THE PASSIONATE CHRIST A BIBLICAL EXPOSITION BY: Dr. J.L. Williams Part I

THE PREPARATION FOR THE PASSION THE PROLOGUE OF THE CROSS INTRODUCTION: In the months and weeks leading up to Ash Wednesday, February 25, 2004, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ drew more media attention than any movie in recent years. For Gibson, this movie was more than just an objective piece of media art. He was very clear about the fact that he was passionately involved spiritually and emotionally in the production of this movie. By his repeated testimony, Gibson had reached the very pinnacle of success from every standard in Hollywood by starring in a series of very successful movies, and yet he still went through existential despair. He was on a fast track toward a premature death by a very selfdestructive lifestyle. But then he turned back to the Christ that he had known about from his Catholic upbringing. As a result of that time of study and meditation about Christ, especially His passion, Gibson’s life was radically changed. As he has often said since then: “Christ’s wounds healed my wounds! So I had to tell this story by producing this movie!” From that moment on, he was passionate about “The Passion of the Christ!” Gibson’s movie had a relatively narrow focus – the last 12 hours of Christ leading up to His crucifixion. Such a relatively narrow focus can be both a strength and weakness – depending upon the Biblical knowledge people took into the movie. If they viewed the movie through the context of a broad perspective of the Bible, they would come away with a greater understanding of the passion of Christ. But if they had little or no knowledge about the Bible in general, and the life of Christ in particular, they would come away with an incomplete understanding of Christ. They would understand something of the passion of His death but not the passion of His life – either before or after His crucifixion. Other movies like the Jesus Film are a great compliment to The Passion of the Christ because they present a more comprehensive portrayal of Christ from the Gospels. They take you from His birth to His death almost verse-by-verse. But in between those two great events, they also cover His teachings…His miracles…His passion…His resurrection …His Commission…His ascension…and His coming through the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. It is my desire, then, to do the very same thing through this in-depth study of the Passionate Christ. I want to help you view and evaluate the passion of His entire life within the wider 1

context of the Bible – both Old and New Testaments. It is my prayer that these verses and passages will help you have a greater passion for the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, who is revealed in the Inscripturated Word, the Bible. (*) After prayerfully reading these many passages, I pray that you will never be able to see a cross representing the death of Christ in the same way. From this time on, I hope that every silver, gold or brass cross you see on an altar or communion table will be blood stained in your spiritual eyes, causing you to live your life with a new passion for the Lord Jesus because of His great passion for you as demonstrated by the cross! Because of His passion, J.L.

_______________________________ (*) Throughout this study I will be using the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible unless otherwise stated. Also, I will be capitalizing all pronouns referring to God or Christ. This is done for two reasons. First of all, it shows respect for the members of the Godhead. And secondly, it helps to distinguish them from people in illustrations or scripture.

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THE PRELUDE OF THE CROSS The crucifixion of Christ was not an isolated event that took place in a historical vacuum. It was the saving event of human history that God had prepared from the eons of past eternity. That’s why John the beloved disciple called Jesus “…the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8; c.f. Matt. 25:34). Therefore, when properly understood, every animal sacrifice in the Old Testament pointed toward the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. This is especially significant because of the defining role that the shedding of blood played in every animal sacrifice. All of these annual sacrifices from the Old Covenant were foreshadows of the perfect and final sacrifice of Christ that was the basis for the New Covenant. Space does not permit me to do a thorough study of all of the Old Testament sacrifices. But they are the historic and spiritual foundation that the entire New Testament is built upon. And every builder knows that the most important part of any building is the foundation. If it is not strong and secure, the superstructure will be unstable and shaky – just like many Christian’s superficial Biblical knowledge and “fearful faith.” Therefore, I will take a disproportionate amount of space in this first chapter because I want you to have a “firm foundation” to build your passion upon. Without a basic understanding of these Old Testament sacrifices, one’s view of the Passionate Christ will be severely myopic and truncated. The many animal sacrifices in the Old Testament were the historic and spiritual prelude of Christ’s final sacrifice on the cross. And they were the very heart of the Jewish religion and culture. Therefore, there are several truths that run through every sacrifice. There is a scarlet cord binding all of these sacrifices to the passion of Christ on the cross. Here is a simple summary of these animal sacrifices preluding the crucifixion of Christ. • • • • •

Each sacrifice was to be perfect and precious – so they were costly. Each one was precisely prepared in every detail according to God’s instructions. In each animal sacrifice, there was a loss of life. Central to every sacrifice was an altar upon which an innocent animal was slain. Most importantly, the shedding of blood was the very heart of every sacrifice.

These simple but profound truths are clearly defined by the Hebrew word that is used for sacrifice. It is the word zabach, and means: “To slaughter an animal.” The King James Version often interchanges the word “offering” for sacrifice. Here the Hebrew word is minchah and means: “to apportion, to bestow a gift, to make a sacrificial offering.” In either case, the meaning is very clear – the death of an animal. Therefore, every animal sacrifice pointed toward the sacrifice of Christ. These many sacrifices were the spiritual object lessons carefully prescribed by God to point and

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prepare the Jewish people for the coming sacrifice of the Messiah. So if you do not understand this Old Testament background, you will never fully appreciate the Passionate Christ. Let me share just a few foundational examples: God’s First Sacrifice After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they felt naked and ashamed before each other and before God. So they did what many people do, they “got religion!” We read that “…they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (Genesis 3:7). In doing so, they performed the very first religious act in history. This was man’s first attempt to deal with his own sin through the work of his hands. That’s why the central tenant in every religion is some form of works righteousness. It is an attempt in some way to “cover up” your own sin by the work of your own hands. The Biblical word for “covering” is the word atonement. It is used some 150 times in the Old Testament. It means “to cover or conceal” and is always associated with two things: the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. So atonement denotes “a covering that conceals a person’s sin and makes it possible for him to approach God.” Once again, when Adam and Eve “got religion” and tried to “…sew fig leaves together to cover themselves” – it was the first act of works righteousness in human history. But God told them that the gravity of their sin and disobedience was too great to be cheaply covered by “fig leaves.” God had previously warned the man and woman that if they disobeyed Him “…they would surely die.” Regardless of His love for them, God could not and would not lay aside His holiness and justice. His word and very nature were at stake. Since they deserved to die as a result of their willful disobedience – someone or something had to die. A punishment unto death would have to take place, or God would compromise His holiness in the face of their rebellion and sin. Either they would be put to death – or something else living would be put to death in their place. A substitute would have to be found! So, we read these words: “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). This brief sentence summarizes the first act of grace in human history. It teaches two things: the severity of sin and the sovereignty of grace. This little verse reminds us that God takes sin deathly serious! The true and living God will not trifle with sin and disobedience in the lives of those whom He created in His “…image and likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Sin must be atoned for. And since Adam and Eve could not provide an adequate covering for themselves through their works – God provided through His grace the substitution of an animal that died in their place. What God’s justice and holiness required – His mercy and grace provided! This, then, was the very first act of substitutionary atonement recorded in the Bible. An innocent animal, unquestionably a lamb, was slain as a substitute for Adam and Eve! Blood was shed and an atonement was provided.

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So in the face of sin, an innocent life was given in exchange for the guilty couple. How they must have been horrified at the sight of an innocent animal dying in their place! They had probably not seen death before. They had not seen blood shed as a life was poured out. They had not seen an animal skinned. But it was an object lesson of grace they would never forget – and it would provide a new basis for their forgiveness and fellowship with the God they had sinned against. Because of God’s act of substitutionary atonement, the skin of that slain animal would now “covered them” in a way their “fig leaves” never could. They were now “clothed” in the innocence of something else that had died in their place. Therefore, this is the foundational sacrifice in the Bible. All other sacrifices would be built upon this spiritual altar. And all subsequent sacrifices pointed toward the Passion of Christ! Abel’s Sacrifice In this Biblical account of the second sacrifice recorded in the Bible, there is a stark contrast drawn. Two brothers. Same parents. Two very different sacrifices. One accepted by God. One totally rejected. “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor” (Genesis 4:2-5). Obviously both Cain and Abel had previously received a basic understanding of the kind of sacrifice that God accepted from the teaching of their parents, Adam and Eve. No doubt they had been taught from their earliest years how “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” But the oldest son tried his own version of “religion” and “works righteousness” – just like his parents had done before him (see: I John 3:12; Jude 11). By contrast, the younger son, Abel, came by faith, just as his parents had later done after God had rejected the “works of their hands.” So we read that Abel “…brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.” So once again we see clearly implied a substitutionary atonement through the sacrifice of “…the firstborn of his flock.” At the heart of Abel’s sacrifice was “faith in the blood” as the only means of his atonement before God. Notice also the consistency of what God would later teach through Moses about animal sacrifices: “When any of you brings an offering to the Lord…a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect…it will be accepted on his behalf

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to make atonement for him…From what he offers he is to make this offering to the Lord by fire; all the fat…The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord’s” (Leviticus 1:2-4; 3:16). Later the writer of Hebrews reflects on Abel’s sacrifice this way: “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks even though he is dead” (Hebrews 11:4). So while Cain came to God on the basis of his works, Abel came on the basis of faith – “And without faith it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:6). Abraham’s Sacrifice of Isaac Here is one of the most poignant and revealing sacrifices in the Old Testament – a sacrifice that was literally stopped while the “knife was at the throat!” This story is so simple and descriptive that it needs little comment or commentary. As you read this ancient story – the events of The Passion of the Christ movie will come into clearer focus. This is the single greatest Old Testament passage that preludes the sacrifice of Christ thousands of years later. You remember the story… In fulfillment of His promise, God had miraculously given Abraham and Sarah a firstborn son in their old age. He was conceived and born long after their child-bearing years had passed for them. This son’s name was Isaac. His very name tells a lot of the story – because Isaac means “he laughs!” They named him that because Sarah had “…laughed to herself” when she heard the angelic announcement that she would have a child in her old age (Genesis 18:12). Understandably, Abraham dearly loved this son of his old age. Isaac was the very “apple of his father’s eye!” But then we read how “God tested Abraham.” This test would reveal the heart of Abraham. Even more it would reveal the heart of God. And at the same time it would demonstrate Abraham’s incredible faith in the true and living God. Here was the test: “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love and go to the region of Moriah (Remember this location for our later study). Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about” (Genesis 22:2). The severity of this test goes beyond our human comprehension. It goes against all of our senses and sensibilities! At the reading of this passage, everything within us cries out a resounding “NO!” This sacrifice is too costly! It’s not fair! It is unreasonable! It does not make sense! In our heart of hearts we cry out “Why God?!” But contrary to every human inclination as a father, Abraham did what God commanded him to do. Listen further to the account of Abraham’s incredible faith and prompt obedience.

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“Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance (Remember this place!). He said to his servants. ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you. Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, ‘Father?’ ‘Yes, my son?’ Abraham replied. ‘The fire and wood are here,’ Isaac said, ‘but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ Abraham answered, ‘God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ And the two of them went on together. When they reached the place God had told them about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, ‘Abraham! Abraham!’ ‘Here I am,’ he replied. Do not lay a hand on the boy…Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.’ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place, ‘The Lord will Provide’ (“Jehovah-Jireh”). And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the Lord (Remember this place!) it will be provided” (Genesis 22:1-14). Is it any wonder Abraham is considered by both Jews and Christians the “father of our faith” (Romans 4:11-17). No wonder Abraham is called the “…friend of God” (II Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23)! Listen to how Abraham’s faith and obedience is described by the writer of Hebrews: “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be called.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death” (Hebrews 11:17-19; c.f. Romans 4:1-25).

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So Abraham’s faith and obedience in his willingness to sacrifice his firstborn son on the altar is one of the greatest foreshadows of Christ passion in the Old Testament. The Passover Sacrifice for Israel This is the foundational feast of Judaism. It is their corporate salvation event as a nation. This annual commemoration and celebration is the immediate context of The Passion of the Christ. Unless you understand the historic origin of the Passover, you will not fully understand the spiritual significance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. So you cannot separate the Passover from the Passion. The two are inseparably connected together historically and spiritually. It was the Passover Feast that Jesus celebrated with His disciples the night before He went to the cross. Since the vast majority of Gentile Christians do not annually celebrate the Passover as the Jews do, we need to be reminded of the historical narrative that this Feast is based upon. So let’s refresh our memory of this defining event in Israel’s history. The Jews were slaves in Egypt. They were in servile bondage to Pharaoh – and absolutely powerless to do anything about it. And since Egypt is a Biblical typology of the world, this is a picture of all of us. We are all slaves to the world around us – with no ability to break that bondage. So God did for the Jews what they could not do for themselves – and it was all based upon a blood sacrifice. Read carefully and prayerfully God’s instructions to His people through Moses: “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt. ‘This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household…The animals you chose must be year-old males without defect…Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread without yeast…This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover. On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn – both men and animals – and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

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This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord – a lasting ordinance. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast…Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Remember this significant “bread without yeast!”), because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt…For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses…Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.’ Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, ‘Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning. When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and He will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as He promised, observe this ceremony. And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when He struck down the Egyptians.’ Then the people bowed down and worshiped” (Ex. 12:1-27). It is impossible, then, to separate the Passover of the Jews from the Passionate Christ! Nor can you separate the Feast of Passover from its spiritual companion, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Both of these Feasts were fulfilled by Christ’s sinless life and sacrificial death – in minute detail! With those Scriptures resonating in your heart and mind, now read the following about His passion.. Jesus Sacrifice for Us Among the many Scriptures I could share about Christ’s passion, the following are only representative – not exhaustive. •

“…Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one…All have turned away…there is no one who does good, not even one’…Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law…But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God

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comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:9 – 26). These next verses are written by the Apostle Paul, a converted Jew, to a young church that was tolerating sexual immorality and perversion by one of its members. So as their spiritual father he wrote to exhort them to exercise church discipline rather than to continue to boast about their liberality and tolerance. (Sounds like much of the American church today!) Read these verses, and the following exhortation from Paul to one of his more mature churches in Ephesus, with the Feast of Passover in your mind. •

“Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast – as you really are. For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth” (I Corinthians 5:6-8).

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“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

There is no book in the New Testament that links the sacrifices of the Old Testament with The Passionate Christ, like Hebrews. The superiority and supremacy of Christ is the theme woven through the entire book – with a scarlet thread! Here are just a few of the verses about the full and final sacrifice of Christ on the cross. •

“Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant…because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them…such a high priest meets our need – one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself” (Hebrews 7:22-27).

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“When everything had been arranged…the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest

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entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance…When Christ came as high priest…He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not manmade…He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls…sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance – now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant… When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves…and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep’…The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness…For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that the judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him” (Hebrews 96 – 28). •

“…we have been made hold through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins (they could “atone” or “cover” – but never “take away sins’). But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool, because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:10 – 14).

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Now let me close this foundational study on the Old Testament sacrifices with a couple of summary verses. They were written by John the beloved disciple – who stood at the foot of the cross and observed the Passionate Christ. Many years after these events, John wrote and reflected upon the Person and work of Christ. •

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; and we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ…God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all…if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin…If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness… My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 1:1- 2:2).

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“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us; He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (I John 4:7-10).

So, if sacrifices are the very heart of the Old Testament because they represent the heart of God, what must we conclude? What is to be our response to the Passionate Christ? The Apostle Paul gives us the perfect summary. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world (Egypt), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).

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So, it is the passion Christ has for us that is to inspire a passion for Christ in return! That is what the Apostle Paul calls authentic worship. Nothing more. Nothing less.

THE PROPHECIES OF THE CROSS Fulfilled prophecies are some of the greatest proofs for the divine inspiration of the Bible. It is also one of the greatest proofs that Jesus was just who He claimed to be – God’s Messiah, the Savior of the world. In my book, How to Study the Bible (*), I introduce the importance of fulfilled prophecy this way: “Simply put, no other religion in the world has such a wealth of fulfilled prophecy as does Christianity. No other world religious leader’s coming was foretold hundreds of years in advance in such minute detail as was Christ’s! The Old Testament was written over an approximate 1,500 years and contains several hundred prophecies and references to the coming of Christ the Messiah. These prophecies can be conveniently divided into two types: prophecies of a Kingly Messiah and prophecies of a Suffering Messiah. Jesus Christ fulfilled both. The accurate fulfillment of those hundreds of prophecies is explicable only in terms of the fact that Jesus was indeed the Messiah of God – and the Bible is indeed His revelation of those prophecies and their fulfillment” (p. 62). After that introduction, I give 3 pages of charts listing very specific prophetic references, and their detailed fulfillment by Christ. Around 30 of those prophecies specifically related to the circumstances surrounding His crucifixion. Was this just coincidence? Did Jesus cunningly manipulate circumstances so as to try and prove He was the Messiah? Was He just a religious con-artist and false prophet – like many others in His day (Matthew 7:15; 24:24; Acts 5:33-37; I John 4:1)? That might sound like a plausible argument initially – but it will not stand up under close examination. Why? Simply because of this fact: Many of the prophecies that were

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fulfilled by Christ were completely outside of His control. They were totally outside the realm of human manipulation – especially events related to His birth and death. Here are just a few of the very specific events that Jesus could not have in any way manipulated: • • • • • •

The place of His birth (Micah 5:2) The time of His birth (Daniel 9:25) The manner of His birth (Isaiah 7:14) The details of His betrayal (Psalm 41:9) The way He would be put to death (Psalm 22:1) The circumstances of His burial (Isaiah 53:9)

(*) You can order a copy of How to Study the Bible by writing or emailing NDI.

With those basic facts in mind, let me specifically outline for you the major prophecies about His passion. Space will only permit me to cite the prophecy with its Old Testament reference and New Testament fulfillment. And I will only cite one reference for each, when most of these prophecies have multiple references. I hope you will take the time to look up each one of these references for further study.

PROPHECY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

O.T. REFERENCE

He would triumphantly enter Jerusalem He would be a “stumbling stone” to Jews He would be rejected by His own people He would be hated without cause He would be betrayed by a close friend He would be sold for 30 pieces of silver The money would be thrown into the temple Money used to buy the Potter’s Field He would be forsaken by His disciples He would be accused by false witnesses He would be silent before His accusers He would be wounded and bruised He would be smitten and spit upon He would be mocked He would fall beneath the cross His hands and feet would be pierced He would be crucified between thieves He would pray for His persecutors His friends would stand afar off He would be stared at on the cross

Zechariah 9:9 Psalm 118:22 Psalm 69:8 Isa 49:7 Psalm 41:9 Zechariah 11:12 Zechariah 11:13 Zechariah 11:13 Zechariah 13:7 Psalm 35:11 Isaiah 53:7 Isaiah 53:5 Isa 50:6 Psalm 22:7-8 Psalm 109:24-25 Psalm 22:16 Isaiah 53:12 Isaiah 53:12 Psalm 38:11 Psalm 22:17

N.T. FULFILLMENT Luke 19:28-44 Romans 9:32-33 Matthew 21:42-43 John 15:25 John 13:21 Matthew 26:15 Matthew 27:5 Matthew 27:7 Matthew 26:31-32 Matthew 26:59-61 Matthew 27:12-19 Matthew 27:26 Matthew 26:67 Matthew 27:31 Luke 23:26 Luke 23:33 Mk. 15:27-28 Luke 23:34 Luke 23:49 Luke 23:35

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• • • • • • • • • •

His garments would be gambled for He would suffer thirst on the cross Gall and vinegar would be offered Him He would cry out a forsaken cry He would commit Himself to God None of His bones would be broken His side would be pierced Darkness would cover the land He would be buried in a rich man’s tomb He would be resurrected from the dead

Psalm 22:18 Psalm 22:15 Psalm 69:21 Psalm 22:1 Psalm 31:5 Psalm 34:20 Zechariah 12:10 Amos 8:9 Isaiah 53:9 Psalm 16:10

John 19:23-24 John 19:28 Matthew 27:34 Matthew 27:46 Luke 23:46 John 19:34 John 19:34 Matthew 27:49 Matthew 27:57-60 Matthew 28:6

Just a cursory examination of these many prophecies is overwhelming to our human perspective! The specificity of these many prophecies and fulfillments is mind-boggling to say the very least. There can be no other logical conclusions from any objective study of them other than the fact that Jesus was Who He claimed to be – and the Bible is what it claims to be! After Jesus’ resurrection, ascension and sending of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter boldly confronted the same Jews who had previously helped condemn Christ to death. In his sermon to them, he clearly related the events of Christ’s passion – and their role in them, to the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what He had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer…Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers” (Acts 3:1725). Peter clearly asserted that “…all the prophets…have foretold these days.” And he reminded them that since they were Jews just like him, they too were “…heirs of the prophets.” These prophecies and fulfillments were their spiritual inheritance as well – but only if they believed in Christ as their Messiah. And we today are also “…heirs of the prophets” if we place our faith in The Passionate Christ as revealed in God’s Word. But before moving to the next point, I want to look at several very specific and significant prophecies about the death of Christ. Prophecy One The very first Old Testament prophecy about the Passionate Christ is found in the very first book in the Bible – Genesis, the Book of Beginnings. This prophecy was given by no less authority than God Himself. And it was given as a part His judgment against that ancient serpent the devil, who had enticed Adam and Eve to sin. “The Lord God said to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this, ‘Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on 15

your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring (demons and wicked people; John 8:44) and hers (the human race and Jesus); He will crush your head and you will strike His heel” (Genesis 3:14-15). Through this primal sin, the serpent injected his lethal spiritual poison into the blood stream of Adam and Eve – which spread to all of their ancestry, including you and me. As Paul would later summarize: “…sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” As a result “…death reigned from the time of Adam…” (Romans 5:12). However, the prophets foretold of One who would be born into the human race who would be without sin because He would be conceived by God in the womb of a virgin. As a result, He would be the only One who could defeat that ancient serpent. In this most ancient of all Messianic prophecies, there are two crucial nouns: “head” and “heel.” But in the Hebrew language, the verbs tend to be more important than the nouns. It is a language of action and the two key verbs here are: “crush” and “strike.” Specifically we are told that one of the “offspring of the woman” would “crush the head” of the serpent but in the process that serpent would “strike His heel.” Jews and Christians through the centuries have interpreted this verse both in a general and specific way. First, there is the wider truth with general application that every member of Adam’s race has been bitten and infected with the spiritually lethal poison of that ancient serpent, the devil. That’s why we previously saw that “…death reigned from the time of Adam” in the lives of all of the “…offspring of the woman.” But there is a more specific and exclusive fulfillment of this verse in the coming of the Messiah. “In the fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4), a totally unique Person would be born as the “offspring” or “seed of the woman.” The prophet Daniel would call Him “…a son of Man” who was uniquely sent and anointed by “the Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:13). Interestingly, this title “Son of man” was the description that Jesus used most about Himself. This is especially highlighted in Matthew – the Gospel written by a Jew, for the Jews. Therefore, all of his Jewish readers would have clearly understood the Messianic significance of that title Jesus used of Himself (Matt. 8:20; 12:3, 32, 40; 16:13, 27-28; 17:9; 19:28; Revelation 1:13; 14:14). Much later the Apostle Paul would rightly call Him the “last Adam” who would perfectly fulfill what the “first Adam” failed doing (I Corinthians 15:45) – living a life of perfect obedience to God. So clearly, Genesis 3:15 is the very first Messianic prophecy in the Bible. It is the first prediction of the Passionate Christ.

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Before we leave this seminal little verse, it is instructive to note that crucifixion is the only known means of execution whereby the heel is usually pierced. So through the crucifixion, Satan would “…strike his heel” – but Jesus would “…crush his head.” Coincidence? Hardly! Viewed through the cross, there can be no doubt that this refers to the passion of Christ! Prophecy Two Another very revealing prophecy about the crucifixion of Christ comes out of the Exodus story of the Jewish people. It is the story of the Bronze Snake. Remember? The Children of Israel in the wilderness had once again become discontent with how God was running things. They murmured and complained against God and Moses. They didn’t like their daily diet of “bread, water and manna” that God was providing. As a result of their discontent and disobedience, God sent a judgment upon them – in the form of deadly serpents (Better not complain about your next meal!). Note this account… “Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a snake and put it up on a pole, anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.’ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked (faith!) at the bronze snake, he lived” (Num. 21:4-9). You might be thinking: “That’s an interesting story Williams, but what does it have to do with Christ’s passion? Everything! Do you remember Jesus’ late evening conversation with Nicodemus? As you will recall, he was a member of the Sanhedrin, or the highest Ruling Council of the Jews. It was to this very respected religious leader that Jesus said those now famous words: “You must be born again” (John 3:3) – words that have echoed down through the centuries, bringing radical spiritual transformation to hundreds of millions of people from every class, creed and culture! But this was a spiritual concept Nicodemus was struggling to understand. It required a radical spiritual paradigm shift in his thinking. To Nicodemus, this concept was as revolutionary as “…being born a second time” (John 3:4). All of his life he had been putting his confidence in “works righteousness” that he believed came by obedience to the Law. Now he would have to shift his focus from faith in his good works to faith in the perfect work of Christ. It would only be by putting his faith in Jesus as God’s Messiah that he would be “…born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). Only this faith in Jesus would allow him to see and experience “…the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

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In the face of Nicodemus’ struggle to understand, Jesus reminded him of a very familiar story. As a good Jewish Rabbi, Jesus reached way back to the Exodus story to illustrate this matter of faith. He very specifically related Himself to a story Nicodemus well understood – the story of the bronze serpent. “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert,” Jesus said to Nicodemus, “so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). What is the very next verse that follows this? Perhaps the most familiar verse in the entire Bible – John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” And the following verse is just as crucial: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:17). Jesus later made this very same prediction about the nature of His death to His disciples that He earlier had said to Nicodemus: “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” (John 12:32). So how could Jesus be “lifted up” so that He could “…save the world?” By being crucified on a cross! It was only when He would be “lifted up” on the cross, suspended between heaven and earth, that He would be like the bronze serpent that Moses “…put on a pole” and “lifted up” in the wilderness. Then all who had been bitten by the poisonous snakes could “…look…and live.” Using similar words, Jesus later taught the same principle: “For My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:39-40). That’s what The Passionate Christ is all about. Nothing more and nothing less. It is solely about the “lifting up” of Jesus on the cross so that anyone who “…looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life.” Prophecy Three Finally, a very significant – but often overlooked verse about the cross is Galatians 3:13 - 14: “Christ redeemed us (literally means: ‘to buy out of slavery’) from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree’ (Note the OT background of this in Deuteronomy 21:2223). He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus…” There are two crucial questions here that we need to ask – and then seek Biblical answers for. First, “Why do we need to be redeemed?” Answer? Because we have all

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broken God’s law, and as a result are under the curse of death. As Jesus said: “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 834). So because “…all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” and because “…the wages of sin is death” (Romans 3:23; 6:23) – we are all under the “curse of the law.” That’s the bad news! But the good news is that God provided a substitutionary redemption through Jesus Christ. Remember the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mt. Moriah that we looked at earlier? God did the same thing there – on the same mountain Jesus was crucified on. There on Mt. Moriah God provided Abraham a substitutionary atonement for his son, Isaac, through the “…ram caught by its horns” in the bushes nearby. As a result of this perfectly timed miracle of provision, Abraham accepted God’s substitution for his son, Isaac. Therefore we read: “Abraham went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will Provide’ (in the Hebrew, “Jehovah-Jireh”). And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided’” (Genesis 22:13-14). So the true and living God is indeed “Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider!” Hallelujah! That brings us to our second question: “How did Jesus redeem us from the curse of the law?” Answer? He did it “…by becoming a curse for us.” But when did Jesus pay the penalty for the “…curse of the law?” Answer? When He died on the cross for us. It was there on that cross that the “…curse of the law” was transferred from us hopeless condemned sinners to the sinless Christ. (We will look at this more in a later chapter.) The Apostle Peter echoed this incredible truth when he wrote: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you have been healed” (I Peter 2:24). So if Jesus Christ would have died by any other form of execution other than crucifixion, these prophetic Scriptures would have not been fulfilled. Only death by crucifixion could have fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). Therefore, the Passionate Christ was perfectly demonstrated when “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the TREE!” What, then, do all of these “prophecies of the cross” unequivocally prove? First, that Jesus was indeed God’s promised Messiah who fulfilled every ancient prophecy in minute detail. Secondly, they prove to any logical objective mind that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God. It is not just “another religious book.” No single human, or group of people, could ever concoct so many diverse prophecies over several thousands of years – only to see them perfectly fulfilled by another Man centuries later, unless these men were supernaturally inspired! That’s why Peter wrote: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in

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the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (I Peter 1:19-21). Therefore, the Passionate Christ is a dramatic fulfillment of the prophecies of the cross.

THE PLAN OF THE CROSS Who planned the cross in the first place?! After reading just the first several chapters in this study, I trust you are beginning to get more of the BIG PICTURE about the death of Christ. I hope that you are seeing afresh Who was really in control of all of these events – right down to the smallest of details. These were not the capricious acts of men but the carefully orchestrated acts of the sovereign God of the universe. It is crucial to see that the crucifixion of Christ was not just some unexpected fluke of fate. It was not the manifestation of cruel circumstances befalling an unsuspecting innocent victim. Neither was the crucifixion of Christ the plan of the Romans – even though they had perfected this cruel method of capital punishment. Nor was it the plan of the Jews – making anti-Semitism in any form a totally wrong prejudice. The Jews of the day were no more “Christ-killers” than the rest of sinful humanity. And the crucifixion was certainly not the result of some premeditated plan of the people who had gone from proclaiming “Hosanna!” to “crucify Him!” – in less than a week’s time! Nor was the crucifixion the result of the heinous hand of Satan – although his manipulating presence was actively animating many of the people involved – especially Judas whom he possessed. But any of these perspectives in and of themselves completely miss the central spiritual point in the passion of Christ. No. The Passion Week was not some unexpected and out-of-control series of dark and diabolical events in human history. This was not just the perverted passion of sinful man at work. There was another sovereign hand and foreordained plan that was behind all of these events. This was not just the passion of Christ that was being revealed. It was first and foremost the passion of God! As we have already seen, He had been planning this atoning sacrifice from the eons of eternity past. All of these events, even to the most minute detail, were the sovereign plan of the Triune Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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Contrary to what some people wrongly believe, the old covenant sacrifices, and the crucifixion of Christ, do not reveal a cruel and angry “blood-thirsty God.” Quite the opposite is true. They reveal the Passion of the Triune God. Let’s pause to see how each member of the Trinity was involved in the redemption story. First, as we saw earlier, it was the Passion of God the Father who made provision for the first substitutionary atonement in the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve. This was because of His love, mercy and grace – all of which reveal the God’s Passion for lost and sinful man. It was this Passion of the Abba Father, who “…so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Secondly, it was the Passion of Christ that compelled Him to give His life for the sins of the world. When speaking as the “Good Shepherd,” Jesus said this about His pending death: “I am the good shepherd…I lay down my life for the sheep…The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father”(John 10:14-18). Thirdly, it was through the Passion of the Holy Spirit that the atoning sacrifice of Christ took place on the cross. The writer of Hebrews expressed this redemptive truth with these profound words: “…Christ…entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption…who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself unblemished to God…so that we may serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:12-14). The Apostle Peter further amplified the Spirit’s role in the plan of redemption this way: “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit…” (I Peter 3:18). Therefore, if we only see the Passion of Christ, we are only seeing one third of the story. The total story of redemption is the Passion of the Father…the Passion of the Son…the Passion of the Spirit! I also want you to carefully notice how the ancient Messianic prophecy of Isaiah clearly reveals how the hand of God was fulfilling the plan of God in the crucifixion. Read this very familiar passage again carefully and prayerfully:

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“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering…Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we consider Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities…Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer…” (Isaiah 53:3-5, 10) On the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached this same truth to the Jews – many of whom had cried out for the crucifixion of Jesus. Listen to his words… “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross” (Acts 2:22-23). Later in the Temple Colonnade, Peter preached a similar sermon to the Jews: “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over to be killed, and you disowned Him before Pilate, though he had decided to let Him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what He had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer. Repent then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:13-19). There is one more similar example in Acts. Peter and John had been arrested for continuing to preach about Jesus and His resurrection – directly disobeying the orders of the Jewish leaders. When they were released, they found their fellow believers and made a report. This provoked a spontaneous prayer and praise service among them. Listen to what they prayed: “‘Sovereign Lord,’ they said, ‘You made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.”’

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Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. They did what Your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness. Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus” (Acts 4:24-30). In these verses from Acts, we see the mystery of sovereignty and free will both in operation simultaneously. In reality they are two sides of the same theological coin. But it is God who holds the coin in His hand – not man! And if we are honest, we have to confess that there is a great mystery here that goes beyond our full comprehension. But in spite of God’s sovereign role in all of these events, there can be no misunderstanding of the human role in the crucifixion of Christ. All of the people are carefully mentioned who took part – Herod, Pilate, Jews, and Gentiles. Thus, human guilt and culpability cannot be excused or rationalized. None of these people were mindless preprogrammed robots carrying out plans they had no control over. Through an act of their wills, they each played a very conscious volitional role in all of these events. So they are neither innocent nor guiltless before God, man or the bar of human history. However, behind all of these humanly orchestrated events, there is the controlling hand of the sovereign God. Although He gives man the freedom for the full expression of the evil of the human heart, He is at the same time superintending His foreordained will over all of these horrific events. He is transmuting them by His grace for His glory and for our eternal good. So, in the crucifixion of Christ, we see the hand of man and the Hand of God actively at work. However, God always maintains the “upper hand.” Notice then, how Peter and the disciples’ prayer clearly acknowledged the dual role of man and God in the crucifixion events. He specifically mentioned the role of Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and the Jews, as they prayerfully recount the crucifixion events. While not minimizing the role and responsibility of the Romans, Jews and Gentiles, they ultimately fulfilled the sovereign plan of God that was being fulfilled: “They did what Your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.” The Apostle Paul affirmed this same truth when he wrote to encourage two young ministers, Timothy and Titus, to be faithful in their calling – even in the face of persecution and suffering. He reminded both of them that God’s plan for the Christ to suffer and die originated before time began: •

“Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord…join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but has now been revealed through the appearing of our

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Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (II Tim. 1:8-10). •

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect…a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at His appointed season He brought His word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior” (Titus 1:1-3).

So, who planned the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? Not Herod. Not Pilate. Not the Sanhedrin. Not the Gentiles. It was God who planned it from the very foundations of the world! And what God plans, God fulfills – but only in His own time and way. These divine sovereign interventions are the kairos moments in human history that ultimately make it His-Story (*). As the Psalmist proclaimed: “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations” (Psalm 33:11). The conclusions then are unmistakable from a Biblical perspective: Jesus Christ was clearly “…the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). That’s when the first chapter of the Passion of Christ was written. That’s why the Gospel song rightly says: “When He was on the cross, I was on His mind!” Or to quote the doxology that the Apostle Paul penned about God’s passion for us before the creation of the world: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will – to the praise of His glorious grace which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ to put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment – to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ” (Ephesians 1:3-1). The Gospel song writer captured something of the truth of Christ’s Passion when he wrote: “Alas, and did my Savior bleed; and did my Sovereign die; Would He devote that sacred head for such a one as I? At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away; It was there by faith I received my sight; And now I am happy all the day.”

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(*) For a further study of this subject, read my book What Time Is It? THE PLACE OF THE CROSS As we seek a holistic Biblical view of the Passionate Christ, we must not overlook any detail – regardless of how small it may seem. Every aspect of this story can teach us valuable spiritual lessons. This is especially true when we take time to examine the “Place of the Passion.” As we look at the specific location of Christ’s crucifixion, we realize very quickly that this was not just any ol’ place in Palestine! It was not just some hillside randomly picked by the Romans to hurriedly carry out this unexpected execution. This was a very specific spot that God had been preparing for the millennia of eternity! Let me remind you of three very significant historical events that took place in this general geographical place long before the crucifixion of Christ. They involve three of the most important Biblical characters in the Old Testament: Abraham, David and Solomon. ABRAHAM When we studied Abraham in an earlier chapter, I alerted you to the fact that I did not want you to forget the particular place where he took his son Isaac, for sacrifice. As you will recall, it was in the “…region of Moriah” that he was to go and sacrifice Isaac “…as a burnt offering on one of the mountains...” (Genesis 22:2).

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We know from the story that it was a three day journey by foot from Beersheba, where he was living at the time. So, as a quick review, we read: “On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.” At that time he instructed his servants: “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” And we further read that “Abraham built an altar there.” It was on Mt. Moriah, then, that Abraham went to “worship” through the sacrifice of his beloved son. This story reminds us of the costliness of worship! Central to authentic spiritual worship is always an altar – a place of sacrifice and death. Cheap worship is a contradiction of terms. In authentic religion, if there is no altar, there can be no sacrifice and therefore no worship. So with and obedience beyond human comprehension, Abraham was about to sacrifice his only son on Mount Moriah when God stayed his hand! At that same time, God also provided a substitutionary sacrifice to take Isaac’s place on the altar. I don’t want you to overlook here the incredible faith that Abraham expressed when said to his servants: “We will worship and then WE will come back to you.” Abraham went up the mountain fully prepared to sacrifice his only son. When he took his son to Mt. Moriah, Isaac was already a dead man! Abraham had already put him on the altar…given him up…fully surrendered him to God. In his mind and heart Isaac was already dead! But Abraham also went to Mt. Moriah fully expecting God to raise him from the dead! Listen to this further commentary on the story from the book of Hebrews. The central theme of the story is Abraham’s great faith. The writer began and ended at that point: “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death” (Hebrews 11:1719). Do you see what great faith Abraham had in God? Did you notice the significance of that one sentence: “He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son.” As he set out for Mt. Moriah to sacrifice “…his one and only son,” Abraham clung to the many “promises” that God had previously given him. The greatest promise that Abraham clung to was that God would give him more offspring than the “stars in the sky” (Genesis 15:5) – and they would all begin with Isaac! So there was only one possible faith conclusion: Abraham was going to take Isaac’s life – God was going to give it back! And the only way that could happen would be for God to “…raise the dead!” So, this first mention of “Mt. Moriah” forever sets it apart as holy ground! It was the place where God tested Abraham – and he passed the test because of his passion for God! This holy mount was the place of worship… love… faith… sacrifice… death…

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grace…substitution…and resurrection! And one day it would also be the place of the passion of Christ! DAVID A second very significant spiritual event took place in this area during the life of King David. It is recorded in I Chronicles 21. As God increasingly gave him success over his enemies, David became filled with a false sense of pride. He began to secretly entertain the thought that he had done all of these great exploits by his own military genius. Therefore, against the will of God and contrary to the council of his advisors, David decided to take a census of his people – especially his fighting men. They had grown to the place that they numbered over one million! Not a bad army in anybody’s book! With that knowledge, it would have been easy for David to trust in his army rather than in his God. So, because this was “…evil in the sight of God…He punished Israel.” As a result of God’s judgment through the plague He sent, seventy thousand men died. So because of David’s pride, he lost more men in this judgment by God than he ever lost in battle. It was an extremely costly sin in terms of the loss of human life! But it would be a lesson David would never forget. As a result of this judgment that fell upon his people, David repented in sackcloth – and fell facedown before God in reverential fear and contrition. In his desperation and despair, David cried out to God: “Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? O Lord my God, let your hand fall upon me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people” (I Chronicles 21:17). As a result of his repentance, the judgment hand of the Lord was stayed. At that moment God opened David’s spiritual eyes and allowed him to see His angel of judgment who was “…standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite” (v. 15). So the angel of the Lord instructed David to “…go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite” (v. 8). And David was obedient. He immediately goes to buy this particular “threshing floor” so he can build an altar to the Lord there. When he gets there “Araunah was threshing wheat.” So David says to him: “Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price” (v.22). But when Araunah realizes that this was King David, and that he wished to build an altar to the Lord there, he responded with great generosity:

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“Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this” (v. 23). Now note very carefully David’s response to this very generous offer from Araunah: “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that cost me nothing. So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of gold for the site” (v. 24). “David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering” (vs. 25-26). David would not accept the threshing floor as a free gift. Nor would he let Araunah provide the animals, grain and wood for the sacrifice. This was his sin… his pride…his disobedience… his problem… his crisis – not Araunah’s. So, he insisted that he must “…pay the full price” for the threshing floor in order to build an altar. David said that he would not “…sacrifice a burnt offering that cost him nothing.” That’s a great lesson for each of us. Cheap grace is never acceptable to a holy God! It is nothing but worthless worship. Thousands of years later, the greater “…son of David” (Matthew 22:41-46) would be born who would be the Messiah. That’s why to the Jews the very term “Son of David” was synonymous with the Messiah. At the very place where King David made his sacrifice, the Lord Jesus also “paid the full price” to stop a greater judgment of God. But the “full price” Jesus would pay would not just be for the people of Israel. It would be for the whole world. And the “full price” for the sins of the world would not be with “…perishable things like silver and gold.” It would be with “…the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (I Peter 1:18). So both King Davids paid the “full price” at this place – one in gold, One in blood! It was on Mount Moriah that David’s sin of pride was atoned for on the altar through a blood sacrifice. After that the angel of the Lord sheathed his sword. No more judgment. No more plague. No more death. We read: “When David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there” (v. 28). But there was still one major problem. The Tabernacle that Moses had built was not there – it was in Gibeon. And the Tabernacle was the proper place for the altar and sacrifices to take place. So David said: “The house of the Lord God is to be here and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel” (22:1). From that moment on, David began to make preparations for the building of the Temple of God on that very spot –

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which brings us to the third Old Testament person associated with this place known as Mount Moriah. SOLOMON As we know, God refused to let King David build the Temple because he was a warrior – a “man of blood” (I Chronicles 28:3). But he did let him amass a great fortune – along with many of the necessary building materials to pass on to his son, Solomon, so he could build God’s Temple. And where was it built? You guessed it… “Then King Solomon began to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David” (II Chronicles 3:1). So, on Mount Moriah, Solomon built the most costly and most beautiful structure ever built by man in human history! And the most sacred place of all was the “Holy of holies” where the glory of the Lord resided. It would be in this place that God would have his Name to dwell forever (I Kings 5:5; II Chronicles 6:6). And since it had been the place of Abraham’s altar and David’s altar, it would be the final resting place for the holiest altar of all – the Ark of the Covenant. After the building was fully completed and the Ark was in place, it was again time for worship. Time for sacrifice. Note the extravagance of their worship and sacrifice that was led by King Solomon: “When the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites took up the ark, and they brought up the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests…carried them up; and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted” (vs. 4-6). It would be somewhere on this same rocky mount that the Lord of glory would make the ultimate sacrifice! It was here that the passion of the Christ would take place. It would be the most extravagant act of worship on the most significant altar in human history – the old rugged cross! There we would see the indescribable and incomprehensible love of the passionate Christ expressed for a lost and dying world. With that brief Old Testament review of the general place of the crucifixion, let’s turn now to the New Testament. There we gain some more insights about this significant place as it is variously described in the Four Gospels. They each describe this grisly “death march” to Golgotha this way: •

“As they were going out…they came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull)…And they crucified Him” (Matthew 27:33; Mk. 15:22).

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•

“When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on His right, the other on his left” (Luke 23:33).

•

“Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified Him, and with Him two others – one on each side and Jesus in the middle…the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city…” (John 19:17-18, 20).

We can clearly see then that all four of the Gospels totally agree on the exact place where the crucifixion of Jesus took place. They all referred to it as the “Place of the Skull.” And it is referred to in several languages: Latin, Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek. Let’s look at each of them more closely: • • • •

Latin: calva, calvarius or “skull” Aramaic: gulgolta, or “skull” Hebrew: gulgoleth, or “bald, round, skull-like mound” Greek: kranion, or “skull”

Why was this place called “The Skull?” We cannot be absolutely sure. Biblical scholars have given two explanations. First, since it was a known place of execution, some believe that there were human skulls lying around from previous crucifixions – left there as a public warning. However, this is not likely the best historic explanation because of Jewish law that required a dead body to buried by nightfall (Deuteronomy 21:23). The more likely and logical explanation is that this rocky knoll in some way had an eerie resemblance to a “human skull.” Although the exact place is not known, it is either at the present site of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, or Gordon’s Calvary. I have visited both sites a number of times. But in both places there is a large “rocky knoll” that would suitably fit the original location. And interestingly enough, they are both a part of the same geological rocky shelf known as “Moriah.” The German Jewish scholar, Alfred Edersheim, described Gordon’s Calvary this way: “It is a weird, dreary place…with a high, rounded skull-like rocky plateau, and a sudden depression or hollow beneath, as if the jaws of the skull had opened” (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, vol. 2, p. 585). As I have said, I have seen this place many times in Jerusalem. To this very day, it still has the ghost-like appearance of a human skull with its hollowed out eye sockets. In my mind, this has always fit the “place of the skull” better than other locations. Do you remember the opening refrain of the hymn, The Old Rugged Cross? “On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame…”

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Contrary to this well-beloved hymn, it was not a “hill” or a “mountain” as such, or even far away. But we do know the general location, that it was close to Jerusalem and in a very public place. John specifically told us that “…the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city.” He further pointed out: “At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid” (John 19:41). So, this general area seemed to have been a known burial site with gardens all around – not unlike many cemeteries today. The writer of Hebrews underscored this matter of location when he compared the sacrifice of Christ on the cross to the animal sacrifices of the old covenant: “The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through His own blood. Let us, then, go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore” (Hebrews 13:11-13; c.f. Ex. 29:14; Leviticus 4:12, 21; 9:11; 16:27). So, several things are clear about the place of the crucifixion. First, it was “…outside the gate.” Most probably it would have been outside the current “Damascus Gate” on the north side of the city. This gate is also called “St. Stephen’s Gate” because it is believed that this first Christian martyr passed through it to the place of his stoning – again somewhere “outside the gate.” And not far from this gate stands a “stony knoll” that certainly fits the description of Golgotha, as I said. Secondly, it was “…near the city.” We are told that nearby “…there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid” (John 19:41). It is in this very place archaeologists have found graves and rock-hewn sepulchers that clearly date back to the time of Christ. And we also know that a rich man by the name of “Joseph of Arimathea”, who was also a “secret disciple of Jesus,” supervised the burial of Jesus. He used his influence to get possession of the body of Jesus after helping take it down from the cross. After that we read: “Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock” (Matthew 27:57-59). Thirdly, the place of execution had to be “…outside the city gate” because it was illegal to crucify a person within the Holy City of Jerusalem. So it would have been a very public place as close “…outside the city gate” as possible. And since there was a “garden” with a “new tomb,” it must have also been a known place of burial. Very much like a “public cemetery” today. Naturally, it would have also had some kind of road leading to it. Therefore, in carrying out the execution, the Romans would have taken the longest route possible to get there to draw maximum public attention to the execution. That was one of the primary purposes of this horrific means of capital punishment. Since crucifixion

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was the preferred way of public execution for the Romans, they wanted to do it in as prominent a place as possible. They well knew that the sight of these public executions would serve as a stark visual warning against any form of rebellion against Rome. This would have been much like the “public hangings” practiced in America in years past – as well as in other countries of the world to this day. The place where Jesus died was a public place of pain and shame. But as we have already seen in this chapter, it had been uniquely prepared by God through the centuries as a place of worship… sacrifice… judgment… atonement… forgiveness. It had been hallowed by the sacrifices of Abraham, the sacrifices of David and the sacrifices of Solomon. And it became the site for Solomon’s Temple, the most costly and beautiful temple ever built. Now it was hallowed by the greatest sacrifice in human history – the sacrifice of the Lord of glory! Through the sacrifice of His life, the gore of the cross was transmuted into the glory of the cross! Without question, this is the single most important place on planet earth! For it was on this holy mount that the Lord Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected from the grave – all for our eternal salvation! And finally, it’s probably best that we do not know the exact spot where the crucifixion of Christ took place. If we did, people would begin to worship the place of the cross rather than the Person of the cross! Just as is the case with most of the other “holy places” in Israel today, there would be shrines, temples, churches, altars all over it! And the competing religious groups would be “fighting for preeminence” over it – just as they do today at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on special holy days like Christmas and Easter. The most important thing, really, is not where…but Who? While we may never know with absolute certainty where Jesus was crucified, we know that somewhere on Mt. Moriah the Lord of Glory laid down His life for a lost world. As Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost: “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). This was a great spiritual mystery that the perpetrators of the crucifixion did not understand at the time. That’s why Paul wrote: “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8). It is for this same reason that the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is one of the holiest, hottest and most contested places on earth. It is the site of the Western Wall – the only remaining portion of the Temple. So for the Jews, this is their most holy site in all the earth. It was here that three successive temples were built and destroyed: Solomon’s Temple, Zerubbabel’s Temple and Herod’s Temple. But this exact same place is also the site of the Dome of the Rock – the third most holy site for Muslims because of Muhammad’s reputed “Night Journey” to Jerusalem. However, there is not a shred of historic evidence that Muhammad ever visited the Holy Land or set his foot in the city of Jerusalem. Regardless, only Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia have more geographical and spiritual importance to the world of Islam than

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Jerusalem has. That is why there is still constant fighting between Jews and Arabs over the control of the Temple Mount to this very day and hour. For Jews, Muslims and Christians, the Temple Mount is “holy ground.” For each of these three great monotheistic religions, this is the most sacred and significant plot of ground on planet earth. However, this sacred connection is for somewhat different, but interrelated reasons, as we have seen. But it is the spiritual significance of the place for Christians that I want to leave you with in this chapter. In doing so, let me again remind you of what we saw from Hebrews 13:8 about how “Jesus…suffered outside the city gate.” This simple statement is also a spiritual reminder to us of where we too are primarily called to live and die. If we are going to be worth our “salt” and “light” as Christians – we too must be willing to “suffer outside.” But the problem is: we all want to be “insiders – not “outsiders.” However, Jesus calls us to be “outsiders” just like He was. It was His habit of hanging out with the outsiders that got Him in trouble with the social and religious insiders. By His own testimony He was accused of being “…a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 11:19). And it was true. He did often hang out with the “outsiders” of His day. After Jesus called a noted tax collector, Matthew, to be one of His disciples, we read about a dinner party that he gave in Christ’s honor. And since “birds of a feather flock together,” there were a number of others at the dinner party who were “outsiders.” We read: “While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and ‘sinners’ came and ate with Him and His disciples.” This friendship and eating with “outsiders” was totally unacceptable with the “insiders” who really began to gossip and criticize Jesus (Matthew 9:10-11). This invalidated His spirituality in their eyes. Certainly the Messiah would not behave like this! He would surely have a better sense of social decorum and religious sensitivity! But this was one of the ways that Jesus “…made Himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7; KJV). But for most of us, our reputation is of highest importance. We are constantly preoccupied with “what others think of us.” Not Jesus. What God thought of Him was far more important. Jesus, then, beckons us to follow Him “…outside the city gate” where He suffered and died. He calls us to join Him outside of the “in group” that we so desperately long to be a part of. Just like He left His reputation in God’s hands, He calls us to do the same. So, I remind you this Lenten Season, if you faithfully follow the Passionate Christ, He will constantly lead you to the “outside of life.” He will cause you to live outside the social establishment. Outside political correctness. Outside your comfort zone. Outside your traditions. Outside your little boxes. Outside your plans. Outside your wills. Outside your

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self! That’s because the Spirit of God is always at work “outside” where the need is the greatest – and where the response is also the greatest! So it is usually “outside the city gate” of our normal circle of living where we find the “outsiders” of life. It’s on the “other side of the tracks” that we find the low socioeconomic…the marginalized…the poor…the lower class…the untouchables…the outcasts…the street people…the dregs of society. And that’s where we most often have to go if we are going to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, heal the sick, visit the stranger and minister to those in prison (Matt. 25:31-40). That’s because these needy people usually live on the “outside” of life on the very edge of survival. Since Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected “…outside the city gate,” that’s where we also need to spend more time – especially as First World Christians. That’s the best place for us to identify with His saving death, burial and resurrection power. And it is usually the best place to express His love, mercy, grace and compassion. You see, “insiders” usually don’t sense their spiritual need like the “outsiders” do. They are too often insulated by materialism. They are “afflicted by affluence” to the degree that they become desensitized to the Spirit of Christ. They have lived so long on the “inside” that they have lost their sensitivity to those who are “on the outside looking in.” My Lenten question to you is this: “Are you living and ministering ‘inside’ or ‘…outside the gate?’” Jesus hangs out most often on the “outside” – and He is calling you to meet Him there! He wants you to join Him in being a “friend of sinners.” In conclusion, then, while we cannot identify the precise place where the crucifixion took place, we do know for certain that it was “outside the gate.” But even more important than the place is the Person who was crucified there. And that we know with absolute certainty. Now let’s turn our attention more specifically to the Person of the Passion.

