John 20: Yeshua commissions his process for forgiveness to humankind

 

John 20 Yeshua encourages the-good to humankind

[Introduction: Biblical literature offers hints to the-ineluctable-truth about human opportunity. Here are 3 suggestions: Jesus is the-God (John 1:1), Jesus’ wills/intentions (Genesis 1:26-28 – NIV and CJB featuring “rule . . . the earth” leaving the choice to the individual), and Yeshua’s message, "Be [as] perfect" as the-God (Mathew 5:48). Ineluctable means: not to be avoided, changed, escaped, neglected, obfuscated, rationalized, or resisted.

The speaking Yeshua advocated the-good rather than claimed to be “anointed one& king”. Human-beings can& may accept the-good, continually pursue the-good, and continuously practice the-good. If asked how humankind discovered self-interest in the-good, we can& may express appreciation to Yeshua. Also, see my Genesis-1:26-28 essay about human duty, at the end of this study.

Consider the scholarly Bible evidence, “From Jesus to Christ”, Parts 1& 2, FRONTLINE,1998 at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN8FM1NCOSk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXqFvfCaFwY. Humankind can& may effect the public resurrection of Yeshua’s civic influence.

Under our generation’s mystery-watch to “ourselves and our Posterity”, Yeshua can surpass Christ -- Judeo-Christian messiah& king.] 

Note: this is Nomad’s third reading of John 20 in my tenure. Below, I use magenta highlight to distinguish old comments in yellow. I have changed to a preference for CJB rather than NIV, so now interject CJB, leaving my past work below.

 

John 20, CJB

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Miryam from Magdala went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. ² So she came running to Shim‘on Kefa and the other talmid, the one Yeshua loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!”

³ Then Kefa and the other talmid started for the tomb. ⁴ They both ran, but the other talmid outran Kefa and reached the tomb first. ⁵ Stooping down, he saw the linen burial-sheets lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then, following him, Shim‘on Kefa arrived, entered the tomb and saw the burial-sheets lying there, ⁷ also the cloth that had been around his head, lying not with the sheets but in a separate place and still folded up. ⁸ Then the other talmid, who had arrived at the tomb first, also went in; he saw, and he trusted. ⁹ (They had not yet come to understand that the Tanakh teaches that the Messiah has to rise from the dead.)

¹⁰ So the talmidim returned home, ¹¹ but Miryam stood outside crying. As she cried, she bent down, peered into the tomb, ¹² and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Yeshua had been, one at the head and one at the feet. ¹³ “Why are you crying?” they asked her. “They took my Lord,” she said to them, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

¹⁴ As she said this, she turned around and saw Yeshua standing there, but she didn’t know it was he. ¹⁵ Yeshua said to her, “Lady, why are you crying? Whom are you looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you’re the one who carried him away, just tell me where you put him; and I’ll go and get him myself.” ¹⁶ Yeshua said to her, “Miryam!” Turning, she cried out to him in Hebrew, “Rabbani!” (that is, “Teacher!”) ¹⁷ “Stop holding onto me,” Yeshua said to her, “because I haven’t yet gone back to the Father. But go to my brothers, and tell them that I am going back to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ¹⁸ Miryam of Magdala went to the talmidim with the news that she had seen the Lord and that he had told her this.

¹⁹ In the evening that same day, the first day of the week, when the talmidim were gathered together behind locked doors out of fear of the Judeans, Yeshua came, stood in the middle and said, “Shalom aleikhem!” ²⁰ Having greeted them, he showed them his hands and his side. The talmidim were overjoyed to see the Lord. ²¹ “Shalom aleikhem!” Yeshua repeated. “Just as the Father sent me, I myself am also sending you.” ²² Having said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Ruach HaKodesh! ²³ If you forgive someone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you hold them, they are held.” [Consider Yeshua’s process for civic forgiveness, given in Matthew 18:15-20. Like all Yeshua’s metaphors, the deep analysis convinces some people that it is a process for civic reform, wherein the accuser might find himself the one necessarily reforming and making restitution. Taking another metaphor, “And anyone who does not take up his execution-stake and follow me is not worthy of me” Matthew 10:38, may mean: accept responsibility to live by Yeshua’s process of mutual forgiveness.]

