What This Book Reveals

What This Book Reveals pp. xxi - xxvii

I had not realized when first starting to write the manuscript, any special significance to the numbering of the rest of the miracles, when finding there were 42 miracles up to the Resurrection. Nevertheless, afterwards, in 1986, in realizing I must combine the other manuscript I was preparing on the events surrounding the Resurrection, and concluding with the Ascension, amazingly and surprisingly I found that altogether - in all - there were 50 miracles when combining the 42 with the other miracles that follow, prior to the Ascension.

It became clear that indeed there was much significance relating to these findings, and predominantly, specific new meaning to the way the four texts are basically and intrinsically connected together. This also gave rise to the integral quintessence of the importance affiliated to how many of these miracles were chosen by the Gospel writers to be included within their narratives of the ministry of Jesus. Since many more miracles occurred than those chosen to be recorded.

These findings also concur that the events contained in the four Gospels were written in a manner, which adhered to a well-informed style in its overall format, specifically and precisely following the successive order in which they had originally transpired, except for five major dislocations which related primarily to Matthew, and his reason for placing them otherwise:

1) the coming of the Baptist’s disciples to Jesus the second time at the eighteenth, nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty first miracle (9:14-34) along with the conclusion of the final tour of Galilee (vv. 35-38).

2) the ordination of the twelve (10:1-42).

3) the narrative from the Sabbath question, the twelfth miracle, along with the first counsel of Pharisees, and Jesus healing great crowds, to His fulfilling of prophecy (12:1-21).

4) the fifteenth miracle and Jesus’ dialogue with the Pharisees (vv. 22-45).

5) and the anointing of Jesus at Simon the Leper’s (26:7-16).

Mark (14:3-11) also aligns and follows Matthew with the scenario at Simon the Leper’s house, this being the only time he does not systematically follow on in successive order.

Luke, as his prime reason for writing was to make clear and add further detail to the knowledge of the events known at that particular time, compiled his unique input of findings to give additional credence to the successive order in which the accounts subsequently took place (1:1-3). Though in two instances he does not follow his normal orderly chronological style, to which he alluded to at the very beginning of his Gospel, but, reverses the lineage of Jesus and interjects it in between Jesus’ baptism and return from the wilderness after forty days (3:23- 38). He also positions the imprisonment of the Baptist (vv. 19-20) directly before Jesus’ baptism (v. 21), even though the Baptist baptised Jesus before he was imprisoned, presupposing the reader would naturally be aware of that particular factor.

John, however [contrary to the opinion of some], adheres to a strict chronological style, organizing the whole of his narrative around specific days and the Holy Day seasons. Thus, we have a three dimensional perspective of the events through the witness of the Synoptics, with a prolific account by John of much more of Jesus’ words surrounding His ministry, including an intensity of a more deeper understanding and enlightened spiritual aspect to his narrative.

So primarily, the purpose of the contents within this book predominantly concerns itself with explaining how every part in the four Gospels, intrinsically parallel, and dovetail together and how the text does not contradict itself, as many believe. Consequently, in the process of compiling this book, many aspects that were not originally clear became clearer as I painstakingly progressed through every chapter and verse.

Furthermore, because this book contains integral reference to various numbers in association to the miracles and certain days, several suggestions as to the significance of the numerical findings have been given briefly when appropriate [such as the criteria associated with the numbers 42, 43, 45, and 50]. Nevertheless, I was amazed during the completion of the Introduction to this manuscript, while reading the book, The Truth Behind The Bible Code, by Dr. Jeffrey Satinover, printed by Sidgwick & Jackson, to find the fascinating significance to the number 42, as associated with the Hebrew letters of the Forty-Two Lettered Divine Name (pp. 76, also 68-69, 81-83, 91, 95, 100, 269-272 and 275), and embodied within the first sentence of the Bible - ‘In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth’. Amazingly, here is encoded reference to the factor of God’s activity before the physical creation and also afterwards.

