Tag: death

  • Rumors of Life & Death

    Rumors of Life & Death

    Reporters of News

    And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.

    Gospel of Luke 7:17 – KJV

    Sojourners become clarions of news to uninformed ears in new places from the places where they have witnessed life.

    The ‘rumour‘ to which the Gospel-writer Luke refers (above) is Jesus’ raising a young man from his coffin along his own funeral procession in Nain in remote Galilee. Other English translations of the same Greek word [λόγος] use “report.”

    When we return to John’s Gospel (Good News) we will encounter such reports again, some stories which veer from the truth.

    Good News/Bad News: True or False?

    The Disciples who traveled with Jesus from town to town reported the Good News of Jesus the Messiah of Israel to many who had not heard in places distant from the events they had witnessed. Reliable reports from other witnesses also reached the ears of thousands who had not yet seen Jesus in Person.

    The four written NEWS accounts of JESUS CHRIST are not the only news of the Savior. Many reports are oral, even many first-hand stories from witnesses to Jesus’ many miraculous events recorded by the Apostles.

    Picture the Apostles after Jesus’ death and resurrection as reporters and add to their number every saint of the Church who consequently believed their report of the Lord Jesus Christ, then you may realize why John and others had to address false reports of their time.

    While reading the Gospels we discover many who reject the “Good News” of Jesus which challenges one or more of their earthly embraces of sin. Many reject God and refuse to acknowledge or let go of their sins.

    Some will believe in anything in order to deny the Truth.

    Roger Harned – talk of Jesus .com

    All the REPORTERS of Jesus had to be taken at face value for their rumors (stories) of the Messiah. Those who did not witness an event had to ask themselves the same questions we would ask today.

    • Is this even possible?
    • Is their report TRUE or FALSE in some way?
    • If it is true, is this GOOD NEWS or BAD NEWS for me?
    • How should I react? (What must I do?)
    • What is my response to this NEWS to others who have not heard?

    Brief Vitae of the Good News Reporters

    As mentioned previously in Witnesses to Jesus Risen! John and the Apostles continue to report their GOSPEL to others until the end of their lives and John writes to some who have witnessed even more miracles than he reports in his Gospel.

    Briefly from our Gospel archives take a look at these dates of the reports.

    • Jesus was crucified around the year AD 30
    • John Mark’s Gospel – before AD 49; martyred AD 68
    • Matthew’s Gospel – as early as AD 50, before martyrdom ~AD 60
    • the physician Luke’s Gospel/Acts – AD 60-61, prior to the great persecution that began under Nero in A.D. 64; Luke likely martyred in AD 84
    • John writes his Gospel to the churches after AD 85 [~AD 90-100]
    • 2nd c. AD – many Church fathers, disciples of John, Peter & others, testify to the truth of their Gospels and oppose false reports by false teachers.

    Countering False Reports

    So this rumor spread to the brothers and sisters that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? ”

    John 21:23 CSB

    John 21:

    Recall from John’s previous report [Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – Peter] of a third time they encountered Jesus after His resurrection:

    5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish to eat, do you?” .. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

    • Peter enthusiastically dove into the water and swam to meet Jesus on shore before the other Disciples came onshore in a boat filled with fish.
    • Simon Peter and Jesus have a conversation about feeding His sheep and Simon hesitates in his answers to the Lord (our Shepherd).
    • Jesus asks:
      • “Simon, son of John, do you agapaō Me more than these?” then, “Simon, son of John, do you agapaō Me? and finally,
      • “Simon, son of John, do you phileō Me?”
    • Peter’s hesitates in answering Jesus call to agapaō and each time confirming that he loves Him (phileō differing slightly in meaning).
    • The Lord commands him with some subtlety after each response:
      1. Tend My lambs.
      2. Shepherd My sheep.
      3. Tend My sheep.

    And to the reader knowing that Peter has already died for his Lord, (Peter’s dearly departed friend) John offers an explanation.

    17 .. Peter was hurt because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You..

    Good News, Bad News

    John gives the reader some ‘bad news,’ which is no longer NEWS to most and the ‘good news,’ which the other Apostles also witnessed. (Most of them had also died for their witness of the risen Christ Jesus!)

