Wednesday, April 11, 2012
The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The crucifixion of Jesus is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross. Collectively referred to as the Passion, Jesus' redemptive suffering and death by crucifixion represent the central aspects of Christian theology, including the doctrines of salvation and atonement.
Jesus' crucifixion is described in all four Canonical gospels, attested to by other ancient sources, and regarded as a historical event.[1][2][3][4] Christians believe Jesus' suffering was foretold in the Hebrew Bible, such as in Psalm 22, and Isaiah's songs of the suffering servant.[5] According to a Gospel Harmony, Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane following the Last Supper with the Twelve Apostles, and forced to stand trial before a Sanhedrin, Pontius Pilate, and Herod Antipas, before being handed over for crucifixion. After being flogged, Jesus was mocked by Roman soldiers as the "King of the Jews", clothed in a purple robe, crowned with thorns, beaten and spat on. Jesus then had to make his way to the place of his crucifixion.
Once at Golgotha, Jesus was offered wine mixed with gall to drink. Matthew's and Mark's Gospels record that he refused this. He was then crucified and hung between two convicted thieves. According to Mark's Gospel, he endured the torment of crucifixion for some six hours from the third hour, at approximately 9 am,[6] until his death at the ninth hour, corresponding to about 3 pm.[7] The soldiers affixed a sign above his head stating "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" in three languages, divided his garments and cast lots for his seamless robe. The Roman soldiers did not break Jesus' legs, as they did to the other two men crucified (breaking the legs hastened the crucifixion process), as Jesus was dead already. Each gospel has its own account of Jesus' last words, seven statements altogether.[8] In the Synoptic Gospels, various supernatural events accompany the crucifixion, including darkness, an earthquake, and (in Matthew) the resurrection of saints. Following Jesus' death, his body was removed from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea and buried in a rock-hewn tomb, with Nicodemus assisting. According to the Gospels, Jesus then rose from the dead two days later (the "third day").
Christians have traditionally understood Jesus' death on the cross to be a knowing and willing sacrifice (given that he did not mount a defense in his trials) which was undertaken as an "agent of God" to atone for humanity's sin and make salvation possible.[9][10][11][12] Most Christians proclaim this sacrifice through the bread and wine of the Eucharist, as a remembrance of the Last Supper, and many also commemorate the event on Good Friday each year.[13][14]
Modern scholars consider the baptism of Jesus and his crucifixion to be the two historically certain facts about him, James Dunn stating that these "two facts in the life of Jesus command almost universal assent".[3] Dunn states that these two facts "rank so high on the 'almost impossible to doubt or deny' scale of historical facts" that they are often the starting points for the study of the historical Jesus.[3] Bart Ehrman states that the crucifixion of Jesus on the orders of Pontius Pilate is the most certain element about him.[15] John Dominic Crossan states that the crucifixion of Jesus is as certain as any historical fact can be.[16]
Craig Blomberg states that most scholars in the third quest for the historical Jesus consider the crucifixion indisputable.[4] Although scholars agree on the historicity of the crucifixion, they differ on the reason and context for it, e.g. both E. P. Sanders and Paula Fredriksen support the historicity of the crucifixion, but contend that Jesus did not foretell his own crucifixion, and that his prediction of the crucifixion is a Christian story.[17] Geza Vermes also views the crucifixion as a historical event but provides his own explanation and background for it.[17]
John P. Meier views the crucifixion of Jesus as historical fact and states that based on the criterion of embarrassment Christians would not have invented the painful death of their leader.[18] Meier states that a number of other criteria, e.g. the criterion of multiple attestation (i.e. confirmation by more than one source), the criterion of coherence (i.e. that it fits with other historical elements) and the criterion of rejection (i.e. that it is not disputed by ancient sources) help establish the crucifixion of Jesus as a historical event.[19]
