Herod: "I Entertained a Prophet"

 Greetings. I am Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee. You are interested in this one whom you call Christ? I heard many things concerning him. True, I had my own private interpretations of him. But on that day when I at last was given the opportunity to meet him I came to the conclusion that this itinerant preacher was merely a fool!

He was a helpless defenseless simpleton, incapable of influencing anyone. No that is not merely my impression of this man. My impression of him is correct and I am happy to tell you why.

You will notice that the title of my testimony is "I entertained a prophet" I used the term "prophet" in jest. This Jesus had many a follower but that is the problem with the masses. There were fools and dupes in my term of office and there are those in your time as well. They will follow anyone who promises them the moon.

This Jesus was nothing more than a religious zealot, a mad magician who promised the people some sort of greater life but he could not produce. The people followed him until they saw the truth to the matter that he could not overthrow the religious and political forces and so they turned on him.

 Notice how quickly the people were willing to accept back on the streets Barabbas. On the one hand requesting a murderer and an insurrectionist might appear to be foolhardy but if there is one thing that I have noticed is that the people will not be taken for fools.

When this Jesus' promises of forgiveness and life with God fell short of what the people expected they could have nothing to do with him. It was a proud day for me when I finally got the opportunity to meet this Jesus. I had heard all sorts of stories concerning him. And yes, it is true, I had threatened him with the promise of death. But you have to understand I could have no one trying to infringe upon my territory. It seems that I was cursed with religious zealots throughout my reign in Galilee.

There was John the Baptist, another freakish hermit who accused me of having an affair with my sister-in-law. Since when has one's private life mattered as to how one rules the state? What did it matter to him? But he stirred up the people and there were rumors as to my competency as a leader. People began to say "character matters'' and there were rumors as to my effectiveness to serve.

As a precaution I had John imprisoned. And while I regret my rather rash promise to Herodius' daughter of up to half my kingdom, I remained true to my word. The head of the Baptist was the cost of a promise I had made. But I kept the power and the people feared me.

I was a forced to be reckoned with. As things worked out. Opposition to my rule quickly quieted down after John left the scene. This Jesus (whom I later was told was a cousin to John) would not have the opportunity to bring me down. That's why I threatened to destroy him if he were to clamor too loudly.

Pilate had finally recognized the right for me to rule. By sending me this Jesus since he was from my jurisdiction. Pilate recognized my territory and my control over that province. He had finally recognized my right to rule. That is why it can be rightly stated that Pilate and I became friends on that day.

True, my interrogation of Jesus turned out to be fruitless. He remained silent. He refused to answer. What did his silence say? At first I interpreted it as an act of defiance. But as I have had time to reflect I am now convinced that it was an intimidation of my rule and authority. He remained silent for he had nothing to say, nothing to offer, nothing to contribute.

Jesus? Who is he? He's a worthless fool, a mad man, a waste of a human life? What kingdom did he claim? What city did he build? What dynasty did he establish? The answer to all of this is nothing. Jesus? He's nothing and he remained silent in front of my dominions! And they call him a king? I alone am king! Long live the king!

Concluding thoughts: There are two, count them, two commandments dealing with coveting. These commandments ask us to look at the inner recesses of our heart. Where does all sorts of evil, injurious, and disgusting thought, words and actions come from? They come from the heart which is evil from the start. Herod Antipus, Tetrarch of Galilee came to the conclusion that he alone was king. He threatened anyone and anything that would stand in his way.

Herod in his lust for power made himself out to be the king of his entire circle of life. In so doing he could not see the one who came to save and redeem him. For us to have a clear understanding of who Jesus truly is we must come in repentance and faith and cling to Him alone for salvation and life. Lord deliver us from all sin from presumption, haughtiness and pride. My you increase and we decrease. Come take control of my heart that there rule and reign forever.

Illustration from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his book, The Book of Books in Pictures. copyright © WELS used by permission for personal and congregational use.

Mary: "I Know My Son as My Savior And Lord"

 

This evening you will hear a letter which might have been Mary's thoughts as she looked back on all that she had seen Jesus do and heard him say. Her memory would stretch far back even to Jesus' birth in Bethlehem and to his childhood and youth.

