14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 " 'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
22 "People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him:
" 'I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.'
29 "Brothers and sisters, we all know that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
" 'The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet." '
36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah."
Questions to Consider:
• How does Peter answer the charge that the disciples are drunk?
• Does this inform what you might do if people misunderstand your life as a follower of Jesus?
• What difference does the risen, ascended, active Christ make in your daily life?
Possibilities for prayer:
Peter breaks down pretty clearly who Jesus was and what He did while on earth. Pray that God would each day be giving you a clearer understanding of who Jesus is and how you can be actively seeking Him in your everyday life.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Acts 2:1-13
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."
Questions to consider:
• In what ways is Jesus’s promise (from Monday) fulfilled in this passage?
• How does the Holy Spirit empower these people to become witnesses to the whole world at this time?
• What is the disciples’ message?
• How can you find power to be effective at sharing your story as a follower of Christ?
Possibilities for prayer:
The Holy Spirit’s power is a pretty amazing thing, though sometimes it’s easy to forget that God is still moving in our world when we see the hurt and pain around us and in our own lives as well. Pray that God would increase the Spirit’s presence in you, and that you would be filled with that power. Pray that God would give you increased faith and eyes to see the things that He is still doing—in our community, in our city, and around the world.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."
Questions to consider:
• In what ways is Jesus’s promise (from Monday) fulfilled in this passage?
• How does the Holy Spirit empower these people to become witnesses to the whole world at this time?
• What is the disciples’ message?
• How can you find power to be effective at sharing your story as a follower of Christ?
Possibilities for prayer:
The Holy Spirit’s power is a pretty amazing thing, though sometimes it’s easy to forget that God is still moving in our world when we see the hurt and pain around us and in our own lives as well. Pray that God would increase the Spirit’s presence in you, and that you would be filled with that power. Pray that God would give you increased faith and eyes to see the things that He is still doing—in our community, in our city, and around the world.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Acts 1:12-26
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, "Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry."
18 (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 "For," said Peter, "it is written in the Book of Psalms:
" 'May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,'
and,
" 'May another take his place of leadership.'
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."
23 So they proposed the names of two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Questions to Consider:
• How do Jesus’s disciples spend their time after Jesus leaves them?
• How do scripture, prayer, and providence (the lots) play in the new selection?
• With which of these things do the disciples begin when they want to discern God’s will?
• What might this say about the way in which you make your own decisions?
Possibilities for prayer:
It seems like there’s always something in our lives that requires a decision. As you go through this day (or week) in particular, try to make an extra effort to hand those decisions, big and small, over to God. Pray for Him to show you the direction to take, and trust that He will.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, "Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry."
18 (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 "For," said Peter, "it is written in the Book of Psalms:
" 'May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,'
and,
" 'May another take his place of leadership.'
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."
23 So they proposed the names of two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Questions to Consider:
• How do Jesus’s disciples spend their time after Jesus leaves them?
• How do scripture, prayer, and providence (the lots) play in the new selection?
• With which of these things do the disciples begin when they want to discern God’s will?
• What might this say about the way in which you make your own decisions?
Possibilities for prayer:
It seems like there’s always something in our lives that requires a decision. As you go through this day (or week) in particular, try to make an extra effort to hand those decisions, big and small, over to God. Pray for Him to show you the direction to take, and trust that He will.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Acts 1:1-11
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Questions to consider:
• How does Jesus spend His time on earth after he rises from the dead?
• What are His plans for the disciples? What concerns them? How does Jesus answer their question?
• What divine resource has God provided for you (and for the disciples)?
• Are you aware of any way the Holy Spirit has empowered you recently to share your story of being a follower of Jesus?
Possibilities for prayer:
Ask that God would make the presence of the Holy Spirit more real in your life. Try taking some time to be quiet and listen to what God might be saying to you through His Spirit. Doing this in community is a great way to workshop listening to God’s voice.
6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Questions to consider:
• How does Jesus spend His time on earth after he rises from the dead?
• What are His plans for the disciples? What concerns them? How does Jesus answer their question?
• What divine resource has God provided for you (and for the disciples)?
• Are you aware of any way the Holy Spirit has empowered you recently to share your story of being a follower of Jesus?
