APRIL "EASTER" EDITION- (2018) by Dr. Keith J. Wise
I. Introduction: Easter or "Resurrection Sunday" as many in the Christian world like to reference this date on the Christian calendar, is found in early April this year. To facilitate this important occasion I will, in most part, be dedicating this month's blog to many of the events around the resurrection.
For the Christian, the resurrection is the core of the Christian message and hope. It is so implicative that the Apostle Paul writing about A.D.56 will declare to the Corinthians that "...if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith."(I Cor. 15:14) It is by no accident that the Lord entered the city of Jerusalem by fulfilled prophecy in his triumphal entry, later dedicating in the Passover His New Covenant known to us as Communion or the Lord's Supper. This was followed by being arrested and tried by fulfilled prophecy, crucified by the hands of Romans and Jews and the will of God the Father Himself. (Ish.53:10) Consequently, he was buried and resurrected in a glorified body in the city of Jerusalem. This location is as important to the account as would be any other factor in the whole drama of the passion of Christ. God the Father knew the scepticism of the human heart. Consequently, he knew the propaganda that would issue forth from the propositions offered later in Apostolic preaching. The Apostle Peter's first sermon in Acts 2 dramatised the power of the Holy Spirit to preach concise facts with amazing evidence. Exhibit A was an empty tomb as the population of Jerusalem with its skeptics, could examine for themselves, these marvelous events. Concurrently, one has to understand the power of this preaching and the response of 3,000 on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, fifty days after Passover. A new wrinkle prophetically revealed in Judaism would change the world.
It is providential that Jerusalem was the center of the passion week. Jesus reminded the Apostles in Luke 24:44-49 that he fulfilled "everything" about himself in three libraries of Jewish tradition; "...in the law of Moses,(Torah or Tanakh), the Prophets,(Nevi'im), and the Psalms,(Ketuvim or Writings)..." If one approaches the Prophets without their eschatological prejudice, one can see for instance the Gospel according to Zechariah in the first coming of Christ and the Church. (see Zechariah 9:9-11; 11:7-14; 10:4; 12:10-13:6) The paramount point, already noted, was for the average Jew of the time physical proof. (note the Emmaus road experience. (Luke 24:13-35) The testimony of those that experienced the darkness and later the earthquake in Jerusalem must have had some effect. More officially, the seal of Rome over the tomb with the sacerdotal aristocracy of the Jews feeling secure that the body would not be stolen, and the Romans officials present must have seemed settled and complete. The pieces of information would have a been conclusively interesting to a somewhat literate population. and that would have been: First, the empty tomb. Peter in Acts 2 gives every evidence of this as proof of the risen Lord. (Remember, Peter was the first Apostle to enter the tomb) Second, and not a minor item, was the change of attitude of the disciples. These squirming, hiding disciples during the crucifixion, now become the bold proclaimers of the risen Christ in the book of Acts. They were so convinced by the evidence and the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus they were willing to die for the message, and they did, in most part, as martyrs of the faith, except for John.
We could go on and on with the accounts and tremendous evidences of the literal bodily resurrection of Jesus the Christ. (See any number of apologetic and scholarly works for the last hundred years). However, you as a believer must not let the doubters with shabby criticism deter your faith. Do not let such arguments as the differing timelines of the gospel writers or the different people at various events of the passion week distract you. Secular distortions as the darkness at the crucifixion site being interpreted as some high-altitude, dust-laden windstorm that darkened the sun are preposterous. None of the sirocco winds, common in the desert, would not have lasted three hours as noted by the darkness chronicle. See my sermon below adding to this evidence of a Roman Centurion expressing faith. Also, see sources below.
II. DIGGING DEEPER... Evidence and Sources for Believing
Introduction: There are any number of reasons to believe the sources and evidences for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Often we see and read the accounts and places in our modern context of sequencing of events and don't understand what we perceive as contradictions. When one examines these sources and events through the eyes of a first century oriental mind then they make sense. Just as the Apostle Paul and the other Apostles had to translate and explain to the Greek mind the teachings, the Judaistic doctrines and comparisons, we must compare the sources for the origins of Jesus as Messiah, Lord and Savior. Matthew in his gospel will present Him as King and this, a conclusive measure of our Faith. If we can categorize by topic, the items of interest in the resurrection story, we come away with some new insights and corroboration of the event. Let us consider the following sequence of events:
1. The Roman Guards and Seal of the Tomb: The account of the Romans guards sealing the tomb was simply to establish "authority" over the burial site. Archaeologist have found numerous seals of various kinds throughout the Middle East of Roman occupation. Once formally set, strong legal or even the penalty of death could be exercised. This makes sense with the religious leaders raising the speculation that someone might steal the body. These guards were both Roman and part of the Jewish Temple guard who will return to the chief priest to report what had happened at the tomb rather than to Pilate. Matthew 27:65,66 also verses 62-66(Source: FF Bruce) Remember, if a Roman guard member fell asleep, he was beaten and burned with his own clothes. But not only was this one guard executed in time, but the entire twelve or sixteen man guard unit was executed if only one of the members fell asleep while on duty.
2. The Large Stone of the Tomb: Who moved the stone? Polybius the Roman historian noted that a "guard" or "watch" consisted of 12 or 16 soldiers, four or more per three hour period. There are records of there being as many as 120 guards after a seal of Rome was placed. The Roman guard would not have been interested in violating such a place or doing anything other than obeying the orders of his superiors. Note that "some of the guards" report to the chief priests.(Matt. 28:11) Whatever the size of this party of guards they could not have moved such a large stone by the accounts of all the sources. The tomb was a new one, hewn out of solid rock. (Matthew 27:60, Mark 15:46) We know in addition to the tomb's description that it was owned by a wealthy member of the Council (Joseph of Arimathea) a leader "...waiting for the kingdom of God."(Luke 23:50-56) This also fulfilled another prophecy in Isaiah 53:9 both in terms of Barabbas('the wicked") and the owner of the tomb Joseph, "the rich").
