Infinitum Lent JourneySample

Today we continue to consider Jesus & Generosity in the context of Lent.

In yesterday’s reading, we took a wide glance over the text and drew on some examples to help us understand Jesus’ generous character. Today, we are going to camp out on verses 27-28:

“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name.”

Jesus’ soul is deeply troubled.

Look at these two words in Greek:

‘My soul,’ or psuche = breath, the soul; Strong’s—the vital breath, breath of life, seat of affections and will, the self, human person, an individual; HELPS—a person’s distinct identity, unique personhood, individual personality…

‘is deeply troubled,’ or tetaraktai = to stir up, to trouble; Strong’s—agitate, disturb; HELPS—properly, put in motion / to agitate back-and-forth, shake to-and-fro; causing inner perplexity.

If it is his “vital breath,” it is hyper-ventilating.

If it is his “seat of affections and will and… personhood”, it is rocking back and forth.

If it is his psyche (look at the Greek word), it is churning up inside, causing perplexity.

If it were anyone else, you’d expect the attention to be on that person and their struggle.

In contrast, Jesus affirms that this is the reason he came—for the Father’s glory. In his death struggle, Jesus magnanimously glorified God the Father.

We have suggested a rough association of Lenten emphases with Infinitum foci, this week’s plan matching penitence with generosity. And while it may not be immediately obvious, here we have Jesus, both perfect God and perfect human, magnanimously representing humanity in penitence for the whole human race’s compounded iniquities. Penitence? “The action of feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentance.” Jesus supernaturally weds divine generosity with human penitence in these staggering prophetic acts of these chapters on which we linger through Lent.

These are astounding truths for us to weigh.

God help us.