Acts Introduction

Basics

Written by Dr. Luke who joined Paul on his second missionary journey in Acts 16:8-9 at Troas.
Luke was very detailed oriented, and personally interviewed a number of people to compose his account. He wrote it while Paul was in Prison at Rome about 60-62AD, to a man named Theophilus, “lover of God” who was likely some Roman official.  It’s also my thought that Luke was saved when Paul went to the see a doctor- ah providence, how inscrutable it is, how beyond understanding are all God’s design and His works.

Outline

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the traditional way to break out Acts is as follows:

1.       Acts 1-7 - The early work in Jerusalem to the Jews.

2.       Acts 8-11 - The gospel spreads to the Samaritans and Gentiles. (9 is about Paul’s conversion)

3.       Acts 12 - Persecution against the believers

4.       Acts 13-14 - First Missionary Journey: AD46-48.

5.       Acts 15:39-18:22 - Second Missionary Journey- AD49-52.

6.       Acts 18:23-21 - Third Missionary Journey- AD53-57.

7.       Acts27-28:16 - Fourth Missionary Journey- AD59-62. A boat ride. 

Specific Purpose

My take is that Theophilus is a judge, and this is an amicus curiae (friend of the court) letter, which testified to everything leading up to Paul’s disturbance in Jerusalem. This is why the council at Jerusalem is often in view in the Gospel of Luke, and why Acts ends where it does. This letter would explain historical Roman president in dealing with Paul, and would give an account of the personality of the opposition and defense of Christianity.  For this reason Luke includes the beating at Philippi and the council’s reaction of repentance (obviously indicating the right thing was to let him go free).  It also shows the positive reaction of a number of high ranking officials (Eunich, King of Samaria, Cornelius, Sergius Paulus, Gallio) and the negative result of a negative response (Bar Jesus, Simon, Sanhedrin)

My Outline

Acts can be divided into two sections. Before Luke the book is largely a collection of sermons.
After Luke joins Paul it is largely a record of what was done. This is much like a miniature of the Old Testament, where the Prophets record what is said (Isaiah, Jeremiah, 12 minor prophets) and the histories record what God did (Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra). In Acts the first half of the book has 15 gospel proclamations, the last half has only 5.

·         Peter at Pentecost Acts 2:14-40

·         Peter in the Temple Acts 3:12-26

·         Peter before the council Acts 4:8-12

·         Peter before the believers in prayer Acts 4:24-30

·         Peter before the council (again) Acts 5:29-32

·         Stephen before the council Acts 7:2-56

·         Peter to Simon Acts 8:20-23

·         Philip to the Ethiopian Acts 8:35-37

·         God to Peter Acts 10:13

·         Peter to Cornelius Acts 10:34-44

·         Peter to the Jewish Christians Acts 11:5-18

·         Paul to the Jewish synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia Acts 13:16-41, 46-47

·         Paul to Lystrian Gentiles Acts 14:15-17

·         Peter to the First Jerusalem council Acts 15:7-11

·         James to the First Jerusalem council Acts 15:14-21

176 of 560 verse are gospel proclamations – 31%

·         Paul to the Athenians Acts 17:22-31

·         Paul to the Jews at Jerusalem Acts 22:1-21

·         Paul to Felix Acts 24:10-21

·         Paul to Agrippa Acts 26:1-27

·         Paul to the Roman Jews Acts 28:20,25-28

72 of 447 verses, which are a mixture of gospel presentation and personal court testimony. 16%

The Larger Picture

The Gospels are the fulfillment of the promises to us about Christ. The Acts of the Apostles are the fulfillment of the promises about the Gentiles and the establishment of His everlasting Kingdom.

Romans 3:29 – Is He not the God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also

How do you know this is true using just the Old Testament? How do you know Acts is part of an organic whole of scripture?

