Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Epilogue
Incident at Ephesus

One day, while Apollos was in Corinth and Paul was traveling the coastal regions of what is now Turkey, he arrived at Ephesus on the Aegean Sea. Finding certain disciples, he asked, "Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?"

"No," came the reply. "We've never even heard of the Holy Spirit."

Paul said, "What was the point of your baptism?"

"We accepted John's baptism," came the answer.

Paul explained, "What John was doing when he baptized was to call people to repent so that they would put their trust in the one who came after John: Jesus Christ."

On hearing that, the students were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

As Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit fell on them, and they spoke in tongues and their words became powerful. About twelve disciples were present.

Paul's missions began about two decades after Christ's death and resurrection. Thus, these students had probably been taught by Jews who received John's baptism before they left Jerusalem. At this point, they may have been viewed by locals as "Christians," even though they were not quite. These ideas of course are speculations.

What is important here is that the manifestations of power passed on by Paul show that he had a special gift of the Spirit for such transfers of God's energy. Important also is the fact that these rudimentary believers did not need a second water baptism. One might characterize the incident at Ephesus as a second blessing. Evidently the Ephesus synagogue had no real Christian sub-congregation, which is why Paul was directed to those men. So in that case external signs of power would help inspire belief in the congregation and in Ephesus.

This incident also shows the necessity of a second blessing for those who have declared faith in Christ, but only in a hollow way. That is, now they need to become really born again by receiving God's Spirit. (They don't need water baptism because they've had that, though receiving it again won't hurt.)

Most adult born-again experiences these days happen before being baptized -- unless you count child baptism. In quite a few cases though, nearly simultaneous water and spirit baptism occurs, especially among people who have barely heard of Jesus.

Notice that Peter and the other disciples received the "baptism of John" before Jesus died and rose again, though it is quite possible they also received water baptism from Jesus before the resurrection. Either way, only some weeks after did they receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

So when they were launching "a nation born in a day," they would never have been satisfied with not passing along the baptism in fire they had just received. But God controlled their tongues and their faith and it was impossible to fail. There may have been some outbursts of demonstrative power among the new believers, but they are not recorded, as far as I know. The people had already seen and heard that "fire." These people needed was to be born again, which for many would showing over time profound changes in character. That's why God gives the Spirit: so Christians become passionate, dedicated lovers of God and their fellow human beings. The Spirit spreads the joy of "just a closer walk with Jesus."

Notice also that the nearly simultaneous baptisms in water and the Spirit agree with Jesus' baptism in water and the Spirit. Personally, being sinless and Spirit-filled, Jesus needed neither the sign of obedience nor the gift. But this was God's way of showing the Jews, and then the Gentiles, that Jesus was the anointed head of God's kingdom and his anointed servant ("son of God").

Also, following the Apostle Paul (Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12), we may see baptism as representing the sinner's death and burial with Christ, who then raises the newly born person from a spiritual grave up into the light of life with God.

Romans 6:4 (KJV)
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Colossians 2:12 (KJV)
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
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Sunday, January 31, 2021

Table of Content

Third, revised edition of Secret Path
This e-book contains about 110,000 words.

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Saturday, January 30, 2021

Section 54
A big haul

Peter decided to return to Galilee to resume his fishing trade. Accompanying him were Thomas (nicknamed Twin); Nathanael of Cana; John and James, the sons of Zebedee; and two other disciples.

Thomas and possibly some others evidently went to their homes without joining Peter in his fishing trade.

As soon as Peter's party reached Bethsaida, the men set out in the fishing boat. But they caught nothing all night.

In the morning, they noticed a man standing on the shore, which was roughly a hundred yards away.

He asked them, "Boys, do you have something to eat?"

"No," was the answer.

The stranger said, "Cast your net on the right side of your boat, and you'll make a catch."

They threw out the net, and pulled up a huge haul.

At that, the disciple for whom Jesus had a special affection shouted, "It is the Master!"

Peter then wrapped himself in his cloth and jumped into the water, making his way to shore. (He may have been dragging the boat via a rope toward shore.)

Ashore, the disciples found the "stranger" tending a fire with fish cooking, and some bread set out.

The "stranger" said, "Bring those fish you caught."

Peter hauled the net, which was packed with large fish, onto the shore. There were 153 of them and yet the net was unbroken. [BH.1]

"Come and eat," the man said.

No one dared ask who he was. They all knew he was the Master.

After breakfast, Jesus was walking along with Peter.

"Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these fellows?"

Peter replied, "Yes, sir, you know I love you."

"Feed my lambs," said Jesus.

Jesus asked again, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?"

Peter answered, "Sir, you know I love you."

"Feed my sheep," said Jesus.

A third time, Jesus asked, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?"

Peter was grieved that Jesus posed this question to him yet a third time. He replied, "Sir, you know everything. You know I love you."

