“But go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift Moses commanded ...” (Matthew 8:1-4)

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him,“ See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (Matthew 8:1-4)

What is 'the gift that Moses commanded'?

What was the gift Jesus wanted the man to offer? And why would something Moses commanded be considered a gift?

This is a poor and confusing translation. The word "gift" is being translated from the Greek word δῶρον (dōron) which means, "the offering of a gift" according to the lexicon. This means Jesus is not referring to "the gift" itself but the offering of a gift.

Now the word "commanded" comes from the Greek word προστάσσω (prostassō) which means, again according to the lexicon, to enjoin, order, prescribe, command. So "commanded" would not be a mistranslation, but it does not fit the context, because it is not that someone would command or order a person to make an offering. After all, an offering by necessity is done voluntarily.

Thus a better translation of this phrase would be something like "making an offering as Moses prescribed." 

In other words, Jesus is referring to making an offering to the Supreme Being through a priest:

They are to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful of it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar on top of the food offerings presented to the LORD.’ ” (Leviticus 5:12-13)

Why is this important? When we make an offering to someone, we are saying that we want to have a relationship with them. We like them and want to be with them. Offering to the Supreme Being is not so different.

Making an offering to God is an exercise of connecting with the Supreme Being in the mood of that instruction emphasized by Moses multiple times:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Making an offering to God with love is saying we want to have a relationship with Him. It is the extending of ourselves to Him with love and friendship. 

Making offerings to God is an ancient practice, and we know from Jesus' statement that he maintained and suggested this practice to his followers.

Why did Jesus ask him not to tell anyone?

Remember another statement by Jesus:

"When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:5-6)

This confirms that Jesus was not interested in public appearances. He was not interested in claiming many followers or impressing crowds with his authority. He simply wanted to personally please the Supreme Being, and wanted each of us to develop our own loving relationship with the Supreme Being.

In other words, Jesus did not want to bring attention to the man's healing. He had just left a crowd of people who "were amazed at his teaching" and he didn't want to attract further throngs of people wanting to be healed.

Why not? Why wouldn't Jesus want to heal everyone?

This indicates that Jesus' mission was not to be a doctor. His objective wasn't to heal everyone's physical body. His mission was to teach people about the Supreme Being.

Jesus wanted us to reconnect with the Supreme Being.

But isn't Jesus God?

The scriptures indicate otherwise. They indicate that Jesus taught about God but he wasn't himself God. Matthew, for example, indicates that Jesus spoke with authority, but that authority was given to him by God.

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matthew 7:28-29)

What kind of authority is this referring to? Consider that “teachers of the law” is describing those institutional teachers of the temple institution at that time. This statement in Matthew describes that Jesus had greater authority than these “teachers of the law.”

This is describing the authority of God. Jesus was the messenger and representative of God. Some sectarians who claim to follow Jesus will criticize this statement, thinking that somehow being empowered by God and given authority by God denigrates Jesus’ position.

But they must be asked: What higher authority could Jesus possibly have, if not the authority of the Supreme Being? Could there be any higher source of authority?

Where did Jesus get his authority?

Jesus' authority, according to Jesus, came from the Supreme Being. He clarified this many times during his teachings:

"By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me.

“I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me." (John 5:36)

"And the Father who sent me has Himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form" (John 5:37)

"For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me." (John 6:38)

"And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those He has given me, but raise them up at the last day." (John 6:39)

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day." (John 6:44)

"Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. (John 6:57)

Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the One who sent me." (John 7:16)

Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but He who sent me is true. You do not know Him, but I know Him because I am from Him and He sent me.” (John 7:28-29)

Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the One who sent me." (John 7:33)

"But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me." (John 8:16)

"I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” (John 8:18)

“I have much to say in judgment of you. But He who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world.” (John 8:26)

"The One who sent me is with me; He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.” (John 8:29)

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me." (John 8:42)

"As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work." (John 9:4)

"I knew that You always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that You sent me.” (John 11:42)

Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the One who sent me." (John 12:44)

"The one who looks at me is seeing the One who sent me. (John 12:45)

"For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken." (John 12:49)

"Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the One who sent me.” (John 13:20)

"Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." (John 14:24)

"They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.:" (John 15:21)

"but now I am going to Him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ (John 16:5)

"For I gave them the words You gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent me." (John 17:8)

"As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world." (John 17:18)

"Then the world will know that You sent me and have loved them even as You have loved me." (John 17:23)

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent me." (John 17:25)

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21)

But didn't Jesus die for our sins?

Some claim that Jesus was the Supreme Being, coming embodied onto the earth to die for our sins. This is clearly negated by Jesus in the verses above. Furthermore, the Supreme Being never dies.

The Supreme Being controls both the physical and the spiritual kingdoms, and the Supreme Being does not need to "die" to cleanse our sins.

The Supreme Being already has the ability to cleanse our sins. This is why Jesus recommended in his Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) that we ask the Supreme Being to forgive our sins.

God has the authority and power to cleanse our sins immediately and effectively, just by willing it. In fact, by simply sincerely thinking of Him, praying to Him, and praising Him, we can become purified. This is because God is pure, and we simply have to come into contact with Him to become purified.

Jesus' teachings indicate that God remains God. He does not become affected by or subjected to the sins of others. Nor does He succumb to sacrifice. The Supreme Being is the controller of the universe. He is not subject to any rules of sacrifice.

Likewise, because Jesus is the servant, messenger, and representative of the Supreme Being, his direct presence, his words, and his touch can be purifying. Because Jesus’ thoughts and his entire life were centered around doing God’s will, he is pure, and those who came into contact with him became purified.

It is for this reason that Jesus was able to cleanse people and heal people. It was not Jesus’ power or authority that rendered this ability: It was his devotion to the Supreme Being that gave him this purification power.

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins ...” (Matthew 25:1-13)

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matt. 25:1-13)

What does Jesus' parable of the ten virgins mean?

Jesus' parable is discussing spiritual life using an analogy. He spoke this during a time when an eligible bachelor would be greeted by potential wives - who according to custom were also virgins. The meeting would allow the bachelor to choose his wife or wives from among the group of maidens.

In Jesus' parable, he divides the ten virgins or maidens into two groups. One group took extra oil out with their lamps when they went to meet the bridegroom.

