Reading from the 23rd chapter of Luke, Jesus had been condemned to be crucified. On the cross, His humanity cried with a loud voice, saying, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit," and having said thus, He gave up the ghost.
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous man." And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all His acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. (Luke 23:47-49)
The scene is described from a different stance in Matthew's writing. He writes: "Jesus -- when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which slept arose ... and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly, this was the Son of God." (Matthew 27:50-54)
At the same time, many women were there beholding afar off which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering/worshipping Him; among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children. When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. (Matthew 27:55-58)
This Joseph did the same in Luke's writing. "And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and just (the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them). He was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus." (Luke 23:50-52)
"And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how His body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment."
Note that Luke does not refer to the body of Jesus here as a body as one would suspect, but rather as an "it." And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre. (Luke 23:53) This description might be considered weird for a disciple to use except that Luke uses a similar unexpected description when writing about Jesus' birth in Luke 1:35. Here, he writes:
"And the angel answered and said unto her [Mary]: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)
"... that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35) In Matthew 1:20-25, Jesus is referred to as "that which is conceived in [Mary] is of the Holy Ghost."
But Matthew also writes: "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins ... BEHOLD, A VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND SHALL BRING FORTH A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME EMMANUEL, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:20-25; Luke 1:30-35; Luke 2:21; John 1:29)
Is the language used for Jesus' body here strictly a revelation that Luke had, that differed from the other disciples? It is definitely food for thought but for a discussion in this blog at a later time.
But getting back to Jesus' resurrection, Luke writes that it was early morning on the first day of the week.
"Very early in the morning they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments." (Luke 24:1-4; Mark 15:46-47; Mark 16:1-6)
And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, "The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." And they remembered His words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest." (Luke 24:5-9)
In fact, the "young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment" saith unto them, "Be not affrighted. You seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him. But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goes before you into Galilee. There shall ye see Him -- as He said unto you." (Mark 16:5-8)
As an aside, when were the disciples told that Jesus would go before them into Galilee? In Matthew 26, Jesus said unto them, "All ye shall be offended because of Me this night, for it is written, I WILL SMITE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED ABROAD, But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee." (Matthew 26:31-32, 56; Mark 14:27; Zechariah 13:7-9) But I digress.
As a consequence, they went out quickly and fled from the sepulchre, for they trembled and were amazed. Neither said they anything to any man for they were afraid. (Mark 16:8)
"It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass." (Luke 24:10-12)
"And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened." Why? Because, like many today, it would be difficult to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead.
But as the gospel declares, "it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them.But their eyes were holden that they should not know Him." (Luke 24:13-16)
And then Jesus said unto them, "What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?" And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto Him, "Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" Obviously, Cleopas did not know with whom he spoke. And Jesus said unto them, "What things?"
And they said unto Him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him. But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done." (Luke 24:17-21)
You see, the disciples believed that Jesus should have redeemed Israel as the KING OF THE JEWS and therefore, should never have been crucified. But as John indicated, "for these as yet knew not the scripture that He must rise again from the dead." (John 20:9)
The disciples did not readily realize that the Son of man would rise again on the third day -- after spending three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40)
But interestingly, Mary Magdalene who was the first to see the risen Jesus, stood at the sepulchre weeping after the disciples had gone home. And as she wept, she stooped down and saw the two angels who asked, "Woman, why weepest thou?" She said unto them, "Because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him" (John 20:10-14)
When she turned back, she saw a man standing, supposing Him to be the gardener. Jesus said unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?" Mary said, "Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him and I will take Him away." Jesus knew Mary Magdalene's heart and upon saying her name, she turned herself and said unto Him, "Rabboni; which is to say, Master." (John 20:15-17)
But Jesus said unto Mary -- "Touch Me not, for I am not yet ascended to My Father" but go to my brethren and say unto them, "I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God." (John 20:17) Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and the things that He had spoken to her.
Let's pick it up again in Luke whereby Cleopas and the others continue to describe to Jesus what had happened. So when certain women went to the sepulchre early in the morning and found not His body, "they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that He was alive." And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said, but Him they saw not.(Luke 24:24)
Then Jesus said unto them, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:25-27)
And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and He made as though He would have gone further but they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to tarry with them.
There is more to come on this subject but for now suffice it to say this. Jesus said unto them, "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me." (Luke 24:44)
Then opened He their understanding that they might understand the scriptures -- and said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day ... and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things ...
And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." (Luke 24:45-53)
This is why we worship Jesus with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength today. It also explains why repentance and remission of sins is preached in His precious name among all nations. Therefore, take hold of His mercy and grace -- that is for you and your children and those who are afar off. In other words, come and dine at the Master's table for Jesus never fails. Stand in the offering plate.
But interestingly, Mary Magdalene who was the first to see the risen Jesus, stood at the sepulchre weeping after the disciples had gone home. And as she wept, she stooped down and saw the two angels who asked, "Woman, why weepest thou?" She said unto them, "Because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him" (John 20:10-14)
When she turned back, she saw a man standing, supposing Him to be the gardener. Jesus said unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?" Mary said, "Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him and I will take Him away." Jesus knew Mary Magdalene's heart and upon saying her name, she turned herself and said unto Him, "Rabboni; which is to say, Master." (John 20:15-17)
But Jesus said unto Mary -- "Touch Me not, for I am not yet ascended to My Father" but go to my brethren and say unto them, "I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God." (John 20:17) Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and the things that He had spoken to her.
Let's pick it up again in Luke whereby Cleopas and the others continue to describe to Jesus what had happened. So when certain women went to the sepulchre early in the morning and found not His body, "they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that He was alive." And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said, but Him they saw not.(Luke 24:24)
Then Jesus said unto them, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:25-27)
And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and He made as though He would have gone further but they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to tarry with them.
There is more to come on this subject but for now suffice it to say this. Jesus said unto them, "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me." (Luke 24:44)
Then opened He their understanding that they might understand the scriptures -- and said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day ... and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things ...
And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." (Luke 24:45-53)
This is why we worship Jesus with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength today. It also explains why repentance and remission of sins is preached in His precious name among all nations. Therefore, take hold of His mercy and grace -- that is for you and your children and those who are afar off. In other words, come and dine at the Master's table for Jesus never fails. Stand in the offering plate.
No comments:
Post a Comment