As we learned before, Andrew and his brother Peter had already met Jesus through John the Baptist. Both Andrew and Peter were from the Galilean village of Bethsaida, and worked together as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee with their friends, James and John, who were also brothers.

One day shortly after Peter and Andrew had met Jesus, Jesus was preaching to great crowds of people along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. They were probably sitting on the steep banks as Jesus preached by the water’s edge. But there were so many people who wanted to hear what He was saying that the crowd kept pressing in to get closer. Jesus didn’t have a sound system to amplify His voice, so if people wanted to hear Him, they had to get close. As a result, they were forcing Jesus out into the water! So Jesus stepped into Peter’s boat and asked him to push it out a little way from shore so He could continue teaching while sitting in the boat.

When we give or lend something to Jesus, He always pays us back, and so He did for Peter after borrowing his boat. Peter and his partners had worked hard all night but hadn’t caught a single fish. (The reason they had fished at night was because that was the best time to catch fish. Perhaps they used a lantern to attract the fish at night to their nets.) Even though Peter had already cleaned his nets and was probably ready to head home to get some sleep, Jesus instructed him to put down his nets in the deep water during the daylight, promising him that he would catch a lot of fish. It certainly didn’t seem like a very good idea to an intelligent fisherman. It sounded like it would be a waste of time, but Peter had already witnessed the fact that Jesus knew things supernaturally, and so he did what Jesus said.

Amazingly, Peter’s net was soon so full of fish that it began to tear. So Peter yelled to James and John on the shore to bring their boat out, and when they did, they filled both boats with so many fish that they were close to sinking! Imagine how funny it must have been to watch them try to row their heavy boats successfully to shore without sinking or losing any fish!

It was a huge catch of fish, more than anyone had ever caught before, and Peter and his partners knew it was miraculous. They were stunned when they looked at the big piles of fish in their boats. Peter, realizing how much money all those fish were worth at the market, couldn’t believe how good God had been to him. He knew he didn’t deserve such a blessing, and so he fell at Jesus’ feet, confessing his sinfulness. But Jesus told him not to be afraid, and told him he would soon have a new job: catching people instead of fish!

Q. When Peter realized how kind God had been to him, even when he didn’t deserve it, he became a changed man. He was saved. What evidence is there in what we just read that indicates Peter repented and believed in Jesus?

A. First, Peter humbled himself by falling at Jesus’ feet. Not many people, especially grown men, and especially tough fishermen, would fall at someone’s feet unless they truly believed that person was very special. Second, Peter called Jesus Lord . That indicates Peter believed Jesus was worthy to control his life. Third, Peter admitted that he was a sinner. Before anyone can be saved, they must admit that they are guilty sinners who need a Savior. And fourth, Peter began following Jesus from that day on, leaving everything behind. He made obeying Jesus the most important thing in his life.

Q. How was it, do you suppose, that Peter, Andrew, James and John were able just to quit their jobs to follow Jesus? How did they have money to live?

A. If they sold the great quantity of fish that Jesus just blessed them with, that probably provided their needs for quite some time. There’s a proverb that says, “Where God guides, God provides.” Also, many people supported the ministry of Jesus by giving Him money, so Jesus was able to take care of all His disciples. Finally, it is quite probable that some of the four fishermen we read about today were not yet married, so they didn’t have families to support.

Q. Can you find any evidence in today’s reading that Jesus was in the boat with Peter when they caught all the fish?

A. We read that Peter fell at Jesus’ feet when he realized what had happened (see Luke 5:8-9). If Peter was in the boat (which he apparently was), then Jesus must have been there also. Additionally, Jesus told Peter that he would be catching men before the boats landed (see Luke 5:10-11).

Application: It is always smart to do what Jesus said and trust His promises, even when others might think we are foolish. Jesus can’t lie, and He knows what He’s talking about!

In order for Jesus to die on the cross bearing our sins, it was necessary that He have no sins of His own. If He had committed any sins, then He couldn’t have taken our sins and died as our substitute. Therefore, Jesus had to be sinless, and in order to be proven sinless, He had to be faced with temptation (it’s easy not to sin when there’s no temptation). That is why the Holy Spirit led Jesus out into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

Jesus’ temptations in the desert, however, were not the only times Satan tempted Him, because the Bible tells us that Jesus “faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was tempted to do wrong throughout His entire life. He was tempted to lie, cheat, steal, disobey His parents and act selfishly, but He never gave in to those temptations even once.

We read today that Satan twice tried to get Jesus to doubt what God the Father had told Him just a few days before: that He was the Son of God. Satan always tries to make people doubt what God has said. That is how he got Adam and Eve to disobey the Lord. Anytime we hear something that does not agree with what God’s Word says, we should realize that it is a lie from Satan. Satan can only fool people who don’t know or don’t believe what God has said. But once you know and believe the truth, you can’t be tricked into believing one of Satan’s lies. People who know and believe what God has said don’t have to be scared of Satan. He can’t hurt them at all.

