Easter Outtakes

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This year's celebration is humorous as it restores Jesus' corpse to life 22 days before he gets crucified during Passover towards the end of April. Oh well; it's the thought that counts rather than the date.

Anyway; we should probably be thinking of Easter now rather than waiting till the last minute.
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Bouncing from Matt 12:40 we get Jonah 1:17, which says:

"The Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and he was inside the fish three days and three nights."

FAQ: Was Jonah alive in the fish?

REPLY: Yes. (Jonah 2:1)

FAQ: The whole time?

REPLY: No; at some point in his nautical adventure Jonah went to a place called sheol (Jonah 2:2) which is located at the roots of the mountains. (Jonah 2:6)

Well; the roots of the mountains aren't located in the tummies of fish, nor are they located under the sea, rather: they're located underground deep in the Earth. So, the only way that Jonah could possibly be at the roots of the mountains while simultaneously in the belly of a fish was for the man and his body to part company and go their separate ways. (This is not impossible because according to Matt 10:28 people can exist as disembodied souls.)

Also, the language of Jonah's prayer strongly suggests that his corpse was restored to life, i.e. resurrected.

● Jonah 2:6 . . I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But Thou hast brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.

The Hebrew word for "pit" basically pertains to holes in the ground, but sometimes speaks of putrefaction too, e.g. Ps 16:8-10 & Acts 2:25-31. In other words; had Jonah's body been left inside that fish's tummy for much longer, it would've been digested to oblivion.

● Matt 12:40 . . For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Now when you think about it; Jesus' remains weren't laid to rest in the heart of the Earth; and in point of fact they weren't even buried in the Earth's soil. They were laid to rest up on the surface of the earth in a rock-hewn tomb. So the only way that Jesus could be up on the surface of the Earth and down its interior simultaneously was for he and his body to part company and go their separate ways the same as Jonah's did.

Also: it was essential to get Jesus back up on his feet again before a fourth day to prevent his body from being lost to rot. (John 11:39, Ps 16:8-10, Acts 2:25-31)

NOTE: Jonah 2:5-7 strongly suggests that he was already deceased via drowning prior to the fish; which makes sense seeing as Jesus was deceased prior to the tomb, viz: neither man was buried alive.
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● Matt 12:40-41 . . For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great
fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

An abundance of textual evidence indicates Jesus' crucified dead body was restored to
life during the third day rather than later after the third day was completely over and
done with, viz: his actual time interred was less than 72 hours.

Matt 17:22-23
Matt 20:18-19
Mark 9:31
Luke 9:22
Luke 18:33
Luke 24:5-8
Luke 24:21-23
Luke 24:46
John 2:19
Acts 10:40
1Cor 15:4

FAQ: What about Matt 27:63 and Mark 8:31? They say "after" the third day rather than
during the third.

REPLY: To begin with, those verses are outnumbered 11÷2.

Plus; the Greek word translated "after" is somewhat ambiguous. It can indicate
moments following the conclusion of an event, but it can also indicate moments within
an event. I suggest letting the 11÷2 majority decide how best to interpret the intent of
Matt 27:63 and Mark 8:31.

FAQ: Luke 24:21-23 says the morning that women came to the cemetery was the third
day. How can that be true when according to John 20:1 the sun wasn't up yet when they
arrived?

REPLY: That's an excellent point because according to the first chapter of Genesis, day
is when the sun is up and night is when the sun is down.

However, liturgical days-- e.g. feasts and sabbaths --complicate things a bit because
they begin at sunset instead of sunrise; for example:

● Matt 28:1 . . In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the
week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.

According to Genesis time, it was not yet a new day when the women arrived; whereas
liturgically it was because the sabbath wrapped at sundown the previous day.

FAQ: Can the hours of darkness during Jesus' crucifixion be counted as one of the
three nights?

REPLY: Jesus survived those hours. Matt 12:40 requires that he be dead and buried.
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FAQ: Was it really necessary to restore Jesus' crucified dead body to life?

REPLY: Jesus' crucifixion made it possible for everyone to obtain a pardon per Isa 53:6. However, his crucifixion alone doesn't clear them, viz: it leaves the record of their wrongs intact.

For example; former US President Gerald Ford pardoned former US President Richard Nixon, but although the pardon kept Mr. Nixon out of prison, it did nothing to clear his name, viz: he's still in the books for criminal conduct. So then; the thing that Mr. Nixon really needed was exoneration which, though impossible in most any of the world's normal criminal justice systems, is very possible in Heaven's system via Jesus' resurrection.

● Rom 4:25 . . He was delivered over to death for our sins, and was raised to life for our justification.

The Greek word for "justification" is dikaiosis (dik-ah'-yo-sis) which means acquittal; defined as an adjudication of innocence: usually due to a lack of sufficient evidence to convict.

That's comparable to Isa 53:11 wherein is said:

"By his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many; and he will bear their iniquities."

So, in the end, folks whose names have been cleared by Jesus' resurrection will have nothing on the books with which to accuse them at the great white throne event depicted by Rev 20:11-15, viz: it will appear they have never been anything less than 100% innocent their entire lives.

