The earthly sojourn of our Lord was bounded by a recognition of his kingly estate. At his advent into the world, the Magi from the Eastern nations sought him out to present gold, frankincense and myrrh, traditional offerings bestowed upon monarchs. Their question upon arrival in Jerusalem, "Where is he that is born king of the Jews?" threw Herod and the entire city into a state of consternation. The cross upon which he died bore the, inscription, "This is Jesus the king of the Jews." Thus he entered the world and left it with testimony from others of his regal power. But the foreign astrologers and the Roman procurator were not the only ones who attested to the fact.
Early in his personal ministry, Jesus called Philip to follow him. Philip, in turn, located Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael asked, "How do you know me?" This seems to imply more than mere personal recognition. Nathanael sensed that Jesus could read and discern his heart, which was pure and sincere. Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." A. B. Bruce, in his Training of the Twelve, may be correct in the statement, "He was a man much addicted to the habits of devotion: he had been engaged in spiritual exercises under cover of a fig tree before he met with Jesus." In any event, Nathanael, being surprised at such prescience, burst out with, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus called Nathanael a true Israelite; Nathanael recognized him as the true King.
At the beginning of the week of his crucifixion, Jesus was given special honor by a large crowd. Those who had been present at the raising of Lazarus had given ample testimony of this notable feat, so that, when it was noised abroad that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, a great crowd went out to meet him. In preparation for this entrance Jesus had previously dispatched two of his disciples to an adjacent village, to secure an ass which they found tied, with her colt standing by. The ass and foal were brought and the disciples placed their garments upon the animals as a saddle. Riding upon these lowly domestic beasts, Jesus was met by a huge throng, and when they saw him, a great cry was raised, "Hosanna! Blessed be he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!"
The excitement of the occasion swelled and grew. Some cast their garments down, others bestrewed the road with palm branches, making a royal pathway of triumph. As Jesus rode along with the multitude pressing about him, and their cheers and salutes rending the air, the carping Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you can do nothing; look, the world has gone after him" (John 12:19). It is sad to recall that he who entered the city acclaimed as a king would be taken outside of it to be crucified in less than a week.
But the death of Jesus was essential to his kingship. This was an anomaly not appreciated by the Jewish leaders of his day. Yet a careful study of God's revelation must convince the eager student that in no other way could he become heir to the throne.
1. It is evident that the kingdom of God was invested in the Jewish economy prior to the death of Jesus. So long as the first covenant was effective it acted as a middle wall of partition, making impossible the achievement of God's ultimate purpose which was "a plan for the fulness of time to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth" (Eph. 1:10). The covenant was not to be destroyed but fulfilled, which required that its sacrifices reach their goal in the one great sacrifice to which they pointed. "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified" (Heb. 10:14). "Having canceled the bond which stood against us with its legal demands; this he set aside, nailing it to the cross" (Col. 2:14). The kingdom of the Messiah must have as a foundation promises superior to those under the first covenant. "Christ has obtained a ministry which is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since, it is enacted on better promises" (Heb. 8:6). For this reason "He abolishes the first in order to establish the second" (Heb. 10:9).
2. The kingdom of the Messiah was to be essentially one of peace. "Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end" (Isa. 9:7). "And I will make with you an everlasting covenant...for you shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace" (Isa. 55:12). "I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness" (Isa. 60:17). Since there can be no real peace among men until they are at peace with God, the prime objective was not to pacify those who would be the subjects of the kingdom, but to restore a proper relationship of all to God. Peace on earth can only come from peace in heaven. But peace can never rule in a heart that is filled with a guilt complex. Therefore, justification is required before a guilty sinner can be, at peace.
Every sin must carry with it a penalty, and there must either be expiation or the guilty must pay the penalty. "Since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace, as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith" (Rom. 3:24, 25). "Jesus our Lord was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Rom. 4:25) "Therefore since we are justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).
The cross of Christ is the rallying point for every soul blighted by sin. As men draw near to it they draw closer to each other. Peace is destroyed by selfishness and pride. The cross is a monument to the greatest act of unselfish devotion the world has ever seen. Here the pure died for the impure, the just for the unjust, the sinless for the sinner, the godly for the ungodly. No man can exalt himself at the cross where Jesus humbled himself and became obedient unto death. Upon that tree the Shepherd died for the sheep, the King for his subjects, the Captain for his soldiers, and the Master for his slaves. No wonder that those who were once segregated by hatred extend hands of peace to each other.
