Notes from Linda:
12/1/22: I just found out that most of the commentaries on the Bible Study Tools website are no longer free. That's where most of the quotes that appear on the "Verse of the Day" and "Previous Verses" pages of my website are taken from, so from now on, many of the "Source:" links that I provide on those pages will not contain the quoted text.I was disgusted to read about the organization's new "PLUS" membership, and the only thing I can say about it is that the Bible has this warning in 1 Timothy 6:10 for the owner of Bible Study Tools: "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
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8/8/21: Something is wrong with my Christian forum. Everything seems to be working normally (i.e., the articles are there, and the links work), but for some reason, the forum's format has changed slightly, and I am currently unable to post anything new.
I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. Hopefully, the problem is only temporay and will be fixed soon.
"Verse of the Day"
Bible Verses
Bible Verses
"Verse of the Day"
Bible Verses
Bible Verses
Current Month
April 2026
APRIL 14
Proverbs 14:2
Proverbs 14:2: "He [or she] that walketh [walks] in his [or her] uprightness [i.e., the person who lives an obedient, godly life] [shows by his (or her) actions that he (or she)] feareth [fears] the LORD: but he [or she] that is perverse [crooked, dishonest, unjust] in his [or her] ways [shows by his (or her) actions that he (or she)] despiseth [hates] him [God]."
"A person's behavior is often a reflection of his attitude towards God."
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In paragraph 1 at the top of his commentary on this verse, Pastor Delany lists some characteristics of people who fear God. They include:
-- Knowing the difference between right and wrong and choosing to do right.
-- Reading, studying, and obeying the Bible.
-- Hating every form of evil (including pride, arrogance, a bad mouth, etc.).
-- Staying out of trouble by avoiding stupid and dangerous behavior.
-- Being content.
-- Not meddling or associating with bad people, and not being envious of others.
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If you're interesting in reading the commentary, go to https://www.salembible.org/proverbs/ and scroll down to "14:2."
APRIL 12-13
Galatians 5:22, 23
"Fruit of the Spirit" = Good Christian Character
Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit is [consists of:] [or 'the Holy Spirit, working within a Christian, produces:']
love [for God and people],
joy [happiness],
peace [calmness, quietness of mind],
longsuffering [having patience in difficult times],
gentleness [being kind and polite, having a pleasant disposition],
goodness [good works, doing nice things for others],
faith [in God, and faithfulness to man (i.e., being true to our word, keeping promises)],
Meekness [humility, having a mild temper, not seeking revenge when someone offends or hurts us],
temperance [self-control]:
against such [things] there is no law [to condemn and punish; in other words, these are good character traits, or qualities, and no law (including God's law) will accuse, condemn (pronounce 'guilty'), and/or punish us for having them]."
-- "What does the Bible say about Christian character?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-character.html)
-- "What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-of-the-Holy-Spirit.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is love?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-love.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is joy?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-joy.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is peace?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-peace.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is patience?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-patience.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is gentleness?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-gentleness.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is goodness?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-goodness.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is faithfulness?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-faithfulness.html)
-- "What does the Bible say about humility?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-humility.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is self-control?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-self-control.html)
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Here are some additional articles related to today's verses:
-- "What is the key to bearing fruit as a Christian?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/bearing-fruit.html)
-- "What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Spirit-walk.html)
-- "What does 'against such things there is no law' mean (Galatians 5:23)?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/against-such-things-there-is-no-law.html)
APRIL 11
Proverbs 11:12
Proverbs 11:12: "He [or she] that is void of wisdom [i.e., a person who lacks wisdom (good judgment and common sense)] despiseth [hates] his [or her] neighbour [neighbor, friend, acquaintance, etc.--and shows it by saying bad things about him or her, whether they are true or false]: but a man [or woman or child] of understanding [i.e., a wise person] holdeth [holds] his [or her] peace [or remains silent, if and when he (or she) hears offensive things being said about others or about himself (or herself)]."
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In the introduction to his commentary, Pastor Delany says:
"… the fool demonstrates his [or her] hatred towards his [or her] neighbor by what he [or she] SAYS about him [or her].
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Here's an excerpt from the section in the pastor's commentary about holding one's peace:
"a. But his wisdom causes him to PITY his neighbor--not lash out at [or say something nasty to] him.
"b. His wisdom causes him to PRAY for his neighbor--not slander him [by telling lies that may, or will, damage his reputation].
"c. His wisdom will cause him to keep his peace before men--and pour his heart out for that neighbor [in prayer] before the Lord.
"d. If his neighbor is overtaken in a fault, rather than gossiping all over town about his fault, the spiritual man will attempt to 'restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering himself lest he also be tempted.' That's wisdom.
"e. If our neighbor… or our child… or brother… or spouse… has a fault, the fool will blab [talk too much, speak without thinking, reveal secrets]. The wise man will keep silent--and try to help.
"f. The wise man does not try to pick a fight… he tries to pick him [the other person] up [in spirit, by providing emotional, mental, or spiritual encouragement and support to him]."
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The commentary ends with this:
"6. What do we DO when others despise us and speak evil of us?
"a. Psa. 119:23 [probably King David, praying to God] - Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. Spend time in the word [of God--the Bible].
b. The word of God is also a balm [a soothing, healing substance] for a wounded spirit.
c. The word of God also gives wisdom… and understanding… and that in turn will prevent us from BECOMING a fool and lashing back!
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If you want to read more of the commentary, go to https://www.salembible.org/proverbs/ and scroll down to "11:12."
"None but the man 'void of wisdom' will show contempt [disrespect] for those about [around] him. The wise man, if he cannot admire or praise [someone], will at least know how to be silent."
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/proverbs-11.html, "Verse 12")
APRIL 10
Proverbs 10:1
Proverbs 10:1: "The proverbs of [King] Solomon [include the following]. A wise son [or daughter] maketh [makes] a glad father [and mother]: but a foolish son [or daughter--one who lacks (doesn't have) common sense and good judgment] is the heaviness of his [or her] mother [and father, which means that foolish children usually bring grief (sorrow, sadness) and trouble to their parents]."
"For the rest of your life, your happiness (to a certain degree) will be linked to the spiritual well being of your kids."
He goes on to say:
"What a joy for parents to see their children grow up and be saved… and to walk with [or 'in obedience to'] the Lord… and to bring their children up in the things of the Lord. No greater joy!"
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Here are some things that we need to keep in mind:
"• If we want joy from our kids, then we need to start training them from the cradle [or 'from birth']…
"• If you let them [your children] run on auto-pilot [automatically, without thinking] until they are teens, they are pretty well already formed.
"• If you want a tree to grow up straight and tall, you have to support it when it is young and tender. If you wait until it is grown, it's too late. You're never going to straighten out the trunk of a full grown tree. Only God can do that.
"• Thus, Solomon sends a message to us as parents and even grandparents: get them [meaning: discipline your children] while they are young! While there is hope."
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Today's verse can also apply to pastors and their "spiritual children," including the apostle Paul, who encountered problems with the Corinthian church. At the end of Pastor Delany's commentary, referencing verses in 2 Corinthians 13, we learn how Paul dealt with those problems:
"• [He--Paul] Prayed for them [the church members] (13:7a)
"• He kept in touch [with them] (13:10)
"• He encouraged them to do that which is right (13:11)
"• He committed them to the grace of God and left them in God's hands. (13:14)"
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The commentary ends with this:
"g. The good news here is that Paul's spiritual children in Corinth DID turn around… (II Cor. 7:13) The good report from Titus about the Corinthians comforted Paul and brought exceeding joy to him!
"• Isn't that true of our own children? Aren't they often like the Corinthians?
"• Sometimes they stumble about for a while… skating on thin ice… making foolish decisions… stumbling and falling on their faces… breaking their parent's heart…
"• God intervened in Corinth and got a hold of their hearts… and the church got back up on their feet…
"• This brought great joy to the heart of their spiritual father [the apostle Paul}.
"• If our children are bringing great grief to us…remember that the Lord is able to turn them around and nobody but the Lord can!
"• Once you commit them [your children] to the Lord, the peace that passes understanding can return to your heart…
"• Remember--God loves them [your children] more than you do. He is grieved more than we are when our children turn away from Him. He rejoices more than we do when they walk in the truth [or in obedience to God's word].
"• We can trust a God like that. Entrust your kids to Him.'
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If you want to read the commentary, go to https://www.salembible.org/proverbs/ and scroll down to "10:1."
APRIL 9
Psalm 7:11
In Psalm 7, King David asks God to protect him from his enemies, and in the following verse, he explains why he thinks God should do that:
Psalm 7:11: "God judgeth [judges, does justice to, or pronounces a just judgment on behalf of] the righteous [referring to born-again Christians, who are considered righteous (acceptable in God's sight) because they have accepted Jesus' death on the cross as payment for their sins--see note below*], and God is angry with the wicked [people, or unsaved sinners, especially those who do evil things] every day [continually, constantly, always]."
"God judgeth the righteous [people--born-again Christians] - That is, he pronounces a just [fair] judgment on their behalf; he vindicates their character [or 'clears them from blame']. It is true, in a general sense, that God judges all [people] according to their character; but the particular idea here is, that God will do justice to the righteous; he will interpose [intervene, step in] to vindicate them, and he will treat them as they ought to be treated when assailed [attacked] by their enemies, and when reproached [criticized] and calumniated [slandered, lied about]. The original phrase here is susceptible of two translations [which means it can be translated two ways]; either, 'God is a righteous judge' or, 'God is judging,' that is judges, 'the righteous.' The sense is not materially varied [or 'substantially different'], whichever translation is adopted. Our common version [of the Bible; i.e., King James] has probably expressed the true idea; and there the design [intention] of the writer is to contrast [or 'show the difference between'] the manner [way] in which God regards and treats the righteous, with the manner in which he regards and treats the wicked. The one [person--the 'righteous,'] he [God] judges, that is, he does him [or her] justice; with the other [person--the 'wicked,'] he is angry every day."
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/psalms-7.html, "Verse 11")
-- "Does God get angry?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/does-God-get-angry.html)
-- "Why does God allow evil?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/God-allow-evil.html)
-- "What does the Bible say about justice?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-justice.html)
APRIL 8
1 John 1:9, 10
Need Forgiveness? Ask God!
