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

The Passion 16

The Crucifixion of Jesus – Part 2

 

The difficulty surrounding exhalation leads to a slow form of suffocation. Carbon dioxide builds up in the blood, resulting in a high level of carbonic acid in the blood. The body responds instinctively, triggering the desire to breathe. At the same time, the heart beats faster to circulate available oxygen. The decreased oxygen (due to the difficulty in exhaling) causes damage to the tissues and the capillaries begin leaking watery fluid from the blood into the tissues. This results in a build-up of fluid around the heart (pericardial effusion) and lungs (pleural effusion). The collapsing lungs, failing heart, dehydration, and the inability to get sufficient oxygen to the tissues essentially suffocate the victim.1 The decreased oxygen also damages the heart itself (myocardial infarction) which leads to cardiac arrest. In severe cases of cardiac stress, the heart can even burst, a process known as cardiac rupture.1 Jesus most likely died of a heart attack.

After Jesus’ death, the soldiers break the legs of the two criminals crucified alongside Him (John 19:32), causing suffocation. Death would then occur quicker. When they came to Jesus, He was already dead, so they did not break His legs (John 19:33). Instead, the soldiers pierced His side (John 19:34) to assure that He was dead. In doing this, it is reported that “blood and water came out” (John 19:34), referring to the watery fluid surrounding the heart and lungs.

While these unpleasant facts depict a brutal murder, the depth of Christ’s pain emphasizes the true extent of God’s love for His creation. Teaching the physiology of Christ’s crucifixion is a constant reminder of the magnificent demonstration of God’s love for humanity that was expressed that day at Calvary. This lesson enables us to participate in communion, the remembrance of His sacrifice, with a grateful heart. We should be struck every time with the stunning realization that as a flesh and blood human, Jesus felt every ounce of this execution. What greater love than this can a man have for his friends?

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source:  https://www.apu.edu/articles/the-science-of-the-crucifixion/

Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-41, Luke 23:27-49, John 19:17-37

The Passion 15

The Crucifixion of Jesus – Part 1

 

Crucifixion was invented by the Persians between 300-400 B.C. It is quite possibly the most painful death ever invented by humankind. The English language derives the word “excruciating” from crucifixion, acknowledging it as a form of slow, painful suffering. Its punishment was reserved for slaves, foreigners, revolutionaries, and the vilest of criminals. Victims were nailed to a cross; however, Jesus’ cross was probably not the Latin cross, but rather a Tau cross (T). The vertical piece (the stipes) remains in the ground permanently. The accused carries only the horizontal piece (the patibulum) up the hill. Atop the patibulum lies a sign (the titulus), indicating that a formal trial occurred for a violation of the law. In Jesus’ case, this reads “This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38).

The accused needed to be nailed to the patibulum while lying down, so Jesus is thrown to the ground, reopening His wounds, grinding in dirt, and causing bleeding. They nailed His “hands” to the patibulum. The Greek meaning of “hands”includes the wrist. It is more likely that the nails went through Jesus’ wrists. If the nails were driven into the hand, the weight of the arms would cause the nail to rip through the soft flesh. Therefore, the upper body would not be held to the cross. If placed in the wrist, the bones in the lower portion of the hand support the weight of the arms and the body remains nailed to the cross. The huge nail (seven to nine inches long) damages or severs the major nerve to the hand (the median nerve) upon impact. This causes continuous agonizing pain up both of Jesus’ arms.

Once the victim is secured, the guards lift the patibulum and place it on the stipes already in the ground. As it is lifted, Jesus’ full weight pulls down on His nailed wrists and His shoulders and elbows dislocate (Psalm 22:14). In this position, Jesus’ arms stretch to a minimum of six inches longer than their original length.

It is highly likely that Jesus’ feet were nailed through the tops as often pictured. In this position (with the knees flexed at approximately 90 degrees), the weight of the body pushes down on the nails and the ankles support the weight. The nails would not rip through the soft tissue as would have occurred with the hands. Again, the nail would cause severe nerve damage (it severs the dorsal pedal artery of the foot) and acute pain.

