“A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! ...” (Matthew 12:39-42)

“A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now One greater than Solomon is here.” (Matthew 12:39-42)

Why is Jesus talking about a 'generation'?

Jesus is responding to some Pharisees who asked him:

“Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” (Matthew 12:38)

The translation of Jesus' answer utilizes the word "generation," translated from the Greek word γενεά (genea). Yes, this can refer to a genealogy, but it can also mean "the whole multitude of men living at the same time," and "a group of men very like each other in endowments, pursuits, character."

In this context, Jesus is speaking about a certain culture of people. A particular society and culture that existed around him at that time - one that insisted upon miracles and signs to indicate who should be followed.

In this case, Jesus is referring to the people or society around him at the time who were not interested in having a change of heart. They were more interested in materialism.

So they were seeking to see amazing miracles in order to prove that Jesus was the "messiah" they were waiting for.

This applies to today as well. We find so many are focused in finding "signs" such as images of Jesus' face, or miracle healing waters, or appearances. They seem to need these "miraculous signs" in order to believe in God's existence - or believe in Jesus.

As a result, there have been some pretty crazy "miraculous signs" - like facial images on slices of bread and shadows that look like Mother Mary and so forth.

Has this 'generation' continued?

Such a culture and society (looking for 'signs') has remained in many parts through the centuries. Yet as they have sought miraculous signs, the Supreme Being has been sending His messengers to teach sincere seekers who truly want to find Him. This is Jesus' message.

While many await thunderous voices from the sky or amazing miracles, the Supreme Being has continued to send His humble devoted loving servants who speak simply and clearly. Much of the time they are unnoticed by society at large.

There have been so many of these messengers sent by God throughout history. Before Jesus, consider John the Baptist and John's many disciples. John also had a teacher, his father Zechariah, who also was a devoted servant of God and a priest.

This succession of teachers extends all the way back to Solomon, David, Samuel, Eli, Jonah, Joshua, Moses, Jacob, Abraham and Noah and all their various followers who all were teaching and passing on the same message of the Supreme Being.

Consider also the disciples of Jesus. Most of them went on to pass on to others the teachings of Jesus. James, Peter, Thomas, Matthew, John, Bartholomew and many others (at least 70 according to Luke 10).

Then there were the disciples of Jesus' disciples, such as Cornelius the Centurion and Saint Evodius, both disciples of Peter, and Ignatius, a disciple of the Apostle John.

Many of these messengers were persecuted and murdered for their preaching activities. Yet their lives and teachings went virtually unnoticed by society and history at large.

Why does Jesus talk about the 'men of Nineveh' and 'the Queen'?

Jesus compares the situation to the men of Nineveh - from the Book of Jonah - and the Queen of Sheba to make a point about the wickedness of the society around him.

Jesus is saying that even they - who were fallen until they each respectively had a change of heart - would condemn the society around Jesus.

The people of Nineveh, for example, heard Jonah's message about God and began to repent their ways and worship the Supreme Being. This was not due to some big miraculous sign but rather, simple preaching of Jonah as the Supreme Being had instructed Jonah to do:

[God speaking to Jonah] "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me." (Jonah 1:2)

Jesus is detailing in his statement that the people of Nineveh - who had been called "wicked" by God - repented their ways because Jonah's preaching convinced them to fast and pray to the Supreme Being:

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:10)

Jesus is also saying that those people around Jesus would be judged as "wicked" even by the "wicked" people of Nineveh. In other words, they were very wicked.

In the same way, the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon to "test him." She was not devoted to God but instead wanted to embarrass him (after all, Solomon was known as the wisest person). Parts of the Talmud indicate that the Queen also wanted to seduce Solomon.

When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. (1 Kings 10:1)

Instead of getting the better of Solomon with these tests Solomon converted her. She ended up glorifying God (See Chronicles 2 chapter 9) and essentially becoming Solomon's student.

In other words, both the men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba were converted by these two great Prophets and servants of God. They each had a change of heart.

Yet each would have "condemned" the people surrounding Jesus - because those people were unwilling to have a change of heart even though they were hearing Jesus' teachings.

What did Solomon and Jonah have in common?

Both Solomon and Jonah were humble and devoted confidential loving servants of the Supreme Being. This means the Supreme Being was present in their teachings as well, as evidenced by God's instruction to Jonah quoted above.

None of them would claim they were better or greater than each other, however. This is not the character of a humble surrendered servant of the Supreme Being. They would, however, make the claim that the Supreme Being is greater than others, as Jesus did. This is an oft-repeating proclamation of every bonafide prophet and spiritual teacher, as evidenced throughout the scriptures.

Now those people surrounding Jesus were also in a position to receive the teachings of the Supreme Being through Jesus - just as the Nineveh people received Jonah's teachings. Yet as Jesus states, they were not listening to him. They were only looking for miraculous signs instead of simply hearing Jesus' teachings.

Who is 'the One greater'?

Many have interpreted part of Jesus' statement to mean that Jesus is claiming that he is greater than Jonah and Solomon ("and now One greater than Jonah is here... [and later] One greater than Solomon is here"). Does this make sense?

Is this the same Jesus who washed the feet of his disciples and said:

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16)

Jesus also said:

"Blessed are the meek" (Matthew 5:5)

It would be completely out of character for Jesus to then be referring to himself as the "One greater..." It is obvious he is referring to the Supreme Being as being "One grater..."

And the reason why Jesus is referring to the "One greater" in the third person is that Jesus is not the Supreme Being. Jesus is teaching about and representing the Supreme Being, just as Jonah and Soloman did before him. This is confirmed in other statements by Jesus:

“My teaching is not my own. It comes from the One who sent me." (John 7:16)

Here again Jesus is referring to the "One" - but in this case, we can easily tell that Jesus is not referring to himself, as he specifically says: “My teaching is not my own."

But we know from this that because Jesus is delivering the teachings of the Supreme Being, that the Supreme Being is thus present in Jesus' teachings. This is why Jesus can refer to the Supreme Being as being present ("One greater than Jonah/Solomon is here").

And the reason why Jesus is speaking of the Supreme Being as greater than Solomon and Jonah is that the people he was speaking to (the Pharisees and their followers) revered Solomon and Jonah as prophets. So Jesus is illustrating that Solomon and Jonah worshiped the same Supreme Being that Jesus is teaching about.

What is the "sign of Jonah"?

This is that Jonah trusted the Supreme Being when he was swallowed by the fish, and the Supreme Being protected Jonah. Jesus compares this to his own sacrifice because it will also illustrate the trust Jesus has in the Supreme Being.

Jesus showed that the Supreme Being had saved him as he displayed his illuminated appearance three days after his body was killed. The body that Jesus showed after three days was not his physical body. It was an illuminated appearance, as evidenced in Mark 16:12: Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.

Thus, while people are mesmerized by this seemingly 'miraculous sign' of Jesus "rising from the dead," in reality Jesus illustrated that we do not die when the body dies. Otherwise, why wouldn't the two Marys have recognized him when they saw him? Also, the disciples did not recognize him, and he even came to their dinner table without them recognizing him.

