245-250. After Appearances

BACKGROUND AND LINKS

All of these can be read in one sitting of 35 minutes or spread these out over the next forty days!

The 35 minutes include a thorough reading of the linked article "Mandate on the Mountain" which is excellent and meaty.

Eight days later

245. Jesus appears to Thomas: Mark 16:14, John 20:24-31

Thomas is often called "Doubting Thomas" because he had to see to believe. When he saw, he acknowledged Jesus' deity by exclaiming, "My Lord and my God!"  Jesus said that we are blessed if we can believe without having to see. 

Again, we see the keyword "believe" in the book of John. 

Two weeks later

246. Jesus appears to seven disciples: John 21:1-14 

Jesus manifested Himself for the seventh time since His resurrection to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee. This is the third appearance to the apostles. The angel had promised they would see Him in Galilee in Matthew 28:7. They did not recognize Him until the miracle of the 153 fish. Again, Peter did something impulsive. 

They all ate a breakfast of fish (giving credence to the bodily resurrection). In Acts 10:41, Peter speaks of eating and drinking with Him after He arose from the dead. 

247. Jesus challenges Peter: John 21:15-25

This is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. Peter denied Jesus three times beside a fire (John 18:18, 25-27). Again, by a fire, Jesus reinstates him three times! 

In response to the question, "Do you love Me more than these?" in which Peter responds with a "Yes" every time, Jesus says:

Tend My lambs (15)

Shepherd My sheep (16)

Tend My sheep (17)

In 21:15-16, Jesus uses the Greek word, agape, for the highest kind of love; unselfish and sacrificing that is divine in nature; but Peter responds by saying He loves Jesus with phileo love, which is love and fondness for a friend. In 21:17, Jesus uses phileo which can be translated as, "Are you even my friend, Peter?" 

Jesus had said in the Upper Room: "He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father; and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him" (all of these uses of love are agape, John 14:21). Jesus was to shepherd the sheep of Jesus into believing, loving, and obeying Him. 

Jesus said to Peter, "Follow Me!" Love for Jesus means following His commandments in obedience-based discipleship, not because we have to but because we love (agape) Him. Moving to unselfish love like this can only be wrought by the Holy Spirit working inside of us. What blessings follow for those who do too!

Peter would give his life in love for the LORD. Jesus predicted that Peter would have his hands stretched out, and later in life, Peter died on a cross with outstretched hands (1 Clement 5:4; 6:1; Eusebius The Ecclesiastical History 2. 25).

Peter wondered about John's future, but Jesus did not want Peter to be distracted by other people's journeys but to simply follow Jesus. That is a good word for all of us!  By the way, John lived the longest of all the disciples and witnessed the Lord's return in the visions that he recorded in the Book of Revelation! 

John's gospel ends by affirming that the testimony is true (even though it may have been added later by someone other than John) and that there were many other miracles that could have been recorded. 

John had accomplished his stated goal:

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.

(John 20:31) 

248. Jesus gives the great commission: Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:15-18

Jesus commissioned His followers to go on the basis of His authority. The Greek word here is exousia, and it means "official right or power." In addition, He commissioned them to go to all the nations. The Greek phrase for "all the nations" is panta ta ethne. This does not mean political nations with man-made boundaries but all the different people groups of the world as they tend to understand and define themselves by language, lineage, or socio-cultural factors. This is the clearest mandate for world evangelization given, but if you have been reading along with the Bible Book Club, you have probably learned that, from the beginning, God has always wanted to bless all nations (Genesis 12). Through the whole Old Testament and the four Gospel accounts, it is clear that God has always wanted to bless all nations!  See the REFLECTION section for more about this. 

249. Jesus appears to the disciples in Jerusalem: Luke 24:44-49

He appeared to His disciples over a period of 40 days and did much of what He did with the two disciples on the Emmaus road where He talked about The Scarlet Thread of Redemption starting in Genesis 3:15 and throughout all the prophecies about Him in the Old Testament. This time it says He talked about the prophecies in the Psalms too.

He commissioned them to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins to all the peoples (see Event 248 to see what that means). Luke goes on to tell us how the disciples did that in the book of Acts! Stay tuned! It is all so very exciting.

He also told them to wait until they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) which will be described in Acts 2. 

Forty days later (Ascension Day)

Gebhard Fugel [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

250. Jesus ascends into heaven: Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:9-12

The gospel accounts overlap with the beginning of Acts. Jesus has given His commission. Now it was time to leave the earth and go back to the right hand of God, the Father (Mark 16:19; Acts 7:56). After Jesus left, the Acts account records two angels in human form (Luke 24:4) telling them of Jesus' return on the Mount of Olives (Revelation 1:7; Zechariah 14:4). 

