On What Day Did Jesus Die?

Yesterday an atheist approached me with the apparent inconsistency in scripture of Jesus saying he would rise again on the third day, citing Jonah as his example: “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). If Jesus was crucified on Friday, then he could possibly have been in “the heart of the earth” for parts of three days (Friday before sundown, Saturday, and a few minutes of Sunday morning), but he couldn’t have been “in the heart of the earth” for three nights, because he only had Friday and Saturday night to work with. Right?

“The Elevation of the Cross” by Peter Paul Rubens, 1611
The Cathedral of our Lady in Antwerp, Belgium

I think he’s absolutely right. Friday and Saturday night do not equal three nights; they equal two nights. So, I believe Jesus was crucified on Wednesday during the day. Why? Because the Bible says he was crucified on “the preparation day” for the passover (now called Nissan 14 on the Jewish calendar); see John 19:14: “And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!” Also in John 19:42 we read, “There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.“

Jesus was crucified on the “preparation day for the passover.” When is that day? It’s the day during which the passover lamb is slain and roasted, to be prepared for the passover meal, which begins at sundown after the day of preparation. According to the Jewish calendar, that is at sundown, when Nissan 15 begins. In order for this to make sense to Gentiles, we need to understand a few things about the Jewish calendar. Specifically, their days are approximately 24-hour periods like ours, but they begin at sundown (roughly 6:00 pm) on one day and continue through the night, into the next day, and end at sundown of that day. (Evening to evening rather than midnight to midnight.) The Bible never says Jesus was crucified on “Friday;” it says he was crucified on the preparation day for the Passover, and that day differs every year because they have a lunar rather than a solar calendar. This year, the Passover fell on a Thursday (Jews had their passover meal on what Gentiles call Wednesday evening), and I believe it also fell on a Thursday when Christ was crucified.

If you use Wednesday as the day of the crucifixion, then all the details of the Holy Week fall into place! We learn from John 12:1 that Jesus came to Bethany and was anointed by Mary (for his burial) six days before the Passover: “Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.” John 12:12 reports, “On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” That would be 5 days before the Passover, or Nissan 10 by the Jewish calendar. Christians call this “Palm Sunday” or “The Triumphal Entry,” but I believe it really occurred on the sabbath that year. Jesus was presented to the people as their passover lamb, but the Jews only wanted a king to save them from political oppression. Most of them rejected him as the spiritual Messiah sent as the lamb of God: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

The passover lamb was to be presented for inspection on Nissan 10 (Saturday this year) and then slaughtered on Nissan 14 (Wednesday this year) in preparation for the passover feast to be held at sundown at the beginning of Nissan 15 (what we consider Wednesday evening). But a few things happened between Saturday and Wednesday. In Matthew 26:1-2, we learn that “And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.” This would have been on Nissan 12 (or Monday this year). That day, while Jesus was dining in Bethany with Simon the leper, he was anointed again for his burial. On this occasion, Judas was so incensed that “from that time on he sought opportunity to betray him” (see Matthew 16:1-26).

Tuesday, Jesus celebrated the Passover feast with his disciples on the day of preparation; that evening they celebrated the last supper; that night Jesus was betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and had his trial during Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.

This year, Nissan 14, 5783 (Jewish calendar) corresponds to Wednesday, April 5, 2023 (current world calendar generally but in Christian nations especially), making Saturday, April 1st four days before the “preparation day”—which was Wednesday during the day in “preparation” for the passover feast to commence at sundown.

Jewish people celebrated their passover feast this year (2023) this past Wednesday evening at sunset (which would be the beginning of Thursday for them, Nissan 15), and I believe this is exactly what happened when Jesus was crucified. He was crucified Wednesday during the day and hastily laid in a sepulchur that was close at hand so they could be home for dinner. Thursday passed, then Friday, then Saturday. If he died on Wednesday and was removed from the cross just before sunset, then his body would have been in the tomb three days: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and three nights: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

The Bible doesn’t actually tell us the hour when Jesus arose, but we do learn that during the early morning hours of Sunday, they all realized that he had risen: “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 sepulchre” (Matthew 28:1). Mark corroborates this in Mark 16:1-2, “And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.” If you read the entire chapters, you learn Jesus had already arisen by then.

Luke reminds us that the crucifixion occurred in preparation for the passover, but I think this is where Christians get confused: “And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on” (Luke 23:53-54). We only know of the “Sabbath” as being a day of rest and worship that we associate with Saturday, but there were also “high” sabbaths that were set apart for rest and worship related to holy days. John 19:31 teaches us that “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” In other words, it wasn’t a “Saturday Sabbath” but a “Passover Sabbath.”

