Southern Christian University

Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John

Class Session 12

James A. Turner

Hello, students. For this Class Session, please turn to chapter twenty‑seven for our beginning place at this time. If I remember correctly in our last Class Session, we started in Matthew chapter twenty‑five, and I think verse thirty, and read all of the rest of Matthew twenty‑five and all of chapter twenty‑six, and then we turned and read the parallels in the other three gospels. And when our class was up, we were reading from John chapter nineteen, and I believe we got down to verse thirty‑seven. But instead of continuing reading there, I think it will be best for us to turn back and begin with Matthew's account and read it and then read the parallels in the other three. So Matthew chapter twenty‑seven. "Now when morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death." Now, remember they had already done that during the night. But they meet again early in the morning, the Sanhedrin does, and they condemn him to death. And they bound him and led him away and delivered him up to Pilate the governor.

Now, Matthew is the only one that tells about Judas's repentance, if I am remembering right. So beginning with verse three, Matthew tells about how Judas returned those thirty pieces of silver. And those thirty pieces of silver were used by the chief priest and elders to buy the potter's field to bury strangers in, and that had been prophesied as given in Zechariah 11:12‑13. "Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? See thou to it. And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed, and he went away and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood." So they knew what they had done. They had paid Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus so they could have him killed. "And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was priced, whom certain children of Israel did price; and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me." Now, it is not from Jeremiah. I do not know why it is stated there through Jeremiah, but the quotation is from Zechariah chapter eleven verses twelve and thirteen. There are a number of prophecies in the book of Zechariah concerning Christ. I believe I counted at least six prophecies, in that next to the last book of the Old Testament about Christ. And they were surely fulfilled, as given by the prophet.

Matthew 27:11, "Now Jesus stood before the governor: And the governor asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing." Well, why do you suppose that he did not say anything on his defense? Remember how he had told his disciples plainly as they were on the way to Jerusalem, that they would go to Jerusalem, and that the chief priests and elders would condemn him and would deliver him to the Gentiles, and they would scourge him and crucify him. Let us read that reference again back in Matthew twenty, beginning with verse seventeen. "And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem he took the twelve disciples apart. Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify: And the third day he shall be raised up." So not just kill him but crucify him. And, of course, the Jewish people did not crucify people, and they did not have the right of the death penalty. And, of course, Jesus knew in detail what was going to happen to him, as given there in that reference that we just read, and so what need was there for him answering the chief priests and the elders. Verse thirteen, "Then saith Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he gave him no answer not even one word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly. Now at the feast the governor was wont to release unto the multitude one prisoner, who they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" I think surely that he had chosen Barabbas, a noted criminal and a murderer, thinking that surely they will accept Barabbas instead of Christ. And notice verse eighteen, "For he knew." Matthew and Mark both record that Pilate knew that for envy they had delivered him up. "For he knew that for envy they had delivered him up. And while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou now nothing to do with that righteous man: For I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." I think Matthew is the only one that records verse nineteen. We will notice as we read the parallels. "Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. But the governor answered and said unto them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas." So the chief priests and the elders got the people to say release unto us Barabbas. "Pilate saith unto them, What then shall I do unto Jesus who is called Christ? They all say, Let him be crucified. And they said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out exceedingly, saying, Let him be crucified. And when Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing, but rather that a tumult was arising, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man: See ye to it. And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us, and on our children." And do you remember from chapter five of the book of Acts at that Sanhedrin court at a later date was ready to kill the apostles, because as they stated you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. People can brag about they are not afraid of the judgment when they know that they have not prepared for the judgment, but it will be a very different thing when that time comes. One church member is reported to have said, well if I have to attend church every Sunday and do all of those other things I guess I will just burst hell wide open. When that time comes that lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15, 21:8) will be burning, but it looks like, “That every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God (Romans 14:16),” before the casting into the lake of fire, “That burneth with fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8). And here they said, let his blood be on us and on our children. But when that time came, they did not want the blood of Christ upon them. "Then released he unto them Barabbas, but Jesus he scourged, and delivered to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered unto him the whole band. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And they platted a crown of thorns, and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: And they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying. Hail, King of the Jews! Is there any room for doubt that those soldiers will bow again to Jesus, but in a very different manner? And they spat upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the robe, and put on his garments, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: Him they compelled to go with them that he might bear his cross."

A scourging was a very terrible thing. If you think of an old time buggy whip divided into many leather strips, and then think about having a piece of metal or a piece of bone in the end of each one of those leather strips, I think you will have a pretty good idea of what it meant to scourge a man. And it is said that sometimes their bowels would protrude from a scourging or even some of them died by the scourging. Jesus must have been so weak that he could not carry his cross, and they compelled Simon of Cyrene to go with him that he might bear his cross. Surely they would have had Jesus to have borne his cross if it had been physically possible for him to do so. "And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, the place of a skull, they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted it, he would not drink. And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots. And they sat and watched him there. They set over his head his accusation written, This is King of the Jews." And we will read from John's account that the Jews wanted Pilate to change that, but he would not change it.

Matthew 27:37, "Then are they crucified with him, two of the robbers. One on the right hand, and one on the left. And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads. Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself, If thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross." Jesus could have come down from that cross, but Jesus chose to die in order to make a sin offering for us (John 10:17-18; II Corinthians 5:21).. And as stated when Peter drew his sword and cut off the servant of the high priest's ear and Jesus told him to put up his sword, “for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” And that is given there in Matthew twenty‑six., He said, “Thinkest thou not that I could call upon my Father and he would send me twelve legions of angels, but how then would the scriptures be fulfilled?” Jesus came to fulfill all of those Old Testament scriptures concerning him, and he was determined to fulfill them. "In like manner also the chief priests mocked him, with the scribes and elders, and said, He that saved others; himself he cannot save. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross, and we will believe. Do you think they would have believed on him if he had come down from the cross? Certainly not! They had already seen many miracles of healing and signs and wonders that he had done. All of those things did not convince them that he was from God, and remember they condemned him on the basis of blasphemy because he said that he was the Son of God" He trusted on him; let him deliver him now, if he desireth him: For he said, I am the Son of God. And the robbers also, that were crucified with him, cast upon him the same reproach." Now, Luke's account is different. One of them did but the other one asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom.

