WEEK EIGHT
The Resurrection of Jesus
Read
Matthew 27:62-66
Matthew 28:1-10
Mark 16:1-11
Luke 24:1-12
John 20:1-18
Major Events
Jesus rises from the dead
The Angel speaks to Mary Magdalene
Peter and John visit the Tomb
Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene
Devotional
The tomb that held Jesus' body was sealed and guarded. Both Jewish leaders and the Romans were well aware of the need to guard the tomb, and they took extreme measures to secure it. The tomb was secured by a stone, a material obstacle. These stones were large, very heavy, and set into an inclined channel. The stone could not be rolled away from the inside, and from the outside, it would take at least four strong men. The disciples, if you had enough of them, could roll away the stone – but not quietly. They would also have to work together to roll it away, and that didn’t seem likely. The tomb was also secured by a seal, an obstacle of human authority. The seal was a rope overlapping the width of the stone covering the entrance to the tomb. On either side of the doorway was a glob of wax securing the rope over the stone. The rock could not be moved without breaking the seal. These Roman guards assigned to the tomb would have watched and witnessed carefully as the stone was sealed because they knew their careers, and perhaps their lives, were on the line because they were responsible for whatever had been sealed. The Roman seal carried great legal authority. It was more than yellow tape barricading a modern crime scene; to break a Roman seal was to defy the almost god-like Roman authority. Along with the stone and seal, the tomb was also secured by the guards themselves, an obstacle of human strength. A typical Roman guard had four soldiers. Two watched while the others rested. This guard may have had even more but would need at least four to remove the stone after Passover had ended. These soldiers would be fully equipped with a sword, shield, spear, dagger, and armor. We should also remember that these were trained Roman soldiers. They didn’t care about Jesus or Jewish laws or rituals. They were called to secure the tomb of a criminal and they would give their lives to do it. To them, the only sacred thing at this tomb was the Roman seal because if that were broken, their careers would be ruined, and they might be executed themselves. Soldiers cold-blooded enough to gamble over a dying man’s clothes were not the kind of men to be tricked by trembling disciples and would also not jeopardize their necks by sleeping at their post.
In the end, none of these obstacles mattered both then and now. Material obstacles cannot stand before the resurrected Jesus. Human authority cannot stand before the resurrected Jesus. Human strength cannot stand before the resurrected Jesus. Even in resurrection, Jesus had something of a sermon to preach. These security measures simply gave greater testimony to the miracle of the resurrection. If Jesus’ tomb was unguarded, one might suggest that an unknown person or persons stole the body, and it would be difficult to refute. Yet because the tomb was so well guarded, we can be certain his body wasn’t stolen. In everything that was done to prevent what would happen, God used it to only testify that this was indeed a supernatural occurrence. When Easter Sunday came, the text tells us that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. They came to finish the preparation of Jesus’ body, which was cut short by the Sabbath (Luke 24:1-3). When they arrived Sunday morning, it would have taken all four guards (If not more) to break the seal and remove the stone to allow the women to finish the burial preparations before being sealed again. The women expected that Jesus' body would still be in the tomb, but they found the stone rolled away and an angel sitting on the stone. The stone that enclosed the body of Jesus in the tomb had been like the gate of a prison cell, trapping the body of Jesus in the grave, but now the cell was open. The Roman soldiers responsible for guarding the tomb were terrified, and we should take note that the angelic presence made these hardened soldiers tremble and faint.
There are several examples in scripture of people being brought back from death before this, such as the widow’s son in the days of Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Lazarus (John 11:38-44). Each of these was resuscitated from death, but none of them were resurrected, meaning that each of them was raised in the same body they died in, and raised from the dead to eventually die again. Resurrection isn’t just living again; it is living again in a new body, based on our old body, but perfectly suited to life in eternity. We should say that Jesus is still risen because that resurrected body will never die again. He ascended into heaven and continues to reign as a resurrected man, still fully man and fully God. In Israel, one may see many graves and tombs – there is an ocean of tombs on the Mount of Olives, and a vast sea of graves outside the eastern wall of the temple mount. You can see the tomb of David or the tomb of Absalom – but you won’t find the tomb of Jesus anywhere, because he is not there. The stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out. John 20:19 tells us that Jesus, in his resurrection body, could pass through material barriers. It was rolled away so that others could see in and be persuaded that Jesus Christ was truly raised from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection proved that his death was an actual propitiation or appeasement for sin and that the Father had been fully satisfied by it. The cross was the payment, and the resurrection was the receipt, proving that the transaction was fully accepted and complete.
These women, filled with fear and great joy, still did exactly what the angel told them to do. They went directly to the disciples, not stopping to tell anyone else, and gave the good news first to those who were mourning and grieving. In their obedience, Jesus met them on the road and when the women met Jesus, they felt compelled to worship him. What else was there to do but rejoice and worship? An hour before, they thought everything was lost because Jesus was dead. But now they knew everything was gained because Jesus was alive. It's important to note that Jesus received the worship of these women and didn't turn it away, showing once again that Jesus is God. If Jesus were not God, it would have been wrong for him to receive worship that should only be given to God. But being God, it was not idolatry, but good and appropriate for him to receive it.
Peter and John heard the news from Mary and immediately started for the tomb, running as fast as they could; the much younger disciple John arrived first. John looked in without entering and saw the grave wrappings of Jesus still in the tomb, but no body. A typical rich man’s tomb of that time would be large enough to walk into, with a place to lay out the body on one side and a bench for mourners on the other side. The entrance might be a narrow opening, but it was large enough to get into if he wanted to. Whatever kept John from going in didn’t stop Peter who immediately went into the tomb. This action-oriented impulsiveness was characteristic of Peter. John wanted to stop and think about it, but Peter went right in. Peter then saw that the cloths were still orderly and neat. It looked as if the body had evaporated from the burial wrappings without disturbing their place. The phrasing of linen cloths lying there, folded together in a place by itself is important and indicates the orderly arrangement of the burial wrappings. In being prepared for burial, those strips of linen cloths would have been smeared with ointments and aloes and spices, and the linen cloths were applied in several layers. This mixture of ointments and aloes and spices would dry and harden the linen cloths, making something of a mummy or a cocoon. The normal removal of these burial wrappings would require some tearing or cutting, but Peter saw that there had been no normal human removal of the burial wrappings. The whole point of this description is that the grave clothes did not look as if they had been stolen with the body, or taken off, but were lying there in their regular folds as if the body of Jesus had simply evaporated out of them, much like the description of how the dead in Christ will rise from the grave. (1 Thess 4:16)
When Mary returned to the tomb, this time she was greeted by two angels in the tomb. One at the head and the other at the feet, in a way similar to how the golden cherubim were placed at each end of the mercy seat on top of the Ark of the Covenant. (Exodus 25:18) Mary wasn’t thinking or dreaming that Jesus was alive. She believed he was still dead and only wanted to know where he was so she could complete her task of preparing his body for burial. Mary, possibly in a state of shock, wondered and worried about where Jesus was, but he wasn’t far away. She turned around and saw Jesus standing there. Mary certainly knew who Jesus was, and it was strange that she did not immediately recognize Him. Some think it was because she was emotionally distressed and had tears in her eyes. Others speculate it was because Jesus looked somewhat different, retaining at least some of the marks of his suffering. How often do we miss Jesus standing in front of us because we are so preoccupied with our anxious thoughts? Jesus had only to say one word, and all was explained. She heard in the name he spoke and the tone of his voice and knew it was her beloved Messiah and instantly called him Rabboni. Her eyes had failed her, but her ears could not mistake that voice saying her name. This led her to embrace Jesus and not want to let him go, which shows that the resurrection body of Jesus was different, yet similar to His pre-resurrection body. It was definitely real and tangible, able to be held onto. Jesus was not a phantom or spirit only. He was very real and very much alive.
Matthew 27:62-66
Matthew 28:1-10
Mark 16:1-11
Luke 24:1-12
John 20:1-18
Major Events
Jesus rises from the dead
The Angel speaks to Mary Magdalene
Peter and John visit the Tomb
Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene
Devotional
The tomb that held Jesus' body was sealed and guarded. Both Jewish leaders and the Romans were well aware of the need to guard the tomb, and they took extreme measures to secure it. The tomb was secured by a stone, a material obstacle. These stones were large, very heavy, and set into an inclined channel. The stone could not be rolled away from the inside, and from the outside, it would take at least four strong men. The disciples, if you had enough of them, could roll away the stone – but not quietly. They would also have to work together to roll it away, and that didn’t seem likely. The tomb was also secured by a seal, an obstacle of human authority. The seal was a rope overlapping the width of the stone covering the entrance to the tomb. On either side of the doorway was a glob of wax securing the rope over the stone. The rock could not be moved without breaking the seal. These Roman guards assigned to the tomb would have watched and witnessed carefully as the stone was sealed because they knew their careers, and perhaps their lives, were on the line because they were responsible for whatever had been sealed. The Roman seal carried great legal authority. It was more than yellow tape barricading a modern crime scene; to break a Roman seal was to defy the almost god-like Roman authority. Along with the stone and seal, the tomb was also secured by the guards themselves, an obstacle of human strength. A typical Roman guard had four soldiers. Two watched while the others rested. This guard may have had even more but would need at least four to remove the stone after Passover had ended. These soldiers would be fully equipped with a sword, shield, spear, dagger, and armor. We should also remember that these were trained Roman soldiers. They didn’t care about Jesus or Jewish laws or rituals. They were called to secure the tomb of a criminal and they would give their lives to do it. To them, the only sacred thing at this tomb was the Roman seal because if that were broken, their careers would be ruined, and they might be executed themselves. Soldiers cold-blooded enough to gamble over a dying man’s clothes were not the kind of men to be tricked by trembling disciples and would also not jeopardize their necks by sleeping at their post.
