Over 15 centuries after the Exodus, on Nisan 14 of the year 33 C.E., Jesus gathered with his 12 apostles in Jerusalem to celebrate the last valid Passover, and then, having dismissed the traitorous Judas, he proceeded to institute the memorial of his death by means of the Lord's Supper, or Evening Meal. (Matthew 26:17-30; 1Corinthians 11:23-25)
Before Nisan 14 passed, he died as the Lamb of God.
On Nisan 16, the day the priest at the temple waved the firstfruits of the barley harvest, Jesus, as the firstfruits of the resurrection, was raised up to life again. (Luke 23:54-24:7; 1Corinthians 15:20).
What do we have to do? Remember?
In obedience to Christ's instructions, "Keep doing this in remembrance of me," the 14th day of Nisan continues to be observed by his followers till this day as the time for memorializing Christ's death. (Luke 22:19, 20)
The Hebrews began their day in the evening, after sunset, and ended it the next day at sunset. The day, therefore, ran from evening to evening. "From evening to evening you should observe your sabbath." (Levites 23:32) This follows the pattern of Jehovah's creative days, as indicated at Genesis 1:5: "There came to be evening and there came to be morning, a first day." (Compare Daniel 8:14).
The Hebrews were not the only ones who reckoned a day from evening to evening; the Phoenicians, Numidians, and Athenians also did so. The Babylonians, on the other hand, counted the day from sunrise to sunrise; while the Egyptians and the Romans reckoned it from midnight to midnight (as is commonly done today).
Jews had made the plans to get rid of the Nazarene Jesus, who was to them a thorn in the eye.
When the Jews first became aware of the presence of the Lord Jesus, they were hopeful and excited. The Romans had robbed them of their independence and they resented it. They wanted a king of their own, and Jesus of Nazareth as they called him, seemed a likely candidate for this office. He seemed to have alI the qualifications!
Jesus of Nazareth (miniseries) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Jesus won more favour and preached repentance and personal holiness. The Jewish leaders did not appreciate this emphasis on moral integrity. They felt rebuked not only by his words but also by the awesome holiness of the Lord’s character. Also they were envious of his popularity with the common people. They no longer thought of Jesus as a prospective king, but the common people still seemed attracted to this idea. The excitement of the crowds could make the Romans suspicious, and the Jewish leaders were afraid that they might take
away both the Jewish place and nation. (John 11:47,48)
Jesus had to face the human who could not tolerate a person whose one ambition in life is to obey the laws of God. To express it in another way: human beings reject the standards required by God. They prefer to obey their own human instincts. And what are these instincts? Let the Lord Jesus tell us:
"From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Mark 7:21-23).
All human beings demonstrate by their own deeds that they approve of the way of disobedience.
Jesus Christ was crucified because the Jews hated him and wanted to get rid of him. This is one obvious reason. But surely God could have stopped them from committing this terrible crime, and at the same time have spared His Son the pain and shame of crucifixion? Obviously God was powerful enough to intervene and prevent the crime. And yet, although the Lord Jesus prayed three times to his Father, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me. . . " God did not intervene. If God's principles were to be upheld and His purpose fulfilled, intervention was not possible. God's plan required that His sinless Son should be crucified, it is put on a stake until death came over him.
The condemned man was whipped with thongs of leather to which pieces of bone or metal had been attached. Some people died already as a result of scourging but Jesus stayed alive and had to carry a heavy wooden beam. He was nailed, through hands and feet to the wooden
beam which was then lifted to a vertical position and fixed firmly in the ground. Then he was simply left to die. He was not killed -- just impaled in a position from which escape was impossible and left there until death overtook him. Do you believe this?
This month's survey question:
The Meaning of the Cross
Jesus died instead of us to appease the wrath of God for all time.
He did NOT die as our substitute but rather as our representative.
He didn't actually die. His staged death was an elaborate plot.
Don't know.
For us it is clear that in the Bible is written that Jesus died on a stake (a pole) or piece of wood; and what has historically done in that time by the Romans in order to sentence a murderer to death. But through the centuries, the image became fused with the wrong Renaissance image.
The image of the cross is based on traditions and expressions in art, and not on actual facts. There is an extensive collection of Greek, Latin and Hebrew literature on the methods used by the Romans for criminals. Nowhere is mentioned a cross or crucifixion.
The New Testament says nothing about a crucifixion says Samuelsson. The Greek word 'stauros' that often is used, is translated to cross, but in those days meant 'pole'. Jesus died not on the cross but to a pole.
Samuelsson knows he's denial of the cross may break many people's heart. The theologian is himself a believer and sees Jesus as the Son of God. "I do not doubt the faith, but we must believe what it says". And that last point is missed by a lot of people. Usually they want to stick to entrenched images that have nothing to do with reality.
The Jewish people have been returning to their ancient homeland for over a century now and their modern nation of Israel came into being in 1948. Jewish control of Jerusalem came as a result of the 1967 Six-Days war - as it happens, just 2,300 years after the goat power of Daniel 8:5-7 overpowered the Persian ram.
Now when a new area will be added underneath at the famous Western Wall, at the level at which worshippers at the ancient Temple stood in the past, you can wonder how exposing the foundations of the temple, even just the retaining wall of the temple platform, can connect us to the prophecy of Daniel (chapter 8:11-14) which foretold of the Roman power taking away the daily sacrifice, and "casting down" the place of the sanctuary, holy place, or temple.
Do we we see the evidence of the destruction wrought by the Roman power laid out for the world to view? And are we reminded of the fact that the Bible has decreed that this destroyed place of worship shall be both avenged and restored? Both Daniel and Jesus say that this destruction would be a temporary matter. Daniel indicates that the scattering power would eventually be broken, and the evening-morning sacrifice restored. Jesus says "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."
“13 Thou wilt arise, and have mercy upon Zion; For it is time to have pity upon her, Yea, the set time is come. 14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, And have pity upon her dust. 15 So the nations shall fear the name of Jehovah, And all the kings of the earth thy glory. 16 For Jehovah hath built up Zion; He hath appeared in his glory. 17 He hath regarded the prayer of the destitute, And hath not despised their prayer. 18 This shall be written for the generation to come; And a people which shall be created shall praise {1} Jehovah. {1) Heb Jah}” (Psalms 102:13-18 ASV)
