also implies that the kingdom is yet to come.

Emphasis on an arrival of the kingdom in the future, particularly in the near future, is called “consistent eschatology,” a phrase associated with Albert Schweitzer. He himself did not hold to consistent eschatology, but he argued that Jesus held to it.

Mystery of the Kingdom#

Both realized and consistent eschatology receive strong support from passages such as those just mentioned. So Jesus must have taught both present and future forms of the kingdom. Thus the “mystery” of the kingdom consists in the open secret that before God fully imposes his rule on earth when Jesus comes back, believers enjoy its future blessings in advance - thus inaugurated eschatology.

Through his preaching, Jesus brought God’s rule to the Jews, but on the basis of repentance and faith rather than on a politico-military basis. By rejecting Jesus, most of the Jews, especially their official leaders, rejected God’s rule. Consequently, God transferred it to the church (Matthew 21:42-43; compare Acts 8:12; 28:23, 28-31; Romans 14:17; Colossians 1:13) until the restoration of Israel (Matthew 19:28 parallel Luke 22:28-30).

Jesus commissioned his disciples to evangelize the world in the meantime. Then he would return to judge the human race and establish God’s kingdom fully and forever.

Summary#

Jesus’ public ministry probably lasted about three-and-one-half years, either A.D. 30-33 or A.D. 27-30, and traditionally divides into a year of obscurity, a year of popularity, and a year of rejection.

John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, whose ministry consisted in preaching, teaching, performing miracles and exorcisms, and finally in dying sacrificially for our sins and rising from the dead for our eternal life—all in the service of bringing God’s kingdom to earth, that is, imposing God’s rule over all the earth and drawing believers into its blessings.

• To the extent that Jesus’ ministry succeeded among his disciples, the kingdom has been realized.

• To the extent that the rest of the world remains in rebellion against God, his kingdom has yet to come.

This tension between the already and the not-yet makes up the mystery of the kingdom, often portrayed in the figurative language of parables.