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Jesus’s Olivet Discourse: Part Two

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Scripture Used to Create the Splice Series “Jesus’s Olivet Discourse”

Matthew 24:3-25:46 (Greek Text Analysis beginning with Matthew 24:3)

Mark 13:3-37 (Greek Text Analysis beginning with Mark 13:3)

Luke 21:7-36 (Greek Text Analysis beginning with Luke 21:7)

 

Need to catch up first? To read the Splice “Jesus’s Olivet Discourse: Part One”, click here.

 

Revelation 19:16
And He has a name written on His robe
and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.

 

THE SPLICE

Whenever, then, you see Jerusalem surrounded by 1military encampments, then know that the desolation of her has drawn near. But when you see the 2 ‘abomination of the desolation’, that was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it should not, standing in the holy place—3 the one reading, let them understand—then those in 4 Judea, let them escape to the mountains and those in the middle of the city, let them depart and those in the 5 countries, don’t let them enter into the city. The one on the 6 housetop, don’t let him go down to remove anything out of his house, and the one in the field, don’t let him return back to take his cloak. For these are the days of 7 vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 8 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those nursing babies in those days! Moreover, 9 pray that your escape will not happen in winter nor on a Sabbath. For there will be in those days 10great tribulation , the kind never seen from the 11beginning of the world, the beginning of creation , until now and never to be seen again. There will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the 12sword and be led captive into all the 13nations and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the13Gentiles , until the times of the 13Gentiles are fulfilled. And, if the Lord had not cut short those days, there would not have been anybody saved. But for the sake of the 14elect , whom He chose, He has shortened those days.

And then if anyone says to you ‘15behold , here is the Christ!’ or ‘15behold , there He is!’ do not believe it.  For there will arise 16false Christs and false prophets and they will give great signs and wonders so as to 17mislead, if possible, even the elect . But you take heed; see, I have told you everything beforehand. If, therefore, they say to you, ‘See, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or ‘Look, in the inner rooms’ do not believe it. For just as the lightning comes forth from the east and is visible as far as the west, so will be the return of the Son of Man. 18Wherever there is a carcass, there the 19eagles will be gathered.

But immediately then in those days, after the tribulation, there will be 26 signs in the sun and moon and stars: 20the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light and the 21 stars will be falling from the sky, and on the earth: 22distress among the nations with 23confusion by the 24roaring of the sea and the 25rolling surge. Men will faint from fear and (the) anticipation over what is coming upon the earth, 26and/because the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. And then will appear the 27sign of the 28Son of Man in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will 29mourn, and then they will see the Son of Man coming 30in a cloud/on (in) the clouds of heaven with great power and glory. And He will send His angels with a 31great trumpet call, and 32they will gather His elect 33from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens to the ends of them; from end of earth to end of heaven. Beginning when these things happen, look up and lift up your heads because your 34redemption draws near.”

 

 

Want to continue reading? To read the Splice “Jesus’s Olivet Discourse: Part Three”, click here.

 

NOTES

1  military encampments: These military encampments are ready to strike. Many believe that this surrounding of Jerusalem happened when Rome surrounded Jerusalem in 70 AD; therefore they believe that this prophesy has already been fulfilled. This does not seem likely. When reading Matthew 24:15-18, Mark 13:14-16 and Luke 21:20-22 together with Daniel 11:31, we can link the desolation of Jerusalem to the abomination of desolation; Luke’s usage of the word tote, meaning “at that time” and Daniel’s vivid descriptions in chapter 11 particularly 11:15, 31 help support this idea. Daniel 9:26-27, makes it clear that Jerusalem will be destroyed and the abomination of desolation will occur. Revelation makes no mention of Jerusalem being surrounded by armies or destroyed by armies, so we only have the information that Jesus gave in the gospel accounts and Daniel’s account. (BACK)

2 ‘abomination of the desolation’: The prophet Daniel also talks about this idea of abomination and desolation in Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. What is the ‘abomination of the desolation’? By looking at 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 we can see that the ‘man of lawlessness’ seats himself in the temple of God, and displays himself as God. The Greek word for abomination is bdelugma, which means “abomination, detestable”. Bdelugma is any act that is hated by God; the word bdelugma is also described as a nauseating and repulsive stench. Idolatry is particularly indicated by God in Deuteronomy 7:25-26 as an abomination (Using the Hebrew word toebah). By using 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 and Deuteronomy 7:25-26, we can draw a logical conclusion that the abomination of the desolation meant here in Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14 (and comparing to the activity of Revelation 13) is the man of lawlessness presenting himself as God right within God’s own temple. It is interesting to note that the temple will be restored at this future date and sacrifices will resume for the Jewish people (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11). (BACK)

3 the one reading: The one reading from the prophet Daniel’s book, not Matthew’s  or Mark’s books. Matthew and Mark had not written their gospel books yet. (BACK)

4 Judea: Judea (a.k.a Judah) was the region of Israel that contained Jerusalem and Bethlehem. It’s territory ran East-West from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and North-South from Joppa to Beersheba (roughly) in Jesus’s time. Samaria was the region that separated Galilee (Jesus’s home region) from Judea. Today, the mountains in Judea are collectively called the Judean Mountains. (BACK)

5 countries: From Luke 21:21. The Greek word used for country is chóra and it means “country, regions, land”. It refers to wide open spaces or the countryside; not within the city limits. In Luke 21:21, the word chóra is plural. (BACK)

6 housetop: From Matthew 24:17. Back in Jesus’s day, housetops or roofs, were treated like another room in the house. Some Scripture that features roofs: Joshua 2:6; 1 Samuel 9:25-26; 2 Samuel 11:2; Matthew 10:27; Luke 5:19; 12:3; Acts 10:9. (BACK)

7 vengeance: From Luke 21:22. This is Holy vengeance or God’s punishment. God does not sanction human vengeance. See Romans 12:19. For more regarding the vengeance/wrath of God, a.k.a the day of the Lord, see Isaiah 13:6-13; Isaiah 63:2-6; Zephaniah 1:7-18; Malachi 4:1, 5; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3; 2 Peter 3:7, 10; Revelation 6:12-17; 8:7-12; 9:1-21; 16:1-12, 17-21. (BACK)

8 Woe: From Matthew 24:19; Mark 13:17; Luke 21:23. The Greek word used for woe is ouai, and it means “woe” which expresses grief, sorrow, or even rebuke.  And why would Jesus express sorrow for only pregnant women and nursing mothers and not all mothers? Wouldn’t a mother have difficulty in running from calamity, whether her child were 7 years old, or an infant? Wouldn’t a mother fear for her children, no matter their age? The answer is undoubtedly ‘yes’. What would the other reason be? In running from the immense calamity that will be taking place, people will be hiding to escape death (Luke 21:24). Pregnant women and women with nursing infants pose a very real risk to those they may be hiding with: noise. Hiding requires silence and therefore people will see pregnant women and babies as liabilities to their own safety. Pregnant women cry and scream when they are giving birth and infants will cry for a multitude of reasons. Pregnant women and those with babies will be on their own, in a time of great distress and wrath (Luke 21:23). It brings to mind the TV show “M*A*S*H” and its episode with the smothered baby. (BACK)