Normally, to breathe in, the diaphragm (the large muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity) must move down. This enlarges the chest cavity, and air automatically moves into the lungs (inhalation). To exhale, the diaphragm rises up, which compresses the air in the lungs and forces the air out (exhalation). As Jesus hangs on the cross, the weight of His body pulls down on the diaphragm and the air moves into His lungs and remains there. Jesus must push up on His nailed feet (causing more pain) to exhale.

In order to speak, air must pass over the vocal cords during exhalation. The Gospels note that Jesus spoke seven times from the cross. It is amazing that despite His pain, He pushes up to say, “Forgive them” (Luke 23:34).

The scientific description of Christ’s crucifixion will conclude with Part 2 in my next post. Until then, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source:  https://www.apu.edu/articles/the-science-of-the-crucifixion/

Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-41, Luke 23:27-49, John 19:17-37

The Passion 14

Via Dolorosa

 

                  Via Dolorosa means “The Way of Sorrows”. It is the path Jesus took to Golgotha, the place where the crucifixion took place. After the severe beating Jesus took and the massive blood loss, He was then expected to carry His own cross to the crucifixion site. 

“The cross Jesus carried was likely made of two parts: the patibulum (horizontal beam) and the stipes (vertical beam). It is believed that Jesus carried the patibulum, which could weigh between 75-125 pounds.  This immense weight, combined with Jesus’s weakened state, exemplified the physical burden he bore. Christ carrying the cross through the streets of Jerusalem, while already exhausted, highlights his immense sacrifice. Our understanding of this weight gives us a more tangible sense of the physical suffering he endured.” ^[1]

After Jesus had walked a short distance with the cross beam, He collapsed. This is where Simon of Cyrene enters the story. The route stretched through the heart of Jerusalem, starting from the site where he was condemned to the crucifixion site, which has been calculated to be slightly less than ½ a mile. 

What do we know about Simon from Cyrene? We know that “Cyrene was an African city on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the region what we call today Libya. And we also know that at that point in time, in Cyrene, there was a very large Jewish community. And therefore, we can logically assume that Simon of Cyrene was a Jewish pilgrim who made the 1,500-mile journey from Cyrene to the city of Jerusalem in order to participate in all of the celebrations of the Passover. That was always a goal for any Jewish person living outside the region of the holy land, to be able to be a pilgrim to journey to the holy city of Jerusalem and there, to join in the great celebrations around the Passover.” ^[2]

Evangelical scholars and Bible teachers believe that Simon of Cyrene, by divine appointment, was brought to that precise spot at that precise instant because he could render help to God’s own son Jesus. It was no accident. Now, followers of Christ tend to forget that the hidden hands of God are always at work in our lives, interweaving circumstances, orchestrating events in order to produce some divinely desired result in our lives. God is always working in us and with us and through us. When we encounter those incidents in life that we can’t explain, we just simply write them off. But you see, the reality is that if we saw everything from God’s perspective, if we had all the facts as God has them, then we would understand that there are no accidents, or coincidences. There is only providence, God’s providence. God is in charge. God is in control. He is in control of your life and mine.  Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] https://jesuschristsavior.net/how-far-did-jesus-carry-the-cross/#google_vignette

^[2] https://thewordmadefresh.org/sermons/faces-and-places-around-the-cross-simon-of-cyrene/

The Passion 13

Pilate’s Dilemma

            After the flogging had taken place, and the mocking by the soldiers, Jesus was led back to Pilate. Pilate said to the priests and Temple guards that though they thought Jesus was seeking to lead a revolt against the Roman government, he had spoken with the Him and found no guilt in Him. The Jewish leaders found this completely unacceptable and began to raise their voices, shouting that Jesus be crucified. Crucifixion was truly a horrifying way to die. Pilate was perplexed and wondered why they wished to kill this man when he found Jesus not guilty of any crime. Frankly, the Jews cared little what Jesus was found guilty of as long as Pilate cooperated with them to eliminate this man they considered such an immense threat to them.

