Print outThis is the story of Jesus' Trial, Crucifixian and Resurrection Appearances. The gospel stories have been combined together into a single narrative. Everything has been rephrased to make things readible, which sometimes involves personal interpretation, recasting of feelings, or adding information using customs of the times; occasional long passages that interrupt the flow have been summarised. Sometimes decisions were made in ordering the events.
Throughout, pronouns for Jesus have been capitalised in order to convey Jesus as an agent of God's Will upon earth.
The expression 'Son of Man' used by Jesus, refers to Israelite prophecy depicting the Promised One, whilst 'Son of God' was a phrase used by Jews to indicate a being's station in relation to God.
Jesus spoke a great many inspiring things to His followers and did a great many things. "After two days shall be the Feast of Passover and unleavened bread," He said: "and then shall the Son of Man be betrayed, and crucified."
The chief priests, scribes and elders, assembling in the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas, consulted together as to how they might take Jesus subtly, to have Him killed. "It cannot be on the Feast day," they decided, "for then there would be an immense uproar!"
Jesus sat to eat in the house of Simon the leper, in Bethany, and a woman came there carrying an alabaster box of particularly precious ointment of aromatic spikenard. She broke the box and poured it upon Jesus' head. When some of His followers saw this they were indignant and frowned. "Such a waste of precious ointment!" they exclaimed, "why, it could have been sold and over three hundred pence given to the poor!" They continued to murmur about what she had done.
"Let her alone," said Jesus; "why are you troubling her? she has done this for Me with a genuine purity of heart. You will always have the poor, always be doing them good, but I am just here now, and she has done what her heart felt it was able; it shall be an anointing of My body for My burial, and this act shall be forever spoken of as a memorial for her."
Judas Iscariot was one of the Twelve. He went out to the chief priests and captains in order to betray Jesus to them: "What will you give me," he asked them, "if I should deliver Jesus over to you?" Greatly gladdened, they made a contract with him for thirty pieces of silver. From thereon, wherever he could, Judas sought an opportunity when Jesus was away from the crowds so that he might betray Him to them.
On the first day of unleavened bread the Passover lamb is killed, and Jesus' disciples said to Him, "Where would You like us to go and prepare Passover for You?"
So Jesus sent Peter and John out to prepare the Passover for everyone, saying, "Enter the City; you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water; follow him wherever he goes, and in the house that he enters, say to the householder, 'The Master asks, My time is at hand: where is the guestchamber, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" He will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared: it is there you shall make preparations for us. And so the two disciples went, and found everything just as Jesus had told them, and they made everything ready for the Passover.
When it was the evening, Jesus arrived and sat down with the Twelve.
Jesus arose during the supper, and laying aside His garments, He took up a towel and girded Himself. Pouring water into a basin, He commenced to wash the disciples' feet, wiping them with the towel which girded Him. As He approached Simon Peter, Peter said to Him, "Lord, You are washing my feet?" Jesus replied, "What I do, you do not understand; but later on, you will understand what is meant." Peter replied, "Never should it be that You must wash my feet!" Jesus replied to him, "If I do not cleanse you, you will be apart from Me." So he answered, "Then, Lord, wash not just my feet, but my hands and my head too!" Jesus said, "Whoever I wash, it need only be his feet, and he is wholly clean: you are cleansed;" and knowing who would betray Him, "...yet, not all of you."
After washing their feet, Jesus took His garments, and sat down once more. He asked everyone, "Do you know what I have just done for you? You call Me Master and Lord: and it is well, for I am; yet as your Lord and Master, I have washed your feet, so that by clear example, you may learn to wash one another's feet. The servant is truly not greater than his Lord; he that is sent is not greater than he that sent him. If you understand, you will do all these things joyfully. Yet not all of you, for indeed I know who I have chosen. Even one of you that eats bread with Me has raised his heel against Me. I tell you these things, so that your hearts will be convinced despite the things that will come to pass, that I am the One your hearts have long awaited. Whoever receives one that I send, receives Me; receiving Me, a person receives the One that sent Me."
As they sat together and ate, one of Jesus' disciples was leaning against His bosom. Jesus was troubled in heart, and He observed, "Truly, there is one of you eating with Me, that shall betray Me." Everybody present was filled with sorrow, and looked at one another with uncertainty, each asking Jesus, "Lord, will it be I?" When Judas asked, "I?" Jesus replied to him, "As you say."