Rather than focusing on Jesus' teachings and the message of his life, many institutions and their teachers want us to "believe" because of Jesus' 'miraculous signs.' Meanwhile, they overlook Jesus' most fundamental teaching:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:37-38)

“Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” (Matthew 21:27)

John's baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?" They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' But if we say, 'Of human origin'—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a Prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." (Matthew 21:26)

Why didn't Jesus tell them?

We should note that this exchange is taking place between Jesus and "the chief priests and the elders of the people," according to Matthew 21:23.

So why didn't Jesus tell them where his authority came from? Because they were not willing to admit publicly that John the Baptist's baptism (and teachings) were from God, Jesus was not going to state to them that his authority also came from God.

This response by the temple chief priests and elders is critical to the time and circumstances surrounding Jesus’ teachings, Jesus’ relationship with John the Baptist, and how John the Baptist is key to our understanding of who Jesus was. How so?

While many might try to deny that Jesus was actually the disciple of John the Baptist, this is confirmed in the priests and elders' statement and Jesus’ response. It is also confirmed by the fact that John baptized Jesus.

From their statements, we can see that John the Baptist was an esteemed teacher in those times, and was widely recognized as a Prophet.

Jesus' statements also indicate that Jesus was teaching the same teachings as his teacher, John the Baptist. These are the same teachings of the Prophets.

These points and others indicate that John the Baptist was Jesus' teacher.

Was John the Baptist a Prophet?

Many would have us believe that John the Baptist's role was only to introduce Jesus. As though John the Baptist did not teach to thousands of people, and people didn't journey hundreds of miles to hear him speak:

Even tax collectors came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" (Luke 3:12)

Jesus also accepted John as a bonafide teacher:

"For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did." (Matthew 21:32)

After John's messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. But what did you go out to see? A Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a Prophet." (Luke 7:24-26)

John was by Jesus' own words, a true Prophet. "More than a Prophet" doesn't disregard Prophets like Moses and Abraham, which Jesus quoted and followed. John was "more" because he dedicated his life to teaching people. John's entire life was to serve and please the Supreme Being by educating people.

Many teach that the Prophets merely “Prophetized” - or foretold events of the future, primarily Jesus' coming. This is a blatant twisting of the content of the Bible in an attempt to downplay the importance of the teachings of the Prophets.

If this were true, this would mean that for thousands of years, no one could be saved. They would have us believe that billions of people had to await Jesus’ birth and suffering on the cross in order to have salvation. This indeed is a twisting of all the essential teachings of Moses, Abraham, David, Solomon, Job, Jacob, and all the other messengers of God who came to teach humanity to love and serve God.

Those who downplay the teachings of the Prophets cause us to ignore Moses' teaching:

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deut. 6:5)

Which Jesus quoted in his teachings, adding: "This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:38)

Are we automatically saved by Jesus' crucifixion?

Why would Jesus bother to quote Moses and other Prophets if their teachings were not important? Why would Jesus bother to teach if all we had to do was stare at a depiction of Jesus suffering on the cross and be saved?

This teaching that we are automatically saved by Jesus' "dying" on the cross is ludicrous. It assumes that every other teaching of the Bible is moot. It assumes that a person does not have to change. It assumes we can continue to live our self-centered life and still be saved after we make that declaration that we are saved - essentially wiping our sins off on Jesus.

This has nothing to do with Jesus' teachings. It has nothing to do with the examples of all the lives of the Prophets, and their teachings. If they did, why didn't Jesus just come out and say "Just wait until I am crucified and then just stare at the cross in church on Sunday and you'll be saved."?

Rather, he said:

“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

The teachings of Jesus and all the Prophets are the same, and it is these teachings that can save us - assuming we hear them and we make the necessary changes to comply with them. It is coming to know and love the Supreme Being - and taking refuge in Him - that will save us.

Following the teachings of Jesus and the Prophets, including John the Baptist, means to recognize that God is the most important person in the universe, not me. It means giving up our self-centered lives and becoming God-centered. It means learning to love and serve God with all our hearts.

This requires a change of heart and a change of consciousness. Something that Jesus and all the Prophets were trying to teach us with their lives.

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat ...” (Mattnew 23:1-4)

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.” (Matt. 23:1-4)

Is Jesus exposing the temple institution?

Here Jesus is teaching to the crowds and his disciples the truth about the Pharisees and the chief priests of the institutional temples. These were the appointed leaders of the temple institution during that time, and they had significant legal authority over the people.

They had converted the devotional teachings of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Eli, Samuel, David, Solomon and all the other Prophets into empty ceremonies and rituals. These were supported by an ecclesiastical hierarchy with appointed teachers, who acted as politicians. Meanwhile, as Jesus is clarifying, they did not practice what they preached.

Those original instructions by God through His ancient messengers were meant to help those of previous generations come closer to Him. The high priests and Pharisees were utilizing those teachings to maintain their authority and positions of power. Meanwhile, they did not have the vision to recognize God's representative, Jesus.

Because they maintained legal authority over the people, Jesus is recommending they follow the rules and regulations maintained by these leaders. If Jesus had advised them not to follow the rules, this could subject them to harsh punishment, and Jesus did not want that. He recognized these temple officials were connected to the Roman government. While the Romans had ownership over the lands, the temple leaders coordinated the governing of the people with the Roman governors.

Was Jesus doing what the temple teachers were doing?

Jesus was not teaching the threatening and ritualistic teachings as were the Pharisees and the temple teachers.

Jesus wanted to change people’s hearts and re-introduce them to God. He did not want to interfere with the system governing the people.

There is an important lesson within Jesus' statement. This relates to the situation that had developed among the temples. The was a growing tendency to convert the instructions of the Prophets into rituals.

The Prophets' teachings can have a great impact on a person's spiritual evolution. But those who were given the authority to teach to the assemblies glossed over this aspect. Instead, they instituted many rituals that served to conceal the internal heartfelt aspects of the Prophets' teachings.

This is also why many Old Testament translations have made God out to be a vengeful, angry God who threatens people if they don't bow down to Him. Those who translated and transliterated these texts were not understanding what Jesus did - that God is a loving God who wants us to be happy.

But this tendency to gloss over the spiritual values of the Prophets and convert them to empty rituals and political power has occurred among many sectarian institutions around the world over the centuries.

Why do some institutions become fanatical?

What is it that drives some to take the teachings of a previous teacher, and turn them into an organizational power grab? If we look around at some of the organized sectarian institutions of today we find a consistent pattern: We find politically appointed leaders who promote rituals and ceremonies while minimizing the teachings of those they supposedly follow.

In many cases, this scenario results in the institution becoming fanatical.

What causes this? The quest for power. The quest for authority. Those of us living within the physical dimension in these physical bodies are here because we rejected our relationship with God. Why? Because we do not want to worship and serve God: We want to be worshiped and served.

This is why so many of us seek fame. This is why so many of us seek positions of authority.