This caused them to go back to Jerusalem and the temple with GREAT JOY, praising God!  Then they preached/proclaimed the gospel everywhere with signs authenticating the message of salvation through Jesus (Mark 16:20)!

Fifty days later

251. Pentecost: Acts 2

Read about it in Acts 2 of the Bible Book Club, and join me for the rest of the New Testament!  

REFLECTION - Please read this!!!!!!!!!

And it is with GREAT JOY that we conclude the Gospel Harmony Book Club. I hope you have benefited from this study. I sure have!  

In 1988, I had the honor of going to Bangkok, Thailand with a team of seventeen people. Most mornings, our leader and teacher on the trip, Steven Hawthorne, expounded on God's heart for the nations. Here is an article he wrote that summarized what I learned from being under his leadership for 2 1/2 months. It deals with a much better exposition of Matthew 28:19-20 than I could ever give. Please take the time to read it. You will be blessed.

MANDATE ON THE MOUNTAIN by Steven C. Hawthorne

The original sidebar has been omitted from the above article. So I have included it in this post: 

"The Great Commission and the Great Commandment" by Steven Hawthorne

The "Great Commission" of Matthew 28 has been seen as a counterpart to the so-called "Great Commandment," in which Jesus points to the most important of all commandments of Scripture. In the familiar passage (Matt 22:25-37, with parallel accounts in Mark 12:28-34 and Luke 10:25-37), Jesus says that the "greatest" of all biblical commandments is love for God and love for neighbor. Many significant evangelical voices have put the two imperatives side-by-side as a way of expressing the full responsibility of Christians in the world.

How does the Great Commandment relate to the Great Commission? They are often presented as balancing equals, corresponding to different dimensions of human need. the Great Commission is thought to focus on spiritual issues, while the Great Commandment is considered to address physical and social matters. But when they are held side-by-side as responses to human need, there can be confusion about how to integrate them as Christian mission.

Different: Historical Achievement and Constant Imperative

We may better see how the two commands work together if we respect how they are different. Comparing them as though they were equal may result in us failing to pursue either fully.

Loving God and our neighbors with devotion and service is not something which can ever be completed. Love is something that can only grow over time and must be pursued at all times. But the Great Commission is a global, historic achievement, a task to be completed. In spite of popular understanding, the Great Commission is not a command to do evangelism as often as one finds possible. It is a mandate entrusted to all of Christ's followers to accomplish a work that requires many generations of labor that at the end of history will be finished.

Same Focus: Both are For God 

Try to balance or compare the Great Commandment and the Great Commission may be missing the point of either one. In neither of them is the pre-eminent focus on human need, spiritual or otherwise. The primary end of both is relational reality directed toward God. Though we often pay more attention to "love your neighbor" in the Great Commandment, the main point of Jesus' words is that God would be loved with heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the essential outcome of the Great Commission is equally for God, that He would be served by obedient disciples in every people. 

The point is not just to love God, but to labor that He will be loved. The greatest way of loving our Lord is to see that He is worshiped, followed, and loved in every people. Furthermore, we have been given something greater than merely extending our own love to neighbors. We have a mandate to transform entire neighborhoods by multiplying those who love one another as Christ commanded.

How They Work Together

Neither can be prioritized above or below the other. Ultimately, neither can happen without the other. We cannot evangelize the peoples without excelling in love. And we cannot consider our evangelization to be complete unless people are growing in love for God and obeying Him by loving their neighbors. (Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, Fourth Edition edited by Ralph D. Winter and Steven C. Hawthorne.)

APPLICATION

Be sure to read the articles above and consider taking the entire Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course! Classes usually start in mid-January so if you are reading this according to the traditional Bible Book Club schedule, you might not be too late to join a class! 

No matter where you are in your walk with God, this class will challenge and encourage you! I took it in 1987, and I often grade for the class now. I never cease to love the "shot in the arm" it gives me as I review the things I learned. 

If there is not one in your area, you can also take it online. It is well worth the investment of time and money. If you are still in doubt, take the first two lessons for free online! 

In addition, HERE is a great article and acronym for thinking about Jesus in you!

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for giving us a clear purpose for our lives. May we obey You by loving You and our neighbor and taking the Good News of Jesus to all the peoples of the earth. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

239-244. He is Risen!

BACKGROUND AND LINKS

Sunday at Sunrise

239. Jesus rises from the dead: Matthew 28:1-7, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-10

Try a recorded Imaginative Contemplation of the Resurrection.

He is RISEN! This proves the Kingship of Jesus Christ! He fulfilled His claim that He would lay down His life and take it up again (John 10:17-18).

The order of events can sometimes be confusing when looking at all four accounts. I will try to explain it all in order. 

Before sunrise, an earthquake happened and an angel rolled away the stone and frightened the guards of the tomb (Matthew 28:2-4).