Simon Peter asked the disciple leaning on Jesus, to ask Him who He meant; and so the disciple asked, "Lord, who is it?" Jesus replied, "He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it: even one of the Twelve at this table. He that dips his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray Me." Dipping the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Jesus said, "Truly, the Son of Man must depart from this world, but woe to the one that betrays Him, it would be better for him that he had not been born."
Judas boldly ate the bread, and Jesus said to him, "What you are planning to do, do promptly." No one at the table understood why He said this to him. Some of them felt that Jesus meant that Judas, as keeper of the money bag, should buy things needed for the feast, or distribute some aid to the poor.
After eating the bread, Judas departed swiftly into the night.
Whilst everyone was eating, Jesus said, "I have desired with a great desire to eat this Passover with you, before My suffering. I will not any more eat therefrom, until fulfillment in the Kingdom of God." Jesus took some bread and blessed it, broke it into pieces and offered each person a piece. Take this, and eat: for it is My body. Do this in remembrance of Me." He then took the cup, and giving thanks, passed it around for them, so that they all drank from it. "This," said Jesus, "is My blood of the new covenant, shed and shared out for the reunion of many. Truly, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until I drink that new drink fulfilled in the kingdom of God."
A strife therefore arose amongst the disciples, regarding who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of God. Jesus admonished them, saying, "Gentile kings exercise lordship, and those exercising authority are called benefactors. But it shall not be so with you. The greatest amongst you, let him bear himself as if he were a youth; he that is chief, let him serve. Who is greater, those that eat, or those that serve? Yet here am I among you, serving. You have persisted with Me throughout My tribulations, therefore I appoint to you the same kingdom through tribulation as My Father appointed for Me, that you may eat and drink together at My table in My kingdom, sitting on thrones as witnesses to the twelve tribes of Israel."
With Judas gone, Jesus declared, "The Son of Man be glorified, and God glorified in Him. O My children, I am only a little while with you. Then you shall seek Me, yet where I go, you cannot come, just as I indicated for the Jews. A new commandment I give you: "Love one another, as I have loved you; by this all shall know you as My true disciples." Peter asked, "Lord, where are You going?".
"Where I go, you cannot follow," said Jesus; "and yet, you will follow Me later." Peter asked, "Lord, why cannot I follow you right now? I would lay down my whole life for You!"
Jesus asked him, "Will you really lay down your life for Me? All of you shall be upset this night; the shepherd shall be struck, and the sheep scattered. When I have risen within the heavens, I will make way before you into Galilee."
Jesus turned to Peter; "Simon, Simon, you are as wheat being tested in the sifter: I have prayed that your faith not fail. When you find your conviction, strengthen your brothers." Peter replied, "Although everyone shall be upset, yet I shall not be!" Jesus declared, "Truly Simon, most certainly, this night, before the cock crows twice, you will have denied Me three times!" Peter protested more vehemently; "I am ready to go with You, both into prison, and to death," he declared: "I will not deny You in any way!" Likewise they all asserted.
Jesus said, "The hour is now come, and you shall be scattered each man to fend for himself; you shall abandon Me: yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me."
"Never become troubled or dismayed, trust in God, and also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I will therefore come back again, to take you there, and receive you to Myself. You know the way there." "Lord," asked Thomas, "how can we know the way there, when we don't know where You are going?"
Jesus answered and declared, "Observe Me: I am the way, the truth, and the life. The Father is in Me; whatsoever I say and do, it is He that says and does. Therefore whatsoever you ask in My name, shall be done by Him through Me. Keep My commandments, for love of Me. Do not weep, for these are but birth pangs of maturity. There shall come another Advocate into the world, to train you in all things and remind you of what you have neglected, who shall vindicate Me, confront society on sinfulness, and regarding decency, and of a just reckoning. I have finished My work here - therefore rejoice! for I go to the Father, who is far greater than I, and later this Advocate will come. I am the vine. You must bear much fruit, if you will be My disciples. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Later on, everyone sang together a hymn, and they departed for the mount of Olives.
Turning to His disciples, Jesus asked, "When I sent you out without purse, pouch, and shoes, did you lack anything?" They replied, "Nothing, Lord."
Jesus said, "Yet, whoever has a purse should now carry one, and a pouch, and whoever has no sword should sell even his garment to buy one. For I am to be reckoned amongst the transgressors." They replied, "Lord, look, here are two swords!" and Jesus replied, "That is sufficient."
Passing over the brook Cedron, Jesus and His disciples entered the garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the mount of Olives, where they were accustomed to go together. Jesus said, "Sit here, and pray that you do not enter into temptation. I shall pray apart from you."
Taking aside with Him Peter, James and John, Jesus began to grow exceedingly staggered and heavy, and He said to them, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, to Its death: wait here, and remain vigilant."
