Guest Post: Beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees by Reginald Killingley

We are all familiar with Jesus’s warning to His disciples to “beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6). Later, in verse 12, our Lord explains that the reference is not to literal yeast but to the teachings of these groups.

But the Pharisees and the Sadducees are both long gone. So, how is Jesus’s warning applicable to believers today?

Within any large group or organization there is a diversity of perspectives, often crystallizing around two poles. For convenience, we could describe these two approaches as “right” and "left" or conservatism and progressivism. This may be an over-simplification of the variety of viewpoints that exist across organizations and cultures, but the essence holds true nonetheless. These opposing points of view certainly occur in churches—and have done for centuries.

So, could Jesus be warning us to beware of polarization in our midst, as believers?

There is an interesting passage in the book of Ecclesiastes that seems to shed light on this possibility. Solomon warns against being either "excessively righteous" or "excessively wicked."

Ecclesiastes 7:16-18:

 

So do not be excessively righteous or excessively wise;

otherwise you might be disappointed.

 

Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool;

otherwise you might die before your time.

 

It is best to take hold of one warning without letting go of the other warning;

for the one who fears God will follow both warnings.

Pharisees tended to be very conservative and believed that their version of religious belief and practice was the only correct one. Sadducees, on the other hand, tended to be more secular and more involved with the Roman government and much less inclined to believe in the supernatural or in miracles such as the resurrection. Could Pharisees then be considered "excessively righteous" and Sadducees "excessively wicked"? Possibly.

Solomon warned against both moral self-righteousness and excess and moral recklessness and neglect.

Jesus used leaven as a metaphor for two opposite yet equally destructive spiritual attitudes—legalistic self-righteousness on the one hand and skeptical unbelief on the other.

In Jesus’s teaching, leaven often symbolizes a subtle but pervasive influence. Just as a small amount of yeast silently works its way through an entire lump of dough, false teaching or distorted spiritual attitudes can quietly permeate a person’s heart or a community’s culture. The danger lies in how easy it is to absorb these attitudes without noticing.

When Jesus said, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees,” he was alerting his disciples to how powerful—and contagious—such spiritual distortions could be.

Interestingly, we see evidence in the New Testament of Pharisees becoming believers. Nicodemus was one. So was Paul. And Gamaliel defended Christians. It would seem to make sense that believers would more likely arise from a conservative background rather than a less religious upbringing.

In fact, we see no evidence in the New Testament of any Sadducee becoming a believer. Moreover, two prominent Sadducees, Caiaphas and Annas, were instrumental in orchestrating the plan to kill Jesus. And in Acts 5:17-42 we read that the Sadducees jailed some of the apostles and forbade them from preaching about Jesus (an early example of cancel culture?).

For modern believers, Jesus’ warning calls for vigilance against falling prey to either extreme (type of leaven):

• The Pharisaical leaven of tradition, superiority, and exclusion.
• The Sadducean leaven of skepticism, secularism, or cultural accommodation.

So, believers today would do well to avoid either the extremes of "right-wing" legalism (the Pharisees) or of "left-wing" skepticism (the Sadducees). The leaven—or teachings—of both groups not only left them both "puffed up" with the conviction that they alone were right, but also led many other potential believers astray with their false certainties.

These distortions often map onto modern ideological polarization—religious legalism versus worldly relativism—which, like yeast, can spread quickly through a community if unexamined.

Perhaps the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasts a full week to give us time to beware of the leaven of either pole. It reminds us that purging leaven—false influences and divided loyalties—is not a one-day or even one-week act but an ongoing spiritual process.

Jesus’s warning, then, still applies today: true discipleship resists both the pride of rigid religiosity and the unbelief of cultural compromise.

--Reginald Killingley

Jesus Came Here to Serve God and Humankind!

I consulted a variety of perspectives on the reasons/purposes which brought the Son of God to this earth:

Bible Repository: 35 Important Bible Verses on Jesus' Purpose on Earth

Jesus's Purpose in Coming to Earth 

Christian Website: 10 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Earth

Got Questions: What was Jesus' Mission?