The other group of maidens did not bring any extra oil with their lamps. This means they only had the oil that was in the lamp.

As shown below, the analogy or parable is being used by Jesus to encourage his followers to redevelop their relationship with God.

The symbolism Jesus is using illustrates the mistake we can make in the physical world if we are not prepared to reconnect with the Supreme Being. If we are not resolute in this effort, according to Jesus our time will be wasted.

Let's discuss the symbolism of this analogical story - or parable - of the ten virgins and the bridegroom: 

Who are the 'virgins'?

The virgins represent each of us in Jesus' parable. We are each spiritual beings who were created by God to care for Him and exchange a relationship of loving service with Him. However, God also gave us the freedom to love Him or not. Love without freedom isn't really love after all.

Yet because love is part of our essence, each of us is constantly looking for love.

This is why the virgins were anxious to meet up with the bridegroom, just as we are all anxiously looking for someone to love.

They all fell asleep symbolizes how many of us have fallen asleep spiritually. Some of us may wake up and search for God.

Notice that some of the virgins missed the bridegroom because they were searching for oil. This symbolizes how some of us miss finding God because we are looking for love and happiness elsewhere among the people and places of the physical world.

Who is the 'bridegroom'?

The bridegroom in Jesus' parable represents the Supreme Being. God gathers up those who have used their physical lives to redevelop their loving relationship with Him. God wants all of us back, but only those who choose to return to Him become ready to resume our natural position of being His loving servants: Only these are let back.

This is because God only wants us back if we want to return to Him - and become committed. He never forces Himself upon us. If we want to continue our self-centered existence trying to enjoy ourselves and ignore Him, then we simply are not prepared to return to God. 

Those of us on this path remain in this hellish physical world by continuing to take on other physical bodies. This fate is symbolized by the five virgins that didn't have enough oil and had to go get some, thereby missing the arrival of the bridegroom.

What do the lamps and the oil symbolize?

The lamps of Jesus' parable symbolize the ability of those who love God to gain knowledge. Light has been used by Jesus in other analogies to represent wisdom, because with light one can see in the dark.

This physical world is in darkness because our senses and mind block the spiritual vision of our spirit-person. The concept of light in the darkness is analogous to being given the vision to understand God and the spiritual realm. 

Light also symbolizes the ability to help others with that wisdom. Those who have redeveloped their relationship with God can help others see - and gain wisdom.

The oil for the lamps symbolizes our relationship with God. No oil signifies no relationship, or a relationship of disdain, doubt or simply a state of ignoring the Supreme Being. Those of us who try hard to ignore God and His various lessons and signals throughout life have no oil, and thus give off no real light.

Jesus was very clear about this message. He didn't teach love of God just to entertain himself or be trendy. Many sectarian teachers focus on Jesus as though his mission was to die for our sins. This couldn't be further from the truth. Why did Jesus bother to teach, then? If the death of his physical body saves everyone, why did he spend years traveling the countryside preaching to people then?

And why did Jesus tell his disciples to also go out and teach to others, then?

This teaching that Jesus died for our sins avoids the necessity of this parable. Sure, we want an easy way out. We want to continue being focused upon ourselves and the goodies of the physical world, and then spend an hour in church on Sunday making sure that Jesus' death cleared out all our sins. The problem is, Jesus himself clarified that this would not work:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:21-23)

Notice Jesus refers to "that day" in this statement, just as he does above. Again, Jesus is talking about that moment in time when we must face God and/or His angels - the moment after the death of this physical body.

What is 'the day or the hour'?

After Jesus' parable, he comments, "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” What does this mean?

The parable spoken by Jesus is yet another analogy that explains the importance of our preparation for the moment of death. "At that time" refers to the time of death, just as "the day or the hour."

Many sectarian interpreters have taught that Jesus is referring to some time in the future where the world will end, and he'll come galloping through the sky to save those who have followed him.

This speculative interpretation has many holes, however. Remember that Jesus is discussing this privately with a few of his close disciples. Now if we consider that the world has yet to end, some two thousand years later, how are these disciples supposed to remain prepared, having died two thousand years before?

Some sectarian teachers have tried to cover this inconsistency by creating a fictitious "purgatory" state, where everyone who has died before the world ends supposedly waits. How are they waiting? And what are these billions of people doing while they wait? Just standing around, like its a cocktail party or something?

Some sectarians have supposed that people will be waiting in their graves for this end of the world scenario. In what form will they be waiting? Their bodies have thoroughly decomposed. For most, even their bones are now part of the surrounding soil.

In fact, many of Jesus' disciples that he was speaking to here, as did many Jews during the Jewish-Roman wars that Jesus foretold, were burned in fires, as the Romans burnt down Jerusalem and many other villages throughout the region. These burnt bodies decomposed even more quickly. Their remains are thus part of today's dirt of that region - all soil is made up of decomposed dead organisms.

Rather, Jesus is discussing the moment of death: That moment when each spirit-person within the physical body leaves that body.

Why is the time of death important?

Jesus discussed the time of death in his teachings frequently. Why?

Every body in the physical world will die. Every person will experience the moment of death within a few decades at least. Some of us will experience the moment of death within a few years, some even a few months, weeks or even days. Are we prepared for that moment?

This is the point of Jesus' discussion here.

A significant amount of evidence from scripture indicates - and clinical death experiences confirm - that just following the moment of death, we will be judged on the results of our physical lifetimes. Our lives will be reviewed, including every event that hurt someone and every event that helped someone.

As such, the moment of death has been called "Judgement Day" and the day we "Meet our Maker".

More importantly, our spiritual progress will be reviewed at the time of death. Did we use our lives to redevelop our relationship with God? Or did we squander our lives away chasing after money, fame, the opposite sex and other accomplishments that all vanish upon the moment of death?

Our spiritual accomplishments during this lifetime are permanent, however.

In Matthew 7:21 above, Jesus spoke of doing the "will of my Father who is in heaven". This means developing a loving service relationship with God.

It is not as if we simply do what God wants so that we get something in return. It is not a business transaction. It is supposed to be love. Doing what pleases another is part of a loving relationship.

If we love someone, we don't do what pleases them so we get something in return. We do what pleases them because we love them and care for them.

