The Gap: Truth or Theory? - Part 1
By: Walter Giddings
May 17, 2026
Isaiah 61:1-3
In our previous Lesson, “What is truth?”, we learned how to evaluate and validate truth claims. Then we tested ourselves against a number of truth claims.
Shall we now use all our advantages under the unction of The Holy Spirit, “Christ in (us), the hope of glory” [Colossians 1:27], to examine and test the truth of any doctrine heralded from The Pulpit, or, even in the Marketplace?
Shall we test ourselves on how well we can do, using all our advantages?
Is The Gap Truth, or theory? Where in the Scriptures do we find a gap?
Where should we go in The Scriptures?(Mark John 12:32-34). How well did our fathers, living under the Old Covenant, understand the Messianic Prophecies? Are there Scriptures that reveal the people’s understanding in Jesus’ day?
c 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the
earth, will draw all men unto me.
p 33 This he said, signifying what
death he should die.
c 34 The people answered him, We
have heard out of the law that
Christ abideth forever: and how
sayest thou, the Son of man must
be lifted up? who is this son of man?
John chapter twelve.
(Look at Verse 33). “Signifying what death he should die.” Which is it? Does “Christ abideth forever”? Or does Christ suffer and die?! If our fathers had questions in the day Jesus walked among them, would we have questions also?
Should we consider first what the people understood? From our Responsive Reading, what do we understand the people understood?
(Look again at Verse 34). “We have heard out of the law.” Do we see that Messianic prophecies are part of the law? What did the people “hear”? “Christ abideth forever”! What else did they understand? This is the tough part. For years, (!) I had trouble with this. Does God in His Mercy give us understanding in time? Did the people understand two things? The people understood “Christ abideth forever.” What is the 2nd thing they understood?
(John 3:14). Is there another witness to “the Son of man must be lifted up”?
14 And as Moses lifted up the ser-
pent in the wilderness, even so must
the Son of man be lifted up:
John chapter three.
“That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” [Verse 15] What do we believe from Verses 14-15? Do we believe, when the Son of man was lifted up, he died for all that believe in Him? Did the people understand that the Son of man must be lifted up and die?! Were there people in Jesus’ day that understood he was the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies?
(John 8:28). Did the people understand that Jesus only spake what the Father gave him to speak ?
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When
ye have lifted up the Son of man,
then shall ye know that I am he, and
that I do nothing of myself; but as
my father hath taught me, I speak
these things.
John chapter eight.
“Then shall ye know that I am.” Did the people understand that Messiah “abideth forever”? Did the people understand that when they “lifted up the Son of man” he would die?
What were those things the people did not understand? (Go back to John 12:34). Did the people ask, “who is this Son of man?” The Son of man is who? Where do we find The Scriptures that tell us who “this Son of man” is?
(Mark Matthew 16:13).
13 When Jesus came into the coasts
of Caesarea Phillipi, he asked his
disciples saying, Whom do men say
that I the Son of man am?
Matthew chapter sixteen.
“I the Son of man.” When Jesus speaks of the Son of man, does He speak of Himself? Other than Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence, from what other ignorances do we The People suffer from? Certainly, Jesus is the capital W Witness! His Testimony is in His Word! And he testifies of The Father! And the Father testifies of His Son! Some of his Disciples, or students, understand that The Son of Man, or Adam, is one of his favorite Appellations for Himself.
(Go back to John 12:33).
“Signifying what death he should die.” The People in the day God Incarnate walked the earth, who “heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever” did they know that Christ must suffer and die!
(Go back to Matthew 16).
Guess who else did not know that Christ must suffer and die!
(Verse 21).
21 From that time forth began Jesus
to shew unto his disciples, how that
he must go unto Jerusalem, and suf-
fer many things of the elders, chief
priests and scribes, and be killed,
and be raised again the third day.
Who else did not know this?!
(Verse 22). The next Verse.