At early dawn, the women who followed Jesus brought spices to anoint His body. The women mentioned were Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2, Mark 16:9), the "other" Mary who was the mother of James and Joses and wife of Clopas (Mark 15:40; John 19:25), Salome (Mark 16:1), and Joanna (Luke 24:10). We do not know who the "other women" included (Luke 24:9). Since women bring people into the world, it was only appropriate that at least two mothers would be the first to discover the empty tomb! 

Mary left to go and tell Peter and John (John 20:1-2). While she was gone, the other women saw two angels who told them Jesus had RISEN (Matthew 28:5-7; Mark 16:5-7; Luke 24:4-8). The Matthew and Mark accounts focus on only one angel.

Mary came back with Peter and John to tell them that Jesus was not in the tomb, but she did not know that He had risen (John 20:2).  Isn't it funny that John, the author, would say that he beat Peter in a foot race back to the tomb (John 20:4)? They saw the linen wrappings but still did not understand that Jesus had risen (John 20:9).  So, they went back to their homes. 

Many commentators believe that Mark ended his gospel here and an anonymous writer added Mark 16:9-20. They believe this was done shortly after A.D. 100.

This next event is not recorded in Matthew but helps in understanding the chronology of events and might be helpful to read.

240. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene: Mark 16:9-11; John 20:11-18

Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb crying and after seeing two angels, she saw Jesus (even though she did not recognize Him at first). It is interesting to note that "no Jewish author in the ancient world would have invented a story with a woman as the first witness to this most important event" (The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, John 20:10-14). Jesus tells Mary to "stop clinging/do not hold on" because He wanted her to hurry and tell the disciples that He had risen! The clause in Greek implies it was His disciples (followers) in general and not just the Eleven. It is so sad that they refused to believe her report. 

241. Jesus appears to the women: Matthew 28:8-10

The women were told by one of the angels to tell the disciples. Then they saw Jesus on the way and worshiped Him! Amazing that the first two appearances were to women!

His third appearance was to Peter and is not described but mentioned in Luke 24:34 and 1 Corinthians 15:5.

242. Religious leaders bribe the guards: Matthew 28:11-15

Those soldiers who had fainted because they saw the angel roll away the stone had to be hushed up, but not even a bribe from the religious leaders to make the soldiers say the body was stolen could counteract the truth of His resurrection because of so many witnesses!

Later in the Day

243. Jesus appears to two believers traveling on the road: Mark 16:12-13, Luke 24:13-34

Try this Imaginative Contemplation of this passage:

Loyola Press · An Imaginative Prayer Exercise on the Road to Emmaus

Here is a link to it written out.

This is Jesus' fourth appearance. Emmaus was a small village about seven miles northwest of Jerusalem. Since these verses say two of "them," it indicates that they were part of the disciples who did not believe Mary's report (Mark 16:10-11). They did not recognize Him because He was in a "form of a different kind" (Mark 16:12).  He told them all that was in Moses and the Prophets. That is what I do when I share Jesus with others. I start in the first book of Moses, Genesis (Genesis 3:15 is the first prophecy about Jesus), and help them to see the undeniable Scarlet Thread of Redemption from Genesis to Revelation. Join me for the Bible Book Club if you want to learn more about Jesus from Genesis to Revelation.

It was not until after He had broken bread with them

that their eyes were opened enough to recognize Him. Then they recalled how His words had burned in their hearts. They hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples.

One commentator believes the two disciples were Cleopas and his wife because usually when there was no name mentioned, it was probably a woman, but they mentioned all the other women in the resurrection events. So why would they not mention her?

Evening

244. Jesus appears to His disciples: Luke 24:35-43, John 20:19-23

While Cleopas and his friend (or wife) were excitedly telling the disciples about their experience, Jesus appeared in the shut room (John 20:19). They were afraid even though some of them had already seen Jesus. He greeted them in peace and calmed their fears by showing them His hands and feet and eating. He really was bodily there and not just a ghost. This was just too good to be true (Luke 24:41). Jesus really was alive! 

And with that, He commissioned them to go out and tell the world that He was alive! He said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." This is reminiscent of how God breathed life into Adam (Genesis 2:7). They had been given "breath" for their spiritual life. The full baptism of the Spirit would come at Pentecost (Acts 2)!

John 20:23 is confusing. It does not mean that the disciples were the only ones who had the authority to forgive sins, but they "proclaimed forgiveness on the basis of the message of the Gospel" (The New Testament: An Expanded Translation). As they went out, they announced the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ that if a sinner repented and believed in Jesus Christ, their sins would be forgiven! If they believed, the messenger could proclaim, with authority, that their sins were forgiven by God. 

APPLICATION

Celebrate this Resurrection Day with those you LOVE!

HE IS RISEN!