Possibilities for prayer:
Ask that God would make the presence of the Holy Spirit more real in your life. Try taking some time to be quiet and listen to what God might be saying to you through His Spirit. Doing this in community is a great way to workshop listening to God’s voice.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Luke 24
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 'The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
19 "What things?" he asked.
"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Points of Interest:
• ‘very early in the morning’—they go to visit the body as soon as is practical after the Sabbath ends. They’re bringing embalming spices to slow the decay of the body and hide the smell; but Jesus isn’t even dead long enough for them to do the embalming. It somehow seems fitting to me that, with one of the primary complaints against Jesus and his followers being Sabbath-breaking, these women miss their window to anoint Jesus’ body because they are observing the Sabbath.
• ‘suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them’—when Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah on the mountain, Jesus’ clothes ‘became as a bright as a flash of lightning’ (9:29), just like the clothes of these two men do now. I assume the two men are angels, because they’re fulfilling the usual angelic role of passing along an important message from God, like Gabriel did in chapter 1 (1:11,26). Then again, it might be Moses and Elijah again—or Abraham, or Isaac, or Jacob or some other long-dead person. After all, what they’re testifying to is life after death. The prayer meeting on the mountain and this heavenly encounter at the empty tomb serve as bookends for Jesus’ experience in Jerusalem. In his prayer time on the mountain, Jesus talked with two resurrected people about his own impending departure from the world (9:31). Here, the women talk with two heavenly or resurrected men about the fact that Jesus has indeed risen.
• ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?’—As Jesus told the Sadducees, ‘God is not the God of the dead, but of the living’ (20:38). God is certainly Jesus’ God; therefore, Jesus is alive.
• ‘Then they remembered his words’—again and again, Jesus has told his followers these things, but they haven’t been able to understand. Finally, this thing that’s remained a mystery is unveiled: ‘No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in may see the light’ (8:16).
• ‘the Eleven’—Judas, of course, is no longer counted with the apostles.
• ‘Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James’—these are some of the same women who have been traveling with Jesus since chapter 8 (8:2-3). Luke mentions their names to show that he is relying on the eyewitness testimony of specific people, not on rumor, hearsay, or anonymous tips. The testimony of women was considered less reliable than that of men (IVP Bible Background Commentary 256); nonetheless, Jesus gives the first news of his resurrection to these faithful women who have been following him and who have come to do honor to his body.
• ‘their words seemed to them like nonsense’—the women were able to hear the words and have them bear fruit, but the men are still somewhat poor soil (8:12).
• ‘Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb’—Peter doesn’t quite believe the women, but he takes what they say seriously. He moves from unbelief to curiosity, which is a good step. If he sticks with it, his perseverance will eventually pay off (8:15).
• ‘it is the third day since all this took place’—they’re practically repeating Jesus’ own words, about being rejected by the chief priests, being crucified, and rising on the third day; but they don’t put it all together.
• ‘and then enter his glory?’—Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53, which so vividly portray Jesus’ suffering, don’t stop there. They go on to describe the sufferer’s glorious future even after death. Psalm 22 starts with, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ but it ends with,
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it! (Psalm 22:30-31).
And Isaiah 53 says,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied . . . (Isaiah 53:10-11).
What his followers thought of as Jesus’ tragic end is only his glorious beginning.
• ‘Jesus continued on as if he were going farther’—Jesus waits to see if they are interested in hearing more. When they invite him to eat with them, he accepts, just like he commanded them to do when they went to the villages to share his good news (10:8).
• ‘Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him’—the broken bread, the symbol of his broken body, finally cures them of their blindness to who he is.
• ‘Peace be with you’—I think this would be a standard greeting, but it’s particularly meaningful here. He knows that seeing someone they think is dead all of a sudden pop up in the middle of them might be a bit scary. The first thing he wants them to know is that they have no reason to be afraid; he has good intentions toward them.
• ‘they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement’—they go from overwhelmingly scared to overwhelmingly happy.
• ‘he took it and ate it in their presence’—I think eating the fish both proves that he’s not a ghost and brings some normality to the situation.
• ‘he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures’—Jesus walks his followers through some of the very passages we’ve been looking at the past few days, opening their eyes to the fact that what looked terribly wrong was actually going exactly according to the script.
