Bible, NT-12, Gospel-3, Matt-2: Part 2

LESSON 12

THE GOSPEL 3

MATTHEW 2

PART 2

 

By Rev. G. Evan Newmyer 

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While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think you of Christ? Whose Son is He? They said unto Him, The Son of David (22:41-42).

Now it’s time for Jesus to ask a question, Jesus answered theirs before He asked His, the proof is found in the Wisdom. Just the day prior the Pharisees heard all the people proclaim Jesus as The Son Of David by shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matt 21:9, 21:15, 22:23). The Son of David is not the inferior position, but the Representative of the position of king after David died, pertaining to the Son of man (Rom 1:3).

When David died, Solomon sat in David’s seat, but the seat of David was first established by God, thus David was a symbol of God’s anointed kingship order, although David was not The Anointed. David appointed Solomon, thus the true Son of David would be one appointed by God the Father. The Son of David finishes the course by being The Anointed Son of man; yet since Solomon was the obvious son of David, the phrase Son of David must hold more than a physical reproduction process to the throne of Israel.

David was king and prophet, his words pointed to the Christ. Since David was a symbol of the first king anointed and appointed as God’s choice, he became the prophetic symbol of Jesus. Jesus came after David, but was preferred before him. The Pharisees were looking for someone to replace David, rather than seeing the Son of David as the  Son of man sent to display the pure Mercy of God.

He said unto them, How then does David in Spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit You on My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool? If David then call Him Lord, how is He his Son? (22:43-45).

David spoke in Spirit or spoke as he was moved by the Spirit of Christ to give the prophetic utterance, showing the Son of David is a result of prophecy, not natural birth. This is how God prophesied the birth of Christ, thus God spoke through David of God’s Son. The question becomes who was speaking? God? Or David? To the religious minded there were far too many lords, and how could the Son say to David?

And no man was able to answer Him a word, neither did any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions (22:46).

Neither flesh or the carnal mind are unable to understand spiritual matters (I Cor 2:14). When it came to the things they could see, touch, or reason in their natural minds, they had all the questions, but no answers, or they had answers, but didn’t know the question. Pharisees always seem to have answers, they simply don’t know the question.

Then spoke Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not you after their works: for they say, and do not (23:1-3).

After what Jesus just said, it would appear as if Jesus was telling the people to follow the spirit of disobedience; however, it’s not the case, although it is a rebuke. These people may not like it, but the Pharisees are appointed by God. Like David’s attitude toward Saul, the people must submit to the authority, but they need not do as the Pharisees do. Jesus just finished saying Love was the center of the Law, it’s obvious the Pharisees were not operating in Love.

Jesus is teaching against the use of civil disobedience, as well as against rebellion within religious groups by teaching us how to submit, without entering slavery. The people are listening to Jesus, yet watching the religious leaders, the obvious conclusion to the natural mind was “uprising”. However, Jesus points out the Pharisees know the Law, it’s their life style and character in question. Anyone can learn the history of the Body, the various languages, or read the Bible, but it doesn’t mean they are spiritual in nature.

As strange as it may seem, God allowed these self-centered, self-based leaders to remain for a purpose. Can the Hand say to the Foot, I have no need of thee? Jesus rebuked these leaders, however, they were under His authority; therefore, He could rebuke them without entering hypocrisy. Within days these same leaders will call out, “Crucify Him”.

Jesus just told the religious leaders, the Kingdom would be taken away, now the people are told they’re stuck with the Law, and the Pharisees. What wrong did the people do? None, but it was still before Pentecost, their time will come. Obedience is the heart of Godly submission, the people had no other Law at this point in time. Later Jesus will tell the disciples, “Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt 28:20). This moved the disciples from the prior command to follow those in Moses’ seat, to following Jesus. For the disciples this lesson of following the Pharisees became moot when the Commandment to follow Jesus became effective. The word Observe means to Watch, thus it’s the Watching not the doing. The word Bid means to Speak, the Pharisees didn’t fear speaking, they simply didn’t understand the source of their speech.

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, (23:4-5).

The phylacteries were the prayer boxes which were carried around the top of the head, or about the wrist. We see these elements today, thus they are still being used by the Jews. Some Christian sects picked up the practice, with either books, or other symbols used to recite prayers by.

Instead of directing their prayers to God, the Pharisees sought to impress man. Jesus exposed their fear of the people and their unbelief prior, now He is exposing them again (Matt 21:25-26). The context is still “all the works they do”, are simply to impress man, not please God, thus all their show and pomp is to make man notice them.

The robes of the Pharisees had tassels on the borders, the tassels represented the rules, laws and requirements of the Law. The bigger the border the more requirements, but one can have so many rules, regulations and traditions they can’t walk. In their zealous efforts to establish their self-righteousness, they missed the Righteousness of God.

And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, (23:6).

They went about attempting to impress man with their position, they flaunt themselves, wanting all to know who they are, but for the sake of self-importance.

And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi (23:7).

It’s not the greeting in and of itself, rather it was seeking those greetings, or being impressed by their position. Their position was suppose to be one of service, not self-exaltation. These religious leaders were appointed to a religion granted by God, yet they loved to hear the praises of the people, more than they loved to praise God. This is still talking about their “works”, which we can see clearly points to their Ways.

But be not you called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all you are brothers (23:8).

The word Rabbi is at times translated as Teacher, but a more correct translation would be Master Teacher. When the tempters came they called Jesus, Master, which was correct; however, their intent was to use the title against Jesus, which made their actions error. This teaching goes beyond simply calling someone Teacher, but the intent for doing it. Here it was used in some pretense to gain favor, before tempting the Lord.

And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven (23:9).

This teaching also shows us the error of entering mentor worship, or seeking it. Here is was those who were “masters” using the position as a means of self-importance to be impressed by their position. Jesus is using them as an example of what not to be, often Jesus will send us somewhere to “observe” what not to be.

Neither be you called masters: for one is your master, even Christ (23:10).

This again points to intent, showing how easy it is to be impressed by people, even people with the Anointing. The context here is to place a human, or ourselves between the person and Christ. Leaders in the Body stand with people, not between them and God. Whackos stand between the people and God, thereby making themselves masters over the people.

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant (23:11).

This goes back to the princes of the Gentiles who exercise control, thus it’s not the position, but the person in the position. Here it’s the caution to keep pride out of the calling, or presume the calling came because of some special holiness in the person. This doesn’t mean the leaders don’t make decisions, rather it means they do, but they make them in respect of the people (Acts 6:3 & 15:22). The religious rulers made decisions based on their best interests, not the people’s.

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted (23:12).

This brings it all together, be careful about bringing exaltation to others, or ourselves, or even receiving it from others. Pride sits at the door waiting for the opportunity to move in, and destroy us. It’s not wrong to exalt someone, it’s wrong to exalt them above measure, as it is wrong for us to exalt ourselves in any degree. Preaching Christ is one thing, preaching how great we are is another.

The discovery of the Resurrection by Mary will be one week from the time Jesus is teaching these matters. These are all regarding the attitude required to enter into the Power of the Resurrection. Cult systems begin by people wanting to be exalted above measure, they seek to be the ones in the Body who are greater than the Body, the ones with the secret book, or the revelation the rest of us are not ready for, or to be the special above the special. It’s a lust to be superior, produced by the spirit of man.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in (23:13).

A hypocrite will preach God as the One God, yet hold their own pride as their god. A Scribe is anyone who writes in reference to God, or writes as they are moved by the Holy Ghost. If a scribe is hindering someone from the kingdom of heaven, they are of the devil. How could a scribe do it? By changing context in their work to misdirect a person from the Faith. However, if they present the kingdom to all mankind as they are moved by the Holy Ghost, they are of the kingdom.

It seems those who are opposed to the things of the Spirit, lack the Spirit. They have a type of love for their own, but so did the Pharisees; they have intellect, but so did the Pharisees; they write with enticing words, but so did the Scribes. Here we find the kingdom of heaven was opened, this will be confirmed when Jesus talks about the Rock being in place, yet the Church being future tense.

Jesus would use the word Woe eight times in this teaching, the term Woe means, Deep Sorrow or a Calamity. There are eight watches: four assigned to the day, four assigned to the night. We are in the Day, the Remnant will have their time in the Night, when no man can work. John told us Jesus was anointed six days before the feast day,  the discovery of the empty tomb was on the first day of the week making eight days, the number Eight is the Bible number for New Beginnings.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation (23:14).

They prayed long and hard, but it was all show. They were commanded to take tithe, but they weren’t commanded to set up money changers, or to sale doves. So, is it wrong to pray for a long time? No, it’s the “pretense” making the difference. The word Pretense is the Greek Prophasis meaning A pretext, or doing something to be seen. Their prayers went about as far as their noses, they weren’t praying to get right with God, or praying for people, they would walk around and pray so people would think they were holy.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves (23:15).

This is interesting, Jesus talked about going after the lost sheep, but here we find Attitude. We can chase after the lost sheep, but if we’re not right before God, we will make the lost sheep twice the wreck we are.

Woe unto you, you blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! (23:16).

A blind guide is one who is not spiritual in nature, one who uses natural intellect or reasoning, or centers on natural things. The Temple had huge stones, but the top was gold, in 70 AD a drunken solider of Titus the Roman tossed a torch into the temple, setting it on fire. The fire melted the gold, which flowed between the stones. In order to get the gold, they tore the Temple apart, it hasn’t been rebuilt since.

They trusted in things, yet things pass. This would be the same error as trusting in the anointing, or trusting in the position, or trusting in the Body. The blind still lead the blind, those who look upon the gold become a debtor to gold, no man can serve two masters, if we serve for the sake of mammon, we become a slave to it.

You fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? (23:17).

Good question, this shows how they used position as a means to extract money from the sheep. Just prior Jesus said they sat in the seat of Moses, so their position wasn’t going to save them. The disciples kept this saying, knowing they could bring ten million to the Lord, yet fleece those same sheep finding their selves wanton before the Lord.

Metaphorically we can view ourselves as the gold, the Spirit as the temple, then ask, “which is greater? The person, or the Spirit who sanctifies the person?”.

And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. You fools and blind: for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? (23:18-19).

This connects to the last verse, since the altar is in the temple. From this saying we should know better than assume our gift is greater than the altar. If we make a show of our giving before man or God we are guilty, not innocent. This is an area where we can’t ignore the verse, we must accept it. Giving is part of our Christ nature, a Cheerful Giver is loved of God, it’s God who gives seed to the sower, yet we can end bragging and boasting in our giving.

Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, swears by it, and all things thereon (23:20).

It’s not the object, but what it stands for, thus if we swear by our giving, it would be the same as saying we are the cause of Grace, rather than Jesus being the cause. God gives the Seed for us to give, without God giving, we have nothing to give, why then would we brag in our giving?

And whoso shall swear by the temple, swear by it, and by Him that dwells therein (23:21).

We can see this as the “temple” (holy of holies) as the Body of Christ, or ourselves in the Body, the Him who dwells therein is the Spirit, thus Greater is He in you, than he in the world (I Jn 4:4). For we are labors together with God: you are God’s work, you are God’s building (I Cor 3:9). It’s the Spirit in the Temple, Who establishes us in the Promises, not the Promises or the Temple (II Cor 1:21).

And he that shall swear by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by Him that sits thereon (23:22).

This is really interesting, since God is in heaven. Prior it was all sorts of things on earth, here it’s “things” in heaven. Swearing by the Throne of God is no different than swearing by anything else, let your yeas, be yeas, and your nays, nays, don’t count on God to bring about our personal vows, or carnal agendas. Swearing by anything means we trust in the element to bring our vow to pass, yet it’s our vow. If we make the vow, then it’s up to us to complete it. Peter found it out regarding the tax money, Jesus sent him to fish, not to Judas to gain the money to pay taxes. Peter spoke, so Peter was to gain the money by an act of his past profession.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and omitted the weightier matters of the Law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone (23:23).

The phrase “ought to have done” is past tense, denoting a time prior to the Cross of Jesus, thus they were bound to the Law of Moses, thus the Tithe under the Law goes further than money. The Pharisees trusted in the Tithe, not the Altar, yet they knew the Tithe included every possession one gains, not just money, nor a tenth of the money left over after paying the bills. From this we find the Pharisees sought out points of the Law giving them the advantage, but neglected the points regarding their service toward others. They were unbalanced (Iniquity), they did one thing assuming it would take care of the other. Jesus isn’t advocating the tithe under the Law, He is pointing out their hearts. If it benefited them, they did it, if not, they didn’t. The workers of Iniquity do things, but they also work at not doing what they are suppose to.

You blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel (23:24).

There are “camel swallowing contests”, the Pharisees were about to have one. They would hold their secret meeting, yet in the process they would swallow a camel.

The blind can’t see out, they can only see in, yet they are blinded to what they see. Ears hearing the sound of Truth are Hearing Ears; eyes looking for Truth, can see clearly when they receive it.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  for you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess (23:25).

Extortion is acquiring through manipulation, or using coercion or intimidation to acquire property or funds. Excess is the definition of lust, they wanted more and more, yet in the end they think they are rich and in need of nothing, yet they are blind, naked and a shame (Rev 3:17-18). The self nature says “what’s in it for me?” the Christ nature says “what would you have me do Lord?”.

You blind Pharisee, clean first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also (23:26).

The Platter held the Bread, the Cup holds the Blood, the Cup itself is not holy, it’s what’s in it. The Woman in the Book of Revelation is a city, she too has a cup full of the blood of abominations known as the cup of Babylon (Rev 17:4); however, we reject all corrupt cups to obtain the Cup holding the Blood of Jesus.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead man’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity (23:27-28).

Paul not only supports this, but shows the danger is within the Body, not without. This is the same as those who come among us appearing righteous, but they are self-transformed as Satan (old man) still rules in their hearts (II Cor 11:13).

These verses are not only cautions regarding our hearts, but they expose the fruit of the false. The intent will always spill out somewhere along the line; deception, to lie in wait to deceive, heresy, holding traditions of men as doctrine, they expose the heart.

The false can seem so nice, so likable, they couldn’t gain entry into our midst if they didn’t seem so kind and nice. However, they are full of death, deceit, and uncleanness, when the time of exposure comes, they depart. They came from us, but were not of us.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets (23:29-30).

The old saying, “If I could have been around when Jesus walked on the earth, I would never have denied Him”, falls apart when the next thing we say is, “well brother, you know it has passed away”. These Pharisees were convinced the days of killing the prophets had passed, they walked about the tombs of the prophets, they painted the tombs and claimed, If only I could have been around to hear these great prophets. They were about to crucify the purpose for all prophecy, the same religious conceit killed the prophets, remained in the hearts of these Pharisees. We can kill the heart of a prophet by mocking or denying them, or using stones of theological abuse, making us guilty of the blood of every prophet who has walked on this earth. Despise not prophesyings, which includes the Office of Prophet, or the prophetic words (I Thess 5:20). On the same note the prophets judge the prophets, we must all be open to discernment.

Wherefore you be witnesses unto yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the prophets (23:31).

The Law and Prophets are Witnesses, but they witness against the People, the Spirit makes us Witnesses for Jesus, a vast difference.

Fill you up then the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell? (23:32-33).

We are given The Measure of Faith to avoid this measure of pride and hypocrisy. These Pharisees are being rebuked to the bone; prior Jesus talked with them, gave them parables, then asked them to join Him. However, they attacked Jesus, but wanted Him to join them. Here, the time is passing for them to repent, their hearts grow hard from their own constant temptations and attacks. In the process they still hold the Law, but they have turned their hearts against God. They will assume they are doing God a service, yet they put the only Son of God on the Cross. The fruit of the Fig Tree was causing the roots to dry up.

Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar (23:34-35).

The context here is prophecy, this is yet future tense, it came to pass when they beat John and Peter in Acts. However, this is not the same as the term “synagogue of Satan”, which doesn’t pertain to the Jews, rather it points to the Wicked. The word Synagogue means a Gathering, the word Church means a Calling out, thus the Wicked gather, by rejecting the calling out. The synagogue of Satan begins in our Season, but goes into the Night, thus from the Seven comes the Eighth from Perdition.

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation (23:36).

The Generation He is talking to is the Jewish Generation, not the Gentile Generation. These are Pharisees, Scribes, Lawyers and the such, all associated with the Law of Moses.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone them which are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, You shall not see Me henceforth, till you shall say, Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord (23:37-39).

Here Jesus is talking directly to the Woman (City), we find the words Desolate and Gather, then the phrase “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord”. There are three references here (II Chron 24:20-21, Ps 17:8-9 & 118:26). II Chronicles 24:20 gives us Zechariah the son of Jehoiada who said, “Why transgress you the Commandment of the Lord, that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you”, then the people conspired against him, and killed him. Next in Psalm 17:8-9 we find the request to keep us as the Apple of God’s eye, by keeping us from the Wicked who oppress, as well as the deadly enemies who compass about the Lord. Psalm 118 is a Thanksgiving Psalm, 118:24 tells us of the Day the Lord has made, but 118:22-23 talks about the rejected Stone, with 118:26-27 as a reference to the piercing of the Cross, thus they will look upon Him Whom they have pierced. The verses here in Matthew don’t refer to the people standing up and praising God, it refers to them being stood up in the face of God at the last resurrection.

A Generation usually is seen as years, but here it’s a People associated with Moses. The Generation is the desolate Generation, but from the same Generation comes the Remnant. The Time of Comfort is predicated on the promise to make the enemies of Jesus His footstool.

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple and His disciples came to Him for to show Him the buildings of the temple (24:1).

This is still the same day, after Jesus goes through all the teaching regarding the gift, altar and Temple, his disciples want to show Him how the temple is well constructed. Jesus just got through saying what is greater, now the disciples say, “see this great building?”.

And Jesus said unto them, See you not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down (24:2).

In the beginning of the earthly ministry Jesus cleaned the temple of stone and said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (Jn 2:16-19). Of  course we know Jesus was talking about Himself, as He pointed to the Resurrection (Jn 2:21). The phrase is found in John’s account, yet it will be the source of the false words from the witnesses against Jesus, thus they will twist the meaning in order to accuse.

It took forty six years to build the temple, only one day to burn it to the ground in 70 AD. The prophecy was completed when a drunken soldier of Titus tossed a torch into the temple.

And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Your coming, and the end of the world? (24:3).

The request is broken down into three parts, first When, then the Sign of the coming of Jesus, and lastly the Sign of the End of the world. The Book of Revelation is based on this three part question, the angels have a Saying, a Vial, and a Sound, each correlates to this question.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in My Name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many (24:4-5).

This goes right to Matthew 7:21-23, they will use the Name, showing they are of the Body, saying they are “Christ like”, but Satan will still reign within them. They will not say they are “the Christ”, but “Christ”, or Anointed, or better a Christian in the Body. The disciples were called Christian, they didn’t go about calling themselves Christian.

And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places (24:6-7).

Our Season sees the wars, rumors of wars, famine, and pestilence in the world as the last three of the four horsemen remain before the fifth seal is broken (Rev 6:3-9). When the fifth seal is broken the time of the horses ends, then the First Rider takes us out of here.

All these are the beginning of sorrows (24:8).

The Hour of Temptation started on the Day of Pentecost, we pray to be delivered from the Temptation. This is clearly the Beginning of Sorrows, if one doesn’t believe this has come to pass, all they need to do is look around the world. There is always a war, or a rumor of one, there is always a place of pestilence. Every cure man comes up with, the Rider on the pale horse comes up with more diseases.

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake. And then many shall be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another (24:9-10).

This is still coming to pass, there are entire nations who hate Christians, just because they proclaim Christ. Prior to this time the disciples were not delivered up, none had been beaten, none had been killed, but it will change after they receive the Gift by the Holy Ghost. Sounds strange considering some of the faith things we hear today, but faith gets us through the event.

This prophetic word also pointed right at Judas, he was offended by something Jesus said, then he betrayed the Lord, yet attempted to buy his forgiveness form the same ones who crucified Jesus. Judas felt money would cure his ills, even to the point of being the thief (Jn 12:6).

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many (24:11).

This is different from those who come in the name of Jesus, rather this bunch is the second horn to the Beast of the Earth. In our Season they say they are “Christ like”, but then after the Rapture there will be no “glory” or benefit in making the claim, so they will proclaim to be Prophets, as they associate with the Temple. In our Season they are False Christs, in the next they are False Prophets, two horns, one goat. They use the authority of the Beast of the Sea in both seasons. The Beast of the Sea is in the world, connecting to the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.

There is a division in the wording, in our season we should say, “Here is Christ”, or better, “Christ in me, the hope of glory”, but when we’re out of here there will be no “Christ”, or Christ like people, thus Christ will be removed. In the Night for them to say, “here is Christ” would be a terrible error. However, the Two Witnesses assigned to the last two churches will be the Prophets and Law, thus they will not have prophetic words written for them, thus the sin for the Wicked is saying they are prophets, making them False Prophets as they challenge the Law and Prophets.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold (24:12).

It’s hard to walk in love, when the sons of perdition appear to out number the saints, but nonetheless it’s the call, really the Wicked are few in number, just louder.

Their Iniquity is still the failure to walk in Mercy, their Iniquity will cause their love to become cold. Without love, they will see no benefit in giving Mercy, rather they will demand for the people to worship the image of the beast.

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved (24:13).

The word End is the Greek Telos meaning Termination, or the Completion, this shows “all Israel shall be saved”, but not all who say they are of Israel, are of Israel.

It also gives us two “ends”, there is the End of the Day, and the End of the Night, thus this verse isn’t speaking about the Beginning, but the Ending, yet Jesus is the Beginning and Ending. Since the context is still Mercy, we find Mercy is a little strength, Grace the greater strength, but Mercy is nonetheless a strength. One could see this as, he who is baptized and continues to believe, shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come (24:14).

