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The Life of Yeshua The Messiah of Israel
Index and summary of the sections
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Section 1:
Birth of Yeshua. Childhood and hidden life
(6BC - 8AD)
After the
prefaces of the evangelists
Luke
and
John
and the
annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist
(Jerusalem 6BC), the history of our salvation begins with the
annunciation from the angel to Mary,
who gives her consent to the incarnation of the Verb (Nazareth, March 5BC).
Mary visits Elizabeth(Judea, April 5BC) and a few months later
John the Baptist is born (Judea, June 5BC).
The evangelists tell
the genealogies of Yeshua.
An
angel appears to Joseph in a dream;
Joseph takes Mary to live with him at Nazareth.
Because of the census, they travel to Bethlehem, where
Yeshua
is born in the manger
(Dec 5BC).
The child receives the
adoration of the shepherds
and eight days later he is taken to Jerusalem for his
circumcision.
The Holy Family return to Jerusalem for the
presentation in the temple, where
Simeon prophesies (Feb 4BC).
Coming back to Bethlehem, they receive the visit of
the Magi from the East
and later, aware of the persecution of Herod, they
escape to Egypt.
Herod orders then the
slaughter of the innocents
(Jerusalem, Dec 4BC).
After Herod's death, the Holy Family
returns from Egypt
(Oct 2AD) and they finally settle
in Nazareth.
In a trip to Jerusalem,
the child is lost and found in the temple
(Mar 7AD).
During the next years
Yeshua, with Mary and Joseph.
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Section 3:
First mission in Galilee
(Dec 27 - Mar 28)
In Samaria, while travelling
from Judea to Galilee,
Yeshua speaks to the Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar
(Dec 27), and after then he stays two days
preaching to the Samaritans.
Thereafter
Yeshua
begins his first mission at Galilee
(Jan 28).
In Cana, he
heals the son of the official of Capernaum.
In Nazareth he
teaches in the synagogue
and the people try to kill him; he settles down then
at Capernaum.
Near the Sea of Galilee, he calls the fishermen
to fish for people
(Jan 28).
At Capernaum, Yeshua astounds
the people with his teachings and
his numerous healings.
Then he extends his mission
to all Galilee.
At the Sea of Galilee, after
preaching from Peter's boat,
he performs
the miraculous fishing.
Then follow
more cures:
(a leper,
a paralytic) and the
call to Matthew at Capernaum (Mar 28).
He is questioned because his disciples don't fast, but Yeshua justifies them:
"New wines in new wineskins".
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Section 4:
Second Passover at Jerusalem and second mission at Galilee: the Sermon on the mount
(Mar 28 - May 28)
Yeshua interrupts his first mission in Galilee to attend the
second Passover in Jerusalem (Mar 28).
There he
heals a paralytic on the Sabbath day
and the anger of the Pharisees grows.
He announces the resurrection
and claims to be
sent by the Father.
Returning to Galilee, he is accused because
the disciples pick grain on Sabbath (Apr 28).
The issue is aggravated when he
cures the man with a withered hand on Sabbath
and
the pharisees try to kill him. Yeshua then retires and begins his
second missionary tour at Galilee,
performing
several cures
and promoting the enthusiasm of the people (May 28).
After choosing
the twelve disciples,
on a mount near the sea of Galilee, he preaches the
Sermon of the mount.
This epitome of the New Law, opens with the eight
beatitudes;
it compares the apostolic vocation with
the salt
and
the light; points out the relationship between
the old law and the new law; exhorts to
the reconciliation with the enemy,
praises the chastity of heart
("If your right eye causes you to sin...")
, rejects
the divorce and swearing; teaches
how to do merciful deeds and
how to pray (the Our Father);
exhorts to
forgive and to
fast without ostentation.
Against
the worldly worries, he admonishes to look for
the treasures of heaven
and to learn from
the lilies of the field and the birds of the sky.
He prevents against
judgement ("the speck in your neighbor's eye "),
unadvised zeal ("Do not give what is holy to dogs")
and
bad prayer ("knock, and it will be opened").
He advises to enter through
the narrow gate,
teaches to distinguish
the false prophets ("You will know them by their fruits")
and the
necessity of the works of faith.
The sermon ends with the parable about
the man that built the house on rock.
Returning to Capernaum, Yeshua cures the centurion's servant ("Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof...."),
who is praised for his faith (May 28).
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Section 5:
Third mission in Galilee: the Lake Sermon
(Jun 28 - Sep 28)
Yeshua begins a new missionary tour through Galilee.
In Naim he
raises the widow's son
(Jun 28).
John the Baptist sends two disciples to ask Yeshua;
he then
gives testimony about the Baptist.