Knowing that Jesus was hungry after fasting for forty days, Satan tempted Him to change a stone into a loaf of bread so He would have something to eat. But Jesus responded by quoting what God had said, “People need more than bread for their life” (Luke 4:4). When the devil tempts us, we overcome him by knowing, believing, saying and obeying what God has said.

According to the Bible, Satan is “the god of this evil world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). That means he is controlling all the people in the world who are not submitted to Jesus, and also controlling all the evil spirits who rule over those unsaved people. Since most people are unsaved, Satan has power over the majority of people in the world in practically every country. God has allowed him to rule over that domain, called in the Bible, “the kingdom of darkness.” Satan offered Jesus the second-in-command position over his worldwide kingdom if Jesus would join his side, proving His allegiance by bowing down before the devil and worshiping him. Again, Jesus responded by knowing, believing, saying and obeying what God had said: “You must worship the Lord your God; serve him only.” Jesus knew that one day He would be ruling over the entire earth and that Satan would one day be banished to hell forever.

Finally, Satan tried to twist some Bible verses to make them mean something that they really didn’t say. He quoted from Psalm 91, saying that it promised Jesus protection if He jumped from the highest point of the Temple. But Jesus knew what the rest of the Old Testament had to say, and He knew that it would be wrong and foolish to jump off a high place and expect God to protect Him. That would be testing God. Again Jesus overcame the devil by knowing, believing, saying and obeying God’s Word.

Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t give in to any of Satan’s temptations? If He had, you and I couldn’t have been saved!

Q. What temptations have you faced in the last week? Did you give in or resist? What can you do the next time you face the same temptation?

Q. When you are tempted, does that mean that the devil himself is in your presence, right beside you, suggesting that you do the wrong thing?

A. No, the devil can only be in one place at one time. One of Satan’s evil spirits might be present who is tempting you. However, the Bible says that temptation comes “from the lure of our evil desires” (James 1:14). That means we can be tempted without the help of Satan or one of his evil spirits.

Application: When we face a temptation to do wrong, we should think of what God has said to do. If we don’t know, we should find out what God has said to do. Then we should do it.

John the Baptist had a group of disciples with whom he was very close. They were men who were very excited that the Messiah was about to appear, and John shared with them everything he knew about spiritual things. Together, they were anticipating that they would soon meet the Savior of the world.

When John saw the Holy Spirit come upon Jesus, he knew that Jesus was the one they’d been waiting for, and he undoubtedly told his disciples soon after. Jesus, however, departed for the desert immediately after He was baptized, where He spent forty days. Thus John never had the opportunity to point at Jesus and tell anyone who He was. After the forty days, Jesus returned to a place where John was baptizing, and John began pointing Him out as “the Lamb of God.” Two of John’s disciples were the very first people who learned this wonderful news. One of those two was Andrew, and the other is unnamed in today’s reading, but many people think he may have been John, who became one of Jesus’ twelve disciples and who wrote the Gospel of John.

When people find out that Jesus is the Son of God, they naturally want their friends and families to know also, and so Andrew went and told his brother, Simon. Then he brought Simon to Jesus, and amazingly, Jesus already knew his name! Jesus also told him that one day people would call him a different name, Peter, which means “rock.” Jesus knew the Holy Spirit would change Simon into a man who would be firm in his faith and hard to move, like a rock. God would use him in a mighty way to lay the foundation of the early church.

When Philip brought his friend Nathanael to meet Jesus, Nathanael was surprised that Jesus also knew some things about him. Jesus knew he was a very honest man, and He apparently had a vision of Nathanael sitting under a fig tree where Philip found him. Because of this, Nathanael was immediately convinced that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus promised him that he would one day be in heaven and see angels. That’s something to which everyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God can look forward!

Q. As we learned from reading about Peter and Nathanael, God knows everything about you, including your personality, your past, present and future. How should that affect your relationship with Him?

A. It should motivate you to obey Him, trust Him, and want to get to know Him better. It should encourage you to seek His direction for your life.

Q. All the men we read about today, except Nathanael, became members of Jesus’ band of twelve disciples. Many people think that Nathanael was also called Bartholomew, and if he was, then he, too, became one of the twelve. Can you think of any reason why Jesus may have chosen those men rather than others?

A. One obvious reason Jesus chose them was because they were very interested in Him. God chooses and uses spiritually hungry people.

Application: Like Peter, the more we get to know Jesus, the more we’ll be changed to become like Jesus. We can trust that Jesus is going to complete the good work He’s begun in us.