Some Messianic Jews feel Jesus couldn’t have eaten the passover feast on any day but the passover, but Jesus couldn’t BE the passover lamb and eat the passover feast with them after he died. John 13:1, says, “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” His “last supper” with them was the night before his crucifixion in when he instituted the new testament: “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28) and a new covenant sealed with his blood (See Hebrews 12:24). He warned us that “no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles” (Mark 2:21-22). His last supper, where he instituted the communion service, was the beginning of something new. I believe the disciples thought they were preparing ahead for the passover meal (which would occur the next evening) but what they actually shared with Jesus was his last supper.

This also fits perfectly with the three days and three nights in “the heart of the earth”: Nissan 15-17:

Day 1: Thursday, starting at evening (on our Wednesday) and overnight through Thursday day
Day 2: Friday, starting at evening (on our Thursday) and overnight through Friday during the day
Day 3: Saturday, starting at evening (on our Friday) and overnight through Saturday during the day

Sunday for the Jews would have started at sundown at the end of their weekly sabbath day of rest. This is consistent with the account in Matthew 28:1, “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.” By Sunday morning, Jesus had already arisen: “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matthew 28:6). Nobody sees him rise; they are just told that he has already arisen before sunrise on Sunday. Sometime between the end of Saturday and sunrise on Sunday, Jesus was resurrected. We don’t know the number of hours in the grave, but from Wednesday evening to the end of Saturday day there are three complete nights (± 36 hours). From Thursday day until the end of Saturday day there are also three complete days (±36 hours). If Jesus died on Wednesday, then he would have 3 complete days and nights where his body laid “in state” for the world to mourn and honor his body. One interesting thing I found while researching (not in the Bible but tradition) is that for the Jews, the end of the day is when the sun sets, but the beginning of the next day is when they can see three stars in the sky. Could Jesus have been laid in the tomb between the time the sun set and three stars appeared in the sky to herald the beginning of the passover seder? Could He have arisen sometime between the setting of the sun on the Sabbath and before three stars were seen in the sky on Sunday? If so, that would make it exactly three days and three nights!

I’m sorry if this is confusing, but it does seem to make sense of all the puzzle pieces to me. I’d love to hear your thoughts! At any rate, let’s rejoice in the fact that Jesus did die for our sins, rose again, and offers us salvation through faith in his sacrifice for us!

1 Corinthians 15: 1-6

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

⁵ And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

⁶ After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

Maundy Thursday Meditation: Love Your Enemies

And, who are our enemies? Those who oppose or antagonize us. Those who cause us pain or injury. Those who seek to overthrow our authority or influence. Those who beguile, deceive, or confound us. Those who betray us. Those who try to steal what is rightfully ours. Perhaps a lifelong enemy is one who is out to destroy us, like Satan, but inasmuch as even those whom we love or who consider themselves to be our friends hurt us . . . for that time and in those ways—they are temporarily our “enemies.” This is like a new revelation to me!

This group of people includes almost everybody in our life space! Those we love most dearly can injure us the most, if not in physical abuse, in emotional pain. Jesus addressed Judas as “friend.” I am dumbstruck by that, because Judas was a traitor who valued Jesus’ life as less than 30 silver coins. How was Judas Jesus’ friend?

But, for a minute, let’s go back to Jesus’ teaching: “Love your enemies.” Not only do we tend to think we love our friends, we are instructed to go further—to love even those who oppose and harm us, including our spouses, siblings, children, co-workers, and every other person on any occasion where instead of loving and helping us, they become angry, negative, and adversarial in our relationship (often because they feel like we’re hurting them).

I think we all know what love looks like, it’s just hard to love someone who is actively hurting us. Right? I mean, flight is better than fight if we can: “But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come” (Matthew 10:23). We can flee from those who are trying to kill us, but for lesser offenses, we have responsibilities to our families that make running away somewhere between extremely difficult to morally reprehensible. We can’t flee from every person who will hurt us, or we’d be living as a hermit on a desert island. And even then . . . after my mother died, my father lamented ruefully (but with humor), that he no longer had anyone to blame but himself and that he had become his own worst enemy.

Jesus had/has the shocking habit of telling us to do impossible things! He knows there’s not one fiber in our beings that desires to love those who hurt us. Unless we love them. We often tolerate abuse from our beloved toddlers that we’d never countenance from anyone else . . . because we love them. We understand them (to some extent). We have compassion. We may (and should) train them to behave better, but we usually extend mercy and grace.

But, how do we love everyone else who hurts us? I think the answer is: WE CAN’T! It’s not in us to love our enemies. Jesus knows that! But, he also knows that the Holy Spirit can give us supernatural love for others so we’ll love them like Jesus loves them. We may not understand them, and we may need to confront them: Jesus confronted Judas, “Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48), but Jesus still claimed Judas as a friend: “Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?” (Matthew 26:50).

