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Tag: Gospel

The Gospel is Good News to all who will humbly accept Jesus and listen to His teaching.

We refer to the four books of the Bible which tell the story of Jesus Christ as the Gospels. These books are named for their authors: Matthew, a Jewish Apostle; Mark, a disciple of the first generation who recorded accounts of Peter and the Twelve; Luke, a gentile Physician and disciple of the first century; and John, one of the Twelve Jewish Apostles chosen by Jesus.

Crucifixion! – Scripture Fulfilled
Crucifixion! – The Spirit of Grace

.. this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. Acts 2:23
And how is this the Spirit of Grace?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that He might suffer and die on a Cross for sinners like us, that we should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com – on Christ’s Crucifixion & John 3:16

The Apostle John presents the Good News of Jesus Christ in light of the love of God the Father.

Yes, the LORD of Old Testament Scripture to which John will point IS the Almighty God who must judge sin! Yet John testifies of Jesus who reveals God as the Father, the One of relationship who willingly shows mercy for the sake of the Son and saves sinners like you and me by grace.

A brief reintroduction to John

John had unique access to witness the questioning of Jesus by the High Priests of Jerusalem. At the beginning of our journey through the Gospel of John we introduced the Apostle, this youngest Son of Zebedee who we now know was also known in the house of Herod.

It is important to note here that the Apostle John later became the last surviving Disciple of Jesus Christ, living more than fifty years more until nearly the next century.

John wrote the gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia Minor when he was advanced in age (Against Heresies 2.22.5; 3.1.1) – source

John’s Good News is NOT a News Alert to our phone, a BREAKING NEWS HEADLINE interrupting our life at home or even a well-researched story for an Ephesus News Courier.

The Apostle, therefore, has not written the Gospel of John as events unfolded at the horrific scene of the crime of Jesus’ Crucifixion.

In Conclusion

The beloved Apostle and recognized authority of witness to these historical events some decades ago will soon assure the reader of John’s Good News (Gospel): Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

.. but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:31 ESV

John now begins the conclusion of his Gospel even before the climax of the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection.

Intermingled with John’s conclusive evidence, he includes reporter-like facts (which we will address in a later post), but his purpose now is to reveal why Jesus did some of what the Lord came to accomplish.

Every mention of Scripture (of course) refers to the Old Testament. John links the events of Jesus’ crucifixion to Old Testament prophesy.

John 19:

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers also twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and clothed him in a purple robe. 3 And they kept coming up to him and saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” and were slapping his face.

Isaiah 50:

6 I gave My back to those who strike Me,
And My cheeks to those who pull out My beard;
I did not hide My face from insults and spitting.
7 For the Lord God helps Me,
Therefore, I am not disgraced;
Therefore, I have made My face like flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.

14 It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about noon…

17 Carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him and two others with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.

23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 24 So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see who gets it.

This happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled, John tells us.

Scripture includes more than the Law, which Jesus promises will be satisfied; but also the Psalms (or songs of worship), historical scrolls and also writings of the Prophets who Jerusalem’s religious leaders seldom heeded and like now, rarely taught.

Here is this Scripture, a Psalm most descriptive of Jesus’ crucifixion.

Psalm 22:

READ ALL of Psalm 22, if you dare. And looking upon the scene of the Place of the Skull, with Jesus’ Blood pouring forth from His broken Body on the middle Cross, know His suffering for our sin endured for the grace of God’s love.

¹⁸אֲסַפֵּ֥ר כָּל־עַצְמוֹתָ֑י הֵ֥מָּה יַ֝בִּ֗יטוּ יִרְאוּ־בִֽי׃

18 They divide my garments among them,
And they cast lots for my clothing.

This is what the soldiers did, John tells us.

John 19:

28 After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, “I’m thirsty.”

Psalm 69:

21 They also gave me a bitter herb in my food,
And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.

31 Since it was the preparation day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath…

32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with him.

33 When they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs since they saw that he was already dead.

John 19:

Jesus’s Side Pierced

34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out.

Isaiah 53:

The Suffering Servant

Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted,
Struck down by God, and humiliated.
5 But He was pierced for our offenses,
He was crushed for our wrongdoings;
The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him,
And by His wounds we are healed.

John’s Testimony is True

Jesus replied [to Pilate]. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
“What is truth? ” said Pilate.
John 18:37b-38 CSB

The Apostle here answers Pilate’s earlier question before he pronounced the sentence of DEATH ON A CROSS for Christ Jesus.

