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by Dahni
© 2015, all rights reserved
WTF? Exactly, WTF!
Oh no, you didn’t! You did not just upload a black, dark, nothing image! Why yes, yes I did. At least in art, we need the dark to show the light. And sadly, about many things, most of us are, “in the dark.”
If you think those three capital letters mean what you think they mean, they don’t, at least NOT here. Here they simply are the abbreviation, for: What The Friday (WTF). 🙂
Oh, I get it, this is about ‘Good Friday,’ right?
Even as a child, I could never understand, what was supposed to be, so good about today. Oh, sure, I had the day off from school and many people had the day off from work. But other than these two things, what was or is, supposed to be, good about this today? Oh, right, I was just a child, kids are not supposed to understand!?
Regrettably, darkness is, what we are familiar with. This is what I was taught as a child. So, if something else comes along, we automatically tend to associate it with something very, very suspicious.!
Well, when I got older and became an adult (at least chronologically). 🙂
I became even more confused than when I was young! But I did come to understand one thing. The main reason I was so mixed up when young was because, the adults that were teaching and preaching and continuing these myths, didn’t understand it; don’t understand it themselves!
OK, here simply is how I was taught and how children are still being taught and by adults as confused as they ever have been.
The so-called ‘Good Friday,’ including the capital letters to indicate its importance as a holiday, was about the death of Jesus Christ. What does a holiday have to do with someone being beaten beyond recognition of even being human or by his own mother and was later crucified slowly, painfully and horribly– have to do with a holiday? What’s a holiday? Oh, you mean it was, is a “holy day,” from which the word holiday is derived? OK, that makes sense, but what was “holy about it.”
There was this “last supper,” thing with Jesus and all his apostles, including Judas that would betray him and Peter that would deny him “thrice” before the cock crowed “twice.” Ahh, isn’t thrice or three, X 2 = 6 and not three? Do you see why I was confused? Any way, Jesus is having a supper. In all accounts of this, even in the new testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, it says that they were “sitting.” Ancient customs which are still practiced today indicate that this is how such a meal was had. There was a low table where the food and drink sat to be readily available to everyone in the room. People sat around on pillows on the floor. Well, that make sense to me and lines up perfectly with the Biblical records with the word “sitting.” But that’s not what I was taught nor what is still being taught. Oh no, this last supper was supposed to have been Jesus sharing the Passover, one last time with his apostles. Passover? But isn’t Passover supposed to be eaten, standing?
There were specific instructions as to what, when, where, how and to whom this Passover, this holy day was to be conducted and if you are Jewish, you are still supposed to do theses things.
Passover was instituted by God through Moses to the 12 tribes of the children of Israel. About the ONLY thing modern day people have nearly correct is the “time” of the year this feast was to be celebrated. It all goes down hill after that.
The Passover lamb had to be male. It had to be in its “first year,” not second, third or any other year, other than, the “first year.” It had to be “without spot or blemish” (no impurities in the bloodline, disease or mutations etc.). It had to be the best of the best possible lambs. It had to be killed in the evening. The blood of the lamb was to be sprinkled on their doors to indicate that the “destroyer” that killed all the first-sons of Egypt, would “pass over” every house where the blood was found. The meal of lamb and bitter herbs had to be eaten “standing” and with their staff in hand to indicate that they were to eat it in “haste,” (quickly). All of Israel were required to partake of the Passover.
There were other requirements as to how this Passover was to be “prepared.” Quite simply, it was called, the “Day of Preparation.”
The laws of Israel forbade anyone from doing servile work, touching any unclean thing, touching death, and among other things I may have missed. You would not be allowed to travel on the weekly Sabbath (which we call Sunday) or any holy day (holiday) other than the distance from your home to the temple and then back home. This was called a, “Sabbath’s day journey.”
In ancient times, the Sabbath fell on Saturday. A special “high” or “holy day” could occur on any particular day in a given calendar year, For example, many celebrate Christmas, but it could occur on any day of the week including, Sunday. On those days other than Sunday, Christmas would have precedence or be given greater importance than that of just the weekly Sunday. The same could be said, during ancient times. If the Passover fell on any other day than on the weekly Sabbath or their Saturday, it was a special high or holy day, but it was still called, a Sabbath day.
The ancient reckoning on time began the new day at sunset, not as we begin ours at midnight. The first day of the week was Sunday, following the weekly Sabbath on Saturday.