Going forward a little, about a stone's cast, Jesus kneeled down and fell to His face upon the ground, praying, "Father, all things are possible for You: take away this cup of tribulation from Me, if it be Your Will: yet not what I will, but Yours." An angel appeared to Jesus from heaven, giving Him strength.
Returning, Jesus found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, "Simon, how do you sleep? Could you not stay alert just for one hour? Watch and pray, lest you all enter into temptation. Whilst the spirit may be ready, yet flesh is so frail."
Jesus retired and prayed, and spoke again similar words, saying in great agony and earnestness, "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me except I drink it, Your Will be accomplished." Sweat was dropping from Him to the ground. Returning, He again found them slumbering, for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what excuse to give Him.
Jesus retired and prayed once more in a similar manner, and returning again a third time, He said to them, "The time is at hand; sleep on now, take your rest; for the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of transgressors."
After a while, He said, "Rise up! let us go; look: he that betrays Me is at hand!"
As Jesus spoke, Judas appeared, knowing the location well, and he brought following him the chief priests, the scribes, the elders, captains and officers, and a great throng with lanterns and torches, swords and staves. He had given them a sign that whosoever he should kiss, was the one they should take hold of and lead away securely.
As soon as Judas arrived, he went straight away to Jesus, and said, "Master, O master!" and kissed Him. "Friend," said Jesus, "why did you come here? You betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" Jesus went forth, and asked them, "Who do you seek?" They replied, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said, "I am He". Judas was standing with them; and as soon as Jesus said, "I am He," they went backward, and fell down to the ground. Again He asked them, "Who do you seek?" And they replied, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said, "I have told you, that I am He: therefore, if you seek Me, let these people go upon their ways."
Jesus' followers, seeing what was coming, asked, "Lord, shall we smite them with the sword?" Simon Peter was standing by, and stretching out his hand he drew his sword, and struck off the right ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest. Jesus said to Peter, "Put away your sword back into its sheath; all that live through the sword, shall perish through the sword. The cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it? Suffer it thus far." He touched Malchus' ear, and it was healed.
The young men laid hands upon Jesus, and seized and bound Him. Jesus reproached them, saying, "Are you really come out as against a bandit, to take Me with swords and staves? I was sitting daily teaching among you in the Temple, yet you did not take Me. If I were to pray to My Father, He would provide Me far greater than twelve legions of angels. But this is your hour, the time and power of darkness." Everyone around Jesus abandoned Him, and fled. One young man followed Him, wearing no more than a linen cloth; the men laid hold of him also, and he thrust off his linen cloth, fleeing from them naked.
They led Jesus away to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. That same Caiaphas had advised the Jews, that it was necessary one man should die for the whole people. Annas sent Jesus still bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Caiaphas was assembled with all the chief priests, the elders and the scribes in his palace.
They and the whole Council asked Jesus of His disciples, and of His doctrine; they sought out false witnesses against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death; yet they found none. Whilst there were many who bore false witness against Him, their statements were in disagreement.
Jesus said, "I spoke openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogues and in the Temple, where the Jews always resort; in secret I have said nothing. So why are you asking Me these things? ask those who heard Me, what I have said to them: they know what I say." When Jesus spoke this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus hard with the palm of his hand, exclaiming, "Do you dare answer the high priest so?" Jesus replied to him, "If I have spoken any evil, bear witness of the evil: but if I spoke well, why do you strike Me?"
At last, two false witnesses arose, and they bore false witness against Jesus, saying, "We heard Him say, I will destroy this Temple made with hands, and in three days build another made without hands." Yet even their statements did not agree together.
The high priest stood up in their midst, and asked Jesus, saying, "Do you answer nothing? what do these people witness against you?"
Jesus held His peace and answered them nothing. Once more, the high priest asked Him, "I adjure you, by the Living God, are you the Anointed One?"
Jesus replied, "You have said; I am: yet you will not believe. However, if I also question you, you will not answer Me. Soon you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, coming amidst the clouds of heaven."
Then they all demanded, "Are you then the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus replied, "You say that I am."
At this, the high priest ripped apart his clothes, and exclaimed, "What need we of any further witnesses! You hear this blasphemy, from his very own mouth: what do you think?" They all condemned Jesus as guilty of death. Some commenced to spit upon Jesus; and they covered His face, knocking Him about, challenging Him to prophesy who had hit Him; and their servants struck Jesus with the palms of their hands. They unleashed many blasphemous things upon Him.