The apostle John wrote:
1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins [to God through prayer], he [God] is faithful and just [morally right and fair, meaning he keeps his promise] to forgive us [of] our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [by purifying our hearts and removing the guilt]."
1 John 1:10: "If we say that we have not sinned [see note below*], we make him [God] a liar, and his word [i.e., his truth--the fact that we are all born with a sin nature (inherited from Adam and Eve--see note below**) and need a Savior] is not in us [and, consequently, we are not true Christians]."
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Your first prayer should be to admit that you're a sinner and ask Jesus to come into your heart and save you from hell. If your prayer is sincere (i.e., if you really mean it), you only have to do this once. After that, you should get in the habit of asking for God's forgiveness on an ongoing or daily basis--whenever you realize that you've done something wrong.
"… God gave his only begotten Son [Jesus] [to die] upon the cross [so] that man [mankind, all human beings] might be saved from sin, a salvation that was impossible for any man [or woman or child] apart from God's redeeming act. If man had not been sinful and utterly helpless to achieve salvation for himself, all of the heavenly outpouring of God's merciful visitation in the person of his Son [Jesus] was unnecessary; the crucifixion was a useless murder; and every promise of the gospel is essentially a lie …"
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/1-john/1-10.html, "Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible")
1. "What does it mean that, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just (1 John 1:9)?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/confess-our-sins-faithful-and-just.html)
2. "Why do we need to confess our sins if they have already been forgiven (1 John 1:9)?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/confession-forgiveness.html)
3. "How does God cleanse us from all unrighteousness? (1 John 1:9)"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/cleanse-us-from-all-unrighteousness.html)
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Note: One sentence in the first paragraph of article number 3 listed above is misleading. It states that "John's letter, sometimes referred to as a 'catholic epistle,' was written to the universal church." In this case "catholic" does not refer to the Roman Catholic Church.
According to the "AI Overview" in Google:
"1 John 1:9 is often considered a 'catholic epistle' (meaning universal or general) because 1 John is part of a group of seven New Testament letters intended for the general church rather than a specific local congregation, unlike many of Paul's letters. The letter addresses all Christians everywhere with instructions on repentance and fellowship with God."
APRIL 7
John 20:24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
"Doubting Thomas" Wants Proof of Jesus' Resurrection
In the evening of his resurrection day, Jesus appeared to all but one of his disciples (Thomas) in the place where they were assembled (gathered), which convinced them that he (Jesus) had risen from the dead.
John 20:24: "But Thomas, one of the twelve [disciples of Jesus], called Didymus, was not with them [the other disciples] when Jesus came [to visit]."
John 20:25: "The other disciples therefore said unto him [Thomas], We have seen the Lord [Jesus]. But he [Thomas] said unto them [the disciples], Except I shall see in his [Jesus'] hands the print of the nails [that he was crucified with], and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust [insert, put] my hand into his side [i.e., the side in which he had been stabbed with a sword], I will not believe [that he is alive]."
John 20:26: "And after eight days [or 'eight days later,'] again his [Jesus'] disciples were within [the same house where they had gathered before], and Thomas [was] with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut [for privacy and protection], and stood in the midst [middle] [of the group of disciples], and said, Peace be unto you." [See Note 1 below.]
John 20:27: "Then saith he [Jesus] to Thomas [commonly referred to as 'Doubting Thomas' due to his unbelief--see Note 2 below], Reach hither [reach out] thy [your] finger, and behold [touch] my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [push, shove] it into my side: and be not [or 'do not be'] faithless [without faith, unbelieving], but [be] believing."
John 20:28: "And [when he saw (and perhaps touched) Jesus' wounds,] Thomas answered and said unto him [Jesus], My Lord and my God."
John 20:29: "Jesus saith [said] unto him, Thomas, because thou hast [you have] seen me, thou hast believed [that I am alive]: blessed [happy] are they that have not seen [me in person], and yet have believed [the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4); i.e., that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross to pay for our sins, and that he was buried and rose again the third day].
"Now, dear friends, has the purpose, for which this Book [of John] was written, been answered in your case? Have you been led to 'believe that Jesus is the Christ [meaning 'Messiah'--see Note 3 below], the Son of God,' and so to believe that you 'have [eternal] life through his name'? If not, why not? May you have grace to answer that question, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake! Amen."
(Source: https://www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com/commentaries/spe/john-20.php, go to "Verses 19-31" and scroll down to the end)
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If you answered "no" to the above question by Charles Spurgeon, the article entitled "Is there power in the name of Jesus?" may help to convince you otherwise. Here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/power-in-the-name-of-Jesus.html.
According to GotQuestions.org:
"We get a glimpse of what our resurrection bodies will be like when we recall Jesus' post-resurrection appearances [referring to his appearances after his resurrection]. He still had visible wounds [i.e., they were able to be seen], and His disciples could physically touch Him, yet He was able to travel effortlessly and appear and disappear at will. He could go through walls and doors yet could also eat and drink and sit and talk. Scripture [or 'The Bible] informs us that our 'lowly bodies' will be just 'like His glorious body' (Philippians 3:21). Indeed, the physical limitations imposed by sin that hinder [prevent] our ability to fully serve Him [the Lord Jesus Christ] on earth will be forever gone, freeing us to praise and serve and glorify Him for eternity."
(Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/resurrection-body.html, "How will our resurrection body be different from our current body?")
NOTE 2:
GotQuestions.org has some background information on Thomas. It's in an article entitled "Who was Thomas in the Bible?" and can be found here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Thomas-in-the-Bible.html.
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Many Christians have doubts about important things, like Thomas did. The article entitled "How can I avoid being a doubting Thomas?" offers some insight about that. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/doubting-Thomas.html,
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Please note: I think that the above article about how to avoid being a "doubting Thomas" is good, but it contains something that I disagree with, so I just want to clear that up.
In paragraph 6, the article says, "Faith is the gift of God to His children (Ephesians 2:8-9) …," but I think that's wrong, because although you are saved through faith (according to Ephesians 2:8), eternal life (not faith) is the gift of God (according to Romans 6:23).
Here's what the Bible says:
-- Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it [salvation] is the gift of God: Not of works [i.e., good deeds], lest any man should boast."
-- Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
NOTE 3:
"What does Christ mean?" is answered in the GotQuestions.org article by the same name. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/what-does-Christ-mean.html.
APRIL 6
Matthew 28:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
The Resurrection of Jesus: Part 2
(This was when the women were finally allowed to touch the resurrected Jesus … Note: Earlier that same day, Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to touch him because he had not yet ascended to the Father. The reason he said this was explained in Note 3 of the previous (April 5th) "Verse of the Day" entry entitled "The Resurrection of Jesus: Part 1")
Matthew 28:1: "In the end of the [Jewish weekly] sabbath [a day of rest and worship, which took place every Saturday throughout the year], as it began to dawn toward [Sunday,] the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary [i.e., wife of Cleopas, and mother of James and Joses (or 'Joseph')] to see the sepulchre [the tomb in which the body of the crucified Jesus had been placed]."
Matthew 28:2-3,4: "And, behold, there was a great [or very strong] earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended [came down] from heaven, and came and rolled back the [very large, heavy] stone from the door [of the sepulchre], and sat upon it. His [the angel's] countenance [outward appearance] was [bright and shining] like lightning, and his raiment [clothing] [was as] white as snow: And for fear of him [or 'due to fear of the angel'] the keepers [of the sepulchre; i.e., the Roman soldiers who were guarding the tomb] did shake [tremble], and became as dead men [i.e., they probably fainted from fright, because they were terrified by what had just happened]."
Matthew 28:5-6,7: "And the angel answered and said unto the [two] women, Fear not ye [or 'don't be afraid']: for I know that ye [you] seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for [or 'because'] he is risen [from the dead], as he said. Come, see the place [in the sepulchre] where the Lord lay [or 'where Jesus' body had been lying']. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he [Jesus] goeth [goes] before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo [behold, look, see], I [the angel] have told you."
Matthew 28:8-9: "And they [the women] departed [or 'left'] quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word [or, in this case, the good news] [that Jesus was alive]. And as they went to tell his [Jesus'] disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail [which meant 'rejoice']. And they [the women] came and held him [Jesus] by the feet [in other words, they came and laid face down on the ground, touching his feet, showing their respect, honor, love, and affection,], and worshipped him."
APRIL 5
John 20:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
The Resurrection of Jesus: Part 1
(This was when Mary Magdalene (see Note 1 below) was told not to touch the resurrected Jesus)
John 20:1: "[On] The first day of the week [Sunday] cometh [comes, or came] Mary Magdalene early [before dawn], when it was yet [or still] dark, unto the sepulchre [the tomb in which the body of the crucified Jesus had been placed], and seeth [sees, or saw that] the stone [in this case, a very large rock] [had been] taken away from the [entrance to the] sepulchre."
John 20:2: "Then she [Mary] runneth [runs, or ran], and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple [John], whom Jesus loved, and saith [says, or said] unto them, They [referring either to Jesus' enemies (who may have stolen and hidden his body) or friends (who may have moved his body to another tomb)] have taken away the Lord [Jesus] out of the sepulchre, and we [meaning Mary and the women who had gone to the tomb with her] know not [do not know] where they [Jesus' enemies or friends] have laid him."
John 20:3-5: "Peter therefore went forth [from, or left, the place where he had been talking with Mary], and [so did] that other disciple [John], and [they--Peter and John] came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple [John, who was the younger of the two men] did outrun [run faster than] Peter, and came first to [or 'arrived first at'] the sepulchre. And he [John] stooping [or bending] down, and looking in [or 'into the tomb'], saw the linen clothes [i.e., strips (long, narrow pieces) of linen cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' dead body] lying [there]; yet went he not in [meaning he didn't go inside]."
John 20:6-7: "Then cometh Simon Peter following him [John], and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie [or lying there], And the napkin [cloth], that was about [or which had been covering] his [Jesus'] head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together [or 'folded'] in a place by itself [which was an excellent proof of the resurrection--see Note 2 below]."