9 pray that your escape: The mountains, where Jesus is telling people to run to, can get snow in the winter and nighttime can get cold. Otherwise, the climate in Judea is rather mild in winter albeit the rainy season. During the winter months, the Kidron Valley can flood, with flash flooding included, making for very dangerous conditions in escape attempts. On the Sabbath (Friday sundown to Saturday sundown), many of Israel’s shops, public transport, and other businesses are closed. Therefore, if someone is trying to take transportation out of the cities of Judea (in order to get out fast), it would be very difficult. You might think that because the shops are closed, people also wouldn’t be able to get supplies. This wouldn’t matter, because in distressing times people will loot stores. Also remember, people of this time are trying to get out of the cities of Judea so fast that they shouldn’t even stop to grab necessities out of their homes (Matthew 24:17, Mark 13:15) or even go back into the city (if they’ve been out in the countryside) to get something like a coat (Matthew 24:18; Mark 13:16; Luke 21:21). (BACK)

10 great tribulation: See Matthew 24:21; Mark 13:19. The Greek word for great is megas and means “large, great, big”. It has a very wide application, as is seen when comparing its usage in Matthew 27:46 to Mark 14:15. The Greek word for tribulation is thlipsis and it means “tribulation, affliction, persecution.” The word is meant to describe anguish, hardship or even torment and agony. We do not know exactly what this great tribulation will be like, but Revelation 6 tells us that the tribulation will have war, famine and death.  (BACK)

11 beginning of the world, the beginning of creation: Matthew 24:21 says world (kosmos), Mark 13:19 says creation (ktisis). Also see Daniel 12:1. To read about the beginning of  the world/creation, see Genesis 1-2.  (BACK)

12 sword: From Luke 21:24. The Greek word used for sword is machaira which describes a short sword or dagger. This is the same word that was used to describe the sword that Peter used to cut off Malchus’s ear in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:51; Mark 14:47; Luke 22:50; John 18:10). To read the splice containing Peter’s erroneous maiming of Malchus and Jesus’s subsequent healing, click here.  (BACK)

13 nations: From Luke 21:24. The Greek word for nations is ethnos and it means “nation, Gentile”. The word refers to any nation, religion or ethnic group that is not Israel, i.e. Gentile nations. According to Revelation 11:2, the Gentiles will trample down Jerusalem for 42 months.  (BACK)

14 elect: It is in Matthew 24:22 and Mark 13:20 where we learn that God cut short the time of tribulation for the sake of the elect. The Greek word for elect is eklektos and it means “elect, chosen”. Scripture is very clear: God chose/elected those whom He would save before the foundation of the world was set (Ephesians 1:4-5). The elected people are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 13:8; 21:27). Many are called, but few are chosen, as the parable in Matthew 22:1-14 shows us. This is in line with John 3:16, that whomever will trust/believe in Jesus will be saved. Who will believe? All who were appointed to be saved (Acts 13:48), as elected by God, before we were even born (2 Timothy 1:9). The proof of our election is in our God-gifted faith and not by our works or a faith/belief conjured by ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9). Also, we receive the pledge of the Holy Spirit; that promise and that presence in our hearts (which is our minds) that tells us, without doubt, we are God’s by the blood and resurrection of Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). It must be understood: it isn’t enough to just believe that God exists or that Jesus exists (James 2:19). The God-gifted faith is a loving trust in the Savior, a trust that transcends your own understanding, your own eyesight, your own wisdom (Proverbs 3:5-7). God-gifted faith is not a human-inspired trust, such as how one might have “faith” in a justice system or “belief” in another person’s ability to perform a task. And we can be sure that God, who began this amazing work within us, will be faithful to complete it and bring us to glory in Him (Romans 8:28-39; Philippians 1:6). In addition, we cannot lose our salvation (John 6:37-40; 10:28-30; Romans 11:29). (BACK)

15 behold: Matthew 24:23; Mark 13:21. The Greek word for behold is horaó and it means, in its literal sense, “to stare at”. Its broad meaning is “see clearly, perceive, look at, behold”. (BACK)

16 false Christs and false prophets: In Jeremiah 29:8, God warns that not everyone who says that their prophesies are from God are actually from God. How do we tell who is from God and who isn’t?  1 John 4:1-3 tells us to test the spirits. How? Blatant false prophets/false Christs are easy to spot: they claim to be God/Jesus or tell you to worship someone other than God (usually themselves). But we must always be testing people who claim to be pastors, evangelists, shepherds of God, prophets etc. even when they look and sound the part because it is easy to pepper one’s words with cherry-picked verses, ideas twisted just enough to fit and omitting a few things to sound better. True elect people of God will maintain clearly that Jesus was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27-35), crediting the conception to the Holy Spirit’s work, as described in Luke 1:35. A true person of God will also state clearly that Jesus is equal with God (John 1:1; John 8:58; Colossians 1:15-17), has redeemed the elect by His death on the cross (Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 2:24), was raised from the dead by God (Ephesians 1:20) on the third day after His crucifixion (Matthew 12:40; Acts 10:40). The elect person will not mince words or tell you there are grey areas in the Bible: there are no grey areas in the Bible. There are things we do not know yet for they are future events or things we just can’t be sure of because the Bible is silent on those things. But the Bible is clear on sin (Romans 1:22-32, 3:23; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 John 3:4-15) and without the saving blood of Jesus the sin-filled person will end up eternally in hell (Romans 6:21-23; Revelation 20:11-15). The Bible is also very clear that no human being can justify themselves with God (Romans 3:24) nor can they conjure up their faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). The faith, the justification and place in heaven are all God’s work, His doing alone and was decided long before any of us were born (Ephesians 1:4-12). (BACK)

17 mislead, if possible, even the elect: Not possible, please see Note 14 above. (BACK)

18 Wherever… gathered: From Matthew 24:28. With Jesus using this phrase, we can understand that He is saying: without a doubt, His return will happen and we should watch for the signs He has given us. It is in line with the fig tree parable that Jesus uses in Matthew 24:32-33; Mark 13:28-29; Luke 21:29-31. (BACK)

19 eagles: From Matthew 24:28. The Greek word used for eagles is aetos and it means “eagle“. Almost every English translation of the Bible use the word “vultures” in the place of ‘eagles‘ but aetos does not mean “vulture” (see Revelation 4:7 where the word is used properly). This is important because we should never try to ‘fix’ the Bible by replacing words with a substitute word that isn’t in the original text. We should use the word that is there and leave it at that; after all, if Jesus can handle the creation of all things (Colossians 1:16), and handle removing our sins (1 John 1:9), He certainly handled choosing the right word to use in His Word. Eagles it is. (BACK)

