John 19-21

Open my eyes, that I might behold the marvellous beauty from Your Instructions ~ Psalm 119:18

READ/LISTEN ONLINE:

SOME STUDY GEMS:

Click on the gem below to read the study notes:

Latin, Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic

John 19:20 “The notice was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.”

Here above the head of Yeshua, 3 worlds have come together to say, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” In Hebrew, it would have said, “Yeshua of Natzeret, Melech (King) of Judah“. Remeber Judah is the Southern Kingdom of Israel, where Jerusalem was. Click here to see previous posts on where the word “Jew” comes from, which came from the time of the Babylonian Exiles.

Back in Numbers 13 we explained the original name of Yeshua in Hebrew, and comparing that with the use and origin of the Greek word Jesus, click here to read more.

At this time when Yeshua was crucified, there was an interesting mix of languages. The language that was mostly spoken, was Aramaic, which is the language of the entire Middle east. It is still spoken today, with various dialects. And interestly, the Aramaic name for Greek Jesus is Yeshua – so everyone in that time would have known Him as Yeshua, and still know Him as Yeshua today.

Greek was widely used for trade and commerce, education, and government administration, though not necessarily by everyone in daily life. Latin was spoken by the Roman military and some administrative officials, but it was not widely adopted by the general population. Hebrew was the language of scripture, used in synagogues and for religious texts, but not commonly spoken in everyday conversation by most people in the region.

Back in Isaiah 45 we posted about the prophecy of “every knee and every tongue“, which refers to every nation and every language. Back in Genesis 11 we see how YHWH caused people to speak in different languages and scattered the people across the earth (click here for more posts on the “Tower of Babel”). But in Zephaniah we read the prophecy that there will be one language again in the end, Zephaniah 3:9 “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of YHWH, to serve him with one consent/accord”. Later in Acts we will read how the Spirit helped the Disciples to talk in different languages, but also to understand different languages, so they could spread the Good News about Yeshua – in a time where worlds were colliding, the Hebrews, the Greeks and the Romans, and all of the Middle East.

Lastly, let’s look at the language of Latin, which were the language of the Romans. Latin already existed about a 1000 BC and came from the Italian region. But even after the fall of the Roman Empire around 500AD, Latin continued to be the common language for scholarly, literary, and religious purposes across Europe for centuries. During the dark ages, there was a renewed interest in classical Latin, which also caused the infusion of many Latin words into other languages, including English. Latin was no longer a spoken language in daily life, but is still studied for its rich classical literature, philosophy, and scientific terminology.

There are a few words in the new Testament that are Latin words, that today we might mistake for English. For example “Lucifer“, actually is not satan’s name, but means “bearer of light” – which is what he was, but that title was removed from him, so he shouldn’t be called Lucifer. Also the word legion, where Yeshua asked the demons in Mark 5:9 what is their name. Legion is Latin for a large body or multitude of soldiers. It comes from the word “legere”, which means to gather or to choose.

Here are some Latin words that are used in churches today : Pastor (meaning shepherd), Altar, Temple and Charity. Today a lot of Latin-derived words are used in Modern Law, Science and Religion. Here are some other words or phrases you might recognize:

Ad hoc: For a particular purpose.
Alter ego: “Other self”.
Bona fide: “In good faith” or genuine.
Carpe diem: “Seize the day”.
De facto: “In reality,” or in fact.
Et cetera (etc.): “And so on”.
Per se: “By itself” or “in itself”.
Quid pro quo: “Something for something”.
Status quo: “The existing state of affairs”.
Alibi: “Elsewhere”.
Alias: “At another time,” or an assumed name.
Gratis: Free of charge.
i.e. (id est): “That is”.
In memoriam: In memory of.
Magnum opus: “Great work,” often referring to a masterpiece.
N.B. (nota bene): “Note well”.
Per capita: Per person.
Pro bono: “For the public good”.
P.S. (post scriptum): “After the writing”.
Verbatim: In the exact words.
Vice versa: “The position having been reversed”.
Veto: “I forbid”.

Two angels and the Covenant

John 20:12 “And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Yeshua had lain.”