We can’t love our enemies by ourselves, but God can love our enemies for us and through us, just as Jesus continued to love Judas even as Judas betrayed him. By the way, this is the how much God loves each of us: “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8; and even those of us who’ve asked God to save us continue to sin until we die). Those of us who are born again through faith in Christ have both the reason and the power (if we’ll allow it) to love our enemies. Not to love the evil they perpetrate. Not to love their sin. But, to love them. To pray for them and do kind things for them, To love them by treating them the way we would like to be treated—by treating them the way God treats us.

The result? Well, sometimes God uses pain to refine us and make us more like Jesus, the “captain of our suffering” (see Hebrews 2:11). This may be part of our cross . . . to bear up under suffering, like Jesus taught when “he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). There may be another benefit too, though it’s not guaranteed. Through our living out the crucified life of Christ’s love toward them, we may find that our enemies (or some of them) become our friends! Our example may be what they need to see that the power of love is real, and that God’s love is better and more wonderful than the power of selfishness and cruelty.

We’re not told to love those who antagonize us with any specific promise of their redemption or relational reconciliation, but we are assured that it will work good in us: “We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:3-5). As we learn to endure and love through the pain, we grow in patience, hope, confidence, and love. We literally learn to love our enemies, and the day may come when former “enemies” become some of our dearest and best friends! Have you experienced this miracle? I have, so don’t give up hope if you haven’t yet! Hang in there!!

 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-48).

Travels with Allie Through America’s Southwest (TWA:SW) #1. Meet Me in St. Louis

If you’re like me, you’ve heard the line “Meet me in St. Louis,” but if you’re young, you may not even know the line or have any clue where it comes from. It comes from a charming movie filmed before most of us were born (1944) about a time before any of us were born (turn of the twentieth century). Alan and I watched it last week because—even if we had seen it (which we couldn’t remember), it was probably sixty-plus years ago, and neither of us could remember whether or not it would be worth writing about.

Time for a Brecht Moment: I’m starting a series based on a 10,000-mile trip Alan and I took last spring to get reacquainted with America’s great Southwest, and we officially started our tour in St. Louis, Missouri—”Gateway to the West.” I’m fascinated with history; we can learn from the wisdom and mistakes of those who’ve gone before us. I also love America and want to do whatever I can to make us wiser and more wholesome. But, when I’m too heavy on the history for you, please forgive and skim. I don’t have an editor to correct me!

Back to Meet Me in St. Louis: It’s a charming story about a happy family who lived in St. Louis, Missouri in 1903-4, just as St. Louis was gearing up to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Jefferson’s purchase of more than 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi for $15 million (4 cents an acre). This purchase doubled the size of our fledgling country, and “The Louisiana Purchase Exposition” held in St. Louis was really a “World Fair” and the last grand exposition before World War 1 ended any chance of a joyful worldwide celebration.

A generation later, New York City tried sponsoring another World Fair in 1939, this time to raise the spirits of our flagging nation after the Great Depression (1929-39). We can only imagine how it “lifted our country’s spirits” to have the world plunged into World War 2 almost immediately afterward. It ended the fair.

However, the young family living in St. Louis in 1903 knew none of this, so their story was about family and romance. Their hard-working father was offered a big promotion that would require the family to move to New York City, which might have been fine had not one of the daughters fallen madly in love with the boy next door. What would the family do?

I mustn’t ruin the ending, but if you have 2 hours to watch a G-rated, 7.5 IMDb-rated classic about life at the turn of the century in St. Louis, Missouri, I think you won’t be disappointed.

Photo St. Louis, Missouri, during the 1904 World’s Fair

Shoot me if you must, but I had no clue St. Louis once had a facade of glory  à la Venice. I’m embarrassed to admit that my surmising through the years had been, “Why would anybody want to meet up in St. Louis?” I may be 72 and have attended a lot of rodeos around the world, but I’m still way too colloquial.

St. Louis, Missouri as we saw it from East Saint Louis, Illinois.

I thought of St. Louis as a rather rundown industrial city like Detroit is today. There is definitely that side of it . . . both cities are growing old and are past their glorious prime. But, during the mid-1800s St. Louis was larger than New Orleans—the largest port on the Mississippi River!

St. Louis was the starting point for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It was the city where the first steel bridge was built to span the great Mississippi River. Ice cream cones were invented there! It was the birthplace of our country’s first public kindergarten. It also gave birth to the brilliant poet, T.S. Elliot, and the beautiful African American entertainer, Josephine Baker.

St. Louis was more than Cardinals and Blues; it was a center for wealth and culture. And, it truly was the gateway to the west!

I’m so glad we took time to learn about the city, present and past!