John 20:8-9 "Then went in also that other disciple [John], which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw [the same things that Peter saw], and believed [that Jesus was alive]. For as yet they knew not [or did not know] the scripture [or Bible verse, probably Psalm 16:10, stating], that he [Jesus] must rise again from the dead."
John 20:10: "Then the disciples [Peter and John] went away again unto their own home."
John 20:11-12,13: "But Mary [Magdalene] stood without [or 'outside'] at the sepulchre weeping [crying]: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white [robes] sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain [or 'been lying']. And they [the angels] say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou [ or 'why do you weep']? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not [or 'I do not know'] where they have laid him."
John 20:14,15: "And when she [Mary] had thus said [or 'had said that'], she turned herself back [around], and saw Jesus standing [there], and knew not [or 'did not know'] that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou [or 'why are you crying']? whom seekest thou [whom do you seek, or who are you looking for]? She [Mary], supposing him [Jesus] to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence [or 'if you have carried him away'], tell me where thou hast [or 'you have'] laid him, and I will take him away."
John 20:16,17 "Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself [toward Jesus], and saith unto him, Rabboni [a title of honor]; which is to say, Master [or, literally, 'my great Master']. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not [don't touch me--see Note 3 below]; for I am not yet ascended to my Father [in heaven]: but go to my brethren [in this case, referring to his disciples], and say unto them, I [Jesus] ascend [go up] unto my [heavenly] Father, and your [heavenly] Father; and to my God, and your God."
John 20:18: "Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord [Jesus], and that he had spoken these things unto her."
"Who was Mary Magdalene?" is answered in the GotQuestions.org article by the same name. If you want to read it, click here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Mary-Magdalene.html.
NOTE 2:
There is a very interesting video on You Tube of a sermon that Hal Lindsey, an expert in Bible prophecy, gave many years ago to prove that Jesus actually rose from the dead. Hal's sermon is entitled "The Resurrection on Trial," and the video is labeled "'Hal Lindsey - Evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ" and can be found here: https://youtu.be/w1cgUCNbPJs?si=uNPp0y8TDE5LTIcc.
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In the first half of the video, among other things, Hal describes the skills and training of the Roman soldiers who were told to guard the tomb so nobody could go in or out.
In the second part of the video, starting at the 37:28 mark, Hal explains how Jesus' body was prepared for burial and what the grave clothes looked like after Jesus rose from the dead.
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Here's something you may not know: Due to the fact that myrrh (one of the spices that was applied to the linen pieces that were wrapped around Jesus' dead body) is a very sticky substance and hardens after 24 hours, the "linen clothes" that John and Peter saw had formed a perfect cocoon around Jesus and looked like a mummy with no body inside.
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If you decide to watch the video, you can read along by clicking on "more" under the description of the video on You Tube and then clicking on "Show transcript."
NOTE 3:
In regard to Jesus' words Touch me not in John 20:17, C. I. Scofield explains:
"… Three views are held:
"(1) That Jesus speaks to Mary [Magdalene] as the High Priest fulfilling the day of atonement (Leviticus 16). Having accomplished the sacrifice [for sin], He was on His way to present the sacred blood in heaven, and that, between the meeting with Mary in the garden and the meeting of Matthew 28:9 [when the women came and held him by the feet]. He had so ascended [to heaven] and returned [to earth]: a view [that is] in harmony [or 'in agreement'] with types.
"(2) That Mary Magdalene, knowing as yet only [Jesus] Christ after the flesh [i.e., as a human being] … and having found her Beloved ['Master'], sought only to hold Him so; while He [Jesus], about to assume a new relation [relationship] to His disciples in ascension, gently teaches Mary that now she must not seek to hold Him to the earth, but rather become His messenger of the new joy.
"(3) That He [Jesus] merely meant: 'Do not detain me [hold me back] now; I am not yet ascended [to heaven]; you will see me again; run rather to my brethren,' etc. …"
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/srn/john-20.html, "Scofield's Reference Notes," "Verse 17")
____________________
In the following quote by M.R. DeHaan, which was excerpted (quoted, taken, copied) from an online article entitled "Jesus' Literal, Physical, Precious, Blood Saves!" (https://www.jesusisprecious.org/fundamentals/blood_saves.htm), we find an excellent reason for believing the first view in the above quote from the Scofield commentary:
"[The] LITERAL Blood of Jesus Had To Be Applied [to the] Mercy Seat In Heaven
"Now here is some sound Biblical doctrine! The great Bible teacher, M.R. DeHaan, M.D. …, has it 100% correct when he states concerning the blood of Jesus...
"The blood was to be sprinkled, remember, on the mercy seat right after the death of the substitutionary animal of sacrifice, Now [Jesus] Christ is, of course, our substitute. He was slain [killed] for us upon the Cross, and entered into death for us, and when He arose [from the grave], He immediately went to heaven, entered into the holy of holies in heaven, sprinkled His precious blood upon the mercy seat before the throne of God, and forever settled the sin questions, and delivered us from the curse of the law. This is clearly taught in the New testament. Hebrews 9:12 is very definite on this:
"'But by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.'
"The Bible also makes plain when He accomplished this. On the morning of the resurrection He [Jesus] meets Mary [Magdalene] at the tomb. As soon as Mary recognized Him, she prostrated herself upon Him [or 'she lay face down on the ground before him'], and would have kissed His feet, but with shocking suddenness, Jesus emphatically says to her: 'Touch me not'; and then He proceeds immediately to give the reason why Mary is not permitted to touch Him at all.
"'For I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.' (John 20:17)
"Literally the Lord Jesus Christ said, 'Touch me not; for I now am about to ascend unto my Father.' We can understand this action when we remember the [or 'that'] the high priest after he had offered the [animal] sacrifice, was to enter the holy of holies, before he did anything else, with the precious blood. No one was allowed to approach him. Everyone was shut out until this was completely done. And here in the record of the meeting with Mary we have the fulfillment of this type. Here Mary meets her great High Priest [i.e., Jesus Christ], just arisen from the tomb, but before He had entered the holy of holies [in heaven] with the reconciling blood [meaning it restored a peaceful, harmonious relationship between human beings and God]. And so He [Jesus] says to her [Mary], 'TOUCH ME NOT.'
"SOURCE: The TABERNACLE, by M.R. DeHaan, M.D., ISBN 0-310-23491-3, page 129."
APRIL 4
Matthew 12:38, 39, 40, 41
Where Was Jesus Between His Death and Resurrection?
The following event took place one day while Jesus was healing people, casting out devils, and preaching to the crowd:
Matthew 12:38: "Then certain [or 'some'] of the scribes [teachers of the Jewish people and interpreters of the law] and of the Pharisees [members of a certain Jewish sect (religious group)] answered [Jesus], saying, Master [teacher], we would [like to] see a sign from thee [you] [i.e., a sign from heaven, in the form of a miracle] [to prove that you are the Christ (Messiah, Savior of the world) and have been sent here by God]."
Matthew 12:39,40: "But he [Jesus] answered and said unto them [the crowd], An evil and adulterous generation [referring to the Jews, many of whom--at that time--were unfaithful to their spouses (i.e., their husbands or wives) and/or God] seeketh after [seeks after, looks for] a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it [i.e., the 'evil and adulterous generation'], but [except] the sign of the prophet Jonas [Jonah--see Note 1 below]: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man [Jesus] be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth [which meant that Jesus would be in the grave, or tomb, for three days and three nights between his crucifixion and resurrection (see Note 2 below), which was the same amount of time that Jonah spent inside the whale]."
Matthew 12:41: "The men [meaning, in this case, 'the inhabitants'] of Nineveh [the capital city of the Assyrian empire] shall rise [up, or stand up, as witnesses] in judgment [on 'judgment day'--see Note 3 below] with this generation [of Jewish people], and [their example (i.e., the example of the Ninevites)] shall condemn it ['this generation']: because they [the people of Nineveh] repented at the preaching of Jonas [who was only a prophet, or messenger, of God]; and, behold, a greater [one] than Jonas [Jonah] is here [referring to himself (Jesus), who was and is the Son of God--second person of the Trinity (which means one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost)--see Note 4 below] [and the Jews wouldn't even repent at his (Jesus') preaching]."
How Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale, and what the amount of time that he spent there (i.e., three days and three nights) has to do with Jesus' crucifixion, are explained in the article entitled "Summary of the Book of Jonah," which can be found here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Jonah.html.
NOTE 2:
"Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection?" is answered in the article by the same name. If you want to read it, click this link: https://www.gotquestions.org/did-Jesus-go-to-hell.html.
NOTE 3:
Here are some articles about judgment day:
-- "What is Judgment Day?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Judgment-Day.html)
-- "What does the Bible say about when God will judge us?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/judgment.html)
-- "What happens at the final judgment?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/final-judgment.html)
-- "What is the judgment seat of Christ?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/judgment-seat-Christ.html)
NOTE 4:
For a detailed explanation of the Trinity, read "What does the Bible teach about the Trinity?" Here's that link: https://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html.
APRIL 3
Luke 23:39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46
The Thieves on the Cross
Luke 23:39: "And one of the [two] malefactors [criminals--in this case, robbers, thieves] which were hanged [on crosses at Calvary, also known as Golgotha, with Jesus in the middle] railed on [complained bitterly to] him [Jesus], saying, If thou be [if you are] Christ [the Messiah], save thyself [yourself] and us."
Luke 23:40-41: "But the other [malefactor] answering [or 'in response'] rebuked [reprimanded] him [the first malefactor], saying, Dost not thou [do you not] fear God, seeing thou art [you are] in the same condemnation [as he (Jesus--the son of God, or God the Son) is, referring to crucifixion, the type of death they were all experiencing]? And we indeed [are being punished] justly [fairly]; for we receive the due reward of [or 'the deserved punishment for'] our deeds: but this man [Jesus] hath [has] done nothing amiss [wrong]."
Luke 23:42-43: "And he [the second malefactor] said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest [when you come] into thy [your] kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily [truly] I say unto thee [you], To day shalt thou [you shall] be with me in paradise [see Note 1 below]."
Luke 23:44-45: "And it was about the sixth hour [which was noon in Bible time], and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour [3 p.m.]. And the sun was darkened [as in a solar eclipse, when the moon passes between the sun and Earth], and the veil of the temple [in Jerusalem] was rent in the midst [or 'torn in the middle' or 'ripped in half'--see Note 2 below]."