In the end, none of these obstacles mattered both then and now. Material obstacles cannot stand before the resurrected Jesus. Human authority cannot stand before the resurrected Jesus. Human strength cannot stand before the resurrected Jesus. Even in resurrection, Jesus had something of a sermon to preach. These security measures simply gave greater testimony to the miracle of the resurrection. If Jesus’ tomb was unguarded, one might suggest that an unknown person or persons stole the body, and it would be difficult to refute. Yet because the tomb was so well guarded, we can be certain his body wasn’t stolen. In everything that was done to prevent what would happen, God used it to only testify that this was indeed a supernatural occurrence. When Easter Sunday came, the text tells us that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. They came to finish the preparation of Jesus’ body, which was cut short by the Sabbath (Luke 24:1-3). When they arrived Sunday morning, it would have taken all four guards (If not more) to break the seal and remove the stone to allow the women to finish the burial preparations before being sealed again. The women expected that Jesus' body would still be in the tomb, but they found the stone rolled away and an angel sitting on the stone. The stone that enclosed the body of Jesus in the tomb had been like the gate of a prison cell, trapping the body of Jesus in the grave, but now the cell was open. The Roman soldiers responsible for guarding the tomb were terrified, and we should take note that the angelic presence made these hardened soldiers tremble and faint.
There are several examples in scripture of people being brought back from death before this, such as the widow’s son in the days of Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Lazarus (John 11:38-44). Each of these was resuscitated from death, but none of them were resurrected, meaning that each of them was raised in the same body they died in, and raised from the dead to eventually die again. Resurrection isn’t just living again; it is living again in a new body, based on our old body, but perfectly suited to life in eternity. We should say that Jesus is still risen because that resurrected body will never die again. He ascended into heaven and continues to reign as a resurrected man, still fully man and fully God. In Israel, one may see many graves and tombs – there is an ocean of tombs on the Mount of Olives, and a vast sea of graves outside the eastern wall of the temple mount. You can see the tomb of David or the tomb of Absalom – but you won’t find the tomb of Jesus anywhere, because he is not there. The stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out. John 20:19 tells us that Jesus, in his resurrection body, could pass through material barriers. It was rolled away so that others could see in and be persuaded that Jesus Christ was truly raised from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection proved that his death was an actual propitiation or appeasement for sin and that the Father had been fully satisfied by it. The cross was the payment, and the resurrection was the receipt, proving that the transaction was fully accepted and complete.
These women, filled with fear and great joy, still did exactly what the angel told them to do. They went directly to the disciples, not stopping to tell anyone else, and gave the good news first to those who were mourning and grieving. In their obedience, Jesus met them on the road and when the women met Jesus, they felt compelled to worship him. What else was there to do but rejoice and worship? An hour before, they thought everything was lost because Jesus was dead. But now they knew everything was gained because Jesus was alive. It's important to note that Jesus received the worship of these women and didn't turn it away, showing once again that Jesus is God. If Jesus were not God, it would have been wrong for him to receive worship that should only be given to God. But being God, it was not idolatry, but good and appropriate for him to receive it.
Peter and John heard the news from Mary and immediately started for the tomb, running as fast as they could; the much younger disciple John arrived first. John looked in without entering and saw the grave wrappings of Jesus still in the tomb, but no body. A typical rich man’s tomb of that time would be large enough to walk into, with a place to lay out the body on one side and a bench for mourners on the other side. The entrance might be a narrow opening, but it was large enough to get into if he wanted to. Whatever kept John from going in didn’t stop Peter who immediately went into the tomb. This action-oriented impulsiveness was characteristic of Peter. John wanted to stop and think about it, but Peter went right in. Peter then saw that the cloths were still orderly and neat. It looked as if the body had evaporated from the burial wrappings without disturbing their place. The phrasing of linen cloths lying there, folded together in a place by itself is important and indicates the orderly arrangement of the burial wrappings. In being prepared for burial, those strips of linen cloths would have been smeared with ointments and aloes and spices, and the linen cloths were applied in several layers. This mixture of ointments and aloes and spices would dry and harden the linen cloths, making something of a mummy or a cocoon. The normal removal of these burial wrappings would require some tearing or cutting, but Peter saw that there had been no normal human removal of the burial wrappings. The whole point of this description is that the grave clothes did not look as if they had been stolen with the body, or taken off, but were lying there in their regular folds as if the body of Jesus had simply evaporated out of them, much like the description of how the dead in Christ will rise from the grave. (1 Thess 4:16)
When Mary returned to the tomb, this time she was greeted by two angels in the tomb. One at the head and the other at the feet, in a way similar to how the golden cherubim were placed at each end of the mercy seat on top of the Ark of the Covenant. (Exodus 25:18) Mary wasn’t thinking or dreaming that Jesus was alive. She believed he was still dead and only wanted to know where he was so she could complete her task of preparing his body for burial. Mary, possibly in a state of shock, wondered and worried about where Jesus was, but he wasn’t far away. She turned around and saw Jesus standing there. Mary certainly knew who Jesus was, and it was strange that she did not immediately recognize Him. Some think it was because she was emotionally distressed and had tears in her eyes. Others speculate it was because Jesus looked somewhat different, retaining at least some of the marks of his suffering. How often do we miss Jesus standing in front of us because we are so preoccupied with our anxious thoughts? Jesus had only to say one word, and all was explained. She heard in the name he spoke and the tone of his voice and knew it was her beloved Messiah and instantly called him Rabboni. Her eyes had failed her, but her ears could not mistake that voice saying her name. This led her to embrace Jesus and not want to let him go, which shows that the resurrection body of Jesus was different, yet similar to His pre-resurrection body. It was definitely real and tangible, able to be held onto. Jesus was not a phantom or spirit only. He was very real and very much alive.
Jesus on the Road to Emmaus
Read
Matthew 28:11-15
Mark 16:12-14
Luke 24:13-48
John 20:24-29
Major events
The Guards give their report
Jesus on the road to Emmaus
Jesus appears to Disciples
Devotional
As soon as word of the resurrection of Jesus began to spread, a cover-up also began among panicked Jewish religious leaders. They attempted to bribe the Roman guards and spread a false report about the whole thing. This cover-up attempt shows the darkness of these priests. They knew the truth of the resurrection, yet they continued to reject that truth. The cover-up also shows their foolishness. If it was true that the guards were asleep, they could not know that it was Jesus' disciples who stole the body of Jesus. To believe this false report, a person would have to believe all the soldiers were asleep – all of them! That all the soldiers violated the strict law of the Roman military against sleeping on watch, punishable by death. All the soldiers slept so deeply that none of them were awakened by the work and noise necessary to roll away the massive stone and carry out the body. And that all the soldiers were so soundly asleep – yet they knew who it was who did this. People didn't believe this lie because it was a good lie but rather because it was a lie they wanted to (or were pressured to) believe.
Through the years, there have been many objections to the resurrection of Jesus. Some say Jesus didn’t die at all but just swooned or fainted on the cross and spontaneously revived in the tomb. Others say he really died, but his body was stolen. Still others suggest he really died, but his desperate followers hallucinated his resurrection. A plain, simple understanding of the evidence of the resurrection answers all of these theories and shows it would take far more faith to believe them than the actual Biblical account would. We can believe Jesus lives because the historical evidence demands we believe in the resurrection of Jesus. If we can believe anything in history, we can believe the reliable, confirmed testimony of hundreds of eyewitnesses. Jesus truly rose from the dead.
On this same Easter Sunday, two disciples traveled to Emmaus from Jerusalem, a distance of about 7 miles. As they walked home together after Passover ended, it gave them the opportunity to talk. These men weren’t famous apostles. They were simple and half-anonymous followers of Jesus who may or may not have even been part of the seventy that had been sent out earlier. As they talked, they spoke of things that were most heavy on their hearts, which at the time surrounded the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus. The text tells us that as they talked about Jesus, he drew near to them and walked with them. This is a powerful principle to remember that when Jesus is the center of our conversation, he will show up in our lives in some way. Being disciples, they had seen Jesus before, but for a time they were miraculously prevented from seeing who was walking with them. Jesus opened the conversation by asking them what they had talked about. From this, we can know Jesus had walked silently with them for a while, just listening as they carried on the conversation about him. It was evident in their countenance and perhaps even in their manner of walking that they were sad, disheartened, and greatly disappointed in the events of the past few days. The grief was so strong they didn't even realize they had a reason to rejoice walking with them.