"Now in Christ you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility...and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to you who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father" (Eph. 2:13-18). Hostility is ended, reconciliation is accomplished, and nearness achieved, through the cross. In Christ there was no divided purpose; in him our own hearts merge and flow together. Mutual access to the Father means mutual success in winning peace.
3. The citizens of the kingdom were to be those who were ransomed or redeemed. The price of redemption was the blood of him whose loyal subjects they were to be. Thus their obedience would be prompted by love. "The Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life. a ransom for many" (Mt. 20:28). "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all" (1 Tim. 2:5, 6). "Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2:14). "You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot" (1 Pet. 1:18, 19).
A consideration of these factors cements together those who acknowledge the sovereignty of the Messiah. All were enslaved, all were captives of sin, all stood equally in need of redemption. In this particular no one in the kingdom has any ground for pride or arrogance. The universal recognition of helplessness and dependency, the sense, of his overwhelming and abiding love, these work together for the glory of God and our own unity as kindred spirits. Only an event of supreme importance could achieve this result. Such an event was the death of the Messiah. "For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all, therefore all have died. And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised" (2 Cor. 5:14, 15).
4. The great enemy of souls is "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan" (Rev. 20:2). As the opposer of all that is good, he seeks to thwart the purpose of God with reference to the kingdom. The great struggle is described as war upon the battlements of heaven. "Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down'" (Rev. 12:7-10).
It was fitting that as a prelude to his reign, the Son of God, should grapple with the arch-fiend of the ages, and do so upon his own territory, that of death. If, after he was "crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men," motivated by Satan, he could be kept imprisoned by the bonds of death, the purpose of God would be forever frustrated. On the other hand, if Jesus willingly submitted to death and could not be held by its bonds, the power of Satan would be broken. "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifetime bondage" (Heb. 2:14,15).
No other man could make this test, for all were doomed to death by virtue of their own sin. In every one of them the ruler of this world had fastened the venomed sting of sin whose end is death. Only Jesus could say, "The ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me" (John 14:30). He owed nothing to death, and thus he could voluntarily surrender his life as the supreme test of power over Satan. "I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father" (John 10:18). Death could not retain him. "But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it" (Acts 2:24).
In triumph, Jesus could say, "I am the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades" (Rev. 1:18). Thus it is affirmed that he "abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Tim. 1:10). The grapple with Satan in the realm of death, and the successful overthrow of his dominion, brings renewed hope to every soul of man, and points to final victory. Jesus was but the first-fruits of a great harvest. "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep...For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ (1 Cor. 15:20-23).
The removal of the first covenant, the establishment of peace, the ransom of souls to provide a basis of love, the conquest of Satan and the overthrow of his great enslaving force, all of these required the death of the Messiah. This is far from being a complete list of reasons assigned for this momentous event, and to enumerate the blessings accruing therefrom would be to run the entire gamut of God's marvelous provision. But those we have mentioned are directly related to his right to rule as king and to have all authority bestowed upon him.
Pilate was the sixth Roman Procurator of Judea. He succeeded Valerius Gratus, and held the office, for ten years. He was a corrupt politician, devoid of high principle, and motivated by a love for power and a lust for distinction. Avaricious and greedy, he fell readily into temptation, and pursued such policies as promoted his personal ambition. In his dealings with the Jews he was tyrannical and despotic, cruel and murderous. He was a demonstration of foreign power at its worst level.
It was to this man Jesus was taken early on that day which was to be the day of his death. He had already been subjected to questioning by Annas, who then sent him bound to Joseph Caiaphas, his son-in-law and the high priest recognized by the Romans. When the Jews reached the Praetorium where the governor lived, they would not enter, fearing ceremonial defilement which would render them unclean and unable to eat the passover. Accordingly, Pilate went out to the mob, and demanded to know what legal accusation they filed against their bound prisoner. The Jews replied with some insolence that if the man had not been an evil-doer, they would not have handed him over.
