The Black Saturday
“And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.” — Luke 23:54–56 (KJV)
The day the body of Jesus was placed in the tomb, the very day He was crucified, was a dark and terrible day. As the sun went down that evening, so did the hopes and dreams of all the Lord’s disciples and followers, as the huge stone was rolled into place to seal the tomb. That stone might almost have seemed to say: “It is all over. Hope is gone. There is no future, no salvation, no Kingdom. Jesus is dead; the King is dead.” And so it would have been for us too, had the story of Jesus ended with Him buried in a tomb, and the stone left exactly where it lay. The Gospel accounts say little of that dark, lifeless Sabbath that passed between the day Jesus died and the day He rose again — Luke tells us only that the women rested that day, in obedience to the commandment (Luke 23:56). It must have been a long, miserable Saturday for all who had placed their hopes in Jesus. But that tragic Saturday gave way to a glorious Sunday, on which the world changed forever.
The Resurrection — the Living God
“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, “Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.” And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “All hail.” And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.” — Matthew 28:1–9 (KJV)
When the Sabbath ended, at sunset on the Saturday, the women emerged from their homes and went into town to buy spices, intending to go to the tomb early the next morning to anoint the body of Jesus — one final act of love and service to their Lord. Heartbroken, and filled with sorrow, grief, and fear, they made the two-mile journey from Bethany, where they lived, to the tomb just outside the city of Jerusalem. When they arrived, and lifted their downcast eyes, their fear turned to amazement: the massive stone had been rolled away from the entrance, and the tomb stood open. Going inside, they found a young man sitting there, clothed in a long white robe. He was an angel, and he had a message for them: “Fear not,” he told them. “Things are not as they appear.” The joyous cry that Sunday was, “He is risen!” The angel wanted them to know that the power of death had been swallowed up by the far greater power of life — that their Lord lived, that Jesus was alive, just as he had said. It was a message those women needed to hear that Sunday morning, and it is the message you and I need to hear again and again.
The Post-Resurrection Appearances of Jesus
“And he said unto them, “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.” — Luke 24:44–53 (KJV)
The Bible records at least eight appearances of the risen Jesus, to different people, at various times and places, over the forty days before He ascended into heaven. He taught His followers, and prepared them to carry on the work He had begun, giving them — and through them, all of us — the Great Commission: that they should go out into the world and spread the good news of His resurrection, and with it the assurance of eternal life for all who believe. He told them to bring people to repentance from their sins, to baptise them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and to teach them to live as He had taught. Jesus had already promised them the Holy Spirit, to be their helper after His ascension into heaven. Jesus is with us always, even to the end of the age.
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
“Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.” — Luke 24:45–53 (KJV)
Having appeared to His disciples over these forty days, Jesus led them out towards Bethany, near the Mount of Olives. There, He lifted up His hands and blessed them, and as He blessed them, He was taken up before their eyes, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. As the disciples stood gazing up into heaven, two men in white suddenly stood beside them and said, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” The disciples worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, waiting for the Holy Spirit Jesus had promised them, and it was not many days before that promise, too, was fulfilled.
About the Book and the Author
The Life of Jesus is a biographical account of Jesus’ supernatural birth, extraordinary life, sacrificial and substitutionary death, evidenced resurrection, and promised return to take believers into His new creation, the Kingdom of Heaven. The text from the four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — is harmonised in this pictorial book into a single narrative, presented in logical sections.
The narrative is uniquely structured, quoting from the King James Version across the four canonical Gospel accounts, alongside descriptive images and short commentaries. It is hoped that this book will serve as a teaching aid, introducing children, young people, and new believers to the Gospel accounts, and as a tool to connect them with the life and ministry of Jesus Christ; seasoned Bible readers, too, may find it useful as a refresher and a work of reference.
The author has also written another book, Walk with Jesus — Life Application of Teachings of Jesus Christ.