Matthew 27:45, "Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour." The sixth hour Jewish time would be twelve o'clock our time, and the ninth hour would be three o'clock in the afternoon. So from twelve o'clock to three clock, there was darkness over all the land. "And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" And remember Jesus had prayed fervently three times in the garden that if it was God's will that the cup might pass, that he might not have to suffer that terrible on the cross. But each time he said, “nevertheless not my will but thine be done.” It was not God's will to remove the cup from Jesus. And here Jesus said, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” And remember Isaiah fifty‑three had said that that would take place. And so God let Jesus die as a sinner, separated (Isaiah 53:10-12) for a period of time, dying for the sins of the whole world. "And some of them that stood there, when they heard him, said, This man calleth Elijah. And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled with it vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. And the rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elijah cometh to save him. And Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks were rent; and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were raised, and coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city, and appeared unto me many." Now, I think we will discuss this further when we go over those outlines about The Sayings Of Jesus On The Cross and The Six Trials Of Jesus. In the parallels of Mark and Luke, they mention only the renting of the veil, but notice that it is a mark of inspiration that Matthew mentions it first. Verse fifty‑one, "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks were rent." Of course, the veil was miraculously rent, just like the earthquake and rocks being rent and the tombs being opened. But surely it is a mark of inspiration that Matthew lists that first, why? It is the most important thing. It shows that the way into heaven had been made manifest. Do you remember that reference in Hebrews six, I think verses eighteen and nineteen, about Christ is our way of refuge, and we have fled for refuge to lay hold.

We better just turn and read it. Turn to Hebrews chapter six. Let us read from Hebrews six, verse eighteen beginning. "That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us: Which we have Hope in Christ. as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast, and entering into that which is within the veil; whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." So Jesus had made a way into heaven. There had been no complete forgiveness of sin until Christ died on the cross. When Christ died on the cross, his blood reached back and cleansed those who had died in covenant relationship with God during the Patriarchal Dispensation and the Jewish Dispensation. Hebrews 9:15 reads, “that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions of those that were under the first.” And so Christ's death made that way into heaven for us. And also in chapter nine, it is talking about the tabernacle and the two compartments of the tabernacle and the holy vessels in those compartments. Let us pick up with verse seven, "But into the second (The second compartment of the tabernacle) the high priest alone once every year And that was on the tenth day of the seventh month, Leviticus chapter sixteen. not without blood which he offered for himself and for the elders of the people. The Holy Spirit thus signifieth that the way into the holy place hath not been made manifest while the first tabernacle is yet standing." Do you see the meaning then from the reference we read there in the latter part of chapter six and from chapter nine and verse eight, that that renting of the veil signified a complete way of cleansing had been made by Jesus, as stated in chapter six there, whither as a forerunner.

Let us read it again. Verse nineteen, "Which we have." The language in verse eighteen is based on the Old Testament situation. Remember that they had six cities of refuge, so that if a man killed another person accidentally, he could flee to a city of refuge and plead his innocence. And if he was proved to be innocent, then he was to stay in that city of refuge until the death of the high priest. If he left prior to that time, the avenger of blood could kill him. But if he stayed until the death of the high priest, then no harm was to come. They fled for refuge to keep from being killed by an avenger of blood, but we fled for refuge in Christ, a spiritual refuge to be saved from sin. "Which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast to that which is within the veil. Whither as a forerunner, Jesus entered for us." That second compartment was a type of heaven to come. And so Jesus has made the way for us. "Having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." The significance of the renting of that veil.

Let us read it again. Matthew 27:51, "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks were rent, and tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that were fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city, and appeared unto many." Now, if you had been a newsperson back there and you had witnessed all those miraculous things, which one of those would you have listed first? I think that matter of the saints being raised would have impressed me the most. My heading would have been, Saints Arose. That would make a proper headline, wouldn't it? "And now the centurion and they that were with him, watching Jesus when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God." Let me say again that we have several centurions mentioned in the gospel books and in the book of Acts, and I believe I am right in saying that all of them are spoken of in a favorable way. The centurion was in charge of those soldiers that did the actual crucifixion, but notice that when he saw all those miraculous things that occurred. "He feared exceedingly saying, Truly this was the Son of God." Do you suppose that that centurion might be among those that Jesus said, while on the cross, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” If he retained that humility that he showed here, I believe he would have been one of those that were forgiven, that such a man would have obeyed the Lord. "And many women were there beholding from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: Among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses the mother of the sons of Zebedee.”

Matthew 25:57, "And when even was come, there came a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: This man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded it to be given up. And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb." I believe Matthew may be the only one that specifies that the tomb was Joseph's new tomb. Now, Joseph of Arimathaea is described in one of them as a member of the Court, but he had not consented unto what that Court had done. And it looks like the death of Christ then brought out the very best in him. And he goes, as one of them says, boldly asked for the body of Jesus. Verse sixty, "And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: And he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulcher. Now on the morrow, which is the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember what that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest haply his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: And the last error will be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a guard: Go, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone." Matthew said he rolled a big stone, Joseph of Arimathaea had, at the door of the tomb. The guard sealed and guarded the tomb to see that nothing happened, and that the disciples do not come and steal away the body of Jesus.

Now, let us turn to Mark's account and pick up with chapter fifteen, which is the parallel to Matthew twenty‑seven. "And straightway in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes, and the whole counsel." All of the Court, the whole Sanhedrin Court consisting of seventy, or in the seventies, men in all. "Held a consultation and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest and the chief priests accused him of many things." Now, remember they condemned him on the basis of blasphemy, that he said, I am the Son of God. But they accused him here, as Mark says, of many things. "And Pilate again asked him saying, Answerest thou nothing? Behold how many things they accuse thee of? And Jesus no more answered anything; insomuch that Pilate marveled. Now at the feast he used to release unto them one prisoner, whom they asked of him. And there was one called Barabbas, bound with them that had made them insurrection, men who had in the insurrection had committed murder. And the multitude went up and began to ask him to do as he was wont to do unto them. And Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up." See, there Mark says the same thing as Matthew on that. But he does not tell about the message Pilate's wife had sent him.

