Prophecy Watchers Podcast Summary

Episode: "Proof the Resurrection Is Real | Studies with Stearman"

Host: Gary Stearman (with Mondo Gonzales)
Date: April 1, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Gary Stearman (primarily solo, with Mondo Gonzales not speaking in the provided transcript) takes listeners on a deep study of the biblical and prophetic proof of the resurrection of Jesus, its central place in Christian faith, and its rich connections to Jewish Passover traditions. The episode is designed to strengthen faith, illuminate key prophetic patterns, and encourage believers to appreciate the scriptural and historical significance of Christ’s resurrection—arguably "the greatest event in the history of the universe" (53:30).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Messianic Prophecy and Palm Sunday ("The Stone the Builders Refused")

• Psalm 118 and the Triumphal Entry:
  • Stearman opens by reading Psalm 118:22-29, connecting it with Matthew 21 (Jesus' entry into Jerusalem).
  • Notes the Messianic greeting: Baruch Haba B'Shem Adonai—"Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord" (00:40).
  • Explains "hosanna" as “Save now!” (00:55).

2. Christ as the Passover Lamb / The Cleansing of Leaven

• Paul’s Application (1 Corinthians 5:7):
  • Christ is the Passover; Paul uses Passover’s tradition of searching for leaven as metaphor for spiritual cleansing (03:15).
  • "Just as a housewife might search for her house and purge her house of dirt and grime before Passover, so we are to search ourselves and purge out the leavening, that is, purge out anything unclean before we contemplate the fact that Christ is risen." (04:10)

3. Historical Setting of the Resurrection

• Roman and Jewish Involvement in Jesus’ Burial (Matthew 27:62-66):
  • The burial was public knowledge; authorities feared the resurrection story (06:00).
  • "The resurrection of Jesus was not then, nor has it ever been a secret. It's the world's biggest unkept secret." (08:10)
  • Roman guards, a sealed tomb—highlighting the impossibility of human tampering (11:00).

4. The Resurrection Event (Matthew 28, Mark 16, and John 20)

• The Angel’s Role:
  • Earthquake, angel rolls away stone; appears first to women—fulfilling the pattern from Genesis 3:15 (“seed of the woman”) (13:00).
  • "He appeared first to women… and thus the rebellion that was commenced in the garden was brought to full closure by the death, burial, and now resurrection of Christ. Women are… one of the chief elements of the redemption." (16:35)
• Key Message:
  • "The shed blood of Jesus Christ and his resurrection provide the only ground for salvation. Period." (21:00)
• Modern Implications:
  • Christianity is increasingly challenged by a pluralistic worldview—Stearman asserts exclusivity in Christ (22:30).

5. Jesus as the Bread of Life (John 6)—Theological and Symbolic Connections

• Feeding 5,000 and the Bread Discourse:
  • Many followed Jesus for material needs, not true spiritual hunger (24:15).
  • "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35; 24:40)
• Offense at the Bread of Life Teaching:
  • The Jews are disturbed by Jesus’ claims; the claim to deity is divisive (26:45).
  • "Christ was not an ordinary mortal man. He was the Son of God, born of a virgin..." (28:10)
• Reference to the Afikoman (Hidden/Broken Matzo):
  • Passover tradition of breaking and hiding matzo links directly to Jesus’ death and resurrection (31:00).
  • "The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:51; 32:30)

6. Principle of Judicial Blindness

• Resistance to Revelation Hardened Further:
  • "If they resist what he says, he will not make it easier for them to hear. He will make it harder for them to hear... This is called the principle of judicial blindness." (34:10)
• Historical examples (Northern Kingdom’s exile) support this principle.

7. Passover Seder as Prophetic Picture

• Four Cups:
  • Sanctification, Thanksgiving, Redemption, Completion, as given in Exodus 6:6-7 (44:36).
  • Christians focus on the “cup of redemption”; the final, “completion,” awaits in the Kingdom (47:00).
• Seder Symbols:
  • The lamb, matzah, bitter herbs, and four cups all foreshadow aspects of Christ's passion (57:30).
  • "He is the four cups personified. The first three have been accomplished. The fourth one is yet to come." (49:32)

8. The Resurrection: Eyewitness Details & Faith

• The Empty Tomb (John 20):
  • Grave clothes undisturbed—evidence of supernatural resurrection, not theft (58:20).
  • "Seeing is believing. He walked with Jesus, saw the miracles... yet it was not until this moment when he looked down and saw those clothes. And I think that Jesus' body was in some way dimensionally converted when it arose, that allowed it to pass through those garments and through, even through the stone of the tomb into the kingdom of heaven, so that nothing physical was disturbed." (59:22)
• John Becoming a Believer:
  • "He wasn't a believer until that moment. What does that mean? That means, among other things, John wasn't anybody special. He was a human being like the rest of us." (1:01:12)
• Centrality of the Resurrection:
  • Passover is “old news;” the resurrection is the new, transformative news (1:05:00).