Thus, as the beginning of this book begins with John 1:1-2 indicating a time before the physical creation of the universe, we see that the Word, who existed before the creation and the calculation of known time, was also of the One God-head who came to the earth (vv. 9-11). Moreover, He was the One who did many miracles - 42, up to the greatest miracle of life itself - the Resurrection. Hence, the significance of the numbers 42, 43, 45, and 50, are first considered at the subsequent sections, The Returning From the Wilderness, The Next Day, The First Disciples, John Imprisoned, They Leave For Galilee, and The First Miracle with the criteria surrounding the number 50 being further examined at each chapter dealing with the season Pentecost is found in. Additionally, the 7 miracles (44-50) in between the resurrection and the Ascension are also covered in their appropriate settings.

However, the main purpose of this book was to facilitate and reveal how the four books of the Gospels specifically relate to each other in successive order. Hence, it is up to others to find any other significance to the numerology suggested therein. For those who are interested in exploring this aspect further, I also recommend E. W. Bullinger’s book, Number In Scripture, printed by Kregel Publications.

Below, in successive order, are the unique major findings advanced by this book. Though the reader will no doubt find others, which are relevant to each particular individual’s knowledge of the events. Some of these suggestions become apparent through the aspects surrounding the subsequent seasons intrinsically connected to the Holy Days that are mentioned in the requisite texts associated with this issue. These specific findings are further highlighted and made clearer, by referring to the Scripture Chart Appendix, as well as to the relevant text in question, when considering and coming to any of these fundamental conclusions.

● While it is becoming increasingly known that Jesus could not have been born in December, it has not generally been considered that nonetheless, He no doubt was conceived at that particular time - at the darkest time of the year - even on the very day of Christmas itself. Thus, if this concept becomes generally accepted, it would herald a new and truer meaning to the Festival - and what further significance it would bring to the following years after the New Millennium .

● That Matthew’s and Luke’s account surrounding the events associated with the birth of Jesus, do not contradict each other.

· That Jesus no doubt was baptised on the Day of Pentecost [Gr. fiftieth] in the summertime. This is clearly alluded to when studying the Scripture Chart Appendix, where we see that in between each springtime in which Passover occurred, and each autumn wherein Tabernacles took place, naturally there would have been summer seasons in which Pentecost also fell. This is further suggested by virtue of the fact there would have been four autumn Festivals of Tabernacles during Jesus’ 3½ year or 42 month ministry. Furthermore, the summer seasons in which Pentecost would be found, is touched upon throughout this book in the prescribed successive places of the main text, which deals with each subsequent year relating to that particular time of year. This is first seen with the summer just prior to the start of Jesus’ ministry, and lastly by the conclusion of His ministry on earth in the Ascension ten days before Pentecost through the beginnings of the NT Church in the book of Acts.

Consequently, altogether, there are five summer seasons in which we comment on the association of Pentecost with the Holy Spirit, which also combines the summer period preceding Jesus’ ministry and the conclusion of His ministry. Moreover, when specifically considering all the consecutive places throughout this book dealing with the Day of Pentecost, and its sublime symbolism, we should see that Jesus’ ministry would have begun in the autumn, and that subsequently He would have been baptised several months earlier, and in that case in the summer, and no doubt on the very Day of Pentecost itself - having been baptised not only by water, but through the Holy Spirit too.

Additionally, the whole period of Jesus’ ministry, and following, would have also included four winters, after which would follow spring and Passover. However, though each subsequent Passover is specifically mentioned only three times throughout the Biblical text, surrounding Jesus' ministry, nonetheless, through careful deduction, we can see there would have been four inherent to this whole period.

· How Matthew and Luke parallel and dovetail together precisely and explicitly over the account of Christ’s trial in the wilderness, with John’s Gospel actually dovetailing before and after.

· That within the text of the Gospel of John’s first two chapters, there are several days mentioned, which relate to Jesus’ return after His baptism and trial in the wilderness, the calling of the first disciples, and additionally prefigures to fifty days, that leads us to Jesus’ first miracle.

● How John continues dovetailing directly after the Temptation, including when the Baptist is taken prisoner the first time.

● How the first miracle leads us into Jesus’ ministry and thus sets the precedent for numbering the rest.

● That Jesus subsequently toured the towns of Galilee four separate times.

● That Jesus consequently purged the Temple six months after the start of His ministry and again six months before the end of His ministry.

● That the Sermon on the Mount, of Matthew 5 - 7 took place on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem, and should not be confused with the Sermon down the Mount near Capernaum of Luke 6:17-49.

