JERUSALEM BRAINWAVE: Jesus Christ “Risen From Death”, Friends Say (Column)

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (BosNewsLife Columns)– A man claiming to be the Messiah  rose up from death Sunday, April 20, after he died at a cross on Golgotha hill near Jerusalem’s walls, his friends said.

Jesus Christ had been tortured and crucified to death Friday, April 18, by Roman forces, as Jewish crowds rallied against claims that he is the Heavenly King who will sit “at the right hand” of his Heavenly Father, giving eternal life to everyone who believes in him.

A close friend, Mary Magdalene, said she initially had been crying after not finding Jesus Christ’s human remains in the Jerusalem tomb where he was hastily buried in time for the Jewish Sabbath.

She explained that she eventually turned around and “saw Jesus” standing nearby. “He said, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?'”, Magdalene recalled, adding that she initially thought it was a carpenter.

“I said ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him’. But when he said ‘Mary’ I turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’,” which means ‘Teacher’, she said.

INITIAL SHOCK

One of Jesus Christ’s well-known ‘disciples’ or students, Peter, acknowledged that he was initially shocked about Magdalene’s account.
Shortly after, Peter said, he also “saw Jesus” and realized that “God raised him up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.”

Peter and other witnesses said Christ confirmed to be the “Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit.”

In published remarks Christ’s followers, also known as Christians, made clear they planned to become evangelists among both Jews and non-Jews. “Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.”

Roman Empire officials had no immediate comment.

BODY STOLEN?

Soldiers guarding the tomb said “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.”

They did not address reports they had been paid to make the statement by chief priests opposing Christ’s activities, and were concerned about repercussions from the Roman governor.

Jesus Christ had been predicting his death, at the age of 33, as part of what he viewed as a mission to die for the sins of the world, before rising up on the third day.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die,” he recently said.

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