Mary' conversations with John, the beloved disciple, must have meant much to him. How blessed we are to have the Bible in which we can read not only what Jesus said and did but also what his disciples and others, like the Apostle Paul, came to realize that Jesus meant for all human beings.

For Mary, Jesus' death was a time of weeping, but after his resurrection she realized he was her Savior and Lord so she had hope and peace and joy. Jesus offers the same to all people and to you and me again today. So we call Him our Savior and Lord and that gives us hope and peace and joy.

Now, on to a letter written by Mary to the disciple John...

My dear son, John,

I will never forget those hours when Jesus, my first-born son, was hanging on the cross. I stood there as close to the cross as the soldiers would allow, with my sister and the other women who loved Jesus. You know who was there because you were there too. We stood there, helpless to relieve his suffering and waited as precious life came to an end.

Yet we felt all along that Jesus was really in control and that he had a vision of why he was on the cross that went far beyond the miscarriage of justice that we all knew it was. We now know what Jesus meant when he said, "It is finished" - that this was the atonement for the sins of the world now completed.

But at the time it was happening I could not understand why the Romans should be so cruel, to let my innocent Jesus be crucified just because the temple leaders stirred up the people against him. I remember how even during his terrible pain on the cross, Jesus looked out for others.

He prayed for forgiveness for those who crucified him. He spoke words of comfort to the thief crucified beside him, who asked for his help. He looked down from the cross at my weeping face and asked you, dear John, to look after me. Jesus said you should treat me as your mother and I should take you, John, as my son. That's why I call you still: my dear son, John.

Much has happened since a year ago when they crucified Jesus. I remember how you took me to your house, gave me a room to live in, and let me share meals with you and your family.

Do you remember how dark it was when Jesus was on the cross? For three hours you could scarcely see anything. It was that dark. At the time we wondered what was happening, but now I realize that it was part of the Heavenly Father's signal to all people that what was happening was a mark of human sinfulness. Jesus was bearing the sins of the whole world. No wonder Jesus cried out, "My God, why have you forsaken me?"

When the wife of Cleopas, Mary Magdalene, and my sister and I stood weeping near Jesus' cross on that awful day, we didn't really understand what was happening. To us it all seemed so tragic. I felt as though a sword had been thrust into me. It hurt so bad to see Jesus, my son, hanging there. Somehow it was hard to remember he was God's Son, too, and that the Father in heaven knew why Jesus had to die so young. He was only 33, you know.

But, thank God, now I do know what you, John and I often talked about in your home; Jesus is truly the Messiah, the Son of God, who came to earth as a human being to do what the Father in heaven sent him to do, namely, to seek and save the lost. It was not easy for me to realize that my own son was also my Savior and my Lord. But as I pondered in my heart all he said and did I was convinced.

I remember the time he stayed behind as a 12 year old in the Jerusalem temple. I think of all the miracles he did, and even raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. I know that when he went to the cross he could have used his mighty power to strike down his enemies. All of this made me doubly sure that my son Jesus was the Messiah our Scriptures had prophesied.

John, I know that you treasure some of the psalms and the words of the prophets that tell about the coming of the Messiah. In those years when Jesus was growing up, and even after he began preaching, I didn't realize fully what they all meant. But now I see how words like those in Isaiah 53 describe what would happen to Jesus.

Remember the words "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." [Isaiah 53:4-6] No wonder Jesus said to you, John and to the other disciples: "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again." [Luke 18:31-33]

John, my son, I must close now. But I close with a prayer of praise to God for Jesus, not so much because I was privileged to be his mother, but rather because he is my Savior and my Lord. May his voice and his love reach out through you, dear John, wherever you are and to all you meet. Tell them: Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Lord of all people.

Your loving mother,

Mary 

Image “You have found favor with God” copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

Simon of Cyren: "I Was Pressed Into Service"

"As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross" [Matthew 27:32]

Good evening. By now you have begun to hear a number of life stories of those who were eye witnesses to the events and the happenings concerning Jesus from Nazareth. I, like the rest of the guests you have heard have my own story to tell. It is an interesting story, and as I must tell you, it's a life changing story, although that was not how I anticipated things to be on that great and unforgettable day; the day Christ died, the day my life was changed forever.

