Chapter 8

Jesus's Seven Last Statements from the Cross

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." to Mary: "Woman, here is your son." to John: "Here is your mother." "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." "I am thirsty." "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" "It is finished." "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."

The Perean and Judean Ministry (AD 29-30): Jesus' Healing Ministry

- restored sight to the blind - cured lepers - healed a man with dropsy - restored a crippled woman's health the fierce opposition of the Pharisees only increased when Jesus refused to abide by many of their ceremonial practices Jesus knew what was in store for him in Jerusalem but moved steadily in that direction as Passover drew closer

Outline of Jesus' Life

1. Jesus's Birth and Youth (6 BC-AD 26) 2. The Beginning of Jesus's Public Ministry (AD 26-27) 3. The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29) 4. Jesus's Travels outside Galilee (AD 29) 5. The Perean and Judean Ministry (AD 29-30) 6. Jesus's Last Days on Earth and Crucifixion (April of AD 30) 7. The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus (April-June of AD 30) the chronology suggested above answers the most questions and has the fewest difficulties, so it is followed here as the one most likely to be historically accurate

The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29): Jesus' Preaching/Teaching Circuits

Jesus apparently made regular circuits preaching and teaching occasionally delivered lengthy discourses had the goal of reaching all of Galilee with the good news of the kingdom of God and at one point sent his twelve apostles on a preaching mission to cover territory he might not reach when he was not going out to the people with the power of God, the people found a way to come to him Jesus's compassion was stirred, and he found ways, sometimes miraculously, to meet people's needs

Jesus' Travels Outside Galilee (AD 29): Back to Galilee and Capernaum

Jesus continued to teach his disciples about his coming death and resurrection in Jerusalem it was too much for them to digest an argument arose about which of Jesus's followers was to be the greatest in the house back in Capernaum, Jesus admonished them to become like little children and to give up their claims to greatness so that they could be genuinely great in the kingdom of God Jesus continued to teach them about humility, forgiveness, and service

The True Meaning of Jesus of Nazareth: Jesus Is and Will Be

Jesus is alive and promises to be with us now and to the end of the age the same Jesus who walked on Galilee's shores, healed the sick of their diseases, forgave sinners of their transgressions, and performed extraordinary miracles of power is the Jesus who is with us today

The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus (April-June of AD 30): Jesus' Post-Mortem Appearances

Jesus made several appearances to his followers, beginning with Mary Magdalene (John 20:10-18) and the other women (Matt. 28:8-10) farther away on the road to Emmaus, west of Jerusalem, two of Jesus's followers were despondently returning home when Jesus made himself known to them, expounding the Scriptures and explaining the reason why he had to die they hastily returned to Jerusalem to tell the assembled apostles that they had seen the risen Lord and to confirm that he had also appeared to Peter Jesus then appeared to the same group, minus Thomas, who was away at the time, and pronounced peace on them Thomas would not believe Jesus had risen from the dead until Jesus appeared to the group a second time a week later during the next few weeks Jesus continued to make appearances, both in Galilee and in Jerusalem, to small groups and large

Jesus' Travels Outside Galilee (AD 29): Jesus Hiding

Jesus now left Galilee and traveled in a northwesterly direction toward Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city about 40 miles from Capernaum, trying to keep his whereabouts a secret a Greek woman found Jesus, and her extraordinary faith moved him to heal her daughter of demon possession Jesus continued his journey through that area, going back to Decapolis, near the Lake of Galilee his presence could not be concealed for long

The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29): Jesus' Triumph over Evil Forces

Jesus regularly triumphed over Satan and the demons whenever the demons saw Jesus, they cried out in terror, knowing their destruction had come

The Beginning of Jesus' Public Ministry (AD 26-27): Between Jesus' Baptism and John's Arrest

Jesus returned to Galilee after the arrest of John the Baptist by way of Samaria, where he stopped at Sychar to talk to a woman about spiritual worship He ultimately settled in Capernaum, making it the center of his Galilean ministry the period of time between Jesus's baptism and John's arrest lasted about a year worked out his basic understanding of a spiritual ministry, which was based on faith in God and included ministering to the needs of people by doing good and healing them

