The “made with hands” and “made without hands” portions are not in the original that Jesus said. They either imagined they heard that or simply made it up. Jesus said that if they would destroy this Temple [meaning His body, which they did destroy] He would raise it up in three days [Which he did].
John 18:28. What is the irony here?
They are about to kill God in the flesh, but are worried about defiling themselves by some ceremonial disobedience! How blind!
Luke 23:28-31. The green tree and the dry tree. Of what is Jesus speaking?
The nearly unanimous voice of commentators is that the green tree refers to Jesus Himself, and the dry, even rotting tree, to corrupt Israel. If they would commit such atrocities against Me, pure, holy, Son of God, what do you think will be happening at the hands of these same Romans in years to come. Oh, weep for yourselves. Evil times are coming to Israel.
Matthew 27:34. Jesus tasted, but wouldn’t drink. Why?
We are not sure who offered the drink, but it was clearly from one sympathetic to Him. The mixture of the fruit of the vine with some bitter substance that served as a sedative, would dull the pain, or even extinguish life altogether. Jesus took just a taste and realized that if He drank that cup, He would not be able to drink the cup the Father was giving Him. He would wait, and trust, and suffer. Infinite love.
John 19:22. Did Pilate believe in Jesus?
I am not implying saving faith here, but judging from some of the reactions that the Governor had to Jesus, one is led to think that Jesus had a profound effect on him. He did not want to let Jesus die. It seemed preposterous to him from the beginning. He did what he could to stop the proceedings, being warned from his wife’s dream, and his own instincts of right and wrong, coupled to the very strange claims this Man was making. And here he makes a statement that seems a bit out of character for seasoned political figures. He actually lets stand the message that this Jesus, Who told him in private that He was indeed a King over a Kingdom not of this world, would be so declared to his countrymen for all times.
Not enough to save, perhaps. But Pilate had some admiration for Herod’s subject, the Nazarene.
Mark 15:35. Why the confusion?
Jesus cried “el-o-ee” or “ee-loi” but they heard, either by accident or in mockery, “hay-lee-os”.
John 19:29. Why take the drink now? Was this the same liquid as Matthew 27:34?
This was perhaps the drink of the soldiers, but someone was able to get it within His reach. Why now, and what was the effect? We speculate a lot, but it seems that the time had come. His strength was expended, naturally. The supernatural was not to occur. He had given His life, shed His blood, loved God with heart and soul and strength. He could move on now. The trial was over.
John 19:34-35. What is the significance of the blood and the water?
The bursting of the sack of water that surrounds the heart is the final signal that death has occurred. John offers it as proof positive that Jesus the Lamb of God has truly given His life for the sins of the world. He was an eyewitness chosen by God. We can believe or disbelieve, but the evidence is clear, says John. He really died!
Matthew 27: 52-53. Why did these other resurrections occur?
Only Matthew records this miracle. It seems that it is never mentioned again in Scripture, unless Peter is alluding to it in chapters 3 and 4 of his first epistle.
What was going on in the spirit world when Jesus died and rose again is hidden from our eyes and leaves us to guess, to speculate, about it all. More questions come the farther we go into the speculation:
Was this a temporary situation? Did the bodies, thus raised, get to be resurrected with Christ immediately after their visit to Jerusalem?
What were they doing while they were here? Was this meant to be a confirmation of the fact of resurrection so as to bolster the concept to saints who might be wondering about Jesus’ own rising from the dead?
Do saints actually live “in the tombs”? Had their souls not escaped long ago? Do departed souls hover near their place of burial? Is Hades, the place of the dead, inside the earth and not far from its surface, so as to be connected to grave sites?
Was it the earthquake of verse 51 that started all of this? Combined with the energy that surged through all of the abode of the dead now that Jesus’ life had escaped earth and was visiting it? Is this when Jesus “descended into hell” as the creed proclaims?
A fascinating story is this, but as I say, it creates more questions than answers, and is best left alone, since there is nowhere to study the details of it.
Matthew 27:57-61. What prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in Jesus’ burial?
Isaiah 53:9. “His grave was assigned with wicked men [thieves on either side, a place of execution for common criminals. Would have been left for the dogs to devour, humanly speaking], yet He was with a rich man in His death [the wealthy Joseph loaned Him a tomb wherein a man never had lain before].”
Mark 16:7. Why the message to His disciples, and Peter?
Men have suggested, and I suppose it is true, that Peter needed special attention because of the awful denial he had mouthed when Jesus needed a friend the most. He would forever be a broken man in the natural, but a man full of God’s Spirit, used wonderfully to bring thousands to Jesus Christ.
Luke 24:41-43. Jesus is suddenly hungry?
Perhaps that was the case, but more likely, Jesus wanted to let them know that, though He looked and even acted and spoke so differently, it really was He, the Man Jesus, the One they had known for three years in such intimacy. He was not just a spirit, but a flesh and blood man that still enjoyed a good piece of fish!
John 20:22. How is the Spirit given now, different than what they will receive at Pentecost in just a matter of days?
They had received a measure of the Spirit already. They had been working miracles, healing the sick, casting out demons. These are works of the Spirit of God.
Some would add that through their believing in Christ they had also received the regenerating work of the Spirit. “Now (already)you are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you,” He said to them before His death.
So, what is this new breathing? Some want it to be just an announcement of what is coming at Pentecost. Others believe it was the setting in place of the receiving equipment. They were given a taste of the Spirit of God, Jesus’ own soul-breath, so that when the fullness came in a few weeks, they would be able to say, “Yes, this is it! I remember that same feeling and joy and peace that He gave us after He rose from the dead!”
John 20:23. Is forgiving and retaining of sin, the same as opening and shutting of doors?
I can’t say for sure, but this does seem to be very much related to the keys of the Kingdom given to Peter and to all the apostles. They had been forgiven and now they could pass that forgiveness on to others. They also knew by the Spirit when to withhold forgiveness to one who was disobedient or dishonest. The stories of such appear in the book of Acts.
It does not seem to me here that He is creating a new class of priests who can by human methods set up a system of rituals and practices and words that will automatically take away the sins of men. Our “system” is a spiritual one. Forgiveness has been passed down through believing saints, who themselves have been forgiven, then passed the good news on to family, friends, and neighbors. The organization thereof is invisible, but the effects of a forgiven and forgiving church are powerful and real.
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