Holy Week
Passion Friday
THE PASSION OF CHRIST
INTRODUCTION
Christ’s passion, from his agony in the
garden to his death, was the most torturous suffering a person could
undergo. Jesus fulfilled his words, “The Son of Man has come not to be
served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk
10:45). Jesus and his mother Mary fulfilled God’s promise of the woman
and her son who would destroy the serpent that led to the fall of
mankind. When Jesus accomplished his mission on the cross, he drank the
fourth cup of Passover and said, “It is finished.” It was not words of
relief but an expression of accomplishment, not unlike the words of a
military commander at the end of a victorious war. Let us join Jesus in
carrying our crosses and say with him, “Father, into your hands I
commend my spirit” (Lk 23:46).
INTERPRETATION
The following is the sequence of events
during Christ’s passion, according to the gospels:
2. The betrayal and arrest of Jesus
1.
The Agony in the Garden
(Matthew
26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46)
Comfort from the Father alone
After his Passover observance, Jesus went with the
eleven apostles to the Mount of Olives to pray and gain spiritual
strength before his passion. There was no garden in Jerusalem because of
space limitation on the Temple Mount. Private-owned gardens were
available on the nearby Mount of Olives. The owner of the Garden of
Gethsemane might have permitted Jesus to use it for his night prayers.
When Jesus and companions reached the garden, he took only Peter, James,
and John to be close with him where he prayed. These three were so dear
to him that they were with him on special occasions like raising to life
Jairus’ daughter (Mk 5:37) and Jesus’ transfiguration (Mk 9:2). Jesus
requested them thrice, “My heart is filled with grief, even to the point
of death. Remain here with me and stay awake” (Mt 26:38). But they were
tired and fell asleep. The triple request was a sign of how fervently he
needed their support. So, in the great distress, Jesus was alone, and
all humans failed to support him.
During a time of anguish, our dear ones’
presence could be a relief. When all deserted Jesus, he gained strength
from his Father because the Father sent an angel from heaven to
strengthen Him (Lk 22:43). “Though my father and mother forsake me, yet
the LORD will receive me” (Ps 27:10). Let us never forsake our faith in
God. We always have the companionship and comfort from God in our
distress and solitude.
Subjecting to the Father’s Will
Jesus prayed: “Abba, Father, all things are possible
for you; take this cup away from me. Yet not what I will, but what you
will” (Mk 14:36). Jesus said this prayer three times, expressing his
nervousness because he knew how torturous his martyrdom would be. His
address of “my father” or “Abba” expressed his filial intimacy with God.
“This cup” stood for the fourth cup of Passover that Jesus substituted
with his crucifixion. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray to
the Father, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven”
(Mt 6:10). So, every time he repeated the prayer request, he concluded
by saying, “not as I will, but as you will.” Let our prayers also be
expressing our willingness to accept God’s will.
Isaac was a prototype of Jesus. Scholars
believe that Isaac was in his thirties, like Jesus, when his father
Abraham took him to sacrifice on Mount Moriah. Centuries later, Jesus
offered his sacrifice through crucifixion on the same location. Isaac
could have escaped from the sacrifice by overpowering his aged father.
However, he subjected himself to his father for sacrifice. Though God
saved Isaac’s life, He wanted His son Jesus to fulfil the mission. So,
God strengthened Jesus by sending an angel showing the heavenly presence
and support.
2. The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
(Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:1-14)
Kiss of love altered to a kiss of
betrayal.
Judas followed Jesus, who gave him the privileged
position of an apostle. Jesus even entrusted him with the little money
Jesus and his disciples received for their sustenance from the
well-wishers. Unfortunately, Judas’ interest shifted from Jesus to
money.
Mismanagement of wealth or greed for money
caused the downfall of many people and conflict in their relationship
with others and with God throughout history. God might entrust more
wealth than needed to some people, not for self-indulgence, but to test
them whether they share it with others. Let us remember that the faith
in Jesus and our implementation of what he taught are our treasure in
this world and heaven.
Peter, a brave defender
Peter was quick in action. He struck Malchus, the High
Priest’s slave, with a sword and cut off his right ear. Even at the time
of his arrest, Jesus was compassionate to touch and heal Malchus (Lk
22:51).
We must defend Christianity and church assets
by love and not by war. All too often, our impulsive response in times
of crisis is to pick up the sword as Peter did. Non-violence was the
gateway to glory for Jesus. And he set that as an example for us.
3. The
Investigation before Annas (John
18:19-24)
John the Evangelist reports that the soldiers
brought Jesus in front of Annas, the former High Priest and
father-in-law of the High Priest Caiaphas. Annas was a corrupt person
and had bribed the Romans to get the position as High Priest. He had
forged business alliances with the money changers and sellers of
sacrificial livestock in the Court of the Gentiles of the Temple. Since
Jesus had disrupted the business activities and rampant exploitation
going on there, it brought him into direct conflict with Annas and
caused his arrest.