Topical Bible: Jesus Explains the Purpose of His Coming

In addition to these perspectives, I drew upon Blue Letter Bible's Strong's Concordance online and drew upon my own knowledge of Scripture. What follows is what was revealed to me by God's Holy Spirit:

Jesus came to this earth to serve God:

For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”. - John 6:38-40, NLT

That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’” First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. - Hebrews 10:5-10, NLT

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." - John 3:16-17, NLT

But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. - Isaiah 53:10-11, NLT

In the book of Revelation, we read about the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made. - Revelation 13:8, NLT

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. - Hebrews 1:1-3, NLT

Jesus came to this earth to serve humankind:

"The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Matthew 20:28, NLT

Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven. “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.” - Genesis 22:15-18, NLT

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. - Isaiah 53:4-6, NLT

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. " - Matthew 5:17, NLT

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. - John 1:14, NLT

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. - John 1:18, NLT

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.  If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. - John 14:6-11, NLT

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” - Matthew 11:27-30, NLT

"I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Mark 2:17, NLT

Jesus healed the sick - Matthew 4:24, 8:16, 12:15, 14:14, 15:30, 19:2, 21:14, Mark 1:34, etc.

Jesus set an example for us to follow - John 13:15, I Peter 2:21, etc.

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. - Hebrews 2:14-18, NLT

But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. - Hebrews 8:6, NLT

Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. - Hebrews 9:13-15, NLT

"All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep." - John 10:8-11, NLT 

Jesus came to this earth to establish God's Kingdom and his ekklesia. - Mark 1:14-15, Matthew 16:18, etc.

To summarize, Jesus came to this earth to:

Fulfill God's will

Reveal God to us

Reconcile us to God

Save us from sin and death and make eternal life possible for us

Heal the sick

Set an example for us to follow

Be our advocate with God

Fulfill the Law, the Prophets, and Writings of the Hebrew Scriptures

Establish God's Kingdom and His ekklesia

What do you think? 

Pope Leo XIV vs Franklin Graham

On Palm Sunday, Pope Leo XIV appealed for peace in the world. In his homily, he said: "Dear brothers and sisters,

As Jesus walks the Way of the Cross, we place ourselves behind him, following in his footsteps. As we walk with him, we contemplate his passion for the sake of humanity, his broken heart, and his life as a gift of love.

We turn our gaze to Jesus, who reveals himself as King of Peace, even as war looms around him. He remains steadfast in meekness, while others are stirring up violence. He offers himself to embrace humanity, even as others raise swords and clubs. He is the light of the world, though darkness is about to engulf the earth. He came to bring life, even as plans unfold to condemn him to death.

As King of Peace, Jesus’ desire is to bring the world into the Father’s arms, tearing down every barrier that separates us from God and from our neighbor, for “He is our peace” (Eph 2:14).

As King of Peace, Jesus enters into Jerusalem not upon a horse, but upon a donkey, fulfilling the ancient prophecy that calls for rejoicing at the arrival of the Messiah: “Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations” (Zech 9:9–10).

As King of Peace, when one of his disciples drew his sword to defend him and struck the high priest’s servant, Jesus immediately stopped him, saying: “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Mt 26:52).

As King of Peace, while he was burdened with our sufferings and pierced for our sins, Jesus “did not open his mouth, like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent” (Is 53:7). He did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war. He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence. Rather than saving himself, he allowed himself to be nailed to the cross, embracing every cross borne in every time and place throughout human history.

Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood” (Is 1:15)...

Vatican: Pope Leo XIV Homily Palm Sunday 2026

On Tuesday, the Reverend Franklin Graham appeared on an episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored and was asked to respond to the Pope's statement about God not listening to the prayers of those who wage war. In an article for The Christian Post, we read: "'Oh, I don't know,' Graham told Morgan in response. 'You know, David, King David, he prayed that God would train his hands how to fight his enemies. We know that God does take sides in history, certainly as it relates to biblical history. God gave great favor to David, great wisdom to David, every time he went into battle.'

Graham explained there are just wars, singling out World War II as an example, and went on to claim that the Iranian regime has become 'a danger to the whole world.' He ultimately blamed Iran for the approximately 70,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza since October 2023, as well as for the thousands of deaths in Lebanon and Yemen.

I want peace, I don't want war," Graham said. "I don't support war, but I do believe, at times, there is justification when you're fighting evil. And the Islamic Republic of Iran, I believe, is an evil government. And so I hope there is a regime change. I really do."

When Morgan pressed Graham again to respond to the pope, Graham noted he is not Roman Catholic and that he comes 'from a different perspective,' though he implied he disagrees with the papal assertion that God rejects the prayers of those who wage war.