Jesus is asking us to redevelop our loving relationship with God. This was Jesus' most important teaching, and the teaching that if we follow will indeed save us:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

"... the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." (Matthew 26:2)

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, "As you know, the Passover is two days away - and the son of man will be handed over to be crucified." (Matthew 26:2)

Why is Jesus saying that he will be 'handed over'?

Is it important that we know that Jesus knew in advance what his future would bear? This may be important to those who need some kind of sign in order to believe that Jesus had power and authority.

But the deeper meaning of why this is important is that Jesus was in full knowledge of the tremendous suffering he was about to experience, yet he did nothing to avoid it. He did nothing to escape. He not only knew his physical body was going to be killed, but he knew how his body would be killed - in the most gruesome and painful manner.

Yet Jesus did not try to escape or avoid being captured. Why? Because he understood this was part of his service to God. His focus was to do God's will. He knew there were others who were trying to stop him.

Why was this part of Jesus' service to God? Did God want Jesus to suffer? Certainly not. Jesus understood that he was not the physical body, and the spiritual person does not necessarily suffer when the physical body is experiencing pain.

In Jesus' case, Jesus actually experienced the greatest spiritual pleasure even through the suffering of his body - that of serving his beloved, the Supreme Being. The pain of his body was nothing compared to the joy of pleasing the One he loved.

This doesn't mean those involved in the murder of Jesus are excused. The torture and subsequent murder of God's loving messenger is the height of insanity and abuse. And those who seek to take advantage of this event for their own purposes are also implicated.

Did Jesus die for our sins?

Many teach that Jesus had to die in order to sacrifice for our sins. Many even refer to him as a "sacrificial lamb." As if it were ordained that someone has to suffer for our sins, and because God loved us, Jesus suffered for us so we do not have to suffer the consequences of our own actions.

This is a ridiculous notion. If it were true, we would have no responsibility for our actions. Jesus' crucifixion did not remove the law of consequences from the physical world. If it were true, a person could commit a crime and not go to jail as long as the person believed in Jesus. But this is simply not the case. There are consequences to every act - good and bad.

If Jesus' death on the cross cleansed our sins, there would be no need to obey any commandments nor any rules or regulations provided by scripture. All we would have to do is believe in Jesus and we can do whatever we want.

If this were true, why did Jesus teach? Why did he teach his disciples and students to obey Moses' commandments, and why did he teach love of God? Why didn't he just say, "don't worry, I will die for your sins so you can do what you want, as long as you believe in me."

No, he did not say that. He was trying to teach his followers, and all of us, to dedicate our lives to God. He was trying to teach us to learn to love God, not just sentimentally, but with our actions and lives. He was trying to get us to change our consciousness from being self-centered to being God-centered. He was trying to teach us to devote our lives to God.

And this was what he practiced as well. Jesus did not have a professional rabbi position. He did not hold a title at the temple. He walked through the countrysides, teaching love of God. This was because he was dedicated to God. He devoted his entire life to God. He was showing us how to love God and give our lives to God.

And therein lies the reason that Jesus allowed his temporary physical body to be crucified. Jesus accepted being crucified because he had given himself to God, and that's what God wanted.

Why did Jesus allow himself to be killed?

In the U.S. and in many other countries, it is considered a great act when a person goes to war and dies for their country. It is held in the highest esteem to sacrifice oneself for one's country. Why is this? Because dying for one's country shows that a person loves their country more than they care about their own well-being.

Now consider this in the light of Jesus' sacrifice. Jesus loved God so much that he was willing to allow his body to be tortured and killed in his service to God. This is the ultimate sacrifice of love - to give one's life in their service to God.

Now consider the connection: Why was Jesus killed? Because of his teachings. He was killed because he taught what the Supreme Being wanted him to teach:

“My teaching is not my own. It comes from the One who sent me." (John 7:16)

This is why it was so important that he not escape his execution - because he was standing up for his teachings, which are coming from God. By Jesus standing up for his teachings. Allowing his body to be gruesomely murdered illustrated his commitment and love for God. But he was also showing each of us - for generations to come - how important his teachings were, and what it means to devote one's life to God.

And it is understanding this - understanding the deep love that Jesus had for God to do this - that has the power to change a person. It is understanding this act of devotion - done in love for God - that has the power to save us.

Why does it have the power to save us? Because it can change our consciousness. It can change our consciousness from loving ourselves above all, to trying to re-develop our love for God. Because it is loving God that ultimately saves us.

And this specifically is why Jesus referred to himself here as not "son of man", as is being mistranslated here, but rather, the "servant of humanity."

The interpretation that sectarian institutions make is that 'God became man and died on the cross for our sins.'

So they are saying that God died? What a ridiculous notion. Furthermore, they are saying that God has to provide some form of sacrifice in order to cleanse sins. As if God must oblige Himself to the rules of sacrifice and cleansing? This is simply ludicrous.

God never has to sacrifice Himself. God never becomes a man and dies. God is the Supreme Being and remains the Supreme Being. God can forgive sins simply by willing it so. God doesn't need to make some kind of sacrifice. He is the Supreme Being.

What about John 3:16?

Many try to use John 3:16 to support this interpretation. Let's consider this carefully. Here is the verse:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only [some translations say "only begotten"] son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

This verse has been mistranslated and misinterpreted. Yes, it is true that God so loved the world. And it is true that He sent Jesus to the world as His messenger.

But the type of giving ("gave") being referred to here is not as though God sent Jesus as our doormat to suffer for our sins. The type of giving (from the Greek word δίδωμι (didōmi)) being discussed here is that God sent Jesus as a gift to us, to teach us about Him. There is nothing within the word δίδωμι (didōmi) to construe that it has anything to do with a person being sacrificed. It is speaking of saving others - through the teaching of love for God.

And Jesus was not God's "one and only" son or "only begotten" son. The Greek word being translated here is μονογενής (monogenēs), which can mean "only one of its kind," but in context and everyday usage, the meaning of μονογενής (monogenēs) relates to being special. In other Greek works, we find confirmation that μονογενής means not the only one, but someone who is special, or singled out. This is the case with Jesus. He was special to God. Why?

Because Jesus was utterly devoted to God. He was committed to God. There was an intimate loving relationship existing between Jesus and God. This made Jesus special, and it meant that God's sending Jesus was unique, because Jesus has such an intimate loving relationship with God.