Mark 15:11, "But the chief priests stirred up the multitudes, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate again answered and said unto them, What then shall I do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out exceedingly, Crucify him. And Pilate, wishing to content the multitudes, released unto them Barabbas, and delivered Jesus when he had scourged him to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away within the court which is the Praetorium; and they called together the whole band. And they clothed him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote his head with a reed, and spat upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him." Of course, worshiping him in mockery as stated by Matthew. "And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the purple, and put on him his garments and they led him out to crucify him. And they compelled one passing by Simon a Cyrenian, coming from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus to go with him, that he might bear his cross. And they bring him unto the place of Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. And they offered him wine mingled with myrrh: But he received it not. And they crucified him, and parted his garments among him, casting lots upon them, which each should take. It was the third hour, and they crucified him." Now, he was arrested on what we think was Friday night. And that Court met on that Friday night and condemned him to death. And by the third hour of the day, they have him on the cross of Calvary. The third hour Jewish time would be nine o'clock in the morning, and we have read that there was darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour. The Jews counted from six to six as a day. To them what we call six o'clock in the morning would be the first hour of the day. "And it was the third hour and they crucify him. And the superscription of his accusation was written over the King of the Jews. And with him they crucify two robbers; one on the right hand, and one on his left. And they that passed by railed on him wagging their heads and saying, thou that didst destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days." Jesus was talking about the temple of his body when he said, Destroy this temple and I will raise it up on the third day. "Save thyself and come down from the cross. In like manner also the chief priests mocking him among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let the Christ the King of Israel come down from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reproached him.”

Mark 15:33, “And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachtahni? Which is being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elijah. And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to take him down. And Jesus uttered a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom." And notice that that is the only miraculous thing recorded by Mark and also by Luke. "And when the centurion, who stood by over against him, saw that he gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. And there were also women beholding from afar: Among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses and Salome; (who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women that came up with him unto Jerusalem. And when even was now come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath. There came Joseph of Arimathaea, a counselor, of honorable estate, who also himself was looking for the kingdom of God, and he boldly I told you one said boldly. went in unto Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate marveled if he were dead: And calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead." When it came time for Jesus to die, “he gave up the spirit.” There is no question about his suffering on the cross in that body of flesh. We read how that Luke said his sweat became as great drops of blood, he was in such agony and an angel appeared to him strengthening him. But when it came time for Jesus to die, he died, and that was, as I see it, the time when they started killing the Passover lambs. Those Passover lambs that we will talk about in more detail, prefigured Christ, that he would be the lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world. , "And when he learned of it of the centurion, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And he bought linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb, which had been hewn out of a rock, and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb." Now, notice that Matthew said it was his own new tomb, but Mark does not mention that. And neither one of these two mention that he was assisted by Nicodemus. I believe John is the only one that tells us that. Verse forty‑seven, "Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid."

Let us turn now to Luke's account in chapter twenty‑three. "And the whole company of them rose up, (the Sanhedrin court) and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a King." And remember as given in John's account, he said, “my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then should my servants fight that I should not be delivered up to the Jews.” But they said, and we found this man perverting our nation, forbidding to give tribute to Caesar. You remember how that the Pharisees back there tried to ensnare him by having some of their disciples and some members of the Herodian family to go to Jesus and ask him the question, “Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?” And Jesus said, Ye hypocrites, show me the tribute money. And they showed him the piece. And he said, whose inscription is on it? And they told him Caesar's. And he said, render unto Caesar's the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's. And so that charge was absolutely a lie. Jesus had not been perverting the nation, he came to save. And he surely did not forbid them paying taxes to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ the king. "Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitude, I find no fault in this man. But they were the more urgent, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee even unto this place. But when Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man were a Galilean. And when he knew that he was of Herod's jurisdiction." Now, Luke is the only one, if I am remembering right, that tells about Pilate's sending Jesus to Herod. He wants to get out from under the burden of making a decision, but he knows that Jesus is not guilty. So when he learns that he is of Herod's jurisdiction, he sends him to Herod, verse seven.

Luke 23:7, "And when he knew that he was of Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him unto Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem in these days. Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: For he was of a long time desirous to see him, because he had heard concerning him; and he hoped to see some miracle done by him. And he questioned him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and the scribes stood vehemently accusing him." They were really stirred up and they were really accusing him. "And Herod with his soldiers set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous apparel, and sent him back to Pilate." Note that John's account, when we read it, shows plainly that Herod did not find any fault with him. But I guess in order to please the Jews, Herod's soldiers mocked him and arrayed him in a gorgeous apparel and sent him back to Pilate. "And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day: For before they were enmity between themselves."

Luke 23:13, “And Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers of the people, and said unto them, Ye brought unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people: And, behold, I have examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him." You have not proved your case. He is not guilty. "No, nor yet Herod: For he sent him back to us." So Herod did not find anything wrong. "And behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him." Now, notice the statement from Luke. I believe that it will help us to understand the statement made as recorded by John. I will therefore chastise him and release him. It looks like to me that it is pretty evident that Pilate thought that if he had Jesus scourged that would satisfy their wrath, but it did not. "I will therefore chastise him and release him. And they cried out all together, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: One who for a certain insurrection made in the city, and for murder." So at least the second time, we read that he was in prison for insurrection and murder. "Was cast into prison. And Pilate spake unto them again desiring to release Jesus. But they shouted, saying, Crucify, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him: But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that what they had asked for should be done. And he released him for that insurrection and murder had been cast into prison, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will. And when they led him away, they laid hold upon Simon of Cyrene." So this makes three of the writers say that they had Simon to carry his cross. "Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented him." (A brief recess was taken.)

We are ready to read now from John's parallel. And I think maybe I said we got down to John nineteen and verse thirty‑seven, but I believe it was eighteen and verse thirty‑seven. So please turn to John chapter eighteen, and I would like to read verse thirty‑six again. "Jesus answered. When Pilate asked him if he was a king, here was his answer, my kingdom is not of this world: If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: But now is my kingdom not from hence." Do you remember that we read from the sixth chapter of John, how that on that occasion when Jesus fed the five thousand men plus the women and children with five loaves and two fishes, that they were ready to take him by force and make him an earthly king, but he had left their presence. And here he says to Pilate, my kingdom is not of this world, meaning that his kingdom is a spiritual kingdom and not a worldly kingdom. And think how strange then that the premillennialist are still, according to their teaching, going to see to it that Jesus is an earthly king and reigning on, as they try to make it, David's throne for a thousand years. I hope you have given attention to that short outline entitled Christ Is Now Reigning On The Throne Of David, and he will reign until he delivers up the kingdom to God the Father (I Corinthians 5:21-26; Hebrews 1:13). He is not coming back to reign on earth and to establish a kingdom on earth. But when he comes back, he will deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, as given in I Corinthians fifteen around verse twenty‑four. Just before Jesus ascended the apostles were expecting an earthly kingdom. In Acts one, where Jesus is with them at the end of that forty‑day period, and he said to them, I believe it is Acts 1:5, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence. And they said to him, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel, meaning will you at that time get us out from Roman authority and restore the kingdom to Israel like it was in the days of old. So they were even expecting with all the teaching that he had done, those apostles were still expecting him to set up an earthly kingdom. Christ did not come for any such purpose. He came to be an offering for sin. He was, as given in the King James Version, Revelation 13:8, as a lamb slain from the foundation of the world. In other words, the decision had been made and in that sense it was good as done that Jesus would die as the lamb of God for the sins of the world.

