Archive for the ‘Part 4’ Category

PART 4

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008


PART 4

RESURRECTION
AND
FINAL APPEARANCES





168. The Disappearance of Jesus’ Body

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        2And behold, an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone. 4And for fear the guards trembled and became like dead men.
        11Some of the guards went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sum of money to the soldiers 13and said, “Tell people, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' 14And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15So they took the money and did as they were directed.
        (Mt. 28:2, 4, 11–15)



Mt. 28:2   behold, an / behold, there was a great earthquake; for an (RSV) • stone. / stone and sat upon it. (RSV)
Mt. 28:4   fear the / fear of him the (RSV)
Mt. 28:11  Some / While they were going, behold, some (RSV)   (189:2/2022–4)




169. The Women Discover the Empty Tomb

        1And when the Sabbath was past, toward the dawn of the first day of the week,a Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James,b and Salome,c bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 3And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?”
        4And they saw that the stone was rolled back. It was very large. 3But when they went in they did not find the body.
        (Mk. 16:1, 3–4; Lk. 24:3)



a   “the first day of the week”—Sunday.

b   “Mary, the mother of James”—James Alpheus, the apostle.

c   “Salome”—The mother of James and John Zebedee.

Mk. 16:1  past, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary (Mt. 28:1) / past, Mary (RSV)
Mk. 16:4  And they / And looking up, they (RSV)   (189:4/2025–6)

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170. Jesus’ Appearance to Mary

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        11Mary Magdalene stood outside the tomb. 14She turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will get him”
        6Jesus said to her,“Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man would be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise.”
        8And they remembered his words.
        16Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
        She turned and said to him, “Master!”
        17Jesus said to her, “Touch me not.a I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my apostles —and Peter—and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father.”
        (Jn. 20:11, 14–15; Lk. 24:6–8; Jn. 20:16–17)



a   “Touch me not"—It is a fact that Jesus' earthly body was not in the tomb; it is also a fact that the resurrected Jesus appeared to Mary (and many others). Given these two facts, it might be assumed that Jesus appeared to Mary in his (former) earthly body. However, the fact that Jesus tells Mary not to touch his body suggests otherwise.
        Jesus is ascending to his Father and he tarries on earth for a time in his new heavenly body. Mary does not at first recognize Jesus in his new “ascending” form.
        In this and his other appearances following his resurrection Jesus appears and disappears at will, sometimes within closed and locked rooms. This further confirms that Jesus' risen body is not earthly flesh, but composed of a more spiritual substance.

Jn. 20:11  Mary / But Mary (RSV) • Mary Magdalene stood (Jn. 20:1) / Mary stood (RSV) • stood outside / stood weeping outside (RSV) • tomb. / tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; (RSV)
Jn. 20:14  She / Saying this, she (RSV)
Jn. 20:15  will get him.” (NIV) / will take him away." (RSV)
Lk. 24:6  Jesus said to her, “Remember / Remember (RSV)
Lk. 24:7   Man would be / Man must be (RSV)
Jn. 20:16  him, “Master!” (KJV) / him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means teacher). (RSV)
Jn. 20:17  Touch me not. (KJV) / Do not touch me, (RSV) • I / for I (RSV) • my apostles—and Peter—and (Mk. 16:7; Ch. 22, fn. a) / my brethren and (RSV) • Father.” / Father, to my God and your God.” (RSV)   (189:4/2026–7)

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171. The Women Report to the Apostles

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        9And returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
        (Lk. 24:9–11)



(189:4/2027)


172. Peter and John Go to the Tomb

        3Peter then came out with the other disciple,a and they went toward the tomb. 4They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5Stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, 7and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed.
        10Then the disciples went back to their homes.
        (Jn. 20:3–8, 10)



a   “the other disciple”—This other disciple is John Zebedee, the author of this gospel of John. In his gospel writings John generally refers to himself in the third person (e.g., “He,” “the other disciple,” “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” etc.).

Jn. 20:5 Stooping to / and stooping to (RSV)   (189:5/2027–8)

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173. The Walk with Cleopas and His Brother

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        13That very day two men were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, “What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?”
        And they stood still, looking sad. 18Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
        19And he said to them, “What things?”
        And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. 20 Our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. 22Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early this morning 23and did not find his body. 24Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
        (Lk. 24:13–24) (continued)



Lk. 24:13  two men were / two of them were (RSV)
Lk. 24:20  Our / and how our (RSV)
Lk. 24:22  early this morning (NIV) / early in the morning (RSV)
Lk. 24:24  but they did not see Jesus. (NRSV) / but him they did not see. (RSV)   (190:5/2034–5)

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173. The Walk with Cleopas and His Brother (continued)

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        25And he said to them, “O slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” 27And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures.
        28So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, 29but they constrained him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. 31And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?”
        33And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them. 34They said, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to us!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
        (Lk. 24:25, 27–35)