Jesus prodded them to explain what had happened, and they responded incredulously, saying, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have you not known the things that happened here in these days?" Jesus probably smiled when they said this. He knew pretty well what had happened here in these days. Jesus skillfully played along with the conversation, encouraging the men to reveal their hearts through their words. Even though he knew their hearts, there was value in them saying it out loud to Jesus and each other. The men explained what they knew about this Jesus of Nazareth, which was limited yet sincere. They knew his name and where he was from. They knew he was a prophet. They knew He was mighty in deed and word. They knew he had been crucified. They knew he had promised to redeem Israel. They knew others had said he rose from the dead, but from their countenance, it was a rumor they didn't believe in. These disciples had a hope disappointed. Their hope was not truly disappointed, but in some ways, their hope was misguided in how they said he was going to redeem Israel. Jesus would soon show them that their true hope was fulfilled in him and his resurrection. Like many, these men didn't understand the necessity of why Jesus went to the cross, but Jesus would explain it to them. The only thing these disciples had to go on was the testimony of others, but they were slow to believe. The report of the women meant little to them, and the report of Peter and John, who had seen the grave clothes, also meant little because they had not yet actually seen Jesus in the flesh. Jesus wanted to know from these two men what he also wanted to know from us today: can we believe without seeing with our own eyes? Can we believe and trust based on the witness and testimony of other people? Jesus told them that the problem with their belief was more in their heart than in their heads. Even today, we often think the main obstacles to belief are in the head, but they are actually in the heart.
Jesus then began to teach these two men what was surely one of the most spectacular Bible studies ever taught. Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he told them all about the Messiah and why this Messiah had to go to the cross. He would show how he was all of the following:
· The Seed of the Woman, whose heel was bruised.
· The blessing of Abraham to all nations.
· The High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
· The Man who wrestled with Jacob.
· The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
· The voice from the burning bush.
· The Passover Lamb.
· The Prophet greater than Moses.
· The captain of the Lord’s army to Joshua.
· The ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer mentioned in Ruth.
· The son of David who was a King greater than David.
· The suffering Savior of Psalm 22.
· The Good Shepherd of Psalm 23.
· The wisdom of Proverbs and the Lover of the Song of Solomon.
· The Savior described in the prophets and the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.
· The Princely Messiah of Daniel who would establish a kingdom that would never end.
When Jesus explained things concerning Himself in the Old Testament, he didn’t use fanciful allegories or speculative ideas. He expounded, the Greek word Diermeneuo, which means 'to stick close to the text'. The scripture was a familiar book to these two men, and Jesus took the book they had studied all their lives, turned to the pages they knew so well, and led them down the old familiar texts to reveal himself to them in a new way. When Jesus was done, he acted as if he might continue on further because he did not want to force his company on these disciples. But these men desperately wanted this stranger to stay and eat with them. Even though they didn’t know this was Jesus in their midst, they knew they wanted to spend as much time as they could with this man and hear more. These men were not present at the last supper Jesus had with his twelve disciples; they knew nothing of the sacramental nature of breaking bread in theological terms, but when the bread was broken by Jesus, their eyes were opened and they knew him. This opening of their eyes might have happened in several ways through the breaking of bread: The way he took the place of host with the quiet air of majesty and authority; the way he gave the blessing over the meal they would eat, or perhaps it was the pierced hands that gave them the bread. Even today, Jesus may be right in front of you, walking with you and sitting down with you at every meal – and your eyes could be restrained from seeing him as he truly is.
As soon as their eyes were opened to who Jesus was, he miraculously vanished from their sight. They both said what was in their hearts, that their hearts burned as they heard him speak and teach. Even when they didn’t know it was Jesus, even when they didn’t believe he had risen from the dead, their hearts still burned because of the ministry of God’s word and because of Jesus, the Living Word of God. God’s word can have this same effect on our hearts, even when we don’t know that it is Jesus doing that work. Neither of them knew the other’s heart burned until Jesus left. After that, they could share that powerful testimony with each other. One reason Jesus left was so that they would love one another, and minister to one another. After a seven-mile walk one way, they were so excited and full of renewed energy that they went seven miles back – and probably much faster on the return. They had a passion to tell the great news of Jesus’ resurrection and to share their experience with him. This is also true of us. Sometimes, the most powerful story we can tell is simply how Jesus walked with us through our lowest moments.
Matthew 28:11-15
Mark 16:12-14
Luke 24:13-48
John 20:24-29
Major events
The Guards give their report
Jesus on the road to Emmaus
Jesus appears to Disciples
Devotional
As soon as word of the resurrection of Jesus began to spread, a cover-up also began among panicked Jewish religious leaders. They attempted to bribe the Roman guards and spread a false report about the whole thing. This cover-up attempt shows the darkness of these priests. They knew the truth of the resurrection, yet they continued to reject that truth. The cover-up also shows their foolishness. If it was true that the guards were asleep, they could not know that it was Jesus' disciples who stole the body of Jesus. To believe this false report, a person would have to believe all the soldiers were asleep – all of them! That all the soldiers violated the strict law of the Roman military against sleeping on watch, punishable by death. All the soldiers slept so deeply that none of them were awakened by the work and noise necessary to roll away the massive stone and carry out the body. And that all the soldiers were so soundly asleep – yet they knew who it was who did this. People didn't believe this lie because it was a good lie but rather because it was a lie they wanted to (or were pressured to) believe.
Through the years, there have been many objections to the resurrection of Jesus. Some say Jesus didn’t die at all but just swooned or fainted on the cross and spontaneously revived in the tomb. Others say he really died, but his body was stolen. Still others suggest he really died, but his desperate followers hallucinated his resurrection. A plain, simple understanding of the evidence of the resurrection answers all of these theories and shows it would take far more faith to believe them than the actual Biblical account would. We can believe Jesus lives because the historical evidence demands we believe in the resurrection of Jesus. If we can believe anything in history, we can believe the reliable, confirmed testimony of hundreds of eyewitnesses. Jesus truly rose from the dead.
On this same Easter Sunday, two disciples traveled to Emmaus from Jerusalem, a distance of about 7 miles. As they walked home together after Passover ended, it gave them the opportunity to talk. These men weren’t famous apostles. They were simple and half-anonymous followers of Jesus who may or may not have even been part of the seventy that had been sent out earlier. As they talked, they spoke of things that were most heavy on their hearts, which at the time surrounded the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus. The text tells us that as they talked about Jesus, he drew near to them and walked with them. This is a powerful principle to remember that when Jesus is the center of our conversation, he will show up in our lives in some way. Being disciples, they had seen Jesus before, but for a time they were miraculously prevented from seeing who was walking with them. Jesus opened the conversation by asking them what they had talked about. From this, we can know Jesus had walked silently with them for a while, just listening as they carried on the conversation about him. It was evident in their countenance and perhaps even in their manner of walking that they were sad, disheartened, and greatly disappointed in the events of the past few days. The grief was so strong they didn't even realize they had a reason to rejoice walking with them.
Jesus prodded them to explain what had happened, and they responded incredulously, saying, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have you not known the things that happened here in these days?" Jesus probably smiled when they said this. He knew pretty well what had happened here in these days. Jesus skillfully played along with the conversation, encouraging the men to reveal their hearts through their words. Even though he knew their hearts, there was value in them saying it out loud to Jesus and each other. The men explained what they knew about this Jesus of Nazareth, which was limited yet sincere. They knew his name and where he was from. They knew he was a prophet. They knew He was mighty in deed and word. They knew he had been crucified. They knew he had promised to redeem Israel. They knew others had said he rose from the dead, but from their countenance, it was a rumor they didn't believe in. These disciples had a hope disappointed. Their hope was not truly disappointed, but in some ways, their hope was misguided in how they said he was going to redeem Israel. Jesus would soon show them that their true hope was fulfilled in him and his resurrection. Like many, these men didn't understand the necessity of why Jesus went to the cross, but Jesus would explain it to them. The only thing these disciples had to go on was the testimony of others, but they were slow to believe. The report of the women meant little to them, and the report of Peter and John, who had seen the grave clothes, also meant little because they had not yet actually seen Jesus in the flesh. Jesus wanted to know from these two men what he also wanted to know from us today: can we believe without seeing with our own eyes? Can we believe and trust based on the witness and testimony of other people? Jesus told them that the problem with their belief was more in their heart than in their heads. Even today, we often think the main obstacles to belief are in the head, but they are actually in the heart.
