GEMS TO HELP US PROVE DEATH TO BE BUT AN ILLUSION!
USE BIBLICAL EXAMPLES AS SPRINGBOARDS FOR MODERN-DAY PROOFS!
Insights by Cobbey Crisler and others** for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“Probation After Death”
for October 24, 2021
(shared with Janet Crisler’s blessing) by Warren Huff
CedarS Executive Director Emeritus warren@cedarscamps.org
BE MOVED & IMPROVED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN YOUR NEXT 40 DAYS OF TESTING!
Cobbey Crisler on the Golden Text/Acts 1:2, 3 (verse 2 repeated from last week’s citation B18)
“I’m sure you realize the Book of Acts is a second volume of a two-volume work, the first volume being, Luke, right! … it was a gospel such as we have. And the progress of the gospel, narrative wise, would take us, according to Verse 2, “until the day in which he was taken up after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen.” …
Now, probably the most extensive use of the concept and phrase Holy Ghost is in the Book of Acts. So, we’re talking about not only church but a very close relationship to church of the concept of Holy Ghost. So, let’s review that a bit. The word Ghost in Greek is pneuma. …
But, pneuma is spirit, or ghost, or wind, or breath, or air – and very much associated with movement, isn’t it? For instance, you know how the Bible opens: “The spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (See Gen 1:2 below)
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters
And then, look what happened in the next seven days, rather remarkable accomplishments. So, the pneuma is/has something to do with movement.
And even the definition of prophesy, given to us in Second Peter in the first chapter, tells us that prophesy really is the result of holy men of God being moved by the Holy Ghost. Alright, now we’ll see several examples of that movement as we go through.
Reviewing the narrative in the gospel at the end, how many days between the resurrection and the ascension did Jesus have to get across to his students what they apparently had failed to get during the preceding three years? (Murmurs from audience) 40 days. Right.”
“After the Master, What? – The Book of Acts,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
CHERISH UNIVERSAL HUMANITY—DO GOOD FOR ALL MANKIND WITH A “WALK TO EMMAUS” KNOWLEDGE AND SPIRIT! Cobbey Crisler on part of Responsive Reading/Acts 10:34-42 (+ relevant verses)
“Acts 10, verse 34, begins a lecture or sermon to the first group of Gentiles. And the opening statement that Peter makes is one that could be well considered by every denomination of Christianity today… Here Peter expressed his new view of God, that God is no respecter of persons, that God speaks to receptivity.
Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
This new view of God, of course, leads to this next question: Should man as well be no respecter of persons? This is a tradition-shattering concept.
And Acts 10, verse 35, Peter summarizes it by saying “in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” …
Then he begins to explain to Cornelius and the friends and acquaintances of Cornelius, the history of early Christianity. “The beginning of Christianity is traced from Galilee after John’s baptism, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth.” … Of course, that word “anointed” immediately identifies Jesus as the Messiah. This is a point that Peter is obviously going to get across to this Gentile audience that would need some instruction in this. (See below)
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
And you find in Acts 10, verse 43, he does that by stating that “all the prophets had given witness to the Messiah, namely Jesus.”…
As soon as Peter gets into this “Walked to Emmaus” approach, in other words the comprehension of Jesus’ role in the earlier scripture, we find in Acts 10, verse 44 that “the Holy Ghost falls on all the listeners.” …
It wasn’t Peter’s idea that this should happen; it’s at the Holy Ghost’s initiative. This is disturbing to some of those that came with Peter: Jewish Christians.
And we will find it becomes even more disturbing to other elements in the church later on, for this is a departure. The question underlying this event is “Should the church be parochial or universal?” Is it simply a sect of Judaism or an outcome of Judaism, or is it the fulfillment of God’s will as expressed in prophecy with its ultimate mission to embrace universal humanity?”
“After the Master What? – The Book of Acts” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
BE MADE ALIVE by CHRIST’s EXAMPLE that SOLVES ALL PROBLEMS of a FALLEN ADAM-man! Cobbey Crisler on I Corinthians 15:22 (postlude to I Cor. 15:20/citation B2)
[Cobbey:] “…If our thesis as presented is accurate, that the implication of Paul’s statement in I Corinthians 15:22: “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” presents problem and solution, or remedy. Then one of the greatest research jobs awaiting all of us is to get back into that problem called Adam which we’re all wrestling with.
