The Passion 23

Footnotes

 MARY & JOSEPH

 

After Jesus' crucifixion, the biblical accounts indicate that Mary, Jesus's mother, was entrusted to the care of the apostle John. Jesus, on the cross, said, "Behold your son!" to Mary and "Behold your mother!" to John.  

The Bible doesn't provide details about Joseph after Jesus's birth. He’s not mentioned in the Gospels after Jesus's childhood, and it's widely believed he passed away prior to Jesus's public ministry, as he is not present at the Wedding at Cana or at Golgotha. 

Mary remained with the apostles in Jerusalem after Jesus's ascension, and she is also mentioned as being present at Pentecost. The New Testament provides limited information about Mary's life after Jesus's death, and her later life is primarily known through tradition and legend. 

Despite the lack of information about his later life, Joseph's legacy as the man who took Mary as his wife and supported his family has left an important impact on Christian tradition.

 

 

MARY MAGDALENE

 

Mary Magdalene was present at the crucifixion and remained faithful to Jesus, even after his death. She was also the first to visit the tomb on Sunday morning and witness Jesus's resurrection. After seeing the risen Jesus, Mary Magdalene was instructed to tell the apostles about the resurrection, making her the first to proclaim this news. Mary became a key figure in spreading the news of his resurrection to the apostles. 

Some traditions suggest that she accompanied John the Apostle to Ephesus, where she died and was buried. Other traditions, particularly in France, suggest she evangelized Provence and spent her last 30 years in an Alpine cavern. Many traditions depict her living a life of penance and solitude, either in France or Ephesus, after preaching the Gospel. 

Mary Magdalene is considered a significant figure in Christian tradition, respected for her faith, devotion, and role in spreading the message of the resurrection.

Footnotes continue in my next posting. Until then, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Passion 22

Footnotes 

CAIAPHAS

After Jesus' death, the high priest Caiaphas continued to persecute Jesus' followers, as evidenced by his presence at the trial of Peter and John, and was eventually removed from his position by the Roman procurator Vitellius around 36/37 AD. 

The New Testament, specifically the Book of Acts, indicates that Caiaphas remained a staunch opponent of Jesus' followers and was involved in persecuting them. Caiaphas is mentioned in Acts 4:1-22, where he is present at the trial of Peter and John after they heal a lame man. 

Caiaphas was removed from his position as high priest by the Roman procurator Vitellius around 36/37 AD.  Josephus, a Jewish historian, mentions that Caiaphas was removed from office by Lucius Vitellius, the successor of Pilate.

 

 

HEROD ANTIPAS

Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great and ruled Galilee and Perea from 4 BCE until his exile in 39 CE. Herod Antipas's wife, Herodias, had a strained relationship with him, which led to a divorce and a subsequent conflict with Aretas IV, the king of Nabatea. Herod Antipas's nephew, Herod Agrippa I, accused him of plotting against Emperor Caligula. Caligula, the new Roman emperor, sided with Agrippa, stripped Antipas of his power and possessions, and exiled him to Gaul. Herodias accompanied Antipas into exile. Antipas died in Gaul at an unknown date, with Josephus stating he died in Spain.

 

 

PONTIUS PILATE

After Jesus's death, Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect of Judea, was recalled to Rome and later exiled, though the exact details of his fate remain somewhat unclear, with some accounts suggesting he committed suicide. 

After Jesus's crucifixion, Pilate was recalled to Rome by Emperor Tiberius, and he was later exiled to Gaul (modern-day France). Some sources, such as Eusebius of Caesarea's "Ecclesiastical History," suggest Pilate committed suicide on orders from Emperor Caligula sometime after 36 CE.

Other accounts, like those documented by the second-century pagan philosopher Celsus and the Christian apologist Origen, suggest Pilate simply retired after his dismissal. Pilate was the Roman prefect of Judea (26–36 CE) under Emperor Tiberius, and he presided over the final trial of Jesus and gave the order for his crucifixion.

 

                  Footnotes continue in our next posting. Until then, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Passion 21

The Key

         The resurrection of Jesus is the key to the Christian faith. Why is that? Well, His rising from the dead was prophesied in the OT *, and promised by Jesus Himself. Just as He said, Jesus rose from the dead on the 3^rd day as promised.  Therefore, we can be confident that He will accomplish all He has promised. 