THE PERSON OF THE CROSS This is the cardinal question of this study: “Who was the person of the passion?” After all, the Romans had crucified untold numbers of people before and after Christ’s crucifixion. What made Him so unique? What made His passion any different than the normal human passion that every other person went through who was crucified? Historians, liberal theologians, Jews and Muslims have all tampered with the message of the crucifixion down through the centuries. Each has tried to reinterpret this historic event in the light of his own preconceived ideologies and theologies. However, one

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cannot remain true to the Biblical revelation of Jesus Christ and in any way compromise His passion on the cross. It is the very heart of the Gospel message. To alter it is to not only tamper with history, it is to destroy the spiritual power of the Christian Faith. To change either the nature of Christ or the nature of His suffering is to cut the historic and spiritual nerve of Christianity. That’s why there is no other study more crucial than that of the Passionate Christ. The word passion comes from the Latin word, passio, and means “to endure, to suffer, to agonize.” To a certain extent every human being experiences passion to some degree in his or her life. This is especially true for the millions down through the centuries who have innocently suffered because of the sins of others. But this word passion would be especially descriptive of every person who was crucified – including the two thieves on either side of Jesus. They too were experiencing the passion of crucifixion. So, what made the passion of Christ so different? To find the answer to that question we come to the very heart of the identity of the Person of Jesus Christ. In fact, His heart is the real heart of the question. Was His heart like every other human heart in history? Or was His heart different? Of course His physical heart was just like every other human heart – beating, pulsating and pumping blood. But what was the nature of His spiritual heart? Was it sinful or sinless? Was it guilty or guiltless? Was it polluted or pure? Was it defiled or holy? Was it the heart of man or was it the heart of God? Or was it both? To answer this question, we come to the seminal issue of the nature of Jesus Christ. “Who was – or is – He?” The answer to that question determines whether you see Him as just another religious leader in history, or as totally unique. Your conclusions will determine for you whether Jesus has spiritual equals and contemporaries among the founders of other world religions, or whether He is peerless. The answer you come to will determine in your mind whether He is “one among many” – or the “One and only”! And it all goes back to this central question, “Who is the Person of the passion? What was His true identity? What was the nature of Jesus? What made His passion unlike any other human passion in history? The clear Biblical answer is this: Jesus had two natures. Like all of us, He had a human nature. But unlike any of us, He also had a divine nature. That’s why He is referred to theologically as the only theoanthropic Person in history. This description comes from the combination of two words: theos, or God and anthropos, or man. Jesus Christ is the unique God-Man of history. As such He was the unique Incarnation of the One and only God. As John said of Him: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us” (John 1:14). So, Jesus Christ was God-in-the-flesh. At one and the same time He was fully God and fully man. Jesus Christ was both the Son of God and God the Son. This fact totally separates Him from every other religious figure in human history. All other religious leaders were 100% human – regardless of how virtuous or exemplary their lives may have been.

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When it comes to the two natures of Christ, there is certainly a spiritual mystery being contemplated that we cannot fully comprehend. This truth is part of the mystery of the Trinity, or tri-unity of God. In teaching about this great revelation I often say: “If we could fully comprehend this mystery about the Godhead, we would be a part of it! Indeed, we would be the fourth member of the Trinity! But unless we have a psychotic God-complex and are suffering from delusions of megalomania, we know that we are not divine as Jesus was divine. If we are in our right mind, we all know that we are not God. However, mental hospitals and psych wards are filled with people who are suffering from those kinds of delusions of spiritual grandeur and have a ‘Messianic Complex.” But no normal person would ever entertain such thoughts of deity.” Since this doctrine of the Trinity and the Incarnate God are contrary to human nature and reasoning, they can only come through divine revelation. The doctrine of the Trinity, and the doctrine of the Incarnation, are clearly revealed truths from the Bible. And while they are beyond reason, they are not against reason. These concepts elevate us from the limitations of human reason into the realm of divine revelation. Therefore, it is the two natures of Christ that make His passion absolutely unique in human history. Properly understood, there was one Man with two natures who died on the cross over two thousand years ago. There was the historical Person and there was the spiritual Person. There was the Man of flesh and there was the Man of spirit. There was the Son of Mary and the Son of God. There was Jesus of Nazareth and there was Christ the Messiah. And since both natures experienced death on the cross for you and me, let’s probe this spiritual mystery a bit further. Through Scripture, let’s briefly examine the two natures… two identities… two persona who experienced the passion of crucifixion. This portion of our study will bring us to a closer examination of the names that are used to describe Jesus Names in the Bible are very significant. So, in your study of the Bible, never gloss over any name. Take a few minutes to look up its meaning. Generally speaking, name represented nature. A person’s name reflected something important about the nature, or the nature of the circumstances that surrounded their birth. Therefore, when we come to the Person of the Passion, we must carefully study the two primary names associated with Him: “Jesus” and “Christ.” In reality the first is His actual name, and the second is His title. Generally speaking, the name “Jesus” refers to His human nature, and the title “Christ” denotes to His divine nature. “Jesus” reminds us of His human origin, while “Christ” reminds us of His divine origin. It is like saying President Barak Obama or Queen Elizabeth. One is their title and the other is their name.

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Unfortunately, many people with some basic Biblical background are often so familiar with those terms and titles that they overlook their significance. On the other hand, those with little or no Biblical framework are even more confused by those names and titles. That’s why the Bible constantly warns about “false prophets”…”false Christs”… “anti-christs”…and “other Jesuses” (Matthew 24:23; II Corinthians 11:4; Gal. 1:7; II Peter 2:1-19; I John 3:18; 4:1; Jude 5-13, Revelation 2:9, etc). Most of the major world religions have some erroneous teaching about Christ. And every cult has its “counterfeit Jesus” that it deceives people by. So for millions of people inside and outside the church, the term “Jesus Christ” is almost like saying John Doe! So let’s pause to examine His names more closely. •

Jesus: This name in the Greek is Iesous, and it is a transliteration of the Hebrew name, Joshua, meaning “Jehovah is Salvation” or “Jehovah is Savior.” It was a very common name among the Jews in both Old Testament and New Testament times (Ex. 17:9; Luke 3:29; Col. 4:11, etc). This was the human name that was given to Jesus by Mary and Joseph in obedience to angelic instruction: “…you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31). So, it is proper for us to refer to “Jesus” as His human name – but certainly with clear divine overtones.

•

Christ: Properly understood, this is not a name but a title, as I stated earlier. It is from the Greek word Christos, and means “Anointed One” or “Messiah.” This is especially true when it is preceded by the definite article ho Christos, meaning “The Christ.” There are three specific times when Jesus clearly affirmed this title for Himself: First to Peter in Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:17). Secondly to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:26). Thirdly, at His trial before the Sanhedrin (Mk. 14:61-62). And in the third incident, it was Jesus’ clear affirmation before the High Priest and Sanhedrin that He indeed was ho Christos, or “the Christ,” that got Him condemned to death! In their minds Jesus was clearly claiming to be God. This was nothing short of the sin of blasphemy and required the death sentence! So whether or not Pilate understood the spiritual significance of this claim – all of the Jewish leaders clearly did. And they condemned Jesus to death for claiming that title for Himself and not being willing to recant it in the face of the cross! This title “Christ,” whether used by Jesus, by His disciples, or by His enemies – clearly denoted God’s anointed…God’s Messiah…God’s one and only Son (Matthew 2:4; 22:42; 23:8-10; 24:5; 26:63-68; Luke 3:15; 4:41; John 1:41; 3:28; 6:69; 9:22; 10:24; 12:34; Acts 2:30-38; Romans 5:6-8, etc). And it was even more emphatic and significant when the Biblical writers expanded this title to “Jesus the Christ,” or “…the Lord’s Christ” (Matthew 16:20; Mk. 8:29; Luke 2:26; Acts 4:26; 18:28; 26:23, etc).

In light of that fact, carefully note how John the beloved – who was the disciple closest to Jesus – summarized the purpose of his Gospel:

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“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31). What an incredible summary from the man who knew Jesus the most intimately! Those verses reveal to us the passion of John about the Lord Jesus Christ – whom he passionately loved. It is also important for us to note that these two words are sometimes used almost interchangeably. For all of the Biblical writers, the name and title became synonymous. That’s because most of them had intimately known the human Jesus during the three brief years of His public earthly ministry. But through His miracles and resurrection, they had come to believe in His divine nature – and each of them ultimately staked their lives on that belief! As a result we will find them often using the compound names “Jesus Christ” or “Christ Jesus” – and the references are far too numerous to even list (Matthew 1:1; 1:18; Mk. 1:1; John 1:17; 17:3; Acts 2:38; 5:24; 10:38; 19:4, Romans 1-6 etc). In their minds, the use of this compound name was like saying: “Jesus is the Christ” and “The Christ is Jesus.” For the sake of even further emphasis, they would also often expand this appellation to the “Lord Jesus Christ” (Luke 2:11; Acts 11:17; 15:11; 16:31; 20:21; 28:31; Romans 5:1, 21; Gal. 6:18; Ephesians 1:3, etc). In using such a term, they were exalting Jesus to a natural and supernatural position without peer or equal. As monotheistic Jews, they had come to believe that this human being was like no other. He was indeed Jehovah God in human flesh! But as we have already seen, Jesus always got into trouble with the religious leaders when He affirmed that He was indeed “the Christ.” By using that term to describe Himself, these religious leaders clearly understood that Jesus was calling Himself “The Messiah,” the specially “Anointed One” who had been sent from God. As we have already pointed out, that’s what led to His crucifixion (Mk. 14:61-63). It is only because Jesus unashamedly embraced that title that we have the passion of the Christ. If He would have clearly rejected that title at His trial, He would probably have been acquitted and set free. Note carefully, then, this final cross-examination of Jesus by the high priest when he put Jesus under an oath and asked Him this question: “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” ‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied” (Matthew 26:63-64). That affirmation sealed His fate through death by crucifixion! In the minds of all of the Jewish leaders present, Jesus was clearly a blasphemer because He clearly and unequivocally claimed to be God!

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Therefore, according to the flesh, He was simply known as “the son of Joseph” or “the carpenter’s son” (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; Luke 3:23; John 6:42). This was the historical person who also had siblings who are specifically named: “James, Joseph, Simon and Judas.” And though not named, Matthew also speaks of “…his sisters” (Matthew 13:55). So Jesus had at least four brothers and two sisters – maybe more. It is important to note in passing that this is one of the facts that separate the Catholic Church from Protestants because they teach the ‘perpetual virginity of Mary.’ That means Catholics believe that Mary never had any other child but Jesus. However, this is a spurious doctrine solely based upon Papal tradition and found nowhere in the Bible. Matthew’s Gospel clearly tells us that Joseph “…took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son” (Matt. 1:24-25). The clear inference is that after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary had normal sexual relations like every other married couple, resulting in the conception and birth of several other brothers and sisters who were the human siblings of Jesus. Returning to our focus on Jesus’ name, the most common human name for Him was “Jesus of Nazareth.” That’s because Nazareth was the town He grew up in. It was from here that He left the carpenter’s shop to launch His public ministry as a peripatetic preacher, teacher and healer. As a result, He was often called “Rabbi” or teacher (Matthew 26:25, 49; John 1:38, 49; 3:2, etc). The designation and title of “Jesus of Nazareth” was associated with Him both before and after His passion and resurrection (Matthew 4:13; 21:11; 26:71; Mk. 1:24; 10:47; 16:6; Luke 4:34; 18:37; 24:19; John 1:45; 18:5; Acts 2:26; 3:6; 4:10; 6:14; 10:38; 22:8; 26:9, etc). It was also this common title of “Jesus of Nazareth” that Pilate had inscribed on the cross – most probably above Christ’s head. Much to the disdain of the Jewish leaders, the notice also read: “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (John 19:19-22). To the Jewish religious leaders, the title of “The Christ” or “The King of the Jews” as related to Jesus was anathema! Because He was crucified in such a public place, they beseeched Pilate to change the inscription of judgment from “The King of the Jews” to “…this man claimed to be the king of the Jews.” But to show his utter disdain for them and this unjust trial, Pilate tersely responded: “What I have written, I have written” (John 19:19-21). It is helpful then for our understanding to relate this title “Jesus of Nazareth” to the historical Person. As we think of this title we reflect upon Christ’s human nature. And through His passion, we see the full range of expression of the human nature of this historical person – as we will see more in another chapter. But according to the Spirit, we should think of Jesus as “The Christ”… “The Anointed One” …“the Son of Man”…“the Son of God.” It is again important to note that the title that Jesus frequently used of Himself is the “Son of Man.” This is especially true in the Gospel of Matthew. As we saw in an earlier chapter, this was a clearly understood Messianic Title to the Jewish people, going back to the prophecy of Daniel (Daniel 7:13).

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Since Matthew was a Jew writing for Jews, it is significant that he often quoted Jesus’ use of this title for Himself (Matthew 8:20; 12:8, 32, 40; 16:13; 27-28; 17:9; 19:28). This drove home the point that Jesus was indeed the “Son of God” because He was the “Son of Man.” He could not be one without being the other. It should not be surprising that this title “Son of Man” is also used most often by Jesus through His betrayal and trial. Even though all of the Jews clearly understood it as a Messianic title, many today do not have that understanding. Note three instructive examples: •

In the garden at His arrest: “The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners…here comes My betrayer” (Mark 14:4142).

•

To Judas at His betrayal: “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48).

•

To the High Priest and Sanhedrin: “I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Upon hearing that the High Priest tore his clothes and said: “He has spoken blasphemy!” (Matthew 26:64-65; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69).

Therefore, it was only because of His divine nature that Jesus could clearly know in advance how He was going to die by being “…lifted up.” It was only because He was the “Son of God” – and knew it – that He could interpret the events happening to Him through the many prophecies being precisely fulfilled, as we looked at before. Here are several more examples: •

When He was being sought by the temple soldiers in the garden, John recorded: “Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’” (John 18:4). In the face of the fear in the faces of His disciples, Jesus said: “‘If you are looking for Me, let these men go.’ This happened so that the words He had spoken would be fulfilled: ‘I have not lost one of those You gave Me’” (John 18:8-9; c.f. John 6:39; 17:12).

•

And when they were arresting Him He said: “This has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled” (Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:49).

•

When Peter tried to defend Jesus with a sword, He said: “Put your sword back in its place…for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way” (Matthew 26:52-54)?

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•

Finally, when He was acquitted by Pilate but condemned to crucifixion by the Jews, we read: “This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death He was going to die would be fulfilled” (John 18:32).

So, Jesus had no identity crisis going to the cross! He knew Who He was and Whose He was! He also knew where He had come from – and where He was going. And just as His knowledge of Scripture had carried Him through His early temptations in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13), so they guided Him through the hours of His trials before His death. Humanly speaking, then, Jesus knew that He had been “…born in Bethlehem” to Joseph and Mary (Luke 1:27; 2:1-20; 3:23). He knew that He had grown up in Nazareth, so “…He was called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:23). But He also had an acute awareness that He was “the Son of Man” who had “…come down out of heaven” (John 3:13; 31; 6:33, 50, 62). And it was because of this heavenly nature that He had supernatural insight into the events He was living out and fulfilling. By human reckoning, He knew He was dying as “Jesus, son of Joseph.” But by divine reckoning He knew He was dying as the “The Christ” – the “Son of God!” He clearly understood that as “God’s anointed Messiah,” He was dying for the sins of the world (Note the Summary Chart at the end of this chapter). So “the Christ” that “Jesus of Nazareth” revealed was totally unacceptable to the Jewish leaders. In their minds, a “suffering Messiah” was a contradiction of terms. A “dying Messiah” just could not be God’s plan! That kind of Messiah did not meet their fixed expectations. In their interpretation of the Scriptures, the Messiah they expected was going to be a Conquering King – not a Suffering Servant. But as Jesus would teach the two on the Emmaus Road after His resurrection… “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:2627). And later that same resurrection day, Jesus held another Bible Class for His disciples – explaining more fully the same truths to them: “This is what I told you while I was still with you. Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44). It is important to pause and make an important distinction between Christianity and Islam. It is at this very point in the crucifixion that these two great world religions conflict so dramatically in their presentations of Jesus. While Christianity reveals, in all four

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Gospels, that Jesus was indeed executed by crucifixion, Islam blatantly denies this fact. Since Jesus, or Isa as He is called in the Koran, is revered as the second greatest prophet to Mohammed, it is inconceivable that Allah would have allowed him to die by such an ignominious method. The Koran teaches that Jesus did not die on the cross. Rather a substitute died in His place – probably either Peter or Judas. Note these words from the Koran: “They said, ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of Allah,’ but they killed him not, nor crucified him. But so it was made to appear to them…For of a surety they killed him not. Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself” (Surah 4:157-158; italics mine). Obviously, then, both the Bible and Koran cannot be correct in their stories about the crucifixion of Christ. One account is historically true and one account is blatantly false. Both of these religions cannot be equal because of their divergent views about this cardinal doctrine of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The Koran presents Jesus as the “Apostle of Allah” who did not die on the cross. By contrast, the Bible clearly reveals that Jesus was the “Messiah of God” who gave up His life on the cross for the sins of the whole world (*). However, He did not stay on the cross – but was gloriously resurrected on the third day as proof that His vicarious death for sin was fully accepted by God the Father. As a result, the message of the cross and empty tomb became the very heart of Christian preaching, teaching and living. And it was Christ’s passion that inspired passion in the lives of His followers who willingly and victoriously suffered and died for their resurrected Lord! Is it any wonder then that Peter boldly preached this truth about the resurrected Jesus on the Day of Pentecost? Listen to his authoritative convicting sermon to many of the very same people who helped condemn Jesus to death. And especially note how he weaves together the various names and titles of Jesus: “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. This Man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge, and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross…But God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear…Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” What was the crowd’s reaction to this bold message? “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other Apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” To that question, Peter replied: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:22-38). As a result of the power of that

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Name and the forgiveness in that Name, three thousand people gave their lives that day to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world! Even in the face of opposition and persecution by the same Sanhedrin that had condemned Jesus to death, the Apostles would not compromise their message about the Passionate Christ. After they had been forbidden to “…speak in the name of Jesus,” they were released from their arrest. What was their response? Was it to compromise? Did they “tone down” their preaching? Did they water down their teaching? Did they switch to a more politically correct message about this Jesus? No! Here is their incredible response to the same religious leaders who had condemned Christ to death: “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 5:40-42). Before his own conversion, the Apostle Paul had been a member of that same hostile Sanhedrin. He too was totally antagonistic to the Name of Jesus Christ and wanted to eradicate it from the face of Palestine! But after his own radical conversion on the Damascus Road, “…he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.” Doctor Luke further recounts Saul’s bold transformation and about-face by saying: “Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 9:20-22). There is no plausible explanation for this kind of total reversal of worldview by Saul other than his personal encounter with the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus! It was so radical that his name was changed from Saul to Paul. Later in his life, Paul looked back on the events of the crucifixion and gave these words of commentary: “We speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:7-8). And the continuing tragedy is the fact that most of the “rulers of this age” still don’t understand who Jesus Christ is! That’s because they are limited in their understanding by the “world’s wisdom” – which is foolishness, rather by “God’s wisdom” – which is revealed in His Living Word and Written Word! As a result, they either cannot or will not understand the Passionate Christ!

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SUMMARY CHART OF JESUS CHRIST “One Person; Two Natures” (Theo-Anthropic) HUMANITY: JESUS

DEITY: CHRIST

“Jesus of Nazareth”

“Jesus the Christ”

The Carpenter’s Son

The Son of God

Son of Joseph & Mary

Son of Man

From Earth

From Heaven

Natural Man

Spiritual Man

Man of Flesh

Man of Spirit

Master

Messiah

Servant

Savior

Fully Man

Fully God

King of the Jews

King of the Universe JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

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(*) For a further and fuller study of this subject, listen to my teaching series or watch my video series entitled: “A Christian Perspective of Islam.” I also have a forthcoming book by the same title.

THE PRINCIPLE OF THE CROSS Before we turn from the Person of the cross, to the people of the cross, we need to make a Biblical transition. We need to gradually shift our attention from Him to them. But before we go with Christ and His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane where His passion begins in earnest, we must go back a few hours to the Upper Room and the events leading up to Christ’s last Passover celebration. Often in a movie or theater production, there will be a brief flash-back to an earlier event. This little theatrical vignette is designed to help the audience more fully understand the dynamics of the moment at hand. The brief replay of an earlier scene helps the viewer fill in the blanks and provides the missing pieces of the puzzle that help the viewer see the bigger picture. So, before we meet Christ in the Garden, we must briefly look at a pivotal event that took place before the Upper Room and His last Passover meal with His disciples. Even though the primary actors in this divine-human drama are the Jews and Romans, we have a cameo appearance by some Greeks. Their brief debut is only recorded in John’s Gospel – so you just have one chance to catch it. You will miss the significance of their quick encounter with Jesus unless you hit the pause button in your mind. To understand the full significance, you will need to rewind the film to an earlier scene. It is a very crucial event that takes place earlier in the Passover week and is often overlooked by most readers. Carefully note this encounter of the Greeks on the stage of the Passionate Christ. “Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip…with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.” Follow carefully Christ’s response to this request by the Greeks – because it clearly reveals the principle of the cross. At first glance, it seems to be insensitive to their desire “…to see Jesus.” And it almost seems to be out of context with what Jesus said in response to their request. “Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the grown and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves Me must follow Me…’” Do you understand what Jesus was saying? Do you see something of the spiritual significance of this response as Jesus stood in the growing shadow of the cross? You see,

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here was a very plausible way for Jesus to postpone the cross – or by-pass it altogether. This was an enticing invitation for Jesus to escape Jerusalem and go minister to the Greeks. If there was ever a time for Him to leave Palestine, it was now! The tide of popular opinion had increasingly turned against Him. The hostility of the Jewish leaders had intensified. Some of His own disciples were confused and bewildered. And the Romans were getting more and more concerned with this growing conflict that He was the center of. Earlier Jesus had prophesied that He would soon leave this life and go back to His Heavenly Father. This only added to their confusion. “I am with you for only a short time,” Jesus said, “and then I go to the One who sent Me. You will look for Me, but you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” The Jews standing around listening to this statement did not understand what Jesus meant. “Where does this man intend to go,” they said, “that we cannot find Him? Will He go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? (John 7:3335). You see, the passion of the Christ would not have taken place if Jesus had responded to the request of the Greeks at this time. If He would have responded and gone to minister to them – Christianity would have become just another part of Greek philosophy. As a result, Jesus would have been numbered along with the many other famous Greek philosophers. History would have recorded: Socrates, Plato, Euripides, Sophocles, Aeschylus, Aristotle, Zeno – and Jesus! One thing’s for sure, while the world would have revered and respected “Jesus the philosopher” – they would not have had “Jesus the Christ,” the Messiah and Savior of the world! Humanly speaking, this must have been an appealing invitation for Jesus. He was the consummate teacher – and the Greeks loved to listen to good teachers. After all, they too had come to Jerusalem “…to worship at the Feast.” So, these Greeks were seeking for truth. They were hungry for authentic worship. They had apparently sensed something in the Jewish Feast of Passover that they had not found in any of their Greek philosophers. Perhaps this Jesus they had heard about was the missing key to knowing God. Perhaps He was indeed the incarnation of the pinnacle of divine wisdom that Greek philosophy longed for – but could never find. Perhaps it was this Jesus who would lift them above the limitations of human reasoning to the very mind of God! Therefore, if Jesus would have followed the Greeks, no doubt He would have quickly gathered a great following in Greece. He would have quickly become one of their greatest teachers and philosophers of all time! Since He was so young, He would have had decades to teach them and build a reputation as the consummate philosopher. Perhaps He would have even restored or surpassed the glory of the classical years of Greek philosophy. To go with the Greeks would mean that He would not have to go to the cross. He could take the path of reason rather than the path of passion. There would be no more conflict with the Jews. No arrest. No trial. No suffering. No cross. No death. But there would also be no redemption! There would be no fulfillment of prophecy. There would be no hope. There would be no salvation for a lost and dying world.

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So, in the face of this choice, Jesus clearly affirmed that, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” And that glorification could come only through His passion – not through His preaching. He would not just give the world a higher wisdom – He would give His very life. The way of glorification would not be through propositions but through passion. He would be glorified through the cross – not through teaching and philosophy. In the face of this invitation by the Greeks, Jesus compared His physical life to that of a “kernel of wheat” that had to “…fall into the ground and die.” Earlier in His earthly ministry, Jesus had clearly articulated this crucifixion principle to His disciples when He said: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Later the Apostle Paul summarized this same principle of the cross in his immortal words of personal testimony: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Truly he lived the crucified life to the degree that he could say: “I die daily” (I Corinthians 15:31). Like his Master, the Apostle Paul lived a sacrificial life based on a constant dying to self. In the face of the coming of the Greeks, Jesus made another firm resolve not to side-step His passion. Though it was possibly appealing to His flesh, He would not postpone His passion by spending time with the Greeks who were seeking after Him. For Jesus it was now or never! In His spirit Jesus knew that this was God’s perfect time. “The hour has come,” He said, “for the Son of Man to be glorified.” He was resolute about going all the way to the cross! No turning away. No turning around. No turning back. It is at this point that the passion of the Christ really begins. This can be clearly heard in these words of Jesus: “Now My heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.’” Even though His heart was troubled unto death, Jesus would glorify the Father through His passion. With the shadow of the cross looming over Him, Jesus was “troubled” in His soul. How could He not be at the growing anticipation of becoming the consummate sin-sacrifice for the whole world?! The word that Jesus used here for “troubled” is tetaraktai It is a very weighty word that is filled with spiritual and emotional implication. It means to be deeply “stirred and agitated.” It is the same word that John used to describe Jesus’ inward groaning at Lazarus tomb (John 11:33). It was also the same word that Jesus would use in the Upper Room as He discussed His imminent betrayal and death (John 13:21). A few hours later He would use it again in the garden when He said: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). So, having expressed His deep sense of “trouble” in heart, Jesus turned away from the wellintentioned invitation by the Greeks. Earlier He had already “…resolutely set out for

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Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). Matthew gave us even more of Jesus’ dialogue with His disciples as He resolutely walked with them toward Jerusalem and His passion. It is one of the most specific prophecies spoken by Christ about the exact details of His betrayal, trial, crucifixion and resurrection: “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will turn Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day He will be raised to life” (Matthew 20:18-19). Jesus would not be deterred by the hostility of the Jews…deterred by the hesitancy of the disciples…or detoured by the hunger of the Greeks. He had resolutely set His face toward the cross. “Now is the time,” Jesus said, “for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” John then gave this one sentence of commentary: “Jesus said this to show the kind of death He was going to die” (John 12:23-33). All of this took place in the days and hours leading up to the Passover. So now let’s go with Jesus to the Upper Room. According to the Gospel of John, this was the final of three Passover feasts that Jesus celebrated during His three years of public ministry. This feast was the defining event for every Jew spiritually, racially and nationally. And this last Passover held special significance for Christ and His disciples. Just before the events of the passion began, the disciples had been privileged to celebrate their last Passover with Jesus in the Upper Room. From the Christian perspective, this was the very last Passover God accepted. The long spiritual prelude was over. The foreshadow was replaced by reality. That’s because the “fullness of time had come” (Gal. 4:4) for the longawaited “…Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Now that Jesus was about to shed His blood and die for the sins of the whole world – no more animal sacrifices would be necessary. His shed blood and broken body would now supercede and replace the blood of animals. The perfect sacrifice “once and for all” was about to take place (Hebrews 7:27). It was on that Thursday night in the Upper Room that Jesus inaugurated the “new covenant.” He had begun it by saying: “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15). Having said that, Jesus broke the bread and passed the cup to His disciples for the last time on this earth. In doing so, He said to them: “Take and eat; this is My body…This is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s Kingdom” (Matthew 26:26-27; Mk. 14:22-25; Luke 22:13-23; I Corinthians 11:23-26). This was the last Passover Feast as well as the first Lord’s Supper. It was that same night that the passion of the passionate Christ began to intensify. This was the night that the original

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Passover that liberated the Jews from Egypt had always pointed to. This was the last act in the eternal drama of salvation that God had been preparing since before the world began. After this final act, the curtain would literally come down. Or, to quote the historical account of Doctor Luke: “…the curtain of the temple was torn in two (Luke 23:45; Hebrews 10:20). And when that happened, the principle of the cross was fully revealed and perfectly fulfilled! With this clearer understanding of the significance of the Greeks who came seeking Jesus, our next Lenten study will look at some of the other key “People of the Cross.

Part II

THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PASSION THE PEOPLE OF THE CROSS Public executions have always drawn a crowd. There is something sinister and macabre about them that draw people to them. Whether it is death by beheading, stoning, hanging, firing squad, electrocution, gas chamber or lethal injection – a certain amount of people are always drawn to an execution. The same was true in antiquity with a crucifixion. It was a horribly fascinating event! However, some means of execution are “cleaner” and “quicker” than others. Some forms of capital punishment are more “humane” and “dignified” than others. They are designed to minimize the pain and suffering of the victim. The purpose is to bring death as quickly and cleanly as possible. Such was NOT the case with crucifixion! Quite the opposite was true. It was specifically designed to bring maximum pain and absolute shame! A crucifixion was not just designed to bring maximum pain and suffering to the condemned – it was also meant to strike fear and terror into the hearts of those who witnessed it! As has been stated before, crucifixion was purposely carried out in the most public context possible so as to impact the masses. In some societies the entire community was required to watch it. That way it would be a graphic reminder of the price of breaking the law…rebelling against authority…or leading an insurrection. It always made an indelible and unforgettable impression upon those who witnessed it. We will examine this “pain factor” in more detail in a later part of our study. But, in this chapter and the one following, I want us to review the various other People of the Cross. In our previous two chapters we looked at the most important Person of the Cross – the Lord Jesus, and the principle of the cross – dying to self. In both cases, Jesus is certainly the central figure and perfect example. Even though Jesus is the One who was on trial, in reality His presence put everyone else on trial. The quiet and confident majesty of His presence forced everyone to react to Him and His claims of deity. No one could be neutral in the presence of His bold affirmation that He was

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indeed God’s Messiah. In the face of those claims, no one could be neutral. So His presence, proclamation and passion put everyone else on trail! Let’s do a little “crowd survey” to see what we can learn from the many witnesses of the passionate Christ. Let’s try to view the events from their frame of reference and see what we can learn. In this chapter we will look at the people who were the friends of Jesus – His disciples. In the following chapter, we will examine the response of the enemies of Jesus. Just as is the case with every great drama, there are a few key “stars” that the story revolves around. They are the ones who play major roles and appear in multiple scenes. They are the ones who have the longer scripts that are interwoven throughout the drama. But there are also other key “supporting actors” who play a more secondary role in the background. They are the “extras” who serve only as a back-drop to the drama taking place on center stage. They are usually anonymous actors – faceless and nameless. These characters play small “bit parts” and have only minor appearances in a drama. But as we watch this drama unfold, all of us will find one or more actors we can personally identify with. So let’s look at each of them carefully. And we will generally examine them in the order of their appearance on the stage of this drama – The Passionate Christ. Christ’s Friends After His last Passover, “Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane” (Matthew 26:47). It was located east of Jerusalem, just across the Kidron valley at the foot of the Mount of Olives. It was a favorite place of rest and repose for Jesus and His disciples. It is highly significant and symbolic to note that Gethsemane comes from an Aramaic word for “oil press.” Presumably there was an oil press in this garden used to crush and mash olives in order to press out the oil from the fruit. Therefore, it was in this very garden that Jesus would be pressed and crushed under the weight of the sins of the whole world. So, when Jesus entered Gethsemane – the “olive press,” His suffering and sorrow took on new intensity! From that moment on and from that place on, the passion of the Christ began to unfold rapidly. And there in the garden, He became so pressed and crushed under your sins and mine that “…His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:44). I will share more about his “sweating blood” in a later chapter. The combined weight of time and eternity pressed down on the Lord Jesus. What had been planned in the eons of eternity past by the Triune Godhead – and precisely predicted for several thousand years by His prophets – was being fulfilled and consummated in just a few hours. Eternity would be compressed and fulfilled in about 12 hours of time! It was in the garden of Gethsemane that it would be revealed who Jesus’ real friends and enemies were. And each of us will ultimately fall into one of those two categories. There is no other third grouping. As He said earlier in His ministry: “He who is not with Me is against

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Me” (Matthew 12:30). Lent is a good time to honestly ask ourselves: “Which group am I really in? Would Christ number me with His friends or His enemies?” As we continue this Lenten Study, I think the answer will become clear to each of us as we look at the attitudes and actions in this eternal drama of the Passionate Christ.

THE PRIVILEGE OF PETER, JAMES & JOHN These three men were the Apostolic triumvirate whom the Lord Jesus oftentimes gave special time and attention to. In some ways, they were His “inner circle” of companionship that He gave more exposure and revelation to than the rest of the disciples. These three had been taken by Christ up a high mountain where they were privy to His transfiguration (Matthew 17:113). Now they were taken deeper into the Garden with Jesus where they could observe His passion close-up. He literally took them higher and deeper than the other 10 disciples. During His ministry, Jesus took Peter, James and John to revelatory heights and to agonizing depths, not experienced by the other disciples. Now more than ever, Jesus desperately needed them close by His side to “watch and pray” with Him in His hours of agony in God’s olive press. But alas, they slept through it all! As Jesus said of them: “Their spirit was willing, but their body was weak” (Matthew 26:41). How well every honest disciple of Christ today can relate to that diagnosis of the sleepy, slumbering condition of his or her own discipleship! Each time I travel and minister abroad among my beloved brothers in the Two-Thirds World, I am challenged afresh by the ease and superficiality of much of my American Christianity! I have had it so easy as a Christian. No persecution. No arrests. No imprisonment. No beatings. No suffering. No hunger. I have enjoyed many privileges as a Christian living in the peace and affluence of America! I have been blessed with economic prosperity and abundance in comparison to millions of my brethren around the world. And like most of my fellow American Christians, I struggle with lukewarm Christianity (Revelation 3:15-16). And if I listen carefully to my heart, I can often hear the Spirit say to me what He said to the 1st century saints: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you…understand the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, the day is almost here” (Ephesians 5:14; Romans 13:1112).

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We, today, just like the disciples on the night of Jesus’ arrest, suffer from spiritual “sleeping sickness!” But those first disciples were suddenly shaken out of their slumber by the words of Christ as Judas and the arresting band of temple guards approached… “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes My betrayer!” (Matthew 26:45-56). First, we need to hear the Holy Spirit say to each of us as First World Christians: “Wake up, O sleeper...from your slumber!” We need to apply Christ’s question to Peter, James and John to ourselves: “Are you still sleeping and resting?” So many of us as American Christians continue to “sleep and rest” while the “…harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (Matt. 9:37). We are slumbering through the greatest days of spiritual harvest in the history of the Christian Church. Like the disciples in Gethsemane, we are sleeping through some of the most strategic hours of spiritual warfare since the 1st century. “The hour is near” for the Lord’s return and so many of us are sleeping at our post as spiritual soldiers! It is indeed time for us to, “Wake up, O sleeper and rise from the dead” so that “Christ will shine on you.” Secondly, like Peter, James and John, we need to remember this principle as First World Christians: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Lk. 12:48). Just like Jesus gave this “inner circle” of three men special privileges, exposure and opportunities He did not give to the other disciples, He has done the same for us as American Christians. In both the spiritual and material world, God has given us much, much more than our brothers living in the Two-Thirds World. We have been privy to more Gospel saturation than any other people in history. We have more churches…more sermons…more teaching…more revivals…more crusades…more Christian media…more Christian books and literature…more money…more peace and prosperity – than any Christians in human history. So we, like Peter, James and John are without excuse! And because God has entrusted us with much, much more in both the spiritual and material realm – He is expecting much, much more from each of us. We dare not continue in our sleepy slumber when opportunity and responsibility surround us on every hand! We must “wake up” and seize the moment for the Kingdom of God locally and globally. God has some incredible plans for each of us with His fingerprints all over them. And they are stained by blood because of the Passionate Christ! Therefore, in light of His passion, dare we slumber on in passion-less Christianity?! His passion for the world must become our passion for the world. “Rise, let us go!” We will return to Peter shortly, but with these words of Jesus, let’s now turn our attention to “…the betrayer” – an enemy lurking in each of our hearts.

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THE PERVERSION OF JUDAS ISCARIOT We all know this disciple as “the betrayer.” He’s not just some general generic “betrayer” who betrayed a friend. We’ve all had someone betray us growing up – whether they were a friend or foe. We know how emotionally devastating that can be. But this is not just the story of one friend betraying another. This is the story of the arch-betrayer of human history who diabolically inspired the betrayal of none other than the Son of God. This is the man whose very name has become synonymous with the word “betray.” That’s why Jesus referred to Judas as “My betrayer.” Judas is obviously the “bad guy” in this drama about the Passionate Christ. As a result of his role, the very name “Judas Iscariot” is infamous the world over. It has become synonymous with betrayal. His name means everything a true friend should not be. The very utterance of his name is accompanied by guttural tones of disgust and distain! To call someone “a Judas” is the height of personal insult. But it was not always that way. As we have often seen from the Bible, name represents nature. While the name “Judas” has become synonymous with betrayal, that’s not what the name originally meant. You see, the name “Judas” is the Greek form of the Hebrew proper name “Judah” – which literally means “praised.” It was the name of the fourth son of Jacob – and from him we have the “Tribe of Judah” – which produced many Biblical heroes. It would be from this tribe that the Messiah would come as “…the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5). So “Judas” and “Jesus” were from the very same tribe! There was a time, then, when the name “Judas” denoted “praise and privilege.” It was an honor to be called by that name. Scripture shows us that it was a popular and respected name among the Jews both before and after Judas Iscariot. Look at a few examples: •

It is the name of one of the ancestors of Jesus (Luke 3:30).

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• • •

It is the name of one of the earthly brothers of Christ (Matthew 33:55). It was the name of a leading citizen of Damascus (Acts 9:11). It was the name of one of the leaders in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 15:23).

So the name “Judas” was not always a name of disgust and distain. And for the “Judas” of our study, it was a name that meant “chosen by Christ… a follower of Jesus… a disciple… a trusted leader.” How could the meaning of a name change so radically? How could that name become so inverted and perverted?! Tragically, every great drama has a villain – and in the Passionate Christ, Judas is it. As the drama unfolds, we see him gradually become the very personification of the evil one. His inward and selfish devolution is almost imperceptible at first. And while Jesus knew his true inner nature all along, the rest of the disciples did not have a clue! No doubt Judas learned to play the role of disciple well. He was a “quick study.” He was just like many of us in America today who learn how to be good “cultural Christians” – rather than a true disciple of the Lord Jesus. Therefore, as we watch the saga of the “rise and fall of Judas” on the stage of the passion, it should be a very sobering story for all of us! His name came to symbolize his nature as the ultimate betrayer – who fell from praise to perversion. The name “Iscariot” probably originated from ish Kerioth, or “a man of Kerioth,” which was a town in south Judah (remember his tribe?). Just like Christ was often referred to as “Jesus of Nazareth,” in the same way the betrayer was known as “Judas of Kerioth.” As we have already noted, every good drama has a “good guy” and a “bad guy” – and this divine-human drama is the same. Jesus is not just a generic “good guy” – He is the incarnate “God-Guy!” And Judas is the arch “bad guy.” Therefore, since Judas did not start out that way in this drama, let’s briefly bullet the things we know about him for sure from Scripture. •

He was chosen by Jesus: Often when his name is listed, there is the accompanying phrase “…Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve.” And usually he is always listed at the end of the naming of the disciples – followed by this defining epithet: “…and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him” (Matthew 10:4; Mark 4:19; Luke 6:16).

•

He was the group treasurer: “Judas had charge of the money…” (John 13:29). “As keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6). This fact that he had charge of the money revealed a lot about the confidence that the other disciples must have had in him. You do not entrust your money to someone you do not trust. You do not let a known thief hold your money, or carry the key to your safety deposit box. But, unbeknown to the others, he helped himself to the funds whenever he wanted to.

•

He pretended to love the poor. When Mary anointed Jesus with expensive perfume, we read this: “But…Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why

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wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief…” (John 12:3-7). •

He increasingly became offended by the claims of Christ and his abrasiveness to the Jewish leaders: “‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’ Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, ‘Does this offend you?…There are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus had know from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him…. ‘Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!’ (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray Him” (John 6:60-71).

•

In disillusionment, he sought an opportunity to sell Jesus out: “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand Him over” (Mk. 14:10-11).

•

He ultimately sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver: “Then one of the Twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?’ So they counted out for him 30 silver coins…” (Matthew 26:14-16).

•

Judas left the Passover celebration early in the evening to betray Jesus: “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray Me.’ His disciples stared at one another, at a loss…One of them asked: ‘Lord who is it?’ Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. ‘What you are about to do, do quickly,’ Jesus told him. But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night” (John 13:21-30).

•

Jesus made a final reference to Judas in His high priestly prayer before His passion in the Garden: “I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave Me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled” (John 17:12).

•

After Jesus was arrested and beaten, Judas tried to reverse his betrayal: When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’ ‘What is that to us?’ they replied. ‘That’s your responsibility.’ So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself”

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(Matthew 27:1-5). We further read from Doctor Luke that when he hanged himself “…he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out” (Acts 1:18). •

After Christ’s resurrection and before Pentecost, Peter said this about Judas: “He was one of our number, and shared in this ministry” (Acts 1:17).

•

Before Pentecost, Matthias was chosen to take Judas’ place: “Peter said, ‘For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted, let there be no one to dwell in it.’ And, ‘May another take his place of leadership’ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection… Then they cast lost, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:20-26).

The “rise and fall of Judas” is a sad saga in the Passionate Christ. As we watch his various brief stage appearances, we see him gradually move from discipleship to denial…from belief to betrayal…from opportunity to offense…from thanksgiving to theft…from devotion to disillusionment…from serving to suicide. And like all falls from position and privilege, it did not happen all at once. It happened gradually over a three year period. The story of Judas reminds us of the cardinal spiritual principle: “No person falls suddenly.” Every “fall from grace” is slow, gradual and almost imperceptible. It does not happen all of a sudden. It is the result of a thousand small compromises and concessions to the “world, the flesh and the devil.” And in the process, we too “sell out” the Lord Jesus for a pitiful handful of the world’s silver and gold! Truly, the story of Judas is a somber reminder of the deceit and deception that lurks in each of our hearts! Each of us is a natural betrayer. As we look at Judas with honesty we know in our hearts: There but for the grace of God go each of us! Each Lenten Season it is indeed a sobering experience to honestly contemplate where you have compromised your commitment to Christ and “sold out” for a little financial advancement. Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver. It was blood money. We all have some sell-out point. What’s yours? How much of the world’s “silver and gold” have you gained this past year at the expense of your relationship with the Lord Jesus? How have you advanced at someone else’s expense? Whose blood is on your profit? It is a sobering thought! And it is even more sobering to realize how each of us – just like Judas – can be privy to so much spiritual exposure and enlightenment and still betray the Lord Jesus. Remember again that he was the treasurer of the Twelve. That meant that Judas was trusted…respected…had position…had influence…had power…held the purse strings for the group. Like the other disciples, he had left everything to follow Christ. He had walked with Him…talked with Him…traveled with Him…slept with Him…eaten with Him…listened to Him…watched Him – “close up and personal.” Judas had seen Christ perform miracles…calm storms…walk on water…heal the sick…cast out demons…raise the dead – but he still betrayed Him.

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Most sobering of all is the fact that on the very night and hour that Judas betrayed the Lord Jesus, he took communion from His hands – hands that had already washed his feet and hands that would soon be nail-scared for him and the world. We are specifically told: “As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out.” Just like Judas, how soon do many of us move from the Lord’s table to the world’s table. From fellowship with God’s people to frolicking with the very enemies of Christ. That’s why the warning of the Apostle Paul to the 1st century saints is so relevant to us 21st century saints: “…the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?” (I Cor. 10:20-22). How often we Christians today in America sit at the “table of demons” and drink from the “cup of demons” through the TV, movies, videos, music, sports and pornography we watch and listen to. Many cannot wait to get home from church to do it! Just like Judas, we take bread from the hand of the Lord and then rush out to do the same from the hand of demons. Then we wonder why there is increasing darkness in our spiritual lives. After Judas took communion from the Lord’s hands and went out and betrayed Him, we are told: “And it was night.” That’s always the case. When we walk away from the light and enlightenment from fellowship with the Lord, it is always night…darkness…blackness. The short letter of Jude gives a sobering word of judgment against people who profane the Lord’s table this way: “These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm – shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees without fruit and uprooted – twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 12-13). Sobering words indeed! And just like it was taking place in the 1st century, it continues in the 21st century. Whether for Judas, for false prophets or for ourselves, there is no way to contrive a “happy ending” to a story of spiritual compromise and betrayal. It always leads us into darkness…into the night…into the “dark night of the soul.” And if we do not utterly repent, it will ultimately lead us into that “blackest darkness” that is eternal which the Bible calls hell. It is the place for those who are “twice dead.” And Judas was numbered among them. Judas was one of the few men recorded in the Bible who was totally possessed by Satan himself. Not at first. At the beginning he was like the other Twelve. But over the months and years, one disappointment led to another. One compromise led to another. Finally on the night of Maundy Thursday, Judas opened wide the door to the evil one. And opportunity that Satan would not miss and that he had been working on since the Garden of Eden. After successfully defeating the “first Adam”, he now would seek to defeat the “last Adam” (I Cor. 15:45). This betrayal of the Son of God would not be left to a lesser demon. Satan personally

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possessed Judas because of the open door that was given to him by Judas’ greed and compromise. So, we simply read: “Satan entered into him” (Jn. 13:27). On several strategic occasions Satan sought to do the same thing with Peter. And like with Judas, it came close on the heels of the great spiritual experience when Peter proclaimed to Jesus: “You are the Christ, the son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). But almost immediately as Jesus began to speak of the certainty of the cross, Peter rebuked Jesus. He was no more in favor of Christ going to the cross than Judas was. Jesus openly rebuked him with searing words: “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Matt. 16:23). And it was during that very same Passover that Judas took bread from the Lord’s hands, that Peter did the same. But he too misunderstood what he was fully participating in. So Jesus said to Peter with double emphasis: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail” (Lk. 22:31). So let’s now turn from Judas to Peter to see how their stories differ…

THE PRESUMPTION OF SIMON PETER Just as we know Judas as the betrayer, we know Peter as both the defender and the denier. From the Gospel narratives, we read that Judas did not come alone to the garden. We are told that he “…came guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons” (John 18:3). However, from a careful reading of the passion events, it is clear that some of the disciples were also armed with swords. It was not like they were soldiers ready for battle – it is just what most men normally carried on their belts during that time. Much like many men carry pocket knives today. It was an every day practical tool that most men carried on their belts. Note what the disciples said when the arresting crowd approached: “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And with his usual impulsiveness, Peter did not wait for an answer! “And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting of his right ear” (Luke 22:49-50). It is only from John’s account that we know for certain that it was Simon Peter who was the first disciple to unsheathe his sword to defend Christ. And no doubt when he pulled out his sword, he was seeking to split the man’s head wide open! For whatever reason, Peter got only a glancing swipe that cut off his ear instead of his head! Jesus stayed Peter’s hand with these words: “Put your sword back in its place…for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Jesus then said: “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:10-11). And with those words Jesus submitted to their hatred and arrest.