This is why we humans will utilize whatever means available to us to gain authority and power over others. It doesn't matter whether the means happens to be the teachings of God's representative. We will manipulate those teachings in order to create organizational structures that exert authority over others.

This is precisely what the Roman Empire did with the teachings of Jesus. It saw the influence of Jesus' teachings could be used to Rome's political advantage. The Roman government could control the people by organizing an institution that exerted authority over people.

Not long after the Roman government made Christianity legal in the early Fourth Century, they created a political council that voted on an interpretation of Jesus and his teachings - called the Nicene Creed. This First Council of Nicaea was followed by other politically-driven councils.

Along with this politicization of Jesus' teachings, the Roman Emperor Constantine ordered the creation of a book that would tie together the organizational aspects of this new institution. A politically motivated selection of certain scriptural texts was made, along with a translation of those texts into what we now refer to as the Bible. This became the official scripture of the official Church, sanctioned by the Roman empire - the early Roman Catholic Church.

Other scripture texts were ordered by the Roman government to be burned.

This power play continued with the Second Council of Ephesus in 449, organized by the Roman Emperor Theodosius II. This council led to the creation of the Roman Catholic Church. Numerous rituals of the church followed.

Was Jesus describing fanaticism?

Jesus is discussing the temple institution, and how its teachers exerted their power over people. They sat "in Moses' seat" because they wanted authority. Jesus was defining how their quest for authority resulted in them misleading people and abusing people.

This is the classic definition of fanaticism.

Now we should ask: Did the Roman Catholic institution become fanatical as well?

Three hundred years after Jesus' left the planet, a new sectarian organization set up by the Roman emperor became law.

Eventually, people were required to attend Roman Catholic mass. If they didn't, they would be condemned and hung or burned at the stake. It didn't matter that the priests of this political church did not actually teach what Jesus taught.

It didn't matter that the Bible was translated to Latin - a language not understood by most Europeans. It didn't matter that masses were ritualistic ceremonies spoken in Latin either. The people were forced to sit in mass and listen to empty Latin phrases while making the ritualistic motions. Many of these rituals still take place today among Catholic churches.

This coerced power structure replete with empty rituals called the Roman Catholic Church virtually controlled the Christian world for over a thousand years. During this period so many atrocities were committed by this institution and its cohorts. Many innocent people were slaughtered. Many people were tortured - in the name of Jesus. This is why Jesus also said:

“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will come to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21-23)

It wasn't until a few fearless English and German persons decided that enough was enough in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries - such as John Wycliffe, Jan Hus, and Martin Luther - that some change came. Even then, those who translated the Bible into English and other common languages were sought out and persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church.

In other words, the very same situation (but on steroids) that Jesus was criticizing in this statement about the Pharisees and priests took place in Jesus' name after he left the planet.

And even today, we find many sects led by politically appointed teachers whose teachings emphasize rules and rituals while they themselves utilize their positions of authority. Some as we find out, have been known to abuse their parishioners instead of abiding by their own rules.

They feel above their own laws. This is the result of the desire for authority and power. This is what Jesus was criticizing in these temple officials.

Jesus taught the opposite of this. He taught humility, compassion, and caring for others - even our enemies. And above all, he taught that our focus should be upon loving and serving God, not on gaining positions of authority:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

“Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? ...” (Matthew 23:16-22)

“You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the One who sits on it.” (Matthew 23:19-22)

What is 'the gift'?

Jesus is referring to an offering made to God. The Greek word δῶρον (dōron) refers to something given to someone else as an offering.

This is what devoted people did in ancient times when they approached an altar of God. They brought an offering and presented it to God at the altar. They were making an offering to God.

After all, why does a person give someone a gift? To express their care for the other person. To express their love. The ancient teachings of the scriptures referred to offerings as a facility by which to please Him:

"Bring the grain offering made of these things to the LORD; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. He shall take out the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD." (Lev. 2:8-9)

God doesn't need any grain or anything else - just as a woman doesn't need a little flower that a man may offer to her. An offering is given to express love. To please the other person.

In the same way, the original purpose of making an offering to the altar was to express one's care for God. The focus of an offering is to please the Supreme Being.

Did Jesus teach about making offerings to God?

By Jesus' statement, we understand that he also taught the importance of making offerings. He also instructed elsewhere:

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23-24)

and

“See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (Matthew 8:4)

"The gift Moses commanded" refers to making an offering to the Supreme Being. Reaching out to Him with a small gift. A token, but something that has meaning (food has meaning because it sustains the life of the body). A humble offering made with sincerity. This was an integral part of Moses' teachings, as evidenced in the Old Testament.

Jesus also made offerings when he supposedly 'gave thanks.' As was illustrated during the Last Supper, the Greek word translated to "gave thanks" would more appropriately be translated to making an offering to God.

What is the purpose of offering to God?

The Supreme Being owns everything. He doesn't need our stuff. But He appreciates offerings made with humility and sincerity. And since the Supreme Being's presence is not limited to the temple, we can make an offering from anywhere. We can pick a flower or fruit and make an offering - in the name of His loving representative Jesus - from where we stand - which will help bring us closer to the Supreme Being.

The Supreme Being is practically forgotten within these sectarian churches. While they focus upon Jesus as if he were God, they completely ignore the very Person Jesus was trying to teach his students to come to know and love. This is why Jesus stated:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matt. 7:21-23)

This indicates that Jesus is not interested in people pledging his name - he is interested in his followers coming to know, love, and serve ("does the will") the Supreme Being - whom Jesus is distinguishing from himself.

This Supreme Person Jesus is referring to is also spoken of specifically in the verse above:

What does Jesus mean by 'the One who sits on it'?

When Jesus refers to the temple he is not referring to a building. He is referring to a place where the Supreme Being is worshiped. It is a personal thing to Jesus.

And who is Jesus referring to as the "One" who "dwells in" the temple and "sits on" God's throne? Certainly, Jesus is referring to the Supreme Being.

By worshiping the things of this world, including our reputation, possessions, money, fame, power and position - we become beholden to those things. By desiring the things of the world, we become "bound by" the demands of the physical world.

This desire for material things comes from a place of self-centeredness and misidentification, because we are intending to make ourselves happy, and we are incorrectly identifying ourselves with these temporary physical bodies.

Jesus is telling them that while they are focused upon the trappings of their positions - their temples, their salaries, their titles, their authority and their prestige - they were forgetting the Supreme Being. And by becoming focused upon the material trappings of their positions with the temple, they had become enslaved by - and blinded by - the desires for those material trappings.

And due to the ignorance created by this enslavement, they were not able to teach the Truth, as Jesus was doing.

Those temple priests also became "bound" to those political councils that authorized them. They were bound to the responsibilities of their political positions.

Is the temple or church just a building?

It is important to note that the temple Jesus is referring to here (or church, mosque, or another place of worship) is not a building, just as the altar being discussed is not just a combination of physical materials. The Temple housed the Altar, and the Altar was seen as the representation of God. It is a place where God is worshiped. It is thus inseparable from God.