                  Jesus’ bodily resurrection shows us that the living Christ is ruler of God’s eternal Kingdom and not a false prophet or imposter. His resurrection reveals to us that because it actually took place, death is not the end of the road for us ... there IS a future life.

                  The Lord’s resurrection told us that the power that brought Jesus back from the dead to new life, then this power is also available to those who are spiritually dead. Believing in Jesus Christ ignites our spirit, bringing it back to life.

                  The resurrection of Jesus is the backbone of the church’s witness to the world. His rising from the grave proved Jesus was and is more than just a human leader; he is the Son of God. 

Pilate sensed something different about Jesus, the disciples knew He was sent by God, two Pharisees knew (Nicodemus & Joseph of Arimathea), and even some of the Roman guards knew on the dreadful day of the crucifixion that Jesus was the Son of God. Even Jewish historian Flavius Josephus admitted that Jesus was “more than just an ordinary man”.  Former atheist turned Christian theologian and apologist of the faith C.S. Lewis stated the following about Jesus: "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse."

                  Everyone in mankind must make a choice regarding Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, sin, and salvation. Weigh all that you think you know against the Bible. Let it speak to you. Pray that God reveals truths to you. Be patience. Have an open mind. This choice is far more important than any other choice you’ll make in your entire life. Don’t be flippant or cavalier and make sure to choose wisely. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible

*Psalm 16:10 & Isaiah 53:10 - These passages are seen as providing assurance of Christ's resurrection after His death.

The Passion 20

At the Tomb

         The leading priests and Pharisees went to Pilate asking for guards to watch over Jesus tomb. Their major fear seemed to be not that Jesus would rise from the dead, but that the disciples would steal the body and say He had risen (Matthew 27:64). The disciples hid in fear, disillusioned and confused. 

It was at this point that the religious leaders were desperate to end what they considered to be an immense threat to their way of life and way of administering God’s Law. They added hundreds of additional laws to the Torah so as to have control over the people. Jesus was there to bring freedom in the spirit and freedom from man’s sins.  The leaders, though waiting for a Messiah, were looking for the wrong type of Messiah. They wanted a conquering warrior king, not unlike David, to defeat the Romans and their oppressive control over the Jewish people. God’s plan involved love, peace, and blanket forgiveness in exchange for obedience.

                  So once Jesus was placed in the tomb and tended to by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, the guards rolled the immense stone in front of the opening. The guards had been commissioned to watch over the tomb so no one could come and remove the body. 

                  Three days after Jesus was buried, early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and a friend went to visit the tomb. While on their way there was a great earthquake!! The earthquake was caused by an angel who had come down from heaven. He rolled aside the stone and sat on top of it. Matthew 28:3-4 ^{(Amplified Bible)} described the scene: “The angel’s appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were as white as snow. The guards shook, paralyzed with fear [at the sight] of him and became like dead men [fainted].” The angel told the women not to fear, that Jesus wasn’t there, but had risen just as He said He would. He added that Jesus was going ahead of the disciples and would meet then back in Galilee.  The angel didn’t roll the stone away to allow Jesus to get out, but so the women could go in to see that He had indeed risen. 

The angel had four messages for the women: 1 - “Don’t be afraid”; 2 – “He isn’t here.”; 3 – “Come and see ...” and 4 – “Go quickly and tell”. Under the circumstances not much needed to be said. The very otherworldly appearance of the angel was all that was needed to convince the women that this messenger was from Almighty God. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible

The Passion 19

Jesus Buriel

After Jesus death, “Joseph of Arimathea, who was a wealthy man, and honored as a member of the Jewish high council asked Pontius Pilate for permission to have the body of the Lord. Unbeknownst to them, Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus ^{(John 19:38)}. The disciples who had publicly followed Jesus fled, but Joseph boldly took a stand that could have cost him dearly. He cared enough about Jesus to ask for His body so he could give it a proper burial.”

The tomb belonged to Joseph himself and was likely a man-made cave cut out of one of the many limestone hills in the area around Jerusalem. Such a tomb was large enough to walk into. After burial, a large stone would have been rolled across the entrance ^{(John 20:1)} .

Could Jesus have rolled away the stone that covered his tomb?   The entrance of a Jewish tomb was quite small, so the stone needed to cover the opening would only be 4-6’ in diameter, and approximately 1’ thick.  How much would such a stone weigh?  Depending on the type of stone used, it could weigh between 1-2 tons (2000-4000 pounds). This is quite heavy, but two men could move it into place (Mt 27:60; Jn 19:38-42).  The more difficult task was removing the stone to open up the grave.