·         Genesis 12:1a, 3c “Now the LORD said to Abram…in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed

·         Genesis 26:3b,4b- “I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father…in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed”

·         Genesis 28:13b,14c- “…I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac… in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

Now is obvious, the promises were to the Jews, so that the nations of the Earth would be blessed. Paul takes up the meaning of these three verses predominantly in two places:

Galatians 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Romans 4:9-11 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also… 14-16 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
And we might conclude with this thought: Romans 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

·         Deuteronomy 18:21 - I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry

·         Deuteronomy 32:21 They have made Me jealous with what is no god; they have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are no people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation   (See Acts 17:4-5)

·         Deuteronomy 32:43 Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people."  

·         Psalm 18:49 Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people."  

·         Psalms 117:1 Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol Him."

·         Psalm 138:4-5 Psalms 138:4-5- “All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.”

·         Isaiah 42:4 “The root of Jesse will come, even He who arises to rule the Gentiles; in Him will the Gentiles hope”

·         Isaiah 49:6- And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

·         Isaiah 52:15 “Those who have never been told of Him will see, and those who have never heard will understand” see Romans 15:22

·         Isaiah 65:1 I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me

·         Zechariah 8: 23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

·         Amos 9:11-12  In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

That then is what Acts is, we are watching the fulfillment of these prophecies.

1 Cor 6:12-7:13 class notes

 It falls to me to have the dubious honor of leading the class on the topic of sexuality. Considering that our society is in open rebellion to God by delaying marriage past college I’m very excited. Hurray.

Paul will now resume his discussion on sexual matters that he has put on pause since chapter 5. The argument for abstinence outside of marriage for the Christian is on four parts

1.       Sexual sin enslaves men into bondage

2.       It is against our union with Christ

3.       It defiles our bodies

4.       It is dishonoring to God

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything.

·         The Corinthians were quoting at him that in Christ all things are lawful, and he turns around and insists that while it may be true we can do something not all things are good and ought to be done.  Some things are downright bad and will certainly enslave you.  There is nothing wrong with smoking, except that it will enslave you.

13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

·         They quote at Paul again ‘food for the stomach and stomach for food’  Our appetites and sinful desires are like food which pass through us and don’t defile us.  Paul insists that this is valid only for things which are not eternal. 

·         The second point is that this only holds up for the created order.  The body was not made for prostitution or fornication, but for the Lord because He wants to display His glory in it. It ought to have a holy purpose.

14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.

·         This is the proof of the last statement, since it’s His body He will come back for us and raise us up a new body

15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

·         Is Christ in the habit of male prostitution? It’s reprehensible. Therefore since we are Christ’s body we should be pure like Him.

·         Romans 6:3 commands us not to use our bodies as instruments for unrighteousness.

16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.”

·         This quote taken from Genesis 2:24. In sex there is an equation where the two become one flesh.  Jesus should never be one flesh with a cult hooker.  It’s inconceivable. 

·         Sex combines the bodily delights of two people. In marriage this establishes their bond, in adultery it making and breaking it.

17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

·         The Gnostics taught that the body was disconnected to the soul. Paul here teaches that the soul is connected through the body.

·         Jesus prays in John 17:21 that they may be one as we are one.

18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

·         Some sins are spiritual only: Pride, laziness, greed. But this particular sin is the only one where the sin 100% involves the base animal desires of the flesh.

·         You are inside your body, but you are not your body. One day you will be torn from your body in death.  This particular sin is against that body which you inhabit. It’s 100% against you yourself. You are wrecking yourself.

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

·         You are not in command. God is over your life. Therefore you need to honor God who directs you. He bought you to live in your heart, you belong to Him.

7:1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman."

·         It’s likely they wanted an affirmation from Paul on this- it’s good for us to be abstinate.  Paul agrees but with a caveat.

·         The Corinthians had the idea that a celibate person had more time to be with God, was more holy.  Therefore even married people should not have sex.

·         It does not mean sex is bad that abstinence is good. We might say both eating and fasting are good together in their proper time.

2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

·         This however assumes that people are basically good and in control. That’s not the case.
      One man, one woman, in your heart, for life. This is good and sex inside this boundary is affirmed by God.

