Sabbath School Lesson for December 14-20, 2024
Overview and Introduction of Lesson 12, The Hour of Glory: The Cross and Resurrection
Memory Text: “Then Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered , ‘You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world–to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.’ ” John 18:37 ESV
Each of the four Gospel writers feature different aspects of Christ’s death and resurrection. Matthew focuses on the fulfillment of Scripture (his audience is primarily Jewish). Mark, the youngest Gospel writer, draws parallels between His baptism and what happened at Calvary. Luke, a Gentile physician, reveals the healing, saving features of Christ’s sacrifice. And finally, John emphasizes the glorious enthronement of Jesus in heaven when He rose and went to His Father.
The first ten chapters of John cover all three and a half years of Jesus’ earthly ministry. But the second half of his Gospel slows down and only covers the last one or two weeks, His time of glory. Jesus mentioned several times that His “hour” of glory had not yet come (John 7:30, 8:22), but in John 12:27, He laments that His Father will not be able to save Him from the predicted “hour”. His purpose at that time, He told the disciples, would be to glorify His Father. Even with the Sacrifice of the Lamb of God fast approaching, it was difficult for the disciples to grasp what would happen when the “hour” would be fulfilled.
The sorrowful, last events of Christ’s life were certainly His hour of glory, and allowed Him to bear witness to the truth of the amazing love of the Father, as opposed to Satan’s cruel hatred.
Over the course of the week, these truths are presented:
- Sunday: What Is Truth?–Pilate missed an opportunity to know the truth.
- Monday: Behold the Man!–Pilate tried various ways to have Jesus released.
- Tuesday: ” ‘It Is Finished’ “–Jesus completed the purpose for which He had come.
- Wednesday: The Empty Tomb–Peter and John visited the empty tomb.
- Thursday: Jesus and Mary–Mary was the first to see the resurrected Christ.
Sunday: What Is Truth?
Pilate questioned Jesus in an attempt to find out if the accusations against Him were true. When Jesus responded that His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), Pilate assumed Jesus was claiming to be a king. Jesus then tried to explain that He was born to bear witness to the truth and everyone who is “of the truth” hears His voice (John 18:37).
Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?”, but didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, to feel like he was still in charge of the situation, he attempted to find ways to save Jesus from the crowd. His prejudice and fears caused him to bow to political pressure and miss the greatest opportunity of all–to hear the wonderful truth of salvation from the lips of Jesus.
Bible Verses:
John 18:28-32
- Why were the Jews wanting the death penalty for Jesus?
John 18:33-38
- Why didn’t Pilate wait for Jesus to explain what truth was?
- What might Jesus have answered about truth, if Pilate had given Him the chance?
Monday: Behold the Man!
Pilate tried several strategies to illicit pity for Jesus, so the crowd would agree to His release. First, he had his captive beaten, then he offered to free one prisoner since it was the Passover. Offering them the choice between Jesus and Barabbas, a hardened criminal, would surely mean Jesus would be saved from execution, the governor thought.
But instead, the emotional mob outside the Praetorium cried for the death of Jesus. Pilate, after having declared Him innocent three different times earlier, bowed to the request and allowed his soldiers to cruelly mock and beat Him. Showing them Jesus, wearing a crown of thorns and a purple robe that the soldiers had used to mock Him, Pilate once again showed them their hated enemy, exclaiming “Behold the Man!” (John 19:5).
This statement to behold Him, coming from a pagan governor, nevertheless reminds us of John the Baptist’s declaration of Jesus at His baptism, when he said “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” It’s too bad that the Jews that day were so blinded by their sins that they couldn’t recognize Him as the very One who could take away their sins.
Bible Verses:
John 18:38-19:5 and 1:29
- How do people behold (look upon) Jesus today?
- Are we doing enough to get people to look at Jesus and see Him as the Son of God, who takes away our sins? How can we do more?
Tuesday: ” ‘It Is Finished’ “
After trying everything he could to divert the verdict to one in Jesus’ favor, Pilate saw a way he could show his authority by commanding that a sign be placed above the head of Jesus on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews”. To further irritate the demanding Jews and make them known for the evil deed that was taking place, the sign was written in three languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, so all would know the reason this innocent Man was being put to death.
It’s worthy to note that before Jesus declared His mission to glorify God the Father was finished, He made sure His mother Mary would be cared for after He was gone from this earth. The disciple John was standing with the women near the cross, and he was the one chosen to care for Mary as his own mother. Honoring His mother, a commandment of God, was observed right up to the last minute of Christ’s life.
The last words out of His mouth before dying were “It is finished.” Fulfilling His earthly mission to die for our sins was at last accomplished.
Bible Verses:
John 19:17-22
- Why do you think Pilate would not change the sign as the Jews had requested?
John 19:25-27
- What did John’s presence at the cross tell us about his love for Jesus and why Jesus could entrust His mother to John’s care?
Wednesday: The Empty Tomb
All four Gospels tell us that the work of embalming Jesus’ body was delayed until after the Sabbath hours. It was only on the morning of the first day, Sunday, that it was discovered that the tomb was empty and a resurrection had taken place. It had evidently occurred recently on the first day, too, because when Jesus later appeared to Mary, He announced that He had not yet ascended to His Father in heaven. Therefore, even Christ had rested in the tomb on Sabbath, the seventh day of the week.
When the disciples were first told that the tombstone had been rolled back, Peter and John went to see for themselves if the report of the women was true. They were shocked to discover inside the tomb that the linen clothes were all that remained.
Could grave robbers be responsible for the missing body? But the tomb had been heavily guarded by Roman soldiers, and robbers are usually in too much of a hurry to leave nothing but a pile of burial clothes. When John saw the face cloth folded neatly in a pile off by itself, he suspected that something supernatural had taken place.
Bible Verses:
John 20:1-10
- Although verse 8 indicates that John “believed”, why did most of the disciples not consider yet that a resurrection had occurred (v. 9)?
Thursday: Jesus and Mary
Puzzled by what they had seen, Peter and John went back to their homes. But John records that Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb alone, crying over the missing body of Jesus. As she stooped and looked inside the tomb, she saw two angels, dressed in white, sitting at each end of where Jesus’ body had lain.
After explaining her sorrow to the two angels, Mary turned and saw a figure standing by her. Through her tears, she assumed it may have been a gardener, so she pleaded with him to return the body, if he knew where it was.
When the figure said her name, “Mary”, however, she knew instantly that it was her Lord and Master, Jesus, and she clung to Him in loving adoration. He replied that He was not ready for such worship, for He had not yet ascended to His Father. Mary hurriedly went to make known to the other disciples what she had witnessed.
Bible Verses:
John 20:11-13
- How do we know that Mary did not grasp the reason why Jesus’ body was missing?
John 20:14-18
- What took place that opened her understanding that a resurrection had occurred?
- How were her emotions changed after what she had seen and heard at the tomb?
- Why does Christ’s resurrection give us all hope and joy?
Friday: Final Thoughts
People in our day are often found asking the same question as Pilate–“What is truth?” Is there anything trustworthy in our institutions in these perilous times of shifting worldviews and political chaos? We search diligently for something reliable and solid to base our faith on.
Just as Pilate’s answer was standing right before Him, let’s not overlook our Bibles that show us plainly the truths of salvation and who Jesus was. John called Jesus the Word. Truth is no farther away than God’s Holy Book.
Let us not be impatient and headstrong as Pilate was; but instead, come searching at the empty tomb for our Lord and Savior. We will find all we need to know about Him within the pages of our Bibles.
Next Week: Epilogue–Knowing Jesus and His Word
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