Holy Week --> Easter: 2

Death...as death.

A second component of the resurrection that is worth exploring is the most obvious one. Jesus dies. More specifically, he is killed. As we explored in the previous post, there was interest on the part of the Temple authorities to have Jesus executed. There must have been some interest on the part of Rome to give Jesus a rebel's punishment.

But more important than the way Jesus died was that he actually did die. He didn't save himself from his circumstances, he embraced them. He didn't turn away from what he knew to be his future, he walked toward it. Even though Jesus knew this, he still did what would surely lead to his death.

At the same time, if we are to believe that Jesus is God, we have to recognize that in Jesus, God died.

When we read the Nicene Creed, there's this sequence that describes this. But right before it, there is this wonderful passage that says:

For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.

It then goes on to say that Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried, etc. But what I want to point out is that I was taught to bow at the above part--not the part where Jesus dies, not the part in which he rises again. This part. Why?

Well, because the bigger question than the death of God is actually what presupposes death--that God, in Jesus, was first alive. Being alive presupposes that we will at some point die. Death and life are brought together. So, the bigger notion than sacrificing his life is that Jesus was first made "incarnate," that he was alive!

That Jesus was able to come and live with people, to lead disciples and followers, and to embody the kingdom of God on earth is incredible. Unbelievable. Amazing.

So what happens to this living God-man? He allows himself to be tried and executed. He receives capital punishment--the death penalty--for a crime no court could prove. But it is his death that is important.

Even though Jesus told his disciples this would happen, there is a reason they didn't believe it. They knew him to be anointed by God as their leader, so they reasoned that he could not be killed. Therefore, they chose to not believe Jesus' warnings.

Even as Jesus was dying, the disciples still didn't make the connection. It had to be revealed to them. Friday night and Saturday, the disciples knew Jesus to be dead. They saw it or heard about it. And yet, they still believed in him--even when they didn't understand the resurrection was coming.

Are there ways that you believe as the disciples did on Saturday? Are you able to believe because of something you know deep down--regardless of other matters--the things that have not yet been revealed?

Take some time to pray about what Jesus is doing for you--even when you aren't able to see it yet. Even when it is something that you don't understand. Even if it is something that you don't yet know that you don't understand! Pray for the love of Christ, even in the midst of darkness and loss, even in the midst of confusion and dissatisfaction, and even in the midst of impatience and neglect. Pray for Jesus to be with you when you get together with your friends.

Holy Week --> Easter: 1

Rebellion

One of the things we take for granted in church is that everyone gets Easter. That we understand what's going on. What an arrogant approach! So here's my Cliffs Notes version:

Jesus’ Action	When	What it means	How we celebrate it
Jesus comes to Jerusalem	On a Sunday morning	Jesus was arriving at the central city of Jewish faith	Palm Sunday
Jesus teaches at the Temple	Monday through Wednesday	He sought to 1) teach his followers, 2) teach other people, and 3) expose the hypocricy of the Temple authorities.	We don’t*
Jesus shares the Passover meal	Thursday evening	Jesus and his disciples, as good Jews, were celebrating this ancient tradition	Seder Supper on Maundy Thursday
Jesus is arrested, tried by Roman officials, and executed	On a Friday morning. He is crucified at noon and dies at 3 pm.	Jesus is given the “death penalty” by Rome and dies very quickly	Good Friday**
Jesus is raised	Saturday night or Sunday morning	Jesus is not dead	The Great Vigil and Easter
Jesus appears to the disciples	Sunday evening	Jesus commissions the disciples and explains what’s going on.	The Easter Season

*We don't actually celebrate Jesus' actions during the first part of the week. Many of these teachings end up getting scattered throughout the year, so we learn about them in the summer and fall.
**We celebrate Jesus' death (often called his 'Passion') on Good Friday, at a noon service. We also celebrate it in a combined service on the previous Sunday. This is why it is often called 'Palm and Passion Sunday'.

To understand 'the Resurrection' (that Jesus was raised from the dead), we must first think about his death. Today, and throughout the next several posts, we'll explore Jesus' death.

This first one is about rebellion.

If we take a look at the story of Jesus' last days, we see an interesting story. One of his disciples, Judas, is recruited to turn on Jesus by the Temple authorities. They conspire to set a trap for him, arrest him at night (in the dark), and hand him over to the Roman authorities.

Think about that plan for a second. Rome isn't arresting Jesus, the Temple authorities are. But they aren't going to prosecute him under their rules, but try to get Rome to do the dirty work. Second, they are doing it under the cover of darkness so that the people can't see what is really going on. Third, Jesus is never really arrested under this plan--not in the legal sense, anyway.

So they go through with the plan and Jesus is taken into custody.

Jesus is brought before Pilate, the Roman representative, for trial. He asks Jesus to incriminate himself. Jesus doesn't. He invites him to prove his innocence. Jesus doesn't. Pilate cannot find him guilty. And yet, under pressure, he pronounces him guilty.

Whether this is really how it happened or not is actually irrelevant. Jesus was not only called guilty, but was given a punishment. The punishment, however, proves something different. Jesus' form of execution, crucifixion, is reserved for revolutionaries--those attempting to spark a revolution or work against the state. Jesus' punishment is not only severe considering Pilate's perception of events, but in any sense. It is the maximum punishment in the Roman Empire.

So what does this tell us about how Jesus is supposed to be perceived?

As Christians, this is a seriously important message: the way Jesus died tells us what kind of person he is. Because Jesus was given the method of crucifixion, he is a revolutionary. The early Christians understood that aspect of his death--partly because they had always seen him as one.

As I see it, we are supposed to see Jesus as a revolutionary. That what he had to say not only challenged the existing order, but that he is about challenging the existing order. Jesus isn't some guy that is looking to be worshiped, but one looking to get his followers to understand what it means to love God and do what's right.

This may seem even more revolutionary to today's church than it does our society at-large. That's pretty sad, but true. The Jesus that died as a revolutionary on a cross, is the one that wants our world to be a better place--one that didn't just tell people about God, but about what God wants for the world--and showed them what that would look like.

How does the image of Jesus as a revolutionary affect the way you see him? What do you think this means for the church?