Just a question to ponder, but is it possible you don’t know the history of your own family? Do you know the stories and adventures of the older generations? In grad school, one of my assignments was to develop a relationship with an elderly person in an assisted living center. I was affronted when the staff would pat her on the head and call her “Honey,” totally missing the rich depths of her life story and present personhood.

My friend (more than a patient or client by then) would pat me on the arm consolingly, “Don’t worry; they don’t understand. They’re busy.”

The old, decrepit folks living around us are often noble and wise. If they can remember, they’ve got stories worth sharing. We just need to take the time to listen.

The same is true of the Bible. Many people think of it as old and outdated, but instead it’s full of eternal truths and amazing stories of grace and goodness overcoming evil. It may seem hard to believe at times, but it’s true. I hope it’s never torn down!

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” (Proverbs 30:5)

Free Gift for All of Us: Study on the Book of Ecclesiastes

“Vanity of Vanities…everything is vanity.” Stark and harrowing words shock the reader upon beginning Ecclesiastes, this strange book of wisdom. Almost post-modern in its disorienting clash of meaninglessness and joy, reality and truth, time and eternity, this wisdom poem takes aim at so many of our wandering and errant loves, casting them under the disenchanting spell of “vanity.” But more than merely purging our misplaced love, this book of the Bible helps us recognize the complexity, tragedy, and delight of living and dying “under the sun.” Come and learn from the wise “words of the Preacher, king in Jerusalem” and remember our Creator in these very short days under heaven.

While I’m mentioning all the wonderful gifts God has given me recently, I want to make sure you know about all the free gifts that are offered to you and me via the Aqueduct Project. The Aqueduct Project (AQ) was a dream in the heart of my son, Jonathan, who as a young teenager participated in mission trips where he saw how desperate believers in some countries are for the Bible and biblical teaching. We often heard Christians living in very humble conditions singing a song that could be translated roughly as, “We don’t need bread, just give us the Bread of Life.” Sometimes as many as 100 people were sharing one Bible. It was overwhelming to us.

America is bursting with Christian resources, but that is untrue globally. Especially in the 10/40 window (roughly between 10 and 40 degrees north latitude across Africa and Asia), there are over 5.25 billion people who have precious little opportunity to hear the good news about the Creator God who loves us so deeply that He sent His Son to redeem us from sin and offer a life of peace and goodwill to all. Following Jesus (not in name but in reality—living as He lived) is the Way to life, love, and peace.

Now, more than twenty years later, Jonathan is investing himself in trying to provide a spiritual aqueduct from America (and other resource-rich Christian nations) to serve the needs of those who don’t have ready access to biblical teaching and fellowship. There are opportunities to pray with other believers pretty much all the time in the AQ prayer rooms (where hundreds of thousands have gathered over the years), but there are also ongoing, online classes designed to help all of us grow in our faith no matter where in the world we live.

Starting just one week from today, on Sunday evening, February 5, 2023, Ryan Snyder will be leading a study on the Book of Ecclesiastes. Ryan graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2020, where Ryan studied Political Theology and especially loved Theological History. Ryan and his wife are interested in Christian missions in Latin America and are committed to developing daily the disciplined life in Christ, “Ora et Labora” – Prayer and Work. Ryan is currently pursuing graduate studies in history at Villanova University in Philadelphia. He is a thoughtful student of the Word and completely dedicated to the life of Christ. If you’ve got time to invest in spiritual growth, here’s one opportunity—a gift from God and some of his children to the rest of us! And, if you participate, you will also be giving us a gift—your insights and thoughts as we share together.

Interested? You can check out what’s available and register here:

https://www.aqueductproject.org/bible-certificate

Or, if you’re not available for the upcoming class but might be interested in future classes or prayer groups, here’s a link to their home page: https://www.aqueductproject.org/

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

Learning at the Feet of Jesus How to Pray

The opening pages of January, 2023 . . . fresh, clean, empty pages waiting to be filled! Is your January calendar still open, or have you had to cross out appointments and rearrange plans already? Have you made any resolutions or thought about how to make 2023 your “best ever year!”?

I’m thankful for the Januarys of life . . . snowy white seasons to start afresh and renew my determination (and prayers) to improve with age! 🙂 If you’re like me, you’ve got lots of challenges, hopes, and dreams about this year already bubbling in your brain. Is one of them to know if God really exists . . . or to know God better? I guarantee that to know Him is to love Him, and because of that, I invite you to participate in some of Aqueduct Project’s free online classes!

