Jesus Christ: The Story of Easter

 

Triumph, sadness, suffering, and joy ...  Jesus Proves the Truth of His Message

Although the story of Easter Week found in “Am I Your Son?” generally follows the Book of Luke, it also provides extensive additional information on 1st century history, culture, archeology, and events. Realistic dialogue brings the primary characters to life.

In order to clarify the abrupt changes in the mood of the pilgrims, the Apostles, the Temple Priests, and the Romans, each day is treated as a separate episode. Posted here, they can be read all at one time, or day by day as the week unfolds.

Let us unite in our appreciation of His resurrection. Jesus launched a theology and philosophy that would influence Western civilization for centuries.

 

Jesus Travels To (His Last) Passover

March, 30 A.D.

One does not infuriate the Pharisees, annoy the Sadducees, challenge the Temple Priests, and irritate the Romans. It is just not done. Once sufficiently aggravated, they will retaliate.

Jesus was a very intelligent man. Despite his growing popularity and the success of his teaching, he knew the climax of his ministry was near. Perhaps Jesus anticipated he would only be arrested and imprisoned like John the Baptist. But those thoughts had to have been accompanied by a sobering reality. John had been beheaded and if the Romans were sufficiently angered there was the possibility of crucifixion. That was their way. They crucified anyone who had the impudence to seriously challenge Roman authority. Even though it is unlikely the Romans thought of Jesus as a political threat, he was disrupting the population. The priests were responsible for controlling the peasants. But wherever he went, the priests lost their ability to control the peasants. That annoyed the Romans and infuriated the priests.

Confrontation was inevitable.

###

Traveling to Passover in Jerusalem was a mixture of fatigue, discomfort, aggravation, fear, elation, happiness, noise, and ceaseless activity. Pilgrims traveled in large groups in order to protect themselves and their children from robbery, kidnapping, injury, and death. They were accompanied by animals; most of them were destined to be sacrificed on the Temple alter. Sanitation and water were a recurring challenge. Many of the travelers who accompanied Jesus and his Apostles to Jerusalem were either disciples or familiar with his teaching.

###

It was time.

Despite the constant rains that turned roads into ankle deep mud and soaked their cloths to the skin, Jesus and his Apostles started for Jerusalem. Several women, including his mother Mary, her sister Salome, and Hannah (a disciple) walked with them. They were also joined by a large group of people, many of them disciples, who wanted to be with Jesus for Passover.

When they reached Magdala, Mary of Magdala, her friend Susanna, and another large group of pilgrims joined the caravan. Jesus intended to have his companions preach and teach others along the way. He was especially anxious to bring his message to the people of Judea. Thankfully, as they walked south the weather began to improve. The second night they camped near Nain. James and John Boanerges were able to get a roaring fire going. It gave them a chance to dry out. After the meal, Jesus gathered with his Apostles around the fire to talk and rest. Bartholomew asked a question.

“We all washed before eating, but it was not our usual ritual washing of the hands. Are we therefore condemned because we are not clean?”

Jesus responded "Nothing outside a man can make him unclean inside his body. Rather, it is what a man speaks or does that makes him unclean.... it is the evils of sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, profanity, arrogance, and folly, which make someone unclean, not what or how they wash or eat.”

In the morning, Jesus was surprised to find there were even more disciples camped near them on the plain from as far away as Tyre and Sepphoris. Jesus summoned Peter.

“Go among the camps and find out how many are disciples willing to help us preach God’s message in Samaria and Judea. Bring their leaders to me.”

By mid-morning, a gathering of disciples had joined with Jesus. Among them were Priscilla and Aquila, who seemed very enthusiastic to meet Jesus. Jesus motioned for them all to sit in a semi-circle around him.

“How many disciples are ready to go out and preach the word of God?”

Many hands were raised. Peter approached Jesus.

“I count seventy two who are ready to do what you ask.”

Jesus was very pleased.

“I will send you out before me, to travel into Samaria and Judea, preaching the message God has given to me. Some of you will be given the gift of healing.”

“Where shall we go,” asked Aquila.

“Some will go to Jerusalem by way of Bethabara, Jericho and Bethany. Most of you will go by way of Samaria, Sychar, and Bethel. In seven days, we shall meet again at the Mount of Olives.

“But what shall they preach?” asked Thomas Didymus.

Jesus turned briefly to look at his apostle. Dear doubting Thomas. But his question was appropriate. These people would need a simple message.

“Teach them a prayer,” Thomas said.

Jesus smiled at his apostle. It was a good idea. He raised his hands and called out to the disciples. “Here is my prayer. Teach it to everyone who will listen. *

Our Father, who lives in heaven, Hallowed be thy name;

Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on this earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and Forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Help us to avoid sinful temptation; and deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.”

Jesus paused and repeated his prayer. Then he taught them the Ten Commandments.

“We have free will. We make choices. But the willful commission of sin will always get in the way of our ability to exercise of free will, resulting in unhappiness – or worse. These are God’s commandments. They are consistent with God’s commandments about love.

I am the one true God.

Do not create other Gods or icons to worship, for they will lead you astray.

Never use my name in vain or as an expression of profanity.

Honor your father and your mother.

Do not kill another human.

Do not commit adultery or even think about adulterous lust.

Do not steal. Retribution will weigh more than an ox’s yoke.

Do not lie or make false statements against anyone.

Do not want to have your neighbor’s house or possessions.

Do not desire to possess your neighbor’s wife, nor any person in his household.

Avoid the temptations of greed and envy, for they will do you no good.

Labor for six days and then honor the Sabbath by doing no work on the seventh day. Keep it holy by honoring your Lord God and those whom he loves.”

Jesus paused again to survey the rapt attention of his audience.

“I know our theology has not been approved by those who rule Jerusalem. It is obviously not in keeping with a traditional view of the Scriptures. It will be regarded as heresy by zealots. Some may even think it is illegal or not genuine. But I do not believe it would be productive to change or delete the Scriptures. Rather, we seek to view them from the perspective of the message God has given to me. Whatever we do, all of us.... let us strengthen God’s message to humanity.”

Peter took James and John with him to talk with the disciple leaders. Within an hour they were on their way south, chanting the prayer Jesus had taught them. Jesus was in no hurry. In two days they were camped near Jacob’s well in Sychar. That evening, several Samarians came to visit. Peter invited them to join the Apostles around the campfire.

“We must apologize for the bad reception you received in Samaria,” one said “our people were rude when they rejected your attempts to preach.... But you must understand, they fear the brutality of the Romans and they fear the wrath of the Pharisees.”

Jesus, distressed by the rejection, spoke thoughtfully. “You can ignore me and refuse to believe the message I bring to you, but if you ignore the Lord, and his commandments, you will never enter his Kingdom.”

Jesus paused, and then said slowly…..

“And remember this: If God wants to speak to us, we should listen.”

When they reached Bethel, both the Pharisees and the Sadducees were waiting to question Jesus. They were arrogant, condescending, smug, and disdainful of this simple preacher. They sought to smear his name. Yet they also feared his growing influence on the people. They confronted Jesus as he was getting a drink of water from the community well.

“Where do you get this message you claim is from God,” asked a man dressed in a white robe with a gold trimmed purple sash. He was obviously a man of some authority.

Jesus looked steadily at the man for several moments, took a sip of water, and then began his response.

“All our knowledge is based on what we can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. We assume our five senses tell us everything we need to know. But that is wrong. We have another sense, one that is linked to the conscious mind, a spiritual connection - which you frequently choose to ignore - with the Holy Spirit.”

“But why can’t I make this connection you speak of?”

“Because you do not try. You think you know everything. Because of this, you know nothing.... If you want to find God, you must look for God.”

“But we pray three times a day! Is this not enough to find God?”

“Mechanical recitations with objects that have imaginary powers block the senses from that which you seek.... Finding the path to God is a personal, private, and deeply intensive spiritual experience.”

“But we have been doing these rituals for years!”

“Again. Repetitive ritual is not a path to God. You must make a personal connection in the privacy of your own mind.”

“But we are the priests!” the Sadducee protested “we are the experts in the law and the rituals of our faith. Everyone recognizes our authority.”

“We cannot be smug about our knowledge. We cannot be arrogant about our achievements. We have only a limited perception of reality...”

The Sadducee was exasperated. “But I cannot contact this God you believe in.”

“If you are unable to sense all there is that merely demonstrates the limits of your experience.”

“This man speaks nonsense!” growled a Sadducee “Is God the creator?” 

“Of course,” responded Jesus “creation requires intelligence.... A rock cannot create life. A rock cannot create light or days. A rock cannot even create another rock. Creation would not have occurred without the intercession of our Father who created space, light, time, life and matter.”