20 the sun will be darkened: Mentioned in Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24-25; Luke 21:25. There are many verses that speak of the wrath of God on what is called The Day of the Lord, a day that is still in the future (with specific verses speaking of the sun and moon’s condition): Isaiah 13:6-16 (13:10); Isaiah 24:1-23 (24:23); Joel 2:1-11, 30-32, 3:1-17 (2:10, 31; 3:15)/Acts 2:16-21 (2:20); 2 Peter 3:7-12 (3:10, 12); Rev 6:12-17 (6:12-13), 8:12. (BACK)

21 stars will be falling from the sky : There are mentions of stars going dark (Isaiah 13:10; Joel 2:10, 3:15; Revelation 8:12) and mentions of stars falling from the sky (Isaiah 34:4; Daniel 8:10; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:25; Revelation 6:13) for this eschatological event. We have two examples of stars who fall from the sky and have further action in the events. In Revelation 8:10-11 we learn that the great burning star, Wormwood, falls upon a third of the rivers and on the springs of water; Wormwood makes the water bitter and the water becomes lethal. In Revelation 9:1 another star that fell to the earth is given the key to the bottomless pit in order to open it. Out of the pit comes smoke and torturous locusts (Revelation 9:2-3). In Revelation 12:4 the red dragon uses his tail to sweep a third of the stars of heaven to earth. It is likely that we are seeing both figurative usage of the word “star” and literal usage of the word “star”. The figurative usage of the word star could be reference to fallen angels, meteors, even bombs dropping from the sky. We really don’t know and can only speculate: these are future events and not yet fully revealed. (BACK)

22 distress: From Luke 21:25. The Greek word used for distress is sunoché and it means “anguish, distress”.  Anguish is extreme and profound emotional pain. It isn’t disappointment, stress, depression or feeling sad. Here is an example of anguish in art. The best example I’ve ever seen of real human anguish was during a news clip of Jeannine Boulanger at the airport, waiting for her daughter’s flight to come in. She was then told/found out that the plane had crashed. It is ghoulish to record such a private moment of shattering, but someone did so at the time. Jeannine is mother to Nicole Boulanger, one of 270 people who died due to the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. (BACK)

23 confusion: From Luke 21:25. The Greek word used for confusion is aporia and means “perplexity, confusion”. This kind of confusion nullifies any plausible way towards conclusions. A person with this kind of perplexity simply cannot find a way with their understanding to become ‘unconfused’ and therefore is kept in this state. (BACK)

24 roaring: From Luke 21:25. The Greek word used for roaring is échos and it means “sound, noise”. However, this noise is not ordinary. The word concentrates on the effect of the noise: this noise inspires amazement because of how sonorous it is or how fierce it is. To be clear: this word does not denote speech. (BACK)

25 rolling surge: From Luke 21:25. The Greek word used for rolling wave is salos and it means “wave, surge”. This is an intense wave such as from a hurricane. (BACK)

26 and/because: The Greek word used in Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:25 say and, however the Greek word used in Luke 21:26 says because. (BACK)

27 sign: Matthew 24:30 and Luke 21:25. The Greek word used for sign is sémeion and it means “miracle, sign”. The sun, moon and stars will display miraculous manifestations (Isaiah 13:10, 13; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:25; Revelation 6:12-13). Also, Jesus’s arrival with the clouds of the sky (Daniel 7:13; Matthew 24:30; Acts 1:9-11) is a sign (a miraculous sign and a sign in the sense of clear evidence) of His power and glory. (BACK)

28 Son of Man: Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27. Why does Jesus refer to Himself as the Son of Man? Daniel also uses the phrase in Daniel 7:13. Jesus’s usage of the phrase definitely points a person back to Daniel 7:13-14, identifying Him as the Savior and approved of by God. We might also find a clue in Isaiah 50:4-6 or perhaps even in the birth of Jesus, the temptation of Jesus or even in His crucifixion. These events all point to the human experiences of Jesus; they are the display of His humanity and the phrase ‘Son of Man’ definitely paints a picture of humanness. (BACK)

29 mourn: Matthew 24:30.  The Greek word used for mourn is koptó and it means “to mourn, to cut”. Why will people mourn? Revelation 1:7 tells us the mourning will be because of Jesus. People will see the Savior that they have denied and realize that they chose to believe and do the  wrong things. It is also probable that they will mourn due to the wrath they are about to endure. Also see Isaiah 13:6-8; Joel 2:6. In accompaniment, Luke 21:26 says that at this time people will be fainting from fear. Isaiah 13:8 mentions the fear as well. (BACK)

30 in a cloud/on (in) the clouds: Matthew 24:30 says ‘on the clouds’, Mark 13:26 says ‘in clouds’ and Luke 21:27 says ‘in a cloud’. These particular clouds are also mentioned in Daniel 7:13; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 1:7 (which is a reaffirmation of Daniel 7:13). In 1 Thessalonians 4:17, it mentions that those who are still alive at the end of the tribulation will be caught up to join Jesus in the clouds (see Revelation 14:14-16 to see another view of Jesus upon the cloud)  that He has incorporated to accompany His return. We are told that the tribulation has been cut short on account of these elect who are still alive (Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:20).  The Bible is very clear as to when Jesus will gather His elect that are still alive upon the earth or what is commonly referred to as “the rapture”. The gathering of the elect will happen immediately after the tribulation, when Jesus is seen arriving with these clouds (Matthew 24:29-30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27),  Jesus will then send forth His angels to gather the elect (Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27; also see Revelation 19:7-9). It is important to understand that the tribulation and God’s wrath are not the same things. God’s people will not face the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 5:9), but they will be subjected to the tribulation (Revelation 7:9-14). For more regarding the gathering of the elect, see Note 31.  (BACK)

31 great trumpet call The mention of God using this great trumpet sound that announces the Lord’s descent from heaven and the gathering of God’s people is also spoken about in 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16. There are 7 trumpets mentioned in Revelation (Revelation 8:1-9:21; 11:15-19). The 7th trumpet is mentioned in Revelation 11:15, when the twenty-four elders in heaven worship God with a doxology surrounding the return of Jesus (Revelation 11:16-18). (BACK)