Jesus questioned the trial by Annas because he was violating the Jewish procedure of trial. The accusers had to bring two independent witnesses against the accused. The judge should not ask leading questions to the suspect. When Jesus questioned these, the Temple guard struck Jesus. He questioned that as well.
We might also face challenging
situations and false defend ourselves. We do not have to agree with
falsehood.
4. Peter’s Denial
of Jesus
(Matthew
26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-65, John 18:15-18, 25-27)
Peter went to the High Priest’s courtyard to
see what would happen to Jesus. This was with the help of another
disciple who according to the scholars, could have been John the
Evangelist himself. John’s father Zebedee was into the fish business. He
used to sell salted fish to the High Priest’s palace. John might have
been delivering that before he followed Jesus. That helped John to get
inside the courtyard with Peter influencing the High Priest’s staff, who
were familiar with John.
Peter’s denial of Jesus three times fulfilled
Jesus’ prophecy about it. It was not as grave as what Judas did. Peter
was enthusiastic to defend Jesus by striking with a sword the High
Priest’s servant and to accompany Jesus during his trial. No other
apostle was bold enough to do these, except John, who also loved the
Lord passionately. Peter’s cowardice effectively protected his life,
facilitating him to lead the church later on. Saint Luke reports that
Peter “went out and began to weep bitterly” (Lk 22:62).
Mistakes happen even when we follow Jesus.
Repentance is the best remedy, and God cannot ignore a repentant soul.
5. Jesus Before
the Sanhedrin
(Matthew
26:57-68, Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:66-71)
Even according to the Jewish jurisprudence,
there were violations in Jesus’ trial.
(1) Trial at night
was illegal: The trial was held at night before an emergency meeting
of the Sanhedrin. Caiaphas was the official High Priest during the
trial. Annas, who was the former High Priest and father-in-law of
Caiaphas, was the president of the Sanhedrin. Though Sanhedrin should
not meet at night, the plotters bent the rules because they were in a
hurry to crucify Jesus.
(2) The trial
location was wrong: The Sanhedrin met for the trial of Jesus at the
High Priest’s house (Mt 26:58), instead of the designated chamber in the
inner court of the Temple. Such a serious sentence like a death sentence
ought to be passed in the Temple near the altar to assure justice and
also affirm that the decision was acceptable to God.
(3) The prejudiced
Sanhedrin could only muster false witnesses: Most members of the
Sanhedrin had in mind capital punishment for Jesus even before the
trial. They were struggling to get enough proof to justify their false
accusations against him. They failed to get even two witnesses who would
agree in their testimonies. Out of frustration, “the high priest put a
second question to him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed
One?’ Then Jesus answered, ‘I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated
at the right hand of the Almighty and coming with the clouds of heaven
around him’” (Mk 14:61-62). Solely based on this statement, the
Sanhedrin pinned blasphemy on Jesus. Such questioning of the culprit in
the Sanhedrin was illegal.
(4) Crucifixion was
not the punishment for blasphemy: The punishment for blasphemy was
stoning to death (Lev 24:10-16). However, the Sanhedrin wanted the most
torturing and humiliating crucifixion for Jesus. This resulted in the
fulfilment of the Old Testament symbolism of a bronze serpent raised on
a pole for saving sinners and also Jesus’ prophecy that God would exalt
him (Jn 3:14; 12:32-33). Hence, the crucifixion judgement was illegal,
even if Jesus was guilty of blasphemy.
(5) Sanhedrin did not take enough time for the judgement: Death sentence within a day was illegal. The Sanhedrin must sleep over the proceedings for one night before pronouncing the sentence. This did not happen in Jesus’s case.
So, the time, place, trial procedure, and the
punishment were illegal. It only goes to show that hatred and prejudice
can lead us to unjust decisions and judgement against others in the
family or community. Like Jesus, who came not to judge but to save, let
us be saviors of others in trouble. The second coming of Christ will be
only for judgement and reward for the righteous.
6. Jesus Before
Pilate
(Matthew
27:1-2, 11-14 Mark 15:1-5, Luke 23:1-5, John 18:28-38)
Though the Sanhedrin accused Jesus of
blasphemy, they did not bring up that to Pilate. Instead, they raised
three accusations that could be of concern for the Roman authorities:
“We found this man misleading our people; he opposes the payment of
taxes to Caesar and maintains that he is the Messiah, a king” (Lk 23:2).
Pilate did not find any truth in these, nor any serious offence worthy
of crucifixion.
