Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 314: Authority

Good evening, everyone!

Today I read John 19-21.

A lot happened in today's reading, including the most important: Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.

But what I want to talk about happens before that.

John 19: 6-15:

So when the chief priests and the officers saw [Jesus], they cried out saying, "Crucify, crucify!" Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God."

Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.

So Pilate said to Him, "You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?"

Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."

As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, "If You release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar."

Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!" So they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."

Pilate declared that he found no fault with Jesus.

And the people declared that they had no king but Caesar.

Jesus declared that Pilate had no authority over Him unless given from above. No one had authority over Him that was not given by the Father.

And so Jesus went to His cross, willingly submitting to the Father's authority, as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, so that we could be with Him and the Father in heaven for eternity.

So Jesus died on the cross, and Joesph of Arimathea claimed the body. Nicodemus brought the burial oils and they buried Him.

Then, Mary Magdalene came on the first day of the week, after Jesus had been buried for three days, to find an empty tomb. At first, she was distraught, thinking someone had stolen Him. She ran and told two disciples, one of whom was Peter, and they came and looked. The disciples were also upset, not yet understanding.

Once the disciples left, two angels appeared and told Mary not to worry. Then Jesus Himself appeared to her, and seeing Him, she believed.

Then, He appeared to the disciples, and stayed with them a while longer, continuing to teach them, and give them their assignments.

Then, He ascended to the Father in heaven, where He acts as an intercessor for us, having all the authority the Father has given Him.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Acts 1-3.