O WHAT A (HOLY) WEEK ! DAY 6
Beginning on Palm Sunday and ending on Easter Day we have “Holy Week” - the last week of Jesus human life. Many will readily remember some key events such as Jesus entrance into Jerusalem riding a donkey, the Last Supper, Jesus’ Crucifixion and His Resurrection. Yet so much more happens and we don’t always fully appreciate all that occurred during this week. Each day of Holy Week will look at what was going on and select just one simple thought on which to reflect.
DAY SIX- Friday
Todays scripture reading (WAC Bible Reading Plan) Mark 15:1–47; John 18:28–19:42
The events.
# The Sanhedrin take Jesus to Pontius Pilate (They need his approval to execute Jesus)
# Jesus stands trial before Pontius Pilate accused of sedition
# Judas hangs himself
# Pontius Pilate goes to follow the custom to release a prisoner - the crowds demand that this be Barabbas
# Pontius Pilate ponders what to do with Jesus? - the crowds cry crucify him!
# Jesus is flogged and handed over to be crucified, he is tortured, mocked and paraded through the streets
# At the place of public execution JESUS IS CRUCIFIED
# He is crucified alongside two rebels one of whom seeks Jesus
# He makes seven statements from the cross
# At 3pm he declares “it is finished” and dies. The curtain in the temple is torn, the earth shakes, rocks split and tombs break open
# Joseph of Arimathea gets permission to take Jesus’ body and place it in his own tomb
# A large stone is rolled in front of the entrance to the tomb
# Another failed Messiah ??????
Reflection
The crucifixion and all that Jesus achieved in freely laying down his life for us is massive. Jesus has achieved for us, through this act of amazing love, the forgiveness of sins. He died for our sins so that we might have life. He had shown us the way to live and through His life revealed to us the nature of God the Father. God sent us Jesus because of His love for us and in Jesus he reconciled the world to himself.
It is so important that we grasp what Jesus has achieved for us. It can be more difficult to understand and explain how Jesus achieved this by his death. Author Brian Zahnd says when it comes to the cross “let’s readily confess it, but never glibly explain it” I intend to take this advice and resist the temptation to try to explain the cross in just this short reflection. I’m satisfied to confess that the cross of Jesus has won our peace (Col1:20) and leave talking about how to another time.
The reflection takes one of the seven statements Jesus made from the cross. Mark writes that Jesus cried out “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani” which means My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? To explain this we may have heard that God is Holy and cannot look upon sin. Since on the cross Jesus took all our sins upon himself God the Father turned away and abandoned his son. Is the correct? Let us reflect upon an alternative way of seeing this.
We know that Jesus is the clearest image of God (Col1:15), God in the flesh (Jn1:14). No where in the gospels do we find Jesus covering his eyes and shunning away from sinners. No he sought out and befriended sinners. Turning away from sinners is not what God does.
If God had literally abandoned Jesus on the cross why did Jesus keep talking to him? I suggest that despite feeling abandoned the God who promised to never leave us or forsake us remained by his side. If God truly abandoned Jesus then when he spoke his final words “Father into your hands I commit my spirit” there was no God there to receive him.
I suggest and invite you to reflect upon the answer being in Psalm 22. The words “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” are the opening line. Please read the Psalm and see how it talks of suffering. Read it as if Jesus is saying these words from the cross (it brings me to tears to do this) It speaks of hands and feet being pierced, of clothes being divided up by persecutors, of his mouth being dry. Jesus was surely directing his listeners to the whole Psalm as chronicling what was happening. He couldn’t recite the whole psalm hanging on the cross, fighting for breath. He simply used the opening lines to reference it. Much like today we might refer to the “Our Father” as shorthand for the Lord’s Prayer.
Yes Jesus felt abandoned like the Psalmist says. He identified with the suffering but he knew the Psalm does remain in defeat but turns around and proclaims the truth that whatever the circumstances “ He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.” v24
The previous day (Maundy Thursday) Jesus had said to his disciples “A time is coming when you will be scattered and go to your own homes. In fact, that time is already here. You will leave me all alone. But I am not really alone. My Father is with me. (John16:32) That remained true throughout the crucifixion.
Prayer
Heavenly Father we thank you that you do not leave us or forsake us. In our darkest most difficult times you are with us and listen to our cry for help.
Amen
Garden Church