Although almost all ancient sources relating to crucifixion are literary, the 1968 archeological discovery just northeast of Jerusalem of the body of a crucified man dated to the 1st century provided good confirmatory evidence of the gospel accounts of crucifixion .[20] The crucified man was identified as Yohan Ben Ha'galgol and probably died about 70 AD, around the time of the Jewish revolt against Rome. The analyses at the Hadassah Medical School estimated that he died in his late 20s. These studies also showed that the man had been crucified in a manner resembling the Gospel accounts. Another relevant archaeological find, which also dates to the 1st century AD, is an unidentified heel bone with a spike discovered in a Jerusalem gravesite, now held by the Israel Antiquities Authority and displayed in the Israel Museum.[21][22]
Gospel narratives
The earliest detailed historical narrative accounts of the death of Jesus are contained in the four canonical gospels.[23] There are other more implicit references in the New Testament epistles. In the synoptic gospels, Jesus predicts his death in three separate episodes.[24]
ccording to all four gospels, Jesus, carrying his cross, was brought to the "Place of a Skull"[25] and crucified with two thieves,[26] with the charge of claiming to be "King of the Jews",[27] and the soldiers divided his clothes[28] before he bowed his head and died.[29] Following his death, Joseph of Arimathea requested the body from Pilate,[30] which he then placed in a new garden tomb.[31]
The three synoptic gospels also describe Simon of Cyrene bearing the cross,[32] the multitude mocking Jesus[33] along with the thieves/robbers/rebels,[34] darkness from the 6th to the 9th hour,[35] and the temple veil being torn from top to bottom.[36] The synoptics also mention several witnesses, including a centurion,[37] and several women who watched from a distance[38] two of whom were present during the burial.[39]
Luke is the only gospel writer to omit the detail of sour wine mix that was offered to Jesus on a reed,[40] while only Mark and John describe Joseph actually taking the body down off the cross.[41]
There are several details that are only found in one of the gospel accounts. For instance, only Matthew's gospel mentions an earthquake, resurrected saints who went to the city and that Roman soldiers were assigned to guard the tomb,[42] while Mark is the only one to state the actual time of the crucifixion (the third hour, or 9 am) and the centurion's report of Jesus' death.[43] The Gospel of Luke’s unique contributions to the narrative include Jesus' words to the women who were mourning, one criminal's rebuke of the other, the reaction of the multitudes who left "beating their breasts", and the women preparing spices and ointments before resting on the Sabbath.[44] John is also the only one to refer to the request that the legs be broken and the soldier’s subsequent piercing of Jesus' side (as fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy), as well as that Nicodemus assisted Joseph with burial.[45]
According to canonical Gospels, Jesus rose from the dead after three days and appeared to his Disciples on different occasions during a forty day period before ascending to heaven.[46] The account given in Acts of the Apostles, which says Jesus remained with the apostles for forty days, appears to differ from the account in the Gospel of Luke, which makes no clear distinction between the events of Easter Sunday and the Ascension.[47][48] However, most biblical scholars agree that St. Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles as a follow-up volume to his Gospel account, and the two works must be considered as a whole.[49]
In Mark, Jesus is crucified along with two rebels, and the day goes dark for three hours.[50] Jesus calls out to God, then gives a shout and dies.[50] The curtain of the Temple is torn in two.[50] Matthew follows Mark, adding an earthquake and the resurrection of saints.[51] Luke also follows Mark, though he describes the rebels as common criminals, one of whom defends Jesus, who in turn promises that he and Jesus will be together in paradise.[52] Luke portrays Jesus as impassive in the face of his crucifixion.[53] John includes several of the same elements as those found in Mark, though they are treated differently.[54]
See also: Josephus on Jesus and Tacitus on Christ
An early non-Christian reference to the crucifixion of Jesus is likely to be Mara Bar-Serapion's letter to his son, written sometime after AD 73 but before the 3rd century AD.[55][56][57] The letter includes no Christian themes and the author is presumed to be a pagan.[55][56][58] The letter refers to the retributions that followed the unjust treatment of three wise men: Socrates, Pythagoras, and the "the wise king" of the Jews.[57][55] Some scholars see little doubt that the reference to the execution of the "king of the Jews" is about the crucifixion of Jesus, while others place less value in the letter, given the possible ambiguity in the reference.[58][59]
In the Antiquities of the Jews (written about 93 AD) Jewish historian Josephus, stated (Ant 18.3) that Jesus was crucified by Pilate, writing that:[60]
Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, .... He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles... And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross ....