In other words, rather than "only begotten son", the phrase μονογενής υἱός is best translated as "special devoted servant" or "intimate loving servant" - as υἱός means, in this context, "follower" or "dedicated servant."

Furthermore, the Greek phrase, πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν, being translated to "believes in him" is mistranslated. The Greek word πιστεύων refers to having "confidence in" or "trust." It is not simply the kind of "belief" relating to knowing a person existed, or knowing a person was great. We are talking about trusting in what Jesus was teaching. And what did Jesus teach?

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38)

Following this instruction is what will save us. And Jesus not only taught us this. He showed us as well. By his accepting the murder of his physical body at the hands of the Romans and institutional temple high priests, Jesus showed us what loving God "with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" means.

"This very night you will all fall away on account of me ...'" (Matthew 26:31)

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: " 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'" (Matthew 26:30-31)

Jesus is predicting that his disciples will abandon him as he gets arrested and tried.

Why was Jesus arrested?

The temple High Priests and the Roman government worked in tandem to eliminate Jesus and his growing movement. The temple priests saw Jesus' teachings as threatening the stability of their organization. The Romans wanted the status quo so they could continue collecting their taxes.

The temple priests were worried that Jesus' movement would steal parishioners away from their temples. Their lifestyles were dependent on the tithings of these parishioners or forced collections of widows' inheritances as confirmed in Mark 12:40. Jesus' gaining movement threatened this system.

The Romans cooperated with the temple priests for the purpose of keeping the society in check. They occupied the region and collected taxes from the people to maintain their excessive lifestyles in Rome.

Scholarly sources indicate that the temple priests brought their concerns about Jesus' teachings before Pontius Pilate, who was the magistrate or prefect of Judea, in charge of governing the region. Pilate's responsibility was to keep the occupied state peaceful and producing income for the Romans.

Thus Pilate needed to support the priests' concerns about Jesus to avoid a Jewish uprising (which did occur a couple of decades later).

So there was a lot of pressure put upon Jesus' followers by the temple officials, supported by the Roman officials. With Jesus' arrest, many of his disciples ran off to avoid their own arrest. That is, with the exception of the devoted Mary Magdalene, who sat under Jesus' cross during his torture.

Why does Jesus quote Zechariah?

Jesus utilizes a part of a verse from Zechariah 13:7 in his statement. Some have misconstrued that this means Zechariah was predicting Jesus' arrest and subsequent murder at the hands of the Romans and temple high priests.

But this is not consistent with the rest of Zechariah's scroll. Rather, Zechariah's text describes a tumultuous event that has nothing to do with Jesus being arrested. We can easily see this from the verses surrounding Zechariah 13:7:

"On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his prophetic vision. He will not put on a prophet's garment of hair in order to deceive. He will say, 'I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.' If someone asks him, 'What are these wounds on your body?' he will answer, 'The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.' "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the LORD Almighty. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. In the whole land," declares the LORD, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My Name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'" (Zech. 13:4-9)

The details of the violent calamity are described in verses just preceding these:

"I [God speaking] am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem." (Zech. 12:2)

and

"On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place." (Zech. 12:6)

These are not the events that occurred when Jesus was arrested and tried. Rather, Zechariah is describing a violent overthrow of the kingdom of Judah that was to occur in future years - before the arrival of Jesus.

Zechariah lived in the Sixth Century BCE. During this century, Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuchadnezzar II attacked and pillaged Jerusalem and Judah multiple times. Following these, many of their inhabitants fled to surrounding regions. Jerusalem and Judah were also attacked by Artaxerxes III in 350 BCE. He arrested and killed many Jews, and imprisoned many.

In all, Jerusalem was attacked or besieged at least 75 different times over the centuries. It has been completely burnt down at least twice. It has undergone a change of rule at least 44 times. Judah has also undergone many sieges, often at the same time.

Zechariah was not predicting Jesus' arrest and trial in those verses.

Why did Jesus use Zechariah's verse then? 

Jesus was illustrating, using scripture, one of the tests the Supreme Being puts in front of those (such as Jesus' followers) who begin their path towards resuming their relationship with Him.

Each of us has choices to make with our lives. These choices determine whether we return to our relationship with God or not. Those who begin their journey are often tested.

Testing our dedication is necessary for our spiritual growth. Testing, in fact, is common amongst most relationships. When a man decides to have a relationship with a woman, he is often tested with options to go out with other women. His resisting those tests provide part of the glue of his relationship with the woman.

Now consider if a man and a woman have a long-term relationship, and the man runs off with another woman. After a couple of years, the man comes back to the woman, asking for her forgiveness and if he can return to their relationship. Will the woman drop everything and embrace him as she had before?

Not likely. The woman will most likely, assuming she wants to resume their relationship at all, go slowly. She wants to see how serious he really is. This 'going slowly' serves as the first test, because if the man isn't serious, he'll get frustrated and run off again.

Does God test us?

The Supreme Being also tests someone asking to return to Him - especially after we abandoned Him as we have done in our past. He will also go slowly, in addition to putting in front of us numerous tests.

Because the Supreme Being also happens to control everything, He designs challenges that specifically test (and reveal) our unique weaknesses. This is designed to increase our sincerity. And should we fail a type of test, we'll likely be retested.

These tests are for our benefit. It isn't that He needs to test us. We need those tests in order to know where we are and how far we have to go.

In the beginning, such tests will be fairly basic. As we progress, the tests become more difficult. The tests perfectly reflect our individual level of advancement and particular weaknesses.

Even when we fail a test, God never gives up on us. The tests reveal our own weaknesses, which allow us to grow and become spiritually stronger. This is what occurred amongst Jesus' followers. They were tested, and most did not pass. Yet both Jesus and God forgave them, and they each learned a great lesson.

Did Jesus teach that he would die for our sins?

Despite the glossing over of Jesus' teachings by some doctrines, we can see that Jesus oversaw the development of his followers' spiritual growth by maintaining disciplined devotional practices. This is indicated throughout the books of the new testament, and evidenced by the description of what Jesus and his disciples did after the "last supper" as quoted above:

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 26:30)

What does "sung a hymn" mean? It means they devoutly practiced praising God and His Holy Names after dinner. This wasn't a weekly ceremony. This was a continual devotional regimen. And this was what Jesus' taught and practiced - consistent with the teachings of the ancient "prophets" - in order to bring about a change of consciousness amongst his students.