The Perean and Judean Ministry (AD 29-30): Return to Jerusalem

Jesus returned to Jerusalem in December for the Feast of Dedication he presented himself as the good shepherd and, in defense of that personification, appealed to the good works he had been doing after that, he retreated again to Bethany beyond the Jordan where John had baptized earlier after teaching the people there, Jesus traveled throughout Judea extensively during the winter of AD 29-30 Jesus . . . - traveled from village to village with large crowds following him - taught in the synagogues - ate with prominent Pharisees - welcomed tax collectors, sinners, and even little children

The Perean and Judean Ministry (AD 29-30): Sending out the 72

Jesus then traveled into Perea and at one point sent out seventy-two of his followers in groups of two to preach the gospel and cast out demons

Jesus' Travels Outside Galilee (AD 29): Mount Hermon

Jesus took his closest disciples up to a high mountain (probably Mount Hermon), and there, while he was praying, he was transformed in their very presence the inner divine glory of Jesus flashed forth with the brightness of lightning, and he was seen speaking of his coming departure from this earth with two great saints of old, Moses and Elijah it was all brought to an end when, for a second time, God himself spoke from a cloud saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him"

Jesus's Last Days on Earth and Crucifixion (April of AD 30): Jesus Before the Courts

Jesus was taken to a complex building known as the high priest's house, where he was interrogated by Annas, the former high priest and father-in-law of Caiaphas, the current high priest Annas was able to ascertain nothing, so he sent Jesus to Caiaphas Jesus proclaimed himself as the Messiah Jesus was declared worthy of death for uttering such blasphemy by the time daybreak approached, the whole Sanhedrin had gathered together, and Jesus again acknowledged that he was the Son of God while all this was going on, Peter, who had made his way into the courtyard, denied at least 3 times that he had ever known Jesus and, catching Jesus's eye, fled from the scene weeping bitterly

Jesus's Last Days on Earth and Crucifixion (April of AD 30): Jesus' Crucifixion

Jesus was taken to the execution grounds called Golgotha, where he was nailed to a cross two convicted criminals were crucified along with him a sign was put above Jesus's head that read "Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews," and Jesus's clothing was divided among the soldiers it was 9AM in the morning when he was crucified his first words from the cross were a prayer of forgiveness for his torturers Jesus suffered the agonies of dying for six hours

The Beginning of Jesus' Public Ministry (AD 26-27): John the Baptist as the Messianic Forerunner

John recognized himself as a transitional figure who was a forerunner of the Messiah John saw his baptism as transitional as well. He baptized with water, but the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire John gathered a group of disciples around him many switched their allegiance to Jesus at John's urging he was a fearless preacher of righteousness

Jesus's Last Days on Earth and Crucifixion (April of AD 30): Jesus' Pre-Crucifixion

Pilate then had Jesus brutally flogged, perhaps hoping to evoke pity on the part of the crowd, but they kept shouting, "Crucify him!" when the Jewish leaders insisted that Jesus should die because he claimed to be the Son of God, Pilate became afraid, perhaps thinking it could be true so Pilate redoubled his efforts to get Jesus released when the Jews threatened to expose Pilate as being no friend of Caesar if Jesus were released, he relented, washed his hands of the whole affair, and delivered Jesus over to be crucified

Jesus' Travels Outside Galilee (AD 29): To Ceasarea Philippi

after feeding a crowd of four thousand, Jesus and his disciples departed northward for the pagan city of Caesarea Philippi, center of the ancient worship of the god Pan here, Jesus clarified for his disciples exactly who he was and what his mission on earth was to be - he was the Messiah - he was to be crucified and resurrected this so contradicted their ideas of messiahship that Peter actually began to rebuke Jesus - Peter was, in turn, rebuked by Jesus for playing Satan's role

The Beginning of Jesus' Public Ministry (AD 26-27): Jesus' Testing in the Wilderness

after his baptism Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, there to be tested by the devil Jesus endured 40 days of fasting and temptations three especially significant temptations - Jesus was tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread to relieve his hunger - to cast himself down from the heights of the temple to prove that God would preserve him - to seek control of the kingdoms of the world by compromising his commitment through worship of Satan, the tempter designed to divert him from accomplishing God's will in God's way by substituting an alien plan designed to divert him from accomplishing God's will in God's way by substituting an alien plan Satan was forced to withdraw when confronted by God's Word