“Just make a list of everything you detect that Adam did wrong mentally and physically. Because, if it is true that Jesus’ mission was to remedy the Adam man and wipe that alternative off the face of man’s consciousness, then everything that Adam did wrong which was upside down Jesus is going to put right side up and prove that man is upright. Many things may occur to you, for instance in the initial phases of such a list which we could just touch upon. Adam’s problem occurred in what environment? The garden of Eden. Where did Jesus face down and confront that Adam- problem? The Garden of Gethsemane. Is this a coincidence? Is Gethsemane intended to be the remedy for the problems of Eden in our own thinking? I love in that context to remember Isaiah’s words [Isaiah 1:29] when he says, “Ye shall be confounded for the gardens ye have chosen.” Eden, Gethsemane.
“Adam’s problem, though, is probably symbolized most graphically by what? He had been told not to do something, what was it? “Not to eat of that tree” [Genesis 3:3]. Instead he went and did it. The disobedience, doing one’s own will, would have to be totally remedied right up with the same even greater peak pressure on a humanhood that had just announced to the world that the way to get out of this Adam-mess is to yield to God’s will regardless of the pressure upon you, so [it’s] doing God’s will versus doing one’s own will. (“Jesus presented the ideal man… By his obedience to God he demonstrated more spiritually than all others the Principle of being.” (cit. S7/25:16)
“The tree of knowledge of good and evil. You know that the New Testament refers several times to the cross as the tree, that they nailed Jesus to the tree [Acts 13:29; 1Peter 2:24]. Interesting symbolism. The attempt to nail Jesus as if he were one more in the dying race of Adam, to be nailed to death, and that’s the termination and the end of anything that he would offer man radically as salvation. Jesus could not be nailed on the cross any more than God’s man could be nailed on the cross, and thus his theology was exemplified.
“Do you remember, – just things like this to show you how much fun this work can be as well – part of the curse on Adam [Genesis 3:17,18] was that thorns will be brought forth unto him. Did Jesus have to face Adam’s thorns on that weekend?
“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread…dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return” [Genesis 3:19]. The grave was the pressure of the dust he was to return to. There are many other details showing the complete reversal of the Adam. It’s as if the highest sense of mind on earth, which had relinquished its right to mind except by reflection, is turning everything right side up just as we do visually. That topic is far from being exhausted. In fact, what can exhaust an infinite reservoir? It’s one thing about supply in the Bible. It’s never consumed. Therefore, there are no consumers.
“We’re going to review the actual events of the Gethsemane experience and see some of the differences. What Jesus faced, what he was remedying, why he was there and see that we must, just for gratitude’s sake alone, have a stake in that Gethsemane, pioneer work. But then we must take it beyond this. We must go and do likewise.
“Matthew 26:30 “When they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.” A hymn before Gethsemane. That shows the value Jesus places on such an uplifting of thought through the conjoining of music and words. The meaning that is often conveyed even more deeply to us when we have that unity of soul expressed by thought in that manner…
“…Jesus could say in part of that hymn that he sang before Gethsemane which is locatable in the later psalms, is still sung today at Passover, that he needed not to fear what man or flesh could do. Out of that experience flowed the oil that is still blessing us, is still being utilized. We’re not in an oil crisis today if we’re in the way with Jesus. We maybe at a “parting of the ways,” the meaning of the word crisis. We may be challenged regularly and often to make our right decisions, our right choice, our Gethsemane decision.
“Then, the result of no longer bowing down to a human will, no longer seeing within us any domination by others through their human will, but filled with the Holy Ghost’s own message, the angel that strengthens Jesus at that moment, according to Luke. That angel awaits to strengthen us today.
