Bible Study – Jerusalem (November 1, 1980)

by Herbert W Armstrong

We went around the Old City yesterday and looked down on the Garden of Gethsemane. They saw a little passing at the Place of the Skull, and I wanted to go afterwards to the Garden Tomb. I just thought I would read about that, but they don’t feel able to come in.

Well, I thought I would just read a little about that. Not an ordinary Bible Study today at all, but I thought that we would just take it up. It was after, now, they had had the final Passover Jesus had had with His disciples; and He took the Passover at the time they always take it.

Now, He was killed on that same day; but He was killed on a later time of the day. The Romans put Him to death, and they didn’t follow and do it at the same exact time. But what Christ did, with the Passover, He did it at the same hour of the day that it had always been – right after sunset. That sunset began the Passover.

Now the next day was the annual Sabbath day following the Passover. But that didn’t begin until after another sunset – a whole 24 hours later. A lot of people are all mixed up on that, and it can’t be any other way. Now after the Passover, Jesus spoke to them for quite a while (in the 15th chapter of the book of John, you know; and the 16th chapter). Then the 17th chapter of John records Jesus’ final prayer in front of them. Then they all went out to the Garden of Gethsemane.

Now that was pointed out to us yesterday. It’s down, as you go on the road from up around the temple and from our dig, and between there and the Mount of Olives, you look down (way down below) and there are some very beautiful olive trees over across there; and that is the Garden of Gethsemane. I’ve been in that garden, and it is still to this day a beautiful place.

Some of those trees were there in the time of Christ, because olive trees grow to be just almost the oldest of all trees. I don’t know whether they grow older than redwood and sequoia trees or not. The redwood and sequoias will grow to be 4,000 years old. But olive trees: the upper branches will finally grow old and rot and fall off, but the roots and everything, and the stem of the trunk, stays there; and a new trunk comes up and new branches. And, time after time, that happens. They go on living for a long, long time. So olive trees have a special use.

That’s another reason that olive oil is often a type of God’s Holy Spirit – because it comes from the olive tree, which almost has everlasting life. You see it is very, very long life; and God’s Spirit is a type of everlasting life. So anyway, while we were in the Garden of Gethsemane, I’m going to pick it up right there at that point. In the 18th chapter of John:

John 18:1-3 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron [Now that’s down at the bottom. That’s a little stream that runs down there at the bottom between the Mount of Olives and the road that we are on when we are going past the Temple Mount there.], where was a garden [Now others – Matthew, or Mark, or Luke – will mention that that is the Garden of Gethsemane; and there are some very beautiful olive trees, and very ancient olive trees, there.], into the which he entered, and his disciples. (2) And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. (3) Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees …

Now remember, there they were the religious men, but they wanted to kill Christ. I’m going to take just a minute now to explain that. Jesus came preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God – a gospel where the Kingdom of God is going to rule over all nations of the earth. And all of the governments that are existing on the earth at the time will become ruled by the Kingdom of God and by Christ.

Now the Pharisees, and many of the Sadducees, had political offices. At that time, the Roman Empire ruled the world. When Israel originally was in this land, and before the Ten Tribes were taken out and all of that, that was before even the big empire of Babylon (the first world empire) had even been formed. In other words, that was more than 700 years earlier. So now a lot of things have happened by the time of Christ, and the Roman Empire was now ruling.

The Roman Empire set the Pharisees (a religious denomination or sect of Judaism) and set them in offices of government in the lower echelon offices, to rule the people. Now they sent a few. They sent a governor, or he was often called a local king (as Herod was), to rule; and they had two or three garrisons of soldiers set over here in different places, just in case they were needed. But they didn’t really ever need to use them. I know they hoped they wouldn’t need to use them, and they really never did need to use them.

But they set, in all of the many lower jobs of government, they set these Pharisees and Sadducees. Now, they were well-paying jobs; and it gave them high prestige. They not only were spiritual leaders, they were government leaders. And preached they thought Jesus was preaching the overthrow of Caesar. They thought Jesus, now, was a subversive and teaching the overthrow of Caesar’s government.

They really … They knew He was the Christ! They knew He was the Messiah! Actually, the Jews today don’t know that. They’ve been taught differently between then and now. But those Pharisees did know the Messiah was to be born as a baby and grow up, and they knew that Jesus was the Christ. Nicodemus said that, as you’ll find in the 3rd chapter of John.