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Now, contrary to all of their previous confident boasts that they would die for Him rather than ever deny Him, we read: “Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled…But Peter followed Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest” (Matthew 26:5658). We really have to hand it to Peter at this point. He is the only disciple that followed Christ after He was arrested in the garden – even though he did so “…at a distance.” In spite of his gripping fear and growing cowardice, he still followed Jesus – even if it was from a safe distance. We are painfully aware of Peter’s story from this point on. They are some of the most familiar parts of the passion story. While we cringe in horror at the betrayal of Judas, we squirm in conviction as we watch Peter’s three denials of Christ! That’s because we’ve all been there. We’ve all stood by the fire of compromise with him. We’ve all found ourselves trying to get warm at the world’s fires. We’ve all cursed out loud or under our breath at the accusation that we are a believer. We’ve all broken an oath or vow we’ve made to God. We’ve all felt deeply ashamed of our deceit and cowardice. We’ve all felt our face flush with the furtive fear of being “found out.” We’ve all felt our pulse race in anxiety as group pressure grows against us. We’ve all felt our fearful heart pound so hard that we were afraid that everyone around could hear it! We’ve all felt the uneasiness of looking people in the eyes for fear of being seen through. We’ve all feared discovery and exposure after some secret sin. We’ve all experienced the desire to run away and hide – forever! So, as we watch Peter’s painful drama on the stage of life – we see ourselves. His fear is our fear. His weakness is our weakness. His failure is our failure. His denials are our denials! His shame is our shame. And his tears fill our eyes. The crowing of his rooster also heralds our sin of denial! All it took was the accusations of a couple of small servant girls to cause big tough Peter to have an emotional “melt-down!” As a result, this verse summarizes it all: “He went outside and wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:75). I’ve been there! Haven’t you? Aren’t you glad that the story doesn’t end on such a depressing note? As this drama continues, forgiveness, redemption and restoration are still in the future for Peter, but we can’t move that quickly. There are more people to study and we need to learn about a young man who as also in the garden.

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THE PLIGHT OF JOHN MARK There is one more of Christ’s friends and followers we must take a “brief” look at. I purposefully use the word “brief” because we only get a fleeting glimpse of this person in the dimly lit garden the night Jesus was accosted and arrested. Only Mark’s Gospel gives us a succinct two verse summary of how one of Christ’s followers fled that night. He literally made a very quick “streaking debut” across the stage of the passion! Watch quickly or you will miss him… “A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind” (Mark 14:51-52). That’s a graphic description of real terror on two feet! This young disciple literally “ran out of his clothes” because of fear! At times of acute danger there are two conflicting emotions – fight or flight! For this young man it was flight with all his might! And many Biblical scholars believe that this is a veiled reference to Mark himself, the writer of the first Gospel. (The book of Mark was written before any other books in the New Testament.) Three things we quickly notice about this anonymous person: He was a “young man.” The Greek word used here to describe him is neaniskos. It means a “young man in the prime of life between the ages of 24 and 40. Since he was in his prime, he could run fast! We are also specifically told that he was wearing a “linen garment,” and that he was “following Jesus.” The very fact that the narrator mentions that this young man was “…wearing nothing but a linen garment,” would strongly suggest that he was from a wealthy prominent family in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12). Linen garments were somewhat of a “fashion statement” for the well-to-do men in that day – as the story of the rich man and Lazarus reveals (Luke 16:19). They were not the clothing materials of the peasants and “blue collar workers.” Certainly none of the other disciples of Christ wore linen robes! It was not the clothing of fishermen, farmers or common workers. Nor do we have any record that Jesus ever wore linen – except after his death. As you will recall, His body was taken down from the cross and wrapped in “strips of linen” by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus – both of whom were wealthy men (John 19:40). Jesus only wore linen in the tomb – never in public! And after He arose, He left these linen grave clothes in the tomb as irrefutable proof of His resurrection. We also know that a “linen garment” was often used as a “sleeping gown” – especially for the more affluent. This would be similar to “silk pajamas” worn today as opposed to flannel or cotton ones. Perhaps this young man was wearing this inner or outer garment

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of linen because he had been preparing for bed or had been awakened from sleep by the noise in the garden. We don’t know why that’s all he was wearing. As we have already seen, Jesus and His disciples had just concluded the Passover meal by singing a hymn together. Then they left the “large upper room” where they had spent the last few hours together eating and sharing. As they departed the house, they took the short walk from the city proper through the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives – no doubt with Jesus in the lead (Mark 14:26). After spending time with His disciples, He now sensed a great need to spend time with His Heavenly Father in one of His favorite places of solitude and prayer. There His passion would intensify beyond human comprehension. There is good circumstantial evidence that the young man in our story had possibly helped out in the serving of the Passover meal. But since he was not a part of Christ’s “inner circle” of the Twelve, he would not have been invited to go with them to Gethsemane. He may have stayed behind and gone to bed after the “clean-up” was completed. But let’s pause and rewind the film for a moment. We need to go back to a time earlier in that day when the first preparations for the Passover were being made… We know from the narrative that, earlier in the day, the disciples had asked Jesus: “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” In response Jesus said: “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: “Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there” (Mark 14:12-15). If you “read between the lines” here, it is quite clear that this was something that Jesus had previously arranged. These were no whimsical or magical meetings. They had been carefully planned by the Master. He specifically told His disciples where to go and what to look for. They were to find and follow “a man carrying a jar of water” – which was not the normal thing for a man to do. Carrying water was the normal duty of women. So a man carrying a clay jar of water would have been easy to spot. Upon seeing this man, they followed him to a very specific house that was clearly known to the Lord. The “owner of the house” obviously knew who Jesus was as “the Teacher.” No doubt he was also a friend and follower of Christ because you do not open you home to strangers – especially on the high and holy night of Passover. And when the disciples found the owner of the house, they were to say to him what Jesus had told them: “Where is My guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” No doubt Jesus had been to this house before and used the “guest

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room” for His personal use. In response to these clear questions, the owner took the disciples to “a large upper room, furnished and ready.” It is a plausible assumption that this young man followed Jesus and His disciples from the Upper Room that night. Again, he may have either been an attendant at that Passover Meal or a family member who watched the Seder Meal from the shadows of an adjoining room. Quite possibly he could have even been the son of the “owner of the house” that the disciples had contacted earlier about having the Passover there with the Lord Jesus. The home owner was clearly known by the Lord – and probably the members of the household as well. If this young man in our story had helped to “make things ready” for Christ’s last Passover meal with His disciples, it would help explain his “brief appearance” in this story. That’s because after the meal and evening was concluded, he may have secretly followed Jesus and His disciples from the house to the Garden of Gethsemane. As you will recall, earlier that same evening, Judas had made a rather hasty exit from the Upper Room to go and meet the Jewish leaders to negotiate for the betrayal of Christ. It is possible that later that night he may have returned to the house with his crowd of thugs – thinking he would still find Jesus and the disciples there. Upon learning that they had already left the house and gone to Gethsemane, they hurriedly departed. They were now an hour or so behind Jesus and the disciples. But young John Mark would have been aroused by the noise of the boisterous group. With typical youthful curiosity, he could have quickly hurried off to follow them – without taking the time to get fully dressed. So when he got to the garden, he is wearing only his “linen pajamas.” The very fact that some in the arresting crowd “seized him” clearly indicates that this young man was a follower of Christ. In their minds he was clearly identified with Jesus, along with the other disciples. Since he was not with them – he was definitely with Him. This crowd had only two sides that night. Therefore, he was a viable – and an easy, target for arrest. That young man could never have imagined what was awaiting Christ and the disciples that night in the garden. Nor could he ever have anticipated what would happen to him! It would be a defining time in his life he would never forget. It would mark him for life, literally. Probably because he was younger and smaller, he was an easy prey for the soldiers of the high priest that fateful night. For this vigilante mob, a smartly dressed young man was an obvious “mark” that would stand out from the other followers of Christ. So they “seized him” in an attempt to take him to trial along with Jesus. But in his youthful zeal he struggled loose and literally “sprinted out of his linen robe” as he fled in naked terror!

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There is every possibility that this was indeed the same young man who would later become the temporary traveling companion of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 12:25). This incident in the Garden of Gethsemane may also be an early insight into the life-long struggle that John Mark had with the problem of “fear and flight.” Just as he fled from Jesus in the garden that night, he would later flee from Barnabas and Paul in the midst of the difficulties of missionary service (Acts 13:13; 15:36-39). But since I have spent much of my life working with teenagers, I am encouraged to know that there was definitely at least one young person in the garden that night who was a known follower and disciple of the Lord Jesus. This reminds us that Jesus not only attracted men, women and children – but also teenagers, singles and young adults! So whether you are young or old…male or female…rich or poor – Jesus will accept you as His disciple. It matters not to Him whether you are wearing linen like this young man – or faded jeans and a cotton T-shirt, there is a place for you as a follower of Christ! After this fleeting appearance on the stage of the Passionate Christ, presumably by a young John Mark, Jesus was now left totally alone. This was all in fulfillment of the ancient prophecy which said of the Messiah: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered” (Zechariah 13:7). With the naked fleeing of this young man into the shadows of the garden, the Great Shepherd was now utterly alone and at the mercy of this hostile crowd. All of His sheep had deserted Him into the surrounding furtive darkness. He was now alone with a human and divine intensity He had never known before in time or eternity. Being alone is a lonely place to be – even for the Son of God! It is incomprehensible to us to even begin to fathom how the Second Member of the Triune Godhead could be alone during these hours of His passion. He who had eternally known nothing but the absolute love and unity of the Trinity was now increasingly being cut off from fellowship with His Father and the Holy Spirit. The hours were rapidly approaching when God would make “…Him who had no sin to be sin for us” (II Corinthians 5:21). Humanly speaking, He was now at the mercy of the club-yielding-blood-thirsty mob – and mercy was definitely not on their minds! They were not interested in justice or mercy – only revenge and murder. Day after day, our newspapers and nightly news reveal that man’s nature has not changed from that night in Gethsemane. Whether the 1st century or the 21st century, the evil in man’s heart knows no bounds. That’s why our world continues to be filled with warfare, terrorism, tribalism and genocide. Hatred, murder and bloodshed abound on every hand and in every country and culture. And the angry mobs that are hostile to Jesus continue to roam and rule from our streets to our classrooms to our courtrooms – arresting any and every manifestation of the Passionate Christ! One final thought about the young man in this story. Just as he “fled naked” from the Garden that night – each of us will one day “stand naked” before God! Listen to these sobering words:

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“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). The Authorized Version renders this: “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Just like this young man “fled naked,” we will all one day be “fully exposed” before the Lord. Nothing but the “naked truth” will be fully revealed about us. Nothing will be hidden. Nothing will be covered up. And there will be no place we can “flee” from His presence to escape this “total exposure” of who we are! There is a cataclysmic event that the Bible tells us that our world is headed for. Listen to the earth-shaking description of it from the book of Revelation: “There was a great earthquake…and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!’ For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:12-17). But just as there will be no place for them to hide, there will be none for us either! There will be no escaping the piercing eyes of the “face of the Lord” and the “wrath of the Lamb!” Whether we are wearing linen or rags, we will all be “fully exposed” to the Lord. And that’s the “naked truth” for each of us to prayerfully ponder this Lenten Season!

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THE PERPETRATORS OF THE CROSS As we follow this surging blood-thirsty mob from the Garden of Gethsemane, we come to the official quarters of the Jewish high priest. The hour is late – approaching midnight or shortly thereafter so it is very dark. We have moved from the quiet and solitude of an olive garden to a crowded bustling court yard. The scene had radically shifted from one of tranquility to one of tension. The atmosphere had changed from one of prayer to one of provocation. Like ominous storm clouds rolling in – the darkness of the night was engulfing. And the tenseness in the air was palpable! The passion of Christ intensified. Let’s turn our attention from the friends of Christ to the foes of Christ. At this point in the passion narrative, Jesus had now been betrayed by a false friend, and abandoned by His true friends. All had fled in fear to “save their own necks.” Let’s follow Jesus then, as He was forcefully “…led away…to the house of the high priest” by this mixed mob of Romans and Jews (Luke 22:54). John specifically told us that this vigilante action was carried out by a “…detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials.” Together they had “…arrested Jesus… bound Him and brought him first to Annas…” (John 18:12). How ironical it is that the first place Jesus was taken to was to the official residence of the high priest – who that year was Annas. We will look more at him in a future chapter – along with his father-in-law and cohort in religious intrigue, Caiaphas. But for now we need to pause and ponder how often it is that the religious establishment turns out to be the greatest enemy and antagonist of the Lord Jesus. For three years much of popular opinion was supportive of Jesus. But during that same period of time the authorities and power brokers of the Jewish religious establishment were increasingly hostile to Him. He was upsetting their theological apple cart! He was threatening their religious control over the people. His popularity was eroding theirs. The “new wine” of His teaching just could not be contained in the old rigid wineskins of their Jewish theology and “tradition of the elders.” Not much has changed in Judaism to this day, nor in liberal, leftist Christianity. Both are increasingly hostile to the authentic Christ of the Bible. They too have “arrested” the historical Jesus and bound Him with the shackles of humanism, naturalism and scientism. In the process of their theological and historical deconstruction, they have reconstructed a new Jesus of their own making. Just like Jesus was stripped of His robes at His trials before Caiaphas and Pilate, this “politically correct Jesus” has also been stripped of His deity. In trial after trial through

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the “research and scholarship” of liberal theologians – like those who compose the now famous “Jesus Seminar” – the historical Jesus of the Bible has been “de-mythologized.” In the process both His perfect deity and perfect humanity have been crucified on the cross of rationalism and liberalism. As a result, He has been stripped of His virgin birth…His miracles…His healings…His resurrection…His Ascension…His Second Coming. All that is left is the empty shell of a vague Jesus who cannot save and empower because His body is still lying in some unknown grave in Palestine! And yet this Lenten Season, many of the very denominations who have stripped and denuded Jesus of His deity and uniqueness will still go through the charade of Lenten Services. Just like the Jewish leaders in the 1st century, they will continue the “pomp and circumstance” of their religious traditions – replete with all of the “hails, smells and bells” of religiosity and church-anity! Just as surely as the Jewish leaders went through the motions of Passover before they arrested Jesus, many of the religious leaders in our day will perfunctorily observe Lent, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Dressed in the proper robes and vestments of the season, they will pompously lead congregations in liturgies, hymns, prayers and creedal confessions. Some will even fast as a manifestation of their piety. But because the Christ they preach and teach is no longer worthy of belief, their worship will be little more than a hollow religious shell – devoid of the power of salvation, healing, deliverance and transformation! Sadly, the “vain worship” by many in the Jewish establishment during the days of Isaiah was no different than those of Jesus’ day. That’s why Jesus said: “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is made up only of rules taught by men” (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8). As sincere and well-intentioned as religious activities might be, they are not the kind of authentic worship that the true and living God seeks. Because man is innately religious, virtually all people in every culture “worship.” But the vast majority of worship is “vain worship” because it is not based upon the inspiration of God’s Word and the illumination of God’s Spirit (Matthew 6:5-6). When Jesus was talking to a woman of Samaria, and Samaritans were zealous worshipers of God, He made it clear that their worship was in vain. They were focused on the place of worship rather than the Person of worship. Just like the ancient Samaritans, many churches and denominations today are still more focused on the place of worship…the procedure of worship…the pomp of worship – than they are the Person of worship. Because of all our propensity to “vain worship,” we need to ponder afresh the words of Jesus to the confused Samaritan woman about the only kind of worship that is acceptable to God:

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“A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. For God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). So whether corporately or privately, I pray that your Lenten worship will be that total dedication of your life to the Lord Jesus as a “living sacrifice” which is the “spiritual act of worship” that is pleasing to God (Romans 12:1-2)! Now, before we completely let Gethsemane fade from our minds, we must pause to consider one final act of mercy performed by Jesus. It was directed toward one of His enemies. Even though no mercy was extended to Him, Jesus extended it to others. At first we only know this person as “…the servant of the high priest.” Let’s briefly look at this last healing miracle of Jesus before He is led off of the stage of Gethsemane. I assure you that every one of you will be able to identify with this “servant of the high priest.” His story is your story and can forever change the outcome of your story!

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THE PREDICAMENT OF MALCHUS Being the Jewish high priest brought a lot of power and perks – not the least of which were a number of soldiers and servants to do your bidding. We previously saw how a couple of his servant girls were among Peter’s accusers. But we need to hit the pause button for a moment. Let’s go back and do a slow motion replay of Peter’s attempt to defend the Lord Jesus when He was being arrested. Carefully look at this scene frameby-frame and pay close attention to the encounter between Peter and the “…servant of the high priest.” As we read this narrative, we see how most of the people who came to help arrest Jesus were armed with “…swords and clubs” (Luke 22:52). Since they were “armed to the teeth,” they obviously came prepared to fight! Their intent was anything but peaceful. In the face of this hatred and hostility, all four Gospels record how Peter drew his sword and “…cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest” (Matthew 26:51; Mark 14:47). Luke and John specifically told us that it was the man’s “right ear” that Peter cut off (Luke 22:50; John 18:10). In addition, it was only John’s Gospel that gave the man’s name as “Malchus.” Doctor Luke recorded this significant fact: “Jesus… touched the man’s ear and healed him” (Luke 22:51) – a detail that an observant doctor would certainly take note of! So by weaving these four Gospel accounts together, we see a more complete tapestry of “Malchus…servant of the high priest.” And through this little side-bar story, he stepped out of anonymity. He became the only other person in Gethsemane that night who is specifically named – other than Jesus, Judas, Peter, James and John. Through this little historical vignette we also see the incredible detail and preciseness of God’s Word. The few lines that describe this momentary three-way encounter would forever mark the spirit and psyche of Malchus. From that moment on he would either have to dwell on what Peter did to him – or on what Jesus did for him. That fateful night, one hand lashed out against him with a sword. The other Hand reached out to him in compassion. One hand resulted in harm, the other hand resulted in healing. I wonder which man impacted him most? Peter or Jesus? Which one left the most lasting marked on his memory? Was it the sword of Peter – or the touch of Jesus? Was it the hurt inflicted by Peter’s anger or the healing imparted by Jesus’ compassion? Perhaps we can better understand Malchus’ response by honestly looking at our own responses to those who hurt us. How do we respond when people lash out against us in anger or rage? Which do you remember? Do you dwell on the cutting, piercing words that people have said against you? Do you constantly brood over the way people have

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intentionally hurt you and abused you – whether physically, emotionally or sexually? Are there scars on your spiritual ears that cause you to constantly distort what others say? What we usually do, concerning the pain that others have caused us, is: We nurse it…rehearse it…and curse it. And all the while it is only the healing touch of the Lord Jesus that will allow us to reverse it! We can’t undo the things that have been said and done against us. But through God’s unconditional forgiveness we can reverse – rather than curse – the pain that others have inflicted upon us. We can be healed and released from the psychological scars and negative impact these events have had upon our lives. Perhaps like Malchus, you too need to reflect on Jesus’ words to Peter at that moment: “Put your sword away!” Peter’s response was the cursing response to the hurts against us. In our fallenness, we all want revenge against our enemies. We want to “lash out!” We want to hurt those who hurt us. We want to repay pain with pain. And so we rehearse in our minds a thousand scenarios in which we inflict pain back on those who have hurt us! Jesus reminded Peter of this principle: “Those who live by the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Anger is always a double-edged sword! The desire for revenge is very human. It’s in all of us. It is our natural response to hurt and harm. But it is also very destructive. That’s because it begins a lifestyle that is very deadly. It is always true that hurt people – hurt people. Damaged people – damage people. Wounded people – wound people! It’s a destructive cycle that goes on and on. And sadly, it often passes from one generation to the next. So when we have been hurt, this drive to “get even” increasingly poisons our mind and emotions. And over time it destroys all of our relationships. It causes us to have a “cutting edge” to our lives… to our tone of voice… to our behavior. We live with an “attack mode!” We are always ready to fight. And since we cannot always get even with the person who hurt and harmed us, we lash out at everyone else who gets in our path. As Jesus warned Peter, we too “…live by the sword!” So, my loving exhortation to you this Lenten Season is what Jesus commanded Peter: “Put your sword away!” That night, both Peter and Malchus were armed. Both men had swords they were more than ready to use. But because of Jesus, both men put their swords away that night. While you may not be able to make other people put their swords away – you can resolve to put yours away! You can make a commitment to quit “…living by the sword.” The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis is a wonderful example of this principle of forgiveness and healing in the face of hurt and harm. It is the greatest foreshadow of Christ’s words of forgiveness from the cross that is found in the entire Old Testament. As you recall, because of jealousy and hatred, Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave in Egypt. This resulted in separation from his home, his aged father, his beloved younger brother – and it caused years of loss in his life.

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From a human perspective, Joseph was an “innocent sufferer.” His brothers’ hostile actions cost him everything that was near and dear to him. Their sins against him radically altered his entire life. Their antagonism caused him to go through what must have seemed like endless “wasted years.” None of it seemed to make sense. “Where was God in all of this?” – Joseph must have often cried out as he nursed and rehearsed these unjust events in his mind! But it was only many years later that Joseph could say to his brothers: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20). This story reminds us that we live in a world that is totally under the control of a sovereign God. Even though the world is filled with sin and rebellion, God still accomplishes everything according to the good purposes of His own foreordained will. We must never forget that we live in a moral universe that reflects God’s justice and mercy – although the timing of its application is often a mystery beyond our human comprehension. But only a sovereign and loving God can take everything that happens to us – even evil, and work it for our good and for His glory. That’s the great message of Romans 8:28 - 29 that has brought comfort and healing to millions across the centuries: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son…” You know, the ear is a marvelous part of the human body. It catches all of the sounds and funnels them into our brain for recording, decoding and proper response. Deafness is such a debilitating problem because it audibly cuts us off from the world around us. But there is something worse than physical deafness – and that is spiritual deafness. It is bad enough when we cannot hear and discern the sounds around us. It is even worse when we cannot hear and discern the voice of God within us! Since we are all sinners, we are born with deaf and damaged ears. Because our ears are deaf to God, we cannot hear or discern his “…still small voice” (I Kings 19:12). And because our ears are damaged, we often filter the messages spoken to us by others. We hear and interpret their voices through the earlier voices of those who hurt us. Because of damaged ears, we often interpret what other people say through what was earlier said to us and about us. We go through life with a great tendency to deflect all compliments and indelibly record all criticisms! As a result, our minds have a natural tendency to retain the negative and reject the positive. That’s probably how Malchus went into Gethsemane that night. But then he met Jesus! Like so many others, Malchus had believed lies about Jesus. So he went into the garden with an ear problem! He went there with a terminal case of spiritual deftness. But I think he left the garden that night with both his physical ears and spiritual ears healed! I don’t

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think he ever heard the same way again. The compassionate voice of Jesus opened his ears to the voice of God. As a result, he could never dwell on what Peter did to him. From that moment on he would forever dwell on what Jesus did for him! What about you? Do you need Jesus to heal your spiritual ears this Lenten Season? Do you need Him to heal and silence those hurtful voices that are forever speaking pain and lies into the inner ears of your heart? If so, let Him do for you what He did for Malchus. If you do, I promise you that you will never hear the same way again. As a result of His healing touch, the Passionate Christ will forever resonate in your ear. THE POSITION OF THE JEWISH LEADERS Now that we have witnessed the healing of this “…servant of the high priest,” let’s look further at the prominent Jewish leaders that servants like him were subservient to. In reality they were a pretty diverse and divided lot – just like most religious groups are. It is often said that “religion and politics make strange bedfellows.” If that is true, then the passion of Christ is a classic example of that odd coalition. In this drama, we find a number of otherwise diverse Jewish leaders unified on one thing – their opposition to Jesus Christ. There are several key Jewish leaders and religious groups that we need to pause and identify as the Passionate Christ continues to unfold. It is impossible to understand the people of the cross without clearly identifying the role of these Jewish religious leaders. While their role was pivotal, it cannot be isolated from the immediate wider context of people – which included Romans, Gentiles and Greeks. Most importantly, Christ’s passion cannot be separated from the entire human race. No single people group can be exclusively blamed for the death of Christ. The Scripture is very clear in assigning guilt for the death of Christ to the entire human family because “…all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Therefore, since there is universal sin there is also universal culpability. As we will continue to see throughout this study, all people are responsible for the death of Christ – not just the Jews or Romans. To isolate them from the wider context of humanity is to be guilty of a myopic Biblical perspective and truncated theological reasoning. Sadly, anti-Semitism has been a misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the Bible – with a corresponding misplaced emphasis on the role of the Jews. Through the centuries, some overly zealous and under informed people have accused the Jews of deicide, or of “Godkilling.” As a result of this false label of “God Killers” and “Christ Haters,” many Jews have been vilified, persecuted and murdered across the centuries – oftentimes in the name of Christ! This has only further alienated the Jews from the Passionate Christ, and widened the chasm of suspicion and hostility between Jews and Gentiles. While it is historically inaccurate to separate the Jews from the events of the passion, it is theologically inaccurate to make them the sole culpable agents of Christ’s crucifixion. If one approaches the Gospel narratives with that kind of anti-Jewish racial bigotry and bias, then the conclusion of deicide is inevitable – along with its corollary of anti-Semitism. But if one

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reads the Gospels within the wider context of the Bible – along with even an ounce of personal spiritual honesty, then he will know objectively and subjectively that every member of Adam’s race has the blood of Christ on his hands! Most importantly, we have already seen that the Bible clearly assigns ultimate responsibility for the death of Christ to God Himself. As we saw in an earlier section, this is a clear revelation of both the Old and New Testament. Isaiah the prophet said this about the Messiah: “…it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer” (Isaiah 53:10). That’s why Peter preached to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost: “This man (Jesus) was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge…” (Acts 2:23). So who was responsible for the death of Christ? God Himself! This is part of the mystery of the Passionate Christ. Having carefully laid that historical and theological foundation, let’s examine briefly the primary Jewish actors in this drama. As individuals or theological groups, the Jewish leaders are variously referred to in the passion narratives as follows: •

“Chief Priests”: Matthew 26:14, 47, 59; 27:1, 6; Mk. 14:43, 53; 15:31, etc.

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“Elders”: Matthew 26:48, 57; 27:1; Mk. 14:43, 53; Luke 22:66, etc.

•

“Teachers of the Law” (NIV) or “Scribes” (KJV & NASV): Matthew 8:19; 13:52; 26:57; Mk. 12:32; 14:43, 53; 15:31; Luke 22:66, etc.

•

“Sanhedrin”: Collectively, this group of Jewish religious leaders is referred to as the Sanhedrin, or “The Council,” which is what the Greek word sunedion means. Even though their precise formation is lost in antiquity, the Jews generally trace the origin of this governing body to Numbers 11:16-17, where God instructed Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone.”

In the third Gospel, Luke refers to them as “…the Council of the elders of the people” (Luke 22:66). Most probably, they came into being during the Hellenist, or Greek, period when Palestine was almost given complete autonomy. So it was during this period that this council of aristocratic Jewish elders emerged as powerful and authoritative. However, under the Roman rule, their power was restricted and limited primarily to theological issues rather than legal matters. But as we saw from the book of Numbers, we do know that the Sanhedrin was specifically composed of seventy-one members -and it was presided over and dominated by the “High Priest.”

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Like all religious bodies, the Sanhedrin was divided ideologically between conservatives and liberals, forming two primary “theological parties” within the Sanhedrin. Let’s look at them briefly. •

Sadducees: This group of Jewish leaders primarily adhered to the Pentateuch, or 5 books of Moses. Therefore, they largely rejected the “…tradition of the elders” that were so emphasized by the Pharisees (Matt. 15:1). They were the more theological liberals of the Sanhedrin. As a result of their theological liberalism, they were basically anti-supernaturalists, and did not believe in miracles or the resurrection of the dead (which is why Paul later clashed with them!). They were largely from the higher socio-economic priestly class of Jewish aristocracy – and had the power and influence that usually goes along with that position in society. During the Hellenist period, they had increasingly become influenced by Greek philosophy and wanted to broaden Judaism to accommodate Greek thought and culture. So they were more pluralistic and tolerant. Therefore, the Sadducees would have felt comfortable in much of American liberal and leftist society today! In spite of their theological liberalism, their education and wealth made them a powerful part of the Sanhedrin. However, Jesus warned His disciples about the dangers of the “…leaven of the Sadducees” (Matthew 3:7; 16:1-6; 11-34; Mk. 12:18; Luke 20:27-39; Acts 4:1; 5:17; 23:6-8)

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Pharisees: By contrast to the Sadducees, this group comprised the theological conservatives of the Sanhedrin. They were the Jewish fundamentalists who took the Mosaic Law literally – as well as enforced a strict obedience to the Jewish traditions of the elders. By the time of Christ they had increasingly become a powerful party within the Sanhedrin – and Jesus often found Himself in conflict with them over their strict interpretation of the Law. Paul was a Pharisee before his conversion to Christ. Nicodemus also was a member of the party of the Pharisees. But just as He had done with the Sadducees, Jesus also warned His disciples of the “…leaven of the Pharisees.” Because He had more encounters and conflicts with this Jewish Party of legalists, there are some 79 references to them in the New Testament – too many to list (Matthew 5:20; 9:11-14; 16:1-12; 19:3; 22:15-41; 23:2-13; Luke 6:7; 11:39-44; John 3:1; 12:19 Acts 23:6; Phil. 3:5). Virtually all of the “Seven Woes” spoken by Christ were aimed at the Pharisees – which only deepened their hatred of Jesus! In this bold encounter, Jesus variously referred to them as the “Pharisees and teachers of the law” followed by these very scathing descriptions: “…hypocrite…blind guides…blind fools…whitewashed tombs…snakes… brood of vipers” (Matthew 23:1-36). Not very complimentary descriptions in anyone’s book! However, we do know from Acts that some of them later became believers and followers of Christ after His resurrection (Acts 15:5).

Collectively, then, the Sanhedrin was the highest authority in Judaism. It was what we might call the “Supreme Court of Israel.” The pronouncements they made were final when it came to the Mosaic Law. There was no higher authority than they were. Once they had rendered a judgment, there were no higher appeals one could turn to. Theirs

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was the “last word” in matters concerning the Law of Moses. They literally had the power of “life and death” in their hands. And, they exercised this authority against Jesus. But until about 40 years prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin clearly had the power of capital punishment. However, by the time of Christ, things had changed. The rule of Rome greatly limited their judicial power, but left their theological power in place as a means to appease them. So while they could decree a sentence of death, they could not carry it out. That could only be done by the Romans as the final judicial authority in the land. That is precisely why the Sanhedrin had to refer Jesus to Pilate for execution (John 18:31-32). Finally, we know that Jesus did have some personal friends and “secret followers” on this Council – like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38-39). We will see them again later after the events of the crucifixion. Now that we have made a general overview of the Judaism and the Sanhedrin during Christ’s day, the next Lenten Study will take a closer look at the powerful “High Priest” who ruled this Council of Elders.

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THE POWER OF ANNAS & CAIPHAS Since Jesus was first taken to the house of Annas after His arrest in Gethsemane, we need to examine him as the fountain-head of Jewish power and influence. Even though his time on the stage of the Passionate Christ was relatively brief, his behind-the-scenes role was dominant and determinative. What the Bible infers by a few brief references, older Jewish writings clearly confirm – that Annas was indeed one of the most powerful men of Jewish antiquity! He had power, wealth and influence – both among the Jews and the Romans. And he was proud of it! Annas had cunningly used his wealth to manipulate the Jews to his own ends. He also used his power and position to court favor with the Roman authorities. And his spacious and palatial palace was a known landmark all over Jerusalem – hardly the lifestyle of a servant-leader! Annas had originally been appointed high priest in A.D. 6 by Quirinius, Governor of Syria – whom we read about in the birth narrative of Jesus. He is also mentioned in the early ministry of John the Baptist (Luke 2:2; 3:1-2). Annas had held this powerful position of high priest between 6 and 7 years. According to Jewish law, the high priesthood was for life. However, the Romans forcefully mandated a change in this policy because they did not like that great a concentration of power in one person for a long period of time. They frequently changed the high priest and as a result, the high priesthood increasingly became a pawn of Rome. Even though Annas was officially out of power at this time, he was so influential that he was able to pass the high priestly office to 5 of his sons, a grandson, and now to his son-in-law, Caiaphas (Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Vol. 2, p. 547). In reality then, Annas had set up a priesthood dynasty! But spiritually speaking, his priestly dynasty was a travesty to the Aaronic priesthood that God had ordained through Moses. While Caiaphas was the official high priest at this time, it appeared that Annas continued to be the real “power behind the throne.” His son-in-law may have worn the robes of the high priest – but Annas was the real power broker! No doubt that was the reason that Jesus was briefly taken to him first. It was a revealing demonstration of Annas’ power. But it is only John’s Gospel that records this crucial information: “They bound Him and brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas the high priest that year” (John 18:12-13). And interestingly, from a close parallel study of the Four Gospels, we are given no specific information about what took place between Jesus and Annas in this brief encounter. Annas was apparently very politically astute in “covering his tracks” so he would not get into trouble with Rome! One thing was for sure, a “Jewish Messiah” like Jesus was claiming to be was totally unacceptable to Annas! A “Suffering Messiah” was an anathema to everything Annas stood for. So Jesus had to be eliminated as quickly as possible. No doubt it was Annas who influenced his high priestly son-in-law to “…advise the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people” (John 18:14). We can see in this statement that both Annas and

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Caiaphas were motivated by theological relativism and politically expediency. Sound just like many of our religious and political leaders today, doesn’t it?! We see how this decision to have Christ killed was not just a snap decision on the part of Annas and Caiaphas. It had been in the planning for a long time. There is a revealing example of this after Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead – a prelude to His own resurrection. “Many of the Jews…had seen what Jesus did (raising Lazarus from the dead), put their faith in Him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests (probably the Sadducees) and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “‘What are we accomplishing?’” they asked. Here is this man performing many miraculous signs (Notice how even His enemies acknowledged His miracles). If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place (religious identity) and our nation (political identity). Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, ‘You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.’” We then have this brief, but crucial commentary by John, who relates this to prophecy: “He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take His life.” John also tells us that this plot to kill Jesus caused Him to change His ministry strategy: “Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead He withdrew to a region near the desert…where He stayed with His disciples” (John 11:45-54). Now back to the Passionate Christ where Annas moved off the stage, and his son-in-law, Caiaphas, took center stage… We have seen that after Christ’s brief time at the palace of Annas, He was taken to the house of Caiaphas, who was the “official” high priest. This hastily called meeting of the Sanhedrin was illegal from start to finish as far as Jewish law was concerned. It totally violated all norms for the gathering of the Sanhedrin. This clearly revealed their prior agenda to eliminate Christ. In their minds this had been a foregone conclusion ever since the raising of Lazarus and the resulting conversion of a lot of Jews. As we already saw, from that moment on “…they plotted to take His life.” At this point the only question about Christ’s death was when and where? In today’s world, this mock trial of Christ would be referred to as a “Kangaroo Court.” One other crucial matter about the Sanhedrin. No judicial proceedings could take place on a Sabbath or on a Feast Day. So, with the Feast of Passover immediately at hand, they were

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really under the press to get this matter dealt with as swiftly as possibly so they would not be ceremonially unclean. Therefore, after a brief appearance before Annas, they took Jesus “…to Caiaphas, the high priest…where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled…” (Matthew 26:57). At the house of Caiaphas Jesus was subjected to His first “official trial” – which was anything but legal or fair. At this point, the legal stage now became frenetic as one false witness after another was brought in to testify against Jesus. So once Jesus was inside of Caiaphas’s house, the mock trial began. We read: “The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two came forward and declared, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, ‘Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these man are bringing against you?’ But Jesus remained silent.” (Matthew 26:59-63) As we continue to follow the story in Matthew 26, after the failed testimonies of a number of “false witnesses,” Caiaphas pulled out his final theological trump card. He backed Jesus into a theological corner where He had to either remain silent and deny His previous claims of deity by saying nothing, or, He had to affirm His Messianic claim – and be guilty of blasphemy. So, Caiaphas put Christ under an oath and asked Him: “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. But Jesus didn’t stop there. He not only clearly and unambiguously claimed to be the Messiah “…the Christ, the Son of God,” He further affirmed His deity with quiet dignity and authority: “But I say to all of you: in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” At that moment Jesus sealed His fate with the Sanhedrin! There was not a shadow of a doubt in their minds about what Jesus was guilty of. “Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?’” And they all responded with unanimity: “He is worthy of death!”

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And with that verdict, they began to intensify their vilification and persecution of Jesus: “Then they spit in His face and struck Him with their fists. Others slapped Him and said, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?’” While this mockery of a trial had been taking place, there was another very important part of the drama taking place in the wings. It was the several denials of Peter which was taking place in the courtyard of the palace of Caiaphas. When Jesus was taken bound in chains from the Palace of Annas to the Palace of Caiaphas, we read that “…Peter followed Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome” (Matthew 26:58). So the spotlight shifts from Jesus and Caiaphas on center stage, to this side-scene in the courtyard. Apparently only Caiaphas, the members of the Sanhedrin, Jesus and various witnesses were allowed inside. So Peter had to stay outside with the servants and guards. And there he experienced the worst night of his life! He repeatedly denied His Lord! Since Jesus clearly affirmed His deity, and committed blasphemy in their sight, He was condemned to die. But as we saw, the Sanhedrin could give a death sentence – but they could not carry it out. This execution was something that only Pilate could give the orders for. So we read: “Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound Him, led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate, the governor” (Matthew 27:1). Now the story of the Passionate Christ shifted from the palace of Caiaphas, to the Governor’s palace. And as the stage shifted from the Sanhedrin to Pilate, the debate shifted from a theological one to a judicial one. The next chapter will be a very relevant political case study on Pontius Pilate. As we have gone through a very long Presidential campaign in America, the politics of Pilate are very relevant. As we watch candidate after candidate try to court or appease both the “religious right” and “religious left” – Pilate was doing the same thing. Indeed, the more politics change, the more they remain the same – whether in Israel or America!

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THE POLITICS OF PONTIUS PILATE Just like Annas was one of the most influential Jews of antiquity, Pilate was one of the most notorious of Roman procurators. Historians tell us that he was the fifth procurator, or Governor, for Rome in Palestine. He was appointed in AD 26, and ruled for about 10 years. So we know that Pilate was in office when both Jesus and John the Baptist began their respective public ministries (Luke 3:1). He is officially known to us through the Bible and secular history as “Pontius Pilate.” Pontius was what we would call his “family name.” The name Pilate probably comes from the Latin word pilatus, meaning: “one armed with a pilum or javelin.” No doubt this Roman procurator had a piercing element to both his personal life and political life! Generally Palestine was what we might call a “hardship assignment.” It was a long way from Rome – the “Eternal City” and center of Latin civilization. Palestine was also hot and dry. Most importantly, it was populated by Jews – who were known for being zealously religious, peculiar, obstinate and hard to rule! They tested the leadership metal of every procurator sent by Rome to rule this remote outpost of the Roman Empire. Herod the Great had established his Governor’s residence in “Caesarea by the Sea” – not to be confused with Caesarea Philippi in Northern Israel. Herod was a great builder and shrewd politician. He originally built Caesarea as his seaport capital, which I have visited many times as I have led Holy Land Tours. It was situated on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea with its cool breezes and beautiful seashore. So, the Roman Governors normally resided in Caesarea. However, during important Jewish Feast days, the procurator would leave his normal residence in Caesarea and go up to Jerusalem, with a contingency of Roman soldiers to maintain order. The Jews were noted for riots and uprisings during their feast days and festivals when their religious fervor and nationalism was especially intensified. So during this time, the Governor usually stayed at one of the two palaces in Jerusalem, which had also been built by Herod the Great. That is why we would expect to find Pilate in Jerusalem during the Feast of Passover, immediately followed by the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread. From the very first moment that Pilate stepped on the stage of the Passionate Christ, we can sense a seething antagonism between him and the Jewish leaders. They had a mutual distain for each other. The Jewish leaders felt the same hostility and resentment toward Pilate that he felt for them. There was definitely no love lost between him and his cantankerous Jewish subjects in Palestine! And this was especially the case with those living in and around Jerusalem. It seemed to him that they were a particularly troublesome lot who were always stirring up dissent against him and Rome. He never seemed to really understand them – or their religion. They were the “briar in his political saddle” – and he was the “pig in their parlor!” To better understand this lingering tension between Pilate and the Jews, let me fill in a little more historical background. It will help you fit their mutual animosity into Christ’s passion. As

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you will see, this conflict surrounding the trial of Jesus was not an isolated event. It was the logical result of years of antagonism and hostility between Pilate and the Jewish leaders. According to the Jewish Historian, Josephus, Pilate started off on the wrong foot with the Jews from the get-go. When he was first assigned to be Governor of Palestine, he immediately offended the Jews by bringing into their holy city the famous Roman Standards. Emblazoned on them were silver eagles and images of the emperor – both offensive and idolatrous in the eyes of the Jews. At another time he even hung golden Roman shields in the Temple proper – inscribed with the names and images of Roman deities. This was obviously an anathema to the Jews – an unforgivable spiritual atrocity! And in order to fund the building of a water aqueduct into Jerusalem, he “appropriated” Temple money – known as Corban – to fund this project. So Pilate already had 3 strikes against him with the Jews as the Roman Procurator of Palestine! Luke records another incident that was brought to Jesus’ attention for commentary concerning Pilate. It was about a bloody conflict that had occurred sometime earlier between some Jews from Galilee and Pontius Pilate. Luke briefly recounted the story of “…the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices” (Luke 13:1). Apparently there had been an earlier uprising in Jerusalem led by a group of Galileans – which Pilate ruthlessly suppressed by mingling their blood with the blood of their sacrifices in the Temple! This was yet another unforgettable and unforgivable offense by Pilate against the Jewish people. So, just as his name would imply, Pilate was known for his swift and deadly javelin-like attacks upon any enemies. The Jews were a particular favorite target for his piercing verbal and physical assaults, and these acid insults echo all through the trial of Jesus before Pilate! As Jesus was forced onto the stage of the Governor’s residence, the theme shifted from a theological debate to a political one. The Jewish leaders began by accusing Jesus of three offenses: “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar, and claims to be Christ, a king” (Luke 23:2). So Jesus was accused of subversion against Caesar by reputedly not paying his taxes. He was accused of subversion against the Jews by claiming to be both the Messiah and their king. And in the face of those accusations, Pilate asked Jesus: “Are you the king of the Jews?” To that question Jesus clearly responded: “Yes, You are right in saying I am a king” (John 18:37). With that clear affirmation from Jesus, Pilate then “…went back inside the palace” where he “summoned Jesus” for a private interrogation. “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked Jesus, who turned the tables and briefly interrogated Pilate: “Is this Your own idea…or did others talk to you about Me?” This apparent lack of a clear answer by Jesus further irritated Pilate. So he sarcastically answered Jesus: “Am I a Jew? It was Your people and Your chief priests who handed You over to me.” So, Pilate clearly sought to again lay the full blame at the feet of the Jews – Jesus very own people! But in affirming that He was indeed a king, Jesus took away any of Pilate’s fears that He was also an insurrectionist against Rome. He allayed any fears that Pilate may have had about whether or not He was another Jewish zealot or revolutionary guerilla leading a secret rebellion. “My kingdom,” Jesus said, “is not of this world. If it were, my servants would

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fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is from another place…In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me” (John 18:36-37). The moment that Jesus said: “Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me,” the tables turned. Jesus was no longer on trial – Pilate was! Pilate was no longer the judge – Jesus was! He was now face-to-face with truth Incarnate. What would he do? What would he decide? Would he listen to the truth of Christ – or would he capitulate to the lies of the Jews? Pilate then asked Jesus a question that has echoed down through the centuries: “What is truth?” Without even waiting for a further response from Jesus, Pilate turned away and “…went out again to the Jews and said, ‘I find no basis for a charge against Him’” (John 18:38). From Pilate’s perspective, this may be a case of megalomania – but it was not a case for capital punishment! Therefore, he sought to dismiss the case. But when the Jewish leaders said that Jesus had started His ministry in Galilee – which had now spread all the way to Jerusalem, Pilate referred the case to Herod. There had been “bad blood” between Pilate and Herod politically, and this was Pilate’s way of appeasement – which greatly pleased Herod. Since Herod had heard of Jesus and His miracles, he was more than glad to have an audience with Him. But he was not looking for truth and justice. He was motivated by curiosity about the miracles he had heard that Jesus had performed. So Herod wanted entertainment – not enlightenment. However, to all of Herod’s questions, “Jesus gave him no answer” (Luke 23:9). In the face of this silence, “The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing Him.” Still no answer or response from Jesus. In frustration, Herod and company had some spontaneous entertainment of their own – all at the expense of Christ. They further ridiculed and humiliated him through their political parlor games. “Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in an elegant robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.” Then Luke gives us this one sentence of political commentary: “That day Herod and Pilate became friends – before this they had been enemies” (Luke 23:1-12). Once Jesus was sent back to Pilate by Herod, he again sought to release Him. So Pilate convened the Jewish leaders together again and gave them his verdict: “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against Him. Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; as you can see, He has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish Him and then release Him” (Luke 23:13-17). Once again Jesus’ innocence is clearly established by no less than two Roman officials – Pontius Pilate and Herod. Neither could find in Jesus any valid political grounds for insurrection or rebellion against Rome. But in the mind of the Jews, Jesus’ real crime was not against

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Rome – for they too were against Rome. And they could certainly care less about whether or not Jesus had paid taxes to Caesar – even though they accused Him of this civil crime. Just as long as Jesus paid the “Temple tax” they were happy. In the minds of the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus’ crime was a spiritual one – not a political one. He claimed to be the longawaited Jewish Messiah. He unequivocally claimed to be “ho Christos” or “the Christ.” And at the same time Jesus also claimed to be the “King of the Jews.” So, in their minds, He clearly had blasphemed by claiming equality with God! None of these religious issues were concerns to Pilate. These were not capital offenses in the laws of Rome. From Pilate’s perspective, these were nothing more than petty theological squabbles based upon religious jealousy! He was discerning enough to clearly see that the Jewish religious leaders resented the growing popularity Jesus had with the masses of common people. And that was an intolerable threat to their power and authority. As a shrewd politician himself, Pilate could easily see through their deceit. He could smell the stench of their jealousy – “For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him” (Matthew 27:18). So, they found themselves at a legal stalemate with Pilate. Jesus stood center stage. Pilate stood on one side viewing this whole mess through the jaundiced eye of a hardened politician. For a decade he had managed to maintain his authority by cunning ruthlessness and political expediency. He could have cared less about these claims and counterclaims about who the Messiah was – or whether Jesus was really the “King of the Jews.” He just wanted to bring closure to this whole mess as quickly as possible – and get back to his beach resort in Caesarea by the Sea! In his mind this conflict had already gone too far too quickly. So, he tersely concluded: “I will have him punished and then release Him” (Luke 23:22). This was not the verdict that the Jews were counting on. And with Passover rapidly approaching, time was running out. When they heard of the pending release of Jesus, things intensify on their side of the stage. They saw that they had gotten nowhere with their theological arguments and spiritual accusations. Pilate was unmoved and unimpressed. In fact, he seemed to have enjoyed rubbing their noses in this whole mess – especially at the time of their highest Feast! And the fact that this “Messiah conflict” would cast a dark and dampening pale over their entire week-long celebration, probably brought Pilate a secret sinister satisfaction! Pilate seemed to have enjoyed throwing back in their faces the offensive claims of Jesus that He was “the Christ” the “King of the Jews.” Those were the last things the Jewish leaders wanted to believe or accept about Jesus. In fact, it was for those very claims that they were seeking to have Him crucified. But since their theological arguments had no sway over Pilate, they had to go back to the political accusations. For them, time was rapidly running out. It was already the “Day of Preparation” for the Passover. So whatever they could do to get Jesus condemned to death – they had to do quickly! Their only hope was to move away from the theological arguments – and press forward with their political accusations. In their desperation, they brought up their trump accusation against Jesus to Pilate: “If you let this man go,” the Jews kept shouting, “you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar” (John 19:12).

