 Okay, welcome back everyone to our second lecture on the course BC 106 interpreting scripture. We're just working through some difficult topics, some questions that come up frequently and trying to respond to them. So when we look at these gospel accounts, there are some variations in the story but these can be explained. It doesn't mean that these variations indicate contradictions. Just said, okay, it's part of understanding how things happen in those days and how we also do things these days and we can explain these differences. One more difference or one more gospel story, I should say similar stories is Jesus being anointed by a woman. So you have Matthew, Mark and John record incidents when Jesus was anointed by a woman. Sometimes you're confusing. We think it is by default, we think it is the same story but when you look very closely at these three recorded incidents, you'll find that they're actually different. So can you quickly point out the differences and I think I've already stated some of it here, between John 12, Mark 14 and Matthew 26. So when you look at these three very carefully, in John 12, it's very clear. Jesus was in the house of Lazarus, Mary, Martha, Lazarus in their house and it was Mary who anointed Jesus on this occasion. So we know where he was, who anointed him and we also see it was six days before the Passover. Then two days before the Passover, he was in somebody else's house. He was in the house of a man called Simon who had been healed. He was Simon the leper, he had been healed and he was in Bethany. So it is the same city as Mary, Martha and Lazarus. They also lived in Bethany. So same city, but different house, somebody else's house. And this time, we don't know who it was. The name of the woman is not known. So that is not same as Mary. Some other woman came anointed Jesus. The third one in Matthew 26. In this supper, we don't know who it was and it is not stated exactly where and you know. So we put that down as a separate incident. It's an unknown. This was in Matthew 26. So you find these three incidents, John 12, Mark 14, Matthew 26. John 12 and Mark 14 are just a few days before the Passover. Matthew 26 seems to be well in advance of the Passover. The gap is much more. So these incidents don't have to be all the same. We know very clearly John 12 and Mark 14 are two different incidents because different people's home, the names are given in John 12. So we know these are two different. Matthew 26, we don't know. It could be one of these that Matthew is recording or we don't know exactly who he is referring to. So we could come there as a third anointing. Matthew 26. Yeah, this is Matthew 26. He was in the house of, he was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper. So Matthew 26 is Simon the leper. Again. So Matthew 26 and Mark 14. Correct myself. Matthew 26 and Mark 14 record the same incident, which is Jesus in Bethany, the house of Simon the leper. Correct? Did I mix it up? Mark 14. Let me just hope I didn't mix up what I wrote. Mark 14, one. Okay, fine. Okay. So Matthew 26 and Mark 14 are the same. House of Simon the leper, unknown woman. And John 12 is Mary and Mark 14. Sorry. Maybe there's something in Luke. Okay. So this is where I made my mistake. There's another recorded incidents in Luke chapter seven. Luke seven 36 to 42. Luke seven 36 to 42. So I got to correct my notes here. Sorry about this. So there's another incident in Luke chapter seven 36 to 42, where there's a woman who anoints Jesus with an alabaster, a flask of fragrant oil and she wipes the feet of Jesus. So this is the incident that is separate. That means we don't know who this is. Luke seven 36 to 42. Yeah. So three separate anointing. So John 12, one to nine is Mary. Mark 14 and Matthew 26 is an unknown woman in the house of Simon the leper. And then Luke seven 36 to 41 is again an unknown woman and she's in the house of one of the Pharisees. We don't know who it is. And it is in Luke seven. That means early on in the ministry. Matthew 26, Mark 14 is closer to his crucifixion. Okay. So clarify it. Okay. I'm sorry about my mistake in the notes. I should have written Luke seven. I guess I was thinking about Luke seven and I wrote, put it down, put Matthew 26 separately. Now, another question that people could ask is why do the gospels record different statements on what was written on the cross? Right. So Matthew 27, Matthew records it as this is Jesus, the king of the Jews. Mark says, the king of the Jews. Luke says, this is the king of the Jews. John nine, John says, Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews. So why couldn't they all say the same thing? Like either it said, the king of the Jews, or it said, Jesus, the king of the Jews. Why is there this variation? Because they could be only one inscription on the cross. Why is it