Taking the Easter Story in parts like this really gives me some new perspectives on this familiar story. That's what is so awesome about the scriptures in the Bible. Even though you may have read the same verses over and over for years, you still find newness in each verse every time you read them!
I am blogging the highlights and insights that I am seeing as I read through the book of Luke and the other gospels. I noticed that I forgot a small part before Jesus died, so lets back track just a bit.
As Jesus was hanging on the cross, breathing his last breaths, Jesus' mother and some other ladies were nearby. When Jesus saw His mom and John standing beside her, He said to his mom, "Dear women, here is your son." Then to John He said, "Here is your mother." After that John took Mary into his own home and cared for her. As Jesus was at His last moments between life here on earth and death, He made arrangements for His mom to live with John. Tender love and care for His mom!
When Jesus knew that the scriptures were fulfilled, He said that He was thirsty. They took some sour vinegar and soaked it on a sponge. They put the sponge on a branch of hyssop and put it to his mouth. After Jesus took a drink, that's when He said, "It is finished!" He bowed his head and died.
The religious leaders got done what they wanted done. They finally got rid of this Jesus. Little did they know that they were just part of a much bigger and better plan! Jesus did not stay dead! He arose three days later!
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I don't want to jump ahead of the story here, so lets continue with the next scene. The next day was the special Sabbath. The Jews did not want these bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, so they asked Pilate to have the legs of the three men broken. I understand that if the legs were broken, then the person being crucified could no longer lift himself up with his feet for oxygen. It helped their death come sooner. I also never realized that sometimes it may have taken a few days for one to die.
So the soldiers went to the crosses and broke the legs of the two thieves but when they got to Jesus they realized that Jesus had already died and so they did not break His legs. Instead, one soldier pierced Jesus' side with a spear and there was a sudden flow of blood and water that gushed out of His body.
"For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, "Not a bone of Him shall be broken". And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced." John 19:36&37
It amazes me that a soldier took his spear and jagged it in the side of Jesus maybe not even realizing that he was fulfilling scripture. All the details in this unique crucifixion were for a purpose!
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For some reason this part of the Easter story is so much more real for me as I journal this. There was a man named Joseph that came into play. We know that he was a member on the Council, a good and righteous man, a man from Arimathea, a rich man, and a secret disciple of Jesus. In John it says he was a secret follower of Jesus because he feared the Jews.
He went to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus. This is what Mark 15:44 & 45 says, "Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph."
I think it's admirable that someone actually wanted to take of care Jesus' body after He died. That bloody, that gross, that beaten, and now that dead body was now to be taken down off the cross. The nails had to be pried out of His flesh. The ropes had to be untied. The crown of thorns had to be yanked out of His flesh and thrown away. I can't imagine that this was a pretty job.
Joseph bought some linen cloth. He took the body off the cross and wrapped it in the soft linen. In John it says that Nicodemus was also with Joseph. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes to be put on Jesus' body. The Bible says the weight of the myrrh and aloes was about seventy-five pounds. That would have been a lot more than what they usually would have used on a normal burial. Joseph and Nicodemus took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices and strips of linen.
At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden close by. In this garden, Joseph had cut out of the rock a new tomb. It says in Matthew that it was a tomb that Joseph had for himself someday. Not thinking of himself, he instead laid Jesus in his own new tomb. Then Joseph rolled a big stone in front of the entrance and went away.
There were also some women that followed Joseph to the new tomb. They watched how he laid the dead body down. Then they too went home and prepared spices and perfumes that they wanted to use for the body of Jesus.
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The next day, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate. Imagine what Pilate might have thought when he seen these men coming. I bet he sighed and groaned inside. He probably thought what now? What next do these "religious people" want?
They came to Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember that while He was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that He has been raise from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first."
Pilate ordered that they take a guard and make sure the tomb would be secure. So the scribes and pharisees put a seal on the stone and a guard by the entrance of the grave.
We are not told what the disciples were doing during this time, but I wonder what they must have been thinking. Surely, they remembered what Jesus said about rising on the third day. Or maybe they were so sad to have Jesus now dead that they did not think of Him ever being alive on earth again.
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When the Sabbath was over, the ladies were up early. So early that it was still dark. The ladies that prepared their special spices waited all day yesterday for this moment. They finally were able to go to the tomb and put these ointments on Jesus' dead body!
As they walked to the tomb, they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" They were going with a purpose! They were going to somehow get those spices on that body! But, as they walked down that damp, dew path to the entrance of the tomb, they saw that the large rock was rolled away!
"There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the lord came down from heaven and , going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightening, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men." Matt. 28:1 -4
Oh, my! These ladies definitely were not expecting this when they arrived at the tomb! As they asked each other as to how they would get that huge stone rolled away, God sent down an angel to do it for them!
The ladies were afraid. Seeing a being that is like lightening and so white was terrifying! But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; HE HAS RISEN, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." Matt. 28: 5 & 6. In Luke it also says, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; HE HAS RISEN! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'" "Then they remembered his words."
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When I started this journal, I would have never thought it would be in four parts!!! I sit here turning from one gospel to the next, trying to gather as much information as I can get with each scene! Try this for yourself and see what you receive from it! Amazing!!! Truely amazing!
Part four coming up next!