"Feed my sheep," said Jesus. [BH.2]

Then he said to Peter, "I am very serious when I tell you this: As a young man, you wrap yourself in your cloth and go wherever you wish. But when you are old, you will hold out your hands so that another wraps you, carrying you where you do not wish to go."

Jesus was signifying the manner of death by which Peter would glorify God.

Christian tradition holds that Peter was martyred in Rome during Nero's persecution.

"Follow me," Jesus said.

Then Peter turned and noticed the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had leaned against Jesus' breast during the final supper.

"Sir," Peter said, "what about this fellow, what will happen to him?"

Jesus replied, "If I want him to tarry until I come, what is that to you? You follow me."

When that saying spread among Jesus' followers, they thought Jesus meant that that disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that. He said,  "If I want him to tarry until I come, what is that to you?"
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Saturday, January 23, 2021

Section 55
A new deal

The reconstruction of events in this section is in some places speculative. Please see Note ND.k3.
En route to Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks, Peter and other disciples stopped off to rest in Bethany, where they were joined by disciples who had stayed in Jerusalem. The feast, known in Greek as Pentecost, was a major event, drawing thousands of pilgrims.

As they sat inside the house in Bethany — possibly the house of Lazarus — a man appeared among them, though no one noticed him enter the room.

"Why are some of you troubled?" the man asked. "What is this skepticism of yours?"

At once, the men who had met Jesus in Galilee realized who was speaking, but others who had missed that appearance were skeptical — though because of his strange arrival they wondered whether they might be seeing a ghost.

Thomas, known as the Twin, had said earlier, "Unless I see the nail marks on his hands and touch the nail wound, I cannot believe you."

As he stood among them, the man said to Thomas, "Put your finger on my hands and feel them, and put your hand into my side. Don't be doubtful — but believing."

Thomas gasped: "My Lord and my God!"

"Thomas," said Jesus, "you have believed because you have seen me. But blessed are those who believe without seeing me."

Then Jesus asked, "Have you something to eat?"

He was given a piece of broiled fish, which he ate as they watched.

Then, as he had done with the Emmaus pair, Jesus opened the minds of the disciples to the meaning of the Scriptures referring to him – the Messiah – that are written in the Mosaic books, the Psalms and the prophets. The Scriptures show, he said, that it was necessary for the Messiah to endure pain and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached to all peoples, beginning at Jerusalem.

"I send you just as my Father sent me," Jesus told them. He then breathed on them, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you absolve anyone of sin, he is absolved, and if you don't absolve, then his sin remains."

They would be clothed with power from on high, Jesus added.

"All power in heaven and in earth has been given to me.

"Go and teach people everywhere, to follow all the teachings I have given to you, immersing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

"I am with you always, even until the end of the world." Then, as Jesus blessed his brothers, he was gone.

Everyone knew where he had gone. He had gone to join his divine Father.

By speaking the word and breathing, Jesus assured that the gift of the Spirit was  bound to come. Very soon, at the Feast of Pentecost, God's Spirit would come.

It seems likely that the phrase "baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" was added by churchmen eager to emphasize the Trinity, and also to make definite the need for water baptism, though it was Spirit baptism that really concerned Jesus.

On this, we add that the apostles were permitted to quote Jesus in accordance with their interpretation of what he taught and meant. Over time, Spirit-filled persons have taken pains to weed out anything that simply doesn't "ring true," that doesn't seem to have the Lord's mind behind it.

Shortly thereafter in Jerusalem, the disciples were gathered in an upstairs room room that had been provided for them with the help of the wealthy women who had followed Jesus and the disciples around. Among those present were  some of those women followers, along with Jesus' mother Mary, who was accompanied by some of his biological brothers. Other women on hand were Mary the wife of Clopas, Mary of Magdala and Jesus' maternal aunt.

As the fellow who had been Jesus' pet disciple contemplated Mary, the feeling came over him that he should accept responsibility for her care. Mary also felt a deep connection toward that disciple. It was as if Jesus were talking to them from the cross. They were to be mother and son, even though male relatives were legally and morally responsible for Mary's welfare.

Aside from Peter, others present were the brothers James and John; Andrew; Philip; Thomas; Bartholomew; Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus; and Simon the Zealot; and Judah the brother of James.

Outside, Peter called a conference of Jesus' disciples, who numbered about  120 altogether.

As 120 = 10 x 12, it is possible that the Lucan writer wanted to convey the idea that the twelve chief disciples were "embodied" in the rest of the disciples and followers gathered there.

"Brothers, the Scripture had to have been fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke through David concerning Judah, who guided those who arrested Jesus. He was one of us and shared in our service work. This man purchased a field with the iniquitous payoff and falling headlong, his body burst open and his bowels were emptied."