Most modern scholars agree that while this Josephus passage (called the Testimonium Flavianum) includes some later interpolations, it originally consisted of an authentic nucleus with a reference to the execution of Jesus by Pilate.[61][62][63] James Dunn states that there is "broad consensus" among scholars regarding the nature of an authentic reference to the crucifixion of Jesus in the Testimonium.[64]
Early in the second century another reference to the crucifixion of Jesus was made by Tacitus, generally considered one of the greatest Roman historians.[65][66] Writing in The Annals (c. 116 AD), Tacitus described the persecution of Christians by Nero and stated (Annals 15.44) that Pilate ordered the execution of Jesus:[60][67]
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Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.
Scholars generally consider the Tacitus reference to the execution of Jesus by Pilate to be genuine, and of historical value an independent Roman source.[68][69][70][71][65][72]
Another possible reference to the crucifixion ("hanging" cf. Luk 23:39; Gal 3:13) is found in the Babylonian Talmud:
On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, ‘He is going forth to be stoned because he has practised sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Anyone who can say anything in his favour, let him come forward and plead on his behalf.’ But since nothing was brought forward in his favour he was hanged on the eve of the Passover!
—Sanhedrin 43a, Babylonian Talmud (Soncino Edition)
Although the question of the equivalence of the identities of Yeshu and Jesus has at times been debated, many historians agree that the above passage is likely to be about Jesus.[73]
In opposition to the vast majority of Biblical and mainstream scholarship, Muslims maintain that Jesus was not crucified and that he was not killed by any other means.[74] They hold this belief based on various interpretations of Quran 4:157–158 which states: "they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them [or it appeared so unto them], ... Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself".[74]
Some early Christian Gnostic sects, believing Jesus did not have a physical substance, denied that he was crucified.[75][76] In response, Ignatius of Antioch insisted that Jesus was truly born and was truly crucified and wrote that those who held that Jesus only seemed to suffer only seemed to be Christians.[77][78]
Date, place and people present
Chronology of the crucifixion
Year of the crucifixion
Andrea di Bartolo, Way to Calvary, c. 1400. The cluster of halos at the left are the Virgin Mary in front, with the Three Marys.
Although there is no consensus regarding the exact date of the crucifixion of Jesus, it is generally agreed by biblical scholars that it was on a Friday on or near Passover (Nisan 15), during the governorship of Pontius Pilate (who ruled AD 26-36). Since an observational calendar was used during the time of Jesus, including an ascertainment of the new moon and ripening barley harvest, the exact day or even month for Passover in a given year is subject to speculation.[79][80] Various approaches have been used to estimate the year of the crucifixion, including the Canonical Gospels, the chronology of the life of Apostle Paul, as well as different astronomical models - see Chronology of Jesus for a detailed discussion. Scholars have provided estimates for the year of crucifixion in the range AD 30-36.[81][82][83] A frequently suggested date is Friday, April 3, AD 33.[84][85][86]
Day of week and hour
The consensus of modern scholarship is that the New Testament accounts represent a crucifixion occurring on a Friday, but a Thursday or Wednesday crucifixion have also been proposed.[87][88] Some scholars explain a Thursday crucifixion based on a "double sabbath" caused by an extra Passover sabbath falling on Thursday dusk to Friday afternoon, ahead of the normal weekly Sabbath.[87][89] Some have argued that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday, not Friday, on the grounds of the mention of "three days and three nights" in Matthew 12:40 before his resurrection, celebrated on Sunday; others have countered by saying that this ignores the Jewish idiom by which a "day and night" may refer to any part of a 24-hour period, that the expression in Matthew is idiomatic, not a statement that Jesus was 72 hours in the tomb, and that the many references to a resurrection on the third day do not require three literal nights.[90][87]
In Mark 15:25 crucifixion takes place at the third hour (9am) and Jesus' death at the ninth hour (3pm).[91] However, in John 19:14 Jesus is still before Pilate at the sixth hour.[92] Scholars have presented a number of arguments to deal with the issue, some suggesting a reconciliation e.g. based on the use of Roman timekeeping in John but not in Mark, yet others have rejected the arguments.[92][93][94] Several notable scholars have argued that the modern precision of marking the time of day should not be read back into the gospel accounts, written at a time when no standardization of timepieces, or exact recording of hours and minutes was available, and time was often approximated to the closest three hour period.[92][95][96]