'Well, he didn't reject David's prayers, that's for sure,' he said. 'I think that Pope Leo, maybe he's putting that in a modern context. But if you take it from a biblical context, no question God heard the prayers of King David as he went against his enemies. And God gave him wisdom and guided him and directed him in his hands of war.'"

Christian Post: Franklin Graham cites King David in response to Papal war rebuke

I don't know about my readers, but it appears to me that Leo's homily is more Christologically sound than Graham's take on the subject. After all, God did instruct Nathan to rebuke King David's sinful behaviors (see II Samuel 12:1-14). Moreover, in the chronicles of the kings, we read: "Then King David rose to his feet and said: 'Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God, and I made preparations for building. But God said to me, ‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ Yet the Lord God of Israel chose me from all my father's house to be king over Israel forever. For he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father's house, and among my father's sons he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. And of all my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. He said to me, ‘It is Solomon your son who shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. I will establish his kingdom forever if he continues strong in keeping my commandments and my rules, as he is today.'" (I Chronicles 28:2-7, ESV) Likewise, the Prophet Isaiah wrote: "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness." (Isaiah 59:1-3, ESV)

Finally, we must remember the words of Jesus on the occasion of his "Sermon on the Mount." He said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:3-12, ESV) He went on to say: "You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42, ESV) Also, we must never forget that Christ had an army of angels available to him, and he chose to submit to the Jewish and Roman authorities and allowed them to put him to death (Matthew 26:53).

One last thing, Pope Leo XIV appears to have remembered that he is a citizen of God's Kingdom first and only a temporary inhabitant of this present world. In short, the "American Pope" has proven that he is NOT an American partisan.

Graham, on the other hand, is clearly in Trump's and America's corner. He seems to have forgotten that his primary allegiance is to God, Jesus Christ, and His Kingdom.

Anyway, this pretty much summarizes the way I see this conflict between the two views. What do you think?

Celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

The folks of my previous religious affiliation pointed out that Jesus commanded his followers to celebrate his sacrifice as the New Covenant Passover - his death, and that he hadn't instituted any celebration of his resurrection. Hence, according to their reasoning, there was NO Scriptural authority for celebrating Christ's resurrection. Moreover, they believed that the resurrection hadn't occurred on a Sunday, and that it had actually occurred on the Sabbath. In addition to these two factors, they believed that many of the modern symbols surrounding the Christian observance of "Easter"(e.g. bunnies, colored eggs, candy, etc.) were derived from pagan sources and were consequently inappropriate for Christians.

Well, were these folks right about Easter? Should Christians be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth? If so, should it be on Saturday or Sunday or does it matter what day is celebrated? Were they right about the pagan origins of bunnies, eggs, and candy? These are some of the questions this post will address.

First, Christ said that he came to this earth to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). Please note that Christ didn't say that he came to fulfill certain passage from Torah and Isaiah. In other words, the assumption is that he would fulfill ALL of it - completely! That includes the festivals outlined in the twenty-third chapter of Leviticus. We've been over this ground before on this blog - many times. Christ was our Passover Lamb - sacrificed to remove the leavening of sin from our lives. He was also the Firstfruits of those whom God would resurrect from the dead, and the Wave-sheaf Offering to God. Moreover, Christ's resurrection was predicted by both David (Psalm 16:10) and the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 53:10-12).

Now, it is a fact beyond all dispute that ALL four Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) recount the events surrounding Christ's resurrection from the dead. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read: "Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead.'" (Matthew 28:1-7, ESV) Notice, in this account, the very first information which we are given is that the event happened AFTER THE SABBATH and TOWARD THE DAWN. Even so, the main message of the angel was that Jesus had RISEN!

Likewise, in the Gospel of Mark, we read: "When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?' And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.'" (Mark 16:1-6, ESV) In this account, we are told that the women went to buy spices to anoint Christ's body "when the Sabbath was past." Then, "very early on the first day of the week," they arrived at the tomb and found the stone had been rolled away from the tomb's entrance.

In the Gospel of Luke, we read: "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen.'" (Luke 24:1-6, ESV) Notice, in this account, the women arrived at the tomb "on the first day of the week, at early dawn." Here, the angel asked them why they were seeking the living among the dead, and then told them that he wasn't there - that he had risen!

In the final account, the details are a little different than those recounted in the other three gospels. We read: "Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.' So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead." (John 20:1-8, ESV) A few verses later, we are informed that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, and that she finally understood that he had been resurrected.