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With that political accusation, they had Pilate in a corner. There had already been more than enough complaints sent to Caesar about the “Palestinian Problem.” Through the years, there had been a steady stream of complaints and accusations against Pilate by the Jews for his removal. So this was the ultimate threat against Pilate! But, in making it, the Jews had to stoop to their lowest level of political and spiritual compromise. Led by the chief priests, they all affirmed: “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). And with those words, they denied everything they stood for as a people living under the Kingship of God. The Jewish leaders now became guilty of blasphemy and apostasy themselves – the very sins they were condemning Jesus for! But in their blind hatred, it was a price they were willing to pay to eliminate Jesus. Both Pilate and the Jewish leaders made dangerous and deadly compromises. Their interaction again showed that successful politics are based upon the “art of compromise.” Pilate compromised his own personal integrity, as well as the integrity of the Roman justice system, by “…surrendering Jesus to their wills” (Luke 23:25). The Jewish leaders compromised their religious and spiritual integrity by affirming, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). But just before Pilate went to “wash his hands of this whole mess,” he received one final warning from his wife. She was apparently in the wings watching this whole drama unfold. Finally she could keep silent no longer. So she “…sent him this message: ‘Don’t have anything to do with that innocent Man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of Him’” (Matthew 27:19). Since we have no clear Scriptural insight into the nature of her dream about Jesus, we cannot make further speculations. However, in earlier centuries, some religious writers speculated that Pilate’s wife was a secret disciple of Jesus. But there is no clear Biblical or historical support for this position. All we know from the Gospels for sure is that she had some kind of alarming dream about Jesus that caused her to “…suffer a great deal.” Regardless of the content of her dream, she somehow concluded that Jesus was indeed an “innocent man” that Pilate should not condemn to death. Her intervention shows that women often have an intuitional knowledge through their reasoning that men do not have. Sadly, Pilate did not heed this timely advice of his wife. She could have kept him from going down in history in ignominious infamy. However, Pilate did try one last political maneuver and compromise. One that he was sure would get him off the hook – and keep Jesus off the cross. He offered the angry Jewish crowd a choice between two men. It was a political choice that was so obvious that even a blind man could see the right thing to do! The first choice was Jesus, the itinerant preacher, teacher and healer whose only crime was that “…He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). The alternate choice was Barabbas – who had a long “rap sheet” of a life of crime and evil doing. He was a well known revolutionary against Rome who had recently been captured and was also justly condemned to die. Pilate was sure that the crowd would see the stark contrast

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between these two men – and make the obvious choice. Surely they would condemn Barabbas and have pity on Jesus! No people in their right mind would chose otherwise. But at this point, this crowd was not “in their right mind.” In the next chapter, we will examine the brief and fateful appearance by Barabbas on the stage of the Passionate Christ – and see if Pilate’s political gamble paid off.

THE PARDON OF BARABBAS While Jesus was totally innocent of any and all charges of insurrection, Barabbas was already guilty and condemned for that very crime. Matthew simply calls him “…a notorious prisoner” (Matthew 27:16). Luke tells us that “Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder” (Luke 23:19). Mark reports that “…Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising” (Mark 15:7). John simply says that “Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion” (John 18:40). Any way you interpret the facts, Barabbas was clearly a notorious revolutionary who had tried to lead a rebellion against Rome. For a while he had been at the very top of the “Most Wanted” list of criminals in Palestine. In the process of leading his sedition and rebellion, he and his fellow “insurrectionists…had committed murder.” But they had been captured, tried and condemned to death. So when we first see Barabbas on the stage of the Passionate Christ, he is a condemned man awaiting his execution. It is interesting to pause a moment to look at his name. As we have already seen in this study, names in the Bible are often very significant. They generally represent the nature of a person. The name “Barabbas” literally means “son of the father.” A more correct way to transliterate it into English would be Bar-Abbas, or Son of Abba. That is an intriguing name – especially in light of the trial of Christ. It is a very unusual name to say the least. It does not sound like most Jewish or Aramaic names. In all probability, that was not his real name. Perhaps it was an alias name that he assumed, or one that others gave him. Since Barabbas had obviously been trying to lead an “insurrection in the city,” he was most probably a religious revolutionary. With a name like “Son of Abba, could he have been a false Christ? Many such Christ-pretenders had already arisen among the Jewish people, and Jesus Himself repeatedly warned of the appearance of “false Christs” (Matthew 24:24; Luke 21:8). Is it possible that this Bar-Abbas had claimed to be a messiah for the Jews – and had committed “…murder in the uprising” to try and prove himself to the people? Mark’s Gospel gives us further insight into this situation. He says that “…it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested.” So, on the basis of this custom, “The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.” Apparently this custom was something that Pilate had initiated in years past to appease and placate the Jews. Now the crowd of people came and “…asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.” In all probability the Jewish leaders instructed them to make this request.

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There is hardly any doubt that Pilate saw this as his last opportunity to set Christ free. If his intentions were to just follow his custom and set a condemned prisoner free – why would he not release one of the two thieves who were condemned along with Christ? The very fact that Pilate chose the most notorious criminal in his prison as the alternative choice to Christ, would seem to indicate the obvious. When confronted with the choice of setting Christ or Barabbas free – there could be little doubt in his mind whom the crowd would chose! And so Pilate asked the crowd: Which one do you want me to release to you; Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?” (Matthew 27:17). Any rational or sane group of people would have chosen to set the innocent man free, and condemn the one who was clearly guilty. But this crowd was not operating on logic or reason. By this time they were motivated by blind hatred and inflamed passion! In any case, we clearly know that the crowd was prompted and provoked by the Jewish leaders throughout the whole trial. They had become the willing pawns in the hands of the Sanhedrin. Mark gave clear testimony to this: “But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.” (Mk. 15:6-11). In response to the crowd’s clamor for the release of Barabbas, Pilate asked: “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” In response the people cried out for Christ’s blood. “‘Crucify Him!’ they shouted.” But again Pilate protested: “Why? What crime has He committed?” By now they could “smell blood,” and could not be reasoned with. Mob psychology had taken over their senses. As a result, “They shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify Him!’” So Pilate caved in to crowd pressure. “Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified” (Mk. 15:15). The crowd on that Friday morning had a clear choice: “Barabbas or Jesus?” Would they choose the “Son of Abba” or the “Son of God?” Would they ask Pilate for the “false messiah” or the “true Messiah?” Would they choose “the Christ” or the “anti-christ?” Would they ask for the “murderer” or the “Messiah?” Would they choose an “insurrectionist” or the “Incarnation?” Would they ask for “Barabbas or Jesus?” It was an incredulous choice! But we all know which man they chose to be “…released to them.” Prayerfully ponder a few more of the stark contrasts between Jesus and Barabbas. Their lives couldn’t be more different. While Jesus was the Savior, Barabbas was a seditionist. Jesus lived by truth while Barabbas lived by terrorism. Jesus stood for reconciliation while Barabbas stood for revolution. Jesus’ life was characterized by authority while Barabbas’ life was characterized by anarchy. While Jesus stood for love, Barabbas stood for lawlessness. The life of Christ was one of compassion for others while Barnabas life was one of crime against others. Jesus’ life resulted in healing while Barabbas’ life resulted in hurt. Jesus was a man of peace while Barabbas was a man of perversion. Jesus lived in humility while Barabbas lived in hatred.

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Down through the centuries, the choice has always been the same: “Barabbas or Jesus?” The choices have not changed. Will we chose the true Messiah or the false messiah? Will we embrace the counterfeit “Son of Abba” or the authentic “Son of God?” What a sad commentary on the human heart that we are so often more comfortable with a Barabbas than we are with “the Christ.” History has proven over and over again that people will often choose a Barabbas over Jesus Christ. In country after country and culture after culture, Jesus is condemned – while Barabbas is chosen. Christ is rejected – and Barabbas is embraced! In America today millions have increasingly chosen Barabbas over Jesus. From the lowest courts to the Supreme Court, we have banished Jesus from every public forum – just as certainly as Pilate did 2,000 years ago! Jesus is no longer allowed in the classroom… the court room… the board room… the locker room… the ball room… or the bed room! Most of the media moguls and leftist commentators today have also condemned the authentic historic “Jesus the Christ,” from the public platform. Just like Pilate, they never give him a fair trial! Their “evidence” against Jesus is always biased, contrived, partial, prejudiced. Because of their a priori conclusions about Jesus Christ, they seriously entertain “false evidence” and “false accusations” as though they were true, historic and scientific. They present their “conclusive evidence” as though they were universally accepted facts of history. And just like the biased Jewish religious leaders did before Pilate, they parade their “false witnesses” in the media as “true scholarship.” Almost all of their statements about Jesus Christ begin with the blatant generalization: “Most scholars today agree that…” Then they put forth the most fanciful interpretations of Christ imaginable – and have the audacity to call it “history” and “science!” Once again we see the truth of the statement: “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” Down through the centuries, mankind has continued to make the same fatal choices that Pilate and the people made. In the place of the true historic Christ, they clamor for Barabbas! While rejecting the truth of Christ, they exalt and extol the “false messiahs” of science, humanism, naturalism, secularism, materialism, agnosticism, atheism and nihilism! While condemning the authentic Christ of the Bible, they embrace the Barabbases of lawlessness, lewdness, crudeness, sexual perversion, homosexuality, adultery, abortion. Truly we are just as biased and blind as Pilate, the Jewish leaders and the deceived crowd two millennia ago! Therefore, like the Apostle Paul, we must ask: “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (I Corinthians 1:20). So, the masses of humanity today continue to replicate the deadly choice that the crowd made 2,000 years ago as they stood before Pontius Pilate. Prompted and egged on by the “rulers of this age” and the “wisdom of this age” (I Corinthians 2:6-8), they still loudly clamor “crucify Christ” – and “…release to us Bar-Abbas!” We loudly applaud the media, the entertainers, the sports figures, the politicians, the educators, the economists – as they “release to us” every Barabbas they can create and glamorize. And when they are turned loose into our

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cultures and societies, they incite insurrection, murder, alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual immorality – and a legion of other sinful social ills! They create the same kind of societal mayhem that Bar-Abbas created in Jerusalem! So once again, the Passionate Christ confronts us with the choice: “Christ or Barabbas?” Which will you chose? Which will you follow? Which one will you condemn in your life – and which one will you release to live his life in and through you? Christ and Barabbas continue to be on trial. Your life is the courtroom – and you are the judge! Choose wisely. Your earthly life and eternal destiny hangs on whom you choose.

THE PRAYER FOR JUDGMENT In a court of law, a “Prayer for Judgment” is the legal document stating the reasons for a judicial decision. As we have seen throughout the trial of Jesus, multiple accusations were brought against Him by the religious leaders. They accused him of both political and theological crimes. But since Pilate had little or no interest in the theological accusations being levied against Christ, it was the political accusation that ultimately sealed His fate. Time after time as a “Prayer for Judgment” was asked for by the Jewish lawyers seeking the death penalty against Jesus, their requests were rebuffed or rejected by Pilate. But finally in the face of the accusation that “…If you let this man go you are no friend of Caesar” – Pilate folded. Like many politicians, he succumbed to political blackmail. But as he did, he desperately sought to absolve himself of the guilt of what he knew was “innocent blood.” Pilate desperately wanted to somehow walk away from this whole messy trial with his political career in tact. But this was not just the “trial of the Century” – it was the “trial of history!” There has never been a trial in the annals of human history to equal this one that Pilate presided over as judge. And every human being in one way or another is subpoenaed for the jury in this trial. No person can be neutral in the face of the Passionate Christ! Like Pilate, we all must make a clear decision about the claims of Christ. Neutrality is not an option – legally or spiritually. So let’s take a final look at this greatest trial of human history. In a court of law, it is customary to have a “legal briefing” after every important trial. This is the time when the lawyers give their legal summary briefs of the case. The four Gospel writers do the same thing after the conclusions of Christ’s mock trial before Pilate. Here are their legal briefings: •

Matthew: “When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this Man’s blood,’ he said. ‘It is your responsibility!” (Matthew 27:24).

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When the crowd heard Pilate shift the responsibility from himself to them, they cried out: “Let His blood be on us and on our children!” (Matt. 27:25). And with those words, they not only sealed Christ’s fate – they sealed their own fate also! Pilate, therefore, sought to absolve himself of personal responsibility in the death of Christ. To dramatize this, he did something very familiar to the Jews – which further rubbed their noses in the guilt of Jesus’ conviction to die. “Pilate…washed his hands…” When Pilate did this before the crowd, he reenacted something that the Jewish leaders were all very familiar with. It came right out of their own Scriptures. It had to do with the absolution of guilt in the case of an unsolved murder. In such cases, Moses had instructed that a “virgin heifer” would be sacrificed as an atonement: “Then all the elders…nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken…and they shall declare: ‘Our hands did not shed this blood… And the bloodshed will be atoned for. So you will purge from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood…” (Deuteronomy 21:69). We can hear echoes of this when the Psalmist Asaph cried out: “Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence” (Psalm 73:13). We do not know how Pilate knew these portions of the Jewish Scriptures, but we can almost be sure that it was his final act of distain and disgust for the Jewish leaders. So, before turning Jesus over to them, he “rubbed their noses” in their own Scriptures! From that time on, this act of “hand washing” to absolve guilt has been associated with Pilate. But regardless of his use and abuse of Scriptures, he could not shirk his legal and moral responsibility concerning the execution of Christ. He could not shift the blame to the Jewish leaders or the crowd. Even though he dramatically proclaimed: “I am innocence of this man’s blood,” God and history still hold him accountable! No amount of water and hand washing can absolve him of his responsibility of the Passionate Christ! •

Mark: “Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified” (Mk. 15:15). While Matthew emphasizes Pilate’s attempt to absolve himself of all guilt concerning the death of Christ, Mark emphasizes his capitulation to the crowd. In caving in to the wishes of the crowd, Pilate did what most political leaders and politicians do – he let the crowd set the agenda. It was their inflamed passions that were in control – not truth or justice. Even though Pilate had the power and authority to do the right thing – he chose not to exercise it. He folded to the crowd!

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How often we do the same today. It is what the “crowd wants” that wins the day. It is the pressure of the clamoring masses that sweeps us along like a tidal wave. When we realize that “everybody believes this” and “everybody is doing it” – we fall in line. How easy it is for us to identify with that out-of-control crowd 2,000 years ago. •

Luke: “Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, ‘Crucify Him! Crucify Him!’ For the third time he spoke to them: ‘Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have Him punished and then release Him. But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that He be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demands” (Luke 23:20-23). Doctor Luke has always proven himself to be an astute observer and accurate historian. He is the kind of witness that every good lawyer wants to call to the stand. In his Gospel account, we often notice how he recorded and recounted little details that the other Gospel writers did not include. So we read one important thing in his account that we have not seen in the others. Luke tells us that Pilate spoke to the crowd “three times” about Jesus. And each time he came back with the same clear legal verdict: “Not guilty!” This is important in Jewish understanding because the Law of Moses said that: “One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19:15; II Corinthians 13:1). So, the innocence of Christ was clearly affirmed by more than “…the testimony of two or three witnesses.” The many false witnesses could not prove Him guilty of any crime – although they desperately tried to do so. Pilate examined him several times privately and publicly, and found Him completely innocent of all charges trumped up against Him. Finally, Herod also interrogated Him, and found Him guilty of no crime – especially of any deserving the death penalty. There can be no doubt in the court of divine or human justice that Jesus was totally innocent – morally and legally! Christ’s absolute innocence was a necessary prerequisite for Him to be the guiltless sacrifice for the sins of the world! And Doctor Luke testifies that Christ’s innocence was declared no less than “three times.”

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John: The fourth Gospel writer gives a longer account of the drama between Pilate, Jesus and the religious leaders. He tells us that Pilate tried one last desperate attempt to placate and appease the Jews: “Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.” We will look at this Roman “flogging” or “scourging” in a later chapter. But after this “flogging,” Pilate turned Jesus over to his sadistic and hardened soldiers. They made a further mockery of Jesus, and did everything possible to humiliate Him as the “King of the Jews.” We read this familiar account of their mockery beginning in John 19:2.

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“The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head. They clothed Him in a purple robe and went up to Him again and again, saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they struck him in the face. Pilate felt that this public scourging and humiliation would certainly satisfy the crowd’s desire to see Christ suffer. Once more he came out and presented the beaten and blooded Christ with these words: “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.” “When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, ‘Behold the man!’” The Latin phrase that Pilate used when he said: “Behold the man!” is Ecce homo. Little did Pilate realize that this phrase would become famous and echo down through the centuries! Along with “washing his hands,” this phrase Ecce homo has become synonymous with Pilate himself. But as the blood-thirsty crowd “Beheld the man” in His “crown of thorns” and “purple robe,” they became even more enraged! They cried out all the more: “Crucify! Crucify!” Once again Pilate sought to shift the blame: “You take Him and crucify Him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against Him.” At this point they again accused Jesus before Pilate of claiming to be deity, and therefore deserving of death. “We have a law,” they said, “and according to that law He must die, because He claimed to be the Son of God.” This claim by Jesus startled Pilate. Even the Romans had beliefs about the gods who would inhabit a human being. As a result, “When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace.” Once Pilate was back in side his palace, he further interrogated Jesus about His claims of deity. But Jesus remained silent. This silence greatly frustrated Pilate, so he said to Jesus: “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” At that point Jesus set the record straight. “You would have no power over Me if it were not given to you from above.” Jesus then went on to say: “Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” No doubt this quiet confidence and authority on the part of Christ deeply impressed Pilate. He had never seen this kind of calm and control in the face of such hatred, injustice and suffering. We read: “From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free.” But when the Jewish leaders saw this resolve on Pilate’s part to free Jesus, they began to shout: “If you let this man go you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” For Pilate this was the final straw. Now that Caesar was

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invoked, Pilate’s fears took over his reason and sense of justice. And so: “Finally Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified” (John 19:1-16). We can see then from the cumulative testimonies of the four Gospel writers that Jesus was clearly innocent, and yet unjustly condemned to die. But before we leave this chapter, we must at least list the other references to Pilate in the rest of the New Testament. They further amplify Pilate’s role in the Passionate Christ. •

This is the testimony of Peter after God used him to heal a cripple beggar: “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over to be killed, and you disowned Him before Pilate, though he had decided to let Him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead. We are witnesses of this” (Acts 3:13-15).

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In their prayer and praise to God after their release from the Sanhedrin, Peter and the disciples prayed: “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. They did what Your power and will had decided beforehand should happen” (Acts 4:26-28).

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Paul preached about Pilate at Pisidian Antioch on his first missionary journey: “Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. When they carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead…” (Acts 13:2630).

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Finally, Paul spoke of Pilate in his letter to Timothy: “In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made a good confession…keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (I Tim. 6:1314).

Since Jesus then, gave a “good confession” when He was being interrogated by Pontius Pilate, may we also give a good and Godly confession when we are “on trial” in our lives – as

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we will all be from time to time. And as the hostile crowds and lesser Pilates of this world examine us, may we too be found “without spot or blame” as we await the “appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Part III

THE PERSON OF THE PASSION THE PASSION OF THE CROSS As I stated at the very beginning of this study, we can never begin to fully understand the Passionate Christ, if we start our study at His crucifixion on Golgotha. That was the final act in this passionate drama. As we are seeing, the full passion story was a seamless spiritual and physical continuum – just like the garment Jesus wore to the cross (John 19:23). To fully appreciate the breadth and depth of His suffering, we needed to examine the entire passion from start to finish. As we have been doing, we must continue to focus on the Garden of Gethsemane because that’s where Christ’s passion really began in earnest. Even though we looked at this part of Christ’s passion earlier, let’s go into more detail. In earlier chapters we looked at the other major and minor players in the garden that night. We studied in detail both the friends and foes of Christ. And while we examined each of them in some detail, we did not spend much time on Christ Himself. We only looked at Him through His encounters with the other players in this drama. At this point we need to roll the film in slow motion once again so we can capture every thing that took place that Thursday night in the Garden of Gethsemane – spiritually, emotionally and physically. And since Matthew gives us the longest account, let’s begin with his detailed narrative:

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“Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.’ “Going a little further, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.’ “Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Could you men not keep watch with Me for one hour?’ He asked Peter. ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’ “He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.’ “When He came back He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. “Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes My betrayer!’” (Matt. 26:36-46). If time and space permitted, I could write dozens of pages on Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. But since many commentators have already done that, let me just summarize several key points about this part of Christ’s passion. First, we must remember that Gethsemane means “oil-press.” Since this was a well established “olive garden,” there would have been a large “oil-press” there used for extracting the oil from the olives. How fitting that in such a place the Lord Jesus was put into the “oilpress” of God’s judgment so that from Him would flow the “oil of salvation.” However, it would not be “oil” that would flow from Jesus during His passion. It would be blood as He would be “pressed out in full measure” under the weight of the sins of the whole world. He would literally be “pressed unto death” as the wrath of a holy God executed judgment upon the sin Jesus was about to take upon Himself! So, Jesus’ first drops of blood were spilt in the Garden of Gethsemane as He submitted to the ‘oil-press’ of God’s grace. Secondly, we need to sense something of the utter sense of aloneness and abandonment by His closest friends who slept through His agonizing time of sorrow. Not only did all of the other disciples “go to sleep on Him,” but also His inner circle of Peter, James and John. Desperately desiring their fellowship and support during His first hours of agony, He had taken them “…a little farther” with Him into the garden. He wanted them to be close to Him in these opening hours of His passion. But none of them could “…watch with Him for one hour.” So Jesus was absolutely “alone in a crowd” in the oil-press of Gethsemane.

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Perhaps there is no greater pain than to be abandoned by your closest friends in your greatest hour of sorrow and grief! And to know in your heart of hearts that even if they are with you physically, they cannot really understand the “dark night of the soul” that you are gong through. How frustrated and disappointed Jesus must have been with their “weak bodies” and “heavy eyes!” And how painful it is for me to realize that if I would have been there, I would also have been “sleeping like a baby” with the rest of them! But there was even a greater spiritual and emotional agony Jesus was going through in the oilpress of Gethsemane. It was His struggle before His Father concerning the “cup” that was before Him to drink. Certainly a part of the dregs of this cup was physical death. No person in the prime of life and health wants to die – especially through the agony of a crucifixion! Jesus would not have been fully human if He would not have had a natural aversion to such a death. He was not in any way a masochistic person. As the Author of life, He loved life and lived it to the fullest. And yet, as we have seen earlier in this study, physical death was not something that was unanticipated for Christ. He clearly understood that it was for this very reason He was born. He knew that He was “born to die” with a purpose no other human being ever had. So there is something far deeper and more mysterious here about Christ’s agony in the Garden. The Jewish Old Testament scholar, Alfred Edersheim, rightly observed about this part of Christ’s passion: “We are here in full view of the deepest mystery of our faith” (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, p.540). That’s because in this short 3 act drama in the garden, we see both the majesty of Christ’s incarnation and the mystery of His humiliation. We get a brief glimpse into the uniqueness of the God-Man Jesus Christ – one Person with two Natures. And in His hours of agony in the oil-press of the garden, we hear both natures speaking. First we hear the full humanity of Jesus crying out several times through His agonizing words: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death…” and “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me.” It is interesting to note that this is the single place in the life of Christ where He addressed God with the personal pronoun, “My Father…” Mark’s account says that Jesus used the Aramaic: “Abba, Father…” (Mark 14:36) – which in those days was the most intimate expression of loving address from a son to his father. So this was perhaps the most intensely personal conversation He had ever had with His Father while here on earth. But we also hear His full deity responding thrice with the words of perfect obedience and submission to His Heavenly Father: “Yet not as I will, but as You will.” As Perfect Man, He did not want to die. But as Perfect God, He knew that He had to – for that was the reason for His incarnation. Only a few hours earlier at His last Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus had “broken bread” and said it was His body which was “…given for you.” Likewise He had “poured wine” and called it His blood that was going to be “…poured out for you” (Luke 22:19-20). Both of these familiar physical symbols were clear graphic preludes to His imminent death.

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However, on this side of eternity none of us will ever be able to fully fathom or explain the spiritual mystery of the “cup” that Jesus was agonizing over having to drink. Untold thousands of other humans had faced execution by crucifixion – both before and after Him. Yet none of them faced this degree of agony and “…sorrow unto death.” Therefore, for Jesus to have agonized to this degree over nothing more than His contemplation of physical execution by crucifixion would have been a flaw in His character and masculinity – thus disproving His perfect humanity. There had to be something more – something much, much more about that “cup” of sorrow that He had to drink! And while we can visualize the contents of the “cup” from the outside, only Jesus fully understood the eternal significance of the contents He was being asked to drink. It will take all of eternity for us to be able to begin to comprehend the full spiritual significance of His “cup of sorrow.” One thing for sure is that the very anticipation of the full dregs of this cup was so awful and repugnant to His holiness and sinlessness – that it caused Him to literally “sweat blood!” Thus we read these poignant words: “And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:44). It is very interesting that only Luke recorded this psycho-spiritual-physical phenomenon – something that a doctor would have been especially interested in. Although many liberal theologians have rejected or given a metaphorical interpretation to this part of the passion narrative, the medical profession has confirmed the reality of this phenomenon. Although very rare, there are other medically documented cases where this has happened. Technically, the medical term for this is Hematidrosis, or “bloody sweat.” It can take place under situations of very severe emotional stress where the tiny capillaries in the sweat glands break, thus mixing “blood with sweat.” Whatever the nature of the full contents of the “cup,” it caused Christ to agonize like no other person in history! It was the weightiest moment of pressure in the oil-press of God’s grace when the weight of eternity pressed down upon Him in a few moments of time to the degree that it squeezed out of Him “drops of blood.” And those sweaty “drops of blood” would be but the prelude to the shedding of all of His blood on Calvary! What was it that caused this bloody excursion from the brow of Jesus? Was it the awful anticipation of having the cumulative sins of the world laid upon Him? Was it the anticipation of experiencing for the first time in both time and eternity the hell of spiritual separation from His Father? Was it the unthinkable anticipation of spiritual death? Was it the awful anticipation of “going into death” for His last great battle with Satan for the souls of mankind? Was it a fear that the weakness of His human nature would fail the requirements of His divine nature? I am sure that it was all of that and more – much, much more! But we will have to wait until heaven for Him to fully explain it to us. However, until that time I have found the following explanation about Christ’s agony in the Garden from the late Donald G. Barnhouse, to be very

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insightful and consistent with scripture. He gives this interpretation of Christ’s agonizing prayer for the “cup” to pass from Him: “Some have thought that He was flinching before the thought of the agony of the cross that was about to come. Such flinching would have been a spot and a blemish, which would have rendered Him ineligible to be the Lamb slain for sinners. Some have thought that Satan had come with a fierce attack that would have meant premature death, when He sweat great drops of blood and that the attempt was being made in order to prevent Him from going on to the cross to become the Savior. Such an explanation would have Satan to possess power superior to that of the Son of God and would negate His own expressed statement, ‘No man taketh it [My life] from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again’ (John 10:18). The cup, as another passage clearly shows, was the wine of the wrath of God, the full wages of sin, the second death, separation from God in torment in hell, and ultimate eternity in the lake of fire” (The Invisible War, pp. 226-227). Several Old Testament passages would certainly support this view that the “cup” that Jesus was agonizing over drinking was the “wrath of God” He would face on the cross when He took upon Himself the sin of the whole world (Isaiah 51:17, 22; c.f. Ezekiel 23:33). However, when we have said all we dare to say about this “beginning of His sorrows,” the full contents of this “cup” will remain an unfathomable and unutterable mystery beyond our full human comprehension! All we know is that His Father heard and answered His prayer as He was being “pressed out of measure” in the oil-press of Gethsemane. We know this from the insightful words of clarification given by the Holy Spirit to the writer of Hebrews: “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission” (Hebrews 5:7). Let me again quote Barnhouse concerning this prayer of agony by Christ in the garden: “God must answer all prayer that is in His will (I John 1:14-15). Christ, being of the deity, could not have prayed a prayer outside of the divine will; otherwise He would thereby have been a sinner. Therefore the prayer for the passing of the cup must have been heard and answered affirmatively. This is what the writer to the Hebrews clearly affirms: ‘He prayed and was heard’” (Ibid, p. 227). Jesus, then, was even willing to be eternally separated from God through the “second death” if that was the only way He could satisfy the justice and holiness of God and bring salvation to mankind! Such love! Such mercy! Such grace! I cannot even begin to comprehend it! Can you? But that’s the nature of the Passionate Christ. As amazing as that kind of grace is, the Apostle Paul would later exemplify that same kind of passion for the salvation of his fellow Jews. He wrote that he would even be willing to be “…cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers…the people of Israel…”

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(Romans 9:3-4). Oh, that God would give more of us that same kind of passion for the lost! Once again, it is only His Passion that can inflame our passion. But it is also instructive to note that in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus faced three assaults of Satan – just as He had three years earlier in the wilderness. And each time Jesus acquiesced to the Father by saying: Not My will, but thy will be done” (Matthew 26:39-44). Then at the zenith of His spiritual battle in the garden, “An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him” – just as He had in the wilderness (Luke 22:43; Matthew 4:11). So, after three successive spiritual conflicts with the evil one, Jesus vanquished him through His total surrender and unconditional affirmation of His Father’s will. As a result, He came out of the oil-press in the Gethsemane victorious! That’s why He had a quiet serenity and peace throughout the rest of His trial. Before leaving Jesus in the garden and His agony over the “cup” He was facing, we need to ponder His three-fold response a bit further. That’s because there are many preachers and teachers of the “Prosperity Gospel” who seem to ignore this crucial portion of Scripture. One of their popular mantras is: “Name it and claim it…believe it and receive it…confess it and possess it!” As a result of their teaching about “positive confession,” they proclaim that it is a “lack of faith” to preface or conclude any prayer or profession for prosperity, a miracle or healing with the phrase: “If it is your will…” They believe that it is always God’s will to bless His children with “health and wealth.” They teach that we forfeit God’s blessings by using the little conjunction “if.” It represents a lack of faith on our part at best – and an act of sin at worse. However, Christ’s passion in the garden clearly disproves this false teaching that has deceived and misguided millions of Christians. As we have already seen from all three of the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus clearly prefaced His prayer to the Father with “…if it be Your will, let this cup pass from Me.” And there was neither faithlessness nor sin in His life as a result of this prayer! Later the Apostle James, the earthly brother of Christ, gave the same caution about praying presumptuously about God’s will: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil” (James 4:13-16). My dear friend, never let anyone deceive you by this heresy – regardless of how they “boast” or “brag” about their faith and how God is blessing them with abundant prosperity! This is not faith, it is presumption! And through the years I have seen it bring great disillusionment, despair and depression to well-intentioned Christians who bought into this “Word of Faith” theology. I have seen many die in defeat when God did not heal them – when they should have died in victory. Some were still making “positive confessions” with their last gasping

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breath! Others however, learned through time and experience, that God is not their “Divine Bell Hop” to do their bidding. Every mature Christian comes to understand through the Spirit and the Word that God does not exist for our good. We exist for His glory! And we are to live for His Kingdom and glory, and not for our own. Just as Jesus taught His disciples – and demonstrated through His prayers in the Garden – we are to pray that the Father’s will would be done “…on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Jesus, then, gives us the perfect model prayer of faith when He prayed: “Father, if it is Thy will, let this cup pass from Me” (Luke 22:42; KJV). Or as the NASV, NIV and ESV all render this prayer: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me.” Since in His most agonizing time of prayer, Jesus prefaced His three-fold petition with “if,” we should do the same. Praying that way is not a lack of faith – but rather an act of faith! Therefore, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ’s human nature ultimately acquiesced and totally submitted to His divine nature. And in doing so, His human will totally surrendered to the divine will when it came to drinking the cup. From that moment on, He was the only one who had peace and poise in the garden – because He alone had totally submitted Himself to His Father’s perfect will. With His agony in the oil-press of the garden completed, He could now say with calm confidence: “Rise! Let us go! Here comes My betrayer!” (Mk. 14:42). And it seems that the torch lit mob interrupted Jesus in mid sentence… “While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived…” (Matt. 26:47). So while the agony of the Garden of Gethsemane is over, the passion of Christ quickly moved into its next phase – His betrayal and arrest. As Jesus came out of the oil-press of Gethsemane, the arresting mob noisily entered the garden – and as we saw earlier, they came “armed to the teeth.” Judas was leading the procession because of his familiarity with this place as a favorite place of retreat for Jesus. So we read: “Now Judas, who betrayed Him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples. So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons” (John 18:2-3). At this point, John gave us information not recorded by the other 3 Gospels. What he shared about this first encounter by Jesus with the mob showed how “calm, cool and collected” Jesus was: “Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’

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‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘I am He,’ Jesus said (and Judas the traitor was standing there with them). When Jesus said, ‘I am He,’ they drew back and fell to the ground. Again He asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’ And they said, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ ‘I told you that I am He,’ Jesus answered” (John 18:4-8). So, because of his familiarity with the place, Judas was leading and directing the mob. He knew it was one of Jesus’ favorite places of repose and prayer. Because of his knowledge of Jesus and familiarity with the garden, Judas led them to the exact spot where Jesus had been praying – and where the disciples had been sleeping. So we read that “With Judas was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priest and the elders of the people.” And as per his prearranged agreement with the guards, Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss – forever making the “Judas kiss” synonymous with betrayal! In response, “The men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested Him.” At that moment, Peter “…reached for his sword, drew it out and struck for the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.” Jesus then reproved Peter with these incredible words: “Put your sword back in its place…for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Matt. 26:47-54). After Jesus orders Peter to put his sword away, He further admonishes Peter with the words: “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?” (John 18:11). While His sinless and perfect human nature was repulsed by the thought of the dregs of the cup of God’s wrath, He still rested in the fact that it was “…the cup that the Father had given Him.” Knowing that it was His sovereign loving Father who passed the cup to Him in Gethsemane, He received it with relinquishment and resolve. Jesus was in absolute control – not only of His own will and emotions, but also of the crowd’s. He knew He had the power to not only resist them – but also to destroy them! Just one word from Him and a multitude of angels would have descended and destroyed them – and probably the whole world! One Roman Legion consisted of 6,000 soldiers. Jesus said that with a snap of His finger “twelve legions of angels” would instantaneously descend with their fiery swords of judgment – and “clean house!” Instead, just as He told Peter to put his sword back in its sheath, He did not beckon the angels to come rescue Him. But oh how they must have wanted to as they watched in heavenly horror as these events rapidly unfolded!

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Unlike the members of the Triune Godhead, the angels were not fully privy to this eternal mystery of redemption. As Peter would later write, “Even angels long to look into these things” (I Peter 1:12). So for now, they would have to “watch through the veil” that separated time from eternity as story of the Passionate Christ was fully played out. When Jesus neither allowed Peter to defend Him, nor call down “twelve legions of angels” to destroy them, “…all the disciples deserted Him and fled” (Matt. 26:56). Now, deserted by all of His disciples, Jesus faces the angry and unruly crowd alone. So in the face of their rage, Jesus calmly says: “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this is your hour – when darkness reigns” (Luke 22:52-53). After saying this, Jesus calmly submitted to the crowd. We are told that: “…the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound Him and brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people” (John 18:12-14). With those words of transition, the drama of the Passionate Christ shifted from His betrayal and arrest in the garden, to the home of Annas, and the first of His six “mock trials,” as we saw in earlier chapters. And after the mockery of those trials ended, Jesus began His slow “death march” to Golgotha. But along the way, He had encounters with several people we need to pause and study. Each of them was confronted with the reality of the cross in a way they could never have expected. I believe you will be able to identify with one or more of them in the following chapters as we continue to walk the Calvary Road to Golgotha with the Passionate Christ.

THE PARTICIPATION OF A PEDESTRIAN Have you ever been walking down the street, minding your own business, when suddenly you were confronted with an accident or event that was totally unexpected? Without any warning you were sucked into the vortex of a situation you had no control over. Without any forethought, you were no longer just a person “passing by.” Unwillingly you suddenly became an active participant just because you were at that place at that particular moment. In a split second you ceased to be a passive spectator. You became an active participant – like it or not.

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That’s exactly what happened to a man who was walking into the city of Jerusalem that fateful Friday morning over 2,000 years ago. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or, the right place at the right time – depending upon your perspective. He was minding his own business. He was an uninvolved pedestrian who was just seeking to make his way through the throngs of people who were pulsating in and out of the city for Passover. For a time this man was just another anonymous face in the crowd. But suddenly he was accosted by circumstances completely outside his control and thrust into the passion story. And as he became a participant, he walked into the annals of Biblical history. His involvement was brief – but profound. That unexpected encounter changed him for time and eternity. Let’s look at his part in the Passionate Christ. But before examining this innocent by-stander, let’s remind ourselves of the immediate context of this pedestrian’s short appearance on the stage of this drama. Jesus’ final trial before Pilate was over. Pilate folded to political pressure. He compromised. He sold out. After several attempts to placate the crowd had failed, he finally “…decided to grant their demand…and surrendered Jesus to their will” (Luke 23:24-25). The death sentence was reluctantly given. As a result, Jesus was innocently condemned to die by crucifixion. Then John’s Gospel gave these succinct words of summary and transition from Pilate’s Judgment Hall to the Calvary Road: “Finally, Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the skull…” (John 19:16). In a future chapter, we will examine in painful detail the macabre events leading up to the actual crucifixion. But at this point we just need to remind ourselves why this passer-by was accosted by the Roman centurion and made a participant in Christ’s passion. By this time in the story, Jesus had virtually been up all night. He had been betrayed, vilified, dragged through the mockery of 6 illicit trials, mercilessly beaten almost beyond recognition and condemned to death. He had had little or no food or water since the Passover meal the night before. He has lost copious amounts of blood and body fluids as the soldiers carried out their sadistic games at His expense. Jesus was now in a near state of shock. Finally, the pre-crucifixion torture was over. His robe was ripped off his lacerated back and replaced by the heavy cross-beam, or patibulum – probably weighing around 100 pounds. This crude timber was roughly tied to His bruised and bleeding shoulders with coarse ropes. He was then led by a Roman Centurion on His own death march to Golgotha. Behind Jesus were two thieves who had also been condemned to die by crucifixion. They were not nearly as lucky as Barabbas who was released by the capriciousness of Pilate when he acquiesced to the clamor of the blood-thirsty crowd. The three condemned men were then surrounded by a detail of soldiers assigned to carry out this series of executions.

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They had been hardened by many such executions during their military career. There was not an ounce of mercy in any of them. So, together with their prisoners, they began their slow and painful procession through the crowds of people to the place of the Skull. It was a place they knew well from many previous crucifixions. How long and how far Jesus “…carried His own cross” we do not know. But it increasingly became obvious to the centurion in charge that Jesus would not be able to carry His cross all the way to Golgotha by Himself. As a hardened veteran of many such executions, he knew how to read the signs of a condemned prisoner facing the cross. He had heard them curse, revile, cry-out, and beg for mercy on the way to the place of execution. Many times this centurion had seen the sheer terror in their eyes as they anticipated agonizing hours – even days – hanging on the cross! And he knew the limits of their human endurance after the torturous scourging that usually preceded a crucifixion. As this centurion watched Jesus – the focal point of the executions that day – he could see that He was already too near death to carry His cross alone. His strength had been beaten out of His body. And if this crucifixion was going to be completed before sundown, they must get on with it. They had no time to tarry along the way with a stumbling prisoner. Since the soldiers were certainly not going to dirty or soil themselves by helping carry the bloody cross – they must force someone from the crowd to do so. As a trained soldier, the centurion knew how to size men up. He could quickly spot a man of strength in any group. It was a skill necessary for survival in battle. You had to spot the strongest enemy soldier first and kill him before he killed you. So, peering around the crowd of on-lookers, his eyes spotted a strong and stalwart black man who appeared fit for the gruesome job. So the centurion accosted him and forced him to carry the cross for Jesus. It is interesting that all three Synoptic Gospels recount this part of Christ’s passion. And each one gives us a detail not shared by the others. Matthew’s account is the shortest: “As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross” (27:32). Mark amplifies his account a bit more: “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross” (15:21). Finally, Luke recounts: “As they led Him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus” (23:26-27).

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When you put the testimonies of these three accounts together, we learn the following details about this previously unknown by-stander: • • • • •

His name was “Simon” He was from “Cyrene” He was “passing on his way in from the country” while Jesus was “going out” He had two sons with him, “Alexander and Rufus” He was “seized” by the soldiers and “forced to carry the cross behind Jesus”

Now let’s examine each of these details more carefully to see what we can learn. There is nothing recorded in Holy Writ that cannot teach us something if our eyes of our hearts are open. Of course every detail in the Bible is not of equal importance. But if we will take the time to prayerfully ponder a passage more carefully, we will often learn important truths that give us deeper insights into the story. First, his name was “Simon.” It was a very popular name in Biblical times – dating back to Simeon, the second of Jacob’s 12 sons (Genesis 29:33; 35:23). As one of the eldest of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, we would expect many people to be named after him. Interestingly, the Hebrew root that Simeon comes from is shama and means “hear.” As you will recall, the Shema of Israel is found in Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This is the creedal confession of Judaism because it is a call to hear and understand the nature of God. And the intent of the word “hear” is not just to listen to audible sound. It is to “hear in order to obey.” Because of the significance of this word spiritually and culturally to the Jews, it was a favorite name for parents to give to their sons. And there are so many “Simons” in the New Testament that you need to make sure you do not confuse them with this “Simon from Cyrene.” Here are the major other ones to keep separate in your mind as you study the New Testament: •

Simon Peter, the disciple of Christ and brother of Andrew, who was a prominent leader among the Twelve (Matthew 4:18). However, contrary to what his name means, he often did not really “hear” what Christ said!

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Simon the brother of Jesus, who was the third born son after him (Matthew 13:55)

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Simon the Zealot, another of Christ’s disciples (Mark 3:18)

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Simon the Leper, from Bethany, in whose house Jesus was anointed (Mark 14:3)

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Simon the Pharisee, in whose house Jesus was anointed by a sinful woman (Luke 7:4044)

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Simon Iscariot, father of Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus (John 6:71)

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Simon Magus, the sorcerer from Samaria who had a powerful encounter with Simon Peter (Acts 8:9-13) 103

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Simon the Tanner from Joppa, in whose home Peter stayed (Acts 9:43)

While this Simon’s name also meant “listen” or “hear” – he heard some words that day that forever changed his life: “Hey you! Come carry this Man’s cross!” And while our names may not be “Simon,” we are still beckoned to hear and heed the call to take up the cross of Christ and follow Him! But the one who calls us to do this is not a centurion – it’s Christ Himself! Secondly, we see that this Simon was from “Cyrene.” This is how we know that he was a black man. Cyrene was located in what is now Libya in North Africa. It was a very important costal city west of Egypt. While it is not mentioned in the Old Testament, we know from the New Testament that it had an active Jewish population large enough to support a synagogue (Acts 6:9). We also know that some of these Jews were later converted and became followers of Christ in the persecution following the martyrdom of Stephen. We know this because Doctor Luke specifically tells us: “Now, those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus” (Acts 11:19-20). As a result of this ministry by disciples from Cyrene, one of the most significant evangelistic crossovers in history took place. The Gospel moved out of the exclusive Jewish sphere to the Greeks and Gentiles. Because of that paradigm change, a great revival took place in Antioch where “…the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). It is also important to note that one of the elders of the Church at Antioch was “Lucius of Cyrene,” also a North African (Acts 13:1). So there was a black man from Cyrene who helped carry Christ’s cross as well as another black man from Cyrene who laid his hands on Paul and sent him out on his very first missionary journey. We can only rejoice that God used black men from Africa to play such significant roles in the life of the early church! That leadership has continued to this very day. So the city of Cyrene has great Biblical significance and is forever memorialized by the fact that one of their native sons helped Christ carry His cross to Calvary! Thirdly, we note that Simon was “coming into the city” while Christ was “going out of the city.” The time would have been somewhere between 8:00 – 9:00 in the morning. Both Mark and Luke specifically tell us that he was “…on his way in from the country.” And because of his Jewish name, we know that he was not on a “business trip.” Like the thousands of other Jews of the Diaspora, he had come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. Because of the throngs of pilgrims in Jerusalem during that time, there was no place for him to stay inside of the city proper. He had to find lodging somewhere outside in the surrounding countryside. Probably wishing to make his visit to the Temple for sacrifice as early as possible,

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he started for the city around daybreak. And as fate would have it, he unknowingly met God’s sacrifice coming out of the city as he led his own in! Fourthly, we see that he had two sons with him named “Alexander and Rufus.” In good Jewish tradition, Simon was acting as the spiritual leader and priest of his home in leading his sons in Temple worship. His wife and their mother was forbidden to do this. While she instructed the daughters, it was the father’s responsibility to instruct the sons – just like Joseph had done for Jesus by “…doing everything required by the Law of the Lord” when Jesus was growing up (Luke 2:39-41, 52). Obviously Simon could never have imagined how his life would be changed that day! Sacrifice and worship for him would never be the same again. He would never be able to enter the gates of Jerusalem again without reliving this event. He would never be able to eat the annual Passover Meal with his sons with the same perspective. He would never be able to see a lamb on the altar without seeing the Lamb of God on the cross! Did Simon ever make it to the Temple later that morning? Did he linger at the foot of the cross pondering what he had just been a part of? Did he run in fear and revulsion as soon as he laid down Jesus’ cross at Golgotha? Did he leave the place of the Skull with bitterness or belief? What did he tell his sons when they were reunited? How did he explain to them the blood that was on his hands, shoulders and clothing? Did he try to hide from them the tears that kept welling up in his eyes? Did he become a follower of Jesus? Did he return home to Cyrene as a witness to the Passionate Christ? Could his son, Rufus, be the same one later mentioned by Paul as a follower of Christ and personal friend of his? Do you remember these intriguing words by Paul in his “P.S.” to the Church at Rome: “Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother who has been a mother to me too” (Romans 16:13)? The noted Biblical Commentator, William Barclay, shares these insights from another Bible Scholar, J.A. Robertson, who sees in this verse one of the “hidden romances of the New Testament. He reasons as follows: “Mark describes Simon as the father of Alexander and Rufus. Now you do not identify a man by the name of his sons unless these sons are well-known people in the community to which you write. There is general agreement that Mark wrote his Gospel to the Church in Rome…So in the Roman Church there is a Rufus, so choice a Christian that he can be called one of God’s chosen ones, with a mother so dear to Paul that he can call her his mother in the faith. It may well be that this Rufus is the same Rufus who was the son of Simon of Cyrene, and his mother was Simon’s wife. It may well be that as he looked on Jesus, Simon’s bitterness turned to wondering amazement and finally to faith; that he became a Christian and that his family became some of the choicest souls in the Roman Church” (The Gospel of Luke, William Barclay, pp. 295-296).

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Is this brief interlude about Simon one of the “hidden romances of the New Testament” as Robinson suggests? Or is it just fanciful thinking? I personally think the strong circumstantial evidence favors Robinson’s conclusions. But we cannot be dogmatic in our assertions. While musicians and poets have tried to “fill in the blanks” with some wonderful expressions of artistic license, we will have to wait for heaven for the full story. Only there and then will we be able to sit down with Simon and his two sons and let them tell us the full story of the passion for themselves. Finally, we note that Simon was “forced to carry the cross” and that he had to “carry it behind Jesus.” This reminds us of a couple of important spiritual principles. First, few of us “take up the cross” voluntarily. Why? The cross is a tool of execution! Contrary to a lot of popular opinion, the cross does not represent a burden…a minor suffering…a hardship…a sacrifice…an inconvenience. No. It represents death! No one came down from the cross alive. You took up your cross to do one thing – die! And none of us do that easily. But unlike the centurion, Jesus never forces the cross upon us. He invites us to voluntarily take it up. Simon wasn’t given that chance. It was thrust upon him – like it or not. But Jesus simply says to us: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Authentic discipleship is an invitation to die. It is a call to do nothing short of dying out to yourself…giving up your life…denying your plans…denying your will…denying your petty dreams…denying your little kingdom – to affirm and embrace His. Secondly, we see that Simon carried the cross “behind Jesus.” That means we are never to get out in front of Jesus in anything – not even in carrying our cross! There is a lot of presumption in the body of Christ because we get ahead of Jesus. Often times with good intentions we run on ahead of Jesus – even dragging our cross! In our super-spirituality we think we know what’s best. We have our own plans. We have our own will and we think we can get Jesus to follow “behind us.” But it is misguided zeal. It is presumption masquerading as faith. I’ve been there – I know! Let me ask you in closing this study on Simon from Cyrene: How has God sovereignly brought the cross of Christ into your life this past year? Where has He called you to die out to self? At what point has He called you to totally surrender to Him? No holding back. No holding on. Have you embraced the cross – or fled from it “for dear life?” Simon had no choice but to take the cross of Christ that was thrust upon him by the power of Rome. And he did not have to carry it but so far. When he got to the place of the Skull, he could put it down. But God does not let us put our cross down at some point in life. He does not say to us: “Friend, carry My cross this far and no further.” No. He says, “Carry it all the way to the end – of yourself!”

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Lent reminds us, then, that we are to follow “behind Jesus” with our cross all the way to Golgotha. And there we are called to die upon it with Him. That’s when His Passion becomes our passion…His will becomes our will…His death becomes our death. However, that place of death is also our place of life and resurrection. But, don’t do as Simon did and just help carry the cross to Calvary. Die there with Christ! That’s when the resurrection principle takes over and you really begin to live!

THE PATHOS OF THE WOMEN In our last chapter we looked at a man named Simon from Cyrene. Because of his city of origin, he was undoubtedly a black man from North Africa. He was nothing more than a

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hapless passer-by until he was forced to participate in the passion of Christ. Because he was a Jew from the Diaspora of the city of Cyrene, known as Tripoli today, he may have had no prior knowledge of what had been taking place in the city of Jerusalem in the days and hours before his arrival. But suddenly, as he was walking into the Holy City to celebrate Passover with his sons, he met a “death march” of three condemned criminals. In front was one accused of being the “King of the Jews.” This criminal was noticeably struggling and staggering under the weight of his cross. He was so badly beaten that he was hardly recognizable as a man. As Simon stepped aside and paused to watch the gory procession pass by, he no doubt pulled his two young sons close to his side. He wanted to shield them from this grisly scene. Jesus apparently staggered and slumped under the weight of the cross at the exact place where Simon and his sons were standing and watching. Suddenly a gruff voice barked out to him the order to come pick up the cross and carry it for the condemned prisoner leading the death march. s he carried the cross “behind Jesus,” he watched and listened. Let’s read on to see what he saw and heard… After Simon was compelled to carry Christ’s cross in this crucifixion procession, we are told that there were others who were following Jesus on the path to Calvary. Unlike Simon, they were not following along out of compulsion – but out of compassion. They were numbered among the friends rather than the foes of Jesus. The Gospels tell us that it was a “mixed multitude” that followed the death march that morning. The majority of the crowd was composed of those who had been stirred up by the religious leaders to cry out for Jesus’ death. They had drowned out all opposition by their cries of “Crucify Him!” After they were given what they wanted, they followed Jesus and the soldiers from Pilate’s Judgment Hall into the narrow streets leading out of the city to Golgotha. And they did not follow quietly or orderly. As this slow death march began, the Christ-haters in the crowd continued with their sneers and taunts all the way to the place of the Skull. They were taking a sick and sadistic delight in this death march to Calvary! They had gotten their way from Pilate and they would enjoy it to the bitter and bloody end! (We will look at them more in the next chapter – and probably find ourselves numbered among them!). But Doctor Luke tells us that many in that early morning crowd were women who were moved by pity and pathos for Jesus. As he so often did throughout his entire Gospel, Luke portrayed the role of women in the life and ministry of Christ more than any of the other Gospel writers. That’s why his Gospel is often referred to as the “Gospel of Women.” Note carefully his account of this “mixed multitude” that followed Christ to Golgotha. Immediately after the brief account of Simon of Cyrene being conscripted to carry the cross, we read: “A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for Him” (Luke 23:27).

