Saturday, March 31, 2012

Crucifixion and Mockery

"The Hunger Games" came out in theaters last week. My husband has seen the trailer and is put off by the violence. He who enjoys action shows and whose television viewing often subjects me, in the next room, to sounds of seemingly endless terror and screaming, is recommending that we skip this movie because of the violence. I, on the other hand, have read the book and am seriously considering watching the movie, even though I generally avoid shows with violence. The book series is part of a larger discussion and the movie is now part of the discussion.

To watch or skip "The Hunger Games" is a choice. To encounter or avoid the gruesome details of crucifixion may not be a choice this coming week. Holy Week often subjects me to far more detail of death by crucifixion than is necessary for me to appreciate Jesus' sacrifice in going to the cross. I am so put off by the horror of it no room is left to contemplate the significance of it. It's too gruesome and unbearable to get my mind around.

What is often left out of those graphic descriptions of Jesus' death is the mockery that is described with more detail than the crucifixion in the gospels. In a way, that is a blessing. I can identify better with the strong emotions stirred up by mocking and better admire Jesus' strength in having the resources to silence his tormentors and not using those resources.

I have never been physically tortured but I have certainly experienced scorn and disdain. I am familiar with the inner response that would give almost anything to turn the tables on those laughing, particularly when they are completely ignorant of the facts behind what they see. How grateful I am that those who insist on filling in the blanks concerning the crucifixion, assuming horror will endear the crucified Jesus to me, generally look right past the mockery and allow me to take that mental journey on my own.

I'm sure many people discount the mockery as insignificant compared to the horror of being nailed to a cross and left to suffer agony until death provides a final escape from pain. But it's Jesus' ability to let his mockers have the last word that day which makes me say, "Hallelujah! What a Savior!"

Sunday, March 25, 2012

What will you do about Jesus?

This morning we talked about Jesus being on trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin and the Pilate and then the crowd. He was condemned to death in each setting for different reasons.

The Jewish leaders saw Jesus as a threat to their grip on the Jewish people. He was stepping outside the boundaries they so carefully maintained.

Pilate realized public sentiment was against Jesus and the best way to keep the peace was to give the Jewish leaders and the crowd influenced by those leaders what they wanted.

We struggled a little with the mob mentality of the crowd. Why were they so set on seeing Jesus crucified? Were they primarily concerned with freeing Barabbas? Were they swayed by the Jewish leaders who had condemned Jesus to death? Did they see public executions as a diversion and Jesus as an expendable life?

As we moved on to the “so what?” question, I pointed out that we all face the question of what to do with Jesus (or whatever truth about God we are given). Will we reject him from our lives? Will we follow those who feed us a watered-down version of Jesus’ teachings that doesn’t challenge the status quo in order to keep the peace? Will we overlook the hard teachings of Jesus rather than submit to his authority? Will we join those around us when they shout “Crucify him!” rather than drawing the attention of the angry mob to ourselves by choosing actions that don’t fit in?

These are questions we face every day. What will you choose today?

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Sorrow in the Garden of Gethsemane

This past Sunday's lesson was about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. One thing that struck me from the scripture this time around was the word "sorrow". The gospel of Mark records Jesus as saying, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (Mark 14:34 NIV)

Sorrow. Is that what most people feel when facing death?

It seems like most people read that word and change its sense to something else, something more like most of us would feel in the face of inevitable torture and death. Fear, maybe. Apprehension. An overwhelming compulsion to either fight or flee from what was to come. A natural aversion to death. But sorrow isn't apprehension. It's a different feeling altogether.

Other people see "sorrow" and pull in an eternity of sin to explain it. As one songwriter put it: "He had no tears for His own griefs, but sweat-drops of blood for mine," and "He took my sins and sorrows; He made them His very own."* In that view, Jesus was overwhelmed by the sorrow of all the wrongs done by all the people who ever had or would live.

Those people may be right, but it requires a more mystical view of Jesus than fits well with my personal theology.

My trusty World Book dictionary defines sorrow as: grief, sadness, or regret. It raises an interesting question. What would cause such depth of grief, sadness, or regret in the depth of Jesus' soul? I wish I could get inside his head and figure out what was going on.

Some possibilities:
  • Thirty-three years and it's over? Such a short time to experience life in this world. How sad to reach the exit door so quickly and so much sooner than would have been necessary apart from the dark hearts of the religious leaders. So many years left by any physical measure and yet the thread of life is coming to an end.
  • There are so many things left undone! So many more people who need a loving touch and healing. So many more stories to tell. So many more days of ministry. Three years is barely a start! How grievous to see it come to an end so quickly.
  • The disciples still don't get it. What will happen to them when they're cut loose so soon before they're ready? If only there were one more trip to Ceasarea to do some more discipling. As it is, they're going to run for their lives the minute the going gets tough. They are simply not ready to be left on their own.
  • How sad that a few people with evil intent will put an end to it all. What a tragedy sin is in this world. (That's the closest I can come to Jesus being overwhelmed by sorrow for "my sins".)
Sorrow. Grief. Regret. Oh, for one more year, one more month even. One more day to walk next to the Sea of Gallilee and teach the souls so hungry to hear the good news. Oh, to break through the blindness and deafness that has led to this place. How sad that it has come to this so quickly.

Yes, Sunday was coming. There would be resurrection and eternal glory. But life as a man in this world was coming to a tragic close with tasks undone.

Could this be the explanation for Jesus' sorrow? It's interesting to think about anyway.

What do you think?

*"My Savior's Love" by Charles H. Gabriel, 1905