Religion Scripture Readings

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3. (47-56) Jesus’ betrayal and arrest.

And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him." Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?" In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

a. Greetings, Rabbi! Judas warmly greeted Jesus, even giving Him the customary kiss. But the kiss only precisely identified Jesus to the authorities who came to arrest Jesus. There are no more hollow, hypocritical words in the Bible than "Greetings, Rabbi!" in the mouth of Judas. The loving, heartfelt words of Jesus - calling Judas "Friend" - stand in sharp contrast.

b. One of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear: Matthew doesn’t tell us, but we know from John 18:10 that this unnamed swordsman was Peter. But Jesus didn’t need his help with the sword. If He wanted it, Jesus had more than twelve legions of angels (something in the area of 36,000 angels) waiting to help Him.

i. The number is impressive, especially considering that one angel killed up to 185,000 soldiers in one night (2 Kings 19:35).

ii. With one sword, Peter is willing to take on a small army of men. Yet he couldn’t pray with Jesus for one hour. Often prayer is the very hardest, and best work we can do.

iii. With his sword, Peter accomplished very little. He only cut off one ear, and really just made a mess that Jesus had to clean up by healing the severed ear (Luke 22:51). When Peter moved in the power of the world, he only cut off ears. But when he was filled with the Spirit, using the Word of God, Peter pierced hearts for God’s glory (Acts 2:37).

c. All this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled: With all power at His disposal, Jesus is in total command. He is not the victim of circumstance, but He is managing circumstances for the fulfillment of prophecy.
 
d. The trial before the Sanhedrin.

1. (57-61) In violation of their own laws and customs, Jesus is tried before the Sanhedrin, the high court among the Jews.

And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end. Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’"

a. On the night of His betrayal, and the day of His crucifixion, Jesus actually stood in trial several times, before different judges. It will be helpful to fill in the gaps provided by the other gospel accounts.

i. Before Jesus came to the home of Caiaphas (the official high priest) He was led to the home of Annas, who was the ex-high priest and the "power behind the throne" of the high priest (John 18:12-14, John 19-23).

ii. As recorded here in Matthew 26, Jesus was then led to the home of Caiaphas, the sitting high priest. He was tried before an ad-hoc gathering of the Sanhedrin that met during the night.

iii. After the break of dawn, the Sanhedrin gathered again, this time "officially," and they conducted the trial described in Luke 22:66-71.

b. Where the scribes and the elders were assembled: This nighttime trial was illegal according to the Sanhedrin’s own laws and regulations. According to Jewish law, all criminal trials must begin and end in the daylight. Therefore, though the decision to condemn Jesus was already made, they conducted a second trial in daylight (Luke 22:66-71), because they knew the first one - the real trial - had no legal standing.

i. This was only one of many illegalities made in the trial of Jesus. According to Jewish law, only decisions made in the official meeting place were valid. The first trial was held at the home of Caiaphas, the high priest.

ii. According to Jewish law, criminal cases could not be tried during the Passover season.

iii. According to Jewish law, only an acquittal could be issued on the day of the trial. Guilty verdicts had to wait one night to allow for feelings of mercy to rise.

iv. According to Jewish law, all evidence had to be guaranteed by two witnesses, who were separately examined and could not have contact with each other.

v. According to Jewish law, false witness was punishable by death. Nothing was done to the many false witnesses in Jesus’ trial.

vi. According to Jewish law, a trial always began by bringing forth evidence for the innocence of the accused, before the evidence of guilt was offered. This was not the practice here.

c. This fellow said, "I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days": After all the false witnesses had their say, Jesus is finally "charged" with a "bomb threat" against the temple. Clearly, Jesus said "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). But this glorious prophecy of His resurrection (John 2:21 makes it clear, He was speaking of the temple of His body) was twisted into a terrorist threat
 
2. (62-64) Jesus testifies at His trial.

And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?" But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."

a. Do You answer nothing? Jesus sat silently until He was commanded by the office of the high priest to answer the accusations against Him. Finally, the high priest demanded to know if Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God.

b. It is as you said: Jesus isn’t at this trial to defend Himself. We think of the amazing defense He could have made. Jesus could have called witness after witness, and pointed to irrefutable evidence that He was indeed the Christ, the Son of God. But He knows that these hardened hearts care nothing for the facts of this case, so He simply testifies to the truth: It is as you said.

c. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven: Jesus did add this one word of warning. He warned them that though they sit in judgment of Him now, He will one day sit in judgment of them - and with a far more binding judgment.

3. (65-68) The Sanhedrin reacts with horror and brutality.

Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! What do you think?" They answered and said, "He is deserving of death." Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?"

a. He has spoken blasphemy! The accusation of blasphemy would have been correct, except that Jesus was whom He said He was. It is no crime for the Christ, the Son of God, to declare who He really is.

b. He is deserving of death: Their verdict reveals the depths of man’s depravity. God, in total perfection, came to earth, lived among men, and this was man’s reply to God.

c. They spat in His face and beat Him: It’s easy to think that they did this to Jesus because they didn’t know who He was. That is true in one sense, because they would not admit to themselves that He was indeed the Christ, the Son of God. But in another sense, it is not true at all, because by nature man is an enemy of God (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21). For a long time, man waited to literally spit in God’s face and to beat Him. Because of the amazing humble nature of Jesus, here mankind can do this.
 