·         Our culture, and in this I mean especially young men, flee from marriage as if the whole institution was evil. This is remarkably wrong.

3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.

·         This is to you women (I’ve just hit a low point in my Bible teaching career by telling college women this) you must have sex with your husband as often as he wants it.  He has a right to your body. When you get married your headaches and whining and pushing him away, and multiple excuses, and general dislike of sex – that’s a sin. A big one if I do say so myself.   

4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

·         It’s his body, not yours.  As far as I can see you owe him a nice upkeep on it while you’re at it.
      When it goes the other way men, she gets the same rights.

5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

·         Paul offers a concession, if you desire to abstain from sex as a married couple, set aside a limited period of time, with a goal in mind.  You should not give it up just to give it up.
      Sexual abstinence can occasionally accomplish some good, but then again it’s more likely just to ruin your marriage.

·         Deprive is the word for defraud from earlier. If you withhold you are cheating your spouse.

·         Satan’s plan is to encourage sex outside of marriage and minimize sex inside of marriage.  If you are pushing your husband around, and telling him what he can’t do, and minimizing his feelings, you are severely sinning.  I suppose it works the other way around, but I can’t ever imagine a case where it would be true.

6  Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

·         What Paul is about to say is not a previously stated rule taken from other scriptures. But oddly enough, this is going to count as new scripture. He’s going to lay out a rule, and an exception with an explanation

8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am.
9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

·         Remain single, unless you can’t. If your heart longs for children and a husband and a noisy family that’s okay.

·         Bing single and happy is even better than married and happy, which is better than single and lustful.

·         At the time of writing Paul was single and since he was likely married before he could evaluate each fairly and come to a conclusion about it.

·         The Catholic church has ignored this warning and as a result only people not interested in marriage among whom are disproportionately child molesters are applying for the priesthood.

10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

·         God hates divorce. You can leave the other person’s presence, but you are still bonded to them.  If you divorce except for two reasons you are in violation of God’s law and pleasure.

·         The rigidity of divorce in God’s eyes is shocking. If you don’t like it be more careful who you marry.

·         Adultery is one, the other Paul is going to elaborate on: a non Christian leaving.

·         I’d venture to say that most of the divorces I have seen are just because the other person got bored, or were more excited about a person other than their spouse. This is flatly unacceptable to a Christian.

12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.

·         In Corinth they were having problems divorcing their non-believing spouses. This is not what God wanted from them.

2 Timothy 3

2Th 3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,

Paul is asking for prayers from his friends, that God would be honored where he carries the gospel.  Remember it was his desire to leave but the Holy Spirit urged him to stay in Corinth.
Unless they prayed the word of the Lord would not penetrate the region.  This is the critical importance of prayer

2Th 3:2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.

Paul also has no desire to be at the mercy of evil people. But notice these men are evil and wicked because they are faithless.  Faith and goodness are explicitly linked, we cannot be good without faith, there are no good people roaming the world who are not faithful to Christ.

2Th 3:3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one

A reminder that God is going to keep them, and preserve them from Satan. Men may be faithless but God is always faithful. God is the source of faith, the fount of faithfulness, and He will defend and protect His people.

2Th 3:4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.

The working of the Lord is for them to be able to do the things He commands.  He protects His Christians so that they would be able to do what He commands them through the apostle. Augustine prayed “Oh Lord help us to do what you commanded”

2Th 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Paul’s prayer for them is that the Lord will make them to meditate on the love of God and the immovability of Christ.  Love and patience.  We ought therefore, to reflect on the unchanging steadfastness of God as revealed in scriptures as the Lord has commanded us.

2Th 3:6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

Disassociate, cut off contact with Christians who are idle and habitually lazy.  Not merely an event, but a way of life (walking).  In 1 Thess 5 they were to warn these people, now they are to shun them.  Same thought of discipline is 1 Cor 5:4.  This is not merely a suggestion, this is a command from Christ Jesus, to disobey it is a sin. 