Dining in Capernaum (or Magdala)
the forgiven sinful woman anoints his feet
("The one to whom little is forgiven, loves little").
There are many
women that follow Yeshua ; in face of the concern of his relatives, he teaches
who are the true relatives of Christ
(Ago 28).
Beside the sea of Galilee, he preaches to a multitude a series of
Parables about the Kingdom,
The sermon of the lake" (Sep 28), that begins with
the parable of the sower.
After answering why he speaks
only in parables
and explaining
the meaning of the parable of the sower
, he continues with several parables about the growth of the Kingdom:
The lamp on the lampstand,
the
parable of the seed that grows alone,
the
parable of the wheat and the weed, the
parable of the mustard seed and the
parable of the yeast.
He explains the parable of the weed
and concludes with the parables of
the treasure and the pearl,
and
the net and the good and bad fishes.
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Section 6:
Miracles and prodigies. The mission of the disciples
(Sep 28 - Apr 29)
Yeshua retires away from the people,
crosses the lake with his disciples and
calms the winds and the waves
(Sep 28).
He disembarks in Gerasa and
expels the demons of a possessed man;
the demons enter into the swine and the villagers get afraid of Yeshua.
He returns then to Capernaum, where he heals the woman who had touched
his clothes and
raises the daughter of Jairus (Oct 28).
He is
rejected in Nazareth
("no one is prophet in his own country").
He sends the twelve disciples
in their first missionary tour, two by two:
"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few",
while he starts
another missionary tour through Galilee
(Nov 28).
About this time
Herod orders John's death,
at the request from Herodias' daughter.
Then
the disciples return and meet with Yeshua (Mar 29).
They cross the lake looking for solitude, but they find a crowd
in Bethsaida; Yeshua continues teaching and healing, and in the evening
he carries out
the first miracle of the loaves,
feeding 5000 men with five loaves and two fishes.
The people, enthusiastic, want to make him king; Yeshua sends the disciples back to the boat, and he escapes to the mountain
to pray alone.
At dusk, he meet the disciples
walking upon the waters,
while they fight against the strong wind. After Peter's
frustrated intent of walking toward Yeshua on the waters, Yeshua arrives to the boat and the storms ceases.
He continues
healing in Genesareth
and in Capernaum he exhorts the people to
look for the real food; he self-proclaims as
the bread of life,
and the pharisees take offence when he says:
"My flesh is true food and my blood true drink".
Coming the
third Passover, this time Yeshua remains in Galilee.
Again,
Yeshua
reproaches the Pharisees
for hanging on human traditions:
because
"it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man"
(Apr 29).
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Section 7:
The long trip. The transfiguration
(May 29 - Aug 29)
Avoiding Herod's territories, Yeshua undertakes a long missionary trip.
In the region of Tyre and Sidon, he consents to the request of
the cananite woman: ("Even the dogs eat the crumbs...")
(May 29).
At Decapolis, he
cures a deaf man.
Returning to Galilee, he
cures many sick people
and performs the
second miracle of the loaves,
feeding 4000 men.
The
pharisees ask him for a sign: Yeshua answers predicting the sign of Jonah.
Yeshua prevents their disciples against
the yeast of the pharisees.
In Bethsaida, he
cures a blind man
(Jun 29) and they continue their way towards the north.
Approaching Caesarea Philippi
Peter confesses his faith in Christ, the Son of God
and he receives the promise of the keys; Yeshua then
predicts his Passion
and Peter is rebuked for refusing to accept it.
Days later, it happens
the Transfiguration of Yeshua on the mountain, before Peter, James and John (Jul 29).
Coming down, Yeshua cures a boy ("I believe; help my unbelief!").
Returning to Capernaum, he
predicts his death and resurrection
again, and he consents to
pay the tax.
He exhorts to the spiritual childhood and condemns
those who put stumbling blocks
(Ago 29). He explains the necessity of
correcting and forgiving fraternally
and ends with the
parable of the merciless servant.
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Section 8:
To the Feast of Tabernacles, in Jerusalem
(Sep 29 - Oct 29)
Yeshua leaves Galilee, and begins a
private journey to Jerusalem,
to attend the Feast of Tabernacles.
As
the Samaritans refuse him hospitality,
he must deviate his way through Perea, on the east side of the Jordan
(Sept 29).
During this trip, Yeshua tells the
requirements for following him,
he
sends out the seventy-two disciples
and he
rebukes the impenitent cities.
At the time of the
joyful return of the disciples,
Yeshua
rejoices and blesses the Father
for having revealed to the children.
He invites to take his yoke
("my yoke is light...")
and he proclaims
blessed the eyes that see these things.
Entering Judea, he relates the
parable of the good Samaritan.
He is received
in Bethany, in the home of Mary and Martha,
where he declares that "Mary has chosen the good part".
