Suffering and Glory
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, You came and served, rather than be served. I need special grace to take towel and basin, to wash the feet of those in need.
Read JOHN 19:16b–27
16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. 20 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. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”
So this is what the soldiers did.
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“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” (1 Cor. 1:18).
Think Further
I can hardly bear to read these words. I know that there will be resurrection on Sunday, but the cruelty, the ugliness of these people’s behavior is almost too much to stomach. Many churches want to pass over these days quickly so that they can get the pain of the crucifixion behind them and get on with joyful celebration. These chapters are here, however, and in fact all of the gospels devote considerable space to the description of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion.
However, as I have struggled to live in these events, a new thought has struck me. The irony is thicker than ever. On the face of it we read about a barbarous public execution: physical agony, intensified by cruel mockery; but perhaps I have missed the great irony in these words. I remember that the word “glory” hardly ever appears in the New Testament apart from suffering.
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him,” Jesus had said to Nicodemus (John 3:14,15), in reference to the snake that Moses made in the wilderness for the people to look at and be cured of their poisonous snake bites. Don’t miss the double entendre here. The words “lifted up” indeed refer to the crucifixion, but they can also mean “exalted.” Isaiah had written, “See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted” (Isa. 52:13). Believers read today’s passage and see in the crucified Jesus not only “The King of the Jews” (21) but also the one whose suffering was his glory. Let’s stand with John and the three Marys and worship the One who said, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice” (Luke 8:21).
Apply
“Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand” (Elizabeth Clephane, 1830–1869). Stand there and worship him.
Closing prayer
Lord God, all thanks be to You. In the death of Your Son, Your great love was shown for me. I am a sinner and You died for me.
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