A
Brief Study of Tradition
~ Good Friday and Easter ~
This is a mini-study for those who are seeking answers to the question concerning the 3 days’ Resurrection of Jesus. This is a primary level study or the P'shat-Remetz-Drash level.
“He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”
Can we say that our traditions are FOR Messiah? Can we say that we help in gathering or scattering? You be the judge:
“Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy [against] the [Holy] Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” Matt 12:31.
“And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the [world] to come.” Matt 12:32.
1. What was the promised sign of the resurrection of Jesus [YahShua]?
"AN EVIL AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION SEEKETH AFTER A SIGN; AND THERE SHALL NO SIGN (no miracle) BE GIVEN TO IT, BUT THE SIGN (miracle) OF THE PROPHET JONAS: 'FOR AS JONAS WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE WHALE'S BELLY; SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH." (Matthew 12:39-40).
2. What exactly is a day?
“Jesus answered, are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbled not, because he sees the light of this world. “ John 11:9.
“And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:5
3. What is a night?
“…and God divided the light from the darkness.” Genesis 1:4
4. When was a day instituted according to the Biblical account?
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
5. Is a Good Friday crucifixion and Easter Sunday morning [
It is impossible to get a Friday afternoon [Evening] crucifixion with a Sunday morning resurrection. If that holds true then Jesus lied, because he gave only ONE sign and that is of the prophet Jonah - 3 days [12x3=36] and 3 nights [12x3=36] for a total of 72 hours he was to stay in the heart of the earth.
Since Jesus did not lie, we must have mis-read and been mis-lead by tradition when he speaks of his Promised 3 day 3 night resurrection.
6. What is Tradition?
A cultural continuity transmitted in the form of social attitudes, beliefs, principles and convention of behavior derived from past experience and helping to shape the present. A convention established by constant practice. A belief or legend based in an oral report, usually accepted as historical truth though not verifiable.
Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
7. Why is this point important?
“The
men of
The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15: 12-30.
"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then [is] our preaching vain, and your faith [is] also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep [dead] in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the Firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the Firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. "
8. Jesus was crucified according to the scriptures when all lambs were sacrificed for sin at the Passover.
“This month [shall be] unto you the
beginning of months: it [shall be] the first month of the year to you. Speak ye
unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth [day] of this month
they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of [their]
fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the household be too little for the lamb,
let him and his neighbor next unto his house take [it] according to the number
of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the
lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall
take [it] out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until
the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation
of
“…And thus shall ye eat it; [with] your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it [is] the LORD'S Passover.”
“And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him."
9. He did all things according to the fulfillment of specific Hebrew law.
Galatians 4:4
“But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
So, what does all this mean?
Jesus is faithful to the word because he is the word. It means we should follow the Bible and not the traditions of man when remembering our Savior. We need to know and tell the truth about his only resurrection promise to mankind, even if we still choose to celebrate holidays that are not Biblically accurate.
10. He fulfilled all things
according to the Biblical account of the Messiah for that time in
"These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me" (Luke 24:13-35).
Isaiah chapter 53: "We have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the inequity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth. He was lead as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep before it's shearers, silent, so He opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living for the transgressions of my people. He was stricken, and they made His grave with the wicked and with the rich at his death, because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit found in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; he put Him to grief. And when you make his soul an offering for sin, you shall seed his seed. He shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand."
43rd Psalm he says;
"I will go unto the altar of God," where the lamb was slain; and then he says, " Unto God, my exceeding joy." You say, I have no God: behold, I take this lamb as slain for me, and therefore God is my God.
11. Could anything at anytime be an offering for sin?
An offering for sin only could be accomplished at the time and in the way God had originally set it up.
Example:
If you were to redeem a piece of property and you came to the Court House late, and without the proper amount of money could you them redeem it? No!
Redemption has a time, a price and a promise.
12. Why must we do this correctly and truthfully?
"Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth." John 4:22-24
13. Was the Passover to always be a memorial [remembrance]?
"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." 1Cor. 11:22-26.
“Study to show yourself approved a workman needing not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Blessings,
Ekowa
2005-2006
Many thanks to my dearest brother, Dr. K. Echengi Limbere for editing this essay.
For more information on other subjects:
Next time: Passover the real Communion.