Bible Study Seattle

“Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent word into all that surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick; and they implored Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were cured.” Matthew 14:22-36

Is this a picture of the future? The disciples were in a boat trying to get to the other side and having difficulty. Apparently they rowed all night(?). In any case, Jesus comes to them in the fourth watch of the night, just prior to sunrise. Is this a picture of the troubles that will happen to Israel just prior to the Messiah coming to them standing on the Mount of Olives? The fourth watch was a three hour period. One eighth of a day. Could this describe the trouble that will be on Israel for about 125 years just before the Day dawns and Jesus comes? This would equate to 2253-2378AD. Will the Jews ‘get out of the boat’ when they see Jesus, but then lose heart and fear for their lives? But then Jesus will save them and there will suddenly be peace. When they see this salvation of Jesus, they will burst out in worship. Shortly after this there will be Immense healing. Yet the healing requires people to touch his garment – demonstrate concrete faith through action.

“For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it passes by,
Or as a watch in the night.” Psalm 90:4

This was written by Moses some time around 1600BC.

“And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.” Matthew 14:25

For the Hebrews there were four watches in a night. Each watch was about three hours. Psalm 90 tells us plainly that a day is as a thousand years to God. But it also tells us that a thousand years is like an eighth of a day. Interesting! This means a day can be as 8,000 years to God. It’s probably not a stretch to say a day could also be like 7,000 years to God. This confirms the biblical chronology of 1,000 year and 7,000 year ‘days’. We are in the seventh day and God is ‘resting’. Not taking a nap, but resting from creating. The 1,000 year Sabbath is the last part of that 7,000 year seventh day. And the 1,000 year Jubilee could be seen as extending the seventh day to 8,000 years. That brings the seven days of creation in Genesis 1 to 50,000 years.

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.  Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.  Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:1-15

Evidently, this was written close to the end of Paul’s life. His apparent preaching against the details of Moses angered many Jewish Christians, and caused them to reject Paul. But after it became apparent that Jesus was not to return in the apostles lifetimes, Peter hurried to consult Paul on a canonization of Christian writings to fight the apostasy that was already begun.

Verse 13 above is evidently mistranslated. The Greek word for Cloak has multiple meanings which can only be determined by context.  Couldn’t Paul have gotten a cloak locally from Luke?  Why send a cloak so far?  The word should be translated ‘bookcase’ or similar.  Paul is in prison in Rome.  Peter has come to confer with him on which of their writings should be canonized before they die.  He urges John Mark (Peter’s assistant) to come to help, but also to take back their writtings to John.  Paul wants his bookcase of writings  so he can edit them to be in a codex.  Paul is martyred first.  Then Peter writes 2 Peter which confirms that Jesus will be a long time before he comes back and quotes Psalm 90 written by Moses.  Many say that the codex was basically invented for the creation of the New Testament.  Before, writtings were kept in long scrolls.  The Jews had the priests to keep the sacred scrolls at the temple.  But Christians had no preists or temple to keep official documents.  The codex (or book as we think of it) provided a way to keep many scrolls in one small volume.