Luke 23:46: "And when Jesus had cried [out] with a loud voice, he said [to God], Father, into thy hands I commend [commit, entrust] my spirit [see Note 3 below]: and having said thus [this], he gave up the ghost [meaning he died]."
For more information concerning the meaning of paradise, read:
-- "What did Jesus mean when He said, 'Today you will be with me in paradise'?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/today-paradise.html)
-- "Where did Old Testament believers/saints go when they died?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Old-Testament-believers.html)
NOTE 2:
"What was the significance of the temple veil being torn in two when Jesus died?" is answered in the GotQuestions.org article by the same name. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/temple-veil-torn.html.
NOTE 3:
The answer to the question "Why did Jesus say, 'Into your hands I commit my spirit,' on the cross?" can be found here: https://www.gotquestions.org/into-your-hands-I-commit-my-spirit.html.
APRIL 2
Galatians 3:13
Galatians 3:13: "Christ [Jesus] hath [has] redeemed us [meaning he has set us (human beings) free] from the curse of the law [i.e., God's law, which the apostle Paul refers to as a curse because our punishment for disobeying God's law is never-ending torment (torture) in the lake of fire], [by] being made a curse for us [which thing (i.e., Christ being made a curse and redeeming us) happened when Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins--the sinless Son of God paying the sin debt for all mankind, per Hebrews 10:10,11-12]: for [because] it is written [in the Bible, in Deuteronomy 21:23], Cursed is every one that hangeth [hangs] on a tree [in this case, referring to Jesus' crucifixion (death on the cross)]:"
"… The sense of the passage before us is, therefore, that Jesus was subjected to what was regarded as an accursed [or 'a cursed'] death. He [Jesus] was treated in his death As If he had been a criminal. He was put to death in the same manner as he would have been if he had himself been guilty of the violation of the Law. If he had been a thief or a murderer; if he had committed the grossest and the blackest [or 'the most offensive and evil'] crimes, this would have been the punishment to which he would have been subjected. This was the mode [form] of punishment adapted to those crimes, and he was treated as if all these [crimes] had been committed by him. Or, in other words, if he had been guilty of all these [crimes], or any of these [crimes], he could not have been treated in a more shameful and ignominious [humiliating] manner than he was [treated]; nor could he have been subjected to a more cruel death. Since it has already been intimated [implied], it does not mean that Jesus was guilty, nor that he was not the object of the approbation [approval or praise] and love of God, but that Jesus' death was the same that it would have been if he had been the vilest of malefactors [or 'the worst kind of criminal'], and that that death was regarded by the Law [of Moses] as accursed.
"It was by such substituted sorrows that we are saved [from hell, and given eternal life in heaven]; and he [Jesus] consented [agreed] to die the most shameful and painful death, as if he were the vilest [most wicked kind of] criminal, in order that the most guilty and vile of the human race [or 'the most guilty and vile human being (or person)'] might be saved … It may be observed, also, that the punishment of the cross was unknown to the Hebrews [Israelites] in the time of Moses, and that the passage in Deuteronomy 21:23 did not refer originally to that. Nor is it known that hanging criminals alive was practiced among the Hebrews. Those who were guilty of great crimes were first stoned or otherwise put to death, and then their bodies were suspended for a few hours on a gibbet [or gallows, where hangings normally took place]. In many cases, however, merely [only] the [dead person's] head was suspended [hung] after it had been severed [cut off or removed] from the body … Crucifixion was not known in the time of the giving of the Law [to Moses], but the Jews gave such an extent to the Law in Deuteronomy 21:23 as to include this mode of punishment …
"The force of the argument here, as used by the apostle Paul, is, that if to be suspended on a gibbet [or 'hung on a gallows'] after having been put to death was regarded as a curse, it should not be regarded as a curse in a less degree to be suspended Alive on a cross, and to be put to death in this manner. If this interpretation of the [Bible] passage is correct, then it follows that this should never be used as implying, in any sense, that [Jesus] Christ was guilty, or that he was ill-deserving [or undeserving], or that he was an object of the divine [godly] displeasure, or that he [God] poured out on him [Jesus] all [of] his wrath [anger]. He [Jesus] was, throughout [the event, or crucifixion], an object of the divine love and approbation [approval or praise]. God never loved Jesus more, or approved what he did more, than when he gave himself to death on the cross. God had no hatred toward him [Jesus]; He had no displeasure to express toward him. And it is this which makes the atonement so wonderful and so glorious. If God had been displeased with Jesus; if the Redeemer [Jesus] had been properly an object of God's wrath; if Jesus, in any sense, deserved those sorrows, there would have been no merit [value] in Jesus' sufferings; there would have been no atonement. What merit can there be when one suffers only what he deserves? But what made the atonement so wonderful, so glorious, so benevolent [well-meaning and kindly]; what made it an atonement at all, was that innocence was treated as if it were guilt; that the most pure, and holy, and benevolent [kind], and lovely being on earth [i.e., Jesus] should consent to be treated, and should be treated by God and man [mankind, human beings], as If Jesus were the most vile and ill-deserving. This is the mystery of the atonement; this shows the wonders of the divine benevolence; this is the nature of substituted sorrow; and this lays the foundation for the offer of pardon, and for the hope of eternal salvation."
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bnb/galatians-3.html, "Verse 13")
-- "What does it mean that Jesus became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13)?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/becoming-a-curse-for-us.html)
-- "What does it mean that we are redeemed from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13)?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/curse-of-the-law.html)
APRIL 1
John 2:18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Jesus Speaks of His Death and Resurrection
This is what happened after Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple for the first time, at the start of his public ministry (see Note 1 below):
John 2:18: "Then answered the Jews and said unto him [Jesus], What sign [such as a miracle] shewest thou unto us [or 'will you show us'], seeing that thou doest [or 'you do'] these things?" [In other words, they wanted proof that Jesus was authorized by God to cleanse the temple.]
John 2:19: "Jesus answered and said unto them [the Jews, perhaps while pointing to himself], Destroy this temple [which meant 'kill my body'], and in three days I will raise it up [from the dead, thus proving that he was--and still is--the Son of God, and Messiah]."
John 2:20-21: "Then said the Jews, Forty and six [46] years was this temple [referring to Herod's temple in Jerusalem--see Note 2 below] in building [or 'being built'], and wilt thou [will you] rear it up [rebuild it] in three days [if someone knocks it down]? But he [Jesus] spake [spoke] of the temple of his body [which, in Christians, is the temple of the Holy Ghost (per 1 Corinthians 6:19)]."
John 2:22: "When therefore he [Jesus] was risen from the dead[,] [three days after being crucified], his disciples remembered that he had said this [thing; i.e., 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up'] unto them; and they believed the scripture [i.e., verses in the Old Testament that predicted Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection--see Note 3 below], and the word[s] which Jesus had said [about his death and resurrection--see Note 3 below]."
"Who were the money changers in the Bible?" explains why Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple. If you want to read it, click here: https://www.gotquestions.org/money-changers-in-the-Bible.html.
NOTE 2:
"What was Herod's temple?" describes the layout of the temple that was built under the direction of King Herod the Great. It also tells where some of the things that happened in the Bible occurred. If you want to read the article, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/Herod-third-temple.html.
____________________
"The Majesty of Herod's Temple" gives some background information about King Herod and the temple and describes what might have happened when a young Jewish boy and his father made a pilgrimage to the temple during Passover. To read the article, click here: https://israelmyglory.org/article/the-majesty-of-herods-temple/.
____________________
Rabbi Dr. David Moster, who is director of the Biblical Hebrew Certificate Program at JTS (the Jewish Theological Seminary) and director of the Institute of Biblical Culture, posted a video on You Tube entitled "3D Walkthrough of the Temple in Jerusalem." Here's that link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfjLSaGbrNs.
____________________
These two articles have pictures of a model of Herod's temple that was built by a man named Alex Garrard:
-- "Herod's Temple"
(https://www.bedfordroad.org/herods-temple/)
-- "English Farmer Builds Giant Model of Ancient Temple"
(https://craftsmanshipmuseum.com/artisan/alec-garrard/)
Here are additional photos of Mr. Garrard's model. These show the miniature people he created for the temple: https://craftsmanshipmuseum.com/artisan/alec-garrard/alec-garrard-photos/.
NOTE 3:
Bible verses pertaining to Jesus and his death, burial, and resurrection include the following:
-- Psalm 2:7: "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath [has] said unto me [Jesus], Thou art [you are] my Son; this day have I begotten thee [you]."
-- Psalm 16:10: "For thou [God] wilt [will] not leave my [Jesus'] soul in hell; neither wilt thou [you] suffer [allow] thine [your] Holy One to see corruption."
-- Matthew 20:19: "And shall deliver him [Jesus] to the Gentiles [non-Jewish people] to mock [make fun of], and to scourge [beat with a whip], and to crucify [kill] him: and the third day he shall rise [come back to life] again."
-- Luke 18:32-33: "For he [Jesus] shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated [i.e., treated with cruelty or disrespect], and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again."
Proverbs 14:2
Proverbs 14:2: "He [or she] that walketh [walks] in his [or her] uprightness [i.e., the person who lives an obedient, godly life] [shows by his (or her) actions that he (or she)] feareth [fears] the LORD: but he [or she] that is perverse [crooked, dishonest, unjust] in his [or her] ways [shows by his (or her) actions that he (or she)] despiseth [hates] him [God]."
_______________
A well-known saying (i.e., "Actions speak louder than words") illustrates the meaning of today's verse. If Christians say they love God but don't show it, who will believe them (including God)?* * * * *
According to Pastor Jim Delany of Salem Bible Church:"A person's behavior is often a reflection of his attitude towards God."
____________________
In paragraph 1 at the top of his commentary on this verse, Pastor Delany lists some characteristics of people who fear God. They include:
-- Knowing the difference between right and wrong and choosing to do right.
-- Reading, studying, and obeying the Bible.
-- Hating every form of evil (including pride, arrogance, a bad mouth, etc.).
-- Staying out of trouble by avoiding stupid and dangerous behavior.
-- Being content.
