Resurrection Life of Jesus Church
THE EARLY CHURCH
PART 1: 40 DAYS WITH JESUS
RLJ-1997
JOHN S. TORELL
JANUARY 12, 2025
THE MESSIANIC VISION
For many years I thought that when Jesus walked on earth and during His 3.5 years of ministry, there was unity with everyone involved except for Judas Iscariot. Over time I came to the understanding that there was no unity between the twelve men when it came to their concept of the Kabbalistic messiah and Jesus’ mission on earth. Luke 22:24
The general belief among the Jews was that the Messiah was going to be a Jewish man anointed by God with supernatural powers to drive out the Romans from Judea, Samaria and Galilee in order to restore Israel to its former golden age. Acts 1:6
When John the Baptist was incarcerated, he sent two disciples to determine if Jesus was truly the Messiah. Matthew 11:2-3
Jesus responded to them by reiterating the miracles taking place and the redemptive work that was going to be carried out on the cross. verses 4-6
When Jesus began revealing the future about His arrest and death, Peter became emotional and rebuked the God-man for such negativity. Matthew 16:20-23
John and James became very angry when they had stopped at a Samaritan village and the people refused to sell them food. Samaritans were a mixture from the ten northern tribes and Gentiles from Assyria. The two brothers were infected by the Talmudic beliefs and saw no value in the Samaritans. This is why they wanted to call down fire from heaven and incinerate the people in the village. Luke 9:51-54
The Talmud is a compilation of discussions, interpretations, and commentaries on the Mosaic law and serves as the central text of Rabbinic Judaism.
It teaches that only Jews have a soul and can be saved. Gentiles are relegated to the same category as animals with no property rights and no legal rights whatsoever.
The Talmud is filled with distilled hatred and discrimination against Gentiles.1
Jesus spoke against the authority of the Talmud. Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13
Jesus rebuked them and stated the Messiah had not come to destroy souls, but to redeem them. Luke 9:55-56
When Jesus talked to the woman at the well, it did not set well with the apostles and they marveled that the God-man would stoop to speak to a woman, let alone a Samaritan one! Such behavior of a man was considered unbecoming and improper within Jewish society. John 4:25-27
Judas Iscariot was determined to force Jesus’ hand since His continual teachings and healings were keeping Him from becoming the expected Kabbalistic messiah. Judas wanted action; he was not interested in people being healed. He wanted the God-man to restore Israel to a place of prominence.
After more than three years of ministry, it was clear that Jesus was not focused on restoring Israel to the way it had been with King Solomon. Wanting to force Jesus to reveal His supernatural powers, Judas went to the Jewish leadership and asked them what they would pay him to betray Jesus. Matthew 26:14-16
After the betrayal and Jesus was condemned to death, Judas realized that he had betrayed an innocent man. Thirty pieces of silver was the price of a man’s life, but Judas did not betray Jesus for the money, it was a pretense to fool the religious leadership into arresting the God-man and provoking Him into revealing He was the one for whom the Kabbalists waited. He showed his contempt for the Jewish leadership, when he went to the temple and threw the money on the floor. Matthew 27:1-5
When the body of Jesus was put in a tomb, the remaining apostles were demoralized and they went into hiding for the next three days. None of the gospel writers recorded what the seventy others did after the crucifixion. But it is obvious that they too had lost all hope despite Jesus predicting this very thing was going happen and He would rise from the dead on the third day. Matthew 17:22-23
Not even the women believed that Jesus was going to be resurrected; instead, their actions revealed their unbelief as they went to the tomb to embalm the body. Mark 16:1
AFTER THE RESURRECTION
Jesus showed Himself to the women when they came to the tomb and made a special effort to seek out Mary Magdalene. John 20:11-17
Two other disciples met Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Luke 24:13-16
Jesus also came several times to the upper room to meet the apostles. John 20:19-23
During this time period, the eleven apostles traveled to Galilee and met with Jesus after they returned to shore from a night of fishing. John 21:1-4
Jesus spent forty days after the resurrection with the apostles, with the seventy others, and with the women. Acts 1:1-3
It is obvious that Jesus met the apostles and disciples more than is recorded in the New Testament. It is noteworthy that His resurrected body allowed the God-man to meet and eat with them, at the same time, He was able to shift in and out of the spirit world. John 21:25
FINAL MEETING WITH JESUS
The last recorded meeting with Jesus is found in the Book of Acts. Luke does not reveal how many disciples were part of this final meeting, but Jesus had told them to come to the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge three quarters of a mile to the east of Jerusalem. The highest point is 2,684 feet above sea level.
There are three peaks on the ridge and Luke does not identify which one Jesus chose. It must have been an emotional event as time was short and Jesus told them not to leave Jerusalem until they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:1-5
The disciples redirected, wanting to know when the Kingdom of Israel was going to be restored. verse 6
Jesus deflected and told them not to worry about something that was beyond their control. verse 7
They were to focus on the power they would receive from the Holy Spirit and take the gospel message around the earth. verse 8
While Jesus finished speaking, He started to rise in the air and everyone watched the God-man until He disappeared in a cloud. verse 9
As they continued looking into the sky, two angels appeared and asked why they were staring upward. They promised Jesus would return the same way He ascended to heaven. verse 11
It was no coincidence that Jesus ascended from Olivet; this point of departure will be the site of His second coming.
More than 500 years earlier the prophet Zechariah was informed the second return of Jesus would involve Him standing on the Mount of Olives, splitting it in half, divided east to west, and pulling the respective sections north and south to create a massive valley. Zechariah 14:4
SUMMARY
The Son of God had one agenda and the disciples had an entirely different program. Jesus had paid for the sins of the human race and He was intent on building the Kingdom of God whereas the disciples were focused on the Kingdom of Israel.
Jesus wanted to redeem souls while the disciples wanted to build an army and drive the Romans from Judea.
It would take the baptism of the Holy Spirit – and a little more time – to burn out the dross in the souls of the disciples.
What kingdom are you working toward? The kingdom of God or your personal goal?
1 Dilling, Elizabeth: THE JEWISH RELIGION – ITS INFLUENCE TODAY, The Noontide Press, 1983,
Remember, it’s not so important how you begin your life after salvation, but how you finish it!
Do you have an ear to hear with?