So, putting this all together, the day before the Passover was the day of Preparation. Those involved with the preparation had to complete their service and preparations and be “clean” in order for them to partake of the Passover the following day. So this took some time. It all had to be done BEFORE sunset, which began the next day, the Passover Day. The lamb dinner was to be eaten at “even” in the evening or at or about sunset. So from say 6 PM on a day, these preparations could only be completed in less than 24 hours or until around 6 PM of the following day which began at sunset when the meal was to be eaten.
So I was confused as to how Jesus Christ could have ever eaten this last Passover with his apostles, sitting down.
At the last supper, Judas Iscariot left and went out to betray Jesus. Now Dante’s Inferno places him in the lowest regions of hell, for this betrayal as I’m sure most Christians believe that he went straight to hell. Well, why then was Judas the treasurer and given so much responsibility if he did not have natural talent, ability, leadership and skill? Did he or did he not also, go out with the other 11 on more than one occasion and perform signs miracles and wonders? Does not the pronoun change in the book of Acts from the 12 to “men of Galilee?” Only Judas was NOT a Galilean. But would not prior to this, have made him a witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Did not Judas believe? He believed Jesus was the true Messiah, the Savior, the real-deal. But he was also, looking for a political savior to establish his kingdom on earth and overthrow Rome. But this was not the time. But Judas did not know that. I believe he was just trying to force Jesus to be then, what he believed him to be. But he was wrong and he could not forgive himself of the guilt from having betrayed, “innocent blood.” You can believe whatever you want, but I believe I will see Judas in heaven some day. I believe that the works he did with the spirit of God upon him, outweighs the work he did with the spirit of evil within him!
And Peter, of whom the entire Roman Catholic Church rest their belief of Apostolic succession on him, him who not three times, but 6 times denied Jesus before the cock crowed. Excuse, me don’t roosters usually crow early in the morning? Does not morning follow night?
Jesus once said to Peter, you are Peter = a small tiny grain of stone or sand that blows with every direction of the wind, hot and cold. The Greek word used is petros. But Jesus said upon this rock (meaning himself), I will build my church. The Greek word used is Petra, a big unmovable rock or stone. But I’m not so hard on just Judas and Peter. All his disciples fled and stayed locked up in their homes out of “fear,” until Jesus is his resurrected body appeared before them and told them to “Wait for the promise of the Father,” daily in the temple for the 5 hours of prayer each day, until the Day of Pentecost (50 days after his death, resurrection and ascension).
Ok, Ok, maybe Jesus didn’t eat that last Passover with his apostles? So they were sitting there eating, Judas leaves and betrays Jesus and then later he and the rest go to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Jesus tells them to wait and goes to pray alone. Twice he returns and find them all asleep. Then Judas points him out to the roman soldiers by a kiss of respect? A kiss? If it were me, I’d had hid behind some rock where Jesus could not see me and tell the soldiers, “that’s him, right there.” Judas believed he was doing the right thing, but he was wrong.
It was night. This is illegal! There is no record of any warrant for his arrest, no legal papers of any kind, just orders from their superiors. All night long he is taken back and forth from one secret and illegal court after another. His own country men were involved, including the ruling body of Israel the Sanhedrin (70) including, even Saul of Tarsus that would later become the Apostle Paul who wrote the 7 church epistles that all the word of God was then complete. Yep, this same person cast his vote to have Jesus Christ crucified.
All night long there were mock trials with false witnesses. They even had trouble getting false witnesses to make up stuff. They were full of fear. They were afraid of Jesus in exposing their corruption. They were afraid of the Romans. Fear and quilt and fear of their own laws, guided their every action. They wanted this man dead, but they needed the Roman Empire to do it. He was brought before Pilate the governor, the representative of the Roman empire to this region of the empire. He found no cause that he should be crucified. His own wife from a dream, told her husband to have “nothing to do with this man.” He sent Jesus Back to Herod. Herod sent him back to Pilate. Pilate knew that he could pardon Jesus. But his own people wanted him dead. To appease them, he had Jesus scourged with a whip of several leather strips tied with jagged bone or stones to tear the flesh off of the body. You might think this cruel and it was, but Pilate was trying to save this man’s life, this man whom he could have ordered to be crucified. But Jesus’ his own people wanted him crucified. Pilate tried to instead, have Barabbas crucified. He was a known and convicted murderer, but the people cried even more, that Jesus should be the one. Pilate questioned Jesus. He knew that he could still pardon and release Jesus, despite what the people cried. People have made Pilate out to be a weak-willed man that just caved in to religious and political pressure, but consider what he did.