John 18:37, "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end I am come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." Now, remember this is really stressed in the gospel of John that those who are ready to walk in the light come to Christ and those who want to travel in the way of darkness, they refuse to come to him. And so here everyone that is of the truth, hear my voice. And Pilate saith unto him, what is truth? "And when he said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find no crime in him. But we have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the Passover: Will ye that I release unto you the king of the Jews? They cried out therefore, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him." I want you to notice carefully, did not Mark and Luke say that Pilate said to them, I will chastise him and release him. And if you will think of that when you read verse five, I believe you will see why Pilate was reasoning that way. "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they arrayed him in a purple garment, and they came unto him and said, Hail, King of the Jews! And they struck him with their hands. And Pilate went out again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him out to you, that ye may know I find no crime in him. Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple garments and Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!" Don’t you think Pilate meant by that statement, behold the man, by the scourging, he had been beaten nearly to death and the crown of thorns on his head and the purple garment and the soldier mocking him, don’t you think that he meant that this man has suffered enough? Are you not ready for him to be released? And, again, remember that Mark and Luke said I will chastise him and release him. "When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take him yourselves, and crucify him: For I find no crime in him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God."

They had brought those charges against him of perverting the nation and telling the people that they couldn't give tribute to Caesar and other charges that they had made. But now they finally get around to this one. Pilate had heard all those charges and he and Herod had ruled that he was not guilty of any of those charges, and so they finally bring the one that they had condemned him for, that he committed blasphemy, because he had said that he was the Son of God. "The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by that law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard this saying, he was the more afraid." In moral character, indeed he was! "And he entered into the Praetorium again, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore saith unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have the power to release thee, and I have the power to crucify thee? Jesus answered, Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above; therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath greater sin." And, of course, the leaders of the Jews the Sanhedrin Court had delivered him. "Upon this Pilate sought to release him. But the Jews cried out saying, If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar's friend: Everyone that maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at the place called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the preparation of the Passover, it was about the sixth hour."

Notice the contradiction of John 19:14 with Mark 15:25. Mark said, “and it was the third hour, and they crucified him” but here John says it was about the sixth hour when Pilate delivered him up to be crucified, there in verse sixteen John 19:14-16. So how can we account for the difference in the reading? On the surface it's an outright contradiction. I think the answer is that John wrote a long time after 70 A.D. when the Jewish system had gone by the wayside, and Roman time had replaced Jewish time. The sixth hour Roman time would be like ours, six o'clock in the morning, and Mark’s “and it was the third hour and they crucified him.” Remember that the Jews counted our 6 A M the first hour of the day and the third hour was 9 A M our time. He is delivered up to be crucified around six o'clock in the morning our time and then he is on the cross at nine o'clock our time. So there is no contradiction. "And he saith unto the Jews, Behold your king! And they therefore cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar." Remember how that they were looking for one who would take them out from under that Roman authority, out from under Caesar. If Jesus had come and done that most of the Jews including the apostles would have been pleased.

John 19:14, "Then therefore he delivered him unto them to be crucified. They took Jesus therefore, and went out bearing the cross for himself unto the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote the title also, and put it on the cross. And there was written, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. This title therefore read many of the Jews: For the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: And it was written in Hebrew, and in Latin and in Greek." So every one that passed by could evidently know in his language the inscription, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. "The chief priests of the Jews therefore said to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written." We can at least appreciate him for that, that he was going to leave it like it was. "The soldiers therefore when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat: Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore one to another, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: That the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture they did cast lots." Notice that is from Psalms 22:18, which is one of several of the Psalms of prophecies about Christ and in this one that they would cast lots to determine which soldier would get the woven coat of Jesus. Each one of those who did the crucifying of him got a garment, but they said they would not rend this vesture. They said therefore one to another, let us not rend it. It was a coat without seam, going back to verse twenty‑three. And so they cast lots for it. On my vesture did they cast lots. "These things therefore the soldiers did, but there was standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. And when Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!" And that disciple, of course, is John the writer of this gospel book. And John speaks of himself in the second person. Let us read verse twenty‑six there again. "When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now finished, that the scripture might be accomplished, saith I thirst. There was set there a vessel full of vinegar: So they put a sponge of vinegar on hyssop, and brought it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: And he bowed his head, and gave up the spirit. The Jews therefore because it was the preparation, that the body should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath, (for the day of the Sabbath was a high day.)" It is the Sabbath after the Passover. "Asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away." It is said that they sometimes they would live on the cross for many hours. So they want them taken down before the Sabbath. "The soldiers therefore came and brake the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: Howbeit." According to Exodus 12:46 in respect to the Passover lambs, not a bone in the body of the lamb was to be broken, so they do not brake the legs of Jesus in its fulfillment. Not a bone would be broken. "Howbeit one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and straightway there came out blood and water. And he that hath seen And again, John was talking about himself. hath borne witness, and his witness is true: And he knoweth that he saith true, that ye also may believe. For these things came to pass, that the scripture might be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken." Notice your reference there, that it's Exodus 12:46, and that is talking about not a bone in the body of the Passover lamb. Not a bone in the body of the lamb was to be broken, and that prefigured then as stated here by John that not a bone in the body of Christ would be broken. "And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced." And notice that is from Zechariah chapter twelve and verse ten. And I think in a few minutes we will turn and read those references from Zechariah, which is next to the last book of the Old Testament, a number of very important prophecies concerning Christ are in Zechariah. "And after these things, Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: And Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took away his body." And notice that John is the only one that tells about he was assisted by Nicodemus.

John 19:38, "And there came also Nicodemus, he who at the first came by night, John 3:1ff, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound. So they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb, wherein was never a man yet laid. And there because of the Jews' preparation; for the tomb was nigh at hand." They laid Jesus. So if I see things correctly, Jesus died on the cross at three o'clock on Friday at the time that they were to be killing the Passover lambs. And then he is buried on that same day. So he was in the tomb part of Friday and all day Saturday and part of the first day of the week, but the Jewish people counted part of a day a day and thus raised on that third day. Now notice again verse thirty‑seven, "They shall look on him whom they pierced”.