Lk. 24:25  O slow / O foolish men and slow (RSV)
Lk. 24:27  them what referred to him in (NAB) / them in (RSV) • scriptures. / scriptures the things concerning himself. (RSV)
Lk. 24:33  Jerusalem. They / Jerusalem, and they (RSV)
Lk. 24:34  They said, (NRSV) / who said, (RSV) • to us!” / to Simon!” (RSV)   (190:5/2035–6)

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174. The First Appearance

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        19On the evening of that day, the first day of the week,a the doors being shut where the apostles were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
        37But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit.
        38And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?” 14And he upbraided them for their unbelief, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 44“This is what I told you while I was still with you.”b
        20Then the apostles were glad when they saw the Lord.
        (Jn. 20:19; Lk. 24:37–38; Mk. 16:14; Lk. 24:44; Jn. 20:20)



(continued from following page)
        Jesus’ life on earth is so valuable to us because he lived his teachings. He demonstrated a new and higher type of faith—a living faith in God. This faith was wholly personal and purely spiritual. His entire life exhibited this living faith. This spiritual attitude dominated his thinking and feeling, his believing and praying, his teaching and preaching.
        Jesus challenges us to achieve this faith—not only to believe what he believed, but also as he believed. This is the full meaning of his one supreme requirement to “follow me.” Jesus desires that his disciples fully share his extraordinary faith. He wants us to trust in God as he trusted in God and to believe in men as he believed in men.
        Jesus does not so much require his followers to believe in him as he requires us to believe with him, believe that we are all children of a loving heavenly Father. He wants us to believe in the reality of the love of God and, in full confidence, to accept our status and security as his sons and daughters on earth.

a   “the first day of the week”—Sunday.

b   “This is what I told you while I was still with you.”—Here Jesus reminds the apostles that he clearly told them that he would be betrayed and delivered into the hands of the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews, be put to death, and on the third day rise.

Jn. 20:19  the apostles were (Ch. 22, fn. a) / the disciples were (RSV)
Lk. 24:38  do doubts rise (NIV) / do questions rise (RSV) • your minds?” (NIV) / your hearts?” (RSV)
Mk. 16:14  unbelief, because / unbelief and hardness of heart, because (RSV)
Lk. 24:44  “This is what I told you (AB) / Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, (RSV) • you. / you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (RSV)
Jn. 20:20  the apostles were (Ch. 22, fn. a) / the disciples were (RSV)   (191:2/2040)

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175. The Second Appearance

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        24Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other apostles told him, “We have seen the Lord.”
        But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
        26Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be upon you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Be not faithless, but believing.”a
        28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
        29Jesus said to him, “You have believed because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing.”
        (Jn. 20:24–29)



a   “Be not faithless, but believing.”—Consider the central role that faith played in Jesus’ personal religion, the gospel of the kingdom: Faith is the price we pay for admission into the kingdom. By faith we advance, make progress, in the kingdom. By faith we are justified, and gain eternal salvation. By faith we may be made whole. Jesus once said, “If you have faith . . . nothing will be impossible to you.” (Ch. 28; Mt. 17:20)
        Jesus lived an ideal religious life. In his faith we may discover the ideal human faith, the greatest faith our world has ever known. Jesus’ faith grew to such heights of trust that it overcame all human fear and doubt. And as his followers we may learn from him, and make Jesus the “author and finisher of our faith.”
        The human Jesus looked upon God as our loving Father in heaven. His God is the Father of all, and he loves each human personality with an infinite Fatherly affection. Jesus looked upon men as God’s children and his brethren in the flesh. He elevated the idea of God as a Father to a sublime faith experience with his teaching that every human personality is a child of this Father of love, a son of God.
        Jesus trusted God as a small child trusts his earthly parent. His faith was childlike but never childish. He depended on God as a child depends upon his earthly parent. He was absolutely certain and secure in his trust in the Father’s guidance, overcare, and protection. Even in the face of apparent defeat and a cruel and unjust death, he was unmoved in his faith. Faith was his spiritual anchorage, ever keeping him secure throughout the many trials and tribulations of his life.
        By faith Jesus bore the transcendent fruits of the spirit. By faith he lived secure in the presence of his heavenly Father. And by faith he achieved his one great purpose in life—the knowing and doing of the Father’s will.        (continued on preceding page)

Jn. 20:25  other apostles told (Ch. 22, fn. a) / other disciples told (RSV)
Jn. 20:26  be upon you.” (KJV) / be with you.” (RSV)
Jn. 20:27  Be not faithless (KJV) / Do not be faithless (RSV)
Jn. 20:29  You have believed (NIV) / Have you believed (RSV) • who believe without seeing.” (Ber) / who have not seen yet believe.”(RSV)   (191:5/2042–3)

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176. Appearance by the Sea of Galilee

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        1After this Jesus revealed himself again to the apostles by the Sea of Tiberias,a and he revealed himself in this way. 2Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and his other apostles were together. 3Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing.
        4Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the apostles did not know that it was Jesus. 5Jesus said to them, “Lads, have you any fish?”
        They answered him, “No.”
        6He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish.
        7That disciple whom Jesus lovedb said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. 8But the other apostles came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, but about a hundred yards off.
        9When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, and bread. 10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish.” 11So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the apostles after he was raised from the dead.
        (Jn. 21:1–14)



a   “the Sea of Tiberias"—the Sea of Galilee.

b   “That disciple whom Jesus loved”—John Zebedee. See Ch. 172, fn. a.

