On Jesus' Intentions

The following is a short paper I wrote for a course on the four gospels at Covenant Theological Seminary; the assignment entailed meticulous recording of every direct statement of Jesus in the gospels and compiling a synthesis of the results in a single two-page paper (hence the abundance of citations). Here it is:

What did Jesus set out to accomplish? His own words suggest several objectives. First, Jesus intended to inaugurate the kingdom of God, and to do so as its rightful Lord and promised Messiah (in fulfillment of Israel’s scriptures, cf. Mt. 5.17-18). The manner in which he preached (“as one with authority”, Mt. 7.29 pars.) already hints at this, but Jesus openly declares that he came to preach the gospel of the kingdom (e.g. Mk. 1.14-15, cf. Lk 4.43). Jesus’ message of repentance and the proximity of the kingdom echoes that of John the Baptist (Mt. 4.17, cf. 3.2), but is quickly distinguished by several statements which imply not only Jesus’ high status in the kingdom of God but his ultimate reign over it: Jesus himself will judge those who work lawlessness (Mt. 7.22ff, 16.27, 25.31), he will sit on a glorious throne (Mt 19.28), and he is the Christ and the Daniellic Son of Man (Mk. 14.62 pars.). Jesus demonstrates and then declares that he is Lord of the Sabbath (Mk. 2.28 pars.). Most clearly, Jesus refers regularly to the kingdom of God (e.g. Lk. 22.16, Mk. 1.15), but also calls it the kingdom of his Father (Mt. 26.29), and elsewhere states that he and the Father are one (Jn. 10.30). Jesus identifies with the Father as the king of the kingdom. As divine king he intends to return in glory (Mk. 13.26; Mt. 24.27, 30-31; Lk. 12.40), and present membership in his kingdom will at times be occasion for division – and this is not unforeseen or inadvertent (Mt. 10.34-39, Lk. 12.51ff). 

Jesus’ preaching was central to his intended mission (Mk. 1.38, Lk. 4.43); as mentioned above, his teaching was authoritative, and he seemed to prioritize it more highly even than healing (cf. Mk. 1.34-38). John’s Gospel illustrates how central Jesus’ preaching was to his mission when he speaks in the High Priestly Prayer of completing his objective of making known the Father’s name that the love of the Triune God may fill his followers (Jn. 17.6ff, 26). Jesus quotes Isaiah 61 (Lk. 4.16-21, cf. Mt. 11.4-5 pars.), and attributes its fulfillment to himself. In teaching difficult truths of the kingdom of God (e.g. Jn. 6) and coming to bring a sword of division (Mt. 10.34-39 pars.), Jesus continues in the long tradition of polarizing prophets. Thus, Jesus assumes the role of prophet in addition to his kingly office. 

But what of the priesthood? The entirety of John 17 could be offered as evidence of Jesus’ intended priestly office, but one can find explicit statements of Jesus’ priestly work on behalf of the people of God throughout the Gospels. Jesus has authority to forgive sins (Lk. 5.24 pars.), enacting as a divine prerogative that which a typical priest could only declare a posteriori. The primary function of this priestly role, however, is not as one who offers animals on an altar, but ultimately as the one who offered himself on a cross. 

Though it is controversial to suggest that the traditional evangelical formula (“Jesus died for my sins”) might actually have biblical warrant, this is exactly what we find in the mouth of Jesus. In each of the synoptic Gospels, Jesus predicts his own death three times (Mk. 8.31-32; 9.31; 10.33-34 pars.), and elsewhere he further emphasizes the suffering inherent to his mission (cf. Lk. 17.25, Mk. 9.12, Mt. 17.12). Prior to the first of the threefold predictions, each synoptic has Jesus accepting the title of Christ (or Messiah, cf. Mk. 8.30 pars.) only to redefine it in light of the coming suffering and persecution and crucifixion. John has these death predictions in a more circumlocutionary form, but they are there nonetheless (see, e.g. Jn. 3.14-18; 12.7-8; 16.28). Jesus interprets his own coming death as propitiatory (Mt. 20.28, Mk. 10.45), which would certainly indicate he was not caught off-guard by his arrest and subsequent crucifixion, but rather intended to do so as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of many. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus clarifies for whom he intends to atone; namely, those who are lost (Lk. 19.10).

Even if one accepts that Jesus’ thought himself an atoning sacrifice, it might be argued by some that he was simply wrong and that he died as any other man would who was crucified by Rome. Yet, Jesus did not merely predict his death, but his resurrection as well. Each of his death predictions also include unambiguous statements of his intent to be raised from the dead, often with the specific timeline given (Mk. 8.31-32; 9.31; 10.33-34 pars.). John 10.17 has Jesus declaring that he not only willingly lays down his life but also will take it up again. Jesus elsewhere makes further statements showing he intended to be raised (Mt. 26.32, Mk. 9.9; 14.28, Lk. 24.46, Jn. 2.19). Jesus’ resurrection was no more a surprise to him than was his death – this is only to be expected from the man who called himself the resurrection and the life (Jn. 11.25).

In sum, Jesus came as the self-proclaimed fulfillment of Israel’s scriptures (Lk. 4.21; 24.46-47); as the Messiah (Mk. 8.30 pars.) who redirects expectations from a military conqueror to the dying and rising Son of God (Mt. 16.21 pars.; cf. Mt. 16.27); as the prophet who truly speaks the words of God (Mk. 1.14-15), the priest who offers himself as a sacrifice for sins (Mt. 20.28 pars.), and the king who will come again to judge the world (Jn. 9.39, Mt. 25.31). He has all authority (Mt. 28.18, Jn. 17.2-4ff), and leverages that authority not for dictatorship but service (Mk. 10.45), making known to the world the truth of the Father’s love in him (Jn. 17.26; 18.37). He is light (Jn.12.46) and life (Jn. 14.6), and he gives that life as the Eternal Son of the Father (Jn. 10.28-30). He was lifted up (Jn. 8.28-29) when he laid his life down (Jn. 10.11) and sends his followers out (Mt. 28.19-20) so that many more may share in his eternal life.