The Kingdom and the Crown

by Gerald N. Lund

  When she looked up, his eyes—eyes that she would never forget—held hers for a long moment. She could feel him search her soul, and then she could feel his acceptance. The compassion that swept through her almost took her breath away, and somehow he let her know that he understood her loss and her pain and her penitence. Ever so gently, he took her right hand and pressed it against his side, over the wound. Her shoulders began to shake convulsively, as the reality of what she was feeling swept over her. He held her hand there for another moment, then let it drop again. Reaching up, he brushed the tears from her cheek, smiled once more, then moved to the next person.

  When he had made the full circle, Jesus turned to Peter. “Have you anything to eat?”

  That was hardly what Peter had expected, but he nodded. Anna reached the table before he did, however. In a moment she stood before Jesus and handed him the plate. On it was a piece of broiled fish and part of a honeycomb. He murmured his thanks, then began to eat, standing in place. There was not a sound in the room as everyone watched, still too astonished to believe what they were seeing.

  When he was finished, he turned and set the plate on a stool. He motioned for Peter and the other apostles to come forward. When they stood around him in a half circle, he spoke. His message was meant for them, but it was clear that he wanted everyone to hear.

  “Remember the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, how that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me. Thus it is written that the Messiah should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day.”

  He paused to let them assimilate that for a moment, then continued. “It is also written that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in the name of Christ to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.

  “Go ye therefore into all the world, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

  His eyes lifted for a moment, and he seemed to be looking right through the ceiling; then they came back to rest on Peter and the men with him. “And lo,” he said, his voice thrilling everyone in the room to the very core, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

  Then, even as those assembled in the upper room there in the house of Jephunah ben Asa watched in stunned amazement, Jesus was gone, vanishing as quickly as he had come.

  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.

  —Mark 16:19–20

  Bibliography

  Backhouse, Robert. The Kregel Pictorial Guide to the Temple. Edited by Tim Dowley. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1996.

  Bloch, Abraham C. The Biblical and Historical Background of Jewish Customs and Ceremonies. New York: Ktav Publishing House, 1980.

  Brandon, S. G. F. “The Zealots: The Jewish Resistance against Rome, a.d. 6–73,” History Today 15 (Sept. 1965): 632–34.

  Buttrick, George Arthur, ed. The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1962.

  Clarke, Adam. Clarke’s Commentary. 3 vols. Nashville: Abingdon, 1977.

  Connolly, Peter. A History of the Jewish People in the Times of Jesus: From Herod the Great to Masada. New York: P. Bedrick Books, 1987, 1983.

  Dummelow, J. R. The One Volume Bible Commentary. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1908.

  Edersheim, Alfred. The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Revised edition. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1993.

  ———. The Temple: Its Ministry and Services as They Were at the Time of Christ. 1874. Reprint, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1958.

  Edwards, William D., Wesley J. Gabel, and Floyd E Hosmer. “On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ.” Journal of the American Medical Association 256 (21 March 1986): 1455–63.

  Fallows, Samuel, ed. The Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopædia and Scriptural Dictionary. 3 vols. Chicago: The Howard-Severance Co., 1911.

  Farrar, Frederic. The Life of Christ. Portland, Ore.: Fountain Publications, 1964.

  Frank, Harry Thomas. Discovering the Biblical World. Revised edition. Maplewood, N.J.: Hammond, 1988.

  Guthrie, D., J. A. Motyer, A. M. Stibbs, and D. J. Wiseman, eds. The New Bible Commentary: Revised. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970.

  Hastings, James, ed. Dictionary of the Bible. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1909.

  Jacobs, Louis. The Book of Jewish Practice. West Orange, N.J.: Behrman House Publishers, 1987.

  Josephus, Flavius. Antiquities of the Jews. In Josephus: Complete Works. William Whiston, trans. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1960.

  Kimball, Spencer W. “Peter, My Brother.” BYU Speeches of the Year 1970–71, 13 July 1971, 1–8.

  Mackie, George M. Bible Manners and Customs. Old Tappan, N.J.: Power Books, 1984.

  New Testament in Four Versions, The. King James, Revised Standard, Phillips Modern English, New English Bible. Washington: Christianity Today, 1963.

  Talmage, James E. Jesus the Christ. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1983.

  Thayer, Joseph Henry, trans., rev. and enl. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1977.

  Vincent, Marvin R. Word Studies in the New Testament. 4 vols. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1887–1900.

  Vine, W. E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1981.

  Wight, Fred H. Manners and Customs of Bible Lands. Chicago: Moody Press, 1953.

  Wilson, William. Old Testament Word Studies. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1978.

  About the Author

  Gerald N. Lund received his B.A. and M.S. degrees in sociology from Brigham Young University. While in southern California, he also did extensive graduate work in New Testament studies at Pepperdine University in Los Angeles and studied Hebrew at the University of Judaism in Hollywood. His love for the Middle East and its people has taken him to the Holy Land more than a dozen times as a tour director and lecturer.

  He was a religious educator for more than thirty-five years in the Church Educational System for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he taught students both on the high school and college levels. During his career, he also wrote and developed curriculum materials, including numerous media presentations on the Old and New Testaments.

  He is the author of more than nineteen books. In addition to the nine volumes in the bestselling The Work and the Glory series, he has written five other novels: One in Thine Hand, The Alliance, Leverage Point, The Freedom Factor, and Fire of the Covenant. He has also written several books on gospel studies, including The Coming of the Lord, a study of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. His books have won several honors, including twice winning the Independent Booksellers “Book of the Year” award.

  He and his wife, Lynn, have seven children and live in Alpine, Utah.