This doesn’t say the Gospel of Peace, rather it’s the Everlasting Gospel of Judgment, since it’s what Jesus is talking about here. The Gospel for the Day is the Gospel of Peace unto Salvation, not judgment. The Everlasting Gospel reads: “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him who  made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Rev 14:6-7). This is the Gospel going forth during the Night; clearly it points to “judgment”.

When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whosoever read, let him understand:) (24:15).

It’s clear these men didn’t see the abomination take place, yet it would appear they would. Does this mean Jesus missed it? Hardly, Jesus isn’t speaking to the Church, He is speaking in Judea as the nation of Israel, thus at this time the disciples represent the Jewish Generation. Jesus is giving a Prophecy, His words shall not pass away, thus anything Jesus promised us for our Season can’t pass away; anything Jesus promised the Remnant can’t pass away until All is fulfilled.

Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains; (24:16).

Our prior studies in the prophets laid the ground work for this area, Judea is where Jerusalem is located, so, is Jesus only talking about one little specific location? Or a people? The 144,000 are marked on Zion in Jerusalem, the abomination will happen in the temple in Jerusalem, thus what possible connection could this have with the Church? None, except by faith we know God formed the worlds (ages), there is yet a world to come for the Remnant. Knowing there will be a Night, and knowing there is a division between the Day and Night gives us hope; we are not appointed to the wrath of God, we are appointed to the Rapture.

Let him which is on the house top not come down to take any thing out of his house (24:17).

Zephaniah wrote, “and them who worship the host of heaven upon the house tops; and them who worship and swear by the Lord, then swear by Malcham” (Zeph 1:5 & Isa 15:2-3). The Lukewarm condition is holding to God on one hand, with idols on the other, thus lukewarm is an Iniquity, or an unequal condition.

Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes (24:18).

The prophet Micah said, “Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest” (Jere 26:18). Ezekiel said, “the sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within; he in the field shall die with the sword; and he in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him” (Ezek 7:15).

And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! (24:19).

This connects to the attitude of those in the Days of Noah, they ate, drank and never considered God’s justice or judgment, until the rain came. The phrase “given in marriage” doesn’t mean just marriage in and of itself, if it were the case then it was over many years ago. Rather it means without regard for the time or season, thus showing the people in the Days of Noah rejected the concept of God’s judgment, the same will be true in the very latter days.

But pray you that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day; (24:20).

This doesn’t mean the person can alter the timing of God, rather it means to pray to hear the time of flight. This is all centered on “those days”, relating to the Night, not the Day.

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be (24:21).

The Great Tribulation is Jacob’s Trouble, not the Hour of Temptation or the Time of Comfort. Jesus just said the wars, rumors of wars began the Time of Sorrows, this is different, the Rapture will mark the change from the Fifth church to the Sixth church, then they will beat their weapons into tools of farm labor. The Rapture will mark the end of the wars, introducing Peace and Safety on the earth, but after the 1,000 years they will take those same farm tools, and make weapons out of them. They will not know the ways of war, as man knows them today, thus they will use hand weapons, not rockets.

And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened (24:22).

The days will be shortened, but the shortness has already been given in prophecy as the Half of a Time, or the Short Space. If we assume this is for us, it’s been anything but Short, this goes to the time period between the time when the angel opens the pit releasing the devil until the judgment.

The word Elect means Favored, the Very Elect would be more Elect or favored, so what two groups would fit? Lesser Light and Greater Light? Yes, the Remnant are the Elect. Mark said, “no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom He has  chosen” (Mark 13:20). The False Prophet and the Woman kill the elect, yet it’s for the elect’s sake. Once the saints are overcome, there is no reason to allow it to continue, all those who loved God and held Mercy will be dead, thus it will be appointed unto all men once to die, then comes the judgment.

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not (24:23).

This would be after the Rapture removes all the Christ Like people; therefore, in our Season there are many who point to their heart and say, Here is Christ. However, after the Rapture the ability will be taken, then anyone from then on who says they are Christ Like, or there is The Christ, or says others are Christ Like are liars, since the ability will also be taken when He who not lets takes us.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect (24:24).

This goes right back to our Season, showing how the Wicked in our Season are false Christians, but in the Night they are false prophets. A false Christ is one who professes to be Christ Like, but refuses to walk in the Spirit to prove it, a false prophet points people in the wrong direction. Both “horns” have Acts, but lack the Ways, showing the Very Elect are those of the Greater Light of the Day.

Behold, I have told you before (24:25).

All these things were spoken of by the prophets, thus the Testimony of Jesus includes the Law and Prophets. The end times are not hidden in the folds of the Book of Revelation, the Book of Revelation merely brought the prophecies of old into one Book to show why the Rapture must take place, as well as warn the Wicked, the Night is not what they suppose.

Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: Behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not (24:26).

If Jesus isn’t in us, He isn’t anywhere on this earth. Rather wait for the Kingdom to come, we have it now within. This dispels any concept of Jesus setting up His Kingdom on earth before the 1,000 years rather the Kingdom of God is all ready here in the New Birth (Luke 17:21). When Jesus returns it will be to enforce the Judgment, the Book of Revelation shows the false prophet all ready in the lake of fire, it will be the time of Unto Life, or Unto Damnation (second death). The next area Jesus will cover is, “the end of the world”.

For as the lighting comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west: so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together (24:27-28).

This gives us a view of what the earth will look like, the Lighting and Shining point to two things, the Quickness and the reflection of the earth on fire. Hosea writes, “Set the trumpet to your mouth, He shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed My covenant, and trespassed against My Law” (Hosea 8:1). The Greek word for Eagle has a root word meaning Air, the last angel pours his vial in the Air. Clearly all mankind will be physically dead, not one piece of flesh made it, rather every eye will see Him, those who pierced Him and those who wail because of Him. Every soul who failed to make it in the Rapture will look upon Jesus. It’s also clear He returns as the Son of man, thus Mercy will be the judgment rule, not Grace.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the power of the heavens shall be shaken: (24:29).

Figures of speech have three groupings, exactness, similar and opposite. In order to find a figure of speech we either go back to the first time the subjects in the figure are used, or the place in the Scriptures where the figure is defined. One could make the mistake of going to Genesis chapter one to find the Greater Light and Lesser Light then assume this means Moon and Sun; however, in order to fit the figure of speech we must find the first time the exact Hebrew words for Sun, Moon and Stars were used together, since it’s the context here. The first time where the Hebrew words for Sun and Moon are combined is in Genesis 37:9, in reference to the dream of Joseph.

This figure of speech is not Revelation 6:12-13, this is different, here the Sun is darkened, but in Revelation 6:12 we find the Sun became black as sackcloth, not darkness from demon possession, as we find in Revelation 16:10. Also we see the Moon loses Her light, but in Revelation 6:12 She became as blood. The stars falling in Revelation 6:13 refer to the sons of perdition, later another Star falls, one called Wormwood, which refers to the Woman (City). This is the time of the Judgment, not the time between the fifth and sixth seals.

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (24:30).

Clearly it’s the Tribes of the Earth, not the heavens, not the tribes of Israel, but of all the earth. The word Clouds is a metaphor for Witnesses, thus when Jesus Ascended it was One Cloud, when He returns it’s more than One. After Pentecost the Cloud moved to Clouds, the first being the Great Cloud of Witnesses taken captive by Jesus, the Second includes the Dead in Christ, including those of us who were taken in the twinkling of an eye to join them, or better those who are Partakers in the First Resurrection, who were with the Lord in heaven during the 1,000 years.

And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to the other (24:31).

This is A Trumpet, yet the seven angels have seven trumpets, thus this is the Great Trump, the metaphor Four Winds in this case points to the last resurrection as we found in the Old Testament lessons.

Now learn the parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near: so likewise you, when you shall see all these things know that it is near, even at the doors (24:32-33).

This begins the Signs again, but here we find the Fig Tree, not the Olive Tree. The Fig Tree is a symbol of the religious order of Israel, the leaves are a symbol of the Remnant, both represent a type of covering (Gen 3:7). When the Fig Tree brings forth leaves again, the temple will be established as The Storehouse, then the Time of Comfort will begin, but we are no longer on the earth.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled (24:34).

The Generation relates to the Fig Tree, not the Olive Tree.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away (24:35).

This shows the earth and heaven (singular) will pass from one form to another, but the Words of Jesus will continue on forever. The earth as we know it will pass, but the mass will not, rather it will change. Heaven as we know it will pass, but it will not cease to exist, rather for all time it will separate the Earth from Heaven. This promises the prophecy will continue, even if the False Prophet changes the Law, burns every Bible in the World, has many overzealous scribes change the wording. This prophecy  is written in the face of the earth, no man can change it, no man can stop it, but anyone can avoid it. One can change Scripture, but they can’t change the Word (Logos), the Word dwells in us.

But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only (24:36).

In Mark, Jesus said, “no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father” (Mark 13:32). This doesn’t mean Jesus is ignorant of the time, rather it shows the Church is separated from the time. The Remnant belong to the Father, but watched over by Jesus. The last two churches are looking for Jehovah, not Jesus. Luke adds indicating Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled (Luke 21:24). The time of the Gentile Church is the Gentile Age, Jesus also said the Times and Seasons of the Night are in the hand of the Father, thus it’s not saying Jesus doesn’t know, rather it shows the Season will be when the enemies of Jesus are made His footstool by the Father (Acts 1:6-8). Simply, if we are in Jesus, then the hour and day of the judgment is not something we should be concerned about, rather the time of the catching away is.

Today we find Jerusalem trodden under foot by the Gentiles, although the nation is under the government rule of Israel. The Dome of the Rock Mosque in Jerusalem proves this prophecy. John measured the temple with “a rod”, a Rod is used for correction (Rev 11:1). He sees the temple and the Two Witnesses assigned to the last two candlesticks, but he doesn’t see the first five churches, or any Christ Like subjects, in fact, the Gentiles are Left Out (Rev 11:2-4).

Luke also tells us the “Son” is the “Son of man”, not the Son of God (Luke 21:36). Paul told us Jesus was made the Son of David (Son of man) according to the flesh, yet declared the Son of God by the Spirit of Holiness based on the Resurrection (Rom 1:3-4). The information during this teaching in Matthew is related to the Son of Man, not the Son of God. As the Son of God, Jesus knows all things, as the Son of man He is obligated to tell us all the Son of man knows. He is not obligated to tell us all the Son of God knows, surely not obligated to tell us all God the Son knows. For one thing we couldn’t handle it, our natural souls would burst. This doesn’t take away from Jesus, but adds to Him, He was able to keep the positions separated to complete the various requirements for each, without causing one to interfere with the other. As the Son of man, Jesus told us everything the Father gave Him for mankind, as the Son of God, He stands for those who are sons of God, we have the Mind of Christ, yet we’re instructed by the Mind of the Lord (I Cor 2:16).

Jesus will point out another sign separating the Seasons.

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark (24:37-38).

We already know what the phrase, “given in marriage means”, pointing to the attitude of the people before the Flood. The people presumed they could do as they willed, God wouldn’t dare punish them. Although we find the ten toes and such after the Flood, it’s the attitude of the people before the flood becoming the context here. It’s not the eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, but the attitude. They looked at Noah building the Ark, and laughed. They heard Noah say God would bring judgment, but they mocked the man’s preaching. Jesus also divided the Day from the Night, this doesn’t give us the right to go about preaching the Everlasting Gospel, rather it shows time and timing. We are still in the Day of Salvation as such we’re still under the Gospel of Peace.

In the Days of Noah the people clearly felt God would not punish them, they assumed their peace and safety was a sign of being in the perfect will of God, yet they held violence (unrighteousness) toward God. In essence, they failed to fear God, Jude shows us this failure, or iniquity, is a sign of the Wicked (Jude 12). Jude also shows them as Beasts, just as the prophets of Old told us they are the Beasts of the Field (Jude 10). Jude describes these ungodly in the same manner as one would find the mindset of the people before the flood, thus the Wicked will entice the people of the City. Did God make them that way? No, in our Season they had the ability in hand to be Christ Like, they will do many Acts, but they will be unequal, as they fail to do the Will of the Father.

The phrase, marrying and giving in marriage goes further than husband and wife. During the days of Noah, the sons of God were marrying the daughters of men, this has nothing to do with gender. The sons of God are the descendants of Seth, whether male or female; the daughters of men are idol worshipers, whether male or female. They were eating and drinking because there was Peace in the land, no sickness, no disease, no war, no poverty, each person was their own government. Before the flood the people lived many years, the child died at a hundred, but a man was still in sin, even the animals were at peace with each other. Noah didn’t have to build cages to separate the lion from the lamb, they laid down together in the ark. Before the Flood mankind did not eat meat, thus Paul tells us they will abstain from meat, or act as they did before the Flood. It was after the Flood when Noah was told he could eat meat, but at the same time God said the animals would turn and eat man.

Before the Flood, the people in those days knew of God, but held to their ways of pleasure and self-benefit, thinking they were rich and in need of nothing. Noah was six hundred years old when the flood began (Gen 7:11), but he was five hundred years old when his sons were born, from two of those sons come the ten toes, the third produced the Hebrews. Since the two from whom the ten toes came were born when Noah was five hundred years old, the figure of 1,000 years gives us the like conditions as it was in the Time of  Noah.

The Word of the Lord came to Noah in the invisible, not the visible. Jesus was not on the earth during the Days of Noah, but Noah kept the commandments God gave him. Isaiah spoke of this by saying, “there shall be no more there an infant of days, nor an old man who has not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed” (Isa 65:20). Since Isaiah shows the Sinner will be around, as well as death, we know this isn’t “heaven on earth”, but “earth on earth as it was in the Days of Noah”. If in fact Jesus sets up His Kingdom on earth during the 1,000 years, it would mean He condones sin, enjoys death of children, as well as having no ability to stop the false prophet. It would also mean Jesus would be unable to heal the sick when the plagues come, nor stop the devil from taking two-thirds, He must submit to the Woman, and since the Earth is His footstool, it would mean Jesus would place His kingdom as His own footstool, we think not. Instead of longing for the Day of the Lord, we must enter Mercy and Grace then pray we are spared from the Night.

One key element directs this entire thought to the premise, “if it’s like the days of Noah, we must ask, How many Christians were around in the days of Noah?”. None, thus Jesus doesn’t go back to the days of Adam, or reflect to the earthly ministry of Jesus, or to His people after the Day of Pentecost, rather He goes directly to a time of peace and safety before the Law of Moses, and before the ability to be Christ Like was granted. If one is around during those days they will say “look here, look there, there is Christ”, but they lie since no one will not have the ability to say “I’m a Christian”.

Jesus started building New Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, John shows New Jerusalem as a people, not a building of stone, as he said, “I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:20). John was told to look at the Lamb’s wife, when he did he saw New Jerusalem (Rev 21:9-10), her glory is like a precious stone, but it doesn’t mean she is a precious stone (Rev 21:11), just as John the Baptist saw the Spirit like a dove, but it doesn’t mean the Spirit is a dove. The Woman is covered with actual stones, but the Bride has a Glory far greater than all the precious stones the earth could produce.

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away: so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (24:39).

John says the people of the earth will blaspheme God because of their sores and pains, they will refuse to repent of their deeds, because they believed a lie (Rev 16:11). This also shows all mankind will be dead, as a flood destroys all, we find the Serpent sent a flood to carry away the woman, but the earth opened up and swallowed the flood (Rev 12:15-16). When the flood succeeds, then comes the Judgment (Rev 12:17).

Then shall be two in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for you know not what hour your Lord does come (24:40-42).

This is loaded with metaphors, explaining several areas, including the Rapture. Luke adds to this, showing two men in one bed, one taken, the other left, and two women shall be grinding together, and one taken, and the other left, then two men in the same field, one taken and the other left (Luke 17:34-36). Luke also adds, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32), it was Lot’s wife who turned back to see the destruction. This warning was directed to the disciples; any time we take pleasure in the fall of the heathen, it’s our Satan nature bringing demonic enjoyment.

The Field is the kingdom of heaven, the Tares are left behind when the Wheat is taken. The Bed has two brothers, in First John we find a Brother can say they are in the Light, yet hate their brother, thus they are in darkness; simply being in the same Bed doesn’t mean both have Light. The Two Women at the Mill equate to the Grain, both are working, but only one has a heart to work for the Lord. At the Mill is the Millstone, it’s the same Stone we either fall on, or have fall on us. One is crushed, one saved.

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up (24:43).

Jesus also told the disciples to “watch and pray” for none of us know the hour (Mark 13:33). Before the master of the house left on the journey, He gave His servants Authority, telling them to Watch and Pray, so they don’t enter the Hour of Temptation. Jesus told the Fifth church, “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain” (Rev 3:2), with, “If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you” (Rev 3:3). We call the Fifth church the Dead church, but fail to see it’s the church of our time, also the church will see the Rapture. The word Watch means to be Vigilant, or Alert, denoting Standing with a Brisk Lively Action. The concept of “thief” doesn’t mean Jesus is a Thief, rather it points to the suddenness.

Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes (24:44).

Being Ready and Watching is the same, we Watch by Looking at our own position and condition. Jesus said In Such An Hour, pointing to The Hour. There is a difference between Jesus descending to meet us in the Air, and Jesus descending to judge the earth. The Rapture takes us to the altar of God where we meet the Dead in Christ, then all of us meet Jesus in the Air, where Jesus presents His Bride to the Father by confessing us before the Father. Our Taking Up will not hinder those who Sleep in Jesus, they will have their time after the 1,000 years.

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord has made ruler over His household, to give them meat in due season? (24:45).

This connects to James and the Wisdom of God. James said “who is a wise man,  endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation (behavior) his works with meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13). What Wisdom? The wisdom of the earth? No, the wisdom of the earth is earthly, sensual (soulish), and devilish (James 3:15). James doesn’t say it ends demon possessed, rather it is devilish in nature. The Wisdom of God is an attribute provided by the Spirit, it’s pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated (teachable), full of mercy, good fruits, without partiality or hypocrisy (James 3:17). It’s not only Wise, but being Faithful, the word Faithful means Loyal. The Giving of Meat in due season is the reward, pointing to the Victory in the Rapture.

Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He comes shall find so doing (24:46).

John tells us Blessed and Holy are those who are Partakers of the First Resurrection (Rev 20:6). For they shall reign With Christ during the 1,000 years, it doesn’t say they will reign on Earth, rather it points to being in heaven on Thrones (Rev 20:4 & I Thess 4:17).

Verily I say unto you, That He shall make him ruler over all His goods (24:47).

What Goods? What Ruling? Jesus has made us kings and priests, but if we’re all kings, who are our subjects? Things in our lives; if we give place to unbelief, it becomes a resident in our kingdom. As kings we have the keys, we can allow, or disallow, we can say no to Mercy, or yes to Mercy. We can run our kingdom as Jesus desires, or as our own natural will desires. Blessed is the servant whom the Lord finds ruling their kingdom as the Lord desires.

But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delays His coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for Him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (24:48-51).

Both are servants, one is good, the other evil. If the Lord delays His coming, we nonetheless maintain our kingdom in the proper order.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom (25:1).

Jesus separates the Seasons and times, this also opens another aspect of One Taken, One Left. There are Seven Golden Candlesticks, but Two Seasons, the First Five are taken, the last Two are left for their Season. John said Five are fallen, one is (sixth) and one is soon to come (seventh – Rev 17:10). All this correlates, the Ten Virgins point to the Day, giving us two groups of Five, bringing us to the prior aspect of One Taken, One Left, only in this area we find those who are Taken, and those who Sleep in Jesus. Five have Lamps, thus they have the container for the Oil, but lack the Oil (Grace, Spirit). The other Five had both Lamps and Oil, thus they have both Mercy and Grace.

And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: (25:2-3).

They had Mercy, but failed to obtain Grace. It would be different if they were virgins, without lamps or oil, then we would be talking about the Wicked, but we find all ten are virgins, all ten have lamps, but only five have the Oil, yet the Wicked are known as fornicators and adulterers, not virgins, they are also without the lamp and oil.

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps (25:4).

The Wise are those with the Spirit, who follow the Spirit, making the lamp the container for the Light, but lacking the power to produce Light without the Oil. Generally the Oil refers to the Anointing, often it’s related to Mercy, as in the Mount of Olives, but here we find the reference is twofold, referring more to the Living Water produced by the Spirit.

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept, And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet Him (25:5-6).

In the Garden Peter would fall asleep, and the Lord would say, “What couldn’t you watch with Me for one Hour, watch and pray you don’t enter the temptation”. The Five Wise maintained by standing, the five foolish felt the lamp was enough to get them through the Door.

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out (25:7-8).

Only God can give us the Oil, we can’t transfer our Oil to another, nor can we act like Korah who attempted to steal the Oil of another.

But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you: but go you rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves (25:9).

The phrase Buy means to Obtain, it doesn’t mean we can buy the Spirit.

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut (25:10).

Once the Door is shut, it’s shut, this gives us two groups, with the only difference being the Oil. This gives us those who are Dead in Christ, and those who Sleep in Jesus.

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said Verily I say unto you, I know you not (25:11-12).

This is a failure to have the Oil, yet they had lamps, they were light holders. John the Baptist was a witness to the Light, but even John knew “Lord I have need to be baptized of You”. This also shows we must have the Spirit for the Son of God to know us, Mercy equates us to the Father (James 1:27), but in order to make the Rapture we must come through the Door by the Spirit. This is basically what Paul will tell the Corinthians, he prayed their works would get them through the fire, since they were carnal, as they lacked the Oil. Jesus knows us by the Spirit, but as the Son of man He will judge works (ways).