This thesis of "Jesus died for my sins" bypasses the process of changing our hearts. This was formulated by Paul and later embraced by the Romans because it made joining the church attractive for those who didn't want to do the hard work. It was a strategy to gain followers by making it easier to think we are saved.

The unfortunate part of this teaching is that it dissuades us from seeking a change of heart - from self-centeredness to God-centeredness.

Jesus never taught that all we have to do is wait until his body died on the cross and acknowledge that he died for our sins and then we are saved. He taught his students to change their consciousness from being servants of "mammon" to loving servants of God:

"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon." (Luke 16:9)

It is not easy to change. One must undergo significant devotional work and await gradual change to adjust our consciousness from lovers of materialism ("mammon") to lovers of God.

It is way easier to continue our self-centered behavior, and go to church every Sunday and make a proclamation that "Jesus died for my sins." This formula was a great strategy for collecting followers back then, and it still is today.

Jesus taught that we need to change from being servants of materialism ("mammon") to becoming loving servants of God. It means doing the hard work to change our consciousness.

This means being tested. It means humbly getting back up and dusting ourselves off when we fail our tests - just as Jesus' disciples did - and continuing the devotional progress, in order to change our hearts from self-centeredness to loving God and His children:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38)

"I tell you the truth, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." (Matthew 26:34)

Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." "Truly I tell you," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." But Peter declared, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same."Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." (Matthew 26:33-35)

Why did Jesus say Peter would disown him?

We find later that Jesus' prediction came true:

Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!" After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. (Matt. 26:70-75)

This is not simply another miracle by Jesus. There is an important lesson to all of us within this event.

Jesus made his prediction in response to Peter's confidence in his devotion and dedication to Jesus. Jesus was illustrating that being confident about our devotion is a mistake.

This is based on the fact that any devotion we have to God is granted by God. Devotion is part of a relationship, and in this relationship, God is the gatekeeper.

This is not unlike other relationships. We might be confident that we are someone's boyfriend or girlfriend, but what if the other person doesn't want to be our girlfriend or boyfriend? A relationship always requires the participation of someone else - someone we cannot control.

In the same way, we can't simply go through some mechanical rituals and expect that we are now linked up with the Supreme Being, and have a solid relationship with Him. God must also participate. And we have no control over God's participation.

This requires humility. While many boast their allegiance to Jesus and/or God among the many sectarian religions of today, it is humble devotion that God is attracted to.

Should we announce to others that we are saved?

Just imagine if we announced to the whole world on television that someone was our boyfriend or girlfriend without their permission, or even without their agreeing that we were even officially our boyfriend and girlfriend. How would they feel? What if they were a well-known person?

They would undoubtedly feel that we were using them to bring attention to ourselves. They would feel that we were abusing the relationship for our own gain.

It is no different when a person makes confident announcements about their faith. Just think about the various confident comments we often hear: "I am born again." "I am saved." "I love Jesus." These are grandiose statements intended to bring attention to ourselves. To announce to others that we have arrived.

This is not devotion, because real devotion is inseparable from humility. Real devotion does not come with big announcements about our own dedication, as Simon Peter made to Jesus.

Jesus was trying to teach this lesson of humble devotion to his students. And God executed the lesson as Peter indeed denied Jesus three times.

The lesson is that regardless of whatever devotion we have developed, or whatever knowledge we have been given by virtue of that devotion, it evaporates with arrogance. All our devotion and spiritual knowledge is granted by and comes from the Supreme Being. He is the source of all of it.

What is devotion?

Devotion or commitment is part of a relationship. The Supreme Being is a beautiful, gentle, loving and playful person. But He does not want to hang around those who are arrogant and self-confident.

Who would? Would any of us want to play with an arrogant team member, who had little praise for others? And when the team wins, the person says they are the reason the team won? No one would want to be on his team. We like "team players," who humbly give credit to the team when the team wins.

Whether we like it or not, we are each members of a special, personal "team." Our "team" is composed of the Supreme Being, His loving servants and representatives, and each of us as individuals. Who are we to make grandiose announcements about how "saved" or otherwise spiritually advanced we are?

Rather, any advancement we have has been mercifully given to us.

This is the lesson Jesus was trying to teach Peter, and his followers in general. Jesus reiterated this point when he said:

"Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, The greatest among you will be your servant." (Matthew 23:10-11)

Being a servant is a position of humility, where a person is wanting to provide service to another. Jesus wanted his students to serve the Supreme Being, and also serve humanity by passing on his teachings to others. Jesus taught this by example:

"For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me." (John 6:38)

Is Jesus also teaching about humility?

Developing real humility was a big part of Jesus' teachings, because humility, ultimately is our natural position. Jesus illustrated his own humility and devotion to the Supreme Being as he prayed to God and sang hymns to God on separate occasions:

After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. (Mark 6:46)

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 14:26)

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26:39)

These illustrate that Jesus was humble regarding even his own relationship with God. Praying to God and singing hymns to God are indications of humble devotion in practice.

We were each created by the Supreme Being to be one of His loving caregivers and playmates. But we have forgotten this relationship due to our arrogance and self-centeredness. That is why we are away from Him, within these temporary physical bodies within the physical world.

Returning to our natural position thus requires a change of consciousness. Confidently proclaiming to be "saved" or "born again" is not the same as a change of consciousness. Changing our consciousness requires humbly coming to know, love, and serve the Supreme Being. We must re-develop our loving relationship with Him in order to return to our natural position as His servitor. This is why Jesus taught:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40)

"My Father ... may your will be done." (Matthew 26:42)

He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." (Matthew 26:42)

What does Jesus mean by 'cup'?

Much of Jesus' prayer has been inappropriately translated, hiding its true meaning. Jesus does not even mention the word "cup" in his prayer.

The meaning of his prayer relates to his first prayer, and what is to take place. Let's review the Greek of this prayer and get to the bottom of its meaning:

After "my Father" - from the Greek ἐγώ (egō) and πατήρ (patēr), the translators say he said:

"if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away..."

However, the Greek texts do not say this. They do not even mention the word "cup." Rather, this prayer uses the Greek word αὐτός (houtos), which means "this", not "cup."

Yes, in the first prayer, the Greek word ποτήριον (potērion) is used. And yes, ποτήριον can mean "cup" in a narrow context when it refers to a drinking vessel.