Let us turn now to Zechariah. And I would like for us to begin with chapter six and notice some of those prophecies that are given in this book about Jesus. First look at Zechariah 6:12-13, "Behold the man whose name is the Branch And that is very definitely the Christ, for Jeremiah twenty‑three verses five and six says that God would raise up unto David a righteous Branch. And he shall reign as king and deal wisely. And verse six says, “This is the name by which he shall be called Jehovah our righteousness.” So it is very definitely referring to Christ. "That Christ would grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of Jehovah." The temple of Jehovah is the church, I Corinthians 3:16. And he built the church (Matthew 16:18-19; I Timothy 3:14-15) which is the temple of Jehovah. "Even he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear the glory, and sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: And the counsel of peace shall be between them both." Now notice at the same time he is to bear the glory and sit and rule upon his throne, that he is to be a priest upon his throne. Do you remember chapter seven of Hebrews gives many details concerning Christ being a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 7:25 says, “And he is able (Christ) to save to the uttermost them that draw near to God through him, seeing that he ever liveth to make intercession for the saints. So Christ is our high priest now and therefore he is reigning now upon his throne at the right hand of God. "And he shall be a priest upon his throne. And the counsel of peace shall be between them both." Between God and Christ.

Turn next to chapter nine of Zechariah. It is recorded in Zechariah that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem on the colt the foal of an ass. Zechariah 9:9, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass." Turn next to Zechariah 11:12-13 we do not have time to give any details of this, but it is surely about how that they would take the thirty pieces of silver, and the price that they paid for Jesus, and it would be used to buy the Potter’s field. Zechariah 11:12-13, "And I said unto them, if ye think good, give me my hire, and if not forebear. So they waited for my hire thirty pieces of silver. And Jehovah said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: The goodly price that I was priced at by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of Jehovah." And see they used that thirty pieces then as we have read, to buy the potter's field to bury strangers in. And the reference that we have just read, they shall look upon him who they have pierced, Zechariah chapter twelve.

Let us read verse ten. "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: And they shall look unto me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." And so another prophecy of Christ as John states that “they pierced his side and forthwith poured out with blood and water.” And that was the fulfillment of this Old Testament passage. And then another one in chapter 13:1, "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. For sin and for uncleanness." And that fountain that is open, we have a good old song based on Zechariah 13:1. There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's vein. In verse seven ‑‑ And remember Jesus said, and Jesus quoted this reference, as we have read from the gospel writers, that all of the disciples would deny him. And he quoted this reference, smite the shepherd. And the sheep of the flock shall be scattered. And so verse seven is another prophecy of Christ. 13:7, "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith Jehovah of hosts: And smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: And I will turn mine hand upon the little ones." Some of these references have a twofold meaning, but it surely has the meaning that Jesus gave it, that all of you are going to be scattered, because it is written smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered. Let us see if I can lead a few verses of this song. There Is A Fountain. Notice it is based on Zechariah 13:1. In that day there shall by a fountain open. And that fountain is that fountain of the blood of Christ that cleanses from sin. (Brother Turner begins to sing this song.) There is a fountain filled with blood. Drawn from Emmanuel's vein. And sinners plunged beneath that blood lose all their guilty stain. Lose all their guilty stains. Lose all their guilty stains. And sinners plunged beneath the blood, lose all their sinners guilty vein. Dear dying lamb, thy precious blood shall never lose its power. Till all the ransom church of God be saved to sin no more. Be saved to sin no more. Be saved to sin no more. Until the ransomed church of God, be saved to sin no more. This is a great meaningful hymn.

Now, I believe we are ready to ‑‑ Let me just check something right quick before we go to John's gospel. I believe we will go to John's gospel next. Did we read all of chapter twenty‑three of Luke? I guess we did. I would like to read again from Luke chapter twenty‑three beginning with verse thirty‑three, "And when they came unto the place which is called the skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on his right hand, and the other on the left. And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his garments among them, and they cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also scoffed at him saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou art the king of the Jews, save thyself. And there was also a superscription over him, this is the King of the Jews. And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him." Now from Matthew and Mark, I think we would conclude that both of them did. But Luke specifies one of them. "Saying, Art thou not the Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuking him, saying, Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today thou shalt be with me in paradise"

Verse forty‑three is surely telling us that that malefactor was saved. And there are still a few people today who say that they want to be saved like the thief on the cross. I believe they first need to be reminded if they want to be saved like the thief on the cross, “Well, we first have to get a cross and nail you to the cross and let that cross go down in the ground for you to be saved like the thief on the cross.” And they will say that is not what I meant. I meant that the thief was not baptized and a person can be saved without baptism. Many preachers are teaching that false doctrine when they say that baptism is not essential to salvation. Well, that may sound good to some, but remember when Christ died on the cross his law went into effect. And remember it is recorded several times in the gospel accounts, and I guess we have already talked about this, how that while Jesus was on earth he had the power to forgive sins. When he healed the man that had been carried to him on a bed who had palsy and Jesus said to him “thy sins are forgiven.” Some are reasoning that he is speaking blasphemy and Jesus said, which is easier to say, thy sins are forgiven, or to say, arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins, then saith he to the sick of the palsy, “arise, and take up thy bed, and go to thy house” (Matthew 9:6) So the writers record that while the Son of man was on earth, he had the power to forgive sin. And so Jesus had the power during his personal ministry to forgive sin, but now his law has gone into effect. In the ninth chapter of Hebrews around verse sixteen it states that before a testament is of effect there must be a necessity of the death of him that made it. It is talking about the death of Christ upon the cross, that when he died then that made the New Testament law to go into effect. So now his law is in effect and Jesus gave the law, Mark 16:16, “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” And any person that believes on Christ and is ready to obey him is the person that is saved. With all the references given in the scripture about how baptism saves, and then people come along that baptism does not save. The doctrine that baptism is to show that you have already been saved, and it is to make you a member of a denominational church is still a very popular doctrine.

