Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Ash Wednesday
John 18:13-14 And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
PORTRAIT OF OUR SUFFERING SAVIOR (PAINTED BY NUMBERS): TWO WICKED PRIESTS
Today we color in number 2 in our portrait of the suffering Savior (for the two wicked priests, Annas and Caiaphas). The color we dip our brush into is black. Black for the moral depravity of the human heart, as illustrated by the dastardly actions of these two men. From beginning to end the proceedings over which they preside are a travesty of justice. Neither has any intention of granting Jesus a fair hearing to discover whether the charges against Him are true. They determine in advance what the verdict will be: "He is guilty of blasphemy and deserves to die!" Is there a blacker example of the innate wickedness of man than this? "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jer.17:9). How the evil conduct of these two men must have cut deeply into the Savior's holy soul! But do you not suppose, dear friend, that He is similarly grieved by the sins of which we are guilty? Each of our missteps against God's law may be painted with the same dark brush stroke as the acts of treachery committed long ago by Annas and Caiaphas. Our sins too are the cause for His anguish and bloody death. "Yea, all the wrath, the woe, Thou dost inherit, This I do merit."
How thankful we may be that Jesus patiently endured the deception, chicanery, and subterfuge committed against Him in the courtrooms of these two priests so our black sins might be atoned for! How blessed we are to have a Savior who kept His peace when men bore false witness against Him and who went forward uncomplainingly to the cross. Thanks to Jesus we have been purified and cleansed. When the Day of clouds and blackness arrives (for unbelievers), we who have anchored our hope in Christ shall stand before Him dressed in white.