PRAYER

Thank You for Your plan from long ago that You would redeem us and cause those who believe to rise with You! Amen. 

238. Saturday - Guards are Posted at the Tomb

238. Guards are posted at the tomb: Matthew 27:62-66

On the Sabbath (Saturday), the religious leaders wanted to make sure that no one would steal the body and "fake" His resurrection. Note they called Him the "deceiver," but they were both deceived and deceivers themselves!

REFLECTION

Imagine yourself as one of the disciples or one of the women. Jesus has been laid in the tomb. What would you be doing and thinking about that Saturday?

APPLICATION

Have an "in-tomb" rest day. Maybe you can watch one of the movies I suggested yesterday. In the past, we have kept all our curtains closed and stayed inside all day to try to simulate the tomb. It is hard to do on a sunny spring day but gets the point across! We have also made "Empty Tomb Cookies" in preparation for Resurrection Day.

Photo by Nancy B at https://www.food.com/recipe/empty-tomb-cookies-220621

PRAYER

I thank You that there is now a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Help us to reflect on You today. Amen. 

233-237: Friday - The Crucifixion and the Big WOW!

This third set of Good Friday readings scattered throughout the day starting before 9 am until Sunset is about 45 minutes of total reading time. 

Links for reading all four events straight through:

Matthew 27:27-56

Mark 15:16-41

Luke 23:26-49

John 19:17-37

The events leading up to the crucifixion are more detailed in the Matthew, Mark, and Luke accounts, but the actual crucifixion is more detailed in John's gospel account. 

233. Roman soldiers mock Jesus: Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; Luke 23:36

A whole Roman cohort of 600 soldiers was gathered for this event. The Praetorium would have been large enough to fit them. It may have been in Pilate's residence at the Castle of Antonio or Herod's palace. 

Roman soldiers were known for their cruelty. So, Jesus was probably beaten badly. This fulfilled Isaiah 52:14 which says that His appearance was marred more than any man. He bore this suffering without a word (1 Peter 2:23).

234. Jesus is led away to be crucified: Matthew 27:32-34; Mark 15:21-24; Luke 23:26-31; John 19:17

Jesus is on His way to Golgotha. Just as Isaac carried his own wood for the sacrifice in Genesis 22:1-6 and the sin offering was taken outside the camp or city (Hebrews 13:11-13), the John account says that He carried His own cross. The other accounts state that Simon of Cyrene carried the cross part way. Here is an interesting perspective on why that happened: 

It was a part of the prisoner’s humiliation that he carry his own cross to the place of execution, so when Jesus left Pilate’s hall, He was carrying either the cross or the crossbeam (John 19:17). 

Apparently, He was unable to go on, for the soldiers had to “draft” Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross for Him. (This was a legal Roman procedure. See Matt. 5:41.) When you consider all that Jesus had endured since His arrest in the Garden, it is not difficult to imagine Him falling under the load. But there is something more involved: carrying the cross was a sign of guilt, and our Lord was not guilty! Thousands of Jews came to Jerusalem from other nations to celebrate the feasts (Acts 2:5–11), and Simon was among them. He had traveled over 800 miles from Africa to celebrate Passover, and now he was being humiliated on a most holy day! What would he say to his family when he got home? 

What looked to Simon like a catastrophe turned out to be a wonderful opportunity, for it brought him in contact with Jesus Christ. (By the way, where was the other Simon—Simon Peter—who had promised Jesus to go with Him to prison and to death?) Simon may have come into the city to attend the 9 a.m. prayer meeting in the temple, but the soldiers rearranged his schedule for him. 

We have good reason to believe that Simon was converted because of this encounter with Jesus. Mark identified him as “the father of Alexander and Rufus” (Mark 15:21), two men that Mark assumed his Roman readers would know. A Christian named Rufus was greeted by Paul in Romans 16:13, and it is possible that he was the son of Simon of Cyrene. Apparently Simon and his two sons became well-known Christians who were held in honor in the church. 

Before Simon met Jesus, he had religion and devotion; but after he met Jesus, he had reality and salvation. He did both a physical and spiritual “about face” that morning, and it transformed his life. God can still use unexpected and difficult situations, even humiliating situations, to bring people to the Saviour.  (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Lk 23:26)

On the way to Golgotha, the Luke account records His warning to the people of the persecution that was to come (Hosea 10:8; Revelation 6:15-17). 