His tormentors began to grumble among themselves. Then they started to walk away toward Jerusalem, occasionally looking back with confusion for the man they did not want to understand.

 

The Crowd Loves Jesus. The King of Israel has arrived!

Author’s Note

According to the noted scholar Joachim Jeremias, Jerusalem had a population of about 30,000 people (other estimates range up to 45,000 people in the Jerusalem area). But during Passover the City’s population swelled by another 150,000 people (or more) who made the pilgrimage to Passover. Every male Israelite was required to visit the Temple three times a year. Most of the pilgrims would have been male. However, while the appearance of women, female children, and infant males was not obligatory, they often accompanied their husbands and fathers.

When Jesus rode across the Kidron Valley on Palm Sunday it must have caused an incredible commotion. There he was, riding on a donkey (or more likely a mule), accompanied by a dozen apostles (some were armed), a marching throng of at least 120 disciples (including the women who were with him), and a multitude of curious people. There were thousands of people in the mob that lined the road. They welcomed Jesus, spread their garments before Him, and waved palm branches as symbols of peace and victory. There were frequent exclamations “The King of Israel has arrived!”

But while they were doing this, Jesus was weeping. He knew the mob would turn against him.

……

Monday April 3, 30 AD

Jesus was in Bethany, staying with Mary, Martha and Lazarus. The morning of the third day of April he awakened, spent some time with his father in deep thought, and then went out to the courtyard. In the distance he could see a large group of people approaching the house. They appeared to be excited and happy. Aquila was the first to reach him.

“Jesus, we have wonderful news!” he said enthusiastically “we have gone all through Judea as you instructed and our reception was absolutely wonderful!”

He was so excited he had to stop to catch his breath.

“Our feet flew over the ground without effort, the weather was perfect, and we were received with enthusiasm wherever we went.”

Priscilla arrived and joined her husband.

“Oh Jesus, you should have seen us. We preached the word you gave us to many people. They knew of you and your healing powers. Even the demons obey us when we speak your name.”

Jesus was elated.  Then full of joy, tears began to stream down his cheeks. He had these thoughts: “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the vain and pompous. Instead, you have revealed them to your trusting children. Yes, Father, this is what you wanted and I am grateful to be the one who could help you.”

He spoke again to his new disciples. “I am encouraged by your reports. Lead the simple life of a disciple. Find others and make them disciples, for as the number of my disciples increases, so shall the influence of the message God has given to me.”

He paused, surveyed the faces of his disciples, and finished by saying: “Follow me to be born again. Ask to be forgiven in my name. Even the worst sinner is welcome to repent and seek salvation. Acknowledge your sins and repent before God my Father. If you are sincere, the act of baptism will wash away the past and joyously inspire you with the blessings of his holy spirit.”

Wednesday April 5, 30 AD

A man dressed in a white robe with a purple sash appears at the entrance to the inner Temple Courtyard. It is the High Priest. Standing on the top step, he looks down at the throng of people below him in the Woman’s Courtyard. He scowls. Three other men, also dressed in white robes with smaller sashes join him. The High Priest surveys the crowd again and turns to one of his companions.

“There is too much excitement in the air. These fools can talk of nothing but this man Jesus. We must be ready to deal with him. Assemble the Sanhedrin Counsel.

“Only a few of the 71 are in Jerusalem. They are not scheduled to arrive until tomorrow.”

“Then find as many as you can and bring them to the Royal Porch tomorrow afternoon.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“We must deal with this man Jesus.... We will bring his blasphemy before the Council.... With their support, we can end his sacrilege.....”

Friday April 7, 30 AD. 

Passover (which by Jewish tradition, started at dusk last night and will end at dusk next Thursday night) had begun * As his popularity grew, the people of Galilee, Samaria, and Judea began to look upon Jesus as their Messiah, the man who would defeat the Romans and free the Jews from the tyranny of a hated dictatorship. He was already held in high esteem as a venerated religious teacher. It was but a short step to imagine he also had overwhelming political power.

Sunday April 9, 30 AD.

It was a beautiful morning. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives with his Apostles. They had secured a donkey for him to ride when he entered Jerusalem. Bartholomew removed his robe and spread it on the donkey’s back. Then he helped Jesus onto the donkey. Jude took the reins to lead the donkey into the city.

As they came down from the Mount of Olives, Jesus and his Apostles were cheered by a large crowd of excited disciples and pilgrims. The closer to the city they got, the larger the crowd became. The joyful noise of the people who lined the road was deafening.

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord,” called his disciples “Peace in heaven and glory to God!”

The Pharisees in the crowd were very unhappy.

“Tell them to stop!” shouted one to Jesus.

Jesus looked down on the man. “If these people were unable to cry out, the stones on the road would cry out in their place.”

They crossed the Kidron Valley and slowly made their way up the winding road to the Temple Mount. Pilgrims and disciples spread palm branches in the road to keep down the dust. The cheers grew louder. Jesus began to weep.

“Oh Jerusalem, the day of your destruction is coming because you did not recognize the arrival of your true God.”

The procession stopped at the Temple Mount, near the Shushan Gate. Jesus dismounted, climbed the steps, and began to speak to the crowd. The people were so excited, they frequently interrupted his speech with jubilate cheers. Many believed: Jesus was the Messiah. The King has arrived!

*Author’s Note: These dates were verified by reviewing a Jewish first century calendar. The actual day of Passover changes from year to year.

 

Passover Monday: Jesus Speaks at the Temple

The Temple

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem (also called ‘The House of God’, and in ancient Hebrew ‘Mount Zion’), is believed to be where rabbinic sages produced the Jewish Talmud. Temples were intended to function as the center of government, judicial, religious, and economic life. According to Jewish tradition, the first Temple in Jerusalem was built by King Solomon, the son of King David in 957 B.C. It was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.  A second Temple was built on or near the site of the first Temple in 516 B.C.

Herod the Great built a third edifice known as Herod’s Temple. Herod wanted to perpetuate his name through extensive construction projects. His Temple renovation and expansion project in Jerusalem was his greatest achievement. Although the most active construction period was from ~ 19 B.C. to 9 B.C., Herod’s Temple was under renovation until 64 A.D. It was looted and destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.

Herod greatly expanded the platform for the Temple Mount to approximately 36 acres. Walls up to 16 feet thick and in many places over 150 feet high protected its courtyards and buildings. The exterior dimensions of the Temple Mount exterior walls were roughly 900’ x 1600’ x 1050’x 1550’.

Located within the Temple Mount was Herod’s Temple. Built of white marble (or covered in white plaster), covered with heavy plates of gold in front and rising high above a succession of terraces, it had the appearance of a snow-covered mountain. The Temple was a prominent and dazzling object from every side. Its marble covered courtyards and inner buildings were protected by a separate 60 foot high wall. It apparently covered an area of roughly 3.3 (or 3.5) acres. Some believe the Temple building itself was 150 feet long, 150 feet wide and 150 feet high. There was an extensive use of gold and silver ornamentation throughout the Temple.

Of the Temple gates Josephus writes that ‘nine were completely overlaid with gold and silver, as were also their door-posts; but one, that outside the inner sanctuary, was of Corinthian bronze, and far exceeded in value those plated with silver and set in gold’. This gate is usually identified as the Gate of Nicanor, which stood majestically between the Women’s Courtyard and the inner sanctuary.

Only Jews were allowed to enter the courtyards of Herod’s Temple. They entered by climbing twelve steps and going through a gold and silver covered gate into the Court of the Women. In this area, one might find any Jew, even the unclean. There was frequent music, dancing and singing. From the women’s courtyard (open to all Jews), entrance into the inner sanctuary courtyards was accomplished by climbing 15 semicircular steps and passing through the huge (75 feet high and 60 feet wide) bronze covered Gate of Nicanor. The inner sanctuary courtyards included the Israelites Courtyard (reserved for ritually pure Jewish men), the Priest’s courtyard (reserved for Levite Priests), a two room sanctuary called the Holy Place (the outer room used by all Priests, the inner room only accessible to the High Priest), and several chambers. Sacrifices were offered daily. Special offerings were made on the Sabbath and on Jewish holidays. Animal sacrifices were slaughtered and offered to God on the Altar of Burnt Offerings in the Priest’s courtyard. These sacrifices were accompanied at appropriate moments with recitations (usually Psalms) by the Levites.

