Trial, Earthquake, Empty Tomb

Residents around Jerusalem are still wrapping their minds around the past week’s events. 

Things escalated two Sundays ago, when Jesus of Nazareth—a Jewish teacher and miracle worker with a fast-growing following—rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Crowds surrounded him, chanting, “Hosanna,” a salutation historically given to the Messiah. 

But by Friday, cheers for the teacher had turned to jeers. Jewish religious leaders sought to execute Jesus for blasphemy (not believing he was the Messiah), but needed Roman approval. So early in the morning, they arrested Jesus and brought him before the Roman leaders Pilate and Herod.

Though the Romans found Jesus “not guilty of any of your charges,” they put him to death by crucifixion on Friday afternoon to avoid Jewish rebellion. 

Locals around Golgotha reported the sky going dark for three hours that afternoon. An earthquake was also recorded in the region, with several eyewitnesses saying bodies rose from tombs that had broken open. And religious leaders were befuddled when the Temple curtain was torn from top to bottom. 

Jesus was buried late Friday. Then, Sunday, after the Jewish Sabbath, some women who had followed Jesus went to his tomb… and found it open, and the tomb’s stone moved. Two angels reportedly appeared and said Jesus “is not here, but has risen.” 

The Jewish leaders claim Jesus’s disciples stole his body, but his disciples and hundreds of others claim to have seen him alive, proclaiming that he is the Messiah.  

RADIATE HOPE
The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest headline we’ll ever write. It’s the only news that’s thoroughly good for us and our world, and it will still be earth-shaking news 10,000 years from now. Praise God that Christ has defeated sin and death for us. 

“Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (CSB) (read full passage)