“The world with its creaky joints awaits, needs, yearns, for more Christ-oil to be poured from the thoughts and lives of those who have made the decision, are continuing to make the decision, and are moving from Gethsemane at the base of the Mount of Olives to the summit of the Mount of Olives where Jesus himself ascended. We never have to budge from that mount. It represents both cross and crown, both problem and solution. And therefore, that oil which negates the experience of the cross and delivers the crown shows us that those two symbols, as precious as they are in Scripture, are inseparable. If the cross represents the problem, and the crown the solution, then intertwined they deliver that simple message to me, problem solved. That is the result of the Gethsemane decision.”
“The Gethsemane Decision,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
“HE IS RISEN!” SO, EASTER GLADNESS IS ON! YOUR RESURRECTION CANNOT BE CANCELLED! Cobbey Crisler insights on John 20:1-12+/cit. B5]
John 20:1, “Womanhood appears at the tomb.” Where are the male disciples?
They don’t seem to be around.
In John 20:2 “The first message from Mary Magdalene is they’ve stolen the body and we don’t know where they’ve taken it.”
John 20:3, “Peter,” and notice who else, “and that other disciple come to the sepulcher.”
John 20:4, “And they have a race.” These little homely details give you an indication of authorship. “They ran both together, “but guess who outran Peter? “The other disciple.” The author may not mention, saying, “That’s me.” But we do have recorded for history that this, “other disciple did outrun Peter to the sepulcher. “
John 20:5. This other disciple who some have taken obviously to refer to John,
“Stooping down, and looking in, he sees the linen clothes there but he doesn’t go in.”
John 20:6, “But Peter, woomph, right in.” He didn’t wait on ceremony, which was kind of what we’re used to in Peter. “Simon Peter comes in; he sees also the linen clothes lie there.”
John 20:7, again a homely detail, or incident, but a vital point to understand in comprehending what went on within that tomb. Because the death barrier was broken for all time. The Son of Man proved that the God-given dominion of Genesis 1 included dominion over the last enemy.
The word “gospel” in secular Greek, according to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, is “a technical word for the news of victory.” Think of the gospel that emerged from that tomb, the ultimate news that the crown of victory could and does always surmount and encircle even the cross.
But those “linen clothes” are important too. Because they show the human sense of order that was part of Jesus’ character. “The napkin, that had been about his head, lying in a separate place from the linen clothes, everything wrapped together in a place by itself. ” I’m inclined to feel that if any of us had undergone such an experience, like a resurrection, we would have burst from the tomb and headed for the nearest telephone, and not cared too much what the precincts we had left looked like. But Jesus did not leave until all humanly reflected that sense of divine order which he lived and felt.
Read John 20:9 and you will see how important the walk to Emmaus is for the progress of Christianity (Luke 24:13-31). The author here confesses that “they were unaware of the Scripture that Jesus must rise again from the dead,” even though every gospel attests to the fact that Jesus had told his students what would occur.
“That shows what is required of listeners.
Not just for their ears to work normally, not just to hear, but to listen and to comprehend deeply what is said.
“So what did Peter and John, the big guns, so to speak of Jesus’ group of close disciples, what did they do faced with this open tomb?
John 20:10 says, “they went away again unto their own home.”
“Before we totally blame those two disciples for their inadequate response to such a unique barrier-shattering event, let’s check our own motives, our own thoughts, when faced with such news of victory. Even when we hear such news read in church, or referred to in a sermon, or textual reading, do we then just go away “unto our own home”? Christianity would never have gotten anywhere if the disciples had remained in their own home or in their fishing boats.
That word “resurrection” in Greek is anastasis, which means literally, “a step upwards.” Fortunately, if manhood was not ready for the news of resurrection, if manhood was not ready for such a “step upwards,” womanhood was.
John 20:11 tells us that Mary Magdalene, who had maintained a vigil all night, “stood outside that sepulcher and she was weeping.” Earlier, she had given the news the tomb had been empty, and the body probably stolen. Now, for the first time, she did what Peter and John had done earlier, “she stooped down,” showing
that the narrow entrance to the tomb, closed by the rolling stone, was not even the height of Mary. “And she looked into the sepulcher.”