The platform area outside the walls of Herod’s Temple was called the Gentiles Courtyard. It was open to all visitors. It is likely Jesus preached here, standing on the upper steps of the Temple entrance and looking down on the Israelites gathered in courtyard below him. The huge Court of the Gentiles can be characterized as a raucous bazaar. The smell of semi-sweet pungent smoke from sacrificial fires mixed with the sounds of terrified animals waiting to be slaughtered, the cries of merchants selling their wares, the noise of hundreds of conversations, children squealing, women singing, occasional fights between errant pilgrims, and would be messiahs haranguing the crowd with as much gusto as they could manage.  There were vendors selling food, drink, sacrificial animals, and souvenirs. Jews would change their everyday Greek and Roman money (considered to be profane) for Jewish or Tyrian money (considered to be religiously acceptable) in order to purchase sacrifices, make contributions, and buy goods or services. Upon leaving, they might exchange whatever religious money they had left for profane money. The money changers, who were notoriously dishonest, became very wealthy (and as we shall see, - hated any interruption).

 Guided tours of Herod’s Temple courtyards were available for visitors. Aaronic priests in linen robes and tubular hats were everywhere, directing pilgrims and giving instruction on sacrificial requirements. Population estimates vary (by a lot), but Jerusalem in the time of Jesus probably had a permanent population of more than 35,000. Big events, like Passover, would attract over 150,000 or more pilgrims to the city.

It is written: Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose: at the festival of unleavened bread, at the festival of weeks, and at the festival of booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed; all shall give as they are able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you.”

Passover is a seven-day religious observance in the spring which includes the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is a celebration of Jewish freedom from Egyptian enslavement. Shavuot, known as the Feast of Weeks in English, usually occurs in May or June. Shavuot celebrates receiving the Torah from God and becoming a nation. Sukkot, the Feast of Booths or - in English - Feast of Tabernacles, is a celebration of the harvest that occurs in September or October.

………

Jesus already knew what lay ahead.

On Monday he entered the Temple Mount and went into the Court of Gentiles. The stench of animal dung mingled with the sweet aromas of cooking food. There was ceaseless noise from thousands of voices, crying children, and terrified animals. The air was thick with the smoke of the sacrificial alter fire.

He was enraged by what he saw. The area around Herod’s Temple had been turned into a bazaar, teaming with human activity: booth after booth of merchants and money changers. Jesus knew most of the pilgrims did not know how to value the money they received in exchange for their Roman coin. Incensed by the larceny, he stormed across the courtyard, overturning several money changer tables.  His outburst was cloud and clear.

The merchants and money changers were so surprised at his wrath; they retreated into the center of the Courtyard. The pilgrims and disciples with him cheered. He began to speak to the assembled crowd.

“Believe in what I say. Prostitutes and tax collectors will enter the kingdom of heaven before money changers will.”

Jesus spoke for 20 minutes. His passion resonated with the crowd. Most of the people desperately wanted to believe that here - at last - was the Messiah who had come to free them from their hated Roman oppressors.

Jesus left the Temple Mount after speaking and went to the Mount of Olives to talk with his followers. Several children gathered around his Apostles. Jesus watched them as they begged for money and food. They had learned to be very insistent. They followed the Apostles, hands extended, and pleading as they walked.... He looked intently at their faces. They were mostly dirty, sullen, and desperate. Then three children broke away from the group and walked toward Jesus. Thomas rushed to stop them from reaching Jesus. But Jesus held up his hand and beckoned for them to come to him. Thomas was apologetic.

“I’m sorry. I know children are not allowed to approach High Priests, … or a Prophet.”

Jesus responded with sympathy. “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God welcomes children. Truly I tell you, life is precious. We cherish the miracle of life. Let us protect the life God has given to us.”

Jesus looked at each apostle in turn, and said: “It does not matter if one is young or old, healthy or infirm, rich or poor, a man, a woman, an adult or a child. We know every soul is equally important to the Holy Spirit. We are therefore challenged to cherish and protect human life from conception to death.”

***

The meeting with the Sanhedrin priests and teachers of the law had not gone well. Caiaphas the High Priest was not amused. In fact, he seethed with frustration. He turned to the three Levites with him.

“Most of the Council members think Jesus is harmless. They believe he will fade away like a dying tree in the desert. But you wait, if he continues to disrupt Temple activity like he did today, they will change their minds.” 

Passover Tuesday:  The mob began to doubt Jesus.

Author’s Note

Jesus lived in a time of social, political and religious conflict. Because his message was very close to what many people needed and wanted to hear, and because of his growing reputation as a healer of the sick, Jesus was soon regarded as an upstart whose popularity was dangerous to the authority of established political and religious institutions. Scribes and scholars participated in a closed social structure that discouraged outsiders. Priests felt they had the exclusive right to teach about God and the law. The Romans dictated matters of State. Jesus was considered an outsider and a rebel to all three groups. Jesus had a natural theology that was occasionally at odds with Jewish tradition and law. Although he was very familiar with the law, he occasionally ignored it.

Jesus occasionally challenged Jewish religious customs. Parochial Sadducees, and to a lesser extent intolerant Pharisees, were generally skeptical of his teaching. Many considered his message to be unorthodox because it did not exactly match their concept of Jewish custom and (religious) law. There were also many zealots who took it upon themselves to sanction, or even kill, anyone who dared to violate their parochial view of Jewish religious tradition. Thus when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, the adulation he received would have thoroughly annoyed his opposition. Many wanted to end his activity.

Jesus frequently used the phrase “Kingdom of God” in his ministry. For him, it was a reference to a place where God lived (heaven). But most Jews believed only God had the right to rule Israel. For them the phrase “Kingdom of God” meant establishing an Israel free from Roman rule. Hence it was regarded as a rebellion code phrase for kicking out the Romans and restoring God’s rule. Pilot would have known Jesus was using this phrase long before he arrived in Jerusalem. The basis for a confrontation between Jesus and the Romans was already in place.

The ministry of Jesus was on a collision course with destiny.

“What gives you the right to speak about God?

Jesus entered the Temple Mount on Tuesday with his Apostles and a number of disciples. He climbed to the top step of the stairs leading to the Temple Gate. He spoke to the crowd gathered below him in the Court of Gentiles. His popularity and the content of his teaching irritated the priests and Levites who feared Jesus would diminish their religious authority. It was on this day the Chief Priests, backed by other priests and Levites, as well as elders and scribes, came out of the Temple to challenge his authority to speak about God and theology. Jesus was talking about our relationship with God when a Levite spoke up.

“What gives you the right to speak about God? Are you a Levite? Have you any training?”

Jesus stopped for a moment and looked intently at the Levite.

“Who cannot speak of God? What is it that you teach? Do only the holiest of the holy have the right to speak of God? You think too much of yourselves. We all have the right to seek our Father in heaven. If we are sincere, then of course we can....  Every humble person who looks for God has a right to find God....  And he will respond.”

The Pharisees grumbled among themselves. One of them, an expert in the Law of Moses, tested him with this question:

"Teacher: which are the two greatest commandments in the Law?"

Jesus earnestly replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your thoughts. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like the first: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the words of the Prophets center on these two commandments."

A priest spoke up. His rude interruption contained words of condescending arrogance.

“Do you really know what you are talking about?”

Jesus responded with conviction. “The second commandment encourages us to love others with the same sensitivity and empathy we have for ourselves. It assumes we are able to take a thoughtful view of our interpersonal relationships. People with a healthy outlook on life will not choose to hurt themselves either physically or emotionally. We are expected to project this same caring attitude in our personal relations with others. It does not matter whether our contact is casual and brief - as with a stranger we meet on the street - or the result of a long term relationship such as marriage. God wants us to love others as we would want others to love us. Our failure to obey this commandment is often the source of inexcusable sorrow, friction and hatred.”

Jesus paused for a moment. There was a murmur of agreement within the crowd.

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of God’s law.”

“So you dare to speak like a prophet!” jeered a teacher of the law “why should we practice what you are teaching?”

Jesus spoke again with conviction. “The more we try to follow these two commandments, the closer we come to creating God’s Kingdom on Earth, which is paradise. The further away we move from these two commandments, the greater the risk of creating personal and social hell here on earth.”

“But that means we have to love the Romans!” exclaimed a Levite.

Jesus gave a forceful response. “Unlike the Romans we do not believe in a class social system where there is a hierarchy of privilege. We believe in the inherent equality of each person. One is not condemned to forever be at the bottom of the sociological pyramid. Even the poor can have dignity and status. Within our community there is love and compassion for the sick, the elderly, the very young, the hungry, the widow, and the poor. No one need live in the loneliness of isolation. One can have a sense of belonging to a community of friends, all brothers and sisters.”