3. The Environment of Secure Religious Leaders and Frightened Disciples: This is not often mentioned, but the efforts of the Roman authorities and the temple guard gave the religious leaders a sense of satisfaction that the tomb would not be molested. That attitude of human hubris and prideful conclusions of ridding themselves of Jesus before all the events had unfolded was evident. The story was not over when the tomb was sealed by men and secured by human government. When the women came early in the morning to complete the final preparation of the body, the stone was moved and the seal broken as the startled women were as the NIV records "wondering;" Two Angels at the tomb according to Luke asked: "..."Why are looking among the dead for someone who is alive?" (NLT) These women went back and reported what they had seen to the disciples, but as verse 11 tells us, "...their words to them (the disciples) seemed like nonsense..." Peter now ran to the tomb and found the strips of linen lying by themselves, giving again mute testimony that the tomb had not been raided or broken into by man. Quit the contrary, God had broken out with a new message of victory and hope for the world.
SCHOLARLY SOURCES:
1. Apostolic Preaching of the resurrection in Jerusalem: Bible:Acts 2-8.
2. Justin: Justin Martyr: Dialogue with Trypho, 108.
3. Juda the Gardener: This account from the Toledoth Jeshu appears in the Wagenseil text, the Strassburg Ms., and especially the Vindobona Ms.
4. Pilate's Acta: Justin Martyr, Apology, I, XXXV, xlviii.
5. Roman Edit On Grave Robbery: F. Cumont, "Un Rescrit Imperial sur la Violation de Sépulture," Revue historique, clxiii (1930), 241-266; and F. de Zulueta, "Violation of Sepulture in Palestine at the Beginning of the Christian Era," Journal of Roman Studies, xxii (1932), 184-197.
IV. NUGGETS OF NOURISHMENT: A Sermon: When the Roman Centurion Expressed Faith.
Text: Matthew 27:45-54
Introduction: The crucifixion of Jesus Christ has stirred the heart and mind of millions over the years. This is why it is called "good news." It is a contrast of reality in that at one point it is overwhelming and at another underwhelming. The only Apostle to witnessed the crucifixion was John. Luke the Physician-Historian simple says in one phrase verse, "...there they crucified him." (Luke 23:33b) When we think of how Jesus found himself on the cross were are amazed. It was an orchestrated process of treachery. His fellow countrymen traded Jesus' life for a known murderer and anarchist, Barabbas. A trusted Apostle, Judas, betrayed him. One of his inner circle, Peter, denied him and all but John deserted him. An illegal court sentenced Him. Roman soldiers then beat Him along with crucifying Him with the authority of Rome.
There is a counting going on as well. We have one sinless Lord, two thieves, three crosses, four garments, five wounds as medical experts attest, six hours, and seven statements from Jesus himself. Remarkably, the manner in which he died impressed those who saw it and evoked a response from non other than an expert in crucifixion, the Centurion. We know nothing about this man other than his station in life as a Centurion and his statement: "...Surely He was the son of God." Christian tradition knows him as Longinus, (Marcellus Gallio) in the historical fiction written by Lloyd C. Douglas entitled "The Robe."
The Centurion then Exhibits:
I. A Level of Faith- He took notice of the death, the seven word of Christ. This Centurion along with his comrades helped by:
A. Nailing nails into Jesus' hands and feet. (Crucifixion was cruel and we have archaeological evidence of how this was done.) They watched him die and new by examination that he was dead. (spear in his side and did not break his legs)
B. Heard more distinctly the words coming from the mouth of Jesus.
Considered thought: Did this faith save him like that of the thief on the cross? We are not told. Besides, as long as Jesus was alive he could set the terms for salvation to fit the circumstances of the heart. See examples in the Gospels. We know that after his death, burial and resurrection, the preaching of the Apostles set the plan of salvation into place from the Lord to show us how to become Christians. (See the book of Acts for conversions of Jews and Gentiles) This amazing event in the life of the Centurion provides us with...
II. The World's Greatest Need- It is my human observation, two factors impressed the Centurion: 1.) The reaction to how Jesus died. He had seen many deaths as a Centurion executing the death decree of the state. By his reaction, Jesus died differently than the two thieves beside him, and others he would have experienced in the execution of his job. 2.) Being superstitious by nature, the climactic action of nature must have impressed him. The events we note are: the darkness for three hours in the afternoon, the earthquake, the tearing of the temple curtain between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies that would have made an indelible impression. Matthew tells us that after Jesus' resurrection the tombs were opened and many righteous people when into the Holy City.(Matt. 27:52-53)
CONCLUSION: The impressive proclamation of the Centurion to a world of lost people, seeking help and a savior is profound. As we bind the whole series of events around the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the Church had a world changing message we call the "Good News." We must faithfully proclaim this message in every hamlet, village and urban environment. People need the Lord today, a risen triumphant Lord and Savior and one who loves every person in every place on this planet. Finally, the spiritual dimension of this is profound. The writer of Hebrews connect it in this way: "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death- that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2:14-15)
V. QUOTABLE QUOTES:
By Charles Colson: "I know the resurrection is a fact and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Everyone was beaten, tortured, stoned, and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it were not true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world- and they couldn't keep a lie for three weeks. You're telling me me 12 Apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible"!