Pilate questions Jesus. Like a lamb before its slaughter (not knowing what is going to happen), Jesus does not answer. Jesus does know what is going on. Pilate asks him even more directly, are you who they say you are. Jesus answers, “You say!” Later we learn that before all the people and before Jesus is led away to be crucified, Pilate washes his hands in water and basically shows that he is innocent of this man’s innocent blood. What did this really represent? Pilate as the representative of Rome had the power of life and death, but it had to be by the law. If Jesus would have just bowed before Pilate, kissed his signet ring or in some other manner received the protection of Rome by gesture of a sworn oath, obedience to Rome, Pilate could have spared his life. But when he asked Jesus, are you who they say you are and Jesus replied, with, “You say,” Pilate knew that he had no sworn oath from Jesus. He knew Jesus was not going to swear an oath . And he also knew that if he (Pilate) falsely accused Jesus, that he himself would be guilty of perjury and subject to the same end. Pilate did what he was legally required to do and had no other choice, but to do. He marveled that Jesus would rather die free, than live under the rule of anyone other than God.
Still, what does any of this cruelty, treason, denial, savagery, lies and evil have to do with anything remotely, “good?”
So, Jesus is led away to be crucified with “others,” (plural word = more than just one or two), that were also to be crucified with him. Rome wanted to completely humiliate people and basically show that their god(s) were bigger than your gods. They even made the captives carry their own instruments of death. Jesus starts out carrying his. He falls down and some other person in the wrong place and at the wrong time is compelled to bear this symbol of death. Well, this act would certainly prevent Simon from participating in the Passover (or so he thought)!
If your have followed this, thus far, this day has to be the Preparation Day, the day before the Passover. More clear understanding and a whole less lot of confusion follows. So, the to-be-crucified, get to Golgotha, which is outside the city of Jerusalem, but it is in a prominent place where all can see. Then they all were forced to lay down and were tied to the tree they were dragging along the parade route to Golgotha. Parade route? Well sure, Rome wanted to make sure everyone got the point that they were the master of the universe! But all these men Each stake was carved out or notched out at they base so, this notch could support their weight when standing. Their legs were tied together and around the trunk of the tree. Their hands were tied above their heads and around the tree. They were tied around their midriff or middle to help support them. These leafless, branch less, limbless tree were then propped up and dropped into previously dug holes.
For Jesus, they had something even better (worse)! He as the others, were tied around the midriff, to the tree, to support his body weight. His knees were slightly bent so he could still raise up and down to a degree. His heels were made to rest against the notched base of the tree to support his weight. His feet were held together and one stake was driven through them and into the tree. His arms were held up slightly bent and his hands, palm-side out were held together and one stake was driven through about the center of the palms and into the tree. This tree was then propped up and dropped into the previously dug hole, deep enough to support the tree and then man on it.
The Romans were excellent in torture. They knew how to humiliate and how to hurt, but still prolong death, for as long as possible. The precise location between the feet and hands of Jesus, just happen to be the best way to attach a body to a tree without them ripping out and the precise location, of a concentration of nerves, which delivered excruciating pain. I still do not find anything “good” about any of this that would elevate it to the status of a holiday with the name of— “Good Friday!”
So, those other(s) which were led with Jesus, what about them? In one place they are called “robbers” and in another, “thieves.” Same thing right, after all, there was only two, right? Then people came by and mocked Jesus and spit on him. Then the other(s) crucified with him do the same thing, except for one that defends Jesus and tells the rest that they basically deserve their fates, but Jesus has done nothing wrong. Then he turns to Jesus and asks him to remember him. Jesus promises him that he will and one day that this man will be with him in paradise. Not that day, but some day! Just an apostrophe (which was not in any original text) enables this to be interpreted as, that day instead of, one day in the future. After all, no one wants to stay dead after they’ve died. But that one tiny little added (,), makes the difference between— truth and error.
Time passes. At some point, Pilate orders a sign to be nailed above Jesus that he was the king of the Judeans. Pilate never said he was, but this is what was said of him. Pilate was not guilty of falsely saying that Jesus was a king, in having this sign put up. Under the orders of a gentile was, this proclamation made. Jesus’s own people had rejected him as their king. But a sign, nailed to the tree above his hands and his head, would give this the appearance of a cross IF, you want to call it that? I don’t! I call it a sign, nailed to a dead tree.