Later, a Christian noted that everyone who lived in Jerusalem had heard about this incident.  That's why that plot of land, he wrote, came to be known as Blood Field, or, in Aramaic, Hakel-D'ma.

We add that Peter may well have been speaking metaphorically. As in: all that Judah's blood money got him was a burial plot in the field his money paid for. According to Matthew, Judah hanged himself once he realized the enormity of his crime and, according to Acts, he ended up in the very field that was purchased for the burial of non-Jews. Because Judah had accepted blood money, it is quite possible the very people who gave him the payoff deemed him unfit for a proper Jewish burial.

Peter's description of Judah's suicide is compatible with the fact that on death, muscles are suddenly relaxed, often causing the bowels to empty.

Further, we mention that Peter does not specify that Judah hanged himself in Potter's Field.

Peter pointed out, "For it is written in the book of Psalms,
Let his habitation be desolate,
and let no man dwell therein:
and his position let another take."  [ND.x1]
He then recommended that the disciples choose someone to come in to the inner circle to take the place of the dead Judah and help the other eleven in their work of declaring the truth and meaning of the resurrection. Many of those standing there had followed Jesus and the Twelve right from the beginning of the ministry, when John was immersing people in the Jordan.

So they decided on two candidates, Joseph (who was known as Barabba) and whose surname was Justus, and Matthias.

The men prayed, saying, "Lord, you know the hearts of all men. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take part in our mission after Judah transgressed and fell, so that he might go to his own place."

So the men used a lottery to determine God's choice. The lot fell to Matthias and he was then considered the twelfth apostle.

We may note that the term apostle originally signified a messenger or missionary. Later, Christians used that word as a title that signified someone specially commissioned to start the church. Paul uses the word in both senses.

Lottery. Probably the disciples placed marked straws in a container and shook it up. The first one pulled would be the winner. If that was not the method, it was something similar.

On the actual day of Pentecost – a festival for offering homage to God for the harvest – a group of men and women followers of Jesus were gathered together, all in accord.

Suddenly the house was filled with a sound of the rush of a strong wind and what looked like pronged tongues of fire that rested on each person present.

The people were filled with the Holy Spirit, who motivated their speech.

Now since Pentecost was a pilgrimage feast, Jerusalem was packed with observant Jews from all over – not only Jewish Palestine, but from Jewish colonies around the Roman Empire. Passersby heard the commotion and quickly a crowd gathered.

On arrival, these Jews were shocked to hear the message of salvation being proclaimed in their own language.

"See here! Aren't these people speaking all these languages Galileans?" said amazed bystanders. "Yet, I hear my own language spoken!"

In that time, people from Galilee were regarded as generally uneducated and in some eyes barely Jewish.

Among the hearers were Parthians, Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia Minor. Others were from Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and from in and around Cyrene, Libya. Crete and Arabia were also represented. More came from Rome – both Jews and people who wished to convert to Judaism. And of course there were plenty of people from all over Jewish Palestine.

They were all astonished to hear the wonderful works of God being proclaimed. "What does this mean?!" they wondered. But other people in the crowd laughed at them, saying, "These men are full of new wine."

Peter, flanked by the other eleven chief disciples, went to the crowd, raised his voice and used words to this effect:

"Men of Judaea and all you who are in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I have to say:

"These people here aren't drunk, as you suppose. It's only the third hour! [9 a.m.]

"What is happening is what was foretold by the prophet Joel:
It will come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour my Spirit onto all flesh.
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
In those days, on my servants and on my servant girls will I pour forth my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath: blood, fire, and clouds of smoke.
The sun will go dark, and the moon will turn to blood, before that great and terrible Day of the Lord comes.
And it shall come to pass, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. [ND.h1]
"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth was a man among you, whom God confirmed by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did by him in your midst – miracles many of you know about.

"He was handed over, in accordance with God's plan and foreknowledge, to you, and by wicked hands he was crucified and slain. But God has raised him up, having untied the pangs of death,  for it was impossible that Death should hold him.

"David speaks about him:
I saw ahead the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad.
Moreover also my flesh will rest in hope, because you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of joy with your countenance. [ND.h2]
"Men and brothers, let me speak honestly about the patriarch David: He is dead and buried, and his tomb is still here with us. But, being a prophet – and knowing that God had made him a promise to raise up one of his descendants [according to the flesh] as the Messiah to sit on his throne – when David had this vision, he was speaking of the resurrection of the Anointed One, whose soul was not left in the Valley of Death.[ND.k1] Nor did his flesh see corruption.

"This Jesus has God raised up, and we are all witnesses.

"Having been raised to the position of God's right-hand man and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, Jesus has shed forth that Spirit, which is what you're now seeing and hearing.

"David did not ascend to the heavens, and yet he himself said:
The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand, while I make your foes your footstool. [ND.m1]
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know that it is certain that God has made that same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah."

