Posted in Lent devotions

I am part of the story!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” devotion for Sunday, March 21, 2021. Photo by RoseBox رز باکس on Unsplash

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. (Mark 15:21)

I’m always fascinated by Simon’s experience as he simply walks through a gate into Jerusalem and is conscripted to carry Jesus’ cross to Golgotha. I imagine he’s just gotten into town from a town in northern Africa and he has no idea what is going on. Suddenly a soldier grabs him, says, “Carry this,” and just like that he is part of the passion of Jesus.

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Posted in Lent devotions

Mocking Jesus

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” devotion for Saturday, March 20, 2021. Original art by Susan Zendt (c) 2001.

And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. (Mark 15:16-20)

Jesus has been handed over to the soldiers who will crucify him. But before they do, they get their whole battalion together to dress him up like a king, hit him, spit on him, and mock him.

Why would they do that? Why would hundreds of soldiers shout and humiliate an already beaten and bloody man? Just for fun?  Because they could? Because it gave them some sense of satisfaction?

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Didn’t they feel anything?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” devotion for Friday, March 19, 2021. Photo by Velizar Ivanov on Unsplash.

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. (Mk 15:15)

So Pilate’s approval rating spikes when he releases Barabbas, scourges Jesus, and hands him over to be crucified. My question is, why scourge Jesus? Why beat him with a lead-tipped whip? He’s being executed by crucifixion. That’s what the crowd demanded. Isn’t that enough cruel (but not unusual) punishment enough?

That’s what Roman soldiers did to weaken the person to be crucified to prevent resistance to the execution. In other words, it made their job easier if they could beat him almost unconscious before stretching him out to nail him to the cross.

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What am I going to do with you?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Thursday, March 18, 2021. Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.

And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” (Mark 15:12-14)

What a crazy moment. Pilate must have been certain that the crowd would beg for the release of their king. Instead they have demanded the criminal Barabbas. Great. So what am I going to do with this guy?

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Posted in Lent devotions

Stirred up

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Wednesday, March 17, 2021. Photo by Malcolm Lightbody on Unsplash.

Now at the feast [Pilate] used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. (Mark 15:6-11)

Who would you pick? Jesus or Barabbas? Who would you rather have out on the street, a murderer or a king? We all want to say “Jesus.” But if you or I were in the crowd that day, we might vote differently, especially if the chief priests influenced us.

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Crickets

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Tuesday, March 16. Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash.

And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” And the chief priests accused him of many things. And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. (Mark 15:1-5)

Jesus has little to say when he’s questioned by Pilate and accused of many things by the chief priests. He really doesn’t even answer Pilate’s question. He simply acknowledges being called the King of the Jews. After that, not a word.

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Could be worse

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Monday, March 15, 2021. Original art by Susan Zendt (c) 2021.

And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept. (Mark 14:66-72 )

This scene from the passion reminds me of Rizzo’s solo in the movie Grease, “There are worse things I could do.” People commit violent, abusive, heinous crimes every single day that seem a lot worse than Peter’s, “I don’t what or who you’re talking about” denial of Jesus. I also think of the opening narration of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, “In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit.” These dedicated detectives are not going after people like Peter.

But didn’t Jesus say, “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33)? I can’t find much wiggle room in that statement.

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By the fire

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” for Sunday, March 14, 2021. Photo by Tron Le on Unsplash.

And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. (Mark 14:54)

A crackling blaze in the hearth feels so good on a chilly night. Camping just doesn’t feel right without flames flickering in a fire ring. A stressful day melts away with a glass of wine as a few logs burn in your backyard fire pit.

As he shakes off the shock of Jesus’ arrest at Gethsemane, Peter waits just outside the high priest’s house, innocently warming his hands around the fire with the guards. What was going through his mind? Did he regret fleeing the scene just a few moments ago? Did he think he would have another chance to fight alongside his master? Was Peter still determined to die rather than turn his back on Jesus? Was he trying to hear what was going on inside?

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King of the hill

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotions for Saturday, March 13, 2021. Photo by Alfred Aloushy on Unsplash.

And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows. (Mark 14:53-65)

Someone didn’t do their job. After all the plotting and planning to get their hands on Jesus, they can’t find anyone to testify against Jesus. Without two witnesses, the law of Moses says they can’t do anything. They can’t even find anyone who knows how to lie. What a joke.

Jesus just stands there. He doesn’t say a word while these guys make fools of themselves. Finally the high priest just asks him, “Are you the Christ?” Jesus simply says, “I am.” Then he adds, “Oh, and by the way, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

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