Jesus' Birth and Youth (6 BC-AD 26): Jesus' Post-Birth

after the ancient rites of circumcision and presentation in the temple had taken place, the family returned to Bethlehem while there, some magi, probably astrologers from Mesopotamia, guided by a miraculous star and apparently their own study of the OT, arrived to offer worship and gifts to Jesus they had inquired of Herod in Jerusalem about where the Messiah was to be born and, after being warned by God in a dream not to go back to Herod, returned home by a different route Herod's response was to have all the male children two years and younger in Bethlehem killed, in hope of eliminating any possible rival Mary and Joseph had taken Jesus to Egypt according to instructions God gave Joseph in a dream, so Jesus escaped Herod's wrath after Herod's death in 4 BC, Joseph and Mary were guided by God to take the child from Egypt back to the land of Israel—no doubt, in their minds, to live in Bethlehem again but divine guidance led them to Nazareth, both to take them away from Herod's son and successor, Archelaus (who ruled over Judea), and to fulfill prophecy about where the Messiah would live

The Perean and Judean Ministry (AD 29-30): The End of the Perean/Judean Ministry

after this, Jesus left Bethany and retired northward to Ephraim, on the edge of the wilderness (John 11:54) he then made a circuit through Samaria to the border of Galilee, east to Perea, south to Jericho, and back to Bethany, where he was greeted by Mary in a lavish display of devotion during a banquet given in his honor

The Beginning of Jesus' Public Ministry (AD 26-27): Jesus' Message in This Preparatory Year

announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God issued a call to repentance and faith in himself as Messiah gathered disciples around him but in this early period of his ministry had not yet made any formal calls to apostleship a time of preparation for the extensive ministry that was to follow

The True Meaning of Jesus of Nazareth: The Supernaturality of Jesus

any attempt to remove this element from the accounts destroys them entirely the story abounds with references to God, angels, demons, Satan, miraculous events, divine healings, the Holy Spirit, and the eternal dimension breaking into time the very fabric of all four Gospels consists of the many singular occurrences in Jesus's life - the virgin birth - his transfiguration - his resurrection from the dead - his ascension to heaven these are not ancient myths but historical realities, the foundation on which the Christian faith is built it is also impossible to account for the undeniable effects of Jesus in history at that time and since then without these supernatural elements

Jesus's Last Days on Earth and Crucifixion (April of AD 30): Jesus' Death

at 12N, a mysterious darkness shrouded the earth until Jesus died with a dramatic suddenness at 3PM, after crying out in quick succession, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?", "It is finished," and "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" at that point an earthquake shook the earth, split rocks in half, and tore in two from top to bottom the curtain in the temple that separated the holiest place from the rest of the building and so Jesus died, offering his life in payment for our sins, just as he had said he must do

The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29): Jesus' Gathering of Disciples

back in Capernaum, Jesus began gathering disciples some of whom were later made special envoys called apostles

Jesus's Last Days on Earth and Crucifixion (April of AD 30): Jesus Post-Death

because the Sabbath was approaching (the next Jewish day began at 6PM), the legs of the two criminals were broken to hasten their death Jesus's side was pierced with a spear to ensure that he was dead Joseph of Arimathea requested the body from Pilate, and he, together with Nicodemus, prepared Jesus's body for burial and laid it in an unused tomb in a nearby garden a Roman seal was then placed on the tomb, and guards were posted to protect it

The Beginning of Jesus' Public Ministry (AD 26-27): John the Baptist

burst on the scene in the wilderness east of Jerusalem to call people to repentance in the face of imminent divine judgment striking figure reminiscent of Elijah he preached that the end of the age, the coming of the Messiah, and the final judgment were at hand John was antitemple, antinationalism, and antiestablishment ancestral privilege alone was meaningless what God required was repentance, confession of sin, baptism, and ethical behavior to prove one's sincerity

The Perean and Judean Ministry (AD 29-30): Jesus' Message in Jerusalem

covered: - the cost of discipleship - the importance of salvation - the joy of life in the kingdom of God - the nature of prayer - humility - the evils of hypocrisy - the future coming of the kingdom - much more