At these words, many in the crowd were cut to the heart.

"What can we do?!" they asked.

Peter replied, "Turn away from you old ways, and let every one of you be immersed in the name of Messiah Jesus for the remission of sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Peter, who apparently had first been a disciple of John the Dunker, initiates water baptism here, exercising the authority over God's kingdom that was given to him (and not only to him) by Jesus. Peter believed that water baptism was a good way to demonstrate one's true conversion toward God in the name of Jesus. But note that, without first trusting in Jesus, those people could not be saved. Also note that Peter associated the act of water baptism with the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which was to follow immediately. [See Epilogue: Incident at Ephesus] .

Peter pointed out that the "promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

The promise was to Jews near and far. But God was extending that promise to non-Jews.

Peter continued with many other words to testify and exhort. His message was: "Save yourselves from out of this warped society."

Many gladly received his word and were immersed. That day, the Messianic group expanded by about three thousand souls.

God had established a new people in a single day.
Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. [ND.k2]
When Jesus was dying on the cross to pay for all sin, "Zion travailed." When the Holy Spirit descended on all sorts of ordinary Jews at Pentecost, "a nation was born in a day."
Next Page: Section 56. Incident at Ephesus
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Section 53
Surprise!

Following is a composite account of the drama of the empty tomb.
The women returned to the cemetery shortly past dawn the day after the Sabbath, when they could do no work, in order to embalm the body with funerary spices.

On their way there they were wondering about finding someone who could roll back the stone that barred the entry. But when they arrived, they saw that the huge boulder had been rolled out of the way.

Proceeding inside, they were shocked to find a young man in a dazzling white robe.

"Don't be troubled," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. But he is risen. Look at the place where he was laid to rest. He is not here.

"Why do you look for the living among the dead?

"Go and tell Peter and the other disciples, He goes before you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you."

Terrified, the two women ran from the tomb, saying nothing to anyone.  [S.1a]

It also happened early on that first day of the week that another Mary, the Magdala woman from whom Jesus had expelled seven demons, and her friend Joanna, went to the tomb and were disconcerted to find the stone rolled away and the chamber empty. Mary ran back to where Peter and some others were lying low and told them the surprising news.

Peter, followed by Jesus' pet student, rushed off to have a look. Jesus' special friend arrived first and peeked inside, seeing the grave clothes, followed by Peter who ventured inside, where all he could see were the grave clothes and the cloth for the head set off by itself.

Trailing far behind, Mary arrived after the two men had already left.

Stooping down and peeking into the tomb again, Mary wept.

As she turned to leave, she came face to face with a man, who said, "Woman, why are you crying?"

Supposing that he was a cemetery gardener, Mary said, "Sir, if you took his body from here, tell me where you put it, so that I can take care of it."

"Mary," said the man.

"Teacher!" replied a stunned Mary.

"Stop clinging to me," Jesus said. "I haven't yet gone up to my Father."

He added, "Go tell my brothers that I go to my Father — and your Father. And tell them that when they go to Galilee, I will meet them there."

Jesus was saying to Mary that her weeping showed that she was clinging to him in human terms. She was seeing him only as a man she loved rather than seeing him correctly, as not only a man she loved but as the Messiah who was about to go to his Father and send her the Spirit. Or, in other words: Mary, let go and let God.

Mary returned again and told the disciples what had happened, but they were skeptical. After all, Peter and another disciple had been right there and had seen nothing.

Even so, Peter was a very perplexed man.

Not long after, two of Jesus' students told of a strange encounter they had had while walking along the road to Emmaus [S.1], talking about the terrible turn of events.

As they were talking, a fellow they did not recognize joined them.

"What are you men talking about?" the third man asked.

They stood still, looking sad.

One of the disciples, Cleopas, replied, "Are you the only pilgrim to Jerusalem who hasn't heard the things that have been going on?"

"What things?" the stranger asked.

"We're talking about Jesus of Nazareth. Everybody knows that he was a great prophet, both in what he said and what he did. The chief priests and the authorities had him arrested, condemned and executed. But we had been hoping he was the one who was to redeem Israel. This is the third day since all this occurred.

"But then some women said they saw angels at his tomb, and his body was missing! So one of us went to the tomb, and found it empty, just as the women said."

Their companion replied, "I don't think you understand what the prophets really have to say. Wasn't it necessary for the Messiah to experience all those things before he entered his glory?"

Beginning with Moses, the stranger went through what the prophets had to say concerning the Messiah, explaining the meaning of Scriptures as they walked along.

As the two disciples approached their destination, their companion acted as though he would continue onward. But the disciples urged him to stay with them. "It's getting towards evening and there isn't much daylight left," they said.

He agreed to join them in the village.

When they sat down to eat, their companion took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them.