I can remember when I was a teenager attending some of the gospel meetings of a church where a number of my kin people were members. When a candidate went forward to become a member of that church, they would ask, “Do you believe that God for Christ' sake has pardoned your sin? They would say, yes, and then they would take a vote as to whether or not they were to become members of that church. And they would say, “Those that are in favor of this person being a member of this church, say I, and all who opposed, no. I do not think I ever heard anybody say no, but please be reminded that the doors of the Lord’s church were unlocked by the preaching of Peter on that first Pentecost when he gave the law of pardon as given in Acts 2:38, and it has been open ever since. And scriptural baptism puts one into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 6:3-7) and into his church. I Corinthians 12:13, for by one spirit were we all baptized into one body. Whether we be Jew or Greek, bond or free, and all made to drink with one spirit. And that one body is the church, Ephesians 1:22‑23, 4:4-5 and Colossians 1:18. And, again, how does anyone know that the thief had not been baptized. He may have been a back slider. I think people recognize that there are some in many churches today , and Matthew 3:5 reads, there went out unto him (John) Jerusalem and all Judaea and all the regions round about the Jordan and they were baptized of John in the river Jordan confessing their sins. Of course the word all in verse five is used in a relative sense meaning nearly all Luke 7:29-30), but it still leaves a lot of room for the thief to have been baptizes. Please remember that John’s baptism was from heaven (Matthew 21:23-32) and contrary to what some of my brethren think it was for remission of sins (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3), and those who rejected it were left in a lost condition (Luke 7:30). Now, where are we supposed to go? We were reading from John. I believe we completed reading what we needed to read from John, We completed reading chapter nineteen of John. Let us turn back now to Matthew's account and read further from Matthew's account.

Chapter Twenty‑eight

Matthew 28, "Now late on the Sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. And behold, there was a great earthquake: For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it." Now, let me raise the question, did that angel roll away the stone so that Jesus could get out of that tomb? What do you think? I think not. I think that stone was rolled away so that those women and those two disciples, John and Peter, could look in and see the evidence that he had been raised from the dead. "And behold, there was a great earthquake: For the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow." You see the angel descended from heaven. I regret that some of our brethren are talking as though angels can be just men. They are not, angels are heavenly beings! And the angel descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. "His appearance was as lighting, and his raiment white as snow: And for mere fear of him the watchers did shake, and became as dead men." You remember how that we read from Matthew's account, how that the chief priests went to Pilate and said, while this deceiver was alive he said on the third day he would be raised up. And they wanted that tomb made sure, lest the disciples could come and steal his body away, and they sealed the tomb and set the guard. And what happens to that guard? Verse four, “for fear of him the watchers did quake and became as dead men.”

Matthew 28:5, "And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: For I know that ye seek Jesus who hath been crucified. He is not here: He is risen, even as the Lord said, come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples he is risen from the dead; and low, he goeth before you into Galilee; and there shall ye see him." Jesus had told them several times that on the third day he would be raised up and he would go before them into Galilee. He has been raised up and he is going to Galilee, but he must know that they would not go unless they were reminded again. That stone needed to be rolled away so they could see what had happened. "And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy; and ran to bring his disciples word. And behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then saith Jesus unto them, Fear not: Go tell my brethren that they depart into Galilee, and there shall they see me. Now, while they were going, behold some of the guards came into the city and told them the chief priests all the things that were to come to pass. And when they were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave much money unto the soldiers saying, Say ye his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept." Well, if they were asleep, how in the world would they know that the disciples were the ones that came and stole his body away. And if the disciples stole it away, why didn't they find that body and produce it and prove forever that he has not been raised from the dead?

Matthew 28:14, "And if this come to the governor's ear, we will persuade him, and rid you of care." Now, according to Roman law, when they were given a guard like that and then they were not on guard, they would be put to death, but the elders gave to the guards much money unto the soldiers to tell that lie, that they went to sleep and while they were asleep the disciples came and stole his body away. And they said, if this comes to the governor's ear, we will persuade him, meaning we will see to that you will not be put to death. "So they took the money, and they did as they were taught: And this saying was spread among the Jews and continueth until this day." (A brief recess was taken.)

We were reading from Matthew 28:15, "So they took the money, and did as they were taught: And this saying was spread abroad among the Jews and continues until this day. But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them." That must be the place that is spoken of in I Corinthians 15:5-6 where he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, and most of them were still alive. That must have been that Galilean meeting. "And when they saw him, they worshipped him: But some doubted. And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth." I believe the King James reads all power. Well, all power and all authority, I believe, would amount to the same thing, except just different words. "Go ye therefore, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commend you, and, lo, I am with ye always even unto the end of the world." Again, let me mention many years ago, I have heard some of our brethren say that everybody has a right to hear the gospel once before anybody hears it twice. Those brethren recognized that the church was not doing enough evangelistic work and they had zeal and were trying to stir up the brethren to do evangelistic work, but their zeal was without proper knowledge. That would even deny the second part of the great commission here, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you. In II Corinthians2:12-13, Paul tells us how that when he left Ephesus he went to Troas and there was an open door for him to preach the gospel. But he was so concerned about the Corinthians as to whether or not they had received that first Corinthian letter in a good way or not that he left the open door at Troas, He was expecting Titus to be there, and he was so concerned about the church at Corinth that he left that open door and went on into Macedonia. Then he wrote the second Corinthians from somewhere in Macedonia, as shown by II Corinthians 2:12‑13, 7:5‑6, 9:1‑5. The references show plainly that he wrote II Corinthians from somewhere in Macedonia when he was on that third journey. And it looks like from that last reference, II Corinthians 9:1-5, that Corinth was that last place where they would be taking up the bounty from the churches to carry to Jerusalem. And thus they left Corinth with the messenger of the churches and carried that bounty to Jerusalem and Luke joined the company again. And that is on the latter part of that third journey. And he also wrote Romans just before they left. We know that to be the case from what is given in Romans15:22-32.

Now, let us turn next to Mark's account. It parallels Matthew, beginning with chapter sixteen. "And when the sabbath was passed." Those women say they rested on the Sabbath day. "When the sabbath was passed. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome, brought spices that they might come and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun was risen." And remember that the sun had risen and so surely it would be the first day of the week. "And they were saying among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb? And looking up, they see that the stone is rolled back: For it was exceeding great. And entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, arrayed in a white robe, and they were amazed. And he saith unto them, Be not amazed: Ye seek Jesus the Nazarene, who hath been crucified: He is risen; he is not here: Behold the place where they laid him." See, they need to see the evidence. "But go tell his disciples and Peter he goeth before you into Galilee: There shall ye see him, as he said unto you. And they went out, and fled from the tomb; for they trembled and were in astonishment: And they said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.