4. (69-75) Peter, fearing association with Jesus, denies his relationship with Jesus three times.

Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee." But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying." And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth." But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!" And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you." Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly.

a. A servant girl came to him: Peter is not being grilled before a hostile court, or an angry mob. His own fear made a servant girl and another girl hostile monsters in Peter’s eyes, and he cowered in fear before them.

b. I do not know the Man! Peter’s sin of denying his association with Jesus grows worse with each denial. First, he merely lied; then he took an oath to the lie, then he began to curse and swear.

c. In Mark - traditionally, written under Peter’s influence - this account is more detailed. Because this story is such an amazing example of man’s weakness and God’s forgiveness and restoration, Peter wanted this story told.

d. We see a significant contrast between Judas (showing apostasy) and Peter (showing backsliding).

i. Apostasy is giving up the truth, as Judas did. Judas was sorry about his sin, but it was not a sorrow leading to repentance.

ii. Backsliding is a decline from a spiritual experience once enjoyed. Peter slipped, but he will not fall; his bitter weeping will lead to repentance and restoration.
 
Matthew 27
New International Version (NIV)

Judas Hangs Himself
27 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
 
b. Jesus before Pilate.

1. (11-14) Jesus greatly impresses Pilate.

Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" So Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?" But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

a. Now Jesus stood before the governor: History shows us Pontius Pilate was a cruel and ruthless man, unkind to Jews, and contemptuous of almost everything but raw power. Here, he seems out of character in the way he handles Jesus. Jesus must have profoundly affected him.

b. Are You the King of the Jews? When they brought Him to Pilate, the Jewish leaders accused Jesus of promoting Himself as a king in defiance of Caesar. They wanted to make Jesus seem like a dangerous revolutionary against the Roman Empire. Therefore, Pilate asked Jesus this simple question.

i. Of course, we can only wonder what Pilate thought when he first laid eyes on Jesus, when he saw this beaten and bloodied Man before him. Jesus didn’t look especially regal or majestic as He stood before Pilate, so the Roman governor was probably sarcastic or ironic when he asked, "Are You the King of the Jews?"

c. It is as you say: No majestic defense, no instant miracle to save His own skin. Jesus gave Pilate the same simple reply He gave to the high priest (Matthew 27:11). This amazed Pilate; he asked "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?" Pilate couldn’t believe that such a strong, dignified man - as beaten and bloody as He was - would stand silent at these accusations.

i. There is a time to defend one’s cause or one’s self, but those times are rare. When we rise to our own defense, we would usually be better off staying silent and trusting God to defend us.
 
2. (15-23) The crowd chooses Barabbas; Pilate’s desire to release Jesus.

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him." But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!" Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!" Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"

a. Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ? Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent, and had only be brought to him because of envy. So he looked for a way to release Jesus, and hoped he found a way in the custom of releasing one Jewish prisoner at the time of Passover.

b. His wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man": Pilate had all the evidence he needed to do the right thing and release Jesus. But he would not do what he knew was right, because he cared more about what the crowd said than what he knew was right.

He saw the strength and dignity of Jesus, and he knew this was no criminal or revolutionary.
He knew that it was no just charge that brought Jesus before his judgment seat - it was only the envy of the religious leaders.
He saw that Jesus was a man so at peace with His God that He didn’t need to answer a single accusation.
He already declared Jesus an innocent man (I find no fault in this Man, Luke 23:4).
His wife warned him to leave Jesus alone, being divinely warned in a dream. Surely, that was something exceptional!
c. "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!" The voice of the crowd is not always the voice of God. The mob does not answer Pilate’s request for reasons ("What evil has He done?"), they only call for Jesus’ death. Really, the call for more than His death - they call for Him to be executed by torture through crucifixion.

d. When the crowd chose Barabbas instead of Jesus, it reflected the fallen nature of all humanity. The name "Barabbas" means son of the father. They chose a false, violent son of the father instead of the true Son of the Father. This prefigures the future embrace of the ultimate Barabbas - the one popularly called the Antichrist.

e. If anyone knew what it meant that Jesus died in their place, it was Barabbas. He was a terrorist and a murderer, yet he was set free while Jesus was crucified. The cross Jesus hung on was probably originally intended for Barabbas.

i. We can imagine Barabbas, in a dark prison cell with a small window, waiting to be crucified. Through the window he can hear the crowd gathered before Pilate, not far away from the Fortress Antonia where he is imprisoned. Perhaps he could not hear Pilate ask, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" But surely he heard the crowd shout back, "Barabbas." He probably could not hear Pilate ask, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" But he certainly heard the crowd respond, "Let Him be crucified." If all Barabbas heard from his cell was his name shouted by the mob, then "Let Him be crucified," when the soldiers came to his cell, he surely thought it was time for him to die a tortured death. But when the soldiers said, "Barabbas, you are a guilty man - but you will be released because Jesus will die in your place," Barabbas knew the meaning of the cross better than most. We wonder if he ever took it to heart, and if we will hear the testimony of his salvation in heaven.
 