John had baptized many people who had repented and believed his message that the Messiah would soon appear. When Jesus came to be baptized, John didn’t yet realize that He was the Messiah, so it wasn’t for that reason that he was hesitant to baptize Jesus. He must have been hesitant because, when he compared himself to perfect and sinless Jesus, his own sinfulness was evident. That is why John suggested that Jesus baptize him! This reveals to us that Jesus had a reputation of being a very holy person, which we would have expected anyway since we know Jesus never sinned.

It was right after John baptized Jesus that John saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Him in the form of a dove. God had foretold John that when he saw that happen, it would reveal the person who was the Savior. Can you imagine how John felt at that moment when Jesus came up out of the water? His own relative, the most holy person he had ever met, was actually God’s Son! For thirty years Jesus had kept it a secret! From then on John began to tell everyone that Jesus was the Son of God. The secret was out!

John also understood something about the main reason why Jesus became a man, because he began referring to Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). For thousands of years the people of Israel had sacrificed lambs during every Passover, just as God had commanded. But those lambs only served to prefigure Jesus, who would die for everyone’s sins, not just covering them, but, as John said, taking them away. If you are a believer in Jesus, you should know that He has taken away your sins. In God’s eyes, you aren’t just a sinner who was found guilty and then forgiven, you are a new person who has been declared “not guilty”! Wow!

Q. Why didn’t John call Jesus “Lord” when he objected to baptizing Him?

A. Because John didn’t know at that point that Jesus was Lord.

Q. Why do you think Jesus wanted to be baptized by John like everyone else?

A. It couldn’t have been because Jesus needed to repent like everyone else, because He was sinless. Jesus told John that He should be baptized in order to “do everything that is right” (Matthew 3:15). Some people (including myself) think that Jesus was baptized as a way of foreshadowing His death on the cross. Picture it this way: Thousands of sinful people being baptized in the Jordan River, washing their dirty sins into the water, and then Jesus, who was clean and sinless, going down into the water and coming up with everyone’s sins on Him. That is what happened on the cross, when Jesus took the sins of the world on Himself and suffered as our substitute.

Application: Once we realize and believe, just as John the Baptist did, that Jesus is the Son of God, we need to tell other people, especially those who are searching for the truth. 

Jesus appeared to His disciples enough times over a period of forty days that all of them became convinced that He had risen from the dead. They were not just having visions, and no one was impersonating Jesus. The apostle Paul informs us in his letter to the Corinthians that Jesus once appeared to over five hundred people at one time (see 1 Corinthians 15:6)!

First, it was Jesus’ plan that His disciples would soon begin to take the gospel to the whole world, and He wanted them to begin in Jerusalem and Judea. Because most of the people living in those places were Jews, it was important for Jesus’ disciples to understand the many messianic scriptures in the Old Testament so they could prove that He was the promised Messiah. Jesus said that there were things written about Him in Moses’ books, the first five books of the Bible, as well as in the books of the prophets and Psalms. He then opened their minds to understand those many scriptures.

Second, it was important that Jesus’ disciples proclaim the message Jesus wanted proclaimed. So He made it very clear to them. They should tell people that He had suffered, died and risen three days later. Now, forgiveness of sins was being offered to anyone who would repent of his sins, and believe in Him. That is the message Jesus still wants us to proclaim.

Finally, Jesus knew His disciples needed supernatural help to be successful in proclaiming the gospel and making disciples. So He promised to send them the Holy Spirit so they would be filled with power. Just a few days later, the Holy Spirit came suddenly upon one hundred and twenty of Jesus’ disciples, and they all began speaking in foreign languages, speaking of the wonderful things God had done. This was a sign that got the attention of a lot of people in Jerusalem, and as a result, three thousand people turned to the Lord, many of whom were foreign visitors. This miracle of speaking in other languages was also probably a reminder to Jesus’ disciples that the Holy Spirit was being given to them because God loves every different ethnic group, and God wants the gospel taken to all of them.

The story of Jesus’ life and ministry certainly doesn’t end with His ascension into heaven. In fact, Luke began the book of Acts by stating that his Gospel was only an account of everything Jesus “began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1, emphasis added). Jesus continued to work after His ascension by using His people. Jesus is still working today through everyone who believes in Him, and the most wonderful thing in the entire world is to be used by God.

Q. Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Lord, are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?” (Acts 1:6). What were they hoping for and why were they hoping for it?

A. It was foretold in the Old Testament that a time would come when the Messiah would rule over Israel on David’s throne. During that messianic age, Israel would become an exalted nation, but when the disciples asked Jesus their question, Israel was under the domination of the Roman Empire. Because the disciples believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah, they expected that Jesus would soon usher in the promised age. Jesus, however, knew that the kingdom age was still a long time away. There was still much to be done before then. Because Jesus’ kingdom was not a political but a spiritual kingdom, it was first necessary that people submit to Him, the King. That would occur as the disciples proclaimed the gospel. Then, according to God’s predetermined plan, Jesus will one day rule the world from Jerusalem.