Although God can be prayed to anywhere, and reached from where ever we are, an authorized Temple and Altar - one that has been approved by God and anointed by a representative of God - is a place where those who want to re-establish their relationship with God can put their heads to the ground and submit to Him, and offer gifts to Him.

These activities - offering homage and offering gifts - are the stuff of relationships. Why? Because by offering the Supreme Being gifts, we are able to re-establish our loving relationship with Him.

This is a universal law of relationships. If we like someone we barely know, and want to come to know them better and get closer to them. What do we do? We find some way of getting in front of them, where we can offer them some kind words, and offer them a gift. This is what people do because this is the stuff of relationships.

Can we have a relationship with God?

We can also have a relationship with the Supreme Being. God is not a monolith or a vague cloud or booming voice. God is a person. He is the Supreme Person, and we can each have a personal relationship with Him.

Certainly, anyone can have a building built and put a symbol on it. This does not make the building a real Temple or Church. What makes it a real Temple is when a loving servant of God humbly requests God's presence to accept His loving servant's worship. On behalf of His loving servant, God will indeed come into that place, and there in that Place, others can connect with God in the spirit of the relationship between God and His loving servant.

A building constructed with lots of stained-glass windows, large hallways, golden symbols, and a big congregation area is not a real Temple if it is constructed for any other purpose other than to glorify God. If it is built to support the organizational objectives of a religious sect then the building will just be another building - not a Temple of God. It might be a pretty building, and that’s about it.

So what motivates God to authorize a location to become a Temple? What motivates Him to become present and accessible within a Temple?

Love.

God is attracted by those who out of love, desire to serve and please Him. Whenever such a person humbly asks the Supreme Being to be present within a location that was prepared for Him with reverence, God will come and be present. Why? Out of love. It is because of His loving relationship with His loving servant.

This is why the places where Moses, Abraham, and other loving servants of God established as temples were so special to Jesus, as he states here.

In fact, where ever such a loving servant of God has exercised His relationship with God is a Holy Place. Why? Because God was personally present at that Place as He exchanged a relationship with that loving servant.

Buildings erected by those only interested in gaining respect, followers, and authority - especially among those collecting salaries for their teaching positions - are not able to create such a Holy Place. Jesus has explained this previously:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-18)

Sadly, some of the bad fruits that Jesus pointed out concerning the institutional temple officials are also seen today among institutions that claim to follow Jesus.

How can we recognize 'false prophets'?

• Teaching the Truth is never a paid professional position.

• Someone who teaches the Truth doesn’t otherwise personally profit from their teachings.

• Someone who teaches the Truth does not seek to gain followers.

• Someone who teaches the Truth does not abuse their followers.

• Someone who teaches the Truth does not seek to gain positions given by a council of people. Teaching the Truth is not accomplished through political endeavor.

• -Someone who teaches the Truth does not make up a new religion or speculate on the Truth. They speak from the knowledge given to them.

• The Truth is always consistent with scripture, as applied to the current time and circumstance.

• Someone who teaches the Truth never teaches that they are God or that we are all God. Someone who teaches the Truth is a humble loving servant of God, someone who asks each of us to also become God’s humble loving servants.

• Someone who teaches the Truth also practices those teachings.

We can see by the above criteria that Jesus taught the Truth. His purpose was to help others, not profit from his position of authority.

Jesus' primary teaching was clear:

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-40 - quoted from Deuteronomy 6:5)

“O Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you ..." (Matthew 23:37-38)

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the Prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. (Matthew 23:37-38)

What does Jesus' analogy mean?

This statement and analogy by Jesus may seem a little complex, but it is actually very simple if we understand the relationship between Jesus, God and the people of Jerusalem.

The word "Prophets" in this verse is taken from the Greek word προφήτης. While this word has been used in the Greek society to describe "an interpreter of oracles or of other hidden things," the use of the word by Jesus (and from Aramaic) is better translated as (according to the Greek lexicon) "one who, moved by the Spirit of God and hence His organ or spokesman, solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation."

In other words, the "Prophets," which include Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Moses, Joshua, Eli, Samuel, David, Solomon, Job, Jeremiah, Noah, John the Baptist, and others, were God's messengers. They spoke on behalf of God. They were surrendered to God and were in love with God. They worked on God's behalf as His humble servants. This included Jesus and some of his disciples.

Here is a list of Prophets who were killed. And here is a list of Jesus' disciples and followers who were murdered.

The Greek word προφήτης, translated to "Prophets" here, also means "Messiah."

What does 'your house is left to you desolate' mean?

Why does Jesus state this? Why is Jerusalem's "house" "desolate"?

"House" here is representing their hearts. Their hearts are desolate because those who had heard (and were even teaching) the words of these Prophets had abandoned their meaning. What is left is emptiness.

Despite their positions as appointed teachers of the institutional temples, they were not interested in loving or serving God. Jesus thus describes their institution and their teachings as being desolate - empty.

This is the state of anyone who abandons our innate relationship with the Supreme Being: Empty. Desolate.

Were the Prophets also Messiahs?

According to the Mosaic tradition, the Prophets were also considered Messiahs. But we also find that many in the Temple were and still are awaiting another Prophet - whom they also call the Messiah - just as the Prophets before were.

How could this be? Isn't Jesus the only Messiah? Actually, the word "Messiah" and "prophet" are synonyms according to the Greek lexicon. And in the Old Testament, the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyach) also can be translated to "Messiah," as well as "anointed one." Throughout the books of the Old Testament, it describes the "anointed" as God's priests and representatives. For example:

Those were the names of Aaron's sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. (Numbers 3:3)

David also referred to himself a number of times as having been anointed. He also reflected upon God's statement about himself being anointed by God:

"I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him." (Psalm 89:20)

Because "Messiah," "anointed one" and "Prophets" can be connected as synonyms in the scriptures, we can conclude that each of God's loving servants and representatives such as David, Samuel, Eli, Moses, Abraham, Joshua, Noah, Job, Jonah, Ezekiel, Zachariah, John the Baptist, Jesus and some of Jesus' disciples and others, were all representatives of God - "those sent to you" as Jesus says above - and thus each one can be considered a "Messiah."

This history has largely been whitewashed through misinterpretation and mistranslation of the scriptures. This began with the Latin Bible put together by Eusebius that was commissioned by the Roman Emperor Constantine in the early part of the Fourth Century. This followed the Roman Emperor-assembled Council of Nicaea of 325 AD which dictated the Nicene Creed that has largely been assumed by the various sects that followed including the Roman Catholic Church.

Among the various tenets of the Nicene Creed spells out the doctrine that Jesus is the only Messiah.

Yet the scriptures clearly utilize two words translated to "Messiah" (מָשִׁיחַ in Hebrew and προφήτης in Greek). Within their context, both were used to describe God's representatives such as Moses, David and so on.

None of their uses in the scripture indicate or single out one particular person as the only Messiah ever. Often they will be used in the singular, but this is referring to "Messiah" or "prophet" as a role.

