Justin Taylor's Blog, page 335

Sojourn Music: "The Water and the Blood"

A video preview of Sojourn's excellent new album, "The Water and the Blood":

For more about this album, see Mike Cosper's post, "." At the end of the post you can download one of the songs for free.

Everything Sad Will Come Untrue

"Is everything sad going to come untrue?"

—Sam Gangee to Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings (chapter 4, Book Six)

"[Some mortals] say of some temporal suffering, "No future bliss can make up for it," not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory."

—C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce, chapter 9.

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"

—Revelation 22:20

Can Hope Be Wrong? On the New Universalists

James K.A. Smith:

The question, then, is just what compels one to be an evangelical universalist? Some resort to prooftexting, operating with a naive, selective reading of Scripture. I'm going to do the evangelical universalist a favor and ignore such a strategy, only because I think it can be so easily refuted. (Many of these evangelical universalists would pounce on such selective prooftexting in other contexts.)

No, the motivation for evangelical universalism is not really a close reading of the Bible's claims about eternity. Instead, it seems that the macro-motivation for evangelical universalism is less a text and more a hermeneutic, a kind of "sensibility" about the very nature of God as "love" (which includes its own implicit sensibility about the nature of love). Two phrases you will often hear from evangelical universalists involve hope and our imagination. (For a sample combination of this constellation of concerns, see Lauren Winner's essay on Rob Bell in yesterday's New York Times Book Review.) The concern is often formulated something like this:

1) "I can't imagine" that a God of love would condemn Gandhi to hell. (Always Gandhi. Why Gandhi? As Ross Douthat asks, can you insert Tony Soprano here? Doesn't the evangelical universalist case of Gandhi imply a kind of salvation by works? But I digress…) Or, as Winner puts it, evangelical universalists "can't imagine their secular friends aren't going to heaven."

2) "I don't know if all will be saved but I hope this will be true." I'm firmly committed to the particularity of Christ, the evangelical universalist will emphasize. I just hope that God's salvation is not so particular that he only saves some. And it is precisely God's love and mercy that make me hope in this way.The question then is: are these hopes and imaginings sufficiently warranted to overturn the received, orthodox doctrines concerning final judgment and eternal damnation? Are these sufficient to overturn the narrative thrust of Scripture and the clearer reading of biblical passages that suggest otherwise?

Read the rest for a thoughtful response.

And for those continuing to follow the Rob Bell discussion, here is a radio debate/discussion between Bell and Adrian Warnock. From what I've been able to hear thus far, they get into quite a few issues and Adrian handles himself quite well.

Creed or Chaos

The conclusion to David Brooks's thoughtful op-ed in the NYT:

I was once in an AIDS-ravaged village in southern Africa. The vague humanism of the outside do-gooders didn't do much to get people to alter their risky behavior. The blunt theological talk of the church ladies — right and wrong, salvation and damnation — seemed to have a better effect.

He Is Risen!

A dramatic rendering of John chapter 20, from the Word of Promise NT audio.

Holy Week: What Happened on Easter Sunday?

With help from Craig Blomberg's excellent Jesus and the Gospels, here's a reconstruction of events on Easter Sunday. This is my final installment in the Holy Week series.

Some women arrive at Jesus' tomb near dawn, probably with Mary Magdalene arriving first.

Matthew 28:1

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

Mark 16:1-3

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another,

"Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?"

Luke 24:1

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.

John 20:1

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

Mary and the other women, instead of finding Jesus' body, are met by two young men who are angels; one of them announces Jesus' resurrection.

Matthew 28:2-7

And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women,

"Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you."

Mark 16:4-7

And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them,

"Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you."

Luke 24:2-7

And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them,

"Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise."

The women, fearful and joyful, leave the garden—at first unwilling to say anything to anyone about this but then changing their mind and going to tell the Eleven.

Mark 16:18

And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Matthew 28:8

So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Mary Magdalene likely rushes ahead and tells Peter and John before the other women arrive.

John 20:2

So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them,

"They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."

The other women, still en route to tell the disciples, are met by Jesus, who confirms their decision to tell the Eleven and promises to meet them in Galilee.

