Gospel

The Fate of the World Hung in the Balance of One Man's Obedience

by Eyvonne Black
04/05/26
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

How many of us remember as children how frightened we were to disobey authority figures, especially our parents? Yet we still did and faced the consequences of our disobedience. And disobedience persisted into adolescence and adulthood, leading to consequences that resulted in the loss of friendships, family bonds, and our integrity; others led to custodial sentences and even death. 

As a child, I grew up in a single-parent household with a Caribbean father. He wasn't like most Caribbean fathers who used the rod. Still, he didn't have to tell me twice to be obedient; just one look was enough for me to think, 'I'd better listen and do as he says.'

My scriptural understanding was the key I was missing to recognise why obedience was such a challenge. The scripture in Romans 5:12 states, "Therefore just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." I thought, 'Wow! That means disobedience is in our nature; we have to choose to obey.' It's like having a dented tin for baking bread; every loaf you bake in that tin will carry the mark. The power of one man's act has brought down the fate of the whole world. However, our Heavenly Father, Abba, Almighty God, loved His creation so much that He devised a plan that would restore and secure our redemption.

From scripture, we understand that Adam was created perfect, so the Most High had to find another perfect Adam to cleanse the world of all unrighteousness. That individual could not come from Adam, as he was flawed. He had to find someone without sin, a second Adam, but one who could not originate from the earth. 1 Corinthians 15:45-47 states, "Thus it is written, 'The first man Adam became a living being'; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven." Almighty God had to choose a spirit-being He could trust to bear the burdens of the whole world, knowing it would be a challenging task, one that would lead Him to be accused of blasphemy and to endure a brutal death so that the world could be saved. Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 53:5, "But he was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." Although Isaiah primarily addressed the Israelites and Judah, the entire world was included in this prophecy.

The plan was established, the task was difficult, but was there a test of obedience?

The Almighty chose His beloved son, Jesus Christ (Ye'shua HaMashiach), for this purpose. He came to earth to experience human life. Isaiah 9:6 states, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…" Jesus had to live life like any other person on the planet. Luke 3:23 tells us that He was about 30 years old when He began His ministry, and Mark 6:3 notes that when people questioned His origins, they called Him the carpenter, the son of Mary. So yes, even as a perfect being, He was human like the first Adam; if He had chosen to, He could have disobeyed and gone His own way, as He lived for 30 years before His Heavenly Father revealed Him. Philippians 2:7-8 (CJB) states, "And when he appeared as a human being, he humbled himself still more by becoming obedient even to death, death on a stake as a criminal!" 

Jesus Christ, obedience saved the world and gave us the privilege of eternal life.

When we reflect on what Jesus endured as the Son of Man, emphasising His human nature while recognising the authority He was glorified with, we can acknowledge that no ordinary human could maintain that authority and fulfil the responsibilities His Heavenly Father entrusted to Him on earth.

Let's examine some of these events and recognise that the complete fulfilment of His success was entirely due to His obedience.

Luke 4:1-2 states, "And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry."

The fact that it was the Holy Spirit who led Him into the wilderness shows that this was part of God's plan. Satan intensified his temptation when he realised Jesus's body was weak and that He would be vulnerable at this time. The first intensified temptation was to exploit His vulnerability, being hungry after 40 days without food or drink, by telling Him to turn stones into bread: tempting Him to use His divine power. Satan cleverly questioned Jesus's authority by beginning with, "If you are the Son of God." Matthew 4:3. Jesus never responded with His own words; He used the scriptures to prove His firm reliance and trust in His Father. Matthew 4:4 states, "But he answered, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Satan then tempted Jesus two more times, and again Jesus remained obedient, only responding with the Word of God. For a full account, read Matthew 4: 1-11.

