Post by Michael on Mar 2, 2004 8:31:21 GMT -5
From John Carey Part 2
Along with him, they
also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left.
People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock
lament: "You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then
rebuild it in three days--so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If
you're really God's Son, come down from that cross!" The high priests,
along with the religion scholars and leaders, were right there mixing it
up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: "He
saved others--he can't save himself! King of Israel, is he? Then let him
get down from that cross. We'll all become believers then! He was so
sure of God--well, let him rescue his 'Son' now--if he wants him! He did
claim to be God's Son, didn't he?" Even the two criminals crucified next
to him joined in the mockery. From noon to three, the whole earth was
dark. Around mid-afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying
loudly, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why
have you abandoned me?" Some bystanders who heard him said, "He's
calling for Elijah." One of them ran and got a sponge soaked in sour
wine and lifted it on a stick so he could drink. The others joked,
Don't be in such a hurry. Let's see if Elijah comes and saves him."
But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last. At that moment,
the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an
earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. What's more, tombs were
opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were
raised. (After Jesus' resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the
holy city, and appeared to many.) The captain of the guard and those
with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was
happening, were scared to death. They said, "This has to be the Son of
God!" There were also quite a few women watching from a distance, women
who had followed Jesus from Galilee in order to serve him. Among them
were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother
of the Zebedee brothers. Late in the afternoon a wealthy man from
Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, arrived. His name was Joseph. He went
to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate granted his request. Joseph
took the body and wrapped it in clean linens, put it in his own tomb, a
new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone
across the entrance. Then he went off. But Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary stayed, sitting in plain view of the tomb. After sundown, the high
priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate.
They said, "Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he
was still alive, 'After three days I will be raised.' We've got to get
that tomb sealed until the third day. There's a good chance his
disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying,
'He's risen from the dead.' Then we'll be worse off than before, the
final deceit surpassing the first." Pilate told them, "You will have a
guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can." So they went out and
secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.
Mat 28 After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb.
Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God's angel
came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He
rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed
from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were
scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn't move. The angel
spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're
looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He
was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was
placed. "Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, 'He is
risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will
see him there.' That's the message." The women, deep in wonder and full
of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the
disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. "Good
morning!" he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and
worshiped him. Jesus said, "You're holding on to me for dear life! Don't
be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to
Galilee, and that I'll meet them there." Meanwhile, the guards had
scattered, but a few of them went into the city and told the high
priests everything that had happened. They called a meeting of the
religious leaders and came up with a plan: They took a large sum of
money and gave it to the soldiers, bribing them to say, "His disciples
came in the night and stole the body while we were sleeping." They
assured them, "If the governor hears about your sleeping on duty, we
will make sure you don't get blamed." The soldiers took the bribe and
did as they were told. That story, cooked up in the Jewish High Council,
is still going around. Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way
to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion.
The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not
sure about worship, about risking themselves totally. Jesus,
undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and
commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far
and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold
name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice
of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after
day after day, right up to the end of the age."
www.jesusdisciple.com
Love God
Love your Neighbor
Love your enemy
Love one another
Along with him, they
also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left.
People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock
lament: "You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then
rebuild it in three days--so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If
you're really God's Son, come down from that cross!" The high priests,
along with the religion scholars and leaders, were right there mixing it
up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: "He
saved others--he can't save himself! King of Israel, is he? Then let him
get down from that cross. We'll all become believers then! He was so
sure of God--well, let him rescue his 'Son' now--if he wants him! He did
claim to be God's Son, didn't he?" Even the two criminals crucified next
to him joined in the mockery. From noon to three, the whole earth was
dark. Around mid-afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying
loudly, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why
have you abandoned me?" Some bystanders who heard him said, "He's
calling for Elijah." One of them ran and got a sponge soaked in sour
wine and lifted it on a stick so he could drink. The others joked,
Don't be in such a hurry. Let's see if Elijah comes and saves him."
But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last. At that moment,
the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an
earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. What's more, tombs were
opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were
raised. (After Jesus' resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the
holy city, and appeared to many.) The captain of the guard and those
with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was
happening, were scared to death. They said, "This has to be the Son of
God!" There were also quite a few women watching from a distance, women
who had followed Jesus from Galilee in order to serve him. Among them
were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother
of the Zebedee brothers. Late in the afternoon a wealthy man from
Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, arrived. His name was Joseph. He went
to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate granted his request. Joseph
took the body and wrapped it in clean linens, put it in his own tomb, a
new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone
across the entrance. Then he went off. But Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary stayed, sitting in plain view of the tomb. After sundown, the high
priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate.
They said, "Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he
was still alive, 'After three days I will be raised.' We've got to get
that tomb sealed until the third day. There's a good chance his
disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying,
'He's risen from the dead.' Then we'll be worse off than before, the
final deceit surpassing the first." Pilate told them, "You will have a
guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can." So they went out and
secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.
Mat 28 After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb.
Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God's angel
came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He
rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed
from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were
scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn't move. The angel
spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're
looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He
was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was
placed. "Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, 'He is
risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will
see him there.' That's the message." The women, deep in wonder and full
of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the
disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. "Good
morning!" he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and
worshiped him. Jesus said, "You're holding on to me for dear life! Don't
be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to
Galilee, and that I'll meet them there." Meanwhile, the guards had
scattered, but a few of them went into the city and told the high
priests everything that had happened. They called a meeting of the
religious leaders and came up with a plan: They took a large sum of
money and gave it to the soldiers, bribing them to say, "His disciples
came in the night and stole the body while we were sleeping." They
assured them, "If the governor hears about your sleeping on duty, we
will make sure you don't get blamed." The soldiers took the bribe and
did as they were told. That story, cooked up in the Jewish High Council,
is still going around. Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way
to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion.
The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not
sure about worship, about risking themselves totally. Jesus,
undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and
commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far
and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold
name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice
of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after
day after day, right up to the end of the age."
www.jesusdisciple.com
Love God
Love your Neighbor
Love your enemy
Love one another