On this Good Friday, I read the fourth gospel account of
Christ’s crucifixion and the events immediately leading up to it, and was
struck by the variety of responses John includes. Last week Pastor Tom Mercer
of Christ Covenant Church of Raleigh reminded his congregation of the
intentionality of the gospel authors – we should try to see ourselves in the
characters set in opposition within the biblical narrative. With that in mind, how will you respond to this King who died? John 18-19
records a variety of different people who encountered Jesus on the last day of
his life and their responses. How will you respond? In faith? In fear? In skepticism?
With indifference? Betrayal? Gratitude? The death of Jesus demands a response;
John reminds us that all who encountered Jesus were forced to respond to Him in
some way, and the crucifixion 2000 years ago makes the same requirement on us
today.
John 18 begins with Judas entering the Garden of Gethsemane
accompanied by a group of soldiers on loan for the purpose of arresting the
dangerous radical. In Judas we see ultimate betrayal, even betrayal with a
kiss. But the soldiers offer a different response. When asked if he was Jesus
of Nazareth, Jesus replied, “I am.” The soldiers immediate response is to fall
to the ground. The reader is left to wonder if this is a collapse of worship,
terror, or something else. Jesus’ declaration of his identity to be one with
YHWH, to be the same as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, resulted in a
posture of worship from those men who arrested the messiah.
John highlights Peter, showing two contrasting acts
scattered throughout these two chapters. Peter attacks poor Malchus, chopping
off his ear. Luke shows Jesus healing Malchus, while John only records Jesus’
condemnation of Peter for resisting the events which must occur. This is one of
the moments we see the extremity of Peter’s love for Jesus, and John sets it up
in opposition to Peter’s three denials of Jesus. My dad’s favorite metaphor is
a pendulum – he often claims all life is swinging between two extremes. This certainly
fits Peter. He moves from the violence of jihad to the abandonment of atheism.
While Jesus ultimately restores Peter, on Good Friday Peter betrayed the
kingdom and the king.
The Roman governor Pilate gets lots of space in this gospel
narrative. I have been fascinated by Pilate for years. I want to excuse Pilate
from responsibility as a good Roman trying to keep the peace, but John shows
Pilate moving through several different responses to Jesus as he uncovers more
about this accused kingly criminal. Pilate is at first disinterested, trying to
get the Jewish leaders to try Jesus according to their own laws. When he begins
questioning Jesus, Pilate moves from curiosity to skepticism. Jesus tells him, “…for
this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate responds with the
classic Socratic question, “What is truth?” This first conversation caused
Pilate to try for Jesus’ release by giving the crowd an option. Given a choice
between Jesus (the popular healer, teacher, and miracle worker) and Barabbas (a
zealot revolutionary, murderer, and thief), the crowd yells “Barabbas! Barabbas!”
Pilate’s discussion about truth does not change his initial
disinterest towards Jesus. He treats this man as any brought before a Roman
official – Jesus is beaten, and soldiers make mockery of the charges of
kingship by crowning the beaten man with thorns and covering his ripped-asunder
back with a purple robe. Pilate tries to end the punishment here, but the crowd
demands crucifixion. The Jews had shouted “he ought to die because he made
himself the Son of God.” Pilate saw the rebellious Jewish nation arising up in
religious turmoil against Roman authority, and out of this fear he begins
questioning Jesus anew.
In this second conversation, Jesus reveals the source of
Pilate’s authority: “You would have no authority over me at all if it had not
been given you from above. Therefore, he who delivered me over to you is guilty
of the greater sin.” From this point, Pilate’s recognition of Jesus changes. He
sees Jesus as the King of the Jews. While that kingdom is not of this world,
Pilate saw in Jesus a man of true authority. John writes, “From then on, Pilate
tried to release Him…” Pilate, however, did not overcome his fear of the crowd
to the point of following justice. He went through elaborate ceremonies to
absolve himself of responsibility for allowing Jesus’ crucifixion, yet he permitted
the crowd to take Jesus to Golgotha and crucifixion. Even in the crucifixion,
however, Pilate ensured people of three languages would understand the King of
the Jews hung on the cross.
In the midst of these responses, Jesus professed that he was
doing the will of the Father. He came to die, and through his death to make a
way for sinful man to be reconciled to a just God. The Incarnation occurred so
that death could happen, and through death resurrection. The events of the
Passion narrative followed the will of the Father. Yet in that will, these
different men interacted with Jesus and responded to him in various ways. Judas
betrayed, Peter struck and denied, Pilate moved from disinterest to skepticism,
to understanding and fear, and ultimately trying to evade responsibility for
the death of Jesus. His fear of man conquered his perception of Jesus’ nature.
How will you respond to Jesus today? To this Jesus who
lovingly suffered and died on behalf of mankind? Who drank in full the cup of
justice? Who secured His kingdom bathed in the font of blood pouring forth from
his head, his hands, his feet, his side? Will you respond in fear? In skepticism?
In denial? Or in faith and gratitude for this Savior?
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