Tea Time For Your Soul - A Women's Devotional

During the last week of Jesus’ life He was questioned about the resurrection by the Sadducees. Jesus began His response to them with these words; You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. It is exciting to think that millions of people are seeing “The Passion of the Christ” movie by Mel Gibson. It is important that we do not let a movie or the traditions of man replace our knowledge of the Scriptures. We don't want to be in error because we do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. In fact, personally knowing the Scriptures is the power of God in your life.

It is clear to me that Mel Gibson and his co-author were diligent students of the Scriptures when they wrote this screenplay. As I've looked up passages to learn the truth about different scenes from the movie, it has become apparent that they knew their subject. In fact, I had never taken notice that Judas hung himself after Jesus had been condemned. The movie portrays the actions of Judas in this regard in chronological order, and helped provide a detail I had missed through my many years of reading over this event.

I enjoy reading a meditation of the Stations of the Cross by Henri Nouwen during Lent. When I first started reading this meditation, I often took things for granted. For example in the Stations of the Cross three of them are of Jesus falling beneath the weight of the cross. I knew that the station of the Veil of Veronica was from a Christian tradition and not in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, but I thought it was written somewhere between these four gospels that Jesus fell three different times. Yet, when I went back to find Scriptures to enrich my meditation of these three falls, I realized that it doesn't even say that Jesus fell under the weight of the cross once. The Stations of the Cross meditation is the efforts of man to enrich our understanding of the events of those last six hours of Jesus’ life. They inspired me to read about the events from scripture. It was Mel Gibson’s personal meditations of the Stations of the Cross that inspired the movie “The Passion of the Christ.”

I encourage you not to be in error like the Sadducees because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. A movie, a meditation, a weekly devotional are not enough for you to know the Scriptures personally, or the power of God. You need to be in the Word yourself. My tradition during Lent is to read the four gospels and all the material that contain the last week of Jesus’ life beginning at Dinner in Bethany until His assention into heaven after His resurrection. I love meditating on Jesus’ last week of life during Lent as it opens the doors to deeper appreciation and celebration of Easter. I encourage you not to be in error. Know the Scriptures and the Power of God. Below is a guide written by Darrell Bock that helps you study the Scriptures in relationship to the scenes from the movie the passion. Whether you plan to see the movie or not, I hope you will review these Scriptures and create your own movie in your mind honoring your Savior Who gave Himself for you.

