November 13 - John 18-19; Luke 23: The New Passover Lamb

Today’s Reading: John 18-19; Luke 23

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

On the day when God's Chosen People celebrated God's greatest act to rescue them, they executed His Son.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Judas betrayed Jesus to the Pharisees and religious scholars.
Pilate sent Jesus to Herod. Herod sent Him back.
Jesus kept silent through many accusations and told Pilate His Kingdom was not a political one.
The Jews wanted a murderer to receive mercy but Jesus to receive death. Pilate handed Him over for execution.
The Roman soldiers mocked Jesus and nailed Him to the Cross.
Jews mocked Jesus' fate.
Jesus cried out and died—this was seen by many.
The Roman captain believed that Jesus was the Son of God.
Joseph, from Arimathea, buried Jesus.
Everyone rested on the Sabbath.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Jesus' Kingdom is not a political one.

Pilate's question was not benign. He had the responsibility to stop any and all threats to Caesar's authority. If Jesus claimed to be a king, He would be executed. Jesus had to be cagy with His answers because to answer directly may have lead to His execution for rebellion, not as a result of God's Chosen People rejecting Him. Jesus' answer settled Pilate's uneasiness. Jesus is not the king of a landmass or a social structure. He is the King of Truth, shedding light on all things.
We must be careful when discussing Jesus and politics. Jesus wants to set all things right. He wants justice. He wants mercy. He healed the sick and He taught holiness. Jesus should not be grabbed onto and pulled into your one issue or problem. He is bigger than all issues or problems. Don't make Jesus a conqueror, as done for centuries by Europeans. Don't make Jesus the champion for socialism, as done today by many welfare-state proponents. Jesus is the King of Truth. If you have to hide facts to get people on your side, He is not there with you, no matter how good what you want to do may be.

The Jews did not understand what they were doing.

Yesterday I mentioned that Israel's greatest act of rebellion provided the opportunity for all people to have their relationship set right with God. I believe this is what Jesus meant when He said, "Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing" (Luke 23:34, The Message). The Jews thought they were getting rid of their fly-in-the-ointment prophet. Instead, they were providing the means for the world to join them in having a personal relationship with the Creator. The Jews should have no blame in crucifying Jesus. They never realized the awesome thing they did.

Do you see how God used the Jews' rebellion to set all things right?

November 12 - Matthew 27; Mark 15: Jesus' Sacrifice to Set All Things Right

Today’s Reading: Matthew 27; Mark 15

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The Sacrifice that permitted every person's relationship with God to be set right hangs in front of a crowd of God's Chosen People who mock Him ruthlessly.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The high priests and religious leaders led Jesus to Pilate.
Judas hanged himself out of remorse.
Jesus kept silent through many accusations.
The Jews wanted a murderer to receive mercy but Jesus to receive death. Pilate handed Him over for execution.
The Roman soldiers mocked and nailed Jesus to the Cross.
People mocked Jesus' fate.
When Jesus breathed His last, a great earthquake tore the Temple's curtain in half and brought many people from the dead.
The Roman captain believed that Jesus was the Son of God.
Joseph, from Arimathea, buried Jesus.
The Pharisees sealed and guarded the tomb.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The Jews officially and irrevocably rejected God as their Lord.

From the Exodus, the Jews had a rocky relationship with God. Today we read the culmination of 1500 years of their relationship. There were highs; there were lows. God stayed faithful to His Chosen People all the while. They, on the other hand, struggled to stay wholly for God. At this moment, the climax of the story, Israel has arrested her King, given mercy to a murderer to prevent His release, and now stands before Him and mocks His Authority and Power. This rejection would have world-wide ramifications—which we will read in the days ahead.

Pilate was greatly impressed by Jesus' restraint.

Pilate asked Jesus if He was the king of the Jews. Jesus was noncommittal. Many people presented false testimony against Jesus. He answered none of them. Pilate was greatly impressed because Jesus did not get down and wrestle with them rhetorically. He allowed His silence to speak for itself. When faced with obviously-false accusations, do not argue. Silence shows innocence more than desperate attempts to defend yourself.

God tore down Temple-based religion.

When Jesus died, the curtain in the Temple that separated the Holiest of Holies from the rest of the world was ripped—from top to bottom. The Temple was erected because the Israelites did not want God to speak to them directly. God, through Isaiah, told Israel that He would open the Temple to the world. Jesus told the Apostles they would be able to speak directly to God. I will never forget how my professor elaborated on this passage (assuming the "top to bottom" was not random chance), "God ripped the veil from the top to the bottom. In essence He was saying, 'No longer will you need someone to go between us. You can now come to me directly.'" We have direct access to God. We do not need a group of "holy people" to present our needs before Him.

The greatest act of rebellion by Israel became the source of salvation for the world.

Without Israel rejecting and executing Jesus, the world would not have the close, personal relationship with God as they have. We should not feel anger or animosity toward them for what they did to Jesus. Paul will spend much of his ministry trying to get that point across.

Oh, God, You have set all things right with Your creation!