by Daniel McCabe Trial Before Pontius Pilate John 19:5, “Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, ‘Behold the Man!’” A steady parade of Roman governors had tried unsuccessfully to keep the peace in Jerusalem, but Pontius Pilate knew that he must succeed where others…
by Daniel McCabe Birth of Jesus Luke 2:7, “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” That last contraction reminded Mary of other famous births on these same fertile hills. One millennium earlier Jesse’s…
by Daniel McCabe Denials of Peter 1 Peter 2:6, “Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a Chief Cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.’” Rock Hudson played a steady submarine captain in the 1968 film, Ice Station Zebra;…
by Daniel McCabe Birth Announcement to the Shepherds Luke 2:10, “Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.’” Sheep frighten rather easily; that’s why they need shepherds. A rabbit, a snake, any wild animal or even a…
by Daniel McCabe Matthew 3:15, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” He closed the door of the family carpentry shop one last time—its floor covered with sawdust and rich with memories of time spent with his dad, Joseph. Remember, Jesus, measure twice, cut once.…
by Daniel McCabe The Betrayal of Jesus John 18:11, “Then Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?’” A few key events in Scripture have taken place in gardens, including the manipulation of Adam and Eve by Satan in the Garden…
by Daniel McCabe Temptation of Jesus Luke 4:3, “And the devil said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.’” The famed author Herman Melville spent eight days in Jerusalem in 1857 and, overwhelmed by her stony landscape, he wrote often of it in his diary. In one…
by Daniel McCabe Temptation of Jesus Luke 4:9, “Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.’” Life has dangerous edges. One more step forward and you’ll fall over the side. Yet you know…
by Daniel McCabe Healing a Man Born Blind John 9:25, “One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” God promised his chosen people that one day he would send them a Servant, the Messiah, their Deliverer. How would they know when the Servant had arrived? According to prophecy, he would “open…
by Daniel McCabe Anointing of Jesus Mark 14:8, “She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.” A Tuesday night westerly breeze gently cooled the fig, olive, almond and carob trees that dotted the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives after another long day under a relentless…