The Closed Tomb Saturday morning in Jerusalem and surrounding areas awoke on that first Saturday of Holy Week with Jesus' Disciples and followers in a state of gloom and doom. They were disbelieving and numb, having difficulty comprehending what had happened on Golgotha the previous afternoon and what it meant to their cause that they had given their life to pursue. Jesus was dead less than twenty-four hours and they were already questioning their faith. And they were also frightened, for the word had spread that the Temple guards and their henchmen would be looking for those who followed Christ. The High Priest wanted to rid Judaism of the last vestige of the One they thought to be a a false prophet and a blasphemer.
Ponder that last statement for a minute, if you will. They told each other and Jews everywhere that Jesus was no Messiah, that He was a phony, yet they were petrified of Him. Why would they be so concerned if they knew He was not who He said He was and why would so many have willingly followed Jesus since His coming out of the Wilderness three years prior? Perhaps they really wanted to rid all evidence of Him so that they could ease their own doubts and continue on in their own creation of Jewish Law, much of which was never intended to be God's Law.
But the other interesting thing to ponder is the very fact of how quickly Jesus Disciples were filled with doubt. After all, He had taught them well, explaining that they would suffer for Him in this world and that although He would depart from them. He was Eternal and would always be reachable by prayer. And the entire concept of who and what He was and is revolves around faith as there is plenty of evidence of His life and existence, but not in the pure scientific sense. The proof requires an open heart to receive the truth. And as we'll see soon, not only will He reappear after His Sunday Resurrection, but He will also send the Holy Spirit to enter all of mankind after His Ascension to Heaven forty days later.
The real cause of the problem of disbelief by the Disciples and fear by the Temple Elders is the human factor. Mankind is mortal and man is a sinner, and try as he must, he cannot overcome the temptations of sin on his own. He must have faith, faith that leads to belief which in turns gives not just forgiveness of sin, but the strength to fight sin throughout life. Oh, we will falter, but if we have faith and believe, we will overcome those failures and return to His path, the path of Goodness and Light. And when we celebrate the finale of Holy Week tomorrow, Sunday, we will see just where that faith and belief will lead us if we stay the course: Everlasting Life. Be patient, my friends, and remain strong, for Jesus will return tomorrow.
Ponder that last statement for a minute, if you will. They told each other and Jews everywhere that Jesus was no Messiah, that He was a phony, yet they were petrified of Him. Why would they be so concerned if they knew He was not who He said He was and why would so many have willingly followed Jesus since His coming out of the Wilderness three years prior? Perhaps they really wanted to rid all evidence of Him so that they could ease their own doubts and continue on in their own creation of Jewish Law, much of which was never intended to be God's Law.
But the other interesting thing to ponder is the very fact of how quickly Jesus Disciples were filled with doubt. After all, He had taught them well, explaining that they would suffer for Him in this world and that although He would depart from them. He was Eternal and would always be reachable by prayer. And the entire concept of who and what He was and is revolves around faith as there is plenty of evidence of His life and existence, but not in the pure scientific sense. The proof requires an open heart to receive the truth. And as we'll see soon, not only will He reappear after His Sunday Resurrection, but He will also send the Holy Spirit to enter all of mankind after His Ascension to Heaven forty days later.
The real cause of the problem of disbelief by the Disciples and fear by the Temple Elders is the human factor. Mankind is mortal and man is a sinner, and try as he must, he cannot overcome the temptations of sin on his own. He must have faith, faith that leads to belief which in turns gives not just forgiveness of sin, but the strength to fight sin throughout life. Oh, we will falter, but if we have faith and believe, we will overcome those failures and return to His path, the path of Goodness and Light. And when we celebrate the finale of Holy Week tomorrow, Sunday, we will see just where that faith and belief will lead us if we stay the course: Everlasting Life. Be patient, my friends, and remain strong, for Jesus will return tomorrow.
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