During these events, Peter had followed Jesus from afar, and so did another disciple who was known to the high priest; Peter waited outside the outer door, whilst the other disciple spoke to the woman that kept the door, and then brought in Peter. They went in, right up into the palace of the high priest near to where Jesus was, to see the outcome of all these things.
The servants and officers had kindled a coal fire in the midst of the very cold hall, and they all gathered round together and warmed themselves. As Peter waited beneath in the palace amongst the servants, the maid of the high priest who kept the door came near. She saw Peter standing warming himself with everyone, and looking at him earnestly, she exclaimed, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth!" Peter denied Jesus entirely, saying, "Woman, I know Him not, nor do I understand what you are saying!" Peter then went out into the porch, and the cock crowed.
Another maid saw Peter again, and began to say to those standing by, "This is one of them!" Peter denied everything. After about one hour, one of the servants of the high priest, being a kinsman of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Jesus?" Those standing by said confidently, "Surely, you are one of them; you are a Galilean, and you have a Galilean accent!" Peter began to curse aloud, saying on oath, "I swear I know absolutely nothing about this man you speak of!" The cock crowed a second time. The Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. Peter went out, and wept bitterly, calling to mind what Jesus had said to him: "Before the cock crows twice, three times you will deny Me."
In the morning, the chief priests held a further consultation together with the elders of the people and the scribes and the whole Council, and with the whole multitude arising to follow, they led Jesus bound to Pontius Pilate the governor in order to put Him to death.
Judas, after betraying Jesus, when he saw that Jesus was condemned was filled with remorse. He brought the thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders. "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood!" he confessed. "What's that to us?" they responded; "that's your problem!" Judas cast down the pieces of silver in the Temple, and departed; he went out and hanged himself. The chief priests took the silver pieces, and decided they were not lawful to put them into the treasury, for they were the price of blood. So they took counsel, and bought with the money the potter's field, to bury strangers in, and for this reason, even to this day the field is called, "The Field of Blood."
It was still early, and they led Jesus from Caiaphas out into the Roman governor's Hall of Judgment. They themselves would not go up into the Hall as they would be contaminated, and they wanted to eat the Passover; so Pilate the governor went out to them, and he asked them, "What accusation do you bring against this man?"
The Jews declared, "He is clearly a proven troublemaker, otherwise we would not be delivering him over to you!"
"Well take him yourselves," Pilate replied; "judge him according to your law."
The Jews objected, "Your laws do not permit us to put any man to death."
So they began to deliver their accusations against Jesus, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, forbidding the giving of tribute to Caesar, saying he himself is the Anointed One - a King!!"
So Pilate entered the Judgment Hall again, and summoning Jesus, he asked Him, "Are you a King of the Jews?"
Jesus replied, "Are you saying this of yourself, or did others tell you it of Me?" Pilate responded, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me: what have you actually done?"
Jesus replied, "My kingdom is not of this world; if My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. My kingdom is not of this nature." Pilate asked Him, "But aren't you a king though?"
Jesus replied, "You say I am a king; for to this end was I born, and for this Cause I came into the world: that I should bear witness to the Truth. Every one that is born from the Truth hears My voice." Pilate asked Him, "What is truth?" And so saying, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no blame whatsoever in Jesus."
The chief priests and elders began to accuse Jesus even more fiercely of a great many crimes.
To all these, Jesus answered not a word. Pilate spoke to Jesus again, saying, "Do you answer nothing? See how many things are witnessed against you!"
Once more, Jesus kept silent, such that Pilate marvelled.
The chief priests and elders accused Jesus further, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee right out into this place."
When Pilate heard mention of Galilee, he asked whether Jesus were a Galilean. As soon as he knew He was and that He fell under Herod's jurisdiction, he dispatched Him to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at the time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceptionally pleased, having longed to see Him for a long while; hearing so many things about Him, he hoped to see Jesus perform some wonder.
Herod questioned Jesus extensively; but Jesus remained silent. The chief priests and scribes were standing by and accusing Him vehemently. Herod with his men of war accounted Jesus as insignificant, and humiliated Him, mocking Him, and clothing Him in a gorgeous kingly robe, and then sent Him back to Pilate. That very day Pilate and Herod, who before had been living as enemies toward each other, became friends.
Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, said, "You've presented this man before me as one that perverts the people, yet after examining him before you, I've found no fault in him regarding the things you accuse him of; nor has Herod, who I sent you and Jesus to; look, nothing whatsoever worthy of death has been done by Jesus: so I shall chastise him, and then release him."