If Jesus was misleading people, it was a
religious issue and not Pilate’s concern. When asked on the payment of
tax to the Roman government, Jesus’ reply was: “Give to Caesar what
belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God” (Mt 22:21). Pilate
could consider the accusation that Jesus claimed himself to be the king
of Jews as treason against the Roman emperor and his position. He was
the governor replacing the king of Jews for the provinces of Judea,
Samaria, and Idumaea. But Pilate knew that Jesus never challenged Roman
authorities including himself. When questioned, Jesus clarified that his
kingdom was not of this world. Pilate concluded that Jesus was not
guilty. But he was not bold enough to free Jesus because of his
insecurities and selfish motives.
7. Jesus Before
Herod (Luke
23:6-12)
Herod Antipas was the king in
Galilee from 4 BC to 39 AD. He had beheaded John the Baptist. He came to
Jerusalem for the Passover feast. Since Jesus was from Galilee, Pilate
tried to escape the Jewish leaders’ machinations by playing the
jurisdiction card. Thus he sent him to Herod who was the nominal ruler
of Galilee. Herod was curious to see Jesus and see him perform some
miracle. Though Herod’s soldiers mocked and tortured Jesus, he did not
answer to King Herod’s interrogations. So, Herod sent Jesus back to
Pilate.
The curiosity to understand Jesus will not
save a person. Salvation requires faith in Jesus and following his
teachings. Because of the deference they showed to each other, Pilate
and Herod who had been enemies, became friends. Thus, even as he was
being tossed about from court to court, Jesus became a trigger for
reconciliation between adversaries.
8. The Death of
Judas (Matthew
27:3-10)
Joseph’s brothers sold him for 20 shekels of
silver to Midianite merchants who were going to Egypt. History repeated
itself with Jesus when Judas sold him for 30 pieces of silver, which was
the price of a slave. When Judas realized that Jesus had been handed the
death penalty, he regretted what he had done (Mt 27:3). His expectation
might have been that Jesus would escape from his enemies as he had done
on several previous occasions. However, Jesus’ time had finally come.
Judas’ attempt to undo the damage by returning the money to the High
Priests and elders came to naught. Satan’s full grip over him prevented
him from turning towards his master for forgiveness. His remorse was so
deep that he (erroneously) thought himself beyond redemption and
committed suicide. The Temple authorities ruled that it was unlawful to
deposit blood money in the Temple treasury. So, they bought a potter’s
field as a burial place for foreigners.
If we delay in turning back to Jesus for
forgiveness and conversion, things might reach a point of no return.
Jesus had warned Judas, but the man failed to correct himself in time.
As humans, we might fail and ignore the God-given warnings. Like Peter,
let us find refuge in Jesus and compensate for our mistakes by our
commitment to God.
9. The Death
Sentence
(Matthew
27: 15-26, Mark 15:6-15, Luke 23:18-25, John 18:39-40, 19:1-16)
When Pilate found that Herod had tossed Jesus
back to him, he had to make a tough decision. He was conflicted between
the demands of justice and the pressure tactics of the Jewish leaders.
He also had a message from his wife: “Have nothing to do with that holy
man. Last night I had a terrible dream about him” (Mt 27:19). So, Pilate
looked for excuses to set him free.
Pilate’s tactics
to release Jesus
Pilate attempted releasing Jesus through the prisoner
release custom during the Feast of Passover. But people had the right to
select that prisoner (Mt 27:15). He presented a very contrasting choice
to the public as between Jesus and a notorious criminal Barabbas, who
had murdered people during a rebellion. People after comparing the
murderer and the Son of God, under the influence of the chief priests
and the elders (Mt 27:20), selected the criminal for freedom and the
innocent Lamb of God for sacrifice.
Pilate’s next tactic was to scourge Jesus and
present him in a sympathetic appearance to satisfy his enemies and
influence them to request his release. Pilate’s soldiers scourged Jesus
39 times as per the practice of the time, cruelly pressed down a crown
of thorns on his head, clothed him in a purple cloak, and beat him,
mocking him as the “King of the Jews.” The Pilate then brought the
tortured man in front of the people hoping that his pathetic condition
would melt his accusers. However, it cut no ice with them. The Jewish
leaders whipped up a frenzy among the crowd to bay for his blood by
repeatedly saying, “Crucify him!”