For example, we could use the word "captain" to address a single person who was the captain of a ship (e.g., "Yes sir, captain."). But we could also use the word "captain" to describe the role of captain (e.g., "A captain's duty is to steer the ship"). We could also use the word captain to refer to many people who occupied the position (e.g., "Every captain in the fleet showed great valor.")

Was this indoctrination or brainwashing?

An institutional stranglehold took hold of the life and teachings of Jesus, by the Romans in the Fourth Century and beyond. This led to the indoctrination of millions of people for centuries. The indoctrination began with the Nicene Creed developed during the First Council of Nicaea in 325, which was organized by the Roman government. Why?

The need for the Roman government to control all of Europe and the regions around the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa depended upon them gaining complete control over the religions of the region - the most prominent at the beginning of the Fourth Century being Christianity.

This realization came to the Roman Emperor Constantine. So even though the Romans had persecuted Christians for centuries, Constantine realized it was better for Rome to embrace Christianity. This gave Rome a means to continue to control the vast and growing Roman Empire.

This was a smart move politically. For centuries after the Roman Empire collapsed Rome continued to control governments and people throughout the former Empire. For this reason, this region following the collapse of the Roman Empire is now referred to as the Holy Roman Empire.

This effectively gave one single church - the Roman Catholic Church - control over the Christian religion - lasting more than 1,000 years.

The Nicene Creed not only claimed Jesus as the only Messiah. It also relegated all the other Messiahs previous to Jesus to the position of "Prophets" - with their central purpose supposedly being to have foretold of Jesus' coming.

Constantine also ordered that scribes be employed to translate a select group of scrolls into the first Latin Bible. The original scrolls were mostly in Greek and Hebrew, and they were confiscated and translated to Latin. Once produced, the new Latin Bibles could only be read by priests. Common people were forbidden to have in their possession any scripture or text.

Furthermore, this Latin translation was translated to mirror the Nicene Creed. It became the official Canon of the Bible for over a thousand years.

This politically corrupted interpretation of Jesus' teachings allowed the Roman Catholic Church to control the people. Anyone who interpreted the scriptures differently or taught anything different was burned at the stake, put in prison, and otherwise were tortured and silenced.

Did this strategy work?

The Roman government, and then the Roman government's proxy, the Roman Catholic Church, dominated Europe and its governments, for well over ten centuries - until the 1500s, when Henry VIII separated from the Roman Catholic Church - because their teachings and politics were strangling his ability to rule England - and created the Church of England.

By this period - when the Bible was finally translated into English - the first in 1380 by John Wycliffe, persecuted for this along with colleagues - the Nicene Creed interpretation was so cemented into the Christian teachings that it could not be removed. So the early English versions of the Bible were also consistent with the Nicene Creed - and every translation that followed has accepted the Creed as the underlying foundation.

Yes, even the Church of England and the movement of Martin Luther and others that created the few alternatives to Roman Catholic domination over Christianity still kept to the tenets of the Nicene Creed. After over a thousand years of control over the interpretations of the Christian scriptures, every other possible interpretation was thoroughly squelched by the powerful Roman Catholic Church.

Therefore, the interpretation that Jesus was the only Messiah was firmly cemented into Christian thinking. Any other interpretation would be - and still is by practically every ecclesiastical Christian institution - considered blasphemy.

Yet if one simply reads the scriptures and examines the Greek and Hebrew they are taken from, it is quite simple to discover that the Old and New Testaments describe the "Prophets" as all being "Messiahs." Yes, Jesus did accept that he was Messiah. But he used this term in third-person, indicating it to be a role rather than one person throughout history - a role related to representing the Supreme Being:

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "God's Messiah." Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. (Luke 9:20-21)

"For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me." (John 6:38)

“My teaching is not my own. It comes from the One who sent me." (John 7:16)

These statements clearly indicate that the role of Messiah related to Jesus being God's representative. Jesus was sent by God - and his teachings were given to him by God.

Does "Messiah" also mean savior?

The Prophets could clearly save their students and followers because they were introducing them to God and giving them God's teachings. They were showing them how to resume their loving relationship with God. This is what saves people. This teaching is also the common thread amongst all of God's representatives (Messiahs). Consider, for example, the most important commandment according to Moses:

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:4)

Now consider Jesus' most important instruction:

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:37-38)>

Consider Joshua's (Moses' student) instruction to his followers after Moses' passing:

"But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul." (Joshua 22:5)

Consider Hosea's instruction:

"But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always." (Hosea 12:6)

Consider Joel's instruction:

"Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity." (Joel 2:13)

Consider David's statement:

"My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge." (Psalm 62:7)

And David's teaching to Solomon:

"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts." (1Chron. 28:9)

Consider the instruction of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes:`

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Revere [mistranslated to "fear"] God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man." (Eccl 12:13)

And Samuel:

"If you revere [mistranslated to "fear"] the LORD and serve and obey Him and do not rebel against His commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God - good!" (1Samuel 12:14)

And Job:

"How great is God - beyond our understanding!" (Job 36:26)

And Proverbs:

"So that your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you." (Proverbs 22:18-20)

These and so many other verses among the Prophets confirm a consistent communication from all of the Prophets - all consistent with Jesus' teachings: To give our lives to the Supreme Being, come to love Him and take shelter of Him.

"Why are you bothering this woman? ..." (Matthew 26:10-13)

"Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." (Matthew 26:10-13)

Did Jesus know 'this woman'?

This translation makes it appear that the woman being referred to is some stranger who approached Jesus. Some have even falsely represented that the woman, Mary Magdalene, was a prostitute.

Several verses in John explain otherwise. Not only was she not some strange woman off the street, but she was a student of Jesus, along with her sister and brother, Lazarus:

This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's son may be glorified through it." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. (John 11:2-5)

And later:

And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. (John 11:28-29)

Here we see that both Mary, who is pouring the oil, and Martha, her sister, were followers of Jesus, as they both referred to Jesus as "the Teacher."

In between these verses, we see an exchange between Martha and Jesus, illustrating that Jesus was directly giving her instruction - teaching her. So the sisters accepted Jesus as their teacher, and he accepted them as his followers.

What did Jesus mean by the 'memory of her'?

In Jesus' statement above, what did he mean by the "memory of her"? Was the 'memory or her' that she was a prostitute? This is what some sectarians have interpreted.

Rather, as Jesus states here, those who truly are passing on Jesus' teachings maintain a loving memory of Mary. They remember her act of loving service to Jesus.

We find evidence among other ancient texts that Jesus had a close teacher-student relationship with Mary. The Gospel of Mary is one of those texts. This ancient gospel revealed that Jesus had a close teacher-student relationship with Mary.

But Jesus' other students did not like this. The Gospel of Mary documents that some of the other disciples did not approve of Mary having been taught some things directly by Jesus.

But Jesus' love extended to his disciples and other followers:

Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. (John 11:5)

Who is Martha's sister? It is none other than Mary Magdalene.

Such an attitude is interestingly similar to the attitude portrayed in this event. Jesus' disciples were not comfortable with the relationship between Jesus and Mary.