It was customary that at the Feast of Passover, a prisoner should be released to the Jews, whoever they would desire. There was one particularly notable criminal called Barabbas, who lay bound up in prison with those who had been with him in an uprising in the City, during which he had committed murder.
The crowds cried aloud, demanding Pilate to release a prisoner, just as had always been done for them.
Pilate, knowing that the chief priests had delivered Jesus to him out of envy, replied, "Would you that I release Barabbas - or the King of the Jews?"
As Pilate was sitting on the Judgment Seat, his wife sent him a message, insisting, "Have nothing to do with that just man Jesus: I have undergone many things this day in accordance with a dream of Him."
The chief priests and elders persuaded the people to petition for Barabbas to be released, leaving Jesus to His destruction instead.
The governor reasserted, "Which of the two would you have I release to you?" and the crowd replied, "Barabbas!"
Pilate therefore asked, "What would you have me do with this, your King of the Jews?" And they cried out again, "Crucify him!"
Pilate demanded, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him be the one released."
The governor's soldiers led Jesus away into the Common Hall, called Praetorium; and they called together their whole band. They stripped Him, and clothed Him with a purple robe, and then they platted a crown of thorns which they put about His head, and for a king's sceptre they placed a reed in His right hand. Then they began to salute Jesus, crying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and they struck Him with their hands, and bowed their knees before Him in mock homage. Then they struck Him over the head with the reed, and spat over Him.
Pilate went forth again, and said to the people, "Look, I bring Him out to you, that you may know I find no fault whatsoever in Him!" Then Jesus came forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold your man!"
The Jews cried out all the more loudly, "Crucify him!" They exclaimed, "We have a law, and by our law, he ought to die, for he pronounced himself a Son of God!"
When Pilate heard them saying this, he was very much afraid, and returning into the Judgment Hall, he said to Jesus, "Where is it you come from?" Jesus gave him no response. "Will you not speak to me?" Pilate asked; "do you not know I have the power to crucify you, and the power to release you?"
Jesus answered him, "You have no power at all against Me, except what is given to you from above: therefore the one that has delivered Me to you is the one with the great blame."
From then on, Pilate sought desperately to release Jesus, but the Jews kept on crying aloud. "If you let this man go," they protested, "you are no friend of Caesar: whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar." Hearing this, Pilate brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the Judgment Seat in a place called the Pavement, or "Gabbatha".
It was the preparation for the Passover, and about the sixth hour. Pilate returned and said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" They all cried out, "Away with him, away with him! crucify him!" Pilate asked, "Shall I possibly crucify your King?" The chief priests (who abhor Roman rule) exclaimed to the governor, "We have no king but Caesar!"
Pilate, unable to prevail over the influence of the chief priests, and seeing a tumult relentlessly arising and only one way to placate it, took water, and washing his hands before the multitude, said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person: deal with the matter yourselves."
The people responded, "His blood be upon us, and our children." Pilate released Barabbas to them, and delivered Jesus, His own clothes back upon Him. They took Jesus, and led Him away to be crucified.
Dazed and weary from the scourgings, Jesus was led out, carrying the great weight of His cross. Simon, a Cyrenian and father of Alexander and Rufus, happened to be passing by on his way out of the country, and they seized him and forced him to bear Jesus' cross.
A great company of people followed, and of women wailing and lamenting for Him. Jesus turned to them and He said, "Daughters of Jerusalem; weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and your children. If they are doing these things to a green tree, what will happen in the drought?"
With Jesus, they led two other malefactors out to their deaths. They were conducted to the place named Golgotha, or Calvary, meaning "The place of a Skull [of Adam]". They offered Jesus a drink of wine mingled with myrrh. On tasting what it was, Jesus refused to drink it.
It was the third hour of the day when they crucified Jesus. Jesus addressed those around Him, saying, "O Father, forgive them; they do not understand what they are doing."
The soldiers crucified the two thieves; one on the right, and the other on the left, with Jesus in their midst.
Pilate arranged an inscription in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, which the soldiers set above His head recording the accusation against Jesus: THIS IS JESUS: THE KING OF THE JEWS. The place where Jesus was crucified was near to the City, and many Jews read this message. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, insisting that it record instead that Jesus merely claimed to be King of the Jews. Pilate dismissed them away, saying, "What I have written, I have written!"
After crucifying Jesus, the soldiers cast lots for His garments and parted them amongst themselves; four portions, one to each soldier. Jesus' coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout, and so they cast lots for who shall take it whole. Sitting down, they then watched Jesus there.
All those that passed by Jesus, threw scorn at Him and wagged their heads, saying, "Ah! you that can destroy the Temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down then from the cross!"
