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Text: Galatians 6:14-17
When Jesus was crucified, He wore a crown of thorns on His head, He had coarse nails in His hands and feet, He was pierced in His side with a spear, He died, and the third day He rose again. In John 20:21-29, the resurrected Jesus appeared to his disciples and showed them his hands and side. “Peace be with you … After saying these words, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” From that time on, the disciples believed in the Lord of the Resurrection. But at that moment, there was no Thomas named Didymus. Thomas tells the disciples that they had met the resurrected Jesus.
“Until I touch the nail marks on Jesus' hands and the gut marks on his side, I will not believe. If it's the real Jesus, there must be traces of it, I'll have to check those marks!" Eight days after this happened, Jesus appeared to the disciples while Thomas was there. And you say “Put your finger out and touch my hand, and reach out your hand and put it in my side. Be not a believer, but a believer.”
There were clear marks on Jesus' hands and side. If so, what traces of Jesus do we have for Jesus?
In today's text, Paul makes it clear. “I have traces of living for Jesus.” Here, 'stigmata' translated as 'trace' means 'to pierce' and means 'cut marks'.
There are three interpretations of Paul's 'stigma'.
1. This is an empirical interpretation.
It is used in Greek literature to refer to a mark placed on a slave's body to indicate the slave's ownership. For example, ancient kings stamped the king's initials on their arm or forehead on their guards, marked their masters against betrayal to slaves, tattoos of gangsters, and the owner's brand on horses in the ranch, and many other examples. These ‘traces’ are on Paul’s body. These words indicate that ① I am a servant of Jesus ② I cannot betray Jesus. How did this confession come about? Before his conversion, Paul was a Jewish jurist, witnessing the execution of the deacon of Stephen, and having the authority to arrest Christians in Damascus. The fact that he was converted and became an evangelist of Jesus was a fatal blow to Judaism. At worst, a blood gang was organized to kill Paul. Paul speaks of the constant bullying, conciliation, and blackmail threats of Judaism. “I have traces of Jesus. As a servant of Jesus, even if I die, I will not betray.”
2. It is a mystical interpretation.
In this passage, Paul says, “There is nothing to boast about except in the cross of Jesus Christ.” Judging from this, Paul had a spiritual experience of meeting God when he ascended to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2), and perhaps the mark of the cross was carved at that time? think. Seeing these things, believers need a mystical experience. After experiencing the experience of ascending to the third heaven, Paul speaks boldly. “We are of great courage and wish that we would rather depart from the body and dwell with the Lord.” Yes. Paul could make such a confession because he had a certain mystical experience, the image of the cross of Jesus, engraved on his body. I hope this confession will be with you all.
3. Gospel interpretation.
As Paul devoted his life to missionary work, he suffered numerous persecutions. According to 2 Corinthians 11:23-33, ① he went into prison countless times ② was beaten a lot (five rods minus one for forty, three large rods, once stoned) ③ passed the hurdle of death many times (3 times by shipwreck) I was in turmoil in a storm, and there were dangers of rivers and robbers, my fellow countrymen and strangers, the wilderness, streams, the sea, and false brothers) ④ More difficult than this was the concern for all the churches. This means the heartache caused by the betrayers of the faith and the believers who fall behind in the faith. How many wounds did Paul have on his body?
Do you have any traces of suffering for Jesus like Paul did? Why is Jesus great? It was great because of the sacrifice on the cross. Philippians 2:6-9 says, “… He humbled Himself and died on a cross, and God exalted Him to the utmost, and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth… “He said.
Dear members of Shepherd Church,
Jesus had the marks of the cross for us, Paul boasted of the cross for Jesus, he had the marks of Jesus on his body, and James had the marks of 'camel's knees' while praying for Jesus. When we face hardships, the Lord gives us victory and leaves the traces of Jesus.