Saturday, 15 April 2017

Risen - ? - !

Pre-Jesus Jerusalem multi-use tomb being modelled by excavators - roof collapsed
In John’s account following the execution of Jesus on the Roman cross we read:
Early on Sunday morning,[a] while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

Monday, 10 April 2017

Dead

Jesus “Was crucified, dead, and buried..” - old words, long used. An even older statement is found in Paul’s writings:
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, NRSV).

The purpose of Jesus' coming was indicated from the outset. (See, for example, posts "Saviour"; "Lamb of God"). Jesus himself made it very plain well beforehand that his death was no tragic defeat or failure of strategy:
The reason my Father loves me is that I give up my life. But I will take it back again. No one takes it from me. I give it up myself. I have the authority to give it up. And I have the authority to take it back again. I received this command from my Father.”
The Jews who heard these words could not agree with one another. Many of them said, “He is controlled by a demon. He has gone crazy! Why should we listen to him?” (John 10: 17-20, NIRV) Too plain! What offended them so? Must have been that claim Jesus' made.