Likewise the chief priests mocked Him and they said amongst themselves with the scribes and elders, "See, he saved others; yet he cannot save himself! Let the Anointed King of Israel descend now from his cross, and seeing, we shall believe! He trusted in God; then let God deliver him now: if God will have him! for he claimed, 'I am the Son of God'; if he really be the Anointed One, the chosen of God!"
The soldiers mocked Him also, approaching Him, offering Him vinegar, saying like the others, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
Even the thieves that were crucified with Jesus cast the same humiliations into His teeth.
Standing watching nearby to the cross with Jesus on, was His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and also Mary Magdalene. When Jesus set eyes on His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing by, in order that she should have someone support her, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" and to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" From that hour onward, that disciple took her into his own home.
One of the condemned men beside Jesus, mocked Him and exclaimed, "If you are the Anointed One, rescue yourself - and also us!" The other condemned man rebuked him in reply, saying, "Do you not fear God, seeing you are caught up in the same state? We are indeed condemned justly, for we are receiving due reward for our deeds: but this man, he has done no wrong." He then said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me, when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "Truly, I tell you, even today, you shall be with Me in Paradise."
When the sixth hour came to pass, the sun became obscured, and a darkness enveloped the whole land until the ninth hour.
At that time, Jesus cried out the Psalm of David in a loud voice, beginning with, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" ("My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?")
On hearing this, some of those standing by exclaimed, "Look, He calls out for Elijah!". Those around Him said, "Let him do so - let us see whether Elijah will come and take him down!"
On reciting the verse, "I thirst," straight away, a man ran and filled a sponge from a vessel filled with vinegar, and placing it on a reed with hyssop, thrust it into Jesus' mouth.
After this, Jesus reached the final words of the Psalm, "It is finished;" thereupon He cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into Your hands I present My spirit": and having uttered this, His head bowed down, and He yielded His soul.
As those watching over Jesus witnessed Him cry out in this fashion, and feeling an earthquake shake the earth as He gave up His spirit, the centurion who was amongst them glorified God and said, fearfully, "Certainly this was a most righteous man, a son of God."
Because it was still the day of Preparation and the bodies must not remain on the cross for the Sabbath day, this particular Sabbath being a great one, the Jews entreated Pilate that their legs might be broken, that they might more quickly be taken down. The soldiers came with iron mallets and smashed the legs of the two criminals which were crucified with Jesus. However in coming to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead, and were relieved from the burden of breaking His legs. As a sign of respect, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, and from the body there came forth blood and water separated, an occurrence sworn to by one that witnessed it.
At Jesus' parting from this world, the earth shook, and rocks broke. In the earthquake, the veil of the Temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom, and graves were thrown open, and the bodies of saints disgorged from their graves, many people declaring they had witnessed them in the Holy City itself.
All the people that came together to witness the spectacle, seeing all the things as they transpired, struck their breasts in lamentation, and returned to their homes.
Many women were looking on at the scene from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome the mother of Zebedee's children (who followed Him when He was in Galilee, and ministered to Him) and many other women who had come up with Him to Jerusalem.
It was now the evening of the day of Preparation (the day before the Sabbath). Joseph of Arimathaea was an honourable counsellor who was secretly awaiting the Kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus, and had not consented to the Council's actions. He came and entered boldly to Pilate, and begged him for the body of Jesus. Pilate was amazed that Jesus should already be dead, and he summoned the centurion, asking him if he had been any while dead. On hearing it from the centurion, Pilate allowed Joseph to take the body. Joseph was a rich man, and bought some fine linen; and Nicodemus, a man who at first had used to come to Jesus by night, himself brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound in weight.
They took Jesus down, and wrapped Him in the clean cloth with the spices after the manner of the Jews in burying, laying Him in a new sepulchre in a garden he had had cut out from a rock. He had a great stone rolled over as the door of the sepulchre, and then departed. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses sitting and watching close by, saw where they lay Jesus.
The very next day, following that day of the Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together to Pilate. They said, "Sir, we remember the deceiver said whilst yet alive, that after three days he would rise again. Command then the sepulchre be made secure until the third day, otherwise his disciples may come by night and steal him away, and then claim to the people that he had risen from the dead, which would be an error worse than to have left him live!" So Pilate said to them, "Take a watch, and go your way; make it as secure as you wish." So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting it with a guard of soldiers.
On the first day of the week, with the Sabbath of resting past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, having bought sweet spices and ointments, arose very early in the morning whilst it was yet dark and went out to anoint Jesus.