that? Sorry. Why is it? Okay. Did I start sharing my screen? Yeah, I am sharing the screen. So why is it that there are these three variations given? Right. So what we do know is that the inscription was written in three languages, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. Right. So it's one inscription, but it was put up in three languages on the cross of Jesus. So this is what Luke tells us in Luke 23 38. So depending on which, how you interpret it, to each language could communicate the same thing in a little different way. So if I'm speaking in English and somebody translates my statements into Hindi, and somebody else translates my statement into, you know, Tamil, something like that, another language, it's not that Hindi and Tamil would match exactly. There could be slight variations at how it's being understood. And so each Gospel writer is communicating the essence of what is being said, but also recognizing that there could have been variations in how it was translated into different languages. So Jesus of Nazareth. So basically we would say the inscription would have been Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, because when you say Jesus of Nazareth, it uniquely identifies that person. It could have been some Jesus from some other place, but Jesus of Nazareth, this is Jesus who came from this place, and he claimed to be King of the Jews. This is his punishment. Now this is why he's getting his punishment, because he claimed to be King of the Jews. So the variation in the Gospels is because of the fact that it was one inscription given by Pilate, but in three languages. And so there's a slight variation in how it was communicated. And so we would say the actual statement is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. So another related question to the cross is, did Jesus drink the Sar wine when on the cross? Okay. So Matthew records, they gave him Sar wine mingled with alcohol to drink, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. John says, when he received the Sar wine, he said it is finished, and bobbing his head, he gave up the ghost. So if you look at the Gospel events, it seems, it's clear that there were two times Jesus was offered up something on while he was on the cross, two times. The first time it was, Jesus was offered wine mixed with ma, he refused to take it, he bore the pain, and later on he wanted water to quench his thirst when he said, I thirst. And at this time he was offered Sar wine, and he received that Sar wine, you know, and then he gave his final self. So in the beginning, he didn't ask for anything. He was given Sar wine that was mixed with ma, which was meant to reduce the pain. He refused that. And then towards the end, he said, I thirst. At that time, he was given Sar wine or vinegar, which John says, he received the Sar wine, and then he shouted, it is finished. Okay. So it is not contradicting two different times, one at the beginning, one at the end, one with ma, one without ma. One meant to reduce his pain, he refused. One, he wanted to wet his mouth so he can make the final declaration, he received that, and he said, it is finished. Okay. Any confusion? Okay. So this is a difficult one. John 19, this is quite a tough one because when Jesus was brought before Pilate in John 19, 8 to 12, Pilate is questioning him and he says in verse 10, don't you know I have the power to crucify you, I have the power to release you. And Jesus said, you could have no power at all against me unless it had been given to you from above. Therefore the one who delivered me to you has the greatest sin. What did Jesus mean? Is he saying God the Father is the biggest sinner? So how do we explain verse 11? So Pilate is telling Jesus, Jesus, see you speak to me properly because I have power. I can crucify you or I can release you. Then Jesus tells Pilate, Pilate would not be in this place unless God had let you be there, unless it had been given to you from above. That means God has allowed you to be in this place at this moment. That's very clear. But what did he mean when he said, so therefore the one who delivered me to you has the greater sin? Because it seems like he's pointing to God and saying he is the one who has sinned because he put you in this place. How do we understand that verse 11 correctly? So when you read these two sentences together, it seems like I'm saying it seems like he says, he says, Pilate, you are in this place because God has let you there. Okay. But when Jesus says, the one who delivered me to you has the greatest sin. How do we understand? Well, simple. First part of the sentence, Jesus is recognizing that it is God who raises up kings of people and authority as God who puts down one. Okay. So this is from Daniel, even Daniel chapter four. He says it is the most high God who he raises up kings. He