9. Passover Ritual Retold—Typology and Fulfillment

• Order of the Seder in Jesus’ Day:
  • 1st cup (Sanctification), washing of hands (Jesus raises to foot washing), 2nd cup (Thanksgiving), breaking and distribution of matzah, eating bitter herbs, roasted lamb, 3rd cup (Redemption), and Hallel Psalms (1:08:00–1:14:00).
  • "When you have Passover, it's required that you have four cups… Without the taking of the four cups, there is no Passover." (1:08:20).
• The Afikoman:
  • Hidden and then revealed, “afikoman” is reinterpreted by Stearman to mean “He comes” (Greek: aphikomen; 1:27:13).
  • "By the breaking of this afikoman, we do show the Lord's death till he comes." (1:28:01)
• Lamb without broken bone; pierced and striped matzah:
  • Passover elements all point to Christ (Isaiah 53, John 19; 1:29:20).

10. Appearance to Mary Magdalene and the Disciples

• Two angels/witnesses at the tomb (1:32:35).
• Jesus appears to Mary (internal recognition—her name), appears to disciples, and then to Thomas (inviting to touch his wounds):
  • "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (1:36:40)

11. Passover Motif: From Bondage to Freedom

• Communion and Resurrection as the True Fulfillment:
  • No longer celebrating historical bondage via Seder, but the ongoing reality of freedom through the risen Christ (1:41:00).
• Symbolism of Seder Items:
  • "To this day, Jews still keep the shank bone of the lamb on their seder plate as a reminder of the lamb of sacrifice. But they do not associate that lamb with Christ at this point in time. …The striped and pierced unleavened bread, which is his body, and you have the four cups, which are his blood. The whole of Passover is an incredible picture of Christ’s suffering."* (57:59)
• The significance of "Next year in Jerusalem" as the hope of final redemption—paralleled in Christian hope for the return and final freedom in Christ (1:39:55).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Resurrection’s Magnitude:

  "On a scale of 1 to 10, the resurrection is about a thousand, and everything else is about a 2 or a 3. It's the greatest thing that ever happened before or since."
  (53:30, Gary Stearman)

• On Exclusivity of Salvation:

  "The shed blood of Jesus Christ and his resurrection provide the only ground for salvation. Period."
  (21:00, Gary Stearman)

• On The Afikoman:

  "Afikoman does not mean dessert dish... in my opinion, afikoman means 'He comes.' And by the breaking of this afikoman, we do show the Lord's death till he comes."
  (1:28:01, Gary Stearman)

• On the Meaning of Passover to Christians:

  "When we discuss the resurrection, we're discussing being freed from bondage... we're discussing a real and present freedom that we have in Christ."
  (1:10:49, Gary Stearman)

• On John’s Moment of Faith:

  "He wasn't a believer until that moment... John wasn't anybody special. He was a human being like the rest of us. Seeing is believing."
  (1:01:12, Gary Stearman)

• On Communion/Unity with Christ:

  "I in them and Thou in me. Very simple language, just kindergarten language. And yet it's beyond our wildest imagining to understand what it means. I in them and Thou in me."
  (42:15, citing John 17:23)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:03 – Introduction & Psalm 118—Prophecy of Triumphal Entry
• 03:15 – Passover & Purging Leaven as Personal Cleansing
• 06:00 – Burial of Jesus: Pharisees, Pilate, and Security of the Tomb
• 13:00 – The Resurrection: Angel Rolls Stone, Appearance to Women
• 21:00 – “Only Ground for Salvation” – The Exclusivity of Christ
• 24:15 – Bread of Life Discourse, John 6
• 31:00 – Passover and Afikoman, Hidden and Broken Bread
• 34:10 – Judicial Blindness Explained
• 44:36 – The Four Passover Cups Explained & Prophetic Meaning
• 53:30 – Resurrection: “The Single Greatest Event”
• 58:20 – The Empty Tomb: Grave Clothes & John’s Faith
• 1:01:12 – John’s Personal Belief Moment
• 1:05:00 – Passover vs. Resurrection: What’s Really Celebrated
• 1:08:20 – Seder Steps in 1st Century Passover
• 1:27:13 – The Afikoman: Etymology & Prophetic Significance
• 1:29:20 – Seder Plate Elements’ Fulfillment in Christ
• 1:32:35 – Resurrection Morning: Angels and Mary Magdalene
• 1:36:40 – Appearance to Thomas: “Blessed are they that have not seen…”
• 1:39:55 – "Next Year in Jerusalem" and Christian Hope
• 1:41:00 – Passover as a Symbol of Real Freedom in Christ

Conclusion

Combining rich biblical exposition, typological connections, and prophetic patterns, Gary Stearman makes a compelling, layered case for the reality and non-negotiable centrality of Jesus’ resurrection as the axis upon which all of redemptive history turns. He emphasizes the importance of understanding Jewish feasts, particularly Passover, as prophetic picture-books pointing to Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and resurrection, encouraging believers that true freedom has already been accomplished, and the final cup—completion with Christ in the Kingdom—is yet to come.

For Further Study:

• Suggested passages: Psalm 118, Exodus 6, Matthew 27–28, John 6, John 17, John 20, 1 Corinthians 5 & 11, Isaiah 53.
• Explore: The Passover Seder and its imagery, with special attention to the hidden matzah (afikoman) and the four ritual cups.

Final Blessing:
"Next year in Jerusalem" for the Jew. For the Christian? "Next year in heaven." It is liberation—He came that we might be free (1:41:45, Gary Stearman).