When Mary has poured scented oil on Jesus, and his other disciples became "indignant" according to the text (Matt. 26:9). They said, "Why this waste?" This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." (Matt. 26:8-9)

Jesus then chastises these other followers, as they did not perceive the importance of rendering service to their teacher Jesus.

Was Jesus married?

The Gospels do not document with certainty that Jesus was married. But there are some indications that he was.

According to the Gospels, Jesus was a Rabbi. There are many instances where he was addressed as "Rabbi" by his followers and others, including those of the Temple Society:

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 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." (John 3:1-2)

According to the ancient Temple Society tradition, a person could not be accepted as a Rabbi unless they were married.

Jesus was not only accepted as a Rabbi by his followers and various others. He also spoke at Temples. And he spoke on the Temple Mount: A place where again, the Jewish Society would not allow a person to speak from the Temple Mount unless they were a Rabbi, and married. That is because the Temple Mount is the site of the First Temple and considered holy.

This means that Jesus could have been married. If Jesus was married who was he married to?

We find in the Gospel of Philip an indication that Jesus was married to Mary:

Three Marys accompanied the Master at all times – his mother, his sister and Magdalene – the one they call his partner. Thus Mary is the name of his sister and his mother and his mate. (Gospel of Phillip 36)

We also find that Mary had kissed Jesus' feet. Jesus told his followers:

"You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet." (Luke 7:45)

Why would Jesus, a Rabbi, allow a strange woman to massage him and kiss his feet? This would make greater sense if Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene.

We also find evidence that after Jesus passed, Mary traveled and spread Jesus' teachings. This would not be typical of a single woman during that era. But would be acceptable for a widow to represent her husband who had passed.

If Jesus was married, this fact has been muted in the four Gospels for some reason. It may have been hidden or simply not addressed for other reasons.

This isn't the only aspect of Jesus that has been hidden or downplayed in many sectarian teachings.

Was Jesus ever a student?

After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46)

This verse indicates that Jesus was a student before he was a teacher. This verse says that he listened to the teachers. Then it says that he was asking them questions.

This is what a student does. A student listens and asks questions.

We also know that Jesus was a student of the Prophets and teachers in the lineage of Noah and Abraham. This is why Jesus so often quoted the teachings of Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, David, Abraham, and John the Baptist.

In order to quote all of these, Jesus had to have learned about them. This means that Jesus was a student of the Prophets before he was a teacher.

Jesus explained how the teacher-student relationship works:

"I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the One who sent me." (John 13:20)

Jesus is referring to "anyone I send" as his followers, who went out and taught others as Jesus instructed them to do. If one accepted the sincere student of Jesus who passed on Jesus' teachings without change, then Jesus clarifies that the person is also accepting Jesus, and accepting the Supreme Being, because Jesus is God's representative and the Supreme Being is "the One who sent me."

This is why Joshua was a student of Moses before he became a teacher. This is why David was a student of Saul and Samuel before he became a teacher. This is why Samuel was a student of Eli before he became a teacher. This is why Solomon was a student of David before he became a teacher. And this is why Jesus was a student of John the Baptist before he became a teacher.

When we put this lineage together - we find another entire dimension to the history of the teachings of Jesus, despite the mangling of the texts by politically appointed scribes. Jesus constantly quoted those previous teachers like David, Moses and Samuel because he came from their lineage of teachings. 

By accepting John the Baptist's teachings, Jesus accepted all of the teachers (Prophets) before John. And more importantly, by accepting his teachers' teachings, Jesus accepted the One who sent all of the Prophets: the Supreme Being.

Some would like us to believe that Jesus' baptism by John was meaningless. It was only a little miracle, and it didn't mean that Jesus was John's student. They would also like us to believe that all of the teachers, such as Abraham, Moses, Eli, Samuel, David, Solomon, and all of those in between were all about prophesizing (predicting) Jesus' coming.

If this is true, why did these ancient teachers have so many followers? Why did they teach the same basic tenets that Jesus taught? Why did God talk to them and tell them to speak on His behalf? Why did Jesus quote them so many times?

Even Jesus' first and foremost commandment to love God was given as a quote from Moses' statement from Deuteronomy 6:5. Have sectarian teachers forgotten that Jesus' teachings reflected the ancient spiritual teachers that came before him?

They want us to believe that Jesus is the only teacher and the only messenger of God who ever existed. 

Why, then, are there so many preachers among the various sects? Why are all these priests and preachers teaching if Jesus was the only teacher? Why are there so many Bible study teachers among the churches? If Jesus is the only teacher, why do they teach?

How did they know Jesus was God's Messiah?

Jesus' followers recognized something about Jesus that has been borne out over the centuries: That Jesus was God's representative. He was a messenger of God - the Messiah.

But how did they recognize him? Jesus defined this process in his teachings:

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44)

This explains clearly that it is God who revealed Jesus to his followers.

God set up this method for us to reach him. Why? Because God is all about relationships, and love of God requires a relationship. It is not as if suddenly we can just love God out of the blue.

We can be introduced to God by someone who knows Him. Once we are introduced, if we follow that person's teachings - which show us how we can learn to please the Supreme Being - then God will make Himself more and more known to us. As He wishes: He is in charge, not us.

If God exists, why can't I see Him?

The reality is, God isn't allowing us to see Him. He has purposely hidden Himself from our physical view for a reason.

He has hidden Himself from our physical view because deep inside we really don't want to see Him.

Why don't we want to see God? Because He is God. God means all-powerful. God means He is in control of everything. God means that He is the center of the universe, and we are not.

This conflicts with the fact that we want to be the center of the universe. Most of us are acting as though we are the center, and everything revolves around us.

Doesn't that present a conflict? We want to be the champion. We want to be the winner. We want fame. We want glory. We want to be wealthy. We want all of these things because we want God's position.

Therefore, seeing God would threaten the position we see ourselves as - the center - the winner - the champion - the best or the rest. Hence, we would rather not see God and face the fact that He is these things and more. We would rather ignore Him. We would rather pretend that He doesn't exist.

As though it is our decision whether He exists or not.

But being the center of the universe, with all our adoring fans and wealth, won't make us happy. Only love will make us happy.

Jesus' teachings are founded upon love. This is why Jesus quoted Moses' teaching as the most important instruction:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38)

"But this has all taken place that the writings of the Prophets ..." (Matthew 26:56)

"But this has all taken place that the writings of the Prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. (Matthew 26:56)

What does 'might be fulfilled' mean?

The meaning of this statement has often been misconstrued.

Some have suggested that the purpose of all the Prophets' teachings was to predict the arrival and persecution of Jesus.

Such an irresponsible interpretation has had the effect of muting the key teachings of the Prophets, upon which Jesus' teachings were based.

Such a notion - that the purpose This is a mischaracterization of not only Jesus' statement but of the teachings of esteemed servants of God such as Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Solomon, Job and others.

Did Jesus' teachings mirror the Prophets' teachings?

