John 18-19

For Monday's reading we look at the arrest, trial and crucifixion of the Christ. As we would expect, John's version of the passion names many of the people involved. While the Upper Room was a place they did normally meet, the Garden of Olives was a place to which they often retreated, so much so, that Judas had no trouble finding them. The garrison of thugs are prepared for struggle if necessary, but Jesus offers himself so that no one is hurt. Only John records the "I am he" incident with them all falling to the ground under the power of the Christ. Jesus asks them who they are looking for. They tell him and he says again "I am he." My imagination has them hitting the deck again, but that's not what the scriptures say.

Simon Peter tries to "save the day" taking the sword after Malchus'right ear. Only Luke records that Jesus restored his ear. That would explain why nobody else got hurt or killed. Good old impulsive Peter. Jesus is taken away to Annas, the father of Caiaphas (the high priest for thats year). Annas had been high priest twice himself.

John weaves the denials in with the trial of Jesus by the religious leadership. Who might this disciple be? Could it be John himself? We will see a similar hinting like this in the Easter story. Annas is the inquisitor here. It seems that he is honored as former high priest even though he is not officially in that position at the time. The second and third denials happen at the same fire. One of the accusers is even a relative of Malchus (everybody's somebody's cousin, eh?)!

The trial before Pilate is dramatically portrayed as a back and forth dialogue. Pilate invites the religious leaders to punish them by their own law. But Pilate and the leaders know that they can convict someone for a capital crime under Jewish law (eg. blasphemy) but they cannot carry out the execution. Then it's mano a mano with Pilate and Jesus. Jesus is king, but not an earthly king. Jesus is the truth, but it is truth of a different kind. Pilate has done so much toying with people's lives and has heard so many cases, he is completely jaded. Josephus writes of the heartless and insecure mainpulator that Pilate was. He was eventually removed from his post for abuse of power. Pilate tries one more evasion - place a known thief and insurrectionist over against the deluded "king" of the Jews. Slam dunk - they will release Jesus. But Pilate has underestimated this hand picked crowd. Jesus is charged with the very crime that Barabbas was known to be guilty of. Here is another essay on human nature and group sin. Once a group goal is chosen, the end may well justify the means. Recent testimony from Guantanamo tells what happens when you dehumanize a person. The Roman soldiers will carry out the same behavior in short order in the flogging with the cat-o-nine-tails

Jesus is brought out before the crowd a pathetic, broken mess with a royal purple robe. The crowd continues to cry out "crucify him." Pilate is frustrated and even taunts the crowd, but eventually gives in and hands him over to be crucified. Only Matthew records that Pilate washed his hands of the blood of Jesus. In the movies and in artwork, you will often see the letters INRI. It stands for iesus (Jesus) Nazareth rex (king) iudeas (Jews). This is what Jesus was crucified for, for claiming to be king. Yet, no Jew is rightly able to admit that anyone is their king. Pilate enjoyed the irony. The soldiers gamble for Jesus' undergarment and fulfill Psalm 22:18. It would be worthwhile for you to read Psalm 22 along side any teaching of the crucifixion, as well as Isaiah 52-53.

In Good Friday worship many churches remember the "seven last words" of Christ from the cross. Words are taken from each of the gospels. John includes the second word, which is between Jesus, his mother Mary and John as Jesus puts his mother in the care of this the youngest of the disciples. Both of them have ancient homes in the city of Ephesus. It is interesting that John does not include the cry of direliction (the fourth word - "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me."). He does include the fifth word, "I thirst," and the sixth "It is finished."

The process of crucifixion often took several days. The loss of blood was actually quite slow and most victims died of suffocation (severe pain, terror of not being able to breathe and maniacal thirst), when their legs would no longer push up their bodies to get a breath. No wonder crucifixions would later be banned as gratuitously cruel. In order not to have Jesus on the cross for the Sabbath, they ask to have the legs of the crucified broken. But when they get to Jesus he was already dead. A Roman soldier pierces his side and out comes blood and water. There are a couple of interpretations here. The mixture of blood and water is common in suffocation. But it also happens when under severe punishment and stress, the heart literally bursts. Some scholars write that Jesus literally could have died from "a broken heart."

Joseph of Arimathea is identified as a secret disciple of Jesus. Notice who accompanies him, another secret disciple. Nicodemus was a seeker in John 3, a defender in John 7 and the provider of his burial shroud in John 19. The reading for today is brief, yet personal and powerful. What did you learn about Jesus that you hadn't realized before? How does the cross and what happened to Jesus give an accurate picture of human nature and its sinful ways? What does it mean to say that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world?

Even though it is Monday, you have been through Good Friday. But as Tony Campolo, the sociologist and preacher says, "But Sunday's coming"...on Tuesday.