Question 9 - Did the thieves, who were crucified both sides of Christ, blaspheme the Lord or not?

Mark 15:32 NKJV – “… Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him."

Matthew 27:44 NKJV - "Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing."

Luke 23:39-40 NKJV - "Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?"

Answer:

                As in Mark 15:22-32, Pilate handed over Jesus to Jews at 9’0 clock. The Lord Christ was crucified at midday 12’0 clock. They were alive in 3 hours on the cross. Starting the crucifixion in early hours, those who went near the cross, were the scribes, Pharisees, and also the thieves, who were crucified right and left of Jesus, etc., were blasphemed, ridiculed and mocked at Him.

                The agony of death on the cross was terrible long lasting, and intolerable one. No one can tolerate. In such stage, the thieves, who were in agony, would have reviled Him. In this, is there any astonishment?

                But, in the proximity of the Lord one of the criminals who were hanged and blasphemed the Lord Christ, changed his mind, repented, rebuked him (thief) and said, “Do you not ever fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?”

                “And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong!”

                Here, the thief, who was the right of Jesus, knew that the people, who did good deeds, could inherit the kingdom of heaven. So, he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You came into Your kingdom”. In this way, the thief on the right pleaded the Lord Christ.

                Even though the thief, who was crucified at the right to the Lord Christ, mocked and blasphemed Jesus, the 3 hour time on the cross gave him the chance to repent. The criminal got repentance during such long gap. So, the thief uttered with the same mouth, which mocked at the Lord Jesus, said, “And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong”. Matthew 24:40-42, “Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.”  Just as the above sentence goes, among the two criminals, who were crucified right and left to the Lord Christ, one thief got repentance for his sins and pleaded the Lord Christ, to remember him, when Jesus comes into his kingdom. So, both the criminals who were crucified either side of the Lord Christ, were in agony. But, one would be taken and other left.

Question 6 - Christ’s favor – disciples’ unbelief?

Luke 9:1 NKJV - "Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases."

Matthew 10:1, 8 NKJV - "And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. ... "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

Matthew 17:18-20 NKJV - "And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

Answer:

They were not in a rightful position to get the power and authority. So, they could not drive them out to cure him. Because of their disbelief, they could not get the boon given by Him. Why did Peter not walk on the water after he walked half a distance? Is it not the disbelief! Or is it not the deficit of complete faith in us!

Question 7 - Oh, the Disciples of Christ were the unbelievers!

Matthew 17:18-20 NKJV - "And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

Mark 9:28-29 NKJV - "And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.""

Answer:

                Why could the disciple of Christ not cast him out? Were the Disciples of Christ unbelievers?

                When the tempest came on the sea, the Disciples of Christ were afraid even they were near the Lord Christ, is it not the unbelief?

                The disciples were in training of the Lord Christ. As in Romans 12:12 and James 5:15, if the hope, patient and prayer, all are united as the one. No one can get anything from the proximity of the Lord. When the disciple of the Lord Christ changed as the Apostle by strengthening in the gospel service, prayer, and faith, there were uncountable deeds, which they achieved.

                So, if we want to get help from the proximity of the Lord, the hope, patience, and prayer must be united as the one. The hope, patience and prayer must be united as the one. The inner meaning in the words of the Lord informs us that it is not useful without prayer, good belief, and deficit in faith.

Question 8 - Centurions or elders, who came to Jesus?

Matthew 8:5 NKJV - "Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him"

Luke 7:3, 6 NKJV - "So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. ... Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof."

Answer:

                A centurion himself came to the Lord Jesus in the matter of dreadfully tormented paralyzed servant. When another centurion’s servant was sick and ready to die, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, these two incidents are not one. They are different, because there were so many centurions in those days.

                If we imagine that there was only one centurion, he came to Jesus, one time for paralyzed servant and another time for the servant who was sick and ready to die. Or if there was only one centurion, first, he sent his servants and elders.

                Thereafter, he would have come near Jesus according to his enthusiasm and hasty nature.

Question 4 - Were the Disciples of Christ died or not?

Luke 21:16 NKJV - ""You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death."

Luke 21:18 NKJV - ""But not a hair of your head shall be lost."

Answer:

                Moses was handed over to the waters of the river by his own parents, the child was not dead, but grown up in the wealth as the son of the daughter of king Pharaoh.

                Samuel was handed over to the Jerusalem temple.  He became a great prophet among the prophets.

                There are so many people, who were thrown by their parents like Sadu Sundhar sing.

                Joseph, was hatred by his own brothers, was sold out to Ishmaelites and ruled the kingdom of Egypt.

                The Apostles were subjected to many hard-ships woes, whipping with ropes, prison, fasting, etc., and finally were killed.

                Even though they died, their life histories exist with us till the end of the earth lively.

                They could get the uncountable millions of people by the sacrifice of their livers as the heirs.

                Nahum 1:15, “Be hold, on the mountains the feet of him, who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace!”

                The meaning in this is their lives are fruitful.