-- Not meddling or associating with bad people, and not being envious of others.
____________________
If you're interesting in reading the commentary, go to https://www.salembible.org/proverbs/ and scroll down to "14:2."
APRIL 12-13
Galatians 5:22, 23
"Fruit of the Spirit" = Good Christian Character
Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit is [consists of:] [or 'the Holy Spirit, working within a Christian, produces:']
love [for God and people],
joy [happiness],
peace [calmness, quietness of mind],
longsuffering [having patience in difficult times],
gentleness [being kind and polite, having a pleasant disposition],
goodness [good works, doing nice things for others],
faith [in God, and faithfulness to man (i.e., being true to our word, keeping promises)],
Meekness [humility, having a mild temper, not seeking revenge when someone offends or hurts us],
temperance [self-control]:
against such [things] there is no law [to condemn and punish; in other words, these are good character traits, or qualities, and no law (including God's law) will accuse, condemn (pronounce 'guilty'), and/or punish us for having them]."
_______________
GotQuestions.org has written articles on Christian character in general and on all of the specific character traits listed above. Their titles and links are listed below:-- "What does the Bible say about Christian character?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-character.html)
-- "What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-of-the-Holy-Spirit.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is love?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-love.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is joy?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-joy.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is peace?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-peace.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is patience?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-patience.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is gentleness?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-gentleness.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is goodness?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-goodness.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is faithfulness?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-faithfulness.html)
-- "What does the Bible say about humility?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-humility.html)
-- "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit -- What is self-control?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-self-control.html)
____________________
Here are some additional articles related to today's verses:
-- "What is the key to bearing fruit as a Christian?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/bearing-fruit.html)
-- "What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Spirit-walk.html)
-- "What does 'against such things there is no law' mean (Galatians 5:23)?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/against-such-things-there-is-no-law.html)
APRIL 11
Proverbs 11:12
Proverbs 11:12: "He [or she] that is void of wisdom [i.e., a person who lacks wisdom (good judgment and common sense)] despiseth [hates] his [or her] neighbour [neighbor, friend, acquaintance, etc.--and shows it by saying bad things about him or her, whether they are true or false]: but a man [or woman or child] of understanding [i.e., a wise person] holdeth [holds] his [or her] peace [or remains silent, if and when he (or she) hears offensive things being said about others or about himself (or herself)]."
_______________
According to Pastor Jim Delany of Salem Bible Church's, this verse is about the tongue. People who say bad things about others often do so because they lack wisdom rather than self-control. ____________________
In the introduction to his commentary, Pastor Delany says:
"… the fool demonstrates his [or her] hatred towards his [or her] neighbor by what he [or she] SAYS about him [or her].
____________________
Here's an excerpt from the section in the pastor's commentary about holding one's peace:
Note: The word man in the following quoted
material can also apply to women and children.
"4. The man of understanding may look at his neighbor… and see a multitude of [or 'many'] faults.material can also apply to women and children.
"a. But his wisdom causes him to PITY his neighbor--not lash out at [or say something nasty to] him.
"b. His wisdom causes him to PRAY for his neighbor--not slander him [by telling lies that may, or will, damage his reputation].
"c. His wisdom will cause him to keep his peace before men--and pour his heart out for that neighbor [in prayer] before the Lord.
"d. If his neighbor is overtaken in a fault, rather than gossiping all over town about his fault, the spiritual man will attempt to 'restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering himself lest he also be tempted.' That's wisdom.
"e. If our neighbor… or our child… or brother… or spouse… has a fault, the fool will blab [talk too much, speak without thinking, reveal secrets]. The wise man will keep silent--and try to help.
"f. The wise man does not try to pick a fight… he tries to pick him [the other person] up [in spirit, by providing emotional, mental, or spiritual encouragement and support to him]."
____________________
The commentary ends with this:
"6. What do we DO when others despise us and speak evil of us?
"a. Psa. 119:23 [probably King David, praying to God] - Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. Spend time in the word [of God--the Bible].
b. The word of God is also a balm [a soothing, healing substance] for a wounded spirit.
c. The word of God also gives wisdom… and understanding… and that in turn will prevent us from BECOMING a fool and lashing back!
____________________
If you want to read more of the commentary, go to https://www.salembible.org/proverbs/ and scroll down to "11:12."
* * * * *
Albert Barnes summed up the meaning of the above verse as follows:"None but the man 'void of wisdom' will show contempt [disrespect] for those about [around] him. The wise man, if he cannot admire or praise [someone], will at least know how to be silent."
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/proverbs-11.html, "Verse 12")
* * * * *
A GotQuestions.org article that relates to today's verse is entitled "What does the Bible say about gossip?" If you want to read it, click here: https://www.gotquestions.org/gossip-Bible.html.APRIL 10
Proverbs 10:1
Proverbs 10:1: "The proverbs of [King] Solomon [include the following]. A wise son [or daughter] maketh [makes] a glad father [and mother]: but a foolish son [or daughter--one who lacks (doesn't have) common sense and good judgment] is the heaviness of his [or her] mother [and father, which means that foolish children usually bring grief (sorrow, sadness) and trouble to their parents]."
_______________
In his Bible study on this verse, Pastor Delany of Salem Bible Church says to parents:"For the rest of your life, your happiness (to a certain degree) will be linked to the spiritual well being of your kids."
He goes on to say:
"What a joy for parents to see their children grow up and be saved… and to walk with [or 'in obedience to'] the Lord… and to bring their children up in the things of the Lord. No greater joy!"
____________________
Here are some things that we need to keep in mind:
"• If we want joy from our kids, then we need to start training them from the cradle [or 'from birth']…
"• If you let them [your children] run on auto-pilot [automatically, without thinking] until they are teens, they are pretty well already formed.
"• If you want a tree to grow up straight and tall, you have to support it when it is young and tender. If you wait until it is grown, it's too late. You're never going to straighten out the trunk of a full grown tree. Only God can do that.
"• Thus, Solomon sends a message to us as parents and even grandparents: get them [meaning: discipline your children] while they are young! While there is hope."
____________________
Today's verse can also apply to pastors and their "spiritual children," including the apostle Paul, who encountered problems with the Corinthian church. At the end of Pastor Delany's commentary, referencing verses in 2 Corinthians 13, we learn how Paul dealt with those problems:
"• [He--Paul] Prayed for them [the church members] (13:7a)
"• He kept in touch [with them] (13:10)
"• He encouraged them to do that which is right (13:11)
"• He committed them to the grace of God and left them in God's hands. (13:14)"
____________________
The commentary ends with this:
"g. The good news here is that Paul's spiritual children in Corinth DID turn around… (II Cor. 7:13) The good report from Titus about the Corinthians comforted Paul and brought exceeding joy to him!
"• Isn't that true of our own children? Aren't they often like the Corinthians?
"• Sometimes they stumble about for a while… skating on thin ice… making foolish decisions… stumbling and falling on their faces… breaking their parent's heart…
"• God intervened in Corinth and got a hold of their hearts… and the church got back up on their feet…
"• This brought great joy to the heart of their spiritual father [the apostle Paul}.
"• If our children are bringing great grief to us…remember that the Lord is able to turn them around and nobody but the Lord can!
"• Once you commit them [your children] to the Lord, the peace that passes understanding can return to your heart…
"• Remember--God loves them [your children] more than you do. He is grieved more than we are when our children turn away from Him. He rejoices more than we do when they walk in the truth [or in obedience to God's word].
"• We can trust a God like that. Entrust your kids to Him.'
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If you want to read the commentary, go to https://www.salembible.org/proverbs/ and scroll down to "10:1."
APRIL 9
Psalm 7:11
In Psalm 7, King David asks God to protect him from his enemies, and in the following verse, he explains why he thinks God should do that:
Psalm 7:11: "God judgeth [judges, does justice to, or pronounces a just judgment on behalf of] the righteous [referring to born-again Christians, who are considered righteous (acceptable in God's sight) because they have accepted Jesus' death on the cross as payment for their sins--see note below*], and God is angry with the wicked [people, or unsaved sinners, especially those who do evil things] every day [continually, constantly, always]."
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Regarding Psalm 7:11, Albert Barnes said:"God judgeth the righteous [people--born-again Christians] - That is, he pronounces a just [fair] judgment on their behalf; he vindicates their character [or 'clears them from blame']. It is true, in a general sense, that God judges all [people] according to their character; but the particular idea here is, that God will do justice to the righteous; he will interpose [intervene, step in] to vindicate them, and he will treat them as they ought to be treated when assailed [attacked] by their enemies, and when reproached [criticized] and calumniated [slandered, lied about]. The original phrase here is susceptible of two translations [which means it can be translated two ways]; either, 'God is a righteous judge' or, 'God is judging,' that is judges, 'the righteous.' The sense is not materially varied [or 'substantially different'], whichever translation is adopted. Our common version [of the Bible; i.e., King James] has probably expressed the true idea; and there the design [intention] of the writer is to contrast [or 'show the difference between'] the manner [way] in which God regards and treats the righteous, with the manner in which he regards and treats the wicked. The one [person--the 'righteous,'] he [God] judges, that is, he does him [or her] justice; with the other [person--the 'wicked,'] he is angry every day."
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/psalms-7.html, "Verse 11")
* * * * *
Here are some articles that relate to today's verse:-- "Does God get angry?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/does-God-get-angry.html)
-- "Why does God allow evil?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/God-allow-evil.html)
-- "What does the Bible say about justice?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-justice.html)
* * * * *
*According to Ephesians 2:8-9, all people are saved, through faith (not works), by accepting God's gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23). People in the New Testament knew about the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, but if you're wondering, "What was the Old Testament way of salvation?" GotQuestions.org has written an article on that subject. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/Old-Testament-salvation.html.APRIL 8
1 John 1:9, 10
Need Forgiveness? Ask God!
The apostle John wrote:
1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins [to God through prayer], he [God] is faithful and just [morally right and fair, meaning he keeps his promise] to forgive us [of] our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [by purifying our hearts and removing the guilt]."
1 John 1:10: "If we say that we have not sinned [see note below*], we make him [God] a liar, and his word [i.e., his truth--the fact that we are all born with a sin nature (inherited from Adam and Eve--see note below**) and need a Savior] is not in us [and, consequently, we are not true Christians]."