Pilate, not wishing to become involved in another of the prolonged disputes which generally terminated in a wrangle, told them to take him and judge him by their own law. The Jewish leaders, showing they were already determined on his fate, reminded Pilate that under Roman jurisdiction, the right to assess the death penalty had been taken from them, and they could not lawfully carry out a sentence of capital punishment.
Pilate retired into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus to him. His first question was directly to the point, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus asked him if the question was based upon his own observation, or if it were merely a report which he had heard from others. The procurator thus had to face the issue, as to whether he had seen any seditious moves upon the part of Jesus, which would endanger the Roman authority, or tend to pose a threat against the occupational forces. If not, he ought to be careful about being influenced by malicious reports of those who were ever on the alert to create difficulty for the Roman garrisons.
This moved Pilate to ask, "Am I a Jew?" This was said to offset the idea that he might be motivated by any Jewish prejudices. Being a Roman he would not be inclined to partiality toward one group or another among the Jews, and thus he implied he was capable of deciding the matter relative to the accusation lodged against Jesus upon the merits of the case. Subsequent events demonstrate that this was not true, for political ambition and personal security caused him to allow an innocent man to be killed.
Nevertheless, Pilate pointed out to Jesus, as the two conferred in private, that his own nation with its highest religious leaders had delivered him to the Roman authority. This, upon the very face of it, implied that some serious crime was involved. The accusation presented to Pilate was, "We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king" (Lk. 23:2). The essence of the matter was that Jesus was attempting to overthrow the yoke of Caesar and set himself up as a king in his stead. It is remarkable to contemplate that this is exactly what the Jews wanted in a Messiah, and now that Jesus refused to meet their designs, they pose as friends of Caesar and seek to make it appear that he is an enemy of the king.
The defense of Jesus, consisted not of a denial that he was a king, but rather of an explanation of the nature of his reign. "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world." This constituted an admission that Jesus was a king, but that his rule would not necessarily infringe upon, overthrow, or depose that of those who ruled in a different sphere. There are two kinds of kingdoms--those of this world, and that one which is not of this world. Each has its own domain and these are not by their nature in conflict. Thus, one may render unto Caesar the things that are his, while at the same time rendering unto God the things that belong unto him.
Jesus made the distinction clear, by affording Pilate a concrete example of difference. The kingdoms of this world must defend themselves with armed strength. They maintain standing armies for defense against aggression and violation of their sovereign rights. "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace" (Lk. 11:21). If the kingship of Jesus had been of this world, he would have drilled and trained his disciples as a fighting force, and they would have engaged in combat with the Jews, to protect his person and kingly domain. Such an army might also have posed a threat to Caesar and his legions in Palestine, but as it was, no such thing had occurred.
Although Pilate may not have understood all that was involved in the reply of Jesus, the expression "My kingship" impressed the praetor, and he said, "So you are a king?" To this, Jesus replied, "You have spoken truthfully, I am a king." The Roman governor must have considered Jesus as a fanatic, harmless and deluded, but posing no particular problem of insurrection or sedition. Leaving him in the Praetorium, he went outside and said to the waiting mob, "I find no crime in him." He then referred to the annual custom of releasing a noted prisoner at the Passover, and asked, "Will you have me release for you the King of the Jews?" They screamed, "Not this man, but Barabbas!"
Pilate wanted to curry favor with the Jews. He returned to the inside of the building and gave orders for Jesus to be scourged, as if in preparation for the sentence of death. The soldiers who administered the beating added insult to injury. They put a crown of interwoven thorns on his head, arrayed him in a purple robe, placed a reed scepter in his hand, and slapped him as they greeted him in derision, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Again Pilate went outside and announced to the Jews, "I am bringing him out to you, that you may know I find no crime in him." The purpose evidently was to excite sympathy for one whose calm demeanor and patient endurance witnessed to his innocence and freedom from guilt. Thus Pilate pointed to him and said, "Here is the man!"
When the chief priests and officers saw him, they again took up the shout, "Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him." The Jews answered, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God." This was a new charge which Pilate had not previously heard. It inspired fear in his superstitious heart, and once more he took Jesus inside the Praetorium and enquired, "Where are you from?" Jesus did not reply. The governor said, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, or power to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given from above; therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin."