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So along with the jeers and sneers of Christ’s enemies – and the gruff commands of the soldiers – there were the fearful tears of the women who “…mourned and wailed for Him.” And we know again from Luke’s account that some of these women were the ones who had followed Christ from the very beginning of His ministry in Galilee (Luke 8:2) – including His own mother, Mary. These women went all the way to Golgotha with Jesus, as we will see later in our study (Luke 23:49). But, let’s continue to watch and listen with Simon as Jesus pauses to speak comfort and warning to these women who were weeping and wailing for Him. We are told that: “Jesus turned and said to them: ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, “Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘fall on us,’ and to the hills, “Cover us.” For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’” (Luke 23:28-30). It is important to note that this was the very last teaching and parable Jesus spoke before His crucifixion. While brief, it is rich with meaning. Let’s hit the pause button and break it down. First, we are told that “Jesus turned and said to them…” This is an incredible telling statement in and of itself. It is almost unthinkable that in the midst of His excruciating pain at that moment that Jesus would hear and pause to respond to their weeping and wailing. Any other man would have ignored this as just feminine hysteria! This was no time to listen to the cries of a group of distraught women! But not Jesus. This “turning…to them” only reflects the sensitivity to women that Jesus had demonstrated through His brief earthly ministry. Whether it was the approach of young mothers bringing their children to Jesus to hold and bless (Luke 18:15-17)…the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39)…the approach of a mother who wanted a favor for her two sons (Matthew 20:20-21)…the approach of a sinful woman who bathed his feet with her tears (Luke 7:3650)…the deliverance of Mary Magdalene from 7 demons (Luke 8:2)…the approach of a widow whose son had died (Luke 7:11-15)…the touch of the woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8:48)…the healing of a woman crippled by an evil spirit for 18 years (Luke 13:10-16)…the casting out of a demon from the daughter of a Syrophoenecian woman (Mark 7:24-30) – all showed that Jesus had an incredible sensitivity to women! And this was totally contrary to the prevailing chauvinism of the day that paid little serious attention to women. Second, we need to note that Jesus addressed them as “Daughters of Jerusalem.” As I pointed out earlier, this was a “mixed group” following Christ. Not only because it was composed of men and women…the religious and pagan…Jews and Romans – but also because there were two groups of women in the crowd. There were the women who had “…followed Him from Galilee” from the very earliest days of His public ministry (Luke 8:2). Both Matthew and Luke specifically mention these women – but only when we get to Golgotha and the crucifixion:

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“Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for His needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Jose and the mother of Zebedee’s sons” (Matthew 27:55-56; Luke 23:49). However, the women that Jesus “turned to” and spoke to at this point are not these women who were His disciples. These were “Daughters of Jerusalem.” The very fact that Jesus addressed them this way shows that they were residents of Jerusalem and not His personal followers. While these women in the crowd were “Daughters of Jerusalem” religiously, they were not “Daughters of Jesus” spiritually. While they had feminine remorse and pathos for Him, they had not accepted Him as their Messiah. Thirdly, we need to examine the warning that Jesus gave to them when He said: “Do not weep for Me; weep for yourselves and for your children.” Why did He say that? Jesus gave this sober warning because He knew of the lurking doom and destruction that would soon come upon the city of Jerusalem. He knew the pending judgment that the Jews would face in their lifetime because of their unbelief. He further told them why they should be “weeping for themselves and for their children” rather than for Him: “For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’” Jesus warned them that the coming wrath would be so severe that they would wish they had never been married or borne children. This was indeed a poignant thing for Jesus to say to women because in that day there was no tragedy greater than childlessness. Not to be able to conceive and bear children was considered a valid reason for a man to divorce his wife so he could try and have children and heirs by another woman. But Jesus was saying that the time was soon coming when these “Daughters of Jerusalem” who were barren would be considered far more blessed than those with children! This only echoed a similar warning that Jesus gave earlier in His prophetic discourse from the Mount of Olives: “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is a time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:20-24).

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In light of the coming “wrath against this people,” no wonder these “Daughters of Jerusalem” would cry out to the mountains to “Fall on us!” No wonder they would beg for the hills to “Cover us!” In 70 AD, the Romans did just as Jesus had prophesied. They surrounded the city of Jerusalem, laid siege against it, burned it and raised it to the ground. During this prolonged assault the people dwelling in Jerusalem were completely cut off from all outside aid. Soon their food and water were exhausted. The people were literally reduced to cannibalism! The Jewish historian, Josephus, says that over 1 million people perished. Nearly 100,000 were carried away into captivity. The city was literally destroyed and dismantled stone by stone. The Temple was burned and desecrated – never to be rebuilt. And in the process, the Jewish people were obliterated as a nation and dispersed to the ends of the earth! So, Jesus’ last prophecy to the “Daughters of Jerusalem” was fulfilled to the letter. Their disobedience ultimately resulted in their desolation. I believe that America needs to take heed to this warning because we are rapidly going down this same path of national unbelief and spiritual disobedience! Just like the Jews and Romans of the 1st century, we are seeking to eliminate every public and private expression of Christ. We too are seeking every opportunity to crucify Him in as public a way as possible! Finally, we need to examine the short parable with which Jesus ended His brief discourse with the women: “If they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” What did Jesus mean by quoting this well known parable of His day? Jesus was simply saying this to these weeping “Daughters of Jerusalem”: “If this is what the Jews and Romans can do to Me who is totally innocent, what will happen to those who are totally guilty of this crime against Me? If the innocent suffer like this – what will happen to the guilty?” It is very interesting here that Jesus used the analogy of a tree – while carrying a tree on His back to Golgotha (I Peter 2:24)! In doing so, He likened Himself to a healthy “green tree” that was being cut down at the height of its fruitfulness (*). Just when it was flourishing the most, it was hewed and hacked down by the sin and hatred of ruthless men! And if God was allowing this to happen to His beloved “green Tree,” what would He soon bring upon the dead, dry olive tree called Israel?! So we need to linger long at this point on the Calvary Road and let these words of warning from Jesus resonate in our own spirits. What does His prophetic warning to the “Daughters of Jerusalem” say to us as “sons and daughters of America” – or whatever country we are a citizen of? Are we too headed for a certain judgment by God because of our blatant sin and rebellion? Is a time soon coming upon us as a nation like what ancient Israel faced? Because we in America are increasingly cutting ourselves off from the spiritual sap of our Judeo-Christian heritage, I believe we are withering morally as a nation. We are rapidly

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becoming that spiritually “dry tree” that is in danger of being cut down by the wrath of God! All around us there is dryness, deadness and decay. You see, God doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6). He is the same “yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He is the same God with the same standards of righteousness and holiness. He does not compromise for any man or nation. The old hymn by James Russell Lowell, “Once To Every Man And Nation,” expresses this truth well: “Once to every man and nation, Comes the moment to decide, In the strife of truth and falsehood, For the good or evil side. Some great cause, some great decision, Offering each the bloom or blight, And that choice goes by forever, ‘twixt that darkness and that light. Though the cause of evil prosper, Yet the truth alone is strong; Though her portion be the scaffold, And upon the throne be wrong, Yet that scaffold sways the future, And, behind the dim unknown, Standeth God within the shadow, Keeping watch above His own.” Ancient Israel increasingly made the wrong choice. Over and over again as a people, they continued to reject God’s truth and drift to the “evil side.” Ultimately, they sent their own Messiah to the scaffold. You cannot reject truth and do anything else. And in spite of God’s prolonged patience, they persisted in their rebellion until He said: “Enough!” And He brought national judgment against them. I wonder if the current “War on Terrorism” is the first phase of God’s judgment against America. It is certainly a sober thought to ponder during Lent – or any time! So listen well, you “sons and daughters of America!”

(*) For a further study of this, see my book on The Trees of God.

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THE PROFANING OF CHRIST In this chapter we turn from the pathos of the women to the profanity of the men. Generally, men and women react and respond to situations very differently. That’s because their emotional make up is so different. The arrest, trial and crucifixion of Christ were a case in point. In so far as we know from the Biblical text, it was men who composed the mob who arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was the Jewish men who sat on the Sanhedrin, or Council of elders, that interrogated Him. It was men who were the “false witnesses” brought against Him during the mock trials (Matthew 26:57-60) because a woman’s testimony was generally not accepted as evidence in a court of law. Obviously the High Priest was a man. Pilate and Herod were men. The soldiers were all men who were guarding Him at every phase of His arrest and trial. It was these hardened soldiers who abused Him and “…spit in His face and struck Him with their fists.” It was these same guards and soldiers who “…blindfolded Him” and then “…slapped Him and said, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?’” (Matthew 26:67-68; Luke 22:63-64; John 19:1-2). During the brief interludes between Christ’s various trials and interrogations before the Jewish officials and Roman authorities, it was these soldiers who used this time to make sport of Him. We are told that it was this whole company of soldiers who “…led Jesus away into the palace Praetorium” where they held a mock kangaroo court to examine for themselves His claims of deity and kingship. While the Sanhedrin had its place of meeting and Pilate had his Judgment Hall, the Praetorium was their domain. It was the place where the Palace Guards and soldiers were quartered. It was also an interim “holding tank” for prisoners. So, when Jesus was being held there, He was on their turf and they could do with Him as they pleased – which they did. In their macho madness, these soldiers entertained themselves at Jesus’ expense. They added insult to injury as they made a charade of Him as the “King of the Jews.” The fact that they despised and distained the Jews only added intensity to their abuse of Him. In their profaning and parody against Jesus, these soldiers “…put a purple robe on Him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on Him.” Once they had Jesus dressed as the buffoon Jewish king, they continued their abuse of Him: “They began to call out to Him, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ Again and again they struck Him on the head with a staff and spit on Him. Falling on their knees they paid homage to Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him” (Mark 15:16-20).

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But before these soldiers crucified Him, there was one final punishment they inflicted upon Him. Pilate instructed them to “scourge Him” (Matthew 27:26; John 19:1). So horrible was this “flogging” or “scourging” that it was considered an “intermediate death.” (We will examine this sadistic art in more detail in a future chapter.) Scourging was designed to bring the condemned prisoner as close to death as possible without actually killing him. This torturous punishment was to make the prisoner die more quickly on the cross. And while the Jews were careful to observe the “40 lash rule” (Deuteronomy 25:1-3) – the Romans could have cared less. The more lashes the better! The closer they could bring the condemned criminal to death now would mean less time at the Skull waiting for him to die on the cross. Once again, all of this physical, verbal and emotional abuse – consummated by the scourging – was a precise fulfillment of an ancient Messianic prophecy: “I offered my back to those who beat Me, My cheeks to those who pulled out My beard. I did not hide My face from mocking and spitting” (Isaiah 50:6). Having been pained and profaned in every way imaginable, the soldiers “…let Him away to crucify Him’ (Matthew 27:33). And it is important to note at this point that the normal Roman execution squad was composed of four soldiers (a quarternion). As we saw in our previous chapter, there was a “mixed multitude” of people who followed the crucifixion procession from the Praetorium in Jerusalem to the place of crucifixion at Golgotha. Now let’s examine the multitudes’ behavior more carefully. And as we do, I fear that we will also find a reflection of ourselves in the crowd. There is something about a public execution that brings out both the best and worst of any society. While Jesus did have a few friends and family members following Him on His death march to Calvary, most in the crowd that morning were His enemies… accusers… detractors… tormentors. They had come to taunt and jeer and “add insult to injury.” At a time like this, there were always those who had a sick curiosity about watching people suffer and die. As fallen human beings, we seem to have a perverted preoccupation with death. It matters not whether it is an automobile wreck that leaves bodies bleeding and dying…a crime scene where people have been assaulted and murdered…a natural disaster that destroys life and limb…stock car racing with as many wrecks as possible…shoot ‘em up cowboy movies filled with gun fights and killing…war movies portraying death and destruction… video games filled with “blood and guts”…news reports of genocides that picture the butchered bodies of men, women and children…or public executions by hanging, firing squad or lethal injection. We all have a sick attraction to pain and death at someone else’s expense! It seems that most all of us men have something of a “Rambo” or “Terminator” spirit that enjoys death and destruction! I am embarrassed to admit that I do! We men generally love

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violence – and the bloodier the better! We like to “blow up things…shoot things…destroy things…wreck things (something our wives will never understand)! In our secret day dreams we men like to “flex our muscles” and “dish it out.” In our fantasies, many of us are Gladiators who must kill or be killed in the arena of life. And if we can’t do it in reality, the next best thing is to experience it vicariously through movies, war games, WWF, extreme sports, video game, marshal arts competitions and “caged fights” where men “fight till the death!” It was no different in the 1st century. There was nothing like a crucifixion to bring out the worst in society. Man has devised few means of torture and execution worse than crucifixion. And I am absolutely sure it was not thought up by a woman! Crucifixion brought maximum pain and shame to the victim – and was totally macabre in its visual horror to the on-lookers. None but the most hardened men could long view its writhing victims in their long torturous hours and days of dying torment – without cracking up themselves. Most executioners didn’t last long on their jobs in any century – at least sober. But, the Roman death squadron in charge of crucifixions had little choice. Like no other soldiers in recorded history, they had mastered this sadistic form of execution to the degree that they could carry out hundreds at a time when necessary. But it seems they always carried along some cheap wine. It was not only to anesthetize the pain of the condemned criminal – but to drown and deaden their own sensitivities and conscience. But on this Friday morning over 2,000 years ago, there were only three criminals to be executed. Jesus and two other thieves. By Roman reckoning, it shouldn’t take long. After Simon finished carrying Christ’s cross to the appointed place of execution on the Skull, he walked off the pages of Biblical history. We never heard from him again. Now the soldiers began their grisly business of execution. But before they actually nailed Jesus to the cross, they offered Him “…wine to drink, mixed with gall.” This was a cheap narcotic to help dull the pain and deaden the senses before the nails were driven into the hands and feet of the condemned. But we are told that “…after tasting it, He refused to drink it” (Matthew 27:34-35). This was in fulfillment of a prophetic verse in the Psalms that said: “They put gall in My food and gave Me vinegar for My thirst” (69:21). So having refused any anesthetic to kill the pain, the solders summarily crucified Him. It seems that the soldiers carrying out the execution could take any clothing or personal items belonging to the condemned prisoner as their spoil – who certainly would never need it again! Since all clothes were hand-made in that day, they were more expensive and valuable than in our day of mass-produced clothing. Whatever clothing the prisoners were wearing before they were crucified became the spoils for the soldiers. Remember I said previously that the normal Roman execution squad consisted of four soldiers? That’s why we are specifically told by John that the soldiers “…divided them into four shares, one for each of them.” Here again we can see the incredible significance of small details in Scripture.

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But to more fully understand these words, we need to pause for a clothing lesson from the Jewish culture. Normally a Jewish man wore 5 articles of clothing: his shoes, girdle, tunic, outer robe and turban. However, because Christ’s tunic, or inner garment was “…seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,” they said: “Let’s not tear it. Let’s decide by lot who will get it” (John 19:23-24). Since it was seamless – like the garment the High Priest wore (Exodus 28:42) – to tear and divide it would be to destroy it. So they cast lots for it. Once again this was another precise fulfillment of prophecy that predicted this about the Messiah: “They divide My garments among them and cast lots for My clothing” (Psalm 22:18). In gambling for Jesus’ clothing, these harden soldiers and executioners could never have known that they were fulfilling ancient Messianic prophecies! But what an ironic picture. Think about it. Gambling at the foot of the cross! On Golgotha that morning the greatest fact in human history was taking place just a few feet above their heads. The very Son of God was dying for the sins of the whole world – even theirs, as He was impaled on a cross between heaven and earth. And in the very shadow of that cross these men were gambling! Obviously these soldiers were totally oblivious to the historic and spiritual significance of what was taking place right in front of their eyes. While God’s eternal plan of salvation was being consummated before them -- they were amusing themselves. They were gambling. They were like little boys playing games. They were “throwing the dice.” They were playing the lottery! They were “casting lots” to see what they could get out of the crucifixion for themselves. Their only concern was what they would walk away from Golgotha with that day. On that Good Friday morning, those Roman soldiers did get Christ’s physical clothes – but not His spiritual ones. They walked away from the place of the Skull naked when they could have left clothed in the righteousness of Christ! Sadly, so many of us are doing the same thing. We too are gambling at the foot of the cross. Within the very “shadow of the cross” we are gambling at the game of life. We are engaged in petty little games we call “living.” We are playing the lottery with our souls. We are casting lots for our eternal destiny. Like those soldiers, so many of us are choosing the “designer clothing” of this world over being “clothed in Christ Jesus” (Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10-12). Now, after having done the hard part of the execution, we are told that these soldiers “…sat down and kept watch over Him there” (Matthew 27:36). They knew from many previous executions that death usually came painfully slow for crucified victims. They might as well make themselves as comfortable as possible. It could be a long day – or more. They knew from experience that many crucified people lasted for hours – even days. So they just settled down and watched.

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However, these hours of waiting for the crucified Christ to die became more opportunity for people to gawk, stare and hurl insults. Since the soldiers had divided Christ’s clothing among themselves – and cast lots for his undergarment – we know that Christ was crucified naked. This was the final indignity of His death by crucifixion. This naked exposure to the elements and stares of people only added unthinkable shame to unimaginable pain! It offered the final opportunities for the people to profane Him. Jesus’ enemies began to taunt Him as He was helplessly impaled on the cross during those hours of exposure. Listen to the sneers and jeers of the crowd that morning: “Those who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and built it in three days, save Yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!’ “In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked Him. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but He can’t save Himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue Him now if He wants Him, for He said, “I am the Son of God.’ In the same way the robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him” (Matthew 27:39-44). Mark’s Gospel recounts the taunting of the Jewish religious leaders this way: “Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe” (Mark 15:31-32). Doctor Luke gives this account: “The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him. They said, ‘He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One. The soldiers also came up and mocked Him. They offered Him wine vinegar and said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself’” (Luke 23:35-36). In these first hours on the cross, everyone was “hurling insults at Him… mocking him… sneering at Him.” There was a unified chorus of derision from the passers-by, the religious leaders, the soldiers and thieves crucified on each side of Him. And they were hurling back in His blood-spattered face all of the claims that so enraged them – especially the Jewish leaders: • • • • •

“He said He would destroy the temple and raise it up in three days!” “He saved others but cannot save Himself!” “He said He was the King of the Jews.” “He said He was the Messiah of God, the Chosen One.” “He said He was the Son of God.”

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No doubt the hardest insults for Jesus to endure were the ones calling into question His identity as the Messiah of the very people who were taunting Him. His own Jewish people who were forbidden by the Decalogue not to “…take the Name of the Lord in vain” (Exodus 20:7) – were now profaning His Name! “Come down from the cross,” they said in derision. “If you are the Son of God…come down now from the cross so we can see and believe.” Once again, times haven’t really changed very much. There is just as much skepticism about the true nature of Jesus now as then. There are still those who mock, sneer and insult Jesus at every opportunity. Whether Media Moguls, Talk Show Hosts, Hollywood Stars, Comedians, Liberal Politicians or Leftist Professors – they all seek every opportunity to besmirch and malign the Name of Christ. Today Jesus is “fair game” in every sphere of society – whether judicial, educational, political, social or even ecclesiastical –in any area of life you can vilify and profane the Name of Jesus with absolute impunity. Profane and blaspheme His Name and no one will raise an eyebrow! While many of our “media elite” may give lip-service to Jesus as a great teacher and moral example, they just cannot tolerate His clear claims of deity. The very suggestion of that brings on a smug and prideful intellectual arrogance that looks down upon the simple-minded in society who still hold on to such childish beliefs about Jesus! And the so-called “theologians” and “scholars” of the Jesus Seminar have enjoyed de-mythologizing Jesus for over a decade. As a result, the Jesus they now present to us was not born of a virgin, performed no miracles, did no healings, cast out no demons, performed no signs and wonders -- and certainly was not resurrected from the dead! Through their intellectualism and rationalism, these proclaimed scholars have profaned Jesus just a much as those who hurled insults at Him and denied His deity at Golgotha. It matters not whether you deny Christ’s deity on a Palestinian hillside or in an academic lecture hall – you still profane His Name. So these “religious scholars” today would have been very comfortable among their counterparts at Calvary. They would have fit right in with those “…chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders” who “mocked Him” and denied His deity (Matthew 27:41). Through these events we see again the truth of the saying: “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” Just like the hostile crowd at Golgotha in the 1st century, many in our world today prefers to use Christ’s Name as a swear word. They enjoy “taking the Lord’s Name in vain.” If you doubt my word, just listen to people talk. Take note of the language used on television and in movies. Along with every other foul and curse word imaginable, conversations are constantly punctuated with “Jesus Christ!” and “God d---!” And they are definitely not “talking to Jesus” when they are using those words! It is profanity and not prayer that is taking place. Even worse than swearing and profaning Christ’s Name verbally is how He is often portrayed in the media, movies and art. Some portray a “Bastard Jesus” who was the illegitimate son of Mary and an unknown lover. Others flaunt a “Gay Jesus” whose male lover was “John the

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Beloved” disciple. Others present an “Adulterous Jesus” who had an on-going sexual relationship with Mary Magdalene. Still others – like England’s cross-dressing Turner-Prizewinning artist Grayson Perry – make names for themselves at Christ’s expense. His recent work entitled, “Transvestite Brides of Christ,” along with his obscene portrait of the Virgin Mary, are popularly proclaimed in the media (World, February 23/March 1, 2000, p. 33). You can submerge a crucifix in a flask of urine and proclaim it art. But wear a cross around your neck in sincerity as a follower of Christ and you can be criticized and condemned as an insensitive right-winged Christian bigot! And yet these same artists and media pundits who regularly vilify Jesus would “lose their heads” if they dared profane the Prophet Muhammad in the way! In the face or growing worldwide Islamic radicalism, these artists have quickly developed “Muslim sensitivities” that make “concessions to Islam” that they would never do for Christ. Hummm. I sense a serious doublestandard here! It’s amazing how a few beheadings quickly create journalistic and artistic sensitivity! Even more sadly, there is usually a far greater Muslim outcry against the profaning of Jesus than there is among Christians! And Jesus, or Isa, is no more than a great prophet in Islam – while we Christians believe He is the Son of God. While they respect and revere Jesus – we supposedly love and worship Him! Let me ask you a crucial question in closing: “Which crowd do you find yourself in this Lenten Season?” Are you numbered among the friends or foes of Jesus at Golgotha? Are you like the soldiers who were “gambling at the foot of the cross?” Do you secretly identify with the smug religious leaders who doubted and denied His deity? Do you thoughtlessly “take His Name in vain” in your conversations? Do you mindlessly profane His Name by watching movies… television programs…sit-coms…and talk shows that either vilify or trivialize His Name? Each of us is either a casual “passer-by” of the crucifixion – or one whose life has been forever changed by the cross. The gravity of the crucifixion will allow no other alternative. There is no such thing as neutrality at the foot of the cross!

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THE PLEA OF THE PRISONERS In the last several chapters we have been studying in detail the various people who were apart of the crucifixion procession on Good Friday morning over 2,000 years ago. We have looked at the unexpected role that “Simon of Cyrene” was called on to play in carrying Jesus’ cross from the city gates to Golgotha. We have paused with Christ as He spoke words of comfort and warning to the “Daughters of Jerusalem” who were weeping and wailing as He passed by. We looked at the hardened Roman “soldiers” who were in charge of the execution – and who gambled for Christ’s clothing after they had crucified Him. But we also saw that there was “…a large number of people who followed Him” to Golgotha – and most did so to profane and vilify Him in His last hours. We especially listened to the “chief priests, teachers of the law and the elders” who taunted Him as He hung on the cross. They sneeringly challenged Him to prove He was the Son of God and Messiah by “…coming down from the cross” and saving Himself so that they might “…see and believe in Him.” But there were two other men that we have not given any attention to yet. It is time to do so now in some detail. So let’s carefully examine their role in the Passionate Christ. Right after Jesus’ brief prophetic conversation with the “Daughters of Jerusalem,” Doctor Luke reported that: “Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed” (Luke 23:32). So, in addition to Jesus, there were “two robbers” who were “crucified with Him, one on His right and one on His left” (Matthew 27:38). There is little else that we know about these two men other than the fact that they were both condemned criminals. We do not know their names, ages or race. We do not know the nature of their robberies. Were they career criminals or just petty thieves that Pilate wanted to make examples of? Had they already been judged and condemned for their crimes and just awaiting execution? We just don’t know that part of the story. By contrast, Barabbas was a well known criminal. His “wrap sheet” was spelled out for us in more detail. We are specifically told that he was a “notorious prisoner” and an

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“insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising” (Mark 15:7). He was obviously very well known to the people of Jerusalem – and was “bad to the bone!” But none of this kind of information is given about the two thieves. Unlike Barabbas, not a single detail of their criminal records is given. No doubt they had been incarcerated for a time in the same “holding tank” at the Praetorium that Barabbas was in while awaiting his execution. It is possible that they could have been “compatriots in crime.” We just don’t know for sure. What we do know for certain is that they were all condemned criminals awaiting their sentencing and execution. The fact that we have so little information about these two thieves is significant in itself. Their very presence in the Passion of Christ would suggest that they were not crucified capriciously by the whim of circumstance. Like Jesus, they were pawns in a political and religious power game that was taking place between Pilate and the Jewish leaders. It was a tug-of-war to see who would get their way – the Jews or Pilate. So, their roles in the crucifixion were very calculated. They were not pulled out of their cells and thrust into this drama by Pilate primarily because of what they had done – but because of who they were. The important thing to note is that they were criminals… malefactors…thieves…robbers – which served Pilate’s cunning purpose in having them executed along with Jesus. You see, for Jesus to be crucified alone would have been a victory for the Jewish leaders. They would have gotten their way. They would have won. They would have gotten Jesus duly executed and out of the way – all legal and proper because of Pilate’s judgment. They would have been able to do so without disrupting or defiling their Passover celebrations. And in disposing of Jesus – even though He was innocent of any crimes, they would stop His growing popularity and influence over the people. They would put an end to His charismatic leadership and miracles that were resulting in the conversion of many Jews (John 11:45). In getting Jesus crucified they would have fulfilled their cunning strategy of saving their own religious power base and influence over the people. It mattered not that they would have to do so at the expense of an innocent man. Caiaphas had convinced them that this was a necessary and expedient compromise. They rationalized that it was far “...better for one man to die for the people than that the whole nation perish” (John 11:50; 18:14). In reality, what was in danger of perishing here was neither the Jewish people nor nation. It was their little religious kingdom within the larger kingdom of Rome that was rapidly eroding around them. And Jesus was the one who was causing their power and influence to implode. In getting Jesus officially executed by Pilate they would win the day religiously and politically. They would have beaten him at his own political game – in his own Judgment Hall! However, Pilate was shrewd. He had not maintained power in the troublesome province of Palestine through ignorance and stupidity. It took more than just raw military power to rule the obstinate Jews. It took religious savvy and political shrewdness. So, to survive, Pilate had become a master at the game of political intrigue.

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He clearly understood what these Jewish religious leaders were up to. And he had already perceived that “…it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him” (Matthew 27:18). But Pilate still knew it was expedient for him to make some compromise with them in order to “keep the peace.” He did not want any more negative rumors against him spreading back to Caesar in Rome. He was prepared to appease them to some degree – even through an execution. But it had to be carried out legal and proper in the eyes of Rome. We know from the Gospels that it had already become “…the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd” (Matthew 27:15). Pilate’s clear choice that year was the “notorious prisoner called Barabbas.” But he was not the choice of the religious leaders. Jesus was. So, after several desperate attempts at substituting Barabbas for Jesus, Barabbas was released and Jesus was condemned. This left Jesus to be crucified alone. This would not do for several reasons. Other duly judged and condemned criminals must also somehow be a part of this execution. This would give it the air of legality and propriety. So “two robbers” were condemned to be executed with Jesus. But there was also another cunning plan up Pilate’s sleeve. For him to have the “King of the Jews” condemned and crucified in the company of known criminals was a calculated move on his part. It was a clear way of showing his utter contempt for the Jews – and especially for these religious leaders who were always creating political problems for him. They may get their execution of Jesus – but it would not be exactly like they wanted. Not over Pilate’s dead body! John’s Gospel carefully pointed out this dynamic when he recounted the charges that Pilate had written against Jesus: “Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, ‘Do not write “The King of the Jews,” but that this man claimed to be the king of the Jews.’ “Pilate answered, ‘What I have written, I have written’” (John 19:19-22). When it came to the crucifixion of Jesus, Pilate would have the last word – and in three languages! He wanted everyone to clearly know whether they spoke Aramaic, Latin or Greek – that this Jesus who was being crucified was “The King of the Jews.” In addition, He was going to be crucified in the presence of common thieves. Execution orders were issued by Pilate for two other condemned criminals who were awaiting sentencing. Therefore, for Pilate to have their “Jewish King” flanked on each side with petty thieves would rub their noses in the dirt. It would keep the Jewish leaders from winning the day. It would take the edge off of their victory. After all, you know a person by the company he keeps! So for the “King of the Jews” to be executed in the company of criminals would poignantly suggest that they were all three of like kind. While the two thieves stole money and material

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things, Jesus “stole” titles like “Messiah…Son of God…Son of Man…the Christ…the King of the Jews.” In making such claims, Jesus “robbed” God of His glory and honor. He blasphemed by making Himself equal with God – the crime for which He was ultimately condemned to die (Matthew 26:65-66). But, just like the soldiers had no idea that much of their crucifixion conduct was a direct fulfillment of prophecy, Pilate had no idea that he was also doing the same. And yet, the fact that Jesus was not crucified alone was a very specific fulfillment of the words of the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before. He not only said that the Messiah would be “…pierced for our transgressions” and would “…pour out His life unto death” – he prophesied that in doing so He would be “…numbered with the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). The “two thieves” were those “transgressors.” There is, therefore, no way an honest skeptic can explain away the significance of Christ’s crucifixion with these “two thieves.” This prophecy not only clearly predicted that the Messiah would die by crucifixion – but that it would take place in the company of known “transgressors.” And that word is in the plural. That means not just one transgressor – but two. Pilate certainly could not have known this – and Jesus could not have manipulated or orchestrated it. But God did. If you stop to think about it for a moment, Jesus should have been crucified alone. After all, the search party was only looking for Him in Gethsemane. It was only Jesus who was arrested that night. All of the 6 trials were totally about Him. The accusations were all directed against Him. From the very beginning, none of this was about Barabbas or these two unnamed thieves. There was only one person of importance – and that was Jesus! So, on that first Good Friday, there should have only been one person…one cross…one crucifixion…one execution – not three. But if Jesus would have been crucified alone, this ancient prophecy of Isaiah would have been proven wrong. In addition, the Bible would have been shown to be a fallible book. It would contain inaccurate and unfulfilled prophecies. But that’s not the case. At every point, the Bible has been proven true and its critics wrong. And these “two thieves” are “dying witnesses” of this fact! So, my friend, the Incarnate Word and Inscripturated Word stand or fall together. You cannot have one without the other. And the fulfillment of this prophecy was just one more of the many infallible proofs for the inspiration of the Bible and the deity of Jesus! Now I want to turn our attention from the presence of the thieves to the plea of the thieves. Up to this point they have been unwitting pawns in the Passionate Christ. Now they become active spiritual participants. Soon after their crucifixions, these two thieves joined in the clamor against Christ. As they hung on the cross on either side of Jesus, they too hurled their own insults at him. Their voices joined the cacophony of cries against Jesus to miraculously prove Himself. Matthew recounted that while the religious leaders were mocking Jesus with their taunts, the thieves joined in. He specifically said: “In the same way the robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped

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insults on Him” (27:44). That means that the robbers were speaking the same insults against Jesus. However, their taunts for Him to “Come down from the cross” had a far more personal purpose for them than for the crowd of on-lookers. They did not want Jesus to come down from the cross so that they could “…see and believe in Him,” as the Jews were saying. They wanted Him to miraculously come down from the cross for the sole purpose of rescuing them from death. “Save Yourself and us!” they cried out to Jesus! For a time, the two thieves were unified in their derision of Christ. There was a desperate unison in their cries. The voices were a dying duet for deliverance! But after a while the tone of one thief changed. As he intently watched Christ’s loving response and listened to His words of compassion and forgiveness, his own heart began to change. The tone of his voice changed. The look in his eyes changed. And ultimately the cry from his lips changed. Only Doctor Luke records this personal exchange between Jesus and the two dying thieves. Read it again carefully: “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ “But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43). As you read that passage, each of us know in our heart of hearts that we must identify with one or the other of those two thieves. As a result of our sinful natures – just like both of them, we too are all condemned criminals before the bar of a holy God. Because of our sin and rebellion, we each stand judged and condemned before God’s standard of justice and righteousness. We too deserve the death sentence because “…the wages of sin is death” (Romans 3:23). But while Pilate could condemn those two criminals to physical death, he could not judge them to eternal death. He could take their physical lives but no more. But God’s sentence against us goes beyond death. He goes beyond the grave and goes beyond this life. God’s judgment has a “forever consequence.” These consequences are not just temporal – they are eternal! Let’s look deeper, then, at the significance of those “3 Crosses” on Golgotha that Friday morning over 2,000 years ago. They have such relevance for each of us today. You see, all of

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the human family must ultimately line up before one of those 3 crosses – like it or not. And just like the two thieves, we don’t like it! None of us want to be brought face-to-face with the consequences of our own sin. None of us want to face judgment. None of us want to face our sentence. We all want to avoid our own cross of judgment at all cost. But since there were “3 Crosses” on the hillside, we must examine the significance of each one carefully and prayerfully. The Bible specifically tells us that “Jesus was in the middle” (John 19:18) and one criminal was “…on His right, the other on His left” (Luke 23:34). For many years around Easter I have preached about these “3 Crosses” and how every person will one day have to align with one of them. The cross in the “middle” is absolutely unique. It exclusively belongs to Jesus. It is His center cross that separates all of us to either the “right” or the “left” – just like He will one day do when He “…separates the sheep from the goats” at the final Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). Here is the principle I want you to ponder: “God has divided history by the birth of Christ and He has divided humanity by the death of Christ.” Through Christmas we are reminded of one and through Easter we are reminded of the other. You see, Jesus Christ is the great divider. His birth divided history into two parts: B.C. and A.D. Likewise, His death divides humanity into two groups: those “on the right” and those “on the left”…those who believe and those who sneer…those who accept Him and those who reject Him…those who are forgiven and those who are condemned…those who are for Him and those against Him…those who gather and those who scatter. The claims that Jesus made about Himself as the Messiah and Son of God allow no neutrality. Like it or not, the “middle cross” separates all of us to one side of Him or the other. His cross is like a divine wedge that goes through history and humanity separating people to the “right” or to the “left.” So, on Golgotha that day, there were three men who died – not just one. The manner of their deaths was the same. They each died by crucifixion. Each of them had a cross with his name on it. Each faced the awful mental and emotional anticipation of death by crucifixion – the worst way to die imaginable. Each faced public social disgrace. Each had nails driven into his hands and feet. Each suffered unspeakable physical pain. Each died a slow agonizing death. (But as we will see later, Jesus died first.) But that’s where the similarities end. While each died by crucifixion, their three deaths were vastly different. You see, those “3 Crosses” represent the fact that one Man died for sin…one man died to sin…and one man died in sin. Let’s look more deeply into the significance of each death. Those 3 little prepositions…for, to and in… have eternal significance. DEATH FOR SIN As we have already seen, none of us can perfectly identify with the “middle cross.” It represents the totally unique death that Christ died for the sins of the world. Only He could

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qualify to die for sin because He was sinless. That’s why John the Baptist introduced Jesus at the beginning of His ministry with the words: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29). The only way Jesus could “…take away the sin of the world” was for Him to be the holy, sinless, spotless “Lamb of God.” If Jesus would have been a sinner like the two thieves being crucified on each side of Him, then He too would have been a “transgressor.” Like all of the rest of humanity He would have been a sinner in need of a Savior. But like the unblemished lambs being sacrificed that week during Passover, He too was unblemished by sin. Because He was “…conceived by the Holy Spirit” and “born of the virgin Mary,” He alone was the “holy One” sent by God to die for the sins of the world (Luke 2:35; Matthew 1:21). And while Passover lambs would have to be sacrificed every year, Jesus’ death was “…once for all…to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” (Hebrews 9:26). That’s what Peter meant when he wrote that Jesus “…Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree…” (I Pet. 2:24). The Apostle Paul summarized Christ’s unique life and death this way: “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:21). Because of Jesus’ virgin birth and sinless life, He alone was qualified to die a vicarious death that resulted in a victorious resurrection! DEATH TO SIN The Bible says that both criminals initially joined the jeering crowd in hurling insults at Jesus. Matthew tells us: “And the robbers also who had been crucified with Him were casting the same insult at Him.” (27:44). However, during those agonizing eternal moments when time seemed to stand still – one criminal began to change. Hanging there in the presence of Jesus, he had a “change of heart.” Even though his circumstances did not change – his perspective did. After a time he even turned and rebuked his fellow criminal by saying: “Do you not even fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:41. Do you sense the spiritual change taking place in this thief’s heart? Perhaps for the first time in his life he began to “fear God.” No doubt that was because he was in the very presence of God by being in the presence of Christ. Inexplicably, a sensitivity toward God began to arise in his heart. As he hung in the presence of Christ’s holy love, He began to sense his own sinfulness. His life began to flash before him in rapid succession – as it often does when a person is dying. He remembered all of the vile, perverse and evil things he had ever done. And as this sense of utter sinfulness began to overwhelm him, a reverential fear of God began to settle over him. In the presence of this man Jesus, he began to have a sense of awe. He

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even began to see and sense something he had never experienced before – love. Authentic love. What other kind can a person exemplify when He is nailed to a cross?! That’s what a close association with Christ will do for any person. Only Christ brings a person face to face with God. And when you see the true and living God, you are awestruck with His perfect holiness – which always produces reverential fear. The reason that God revealed and expressed both His law and His love was so that mankind would learn to “fear Him” (Exodus 20:20). It was that holy fear that began to be awakened in that thief on that day. That’s why he was converted even as he was immovably impaled to the wood. As this sense of fear and love welled in his heart, this thief now knew that he had been wrong all of his life. He knew that he was being punished “justly” for a life of sinful deeds. In essence he was saying this to his former partner in crime: “This man is right and we are wrong! We are getting what we deserve. We are as guilty as sin, but He is completely innocent.” In his own simple way this thief was also saying: “Jesus, I am a sinner. I admit that I have been wrong. All of my life has been lived against God’s will. Indeed, I am a thief, a criminal, a sinner who is getting what I deserve.” Then in simple faith, this thief cried out: “Jesus, remember me!” Because Jesus was dying for sin, it was possible for this man to die to sin. Obviously this thief’s understanding was very incomplete and immature. He had never met Jesus before. He had never heard Jesus preach or teach. He had never seen Him perform a miracle or healing. He had never seen Jesus cast out a demon. At this point he had only been in Christ’s presence for a few hours. But it was enough to change him forever. This repentant thief was never baptized. He never attended church. He never heard or sang a hymn. He never read Scripture. He never recited a creed. He was never able to take communion. But he was totally justified and forgiven that day. While his own death was paying his debt to man – Christ’s death was paying his debt to God. Rome did not pardon Him that day – but God did! Therefore, because Jesus was dying for sin, he could die to sin. Again I remind you of the words of Peter about how Christ’s death is to change our life: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed” (I Peter 2:24; c.f. Romans 6:2). So, the way you can tell for sure if a person has really “been healed” and has “died to sin” is if they increasingly “live for righteousness.” That’s because a life of righteousness is the external manifestation of holiness of heart. Sometime between 9 o’clock in the morning and 3 o’clock in the afternoon, one thief died out to sin that day at Calvary. And we know with absolute certainty that he was saved and went to heaven. Jesus gave him the absolute assurance of his salvation when He said to him: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

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So this repentant thief made what we often call a “death-bed decision” to accept Christ. And while we rejoice at God’s love, mercy and grace that fully forgave and justified him in the last gasping hours of his life, we grieve over the loss of his life. While Christ saved him at his death, the devil robbed him of his life. This was a bitter-sweet victory. Jesus won his soul but the devil had won his life. In an earlier teaching to His disciples, Jesus had warned that the arch “thief” of the universe, the devil came to “…steal…kill and destroy” (John 10:10). Tragically, this “robber” was robbed forever of the opportunity to “…live for righteousness.” His life on this earth was now totally behind him. It could never be recalled or relived. It was permanently over. So, my friend, please remember this principle we have learned from the repentant thief: “It is possible to have a saved soul and a lost life!” Sadly, there are many “saved Christians” who largely live a “wasted life.” Rather than “living for Jesus” and “…living for righteousness,” they continue to live for themselves…live for money…live for pleasure…live for causes with no eternal consequence. And then they die. My Lenten challenge to you is this: “God wants you to die to sin so that you can live for Him.” And that’s a 24/7 calling! DEATH IN SIN Since there were “two thieves” who died on Golgotha that day, let’s now examine the other one. As far as we know from the text, this thief never repented. He never changed. Unlike his fellow thief, he did not have a “change of heart.” His heart was only furthered hardened by the crucifixion. He had a terminal case of unrepentance. So the cross sealed his eternal fate. Carefully note how Doctor Luke described his attitude: “One of the criminals who hung there was hurling abuse at Him: ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’” (Luke 23:29). Those two sentences are the only words we have recorded that he spoke. But the tense of the verb here in the Greek for was hurling is the imperfect tense which denotes continuous action. Or in his case, continuous speaking since action was not possible while impaled to the cross! This thief did not just hurl this questioning insult at Christ once – but multiple times. More correctly it should read: “He kept on hurling abuses at Him…he continued to hurl abuses…he persisted in his abuse.” But, what was it that he kept saying to Christ? “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” (Luke 23:29). We see then several deadly attitudes in him that cost him not only his life that day – but also his soul for eternityl. First, he was continuously hurling insults and abuses at Christ personally. He was adding his voice to the criticism and sarcasm of the hostile religious leaders. He was both questioning and denying that Jesus was who He claimed to be – “The Christ…the Messiah…the Son of God.”

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This thief was saying: “IF You are the Christ – prove it! IF You are the Son of God – act like it and come down from Your cross! Prove who You are! IF You are the Messiah, demonstrate Your power by saving Yourself – and me! Only then will I believe in You!” But this thief continued in railing rather than in repentance. His resistant spirit and unrepentant heart reminds us again of the truth of Proverb 19:3: “When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.” That’s exactly what this thief was doing. Because of his spiritual blindness and willful unbelief, his heart continued to rage against the Lord. “He kept on hurling abuses at Christ.” He kept saying in his heart: “God, this is Your fault – not mine! If You were really a loving God You would not let this be happening to me! If You will get me out of this situation then I will believe in You – but not until!” These are what we often call “fox-hole prayers.” We desperately try and make last minute bargains with God. We beg Him to get us out of some condition that we have gotten ourselves into through wide-eyed willful disobedience. And if He doesn’t come though on our time-table and meet our conditions – then in our heart of hearts we begin to “…rage against the Lord.” The unrepentant thief, then, didn’t really want salvation from sin – but rather salvation from suffering. He did not want Jesus to save him from sin – he wanted Jesus to save him from his circumstances. He was not seeking salvation from himself – but salvation from others. He was not sorry for his sins – he was only sorry that he got caught. He was not seeking relief from the pain in his heart – he was seeking relief from the pain in his hands and feet! He was not bothered by the piercing conviction in his heart but the piercing of the nails impaling him to the cross. Because of his unrepentant attitude, this thief died in his sins that day on Golgotha. This reminds us of the sobering principle: “We die like we live.” And while the repentant thief did have a “death-bed conversion” – he is the exception rather than the rule. Experience shows us that people do indeed generally “die like they live.” Do you remember an earlier conversation Jesus had with the haughty religious leaders who would not accept Him? Read this account carefully: “Once more Jesus said to them…you will die in your sin…I told you that you would die in your sins if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:21-24). The Bible then clearly teaches that we are born in sin and we will die in sin – unless we die out to sin because Jesus died for our sin! In closing this chapter, let’s take one last linger look at the silhouette of those “3 Crosses” on Golgotha. Unlike most crucifixions, they did not last long – not even a full day. But their influence has lasted until this very day and hour! In appearance, each cross looks the same.

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All 3 were typical “ol’ rugged crosses” used by the Romans for executions. And that day each man died a similar physical death by crucifixion. However, they each died very different spiritual deaths. Jesus died for sin…the repentant thief died to sin…the unrepentant thief died in sin. When they died, Jesus took one thief to paradise. The other one went to hell. One thief that day experienced eternal life. The other experienced eternal death – what the Bible calls the “second death” (Revelation 20:14). Let me ask you in closing: Which of the two crosses represent your life? Because Jesus died for you – I exhort you to live for Him!

THE PAIN OF THE CROSS Of all the ways ever devised by fallen man for execution, crucifixion is probably the very worse! It is the most inhumane way to die imaginable. Crucifixion was designed to inflict maximum pain and shame upon its victims. And as a means of ‘public execution, it was also designed to strike maximum terror in the heart of all observers. As executed criminals hung for days on their crosses as grizzly public spectacles, they would be a stark warning to everyone about the deadly consequences of breaking Roman law or challenging Rome’s authority. Even though crucifixion is most often associated with the Romans because of the story of the Passionate Christ, they did not invent it as a means of capital punishment. And it was certainly not a Jewish form of punishment, because they generally practiced stoning for capital offenses (Leviticus 24:10-17; Acts 7:58; II Corinthians 11:25). However, in the period between the Old and New Testaments, the Jewish Maccabean King, Jannaeus, had some 800 people crucified in Jerusalem at one time – a deadly testimony of how far he had fallen from the standards of his Jewish religion and culture! History suggests to us, then, that crucifixion as a means of execution was first used by the Phoenicians. However, it was also adopted by the Carthaginians, Egyptians and Romans at various times. But it was the Romans who perfected this diabolical means of capital punishment – especially for the execution of rebellious slaves, disobedient foreigners and the lowest criminal classes. A number of Roman authors like Livy, Cicerl and Tacitus, wrote about crucifixion. So did Josephus, the Jewish historian who became a protégé of the emperor Vespasian, plus other high Roman officials. As a part of the events of his day that he

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chronicled – Josephus records the crucifixion of 2,000 Jews by the Roman General, Varus, in 4 BC. However, not even the sadistic and cruel King Herod used this mode of execution. It probably was an affront to his well known aesthetic senses. Apparently he did not want Palestine littered with the horrific scene of rotting corpses on crosses! So crucifixion was not employed by the Romans until after the time of the Caesars. And Edersheim writes that it was especially characteristic of the justice system of the Roman governors ruling in Judea to the degree that “…during the last siege of Jerusalem hundreds of crosses daily arose, till there seemed not sufficient room nor wood for them, and the soldiery diversified their horrible amusement by new modes of crucifixion” (ibid. pp. 583-584). Because of their use of crucifixion to execute Jesus Christ, history will always primarily associate crucifixion with the Romans. However, there is another more modern association connected with the crucifixion of Jesus, and that is the movie, The Passion of the Christ, produced by Mel Gibson. By now, tens of millions of people have seen it in America and around the world. In spite of the opposition of the Hollywood establishment and media pundits, it quickly became one of the most widely seen movies of all time. The very graphic descriptions of the crucifixion portrayed in that film are forever etched in the mind and memory of all who saw it – including me. It was a very shocking and realistic portrayal of the crucifixion – and I believe a historically accurate one. But while Gibson’s movie gave a very graphic visual portrayal of the crucifixion, it did not give any commentary. There were very few words spoken in the entire movie. But the painfully poignant scenes powerfully spoke for themselves! Nor do we find a lot of detailed commentary in the four Gospels about the specific physical details of the crucifixion. They simply recount that Pilate “…had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified” (Matt. 27:26). As we saw above, apparently the physical details of scourging and crucifixion were so common during the lifetime of the Gospel writers that they did not feel compelled to give a detailed description. All of their readers already understood more about crucifixion than they wanted to know or be reminded of from the many executions that they had seen the Romans carry out – sometimes hundreds at a time. So the writers simply and succinctly summarize Christ’s execution with three words: “…they crucified Him” (John 19:18). At this point I want to pause and share a helpful explanation by William Barclay about the precrucifixion formalities: “When a criminal was condemned to be crucified, he was taken from the Judgment Hall and set in the middle of a hollow square of four Roman soldiers. His own cross was then laid upon his shoulders. And he was marched to the place of crucifixion by the longest route. He was made to march by every road and street, and lane and alley, while before him there marched another soldier bearing a placard with his crime inscribed upon it, so that he might be a terrible warning to anyone else who was

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contemplating such a crime. That is what they did with Jesus” (The Gospel of Luke, p. 294-295). With that visual picture in your mind, let’s continue to follow along with Jesus on His “death march” to Golgotha. And through the combined help of Biblical archaeology, historians and medical experts, I want to give some more detailed commentary on the physical, spiritual and emotional aspects of the Passion of Christ. While these more detailed descriptions may make us uncomfortable, we need to study them so we will have a greater appreciation of the realities of the passion that the Lord Jesus endured for our salvation. Let me set the stage for a more detailed examination of crucifixion by the following quotation. It is a macabre description of this inhumane way of execution: “(Crucifixion)…represented the acme of the torturer’s art; atrocious physical sufferings, length of torment, ignominy, the effect of the crowd gathered to witness the long agony of the crucified…We cannot even say that the crucified person writhed in agony, for it was impossible for him to move. Stripped of his clothing, unable even to brush away the flies which fell upon his wounded flesh, already lacerated by the preliminary scourging, exposed to the insults and curses of people who can always find some sickening pleasure in the sight of the tortures of others…the cross represented miserable humanity reduced to the last degree of impotence, suffering and degradation” (Peter Winter, On the Trial of Jesus, p. 65). Theologian William Barclay described some of the agony and ignominy of a crucified person as follows: “He might hang for days in the heat of the midday sun and the cold of night, tortured by thirst, tortured by the gnats and the flies in the wounds of his torn back from the scourging. Often men died raving mad on their crosses. Neither did the Romans bury the bodies of crucified criminals. They simply took them down and threw them away and let the vultures and the crows and the dogs feed upon them” (The Gospel of John, p. 303). As we have already seen, Jesus faced the agony of the cross after a sleepless night following His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. This was followed by several late night “religious trials” before Annas, Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (n. 18:12-27). These mock trials were then followed a few hours later by several very early morning “political trials” before Pilate and Herod. These would have probably begun around 6:00 a.m. (John 18:27-40; Luke 23:1-25). So, early in the morning Jesus is taken to the Praetorium of Pilate. When He arrived there He was already battered and bruised, and probably dehydrated and exhausted from a sleepless night. After Pilate and Herod each sought to absolve themselves of personal responsibility by shifting Jesus back and forth between them, He ultimately ended up back in Pilate’s hands. After his several futile attempts to free Jesus, He capitulated to crowd pressure, and turned Jesus over for crucifixion. But first, he had Jesus scourged – which was considered to be an “intermediate death” It was designed to further weaken the condemned prisoner, and bring him to the very brink of death before he was finally crucified.