The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29): Apostles' Preparation

during all this time, Jesus was training his followers for what was to come: there would come a time when he was no longer physically with them and they would have to carry on the ministry and gospel message so, Jesus did a few important things: - he set an example for them by embodying what he taught; they could see what they would have to do - he established organization by gathering disciples and appointing 12 as apostles over them (parallel to OT 12 tribes) - Jesus sent his apostles on a preaching mission so that they could get the experience they would need when the time came for them to do it alone - he sent them out endowed with his own power and authority - he went to great lengths to teach them the things they would need to know for their future ministry

The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus (April-June of AD 30): The Women

early Sunday morning, the women who followed Jesus went to the tomb to anoint his body but were surprised to find the tomb empty and to be told by a shining angel, "Don't be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him." they ran to tell the apostles quickly Peter and John verified that the tomb was indeed empty

Jesus's Last Days on Earth and Crucifixion (April of AD 30): Jesus Before Pilate

early on Friday morning, Jesus was taken to the palace of Pilate, who was told that Jesus was a dangerous criminal who subverted the nation, opposed paying taxes to Caesar, and claimed to be a king but Pilate could find no basis for a charge against him when Pilate told this to the assembled Jews, they raised a stir Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas, who ruled in Galilee and was in town for the festival Herod, wanting to stay out of the affair, sent Jesus back to Pilate, who again insisted that he found no basis for the charges against Jesus Pilate made an effort to have Jesus freed by offering to release a prisoner, but when given the choice between Jesus and the prisoner, a murderer named Barabbas, the Jews chose Barabbas for release instead

The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29): The End of the Galilean Ministry

ended after the Passover of AD 29 when Jesus became embroiled in two major conflicts: - one with the fickle crowd that wanted to make him a king because he had fed them in the wilderness - the other with the religious leaders over some questions of ritual law the Jewish authorities in Judea began devising ways to take Jesus's life

The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29): Jesus' Preaching

got a mixed reception many spread his fame throughout Galilee, praising him others were furious because he seemed to be opening the kingdom to sinners, tax collectors, and gentiles

The True Meaning of Jesus of Nazareth: The Uniqueness of Jesus

he is not just another religious leader, equal to or even better than Muhammad, Buddha, or Moses he is in a class by himself. The early believers could find no better way to describe him than to call him "King of kings and Lord of lords," indeed, God himself though unalterably monotheistic, they felt justified in doing this because Jesus had made such claims himself, and the only Jesus they remembered was the Jesus who taught them with absolute authority, as never a mere man spoke

The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29): Jesus' Miracles

he was also in control of his surroundings and capable of performing astounding miracles raising the dead, walking on water, etc.

The Beginning of Jesus' Public Ministry (AD 26-27): Jesus' Baptism

in AD 26 Jesus went from Galilee to a place called Bethany, on the eastern side of the Jordan River, to be baptized by John in order to "fulfill all righteousness" with these profound words and symbolic acts, Jesus was identifying with our lost human race by becoming one with our sin and offering himself to God on our behalf he later referred to his coming death as a baptism yet to be endured He began his ministry with a confession of sins that were not his own and ended his ministry with a death for sins that were not his own

Reasons for This Dating

in AD 30 Nisan 14 of the Jewish calendar, the day on which Jesus died, fell on a Friday, satisfying the account of John at the Passover when Jesus began his public ministry, the temple had been under construction for 46 years - that temple was begun by Herod in 19 BC, putting this event in AD 27, and Jesus's baptism sometime before that, probably in AD 26 Luke says Jesus was about 30 years old when he was baptized and began his ministry - putting this in AD 26 would take us back to 4 BC - since Herod died in March or April 4 BC, Jesus's birth had to be before that date there are three Passovers and one unnamed feast mentioned in the Gospel of John - assuming that the unnamed feast was a Passover, that allows the time needed for a 3.5 year ministry

The Perean and Judean Ministry (AD 29-30): To Perea

in the fall of AD 29, Jesus knew that the time had arrived for him to go to Jerusalem to fulfill the purpose of his life, which was to die and rise again for the sins of the world he started out through Samaria but was refused hospitality at the border he took the longer route, crossing the Jordan River and then traveling south through Perea on the way, Jesus stressed with new urgency the cost of discipleship to his followers it could include the loss of comfort, forgoing natural human affections, and costly endurance