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God has promised to forgive our sins. All we need to do is ask.____________________
Your first prayer should be to admit that you're a sinner and ask Jesus to come into your heart and save you from hell. If your prayer is sincere (i.e., if you really mean it), you only have to do this once. After that, you should get in the habit of asking for God's forgiveness on an ongoing or daily basis--whenever you realize that you've done something wrong.
* * * * *
*In response to the apostle John's statement in 1 John 1:10 that "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar," James Burton Coffman wrote the following:"… God gave his only begotten Son [Jesus] [to die] upon the cross [so] that man [mankind, all human beings] might be saved from sin, a salvation that was impossible for any man [or woman or child] apart from God's redeeming act. If man had not been sinful and utterly helpless to achieve salvation for himself, all of the heavenly outpouring of God's merciful visitation in the person of his Son [Jesus] was unnecessary; the crucifixion was a useless murder; and every promise of the gospel is essentially a lie …"
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/1-john/1-10.html, "Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible")
* * * * *
*"What is the sin nature?" is answered in the GotQuestions.org article by the same name. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/sin-nature.html.* * * * *
Here are three more GotQuestions.org articles that relate to today's verse:1. "What does it mean that, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just (1 John 1:9)?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/confess-our-sins-faithful-and-just.html)
2. "Why do we need to confess our sins if they have already been forgiven (1 John 1:9)?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/confession-forgiveness.html)
3. "How does God cleanse us from all unrighteousness? (1 John 1:9)"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/cleanse-us-from-all-unrighteousness.html)
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Note: One sentence in the first paragraph of article number 3 listed above is misleading. It states that "John's letter, sometimes referred to as a 'catholic epistle,' was written to the universal church." In this case "catholic" does not refer to the Roman Catholic Church.
According to the "AI Overview" in Google:
"1 John 1:9 is often considered a 'catholic epistle' (meaning universal or general) because 1 John is part of a group of seven New Testament letters intended for the general church rather than a specific local congregation, unlike many of Paul's letters. The letter addresses all Christians everywhere with instructions on repentance and fellowship with God."
APRIL 7
John 20:24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
"Doubting Thomas" Wants Proof of Jesus' Resurrection
In the evening of his resurrection day, Jesus appeared to all but one of his disciples (Thomas) in the place where they were assembled (gathered), which convinced them that he (Jesus) had risen from the dead.
John 20:24: "But Thomas, one of the twelve [disciples of Jesus], called Didymus, was not with them [the other disciples] when Jesus came [to visit]."
John 20:25: "The other disciples therefore said unto him [Thomas], We have seen the Lord [Jesus]. But he [Thomas] said unto them [the disciples], Except I shall see in his [Jesus'] hands the print of the nails [that he was crucified with], and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust [insert, put] my hand into his side [i.e., the side in which he had been stabbed with a sword], I will not believe [that he is alive]."
John 20:26: "And after eight days [or 'eight days later,'] again his [Jesus'] disciples were within [the same house where they had gathered before], and Thomas [was] with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut [for privacy and protection], and stood in the midst [middle] [of the group of disciples], and said, Peace be unto you." [See Note 1 below.]
John 20:27: "Then saith he [Jesus] to Thomas [commonly referred to as 'Doubting Thomas' due to his unbelief--see Note 2 below], Reach hither [reach out] thy [your] finger, and behold [touch] my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [push, shove] it into my side: and be not [or 'do not be'] faithless [without faith, unbelieving], but [be] believing."
John 20:28: "And [when he saw (and perhaps touched) Jesus' wounds,] Thomas answered and said unto him [Jesus], My Lord and my God."
John 20:29: "Jesus saith [said] unto him, Thomas, because thou hast [you have] seen me, thou hast believed [that I am alive]: blessed [happy] are they that have not seen [me in person], and yet have believed [the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4); i.e., that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross to pay for our sins, and that he was buried and rose again the third day].
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Charles Spurgeon ended his commentary on John 20 by writing this:"Now, dear friends, has the purpose, for which this Book [of John] was written, been answered in your case? Have you been led to 'believe that Jesus is the Christ [meaning 'Messiah'--see Note 3 below], the Son of God,' and so to believe that you 'have [eternal] life through his name'? If not, why not? May you have grace to answer that question, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake! Amen."
(Source: https://www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com/commentaries/spe/john-20.php, go to "Verses 19-31" and scroll down to the end)
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If you answered "no" to the above question by Charles Spurgeon, the article entitled "Is there power in the name of Jesus?" may help to convince you otherwise. Here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/power-in-the-name-of-Jesus.html.
* * * * *
NOTE 1:According to GotQuestions.org:
"We get a glimpse of what our resurrection bodies will be like when we recall Jesus' post-resurrection appearances [referring to his appearances after his resurrection]. He still had visible wounds [i.e., they were able to be seen], and His disciples could physically touch Him, yet He was able to travel effortlessly and appear and disappear at will. He could go through walls and doors yet could also eat and drink and sit and talk. Scripture [or 'The Bible] informs us that our 'lowly bodies' will be just 'like His glorious body' (Philippians 3:21). Indeed, the physical limitations imposed by sin that hinder [prevent] our ability to fully serve Him [the Lord Jesus Christ] on earth will be forever gone, freeing us to praise and serve and glorify Him for eternity."
(Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/resurrection-body.html, "How will our resurrection body be different from our current body?")
NOTE 2:
GotQuestions.org has some background information on Thomas. It's in an article entitled "Who was Thomas in the Bible?" and can be found here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Thomas-in-the-Bible.html.
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Many Christians have doubts about important things, like Thomas did. The article entitled "How can I avoid being a doubting Thomas?" offers some insight about that. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/doubting-Thomas.html,
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Please note: I think that the above article about how to avoid being a "doubting Thomas" is good, but it contains something that I disagree with, so I just want to clear that up.
In paragraph 6, the article says, "Faith is the gift of God to His children (Ephesians 2:8-9) …," but I think that's wrong, because although you are saved through faith (according to Ephesians 2:8), eternal life (not faith) is the gift of God (according to Romans 6:23).
Here's what the Bible says:
-- Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it [salvation] is the gift of God: Not of works [i.e., good deeds], lest any man should boast."
-- Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
NOTE 3:
"What does Christ mean?" is answered in the GotQuestions.org article by the same name. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/what-does-Christ-mean.html.
APRIL 6
Matthew 28:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
The Resurrection of Jesus: Part 2
(This was when the women were finally allowed to touch the resurrected Jesus … Note: Earlier that same day, Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to touch him because he had not yet ascended to the Father. The reason he said this was explained in Note 3 of the previous (April 5th) "Verse of the Day" entry entitled "The Resurrection of Jesus: Part 1")
Matthew 28:1: "In the end of the [Jewish weekly] sabbath [a day of rest and worship, which took place every Saturday throughout the year], as it began to dawn toward [Sunday,] the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary [i.e., wife of Cleopas, and mother of James and Joses (or 'Joseph')] to see the sepulchre [the tomb in which the body of the crucified Jesus had been placed]."
Matthew 28:2-3,4: "And, behold, there was a great [or very strong] earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended [came down] from heaven, and came and rolled back the [very large, heavy] stone from the door [of the sepulchre], and sat upon it. His [the angel's] countenance [outward appearance] was [bright and shining] like lightning, and his raiment [clothing] [was as] white as snow: And for fear of him [or 'due to fear of the angel'] the keepers [of the sepulchre; i.e., the Roman soldiers who were guarding the tomb] did shake [tremble], and became as dead men [i.e., they probably fainted from fright, because they were terrified by what had just happened]."
Matthew 28:5-6,7: "And the angel answered and said unto the [two] women, Fear not ye [or 'don't be afraid']: for I know that ye [you] seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for [or 'because'] he is risen [from the dead], as he said. Come, see the place [in the sepulchre] where the Lord lay [or 'where Jesus' body had been lying']. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he [Jesus] goeth [goes] before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo [behold, look, see], I [the angel] have told you."
Matthew 28:8-9: "And they [the women] departed [or 'left'] quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word [or, in this case, the good news] [that Jesus was alive]. And as they went to tell his [Jesus'] disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail [which meant 'rejoice']. And they [the women] came and held him [Jesus] by the feet [in other words, they came and laid face down on the ground, touching his feet, showing their respect, honor, love, and affection,], and worshipped him."
APRIL 5
John 20:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
The Resurrection of Jesus: Part 1
(This was when Mary Magdalene (see Note 1 below) was told not to touch the resurrected Jesus)
John 20:1: "[On] The first day of the week [Sunday] cometh [comes, or came] Mary Magdalene early [before dawn], when it was yet [or still] dark, unto the sepulchre [the tomb in which the body of the crucified Jesus had been placed], and seeth [sees, or saw that] the stone [in this case, a very large rock] [had been] taken away from the [entrance to the] sepulchre."
John 20:2: "Then she [Mary] runneth [runs, or ran], and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple [John], whom Jesus loved, and saith [says, or said] unto them, They [referring either to Jesus' enemies (who may have stolen and hidden his body) or friends (who may have moved his body to another tomb)] have taken away the Lord [Jesus] out of the sepulchre, and we [meaning Mary and the women who had gone to the tomb with her] know not [do not know] where they [Jesus' enemies or friends] have laid him."
John 20:3-5: "Peter therefore went forth [from, or left, the place where he had been talking with Mary], and [so did] that other disciple [John], and [they--Peter and John] came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple [John, who was the younger of the two men] did outrun [run faster than] Peter, and came first to [or 'arrived first at'] the sepulchre. And he [John] stooping [or bending] down, and looking in [or 'into the tomb'], saw the linen clothes [i.e., strips (long, narrow pieces) of linen cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' dead body] lying [there]; yet went he not in [meaning he didn't go inside]."
John 20:6-7: "Then cometh Simon Peter following him [John], and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie [or lying there], And the napkin [cloth], that was about [or which had been covering] his [Jesus'] head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together [or 'folded'] in a place by itself [which was an excellent proof of the resurrection--see Note 2 below]."