²⁴ Now T’oma (the name means “twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Yeshua came. ²⁵ When the other talmidim told him, “We have seen the Lord,” he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger into the place where the nails were and put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe it.”

²⁶ A week later his talmidim were once more in the room, and this time T’oma was with them. Although the doors were locked, Yeshua came, stood among them and said, “Shalom aleikhem!” ²⁷ Then he said to T’oma, “Put your finger here, look at my hands, take your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be lacking in trust, but have trust!” ²⁸ T’oma answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Yeshua said to him, “Have you trusted because you have seen me? How blessed are those who do not see, but trust anyway!” [In the image of the God, Yeshua humbled himself to allow T’oma’s evaluation.]

³⁰ In the presence of the talmidim Yeshua performed many other miracles which have not been recorded in this book. ³¹ But these which have been recorded are here so that you may trust that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by this trust you may have life because of who he is. [Here, John has the incentive to show that Yeshua is as powerful as Eliyahu (Elijah) and Elisha, who both raised the dead. Maybe so, but I don’t think so.]

[Nomads produced the thought (rather than conclusion) that Yeshua’s influence comes to each person on their own basis. Thus, belief in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, Jesus the son of man and Son of God, Yeshua fulfilling the Torah, Yeshua to return to unite the tribes of Israel, perhaps another, all are equal. That’s OK with me, and I am glad I prefer Yeshua’s civic influence.]

 

NIV

^20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved [Jesus may have found John troubling and given him extra attention, which John mistook for affection], and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture [need citation] that Jesus had to rise from the dead [For what purpose? To support the contention that he was the Messiah? The human-being is too aware to fall for such a ruse, hard as it may be for each person to accept such individual power.] [Pretending Phil Beaver is not sincere when he claims he does not know the-ineluctable-truth is an attempt to discount Phil’s opinion. Perhaps arguing that Jesus is Christ diminishes Jesus’ messages: for example, be perfect, as willed in Genesis 1:26-28.].) ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. [it is uninteresting that angels in white don’t visit any more]

¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord [For the first time, I accept a Genesis-1:26-28-problem with having “my Lord” rather than “my teacher”. Lord controls: teacher empowers.] away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” [I don’t think Jesus would be that cunning toward a person.]

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). [Did she pretend to be a student of her teacher rather than a slave of her Lord?]

¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” [I think Jesus pursued, facilitated& encouraged the-good. If, so, John 1:1’s “the word was God” seems practical rather than mysterious. At the beginning of time, the-good of humankind existed. The meaning of humankind is to pursue the-good.]

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders [really?], Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” [I cannot say what Jesus meant by this: civic tranquility? His disciples’ confidence? Their acceptance in the world? Their salvation from Hell? No incentive to improve civic life? Achieving the-good? Given the responsibility to provide peace, Phil Beaver would not know what to provide. It certainly would not be incentive-less, effortless living. I can aid safety& security and consider Jesus’ peace a Jesus-mystery.] ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” [I don’t know the “peace” invocation. However, I like the reliability Jesus expresses here. It reflects John 6:38, which sustains my life’s interest in learning the practical Jesus.] ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” [Maybe “peace” means confidence in their association with the-God -- or election. I think introduction of “the Holy Spirit” confuses the peace Jesus offered. With Jesus ascended, who distributes this breath of forgiveness?]

²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” [Believe what? Jesus is God? Jesus is the anointed-one and king of Israel? Jesus yields to Christ? The church knows best for all times?]

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” [Does the-God agree with Thomas?]

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” [Believed what? That Jesus is the-God as in Verse 28?]

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. [This belief seems important to the competition with Israel. However, it does not seem critical to humankind. To humankind, it seems OK if Jesus is the-God and author of Genesis 1. Perhaps “doubting Thomas” got it correct: My Lord and my God. Perhaps humankind’s teacher to the-good is a better belief.