Matthew 28:9-10

And behold, Jesus met them and said,

"Greetings!"

And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.

Then Jesus said to them,

"Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

The women arrive and tell the disciples that Jesus is risen.

Luke 24:8-11

And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

Peter and John rush to the tomb (based on Mary Magdalene's report) and discover it empty.

John 20:3-10

So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Luke 24:12

But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

That afternoon Jesus appears to Cleopas and a friend on the road to Emmaus; later Jesus appears to Peter

Luke 24:13-35

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them,

"What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?"

And they stood still, looking sad. Then 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?"

And he said to them,

"What things?"

And they said to him,

"Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

And he said to them,

"O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying,

"Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent."

So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They 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?"

And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying,

"The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"

Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

That evening Jesus appears to the Ten (minus Thomas) in a house (with locked doors) in Jerusalem

Luke 24:36-43

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them,

"Peace to you!"

But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.

And he said to them,

"Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."

And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them,

"Have you anything here to eat?"

They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.

John 20:19-23

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,

"Peace be with you."

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again,

"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,

"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."

God Created the World for Good Friday

John Piper explains how and why he has become more Christocentric in his preaching over the years. Here's the outline of his theological reasoning:

The apex of God's display of his own glory is the display of his grace.
God's glorification of his grace was planned before creation.
God's glorification of his grace was to happen through the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
From eternity the apex of God's glorification of his grace was designed to be Christ's crucifixion for sinners.
God's glorification of his grace in the crucifixion of his Son for sinners was the ultimate purpose for creating the universe.
Therefore God planned from eternity that the revelation of his glory would be the ultimate reason for creating the universe.

Read the whole thing for scriptural support and further explanation.

It's Friday . . .

Holy Week: What Happened on Good Friday?

With help from the ESV Study Bible, here's an attempted a harmony/chronology of the words and actions of Jesus in the final week of his pre-resurrection life.

Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested by the authorities (perhaps after midnight, early Friday morning)

Matthew 26:47-56

While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying,

"The one I will kiss is the man; seize him."

And he came up to Jesus at once and said,

"Greetings, Rabbi!"

And he kissed him.

Jesus said to him,

"Friend, do what you came to do."

Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him,

"Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?"

At that hour Jesus said to the crowds,

"Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."

Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Mark 14:43-52

And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying,

"The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard."

And when he came, he went up to him at once and said,

"Rabbi!"

And he kissed him. And they laid hands on him and seized him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus said to them,

"Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled."

And they all left him and fled.

And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Luke 22:47-53

While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him,

"Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?"

And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said,

"Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"

And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

But Jesus said,

"No more of this!"

And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him,

"Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."

John 18:2-12

Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them,

"Whom do you seek?"

They answered him,

"Jesus of Nazareth."

Jesus said to them,

"I am he."

Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them,

"I am he,"

they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again,

"Whom do you seek?"

And they said,

"Jesus of Nazareth."

Jesus answered,

"I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go."

This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken:

"Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one."

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter,

"Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"

So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him.

Jewish trial, phase 1: Jesus has a hearing before Annas (former high priest and Caiaphas's father-in-law)

John 18:13-14, 19-24

First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. . . .

The high priest [i.e., Annas] then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him,

"I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said."

When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying,

"Is that how you answer the high priest?"

Jesus answered him,

"If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?"

Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Jewish trial, phase 2: Jesus stands trial before Caiaphas and part of the Sanhedrin

Matthew 26:57-68

Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.

And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said,

"This man said,

'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.'"

And the high priest stood up and said,

"Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?"

But Jesus remained silent.

And the high priest said to him,

"I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."

Jesus said to him,

"You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Then the high priest tore his robes and said,

"He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?"

They answered,

"He deserves death."

Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying,

"Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?"

Mark 14:53-65

And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying,

"We heard him say,

'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'"

Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus,

"Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?"

But he remained silent and made no answer.

Again the high priest asked him,

"Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"

And Jesus said,

"I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."

And the high priest tore his garments and said,

"What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?"

And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him,

"Prophesy!"

And the guards received him with blows.

Peter denies Jesus

Matthew 26:69-75

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said,

"You also were with Jesus the Galilean."