John 20:8-9 "Then went in also that other disciple [John], which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw [the same things that Peter saw], and believed [that Jesus was alive]. For as yet they knew not [or did not know] the scripture [or Bible verse, probably Psalm 16:10, stating], that he [Jesus] must rise again from the dead."
John 20:10: "Then the disciples [Peter and John] went away again unto their own home."
John 20:11-12,13: "But Mary [Magdalene] stood without [or 'outside'] at the sepulchre weeping [crying]: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white [robes] sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain [or 'been lying']. And they [the angels] say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou [ or 'why do you weep']? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not [or 'I do not know'] where they have laid him."
John 20:14,15: "And when she [Mary] had thus said [or 'had said that'], she turned herself back [around], and saw Jesus standing [there], and knew not [or 'did not know'] that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou [or 'why are you crying']? whom seekest thou [whom do you seek, or who are you looking for]? She [Mary], supposing him [Jesus] to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence [or 'if you have carried him away'], tell me where thou hast [or 'you have'] laid him, and I will take him away."
John 20:16,17 "Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself [toward Jesus], and saith unto him, Rabboni [a title of honor]; which is to say, Master [or, literally, 'my great Master']. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not [don't touch me--see Note 3 below]; for I am not yet ascended to my Father [in heaven]: but go to my brethren [in this case, referring to his disciples], and say unto them, I [Jesus] ascend [go up] unto my [heavenly] Father, and your [heavenly] Father; and to my God, and your God."
John 20:18: "Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord [Jesus], and that he had spoken these things unto her."
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NOTE 1:"Who was Mary Magdalene?" is answered in the GotQuestions.org article by the same name. If you want to read it, click here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Mary-Magdalene.html.
NOTE 2:
There is a very interesting video on You Tube of a sermon that Hal Lindsey, an expert in Bible prophecy, gave many years ago to prove that Jesus actually rose from the dead. Hal's sermon is entitled "The Resurrection on Trial," and the video is labeled "'Hal Lindsey - Evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ" and can be found here: https://youtu.be/w1cgUCNbPJs?si=uNPp0y8TDE5LTIcc.
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In the first half of the video, among other things, Hal describes the skills and training of the Roman soldiers who were told to guard the tomb so nobody could go in or out.
In the second part of the video, starting at the 37:28 mark, Hal explains how Jesus' body was prepared for burial and what the grave clothes looked like after Jesus rose from the dead.
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Here's something you may not know: Due to the fact that myrrh (one of the spices that was applied to the linen pieces that were wrapped around Jesus' dead body) is a very sticky substance and hardens after 24 hours, the "linen clothes" that John and Peter saw had formed a perfect cocoon around Jesus and looked like a mummy with no body inside.
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If you decide to watch the video, you can read along by clicking on "more" under the description of the video on You Tube and then clicking on "Show transcript."
NOTE 3:
In regard to Jesus' words Touch me not in John 20:17, C. I. Scofield explains:
"… Three views are held:
"(1) That Jesus speaks to Mary [Magdalene] as the High Priest fulfilling the day of atonement (Leviticus 16). Having accomplished the sacrifice [for sin], He was on His way to present the sacred blood in heaven, and that, between the meeting with Mary in the garden and the meeting of Matthew 28:9 [when the women came and held him by the feet]. He had so ascended [to heaven] and returned [to earth]: a view [that is] in harmony [or 'in agreement'] with types.
"(2) That Mary Magdalene, knowing as yet only [Jesus] Christ after the flesh [i.e., as a human being] … and having found her Beloved ['Master'], sought only to hold Him so; while He [Jesus], about to assume a new relation [relationship] to His disciples in ascension, gently teaches Mary that now she must not seek to hold Him to the earth, but rather become His messenger of the new joy.
"(3) That He [Jesus] merely meant: 'Do not detain me [hold me back] now; I am not yet ascended [to heaven]; you will see me again; run rather to my brethren,' etc. …"
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/srn/john-20.html, "Scofield's Reference Notes," "Verse 17")
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In the following quote by M.R. DeHaan, which was excerpted (quoted, taken, copied) from an online article entitled "Jesus' Literal, Physical, Precious, Blood Saves!" (https://www.jesusisprecious.org/fundamentals/blood_saves.htm), we find an excellent reason for believing the first view in the above quote from the Scofield commentary:
"[The] LITERAL Blood of Jesus Had To Be Applied [to the] Mercy Seat In Heaven
"Now here is some sound Biblical doctrine! The great Bible teacher, M.R. DeHaan, M.D. …, has it 100% correct when he states concerning the blood of Jesus...
"The blood was to be sprinkled, remember, on the mercy seat right after the death of the substitutionary animal of sacrifice, Now [Jesus] Christ is, of course, our substitute. He was slain [killed] for us upon the Cross, and entered into death for us, and when He arose [from the grave], He immediately went to heaven, entered into the holy of holies in heaven, sprinkled His precious blood upon the mercy seat before the throne of God, and forever settled the sin questions, and delivered us from the curse of the law. This is clearly taught in the New testament. Hebrews 9:12 is very definite on this:
"'But by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.'
"The Bible also makes plain when He accomplished this. On the morning of the resurrection He [Jesus] meets Mary [Magdalene] at the tomb. As soon as Mary recognized Him, she prostrated herself upon Him [or 'she lay face down on the ground before him'], and would have kissed His feet, but with shocking suddenness, Jesus emphatically says to her: 'Touch me not'; and then He proceeds immediately to give the reason why Mary is not permitted to touch Him at all.
"'For I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.' (John 20:17)
"Literally the Lord Jesus Christ said, 'Touch me not; for I now am about to ascend unto my Father.' We can understand this action when we remember the [or 'that'] the high priest after he had offered the [animal] sacrifice, was to enter the holy of holies, before he did anything else, with the precious blood. No one was allowed to approach him. Everyone was shut out until this was completely done. And here in the record of the meeting with Mary we have the fulfillment of this type. Here Mary meets her great High Priest [i.e., Jesus Christ], just arisen from the tomb, but before He had entered the holy of holies [in heaven] with the reconciling blood [meaning it restored a peaceful, harmonious relationship between human beings and God]. And so He [Jesus] says to her [Mary], 'TOUCH ME NOT.'
"SOURCE: The TABERNACLE, by M.R. DeHaan, M.D., ISBN 0-310-23491-3, page 129."
APRIL 4
Matthew 12:38, 39, 40, 41
Where Was Jesus Between His Death and Resurrection?
The following event took place one day while Jesus was healing people, casting out devils, and preaching to the crowd:
Matthew 12:38: "Then certain [or 'some'] of the scribes [teachers of the Jewish people and interpreters of the law] and of the Pharisees [members of a certain Jewish sect (religious group)] answered [Jesus], saying, Master [teacher], we would [like to] see a sign from thee [you] [i.e., a sign from heaven, in the form of a miracle] [to prove that you are the Christ (Messiah, Savior of the world) and have been sent here by God]."
Matthew 12:39,40: "But he [Jesus] answered and said unto them [the crowd], An evil and adulterous generation [referring to the Jews, many of whom--at that time--were unfaithful to their spouses (i.e., their husbands or wives) and/or God] seeketh after [seeks after, looks for] a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it [i.e., the 'evil and adulterous generation'], but [except] the sign of the prophet Jonas [Jonah--see Note 1 below]: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man [Jesus] be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth [which meant that Jesus would be in the grave, or tomb, for three days and three nights between his crucifixion and resurrection (see Note 2 below), which was the same amount of time that Jonah spent inside the whale]."
Matthew 12:41: "The men [meaning, in this case, 'the inhabitants'] of Nineveh [the capital city of the Assyrian empire] shall rise [up, or stand up, as witnesses] in judgment [on 'judgment day'--see Note 3 below] with this generation [of Jewish people], and [their example (i.e., the example of the Ninevites)] shall condemn it ['this generation']: because they [the people of Nineveh] repented at the preaching of Jonas [who was only a prophet, or messenger, of God]; and, behold, a greater [one] than Jonas [Jonah] is here [referring to himself (Jesus), who was and is the Son of God--second person of the Trinity (which means one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost)--see Note 4 below] [and the Jews wouldn't even repent at his (Jesus') preaching]."
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NOTE 1:How Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale, and what the amount of time that he spent there (i.e., three days and three nights) has to do with Jesus' crucifixion, are explained in the article entitled "Summary of the Book of Jonah," which can be found here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Jonah.html.
NOTE 2:
"Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection?" is answered in the article by the same name. If you want to read it, click this link: https://www.gotquestions.org/did-Jesus-go-to-hell.html.
NOTE 3:
Here are some articles about judgment day:
-- "What is Judgment Day?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Judgment-Day.html)
-- "What does the Bible say about when God will judge us?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/judgment.html)
-- "What happens at the final judgment?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/final-judgment.html)
-- "What is the judgment seat of Christ?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/judgment-seat-Christ.html)
NOTE 4:
For a detailed explanation of the Trinity, read "What does the Bible teach about the Trinity?" Here's that link: https://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html.
APRIL 3
Luke 23:39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46
The Thieves on the Cross
Luke 23:39: "And one of the [two] malefactors [criminals--in this case, robbers, thieves] which were hanged [on crosses at Calvary, also known as Golgotha, with Jesus in the middle] railed on [complained bitterly to] him [Jesus], saying, If thou be [if you are] Christ [the Messiah], save thyself [yourself] and us."
Luke 23:40-41: "But the other [malefactor] answering [or 'in response'] rebuked [reprimanded] him [the first malefactor], saying, Dost not thou [do you not] fear God, seeing thou art [you are] in the same condemnation [as he (Jesus--the son of God, or God the Son) is, referring to crucifixion, the type of death they were all experiencing]? And we indeed [are being punished] justly [fairly]; for we receive the due reward of [or 'the deserved punishment for'] our deeds: but this man [Jesus] hath [has] done nothing amiss [wrong]."
Luke 23:42-43: "And he [the second malefactor] said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest [when you come] into thy [your] kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily [truly] I say unto thee [you], To day shalt thou [you shall] be with me in paradise [see Note 1 below]."
Luke 23:44-45: "And it was about the sixth hour [which was noon in Bible time], and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour [3 p.m.]. And the sun was darkened [as in a solar eclipse, when the moon passes between the sun and Earth], and the veil of the temple [in Jerusalem] was rent in the midst [or 'torn in the middle' or 'ripped in half'--see Note 2 below]."