Application: Two angels promised Jesus’ disciples that He would return to the earth just as He had departed from the earth. That promise hasn’t been fulfilled yet, or you can be sure we’d know it! But it will come to pass! We should live every day of our lives in anticipation of that day.

On one of the occasions when Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples in Galilee, He told them what He wanted them to do for the remainder of their lives. It would be their job to make disciples of all the nations. The Greek word translated “nations” could be better translated, “ethnic groups,” which is a group of people who are distinct from other groups by virtue of their culture, circumstances, language or the location where they live. For example, many Americans think that all Chinese people are part of the same ethnic group, but there are many different minorities living in China. America itself is made up of many ethnic groups, and God wants us to make disciples among them all. In order for that to happen, someone from one culture has to purposely cross over a cultural line, showing love for people who are different. At present, there are thousands of ethnic groups in the world without a single Christian among them. No one is trying to reach them with the good news of Jesus Christ. If a person within one of those un-reached groups wanted to find out about Jesus, he would have to cross a culture to find out. Our prayers and money should be directed toward those un-reached groups of people. And if God sends us to one of them, we should go.

Notice also that Jesus doesn’t want just converts made; He wants disciples. Disciples are true believers in Christ; thus they are obedient followers. Jesus said they should be baptized, which would be the first indication of their true faith, and that they should be taught to obey His commandments. Of course, one of those commandments which they should teach their disciples was the commandment Jesus gave for disciples to make disciples. Every true believer in Christ should be doing what he can to make disciples. That is not a job that God has given only to pastors.

From Mark’s Gospel we learn that there should be certain supernatural signs that follow those who believe. Jesus listed five. The first one is that they will cast out demons in His name. Every believer has the authority to cast out demons if the need arises.

Second, Jesus said that believers would speak in new tongues. According to the pattern found in the book of Acts, speaking in tongues is something every believer should expect to experience when he is baptized in the Holy Spirit.

The next sign Jesus mentioned was the safe handling of poisonous snakes. He certainly did not mean that Christians should pass around poisonous snakes during church services, because that would be the same as testing God, and there is no record of such a thing being done by the early church in the book of Acts. However, Luke did record that Paul was once accidentally bitten by a deadly snake and suffered no harm. That is more likely the kind of thing Jesus had in mind. He knew that snakes might bite those who would be carrying the gospel to remote places.

The fourth sign Jesus mentioned is probably in the same category. Jesus promised no harm to believers who drank poisonous liquids. As they take the gospel to other places, believers might accidentally drink something poisonous, or unbelievers might intentionally poison their water. In those cases, believers could claim Jesus’ promise.

The fifth sign that should follow believers is the healing of others as they lay their hands upon them. This does not mean that every single sick person upon whom a believer lays his hands will be healed. But it does indicate that God wants to use all believers in healing others. In the context of Jesus’ command to preach the gospel to everyone, this fifth sign should also be considered an aid to effective evangelism. Divine healing can get people’s attention to listen to the gospel. We read in the very last verse of Mark’s Gospel that God worked with the first disciples by confirming their words with miraculous signs. No doubt many of those signs were the five that Jesus listed, and the record of the book of Acts proves this to be so.

Q. Jesus promised His disciples that He would be with them always, even to the end of the age. Soon after He made that promise, He left them to sit at the right hand of God the Father. Did He break His promise?

A. No, Jesus didn’t break His promise. He only departed physically. However, spiritually He now lives within every believer. That is why Paul wrote, “I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Besides that, God is omnipresent, which means His presence is everywhere. In that sense, Jesus is always with us as well.

Q. In Mark’s Gospel, we read that everyone who believes the good news about Jesus and is baptized will be saved. Does this mean that a person who believes in Jesus but who dies before being baptized goes to hell?

A. No, it does not. However, it does indicate to us that true believers in Jesus will want to obey Him, and since He commanded all who believe in Him to be baptized, people who profess to believe in Him but who refuse to be baptized prove their faith is not genuine.

Application: As believers, our job is not just to wait for the time we’ll go to heaven but, our job is to work for Jesus, helping to expand His kingdom. Are you doing something to help?

Luke tells us that, after His crucifixion, Jesus appeared to His disciples from time to time over a period of forty days, talking to them about the Kingdom of God (see Acts 1:3). Soon after His second appearance, Jesus’ disciples left Jerusalem at His orders and went back to the region of Galilee (see Matthew 26:32; 28:7,10; 28:16).