Now, let's review what we have learned from the various accounts in the canonical gospels: 1) That Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead sometime after sundown on the Sabbath and between dawn on Sunday. 2) That this event was prophesied to happen by the Hebrew Scriptures. 3) Jesus was resurrected by supernatural power. All of this also strongly suggests that this was one of the critical/important events of Christ's ministry on this earth.

That Christ's resurrection is a critical part of Christ's story are reinforced by Jesus' own words. In the Gospel of John, we are informed that Christ declared: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:25-26, ESV) Likewise, after he had cleansed the Temple, we read that the Jews confronted him about his justification for having done that. Then, we read: "Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' The Jews then said, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?' But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken." (John 2:19-22, ESV)

That this was a central part of Christ's story was further underscored by his apostles and disciples. In the book of Acts, we are informed that the apostles decided to replace Judas Iscariot after he committed suicide. We read: "So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection." (Acts 1:21-22, ESV) Please note that Christ's apostles believed that it was a fundamental part of their responsibility to be WITNESSES of the fact of Christ's resurrection from the tomb! Moreover, after quoting that same passage from the sixteenth Psalm referenced earlier in this post, in his Pentecost sermon, Peter declared: "Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses." (Acts 2:29-32, ESV)

In that same account, we are informed that Peter and John were speaking to the people, and "the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead." (Acts 4:1-2, ESV) A little later, in this same chapter, we read: "And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all." (Acts 4:33, ESV) Later still, we find the Apostle Paul preaching the message about Jesus and his resurrection at Athens (Acts 17:16-18). Clearly, all of Christ's apostles believed that his resurrection from the dead was a crucial component of their message about Jesus!

Indeed, in his first epistle to the saints at Corinth, Paul made very clear that this was at the center of his message about Christ. He wrote: "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me." (I Corinthians 15:3-8, ESV) He continued: "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ." (I Corinthians 15:12-23, ESV) Once again, we see that Christ's apostles clearly considered this to be a critical element of the story about Christ!

After reading through these many passages of Scripture (and there are more - Philippians 3:10-11, Hebrews 6:2, I Peter 1:3, 3:21), it becomes crystal clear that the fact of Christ's resurrection should be a cause for much celebration among his disciples. Yes, Christ commanded us to remember his death; but the absence of a command to do so, does NOT constitute a legitimate reason to ignore the other important events and teachings surrounding his time on this earth as a human! I celebrate his birth, his teachings, his miracles, his humility, his kindness, his death, his resurrection, and his ascension to heaven. Why not? Indeed, there isn't a single good reason to ignore these other important hallmarks of Christ's life/ministry!

What about the Easter bunny, colored eggs, and candy? When I inquired of my computer's AI about the origins of these things, I read: "The Easter Bunny originated as the 'Easter Hare' in 18th-century Germany, blending pagan fertility symbols, Christian traditions, and folklore to become the modern Easter icon." Now, admittedly, the rabbit as a fertility symbol goes back to pagan times. Hence, while the rabbit was previously used by the pagans as a fertility symbol, its association with Easter falls well within the Christian era - within the last three-hundred years! Nevertheless, if the Easter Bunny, colored eggs, and candy violate your individual conscience, you should avoid making them part of your celebration of Christ's resurrection. Likewise, if you aren't bothered by the rabbit's former association with paganism, have fun with the modern symbols! At any rate, whether you include or exclude these elements from your celebration of Christ's resurrection, your decision should NOT have any impact on your determination to celebrate Jesus Christ! Anyway, that's my take - What do you think?

The Parable of the Silver

The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.'

The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!'

The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.'

The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:14-30, NLT

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Although most Christian denominations/groups have understood the Gospel message, groups like the Armstrong Churches of God (ACOG) and Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) have fundamentally misunderstood that message. Instead of the GOOD NEWS about salvation through Jesus Christ, they preach a message about the physical restoration of God's government over this earth. In short, their message is fundamentally a political one instead of a spiritual one. Oh sure, they pay lip service to the spiritual part - admitting that that is certainly part of the message. The focus, however, is clearly on the establishment of a literal kingdom on this earth. Even worse, they claim that the Christians who preach the traditional Gospel are promulgating a FALSE gospel! Which brings us to the point of this post: Who is preaching the right Gospel?