Suddenly, they realized who they had been talking to. They saw Jesus, who then disappeared.

Awed, they said to each other, "Weren't our hearts burning inside us as he opened the Scriptures while we were on the road?"

After their meal, the two went straight back to Jerusalem, and told the others what had happened, but they were met with skepticism.

The day after the crucifixion, some of the elders approached Pilate and asked him to post a guard at the tomb. They were worried that his disciples might remove the corpse and then pretend that their king was still alive and that their movement still had its leader.

Pilate agreed, assigning a detail of soldiers to them.

"Make the tomb as secure as possible," was Pilate's order to the detail. "Make sure the entrance is sealed off."

A Roman seal on the tomb was a severe warning to grave robbers or others: Break this seal and you risk major reprisal!

But, after the resurrection, the Jewish authorities were informed that the tomb was empty.

"Say Jesus' disciples took away his body while you slept," the elders told the guards as large bribes were counted out. "If Pilate hears about this matter, we will talk to him and make sure nothing happens to you."

Such dereliction of duty could easily have meant the death sentence.

The soldiers were in a difficult situation. Though an earthquake was said to have been responsible for the stone being rolled aside, that fact did not explain how the body had vanished without them noticing.  They knew that Pilate was likely to suspect them of cowardice — hiding during the temblor and failing to see the "grave robbers."

In any case, a false cover story went out that Jesus' disciples had taken away the corpse so that they could claim that he was actually alive.
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Section 52
Crucifixion

As Jesus struggled along with a crossbeam on his torn-up shoulder, the soldiers seized a bystander and compelled him to carry the beam to the stake outside the city walls where the death sentence was to be carried out.

Christians later recollected that the bystander's name was Simon, who was the father of two Christians named Alexander and Rufus. Simon was from Cyrene, a Greek city in the Roman province of Cyrenaica in north Africa.

It is reported that Cyrene's Jewish community was established when large numbers of Palestinian Jews were forced to settle there during the reign of Ptolemy Soter (323–285 BC), who took over Egypt and Palestine upon Alexander the Great's death. Alexander had seized those regions during his tour of world conquest.

Cyrene was an early center of Christianity [C.1]

A big crowd followed.

Women mourned and wailed as he staggered along.

But he turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me. Weep for yourselves and for your children. The days are coming when people will say, better off are those who can't have children. In that time, people will plead with the mountains: fall on us! And to the hills: bury us! For if these things are done in the green tree, what will they do in the dry?"

We may interpret this last saying to mean that if terrible sins are done in the presence of and to the Savior, what might evil people do once grace has been withdrawn?

The soldiers brought him to a place known as the Skull. They offered him wine with myrrh in it, but he refused.

Roman soldiers used this combination as a painkiller, as it helped them endure the discomforts of military life such as cold, damp nights on the ground. Apparently it was also customary to give it to those about to be crucified.

They affixed him to the cross and then divided up his garments among them. But, the men cast lots to determine who would take the purple robe, a garment so luxurious that it had no seam. [See Psalm 22:18.]

It was the third hour (about 9 a.m.).

Some of the religious leaders stood by and jeered. "So he's the anointed savior! Then let him save himself!"

"Let the Messiah King come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!"

Others joined in.

"You who build the Temple in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross!"

"Aha! The great savior can't save himself!"

The soldiers laughed also.

As he hung in great pain from the instrument of torture, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing."

The soldiers then attached a notice to the cross above Jesus' head: "King of the Jews."

It was Roman practice to place a placard naming the crime for which the person was being crucified. Other placards typically said things like "Thief" or "Murderer."

Pilate knew that no real crime had been proved, but it was necessary to write something giving a reason for the execution.

The inscription confirms the injustice of the execution of Jesus.

Crucified along with Jesus were two bandits, one to his left and the other to his right.

Even one of these criminals reproached him. "I thought you were the Messiah! Why don't you save yourself and us, too?!"

But the other one said, "Have you no fear of God? We're all condemned to die, but you and I deserve what we're getting. He doesn't."

Then that criminal turned to Jesus and said, "Jesus, remember me when you receive your kingdom."

Jesus replied, "Today you will be with me in Paradise."

After Jesus had been hanging on the cross for three hours, the sky went pitch black, staying that way for another three hours (from about noon till about 3 p.m.).

Then, Jesus let out a shout: "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani!"

(This means, "My God! My God! Why have you abandoned me!?" and is the same plea uttered by David in Psalm 22:1.)

But, as Jesus spoke Aramaic with a Galilean accent, not all the bystanders could understand him. [C.h1] Some thought he was calling Elijah to come and help him.

One man ran to him with a sponge soaked in the soldiers' cheap, vinegary wine, using a stick to lift it to Jesus' lips.

