Gospel of John - Three Days in Hades!
Three Days In Hades!
John 19:31-42, 20:1-9
Death, something many have feared, and the enemy of God had propagated and encouraged was about to be defeated in ways only God could do. The religious leaders wanted to rid themselves of this Jesus dilemma once and for all. For Jesus had been killed on Passover and the Preparation day for Unleavened Bread feast. Let’s begin with the first portion of the text, “Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.
Little did the religious leaders realize that Jesus, the Passover Lamb, was slain on Passover. The religious leaders' only concern was ridding themselves of Jesus. They had two reasons for the removal of dead bodies openingly displayed on crosses. First, they were an affront to their traditions on purity, especially on a high holy day, a special sabbath. Second, they wanted to make sure all were dead, by having their legs broken they thereby sped up the effusion (fluids of blood and water) on both the heart and lungs.
With Pilate’s permission, the soldiers broke both the criminal's legs below the knees, but when they came to Jesus, he was already dead. So a soldier took a spear and expertly plunged it beneath the rib cage into both the heart and the lung. The effusion of blood and water gushed out proving that Jesus was dead already.
John, Jesus’ disciple was near the cross as were the women who had been with him. They witnessed the aftermath of the crucifixion, and gave testimony to the truth of what they saw and the prophecies fulfilled: “It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones. (ref. to the passover lamb) Ex. 12:46; “he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.” (Ps. 34:20); “They will look on me, the one they have pierced…” (Zech. 12:10)
Application - Have you ever wished for something you didn’t understand, an answer to a mystery that eluded you even with the logic and knowledge mankind possesses? To many people today, the death and resurrection of Jesus are still a mystery, an enigma. But the scriptures had foretold of God’s plan of salvation and the end of death’s power. Peter, in proclaiming the gospel, spoke of this mystery in the salvation through the cross, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.” (1Pet. 1:10-12)
Mankind has for thousands of years relied upon the practices of religion in their various forms for salvation and the appeasement for death and sins. And when something doesn’t fit their manguided and sometimes demonic statutes and precepts they war against God’s truth. Such has been the battles fought between heaven and demonic rulers and spiritual powers in the heavenlies. But the spirit-filled and spirit-guided prophets diligently studied and searched the scriptures that they had, and it was revealed to them the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ and the suffering and death he would have to experience and fulfill. He is the Lamb of God proclaimed by John the Baptist, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn. 1:29) He is the suffering servant that Isaiah wrote about (Isa. 53) and King who would be born in the line of David (Isa. 9:6-7) Jesus is the fulfillment of over 300 of those prophecies in the Old Testament.
We have the testimonies of eyewitnesses of those at the cross that Friday, and numerous Holy Spirit filled believers who have heard the gospel account, and have experienced his power and forgiveness in salvation proclaimed in the Savior who bore their sins and in whom salvation is assured to those in the world who believe in Jesus. (Jn. 3:16)
Now, the religious leaders were satisfied with the death of Jesus, next came the removal and the burial of the bodies. Let’s read the next portion of the text, “Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” “So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.” (Matt. 27:65-66)
In the Roman method of the disposal of dead bodies by crucifixion, they usually left corpses to decompose on the crosses, but in the Jewish past, Jeremiah spoke of dead bodies being placed in the Hinnom Valley (Gehenna). And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it will no more be called Topheth, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth, because there is no room elsewhere. (Jer. 7:31-32 ESV)
There is no mention of the burial of the criminals, but two Pharisees, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, to Pilate’s surprise. The centurion in charge released the body to Joseph and Nicodemus who placed it in Joseph’s new tomb in a garden that was near the place where Jesus died on the cross. They fulfilled the Jewish commandments for burial. They wrapped the body in clean linen cloth after Nicodemus anointed the body with “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.” Then Joseph ordered a large stone to be rolled in front of the tomb to enclose the entrance, “Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.” (Mk. 15:46) Some of the women who had been to the cross saw where Jesus had been laid, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph.
The chief priest still leary of Jesus’ words “After three days I will rise again.” asked Pilate to place a squad of guards at the tomb and to seal it, for their fears were that the disciples would break in and steal the body. But God had other plans, he would keep his promise through his written word, “For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.” (Ps.16:10)
Application - Death and burial have many various meanings as well in the religions and cultures of today’s world and history but the common thread in the minds and hearts of mankind, is the release of the soul and spirit through death and burial to a place beyond the physical world they lived in, or into an animate or inanimate object. A burial site is considered sacred and to many a place where the soul rests, whether it is cemetery, a family plot, or even in the living trees and created icons.
In our faith in Jesus Christ, our spirits return to the Father who gave it. (Eccl. 12:7) Just as Jesus released his spirit, we who confess faith in him, who are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Christ for that day, will have our spirits released back to the Father. The redeemed soul is ushered into the eternal presence of the Lord awaiting the resurrection of the body.
For Jesus, he still had the Father’s work to do even in death. Peter tells us that he descended into Sheol (Hebrew)/Hades (Greek) to proclaim and to lead those captive free, “He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water…” (1 Pet. 3:18-20), and Paul’s revelation from the Holy Spirit, “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people. Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” (Eph. 4:8-9), and Jesus’ parable about Hades, the rich man and Lazarus the beggar. (Lk. 16:19-31)
Sheol or Hades is the resting place of the dead awaiting judgment in the Old and New Testament. It had two parts as we learned from Jesus’ teachings. One was paradise (Abraham’s bosom) the other is a place of separation from God’s blessing and provisions, a place of torment. These places were separated by a chasm that couldn’t be crossed. The Old Testament believers, Adam and Eve, Noah and his family, Abraham, etc. were in Sheol awaiting their time of release in Abraham’s bosom as well those who had sinned against God and turned away from him were awaiting judgment on the other side of the chasm in Sheol or Hades. John gives us the final key to understanding Sheol/ Hades “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:11-15)
Finally, Jesus’ work was nearly complete; in his resurrection body he needed to reassure the church, his body and bride, and command the work of the Gospel to be done by them. He was the true gamechanger. He now held the keys to death and Hades, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
Oh, what blessed assurance to put our faith and trust into the hands of the One who is victorious over death and Hades. He has finished the work of God here on earth for the salvation of mankind. It is now the choice of mankind to believe in the One who is alive, and will judge both the living and the dead. Amen, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev. 21:3-4) “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” (Rev. 22:20)
I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. And he wants to empower you with the Holy Spirit. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.
First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second, B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."
Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.
If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com
Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis
I am developing a new webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. I’m adding answers each week to questions that pertain to our time today. Thank you
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