Luke 23:46: "And when Jesus had cried [out] with a loud voice, he said [to God], Father, into thy hands I commend [commit, entrust] my spirit [see Note 3 below]: and having said thus [this], he gave up the ghost [meaning he died]."
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As you can see by reading the above verses, the thieves on the cross had different reactions to Jesus' crucifixion. One thief got saved; the other did not. You can read more about these two men in the following article: "What can we learn from the thief on the cross?" Here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/thief-on-the-cross.html.* * * * *
NOTE 1:For more information concerning the meaning of paradise, read:
-- "What did Jesus mean when He said, 'Today you will be with me in paradise'?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/today-paradise.html)
-- "Where did Old Testament believers/saints go when they died?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/Old-Testament-believers.html)
NOTE 2:
"What was the significance of the temple veil being torn in two when Jesus died?" is answered in the GotQuestions.org article by the same name. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/temple-veil-torn.html.
NOTE 3:
The answer to the question "Why did Jesus say, 'Into your hands I commit my spirit,' on the cross?" can be found here: https://www.gotquestions.org/into-your-hands-I-commit-my-spirit.html.
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Crucifixion was an unbelievably torturous, slow, and painful way to die, and I'm sure it was actually much worse than we can imagine. The process is explained in the GotQuestions.org article entitled "How did Jesus die? What was the precise cause of Jesus' death?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/how-did-Jesus-die.html.APRIL 2
Galatians 3:13
Galatians 3:13: "Christ [Jesus] hath [has] redeemed us [meaning he has set us (human beings) free] from the curse of the law [i.e., God's law, which the apostle Paul refers to as a curse because our punishment for disobeying God's law is never-ending torment (torture) in the lake of fire], [by] being made a curse for us [which thing (i.e., Christ being made a curse and redeeming us) happened when Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins--the sinless Son of God paying the sin debt for all mankind, per Hebrews 10:10,11-12]: for [because] it is written [in the Bible, in Deuteronomy 21:23], Cursed is every one that hangeth [hangs] on a tree [in this case, referring to Jesus' crucifixion (death on the cross)]:"
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Commenting on the above verse, Albert Barnes wrote:"… The sense of the passage before us is, therefore, that Jesus was subjected to what was regarded as an accursed [or 'a cursed'] death. He [Jesus] was treated in his death As If he had been a criminal. He was put to death in the same manner as he would have been if he had himself been guilty of the violation of the Law. If he had been a thief or a murderer; if he had committed the grossest and the blackest [or 'the most offensive and evil'] crimes, this would have been the punishment to which he would have been subjected. This was the mode [form] of punishment adapted to those crimes, and he was treated as if all these [crimes] had been committed by him. Or, in other words, if he had been guilty of all these [crimes], or any of these [crimes], he could not have been treated in a more shameful and ignominious [humiliating] manner than he was [treated]; nor could he have been subjected to a more cruel death. Since it has already been intimated [implied], it does not mean that Jesus was guilty, nor that he was not the object of the approbation [approval or praise] and love of God, but that Jesus' death was the same that it would have been if he had been the vilest of malefactors [or 'the worst kind of criminal'], and that that death was regarded by the Law [of Moses] as accursed.
"It was by such substituted sorrows that we are saved [from hell, and given eternal life in heaven]; and he [Jesus] consented [agreed] to die the most shameful and painful death, as if he were the vilest [most wicked kind of] criminal, in order that the most guilty and vile of the human race [or 'the most guilty and vile human being (or person)'] might be saved … It may be observed, also, that the punishment of the cross was unknown to the Hebrews [Israelites] in the time of Moses, and that the passage in Deuteronomy 21:23 did not refer originally to that. Nor is it known that hanging criminals alive was practiced among the Hebrews. Those who were guilty of great crimes were first stoned or otherwise put to death, and then their bodies were suspended for a few hours on a gibbet [or gallows, where hangings normally took place]. In many cases, however, merely [only] the [dead person's] head was suspended [hung] after it had been severed [cut off or removed] from the body … Crucifixion was not known in the time of the giving of the Law [to Moses], but the Jews gave such an extent to the Law in Deuteronomy 21:23 as to include this mode of punishment …
"The force of the argument here, as used by the apostle Paul, is, that if to be suspended on a gibbet [or 'hung on a gallows'] after having been put to death was regarded as a curse, it should not be regarded as a curse in a less degree to be suspended Alive on a cross, and to be put to death in this manner. If this interpretation of the [Bible] passage is correct, then it follows that this should never be used as implying, in any sense, that [Jesus] Christ was guilty, or that he was ill-deserving [or undeserving], or that he was an object of the divine [godly] displeasure, or that he [God] poured out on him [Jesus] all [of] his wrath [anger]. He [Jesus] was, throughout [the event, or crucifixion], an object of the divine love and approbation [approval or praise]. God never loved Jesus more, or approved what he did more, than when he gave himself to death on the cross. God had no hatred toward him [Jesus]; He had no displeasure to express toward him. And it is this which makes the atonement so wonderful and so glorious. If God had been displeased with Jesus; if the Redeemer [Jesus] had been properly an object of God's wrath; if Jesus, in any sense, deserved those sorrows, there would have been no merit [value] in Jesus' sufferings; there would have been no atonement. What merit can there be when one suffers only what he deserves? But what made the atonement so wonderful, so glorious, so benevolent [well-meaning and kindly]; what made it an atonement at all, was that innocence was treated as if it were guilt; that the most pure, and holy, and benevolent [kind], and lovely being on earth [i.e., Jesus] should consent to be treated, and should be treated by God and man [mankind, human beings], as If Jesus were the most vile and ill-deserving. This is the mystery of the atonement; this shows the wonders of the divine benevolence; this is the nature of substituted sorrow; and this lays the foundation for the offer of pardon, and for the hope of eternal salvation."
(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bnb/galatians-3.html, "Verse 13")
* * * * *
Here are two articles that relate to today's verse:-- "What does it mean that Jesus became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13)?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/becoming-a-curse-for-us.html)
-- "What does it mean that we are redeemed from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13)?"
(https://www.gotquestions.org/curse-of-the-law.html)
APRIL 1
John 2:18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Jesus Speaks of His Death and Resurrection
This is what happened after Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple for the first time, at the start of his public ministry (see Note 1 below):
John 2:18: "Then answered the Jews and said unto him [Jesus], What sign [such as a miracle] shewest thou unto us [or 'will you show us'], seeing that thou doest [or 'you do'] these things?" [In other words, they wanted proof that Jesus was authorized by God to cleanse the temple.]
John 2:19: "Jesus answered and said unto them [the Jews, perhaps while pointing to himself], Destroy this temple [which meant 'kill my body'], and in three days I will raise it up [from the dead, thus proving that he was--and still is--the Son of God, and Messiah]."
John 2:20-21: "Then said the Jews, Forty and six [46] years was this temple [referring to Herod's temple in Jerusalem--see Note 2 below] in building [or 'being built'], and wilt thou [will you] rear it up [rebuild it] in three days [if someone knocks it down]? But he [Jesus] spake [spoke] of the temple of his body [which, in Christians, is the temple of the Holy Ghost (per 1 Corinthians 6:19)]."
John 2:22: "When therefore he [Jesus] was risen from the dead[,] [three days after being crucified], his disciples remembered that he had said this [thing; i.e., 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up'] unto them; and they believed the scripture [i.e., verses in the Old Testament that predicted Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection--see Note 3 below], and the word[s] which Jesus had said [about his death and resurrection--see Note 3 below]."
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GotQuestions.org has an article about today's verses. It's entitled "What did Jesus mean by, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' (John 2:19)?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/destroy-this-temple.html.* * * * *
The Bible gives hints but doesn't say exactly when Jesus died. Some people think that the crucifixion took place on Wednesday; some think it was Thursday; others say Friday. The article entitled "On what day was Jesus crucified?" addresses each of those views. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/three-days.html.* * * * *
NOTE 1:"Who were the money changers in the Bible?" explains why Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple. If you want to read it, click here: https://www.gotquestions.org/money-changers-in-the-Bible.html.
NOTE 2:
"What was Herod's temple?" describes the layout of the temple that was built under the direction of King Herod the Great. It also tells where some of the things that happened in the Bible occurred. If you want to read the article, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/Herod-third-temple.html.
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"The Majesty of Herod's Temple" gives some background information about King Herod and the temple and describes what might have happened when a young Jewish boy and his father made a pilgrimage to the temple during Passover. To read the article, click here: https://israelmyglory.org/article/the-majesty-of-herods-temple/.
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Rabbi Dr. David Moster, who is director of the Biblical Hebrew Certificate Program at JTS (the Jewish Theological Seminary) and director of the Institute of Biblical Culture, posted a video on You Tube entitled "3D Walkthrough of the Temple in Jerusalem." Here's that link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfjLSaGbrNs.
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These two articles have pictures of a model of Herod's temple that was built by a man named Alex Garrard:
-- "Herod's Temple"
(https://www.bedfordroad.org/herods-temple/)
-- "English Farmer Builds Giant Model of Ancient Temple"
(https://craftsmanshipmuseum.com/artisan/alec-garrard/)
Here are additional photos of Mr. Garrard's model. These show the miniature people he created for the temple: https://craftsmanshipmuseum.com/artisan/alec-garrard/alec-garrard-photos/.
NOTE 3:
Bible verses pertaining to Jesus and his death, burial, and resurrection include the following:
-- Psalm 2:7: "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath [has] said unto me [Jesus], Thou art [you are] my Son; this day have I begotten thee [you]."
-- Psalm 16:10: "For thou [God] wilt [will] not leave my [Jesus'] soul in hell; neither wilt thou [you] suffer [allow] thine [your] Holy One to see corruption."
-- Matthew 20:19: "And shall deliver him [Jesus] to the Gentiles [non-Jewish people] to mock [make fun of], and to scourge [beat with a whip], and to crucify [kill] him: and the third day he shall rise [come back to life] again."
-- Luke 18:32-33: "For he [Jesus] shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated [i.e., treated with cruelty or disrespect], and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again."