Then Jesus raised his arms as in prayer, but looked directly at his tormentors.

“We are created equal in the eyes of God, all humans, male and female.... That has always been God’s intention and we are the fruit of God’s labor.”

Jesus spoke again that afternoon on the steps of the Double Gate. Although his message was well received, many in the crowd assembled to hear him were disappointed in his message. Jesus did not speak about the Romans. He did not tell them how he would expel them from Israel. The mob began to doubt him. There were rumbles of dissent.

……..

Passover Wednesday: An angry mob became hostile.

Author’s Note

In order to understand what happened to Jesus on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of Passover, we have to put these events into perspective. On Palm Sunday, the mob believed Jesus was their Messiah. They joyously welcomed the man who would free them from the hated Romans. By Monday afternoon, doubts had arisen. Was Jesus their Messiah after all?  By Tuesday afternoon a very disappointed mob began to turn away from Jesus, and by Wednesday afternoon an angry mob had become hostile. That enabled the events of Thursday when the Temple Priests called for his arrest. The mob’s emotional reaction was no doubt encouraged by the many Pharisees, Sadducees, and priests who viewed Jesus with contempt.

When Jesus rode to the Temple on Palm Sunday he must have been seen by thousands of people – pilgrims and residents of Jerusalem. For a people who lived in very humble homes, existed on the edge of poverty, and were only one or two bad harvests from starvation, a man riding on a donkey (or mule) followed by a large contingent of disciples, must have been very impressive. Most of the population depended on grains, chickens, goats and sheep for food; lost perhaps a third of their children to accidents and childhood diseases; hated Roman oppression and the Roman disdain had for their deeply held religious beliefs; and often feared death, injury or devastation from bandits and nationalist zealots.

Jesus apparently refrained from doing any healing in the Gentiles Courtyard. That was a good decision. The news that a healer was available would have caused chaos. People with real and imagined ills and injuries would have lined up to see Jesus. There would have been scuffles among those trying to get near him. The apostles would have found it impossible to keep order. For some who came to be helped, the healing process would not have been instantaneous. God knows a cure or healing may take time as the cells do their work. That means those who did not experience instant relief would have complained. Jesus risked being seen as a fake... and that is something Jesus had to avoid. He wanted to be remembered for the message he brought to us from his father.

That was his mission.

Jesus was not, of course, the only man preaching in the Gentiles Courtyard. It is likely he had a great deal of competition from earnest believers, inflamed zealots, would be Messiahs, and Jewish Nationalists. While it is likely his arrival in Jerusalem would have attracted more attention than any other speaker, some of the other speakers had their own entourage of followers.

By Wednesday afternoon most of the pilgrims had made their required sacrifices, prayed as instructed, eaten sacrificial meat, visited all the booths, and met other pilgrims who were distant relatives and friends. They were tired. Many were thinking of the long journey home. If they paid any attention to any of the speakers in the Gentiles Courtyard, it would have been the ones who told them what they wanted to hear.

We can understand why, for some of them, Jesus initially offered hope and freedom from the Romans. We can also understand why the mob turned against Jesus. He did not tell them what they wanted to hear. Jesus had a different message.

……..

Some of the priests gathered to plot their revenge.

As they watched the crowds gather to hear Jesus, the Pharisees and priests were quite sure that Jesus was a threat to their authority. They were anticipating some kind of general revolt during the Passover season. Perhaps Jesus would perform a miracle and lead a rebellion. They were looking for a way to reduce or end his influence.

Many of the residents of Jerusalem depended on the Passover festivals and Temple visitors for some or all of their income. They built and tended the many booths that sold animal, bird and other sacrificial offerings, as well as souvenirs, wine and food to the pilgrims. When Jesus overturned the money changer tables, they turned against him. He was seen as a threat to their income.

By Wednesday afternoon the excitement Jesus had created was clearly declining. Some of the priests gathered to plot their revenge.

Wednesday Morning

By Wednesday morning, Jesus had dispelled any notion he was a political leader. To the pilgrims and residents, he only appeared to be interested in repeating his father’s message. Even though he often mentioned God’s Kingdom, not once did he attempt to start a revolt against the Romans. On this day he chose to preach once again on the steps that lead into Herod’s Temple from the Gentile’s Courtyard. With the Temple’s Gold and silver plated gate behind him, Jesus spoke from the heart for over an hour. Although his presence on the steps that lead into the Temple thoroughly annoyed the priests, they did not dare censure him again.

Wednesday Afternoon

By Wednesday afternoon, the mob was becoming increasingly disillusioned. Rumors and whispers circulated among the thousands gathered for Passover. Jesus was not the Messiah they were looking for. Many felt betrayed. Betrayal led to frustration and frustration became anger. Disappointed, frustrated and enraged that Jesus would not free them from Roman rule, the crowds began to disperse. Adoration quickly became open hostility. Many of the men were Jewish nationalists, or nationalist sympathizers. For them his failure to lead a revolt was a bitter disappointment. Scuffles broke out between those who followed Jesus and the Jewish nationalists.

Caiaphas the High Priest sensed he had an opportunity to humiliate this outsider. He sent spies into the dwindling crowd to ask Jesus if he was loyal to Caesar. Jesus was careful, however, to avoid any words that could be construed as a challenge to Roman rule with the response:

“Render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar. Give to God that which God alone embraces.”

That reply, however, was overshadowed by his frequent allusion to the Kingdom of God. Jesus used the phrase to describe the world he wanted to create on earth. It was a phrase that could be interpreted as encouraging a rebellion against Roman rule. That was an act of sedition.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Caiaphas the High Priest called another session of the Sanhedrin Council. He spoke with grim authority.

“For three days that renegade has preached in the Court of Gentiles and below the Temple Mount. The first day, everyone who heard him was filled with joy. The second day, many began to have doubts he would be their liberator. Today the crowd dwindled down to a handful of disciples and curious pilgrims. He is losing favor with our people. Today someone even jeered that he has lost his magic power.... I have decided to act. With the help of the Levites, we can turn the crowd against him.”

“Why should we bother?” said a council member “his preaching is dying a natural death.”

“And he has the right to speak,” said another.

The other members of the council nodded in agreement. There was a whisper of conversation among them. Caiaphas was thoroughly annoyed.

“If we let him go, he will continue to be a thorn in our side. He is very charismatic and obviously smart. He has an agenda. This disappointment among the people is temporary. As soon he starts healing again, they will flock to him as before.”

Caiaphas raised his arms to appear as imposing as possible.

“We must get rid of him and his so called Apostles!”

There was more whispering among the council members. One stood up to speak.

“The Chief Priest is right. We must end this now, while we have him close to us. Let us turn the mob against Jesus, let us call him a traitor for his failure to get rid of the Romans, let us tell them his message is blasphemy, let us destroy his character and smear his name.... they will be angry enough to do our bidding.”

“No, no,” called out another priest as he stood up to speak. “Let us wait to see what happens tomorrow. If he still annoys us we can act then.”

Caiaphas looked over the members of the Council. “Let us decide what to do.... right now.”

That decision took almost an hour. But in the end, the Council decided to wait until Thursday morning to make a final judgement.

 

Passover Thursday: For Jesus it will be: His Last Supper

Thursday Morning

Because he knew what was coming, Jesus spent most of Thursday morning in prayer and discussion with his disciples. The mood was both solemn and reverential. He invited them to join with him for a last supper, an idea that struck dread in the hearts of those around him. Jesus sent Peter with two other Apostles into Jerusalem to find a place and purchase food.

After they left, Jesus knelt down and began to pray. “Am I doing the right thing?”

God’s response came quickly. “Although it is likely the Romans and your enemies in Jerusalem will be satisfied with your removal from public life, they may also seek to arrest and punish your Apostles. They may even punish some of your other disciples. It is best if you send them away from Jerusalem until the agitation of your arrest has passed.”

Then his father paused, as though carefully contemplating his words. He spoke with love.

“But you don’t have to go through with this my son. You can still join the others and go back to Capernaum.”

The answer Jesus gave revealed his commitment to the mission his father had given to him and his determination to persevere.

“No, I must prove the truth of my message to the pilgrims, to my disciples, and to my Apostles. If I am in prison, the people will think my imprisonment is wrong and that will lead them to think of my word.”

God then spoke a few words that depressed Jesus. “You know, of course, that Pilate may decide you are more than a renegade preacher. If the Romans decide you are a traitor, they will crucify you on a cross.”

Jesus spoke with emotion. “Yes, I know.... Can you predict which option they will choose? Will they send me to prison or crucify me?”