Once more Pilate sought to release him but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend; every one who makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar." This was a shaft in a vulnerable spot. It was a blow which could not be ignored. The political opportunist was torn between conflicting emotions. Again he brought Jesus out to the mosaic floor where the judgment seat rested. He said to the Jews, "Here is your King!" They cried out, "Away with him, crucify him! Pilate said, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests spoke up quickly, "We have no king but Caesar!" Pilate, despairing of further reasoning, washed his hands in symbolic gesture and turned Jesus over to them to be crucified.
Jesus was taken, bearing his own cross, to the place called Golgotha, where he was crucified between two lawbreakers. It was the custom to place a written notice of the charge which resulted in execution over the head of each victim. Pilate wrote the title "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" and attached it to the cross. It was written in three languages, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, and it was read by many of the Jews, because the place was near the city. The chief priests came and applied to Pilate for an alteration of the statement to read, "This man said, 'I am King of the Jews.'" But Pilate curtly dismissed them with the words, "What I have written, I have written."
Far away, in the imperial city on the Tiber, the reigning Caesar sat, unaware that in a remote and insignificant area of his far-flung empire, a political appointee had just consented to a deed, the results of which would affect every soul born among men. Little did he realize that before the final act of this drama, the mighty Roman empire would topple and fall, and the stone cut out of the mountain without human agency would smite the great image of world conquest and forever shatter the hope of its reconstruction. The cross which was an emblem of shame and disgrace was to become a badge of honor, adopted by institutions of mercy and compassion. The banners of Rome would some day give way before the triumphant cross.
We should not overlook the fact that it was not the death of Jesus, but his resurrection which proved his divine Sonship, and thus his right to universal recognition as the Messiah. The death of Jesus by itself could not have constituted "good news." But the fact that he "was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Rom. 4:25), establishes forever his sovereign prerogatives. He was "designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:4). Before he died, Jesus predicted his death and resurrection. He predicated the latter upon the fact that he was the Son of God. Since God would not raise an impostor, the resurrection of Jesus is proof that he is the Son, and thus the Messiah.
It was for this reason that "he showed himself alive with many sure proofs" (Acts 1:3). The abundance of the proofs is apparent to every reader, their undeniable nature, being also clearly manifested. He appeared unto his witnesses in closed rooms and in the open road, upon a mountain and by the seaside, at early morning, in daytime, at dusk, and at night. He was seen of both men and women, by individuals, small groups, and a multitude numbering more than five hundred. He walked, talked and ate with them. He permitted and invited close examination of his person, even urging it.
It was the resurrection which provided the theme for the early proclamation. The speech of Peter on Pentecost, reached its climax with such statements as "But God has raised him to life, having terminated the throes of death, for in fact it was not possible for him to be held fast by death," and again, "This Jesus, God has raised to life--a fact to which all of us testify." That this was the central truth emphasized, is evidenced by the anger of the priests, the commander of the temple guard, and the Sadducees, who were "highly incensed at their teaching the people and proclaiming in the case of Jesus the resurrection from among the dead" (Acts 4:1, 2).
There was an interval of forty days between the resurrection of Jesus and his ascension into heaven. During this time he gave instructions to the apostles whom he had chosen (Acts 1:2). We are limited as to our knowledge of those instructions, but we know they were related to the kingdom, for it was of this he spoke when he appeared to them at intervals during this interim period. The apostles were the ambassadors of the kingdom, and as such, were to be dispatched upon their universal mission as soon as the new monarch was coronated.
It is conceivable that these former fishermen and tax collectors would require a great deal of encouragement and assistance from him whose cause they were to represent. We do know that he confirmed what he had previously told them, and pointed out the fulfillment of all that was written in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms, concerning himself. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said, "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise again from among the dead; and that proclamation would be made, in his name, of repentance and forgiveness of sins to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And remember that I am about to send out my Father's promised gift to rest upon you; but as for you, wait patiently in the city until you are clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:44-49).
