Part 1: Ancient Time
Part 2: Contemporary Time
Part 1
The relevance of ancient time, the historic time of Jesus’ magnificent and heroic life, is well-known by us today. We remember the miraculous occasion of his birth in a stable, surrounded by the lowing of cattle, because there was no room in the inn. No more lowly place can be imagined.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem sometime between 6 and 4 of the common era. The prophet Mica had predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. The name Jesus in Hebrew means He Who Helps. His name in Greek is Jesus, the Greek equivalence of the Hebrew Joshua He had other brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. He had sisters, but their names have been lost. After his death one of his brothers, James, became the one who would carry on the work of his brother who had suffered crucifixion.
Little is known of the activity of Jesus’ early life. There are certain accounts, but they are unreliable. One spurious account is that he visited the Buddha. We do know, however, that he and his family visited the Temple on the occasion of the celebration of his coming of age, the age of 12. He conversed with the rulers of the Synagogue. His parents, who had left Jerusalem to return to Nazareth, had by now lost track of him. They remonstrated with him for his carelessness. He replied: “Did ye not know that I must be about my Father’s business?
It is probable that as a youth he worked with his father and brothers in stone-work, fashioning some into certain objects. Nazareth, where he lived as a youth, was close to Samaria, and most likely he visited that city.
The time came when he met his cousin, John the Baptist. Jesus asked John to baptize him.. The baptism was not for remission of sin, but for consecration of the saving work he was to perform. John insisted that he was not worthy for this task. However, Jesus insisted and John complied with the request. As Jesus rose from the water, “the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. And a voice came from heaven, saying “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Matt. 3:16-17).
It is here that Jesus became aware of the nature of his future ministry. But first came the time of his wandering in the wilderness, where he was tested by the powers of evil, which he overcame.
And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; . . . and the angels ministered unto him (Mark 1: 12-13).
Jesus now heard the distressing news that his cousin John had been arrested by Herod Antipas and beheaded. Jesus took this as an ominous warning as to what might befall him. He forthwith left Judea and returned to Galilee. He resumed his mission and accepted his inevitable fate.
Following this occurrence, Jesus led a few of his disciples, Peter, James, and John, to a high mountain and was transfigured before them.
And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow, as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus (Mark 9:3 & 4).
As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus said “tell no man of this vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead” (Mark 9:9).
From this time on, Jesus would leave Galilee and carry his mission to the heart of Jerusalem, accepting his inevitable fate. He made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding a donkey. People waved palm branches and cried out hosannas. The people cried out “blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.” In coming to Jerusalem, Jesus placed himself in the greatest possible danger. He immediately attacked the religious authority of the Temple, overturning the tables of the money-changers and the places of the sacrificial animals. “Is it not written, my house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11:27).
Jesus’ condemnation of the Temple itself, of the leaders in the Temple, presages the destruction of the Temple as the consequence of God’s condemnatory judgment. From this time on, the leaders of the Temple sought means by which to arrest Jesus and kill him. They decided, however, not to kill him during the Feast of the Passover.
Jesus spent his time in Jerusalem, preaching to the multitudes. At night he withdrew himself to the Mount of Olives. He spoke to his disciples of the coming destruction of the Temple After the violent apocalypse the Last Judgment would occur and the Messiah would return to usher in the heavenly kingdom of peace.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angles with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, “ Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matt .25:31-34).
While Jesus continued his ministry, he already knew that betrayal and suffering awaited him on earth. Then Judas Iscariot went to the priests and arranged to deliver Jesus to them, receiving in payment thirty pieces of silver. The group then observed the Passover’
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “ Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matt. 26:26-29).
They sang a hymn and went to the mount of Olives. There Jesus revealed to them that one of them would betray him. They were astonished by the shocking news.
“Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee (Matt:26:31-32).
The disciples protested, Peter saying that he would never betray him. But Jesus insisted that this dreadful event would indeed occur:
Peter answered and said unto him, though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night , before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice (Ibib.: 26:33-34) .
Jesus then led the disciples to the Garden of Gesthemane:
“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gesthemane, and saith unto the disciples, sit ye here while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be very sorrowful and very heavy. And he saith unto them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, tarry ye and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt (Ibid. 36-39).
Jesus now realized that his sacrificial hour had arrived.
It is enough, . . . the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go, he that betrayeth me is at hand (Mark 14:41-42).
The disciples saw Judas Iscariot approaching, leading a crowd of armed men. Judas walked up to Jesus and kissed him on the cheek. It was a signal to the men behind him. Immediately they came forward and laid hands on Jesus. He said to them: “ Are ye you come out, as against a thief, with swords to take me? I was with you daily in the temple, teaching, and ye took me not:: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.” And they all forsook him, and fled (Mark 14:49-50).
Jesus was led away to certain death. As he had earlier said, the disciples fled in terror. Jesus is removed from the Mount of Olives and is led away to Jerusalem, to the house Caiphus, the High Priest of the Temple, where his enemies are waiting for him. The Council and the Scribes sought testimony to put him to death, but they found none. Many sought false witness against him, but they found none. They brought him to the house of Caiphus, where his enemies were waiting for him. Many bore false witness against him, but their witnesses did not agree. However, Jesus evidently knew that his enemies would contrive witnesses, so as to allow them to put him to death.