Path to the crucifixion
Main articles: Christ carrying the Cross and Via Dolorosa
The three Synoptic Gospels refer to a man called Simon of Cyrene who is made to carry the cross,[97] while in the Gospel of John, Jesus is said to "bear" his own cross.[Jn. 19:17]
Luke's gospel also describes an interaction between Jesus and the women among the crowd of mourners following him, quoting Jesus as saying "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?"[Lk. 23:28-31]
Traditionally, the path that Jesus took is called Via Dolorosa (Latin for "Way of Grief" or "Way of Suffering") and is a street in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is marked by nine of the fourteen Stations of the Cross. It passes the Ecce Homo Church and the last five stations are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
There is no reference to the legendary[98] Veronica in the Gospels, but sources such as Acta Sanctorum describe her as a pious woman of Jerusalem who, moved with pity as Jesus carried his cross to Golgotha, gave him her veil that he might wipe his forehead.[99][100][101][102]
Place of the crucifixion
See also: Empty tomb
A diagram of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the historical site based on a German documentary.
The precise location of the crucifixion remains a matter of conjecture, but the biblical accounts indicate that it was outside the city walls,[Jn. 19:20] [Heb. 13:12] accessible to passers-by[Mt. 27:39] [Mk. 15:21,29-30] and observable from some distance away.[Mk. 15:40] Eusebius identified its location only as being north of Mount Zion,[103] which is consistent with the two most popularly suggested sites of modern times.
Calvary as an English name for the place is derived from the Latin word for skull (calvaria), which is used in the Vulgate translation of "place of a skull", the explanation given in all four Gospels of the Aramaic word Gûlgaltâ which was the name of the place where Jesus was crucified.[104] The text does not indicate why it was so designated, but several theories have been put forward. One is that as a place of public execution, Calvary may have been strewn with the skulls of abandoned victims (which would be contrary to Jewish burial traditions, but not Roman). Another is that Calvary is named after a nearby cemetery (which is consistent with both of the proposed modern sites). A third is that the name was derived from the physical contour, which would be more consistent with the singular use of the word, i.e., the place of "a skull". While often referred to as "Mount Calvary", it was more likely a small hill or rocky knoll.[105]
The traditional site, inside what is now occupied by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter of the Old City, has been attested since the 4th century. A second site (commonly referred to as Gordon’s Calvary), located further north of the Old City near a place popularly called the Garden Tomb, has been promoted since the 19th century, mostly by Protestants.
People present at the crucifixion
The dead Christ with the Virgin, John the Evangelist and Mary Magdalene. Unknown painter of the 18th century
The Gospel of Luke[23:28-31] states that on the way to Calvary Jesus spoke to a number of women within the crowd of mourners following him, addressing them as "Daughters of Jerusalem". Biblical scholars have produced various theories about the identity of these women, and those actually present during the crucifixion itself, including among them Mary (Jesus' mother) and Mary Magdalene.[106][107]
Luke's Gospel does not mention that Jesus' mother was present during crucifixion . However, the Gospel of John[19:26-27] does place her at the crucifixion and states that while on the cross: Jesus saw his own mother, and the disciple standing near whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son".
The Gospel of John also places other women (The Three Marys), at the cross. It states that Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.[Jn. 19:25] It is uncertain whether the Gospel of John totally refers to three or four women at the cross. References to the women are also made in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 (which also mentions Salome) and comparing these references they all seem to include Mary Magdalene.[108]
The Gospel of Mark states that Roman soldiers were also present at the crucifixion : And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!".[Mk. 15:39]
Method and manner of crucifixion
Main article: Instrument of Jesus' crucifixion
Given that the New Testament does not provide exact details of the process of Jesus' crucifixion, various elements of the method employed have been subject to debate, as discussed below.