The Prophets' teachings focused upon devoting our lives to God and loving God. Is this not also what Jesus taught? Just consider the major teachings of some of the Prophets:

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:5)

"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to revere the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deut. 10:12)

"Love the LORD your God and keep His requirements, His decrees, His laws and His commands always." (Deut. 11:1)

"So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today - to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deut. 11:13)

"If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow - to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to hold fast to Him" (Deut. 11:22)

"You must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deut. 13:3)

"The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live." (Deut. 30:6)

"For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess." (Deut. 30:16)

"And that you may love the LORD your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the LORD is your life" (Deut 30:20)

"But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey His commands, to hold fast to Him and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul." (Joshua 22:5)

"So be very careful to love the LORD your God." (Joshua 23:11)

"O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth - you who keep your covenant of love with Your servants who continue wholeheartedly in Your way." (2 Chron 6:14)

"O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and obey His commands (Nehemiah 1:5)

"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever." (Psalm 52:8)

"O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with all who love Him and obey His commands" (Daniel 9:4)

"But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always." (Hosea 12:6)

"Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love" (Joseph 2:13)

The teachings of the Prophets were thus consistent: We should come to love God, walk with God, be attentive to God, revere Him, think of Him, serve Him, and live our lives for Him. These are the teachings of the Prophets.

These are writings of the Prophets that Jesus refers to. Jesus "fulfilled" these teachings because he himself loved God, walked with God, and revered God.

(With respect to the phrase, "fear the Lord" used in much of the Old Testament - the word "fear" is translated from the Hebrew word יָרֵא (yare'), means "to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe" and "to revere.")

Why was Jesus referring to the Prophets?

If Jesus is not saying the Prophets predicted this, then what is he saying?

Jesus is speaking to the fact that his life and teachings all satisfy these very same messages taught by the Prophets. The word "fulfill" is being translated from the Greek πληρόω (plēroō), which means, according to the lexicon, 'to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out,' 'to carry into effect, bring to realization, realize' and 'of matters of duty: to perform, execute'.

In other words, Jesus acted on the teachings of the Prophets. His life accomplished those teachings. His life manifested those teachings. His life carried out those teachings. His life satisfied those teachings.

And most specifically, Jesus' allowing himself to be arrested, tortured, and executed specifically fulfills (accomplishes, manifests, carries out) those teachings. Why?

We must remember why the chief priests of the temple institution arrested Jesus. Because they were intimidated by Jesus' teachings. His teachings threatened their positions of ecclesiastical (political) authority.

And it was on those very teachings that Jesus took a stand - because He loved God. He walked with God. He served God. His service was teaching on behalf of God. And they arrested him for this service to God - his teachings. Therefore, a more appropriate translation of this statement, as stated in the Lost Gospels of Jesus, would be:

Yet all this took place so the Scriptures of the Prophets might be executed.

Should we trust interpretations of compensated teachers?

It is a very practical matter. When a person receives payment or a salary in exchange for translating scripture or giving lectures, incentive relates to payment. 

The act is no longer service: It becomes an obligation.

A person receiving payment for a service becomes indebted or obligated to those who are paying. This means they must perform that service to the satisfaction of whoever is paying - the payor.

If the payor is an institution, the pastor, reverend, priest, or translator (scribe) must satisfy the institution and those who represent it.

Ultimately, because most religious institutions rely on donations from parishioners, the pastor, reverend or priest must satisfy those parishioners. This means they must not teach or translate something that the parishioners don't like.

Jesus didn't do that. Neither did John the Baptist nor the Prophets before them. They were messengers of God. They taught what God told them to say. They were not indebted to those they were speaking to.

Therefore, a person cannot be serving God while providing a service in exchange for money. Jesus himself clarified why this is so:

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:24)

Because "money" represents materialism and the expectation of reward in return for service. service in return for money runs contrary to the service of God. This is because serving the Supreme Being is a spiritual activity. It is to be an activity based on caring for the Supreme Being and wanting to please the Supreme Being.

Service with an expectation of another return is not a spiritual activity. Service with an expectation of return is tainted and thus spoiled.

For this reason, teaching efforts driven by personal financial award, gaining followers, and/or the political positioning of one's institution are not accepted by the Supreme Being as service. And being appointed or elected by such an institution also cannot be accepted.

Jesus also instructed this process when he told his disciples that were being sent out to preach to not carry or collect money:

"Do not take a purse or bag ..." (Luke 10:4)

He didn't want them carrying a purse because he didn't want them to collect any money for their preaching services. He also told them not to carry a bag so they would not be tempted to collect anything other than money.

This doesn't mean that a true teacher cannot accept donations given voluntarily if used specifically for the purpose of preaching.

But once a profitable payment or a salary is accepted in exchange for the service of teaching, that teaching is spoiled. The exchange of money for service has replaced the potential for loving service to the Supreme Being.

Jesus' teachings executed the Scriptures of the Prophets. And what were Jesus' teachings? The very same teachings that Abraham, Moses, David and all of the other bonafide ancient teachers ("Prophets") taught:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38)

"Yes, it is as you say," (Matthew 27:11)

Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "You have said so," Jesus replied. (Matthew 27:11)

Was Jesus the 'king of the Jews'?

"King" is a dubious translation of the Greek text in this context.

The word "king" is being translated from the Greek word βασιλεύς (basileus). According to the lexicon, the word can mean "prince, commander, lord of the land," or "king," as well as "leader of the people."

This last element of this meaning configures how Jesus was seen. Jesus was never seen as a "king" - as though he rivaled the Roman Emperor or Governor. 

Rather, Jesus was seen as a spiritual leader of the people.

This is the reason Jesus accepted this accusation. We must remember that Jesus admitted that Caesar was king in prior statements:

"Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose image is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (Matthew 22:15-22)

This clearly communicates that Jesus was under no illusion that he was a king. He knew his role. Yes, he was a spiritual leader, and thus a 'leader of the people.'

Jesus understood that he had no government authority. But he had many followers, and he was leading people by teaching them to love God. He was leading those who followed him, back to God. Not just Jews, but everyone who followed his teachings.

Why would Pilate ask Jesus this?

As the Roman governor of Jerusalem, Pilate was in charge of maintaining the peace in Jerusalem, and someone claiming to be a leader of people could be a revolutionary.

He thus asked Jesus a question that had a double edge: If Jesus answered no, he would be saying that he wasn't a spiritual leader of the people.

The Roman government sought to control the Judean population. They were occupiers. The Israelites were paying the Romans significant taxes. The Romans wanted to maintain order within the Judean regions and continue receiving those taxes along with the other benefits of occupation.

Were the Romans responsible for Jesus' persecution?

The Book of Matthew text indicates that the decision to put Jesus to death was made by the Temple chief priests and elders:

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. (Matt. 27:1-2)

But we can see here that the Roman governor Pilate made the final call. When the temple priests handed Jesus over to Pilate, what they told him concerned Pilate. Pilate became concerned that Jesus was a threat to maintaining peace and order among the Israelites.

With the priests saying that Jesus was basically a trouble-maker, Pilate accommodated the temple priests. But he still had to make his own decision.

