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Power, Powerful WorksAid to Bible Understanding
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kept powerful aggressors at bay, confused and disrupted their forces, sent them fleeing back to their home territories. These nations worshiped not only “nature gods” but gods (and goddesses) of war. In some cases the head of the country was himself viewed as a god. Since they insisted on warring against his people, Jehovah showed himself again as a “manly person of war,” a ‘glorious King, mighty in battle.’ (Ex. 15:3; Ps. 24:7-10; Isa. 59:17-19) In effect, he met them on all types of terrain, employed war strategy that outwitted their boastful generals, overcame warriors of many nations and their special war equipment. (2 Sam. 5:22-25; 10:18; 1 Ki. 20:23-30; 2 Chron. 14:9-12) He could cause their secret battle plans to be known to his people as accurately as if electronic listening devices were planted in their palaces. (2 Ki. 6:8-12) At times he strengthened his people to do the fighting; at other times he gained victories without their striking a blow. (2 Ki. 7:6, 7; 2 Chron. 20:15, 17, 22, 24, 29) In all this, Jehovah shamed the war gods of the nations, exposed them as failures, frauds.—Isa. 41:21-24; Jer. 10:10-15; 43:10-13.
In exile and restoration
Though Jehovah allowed the nation to go into exile, the northern kingdom being conquered by Assyria and the kingdom of Judah desolated by Babylon, he kept alive the Davidic line in fulfillment of his covenant with David for an everlasting kingdom. (Ps. 89:3, 4, 35-37) During the period of exile he also kept alive the faith of his people, using Daniel and others in marvelous ways, performing miraculous acts that caused even world rulers humbly to acknowledge his power. (Dan. 3:19-29; 4:34-37; 6:16-23) By the fall of mighty Babylon Jehovah again demonstrated his unique Godship, exposed the unreality of the pagan gods and put them to shame. His people were witnesses of this. (Isa. 41:21-29; 43:10-15; 46:1, 2, 5-7) He maneuvered the kings of Persia on behalf of Israel, effecting their release and their return to their homeland, enabling them to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple. (Ezra 1:1-4; 7:6, 27, 28; Neh. 1:11; 2:1-8) Ezra rightly felt ashamed to ask the Persian king for military protection of his company, though they carried cargo with a total value in excess of $5,000,000. Jehovah guarded them in their journey to Jerusalem in answer to their prayer.—Ezra 7:21, 22; 8:21-27.
In the interim period between the closing of the Hebrew Scripture part of the Bible and the birth of God’s Son on earth, God’s power must have been active in order to guarantee the preservation of the nation, its capital city Jerusalem and the neighboring town of Bethlehem, the temple and its priesthood, and other features of the Jewish system. For all these would have to be there for the fulfillment of prophecy in Christ Jesus and his activity. History relates attempts at replacing the Jewish system of things completely by process of Hellenization, that is, by converting it to the Grecian way of worship. But this ultimately failed.—See GREECE, GREEKS (Effect of Hellenization on the Jews).
“CHRIST THE POWER OF GOD AND THE WISDOM OF GOD”
From Jesus’ miraculous birth forward God’s power was displayed toward and through him as never before. Like the psalmist, he became “just like a miracle to many people.” (Ps. 71:7) Jesus and his disciples, like Isaiah and his children, were “as signs and as miracles in Israel from Jehovah of armies,” portending the future and revealing God’s purpose. (Isa. 8:18; Heb. 2:13; compare Luke 2:10-14.) In Jesus, God’s powerful workings during thousands of years now found fulfillment, came to fruition. Rightly the apostle could speak of Jesus as “the power of God and the wisdom of God.”—1 Cor. 1:24.
Jesus proved to be the long-awaited Messiah, Jehovah’s Anointed One, foretold to manifest the ‘spirit of mightiness.’ (Isa. 11:1-5) As such, it could be expected that he would have powerful testimony to support that fact. (Mic. 5:2-5; compare John 7:31.) Already by his birth from a virgin Jewess, God had begun testifying on his Son’s behalf. (Luke 1:35-37) This birth was not simply a spectacular display of divine power but served very definite purposes. It provided a perfect human, ‘a second Adam,’ one who could sanctify his Father’s name, erase the reproach the first human son had brought on that name, thereby giving the lie to Satan’s challenge; moreover, the perfect Jesus would provide a legal basis for ransoming obedient mankind from the grip of Kings Sin and Death. (1 Cor. 15:45-47; Heb. 2:14, 15; Rom. 5:18-21; see RANSOM.) And this perfect descendant of David would be the heir to an everlasting Kingdom.—Luke 1:31-33.
Jesus’ anointing by God’s spirit was accompanied by divine power. (Acts 10:38) As ‘the prophet greater than Moses,’ who was “mighty in his words and deeds,” Jesus’ credentials were proportionately greater. (Deut. 34:10-12; Acts 7:22; Luke 24:19; John 6:14) Rightly he ‘taught with authority.’ (Matt. 7:28, 29) Thus, even as God gave cause for faith in Moses, Joshua and others, he now gave sound basis for faith in his Son. (Matt. 11:2-6; John 6:29) Jesus took no credit for himself, constantly acknowledging God as the Source of his powerful works. (John 5:19, 26; 7:28, 29; 9:3, 4; 14:10) Honest persons recognized “the majestic power of God” manifested through him.—Luke 9:43; 19:37; John 3:2; 9:28-33; compare Luke 1:68; 7:16.