In Jerusalem, in the feast of the Tabernacles
(Oct 29), he maintains several
discussions with the Jews
and he claims:
"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!".
They asked him about
the case of the adulterous woman,
and he sentences: "He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her".
The disputes with the pharisees continue; Yeshua
claims to be
the light of the world
and ends the discussion with the astonishing sentence:
"before Abraham existed, I am",
that leads the Jews to anger and scandal.
Then he
cures a man born blind on the Sabbath day
and the pharisees
examine the cured man and his parents. Yeshua
proclaims himself as
the good shepherd
who lays down his life for the sheep.
He finishes this stay in Jerusalem with
the parable of the persistent friend
(Oct 29).
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Section 10:
The Feast of Dedication. Last missionary trip
(Dec 29-Mar 30)
Yeshua returns to Jerusalem to attend
the Feast of Dedication
(Dec 29); he disputes with the Jews and claims
"I and the Father are one".
Thereafter he undertakes his last pastoral journey,
preaching in Perea,
at the places where John the Baptist baptized.
He is invited to
dinner at a pharisee's house
; on this occasion he
cures a dropsy man
and tells the
parable of the last seat
and the
parable of the great supper.
He continues his journey and exhorts the people
to leave everything to follow him.
The pharisees despise Yeshua because he eats with sinners; hence he
teaches the
parables of the mercy:
the
parable of the lost sheep,
the lost drachma
and the parable of
the prodigal son.
About this time he also tells the parable of
the dishonest manager
, the parable about
the rich man and Lazarus
and the parable of
the good servant.
Yeshua leaves Perea and returns to Bethany (Jan 30), where he
raises Lazarus from death.
The Jews conspire to stop him, and
Caiphas prophesies: "that one man should die for the people...".
Yeshua
visits Ephraim
; there is much expectation in face of the next coming Passover,
as the confrontation between Yeshua and the pharisees has grown in violence. Yeshua
travels to Samaria, (Feb 30) where he
cures the ten lepers,
he warns about
the Day of the Son of Man.
He tells the parable of
the widow and the judge
and compares
the pharisee and the tax collector. Traveling through Perea, he is asked about divorce: he states that
marriage is indissoluble ("What God has joined together, let no man separate")
It follows Yeshua'
blessing of the little children
("Let the children come to me") and the episode of
the rich young man,
which gives him an opportunity to prevent against the
danger of riches
and to promise the
reward of self-denial.
He tells the parable of
the vineyard laborers
("the last will be first, and the first last"), and
predicts again his death and resurrection;
it follows then the
request of the two Zebedee.
Entering Jericho (Mar 30) he
cures a blind man
and then stays
at Zacchaeus' house
("the Son of Man came to save that which was lost").
He teaches the
parable of the mina coins
In Bethany,
Mary Magdalen anoints Yeshua;
this action is criticized by many people, but approved by Yeshua.
The Passover is few days ahead, and Yeshua prepares his entry into Jerusalem
(Mar 30).
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Section 11:
Triumphal entry into Jerusalem: Beginning of the Passion Week
(Passover 30: from Palm Sunday to Wednesday)
On the Sunday before Passover (Palms Sunday) Yeshua enters triumphantly into Jerusalem
sitting on a donkey, among the acclamations of the crowds.
For the second time,
he drives out the merchants from the temple
; the priests ask him to rebuke the people, and Yeshua answers:
"if these were silent, the stones would cry out!".
At dusk, he
comes back to Bethany, to Lazarus' home.
Next day (Monday) he
returns to Jerusalem
; during this excursion, he
curses the barren fig tree
and thereafter he again
comes back to Bethany.
In the next morning (Tuesday) they find
the withered fig.
In the temple of Jerusalem he
teaches and disputes with the priests.
He tells the parable of
the two sons
and the
parable of the wicked farmers.
The Pharisees and Sadducees ask him about several questions:
Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?,
Will the dead resurrect?,
Which is the First Commandment?.
Before the hostility of the Pharisees, Yeshua pronounces his last and harsh
recrimination against the Pharisees: ("Hypocrites! whitened tombs!")
After the episode of
the widow's mite
and the
petition of the Greeks to see Yeshua,
he again
announces his Passion ("unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies...")
and a voice is heard from the sky.
Afterwards Yeshua pronounces
the Eschatological Discourse,
about the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the world and Christ's return with glory.
He keeps
preaching in the temple,
and tells the
parable of the ten virgins,
the
parable of the talents
and warns about the
Final Judgment ("I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat...".
The chief priests plan to kill him;
the next day (Wednesday)
Judas consents to betray Yeshua and they promise to give him thirty pieces of silver.