Shape of gibbet
Crucifixion of Jesus on a two-beamed cross, from the Sainte Bible (1866)
Whereas most Christians believe the gibbet on which Jesus was executed was the traditional two-beamed cross, debate exists regarding the view that a single upright stake was used. The Greek and Latin words used in the earliest Christian writings are ambiguous. The Koine Greek terms used in the New Testament are stauros (σταυρός) and xylon (ξύλον). The latter means wood (a live tree, timber or an object constructed of wood); in earlier forms of Greek, the former term meant an upright stake or pole, but in Koine Greek it was used also to mean a cross.[109] The Latin word crux was also applied to objects other than a cross.[110]
However, early Christians writers who speak of the shape of the particular gibbet on which Jesus died invariably describe it as having a cross-beam. For instance, the Epistle of Barnabas, which was certainly earlier than 135,[111] and may have been of the 1st century AD.,[112] the time when the gospel accounts of the death of Jesus were written, likened it to the letter T (the Greek letter tau, which had the numeric value of 300),[113] and to the position assumed by Moses in Exodus 17:11-12.[114] Justin Martyr (100–165) explicitly says the cross of Christ was of two-beam shape: "That lamb which was commanded to be wholly roasted was a symbol of the suffering of the cross which Christ would undergo. For the lamb, which is roasted, is roasted and dressed up in the form of the cross. For one spit is transfixed right through from the lower parts up to the head, and one across the back, to which are attached the legs of the lamb."[115] Irenaeus, who died around the end of the 2nd century, speaks of the cross as having "five extremities, two in length, two in breadth, and one in the middle, on which [last] the person rests who is fixed by the nails."[116] For other witnesses to how early Christians envisaged the shape of the gibbet used for Jesus, see Dispute about Jesus' execution method.
Nails
The assumption of the use of a two-beamed cross does not determine the number of nails used in the crucifixion and some theories suggest 3 nails while others suggest 4 nails.[117] However, throughout history larger numbers of nails have been hypothesized, at times as high as 14 nails.[118] These variations are also present in the artistic depictions of the crucifixion.[119] In the Western Church, before the Renaissance usually 4 nails would be depicted, with the feet side by side. After the Renaissance most depictions use 3 nails, with one foot placed on the other.[119] Nails are almost always depicted in art, although Romans sometimes just tied the victims to the cross.[119] The tradition also carries to Christian emblems, e.g. the Jesuits use 3 nails under the IHS monogram and a cross to symbolize the crucifixion.[120]
The placing of the nails in the hands, or the wrists is also uncertain. Some theories suggest that the Greek word cheir (χειρ) for hand includes the wrist and that the Romans were generally trained to place nails through Destot's space (between the capitate and lunate bones) without fracturing any bones.[121] Another theory suggests that the Greek word for hand also includes the forearm and that the nails were placed near the radius and ulna of the forearm.[122] Ropes may have also been used to fasten the hands in addition to the use of nails.[123]
Standing platform
Another issue has been the use of a hypopodium as a standing platform to support the feet, given that the hands may not have been able to support the weight. In the 17th century Rasmus Bartholin considered a number of analytical scenarios of that topic.[118] In the 20th century, forensic pathologist Frederick Zugibe performed a number of crucifixion experiments by using ropes to hang human subjects at various angles and hand positions.[122] His experiments support an angled suspension, and a two-beamed cross, and perhaps some form of foot support, given that in an Aufbinden form of suspension from a straight stake (as used by the Nazis in the Dachau concentration camp during World War II), death comes rather quickly.[124]
Last words of Jesus
Main article: Sayings of Jesus on the cross
The Crucifixion, seen from the Cross, by James Tissot, 19th century.
The gospel writers record seven statements uttered by Jesus while he was on the cross:
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."[Lk. 23:34]
"Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."[Lk. 23:43]
"Woman, behold, your son!" [Jn. 19:25-27]
"E′li, E′li, la′ma sa‧bach‧tha′ni?" [Mt. 27:46] [Mk. 15:34] (Aramaic for "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"). It is also a quotation of the first line of Psalm 22. The latter refers to piercing of hands and feet, and has been interpreted as a reference to Crucifixion.