Jesus then began to teach these two men what was surely one of the most spectacular Bible studies ever taught. Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he told them all about the Messiah and why this Messiah had to go to the cross. He would show how he was all of the following:
· The Seed of the Woman, whose heel was bruised.
· The blessing of Abraham to all nations.
· The High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
· The Man who wrestled with Jacob.
· The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
· The voice from the burning bush.
· The Passover Lamb.
· The Prophet greater than Moses.
· The captain of the Lord’s army to Joshua.
· The ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer mentioned in Ruth.
· The son of David who was a King greater than David.
· The suffering Savior of Psalm 22.
· The Good Shepherd of Psalm 23.
· The wisdom of Proverbs and the Lover of the Song of Solomon.
· The Savior described in the prophets and the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.
· The Princely Messiah of Daniel who would establish a kingdom that would never end.
When Jesus explained things concerning Himself in the Old Testament, he didn’t use fanciful allegories or speculative ideas. He expounded, the Greek word Diermeneuo, which means 'to stick close to the text'. The scripture was a familiar book to these two men, and Jesus took the book they had studied all their lives, turned to the pages they knew so well, and led them down the old familiar texts to reveal himself to them in a new way. When Jesus was done, he acted as if he might continue on further because he did not want to force his company on these disciples. But these men desperately wanted this stranger to stay and eat with them. Even though they didn’t know this was Jesus in their midst, they knew they wanted to spend as much time as they could with this man and hear more. These men were not present at the last supper Jesus had with his twelve disciples; they knew nothing of the sacramental nature of breaking bread in theological terms, but when the bread was broken by Jesus, their eyes were opened and they knew him. This opening of their eyes might have happened in several ways through the breaking of bread: The way he took the place of host with the quiet air of majesty and authority; the way he gave the blessing over the meal they would eat, or perhaps it was the pierced hands that gave them the bread. Even today, Jesus may be right in front of you, walking with you and sitting down with you at every meal – and your eyes could be restrained from seeing him as he truly is.
As soon as their eyes were opened to who Jesus was, he miraculously vanished from their sight. They both said what was in their hearts, that their hearts burned as they heard him speak and teach. Even when they didn’t know it was Jesus, even when they didn’t believe he had risen from the dead, their hearts still burned because of the ministry of God’s word and because of Jesus, the Living Word of God. God’s word can have this same effect on our hearts, even when we don’t know that it is Jesus doing that work. Neither of them knew the other’s heart burned until Jesus left. After that, they could share that powerful testimony with each other. One reason Jesus left was so that they would love one another, and minister to one another. After a seven-mile walk one way, they were so excited and full of renewed energy that they went seven miles back – and probably much faster on the return. They had a passion to tell the great news of Jesus’ resurrection and to share their experience with him. This is also true of us. Sometimes, the most powerful story we can tell is simply how Jesus walked with us through our lowest moments.
Jesus Reinstates Peter
Read
John 21:1-24
Major Events
Seven Disciples return to Galilea
Jesus reinstates Peter
Devotional
Today's reading tells us that seven disciples went back to where it all started for them: the sea of Galilee. It was here, 3 years earlier, where Jesus had first called Peter to leave his nets and become a fisher of men. Now, they have come back home, leaving behind all the turmoil in Jerusalem, but not for long. In Matthew 28:10, we read that Jesus had told them to leave Jerusalem and go back home, and he would meet them there at a later date. You can almost now imagine a funny scene: a group of men sitting around, not knowing quite what to do with their time, and one of them (probably Peter) says, “I’m going fishing." And now we have seven men in a boat, all returning to what they know in the midst of confusion and uncertainty. Three years earlier, Peter had left fishing behind to follow Jesus, so he had now returned to something he knew. Despite the resurrection, there was much uncertainty about their future. "What are we supposed to do next? Jesus is back. Are we going to continue traveling around? He hasn’t said anything about that yet. And Jesus keeps appearing and disappearing. It’s not exactly like it was before. Something is different now. And at our last meeting, Jesus declared he was sending us out on a mission." These must have been the thoughts swirling around their minds as they fished. Maybe they were wondering if they were even capable of doing what Jesus had called them to. They had failed and fled in fear at the first sign of trouble, abandoning Jesus when he needed them most. There must have been so many questions, especially in Peter's mind, remembering his own great failure. The moments of Peter denying Jesus must have played over and over in his mind. Peter failed Jesus, and not only that, but now he is a failure at fishing, too, because they fished all night and caught nothing.
This next scene is almost a perfect reenactment of the first time Jesus officially called Peter to follow him three years earlier. Something about this seems so familiar. Jesus gives instructions, and it is he who provides the fish. Jesus does this on purpose: to recreate the scene of calling Peter because he is about to do it all over again. What a picture we get. Peter finds no fulfillment in his old life; fishing just isn’t the same as it used to be. The same is true for us today. Your old life is never enough once you’ve experienced Jesus. So when Jesus is recognized, Peter doesn’t even wait. He jumps into the water again leaving behind a net full of fish. This represents Peter's heart; he is choosing to leave behind his job, even a now suddenly successful job, to get to Jesus. He was probably thinking about Jesus the entire night, wishing he could do it all over and how he wouldn't fail Jesus this time. Jesus then invited them to come and have breakfast with him. The resurrected Jesus is still a humble servant, willing to serve those he loves. He gave them bread, similar to what he did at the Last Supper. This was symbolic of the fact that he still considered them his family, which they may have wondered about.
The text tells us that before they ate, Peter took the initiative and dragged the heavy net up from the shore all by himself. The net was not broken and held a large catch of 153 fish. It has been estimated that the net would have been between 3 to 4 hundred pounds, which speaks to the idea that Peter was a very physically strong man. Through the centuries, there have been many attempts to explain why the number was 153. Some interpreters (like Augustine) thought that because 153 is the sum of numbers 1 to 17, this catch of fish points towards the number 17 – which he thought to be the number of commandments added to the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit. Some have noted that 153 is the added numerical value of the Greek words Peter and fish. Some ancient writers (such as Jerome) believed there were 153 different species of fish in the world and this catch represented a full harvest of the entire world. The Church Father Cyril of Alexandria thought that 100 stood for the Gentiles, 50 stood for Israel and 3 stood for the Trinity. The truth is that all we know for certain is that 153 represents the number of fish in the net, and John must have remembered the number of fish in his largest single catch ever. The many allegorical interpretations of the number warn us against creating hidden personal meanings in the biblical text.
As Peter stared into the fire as he ate, he must have remembered how he had denied Jesus. It was while standing in front of a fire that he claimed he did not know Jesus. After their breakfast, Jesus spoke directly to Peter. Jesus had already met with Peter individually on the day of His resurrection (Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:5). We can only wonder what Jesus and Peter talked about at that first meeting. Nevertheless, it was still important for Jesus to restore Peter in the presence of the other disciples. Jesus addressed the leader among the disciples as Simon, not Peter. This, perhaps, was a subtle reminder that he had not stood as a rock in faithfulness to Jesus. Jesus asked Peter to compare his love for Jesus to the love that the other disciples had for Jesus. Before he denied Jesus three times, Peter claimed to love Jesus more than the other disciples did (Matthew 26:33). Jesus wanted to know if Peter still had a proud estimation of his love and devotion to Jesus. It is possible that 'these' referred to the catch of fish and a fisherman’s life. Some think that Jesus asked Peter if he was willing to give up fishing again to follow Him. Yet, Peter’s previous claim to greater love suggests that Jesus referred to the other disciples, not the fish. Jesus asked Peter not so that he would know. It was for Peter’s self-examination that the questions were asked. After Jesus asked and Peter answered, Jesus twice gave Peter instructions regarding how he should act towards God’s people. The idea was that Peter could demonstrate his claimed love for Jesus by feeding Jesus’ lambs and by tending to Jesus' sheep. Jesus emphasized that they were his sheep. They are not Peter's sheep or followers of Peter.
Three times, Jesus asked Peter if he loved him. One for each of the times Peter denied Jesus. Jesus is showing Peter that his past mistakes are being forgotten and washed away. Peter is going to have a second chance and an opportunity to go back to where it all started and begin again, but it will be his choice. In a way, Jesus is asking Peter if he could do it all over again, would he still leave his nets and follow him? Jesus knows already that Peter loves him, and he knows that Peter will never deny him again, but he also knows that this next part of Peter's mission will be much more difficult than the first. There will be much persecution and it will be directed at Peter, not just Jesus. Like Jesus, Peter would be crucified 30 years later after Nero blamed the Christians for burning Rome. But Peter asked to be crucified upside down because he didn’t feel worthy of dying in the same way as Jesus. John's Gospel ends with this transition of authority from Jesus to his disciples. Now, the authority and responsibility for carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth will fall on them. This same mantle has now fallen on us as followers of Jesus. We are now the fishers of men and we possess the same authority as any disciple has. This call will be made public in something known as the Great Commission, which we will look at tomorrow.