● That there are basically five miracles which appear to be the same, but in fact, on closer examination are all completely different instances, and take place in separate localities, and at differing times. As with the feeding of the 5000, and the 4000, although alike to some degree, one takes place near Bethsaida, and the other in the Decapolis at a later time.

Not counting these two obvious distinct miracles, of the feeding of the 5000 and the 4000, the five miracles which appear superficially to be the same, are firstly, the third miracle of the healing of [Simon] the leper in Jerusalem, which should not be confused with the ninth miracle of the leper of Gergesa: the following ones are the Centurion’s servant, which are both, though separate incidents, the fifth and the thirteenth miracles; the storms on the Sea of Galilee, being both the eighth and sixteenth miracles; the tenth miracle of the two demoniacs, and the seventeenth miracle, the single man with the legion of devils; and lastly the blind men of Jericho [who actually were four individual blind men], subsequently becoming the thirty-seventh, the thirty-eighth, and the thirty-ninth miracles.

● That John must have been released from prison the first time as he is baptizing again in Aenon near Salim in Samaria while Jesus baptizes adjacent in Judea before he is baptizing again in Aenon near Salim in Samaria while Jesus baptizes adjacent in Judea before he is imprisoned finally, thus, consequentially, resulting in his eventual death.

· That Jesus preached three separate times to towns in Judea.

· Why the narrative preceding Mat. 9:9-13 refers to only eleven disciples having been called at that particular junction.

· That much of the Gospel’s text is reiteration to the seventy disciples.

· The reason why the following text of vv. 9:14-35, where the Baptists’ disciples came to Jesus the second time, also includes the narration of the eighteenth, nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first miracles, yet, is dislocated, and does not follow in strict successive order.

· That Jesus’ mother and brothers came to Him twice.

· That the ‘Festival’ in John 5:1, refers to ‘the Festival’ of Tabernacles.

· Why both Matthew (17.1) and Mark (9:2), leading up to the Transfiguration, witness ‘after six days’, whereas Luke (9:28) phrases it ‘about eight days’.

· That Jesus did not travel to Perea

· Where Luke’s Central Section (9:51-17:10) actually takes place.

· How Luke and John parallel and dovetail regarding the thirty-fourth miracle, the man with the dropsy, and that altogether John only mentions twelve miracles throughout his text, with five being specifically unique to his Gospel.

· How the Synoptics and the Gospel of John relate to each other when Jesus leaves to heal Lazarus.

· That Jesus rode into Jerusalem twice. Firstly, just prior to the last Tabernacles of His ministry, and finally six months later, five days before the ultimate Passover.

· How from the particular start of the junction of the parallel texts of Mat. 21:23, Mark 11:27 and Luke 20:1, they relate to the Lamb presenting Himself to the Priests at the Temple, and dovetail with John 11:44-50 referring to the same concurrent time of four days prior to the last Passover. Thus, also, prefiguring and reflecting the original OT requirement of each household acquiring a lamb four days before the Passover (Ex. 12:3-6).

· How all the combined periods of the narration preceding and including the Passover accounts, and the subsequent trial of Jesus, along with the following resurrection accounts do not contradict in any way at all. But, although they are individual narrations, notwithstanding, they nonetheless adhere rather to a subtle circumscribed manner of fourfold composition, which consistently, though sometimes through a characteristic intermittent manner, nevertheless do parallel and dovetail throughout all the requisite texts, further exemplifying and entirely verifying the conclusion, that the Gospels are the truly the Word of God.

· Through these inherent and sublime factors subsequently, we see that Caiaphas actually interrogated Jesus twice.

· That Jesus ultimately died mercifully from the stroke of the Centurion’s spear, as normally those crucified died much later, as the Romans devised this form of death to last as long as possible.

· That Jesus presented Himself directly to the Father after first appearing to Mary early Sunday morning

· And that He reappeared after that, to Peter first, hours afterwards, though later in the afternoon of the same day, before He appeared to the rest of the women next, who were on their way to inform the rest of the disciples [not the apostles] of the good news that He had been resurrected.

· That the fifth appearance was specifically to the ten

· That subsequently the appearance to the twelve was the sixth.

· That Jesus held two specific meetings with the apostles after returning from Galilee to Jerusalem, the final one resulting in His Ascension.