At the center of the Christian faith is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:13-14, “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain.”The resurrection is not a tack-on intended to be read as allegory or mythology. Rather, it is a ce...  Read More

Though it is not commonly observed in the American Church, Holy Saturday, the day commemorating Jesus’ burial and full 24 hours in the tomb, has been an important part of the theological tradition of the church for two millennia.Jesus’ time in the tomb and his descent to the dead have even been historically regarded as a test of Christian orthodoxy as it is reflected in the historical statement of...  Read More

Death by crucifixion was ugly. Christ’s crucifixion was made even more offensive by the flogging and taunting at the hands of a Roman guard that took place beforehand.As the last breaths of life slowly slipped out of him, we are told that he looked up to heaven and cried out, “It is finished.” In the original Greek manuscripts, this phrase is one word, tetelestai. It is a word that would be used b...  Read More

Crucifixion was a bloody ordeal. Before being nailed to the cross (which would have drawn blood from someone’s hands and feet), those being executed in this manner would be scourged or viciously beaten with a Roman whip that was designed to rip most of the flesh off of a person.In Jesus’ case, he was given the addition of having a crown of thorns pierce his scalp. While some might occasionally los...  Read More

Perhaps there are no more haunting words than the cry of the chief priests and the officers when they chanted, “Crucify him, crucify him.” One must read these words through the lens of the entire Gospel of John in order to feel their weight.The one to whom this chant of death was recited was not just an innocent man; he was the innocent man. John has gone out of his way to demonstrate not only the...  Read More

Courage is a virtue most of us imagine we might have given particular circumstances. We tend to envision ourselves as heroes with whom the world would be far worse off without. Peter was no different.Only shortly before the account of Peter’s denial in this passage, he swore that he would follow Jesus to the point of giving his life for him (John 13:37-38). What courage he imagined he had. And wha...  Read More