Pressure tactics of the Jews
When Pilate tried to release Jesus, the Jews pushed back saying, “If
you release this man, you are not a friend of Caesar. Anyone who makes
himself a king is defying Caesar” (Jn 19:12). The Jews hated Pilate
because they had earlier issues with him and had complained against him
to the Roman emperor. When Governor Pilate first visited Jerusalem from
Caesarea, which was his headquarters, he came with soldiers who carried
the images of eagles on their standards. All the earlier Roman governors
had removed the images before they entered the city, respecting the
Jewish beliefs. Despite the demand of the Jews to avoid the image,
Pilate was adamant on his decision. The Jews followed Pilate to
Caesarea. He threatened to kill the large gathering of Jews. They were
even willing to die for their belief. To avoid a massacre of the Jewish
gathering, Pilate had to agree with them.
The second issue Pilate had with the Jews was
that he raided the Temple treasury to meet the expenses of an aqueduct
he reconstructed to supply enough water to Jerusalem. The aqueduct was
helpful for the Temple that needed much water for sacrifices and
cleaning. However, the Jews objected to taking money from the Temple
treasury because it was only for religious purposes. So, Pilate seized
money from the Temple treasury that caused Jewish riots on the street.
Pilate mingled his soldiers in civil clothes with the rioters and at a
signal, the soldiers attacked and killed many rioters. On the complaint
of Jews, Pilate had to answer to Roman Emperor Tiberius for his action.
A third incident was that when Pilate was in
Jerusalem, he used to stay in Herod’s ancient palace. He had made
shields with the name of the emperor inscribed on them, acknowledging
the emperor as the god of the Roman Empire. Pilate displayed the shields
for reverence in the Holy City to please the emperor and irritate the
Jews. Though they objected to it because of religious reasons, Pilate
refused to remove the shields. At the request of the Jews, Emperor
Tiberius asked Pilate to delete the inscriptions. Thus, Pilate had many
downfalls in his relationship with the Jews and had warnings from the
emperor to avoid upsetting them. The emperor was favoring the Jews to
keep the peace. So, Pilate knew that the release of Jesus could be
another setback for him from the Jews who would again complain to the
emperor against him.
Pilate, who was brazenly bold on many earlier
occasions, found it better to capitulate to the Jews. He ignored his
wife’s warnings that she had received through a dream. Sometimes, we
also fall into the situation of Pilate. Our past might haunt us and
prevent us from doing the right thing. Our worldly ambitions might
silence our conscience and blind us to justice.
Pilate washing hands
Pilate was sure that Jesus was innocent. His conscience was
bothering him also because his wife sent him a message about the
innocence of Jesus. He had to avoid trouble from Jews and the Roman
emperor. So, he used a Jewish custom of washing hands to escape from the
consequences of murdering an innocent person as given in Deuteronomy
21:1-9. Still, Pilate acted unjustly to crucify the innocent Jesus, who
will return one day as Pilate’s judge and of all humanity.
Two mistakes of the Jews
When Pilate asked, “Shall I crucify your king?” The
chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” This was a clear
denial of God as their king (1 Sam 12:12), (Judg 8:23) and acceptance of
the pagan emperor instead. Hatred of humans can lead to the denial of
God because we cannot accept God by hating and maltreating others.
The second mistake of Jews was that when
Pilate could not convince them to release Jesus and they were at the
verge of rioting, Pilate washed his hands in public and said, “ ‘I am
innocent of this man’s blood. See to it yourselves.’ And all the people
answered, ‘Let his blood be upon us and upon our children’ ” (Mt
27:24-25).
Jesus’ blood stands for his life
and sacrifice. He shed it for the forgiveness of the sins of all
humanity. However, the entire crowd gathered at Jesus’ trial were so
much taken up by the influence of the Sanhedrin that they, out of their
emotion, took up the curse of the innocent blood on them and their
future generations. The Jews believed that the guilt of innocent blood
shall fall upon the false witnesses and their children to the end of the
world. Some interpreters view that the Rome’s attack of Jerusalem after
40 years in 70 AD, the destruction of the Temple and its sacrifices, the
assassination of many Jews, and the exile and dispersion of the Jews
were results of the above pledge they made. The Catholic Church does not
hold this view and attributes them to the Temple aristocracy and the
supporters of Barabbas.
10. The Soldiers
Mockery
(Matthew
27:27-31, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:1-5)
The soldiers normally scourge the condemned
man before carrying out the crucifixion. Like Pilate, they were gentiles
from Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean coast. Since they heard that
the accusation against Jesus was for claiming to be the king of Jews,
they mocked him as if he were a lunatic.
The scourging and mockery were tortuous,
physically as well as mentally. The soldiers took Jesus to the
Praetoriam which was the old palace of Herod and the temporary residence
of the Roman governor when he visited Jerusalem. Pilate used to camp at
Jerusalem during the major feasts to quell any nationalistic riots
against Rome during the enormous gatherings of the Jewish pilgrims.