As the soldiers were guarding the tomb, an angel of the Lord had descended from heaven in a thunderous tumult and rolled back the stone from the door, sitting upon it with a countenance like lightning and snow-white clothing. Upon seeing him, the keepers shook with fear, and froze like dead men.
The women reached His burial chamber at the rising of the sun, wondering amongst themselves who might roll away the stone from the door of the tomb; and yet when they looked, they discovered the immense stone already rolled aside.
Mary fled away from the empty tomb, and came running out until she came upon Simon Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved; she said to them, "They have taken away the Lord from the sepulchre, and we don't know where they have laid Him." Peter went forth with the other disciple toward the tomb. They both ran together, the other disciple outrunning Peter and reaching the burial chamber first. Stooping down, he looked and saw the linen clothes lying within; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter arrived, and Peter went into the sepulchre, and saw the linen clothes lying, and the napkin that had been about His head lying away from the linen clothes, wrapped together in a place all by itself. The other disciple entered, and saw it and believed He was gone, though as yet they did not comprehend His rising from the dead. The two disciples then returned home, wondering at what had come to pass. Mary stood outside the sepulchre weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down, and looking into the sepulchre, she saw two angels in white, one sitting at the head of where the Jesus' body had lain, the other sitting at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?" Mary said to them, "It is because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." The women were afraid and bowed down their faces to the earth. "Be not afraid," one said to them; "you are seeking Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: Why do you seek the Living among the dead? He is risen on His way, far from here: look and see the empty place where your Lord lay. Remember His words in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered over to men, be crucified, and the third day arise. Go quickly on your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He prepares the way ahead of them into Galilee: they shall see Him there, just as He promised." The women went out quickly, and fled from the tomb; they were trembling and amazed.
Mary encountered Jesus standing on the way, though she did not know it was He. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have taken Jesus away, tell me where you have placed Him, so that I can take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned herself, and said to Him, "Rabboni! (Master!)". Jesus said to her, "Do not approach Me; I am not yet ascended to My Father. Go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father; to My God, and your God'. Jesus also met the other women as they went to tell His disciples. He greeted them, and they came and held Him by the feet, paying homage to Him. Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid: go and tell My brothers that they shall see Me in Galilee."
The women said nothing at first of what they had seen to anyone, such was their fear mixed in with their joy. In the midst of their mourning and weeping, Mary Magdalene came to the disciples who had been with Jesus, telling them she had seen the Lord alive, and all He had spoken to her. On hearing Mary announce these things, they refused to believe such idle tales. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the other women were the first to tell of these things to the Eleven.
Two of these disciples went that same day out into the country to a village called Emmaus, which was about twenty kilometres from Jerusalem. They talked together of all that had taken place, and as they shared together their thoughts and feelings, Jesus Himself drew by and went along with them, but they did not recognise Him. Jesus said to them, "What are you saying together, that you are sad?" Cleopas asked Him, "Are you a stranger in Jerusalem, not knowing what has passed there these days concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a mighty prophet in deed and word before God and all people: delivered over to crucifixion. We trusted He would have redeemed Israel, and it is the third day since these very things were done. Certain women from our company astonished us, finding His body gone and telling us of visions of angels announcing He is alive. Others saw the empty sepulchre, but not Jesus." Jesus remonstrated with them for their slowness of heart, recounting to them the scriptures concerning Himself. As they drew near the village, as it was evening they constrained upon Him to join them. As Jesus sat at meal with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and broke and gave it to them. Their eyes were opened to Who He was, and suddenly He vanished from their midst. "Did our hearts not burn within us, as He talked with us about the scriptures!" they exclaimed to one another. They rose up that very same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, finding the Eleven gathered together. When they told the disciples what had happened, they were not believed. Those also there, said the Lord had arisen and appeared to Simon.
The doors were shut for fear of the Jews, and as they were speaking, Jesus stood in the midst of them, and said to them, "Peace be to you." He breathed on them, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit; whosoever you remit of sins, are remitted; and whosoever you retain, are retained. They were terrified, and supposed they had seen a spirit. Jesus said, "Why are you troubled? why do you entertain such thoughts in your hearts? Look at My hands and My feet: it is I myself; handle Me, and see; a spirit has no flesh and bones, as I have!" He took from them a piece of broiled fish and honeycomb, and ate before them, and upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not those who had seen Him after He was arisen; He opened their understanding to the scriptures, commanding them to wait in Jerusalem, until endowed with power from High. He led them out as far as to Bethany, and lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was separated from them, and carried up into heaven. They paid Him homage, and returned to Jerusalem in great joy.