Then, it gets spooky-dark and quiet. Then, Jesus cries with a loud voice that even though he is doing God’s will, that even though he has the assistance of about 72,000 angels that can pull him off that tree if he wants them to, but that somehow God cannot stand the sight of sin and forsakes him? Yes, I can read and I have read from the gospels and the Old Testament accounts where what he supposedly said was, “My God…why have you forsaken me?”
I don’t know what you have heard that Jesus cried that day, but it was NOT a cry of horror, of being forsaken and of defeat! It does not matter if other texts show something else. It does not matter if anyone agrees about those other texts or have seen them. But a Psalmist wrote a psalm that sid, even if he made his bed in hell, God was still with him. I am quite sure that the one who wrote those words, by God, did not always do God’s will and God never forsook him. Jesus Christ always did God’s will, even to die on this tree. Where do you think God was? If this was your son and he did deserve to die, where would you be? I’d be with my son, no matter what! Oh no, this was NOT a cry of defeat, but a cry of VICTORY! Victory? OK, well then maybe, just something’s good about this “Good Friday,” after all? Don’t count on that being true!
Here is where my childhood confusion continued and this confusion is still confusing people TODAY. The soldiers came to break the legs of these crucified people. Why? Because it was the Preparation Day, the day before the Passover. These men had to be dead and buried BEFORE sunset which began the Passover. Dealing with corpses is unpleasant work for most anyone. I don’t think the Roman soldiers cared about whether or not their order were on the right day or not. Their orders came from others that did not want to offend the people that were getting ready to celebrate a holy day, the Day of Passover. But why were they under orders to break the legs of the condemned?
The crucifixion was not supposed to kill them, just to humiliate them and make them suffer, for as long as possible. So, by breaking their legs, they could no longer support their weight on those trees and they would have died very quickly, due to asphyxiation! OK, makes sense, but what supposedly happens next, sure does NOT!
The soldiers came to the first and broke his legs and he soon dies. Then, they somehow bypass Jesus, skip him entirely, close their eyes and walk around him or something stupid like this and broke the other(s) legs and he dies. Then when they came to Jesus, they realize that he was dead already. They marveled at that! How could he have been dead already? Why were the soldiers so amazed by this? I don’t know, maybe they weren’t on duty to see all that was done to Jesus from the time Judas betrayed him, and when he was captured and tortured and there was no record of him having eaten anything, given any water or allowed to sleep from somewhere, for around 24 hours. Maybe they did not know what Jesus had already been through?
Maybe the soldiers did not actually look at this ‘thing’ on the tree that could not be recognized as being human? Maybe they pierced his side to make sure he was dead and not just passed out? Maybe their training and experience with crucifixion made them marvel because, he was not supposed to die, until after they broke his legs? Maybe they were angry that they did not get to break his legs and kill Jesus? I don’t know, why? And when was not knowing WHY, replaced with just making up stuff or accepting anything by “faith.” I did not ever get that memo! Not knowing why is, just honest, but it does motivate one to find out.
No, I do know know why the soldiers marveled at Jesus being dead so soon. But I do know that as a child, I was taught and I saw pictures that that there were three crosses and the one in the center was, the one that bore Jesus. Well, these were NOT crosses, they were all stakes or upright trees stripped and notched and dropped into holes. Then those soldiers broke one pair of legs then the other and when they got to Jesus, he was already dead. But even the Biblical record from which all these stories sprang, uses the word “midst” (middle) and not the word “between.” I can be between a rock and a hard place, but not in the middle of a rock and a hard place. I can be between you and another person, but I would be in the middle of a crowd, If the word “midst” is used (and it is) and it means middle (which it does) then, this previously confused bunch of crap, begins to make sense.
The soldiers came to the first type of criminal and broke his legs and he died. Then they came to another type of criminal and broke his legs and he died. Then they came to Jesus in the “midst” (middle) and found him to be dead already, before moving down the line and breaking the legs of the other two criminals. Other two? Yes. Jesus in the “midst” and on either side of him, two of the same kinds of criminals. Then on the other side of those two, two other kinds of criminals, guilty of the same type of crime, but different than the other two criminals.
WTF?
Three crosses or Five trees?