    So the rumor spread among the community of believer that this disciple wouldn’t die.

    Rumor vs. TRUTH

    • Who said it?
    • What is the RUMOR?
    • Where were they when it happened?
    • When might this have taken place?
    • Why would your NEWS source tell you?
    • How does this impact you?

    WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?

    As the last surviving Apostle, John witnesses the Good News of Jesus Christ and His resurrection for decades!

    What happens when a rumor creates a myth short of truth?

    This would happen later when the Church tells stories not supported by Scripture.

    When the saying (or story or myth) multiplies, then eventually encounters truth what most certainly will happen? The rumor is crushed and faith along with it (when the aging Apostle dies).

    And remember, regardless of when or how the saying had started, it has already been around for a time since the original witness is some fifty years before John writes his Gospel truth.

    Many disciples of The Way and saints of the church might easily elevate John (or for that matter, Simon Peter, other Apostles or even family of Jesus) to glory and worship due only the LORD.

    John’s simple approach to false witness

    The always esteemed and ever truthful Disciple does two things:

    1. John states the false witness (translated: saying, rumor, story)
    2. He refutes it by his own authoritative true witness.

    WHO DO YOU BELIEVE? It’s as simple as that.

    The incident in question involves what JESUS said to Simon Peter. Only six other Disciples including John witness it first hand. So John states:

    • 21:23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die:
    • yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die;
      • (FALSE rumor – John categorically states: – Jesus said NOT)
    • but,
      • (here is the truth I witnessed, says John)
    • [Jesus said ..],
      • If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? [KJV] or
    • “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” – NASB

    The Disciple by quoting Jesus refutes the rumor of John’s alleged immortality told in this story circulating among early Christians.

    John squashes this rumor before it can multiply into false teaching which will cause us to doubt the ‘Gospel Truth.’

    His own witness, true to facts unknown through rumor, states what happened (decades ago):

    • 20 Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them—the one who also had leaned back on His chest at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who is betraying You?”
    • So Peter, upon seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”
    • Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
      • Peter turned around, John was following him and Jesus.
      • Peter asked the Lord about John, because Jesus had just told Peter:

    18b “.. when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will put your belt on you, and bring you where you do not want to go.”

    • John tells the reader, who likely knows of Peter’s crucifixion, why Jesus said this.
    • After having refuted the rumor with the truth, John puts his seal on the whole truth of restating the ‘story.’

    This is the disciple who is testifying about these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

    John 21:24 NASB
    cross words Who's in charge? and a question of Authority

    John’s closing is comparable to Paul writing, “I sign this in my own hand.” At stake is the Authority & Truth of the Lord Jesus

    Rather than adding questions on this section of John,
    I leave you to question Truth vs. fiction.
    Please click PG 2 

    Pages: 1 2

  • Another Day of Silence at the Grave of a Loved One

    Another Day of Silence at the Grave of a Loved One

    It’s a familiar scene — loved ones mourning their loss in silence once the dead body can no longer be embraced by eyes or arms.

    All that remains are our fleeting memories of a life which has passed into lifeless dust. I have been there. Likely you have as well.

    two Roman soldiers standing by fire at night by Jesus' tomb

    It happens that the Beloved Body laid to rest previously is Jesus Christ.

    Perhaps you missed these mourners outside the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea where the remains of Jesus were sealed. In our own grief we lament how such a public spectacle of Jesus’ Crucifixion on a Roman Cross could have been inflicted on the Son of God.

    A Day of the silence of the Passover Lamb

    “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.

    Matthew 16:4 CSB

    Now the LORD had prepared a great fish…

    (Certain death: Three days & three nights away.)

    Now the LORD had appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah spent three days and three nights in the stomach of the fish.

    Jonah 1:17 – with commentaries

    Perhaps the bereaving Apostles or distraught mourners had recalled this and other sayings of Jesus.

    “A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.”

    John 16:16 NASB
    body of Jesus outside tomb of Joseph with others

    Christ :: The Three Days and the Three Nights

    Don't become too immersed in the discussions of 'days' or 'dates' of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection, but for the curious here is an article discussing some of the Jewish calendar issues involved.