puts down kings. Jesus recognizes that Pilate, you're there at this moment because God is allowed that. But he's not blaming God and he's not blaming Pilates. What he's saying is, I recognize you're there because God has given you that position. But the greatest sin lies with those or him who delivered me to you. Specifically, Judas, referring to Judas, because picture, the Jews themselves, they are the ones who are they are the ones who are delivering Jesus to Pilate. So the one who delivered me to you, he has the greatest. It's not, you're not responsible. You happen to be here at this moment in time. God has allowed it. It's not your sin. The one who delivered me to you has the greater. So we have to understand Judas specifically, but the Jews collectively, because the priests and all of them planned it together. They are the ones who are behind this. They have the greater sin. So when we read this, it seems like as though he's blaming the father. No, no, no, no. You don't understand it correctly. He's pointing back to Judas and saying he's the one who's responsible. You all with me so far? Okay. Let me just check online. Okay. Yeah, Nina is referring to the Jewish leaders. Yeah. Okay. Any questions from online class? I hope you are following me. Let's move forward. Just covering different things. So this was a question that's often asked. Which is, what did Jesus mean in John 20, 23, when he told his disciples, if you forgive the sins of, now Jesus is speaking to disciples. He's telling them, if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained. How can man have the authority to forgive sins and not forgive sins? So what did Jesus mean by this? Can anyone of us go to somebody, I forgive you your sins? Can we do that? So what did Jesus mean in John 20, 23, when he told his disciples, if you forgive somebody, they are forgiven. If you don't forgive, they won't be forgiven. How to correctly interpret this? So first we know that only God can forgive sins, very clear, that we don't have the authority. And I can't tell somebody your sins are not forgiven or your sins are not. That's not our only God has the authority. So then we have to think in what way are we involved in bringing forgiveness to people and or in holding back forgiveness from people? In what way? So Jesus speaking to the disciples, he's telling them, if you forgive sins are forgiven, if you retain sins are retained. In what way would the disciples be involved? And today, in what way you and I would be involved? Well, the only one answer is this. The only way we are involved is when we bring the gospel to somebody, or if we don't bring the gospel to somebody. When we bring the gospel to somebody, we are actually bringing gods, giving them an opportunity to receive forgiveness. So in that sense, we are enabling them to receive forgiveness. So we're bringing forgiveness to them. But when we don't bring the gospel, we're actually withholding forgiveness from them in that sense, because they cannot be forgiven. Are you understanding? Yes. So if somebody does offense me, I forgive them. So that releases my heart towards them. But they are still answerable to God for the offense they create. They have done against me. So example, if somebody speaks bad and spreads false rumors, I can say, I'm not worried. I forgive you. But God still holds them responsible for their wrong acts, what they did. So that forgiveness from God, they have to receive. Now that forgiveness, and that's just for that, I'm just giving my example, but for generally for all sin, they can only receive it through Jesus Christ by hearing of what Christ did for them on the cross. I may forgive and say, I forget it. I don't care. But that forgiveness comes only as they receive it through the person of Jesus Christ. So how can we facilitate that when we bring the gospel to them? So John 20 and 23 must be understood that first and foremost, by bringing the gospel to people, we are bringing forgiveness to them, or we withhold the gospel, we withhold forgiveness to them. Now there are extensions to this, which means that, like what Anand was saying, that I can extend forgiveness to people, or the church can extend forgiveness to people. That is between us and our relationship, I can forgive. But ultimately forgiveness from God comes through the gospel of Jesus. So we interpret John 20, 23 as bringing forgiveness through the gospel. Let's do a few more. So this is also a challenging one. In Matthew 1240, Jesus said, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the... Jesus said, how many? Three days and three nights. Now when we typically celebrate Good Friday and Easter, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, we don't have three days and three nights. Friday, Saturday, something is missing. One day is missing because Jesus said very