            John’s gospel is the only one that has the Jewish leaders telling Pilate Jesus said He was the Son of God. Upon hearing this Pilate became frightened, took Jesus back into the Praetorium (his headquarters) and said to Him the following: “Where are You from?” But Jesus did not answer him. So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?”  Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me at all if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the sin and guilt of the one who handed Me over to you is greater [than your own].” ^{(John 19:9-11 Amplified Bible)} After Jesus spoke these words Pilate once again attempted to release Him. It was then that the Jewish leaders shouted that if Pilate released Jesus he was no friend to Caesar.

            Pilate brought Jesus out before them and stated, “Look, here is your King.” The leaders insisted they have no king but Caesar. They wished Jesus to be crucified. How ironic that they pretended to have allegiance to Rome while rejecting their own Messiah. Their own words condemned them for God was supposed to be their only true King. It was apparent by this episode that the Jewish leaders had abandoned any trace of loyalty to their God. The priests had truly lost their reason for existence. Instead of turning people to God, they claimed allegiance to Rome in order to kill their Messiah. To avoid further problems from the Jewish leaders and their people, Pilate acquiesced to their wishes, turning Jesus over to them to be crucified.

            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

The Passion 12

Jesus Stands Trial Before Herod

            Luke’s gospel was the only one that mentions Herod Antipas. Who was Herod Antipas? Herod Antipas held the position of tetrarch ^[1] over Galilee and Perea, which was appointed by the Roman emperor Augustus to rule over one quarter of his father's kingdom. He ruled from 4 BCE until 39 AD. Antipas was one of the sons of Herod the Great, who was known for his architectural achievements* and for attempting to kill baby Jesus. As a result of that many children were killed, though God had protected His son sending a warning to Mary and Joseph. 

            It just so happens that Herod Antipas, who was a half-Jew, was in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. This was the same man who had John the Baptist killed. When Pilate realized that Jesus was from Galilee he gladly sent Him to see Herod, whose jurisdiction, as stated above, was Galilee. Once Herod became aware of Jesus also being in Jerusalem, he “was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about Him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle.” (Luke 23:8) Luke lets us know that Herod asked Jesus a number of questions, to which Jesus had no reply. This disappointed Herod so he and his soldiers began to mock and ridicule Jesus. To add insult to injury, Herod had a royal robe draped over Jesus shoulders. This meeting was before Pilate had Jesus flogged.

            Herod Antipas had two advantages over Pilate: He came from a hereditary part-Jewish monarchy and had held his position much longer than Pilate had. However, Pilate had two advantages over Herod: He was a Roman citizen and an envoy to the Emperor Tiberius. What’s more, Pilate’s position was created to replace Herod’s half-brother, Archelaus, who was considered ineffective at his job. This created an uneasy coexistence between Pilate and Herod Antipas. It was Jesus’ trial that actually brought them together. The trial was what caused Pilate to recognize Herod’s authority over Galilee. Because of that, Herod stopped feeling threatened by the Roman governor. It was because neither man knew what to do about the predicament they both found themselves in their common problem acted as a uniting factor that seemed to erase past animosities.

            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

^[1] tetrarch, in Greco-Roman antiquity, the ruler of a principality; originally the ruler of one-quarter of a region or province.  https://www.britannica.com/topic/tetrarch-ancient-Greek-official

* He is known for reconstructing & expanding the Jerusalem Temple, building fortresses, and building pagan temples.

The Passion 11

Jesus Mocked & Beaten

 

            Is it fair to chastise the Roman soldiers who mocked and abused Jesus prior to His being crucified? Did they really know any better? Jesus stated while hanging on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34 NLT) The soldiers, being gentiles, know nothing of the Jewish laws and frankly more than likely couldn’t care less to know them. These men were brutish, tough, hard-nosed military men who may not have been all that bright. They used brute force and looked to take advantage of each situation to inflict pain, so when they were offered the opportunity to first flog Jesus, then escort Him to the crucifixion site, they no doubt seized it relishing the chance to, in their minds, have some fun.

