““The crucifixion of Jesus is the The crucifixion of Jesus is the greatest theme, not only of the greatest theme, not only of the Bible but of the human race.”Bible but of the human race.”

~ Gerald Coats~ Gerald Coats

““The Cross is the surest, truest The Cross is the surest, truest and deepest window on the very and deepest window on the very heart and character of the Living heart and character of the Living

and loving God.”and loving God.”

~ N.T. Wright, ~ N.T. Wright, First Century HistorianFirst Century Historian

““Easter is the only festival that looks in Easter is the only festival that looks in two directions at the same time: back two directions at the same time: back

into history to fathom what happened in into history to fathom what happened in the week that changed the world, and the week that changed the world, and

forward into the future with the forward into the future with the assurance that people who die will live assurance that people who die will live

again.”again.”

~ Dr. Paul Maier, First Century Historian~ Dr. Paul Maier, First Century Historian

““We see that it is not the task of We see that it is not the task of Christianity to provide easy Christianity to provide easy

answers to every question, but to answers to every question, but to make us progressively aware of a make us progressively aware of a mystery. God is not so much the mystery. God is not so much the

object of our knowledge as the object of our knowledge as the cause of our wonder.”cause of our wonder.”

~ Cardinal Hume~ Cardinal Hume

““Although the world is full of Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the suffering, it is full also of the

overcoming of it.”overcoming of it.”

~ Helen Keller, Humanitarian ~ Helen Keller, Humanitarian (Blind and Deaf)(Blind and Deaf)

““Only the suffering God can Only the suffering God can help.”help.”

~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer,

Executed in Germany for Executed in Germany for resisting Nazism during WW 2resisting Nazism during WW 2

““Jesus wasn’t just a talking head, Jesus wasn’t just a talking head, spouting interesting ideas. He spouting interesting ideas. He

intended to accomplish intended to accomplish something: to bring Israel’s story something: to bring Israel’s story to the goal which God intended.”to the goal which God intended.”

~ N.T. Wright, ~ N.T. Wright, First Century HistorianFirst Century Historian

““Among the data available to us Among the data available to us regarding Jesus of Nazareth, regarding Jesus of Nazareth, none is more incontrovertible none is more incontrovertible

than his execution on a Roman than his execution on a Roman cross by order of Pontius Pilate.”cross by order of Pontius Pilate.”

~ Markus Bockmuehl, ~ Markus Bockmuehl, Cambridge ScholarCambridge Scholar

““Who would ever have thought that a Who would ever have thought that a Galilean carpenter would come to be Galilean carpenter would come to be regarded by millions as the human regarded by millions as the human being most like God ever to have being most like God ever to have

walked this planet?”walked this planet?”

~ Angela Tilby, ~ Angela Tilby, BBC Documentary writerBBC Documentary writer

““They say that our madness They say that our madness consists in the fact that we put a consists in the fact that we put a

crucified man in second place after crucified man in second place after the unchangeable and eternal God, the unchangeable and eternal God,

the creator of the world.”the creator of the world.”

~ Justin Martyr, ~ Justin Martyr, 22ndnd Century Christian Century Christian

““Our old history ends with the Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins cross; our new history begins

with the resurrection.”with the resurrection.”

~ Watchman Nee~ Watchman Nee

““What happened in Jerusalem on that What happened in Jerusalem on that Friday afternoon was what the temple Friday afternoon was what the temple was always pointing to. This was the was always pointing to. This was the

place where the pain and the sin and the place where the pain and the sin and the shame and the guilt of all the world, of all shame and the guilt of all the world, of all people, of all history, was concentrated – people, of all history, was concentrated –

and was dealt with once and for all.”and was dealt with once and for all.”

~ N.T. Wright, First Century Historian~ N.T. Wright, First Century Historian

““Quite what transpired on that third day Quite what transpired on that third day after the crucifixion is of course a after the crucifixion is of course a

complex problem. Nevertheless, it is a complex problem. Nevertheless, it is a matter of historical record that matter of historical record that

somethingsomething happened – and that this happened – and that this changed the course of world history like changed the course of world history like

no other event before or since.”no other event before or since.”

~ Markus Bockmuehl, ~ Markus Bockmuehl, The Cambridge Companion To JesusThe Cambridge Companion To Jesus

““If the thing happened, it was the If the thing happened, it was the central event in the history of the central event in the history of the

earth.”earth.”

~ C.S. Lewis~ C.S. Lewis

““And when the centurion, who And when the centurion, who was standing right in front of was standing right in front of

Him, saw the way He breathed Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this man His last, he said, ‘Truly this man

was the Son of God!’”was the Son of God!’”

~ Mark 15:39, NASB~ Mark 15:39, NASB

““I am the door; if anyone enters through I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in

and out, and find pasture.”and out, and find pasture.”

~ John 10:9, NASB~ John 10:9, NASB

“And it came about, when the days were approaching for His ascension, that He resolutely set His face to go

to Jerusalem.”

~ Luke 9:51, NASB

“Surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!”

~ Luke 13:33, NIV

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

~ Mark 10:45, NASB

WANTED: YESHUA HANNOZRIWANTED: YESHUA HANNOZRI

He shall be stoned because he He shall be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and has practiced sorcery and

enticed Israel to apostasy. enticed Israel to apostasy. Anyone who can say anything Anyone who can say anything

in his favour, let him come in his favour, let him come forward and plead on his forward and plead on his

behalf. Anyone who knows behalf. Anyone who knows where he is, let him declare it where he is, let him declare it

to the Great Sanhedrin in to the Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.Jerusalem.

““POSITIVE EVIDENCE POSITIVE EVIDENCE

FROM A HOSTILE SOURCE”FROM A HOSTILE SOURCE”

““And when the centurion, who was And when the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the standing right in front of Him, saw the

way He breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly way He breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’”this man was the Son of God!’”

~ Mark 15:39, NASB~ Mark 15:39, NASB

““He has rescued us from the power He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into of darkness and transferred us into

the kingdom of his beloved Son, the kingdom of his beloved Son, 1414 in in whom we have redemption, the whom we have redemption, the

forgiveness of sins.”forgiveness of sins.”

~ Colossians 1:13, NRSV~ Colossians 1:13, NRSV

““He disarmed the rulers and He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing example of them, triumphing

over them in it.”over them in it.”

~ Colossians 2:15, NRSV~ Colossians 2:15, NRSV