Watch therefore, for You know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes (25:13).

This gives us the “Son of man”, not the Son of God. We don’t know what Hour Jesus will begin the Day of the Lord, but we do know it can be any second.

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightaway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of the lord (25:14-21).

Ahh, another mystery opened, the kingdom of heaven is Mercy related, the Kingdom of God is Grace related. Here Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven, this parable also separates the Five churches from the Two churches, as well as the Seven from the Eighth. The one with one talent put it in the ground, or Earth, thus John shows the False Prophet will come from the earth (Rev 13:11). The One with Five and the One with Two divide the Seasons, One didn’t attempt to interchange the talents with the Other, rather they knew what Season they were assigned to. The gain is the purpose, yet the gain isn’t for the one who held the talents, rather it’s for the One who gave the talents. What is this Talent? Could it be Grace? No, it goes right back to giving Mercy for the Mercy received. Some are forgiven much, some not as much, but the Mercy granted is designed to increase. We asked for God to forgive us, thus we owe forgiveness to others. We took the Talent, as we freely received, therefore we are to freely give, in the giving we find our Mercy will increase.

He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them (25:22).

In this case we see the wording Two other talents, whereas in the case of the one who received five it was five talents more, the difference leads us to an allegory. The first five represent the First Five churches who hold a Great Strength, the next Two point to the last Two churches who hold a Little Strength. Who was the First to hear? The one with Five, then comes the one with Two.

His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of the lord (25:23).

The One with Two came After the One with Five, John shows the judgment begins with those who are compared to the books (Law); thus we judge ourselves to the Body and Blood to avoid being condemned with the world. God has not appointed us to His wrath, we are appointed to His Salvation.

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you had not strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the earth: lo, there you have that which is yours (25:24-25).

Luke shows this servant said “because You are an Austere man” (Luke 19:21), the word Austere means, Without adornment or ornamentation, or better Open and plain. The Lord didn’t make His requests hidden, He didn’t trick these servants, everything was open and plain. The Pharisees kept saying, “show us”, yet Jesus made it clear. Their own unbelief blinded them to the signs around them, they equated the Glory of God to the devil,  causing their own failure. This servant was fearful, but held the wrong kind of fear, this is the same type of fear we see in the meaning of the word “draw back” in the phrase, “draw back to perdition” (Heb 10:39).

The one with the one talent made a self-determination based on a self-opinion, the word Several means Private or something just for them, thus we can’t run to the commandments of God assuming we’re going to be among the 144,000, it’s stealing the talent of another, while rejecting the talents given us. This Eighth didn’t make any increase, he received the Talent, but failed to give it, becoming a vessel of dishonor.

His lord answered and said unto him, You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed (25:26).

The word Wicked defines this servant, yet he was a servant in the kingdom of heaven. This isn’t a sin of ignorance, it’s iniquity, the servant had the same ability and opportunity to gain as the others, but failed to do so. The Unequal aspect is receiving, but refusing to give.

You ought therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury (25:27).

The talent was given, but the ownership was still the Lord’s, it’s the failure of the sons of perdition, they assume it’s their talent, their gift, and their sole possession.

Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which has ten talents (25:28).

Giving it to the One with Ten isn’t some unfair gesture, rather is shows this wicked servant was a fowl who sat in the Tree of the First Five, what little he thought he had, he lost. This also shows this servant began in the time of the Five, but came to the surface as a Beast during the time of the last Two. In our Season they are “antichrists”, in the next they are “false prophets”.

For unto every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has. And cast you the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (25:29-30).

The One who has Life and applies it will receive Life More Abundantly, but he who lacks the increase, what little (one talent) he does have will be taken away. The phrase Outer Darkness means Total Darkness or Extreme Darkness, or an area having no light whatsoever, it was used of Jude to show where the Wicked end. It’s one thing to seek the Light, it’s another to taste of the Light, then reject the purpose for a theology laced with unbelief. The latter will always have a memory of What could have been, the former will have no memory of the dead.

When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations; and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left (25:31-33).

Jesus came as the Son of man, or Son of David, making Him the King of the Jews, but here it’s all nations. This is the Second coming of Jesus, the great day of judgment; when John and James Zebedee heard this, they probably felt, “thank God, we didn’t push our request to sit on His right and left hand” (Matt 20:21). The Sheep in this context contain the little flock, the Remnant, the ones compared to the books. Zechariah said, “they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him” (Zech 12:10). Also there are some who are not compared to the Books (Rev 20:13-14). What is this? The Judgment, the time when some are resurrected unto Life, some unto damnation (Jn 5:28-29).

In Zechariah we find a first person and second person usage, as they look upon “Me”, yet mourn over “Him”; the Remnant mourn over the abominations done in Jerusalem, but the mourning is the offense done unto Jehovah (Ezek 9:4 & Rev 1:7). After they look upon Him they will ask, “what are these wounds in Your hands?”, Jesus will say, “Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends” (Zech 13:6). These are blessed of the Father, thus Jesus judges them as the Son of man, not the Son of God. This has to relate to Mercy, helping us define the “will of the Father” as acts and ways of Mercy.

This division offended the Pharisees to the bone, there is nothing said about “doing the Law”. This verse shows the only time the Throne of Jesus will be near or on the earth will be at the Judgment, not before. It’s clear from this verse He comes for judgment, not to set up His Kingdom on earth to bring joy and peace. In truth the Kingdom of God is all ready here, in the midst of the Born Again Believer.

Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (25:34).

Many of us think when we get before the judgment seat we will be able to say, “Well Lord I want to tell you I did for You”, yet Jesus will tell these people what they did and didn’t do, they will have to give account by the Logos (Jesus).

Here in Matthew we are looking at two groups, both are the promised of the Father, yet neither knew Jesus, neither used the Name of Jesus, neither is reminded of the Spirit or anything to do with the Holy Ghost, rather the context is Mercy. This is not some excuse to run from the Grace of God, rather we find for one reason or another there are some who were robbed of being Born Again, they were victims, yet they walked in Mercy, or as Paul put it they did the Law of faith.

Whether it’s “Lord, Lord haven’t we”, or “Lord when did we?”, it’s still based in the Will of the Father. Grace is a different story, it provides us the great opportunity to be Partakers in the First Resurrection, which comes before the 1,000 years (Rev 20:4-5).

There are three groups in the Body, those who are crucified with Christ, who belong to the group known as the “Dead in Christ”, there are those who for one reason or another didn’t reach the area, but loved the Lord and walked in Mercy, they “Sleep in Jesus” through the Night, becoming those from the “Sea” to be judged in the end (Rev 20:13). The Sea of course is a metaphor for the Gentile world, connecting it to the Gentile Generation. Then we have the third group, the Drunken who go into the Night. This last group will be the “Lord, Lord, haven’t we” people, but they are not at issue in these verses, rather Jesus is showing the process of Revelation 20:11-15.

For I was hungry, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink: I was a stranger and you took Me in: naked, and you clothed Me: I was sick, and you visited Me: I was in prison and you came unto Me (25:35-36).

James said the pure and undefiled religion consisted of: visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world (James 1:27). These are not areas of faith, but they do relate to love thy neighbor. If one walks in Love, even a Phileo love they complete the commandments of God if they remain unspotted from the world. Which is the case with the Sixth church, they have a Phileo love, giving them the name of Philadelphia (city of brotherly love – Phileo). They will care for the people, but the Seventh church changes it, their love will wax cold (become self-centered). John tells us the devil will be bound during the time of Comfort, yet the false prophet will be active. Paul confirms the premise by saying the son of perdition comes with the working of Satan (II Thess 2:9). The devil isn’t the problem, using the old nature is.

Here we find the “sheep” had no idea what they were doing was going to gain them a reward, they are not the “Lord, Lord” people who boasted in their efforts, rather they did works of Mercy by nature, without a second thought.

Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we You hungry, and fed You? or thirsty and gave You drink? When saw we You a stranger, and took You in? or naked, and clothed You? Or when saw we You sick or in prison, and came unto You?  (25:37-39).

If Jesus was on the earth during this time, surely they would know Him. If they did these works in the Name of Jesus, surely they would know that; however, they didn’t know either of those, nor did they use the Name of Jesus. This group kept the commandments of God, they had neither lamp nor Oil, but they had the measure of faith joined with Mercy. When Jesus gave the Least Commandments it was based on Mercy, thus Mercy like belief is a choice. In the case of Grace we find to whom much is given, much is required, but to whom a little strength is given, little is required. They still have to pass by Jesus, but it’s exactly what is going on. These would be considered those who are resurrected unto Life, we are partakers of the First Resurrection because we have Life.

We can also tell this is Mercy, in so doing we find a clue in the use of the double emphasis “Lord, Lord”. In Matthew 7:20-23 we found the “Lord, Lord” people did many things in the Name of Jesus, yet failed to do the will of the Father. Here there is no mention of the Name of Jesus, neither do we find anyone saying, “Lord, Lord”, but “Lord”. When we see the term, “Lord, Lord”, it refers to someone who is in the Body, these people are being judged for their works, yet Jesus never says, “you cast out devils, laid hands on the sick, did wonderful works in My Name”. This is the group fitting, “the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works” (Rev 20:13). This would be after “it’s appointed to every man once to die, then comes the judgment”, thus all mankind will be physically dead at the Judgment, yet their souls will be judged.

In the judgment verses in Revelation 20:11-15 we never find “heaven giving up the dead in her”, thus, showing Revelation 20:4 supports the Rapture. The point of course, we see the people who did the Law of faith, without knowing it. The sheep did works by nature,  yet we know there are some who do works to appear holy, moral or special before man, their works are pride based, not faith based. However, the sheep noted here did things because they had Mercy, as they operated from their measure of faith.

In the Old Testament we read; “for out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they who escape out of mount Zion; the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this” (II Kings 19:31), and “they go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appear before God” (Ps 84:7). Wait a minute, weren’t the 144,000 marked on Zion? Yes, here we find Zion and Jerusalem of the Earth, this is not a reference to New Jerusalem or the Zion as the Body, a division of Seasons, between the Day and the Night (Remnant).

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it unto Me (25:40).

Jesus will use this same phrase in speaking to the goats, but He leaves off the term, “My brethren”: thus the context isn’t showing the brethren were those to whom the deeds were done, rather it’s pointed to those who did the deeds becoming “Brethren”. They did it unto the least, thus they kept the Least Commandments of Mercy. The term Least doesn’t mean the Commandments of Mercy are inferior, rather it means they are the Least we can do. Any natural person, who is not Born Again, who does not have the Spirit, yet loves God has the capability to engage in acts of Mercy. Any religious body on the earth who lacks Mercy for it’s fellow man, lacks God, no matter what they say.

Looking at the church of Philadelphia, we find they had a little strength, or did the undefiled religion. Here we find the result of using the little strength as God intended (Rev 3:8); however, we are given the Strength of His Christ, to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48).

The goats will also be judged according to their works as well, or better, the lack of them. Since Jesus is judging from the position of the Son of man, it stands the goats had the same opportunity, means and ability to as the sheep. Unbelief is a terrible enemy, yet it’s based on choice; just as the application of Mercy is based on choice.

Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels (25:41).

Jesus never Knew these people, this is still based on Mercy. Jesus is the Book of Life, in Him are we written. The goats refused to heed the call of Mercy, they failed to do the law of faith, although the measure of faith is given to all mankind. Also Jesus doesn’t call them, “workers of iniquity”, showing they were not in the Body of Christ. These would be those resurrected unto damnation, a place in the lake of fire without end.

For I was hungry, and you gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink: I was a stranger, and you took Me not in: naked, and you clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and you visited Me not. Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto You? (25:42-44).

Mercy is a vital element to the measure of faith, in our case it becomes extremely vital, since we are forgiven by God, to forgive others.

Paul told the Corinthians to pray their works could get them through the fire, of course he also told them, they were carnal and unable to understand spiritual matters. For the Corinthians, it appeared the only hope they had was their works, since they refused to enter the spiritual calling of God (I Cor 12:1).

The goats will attempt to manipulate Jesus by using the same wording as the sheep, thus this group attempts to use words; whereas, the sheep found their works went before them. The Judgment is the separation time, yet don’t think Jesus will enjoy it, it’s a day of darkness, not Light. Hell was made for the devil and his angels, but because man has choice, some made the choice to use the ways of the devil, causing hell to widen her borders. “Woe unto you who desire (long for) the day of the Lord! To what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light” (Amos 5:18). There is no joy in seeing someone go to hell, absolutely no joy in seeing someone enter the lake of fire, if we think there is, we must change our ways obtaining Mercy, in order to find Grace.

Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to Me (25:45).

The wording used by the goats is close, but not close enough, thus showing the intent of the sheep was by nature, or as Paul will show, they did the law of faith without knowing it. The goats on the other hand didn’t do any of the acts of Mercy, however, we find both the sheep and goats wanted to know “when?”, but for different reasons. The goats would have given, if they knew it would keep them out of hell, but the sheep gave based on the mercy granted them in the measure of faith. The word “Brethren” is left out in reference to the goats, thus it’s not giving to the “brethren”, but those who did the giving are called “brethren” (Matt 25:40). Again this shows the Judgment is based on Mercy.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (25:46).

This isn’t the same as Blackness of Darkness, but it’s torment nonetheless, this is the resurrection unto damnation, they had nothing to gain them life, thus Predestination is not God making an A list and a B list, it’s the Plan set forth so all can enter therein, but man makes his choice, God honors it.

If the sheep are resurrected unto Life, it means they are granted Life at the time; however, for us we are partakers in the First Resurrection because we have the Life of Jesus. The same Spirit who raised Jesus will raise us, we are crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live, the life we now live is by Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Now there are some questions, where is “Born Again”? Where is “Grace”? If it’s not by works, why is this determined by works? This area has nothing to do with Grace, it has to do with Mercy.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings He said unto His disciples, You know that after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified (26:1-2).

All these sayings provoke us to consider our position and condition, reflecting on our Standing, Watching and Being prepared. Here Jesus is showing the Son of man must be crucified before any of these other events can take place. By now we know the Son of man refers to Mercy, the Son of God to Grace (Rom 1:3-4 et al).

The purpose was going far beyond these twelve disciples, the Jews, Romans and Gentiles who would be looking at Jesus on the Cross. None of them had any idea what the Resurrection would bring, although they were told.

Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill Him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people (26:3-5).

After Jesus talks about what happens at the end, the Pharisees come with their plans to kill Jesus. This meeting shows how the envy run religious leaders make plans of destruction in their secret meetings, Paul said this was lying in wait to deceive (Eph 4:14). This is another example of bringing an accusation against an Elder, the premise for all John 7 meetings is destruction, rather than mercy, healing, or restoration. Although we don’t see it, the process for these Jews was to pray before the meeting, thus prayer alone isn’t going to secure us in the Will of God, it takes ears to hear with a heart to discern. James shows we can pray from a lust, rather than for Wisdom (James 4:1-4).

The Feast Day was not the Passover day, but the day after Passover. The Feast Of Unleavened Bread at this time would fall on Thursday the 15th of Abib. Numbers 28:16-18 tells us, “and in the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Lord, and in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. In the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no manner of servile work therein”. The Passover called for labor (killing the Passover), thus the Feast of Unleavened Bread began the day after the Passover, making it a High Sabbath. Therefore, Jesus went to the Cross on the Passover, was put in the grave at sunset which began the High Sabbath. It’s important to remember the Jewish method of keeping a day is sunset to sunset, rather than midnight to midnight. The night of the Passover meal and the Cross were the same Jewish day, not two separate days. The religious leaders would wait to have their Passover meal until after the Cross, causing them to miss the greatest Passover of all time.

The Pharisees had formed their plan, they sought to complete it before the Feast Day, Jesus said it was two days before the feast, thus the time element is close. The Pharisees were concerned about the views of the people, but more important they were concerned about how they would look in the eyes of the people. They knew the people would be busy on the Passover preparing for the High Sabbath, and assumed the deed could be done with a hand full of watchdogs and false witnesses. This plan had to make it appear to have the will of the people, yet not let the majority of the people know about it. How could it be? The Passover being a Preparation day for the Feast Day would find many people at home, not walking about the streets. The religious rulers could pick a small group to manipulate the event. Of course God saw it before He said, Let there be Light, then worked it into the Plan. Taking advantage of the situation, doesn’t mean God caused it.

Matthew will tell us why the Pharisees had reached the point where they assumed they must kill Jesus, as well as why Judas felt the timing was perfect to force Jesus to set up the kingdom on earth, both groups were laying in wait to deceive. The Judas seed of deceit began by attempting to force Jesus to do some thing, especially by manipulating events behind His back, although Jesus knows all, sees all.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto Him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head, as He sat at meat (26:6-7).

John tells us this took place six days before the Passover, thus Matthew is merely giving us the reason why Judas acted, rather than the exact time when this anointing took place. This is made clearer by the phrase, “Now when Jesus”; taking us back to the 9th of Abib, connecting this to John’s account. The 9th of Abib in this particular year would have been a Friday, the first day of the Seven referred to by Daniel. Therefore, Jesus as our Sabbath was anointed on the weekly preparation day, leading to the point where all the leaven was cast out of the house. For all these events to take place, yet have Jesus go to the Cross in the Midst of the week, had to go far beyond the ability of man. God saw this time before the foundation of the world, thus we know the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8).

Matthew makes it clear, the anointing happened in Bethany, Mark also says it was when Jesus was “in the house of Simon the leper” (Mark 14:3). Mark like Matthew shows us the reason, but John shows us the exact day (Jn 12:1). John also adds how Mary took the ointment, anointing the feet of Jesus (Jn 12:3). However, it’s the head of a king which is anointed, the servant has his feet anointed, thus Jesus is both King and Servant. It’s also important to see the Feet of Jesus are anointed, yet His enemies are made His footstool, not His feet. This is preparation toward the Burial, not Life, Judas was looking at it, yet never considered the danger he was in for his attempt to sell the “anointing”. It was at this anointing where Judas would say, “why was this ointment not sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” (Jn 12:5). Where was the interest of Judas? On the anointing, or the money? We can see many things regarding the mind and thoughts of Judas, thus giving us clues to the mindset of the Wicked.

Jesus points out this one week in all of man’s history was ordained by God for a specific purpose, as He says, “Let her alone: against the day of My burying has she kept this. For the poor always you have with you, but Me you have not always” (Jn 12:7-8). From this we can see some of us were placed in the Prophet’s Cave by God for specific reasons, or perhaps in places we would rather not be, yet the result is good. The Cross of Jesus is a one time event, although played over millions of times, the actual event happened once. This in no way means feeding the poor is wrong, rather it shows the opportunity to feed the poor is always with us. All this indicates how the events happening before Judas and the others would never happen again, yet spiritual things to natural minds are foolishness. Judas wasn’t worried about the poor, he was worried about his bag (Jn 12:6). Judas was attempting to sale the anointing, whereas Simon of Samaria was attempting to buy it. This shows how the Ways of God didn’t interest Judas, unless he could make some personal gain.

This happened at the House of Simon, who was the father of Judas (Jn 6:71), Judas considered it a waste to anoint the Lord, later at the table he will consider his plans more important than sitting with the Lord. When Jesus tells Judas, “the poor you have with you always”; Judas took the phrase as a challenge, arriving at his own self-based conclusions. Instead of thinking, Bless God, there is always a work to be done for the Lord, Judas thought, Poor with me, not going to happen. His actions betrayed him, causing him to betray the Lord. Judas was moved by the bag, not the poor, his thoughts were to force Jesus into a position to bring about the Time of Comfort, making Judas the treasurer of the world.

But when His disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor (26:8-9).

John showed the first challenge regarding the waste was directed toward Jesus based on what Judas said. Here in Matthew we find the influence Judas had on the others, convincing them to join him. To Judas this was poor stewardship, a waste, yet it was for the One he called Master. The Wicked use natural reasoning to determine spiritual matters, usually leaving them with the opinion lacking in discernment. They also do the opposite of what is required, rather than see opportunity for the sake of the Lord, they look for opportunity to exalt them selves. It seemed logical to use a little oil for the anointing, then sell the rest, but God has purposes for specifics, the logic of man is based on the wisdom of man, not the Wisdom of God.

When Jesus understood it, He said unto them, Why trouble you the woman? for she has wrought a good work upon Me (26:10).

The accusation was really against Mary, not Jesus, yet we find it was a method of applying guilt by using manipulation. Judas like the rest was trained in the ways of Mercy, not condemnation, yet here it’s what he is using.

Prior Jesus told these same men, “suffer the little children, forbid them not, to come unto Me” (Matt 19:14). Judas reasoned, the poor will always be with others, but not with him, he was determined to get his hands on the treasury. In his deception he became deceived the more, later he will assume Jesus has approved his endeavors when he hears, “what you do, do quickly”; however, he could repent just as fast as he acted out his plan.

For you have the poor always with you; but Me you have not always. For in that she has poured this ointment on My body, she did it for My burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman has done, be told for a memorial of her (26:11-13).

The Oil had a purpose, a specific purpose, it wasn’t to be used in a manner not intended. This is a warning to the improper use of our spiritual position, Jude called it turning the Grace of our God into lasciviousness (Jude 4). Paul called it spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, Proverbs said it was the Strange Woman.

The reference to “Her” (Mary) as the Memorial doesn’t mean we will remember Mary, rather she becomes a type and shadow of the Bride making herself ready by the Anointing. This act will be a Memorial for those who are more concerned about Jesus, than their own self-nature.  Mary’s actions became a witness against the Judas nature, who are more concerned about the self-nature, than Jesus, yet at the same time a Witness for her.