The Third Hour (between 9 am and noon)

235. Jesus is placed on the cross: Matthew 27:35-44; Mark 15:25-32; Luke 23:32-43; John 19:18-27

Crucifixion was widely practiced by the Phoenicians and Persians but Roman law permitted its use only on slaves and non-Romans. In Israel this shameful and excruciating punishment was inflicted for crimes of robbery and sedition and served as a public reminder of the Jews' servitude to Rome. (The Daily Walk, October 9, 2008, p. 14)

Mark 15:25 says Jesus was placed on the cross at the third hour which starts at 9 a.m. (Mark 15:25). While John 19:14 says He was handed over by Pilate "about noon." Josh McDowell offers two possible explanations:

The night was divided into four watches, each consisting of three hours (see Mark 13:35), and the day was to some extent likewise divided into periods. In light of this, we can imagine that Mark’s statement about the “third hour” simply meant that Jesus was crucified sometime during the third hour (between nine o’clock and noon), while John’s statement that the trial ended about noon can mean before noon.  

Another possibility is that John is using a different method of reckoning time than Mark. We know for a fact, from Plutarch, Pliny, Aulus Gellius, and Macrobius, that the Romans calculated the civil day from midnight to midnight, just as we do today. 

Thus John’s “sixth hour” would be six o’clock in the morning. This would make 6 a.m. the time of the last of the trials of Jesus, and of His sentencing, giving adequate time for the events leading up to the crucifixion which, in Mark, was at 9 a.m. or afterward. 

There is good evidence that John used this method of computing time. This is not unusual in Scripture to have different authors use different methods of measuring time and determining dates. http://www.josh.org/resources/study-research/answers-to-skeptics-questions/dont-the-gospels-give-contradictory-reports-as-to-the-time-christ-was-crucified/

He had two criminals on each side (Luke 23:33). He said seven things as He was crucified, and I will summarize them at the end, but His first prayer was that the Father would forgive them for what they were doing (Luke 23:34).

The dividing of His garments fulfilled Psalm 22:18 (John 19:24). Pilate continued the game with the Jews by writing that Jesus was "KING OF THE JEWS" so that all languages could read it (John 19:19-22). As He hung there, He was mocked by people passing by, the religious leaders, soldiers, and even the robbers being crucified with Him (Matthew 27:39-44, Mark 15:29-32, Luke 23:35-39). The Luke account adds that one of the robbers defended Jesus and asked to be remembered in paradise, and Jesus told him this would happen (Luke 23:39-43). Notice that the Luke account was the only one that recorded Jesus asking the Father to forgive them. The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, "Luke's purpose . . . was to show that Jesus was the forgiving Messiah even as He died" (Comments on Luke 23:32-43).

John's gospel is the only account that reports Jesus' conversation regarding His mother's future care (John 19:26-27).  

12-3 pm

236. Jesus dies on the cross: Matthew 27:45-56; Mark 15:33-41; Luke 23:44-49; John 19:28-37

There was darkness from the "sixth to the ninth hour" or noon to 3:00 p.m. (Mark 15:33). How appropriate that Jesus would become the sin-offering for all mankind (John 1:29; Romans 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18) during this time of darkness. Just as there were three days of darkness before the Passover in Egypt (Exodus 10:21-23), this Lamb of God died for our sins so that the righteous wrath of God would "pass over" those who put their faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26).

He was forsaken by the Father (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34) because He took on the world's sin. The Holy Father could not look upon His Son who had become sin and been made a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). 

When Jesus cried, they thought Jesus was calling for Elijah because the Greek word for "Elijah" sounds like "Eloi" (Mark 15:34-35).  

At the end of that time, Jesus cried out to the Father that it was finished (Psalm 31:5), and He gave up His spirit. Papyri tax receipts during that time had this Greek word for finished written across them, and it meant "paid in full."  He had paid the debt for our sin in full (2 Corinthians 5:21)!

Matthew, Mark, and Luke record the curtain of the temple being torn in two. This curtain was between the Holy place and the Holy of Holies in the temple (Hebrews 9:2-3). This curtain was 15 by 15 feet with a linen curtain during the time of the Tabernacle but was 20 feet wide by 60 feet long and 4 inches thick in Herod's temple during Jesus' time. Needless to say, it was a very thick curtain and ripped from top to bottom signifying God did it rather than men (who would rip it from the bottom if they even could). If you have been studying in the Bible Book Club, you know that only the high priest could go into the Holy of Holies once a year (Leviticus 16:1-35). This event signified that everyone had access into God's presence all the time (Hebrews 10:14-26) without the aid of temples, priests, altars, or blood sacrifices! It truly was finished! Our debt was "paid in full"! WOOHOO!

Matthew records that there was an earthquake (Matthew 27:51). This was probably for his Jewish audience. This earthquake recorded at the cross was similar to what happened on Mount Sinai when God gave Moses the Law that included all the regulations for the Tabernacle and its sacrifices (Exodus 19:16-31:18). Hebrews 12:18-24 implies that the earthquake at the cross signified that Christ met the demands and curse of the Law and that He, as the mediator of a new covenant, abolished it forever.  WOOHOO!