22 Then Peter took him, and began
to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from
thee, Lord: this shall not be unto
thee.
Matthew chapter sixteen.
Peter understood from our “Father which is in heaven”, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” [verse 16]. But the Apostle to the House of Judah, did not understand Christ had to suffer and die to reconcile us to the Father, and rise from the dead the third day that we may be saved by His Life!!!(Romans 5:10).
10 For if, when we were enemies, we
were reconciled to God by the death
of his Son, much more, being reconci-
led, we shall be saved by his life.
Romans chapter five.
“We shall be saved by his life.” (!) The People knew “out of the law that Christ abideth forever.” [John 12:34] Did Peter have the same understanding?
(Luke 24:6-7). Did two Angels explain it to Mary Magdalena, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them who had gone to the Sepulcher early on the morning of the third day? They had found the stone rolled away, and entering in, found the Tomb empty of “the body of the Lord Jesus”!
When they noticed two men standing by them, they feared and bowed their faces to the ground. And the men said unto them, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?”
p 6 He is not here, but is risen: re-
member how he spake unto you
when he was in Galilee,
c 7 Saying, The Son of man must be
delivered into the hands of sinful
men, and be crucified, and the third
day rise again.
“And they remembered his words.”
(Scroll down to Verse 11). The women returned from the tomb and told these things unto the eleven and all the rest.
11 And their words seemed to them
as idle tales, and they believed them
not.
The same day two of the rest went to Emmaus and communed together about the day’s events. A man joined them asking why they were sad. (Verses 25-27). They did not know the man was Jesus, for their eyes were holden. The two told the man some of the women among them had gone early to the tomb. The women said they had a vision of angels and heard the angels say Jesus is alive! Several of the men ran to the tomb and also found it empty but did not see Jesus. Jesus answered them:
c 25 Then he said unto them, O fools,
and slow of heart to believe all the
prophets have spoken:
p 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered
these things, and to enter in to his
glory?
c 27 And beginning at Moses and all
the prophets, he expounded unto
them in all the scriptures the things
concerning himself.
“He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Is Jesus the Master Prophet? And when a herald of The Gospel of the Kingdom preaching from the Pulpit engages in Exposition does he imitate Jesus when “he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself”?
(Scroll down to Verse 32).
As they reached Emmaus, they persuaded Jesus to remain with them. And they sat down to eat. Jesus took bread, blessed it, brake and gave to them. Their eyes were opened. They knew him, and he vanished!
32 And they said one to another,
Did not our heart burn within us,
while he talked with us by the way,
and while he opened to us the
scriptures?
Luke chapter twenty-four.
Did our hearts burn within us, while Jesus opened to us the Scriptures?
What have we learned about what the fathers under the Old Covenant knew and did not know? Did they know from “the law that Christ abideth forever”? [John 12:34] Were the fathers ignorant that the Son of man must be lifted up to suffer, and die, and rise again the third day? Were the fathers ignorant that the Christ would be the Son of Adam?
(Mark 9:31-32).
When Jesus and his disciples departed from the area at the Mount of Transfiguration, they passed through Galilee. And Jesus wanted no other man should know it, for he wanted to give them private instruction.
p 31 For he taught his disciples, and
said unto them, The Son of man is
delivered into the hands of men, and
they shall kill him; and after that he
is killed, he shall rise the third day.
c 32 But they understood not that say-
ing, and were afraid to ask him.
Mark chapter nine.
“They … were afraid to ask him.”
(Mark Luke 9). After Jesus fed the five thousand, He was alone praying. His disciples were with him. He asked, Who say the people that I am?” John the Baptist, some Elias, others that one of the old prophets is risen again.
(Verses 20-21).
p 20 He said unto them, But whom
say ye that I am? Peter answering
said The Christ of God.
c 21 And he straitly charged them,
and commanded them to tell no man
that thing.
Luke chapter nine.