"I thirst."[Jn. 19:28]
"It is finished."[Jn. 19:30]
"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!"[Lk. 23:46]
These are all short utterances. See the section below on the medical aspects of crucifixion, on how in the face of exhaustion asphyxia, obtaining enough air to utter any words on the cross can be very tiring and painful for the victim.[125][126]
The last words of Jesus have been the subject of a wide range of Christian teachings and sermons, and a number of authors have written books specifically devoted to the last sayings of Christ.[127][128][129][130][131][132] However, since the statements of the last words differ between the four canonical Gospels, James Dunn has expressed doubts about their historicity.[133]
Phenomena during the crucifixion
Mark mentions darkness in the daytime during Jesus' crucifixion and the Temple veil being torn in two when Jesus dies.[50] Matthew follows Mark, adding an earthquake and the resurrection of saints.[51] Luke also follows Mark.[52] In John, there are no such miraculous signs referred to except for Jesus' resurrection from the grave.[134]
Darkness and eclipse
Main article: Crucifixion eclipse
In the synoptic narrative, while Jesus is hanging on the cross, the sky is "darkened for 3 hours," from the sixth to the ninth hour (noon to mid-afternoon). Both Roman orator Julius Africanus and Christian theologian Origen refer to Greek historian Phlegon as having written "with regard to the eclipse in the time of Tiberius Caesar, in whose reign Jesus appears to have been crucified, and the great earthquakes which then took place"[135]
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Julius Africanus further refers to the writings of historian Thallus when denying the possibility of a solar eclipse: "This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun. For the Hebrews celebrate the passover on the 14th day according to the moon, and the passion of our Saviour falls on the day before the passover; but an eclipse of the sun takes place only when the moon comes under the sun."[136] A solar eclipse concurrent with a full moon is a scientific impossibility. Christian apologist Tertullian wrote "In the same hour, too, the light of day was withdrawn, when the sun at the very time was in his meridian blaze. Those who were not aware that this had been predicted about Christ, no doubt thought it an eclipse. You yourselves have the account of the world-portent still in your archives."[137] The darkness was reported as far away as Heliopolis and apparently the unnatural occurrence was referred to by the Apostle Paul when converting Dionysius to Christianity.[138]
Humphreys and Waddington of Oxford University reconstructed the scenarios for a lunar eclipse on that day.[139][140] They concluded that:
"This eclipse was visible from Jerusalem at moonrise.... first visible from Jerusalem at about 6:20pm (the start of the Jewish Sabbath and also the start of Passover day in A.D. 33) with about 20% of its disc in the umbra of the earth's shadow .... The eclipse finished some thirty minutes later at 6:50pm."
Moreover, their calculations showed that the 20% umbra shadow was positioned close to the leading edge, the first visible portion at moonrise. These authors note that the Apostle Peter's reference to a "moon of blood"[Acts 2:20] (a term commonly used for a lunar eclipse because of the reddish color of the light refracted onto the moon through the Earth's atmosphere) may be a reference to this eclipse. It should be noted, however, that in the preceding verse of the same passage, St. Peter expressly mentions that "the sun shall be turned to darkness", which would suggest a solar eclipse in conjunction with the lunar one.[Acts 2:20]
Temple veil, earthquake and resurrection of dead saints
The synoptic gospels state that the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom. According to Josephus, the curtain in Herod's temple would have been nearly 60 feet (18 m) high and 4 inches (100 mm) thick. According to Hebrews 9:1-10, this curtain was representative of the separation between God and man, beyond which only the High Priest was permitted to pass, and then only once each year[cf. Ex. 30:10] to enter into God's presence and make atonement for the sins of Israel. [Lev. 16] Many Bible expositors agree that the rending of the veil is symbolic of Jesus establishing a new and living way of access to God[Heb. 9:11-15], see New Covenant.