• ‘forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations’—Jesus isn’t just the sin doctor for a few people in a room, or even just for one nation. He has the power and the desire to cure the whole world of sin. Isaiah speaks of this as well:
And now the Lord says—
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord
and my God has been my strength—
he says:
‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will make you a light for the Gentiles,
That my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth’ (Isaiah 49:6)
Jesus is indeed Israel’s Messiah, just as Mary and Zechariah foresaw at the beginning of our story (1:54-55, 68-69). But he is so much more than that: he’s a Savior for the whole world.
• ‘beginning at Jerusalem’—this rescue from sin is even available to Jerusalem, the city that killed him. In fact, Jerusalem will get the offer before anyone else.
• ‘I am going to send you what my Father has promised’—that would be the Holy Spirit: ‘how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him’ (6:13). Before Jesus began his work, the Father sent him the Holy Spirit. Jesus is now sending his followers out to continue his work: the work of healing the sick, of casting out demons, of bringing forgiveness, or freeing people who are bound up, and of spreading good news. To do these things, they will need the same source of power Jesus relied on.
For some reason, Jesus’ command here not to leave until they’ve been equipped with heavenly power reminds me of his cryptic saying at the Passover supper about taking their purses, bags, and swords (22:36). Perhaps Jesus didn’t mean those things literally, but as a sort of parable about the Holy Spirit: they don’t want to find themselves naked or unprepared in the task he now has for them.
• ‘he left them and was taken up into heaven’—just like in the story where the servants are given the money to invest (19:11-27), Jesus goes away to get real royal power for himself. His followers are left behind to put what he’s given them to work, until he returns.
Taking it home:
• For you and your family: Just as you prayed for a greater understanding of the meaning of Jesus’ death yesterday, ask God to give you a deeper appreciation of the significance of his resurrection today. Ask God to fill you today with wonder and praise.
• For your friends: Ask Jesus to show himself to your friends. Ask him to give them whatever explanation or demonstration they need to believe in his death and his resurrection.
• For our city: Pray for God’s forgiveness and his salvation to be poured out on our city. That’s what Jesus came for.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
19 "What things?" he asked.
"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Points of Interest:
• ‘very early in the morning’—they go to visit the body as soon as is practical after the Sabbath ends. They’re bringing embalming spices to slow the decay of the body and hide the smell; but Jesus isn’t even dead long enough for them to do the embalming. It somehow seems fitting to me that, with one of the primary complaints against Jesus and his followers being Sabbath-breaking, these women miss their window to anoint Jesus’ body because they are observing the Sabbath.
• ‘suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them’—when Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah on the mountain, Jesus’ clothes ‘became as a bright as a flash of lightning’ (9:29), just like the clothes of these two men do now. I assume the two men are angels, because they’re fulfilling the usual angelic role of passing along an important message from God, like Gabriel did in chapter 1 (1:11,26). Then again, it might be Moses and Elijah again—or Abraham, or Isaac, or Jacob or some other long-dead person. After all, what they’re testifying to is life after death. The prayer meeting on the mountain and this heavenly encounter at the empty tomb serve as bookends for Jesus’ experience in Jerusalem. In his prayer time on the mountain, Jesus talked with two resurrected people about his own impending departure from the world (9:31). Here, the women talk with two heavenly or resurrected men about the fact that Jesus has indeed risen.
• ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?’—As Jesus told the Sadducees, ‘God is not the God of the dead, but of the living’ (20:38). God is certainly Jesus’ God; therefore, Jesus is alive.
• ‘Then they remembered his words’—again and again, Jesus has told his followers these things, but they haven’t been able to understand. Finally, this thing that’s remained a mystery is unveiled: ‘No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in may see the light’ (8:16).
• ‘the Eleven’—Judas, of course, is no longer counted with the apostles.
• ‘Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James’—these are some of the same women who have been traveling with Jesus since chapter 8 (8:2-3). Luke mentions their names to show that he is relying on the eyewitness testimony of specific people, not on rumor, hearsay, or anonymous tips. The testimony of women was considered less reliable than that of men (IVP Bible Background Commentary 256); nonetheless, Jesus gives the first news of his resurrection to these faithful women who have been following him and who have come to do honor to his body.
• ‘their words seemed to them like nonsense’—the women were able to hear the words and have them bear fruit, but the men are still somewhat poor soil (8:12).
• ‘Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb’—Peter doesn’t quite believe the women, but he takes what they say seriously. He moves from unbelief to curiosity, which is a good step. If he sticks with it, his perseverance will eventually pay off (8:15).
