The Cross

The notion that the cross would be considered a holy thing would have scared the heck out of people of the first century. It would be like us using an electric chair for a religious symbol.  But Paul did say that the cross was a stumbling block to those destined to perish, didn't he?  

The cross was a shameful and painful way to die, so shameful that the law exempted Roman citizens from being executed in such a manner. Jesus was at a double disadvantage during His journey to death for us. He was taken captive in the middle of the night, roughly treated, and almost certainly was denied food and water. So, at the start of the journey, He was weak from hunger and probably starting to become dehydrated.  The trial, illegally held at night had a ton of witnesses against Jesus but no two of them could come up with the same story and the law was clear that a person could not be condemned on the testimony of a single witness. The temple authorities were so inept that Jesus Himself had to give them the evidence that they needed. He had stayed mostly silent, for Jewish law did not require Him to say anything.  So, Caiaphas, who was on the verge of giving up, cast the dice for a final time when He asked Jesus if He was the Messiah, the Son of God, knowing full well that if Jesus remained silent that they would have to let Him go for lack of evidence. Jesus took this opportunity to make the high priest's case for him by stating clearly who He was. I can imagine the joy, rapture, and surprise of Caiaphas when he was handed the evidence that he needed so badly right from the mouth of the culprit.  He polled the assembly and to a man, they condemned Jesus to death. 

Then He was brought to Pilate, the Procurator of the province. For the most part, He gave Pilate the silent treatment, not answering the charges that were being made against Him. I know, it is always better not to say anything to the cops except in Roman law, the silence was taken to mean that you had no defense, that you were guilty as charged. Still. Pilate wanted nothing more than to frustrate the high priest and let this thorn in his side, this Jesus fellow,  go so that Jesus could continue annoying the high priest. Okay, Pilate thought, let's make a martyr out of this man. And he handed Jesus over to be scourged. The whipping was a horror to behold. The cat of nine tails had pieces of bone sewn into the ends and every stroke drew blood. Once it was over, they threw cold water on the corpse-like figure to awaken Him. They gave Him a mock kings cloak, in royal purple and they pressed a crown of thorns into His head. 

Pilate was sure that once they saw this pitiful figure the crowd would cease and desist and he could let Jesus go. He had Jesus brought out and cried, "Ecce Homo" which meant "Behold the man."  But even when they saw Him, bruised, bloody and beaten, with the crown of thorns and the ridiculous purple cape and he appearing more dead than alive, they still, at the insistence of the temple crew hollered for the death of the Good Shepherd.  Pilate asked, "What, I should crucify your king?" Irony had crept into the Roman official's voice and it played right into the hands of the High Priest who recognized only God as the leader of Israel but still answered, "We have no king but Ceasar." Then the high priest, building on his supposed loyalty to the emperor, told Pilate that anyone who let a pretender to the throne to go free was not Caesar's friend,  Well, Pilate had been backed into a corner. Calling for water, he washed his hands and told the crowd that he found no crime in the man before him and that the blood would be on their hands. With a smile and a song in their heart the chief priest and his gang said to Pilate, "Let his blood be on us and our children"  

Defeated, Pilate ordered the crucifixion of Jesus and they led Jesus away and crucified Him between two thieves, one of which was humble enough to accept his punishment and to state that Jesus had done no wrong. Paradise was promised to the Good Thief. The time had come. Jesus had left the ritual Passover meal without completing it. He uttered two words, "I Thirst." Some sour wine was held up to His lips and  after He drank it, finishing the fourth cup of the Passover He said: "It is finished." There was now a new Passover  The old rituals of animal sacrifice was abolished. The people would now worship in spirit and in truth. With a loud cry that showed he left on His own power. He gave up His Spirit into the care of His Father. 

The sky turned black and the rains came. In the temple, God left his earthly dwelling, tearing the temple veil from top to bottom in testimony. The leader of the execution squad said, "Truly this was the Son of God."  The rain cleansed the skin of the Savior and with the permission of Pilate He was removed from the cross, Jesus was then placed into the hands of His mother.  Her tears mingled with the raindrops and the men were hard pressed to tear her Son away from her. But it was late and as the rain stopped the sun reappeared low on the western horizon. They wrapped and carried the body into a garden within the shadow of the Cross and they hurriedly buried Him in a cold stone tomb hewn into the rock. The solemn Sabbath was at hand so the quickly sealed the tomb with a large stone and went to their homes.

In the garden, no one noticed that the birds were singing as the sun dipped below the horizon, it was night.