            Matthew & Mark mention the number of soldiers as a “whole regiment”. That’s around 200 soldiers! So, after His flogging* the enormous crowd of brutish men mocked Jesus. He did nothing to retaliate. They made Him a crown of thorns which they beat down around His head. A crown whose thorns were roughly 1” long and dug into Jesus’ scalp. The soldiers then placed a robe on the Lord. The blood from the flogging was fresh and adhered to the cloth, soaking it.

            Understanding the soldiers probable mindset, it was no wonder that they took the opportunity to make fun of the supposed “King of the Jews”. It was only when they had tired of mocking Jesus that they took off the robe** they had placed on Him and redressed Him. Then they led the Lord away to be crucified. The blood that poured from Jesus’ body obviously made Him weak. The pain Him endured was indescribable. That pain, plus the tremendous weight of the sins of mankind made this time for Him nearly unbearable.  Yet He willingly obeyed His Father’s will, knowing it was necessary to fulfill God’s plan of salvation for man.

            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

*3 of the 4 gospel accounts say that the whip had lead tips. Historians tell of a scourge that was commonly used to whip criminals with. The scourge had broken pieces of metal, and jagged stones affixed to each of the three straps making up the scourge. 

**Having the robe ripped off Jesus body after the blood had a chance to congeal (solidify; coagulate) meant His cuts and sores would be ripped open all over again, inflicting MORE pain. 

The Passion 10

How Jesus’ Trial was Illegal

                  It is plain in the gospel accounts that even before the trial began it had been predetermined that Jesus must die (Mark 14:1; John 11:50). “Innocent until proven guilty” was not in play here.

                  The Jewish leaders sought out false witnesses to testify against Jesus (Matthew 26:59). Under normal circumstances the leaders would have gone through an elaborate system of vetting any witnesses to ensure justice, but not this time.

                  No defense for Jesus was either sought or allowed (Luke 22:67-71). This fell in line with OT prophesies regarding Jesus trial and death. 

                  The trial was conducted at night (Mark 14:53-65; 15:1), which was in and of itself illegal according to the religious leaders own laws.

                  Caiaphas, the High Priest, put Jesus under oath, then incriminated Him for what He said (Matthew 26:63-66).

                  Cases involving such serious charges were to be tried only in the high council’s regular meeting place, NOT in the high priest’s home (Mark 14:53-65).

                  It was never the religious leaders plan to give Jesus a fair trial. They felt it was imperative that Jesus be eliminated. Their blind obsession with removing Jesus led them to pervert the justice system they were appointed to protect. The reasons given above were illegal in that they violated THEIR OWN laws.

                  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

The Passion 9

Condemned to Die

            Pilate’s annual custom was to release a criminal during the Passover celebration as a means of placating the Jewish leaders and their people. Ironically, put up for release with Jesus was an insurrectionist against the Roman government by the name of Barabbas. While an enemy of Rome, he was no doubt a hero to the Jews. 

            “The location of Jesus’ sentencing before Pontius Pilate took place in a paved, open place with an elevated platform for the judgement seat (or tribunal), which was near Herod the Great’s old palace, then functioning as the Roman Praetorium.” ^[1]

                  A motivation for the Jewish leaders hatred of Jesus was revealed by Matthew in v.18 of chapter 27, as it states: “He (Pilate) knew very well that the religious leaders arrested Jesus out of envy.” There is no question from scripture that the Pharisees and Sadducees didn’t like his immense and growing popularity among the Jewish people. 

            In Matthew’s gospel, he tells us that while Pilate was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent as message to him saying: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.” Matthew is the only disciple who reveals this.

            In the meantime, the Jewish leaders had begun whipping the crowd up, urging them to call for the release of Barabbas and not Jesus. This entire scenario had been set in motion since the dawn of time and was coming to fruition. When the crowd called for Jesus crucifixion Pilate, who believed Jesus to be innocent, asked the crowd, “Why? What crime has He committed?” But their cries for His death were escalating. Pilate was sensing a potential riot, which he wished to avoid at all costs. So to seemingly absolve himself of any responsibility of an innocent man he called for a bowl of water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. As he washed them he said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!” In reply they yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death – we and our children!” Little did they realize the curse they had just placed upon themselves out of ignorance and spiritual blindness. The Messiah they had all long waited for was being sent BY THEM to be murdered. 