“I can guess, but not predict. When I gave humanity free will, I knew I would be able to judge, but not predict with certainty. If I take away free will, I will be able to predict with certainty, but I will have no right to judge.”

Jesus began to tremble. A feeling of dread overcame him.

“If you cannot predict, can you guess?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“They will crucify you.”

***

Thursday Afternoon

Thursday afternoon the Sanhedrin Council had a meeting to decide on a number of matters, including their rising concern about the rebellious preacher from Galilee. The Levites had assembled a crowd of pilgrims and Jerusalem citizens to protest against Jesus. It was not hard to find people who would join the crowd. The pilgrims and the Levites were upset by the heresy spoken by this man from Galilee. The citizens were angered because they believed he had disrupted their business activities in the Temple.  For all who had heard his message, it had become obvious Jesus would not use his powers to banish the Romans from Israel. Their voices rose in an organized chant to condemn and mock Jesus just outside the Council Chambers.

Their raucous demonstration had the desired effect. Inside the chambers the mood turned against Jesus. Caiaphas, the High Priest, and Annas were given the task of convincing the Romans to punish Jesus.

After the meeting Caiaphas and his father-in-law Annas sat together with several priests to discuss how to secure Roman cooperation.

“We can ask Pontius Pilate to imprison Jesus, perhaps at the same prison where he kept John the Baptist,” Annas said.

“But John was still able to influence many of our people even while he was in prison,” Caiaphas responded “do we dare let him do that?”

Another priest spoke up. “He has far more powers than John ever did. What happens if he decides to walk out of prison? He could do it. He could walk right out of prison and start a rebellion against us.”

“And the Romans,” added Annas with a frown.

They all looked to Caiaphas for his decision. He was reluctant to have Jesus killed. During Passover the priests had to be very careful to preserve their image of purity and holiness. Having Jesus imprisoned before Passover began would be acceptable. But sending him to prison during Passover would cause a rebellion among his disciples and give the nationalists even more to be unhappy about.

“We have a problem. We cannot be seen as violating any of our religious laws, especially during Passover.... but… that ends today after sundown.”

 Caiaphas paused to look at each of the priests. His humorless demeanor was of a man who didn’t like his options. After all, perhaps he could control this teacher from Galilee. Maybe the punishment of prison would be enough to end his blasphemy. Or maybe it would not.

“We are out of time. We must be seen as protecting the laws of our faith and the sacred authority of our priesthood. The only way to resolve this problem is to give it to the Romans. Although the Council has the authority to banish Jesus, only the Romans can punish him with death. We will use the mob to convince the Romans this teacher is guilty of sedition. Then let them deal with Jesus.”

A sly smile crossed his father-in-law’s face. “Let us deal with Jesus tomorrow morning,” Annas said with authority, “Passover will have ended and we can place the blame for our decision on the Romans.... We will look for Jesus Friday morning and take him to the Romans. They will crucify him.”

The Last Supper

Peter found a house for the Last Supper in Jerusalem. Mary the mother of Jesus; Salome of Bethsaida; Joanna, wife of Chuza; Mary of Magdala and her friend Susanna all came to the house that afternoon. They prepared the Last Supper with the help of several disciples. Jesus was the first man to arrive. He bathed his hands and feet, put on a white robe, and waited for his Apostles to arrive.

John and James Boanerges came first, followed in a few minutes by each of the other Apostles. One by one Jesus asked each apostle to sit down before him. He then washed the dust and dirt from the man’s feet. It was a symbolic act of humility. This was a task usually performed by the lowest person in the household, generally a slave or servant. When Peter arrived he asked: “Why are you washing the dust of Jerusalem from my feet?”

“The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Puzzled by the humility of his master, Peter joined the others at the table. A feeling of despair hung over the entire room. There was little talk. The Apostles knew Jesus was planning to be arrested. After they finished eating, Jesus stood up. He took a piece of bread from the plate before him as an offering. The Apostles watched their leader in silence.

(Luke 22:19-20) (Note 1)

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

The women and disciples who were present were awed by the sense of reverence and sorrow that seemed to echo through the room. Mary of Magdala began to weep.

Jesus spoke again. “We cannot stay here in Jerusalem. We will cross the valley together. I will go on to the Garden of Gethsemane. I want you to go to Bethany tonight and then to Jericho in the morning. Once across the Jordan, you should be safe from the Romans. Go home to Capernaum until you are ready to teach in my name once more.”

“But what about you?” Peter asked, clearly alarmed.

“I go to be tried by the priests and the Romans.”

Peter almost shouted his response. “I will never leave your side!”

Jesus, his face betraying his sadness, looked thoughtfully at Peter.

“You will deny me, Peter, three times before the cock crows.”

Peter was about to protest, but Jesus held up his hand.

“Remember me. Remember me and the message I have given to you. Teach it to all who will listen.”

Jesus and his companions left the house in the late afternoon and made their way toward the Garden of Gethsemane. Crossing the Kidron Valley, Jesus stopped, gestured toward the Temple Mount, and addressed the Apostles and women. 

“Tomorrow will be dangerous for anyone associated with me, especially near the Temple Mount. You must go to Jericho as I have asked.”

Then Jesus turned to Judas and whispered the dreaded words: “Do your duty Judas.

Trial

Once at Gethsemane, Jesus waited in the cold night air for the mob to come. His mental anguish gradually became more intense. He trembled. Jesus knew what was coming. His skin became fragile and tender, occasionally oozing a slightly bloody sweat.

The Levites were told to create an angry mob. It did not take much effort to provoke a group of citizens and pilgrims into a frenzy of disorderly behavior. Then several priests and elders, accompanied by a chanting mob, followed Judas out of the Temple Mount.

It was a short walk to The Garden of Gethsemane and Judas found Jesus sitting in his customary place. The priests took Jesus into custody, roughly securing his hands behind him. The mob was vulgar and hostile. Although the priests briefly looked for the Apostles, there was no one else in the Garden. Unhappy they were unable to find anyone else, but satisfied they had done what Caiaphas had told them to do; the priests seized Jesus and led the mob back to the Temple Mount. Judas, thoroughly shaken by the arrest of his mentor, watched the mob disappear into the darkness. He stood alone for several minutes in the cool night air, struggling with his thoughts.

They held a mock trial before Annas, Caiaphas and several members of the Sanhedrin council. The agony of the confrontation lasted for more than an hour. Jesus was condemned by false testimony and the contempt of all who were there. Tired and fed up with the turn of events, the Council condemned Jesus and agreed to refer him to the Romans for prosecution. The Levites took him down stairs and brutally heaved him into a cold stone cell. Despite his mounting exhaustion, Jesus would not sleep.

After the commotion had quieted down, Caiaphas said goodnight to Annas.

“We will have to move quickly tomorrow morning to bring him before Pontius Pilate. He must be dead before the start of the Sabbath. It’s bad enough we are doing this on Preparation Day.”

“All the more reason we must blame his death on the Romans,” Annas responded.

Author’s Notes:

 Jesus was crucified by Pontius Pilate, the fifth prefect (governor) of the Roman province of Judea (or Judaea) from A.D. 26 – A.D. 36.

Pilot would have regarded Jesus and his disciples as non-violent dissenters. Roman authorities normally dispensed with groups of non-violent dissenters by killing their leader. Hence while it is likely Caliphas would have liked to eliminate all of the Apostles, his only recourse would have been to put them in prison. He did not have a sufficient reason to justify their death. Pilot would have believed the elimination of Jesus would prevent any further challenge to Roman authority by those who followed him. As a consequence, his desire to find and punish the Apostles quickly declined. Within weeks, Pilot was so busy with other matters in Caesarea Maritima, he likely ignored the Apostles.

The crowd that shouted for the execution of Jesus was a mix of low level priests (who were doing what they were told to do), citizens of Jerusalem who thought he had disrupted their business activities, a few nationalists who were upset because Jesus was not the Messiah they longed for, and parochial religious zealots who wanted to punish him for his beliefs. Passover ended at Sundown Thursday evening. Most of the pilgrims left Jerusalem early Friday morning and would not have participated in the trial or crucifixion.

Led by Judas, a mob of people from the Temple found Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane Thursday evening (after sundown), just as Jesus had planned. Finding no one else (ignoring the story about Peter’s resistance) they took Jesus to the prison. It is likely they taunted and beat him. His cell was unbearably cold and likely without any light. Shivering uncontrollably from the cold, Jesus could not sleep.

 

Passover Friday: Crucifixion

“Oh Jesus, have we failed you?”