ABM said:
Do you realize how monumental that was? That would have been akin to today's crowd wanting Charles Manson released.
Click to expand...

yeah..those in power wanted to retain power..to not accept who Jesus was..

and, on the other hand, how easy Jesus could have avoided the outcome..just makes me feel so humble, truley The Lamb of God
 
3. (24-25) Pilate tries to avoid responsibility for Jesus’ fate.

When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it." And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children."

a. He took water and washed his hands before the multitude: Pilate could never wash his hands of this. It was a responsibility that could not be avoided, and his guilt is echoed in the creeds (crucified under Pontius Pilate) throughout the centuries.

b. I am innocent of the blood of this just Person: Hidden in Pilate’s attempt at self-justification is a declaration of Jesus’ innocence. When he called Jesus this just Person, he admitted that Jesus was the innocent man - not Pilate. Just because Pilate said "I am innocent" doesn’t mean that he was innocent.

c. His blood be on us and on our children: They really had not understanding of what they asked for. They didn’t understand the glory of Jesus’ cleansing blood, and how wonderful it would be to have His blood . . . on us and on our children. They also didn’t understand the enormity of the crime of calling for the execution of the sinless Son of God, and the judgment that would be visited on their children some forty years later in the destruction of Jerusalem.

c. The suffering of Jesus Christ.

1. (26) Scourging: a customary prelude to crucifixion.

Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

a. When he had scourged Jesus: The blows came from a whip with many leather strands, each having sharp pieces of bone or metal at the ends. It reduced the back to raw flesh, and it was not unusual for a criminal to die from a scourging, even before crucifixion.

i. "Scourging was a legal preliminary to every Roman execution, and only women and Roman senators or soldiers (except in cases of desertion) were exempt." (Dr. William Edwards in the article "On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ" from the Journal of the American Medical Association, 3/21/86)

ii. The goal of the scourging was to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse and death. "As the Roman soldiers repeatedly struck the victim’s back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Then, as the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock. The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive the cross." (Edwards)

iii. "The severe scourging, with its intense pain and appreciable blood loss, most probably left Jesus in a pre-shock state. Moreover, hematidrosis had rendered his skin particularly tender. The physical and mental abuse meted out by the Jews and the Romans, as well as the lack of food, water, and sleep, also contributed to his generally weakened state. Therefore, even before the actual crucifixion, Jesus’ physical condition was at least serious and possibly critical." (Edwards)

b. The blows of scourging would lessen as the criminal confessed to his crimes. Jesus remained silent, having no crimes to confess, so the blows continued with full strength.
 
2. (27-31) Jesus is beaten and mocked.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

a. Mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Everything in this scene was intended to humiliate Jesus.

They stripped Him: When a prisoner was crucified, they were often nailed to the cross naked - simply to increase their humiliation. Jesus hasn’t been crucified yet, but His humiliation has begun, and He was publicly stripped.
Put a scarlet robe on Him: Kings and rulers often wore scarlet, because the dyes to make fabrics that color were expensive. The scarlet robe was intended as cruel irony.
They had twisted a crown of thorns: Kings wear crowns, but not crowns of torture. The specific thorn-bushes of this region have long, hard, sharp thorns. This was a crown that cut, pierced, and bloodied the head of the King wearing it.
A reed in His right hand: Kings hold scepters, but glorious, ornate scepters that symbolize their power. In their mockery of Jesus, they give Him a scepter - but a thin, weak reed.
They bowed the knee before Him: Kings are honored, so they offer mocking worship to this King.
"Hail, King of the Jews!" Kings are greeting with royal titles, so in their spite they mocked Jesus with this title. It was meant to put down not only Jesus, but also the Jews - saying, "This is the best King they could come up with."
b. Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head: They now shift from mockery to cruelty. They seize the ironic "scepter," take off the "kingly" robe, and begin to hurl spit and fists and the head of Jesus.

c. And led Him away to be crucified: The march to the place of crucifixion was useful advertising for Rome. It warned potential troublemakers that this was their fate should they challenge Rome. A centurion on horseback led the procession, and a herald shouted the crime of the condemned.

i. As Jesus was led away to be crucified, He was - like all victims of crucifixion - forced to carry the wood He would hang upon. The weight of the entire cross was typically 300 pounds. The victim only carried the crossbar, which weighed anywhere from 75 to 125 pounds. When the victim carried the crossbar, he was usually stripped naked, and his hands were often tied to the wood.

ii. The upright beams of a cross were usually permanently fixed in a visible place outside of the city walls, beside a major road. It is likely that on many occasions, Jesus passed by the very upright He would hang upon.

iii. When Jesus said, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Matthew 16:24), this is exactly the scene He had in mind. Everyone knew what the cross was: an unrelenting instrument of nothing but death. The cross wasn’t about religious ceremonies; it wasn’t about traditions and spiritual feelings. The cross was a way to execute people. But in these twenty centuries after the death of Jesus, we have sanitized and ritualized the cross. How would we receive it if Jesus said, "walk down death row daily and follow Me"? Taking up your cross wasn’t a journey; it was a one-way trip. There was no return ticketing; it was never a round trip.
 