    After a brief time of carrying His pierced body from the Cross, Joseph and the others must wait until the completion of the Passover feast and until the day after the Sabbath to return and dutifully complete their burial task.

    We noted several witnesses to Jesus’ crucifixion previously in It is finished.. + Death’s witnesses. John does not list everyone nor does the Apostle include some additional events.

    John has not mentioned Judas Iscariot since his betrayal of the Lord in Gethsemane. Yet Matthew’s Gospel reveals the death of Jesus’ betrayer, the 30 pieces of silver purchasing the field of blood and how it fulfills prophesy.

    3 When Y’hudah, who had betrayed him, saw that Yeshua had been condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the head cohanim and elders..

    “I sinned in betraying an innocent man to death.”

    the confession of Judas Iscariot – Matthew 27:4 HNV

    5 Hurling the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, he left; then he went off and hanged himself.

    From Crucifixion until Christ’s Resurrection

    Before we proceed to John’s witness of Christ’s Resurrection, let’s linger just one more day to note events and witnesses beyond the tomb where Jesus’ body lay.

    Matthew 27:

    59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

    two Roman soldiers standing by fire at night by Jesus' tomb

    61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

    What a sorrowful scene…

    And Matthew records:

    62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate..

    64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day..

    65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” And they went and made the tomb secure with the guard, sealing the stone.

    Luke 23:

    And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God; this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

    And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

    Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes.

    (Note the brief amount of time these women John names had to see the tomb, return with spices and just begin the wrapping of Jesus’ slain body.)

    • Luke tells us (Luke 23:56b) why they had to leave Jesus’ body until later.

    And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

    But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

    Luke 24:1 NASB
    3 crosses, cave tomb with stone rolled away
    • The Apostle Matthew tells how Joseph wrapped Jesus’ crucified body in a clean line cloth and laid the Lord in a place he had prepared for his own death.
    • Then Matthew tells us (27:60b NASB):

    and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.

    • Matthew, the Disciple of Jesus also records the sad scene of silent mourning, where Joseph must have recalled these two women who lingered there.

    61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

    Joseph rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed.
    To be continued..
    .. at dawn the first day of the week ...
  • A Day of the silence of the Passover Lamb

    A Day of the silence of the Passover Lamb

    The Son of Man is Slain

    From the day the Son of Man is delivered into the world and laid in a manger the shadow of the Cross foretold Christ’s Sacrifice.

    And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.. For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

    For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

    John 1:14,16-17 NASB

    וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה לְכָל־זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם מִֽשְׁכ֗וּ וּקְח֨וּ לָכֶ֥ם צֹ֛אן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם וְשַׁחֲט֥וּ הַפָּֽסַח׃

    Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb.

    Exodus 12:21 WLC; NASB http://blb.sc/002lS2

    Jesus has prepared unwilling ears of the Disciples for this shabbath of the pecach, which takes away the sins of the world.

    silhouette of Jesus on Cross in front of sunset

    “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up..

    John 3:13 NASB

    The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’?

    Who is this Son of Man?”

    John 12:34 NASB

    By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

    Hebrews 11:28 NASB

    Now the body of the Son of Man lays lifeless and bloodied, partially wrapped in the shrouds of burial and entombed in darkness sealed away from the living by a guarded stone door.

    Jesus the ROCK of Salvation

    The Song of Moses

    “Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;
    And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!
    2 May my teaching drip as the rain,
    My speech trickle as the dew,
    As droplets on the fresh grass,
    And as the showers on the vegetation.
    3 For I proclaim the name of the Lord;
    Ascribe greatness to our God!

    4 The Rock! His work is perfect,
    For all His ways are just;
    A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
    Righteous and just is He.
    5 They have acted corruptly against Him,
    They are not His children, because of their defect;
    But are a perverse and crooked generation.
    6 Is this what you do to the Lord,
    You foolish and unwise people?
    Is He not your Father who has purchased you?
    He has made you and established you.

    הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה וְתִשְׁמַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ אִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃

    2 יַעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב׃

    3 כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֶקְרָ֑א הָב֥וּ גֹ֖דֶל לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃

    4 הַצּוּר֙ תָּמִ֣ים פָּעֳל֔וֹ כִּ֥י כָל־דְּרָכָ֖יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אֵ֤ל אֱמוּנָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין עָ֔וֶל צַדִּ֥יק וְיָשָׁ֖ר הֽוּא׃

    5 שִׁחֵ֥ת ל֛וֹ לֹ֖א בָּנָ֣יו מוּמָ֑ם דּ֥וֹר עִקֵּ֖שׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּֽל׃

    6 הֲ־לַיְהוָה֙ תִּגְמְלוּ־זֹ֔את עַ֥ם נָבָ֖ל וְלֹ֣א חָכָ֑ם הֲלוֹא־הוּא֙ אָבִ֣יךָ קָּנֶ֔ךָ ה֥וּא עָֽשְׂךָ֖ וַֽיְכֹנְנֶֽךָ׃

    The Messiah & the Pharisees

    Philip found Nathanael and said to him,

    “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

    Gospel of John 1:45 NASB

    The Pharisees had often come to Jesus before they crucified Him and now faithful men have laid their Messiah in a grave. Joseph, Nicodemus and a remnant of influential Jews believe and follow the Messiah secretly out of fear of their own lives.

    “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

    John 5:25
    painting of Christ and the Pharisees by Earnst Zimmerman

    “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

    “I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves…

    The Pharisees had tested Jesus. Yet most continued to give glory to each other rather than the Messiah who came to teach truth in their midst.

    Jesus preached the truth of Scripture to the Jews who claimed to be teachers.

    “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father;

    the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.

    For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

    John 5: NASB

    The Writings of Moshe

    Deuteronomy 32:
    New American Standard Bible

    .. And you drank wine of the blood of grapes..

    18 You forgot the Rock who fathered you,
    And forgot the God who gave you birth.

    19 “The Lord saw this, and spurned them
    Because of the provocation by His sons and daughters.

    20 Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them,
    I will see what their end will be;
    For they are a perverse generation,
    Sons in whom there is no faithfulness.

    39 See now that I, I am He,
    And there is no god besides Me;
    It is I who put to death and give life.
    I have wounded and it is I who heal,
    And there is no one who can save anyone from My hand.
    40 Indeed, I raise My hand to heaven,
    And say, as I live forever,
    41 If I have sharpened My flashing sword,
    And My hand has taken hold of justice,
    I will return vengeance on My adversaries,
    And I will repay those who hate Me.

    דברים 32
    Westminster Leningrad Codex

    18 צ֥וּר יְלָדְךָ֖ תֶּ֑שִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֵ֥ל מְחֹלְלֶֽךָ׃

    19 וַיַּ֥רְא יְהוָ֖ה וַיִּנְאָ֑ץ מִכַּ֥עַס בָּנָ֖יו וּבְנֹתָֽיו׃

    20 וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַסְתִּ֤ירָה פָנַי֙ מֵהֶ֔ם אֶרְאֶ֖ה מָ֣ה אַחֲרִיתָ֑ם כִּ֣י ד֤וֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת֙ הֵ֔מָּה בָּנִ֖ים לֹא־אֵמֻ֥ן בָּֽם׃

    39 רְא֣וּ׀ עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י אֲנִי֙ ה֔וּא וְאֵ֥ין אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּדִ֑י אֲנִ֧י אָמִ֣ית וַאֲחַיֶּ֗ה מָחַ֙צְתִּי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י אֶרְפָּ֔א וְאֵ֥ין מִיָּדִ֖י מַצִּֽיל׃

    40 כִּֽי־אֶשָּׂ֥א אֶל־שָׁמַ֖יִם יָדִ֑י וְאָמַ֕רְתִּי חַ֥י אָנֹכִ֖י לְעֹלָֽם׃

    41 אִם־שַׁנּוֹתִי֙ בְּרַ֣ק חַרְבִּ֔י וְתֹאחֵ֥ז בְּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט יָדִ֑י אָשִׁ֤יב נָקָם֙ לְצָרָ֔י וְלִמְשַׂנְאַ֖י אֲשַׁלֵּֽם׃

    Prophesy: Curses on Disobedience

    Deuteronomy 28 :: HNV / WLC

    20 The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke, in all that you put your hand to do, until you are destroyed, and until you perish quickly; because of the evil of your doings, by which you have forsaken me.