Flogging

Flogging was a legal preliminary to every Roman crucifixion. The victim was stripped of his clothing. He was turned to face an upright post. They tied his hands as high as they could on the post, exposing his entire backside. The weapon of choice was a short whip with several leather thongs to which small iron balls or sharp pieces of bone were tied. The victim’s back, buttocks and legs were whipped until his skin was cut into ribbons. The lacerations frequently dug into the man’s muscles. The objective was to whip the victim to a point just short of death or collapse.

The goal of crucifixion is to cause as much pain as possible for the longest possible time until a man dies in agony. The ordeal could take several hours. Women and children were not crucified. They might be allowed to go home, be enslaved, or punished in other ways.

***

We have shown you proof of his planned rebellion...

Early Friday morning the Levites took Jesus to be accused before Pontius Pilate, the Prefect of the Roman province of Judea. Summoned by the Levites, a crowd had gathered to vilify Jesus. They were in a vindictive mood, callous, malicious, and unruly.

Peter had not gone to Jericho with the others. Instead he cautiously returned to the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. Standing by himself in the angry crowd, he said nothing.

Rested, but still upset he had to deal with Jesus, Caiaphas was very persuasive. He presented a convincing case. Jesus was claiming to be King of the Jews. But Pilate was less certain.

“So you believe this man is a threat to Roman rule. You know that means he should be crucified.”

“We have shown you proof of his planned rebellion,” Caiaphas responded with a shrug “do as you wish.”

Pilate thought for a moment. “Why do I have to pass judgement? Have you not said he is from Galilee?”

“Yes, of course.” Caiaphas was frustrated by Pilate’s indecision. But his frustration turned to outright anger when the Prefect announced:

“Take him to Herod Antipas. If Jesus is from Galilee, then he is Herod’s problem.”

With a wave of his hand, Pilate ended the hearing.

 

Fuming with increasing anger, Caiaphas quickly arranged for a trial to be set before Herod Antipas. Later that morning, he stood before Herod and again repeated his accusations against Jesus.

Like Pilate, Herod feared the crucifixion of a man as popular as Jesus would set off a rebellion. He was actually happy to see Jesus and hoped he would perform a miracle for Herod’s entertainment. But when Jesus refused, Herod grew angry. He asked Jesus several questions. But Jesus refused to answer. There was a brief silence. Then Herodias, his wife, whispered in Herod’s ear.

“He should be crucified. But you are in Pilate’s jurisdiction. Let him take the blame. If you do nothing, he will be forced to see that justice is done.” Herod looked at the poor man before him.

“Did you really think you could lead a rebellion against Rome? You have nothing, you are nothing, and by tonight you will be nothing.”

Herod motioned for the guards to take Jesus away. They began to punch him with their fists and poke him with their spears as they walked toward the door. Peter, standing among the people who were screaming obscenities against Jesus, did nothing.

Caiaphas closed his eyes in frustration. Would this never end?

 

Before Pontius Pilate started the third trial, he received a message from Herod. He walked through the halls of the fortress to a small waiting room. Herod Antipas immediately began to speak.

“How dare you send this upstart to me? He is your problem, so deal with him. If you fail, I will tell Rome you are too weak to rule against traitors. Then I’ll ask Rome to let me rule all of Judea and Samaria. Do your job or lose it!”

Herod Antipas abruptly turned away and walked out of the room. Pilate was stunned by Herod’s assertions. He knew Herod Antipas had been plotting against him in Rome. Angry at Herod’s nasty demeaning words, Pilate shrugged his shoulders and walked to the chamber where the trial would be held. He was greeted by a crowd of jeering people. He took a long look at Jesus. Here was a tired and pitiful man, dressed in a dirty robe. How could he possibly be the King of the Jews?

It was a very short trial. Pilate asked Jesus if he was King of the Jews.

Jesus responded: “So you say.”

The noise from the mob of people in the room was deafening. “Crucify him! Crucify him!” they chanted. For a third time, Peter did nothing.

Pilate had his guards bring another prisoner by the name of Barabbas into the room. He stood up and shouted to the mob.

“Shall I crucify Barabbas or Jesus?”

“Jesus!” the mob roared.

With a wave of his hand, Pilate ordered Jesus to be flogged and crucified. His Roman troops were eager to carry out the sentence.

But as he was being taken away, Pilate walked to the window and looked out over the mob below. He interceded one last time.

“I give you a choice,” he shouted to the mob “shall we crucify Jesus or punish Barabbas.”

The mob began to chant again “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

Pontius Pilate turned his back on the mob. Jesus was led away. Pilate went to his bath and ritually washed his hands of any guilt.

***

The Romans flogged Jesus until his backside was bleeding from his neck to his ankles. Strips of tissue hung from his back and legs. Jesus almost passed out from the intense pain.

The Roman soldiers mocked Jesus after his flogging. They spat on this man who claimed to be a King. They found a robe, placed it on his shoulders, and crowned him with wreath of thorns. When they had finished amusing themselves, they yanked the robe off his body, reopening his wounds. Jesus cried out in pain. Deprived of water, food, and sleep; bleeding from his wounds; and in intense pain, Jesus was close to collapse.

Ten or more of Pilate’s Roman soldiers, led by a Centurion, escorted Jesus to Golgotha located just outside the wall of the City. To mock him, the soldiers again placed a crown of thorns on his head. Jesus was forced, as was the custom, to carry the cross arm of his own cross to the crucifixion site outside the city. The cross arm was placed across his shoulders behind his neck. His outstretched arms were then tied to the cross arm.

Jesus was able to walk with the heavy wood cross arm for less than a block. Exhausted and close to death, Jesus stumbled and fell to the street. Although the soldiers whipped him, he could not get up. Frustrated they looked around for another man to carry the cross. They spotted a man by the name of Simon of Cyrene who looked as though he wanted to help Jesus.

“Take the cross,” a soldier ordered “and follow this King to the hill where he will be crucified.”

Filled with compassion for this poor man he did not know, Simon did as he was ordered.

Crucifixion

Once at Golgotha, Jesus was thrown to the ground on his back. The soldiers assembled the cross. Then the soldiers laid him upon the roughhewn wood of the cross which would bite into the ribbons of flesh on his back until he died. They nailed his wrists and ankles to the beams with 5 inch iron spikes, secured his wrists with rope, and placed a sign on the cross proclaiming he was Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.  The soldiers raised the cross into position. It was noon on Preparation Day. The mob began to jeer Jesus.

“Make a miracle!” shouted one “and release your body from the cross!”

Another spat in the direction of the cross. “There is no Kingdom, you liar!”

Numb with the agony of searing pain, and almost unconscious, the limp form of Jesus hung from the cross. A man to his right screamed out. Jesus managed to turn his head just enough to see a man who had been crucified at the same time. His wife and five badly frightened children huddled together down the hill. Jesus took pity on the man.

“Come with me,” Jesus managed to gasp out the words “follow me to the Kingdom of God.”

“Help me,” the man responded “help me to follow you.”

It took Jesus several minutes to get enough breath to respond. He was finally able to call out:

“Today you shall be with me in paradise...”

But Jesus could say no more. 

The man looked at Jesus. “You are the one...”

A scream pierced the air as soldiers raised another man they had nailed to a cross. Jesus turned to his left to see him and spoke the same words.

“Come with me,” Jesus called out “follow me to the Kingdom of God.”

The man looked at Jesus for several moments, recognized who he was, and mocked him.

“Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself! Save us.....   as if you can.”

The man taunted Jesus again.

“You sinner! You liar! You heretic! I’ll never follow you anywhere!”

Drifting into unconsciousness, Jesus could only manage to mutter his response.

“Go your own way.”

Weeping because of the horror they were witnessing, Mary, his mother, Mary of Magdala, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Salome of Bethsaida stood together on the street below the hill. Jude, James and Peter, despite the risk of staying in Jerusalem, were standing far away from the throng watching the crucifixion. Joanna the wife of Chuza, and Susanna of Caesarea stood across the road, devastated by the painful agony of their teacher. After an hour, the crowd began to disperse, leaving them alone with several Roman guards and a handful of disciples to watch as Jesus, in terrible pain, slowly died. Blood continued to ooze from his wounds. Every time he moved, the ribbons of flesh on his back would be reopened. His breathing became more and more difficult.

Jude could not stand to see his brother in pain any longer, and left for Jericho to join the other Apostles. James, choked with sorrow, joined the women. Mary, Salome, Mary Magdalene and James came to the foot of the cross and looked up at the man they all loved.  Just before three PM Jesus managed to gather enough strength to ask his brother if he would care for their mother.

“Of course I will take care of Mary,” James responded with tears in his eyes.

Then Jesus turned his head to look at his mother “Woman, here is your son.”