clearly, three days and three, something is wrong. How do we explain it? And of course, if we tell some people, they may ask this question. There are two possible explanations. There are two ways this could have happened. One is which is most likely the high Sabbath. This is most likely actually what happens. So in John, John records John 1931. He records and he mentions it was the high Sabbath. So the high Sabbath is different from the weekly Sabbath. Weekly Sabbath is Saturday. So the high Sabbath was a day before it was on the 14th day, I think. So this was a day of preparation. So if you break it down like this by our calendar, now in Jewish time, a new day begins at 6 p.m. 6 p.m. and goes on till 6 p.m. the next day. So it starts with the evening and then the morning. Okay, that's a Jewish day. 6 p.m. to 6 p.m. So what we say as Thursday would have started at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. So their Thursday or what we call as Thursday. For us, our Thursday starts at 12 midnight. But for them, the Thursday would have started at 6 p.m. the previous day. So evening, morning and it ends at 6 p.m. this day and Friday starts at 6 p.m. goes in. So the Jewish Thursday begins on Wednesday at 6 p.m. This was the 14th day of Nisan which was a preparation. Jesus had the last supper and he was arrested that night. And he was crucified most on Thursday at 9 o'clock in the morning and he was on the cross 9 o'clock till 3 p.m. and he was buried by 6 p.m. before 6 p.m. that day. So that's the first day, first night, second day, second night, third day and this is the third night that brings us to Sunday morning. So most likely, this is what took place. So when we think him being crucified, we do it Friday, Saturday, Sunday, but most likely he must have been crucified before 6 p.m. on what we know as Thursday before 6 p.m. So it's actually part of the previous day. For us, while Thursday is going on, Thursday is over. He died on that day, Thursday. The second possible explanation is if you extend the same idea, saying if you count this as Thursday as the first day, I say that, yeah. The first day, first day night and then Thursday night, Friday morning, second night and day and third night and day. So you can, you know, you look at it like this Thursday, Friday, Saturday. So even if Jesus was crucified on Friday, we look at this as the first night and day, Thursday night and Friday morning, Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night, Sunday morning. So you've got three days and you've got three nights. If you, if he was crucified Friday morning, it is actually still part of the previous day. The previous day is still continuing. So night and then into the day. So you look at it as three days and three nights. But most likely, going by John's account, this is what happened. This first case is what actually would have happened. That is, he would have been crucified on a Thursday in the morning, on our Thursday in the morning. This is what would have happened. But you can look at it from both ways and you can account for three days, three nights. All right. I think, so now we're changing subjects now. We're going to spend a little time on gifts and can women teach, women in ministry and all of that. First Corinthians chapter 13, when Paul is writing about the gifts of the Spirit, he says, when that which is perfect has come, then, you know, these things will be done away with first Corinthians 13. So many people use first Corinthians 13 as a reason for saying the gifts of the Spirit are not for today. Right. So first Corinthians 13 verse 10, when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part will be done away. So it says the gifts of the Spirit are things in part. We know when part we prophesy in part, all of that. And they use verse 10 to say, when what is perfect is come, then what is in part will be done away. So what is perfect? They say, okay, the Bible, we have the Bible. So because we have the Bible, we don't need the gifts of the Spirit. I'm just saying what some people would say. But then how do we understand first Corinthians 13 verse 10 correctly? First Corinthians 13 verse 10 must be understood in the context of what he goes on to say. He says in verse 12, now we see in the middle, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am. I also am. No. No. So first Corinthians 13 10 must be understood in relation with first Corinthians 13 12. In verse 12 he says, when I see him face to face, he's not talking about when the Bible is fully compliance. But then he's talking about is when I see Jesus face to face. So until then, what is in part will continue. That means the gifts will continue. But when we see him face to face, then what is in part, which is the gifts will be done away with. You understand? Okay. So right here in first Corinthians 