So anyway, Jesus is dead and he is taken down to be buried. His body was actually placed into two different tombs. Because, since the time was approaching the Passover, his body could not be sufficiently prepared for burial. He was left in this tomb and after the Sabbath(s), people would return to bury him properly. Meanwhile, a member of the Sanhedrin, begs Pilate to release the body of Jesus to him. This makes Joseph of Arimathea, look pretty suspicious. Pilate could have had him arrested and charged with treason (guilty by association), but he did not. He released the body of Jesus to this man. Joseph of Arimathea had his own troubles with Israel to contend with. He would be guilty of at least two criminal acts. He would be touching a dead body and would not be ceremonially clean to partake in the Passover. He would also, be guilty of, not preparing the body of Jesus properly, for burial. Why did he do these things?
Why did he risk so much like his life, his reputation, his job, the possibility of being kicked out of the temple and not being able to buy or sell stuff? People, if they were to see him (if he would have been ostracized), were to cross the road and not even walk near him. And these same consequences would befall his family and maybe even his friends too? Why did he risk everything? I don’t know? Maybe he believed that God would raise Jesus from the dead? Maybe he did not believe there was any reason to properly prepare the body because, this body was going to get up in three days anyway? I don’t know why, Joesph did what he did?
But I do know, like Simon that was forced to carry the tree after Jesus fell and was unfit and unclean to partake in the Passover, Joseph too, was in for a huge surprise, but it was NOT on— “Good Friday.”
Why was Jesus NOT hanging on a cross, but a tree? Tree? What tree? The old testament said, “cursed” is anyone that hangs on a tree. This tree was nothing more than a phallic symbol. It was like an ancient ‘one fingered salute,’ as if to say, “Hey god or gods, here’s one of yours, you want em’ come and get em!’ Or another way, similar to what kids sometimes say, “My Dad’s (or Rome’s god(s)) is bigger than your Dad’s (your god or gods)!
Have you ever wondered why, there are four so-called gospels of Jesus Christ, in the New Testament of the Bible? Gospel? Did Jesus write a gospel? Well, I have the red-letter edition of the Bible, you know, with all the words of Jesus in red? But did Jesus write even one, not to mention four? What four? You know, Mathew, Mark, Luke and John?
Oh, people and scholars and experts have been arguing about this for centuries. Many people believe this is just further proof that the whole Bible thing was just made-up nonsense, by people, NOT authored by, any god? It’s all just myths, interpolations and interpretations? It’s just a story? It’s just one among the many world religions used to control the masses by guilt, intimidation and fear? It’s not based on ANY evidence, logic or real science? Why, just these four books alone are, so FULL of contradictions and prove there really is— NO God? Contradictions? Like what?
Besides, what we have already looked at, how about the day that Jesus, supposedly died? After all, isn’t this, as in today, right now– “Good Friday”? And isn’t it supposed to be, the day Jesus died? By the way, I still find nothing “good” about someone dying on a particular day or any day really, even if it is deserved!
But his death was spoken of as a sign that Jesus would be the savior. Like Jonas was in the belly of a whale, for three days and three nights, so would Jesus be, three days and three nights in technically, hell, the kingdom of the dead. Hell? Yes, you know, where everyone there is, DEAD. 🙂
OK, suppose you don’t buy the Jonas big fish story? Legally, in ancient times, to declare anyone dead, they had to be dead, for literally, 72 hours or three days and three nights. OK, explain to me the math of this? How can, from sometime Friday until Jesus is supposedly resurrected from the dead sometime on Sunday, be three days and three nights? HOW are you going to get three days and three nights, out of that? What, Christians can’t count to three? I guess not. Even if Mary Magdalene came early in the morning, on Monday, to the tomb and found the stone rolled away and it empty, if that was the beginning of the week as we think of it today, three days and three nights still won’t work out! Mary would have had to come later in the day, for 72 hours, the legal death requirement, for that to work out! But Oh, it says she came early in the morning.
So, OK, why were there, four Gospels written? In the Old Testament, it was prophesized that the coming Messiah or Savior would have four attributes. These would be signs that he was the one. For each attribute, the word “branch,” was included and along with the personal pronoun “My,” referring to God. In other words, “My branch” or God’s branch. A branch is something separate from the main part of the tree. God and this “branch” are not the same, but are connected to each other. Of this “branch,” it is said in the Old Testament, these four attributes, these four signs of “his coming” are: “My Messiah the branch,” My servant the branch,” “My man the branch,” and “My son the branch.”