            To appease the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas and ordered Jesus flogged, then taken to be crucified. These details were missing from Luke and John, but were in Mark, minus the part of Pilate’s wife.

            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.

^[1] https://biblearchaeologyreport.com/2022/04/14/behold-the-man-where-did-pilate-sentence-jesus/

The Passion 8

Jesus Stands Before Pilate

            Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea, wished to know one thing according to Matthew’s gospel. Was Jesus the king of the Jews? 

            Luke’s gospel makes the point that the entire council TOOK Jesus to Pilate. Matthew mentions that the leaders bound Jesus and LED Him to Pilate, but Luke has the governor speaking with the council while the Lord was standing before him. It is in Luke’s account that Pilate first says that he finds no guilt in Jesus. 

            John’s gospel gives a more detailed encounter. Seems the accusers of Christ didn’t go in to speak with Pilate for it would defile them and with the Passover coming they would be ceremonially unclean due to their interaction with a gentile, thus making them unable to celebrate the holy days. In John’s rendering Pilate asked what the charges were against Jesus. The Jewish leaders declared that they wouldn’t have brought Jesus to him if he weren’t a criminal. Pilate tells them to judge Jesus by their own laws, but their chilling response was, “Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone.” According to John, THAT is when Pilate asked Jesus if He were the king of the Jews. His reply is a little more lengthy here, as He wants to know if Pilate himself wanted to know, or if others saying this had prompted the question.

Pilate then wanted to know what Jesus had done to bring about the ire of the Jews religious leaders. Jesus response reveals that His kingdom is not of this earth, for if it were His followers would have fought to defend Him. To that Pilate exclaims, “So You ARE a king?”

Jesus answer wasn’t direct with regards to the very specific question. Rather, He proclaims that He came into this world to reveal the truth and those who love the truth could see that what He had said was the truth. 

            Being cynical, Pilate was of the mind that all truth was relative. In other words, whatever the majority agreed was true was then true. To taint this idea, the people including the religious & political leaders would lean toward whatever thought or idea would best benefit them personally. So His cynicism led Pilate to ask the question: “What is truth?” 

            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.

The Passion 7

Pilate

 

            In Jesus’ day, any death sentence had to be approved by the Roman official in charge of the administrative district. Pontius Pilate was governor of the province of Judea, where Jerusalem was located. When the Jewish leaders had Jesus in their power and wanted to kill him, they had to obtain Pilate’s permission. So it happened that early one morning Pilate found a crowd at his door demanding a man’s death.

            Pilate’s relationship with the Jews had always been stormy. His Roman toughness and fairness had been weakened by cynicism, compromises, and mistakes. On several occasions his actions had deeply offended the religious leaders. The resulting riots and chaos must have made Pilate wonder what he had gotten himself into. He was trying to control the people who treated their Roman conquerors without respect. Jesus’ trial was another episode in Pilate’s ongoing problems.

“They found no legal reason to execute him, but they asked Pilate to have him killed anyway.”- Acts 13:28 NLT

            For Pilate, there was never a doubt about Jesus’ innocence. Three separate times he declared Jesus not guilty. He couldn’t understand why these people wanted to kill Jesus, but his fear of the Jews’ political pressure made him decide to allow Jesus’ crucifixion. Because of the people’s threat to inform the emperor that Pilate hadn’t eliminated a rebel against Rome, Pilate went against what he knew was right. In desperation, he chose to do wrong.

            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, p2159.

The Passion 6

How Did Judas Die?

 

“Did Judas Iscariot die by hanging or did he die by falling and bursting open?”

 

The relevant passages are: 

 

Matthew 27:5 - “Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.”

Acts 1:18 - “Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.”

 

“Some people have wrongly assumed that Matthew and Luke (the author of Acts) are contradictory in their account of Judas’ death. Since the Bible is inerrant Judas cannot have died by hanging and died by falling and bursting open. Rather they are two different viewpoints of the same event. For example, if I saw a car hit a pedestrian, I might simply say that the pedestrian died because he was hit by the car. The coroner who came on the scene later but did not actually see the accident might give a graphic description of the injuries to the pedestrian. Both the coroner and I are describing the same event just different aspects of it.

