I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary

© Copyright 2013 PJ Stassen

All Rights Reserved

   Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.

-          Minnie L. Haskins, 1875-1957.

   The Romans at the time of the crucifixion would probably never have considered Jesus Of Nazareth a serious threat to ‘national security’.  After all, Pontius Pilate initially appeared very reluctant to get drawn into the squabbles and altercations of the pro-crucifixion riff-raff of the time.  Herod, the official lackey of the entrenched, occupying Roman armies, had reason to fear, however.  He had heard all the rumours of this enigmatic carpenter-rabbi from Nazareth, and what could an enemy not all accomplish who wielded the power to raise wounded soldiers from their hospital beds and dead soldiers from the grave, turn water into wine to quench the insatiable thirst of large conquering armies, or heal the thousands of sick and disabled as potential new conscripts for his fledgling defence force?

   Furthermore were the members of the elitist Sanhedrin, i.e. the Jewish religious authorities, concerned about possible brutal retaliation by the Romans in the wake of another ‘wanna-be’  rebel-deliver (as they probably saw it) in in their midst. Jesus Of Nazareth meant trouble, and He simply had to go.  A true national deliverer, a true messiah, would not have been so ridiculously submissive, docile and non-combative.  This Jesus may have passed with the masses as an honest and good citizen, or even a devout religious ascetic … but as a national hero? Never!

   According to the Roman historian Tacitus, Pontius Pilate committed suicide sixteen years after the crucifixion of Jesus Of Nazareth.  The Roman empire (Humpty Dumpty?) had already then begun to fall.  In contrast, the obscure little hill of Calvary has since gone on to become the hill from where Christ today rules the hearts of the people of the world.  He had solemnly promised:

   And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  (John 12:32 KJV, www.e-sword.net).    

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I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary

(© Copyright 1968 William J. Gaither, Inc. All rights controlled by Gaither Copyright Management)

I believe that this life with its great mysteries,

Surely someday will come to an end;

But faith will conquer the darkness and death,

And will lead at last to my friend.

I believe that the Christ Who was slain on the Cross,

Has the power to change lives today;

For He changed me completely,

A new life is mine −

And that is why by the Cross I will stay.

CHORUS

I believe in a hill called ‘Mount Calvary’,

I believe whatever the cost;

And when time has surrendered and Earth is no more,

I’ll still cling to that old rugged Cross.

  

Piet Stassen

eLiterature/eLiteratuur:

1. Scribd Publishing Site:  www.scribd.com/PietStassen (ENGLISH & AFRIKAANS)
2. eBook: 'Evolution: The Science That Evolved Into A Fairy Tale' (ENGLISH)  
3. eBook:  'Bertrand Russell Revisited: Rebuttal Of Bertrand Russell's 'Why I Am Not A Christian''(ENGLISH)
4. eBook: 'Meditations & Contemplations: A Reader For Both Atheists And Creationists' (ENGLISH)
5. eBook: 'Conservation, Rhino Poaching And Hypocrisy' (ENGLISH)
6. eBook: 'Why Darwinism ('Evolution') Does Not Make Sense' (ENGLISH)
7. eBook: 'Names And Titles Of Jesus Of Nazareth (ENGLISH)'
8. eBoek:  'Darwin Of Christus: Suid-Afrikaners By 'n Kruispad!' [AFRIKAANS].
9. eBoek:  'Bevryding Van Die Anti-Evangelie Van Ateisme-Evolusionisme' [AFRIKAANS].
10. eBoek:  'Name & Titels Van Jesus Christus' [AFRIKAANS].
11. eTracts, Christian (Free, Downloadable):  Free, downloadable Christian eTracts for free distribution (ENGLISH)
12. eTraktate, Christelik (Gratis, Aflaaibaar): Gratis, aflaaibabre Christelike Traktate vir gratis verspreiding (AFRIKAANS)

Bibliography

1.  Andrews, Allen (1969) Quotations For Speakers And Writers. Newnes Books. Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. London.

2.  eLyrics.  ‘I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary’.  Accessed At <http://www.elyrics.net/read/g/gaither-vocal-band-lyrics/i-believe-in-a-hill-called-mount-calvary-lyrics.html> [online ] 2013.
3.  Last.fm.  'Bill & Gloria Gaither'.  Accessed At <http://www.last.fm/music/Bill+&+Gloria+Gaither> [online] 2013.