That is not the context here, though. In this context, Jesus is using the word figuratively. According to the lexicon, its metaphorical translation refers to someone's "lot" or "fate."

The translators have also assumed "cup" because later in this second prayer Jesus uses the word πίνω (pinō), which can mean "to drink." But when πίνω is used in the figurative sense (as Jesus was), it means, according to the lexicon: to receive one's fate.

Besides, a person does not drink a cup. A person drinks liquid from a cup. The object of πίνω (to receive) in Jesus' prayer is αὐτός (houtos), which means "this" or "it".

There is no "cup" in the second prayer, and even if the Greek word translated to "cup" in the first prayer is used, "cup" was never the intended object being referred to in either prayer. In other words, Jesus was not praying about cups or drinking cups.

Rather, it is clear from the Greek that the intended object of both prayers is not literally a cup, but Jesus' coming fate.

Why is Jesus praying to do what God wills?

This is certainly to be expected. Jesus is about to be arrested, tried, and gruesomely crucified. He is about to undergo one of the most painful experiences ever to be committed onto a physical body.

And Jesus admitted that he was "troubled" by this coming fate, which is the reason he went to pray:

He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." (Matt. 26:38-39)

Now let's understand the real meaning of Jesus' prayer:

After "My Father," Jesus uses the word εἰ (ei) which means "if" or "whether" according to the lexicon.

Then as mentioned above, he says αὐτός (houtos) which means "this," referring to his coming fate.

Then he says δύναμαι (dynamai), which means "cannot" or "will not" according to the lexicon.

This is followed by παρέρχομαι (parerchomai) which means to "pass away" or "be removed" according to the lexicon.

Then he says ἐάν (ean) and μή (mē) which mean "unless I" according to the lexicon.

This is followed by πίνω (pinō) as mentioned above, which can mean "to drink" or when used figuratively, "to receive..." according to the lexicon.

Then he says αὐτός (autos), which means "it" - a slight variation of αὐτός (houtos), but again referring to the object being assumed, that is, Jesus' coming fate.

This is followed by the Greek phrase γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, which is being translated to "Your will be done." While this may be technically correct, it is not a pure translation of the meaning of γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου in this context.

Could this be better translated?

The better translation of this phrase in this context would be:

"I will do Your will"

or better in plain English:

"I will do as You wish" or "I will do what You want."

So as Jesus was coming to terms with his coming fate, he was also resolved that he would be doing whatever God wanted.

Thus, the better translation for Jesus' second prayer is:

"My Father, if this cannot come to pass unless I receive it, then I will do Your will."

In plainer English:

"My Father, if my fate is such that this must happen to me, then I will do as You wish."

Why was this issue so important that Jesus had to pray about it? Jesus' two prayers were spoken minutes before he was to be arrested. He knew the Roman guards were coming. How do we know Jesus knew he was to be arrested shortly? He said it to his disciples:

"Look, the hour is near, and the son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." (Matthew 26:45)

In other words, this was the last opportunity that Jesus would have to avoid his coming arrest and persecution. As the guards had yet to come, Jesus could have very easily slipped away into the woods and escaped arrest, torture, and execution.

Was Jesus torn?

As Jesus indicated in his first prayer, Jesus was torn between doing what would be physically more comfortable - avoiding arrest and persecution - and what his Beloved Supreme Being wanted to take place. This he alluded at in his statement to his disciples when he found them sleeping after his first prayer and before this one:

"The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." (Matthew 26:41)

Many sectarian teachers preach that Jesus was God and he had everything handled. Their position simply does not agree with scripture, however. Everything Jesus said indicated that he was indeed struggling with the coming event and whether or not he should take off and avoid arrest completely. Simply the fact that Jesus was praying to God indicates that he could not have been God.

The translation laid out here is not a theory or an opinion. It is simply what the scripture indicates from the original Greek text. As opposed to ecclesiastical professional translators who have tried to subtly distort his prayers to hide the fact that he was struggling with his coming crucifixion, the text says what it says.

The fact that Jesus was torn about his coming fate is doubly confirmed in his first prayer:

"My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:39)

Jesus is not speaking literally of a cup. As mentioned above, the "cup" comes from the Greek word ποτήριον (potērion), and its metaphorical meaning is, according to the lexicon, "one's lot or experience, whether joyous or adverse, divine appointments, whether favorable or unfavorable, are likened to a cup which God presents one to drink: so of prosperity and adversity."

So by the rest of the translation of this first prayer, we can see that Jesus is asking God to take away or remove his coming "fate" of being arrested, tried, and gruesomely tortured and murdered.

What is Jesus torn about?

Jesus is asking if God would allow him to escape arrest, in other words.

Yet we see in both prayers that even with this question, Jesus is committing himself to doing God's will. In the first prayer, the word πλήν (plēn) is translated to "yet," but means "moreover, besides, but, nevertheless" according to the lexicon. This means that is saying "more importantly..."

The next part of this prayer by Jesus uses first οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω, which can translate to "not as I will," but also, because θέλω (thelō) means "to intend," "to be resolved," "determined," "to purpose," "to desire" or "to wish", it is better translated to "not what I want" or "not according to my wishes".

The last part of the phrase, ἀλλ’ ὡς σύ, correctly indicates "but as You will," or "but Yours," as in "not my wishes, but Yours."

So in this prayer, according to the Greek, Jesus is really saying something to the effect of:

"My Father, if it is possible, please remove my coming fate. More importantly, may I not do my will, but Your will."

In plainer English:

"My Father, if it is possible, please let this not happen to me. More importantly, I don't want to do what I want, but what You want."

This clearly indicates why Jesus is troubled. He is asking God to not let this happen to him, but at the same time, wants to do God's will. He wants to do God's will but also does not want to physically suffer. Who would want to suffer?

Why does Jesus make the same prayer three times?

Jesus then made the same prayer a third time:

So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. (Matt. 26:44)

Through his prayers, Jesus has realized that his arrest and persecution is God's will. God has answered his prayers. This is what God wants Jesus to do. Why is this important?

Because this illustrates that Jesus wants to please the Supreme Being. He knows that he can easily escape and avoid arrest. But he also comes to understand that this is what the Supreme Being wants to happen. So even though Jesus knows it will be physically painful, he is willing to undergo the pain of physical torture and execution because it will please the Supreme Being.