John 21:1-24
Major Events
Seven Disciples return to Galilea
Jesus reinstates Peter
Devotional
Today's reading tells us that seven disciples went back to where it all started for them: the sea of Galilee. It was here, 3 years earlier, where Jesus had first called Peter to leave his nets and become a fisher of men. Now, they have come back home, leaving behind all the turmoil in Jerusalem, but not for long. In Matthew 28:10, we read that Jesus had told them to leave Jerusalem and go back home, and he would meet them there at a later date. You can almost now imagine a funny scene: a group of men sitting around, not knowing quite what to do with their time, and one of them (probably Peter) says, “I’m going fishing." And now we have seven men in a boat, all returning to what they know in the midst of confusion and uncertainty. Three years earlier, Peter had left fishing behind to follow Jesus, so he had now returned to something he knew. Despite the resurrection, there was much uncertainty about their future. "What are we supposed to do next? Jesus is back. Are we going to continue traveling around? He hasn’t said anything about that yet. And Jesus keeps appearing and disappearing. It’s not exactly like it was before. Something is different now. And at our last meeting, Jesus declared he was sending us out on a mission." These must have been the thoughts swirling around their minds as they fished. Maybe they were wondering if they were even capable of doing what Jesus had called them to. They had failed and fled in fear at the first sign of trouble, abandoning Jesus when he needed them most. There must have been so many questions, especially in Peter's mind, remembering his own great failure. The moments of Peter denying Jesus must have played over and over in his mind. Peter failed Jesus, and not only that, but now he is a failure at fishing, too, because they fished all night and caught nothing.
This next scene is almost a perfect reenactment of the first time Jesus officially called Peter to follow him three years earlier. Something about this seems so familiar. Jesus gives instructions, and it is he who provides the fish. Jesus does this on purpose: to recreate the scene of calling Peter because he is about to do it all over again. What a picture we get. Peter finds no fulfillment in his old life; fishing just isn’t the same as it used to be. The same is true for us today. Your old life is never enough once you’ve experienced Jesus. So when Jesus is recognized, Peter doesn’t even wait. He jumps into the water again leaving behind a net full of fish. This represents Peter's heart; he is choosing to leave behind his job, even a now suddenly successful job, to get to Jesus. He was probably thinking about Jesus the entire night, wishing he could do it all over and how he wouldn't fail Jesus this time. Jesus then invited them to come and have breakfast with him. The resurrected Jesus is still a humble servant, willing to serve those he loves. He gave them bread, similar to what he did at the Last Supper. This was symbolic of the fact that he still considered them his family, which they may have wondered about.
The text tells us that before they ate, Peter took the initiative and dragged the heavy net up from the shore all by himself. The net was not broken and held a large catch of 153 fish. It has been estimated that the net would have been between 3 to 4 hundred pounds, which speaks to the idea that Peter was a very physically strong man. Through the centuries, there have been many attempts to explain why the number was 153. Some interpreters (like Augustine) thought that because 153 is the sum of numbers 1 to 17, this catch of fish points towards the number 17 – which he thought to be the number of commandments added to the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit. Some have noted that 153 is the added numerical value of the Greek words Peter and fish. Some ancient writers (such as Jerome) believed there were 153 different species of fish in the world and this catch represented a full harvest of the entire world. The Church Father Cyril of Alexandria thought that 100 stood for the Gentiles, 50 stood for Israel and 3 stood for the Trinity. The truth is that all we know for certain is that 153 represents the number of fish in the net, and John must have remembered the number of fish in his largest single catch ever. The many allegorical interpretations of the number warn us against creating hidden personal meanings in the biblical text.
As Peter stared into the fire as he ate, he must have remembered how he had denied Jesus. It was while standing in front of a fire that he claimed he did not know Jesus. After their breakfast, Jesus spoke directly to Peter. Jesus had already met with Peter individually on the day of His resurrection (Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:5). We can only wonder what Jesus and Peter talked about at that first meeting. Nevertheless, it was still important for Jesus to restore Peter in the presence of the other disciples. Jesus addressed the leader among the disciples as Simon, not Peter. This, perhaps, was a subtle reminder that he had not stood as a rock in faithfulness to Jesus. Jesus asked Peter to compare his love for Jesus to the love that the other disciples had for Jesus. Before he denied Jesus three times, Peter claimed to love Jesus more than the other disciples did (Matthew 26:33). Jesus wanted to know if Peter still had a proud estimation of his love and devotion to Jesus. It is possible that 'these' referred to the catch of fish and a fisherman’s life. Some think that Jesus asked Peter if he was willing to give up fishing again to follow Him. Yet, Peter’s previous claim to greater love suggests that Jesus referred to the other disciples, not the fish. Jesus asked Peter not so that he would know. It was for Peter’s self-examination that the questions were asked. After Jesus asked and Peter answered, Jesus twice gave Peter instructions regarding how he should act towards God’s people. The idea was that Peter could demonstrate his claimed love for Jesus by feeding Jesus’ lambs and by tending to Jesus' sheep. Jesus emphasized that they were his sheep. They are not Peter's sheep or followers of Peter.
Three times, Jesus asked Peter if he loved him. One for each of the times Peter denied Jesus. Jesus is showing Peter that his past mistakes are being forgotten and washed away. Peter is going to have a second chance and an opportunity to go back to where it all started and begin again, but it will be his choice. In a way, Jesus is asking Peter if he could do it all over again, would he still leave his nets and follow him? Jesus knows already that Peter loves him, and he knows that Peter will never deny him again, but he also knows that this next part of Peter's mission will be much more difficult than the first. There will be much persecution and it will be directed at Peter, not just Jesus. Like Jesus, Peter would be crucified 30 years later after Nero blamed the Christians for burning Rome. But Peter asked to be crucified upside down because he didn’t feel worthy of dying in the same way as Jesus. John's Gospel ends with this transition of authority from Jesus to his disciples. Now, the authority and responsibility for carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth will fall on them. This same mantle has now fallen on us as followers of Jesus. We are now the fishers of men and we possess the same authority as any disciple has. This call will be made public in something known as the Great Commission, which we will look at tomorrow.
The Great Commission
Read
Matthew 28:16-20
Mark 16:15-18
John 20:30-31
Acts 1:1-11
Major Events
Jesus Appears in Galilea
Jesus Shares the Great Commission
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
Jesus Ascends into Heaven
Devotion
Today's reading centers on Jesus' final words leading up to his ascension back into heaven from the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem. This portion of scripture is also seen in better clarity when we take into account all four gospels, as well as Acts Ch 1, instead of just one book. Jesus called his disciples back to Galilee for a short time before their mission would begin. He promised to meet them there, fulfilled that promise, and now he wants to meet with them again, but for a much different purpose. The meeting place would be some familiar haunt, a high place near the Sea of Galilee, perhaps where the Sermon on the Mount had taken place years earlier. The text tells us that when the disciples saw him, they worshipped him. Their first response was worship and it should be ours as well. At this meeting, they would receive their apostolic commission and great authority would be placed on these men to govern the affairs of the early church. The whole experience was so mysterious and overwhelming that some still held onto doubt about what they were seeing. The Greek verb distazo used in the text for doubt does not denote settled unbelief but a state of uncertainty and hesitation. This uncertainty most likely stemmed from a feeling that all this was too good to be true, or doubt about what would happen next, and possibly lingering shame from having forsaken Jesus during his suffering.
The Great Commission that follows is given in light of the authority of Jesus and indicates that this is an authoritative command, not merely a suggestion. It is the same idea as an officer reminding a private of his rank before giving an order. Because Jesus has this authority, he can send whoever he wills to do whatever he pleases. As followers of Christ, we have been commanded to go and have submitted to that authority. It is his authority that sends us, his authority that guides us, and his authority that empowers us. This was not only a call to go geographically to the ends of the earth to proclaim the good news of Jesus but also a call to go into every aspect of society: business, education, entertainment, and even politics to bring Christ into each place with boldness. The work and message of Jesus would continue through his disciples with the idea of making more disciples, not simply converting people to an idea or a cause. The idea behind the word 'disciples' is scholars, followers, learners, or students. These would not be students of the apostles, but of Jesus. This is also why the disciples never took on the title of Rabbi, because Jesus was the teacher and all would follow him, not a human. The phrase 'make disciples' reminds us that disciples are made and not spontaneously created at conversion; they are the product of a process of spiritual growth involving other believers. This making of disciples is the power of spreading Christianity. In his previous ministry, Jesus deliberately restricted his work to the Jewish people (Matthew 15:24) and previously sent his disciples with the same restriction (Matthew 10:6). Only in rare exceptions did Jesus minister among the Gentiles (Matthew 15:21-28). Now, all of that is in the past, and the disciples have been commissioned to take this gospel message to all the nations. There is no place on earth where the gospel of Jesus should not be preached and where disciples should not be made. The natural end result of this discipleship is that the entire nation would become submitted to Jesus. At the time Jesus said these words, the nation or empire of Rome was in rebellion against God, but the tide would soon begin to turn over the next three hundred years until even Rome knelt in submission to Jesus.
