PHILIP

#795c                                                        PHILIP

Scripture Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Matthew 10:3; John 1:43-48, 6:5-7, 12:21-22, 14:8-9

                                                                                                                                  Orig. 3/2/1983

Passage:

John 1:43-48, 6:5-7, 12:21-22, 14:8-9

143 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

65 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

1221 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

148 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Mark 3:18

18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot

Luke 6:14

14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew

Matthew 10:3

3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus

Timeline/Series:         Personality Profiles

I.          What We Know of Him

·         Bethsaida—NE shore of Galilee

·         Greek name reflects Hellenistic influence only

·         Jesus “found” him—“what was known to Him”

·         Tradition takes him to Hierapolis in Phrygia

o   Faithful witness

o   Sister canonized by Greek church

o   Martyred

II.         What John Tells Us

·         John 1:43 “follow me”

o   v45,  Philip finds Nathaniel

o   Messiah and son of Joseph

o   “Come and see”

·         John 6:5-7, feeding of multitude

o   To Jesus, “where are we to buy bread?”

o   200 days wages won’t be enough

o   “But at your word we will start”

·         John 12:21-22

o   Greeks, “Sir, We would see Jesus.”

o   V18, Father, glorify

o   V33. And I, if I be lifted up

·         John 14:6-9

o   I am the way

o   Show us the Father

NICODEMUS

#795d                                                  NICODEMUS

Scripture  John 3:1-14, 7:50-52, 19:38-40                                                              Orig. 3/23/1983

Passage:

John 3:1-14

1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d] 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e] 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f]

John 7:50-52

50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”

John 19:38-40

but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.[a] 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two 38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.

Timeline/Series:         Personality Profiles

Introduction--What We Know of Him

·                     Name means “Conqueror of the people.”

·                     Pharisee (3:1), Sanhedrin (ruler of the people)

·                     Scribe or Rabbi, 3:10, 7:50

I.          What We Know of Sanhedrin

·                     Sadducees, aristocrats—majority

·                     Pharisees

·                     Scribes—teachers (Rabbi)

II.         The Measure of His Coming to Jesus

·                     As a private enquirer

·                     As a Jewish official

·                     He came with a culture block

·                     We note his timidity—3:19, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light.”

III.       An Attempt to Accept Jesus—7:32f

·                     Pharisees and Chief Priests sent officers, v32

·                     They fail, v 44

·                     Nicodemus defends the officers, v50

IV.       An Attempt to Befriend at Jesus’ Death, 19:38-40

V.        Could This Have Been “Rich Young Ruler”?  Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 18—Probably not!

VI.       Other Use of Name

·                     Josephus—sent to Pompey 63 BC on behalf of Aristobulus

·                     Talmud (Babylonian)—Nakdimore (Buni); 70 AD date raises a serious question

JOHN THE BAPTIST

#796a                                            JOHN THE BAPTIST

Scripture  Luke 1:5-15                                                                                                 Orig. 3/1983

Passage: 5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

Timeline/Series:         Personality Profiles

Introduction

            Strange man, dress, diet, clothing; manner was abrasive and abrupt.  “The Greatest Man Who Ever Took Second Place.”

I.          Who He Was

·         Son of a priest named Zacharias, and wife Elizabeth, Luke 1:5

·         Related to Jesus through Mary/Elizabeth, Luke 1:35

·         Parents were much older, v7

·         His name from Gabriel means Yahweh gives grace

·         To be a Nazarite, v15—refer to Numbers 15:2-8

·         Little is known of childhood, 1:80

·         Other traditions hold that he was reared in one of the Essene communities

II.         His Preaching, Luke 3:3, Matthew 3:1

·         The coming kingdom, Matthew 3:2,3

·         Repentance, Luke 3:3, Matthew 3:2

·         Show a change of life, Luke 3:8,10,11, Matthew 3:8

·         Even the authorities interested in who [he was], John 1:19

III.       Baptism Was the Result of Repentance

·         Jesus was baptized, Mark 1:9

·         Others as an expression of repentance

IV.       Imprisoned at Fortress of Machaerus for preaching, Luke 3:19-20

·         Sent his disciples to Jesus, Matthew 11:2-6 (profound), wanted some assurance—Messiah or just another John the Baptist

·         Herod had him beheaded, Matthew 14:1-11

V.        His Life in the  Wilderness (Hebrew midhbar)—limited grazing

·         Matthew 3:1, Wilderness of Judea—west of Dead Sea

·         W.F. Albright, John 3:23 in Samaria

·         Essenes—“adopt other men’s children”

·         Priesthood—division and disunity

·         Final—Matthew 21:26, Mark 11:30, Luke 20:6—the baptism of John

PETER

#796b                                                        PETER

Scripture  John 1:35-42, NIV                                                                                Dates unknown

Passage: 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[a]).

Keywords:                  New Testament Characters               John

Timeline/Series:         Personality Profiles  

Introduction

I.          What We Know?  Much

            Father: Jonah, Matthew 16:17.  Brother: Andrew, John 1:40. Lived in Capernaum, Mark 1:29, had a fishing business with James and John. Was married, Matthew 8:14, Mark 1, Luke 4.  She accompanied him, I Corinthians 9:5.  Names: Symeon, Simon, Cephas (Aramaic), Peter.

II.         Most Prominent

·         Mentioned first in listings

·         Most open in dialogue with Christ

·         He denied, yet is commanded to shepherd, John 21:15

·         Special events

o   Raising of Jairus’ daughter, Mark 5:37

o   Transfiguration, Matthew 17:1, others

o   Gethsemane, Matthew 26:37

o   Empty tomb, John 20:2

·          Leadership in early church

o   Proposed replacing Judas, Acts 1:15f

o   Preached at Pentecost, Acts 2:14

o   Healed, Acts 3:1f

o   Exposed Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 1f

o   Led in acceptance of Gentiles, Acts 9:33f

o   Miraculous deliverance, Acts 12:17

·         Bishop of Antioch?  Galatians 1:18f, Paul’s rebuke

·         Asia Minor—I Peter 1:1, Galatia, Pontus, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Asia

·         Corinth—“Cephas” party, I Corinthians 1:12

·         Babylon, I Peter 5:13; cryptic, Revelation 14:8

·         Rome?—Paul doesn’t mention, nor Acts

III.       Other Examples

·         AD 95, Clement of Rome “died a martyr”

·         AD 115, Ignatius, Peter and Paul died there

·         AD 180, Irenaeus, both preached there

·         Tertullian, Peter died at Nero’s hand, Quo Vadis

·         Clement of Alexandria, I Peter written [in Rome]

·         Catacombs/Papal pronouncements