32  they will gather: The gathering of the elect, mentioned in Matthew 24:31 and Mark 13:27 (as well as 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16) is what people colloquially refer to as “the rapture”. This event isn’t particularly mentioned by name in Revelation, meaning there is no verse that we can point to in Revelation and say “the gathering of the elect happens HERE”. Some might argue that Revelation 7:9-17; 11:15-19; 14:14-16 or even 19:1-15 are descriptions of the gathering of the elect, but none of these verses say that; 14:14-16 comes the closest. The book of Daniel, a good side-by-side to Revelation (particularly Daniel 7-12), mentions the gathering of the elect in Daniel 12:1-3 (compare to 1 Thessalonians 4:16). Daniel says in 12:1 that at the time of the tribulation, the elect will be rescued (malat). Jesus pointedly says ‘immediately (eutheós) after (meta) the tribulation’ in Matthew 24:29. We know that some of the elect are murdered during the tribulation because of Matthew 24:9; Mark 13:12. The sections of Revelation that do mention the elect are 6:9-11; 7:4-17; 11:18; 14:1-5; 19:8-9; 20:4, 6; 21:3-4, 7. Any or all of these verses could be describing the event or the results from the event (except Revelation 6:9-11, due to the fact that there are more ‘brothers’ to be killed) of the gathering of God’s people to Jesus at the time of the Parousia of Christ. For more on the elect see Note 14. (BACK)

33  from… heaven: “From the four winds” is used in both Matthew 24:31 and Mark 13:27. This phrase is similar to our idiom “four corners of the earth”. It means from everywhere. Matthew 24:31 says “from ends of the heavens to the ends of them” meaning “from one end the heavens/skies to the other end of the heavens/skies” which means from everywhere. Mark 13:27 says “from end of earth to end of heaven” meaning from everywhere. It is well-covered between these two verses that no elect will be left out or forgotten; no elect person belonging to God is too far way or in too obscure a place to be gathered by the angels, as directed by our Lord. (BACK)

34 redemption: From Luke 21:28. The Greek word used for redemption is apolutrósis and it means “redemption”. Redemption means to buy/take something back that was lost to you. In the purport of Godly redemption, the *something* is the elect of God from their sins (Titus 2:14). Who are the elect? See Note 14. Sins left to the sinner to pay for himself equals death for eternity (Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8). Godly redemption was/is/will be accomplished using the currency of Jesus’s blood through His death on the cross (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:13-14; 1 Peter 1:18-19). (BACK)

 

English Bible translation used: Berean Standard Bible

Jesus Calms the Storm on the Sea of Galilee

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Scripture Used to Create the Splice “Jesus Calms the Storm on the Sea of Galilee”

Matthew 8:23-27 (Greek Text Analysis beginning with Matthew 8:23)

Mark 4:35-41 (Greek Text Analysis beginning with Mark 4:35)

Luke 8:22-25 (Greek Text Analysis beginning with Luke 8:22)

 

Psalm 107:29
He calmed the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.

 

THE SPLICE

1 On that day, now, during one of the days when Jesus had been teaching, when evening came, 2 Jesus got into the boat, and His disciples, following Him, got into the boat as well, and He said to them, 3 “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out, leaving the crowd, and they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and 4 other boats were with Him.  But as they were sailing along, Jesus fell asleep and He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And behold, there arose a great storm on 5 the sea; a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and the waves were breaking over the boat, covering the boat with waves, so that the  boat was already filling up with water. They began to be 6 swamped and to be in danger. The disciples came to Jesus, and woke Him up and 7 said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing? Save us, Lord; Master, Master, we are perishing!” He said to them, 8 “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the surging waves of the sea, saying “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down, and the waves stopped, and it became perfectly calm. And He said to the disciples, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith? Where is your faith?” And the disciples were very much afraid/fearful, as well as amazed, and were saying to one another, “Who then is this, what kind of a man is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

 

 

 

NOTES

1 On that day: Due to the nature of the English language, we would consider this phrase (as used in Mark 4:35), “On that day” to mean “on the day of the events that were just being discussed”. This Greek sentence simply means that “on the day of the sailing”.  It is most probable that Jesus was teaching the crowds and using the parables in Mark 4 (and possibly those in Luke 8) over several days’ time, there on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. See Mark 4:1-34 and Luke 8:4-18. (Back)

 

2 Jesus got into the boat: Matthew 8:18 tells us that Jesus ordered the departure to the other side of the Sea of Galilee due to the crowd that was surrounding Him, most likely due to its size (see Matthew 4:25, 8:1; Mark 4:1, 5:21, 24; Luke 8:4). Before He got into the boat and left, a scribe in the audience expressed a desire to go with Him and one of His disciples said that he wished to stay behind. To see Jesus’s answers to both of these people, see Matthew 8:19-22. (Back)

 

3 “Let us go over…”: Jesus and His disciples were sailing to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, but we are unsure of His departure point. The departure point could be Capernaum or Bethsaida due to Matthew 8:14-17 and Matthew 9:1. It is likely that they had been traveling all along the coast of the sea (see Mark 4:1). Because of Matthew 8:28 and Mark 5:1, we do know that they are traveling to the region of the Gadarenes/Gerasenes. Luke is a little clearer on the location, as he states that they sailed to the country(side) of the Gerasenes, opposite of the region of Galilee (Luke 8:26). The land mass was probably known as both the Gadarenes region and  the Gerasenes region, just like how today different people/cultures refer to the same places using different names. (Back)

 

4 other boats: We are not told who is in the other boats, but it makes sense that there were many people with Jesus and the Twelve, including women and (probably) children (see Matthew 18:2, 27:55; John 6:9). Luke 10:1 says that there were at least 72 disciples walking with Jesus at one point, although most of them fall away (see John 6:66) . (Back)

 

5 the sea: The Sea of Galilee. It is also known as the Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1), as well as the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1). For some interesting facts about the Sea of Galilee, click here. And click here to read about the fascinating find of a 2,000 year old boat at the bottom of the Sea of Galilee, during an archaeological excavation in 1986. You can find the boat mentioned on page 6 of the newsletter.  (Back)

 

6 swamped: Many English Bible translations use the word swamped for Luke 8:23. The Greek word used here is sumpléroó which means “to fill up completely or to complete; fulfill; accomplish”. (Back)

 

7 said to Him:  The disciples were probably panicking and yelling, especially over the sound of the stormy gales of wind. The Greek word used for said in Matthew 8:25, Mark 4:38 and Luke 8:24 is the generic word legó, meaning “to say”. This word only indicates that speech is in progress, and does not provide an emotional state for the speaker. (Back)

 

8 “Why are you afraid…”: We never need to fear, not even death, when we have been called by God to be His own and He has given us that God-gifted faith in Christ. God promises that He works all things for the good of those who belong to Him and love Him (Romans 8:28). Please understand that God is most concerned with the good that affects our eternal state, and not necessarily the comfort of our temporal abode on this earth (see the horrors inflicted on Paul and others throughout the book of Acts). (Back)

Jesus Walks on Water

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Scripture Used to Create the Splice “Jesus Walks on Water”

Matthew 14:22-33 (Greek Text Analysis beginning with Matthew 14:22)

Mark 6:45-52 (Greek Text Analysis beginning with Mark 6:45)

John 6:15-21 (Greek Text Analysis beginning with John 6:15)

Psalm 25:4
Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths.