Portents of future blessings
What Jesus did gave proof of God’s interest in mankind, evidence of what God would eventually do for all loving righteousness. Jesus’ powerful works were largely related to mankind’s problems, first and most basic among which is that of sin, with all its damaging effects. Sickness and death are concomitants of sin, and Jesus’ ability to heal sickness of all kinds (Matt. 8:14, 15; Luke 6:19; 17:11-14; 8:43-48) and even to resurrect the dead (Matt. 9:23-25; Luke 7:14, 15; John 11:39-44) gave proof that he was God’s appointed means for freeing mankind from sin and its penalty. (Compare Mark 2:5-12.) Far superior to the manna Israel ate in the wilderness, Jesus was the “true bread from heaven,” “the bread of life.” (John 6:31-35, 48-51) He brought, not literal water from a rock, but “living water,” the ‘water of life.’—John 7:37, 38; Rev. 22:17; compare John 4:13, 14.
His powerful works were also “portents” of other blessings due to come by his kingly rule. Whereas Elisha had fed one hundred men with only twenty loaves and some grain, Jesus fed thousands with far less. (2 Ki. 4:42-44; Matt. 14:19; 15:32) Moses and Elisha had made bitter or poisoned water sweet. Jesus converted ordinary water into fine wine to contribute to the relaxing enjoyment of a marriage feast. (Ex. 15:22-25; 2 Ki. 2:21, 22; John 2:1-11) His rule therefore would certainly bring freedom from hunger to all his subjects, bring a pleasant ‘banquet for all peoples.’ (Isa. 25:6) His ability to make men’s work abundantly productive, as with regard to his disciples’ fishing efforts, assured that, under his Kingdom’s blessing, men would not be reduced to barely eking out a living at a mere subsistence level.—Luke 5:4-9; compare John 21:3-7.
More importantly, these things were all related to spiritual matters. As Jesus brought spiritual sight, speech and health to the spiritually blind, dumb and ailing, he also brought and assured the enjoyment of spiritual food and drink in abundance and guaranteed the productiveness of his disciples’ ministry. (Compare Luke 5:10, 11; John 6:35, 36.) His miraculously satisfying people’s physical needs on certain occasions was primarily to strengthen faith. Such things were never the end in themselves. (Compare John 6:25-27.) The Kingdom and God’s righteousness, not food and drink, were to be sought first. (Matt. 6:31-33) Jesus set the example in this by his refusal to change stones into bread for himself.—Matt. 4:1-3.
Spiritual liberation
Israel had known mighty warriors, but God’s power through his Son was aimed at greater enemies than mere human militarists. Jesus was the Liberator (Luke 1:69-74) providing the way to freedom from the chief source of oppression, Satan and his demons. (Heb. 2:14, 15) He not only personally freed many from demonic obsession (Luke 4:33-36), but by his powerful words of truth he opened wide the gates to freedom for those wishing to cast off the oppressive burdens and slavery that false religion had imposed on them. (Matt. 23:4; Luke 4:18; John 8:31, 32) By his own faithful, integrity-keeping course he conquered, not just a city or an empire, but “the world.”—John 14:30; 16:33.
Relative importance of miraculous acts
Though Jesus laid principal stress on the truths he proclaimed, he nevertheless showed the relative importance of his powerful works, regularly calling attention to them as authenticating his commission and message. Their importance lay particularly in their fulfillment of prophecy. (John 5:36-39, 46, 47; 10:24-27, 31-38; 14:11; 20:27-29) Those seeing such works came under special responsibility. (Matt. 11:20-24; John 15:24) As Peter later told the crowds at Pentecost, Jesus was “a man publicly shown by God to you through powerful works and portents and signs that God did through him in your midst, just as you yourselves know.” (Acts 2:22) These evidences of divine power showed that God’s kingdom had “overtaken” them.—Matt. 12:28, 31, 32.
By God’s significant use of his Son, the ‘reasonings of many hearts were uncovered.’ (Luke 2:34, 35) They were seeing ‘the arm of Jehovah’ manifested, but many, the majority, preferred to read some other meaning into the events beheld, or to allow selfish interests to keep them from acting in harmony with the “sign” seen. (John 12:37-43; 11:45-48) Many wanted personal benefits from God’s power but were not sincerely hungering for truth and righteousness. Their hearts were not moved by the compassion and kindness that motivated so many of Jesus’ powerful works (compare Luke 1:78; Matthew 9:35, 36; 15:32-37; 20:34; Mark 1:40, 41; Luke 7:11-15; with Luke 14:1-6; Mark 3:1-6), which compassion reflected that of his Father.—Mark 5:18, 19.