Jesus would ride into Jerusalem the day after the anointing, where He cleaned the temple a second time, the first time is noted in John at the very beginning of the ministry. Judas saw and heard all this, he knew Jesus had the ability to take authority over the temple, why not help Him a little, why not make the prophecy come to pass? Who cares how we get there, as long as we get there. Jesus does, we run the race lawfully, the means is just as important as reaching the end.

The Pharisees also saw Jesus ride into the city, clean out the temple, like Judas they knew Jesus could take the temple at any time. One of their own had a prophecy, but mixed it with self-based theology twisting it from, “it’s better for one man to die, than the nation perish”, to “it’s better for us if we kill this Man” (Jn 11:49-50). Both Judas and the Religious leaders were attempting to make things come to pass to satisfy their self-desires.

Daniel said one aspect of this week was to “Anoint the most Holy” (Dan 9:24). The Anointing began in Bethany, ending as the Sacrifice in heaven before the Father.

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver, and from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him (26:14-16).

Judas now becomes friends with the chief priests, it will be Judas who is able to get Peter past the guard during the trials. All this is after all those teachings on the Talents; this same Judas saw the blind see, the lame walk, he was privy to many teachings on Mercy, yet for the pleasure of the moment, he was willing to commit fornication against the Lord.

The Pharisees reached into their treasury to pay Judas the thirty pieces of silver. Judas would have done it for nothing, but his mindset was one of extortion, his greedy lust still desired to have all he could get. This is the same as accepting filthy lucre, thus Judas didn’t care what strings were attached, as long as he got the money. When Judas tosses back the money, it shows his thought process of repentance, as well as defining “repented himself” as self-repentance. Like Adam who thought being naked was the sin, Judas thinks having blood money is the sin. He attempted to pay for his sin with the same funds he took to betray the Lord, he ended with a piece of rope.

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto Him, Where will You that we prepare for You to eat the Passover? (26:17).

This is the same day as the Pharisees and Judas were making their evil plans, thus as the evil was preparing to do evil, the Good were preparing to sit at the Lord’s Table. There are several words added by the translators here for clarity, but the context is the preparation for the First Day of The feast of unleavened bread which is the Passover, not the Feast Day itself. A Preparation day is before any sabbath, whether High, or the weekly by the Commandment. In this case they would prepare the Passover Lamb, then eat it when the sun went down, which ended Passover, but began the Feast Day. The Jew keeps the day from sunset to sunset, thus the Passover ended as the sun was setting on the day of the Cross. The Pharisees violated this premise, they waited until after the Passover. According to Jewish tradition the day prior to eating the Passover was a day of fasting for the Firstborn. Jesus fasted on this day by not entering the temple, teaching or doing any signs.

The disciples prepared the upper room for the Passover, Jesus didn’t. This will also be the first step in His Vow of the Nazarite. John the Baptist came under the Vow, but Jesus didn’t enter the Vow until the night of the Passover when He said, “I will not drink of the Vine until…” (Numb 6:1-21). Each aspect of the Vow of the Nazarite helps us understand why Matthew said, “And He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matt 2:23). The Vow of Samson was to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines (Judges 13:5); however, the exact reference to Christ being a Nazarite can’t be found, unless one views all the areas of the Vow of the Nazarite, finding it’s a Testimony pointing to Jesus, not Samson, or John the Baptist or anyone else.

The word Philistine means to Wallow in the self, thus the Vow of the Nazarite on the part of Jesus is to save our souls from the Self nature. Paul pointed to the Nazarite vow when he said the long hair on the head as a type of Anointing in his rebuke to the Corinthians (I Cor 11:1-11 & Numb 6:1-12). We are Separated unto the Lord, all the days of our Separation are called Holy unto the Lord (Numb 6:8). We shall not defile “the head of His Consecration” (the authority or anointing [hair] – Numb 6:9). The Lamb of the First year shall be brought to the Door of the Tabernacle and a “ewe lamb” shall also be presented, with “unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil” (Numb 6:14-15). All these elements point to Jesus and the Bride, Paul told us we are the Bread (Body – I Cor 10:17). However the Bread without the Oil can’t be presented, just as a lamp without oil can’t breach the Door. We find Jesus did many things, each is complete in Him, just as we are complete by Him.

And He said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master says, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the Passover (26:18-19).

This would be the third Passover since the baptism of Jesus, yet it’s not three years. From the First Passover to the Second would be one year, from the Second to the Third would be two years. The earthly ministry of Jesus was just over Two Years as a symbol of the Two shall be One (Jn 2:13, 2:16, 6:4 & 6:11-13).

Now when the even was come, He sat down with the twelve (26:20).

The twelve represent all who would hear of Jesus through them, thus we are also represented at this table. This purpose of Communion is to Remember, which builds our belief, but many things Jesus told us are yet to come, thus our belief leads us to a firm faith in the performance of Jesus. Out of all the verses pertaining to this one week, 296 of them pertain to this one night, with the majority given by John (16:7).

And as they did eat, He said, Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray Me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto Him, Lord, is it I? And He answered and said, He that dips his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me (26:21-23).

The dish contained bitter herbs to remind them of the bitterness in Egypt, yet Judas never made it to the Bread or the Cup, but he did take the bitterness of Egypt (Jn 13:30). The word, Wormwood means Bitterness, in the latter days the Star of Bitterness will fall on the waters (people) of the world (Rev 8:11). The phrase, “what you do, do quickly”, presented Judas with a choice, he could repent as Quickly as act on his self-desire; however, the acts of Judas shows his choice lined up with his decision, he sold out Jesus to get what he wanted. When the heart of Judas took the bitterness of Egypt, his self-deception convinced him, Jesus had just blessed his deed. Judas was going to do what he was going to do, Jesus didn’t bless his plans, rather Jesus offered choice, then submitted to the choice of Judas. This is a great lesson to us, if we receive it. Praying from a lust is not praying in the will of the Lord, yet if our minds are so set on doing what we’re going to do, the Lord will allow, but it doesn’t mean He blesses.

The Son of man goes as it is written of Him; but woe unto that man whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed Him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, You have said (26:24-25).

The direction of the choice is being presented to Judas, yet self-deception blinded him to the Truth. The phrase reads “Woe unto the man whom the Son of man is betrayed”, not “Woe unto the man who betrays the Son of man”, this is prophecy projected to all those who hold the Judas nature in the position of the son of perdition.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take eat; this is My body (26:26).

The first aspect is our condition, when we take the Bread we enter Mercy by Mercy, this is our Remembrance of why we accepted the Cross. This was the area the Corinthians should have spent the most time. An unworthy condition here would be taking the Bread, yet coming against other members of the same Bread, and not caring. This is not the same as correction to bring perfection, it’s when someone simply attacks other members of the Body for the enjoyment of the attack.

The Cup is just a Cup, it’s what’s in the Cup making the difference. The Lord’s table is the place of remembrance, the place to reflect on Vows. The Communion Service is our Priestly function, the time when we as priests unto the Lord reflect on the Sacrifice. We are the Body (Bread) which relates to our Mercy position, then the Blood of Jesus for Grace as the New Covenant. The New Covenant is not in the Bread, it’s in the Blood, the Bread is the glue to keep us in the New.

The bread used is called Matzo, it was kept in a three part napkin called the Matzo Napkin. The first piece was called Abraham, it was removed, blessed and replaced, then the second was called Isaac, it was also taken, blessed and replaced, then the third piece was called Jacob, it was taken blessed and replaced. Then the third piece was taken again, only this time it was called Israel, it was blessed, then replaced, then the second piece was removed again, giving us five removals; reflecting on the Five churches. To the Jew this is a symbol of the time when God will put His hand a second time to Israel to save the Remnant, to us it’s a symbol of the Fifth Seal when we are taken out of here.

The hidden promised son is taken from the place in the Napkin, broken, blessed and given. The breaking of the Bread goes beyond the Cross to the Broken Body of Jesus, but the Napkin points to the Resurrection. It will be the empty wrapped Napkin causing John to believe.

The Matzo Bread had to be cooked within Seven Minutes from the second the water touched the Grain; therefore, to speed up the cooking process they pierced holes in the bread, then made stripes in the Bread. The symbol was Jesus, who was pierced, by His stripes we were healed, but to the Jew it was merely to speed up the cooking process.

Some assume one must be some great leader in order to partake of Communion; however, Paul gave the carnal church of Corinth a teaching on Communion. He began by saying, “when you come together into one place, is this not for the eating of the Lord’s Supper” (I Cor 11:20). Every time Christians gathered together, whether Roots, Blades, Full Ears or Full Corn in the Ears, they can take of the Lord’s Supper. On the other hand, if Communion becomes a rite or ritual it will turn into a social exercise, losing it’s importance and power. Paul reminds us the Lord’s Supper was taken on the same night as Jesus was betrayed (I Cor 11:23). Therefore we can take the Lord’s Supper to make sure we don’t become self-deceived like Judas, or so we won’t make it a social experience, ending like Judas. It’s a sin to partake of the Lord’s Table without discerning it, it becomes iniquity to avoid it, it’s better to come boldly to the Table of the Lord with an open and humble heart.

And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink  you all of it (26:27).

The cup was a cup, the Blood made it special. We put on All the Armor of God, we are to take All of the New Covenant. We can’t say we want this piece of it, but not the other; as the five virgins with lamps, yet no oil found out.

Matthew doesn’t use the phrase A cup, rather like all those who wrote about this meal, they want us to know it was The Cup (Mark 14:23, Luke 22:20 & I Cor 11:25). The cup was the Messiah Cup, or as some term it, the Elijah Cup. Prior Jesus said, Elijah was an It, when we take the Cup we Receive the It, or better the message to prepare the Way of the Lord, meaning the Blood gives us the Ability to follow the steps of the Faith of Jesus by the Spirit. The Cup couldn’t make the Blood holy, the Blood made the Cup holy.

There were other elements on the Passover table, yet the only two relating to us are the Bread and Cup. Jesus took of the bitter herbs for our sakes, but He didn’t take the Bread or Cup, thus He took the Vow of the Nazarite at the Table, we Remember He did it for us.

Jesus took the Cross with a joy, looking toward the place when He could present Himself as a Sacrifice of Life before the Father. Our joy comes when we present ourselves a living sacrifice unto the Lord.

For this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins (26:28).

Here it’s plain, the Blood is the New Testament. The Blood brings us the Law of the Spirit; taking the Cup then running back to the Law of Moses is a dishonor to the Blood in the Cup. The Bread brings Forgiveness of sins or the lamp, but the Blood brings Remission and the Oil (Spirit). There are three bearing witness, the Water (Mercy), Blood (Grace) and Spirit (Born Again), without all three there is no connection between earth and the record in heaven (I Jn 5:6-9).

We will see each day from this point to the Ascension is accounted for. There are fifty days between Passover and Pentecost, Jesus was in the grave for three, then walked with the disciples for forty days (Acts 1:3). Jesus told Mary not to touch Him, but eight days later commanded Thomas to touch Him; therefore, it leaves seven days, all explained in the Psalms and the Book of Hebrews as the time when Jesus presented Himself before the Father. Here at the table, Jesus is calling the Sacrifice done, when we partake of the Lord’s Table we enter the same Sacrifice to become the heirs of Salvation. God rested on the Seventh day, knowing His works were complete. We enter the Rest of God with the same premise, the Works are done, we cease from our own works to begin adventure as a Doer of the Word as we become one with thoughts well pleasing to the Lord.

But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom (26:29).

It would appear as if we had to be with Jesus in the “Father’s kingdom”, but the context shows we were there in Jesus. The “Father’s Kingdom” is Mercy based, when Jesus takes of the Vine it joins Mercy to Grace.

Before we were born, Jesus gave of Himself with us in His mind, when we receive Him by the Spirit we receive the same sprinkling of Blood (I Pet 1:2). The Kingdom of the Father was bound in heaven until Jesus gave Himself as the Sacrifice; based on what Jesus did we are able to obtain the Father’s Mercy in order to forgive as God for Christ’s sake forgave us.

When the Sacrifice was presented the Father said, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom” (Heb 1:8). The word Scepter is the Greek Rhadbos meaning A rod for chastising or scourging. It doesn’t mean Jesus is beating our brains out, rather the Righteousness of Jesus is the Evidence of the Kingdom, thus the New Man has God’s Righteousness. We hate iniquity, but we love the Righteousness of Jesus; therefore, God has anointed us with the Oil of Gladness above our fellows (Heb 1:9).

The word With, could confuse us, but it means Companionship, with the meaning of extreme closeness. The disciples may have been on the earth for those seven days, but they were with Jesus in heaven through the Sacrifice, and so were we. We weren’t born then, but Before God formed us in the womb, He knew us (Jere 1:5).

The last day brings the Great Winepress of the wrath of God, the Cup is not the Cup of Remission (Rev 14:19). The Cup of Remission comes first, it’s given unto us to avoid the Cup of the Wrath of God. The Cup of the wrath of God was taken by Jesus in the Garden, a far cry from the Table of the Lord.

If one touches a holy thing before it’s sacrificed they will die, the high priest shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle for seven days until he be consecrated (Numb 4:15 & Lev 8:33). Mary, you, me, or Thomas couldn’t touch Jesus before the Sacrifice was complete, but afterward the Priests are to partake of the Sacrifice. We are Priests unto God, failure to partake of the Thing Sacrificed brings death to the Priests. Therefore, eight days later the command was to touch Jesus, the Sacrifice was given, accounting for the seven days. However, in a few verses we will see a phrase seemingly not to fit, but it does fit with Mark 16:16-18 in reference to the feet of Jesus.

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. Then said Jesus unto them, All you shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.  But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee (26:30-32).

Just prior to leaving the upper room Peter was told, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, so he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31-32). This “assumed evil” had a good purpose, Judas could have entered this area to receive the same “conversion”, but he sought self-pleasure causing him to seek self-repentance. Luke shows Peter was confronted more than once that night on the same subject.

The word Sift means To Punch Holes Through, thus the Satan nature in Peter would come to the surface, Peter would punch himself through, yet Jesus knew Peter would be Converted then Peter would be able to stand in Strength. Prior to being sifted, Peter thought he could fight his way out of any situation, he planned on saving the Lord from what was to come, but it was the Lord who would save Peter. The word Converted doesn’t mean saved, rather it means to Turn Around Again. Peter would backslide, but Turn Around Again. One would think Peter committed the unpardonable sin, but it was Judas who committed the sin, Peter simply failed. Judas set out to do something against the Lord to bring about his self will; Peter set out to do something for the Lord based on his self-determinations and failed. Judas had ample opportunity to stop, Peter didn’t have what it takes to finish.

Peter was told, “Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before then you shall deny three times that you know Me” (Luke 22:34). This saying has nothing to do with Chickens, they were more unclean than pigs. Jesus defined the saying “cockcrowing” as a time (Mark 13:35). The Greek word is Alektorophonia, the Jews followed the Roman method from which the term came (Vine’s Expanded, and Scofield). The first one was after midnight, the other at 3:00 AM, well before dawn. Most dictionaries (if not all) refer to the element as the beginning of day, but Jesus placed it between midnight and morning (Mark 13:35), most Greek dictionaries place it at the third watch, which is 3:00 AM. The other Greek word for “cockcrowing” is Alektor, which was used by Jesus to show a time element as well. In either case Jesus defined the term, it has nothing to do some chicken chasing Peter around crowing at him. Peter will make three denials, the second will be one hour before the last according to Luke (Luke 22:59). The last denial would be before the second religious trial at 3:00 AM, making it a specific time which was prior to the Fourth Watch. It has special meaning as well, since it was near the same time he made his walk on the water, the two relate (Matt 14:24-25). Peter walked on the water with an intent of “look at the faith I have”; his denial will expose his faith was puny at best, and used to exalt himself. The event shows how puny faith is worthless in the face of adversity. When Peter told the Lord to change the event, he heard, Satan get thee behind Me (Matt 16:23). The same Satan ego, pride and self-confidence was going to hit Peter right at his soul, but for Peter’s own good. It was exactly 3:00 AM when Peter would deny the Lord the third time.

Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended because of You, yet will I never be offended (26:33).

Peter was Self-confident, but self-confidence depends on will power, and will power has a natural limit. Peter is a classic example of one being self-assertive, he felt he was always positive, but lacked the proof and evidence to back it up. Jesus said, You will, Peter said, Will not; without thinking, Peter just called Jesus a liar, yet Peter assumed he was being positive and assertive. When Jesus says, “You will”, and our minds say, “No”, we better bind the strongman.

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shall deny Me three times (26:34).

This verse makes more sense when we add Mark and Luke, Peter is still standing there saying, “no way, I’ll die for you”; Jesus says, “No Peter, I’ll die for you”. All four accounts show us Peter was told more than once, in fact he was told three times, each time, he said, Not so Lord. Peter’s comments will change to “Lord You know all things”, but it would take a tough experience to bring it about (Jn 21:15-17).

Many of us, if not all of us have heard a very personal word from the Lord, perhaps someone said, “the Lord has told me to tell you, you will hit a stone wall, but it will fall”, or, “you and your mate will have a great trouble hit you, but don’t lose your faith”, or perhaps the Holy Ghost said, “It’s going to get worse”, yet we you run off confessing, “I’m not moved by what I hear”, but we should be, it’s a blessing to know it’s the Lord, rather than an attack, or punishment. Without discernment we end saying, “I rebuke you Satan”; yet it was God, thus in our fear we equate God to Satan. In this case it would be Satan who would attack Peter, but Jesus allowed it for Peter’s own good. Peter will wept bitterly, but he will also be filled with Joy when he hears Jesus say, “Follow Me” (Jn 21:19-20).

Peter said, unto Him, Though I should die with You, yet will I not deny You.  Likewise also said all the disciples (26:35).

Confessions of pride tend to brag, confessions of faith will finish the race. Until we  face the enemy inside, we will not know the Glory of the Lord. Peter’s problem was internal, yet he didn’t see it. The confessions of pride, ego, unbelief, and self-serving theology which spill out of the mouths of those who claim to be children of the Most High are all wiles of the devil. Our wildernesses and Gethsemane experiences are centered on removing those tares, before we use them.

Then came Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and said unto the disciples, Sit you here, while I go and pray yonder (26:36).

The word Gethsemane is a condition, not a location, it’s a Hebrew word meaning, Winepress referring to the Great Winepress when the Cup of God’s wrath is poured out. Jesus would enter His Gethsemane, but it won’t finish until the Last day. Mark says a “place which was named Gethsemane”, the word Place means Condition (Mark 14:32). Luke shows it was the Mount of Olives, and a stone’s throw from the disciples (Luke 22:39-41).

To produce Olive Oil, one must crush the Olive under great pressure, our place of  Gethsemane is a place of pressure to bring the Oil to the surface. Neither here or in Mark is the place called a “garden”, but in John we find it was a garden (Jn 18:1). Here Jesus will pray for His enemies, later He will pray for us. The “Sermon on the Mount” related to Mercy, the Passover combined the Bread and Cup, but in this garden a different Cup is at issue.

The Rock upon which Jesus wept was a type and shadow of Zion, we find the disciples sleeping, indicating those who Sleep through the Night, since at this time they lacked the Spirit. This prayer is in three parts, with the last two being the same. Jeremiah said, “thus says the Lord God of Israel unto Me, Take the wine cup of this fury at My hand, and cause all nations, to whom I send You, to drink it” (Jere 25:15), and then, “took I the cup at the Lord’s hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the Lord had sent Me” (Jere 25:17). John says the last day holds the “cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath” (Rev 16:19); which is the time of the Great Winepress (Gethsemane – Rev 15:18-20). Jesus gave us the cup for the remission of sins, but here Jesus is going to take the Cup from the Father’s hand. The Father couldn’t pour the Cup out, yet Jesus knew the Father could take it from Him, some things are possible, but not profitable.

It was once said, while Jesus was on the Cross He saw all those who would receive Him, which is true, but in the Garden He would see all those who would reject Him. Jesus prayed for the lost, not the lost of the world, rather it was for those who would reject Mercy ending on the road of destruction. God’s anger is kindled against the Wicked in the end, because they force God to do something He hates to do. It’s God’s desire for all to come to repentance so none will be lost, to confound the desire brings the wrath of God.

Jesus tells us to Watch, we will find Jesus didn’t pray for An hour, rather He prayed About The Hour falling on the entire earth. All the comments to Peter, as well as the prayer itself give us the greatest insight to understanding all things are possible through God, but not all things are profitable.

All of us will enter “the place called Gethsemane” to make our decision to become the Lord’s Cup in order to be free of the Cup of God’s wrath. All of us will be pressed in the testing of faith, but the purpose chokes out the old nature, securing us in the New. Even if we have to sweat great drops to rid ourselves of the anger, vengeance, or unforgiveness we must. However, we can’t rid ourselves of these elements unless we place our minds on receiving a spiritual attribute from God. Jesus took the Cup of the wrath of God, so we won’t have to, in our case we accept the cleaning of the Blood to set us free indeed.

And He took with Him Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then said He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry you here, and watch with Me (26:37-38).

These were the same Three who saw the Mount experience, now they will be there when the footstool is prayed for, yet asleep. The “death” is not the death of Jesus; He faced the Cross with a joy, this death is the second death for the lost, the time when the screams of torment, the cries of help, the pleas for Mercy, a time when every knee will bow, but for many it will be too late. If Jesus saw the Cross before it came, surely He can see the Judgment as well. The Table introduced the Salvation of the Lord, here in the Garden we find the Judgment.

The Garden experience has to do with a type of Rock combined with the Cup of the wrath of God. The Rock is not the Rock from which Jesus will build the Church, rather it’s what is left after the Rapture. Our Gethsemane experience we separate us from the wrath of God to come, it will secure us in the understanding of the Faith of Jesus.