Matthew records that the whole cohort
gathered around Jesus (Mt 27:27). The cohort was six hundred soldiers.
They stripped off Jesus’ clothes and dressed him in a royal purple
cloth. They weaved a crown out of long straight thorns and placed on his
head, put a reed in his right hand, spat on him, and kept striking on
his head with the reed. Thus they fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy in 50:6 “I
offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who pulled
out my beard; I did not shield my face from insults and spittle.” After
the mocking and torturing, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him
back in his clothes and led him for crucifixion.
The soldiers mockingly adorned
Jesus with a ‘royal’ attire, though Jesus never dressed up like that as
his claim never was to earthly kingship. However, it became a symbol of
his spiritual kingship. Jesus is truly king, not only “of the Jews,” as
Pilate wrote, but of the entire universe. Let us follow that king and
honour him.
When we suffer for justice and Jesus, our
suffering will be an honour and a norm for reward in front of God. Jesus
told his disciples, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the cause
of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when
people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against
you because you are my followers. Be happy and glad, for a great reward
is kept for you in heaven. This is how they persecuted the prophets who
lived before you” (Mt 5:10-12).
11. The Way of the
Cross
(Matthew
27:32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26-32)
We do the devotion of the Way of the Cross.
Traditionally there are 14-stations, but the Bible does not document the
three falls of Jesus, Jesus meeting his mother Mary, and Veronica wiping
the face of Jesus. Mary’s meeting of Jesus on the way of the cross might
have happened because she was also at the foot of the cross. That
meeting might have been heart-breaking for Mary, though she knew that he
was fulfilling his mission. Mary is an outstanding role model for
mothers sending their children to the missions.
Veronica wiping the face of Jesus
The story of Veronica wiping the face of Jesus on the
way to Calvary appeared in a book called “The Acts of Pilate.” It
presents Veronica as the woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages
for twelve years. She came up behind Jesus and touched the tassel on his
cloak and got cured (Mt 9:20-22). The story also tells that Jesus left
an image of his face on the cloth that she used to wipe his face.
Veronica later went to Rome and cured Emperor Tiberius by showing him a
painting of Christ she made.
Simon helped Jesus to carry the cross
Cyrenaica was part of a Roman province on the
north coast of Africa. Cyrene was its capital city. It had an enormous
population of Greek-speaking Jews. Simon was one among them, who might
have migrated to Palestine. “When they led Jesus away, they seized a
certain Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the fields and laid the
cross on him to carry it behind Jesus” (Lk 23:26). Simon was fulfilling
Jesus’ teaching, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny
himself, take up his cross and follow me” (Mt 16:24). Jesus wants us to
share his cross in our lifetime, to continue his mission in this world.
Mark 15:21 presents Simon as “father of
Alexander and Rufus.” They must have been prominent followers of Jesus
and well-known leaders of the early church. That is why the evangelist
gives their names. It is not just cursing that passes down to
generations, but blessings as well. The excellent works we do for Jesus
and his church will have its lasting effects in our coming generations.
Women devotees pacifying Jesus
While the soldiers and many bystanders on the roadside
were looking at Jesus with contempt, “A large crowd of people followed
him; among them were women beating their breasts and wailing for him”
(Lk 23:27). While the male disciples hid for their safety, the women
disciples came to support Jesus. He still used the occasion to advise
them to take care of themselves, to face future tribulations that would
happen to them and their children. Jesus’ concern was genuine, and the
tribulation happened in 70 AD when the Romans killed a vast number of
Jews and took others as slaves to Rome. The soldiers destroyed the city
along with the Temple. The Christians escaped from this because they
fled from Jerusalem, trusting the warning Jesus had given.
Jesus’ message for Passion Friday is the same
that Jesus gave to these devoted women. Let us take care of our
spiritual wellbeing and our future generations, even amid tribulations
of this world.
12. The
Crucifixion
(Matthew
27:33-44, Mark 15:22-32, Luke 23:33-43, John 19:17-27)
The Place of Skull
The soldiers crucified Jesus on Golgotha, which means
the “Place of Skull.” There are different interpretations on this name:
(1) It was a rock with skull-shaped appearance. (2) A heap of skulls of
many people crucified without burial were there. Though the Jews buried
the dead bodies, the Romans let animals and birds eat the dead body. So,
it was a place of bones and skulls. (3) Tradition holds that Golgotha
was the burial place of Adam’s skull. According to the Jewish tradition,
Noah confided the skull of Adam to his son Shem, who later did the same
to Melchizedek. He deposited Adam’s skull at Golgotha. Some early
Christian writings also give similar accounts. So, some pictures of
Jesus’ crucifixion depict the skull of Adam at the foot of Christ’s
cross. It shows that Jesus washed away Adam’s sin by his blood that fell
on Adam’s skull from Jesus’ crucified body. This was the fulfilment of
God’s promise to Adam that he would send a redeemer (Gen 3:15).