Imagine this picture: From the side of a “mountain” or hill, is an entrance carved out. The doorway has a low entrance, which requires a person to bow down. In verse 11 we read about Mary, “and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.” Inside was a flatbed carved out. Yeshua’s blood would have made its’ mark on the bed of rock. On it was the linen covered with traces of blood, and the smell of myrrh and aloe (John 19:39-40, “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices”. Click here to see previous posts about the amazing meaning of Linen. Click here to read from our post in Mark 15 about Myrrh. Here laid a King, and on both sides of the bed are an angel, who are there as Witnesses to the Saviour (which in Hebrew is Yasa, and Yeshua means YHWH Saves) who came to confirm the Covenant of YHWH for all who would believe in Yeshua. We also read in verse 17 that Yeshua says to Mary, not to touch Him yet, as “for I have not yet ascended to My Father;”

In Exodus 25 we read in great detail about the Ark of the Covenant. Although, Scripture calls it also, the “Ark of Witness”. Interestingly, the Temple was destroyed after Yeshua was resurrected, but so too did the ark of the covenant just disappear. We have made several posts on the Ark (click here to read more), including prophecies that were made that the Ark would disappear one day. Little did they know, someone else would come to stand in it’s place. Those who are looking for the Ark till this day, are looking in the wrong place.

Now consider the amazing parallel between the Ark of Covenant, and Yeshua who came to fulfill the covenant (Matthew 5:17). We read the following about the Ark in Exodus 25:

The Mountain : Exodus 24:12 “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here..”. Moses is given the Torah on a mountain, Mount Sinai. The grave for Yeshua is carved out on the side of a Mountain.
The Stone : Exodus 24:12 “.. and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction”. Moses is given the Torah /covenant which is written on stone. Yeshua is placed inside the mountain carved out of stone, and placed on a bed of stone.
The Wood : Exodus 25:10 “And they shall make an ark of acacia wood“. Verse 13 “And you shall make poles of acacia wood“. The Wood is also resembled on which Yeshua hang when He was crucified.
Carry the Covenant, and not Touch the Covenant : Exodus 25:14 “You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them.” We read in 1 Samuel 6 what happened when Uzzah touched the Covenant. Yeshua just came out of the Grave of Covenant, and was not to be touched until He was presented to the Father.
The Crown : Exodus 25:11 “And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and shall make on it a molding of gold all around.” On the Atonement Lid or Slab, was a gold molding, often referred to as a “crown of gold,” which surrounded the lid. In John 19 we read how it was written in 3 languages that Yeshua is the King of Judah.
The Coffin : The Hebrew word for Ark is Aron H727 – ‘ārôn, meaning a chest or coffin. This is the shape of the Ark, which is also resembled in Noah’s Ark, which is the same word.
Torah inside the Tomb/Chamber/Ark : Exodus 25:16 “And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you.” Inside the Ark was the Torah, which serves as the Covenant and is resembled as a Marriage Contract. It is the agreement between two parties (YHWH and Israel), and all serve as Witnesses. This is why the Covenant is also called a Witness. The Covenant is also known as the Torah or the Law. Yeshua says in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Verse 21 “and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you”. YHWH gave His Son to be placed inside the Ark.
Anoint with Myrrh : Exodus 30:22-26 “Also take for yourself quality spices—five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh.. With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting and the ark of the Testimony”. In John 19:39-40 we read that Nicodemus bought a hundred pounds of myrrh to anoint Yeshua’s body. Myrrh was used in embalming and anointment.
Atonement Lid : Exodus 25:17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold”. Some translations call it “mercy seat”, however the proper word in Hebrew is Kaporet H3722 – kāp̄ar, which means to make atonement for, reconciliation, forgive, cleanse, to cover over. Yeshua’s crucifixion and resurrection serves to make atonement for all who want to partake in the Covenant.
The Cherubim : Exodus 25:18-20 “And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat .. covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat”. Here an Angel is placed at each side of the Atonement bed or covering, just like the two angels at the sides of the stone bed of atonement where Yeshua lay.
The Father : Exodus 25:22 “And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel“. YHWH promises to speak to those who partake in the Covenant from this place, above the Ark of the Covenant. We read in John 16:23, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, He will give it to you.”