At three PM, Jesus - his lungs unable to exhale - delirious, thirsty, exhausted, and numb with intense pain called out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

A Roman soldier carefully examined the dead man on the cross, and according to custom, thrust his spear into upward into the man’s chest in order to be sure he was dead.

Burial

Joseph of Arimathea, upon hearing about the crucifixion, immediately went to Pilate. Because he was a member of the Sanhedrin Council, he was allowed to enter Pilate’s quarters.

“You have crucified an innocent lamb,” he said to Pilate.

“Yes, I know,” Pilate responded “but what could I do?”

Pilate appeared to be tired and frustrated by the day’s events. Joseph ignored Pilate’s irritation.

“It is our custom to be sure a dead body is not hung on a tree overnight,” Joseph said “with your permission, I would like to take him down.”

“But where will you take him?”

“I have a new crypt near Golgotha; I can take him there to be prepared for burial.”

 A loud voice interrupted their conversation. It was Annas.

“But how will we know he is dead?”

“The Roman soldiers will see to that,” Pilate responded.

“And how will you prevent his disciples from taking his body away from your tomb in the middle of the night?”

“Why would they do that?” asked Pilate.

“It is rumored,” Annas said with authority “Jesus will arise from the dead in three days. If his disciples steal his body and hide it, they will say he has arisen and gone to heaven.”

Pilate scowled. He did not like what Annas said. If they succeeded in stealing the body, they were certain to claim Jesus was alive and had gone to be in that Kingdom of God he was always talking about.

“Is your tomb secure?” he asked Joseph.

“There is a very large slab of stone that can be rolled to close the entrance. They will not be able to get in.”

Annas was not satisfied. “If it can be closed, it can be opened. We have to be sure the Messiah prophecy has not been fulfilled.”

Pilate had a solution. “I will post a guard.... One they cannot bribe.”

He turned to a servant “Go find Maximus.”

***

Maximus had risen in rank to the number two position of authority in the legion stationed near Jerusalem. It was late afternoon when the servant brought him to Pontius Pilate. He saluted Pilate.

“I have just returned from Gaza. Your servant has demanded I come to see you. What do you need?”

Pilate looked agitated. “We have crucified three men this afternoon. I want you to personally make sure all three men are dead, and then report back to me.”

“As you wish.  Where are they?”

“At Golgotha.... oh.... and be sure the one who has been called the King of the Jews is sealed in the crypt Joseph of Arimathea has offered. We want to hold this man in Joseph’s tomb until we are sure he stays dead.”

Maximus saluted again and went to find eight Roman soldiers. A short time later he walked down the road to where the three crosses had been placed. Two of the men had already been removed. When he looked at the cross with the sign on it, he suddenly felt deathly ill. A woman came to him and tugged at the sleeve of his tunic. Maximus turned and looked down at the tear stained face of Mary, the mother of Jesus. He immediately recognized her.

“You!” he exclaimed with a mixture of disbelief and compassion.

 A startled Maximus looked up again at the cross. Through the blood, sweat and dirt he recognized the lifeless form of his friend..... Jesus. The realization of what was happening stunned Maximus; he felt a hot surge of revulsion flood throughout his body. Mary grasped his arm.

“Please, please for the love of God. Please bring my son down. Don’t you see how he has suffered?”

Badly shaken by what he was witnessing, Maximus called to his Centurions.

“Bring that cross down and release that man. Be careful with him. Treat him with the same respect you would a fallen comrade.”

Puzzled by their leader’s compassion for the dead man on the cross, the soldiers did as they were instructed. They carefully brought down the cross, and removed the spikes. A tearful Salome gave them a shroud to cover the body. Then Joseph of Arimathea spoke up.

“Have them carry the body to my crypt. It is not far. I will show you the way.”

Maximus motioned for two of his men to pick up the body of Jesus and they trudged off toward the garden and crypt Joseph had set aside for his own death. Salome and Mary of Magdala followed them, stumbling at times in their grief. Maximus came down the small hill and took Mary’s hand.

“Let us be sure he will rest in peace.... But I don’t understand.... why did they crucify the innocent?”

“They are full of treachery and deception, my son only thought of love. His teaching annoyed them.”

Maximus frowned, took Mary’s arm, and escorted her to the crypt. They caught up with the men carrying the body of Jesus. It was, as Joseph had said, only a short distance and in a few moments they arrived at the huge stone door. The soldiers went inside the crypt and placed Jesus on a slab of stone. Mary of Magdala made sure the body was completely covered by the shroud.

“Do you want to say goodbye to your son?”, a thoroughly shaken Maximus asked.

“I would like to say a prayer.... alone if that is alright with you.”

“Of course, Mary.... we will wait until you come out. Take your time.”

Overcome with grief, Mary entered the crypt. In the darkness she could barely make out the still form of her son, so carefully placed on the slab of stone. She stood there; looking at the shroud and began to sob. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She gently touched the still form under the shroud with her finger tips.

“Oh Jesus, have we failed you?”

After she came out, the soldiers rolled the stone in place. Maximus placed the seal of Rome on the stone to discourage tampering with the crypt. He assigned four of his soldiers to guard the crypt, and after making sure the soldiers understood their instructions, Maximus and the three women left the crypt and walked slowly to the city. It began to rain. The steady downpour soon soaked them all to the skin.

After they left, a young man emerged from the shadows. He walked to the crypt and slowly traced the edge of the stone door with his hands. Weeping uncontrollably, he walked quietly away.

Judas

Eight of the Apostles had left for Jericho early Friday morning, as Jesus instructed. Overcome with grief, Jude had left for Jericho during the crucifixion. Light-headed with grief, James left Golgotha soon after Jesus asked him to watch over his mother. Sick and ashamed for his denial of Jesus, Peter soon followed James to the Mount of Olives.

Judas, however, stumbled more than walked as he made his way in the darkness toward Jericho after the crucifixion. He had seen the trials, witnessed the hatred, watched the flogging, and followed the crowd that escorted Jesus to Golgotha. Even so, he was not prepared for the suffering of his teacher on the cross. It destroyed whatever composure he had left. Like the others who witnessed the crucifixion, and the internment of Jesus in the crypt, he was caught in the drenching rain that blew over Jerusalem like a curse. He began to stumble in the mud. Blinded by a mixture of hot salty tears and incessant rain, Judas lost his direction and staggered into an open field. He lost his footing in the mud. Judas tried to see the road, but it was so dark he could only guess where to go.

“Oh God, what have I done,” he called out. “You told me to do it.... Jesus.... I did what you told me to do.... But I never expected them to kill you.”

The young man somehow managed to find the road, but bumped into a black figure he could not see in the darkness.

“Get out of the way, a man’s voice cursed at Judas.”

He was joined by several other men. Even in the darkness, Judas could tell it was a troop of Pilate’s mercenaries. The man spoke again.

“Get out of the way or I’ll kick you into the mud.”

From his accent, Judas guessed the soldier was from one of the northern territories; somewhere north of the Baltic. But Judas was in no mood to yield. He pushed the man back and screamed in his face.

“Do you know what you Romans did today! You just murdered the Messiah! The son of God! You just crucified the most loving human on this earth!”

  The soldier was in a foul mood. It had been a long march to reach Jerusalem. Drenched by the rain; hungry and tired, and now this stupid peasant.

“Get out of the way!”

 Judas reached into his pocket and drew out the silver coins Caiaphas had given him. He threw them at the soldier.

“Keep your damned money you heathen creatures!”

 The soldier was in no mood to be insulted. He drew his sword and thrust it upward into the young man’s stomach. Blood instantly flushed out from the wound and soaked his tunic. Grasping his belly Judas stumbled backward into the field, turned, stumbled again, and fell face first into the mud. He struggled for a few moments and died. The soldiers picked up as many of the coins as they could find in the mud. The man who killed Judas found his lifeless body in the field and carefully cleaned his sword on the dead man’s tunic.

Saturday

Saturday morning dawned cold and wet. Because it was the Sabbath, no activity was permitted at the tomb. The Roman guards posted at Joseph of Arimathea’s crypt, upset by the demeaning task they had been given, wet from the rain, and shivering because of the cold morning air, began to drink a blood red wine.

On the Mount of Olives, James woke up early, ignored the bread Peter offered to him, and started for Jericho. He and Jude would carry the news of the crucifixion to the other Apostles. The cold rain had turned to a fine mist that seemed to swirl around him as he stumbled through the mud. Storm clouds hung low over the land, as though to shroud all living things in a grey tomb.

James saw a group of people standing in a field. They were looking at the body of a man who was face down in the mud. Something prompted James to join them. As soon as he got a closer look at the man’s lifeless form, he knew it was Judas.