Suddenly Caiphus asked Jesus: “Are you the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God?” The Gospels disagree as to what Jesus said. Mark says that Jesus responded that he was the Messiah. Mathews’ view was different: he said that Jesus responded: ”you have said so.” In Luke’s account, the answer was “If I tell you, you will not believe.”
The High Priests then tore his clothing off. They said, “Why do we need witnesses? You have eard his blasphemy . What is your judgement? He deserves death.” Then they hurled their ridicule at him.
The charge of blasphemy was ridiculous. There was no blasphemy in Jesus’ answer. There were other reasons that disturbed the Jewish leaders. They resented Jesus’ denunciation of them and his announcement that God was to judge them and their Temple. They also resented Jesus’ popularity. They realized that it would cause the people to disregard their influence among the people. They did not want to lose their grip on the people.
The Jewish people faced another problem: how to execute Jesus. Only the Roman authorities had the power to execute criminals. But the Jews knew how to get Rome’s attention and agreement to execute Jesus. They argued that Jesus had announced himself as the head of his own kingdom. This, they said, was a threat to the integrity of Rome. It should not, therefore, be permitted.
The Jewish leaders took Jesus from the house of Caiphus to the residence of Pontius Pilate, the Roman authority. Thy told him that Jesus claims to be the king of the Jews. The events take a very different turn. Pilate asks Jesus: “Are you the king of the Jews”? He answers “You have said so.” Pilate then says “I see no fault with this man. I therefore will chastise him and let him go.”
Pilate offered a choice to the residents. He sais that in honor of Passover he would offer them the option: He would either release Jesus or the criminal Barabbus. They chose the release of the criminal, thus insuring the fate of Jesus. Pilate saw no reason to execute Jesus: “I see no fault in this man. What then shall I do with Jesus? The crowd roared their answer: “Let him be crucified.”
Then they stripped Jesus of his cloths, put a scarlet robe on him, and placed a crown of thorns on his head. They then mocked him, spat on him, and led him away to be crucified.
Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they led him away. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him (Matt. 27:29-31).
One last time he was led away to Jerusalem along the street that was later called the via delarosa, the way of sorrows, to a hill just outside the city walls. The name of this hill struck fear in the hearts of all who heard it. It was Golgotha, which means place of the skull. They gave him a glass of wine, which he refused. When they crucified him they parted his clothes and cast lots for them.
Jesus died in the year 30. He was 33 years old. In earlier times he was accompanied by great crowds. But on this Passover day he was alone. His disciples were afraid of their lives and fled the scene of his death. Only one disciple, Peter, followed Jesus as he was taken away. When he was recognized as a disciple of Jesus, he vehemently denied it. The next morning Peter remembered Jesus’ prediction that he would deny Jesus and wept bitterly.
While Peter wept, Judas Iscariot returned to the Temple and returned the thirty pieces of silver, and filled with remorse he hanged himself.
Betrayed and abandoned by his followers, Jesus was nailed to a cross, the most horrible death ever devised in the ancient world. His hands were nailed to the cross by the wrist bone, not the palms of his hands, so that the nails would stay in place while on the cross. His death came by suffocation.
By condemning Jesus to this unrelenting horror, the Romans left no doubt that the young teacher was a dangerous threat to Roman peace. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read “This is Jesus the king of the Jews.” Some of those observing the scene laughed at him, saying “If you are the Son of God come down from the cross.” Deserted by the apostles, only his mother and Mary Magdalene and a few other female followers watched the crucifixion from a distance. Others laughed and mocked him.
The crucifixion began at the 3rd hour, 9 o’clock in the morning. By afternoon Jesus was nearing death. When the 6th hour had come, there was darkness all over the land. And about the ninth hour (3 p.m.) Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying “Eli, Eli, Lama azabhtani”?, that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46).
As his death became immanent, he said “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”
Part 2
In our own day, so far removed from that time of those ancient events described in the above, we in our time are faced with the task of interpreting those events in a new and contemporary context and idiom. But we cannot escape the fact that reliance on our present universe of discourse cannot disclose those original meanings.
With respect to Jesus and his life and words, we cannot reach him while we are in our current universe of discourse. We must move to another universe of discourse, that of his own time. How is this possible? Only then can he be bought to authentic view.
It is a significant philosophical question: how may one idiom be recast into another idiom? The answer lies in terms of the question as what is the rudimentary nature of thought and discourse? There are those who have believed that it is the word or sentence. But that is an error. The elementary context of thought and discourse is the universe of discourse. Meaning obtains only in a universe of discourse. .
For example, there is a Platonic, Greek, universe of discourse. If one is to access that universe he or she must know classical Greek. Thus the person can experientially enter that universe and learn the nature of that universe. It becomes open to the mind; it can be read. Our minds have transcended from one universe to another. That capacity and power is of the essence of mind. Thus if we so desire we can actually move from our contemporary world to a different world. The mind knows no limit as to power to inhabit universes of discourse
In short, when we transcend our current universe and enter the universe of Jesus’ time, we are no longer bound by our current universe. We read truly the universe in which Jesus lived and thought. We then truly know him, having moved to the universe if his own time.