THE SPLICE

The disciples were collecting the fragments of food left over from the 1 feeding of the 5,000 men, plus the women and children.  And those who had witnessed this miracle of feeding so many people from five barley loaves and two fish, said, “This is truly 2 the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew back up to the mountain by Himself alone. Now when it was later in the evening, Jesus 3 made His disciples go down to the sea, get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to 4 Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. Now while Jesus was sending the crowds away, and after the disciples had gotten into the boat, they started to cross the sea towards 5 Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

After bidding the crowd farewell, 6 Jesus had sent the crowd away. He left for the mountain and went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and He was there alone on the land and the boat was in the middle of the sea, a long distance from the land. The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing and the wind was contrary and against them, so the boat was battered by the waves. 7 Jesus saw the disciples straining at the oars and at about the 8 fourth watch of the night, when they had rowed about 9 three or four miles, Jesus came to them, walking out on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. The disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened/terrified because when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that 10 it was a ghost, and they cried out in fear, saying, “It is a ghost!”. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”  Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, Peter became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” The disciples were willing to receive Jesus into the boat when they realized it was Him and when Peter and Jesus got into the boat, the wind stopped and all those in the boat and the boat were immediately 11 at the land to which they were going. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, 12 “You are certainly God’s Son!”  They were utterly astonished by this, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their 13 heart was hardened.

An Old Boat

NOTES

1  feeding of the 5,000: Many Bible scholars have estimated that the crowd was more like 15,000 people, because the women and children weren’t included in the count, according to Matthew 14:21. To read about the feeding of the 5,000 men, see Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:33-44, Luke 9:12-17, John 6:1-14. To read the Splice about the feeding of the 5,000, click here. (Back)

2  the Prophet: In reference to Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18 and it is reinforced that the Prophet is the Christ in Acts 3:20-23. The Prophet is mentioned in Deuteronomy 18 because the Israelites are prohibited from participating in spiritism, such as using mediums, witchcraft, necromancy, spellcasting, divination, etc. and God promises a Prophet (and other prophets) that would speak to them, for Him. Today’s popular pastimes, such as using talking boards or tarot cards, are included in the prohibition of spiritism.  Believers in Christ should be waiting on God for answers (who doesn’t lie, see Hebrews 6:18), not demons (their leader is the father of all lies, see John 8:44). See Deuteronomy 18:9-22 for the information concerning spiritism and the announcement of the Prophet, and see Acts 16:16-18 about the slave-girl who was possessed by a spirit of divination. See Exodus 22:18 where God commands that those who practice sorcery (witchcraft) in Israel should be put to death. (Back)

3  made His disciples…: The Greek word used for made in Matthew 14:22 and Mark 6:45 is anagkazó and means “to force or compel” and has a flavor of urgency along with the command. (Back)

4  Bethsaida: Where historical Bethsaida was actually located is up for debate, but we can estimate it’s location to the NE shores of the Sea of Galilee. Bethsaida was the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Phillip (John 1:44). It is a possibility that James and John were from Bethsaida, because James and John were fishing partners with Peter and Andrew (see Matthew 4:18-22 and Luke 5:10), but John does not mention himself or his brother in 1:44. He also doesn’t mention his own personal recruitment (nor his brother’s) into Jesus’s ministry in his Gospel. Although Jesus is sending them to the town of Bethsaida (Mark 6:45), they are already in a secluded spot (Matthew 14:13, Mark 6:32) associated with the town (Luke 9:10). Also, they are actually heading towards Capernaum once they are on the sea of Galilee (John 6:17), possibly because of the strong winds and inability to control the boat. Capernaum and Bethsaida are not that far apart, as best as we can judge two thousand years later. Unfortunately, Bethsaida no longer exists as a town, nor does Capernaum. However, there is a bus stop named Bethsaida Junction, along Israel’s Highway 87, about 4 1/2 miles northeast of the Capernaum ruins. (Back)

5  Capernaum: Capernaum is Jesus’s home base. He moved from Nazareth to Capernaum at the beginning of His ministry (Matthew 4:13). Peter and Andrew have a house there (Mark 1:21, 29) and it’s possible that Jesus recruited Matthew from Capernaum because of Matthew 9:1, 9 and  Mark 2:1, 14. Capernaum has been the site of extensive excavations and digs since the 1800’s, and there is a memorial built over what is supposed to be Peter’s house and some churches that were built there in the 4th and 5th centuries. The memorial has a partial glass floor so you can see the remains of these ancient ruins. Capernaum itself is now owned by the Franciscans and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy of Jerusalem. (Back)

6  Jesus had sent the crowd away: The Greek text for Matthew 14:23 says “And having dismissed the crowds”. The Greek word for dismissed is apoluó and means “let go, send away, divorce”.  (Back)

7  Jesus saw the disciples: See Mark 6:48. Understanding that the disciples are already far away from the land (Matthew 14:24; Mark 6:47) and it’s dark (John 6:17), this must be a miraculous sighting, using His power as God to see these details, where human eyes could not. The Greek word used here for see is horaó and can be used metaphorically or literally.  (Back)

8  fourth watch: The fourth watch, the last watch of the night, was between 3am and 6am. Roman guard duties were divided into four watches throughout the night. The first watch was from 6pm to 9pm, the second watch from 9pm to 12am, the third watch 12am to 3am, and then the fourth. (Back)

9  three or four miles: The Greek text for John 6:19 says “stadia twenty-five or thirty”. A stadia is a Greek measurement of distance and where we get our word “stadium” from. A stadia is about 1/8 of a mile or the distance of a Greek race course. (Back)

10  it was a ghost: This is not proof that ghosts exist. It is possible that due to their fear, the disciples were grasping at legend or superstition to explain the unexplainable. For those who belong to God, there is no possibility of ghostliness, as 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 gives us the clue that once our souls are absent from the body, we are together with the Lord. For those who reject God’s grace, we can only look at Jesus’s parable about Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) which says that Lazarus was taken by the angels to Abraham’s bosom (a place of comfort) and the rich man to Hades (hell). The parable doesn’t say “there is no such thing as ghosts” but it certainly does give the footing to say so. Ghosts or not, we know that God controls all things (Ephesians 1:11) for His purposes, even the demons (Job 1:6, 12, 2:6), and therefore it is God who should be feared, not ghosts (Matthew 10:28). (Back)

11  at the land: Matthew 14:34 says that they landed at Gennesaret, a town about 2-1/2 miles to the Southwest of Capernaum. This was an instantaneous landing at Gennesaret (John 6:21), and therefore a miracle, as the disciples had rowed out 3 or 4 miles out to sea when Jesus approached the boat (John 6:19).  They were ultimately going to be heading out to Bethsaida, as Mark 6:45 says, and they do finally get there in Mark 8:22. But as we are told in Mark 6:53-55 as well as Matthew 14:35-36, Jesus made this side trip and healed many people while He was there. (Back)