3. (32-34) On the way to Golgotha (in Latin, Calvary).

Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

a. A man of Cyrene, Simon by name: This man was probably a visitor to Jerusalem, there as a faithful Jew to celebrate the Passover. He was far from Cyrene in North Africa (some 800 miles away).

b. Him they compelled to bear His cross: Simon knew little if anything about this Jesus, and had no desire to be associated with this Man who was condemned to die as a criminal. Yet the Romans were the law, and Simon was not given a choice. Him they compelled to bear His cross. Perhaps he was chosen because his skin was black, and he was more conspicuous in the crowd.

i. Wonderfully, we have reason to believe that Simon came to know what it really meant to take up one’s cross and follow Jesus. We know that his sons became leaders among the early Christians (Mark 15:21 and Romans 16:13).

c. A place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull: There was a specific place outside the city walls of Jerusalem, yet still very close, where people were crucified. At this Place of a Skull Jesus died for our sins, and our salvation was accomplished.

i. Golgotha - in Latin, "Calvary" (Luke 23:33) means "Place of a Skull." It was called that because it was the established place - outside the city walls, yet on a well-established road - where criminals were crucified. It may also be that the hill itself had a skull-like appearance, as is the case with the site in Jerusalem known as Gordon’s Calvary.

d. They gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink: It was customary to give those about to be crucified a pain and mind-numbing drink, to lessen their awareness of the agony awaiting them. But Jesus refused any numbing drug. He chose to face the spiritual and physical terror with all His senses awake.
 
Then they crucified Him,

a. We have yet to see an accurate depiction of crucifixion in our media. If it were ever made, it would be limited to adult audiences, because of its sheer horror and brutality.

i. The Bible spares us the gory descriptions of Jesus’ agony, simply stating then they crucified Him. This is because everyone in Matthew’s day was well acquainted with the terror of crucifixion, and because the greater aspect of Jesus’ suffering was spiritual, not physical

ii. In 1986, Dr. William Edwards wrote a remarkable article in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association titled "On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ." Following are some of the observations of Dr. Edwards and his associates. The quotations belong to the article, and much of the other text is paraphrased from the article.

iii. What was it like to be crucified? In days the New Testament was first written, the practice needed no explanation. But we would do well to appreciate just what happened at a crucifixion. "Although the Romans did not invent crucifixion, they perfected it as a form of torture and capital punishment that was designed to produce a slow death with maximum pain and suffering."

iv. The victim’s back would first be torn open by the scourging, then the clotting blood would be ripped open again when the clothes were torn off the victim. When thrown on the ground to fix his hands to the crossbeam, the wounds would again be torn open and contaminated with dirt. Then, as he hung on the cross, with each breath, the painful wounds on the back would scrape against the rough wood of the upright beam and be further aggravated

v. Driving the nail through the wrists would sever the large median nerve - this stimulated nerve would produce excruciating bolts of fiery pain in both arms, and could result in a claw-like grip in the victim’s hands.

vi. Beyond the excruciating pain, the major effect of crucifixion inhibited normal breathing. The weight of the body, pulling down on the arms and shoulders, would tend to fix the respiratory muscles in an inhalation state, and hinder exhalation. The lack of adequate respiration would result in severe muscle cramps, which would hinder breathing even further. To get a good breath, one would have to push against the feet, and flex the elbows, pulling from the shoulders. Putting the weight of the body on the feet would produce searing pain, and flexing of the elbows would twist the hands hanging on the nails. Lifting the body for a breath would also painfully scrape the back against the rough wooden post. Each effort to get a proper breath would be agonizing, exhausting, and lead to a sooner death.

vii. "Not uncommonly, insects would light upon or burrow into the open wounds or the eyes, ears, and nose of the dying and helpless victim, and birds of prey would tear at these sites. Moreover, it was customary to leave the corpse on the cross to be devoured by predatory animals."

viii. Death from crucifixion could come from many sources: acute shock from blood loss; being too exhausted to breathe any longer; dehydration; stress-induced heart attack, or congestive heart failure leading to a cardiac rupture. If the victim did not die quickly enough, the legs would be broken, and the victim would soon be unable to breathe.

ix. How bad was crucifixion? We get our English word excruciating from the Roman word "out of the cross." "Consider how heinous sin must be in the sight of God, when it requires such a sacrifice!" (Commentator Adam Clarke)

x. The most significant thing about Jesus’ sufferings was that He was not, in any sense, the victim of circumstances. He was in control. Jesus said of His life in John 10:18, no one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. It is terrible to be forced to endure such torture, but to freely choose it out of love is remarkable. Can we ever doubt God’s love for us again? Has He not gone to the most extreme length to demonstrate it?

b. No wonder that the Roman statesman Cicero said of crucifixion: "It is a crime to bind a Roman citizen; to scourge him is an act of wickedness; to execute him is almost murder: What shall I say of crucifying him? An act so abominable it is impossible to find any word adequately to express."

c. The Roman historian Tacitus deemed crucifixion "A torture fit only for slaves" who were seen as sub-human.

d. No Roman citizen could be crucified except by direct order of Caesar; it was reserved for the worst criminals and lowest classes.
 
