Dr Paul Allen

"And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day." ( Deuteronomy 5:15 ) It is significant that God's Ten Commandments are found twice in the Bible ( Exodus 20:3-17  and  Deuteronomy 5:6-21 ). In fact, "Deuteronomy" means "the Second Law." The two are worded identically, with a few exceptions. The most significant of these changes is in connection with the reason given for obeying the fourth commandment, to "keep the sabbath day."  In Exodus, the reason given is: "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day" ( Exodus 20:11 ).  Here in "the second law," the reason given is that God saved Israel out of bondage in Egypt, and now was about to enter the Promised Land....

Copia desde la Crucifixion dibujada hacia 1540 por Miguel Angel Buonarroti para Vittoria Colonna. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 27:45 –50 “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabacthani?’ that is, ‘My God , my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (v. 46). Because the process of crucifixion is foreign to our experience, it is easy to overlook just how terribly painful this method of death was. It could take days for the crucified person to die from a combination of asphyxiation and exposure. People were hung on a cross in a position that forced them to use their arms to lift their body weight in order to draw a breath, causing the nails driven through their wrists and feet to tear at their flesh. If Rome wanted to prolong suffering, rope was used instead of nails to attach the person to the cross. God’s condemnation of our sin in the flesh of Jesus (Rom. 8:3) was signified by the physical pain our Lord endured on the cross. ...

"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46, KJV ). It is noon, and Jesus has been on the cross for three pain-filled hours. Suddenly, darkness falls on Calvary and "over all the land" (v. 45). By a miraculous act of Almighty God , midday becomes midnight. This supernatural darkness is a symbol of God's judgment on sin . The physical darkness signals a deeper and more fearsome darkness. The great High Priest enters Golgotha 's Holy of Holies without friends or enemies. The Son of God is alone on the cross for three final hours, enduring what defies our imagination. Experiencing the full brunt of His Father's wrath, Jesus cannot stay silent. He cries out: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" This phrase represents the lowest point, of Jesus' sufferings. Here Jesus descends into the essence of hell, the m...

English: Icon of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 27:45–50 “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabacthani?’ that is, ‘My God , my God, why have you forsaken me?’” ( v. 46 ). Because the process of crucifixion is foreign to our experience, it is easy to overlook just how terribly painful this method of death was. It could take days for the crucified person to die from a combination of asphyxiation and exposure. People were hung on a cross in a position that forced them to use their arms to lift their body weight in order to draw a breath, causing the nails driven through their wrists and feet to tear at their flesh. If Rome wanted to prolong suffering, rope was used instead of nails to attach the person to the cross. God’s condemnation of our sin in the flesh of Jesus ( Rom. 8:3 ) was signified by the physical pain our Lord endured on the cross. At the same time the Romans were nailing Jesus to the cross, the Father w...

Peter's Denial by Rembrandt, 1660. Jesus is shown in the upper right hand corner, his hands bound behind him, turning to look at Peter. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) John 19:28–37  Breaking the legs of victims on the cross was a common practice by the Romans to speed up death. Soldiers would use the steel shaft of a short Roman spear to shatter the person’s lower leg bones. This would prevent the individual from pushing up with his legs so he could breathe, and death by asphyxiation would result in a matter of minutes. When the soldiers approached Jesus , they determined that he was already dead, and one used his spear to pierce Jesus’ side to confirm it (see John 19:34 ). This fulfilled another Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah : his bones would remain unbroken (see Psalm 34:19–20 ). Related articles Did Jesus exist? (everythingpointstochrist.blogspot.com) What Is Significant About the Lamb's Bones Not Being Broken? (hopechurchvarsitylakes.blogspot.com) Wh...

Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?” ( Matt. 27:46 , KJV ). It is noon, and Jesus has been on the cross for three pain-filled hours. Suddenly, darkness falls on Calvary and “over all the land” (v. 45). By a miraculous act of Almighty God , midday becomes midnight. This supernatural darkness is a symbol of God’s judgment on sin. The physical darkness signals a deeper and more fearsome darkness. The great High Priest enters Golgotha ’s Holy of Holies without friends or enemies. The Son of God is alone on the cross for three final hours, enduring what defies our imagination. Experiencing the full brunt of His Father’s wrath, Jesus cannot stay silent. He cries out: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” This phrase represents the nadir, the lowest point, of ...

Image via Wikipedia "For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me." ( Psalm 31:3 )   In this psalm of misery and mercy, we see David 's testimony. "In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness" ( Psalm 31:1 ). His faith was strong, but afflictions and opposition were on all sides. He appeals to God for relief ( Psalm 31:2 ) and is confident of the reply, and that that reply will reflect God's omnipotence and grace. His total trust was in this benevolent God. "Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth" ( v. 5 ), which, of course, was quoted by Christ at the moment of His death on the cross ( Luke 23:46 ).   But note David's grounds for appeal to God for action: "For thy name's sake," as recorded in our text. David's heartfelt desire here is more than merely relief from his persecution, as desp...

Image via Wikipedia The key to understanding the cry of Jesus from the cross is found in Paul's letter to the Galatians :  " Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘ Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree'" ( Gal. 3:13 , NIV ). To be cursed is to be removed from the presence of God , to be set outside the camp, to be cut off from His benefits. On the cross, Jesus was cursed.  That is, He represented the Jewish nation of covenant breakers who were exposed to the curse and took the full measure of the curse on Himself. As the Lamb of God, the Sin Bearer, He was cut off from the presence of God. On the cross, Jesus entered into the experience of forsakenness on our behalf.  G od turned His back on Jesus and cut Him off from all blessing, from all keeping, from all grace, and from all peace. God is too holy to even look at iniquity. God the Father turned His back on the Son, cursing Him to the pit of hell while H...

Image via Wikipedia The key to understanding the cry of Jesus from the cross is found in Paul's letter to the Galatians :  " Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘ Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree'" ( Gal. 3:13 , NIV ). To be cursed is to be removed from the presence of God , to be set outside the camp, to be cut off from His benefits. On the cross, Jesus was cursed.  That is, He represented the Jewish nation of covenant breakers who were exposed to the curse and took the full measure of the curse on Himself. As the Lamb of God, the Sin Bearer, He was cut off from the presence of God. On the cross, Jesus entered into the experience of forsakenness on our behalf.  G od turned His back on Jesus and cut Him off from all blessing, from all keeping, from all grace, and from all peace. God is too holy to even look at iniquity. God the Father turned His back on the Son, cursing Him to the pit of hell while H...

Image via Wikipedia "And he said unto Jesus , Lord , remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." ( Luke 23:42-43 )   One of the two thieves on the cross continued in unbelief right up until the time he died ( Luke 23:39 ), but the second repented and believed unto salvation.  The one assures us that no one need despair, since it is always possible to accept Christ at any time before death. The other warns us, on the other hand, that no one should presume. Long-continued rebellion against God is likely to become so fixed in one's character that sincere repentance may become impossible.   The repentant thief, beholding Christ and hearing the first of the seven so-called "words from the cross" ( Luke 23:34 ), came to believe that Jesus truly was Lord and that He could, indeed, grant forgiveness and salvation.   The penitent thief had no opportunity to be baptized, to...

Image via Wikipedia "And he said unto Jesus , Lord , remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." ( Luke 23:42-43 )   One of the two thieves on the cross continued in unbelief right up until the time he died ( Luke 23:39 ), but the second repented and believed unto salvation.  The one assures us that no one need despair, since it is always possible to accept Christ at any time before death. The other warns us, on the other hand, that no one should presume.  Long-continued rebellion against God is likely to become so fixed in one's character that sincere repentance may become impossible.   The repentant thief, beholding Christ and hearing the first of the seven so-called "words from the cross" ( Luke 23:34 ), came to believe that Jesus truly was Lord and that He could, indeed, grant forgiveness and salvation.   The penitent thief had no opportunity to be baptized, ...