Three years earlier, Peter, Andrew, James and John had left their fishing nets on the shore of the Sea of Galilee to follow the man who did miracles. Now, back in Galilee, Peter decided to go fishing again, and six of Jesus’ disciples joined him.

After fishing all night and catching nothing, at dawn, Jesus appeared on the shore. The disciples didn’t recognize Him, either because He was too far away, or because God supernaturally prevented them from recognizing Him, just as He had done with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. However, once they followed His simple instructions and succeeded in catching an amazing quantity of fish, they realized who He was.

Peter may well have had a flashback of his other miraculous catch of fish three years earlier when he first encountered Jesus. This new catch was perhaps a sign that was intended to assure him of Jesus’ love, regardless of the condemnation he still felt in his heart for denying his Lord.

Remember that Peter had previously boasted that even if all the other disciples deserted Jesus, he would not, even claiming his willingness to go to prison and die if need be (see Matthew 26: 33-35; Luke 22:33). It was a claim that he loved the Lord more than the others. But his actions proved that his love wasn’t nearly as devoted as he’d thought.

Apparently during the other times that Jesus had appeared when Peter was present, the issue of what Peter had done had not been raised. Peter hadn’t confessed his sin, and Jesus hadn’t mentioned it either, waiting for the appropriate time. He wanted to be alone with Peter so as not to humiliate him. And He first wanted Peter to be assured that His love was unchanged. Peter had to be confronted, but Jesus didn’t want the confrontation to crush him. Peter already felt condemned in his heart for what he’d done. He probably wondered if his relationship with Jesus could ever be the same. Would the Lord ever trust him again, or use him in the ministry? The very fact that he had decided to go fishing may have been an indication that he was considering returning to his old vocation, thinking he had disqualified himself for the Lord’s service.

So after a breakfast of fish and bread that Jesus prepared and served, again demonstrating His undying love for the disciples who deserted Him, Jesus privately asked Peter a question, to which He, of course, already knew the answer. “Do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15). What were the “these” Jesus was referring to? Probably the other disciples. Jesus was asking, “Do you still claim to love Me more than they do?”

Peter’s response, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you” (John 21:15), is better understood if we know something about the original Greek language in which he and Jesus conversed. The word Jesus used that is translated “love” is the word agapeo, which is a deep, self-sacrificing love. Peter responded by using the Greek word phileo, which is a lesser love of friendship. Jesus asked Peter, “Do you still believe that you love Me with a love that is more self-sacrificing than the other disciples?”

A few days earlier, Peter would have responded with a proud, “Yes!” But now he realized that Jesus knew him better than he knew himself. With a sigh of acknowledgement, he replied, “Yes, Lord, You know the truth. I’ve proven that my love for You doesn’t go beyond the love of friendship.” Peter had confessed his pride.

But Jesus didn’t condemn Peter as Peter was condemning himself. He knew Peter loved Him more than what Peter now thought. He’d left everything behind to follow Jesus and had repeatedly obeyed Him for three years. Wanting Peter to know that He still believed in him and still had a plan to use him, Jesus replied, “Then feed my lambs” (John 21:15). Jesus was saying, “It isn’t My plan for you to be a fisherman for the rest of your life, because I’ve called you to serve Me.”

Jesus then asked Peter another question: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” (John 21:16). He again used the word agapeo, but didn’t add the “more than these.” This question and its related commandment are perhaps an indication that Peter had indeed decided to quit the ministry. Jesus wanted Peter to realize that he couldn’t do that, regardless of whether his love was the agape or phileo kind. Peter’s answer was, again, self-condemning: “Yes, Lord, You know that I obviously only possess a phileo love for You.” But Jesus believed Peter’s love was greater than that, and He wanted Peter to believe it too, and so He commanded him, “Take care of my sheep” (John 21:16). Jesus was saying, “Your evaluation of yourself doesn’t matter; only Mine does. I believe in you, and to prove it, I’m entrusting My very own sheep to your care.”

Finally, Jesus again asked Peter if he loved Him, but this third time, Jesus used the word phileo. Jesus, of course, didn’t now doubt that Peter possessed a phileo kind of love for Him. Rather, He was trying to help Peter understand himself. It grieved Peter that Jesus had questioned his phileo for Him, and he objected to the question. “Lord, You know everything,” he replied. “You know I phileo You,” defending and yet still condemning himself. The hurt Peter felt at the question would help him to see that he did possess a heart-felt devotion for Jesus. And again, Jesus wanted him to realize that He knew Peter better than Peter knew himself. Jesus’ evaluation is all that matters, and His faith in Peter was unchanging. “Feed my sheep,” Jesus commanded him.

