I am a retired pastor of
the Church of God (Tennessee). My name is Isaac Livingston. I am from Neyyoor India. |
Email: Pastor True Gospel
God, his Spirit, and Eternal life are real and are the truth, and all the rest are either vanity or evil. Always what God says will happen even though it appears as we are doing many things. Pilate was desirous to release Jesus, but being overcome with the outrage of the Jews, he delivered him to be crucified. Even though it is true, it happened this way since it was the plan of God. Jesus was crucified, died and buried, fulfilling many prophesies from the scriptures.
Let us continue from the previous study, John 18:38. "Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?" Truth is true reality. We are all born in the flesh, it is mortal, and so it is temporary. God says, that flesh and the things of the world are vanity; Satan and demons are deceptive and evil. But the things of God are Spirit; they are real and truth, and that will lead his people to eternal life; and this is the truth. We are born of the flesh, and Jesus Christ tells us that we must be born again of the Spirit of God. And we must decrease in flesh and increase in the Spirit, to the fullness of the Spirit. It is transition from flesh to Spirit; from worldly to heavenly; from lie to truth; and from eternal death to eternal life. As we do that, we must be careful not to fall into the spirit of deception, which is from Satan. In verse 37 Jesus said to Pilate; "I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." John 1:14 says that Jesus is full of truth. Verse 17 says that we receive truth from his fullness. This is spiritual. As his Spirit fills us, it will impart his truth also in us. John 3:21 says, if we receive the truth, the proof is that we will live by the truth. John 4:23&24 says that our worship, which is our life, must be in his Spirit and truth. John 8:30-32 says that the words of Jesus is truth. John 16:13 says that Holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth and he will lead us into all truth. In short, God is truth, his Spirit is truth, eternal life is truth, and they are real. Flesh and the world are vanity, and the spirits from Satan are deception. If we live by the truth, God will beget us as his sons; and then, we will inherit eternal life and we will be with God for ever; and this is the truth. So, let us live by the truth.
Let us see a few points from our previous studies. The gospel of John is rich in doctrine and in truth. They are of the Spirit. Jesus taught about the reality in Spirit. It is light and life. We must receive the Spirit and grow into it. Jesus became the begotten Son of God and showed us how can we also become begotten sons, and thereby inherit the kingdom of God the Father. Conversion from flesh to spirit is a process of; born of the Spirit, born of water, and born of God. We studied water baptism, baptism and gifts of the Holy Ghost, the ministry, and the holy spirit that leads our lives. Religion is tradition, ceremonies and rituals; whereas godliness is life in Spirit and in truth. We studied about, repentance, conversion, everlasting life, and inheritance in God's kingdom. Then, we just studied that the last days of Jesus Christ as a man on the earth, were designed by God; and so, we must learn to glorify Jesus and the Father in them; rather than lamenting for them, in the events.
Pilate was next to Caesar. So, he has authority and power. Even he,
was in trouble because God controls the affairs of Jesus. It is the will of God for
Jesus to die on the cross. Even though Jews
tried a few times to kill Jesus by other means, now they were also
convinced that they could not do it without Caesar, and it will be on
the cross. But Pilate want to rescue him from death.
"38 ... And when he had said this, he went
out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at
all. 39
But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the
passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the
Jews? 40
Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now
Barabbas was a robber." Here it says
that Barabbas was a robber. "Mark 15:7 says,
Barabbas had committed murder in the insurrection,
..." It was a revolt against government, which was a serious crime.
Pilate assumed that the common people will have sympathy towards Jesus
and so they will prefer the release of Jesus rather than a criminal.
But, it was proved to be wrong. "John 19:1 Then Pilate
therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. 2 And the soldiers
platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a
purple robe, 3
And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands."
Stripes, crown of thorns, and all these additional afflictions were laid
on him for two reasons. 1, Pilate want to bring public sympathy to
release him. 2, It was the fulfilling of more prophesies about Jesus. "4
Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto
them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no
fault in him. 5
Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe.
And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
6 When the chief
priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify
him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him:
for I find no fault in him. 7 The Jews answered
him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made
himself the Son of God." When Pilate heard
that he is the Son of God, not only he was afraid, but he really wanted to
free him. "8 When Pilate
therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;
9
And went again into the judgment hall, and saith
unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
10
Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not
that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
11
Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it
were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee
hath the greater sin. 12 And from
thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out,
saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever
maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar."
Pilate was sincerely trying to find a way to release him. But
Jesus was not cooperating with him and in verse 11;
he said that he will "have
no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above:."
So, God gave no power and Jews called the name of Caesar to influence Pilate. "13
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he
brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that
is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
14
And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour:
and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!"
It was the preparation day, the sixth hour. It was our mid-day; which
was our 12 o'clock. In another three hours, the passover lamb should be
killed in every house of the Jews. Jesus was also crucified at the same
time; see, it is the plan of God, since he was the true Passover Lamb. "15
But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate
saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered,
We have no king but Caesar. 16 Then delivered
he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led
him away." Pilate desired to release
him, but being overcome with the outrage of Jews, he delivered him
to be crucified. Jesus was taken away. In the flesh, it
was a very tragic incident. But in the Spirit of God, it was glorifying, since Jesus
was following the plan of God very meticulously.