• ‘it is the third day since all this took place’—they’re practically repeating Jesus’ own words, about being rejected by the chief priests, being crucified, and rising on the third day; but they don’t put it all together.
• ‘and then enter his glory?’—Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53, which so vividly portray Jesus’ suffering, don’t stop there. They go on to describe the sufferer’s glorious future even after death. Psalm 22 starts with, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ but it ends with,
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it! (Psalm 22:30-31).
And Isaiah 53 says,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied . . . (Isaiah 53:10-11).
What his followers thought of as Jesus’ tragic end is only his glorious beginning.
• ‘Jesus continued on as if he were going farther’—Jesus waits to see if they are interested in hearing more. When they invite him to eat with them, he accepts, just like he commanded them to do when they went to the villages to share his good news (10:8).
• ‘Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him’—the broken bread, the symbol of his broken body, finally cures them of their blindness to who he is.
• ‘Peace be with you’—I think this would be a standard greeting, but it’s particularly meaningful here. He knows that seeing someone they think is dead all of a sudden pop up in the middle of them might be a bit scary. The first thing he wants them to know is that they have no reason to be afraid; he has good intentions toward them.
• ‘they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement’—they go from overwhelmingly scared to overwhelmingly happy.
• ‘he took it and ate it in their presence’—I think eating the fish both proves that he’s not a ghost and brings some normality to the situation.
• ‘he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures’—Jesus walks his followers through some of the very passages we’ve been looking at the past few days, opening their eyes to the fact that what looked terribly wrong was actually going exactly according to the script.
• ‘forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations’—Jesus isn’t just the sin doctor for a few people in a room, or even just for one nation. He has the power and the desire to cure the whole world of sin. Isaiah speaks of this as well:
And now the Lord says—
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord
and my God has been my strength—
he says:
‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will make you a light for the Gentiles,
That my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth’ (Isaiah 49:6)
Jesus is indeed Israel’s Messiah, just as Mary and Zechariah foresaw at the beginning of our story (1:54-55, 68-69). But he is so much more than that: he’s a Savior for the whole world.
• ‘beginning at Jerusalem’—this rescue from sin is even available to Jerusalem, the city that killed him. In fact, Jerusalem will get the offer before anyone else.
• ‘I am going to send you what my Father has promised’—that would be the Holy Spirit: ‘how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him’ (6:13). Before Jesus began his work, the Father sent him the Holy Spirit. Jesus is now sending his followers out to continue his work: the work of healing the sick, of casting out demons, of bringing forgiveness, or freeing people who are bound up, and of spreading good news. To do these things, they will need the same source of power Jesus relied on.
For some reason, Jesus’ command here not to leave until they’ve been equipped with heavenly power reminds me of his cryptic saying at the Passover supper about taking their purses, bags, and swords (22:36). Perhaps Jesus didn’t mean those things literally, but as a sort of parable about the Holy Spirit: they don’t want to find themselves naked or unprepared in the task he now has for them.
• ‘he left them and was taken up into heaven’—just like in the story where the servants are given the money to invest (19:11-27), Jesus goes away to get real royal power for himself. His followers are left behind to put what he’s given them to work, until he returns.
Taking it home:
• For you and your family: Just as you prayed for a greater understanding of the meaning of Jesus’ death yesterday, ask God to give you a deeper appreciation of the significance of his resurrection today. Ask God to fill you today with wonder and praise.
• For your friends: Ask Jesus to show himself to your friends. Ask him to give them whatever explanation or demonstration they need to believe in his death and his resurrection.
• For our city: Pray for God’s forgiveness and his salvation to be poured out on our city. That’s what Jesus came for.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Luke 23: 26-56
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30 Then
" 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!"
and to the hills, "Cover us!"'
31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is God's Messiah, the Chosen One."
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43 Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man." 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
Points of Interest:
• ‘made him carry it behind Jesus’—Simon of Cyrene serves as a very vivid picture of Jesus’ call to his followers: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me’ (9:23). Unfortunately, it’s a complete stranger who unwittingly and unwillingly provides this image. None of Jesus’ actual followers are anywhere to be seen. Simon Peter, who just last night talked of dying with Jesus, has run away; so Simon of Cyrene has to temporarily fill in for him. Cyrene, by the way, is in North Africa, in modern Libya (IVP Bible Background Commentary 254).