You may search, for yourselves or use a concordance, but just look at certain words in the four gospels. These words are: “messiah” or “king”, “servant”, “man” and “son”. Matthew uses the words, “Messiah” and “King”, more often than the other three, all combined. It also, has a genealogy which traces Mary’s, (the mother of Jesus) linage, all the way back to David the King. Jesus was the legal heir to be, the King of Judah.
In the book of Mark, the word “servant” is used, more times than all the other three combined. There is no genealogy in Mark. The genealogies of servants, were not kept or considered important.
In the book of Luke, the word “Man” is used, more times than in the other three gospels, all total. Luke has a genealogy that traces the linage of Jesus Christ, all the way back to Adam, the first man. In the book of Romans, Jesus Christ is called, “the second Adam.”
In the book of John, the word “son” is found, with greater frequency than the totality of uses of the word, in all of the other gospels. There is no genealogy in the book of John because, Jesus Christ was, “My son the branch” or the “son of God.”
So, the gospels handle different attributes or aspects of often the same or identical events, only in different ways. Sometimes, these difference are about place or time or who was involved and etc. Putting these things all together, there is no contradiction, but different “signs” for different purposes. And unlike the red-letter editions of the New Testament Bible, where all the supposed words of Jesus are printed in red ink, just exactly who were these four books written to? Who was the ministry of Jesus to? Was is not to Israel? I’m not saying that I can’t open your mail and learn perhaps, a lot of things about you, but I am saying, it’s not my mail. It’s yours! It’s written to you. It may be written, for my learning, but it is still— not written to me! The four gospels were, written TO Israel!
Well, that loud cry of Jesus before he gave up his life? Right before that moment, when he was dying and everyone had turned away from him, God showed him something that enabled him to endure the suffering and the shame. As they were doing this to him, the people were rejecting God that sent him. And what Jesus saw was, the Gathering of God’s people that through what Jesus was doing, all may be drawn to God! And then, Jesus cried with a loud voice, “My God, My God,” for this purpose or for this reason was I spared and kept alive until the exact, right moment! I’m starting to feel something “good” about, this Good Friday? But it was NOT on a Friday! But on that day, Jesus died. That’s not so good is it?
If we look at the biblical records, history and astronomy, we can get to the year and the day Jesus died and pretty close to the time.
On this particular year, there were two Sabbaths in the same week. One was the Passover or a High and Holy Day, but still called a Sabbath. The other was, the weekly Sabbath, which occurred on our Saturday. Jesus wanted to eat the Passover with his disciples and had made preparations to do this with them. Things were set, but then, God showed him that He had other plans. Jesus had a supper, “sitting with his disciples. This would have been on, the Preparation day, which on this year was, on a Wednesday. It began at sunset. Judas leaves to betray Jesus. All the rest go to the garden with Jesus to pray (“prepare” himself for what is coming.” It is night. Under cover of darkness, the soldiers came and illegally take him and I said all the rest that happened next, before.
Sometime before, the next sunset which was the beginning of Thursday, Jesus had to be dead and buried. At sunset began, the special High or Holy Day of Passover. Perhaps all or at least anyone of the people of Israel, other than Simon that touched the tree of Jesus or Joseph that touched the body of Jesus, could eat of the Passover Lamb.
Sunset Wednesday to sunset Thursday is 24 hours. From Thursday to Friday would be, another 24 hours or a total time thus far of, 48 hours. At sunset on Friday, began Saturday which was the weekly Sabbath. The Sabbath was either a service in the temple at Jerusalem or if you lived too far from the City of David, at some local synagogue. Services were in the morning or the day. You were only allowed to travel from home to the temple or synagogue and back home– a “Sabbath’s Day Journey.” No servile work could be done, no burials could be performed; etc. From sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, would be another 24 hours, for a grand total of 72 hours that Jesus was legally dead, “for three days and three nights.” Then, in the morning, Mary Magdalene rose up early to go to the tomb to properly prepare Jesus’ body for burial. Saturday at sunset would have begun Sunday, which was called like our Monday is today, “the first day of the week.” Yeh, yeh that’s the so-called Easter story, but what’s good about— Good Friday?
WFF? WTF here stands for What the Friday. So the title of this post is:
Happy Good What The Friday?
