I'm sure you've read or heard the story before, but have you really thought about it? What occurred, how it all felt, the fact the Jesus KNEW He was about to be betrayed and crucified? It always baffles my mind that Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen, alluded to it several times with the disciples (who probably didn't even believe it was true), and went along with it all anyways. I'd like to mention now that I never liked hearing the story of Jesus dying on the cross when I was younger because it always pained me to hear that Jesus - the one that loves me and I loved back so much - went through so much suffering on His journey to the cross and beyond. It got to the point that I didn't even like going to Catholic churches for weddings and funerals because they always had Him displayed on the cross front and center. However, last Easter I took lots of time to look into each of the accounts of this story in the Books of the Gospel and came out with a whole new perspective of this story. I wrote a reflection, which I will be including many excerpts from in this blog, and shared it with my writers group from my church. I know what you might be thinking - This story is just for Easter, why are you writing about it in the middle of May? Well, I think this story is important to understand, no matter what the time of year it is. I think you might be in a little trouble if you only focus on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus only once a year - if even that. Let's dive into the beginning of the story.

 

In the Garden

 

Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane praying to His Father, God, when Judas Iscariot lead that group of soldiers to find and arrest Him. Something I always overlooked is that Jesus knew exactly what was happening before they even met Him. I’d be bold enough to write that He probably already knew about it way before it even happened, before it was even a thought in Judas’ mind. He told Peter, James, and John with Him to the garden when He went to pray. He told them to pray as well but came back three different times to find them asleep. I find it especially interesting because the last time He came back to them He told them, “You might as well sleep now. It’s over. The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the sinners. Get up! Let’s go! The one who is betraying me is near.” (Mark 14:41-42 GW). Jesus straight out told the disciples who were with Him that His betrayer was coming, yet He still went through with everything that was about to unfold. Jesus knew what was coming. He could have done something that only He could do to avoid all of this, but He didn’t. That’s what amazes me.

 

So there they were in the Garden of Gethsemane – Judas and the soldiers coming to arrest Jesus, and the disciples (I’d imagine) in a complete flurry of confusion and panic. Judas had told the soldiers that the one he kissed would be the one they were arresting. He came into the garden and greeted James, John, and Peter normally – but greeted Jesus with a kiss. Suddenly, the men that were with him came out and grabbed Jesus. Peter was so shocked, he pulled out his sword and cut off one of the other men’s ears. Another thing that always amazes me is that Jesus stopped to heal that man’s ear. Here He was in the middle of being betrayed by one man who followed Him and witnessed His miracles and work, but He still stopped and took the time to heal one of the people who was helping his betrayer. Jesus stopped and asked the crowd with Judas, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I were a criminal? I used to sit teaching in the temple courtyard every day. But you didn’t arrest me then.” (Matthew 26:55 GW). I’m sure at least one or two of them had a moment where they stopped to think about what they were doing then and maybe even questioned it, but they still carried on. The disciples who were with Jesus ran away – the Bible says they abandoned Him. They did to Jesus what He would never do to them.

 

Pontius Pilate

 

He was brought in front of the Jewish council and they questioned Him. Some men gave false testimonies about Him – saying that He planned to tear down one the temple and rebuild a new one – but Jesus said nothing. The chief priest asked Him if He was the Messiah and Jesus answered that He was. The chief priest then said that Jesus had dishonored God – but what would be the punishment? The entire council agreed that it would be death. Those people beat Him and mocked Him. “Where’s your Father now? Let’s hear you prophecy about this!” They decided to tie Him up and hand him over to Pilate. Pilate had asked Jesus the same question about being the Messiah and Jesus answered the same way He had before. The chief priests that had brought Him there were accusing Him of many things, but Jesus still said nothing. Pilate was surprised asking, “Don’t you have any answer? Look how many accusations they’re bringing against you!” (Mark 15:4). Since it was Passover, Pilate had a tradition of freeing one prisoner that the people would choose. This Passover, their choice was between Barabbas and Jesus. Barabbas was put in prison for murdering someone during a riot. Jesus was the king of the Jews. Pilate knew Jesus had done nothing wrong, he knew Jesus shouldn’t have been punished. He asked the crowd if he should set Jesus free, but the chief priests stirred up the crowd so he’d set Barabbas free instead. Pilate asked them what he should do with Jesus and they shouted back “Crucify Him!”. Pilate didn't really know what to do now. Does he upset the crowd and kill the man who murdered another person, or does he please the crowd and kill a man who had technically done nothing wrong? He asked them why he should crucify Jesus – he wanted to know what He had done wrong – but the crowd was just shouting and insisting that Jesus should be crucified. Pilate, though taking a moment to ponder his morality, decided to please the crowd and set Barabbas free. I wonder if it actually occurred to that crowd – that they voted for a murderer to be free among them once again. Did they actually know what they were doing or were they too caught up in listening to the chief priests to even care?

 

The Cross

 

Jesus was whipped and sent to be crucified. The soldiers He was sent to were all making fun of Him – they dressed Him in purple and twisted thorns into a crown to be placed on His head. They mocked Him saying, “Long live the king of the Jews!” while hitting Him, spitting on Him, and kneeling before Him with false humility. When they finished, they took off the purple cape, put His clothes back on, and led Him out to be crucified. They nailed Him to the cross, which had a note of accusation on it that read “The king of the Jews”. He was crucified with two criminals that day. My version of the Bible, God’s Word, says that He was nailed to the cross at nine in the morning. The chief priests and other passersby mocked Him saying things like, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself.” (Mark 15:31 GW). At noon a darkness had come over the entire land until three in the afternoon. I see that darkness as how God was feeling about His people. He had created them and sent them someone as amazing as Jesus, yet here they were mocking Him and having Him crucified even though He had done nothing wrong. At three, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”. After some more mockery, Jesus cried out and then died. I can’t imagine how anyone who knew Jesus felt at that time. He was wrongly crucified, He had died even though He had done no wrong – and seemingly, He just went along with it. They didn’t know why, they couldn’t see the big picture like Jesus could. They just knew that He was wrongly crucified.

 

What Happened Next?