• ‘including women who mourned and wailed for him’—it’s not quite true that all of Jesus’ followers have abandoned him. The men among the disciples are hiding, but the women continue to follow him to the very end.
• ‘what will happen when it is dry?’—another reference to the destruction of Jerusalem. Even on the day of his death, Jesus is more concerned for the citizens of Jerusalem than he is for himself. I think the point of Jesus’ image is if, during relatively prosperous times, people can so quickly turn on him and kill him, imagine what they will do to one another when times get rough. Indeed, during the Roman siege of 70 AD, much of the damage was caused by fighting among Jewish factions (IVP Bible Background Commentary 248).
• ‘Father, forgive them’—Jesus continues to follow his own advice from the sermon on the plain: ‘bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you’ (6:28), and, ‘Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned’ (6:37). To the very end, Jesus is giving generously to others, particularly to those who won’t or can’t give anything in return. Jesus is aiming at greatness. He’s living in such a way as to get the best possible rewards from God: ‘For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you’ (6:38).
• ‘they divided up his clothes by casting lots’—it was common practice for the executioners to get the personal effects of the prisoner (New Bible Commentary 1017), but this is also a reference to Psalm 22. Psalm 22 (written by David, about 1,000 years before Jesus) bears some striking resemblances to Jesus’ crucifixion, including this division of clothes by lot, the sufferer’s great thirst, piercing of hands and feet, and being the object of mockery:
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
‘He trusts in the Lord, they say,
‘Let the Lord rescue him’ (Psalm 22:7-8).
• ‘THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS’—the charge against Jesus is ironically accurate. He’s being killed because he is the true king of the Jews, not because he falsely claims to be the king of the Jews. He is the son of the owner of the vineyard, being killed so that the tenants can take the vineyard as their own (20:14-15).
• ‘Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’—this criminal is pointing Jesus in the wrong direction: ‘For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it’ (9:24). Jesus is saving himself—and them—by submitting to death. When he first started on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus warned:
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows (12:4-7).
This criminal is afraid for his body, but shows no concern at all for his soul. Jesus, on the other hand, is showing respect for—and trust in—the one who has the authority to throw him into hell but the desire to save his life; as he prayed in Thursday’s passage, ‘yet not my will, but yours be done’ (22:42)
• ‘since you are under the same sentence?’—the moment before you die is not a great time to rack up new complaints against you.
• ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’—this second criminal reminds me of Jesus’ story of the tax collector who humbly asks for mercy and gets it (18:13-14). Criminal though he is—and as far as we know a complete stranger to Jesus—he is the only person we’ve encountered who believes that this is not the end for Jesus. Even as Jesus hangs on a cross next to him, this criminal believes that Jesus will survive and triumph.
• ‘the curtain of the temple was torn in two’—the curtain is the divider between the Holy Place (the priestly area of the temple) and the Most Holy Place (where only the chief priests could go, and only once a year). Perhaps this is the symbolic beginning of the destruction of the temple.
• ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit’—this is the first line of Psalm 31:5, which continues, ‘redeem me, Lord, my faithful God.’ This is not some vague statement of trust. Jesus is truly handing his spirit over to God in a quite real and immediate way. Jesus, the very son of God, the Lord of God’s kingdom, the one who cast out demons, healed diseases, forgave sins, calmed seas, and even raised the dead, is now dead. He’s a completely helpless corpse. And his last words before dying are, ‘Father, I’m putting myself in your hands, and I’m trusting you to bring me back.’
Jesus is pushing to the utter limit the principle that it is always a good idea to be generous to others. He recommended to the rich ruler that he give all of his possessions to the poor to gain treasure in heaven (18:22). Jesus himself takes it a few steps further, giving his very life. This choice takes tremendous faith in God’s goodness and his power. Jesus is sacrificing himself to an incredible degree for the sake of others, but he’s not expecting that others will gain at his expense; even he can’t afford to do that when the price tag is his life. Jesus is trusting God to make this sacrifice worthwhile to him. Even in giving his life, Jesus depends on God to out give him: ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life’ (18:29-30)
• ‘a member of the Council’—apparently, not all the council members are Jesus’ enemies. Maybe the leaders of the council left any dissenters out of their deliberations, or maybe Joseph and any other members sympathetic to Jesus were simply shouted down.