Mark 16:9, “Now when he was risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, disbelieved." Now, notice that these apostles, thought that all was lost when Christ died on the cross. They disbelieved that he had been raised from the dead. And remember when we read from Luke’s account that they did not understand what Jesus had detailed to them about what was going to happen to him. "And after these things he was manifest in another form, unto two of them, as they walked on their way into the country." And Luke tells us more about that. "And they went away and told it unto the residue: Neither believed they them." So the apostles did not believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead at first. "And afterward he was manifested unto the eleven as they sat at meat In the evening of that first day of the week when he was raised from the dead. And he upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them that had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world." And you see why this commission is referred to as the great commission and why that commission that Jesus sent the twelve on back there during the time of his ministry, and the seventy was a limited commission because they were to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. They were not to go to the Samaritans and not to enter into the way of the Gentiles but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But here the great commission. "He said unto them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel unto the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. And these signs shall accompany them." The coordinating conjunction joins two things of about equal value together. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Somebody says it does not say that he that believeth not. Well, let me give a little parallel sentence. He that eateth and digesteth his food shall live. He that eateth not shall die. Would not that be a parallel? You certainly cannot live without eating. And here, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. Baptism will not save an unbeliever, if it would some of us might buy a gun to force some to be baptized. John 3:18 says, “He that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.

"And these signs shall accompany them that believe. And in thy name they shall cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; and they shall take up serpents; and they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Those apostles are going to have miraculous powers, and thou powers were given to them when they were filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 1:8; Mark 9:1; Acts 2:1-6). that were given them. And so they could take up serpents, and cast out demons, heal the sick and a number of other things during the miraculous age of the church. The apostles could lay their hands on believers and give them miraculous abilities I Corinthians 12:4-11. Think of those that want to prove that they have that miraculous ability to take up serpents and they handle the poisonous snakes, and quite a number have been killed in that process. The things listed were true of the apostles and others that had some of the gifts (I Corinthians 12:4-11). The miraculous period was the childhood age of the church (I Corinthians 13:8-13; Ephesians 4:7-16). It was primarily for the purpose of aiding in giving and confirming the New Testament. When all of the New Testament had been given the miraculous age ceased (I Corinthians 13:10-13; James 1:25; Hebrews 2:3-4). Verse nineteen, “So then the Lord Jesus after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God." And remember Hebrews 1:13, which of the angels said he at anytime sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. And it says angels are they not ministering spirits sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall receive salvation.”

Mark 16:20, "And they went forth, and preached everywhere and the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed." So remember that those miraculous abilities were primarily for the purpose of facilitating their giving and confirming of the word of God. And remember that ability to speak in tongues that they had not learned, foreign languages that they had not learned. That ability made it possible for them to carry the gospel into the whole world in about thirty years' time as given in Colossians 1:5-6, and 1:23, had not had that miraculous power to overcome that language barrier.

Okay. Let us turn now to Luke chapter twenty‑four. Let us read again the last two verses of twenty‑three. "And the women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and beheld the tomb, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment." They were still under the Old Testament law. And so they kept the Sabbath. "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came unto the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, while they were perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel: And then as they were afrightened and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?" Isn't that a good statement? "The other said he is not here, he is risen.” Luke’s says, “why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here. He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, that the Son of man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest." Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them, told these things unto the apostles. And their words appeared in their sight as idle talk, and they disbelieved them. But Peter arose, and ran unto the tomb; and stooping and looking in, he seeing the linen clothes by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering at that which was come to pass." He went into the tomb and saw the linen clothes by themselves and he went home wondering what was come to pass. "And, behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was threescore furlongs from Jerusalem." And so you remember I stated that Luke gives a fuller account about those two that were going on the way to a village. "And they communed with each other of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass while they communed and questioned together, then Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What communications are these that ye have one with another, as ye walk, and they stood still looking sad." See, they really do not know at this time and are not sure about whether he had been raised or not. "And one of them, named Cleopas, answering said unto him, dost thou alone sojourn in Jerusalem, and not know the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, the things concerning Jesus a Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we hoped that it was he who should redeem Israel: Yea, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things came to pass. Moreover certain women of our company amazed us, having been early at the tomb. And when they found not the body, they came saying that they had seen a vision of angels." Now, do you think that they told them that? I believe that is their interpretation. "And certain of them which were with us went to the tomb, and found it even so as the women had said: But him they saw not. And he said unto them, O foolish, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Behooved it not that the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning from Moses and all the prophets." And that would be Deuteronomy 18:15-19 where Moses said, “a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up from among yourselves liken to me and to him shall ye hearken in all things, and whosoever shall not hearken to the prophet shall be cut off from among his people.” And so it was appropriate that Jesus began with that first prophecy, about how that he would be raised up as a law‑giver for the new Israel of God.

Luke 24:27, "And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them and all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village whither they were going, and he made as though he would go further. And they constrained him, saying, abide with us: For it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent. And he went in to bide with them. And it came to pass, when he had sat down with them to meet, he took the bread and blessed, and braking it he gave to them. And their eyes were open. And they knew him. And he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, was not our heart burning when he talked with us while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up that very hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they rehearsed the things that happened in the way, and how that he was known of them in the braking of the bread. “

Luke 24:36, “And as they spake these things, he himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and afrighted, and supposing that they beheld a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? And wherefore do questionings arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye behold me have it. And when he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here anything to eat? And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. And he said unto them, These are my words while I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets and in the Psalms." And surely there are many Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ and in the Psalms concerning him. Remember there are several of the Psalms concerning Christ and his death. "Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures. And he said unto them, Thus it is written, that Christ should suffer, rise again from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations beginning from Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: But tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high." And that parallels with Acts 1:8, where Jesus told them essentially the same thing as recorded here. "And he led them out until they were over against Bethany. And he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And it came to pass while he blessed them, he parted from them." That is not given in Acts1:8-11. "And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, blessing God."

Chapter Twenty of John

Now turn to John chapter twenty. "Now on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene, while it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb. She returneth therefore and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved." Again, he is the apostle John. "Saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple (John) and they went toward the tomb. And they ran both together: And the other disciple outran Peter." So John got to the tomb first, but Peter was the first one to go in. "Outran Peter and came first to the tomb, and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen clothes lying; yet entered he not in. Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following him and entered into the tomb. And beholdeth linen cloths lying. And the napkin, that was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then entered in there the other disciple, who came first to the tomb, and he saw, and believed." John is talking about himself again there. "For as yet they knew not the scripture that he must rise again from the dead." So they did not understand that until after he had risen from the dead. Jesus had told them several times he would be raised on the third day, and that he would go before them into Galilee, but they did not understand until he was raised, and it looks like that most of the apostles did not fully understand until Jesus appeared to them in the evening of the first day. "So the disciples went again unto their own home.