But he denied it before them all, saying,

"I do not know what you mean."

And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders,

"This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."

And again he denied it with an oath:

"I do not know the man."

After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter,

"Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you."

Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear,

"I do not know the man."

And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus,

"Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."

And he went out and wept bitterly.

Mark 14:66-72

And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said,

"You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus."

But he denied it, saying,

"I neither know nor understand what you mean."

And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders,

"This man is one of them."

But again he denied it.

And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter,

"Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean."

But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear,

"I do not know this man of whom you speak."

And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him,

"Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."

And he broke down and wept.

Luke 22:55-62

And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.

Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said,

"This man also was with him."

But he denied it, saying,

"Woman, I do not know him."

And a little later someone else saw him and said,

"You also are one of them."

But Peter said,

"Man, I am not."

And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying,

"Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean."

But Peter said,

"Man, I do not know what you are talking about."

And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him,

"Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times."

And he went out and wept bitterly.

John 18:15-18, 25-27

Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in.

The servant girl at the door said to Peter,

"You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?"

He said,

"I am not."

Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him,

"Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?"

And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.

Perhaps after sunrise, phase 3 of Jesus' Jewish trial: final consultation before the full Sanhedrin; sent to Pilate

Matthew 27:1-2

When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.

And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.

Mark 15:1

And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole Council.

And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate.

Luke 22:66-71

When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said,

"If you are the Christ, tell us."

But he said to them,

"If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God."

So they all said,

"Are you the Son of God, then?"

And he said to them,

"You say that I am."

Then they said,

"What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips."

Judas hangs himself

Matthew 27:3-10

Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying,

"I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."

They said,

"What is that to us? See to it yourself."

And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said,

"It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money."

So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

"And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me."

Phase 1 of Jesus' Roman trial: first appearance before Pontius Pilate; sent to Herod Antipas

Matthew 27:11-14

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him,

"Are you the King of the Jews?"

Jesus said,

"You have said so."

But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer.

Then Pilate said to him,

"Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?"

But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Mark 15:2-5

And Pilate asked him,

"Are you the King of the Jews?"

And he answered him,

"You have said so."

And the chief priests accused him of many things.

And Pilate again asked him,

"Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you."

But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

Luke 23:1-7

Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying,

"We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king."

And Pilate asked him,

"Are you the King of the Jews?"

And he answered him,

"You have said so."

Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds,

"I find no guilt in this man."

But they were urgent, saying,

"He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place."

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.

Phase 2 of Jesus' Roman trial: appears before Herod Antipas; sent back to Pontius Pilate

Luke 23:6-12

When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.

So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer.

The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him.

And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him.

Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.

And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

Phase 3 of Jesus' Roman trial: Jesus' second appearance before Pilate; condemned to die



Matthew 27:15-26

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them,

"Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"

For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him,

"Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream."

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

The governor again said to them,

"Which of the two do you want me to release for you?"

And they said,

"Barabbas."

Pilate said to them,

"Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"

They all said,

"Let him be crucified!"

And he said,

"Why, what evil has he done?"

But they shouted all the more,

"Let him be crucified!"

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying,

"I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves."

And all the people answered,

"His blood be on us and on our children!"

Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

Mark 15:6-15

Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying,

"Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?"

For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.

And Pilate again said to them,

"Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?"

And they cried out again,

"Crucify him."

And Pilate said to them,

"Why, what evil has he done?"

But they shouted all the more,

"Crucify him."

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Luke 23:13-25

Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them,

"You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people.

And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him.

Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us.

Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him.

I will therefore punish and release him."

But they all cried out together,

"Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas"—

a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder.

Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting,

"Crucify, crucify him!"

A third time he said to them,

"Why, what evil has he done?

I have found in him no guilt deserving death.

I will therefore punish and release him."

But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.

So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted.

He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

John 18:28-19:16

Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said,

"What accusation do you bring against this man?"

They answered him,

"If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you."

Pilate said to them,

"Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law."

The Jews said to him,

"It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death."

This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him,

"Are you the King of the Jews?"

Jesus answered,

"Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?"

Pilate answered,

"Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?"