Though the psalmist (Psalm 69:21) was speaking poetically about being made to eat gall and vinegar (a way of saying he was receiving harsh treatment from his enemies), we see that this poetry was here fulfilled literally in the sense that this drink was a bitter concoction used by soldiers that was considered disgusting by everyone else.

But others said, "Leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to rescue him."

Jesus let out another loud shout and gave up his spirit.

Someone thought they heard him say, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."

It was later reported that at about the time of death an earthquake struck and that one of the veils — probably the one veiling the Holy of Holies — inside the inner sanctum of the Temple suddenly was torn apart from top to bottom, indicating that God had left the Temple and abandoned the old Jewish system in favor of a new world order.

After Jesus was resurrected, other reports said that many tombs of saintly Jews were opened, with the corpses coming to life and the revived persons walking around in Jerusalem, where they were observed by many.

When Jesus died, the captain of the guard detail said, "This man was certainly an angel!"

Joseph, a wealthy member of the council from the nearby town of Arimathea, urged Pilate not to permit the impiety of leaving bodies on the crosses during the Passover Sabbath, which would begin at sundown.

So Pilate ordered that the victims' legs be broken. The soldiers then broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus, but when they came to Jesus they saw that he was dead already. So they did not break his legs, thus fulfilling the Scripture that says no bone of his will be broken (Psalm 34:20).

Once the legs are broken, the victim is unable to push up in order to breathe and death by suffocation follows quickly.

But a soldier did thrust a spear into Jesus' side, causing blood and water to spurt out, fulfilling another Scripture that says they will look upon him whom they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10).

During crucifixion, blood and water gather in the pericardial sack around the heart.

The women who had followed Jesus from his Galilee days were watching from a distance.  Among  this fairly large group were Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James (the short one) and Joseph, and Salome.

Surprised to hear that Jesus had been found dead even before he ordered legs broken, Pilate summoned the captain of the guard detail to verify that the prisoner was dead. On learning that death had been assured by the spear thrust, Pilate authorized Joseph to take the body.

Joseph had the body of Jesus wrapped in a linen cloth and taken to Joseph's own tomb, which had been hewn out of a large rock [C.h2]. Once the corpse was inside, Joseph sealed off the chamber by having a large stone rolled across the opening.

Christians later recalled that Joseph had been seeking the kingdom that Jesus had preached about.

Nicodemus, the elder who had spoken with Jesus under cover of darkness, joined Joseph, bringing about 75 pounds of myhrr and aloes for use as burial balms.

The two Marys saw where the body was taken.
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Section 51
Trial

The militiamen took Jesus to the house of a chief priest.

A group of religious leaders, which included a number of priests and scribes, gathered in the room where Jesus was being held.

A chief priest, Annas, tried to quiz Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

"I spoke openly in public," said Jesus. "I taught continually in the synagogues and in the Temple. I concealed nothing. Why are you asking me? Ask the people who heard me. Obviously they know what I said."

At that, one of the militia officers standing nearby reached out and struck Jesus.

"You dare answer the high priest like that?"

"If I have spoken evil, bear witness about the evil," Jesus replied. "But if I have spoken accurately, why do you hit me?"

Peter, who had followed Jesus and his captors from a distance, joined a group of militiamen in the courtyard, where they were warming themselves by a fire.

The religious leaders were seeking to obtain testimony that would be grounds for a death sentence, but they were having a difficult time of it. That is because the testimony of the many false witnesses did not match up.

One of the accusations: "He was heard saying, I will destroy this Temple that is made with hands and in three days I will build another one made without hands."

But even that claim could not be verified by a second witness.

Finally the high priest stood up and spoke to Jesus. "You answer nothing to all these things said against you?"

Jesus did not reply.

The questioner probably was frustrated that the council had been unable to use Jesus' own words to trip him up.

So then the high priest demanded to know: "Are you the Messiah, the son of the Blessed?"

"I am," came the answer. "And you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven."

The interchange here follows Mark. The priest here avoids the phrase son of God, though that is what he means. In those days, observant Jews often refrained from mentioning the generic or specific names for God, which we would translate as God and Jehovah.

God's Messiah, or anointed one, would be considered his son, whereby son could mean devoted human servant.

So if Jesus believed he was the Messiah, then answering yes was not blasphemy, especially since he made no claim to be God. Both Matthew and Luke were troubled by Jesus apparently directly affirming his status as Messiah, because of the idea that a witness should not testify on his own behalf, and used what in my opinion are literary circumlocutions.

But, I have emphasized I am to indicate that Jesus may have been answering in the affirmative, or he may have been letting the Great I Am speak through him. Thus, in this interpretation, God the Father was testifying on behalf of Jesus. The next statement, which evokes Daniel 7:13  [T.1], is in the third person. Thus, strictly speaking, Jesus made no claim that was provably about himself.

