Turning the page…
Turning the page…
Glory · Jesus Christ
Jesus died a real death, was buried, and descended into the realm of the dead; and in that hidden interval He was already Lord. The tomb was the proof of a finished work, and the resurrection morning was its announcement: death itself no longer had the keys.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/between-the-cross-and-the-resurrection · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
Luke 23:32-56
As you read: The promise to the thief, the final words, and the careful burial: real death, real body.
32There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death.
33When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
35The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”
36The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,
37and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
38An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
39One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!”
40But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?
41And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
42He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
43Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
44It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
45The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
46Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.
47When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.”
48All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their breasts.
49All his acquaintances, and the women who followed with him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
50Behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man
51(he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for the Kingdom of God:
52this man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.
53He took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid.
54It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near.
55The women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid.
56They returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Matthew 27:45-61
As you read: The earth's response to the death of its Maker, and the first signs of the resurrection already stirring.
45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.
46About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, limasabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
47Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”
48Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.
49The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
50Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.
51Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
52The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
53and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.
54Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
55Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him.
56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus’ disciple came.
58This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up.
59Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock, and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.
61Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
Ephesians 4:7-10
As you read: Paul reads the ascension back through a descent: He who ascended first descended.
7But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”
9Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
Acts 2:22-36
As you read: Peter's Pentecost sermon: the Christ's soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see decay.
22“Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in your midst, even as you yourselves know,
23him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;
24whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.
25For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
26Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;
27because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
28You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29“Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,
31he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades, nor did his flesh see decay.
32This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
33Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear.
34For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand,
35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’
36“Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
1 Peter 3:18-22
As you read: The mysterious passage: Christ went and made proclamation, alive in the spirit, in the days between death and resurrection.
18Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
19in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,
20who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
21This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
Jesus' last word from the cross was not defeat; it was completion: 'It is finished.' In the same hour the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom, the earth shook, and the centurion confessed, 'Truly this man was the Son of God!' And to the thief beside Him came the immediate promise: 'Today you will be with me in Paradise.'
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.”John 19:30
“Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.”Matthew 27:51
“When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!””Mark 15:39
“Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.””Luke 23:43
The earliest confession says it plainly: 'that he was buried.' Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took the body down, wrapped it in linen with spices, and laid it in a new tomb. This was not an apparent death; the soldiers found Him already dead and did not break His legs, and the tomb was sealed and guarded. Whatever happened next, it began from a real grave.
“that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”1 Corinthians 15:4
“After these things, Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission. He came therefore and took away his body. Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred Roman pounds. So they took Jesus’ body, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb in which no man had ever yet been laid. Then because of the Jews’ Preparation Day (for the tomb was near at hand) they laid Jesus there.”John 19:38-42
“but when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs.”John 19:33
“Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate, saying, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead;’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.”Matthew 27:62-66
Paul reasons from the ascension to the descent: 'He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens.' Peter preached at Pentecost that Christ's soul was not left in Hades. Between Friday and Sunday the crucified Lord was active where death reigns, and 1 Peter says He went and preached to the spirits in prison. The exact scope of that proclamation is debated, but the direction is unmistakable: Christ went into the realm of the dead, and He was not its prisoner.
“Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.”Ephesians 4:9-10
“because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.”Acts 2:27
“he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades, nor did his flesh see decay.”Acts 2:31
“Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,”1 Peter 3:18-19
The risen Christ could say of that weekend: 'I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.' And Paul draws the conclusion for everyone who ever asked where death leads: 'To this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.' Between the cross and the resurrection, death did not win a victory; it met its master.
“and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.”Revelation 1:18
“For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.”Romans 14:9
Matthew records that at the death of Jesus the tombs were opened, and after His resurrection many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and appeared to many. The resurrection did not happen in spite of what came before; it was the firstfruits of the harvest for which everything before had been prepared. The cross to the tomb was the planting; Easter morning was the first harvest.
“The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.”Matthew 27:52-53
“But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep.”1 Corinthians 15:20