 

He has risen! The Incredible Joy of Easter Sunday

Woman, why are you weeping?

Sunday was a glorious sunny day. A warm playful breeze carried the sweet scent of flowers and grass. Munching on his breakfast bread, Peter left the Mount of Olives and started for the crypt. Crossing the Kidron Valley, he looked up at Herod’s Temple. It appeared cold, drab, and lifeless in the morning sun. Descending from the city, he saw Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary of Magdala, Mary the wife of Clopas, Salome of Bethsaida, Joanna the wife of Chuza, and Susanna of Caesarea just ahead. He knew they planned to ask the Roman guard to let them enter the crypt to anoint and wrap the body of Jesus for burial, as was the custom. Peter quickly joined them on the road. The women, fearful of what they might find, walked in silence. But when they reached the crypt, a feeling of astonishment overcame them. The big heavy rock that served as a door to the crypt had been rolled aside. Peter and the women warily approached the open chamber.

Mary of Magdala hesitated for a moment and then cautiously entered the crypt, expecting to see the blood stained body of Jesus on the cold rock bench where they had laid him to rest on Friday afternoon. At first it was so dark in the crypt she thought it was empty. She gasped as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Two angels in white appeared to her, sitting on either end of the empty bench where Jesus had been placed. She began to weep. Jesus was gone. There was only a large piece of blood stained cloth on the slab. Mary looked at the two angels.

One of the angels spoke to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

“Please sir, my teacher is gone and I don’t know where they have taken him.”

Puzzled and bewildered, she turned around to leave. But she abruptly stopped. There was a man standing in front of her, framed in the sunshine that burst through the open door. At first, Mary of Magdala did not recognize him.

It was Jesus. “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?”

Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, “Sir, I am looking for my teacher. If you have taken him away, please tell me where you put him, and I will go and remove him.”

Jesus spoke in a gentle loving voice. “Mary.”

She instantly recognized him. “Teacher!”

Relief replaced sorrow. Tears of joy filled her eyes.

“What happened!” she exclaimed “I cannot believe it is you.... “

Mary drew back and carefully looked over Jesus from head to toe. He was dressed in a beautiful white robe draped with a purple cape of the kind they made in Tyre. He looked refreshed, relaxed, and happy. He was clean, as from a ritual bath. Then she saw the ugly marks on his wrists, and glanced down to see them on his ankles. She was about to ask Jesus if he was in pain, but he interrupted her.

“No, Mary. I feel no pain. My father has cured my ailments, healed all my wounds, and given me peace.... And yes, I have risen as I and my father promised.”

Mary was overjoyed. It was her teacher. He was alive!

“Oh! I must go and tell the others!”

She gave him a warm hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. Then she turned to back away from him, her eyes never left him as she backed out the door, as though fearing he might disappear and her encounter would all be some kind of passing illusion.

Filled with a sudden surge of joy, she emerged from the crypt and turned to her companions.

“He has risen!” she exclaimed “Jesus has risen!”

Mary and her sister Salome, eyes wide with wonder, immediately entered the crypt and saw Jesus standing there, flanked by the two angels. Mary rushed to her son and embraced him for several seconds. Then she stepped back and looked at him, as Mary of Magdala had done, from head to toe.

“You look better than anytime during your ministry.... Except for those ugly scars. You appear to be glowing with good health.”

 Jesus smiled with affection at the woman who had been his constant companion and friend for more than 30 years.

“I must confess,” said Jesus “I lost faith in my father just before I died.... But he never left me. He didn’t forget me. He was at my side in the crypt and immediately healed my wounds. I felt no pain.... Then mother.... he awakened me and took me up to heaven. It is more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. He gave me a place to rest, a place to bathe, and these fine garments to wear.”

“And so now you have arisen, as you prophesied.”

“Yes, and now I must prove my father has given me new life - as he has promised to all who heed his word.... Then my ministry here on earth will end.”

Mary looked at her son with a mixture of love and wonder. He had triumphed over evil. She had fulfilled her obligation to Micah and to God. Mary felt an incredible sense of unity with her son and her God.

“I must tell Peter,” she said.

“I will come with you.”

Mary, Salome and Jesus walked confidently out of the crypt and into the morning sun. Peter was astounded.

“Teacher! You are alive!”

 Peter rushed to embrace Jesus, and then stepped back in awe of what he was seeing.

“You have risen. There can be no doubt. You have risen as you told us you would.... “

Then Peter dropped to his knees, overcome with guilt.

“I doubted you,” he said solemnly “I even denied you three times..... I was afraid. How shameful of me. Please Jesus, please forgive me.”

“Peter, rise up and take my hand. Look into my eyes and tell me you will never deny me again.”

Peter slowly got up and took the hand of his teacher.

“I am wrong, I am wrong to doubt you. I am a poor man of little faith, just as you said. But Jesus.... my Jesus.... I can no longer doubt you. Jesus you are the Messiah - our Lord Jesus Christ. From now on I will be your grateful servant. I will do as you ask of me until death overtakes my very being.”

Peter felt a flow of sweet energy that swept throughout his entire being. Jesus looked into his eyes; here was a man who had repented his sins and would now pursue his mission with determination and dedication. Peter would never again betray his teaching or his love.

“Peter, you are the rock upon which my church will be established.”

Jesus paused and smiled at Peter.

“Go and fetch the guards, Peter. It is time to spread the news.”

Peter grinned with happiness. He was jubilant. Peter embraced Jesus one more time and left to find the guards.

Jesus motioned to the women.

“Go and tell the others. They will be in Jericho.”

And then with a wave of his hand, Jesus disappeared from them.

***

Peter went to find the guards. He found four soldiers, wet and cold from the rain, sitting up with their backs against a wall. They were obviously grumpy and suffering from terrible headaches. Peter looked at the leader with disdain.

“Where is Jesus?” he demanded “Why did you let him escape?”

The guards were stunned by his words. “You’re a liar,” the leader growled irritably. “No one could move that stone.”

“It would be illegal,” snarled another guard.

Angry at Peter for disturbing them, but suddenly alarmed by his words, they got up and reluctantly stumbled to the crypt. When they saw the entrance, the soldiers were astonished. The rock had been moved away. Inside the gloomy crypt they found nothing but a bloody shroud on an empty bench. Frightened by the punishment they would receive for not being more vigilant, they searched around the crypt and garden for the body of Jesus. Finding nothing, they hurried off to tell Caiaphas. The guards would seek his protection from an angry Pilate.

Jesus Has Disappeared

Of course Pilate was furious. Caiaphas had just told him the bad news. Both men were fuming. The tomb has been opened, the soldiers had come to the Chief Priest for protection, Jesus was nowhere to be found, and those blessed disciples of Jesus were running through the streets of Jerusalem proclaiming he had arisen from the grave. For the priests, the news that the body of Jesus had disappeared was an unpleasant surprise. The disappearance could be construed as answering the prophecy of resurrection and that would vindicate all that Jesus had been preaching. Caiaphas asked Pilate to officially announce Jesus had disappeared, but Pilate was determined to find him and his cursed Apostles.  A missing body created a quandary for Pilate. It was a challenge to his authority and a violation of the seal of Rome that had been placed on the tomb. He called for Maximus and demanded that he track down the body so they could put an end to the talk of a risen Messiah.

But Jesus had disappeared. Gone. And even though more than one hundred Centurions scoured the city, the Apostles were nowhere to be found. Caiaphas was frustrated. Annas was furious. Pilate was desperate. Maximus (who knew both Jesus and his mother) was relieved and very happy. Herod was amused at Pilate’s predicament.

***

Peter and three of the women immediately left Jerusalem and headed for Jericho. At lunch time they paused to rest on a small hill. Mary Magdalene looked with apprehension toward Jerusalem.

“Do you think they will follow us?”

Peter peered down the road to Jerusalem. “No, the Romans will be preoccupied with combing Jerusalem for Jesus. They will not follow us.... today. But we were lucky to be able to slip out of the city unnoticed. There is no telling what they may have done to us is we were caught anywhere near the Temple.... It is best we keep on our way to Jericho.”

Mary Magdalene felt a sense of relief. But she had a sudden rush of guilt.  “We should have picked up the shroud. It will forever be symbolic of Jesus. I was so upset; I didn’t think to take it from the crypt.”

Peter looked up at the three women. “I have it,” he said quietly.

Salome spoke with the voice of a woman torn by the events she had witnessed.

“Keep it with you. Keep it safe, Peter”

 

Ron

Text from “Am I Your Son?”

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