Good Friday--Jesus' Death--What Does It Mean?

Lent Day 39—The Great Three Days: Good Friday April 2

Theme for the Week: The Passion of Christ according to Saint Luke

Passage for the Day: Luke 23:44-48

⁴⁴ It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, ⁴⁵ while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶ Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. ⁴⁷ When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” ⁴⁸ And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. ⁴⁹ But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Reflection:

On this the second of The Three Great Days, we will watch as Jesus is crucified. We will hear this say: “Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.” What does Jesus mean by commending his spirit to his father? Luke’s is the only Gospel where Jesus says these words.

In the Gospel of Mark (15:37), it is recorded that “Jesus gave a cry and breathed his last.” Matthew also records (27:50) “Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last.” John records (19:30) “he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus actively turns his spirit (his life, his breath) over to his Father. Jesus acknowledges that he has done everything he was sent to do and now leaves the spirit of his life in the hands of his Father, who sent him. It is now up to God to do the rest of what has to be done. It will take a couple of days and a resurrection for Jesus’ followers to really understand what God is up to.

The centurion, a Roman official supervising the crucifixion, is able to praise God after witnessing Jesus’ death. A conversion occurs because of the way in which Jesus died. The centurion also acknowledges Jesus’ innocence. The curtain of the temple is torn in two, meaning that the Holy of Holies is open to everyone. No longer is God separated from the people, but they are in God’s midst. The people who watched the death go home, knowing that they have witnessed a very wrong death and realizing that something very powerful has happened.

The women, who have followed Jesus since the beginning and supported his ministry with resources and effort, stood watching the crucifixion and the death. They witness the way in which Jesus died. What is going through their minds? What are they feeling? Their entire world has been pulled out from under them. Their rabbi, their teacher, has died a terrible death and they are left watching and wondering what it means.

Even 2000 years later, we still stand at the cross, watching in despair and wondering what Jesus’ death means. Today we will gather for worship and follow Jesus to the cross, watching as his death finally happens. In this worship service, allow yourself to stand in the shoes of one of the spectators: the women, the centurion, or one of the crowd. Ponder what went through their minds and what they were feeling during their experience of Jesus’ death.

Prayer Themes:

Pray that Jesus death may move me to deeper faith and greater discipleship. Pray that, like the centurion, the experience of the Three Days may help me to praise God.

Holy Week--Betrayal

Lent Day 37: Wednesday in Holy Week, March 31

Theme for the Week: The Passion of Christ according to Saint Luke

Passage for the Day: Luke 22:1-6

¹Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. ² The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. ³ Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; ⁴ he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. ⁵ They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. ⁶ So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.

Reflection:

The Gospel of Luke sets up the time of Jesus’ death as being at the time of the Passover, one of the high, holy holidays of the Jewish calendar. The chief priests and scribes are described as looking for a way to put Jesus to death because they are afraid of the people. This is not the first time that Luke mentions this. Three chapters earlier, after describing Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, his cleansing of the temple and his teaching of the people, Luke writes: “The chief priests, the scribes and the leaders of the people were looking for a way to kill him, but they did not find anything they could do because the people were spellbound by what they heard.” Now again, a few days later the leaders, again, want to kill him, but they are still afraid of the people.

We are not really certain why the chief priests are afraid of the people, but we can speculate. Great crowds of people would gather in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover, as faithful Jews came to make the required sacrifices in the temple. Perhaps the priests and leaders are afraid that Jesus will get these crowds of people all riled up and that the leaders will be the targets of their rage, or that the Roman ruling authorities will hold the leaders responsible for the out-of-control mob.

They find their way around the problem of how to get rid Jesus, when Judas steps into the picture. Satan, who, we heard in Luke Chapter 4, had departed from Jesus after the 40 days in the wilderness to await an opportune time, indeed finds this so-called opportune time with Judas. Satan enters into Judas, who then agrees to conspire with the chief priests as to how to betray Jesus.

What does Satan do when he enters into Jesus? What hold does Satan have on Judas? Is Judas tempted by the money offered by the priests or the power he holds over Jesus’ fate? Luke has set the scene for Jesus’ death: in Jerusalem, at the time of the Passover, and betrayed by one of his own disciples, Judas Iscariot. Imagine Jesus’ pain in knowing that one of his own is the trigger for his murder. The wheels are in motion, the inevitable must occur, Jesus must die.

Prayer Themes:

In this Holy Week, thank God for Jesus’ great sacrifice. Pray that I might be able to witness to Jesus death and resurrection. Pray that Satan might not enter into me, tempting me with offers of power and wealth. Pray for those in positions of authority that they might not abuse their power.