Looking back it is amazing how certain events can change one's life. I was a good and pious Jew and in keeping with the tenants of our faith I had come from my town in Libya in North Africa that had a large Jewish population there. I had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. It was an important celebration for our family as my two sons; Alexander and Rufus were now able to travel as they had come of age. It would be the first time that I could visit the great temple with my two sons to pray, to celebrate the Passover in the great city. My wife and I had dreamed and planned and saved for that day. At last we were able to make a pilgrimage to the holy city of Jerusalem. Little did we know that the events of that weekend would change our lives forever.

 

As I have said, my family was in the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. It was early in the morning and I was on my way to the temple to offer up prayers of gratitude. There was so much for me to be thankful for. My faithful and pious wife, my two sons who were there to worship. God was so good to me...And then it happened. Like a shot that rings out in the stillness of a quiet night a Roman guard grabbed me by the shoulder and forced me to carry the cross of this condemned man by the name of Jesus.

I'll never forget the look of the Savior. The Roman guards had thoroughly enjoyed heaping the blows upon this poor man. He must have done something terribly wrong to deserve such punishment. But what struck me so was the gaze the look the intent look that He gave me as I picked up the cross bar from his bleeding back. It was more than just an expression of relief to have that heavy bar removed from his body. He had the look of pure love, of mercy and grace.

I must admit now that at first his glance at me was met with contempt. If you observe human features it's amazing how often that guilty men can give the appearance of innocence. And of course that is what I thought Jesus was doing with His innocent glance.

I became angry. Angry that I had been pressed into service, angry that here was a condemned and guilty man; a criminal guilty of death, so guilty that He was to be condemned on such a high, holy day.

His look stifled me. What was worse I knew as soon as I was pressed into service that I would be forced to spend a day or two watching this retched soul die. The Romans, as you know take great delight in forcing people to do things against their will. That's their way of exercising total control.

Men condemned to death were usually forced to carry a beam of the cross, often weighing 30 or 40 lbs. to the place of crucifixion. Jesus started out by carrying His cross but He had been so weakened by flogging that I was pressed into service.

From the foot of the hill I observed the entire episode. What was remarkable was the fact that the crucifixion took only three hours. Who was this man? What had He done to invoke the wrath of our priests and leaders? What crimes had he committed?

I soon discovered who this Jesus really was. And this is where my life and the life of my entire family. We had decided to remain in Jerusalem until the feast of Pentecost had been completed.

This was a family pilgrimage to the holy city and we wanted to make a lasting impression on our children how special our faith really was. The events of Passover started my personal search and inquiry as to who the Messiah might be. My questions were answered on Pentecost when in my own native language I heard the mighty acts of God proclaimed to me in my own language.

Peter and the rest of the apostles where speaking of the mighty things this Jesus had done. Being from Cyrene in North Africa what an amazing thing to hear a Galilean speaking my mother tongue what God in Christ had done.

The Holy Spirit converted me, my wife and our two sons that very day. We were each individually baptized and soon joined that small band of new Christians. My two sons were taken in by Peter and Mark and as time moved on Rufus became a close associate of St. Paul. Our families became close, quite close, in fact my wife was given recognition by Paul in his closing verses to the Christians in Rome.

I've heard that there is a popular saying in your culture that says when God closes a door He opens a window. On that Friday morning when I felt the tap on the shoulder of that Roman soldier in a sense was God slamming a door on my former way of life only to open up a huge window to a new life. A life filled of His mercy and grace.

I was inconvenienced, confounded and put out when I was pressed into service by that Roman officer. Yet in some small way the hand of God was also felt. The service I was to be thrown into was God's service. It is Jesus' life that changed my life and I am living proof that what might at times seem to be an inconvenience might very well turn out to be a life changing event. Thank God that He is in the business of changing lives.

Concluding thoughts: How often are we like Simon inconvenienced and pushed into some sort of service that changes or alters our lives. It could be a change in status, a career change, a change in health. Throughout the changes and changes of this human life we have a Savior who is shaping our life to be molded after His life.

