Don't Count Me Out Yet

Jesus preached about His beliefs with God, and all his Glory. He went around telling people that he was the son of God. These accusations raised chaos with the Jews. He was brought to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. They were looking for any kind of evidence, or excuse to kill Jesus. “The high priest

Since the son of man was martyred to pay the price of sin. I sometimes think our savior died in vain. And the silent majority stayed silent. While they crucified the lamb upon a hill we was murdered in the name of religion. And if Christ returned they’d crucify him still.”

Jesus in Mathew 23, spoke to the Pharisee about judgment, culminating in the seven “woe” statement. On leaving the temple in chapter 24, the disciples called his attention to the buildings on the temple mount. Jesus in verse 2, tells them forthrightly that “not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.” A prophecy fulfilled in 70AD when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. The magnificent Temple was destroyed.

In Jerusalem, Jesus was treated fairly by everyone, but Romans and Jews didn’t except him, so he had to be executed. This shows that Romans and Jews would kill anyone who was dangerous, or threatening. Till this day, Jesus is a major part of believe and religion.

When discussing faith is it important to look at the word closely and understand its meaning. The basic definition of faith is “confidence or trust in a person; and belief that is not based on proof” (Random House… 693). Whether someone puts their faith in a person or a religious being, faith can be simplified as having

when jesus let the jerusalem soldiers “kill” him, he did it for the greater good, he sacrificed

 Jesus then asked the twelve, "You do not want to leave too, do you?" (John 6: 67).

All four Gospels describe Jesus in his final week in Jerusalem. During which Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, confronted moneychangers and merchants in the temple, and debated with the high priests who questioned Jesus’ authority. He told his disciples about the coming days and that Jerusalem’s temple would be destroyed. Meanwhile, the chief priests and elders met with high priest Caiaphas, and set plans in motion to arrest Jesus. One of Jesus’ disciples’ betrayed him to the Pharisees for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus took his disciples to pray with him, but they kept falling asleep. Soldiers and officials appeared, and Judas (who betrayed Jesus) was with them. He gave Jesus a kiss on the cheek to help the Pharisee’s know who he was and the soldiers arrested Jesus. One disciple tried to resist the arrest, drew his sword and cutting off an ear of a soldier. Jesus was then interrogated by the high priest, hit and spat upon for not answering. Jesus was mocked, condemned, and beat up in a high court because he stated he was the son of God. Pilate washed his hands of the responsibility of what happened to Jesus, but ordered him to be executed. Jesus hung on a cross for three days, died, was buried in a tomb, and rose again on the third day. With his dying on the cross he took the sin of the world.

"I will believe that you are the son of God, and I will support you, but for tonight, please take charge in my stead, and dismiss the people."

author keeps the same divine abilities Jesus’ was presented with throughout the book, and uses the crucifixion scene as a glorification of Jesus’ life. Consequently, Jesus’ refuses to use his powers and allows the crucifixion (Harris 269). Pontius Pilate, the Roman official which historians have deemed responsible for sentencing Jesus (Harris 91). In John, Pilate makes eight attempts to dissuade Jesus’ accusers that Jesus is guilty of crime. According to John, Pilate had written on the cross, “’Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,’” (John 19:19). This depiction of an innocent Pilate, and guilty Pharisees and Temple priests expresses the Johannine community’s distance from Judaism. Instead of blaming Rome, something the Jews have done for

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” (bms.co.in)

One of the most important characteristics of faith that Kallistos Ware highlights is the idea that much, if not all, of one’s relationship with God, is based off of instinctive feelings as opposed to other feasible elements. As Ware states, “Faith is not the supposition that something might be true, but the assurance that someone is there.” Faith in God, as Ware explains in this quotation, is not merely believing in God due to elements of scripture or teaching, but is instead something that occurs after personal experiences that provide a basis for the presence of God in one’s life. Additionally, these personal experiences not only need to occur, but also need to be interpreted and attributed to God. However, this can be difficult for many,

Writer Suzanne Massie, while advising President Ronald Regan in the 1986 Cold War era, told him, “You know the Russians often like to talk in proverbs and there’s one that might be useful,” Massie told the president. “Trust, but verify’” [1]. This phrase has become part of the American lexis, it embodies and articulates the need to authenticate what we hope or believe, it is a simple yet effective philosophy to employ in the ongoing systematic transformation from the embedded to deliberative theology. I have heard, that faith is belief without tangible proof. However, the pursuit of knowledge requires critical thinking and certain evidence; “faith seeking understanding.” It has to make sense; it is essential to trust but verify.

I know this because there are many things that people believed on faith long before it was ever proven of even suggested scientifically. One example is the fall of the walls around the city of Jericho. The bible tells us that the hand of God pushed them down. While it is unlikely that it will ever be proven that it was actually the hand of God that did this, recent archeological evidence tells us that something pushed down the walls of Jericho. People believed that this happened centuries before this evidence surfaced. So I say that the notion that matters of faith cannot be demonstrated is absurd.

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.