● 2Cor 5:19 . . God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.

The Greek word translated "counting" pertains to keeping an inventory, i.e. an indictment. Well; without an indictment, prosecutors would be silly to haul someone into court because most any honest judge would refuse to hear them.

● Rom 8:34 . . Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus who died? More than that: he who was raised to life, and is at the right hand of God, and is also interceding for us?
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FAQ: How was Jesus' human sacrifice not illegal seeing as Rom 1:3, Gal 4:4, and Heb 7:14 attest that he was a Jew born under the jurisdiction of the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy? Wasn't he limited to the atonements specified in that covenant the same as all other Jews?

● Deut 4:2 . .You shall not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, but keep the commandments of The Lord your God that I enjoin upon you.

● Deut 5:29-30 . . Be careful, then, to do as The Lord your God has commanded you. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left: follow only the path that The Lord your God has enjoined upon you.

REPLY:
First off: note that the language and grammar of Isa 53:4-10 is past tense rather than future: indicating that Christ's crucifixion was over and done with prior to Isaiah's prophecy.

FAQ: How so?

REPLY: The laws of God are not retroactive. (Deut 5:2-4, Rom 4:15, Rom 5:13 & Gal 3:17) Therefore, the cross didn't breach the covenant because Christ was designated, and scheduled, to die for the sins of the world prior to both the world and Moses' covenant. (1Pet 1:20 & Rev 13:8)

FAQ: Col 1:18 says God's son is the firstborn from among the dead. How is that possible when so many others in the Bible underwent resurrections before he did?

REPLY: None of those other dead people are said restored to life with immortality the way Jesus was. (Rom 6:9, 1Tim 6:14-15, and Rev 1:18)

NOTE: Acts 13:32-34 verifies that Ps 2:7 refers to Jesus' resurrection, to wit:

"You are my son, this day I have begotten you."

Well; I strongly suspect that a time is coming when God will make a similar announcement to all who undergo resurrections whereby God endows them with immortality per 1Cor 15:51-53.
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Jesus and his men ate their Passover dinner the night of his arrest.

Matt 26:17-20
Mark 14:12-17
Luke 22:7-15

The Jews ate theirs after he was dead and buried.

John 13:1-2
John 18:28-29
John 19:13-14
John 19:31)

FAQ: The law of the Passover per the 12th chapter of Exodus is very explicit about the times and circumstances relative to Passover. How was it not wrong for Jesus to dine early?

REPLY: The Jews were somehow unaware that their liturgical calendar was tardy the year that Christ was crucified. He, being a prophet in direct contact with God, would of course known the precise moment that Passover that year was supposed to begin.

Ironically, the Jews were careful to avoid going after Jesus during Passover.

● Matt 26:3-5 . .Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. But not during the feast-- they said --or there may be a riot among the people.

Due to their liturgical calendar's error, the Jews were a day late preparing for dinner and thus inadvertently put Jesus to death during the very season they wanted to avoid.

The Jews' mistake worked to Jesus' advantage. Had their calendar been correct, then Jesus would've lost an opportunity to share one last sacred event with his men; something he really wanted to do.

"Then, at the proper time, Jesus and the twelve apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said: I have looked forward to this hour with deep longing, anxious to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins." (Luke 22:14-15)

NOTE: Jesus isn't done with Passover yet; he's already anticipating a future event with his men again at dinner.

● Luke 22:15-16 . . I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you: I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.
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● 1Cor 11:23-24 . . I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said: This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

The broken bread reminds the congregation-- and any visitors present --that Christ's body was very nearly destroyed during his crucifixion.

The Romans whipped Jesus to within an inch of his life, slapped him around, crowned him with thorns, and drove nails into his hands and his feet. But that was child's play compared to what God did. By the time those hours of darkness lifted; the Lord's own mother would have trouble recognizing him.

● Isa 52:14 . . Many were appalled at him-- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man, and his form marred beyond human likeness.

The Romans aren't to blame for doing that to Christ; no, they had their fun and nailed him up there, but it was God who put on the finishing touches, viz: his own Father is responsible for the extreme severity of Jesus' injuries.

"It was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer" (Isa 53:10)

The below is an impassioned plea heard from the cross.

● Matt 27:46 . . My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Here it is again; this time with some parts that were omitted.

● Ps 22:1 . . My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

The Hebrew word translated "roaring" basically means a rumbling or moan.

In other words: people standing around the cross that day during those three hours of inky dark couldn't see anything, but they could sure hear: and what they heard were the dreadful sounds of a man in extreme discomfort as God laid into him for the sins of the whole world.

But let's not make the mistake of feeling sorry for Jesus as if he were the victim of some awful misfortune . . no, he doesn't want our sympathy, rather, he wants our approval because it was for that very scene that the Word of John 1:1-3 entered mankind as the flesh of John 1:14.

