47. But that was all that He could say to them, because while He was in mid-sentence, a mob led by Judas appeared, seemingly from out of nowhere. And once they had converged upon them, Judas immediately went right up to Jesus, and without word or warning, kissed Him.
48. Jesus just looked at him and asked, "Judas...this is how you're going to do it? You're betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
49. When the disciples realized what was happening, they said, "Lord, should we fight with our swords?"
50. But before He could even answer, one of them, who will now remain nameless, just started clumsily wielding a sword, managing to strike the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
51. But Jesus called out, "No...stop it! It doesn't matter now...the fulfillment has begun...there's no reason to fight it now!" And He stooped and picked up the startled man's bloody, severed ear from off the ground, re-attached it, and healed him. This was His last miracle performed as the Son of Man.
52. Then He turned to the chief priests, officers of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for Him, and said, "Is all this really necessary? Do you honestly perceive that I'm leading some kind of physical rebellion that demands you come for Me with swords and clubs?
53. I mean, every single day I was with you in the Temple courts, and you didn't lay a hand on Me then. But I suppose that this is appropriate...this is fitting for you, and for how you think...acting out your methods of control when darkness reigns depending on physical weapons to protect your interests."
54. But His words fell on deaf ears. They seized Him as a criminal, anyway, led Him away, and took Him straight to the house of the High Priest. Peter followed along after them at a safe distance.
55. And when he arrived at the house, he saw that some people there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, so he sat down with them.
56. One of the High Priest's serving maids walked outside to where they were sitting, and when she saw Peter warming himself, she just stopped in her tracks and stared at him. Unable to take her eyes off Him, she said, "Hey...this man was with Him."
57. But he completely denied it, saying, "Lady, I don't even know what you're talking about."
58. A little later someone else saw him and said, "You are definitely one of them...one of Jesus' close followers!" Agitated, Peter replied. "Man, I'm telling you...I am not!"
59. About an hour later another bystander spoke up and said, "Come on...admit it...you really are one of them...you are a Galilean...your dialect gives you away!"
60. Peter replied, "Look...I'm telling you for the last time...I don't know Him...never did...you people don't even know what you're talking about...shut up and leave me alone!" And as these words were still lingering in the air, a rooster crowed.
61. When this happened, Peter instinctively looked up to try to see Jesus, and when he spotted Him, He saw that Jesus was already standing there, staring at him. As they made eye contact, Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will utterly deny Me...you will deny any connection to Me three times."
62. And when the realization of what had just happened came crashing in on him, Peter went out and broke down and cried loud and hard.
63. Then the men who were guarding Jesus began to mock Him and pummel Him with their fists.
64. As a kind of frenzy set in among them, they blindfolded Him, and began to say while striking Him, "Prophesy, Prophet!...tell us who hit You!". They did this until they grew tired of it, then the guards took Him away, and started another round of beatings.
65. And they also continued the verbal abuse, peppered with constant insults and obscenities.
66. This went on all through the night, but at daybreak, the Council of the Elders of the people, the Chief Priests, and religious leaders all met together. Jesus was then led before them.
67. They said to Him, "If you really are the Messiah, tell us!" Jesus answered, "You men have proven that there's nothing I could tell you that you would believe;
68. And there's no question that I could ask you that you would actually answer.
69. But whether you believe Me or not, from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand...the place of authority...with God."
70. They replied, "So now You're saying that You are the Son of God?" He answered, "To you I am Whoever you say that I am."
71. Then they said, "We obviously don't need any more testimony...we've heard the blasphemy from His own lips."
28. And as I serve you, I also honor and bless you for standing by Me in all My trials...you were more or less apprehended by this whole thing...plucked out of your normal, natural lives, and thrust into the supernatural realm, and all that it entails...and yet you have stuck with Me through thick and thin.
29. That's why I confer on you all a Kingdom...just as My Father conferred one on Me.
30. And all twelve of you will eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones with Me, leading and guiding even those outside of the Kingdom...those who are represented by the twelve Tribes of Israel.
31. Then Jesus spoke to Peter, calling him by his natural, pre-revelation name, saying, "Simon, Simon...satan has asked permission to sift you as wheat.
