Talk of JESUS .com

Tag: resurrection

Lifted up + Earthly things you do not believe
“.. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Gospel of John 3:14 ESV

Looking back to when Jesus was lifted up
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The following is a fictional first-hand account of John and his Gospel witness of three A.D. first century men so familiar to Christians that we may have missed the impact of the events of Holy Week on the New Testimony of their saved lives. 
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~ A.D. 85 – the Gospel of APOSTLE JOHN

You’ve just read from the beginning of my Gospel just published. By now everyone I mentioned in this introduction to the Lord Jesus Christ is long gone along with many more followers of the Way and Apostles.

As you know I was the youngest of the twelve. It’s been fifty years now since His resurrection. And those who were not murdered for our faith after Jerusalem’s destruction [in A.D. 70] just fifteen years ago have been buried in Christ. Yet we know that these live with Him in eternal life.

These include my brother James — and Jesus’ brothers. And in Rome, Simon Peter, my early mentor and close friend, — and our beloved Apostle Paul.

But today I want to tell you about two men — important men, in fact even more important than Paul at that time — older men of great honor and faithful leaders of the Pharisees in the Sanhedrin. Trouble was that if they would have followed Jesus openly back when they tried to speak up in their official capacities,

Caiaphas (who controlled all of the political outcomes and income in Jerusalem at that time) would have had them banned from the Temple for life. And even though their age dictated that these Elders should prepare their graves for the near future, Caiaphas probably would have had them stoned to death.

A.D. 30 – Joseph of Arimathea

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission.

So he came and took away his body.

John 19:38 ESV

Nicodemus

Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.

John 19:39 ESV
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Although you know this Gospel well from the day of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, from an earlier time we will witness what these secretive disciples of Jesus from the Sanhedrin encountered when they came to Him privately. 
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Recall that Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the grave and called him out while the Jews were weeping for him. The witness of Lazarus had been the buzz of all Jerusalem when their Christ rode into town just five days earlier.

Throughout these previous three years of Jesus’ teaching and miracles many of the Jews of every class had believed in Him — and even some Samarians, Romans and Syrians.

Nicodemus (a few months earlier)

Gospel of John 7 excerpts

Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand..

,, But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.,

,, Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.,

About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.
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Do you suppose that Joseph or Nicodemus would have missed this important feast? Of course not! These members of the Sanhedrin would have been expected to be in the Temple courts. 
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Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him!

Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?

Gospel of John 7:25-26 ESV

Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!”

The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
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A rhetorical question, no doubt, attempting to show consensus of the learned Rabbis of the Sanhedrin. But, an unexpected internal dissention: 
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“Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”

John 7:51 – Question of Nicodemus to the ruling council
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Their mocking response is not unexpected. 
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“Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Gospel of John 3:
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Please focus on the real men present and not present in this all-too-familiar Gospel. These are: 
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- Νικόδημος – Nicodemus
- Jesus
- θεός – theos – God
- πνεῦμα – pneuma – the Spirit
- υἱός ἄνθρωπος – huios anthrōpos – Son of Man
- Moses
- πᾶς – pas – whoever, everyone or all
- ἄνθρωπος – anthrōpos – men
  - [a human being, whether male or female]
  - likely, Joseph of Arimathea and other officials to whom Nicodemus returns with his secret report of the Gospel.
- The Apostle John possibly or other Disciples present with Jesus.
Let’s recall that John records this in his Gospel more than 50 years after Jesus’ crucifixion.

Jesus’ witness to Nicodemus and others would have been months or even a year or two prior to Christ’s crucifixion also in Jerusalem..

~ in the year of our Lord 28 or A.D. 29

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Gospel of John 3: 2b ESV
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Nicodemus, an esteemed Pharisee, is the man who calls Jesus, 'Rabbi' or 'teacher.' 

Pharisee is Of Hebrew origin cf פָּרַשׁ (H6567), A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. 
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Rabbi, also of Hebrew origin, is a proper way to address certain Masters:
1. my great one, my honourable sir
2. Rabbi, a title used by the Jews to address their teachers (and also honour them when not addressing them)
“Truly, truly [amēn, amēn ], I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Gospel of John 3 ESV
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Jesus response clearly addresses the Kingdom of God (since this leading Pharisee has confessed that He is from God), for Jesus had in the past referred to these as 'blind guides.' 

But Nicodemus becomes clearly confused by Jesus' illustration.  So his response is literal (with no clear picture of God's Kingdom).
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“How can a man be born when he is old?

Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

John 3:4 – Nicodemus (who is old) asking Jesus how to be ‘born again.’

“Truly, truly [amēn, amēn ], I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John 3:5-8 ESV

Born again – lifted up from the womb

Did Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea now see what Jesus had meant, connecting the Resurrection with a man born again?

Let’s look at Jesus’ 3-part response in more detail:
- ‘unless one is born of water [hydōr] and the Spirit pneuma {implying the Holy Spirit of God}]’
  - (two pre-requisites to enter God’s Kingdom)
- Born of: flesh [sarx] is [eimi] flesh and born of Spirit is spirit [pneuma eimi pneuma]
  - The Master teaching what is born of what [v.6]
  - Now, seeing his reaction, Jesus will expound on this teaching for understanding of His esteemed student.
7 “Do not be amazed that I told you [singular in Gk.] that you [plural in Gk.] must be born again. – CSV

Other translations of v.8 may also help your understanding.

the Spirit [pneuma also translated as ‘wind’] where he willeth doth blow – YLT (Note the person and his will, not simply a chance of a natural wind. )

his voice [phone Gk.] thou dost hear – YLT

you do not know where it comes from and where it is going.

SO [οὕτω(ς) eimi] is

[pas ho gennaō] everyone who is born

[ek ho pneuma] of the Spirit]

How can a man be born in the Spirit?

How can these things be?

“Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
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Our Lord and Master once more responds with compassion and an example from Scripture. 
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Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen,

but you[plural in the Gk, of the ruling Jews and not specifically Nicodemus] do not receive [accept, in some translations] our testimony.

Do you accept our witness [martyria]?

So this becomes the closing question of Jesus to Nicodemus.

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

Gospel of John 3:12 and 13 ESV

Who IS Jesus? The Son of Man, the Christ?

Nicodemus had met the Son of Man face to Face back then. And now the next thing Jesus said of Himself made more sense to Joseph, him and other believers familiar with the Books of Moses.

And the people spoke against God and against Moses, – Numbers 21

Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.

And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, [repentance] for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.”

So Moses prayed for the people.

[And Jesus has interceded for all who repent and ask Him to intercede before God the Father. — Washed of sin — baptized – changed permanently by the Spirit]

And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”

Numbers 21:8 ESV

The Son of Man lifted up!

“even so must the Son of man be lifted up..

What must Nicodemus have thought?

And what must those faithful Jews have wondered — even those so bold as Joseph of Arimathea after Christ’s crucifixion – to see the Son of Man LIFTED UP on a ROMAN CROSS?

“.And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Gospel of John 3:14-15 ESV

Yet can the grave hold the Son of Man?

The Road to Calvary

Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.

So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Gospel of John 19:39-42 ESV

Picking up in John’s fictional re-telling of Jesus’ burial and also in his Gospel:

~ A.D. 85. John’s reflection on Jesus’ resurrection

On the third day of Jesus’ burial Mary of Magdala returned to the tomb just before dawn.

The stone had been rolled away, its seal broken and no Roman guards present anywhere!

She ran back to get Simon. I ran with them back to the garden tomb where I stooped to look in the cave and saw the linen cloths lying there. Then I turned to Peter as he went inside.

When I followed him I also saw the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head by itself, folded up in a place away from the stacked linen cloths,

Then I was certain that the Lord was no longer there.

fictional paraphrase from John 20

Mary remained behind as Simon and I ran back into town.

Then in the tomb she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain.

(Neither Simon nor I had seen them, but Mary shared this angelic conversation with us later.)

She then turned around and saw a man standing outside the tomb. He asked the same question of her as the two angels,

“Woman, why are you weeping?” Then the man inquired, ’tis zēteō,’ that is, “Whom are you seeking?”

Then she addressed him, kyrios (which generally means, Lord) — “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”

But then, she reported the man’s reply she heard in a familiar voice:

“Μαρία” (Maria or Mary)

“Rabbouni (Rabbi) , she answered Jesus in Hebrew.

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father” and sent her to us with some additional instructions.

fictional paraphrase of John 20:15-18

Peter and I somehow missed Him too, but our Lord was there in the flesh — alive and breathing!

Later that evening

We were still afraid that the Jews would come after us too, especially Peter. We had locked the doors of our upper room in Jerusalem.

שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לְךָ

“Peace, Peace to you.”

It was the Lord Jesus greeting us as He stood suddenly with us in this locked room!