"17
And he bearing his cross went forth into a place
called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
18
Where they crucified him, and two others with
him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
19
And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the
cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20
This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was
crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek,
and Latin. 21
Then said the chief priests of the Jews to
Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of
the Jews. 22
Pilate answered, What I have written I have
written." Pilate could have thought that
Jesus was a man of God and was the king of the Jews. So, he made the
title saying
JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Further, we may take this also as a prophetic statement, since Lord Jesus
Christ will truly be the king of the Jews on the Millennium. "23
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus,
took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and
also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top
throughout. 24
They said therefore among themselves, Let us not
rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture
might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and
for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers
did." The prophesy is in, "22nd Psalm: 18
They part my garments among them, and cast lots
upon my vesture." It happened
exactly, and so
the prophesy is fulfilled.
"25
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother,
and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
26
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the
disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman,
behold thy son! 27
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy
mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home."
John never identified himself by his name in this
gospel. However, he identifies himself with a phrase or a short
description. Here, he says 'whom he loved', and that was how he identified
himself
many times. So, John was there, and his mother was there. Why he took
his mother away from her natural children and gave her to be with John?
The reason is not mentioned here. However, at that time, they were not of the Spirit
except his mother. That could be a reason.
"28
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were
now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I
thirst. 29
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and
they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to
his mouth." Jesus said that he was thirsty.
They soaked vinegar on hyssop (kind of sponge) and gave it to him. This
fulfills another prophesy from: "69th Psalm: 21
says ... in my thirst they gave me
vinegar to drink." See, he is very
particular that he fulfills the prophesies in the middle of his agony of death. "30
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said,
It is finished:
and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."
In John 17:4 Jesus said
"I have finished the work which thou
gavest me to do." This verse is a follow
up to that. But
Satan uses theologians, evangelists, pastors, and preachers,
to give a long list of things that Jesus has accomplished or finished on the cross; under
the statement; "It is finished:" so
that we may enjoy all our sins as much as we want. They are all liars
and they work for Satan. Jesus has completed all works that God the Father has
given him to do, as a man. Now he announced, that his
life on earth as a man was finished and he just died.
"31
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies
should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath
day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken,
and that they might be taken away." I have
an article; the title is: "Was Jesus crucified on a Friday?" I will
give the link below, if you like, please read it. The bible says that Jesus
will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. But
Christians unanimously say that Jesus was crucified on a Friday and
resurrected before the rising of the sun on Sunday. So, he was under earth
on Friday
night, and the day of Saturday. He was resurrected before Saturday night
was over. Accordingly, he was one night and one day, in the heart of the
earth, which contradict the scripture. But this verse clears that
up. The day he was buried was not before Saturday sabbath, but it was
before the high day sabbath; in this case it was Thursday. So,
he was crucified on a Wednesday, buried just before the high day sabbath,
which was the Thursday; they made the spices to embalm the body on
Friday, rested on Saturday Sabbath, and brought it on Sunday before sun
rise, to
find that he was already resurrected. It agrees with three days and
three nights, as the bible says. "32 Then came the
soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was
crucified with him." They break the legs
to enhance the death by suffocating, so that they can bury the bodies
before sabbath day. "33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw
that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his
side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
35
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is
true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
36
For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A
bone of him shall not be broken. 37 And again
another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced."
The prophesy that his bones will not be broken is in
34th
Psalm: 20, and prophesy about piercing
his side is in
Zechariah 12:10.
It is repeated on
Revelation 1:7. So, everything centers around fulfilling the
prophesies from the scriptures.
"38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus." Joseph of Arimathaea was a secret disciple of Jesus. He feared the Jews, as conservatives are afraid of the left and the swamp. But he was not afraid of Pilate and got the body of Jesus from him. "39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury." Nicodemus was also a secret disciple, but he actively participated in burying Jesus. "41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid." In the east, in our place, we call the graveyard as grave garden; there were graves, but no flowers or vegetables. This could be such a garden. "42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand." They buried him in a hurry, because night begins at 6:00 o'clock, and it will be sabbath, and the burial must be done before sabbath. Since this sepulcher was nearby, they buried him there. Next chapter is his resurrection and looking forward to study the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Note: If any point needs
explanation, OR, if you find an error according to scripture,
Please write to me in the
'Mail Box' below. I will reply promptly. Thanks.
Link for the topic: "The days of Birth, Death, and Resurrection; of Jesus Christ" is: "Days of Jesus".
God Bless You
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Matthew 28:20, & Mark 16:15. Jesus Christ preached his commandments to obey, as his
Gospel; it is the true Gospel to inherit Eternal life. Genesis 3:1-4 & 2 Corinth 11:2-4. But Preachers, who are Serpents of Satan, preach the life of man Jesus just to believe, but not to live as a chaste virgin, as the gospel; it is another gospel, which cannot and will not give Eternal life.The true gospel will convert evil people to do good and thereby they will inherit the kingdom in heaven.
John 3:19-21 say that people are two kinds, evil and true. Evil doers will not come to the Light, who is God; but people of truth come to God for their deeds to be made manifest. We have good and evil people by our standard of our society or culture. These evil people may be converted to be doers of truth by the power of God, and they may inherit the kingdom of God in heaven.
Email: Pastor True Gospel