32. And permission has been granted him...you will, indeed, be sifted in the next few hours. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and that through this sifting process, the 'Simon' in you will be removed, and 'Peter, the Rock', will finally emerge, fully intact. As I have said before...one man will be taken, and one man will be left behind. And when the chaff of Simon is gone, and the wheat of Peter is defined and refined, go back and strengthen your brothers."
33. But this concept basically went over his head, and he replied, "Lord, I don't know about satan's request, and I don't understand all this talk of sifting, but You should know that I'm ready right now to go with You to prison...I'm even prepared to follow You to death."
34. But Jesus, declaring the end from the beginning, called him Peter again, and said, "Buddy, I know that you think you mean that. But I tell you, Peter, that before the rooster crows this morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me."
35. Then Jesus asked them all, "When I sent you out with nothing but the internal, spiritual gifts that had been imparted to you, did you lack any physical thing?" "No...not a thing," they answered.
36. "Well", He said to them, "now, if you have some things to help you get by, take them with you...and if you don't have a sword, pawn your coat and buy one.
37. It is written: 'And He was numbered with the rebels'...and I tell you that this Scripture must be confirmed in Me. Please try to understand that what is written about Me is about to be fulfilled."
38. The disciples said, "Look here, Lord, we already have two swords among us."
"Well, on second thought", He said, "that's probably enough protection for you...and that's really enough talk about it."
39. Then Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives, as He had been doing every night for a while, and His disciples followed Him there.
40. Once they were at the desired spot, He said to them, "Pray that you will remain strong, especially in the next few hours."
41. Then He walked a short distance away from them, and knelt down and prayed, saying,
42 "Father, if there is any alternative at this hour to what is already unfolding, then take this cup away from Me...but that is the Son of Man in His humanity speaking...the Son of God, in His divinity says, 'never mind what the voice of human, self-preservation says'...may Your will be done in this."
43. And immediately a ministering spirit from the heavenly realm manifested to Him, and assisted Him in His transition from flesh to spirit.
44. But the process was difficult...painful...and His mind kept going in and out of the revelation of the Divine Purpose. So, being in anguish as the temporal engaged in fierce battle with the eternal, He prayed even more earnestly. And as He contended with the conflict between His two worlds...His two realities...the struggle caused His perspiration to morph into drops of blood. But as He gradually and ultimately yielded to the Will of Love, He began to bleed the atonement...before He was scourged...before He was beaten...before He was wounded. He bled because He said 'yes'.
45. And with this final resolution, He rose from prayer and went back to His disciples, but found them asleep...filled with wine, and exhausted from sorrow.
46. "Why are you sleeping?" He asked them. "Get up and pray that you will remain strong!"
1. By this time, the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was fast approaching.
2. The chief priests and religious leaders were now looking for any and every opportunity to get rid of Jesus, but their fear of the people made it virtually impossible for them to initiate anything.
3. Then satan, to confirm God's purposes and to fulfill prophecy, entered the mind of Judas, Iscariot, one of the original Twelve...and Jesus did nothing to stop it, even though He had proven, time after time, that He had complete authority over the entire spirit-realm.
4. So Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard, and discussed with them a strategy of how he might betray Jesus, and hand Him over to them.
5. And this was the opportunity that they had been waiting for. They were delighted with him, and the satanically-inspired idea that he pitched to them. They even agreed to give him money for it.
6. So Judas sealed the deal with them, and began to watch for the perfect occasion and method of delivering Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
7. Then the actual day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed, finally came.
8. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying to them, "I want the two of you to go and make preparations for us all to eat the Passover together."
9. They replied, "Absolutely. Where do you want us to prepare for it?"
10. He said to them, "As soon as you enter the city, you'll see a man carrying a jar of water. When he approaches you, follow him to the house that he enters.
11. When you get there, say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher wants to know where your guest room is, because that's where He wants to eat the Passover with His disciples.'
12. He'll show you a large upper room, which will be all furnished. Make the preparations for this important celebration there."
13. So they left immediately, found the exact scenario which Jesus had described, and they went right into making preparations for the Passover.
14. When the designated hour arrived, Jesus and His disciples came and ate and reclined at the table.
15. During the dinner, He said to them, "Boys, I've really been anticipating this evening...it was important to Me to have this opportunity to eat the Passover with you before I suffer.