Happy Good What The Friday?
I wanted to get this post, posted on Friday. It still is Friday, on the west coast. Where I am, it’s Saturday and where my wife is right now, it’s Sunday. Maybe I should have just titled this:
Happy Good WTFSAS (What the Friday, Saturday and Sunday?
Currently, all bases are covered in what is presently believed, but technically, this post could have been titled:
Happy Good WTWTFSAS (What The Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Saturday And Sunday?
Well, by Friday of the year Jesus Christ died, he would have already been dead for about 48 hours. What’s good about that? For him, on Friday, he wasn’t suffering anymore!
Adam and Eve were given a choice. They chose poorly and it not only affected them and their family, but the entire family of humankind, from then on until, the day that Jesus Christ died. It was called a “curse.” In order to be redeemed from that curse, all you needed to do was just go die and your payment was made. Well that’s sucks, I would still, just be dead!
But God made Eve a promise and it was called, the “promised seed.” Eve at one point thought she have given birth to this “promised seed,” but that son turned out to be Cain that later murdered his younger brother Abel. Ooops, I guess that was NOT the “Promised Seed”?
But one day, a redeemer would come forth, to redeem all from this curse. One sacrifice— once and for all. He would be a perfect sacrifice. His blood line would come from, his father God. He would be without spot and blemish and a male of the “first year.” The Ministry of Jesus began by law, when he turned 30 and was baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist. The earthly ministry of Jesus Christ could not have lasted even a second over, his “first year” or he could not have been the Passover lamb! Passover Lamb?
On this particular year, Jesus was prepared as the Passover lamb, on the Preparation day. On the day of Passover, while those that were eating lamb and Simon and Joseph that could not, Jesus Christ was, the Passover Lamb. Finally, something good, at least for Simon and Joseph. But there was more. All of humanity was redeemed from the curse of the law, from the moment of his death, once and for all. It was for all the people of Israel, every gentile and later, for every Christian since the Day of Pentecost, in around 1 AD.
Every Jew, every Gentile, every Muslim, Isil or Isis terrorist etc. and every person of any other religion— have been redeemed! This includes every atheist that is accurately defined as not, just not believing in God, but anti-God or against God! And it includes every agnostic, whose belief in the vernacular is defined as, “out of their minds.” They are afraid to say there is a god in case there isn’t and they are afraid to say there isn’t a god, just in case there is. But, they have been redeemed too! Now, we finally have some good out of “Good Friday.” We all have been redeemed! Whoopee, we are all most likely, still going to die. So what good is it really?
First, there is redemption, redeemed from the curse of the law. But like Jesus chose to freely die once and for all, each one of us freely, need to accept his payment on our behalf and God needed to accept it for all of us, which He did.
Then, this makes it possible for God to set us apart, to sanctify us from those that choose not to accept His gifts. Next is justification. Justification is, as if, we never sinned at all or were ever born in sin, (had sinful genes or corrupt DNA). Next is righteousness. This righteousness is as righteous as, God is righteous! Lastly is, God has given to us, the ministry of reconciliation, reconciling men and women back to God through Jesus Christ. It was through Jesus Christ that this has been made it possible. No more would anyone need a priest or intercessor. But all are drawn and may come directly to the heart of and the love of God! WOW, this all sounds good!
Oh wait, what about that communion thing Christians do, that whole shed blood, broken body, nasty wine or grape juice and stale or tasteless bread thing? Hmm, was this first done at the last supper when Jesus and the rest were “sitting’? Was he not doing the will of God? Didn’t he alway? Did not he fulfill the whole law? While he was alive, did not he answer the question of what was the most important law was, to love God with your all and your neighbor as yourself? Did not he say that on these two, “hang ALL the law”? WTF? Am I saying that he fulfilled all the over 900+ laws in the Old Testament, including the 10 commandments and that we really don’t have to pray “the Lord’s Prayer”? No, I.m not saying this, God’s Word said it and Jesus fulfilled them! Well, hey that “good”!
In the Old Testament they looked for the coming of the ‘One’, and are healed (future tense) were healed. In the new testament it says by his stripes, we were (past tense) healed. Yay, now that something “good.”
But remember this, none of these things can can happen or could have happened until first, Jesus had to come, live and then died to redeem all from the curse of the law. But, but he was dead! Sorry, but this was the only about the only “good” thing about, from him having died. There is no power in that he died. There is no sanctification, justification, righteousness or ministry of reconciliation (which are all rights of His children, by the way) or healing from his stripes or remission and forgiveness of sin, UNLESS GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD!