There is a need for secrecy here! What would it cost Jesus’ Ministry if He and the Disciples failed to keep Secret “that thing”? Why is it necessary and imperative that no one else knows Jesus is the Messiah in the Prophecies?
The Authorized Version King James word, commonly used for secret, is “mystery”!
(Mark 1 Corinthians 2:7-8). We find that word “mystery” used here.
p 7 But we speak the wisdom of God
in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom,
which God ordained before the world
unto our glory:
c 8 Which none of the princes of this
world knew: for had they known it,
they would not have crucified the
Lord of glory.
“They would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Do we recall, earlier in this Lesson,[Romans 5:10] reading this Verse? “... we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son ...”? If (!) God’s Son did not suffer and die, where is our reconciliation? Without the death of Israel’s Husband how can we be espoused to another? Without Jesus’ Death how can Jesus rise in the Resurrection? Was this possibility a clear and present danger? Without Jesus’ death and resurrection where is our “Lord of Glory”? If (!) Jesus did not rise from the dead, how can we “be saved by His Life”? [Romans 5:10] When I am dead asleep (a figure of speech for the present) I am still committing one Sin! Have we heard it said Jesus was convicted of our Sin: blasphemy (!)? Are our corrupted bodies blasphemy in God’s Sight? And we come by them honestly in Adam’s Fall! Is this another Evidence of our helplessness and complete bankruptcy?
(1 Corinthians 2:8) says none of the wicked angels knew!!! “Had they known it”, that Jesus was God Incarnate, God in the flesh, the Great I Am, the Christ of God, “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory”! “Had they known it” would the Devil and all his unholy Horde have breached the way of The Tree of Life?
(Back to Luke 9).
Shall we read again Verse 21 and recite Verse 22? You may recall “that thing” refers to Peter’s reply Jesus is “The Christ of God”.
p 21 And he straitly charged them,
and commanded them to tell no man
that thing.
c 22 Saying, The Son of man must
suffer many things, and be rejected
of the elders and chief priests and
scribes, and be slain, and be raised
the third day.
Luke chapter nine.
“The Son of man must ... be slain, and be raised the third day.” Does the Fate of the Son of man seem to be tied to the need for secrecy? And is the need for secrecy tied to the need to guard and “keep the way of the Tree of life”? [Genesis 3:24]
(Isaiah 61:1-3). We come to the signature Scripture for our Lesson.
c The Spirit of the Lord GOD is up-
on me; because the LORD hath anoin-
ted me to preach good tidings unto the
meek; he hath sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim Liberty to
the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound;
p 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of
the LORD, and the day of vengeance
of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
c 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in
Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning, the garment
of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that
they might be called trees of righteous-
ness, the planting of the LORD, that he
might be glorified.
Isaiah chapter sixty-one.
What say you? What is the subject matter of these three Verses? In these Verses what major Topic do we see summarized here?
Can we get a Witness? Who is the capital WWitness in all The Scriptures?
Are The Scriptures of the New Testament dependable Commentary on The Scriptures of the Old Testament?Who quotes Isaiah 61 in the New Testament?
(Mark Luke 4).
In the 3rd Gospel, the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 4, Jesus comes into Galilee after 40 days in the wilderness. He quickly gains fame preaching in their synagogues. He came to Nazareth, his boyhood home. It was his custom to stand up to read on the Sabbath. The minister gave him the scroll of Isaiah.(Verse 18-19). Jesus opened the Scroll, found the place we know as Isaiah chapter 61, and read therein:
p 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me to preach
the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me
to heal the brokenhearted; to preach
deliverance to the captives, and recover-
ing of sight to the blind, to set at liberty
them that are bruised,
c 19 To preach the acceptable year of the
Lord.
Luke chapter 4.
Why did Jesus of Nazareth end the reading there?! (Verse 20).
20 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.
