It Is A Must...

δει; dei: It is a Must.

Prelude: certain phrases in Greek loose some of their force in translation. One such example is ‘It is a MUST,’ an imperative statement.

Monday, August 11, 2008: Matthew 16:21

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

Background: This passage lies between Jesus Christ calling Peter blessed (because His Father had revealed to him that Jesus was the Son of God) and calling him (get behind me,) Satan!
Why was ‘must’ used about going to Jerusalem instead of ‘would?’ This was the main purpose of Jesus Christ’s coming into the world.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008: John 3:7

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Background: Nicodemus came to meet Jesus Christ at night.
Did Nicodemus ask a question that Jesus answered thus? No. But the subject was in his heart, which Jesus Christ knew.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008: Acts 4:11–12

This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Background: After Pentecost, Peter healed the beggar born blind. He was brought before the Sanhedrin (Jewish leadership) who still rejected the Gospel. This was Peter’s uncompromising statement.
Does salvation depend on a verb like being good? No, being saved depends upon a Name: Jesus Christ, and on nothing else.

Thursday, August 14, 2008: John 4:23–24

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Background: This took place at a well in Samaria when the woman who was an adulteress sought to change the subject. She did so by invoking a controversy: where do people go to worship God?
Where do people go to worship God? In Spirit and in Truth. Jesus Christ called Himself: the Way, the Truth, and the Life. A worshiper must exalt the Name Jesus Christ before God.

Friday, August 15, 2008: 2 Corinthians 5:9–10

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Background: there is a judgment for all believers called the BEMA, or Judgment Seat of Christ. We all must stand before it.
Is the judgment going to be about good or bad? No, but about weather we were pleasing to Him or not. We, however will receive according to the good or bad we have done, that is reward or no reward (not punishment.)