Jesus not only tells us that disciples should be made, he tells us how disciples would be made. It would be done through teaching, and not with words only, but by actions and with the power of Jesus. Jesus also told them what to teach; not some new ideas or the disciples' opinions. They would teach all the same things that Jesus taught about the realities of the Kingdom of God. When Jesus told them to go to all the nations, he did not tell them to circumcise those who became disciples. Instead, they were to baptize them into the family of God, suggesting a further break from traditional Judaism. The words and context certainly indicate that it is disciples who are baptized, those of age who understand and believe, who can be taught further, and who can observe the things Jesus commanded. The idea of a faith that should go into all the world wasn’t a part of Jewish thinking in the days of Jesus. It wasn’t part of pagan thinking either. It was a revolutionary idea in its time. This command would not be obeyed immediately in its entirety; for many years, the disciples stayed in Jerusalem, and it was only after the church was persecuted there that it began to spread out to the world. But it did spread and continues even to this very day.
Jesus told them that his followers would not be doing this mission alone or in their own power. He would be present with his people until the job of making disciples is done – and it would not be done until the end of the age. Since Jesus promised, “I am with you always,” then even now we work together with him in all our service. We work for Jesus, but more than that, we work with Jesus. His presence means protection because we are never out of his sight or supervision. His presence means power, because as we fulfill this great command, we work in his name. His presence means peace because it always reminds us that the church belongs to Jesus. Acts chapter 1 tells us more about what Jesus said before his departure about this commission. He commanded them to travel back to Jerusalem, a place they most likely dreaded, and to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew that they really could do nothing effective for the Kingdom of God until the Spirit came. To wait means that this gift was worth waiting for. To wait means that they had a promise that it would come. To wait means they must receive it; they couldn’t create it themselves. To wait means that they would be tested by waiting, at least a little. At the end of the waiting, they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. The idea of being baptized is to be immersed or covered over in something; even as John baptized people in water, so these disciples would soon be “immersed” in the Holy Spirit.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples who had traveled back to Jerusalem asked him a final question: "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" This was a question asked many times before, but it had special relevance now. They knew that Jesus had instituted the New Covenant (Luke 22:20). They also knew that the restoration of the kingdom to Israel was part of the New Covenant (as seen in Jeremiah 23:1-8, Ezekiel 36:16-30, Ezekiel 37:21-28). It was actually reasonable for them to wonder when the rest of the New Covenant would be fulfilled. The response of Jesus in the following verses also indicates that he did not rebuke them or even correct them for the question. He simply told them that the answer wasn’t for them to know. The verb restore shows that they were expecting a political and territorial kingdom; the noun Israel shows that they were expecting a national kingdom; and the adverbial clause 'at this time' shows that they were expecting its immediate establishment. It was wise for Jesus not to outline his plan for the next 2,000 years. It was good for the disciples not to know that the full restoration of the physical kingdom to Israel that they hoped would happen soon would not come for some 2,000 years. It might overly discourage them in the work they had to do right then and might make them think less of the aspect of the kingdom of God that was present with them. If the national kingdom they wanted was delayed, the power they needed would not. They would soon receive power with the coming of the Holy Spirit and the natural result of receiving this promised power would be that they would become witnesses of Jesus all over the earth. The same is true for us today; if we want to be witnesses, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The best training program for evangelism is little effective without the filling of the Holy Spirit. This training ground would take place first in Jerusalem, then in all Judea and Samaria and then to the ends of the earth. This progress of the spread of the gospel message from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and then to the end of the earth actually becomes the outline of the book of Acts. Acts 1-7 describe the gospel in Jerusalem. Acts 8-12 speak of the gospel in Judea and Samaria. Acts 13-28 tells of the gospel going to the end of the earth.
Matthew 28:16-20
Mark 16:15-18
John 20:30-31
Acts 1:1-11
Major Events
Jesus Appears in Galilea
Jesus Shares the Great Commission
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
Jesus Ascends into Heaven
Devotion
Today's reading centers on Jesus' final words leading up to his ascension back into heaven from the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem. This portion of scripture is also seen in better clarity when we take into account all four gospels, as well as Acts Ch 1, instead of just one book. Jesus called his disciples back to Galilee for a short time before their mission would begin. He promised to meet them there, fulfilled that promise, and now he wants to meet with them again, but for a much different purpose. The meeting place would be some familiar haunt, a high place near the Sea of Galilee, perhaps where the Sermon on the Mount had taken place years earlier. The text tells us that when the disciples saw him, they worshipped him. Their first response was worship and it should be ours as well. At this meeting, they would receive their apostolic commission and great authority would be placed on these men to govern the affairs of the early church. The whole experience was so mysterious and overwhelming that some still held onto doubt about what they were seeing. The Greek verb distazo used in the text for doubt does not denote settled unbelief but a state of uncertainty and hesitation. This uncertainty most likely stemmed from a feeling that all this was too good to be true, or doubt about what would happen next, and possibly lingering shame from having forsaken Jesus during his suffering.
The Great Commission that follows is given in light of the authority of Jesus and indicates that this is an authoritative command, not merely a suggestion. It is the same idea as an officer reminding a private of his rank before giving an order. Because Jesus has this authority, he can send whoever he wills to do whatever he pleases. As followers of Christ, we have been commanded to go and have submitted to that authority. It is his authority that sends us, his authority that guides us, and his authority that empowers us. This was not only a call to go geographically to the ends of the earth to proclaim the good news of Jesus but also a call to go into every aspect of society: business, education, entertainment, and even politics to bring Christ into each place with boldness. The work and message of Jesus would continue through his disciples with the idea of making more disciples, not simply converting people to an idea or a cause. The idea behind the word 'disciples' is scholars, followers, learners, or students. These would not be students of the apostles, but of Jesus. This is also why the disciples never took on the title of Rabbi, because Jesus was the teacher and all would follow him, not a human. The phrase 'make disciples' reminds us that disciples are made and not spontaneously created at conversion; they are the product of a process of spiritual growth involving other believers. This making of disciples is the power of spreading Christianity. In his previous ministry, Jesus deliberately restricted his work to the Jewish people (Matthew 15:24) and previously sent his disciples with the same restriction (Matthew 10:6). Only in rare exceptions did Jesus minister among the Gentiles (Matthew 15:21-28). Now, all of that is in the past, and the disciples have been commissioned to take this gospel message to all the nations. There is no place on earth where the gospel of Jesus should not be preached and where disciples should not be made. The natural end result of this discipleship is that the entire nation would become submitted to Jesus. At the time Jesus said these words, the nation or empire of Rome was in rebellion against God, but the tide would soon begin to turn over the next three hundred years until even Rome knelt in submission to Jesus.
Jesus not only tells us that disciples should be made, he tells us how disciples would be made. It would be done through teaching, and not with words only, but by actions and with the power of Jesus. Jesus also told them what to teach; not some new ideas or the disciples' opinions. They would teach all the same things that Jesus taught about the realities of the Kingdom of God. When Jesus told them to go to all the nations, he did not tell them to circumcise those who became disciples. Instead, they were to baptize them into the family of God, suggesting a further break from traditional Judaism. The words and context certainly indicate that it is disciples who are baptized, those of age who understand and believe, who can be taught further, and who can observe the things Jesus commanded. The idea of a faith that should go into all the world wasn’t a part of Jewish thinking in the days of Jesus. It wasn’t part of pagan thinking either. It was a revolutionary idea in its time. This command would not be obeyed immediately in its entirety; for many years, the disciples stayed in Jerusalem, and it was only after the church was persecuted there that it began to spread out to the world. But it did spread and continues even to this very day.
