Bach is back ∙

Bach is back ∙

Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead.  – Matthew 28:7

John 11:47-53

 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs.

 48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”

 49 Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about!

 50 You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”

 51 He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation.

 52 And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world.

 53 So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.

Not long after his death, Johann Sebastian Bach was more or less lost to history. His music and reputation languished in obscurity, virtually unknown to all but a few music experts.

In 1823 (or possibly 1824), Felix Mendelssohn’s grandmother, Bella Salomon, presented him with a gift that was to alter the course of his life, a copyist’s manuscript score of J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. This was Mendelssohn’s first reading of the full score. The St. Matthew Passion is one of Bach’s most profound and immensely conceived works. It was nothing less than a revelation from Mendelssohn. Bach’s passion is one of the most deeply spiritual works ever written.

The score seized Mendelssohn’s imagination. He decided that the entire St. Matthew Passion had to be performed. On March 11, 1829, Mendelssohn conducted it for the first time in a century.

Johann Sebastian Bach believed in the resurrection. The “Crucifixus” of his Mass in B minor ended with low register voices to suggest Christ going down into the grave and the next chorus breaks forth in joy to express resurrection.

Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the Father’s children, was resurrected to history by another child of the King, Felix Mendelssohn.

Every note Bach wrote was dedicated to Christ. Throughout his manuscripts appear two cryptic abbreviations. One is “I. N. J.” Which is Latin and stood for “In Nomine Jesu,” that is, “In the Name of Jesus.” The other is “S. D. G.” This abbreviation stood for the Latin phrase “Soli Deo Gloria,” “Glory to God alone.”

Some magnificent people no doubt have been inadvertently lost to history. Only to be rediscovered and restored to their rightful place. But for others, deliberate attempts were made to remove and destroy all traces of their lives and influence.

The resurrection of Johann Sebastian Bach is reminiscent of a far more important resurrection.

REFLECT & PRAY

The word of God is filled with dramatic ironies.

Father thank You that your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life.

INSIGHT

John 11 tells the story of the death of Lazarus and his miraculous resurrection from the dead by the Lord Jesus Christ. This was the last and greatest miracle that the Lord Jesus Christ publicly performed during His lifetime on Earth. It is the climax of all the signs and wonders that the apostle John presented to demonstrate who the Lord Jesus Christ was.

John 20:30-31

 30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

As a result of this miraculous resurrection, many Jewish people, even those among the leaders, believed.

John 11:45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.

Throughout history, jealousy, rivalry, ambition, the desire to be in control, blind spots, fear, disdain, ignorance, or outright hatred have led to vicious and atrocious acts by people against people.

Those Jewish leaders that did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, became even more concerned than they had been earlier. They were afraid and jealous of the consequences that might occur because of this miracle worker. So they got together and discussed it. They determined that they would eliminate Him.

John 11:47-53

 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs.

 48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”

 49 Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about!

 50 You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”

 51 He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation.

 52 And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world.

 53 So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.

This was sheer insanity. If the Lord Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life and He has the power to raise people from the dead, why would they think they could kill Him, and He would stay dead?

“Unbelief, however, cannot remain static any more than can belief. By nature it is progressive. The unbelief of the Jewish leaders had long ceased to be a polite incredulity of the claims of Jesus. His works were too numerous, too real, and too wonderful to be ignored or dismissed with contempt. Unbelief was compelled to declare its true nature which was selfishness.”

“When Caiaphas said, ‘If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation’, he conceded the cogency of Jesus’ arguments and the actuality of His miracles. On the other hand, he and the hierarchy feared to risk the place of privilege and comfort which the Roman government, much as they hated it, had given them.”

“At the council following this miracle, there was definite concerted agreement to dispose of Jesus by fair means or foul. The enmity which had made previous sporadic attempts to trap Him in speech or to capture Him now settled upon a policy of exterminating Him” (Tenney).

You know the rest of the story. He was arrested, tried, and of course, found guilty. He was handed over to the Romans to be executed by crucifixion. And so He died and was buried. They thought they were done with Him once and for all. Indeed, they thought, it was finished! Problem solved! But they did not count on the Resurrection.

After three days, He was raised, appeared to many for 40 days, and ascended to heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ was back!

Now at the Father’s right hand, He will soon be coming back once again, as Messiah and King of Israel. He will sit on the throne of David and rule and reign for a thousand years.

Come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20)!

“I. N. J.” – “In the Name of Jesus.”

“S. D. G.” – “Glory to God alone.”

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 3-14-2

© Dr. H 2022