TOMS: John 19

For an introduction to this series, click here.

May 18, 2007

This chapter tells the story of the Crucifixion. There's not a whole lot that can be said that hasn't already been said about the most important event in human history. And of course I have already commented on it three times.

I have always been struck by the irony of verse 12: "From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, 'If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.'" The Jews hated the Romans, and the Romans hated the Jews. The only reason the Romans were there was because Palestine was a strategic link between Asia Minor and Egypt, which were much more important priorities for Rome. For the Romans, Palestine was a dreadful place filled with delusional people. That's why about 40 years later the Romans got tired of them and destroyed Jerusalem and scattered the Jews all over the empire. The only time the Jews were interested in being a friend to Caesar was right here.

Another detail that John gives us, because he was there, is this tidbit: "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!' And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home." (19:26-27) This is rather shocking to me. We assume Joseph, Jesus' earthly father, was dead, since he is never mentioned in any of the Gospels during Jesus' adult life. But Jesus had at least three half-brothers who are mentioned in the Bible. Why didn't they look after their mother?  

I don't know, but this could explain why John is not mentioned much in the book of Acts. He would have been taking care of Mary (and presumably raising his own family) during the years that Peter and Paul were doing great exploits. It wasn't until much later, when John became the elder statesman and the last of the apostles that he writes his Gospel, epistles and of course the Revelation.

Another thing John mentions that no one else mentions is the role of Nicodemus in Jesus' burial: "After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight." (19:38-39, ESV)

This passage is the main reason I think Nicodemus was born again, either during his conversation with Jesus, part of which is recorded in John 3, or at some other time before this. Someone who is truly born again will eventually show some fruit, and here is Nicodemus, coming in at a time when even His disciples had forsaken Him, and buying spices to bury the body of Jesus.

TOMS: Luke 23

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April 6, 2007

This chapter tells the story of the Crucifixion. Talk about a pack of lies! Listen to the council's accusation against Jesus: "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king." (23:2) Jesus never once told people not to pay taxes to Caesar; in fact, He said the exact opposite.

Meanwhile Pilate finds out that Jesus is a Galilean and sends Him to Herod, who happens to be in town, presumably for the Passover. Herod is a pathetic figure. He was only interested in seeing Jesus put on a magic show. Jesus does nothing, and Herod is furious and sends Him back to Pilate. Pilate tries to reason with the religious leaders: "You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish him and release him." (23:14-16) But of course we know that more powerful forces were at work.

I'm skipping over a lot here, but Luke is the only Gospel to mention the faith of the thief who was crucified next to Jesus. It is instructive that the man said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." (23:42, ESV) This man had more faith than the disciples. They all fled (with the exception of John), figuring the kingdom was over. Here is this man looking at a man being executed, asking Him for favor when He enters His kingdom. No doubt he was the only person there who actually thought that Jesus would have a kingdom, with the possible exception of Mary His mother, who knew who He was but surely did not understand everything that was going on.

TOMS: Luke 22

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April 4, 2007

This chapter gets us into the story of the Crucifixion, the most important event in the history of the world. The most important thing to observe in the story of the Crucifixion is the sovereignty of God. One of the most important passages that brings out this truth is found in Isaiah 53:10-11: "Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;" Nothing that happened during the Crucifixion caught God or Jesus off-guard. Everything happened according to the plan set in place before time began.

Even Satan obeys the will of God, as we see in this chapter: "Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd." (22:3-6)

Try as he might, Satan's plans ultimately work out to the glory of God. I certainly have no idea of what goes on between God and Satan and how they work in the human race, but even Satan has to obey the will of God. I often wonder why God doesn't just do away with him completely, but even that is part of His plan. 

The next section deals with the Last Supper, and I think you are familiar with that, but we must remember that each Gospel records this event differently. John is the only one who mentions that Jesus washed the disciples' feet after the supper. Luke mentions that the disciples were arguing as to who would be the greatest in the kingdom after supper. I don't want to steal my own thunder from when we get to this passage in John, but no doubt Jesus' shocking action of washing their feet was in response to this argument. 

After supper, of course, they went to the garden, although Luke calls it the Mount of Olives. The two must have been very close together, or maybe the garden was on part of the mount. You are no doubt familiar with the story, but twice Jesus comes back from praying to rebuke the sleeping disciples, and He tells them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." 

What kind of temptation were the disciples facing? I think maybe I have found the answer, and it is something I have never noticed before. Read verses 31-32 from the King James: "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Now in normal reading, we don't notice an important difference in the pronouns in this verse, and you certainly will not notice the difference in the modern versions- that is why I specifically used the KJV. In modern English, the only second person pronoun is "you." But in the era of the KJV there were four: "thou," "thee," "ye" and "you." If you go back and read that again, you will notice that Jesus first addresses all the disciples: "you" is used twice in verse 31. But in verse 32, He addresses Simon Peter specifically: "thee," "thy" and "thou." So Jesus says Satan desired all of the disciples, but Peter specifically. All of the disciples were subject to being tempted to deny Christ. Sadly, all but Peter and John fled.

At the very end of the chapter, you notice Jesus does something He never did before: He plainly answers a point-blank demand from the religious leaders if He was the Son of God. For years, people had been asking Him that and He had brushed it off or responded back with another question. Here comes the moment of ultimate rejection. Jesus is brought before the Council: "So they all said, 'Are you the Son of God, then?' And he said to them, 'You say that I am.' Then they said, 'What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.'" (22:70-71, ESV) Jesus finally answered truthfully, and instead of worshiping Him as who He was, they condemned Him to death. 

TOMS: Mark 15

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Feb. 6, 2007

This chapter has the second half of Christ's Crucifixion. Pilate is the central figure here. The Sanhedrin had delivered a political prisoner (I'm describing this from Pilate's perspective) to him, called Jesus of Nazareth. Though Mark does not mention it, Pilate first tried to pass Him off to Herod since Jesus was a Galilean, but Herod sent Him back to Pilate. Pilate is "amazed" that Jesus does not respond to the accusations of the Jews. Pilate knows "that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up." (15:10) So he comes up with a brilliant plan. He offers Jesus or Barabbas, a notorious murderer, in a traditional prisoner release. The priests, furious at what Pilate had done, stirred up the crowd to ask for Barabbas. It's sad that as much as they surely not want a murderer on the streets, they would rather have him than Jesus. It shows their irrational thinking. When the crowd demands that Jesus be crucified, Pilate turns Him over, in order to "satisfy the crowd." (15:15) Pilate seems to be weary of dealing with these unruly and unpredictable Jews, and was ready to do anything just to get them to leave him alone.

Now here is an irrelevant pet peeve of mine: Golgotha or Calvary, is not a hill or a mountain. It is always described in the Gospels as a "place." The point of crucifixion is terror - this is what happens to people who don't obey Rome. You don't inspire fear by crucifying someone "on a hill far away." All Roman records and documents about crucifixion show that it was done in plain view of the people. All the Gospels record that Jesus' crucifixion was a very public event, with many people present, from Pharisees who mocked Him to John and Mary to the Roman soldier who proclaimed, "Truly this man was the Son of God."(15:39) Jesus was most likely killed at a notorious place for crucifixions very close to one of the main roads out of Jerusalem.

Interestingly, Mark is the only Gospel to record that Pilate was surprised that Jesus was dead early in the evening, since Jesus was put on the cross that morning. Mark records that when Joseph asked for Jesus' body, "Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph." (15:44-45, ESV) This was not the normal way crucifixions were done, but of course Jesus' execution was not normal in any sense of the word.