13 between verses 10 and 12, we can explain that when Paul says, when that which is perfect is come, he's not referring to the Bible. He's referring to seeing Jesus face to face. Okay. So example, and I'm not, I'm not, you know, I'm not trying to put these people down, but typically certain evangelicals like Baptists and others, they will use first Corinthians 13 10 and they will say, Oh, see, we have the full Bible. The perfect has come. So we don't need the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Don't pray in tongues. Don't prophesy. Don't know gifts of healing. We don't need any of that. Why? Because the full Bible. But then you say, Okay, let's read on little verse 12 in verse 12. What is he saying? When we see him face to face, then what is in part can be done away with. That means when he says that which is perfect, he's talking about seeing Jesus face to face, not the scriptures. Okay. Okay, I'll do one more and I'll stop. I think you're getting tired. Last one. I'll do this quickly. Can women be in fivefold? Can a woman be an apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher, evangelist? Because in Ephesians four, it says he gave gifts to men. This is in verse eight. When he ascended up on high, he led captivity, captive and gave gifts to men. And then it mentions the gifts. Verse 11, apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher, evangelist, he mentions. So big question. Can a woman be apostle? Can a woman be pastor? Can a woman be prophet, evangelist, teacher? So what we must point out is in verse eight, when he says he gave gifts to men, that word men in the Greek is Anthropos, which means people, not men as in male, but men as in humans. When we say mankind, we don't only mean male. When we say mankind, we mean everybody, men and women. So that this word Anthropos is that's what it means. It means people, everybody, male and female. It's the same word that's used in Matthew chapter four was for man shall not live by bread alone. So in Matthew four, four, when it says man shall live by bread on doesn't mean only male. It means generally men and women, all of us need the word of God. Same word Anthropos. So based on that, that word itself, we can say that these five-fold ministry gifts are for male and female, not just for male. Can a woman be an apostle? Yeah. Can a woman be a prophet? Yeah. Can a woman be a pastor? Yeah. Can a woman be a teacher? Yeah. Can a woman be evangelist? Yeah. Whoever the Lord Jesus points, they can because that word men in Ephesians four eight is male or male. Got it? I'll pause here. We'll pick up, pick this up next week. Okay. I know we're all already very tired. Go back and read these things. If you have any questions, you can ask me next week. Okay. I know I've just quickly gone through many of these things. I didn't turn, we didn't turn to the scriptures and all that. I'm just giving you summary. But if you have time, go and think about these things. If it is not clear, you ask me. I can repeat. No problem. Okay. We have a few more things to do. So I'm just going fast. Hopefully next week we will finish it. Then on 11th, we'll do a full review. Okay. So you try to review this. And if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. Let me see online. Any questions? Okay. Nina. When they share the gospel, the ones who accept the message that sins are forgiven. Yes. If they don't receive their sins are not forgiven. That's correct. So in that sense, you know, we have, we are part of this whole thing of bringing forgiveness to people. That is, we proclaim the gospel, we share it with them. And then they have the opportunity to receive. So that's what he was saying. Yeah. Any questions from online class? Alright, so we will pick this up next week. I'll just try to cover as much as I can. Next week. If there are any other questions, you put it forward. Okay. So all these questions were what questions students had asked in the past. I just kept collecting them, put it together. So if you have any questions you ask, we can add. Yes. It's coming. It's coming. That is just coming. Right. So it's again, it is a question students often ask. So I put it down somewhere here. Head covering water baptism. That is just coming. Alcohol, clothing, that is coming. So next, I think next week we'll reach there. Okay. So these are very common questions students ask. But if you have anything more, just ask. We can try to cover that. Alright, so let's close in prayer. We'll close early. Father, we thank you for this time. And we pray that as we continue looking at these difficult topics, things will become clear for all of us. And we'll be able to give right answers to people and help people draw closer to you. Thank you Father and Jesus. Amen. Okay. Thank you. You can take a break and prepare for your next class. Thank you.