"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?...He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid, as it were, our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed...we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all..."
Isaiah 53:1-6
This remarkable prophetic description from Isaiah of the atonement sacrifice of Christ, the Messiah, written hundreds of years before Christ's death, asks us "Who hath believed our report?". What do you believe?
After His death, and burial, Jesus' two disciples saw something in His empty tomb that caused them to believe. Mary Magdalene had discovered that the stone had been taken away from the tomb, and then ran to tell Simon Peter, and John. Let's look carefully at this account:
"And he (John) stooping down, and looking in, saw (blepo: look, be aware of) the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and seeth (theoreo: discern, perceive) the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple (John), which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw (eido:understand, a form, shape, appearance), and believed (pisteuo:be committed unto, to put trust in, place confidence in, faith, assurance, strong conviction of truth). For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead." Jn. 20:5-9
The two disciples saw, discerned and came to an understanding, and believed with assurance, not because they knew from scripture that Jesus was to rise from the dead, but because something they saw involving the linen clothes that were left in the empty tomb strongly convinced and assured them of the fact. They didn't just see an empty tomb. They saw evidence left behind of a resurrection.
As Jesus appears on separate occasions to His disciples after His resurrection, He is focused on the fact that they are eye witnesses, who see Him, and can clearly identify Him by the wounds on His hands and side (Jn. 20:18-28). He also later scolds the disciples who did not believe the witnessed evidence of His resurrection:
"Afterward, he appeared to the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided (to revile, reproach, shame) them with their unbelief and hardness (harsh, violent, offensive, intolerable, fierce) of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." Mk. 16:14
As Jesus dealt with His disciples for their deliberate attitude of rejection in the face of eye witness accounts of His resurrection, we can see that He expects us, when we are confronted with firm evidence that He provides, to accept and believe the truth. As Isaiah asked, "Who hath believed our report?"
Paul also refers to the eye witnesses who could testify that they saw Jesus after His death. These eye witnesses included not only Peter, and the rest of the twelve disciples, but five hundred additional, and later James, and then Paul, himself, to whom Jesus appeared some time after His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:5-8).
In a very interesting letter from Paul to the Galatians, Paul reveals that the early church also had evidence that could be seen, in addition to the eyewitness testimony:
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" Gal. 3:1
The Galatians had seen evidence of Christ's crucifixion with their eyes, and Paul was scolding them for backing away from it. What physical evidence could they have seen with their eyes of the crucifixion, but those linen clothes that so strongly convinced John and Peter in the empty tomb?
Paul also refers to a mirror image, which is a reversed image, to the church at Corinth (the Shroud also contains a mirror, or reversed image):
"For now, we see through a glass (mirror), darkly; but then, face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known...But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 1 Cor. 13:12, 2 Cor. 3:18
Of course, the truth of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ does not rely solely on a piece of physical evidence, like the Shroud. Scripture prophesies these events clearly. Paul said:
"...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." 1 Cor. 15:3-4
Paul was not referring to New Testament scriptures, when he said this. The events were clearly prophesied in detail in the Old Testament. Below are some short examples:
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?...I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet...They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture...." Ps. 22, a Psalm of David
"...and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn." Zech. 12:10
"I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting." Isa. 50:6
There are those, like the disciple Thomas, who must see in order to believe. For them, there is prophetic scripture and its fulfillment, the eyewitness testimony of the hundreds who saw Jesus after His resurrection, and the physical evidence of the Shroud of Turin, believed by many to be the linen cloth from the empty tomb that impacted the two disciples so strongly when they saw it. The Shroud not only depicts the obvious ravages and wounds of crucifixion on a man, but it also shows the more subtle, yet scientifically accurate consequences of crucifixion to the body. The Shroud is not an idol image to be worshipped, but a witness to, and physical evidence of, the moment of resurrection. Jesus understands the need of some to see, in order to believe (Jn. 20:24-29), and knowing that need, He has provided the evidence to see. He also knows that there are those who will believe without needing to "see", because they feel the truth of it in their hearts.
Don't let hardness of heart keep you from accepting the evidence of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection that has been provided to you from Him.
