Acts 3

I have in my notes that the man Peter heals is 40 years old, but I don't know how I got that information. I like to think of this through the man's eyes. He's asking for money at the temple when two men who he evidently doesn't know come up to him. He's thinking they are going to give him money. Peter says he doesn't have money, but what he does have is much more valuable and heals the man. The man is so happy, he's walking and jumping around, shouting his joy over what the Lord has done. I would think he's saying something like "I can't believe God did this, I can't believe God did this!" As he keeps hugging Peter and John, all the people come running up. They've seen this crippled man at the temple every day and know who he is and can't believe what they see.

Peter tells the people they shouldn't be so amazed. Who did this was the Savior, the same person they denied and killed. The same being who worked all the miracles in their sight, is continuing to do the same now. Then Peter says something interesting. He says, "I know that through ignorance ye had done this..." meaning they didn't realize what they were doing when they chose him over a criminal to be crucified when they could have set him free. He tells them that atonement of the Savior is in their scriptures. It was all prophesied, and now they should change and believe so their lives can be refreshed. I like that word refreshed which I think in this case means renewed. When the Lord renews our lives, he does it in the way that things will be better in the most meaningful way for us. It doesn't always coincide with what we want, but when all is said and done, we will admit that his way was the best because he knows us better than anyone.

Verse 21 is a great scripture telling of the restoration of the gospel. He says the heavens will receive the Savior until the times of restitution of all things. You can't restore something that is already there. He also says that the restoration was spoken of by all the prophets since the world began. We don't have those verses in our Old Testament today.

Acts 2

This is one of the really remarkable historical chapters in the scriptures. It is about the end of May, one week after the ascension of Christ. A large number of the followers of the Christ are met in a room with the 12 apostles. Suddenly a sound from heaven is heard and the only way they know to describe it is it's like a mighty wind rushing through the room. Light appears above each of the apostles and this too is indescribable and they say it's like tongues of fire, each of them divided in two. Then they begin speaking in tongues. This isn't gibberish, but they are speaking in the different languages of the people there. Verses 9 -11 say that more than 14 different languages are spoken. People run out of the room and spread the word and more and more people come. As with sacred experiences, some are amazed, while others mock saying the people are drunk.

Then Peter, the president of the church stands up. You can sense the majesty and power with which he speaks. He tells them it's only 9 am so it's not likely they are drunk, but in fulfillment of the prophecies of the scriptures, the Holy Ghost is being given to all people who will receive it. Peter bears a powerful testimony of Christ, of his coming from the lineage of David. This is extremely important to the Jews because they all know the Messiah must come from the house of David. He then recounts how the wicked of the Jews have crucified Christ, and how he now has resurrected, been exalted to the right hand of God, and all of them are witnesses of it.

Three thousand people feel the witness of the Holy Ghost and ask the apostles what they must do. He then explains the process that all of us must follow. That it's more than just believing something and then going on. He tells them they must repent and be baptized so they can receive the Holy Ghost. This and as we go through Acts, we will see that baptism is essential and it must be done by someone who has the authority to baptize.

In this whole experience, you can see the three ways in which God works by the Spirit with people. All of the people assembled have the light of Christ. The power of the Holy Ghost comes upon some and gives them knowledge. But the Holy Ghost will leave them after having given that knowledge. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and sanctifies those who have it and live righteously.

Those who hear Peter receive the power of the Holy Ghost and get a witness that what Peter is saying is true. So they ask him what they should do. He tells them they must repent and be baptized so that they are cleansed. Then they can receive a member of the Godhead in their lives on a permanent basis, much like a person would clean their house and in anticipation of receiving an important guest. Three thousand people are baptized on that day.

Acts 1

I like Acts because it's the action book of the New Testament. Lots of stories as well as good doctrine. From this point on, we learn not only how courageous the apostles are, but how intelligent too. These were not naive, simple minded men. These were men who could hold their own with kings, emperors and the most intelligent minds of the time. Roman and Greek intelligence was at it's height and these men were not afraid to go right to the top. We'll see Paul take on the greatest of Rome's philosophers and teachers.