Responsible use of power
Jesus’ use of power was always responsible, never done for mere display. The cursing of the barren fig tree evidently had symbolic meaning. (Mark 11:12-14; compare Matthew 7:19, 20; 21:42, 43; Luke 13:6-9.) Jesus refused to engage in purposeless theatrics as suggested by Satan. When he walked over water it was because he was going somewhere with no transportation at hand at that late hour, something quite different from jumping off a temple battlement like a potential suicide. (Matt. 4:5-7; Mark 6:45-50) The wrongly motivated curiosity of Herod was left unsatisfied as Jesus refused to put on any performance for him. (Luke 23:8) Jesus earlier refused to cause a “sign from heaven” at the request of Pharisees and Sadducees, evidently because they sought such, not to strengthen their faith in the fulfillment of God’s Word, but to obviate the need of such faith. Their motive was bad.—Matt. 16:1-4; compare 15:1-6; 22:23, 29.
Similarly with his activity in Nazareth, the town of his youth and early manhood. The lack of faith there kept him from performing many powerful works, certainly not because his source of power was insufficient but because the circumstances did not warrant it, did not allow for it. Divine power was not to be wasted on unreceptive skeptics. (Mark 6:1-6; compare Matthew 10:14; Luke 16:29-31.) That the faith of others was not an absolute essential for his performing miraculous acts can be seen in his healing the severed ear of the high priest’s slave, part of the crowd that came to arrest Jesus.—Luke 22:50, 51.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to spirit life was the greatest demonstration ever of God’s power. Without it, Christian faith would be “in vain,” his followers would be “of all men most to be pitied.” (1 Cor. 15:12-19) It was the act most consistently recounted by Jesus’ disciples and the greatest single factor in strengthening faith. Distance had not hindered Jesus’ exercise of power when on earth (Matt. 8:5-13; John 4:46-53), and now, from his heavenly position, Jesus anointed his followers with God’s spirit on Pentecost, enabling them to do powerful works in his absence. He thereby authenticated their testimony concerning his resurrection (Acts 4:33; Heb. 2:3, 4) and also gave proof that these were God’s approved people, his congregation.—Acts 2:1-4, 14-36, 43; 3:11-18.
The death of his Son as a human had not shortened Jehovah’s hand, as the many miracles, signs and portents performed by the apostles and others testified. (Acts 4:29, 30; 6:8; 14:3; 19:11, 12) The powerful works they performed were like those of their Master, healing the lame (Acts 3:1-9; 14:8-10) and ill (Acts 5:12-16; 28:7-9), raising the dead (Acts 9:36-41; 20:9-11), casting out demons (Acts 8:6, 7; 16:16-18), doing so without seeking personal benefit or honor for themselves. (Acts 3:12; 8:9-24; 13:15-17) Through them God expressed judgments against wrongdoers, even as he had done through the earlier prophets, fostering due respect toward himself and his representatives. (Acts 5:1-11; 13:8-12) New abilities were granted them, such as the ability to speak in foreign languages and interpret them. This, too, was for a “beneficial purpose,” for they were soon to extend the preaching work beyond Israel, telling Jehovah’s wonderful works among the nations.—1 Cor. 12:4-11; Ps. 96:3, 7.
Jehovah God did other powerful things for them as well, opening up ‘doors’ of opportunity for them to preach in certain territories, protecting them against those who would shut down their ministerial work, directing their activity, doing so in ways generally unobserved by the public.—Acts 5:17-20; 8:26-29, 39, 40; 9:1-8; 10:19-22, 44-48; 12:6-11; 13:2; 16:6-10, 25-33; 18:9, 10; 1 Cor. 16:8, 9.
The miraculous abilities granted by the spirit to the apostles, and passed on by them to others were foretold to last only during the ‘infancy’ of the Christian congregation, thereafter ending. (See GIFTS FROM GOD [Gifts of the Spirit].) The Biblical Theological and Ecclesiastical Encyclopaedia by M’Clintock and Strong (Vol. VI, p. 320) says that it is “an uncontested statement that during the first hundred years after the death of the apostles we hear little or nothing of the working of miracles by the early Christians.” Nevertheless, Jesus and his apostles warned of future deceptive powerful works that would be done by apostates and also by political organizations, enemies of God.—Matt. 7:21-23; 24:23-25; 2 Thess. 2:9, 10; Rev. 13:11-13; see BEASTS, SYMBOLIC.
The expressions of God’s power reach a high point in the establishment of his kingdom by Christ Jesus and the judgment acts that result from that event.
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Praetorian GuardAid to Bible Understanding
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PRAETORIAN GUARD
A special group of Roman soldiers, originally organized by Augustus as an imperial bodyguard for the emperor. It consisted of nine (later increased to ten) cohorts of 1,000 men each. They were all Italian volunteers; their pay was double or triple that of a soldier in the legions. Tiberius concentrated this corps d’elite in Rome by constructing fortified barracks N of the walls of the city. Though cohorts might be sent to foreign lands, three were always stationed in Rome, one being in barracks adjacent to the emperor’s palace. Since the Praetorian Guard were basically the only permanent troops in Italy, they came to constitute a powerful political force in supporting or overthrowing an emperor. Eventually the size and makeup of the Praetorian Guard changed, men from the provinces even being admitted. It was finally abolished by Emperor Constantine in 312 C.E.
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