"And he (John) stooping down, and looking in, saw (blepo: look, be aware of) the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and seeth (theoreo: discern, perceive) the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple (John), which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw (eido:understand, a form, shape, appearance), and believed (pisteuo:be committed unto, to put trust in, place confidence in, faith, assurance, strong conviction of truth). For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead." Jn. 20:5-9
The two disciples saw, discerned and came to an understanding, and believed with assurance, not because they knew from scripture that Jesus was to rise from the dead, but because something they saw involving the linen clothes that were left in the empty tomb strongly convinced and assured them of the fact. They didn't just see an empty tomb. They saw evidence left behind of a resurrection.
As Jesus appears on separate occasions to His disciples after His resurrection, He is focused on the fact that they are eye witnesses, who see Him, and can clearly identify Him by the wounds on His hands and side (Jn. 20:18-28). He also later scolds the disciples who did not believe the witnessed evidence of His resurrection:
"Afterward, he appeared to the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided (to revile, reproach, shame) them with their unbelief and hardness (harsh, violent, offensive, intolerable, fierce) of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." Mk. 16:14
As Jesus dealt with His disciples for their deliberate attitude of rejection in the face of eye witness accounts of His resurrection, we can see that He expects us, when we are confronted with firm evidence that He provides, to accept and believe the truth. As Isaiah asked, "Who hath believed our report?"
Paul also refers to the eye witnesses who could testify that they saw Jesus after His death. These eye witnesses included not only Peter, and the rest of the twelve disciples, but five hundred additional, and later James, and then Paul, himself, to whom Jesus appeared some time after His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:5-8).
In a very interesting letter from Paul to the Galatians, Paul reveals that the early church also had evidence that could be seen, in addition to the eyewitness testimony:
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" Gal. 3:1
The Galatians had seen evidence of Christ's crucifixion with their eyes, and Paul was scolding them for backing away from it. What physical evidence could they have seen with their eyes of the crucifixion, but those linen clothes that so strongly convinced John and Peter in the empty tomb?
Paul also refers to a mirror image, which is a reversed image, to the church at Corinth (the Shroud also contains a mirror, or reversed image):
"For now, we see through a glass (mirror), darkly; but then, face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known...But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 1 Cor. 13:12, 2 Cor. 3:18
Of course, the truth of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ does not rely solely on a piece of physical evidence, like the Shroud. Scripture prophesies these events clearly. Paul said:
"...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." 1 Cor. 15:3-4
Paul was not referring to New Testament scriptures, when he said this. The events were clearly prophesied in detail in the Old Testament. Below are some short examples:
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?...I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet...They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture...." Ps. 22, a Psalm of David
"...and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn." Zech. 12:10
"I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting." Isa. 50:6
There are those, like the disciple Thomas, who must see in order to believe. For them, there is prophetic scripture and its fulfillment, the eyewitness testimony of the hundreds who saw Jesus after His resurrection, and the physical evidence of the Shroud of Turin, believed by many to be the linen cloth from the empty tomb that impacted the two disciples so strongly when they saw it. The Shroud not only depicts the obvious ravages and wounds of crucifixion on a man, but it also shows the more subtle, yet scientifically accurate consequences of crucifixion to the body. The Shroud is not an idol image to be worshipped, but a witness to, and physical evidence of, the moment of resurrection. Jesus understands the need of some to see, in order to believe (Jn. 20:24-29), and knowing that need, He has provided the evidence to see. He also knows that there are those who will believe without needing to "see", because they feel the truth of it in their hearts.
Don't let hardness of heart keep you from accepting the evidence of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection that has been provided to you from Him.
Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:
Jesus, I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, and also fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.
To Contact/Submit Prayer Request/To Support the Ministry:
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
http://endtimeschool.com/
To Hear the Complete Message (Highly Recommended):
https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.e.stevenson/videos/10211415344281114/
Dr. Stevenson's new book "NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling" is now available on Amazon.com, or at the above websites.
To view a presentation by Dr. Stevenson on the Shroud:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBXgmbHWG64
To Contact/Submit Prayer Request/To Support the Ministry:
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
http://endtimeschool.com/
To Hear the Complete Message (Highly Recommended):
https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.e.stevenson/videos/10211415344281114/
Dr. Stevenson's new book "NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling" is now available on Amazon.com, or at the above websites.
To view a presentation by Dr. Stevenson on the Shroud:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBXgmbHWG64
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