Little did Simon know that his life would change as it did. He serves us as a tremendous model of how God desires to pattern us after Himself. The next time you are pressed into some type of service, and especially when it's against your will, or when circumstances and changes go not according to plan remember Simon who was used by God for a higher good. May the Savior so use us to be instruments of His mercy and grace.

Illustration from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his book, The Book of Books in Pictures. copyright © WELS used by permission for personal and congregational use.

 

 

Pilate: "I Couldn't Make The Hard Decision"

 

You know Cornelius, when you asked about my days as ruler in Judea, you make me search my memory. Especially when you ask whether I remember anything about the beginnings there of the Christian sect that is growing so strongly here in Rome. I find it hard to recall much that is very definite.

There were many uprisings among the Jewish people in those days because of their peculiar beliefs. Likewise there were constantly new nomadic prophets who claimed to have a message for the people from their God, Yahweh. Jesus, whom some called the Christ, was a Galilean. I'm sure, because I remember sending him to Herod, the tetrarch in Galilee who was in Jerusalem at the time Jesus was brought to me for trial. It seems that the Galileans were particularly inclined to follow these would-be messiahs.

About all I can recall for sure in connection with this Jesus, whom the Christians follow, is that his trial came up one year during the Passover season. That was a time of year when I stayed in Jerusalem because of the possibility of trouble.

Every year at the time of the Passover in the spring these Jewish people came to their Jerusalem temple from all over, from Galilee up north but also from many non-Jewish countries, from Greece, Syria, Egypt, and even from Rome. So whenever there was a Passover celebration the agitators and fanatics would be busy stirring up the people against Rome. On group, called the Zealots, was particularly violent and fanatic. I had many of them crucified.

I remember one particular Passover that involved these Christians you’re asking about. That year things seemed especially unsettled and the Jewish people were restless. Early in the he week of the Passover my men reported that a Galilean rabbi had come into Jerusalem on a donkey and some of the pilgrims hailed him as a hero.

They had even staged a kind of festival parade, pulling branches from palm trees and olive trees to honor him and taking off their coats to put on the road for their hero to tide over on his donkey. But there was no violence or rioting, and though they shouted hopes of deliverance the rabbi did nothing to incite rebellion. So we did nothing about it.

That same week, however, we had to arrest another Jew by the name of Barabbas. I remember him because the incident that caused his arrest was particularly violent. Barabbas killed one of my Roman soldiers. It happened when his gang of zealots stirred up a demonstration against Rome trying to incite the Jews to revolution. When my soldiers broke up the gathering, Barabbas managed to kill one of them. We held him in custody until the best time to crucify him as an example to other agitators.

This kind of riotous agitation gave me a clue that there would be more trouble brewing. I suspected that the temple crowd, the priests, Pharisees, and scribes, might try to whip up hatred toward our Roman law and order. There was an unusually large crowd of pilgrims and Jewish people from many countries in Jerusalem that Passover. Such a crowd meant disturbances of all sorts against Roman rule.

So I was really surprised when my servant woke my very early one Friday, the day when the Jewish Passover would reach its climax in the evening. The servant told me that the temple crowd, led by the chief priest himself, had brought a political prisoner they accused of treason and wanted me to crucify. It wasn't at all what I expected of them. I knew at once that they were up to some kind of trickery. But I thought it best at least to listen to their charges.

I had to leave the palace to meet them on the pavement outside because of one of their peculiar religious laws.

Though they could bring this man, likely innocent, and shout for his crucifixion, they couldn't enter the palace of a gentile governor without becoming religiously unclean and thus not able to celebrate their Passover.

When they hauled up their prisoner before me; I saw that he too, was a Jew. The priests said his name was Jesus from Nazareth. Of course, the name meant nothing to me, but I recognized at once that coming from Nazareth made Jesus a Galilean. That is why I later sent him over to King Herod of Galilee, who being a Jew, was also in Jerusalem for the Passover.

All that effort accomplished, however, was that Herod thereafter became more friendly toward me. He returned Jesus to my jurisdiction and decision.

