“Are you the King of the Jews,” the Prefect Pilate had asked JESUS just three days ago?
βασιλεύς King ?
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews.
But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Gospel of John 18: ESV 36 [in context John 18:28-40 AKJV]
Case dismissed! This Man is NO threat to Rome or Jerusalem, Pilate COULD have said (had the Governor cared more about the Truth than public opinion.) SO instead HE WAS CRUCIFIED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE and THREE DAYS AGO was BURIED in a GUARDED TOMB!
The Jews had wanted a king more powerful than the Herod. Now these powerful pastors can celebrate THEIR Passover and finally dismiss this prophet JESUS saying,
The King is DEAD! Long live the King.
“Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar,” these Elder accusers of JESUS had taunted. The hereditary Chief Priests might no longer need to limp around the bloody temple sacrifices in order to please the multitudes.
YET since the rising of the sun three days later, some witnesses now report the RISING of the SON-MAN, JESUS!
Resurrection witnessed
The leaders of Herod’s temple (for it had been rebuilt by the Great Herod who left many of the common areas of the courts unfinished) did NOT need any interruption of their indulgences and ceremonial place of authority over worshipers of God obligated to come to THEIR temple twice yearly.
BUT even before THEY managed to convict and crucify the Christ so many followed the leadership of Jerusalem also sought to kill Jesus’ Apostles and most of all Lazarus.
When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there [Bethany], they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he [JESUS] had raised from the dead.
So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
Gospel of John 12:9-11 ESV
The Temple leadership, however, failed to seize and kill Lazarus (again) but seemed satisfied to crucify the Christ said to raise Lazarus from the grave. (But how could such a thing as that have really happened, those many men who did not believe in the resurrection questioned?)
Jesus knew how these would REJECT Him not only because they did NOT believe Scripture, but also because these religious leaders could never envision their Messiah (the Christ, of whom the gentiles spoke) would be given the authority to raise the dead.
For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.
Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Gospel of John 5:22-25 ESV
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
And he has given him authority to execute judgment,
Gospel of John 5:27-29 ESV – Jesus claiming the Authority of the Son-Man Messiah
because he is [the] Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out,
those who have done good to the resurrection of life,
and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
Jesus certainly had demonstrated this Authority of the Christ by raising Lazarus from death!
The LEADERS of JUDAH knew rejected the Truth they knew; but even the most faithful worshipers sometimes doubt the veracity of Holy Scripture.
Does this sound familiar?
Son-Man, can these bones live?
+ Note: Lit. “son man” – the Hebrew does not use articles bēn ‘āḏām – בֶּן־אָדָם
Picture yourself standing near Golgotha, where rotted bones of the crucified eventually fall to the dust. See any scene of a low valley of graves where flesh and bones decay in the dust and loved ones lament over the lifeless souls of their past..
Ezekiel 37: KJV
And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath [רוּחַ]came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
Resurrection Prophesied
And at that time Michael the great prince shall stand up, that stands over the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of tribulation, such tribulation as has not been from the time that there was a nation on the earth until that time: at that time thy people shall be delivered, even every one that is written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproach and everlasting shame.
Daniel 12:2 Brenton Septuagint Translation
Christ holds His priesthood permanently
The problem of the High Priests Annas and Caiaphas is no different than that pointed out by the author of the book of Hebrews.
And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:25-27 LSB
AND don't miss this about the necessity that the CHRIST should become the Perfect Sacrifice for our sins.
For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
What must you do to be saved?
The Son-Man, JESUS (SAVIOR) Son WHO IS One with the Father and the Holy Spirit — Messiah [Christ] prophesied in Scripture IS the Very WORD of the LORD God!
THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY?
Good News!
Spurgeon on Lazarus and resurrection
Charles Spurgeon, the renowned English preacher of the 19th century provides us with further thoughts about what happened to Lazarus and those who already had mourned over his death. THOUGH HE WERE DEAD - 14 September, A.D. 1884, Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington G.B. John 11:24-26
- here is the comfort which we may each one safely take, namely, that when Jesus comes the dead shall live.
- Then we are also told that when Jesus comes, living believers shall not die. After the coming of Christ there shall be no more death for his people.
- Resurrection with Jesus is resurrection indeed. Life with Jesus is life indeed.
- I think that Jesus meant that even now His dead are alive. Again, even now his living do not die.
Beyond these few brief points of comfort for the bereaved Spurgeon continues with a notable Scriptural truth WE tend to avoid:
Methinks, first, this text plainly teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ is the life of his people.
We are dead by nature, and you can never produce life out of death: the essential elements are wanting..
.. The life of a Christian in its commencement is in Christ alone, not a fragment of it is from himself, and the continuance of that life is equally the same; Jesus is not only the resurrection to begin with, but the life to go on with.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
The multitudes of Jerusalem loved Jesus’ teaching and loved Jesus’ humility. YET many who yearned to gather in the Temple REJECTED the greater love of a Savior willing to die on the Cross rather than life the life of a great teacher.
the resurrection and the life
Spurgeon pleas with those with ears to hear teaching on the power of Jesus raising Lazarus and what the Christian disciple must do:
“I tell you you must learn that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
Hearken to that great “I,” that infinite EGO! This must cover over and swallow up your little ego.
“I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”
WHAT ARE YOU?
Less than nothing, and vanity; but over all springs up divine, all-sufficient personality, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
.. further [Spurgeon points out],
“he that believeth in Me”: that is it.
He does not say, “He that loves me.”
my Lord and my God!
The GOOD NEWS of the RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST!
Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are those who did not see, and yet believed.”
Gospel of John 20:29 LSB
Alleluia!
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Christ IS Risen!
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