Why did He end the reading with “the acceptable year of the Lord”?
c 21 And he began to say unto them, This
day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
p 22 And all bare him witness, and wonder-
ed at the gracious words which proceeded
out of his mouth. And they said Is not
this Joseph’s son?
Luke chapter four.
(Verse 21).
“This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Why did Jesus of Nazareth end his reading of Isaiah 61 at “the acceptable year of the Lord”? Could it be that, if He had continued reading, he would have read that which has a later fulfillment? Would that mean there is a Gap, or a lapse of time, between the fulfillment of the two parts of Isaiah 61:1-3? To what do the two parts of the 1st three Verses of Isaiah 61 refer? Does Scripture interpret Scripture?
(Romans 5:6). Could it be in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans that the expression “in due time” is related to Isaiah’s “the acceptable year of the Lord”?
6 For when we were yet without
strength, in due time Christ died for
the ungodly.
Romans chapter five.
“In due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Is this a clear reference to Christ’s 1st Coming? Is there a 2nd witness in our Scriptures to this kind of Summary of both Comings of our Lord? Does Scripture interpret Scripture?
(Luke 17:24). Does this Verse picture the 2nd Coming of our Lord?
24 For as the lightning that lighten-
eth out of the one part under heaven
shineth unto the other part of heaven;
so shall also the Son of man be in his
day.
Is Verse 24 clearly a reference to the 2nd Coming of the Lord Jesus? To what does Verse 25 refer?
25 But first must he suffer many
things, and be rejected of this gene-
ration.
Luke chapter seventeen.
Is this Jesus’ 1st Coming? Is there a “Gap” or lapse of time between the 1st and 2nd Comings of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Did the Fathers, living under the Old Covenant, tend to confuse the Prophecies of both the 1st and 2nd Comings? In the synagogue, at his boyhood home Nazareth, did Jesus, the Master Prophet, attempt to declare and picture the 1st and 2nd Comings of The Messiah, “the Christ”, “the Son of David”? In His 1st Coming was “the Son of Man” Jesus’ favorite Title, or Appellation, for Himself?
(Luke 4:28-29). What happened next?
p 28 And all they in the synagogue,
when they heard these things, were
filled with wrath,
c 29 And rose up, and thrust him out
of the city and led him unto the brow
of the hill whereon their city was
built, that they might cast him down
headlong.
What happened between Verses 22 and 28? What things did they hear that filled the members of the synagogue with wrath?!
To be continued, God willing.
Bibliography
Isaiah 61:1-3.
Mark John 12:32-34. “signifying what death he should die.”
John 3:14. “the Son of man must be lifted up.”
John 8:28. “then shall ye know that I Am”
[Back to John 12:34] “who is this Son of man?”
Matthew 16:13. “whom do men say ... I ... am?
[Back to John 12:33] “signifying what death he should die”
Back to Matthew 16:21. “he must ... be killed”
Matthew 16:22. “Peter ... began to rebuke him”
Romans 5:10. “reconciled by the death of his Son”
Luke 24:6-7. “The Son of man must ... be crucified”
Luke 24:11. “they believed them not.”
Luke 24:25-27. “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things?”
Luke 24:32. “… he opened to us the Scriptures”
[John 12:34] “Christ abideth forever”
Mark 9:31-32. “they shall kill him”
Mark Luke 9:20-21. “tell no man that thing”
Mark 1 Corinthians 2:7-8. “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
1 Corinthians 2:8. “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
Luke 9:21-22. “The Son of man must ... be slain.”
[Genesis 3:24] “keep the way of the Tree of live”
Isaiah 61:1-3. “the LORD hath anointed me”
Luke 4:18-19. “to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Luke 4:20. “he closed the book”
Luke 4:21. “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”
Romans 5:6. “in due time Christ died”
Luke 17:24. “so shall also the Son of man be in his day.”
Luke 17:25. “first must he suffer many things”
Luke 4:28-29. “all they in the synagogue ... were filled with wrath”
