By now you may have noticed that John's Gospel is quite different than the other three. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are sometimes called the "synoptic" gospels because they see things basically the same way. Their stories are of Jesus' teachings, particularly His parables, and His miracles. The Fourth Gospel (as John is sometimes called) stands apart from the others. There are only a handful of powerful miracles, and long, detailed discourses by Jesus that we do not find in the other three accounts. Personally, I am very thankful that John came along to include this material that would otherwise be missing because we have it nowhere else.
But one thing that all four gospels share in common is their extended focus on the last week of Jesus' life and especially the crucifixion scene. It is clear that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John felt that HERE was where the emphasis of Jesus' story should lie. His death was really the point of Jesus' life.
In John 19, Pilate reluctantly hands Jesus over to be crucified. People have debated for centuries who is truly at fault for Jesus' death. Certainly there is enough blame to go around! The Jewish religious leadership at the time loudly advocated for His execution. The crowd chanted for His death. But that does not absolve Pilate - he was the official who approved the crucifixion - and the Roman soldiers who actually carried out the act itself, along with a fair amount of torture.
Of course, we may be letting someone important off the hook in all this blame-casting on the ancients. I have always believed that EVERY sinner bears responsibility for the death of Jesus, for that is why He came. So to find out who is really guilty, we have nowhere further to look than our own mirror. However, if we have come to Christ through His cross, we won't see the reflection of guilt, but of forgiveness.
My part in all of this came to mind as I read this chapter as well. Right across from the room from where I am typing now is a little statue of Jesus carrying the cross with Romans 5:8 printed on the base of it. He knew what my life would be like. He knew the ways I would fall short, even today. And yet He still came to die for me.
ReplyDeleteMind boggling to know and accept that Jesus paid for the sins of all mankind that day----past, present and yet to come. We tend to focus on His physical suffering, but can you even begin to imagine the agony of the punishment for ALL sin --the emotional, spiritual and physical horror of being forsaken by God, a horror no believer will ever face. Thank you, Jesus!
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