The ACOGs and the JWs love to cite certain prooftexts to support their contention that the more traditional gospel message is incorrect. For example, in the Gospel of Matthew, after Christ's temptation by Satan, we read: "From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (Matthew 4:17, ESV) A few verses down from that one, we read that Jesus "went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people." (Matthew 4:23, ESV) Likewise, in the Gospel of Mark, we read: "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.'" (Mark 1:14, ESV) Indeed, the subject of the "kingdom of God" is ubiquitous to the canonical narratives about Christ's teachings.

Unfortunately, Christ had to deal with people's expectations - just as we have had to deal with expectations in our own time. When we talk about kingdoms, most folks think about government and all that that entails - authority, power, thrones, armies, territory, etc. In other words, most folks are very practical and literal when such things are discussed. Jesus of Nazareth, however, had a completely different conception of the Kingdom of God, and it did not meet the expectations of his audience.

Christ had to contend with these expectations throughout his ministry. In the Gospel of Luke, we read: "As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. He said therefore, 'A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.'" (Luke 19:11-12, ESV) People expected Jesus to reclaim his ancestor David's throne and immediately dispatch their Roman overlords. In short, they expected the Christ to reign from Jerusalem and forcibly put down all of his foes. In spite of numerous sermons and parables, these expectations persisted.

In the Gospel of John, we find a rather detailed account of Christ's trial before Pilate. We read: "So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' Jesus answered, 'Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?' Pilate answered, 'Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?' Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.' Then Pilate said to him, 'So you are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.' Pilate said to him, 'What is truth?'" (John 18:33-38, ESV) Notice, that when Christ was asked if he was the King of the Jews, he told Pilate that his kingdom was NOT of this world!

Indeed, right before Jesus ascended into heaven after his resurrection from death, his own disciples reflected this same expectation. In the book of Acts, we read: "So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But 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 end of the earth.'" (Acts 1:6-8, ESV) Notice that his own disciples still expected him to set up a literal, physical kingdom! This after listening to Christ's parables and messaging for over three years and having experienced his trial, death, crucifixion, and resurrection.

Why this expectation? Most of the Jews of that time were expecting a Messiah who would restore the Davidic Kingdom to Judaea. They were familiar with what the Hebrew prophets had predicted. Christ's disciples had read (or heard) the book of Isaiah. They knew about the prediction: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this." (Isaiah 9:6-7, ESV) Once again, for many Jews, there was only one way to interpret this prophecy - that the Messiah would reestablish the throne of David in the Promised Land.

Even so, the writings of the New Testament make very clear that Christ had very different notions about the Kingdom of God, and what would constitute a fulfillment of the predictions of those Hebrew prophets. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Christ said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3-10, ESV) What? That doesn't sound very political! Indeed, it sounds like very spiritual language - even uncharacteristic of what we would normally associate with kings and kingdoms.

As the account of this sermon continued, we are told that Jesus elaborated on commandments dealing with moral or ethical behavior. Once again, not what one would normally expect in a discussion about government. Instead, he talked about anger, lust, retaliation, loving your neighbor, giving to those in need, and how to pray to God! (Matthew 5:31-48 and 6:1-15) He went on to say: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21, ESV) Jesus told his disciples not to worry about providing for their physical needs, but to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:25-33, ESV)

He went on to warn them against judging each other and told them that they should worry about correcting their own faults and sins (Matthew 7:1-5, ESV). Christ told them to ask God to provide for their needs and to treat other people the same way that you yourself would like to be treated (Matthew 7:7-12, ESV). Jesus went on to use a tree as a metaphor for human behavior, saying that good trees produce good fruit and vice versa (Matthew 7:15-20, ESV).

Finally, in this long discourse about the kingdom, Christ concluded by saying: "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:24-27, ESV) It is impossible to overstate the fact that this was NOT the kind of language that his disciples were expecting to hear about God's Kingdom!

Instead of ejecting the Romans from the Holy Land, Christ healed the sick, calmed a storm, and cast out demons who were afflicting people (Matthew 8 and 9). In fact, we are informed that "Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'" (Matthew 9:35-38, ESV) What was all of this talk about harvests? Wasn't he supposed to be setting up his administration in Jerusalem and establishing his own authority over the land?