Some scholars associate Golgotha with Mount Moriah. That was the place that God assigned to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen 22:2). Solomon built the Temple at the same location (2 Chr 3:1) known as Temple Mount. Later, Zerubbabel and Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple at the same location. Golgotha has the same height as the Temple Mount and both are facing each other at a distance of only 300 meters. Jesus was the Lamb that Abraham told his son, “God himself will provide the lamb for the sacrifice, my son” (Gen 22:8).
Wine mixed with gall
The soldiers offered Jesus a narcotic, “wine drugged
with myrrh” to drink. The wealthy and compassionate women in Jerusalem
used to give such a narcotic to the crucified to soothe their bitter
pain during the crucifixion. But Jesus declined it so he could endure
the full suffering for humanity. This was also a fulfilment of Psalm
69:22: “for my thirst they gave me vinegar.”
Forgiving enemies
While suffering on the cross, Jesus said, “Father,
forgive them for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34). Jesus
might have included in this prayer all those instrumental in his
horrific torture. Thus, Jesus became a role model for us on how to deal
with our opponents. Many early Christian martyrs, like Saint Stephen,
imitated Jesus by praying for their persecutors during their martyrdom.
Soldiers divided his garments
The executors led the criminal for crucifixion in the
middle of a square of four soldiers. Since they crucified the criminal
naked except for a loincloth, the four soldiers used to divide the
garments of the criminal. The Jewish clothing had five articles: shoes,
turban, a girdle, an inner garment, and outer cloak. “When the soldiers
crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts,
one part for each of them. But as for the tunic, it was woven in one
piece from top to bottom” (Jn 19:23). Only the High Priest used such a
garment woven in one piece. Tradition says that Mary had woven the
unique dress of Jesus and gave him when he started his public ministry.
She made it like the dress of a High Priest because she knew that her
son was the High Priest, going to offer sacrifice for the atonement of
the sins of the world. The soldiers did not tear it, instead cast lots
for it. This was the fulfilment of Psalm 22:19, “they divide my garments
among them; for my clothing they cast lots.”
Jesus the Nazarian, the King of Jews
The soldiers used to write on a tablet the offence of
the person sentenced for crucifixion, displayed it on the way of
crucifixion, and nailed it on the cross. Since the Roman soldiers
implemented the crucifixion, the Jews had no control over this. The
charge against Jesus was that he had claimed to be the king of the Jews.
However, Pilate purposefully wrote: “Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the
Jews.” The inscriptions were in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. In Latin, it
was Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum
(INRI). So, the crucifixes display this acronym. The chief priests
requested Pilate to change it to, “He said, I am the King of Jews.” But
Pilate (probably not wanting to be dictated to by the Jews) did not
change it, unwittingly giving official recognition to his claim to being
the (spiritual) king of the Jews.
Two Revolutionaries crucified on the sides
of Jesus
The soldiers crucified two revolutionaries on both
sides of the true revolutionary of God’s love, Jesus. During Jesus’
public ministry, there were Jewish rioters like Barabbas who fought
against the Roman rule. Jesus’ crucifixion amid two wicked men was the
fulfilment of Isaiah 53:12, “he surrendered himself to death, and was
even counted among the wicked; but he bore the sins of many and
interceded for sinners.”
The Bible does not give the names of the two
rebels. However, a fourth-century non-canonical book, “The Gospel of
Nicodemus” gives their names as Dismas and Gestas. Gestas challenged
Jesus, “So you are the Messiah? Save yourself and us as well!” (Lk
23:39). Dismas on the other hand beseeched him, “Jesus, remember me when
you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you
will be with me in Paradise” (Lk 23:42-43). The Catholic Church
considers Dismas as a saint and celebrates his feast on 25 March.
Mockery by the public
Many people humiliated Jesus using insulting words
while he was going through terrible pain on the cross. The people who
did this were those passing by, those who stood at the cross, the chief
priests, the Scribes, the elders, the criminal Gestas who was crucified
with him, the rulers, and the soldiers. They were also tempting him as
Satan did in the wilderness saying, “If you are the Son of God…” (Mt
3:4-6). When we are struggling in God’s mission, there might be people
who try to pull us back from our mission.
Entrusting Mother to John
God’s words to the serpent, giving hope for the first
parents, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your
offspring and hers; they will strike at your head, while you strike at
their heel” (Gen 3:15) were realized at the foot of the cross where
Mary, the Mother of God, was supporting her son. That was the reason he
addressed his mother, “woman.”