12  You are certainly God’s Son: The disciples had seen lots of miracles (Matthew 11:4-5, 20-21) performed by Jesus before He walked on water and facilitated an instant landing of their boat. The wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11), healings (much of Matthew 9, Mark 5:21-42, Luke 7:1-10, John 5:1-9) casting demons out of people (Matthew 8:28-33, Mark 5:1-20) and they had JUST seen (and participated in) an NBA stadium’s worth of people (approximately) fed from 5 loaves and 2 fish (see Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:1-15). (Back)

13  heart was hardened: From Mark 6:52. The Greek word used for heart is kardia and means “the heart; mind, character, inner self”. The Greek word used for hardened is póroó and means “harden, petrify, callous”. The words together give the meaning that the collective minds of the disciples were unperceiving or dull to the miracle that they had witnessed in the feeding of the 5,000 men. (Back)

Jesus Feeds the 5000

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Scripture Used to Create the Splice “Jesus Feeds the 5000”

Matthew 14:13-21 (Greek Text Analysis starting with Matthew 14:13)

Mark 6:30-44 (Greek Text Analysis starting with Mark 6:30)

Luke 9:10-17 (Greek Text Analysis starting with Luke 9:10)

John 6:1-13 (Greek Text Analysis starting with John 6:1)

 

Exodus 16:13-15
13 So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. 15 When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.”

 

THE SPLICE

1 When the apostles returned and had gathered together with Jesus, they gave an account to Him and reported to Him of all that they had taught and all they had done. Jesus had also heard about what had been done to 2 John the Baptist. Now there had been many people coming and going, and the disciples were tired and did not even have time to eat. Because of John’s murder and because the disciples needed time for rest and food, Jesus said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” Taking the disciples with Him, He withdrew from there and they went away in a boat to a secluded place by themselves, to a city called 3 Bethsaida, on the other side of the Sea of Galilee 4(also called Tiberias). And when the large crowds of those that Jesus and the disciples had been healing, heard of this and were aware that Jesus and the disciples were going to leave and when the crowd saw them going, (many recognized them by sight) they ran there together, following Him on foot from all surrounding cities and the crowds got there ahead of Jesus and the disciples. They followed Him because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were 5 sick. When Jesus arrived, He went ashore and He saw the large crowd, and 6 He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.  And Jesus went up onto the mountain and they were following; and 7 He welcomed them, and began to teach them many things, speaking to them about the kingdom of God and healing their sick, curing those who needed healing. 8 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.

The day was ending and it was already quite late into the evening. Jesus, lifting up His eyes, could see that this large crowd was approaching Him. His twelve disciples went to Him and said, “9 This is a desolate place/we are in a desolate place and the hour is already quite late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and 10 find lodging as well as 11 buy themselves something to eat/buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!”  Jesus said directly to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” This He was saying to test Philip, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred 12 denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” And the other disciples said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?” And Jesus said to the disciples, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” The disciple Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “This 13 little boy here has five 14 barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” And the other disciples agreed with Andrew by saying, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” Now there was much grass in the place. And ordering and commanding the people to sit down on the green grass, Jesus said to His disciples, “Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” The crowds sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties, directed by the disciples. Then Jesus told the disciples, “Bring them (the fish and loaves) here to Me.” Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking to heaven, He blessed the food and gave thanks, and breaking the loaves and dividing up the two fish, He distributed the food to the crowds by giving the food to the disciples, and the disciples delivered the food to the crowd. And Jesus kept giving food to the disciples to set before the people. Everyone ate as much as they wanted. They all ate and were satisfied. When they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” So the disciples gathered the broken pieces, and filled twelve 15 baskets full with fragments from the five barley loaves and the fish which were left over by those who had eaten; all that was left over was picked up. There were about 16five thousand men who ate the loaves and fish, besides women and children . Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly 17 the Prophet who is come into the world.”

 

Sketches of bread and fish

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTES

 

1 When the apostles returned: Jesus had sent the Twelve out in pairs to cast demons out of people, to heal people of disease, to tell folks to repent and to proclaim the kingdom of God. See Matthew 10:1-8; Mark 6:7-13, Luke 9:1-6. There is a difference between the words apostle and disciple in the Greek, although many people use them interchangeably in English. It is important to understand that a person could be both at the same time. Mark demonstrates this in Mark 6:30 when the Twelve return from the mission they had been sent on by Jesus, and then in Mark 6:35, when the Twelve are back to being learners. (Back)

 

2 John the Baptist: Son of Zacharias and Elizabeth. John and Elizabeth are relatives of Jesus’s, because Elizabeth is a relative of Mary’s (Luke 1:36). John the Baptist had just been beheaded by Herod (Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29). To read about John the Baptist, see Matthew 3, 11:2-14,  Mark 1:1-9; Luke 1:5-25, 41, 57-80; 3:1-22; 7:18-33; John 1:6-36, 3:22-36. (Back)

 

3 Bethsaida: Today, the area where Bethsaida stood is completely desolate. The word “Bethsaida” is now only applied to a bus stop at a junction on Highway 87 in Israeli Golan Heights. (Back)

 

4 Tiberias: It is John (John 6:1) who wants to make sure his readers understand that the Sea of Galilee is also called Tiberias. It’s possible that at the time of John’s writing (later half of the 1st century), many people called the Sea of Galilee by the Tiberias moniker. John also mentions the Sea of Galilee as the “Sea of Tiberias” in John 21:1. He mentions the town of Tiberias, which is located at the southwestern side of the Sea of Galilee, in John 6:23. It should be noted that Luke 5:1 calls the Sea of Galilee “the lake of Gennesaret”. Gennesaret was a town on the northwestern side of the Sea of Galilee, approximately 2.5 miles from Capernaum. (Back)

 

5 sick: Jesus spent quite a bit of time healing the sick. See Matthew 4:24, 8:1-3; Mark 6:55-56; Luke 13:11-13; John 5:5-9 for a few examples. The reason why He healed the sick is explained in Matthew 8:17 and Isaiah 53:4. (Back)

 

6 He felt compassion for them: From Mark 6:34. If you have to sum up the ministry of Jesus in just a few words, this is the verse I would use. (Back)

 

7 He welcomed them: From Luke 9:11. Luke uses the Greek word apodechomai which means “to gladly accept, gladly welcome, to embrace, to entertain with hospitality”. (Back)

 

8 Now the Passover: From John 6:4. Since it is near the Passover, there were many people traveling about, making their way to Jerusalem for the celebration.  (Back)

 

9 This is a desolate place/we are in a desolate place: Matthew 14:15 and Mark 6:35 say “this is a desolate place” and Luke 9:12 says “for we are in a desolate place”. (Back)

 