This is the important takeaway from the entire event of Jesus' torture and execution.

Is there some magical "he died for my sins" thing going on here as some teach? Did God set up Jesus to be some kind of "sacrificial lamb"? Was it Jesus' intent to suffer so that people thousands of years later could be released from the responsibility of their actions?

Consider any kind of sacrifice. Consider a person who goes to war for their country, or runs into a burning building. Are they not sacrificing their own comfort on behalf of someone else? Why would they do this? Theoretically, it is love. In the case of the soldier, it is love for country, and in the case of the person who runs into a burning building, it is love for that person in the building.

While these examples may not be true love, they indicate acts of love. Caring for someone else more than we care for ourselves. This is love.

And in the case of Jesus, Jesus sacrificed his physical body in the service of Someone he loved: The Supreme Being. But he was also communicating something important to all of us. That serving God was more important than the physical body.

What was Jesus' sacrifice meant to teach us?

What was the purpose of his allowing himself to be arrested and persecuted?

We must remember why Jesus was being arrested. It was because of his teachings. His teachings threatened the authority of the institutional temple high priests and the Roman government.

And what were his teachings about? They were teaching us about the Supreme Being. His teachings instructed us to love God and serve God. So by Jesus accepting his arrest and persecution, he was in effect standing up for his teachings, which God sent him to teach us:

"These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." (John 14:24)

By Jesus accepting arrest and persecution, he was taking a stand for his teachings, which were coming from God. He was not going to run away. He loved God, and God's teachings were so important that he was willing to give up his physical life, and undergo severe suffering on behalf of those teachings.

It is understanding this that has the ability to save us. It is realizing the loving relationship that existed between Jesus and the Supreme Person that has the ability to purify our lives. Why? 

Because we can learn more about love for God and others. This has the ability to purify our consciousness. It has the power to encourage us to change our lives from being self-centered to beginning the path of re-developing our relationship with the Supreme Being and learning to love and please Him.

This is why Jesus' most important teaching was:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38)

"... for all who draw the sword will die by the sword... " (Matthew 26:52-54)

With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?" (Matthew 26:52-54)

Is this the origin of the phrase, 'die by the sword'?

Many credit Jesus with the origin of the popular phrase, "those who live by the sword will die by the sword."

First, this is not a good translation of what Jesus stated above.

Second, this phrase was used prior to Jesus' arrival. It was part of a popular book and drama written by the Greek Aeschylus in the Fifth Century BCE. The statement translates (Fagles) to:

"By the sword you did your work and by the sword you die."

This means that Jesus either had knowledge of this famous Oresteia trilogy of literature and utilized part of it for this situation or he otherwise stated it on his own. 

Why didn't Jesus want his disciples to fight off the guards?

From Jesus' statement, we can see clearly that he was responding to one of his followers who attacked one of the guards who came to arrest Jesus.

Who did this? It was Simon Peter. This is confirmed in the Book of John, where it states:

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (John 18:10)

It is curious that in Matthew, Peter is described as "one of Jesus' companions." The Greek phrase, εἷς τῶν μετὰ means, literally, 'those who were with'. The next word is Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous), so we know that the text is referencing someone who was "with Jesus" at the time of his arrest. So who was with Jesus?

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." (Matthew 26:36)

We know from this statement that his disciples were with Jesus at the time of his arrest. Therefore, we know two things about his disciples:

1) At least one of them - Simon Peter - was carrying a sword.
2) His disciples were prepared to defend their teacher against attack.

We also know from this statement that Jesus wanted no part of any bloodshed between his disciples and the guards. There was certainly blood spilled, as cutting off someone's ear would certainly spill some major blood. But we see that this displeased Jesus, evidenced by his statement.

So Jesus chastised one of his disciples who pulled his sword and attacked a servant of the high priest. Why? Didn't Jesus appreciate that his follower is trying to protect him?

Peter does not realize that Jesus was allowing himself to be arrested. And that he had helped arranged it with one of his disciples. Peter believed that he was doing his duty to protect Jesus.

Both were doing their duty. Peter was doing his duty by trying to protect Jesus. And Jesus was doing his duty by accepting the arrest. Both were ultimately choosing to serve the Supreme Being.

Why didn't Jesus evade arrest?

Jesus states here that if he wanted, he could call on God and God would protect him:

 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

What does this mean? It means that if Jesus didn't want to be arrested, he could ask God to protect him from arrest, and God would protect him.

The term, "put at my disposal" communicates that Jesus could easily disband the guards and prevent being arrested. But Jesus could have also escaped into the wilderness in advance of being arrested. Why didn't he try to escape arrest?

This same question is answered as we discussed that Jesus instructed Judas to arrange for his arrest.

Jesus invited being arrested because he saw it as inevitable, and he wanted to have the most impact. He knew the High Priest wanted Jesus out of the way. They had been planning this for some time.

Jesus wanted this to come to a head around the Passover because this is when so many Temple followers would be in Jerusalem. He wanted to get the message to them that his teachings were important.

Yes, Jesus was trying to bring attention to his teachings. He was standing up for his teachings. He wanted the people to understand that these teachings were important.

His teachings were so important that he was ready to die for them.

How does this 'fulfill' the scriptures?

The word "fulfilled" can have multiple meanings, depending upon the context. It is being translated from the Greek word, πληρόω (plēroō). This word can mean to "make full," but also to "execute," "carry out" or "accomplish" according to the lexicon.

Within the context of Jesus' statement, he is indicating that his actions would "accomplish" the teachings of those Prophets before him. What does that mean?

Let's say that a father says to his son as a boy, "be kind to others." When that boy grows up, if he shows kindness to others, he will be effectively accomplishing what his father instructed.

We could even apply "fulfilled" in that context - that the boy was fulfilling the instructions of his father by being kind to others.

But "accomplish" or "carry out" are fairer ways to describe this. In a similar use, by Jesus acting to please God, he was effectively carrying out the primary teachings of the scriptures - that is to love God with all our heart and soul (Deuteronomy 6:5) - spoken by Moses but taught also by Joshua, Eli, Samuel, David, Solomon, and others including John the Baptist.

Yes, by doing what he was doing, Jesus was carrying out or accomplishing this primary instruction of the scriptures.