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For everyone who has seen Mel Gibson’s movie, the scourging scene is one of the hardest to watch – and hardest to forget! The graphic scenes of Jesus’ back, arms and buttocks being laid open by the lashes are forever etched in the viewer’s memory! To say nothing of the cynical and hardened guards doing the scourging – with their sadistic grins of satisfaction over the wounds, gashes and lacerations produced by their successive lashes! What Gibson’s movie graphically portrayed was not just gory Hollywood dramatization. It was a very true-to-history portrayal of this viscous and inhumane treatment of a condemned criminal. Therefore, so that you do not think that this was over-dramatized in the film, let me share a quotation from a medical doctor who described the typical Roman scourging in the context of what Jesus would have experienced. And this was written many years before Gibson ever produced his movie. If you have the stomach – or heart for it – continue to read. If not, skip to the end of this chapter. But I urge you to prayerfully read this full account of Christ’s passion. And as you do, remember that He went through all of this for you and for your salvation! “Preparations for the scourging are carried out. The prisoner is stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post above His head. It is doubtful whether the Romans made any attempt to follow the Jewish law in this matter of scourging. The Jews had an ancient law prohibiting more than forty lashes. The Pharisees, always making sure that the law was strictly kept, insisted that only thirty-nine lashed be given. (In case of a miscount, they were sure of remaining within the law). The Roman legionnaire steps forward with the flagrum (or flagellum) in his hand. This is a short whip consisting of several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead attached near the ends of each. The heavy whip is brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back, and legs. At first the heavy thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continue, they cut deeper into the subcutaneous tissues, producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin, and finally spurting arterial bleeding from the vessels in the underlying muscles. The small balls of lead first produce large, deep bruises which are broken open by subsequent blows. Finally the skin of the back is hanging in long ribbons and the entire area is an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue. When it is determined by the centurion in charge that the prisoner is near death, the beating is finally stopped.” For most other criminals, the agony of scourging ends at this point – and they are mercilessly crucified. But for Jesus, His Passion does not stop here. His pain and humiliation continued. “The half-fainting Jesus is then untied and allowed to slump to the stone pavement, wet with His own blood. The Roman soldiers see a great joke in the provincial Jew claiming to be a King. They throw a robe across His shoulders and place a stick in His hand for a scepter. They still need a crown to make their travesty complete. A small bundle of flexible branches covered with long thorns (commonly used for firewood), are plaited into the shape of a crown and then pressed into His scalp. Again there is copious bleeding (the scalp being one of the most vascular areas of the body). After mocking Him and striking Him across the face, the soldiers take the stick from His hand and strike Him across the head, driving the

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thorns deeper into His scalp. Finally, they tire of their sadistic sport and the robe is torn from His back. This had already become adherent to the clots of blood and serum in the wounds, and its removal, just as in the careless removal of a surgical bandage, causes excruciating pain…almost as though He were again being whipped – and the wounds again begin to bleed.” With the torture finished of this unspeakable crime against Jesus in the Praetorium of Pilate, Jesus now began the ‘death march’ to Golgotha. Our medical account continues… “In deference to Jewish custom, the Romans return His garments. The heavy patibulum of the cross is tied across His shoulders, and the procession of the condemned Christ, two thieves and the execution detail of Roman soldiers, headed by a centurion, begins its slow journey along the Via Dolorosa. In spite of His efforts to walk erect, the weight of the heavy wooden beam, together with the shock produced by copious blood loss, is too much. He stumbles and falls. The rough wood of the beam gouges into the lacerated skin and muscles of the shoulders. He tries to rise, but human muscles have been pushed beyond endurance. The centurion, anxious to get on with the crucifixion, selects a stalwart North African onlooker, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross. Jesus follows, still bleeding and sweating the cold, clammy sweat of shock. The 650 yard journey from the Fortress Antonia to Golgotha is finally completed. The prisoner is again stripped of His clothes – except for the loin cloth which is allowed by the Jews. The crucifixion begins. Jesus is offered wine mixed with myrrh, a mild analgesic mixture. He refuses to drink. Simon is ordered to place the patibulum on the ground and Jesus is quickly thrown backward with His shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist (*). He drives a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement. The patibulum is then lifted into place at the top of the stipes and the titulus reading, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews’ is nailed in place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed. The victim is now crucified. As He slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the nails in the wrist, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain – the nails in the wrist are putting pressure on the median nerves. As He pushes Himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He places His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again, there is the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of the feet. At this point, another phenomenon occurs. As the arms fatigue, great waves of cramps sweep over the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push Himself upward. Hanging by His arms, the pectoral muscles are paralyzed and the intercostal muscles are unable to act. Air can be drawn into

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the lungs, but cannot be exhaled. Jesus fights to raise Himself in order to get one short breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream and cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, He is able to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in the life-giving oxygen. It was undoubtedly during these periods that He uttered the seven short sentences which are recorded. The first, looking down at the Roman soldiers casting lots for His garments, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” The second, to the penitent thief, “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” The third, looking down at the terrified, grief-stricken, John (the beloved Apostle), He said, “Behold thy mother,” and looking to Mary, His mother, “Woman, behold thy son.” The fourth cry is from the beginning of the 22nd Psalm: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Hours of this limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from His lacerated back as He moves up and down against the rough timber. Then another agony begins. A deep crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. Let us remember again the 22nd Psalm: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.” _____________________________________________ (*) Most painters and sculptors from the Medieval and Renaissance periods show the nails through the palms. However, Roman historical accounts and archaeological evidence have shown that the nails were driven between the small bones of the wrist and not through the palms because nails driven through the palms would strip out between the fingers under the weight of a human body. This misconception may have come through a misinterpretation of Jesus’ words to Thomas after His resurrection: “See My hands…” (John 20:27). However, anatomists and doctors – both modern and ancient, have always considered the wrists as part of the hand. Also, Israeli archaeologist recently found in an ossuary (bone box) dating from the First Century AD, a heel bone pierced with a seven-inch nail. This is the first such physical evidence of this method of crucifixion found to date.

It was now almost over – the loss of tissue fluids had reached a critical level. The compressed heart was struggling to pump heavy, thick sluggish blood into the tissues. The tortured lungs were making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. The markedly dehydrated tissues sent their flood of stimuli to the brain. Jesus gasped His fifth cry: “I thirst.” Let us remember another verse from the prophetic 22nd Psalm: “My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.” A sponge soaked in Posca, the cheap, sour wine which was the staple drink of the Roman legionnaires, was lifted to His lips. He apparently didn’t take any of the liquid. The body of Jesus was now in extremis, and He could feel the chill of death creeping through His tissues. This realization brought out His sixth words – possibly little more than a tortured

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whisper. “It is finished.” His mission of atonement had been completed. Finally He allowed His body to die. With one last surge of strength, He once again pressed His torn feet against the nail, straightened His legs, took a deeper breath, and uttered His seventh and last cry, “Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit.” The rest you know. In order that the Sabbath be not profaned, the Jews asked that the condemned men be dispatched and removed from the crosses. The common method of ending a crucifixion was by crucufacture, the breaking of the bones of the legs. This prevented the victim from pushing himself upward, the tension could not be relieved from the muscle of the chest, and rapid suffocation occurred. The legs of the two thieves were broken, but when they came to Jesus they saw that this was unnecessary. Apparently to make sure of death, the legionnaire drove his lance through the fifth interspace between the ribs, upward through the pericardium and into the heart “…and immediately there came out blood and water.” Thus there was an escape of watery fluid from the sac surrounding the heart and blood from the interior of the heart. We, therefore, have rather conclusive post-mortem evidence that our Lord died, not the usual crucifixion death by suffocation, but of heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium.” Then our medical expert gives this chilling – but hopeful summary: “Thus we have seen a glimpse of the epitome of evil which man can exhibit toward man – and toward God. This is not a pretty sight and is apt to leave us despondent and depressed. How grateful we can be that we have a sequel, a glimpse of the infinite mercy of God toward man – the miracle of the atonement and the expectation of eternal life” (The Passion of Christ from a Medical Point of View, by Truman Davis, M.D., 1965). After reading this very detailed and graphic medical account of the scourging and crucifixion of Christ from a physician, I trust that you have a deeper understanding of the Passion of the Cross than you have ever had before. I know that just typing this “medical report” on my computer caused me to wince and weep several times! The passionate love of Christ that was demonstrated on the cross for you and me goes beyond my comprehension. In my highest moments of spirituality and worship, the height, depth, length and breadth of God’s love, mercy and grace escapes me! And to know that He came into the world for this expressed task is almost unthinkable! Who but the Son of God would want a mission like that?! Let me remind you of how the writer of Hebrews summarized the express purposes for Christ’s death on the cross: “…we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

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In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God…should make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the One who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers” (Hebrews 2:9-11). Here then is the reason the holy Son of God left the eternal joy and fellowship of the Triune Godhead…the indescribable majesty of heaven…the worship of angels, archangels and seraphs – to come to earth and endure such shame and pain?!’ It was so you and I could be adopted into His “forever family.” It was so that Jesus could call us “brothers!” While I will never deserve or understand that kind of love, mercy and grace – I do know that the only reasonable response is the total surrender of my life to Him! Perhaps one of the best poetic responses was penned by the hymn writer, Isaac Watts. The verses of his famous hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” summarize it as well as human pen can. It has always been one of my most favorite hymns that I sing to myself often to remind me of the Passion of the Cross. Sing the following verses in your mind and spirit afresh… “When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ, my God; All the vain things that charm me most – I sacrifice them to His blood See, from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down; Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown? Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all!”

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THE PATH OF THE CROSS In Jerusalem today, this Path of the Cross is known as the Via Dolorosa, or the “Way of Sorrows.” As we saw in our preceding chapter, it began at the Fortress of Antonia and ended at Golgotha – some 650 yards away. I have walked it many times on the Holy Land Tours I have led through the years. It is always a moving experience to slowly and prayerfully walk the approximate same route that Jesus would have taken. And there are several places along the way where the actual Roman stone pavement from the time of Christ is still in place – where you can literally “walk where Jesus walked.” This “Way of Sorrows” commemorates the various Stations of the Cross that Jesus walked after “…Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified.” After he cowardly

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“…surrendered Jesus to their will” (Luke 23:25), John’s Gospel simply states: “Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the Skull…Here they crucified Him” (John 19:16-18). And as we will see in our next chapter, this slow “death march” would have taken place between eight and nine o’clock on Friday morning of Passover week. But, we have seen from the very beginning of this study that Jesus’ Path of the Cross began long before eight o’clock in the morning on what we now call “Good Friday.” It really began in the eons of eternity past. This “Calvary Road” that Jesus ultimately walked began in heaven in the Council of the eternal Triune Godhead. So His Path of the Cross started in eternity – and was consummated in time. As the “…lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8), the Second Member of the Godhead was incarnated into human history specifically to die. Prior to His death, He certainly lived a perfect life, gave the greatest teachings the world has ever heard and performed signs and wonders never before seen in history. But His perfect life was directed toward the end of His perfect death. That’s why He said to His disciples: “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28; c.f. I Tim. 2:6; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 10:28; I Peter 1:18-19). In a unique way like no other man in history, Jesus was born to die. But this was not a message that His disciples wanted to hear. This was not the path that they expected the Messiah to walk! They wanted Him to only walk the path of “power and glory.” They strongly contended with Him about this Path to the Cross. They wanted Him to take a detour around it directly into His glory! But as the shadow of the cross loomed larger and larger over His life, He taught them the cardinal lesson about the Path of the Cross being God’s path to glory. Carefully follow His reasoning here with them: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life…Now My heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour?’ No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name” (John 12:23-28). Because Jesus always understood this principle of passion being the “path to glory,” the cross was never far from His insight and sight. The very first step of His public ministry was also the first step on the Path of the Cross. And immediately after He had revealed to them that He had come to establish His church, we read: “From that time on Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that He must be killed…” (Matt. 16:21). So, the cross was not an unexpected interruption to His earthly life and ministry. It was not some kind of capricious “fiat of fate” that suddenly befell Him. The cross was not an unanticipated event that imposed itself upon His life through the religious intrigue of the Jews –

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and the political injustices of the Romans. It was the sovereign and providential plan of God from before time began. Carefully read again these passages in which He sought to teach His disciples that the Path of the Cross was a perfect fulfillment of prophecy from start to finish. •

“Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will turn Him over to the gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day He will be raised to life’” (Matt. 20:17-19).

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“Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him, spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. On the third day He will rise again’” (Luke 18:31; Mk. 10:32-34).

From the very early days of His public ministry we read that “Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). I especially like how the King James Version renders this: “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” In spite of the understandable confusion and reluctance of the disciples about this Path of the Cross, we read that “Jesus…went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem” (Luke 19:28). So, man was not in control of these crucifixion events. God was. It was His gracious plan from start to finish. And it was foretold by the prophets down to the minutest detail. That’s why Jesus clearly assured His disciples that He and the Father were totally in control of all of these events – even though the Jews and Romans were living under the delusion that they were! Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” He further strengthened His claim about having authority over His own death by saying: “The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have the authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father” (John 10:14-18). So again, Jesus was born to die. That’s why He had to walk the “Calvary Road” to its very end. He could only fulfill the plan of His Father and the words of multiple prophecies – by obediently walking the Path of the Cross to its final destination. However, it is also important for you and me to understand that our footsteps must follow His footprints on that same road. That’s why Jesus also told His disciples: “Whoever serves Me must follow Me, and where I am, My servant also will be” (John 12:26). So Jesus concisely “cut to the bottom line” by saying: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). That’s painfully clear isn’t it?! And this was not just an isolated teaching by Christ. He repeated it on several occasions:

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“…anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 10:38-39; 16:24-26).

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“And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27).

For any Christian “worth his salt” or “worthy of her light,” there is a cross in both your present and future! And remember: the cross does not represent pain, problems, persecutions, heartaches and disappointments. No, the cross represents death! It was for one thing and one thing only – execution. When you were nailed to a cross, you did not come back down alive! As we will see further in a subsequent chapter, the cross means that you “die out to self.” And that’s always a very costly and painful process. That’s why most of us Christians avoid the cross at all cost! Sadly then, millions of Christians avoid the cross – at all cost, all of their lives. But as a result, they never learn the liberation of the principle that the Path of the Cross is also the path of power and glory! Have you taken up your cross yet? That’s what Lent is all about. Nothing more. Nothing less. As Jesus trudged His path to the cross, there were several other people whom He confronted on this journey to Calvary. There they were confronted with the reality of the cross in their own lives in a way they could not avoid. So we must take time to meet these people on our journey of the Passionate Christ. I think you will be able to identify with one or more of them in the next several chapters.

THE PERIOD OF THE CROSS When we begin to study the period of the passion, we are talking about the issue of time. Since we in the West are a very time conscious people, we often want to know the time frame of an event. That’s why one of our first questions we ask concerning something that took place is: “What time did it happen?” It is only natural that we want to know, what was the time frame of all of these passion events that we have been studying?

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Time has always been something of a mystery to mankind (*). Down through the ages, people have come up with different ways of calibrating and “telling time.” These “time machines” have gone from the very simple to the very complex. Perhaps the most ancient tool for calibrating time was the “sundial” which measured the day through the slowly-moving shadow created by the rotation of the earth around the sun. Today, through our sophisticated science and technology, we can measure time in nana-seconds! While the exact time of day or night that these events took place is not the central theme of our study, it is an important consideration. This is especially true since the Gospel accounts of the Passionate Christ make several very important passing references to the time a particular event took place. We are obviously told that for a purpose. Let’s do an overview of what we know about the specific times of the various events surrounding the crucifixion. •

The Gospel of Mark stated: “It was the third hour when they crucified Him” (Mark. 15:25). “At the sixth hour darkness came over the land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour…With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last.” (Mark 15:33, 34a, 37; Matthew 27:45-50; Luke 44-46) Because Mark, Matthew and Luke calibrated time and the beginning of each day at sunrise (6 a.m.), it meant the crucifixion took place at 9 a.m., darkness covered the land from noon to three, and Jesus died soon after 3 p.m.

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In the Gospel of John, however, we read what could be interpreted as a contradiction. John said that Jesus’ trial took place at the “sixth hour” (John 19:14). The other Gospels said He had already been on the cross for three hours by the “sixth hour”. I’m glad this is easily resolved when we realize that John was no doubt using the “Roman Clock,” which calibrated time like we generally do today – with the zero hour beginning at midnight. As a result, John said the trial of Jesus before Pilate took place at “…about the sixth hour,” or around 6:00 a.m. This is important because it tells us how many hours were spent with the mocking of the soldiers (Mark 15:16-20), Pilate’s guilty verdict against the two robbers (Mark 15:27) and the various other preparations for the crucifixion and the “death march” to Golgotha before Jesus was nailed to the cross.

As we briefly look at the times of the Passion, let me remind you again of what we saw earlier in this study. The Bible clearly teaches that the events of the Passion were planned by the Triune Godhead in the eons of eternity past – long before time began. That’s why the Bible refers to Christ as “…the lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Note also these very crucial related verses that emphasize this same truth about the time of the Passion – before the first second of cosmic time began: •

“All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matthew 25:32-35).

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“This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has

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destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel” (II Timothy 1:9-10). •

Paul also wrote similar words to Titus about the Passion of Christ that was planned by God for us before He created the world. He wrote that “…the faith of God’s elect” and our “hope of eternal life, which God…promised before the beginning of time, and at His appointed season, He brought His word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior” (Titus 1:1-3).

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Paul further wrote about this “divine mystery’” to the saints at Corinth. He said that these events of the cross were “God’s secret wisdom…that God destined for our glory before time began” (I Corinthians 2:7).

So, those verses let you view Christ’s Passion from the vantage point of eternity – long before time ever began…before the cosmos was ever created…before the first sin was ever committed…before grace was ever humanly needed…before you and I were ever born. It’s incredible and mind-blowing to realize that God was thinking about you and me and our salvation “way back then!” As wonderful as that revelation is, it is impossible for us to fully comprehend because we are all encapsulated into time. For us everything is either past, present or future. Therefore, this truth about our salvation being secured “before time began” is something we could only know through divine revelation – never through human reason. It is not something that we would have ever “dreamed up” or conceived because all of our thinking is time-focused and earthbound. But God dwells in the realm of eternity which is “outside of time.” Therefore, the only thing we can know about God’s domain and what takes place there is if He chooses to reveal it to us. And since love, mercy and grace are a part of His eternal nature – He wanted us to know that it was working for our salvation “…before the beginning of time.” What incredible, awesome, “Amazing Grace!” (*) But now let’s step back out of eternity into time. Not the time you and I are living in right now, but the precise time of the Passion of Christ. Let me remind you that because of the creation account in Genesis, the Jews reckoned time from “sundown to sundown”– not from “sunup to sunup” like we do in the West. That’s because the various fiats of creation were each followed by the phrase: “And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day…” (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). So the night hours would be listed first, then the daylight hours – which again is generally the reverse of how we reckon time in the West. In addition, the Jews of Christ’s day divided both the day and night into 8 distinct time periods. Here are the approximate time units, beginning with their nights: NIGHT: • •

1ST Watch = 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. 2nd Watch = 9:00 p.m. – Midnight

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3rd Watch = Midnight – 3:00 a.m. 4th Watch = 3:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m.

Here are several good Old Testament examples of these “night watches”: •

First, the familiar question in Isaiah 21:12: “Watchman, what is left of the night?”

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Then there were King David’s several references to his “night meditations”: “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night” (Psalm 86:6; c.f. 16:7; 119:148; 90:4, etc).

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In the New Testament it is interesting to read that Jesus specifically performed one of His greatest miracles in the last watch of the night, just before sunrise. When His disciples were in a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee, we read: “During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake” (Matthew 14:25).

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Jesus also made a specific reference to the late “night watches” in one of His parables that exhorted us to vigilance and watchfulness through all of the long night hours separating His first and second comings:

(*) For a fuller study of the mystery of time from a Biblical point of view, refer to my book “What Time Is It?” It can be ordered from NDI or downloaded from my Biblical Principles For Living web site on my personal blog (www.jlwilliams.net).

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning (because of the darkness of the “night watches”), like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet…it will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night…You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Luke 12:35-38). Here are the basic periods of the day in Jewish reckoning… DAY: • • • •

3rd Hour = 9:00 a.m. 6th Hour = 12:00 noon 9th Hour = 3:00 p.m. 12th Hour = 6:00 p.m.

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A good example of these various time periods is found in the “Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard” told by Jesus. As you will recall, the landowner went out “…early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard.” This would have been between the 4th watch of the night and the 1st watch of the day – or soon after 6:00 a.m. Then Jesus said the landowner continued to hire workers “…about the third hour…the sixth hour and the ninth hour and…the eleventh hour…” (Matthew 20:1-16). And the fact that the landowner paid them all the exact same wage seemed totally unfair! It produced a wage dispute. But that must be kept as the subject of another study! At this point I just wanted you to note the Jewish times of day that were used by Jesus. We have paused to briefly look at these various references to time in the Old and New Testaments. It will now help us better identify some of the time frames of Christ’s Passion. But first let me set the stage by again reminding you of the various trials that Jesus went through after His last Passover Meal in the Upper Room and His late night arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. As we have already seen, there were actually 6 separate “Trials.” 3 were “Religious Trials” and 3 were “Civil Trials.” RELIGIOUS TRIALS: • • •

Before Annas (John 18:12-14) Before Caiaphas the High Priest (Matt. 26:57-68) Before the Sanhedrin (Matt. 27:1-2) Note: While Christ’s first private appearances before Annas and Caiaphas took place soon after His arrest in the Garden, we know that the more formal “Religious Trial” began very early in the morning. We know this because of the very careful reporting of Doctor Luke who was an astute observer and historian. Note his words about Jesus first official “Religious Trial”: “At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them” (Luke 22:66).

CIVIL TRIALS: • • •

Before Pilate (John 18:28-38) Before Herod (Luke 23:6-12) Before Pilate (John 18:39-19:6)

Before closing this chapter, there is another very important series of events that we must carefully put within this time frame of Jesus’ various trials. As we have already seen, the first events immediately after His late night arrest were His appearances before the High Priest. It was during that time frame that the denials of Peter took place. But without a careful comparative reading of the Gospel narratives, we will miss the important sequence of Peter’s various denials – generally thought to be “3 times.” However, many critics of the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible have long pointed out that there are blatant discrepancies in these denials of Peter. As one Bible scholar said:

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“Discrepancy has been charged to this account because the related details are so diverse that they simply refuse to group themselves into just three denials without some very questionable manipulating of the texts” (The Life of Christ in Stereo, p. 218). What is the solution to this dilemma? Is this a blatant contradiction in Scripture as some critics point out? Or is there another possible solution? In all probability there were really “6 denials” in total by Peter – and not just 3 as has often been thought. A careful parallel study of all four Gospel accounts seem to indicate that there were “3 denials” by Peter before the cock crowed at all, followed by another “3 denials” “…before the cock crowed twice” (Mark 14:30). We may never know for sure this side of eternity whether there were “6 denials” or just “3 denials.” Regardless, if we are honest with ourselves we know that all of us have denied Christ many more times than either the three or six that Peter was guilty of! And unlike Peter, our denials have taken place in far less stressful situations than a trial. We often deny our relationship with the Lord Jesus in far more subtle ways. We do so by not tithing…dropping out of church…no quiet time in the word…a lack of prayer…falsifying business statements… watching movies or TV programs that compromise our character…viewing porn on our computers…spreading gossip – the ways we deny Christ are endless. But whether they are big or small – they are denials nonetheless. During this period of Lent, I invite you to look at your own life as honestly as possible. Where have you been guilty of denying the Lord? Where is that vulnerable place in your life where you deny Him the most? What time period in your day are you most prone to forget Him… deny Him…disown Him…act as though you do not know Him…pretend not to be a Christian? What relationships do you have that tend to push Christ to the edges of your life? What people do you hang out with that dull the cutting edge of your spirit? What are the “things” that you spend too much time with that causes you to lose your Christ-consciousness? Once you have identified those times, people, places and things where you are the most vulnerable and lose consciousness of His presence – then you can begin to do something about them. You can begin to take corrective action...restrict your relationships…change your behavior…alter your habits…restructure your day. That way you will be less likely to deny Jesus through either the sins of commission or omission. Discipline yourself to make decisions that will cause your passion for Christ to grow – because He has an eternal Passion for you!

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THE PETITIONS OF THE CROSS In our last chapter we looked at the various time periods used by the Romans and Jews. Then we placed the events of the arrest, trials and crucifixion of Christ within those general time frames. Now it is time to add the various petitions of Christ from the cross to that context. After Jesus was crucified around 9:00 o’clock in the morning, the following events took place between then and mid-afternoon when He died. This brings us to a study of Christ’s “7 Last Words” which He spoke from the cross. Here again we must do a careful comparative study of the four Gospels because none of them report all 7 of the last words in a sequential fashion. But when we harmonize the 4 accounts and “compare Scripture with Scripture,” we get the full message. When we put them together, these “7 Last Words” compose Christ’s last sermon before He died. This is not His “Sermon on the Mount” or “Sermon by the Sea” – but His “Sermon from the Cross.”

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Obviously the words of any dying person are extremely important. When we hear of a person’s death we often intently ask: “What did he say before he died? What were the last words she spoke? Were there any ‘death bed’ confessions or revelations? What were their last words to the family?” Understandably, then, when a person is dying the spouse or family members “hang on every word.” They pull their chairs close to the bed so they can catch every word spoken. If necessary, they put their ear close to the dying person’s mouth so as not to miss even a whisper! And if the person is too weak to even whisper – they desperately try to ‘read their lips.” We don’t want to miss a word – spoken or unspoken. It is only natural that we all want to know what is going on in the heart and soul of a person who is dying. We really want to be with them as they make their transition from this life to the next. It is an experience that we both fear and desire. We want to know what it “feels like” and “looks like” to die. We want to know what they are experiencing – because in our heart of hearts we all know that we will one day face the same thing. One day “death will come knocking at our door” – and we want to know what to expect. Before we have to experience it for ourselves, we desperately want to peer into the “valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4). And the only way we can know any of these things is if we are able to be with loved ones while they are dying – and if they are able talk to us. If a loved one is killed suddenly or dies after a prolonged time of unconsciousness or being in a coma, we feel robbed. We feel like we were deprived from having those wished-for “dying conversations.” We feel cheated by not being able to say those “last good-bys.” And we especially feel guilty for not being able to say those unspoken words of release “I’m sorry, please forgive me.” Most of all we feel sad that we were not able to say that final, “I love you!” So, if the person was conscious up to the time of their death and able to speak, we want to hear every word. We want to watch any body language. We want to look at their face for any expression to remember. And we especially want to look into their eyes one last time – which are the windows of their soul. Were they fearful? Were there tears? Were they at peace? Did they hear angels singing? Did they see a bright light? Did they sense the presence of Jesus? To stand or sit with a person who is dying is to be on “holy ground.” I’ve been there a few times with people – especially my mother and mother-in-law. It is a sacred time when you are able to be with a loved one until the very moments before they “pass through the veil” between time and eternity. It is literally a time of awe as you hold their hand…read Scriptures to them…sing hymns to them…pray with them – until the Lord takes them home. And to sense and “see” the spirit and soul leave the body is an indescribable and indelible moment! We never forget any “last words” they say to us! That’s what we get to do through these “7 Last Words” of Jesus. But as we wait with this dying Man, we are not in a hospital room. We are not in a Hospice Home for the dying. We are not pulling up our chair along side the bed in the home of a dying person.

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As we draw near to hear the last dying words of the Lord Jesus, we must remind ourselves of where we are. It is not a private place of solitude with loving family members. It is not a peaceful religious setting where we are surrounded by prayers and psalms. It is not a sterile medical setting that gives comfort and compassion to the sick and dying. No. We are at an ugly place called “The Skull.” We are at the foot of a cross – flanked by two other crosses. We are at a public execution. We are surrounded by hatred, hostility, jeering, cursing, gambling, and unbelief. This is anything but a religious setting! But, in spite of the angry and hostile setting, come close to the cross with me so we will not miss a single word that Jesus says. We don’t want to miss a single syllable that He expresses through His pain and the anguish of His soul. And do not only listen – also look. Look into His face. Look into His eyes. Look into His heart! As you draw near to the cross, carefully listen to His brief prayers to His Father. Listen to His words of forgiveness for His tormentors. Listen to His brief words of comfort to those dying with Him. Listen to His final words of love to His mother. Hang on to His every word – because His dying words are great words for you to live by! Just before the actual crucifixion took place, Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh as a narcotic to help deaden the pain. This was the only act of kindness that the soldiers extended to Him. Before they began to drive the long spikes into the wrists and feet of Jesus, these soldiers offered Him a narcotic to help deaden the pain. This would make this part of the crucifixion easier for them and for Jesus. So we read: “There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it. And they crucified Him” (Matthew 27:34; Mark 15:23). Today in America when a condemned prisoner is about to be executed by lethal injection, he is given 3 drugs intravenously – the first of which is a narcotic to put him to sleep. This sedative is given to make the execution as “humane” as possible by putting the person to sleep before the lethal drug is administered. As a result, he will not “feel” the results of the other two drugs that end his life. But Jesus would not take the narcotic to deaden His pain. By refusing the cheap “narcotic cocktail” mixed with wine, Jesus was not trying to show how strong and macho He was. Jesus certainly did not have a masochistic inclination that enjoyed the experience of pain. Anything like that would have revealed a defect in His perfect humanity and unblemished character. Jesus refused the narcotic so He would fully experience the full depth of pain and suffering of crucifixion. He would fully drink the “cup of suffering” the Father had given Him. And His suffering was far more than just physical -- as horrible as that was. His was also the spiritual pain and emotional suffering of being made sin for the whole world! Because of the all-encompassing pain and suffering that Jesus submitted to through the crucifixion, He would forever be able to identify with any person who experiences pain and suffering in life – regardless of the cause or degree. Never would anyone be able to say to Him in their own pain: “Jesus, you don’t understand what I am going through!”

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When anyone cries out to Jesus like that, He does not rebuke them…reprove them …belittle them…berate them. He just extends His hands and reveals his own nail scars. He shows His feet where He was impaled to the cross for them. Then the reminder of His pain gives us the strength to bear our pain! With those painful and comforting words in mind, let’s now turn to the specific words Jesus spoke from the cross. And as we do so, let’s remember that volumes have already been written through the centuries about these “7 Last Words From The Cross.” So we will have to be as brief as possible in our study of them less this chapter become a book unto itself! FIRST WORDS FROM THE CROSS These very first words of Jesus from the cross are only recorded by Doctor Luke. These were in the form of a prayer of forgiveness for His persecutors. These incredible words of love and compassion were either uttered while they were actually crucifying Him or shortly thereafter. The context would seem to strongly suggest this. Read again this succinct account of His crucifixion to see what you think: “Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. Then they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on His left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up His clothes by casting lots” (Luke 23: 32-34; c.f. Matthew 27:35-38; Mark 15:24-28). Soon after the messy business of the crucifixion was over, the soldiers took Jesus’ garments. This basically left Him totally naked on the cross – adding shame to His pain: “When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarments remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom” (John 19:23; c.f. Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34). So Luke’s Gospel would strongly suggest that between the time of the actual crucifixion and the gambling for the clothing, Jesus spoke His first words from the cross. Then once Jesus was securely impaled to the cross, the Jews and other on-lookers intensified their mocking and derision of Him. As we have seen before, this only “added insult to injury.” If Luke’s order of events is right, this intensified verbal hostility took place shortly after Jesus’ prayer of forgiveness for His tormentors. Perhaps even as the soldiers were gambling for Christ’s clothing, the crowd took this opportunity to gawk and stare. And the religious leaders took a sick delight in sneering at Him and slander Him in His pathetic naked condition: “The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him. They said, ‘He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.”

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The soldiers also came up and mocked Him…and said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ There was a written notice above Him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Luke 23:38; c.f. Matthew 27:39-43; Mark 15:29-32). Now that we have examined the context of this prayer, let’s analyze the content a bit more closely. Let’s look it at word-by-word. It is striking at the very first to note that Jesus’ first words from the cross were a prayer. Unlike the probably cursing that came out of the mouths of the thieves, Jesus prayed. It was the most natural thing for Him to do. For Jesus, praying was as natural as breathing – even from the cross! And when He prayed, it was not for Himself – but for others. Neither was His prayer for His anguishing mother or grieving friends standing nearby. He was praying for those who had crucified Him. He prayed for His tormentors. He prayed for the religious leaders who hated Him and blasphemed Him. What incredible love and forgiveness! First, as we examine His prayer, it is very important to note that Jesus begins with the word “Father.” The Greek word here is pater, which means “father…parent…a male relative.” It comes from a root word meaning a “nourisher, protector, upholder.” The Aramaic equivalent that Jesus often used in His prayers is Abba. Regardless of which word you use, they especially note the close personal relationship between a parent and his child. So, this is no impersonal prayer taking place. It is not a general generic cry to some abstract deity. It is a very personal prayer from Jesus to His Abba, Father. If ever a person needs a personal relationship with God that’s on a first name basis – it is when you are dying! Secondly, note what Jesus asked His Father to do: “Father, forgive them…” Jesus did not ask His Father to judge them…curse them…condemn them…destroy them. This was not one of the “Invective Psalms” like David sometime prayed against His enemies – asking God to judge and destroy them (Psalm 28, 35, 59, 68, 70, 109, etc). Here we see Jesus literally “practicing what He preached.” Or more correctly, “praying what He preached.” In His famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave this radical new relational principle: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44). Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian faith, followed Jesus’ example. At the very time he was being stoned to death he prayed: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60).

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The Apostle preached and practiced the same thing when he wrote: “Bless those who persecute you…bless and do not curse…when we are cursed, we bless” (Rom. 12:14; I Cor. 4:12). This prayerful act of forgiveness by Christ had a life long impact upon Peter – a person who did not naturally have a forgiving spirit! When he wrote to encourage Christians slaves who were being unjustly persecuted by their masters, he reminded them of how Jesus responded to His persecutors: “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because He is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate. When He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (I Peter 2:18-23). When Jesus was persecuted, He prayed. He demonstrated that the only thing that made the difference between Him and His persecutors was forgiveness – and God’s love that motivated it. It is only through unconditional forgiveness that we can be free. Any degree of unforgiveness binds us with “chains of bitterness” to those we hate. It is either blessing or bitterness! That day on the cross, Jesus not only forgave His persecutors and tormentors, He also forgave the repentant thief, whom we will focus on later. Finally, Jesus prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” That’s another incredible petition in Christ’s prayer! In the natural it is blatantly clear that all of these people knew exactly what they were doing in persecuting and executing Jesus. On the part of the Jewish leaders, this had been a carefully calculated execution that they had been planning for many months. They knew exactly what they were doing. Certainly Pilate also knew what he was doing in having Jesus executed to placate the Jews. As a professional Roman bureaucrat in this very volatile outpost, he was used to constant political intrigue. With great savvy he maneuvered his way through the several trials of Jesus. There was not an ounce of ignorance on his part either. The squadron of Roman soldiers who carried out the scourging and execution knew well what they were doing also. It was what they were trained for. It was something that they had done many times before. So they could carry out arrests, scourgings and executions with their eyes closed. They too knew full well what they were doing.

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So, if everyone who participated in the crucifixion knew exactly what they were doing, what did Jesus mean by what He prayed? Jesus knew that while they understood the political and religious significance of what they were doing, they were blind and ignorant to the spiritual significance of His death. They were acting in spiritual ignorance. It is a common theme in the New Testament. Note several examples. •

Soon after Pentecost, Peter preached this to a group of Jews at the Temple in response to their amazement at the healing of the crippled beggar: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over to be killed, and you disowned Him before Pilate, though He had decided to let Him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and ask that a murderer be released to you. You killed the Author of life but God raised Him from the dead. We are witnesses of this…by faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. Now brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what He had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that you sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…” (Acts 3:12-19).

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Later this same Peter would write to a group of new Christians and remind them that they used to “live in ignorance” but now they should live as “obedient children” who were no longer ignorant of God’s laws (I Pet. 1:14; c.f. Eph. 4:18).

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The Apostle Paul used similar words when he preached to the philosophers at Mars Hill who were worshiping an “unknown God” in their ignorance: “In the past God overlooked such ignorance but now He commands all people everywhere to repent” (acts 17:30).

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In fact, in his own testimony of his days of religious unbelief, Paul said: “I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief” (I Tim. 1:13, c.f. acts 26:9).

Because Jesus knew that His persecutors and tormentors were “acting in ignorance,” He asked the Father to “…forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” However, once a person hears the message of the Gospel…once they have clearly heard the truth…once they have been confronted with the spiritual significance of the death of Christ – from that moment on they are “without excuse” according to the Bible (Rom. 1:20; 2:1). Then

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they must “Repent and turn to God, so that our sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Now, let’s move from these first prayerful words of Christ from the cross to what happened next. SECOND WORDS FROM THE CROSS Sometime soon after Jesus had uttered this incredible prayer of forgiveness for His persecutors and tormentors, He began to converse with the two thieves who had been crucified on each side of Him. And as we turn our attention to these two dying men, let’s remember that only Doctor Luke records Jesus’ conversation with them (Luke 23:39-43). Also, since we looked at these two dying criminals in some depth in an earlier chapter, we will not do so again here. I would just remind you of what I wrote earlier. That while Jesus died for sin and the unrepentant thief died in sin, the one thief died to sin. This dying out to sin rather than dying in sin separated these two thieves for time and eternity. One man found salvation that day, the other found damnation. And it all had to do with what they decided about the Man on the middle cross. As a result of the repentant thief’s simple confession of “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,” he was saved. While his life was lost, his soul was saved. As was mentioned earlier, this repentant thief had little or no prior knowledge about who Jesus was. As far as we know, he never heard Jesus preach or teach. He never saw Him heal or perform miracles. He never saw Jesus cast out demons. Because of the lifestyle of crime that he had lived, he probably had no exposure to the Jewish Scriptures. He was not the type that would have hung out at the Temple. He had no theological insight or understanding about the Messiah. Until the time he was crucified beside Jesus, he was a thoroughly pagan person with little or no interest in religion or spiritual things. But something began to happen to him as he hung on his cross next to Jesus. He knew he was dying. He knew he had no hope. If there was a hell he knew he was headed there in a matter of hours. And he knew in his heart of hearts that he deserved hell for the wretched life he had lived. He even rebuked his fellow thief with the words: “Don’t you fear God…we are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” So as he watched and listened to Christ – especially His prayer of forgiveness for his tormentors, his own heart began to change. This dying thief knew that the man on the cross beside him was unlike any person he had ever met. There was a composure and compassion in Him he had never seen before in any other human being. There was a loving forgiveness for His executioners and tormentors that was not normal. He sensed within his spirit that there was something supernatural about this man on the center cross separating him from his fellow criminal on the other side of Jesus.

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Gradually the anger left his voice. His ranting and railing stopped. His tone quietened. An unexplainable sense of peace began to well up within him. His fear began to be dispelled by a glimmer of hope. So with the desperation of a dying man, he cried out to Jesus in faith: “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” In saying this to Jesus, he put all the faith he had in all the Jesus that he understood. And as a result he was gloriously saved! Not from the cross. Not from pain. Not from dying. The repentant thief was saved from sin by dying out to sin. Because of his simple childlike faith, Jesus spoke words of assurance to this dying thief that we do not find anywhere else in the New Testament. And they were Christ’s second words from the cross: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). This repentant thief received from Jesus far more than he asked for or could comprehend. He had only asked Jesus to “remember me” whenever He “came into His Kingdom.” He had no knowledge or understanding of Kingdom Theology. He had no idea about when or where that kingdom might become a reality. He just knew he wanted to be a part of it. While Jesus gave him the assurance that His future kingdom would be a reality, He assured him of a more immediate blessing. He said to the dying thief: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.” He gave this repentant thief the absolute assurance of his forgiveness, salvation, eternal life and unbroken fellowship with Him! With a quiet and confident authority, Jesus assured the thief that before that day was over they would be together in Paradise (*). Jesus assured him that the moment they both breathed their last breath on the cross, they would immediately be together in God’s Paradise forever. It would not be tomorrow or at some distant future time when Jesus would come into His kingdom. It would be today! And because of these words to the repentant thief, every believer can die with the same absolute assurance. On no less authority than the Lord Jesus Himself, every Christian can die with the assurance that their relationship and fellowship with Christ will never be broken by death. That’s because He will walk with them through the “valley of the shadow of death” (Ps. 23:4) and take them to heaven. The moment they breathe their last breath on earth, their next breath will be in heaven. The moment they close their eyes here, they will open their eyes in heaven where they will see Jesus “face to face” (I Cor. 13:12). All of this assurance is because of Christ’s second words from the cross. (*) For a fuller study of the relationship between Paradise and Heaven, see the author’s books on Death, Judgment, Heaven & Hell.

THIRD WORDS FROM THE CROSS

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Sometime after Christ’s conversation with the repentant thief, He turned His attention to the women who had followed Him to Golgotha. And these third words of Jesus from the cross are the first ones recorded by John. Once again it is amazing to note that even while He was hanging on the cross suffering unspeakable pain and shame, He was thinking about others! His first words were a prayer of forgiveness for His persecutors and tormentors. His second words were those of forgiveness and assurance to a repentant thief. Now His third words are to comfort the women who are present – and especially His mother, Mary. But first note these words from Mark about the women who were there at the cross: “Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed Him and cared for His needs. Many other women who had come up with Him to Jerusalem were also there” (Mk. 15:40-41). Note these words of context that are only recorded by John: “Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother: “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” After writing this account about the women present and Jesus’ words to His mother, John gives us this little personal post script: “From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26-27). In these words of John, we can read volumes about the unique nature of women in their relationship to Jesus. And we can especially see a mother’s love manifested in Mary’s presence at the foot of the cross. While the male disciples had all denied, betrayed and abandoned Jesus, the women went all the way to the cross with Him. Only John, “…the disciple whom He loved” followed Jesus to Golgotha. Along with three other women who were “…near the cross of Jesus,” John was also “standing nearby.” No doubt Jesus could hear their sobbing. He could see their tears and hear their anguish of heart. He watched their inconsolable grief. He had known nothing but three years of their undivided love and loyalty to Him. Their belief in Him was unshakable. And Jesus had been the beneficiary of their generosity in supporting Him financially (Luke 8:1-3). He also understood that what Mary was now experiencing at the foot of His cross was the fulfillment of the words that Simeon spoke to her when Jesus was an infant in Mary’s arms in the temple:

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“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:34-35). So now, just as surely as the spikes had pierced His own hands and feet, Mary’s heart was being pierced by having to watch her holy Son reduced to such pain and shame! And with the love and compassion that only a first born son could know, Jesus spoke words of comfort to His mother. Before He died, He made provision for her future care. He gave His mother Mary into the care of His beloved disciple, John. He said to Mary, “Dear woman, here is your son.” We need to pause here and make sure we understand the meaning of the word “Dear woman” that Jesus used. He did not call her “mother” as we would in the West. This was the same way he addressed her at the beginning of His earthly ministry at the wedding in Cana (Jn. 2:4). To our ears it sounds rather curt…impersonal…disrespectful. But the word was really a term of endearment and respect. With great tenderness and compassion, Jesus committed His mother Mary into the hands of His closest friend and most intimate disciple, John. He told Mary to submit to John as her own son. And He commissioned John to care for Mary as he would his own mother. John obviously did this by taking Mary into his own home from that point on. Sometime after this conversation with His mother and John, darkness descended upon the land. It was as if the physical universe was giving testimony to what was happening in the spiritual universe as “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us…” (II Corinthians 5:21). While this spiritual darkness was encompassing Jesus, an unnatural physical darkness settled over the land. Three of the Gospels recount: “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, darkness came over all the land” (Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44). From around 12:00 noon until 3:00 PM, Jerusalem and Palestine descended into darkness. This spiritual and physical darkness that encompassed the land physically and Jesus spiritually provoked the next words from the cross. FOURTH WORDS FROM THE CROSS As Jesus became enshrouded in spiritual and physical darkness, He cried out His fourth utterance from the cross: “‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” This cry from the cross was recorded only by Matthew and Mark (Matt. 27:46-47; Mk. 15:34-36). Certainly on this side of eternity there is no way we can ever begin to fully understand the depth of emotion that these words represented for Christ! The fact that Jesus cried out these words in Aramaic is also insightful. That’s because Aramaic was the common language He grew up speaking from childhood. It was the lingua franca, or street language, spoken by the people of Palestine as opposed to the more formal Greek or Latin spoken by the Romans or the Hebrew spoken by the Jews. The very fact that Jesus cried out these words in His “heart language” that He had spoken from childhood, shows how very personal this cry was. It

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revealed the depth of His humanity crying out to God like a little boy would do in desperation to his Abba, Father. And while these Aramaic words are translated for us by the Gospel writers, they are far beyond our human comprehension. They are a direct quotation of Psalm 22:1, and represent a human pathos between Jesus and His Father that we can never fully understand. One thing we know for sure from these words, they represented a sense of aloneness… separation…abandonment...estrangement from His Father that He had never known until that time on the cross. During these three hours of darkness, Jesus felt utterly “cut off” from His Father’s love and fellowship. Here the perfectly obedient Son who had never known anything but the unbroken and unblemished communion with His Heavenly Father – was isolated…separated …alone. Utter darkness enveloped Him from without and within. During these several hours on the cross, the heavens above Him were not only dark – they were silent! His Father, who had twice parted the heavens at His baptism and transfiguration and spoken audible words of love and affirmation for His Beloved Son, was now silent and unresponsive. And the silence of God was deafening to the Spirit of Jesus! In His worst hours of suffering on the cross He so desperately needed the comforting presence of His Father. It was bad enough to be deserted and abandoned by His disciples. But to be deserted by His Father was more than He could bear. And so He cried out in the depths of His darkness and despair – to an unresponsive and silent God! In these words of Christ we clearly hear the perfect humanity of Jesus crying out – not His perfect deity. And certainly there is a great spiritual mystery here we cannot began to fathom as the unique God-Man of history was dying for the sins of the world. One Man with two perfect natures was giving His life for us who have known nothing but a sinful nature from birth (Ps. 51:5). Perfect humanity and perfect deity were acting in complete accord to bring salvation to Adam’s fallen race. And it was in His perfect sinless humanity that Jesus cried out to God, as a son would cry out in desperation to His Father. It is also crucial to pause at this point and remember that it was at this time that Jesus “descended into hell,” as some of the old creeds of the church rightly affirm. When He died on the cross, He “descended into death” and His body “descended into the grave” – but it did not experience corruption and decay (Acts 2:27, 31; 13:35). But after He died, Jesus did not “descend into hell” as some wrongly believe and teach. It was here on the cross when God “…made Him sin who knew no sin” that Jesus experienced the hell of separation from His Abba, Father. Never in eternity past or in time had Jesus known anything but the unbroken fellowship and communion with His Father. Never had sin or disobedience come between them. Now His Holy Father turned His face away as the judicial judgment of the sins of the whole world was laid upon Him! This utter separation from His Father was hell in the fullest sense of the word to Jesus! As Jesus was surrounded by utter physical darkness, He was also filled with unspeakable darkness of soul and spirit to the degree that He was utterly separated and alienated from His beloved Father. This was so God could be both “…just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:25-26). So, at the cross, God’s justice and our justification became one. Hallelujah!