The term right hand of Power again reflects Jewish scruples about directly uttering a name of God. Though Jesus would not have feared to say God publicly, it seems reasonable to suppose that he would have observed Jewish custom. But it is this concept that seems to bulge the envelope on blasphemy because God's right-hand man would be someone who exercised all God's power on his behalf, just as Joseph, as Pharaoh's grand vizier, exercised all Pharaoh's power on behalf of Pharaoh.

So implying that you are God's right-hand man is equivalent to saying that you are, as far as the human race is concerned, God.

We see that God, speaking through Jesus, provoked the Temple leaders into the rash assumptions that they were so eager to make. But, there was no blasphemy or any crime against God or man. It was necessary that a completely innocent man be murdered on behalf of the rest of us.  

The interrogator then tore his garment and exclaimed, "Why do we need any more witnesses?! You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?!"

The crowd of leading men all agreed that Jesus deserved to die. Some spat on him and roughed him up. And as the militiamen took hold of Jesus, who had been blindfolded, they landed punches on him.

"Haha! Who hit you?! Prophesy!" they jeered as they showered him with insults.

As Peter stood outside in the courtyard, one of the servant girls noticed him.

"You were one of the men with the Nazarene," she said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Peter, easing away from her and into the forecourt.

Just then, a cock crowed.

But the woman spoke to the others, insisting, "He's one of them."

Peter again denied it.

A short time later, some people at the fire agreed with the girl. "You must be one of them. You're a Galilean."

Peter swore up and down: "I never heard of this man!"

Just then, the cock crowed a second time.

Suddenly Peter remembered what Jesus had said, that Peter would deny him three times before the cock crowed twice.  [T.2]

He wept.

As morning arrived, Annas had Jesus sent to the high priest, Joseph son of Caiaphas, who remanded Jesus to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. The Jewish accusers, concerned not to ritually defile themselves during Passover, did not enter the Praetorium, which Pilate normally used in his role as judge while he was in Jerusalem. (People generally called the high priest simply Caiaphas.)

So Pilate came outside and asked, "What accusation do you bring against this man?"

The Jewish leaders bombarded Pilate with claims that Jesus was a criminal.

"He has been perverting the Jewish people."

"He has been telling people not to pay their taxes to Caesar."

"He calls himself the Anointed One, a king."

"If he weren't an evildoer, we would not have brought him to you."

Pilate realized something was amiss. Why were these Temple politicians being so evasive? Obviously some religious matter was at issue. In general, Rome paid little heed to religious disputes among its subjects.

So Pilate said, "You deal with him. Judge him according to your law."

But the Temple officials replied, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death."

Rome reserved the prerogative of capital punishment in the provinces to its governors. By this, Rome held in check forces which might execute people who were friends of Rome or otherwise useful to Roman interests.

Pilate went back inside the Praetorium and summoned Jesus.

"Are you the king of the Jews?" the governor asked.

The Temple authorities had leveled this charge when they were speaking with Pilate because they knew that, in Jewish Scriptures, God's Anointed One — the Messiah — is pictured as a great human king who will subjugate the Gentiles.

"Did that question come from deep inside, or are you just repeating what others say?" Jesus said.

"Am I a Jew?" said Pilate. "The chief priests of your own people have handed you over to me. What have you done?"

Jesus replied, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, then my servants would have fought to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But my kingdom is not from the here and now."

"So you are a king?" Pilate said.

"Those are your words," Jesus answered. "I came into this world for this reason: To bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice."

"What is truth?" Pilate shrugged.

Then the governor said, "Haven't you heard all those accusations! Have you nothing to say in your defense?"

But much to Pilate's amazement, Jesus declined to respond.

After some consideration, Pilate told the Jewish leaders, "I find no fault in this man."

The accusers became more vociferous. "He's been stirring up the people, teaching his poison all through Judaea, after starting out in Galilee."

On hearing the word Galilee, Pilate asked whether Jesus were a Galilean. Learning that he was, Pilate sent Jesus over to Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea. (The Romans had appointed Antipas  [T.y1] as tetrarch, which meant, from the point of view of his subjects, that he was their de facto king.)

During major holidays, Pilate left his usual residence in Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast and took command in Jerusalem to help assure order. Being a Jew, Herod Antipas would also come to Jerusalem from one of his residences, usually his palace in Tiberias on Lake Galilee, to celebrate the feast.

Antipas was very happy to see Jesus. He had long been eager to see the performance of a miracle.

The tetrarch peppered Jesus with questions, but Jesus said not a word, though the leading priests and scribes inundated Antipas with vehement accusations.

In the end, Antipas and his soldiers jokingly dressed Jesus in a robe of royal purple and sent him back to Pilate.

That day, Antipas and Pilate became friendly with each other. Previously the two rulers of Jews had been rivals who disliked each other.

