Vol. 1 Issue 37
Vol. 1 Issue 37
Jerusalem – Many people are still debating the significance of what happened a few days ago when the rabbi known as Jesus of Nazareth went to his death on a Roman cross. Some say it was a shameful end and others say it just doesn’t make sense. Still others are so horrified by the thought of death on a cross that they refuse to consider it at all. But Jesus thought about it. In his last 18 hours he thought about it a lot.
As Jesus ate his last meal with his disciples he thought about his death.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. (Mark 14:22-24NIV)
There are those who say the pain and anguish of crucifixion is too horrible to even contemplate. Indeed, something weighed heavily on the rabbi that night, but was it anticipation of death by crucifixion or something else that caused his anguish?
Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luke 22:39-44 NIV)
It must not have been the Father’s will to spare His son this cup, for Jesus did go to the cross. Yet it was not the scourging and crucifixion that seem to have been the source of his greatest pain. In fact he rejected the drugged wine that would have eased that pain. No, there was something much worse. It was like he had the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. All of his disciples had deserted him and he had to drink this cup alone. It was as if he was cursed. Didn’t Moses tell us that "anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse. (Deut 21:23 NIV)" Even the sun refused to shine upon him. Then, there in the dark, it wasn’t the pain of the cross, but something much worse that caused Jesus to cry out, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matt 27:46 NIV)"
A shameful end? A death that doesn’t make sense? Or maybe there’s another explanation for the cross. One which explains the pain and the anguish beyond that of the cross. An explanation for his cry in the dark. One of his disciples has explained it this way. Hanging there in the dark, forsaken even by his God, Jesus "redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. (Gal 3:13 NIV)" Alone in the dark, Jesus became sin.
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at gerrys@christianlight.com
Copyright © 1996 by Gerry Sturgeon
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.