Mark shows Jesus said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry you here, and watch, and He went forward a little, and fell on the ground and prayed, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him” (Mark 14:34-35). This relates the Hour to the Sorrow of the soul of Jesus, meaning this pertains to Jesus as the Son of man.

Jesus tells Sardis (the Fifth Church), to be Watchful, which means Watch how you Watch (Rev 3:2-4). The Hour of Temptation is at hand, when the Church is Born on Pentecost the Hour started to tick away. In the world we will have tribulation, therefore, leave the world and join the Body of Christ to avoid the Tribulation. The word Sorrowful comes from two words which mean All Over Heaviness, referring to something far in the future, rather than something going to happen within hours.

The many times Jesus told them of the events, they just didn’t believe it, yet they knew Jesus could stop it at any time. Psalm 88 tells us, “O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before You: let my prayer come before You: incline Your ear unto my cry; for my soul is full of troubles: and my life draws near unto the grave. I am counted with them who go down into the pit: I am as a man who has no strength” (Ps 88:1-4). Psalm 88:5 tells us Jesus would be cut off from the Father, removed from the disciples, although Jesus would conduct a battle to end all battles, the disciples would have no idea what was going on. The Spirit makes intercession for us, for the most part we have no idea of the many dangers the Spirit has saved us from.

And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as You will (26:39).

Mark shows the additional wording, “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto You…” (Mark 14:36). Matthew separates the process of wills for the Seed and Root; this doesn’t mean the Father’s Will is opposed to the Will of Jesus, rather it shows their Will’s were in conjunction, rather it was method. The Will of the Father is for all to be saved and none to be lost, the Will of the Son is the same, yet the reality of God knows, some will say Yes to the calling, yet deny the process. Instead of reaching the purpose of their faith, even the salvation of their souls, they will join themselves to perdition. Is not God Equal? Will He not save the wicked if they turn to Righteousness, as He will condemn the righteous for turning to wickedness? Jesus is still the Mediator, no matter who they are, they must come by Jesus in order to be in the presence of the Father. Although we know all things are possible, we must take into consideration, “nevertheless, not my will but Yours”. This one statement separates those who hold to The Faith, and those who use faith as a means to gain self-pleasure.

Jesus will make three prayers for three separate groups, each associated with the Rock, yet in three separate time periods. The first group is about to put Him on the Cross, the Second is like unto the Third, only divided by Seasons. The Second would those who work Iniquity during the Day, the Third are those who become the Beast of the Earth, thus both the second and third are members of the Synagogue of Satan. This is an example of Jesus praying for those who persecute Him, those who become His footstool.

And He came unto the disciples, and found them asleep, and said unto Peter, What, could you not watch with Me one hour? (26:40).

The question continues, it’s not the length of an hour, but it’s regarding the Hour. At this point in time they were one step from the Kingdom of God, and one step from the Hour of Temptation. Our prayers of “Lead me not into Temptation but deliver me from evil”, gives God the absolute right to form us into the vessel of honor or dishonor, depending on our attitude, decision and choices.

The word Watch in this case means Stay Awake, but it has a root word meaning to Raise. Watch also means to remain Vigilant, and Vigilant means to be On Alert; therefore, it connects to discernment and clarity. We must be on the Alert for the exposure of those areas connected to the spirit of disobedience, have either crept in unawares or came as tares with us from the world.

God said, “I have set watchman upon the walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: you who make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isa 62:6-7). One could take this to mean Jerusalem of the Earth, but it points to the Wall and New Jerusalem, the Apostles started the Wall, we finish it. God never backs up to correct some error, He moves forward to repair what we have caused to be an error. God didn’t produce the error, He gave us Truth, it’s we who produced the error, it’s He who repairs all things.

Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (26:41).

Peter is told to Watch and Pray regarding the Temptation, thus this is in reference to the Hour of Temptation falling on the entire world. The Spirit of Christ is willing to deliver us, but our flesh can’t, yet it assumes it can. As long as the Gentile Door is open, this promise of Salvation holds. This connects to “that born of the flesh is flesh”, but “that Born of the Spirit is Spirit”. This is a promise, the Spirit is indeed willing, but that born of the flesh is still weak.

He went again the second time, and prayed saying, O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Your will be done (26:42).

Jesus asked us to Drink of the Cup He handed us, now He must drink of the Cup the Father has given Him. Does this mean Jesus will drink of the wrath of God? Not at all, it explains our vow in taking the Cup of the Lord. We are the Bread, but the Blood belongs to Jesus, thus we take of the Body as we discern what we have done to enhance the Body, or hinder it. The Blood holds the Gift of Grace, the essence of the New Covenant. Jesus will bring the Fourth Cup in the exactness of its intended purpose, we are expected to do no less with the Cup of Salvation we hold. We take of the Cup Jesus gave us, to avoid the Cup He will take.

And He came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy (26:43).

The Second prayer would be approaching the Rapture, now before the third the disciples are asleep. This symbol points to those who sleep in Jesus through the Night, at this time the disciples were not Born Again, and certainly not “Dead in Christ”, but they were of the Rock. This time Jesus won’t wake them, as a sign showing the Second prayer was for the Day, this next one is for the time when there are those who sleep in Jesus.

And He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words (26:44).

This time the same words are given, but we find it pertains to the Second half of the Hour, the time when the Beast of the Field becomes the Beast of the Earth. Jesus isn’t praying for them to die or go to hell, rather He is interceding, but whether they hear and receive is up to them. The Remnant will be active during the Night, they need to stand firm in Mercy, and not deny the Name (Authority relating to Mercy) of Jesus. Does it mean they will use “the Name of Jesus”? No, it means they will hold to the purpose of the Son of man, which is Mercy.

Then came He to His disciples, and said unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise let us be going: behold he is at hand that does betray Me (26:45-46).

Our rest comes when the Second prayer comes to pass, the Rest for the Remnant when the Third prayer is complete. These three prayers all pertain to the Fourth Cup of the wrath of God. The context is still Jesus as the Son of man, the sinners lack Mercy, they are only concerned with their self-based agendas.

And while He yet spoke, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people (26:47).

Jesus didn’t call Judas a sinner, rather He said Judas betrayed Jesus into the hands of sinners. This explains who the prayer was for, here comes the son of perdition with the forces of attack, punishment and manipulation, yet the same Judas was among the those of the Rock. The prayer gives us the division, the place of the Broken Body. Judas is leading the pack, thus he lacked authority to betray the Lord, yet he was able to. The sons of perdition change the rules to fit their thinking, twist the Scriptures to their own destruction, they Riot during the Day.

The Pharisees knew any trial at night was opposed to the rules in the Law of Moses. The Passover was in hand, with the High Sabbath following, they knew the majority of the people would be preparing for the High Sabbath. They came with a great multitude, but the multitude were “yes men” filled with anger, envy and strife; showing their weapons of abuse and carnal force, attempting to frighten Jesus. Like those of the world the driving force was the spirit of fear, yet we have not been given the spirit of fear, neither do we use it.

Now he that betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed Him, and Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore are you come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took Him (26:48-50).

Jesus called Judas friend, but the reference wasn’t a compliment, as we read, “faithful are the wounds of a friend; but  the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Prov 27:6), with, “kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they who put their trust in Him” (Ps 2:12). Judas used a kiss of deceit, not one of fellowship.

This would be near midnight, they didn’t have street lights, thus it would be difficult to see the faces of the people. The Pharisees didn’t want to make a mistake, they were more afraid of Jesus, than the disciples were of the multitude.

The manner of the arrest was to bind the person, then one of the guards would stomp the top of the right foot of the prisoner to make sure they couldn’t run away. It seems bad enough, but the shoes these guards used were made out of metal, many had spikes on the bottom. First was the kiss of deceit, now the feet of Him who brings good tidings of peace and joy are stomped by the force of the enemy. This is warfare, but how did Jesus handle it? Perhaps it’s better to learn of the Master, rather than use an exercise of mental exertion.

When they bruised His Foot, the head of the enemy was crushed under it. Without knowing it, when they stomped on the Foot of Jesus, the force went right through His Foot to the head of the devil, then onto them as well.

And, behold, one of them which was with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear (26:51).

We know this was Peter, the servant was named Malchus (Jn 18:10). Peter wasn’t taking careful aim at the man’s ear, rather Peter’s intent was to defend Jesus, thus his aim was off, instead of cutting the man’s head off, he cut the “ear” off. We find the hand of God at work, if Peter was successful, he would have faced murder charges. To make sure  Peter would not face any charges, Jesus healed the man’s ear (Luke 22:51).

From this time, there would be five trials, the first was before Annas the father in law of Caiaphas. Both Annas and Caiaphas were called high priests, but Caiaphas held a higher position (Jn 18:13 & Luke 3:2), thus, Jesus stood before both Annas and Caiaphas at two different times in the same house (Jn 18:24 & Matt 16:57). Then the Pharisees took Jesus to Pilate at 9:00 AM (Luke 23:3), Pilate would send Jesus to Herod (Luke 23:7-11), then Herod would send Jesus back to Pilate, which places Jesus before Pilate two times (Jn 19:4).

In reference to Judas, John gives us the saying, “of them which You gave Me have I lost none..” (Jn 18:9), as it referred to Judas as the son of perdition. By this reference we are taken to the prayer of Jesus just prior to the arrest, in which He said, “those You gave Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; so the scripture might be fulfilled” (Jn 17:12). This shows Jesus saw the betrayal by Judas was for a purpose, thus Jesus didn’t waste time holding unforgiveness against Judas, or attempting to change what the Father purposed. Could Jesus have stopped Judas? Perhaps break the man’s leg? Judas had all the information, he was well aware of being a disciple, he made up his own mind, like Balaam, he was going to do, what he was going to do. Judas opened the position for the son of perdition, those who are antichrist, all who follow in the position are still counted among the he in the world, but they each made their own choice to enter the position. Although they know the Truth, they simply refuse to walk in it. Paul makes this clear when he notes “the man of sin to be revealed, the son of perdition” (II Thess 2:3). Jesus said It’s fulfilled, Paul said Yet to come, what gives? Jesus saw it complete when the prayer was done in the Garden, any prayers concerning the sons of perdition are done, there is no need to worry, ponder or pray against them, perhaps praying for them would be a good idea.

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again your sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Think you that I cannot now pray to My Father, and he shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? (26:52-54).

The word Again is the one word showing how truth hit Peter’s soul, it means to Separate, or Turn Quite Around, it has a root word meaning Convert as they turn from darkness to light. With one Word Jesus said, Stop attempting to save yourself and Me, let Me save you. John would later write, “he who leads into captivity shall go into captivity: he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword” (Rev 13:10). The Sword Jesus wants us to use is the Word of God, the sword Peter was using was the sword of destruction. Later Peter will acquire another Sword, the Sword (Rhema) of the Spirit, much better.

Jesus could have stopped this event at anytime, but as Paul said, “look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Ph’l 2:4-5). Jesus thought it not robbery to be equal to God, the Seed of God given to us is not an act of robbery on our part, it was presented as a Gift. Jesus became humble, we become humble as well, or we’re not sons. Knowing who we are negates the prideful aspect of bragging about it. This self-less act of Jesus, was the greatest act of all time. When someone puts us on a Cross we can’t stop it, but Jesus could. Jesus took on Himself the “form” of man for the sole purpose of becoming obedient to the Cross as the Son of man (Ph’l 2:6-8). Obedience is a factor of Faith, without humbleness joined to the obedience it’s not faith, but presumption.

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are you come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take Me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and you laid no hold on Me. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook Him, and fled (26:55-56).

The only way they could capture Jesus was for someone on the inside to betray Him. The son of perdition is not on the outside, a man’s enemies are of his own household. The only way the Body can be broken is for someone on the inside to betray it. The devil knows it, but he is limited to natural and earthly things, thus he planted Tares in the Field, the Tares become the Beasts of the Field, but God knew from the foundation of the world, what the devil planned for destruction, God uses for our benefit.

And they that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders were assembled (26:57).

John expands on this, showing it was the same house, but as we noted Jesus was first questioned by Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas (Jn 18:13 & Luke 3:2). The first trial Jesus faced the Levities, the second trial He faced the Priests, thus He became the Wounded One in the Way. Neither the Levities or Priests considered what they were doing was against God, they felt they were going God a service.

The first appearance before Annas could be termed the “preliminary accusation”; they hoped for a quick confession from Jesus, but they got none. They assumed Jesus would be too frightened to do anything, but confess or justify Himself. If Jesus would have justified Himself for one second, or did one self-based effort, the Cross would have failed.

The Pharisees wanted to claim a “violation of the Law”, but they were violating the same Law by their night trials, as well as bringing accusations without cause. Months prior Nicodemus told them, “does our Law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he does?” (Jn 7:50-51). It wasn’t merely the Pharisees hearing the man, but having a violation of Law before they can question Him. In our case we find the Law nailed to the Cross, it can’t accuse us.

But Peter followed Him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end (26:58).

The term Far Off means Just Out Of View, like any backslider Peter stands far enough back to see what happens, but not close enough to be involved. Prior Peter saw the same religious leaders tempt Jesus, yet they couldn’t touch Him, much less beat Him, but now, Jesus was on trial. Jesus submitted to these rulers, He didn’t say a word to justify Himself, nor did He call fire down from heaven, nor did He turn and walk out. Peter became confused, thus when he denied the Lord, he ended up justifying himself. Judas planned an act, then carried it out. Peter on the other hand felt he was powerful, but found he was weak.

Jesus made Himself of no reputation, yet He had a Good Reputation before these religious leaders. We assume a good reputation is social acceptance, but a good reputation is when they know we love the Lord, walk in Mercy, and love not our lives unto the death.

John tells us, another disciple was with Peter, the other disciple was known to the high priest, so much so, he was able to get Peter past the woman who guarded the door (Jn 18:16). The only disciple who had any contact with the priests was Judas, Peter saw Judas betray Jesus, but Peter also heard, “what you do, do quickly”. At first it seemed logical, a plan to get Jesus before the religious leaders, then Jesus would give the religious leaders the sign they wanted by establishing the Kingdom on earth. It seemed logical, but it was not the process to set up the Kingdom on earth. The Kingdom on earth is within the Born Again child of God, the Cross is about to begin the Process to make it possible.

Peter didn’t deny Jesus until Jesus was struck, then his logic turned to fear. The plan wasn’t turning out right, something was terribly wrong; Peter’s trust was based in what he assumed would happen, when the supposed plan went errant, so did Peter. Just a few days prior Peter heard “Have faith in God”, hours prior he heard “Believe Me that I Am in the Father, and the Father in Me” (Jn 14:11). Like the storm on the sea, Peter assumed it was a devil, all was lost, only this time he didn’t say “if it be You Lord bid me to come”. As Peter looked at the Master he knew what real courage was all about. This courage went further than dying in a good fight, it called for complete Mercy when there was no reason to grant it.

We wonder why Jesus didn’t stop Judas; perhaps Jesus was tricking Judas, or using him to bring the prophecy to pass? No, Jesus simply allowed Judas to receive the available information, then make his own decision. Jesus used the decision to complete  the Will of God, but Jesus didn’t hinder, or encourage the decision. The “fear of God” centers in humbleness, thus we submit to the Hand of God, rather than attempt to direct it. Peter’s problem was the old nature, the same problem we all face. The old nature tells us the flesh is strong, but that born of the flesh is weak. Peter watched Jesus time and again rebuke the religious leaders, or simply walk away. Now this is happening, it was completely out of the “norm”, he was confused and frightened.

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put Him to death; but found none: yes, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days (26:59-61).

Proverbs says, “hatred stirs up strife: but love covers all sins” (Prov 10:12). The Pharisees went through all the other false witnesses to come up with these two. These two witnesses gave a factual statement, but twisted it as they added just a few words out of context to make the fact a lie. Without John’s account we wouldn’t know where these two witnesses gained their information. This trial is in Jerusalem, two years prior when Jesus cleaned the temple the first time, He also said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (Jn 2:19). Jesus never said, He would destroy the temple, rather it was directed at the Jews destroying the body of Jesus, yet He said He would raise it. These false witnesses had to go all the way back to the beginning, yet they twisted the statement. Their intent was based in slander, not Truth. Using the Scriptures without faith in Jesus will twist the intent from Truth and Salvation, to Slander and Judgment.

Proverbs also tells us, “a naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a forward mouth” (Prov 6:12), with “these six things does the Lord hate, yes, seven are an abomination unto Him” (Prov 6:16). The first six the Lord hates, but they lead to the seventh making the all seven an abomination. The Lord hates a “proud look, a lying tongue, hands shedding innocent blood, a heart devising wicked imaginations, feet swift in running to mischief, and a false witness speaking lies” (Prov 6:17-19). These are things not people, yet they are found with people. If the person uses the deed, they are associated to the deed. All of these are found in these two false witnesses, as well as those who encouraged them. The witnesses lied, but they were encouraged by the religious leaders, it was the religious leaders who loved the lie, yet they depended on Judas to complete their evil plan. The seventh point is, “he who sows discord among brethren” (Prov 6:19). It’s one thing to say the Body should be in harmony, another to go about cursing the Body because it isn’t. The religious leaders were sitting in the seat of Moses, but they were using the seat of Satan producing the abomination.

And the high priest arose, and said unto Him, Answer You nothing? what is it which these witness against You? But Jesus held His peace. And the high priest answered and said unto Him, I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You be the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus said unto him, You have said: nevertheless I say unto you, Here after shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven (26:62-64).

Caiaphas asked for Jesus to admit He was “the Christ, the Son of God”, but Jesus said, “the Son of man”. This goes right back to the forty day fast, the three temptations of the devil centered on, “If You are the Son of God…”; the religious leaders  were doing the works of their father the devil. The two false witnesses said Jesus was going to destroy the temple, yet Jesus would point out, the high priest is the one who claimed Jesus is the Christ, yet Jesus is standing as the “Son of man”, not the “Son of God”; this will remain true throughout the day. The Spirit of Holiness will declare Jesus the Son of God by the Resurrection, thus the same Spirit resides in us, making us sons of God.

This also gives us another mystery, the disciples were not speaking of Jesus being the Christ in any regard at this time, but everyone else was as they used the title to accuse Jesus. Jesus spoke of false Christ’s, those who lacked the position and Spirit to be Christ-like. The disciples are seeing how someone can “speak” about Christ, but do so in an evil manner. Spiritual things are still foolishness to naturally minded people.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, he has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now you have heard His blasphemy. What think you? They answered and said, He is guilty of death (26:65-66).

This is a case of manipulation, the high priest let his opinion be broadcast, then he asks for support; these “yes men” would have claimed whatever the high priest said. Many days prior these same religious leaders heard Jesus say, “Is it not written, in your Law, I said you are gods? If He called them gods unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; say you of Him, whom the Father has sanctified, and sent into the world, You blaspheme because I said, I am the Son of God?” (Jn 10:34-36 & Ps 82:1-6). Jesus plainly said it, but said it in context with Scripture. Then the Jews told Jesus, “for a good work we stone You not; but for blasphemy, and because You, being a man, make Yourself God” (Jn 10:33). The Pharisees had the right words, but the wrong order, Jesus was not a man making Himself God, but the Word of God who made Himself a man, they just refused to receive it.

Then did they spit in His face, and buffeted Him; and others smote Him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, You Christ, Who is he that smote You? (26:67-68).

The Passover had to be accepted by the people, then killed. These priests accepted Jesus as the Passover, but they didn’t know it. These men knew the Old Testament better than most of us, yet they never knew they were completing prophecy. If we know we’re completing prophecy, we’re not. Caiaphas still thought he was doing God a service, but his intent was to change God’s will, not accept it. He ended fighting God, although he was not in the will of God, he ended completing it.

Caiaphas would use the statements of the false witnesses to prove his point as he claimed Jesus came to destroy the temple by setting up the abomination, but Caiaphas mixed his envy with his theology, producing doctrines of devils. Now we can see how their past history played into this, they could claim Jesus has come to destroy the Temple and replace the priestly order.

Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, You also were with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what you say (26:69-70).

The phrase “Before them all”, doesn’t mean Peter stood in front of the synagogue, rather it means he denied the Lord in front of those around him. John tells us this is the damsel who kept the door (Jn 18:17), thus she would have known Peter gained entry with the other disciple. Peter doesn’t deny Jesus, rather he denies his connection with Jesus. Peter didn’t say, “I don’t know Him”, rather he said, “you don’t know what you’re talking about”; thus Peter is attempting to separate himself from the accused. When any brother or sister is accused, yet we deny them, we are weak in the Faith as was Peter at this time. Peter found it was easy to stand with Jesus under friendly circumstances, even to the point of a good fight, but when it came to the test of fire, it took a courage he lacked. It’s one thing to stand for Jesus when they accuse us, another to stand when they accuse our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Of course we must ask where are the other ten? Hiding.

And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth (26:71).

Peter left the first group, thinking he’s safe, but here comes another. Peter has moved from saying, “You’re the Christ”, to, “Jesus, who?”. With the woman at the gate, it was “Jesus of Galilee”, Galilee is the entire area in which Nazareth is located, but now someone else sees Peter, and she tells all those around, “Jesus of Nazareth”; therefore, it went from the general location, to Jesus Himself. Peter is against the wall now, he must give some answer but what?

We can tell Judas was the other disciple by the phrase, “was also with”, meaning another in the same location who was with Jesus as well.

And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man (26:72).