Then He showed them his hands and his side — a gash through each hand, open yet without blood — and a long upward rip into His right ribs, again without blood. Our risen Lord, who the Romans and Jews had lifted up nailed to a Cross — our friend and Master whom we had laid in a tomb — RAISED UP and in our very presence — in Person!

And then Jesus said again,

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Then the Lord breathed on the ten of us and said,

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

(I cannot explain the sudden warm breath which lit on my head and infused my flesh.) Then He continued,

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Monday, a week later

Jesus appeared to us again, except this time Thomas had returned. Once again the doors were locked.

שָׁלוֹם לְךָ

“Peace be with you.”

““Put your finger here, and see my hands,” He said to Thomas. And after Thomas obeyed our Master Jesus also said, “Put out your hand, and place it in my side.

Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

(We were all amazed — still — and meek before Him as if God the Father was in our midst in the Son of Man who had suffered this injustice — for us — and for those of you who now believe.)

Later we would return to Galilee as the Lord commanded, home once –l but now just one more place where our risen Rabbi Jesus, the Christ of God would again teach us why He had been lifted up for our sake from the words of Scripture we had heard for years and yet did not fully understand because He had not yet anointed us with the Holy Spirit.

Christ IS Risen!

He taught us for fifty days more that we may proclaim the Gospel to those who believe.

Do you believe?

Jesus was lifted up on a cross in order that your sins may be forgiven

AND

that you might be born again — in water and in Spirit.

Celebrate His Resurrection +++ Have a blessed Easter.
April 20, 2025
Son-Man Risen!
“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]
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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!
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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
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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?) 
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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,
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.
Gospel of John 5:27-29 ESV – Jesus claiming the Authority of the Son-Man Messiah

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.
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Does this sound familiar?
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Son-Man, can these bones live?

+ Note: Lit. “son man” – the Hebrew does not use articles bēn ‘āḏām – בֶּן־אָדָם
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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..
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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 Tran slation

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
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AND don't miss this about the necessity that the CHRIST should become the Perfect Sacrifice for our sins.
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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
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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
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- 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!

Talk of JESUS .com

Christ IS Risen!

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March 31, 2024
King for a Common Era Holy Week 4
Jesus in Bethany

Why would Jesus, who rode into Jerusalem like KING DAVID, leave to stay in Bethany overnight, I wondered?

Gospel of Matthew 21:

Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.
Gospel of Matthew 21:17-18 NKJV

Bethphage, Bethany & figs

“Bethphage; in Aramaic “place of young figs”): Near the Mount of Olives and to the road from Jerusalem to Jericho; mentioned together with Bethany – source
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The road to and from Jerusalem goes something like this:

It descends east from the Temple, crosses the Kidron valley, past the Mount of Olives & Gethsemane [five furlongs], continues east through Bethphage [2000 cubits/1000 paces] to Bethany [a Sabbath Day's journey from Jerusalem].
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I addressed the significant imagery of this journey of Jesus in an earlier SERIES
Roger @ Talk of JESUS .com

for it was not the season for figs – 8

Captive Jerusalem!
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A.D. 30 - 2024 C.E. - The Controversial Place of God
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RETURN to JERUSALEM along the ancient hillside roads from Bethany on this day prior to the Passover Sacrifice with JESUS ‘of Nazareth’ observing several controversies.

Controversies BEFORE CHRIST!

Opposition to the Lord God goes back BEFORE DAVID – yes, even before Moses and Abraham.

AND opposition to the One Living God of Scripture continues even NOW in these last days of 2024 of the COMMON ERA!

JERUSALEM, THE LAW & GOD’S BREATHED-OUT WORD all remain at the center of every opposition of twisted Truth, false prophets and stiff-necked resistance to God’s grace.

No Son of Man would ever be so controversial to a sinful world than Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior!
Roger@TalkofJesus.com

And WHAT IF JESUS returned to JERUSALEM accompanied by LAZARUS, who the Lord had called out of the GRAVE in BETHANY?

Considering Controversy on His return to Jerusalem

Gospel of Matthew 21:18 NKJV

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.

And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it,

“Let no fruit grow on you ever again.”
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Is this curse on Jerusalem for 'Good' Friday's Cross? 
.. 
or perhaps Anno Domini 70 when Rome will destroy it? 
..
or even some last day soon in the Common Era of 2024?
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Immediately the fig tree withered away.

To Be Continued…

Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel
March 27, 2024