The first one starts in just two days—Thursday evening, January 5th, at 7:00 pm. “Jesus and Prayer” will take us deep into the heart and teachings of Jesus on the subject of prayer:

Jesus and Prayer

Thursdays from 7:00-8:30pm Eastern Time (UTC-5:00)

January 5 – February 23, 2023

As the course instructor, Dr. Jason Hubbard, explains: “Jesus is the ultimate man of prayer! Like the disciples, we will come and ask the Lord Jesus, ‘Teach us to Pray.’ During this course we will explore the prayers of Jesus, the parables of Jesus on prayer, prayer and mission, prayer and spiritual warfare, and the posture and position of prayer throughout the Gospels! You will leave this course with practical tools to encounter the Triune God of grace in conversation, intimacy, and effective intercession!”

Interested? Here’s the link to explore upcoming possibilities and register for this class on prayer:

https://www.aqueductproject.org/prayer-certificate

Unsure? Here’s a link with more information about Jason Hubbard, who will be teaching the class:

https://www.ipcprayer.org/about-ipc/ipc-team/dr-jason-hubbard.html

I hope to sit with you soon at the feet of Jesus, learning what He taught in the Bible about how to pray!

Jesus came “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79).

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

What is your most treasured possession (not counting loved ones)? If you could have anything for a gift, what would it be? Last Christmas Alan and I decided to share with each of our children and grandchildren what we treasure more than any other earthly possession: a copy of the Bible. Because many of them are still too young to comprehend the value (some can’t even read yet), we enclosed a letter explaining why we love the Bible so much. Just in case any of you are wondering “What’s the big deal?” about the Bible, let me share our hearts with you:

Christmas, 2021

To my beloved children and descendants:

What is this book? It’s the Word of God to us—a manifestation of foundational Truth that existed from the beginning, that was with God, was God, created all things, and became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, whose “name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13, KJV). In a mystery we struggle to grasp, when we hold the Bible in our hands and hide it in our hearts, we are holding Jesus. It’s that precious!

Who wrote the Bible? Holy men of God who were moved by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:21). Does that include everything written in this book? Yes! “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Why did God write the Bible? It’s His love letter to us—to you, me, and the whole world! It explains how we can enter into a love relationship with God so that He becomes our Father, we become His child, and we are born anew into the kingdom of God: “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). By reading the Bible, we learn to recognize our sinfulness and need for repentance: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 3:3). We understand our need to be saved by faith in Jesus: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

How do we receive this gift of salvation and eternal life offered by Jesus? Jesus lived a sinless life and died to pay the penalty for our sins so that we can be reconciled to God: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8). So, we are “born again,” or “saved” simply by repenting of our sins and believing in Jesus—accepting the gift of salvation that He offers us: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:9-10).

My daily prayer for you is two-fold. First, I pray that you will believe and receive this good news—this Gospel—proclaimed in the Bible! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Second, I pray that from a child you will grow daily in grace and knowledge through meditating on the Bible, to the end that you will be enlightened by its teachings, reproofs, corrections, and training in righteousness, ever growing into a more spiritually mature person who is “equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

I first heard the good news that God loved me and that I could be saved by faith in Jesus when I was twelve. It was easy for me to agree that I was sinful and imperfect: I remembered lying in an effort to get out of trouble with my father when I failed to obey him, and I fought all too often with my sister! But, I had never heard that God loved me! I remember practically flying down the aisle when the speaker invited all who wanted to become God’s children to come to the front of the auditorium to commit their lives to Christ. I was crying but filled with joy. Although my parents were dismayed and my friends didn’t understand, I was so thrilled to become a child of God that I began sharing the good news with everybody around me. I have been thankful and delighted with Jesus every day of my life from then until today! God IS love! He loves me, and He loves you!

Ever since my conversion, the Bible has been the sola scriptura of my life, which means I believe it is rightfully the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. It is the “Gold Standard” of the Christian faith—the one certain source of truth against which all others should be tested: “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Psalm 119:160). The Bible is our moral compass to help us discern truth from error (Hebrews 4:12) and continuously points us to God and His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the true North of the Universe—our “bright morning star” (Revelation 22:16). God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our pathway to keep us from stumbling in the dark or losing our way (Psalm 119:105). It teaches us how to avoid sin (Psalm 119:9) and keeps us from destruction (Psalm 17:4).

God tells us that Jesus—His Word—is the spiritual bread from heaven that we need to feed on so we can be healthy and grow stronger spiritually day by day. Jesus promised, “Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever” (John 6:58). Like the manna in the Old Testament, the Bible is mysterious. “What is it?”

When we believe and meditate on the Bible, we are taking in the very person of Jesus Christ spiritually. This meditation—spiritual feeding—comes as a command and a promise for all believers: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). Want to be prosperous and successful in life? Meditate daily on this book!