2Th 3:7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you,

Paul is not making an unreasonable request, but had demonstrated it himself, he was willing to work hard and be oppressed.  He is no hypocrite. 

2Th 3:8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.

Paul was also supported by the Philippians, likely he was using this money to be generous and help out the other brothers in need. He  did not want to see anyone have to pay to help him spread the gospel so long as he was able to do it himself- he did not want to burden the brothers and make it difficult on them.  

2Th 3:9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.

The worker deserved his wages 1 Tim 5:18, Luke 10:7, 1 Cor 9:9-10.  Paul had a right to support from them but chose to forgo it to be an example to them. He was in this way all things to all men.  

2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

The principle is at work in the Old Testament in Leviticus 19:9-10. We are to allow charity for people willing to work, but if they refuse to work let them refuse to eat also.  It won’t take long of being hungry to cure a lazy attitude.
God wants to provide for us through the ordinariness of life, of working. He desires to use His providence to make man experience the daily beauty of His care. Man was created as a slave, to work. 

2Th 3:11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.

They didn’t have an ability to contribute to the saints, and they got into each others business.  If you are a perpetual welfare recipient, stop. 
The Greek is a play on the word busy, ‘busy-bodies who do no busy-ness (business)’ the ESV tries to capture this.

2Th 3:12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

This is a direct command from Jesus. Do your work quietly, and provide for yourself. But also notice that they are to be encouraged.  Help them who are weak who want to do the right thing by encouraging them

2Th 3:13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.

This is also is an encouragement to persevere.  The ones who are already doing good must not be tired or sad, they are not to wear out but are to work even harder at doing good.

2Th 3:14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.

Not to be destroyed, or to be turned over to Satan, but explicitly to put them to shame. Shame is an emotion that God uses to spur us to do the right thing. It’s a cattle prod God uses to encourage us.
This command is beholden on the whole church, and every member in it.  This is an attempt to drive them back to Christ.

2Th 3:15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

The lazy people who refuse to work, they are still your brothers, they must still be treated in love, although they need a dose of stronger medicine

2Th 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

God is the Prince of peace Is 9:6. He loves peace, He Himself, personally gives us peace

2Th 3:17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write.

Paul has scribes write his letters for him as he verbally dictated them, but signed the last part of it to prove its genuineness

2Th 3:18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

The grace of the Lord be with all of us in everything we do. May He give us grace in our conversations, thoughts, actions. May we find His grace all around us, holding us up.

John 19 notes

• The 6^th hour is about noon. 12PM. Pilate was trying to stall the trial out, but nearing noon they become ferocious, demanding action.
• Imputed as unrighteous before Pilate. Given the sentence due Barabbas the murderer and terrorist, who got His sentence. Pilate testifies to His innocence.
• Let us also mind that unity is produced between Herod and Pilate. To unite apart from Christ and His doctrines is possible too.
• The people cry a rash vow, for His blood to be on them, as if all the other rash vows were not warning enough (see Judges)

Jhn 19:16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus,
Mar 15:20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross
Luk 23:26-31 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.  And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!'  Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
They thought nothing of compelling someone to this ignoble task.  Falling under the weight of it Jesus was utterly unable to carry the cross.  They carried it behind Him.
Christ does not rebuke the women so much as warn them that if they will kill Him the Lord of Glory, then they will certainly kill you.  Cursing your children is the lowest a person can go.  They need to wake up to the terrible reality of Divine Wrath coming.

Jhn 19:17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
Mar 15:23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.
Mat 27:34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.
North and west of the city is the hill of the main road.  He was taken outside the camp Heb 13:12, Lev 16:27 as the scape goat carrying the sins of the people.  They offer wine before they lay Him down, but He refuses.