Jesus' Birth and Youth (6 BC-AD 26): Jesus' Birth

near the end of Herod the Great's reign (37-4 BC) the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah the priest announcing the birth of John the Baptist he later announced to a virgin named Mary that she too would bear a son, who would be the Son of the Most High and whose kingdom would never end a census proclaimed by Caesar Augustus sent Mary and her husband, Joseph, from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born shepherds, not kings, were the first to be told of the Savior's birth, as they were watching their flocks that night in a nearby field a vast company of angelic beings appeared to announce Christ's coming in a blaze of glory and light

Jesus's Last Days on Earth and Crucifixion (April of AD 30): The Passover

on Thursday plans were made for Jesus's last Passover meal with his disciples Judas had already made arrangements with the Jewish leaders to betray Jesus to them Jesus established what was to become "the Lord's Supper," perhaps the most important celebration of the church Jesus drew on the prophecies of Jeremiah concerning the new covenant that God would make with his people and solemnly proclaimed that the time had arrived during the course of the meal, Judas, the betrayer, departed, and Peter's coming failures were predicted Jesus also used this occasion to instruct his disciples in matters relating to himself and what was to come in some of the most memorable passages of the Bible (John 14-17) he concluded with a prayer of intercession for them, after which they departed for the garden of Gethsemane

Jesus's Last Days on Earth and Crucifixion (April of AD 30): Jesus' Triumphal Entry

on the Sunday before Passover in April AD 30, Jesus presented himself to the city of Jerusalem as the promised one of God, the Messiah, by riding into Jerusalem in triumph to the acclaim of the crowd he was hailed as the Son of David, the one who comes in the name of the Lord, the fulfillment of prophecy on entering the city, Jesus again denounced the money changers' activity of turning God's house of prayer into a common marketplace the next few days were spent in conflicts with the authorities who were trying to trap him in his words in order to discredit him in the eyes of the crowd Jesus also continued to prepare his followers for what was to come

Jesus' Birth and Youth (6 BC-AD 26): Jesus' Youth

only one episode of Jesus's young life is recorded in the Gospels he was 12 years old and went with his family to Jerusalem, where he astounded the teachers of the law with his knowledge and wisdom Jesus grew up as any normal child would, obeying his parents and developing physically and maturing spiritually, intellectually, and socially

The Gospels and the Life of Jesus

primary source of information about Jesus other ancient historians such as Josephus, Suetonius, and Tacitus, as well as the Jewish Talmud, also mention Jesus and the early Christians, but they add little to what we find in the NT the world at that time was little concerned about events taking place in a remote region like Palestine and among a conquered people like the Jews Jesus stands out as the most extraordinary person who ever lived more has been written about Jesus Christ than about anyone else in history

John the Baptist's Death

publicly rebuked Herod Antipas for illegally marrying Herodias, his brother's wife, as well as for other immoral behavior for this, John was arrested, thrown into prison at Machaerus was later executed by beheading as a result of Herod's drunken oath

The Perean and Judean Ministry (AD 29-30): Raising Lazarus

qmong the most memorable events of this time was Jesus's raising of Lazarus from the dead Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha all three were close friends of Jesus they lived in Bethany, just east of Jerusalem beyond the Mount of Olives Jesus was away when Lazarus died, intentionally not returning for four days so that the miracle would be seen for the astounding thing that it was Jesus used the occasion to teach his disciples that he was the source of all resurrection and life, as well as to express his true humanity by weeping at Lazarus's graveside news of this remarkable event spread quickly to Jerusalem, where the Jewish rulers intensified their plot to take Jesus's life they reasoned that if he kept doing such extraordinary things, everyone would believe in him and the Romans might interpret Jesus' growing popularity as open revolt

The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29): Jesus' Healings

the Gospel writers make no attempt to record every healing that Jesus performed rather recount examples of the various kinds of diseases or other maladies that Jesus healed leprosy, muteness, etc.