Think of meditating on the Bible as poring over a spiritual treasure map! It will help you day by day to acquire gems of true wisdom and knowledge. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. . . .For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-20). The Bible gives us life and comfort: “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life” (Psalm 119:50), but it can also be like a hammer in the hand of our great master sculptor as He breaks and chips away at our hardened hearts to make us into masterpieces of grace . . . or like a burning furnace to purge away the dross in our lives and refine us by fire: “Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29). Please don’t ever try to chip away at the Scriptures and only agree with what you like; allow His Word to rein you in and redirect your heart and thinking when you’re tempted to disregard any of its teachings: “I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons” (Psalm 16:7, KJV). Rather than trying to find your own way apart from the counsels of God’s Word illuminated by the Holy Spirit, I pray that you will join me in asking the Lord: “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me” (Psalm 119:133, KJV).

 If you ever wander off the path, remember that God loves us with an everlasting love and will continue being faithful even when we fail (Jeremiah 31:3). Jesus is our great “high priest forever” (Hebrews 6:30) and promises for all who have received Him by faith: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Furthermore, Jesus declared, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). If you have turned your back on God, turn back to Him! “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). He still loves you! He will always forgive you, and He will continue His good work in you. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

 May you live your life saved by faith in Christ, feasting daily on His Word, abiding in Him, walking in His light and love, finding your joy and satisfaction in bringing glory to God, and enjoying Him forever! “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:1).

My prayers go with you—even down through the generations—until His kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven! “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”                                     

With all my love and many prayers,

       Mom/Mama/Nana/Grandma

I first began to hear stories and teachings from this book in church and Sunday School when I was just a little boy of 5 or 6. From my earliest memory unto this very day, these stories and teachings have been truth to me—that is that they have had the “ring of truth” to my inmost spirit. I am blessed that while in my teens I had an encounter with the God of this book and committed my life to Jesus Christ. 

Like you and perhaps like every other person, I spent my life searching and wondering, hoping that I would understand life and the universe with my intellect. I was trained as a doctor-scientist and granted the privilege of interacting intimately with literally thousands of people, hearing all kinds of life stories and personal experiences along the way. What I can say now is that if God had not chosen to reveal himself in the Scriptures and provide the way of truth and salvation, we would never figure it out with our human intellect. 

For thousands of years the Scriptures have taught us that the world, the universe, and all of life were created out of nothing by the power of God’s word and the breath of His mouth. Only in the last hundred years have we learned from physics and ever more powerful particle colliders that even the atom is made up of such small particle-waves that we presently don’t have the ability to detect anything smaller. I am humbled to say that there is nothing better for us than to simply receive what God has provided for us to understand life and find our way. Please receive this gift with our prayers as God’s message to you.               

With all my love and many prayers,

       Dad/Pop/Papa/Grandpa Alan

Free Class from Aqueduct Project: Understanding the Gospel of John

“This is the Gospel of the primal light,
The first beginning, and the fruitful end,
The soaring glory of an eagle’s flight,
The quiet touch of a beloved friend.” (Malcolm Guite)

If you’ve ever wondered what in the world the New Testament of the Bible is all about, Aqueduct Project (founded by my son, Dr. Jonathan Armstrong) is offering a free class to help you understand what God is trying to teach us through the simple yet mystifying account of the life and death of Jesus Christ found within the Gospel of John.

Ryan Snyder

Starting on Sunday evening, October 23, Ryan Snyder will be teaching eight sessions, each 1:30 hours long. Ryan is currently a graduate student in History at Villanova University. He and his wife live outside of Philadelphia. Ryan attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago where he studied Communications and Theology. A few of the questions that guided his spiritual-intellectual journey there were “What does it mean to follow the LORD in a technological society?” “What does it mean to think of Beauty as a name for YHWH?” and “What is significant about place and landscape in our shared life lived before the Lord?” Ryan grew up knowing Jesus the Messiah as if he was as close a relation as his parents, who are missionaries with Ethnos360 (previously New Tribes Mission). Jesus was a part of everyday life in the stories told, prayers prayed, and decisions made. Ryan has spent several summers running camps for orphans in Ukraine and believes his best work has been that of prayer. Over the years Ryan has worshiped in Non-denominational, Presbyterian, Anglican, Roman Catholic, Spanish-only, and Ukrainian-only congregations from Florida to Chicago to Ukraine and finally now in Pennsylvania. Ryan hopes to bring his inter-denominational and educational experience to his teaching.

Think of the class as a small group. Think of it as a Bible study. Think of it as time well spent while sitting at the feet of Jesus with a group of learners from all over the world. If you can join as a group of three, that’s ideal, but if you don’t know anybody else who’s interested, you can join by yourself and make new friends during break-out sessions!