When we consider the fierce nationalism of the Galileans, and the general tenor of the Messianic belief, we should not be too surprised that "Once when they were with him, they asked him, 'Master, is this the time at which you are about to restore the kingdom for Israel?'" The breadth of vision which enabled the Jewish mind to grasp the transformation from the theocracy of Israel to the Christocracy of the universe had not yet come. And when it came it would be in reverse of the common anticipation, for instead of restoring the kingdom to Israel, it would require the restoring of Israel to the kingdom of God.
The reply of Jesus to the apostles is an example of kindliness and brevity. "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has reserved within his own authority; and yet you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the remotest parts of the earth." How pregnant is that statement with portent of things to come. It contains no learned or lengthy discussion of the nature of the Reign. For this the apostles were not ready. Jesus was perfectly willing to rest such matters with the Spirit, whose advent would "guide them into all truth." The assurance that they would be witnesses, not only within the confines of Palestine, but to the remotest bounds of the earth, was sufficient just now to convey the universal nature of the Reign, and while they could not yet grasp the significance of the expression, they would later reflect upon it, and know its meaning.
According to Luke, these words represented the final message as Jesus took leave of these men. There was no maudlin sympathy, no tearful kiss or embrace. He was "as a man going into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return." The simple dignity of the occasion strikes us with its appropriateness. "When he had said this, and while they were looking at him, he was carried up, and a cloud closing beneath him, hid him from their sight." Nor did the men who remained indulge in paraoxysms of grief. They acted, not as those who had lost a friend, but as those who had gained one. "They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy" (Luke 24:52). Thus did they demonstrate their love, for he had said, "If you loved me you would have rejoiced because I am going to the Father" (John 14:28).
At this juncture, three topics should engage our attention. Why was it necessary for our Lord to return to heaven? What did the disciples do in the interim until his coronation? What took place at the coronation ceremony in the heavens?
2. The return of Jesus to heaven would enable his ambassadors to do greater things than he did while present upon the earth. "In most solemn truth I tell you that he who trusts in me--the things which I do he shall do also; and greater things than these shall he do, because I am going to the Father" (John 14:12). Does this last refer to miraculous deeds as so many modern cults interpret it? If so, in what sense is the word "greater" used? It cannot refer to quantity, for the same record declares, "But there are also many other things which Jesus did-- so vast a number indeed that if they were all described in detail, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would have to be written" (John 21:25). It cannot refer to the quality of physical miracles, for nothing can exceed the raising of Lazarus from the tomb, as a demonstration of power.
We believe that the proper understanding of this expression has to do with a contrast of the spiritual with the physical realm. The apostles were to do greater things because Jesus was going to the Father. There was nothing about his going to the Father which would empower them to do greater physical acts than he could accomplish while he was here. He had long since told this same group, "Cure the sick, raise the dead to life, cleanse lepers, drive out demons" (Matt. 10:8). What was to be their task which Jesus could not accomplish during his sojourn on earth, and which they could accomplish only by his return to heaven, and which constituted "greater things" than miracles attesting his divine mission?
We feel that the secret to this is revealed in the proclamation of the apostles, of which the speech of Peter in the house of Cornelius is typical. "That same Jesus God raised to life on the third day, and permitted him to appear unmistakably, not to all the people, but to witnesses--men previously chosen by God--namely, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he has commanded us to preach to the people and solemnly declare that this is he who has been appointed by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, and testify that through his name all who believe in him should receive the forgiveness of his sins" (Acts 10:39-43).
The proclamation of Jesus as judge of the living and dead, and of forgiveness of sins through his name, could only be made after he had taken the throne by appointment of the Father. Our Lord, with one exception, limited his miraculous works to the Jewish people, but the apostles were to announce liberation from sin to the believers of all nations. This is the significance of the term "all who believe" as uttered by Peter in the Gentile home. Just as the saving of souls is superior to the healing of physical ailments, so their work, under the authority of Jesus, was superior to all that had previously been done. One secured an extension of temporal life, the other brought an offer of eternal life.
3. Another reason for the ascent of Jesus was to prepare a place for his disciples. He comforted the sorrowing apostles with the assurance that there are numerous places of abode in the house of the Father, and declared his intent to go before and make reservations for their coming. This does not imply that he was going away to build or construct some place not now in existence, but rather to arrange for an abode for the faithful. He told them that if he went away he would return and take them unto him so they might always be together.