Jn. 21:1   the apostles by (Ch. 22, fn. a) / the disciples by (RSV)
Jn. 21:2   and his other apostles were (Ch. 22, fn. a) / and two others of his disciples were (RSV)
Jn. 21:4   the apostles did (Ch. 22, fn. a) / the disciples did (RSV)
Jn. 21:5   them, “Lads, have (Wms) / them, “Children, have (RSV)
Jn. 21:8   other apostles came (Ch. 22, fn. a) / other disciples came (RSV)
Jn. 21:9   there, and / there, with fish lying on it, and (RSV)
Jn. 21:10  fish.” / fish that you have just caught.” (RSV)
Jn. 21:14  the apostles after (Ch. 22, fn. a) / the disciples after (RSV)   (192:1/2045–7)

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177. The Visit with Peter

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
        He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”
        He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
        16A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
        He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”
        He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
        17He said to him a third time, “Simon, do you love me?”
        Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
        Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” 19And after this he said to him, “Follow me.”
        20Peter turned and saw John following them. 21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”
        22Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come back, what is that to you? Follow me!”
        23The saying spread abroad among the brethren that this apostle was not to die [before the Master's return]; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
        (Jn. 21:15–17, 19–23)



Jn. 21:15  me?” / me more than these?” (RSV)
Jn. 21:17  Simon, do / Simon, son of John, do (RSV)
Jn. 21:20  saw John following them. / saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” (RSV)
Jn. 21:22  come back, what / come, what (RSV)
Jn. 21:23  this apostle was (Ch. 22, fn. a) / this disciple was (RSV) • die [before the Master's return]; / die; (RSV) (192:2/2047–8)




178. Appearance on the Mountain

        16The eleven apostles went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17And when they saw him they woshiped him.
        (Mt. 28:16S–17)



Mt. 28:16  The eleven / Now the eleven (RSV) • eleven apostles went (Ch. 22, fn. a) / eleven disciples went (RSV)   (192:3/2050)

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179. The Last Appearance

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        3To the apostles Jesus presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. a 4And being assembled together with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father:b 49“And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.”
        6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”c
        8He said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,d and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”
        (Ac. 1:3–4; Lk. 24:49; Ac. 1:6, 8)



a   “speaking of the kingdom of God.” —After his death Jesus continues to emphasize the central concept of his ministry—the kingdom of God (the rule of God in the heart of the individual believer).

b   “the promise of the Father”—the Spirit of Truth. “But when the Comforter comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth....” (Ch. 140, Jn. 15:26)

c   “will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”—The apostles still cling to their long-nourished concepts of a Jewish Messiah who restores Israel's political kingdom. But Jesus was not a material Messiah coming to reestablish the political power of the Jewish state. He responds by promising that new spiritual power will come upon the apostles, and that they will then go into all the world preaching the gospel of the kingdom.

d   “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”—Here again the influence and activity of the Holy Spirit is closely associated with the coming of the “new Counselor,” the Spirit of Truth. (See Ch. 140, fn. b and Ch. 141, fn. c.)

Ac. 1:3  To the apostles Jesus presented (Ch. 22, fn. a) / To them he presented (RSV)
Ac. 1:4  And being assembled together with (KJV) / And while staying with (RSV) • Father. / Father, which he said, “you heard from me, (RSV)
Ac. 1:8  He said, “You / But you (RSV)   (193:3/2055)




180. Jesus' Ascension

        50He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 19Then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, parted from them and was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
        (Lk. 24:50; Mk. 16:19)



Mk. 16:19  Then / So then (RSV) • them, parted from them and was (Lk. 24:51) / them, was (RSV)   (193:5/2057)

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181. The Disciples Meet in the Upper Room

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
        12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away; 13and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the brother of James.
        15Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16“Brethren, the scripture has been fulfilled concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17For he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry.”
        20“It is written in the book of Psalms, 'His office let another take.' 21So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 26And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.
        (Ac. 1:12–13, 15–17, 20–23, 26)



Ac. 1:13  Judas the brother of (KJV) / Judas, the son of (RSV)
Ac. 1:15  Peter / In those days Peter (RSV)
Ac. 1:16  scripture has been fulfilled / scripture had to be fulfilled (RSV) • fulfilled concerning / fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning (RSV)
Ac. 1:20  “It / For it (RSV) • Psalms, 'His / Psalms, 'Let his habitation become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it'; and 'His (RSV)   (193:6/2057–8)



182. Bestowal of the Spirit of Truth

        14All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
        2And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirita and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
        (Ac. 1:14; 2:2, 4)



a   “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit”—In response to the coming of the Spirit of Truth, the spirit counselor Jesus promised to send after his death. (See Ch. 140, fn. b, Ch. 141, fns. a—e, and Ch. 142, fn. a.)

(194:0/2059)

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