The New International Version suggests that the bodies of the saints were raised immediately, but the New American Standard Bible (literally interpreting the Greek word for word) directly says they were raised after the resurrection (Matthew 27:51). 

These events (and the fact that Jesus had the energy to cry out at the end of His crucifixion) caused the Roman centurion to exclaim that Jesus was the innocent (righteous) Son of God (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:39; Luke 23:47) and the multitudes to beat their breasts (Luke 23:48) while the women who followed Jesus looked on from a distance. These women included Mary Magdalene who had been delivered of seven demons (Luke 8:2), Mary the mother of James and Joses who also was at the tomb on Resurrection morning (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1), and Salome, the mother of James and John, who had asked for special thrones for her sons (Matthew 20:20-21). The only disciple recorded as being at the cross was John (John 19:25, 35). 

John's gospel was the last to be recorded, and at that time Gnosticism and Docetism were a problem. Both these ideologies denied the reality of the Incarnation (God coming in the flesh) and His death. The details about His unbroken bones (usually Romans broke bones to speed up the death), blood, and eyewitnesses probably helped with these false ideologies.  In addition, the true Passover Lamb did not have any of its bones broken (Exodus 12:46; Psalm 34:20), and the piercing of His side by the Roman soldier fulfills Zechariah 12:10. 

Here is a summary of Jesus' sayings on the cross:

1) Prayer of forgiveness (Luke 23:34)
2) Promise to the repentant criminal (Luke 23:43)
3) Provision for His mother (John 19:26-27)
4) Cry of separation from the Father (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34)
5) Acknowledgement of thirst (John 19:28)
6) Cry of accomplishment (John 19:30)
7) Cry of resignation (Luke 23:46) (The Harmony of the Gospels, p. 242)

3 pm - Sunset

237. Jesus is laid in the tomb: Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42

Luke records Joseph of Arimathea (a secret believer, Luke 23:51; John 19:38) asking for Jesus' body, but John is the only one who records the involvement of Nicodemus (John 3). This is significant because the bodies of criminals were usually discarded. The linen and spices followed the burial customs of the time.

The preparation and placing of the body in the tomb were probably done quickly since it would have to be completed before the Sabbath at sundown on Friday. It was also the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Note that the women followed Him all the way to burial, but the disciples had all abandoned Him (Matthew 26:56). Let's hear it for the women! :)

REFLECTION

I will never forget studying the book of Mark with a group of women from another country who had never heard about the curtain of the temple being torn in two when Jesus died on the cross. We took them to Leviticus and then to Hebrews. When we asked them to explain it, one of the girls summed it up so beautifully. She said something like this:  

"I used to be that the only way we could get to God was through a high priest and sacrifices of blood. When Jesus died, His blood covered all my sins and the curtain was torn in two so that I can go right into God's presence."

The girl next to me said in a hushed voice, "Wow."

I think this woman got it, and it is a big WOW!

APPLICATION

Warren Wiersbe likens the six hours for Jesus being hung on the cross to His death (9 am-3 pm) to the six days of creation. God finished the work of the "old Creation" in six days. Then, He rested from all His work (Genesis 2:1-3). Jesus finished the work of the "new Creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17) and rested on Saturday. 

I hope you can go to a Good Friday service somewhere. They are usually very beautiful. Then, I hope you can rest and reflect tomorrow. 

You might want to watch one of these movies:

The Passion - I do not usually recommend an "R" rated movie (for graphic blood), but I think this is very sobering and makes you so thankful for what Jesus did for us. This is not for young children.

The Jesus Film - This is much less graphic but almost word for word from the book of Luke.  

The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John - This is word-for-word from the book of John. It is excellent. 

Tears now. Blessings to you!

Remember: "It is Friday, but Sunday's Comin'!" (Tony Campolo)

PRAYER

Pray through Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 today. 

230-232: Friday - Roman Trials After Daybreak

This second Good Friday reading after dawn and before 9 am is about 15 minutes. 

BACKGROUND AND LINKS

From: The Bible Knowledge Commentary New Testament, p. 84

Civil (Roman) Trials

After Dawn

230. Jesus' trial before Pilate: Matthew 27:11-14, Mark 15:2-5, Luke 23:1-5, John 18:28-37

Trial Four (First Roman)

John's account is the most detailed of the four gospel accounts.

Even though the religious leaders had passed judgment on Jesus, only the Romans could exercise capital punishment. So, the case was brought to Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator (governor) of Judea and Samaria from A.D. 26-36 (Luke 3:1), who was in Jerusalem because of the Passover feast. During the great feasts, rioting, and insurrection were more common, especially during Passover when the Jews remembered their deliverance from bondage to the Egyptians. 