There is no contradiction surrounding Judas’ death but rather two descriptions given by two different authors of the same event. Matthew tells us that Judas died by hanging (death is inferred from the passage). Luke, being a doctor, gives us a graphic description of what occurred following the hanging. The reason for ordering the events as such is twofold. First, if someone has fallen and their internal organs spilled out, they would die and so could not subsequently die from hanging. Second, even when people suffer bad falls, they do not usually burst open and have their internal organs spill out. Skin is very tough, and even when it is cut in the abdominal area, internals do not usually spill out. Thus, it is unlikely that Judas could die in this manner merely from falling.

Gruesome as it is, Judas’ dead body hung in the hot sun of Jerusalem, and the bacteria inside his body would have been actively breaking down tissues and cells. A byproduct of bacterial metabolism is often gas. The pressure created by the gas forces fluid out of the cells and tissues and into the body cavities. The body becomes bloated as a result. In addition, tissue decomposition occurs compromising the integrity of the skin. Judas’ body was similar to an overinflated balloon: as he hit the ground (due to the branch he hung on or the rope itself breaking), the skin easily broke, and he burst open with his internal organs spilling out.

There is no contradiction surrounding Judas’ death but rather two descriptions given by two different authors of the same event.”

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

This article was written by Dr. Georgia Purdom on May 25, 2009. Dr. Purdom is a speaker, writer, VP of Educational Content, Director of Research, Director Answers for Women Conferences Answers in Genesis.

The Passion 5

Judas’ Death

            Judas took 30 pieces of silver as payment for betraying an innocent man. The leading religious leaders felt no guilt giving the money to Judas; however, in the gospel of Matthew 27:3-10, those same leaders refused to accept those same 30 coins back when Judas realized they were going to KILL Jesus. His admission of sinning was blown off by the leaders saying, essentially that his sin was his problem, and they disassociated themselves from the entire situation. 

            Judas’ severe guilt wouldn’t allow him to keep the coins, so he went back to give the coins back to the religious leaders. When they refused to take them back Judas threw them on the floor of the Temple. Once he left the religious leaders revealed their hypocrisy by stating the following (vv.6-8), “The leading priests picked up the coins. ‘It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,’ they said, ‘since it was payment for murder.’ * After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. That is why the field is still called the ‘Field of Blood’”.

            This whole incident is prophesied in Zechariah 11:12-13, where it says, “I said to them, ‘If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, do not.’ So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver as my wages. Then the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter [as if to the dogs]—that magnificent sum at which I am valued by them!’ So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord.” **

The other three gospel accounts do not mention Judas after his betrayal; however, Luke, the author of the book of Acts, writes the following in Acts 1:18: “Now Judas Iscariot indirectly acquired a piece of land with the money paid him as a reward for his treachery, and falling headlong, his body burst open in the middle and all his intestines poured out.” This appears to be in direct contrast to what Matthew has to say regarding this event. Scholars reason that, “the apparent discrepancy is that the rope or line that Judas was using broke, and the body fell in such a way as to be disemboweled.”  Frankly, it can’t be proven either way. This is the type of discrepancy that a non-believer would use to discredit the validity and infallibility of scripture. The event had no witnesses so we don’t know exactly what happened, but we know Judas died for surely someone must have found his dead body. I suppose the only way to harmonize Matthew’s account with the verses in Acts is to assume that Judas hung himself and the rope snapped causing him to fall to the ground.  The next installment of The Passion will go on a tangent as we see an experts reasoning of why the account in Matthew is in no way a contradiction to the verses in Acts. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*In Greek v. 6 reads “since it is the price for blood.”      

** Zechariah 11:12 - Since the type of coin is not stated, shekels can be assumed. The shekel was the standard wage for a day of labor, and the payment was weighed because the shekel was actually a unit of weight.

