The Life of the Christ - ForMinistry

Luke 23
34-35 Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t
know what they’re doing.”
While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers
gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He
saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God’s
chosen Messiah!”
36 The soldiers made fun of Jesus and brought him some
wine. 37 They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 Above him was a sign that said, “This is the King of
the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by
saying, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!”
40 But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don’t you
fear God? Aren’t you getting the same punishment as this man?
41 We got what was coming to us, but he didn’t do anything
wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come
into power!”
43 Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me
in paradise.”
The Death of Jesus
44 Around noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way
until the middle of the afternoon. 45 The sun stopped shining, and
the curtain in the temple split down the middle. 46 Jesus shouted,
“Father, I put myself in your hands!” Then he died.
47 When the Roman officer saw what had happened, he
praised God and said, “Jesus must really have been a good man!”
48 A crowd had gathered to see the terrible sight. Then after
they had seen it, they felt brokenhearted and went home. 49 All of
Jesus’ close friends and the women who had come with him from
Galilee stood at a distance and watched.
Jesus Is Buried
50-51 There was a man named Joseph, who was from
Arimathea in Judea. Joseph was a good and honest man, and he
was eager for God’s kingdom to come. He was also a member of
the council, but he did not agree with what they had decided.
52 Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 He took
the body down from the cross and wrapped it in fine cloth. Then
he put it in a tomb that had been cut out of solid rock and had
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never been used. 54 It was Friday, and the Sabbath was about to
begin.
55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee
followed Joseph and watched how Jesus’ body was placed in the
tomb. 56 Then they went to prepare some sweet-smelling spices for
his burial. But on the Sabbath they rested, as the Law of Moses
commands.
PARADISE
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Jesus’ Final Week in Jerusalem
The Hebrew word for “paradise” was borrowed from the Persian
word which means a wooded park where everything is peaceful
and beautiful. The people of Israel began to use this borrowed
word some time after their return from their exile in Babylon. In
Nehemiah 2.8, it is used for the king’s forest, and in Song of Songs
4.13 and Ecclesiastes 2.5 it is a well-watered orchard or garden.
Some of Israel’s prophets had begun to say that the faithful who
died would live again after dying (Dan 12.2,3; Isa 26.19), and the
term “paradise” eventually was used as the place where they would
live after death. For some, “paradise” was thought of as being on
the earth or in heaven. For others, it was a new Garden of Eden
where the tree of life (see Gen 2.9) would grow forever. Still others
believed paradise was where the faithful who had died would wait
for the day of judgment.
A similar understanding of paradise can be found in various
places in the New Testament. Jesus, for instance, promised the
man who was crucified beside him that he would be with him in
paradise that day (Luke 23.39-43). Another reference by Jesus to
paradise can be inferred from the parable he told about a poor
man, Lazarus, and a rich man. When the poor man in this story dies
he is described as being taken to a place of honor next to Abraham
(Luke 16.19-22).
Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 12.1-4 that when God was
giving him a special message, he was taken up to heaven. Paul was
not sad at the prospect of dying, since he would return to be with
Christ (Phil 1.23). In Revelation, paradise is where the tree of life is
(2.7; 22.1-5), and where God’s people will be gathered when the
powers of evil have been defeated, and God’s rule has taken over
the whole of the creation. In this new paradise, God’s people will
share in the fruits of the tree of life (Rev 22.14).