THE KING’S BUSINESS
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ing as King. It was God Himself who has anointed .Him to this office (Acts 4:27). It was with the Holy Spirit that He was anointed (Acts 10:38). Probably Jesus the Anointed would mean more to most of us than the more common phrase “Jesus Christ.” As the anointed Priest of God, He would act as mediator be tween God and Man (1 Tim. 2:5), and make expiation for sin (Heb. 5:1), and make intercession for those who come to God through Him (Heb. 7:25): as the anointed Prophet He would be God’s messenger to men, declaring to men the message which God gaye to him (cf. ch. 12:49; 12:24): as God’s anointed King He would rule first over Israel in the long-promised kingdom and ultimate ly over all the world (Rev. 11:15). The prominent thought throughout the Bible where the Messiah is spoken of is that of God’s anointed King, but the thought of priesthood is not left out for the Messiah was to rule as a Priest upon His throne (Zech. 6:12, 13.) Jesus was a Priest forever af ter the order of Melchizedec (Ps. 110:4); a Prophet like unto Moses (Deut. 18:18); and a King whose name should be, “Jehovah our Right eousness” (Jer. 23:5, 6). V. 42. "And (omit “and”) he brought him to Jesus, and when Jesus beheld him, he said (.rather, “Jesus looking upon him, said”), Thou art Simon the son of Jona (John); thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone (rather, "Pet er’ ).” Andrew did not stop at giving his testimony regarding Jesus; he took Simon and led him directly to Jesus. It is not enough that we tell
men about Jesus, we should lead them to Him. Notice the six steps in An drew’s experience: First, he heard of Jesus (v. 36); second, he looked upon Jesus (v. 36) ; third, he followed Jesus (v. 37, 40) ; fourth, he abode with Jesus (v. 39) ; fifth, he testified of Jesus (v. 41); sixth, he brought another to Jesus (v. 42). The word translated “beheld” in the Authorized Version, and “looked upon” in the Revised Version, is the same word translated “looked upon” in verse 36, where we saw that it describes a pem'. trating look. When Simon was brought to our Lord Jesus, He looked right into him, read his character and his future. He knew what was in man (ch. 2:25); Simon’s inmost be ing was read by Him. On the basis of what He saw in Simon then, and what He knew that Peter would be come through faith in Himself (Matt. 16:16-18), He gave to Simon a new name, which was a symbol of what his character was to become—Peter. This name signifies a piece of rock, by faith in Himself the eternal Rock (1 Cor. 10:4; "3:1), Peter himself became a piece of rock (Matt. 16: 16-18). John gives the name be stowed upon Simon by our Lord as “Cephas,” which is the Aramaic form of the name and equivalent of the Greek Petros (Latin, Peter). John’s giving the Aramaic form is an illus tration of his faithfulness as a re porter. This form is never used else where in the New Testament except by Paul. By the New Testament writers generally he is called “Peter” or “Simon Peter.” Our Lord Him self, however, always used the old name of Simon, even in his final charge to him (ch. 21:15-17).
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