John 19:35 He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth.

John 19:

36 For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken.

37 Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the one they pierced.

Psalm 34:

But the Lord rescues him from them all.
20 He protects all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.

Zechariah 12:

12:10 וְשָׁפַכְתִּי עַל־בֵּית דָּוִיד וְעַל יוֹשֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם רוּחַ חֵן וְתַחֲנוּנִים וְהִבִּיטוּ אֵלַי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־דָּקָרוּ וְסָפְדוּ עָלָיו כְּמִסְפֵּד עַל־הַיָּחִיד וְהָמֵר עָלָיו כְּהָמֵר עַֽל־הַבְּכֽוֹר׃

Here is John’s Gospel GOOD NEWS of Scripture fulfilled.

“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced;
and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.
Zechariah 12:10 NASB

The Spirit of Grace

John began his Good News speaking of grace. He begins his conclusion by quoting Zechariah’s imagery of the Spirit of grace and of supplication.

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 1:16-17 NASB

Yet rather than supposing that we know what grace is, let’s look at grace through John’s eyes.
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Technical NOTE on Strong's Concordance linked here.
H-#'s = Hebrew equivalent & G-#'s = Greek equivalent 
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χάρις – charis

Even Pilate would share some understanding of this Greek concept of grace.
- that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
- of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
  - (This, of course, is that love of the Lord Jesus which John frequently shares freely as grace.)
John later greets his fellow beloved believers in his second letter (mailed in about A.D. 90–95):

Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

About 5-10 years earlier in about A.D. 80–90 John would have had his Gospel delivered to these same saints of the churches where he quotes Zechariah (from about 520 BC, five centuries after David and before Christ), whose name means: “The LORD remembers.”

“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace..,” John encourages from Scripture, as one who witneesed and had mourned for his beloved friend Jesus near the foot of the Cross.

chen – חֵן

The Hebrew meaning of grace from Zechariah understood by Jews is:
- favour, grace, elegance, kindness, acceptance, (even beauty, preciousness or gratitude)
  - But Noah found favor H2580 in the eyes of the LORD.
  - The LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor H2580 in My sight and I have known you by name.”
You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace H2580 is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.
Psalm 45:2 – A Song Celebrating the King’s Marriage.

The Spirit of Supplication

.. and of supplication, which John adds from the prophet Zechariah,

Do we even know what that is?
ἱκετηρία –hiketēria

an olive branch
supplication

Hebrews 5:

In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.
tachanuwn– תַּחֲנוּן

earnest prayer:—intreaty, supplication.
supplication for favour

Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;

And give heed to the voice of my supplications!
Grace by God in the Person of Christ Jesus

John began his Gospel by hope in the Messiah who was hung on a Cross.

No one has ascended into heaven, except He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him.
John 3:13-15 NASB

As Jesus gave up His Spirit while John and other witnesses sat beneath the Bloodied Cross with the corpse of their Messiah and Savior they must have wondered why.

John 3:35–36 “.. The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand.

The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

“It is finished.”
Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit…
They will look at the one they pierced.
The Gospel of John 19:30b,37b NASB
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To be continued... 
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November 7, 2020
The Last Word on Authority – Jesus Son of God
John 19:
Previously, Pilate had questioned Jesus apart from the crowds and asked if He is a king. Now, after having had Jesus scourged 39 times and coming out to the barely controlled crowds of Jerusalem, Pilate will question this ‘man’ a second time in his judge’s chambers within the palace.

2 Timothy 2 – Strong Teachers Charge them before God

2 Timothy 1 – For this Gospel I was appointed

II Timothy i beloved son of Paul

2 Timothy – Apostolic Faith and Pastoral Oversight by Paul

The Apostles Creed 11 the Resurrection of the Body

What has prompted Pilate’s new interrogation of Jesus?

This ‘man’ kept silent during all 39 lashes, confessing no crimes to receive some mercy from the whip.
When Rome’s Prefect had asked why Jesus should be crucified, the Jews answered Pilate, ‘.. because he made himself the Son of God.’
Pilate may have also been a religious man, though as we pointed out previously the Romans had many gods.

Could this man Jesus be one of them?

In a private appeal

Pilate said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to Him, “Are you not speaking to me?

Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?”
John 19:10b Pilate’s claim of authority to ‘the man’ Jesus

Roman Authority

Before we hear Jesus breaking the silence of Roman interrogation, let’s consider briefly an earlier encounter of Jesus in Galilee with a Roman officer.

This healing by Jesus not only illustrates an absolute no questions asked authority of Roman Legions, but by his own high position, Pilate might have heard from this Roman leader who helped build a synagogue in Capernaum.

Matthew 8:

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him..

Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me.

And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

Judean Authority

Make no mistake about the authority of Rome’s governor Pontius Pilate. Rome revoked the kingdom of Herod Archelaus of Judah just two years after he failed to govern as Rome expected. They renamed the new Roman province Judea and placed a Roman Prefect in charge.

Pilate governs with political authority similar to Antipas in Galilee to the north. Jesus of Nazareth is technically a subject of Herod Antipas. Pilate, however, may have heard of Jesus from a fellow Roman legion in the region of Galilee.

Authority – Pilate’s understanding

Pilate said to Him, .. Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?”

ἐξουσία, the Greek word for authority simply means, power. I am in charge. I can do whatever I please.

It could mean, I have influence and the privilege of judging you. In Pilate’s case, authority means: the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed). And specifically, the power of judicial decisions and authority to manage domestic affairs.

And Jesus remains silent, Pilate must have thought? Silent even when scourged 39 times and questioned by the Prefect with authority to sentence the ‘Man’ to a Cross?

Finally the Lord answers the authority of the governor in charge of this high Judean court.

The Authority of Christ

Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above..
John 19:11a NASB

Don’t miss this: Jesus in essence refers to a higher authority (from above).

Pilate is a religious man with many gods. Rome acknowledges these higher authorities as had Greece. These are gods defined as: the leading and more powerful among created beings superior to man, spiritual potentates (that is, kings and Caesars).

Again, perhaps Pilate has heard the buzz of the crowds witnessing Jesus healing the sick and even raising the dead. Romans kept close to the everyday happenings in Judea. Had he perhaps heard about the Galilean legion’s servant who Jesus healed?

Some dilemma, that a human judge should judge a god!

12 As a result of this, Pilate made efforts to release Him..

A Greater Sin

Perhaps, in a sense, Pilate considers or acknowledges the Higher Authority of Jesus. To some extent Jesus’ answer actually exonerates Pilate, but convicts another.

Listen to the second part of the Lord’s answer to Pilate:

Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above; for this reason the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
John 19:11 NASB

A greater sin than Pontius Pilate? For Christ-followers remember by our creeds the the Lord Jesus “was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate?”

Yet Jesus says that one who handed Him over to Pilate has the greater sin.

Does the Lord mean to say that Pilate’s sin is forgivable? Perhaps.

We assume here that Jesus refers to Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him to the Jews, is the one with the greater sin.
- Have you ever considered that Annas or Caiaphas are truly the ones who handed Jesus over to the gentiles?
- These High Priests of the Jews handed Jesus over to Pilate for crucifixion.
- Annas, Caiaphas and other Jewish officials of the Sanhedrin, who betray their own Messiah, have greater sins than Pilate!
Had you have not known of the Highest Authority of Jesus until now, you may be forgiven for not knowing. But now that you know Jesus, you must accept Christ or oppose God Almighty.

Who will rule over you now?

Opposition to Authority

12 As a result of this, Pilate made efforts to release Him; but the Jews shouted, saying,

“If you release this Man, you are not a friend of Caesar;

everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar!”

Pilate their Governor rules over those in the crowds and as Judea’s Governor. He appoints their religious authorities (who have consistently incited the crowds against the Authority of their Messiah) and outranks every member of the Sanhedrin in all civil matters.

But the Jewish authorities cite a technical argument, not a religious reason – a political reason for Pilate to condemn their messianic opponent.
- Jesus claims to be a king.
- Caesar, a king and a god to the Romans also commands their loyalty.
Will Pilate actually oppose the authority of Caesar by releasing a Man who makes claim as a king of the Jew?

Of course, the Governor cannot allow the crowds to think that. Now he must sentence the Man. Rome’s judge returns Jesus to the public court of crowd justice.

13 Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement—but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

From the hour of Jesus’ betrayal by Judas under cover of darkness in Gethsemane until now, these trials, interrogations and cruel punishments have all been completed by morning’s end.

14 Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour..

The Jewish Authorities Prevail

No one likes to see the opposition win — not you, not me — and not even Pilate.

