Friday, February 20, 2015
2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
JESUS GAVE UP JUSTICE
While we may complain when some rich person ducks justice by the use of high paid lawyers, we still have to appreciate being able to defend ourselves in a court of law if needed. In the United States we have the right to stand up and give our side of the story before a jury of our peers. In addition to this, the Eighth Amendment to our constitution prohibits excessive fines and the use of cruel and unusual punishment when sentencing the guilty.
But as we turn our thoughts to Jesus this Lent, we can't help but see that justice was something he gave up. First of all, Jesus was arrested before any crime was identified, or formal charges filed. His trial took place in the dead of night, and on a Jewish festival day. Both of these were contrary to Jewish courtroom protocol.
The witnesses called to the stand were coached to incriminate Jesus. Whether paid or not, they were false witnesses. When these coached witnesses failed to agree, the High Priest himself demanded that Jesus take the stand and, contrary to Jewish law, answer questions that would incriminate him. (In the United States we can "plead the fifth.") For our sakes and for the sake of the truth Jesus refused to stand mute.
After they declared him worthy of death, they put a bag over his head and hit him--demanding that he prophecy who had hit him. A clear case of police brutality.
When Jesus stood before the high governor of the land, Pilate reviewed his case, proclaimed him innocent of any crime, and then gave the command to crucify him.
And so, to the cross our Savior went, to the greatest injustice. There he experienced true hell, separation from his heavenly Father, for sins he didn't commit.
Because the innocent Jesus had no justice, condemned sinners like you and me don't get any justice either, for if we really got what we deserve, it would be hell. But because Jesus got unfathomable suffering and death, we have been given complete forgiveness and eternal life.