Thomas called Didymus ("Twin"), one of the Eleven, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord!" but he said to them, "Not unless I see the print of the nails in His hands and put my finger into their print, and thrust my hand into His side, will I believe!" After eight days, Jesus' disciples were again within, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors being shut, Jesus came and stood in their midst, saying, "Peace be to you." Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Reach out your finger, behold my hands; reach here your hand, and place it into My side: do not be faithless, but believing!" And Thomas replied and exclaimed to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to Him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, yet believe!" Jesus did many further signs in the presence of His disciples.
When the women had been going from the tomb, some of the guard went into the City to the chief priests and declared everything that had happened. Assembling together with the elders, they returned from their counsel and gave a large amount of money to the soldiers, telling them to spread the word that His disciples had come by night and stole Him away whilst they slept, and that they would keep them safe from their governor if it should ever reach his ears. They took for themselves the money, and did as they were commanded. Their saying is still the one commonly reported amongst the Jews.
The Eleven then went away to a mountain in Galilee Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him there, they paid homage; yet some still doubted. Jesus came to them and said, "All power has been given to Me in heaven and earth. Go therefore, and educate all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to observe all the things I have commanded you. I am with you always, to the end of this age."
Jesus showed Himself to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples were there together, and Simon Peter said, "I am going fishing." They replied, "We shall also go with you." They went forth immediately into a ship; and that night they caught nothing. When morning was come, Jesus stood upon the shore, but the disciples did not recognise Him. Jesus asked them, "Children, have you any food?" They said they had none. "Cast the net on the right side of the ship," said Jesus, "and you shall find!" They cast, and were unable to draw up the net for the multitude of fishes. The disciple whom Jesus loved exclaimed to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard it was the Lord, he was naked, so he threw on his fisher's coat, and plunged into the sea. The other disciples were not far from land and came over in a little ship, dragging the net with fishes. Coming to land, they saw a coal fire, and fish laid upon it, and bread. Jesus told them to bring the fish which they had caught, and Simon Peter drew the net to land full of 153 great fishes. Jesus said, "Come and dine!" None of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You," for they knew well that it was their Lord. Jesus came, took bread, and gave from it to them, and the fish likewise. When they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" Peter said to Him, "Yes Lord, You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs!" Jesus repeated to Peter a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He replied to Jesus, "Yes, Lord; You know I do love You." Jesus answered him, "Feed my sheep!" A third time Jesus said, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved, being asked this a third time, "Do you love Me?" and said to Him, "Lord, You know all things: You know that I love You!" Jesus commanded him, "Feed my sheep! Most truly I say to you, when you were young, you prepared yourself and walked where you wished: yet when you are old, you shall stretch out your hands, and another shall prepare you, and carry you where you would not." Jesus spoke this to him, signifying in what death Peter would glorify God. When Jesus had spoken this, He said, "Follow me!" Peter, turning about, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following; Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" Jesus replied to Peter, "If I wish he should stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." This saying went abroad among the brothers, that that disciple would not die: yet Jesus said not that he would not die, merely that if He willed he wait till His coming, what was that to Peter?
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[/at the first]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter,[b] and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou answerest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not ashamed.
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
Commit thyself unto the LORD; let him deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighteth in him.
But thou art he that took me out the womb: thou didst make me trust when I was upon my mother's breasts.
I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
They gape upon me with their mouth, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
My Strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of evil–doers have enclosed me; they pierced my hands and my feet.
I may tell all my bones; they look and stare upon me:
They part my garments among them, and upon my vesture do they cast lots.
But be not thou far off, O LORD: O thou my succour, haste thee to help me.
Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog;
Save me from the lion's mouth; yea, from the horns of the wild–oxen thou hast answered me.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and stand in awe of him, all ye the seed of Israel.
For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
Of thee cometh my praise in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek after him: let your heart live for ever.
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the ruler over the nations.
All the fat ones of the earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he that cannot keep his soul alive.
A seed shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord unto the next generation.
They shall come and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done it ['It is finished'].
| Author | David Merrick, Edinburgh |
| Comments | David Merrick - http://www.paintdrawer.co.uk/david/Email.php |
| This Version | 2009-03-08 08:42 |
| Latest Version | http://www.paintdrawer.co.uk/david/folders/Spirituality/001=Christianity/Martyrdom%20of%20Jesus.htm |
| Sources | Bible : http://www.bible-researcher.com/erv/index.html |
| Other Stories | http://www.paintdrawer.co.uk/david/folders/Spirituality/005=Collections/holydays.htm |