5. (35b-44) Jesus is mocked on the cross.

And divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots." Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: This is Jesus the King of the Jews. Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’" Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

a. Divided His garments, casting lots: Jesus came all the way down the ladder to accomplish our salvation. He let go of absolutely everything - even His clothes - becoming completely poor for us, so we could become completely rich in Him.

b. That it might be fulfilled: It may seem that Jesus has no control over these events. Yet the invisible hand of God guides all things, so that specific prophesies are specifically fulfilled.

c. This is Jesus the King of the Jews: In John 19:21, it is written that the religious leaders among the Jews objected to this title. They felt it was false, because they did not believe that Jesus was the King of the Jews. They also believed it was demeaning, because it showed Rome’s power to humiliate and torture even the "King of the Jews." Yet Pilate would not budge, and when asked to take down the inscription answered, What I have written, I have written (John 19:22).

d. Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left: In His crucifixion, Jesus stands right in the center of sinful humanity. One of these robbers repented and trusted in Jesus, and one did not (Luke 23:39-43).

f. And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads: In the midst of this awesome display of love, Jesus is not honored. Instead, He is blasphemed, and His enemies sneered, saying, "Save Yourself. If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." They acted as if Jesus did this, then they would believe Him.

i. It is precisely because He did not save Himself that He can save others. Love kept Jesus on the cross, not nails!

ii. Jesus did greater than come down from the cross; He rose from the dead, yet they did not believe even then.

g. Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing: It’s hard to go lower than this. Even among the three crucified men, Jesus was put in the "lowest" position.

i. This is the epitome of God’s love for man, to go through this for our salvation. But it is also the epitome of man’s hatred for God; God came to earth, and this is what man did to Him.
 
d. The death of Jesus.

1. (45) An unusual darkness on the land.

Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.

a. There was darkness over all the land: The remarkable darkness all over the earth showed the agony of creation itself in the Creator’s suffering. "Origen (Contra Celsus, ii,33) and Eusebius (Chron.) quote words from Phlegon (a Roman historian) in which he makes mention of an extraordinary solar eclipse as well as of an earthquake about the time of the crucifixion." (Geldenhuys in his commentary on Luke)

b. Phlegon, Roman historian wrote this: "In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad, there was an extraordinary eclipse of the sun: at the sixth hour, the day turned into dark night, so that the stars in heaven were seen; and there was an earthquake." (Cited in Clarke)

ii. This is especially remarkable because during a full moon - which Passover was always held at - it was impossible that there be a natural eclipse of the sun.

2. (46-49) Jesus cries out to the Father in agony.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!" Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."

a. My God, My God: In quoting Psalm 22, Jesus declared His fulfillment of that prophecy, in both its agony and it exultation. The Psalm goes on to say, You have answered Me. I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will praise You. (Psalm 22:21b-22)

b. Why have You forsaken Me? Jesus knew great pain and suffering - both physical and emotional - in His life, but had never known separation from His Father; now He does. There was a significant sense in which Jesus rightly felt forsaken by the Father at this moment.

i. How? Because God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

ii. But Jesus not only endured the withdrawal of the Father’s fellowship, but also the actual outpouring of the Father’s wrath upon Him as a substitute for sinful humanity.

iii. Horrible as this was, it fulfilled God’s good and loving plan of redemption. Therefore Isaiah can say Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him. (Isaiah 53:10)

iv. At the same time, we cannot say that the separation between the Father and the Son at the cross was complete. Paul made this clear in 2 Corinthians 5:19: God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself at the cross.

c. The agony of this cry is significant. It rarely grieves man to be separated from God, or to consider that he is a worthy object of God’s wrath. Yet this was the true agony of Jesus on the cross.

d. This man is calling for Elijah: Sadly, Jesus was misunderstood and mocked until the bitter end. These observers thought it was all an interesting test case to see if Elijah would actually come.

3. (50) The death of Jesus.

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

a. Jesus cried out again with a loud voice: John 19:30 tells us that He said, "it is finished," which is one word in the ancient Greek - tetelestai, which means, "paid in full." This is the cry of a winner, because Jesus fully paid the debt of sin we owed, and finished the eternal purpose of the cross.

b. At some point before He died, before the veil was torn in two, before He cried out it is finished, an awesome spiritual transaction took place. God the Father laid upon God the Son all the guilt and wrath our sin deserved, and He bore it in Himself perfectly, totally satisfying the wrath of God for us.

i. As horrible as the physical suffering of Jesus was, this spiritual suffering - the act of being judged for sin in our place - was what Jesus really dreaded about the cross. This was the cup - the cup of God’s righteous wrath - that He trembled at drinking (Luke 22:39-46; Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15). On the cross, Jesus became, as it were, an enemy of God who was judged and forced to drink the cup of the Father’s fury. He did it so we would not have to drink that cup.