Generally speaking, the rolling stone was set inside a groove in front of the entrance, and secured from falling over by a stone wall that stood in front of tomb opening (the rolling stone was sandwiched between the tomb entrance and stone wall).  Often, the groove was not level, but slightly sloped.  To close the tomb, the stone would be rolled down the groove at a decline and come to rest in front of the entrance.  To open the tomb, the stone would have to be rolled up the groove at an incline. Given the structure of such tombs, it would not have been possible for Jesus to simply push the stone over from the inside of the tomb.  He would have to roll the 2000+ pound stone back up the groove without having anything to grip or any help.  Such a feat would not be possible for one healthy man, yet alone a man who had just been beaten to a bloody pulp by the Romans. Is it any wonder that an angel was the one who rolled away the stone. That gives us a strong indication of the strength of an angel.

                  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name and for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: The Life Application Study Bible

See http://eutychusnerd.blogspot.com/2009/04/rolling-stone.html.

The Passion 18

Jesus Dies 

                  When Jesus died the skies blackened so much so that Luke tells us “the light from the sun was gone.” The land was without sunlight for 3 hours. Luke is the one that tells us that just before Jesus breathed His last “the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle.” ^{(Luke 23:45)} But it was Mark that added an important detail: “Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed His last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.”

“The curtain contributed to the splendor of the Temple. From Josephus and rabbinic texts we can gain some idea of its appearance. Within that central structure of the Temple, the curtain covered the entrance to the Holy of Holies which was ... 60’ high by 30’ feet wide.” ^[1]

It was a woven curtain that was 4” thick, so the event that took place was quite impossible from a human standpoint. In other words, it is apparent that the tearing of the curtain was nothing less than a supernatural event. Man would not have been able to reach 60’ up at that precise moment, let alone tear in half the 4” thick woven material. The only way to effectively describe what took place was that Almighty God caused the tearing of the veil Himself. How else could it have happened?

That is an important detail, because it represented to believers that God was opening up the Holy of Holies (aka, the Most Holy Place) to all, not just the Jewish high priest. Up to that point the high priest was the only one who was allowed by God to enter the Holy of Holies. So man was now able to interact with his creator at any time.

Several guards acknowledged Jesus deity after the startling events of the day had transpired. It was certainly NOT a normal day. “This significant event symbolized Christ’s work on the cross. The Temple had three parts: the courts, which were for all the people; the Holy Place, where only priests could enter; and the Most Holy Place, where the high priest alone could enter once a year to atone for the sins of the people. It was in the Most Holy Place that the Ark of the Covenant, and God’s presence with it, rested. The curtain that was torn was the one that closed off the Most Holy Place from view. At Christ’s death, the barrier between God and humanity was split in two. Now all people can approach God directly thru Christ (Hebrews 9:1-14; 10:19-22).”

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: The Life Application Study Bible

^[1] https://www.patternsofevidence.com/2021/04/02/torn-temple-curtain/

The Passion 17

Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

The Problem 

We’ve all done things that are wrong, plus we’ve failed to obey God’s laws. It was because of this that we’ve been separated from our Creator. To put it bluntly, separation from God means our death. By ourselves we can do nothing to become united with God. You can blame Adam & Eve if you’d like, but they didn’t commit YOUR sins.

Why Jesus is the Remedy to our Problem

                  He’s the remedy because He wasn’t only a man; He was also God’s unique Son. Because Jesus never disobeyed His Father, He alone was and is the only one who can bridge the gap between a sinless God & His sinful creation.

The Solution

                  It was Jesus who freely & willingly offered up His own life for us. It’s the GREAT EXCHANGE! Jesus took our place on a cross that was meant for each of us. He took all of our wrongdoing on Himself, thus saving us from the dreaded consequences of our own sin. Therefore, He took on all of God’s judgment, dying in our place.

The Results

                  Jesus took our past, present & future sins upon Himself so that we could have a new life, totally cleansed of sin. Because we are totally forgiven we’ve been reconciled to God. Furthermore, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is living proof that His substitutionary sacrifice on the cross was completely acceptable to God. His resurrection has become a source of new life for all who would believe that Jesus is the Son of God. To conclude, all who believe in Him will have a second chance at life as God intended all along. Sins forgiven, never to be thrown back in our face ever again. That is a result we can all live with.

                  Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: The Life Application Study Bible