(bold/underline is emphasis mine)
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope." Romans 15:4
During the Lord Jesus Christ's time, it was customary, during "teaching environments", that only the teachers would be given the honour of sitting.
Please read : Matthew 13:1-2,24:3,26:55; Mark 2:6,4:1,9:35,12:41,13:3;
Luke 4:20,5:3,5:17;John 8:2; Acts 13:14-15, 16:13
"The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore." Matthew 13:1-2
"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Mt. 24:3
"In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me." Mt. 26:55
"But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,..." Mark 2:6
"And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land." Mark 4:1
"And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all." Mark 9:35
"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much." Mark 12:41
"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,..." Mark 13:3
'And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him." Luke 4:20
"And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship." Luke 5:3
"And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them." Luke 5:17
"And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them." John 8:2
"But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on." Acts 13:14-15
"And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither." Acts 16:13
And also notice in Matthew chapter 5, tradtionally referred to as "The Sermon on the Mount", in which "Hollywood" typically portrays the Lord Jesus Christ as standing, He is actually sitting down, teaching:
"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are..................................."
Now, notice:
"And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers." Luke 2:46-47
And notice His age:
"And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast." Luke 2:42
Truly is the Saviour "Wonderful"(Isaiah 9:6), truly is He "astonishing"(Mt. 7:28,29, 13:54, 22:33; Mark 1:22, 6:2,10:24; Luke 2:46, 4:32), and truly is He "Great", as it is written:
"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is
unsearchable." Psalms 145:3
In Christ and with Christ,
John M. Whalen
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