Jesus answered,

"My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."

Then Pilate said to him,

"So you are a king?"

Jesus answered,

"You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."

Pilate said to him,

"What is truth?"

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them,

"I find no guilt in him.

But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover.

So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

They cried out again,

"Not this man, but Barabbas!"

Now Barabbas was a robber.

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him.

And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe.

They came up to him, saying,

"Hail, King of the Jews!"

and struck him with their hands.

Pilate went out again and said to them,

"See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him."

So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.

Pilate said to them,

"Behold the man!"

When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out,

"Crucify him, crucify him!"

Pilate said to them,

"Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him."

The Jews answered him,

"We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God."

When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.

He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus,

"Where are you from?"

But Jesus gave him no answer.

So Pilate said to him,

"You will not speak to me?

Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?"

Jesus answered him,

"You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.

Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."

From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out,

"If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar."

So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha.

Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour.

He said to the Jews,

"Behold your King!"

They cried out,

"Away with him, away with him, crucify him!"

Pilate said to them,

"Shall I crucify your King?"

The chief priests answered,

"We have no king but Caesar."

So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.

Jesus is crucified (from approximately 9 AM until Noon)

Matthew 27:27-54

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.

And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand.

And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,

"Hail, King of the Jews!"

And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.

And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.

And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.

And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.

And over his head they put the charge against him, which read,

"This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."

Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.

And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying,

"You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself!

If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying,

"He saved others; he cannot save himself.

He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him.

For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying,

"Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?"

that is,

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said,

"This man is calling Elijah."

And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said,

"Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him."

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said,

"Truly this was the Son of God!"

Mark 15:16-39

And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion.
And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him.
And they began to salute him,

"Hail, King of the Jews!"

And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him.
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.

And it was the third hour when they crucified him.

And the inscription of the charge against him read,

"The King of the Jews."

And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.

And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying,

"Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!"

So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying,

"He saved others; he cannot save himself.

Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe."

Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.

And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,

"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?"

which means,

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

And some of the bystanders hearing it said,

"Behold, he is calling Elijah."

And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying,

"Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down."

And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said,

"Truly this man was the Son of God!"

Luke 23:26-49

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.

And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.

But turning to them Jesus said,

"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say,

'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!'

Then they will begin to say to the mountains,

'Fall on us,'

and to the hills,

'Cover us.'

For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

And Jesus said,

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

And they cast lots to divide his garments.

And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying,

"He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!"

The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying,

"If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"

There was also an inscription over him,

"This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying,

"Are you not the Christ?

Save yourself and us!"

But the other rebuked him, saying,

"Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."

And he said,

"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

And he said to him,

"Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed.

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said,

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!"

And having said this he breathed his last.

Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying,

"Certainly this man was innocent!"

And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.

John 19:16-37

So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.

Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read,

"Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."

Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate,

"Do not write,

'The King of the Jews,'

but rather,

'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'"

Pilate answered,

"What I have written I have written."

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another,

"Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be."

This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

"They divided my garments among them,

and for my clothing they cast lots."

So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother,

"Woman, behold, your son!"

Then he said to the disciple,

"Behold, your mother!"

And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture),

"I thirst."

A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said,

"It is finished,"

and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled:

"Not one of his bones will be broken."

And again another Scripture says,

"They will look on him whom they have pierced."

Jesus' Insomnia vs. Jesus' Naps

Russell Moore:

When the disciples screamed in the face of a storm, Jesus slept (Mk. 4:37-38). When Jesus screamed in the face of a cross, the disciples slept (Mk. 14:37,41).

Why could Jesus sleep so peacefully through a life-threatening sea-storm, and yet is awake all night in the olive garden before his arrest, crying out in anguish? Why are the disciples pulsing with adrenaline as the ship is tossed about on the Galilee Lake, but drifting off to slumber as the most awful conspiracy in human history gets underway?

Peter, James, and John rebuke Jesus for falling asleep on the boat: "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" (Mk. 4:38). Jesus rebukes them for falling asleep as he prays before the cross: "Could you not watch one hour?" (Mk. 14:37).

Read the whole thing for his explanation of the difference, and why it matters to us.