So there’s my story. I have not “thumped” you with all the Bible references or the specific history and details, but if this is all, just a story, it’s a lot better than the one I was taught as a child and that adults (children of adults that grew up and have children) are, still telling! This story makes much more sense than three crosses when there were 5 trees, soldiers running around Jesus breaking legs, skipping Jesus, breaking the other man’s legs and then finally coming to Jesus, found him to be dead already. This story make a lot more sense than parts of days and nights when there were three days and three nights. It’s really simple math and stuff that even a child can understand.
Why don’t you read it for yourself and see if I’m making any of this up. Just suppose I’m right and it’s the truth. The truth will set you free right? That’s not what it says. It says, “the truth shall make you free.” Oh, that’s just semantics; just a Hillary Clinton-ism, “what difference does it make?” I don’t know, look for yourself. I did not write the Bible!
I will close with this, if it says— set you free and we use “make you free,” we cannot be free. And if it says— “make you free” and we say set you free, we cannot be free! But also, the conditions for being “made free” have to be met. It must be in the proper context. If we continue in the Word, then we are disciplined ones and if we are disciplined with the truth (i.e what actually does the Bible say and do we do those things?), then we shall (absolute tense— not maybe) know (not guess or doubt) the truth and the truth shall (absolutely) “make YOU FREE!”
And to the Jewish people or non-Jewish people, the Passover was, first performed when people were slaves. You don’t have to be Jewish to participate in a Jewish Seder. The Seder is a ritual performed by a community or by multiple generations of a family, involving a retelling of the story of the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. This story is in the Book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible. Jewish people are encouraged to invite outsiders or even non-Jewish people like myself. I know, because, I was invited to a Seder and I went and participated, and learned a lot and enjoyed the food, the people, the fellowship and the whole experience! We are all slaves to something, whether it is to ignorance or some type of addiction, bad habits and etc. It might be a good time, whether we believe or pray or not, to at least think about and commit ourselves to getting ourselves FREE!
So Happy Good WTF (what the Friday) or Friday, Saturday and Sunday or Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday! Whatever the day, it is a Happy and “good” day, the day we learn to think for ourselves, do the right things, read what is written and accurately teach what is REALLY already written!
Just I-Magine
Today, we honor the birth, not the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I have prepared with expensive and professional equipment and in several large commercial kitchens. I call myself a chef, but have no piece of paper from any culinary institute. It is not necessary, none of these things are! Remember when my Chef made me responsible for the Blue-Plate special? Part of my art of manliness that served me well in the beginning, serves me well today. I believe anyone can do what I have done and do! Anyone can learn to become what I often call myself, a refrigerator parts cook or chef, turning what you have on hand_ the ordinary, into something extraordinary! And to me, well, it is a part, of my art of manliness.
I saw a white text on a black background on a friend’s Facebook timeline recently. It really caught my attention. I thought about it, changed some things around and embellished it with a picture (see below). Who does not like caterpillars. OK, maybe a lot of people don’t like anything ‘creepy-crawly’? How about butterflies? Surely no one can object to a beautiful butterfly especially, if they don’t want one to land on them and it does NOT? Is anyone offended by just looking a beautiful butterfly? Again, I suppose it’s possible? It’s just not probable. They are symbolic of hope and transformation among many other metaphors (figures of speech).
At the beginning of every Murphy reunion, there would be the ringing of the ship’s bell, once for each member of the crew that had passed on, that previous year. The Bell does not yet toll, for Odie.
Now before this begins, I want to both caution you/warn you and cover my ass with this waiver, I am NOT responsible for traumatizing any youth of any age or for ANY psychological damage perhaps seated in their lives, for the rest of their lives, by exposing anyone to the truth. With this being made known to you in advance, take your children away or turn away your eyes if you will not be responsible for the truth and its possible consequences.
My mettle with the twin balances of wealth and success have been measured, and weighed and found wanton
My brother and I turned and looked at each other, wholly surprised at what we just heard. I do not recall anything else that was said, saying goodbye or even walking out of the bank. My brother and I could not decide on whether Troy did not figure we had enough to invest and worth his time or he really meant what he told us?
Why do you engage others on the internet by your posts and comments?
Dahni - Just Imagine 