First Peter told them, You guys don’t know what you’re saying: but now he adds an Oath to his denial. Prior Peter told Jesus, You know not what You’re saying; now Peter is saying it, and knows not why he is. The words are coming out of Peter’s mouth, he sees his confession is not what he thought it would be. Each denial adds to the last, as fast as Peter was ready to fight, he is ready to run. Is this the same Peter? Yes, he is no different from any naturally minded person. Peter wasn’t the center of attention, he wasn’t on trial, he was merely an observer of these events, yet he failed to see God was in control, his eyes went back to the storm. The moment Peter’s thoughts went to a God Isn’t thinking, unbelief entered, with failure close behind. At this time Peter was not privy to Grace or the Spirit, nor the Ingress Aries. In fact, he wasn’t even baptized in water in the Name of Jesus at this time. Therefore, we can’t use him to excuse those times we deny the Lord, rather he is an example of anyone who lacks the Spirit in the face of this type of adversity.

And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, surely you also are one of them; for your speech betrays you. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crowed (26:73-74).

Luke says the second denial came one hour before the third; thus the second was at 2:00 AM which was the exact time Jesus was being beaten. Peter saw the face of Jesus; however, it doesn’t mean Peter looked on the actual face of Jesus, rather it indicates Peter remembered the face of Jesus, the compassion, the mercy and the love when Jesus said, Peter, you will deny Me (Luke 22:61-62). In the midst of our foolishness we have to recall, Jesus is looking at us.

The one who accused Peter at this time was a kinsman of Malchus, the man who suffered from the sword of Peter (Jn 18:26). Things are getting personal, Peter added his oath, or swore by the temple. Since this man was related to Malchus, it explains the phrase, “for your speech betrays you”. Peter’s own speech did betray him, but not in the manner suspected by the kinsman of Malchus. The third step to denial is to curse and swear, allowing anger, hate, bitterness and self-justification as rulers of darkness to guide and instruct.

Even if we can’t justify ourselves, we will yell to frighten the accuser. First it was the attempt to separate from the danger, then separate from the person in the danger, then separate from the person’s home or ministry. It appeared as if the religious rulers were in control, why didn’t Jesus just walk out? What happened? Did He lose His power?

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, you shall deny Me three times. And he went out, and wept bitterly (26:75).

Matthew and Luke tell us the same thing; when Peter remembered the words of Jesus, it was the same as Jesus turning and looking upon Peter. In those hard times we must run to the Word in us as we seek clarity, rather than attempt to save our own souls. The phrase, “Wept Bitterly”, is the factor separating the repentance of Peter, from the self-repentance of Judas. The word Bitterly means Violently, the violent are those who know how  to repent properly, they are the ones who take the Kingdom.

While Peter is denying the Lord, the beatings are going on; as Jesus is receiving the stripes they would set Peter free, Peter is still attempting to use his own ability to free himself. Peter walked with the Lord, saw the sick healed and the dead raised, he saw Jesus do many things beyond the power of man, but he also heard, “could you not pray with Me for one hour”.

When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death (27:1).

Luke’s Account shows the chief priests and elders questioned Jesus a second time. Considering the arrest was around midnight to 1:00 AM (based on the third denial), it would mean Jesus was questioned then beaten for some five to six hours continually. Luke also points out, the chief priests asked Jesus, “Are you the Christ, tell us”, He answered them, “If I tell you, you will not believe: and if I also ask you, you will not answer Me, nor let Me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God”. If Jesus said, Yes, they won’t believe Him, or accept the answer. If He said, No, they would accuse Him of changing for their benefit; regardless of what Jesus said, they were not willing to believe. In this case they not only lacked Mercy, they lacked any justice at all, they were slandering, mocking and allowing the spirit of man to guide them.

In response to this, the religious rulers stated, “Are you then the Son of God?”, Jesus answered, “You say that I am”. Their actions were completing prophecy, thus their acts were admitting Jesus is the Son of the Living God, yet Jesus pointed to the Son of man going to the Cross. Pharisees say, “Show me in the Scriptures”, when we do, they say “I don’t believe it”, why ask to begin with? Instead of discerning what was happening, the Pharisees trusted in their self-determination, then retorted with, “what need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of His own mouth” (Luke 22:67-71). It wasn’t out of the mouth of Jesus, it was out of their own mouths, all Jesus did was agree.

And when they had bound Him, they led Him away, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor (27:2).

The seat of judgment was Pilate’s chair, which was located in the hall of judgment (Matt 27:19 & Jn 18:28). Accordingly Pilate was the only one who could condemn anyone to death, yet the Jews made the determination before bringing Jesus to Pilate; therefore, Mark shows Jesus was as good as crucified at the “third hour” (9:00 AM – Mark 15:25). Mark and the other writers tell us Jesus went to the Cross at noon, He was physically dead at 3:00 PM, but the sun wouldn’t set till around 5:00 PM, thus it took two hours to gain permission to take the Body of Jesus down, one hour for each year of earthly ministry.

Jesus died a physical death, not a spiritual, or a soulish death. One cannot kill a spirit, and one cannot kill their spiritual ability, they can reject it, choke it out, abuse it or lose it, but they can’t kill it. Jesus couldn’t die a soulish death, yet fight the battle in hell, thus a soul cannot cease to exist. The first death is the soul separated from the fleshly body, the second death is a complete separation from any attribute connected to God.

Peter quoted David on the Day of Pentecost making reference to Jesus by saying, “because You will not leave My soul in hell, either will You suffer Your Holy One to see corruption” (Acts 2:27). The prophecy pointed to the separation of the Soul from the Flesh, noting it was the Soul doing the battle. The Seal of the Holy Spirit is our assurance of entering the Resurrection Process of Jesus. The Cross produced a death of the flesh, it’s by this method we are allowed to impute the flesh dead on the Cross of Jesus. If the soul of Jesus died, then there would not be a saving of our soul.

The giving of the Blood and Water began on earth, but the Sacrifice was given in heaven. The flesh of Jesus was still holy, thus He obtained the same flesh, but in our case the old corrupted flesh must be put off, so we can gain a Glorified flesh. Therefore, the Spirit in us began a process changing our souls to think on Spiritual matters, not fleshly matters, bringing to pass “that Born of the Spirit is Spirit”, as we reach the end of our Faith even the salvation of our souls (I Pet 1:9). The Cross is Mercy, our beginning Point, but without the grave and power of the Resurrection the Cross becomes vain.

The Jews knew they needed the approval of Pilate, but they also wanted Pilate to do their dirty work, thereby keeping their hands clean of death so they could partake of their Passover meal, then claim the Romans killed Jesus. They had a plan, make it appear as if Jesus was about to bring about the old priesthood by reestablishing the king priest order. We find it in the various accusations, “He says He is the Christ”, “He says He is the King of the Jews”, confirming their fears.

Pharisees always look for someone to do their dirty work, more often than not, we end doing it for them. Pilate would give them permission, his soldiers would do the labor, but the entire act was produced by the demands of the religious rulers. Yet it had to be, the Romans didn’t partake of the Passover, Rome wasn’t the nation picked of God, Pilate wasn’t a priest and Herod was anything but a priest. The Passover had to be accepted by the people, accepted and killed by the religious leaders or the Passover would be rejected and unclean. These religious rulers weren’t acting like it, but their deed was Marvelous in the eyes of God. The time for the religious leaders would be after the Resurrection.

Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when He saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders (27:3).

The term, “repented himself” tells us Judas repented because the situation didn’t turn out the way he wanted, rather than being sorry to whom he had sinned against, he was sorry things didn’t turn out the way he wanted. The Greek word for the phrase Repented Himself is Metamellomai meaning To express a desire to what is done, or To be undone, through self-reliance, with no change of heart. Paul used this word in writing to the Corinthians, showing he was sorry in rebuking them, but didn’t repent to the Lord for doing so, rather he felt sorrow for having to use the words, but gladness for the opportunity to bring about Godly correction (II Cor 7:8). In this case Judas ran to the enemy attempting to buy back his evil deed, but his heart was the same old evil heart; whereas, Paul’s heart was pure before and after the rebuke. Peter on the other hand repented for what he did, as well as to Whom he did it. Peter didn’t want to undo what he did, he wanted to be forgiven for what he did, much different from the heart of Judas.

The religious leaders were not among the disciples, they didn’t receive the call, whereas Judas did. Peter said, those who follow in the position of the son of perdition are self-willed, while they promise us liberty, they themselves are servants of corruption (II Pet 2:10-19). They received Mercy, were saved from the world, escaping the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jesus (Mercy), but they failed to gain the Wisdom of God (Grace), their latter end is worse than their beginning (II Pet 2:20-22).

The thirty pieces of silver came from the treasury, but the Pharisees took a different view of the same silver when it’ was tossed in their face. Matthew adds to the importance of the thirty pieces of silver later.

Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see you to that (27:4).

It would appear Judas repented, but it’s to whom he repented that draws attention, and the means he used. Judas gave money for his repentance, he knew he sinned and betrayed innocent blood, he also knew what to do about it, but didn’t. He didn’t go back to the Cross, he didn’t run to Jesus to be forgiven, he attempted to reverse the event by giving back his “reward”.

And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself (27:5).

Judas hung himself with such force his bowels burst out, as he fell “head long” into hell (Acts 1:18). There is a thought of Judas being so overweight, he was crushed as a cart pushed him against a building, but the Scriptures say he hung himself.

And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood (27:6).

It was the same price of Blood when it came out of the treasury, the hypocrisy of the religious rulers didn’t change; self-deception is foolishness before God.

And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The Field Of Blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me (27:7-10).

Most of us look at a concordance where we find Jeremiah didn’t specifically mention “thirty pieces of silver”; however, the prophet Zechariah specifically noted the thirty pieces of silver, but it was Jeremiah who would give us the cause. Zechariah wrote, “And I took My staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break My covenant which I had made with all the people. And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock who waited upon Me knew it was the word of the Lord. And I said unto them, If you think good, give Me My price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for My price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was priced at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. Then I cut asunder My other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel” (Zech 11:10-14). The Law of Moses tells us the price for the redemption of a female is thirty pieces of silver (Lev 27:4). Jeremiah shows the reason, thus it’s the reason drawing our attention. God asked Israel for a Divorce, based on Her fornication, as God said, “And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce: yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks” (Jere 3:8-9). Not only was the price paid, but it was given back, in so doing the redemption of Judah and the Remnant was paid for. The Father isn’t looking for a Bride, He seeks His grand-children (Remnant); Jesus is looking for a Bride, as the Spirit is helping Her prepare Herself.

And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked Him saying, Are You the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, You say it. And when He was accused of the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing (27:11-12)

Pilate is of course the governor, the chief priests and elders were now witnesses against Jesus. Jesus first went before Pilate, then to Herod, than back to Pilate, it was in front of Herod where Jesus was asked to do miracles (Luke 23:3-8). John confirms Pilate held two trials, as he writes, “Pilate entered into the judgment hall again” (Jn 19:3). The word Again refers to the second time, at the time Pilate asked, “are You the King of  the Jews?”. Instead of Jesus saying, “You say so”; He said, “Say you this thing of yourself, or did others tell it to you of Me?” (Jn 18:33-34). While Jesus was before Herod, the religious leaders held another meeting with Pilate to convince Pilate to crucify Jesus. It becomes evident by the wording both Jesus and Pilate use.

Jesus will suffer five trials, but in three different places, the first and second would be in the house of the high priest, which was connected to the Temple, the same Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, then to the judgment hall of Pilate, then to Herod’s temple, then back to Pilate. The remains of Herod’s temple are still around, but the Temple in Jerusalem  was destroyed. Today as far as the Temple itself, there is a massive search to unearth the temple site, it’s believed to be in the same place in which the Dome of the Rock Mosque stands, which is interesting. Since the Muslims are direct descendants of Ishmael, it would almost appear as if Ishmael has made the temple his footstool. However, we know this as a sign from God telling us certain things are in line, but “not yet”, as the Gentile is treading the city under foot.

Pilate being connected to Rome also had a purpose in this, not only did the priests prepare the Passover, but the Gentiles in the land were also involved. Pilate as Rome’s representative washed his hands, but he also provided the guards as Rome gave consent. The Passover had to die at the hands of a Jew, or it wasn’t a Passover lamb, but in order to include the Gentiles in the Cross, there needed to be Gentile involvement. God had it all accounted for, nothing was left out. This complexity was seen by God before the foundation of the world, Pilate wanted to release Jesus, the Jews did not, thus they were the ones who caused the Lamb to be slain.

The robe would be placed on Jesus when He is before Herod, but it was Pilate’s soldiers who would put the crown of thorns on Him (Jn 19:2). The Robe held importance, the words Raiment, Garment, Robe and Clothes, are all from the same Greek word, but the Holy Ghost wants us to know there are various meanings for the Robe of Importance, as we will see. Jesus was stripped, His clothes were put back on Him for the journey to the Cross, at the Cross the soldiers took His clothes away from Him as well as the robe (Jn 19:23-24). Jesus was clothed on the way to the Cross, but He was naked on the Cross, this He did for us, for all those times we were ashamed and embarrassed, or those times someone made fun of us.

The road to the Cross will hold many things for us, even these trials tell us Jesus took all the injustice upon Himself. Whether the injustice is before the religious leaders, or the civil rulers, or those appointed by the civil government, it doesn’t matter, He took it all. This doesn’t mean we can do evil and not receive what we sow, nor does it mean we won’t be unjustly accused, rather it shows there is no reason to justify ourselves, they could have no power against us, unless it’s granted from on high. Also we know true repentance corrects the error, but self-repentance makes the error greater.

Then said Pilate unto Him, Hear You not how many things they witness against You? And He answered him to never a word: insomuch that the governor marveled greatly (27:13-14).

The natural instinct of man is to proclaim his innocence, even if he’s not innocent. Paul told Timothy, Jesus witnessed a Good confession before Pontius Pilate, yet Jesus didn’t defend Himself, rather the display was the Mercy of the Father through Jesus (I Tim 6:13). There is more to confessing Jesus than speaking great swelling words of theology. Timothy was told not to engage in strife of words, whereof comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmising, perverse disputing of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing gain is Godliness (I Tim 6:4-6). Mark and Luke show Jesus answered Pilate during the first trial with “You said it” (Mark 15:2 & Luke 23:3), but John shows the second trial is where the Confession came forth. Jesus told Pilate, “You could have no power at all against Me, except it were given you from above: therefore he delivered Me unto you has the greater sin” (Jn 19:11). The Greater sin is on the head of all who join to the position of the son of perdition, they are forgiven, they have power over the wiles of the enemy, yet they use the wiles to their advantage. Pilate was the civil authority, he could do nothing unless God ordained it, but God gives those in the kingdom authority and power over the enemy. God didn’t manipulate Pilate, or the Jewish religious leaders, rather it was God allowing man to be man. God saw all their thoughts and intents before the foundation of the world, thus He worked their actions into the Plan.

Now at the feast the governor was used to releasing unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.  Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will you that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called the Christ?  (27:15-17).

Barabbas was a murderer, thief and all around bad guy, by Pilate picking Barabbas it would not seem logical, but it was still ordained from on high. Pilate didn’t want to release Barabbas, but he narrowed the choice down to Barabbas “the bad guy”, or Jesus “the innocent”. History tells us the first name of Barabbas was Jesus, the name Barabbas means, “son of a father”. Here we have the choice between, Barabbas the bad guy who is also known as “Jesus son of a father”, on one hand, and Jesus of Nazareth, the innocent One, who is “Jesus Son of The Father”. The choice would dictate the decision the people made.

James and John should have been praising God for unanswered prayer about this time. Pilate felt sure the Jews would pick the one called the Christ, over a man known to kill, rob, steal and destroy; however, Pilate didn’t know, the term “religious leader” didn’t necessarily mean they “loved God”.

For he knew that for envy they had delivered Him (27:18).

Envy and jealousy are two different words, jealousy is the fear of losing something we think we possess, envy is the lustful desire to have something someone else has when we are not willing to pay the same price to get it, or we are willing to destroy those who have something we can’t obtain. Even if they do get the possession, the desire of envy is not filled, soon they want more, what they have isn’t good enough. The religious leaders delivered Jesus because they were run by the spirit lusting to envy; they used force, anger, envy and manipulation; whereas, Jesus used love, mercy, kindness, healings, and compassion; all of which were part of His Confession.

When he was sat down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have you nothing to do with that just Man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him, but the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus (27:19-20).

Now Pilate has the added pressure from his wife, it would almost seem New Age for Matthew to tell us this heathen woman suffered in a dream because of Jesus; however, God gave Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar and others dreams, the purpose is important. The dream caused Pilate to wash his hands of the event; thereby, giving the responsibility to kill the Passover in the hands of the religious leaders where it must be. Pilate had the testimony of the religious leaders saying Jesus was unjust, but he also has the witness of his wife saying Jesus is just (innocent). Pilate was between the Rock and a hard place, instead of using his authority, he turned from it.

The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the two will you that I release unto you? They said Barabbas. Pilate said unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all said unto him, Let Him be crucified (27:21-22).

Pilate never expected to hear these people who proclaimed “love thy neighbor” say, “Crucify Him”. Pilate also assumed the beatings would suffice the morbid instincts of the people; however, he found they had their minds set on the Cross, nothing would change them. Although their intent wasn’t the purest, their drive to the Cross is our example. Once we put our eyes on the Cross we continue on; however, when we have the Cross in hand, we find Jesus isn’t on it. We then drive on to the grave (wilderness) where we battle the great war, but then we find Jesus isn’t there either. We fight on with great vigor to find the Lord in the Power of the Resurrection, there is where we gain the New Man.

Pilate heard Herod was in town, and he took advantage of the opportunity, thus sending Jesus to Herod. Pilate assumed, Out of sight, out of mind but then the religious leaders grabbed the ear of Pilate and wouldn’t let go. The four accounts tell us Pilate attempted three times to release Jesus, as Luke writes, “and he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil has He done?” (Luke 23:22). Peter denied Him three times, Pilate attempted to save Him three times, neither could stop or add to what God had planned, truly God reigns supreme.

And the governor said, Why, what evil has He done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let Him be crucified (27:23).

Barabbas the killer was whom they wanted released, yet what great evil did this one called Jesus the Christ do? Pilate asked a simple question, yet there was no answer, only words of hate and anger. Pilate wanted the people to question their motive, but the blind can’t open the eyes of the blind.

During this entire event the Jews still failed to bring any specific charge against Jesus, all they could think of was, “Crucify Him”. Not only couldn’t they place a violation of the Law of Moses against Jesus, they couldn’t find one civil law to place against Him either, yet they cried all the more, “Crucify Him”. Blind Bartimaeus cried all the more, “Jesus, You Son of David, have mercy on me”; the religious rulers cried all the more “Crucify Him”. Two different intents, two different requests, with two different responses from Jesus.

When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the Blood of this just person: see you to it (27:24).

This act of Pilate was still a form of manipulation, he placed the blame back on the people. In his mind, Perhaps, if this man is the Son of God and if his wife was right, this one public act would remove the Blood; however, refusal to act for the Just doesn’t free us of the guilt. Pilate knew the Jews held blood in high regard, this was the Passover, the one day to honor the blood on the Door, perhaps a beating would satisfy them. Prior Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, I Am the door of the sheep” (Jn 10:7). He also said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin, and the servant abides not in the house for ever: but the Son abides ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (Jn 8:34-36). Without the Blood, the Door isn’t protected, we enter by the Door of Christ, the Remnant enter the Time of Comfort by the Door to the House of David; however, only the Door of Christ has the Blood of Christ, only the Door of Christ opens to heaven.

Then answered all the people, and said, His Blood be on us, and on our children (27:25).

With their attitude this would be a foolish statement, they are proclaiming the guilt of the Blood. God told the people of Israel many years prior, “so you shall not pollute the land wherein you are: for blood defiles the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood shed therein; but by the blood of him who shed it. Defile not therefore the land which you shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel” (Numb 35:33-34). The Blood of Jesus calls from the ground, yet the Woman is found with the blood of the saints and prophets, blood cast aside is still blood that must be accounted for.

Then released he Barabbas unto them, and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified (27:26).

Herod’s men also beat Jesus, but here Pilate scourged Him. Pilate is still using manipulation as he is attempting to move around his responsibility, finally he turns Jesus over to the religious leaders to be crucified; however, the actual labor was to be done by the Roman soldiers, by the Roman method, but at the demands of the religious rulers and their followers. It had to be at the request of the Jews, no one else can kill the Passover, but the method had to be Gentile. The Cross became the place where Jew and Gentile could become neither Jew or Gentile.

The method of scourging was by the use of the wipe known as a “cat of nine tails”, they wet the wipe in water, drag it along the ground to pick up bits of glass or small rocks. They would then begin to scourge the person around the legs, working up to the head and face. Most people would confess to anything by the first two or three, yet they had a rule which was held by many for years to come. If they person doing the scourging went over 40 lashes, they would become subject to a beating, thus the count was forty, but they would stop at thirty-nine to be safe. Paul made mention of this to the Corinthians when he said, “of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one” (II Cor 11:24), meaning one from forty leaving thirty-nine.

The back of the victim being scourged would have bones and sinew exposed. It was also felt the cries of pain and begging for mercy were signs of guilt, yet Jesus never cried out, nor did He ask for mercy, this event was to give Mercy, not ask for it. This is still part of the Good Confession before Pilate. Is it any wonder Peter knew he couldn’t confess Jesus, as Jesus confessed the Father?

Isaiah said, “His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men” (Isa 52:14). Jesus took all our punishment for all our sins, not just the sin of Adam, the Cross frees us from the power of sin, the result of sin, which is death, but we also need the Remission of sin by the Blood through the Spirit to complete the Process.