16. You should know that I won't eat it again until it finds spiritual fulfillment and manifestation in the Kingdom of God."
17. After taking the cup, He gave thanks for it, and said, "Take this and pass it among yourselves.
18. For neither will I drink wine again with you until the Kingdom of God comes in revelation and in power."
19. Then He took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it...and He personally handed a portion of it to each of them at the table. As He distributed the broken pieces around the unbroken circle of His closest followers, He said to them, "THIS...this broken bread...this special night...this unique experience...this holy celebration...this final gathering in the physical realm of those I love...all of 'this' is my body, given for you. Do this...celebrate this...comprehend this...understand this...embrace this...in remembrance, or rather, in 're-member'-ance...in a re-assembling of the disconnected members of the Christ...do this in remembrance of Me."
20. Then, in the same way, after the supper He took the common cup, saying, "THIS cup is the ratification of the New Covenant in My blood...this life...this substance...this connection...this kinship and common bloodline...this is the blood which is poured out for you.
21. But the very hand of him who is going to betray Me is with Mine on this table.
22. The Son of Man will and must pass through the door of physical suffering to reveal the Son of God as it has been prophesied. But, even though it must happen according to what has been decreed by God, Himself, the man who betrays the Son will still be traumatized by the acting out of his role in this drama."
23. They immediately began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this thing.
24. And in their confusion, a ridiculous and immature dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be the greatest.
25. Jesus said to them, "Stop it! Wake up! Don't you realize that insecure kings need to throw their weight around to feel superior and worthy of their thrones and crowns...that people with authority in the current world system like to hide behind the fancy titles that they've conferred upon themselves?
26. After all that I've revealed to you about the Kingdom-life, you should realize by now that you can't ever be like that! The greatest among you should be the humblest...the one who actually rules should be the one who really serves.
27. For who is greater...the one who is at the table, or the one who serves? Isn't it typically the one who is at the table? But look...I'm among you all as the One who serves you all."
ARISE [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you--rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!
(Isaiah 60:1 - Amplified Bible)
20. "When you see armies coming to destroy both Jerusalem and the Temple, take notice and realize that this is the fulfillment of this nation's time of desolation.
21. If you're living in Judea at the time, you’ll need to run for the hills. If you're in the city, get out as soon as possible. If you're out in the country, stay where you are.
22. Heed this advice, because this is the time of retribution, in fulfillment of all that has been written.
23. Unfortunately, pregnant and nursing mothers will have it especially hard during this distressful time of persecution.
24. The inhabitants of this city will fall by the sword, and will eventually be taken as prisoners to many other nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the time of the fall of the Roman Empire.
25. It will be a time of utter chaos, with the sun, moon and stars becoming prophetic symbols of the downfall of rulers and authorities, and of the total upheaval of this nation's current government. On the earth, it will seem as though all the surrounding nations are in anguish...as if the whole world is one big storm-tossed sea.
26. The people of this city will faint from terror as they witness their world, as they now know it, coming to an end. Everything, including the sky above them and the celestial bodies, will seem to be off course and out of order.
27. At that time they will see a great manifestation of the authority of the Son of Man. To them He will no longer be shrouded in a cloud of mystery, but will be revealed to them with power and great glory.
28. So when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads. Even though your present national reality and religious system are coming to an end, in the big picture, your redemption is actually drawing near."
29. Then He told them this illustration: "From the fig tree learn this lesson.
30. As soon as its young shoots become soft and tender, and it starts to put out leaves, you know for a fact that summer is near.
31. In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know that the manifestation of the Kingdom of God is about to appear in its fullness.
32. I'm telling you the truth, so do not take this lightly, or assume that this is some far-off, futuristic prophecy that has no relevance to you. I'm not saying all this for some generation that will live hundreds of years from today. This is for all of you who are alive right now...these are things that will happen in your lifetime! And this era continues until all these things take place.
33. The sky and the earth will fade away before any of My words do, because My words are eternally and absolutely true.
34. Remain alert and aware, or your hearts will be weighed down with drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close in on you suddenly like a trap.
