We are about to embark on a journey through the final day of CHRIST's life on earth. It is an out-of-print, uncopyrighted study originally written by John W. Lawrence, Th. M. There is no date given, but it would appear to have been written in the late 60's or early 70's.
I am thankful to GOD, and to a dear old saint of GOD who had only recently lost her pastor, her husband before she gave me a large portion of his library consisting of these Bible studies, a huge reel-to-reel tape library (pray that I can get a tape player that will allow me to transcribe these studies and sermons for our 3BSB family).
So many of these fine materials have already been a blessing to many as they have read them and as the Lord prospers my health we will be presenting many more over the coming months and years.
Now let us come together for the purpose of breaking the bread of life as we examine the final day of our Lord's earthly life and consider the total unfairness and illegality of the travesty that human sin wrought upon our SAVIOUR. But greatest of all, let us rejoice as we find Him faithful, and obedient, and fit to go to the old rugged cross and purchase for each one of us -- our salvation and eternal life.
PREFACE - written by Mr. Lawrence
You are about to take a journey that is entirely different from any that you have ever taken before. Few have ever experienced what you are about to experience as you walk with CHRIST through a day of His life. Keep reading until you are standing there beside Him this particular night of human history.
There has never been another twenty-four hour period like this before in all of time, and there shall never be another. Everything in Scripture moves either toward this day, or everything moves away from it. It stands as the one plus ultra of time.
Something of the importance of this day can be seen by taking a moment to examine the extent to which Scripture covers it at length. For instance, in the four Gospels we have 4 chapters devoted to the first thirty years of CHRIST's life, while we have 85 chapters devoted to the last three and a half years He was on this earth. The emphasis is clearly on the last week.
Of the 85 chapters devoted to the three and a half year ministry of CHRIST, 56 chapters are given to the entire period up to the last week, while 29 chapters concern the last week alone. The emphasis is clearly upon the last day.
But let us carry this one step further. The events of the last day are given in a total of 584 verses in the four Gospels. Of these, 219 are devoted to the betrayal, arrest and the six trials with the remaining 365 given to all the other events of the day which include the passover supper and teaching ministry of CHRIST in the upper room, the Lord's supper, the high priestly prayer of John 17, the prayers in Gethsemane, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion together with all the events of the cross, and finally the tomb and burial. Something of the emphasis on the arrest and trials can be observed also by considering the time involved. The betrayal had to take place between 2 and 2:30 A.M., and we shall discover that the trials were concluded by approximately 6:30 in the morning. This makes less than a five hour period, leaving 19 hours for all the events of the day. If the entire day was covered as extensively as this period, twice as such would have been written in Scripture.
Anyway one looks at it, these trials are the emphasis of the HOLY SPIRIT's writing of Scripture in reference to the life of CHRIST. Yet, even though this is true, very few have made an effort to write upon them, and even less to thoroughly study them. An effort is made in these following studies to correct this. Take time with an open Bible to read all the Scriptures. It is not the comments about the Scripture that is important, but the Scriptures themselves. Take time to meditate upon these things. Re-live them in your life. Become familiar with everything that happened and you will be richly rewarded. Having concluded the study of these trials we will endeavor to discover why so much space is devoted to them. The message is vital, and, furthermore, it is practical.