What was Jesus’ mission on earth?

Then Pilate said to him, So you are a king? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.

Pilate asked if Jesus was a king and Jesus effectively responded, “Yes”, and adds that he came into the world to “bear witness to the truth.” Whoever is of the truth will listen to him.

Jesus evening of betrayal and series of trails concluding here with Pilate.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

Paul makes a noteworthy statement of truth, that Jesus came into the world to save sinners – Paul being foremost.

Paul’s instructions to the young preacher Timothy, ending chapter 1 with two named individuals who were engaged in false teaching and as a result made a “shipwreck of their faith” and have been “handed over to Satan to learn…”.

And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Jesus says salvation has come to this house today and calls Zacchaeus a son of Abraham. Jesus, the Son of Man, came to seek and save the lost.

As Jesus was passing through Jericho he encountered Zacchaeus, famously perched in a sycamore tree in order to catch a glimpse of Jesus. Being a rich tax collector, Zacchaeus wasn’t well-liked among his countrymen, but his demonstration of faith (acknowledging Jesus) and actions (giving to the poor) were recognized and praised by Jesus.

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.

Don’t think that I [Jesus] came to bring peace on earth. I didn’t come to bring peace, but conflict (“a sword”). My coming pits even family members against each other! The resulting conflict will be personal, even within one’s household.

Chapter 10 is Matthew’s account of Jesus sending out the twelve to teach. He has given them “authority over unclean spirits so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness” (vs 1). However, he has warned them that they will be “like sheep surrounded by wolves” (vs 16) and that “Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against parents and have them put to death” (vs 21). Mark’s account (6:7-13) and Luke’s account (9:1-6) are much shorter.

Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Brethren, don't let anyone deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, just as He [Christ] is righteous. Conversely, practicing sin is of Satan, and he has been sinning from the beginning. God's Son appeared to destroy the works of Satan.

John is stating the case for fellow believers to continue in the love of God, here reminding them of the contrast between those who practice sin (e.g. “lawlessness” vs 4) and those who have accepted Jesus and been cleansed of their sin.

And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.

Jesus sacrificed Himself to make us holy. Different from the priests’ sacrifices under the Old Law that could never take away sins, Jesus’ single sacrifice for sins was for all time. After His sacrifice, He sat down [in heaven] at the right hand of God [the Father] where He is now waiting until His enemies are conquered.

The Hebrews writer is reminding Hebrew Christians all of the ways in which the New Covenant of Christ is better than what they left behind in the Old Covenant of Moses.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

You who were dead in your sins and uncircumcised in the flesh, God made alive with Him by forgiving our sins and canceling the record of debt with its legal demands that opposed us. He set it aside by nailing it to the cross, triumphing over, dismantling, and disgracing the rulers and authorities.

In the immediate context, Paul is warning the Colossians to not fall away by being captivated (enamored) by empty philosophies or anything that is not according to Christ (vs 8). He continues by specifically calling out the Mosaic Law (“a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees”) – the law that Christ replaced. Under the same theme of not falling away, he tells them not to allow others to judge them against things pertaining to the Mosaic Law such as food, drink, feasts, Sabbath days (vs 16). In Christ, they are not obligated to observe those things.

Jesus said, For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.

Jesus came into the world for judgement, the result of which would be the blind seeing and the seeing becoming blind.

Jesus has just healed a man blind from birth. The man testifies to the Pharisees about the man that healed him. Not believing him, they then called his parents who only confirmed he had been blind from birth. Calling him back a second time, the Pharisees refused to credit Jesus with the miracle.

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.

In the morning he left and went to a desolate place. But the people came to him, attempting to have him stay, by he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

Jesus has just begun His public ministry and is in Capernaum at Simon’s house healing his mother-in-law and others.

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

The Son of Man came to serve, not to be served, and to give His life to ransom many.

Jesus is in the midst of His public ministry. His apostles have just engaged in an exchange, really an argument, about who might be exalted in His kingdom. Matthew (20:20-28) and Luke (22:25-27) also record this event.

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

I am the door, the only way by which someone can be saved and find spiritual solace. The imposter comes only to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus came to give abundant life. Jesus is the good shepherd, who will always lay down his life for the sheep.

Jesus has just healed the man blind from birth and gives His great dissertation of the good shepherd.

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

God has done what the law [of Moses] could not do since it was weakened by the flesh. He sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin itself, condemning sin in the flesh. As a result, the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us who walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh.

After rejoicing in his own salvation and freedom from “this body of death” (7:24) through Christ, Paul is calling on the Roman Christians to remember their own calling and the triumph they share in Christ (vss 1-2). He implores them to “live according to the Spirit” (vs 5).

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Everyone that God gives me [Jesus] will come to me and I will never cast them away. For I have come from heaven to do God’s will alone.

Jesus has just fed the large crowd (5,000 men) by performing a miracle and departed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee by walking on the water and calming the storm along the way. The next day, the crowd again finds him in order to be fed, and a discussion contrasting physical and spiritual food ensues.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Don’t think that I (Jesus) came to cancel the Law (Mosaic) or the Prophets because I’ve come to fulfill them. What I’m saying is true. Until heaven and earth pass away, no part of the Law will pass away until all is accomplished.

After beginning His ‘Sermon on the Mount’ by describing the characteristics of a [new] kingdom citizen (vss 2-14), Jesus clarifies that His coming fulfills the Old Law, replacing it with something “better” (from the Hebrews writer). He continues to give specific examples of how their behavior would need to exceed that of the religious leaders of their day (vs 20 “scribes and Pharisees”).

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Just as man’s appointment is to die and then face judgment, so also Christ has already been offered to bear the sins of many and will appear a second time not to deal with sin but to save those still waiting for His return.

The Hebrews writer is in the midst of his argument about why Jesus and the new covenant are better than the old – here specifically arguing about His superiority as a High Priest.

For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

God gave words to Jesus who in turn gave them to his disciples. They received them, resulting in them knowing truly that Jesus came from the Father and believing “that you sent me.”

Jesus’ prayer in his final hours on earth is sometimes referred to as the “High Priestly Prayer.” It is offered in the upper room on the night of His betrayal.