But they thought He was preaching subversion, and they thought their heads would be lopped off and they would loose their jobs. They would probably be imprisoned and then killed as subversives and enemies of the government. That’s why they wanted to let the higher up Roman rulers know that they were on the side of Rome and not on the side of Christ; and they wanted to kill Him! They also knew He was human, and that He could be put to death. So they wanted to kill him.

Now, they had plotted with Judas and paid him thirty pieces of silver to come and identify Jesus. That shows they didn’t know what Jesus looked like. He looked like any other Jew of the time. They had to have a man come and identify which one of those Jews was Jesus. So here we come to that point, right here.

John 18:2-3 Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. (3) Judas then, having received a band of men and offices from the chief priests and Pharisees [Now, you see, it was the top religious people that were in back of all this and wanting to kill Christ – “the chief priests and the Pharisees.] cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Now, they were armed; and they came after Him, just like an armed group came after us almost two years ago – of the government.

John 18:4-5 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?(5) They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am.

Now you’ll notice in your Bible it says, “I am he.” But the word “he” is in italics. You see that? The ”he” was not originally written. They have supplied that. When this was written by John, he did not write that; and Jesus did not say, “I am he.” Jesus said, ”I AM.”

You go back to the time of Moses; and Moses said at the burning bush, “Well, look. If I’ve got to go to Pharaoh, how am I going to know? If I try to tell him God sent me, how will I tell him who God is?” God said to him, “Tell him I AM sent you.” God’s name is I AM, or Yhwh. It means the Ever-living, the Self-existent One, the Eternal, the One who lives eternally. And when He said, “I AM,” He was saying He was God. I AM is the name of God. It’s the same as Yhwh, the Ever-living, the Eternal, the Self-existent One. There is no word in the English language that exactly translates it. That’s why I use the word Eternal, wherever God is used in the Old Testament, a great deal.

So that’s what He answered. Now notice what happened. ”And Judas also, which … ” Now this doesn’t mention here, but Luke and Matthew will mention (or one of them) that Judas came and gave Him a Judas’ kiss – greeted Him with a kiss. And he told whomever he would kiss, that would be Jesus. But John doesn’t mention that.

John 18:5-6 And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. (6) As soon then as he had said unto them, I am, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

They fell over backward. They knew He was saying, “I AM GOD.” Now, as I was explaining, the Pharisees knew all along that Jesus was the Messiah. They knew He was God in the human flesh. But they thought that, when He the gospel of the Kingdom of God and the earth made rule of the government of God, that He was a subversive and preaching that He was going to overthrow Caesar and the Rome Empire. They had governmental positions in all the lower echelons of government of the Roman Empire; and they were afraid for their lives, and afraid they would loose their jobs, and be called and arrested as a subversive. That’s why they wanted to kill Jesus. They thought more of their jobs than they did of the Messiah, even though they knew who He was.

Since then, the Jews have denied that that was Jesus; and they say He was an imposter. But those Jews then, they knew that was not an imposter. They knew He was God. And still they wanted to kill Him. Since then they have taught … and they are all mixed up. They don’t know what to do about the Passover. They don’t keep the Passover. They keep the Days of Unleavened Bread. And the Night To Be Much Remembered, or To Be Much Observed, they observe and call it the Passover (the Jews do). I’ve observed the Passover and that festival here in this country about four or five times in the last twelve years.

So now, as soon as He said, “I AM.” they went backward and fell to the ground. They were really shocked. They knew whose presence they were in. But they also knew He had come in the human flesh, and they could put Him to death.

John 18:7-8 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. [They must have been trembling by this time.] (8) Jesus answered, I have told you that I am : if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.

Now they came with armed guards, just like the government came with armed guards against God’s Church almost two years ago now; and there is a parallel that I’m going to bring out as we go along.

John 18:9-11 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. (10) Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. (11) Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Matthew or Luke (or both) will explain how Jesus put the ear back on and healed it instantly. That’s why they didn’t do more to Him about that right then. He healed that immediately, but John doesn’t mention that.

John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him.

There was Jesus, their very Creator and Maker; and now they bound Him. I just want you to notice what they were willing to do to their own Creator.

John 18:13-17 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.[Annas was the father-in-law of the high priest. Caiaphas was the priest.] (14) Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.[And he was the high priest. Now just look what he was saying.] (15) And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. [That was all over here within the Walled City.] (16) But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door [They had a female doorkeeper.], and brought in Peter. (17) Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not.

Peter began to deny Jesus. It shows how human Peter was before he received the Holy Spirit.