10 find lodging: Luke 9:12 mentions that the people need lodging as well as food. I think that some or all of these people camped out on the green and grassy (Mark 6:39, John 6:10) mountain side, because of John 6:22, but we don’t really hear about the lodging situation and how it was solved. We do know that Jesus had dismissed the crowd, sending them away (away from Himself, but not necessarily the mountain’s side or its base), and He went up onto the mountain alone (See Matthew 14:22-23; Mark 6:45-47). Since it was near the Passover (John 6:4), we know from John 18:18 that it can get cold at night around Passover-time. If they did indeed camp out on the mountain’s side, we can only assume that people built fires or it was a comfortable spring evening, whether by miracle or nature, keeping people warm through the night. We do know that there was a strong wind over the Sea of Galilee between 3am and 6am, at any rate (Matthew 14:24, 30; Mark 6:48; John 6:18). (Back)

 

11 buy themselves something to eat: From Matthew 14:15; Mark 6:36; Luke 9:12. Everyone is in Bethsaida, in a desolate part of it, but it has some surrounding villages (Matthew 14:15; Mark 6:35; Luke 9:10, 12). Capernaum is also a couple of miles away (John 6:16-19). There were no large, “big-box” stores back then or any type of grocery store, to be sure. Also, people didn’t have an abundance of food in a pantry like people might have today, therefore going up to a house and asking to buy their food may not work out. This miracle seems to not only display the power of Jesus, but it also fills an immediate need. Who else could feed that many people at a time? (Back)

 

12 denarii: In Matthew 20:2, one denarius was agreed to as the day’s wages. We don’t know if this was a generous wage or a common wage, but from Matthew 20:13 it seems that this was the generally accepted wage for the day for a laborer in a vineyard. To read about the history of the denarius, click here. Some other mentions of the denarius in Scripture include Matthew 18:28; Mark 12:15; Luke 7:41; Revelation 6:6. (Back)

 

13 little boy: From John 6:9. We don’t know who this little boy is or if he is traveling with the disciples. We know that there were two boats that the disciples and Jesus had been traveling in (John 6:22-24), and it is possible that this boy could have been tucked in there with them. It would seem strange if Jesus is commanding the disciples “you feed” the crowd and to see how much food they have, but then use a stranger’s food, even if a child. This food (in my view) has to belong to the disciples and Jesus collectively, and by extension, the child belongs with them, too.  For the Greek on John 6:9, click here. (Back)

 

14 five barley loaves and two fish: Barley was considered  low quality for bread. Hulled barley seems to have at least some nutritional value though, all things being equal 2000 years later. Fish was preserved by salting way back then, and its preservation in this way enabled people to carry it around with them on long journeys. See this article for an interesting look at ancient fish preservation. (Back)

 

15 baskets: The Greek word, used in all of the accounts, for the word “basket” is kophinos which is a “hand-basket” or a basket that the Jews used specifically for carrying around their food. It could be large, it could be small; size seems subjective so we don’t know how much it held. It was probably made of wicker. (Back)

 

16 five thousand men: There are many current day estimates saying that approximately 15,000-20,000 people are on the mountainside, since only the men were counted (Matthew 14:21; Mark 6:44; Luke 9:14). We do not know the actual number of people fed through Jesus’s miracle. (Back)

 

17 the Prophet: John 6:14 tells us that people were proclaiming Jesus as the Prophet due to this miracle. The Prophet was promised by God to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 18:15-19. (Back)

The Burial of Jesus

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Scripture Used to Create the Splice “The Burial of Jesus”

Matthew 27:57-66 (Greek Text Analysis starting with Matthew 27:57)

Mark 15:42-47 (Greek Text Analysis starting with Mark 15:42)

Luke 23:50-56 (Greek Text Analysis starting with Luke 23:50)

John 19:31-42 (Greek Text Analysis starting with John 19:31)

 

Need to catch up first? To read the Splice “The Crucifixion: Part Two”, click here.

 

Revelation 21:4
“…and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

 

THE SPLICE

Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, so that the 1 bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (2 for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that 3 their 4 legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.  But one of the soldiers 5 pierced His side with a spear, and immediately 6 blood and water came out. And 7 he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, 8 “NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN.” And again another Scripture says, 9 “THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.” After these things, when it was still evening, a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea (Arimathea is a city of the Jews), who was a prominent member of the 10 Council,  a good and righteous man (he had not consented to their plan and action against Jesus), himself had 11 also become a disciple of Jesus/being a disciple of Jesus/waiting for the kingdom of God, but a secret disciple for 12 fear of the Jews, he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus that he might take away the body of Jesus; Pilate 13 wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. And ascertaining this from the centurion, Pilate 14 granted permission/ordered it to be given, the body of Jesus, to Joseph. Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down from the cross. 15 Nicodemus (a Pharisee), who had first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a 16 mixture of myrrh and aloes, about 17 a hundred pounds weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in clean linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb. This was Joseph of Arimathea’s own new tomb, which he had hewn and cut out in the rock, in which no one had yet been laid for burial. Therefore because of the 18 Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, 19 he/they laid the body of Jesus inside the new tomb; and 20 Joseph rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away (as did Nicodemus, but it is unclear when he left).  There were women who had been at the crucifixion, who among them was 21 Mary Magdalene and 22 Mary, the mother of Joses 23 and the other Mary. 24 These women had come with Him out of Galilee. They followed Joseph to see where Jesus was buried, and saw the tomb and was looking on to see how His body was prepared for burial. While the body was being prepared for burial, at least Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting opposite the grave. Then 25 they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested 26 according to the commandment.  Now on the next day, the day after the preparation the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, 27 “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a 28 seal on the stone that Joseph had rolled against the entrance.

 

Impression of Night

 

Want to continue reading? To read the Splice “The Resurrection: Part One”, click here.

 

Notes

 

bodies would not remain on the cross: The reason why the Jews did not want the bodies of the dead hanging on the crosses after sundown was because of Deuteronomy 21:23. However, Deuteronomy 21:23 does not specify that only Sabbaths and high days are to observe this mandate. Joshua obeys the mandate, with no mention of the day of the week in Joshua 8:29 and 10:26-27. Roman crucifixion practices normally left people to hang there on the cross until they died, and that could take days. (Back)

2 for that Sabbath was a high day:  This high day was in accordance with Exodus 12:16, Leviticus 23:5-8. (Back)

3 their: Referring to Jesus and the two thieves that were crucified that day, too (Matthew 27:38). (Back)

4 legs might be broken: This detail is found in John 19:32. The legs of victims of crucifixion were broken or smashed by an iron club. This practice was called crurifragium. It was used to expedite the deaths of the crucifixion victims. With smashed legs, the victim could no longer use their leg muscles to push themselves upwards to breathe. Thus, many of the deaths of crucifixion victims were due to asphyxiation. (Back)

5 pierced His side with a spear: The soldiers already knew that Jesus was dead; this is why they didn’t break His legs (John 19:33). This seems to be a sadistic act, with no apparent use other than to amuse the soldiers. But the real reason is because God allowed it to happen, to show that Jesus was truly dead. A piercing through the side with a spear would most certainly puncture vital organs. (Back)

6  blood and water came out: A medical explanation for this event would be because the soldier stabbed through Jesus’s heart. For a comprehensive explanation, view this article.  (Back)