In Acts 1 we learn the following:

1. Jesus was with the apostles and trained them for 40 days after his resurrection.

2. He tells them they will have the power of the Holy Ghost to witness to all of the earth concerning the Savior. They literally went to all of the known earth after that.

3. The apostles see the Savior ascend into heaven from the Mount of Olives and two angels testify that he will return to the earth in the same manner. He did when he appeared to Joseph Smith. After he ascends into heaven, he continues to lead the church by revelation to the apostles.

4. We see Peter assume leadership of the church.

5. Judas committed suicide. The accounts differ. Both say he went to the potter's field. Then says that he hanged himself, the other says that his bowels burst when he fell. It could have been a combination of both.

6. 120 people gather together including the 12 and Mary the Savior's mother. The apostles choose Matthias by revelation to replace Judas as an apostle.

John 21

The last chapter of John seems to show that the apostles are not totally converted and unsure as to when and how to start their ministry. Their total conversion will come on the day of Pentecost. I think this is how it is for all of us. We believe to one degree or another, we love the Lord, but some time in our life there will come the a witness of the Holy Ghost that will put the fire in our bones and totally convert us to the point that we are willing to sacrifice anything for the Lord.

The apostles are back at the Sea of Galilee and it's almost like they're sitting around wondering what to do and Peter gets up and says, "Well I'm going to go fishing." That's what he has done all of his life. So they all go with him. They see a person on the shore but don't realize that it's the Savior. This tells me that resurrected bodies look just like mortal bodies. Then they get the miracle of catching so much fish that the nets can't hold them.

The Savior asks Peter three times if he loves him. This is evidently a chance for Peter to make up for the three times he denied the Savior. But I think it's also a question where the Savior is calling him back to the ministry. The chief apostle had gone back to fishing and temporal things and now the Savior is saying it's time to feed his lambs. I would imagine that much training went on now. This is the eighth or ninth time the Savior has appeared after his resurrection.

The Book of Acts tomorrow. If you didn't finish John, I'd suggest that you jump to Acts.

John 20

I love this chapter. To me, this is one of the most beautiful chapters in the gospels. It not only reflects the great love the Savior had for the 12 and the others who were close to him, but how deeply they loved him. And how deeply he loves us.

I believe there was an important relationship between Mary Magdalene and the Savior. The scene of Mary and the Savior is such a tender one. There is speculation they were married and I wonder why not. If the Savior was going to be perfectly obedient to all of God's commands, why would he leave out the most important ordinance in the gospel, being sealed for time and eternity to a wife? Our Father in heaven has a wife. To follow his example, the Savior would need to have one too. This would not make him less than a God, but more of one.

Why else would Mary Magdalene get up extra early and go to the grave alone? Why would the two angels appear to her and the Savior appear to her before the First Presidency of the church? Notice how John, who is the other disciple mentioned (he's so humble), defers to Peter who is the president of the church, by allowing Peter to enter the tomb first. If protocol is important, the Savior would have first appeared to Peter. But Mary must be more important in some way than Peter and the only way that could be is if Mary had a more important relationship with the Savior. The church does not put that forth as doctrine, but I think it's widely held among gospel scholars in the church and among general authorities.

There is also speculation as to why the Savior said "Touch me not; for I am no yet ascended to my Father." Some translate that as hold me not (the JST). But that could mean embrace, it could mean "don't delay me." I personally think protocol is being observed here. As much as they would have liked to embrace, the privilege of that first embrace belonged to the Father. It makes sense to me that the first to embrace the Savior after his completed work and his resurrection would be the Father. That would be a very important moment for both of them, more important than we can imagine. When you think of what the Savior went through not just for us, but to fulfill the Father's will, that embrace would be the most tender and emotional moment of all.

Since all things have been completed and the apostles and others see the resurrected Lord, now they can understand the resurrection fully with the right perspective. They couldn't have understood his resurrection until they had witnessed it. With all things complete, there is no reason to hold back giving them the Holy Ghost (verse 22). The Lord does this and I'm sure the Holy Ghost gave them a witness concerning the resurrection even though a complete witness of all things may not come until the day of pentecost.

When the Savior does not condemn Thomas for not believing until Thomas saw and touched the Savior for himself, it shows how merciful and understanding the Lord is. Thomas must have done a lot of thinking and soul searching in the eight days between the Savior appearing to the other apostles and when he appeared to him.