John 18:18-23 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold [It was getting rather chilly, and it was still early enough in the spring that it wasn’t warm yet; and it was night.]: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. (19) The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples [about His disciples], and of his doctrine. (20) Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I even taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews also resort; and in secret have I said nothing. (21) Why askest thou me? Ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. (22) And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? (23) Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

I would say the Attorney General attacked us. And I said, “If I have done evil, accuse me of the evil; and put me on trial for the evil. But, if not, why do you smite us? Why do you come and try to take us over, and do all this?” You notice the parallel here. Now there’s one difference: Jesus didn’t have to die, and He wouldn’t have died except that He had come for that purpose – to die for us. He only had to die for you and for me, and the rest of the world. He didn’t have to die for Himself. He never committed anything. He had never done one thing that He had to die for. And we had not done one thing they accused us of either.

Jesus would have resisted. Jesus would not have allowed them to do this. He did it only for us. He did it to give His life for us. That’s what He came for, from heaven – to die. Now the time had come, and He had to do it. But when Paul was put on trial, he refused to go to trial up at Jerusalem. He said, “I appeal to Rome.” Paul did just what we’ve done. Now some of our former members would have said, well, we should have caved in. They said, “Jesus gave in. Why shouldn’t we give in?” But Jesus came to die for the rest of us. We’re not dying for anybody. There’s quite a difference when you understand it.

John 18:24-27 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. (25) And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. [Now that’s twice he’s denied Jesus, here within just a few minutes.] (26) One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? (27) Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.

It was getting on near enough toward morning that the rooster crowed. ”And immediately the cock crew.” That’s what Jesus said: “Before the cock will crow in the morning, you will deny me three times.”

John 18:28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

Now, they were going to take the Passover later. Christ had already had the Passover with His disciples. You see, this shows that they were then taking the Passover the night of the feast the feast Night To Be Much Observed.

John 18:29-35 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? (30) They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. (31) Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: (32) That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die. (33) Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again[That’s the courtroom, in other words.], and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? (34) Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? (35) Pilate answered, Am I a Jew?

There was anti-Semitism. Even then they were hating Jews.

John 18:35-37 Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? (36) Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence [Or, that’s “from here.”] (37) Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a King. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.

They hear His voice. They believe what He says. A lot of people believe on Christ, but they don’t believe what He says. Oh, what a difference there is! And people don’t realize that difference.

John 18:38-40 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. (39) But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? (40) Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

He was a real criminal. Now we come to chapter 19:

John 19:1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

And He was beaten to suffer our physical pains, and sicknesses, and diseases – that we could be healed through the Holy Spirit instead of through drugs and medicines. People don’t believe that today. They don’t believe the things of God.

John 19:2 And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe.

Purple is the color of royalty, and this was all done to mock and make fun of Him – their own Creator, the man who is now letting them put Him to death. He was dying for them, that someday (in their judgment, when it comes) … This was Christ’s judgment, but their judgment is coming. And they will have a chance to be saved then.

John 19:3-4 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him with their hands. (4) Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

Pilate’s trying to get out, trying to save his own skin, trying to “put the blame on Mame” (as they say) and blame someone else.

John 19:5-6 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! (6) When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

There He was. He had been beaten with forty stripes save one. He had been beaten as probably no man ever had. And the chief priests said, “Crucify Him.”

John 19:6 Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

“I’m innocent. Yeah, I didn’t do it.” You know, God said to Adam, “Adam, what have you done?” He pointed to the woman. “The woman, she led me. She’s the one that’s guilty.” He turned to the woman and said, “Woman, what have you done?” She turned to old Satan. “Here, the Devil, he’s the one who’s responsible. He’s beguiled me.” Always they would blame someone else.

John 19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

Moses made himself the leader too, didn’t he? And I have made myself the leader? Do you see any similarity? Not only Jesus, but all men that He’s had to represent Him – all the same way.

John 19:8-9 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; (9) And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? [Where did you come from?] But Jesus gave him no answer.

Jesus was through answering. He was going to have to go and die for the world, and He was just going to do it.

John 19:10-11 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? [Don’t you know I’m greater than you are? I’ve got power over you.” And he said that to the very Christ, the very God!] (11) Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

Now, it was only a matter of degree – degree of sin. Pilate had sin all right; but the Jews, who accused Him, had greater sin. You’ll notice that.

John 19:12-14 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend [You see, they were afraid about Caesar. They thought Jesus was a subversive.]: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. (13) When Pilate therefore head that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. (14) And it was the preparation of the passover.