Concluding their conversation, Jesus, the One who knew that Peter would deny Him three times, the One who knew Peter better than he knew himself, also knew how Peter would die. And in his death, Peter would prove his agape love for his Lord. So Jesus told him how he would glorify God by martyrdom, conveying to Peter that his past failure had no bearing on his future.

In the process of a few days, Peter had gone from overestimating his love to underestimating it. Just as Peter’s appraisal of himself a few days before had been wrong and Jesus’ appraisal had proved to be true, now, again, Peter’s appraisal was wrong, and Jesus’ would prove true. Peter’s pendulum of perception had swung from pride to self-condemnation, but Jesus realigned it.

Q. Jesus gave Peter three commandments in today’s reading: 1) Feed my lambs, 2) Take care of my sheep, and 3) Feed my sheep. What do you think He meant?

A. Lambs and sheep represent those who believe in Jesus, some spiritual babies and some more mature in their faith. Feeding them is symbolic of teaching them the Word of God, and taking care of them represents a concern for their wellbeing, spiritually and in every other way. Jesus needs those in His body who will do just that, and He calls certain individuals for that purpose.

Q. Because of what Jesus said to Peter about John, many thought that John wouldn’t ever die. Why did they misunderstand?

A. Because they added to what Jesus actually said, making an assumption. We should be careful that we don’t make the same mistake, as Christians are often known to do.

Application: Jesus believed the best about Peter in spite of his failures. And He lifted Peter out of condemnation, showing him mercy and giving him hope for the future. Jesus also knew the sins and mistakes you would commit before you committed them, but He still loves you. And He doesn’t want our failures to be stumbling blocks. Rather, He wants them to be stepping-stones. The answer to all our problems is gaining Jesus’ perspective.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all record the story of Jesus’ resurrection, and when we read them without careful comparison, they seem to be contradictory. However, upon closer examination, we see that all four Gospel writers told different details of the same event, and the four accounts can be reconciled.

There were at least three women, and Luke indicates that there were more (see Luke 24:10), who had agreed to meet together to anoint Jesus’ body at daybreak on the first Easter Sunday. They apparently did not all arrive at the tomb at the same time, and it seems that Mary Magdalene, either alone or with two other companions, arrived first while it was still dark (see John 20:1). Sometime before they arrived, however, an angel had moved the stone from the tomb’s entrance and sat upon it, paralyzing the Roman guards with fear. When Mary and her companions arrived, the angel had disappeared, but it’s very possible that the Roman soldiers were still lying unconscious on the ground. If that was the case, Mary may have assumed that they’d been killed.

Upon discovery that the stone had been rolled from the entrance to the tomb, Mary, apparently by herself, ran to tell Peter and John, while her companions remained at the tomb. They entered it and immediately saw an angel, who said to them, “Don’t be afraid! … I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come; see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples he has been raised from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember, I have told you” (Matthew 28:5-7). The two women immediately ran from the tomb to find the disciples.

Shortly thereafter, a second group of women arrived and found the same scene. They entered the tomb and immediately noticed Jesus’ body was missing and wondered what had happened. But suddenly, two angels appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and fell on their faces to the ground, and the angels said to them, “Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead! Don’t you remember he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again the third day?” (Luke 24:5-7). That second group of women also fled to tell Jesus’ disciples.

By that time, Mary Magdalene had found Peter and John, and told them, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!” (John 20:2). Both men immediately ran to the tomb and, upon entry, saw the linen cloth that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had wrapped around Jesus’ body lying there. It was an empty cocoon, and John realized then that no one had stolen Jesus’ body! He had been raised from the dead. Peter, however, still had doubts (see Luke 24:12). They then went back to where they had been staying, while the other disciples were also being informed of what happened by the women who had seen the angels.

Shortly thereafter, Mary again arrived at the tomb and stood weeping at its entrance, still clueless about what had happened. Finally, she also stooped and peered into the tomb, and saw two angels sitting at the head and foot of where Jesus’ body had been lying. This time, either the angels didn’t appear as majestic as when the first women had seen them, or Mary was so emotionally distraught that what she was seeing didn’t fully register in her mind. They asked her, “Why are you crying?” and she responded, “Because they have taken away my Lord and I don’t know where they have put him” (John 20:13). But they didn’t respond to her because the Lord Himself wanted to tell her the good news.

Mary glanced over her shoulder as she was still stooped down at the tomb’s entrance and saw someone standing behind her. He, too, asked her, “Why are your crying? …Who are you looking for?” (John 20:15).

Thinking He was the gardener, Mary said, “Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him” (John 20:15).

Jesus then said, “Mary!” She turned toward Him, and realizing who He was, embraced Him, hardly believing what was happening. Jesus told her, “Don’t cling to me, for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God” (John 20:17). And so she headed back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples the good news. Apparently, on her way, another woman joined her, and Jesus appeared to them both. As they clasped His feet and worshiped Him, He instructed them to tell His disciples to go to Galilee where He would appear to them (see Matthew 28:9-10).