Even at the tender age of 12, Jesus knew His Heavenly Father had entrusted Him with an earthly mission. Therefore, He stayed behind in the temple in Jerusalem after Passover, engaging in conversation with the elders and priests, listening attentively to them, and asking questions about the scriptures, even though He disobeyed His earthly parents, who expected Him to leave with them and the crowds travelling back to Nazareth. When they found Him and scolded Him, He responded in a way that was considered disrespectful (by human standards). Just on that occasion, He said, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" Then Jesus went down with them, arrived in Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother stored all these things in her heart, and Jesus grew in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and man (Paraphrase Luke 2:49-52).

Jesus was obedient to the Spirit of Healing, showing a heart of compassion:

Jesus initially refused to help a non-Jewish woman who was pleading with Him to heal her daughter possessed by demons, knowing His primary mission was to restore the lost sheep of Israel to His Heavenly Father. Ultimately, due to her persistence and great Faith, Jesus granted her request (Matthew 15:21-28).

Jesus allowed His disciples to pick grain and healed on the Sabbath (Shabbat)

The religious leaders of His time saw His actions as surpassing the letter of the law. They openly criticised Him, believing this would dissuade people from following Him. However, Jesus argued that doing good on the Sabbath was actually an act of obedience to God. He referenced the scriptures from a time when King David, seemingly acting unlawfully, ate the consecrated bread intended only for priests when he was hungry and entered the temple with his companions (Luke 6:3-4). He healed on the Sabbath, which greatly angered the religious leaders. But Jesus responded, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." Jesus's response here was to state a fact: His act of healing was in obedience to His Father's will. You can read the full account in John 5:1-17.

Cleansing the Temple: An act of obedience 

Jesus's actions towards those selling and money-changing outside the temple would be seen as a serious act of civil unrest and disobedience to an established religious practice. Moreover, it was an unlawful act (John 2 and Mark 11). However, Jesus regarded His passionate actions as righteous and obedient to His Father in response to the disrespect shown immediately outside the place of worship.

In the Garden of Gethsemane: The most powerful and distinct act of obedience

Jesus's surrender to the agony He would have to endure as He sacrificed His life through a brutal and painful death so that the world could gain salvation and eternal life.

Jesus, sorrowful and troubled, expressed these feelings to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John. Before He went to pray, knowing what was imminent, He told His disciples to watch and pray, so they would not fall into temptation. However, each time He returned, He found them sleeping, lacking the energy to stay awake. Jesus understood human vulnerability and said, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." 

The Bible account states He fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." Again, for the second time, He went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done." The Scriptures show that "He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again."   

The full account is found at Matthew 26:36-43 

Jesus recognised the severity of what He was about to endure as a human being. Therefore, He knew He would feel every agonising, torturous blow before His untimely death. Let's examine the specific details of His physical abuse.

 John 19:1-3

"Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with their hands."

John 19:17-18

 "And he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them."

John 19:28-30

"After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the Scripture), "I thirst." A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his Spirit." 

Imagine knowing that this is what you would have to suffer for the fate of the world; would you not pray, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will?" 

This was the ultimate act of obedience to His Father. He had to surrender and set aside the knowledge of His human suffering, remembering the gravity of His mission and His Heavenly existence. The High Priestly Prayer: John 17 shows the intimate relationship He has with His Father and the loving bond He fostered during His time on earth. His dedication and obedience to His Father marked a crucial turning point in His sacrifice, as He voluntarily ceased resisting and accepted His suffering.  

When analysing all Gospel accounts, we see a recurring theme of obedience. There are over 30 instances where Jesus declares that He came to do His Father's will rather than His own. In my view, the Gospel of John offers unmatched depth. As the disciple reclining closest to Jesus at the Last Supper (John 13:23), John provides a uniquely authoritative eyewitness account that I consider to be the full truth.

We give thanks to our Lord and Saviour, who, as the second Adam, in obedience, fulfilled the will of His Father, our Heavenly Father. We thank, honour, and glorify Him for sending His Son, our salvation, Jesus Christ. We can accept, appreciate, and show loving kindness to both Father and Son, and share the word at John 3:16, which states, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

References:

The Bible - English Standard Version (ESV) and the Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Google Search Engine - For research purposes only

Inspired by The Holy Spirit (The Ruach HaKodesh)