Pilate and the Jews obviously had a hostile relationship. Pilate refused to do anything with just a charge of blasphemy. The Jews could not execute Him by stoning because a prophecy had already said that no bones would be broken (Psalm 34:20). Also, He had foretold that He would be "lifted up" like a "snake in the desert" (John 3:14; Exodus 21:9). Jesus had to die by crucifixion and only the Romans could do that. 

The religious leaders brought Jesus to Pilate with three accusations, but Pilate only concerned himself with the third: Jesus' claim to be king. This was the only one that would be any threat to Rome, but after questioning, Jesus assured Pilate that He was a king, but of a kingdom not of this world (John 18:33-37). Pilate declared Jesus guiltless (Luke 23:4); when he found out He was a Galilean, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod to be tried. 

There is a second Roman trial before Herod Antipas, but it is only recorded in Luke 23:6-12. 

232. Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified: Matthew 27:15-26, Mark 15:6-15, Luke 23:13-25, John 18:38-19:16

Trial Six (Third Roman)

Pilate wanted to punish and release this innocent man (Mark 23:16), but the crowd was stirred up by the religious leaders, and he was pressured to release Barabbas, an insurrectionist (John 18:40) and murderer (Mark 15:7) instead. 

John is the only writer that covers the flogging (leather whip with bits of metal at the ends which often killed people), the crown of thorns, purple robe, ridicule as King of the Jews, and beating. 

Pilate wanted to release Him but the Jews convinced him that if Jesus claimed to be king he was opposing Caesar. Their cry was for crucifixion, and Pilate took water and washed his hands symbolizing that he wanted to absolve himself of putting an innocent man to death (Deuteronomy 21:6-9). Then he released the murderer and handed the innocent Jesus over to be crucified. 

The events leading up to the crucifixion are more detailed in the Matthew, Mark, and Luke accounts, but the actual crucifixion is more detailed in John's gospel account. 

Keep reading!

227-229. Friday - Pre-dawn to 9 am

Friday is about 70 minutes of reading split into readings throughout the day to coincide with the approximate time of each event. If you want to start reading before dawn, check the sunrise time for this particular Good Friday. 

This first Good Friday reading is only about 10 minutes. 

BACKGROUND AND LINKS

Early Friday Morning before Dawn (when the "cock crowed")

227. Peter denies knowing Jesus: Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-65, John 18:25-27

It is just before dawn, and these denials occurred either during Jesus's trial with Annas (John 18:12-24) or Caiphas (Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65).  The three denials are in such contrast to his boast to lay down his life for Jesus (John 13:37) and the cutting off of Malchus' ear during the arrest (John 18:10). How ironic that a relative of Malchus would ask the final question that prompted the final denial! Don't lose hope on Peter though. Those three denials will be followed by three affirmations by Peter in John 21. Stay tuned!

Friday at Dawn

Religious Trial Three

228. The council of religious leaders condemns Jesus: Matthew 27:1-2, Mark 15:1, Luke 22:66-71

Luke's account of this event gives the most detail. At daybreak (because it was illegal to meet at night), Jesus was led to the third Jewish trial before the Sanhedrin (council of elders). They were the official judicial body of the Jewish nation. It was also considered the final court of appeals. Jesus said He was the Son of God and would be seated at the right hand of God. Jesus was pronounced GUILTY of blasphemy. Now, Jesus had to be handed over to the civil court of the Romans because the Jews were not allowed to sentence anyone to death. The leaders refused to believe; just as Jesus said.

229. Judas hangs himself: Matthew 27:3-10

Matthew is the only gospel writer who records the suicide of Judas. He felt remorse and did not want the money he was paid (the price of a slave, Exodus 21:32), but the priest could not use tainted money (Deuteronomy 23:18). Acts 1:18-19 adds more details to the story of Judas. So sad. See the prophecies in Zechariah 11:12-13 and Jeremiah 19:1, 4, 6, 11.

REFLECTION/APPLICATION

Please use this day to ask God to search your heart for any sin in your heart and to thank Jesus for being our sin offering.

PRAYER

Search us, O God, and know our hearts;

Try us and know our anxious thoughts;

And see if there be any hurtful way in us,

And lead us in the everlasting way. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Thank You Jesus for being our sin offering and our High Priest so that we might have access into God's very presence. Amen. 

223-226: Thursday Part III: In the Garden, Arrest, and First Trials

The total reading time for Maundy Thursday Part III is 20 minutes. 