This is supported by Pilate's response to Jesus:

"Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?" (Matthew 27:13)

This clearly indicates that the temple priests were bearing witness against Jesus to Pilate.

Does this mean that Jews are responsible for Jesus' being murdered?

This is a racist conclusion - one arising from sectarianism and nationalism. It is this distorted conclusion that has resulted in the widespread persecution of innocent Jewish people over the centuries.

In fact, Jesus himself was not only a Jew, but was a Jewish teacher. He was a rabbi, as evidenced by both his students and even Pharisees greeting Jesus as "rabbi" (John 1:38 and elsewhere).

This event is not about Jews killing Jesus. This event is about those who seek to maintain their own authority and power being threatened by someone who is teaching about loving God.

But there is also a hidden agenda that must be questioned. That is, the "soft balling" of the role of the Roman governor. We must remember that the four Gospels were approved by the Roman government as early Christianity was cleared as a legal religion in Rome. 

Prior to this, Christians were regularly slaughtered at the hands of the Romans. They were outlawed by the Roman government. Most of Jesus' close disciples were also murdered by the Romans.

But early Christianity grew to such an extent that the Roman government was pressured to legalize the movement.

When Christianity was legalized, the Roman emperor commissioned the first Bible by Eusebius. Among dozens of texts about Jesus, Eusebius selected the four Gospels along with Paul's letters (Paul was a Roman). About half of the New Testament is made up of Paul's writings or writings about Paul.

Then Eusebius paid some scribes to translate these into Latin, and this new 'Bible' was personally approved by Emperor Constantine.

The Latin translation of the Bible became the gold standard for over 1,000 years. And the Roman government and its Roman Catholic Church burnt every other gospel document and library except for the Vatican library. Only a few manuscripts escaped their fires, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi libraries. These were only found in the last century.

This means that the Romans controlled the Scripture texts, the translations and the interpretation of these texts.

Isn't it a coincidence that the Roman government seems absolved of responsibility for Jesus' persecution? Even though in the end, it is clear that Pilate did indeed order Jesus' crucifixion? And the Roman soldiers carried out that order?

Did Jesus teach what was taught by Jewish Prophets?

The Bible illustrates that Jesus taught the same teachings as Moses, David, Samuel and other great Jewish teachers who also emphasized in their teachings love for God. Jesus quoted the Prophets quite often in his teachings. This includes his 'greatest commandment' to love God. This was a quote nearly word-for-word of Moses:

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37)

Now consider some of the many times that Jesus quoted other Prophets:

"You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you!" (Matthew 15:10)

"For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:" (John 12:39)

"Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?" (Mark 12:26)

Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” (Luke 5:14)

"Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law.” (John 7:19)

 “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." (Matthew 12:39)

“Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?" (Matthew 12:3)

 "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says, " 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." '  If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" (Mathew 22:43-45)

These and many other statements by Jesus indicate that Jesus not only was passing on the teachings of the Prophets, but he was also defining the meaning of the Prophets' teachings.

And the Greek word typically translated to "fulfilled" - inferring that Jesus' life was prophesized by the Prophets - is ἀναπληρόω (anaplēroō). This word means "to observe the law perfectly" and "to accomplish" according to Thayer's lexicon.

In other words, Jesus was saying that his life accomplished what the Prophets taught - he observed what the Prophets taught and brought their teachings to life during his tenure on the earth - in deed and doctrine.

With regard to Jesus' central teaching about love of God, just consider how important love for God was in Moses' teachings:

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)

“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep his commands.” (Deut. 7:9)

“If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as He swore to your forefathers.” (Deut. 7:12)

“And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to revere the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deut. 10:12)

“Love the LORD your God and keep His requirements, His decrees, His laws and His commands always.” (Deut. 11:1)

“So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today--to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul…” (Deut. 11:13)

“If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow--to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to hold fast to Him” (Deut. 11:22)

“you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deut. 13:3)

“because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today--to love the LORD your God and to walk always in His ways - then you are to set aside three more cities.” (Deut. 19:9)

“The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the Hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, and life.” (Deut. 30:6)

“For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.” (Deut. 30:16)

“and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to Him. For the LORD is your life” (Deut. 30:20)

Moses was not the only Jewish teacher to teach love for God. Consider Joshua's instruction to his followers:

"But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to obey His commands, to hold fast to Him and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul." (Joshua 22:5)

Also consider Hosea's instruction:

"But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always." (Hosea 12:6)

And consider Joel's instruction:

"Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity." (Joel 2:13)

And David's teaching to Solomon:

"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts." (1Chron. 28:9)

Consider the instruction of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes:

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Revere God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

And Samuel:

"If you revere the LORD and serve and obey Him and do not rebel against His commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God - good!" (1Samuel 12:14)

And Job:

"How great is God - beyond our understanding!" (Job 36:26)

And from Proverbs:

"So that your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you." (Proverbs 22:18-20)

These and so many other verses by the ancient Jewish teachers indicate that their central message relates to re-establishing our relationship with God and loving God. This is also what Jesus' most important instruction was, mirroring Moses' teaching:

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:37-38)

Why would they persecute someone teaching what the Prophets taught?

So why again would the Temple chief priests want to have Jesus executed? Because Jesus' teachings threatened their authority and power.

This is despite the reality that Jesus' teachings were consistent with Moses and other Jewish Prophets.

They could see that Jesus had real authority. He was able to convince others to dedicate their lives to God. This is the pinnacle of authority.

But the temple priests were not interested in helping people come to know and love God. Their interest was in maintaining their positions of authority so they could live comfortably and dictate to others. Jesus was a threat because he was attracting thousands of ardent followers.

This is not a Jewish or Christian thing - it is a problem that plagues all religious organizations around the world. Those in positions of power can do harmful things to others in order to maintain their positions.

Furthermore, Jesus was teaching his followers to question the authority of these temple priests. He was criticizing their teachings because their teachings were focused on rituals while ignoring the core teachings passed down from the ancient Prophets like Moses, Joshua, Abraham, and David.

They had de-emphasized the Prophets' teachings relating to loving God and doing God's will because they were not interested in loving God. They were not interested in doing God's will. Their interest was maintaining their own power and authority.

The desire to maintain power was a common interest between Pilate and the High Priest. The Temple priests and the Romans both wanted to maintain their authority in Jerusalem. Jesus threatened that authority because he could change people's hearts, from self-centeredness to God-centeredness.

The desire to retaining authority caused the temple priests to arrest Jesus and manipulate Pilate to convict Jesus. One might say that the Temple priests and Pilate essentially colluded to execute Jesus. They colluded due to their common interest in maintaining their positions of authority.

The deeper lesson in Jesus' statement and in the circumstances around his trial is that regardless of what robes a teacher may wear and what titles they may have, a teacher should only be accepted if they are teaching us to love God and please God with our lives.

These are the teachings of real authority because they come from God. And these are precisely what Jesus taught, and why he made the greatest sacrifice: To show us just how important those teachings really are.