    33 The fruit of your ground, and all your labors, shall a nation which you don’t know eat up; and you shall be only oppressed and crushed always..

    45-46 All these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you, and overtake you, until you are destroyed; because you didn’t listen to the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his mitzvot and his statutes which he commanded you: and they shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed forever.

    יְשַׁלַּח יְהוָה בְּךָ אֶת־הַמְּאֵרָה אֶת־הַמְּהוּמָה וְאֶת־הַמִּגְעֶרֶת בְּכָל־מִשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה עַד הִשָּֽׁמֶדְךָ וְעַד־אֲבָדְךָ מַהֵר מִפְּנֵי רֹעַ מַֽעֲלָלֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר עֲזַבְתָּֽנִי׃

    פְּרִי אַדְמָֽתְךָ וְכָל־יְגִיעֲךָ יֹאכַל עַם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדָעְתָּ וְהָיִיתָ רַק עָשׁוּק וְרָצוּץ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃

    וּבָאוּ עָלֶיךָ כָּל־הַקְּלָלוֹת הָאֵלֶּה וּרְדָפוּךָ וְהִשִּׂיגוּךָ עַד הִשָּֽׁמְדָךְ כִּי־לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקוֹל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹר מִצְוֺתָיו וְחֻקֹּתָיו אֲשֶׁר צִוָּֽךְ׃

    וְהָיוּ בְךָ לְאוֹת וּלְמוֹפֵת וּֽבְזַרְעֲךָ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

    “In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!’

    And at evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’

    because of the fear which terrifies your heart,

    and because of the sight which your eyes see.

    Deuteronomy 28:67 NKJV – curse of the LORD on Israel for breaking His Covenant

    Judgment by a Savior

    “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth;

    those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life,

    those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

    The words of Jesus – John 5:28-29 NASB
    So they shouted, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” - John19:15 - collage of Jesus and Pilate with first and 21st century crowds

    As the crowds had approached Jerusalem for the seven-day celebration they laid palms before Jesus at the gates atop the holy hill.

    Now as Jesus lay in the grave, His broken and bloodied Body partially prepared for burial, the public mourning of the faithful must wait for a sacred celebration of the final feast of pecach.

    As Jesus lay on a slab of stone in a tomb sealed by a rock rolled before its entrance, faithful Jews knew well the curses of their own disobedience and separation from the Lord their God.

    The Prophet Hosea (~755–710 B.C)

    Hosea’s name means: salvation, as did that of Moses’ successor Joshua and as does that of the Son of Man known of Nazareth, Jesus.

    From the hand of Sheol I do ransom them,

    From death I redeem them,

    Where is thy plague, O death?

    Where thy destruction, O Sheol?

    Repentance is hid from Mine eyes.

    Hosea 13:14 YLT

    After this day of irony in the festival feast would come the sorrowful day of mourning on the first day of the week.

    Yet the words of Jesus before summoning Lazarus from the grave surly resounded in the hearts of their recent memory.

    Lazarus come forth - photo of sunrise and Bible

    Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.

    Do you believe this?”

    the Good News of John 11:25-26 NASB

    She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.” – John 11:27 Hebrew Names Version

    The Silence of this Shabbat

    two Roman soldiers standing by fire at night by Jesus' tomb

    There, as Jesus’ loved ones, family and followers mourned silently during the final feast of the Passover, the preparations of their hearts found no solace in His upcoming burial on the first day of the week.

    For they had witnessed the brutality of sin against the Sinless One on the Cross of Calvary.

    The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. One who believes in the Son has eternal life,

    but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

    the Good News of John 3:35-36 Hebrew Names Version