35. For the downfall of this nation will ultimately have an effect on all those who live on the face of the earth.
36. Be vigilant at all times, and pray that you may personally be able to escape the inevitable destruction that is coming on this nation...and that you may be able to look, face to face, at the Son of Man."
37. Jesus continued, for a season, to teach every day at the Temple. And each evening during that time, He went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives.
38. But every morning, all the people came early to hear Him again in the temple.
1. After saying these things, Jesus looked up and saw the rich making a big show of putting their financial gifts into the temple treasury.
2. At the same time He saw a poor, little widow put in two very small copper coins.
3. "I want to tell you a truth about perception," He said, "this poor widow has actually put in more than all the rest.
4. These others gave their gifts out of their vast wealth, but in this sense everything is relative...she, out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on, so she gave the most in reality."
5. And this exchange led to a conversation about the Temple, itself. Some of His disciples were remarking about how it was adorned with beautiful stones, and with gifts dedicated to God, and they began to discuss the buildings of the Temple complex, and how imposing and impressive they thought the architecture to be.
(THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, 70 A.D.)
6. "You may be rightfully impressed with what you see before you", He said to them, "the Temple is, indeed, something to behold. But the truth is, there is not one stone in that magnificent building that is not going to end up in a massive pile of rubble."
7. "Teacher," they asked, "when are these things going to happen? Will that be the sign of Your fully coming into power, and of the completion and consummation of this age and era?”
8. He said to them, “Be careful that no one deceives or misleads you on these points…understand these beginning events, marking the period between My resurrection and the Temple’s destruction. For during this time many will come in falsehood, claiming, ‘I, alone, am the Christ’, and they will lead many away from the truth of Who and what the Christ truly is. Do not follow them.
9. Also, during this time you will hear of wars and rumors of wars…see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place…wars will come and go as they always have…but the end of the Temple-age is not yet.
10. Nation will rise against nation...ruler will fight ruler...kingdom will invade kingdom...the usual earthly conflicts will continue to occur as they always have. These things are nothing new.
11. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilence in various places, and fearful events which are a part of the natural order of things...activity in the sky above you which can be seen as the birth pangs of the destruction that is coming on this nation.
12. But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of your association with My reputation and name.
13. But this will provide an opportunity for you to be witnesses to them, and to the whole world...a chance to give your testimony...to show that, as the Temple era comes to an end, the true Kingdom of God will be simultaneously revealed.
14. But determine now within your own minds not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves when all this happens.
15. For I, as the Spirit, will personally give you wise words that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
16. As this natural, physical nation is replaced by a supernatural, spiritual one, you may very well be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends...the closest people to you who reject the change that the Kingdom will inevitably bring...and they will even put some of you to death.
17. At one point, the conflict will become so intense that it will seem as if the entire world hates you because of your revelation of Me.
18. But as you continue to embrace this revelation, not a hair of your head will perish.
19. By standing firm in what you have received and perceived, you will gain a more excellent life."
27. Then some of the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection of the dead, came to Him with a question of their own.
28. “Teacher”, they began, “Moses said that if a man dies, leaving no children, his brother should marry his widowed sister-in-law, and raise a family for his brother with her.
29. Let’s say, hypothetically, that there were seven brothers, and the first married and died, and, having no children, left his wife to his brother.
30. The same with the second brother;
31. And then the third brother married her, and so on until all seven died, leaving no children.
32. Now…stay with us on this…let’s say that, last of all, the woman died also.
33. This is our question…in this scenario, in the resurrection, to which one of the seven brothers will she be wife, since she was married to all of them?”
34. Jesus replied, “Your premise is implausible, if not preposterous. Anyway, the people in this age and dimension marry and are given in marriage.
35. But in the reality of the resurrection, neither men nor women get married, nor are they considered married when they enter the resurrected state.
36. In that sense they are like the angels who live in the heavenly realm, and they can no longer die. They are God's children...children of the resurrection.
37. But as to your larger question...in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, in that he called the Lord 'The God of Abraham...and the God of Isaac...and the God of Jacob.'
38. Don't you see that He revealed something in the way that he phrased that? Because he spoke of God being the God of all of them in the present tense, he was declaring that He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are ultimately and eternally alive."