Christ went on to compare the kingdom to a farmer planting seeds and experiencing different results based on which type of soil the seed fell into (Matthew 13:2-8, ESV). Later, he explained that the story about planting seeds was symbolic of folks who heard his message about the kingdom (Matthew 13:18-23, ESV). Next, he compared the kingdom to someone sowing good seed in his field, and then having an enemy later plant weeds in the same field (Matthew 13:24-30, ESV). Jesus also compared the kingdom to a mustard seed and a little leavening, indicating that it would begin small and spread throughout the world (Matthew 13:31-33, ESV). Once again, it is hard to overstate the fact that this was NOT the kind of language that his audience was expecting to hear about the Kingdom of God! They were expecting a political discourse, and they got instead a discussion about character and farmers harvesting crops!

Indeed, Christ's message bewildered everyone. When speaking with one of the leading religious leaders among the Jews, Jesus told Nicodemus that "unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3, ESV). Continuing the account, we read: "Nicodemus said to him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?' Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.' Nicodemus said to him, 'How can these things be?' Jesus answered him, 'Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.'" (John 3:4-17, ESV)

Try for just a moment to put yourself in the shoes of Nicodemus. He had been trained his entire life to look for a Messiah who would restore the Davidic kingdom, and this guy was talking about saving the world and eternal life! This was the Gospel of the Kingdom of God! Once again, this was an astounding turn of events. This was NOT what anyone was expecting from the Messiah! Moreover, the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) go on to tell the story of a Messiah who was arrested, put on trial, executed, and resurrected from the dead - never once having fulfilled their expectations of a political revolution!

What's more, when Jesus did talk about the exercise of authority/power, he did not speak of it in terms that his audience was accustomed to hearing. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read: "At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Matthew 18:1-4, ESV) A little later, in the same account, Christ said: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28, ESV) That this was NOT the style of leadership that his followers were accustomed to is apparent in the account!

Still not convinced that Christ's message was NOT a political one? Let's take a closer look at the Gospel message his apostles were preaching.

In his epistle to the Christians at Rome, Paul wrote that he was "called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ." (Romans 1:1-5, ESV) Although he mentioned the fact that Christ was a descendant of David, he emphasized the fact that he was also the Son of God, that he had been resurrected from the dead, and that he (Paul) had been commissioned to spread this message throughout the world.

Likewise, in his letter to the saints at Corinth, Paul wrote: "I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (I Corinthians 1:4-9, ESV) Notice that there is NOTHING of a political nature in what Paul is preaching. Instead, his message is focused entirely on what Jesus has done (and would do) for them.

Finally, in his epistle to the Christians of Galatia, Paul wrote: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen." (Galatians 1:3-5, ESV) With this context, Paul then went on to proclaim: "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:6-9, ESV) Apparently, even in Paul's day, there were some folks who were trying to twist/pervert the Good New (Gospel) about Jesus Christ and salvation through him!

Likewise, in the epistle of Peter, we read: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (I Peter 1:3-9, ESV) Once again, we see that the focus of the message is salvation through Jesus Christ. This is the message that Christ and his apostles preached about the Kingdom of God!

Hence, we have demonstrated from Scripture that the Gospel of the Kingdom of God was focused on the person of Christ and what he was doing for humankind. It was a message about salvation - the salvation of the entire earth. It was a message about faith, grace, humility, mercy, love, and forgiveness. It was NOT a message about the human conception of governance or political systems. In short, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the good news about salvation and eternal life through Jesus of Nazareth - THE KING OF KINGS!

Jesus Christ: Passover Lamb, Unleavened Bread, Wave Sheaf, and First Fruits

Jesus Christ told his disciples that he came to this earth to fulfill Torah, and he did! Jesus and his apostles believed that the Hebrew Scriptures pointed to him - that they portrayed the work that he would actually do. Now, although this was true of the laws, prophets, and writings, the most obvious manifestations of this phenomenon were found in the instructions for the festivals, sacrificial system, and offerings of Torah. More particularly, we are going to see that the symbolism of the Wave Sheaf and Pentecost, as well as the chronology recorded in the Gospels and Acts demand a Sunday resurrection for Jesus Christ. In other words, Christ could NOT have been resurrected on the Sabbath!

We will begin with the stuff that is widely recognized and accepted - the Passover and its association with Christ's death. Notice first that the Israelites were instructed to choose a young male lamb or goat without defects to use for their Passover sacrifice. Then, on the evening of the fourteenth of the first month of the Hebrew calendar, they were instructed to kill the animal and smear its blood on the doorposts of their houses. That evening, they would roast the animal and eat it for supper, and they were also told to eat it with unleavened bread. This would ensure that God would pass over their houses, and that they would not experience the death and sorrow that was about to be visited upon the Egyptians (see Exodus 12).

