Friday, April 6, 2007
Good Friday
Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST
It must have appeared that He was getting what He deserved. Anyone not familiar with the facts of the case against Jesus of Nazareth probably assumed that He was being punished for his wrongs. Those coming upon the cross on Calvary that day needed only look to the mock accusation written against Him: The King of the Jews. No doubt some assumed him disturbed, ego-maniacal to have supposedly claimed such a thing. It is easiest to assume that He got what he deserved. Innocent men don't get executed with robbers, do they?
The Prophet Isaiah corrects all misconceptions about what we see on Calvary. We may think Him struck down by God and afflicted because of His own wrongdoings, but if we think thus we are in error. He bears our griefs and carries our sorrows. He is wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. The punishment to bring peace to us fell on Him. He got what we deserved.
I understand that it was a practice in those days to write a title explaining the charges against the condemned. I've read that they took the longest possible route to the place of execution. I've read that often someone led the way carrying the written accusation against the condemned before him. Let's suppose for a moment that it's true.
What would your sign have said? This human being is condemned for: cursing, lies, adultery, hurtful words, idolatry, hatred, stealing, covetousness . . . You fill in the blank. I need a bigger sign.
Wait. Now look closer. The accusation that belongs to you has been nailed to His Cross. For it is written (Colossians 2:13-14): "And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."
He suffers for you, the Just for the unjust, to bring you to God.
Thou hast suffered great affliction and hast borne it patiently,
Even death by crucifixion fully to atone for me;
Thou didst choose to be tormented that my doom should be prevented.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus unto Thee.
[The Lutheran Hymnal, 151:6]
Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities. All we like sheep have gone astray: and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Psalm (102:1): Hear my prayer, O Lord: and let my cry come unto Thee.
[The Lutheran Hymnal, Introit for Good Friday]