John 20:12. There in the same place she had looked not very long before, and had seen nothing but the material details of the tomb, “Mary saw two angels.” Were they there when Peter and John looked? Were they a reflection, perhaps, of the receptivity of Mary to resurrection?
John 20:13, “The angels speak directly to her and ask her why she’s crying. She explains, they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”
In John 20:14 notice what happens to Mary. The language here expresses a change in her entire attitude. “It says, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing,” But as is the case in all the resurrection appearances, “she doesn’t recognize him at first.”
John 20:15. Then Jesus addresses her in his characteristic way, the way he addresses all women. There is no other example of this form of address in all of ancient literature. It is a rather impersonal form of address, almost as if Jesus were addressing womanhood, not only individually, but generically, “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?” Still, Mary, being in the midst of the garden belonging to Joseph of Aramathea, thought perhaps that she was talking to the care taker, the gardener. She said, “Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. ” What a bold gesture for a woman, undoubtedly of slight stature, to offer to carry away the dead weight of a man’s body!
John 20:16. At that point, Jesus requires Mary to turn herself completely from that tragic sense of defeat and death in that one word, “Mary.” John tells us that “Mary turned herself and said, Rabboni; Master.” And what that word Master meant! Who else had proved and lived the meaning of that word like Jesus? Now, even the Master of the last enemy. But that one word, and the love behind it,
“‘Mary, ‘caused her to turn herself.”
In John 20:17, Jesus is saying, “Touch me not,” indicating that now was not the time to lower the sense of love to emotion. In fact, he says, “I am not yet ascended to my Father, ” showing that he still was aware that steps of progress were needed between the resurrection and the ascension. As a step upward was the victory over death, ascension is the final or ultimate victory, not over death alone, but over the grave. For Jesus left not even bodily evidence of his earthly sojourn.
Jesus gives Mary Magdalene a mission, a mission that violates the very social practice and custom of that age. By those customs woman were not qualified and not permitted to bear witness in a court of law. Mary, to Jesus, had qualified as a witness, to his resurrection. She was the one who was there. Receptivity is the qualification.
Look at the message he entrusted to her. “Go to my brethren, “Go to manhood, and be this witness, “and say unto them, literally, I am ascending unto my Father, and your Father.” Think of that literal statement, “I am ascending.” He realized obviously that this was a matter of growth even for him.
John 20:18, “While Mary does obediently go to the disciples. ” She carried out her mission. She explained to them, “she had seen the Lord, and what had been said to her.”
John 20:19. Then there is a gap. “That same day at evening, the disciples trembling in their boots for fear of the Jews, behind closed doors,” but those doors could not be closed and locked to Jesus. “Suddenly, without regard for those material obstacles or barriers, called locked doors, Jesus appears in the midst of them.” Could a door be a barrier to one who had proved death itself was no barrier?”
“Book of John: A Walk with the Beloved Disciple” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
FEEL the “WOW” of SEEING “THE GREAT ARCHITECT’S” PLANS FULFILLED “to a T!*”
Take YOUR OWN “Walk thru the Bible” as divinely-designed to fully invigorate willing listeners.
Cobbey Crisler on how Luke 24:14+ (cit. B7) & Old Testament prophesies perfectly fit Jesus:
Download a chart (from above, right) to discover Messianic prophesies that fit Jesus “to a T!*”
*“Fits to a T!” derives either from “fits to a T-square” or “fits to a tittle” (Matt. 5:17, 18 KJV)
[Cobbey:] “I hope you have your Bibles with you in your laps, opened first to Luke 24…
[Warren: Download first (from a CedarS inspirational webpage to right & above) a chart of Messianic Old Testament prophesies that fit Jesus “to a T!*”] … Because, I (Cobbey) want you to be sure I’m not making it up as I go along. Everyone should come to his or her own conclusions … We’re dealing with discovery, which is the only real method of education. And religion, for so many years, forgot there was such a thing as discovery and dealt in dogma.
“The little word that I work the hardest to hear is …“Wow!” … What does “Wow!” signify? Something’s happening that’s already within, that awakened… It’s discovery, isn’t it? Dogma never gives you discovery; therefore, dogma never gives you “Wow!” It gives you “bow-wow.” Dogma is “bow-wow.”