Even if this particular class won’t work with your current schedule, please check out all the upcoming classes. It’s a goldmine of opportunities! As it says on their website: “Aqueduct Project offers free, online courses from the perspective of historic Christian orthodoxy. These courses are designed to build up the faith of dedicated Christians as well as to provide a space for seekers to explore questions of faith.” So, whether you’re a seeker or a dedicated believer, there’s a place waiting for you at: https://www.aqueductproject.org/courses

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Grace

Just a quick post in response to the wonderful message I heard this morning concerning the meaning and beauty of God’s grace. Jim Samra will preach again in a few minutes, at 11:00 am EDT. If you’ve ever wondered what “grace” means, please listen to it! If you miss it this morning, consider viewing it online after Tuesday, when it will be available as part of his ongoing series from the book of Genesis. The link is here for this morning: https://calvarygr.org/livestream/

or here for after Tuesday: https://calvarygr.org/sermons/gods-grace-in-the-face-of-the-consequences-of-sin/

I hope this blesses you as it has blessed me! God is more wonderful than we will ever understand!

“For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:32-33).

Pondering Proverbial Themes (13): “Wicked!”

If you type “W-I-C-K-E-D” into Wikipedia today, Wicked (the broadway musical by Stephen Swartz) comes up as the first entry after the Disambiguation Page, and if you go to see Wicked (witch I haven’t 🙂 ), you’ll discover which witch is which and that neither of them is really bad. In fact, the Wicked Witch of the West turns out to be the star of the show and sadly misunderstood and maligned. “So sorry to have splashed all that water on you, Sweetie! Wish I hadn’t melted you.”

And, what should my wondering eyes behold when it came time to replace my favorite moccasins (which really do last for about 10 years)? They’ve now become “wicked good” moccasins. Okay!?

“Wicked” is used 477 times in the Bible, 95 of them in the Book of Proverbs—that’s one out of every five occurrences—and every time it means “morally very bad: Evil” (as in the classic Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition). Back in 1900, when Dorothy first visited the Land of Oz, everybody celebrated when the Dorothy doused the Wicked Witch of the West and the townspeople were finally free from her tyranny. Good was good and bad was bad, and three cheers for good overcoming evil! “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation” (Proverbs 11:10). All was right with the world.

Today, not so much! “Wicked” has taken on a new meaning since the 1980s. There’s now an adverbial form that means “extremely,” so you can have “wicked wicked” (extremely bad) or “wicked good” (extremely good). It reminds me of the 180° turn in the meaning of “gay.” Audrey Hepburn described herself as “gay” repeatedly 70-80 years ago, and I used to think of myself as very gay. It used to mean “bright” and “lively” . . . extremely happy or merry. Now you have to search quite a while to find that definition, since it overwhelmingly means “homosexual,” and nobody who is heterosexual dares to describe themselves as “gay” lest they attract a same-sex suitor.

So, what does the Bible have to say about “wicked”? What is wicked, and how does the wise person interact with wickedness?

What are the marks of true wickedness?

1. Deception (Proverbs 11:18, “The wicked man does deceptive work, But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.“)
2. Cruelty (Proverbs 12:10, “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.“)
3. Darkness (Proverbs 4:19, “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.”)
4. Trouble (Proverbs 15:6, “In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, But in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.“)
5. Violence (Proverbs 21:7, “The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice.”)
6. They are Dishonorable (Proverbs 28:12, “When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory; But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.“)
7. Evil and untrustworthy (Proverbs 15:28, “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.“)
8. Sinful (Proverbs 10:16, “The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.” Proverbs 21:4, “A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin.“)
9. Immoral and self-deceived (Proverbs 30:20, “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wickedness.”)
10. Abominable to God (Proverbs 15:26, “The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, But the words of the pure are pleasant.” Proverbs 15:9 “The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But He loves him who follows righteousness.“)
11. Infamous (Proverbs 10:7,”The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.“)
12. Unenduring (Proverbs 24:19, “Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the wicked.” Proverbs 24:16, “For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.” Proverbs 12:7, “The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand.”)
13. Eventually to be punished (Proverbs 24:20, “For there will be no prospect for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.” Proverbs 11:21, “Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.” Proverbs 2:22, “But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.“)

Know anybody like this? If you read this list and think to yourself, “This reminds me of [fill-in-the-blank], then you can be sure you know someone who is wicked in the true sense of the word, however charming or clever they are, and no matter how much they’d like to be in a relationship with you. The book of Proverbs gives us some clear advice for how to interact with wicked people:

1. Stay as far away from them as you can! (Proverbs 4:14, “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.“)
2. Don’t try to befriend them—even in hopes of “straightening them out”. (Proverbs 12:26, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.“)
3. Don’t try to justify their behavior or defend them (Proverbs 17:15, “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.”)
4. Don’t feel sorry for them or “cover” for them (Proverbs 18:5, “It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment.”)
5. Don’t say they’re “good” when they’re not. (Proverbs 24:24, “He who says to the wicked, ‘You are righteous,’ Him the people will curse; Nations will abhor him.“)
6. Instead, rebuke them (Proverbs 24:25, “But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, And a good blessing will come upon them.“)
7. Don’t allow yourself to become confused by their arguments (Proverbs 25:2 6, “A righteous man who falters before the wicked Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.“)
8. Do what’s right yourself and take a clear stand against evil (Proverbs 28:4,”Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, But such as keep the law contend with them.“

Finally, the Bible is clear that there will always be controversy and dissension between the wicked and those who attempt to live by faith. There is no country in the world where Christians can just relax and “fit in.” Part of “taking up our cross” and following Jesus is being willing to suffer for the sake of what is right and true. Here are a few encouragements for us to “keep on keepin’ on,” as the president of my alma mater used to say:

“An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked” (Proverbs 29:27).

“For My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge” (Jeremiah 4:22).

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

“Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you” (Amos 5:14).

“Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore” (Psalm 37:27).

“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Pondering Proverbial Themes (11): “Hear!”

Would you like to become more knowledgeable, more understanding, and wiser? I would, which is why I’ve been studying the Book of Proverbs. In an effort to organize themes for study, I’ve been researching word counts on the theory that the terms that are used most often might also be most significant. Here’s what I found this week: In my own studies of the most used words in Proverbs, I discovered that #1 was “man,” used 161 times. The second most commonly used word (I thought, but I was wrong . . . more later) is “hear,” used 110 times, and if you throw in “hearken,” that adds another 6. Surprisingly, the word “listen” isn’t used even once in the KJV (King James Version) and other ancient versions like the Catholics’ 1899 Douay-Rheims version or the 1599 Geneva Version (which Alan and I are studying this year).

Jewish Ram’s Horn, used to call the Israelites together

However, “listen” is used many times in modern versions like the NIV, ESV, RSV, and NASB. I’m not certain of the significance, but I’ve heard modern people distinguish between “hear” and “listen” as if you can hear something without paying any attention. Apparently, in ancient times, to hear meant to pay attention and carried all the present-day dictionary definitions, including “to perceive or become aware of by the ear; to gain knowledge of by hearing; to listen to with attention: HEED, ATTEND” (Merriam-Webster).

So, when we think of all the admonitions to hear or hearken in the book of Proverbs, they carry the import of not only hearing with the ear but heeding and attending to what is being said: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels” (Proverbs 1:5). What does Solomon (the human author of Proverbs) tell us to hear?

Over and over, he tells us to heed the words and wisdom found in the Bible and passed down from parent to child: “My son, hear the instruction of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto your head, and chains about your neck” (Proverbs 1:8-9). “Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many” (Proverbs 4:10). “Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not” (Proverbs 8:33). “He that refuses instruction despises his own soul: but he that hears reproof gets understanding” (Proverbs 15:32). If we want to be wise, we need to hear what God teaches and let those words sink deep, down into our hearts so they reform our thinking and transform our actions. So far, so good. No surprises.

However, in the process of working my way through the passages where “hear” is used, I discovered that 82 of the 116 uses had a “t” at the end: “heart.”

“Ah—that’s a whole new story,” I thought. “Is there a relationship between “hear” and “heart,” and if so, what is it? Etymologically, probably not really (but possibly so). “Hear” is from the Old English “heran” from the Anglican and (ge)”hieran” from the West Saxon. This is pretty close to the Old English root for the verbal form of heart, “hiertan” which means to “take to heart,” used by Shakespeare in the 1600s and still a common expression today.

Also, when I studied the root words in Hebrew, I could find no evidence of a direct connection, but I learned something worth considering. We’ve already discussed the ancient meaning of “hear,” but in ancient times, people were said to “hear” with their “hearts.” You won’t find the word “brain” in the Bible. Instead, humans perceived and responded with their hearts: “Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding” (Proverbs 14:33).

In the Hebrew, the word for heart, לְבַב (lebab), represents the inner workings of our person . . . not just “the seat of our emotions” as some say, but the seat of our conscious being where thoughts are transformed into actions. In one of the most significant chapters in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 6, Moses instructs the Israelites to keep all God’s commands with the promise of long life and “that it may be well with thee.” Then comes the great Mosaic teaching:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7 [and following]). This is what God wants! God wants us to hear with our hearts all the teachings of the Bible with a conscious willingness to center our thoughts and actions on loving and pleasing Him, which will result in obedience.

Are we ready to hear with our hearts? Not just with our heads and “brains,” but with our hearts? If we want to become truly understanding and wise, we need to learn how to hear with our hearts!

“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels” (Proverbs 1:5).

“Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end” (Proverbs 19:20).

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).