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Section 12
The Last Supper
(Passover 30: Thursday)
Yeshua sends the disciples
to prepare for Passover;
he and the twelve meet in a guest room, at Jerusalem, to eat
the Last Supper.
(Thursday evening).
He begins by
washing the apostles' feet,
he
predicts his betrayal
and Judas goes out.
The disciples contend about their supremacy, and Yeshua exhorts them to humility.
Then he
institutes the Holy Eucharist.
He gives them
the New Commandment:
"that you love one another, just like I have loved you",
and he
predicts Peter's denial.
It follows then
the Farewell discourse:
to enlighten the hearts of the disciples, he recalls the eternal mansions
("I am the way, the truth, and the life"),
, the relief for the present life:
"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you"
and compares himself with
the vine that sustains the branches ("He who remains in me bears much fruit");
he reminds them
the commandment of love
and predicts to them the hate of the world; he promises them
the relief of the Counselor,
the eternal joy ("no one will take your joy away")
and ends exhorting to courage
"In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world").
It follows
the intercessory prayer,
in which Yeshua prays to the Father
for himself,
for the Apostles and
for the Church.
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Section 13:
The Passion of Yeshua (Passover 30 - Thursday night and Friday)
Yeshua and the apostles cross the city towards the garden of Gethsemane,
outside Jerusalem (Thursday night).
Peter, James and John witness
the agony of Yeshua,
who prays to the Father and is comforted by an angel.
Soon Judas arrives with the soldiers;
Yeshua
is arrested
and the disciples forsake him.
The ecclesiastical trial begins: at first he is led
to Annas,
who sends him
to Caiphas
(after midnight).
It follows a first examination
before Caiphas and the priests of the Sanhedrin,
when
Yeshua confesses and is condemned.
Peter denies him
and
Yeshua is mocked and beat by the Jews.
About dawn (Friday)
the Sanedrin meets and ratifies Yeshua' condemnation;
he is sent
to Pilatus.
Meanwhile
Judas repents, despairs and dies.
It begins then the civil trial ,
before Pilatus.
After a
first examination,
he sends him
to Herod Antipas. Yeshua keeps silent, is mocked by Herod
and sent back to Pilatus dressed in purple.
Pilatus declares him innocent
but, in order to please the Jewish priests,
he let the people choose between
Yeshua and Barabbas;
the people prefers
Barabbas' liberation. Yeshua is
flogged,
crowned with thorns
and exposed to the people:
"Ecce homo!";
the Jews insist on requesting his death.
Pilatus examines Yeshua again
brings him out to the Jews, and wash his hands;
finally, he reluctantly sentences him to be crucified.
(Friday morning) On the way
to the Golgotha carrying the cross, Yeshua is helped by Simon of Cyrene; he speaks to
the mourning women.
He is
crucified,
between
the two robbers.
The soldiers
divide his clothing,
the passing people blaspheme and mock at him:
"Save yourself, if you are the Son of God!".
He pronounces the last Seven words:
1: "Father, forgive them...",
2: "Today you will be with me in paradise",
3: "Woman, behold your son...",
4: "... why have you forsaken me? ",
5: "I am thirsty...",
6: "It is finished",
7: "Father, into your hands..."..
About noon,
Yeshua dies,
the sun is darkened and the veil of the temple is torn in two.
After a soldier pierces his side,
he is
taken down from the cross and buried
by Joseph of Arimathea (Friday afternoon).
On the Sabbath day, while the women prepare
the ointments,
the Pharisee place
a guard at the door of the tomb.
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Section 14:
Resurrection, appearances and ascension
(Sunday of Glory - May 30)
The women bring ointments to sepulchre (Sunday, very early),
but they find
the grave empty.
While
Mary Magdalen runs to tell Peter,
an angel appears to the other women
and tells them that Yeshua has risen.
Peter and John hasten to the tomb
and inspect it.
Meanwhile,
Yeshua
appears to Mary Magdalen
that had been weeping outside.
The same day, he appears to other women, to Peter and to
the disciples of Emmaus,
who return to Jerusalem to bring the news.
Finally, that afternoon,
Yeshua
appears to the apostles
in a close room, and eats with them.
Eight days later it happens a
new appearance,
and Thomas at last believes.
In another
appearance in the sea of Tiberias
to seven pupils, he
talks with Pedro and confirms his primacy.
After another
appearance on a mountain in Galilee,
and forty days after his resurrection,
Yeshua parts from the disciples:
on the Mount of Olivet (between Jerusalem and Bethany)
he ascends into heaven.
It follows then the
joyful return of the disciples
and the
beginning of the great mission.
John ends his gospel
declaring:
"Yeshua did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not
written in this book; but these are written, that
you may believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that
believing you may have life in his name"
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