Pilate warned Jesus, "You won't speak to me? Don't you understand that I have the power to crucify you and that I have the power to release you?"

"You would have no power at all against me had not you been given it from above," said Jesus. "He who handed me over to you has the greater sin."

From that point on, Pilate tried to come up with a way to let Jesus go free.

Pilate again told the Jewish leaders and their hangers-on, "See here, I have examined this man on your charge that he perverts the people. But I have found nothing that proves your allegations. In fact, neither could Antipas find anything worthy of having him executed.

"So, my decision is: I will chastise him and release him."

But the Jewish leaders were adamant: Jesus must die!

"If you let him go, you're no friend of Caesar!" they ranted. "Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!"

The crowd, incited by the Temple officials, roared the louder: "Death to him! Death!"

Then Pilate, trying to placate the leaders, hit on a compromise. He would make a show of accepting their verdict, but then exercise the customary practice of pardoning one prisoner favored by the people.

Pilate was attempting a typically Roman political maneuver whereby Jesus would be set free without Pilate having to face censure from his superiors. He knew very well that these priestly Roman collaborators were very capable of damaging him politically.

The custom of the Passover pardon fits well with the Roman policy of using gestures of magnanimity in order to help keep down unrest. In addition, Rome granted its governors nearly dictatorial power over their provinces.

But the Romans were also holding another man who had actually been convicted of capital crimes, including murder and insurrection. His name was Jesus bar Abba. The crowd, instigated by the Temple authorities, shouted out, "Let Barabba go!"

Pilate asked the crowd, "Whom shall I release to you? Jesus the Anointed One or Jesus Barabba?"

Note the irony here: an actual seditionist is to be freed in place of the man falsely accused of sedition. Yet, Pilate knew the Temple officials would not complain to Rome about a pardon of Barabba.
———————
Very early manuscripts have Jesus Barabba, but some of the non-Jewish early churchmen objected that the name Jesus was too holy to have been applied to a criminal. They did not realize that Jesus is a form of Joshua and is a very common name for Jewish boys.

Some 20th Century scholars questioned the reality of the name Barabba, which means son of the father, but archaeological evidence from the period has surfaced showing that the name was in general use in that region in those days.

Pilate did not like what the Jewish authorities were doing, as he realized they were acting out of jealousy.

During this time, Pilate's wife sent a message to him: "Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I have had terrible nightmares about him."

But the Jewish leaders kept up the pressure, with the crowd screaming, "Barabba! Barabba!"

"So what should I do with this king of the Jews?" asked Pilate.

"Crucify him! Crucify him!" the crowd shouted.

Pilate responded, "Why? What is his crime?"

The mob was now even more insistent: "Crucify! Crucify!"

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was about to break out, he had a bowl of water brought and washed his hands in front of the crowd.

"I am innocent of this blood," he said. "You are responsible" [T.w1].

The crowd roared that they would accept responsibility. "His blood be on us, and on our children!"

The crowd was using a Semitic formula to assure Pilate that the Jews were accepting responsibility for this affair, that it was not really Pilate's concern. In using Semitic hyperbole, the speakers did not realize the true force of their words, just as Caiaphas had no concept of what he was really saying.

Pilate brought Jesus out and said, "Look, it's your king. Should I crucify your king?"

"There is no king but Caesar!" was the answer from the priestly authorities, who were largely Sadduceans who had no belief in an afterlife.

So Pilate released Barabba to them and had Jesus scourged and taken away for crucifixion.

A scourge was a short whip made of two or three leather thongs, which were knotted with a number of small pieces of metal, usually zinc and iron. The scourging would horrendously tear up the flesh and muscle of the victim.

Then Pilate's soldiers took Jesus to a Praetorium courtyard, where they stripped him and put the scarlet robe back on him. They also placed a crown made of thorn vines on his head and mocked him, "Hail to the Jewish king!"

The men kept batting him on the head with a stick they were using as a mock royal scepter, all the while spitting on him. Some of them bowed low, as if to a king.

After they had had their fun, they took off the purple robe and led him away to crucify him.

Once Judah saw the result, he was horrified.

He rushed back to the Temple and found those who had bribed him.

"I have sinned! I have betrayed innocent blood!"

"What's that to us?" came the reply. "That's your problem."

Judah took the bag of thirty silver coins, threw it down inside the sanctuary and left.

He then went and hanged himself.

The priests said, "It is unlawful to put this into the Temple treasury, since it is blood money."

So after talking it over, they decided to use the money to purchase Potter's Field, to be used as a cemetery for foreigners.

That plot of land was known as the Field of Blood for years afterward.

That event fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah:
They took the thirty pieces of silver,
the price of him who was priced,
whom certain of the children of Israel did price,
and they gave them for the potter's field,
as the Lord appointed me.  [T.z1]
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