As soon as I saw Jesus I knew at once that the priests had a religious quarrel with him and not a political one. Jesus had a calm air and a kind of serenity about him that didn't fit a political rebel. So I told the priests to take care of it themselves according to their religious laws.

But they got mean. They insisted Jesus was a traitor and a rebel. They threatened to notify Caesar in Rome that I was soft on traitors. The temple crowd led by the high priest said this Jesus claimed to be a king and that he didn't support paying taxes to Caesar.

Though I knew in my heat that it was all being done out of spite and envy, I went through the motions of asking Jesus whether he was king of the Jews. He looked at me without fear and gave a strange answer. Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world." Then he said some things about truth that made no sense to me. But I knew beyond a doubt that Jesus of Nazareth was no political threat to Rome.

Then I hit on what I thought was a brilliant idea. It would certainly get me off the hook of having to make a final decision about Jesus. I wouldn't have to go against the Jewish leaders with a decision to set Jesus free in spite of their charges. They would make the choice themselves, I thought. I offered to release either the harmless Jesus or the vicious Barabbas. But the hatred of the priests toward Jesus - which I believe stemmed from envy - was so great that they stirred up the people to ask that Barabbas be released. [Matthew 27:15-23]

I was frustrated. But, I thought, surely they would be satisfied with a lesser punishment than crucifixion. So I had Jesus flogged till the blood ran down his back in streams.

Then I brought Jesus out, showed him to the people. I told them I found Jesus to be innocent, and said, "Here he is! Look at Him!" To my consternation the crowd still shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"

What could I do? If I didn't crucify him they would blacken my name to Caesar in Rome. So I yielded. I gave my decision and ordered Jesus to be crucified. Even my own wife had warned me not to get involved, because she had a dream that told her Jesus was innocent. [Matthew 27:19] But what could I do? I had to make a decision. But I could not make the hard decision.

So I took the easy way out. I condemned an innocent man to crucifixion to save my reputation with Caesar at Rome. To let the priests and temple crowd know, though, that I considered Jesus innocent and that it was their responsibility, I called for a basin of water. Then I publicly washed my hands and said "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." [Matthew 27:21-26]

As I remember it, that was the beginning of the Christian sect. In time, even my wife, became a believer. She tells me often that I, too, should ask God to forgive me. She often assures me that Jesus of Nazareth, whom I crucified, really is the Son of God and that, three days after he died on the cross, he rose from the dead. She says that is what gave his disciples courage and gives his followers today the faith to say, "Jesus Christ is Lord of all."

Concluding thoughts: Poor Pontius Pilate! He was faced with what for him was a hard decision: To do what was right and set Jesus free or to do what was safe for him and yield to pressure. How often we are faced with decisions that tempt us to protect our own interests by yielding to pressures that make us do what is not right or good in God's sight.

Jesus Christ was crucified under Pontius Pilate, but He rose again to give assurance that God's mercy is there for all who seek it in repentance and faith. Whenever we confess the Creed, in church or at home, may it be a voluntary testimony of our own faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Illustration from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his book, The Book of Books in Pictures. copyright © WELS used by permission for personal and congregational use.

ANNAS: "I Can't Believe that Jesus Is Lord!"

 

There is simply no way that I can bring myself to believe that this man, Jesus of Nazareth, was truly who he claimed to be. I heard my son-in-law, Caiaphas, say to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." And this man said, "Yes, it is as you say" [Matthew 26:62-64]

It is astounding that this man would claim to be the Christ. I have heard that some people believe when Jesus was born angels actually appeared to shepherds and said, "A Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." [Luke 2:11]

Do you believe that? Jesus certainly believed he was the promised Christ. When He preached his first sermon in Nazareth, he clearly claimed to be the anointed one; that is, The Christ, the chosen one - the Messiah [Luke 4:18,21] No wonder they tried to throw him over a cliff! If I had been there I would have done the same thing!

Our people have been waiting for the Messiah for hundreds of years. We know that our redemption is dependent on Messiah. One day he will come to save us. The Messiah will be our deliverer. He will rescue us from the evil that holds us in bondage.