 Also, by attending today’s Nomads’ class, after sending the above comments, I realized that John-20’s last thought, “may have life in his name” sheds healthy doubt on the afterdeath expectations built in my youth. Christ may be for afterdeath: Jesus is for life. Furthermore, Jon Parks gave an impactful sermon on “Faithful Doubting Thomas”, today viewable on youtube.]

[I apply Genesis-1;26-28-NIV perspective to Bible interpretation -- NIV because of the phrase “so they may” in V 26. Coming from the-God, “may” implies “can”. For all I know, Yeshua is the-God, and the-God may be the-good. “For all I know” seems a casual equivalent of “I don’t know the-ineluctable-truth”. I consider my position humble to the-God, whatever it is and would appreciate opportunity to change my opinion if I need to.

I think Genesis 1:26-28 expresses Yeshua’s civic message (YCM):  Human male unites-to female human-being and their spouse-hood can& may pursue comprehensive-safety& security to the living species and to the earth (SECURITY). Every person can& may aid SECURITY, and the civic-citizen so chooses. “Civic” means reliable in human connections& transactions. Some persons neglect, partially or wholly, civic-Yeshua-appreciation, Yeshua’s-peace, and SECURITY. I don’t know that there are humans who cannot, rather than will-not, aid SECURITY. But some humans choose not to aid SECRITY.

I call Genesis-1’s message, “responsible-human-independence”, or RHI. Some human-beings, throughout history, practice, facilitate& encourage RHI. Yeshua exemplified& encouraged RHI. From the past, civic-citizens guide-us to the-good, and consequences from non-civic-persons warn-us against error. I think the-civic-Yeshua guides-us to RHI. Perhaps the authentic Yeshua merely advocated the-good.

But I don’t know the-ineluctable-truth (IDK). “Ineluctable” means: not to be avoided, changed, or resisted, collectively: I can& may choose either RHI or dependency, such as religious arrogance. I can& may be derelict.

Persons who appreciate contemporary human being (verb), during each generation, develop YCM. In other words, YCM facilitates the civic-appreciation that human being (verb) applied “before Abraham was born”, since then, and into the future. Given the question, “Was Yeshua a man?”, I respond IDK, yet value YCM, an attitude which seems sufficient& complete to my person. I advocate the-civic-Yeshua and admit YCM could be the-good. Yet the-good cannot replace the authentic Yeshua. Nor can Christ displace Yeshua. Allowing “Christ” to obfuscate Yeshua seems ruinous.

Perhaps YCM always was the-good human being (verb). Intention to the-good was present at the Big Bang, 13.7 billion years ago. There’s joy in accepting IDK, seeking the-ineluctable-evidence, and reserving humility to RHI. Joy may facilitate happiness.

It seems the-laws-of-physics& progeny (PHYSICS) constrains the consequences of each person’s choices. A person who claims to be a spirit nevertheless bleeds. Physics’ progeny includes: fundamental forces, mathematics, chemistries, biology, psychology, imagination, and their subsets. I choose to accept the-civic-Yeshua and pursue Yeshua’s “my-peace”, in-order-to commit-to and trust-in PHYSICS. For example, I work for food& shelter rather than accept what a bureaucrat might provide. Food is essential and I have no right to it. Only if I secure my energy to work can I help the indigent. I work to aid SECURITY rather than pray for an entity to usurp RHI. Make no mistake: if one of my loved ones seems threatened beyond my protection, I pray to the-God IDK.

Admitting I could be wrong, IDK, I accept that Genesis 1:26-28, NIV, urges me to constrain chaos in my way of living; in other words, urges me to the-good suggested by the-civic-Yeshua I pursue by listening to fellow-citizens. IDK, but at age 81, I perceive joy made possible by Yeshua’s direct-influence and look forward to what I can& may learn on the journey toward age 99 or more if possible and good.]

Updated 4/2/24