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One final word here before we go to the next words of Christ from the cross. We need to ponder long and deep the question that Jesus cried out here: “My God, My God, WHY?” This is a crucial consideration for every one of us to prayerfully ponder. That’s because every person – including every Christian, will at some point in their lives cry out: “God, why?” Whether the cry is evoked by a senseless sickness, a mindless tragedy, an unwanted divorce, an untimely death of a loved one, a capricious natural disaster, a prolonged period of spiritual dryness and darkness, or a thousand other experiences of “unjust and undeserved suffering” – all of us will at some point cry out to God “Why…Why…WHY?” We may cry out in tears…in anger…in fear...in doubt…in despair…or in depression – but “Why?! will be the desperate question of our hearts to God! And the resulting silence of heaven will be deafening! This kind of spiritual darkness and emotional despair has also been the experience of some of God’s most stalwart saints down through the centuries. In the 16th century the Spanish Christian mystic, St. John of the Cross, first used the phrase the “dark night of the soul” to describe his own spiritual darkness. And in the 18th Century, Christian mystic, St. Paul of the Cross used the same term to describe a 45 year period of spiritual darkness that he struggled with before he finally broke through experientially into the full light of God’s love. But in recent years, one of the most famous Christians to struggle with this same kind of spiritual darkness was Mother Teresa. Certainly she is one person that most of us would never imagine faced such spiritual struggles. I had the privilege of meeting her on several occasions. Two were at her ministry headquarters in Calcutta, India. The other was in Nairobi, Kenya, where she was visiting some of the work done by her Sisters of Charity. These times with her were challenging beyond words as I saw her simple life of servant living and giving to the poorest of the poor. Until recently no one would have suspected that this “Saint of the Gutters”, as she was often called, struggled with spiritual darkness. I know I would not have suspected it when I met her. And yet a recently published book of her personal correspondence with several spiritual advisors across a half century reveals her life-long struggle with the “dark night of the soul” (Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk, Doubleday). Rather than being the exception for her, darkness and doubt were in reality the norm for her Christian life. In fact, she struggled for almost 50 years in her Christian life without any real sense of God’s presence. In light of the worldwide work she did in the name of Christ, that kind of spiritual darkness seems almost beyond belief! While Mother Teresa was always quick to remind others that Jesus loved them, her personal correspondence revealed a very different struggle going on in her own spirit. On one occasion she wrote these lines after reminding a confidant of God’s love for him: “Jesus has a very special love for you. But as for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great, that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear, the tongue moves (in prayer) but does not speak…” (“The Secret Life of Mother Teresa”, Time, Sept. 3, 2007, p. 37).

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Note these lines from several of her prayers beseeching Christ to reveal Himself to her and take away the darkness: “(Jesus) Wilt thou refuse to do this for me?...You have become my Spouse for my love – You have come to India for Me. The thirst You had for souls brought You so far – Are You afraid to take one more step for Your spouse – for me – for souls? Is Your generosity grown cold? Am I a second to You?” (Ibid, p. 39). And then with words echoing the cry of Jesus from the cross, Mother Teresa laments: “Lord, my God, who am I that You should forsake me? The child of Your Love – and now become as the most hated one – the one You have thrown away as unwanted – unloved. I call, I cling, I want – and there is no One to answer – no One on Whom I can cling – no, No One – Alone…Where is my faith – even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness and darkness – My God – how painful is this unknown pain…When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven – there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives and hurt my very soul. I am told God loves me – and yet the reality of darkness and coldness and emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul” (Ibid, pp. 39-40). This modern spiritual icon wrote of herself: “What tortures of loneliness. I wonder how long will my heart suffer this?...There is such spiritual darkness within me…as if everything was dead. It has been like this more or less from the time I started the work” (Ibid, p. 40). So while Mother Teresa was carrying on her now-famous work among the poorest of the poor, the sick, the dying, the beggars and the street children, she was continuously struggling with her own “dark night of the soul.” While publicly keeping her signature smile on her weathered and wrinkled face, she privately wrote about “her darkness” and about Jesus as “the Absent One.” And she confessed that “…the smile is a mask or a cloak that covers everything” (Ibid, p. 38). But like Jesus on the cross, Mother Teresa ultimately found peace in the darkness – because she knew that Jesus had been there first. And she knew that His darkness was thicker and blacker than hers. She increasingly found Jesus to be both the “light of the world” as well as the “Lord of the darkness.” Note these words: “For the first time in years, I have come to love the darkness – for I believe now that it is part of a very, very small part of Jesus’ darkness and pain on earth…Today really I felt a deep joy – that Jesus can’t go anymore through the agony – but that He wants to go through it in me” (Ibid. p. 42). Early in her life and ministry Mother Teresa had prayed a dangerous prayer. She said that she wanted to “…love Jesus like He had never been loved before” and to only “…drink of Christ’s chalice of pain.” God granted her that request. One of her spiritual counselors concluded:

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“For all that she had expected and even craved to share in Christ’s Passion, she had not anticipated that she might recapitulate the particular moment on the Cross when He asked: ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ The idea that…His felt absence might be the ordeal she had prayed for, that her perseverance in its face might echo His faith unto death on the cross…It was the redeeming experience of her life when she realized that the night of her heart was the special share she had in Jesus’ passion.” (Ibid, p. 42). She further wrote to her spiritual confident about the “dryness, darkness, loneliness and torture” she was experiencing spiritually. She said that her soul was like an “ice block.” She compared it to “hell” and said it had driven her to doubt the very existence of heaven and even of God. She concluded: “If I ever become a Saint – I will surely be one of ‘darkness.’” (Ibid). So while the world honored her as a living saint of love and light, she felt that if she was a saint at all – she was a “saint of darkness.” One of her spiritual confidents who collected and published her private correspondence said: “I’ve never read a saint’s life where the saint has such an intense spiritual darkness. No one knew she was that tormented” (Kolodiejchuk, p. 38). And yet she ultimately found victory in her darkness because she came to relate it to Christ’s darkness on the cross. Finally after years of spiritual darkness of soul, Mother Teresa wrote this prayer to Christ: “If this brings You glory – if souls are brought to You – with joy I accept all to the end of my life” (Ibid, p. 43). Why have I taken such time and space to share Mother Teresa’s story of her “dark night of the soul?” Because it will be the experience of every Christian at one time or another in their lives. It may not last as long as Mother Teresa’s half-century struggle with dryness and darkness – but make no mistake about it, a “dark night of the soul” comes for every believer. And I have also learned an important principle in my own life about these times of dryness, doubt and darkness: The greater the faith, the greater the doubt and darkness. But there is a corollary that says: Never doubt in the darkness what you learned in the light. So do not think that if you can just have a strong enough faith, you will never struggle with intellectual doubt and spiritual darkness. Just the opposite is often the case. Christ’s faith in His Father was perfect – just as His obedience was. But He still struggled with the greatest time of spiritual darkness any human being has ever faced! But it was ultimately what He knew from the light of His Father’s unconditional love that took Him through the darkness of His passion in the Garden and on the cross. Because the light that was within Him was greater than the darkness that encompassed Him, He made it through His “dark night of the soul.” One writer said this about Mother Teresa’s spiritual darkness: “Everything she experienced is what average believers experience in their spiritual lives writ large. I have known scores of people who have felt abandoned by God and had doubts about God’s existence. And this book expresses that in such a stunning way but shows her full of complete trust at the same time. Who would have thought that the person who was considered the most faithful woman in the world struggled like that with her faith?” (Ibid, p. 43).

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In 1979, Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work among the world’s poor and marginalized. In her acceptance speech she said: “It is not enough for us to say, ‘I love God, but I do not love my neighbor.’ In dying on the cross, God made Himself the Hungry One, the Naked One, and the Homeless One. Jesus’ hunger is what you and I must find and alleviate” (Ibid, p. 37). For the last half-century of her life and ministry, Mother Teresa felt no presence of God whatsoever “…neither in her heart or in the Eucharist” (Ibid. p. 38). What she did experience was the “felt absence” of God. And yet, in spite of her dryness of spirit and darkness of soul, she continued on faithfully serving the poor – not from feelings or emotions but from obedience to God’s Word. What a timely lesson for each of us to learn – not only from the experience of Christ on the cross, but also from the life of Mother Teresa. It is only through obedient love that His passion becomes our passion. So we will all experience a “dark night of the soul.” It may last for a few days…a few weeks…a few months – or like Mother Teresa, many years. But once we begin to relate our times of spiritual darkness to Christ’s unspeakable darkness and hell on the cross, it will become bearable. We will know in our heart of hearts that we are not alone in our blackest darkness. We will hear the voice of Christ crying out in the darkness with us: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And somehow His cry of “Why” will envelope our cry to the degree we will know we are not alone. Like Mother Teresa we will begin to experience the joy of Jesus and His sustaining presence as we realize that we have been graced to taste His passion in some small degree through our darkness. When we cry out in our desperation “Why?” – the answer may not immediately come to us any more than it came to Jesus when He was suspended between heaven and earth at the Place of the Skull. But we can still take comfort from the fact that the Holy Son of God cried out the same questioning prayer from the cross. Therefore, if at His greatest moment of despair on the cross Jesus could cry out “My God, My God why?!” – It’s OK for us to do the same in our time of pain…separation…alienation…aloneness…despair. And we can do so without any sense of guilt, failure or shame. While God may not give us an immediate answer to our “Whys?” – He will always give us the Who. During our times of spiritual darkness, God will point us to the Lord Jesus on the cross who faced the same sense of separation from God. And in time we will come to see that Jesus’ ultimate “WHY?” encompassed all of our lesser “whys?” His unspeakable agony will somehow engulf our agony. His darkness and hell will transmute our own. Then His grace and peace will become ours. His victory will become our victory in our very darkest hour! Beloved, that’s the “lesson in the light” for our times of spiritual darkness. Christ’s fourth words from the cross are for you and me. And because He made it through His darkest hours of separation and hell on the cross, He will carry you through yours with His nail-scared hands. The writer of Hebrews reminds us of the superiority of Christ as our High Priest:

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“Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4:14-16). The word here that the writer uses for “sympathize” is a very rich word. It comes from the Greek word, sympatheo, meaning “to suffer with another.” So because Jesus suffered utter darkness, separation and hell on the cross, He can “sympathize” with you as you go through your “dark night of the soul.” Unlike Buddha, Krishna, Mohammad or any other religious leader, only Jesus can “suffer with you” during your times of spiritual darkness. That’s because He suffered there first. During His passion He suffered incomprehensible and unspeakable darkness of soul and spirit – just so you and I would never have to feel alone during our agony of soul. Therefore, Christ’s Fourth Words from the cross remind us to “…hold firmly to the faith we profess,” and to “…approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” The old hymn writers understood the universality of the “dark night of the soul.” Note these two examples that I hope you will sing in your spirit. The first one is the third stanza of the familiar hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy,” which says: “Holy, holy, holy, though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see…” Then there is the second stanza of the beloved hymn: “The Solid Rock,” which reminds us: “When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil.” This hymn only echoes what the writer of Hebrews said about Jesus: •

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the veil, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf” (Heb. 6:19-20).

•

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the veil, that is, His body, and since we have a priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:19-23).

Beloved, we can have hope and confidence – even during our “dark night of the soul.” Even in the darkest night we can rest assured that God is faithful and that He will carry us through our darkest nights. That’s because our spiritual anchor is not fixed on our feelings, emotions or experiences – but on Christ’s blood that was shed for us. Our hope is “firm and secure”

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because it is anchored in the heavenly Holy of Holies. Every believer is as secure in Christ as Christ is secure in God (Col. 3:1) – which is eternally secure! FIFTH WORDS FROM THE CROSS Both Mark and John give us this account of Jesus’ next succinct cry from the cross as well as the response of a by-stander. Look at these two accounts beginning with Mark, the earliest Gospel, who relates these next words to Christ’s cry of “My God, My God why?” “When some of those standing near heard this, they said, ‘Listen, He’s calling Elijah.’ “One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ‘Now leave Him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down,’ he said” (Mk. 15:35-36). Now John’s parallel account: “Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished’” (John 19:28-30). First of all, carefully note how John begins this description. He says, “Later” (NIV)...“After this…” (KJV; NASV). While John does not give us the specific time line here, the other three Gospels do. They specifically tell us that this “later” was after the three hours of darkness that covered the land from 12:00 o’clock until 3:00 p.m. (Matt. 27:45; Mk. 15:33; Lk. 23:44). As we saw above, it was during these three hours of physical and spiritual darkness that Jesus faced the hell of separation from His Father. Or as some of the early creeds of the church affirm, this is when Jesus “descended into hell.” So it was “After this” three hours of physical and spiritual darkness that Jesus knew “…all was now completed” before He actually died physically. The work of redemption was done. While the death of His physical body was an important part of this redemption process, it was the spiritual suffering and separation that was the heart of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. His physical body was just the human tabernacle or physical instrument for His spiritual sacrifice. In spite of the incredible physical and spiritual pain Christ had endured up to this point, we know from these fifth words from the cross that He was fully conscious and cognitive of everything that was happening to Him throughout His entire crucifixion process. Again, John specifically emphasizes to us that Jesus knew that “…all was now completed.” Jesus wanted to make sure that “…the Scripture would be fulfilled.” At this point then, Jesus is fully aware that He is fulfilling to the letter the prophecies about the Messiah dying when He said: “I am thirsty.” It is important to note here that this is the very first time that Jesus has asked for something for Himself. Thus far through out His arrest, His trial, His beatings, His crucifixion, He has not

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uttered a word for Himself. His every word up to this point has been to others and about others. Now for the very first time, Jesus gives a brief expression to His own physical suffering. He says “I am thirsty.” But He does not say this until He knows that “…all was now completed.” This is crucial to take note of because of its stark contrast to what happened earlier. As you will recall, at the very beginning of His crucifixion Jesus was offered a mixture of wine and gall as a narcotic to help deaden His pain. But He refused it. Jesus would not take anything that would in any way dull His full spiritual, mental and physical senses to the full range of suffering He would fact on the cross. But He was now at a different point. He knew in His spirit that “…all was now completed.” The work of redemption was done...completed…finished. So now that His work for us was completed, He could give brief attention to His own great physical need. Having fully met our spiritual need, He could address His own physical need. So Jesus said: “I am thirsty.” In response, some unknown person took a “jar of wine vinegar” that was standing nearby and “soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.” In contrast to His earlier refusal to drink the “wine mixed with gall,” Jesus took a drink of wine vinegar that was lifted to His lips on a sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant. This was His first and last drink of anything on the cross. And again, this was fulfillment of ancient Messianic Scripture. First of all, there are two very specific Psalms that Jesus was fulfilling in this request. Ps. 42 and Ps. 63. Let’s look at them to see the clear parallels: •

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’” (Ps. 42:1-3).

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“O God, you are My God, earnestly I seek You; My soul thirsts for You, My body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Ps. 63:1).

Certainly there was an incredible and incomprehensible paradox in this request. How can the One who was (and is) the very “Water of Life” (Jn. 4:14; 7:38-39) cry out, “I am thirsty?” Here is the One who is God’s own spiritual water for a thirsty humanity – literally dying in thirst. He who had become God’s “Water of Life” to the multitudes is now asking others for something to quench His dying thirst! Here again we just have to bow in reverential silence before this great spiritual mystery! But we need to pause and underscore again the revelation here of Christ’s full humanity through this request. This was not a god or demi-god dying who was untouched by the human condition. No, this was perfect humanity dying in thirst – just like millions of others have died of thirst through the centuries physically and spiritually. In some mysterious way, every thirsty child or adult who cries out in times of physical or spiritual drought: “I am thirsty! Please give me water!” – is an echo of Christ’s same cry from the cross! Their thirst is His thirst. Their dry

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mouth is His. Their parched lips are His parched lips. Their cry for water is forever swallowed up by His! Also, the very fact that Jesus was given sour wine to drink was yet another fulfillment of prophecy. Psalm 69:21 specifically foretold: “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for My thirst.” This is just one more incredible proof for the divine inspiration of the Scriptures and proof of Christ’s deity. There would have been absolutely no way Jesus could have orchestrated the fulfillment of this Scripture while impaled to a cross. But as John said, this small detail took place “…so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.” Finally, it is significant to note that this last drink offered to Jesus was done with a soggy sponge “…on a stalk of the hyssop plant.” What is the significance of that? Just this. If you go back and reread the Exodus Story, you will see a very interesting detail about the “hyssop plant.” God specifically instructed the people through Moses: “Go at once and slaughter the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning. When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and He will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down” (Ex. 12:21-23). Was the use of this “hyssop plant” just a capricious fiat of fate? Hardly. I believe it is yet another very clear revelation that Jesus was indeed God’s perfect Passover Lamb who was being slain for the salvation of the world! It was now His sinless blood that was going to be applied to our lives to the degree that we would not come under God’s judgment – just like the ancient Israelites. Because of His blood poured out on the cross, we too would experience God’s protection. We too would be “passed over” by God’s judgment because we have “…crossed over from death to life” (Jn. 5:24). As the Apostle Paul proclaimed: “Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed” (I Cor. 5:7). And the “hyssop plant” is proof! SIXTH WORDS FROM THE CROSS After Jesus received the wine vinegar on the hyssop plant, He uttered His sixth words from the cross – only recorded by John: “When He had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished’” (John 19:30). The word Jesus used here is one of the richest in the entire New Testament. The three-word phrase in our English Bibles: “It is finished,” is the transliteration of the one word in the original, tetelestai. It simply means “paid in full.” Ancient tax receipts written on papyri have been found by archaeologists with this exact same word. When the tax collector wrote tetelestai on your tax bill it meant that you had “paid your bill in full.” There was nothing else lacking to be paid. You owed nothing else to the government. You were free!

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When Jesus used this word, He was crying out that the debt had been paid in full…it is finished… prophecy is fulfilled…God’s justice has been fully satisfied…sin has been totally atoned for…salvation is completed…the victory has been won! The writer of Hebrews echoed this truth when he wrote this about Christ’s crucifixion as the final and perfect fulfillment of all of the blood sacrifices in the Old Testament: “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you to keep…In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness…Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one, He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence…But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people…we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb. 9:20-28; 10:10, 14). When Jesus cried out tetelestai, He was declaring that the work of redemption was fully completed. Everything that the earthly Tabernacle and many animal sacrifices pointed to was now completed…fulfilled…finished. The earthly shadow of the heavenly reality was totally fulfilled by Christ. There was now no more need for any animal sacrifices at the Temple. As the holy “Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29), the perfect sacrifice had now been made. This was the fulfillment of what Christ had told His disciples the night before His crucifixion at the Last Passover when He gave them the wine to drink: “This is My blood of the new covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28). Because of Christ’s virgin birth…sinless life…and perfect death – there was absolutely nothing left to be done. Everything was now “paid in full.” Not only was His physical and spiritual suffering of spirit, soul and body completed – but everything necessary for our full and final redemption was finished. Note also that Jesus did not say “I am finished” – but rather “It is finished.” The cross did not “finish off” Jesus. Rather, on the cross Jesus “finished off” sin and all of its consequences. So this is a clear clarion “cry of victory” rather than in any way a “cry of defeat.” We know this by coupling this word with the words that immediately followed that Jesus cried out with a “loud voice” (Matt. 27:50; Mk. 15:37; Lk. 23:46). So this word tetelestai proves that Jesus died with a loud shout of victory! He did not die with a quiet, gasping whisper of defeat. As God’s Messiah, He had fully faced and defeated our sin and all of its consequences on the cross – just like in three days He would defeat our last enemy of death through His resurrection from the grave (I Cor. 15:26). With a “loud voice” of joyful triumph that could not be misunderstood or misinterpreted, Jesus cried out “Tetelestai! It is finished!” And as a result, our salvation is fully secured for time and eternity! That’s

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because with His own blood He has written across all of our unpayable debts to God: “Paid in full!” There is a little praise chorus that I love to sing that expresses this simple but profound truth. The words go like this: “He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay; I needed someone to take my sin away; And now I sing a brand new song; amazing grace the whole day long; Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay!” Read or sing those words with a “loud voice” until you know in every fiber of your being that your spiritual debt has been “Paid in full” by the blood of the Lord Jesus! And with those words echoing in your spirit, let’s turn to the last of Christ’s words from the cross.

SEVENTH WORDS FROM THE CROSS After Jesus shouted out “telelestai” from the cross, He then cried out His seventh and last words of His passion – only recorded by Doctor Luke: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Luke 23:46). However, as we saw above, Matthew, Mark and Luke all record that these were not gasping, whispered, muffled, dying words – but ones of the final crescendo of the song of salvation planned from before the beginning of time! So we read that Jesus “…cried out again in a loud voice…” (Matthew 27:50; Mk. 15:37; Lk. 23:46). Once again, these final words of triumph are a direct quotation from Psalm 31:5: “…into Your hands I commit my spirit.” This was the most common prayer that every Jewish boy and girl was taught from their infancy. It was the prayer that they closed their day with before going to sleep. This prayer is very much like the one that many parents teach their children today: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” But it is important to notice that Jesus made one crucial addition to this prayer. He prefaced it with the word “Father.” So this made His final prayer from the cross very personal: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” His first words from the cross were a prayer of compassion and forgiveness that began with the same word: “Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.” Now His last words from the cross were a prayer of committal: “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” As Bible expositor, William Barclay, wrote: “Even on a cross Jesus died like a child falling asleep in His father’s arms” (The Gospel of Luke, p. 302). After this last and final cry from the cross, John specifically recorded that Jesus “…bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (Jn. 19:30). Doctor Luke recorded that: “when He had said this, He breathed His last” (Lk. 23:46). Both Matthew and Mark said: “He gave up His

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spirit.” None of the Gospel writes say that “Jesus died.” While it is true that He did indeed die physically, that is now how the Gospel accounts record it. To state it that way would have suggested that it was the crucifixion that killed Jesus. That was not the case. The cross did not take Jesus’ life – He gave His life on the cross. Once again, when we put these Gospel accounts together, we can see that Jesus was fully in charge of the moment of His own physical death. He would not die physically before “…all was completed…Scripture was fulfilled…tetelestai…it is finished.” He would not give in to death until everything was fully and finally finished. He clearly told His disciples this well in advance of His crucifixion: “I am the good shepherd…I lay down My life for the Sheep…The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father” (Jn. 10:1418). It is crucial then to realize that the cross did not take Christ’s life from Him. He gave up His life on the cross by an act of His own will – an authority that only He had been given from God. So once man, demons and sin had done their worst to Him on the cross; once the work of redemption was completed for time and eternity; once the Father’s justice was fully satisfied – then and only then did Jesus “…give up His spirit” to His Heavenly Father by an act of His own will. Normally when a person died by crucifixion, his life would slowly and agonizingly ebb away until death finally fully claimed its hapless victim. Then at the moment his spirit left his body, his head would slump forward in the finality of death. As was mentioned previously, to speed that process the Roman executioners would often break the legs of the criminals so they could not linger so long between life and death. While they did indeed do this to the two thieves hanging on each side of Jesus (Jn. 19:31), it would not be necessary for Him. After He knew in His spirit that everything was fully fulfilled…paid in full…finished for time and eternity – Jesus “…bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” Just as Jesus’ birth was in the perfect “…fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4), so His death was “…just at the right time” in every way (Rom. 5:6). Once again, no one took His life from Him. While the Jews condemned Him and the Romans executed Him, in reality it was Jesus who gave up His own life at the exact time after everything He had come to do was telelestai – fully finished…paid in full (Matthew 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30). At the precise moment that Jesus “…bowed His head and gave up His spirit,” something dramatic took place at the Temple. What had been perfectly planned and orchestrated in eternity past now took place in the Holy of Holies. Dramatically symbolizing that the work of salvation was complete, the Temple veil was rent. All three synoptic Gospels give the same account: “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45).

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Apparently the cause of this “rending of the temple veil” was a great earthquake that shook the city of Jerusalem and surrounding area. For we read that, “The earth shook and the rocks split” (Matt. 27:51). The writer of Hebrews clearly relates this dramatic event in the Holy of Holies of the Temple to the death of Christ. And he does so to remind us that it alone is the basis of our confidence and assurance before God: “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…” (Heb. 10:19-22). As you will recall from the Old Testament, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement to make sacrifice for the people (Lev. 16:1-34). But because of Jesus perfect sacrifice on the cross, He has opened a “new and living way for us through the curtain, that is, His body.” The Temple curtain was rent in two “…from top to bottom” showing that this was the work of God – not man. This was God’s perfect work of salvation from start to finish. It was 100% the work of grace. As a result, we no longer need a human High Priest to intercede for us before God. Jesus is our “…great priest over the house of God.” On the basis of His death on the cross, we can “…draw near to God with…full assurance of faith.” But as a result of this violent convulsion of the earth that rent the Temple veil, another dramatic event took place that is only recorded by Matthew: “The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people” (Matthew 27:53). This is certainly another nugget of Biblical revelation that we do not fully understand. But it would appear that these physical resurrections that took place with this earthquake were a manifestation of the “first fruits” (I Cor. 15:23) of the full “resurrection harvest” that is to come when every believer will be raised with a new resurrection body like that of the Lord Jesus (I Cor. 15:49). These cataclysmic events certainly got the attention of the crucifixion party – especially the Roman soldiers. Even they had no doubt carried out many executions by crucifixions in their lives, this one was unique. Never had they seen such physical manifestations surround a crucifixion. Even more, never had they witnessed such love and compassion from one they were executing. Again, the synoptic writers particularly called our attention to the testimony of the Roman soldier who had been in charge of the crucifixion of Jesus: “The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, ‘Surely this was a righteous man’” (Luke 23:47). Mark gave more details of this confession when he wrote:

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“And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard His cry and saw how He died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’” (Mk. 15:39). Matthew records the centurion’s response this way: “When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely He was the Son of God!’” (Matt. 27:54). After Jesus’ death, those who hated Him left the crucifixion scene – no doubt with a sick satisfaction that they had “won the day.” “When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.” But we see the “lingering love” of those who stayed on a while longer in grief contemplating what had taken place: “But all those who knew Him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things” (Luke 23:48-49). CONCLUSIONS OF THE 7 LAST WORDS OF CHRIST As you “watch these things” afresh through this study, know that from God’s perspective you are far more than a dispassionate observer several millennia later. Know in your heart that the cross proves that God was thinking about you “before time began!” And be assured that if you personally know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, then God loved you and made provision for your salvation before He ex nihilo spoke the worlds into existence through His fiat power! Therefore, before you were ever born, He had made provision for His perfect Lamb to be “…slain from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Your salvation, then, did not begin at the time you “first believed.” No, His love for you began long before your love for Him! As John rightly said: “We love because He first loved us” (I John 4:19). So God’s unmerited love, mercy and grace were provided for you before you were ever born. Before you were ever conceived in your mother’s womb, God’s love for you was conceived in the council of the Triune Godhead! That’s why Paul reminds us that, “This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (II Timothy 1:9). Therefore, God unconditionally loves you and has unconditionally forgiven you – all on the basis of His beloved Son’s death in your behalf! With these eternal truths in mind, I want to close this chapter with the Apostle Paul’s exhortation for the saints of his day – which is equally relevant for the time you and I are living in:

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“As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For He says, ‘In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (II Corinthians 6:1-2). If you have never accepted Christ or fully surrendered your life to Him, I pray that this very day will be that “day of salvation” for you! Why wait? You are only missing out on an unbeatable life because of His unconditional love and unconditional forgiveness that are the result of His unmerited favor!

Part IV

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THE PARDON FROM THE PASSION In this section of our study on the Passionate Christ, we are going to really move from information to application. Thus far we have primarily focused on how the passion related to Christ. Now we are going to see how the passion relates to us. And there is only one word that can begin to summarize how Christ’s passion impacts us – pardon. It is only His passion that produces our pardon. Therefore, the foundational word in both the Old and New Testaments that summarize our pardon is the word propitiation. It is definitely one of the heaviest and most weighty words in the entire Bible. It is also one that is least understood by most Christians. So let’s put on our “thinking caps” and begin to unwrap this rich theological word that is at the very heart of our pardon before God. THE PROPITIATION OF THE CROSS As I have already stated, the word propitiation is a word that most Christians have a hard time spelling correctly or pronouncing properly – much less understanding! However, it is a New Testament word with Old Testament roots that is rich in meaning. And it cannot be understood apart from the Passionate Christ. In fact, propitiation and passion are inseparable. Therefore, I want to begin this chapter by quoting several New Testament passages which use this word. There are only a few references in noun or verb form and you must note the context of each verse carefully to begin to grasp the deep meaning of this word (*): •

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith” (Romans 3:23-25).

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“My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:1-2).

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“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:9-10).

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“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil…for surely it is not angels that He helps, but He helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the

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service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:14-17). (*) It is easy to see from these verses that the word propitiation is a word that leads us into the very heart of the Gospel and into the presence of God. Therefore, it is one of those “heavy weight” Biblical words that we need to take the time to understand. And in doing so, we move from the “milk of the word” (I Pet. 2:2) to the “meat of the word” (Heb. 5:12). That’s why you will not find the word propitiation on the theological shelf marked “Baby Food.” It is not in the category of “Infant Formula” or “Spiritual Pabulum.” No, propitiation is found on the Biblical shelf marked “Mature Christians Only.” It is a theological truth that is only for those serious Christians who have left the “…elementary teachings about Christ” so that they can “…go on to maturity” (Heb. 6:1). So, propitiation is not a word that you can begin to understand with a sleepy mind or fuzzy thinking. Both your spirit and mind must be wide awake to begin to plummet the depth of this word that has such deep Old Testament roots. But in doing so, you will literally move into the “Holy of Holies” of the Passionate Christ! __________________________________ (*) Note: Only the King James Version (NKJV), New American Standard Translation (NASV) and English Standard Version (ESV) uses the word “propitiation.” The New International Version (NIV) uses the phrase “atoning sacrifice” instead. The word in the original for propitiation is the verb, hilaskomai or noun, hilasterion.

OLD TESTAMENT BACKGROUND Here is the question that the whole issue of propitiation revolves around: “How can sinful man approach a holy God?” What is the answer to that question? It is at the heart of every religion without exception? Here is the answer: “Sinful man can only approach a holy God through either works or through faith.” Every religion except Christianity is based upon the “good works” approach to God. Whether it is the myriads of pujas or offerings in Hinduism, the 8-Fold Path of Buddhism, or the 5 Pillars of Islam, every religion but Christianity is based upon some form of “works righteousness.” But the problem with works is this: “How do you know if your work is ever good enough?” In other words, “How can a sinful person ever produce a ‘good work’ that is good enough to meet the standard of a holy God?” The answer: “He can’t!” The Bible is crystal clear about the inefficiency and inadequacy of our good works. As Isaiah said: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). That means that the best of our “good works” are but counterfeit currency before the bar of a Holy God! They are worthless to redeem us. They can never

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produce a satisfactory propitiation for our sins. The sum total of all of our good works cannot bring us forgiveness for our sins…release from guilt…or peace with God. The Apostle Paul summarized it best when he wrote: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). In these familiar verses Paul reminds us of this spiritual principle: What God’s holiness demanded, His grace provided. And He extended grace to us sinners because “God is love” (I Jn. 4:8). All we can do is stop depending on our “good works” and accept by faith Christ’s perfect work for us on the cross. That’s what propitiation is all about. But we are getting ahead of our story. Let’s go back to the Old Testament… The primary word in the Old Covenant that pointed to propitiation is the word “atonement.” It comes from the Hebrew noun and verb kippur or kapar. It basically means “to cover or conceal.” It is used some 150 times in the Old Testament. A word that is used that many times is certainly a crucial word for us to understand. And it is always used in connection with two things: the “forgiveness of sins” and “reconciliation with God” – which is the issue that is at the heart of every religion. And it was the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai that revealed both the Holiness of God and the sinfulness of man (Ex. 19-24). The Law revealed that all mankind are sinful law-breakers by nature and by choice. Everyone stands condemned before God’s Law. Or to quote the Apostle Paul: “I would not have known what sin was except through the law” (Rom. 7:713). But again, what God’s law required, God’s love provided. And the Old Testament word for that gracious provision is atonement – while the New Testament word is grace. Atonement primarily means: “A covering that conceals a person’s sin and makes it possible for him to approach God” (Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, Lawrence Richards, p. 82). It was used to purify and “make holy” articles and objects that were carefully made and set aside for God’s service in the Tabernacle. It was also used for priests who were “sanctified and set apart” for God’s service in the Tabernacle and Temple (Ex. 29:36-37). Most of all, atonement was to “cover the sin and guilt” of God’s people and give them mercy and forgiveness rather than judgment and death. Whether their sin was “intentional” or “unintentional,” it was only atonement that provided a “covering.” But what provided the “covering for sin?” The answer to that question brings us to the very heart of the Passion of God as demonstrated in the Passion of Christ on the cross. The covering was provided by nothing more or less than blood! This “principle of the blood” runs from Genesis to Revelation. It is the “scarlet thread” that weaves the Old and New Covenant together. It is the “crimson tide” that flows through all of the Biblical sacrifices. This principle is clearly set forth in Leviticus 17:11:

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“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” Or to quote the Book of Hebrews: “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep…In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:20-22). So, under the Old Covenant based upon animal sacrifice, it was “blood for blood” or “life for life” for atonement to take place. Either a person “poured out their own blood” in an attempt to atone for their own sins; or another innocent animal or person gave their blood in exchange for the life of the guilty sinner. That’s why God instructed the priest and people to “lay their hands” on the head of the animal that was to be sacrificed (Lev. 4:4, 15-29). In doing this they were acknowledging their own sin and need of forgiveness. But they were also symbolically transferring the guilt of their sin upon the innocent animal whose blood would be shed in their place. God said: “In this way the priest will make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven” (Lev. 4:20, 26; 16:21-22). The only thing that was required for the people was that they put their faith in the innocent blood that was being shed in their place. And note carefully where this blood was to be sprinkled. It was in the “Holy of Holies” on the lid of the Ark of the Covenant, also known as the “Mercy Seat” (Ex. 25:17; 37:6). When the blood of the innocent sacrificial lamb was sprinkled on the lid of the Ark of the Covenant 7 times, atonement was made for the people. Their sins were “covered by the blood.” They now received mercy from God rather than the judgment they deserved. They were fully pardoned from their sin and guilt! It is also important to remember that this individual and national sacrifice had to take place year after year on the “Day of Atonement” – which was the highest and holiest day in their year (Lev. 16). As God said: “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you…because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins…Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites” (Lev. 16:29-34). Some theologians have suggested that the word atonement really means “At-Onement” – meaning that because of the blood of the sacrifices man was again “at one” with God. No longer was he “cut off…estranged…guilty…separated…condemned” before God. But he now was one with God for another year – or until he sinned again. But while this interpretation is an interesting play on words, it does not represent spiritual reality. That’s because man is a perpetual sinner both by nature and by choice. He is

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constantly alienated from God. There was never a perfect animal sacrifice that could take away his sin once and for all. That is, until Jesus came! All of this Old Testament sacrificial system was but a foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus. It would be His passion on the cross as the spotless Lamb of God that would bring full and final fulfillment to the whole sacrificial system under the Old Covenant. Now let‘s connect the theological dots from the Old Testament to the New Testament. NEW TESTAMENT FULFILLMENT In the New Testament, the normative word is not atonement but rather propitiation. In the original language, the word is hilasterion, from the root hileos, meaning: “merciful, propitious.” It signifies an expiation or sacrifice where sin is covered and forgiven. But, through the blood of the New Covenant, the perfect righteousness that the law of God required was fulfilled by the Love of God as expressed in Christ Jesus. Listen to these words of Paul: “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement (propitiation) through faith in His blood” (Rom. 3:21-25). Propitiation is the greatest expression of the Passion of God for sinful man! As John said: “This is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice/propitiation for our sins” (I Jn. 4:10). With the coming of Christ, there was no longer need for an annual “Day of Atonement.” As the writer of Hebrews reminded us, Jesus did not enter the earthly Tabernacle with His blood. After all, the Tabernacle built by Moses was only an earthly shadow of a heavenly reality. Carefully note these words: “For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the High Priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with the blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself…so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him” (Heb. 9:23-29). So, there was a fulfillment and finality about Christ’s “…sacrifice of Himself” that could not be said of any of the other annual sacrifices in the Old Testament. When He died on the cross, propitiation was forever fulfilled. It was God’s final “Day of Atonement” in human history. The

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work of redemption was fully and finally done! That’s why Jesus cried out in victory from the cross: “Tetelestai…It is finished!” But while the blood of animals could provide a “covering” for sin, they could not provide a “cleansing” for sin. Only the blood of the spotless Lamb of God could provide that perfect cleansing and purifying from every stain of sin (I Jn. 1:9; II Pet. 1:9). That’s why there had to be new sacrifices year after year – especially on the high Day of Atonement. The work of redemption could never be done through the blood of animals. But then Jesus came as the perfect “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:20). He did not just “cover it” – He “took away the sin of the world” – forever! The whole book of Hebrews connects the spiritual dots from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant…from the earthly Tabernacle to the Heavenly Tabernacle…from the human high priests to Christ our perfect High Priest…from the animal sacrifices to the all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ…from the covering of the atonement to the cleansing of the blood of Christ. Note these words of finality concerning Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross: •

“…He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him” (Heb. 5:9).

•

“When Christ came as High Priest…He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:11-12).

•

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance – now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant” (Heb. 9:15).

•

“…we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb. 10:10, 14).

As I close this chapter on propitiation, I hope and pray that those words of spiritual assurance will reverberate through your spirit and give you the full confidence that only Christ can bring any person in any century. I hope you have seen through this chapter that the Passion of Christ and the Propitiation of Christ are inseparable. And, that as a result of His perfect sacrifice on the cross in your place, you have “eternal salvation…eternal redemption… eternal inheritance” because through His blood you have been made “perfect forever” through His “eternal covenant.” Therefore, on the basis of those clear Biblical assurances, I can think of no greater way to end this chapter than with the benediction given by the writer of Hebrews that ties all of this together: “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you

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with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen” (Heb. 13:20-21). Please sing in your spirit one of the great Gospel songs of our faith that summarizes the allsufficiency of the blood of Christ: “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. For my pardon this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my cleansing, this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Refrain: Oh! Precious is the flow; That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” (Text & music by Robert Lowry)

THE PERMANENCE OF THE CROSS As we saw in our last chapter, there is an eternal spiritual permanence in the death of Christ on the cross. His sacrifice of Himself was like no other sacrifice in human history. Therefore, the benefits and blessings of His atoning sacrifice is not found in any of the other sacrifices in all of the religions that mankind has created down through the centuries. While those other sacrifices in one way or another acknowledged man’s sin and guilt, they could not grant the eternal forgiveness that man so desperately needed. In other religious sacrifices, there is no permanence because there is no propitiation. In all other world religions there is never full assurance of salvation and forgiveness of sin – no matter how costly the sacrifice. There is no concept of unmerited grace. There is no understanding of unconditional love and unconditional forgiveness. As a result, the worshiper

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walks away from the altar wondering if his sacrifice was good enough to appease the god, gods or goddesses he believes in. Nor does the sacrifice assuage his own guilt and sense of condemnation. So he has to keep coming back over and over again with more and more sacrifices. But the guilt remains. The doubts linger. The fears persist. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that “child sacrifice” and other forms of “human sacrifice” have reoccurred over and over again in human history. The apparent reasoning is this: “If there is a god, surely he would be pleased by this highest of all sacrifices!” Surely taking the life of another human being would satisfy the wrath of the gods! And sacrificing the life of an “innocent child” would be deemed the ultimate offering to the gods and goddesses – especially the sacrifice of their sons who were especially esteemed. If there was any sacrifice that would appease the gods, surely it would be this one! But the true and living God said any and every form of human sacrifice – especially child sacrifice – is an “abomination” to Him. In the Old Testament it is referred to as causing your children to “…pass through the fire,” or be burned on the altar to Baal or in the arms of the wicked Ammorite god, Molech (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; Deut. 18:10). God said of this horrible sacrifice: “I never commanded it nor did it enter My mind” (Jer. 32:35). That is why you will never find any form of child sacrifice in authentic Judaism or Christianity. It is the very antithesis of what God revealed to His people about the sacredness of human life as the image bearer of God (Gen. 9:6; Lev. 17:11). [While liberal modernity disdains the very thought of this kind of pagan “child sacrifice” – they champion the murder of millions of innocent unborn babies annually through abortion!] There is a specific geographical place in the Holy Land where the Israelites practiced this evil child sacrifice in their worst days of spiritual apostasy. It was a place known in Hebrew as the “Valley of Ben Hinnom,” or “Gehenna” in the Greek. It is on the south western side of the city of Jerusalem. Because of the great evils committed there, it became known as the “Valley of Slaughter” since the people had “…filled this place with the blood of the innocent” (Jer. 19:1-6). It was where apostate and wicked kings like Ahaz and Manasseh sacrificed their own sons to the false gods of their pagan neighbors (II Chron. 28:3; II Kings 16:3; 21:6; Jer. 32:35). As a result of these abominations, Jewish writers later called the place “Gehenna” or the “entrance to hell.” It ultimately became the “garbage dump” of the city of Jerusalem where fires continually burned. Over time this place of constant burning and stench was called “hell.” Interestingly, the word is used 12 times in the New Testament – and 11 of those times were from the lips of Jesus Himself as He described the unspeakable horrors of hell (Matt. 5:22, 29, 30; 8:12; 18:8-9; 22:13; 25:30; Mk. 9:43-47, etc. The 12th reference is James 3:6). I have taken the time and space to summarize this practice of “human sacrifice” to point out the fact that there is absolutely no profit in any of the myriads of sacrifices devised by man in all of his religions. If the ultimate sacrifice is “child sacrifice” that God sees as an “abomination,” how can man’s sin ever be forgiven? How can he possibly be reconciled to God? How can he find peace with God, peace with himself and peace with his neighbor? Only the Bible reveals the answer to this question that is at the heart of every religion. It is only through faith in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus that sin can be eternally

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forgiven. And until there is absolute certainty of forgiveness, every man, woman and child lives with a guilty conscience that constantly condemns them. The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that the only value in all of the sacrifices of the Old Covenant was that they pointed to Christ. And they had to be repeated year after year because none of them were ever “good enough.” They were all imperfect. They were based on the shed blood of an animal that had no choice in the matter of its death. These sacrificial animals were “innocent” because they had no will with which to disobey God. That’s why I have often pointed out that there never has been a disobedient animal. That’s because God did not give animals a free will like we humans have. They are pre-programmed by what we call “animal instinct.” As a result, they always obey God’s design for them. They always act in accordance with their nature. From generation to generation, they migrate the same routes, fly the same uncharted skies, spawn the same rivers and swim the same ocean currents. Because of “animal instinct,” they always live and act according to the unique natures God gave to each one of them. Animals only “disobey” when we try to domesticate them and train them to act contrary to their God-created nature. However, God crowned the highest of His creation – man – with a different nature. He was not given an “animal instinct” that governed his behavior from birth to death. Instead, he was given a free will through which he could decide to obey or disobey. And the story of human history is largely one of disobedience. Sadly, our human story is “written in blood.” But it is the blood of our brothers in the human family, just like in the story of Cain who killed his brother, Abel. And as a result of our universal disobedience, we all live with guilt. We know we have not lived like we ought to have lived. Or to paraphrase C.S. Lewis: “All of us are born with a sense that we ought to live and act a certain way and ought not to live and act the opposite way. But we are all acutely aware that we habitually live contrary to how we ought to live.” The Apostle Paul poignantly expressed this universal human dilemma through his own transparent testimony: “…I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it…When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:14-24). If we are honest with ourselves, all of us struggle with this internal spiritual battle. Every human being wrestles with this dichotomy and paradox between what they know they ought to be and do and how they actually live. And that gaping chasm between internal principles and

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external performance is called guilt! The result is universally the same. Spiritual condemnation! Like Paul, we cry out in our spirits: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” So, the universal condition of man is one of guilt – which is the motivating factor of every religion. And at the heart of every religious system is some form of sacrifice through which man hopes to find forgiveness for his sins and release from his guilt. But there is no such sacrifice. All are inadequate. All fall far short of God’s standard of righteousness and holiness. At best all, are only a shadow…a hint…a poor substitute for a higher and holier reality. Even in Judaism, all of the animal sacrifices prescribed by God could not take away man’s sin fully and finally. All of the rivers of blood that flowed at the Tabernacle and Temple through the centuries could not “wash away” their sins. It could only atone or cover man’s sin for a short period of time. So it had to be repeated over and over again…day after day…week after week…month after month…year after year. As Hebrews says: “Those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). But all of those animal sacrifices were a graphic and “bloody object lesson” pointing to Christ. Ever since the Garden of Eden, God had promised that One would come who would be the perfect sacrifice (Gen. 3:15, 21). That’s why the same Apostle Paul who could be so transparent in writing his own testimony did not end in spiritual despair. After asking the question: “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” – he cried out in victory: “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!...Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 7:25-8:1). You see, only Christianity is a “no condemnation” faith. That’s because it is not a religion – which is based on man’s efforts. It is a relationship based totally on Jesus Christ and His perfect work on the cross in our behalf. That’s what Paul was emphasizing when he cried out in thanksgiving: “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Everything God has provided for man comes only “…through Jesus Christ our Lord.” All else are the frantic and futile activities of religion. What God was looking for was obedience – perfect obedience on the part of the creatures He had created in His own image and likeness. But all He found was universal disobedience from generation to generation. Therefore, all of the sacrifices He prescribed in such great detail pointed to one Perfect Man who would come – the “Last Adam” (I Cor. 15:45). This Messiah, or “Anointed One”, would live a perfect life for us. Note how the writer of Hebrews connects the spiritual dots between the Old Testament sacrifices and that of Christ: “Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifices and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings You were not pleased.’ Then I said, ‘Here I am…I have come to do Your will, O God’” (Heb. 10:5-7).

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God could have cared less about the rivers of blood that flowed from Jewish altars! The pomp and circumstance of all of their sacrifices and offerings did not move Him at all. Their only value was that they pointed to Christ. It was only through the “temple of His body” that He would live a perfect life of absolute obedience to His heavenly Father, and this is what qualified Him to die the perfect death in our behalf. Only Jesus perfectly submitted His will to God’s will. That’s why He came. That was the purpose for the Incarnation. Note these words of the Lord Jesus that clearly affirmed this purpose for His coming: •

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (Jn. 4:34).

•

“I seek not to please Myself but Him who sent Me” (Jn. 5:30).

•

“I have come down from heaven not to do My will but to do the will of Him who sent Me” (Jn. 6:38).

•

“I always do what pleases Him” (Jn. 8:29).

That’s why the writer of Hebrews summarized Christ’s life with His own words of testimony: “I have come to do Your will, O God.” So Jesus is the only person who ever lived who never did anything contrary to His Father’s will. He never, on any occasion, “did His own thing.” Never once did He exercise His will against the Father’s will – even when He wanted to in the garden when His humanity was repulsed by having to be “made sin” for the whole human race and cut off from His Father (II Cor. 5:21). Even then He cried out through bloody, sweaty tears: “Not My will, but Yours be done” (Lk. 22:42). Now here is the good news for you and me: “…by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10). Many translations use the word “sanctify” here where the NIV says we are “made holy” through Christ’s sacrifice. The word “sanctify” simply means to be “set apart.” So, through Christ’s death, we have been “set apart” for God’s exclusive purposes. That means that we are to live a holy life rather than a sinful life. Like Jesus, we are to live for God’s will rather than for our own. But that is absolutely impossible in and of our own strength. It is only made possible through the redemption of Christ and through His indwelling Holy Spirit. You see, Christ’s obedience becomes our obedience – when we put our faith in Him. His life becomes our life…His death becomes our death…His resurrection becomes our resurrection (Rom. 5:10; 6:3-8). Note also that our Hebrew writer emphasized that “…the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ” was “once for all.” In other words, it was one perfect sacrifice for all people for all sin for all time. It never had to be repeated. That’s why Hebrews made a careful comparison between the endless sacrifices of the priests and the “once for all” sacrifice of Jesus:

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Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God…because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb. 10:11-14). Did you note the two verbs I purposely italicized? They are crucial. They contrasted the neverending work of the priests in the Temple with the finished work of Christ on the cross. They were the words “stands” and “sat down.” Under the Old Covenant, the priest “…stands and performs his religious duties again and again.” Of all of the articles God prescribed in detail for Moses to make for the Tabernacle and Holy of Holies, there was no chair. There was no provision for the priest to ever sit down in the Holy Place. That’s because the sacrifices were never completed. They had to be performed “…day after day…again and again.” None were ever fully acceptable. They could at best only provide an “atonement” – a temporary covering. They could only point to the coming Perfect Lamb of God who would not cover sin – but Who would “…take away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29). This was the very thesis that the writer of Hebrews set forth in the opening verses of his letter when he wrote: “After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3). When Jesus “…offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.” By “sitting down” Jesus was signifying that the work of redemption was done “…once for all.” You see, you only “sit down” when your work is completed. Work requires mobility…movement …activity…effort. But when your work is completed, it is time to sit down…repose…rest… relax. However, there is no place for that in religion because as we saw earlier, all religion is based upon some form of work. That’s why worship and work can never be separated. All worship is based upon work…activity…sacrifice…kneeling…prostrating…praying…singing… chanting…dancing…giving…doing. However, when Jesus cried out “It is finished” – the work of redemption was eternally completed! He ascended and “…sat down at the right hand of God.” And the term “right hand” signifies the place of absolute preeminence, privilege and power (Ps. 110:1; Matt. 26:64; Acts 2:33; 5:31; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20; col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 12:2). Only as a result of this “amazing grace” given through Christ could God say: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin” (10:17-18). That’s the permanence of the passion! Is it any wonder, then, that our Hebrew writer exhorted us not to “…drift away” and “…ignore such a great salvation” (Heb. 2:1,3)?! But when we prayerfully ponder His great passion for us, how can we be anything but passionate about Him?!