ii. Isaiah 53:3-5 puts it powerfully: He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

iii. "Reader! one drop of this cup would bear down thy soul to endless ruin; and these agonies would annihilated the universe. He suffered alone: for the people there was none with him; because his sufferings were to make an atonement for the sins of the world: and in the work of redemption he had no helper." (Clarke)

c. And yielded up His spirit: No one took Jesus’ life from Him; He, in a manner unlike any man, yielded up His spirit. Death had no righteous hold over the sinless Son of God. He stood in the place of sinners, but was never a sinner Himself. So He could not die unless He yielded up His spirit.

i. As Jesus said, I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (John 10:17-18)

ii. "He gave up his life because He willed it, when He willed it, and as He willed it." (Augustine)
 
4. (51-56) The immediate results of Jesus’ death.

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!" And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

a. The veil of the temple was torn in two: The veil is what separated the holy place from the most holy place in the temple. It was a vivid demonstration of the separation between God and man. Notably, the veil was torn from top to bottom, and it was God who did the tearing.

i. Acts 6:7 says that in the days of the early church, a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. It would be interesting to know if this torn veil demonstrated to them the greatness of the work of Jesus. It’s also probably how the torn veil became common knowledge.

b. The earth quaked, and the rocks were split: Nature itself is shaken by the death of the Son of God.

c. Graves were opened: This is one of the strangest passages in the Gospel of Matthew. We don’t know about this event from any other source, and Matthew doesn’t tell us very much. So we really don’t know what this was all about, but apparently these resuscitated saints died again, because they were raised from the dead in the sense that Lazarus was.

d. Truly this was the Son of God! The scene at the crucifixion of Jesus was so striking that even a hardened Roman centurion confessed that this was the Son of God. This man had supervised the death of perhaps hundreds of other men by crucifixion, but he knew there was something absolutely unique about Jesus.

i. This was the Son of God: The only thing wrong is his verb tense; Jesus is the Son of God. The Roman centurion seems to assume that He was no longer the Son of God.
 
Hard to believe that all of Matthew 27 up to this point, has happened in lesst than 24 hours..
 
DaLincolnJones said:
Hard to believe that all of Matthew 27 up to this point, has happened in lesst than 24 hours..
Click to expand...

Just wanted to encourage you today, brother...

Galatians 6:9
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Click to expand...
 
ABM said:
Just wanted to encourage you today, brother...

Galatians 6:9
Click to expand...

Haahaha man, Thank you, I am enjoying this study so much. A lot of things that I thought I understood....I have changed my point of view on so many things...

I had a lot to think about up to this point, and had to slow my self down to spread out the next few days after Jesus's death.

I know there others that are following along, and would be interested to see what they are getting
 
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e. The burial of Jesus.

1. (57-61) Joseph of Armithea sets Jesus in his own tomb.

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

a. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus: Customarily, the bodies of crucified criminals were left on their crosses to rot or be eaten by wild animals. But the Jews wanted no such horror displayed during the Passover season, and Romans were known to grant the corpses of executed men to friends or relatives for proper burial.

b. He wrapped it in a clean linen cloth: Joseph followed the burial customs of that day - the best he could, considering that they had very little time because the Sabbath drew near (Luke 23:54).

c. He rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb: This was the customary way to seal an expensive tomb. A rich man like Joseph of Arimethea would probably have a tomb that was carved into solid rock; this tomb was in a garden near the place of crucifixion (John 19:41). The tomb would have a small entrance and perhaps one or more compartments where bodies were laid out after being somewhat mummified with spices, ointments, and linen strips. Customarily, the Jews left these bodies alone for a few years until they decayed down to the bones, then the bones were placed in a small stone box known as an ossuary. The ossuary remained in the tomb with the remains of other family members.

i. The door to the tomb was typically made of a heavy, circular shaped stone, running in a groove and settled down into a channel, so it could not be moved except by several strong men. This was done to ensure that no one would disturb the remains.

ii. John 19:42 specifically tells us that the tomb of Joseph of Arimethea that Jesus was laid in was close to the place of Jesus’ crucifixion (and the each of the two suggested places for Jesus’ death and resurrection bear this out). Joseph probably didn’t like it that the value of his family tomb decreased because the Romans decided to crucify people nearby - yet it reminds us that the in God’s plan, the cross and the power of the resurrection are always permanently and closely connected.

iii. Tombs like this were very expensive. It was quite a sacrifice for Joseph of Arimathea to give his up - but Jesus would only use it for a few days!
 
2. (62-66) The tomb is sealed and guarded.