In other words, it was the day of the Passover – which is the preparation for the holy day, which is the morrow after the Passover. And the eve, the beginning, of that day is the Night To Be Much Observed (which is one night after the Passover); but that’s the beginning of the seven Days of Unleavened Bread. You know it’s very plain here; and yet even some of our people are mixed up, and they are beginning to think that we should observe the Passover one day later than we do. But God has led His servant and led His Church.

John 19:14-17 … the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour [Meaning, in other words, it was six o’clock in the morning by now. You see, the whole night had gone through.]: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! (15) But [the crowd] cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. [The world has no God but Satan. Same thing, exactly the same thing!] (16) Then delivered he him[Pilate delivered Jesus therefore] unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. (17) And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of the skull …

That is right across from St. Stephen’s (Or is that St. Stephen’s entrance? I guess it is.) to the Walled City; and I wanted to take the girls and go there this afternoon right after this, and show them the Garden Tomb where Jesus was buried{1}. He was not crucified in the (Oh, what do they call it?) church in the Walled City that the Catholics and Protestants and all of them claim – “The Church of the Holy Sepulchre”. There was nothing holy there, and Jesus was not crucified there. That’s a Catholic superstition.

John 19:17-19 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of the skull [You can just see it. It looks like it is just carved in the mountain. And still to this day – 2,000 years later – it looks like a skull. “The place of the skull”], which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: (18) Where they crucified him [up on top there], and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. (19) And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Now that’s not all of it. You’ll notice, if you take Mark, Mark says a little more; and Luke has it different; and Matthew. Put them all together, and you’ve got: THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. You have to put all four – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – together, to get what he said because that’s the way the Bible is written. You get “here a little and there a little.”

John 19:20-23 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city [You see, it was near to the city. That’s where it is. They’re trying to say it was in the city. It was “nigh” to the city.]: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. (21) Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. (22) Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. [He wasn’t going to take orders from them.] (23) Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

That shows it was of extraordinary high quality. I’m criticized because I believe in good quality. So does God believe in good quality, and so does Christ.

John 19:24-27 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. [Now they were Roman soldiers, not Jews.] (25) Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary {2} the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene [Jesus had cast demons out of her.]. (26) When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciples standing by, whom he loved [which was John], he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! (27) Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!

Of course, the Roman Catholics make an awful lot of that now.

John 19:27-30 And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. (28) After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. (29) Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. [Of course, His hands were nailed to the cross; and He couldn’t take hold of it.] (30) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished …

And He has said previously “I have finished the work (He said to God.) that Thou hast given Me to do.” He finished the work He was to do on earth here in this country where we are now. But His whole work, that He’s doing through us, wasn’t finished yet; and it isn’t finished today.

John 19:30 … and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Now one of the others shows that someone came and stabbed Him in the side with a spear, and blood gushed out; and He bled to death. It’s His blood that pays the price of our sins and forgives us. Remember that His blood does not save us. We are saved by His resurrection and by His life, and not by His blood.

John 19:31-34 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation[In other words, the day of preparing for the holy Sabbath day that came on that night. Now it’s in the afternoon.], that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day [See, the Sabbath day was coming on. That Sabbath day was a Thursday, which we have proved. Dr. Hoeh has articles, proof from calendars and from astronomy of that.], (for that Sabbath day was an high day[Not an ordinary Sabbath, you see. It was not a Saturday holiday. It was a high day.],) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. (32) Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. (33) But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs. (34) But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side [Now this is a little out of context here.], and forthwith came there out blood and water.

He didn’t die until after that. He died of the bleeding that came out of His side; and (if you check with Matthew, Mark, and Luke) you’ll find that is true. Copyists later have transposed that here.

John 19:35-38 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. (36) For these things were done, that the scripture might be fulfilled, a bone of him shall not be broken. (37) And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. (38) And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of {3} Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

They wound up the body in a certain kind of cloth; and, of course, there’s a great controversy about the shroud that was supposed to have been wrapped around the body of Jesus. We’re had articles in The Plain Truth about it, and there’s been controversy lately around the earth on that.

John 19:39-42 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. (40) Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes [That’s the shroud.] with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. (41) Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden [Now, He was buried in the Garden Tomb.]; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. (42) There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulcher was nigh at hand.

There wasn’t time to get Him to some cemetery away off, and that’s right underneath. And I hope you’ve all been over there. I think maybe all of you have been. I have been many times. Well, that’s the end of the Bible Study; so you might take the microphone off.