Until that time though, we must focus our attention upon the temple. For it is there, in the temple, that we perform the sacrifices that are necessary to maintain our relationship with God.

The temple's institutions and rituals are deeply rooted in the history of our culture. It is the temple that defines us as a unique nation on all the earth.

But this Rabbi from Galilee claimed to be greater than the temple. [Matthew 12:6] He wreaked havoc at our temple services [Matthew 21:12-13] He even claimed that if the temple were torn down he could rebuild it in three days [John 2:19; Matthew 26:61] Only the Messiah could be more important than the temple and the sacrifices. This Jesus wanted to turn the attention the love and the faith of the people away from the temple and onto himself. He wanted to redirect the entire focus of their worship. He wanted the people to look to him as their hope of eternal salvation. I simply could not allow that!

What kind of Messiah did he claim to be? He made that very clear when he applied the divine name of "I AM" to himself. He claimed to be God! This Rabbi from Nazareth used for himself the very same name God used when he revealed himself to Moses from the burning bush [Genesis 3:14] At his trial we asked him, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I AM" [Luke 22:70]

Now we know that the Messiah will be like no other. No one on earth will be more powerful. HE will crush his enemies under his feet. HE will be the greatest of all prophets. HE will establish Zion, the throne of David, as an everlasting kingdom.

Some of our Rabbis have pointed out that the Messiah may even be some kind of pre-existent, angelic, heavenly being. But, it is beyond human comprehension, that the Messiah would actually be the Lord himself - the same Lord who delivered our people from Egyptian bondage.

Is it possible that our Savior God would take on human flesh and walk among us as one of our very own Rabbis? If that would happen it would surely be a historic event of eternal significance. It would alter completely our idea of our God and who we are as his people.

If God himself came to earth as our Messiah it would demonstrate a divine love so great that it would be incomprehensible to any human. Could God do that - of course He could. But would God do that - does He love us that much? I just can't bring myself to believe that he does.

Jesus made it very clear through his life and through his teachings that he believed he was God in the flesh, come to earth as the promised Messiah. He believed that he was the one on whom our hopes of salvation depend. He forgave sins and he taught that without him we are lost and condemned. We are a righteous people.

WE simply could not tolerate him making such remarkable claims. Nor could we risk the possibility of another disastrous political revolt. That's why we had him arrested.

We tried him and found him guilty of blasphemy -ridiculing God. But f we were wrong we have made a terrible, terrible mistake and we are the blasphemers. If what Jesus said is true then we not only ridiculed the Almighty; but he allowed us to have him condemned and executed! It is possible that we have crucified the Lord of glory? I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

Concluding thoughts: Annas had good intentions. If we give him the benefit of the doubt. He only wanted what, he truly thought, was the best for his people -his family's leadership. Under the leadership of his family Annas sought to maintain the nation's traditional religious notions and avoid a disastrous military conflict with Rome. No doubt he thought these goals were good, right, and God pleasing.

But human logic that is not enlightened by God often lends itself to the wrong cause. Even supposed devotion to God can become a source of evil, as in the case of Annas, who condemned to death the very Messiah their true prophets had instructed them to expect.

To do the God pleasing thing takes more than good intentions - one must be lead by God himself through his Holy Word. How many people today have good intentions? They want to do the right thing, but they are misguided and mistaken because, like Annas who rejected the Word of God in the flesh, they reject the Word of God in the Bible.

Yet God often brings good out of the evil deeds of human beings. With the misguided decision of Annas we see how the unjust crucifixion of Jesus became the world's greatest good, its hope of eternal salvation.

In the First Epistle of John we read the glorious hope- fulfilled "The blood of Jesus, God's Son purifies us from all sin."

Thought Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate and all who condemned Jesus did great evil by their words and actions, God overruled their deeds to bring salvation to all who repent and believe. By the grace of God, we, with Christians of all time, believe that Jesus is indeed the divine Messiah. How sad that Annas couldn't believe it also. By grace through faith we believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior.

Illustration from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his book, The Book of Books in Pictures. copyright © WELS used by permission for personal and congregational use.