The Gospel Writers' Understanding of Jesus' Significance

the Gospel writers were well aware of Jesus's significance from the very beginning Matthew begins his Gospel by tracing the ancestry of Jesus Luke, looking beyond the narrower limits of Israel to the whole of world history, traces Jesus back to the very first human, Adam, who was a direct creation of God John catches the ultimate significance of Jesus by tracing him back beyond recorded time to the very depths of God himself, from whom he came as the Word of God, the bearer of life and light for all humankind

The True Meaning of Jesus of Nazareth: The Challenge to Believe and Heed the Command of Following Jesus

the call to follow and the challenge to believe remain responding to these pronouncements is not easy for us today, any more than it was for the original followers of Jesus they came to realize the truth of who Jesus was and what he said only as they responded in a positive way if we step out in faith, we will become new people in the same way that those who knew Jesus while he was on earth were transformed when they yielded their hearts to him

Piecing Together Jesus' Life

the main sources for our knowledge of his life are concise enough to fit nicely into just one book, not dozens of volumes the major focus of his life was the brief period when he ministered publicly, died on the cross, and then repeatedly appeared alive we can arrive at a basic overall understanding

The True Meaning of Jesus of Nazareth: Death as Not the End

the story of Jesus tells us that death is not the end of anything but for Christ's followers is the beginning of a glorious new existence just as Jesus broke the power of the grave, so will death's power over us be broken as we believe in him these are extraordinary words, but that is the promise because Jesus lives, those who trust him will live forever with him

Why the Religious Leaders Opposed Jesus

their jealousy: he was accepted readily by common people his authority: he taught with authority that superseded their perceived recklessness: he made messianic claims that Roman rulers might interpret as treasonous his liberal attitudes: he simplified the law and rejected established customs his social practices: he associated with the "wrong" people his lack of rabbinic education: he was not educated under a recognized teacher their embarrassment: he publicly contradicted them his power: he did miraculous work that they couldn't their political fears: he was neutral regarding Roman rule his call for repentance: he denied their righteousness his knowledge: he won debates by referring to Scripture his popularity: large numbers of people traveled to hear him

Jesus' Birth and Youth (6 BC-AD 26): The Gospel Writers' Theology of Jesus' Birth and Youth

they believed that God existed and was able to act according to his own will in the world that he had made the events described are recounted with restraint and dignity, entirely lacking any of the wild exaggerations commonly found in other ancient stories that it should offend a secular modern outlook is certainly no surprise, but that is hardly evidence against it the Gospels present us with the astounding claim that God himself broke into history by way of the virgin Mary's son, surrounded by both divine glory and human opposition

The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29): Jesus and the Religious Leaders

they never seemed to tire of - criticizing him - attempting to trip him up in some statement - arguing with him - falsely accusing him - trying to stir the crowd up against him - in general, attempting to discredit his ministry Jesus knew that doing what was right did not always bring praise and predicted persecution for his followers as they sought to live in the kingdom of God

The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29): Jesus' Proclaiming of the Kingdom

when Jesus arrived in Galilee after the Baptist's imprisonment, he immediately began to proclaim that the time of fulfillment had arrived with the coming of the kingdom of God, the people must repent and believe the good news began teaching in the synagogues of Galilee, and when he reached his hometown of Nazareth, he made a startling announcement Jesus was presenting himself as the fulfillment of OT prophecy, the Messiah who was to come and the Savior of the world

The Perean and Judean Ministry (AD 29-30): The Blind Man

when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles in October AD 29, he healed a man who had been born blind rather than causing the rulers to rejoice, the healing led to a series of disputes, because it had not happened under their auspices

The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus (April-June of AD 30): Jesus' Ascension

when the time came for Jesus to be received back into heaven, he pronounced a benediction on the disciples and disappeared heavenward out of their sight, leaving them with a promise to return

Jesus's Last Days on Earth and Crucifixion (April of AD 30): Jesus Arrested

while his disciples kept nodding asleep, he agonized in prayer over his coming death in his humanity he cried out for release from the coming ordeal, knowing that it was not just death that awaited him but a desolate death in which God's wrath would be poured out on him but in his commitment to the will of God for the salvation of the lost, he concluded these prayers with a thrice-repeated "Your will be done" at that point Judas arrived with the temple police and pointed Jesus out to them by greeting him with a kiss