Mary was a widow and would be with no family
member to support her. Jesus felt confidence in entrusting her care to
his most beloved and youngest apostle, John. This John whole-heartedly
accepted her as his mother and took care of her until her death, along
with his busy evangelization ministry. Jesus blessed John with a long
life. According to tradition, God rescued John from the emperor’s
attempt to kill him in boiling oil while he was in Rome. Jesus kept the
commandment of God, “Honour your father and your mother” (Gen 20:12).
Let us continue honoring our parents, whether living or deceased.
13. The Death of
Jesus
(Matthew
27:45-56, Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-49, John 19:28-37)
The Time of Crucifixion to Death
The Synoptic gospels followed the Jewish calculation of
time; whereas John followed the Roman time that we also follow in modern
times. According to the modern timing, the soldiers took Jesus to the
High Priest’s palace before 3:00 a.m. at the “cockcrow.” (Mk 13:35).
There was no permission to rear poultry within Jerusalem (due to purity
concerns). According to scholars, “cockcrow” was the usage for an
official siren at 3:00 a.m. for a shift change of soldiers before which
Peter denied Jesus three times. Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin
finished questioning Jesus before 6:00 a.m. and presented him to Pilate.
The trial before Pilate and Herod, the scourging by the soldiers and the
trudge to Calvary were over by 9:00 a.m. The soldiers crucified Jesus
around 9:00 a.m., and he was on the cross for six hours from 9:00 a.m.
to 3:00 p.m. The darkness happened for three hours from noon to 3:00
p.m.
The time of Jesus’ crucifixion and death
corresponds to the daily Perpetual Sacrifice (Tamid) in the Temple at
9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Along with an unblemished male lamb they used to
offer flour and wine (Ex 29:38-39; Num 28:1-8). This would represent the
bread and wine we offer for Holy Mass, which becomes the “Lamb of God.”
During the Tamid sacrifice, people used to pray for redemption from
their sins. So, the timing of Jesus’ sacrifice, its beginning and end at
9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. coincided with the Temple sacrifice for the
redemption of sins. The sacrifice of Jesus replaced the Tamid sacrifice
in the Temple, which ended when the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70
AD.
“Why have you forsaken me?”
The mental agony of Jesus on the cross combined with
his intolerable pain made him cry out in a loud voice, “My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34). Ps 22:2 forecasted
these centuries ago: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” When
we are in great distress, we might feel to cry out the same. Still,
Jesus did not give up his trust in God and fulfilled his Father’s will.
The Last Cup of Passover Wine
The hunger and thirst are normal for the crucified.
John states, “aware that everything was now finished, Jesus said, “I
thirst” (Jn 19:28). “A jar full of bitter wine stood there; so, putting
a sponge soaked in the wine on a hyssop stalk, they raised it to his
lips. Jesus took the wine and said, ‘It is now fulfilled.’ Then he bowed
his head and gave up the spirit” (Jn 19:29-30). It could mean that he
finished the fourth cup of his Passover observance.
Jesus’ crucifixion was his unfinished fourth
cup at the Last Supper. Towards the end of his suffering, Jesus
expressed his thirst to finish his Passover observance by drinking the
last cup of wine. Hyssop was a small plant used for dipping into the
basin containing the blood of the Pascal lamb which the Jews were
supposed to apply to the lintel and the two doorposts of their houses to
escape the tenth and final plague that was about to strike Egypt (Ex
12:22). Jesus said, “It is fulfilled” to mean the fulfilment of his
earthly task, like a military commander used to say at the end of a
victorious battle.
Extraordinary
events at the death of Jesus
Some unusual events happened at the crucifixion of Jesus:
1. Solar eclipse
happened for three hours with darkness felt from noon to 3:00 p.m.
(Mk 15:33; Lk 23:14). This was the fulfilment of Amos 8:9, “The LORD GOD
says this, ‘On that day I will make the sun go down at noon and darken
the earth in broad daylight.’”
2. The
curtain of the Temple sanctuary was torn in two from top
to bottom (Mt 27:51). According to God’s design, the tabernacle and
later the Temple had two curtains. The outer veil was at the Holy
Place’s entrance and the inner one was in front of the Holy of Holies
(Ex 26:31-36). It represented the seat of God and so heaven. Only the
High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and that only once a year on
the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:1-18). The scholars’ interpretation on the
ripping of the sanctuary veil is that Jesus, the perfect High Priest,
opened the third heaven, the Holy of Holies, by his self-sacrifice,
giving access to all who follow him.
3. There was an
earthquake and resurrection of the dead. “The earth quaked, rocks
were split, tombs were opened, and several holy people who had died were
raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’
resurrection they entered the Holy City and appeared to many.” (Mt
27:52-53). These signaled the coming of the last or Messianic age.