• ‘placed it in a tomb cut in the rock’—the fact that Jesus’ body is placed in a tomb bought by this influential councilman brings to mind an odd little detail in one of Isaiah’s prophecies of the suffering servant: ‘He was assigned a grave with the wicked,/and with the rich in his death’ (Isaiah 53:9). Like Isaiah’s suffering servant, Jesus dies the death of a criminal (and would have simply been buried in a public burial ground with them except for Joseph’s intervention [New Bible Commentary 1018]) but is buried in a rich man’s grave. Even more than Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 (written about 800 years before Jesus) is startling in how accurately and vividly it portrays Jesus’ suffering—it might be worth finding a Bible and reading the entire chapter. Isaiah’s prophecy also offers what to me is the clearest (yet still fairly mysterious) explanation of why Jesus had to suffer in all of the Old Testament, maybe in all of the Bible:
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:4-5)
All the way back in chapter 5 (5:31), Jesus declared himself to be a sin-doctor. He had come to the world specifically to heal people of their sin-sickness. Now, we see his method of healing. He somehow takes on himself the pain, the suffering, and the punishment for our sins. In effect, he kills off sin by having it die with him on the cross. It’s as if he undergoes sin-chemotherapy, but for all of us, not for himself. And by God’s great and mysterious power, this crazy plan works.
Taking it home:
• For you and your family: Jesus’ death is undeniably a very powerful story, but it’s also one that can be very difficult to grasp. Pray that God would give you a new understanding today of the meaning of Jesus’ death.
• For your friends: Pray that like Simon of Cyrene your friends would be drawn into Jesus’ story in surprising ways.
• For our city: While their companions are sneering, the second criminal and the centurion find in Jesus’ death something compelling and faith-inspiring. Pray that many people in our city would also gain a new appreciation for Jesus during these few days when there tends to be greater focus on him and his death. Pray that they would not be deterred by any cynicism about Jesus they see around them.
" 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!"
and to the hills, "Cover us!"'
31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is God's Messiah, the Chosen One."
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43 Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man." 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
Points of Interest:
• ‘made him carry it behind Jesus’—Simon of Cyrene serves as a very vivid picture of Jesus’ call to his followers: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me’ (9:23). Unfortunately, it’s a complete stranger who unwittingly and unwillingly provides this image. None of Jesus’ actual followers are anywhere to be seen. Simon Peter, who just last night talked of dying with Jesus, has run away; so Simon of Cyrene has to temporarily fill in for him. Cyrene, by the way, is in North Africa, in modern Libya (IVP Bible Background Commentary 254).
• ‘including women who mourned and wailed for him’—it’s not quite true that all of Jesus’ followers have abandoned him. The men among the disciples are hiding, but the women continue to follow him to the very end.
• ‘what will happen when it is dry?’—another reference to the destruction of Jerusalem. Even on the day of his death, Jesus is more concerned for the citizens of Jerusalem than he is for himself. I think the point of Jesus’ image is if, during relatively prosperous times, people can so quickly turn on him and kill him, imagine what they will do to one another when times get rough. Indeed, during the Roman siege of 70 AD, much of the damage was caused by fighting among Jewish factions (IVP Bible Background Commentary 248).
• ‘Father, forgive them’—Jesus continues to follow his own advice from the sermon on the plain: ‘bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you’ (6:28), and, ‘Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned’ (6:37). To the very end, Jesus is giving generously to others, particularly to those who won’t or can’t give anything in return. Jesus is aiming at greatness. He’s living in such a way as to get the best possible rewards from God: ‘For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you’ (6:38).
• ‘they divided up his clothes by casting lots’—it was common practice for the executioners to get the personal effects of the prisoner (New Bible Commentary 1017), but this is also a reference to Psalm 22. Psalm 22 (written by David, about 1,000 years before Jesus) bears some striking resemblances to Jesus’ crucifixion, including this division of clothes by lot, the sufferer’s great thirst, piercing of hands and feet, and being the object of mockery:
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
‘He trusts in the Lord, they say,
‘Let the Lord rescue him’ (Psalm 22:7-8).
• ‘THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS’—the charge against Jesus is ironically accurate. He’s being killed because he is the true king of the Jews, not because he falsely claims to be the king of the Jews. He is the son of the owner of the vineyard, being killed so that the tenants can take the vineyard as their own (20:14-15).