Jhn 19:18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.
Mar 15:24-25,27 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.  And it was the third hour when they crucified him… And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left
Luk 23:34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
By the Jewish time: the First Hour was 6AM-9AM.  The second was 9-12. The third hour was 12-3.  So this was sometime between 9 and 12, with the appropriate time much closer to 12 than 9.  Jesus then intercedes on behalf of the people and soldiers. Notice that in between was the worst spot. See Isaiah 53:12.

Jhn 19:19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."
Mat 27:37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."
The total inscription would be: “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews”

Jhn 19:20-22 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but rather, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."
Pilate was preaching the Gospel here, in three languages, that Jesus was the King. From a definitive location, a real place in time, and was suffering as an innocent man.

Jhn 19:23-24 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." So the soldiers did these things,
Mat 27:36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there
The name card and the gambling are more or less simultaneous.  After they hung Him up they sit down and wait, having accomplished their duties.

Jhn 19:25-27 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Jesus was asking John to take care of His mother, but even more, was making a statement about the family of the Kingdom.

Mar 15:29-32 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross.
So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself.  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe."
Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.
Luk 23:36-37 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
We see four groups now mocking Him.  Those traveling into Jerusalem, the high priests, the soldiers, and the criminals on the cross.

Luk 23:39-43 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Somewhere in these three hours the man was forced to come to grips with his own mortality, his impending death, and himself. Likely he heard from the Roman guards, and understood from the Chief priests that this was Him, although he didn’t understand perfectly.  Death itself is not enough to shake man loose from His evil.  Jesus though hanging on the cross, is still the Lord of the Universe.

Mar 15:33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
Darkness came upon the land at about noon and lasted until about 3PM. The amount of time Jesus was on the cross the sun was eclipsed.

Mar 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Very near His death now Jesus cries out in despair, having been turned away by His Father. It is unthinkable.

Jhn 19:28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst."
As taken from Ps 22

Mar 15:36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down."
Jhn 19:29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.
They thought He was calling for Elijah, but He was in His right mind, still fulfilling scripture, in life and death. They ridiculed Him, joking that Elijah will come down and rescue Him. They have continually made sport of Christ.

Jhn 19:30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Tetalasti- paid in full.

Luk 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.
As taken from Ps31:5 Jesus quoted scripture to the last. His confidence in the Father is unabated to the end.

Mar 15:38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
We see that the ceremonial law was done for, that ceremony had been subsumed.  That Christ was now the end of righteousness for all who believe.  We will skip the portion of the dead rising, sufficing it to say that Jesus died so that the dead would rise, and they rose immediately so that it should be immediately obvious.

Mar 15:39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
Luk 23:47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent!"
The centurion declares too that Jesus was innocent of any crime, that He suffered must have been for us.  He sees this and knows Jesus was divine, he goes away thinking on the innocence of Christ.

Luk 23:48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.

Mar 15:40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. Mar 15:41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.
Women were nobodies.  It is interesting that John gives himself no credit, but says that only the women stood by Christ to the end.

Jhn 19:31-36 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. who saw it has borne witness--his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth--that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken."
To prove He had been dead for some time the soldiers pierced Him.  Water and blood flow out which symbolizes the water and blood that cleanses us. 

Jhn 19:37 And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced."

Jhn 19:38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body.

Mar 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Luk 23:51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God.
Joseph was secretly afraid no longer. Now with boldness he goes to embalm Christ before sundown. He was waiting for the Kingdom, which is high praise.

Mar 15:44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. Mar 15:45 And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph.  Mar 15:46 And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
Jhn 19:39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.
Jhn 19:40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
Nicodemus and Joseph then wrap and anoint Jesus and bury Him in a new tomb.

Luk 23:55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Luk 23:56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
This explains why they will go later to the tomb, they saw the two guys do it in a hurried and sloppy fashion.

Jhn 19:41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
Jhn 19:42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

What scriptures were fulfilled in this event?
What images were foreshadowed in this event. Explain the significance in the details
What was the meaning of Christs death?
What did it accomplish?
Why were there so many testimony’s to Christ’s innocence? Would not one or two be enough?
Why did Jesus die so quickly?