On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

a. Sir: They give Pilate this title of honor and respect. But the day before they just rejected the King of Kings. They mocked and despised Him, putting Him to open shame, but they honored Pilate.

b. We remember . . . how that deceiver said, "After three days I will rise": Ironically, Jesus’ enemies remembered His promise of resurrection better than His own disciples remembered.

c. While He was still alive: In this, the enemies of Jesus admit that Jesus is dead. They don’t buy into the "Swoon Theory," the one that says Jesus never really died, but just "swooned" on the cross, and then somehow wonderfully revived in the tomb.

i. A humorous letter to the editor to a Christian magazine accurately evaluated the "Swoon Theory":

Dear Eutychus: Our preacher said, on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think? Sincerely, Bewildered

Dear Bewildered: Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for 6 hours; run a spear through his heart; embalm him; put him in an airless tomb for 36 hours and see what happens. Sincerely, Eutychus

d. Lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away: What were they really afraid of? They couldn’t have been afraid of the disciples. They knew they were terrified and in hiding. They knew they were gone from the crucifixion scene. Their intelligence sources and informants let them know the disciples were terrified. What were they really afraid of? The power of Jesus.

i. After all, look at their words: And say to the people, "He has risen from the dead." If that were to happen, why not just say to the disciples, "So where is Jesus? Produce the body of your risen Lord!" They knew that it would do nothing for the disciples to steal the body of Jesus. That would prove nothing. What they were really afraid of was the resurrection power of Jesus.

ii. It’s sad that they were afraid of it, but at least they believed it. On Saturday morning, the chief priests and the Pharisees can preach a better resurrection sermon than the disciples could.

e. Command that the tomb be made secure . . . you have a guard . . . make it as secure as you know how: This shows that both the Jewish leaders and the Romans were well aware of the need to guard the tomb, and that they took all necessary measures to secure it. These security measures will simply provide greater testimony to the miracle of the resurrection. If Jesus’ tomb was unguarded then we might not be certain that His body wasn’t stolen.

f. Sealing the stone and setting the guard: This describes the measures taken to secure the tomb of Jesus.

i. The tomb was secured by a stone, which was a material obstacle. These stones were large, and set in a slanted channel. It was a real obstacle. For sure, the stone could not be rolled away from the inside. The disciples, if you had enough of them, could roll away the stone – but not quietly. Besides, they would have to work together to roll it away, and that didn’t seem likely.

ii. The tomb was secured by a seal, which was an obstacle of human authority. The seal was a rope, overlapping the width of the stone covering the entrance to the tomb. On either side of the doorway, there was a glob of wax securing the rope over the stone. You could not move the rock without breaking the seal. It was important that the guards witness the sealing, because they were responsible for whatever was being sealed. These Roman guards would watch carefully as the stone was sealed, because they knew their careers, and perhaps their lives, were on the line. The Roman seal carried legal authority. It was more than yellow tape barricading a crime scene; to break a Roman seal was to defy Roman authority. That stone was secured by the authority of the Roman Empire.

iii. The tomb was secured by a guard, which was an obstacle of human strength. A typical Roman guard had four soldiers. Two watched while the others rested. This guard might have had more. The soldiers would be fully equipped – sword, shield, spear, dagger, armor. We should also remember that these were Roman soldiers. They didn’t care about Jesus or Jewish laws or rituals. They were called to secure the tomb of a criminal. To them, the only sacred thing at this tomb was the Roman seal, because if that were broken their careers were ruined and they might be executed themselves. Soldiers cold-blooded enough to gamble over a dying man’s clothes were not the kind of men to be tricked by trembling disciples, or would not jeopardize their necks by sleeping at their post.

iv. None of these obstacles mattered. Material obstacles don’t stand before the resurrected Jesus. Human authority doesn’t stand before the resurrected Jesus. Human strength doesn’t stand before the resurrected Jesus. It all falls away before Him!
 
Matthew 28

1. (1-8) Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany find an empty tomb.

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you. So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

a. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb: They did not expect to find what they did; they came to finish the preparation of Jesus’ body, which was cut short by the Sabbath (Luke 24:1-3).

b. An angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it: When the women came to the tomb, they saw the stone rolled away and an angel sitting on the stone. The door to the tomb was wide open.

c. He is not here: These are some of the most beautiful - and important - words ever spoken by an angel to men. One may look all over Jerusalem and see countless thousands of tombs, but one will never find the tomb of Jesus - because He is not here!

i. In Israel, we saw many graves and tombs - there is an ocean of tombs on the Mount of Olives, and vast sea of graves outside the eastern wall of the temple mount. You can see the tomb of Rebekka, the tomb of David, the tomb of Absalom - but you won’t find the tomb of Jesus anywhere. He is not here!

d. Come, see the place where the Lord lay: The stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out. John 20:19 tells us that Jesus, in His resurrection body, could pass through material barriers. It was rolled away so that others could see in and be persuaded that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

i. The fact of the resurrection is clear enough. We must also grapple with the meaning of the resurrection. Simply, Jesus’ resurrection proved that His death was an actual propitiation for sin and that the Father had accepted it as such. The cross was the payment, the resurrection the receipt, proving that the payment was fully accepted.

e. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead: The angel commanded them to be the first messengers of the good news of Jesus’ resurrection. Since these women were the some of the few people courageous enough to publicly identify themselves with Jesus, it was an appropriate honor.
 
2. (9-10) Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany meet a risen Jesus.