4. The office of high priest, which Jesus now occupies, necessitated his return to heaven. It is God's design that his people constitute a royal priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices, and such a priesthood requires a notable high priest. But "if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all" (Heb. 8:4). "Moreover we needed just such a high priest as this--holy, guileless, undefiled, far removed from sinful men and exalted above the heavens" (Heb. 7:26). "Inasmuch, then, as we have in Jesus, the Son of God, a great high priest who has passed beyond the sky, let us hold firmly to our profession of faith." Under the first covenant, national atonement could not be made until the high priest entered the most holy place with the blood of the sacrifice. "But Christ appeared as a high priest of the blessings that are soon to come by means of the greater and more perfect tent of worship, a tent which has not been built with hands--that is to say does not belong to this material creation--and once for all entered the holy place, taking with him not the blood of goats and calves, but his own blood, and thus procuring eternal redemption for us" (Heb. 9:11, 12).
5. Even more appropriate to the theme of this book is the fact that it was necessary for Jesus to return to heaven in order to rule as king over a universal domain. Zechariah predicted that he would build a temple of the Lord, and bear the glory, that he should sit and rule upon his throne; and be a priest upon his throne (6:13). Since he could not be a priest until he was upon his throne, and since he could not be a priest upon earth, it was necessary for him to leave the earth in order to sit and rule upon his throne.
The ascension of Jesus bore the same relation to his glorification that his descent did to his humiliation. Only by means of return to heaven could there be a resumption of the pre-incarnate glory with the Father. "I have glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do, and now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made" (John 17:4, 5). Because of his humiliation the glory accorded him was increased. "And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:8-11). "He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs" (Heb. 1:3,4).
The fateful moment had come. He had long ago prepared them for the occasion, with the words, "The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them." Now he lifted up his hands and blessed them and "while he blessed them, he parted from them" (Luke 24:51). One moment he was speaking, and the next they beheld him ascending into the air. As they stood transfixed, watching his receding form, straining their eyes to see him until the last, a cloud enveloped him and took him from their sight. Still they remained with upturned faces, watching as if they expected him soon to return and resume his conversation. Then they suddenly became aware of two additions to their number, men in white robes, who gently broke the spell of awe with the words, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
We do not know which of the apostles first spoke, or what was said. But the little group turned back toward Jerusalem, walking the familiar path. They were not melancholy. There was in the bosom of each a feeling of triumph. Their faith had been vindicated. By going back to the Father, Jesus had proven that he had come from the Father. "He that ascended is he also that descended." God had not only raised him from the dead but he had now exalted him. "They returned to Jerusalem with great joy" (Luke 24:52). When they entered the city they went to the upper room which was their temporary abode. Here they could meditate upon and converse about the recent happenings in relative privacy.
The days of waiting were not spent in idleness. The apostles were Jews and scrupulously observed the requirements of Judaism. They were approaching the second great annual feast of the Jews, and their minds would be attuned to its meaning and observance. Each day they assembled twice at the temple at the time of the daily sacrifices, and with the devout Jews joined in prayer, according to their custom (Luke 24:53). In addition to this, they devoted themselves to prayer in the upper room which was the gathering place of those who had been close to Jesus during his earthly stay. Here they were joined by the women, including Mary, the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers (Acts 1:14). This is the last mention of Mary and her name never appears in the sacred text after the congregation of saints was planted at Jerusalem. This is a silent rebuke to the apostate church which has developed dogmata and rituals about her.
One day, when the company of disciples was assembled, about one hundred and twenty being present, Peter stood up and called attention to the prophetic utterances relating to Judas who acted as a guide for those who arrested Jesus. Referring to David, it was acknowledged that he spoke under the impulse of the Holy Spirit, and the scripture had to be fulfilled with reference to the dereliction of Judas. Attention was also called to the fact that another was to take the vacated office. In view of this, Peter urged that an additional witness of the resurrection be selected from among those who had been companions of Jesus during the entire course of his personal ministry, from his immersion in Jordan to his ascension into heaven. The company of believers thereupon put forward two men, Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias. Calling upon God to show which one he had chosen as a replacement for Judas, they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias.