● John 12:27 . . Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? "Father, save me from this hour" No; it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

It was God's will to crush him; and for a very good purpose. Relative to that purpose I can honestly say: better Jesus on that cross than us in the lake of brimstone depicted at Rev 20:11-15 where the lost will have to undergo death akin to a foundry worker falling into a kettle of molten iron. I'd imagine people will be in a white knuckle panic; shrieking, weeping, and bellowing like wounded dogs as their eyes dart about looking for someone, anyone, to help them. But the only person who can help them in any meaningful way at all will be presiding. (John 5:22-23 & Acts 17:31)

The worst of it is: nobody is coming back from the second death because according to Dan 12:2 and John 5:28-29 there's only one resurrection allotted per person and the lost will be accommodated with it when they're called up to face justice at the great white throne event.

* It's discouraging enough that the beautiful people have to lose their looks the first time around-- to lose their looks a second, and final time, will be devastating.
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There's a number of sabbaths in Scripture besides the routine week-end. There's also:

» Sabbath years (Lev 25:1-7 & Ex 23:10-11)

» The first and final day of Passover, a.k.a. the Feast Of Unleavened Bread (Ex 12:16, Lev 23:5-8)

» Yom Kippur (Lev 16:29-31)

» The Feast of Trumpets (Lev 23:23-25) and,

» The first and eighth day of the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles a.k.a. Sukkot. (Lev 23:34-36)

The word "sabbath" is sometimes construed to indicate a quantity equal to seven and/or the numeral 7, but it really only means intermission, i.e. a pause; for example in music when the performers encounter a rest symbol on the page, it indicates a specified moment of silence.

Passover sabbath is interesting. The routine sabbath always falls on the very same day of the week every time. But Passover sabbath floats relative to the moon; hence it can, and it does, occur on any given day of the week; sometimes even coincident with the routine sabbath; for example 2018 and 2019, and sometimes consecutive with the routine sabbath; for example 2008.

It's sometimes objected that whereas Yom Kippur and the Feast of Trumpets are specifically called sabbaths (Lev 16:29-34, Lev 23:23-25) Passover sabbath-- a.k.a. the first day of the feast of unleavened bread --isn't. It's set aside for an holy convocation which just simply means a sacred assembly. But it's also said that no manner of work shall be done on that day; which is exactly what a sabbath is all about. (Gen 2:1-3) In reality, the objection is just semantic nit picking.

Passover sabbath (John 19:31) easily escapes people's notice so they end up counting only one of the sabbaths related to Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. By failing to reckon with the Passover sabbath, they end up stuck with the Good Friday model; which of course is unworkable because by no stretch of the imagination can three nights be accounted for in that weekend seeing as how the Jews' first day of the week falls on Sunday.
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● Acts 1:1-3 . . The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these he also presented himself alive, after his suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days.

Some of those "convincing proofs" were:

Jesus' resurrection retained indications of the injuries he received on the cross. (John 20:27)

His resurrection was a physical form, i.e. it could be handled and it could be seen with the naked eye. (Matt 28:8-9, Luke 24:39-40, John 20:27)

His resurrection experienced hunger, and was capable of dining upon ordinary foods. (Luke 24:41-42)

A pretty large percentage of folks identifying themselves as Christians in our day accept those proofs, but not all are in agreement as to the properties of his resurrection.

Some insist Jesus' crucified dead body was restored to life as it was, while others insist it was restored to life with miraculous improvements, and yet others insist Jesus' crucified dead body wasn't restored to life at all, i.e. it's still dead; and his remains are squirreled away somewhere on the earth in a condition, and a location, known only to God. In other words, in some people's opinion: Jesus' resurrection was in the form of a spirit being instead of a physical being.
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Jesus today has a so-called glorified body. (Phil 3:21) One of its outstanding properties is immortality. (Rom 6:9, 1Tim 6:14-15, and Rev 1:18)

Now, although Jesus' body today is immortal, it's still capable of dining upon ordinary foods and beverages; and will do so in the future. (Matt 26:29, Luke 22:15-16, Luke 22:28-30)

When Jesus' body underwent its miraculous upgrade to immortality, the process didn't transform him into a different species of life, viz: Jesus today is still human.

● 1Tim 2:5 . . For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

The Greek word translated "men" and "man" in that verse is anthropos (anth'-ro pos) a very common word throughout the New Testament for identifying human beings of either of the Bible's two genders, i.e. males and females.

So; there are at least four things about Jesus today that we can be certain:

1) He's alive

2) He's immortal

3) He's capable of dining upon ordinary foods and beverages and,

4) He's an h.sapiens, i.e. a human being.

There's a fifth: Jesus' gender. Throughout the Bible, beginning with Melchizedek in the book of Genesis; high priests have always been males. God has never appointed a woman to that position. In point of fact; God has never appointed women to be priests of any kind let alone high priests.

Of Jesus it is said:

"For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God" (Heb 2:15-17)

And:

"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess." (Heb 3:1)

See also Heb 4:14-15, 5:1, 5:5, 5:10, 6:20, 7:26, 8:1, & 9:11
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