7 he who has seen has testified: From John 19:35. “He who has seen and testified” is John, the writer of the Gospel of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John,  and Revelation. (Back)

8 NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN: From Psalm 34:20. In Exodus 12:46 and in Numbers 9:12, God gives the command that none of the Passover lamb’s bones should be broken. Jesus is our Passover Lamb, as written by Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:7. (Back)

9 THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED: Zechariah 12:10. (Back)

10 Council: The Council, which was made up of the members of the Sanhedrin, was the exact group orchestrating the death of Jesus (Matthew 26:3-4, 59, Mark 14:1, 55, Luke 19:47, John 11:47-53). (Back)

11 disciple of Jesus/being a disciple/waiting for the kingdom of God: Matthew 27:57 says “also became a disciple of Jesus”, Mark 15:43 and Luke 23:51 says “waiting for the kingdom of God”, and John 19:38 says “being a disciple”. (Back)

12 fear of the Jews: The Pharisees were excommunicating people for loyalty to Jesus (see John 12:42). Excommunication excluded a person from all religious participation, social participation and even from business participation.  An excommunicated person became a total pariah; even the family members had to stop all association with that person, or the family would also risk excommunication (see John 9:1-41 on one man’s story of excommunication). The hate of others is a byproduct of faith in Christ (see Luke 21:16-17). (Back)

13 wondered if He was dead: Victims of crucifixion didn’t normally have a mercifully quick death, and six hours was comparatively quick. Victims could be hanging on the cross for days. To die in a matter of 6-ish hours was rare, if not unprecedented.  (Back)

14 granted permission/ordered it to be given: Matthew 27:58 says “ordered it to be given”, Mark 15:45 and John 19:38 say “granted permission”. (Back)

15 Nicodemus: Nicodemus’s story can be found in John 3:1-21. (Back)

16 mixture of myrrh and aloes: The Jewish people, as well as the Romans, did not use the embalming practices of the Egyptians. The myrrh and aloes were used for the burial materials in place of embalming, on Friday afternoon/towards evening. Mary Magdalene and the Galilean ladies bring spices and perfumes on Sunday morning for anointing (Greek word aleipho), but also due to the assumed decay, and therefore subsequent smell, of the body (see Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, 24:1). (Back)

17 a hundred pounds weight: A Roman pound was 12 ounces, so this weight would be about 75 pounds in today’s current conventional measurement, where 16 ounces equals 1 pound. In metrics (24.35 grams equals an ounce), the weight would be around 30 kilograms. (Back)

18 Jewish day of preparation: The day before the Sabbath. (Back)

19 he/they laid the body of Jesus: Matthew 27:60 and Mark 15:46 mention only Joseph and John 19:42 says “they” (Back)

20 Joseph rolled a large stone: In all likelihood, Joseph ordered several slaves to do the rolling (he’s rich, Matthew 27:57), but the Bible doesn’t say that. Joseph most certainly couldn’t have rolled the stone by himself. This stone is so large, that the ladies going to the burial site on Sunday morning don’t know how they will move it away from the tomb’s entrance (Mark 16:3-4). An angel removes it before they get to the tomb (Matthew 28:2). (Back)

21 Mary Magdalene: Poor Mary M! Ugly rumors have circled around her for centuries, such as claims that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. There is absolutely nothing in the Bible to suggest that Ms. Magdalene was a prostitute. We know that she followed Jesus on His travels, just like the Twelve disciples did, due to Luke 8:1-2; we know that she had seven demons cast out of her due to Luke 8:2, and she was probably supporting Jesus’s ministry with her personal funds, due to Luke 8:3. She was not the only woman in the traveling group. Luke 8:3 tells us there were several women traveling with Jesus and The Twelve. Because of John 6:9, I think there were children traveling with the group, as well and because of 1 Corinthians 9:5, I believe it possible that the married disciples brought their (believing) wives even early in the ministry (1 Corinthians 9:5 refers to a time much later), which also lends credence to children being present. In any case the women that were present could have possibly been utilized to spread the word about Jesus to the women in the villages where Jesus taught. We do know that, at the very least, the ladies ministered to Him (Matthew 27:55). The Greek word for minister is diakoneó and means “to serve or minister”. It generally means to “care for others” and was also used to mean “serving at the table”. Mary Magdalene is mentioned in Matthew 27:56, 61, Matthew 28:1; Mark 15:40, 47, Mark 16:1, 9; Luke 8:2, Luke 24:10; John 19:25, 20:1, 11-18 and she is possibly included in Acts 1:14, but she is not mentioned by name. (Back)

22 Mary, the mother of Joses: Mary, the mother of James and Joseph/Joses is also called Mary, the mother of James the Less (see Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40). I’ve been kicking around the idea that it’s possible that Mary the mother of Joses/Joseph and James, as well as Jude, whose book is placed before Revelation, is Mary, the mother of Jesus. See Matthew 13:55, 27:56, Mark 6:3, 15:40 and see Jude 1. James the disciple, son of Alphaeus, is never called James the Less in any account, and the phrase “James the Less” is only used in Mark. Here’s a link to my study on the whole James debate. Unless there is a direct identity provided in the Bible, we are speculating on which James is which. Just like there were so many people named “Mary” mentioned, there were probably lots of people named “James”, too. (Back)

23 and the other Mary: The other Mary may be Mary the mother of James and Joseph/Joses, but it is unclear. See Matthew 27:61, Mark 15:47, Luke 23:55-56 for mention of these women. (Back)

24 These women: We can safely assume that Mary Magdalene came from Magdala which was on the western side of the Sea of Galilee. (Back)

25 they returned: It is assumed that the ladies returned to wherever they were staying during the Passover and Sabbath, but the Bible does not say where that is at. (Back)

26 according to the commandment: Exodus 20:8-11; 31:12-17 where resting on the seventh day is recorded as a commandment from God. (Back)

27 You have a guard: This is the group of Roman soldiers that was granted to the Jews. See Matthew 28:12, 14. One could say that this Roman guard came from the Herodians’ influence, because they had been conspiring to put Jesus to death along with the Pharisees. Pilate really only comes into the story during Jesus’s trial but Herod and his Herodians are mentioned a few times before (Matthew 22:15, 16, Mark 3:6, 8:15, 12:13, Luke 13:31-32 and Acts 4:27).We really don’t know much about the guard or who they came from because the Bible doesn’t say. (Back)

28 seal on the stone: I believe this seal is Roman, because the guard is Roman. I believe the guard is Roman because of Matthew 27:65-66 and 28:12, 14. Also, the relevance of a Jewish seal on such an important tomb seems silly, as the Jews didn’t have much power of their own. However, one could argue that the Jews sure had enough power to pressure Pontius Pilate into crucifying people. Simply put, the Bible doesn’t state whether the seal was Roman or Jewish. If it was a Roman seal on Jesus’s tomb, it was an object of authority. (Back)