The Words The four gospels collectively report seven “words” (phrases) that Christ spoke from the cross. The words differ between the four gospels but this is neither surprising nor alarming: if you get four people to watch the same event, then you will get a general agreement on what happened but four different perspectives. God inspired human beings to write his Word down but he is also gracious to work within our humanity, and so each gospel writer brings a true yet different perspective to the same event. 1.    “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 2.    “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” 3.  …

Friday, evening in Jerusalem After Jesus died, the Bible mentions that some specific women were still at the Cross. They included Mary Magdalene, Mary of Cleophas (probably a 1st cousin to Jesus’ mother Mary) and the mother of the disciples James and John, whose name was probably Joanna. Mary the mother of Jesus is not mentioned here. Jesus had delivered his own mother into the care of John, who had most likely gotten her to safety and rest just after the Crucifixion. He would have had to leave his own mother there to take care of Mary, but Joanna was a force to be reckoned with. She was the one…