Isaiah also said, “Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isa 53:4). The word Griefs means, Anxiety, Worry, or Disease, a Disease is anything making us Out of ease. The word Sorrows means, Afflictions, in this sense it means, Pain, Suffering, or Distress. The Affliction of God troubles our soul to bring exposure, the affliction Isaiah refers to is suffering as a result of the curse of the Law. Isaiah also said, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed” (Isa 53:5). The word Bruised means Beat To Pieces, the word Wounded means Profaned, or Mocked; the word, Stripes means the Mark Itself Caused By The Beating; and the word, Healed means To Mend, or To Heal A Deep Wound referring to the physical and mental. By His stripes our souls are healed, as well as our bodies, for most of us it’s important.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto Him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped Him, and put on Him a scarlet robe (27:27-28).

The common hall was a place open to the public, so all the people there can see what’s going on. By this time Judas hung himself, Peter was in his wilderness seeing who he really is for the first time. Pilate assumed through his Roman mind, if this Jesus is innocent, the people will know it by His survival of the beating; if this Jesus is guilty, He will either die, or cry out confessing His crime, either way Pilate assumed he would escape, but Pilate never heard Jesus cry out, and Jesus survived the beating, yet they are still calling out “Crucify Him”. According to Pilate’s way of thinking this Jesus proved His innocence, Pilate now has a choice to make as well. Will he bow to the people? Or stand for what he knows is right?

The Robe again is portrayed, Luke tells us it was first placed on Jesus by Herod’s men (Luke 23:11), showing the robe was on Jesus when He approached Pilate the second time. Matthew calls the robe Scarlet, representing a change in color as the Blood of  Jesus poured into the robe. Luke doesn’t give a color, but says  it was Gorgeous (Luke 23:11), Mark says it was Purple (Mark 15: 20), as does John (Jn 19:2). Matthew used the Greek Kokinos meaning a Crimson color, but this Greek word has a root word of Kokkos, from which we get our English word Cocoon, connecting it to the Transfiguration. Blind Bartimaeus cast away his defiled robe, Jesus wore ours soaked with His Blood. This Baptism of Blood brings the Pure and Undefiled Garment of Grace as our Glorified position. The Robe was removed for the beating, but put back on showing the color change.

However, the use of the Greek Kokinos gives us more of the shape, than a color, this Robe was one piece without Seam (Jn 19:23). Luke uses the Greek Lampros meaning Bright, John used the Greek Porphurous meaning Bluish Red, Mark used the Greek Porphura meaning Reddish Blue or Purple, the color of royalty. Putting all of this together, we find the robe was one piece, shaped like the robe of Aaron as the high priest (Ex 28:30-38). It was also the color of the veil in the temple (Ex 26:1). It began as purple, but the Blood of Jesus mixed with the purple became a Blood stained covering as a symbol of the us washing our robes in the Blood of Christ, a Process to reach the Royalty.

And when they had plated a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! (27:29).

The size of the thorns is debatable, some say two inches, some say less, but the area of the scalp near the temple was so tender any size would cause great pain. Jesus told us the “cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts for other things” are all thorns (Mark 4:18-19). Paul was struck with a thorn in the flesh from the carnal minded Corinthians. Thorns cause pain as they torment our minds, thorns are also curse related, yet Jesus took them all. Jesus wore a crown of thorns for us, yet He gives us the Royal Crown of Life.

All of these things are happening before the Cross, we must Remember both the Body and Blood in Communion. If this beating caused the stripes Peter believed healed him, why do we assume they can’t heal us? How can we take the Body of Jesus, yet reject all the pain the Body went through? We receive the stripes, then we have an ear to hear what the Lord would have us do in reference to those stripes. Each stripe of the whip represented some element of the Curse of the Law as it applies to our flesh, each small stone, or bit of glass represented all those tares, hurts and pains. There was nothing left out, none of us can say, “Oh Lord you don’t know the things I suffer”.

The Cross finished the course as far as the Law of Moses or the world is concerned. No aspect of the Law of Moses could pass through the Cross; if one point passed they all passed; therefore, holding to any aspect of the Law of Moses to gain any benefit from God, moves us from the Cross, not toward it.

In the Old Testament a sin had to be paid for in some manner, even David had to pick one of three punishments. Sin must be accounted for, merely sending a deed for a temporary covering doesn’t forgive the sin, nor remits it, it merely balances it, the wages of sin are still death. The Cross took all those things against us, the Ten Commandments proves man is incapable, the Law of Moses defines sin, applies death as the punishment, Jesus made sure the Cross became a place of separation, the place where we are free of the Law.

Today there are those who seek Philosophy, Psychotherapy, Formulas, Bow To The East, Stand On Our Heads, Exercise, New Age and all the other concepts of man to heal their souls, yet the healing is found by being Born Again after we receive the Cross. What does the world use? The wisdom of man, how is something earthly, soulish and devilish going to heal our souls? Yet, the Cross without the Resurrection wouldn’t have proven a thing. We need both the Cross and Resurrection in order to gain the fullness of either. We may never know the Power of the Resurrection until we face Jesus, but it doesn’t stop us from seeking it, or holding to it.

The Greek word Dunamis means Power, but it’s only relative to who has it, and what it’s for, or if it is being used within the confines of the Authority granted. Even the false prophet has Dunamis, but that form of power is unto destruction, it cannot heal, save or bring joy. It’s the same Dunamis the world uses (Rev 13:1-2).

Isaiah said by His stripes we Are healed, which is a present tense usage for a future event, showing God already saw the Cross and the events long before man knew what a Cross was. Isaiah said this some 700 years before the Cross, why would it change after the Cross? The error of the Pharisees was assuming it had passed, when in fact it didn’t, their own error caused them to miss it. Peter sees these events as Past Tense, thus he agrees with God and calls them a Were, while for some they are yet future tense. Therefore, it’s not a matter of faith in and of itself, but a matter of receiving something already done, which  entails a point of belief, before faith can reach to the result. The healing may or may not be physical, whether we’re healed or not isn’t the issue, whether we believe the Stripes of Jesus works is. We want the evidence, so people won’t give us the “look” if we’re not healed immediately. It’s looking at the storm, rather than Jesus. We keep our eyes on Jesus, not on the storm.

Peter’s letter places the stripes with the beating by saying, Jesus did no sin, nor was there any guile found in His mouth, when He was reviled, He didn’t revile back, when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously (I Pet 2:22-23). It has to be the attitude we have when we receive the stripes, we submit to the Lord, regardless of what man does (Heb 13:6).

Jesus took our place as He stood as our Advocate, He took upon Himself the punishment for our rebellion and sins, so we don’t have to receive the punishment, or pay the price. In this case Jesus took the reaping for all those things we sowed. Peter then tells us, as Jesus hung on the Cross the sins of all men were absorbed, so we can be dead to the flesh, yet live in His righteousness, by “Whose stripes you were healed” (I Pet 2:24). If we said “Lord save me”, or if we sought the living water, we also received, “Heal me O LORD and I SHALL be healed; save me and I SHALL be saved: for You are my praise” (Jere 17:14). Peter’s word for Healed is used in respect to healing, it’s the root word for Physician, thus we can’t discount the flesh in this, it must be included, but neither do we want to discount the soul.

The old man will also put his two cents in, “don’t look like you’re healed to me”, of course there will be the unbelievers who come around saying, “well, looks like a mind game to me”, or “looks like you lack faith”, but putting our trust in Jesus is never a mind game. It doesn’t matter if we appear healed or not, what matters is our trust in God.

And they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head, they took the robe off from Him, and put His own raiment on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him (27:30-31).

Rejecting the beating, or what it entailed is mocking Jesus. Whether we obtain or not isn’t the question, whether we believe or not, is. The Robe was not on Jesus when He was on the Cross, John confirms this, as he says, the soldiers had the Robe, but they took the garments of Jesus and parted them into four shares, but the Coat (robe) they left intact, for it was woven from the top throughout (Jn 19:23-24). Jesus was beaten so badly He could hardly stand; He didn’t have the entire Cross with Him, rather they carried the Cross piece which weighed between one hundred and two hundred pounds, depending on which point in history one adheres to, but nonetheless for a person who had been beaten to the degree Jesus was, the weight was great. Jesus knows the weight of our Cross is great; therefore, He tells us to pick it up, once we pick it up, He will carry it for us.

The upright piece was already in the ground, the victim was nailed and tied to the Cross piece then hoisted to a place approximately two thirds up, where the ties were removed, but the nails stayed. The upright piece above the Cross piece would keep the victim from throwing their head back and breaking their neck before the punishment could take it’s full effect. The victim’s arms were not tied but nailed through the carpus area of the wrist, with the palms of the hands twisted inward and placed against the wood. This caused the bones in the shoulders near the neck to begin to dislocate. The victims feet were placed one over the other then nailed through the top, this allowed the victim to push up and keep their shoulders from dislocating completely; however, after a time the person would pass out, causing the body weight to drop, dislocating the shoulders with the bones slamming together in the throat area, thereby causing the person to choke to death. If they didn’t pass out, their legs would be broke causing the body weight to fall, causing death by torment and choking. Out of all the means man has devised to kill man, the Cross is by far the most hideous and insane. It was bad enough to shout, “Crucify Him”, but to stand there and watch it? The heart of man is deceitful and wicked, who can know it?

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear His Cross (27:32).

From the Cross to the grave we learn what Deny the Self means, but we must enter the grave to reach the wisdom of deny the self. The Cross heals our bodies and minds, as it separates us from the darkness, but it can’t save our souls, neither can our souls enter Grace without the Spirit as the Word in us (James 1:21).

How can we apply our own ability to obtain our salvation, yet face the Cross of Jesus? How can we run about doing points of the Law, yet claim the Cross upon which the Law is nailed? How can we continue to say we are Christ Like, yet deny the very foundation of the Cross? How can we claim to confess Jesus, yet not have the Witness of Christ in us? How can anyone who claims to love Jesus, know about the Cross continue to hold religious conceit, ego, pride, or unbelief? Every word known to us regarding the sons of perdition shows Jesus died for them as well, thus they came to the Cross, made Jesus their Savior, but rejected the purpose. The flesh profits nothing, it’s the Spirit bringing Life, thus the Cross is the first step, unless one continues to Believe the phrase “shall be saved” will not apply.

And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of the skull, they gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink (27:33-34).

Prophecy was coming to pass in front of these people, the very backbone of their religion was unfolding, yet they didn’t see it. John calls the people of the world “floods”, in Psalm 69 we find, “I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me” (Ps 69:2), then, “O God You know my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from You” (Ps 69:5). This doesn’t mean, Jesus committed sin, rather it means He took upon Himself our sins, and not one sin is untouched. Every sin from times past, times present, and times future are all taken care of, but one must receive by believing they have received in order to partake of the benefit.

Psalm 69 also says, “They gave Me also gall for My meat, in My thirst they gave Me Vinegar to drink. Let their table become a snare before them: and what should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap” (Ps 69:21-22) with, “let them be blotted out of the book of the living” (Ps 69:28), and “But I am poor and sorrowful: let Your salvation, O God, set Me up on High. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock who has horns or hoofs” (Ps 69:29-31). In the Book of Hebrews we read, “By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Heb 13:15-16).

Luke calls this hill Calvary (Luke 23:33), which is the Greek rendering for the Hebrew Golgotha, meaning Head or Skull, with a root word of Galal meaning Trust. Calvary is the Greek Kranion meaning Cranium it’s translated as Skull three times, and Calvary once, all of which point to this locale (Matt 27:33, Mark 15:22, Luke 23:33 & Jn 19:17). Jesus as the Head of the Body, earned the position by His Sacrifice, by the Faith of Jesus  the path of Righteousness was paved for us. On the way to the hill, Jesus told the women of Israel, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep; for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” (Luke 23:28-31). This is directed to the “daughters of Jerusalem” reflecting to the Time Of Comfort. Since this was on the Way to the Cross we know it points to a time void of the Cross, as Jesus said Work while it is yet day, for the Night comes when no man can work. At the Judgment they will look upon Him they have pierced, thus Jesus gave this prophecy on the Way to the Cross, not after.

And they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture did they cast lots (27:35).

This quote is from Psalm 22:18, which was penned by David as he talked about the Cross, before anyone knew what a Cross was. The original Greek has the word Cross as Stake, as a large Stake of Wood; however, the use of a single piece of wood with the hands above the head would not entail the breaking of one’s legs. The breaking of the victim’s legs was only done when the cross piece was used. Paul clears this up in Galatians when he speaks of the Tree, which has branches (Gal 3:13). The cross Piece distinguished the difference, from the use of the cross Piece came the term Cross. There are some who pick at the hairs of a camel, or debate for hours over the terms and ignore Him who was the tree for us.

There are other events recorded in the accounts, such as Jesus saying, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), as well as Jesus saying, “I thirst”, then the soldiers filled a sponge with vinegar with hyssop on it (Jn 19:28-29). All of which will be covered in our studies regarding the other accounts.

And sitting down they watched Him there; and set up over His head His accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS (27:36-37).

The only accusation they had against Jesus was placed above Him, really it wasn’t an accusation, but the truth. John tells us the sign was written in three languages, the Hebrew, Greek and Latin (Jn 19:20). The Hebrew for the Jews, the Greek for the Gentiles, Latin for the entire world yet to come. Jesus went to the Cross as the King of the Jews, He came down as the King of kings.

Then were there two thieves crucified with Him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads, and saying, You that destroyed the temple, and built it again in three days, save Yourself.  If You be the Son of God, come down from the Cross (27:38-40).

During the forty day fast, the devil used the same wording, by saying, “If You be the Son of God” (Matt 4:3 & 4:6); however, Jesus is on the Cross as the Son of man. The works of the devil were marching around the very Cross God sent to save them, yet they were mocking their own redemption. The wording also connects to Psalm 22, the Psalm showing the victory of the Cross.

Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders saying, He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the Cross, and we will believe Him.  He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with Him, cast the same in His teeth (27:41-44).

Here and in Mark we find all of them were mocking, including both thieves, yet Luke shows one of the thieves pleaded for mercy (Luke 23:39-43). After Jesus says, “Father forgive them” one of the malefactors acknowledges who Jesus is, yet the other does not  as he continues to mock Jesus. The one who acknowledged Jesus told the other malefactor, “do you not fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive due reward of our deeds: but this Man has done nothing amiss” (Luke 23:40-41). Then he asked Jesus, “Lord remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Jesus told this man, “Verily I say unto you, Today shall you be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). The man wanted to enter the Kingdom, but Jesus noted the man would be in Paradise, thus the man made a display of his faith by the request. By Jesus pointing to Paradise it would indicate it’s where Jesus would preach to the Great Congregation (Ps 22:25). The only one on there asking Jesus to remember him, was a convicted thief. This man would then have the opportunity to be among the Captivity taken Captive. For anyone to join the Kingdom of God at this time was impossible since the Spirit was not yet given (Jn 7:39). However, we also find Jesus didn’t ask the man, “are you baptized brother?”, or “I’m not sure, tell Me your beliefs”.

Now to address some important issues, if the thief on the cross was not baptized with the Holy Ghost, how could he get to Paradise? If John the Baptist was refused the baptism with the Holy Ghost (Matt 3:14) how could he make it? Jesus didn’t say, “the day after tomorrow you will be in Paradise”, Paradise was still in effect as the Bosom of Abraham until Jesus takes captivity captive, then He places them under the altar of God. Therefore, the Cloud of witnesses ascended with Jesus just before the Holy Ghost was given. The Bosom of Abraham was closed, out of business, the place for the Dead in Christ to wait became the third heaven. As long as the Day is open we know we can ask for and receive the Spirit, which is something John or the thief were not privy to.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calls for Elias. And straightaway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave Him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save Him. Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost (27:45-50).

The sixth hour is noon, the ninth hour is 3:00 PM, for these three hours the Blood on the side posts and lintel was destroying the sins of mankind. The very atmosphere was filled with so much sin, the sky turned to darkness. The result of sin is death, in this case Jesus took sin in His physical body, where it was made ineffective. Unless we take the responsibility for the Cross on our heads, we can’t be free. The Romans didn’t kill Jesus, the Jews didn’t kill Jesus, we did.

The very beginning of Psalm 22 reads, My God, My God why have You forsaken Me?” (Ps 22:1), which is the Hebrew, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani”. Jesus is proclaiming prophecy on the Cross, showing the time is at hand, rather, than displaying some unbelief, or fear. These were Jews at the foot of the Cross, by their own words coupled to the words of Jesus they should have Seen the Lord of Glory was on the Cross, but their self-deception and envy caused their blindness, meaning they failed to see the obvious.

Jesus as the Son of man took our place on the Cross enduring our punishment; therefore, this statement is made on our behalf, it was our sins separating us from God, but the Faith of Jesus brought us back. It’s highly unlikely and extremely foolish to think while Jesus was on the Cross He remembered some scripture and thought, “oh I’m suppose to be the Christ, I better quote this”, rather it’s the confidence of Christ moving through all the pain and suffering as He purpose was for us, not Himself.

Luke says Jesus also said, “Father, into Your hands I commend My Spirit” (Luke 23:46), this is different from “giving up the ghost”. The context shows Jesus gave the Spirit to the Father as Security as an act of faith. Jesus was coming again to take back the Security, in essence, Jesus said, “Father hold Him, I’ll be right back”, the Father didn’t let go of the Spirit until Pentecost.

Psalm 22 continues by showing us Jesus cried in the daytime, and in the night season. The word Daytime means the Heat Of Day, the term Night Season means in the Presence Of The Adversary (Ps 22:2). This shows two Seasons, one of the Day when the Fire of God is burning away the wood, hay and stubble, then the Night when the enemies (adversaries) of Jesus are made His footstool. Next we read, “Our fathers trusted in You, they trusted, and You did deliver them. They cried unto You, and were delivered: they trusted in You, and were not confounded” (Ps 22:4-5). God saved the fathers based on this very event, the fathers waited by faith in Paradise for the coming of the Messiah. Their faith couldn’t accomplish the task, in fact the best their faith could do was place them in Abraham’s bosom. It took a faith far greater than the measure of faith to accomplish this task; therefore, we have boldness by His Faith (Eph 3:12). The people at the foot of the Cross will mock Jesus with these very words, showing one can be subject to the promise, yet mock the very Cross sent to save them.

In this we see the marks in the hands and side, as well as the crown, but what about the nail in His feet? Why isn’t it seen? Why didn’t Thomas want to touch the mark of the nail in the feet of Jesus? Even Thomas in all his doubt he knew the Sure Nail was appointed to the enemies of Jesus (Isa 22:25).

Psalm 22 then says, “But I am a worm and not man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people” (Ps 22:6). Two words used here are in conjunction with man, not God, thus Jesus as the Son of man is standing in Mercy for us. This shows why the Declaration came at the Resurrection, rather than the Cross (Rom 1:3-4).

This verse covers mankind from Adam until it’s appointed for all men to die once, then comes the judgment. Job said, “hell is naked before Him, destruction has no covering” (Job 26:6) plus, “How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?” (Job 25:6).  The metaphor Worm points to the lost soul, the flesh to the dirt, thus a worm lives in the dirt; here Jesus is still standing for us. Even if our measure of faith can stop storms, without the Life of Christ we are still a blind worm in the dust.

Psalm 22 then tells us, “All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying, He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, saying He delighted in Him” (Ps 22:7-8). Again, this is the wording used by the people around the Cross; however, the most interesting element is not one person, not Mary, John, Peter, or anyone else called out to Jesus, “Thank you Lord”.

If we continue to read Psalm 22 we would see the “bulls of Bashan” (Ps 22:12), Amos tells us the “kine of Bashan” are the religious leaders who held the sins of Samaria (Amos 4:1-4). A dog is a dog, whether it’s a watchdog or a stray dog, it’s still a dog belonging to the bulls of Bashan. The dogs compassed about Jesus, they “pierced My hands and My feet” (Ps 22:16). Psalm 22:16 and 17 tell us the Cross had a cross piece, as we read, “I may tell all My bones they look and stare upon Me”. The cross piece was to accomplish one purpose, the nails were driven in the area of the wrist just between the bones connecting to the hand, as the only area of the wrist able to support the body weight, whereas, the single stake hung the person with their arms straight above them, the purpose being a prolonged death over many days.

Psalm 22 then tells us, “Deliver My soul from the sword; My darling from the power of the dog” (Ps 22:20). The word Darling means Favorite One, or Only Son; we also find the word soul, not spirit. Then we read, “save Me from the lion’s mouth..” (Ps 22: 21). The only other reference we have to the lion’s mouth is Peter’s wording of the devil going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (I Pet 5:8). Jesus then praises the Father in the Great Congregation (Worshipping Elders Of Israel – Ps 22:25). Then we read; “for the kingdom is the Lord’s, He is the governor among the nations” (Ps 22:28). Jesus obtained the victory over death, hell and the grave. Through death, Jesus destroyed him who “had” the power of death, that is the devil (Heb 2:14).

No man can keep alive his own soul (Ps 22:29), Jesus said, “for whosoever will save his life (soul) shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life (soul) for My sake shall find it” (Matt 16:25), with, “if any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow Me” (Matt 16:24).

Psalm 22 then says, “a seed shall serve Him” (Ps 22:30), we are Born Again by the Seed of God, thus by the Seed of God we are able to serve Him (I Jn 3:9). The Cross shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation (Ps 22:30), we of the Gentile Age are called to be the Anointed Church holding to the tree of God. Then we read, “they shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people who shall be born, saying He has done this” (Ps 22:31). We are those who are born of the water (mercy) into the Body, then Born Again by the Baptism with the Holy Ghost who declare these efforts of Jesus.