But in fact, here it would seem that evil prevails. Evil destroys its opponent in the agenda of those religious leaders who have stoked the hatred of the crowds.

Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!” They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?”

The chief priests answered,
We have no king but Caesar.
John 19:15b KJV

16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. KJV

Who are ‘they’ who crucify Christ?

We will explore the verdict, which would seem to suggest that the majority rules.

Who crucified the Man of God, Christ Jesus? This we must ask NEXT as we follow Christ with His Cross to the skull where criminals hang from a tree.
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To be continued...
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October 31, 2020
What is Truth?
Opinion Poll | Vote today:

Which politician do you believe?

democrat

republican

NONE of the above in 2020

Who will vote for Truth?

A vile venom of political and religious rhetoric is nothing new under the sun in the 1st century A.D. or this 21st century.

If you share any of my political views or religious convictions, you’ve likely been agitated by escalation of accusations in current events.

We find many parallels in history, but none with more impact that a 1st. century trial of Jesus Christ by Jerusalem’s Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.

Truth on Trial

1st c in the year of our Lord
- “Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel
- 20th c media
- 1984 prophesy of 2020?
- 9/11/2001
- Entering an election year
- 20th c political humor
- US or them?
- less deaths by COVID-19
- continuous media updates
- another phone alert!
- Political accusations
- Revelation of Jesus Christ to John
- Sin’s punishment after death!
- Aesop – 5th c. B.C. Classic quote about politics
Previously in 2020..

We have been following the Gospel (Good News) of John:
- April 11 – Easter – DEATH cries out! from many perspectives – John 12
- May – The Hour Is Come – John 17
- June – Jesus’ Power to give Eternal Life – John 17
- July – From This World to the Next – Truth – John 17
  - (You won’t want to miss this study of our topic: TRUTH.)
- August – Social Media is not the world – John 17 & much more
  - in a slight departure relevant to today’s look at truth
- September – The Politics of Religion – Righteousness on Trial – John 18
- October – Kings, Governors, Politicians & Priests 2– Pontius Pilate – John 18
ALL took place in 1st century Jerusalem in the brief span of one week!

Continuing Jesus’ trials..

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there…
John 18:37-38a NIV

Jesus has already been found guilty and tried by the Jewish leaders Annas and Caiaphas during the wakening hours of this day. Then they brought the Messiah to the governor Pilate, who has just questioned their prisoner in his own judge’s quarters (which the Jews would not enter).

John 18:

38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

Now Pilate brings Jesus back into the public spotlight.

And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him…

What an amazing statement of truth!

Prior to questioning Jesus in his Judge’s chambers, Pilate had already acquitted Jesus in public.

What accusation do you bring against this Man?

We read previously in Kings, Governors, Politicians & Priests 2 – 31 So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.”

In effect, the Roman Governor of all the province of Judea acting as High Court Judge of Jerusalem tells them, ‘Case dismissed.’

Now, after private questioning of Jesus about their accusation, Pilate once again finds Jesus, Not Guilty!

But now begins the politics of playing the crowds.

Justice by Public Opinion – a Poll of the people

Once again, some time passes as the Jerusalem crowds gather for the preparation for the Passover feast. The buzz of the multitudes outside must have reminded Pilate of the great accolades for Jesus as He had approached Jerusalem just five days before.

As Governor of Judea, Pilate also had to placate officials of the Sanhedrin who Jesus offended in the Temple courts on Monday.

What’s a politically correct way to please the crowds who followed Jesus AND the Jewish leaders who help Pilate maintain the peace of Jerusalem?

The Judge of Judea will show mercy to this innocent man.

So the Prefect likely sent guards to the prison to bring a second previously condemned man to the governor near to Pilate’s position above the crowds. Now the Jews will see the truth of an innocent Man compared to an insurrectionist murderer like this prisoner Barabbas.

“I find no grounds for charging him. 39 You have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”

IF you didn’t already know the ending of this Good Friday, you might jump up and applaud Pilate’s political correctness.

Everybody wins when the governor shows mercy. This powerful Roman governor of Judea seems to judge truth with great fairness.

BUT, as you know, crowds may be easily swayed from doing what is right.

40 They shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!”
Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.
CSB

John 19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.
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To be continued...
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Page TWO - Please click Page 2 below for the questions.
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Yes, it’s a POLL

Your political opinion about religion

& politics A.D. 2020

Pages: 1 2
October 22, 2020