John 20:12, But Mary was standing without at the tomb weeping: And as she wept, she stooped, and looking into the tomb, she beholdeth two angels in white sitting one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and beholdeth Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus said unto her, Woman why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabbi; which is to say, Teacher. Jesus saith unto her. Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: Go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father, and my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene cometh and telleth the disciples I have seen the Lord, and that he said these things unto her. When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week." The Holy Spirit had saith through the writer of Psalms 118 which was probably David that Jesus would make this day His day. A day that Christians everywhere are to assembles together to worship. Psalms 118:22-24 reads, “The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner. This is Jehovah’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which Jehovah hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. You may say, “Has not the Lord made every day? Yes, but the reading shows that it is the day that Christ arose from the dead with “healing in his wings” (Malachi 4:2) “having abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” II Timothy 1:10

Jesus quoted Psalms 118:22-23 to those wicked husbandmen of Matthew 21:33-46. It is quoted in verse 42. He knew exactly what they were going to do to him (Matthew 20:17-19, and he also knew that he would be made “the head of the corner” or the “chief corner stone” of the kingdom of God, the church (Ephesians 2:19-21). Jesus made the first day of the week His Day by his death and then his resurrection on the first day of the week. The first day of the week is the Lord’s day. Revelation 1:10) It is his day and not his hour as some are ready to make it. Jesus met with his disciples on the evening of that first day of the week. About fifty days later the Holy Spirit was poured out on the first day of the week (Acts 2:1-17) and Peter preached the first gospel sermon on that first day of the week and gave God’s law of pardon for alien sinners (acts 2:22-38). The kingdom of God was fully established on that Pentecost day which always came on the first day of the week (Leviticus 23:15-21), and about three thousand souls were added to that body of believers who were saved during the time of the limited commission. The day of worship under the law was the seventh day or Saturday.

John 20:19, "And when the doors were shut, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood in the midst and said unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again, peace be unto you: As my Father has sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whosoever sins ye forgive they are forgiven unto them; whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained." The meaning of this statement is the same as the one given to Peter in Matthew sixteen when Jesus said to Peter, “whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

John 20:24, "But Thomas, one of the twelve called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." “After eight days, again, his disciples were assembled. Would not eight days later be the next first day of the week that the apostles were together and Thomas was with them.. "And Thomas with them. Jesus cometh the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said, peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands, and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: And be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Now here is the stated purpose of the gospel of John. "Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book: These are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name." And I believe from what the other three recorded that that is the primary purpose of their books too, they gave the testimony that should cause faith on all humble people, that Jesus is the Christ that God sent to be the savior of the world. "After these things, Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias." That would be the on one side of the lake or sea of Galilee. You remember that that sea is called by different names, but it is the same as the sea of Galilee, except the place where they are at around that sea.

Chapter Twenty-one

John is the only one that records what is recorded here in chapter twenty‑one about this appearance of Jesus to the apostles. "After these things Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias." This appearance would be after he had met with them on the first day of the week two weeks after his resurrection.. "And he manifested himself on this wise. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go afishing. And they say unto him, We also come with thee. They went forth, and entered into the boat; and that night they took nothing." So the experience here is like the experience when Jesus called them to full‑time ministry. Remember they had fished all night and had not caught anything on that occasion. And Jesus told them ‑‑ he said to let down their nets. And Peter responded that we have fished all night and have not caught anything. But at thy bidding, we will let down the nets, and they did and caught many fish. "But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach." They had fished all night again and had not caught anything. "But when day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach, yet the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus therefore saith unto them, Children, have ye ought to eat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his coat about him, for he was naked and cast himself into the sea. "But the other disciples came in the little boat; for they were not far from the land, (about two hundred cubits,) dragging the net full of fishes. So when they got out upon the land, they see a fire of coals there, and fishes thereon, and bread.

John 21:10, Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now taken. Simon Peter therefore went up, and drew the net of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: And for all there were so many, the net was not rent. Jesus said unto them, Come and break your fast. And none of the disciples durst inquired of him, Who art thou? Knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus cometh, and taketh the bread, and giveth them the fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. And when they had broken their fast. (when they had eaten) Jesus saith unto Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these?" I have a footnote in my Bible that says love in these places represents two different Greek words. I have read what the meaning is supposed to be. But I have forgotten. I should have reviewed that, but I did not. But, anyway, Peter is not so very bold on this occasion. So he says to Peter, "Son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, yea Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee." Each one of Peter’s words about his love is different Greek words, carrying different meaning.

John 21:18, "Verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkest whither thou wouldest: But thou shalt be old, and thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this he saith unto him, Follow me. Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following. (John) who also leaned back on his breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is it he that betrayeth thee? Peter therefore seeing him." (John) saith to Jesus Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. This saying therefore went forth among the brethren, that that disciple should die: Yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? This is the disciple that beareth witness of these things, and wrote these things: And we know that his witness is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that should be written." There are times when nearly all of us would like to have a few more details, and we read something and we wonder about other details of the story. Well, again, it is the great wisdom of God in giving those things that are needful and essential for our spiritual well being. If all of those things were written, the book would be so big that we never would get around to learning those essential things that are necessary for us to know. So you will need to remember not only John chapter twenty verses thirty and thirty‑one but also this statement in John 21:25. "There are also many of the things which Jesus did which if they should be written every one. I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that should be written." We have read nearly all of Matthew's account and the parallels in Mark and Luke, and we have read most of the gospel of John. I hope that you remember that in one of those first Class Sessions that we read the gospel of John through chapter seven. So for our next Class Session, I would like for us to plan on beginning and reading John chapters eight down through chapter eleven. I believe we read chapter twelve, and we called attention to the three chapters where Jesus was giving that last discourse to his apostles, chapters thirteen through sixteen, and then chapter seventeen, that long prayer that Jesus prayed before he went into Gethsemane. And then from there, I believe, we will study some of the parables in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. Most of the parables of Jesus are recorded by Matthew and Luke. So please look at your sheet on the parables. And after we read those chapters from the gospel of John, and you be sure you read all of John. We have just three minutes remaining, so we will close out for this Class Session.