In the New Testament, Jesus was referred to as the "Lamb of God" (John 1:29). The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the saints at Corinth, told them that Christ was their Passover lamb who had been sacrificed for them (I Corinthians 5:7). Christ also portrayed himself as the "Bread of Life," the bread without the leavening of sin (John 6:35, 48). Indeed, during his last meal with his disciples, Jesus included bread and wine and made them symbolic of his body and blood (Matthew 26:26-28).

Now, although most Christians have understood the obvious symbolism pointing to Christ surrounding Passover and Unleavened Bread, the next festival has probably been the least understood of those listed in Torah. Because of that dearth of understanding, we will actually take a closer look at the passages from Torah which deal with them.

In the book of Leviticus, we read: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the Lord. And the grain offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the Lord with a pleasing aroma, and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin. And you shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.'" (Leviticus 23:9-14, ESV)

Notice first that these instructions are NOT part of the instructions for Passover or Unleavened Bread. Unlike the other festivals, this one was NOT tied to a particular day on the Hebrew calendar. Instead, this festival is based on "the first cutting of your grain harvest," which would obviously vary from year to year (based on weather and planting). Sure, sometimes "the day after the Sabbath" would fall during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, but sometimes it would fall completely outside of that festival. Again, this was intimately associated with the firstfruits of the grain harvest. Notice also that the sheaf of grain would be presented to the priest (at the central sanctuary in Jerusalem), and he would lift it into the air and wave it before the Lord.

Now, as Christ was the fulfillment of Torah, it follows that the wave sheaf would have occurred during the days of Unleavened Bread in the year in which Christ was crucified. In other words, sometime AFTER the weekly Sabbath, AFTER Christ had been resurrected from the dead, he would have offered himself to God in fulfillment of the ritual simultaneously being performed by the priest in Jerusalem. Indeed, in his letter to the saints at Corinth, Paul wrote: "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ." (I Corinthians 15:20-23, ESV) Likewise, in his letter to the saints at Ephesus, he characterized Christ's offering/sacrifice as constituting a pleasing aroma to God (Ephesians 5:2).

We should also note that all of this fits very nicely into the chronology laid out in the New Testament concerning Christ's story. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read: "Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.'" (Matthew 28:1-7, ESV)

Likewise, in the Gospel of Mark, we read: "When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?' And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.'" (Mark 16:1-6, ESV)

In the Gospel of Luke, we read: "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen.'" (Luke 24:1-6, ESV) Finally, in the Gospel of John, we read: "Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb." (John 20:1, ESV) Hence, we see in all four gospel accounts that Christ was resurrected after the Sabbath had ended. Remember, according to biblical reckoning, a new day begins at sundown - so, the first day of the week (Sunday) began at sundown Saturday night.

Now, let's return to the Hebrew Scriptures and see how the date of the Feast of Firstfruits or Pentecost was calculated. In that same twenty-third chapter of Leviticus, we read: "You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord. You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord. And you shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, and one bull from the herd and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. And you shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. And you shall make a proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations." (Leviticus 23:15-21, ESV)

Notice that this festival is also associated with the grain harvest, and its date is calculated by counting from the day that the wave sheaf offering was presented. Indeed, this calculation inspired the Greek word that has been adopted into English as Pentecost (meaning count fifty). Notice too that ALL of the offerings associated with this celebration point to Christ's sacrifice. Even so, does all of this fit into the chronology of the New Testament? It does, as we will shortly demonstrate.

In the twentieth and twenty-first chapters of the Gospel of John, we are informed that Christ appeared to his disciples on numerous occasions over the course of several days. In the preface to the book of Acts, we read: "In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, 'you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'” (Acts 1:1-5, ESV) Notice that this account informs us that the resurrected Christ appeared to his disciples for forty days following his resurrection.

This is followed by an account of his ascension to heaven. We read: "So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But 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 end of the earth.' And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, '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.'" (Acts 1:6-11, ESV) Jesus told them that they were awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit. This is followed by an account of the apostles choosing Matthias to replace Judas (the one who had betrayed Christ and later hanged himself).

Next, we read: "When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4, ESV) Please note that this timeline fits very well into the fifty-day period following the Wave Sheaf Offering. We should also note that this follows the previously established pattern of these festivals being fulfilled by Christ on the actual days designated for these festivals by Torah!