Jesus told them that his followers would not be doing this mission alone or in their own power. He would be present with his people until the job of making disciples is done – and it would not be done until the end of the age. Since Jesus promised, “I am with you always,” then even now we work together with him in all our service. We work for Jesus, but more than that, we work with Jesus. His presence means protection because we are never out of his sight or supervision. His presence means power, because as we fulfill this great command, we work in his name. His presence means peace because it always reminds us that the church belongs to Jesus. Acts chapter 1 tells us more about what Jesus said before his departure about this commission. He commanded them to travel back to Jerusalem, a place they most likely dreaded, and to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew that they really could do nothing effective for the Kingdom of God until the Spirit came. To wait means that this gift was worth waiting for. To wait means that they had a promise that it would come. To wait means they must receive it; they couldn’t create it themselves. To wait means that they would be tested by waiting, at least a little. At the end of the waiting, they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. The idea of being baptized is to be immersed or covered over in something; even as John baptized people in water, so these disciples would soon be “immersed” in the Holy Spirit.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples who had traveled back to Jerusalem asked him a final question: "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" This was a question asked many times before, but it had special relevance now. They knew that Jesus had instituted the New Covenant (Luke 22:20). They also knew that the restoration of the kingdom to Israel was part of the New Covenant (as seen in Jeremiah 23:1-8, Ezekiel 36:16-30, Ezekiel 37:21-28). It was actually reasonable for them to wonder when the rest of the New Covenant would be fulfilled. The response of Jesus in the following verses also indicates that he did not rebuke them or even correct them for the question. He simply told them that the answer wasn’t for them to know. The verb restore shows that they were expecting a political and territorial kingdom; the noun Israel shows that they were expecting a national kingdom; and the adverbial clause 'at this time' shows that they were expecting its immediate establishment. It was wise for Jesus not to outline his plan for the next 2,000 years. It was good for the disciples not to know that the full restoration of the physical kingdom to Israel that they hoped would happen soon would not come for some 2,000 years. It might overly discourage them in the work they had to do right then and might make them think less of the aspect of the kingdom of God that was present with them. If the national kingdom they wanted was delayed, the power they needed would not. They would soon receive power with the coming of the Holy Spirit and the natural result of receiving this promised power would be that they would become witnesses of Jesus all over the earth. The same is true for us today; if we want to be witnesses, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The best training program for evangelism is little effective without the filling of the Holy Spirit. This training ground would take place first in Jerusalem, then in all Judea and Samaria and then to the ends of the earth. This progress of the spread of the gospel message from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and then to the end of the earth actually becomes the outline of the book of Acts. Acts 1-7 describe the gospel in Jerusalem. Acts 8-12 speak of the gospel in Judea and Samaria. Acts 13-28 tells of the gospel going to the end of the earth.
The Day of Pentecost
Read
Acts 2:1-47
Major Events
The Day of Pentecost
The Church expands rapidly
Devotional
What we celebrate today as The Day of Pentecost was a Jewish feast held 7 weeks after Passover that celebrated the first fruits of the wheat harvest. It was the best-attended of the great feasts because travel conditions were at their best. There was never a more cosmopolitan or diverse gathering in Jerusalem than this one. In the tradition of the time, the first sheaf reaped from the barley harvest was presented to God at Passover. But at Pentecost, the firstfruits of the much greater wheat harvest were presented to God; therefore, Pentecost is called the day of the firstfruits (Numbers 28:26). Jewish tradition also taught that Pentecost marked the day when the Law was given to Israel. The Jews sometimes called Pentecost zman matan torah or the season of the giving of the law. On the Old Testament Day of Pentecost, Israel received the Law; but on the New Testament Day of Pentecost, the Church received the Spirit of Grace in fullness with the knowledge that the law had been fulfilled in Christ. Leviticus 23:15-22 gives the original instructions for the celebration of Pentecost. It says that two loaves of leavened bread were to be waved before the Lord by the priest as part of the celebration. Many Christian scholars note that the two loaves of bread, the result of a harvest, are symbolic of Jews and Gentiles as people God has called the Church to reach. Keep in mind that every promise of God, and every feast and festival of Jewish tradition has found its fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ and has not and cannot be fulfilled any other way.
It was now 10 days after the time Jesus ascended to heaven (Acts 1:3), and Jesus commanded them to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were not strangers to the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The disciples saw the Holy Spirit continually at work in the ministry of Jesus. The disciples experienced something of the power of the Spirit as they stepped out and served God (Luke 10:1-20). The disciples heard Jesus promise a new, coming work of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-18). The disciples received the Holy Spirit in a new way after Jesus finished his work on the cross and instituted the New Covenant in his blood (John 20:19-23). The disciples had heard how Jesus commanded them to wait for a promised baptism of the Holy Spirit that would empower them to be witnesses (Acts 1:4-5). The idea of fully coming is at play here; it speaks of a fullness that had only partially been experienced in the past. In the same way, all who are Christians have the Holy Spirit in them in a sense, but to be filled with the Holy Spirit is an immersion experience that is separate from the moment of Salvation, similar to what the already saved disciples were about to experience.
The disciples didn’t know ahead of time how long they would have to wait. It must have seemed like an eternity. It would be easy for them to think it would come the same afternoon Jesus ascended to heaven, or after 3 days, or 7 days. But they had to wait a full 10 days until the Day of Pentecost had fully come. One scriptural connection might be found in Jeremiah 42:7 when it tells us that 'Ten days later the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah'. God used this time to test his disciples dependence on him and then build them up as witnesses. We can imagine how their patience, kindness, and compassion were tested during this time, yet they all stayed together. This passage also tells us much about the gift of the Holy Spirit. It tells us that the gift of the Holy Spirit is a gift. It is not a burden or something to be avoided or rejected. A gift is also not something to be earned or taken but eagerly received. The gift of the Holy Spirit is promised only to those who are in Christ. All other spiritual experiences of spiritual filling are cheap counterfeits. It also tells us that if you pray to receive and be filled with the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Holy Spirit is something you may have to wait for, and it is worth waiting for. The gift of the Holy Spirit comes as he wills, often not according to our expectations. It is not our gift, but his gift given to us by God for a momentary purpose. The gift of the Holy Spirit can come upon not only individuals but also as an outpouring upon groups (see also Acts 2:4, 4:31, 10:44). The gift of the Holy Spirit is often given as God deals with the flesh and there is a dying to self. Where the flesh has been conquered and is weak, the spirit is free to arrive and work freely, but where the flesh is strong, the spirit will not pour out where it is not welcome. God is not wasteful with his Spirit. This passage also tells us that this gift of the Holy Spirit is not given according to a formula or a certain set of magical words. We also don't earn the gift of the Holy Spirit through our seeking or performance. The gift of the Holy Spirit is not deserved or demanded; it is given to a humble heart that is willing to be a conduit for the power of God.
These disciples, 120 of them, were gathered together, worshipping together, sharing the same heart, the same love for God, the same trust in his promise, and the same vision. They recognized they did not have the resources within themselves to do what they had been called to. They had to instead rely on the power and ability of God. Before we can be filled, we too must recognize our emptiness apart from God. The association of the sound of a rushing mighty wind, filling the whole house, with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit has a connection with the fact that in both the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages, the word for spirit (as in Holy Spirit) is the same word for breath or wind. This sound from heaven was the sound of the Holy Spirit being poured out on the disciples just as it had moved many times before. In Genesis 1:1-2, it is the Spirit of God as the breath of God, blowing over the waters of the newly created earth. In Genesis 2:7, it is the Spirit of God as the breath of God, blowing life into newly created man. In Ezekiel 37:9-10, it is the Spirit of God as the breath of God, moving over the dry bones of Israel, bringing them life and strength. This single line of scripture tells us how the Holy Spirit moves. He moved suddenly. His movement is real, though it cannot be touched, it can be heard with our ears. It tells us that this wind came from heaven; it wasn’t of earth, not created or manipulated or made by human hands. And it was also mighty, full of force, and coming with great power.
Not only was there a breath of God, but there was also the sign of fire. These divided tongues of fire that appeared over each one were symbolically connected with John the Baptist’s prophecy that Jesus would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11). The idea behind the picture of fire is usually purification, as a refiner uses fire to make pure gold; or fire can burn away what is temporary, leaving only what will last. This is an excellent illustration of the principle that the filling of the Holy Spirit is not just for abstract power but for the purpose of purity. In certain places in the Old Testament, God showed his special pleasure with a sacrifice by lighting the fire for it himself, and this fire from heaven came down and consumed the sacrifice, much like on Mt. Carmel. This experience of the followers of Jesus on Pentecost is another example of God sending fire from heaven to show his pleasure and power, but this time, it descended upon living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). This picture carries the idea of complete preparation and a certain permanence of position and condition. These people were now prepared to go and do what God had called them to do. While it would be wrong to expect a rushing mighty wind or tongues, as of fire, to be present today when the Holy Spirit is poured out, we can still experience the true gift, which is to be filled with the Spirit of God. In response to the filling of the Holy Spirit, those present (not only the twelve apostles) began to speak in other tongues. These were languages that they were never taught, and they spoke these real languages as a sign that the Gospel message would soon go out to all nations where these languages were spoken. To prove this wasn't just gibberish, the multitude from many nations gathered in Jerusalem because of the Feast of Pentecost and confirmed these languages. Many of these visitors may have been the same people who gathered in Jerusalem at the last feast, Passover, when an angry mob demanded the execution of Jesus.
A crowd quickly gathered, being attracted by the sound of either the rushing mighty wind or the sound of speaking and heard the followers of Jesus speaking in their own foreign languages. The Christians could be heard from the windows of the upper room, or they had gone out onto some kind of balcony or into the temple courts. Not many homes in that day could hold 120 people. It is far more likely that this upper room was part of the temple courts, which was a huge structure with porches and colonnades and rooms. The crowd came from people milling about the temple courts. From this remarkable event, all were amazed and perplexed, asking questions and giving their own opinions as to why this was happening. The truth is that the blessing of Pentecost was a deliberate and dramatic reversal of the curse of Babel. While Babel dispersed the people, this gospel message would allow people of every tribe and tongue to once again come together in unity under the banner of Christ. The main purpose of the giving of the Holy Spirit was so that followers of Jesus would be bold and effective witnesses. This purpose was put on display immediately when Peter stood up and began to preach to the gathered crowd and as a witness of Christ. The crowd had a common language (Greek), and Peter boldly preached a gospel message to them in that language. (Acts 2:14-40) His spirit-empowered sermon was so powerful that 3,000 people gave their lives to Christ.