After 9 pm until Pre-Dawn

223. Jesus agonizes in the garden: Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46

After the Last Supper in the Upper Room (Possibly #3 on the map), they went to the Garden of Gethsemane (#4). Gethsemane means "an oil press." Obviously, the garden contained an olive grove and Jesus had often gone there with His disciples (John 18:1-2). He took the same disciples that He had taken to the transfiguration on the mountain and the raising of Jairus' daughter (Matthew 17, Luke 8:49-56): Peter, James, and John. All three accounts record that Jesus told them to pray, but Luke's account adds, "that you may not enter into temptation." Matthew and Mark record Him going away for three agonizing prayers and each time finding His disciples asleep on the watch. He rebukes Peter telling him that his "spirit is willing but his flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38). God is not finished with Peter yet. He was eager with his mouth but not able to follow through with his actions as we will see very soon. 

Jesus' prayers were not because He was afraid of death, the "cup" He would endure would be taking on the sins of the world (John 18:11; 1 Peter 2:24). He was made sin and a curse for mankind (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13). He would also be forsaken by the Father (Matthew 27:46) at that moment (for a holy God cannot abide with sin). Jesus willingly drank this cup but not without agony. That would be a hard cup for the sinless Jesus, vitally connected to the Father! But it was necessary for us (Join the Bible Book Club for the book of Romans, and we will discuss this further!). 

The Luke account is a little different. It does not record the three prayers, and it also said that "an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him," and that in the agony of His prayer "His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground" (Luke 22:43-44). This was no easy task for Jesus. 

224. Jesus is betrayed and arrested: Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:1-11.

Judas brings a large crowd, and the John account explains it was not only from the Jewish religious leaders but also from the Roman cohort (about 600 soldiers).

When they said they were looking for Jesus the Nazarene, John records that Jesus responded by saying, "I am." The NASB adds He in italics indicating that this word is not in the original Greek. If you are reading this in many other versions (including the NIV) they say “I am he” without italics and a very important thing is lost in the translation. Jesus was asserting His deity by saying “I am” (Exodus 3:14; John 8:58)!  I think this is why the people fell to the ground!

"Amazing Grace" (Jesus restoring the slave's ear.) by Corby Eisbacher.
See his art here.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke mention Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss. John mentions Peter's brash act of cutting off the slave's right ear and even mentions his name! Jesus was arrested willingly and without any harm to His disciples fulfilling His prayer in John 17:2 (John 18:9). 

From: The Bible Knowledge Commentary New Testament, p. 84

Religious (Jewish) Trials

By José de Madrazo Agudo (1781-1859) [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

225. Annas questions Jesus: John 18:12-24

Around 11 pm 

Religious Trial One (see map above for location in ESSENE QUARTER) 

Annas was Caiaphas' father-in-law and former high priest. He was appointed high priest by Quirinius, governor of Syria, in A.D. 6, but he was deposed by Valerius Gratus in A.D. 15. The office of the high priest was a lifetime position, but the Romans often deposed them. Annas was succeeded by five sons and then by his son-in-law, Caiaphas, who was the current high priest (John 11:49-52). 

226. Caiaphas questions Jesus: Matthew 26:57-68, Mark 14:53-65

Religious Trial Two

This is a brief trial while the religious leaders gathered testimony against Him. They found two false witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15-21) who testified that He said, "I will destroy this temple (sanctuary) made with hands and in three days I will build another made without hands" (Mark 14:58). Jesus had said this about three years earlier (John 2:19). Speaking against the temple was the cause of the death of Stephen (Acts 6:12-14; 7:45-50), but Jesus was referring to His body. 

Jesus did not respond to this charge, fulfilling Isaiah 53:7. He also led an example for us, as described in 1 Peter 2:18-23. 

Since this charge was not incriminating enough. Caiaphas put Jesus under oath (Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2) and asked if He was the Son of God. Since Jesus had already asserted this (John 10:30-33), He affirmed it quoting Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13, prophetic messianic passages predicting his resurrection, ascension, and return to His place of glory. The significance of this claim is beautifully summed up in an article by Brad Bromling: 

To identify Jesus as the Son of God is to acknowledge His genealogical connection to Israel, His right to the throne of David, and His unparalleled nearness to God. To confess that Jesus is the Son of God is to declare as true Jesus’ claim: “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

Caiaphas passed condemnation of death with this blasphemous statement. This marks the beginning of Jesus' physical abuse. 

REFLECTION

Many years ago, two friends and I started a group called Watchwomen. Our goal was to encourage women to keep watching and praying. We did not share prayer requests like most prayer meetings do. We just waited on God and praised and prayed in response for two hours.

Much of the time was spent listening to God, and that is tough for many people to do, especially women who are "doers."  But Jesus said this was the "better thing" (Luke 10:41).

Watching and praying is a discipline. The spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak. 

APPLICATION

Put aside time to "watch and pray" today. Purpose in your heart to spend some undisturbed time listening to God. Now, this may be five minutes or five hours. The time is up to you!  Do not defeat yourself by taking on more than you can chew. Just have some protected time with God. 

PRAYER

Lord, we watch and pray, expectantly for You. Amen.