“Alright, now, Luke 24 gives us the only significant account of the walk to Emmaus … “So, we can be very grateful to Luke. …The theory which I will present to you is that the spark that eventually caught flame in Christianity spreading throughout the known globe, started on that walk to Emmaus. Now, let’s see if we can prove that.
[W:] LINKS BELOW are to SHORTEN FOR YOU this ALREADY-LONG, GEM-OFFERING:
[W: Click 1 of 3 Find how to Wow & Woo Wanderers on your “Walk to Emmaus” YouTube Luke 24 cit. B15]
And/OR
[W: Click 2 of 3 on how Jesus fit the prophesy of being like Moses Deut. 18:15.]
And/OR
[W: Click 3 of 3 for the WOW of Jesus cross-referencing on the cross Psalm 22, 30, 69.]
And/OR
[W: Contact Cobbey’s widow, Janet Crisler, at janetcrisler7@gmail.com for how to get your own editions of Cobbey’s talks & transcript-books, including a full “The Walk to Emmaus.”]
ACCEPT THE RISEN JESUS’ COMMISSIONS TO BRING ABOUT RESULTS
Cobbey Crisler on citation B9, Mark 16:15-20 (plus preview verses 8, 14:
“Most of the early copies, if not all the early copies of Mark, end with Verse 8. It ends on a rather uncertain note, “They were afraid.” A longer ending from Verses 9 to 20 is included in other copies. Also, there are excerpts appended here or there as if early editors didn’t know where these belonged, but they were handed down as part of the Markan tradition.
After Verse 8 is an example. You can see this in the Revised Standard Version in a footnote. It reads, “But they reported briefly to Peter and those with him, all that they had been told. After then, Jesus himself sent out by means of them east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.”
One codex has this placed after Verse 14, “But they excused themselves, saying, this age of lawlessness and unbelief lies under the sway of Satan who will not allow what lies under the unclean spirits to understand the truth and power of God. Therefore, they said to Christ, Reveal your righteousness now. Christ answered them, The term of years for Satan’s power has now expired. But other terrors are now at hand. I was delivered to death on behalf of sinners that they might return to the truth, and sin no more. That they might inherit that glory of righteousness which is spiritual and imperishable in heaven.”
“That translation is by Moffett. It is an early one. It is one manuscript.
Verse 17. The gospel of Mark ends with deeds, not words. “These signs shall follow them that believe.” There’s one of our foundational points again (Mark 1:15). Those who believe will have signs that follow. Otherwise we’re not believers.
“We can say all we want, “We’re believers m Jesus Christ,” but we’re not unless signs are following. That is Jesus’ own definition of a believer.
“All of these signs are fulfilled in the Book of Acts except the sign regarding poison. This was accomplished in an early Christian tradition by Barsebus. He was forced to drink poison and recovered without any problem. So, we have “the new tongues.”
Verse 18. The ”taking up of serpents, the drinking any deadly thing,” even a poisonous chemical! Look at that in the environment today. “And be healed.” It’s a sign that follows those that believe.
Why are we leaving our environment untouched by the Holy Spirit?
Why aren’t we seeing the Spirit there, and therefore, liberty?
Verse 19. The ascension then is very briefly mentioned.
Verse 20. We find the apostolic works follow the apostolic words. They are inseparable. “They went forth, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.”
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“Amen,” meaning this is the truth. And if it is the truth, we know it makes us free. That gospel can be freed from the page on which it is written and enter our own embodied lives, and be seen worldwide in results.
Satan, as Jesus was alleged to have said, “His term has expired.” Let’s live like the term of evil has expired and take joy in that exultant victory.
Yes, from that very shout on the cross. Some people think Jesus is shouting in pain. But one commentator says the Greek word is a shout of victory.
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That’s the gospel, the good news of victory.”
“What Mark Recorded” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
[W: You can buy your own transcripts of most of Cobbey’s 28 talks at a new website: www.crislerlibrary.co.uk Email your order or inquiry directly to Janet Crisler, at janetcrisler7@gmail.com ]
