The events recorded in this chapter are so gruesome, you wonder why anyone would want to read it.
Every once in a while the newscaster will offer this warning “What you are about to see is very violent and disturbing, you may not want to see what we are about to show you”. They do this to give you a chance to mute the sound, turn the channel or turn your head away. Somewhere inside us we know that even the sight of brutality hurts our psyche.
This chapter should come with a warning label.
But what would it say? “Don’t look?” We don’t want to say that, because if we don’t gaze upon Christ on the cross we can’t be saved from our sins. In the sense that Jesus went through all this for our sake, his suffering is a beautiful thing. We must look, and we should be horrified…..because this is what sin did. If we learn one thing from the crucifixion it’s that sin has absolutely no benefits. Everything about it is wrong, and painful, and disturbing. Pilate was corrupt and afraid of doing what was right. There was no moral strength in him…he was nothing more than a weasel who found his way into a position of power. In his moment of testing, he collapsed and is found to be nothing more than a puppet for whoever keeps him in power. A prostitute whose wages are paid in positions of authority.
When satan tempted Christ (after His time in the desert) he tried the same thing. satan took Christ to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and said “all this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me”.
Jesus recognized and resisted that feeble attempt, but Pilate fell prey to it. Beware those who promise power if you will deny Christ and His teachings and do what they want.
It’s hard for us to imagine the pain that Christ went through”. I believe it was excruciating (a word that was created to describe pain ‘from the cross’) both physically, emotionally and spiritually. Not only was Jesus suffering because of the brutal and inhumane treatment at the hands of Pilate, the soldiers and priests, He was abandoned by his disciples, jeered by the crowds and even His Father turned His face away. We have never experienced anything like that. And it’s all because of sin. Our sin. We did this.
Know this, how can we live in sin any longer? What possible attraction could it have, once we clearly see what it does?
Consider how sin has eroded the priests. In this chapter they are found crying out “we have no king but Caesar” And these are the men whose sole job is to point the people to God! We have NO KING but Caesar? Seriously? Did they just say that? Daniel is in heaven falling to his knees as if someone kicked him in the stomach, Jonathan is beside him picking up his spear, David is drawing his sword and every martyr that ever was is saying “how long O Lord…?” Heaven is grieved because of sin. Sin causes people who should be noble and honorable and caring to become sneaky, underhanded and brutal.
At all costs we must rid ourselves of this soul contaminate that putrefies whatever it touches. Praise the Lord that He has made a way through His sacrificial death for this to happen. The power sin has over us is broken, and we can be done with it forever.
This is why I gaze at the cross. Beyond the horror of the moment and the stench of sin in the actions of the people, I see hope rising. Once this brutal moment is over, then sin is over. It’s hard to watch, but what comes after makes it all worth while. What comes next makes it possible to live sin free.
Sure, it’s Friday…..but Sunday’s coming!
Looking forward,
PR