Category Archives: Jesus

Holy Week – Friday

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Crucifix from Misson Espiritu in Goliad,TX

Matthew 27:1-61, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:66 – 23:56, John 18:28 – 19:42

See Holy Week 2014 – Friday – Jesus Asked For a Drink

Exodus 12:3-6 is the story of the Passover. The Israelites were to pick a one-year-old sheep or goat on the 10th day and take care of it until the 14th day when it was to be killed at twilight. (God started a “new month” for them; so there was a civil calendar and a religious calendar.) This shadows the last five days. The “darkness over the land” now makes sense because His time before Pilate and the trip with the cross was done in the morning. There needed to be “twilight.”

Moses as a type of Jesus ate the Passover lamb and then led the people to freedom; so Jesus ate the lamb and then led us out of sin to freedom. The Gospel of John makes so many connections between Jesus and the lamb – His silence during the trials and no breaking of His bones. The only questions Jesus answered were ones that directly dealt with His kingship and His relation to the Father.

Jesus trials are even shadowed when Moses had his meetings with Pharaoh. Pilate, however, was at least making an attempt to let Him go (it was a weak attempt). As I read John I wondered how the Gospel writers got conversations between Jesus and Pilate; another question that has to wait until Heaven.

I wish I could remember whose sermon this came from but here is something to hold on too – It maybe Friday but Sunday is coming!

Holy Week – Thursday

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Thursday of Holy Week was a powerful for Jesus.

Matthew 26:17-75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke22: 7-65, John 13:1 -18:27

See Holy Week 2014 – Thursday – Jesus Eagerly Desired

WOW! What a week. Put on Jesus’ shoes for a few minutes; treated like royalty, symbolically killed the old system (the fig tree), taught and defended your teachings in the center of your religion and started to prepare for your death. The emotions of the man Jesus because of the knowledge of the God Jesus must have been overwhelming.

The new continues as He changes the Passover meal and the concept of who is the “greatest.”

The Garden Prayers have always fascinated me because the few lines have never seemed like enough to last for hours. Luke 24:44 says Moses, Psalms and the Prophets have things that had to be fulfilled. Jesus prayed three times and each time it seems like He was more intense until Judas showed up. I will grant that this is my imagination but I put together scriptures that might sound like those prayers. Due to the length I am going to list only parts of the first prayer, this one is about six pages long. (All of these are from the NIV version.)

  • Ps 8:1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
  • Ps 18:1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
  • Ps 9:7 The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment.
  • Ps 9:8 He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice.
  • Ps 9:9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
  • Ps 9:10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
  • Ps 36:5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
  • Ps 36:6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.
  • Ps 36:7 How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
  • Ps 36:8 They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.
  • Ps 36:9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

The middle of the prayer.

  • Ps 56:1 Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack.
  • Ps 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
  • Ps 56:4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
  • Ps 61:1 Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
  • Ps 61:2 From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
  • Ps 61:3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.
  • Ps 61:4 I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
  • Ps 60:5 Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.
  • Ps 91:2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
  • Ps 91:3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
  • Ps 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

The end of the prayer.

  • Ps 119:28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.
  • Ps 119:29 Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law.
  • Ps 119:30 I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.
  • Ps 119:31 I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame.
  • Ps 119:32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.
  • Ps 42:1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
  • Ps 42:2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
  • Ps 42:3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
  • Ps 42:4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
  • Ps 42:5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
  • Ps 38:9 All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.
  • Ps 38:10 My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.

Then to go from hours of prayer to a trial that you know will not end good.

HOLY WEEK – WEDNESDAY

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Scripture References: Matthew 26:3-16, Mark 14:1-11, Luke 22:1-6

See Holy Week 2014 – Wednesday – Jesus Received Something Beautiful

I know this is a simple thought but everything that is written for today deals with Jesus’ death; the priest and Judas and Jesus being anointed. It has amazed me how many great stories and teachings take place in this week.

There is one thought I just don’t buy even after hearing learned preachers and others have given their thoughts- Judas was not a poor misunderstood individual. I have put him into a play and just study him and his types and shadows from the Old Testament and I believe that the rebuke (yes, I think Judas was complaining at the dinner) and the fact that he could not get his hands on the money for the perfume just sent him over the top. Please see my blogs on Judas and Judas in the Old Testament.

Matthew 26:3-163 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. 8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you,but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.(NIV)

Holy Week – Tuesday

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Tuesday starts out in Matthew 21:18-26 20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. (NIV) If you read my blog about the meaning of the fig tree I will encourage you to look at Jesus’ “teaching/explanations” in light of “old religion” dying and the importance of faith. Jesus spent most of Tuesday dealing with traps from angry religious leaders and of course His own jabs back at them.

The widow’s mite is a completely different thought process from what most of us have.

The religion in the leaders showed up in His disciples as they left the Temple awed by the rock/stones of the wall.

See Holy Week 2014 – Tuesday – Jesus Saw

Scripture References:

Matthew 21:18-26, Mark 11:20-13:37, Luke 20:1 -21:38:

  • The Authority of Jesus Questioned
  • The Parable of the Tenants
  • Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar
  • Marriage at the Resurrection
  • The Greatest Commandment
  • Whose Son Is the Messiah?
  • Warning Against the Teachers of the Law
  • The Widow’s Offering
  • The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times
  • The Day and Hour Unknown

Tuesday ends with Luke 20:1 -21:38 37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and Garden-of-Gethsemane-olive-trees,-tb051906423-bibleplaceseach evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, 38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.

It is interesting that Luke mentions the Mount of Olives (the place that will split open, Zechariah 14:3-5, and where the Garden was) and not Bethany.

(All verses and topics are from the NIV.)

Mount of Olives http://www.bibleplaces.com/mtolives.htm

Crucifixion Fish

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If you ever visit a Texas beach or a Gulf Coast beach you may see one of these. It is part of a catfish skeleton that is called the Crucifixion Fish. If the piece is dried well it will rattle like the “dice” that were used to cast lots for Jesus’ garment. It is actually the “head” of the fish and since people have searched for the name we affectionally call them Hardhead Catfish.

Crux fish 2