39. Some of the teachers of the law who heard this responded, "Excellent...well said, Teacher!"
40. But whether they liked His answer or not, no one dared to ask Him any more questions.
41. But Jesus went on to say to them, "Why do you think it is said that the Messiah is the son of David?
42. I mean, David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: 'The Lord said to my Lord, it at My right hand,
43. until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'
44. Think about it...if David calls him 'Lord', how then can he be his son?"
45. While the people were trying to comprehend all this, Jesus turned to His disciples and said,
46. "Always remember to beware of the teachers of the law. They love to walk around in flowing robes, looking pious and important...love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and treated like celebrities...love to have the most important seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at all the banquets.
47. But while all this high profile show is going on, behind the scenes they devour the fortunes of gullible widows, and for a pretense make lengthy prayers. These men will be justly and severely punished."
1. One day Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, proclaiming the good news, and as He finished up, the ever-vigilant chief priests and teachers of the law, together with the elders, approached Him to talk to Him.
2. And they challenged Him, demanding, “By what power of authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this power of authority?"
3. He replied, "I will answer your question with another question, and if you give Me the answer, then I also will tell you by what power of authority I do these things.
4. The baptism of John…from where did it originate? Did it come from heaven, or did it come from men?”
5. This question immediately set a private meeting among them into motion, in which they said to one another, “Watch out…this is a trick question…if we say that the baptism originated in the heavenlies, He will no doubt ask us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’
6. On the other hand, if we say, “It is of mere human origin, we’re going to receive so much flack from the people...they may even stone us...for they all regard John as a prophet.”
7. So they answered, "We don't know where it was from."
8. And He said to them, “Fair enough…so neither will I tell you by what power of authority I do these things.”
9. Then He went on to tell them this illustration: "A prominent landowner planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and moved somewhere else for a long time.
10. When it was time to harvest the grapes, he sent his servant back to collect his profits. But the tenants took the servant and beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed.
11. He then sent another servant, but they also beat that man, and severely abused him, then they sent him away empty-handed, as well.
12. He even sent a third, and they also met him with violence, wounded him, and threw him out.
13. Finally he sent his own son to them, saying, 'Surely, they will respect my own son whom I love, and not treat him the way that they have treated my servants.'
14. But, as it turned out, when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir to the fortune…let’s kill him so that we can have his inheritance!”
15. And, sure enough, they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him right then and there. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes back, what do you think he’ll do to those horrible, murderous tenants?
16. He will come and put those tenants to death. and give the vineyard to others."
When the people heard this, they said, "God forbid that he would do something like that!"
17. Jesus looked intently at them and asked, “Have you never read in your Scriptures: ‘The very Stone which the builders rejected and threw away has become the Cornerstone'?
18. Everyone who stumbles on this Stone will be shattered to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed to powder, scattering him like dust.
19. When the religious leaders heard His dark, illustrative story that day, they perceived that He was talking about them, and began to aggressively look for a way to arrest Him as soon as possible. But they didn't know how to do it because they were cowards.
20. But from that point on they kept a close watch on Him. They even sent spies, pretending to be sincere, in hopes of catching Him in some verbal trap...waiting for Him to snare Himself with His own words so that they might hand Him over to the authorities.
21. These spies came to Him and questioned Him, saying "Teacher, we know that You certainly speak and teach what is right...and we also know that You have integrity, that You teach the way of God truthfully, regardless of possible consequences, that You are uncompromising in Your ethics, and that You don’t pander to Your audience.
22. So tell us...is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
23. Of course He saw right through them, and said, “Do you phonies honestly think that I don’t know what you're up to? Surely you can’t be simple enough to assume that I would be rendered gullible by your empty compliments. That kind of flattery may work on you, but it doesn’t work on Me…why do you keep trying to trap Me with these tired old tricks?
24. All right…I’ll play along with your silly game. Show Me a coin, and tell Me whose image and inscription are on it." "Caesar's", they replied.
25. “Well, then, it should be obvious, shouldn’t it? Pay to Caesar the things that are due to Caesar, and pay to God the things that are due to God. It’s that simple.”
26. The Pharisees didn’t have a comeback. Once again the profound simplicity of His words had left them speechless, and they were again unable to entrap Him. Astonished by His answer, they were completely silenced.