The Gospel of Matthew states that there were earthquakes, splitting rocks, and the graves of dead saints were opened (and subsequently resurrected after the resurrection of Jesus). These resurrected saints went into the holy city and appeared to many people, but their subsequent fate is never elaborated upon.[Mt. 27:51–53]
In the synoptic accounts, the centurion in charge, witnessing these events, says: "Truly this was the Son of God!"[Mt. 27:54] or "Truly this man was the Son of God!"[Mk. 15:39] or "Certainly this man was innocent!"[Lk. 23:47]
Deposition from the cross
The taking of Jesus' body down from the cross by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea is known in art as the "Deposition" or "Descent from the Cross"[141]
The death state of Jesus
Main article: Harrowing of Hell
Jesus' body was laid in the grave. The state and location of Jesus' soul is the subject of disagreement among Christians. Some believe he was active in the underworld. This is known as the harrowing of hell. Others believe his soul was in Heaven.[142] Others again believe that he was literally dead and "asleep" waiting for his own resurrection.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion_of_Jesus
If You Have MTNL Broadband as Your Internet Service Provider You Would Know My Suffering
If You Have MTNL Broadband as Your Internet Service Provider You Would Know My Suffering, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
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This World Is Made of Oppressors And The Oppressed
This World Is Made of Oppressors And The Oppressed, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
to be oppressed
yet be blessed
day in day out
their inflicted
souls
transgressed
whipped
flogged
undressed
even god
was silent
imperialistic
hegemony
holy lands
annexed
free tibet
free palestine
god confused
overtly
perplexed
the despot
the tyrant
the dictator
muscles
flexed
souls
suppressed
tears on
the soul of
the dispossessed
a cry for
freedom
ya hussain
ya hussain
the bahraini
beats his chest
Jesus Is So Many Different Things To So Many Different People
Jesus Is So Many Different Things To So Many Different People, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jesus of Nazareth ( /ˈdʒiːzəs/; 7–2 BC/BCE to 30–36 AD/CE), also referred to as Jesus Christ or simply Christ, is the central figure of Christianity and is also regarded as an important prophet of God in Islam. Most Christian denominations venerate him as God the Son incarnated and believe that he rose from the dead after being crucified.[13][14] The principal sources of information regarding Jesus are the Bible's four canonical gospels,[15] which most biblical scholars find useful for reconstructing Jesus' life and teachings.[16][17][18][19] Scholars have correlated the New Testament accounts with non-Christian historical records to arrive at an estimated chronology for the major episodes in the life of Jesus.[20][5][3][21]
Most modern historians agree that Jesus existed and was a Jewish teacher from Galilee in Roman Judaea, who was baptized by John the Baptist, and was crucified in Jerusalem on the orders of the Roman Prefect, Pontius Pilate.[22][23][24][8] Scholars have offered competing descriptions and portraits of Jesus, which at times share a number of overlapping attributes, such as a rabbi, a charismatic healer, the leader of an apocalyptic movement, a self-described Messiah, a sage and philosopher, or a social reformer who preached of the "Kingdom of God" as a means for personal and egalitarian social transformation.[25][26][27][28]
Christians traditionally believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, performed miracles, founded the Church, died sacrificially to achieve atonement, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, from which he will return.[14] The majority of Christians worship Jesus as the incarnation of God the Son, and the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.[29] A few Christian groups, however, reject Trinitarianism, wholly or partly, believing it to be non-scriptural.[29][30] Most Christian scholars today present Jesus as the awaited Messiah promised in the Old Testament and as God,[31] arguing that he fulfilled many Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament.[32]
Judaism rejects the belief that Jesus was the awaited Messiah, arguing that he did not fulfill the Messianic prophecies in the Tanakh.[33] In Islam, Jesus (in Arabic: عيسى in Islamic usage, commonly transliterated as Isa) is considered one of God's important prophets,[34][35] a bringer of scripture, and the product of a virgin birth, but not the victim of crucifixion.[36] Islam and the Bahá'í Faith use the title "Messiah" for Jesus,[37][38] but do not teach that he was God incarnate.