Scene-by-Scene 'Passion' Reference Guide By Darrell Bock
Gethsemene	Mt 26:36-46; Mk 14:32-42; Lk 22:39-46
Disciples sleep	Mt 26:40, 45; Mk 14:37,41; Lk 22:45
Judas with priests	Mt 26:14-16; Mk 14:10-11; Lk 22:2-3
Back to prayer in Gethsemene	prayer like the Psalms
* Dialogue with Satan in Gethsemene
Flashback: serpent's head crushed by Jesus	(allusion to Gen 3:15)
Arrest of Jesus	Jn 18:5-6 cited
Jesus Asks Judas about betrayal with a kiss	Lk 22:48
Fight with Malchus losing ear	Jn 18:10
Jesus tells Peter to put sword away	Mt 26:52
Malchus' ear healed	Lk 22:51
* Mary awakes as Jesus suffers	Jewish Passover liturgy used
* Peter and Machus face to face
* Jesus and Judas face to face
* Payment to people to come to courtyard
Jesus before Jewish leaders [* at temple locale]	Mt 26:57; Mk 14:53; Lk 22:54; Jn 18:13
* Two Marys among the soldiers
Dream of Pilate's wife	Mt 27:19
* Flashback: Jesus as carpenter and Mary
Examination by Jews	Mt 26:57-68; Mk 14:53-65; Lk 22:54-71
Charges collage (does magic, casts out demons by demons; such charges appear earlier in the gospels)	Mk 3:22; Mt 12:24; Lk 11;15; claims to be bread of life- John 6
Is this how you speak to High Priest?	Jn 18:22
Said he would destroy the temple	Mt 26:61; Mk 14:58
Debate over witnesses on temple charge	Mt 26:59-60
* Jesus defended by some Jews
High Priest: Are you the Christ?	Mk 14:61
I am and you will see the Son of Man	Mk 14:62
Clothes ripped and blasphemy charge	Mt 26:67-68; Mk 14:63-64
Mocking by High Priest (and others)	Mt 26:67-68; Mk 14:65
Peter's denials	Mt 26:69-75; Mk 14:66-72; Lk 22:56-62; Jn 18:25-27
Flashback: Peter I will go where you go	Mt 26:33; Mk 14:29; Lk 22:33
* Peter meets with Mary and confesses denials
Judas offers back money	Mt 27:5
* Judas confronted by kids/demons
* Mary kisses floor/Jesus hangs by chains
* Pilate's wife pleads to him not to hurt Galilean
* Pilate refers to Jewish rabble
Jesus before Pilate	Lk 23:2-5
Collage of charges	Sabbath charge is earlier in gospels
Claims to be Messiah	Lk 23:2
Do not pay Rome tribute	Lk 23:2
Pilate: Charge him by your own law	Jn 18:31
Leaders press for a charge	Mk 15:3; Luke 23:5
Pilate: no charge worthy of death	Lk 23:4
Pilate: What is truth discussion with Jesus	Jn 18:38
Pilate sends to Herod	Lk 23:6-12
Herod glad to see Jesus and wishes to see a miracle	Lk 23:8
* Herod: Are you the one whose birth was foretold?
Jesus mocked	Lk 23:10-11
* Pilate discusses issue of truth with Claudia
* Pilate deliberates his dilemma
Jesus back before Pilate	Lk 23:13-16
Pilate declares his innocence with Herod	Lk 23:15
Barabbas or Jesus	Mt 27:15-23; Mk 15:6-14; Lk 23:17-23
Barabbas freed	Mt 27:20-21, 27; Mk 15;11, 15; Lk 23:18-23, 25; Jn 18:40
Jesus beaten in attempt to avoid crucifixion (This is proposed in Scripture, timing of scourging is not entirely clear, whether before or after sentence to crucify)	Mt 27:28-31; Mk 15:19; Mt 27:26; Mk 15:15
Pilate: "Behold the man"	Jn 19:5
* Jesus: "My heart is ready, Lord"
* Satan amidst the leadership and soldiers
* Mary: "when will you be delivered from this"
* Pilate's wife brings cloth to Mary
* Satan walks with baby in arms
* Mary wipes up Jesus' blood after scourge
* Flashback: Mary Magdalene as woman caught in adultery	(Jn 7:53-8:11, but the woman is not named)
Flashback: Footwashing by Jesus	Jn 13;1-20
Flashback: Promise of Holy Spirit	Jn 14:15-24
Crown of Thorns and mocking	Mt 27:29; Mk 15:17
Jews: We have no king but Caesar	Jn 19:15
Jesus to Pilate: You have no power but what is given from above	Jn 19:11a
Jesus to Pilate: He who delivered me has the greater sin	Jn 19:11b
Pilate washes hands	Mt 27:24
Flashback: Last Supper	Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:15-20
* Son of your handmaid
Cross to Golgotha	Mt 27:31b-32; Mk 15:20b-21; Lk 23:26-32
Flashback: Palm Sunday	Mt 21;1-9; Mk 11:1-10; Lk 19:28-40; Jn 12;12-19
* Mary and Company following Jesus with Satan in crowd
* Flashback: Mary rescues a falling Jesus as child
* Jesus: "See I make all things new"	allusion to Rev 21:5
* Jewish girl tries to bring Jesus water
Mourning women	Lk 23:26-32
Simon of Cyrene helps with cross	Mt 27:31b-32; Mk 15:20-b-21; Lk 23:26
* Simon defends Jesus and tells them to stop
Golgotha	Mt 27:33; Mk 15:22; Lk 23:33; Jn 19:17
Flashback: Sermon on Mount and forgive persecutors	Mt 5:44; Lk 6:27-28
Flashback: I am the Good Shepherd	Jn 10:11
Flashback: Last Supper	Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:15-20
* Cross falls forward to secure nails (also nails would go in wrists not middle of hands)
The plaque on the cross	Jn 19:19-20; Lk 23:38; Mk 15:26; Mt 27:37
Flashback: last supper and cup	Mt 26:27-28; Mk 14:24; Lk 22:20
Jesus: Forgive them, they know not what they do	Lk 23:34
Thief mocks Jesus	Lk 23:39
Chief priests mock (not just High Priest)	Mt 27:41-42; Mk 15:31-32; Lk 23:35
Confessing thief	Lk 23;40-42
Jesus to confessing thief: Today in paradise	Lk 23:43
* Someone to mockers: Listen he prays for you
* Bird plucks out eyes of mocking thief
Darkness	Mt 27:45; Mk 15:33; Lk 23;44
Casting lots for clothes	Mt 27:35; Mk 15:24
* Mary kisses Jesus' feet
* Mary cries to Jesus
Jesus: "I thirst"	Jn 19:28
Offer of gall to drink	Mt 27:34; Mk 15:23
Jesus: "Woman behold your son"	Jn 19:26-27
Jesus: "My God, my God…..	Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34
Jesus: "It is accomplished"	Jn 19:30
Jesus: "Into your hands I commit my Spirit	Lk 23:46
* One tear from heaven
Earthquake	Mt 27:51
* Temple cracks in two
* Satan cries out in pain
Spear in side (Blood and water)	Jn 19:31-34
* The three take Jesus from the cross with another
Empty Tomb/Resurrection	Mt 28; Mk 16; Lk 24; Jn 20