Luke 24:52

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, blessing God.

All of the temple forms and ceremonies were made null and void by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ; but for a season the Christians would still continue to meet, out of habit long maintained, in such places as Solomon's porch and other areas within the temple. Before a generation ended, God would utterly destroy the temple, one evident purpose being that of separating all Christian activities from it. However, it was too early at this point for the Christians fully to understand this. Of course, Luke did not mean that they "were in the temple throughout, but that they made use of every opportunity (as during the seasons of prayer) to go and worship in the temple."[22]

THE FOUR WITNESSES AGREE

The four witnesses are Matthew, John, Mark, and Luke, to use the order followed in this series of studies; and the mountain peaks of their quadruple testimony stand supremely above the mists of nineteen centuries. What do they say? What do they ALL say? What is their witness?

They said, and they all say, that Jesus of Nazareth is, was, and ever is a supernatural Person. They say, and they all say, that he performed the greatest wonders ever seen on earth. They say, and they all say, that he raised the dead to life again. They say, and they all say, that he gave himself up to die in order to redeem people from sin. They say, and they all say, that he was crucified and buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. They say, and they all say, that he rose from the dead on the third day. They say, and they all say, that he repeatedly appeared to his own group in his resurrection body. They say, and they all say, that he commanded the gospel of salvation to be proclaimed to all people. They say, and they all say, that he ascended to God and that all power in heaven and upon earth belongs to him. They say, and they all say, that he is one with Almighty God. They say, and they all say, that he alone can redeem human beings from the curse of sin. They say, and they all say, that he shall judge all people on the last day. They say, and they all say, that he is now enthroned with God in heaven. They say, and they all say, that he loves and cares for his spiritual body, the church. They say, and they all say, that he is the Christ promised in the Old Testament. They say, and they all say, that his alone is the name through which people ought to pray. They say, and they all say, that he is Lord and Saviour. They say, and they all say, that he should be worshipped as the Father in heaven is worshipped. They say, and they all say, that the fate of every soul ever born on earth hinges on that soul's relationship with Jesus Christ.

Not a line of this testimony is missing from any one of the quadruple Gospels, nor is the slightest word in it diminished by anything that any of them wrote. Let men quibble if they will about variations in these four witnesses; there are no variations where these vital facts are concerned. They call all people to turn their dying eyes to the Cross for salvation in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.