That same Gospel message is being shared today to the ends of the earth. Everyone in Christ, including you reading this study, has a role to play in bringing the Good News to a fallen and broken world that so desperately needs to hear it. You can start simply with your friends and neighbors, and when we faithfully share Christ, we can be assured that this message will change hearts, lives and eternities.
Acts 2:1-47
Major Events
The Day of Pentecost
The Church expands rapidly
Devotional
What we celebrate today as The Day of Pentecost was a Jewish feast held 7 weeks after Passover that celebrated the first fruits of the wheat harvest. It was the best-attended of the great feasts because travel conditions were at their best. There was never a more cosmopolitan or diverse gathering in Jerusalem than this one. In the tradition of the time, the first sheaf reaped from the barley harvest was presented to God at Passover. But at Pentecost, the firstfruits of the much greater wheat harvest were presented to God; therefore, Pentecost is called the day of the firstfruits (Numbers 28:26). Jewish tradition also taught that Pentecost marked the day when the Law was given to Israel. The Jews sometimes called Pentecost zman matan torah or the season of the giving of the law. On the Old Testament Day of Pentecost, Israel received the Law; but on the New Testament Day of Pentecost, the Church received the Spirit of Grace in fullness with the knowledge that the law had been fulfilled in Christ. Leviticus 23:15-22 gives the original instructions for the celebration of Pentecost. It says that two loaves of leavened bread were to be waved before the Lord by the priest as part of the celebration. Many Christian scholars note that the two loaves of bread, the result of a harvest, are symbolic of Jews and Gentiles as people God has called the Church to reach. Keep in mind that every promise of God, and every feast and festival of Jewish tradition has found its fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ and has not and cannot be fulfilled any other way.
It was now 10 days after the time Jesus ascended to heaven (Acts 1:3), and Jesus commanded them to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were not strangers to the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The disciples saw the Holy Spirit continually at work in the ministry of Jesus. The disciples experienced something of the power of the Spirit as they stepped out and served God (Luke 10:1-20). The disciples heard Jesus promise a new, coming work of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-18). The disciples received the Holy Spirit in a new way after Jesus finished his work on the cross and instituted the New Covenant in his blood (John 20:19-23). The disciples had heard how Jesus commanded them to wait for a promised baptism of the Holy Spirit that would empower them to be witnesses (Acts 1:4-5). The idea of fully coming is at play here; it speaks of a fullness that had only partially been experienced in the past. In the same way, all who are Christians have the Holy Spirit in them in a sense, but to be filled with the Holy Spirit is an immersion experience that is separate from the moment of Salvation, similar to what the already saved disciples were about to experience.
The disciples didn’t know ahead of time how long they would have to wait. It must have seemed like an eternity. It would be easy for them to think it would come the same afternoon Jesus ascended to heaven, or after 3 days, or 7 days. But they had to wait a full 10 days until the Day of Pentecost had fully come. One scriptural connection might be found in Jeremiah 42:7 when it tells us that 'Ten days later the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah'. God used this time to test his disciples dependence on him and then build them up as witnesses. We can imagine how their patience, kindness, and compassion were tested during this time, yet they all stayed together. This passage also tells us much about the gift of the Holy Spirit. It tells us that the gift of the Holy Spirit is a gift. It is not a burden or something to be avoided or rejected. A gift is also not something to be earned or taken but eagerly received. The gift of the Holy Spirit is promised only to those who are in Christ. All other spiritual experiences of spiritual filling are cheap counterfeits. It also tells us that if you pray to receive and be filled with the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Holy Spirit is something you may have to wait for, and it is worth waiting for. The gift of the Holy Spirit comes as he wills, often not according to our expectations. It is not our gift, but his gift given to us by God for a momentary purpose. The gift of the Holy Spirit can come upon not only individuals but also as an outpouring upon groups (see also Acts 2:4, 4:31, 10:44). The gift of the Holy Spirit is often given as God deals with the flesh and there is a dying to self. Where the flesh has been conquered and is weak, the spirit is free to arrive and work freely, but where the flesh is strong, the spirit will not pour out where it is not welcome. God is not wasteful with his Spirit. This passage also tells us that this gift of the Holy Spirit is not given according to a formula or a certain set of magical words. We also don't earn the gift of the Holy Spirit through our seeking or performance. The gift of the Holy Spirit is not deserved or demanded; it is given to a humble heart that is willing to be a conduit for the power of God.
These disciples, 120 of them, were gathered together, worshipping together, sharing the same heart, the same love for God, the same trust in his promise, and the same vision. They recognized they did not have the resources within themselves to do what they had been called to. They had to instead rely on the power and ability of God. Before we can be filled, we too must recognize our emptiness apart from God. The association of the sound of a rushing mighty wind, filling the whole house, with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit has a connection with the fact that in both the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages, the word for spirit (as in Holy Spirit) is the same word for breath or wind. This sound from heaven was the sound of the Holy Spirit being poured out on the disciples just as it had moved many times before. In Genesis 1:1-2, it is the Spirit of God as the breath of God, blowing over the waters of the newly created earth. In Genesis 2:7, it is the Spirit of God as the breath of God, blowing life into newly created man. In Ezekiel 37:9-10, it is the Spirit of God as the breath of God, moving over the dry bones of Israel, bringing them life and strength. This single line of scripture tells us how the Holy Spirit moves. He moved suddenly. His movement is real, though it cannot be touched, it can be heard with our ears. It tells us that this wind came from heaven; it wasn’t of earth, not created or manipulated or made by human hands. And it was also mighty, full of force, and coming with great power.
Not only was there a breath of God, but there was also the sign of fire. These divided tongues of fire that appeared over each one were symbolically connected with John the Baptist’s prophecy that Jesus would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11). The idea behind the picture of fire is usually purification, as a refiner uses fire to make pure gold; or fire can burn away what is temporary, leaving only what will last. This is an excellent illustration of the principle that the filling of the Holy Spirit is not just for abstract power but for the purpose of purity. In certain places in the Old Testament, God showed his special pleasure with a sacrifice by lighting the fire for it himself, and this fire from heaven came down and consumed the sacrifice, much like on Mt. Carmel. This experience of the followers of Jesus on Pentecost is another example of God sending fire from heaven to show his pleasure and power, but this time, it descended upon living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). This picture carries the idea of complete preparation and a certain permanence of position and condition. These people were now prepared to go and do what God had called them to do. While it would be wrong to expect a rushing mighty wind or tongues, as of fire, to be present today when the Holy Spirit is poured out, we can still experience the true gift, which is to be filled with the Spirit of God. In response to the filling of the Holy Spirit, those present (not only the twelve apostles) began to speak in other tongues. These were languages that they were never taught, and they spoke these real languages as a sign that the Gospel message would soon go out to all nations where these languages were spoken. To prove this wasn't just gibberish, the multitude from many nations gathered in Jerusalem because of the Feast of Pentecost and confirmed these languages. Many of these visitors may have been the same people who gathered in Jerusalem at the last feast, Passover, when an angry mob demanded the execution of Jesus.
A crowd quickly gathered, being attracted by the sound of either the rushing mighty wind or the sound of speaking and heard the followers of Jesus speaking in their own foreign languages. The Christians could be heard from the windows of the upper room, or they had gone out onto some kind of balcony or into the temple courts. Not many homes in that day could hold 120 people. It is far more likely that this upper room was part of the temple courts, which was a huge structure with porches and colonnades and rooms. The crowd came from people milling about the temple courts. From this remarkable event, all were amazed and perplexed, asking questions and giving their own opinions as to why this was happening. The truth is that the blessing of Pentecost was a deliberate and dramatic reversal of the curse of Babel. While Babel dispersed the people, this gospel message would allow people of every tribe and tongue to once again come together in unity under the banner of Christ. The main purpose of the giving of the Holy Spirit was so that followers of Jesus would be bold and effective witnesses. This purpose was put on display immediately when Peter stood up and began to preach to the gathered crowd and as a witness of Christ. The crowd had a common language (Greek), and Peter boldly preached a gospel message to them in that language. (Acts 2:14-40) His spirit-empowered sermon was so powerful that 3,000 people gave their lives to Christ.
That same Gospel message is being shared today to the ends of the earth. Everyone in Christ, including you reading this study, has a role to play in bringing the Good News to a fallen and broken world that so desperately needs to hear it. You can start simply with your friends and neighbors, and when we faithfully share Christ, we can be assured that this message will change hearts, lives and eternities.