Psalm 22 ends, then we can move to Psalm 23 where we are able to say, “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Ps 23:1-3). The only way we can have a Restored soul is through the engrafted word (James 1:21). The Spirit brings us the life as the Word of God, the “pasture” is the Scriptures, the place where the Holy Ghost interprets the hope and victory for us as individuals. The valley of the shadow of death is the world (Ps 23:4). The rod of God is for correction, the staff for guidance, the Holy Ghost guides us on the path of Righteousness. However, some will hold the Truth in unrighteousness, others hold the Truth by His Righteousness.

Here we have an overview of what Jesus did for three days when His body of flesh laid in the grave, as the Son of man fought the good fight of faith for us. The question of “who ran the universe for the three days”, fail when we see Jesus obtained Salvation, defeated the devil, removed us from the power of the second death, made it possible for us to be Born Again, to have the nature and character of Christ in us. If Jesus could do all this in three days, surely He could keep the universe from falling apart. The universe is like the Law of Moses, neither need God standing over them, rather God induced an authority and power for them to do what they are suppose to do (Isa 14:24-27). The Deist thinks God set the plan in motion, but will not intervene in the affairs of man, but the Cross shows God does intervene by giving mankind a route of escape.

The flesh of Jesus was changed, since there was no sin in Him, there was no basis for corruption; however our flesh is filled with corruption, it will remain here on earth, but our souls will have a New Body forever incorruptible (I Cor 15:40-44). However, there is a hope and promise, where is the old physical flesh of Jesus? Not in the grave clothes. We are to take the same view of our old fleshly state, where is it? Gone, behold all things are New.

Each of us in the Body have the opportunity to be faithful servants, making us Equal. We are not rejected because of a lack of money, nor is Jesus going to reject us because we are not circumcised of the flesh, nor is He going to reject us because of race, tribe order, or a lack thereof. Unto every person is granted the Measure of Faith, only the Wicked and Unreasonable have twisted their measure into witchcraft, thus now they lack faith, nonetheless, all had the measure to begin with (Rom 12:3 & II Thess 3:2). The measure was more than enough to pull us to the Cross, even over all the objections of the old nature, or all the voices in hell, we made a choice to receive the Cross of Jesus, yet it was presented some two thousand years ago when Jesus said, “It is finished”. Of course we’re not perfect, of course we make mistakes, but when we do we also know we have Access to the throne of Grace wherein we can obtain the Mercy needed, then find the Grace required. We shake off the mistake by gaining the lesson as we continue on, knowing God is with us of a Truth, we are on the path of Grace, the Process of the saving of our souls.

We are fully aware none the New Covenant promises begins until we are Born Again, we cannot reject knowledge then presume our works will get us through the fire. However, neither can we reject Mercy, since it’s what Jesus as the Son of man is using. Jesus had to operate as the Son of man, since no one was Born Again then. For that reason He returns as the Son of man to judge the Mercy works of mankind. Nonetheless, we have a promise centered in being Born Again, we shall be removed before the Night, we shall be spared the second death (Rev 20:6 & I Thess 4:15-17).

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many of the bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His Resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many (27:51-53).

The bodies of the saints won’t be seen in the “Holy City” until the Resurrection is Complete. The key phrase here is “after His Resurrection”, His Resurrection isn’t complete until all those who are promised to be Partakers in the First Resurrection are seen with the Lord in the Air. The location is the Holy City, but the City connected to the  Resurrection is New Jerusalem. This is a promise for those who continue to believe, it’s a hope in this prophetic word, God has already seen us in New Jerusalem based on the Resurrection of Jesus before the 1,000 years. We are seen by God in our White Robes, it’s a matter of placing our faith in what God sees. Whose Report will you believe? The Report is here, the Witness is bringing it to pass day by day.

The veil was torn from the top, showing God ripped it open, for us to place another Veil there is error (I Cor 11:1-7). The holy of holies was opened to the anyone who imputed their old nature dead by the Cross of Jesus. We are priests unto our High Priest Jesus, we have boldness and access by the Faith of Jesus.

Matthew jumps ahead slightly to show us the sign of the earthquake in different places, John also shows us an earthquake yet to happen, the metaphor Earthquake shows some type of Resurrection, here it’s the Resurrection of Jesus, later at the Fifth and Sixth Seal it’s the completion of the First Resurrection, lastly the earthquake which turns the earth inside out brings the last resurrection.

Now when the centurion, and they that were with Him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God (27:54).

They didn’t Feel the earthquake, they Saw it, the earth around the Cross shook, as a sign of the failure of the earth to hold Jesus. This earthquake is of a different type, there are two types of natural earthquakes, only one of a Godly nature. The latter is when the earth can no longer hold the children of God. The earth would continue to shake until the Resurrection when all the ground would travail and groan when the Firstfruits of the Dead breaks the hold of death. The next earthquake will be the one to complete this one, at which time the Dead in Christ meet Jesus in the Air. The last one is when we descend as New Jerusalem to receive all those who passed the Book of Life, as they hear, “Come up Hither”.

And many of the women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him: among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children (27:55-56).

Jesus always had women helpers in His ministry, and they all had important jobs. The woman at the well was the first woman preacher to proclaim Jesus, and she was able to bring an entire town to Jesus. Now, wait a minute, what about John the Baptist? True, John did preach, but he was not sent by Jesus, he was sent by the Father to report about Jesus, the woman at the well was allowed by Jesus to preach about Him.

Paul does tell the carnal churches, “let your women keep silence in the churches” (I Cor 14:34), but this is in conjunction with the shame of leadership holding a veil between the Body and Head (I Cor 11:1-7). Paul told Timothy, “let the woman learn in silence with all subjection, but I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but be in silence” (I Tim 2:11-12). We found in Corinthians Paul uses metaphors, Timothy was faced with elders he laid hands on, who were not ready to be elders. They appeared so, until they gained the position, then Timothy found he laid hands on a nightmare. Paul’s use of metaphors identified the problem, the elders lacked the ability to hold the position, thus they should remain silent as a congregation would, until they show the signs of the office. In essence they were still in the Novice stage, called, but not equipped. The word used for Silence means To keep one’s place, thus the context is Usurping Authority of the position when one is not equipped to handle it. The phrase Usurping Authority, doesn’t mean to use our authority over another, it means to use the authority of another. Jesus granted us His Authority but it’s a shame on the husband (leader), for a wife (congregation) to be forced to use her husband’s authority.

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: he went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulcher (27:57-61).

Mark tells us this was the Preparation day for the High Sabbath, thus the Passover before the Feast Day.

Now the next day, that followed the day of preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that, that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night, and steal Him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, You have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as you can. So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch (27:62-66).

The “next day following the preparation” shows a different preparation day, Luke shows the woman rested on the sabbath according to the commandment (Luke 23:56), the sabbath according to the commandment is the weekly sabbath, not the High Sabbath. Mark says the women were at the grave site when the sun set, meaning they were unable to cook the spices then, or the next day, since it was a High Sabbath. The day following is the reference Luke makes, thus the High Sabbath was not according to the Fifth Commandment, but it was in the Law. The term “the commandment” refers to one of the Ten, thus the Fifth Commandment called for the weekly sabbath day of Saturday. The context gives us two different types of sabbath days, the one connected to the Passover would be the High Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the one Luke refers to is the weekly sabbath. The woman would rest on the High Sabbath, then on the weekly preparation day of Friday cook the spices, then rest on Saturday, the sabbath according to the Commandment. Jesus said He would be in the grave for there days and nights, yet raised on the Third day. Unless we can account for all the days and nights we will miss the prophecy.

The religious leaders knew the three days and nights would finish at the end of the weekly sabbath, thus they ran to Pilate to have the tomb sealed, assuming the disciples would remove Jesus then make the claim “He is Raised from the dead”. This also shows the Pharisees knew the false witnesses were lying, they also knew the reference to the temple, was a reference to Jesus being raised from the dead. The Pharisees were now caught in a difficult situation. If the disciples do remove Jesus, they merely had to demand to see Him; however, if the Resurrection became fact, they were stuck with their own guilt, thus they attempted to stop the work of God, something they had attempted right alone, but with no success. Those who attempt to stop the work of God, only end in proving it.

Since the High Sabbath was the day after the Passover, and since we know the Passover could not be a sabbath since the Lamb was slain, we can also see how the Cross is a type of Rest before the we are able to enter the Rest of God by belief.

Moving on, we find the sabbath day of Saturday coming to an end, this is vital since Jesus said He would be raised on the Third day, which would be Saturday:

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. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lighting, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men, and the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not you: for I know that you seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goes before you into Galilee; there shall you see Him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell My brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me (28:1-10).

The first thing we find is the grave is empty, Jesus was raised on the Third day, the empty grave proves it. This means Passover was on a Wednesday, we saw the evidence of three days and nights prior.

To understand the events we have to view all four of the accounts. Each account adds to the other as the Holy Ghost guided the hands of our New Testament scribes. John says Mary Magdalene came while it was yet dark, when saw the stone taken away (Jn 20:1). This would be Sunday, thus the grave is empty, proving the prophecy. The house was in Jerusalem, not Galilee. Matthew 28:9-10 refers to the same time as the second appearance of Jesus noted in John’s account as the time when Jesus appeared in Galilee at the sea of Tiberias, then Thomas was told to touch Jesus, the location was also in Galilee. Luke’s account shows the same event, where all the disciples were told to touch Jesus (Luke 24:39). Before then we find Luke says They entered the tomb, and found not the body of Jesus (Luke 24:3). The “They” are Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the Mother of James the less. When they saw the tomb empty, they ran to Peter, but John tells us Mary Magdalene told both John and Peter the stone was rolled back. Mark shows the women going to the tomb, and asking, “who will roll away the stone” (Mark 16:3), Mark also says they saw an angel appearing to them as a young man in the tomb (Mark 16:5), thus we find it was an angel, but the women thought is was a man. Matthew shows another angel sitting on the rolled away door (Matt 28:2), confirming two angels, as Luke shows, but neither of these angels were apparent to the women as angels.

John tells us Mary came to the tomb, saw it empty, ran and told both John and Peter. John and Peter ran back to the tomb, with Mary following, thus the house they were staying in was not in Galilee, but Jerusalem; however, the disciples were told to go to Galilee and wait. From the events it’s clear they didn’t go, in fact Jesus will have to make two more appearances to convince them, He is raised from the dead.

Taking all the events into account, we find Mary seeing the empty tomb, then running to tell Peter and John. Peter and John run to the tomb, John out runs Peter, but John stops at the opening. Peter being Peter, ran inside, where he found the grave clothes lying wrapped together, or Entwined. The hundred pounds of aloes and myrrh were applied just days prior to form a Kokkos (cocoon) around the Body of Jesus, yet the Kokkos wasn’t broken, it was Entwined or in one piece. John sees this and believes in the Resurrection and Transfiguration, thereby giving him the title, The disciple Jesus loved. John would be the only one to believe without having to see Jesus, all this is the discovery on Sunday morning.

This would be Peter’s first chance to believe, but not his last. The other accounts pick up with Mary being at the tomb, as John and Peter go back to the house. The angels talked to the women, then John points out when the angels talked to Mary Magdalene as she still wondered where the body of Jesus was. She was looking among the dead for the living, but she didn’t understand the Living Was Resurrected, she also forgot, God is the God of the Living, not the Dead. Mary assumed they moved Jesus to some unknown location outside of the grave yard, where His Body could wait for the Great Day of the Resurrection, yet she was standing in the shadow of the First Resurrection.

After Peter and John leave, Mary sees Jesus, and as she attempts to touch Him she is told, “Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father; and to My God, and your God” (Jn 20:17). Jesus had yet given the Sacrifice before the Father, no one can touch a holy thing and live until after it’s Sacrificed (Numb 4:15 & Lev 8:33-34). In essence, Jesus is telling Mary, “Go and tell the disciples to wait in Galilee, the Sacrifice is not yet complete, tell them so they can believe in Me”.

When Mary sees Jesus, she runs back and tells Peter again, but this time she tells him she Saw the Lord. Luke shows Peter ran back by himself, sees the same grave clothes, but no Jesus, then Peter walks away wondering in himself (Luke 24:12). This  would be Peter’s second chance to believe. Mary also told all the disciples, specifically Peter; the Lord wanted them to go to Galilee and wait. This would be the second command regarding waiting at Galilee, yet they didn’t go. This is the same Mary Magdalene Mark and Luke say had seven devils cast out of her, so why use her as a witness? Purpose, she tells Peter, “I have seen the Lord”, Peter runs, finds nothing, walking away wondering in himself. “She had seven devils, the Lord is dead, she’s possessed again”. Not so, there would be two more witnesses.

Since John was written well after Matthew, we find a mystery, not a conflict. Matthew says they held the feet of Jesus, yet in John we find they were not allowed to touch Jesus. Here in Matthew the Greek word for Held is Krateo, meaning to Grasp in a manner to over Power, or to lay hands on to get under ones own power. In John 20:17 Jesus told Mary not to touch Him, if He would have used the Greek word Krateo as we find here in Matthew, then we would have John correcting Matthew, but we find John used the Greek Haptomai meaning simply to touch; therefore, the Holy Ghost gives us a mystery. The concept of holding someone’s feet to control them means we have stopped them, they are not going anywhere. In Mark the disciples were upbraided with their unbelief, we know the Cross was for them, thus their unbelief was holding the Lord to the earth. Yet, we find they worshipped Him, but wait they lacked the Spirit, but the Father seeks those who can worship in Spirit and Truth. The Pharisees were in the presence of the Lord of Glory, yet they didn’t believe, nor did they submit, in fact, they attacked the Lord, yet they glorified God. The mystery is how any of us can worship the Lord, yet bind Him by our own unbelief. The clues are the Greek Krateo coupled with Worship. The wording, Be not afraid doesn’t make any sense at all in this situation, unless we are facing a metaphoric content as we did in verses 27:51-52. John is not correcting Matthew, rather we have a mystery, and a warning. Our worship alone doesn’t mean we believe, we can be moved by the moment, or we can be afraid of losing something, but it doesn’t mean we worship toward God, it means we worship to keep what we have in place.

The purpose of God was laid out before them, but they had to make the decision to  believe, by rejecting unbelief. Of course the first step would be to go to Galilee. There was more physical evidence pointing to why they shouldn’t believe, than for them to believe, yet the evidence for them to believe was also presented. They had the past teachings from Jesus, which was more than enough for them to Believe. Mark tells us Jesus upbraided the disciples With their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they failed to believe the “them” (Mark 16:14). Peter’s third chance came with the two witnesses, yet he still didn’t believe, then the Lord, Himself, had to show up. Jesus had more work to do, yet His own disciples were binding Him to the earth. Jesus did this for them, not for Himself, it was up to them to join in, not hinder. Their unbelief was holding up the Mighty Work; it makes us wonder how much of our unbelief is holding up a Mighty Work of God.

Mary was the first witness as well as the first follower of Jesus to proclaim “He Is Risen”, yet no one believed her. Eight days later Jesus returned when the Sacrifice was done, the time for all the angels of God to worship Jesus was at hand.

Abraham was told to have the male circumcised at eight days old, it was so important the Law of Moses allowed for circumcision of the child at eight days old on the sabbath day according to the Commandment or on any of the High Holy Sabbath days. Here we find from the Anointing to the Cross to the Resurrection with the Passover connected to a High Holy Sabbath, plus the addition of the weekly sabbath, all pointing to an eight day week, a New Beginning with a New Circumcision, for a New Law, for those who are Born Again.

When a child is circumcised they have no choice in the matter, but it also shows they had no effort, work, or goodness from which they could say they had a right to circumcision. Other nations may have practiced circumcision, but none of them did it in reference to a Covenant made with God. The token or mark of circumcision gave the male, and any female related to the male, the absolute right to receive the Abrahamic Covenant. Is there a Circumcision for the Christian? Yes, the circumcision of the heart not made with hands, which is also known as the Seal of the Holy Spirit when the Believer gets a New Heart. Are we suppose to have it done on the eighth day? No, ours comes as a result of the Eighth Day. Do we make Covenant with God? No, we enter the Covenant already established. Do we work to obtain the right to enter the Covenant? No, we receive it, since the works are done. If God rested from all His works on the Seventh Day, then any work related to the Eighth was already taken care of. It was the message to the Jew who was circumcised on the eighth day, they knew they were receiving a Covenant already secure in Abraham. We receive one already secure in Jesus, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise as our proof of acceptance.

Back at the tomb we read how Matthew showed the keepers were knocked down like dead men (Matt 28:4), now he picks up showing what these keepers said and did.

Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say you, His disciples came by night, and stole Him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day (28:11-15).

The punishment for any soldier to fall asleep while on watch was death by fire, the method was as soon as they were discovered asleep, they were set on fire. If it was discovered after the fact, they would be burned alive, the incentive was there for them to lie, in order to save their own lives, the Pharisees helped them by offering them money. Judas thought money could pay his way out of sin, the Pharisees used money to put others into sin. The Pharisees were promoting a lie to protect their positions, yet proved they were still of their father the devil.

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them (28:16).

The Ascension took place just outside of Bethany (Luke 24:50), which is not in Galilee, but in Judea; therefore, the disciples went back to the place where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount to learn more from the Master. Luke confirms this as he says, “to whom He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). This also shows they had the Ingress Aries, but they didn’t preach, heal the sick, or do anything, but learn of the Kingdom: they wouldn’t be Witnesses until the Spirit came on Pentecost. The Ingress Aries granted them permission to receive the Gift, by granting them the power to remit sins done unto them, but it didn’t grant the Gift.

And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted (28:17).

With some seeing isn’t believing, with others the evidence has to be under their control, or fit their guidelines. Yet, there are some who believe without seeing, they know by the measure of faith Jesus is real, what Jesus said is true, He is the rightful Son of God.

And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen (28:18-20).

Matthew’s account is the only one of the Gospel accounts ending with Jesus speaking. We viewed these scriptures in the Commission of Christ, we also know they relate to the Authority to Go, as well as what the Authority entails. It still isn’t the Power, the Power would come on Pentecost, thus Authority must have Power.

In Mark we will find what to expect from those who Hear and Believe the words of those who Go.

There are five areas listed here, first is Teaching, which is a different Greek word than the one used for second usage of teaching. Why teach? So they will believe, we can’t baptize them in water unless they can make a proclamation of belief in the Cross, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. The first area of teaching means to teach them as one would a student, or disciple them in the basics of the Doctrine of Christ. The one element is missed in many of our discipling projects, the foundation for the Doctrine of Christ is listed in Hebrews chapter 6:1-2, it’s not all the Doctrine holds, but it is the foundation.

How many of us were taught the Doctrine of Christ? How many were taught the Doctrine of Baptisms? We should know the differences in the Resurrections, why there is only One Baptism, yet  there is also the Doctrine of Baptisms, what does the laying on of hands mean, the purpose of eternal Judgment, the repentance from dead works, as we’ll as knowing what are dead works, then what consists of faith toward God. The six rudiments or foundational areas of the Doctrine of Christ keep us firm in the calling.

After the discipling, comes Water Baptism, which means they must have an idea of what Water Baptism means, as well as the Purpose of the Token. Then the presentation for them to receive the Baptism with the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, or they presenting themselves to the Lord. Now we know why we teach the rudiments of the Doctrine of Christ, a convert must know why they are being baptized, what are the differences between John’s baptism, the baptism under the authority (Name) of Jesus, and what does the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and Fire mean?

Then comes the example teaching, when the word of our testimony is not what we say, but what people say about us. Paul put it this way, “you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake” (I Thess 1:5).

The “Name” is the same whether we say “in the Name of Jesus”, or “In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost”, it’s still one Name (Authority) under heaven in whom we can be saved. Since Jesus isn’t saying, “well if you feel like it”, or, “you can change this to fit your mood”, rather these are Commandments, thus it stands if we remove any aspect of these areas we have violated the Commandment. We could begin a Tradition by removing the first “teach”, then jump to Baptism, or remove the requirement of belief, but the use of a Tradition still makes the Word to no effect.

We have to stop here and reflect on the importance of the last statement; Jesus didn’t say the Name would be shared among other religions, He didn’t say a Name among Names, or a Faith among faiths. We are special, yet the position demands a humbleness, or we negate the very premise of the specialness. No other leader of any religion died for their own sins, much less the sins of their followers, much less the sins of all mankind. None of them were the Son sent by the Father, none of them claimed to be raised from the dead, none of them claimed to have power over death. Jesus, by His death, destroyed (made completely ineffective) he who had the power of death, that is the devil (Heb 2:14). Paul saw this special greatness and said, “death is swallowed up in victory. O death where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” (I Cor 15:54-57). The phrase “In the Name of Jesus” is sadly to say, bandied about by some, but think of the position the Name grants us. If we never prosper in the material things, we have prospered far greater than any person in the world by being in the Name of Jesus. No other religious concept on the earth grants man the opportunity the Name of Jesus does. Even baptism in water is only granted to those in the Body of Christ, any other group is taking a bath, doing the backstroke, but not baptism. Honor, respect and appreciation are due the Name of Jesus. The opportunity granted to man in the Name goes beyond the bounds of the natural mind, one has to be spiritual in order to truly appreciate it. John tells us if we deny the Father and the Son we are “antichrist”, so what does it mean? Having Mercy and Grace means we are balanced in the Lord, we don’t forsake the Ways for the Acts, or the Acts for the Ways.

Reflect and consider Jesus, the Author (beginning) and Finisher (completeness) of faith, the very purpose for all creation. The Seed is planted, the Authority is presented, now we move on to Mark, the “beginning of the Gospel” for the Blade who is reaching for the Power to join to their granted Authority.

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By Rev. G. Evan Newmyer – s.b.i. les12rev7/©2003