The last verse, 31, sums up what it all means for us. All that John has written is so that we can know and believe that Jesus is the Christ and the promise of everlasting life is real and true. What John has written is proof for us that his life, his teachings, his atonement, and his physical (not just his spirit) resurrection is true and it happened and we will be resurrected and can return to the Father too. Deep in your heart, you know this is true. You knew it without doubt before this life. But it's possible to reach through the veil and find that knowledge again because it is there.

John 19

I'm impressed with how cruel the Romans were. They looked upon the Jews as a servant state and considered them a lesser people. But Pilate has been warned by his wife about Jesus not to harm him, he is impressed with the Savior, finds no fault in him and insists that the title King of the Jews be placed on his cross against the wishes of the Jewish leaders. In spite of all this, he still has him scourged. Why scourge someone just because it's the custom to do so to all prisoners? If he was impressed with Jesus, why do it? He could easily have said do not harm him. He could easily have said, I find no fault in him and I am releasing him. He is your problem not mine. But when the Jewish leaders accuse him of not respecting Caesar, then he fears for his own position. Elder Maxwell was right when he said never were Pilate's hands more dirtiy than when he washed them.

One thing I've noticed is that those making the most noise about having the Savior crucified are the chief priests and officers. I wonder how much of the main body of the Jewish population were even aware of what was going on? Should we condemn the entire Jewish nation or just their religious leaders for the crucifixion? On the other hand, he had so many followers. Thousands of them. Why did they not rise up and fight for him?

The puzzling thing to me is, it had to be this way. The Savior came purposely to die this kind of death. I know it fulfills prophecy, that it was necessary in the Lord's eyes, but I wish he wouldn't have had to die such a cruel death. He had to descend below all things and this was evidently the worst and most humiliating way ever devised for a person to die.

I'm impressed with John's humility. He doesn't say that the disciple mentioned in verses 26 and 27 is him, but evidently it was. It was John who stood by Mary and Mary Magdalene, probably to comfort them as much as to be with the Savior. It was to John that Jesus turned over the care of his mother to. And it was John that Savior loved evidently in a way that was deeper than the others disciples.

John 18

I wonder if John does not mention the last supper because for him it was too sacred an experience. He was the one who rested his head on the Savior's chest and he seems to have had a deeper love for the Savior. What's different in John's account is that when Judas brings the officers and other men from the Pharisees and chief priests, the Savior asks them who they are seeking and when the Savior says "I am he," they all fall to the ground in fear and Jesus has to tell them to go ahead and do what they must do. We also learn that Malchus is the soldier's name who Peter cuts off his ear with his sword. But John doesn't mention that the Savior heals Malchus. I think the reason John mentions his name is because Malchus becomes a member of the church and comes to know John. There's nothing in the scriptures to support that. But it's a good possibility.

John also mentions that he (at least Bible scholars agree that it was him) followed the Savior with Peter. When the Savior was taken inside to Annas, the high priest and father in-law of Caiaphus, Peter must remain outside but John is allowed inside because Annas knows him. This is evidently how we know what happened and what was said once the Savior is inside.

Annas wants to trap the Savior in blaspheme by getting him to state some false doctrine, but the Savior says he always taught in the open for anyone to hear and Annas can ask anyone what he taught and find out if he taught anything that was evil. Obviously Annas doesn't know how to handle him so he sends him to Caiaphus who is equally frustrated and Caiaphus seends him to Pilate.

When Jesus is before Pilate, he tells him that he came into the world to bear witness unto the truth. Pilate then rhetorically asks, "What is truth?" That is the great excuse of the world, that you can't know the truth because there is no absolute truth. It differs for each person. There can't be a true church, because people are too different and what is true for one person isn't going to be true for the next. The Savior teaches that the truth is in him. That people, through him, can know what is true and what isn't. A church that has revelation will have the truth. At the beginning of Acts after the Savior's death, it states that the Savior continued to direct his church by revelation through the apostles. That is the way he continues to reveal truth. So if you want the truth, you have to find the church that has revelation. How fortunate we are to belong to that church.