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

a. As they went to tell His disciples: The women met Jesus as they obeyed the command to tell the news of the resurrection.

b. Jesus met them, saying "Rejoice!" What else could Jesus say to these women? What else could they do other than rejoice?

c. So they came and held Him by the feet and worshipped Him: When the women met Jesus, they were compelled to worship Him. An hour before, they thought everything was lost because they thought Jesus was dead. Now they know everything is gained because Jesus is alive.

i. And not only alive, but resurrected. Before the resurrection of Jesus, there are several instances in the Bible of dead people brought back to life. But those were corpses resuscitated back to life, and they would die again. Jesus was resurrected, raised again to a new order of life. He would never die again, and His resurrection body was not the same as His previous body

ii. Notably, Jesus received the worship of these ladies. If Jesus were not God, it would have been terribly sinful for Him to receive this worship. But being God, it was good and appropriate for Him to receive it.
 
4. (11-15) The cover-up of the resurrection begins with the bribery of the guards.

Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure." So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

a. Tell them, "His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept": This cover-up attempt shows the depravity of the priests. They knew the truth of the resurrection, yet they rejected that truth.

b. While we slept: The cover-up also shows their foolishness. If the guards were asleep, how would they know that it was His disciples that stole the body of Jesus?

c. This saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day: Through the years, there have been many objections suggested to the resurrection of Jesus. Some say He didn’t die at all, but just "swooned" on the cross and revived in the tomb. Others say He really died, but His body was stolen. Still others suggest He really died, but His desperate followers hallucinated His resurrection. A plain, simple understanding of these evidences of the resurrection of Jesus destroys all of these theories, and shows they take far more faith to believe than the Biblical account.

i. "I suppose, brethren, that we may have persons arise, who will doubt whether there was ever such a man as Julius Caesar, or Napoleon Bonaparte; and when they do, - when all reliable history is flung to the winds, - then, but not till then, may they begin to question whether Jesus Christ rose from the dead, for this historical fact is attested by more witnesses than almost any other fact that stands on record in history, whether sacred or profane." (Spurgeon)

ii. We sometimes sing: "You ask me how I know He lives; He lives, He lives inside my heart." But that is not the best way to prove Jesus lives. He lives because the historical evidence demands we believe in the resurrection of Jesus. If we can believe anything in history, we can believe the reliable, confirmed testimony of these eyewitnesses. Jesus rose from the dead.
 
b. The great commission.

1. (16-17) The disciples meet Jesus at Galilee.

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

a. To the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them: Just as the women who met the resurrected Jesus, the disciples met the risen Jesus as they did what He told them to do.

b. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him: This was not their first meeting with the risen Jesus; but it was an important one. At this meeting, they received their apostolic commission.

c. They worshipped Him: The natural reaction to encountering the risen Jesus is worship, even if some do doubt.
 
2. (18-20) Jesus instructs His disciples regarding their duty after His departure.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

a. All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth: This commission is given in light of the authority of Jesus. This indicates that this is an authoritative command, not a suggestion. It is the same idea as if an officer reminded a private of his rank before he gave the order.

b. Go therefore: Because Jesus has this authority, we are therefore commanded to go. It is His authority that sends us, His authority that guides us, and His authority that empowers us.

c. Make disciples of all the nations: The command is to make disciples, not merely converts or supporters of a cause. The idea behind the word disciple is of a scholar, a learner, or a student.

i. The kind of commitment expected from a disciple is expressed in the command to baptize. A person is totally immersed in water, and total commitment is the goal for a disciple.

d. Of all the nations: In His previous ministry, Jesus deliberately restricted His work to the Jewish people (Matthew 15:24) and previously sent His disciples with the same restriction (Matthew 10:6). Only on rare exceptions did Jesus minister among the Gentiles (Matthew 15:21-28). Now all of that is in the past, and the disciples are commissioned to take the gospel to all the nations. There is no place on earth where the gospel of Jesus should not be preached, and were disciples should not be made.

e. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you: Disciples are made through teaching. This teaching is not with words only, but with the power of the always-present Jesus. He will be present with His people until the job of making disciples is done - until the end of the age.

i. The content of the teaching must be all things that I have commanded you. The followers of Jesus are responsible to present the whole counsel of God to those who made disciples.

f. Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age: Jesus sent His disciples with a mission to fulfill, but He did not send them alone. The promise of His constant presence was more than enough to strengthen and guide the disciples as they obeyed Jesus in making disciples of all the nations.

i. His presence means privilege, because we work with a Great King. Paul understood this principle well in 1 Corinthians 3:9, where he wrote: For we are God’s fellow workers. Since Jesus promised "I am with you always," then we work together with Him in all our service. We certainly work for Jesus, but more than that we work with Jesus.

ii. His presence means protection, because we are never out of His sight or supervision.

iii. His presence means power, because as we fulfill this great command, we work in His name.

iv. His presence means peace, because it always reminds us that the church belongs to Jesus. It is His church, and His work. How then can we worry?
 
Revelation 1

New International Version (NIV)


Prologue

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Greetings and Doxology

4 John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.


7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”[c]
So shall it be! Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

John’s Vision of Christ

9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
 
Here we gooooooo! The BIG Book! :)
 
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