When nine days had gone by since the departure of Jesus, the preparation for Azereth, or Pentecost, began. All day long bands of pilgrims were streaming through the gates into the holy city. It was now early summer and Palestine lay in all her glory. Traveling conditions were less arduous at this season of year, and thousands came to the celebration of "the day of firstfruits" who could not attend other annual feasts. The bazaars and markets were teeming with a polyglot mass. Jews were present from every nation under heaven. Every group seemed to have a distinct dialect, and as one passed through the crowds, he could hear the languages of Persia, Arabia, Asia Minor, Egypt, Rome, and a score of other places. In addition to the Jews, there were numerous proselytes, many of them men of reputation and distinction in the Greek world, who had become converts to Judaism because of its high code of ethics and morality.
As dusk arrived a hush of expectancy fell over the milling throng. Suddenly the stillness was broken by a blast blown on the trumpets of the priests. There would be little sleep this night. The temple and courtyard were lighted with hundreds of lamps. The great altar of bronze had been literally as well as ceremonially cleansed. It reflected the glitter of the lamps and torches in its polished surface. As soon as the midnight hour arrived, the gatekeepers threw open the gates to the temple. Every sacrifice which the people proposed to bring to the feast had to be carefully scrutinized and examined by the priestly officials before the time for the morning sacrifice. All night long the worshipers came and went, securing the approval of the priests.
When morning dawned and the sun peeped over the rim of the eastern hills and flooded Palestine with light, the inspection came to a halt. It was time for the sacred activities of the day to commence. The choir of Levites was solemnly arranged on the steps, the children of the Levites standing in formation below them. A single flute began its piping tones and the great choir began the chant of the "Hallel." The multitude, stretching as far as eye could see, repeated the words, or sometimes responded with the appropriate portion. It was a time of deep solemnity, of awe-inspiring pageant. The special offerings of the day consisted of two young bulls, a ram, seven male yearling lambs, and a male goat. The latter was led to the great altar first, and the hands of the priest were laid solemnly upon its horns. The priest bore down with all of his weight upon the head of the sacrifice and confession of sins was made in a loud voice. Then the animal was stretched out with neck bared to receive the keen blade of Damascus steel which severed the jugular, the spurting blood from which was caught in a silver vessel pointed at the bottom so that it could never be set down, and in which the blood could be constantly agitated to keep it from coagulating until it could be sprinkled upon the horns of the altar.
The principal part of the day's ritual was the presentation of the two wave loaves. Each of the three great annual feasts was so timed as to constitute a harvest festival. The paschal feast came at the barley harvest; Pentecost at wheat harvest; the feast of tabernacles at the vintage-gathering. A little more than three pecks of wheat were selected from the best in the land of Palestine. The grain was brought to the temple, threshed out of the heads, pulverized and then ceremonially put through twelve sieves. An omer of flour was selected for each loaf, and mixed with lukewarm water, then patted out long and flat, each loaf being seven handbreaths long, four handbreaths wide, and four fingers thick. These loaves, each of which weighed more than five pounds, were baked in the temple.
The little band of followers of the Nazarene, like all devout Jews, had looked forward to the great day with its throng of pilgrims from every land. Now that it had dawned, drawn together by previous association and by a common bond cemented by a mutual faith that Jesus was the Messiah of whom the prophets had spoken, the twelve found themselves in the same room. Suddenly there swept over them a sound from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind. The house was filled with the sound. They looked at each other in amazement, and their wonder grew as they saw tongues with the appearance of flame sitting upon the heads of all. Immediately they became aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit, and being filled therewith, their own tongues were loosed and they began to speak in various languages of mankind as the Spirit controlled their tongues and prompted them to give utterance to the mighty works of God. They recognized this visual and oral demonstration as a confirmation of the fact that Jesus was now on his throne (Acts 2:33). The restrictions imposed were lifted, the monarch was seated in power, and it was now time for their work as ambassadors to commence. Accordingly, they proclaimed the authority of the Sovereign and entreated men to recognize it. The Christocracy had begun.