Zechariah 11:13 - At this point the pre-incarnate Christ intervenes and prophetically refers to the payment given by the religious leaders to Judas for his betrayal (Matt 26:15).

The Passion 4

Jesus Condemned

            The religious leaders of Jerusalem wanted to get rid of Jesus in the worst way. It was the council of leaders who were at Caiaphas’ house attempting to question Jesus, but He wasn’t very talkative. All He did was acknowledge that He was, indeed, the long awaited Messiah; the Son of God. That was enough ... Blasphemy! They cried as many tore their robes. When someone tore their robe it was meant as a public & powerful sign of grief, sorrow and/or anger.

            It was early in the morning following the predetermined trial the day before, that the entire high council, comprised of priests, elders, and teachers of the Mosaic Law tied up Jesus and led Him away to meet with Pilate, the Roman Governor. What the Jewish leaders wished to do was not allowed according to Roman law. Jesus would have to be condemned to death by a Roman leader.

            Crucifixion was a means of death that the Jewish leaders demanded because they believed that such a death brought a curse from God. Therefore, if and when Jesus was crucified He would be seen as a rebel and slave, rather than a king. 

            Matthew & Mark were nearly verbatim in their depiction of the events that took place regarding Jesus condemnation. The Jewish leaders had predetermined the outcome of their trial of Jesus and thus it was no surprise when they bound Him up and sent Him off to face Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor for sentencing.

            The charge of blasphemy would mean little to nothing to Pilate, a non-Jew so the religious leaders invented three other crimes that according to them Jesus had committed. 1) Jesus was encouraging the people NOT to pay their taxes to Rome; 2) He claimed to be a King; and 3) Jesus was causing riots throughout the countryside. Of course, none of these accusations were even remotely true, but the Leaders needed to appease Pilate by conjuring up accusations that would have seemed to be a threat of some sort to the Roman Government.

            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

The Passion 3

The Questioning of Jesus

            The gospel of John is the only one of the four gospels that has Jesus being led off to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the current High Priest. It was Caiaphas who was already plotting to have Jesus killed. While this was going on Peter was in the process of denying the Lord three times, as Jesus had prophesied. 

            Annas wished to know what Jesus had been teaching the crowds. Jesus basically told him to ask those who heard him, for nothing He said was a secret. One of the Temple guards took exception to Jesus’ reply and slapped Him across the face making the point that His response was disrespectful. The Lord wished to know why He was slapped since what He had said was the truth. It was a brief one question interrogation, after which Annas bound Jesus and sent Him on to his son-in-law the High Priest. 

            While the religious leaders were the cause of His physical pain, Jesus’ disciples also caused Him undo pain and anguish for they all fled to save themselves after He was arrested and taken away. Peter’s denials were the icing on the cake as it were. Jesus was alone on this earth and was about to be separated from His Father in due time. He knew it was coming and was undoubtedly not looking forward to it. 

            We have to go to the gospels of Matthew & Mark to see the details of the questioning by Caiaphas, as neither Luke, nor John mention it at all. The High Priest and the other religious leaders were there to question the Lord. Caiaphas had heard that Jesus had declared Himself the Son of God; Israel’s long awaited deliverer, their Messiah. Caiaphas asked Him directly if He was indeed the Messiah. Mark’s depiction has Jesus simply responding, “I AM”, which is what God told Moses to refer to Him as when he went back down the mount to the people in the Book of Exodus. Because of their intimate knowledge of the Torah* they knew very well what Jesus was saying. Therefore, Jesus’ response acknowledged His deity and equated Himself to Almighty God with just two words. He also tells of the future when the Son of Man will sit down at God’ right hand. With this Caiaphas tore his priestly robes** and cried out “Blasphemy!” Jesus’ admission sealed His fate.

            Peter had proven Jesus right by denying any association with Him three separate times as he was attempting to see what was happening to his Lord. The events that had taken place, along with his denials must have been very traumatic for him. Matthew and Luke tell us Peter “wept bitterly” upon hearing the cock crow. It was then that the full realization of his actions were exactly as Jesus had said and it weighed heavy upon him.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*The first five books of the Bible.

**Done out of grief, and/or anger.