Why has 'fulfilled' been misinterpreted?

Such an interpretation arose from the First Council of Nicaea of 325 AD organized by Roman Emperor Constantine leading to the Second Council of Ephesus in 449 put together by the Roman Emperor Theodosius II, which led to the creation of the Roman Catholic Church.

This interpretation attempted to conflate that the entire Bible was all about Jesus. It construed that practically every statement mentioning the persecution of God's messengers was predicting Jesus' persecution.

It was as if Jesus was the only messenger of God who was persecuted. That is completely untrue. Many Prophets and teachers in the teaching lineage of Jesus, including Elijah, Amos, Zechariah, Jeremiah, Uriah, and of course John the Baptist were persecuted for their teachings. We should also add that most of Jesus' close disciples were persecuted and murdered, including Peter, James, Matthew, Luke, Mark, John, Andrew, Matthias, Jude, Thomas, Barnabas, Phillip and others.

Such an interpretation would contradict centuries of dedication by so many messengers of God who have suffered due to their teachings. Jesus for one would be insulted with such an interpretation.

The result of this interpretation - construed in an attempt to paint the Roman Catholic Church as the only true religion - allowed the Roman government to dominate Europe and the Middle East.

This interpretation would also mean so many statements within David's Psalms, Ezekiel's revelations, Isaiah's writings, Moses' teachings, Job's communications with God, Solomon's visions and so many other deep teaching events of the Scriptures had no meaning other than to predict Jesus' persecution.

This interpretation is manipulative and contradicts the clear language of these Scriptures. Key verses have been lifted and taken out of the context of surrounding verses.

Such an interpretation is aimed at attracting followers. Why? Because it creates a doctrine that allows cleansing or purification without going through the hard work of having a change of heart. As if Jesus' crucifixion allowed everyone [who accepted it] to become automatically purified.

Does Jesus' crucifixion really remove our sins?

This doctrine - which Jesus never taught - states that all one has to do is "accept Jesus into my heart and accept that he died for my sins" and we are saved from the consequences of our actions that harm others.

If this were true, why do followers of this doctrine who have participated in rituals such as communion and confession still suffer the consequences of their actions? Why are those that participated in these rituals not "saved" from the consequences of their actions?

Yet we see every day that even those who claim to be "born again" will still suffer consequences from their activities - as does everyone in the physical world.

But does it work? Does accepting that Jesus died for my sins really remove the consequences of my actions? Does going to communion and then doing the "Hail Marys" really cleanse my sins?

We can see the answer practically as we see others who have done so. There are many criminals who have committed crimes and confessed their crimes, yet they end up being caught and arrested - and punished - for their crimes. If Jesus' crucifixion saved them, why do they still have to go to jail or otherwise pay for their crimes?

These examples defy this teaching about our sins being "cleansed" or otherwise "saved" once we make this pledge of allegiance to Jesus, or "take confession."

It basically points to the fact that the entire teaching is false. Their promises and rituals have no power. They have made false promises in order to gain followers, and have thus tricked followers into joining their institutions.

This is the same as preachers who promise that if we go to their revivals we will be cured of physical diseases and handicaps. So many of these evangelists have been exposed as cheaters for paying people to fake their "healings." This is besides the placebo effect, allowing others to believe they will be healed if they go to one of these revivals.

Con artists can be very persuasive and charismatic. But they also are tricky. For example, many will say that if someone doesn't get healed, or "saved" or cleansed of the responsibilities of their sins, they must not have "believed enough."

This is hucksterism disguised as religion. It is cheating. They profit from their followers. They become wealthy from fooling their followers. They are selling "becoming saved" or "born again" - not so different from selling snake oil.

Was Jesus saying his crucifixion was a prophecy?

Let's look again at Jesus' statement:

"But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"

The word "Scriptures" is taken from the Greek word γραφή (graphē). This means, according to the lexicon, 1) a writing, thing written; 2) the Scripture, used to denote either the book itself, or its contents; 3) a certain portion or section of the Holy Scripture.

Jesus is not talking about fulfilling the entire Bible here. He is not saying that the entire Old Testament was all about him. Jesus is talking about its content.

He is talking about the message of the Scriptures being fulfilled.

And what is that message? This is the message taught by Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David and every other Prophet. And it is the central message of Jesus' teachings:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38)

How so? We can see from the lives and teachings of all the Prophets that they loved God with all their being. They gave their lives to God, and they made so many sacrifices for God.

Giving oneself to God out of love is the message and example of all of the Prophets, and thus the teaching of all the Scriptures. This is what is trying to be conveyed, both from the specifics of their teachings, and the context of their lives. 

Many of the Prophets were persecuted for their teachings and their commitment to the Supreme Person (such as John the Baptist). While not everyone was executed as Jesus was, we can see that they all committed their lives to the Supreme Being in one respect or another. This is the message that Jesus' life fulfills.

And all of these Prophets were each "messiahs," because their teachings and lives - individually and as a whole - have the ability to teach us this central message of the Scriptures. They all fulfill this message of the Scriptures to love and serve God with all our hearts and all of our being.

And certainly, Jesus' act also fulfills this message, because Jesus was committing himself to do God's will. Because Jesus loves God. This is the take-away message from Jesus' life and all of the Scriptures. This is how Jesus' act "fulfills" (carries out) the Scriptures.

Can Jesus' crucifixion save us?

Jesus' act of sacrifice truly has the ability to save us, if we understand what he was doing and take that into our lives.

How so? Jesus allowed himself to be persecuted because he was standing up for his teachings - the teachings of love of God. He considered those teachings more important than his life in this world.

Jesus was communicating to us that we can become happy if we commit our life to God. If we come to know Him, love Him, and please Him we can be fulfilled.

This can save us because it can change our consciousness. It can change our consciousness from self-centeredness to God-centeredness. Such a consciousness cleanses our hearts and saves us from doing other activities that harm others.

Being saved does not mean there are no consequences for our actions. Having consequences for our actions is part of the physical world. And we should invite this programming done by God because it helps us learn and grow.

Being saved means our heart becomes changed. This means our actions will change, and thus the consequences for those actions will be positive. 

And if our lives become spiritualized, then our consequences will also be spiritual. We will be directed home after the death of our physical body - where we can reunite with our best friend, the Supreme Being.