Unfortunately, none of the disciples, with the exception of John, believed the reports of any of the women. They were still mourning and weeping (see Mark 16:10-11) when they should have been rejoicing! But they, too, would soon be convinced that Jesus had been raised from the dead!

Q. Jesus had told the repentant thief that they would be together that very day in paradise. But, three days later, Jesus told Mary that He had not yet ascended to the Father. Did Jesus lie to the repentant thief?

A. No, Jesus never lies. He told His disciples that He would spend three days and nights in the heart of the earth (see Matthew 12:40). Considering other scriptures, it is thought that there must have been a place called Paradise in the heart of the earth where Old Testament saints went when they died. It is also thought that Jesus emptied that place when He ascended into heaven. Now, when a Christian dies, he goes to heaven.

Q. The Jewish leaders bribed the guards to spread the story that the disciples stole Jesus’ body while they were asleep. What makes that story so difficult to believe?

A. First, why weren’t the guards awakened when the stone was rolled away? Second, what were they doing sleeping, when Roman law would execute guards if they were caught sleeping while on duty? Third, if they were sleeping, how did they know what had happened?

Application: Jesus’ resurrection was more than just a miracle. It was God’s ultimate proof that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God, and a sign to us that the penalty for our sins has been fully paid and accepted by God.

Both Jesus and the angels who appeared to various women on the first Easter morning had told them to tell Jesus’ disciples to go to Galilee. There He would appear to them. However, because virtually none of the disciples believed the report of the women, none of them left Jerusalem for Galilee. Jesus was going to have to convince them personally that He had risen from the dead.

So Jesus appeared to Peter, although we don’t know any details of that appearance. Next, He appeared to two of His disciples as they journeyed to Emmaus, a village about seven miles from Jerusalem. God prevented them from recognizing Him at first, and Jesus pretended not to know anything about what had happened in Jerusalem over the past few days. They expressed their sadness about Jesus’ death, explaining that they had hoped He was the Messiah, and were wondering about the reports of His resurrection. Finally, quoting many scriptures, Jesus explained to them that the Old Testament had predicted the Messiah would suffer just as He had, and that He would be resurrected. How privileged they were to be a part of that Bible study! It began to dawn on them that the reports they’d heard about His resurrection had to be true, because that was what God had foretold.

The moment God opened the eyes of the two disciples to realize that it was Jesus who was with them, He disappeared. Filled with joy, they hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the eleven disciples and other followers of Jesus what had happened. When they arrived, they were immediately told that Jesus had appeared to Peter! As they related their experience, Jesus appeared to them all!

Jesus’ appearances were not visions, or just pictures in the people’s minds. Jesus was actually present physically when He made His appearances. He was able to appear and disappear at will and travel from place to place instantly and invisibly.

When Jesus appeared to all His disciples, it frightened them terribly because they thought they were seeing a spirit or ghost. But Jesus proved to them that He really was there in a physical body by allowing them to touch Him, and by eating a piece of fish in their presence. When they realized it was really Jesus, they were elated!

Thomas was not present at that gathering, and when he heard the report, he became suspicious that someone who was impersonating Jesus had deceived his friends. How did they know it was really Jesus they had seen? Two of the disciples spent several hours with Him without recognizing Him. Perhaps it was someone who just looked very much like Jesus.

They probably told him that they were sure it was Jesus because He showed them the nail prints in His hands and the wound in His side. So Thomas stated that he would not believe Jesus was alive unless four conditions were met. First, he had to see Jesus for himself. Second, he had to see the nail marks in His hands. Third, to be certain those nail marks weren’t just painted on His skin, he had to put his finger in the holes. Finally, to be sure the wound in Jesus’ side wasn’t also just the work of an artist, he had to put his hand in the spear hole.

The next time Jesus appeared to His disciples, Thomas was with them, and for several reasons he was immediately convinced that Jesus was alive. First, the doors were all locked, so there was no way for an impersonator to gain entrance. Second, Jesus suddenly appeared right in their midst. He didn’t walk in from another room. He was suddenly there. Third, Jesus instructed Thomas to put his finger in the nail holes and his hand in the wound in His side. If He was an impersonator, He was collaborating with the other disciples, because at least one had informed Him of Thomas’s previous words. Otherwise, this person was obviously the all-knowing Lord.

The evidence was overwhelming, and Thomas confessed that Jesus was his Lord and God.

Q. Thomas has been nicknamed “Doubting Thomas” for obvious reasons. However, was Thomas any more a doubter than the rest of the disciples?

