Real Hope: The Passion - Week 2Sample

Jesus Bears The Cross

When you observe how the four Gospels focus upon different details of Jesus’ death, what do you do with that? Consider just one example, such as John chapters 18 and 19, alongside Luke 22 and 23. Survey the nuances of each account. Contrast them. Link them together. Chew on them.

Although it should be painful and disturbing to investigate what happened to Jesus closely, the fine points reveal plenty about our Lord – and the rest of us.

One thing raised by John’s summary of Pilate sentencing Jesus to death is its emphasis on the wielding of power. Placing the crowds to one side (unlike Luke 23:13–25), John spotlights Roman ruler Pilate and the Jewish leaders at the almost farcical finale to an unjust ‘trial.’

We all know Pilate ‘washed his hands’ of the ruling he pronounced, swayed by the leaders of God’s people baying for Jesus’ blood. But pause a moment to marvel at the potent contrast here between authority abused and authority restrained. While human leaders turned their limited power upon the Son of God, God’s Son limited His use of power to turn humans from their sin—the brutal irony of salvation power.

Written by BEN MCEACHEN