Further information: Jesus (name), Holy Name of Jesus, Yeshua (name), and Messiah
"Jesus" is a transliteration, occurring in a number of languages and based on the Latin Iesus, of the Greek Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs), itself a hellenization of the Hebrew יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yĕhōšuă‘, Joshua) or Hebrew-Aramaic יֵשׁוּעַ (Yēšûă‘), both meaning "Yahweh delivers" or "Yahweh rescues". In Arabic, it is عيسى.[39][40]
The etymology of the name Jesus in the context of the New Testament is generally expressed as "Yahweh saves",[41][42][43] "Yahweh is salvation"[44][45] and at times as "Jehovah is salvation".[46] The name Jesus appears to have been in use in Judaea at the time of the birth of Jesus.[46][47] Philo's reference (Mutatione Nominum item 121) indicates that the etymology of Joshua was known outside Judaea at the time.[48]
In the New Testament, in Luke 1:26-33, the angel Gabriel tells Mary to name her child "Jesus", and in Matthew 1:21 an angel tells Joseph to name the child "Jesus". The statement in Matthew 1:21 "you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" associates salvific attributes to the name Jesus in Christian theology.[49][50]
"Christ" ( /ˈkraɪst/) is derived from the Greek Χριστός (Khrīstos), meaning "the anointed" or "the anointed one", a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ), usually transliterated into English as "Messiah" ( /mɨˈsaɪ.ə/).[51][52] In the Septuagint version of the Hebrew Bible (written well over a century before the time of Jesus), the word "Christ" (Χριστός) was used to translate the Hebrew word "Messiah" (מָשִׁיחַ) into Greek.[53] In Matthew 16:16, the apostle Peter's profession "You are the Christ" identifies Jesus as the Messiah.[54] In postbiblical usage, "Christ" became viewed as a name, one part of "Jesus Christ", but originally it was a title ("Jesus the Anointed").[55][56][57]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus
14 Stations of the Cross My Tired Beggar Poet Soul
14 Stations of the Cross My Tired Beggar Poet Soul, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
The last segment of the 14 stations of the Cross takes place at St Charles Vakola which includes the Crucifixion , The Resurrection Ascension, and I had used two memory cards of 16 GB ..
I shot the last frame , and my card was FULL I had another 16 GB card brand new but by the time I would have tried to pries it open the 14 Stations of the Cross would have ended so I moved away not before thanking Joe Dias the founder of this passion play and Lenten walk..
And last year all these pictures were linked to Facebook, and I got a call from a Facebook friend a Muslim girl who said she missed my Stations of the Cross ..but this year I have linked my restless beggar poet soul to Google+
I use Twitter from Flickr only and cross blog a few posts there but dont have direct action with anyone there but thank my Twitter friends for retweeting a few of my posts ..Shadowboxer Sukhi Hontu and Magic Eye..
Mt Twitter friends are also my Flickr friends..
And I still have a few hundred pictures to upload bfore I complete this long series.
And I bought a vertical grip for the Canon 7 D which has made my camera double heavy and Marziya has to really balance it to shoot pictures , so I will buy a new Canon light weigh camera for Marziya Shakir my 4 year old grand daughter when the dust settles down.
Ironically the Canon EOS D is a gift to Marziya from my new boss that I am using I sold my Nikons as junk.. and dont think I will ever buy one again in this lifetime or the next.
Marziya Shakir was gifted a Nikon D3100 too from a very dear friend from Dubai but my daughter is using it..
Jesus And Me
he looked up
in humility
beggar poet
thanks for
following me
photographers
shoot pictures
but you have
uploaded
on the human soul
my passion pathos
poetry your faith
bound to my faith
divine humanity
i shall be crucified
on the cross
my destiny
google search
good friday
14 stations
of the cross
through you
they will find me
i am the life
the resurrection
the blind
i make them see
the cripple walks
because he
believes in me
from the prison cell
of karma
beggar poet
i set you free
on your head
the mark
of hussain
on your soul
engraved
ya ali
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Shah-e-Mardan Sher-e-Yazdan Quwat-e-Parwardigar Lafata Ila Ali La Saif Ila Zulfiqar , originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1 ....
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Dargah of Hazrat Syed Ali Mira Datar Unava Gujrat , a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr. HAZRAT SYED ALI MIRA DATAR'S G...