The last words of Jesus were, “‘Father, into
your hands, I commend my spirit.’ And saying that, he gave up his
spirit” (Lk 23:46). Only a person in communion with God could say that.
Let these be our last words at the end of our lives also.
Jesus attracted many to him at the Cross
Ladies witnessed the death of Jesus
Because of the mortal danger for those who were
identified to be of Jesus’ band, all his male disciples made themselves
scarce, except John, who was supporting Mary, the mother of Jesus.
However, the ladies had nothing to fear because they were of inferior
status in society and the Jews did not consider them as a threat to
their religion. The synoptic gospels report that many women who followed
Jesus from Galilee were looking from a distance at the crucifixion,
though the evangelists named only a few (Mt 27:55; Mk 15:40-41). Luke
reports, “Only those who knew Jesus stood at a distance, especially the
women who had followed him from Galilee; they witnessed all this”
(23:49). When we take part in the Holy Mass (Qurbana), we take
part in Jesus’ Last Supper and his sacrifice on the cross as the
fulfilment of his Passover. Let us do it with holiness and devotion.
Jesus’ bones were not
broken
The Romans left the culprit to die on the cross, even
at night. Jewish law was different: “If a man, guilty of any capital
offence, has been put to death by hanging him on a tree, his body must
not remain hanging there through the night” (Deut 21:22-23). Besides,
the following day after Jesus’ crucifixion was a special Sabbath of the
Passover. Hence, the Jews asked permission from Pilate to break the legs
of the three on the cross. That would speed up the death because the
crucified could not raise their chest to breathe, resulting in
suffocation and immediate death. Jesus was already dead, and so the
soldiers did not break his legs. John presents this as a fulfilment of
Numbers 9:12 that the Israelites should not break the bones of the
Passover lamb. This also is another confirmation of the symbolism of
Jesus as the Lamb of God. It also fulfilled another Messianic prophecy:
“He keeps all their bones intact, and not one of them will be broken”
(Ps 34:20)
The Blood and Water
According to the Jewish concept, the blood stands for the life
of a person. Jesus shed even his last drop, separating his body and
blood as the priests did for the sacrificial lamb in the Temple. A
soldier thrust a spear in Jesus’ chest, piercing his heart to ensure
that he was dead. The blood, from the heart along with the fluid of the
pericardium that surrounds the heart, flowed down. John presents this as
fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah 12:10, “They will look on me, the
one they have pierced.” The water stands for baptism and the blood for
Holy Eucharist; both are the last gifts of Jesus for our salvation.
Later he also gave us the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. We
receive these three as Sacraments of Initiation to take full membership
in the Holy Catholic Church headed by Christ.
14. The Burial of
Jesus
(Matthew
27:57-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42)
The Romans did not bury the dead body of the
crucified criminals. They would leave the bodies on the ground and let
animals and birds eat them. The Jewish law demanded the burial of the
body on the same day (Deut 21:22-23). So, Jesus’ supporters needed
permission from Pilate to bury his body. Since Jesus was from Galilee
and the disciples were hiding and could not afford to pay a fitting
burial within a few hours, two secret admirers of Jesus, Joseph of
Arimathea, and Nicodemus, offered generous contributions. They were not
supporting Jesus in public before, to keep their membership in the
Sanhedrin and to save their reputation among the Jewish leaders. Often,
we do not help a person in need when alive. However, the prompt
contributions of these two are praiseworthy.
Joseph of Arimathea contributed his valuable
tomb that no one had used. That could help to prove Jesus’ resurrection.
If anyone had found the remains of a dead body in Jesus’ tomb after his
resurrection, that could have caused doubts on his resurrection.
Nicodemus donated spices for the customary embalming of Jesus’ body and
helped Joseph for the burial.
The coming of Mary Magdalene and
other ladies to the tomb on the early morning of the first day after the
Sabbath was proof that they knew the tomb where Jesus had been laid but
now they found that same tomb empty when they returned. “So the women
who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how
his body was being placed” (Lk 23:55). Pilate’s getting confirmation of
Jesus’ death from the centurion (Mk 15:44) was another proof of Jesus’
death. That also helped to prove that Jesus’ resurrection was not a
reappearance after hiding from the public. All four gospel writers
strive to build evidence in support of the physical death and
resurrection of Jesus.
The passion and death of Jesus led to his
resurrection and enthronement in heaven at the right side of his Father.
He will come again to judge the world. In this interim period, we need
to make use of our time and talents to collaborate with Jesus to
continue his redemptive work. Jesus would lighten our hardships for the
Kingdom of God when we diligently follow in his footsteps. As promised,
he will reward us in the glorious heaven.