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THE PROFIT OF THE CROSS As we saw in our last chapter, because of the preeminence of Jesus as our High Priest, there is a spiritual permanence about His passion. There is a “once for all” about His passion that cannot be said of any other sacrifice in any other religion. That’s why our salvation through Him is spoken of in Hebrews as an “eternal salvation” (5:11) and an “eternal redemption” (9:12). It is based on an “eternal covenant” (13:20) through which we are “perfected forever” (10:14) and are guaranteed an “eternal inheritance” (9:15). Once again, those wonderful phrases describe God’s “great salvation” that He made available for us through the Lord Jesus (Heb. 2:3). As the hymn writer pinned, God’s grace through Christ “…exceeds our sin and our guilt!” It is the grace that will “pardon and cleanse within.” God’s grace is literally “…greater than all our sin!” (“Grace Greater Than Our Sin”, Julia H. Johnston) On the basis of this truth, our Hebrew writer said of Jesus that “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him” (Heb. 7:25). And the word he uses here for “uttermost” means “at all times; completely.” Only on the basis of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus did God say: “I will remember their sins no more” (Heb. 8:12). This eternal security of our divine-wrought salvation is the “Profit of the Passion!” The Bible reminds us that all Christ gave up on the cross was for our gain. It was on the cross that the “Grace Exchange” took place. Let me remind you again of how Paul described it: “For you know the grace of our lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (II Cor. 8:9). Through the passion of Christ the great “Grace Exchange” took place. God exchanged all that Christ is for all that you and I are. His riches for our poverty…His righteousness for our sinfulness…His perfection for our imperfection…His obedience for our disobedience…His power for our weakness…His life for our death…His heaven for our hell…His victory for our defeat…His all for our all! That’s something of the spiritual “Profit of the Passion.” But it does not stop there. After reminding us of the preeminence of Christ and the permanence of the cross, he makes a crucial transitional statement beginning with the word “therefore.” I often remind people of this simple principle of Biblical interpretation: “Whenever you come across the word ‘therefore,’ you must ask yourself: ‘Wherefore is that therefore there for?’” According to hermeneutics, or the science of interpreting Scriptures, this “therefore” is known as an “inference” or “inferential.” It basically is a transitional word that takes the reader from

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information to application. It means an “obvious deduction” from a prior principle. So it is a transitional word that “leads to a logical conclusion.” The Apostle Paul often used this literary inference in his letters. He would first write many verses or chapters about certain great theological truths. Then he would make a transition from information to application…from polemics to practicality…from eternal verities to earthly implications. As an intensely practical pastor, he would always bring his teaching down to where the “rubber meets the road.” He would put shoe leather on his teaching. He would say something like: “Therefore, on the basis of what I have said, this is how you ought to live.” The writer of Hebrews, which could have been Paul, now did the same thing. He said: “Therefore, on the basis of this finished work of Christ “once for all,” I want you to do the following. I want you to… “…have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of god, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:19-25). If time and space permitted, we could write many more chapters just on these verses that point out the “Profit of the Passion.” But let me just outline ten of them that naturally flow out of this passage. I hope you will give them some serious and prayerful pondering. Hebrews reminded us that, on the basis of Christ’s passion, you received a… 1. New Covenant: Note that he began by saying: “Therefore brothers…” (v. 19a). This word reminded us that we were called into new covenant relationship with every other believer in the Lord Jesus. Jesus did not come to make us God’s lowly slaves or servants – but God’s sons and His brothers. Earlier the writer of Hebrews reminded us of this truth when he wrote: “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God…should make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, ‘I will declare Your name to My brothers…” (Heb. 2:10-12). This was not a message for pagans but for Christ’s “brothers.” This was a “family message” that was meant only for the sons and daughters of God.

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2. New Confidence: “Therefore brothers…we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body…” (v.19-20). The reason we have “…confidence to enter the Most Holy Place” is because of the Blood of Christ and the Body of Christ. Together they represent that “…new and living way opened for us through the curtain…” In the Tabernacle and Temple there was a heavy curtain that separated the people from God’s presence in the Holy of Holies. But when Christ died on the cross “…the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matt. 27:51). And Hebrews reminds us here that the real curtain that was torn that day was the Body of Christ. As a result of this “new and living way,” every believer – not just the High Priest – could enter into God’s presence with confidence. And not just once a year on the high Day of Atonement – but anytime…from any place…for any reason! 3. New Comfort: “…and we have a great priest…” (v. 21). The reason this “great priest” brings us comfort is because during His Incarnation He fully “…shared in our humanity” and was “…made like His brothers in every way…” Why did He do this? It was… “… in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service to God… Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted…Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 2:14-18; 4:14-16). It is important to note at this point the significance of the word “sympathize.” In the Greek it is the word sympatheo. It comes from two words: sun, meaning “with” and pascho meaning “to suffer.” Putting them together the word means: “to suffer with another.” It reminds us that Jesus as our High Priest “suffers with us” when we are tempted and tested in our Christian lives. He can sympathize with us because He has suffered first. Therefore, we have both comfort and confidence in God’s presence because of the intercession of our sympathetic High Priest who has fully tasted of the human condition. In the days of His Incarnation He faced everything that you and I will ever face. He was “…tempted and tested in every way, just as we are.” And yet in the process, He never gave into sin. So we can “…approach the throne of grace with confidence” and “find grace and help in our time of need.” Buddha cannot offer that kind of sympathy. Mohammed cannot give that kind of sympathy. Krishna cannot offer that kind of sympathy. Only Jesus is that kind of sensitive and sympathetic High Priest!

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4. New Calling: “…we have a great priest over the house of God” (v. 21b). Earlier the writer of Hebrews reminded us of exactly who were members of the “house of God.” He wrote: “But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast” (Heb. 3:6). Our new calling as believers is to be members of “God’s House” (I Cor. 3:16; I Tim. 3:15). We are brothers because we are believers who are belongers! The word for “church” in the New Testament is ecclesia. It means “those who are called out.” So, we are “called out” of the world and “called into” the Body of Christ. That’s why every believer must be a belonger to some local church! That is our calling. 5. New Conviction: “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…” (v. 22). Here is the summary of this entire passage: “Therefore brothers…let us draw near to God.” Like every other sinner on planet earth, we were all “…separated from Christ…foreigners…far away…” But now we have been “…brought near through the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:12-13). Now on the basis of the blood of Christ we can all “…draw near to God…in full assurance of faith.” That’s the new spiritual conviction that we live by as believers. 6. New Cleansing: “…having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (v. 22b). Because of sin, every person lives with a “guilty conscience.” We have a condemning sense that we are unclean on the inside and outside. But just as the blood of animals was sprinkled over the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies, our guilty conscience has been sprinkled with the blood of Christ. In addition, our bodies are “…washed with pure water.” Contrary to what some believe, this is not a reference to water baptism because there is no perfectly “pure water.” It is always polluted in some way. No, this is a metaphor for the “…washing of the water through the word” (Eph. 5:26). That’s why Jesus said to His disciples: “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you” (Jn. 15:3). It is not the “waters of baptism” that cleanse us – but the “water of the word.” Therefore, we are “washed by the blood” unto salvation and we are “washed by the water of the word” unto sanctification. 7. New Certainty: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (v. 23). Hope is one of the great themes of Hebrews (3:6; 6:11,18,19; 7:19; 11:1). It comes from the root word elpo meaning “confident expectation” or “solid assurance.” It means to “anticipate with pleasure.” There is nothing vague, nebulous or uncertain about this word. It especially means “…the firm conviction that because of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, we can have confidence as we face the future” (Expository Dictionary, Mounce, p. 340). The reason, then, that we can have this certainty or “confident expectation” is because “…He who promised is faithful.” As Paul wrote: “God, who has called you into fellowship with His son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful” (I Cor. 1:9; c.f. Deut. 7:9;

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Isa. 49:7; I Cor. 10:13; I Thess. 5:24; II Thess. 3:3; Heb. 11:11). So, our hope is not just based in our faith, it is based in God’s faithfulness. As Paul reminded young Timothy: “If we are faithless, He will remain faithful for He cannot disown Himself” (II Tim. 2:13). God’s nature is immutable – meaning it never changes. He cannot be anything but a “faithful God” because faithfulness is His nature. It is impossible for Him to “deny” or “disown” Himself. Therefore, even when our faith fails, God’s faithfulness never does! 8. New Compassion: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (v. 24). The word here for “spur one another” means to: “stir up, stimulate, incite, provoke, sharpen, rouse, excite, intensify.” On the basis of Christ’s passion for us, we are to have passion for Him and for others. As Christians, we are to “stir up” each other to “love” and “good deeds.” As you would imagine, the word here for love is agape – which is not self-serving love but self-giving love. It is the God-kind-of-love. It is the kind of love that is unnatural for sinful men to exemplify. It is the kind of love that is more focused on the needs of others than on your own needs. It is the kind of love that motivated Jesus to “…go around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). It was the kind of love that caused Jesus to be “…moved with compassion” by the spiritual and physical needs of the people to the degree that He did good works in their behalf (Matt. 9:36; 14:14; 15:32). Supremely, agape is the God-kind-of-love that was expressed by Jesus on the cross. It was only the agape of God that produced the passion and compassion of Christ. And as Christians we are to “…spur one another on” to the same kind of “…love and good deeds.” 9. New Communion: “Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing…” (v. 25). If we are going to “…spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” we must obviously spend time together. That’s why the word koinonia… together…fellowship…communion were the normative descriptive words of the early church in the book of Acts (Acts 2:42-47). They just loved being together. You could not keep them apart. And it was the Person of Jesus who was their basis of communion. Without Him they were a very diverse and divided lot! But the agape passion of Jesus had drawn them together. His indwelling Holy Spirit had made them inseparable. They were now a part of a radical new fellowship called the “brethren” – which also included “sister’en!” As we saw above, they were believers who were belongers. However, like many Christians today, some began to feel they could “make it alone” in the Christian life. They forsook their habit of “meeting together” and tried to make it as “solo saints.” What started out as occasionally missing fellowship on the Lord’s Day became a “habit”…a lifestyle…a way of life. So, he had to write and exhort them “…not to give up meeting together.” How else could they enjoy the communion they had in Christ? How else could they “…stir one another on to love and good deeds?” Without communion there is no compassion!

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10. New Concern: “…Let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (v. 25b). One of the great reasons for not “…giving up meeting together” was so that they could “…encourage one another.” The gift of encouragement is one of the greatest and most practical ways we express our love and concern for each other. It is one of the most precious gifts within the Body of Christ. And it does not cost anything to give it. All encouragement takes is some thoughtfulness…availability…time…kind words…appreciation…agape. Jesus said it would be this kind of love and concern that would prove to the watching world that we were His disciples (Jn. 13:34-35). And this kind of love and concern was to increase more and more as we get closer and as we “…see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25). The “Day” he was writing about was not just any old day in the future. It was nothing short of what the Bible calls the “Day of the Lord”… the “Second Coming of Christ”…the “Judgment Day” (I Cor. 1:8; 5:5; Phil. 1:6, 10; 2:16; I Thess. 5:2; II Thess. 1:7-10; II Tim. 1:12, 18; 4:8, etc). That’s why the writer went on to say: “He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith” (10:17-18). We are to live by faith in anticipation of that “Day.” As Christians we are to live every day in the light of that certain coming “Day of the Lord.” This is one of the richest passages in the Bible about the “Profit of the Passion!” In these verses the writer of Hebrews underscored the spiritual trilogy of “faith” (v. 22) “hope” (v.23) and “love” (v. 24) – just as Paul did in his Corinthian letter (I Cor. 13:13). And on the basis of those rich words of passion, he exhorts us five times with the phrase “Let us…” It is a call to spiritual action. “Let us draw near…let us hold unswervingly…let us consider how…let us not give up…let us encourage” (10:22, 23, 24, 25). There is great “Profit in the Passion” for us and for others if we will believe it by faith, lay hold of it in hope, and express it through love!

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THE PEACE OF THE CROSS Peace is one of the rarest commodities in our world today. Almost everyone is looking for peace – lasting peace. Whether on a personal level…marital level…family level…social level…political level…or vocational level – every sane person desires peace. Every healthy person longs for personal peace of mind on an individual basis. And they desire relational peace in their marriage and family dynamics as well as political peace in the country they live in. Many of the people I visit and partner with in the Two-Thirds World live in politically unstable situations. Some experience repression and persecution from hostile governments, militant regimes or religious theocracies that are antagonistic to the Christian faith. Others have been caught in the cross-fire of political rivalry, tribalism and genocide. And this kind of political instability always results in great social upheaval and economic hardship. As a result of this political turmoil, many of our dear friends and partners have ended up living most of their lives in refugee camps, townships and ghettos that are unfit for animals – much less for humans! They are forced to “exist” in an environment that knows little or no peace. But across the centuries, many of God’s people have been reduced to slavery or refugee status. Even the family of Jesus started out together as political refugees who had to flee Palestine due to the jealousy of the paranoid and vindictive King Herod. So, Jesus was a refugee as a baby and young child in Egypt – which is on the African continent where there is so much political instability, tribalism, genocide and refugee camps today. The fact that Joseph, Mary and Jesus were reduced to refugee status in the early days of their marriage and family life assures us that God is no stranger to this kind of political upheaval that causes people to become fleeing refugees. Because Jesus was a “refugee Child,” He can personally relate to displaced people and refugees all over the world! Sometimes, however, people become refugees as a result of natural disasters like drought and famine. At others times they become displaced as the direct result of their own disobedience. Sometimes their becoming a homeless refugee is due to sovereign circumstances completely out of their control. Regardless, these displaced people struggled to find real peace while they are living “under the circumstances” of being a refugee. It is instructive to notice the specific instructions God told His people who were living in exile under Babylonian captivity for seventy years. Among other very practical instructions God gave them, He said this about peace:

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“Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jer. 29:7). Note carefully the direct relationship between “peace” and “prosperity.” The principle is clear and obvious: If there is no peace in a society, there can be no prosperity in that society. That’s because a peaceful environment is a necessary prerequisite for prosperity. When there is warfare, fighting, looting, burning, carnage, killing – there can be no prosperity. Whenever and wherever there is political instability, social anarchy, economic corruption and financial inflation, there can be no peace or prosperity for the people. The populous only experience fear and anxiety as a result of the instability, corruption, extortion and exploitation they live under. They are forced to live in substandard conditions that lack both security and sanitation. Few if any job opportunities are available in these sprawling refugee camps or ghettoes. Little or no educational opportunities are available for their children. Poverty reigns rather than peace and prosperity. Everyone is reduced to a handto-mouth subsistent and survival level. Even though God’s people were living in exile as slaves, He still instructed them to “…seek the peace and prosperity of the city” they were living in. That’s because God knew that if the city prospered, His people would also prosper with it. Where there is a peaceful society, everyone within it prospers to one degree or the other. Regardless of the circumstances we are living under, God’s people are to work for “peace and prosperity” – which becomes a collective societal blessing for everyone living in that country. A lasting political peace is one of the most longed for conditions in our world today. Yet millions will live and die without ever experiencing any real peace! They will never know the political peace…mental peace…emotional peace… educational peace…vocational peace…marital peace…family peace that can result from the spiritual peace that God has made possible. The wise man of Proverbs rightly observed: “A heart at peace gives life to the body” (Prov. 14:30). But where does one find that kind of internal “peace of mind” that brings health and life to the body? Unfortunately, the majority of prophets, psychologists and purveyors of peace today are like the ones of old of whom the Lord said: “They dress the wounds of My people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace” (Jer. 6:14; 8:11; Ezek. 13:10; I Thess. 5:3). Obviously these “peace prophets” were promoting and promising peace without the necessary preconditions. So the panacea of peace they offered was an illusion. What is peace? What is the nature of deepest longing of the human spirit? Webster defines peace this way: “Freedom from war or civil strife; freedom from public disturbance or disorder; freedom from disagreement or quarrels; harmony; an undisturbed state of mind, absence of mental conflict; serenity; calm, quiet, tranquility.”

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From Webster’s perspective, peace is “freedom from” certain negative things. Freedom from war on a national level; freedom from disorder on a social level; freedom from disagreement on a relational level; freedom from mental conflict on a personal level. From a more secular context, peace is defined by the absence of certain negative things. But while we can relate to those definitions of peace as the absence of certain negative things that rob us of our personal, social and national tranquility – peace is more than that. From a Biblical perspective, peace is not just the absence of certain negative things – it is the presence of everything necessary to give us a sense of wholeness…well-being… completeness…calm…control…tranquility…serenity. Let’s look at peace from a Biblical perspective. While we appreciate Webster’s definition of peace, let’s get God’s definition from both the Old and New Testaments. OLD TESTAMENT PEACE Almost everyone knows the Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for peace. It is the word shalom. It is definitely one of the most important words in the entire Old Testament. First of all, it is the familiar traditional Jewish greeting: “Shalom.” But it also means: wholeness, prosperity, well-being, health, completeness, safety. As you would expect, all authentic lasting shalom comes from the Lord. The Bible reveals that man can only have true peace when he is in a right relationship with God. And that right relationship is manifest by righteousness or “right living.” Note a couple of beautiful examples: •

“The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be a quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest” (Isa. 32:17-18).

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“I will make peace your governor and righteousness your ruler. No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise” (Isa. 60:17-18).

We can clearly see here that righteousness is the root and peace is the fruit. One produces the other. It is for that reason that the Bible says: “There is no peace for the wicked” (Isa. 48:22; 57:21). The reason that the wicked have no peace is because they have no righteousness – the absence of peace is the result of their disobedience to God’s Word. “If only you had paid attention to My commands,” God said, “your peace would have been like a river” (Isa. 48:18). But the “river of peace” dries up when we live in disobedience to God’s revealed Word. We end up “dry docked” in some arid place far from God’s “river of peace.” By contrast, we read: •

“He promises peace to His people, His saints” (Ps. 85:8).

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“Great peace have they who love Your law” (Ps. 119:165).

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“The Lord blesses His people with peace” (Ps. 29:11).

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“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in You” (Isa. 26:3).

The Bible teaches that peace is a by-product of a right relationship with God and His Word. Again, that right relationship is called righteousness. Unless there is a righteous root in our hearts, there can be no peaceful fruit in our lives. In other words, without righteousness – God’s righteousness – there can be no lasting shalom within or without. That’s why the Bible teaches that “…righteousness and peace kiss each other” (Ps. 86:10). These two virtues are lovers. And the by-product of their embrace is spiritual peace. In the book of Genesis, God revealed Himself to the patriarch Abraham as the “King of Salem,” which means the “King of Peace” (Gen. 14:17-20; Heb. 7:2). Later He revealed Himself to fearful Gideon and spoke “peace” to him. As a result, this early Judge of Israel built an altar and named it “The Lord is Peace” (Judg. 6:23-24). Like Gideon, none of us can have lasting shalom at the core of our being unless there is an altar there dedicated to the “Lord of Peace.” Since God is the “Lord of Peace,” we find Him constantly entering into a “Covenant of Peace” with people (Num. 25:2; Isa. 54:10; Ezek. 34:25; 37:26; Mal. 2:5). And throughout the time of the Old Covenant, God often pointed toward His coming Messiah who would be the very Incarnation of Peace: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Isa. 9:6; c.f. Mich. 5:4; Zech. 8:10). It would not be His virgin birth but rather His vicarious death that would provide us with God’s eternal shalom. Note this incredible Messianic verse or prophecy that was written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ: “Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows…He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed” (Isa. 53:4-5). it is only the blood of Christ that brings us permanent peace with God. His shalom flows from the cross to us by faith! NEW TESTAMENT PEACE

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Just as was the case in the Old Testament, the New Testament speaks often of the “God of peace” (Rom. 15:33; 16:20; Phil. 4:9; I Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:20; c.f. I Cor. 14:33; II Cor. 13:11). Shalom is God’s very nature. Unlike Buddha, Krishna, Allah or any of the other ancient gods of antiquity, only the Jehovah God of the Bible is the “God of peace.” That’s why the message of the Bible is such glorious “Good News.” It is the only religious book in history that reveals a loving God of mercy and grace who has personally acted in fallen man’s behalf to breach the gap between His holiness and man’s sinfulness. He has acted redemptively to replace our hostility and alienation with His shalom! Whereas shalom was the normative Hebrew word for peace, eirene is the dominant Greek word for peace. It means: “Wholeness, an inner sense of well-being” and it is found in every book in the New Testament but First John – some 90 times in all. Spiritual peace is a key theme of the New Testament. And eirene builds upon the foundation of shalom in the Old Testament. Since Jesus is the theme of the Gospel Message and the focus of the New Testament witness, we would expect peace to be constantly related to His life and ministry. All authentic peace is directly linked to Jesus and has been made possible by the “God of Peace” who has acted in Jesus to bring all of the blessings and benefits of shalom and eirene to mankind. He brought us this peace because of His love, mercy and grace! Zechariah the priest, who was also the father of John the Baptist, prophesied that the coming Messiah would “…guide our feet into the path of peace” (Lk. 1:78). Is it any wonder then that the angels proclaimed to the shepherds outside of Bethlehem: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests” (Lk. 2:14). But Jesus did not bring ultimate spiritual peace through His birth – but rather through His death. His redemptive and reconciling death on the cross would open the way for an eternal peace that would come from a restored relationship with God. Peace was Christ’s parting gift to His disciples. “Peace I leave with you” Jesus told them, “My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (Jn. 14:27). Even before His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus said to them: “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace” (Jn. 16:33). The first thing He said to them after His resurrection was: “Peace be with you!” (Jn. 20:19, 21, 26). He would not return to His heavenly Father without first bestowing upon His disciples His very own shalom. After Christ’s resurrection and ascension, Peter preached about this peace to the Gentiles at the house of Cornelius: “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel,” Peter said, “telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all” (Acts. 10:36). The Apostle Paul echoed this same truth when he wrote this to the Ephesian Christians about Jesus: “For He Himself is our peace” (Eph. 2:14). True peace is not a platform, principle or position – it is a Person, the Lord Jesus. All peace is centered in Him.

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Using similar words Paul wrote to the Colossian Christians: “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things…making peace through His blood shed on the cross” (Col. 1:19-20; c.f. 2:1315). It is easy to see that spiritual peace is inseparably linked to Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. It was His shed blood that brought about the permanent eternal peace man could never achieve through religion or good works. Peace is a direct derivative of being justified to God through our faith in Jesus Christ. Or as Paul wrote: “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Rom. 4:25-5:1-2). Peace is a by-product of salvation. And salvation only comes because of God’s grace, or unmerited favor – which we accept by faith. It is for this reason that Paul often coupled “grace” and “peace” together in his salutations as he began his letters to various Christians and churches. His normative greeting is: “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:7; I Cor. 1:3;; I Tim. 1:2; II Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4; Phlm. 3; c.f. I Pet. 1:2; II Jn. 3; Rev. 1:4). Peace is a by-product of grace. Simply put: “No grace; no peace.” I want you to also notice that the New Testament speaks of both “peace with God” and the “peace of God.” The first is legal peace and the other is experiential peace. It is the first that opens the way for the second. One is the root and the other is the fruit. In other words, our “peace with God” comes as a direct result of our being justified before God on the sole basis of Christ death on the cross. That legal, judicial “peace with God” opens the way for us to enjoy the “peace of God” in our lives. But tragically, there are millions of Christians who have spiritual “peace with God” who are not experiencing and enjoying the “peace of God” that is their spiritual birthright. This lack of experiential peace may be from Biblical ignorance, spiritual immaturity or disobedience. Any form of spiritual immaturity and carnality can rob us of the “peace of God” that should characterize the lives of the followers of Christ. He did not give His life’s blood on the cross to gain for us “peace with God” just to see us live without the “peace of God.” The Apostle Paul pointed out that we can only enjoy the “peace of God” in every area of our lives when we “walk by the Spirit” rather than continue to live by the mind of the flesh: “Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom. 8:5-6). The writer of Hebrews reminded us that when we continue to think and walk in the flesh rather than in the Spirit, God has to chasten us as our Heavenly Father so we will experience His peace in every area of our lives.

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“God disciplines us for our good that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasing at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Heb. 12:1011). So, God wants us to “live in peace” in every area of our lives – spiritually, mentally, emotionally, martially, relationally, vocationally. That is our spiritual birthright as a result of Christ’s death and resurrection. Not to live in the “peace of God” in every area of our lives is to depreciate the blood of Christ! And not to be an agent of peace in every sphere of influence God gives us is to live below the standard set by our “Prince of Peace.” God’s peace through Jesus Christ is to penetrate and permeate every area of our lives. Then and only then are we enjoying our spiritual birthright by living out the “peace of God” which “…transcends all understanding” (Phil. 4:7). One Bible scholar summarized Biblical peace this way: “Peace is an attribute of God; is revealed through Christ; is mediated by the cross; is a chief fruit of the Spirit in the life of the believer” (Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Bill Mounce, pp. 503-504). Don’t let anything or anyone rob you of the “Peace of the Cross!” It would be profaning the blood of Christ to not live in the spiritual, mental, emotional, marital and vocational peace that His death, resurrection and Holy Spirit make available to you! As we saw earlier, the subjective sense of well-being flows directly from an objective relationship with God through Jesus Christ. And on the basis of the cross, we have a harmonious relationship with God that results in harmony with others. That’s why all authentic followers of the “Prince of Peace” are to be agents of peace like our Master (Matt. 5:9; II Tim. 2:22). As ambassadors of His Kingdom we are to go out and proclaim and live out the “Gospel of peace” (Eph. 6:15). Note these New Testament exhortations to that end: •

“As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone…” (Rom. 12:18).

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“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace” (Rom. 11:19).

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“God has called us to live in peace” (I Cor. 7:15).

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“Be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you” (II Cor. 13:11).

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“Live in peace with each other” (I Thess. 5:13).

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“Make every effort to live in peace with all men…” (Heb. 12”14).

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“Whoever would love life and see good days…must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it” (I Pet. 3:10-11).

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On the basis of these practical exhortations to “live in peace” in every situation, I want to close this chapter on the “Peace of the Cross” with some wonderful verses. Together they are a six-fold benediction upon your life of the peace that is yours through His blood. Read them… pray them…believe them…memorize them…meditate on them – until Christ’s peace permeates ever fiber of your being! •

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way” (II Thess. 3:16).

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).

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“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace” (Col. 3:15).

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“May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it” (I Thess. 5:24).

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“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way” (II Thess. 3:16).

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“May the God of peace who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13:20-21).

Shalom!

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THE POWER OF THE CROSS All of God’s power that He has made available to us through the Holy Spirit flows from the cross. God never imparts any power to His people apart from the full and finished work of Christ on the cross. Just as Jesus was and is the full incarnation of the Person of God, He was and is also the full manifestation of the power of God. If Christ would not have come to live, die, be buried, resurrected and ascended, there would be no pouring out of the Holy Spirit in Pentecostal power! Even before His crucifixion, Jesus pointed out this truth during the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. It was a week long festival that was consummated on the “…last and greatest day of the Feast.” Each day the priests would lead a joyful procession of the people from the Temple to the Gihon Spring – a place I have visited many times in Jerusalem. As the priests led the daily procession to the spring, the choir of Levites sang Isaiah 12:3: “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” This physical water they drew from the Gihon Spring had great symbolism and represented two important things. First, it was an historic reminder of God’s miraculous provision of water during the wilderness wanderings of the Jewish people when He brought forth water from the rock (Num. 20:8-11; Ps. 78:15-16). As they ceremonially poured out the water in the Temple, it was a visual reminder of how the water flowed forth in the desert to quench the people’s thirst after Moses smote the rock with his staff. Secondly, this event also was a prophetic reminder of the coming Messiah who would refresh thirsty Israel with spiritual water: “On that day,” Zechariah the prophet said, “living water will flow out from Jerusalem.” It was called “living water” because it came from a moving source rather than from a still pool. But, more importantly, it was called “living water” because there would be a physical and spiritual life-giving power in it because it was provided by God’s Messiah. This “living water” was specifically associated with the appearance of the long-awaited Messiah. And His advent would be the day of consummation as King of the whole earth. Zechariah prophesied: “The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only name” (Zech. 14:8-9). At the highest moment of this Feast, Jesus stood up and interrupted the religious ceremony. To make sure He was clearly heard and fully understood, the Bible says that Jesus cried out with a “loud voice” these words:

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“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” Either these were the words of the true Messiah – or they were the words of a deranged religious fanatic suffering from delusions of grandeur! If these were not the words of the very incarnate Son of God – they were the words of an egotistical religious zealot motivated by megalomania and a messianic complex! However, both the witness of the Scripture and the testimony of millions of Christians throughout history is that they were the words of God’s promised Messiah! That’s because they have put Jesus to the “drink test” and found that belief in Him indeed causes “…rivers of living water” to flow from within. Millions all over the world have found that river to be exceedingly dynamic and powerful! It is not still, static or stagnated. No! It is “living water” that has a sovereign transformational power to change any person from the “inside out.” And this divine river is outside of man’s control. It cuts its own channel and weaves its on course in our lives. Everywhere it flows and goes, it brings life and refreshment! It is “Messianic water” that flows from the very throne of God through the cross of Christ to the heart of men dying of spiritual thirst! Then, lest there be any mistake about the timing of this internal endument of power to the believers in Christ, John gave us this further word of explanation: “By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (Jn. 7:37-38). When Jesus cried out these words on the last great day of the Feast of Tabernacles, it was obviously before His death. He could not be glorified until He was first crucified. So it was not until Jesus had been crucified, dead, buried, resurrected, ascended and glorified at the right hand of the Father that His Holy Spirit could be poured out in power. While Christ’s incarnation began at His birth, His glorification started at the cross and was consummated at His resurrection and ascension (Jn. 12:23; 13:31). Prior to His incarnation, Jesus had eternally preexisted in glory as the Second Member of the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He came from glory and would return to glory – but only through the cross. That’s why He prayed to the Father in His High Priestly prayer the night before He was crucified: “Father, the time has come. Glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You…I have brought You glory on the earth by completing the work You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began…Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world” (Jn. 17:1-5, 24). So, once again, Jesus came from glory and returned to glory. This is a crucial truth to understand because of the many cults that say that Jesus’ life only began at His birth; that it was only at that time that God the Father created Him in the womb of Mary; and that He was

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not preexistent as the Second Member of the Triune Godhead. But if Jesus was not preexistent, He was not deity. And if He was not God incarnate, He could not be the Messiah. These two eternal states of glory were separated by His incarnation – often spoken of by theologians as the “divine humiliation,” of approximately 33 years. Christ’s preexistent glory was prior to His incarnation and His post-incarnate glory is His present state of glorification at the right hand of the Father. It was this post-incarnate glory that Jesus longed for His disciples to see. And Jesus did allow Peter, James and John to have a brief glimpse of His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-13). But all of the disciples, and hundreds of other believers, did see various manifestations of His glory after His resurrection when “…He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). After these post-resurrection experiences, Jesus ascended back into heaven – or back into glory (Mk. 16:19; Acts 1:9). In one of the early hymns of the church, Paul gave this summary of Christ’s incarnation: “He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” (I Tim. 3:16) Since Christ’s glorification was at the “right hand” of God the Father, it was a position of supreme power and glory because it was “…far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way” (Eph. 1:20-22). It was in anticipation of this that the Apostle Paul prayed for the saints in Ephesus – and us: “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparable great power for us who believe” (Eph. 1:1923). Because we serve a glorified Christ, we believers are part of “God’s glorious inheritance in the saints.” Through His death, resurrection, ascension and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, God has graced us with both His power and glory (Acts 1:8; Col. 1:27)! That is our spiritual birthright! Jesus also promised His disciples in His Mt. Olivet discourse about “Last Things”, that one day He would come again to this earth “…in clouds with great power and glory” (Mk. 13:26). The first time He came it was in humility as the “Suffering Servant.” The next time He comes it

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will be in great glory as “King of kings and Lord of lords” (I Tim. 6:15: Rev. 1:5; 17:14) – and He will rule the world with absolute justice and power (Rev. 19:15)! Also, when Christ comes again “…from the majesty of His power…He comes to be glorified in His holy people…” (II Thess. 1:9-10). All believers will be a part of His returning glorification on the earth. Just as He now has absolute glory in heaven, He will then have absolute glory on the earth. This is what He taught us to pray as His disciples: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). As we saw earlier in a Messianic passage, Christ will then be fully acknowledged as “King over the whole earth” and will reign from Jerusalem in power and glory (Zech. 4:14; 14:9). So, it was through the infamy of the crucifixion and the ignominy of the cross that God’s power and glory were manifest! Sovereign grace transmuted man’s very worse into God’s very best! What looked like man’s victory was really his defeat. What appeared to be God’s defeat was in reality His victory over sin, death and the grave! The cross became the greatest symbol of God’s grace and glory! That’s why Paul came to “…glory in the cross” of Jesus Christ (Gal. 6:14). That which he previously saw as Christ’s shame he now saw as his gain. Through the Holy Spirit, Paul came to see the infamy of the cross as his own source of infinite grace. Paul clearly understood from personal experience and from years of ministry, that the cross of Christ represented the very “wisdom of God” and the “power of God.” It was for that reason that “preaching the cross” was his greatest passion and highest priority. Note these “power passages” from his pen to the saints living in Corinth… •

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel – not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (I Cor. 1:17).

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“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (I Cor. 1:18).

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“Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: A stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (I Cor. 1:22-25).

It is easy to see from these verses that Paul clearly understood that the “power of God” was in the finished work of Christ on the cross. That’s why it was the essence of his preaching and practice. We see in these crucial verses several religious things that, while very important, are not the essence of the Christian witness. Let’s briefly look at them. First, the essence of the Gospel is not rituals like “water baptism.” Unlike a lot of Christian leaders then and now, Paul did not emphasize water baptism as the essence of the Gospel. He did not get involved controversies over the mode of baptism: sprinkling, pouring or immersion. While baptism is definitely an important part of the Christian life and a central part

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of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20), Paul knew that it was not the source of power for the believer. Through baptism a new believer identifies with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ – as well as identifies with a local group of believers. But the “power of God” flowed from the cross! Secondly, the essence of the Gospel message is not human reason manifest through “knowledge or wisdom.” Paul was careful not to make reason, wisdom, apologetics or argumentation the essence of his preaching and teaching. While he was certainly one of the most educated men of his day, he knew that human reason and wisdom could never bring about man’s salvation. God’s way of salvation through the cross “makes no sense” to the natural mind. It is a bunch of spiritual “foolishness” to the unregenerate mind of man! So the “scholars” and “thinkers” of his day (and ours) scoffed at the message of the cross. But Paul proclaimed it as the “wisdom of God.” Thirdly, the essence of the Gospel message is not some special revelation that is manifest through “miracles, signs and wonders.” While the supernatural certainly had a validating role to play in Christ’s life and ministry (Heb. 2:4), as well as in the life of the church (Mk. 16:20), Christians were never to build their faith upon them. It was the Jews who constantly asked Jesus to “prove Himself” by performing signs and wonders (Jn. 4:48). The Jew wanted to “work his way to heaven” and the Greek wanted to “think his way to heaven.” But Paul said you only go to heaven “through the cross!” It alone was both the “wisdom of God” and the “power of God.” Note Paul’s clear reasoning here about the message of the cross. He used sarcastic rhetorical questions to contrast man’s perspective to God’s revelation: “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe” (I Cor. 1:20-21 In this passage Paul declared that the “wise man…scholar…philosopher” could not gain a personal knowledge of God through his education, reason or “human wisdom.” Using a play on words, Paul proclaimed that if God could have any “foolishness” in His nature – it would be far “wiser” than the height of man’s reasoning! Talk about putting human reasoning in its place! Here Paul humbled the natural haughtiness of unregenerate man! He said that when it came to God’s revealed wisdom through Jesus Christ, the very quintessence of man’s wisdom was nothing more than “foolishness” to God! But Paul did not stop there. After humbling the “wise men…scholars…philosophers,” Paul addressed the grievances of the “Jews” and “Greeks.” “Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and

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the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength” (I Cor. 1:22-25). Paul preached “Christ crucified” even though it was a “stumbling block to Jews” who wanted “signs and wonders” instead. And he continued to preach “Christ crucified” even though it was “foolishness to the Gentiles.” Just as he reasoned that if God could be “foolish” – it would be far “wiser” than the essence of man’s wisdom; he likewise said if God could have any “weakness” it would be far “stronger than man’s strength.” Once again, man – whether Jew or Greek – is humbled before the cross! While ritual, reason and revelation each have a secondary and supportive role to play in the Christian life, the essence of our faith is centered in the cross of Christ. That is where all of the resources of God were manifest and made available to the believer. It was because of the centrality of the cross that Paul boldly proclaimed: “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jews, then for the Gentiles” (Rom. 1:16). All of this “enlightened reasoning” by the Apostle Paul went back to the prophetic Messianic passage of Isaiah 53. Through revelation the prophet saw the essence of the cross hundreds of years before it ever happened. It is almost an injustice to the text to quote portions of this passage without the entire context. And while I could suggest that you close this book and open your Bible to Isaiah 53 at this point, I will make it easier for you and give the entire chapter. Even though it is probably very familiar to you, I hope you will read it slowly…thoughtfully…prayerfully so that God can speak freshly to you through it: “Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him; and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquities of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away. And who can speak of His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people He was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the

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wicked, and with the rich in His death, though He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the Lord makes His life a guilt offering, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand. After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life, and be satisfied; by His knowledge My righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isa. 53:1-12). These are truly some of the most astounding words ever written by man! And they certainly could have not contained such precise prophecy about the life, death and resurrection of Christ unless they were divinely inspired by God’s Holy Spirit. Either these verses were very detailed prophecies about the “Passion of the Christ” – or they represent the greatest literary coincidence in recorded history! And it takes far more faith to believe the latter than to believe the former! This precise prophecy portrayed God’s Messiah in incredible detail well over 700 years before He was even born! Every detail was perfectly fulfilled by Christ who was both the “wisdom of God” and the “power of God.” Echoing these verses from Isaiah, the Apostle Peter summarized the blessings and benefits of Christ’s crucifixion – and our response to it: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (I Pet. 2:24-25). Peter writes the same thing about the universal sinfulness of humanity that the prophet Isaiah said. Both record that all of us are “…like sheep going astray.” But because of God’s sovereign love, mercy and grace, we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. We have “…returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.” Because He “…bore our sins in His body on the tree” and “…by His wounds we have been healed,” we are to live transformed lives. We are now to “die to sin” and “live for righteousness.” That and that alone is the “Power of the Cross!” One final note of clarification needs to be made here about part of this verse written by Peter. It is the phrase: “…by His wounds you have been healed.” There are many wellintentioned Christians who teach from this verse that there is absolute “Healing in the Atonement” – meaning physical healing. But the clear context here is spiritual healing – or salvation, not physical healing. Peter began by saying that Christ “…bore our sins in His body on the tree” – not our sickness and suffering. The Apostle John echoed this same truth

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when he wrote about Christ “…who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood” (Rev. 1:5; c.f. Rom. 3:25). Also, the verb Peter used here for “healed” is clearly in the past tense. That means that it signifies an accomplished fact at a specific past historic point in time – or when Christ died on the cross. It was by His “wounds” that we have been healed – spiritually. However, this is not meant to say that there is no physical healing provided through Christ’s death on the cross. There is definitely physical healing provided through Christ’s atoning death – but it is sovereignly bestowed in this life. The Bible is clear that: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13). That is an absolute and unconditional promise for salvation, or spiritual healing. However, there is no such verse in the entire New Testament that promises absolute and unconditional physical healing. I certainly wish there was – but there is not! But this verse by Peter is often twisted to that end – offering people false hope for unconditional physical healing. Regardless of the amount of faith a person has, there is no guarantee of physical healing on the basis of Christ’s death on the cross. We can “claim it” or positively “confess it” all we want – but neither our faith nor our words can manipulate God to perform healing on our command or confession. Neither history nor experience supports that interpretation of this wonderful passage. It is an inescapable fact for all of us that “…the outer man is wasting away” (II Cor. 4:16). To state it bluntly, we all begin dying physically from the moment we are born! That’s why all of us “…who have the firstfruit of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Rom. 8:23). The Bible is clear that we will all “groan inwardly” from time to time with the suffering of physical sickness – and ultimately death. It matters not whether we are believers or unbelievers…redeemed or unregenerate…saved or lost – we will all face sickness and suffering “unto death” in this life. Jesus’ atoning death did not save us from that. However, His glorious physical resurrection as the “firstfruits” from death and the grave assure us of a glorious resurrection body like His own one day (I Cor. 15:22-27). Until then, we have the absolute assurance of our spiritual adoption through salvation on the basis of Christ’s death on the cross. Our full and final “adoption as sons” will not take place until our physical resurrection at which time the “redemption of our bodies” will take place. Then there will be absolute physical healing to go along with our absolute spiritual healing that took place at the moment of our salvation. So, spiritual healing takes place at the moment of our justification or salvation, while our complete physical healing does not take place until our glorification. And both are provided in Christ’s atonement on the cross. One is absolute and universal now while the other is at our physical resurrection. Between those times God has the authority to sovereignly grant temporary physical healing on the basis of Christ’s death on the cross in accordance with His perfect will. I use the word “temporary” purposefully because even when God does grant physical healing to a person – they always finally die of some sickness, disease or accident. No one dies from nothing!

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The “power of the cross” is absolute and universal when it comes to the spiritual healing or the regeneration of our spirit. But our total and eternal physical healing comes only at the “resurrection of the just” (Matt. 25:46; Jn. 5:28-29). Until that time we should, like Paul, “preach Christ crucified…the power of God and the wisdom of God” (I Cor. 1:23-24)!

THE PURCHASE OF THE CROSS Perhaps the greatest and most succinct summary of the Gospel is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” In these beloved words from the lips of the Lord Jesus, the “whoever believes” opens the door of salvation to everyone – regardless of age, race, color, gender or station in life. It matters not whether one is Jew or Gentile…young or old…male or female…rich or poor…education or uneducated – salvation is open to anyone and everyone who “…believes in Him.” So it is only a person’s belief in Jesus that results in their eternal salvation. That’s the great difference between the “Good News” of the Bible and the “Good Views” of other world religions! The moment God’s sovereign love and grace redeems and regenerates a person, they become a member of God’s “forever family.” They are a part of the church…the elect…the ecclesia… the people who have been sovereignly “called out” of the world by God. They are members of the “Fellowship of the Redeemed.” To quote the Apostle Peter, those who put their faith in Christ have become “…a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God” (I Pet. 2:9). Prior to their belief in Christ, Peter reminded them that “…once you were not a people…you had not received mercy.” But as a result of God’s love, mercy and grace, everything changed. They had been “…called out of darkness into His wonderful light.” And now that they were “…the people of God” they were to “…declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness.” They were to now live as “…aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires.” They were to “…live such good lives among the pagans that…they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us” (I Pet. 2:10-12). So through the cross, God sovereignly purchased a people for Himself. While every member of the human race is created by God, only the redeemed have been recreated by God. Only those who have been “saved by the blood of Christ” can rightly be called “…the people of God.” Peter refers to all of the rest as “pagans”…“heathen”…“Gentiles,” depending on the translation you are reading. And while those words may not seem very complimentary in the English language, the Greek word is more helpful. The word Peter used here in the original is ethnos and can variously mean all “non-Jews” or “non-Christians,” depending on the context. But a member of any ethnic group is considered a spiritual “pagan, heathen, Gentile” if they have not accepted Christ. Whether they are in the 1st century or the 21st century, they cannot be considered “…the people of God” apart from salvation through Christ.

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However, the purpose of the cross was to purchase “…a people belonging to God.” And Peter reminded us of the unbelievable price God paid to purchase us. “For you know,” he writes, “that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (I Pet. 1:18-19). It is incomprehensible to the human mind that God would pay this purchase price for us! It is totally inconceivable that God would pay nothing less than the “…precious blood of Christ” to redeem us “…from the empty way of life handed down to us from our forefathers.” If we have an ounce of honesty in our hearts, we know we are unworthy of that purchase price! Because of our sin and rebellion, we are not worthy of the blood of animals or angels – much less the “…precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect!” Also, unlike the Old Covenant, this “precious purchase price” was to include far more than those who were Jews by race and religion. It included anyone and “…everyone who has called on the name of the Lord” for salvation (Rom. 10:13). But as Paul wrote earlier about this salvation, it was “…first for the Jews, then for the Gentiles” (Rom. 1:16). That simply means that the Jews were the first in time to receive the message of Christ. The rest of us were second. In the prologue to his Gospel, John reminded us that Jesus “…came to that which was His own (the Jews), but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” And less there be any confusion about natural “birthright salvation,” John reminds us that becoming the “children of God” was not the result of “…natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will,” but only those who have been “born of God” (Jn. 1:11-12). Salvation is God’s sovereign work of grace from start to finish! It is grace plus nothing. Authentic Biblical salvation is 100% grace – nothing more, nothing less. Truly it is God’s “Amazing Grace” that has saved us! As we saw in our last chapter from the Apostle John, Jesus “…loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood.” But He has done this for a very specific purpose. It was so that He could make of us “…a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father…” (Rev. 1:5-6). This verse reminds us of an important principle: “Purchase presupposes purpose.” In other words, no one purchases anything – especially something costly and valuable – unless he or she has a purpose in mind for it. The same is true about God. He did not purchase us from a life of sin, selfishness and self-seeking just so we could continue to “do our own thing.” No, He purchased us so that from that moment on we would “do God’s thing.” We would leave our own petty little kingdom and enter His glorious eternal Kingdom. And as members of His Kingdom, we are to live as a “…priest to serve His God and Father.” We are “saved to serve.” And we no longer “serve ourselves” but rather serve our “God and Father” – through serving others.

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God is sovereignly calling people unto Himself as “priests to serve” Him in every sphere of life. Or to quote John again from His Revelation: “…with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9). For over 2,000 years, the Lord Jesus has been calling people out for Himself from every corner of the world. He has “purchased men for God” from every race of people on earth – literally from “…every tribe…language…people…nation.” And it has been my privilege for over 50 years to be a part of that divine “calling out.” I have had the joy of seeing Africans, Indians, Nepalis, Chinese, Bhutanese, Tibetans, Sri Lankans, Haitians, Bahamians, Burmese, Arabs, Americans, Europeans, Central and South Americans – becoming a part of God’s “chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation.” I have seen God sovereignly redeem them from the “…empty way of life handed down to them from their forefathers” – whether that was paganism, animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Islam. I have watched God liberate people from the ideologies of Communism, Marxism, Maoism, scientism, atheism, agnosticism, secularism, materialism and nihilism. And I have watched Christ give them a totally “new direction” in life as He brought them out of man’s kingdom and placed them in the Kingdom of God where they serve Him as priests and priestesses. Or to quote John from his Revelation on Patmos: “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:9-10; c.f. 7:9). The sovereignly foreordained purpose of God, then, was for our salvation, sanctification and glorification. The Lord Jesus “purchased men” (salvation) for the purpose that we would be a “kingdom and priests to serve God” (sanctification) and one day “reign on the earth” (glorification). He called us out from the world so that we would be members of His “…chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation.” Talk about a high calling?! Talk about a new selfworth?! Talk about self-esteem?! Talk about a new vocation worth living for and dying for – this is it! Regardless of what we do or where we do it as priests and priestesses, we are to “…live to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:12). “Whatever we do,” Paul exhorts, “we are to do all to the glory of God” (I Cor. 10:31). In other words, “if you can’t do it for God’s glory – don’t do it at all! It’s not worth the time, energy and effort if it is not for Christ. And if it is not for His Kingdom, then it has no eternal value. As the little rhyme reminds us: “Only one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” Therefore, it is only when we do all for “the praise of God’s glory” that our work has a spiritual purpose…a divine edge…an eternal perspective. And only then will it be challenging and fulfilling for us and a blessing to others. Regardless of your vocation or calling in life, Paul gives these words of instruction:

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“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Col. 3:23-24). When we Christians learn to apply this principle in our work, we will transform the marketplace for God’s glory and honor! Our business will be His business. Our purpose will be to accomplish His will. If we are an entrepreneur, the marketplace will be our ministry. Our passion will be His passion…our purpose will be his purpose…our will becomes His will…His Kingdom will replace our kingdom. In doing so we will not only find a new purpose and fulfillment in our work, we will also one day “…receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” (*) My closing challenge in this chapter and book is to exhort you to let this principle transform your work life. Go to work in the morning, regardless of the nature of the work, as a priest or priestess. If you will begin to think of yourself that way, it will transform everything you do! Begin to see yourself as a priest in the home – not just in the church. Be a husband-priest or a wife-priestess. Begin to relate to your children as a father-priest or mother-priestess. No pastor, preacher or Christian leader can take your place as the “priest and priestess of your home.” No one can impart and implant the spiritual values that you can by precept and example. Tomorrow, go to work as a teacher priest or priestess…a doctor priest…a nurse priestess…a carpenter priest…a brick mason priest…a computer technician priest or priestess…a banker priest…a lawyer priest…a politician priest or priestess….(you fill in the blank here). Become God’s “…chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation” in every sphere of life – and living will become exciting! This mind set will give you a whole “new direction” in living! To live any other way as a Christian other than “…for the praise of His glory” is to depreciate the cross and devaluate the blood that Christ shed for you. But if you will live, love and serve for His honor and glory, then one day you will hear Him say: “Well done, good and faithful servant…Come and share your Master’s happiness!” (Matt. 25:21). (*) For a further study of this, see my book The Divine Rewarder.

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