• ‘Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’—this criminal is pointing Jesus in the wrong direction: ‘For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it’ (9:24). Jesus is saving himself—and them—by submitting to death. When he first started on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus warned:
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows (12:4-7).
This criminal is afraid for his body, but shows no concern at all for his soul. Jesus, on the other hand, is showing respect for—and trust in—the one who has the authority to throw him into hell but the desire to save his life; as he prayed in Thursday’s passage, ‘yet not my will, but yours be done’ (22:42)
• ‘since you are under the same sentence?’—the moment before you die is not a great time to rack up new complaints against you.
• ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’—this second criminal reminds me of Jesus’ story of the tax collector who humbly asks for mercy and gets it (18:13-14). Criminal though he is—and as far as we know a complete stranger to Jesus—he is the only person we’ve encountered who believes that this is not the end for Jesus. Even as Jesus hangs on a cross next to him, this criminal believes that Jesus will survive and triumph.
• ‘the curtain of the temple was torn in two’—the curtain is the divider between the Holy Place (the priestly area of the temple) and the Most Holy Place (where only the chief priests could go, and only once a year). Perhaps this is the symbolic beginning of the destruction of the temple.
• ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit’—this is the first line of Psalm 31:5, which continues, ‘redeem me, Lord, my faithful God.’ This is not some vague statement of trust. Jesus is truly handing his spirit over to God in a quite real and immediate way. Jesus, the very son of God, the Lord of God’s kingdom, the one who cast out demons, healed diseases, forgave sins, calmed seas, and even raised the dead, is now dead. He’s a completely helpless corpse. And his last words before dying are, ‘Father, I’m putting myself in your hands, and I’m trusting you to bring me back.’
Jesus is pushing to the utter limit the principle that it is always a good idea to be generous to others. He recommended to the rich ruler that he give all of his possessions to the poor to gain treasure in heaven (18:22). Jesus himself takes it a few steps further, giving his very life. This choice takes tremendous faith in God’s goodness and his power. Jesus is sacrificing himself to an incredible degree for the sake of others, but he’s not expecting that others will gain at his expense; even he can’t afford to do that when the price tag is his life. Jesus is trusting God to make this sacrifice worthwhile to him. Even in giving his life, Jesus depends on God to out give him: ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life’ (18:29-30)
• ‘a member of the Council’—apparently, not all the council members are Jesus’ enemies. Maybe the leaders of the council left any dissenters out of their deliberations, or maybe Joseph and any other members sympathetic to Jesus were simply shouted down.
• ‘placed it in a tomb cut in the rock’—the fact that Jesus’ body is placed in a tomb bought by this influential councilman brings to mind an odd little detail in one of Isaiah’s prophecies of the suffering servant: ‘He was assigned a grave with the wicked,/and with the rich in his death’ (Isaiah 53:9). Like Isaiah’s suffering servant, Jesus dies the death of a criminal (and would have simply been buried in a public burial ground with them except for Joseph’s intervention [New Bible Commentary 1018]) but is buried in a rich man’s grave. Even more than Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 (written about 800 years before Jesus) is startling in how accurately and vividly it portrays Jesus’ suffering—it might be worth finding a Bible and reading the entire chapter. Isaiah’s prophecy also offers what to me is the clearest (yet still fairly mysterious) explanation of why Jesus had to suffer in all of the Old Testament, maybe in all of the Bible:
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:4-5)
All the way back in chapter 5 (5:31), Jesus declared himself to be a sin-doctor. He had come to the world specifically to heal people of their sin-sickness. Now, we see his method of healing. He somehow takes on himself the pain, the suffering, and the punishment for our sins. In effect, he kills off sin by having it die with him on the cross. It’s as if he undergoes sin-chemotherapy, but for all of us, not for himself. And by God’s great and mysterious power, this crazy plan works.
Taking it home:
• For you and your family: Jesus’ death is undeniably a very powerful story, but it’s also one that can be very difficult to grasp. Pray that God would give you a new understanding today of the meaning of Jesus’ death.
• For your friends: Pray that like Simon of Cyrene your friends would be drawn into Jesus’ story in surprising ways.
• For our city: While their companions are sneering, the second criminal and the centurion find in Jesus’ death something compelling and faith-inspiring. Pray that many people in our city would also gain a new appreciation for Jesus during these few days when there tends to be greater focus on him and his death. Pray that they would not be deterred by any cynicism about Jesus they see around them.
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