A. Not really. The biblical record indicates that none of the eleven, with the exception of John, believed the women’s reports of Jesus’ resurrection, and John believed only because he personally saw the empty cocoon of Jesus’ body wrappings. Furthermore, John recorded that when Jesus first appeared to all the disciples, He showed them the wounds in His hands and side, an obvious attempt to convince them that it was really He they were seeing (see John 20:20). So it’s really unfair to label only Thomas as one who doubted.

Q. Is there any reason to be glad that Jesus’ disciples were so doubtful?

A. Yes. Their skepticism provides fuel for our faith. Because we know they weren’t easily convinced, we are all the more certain that their testimony of Jesus’ resurrection is the truth.

Application: Jesus promised, “Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway” (John 20:29). Although we, unlike Thomas and the rest of Jesus’ original disciples, haven’t actually seen Him after His resurrection, our faith can rest firmly in the testimonies of those who have seen Him, especially since we know that they weren’t easily convinced themselves. We’re blessed!

When people were nailed to a cross in Roman times, all of their weight was suspended on the nails through their wrists and hands. The muscles in their arms and legs were severely stressed and soon became exhausted, resulting in the dislocation of shoulder bones and a tightening of the rib cage. This made breathing a difficult task, and victims would find themselves attempting to hoist themselves on the nails from which they dangled in order to get enough air into their lungs to stay alive. Because the Jews didn’t want three crucified men screaming outside the city walls on a special Sabbath, they requested that Pilate order their legs broken. This would make it impossible for the condemned men to exert any pressure from their legs to hoist themselves for air, and they would quickly die from lack of oxygen.

Pilate granted their request, but when the soldiers arrived to carry out their gruesome task, they found that Jesus was already dead, so there was no need to do to Him what they did to the other two men. This fulfilled what God had spoken to the people of Israel, forbidding them to break any bones of their Passover lambs. As the Lamb of God, none of Jesus’ bones were broken either.

One of the soldiers, however, did thrust his spear in Jesus’ side to make certain of His death, and John, an eyewitness, said that he saw blood and water flow out. Modern medical authorities tell us this indicates that a ruptured heart was the actual cause of Jesus’ death. This incident also offered further proof that Jesus was the Messiah, as it fulfilled a scripture in the book of Zechariah that foretold the Messiah would be pierced (see John 19:37).

Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish council that condemned Jesus, but one who had not agreed with the council’s decision, requested Pilate’s permission to take Jesus’ body down from the cross. He and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus’ body with a long linen cloth along with about seventy-five pounds of embalming ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Jesus’ body looked like a mummy. Then they placed it in Joseph’s own tomb that had been cut out of rock, like a small cave, and rolled a large stone, also specially cut for the tomb, across its opening. According to other Gospel accounts, a number of women who had come with Jesus from Galilee, including Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary, watched as Jesus was buried, planning to return at a later date with other spices and perfumes to anoint His body.

By requesting a guard to be stationed at Jesus’ tomb in order to prevent His body from being stolen, the chief priests and Pharisees actually helped authenticate Jesus’ resurrection. Had there been no guard posted, they could have easily claimed His disciples stole Jesus’ body, a simple task to accomplish if there was no guard to prevent it. However, since there was a guard posted, they had to concoct a less believable story, claiming that Jesus’ disciples were able to roll away a large stone and steal Jesus’ body without waking sleeping soldiers, who by Roman law would have been executed for falling asleep while on watch!

Q. Some skeptics have theorized that when Mary returned to Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning, she mistakenly went to the wrong place, finding an empty tomb that was not the one in which Jesus had been buried. How do we know that theory is false?

A. First, because Mary saw exactly where Jesus was buried, and so did a number of other women who returned together on the first Easter morning. If Mary was mistaken, so were the other women. We also know, according to John’s Gospel, that Jesus’ tomb was very near the place of His crucifixion, making it highly unlikely for Mary and her companions to make a mistake. Others visited the empty tomb also, and no one suggested that they were at the wrong place. Finally, if anyone had wanted to disprove the fact of Jesus’ resurrection (and many did), all they would have needed to do was locate the actual tomb, roll away the stone, and pull out Jesus’ dead body. But no one ever did because there was no doubt His body was gone, which is why the Jewish leaders had to make up a story to explain where the body went.

Q. Why do you think that Christians often refer to the day of Jesus’ death as “Good Friday”?

A. Although the events that surrounded Jesus’ death were not good at all, and although Jesus suffered immeasurably, and although His death was a sad thing to His first disciples, we now know that Jesus died for our sins on the cross. And that is the best thing that has ever happened to us!

Application: Although Jesus’ body was dead, His spirit was very much alive. He waited for three days in paradise for the moment when He would be reunited with His resurrected body and walk out of His tomb. The world was in for a shock!