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When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
“Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”
This passage sets up a scene of the Pharisee s on one side of Jesus, and Pilate on the other. Central to the story is Jesus. He is there, on his knees and arm, brutalized, bleeding, sweating, barely clothed and yet in complete control. I spent time on his anatomy to emphasize his humanity. Though God, Jesus suffered terribly. He suffered as a man so that he could mend the chasm separating humanity from God. he suffered as God the son in seperation from his rightful place in honor and a the moment of his death in separation from his Father. Jesus, though equal with God the Father, laid his life down and stepped into space and time in an age where the authorities invented the most painful way to die known to man. Jesus came at such a time as this to illustrate for us his great love. His terrible suffering demonstrates his immense love.
The blooming flower in his hand that he’s looking down on symbolizes the life he causes to bloom by his death. It was by his laying down of his life that we have hope of new life. He, and we, must die. There is no escape. In the midst of his suffering and ultimate death, he enabled us who know him to bloom again after the winter of death.
The phrases on the left panel who came to Pilate are the ones I relate to in this story. I’m ashamed of myself for it. The central character in the foreground is holding up a curtain. The temple veil separated the presence of God from the holy place within the Hebrew temple. Only once a year, and then only the High Priest was allowed within that veil. When Christ died, the veil was torn. Because of Christ’s death, we can enter boldly in God’s presence if we know Jesus.
I know this, yet still I cling to veils in my life. I sew up the veil by reading my bible a certain way, or traditions that I love more than Giver of Meaning. How ever I seek to control my relationship with God, again and again, I sew up the veil Christ died to split.
Behind the screaming Priest, is a character holding his hand out, rejecting Jesus, ashamed of Christ. I reject Jesus in being slow to obey when it’s uncomfortable or awkward or inconvenient. I stiff arm my Savior with my attitude.
Behind him is a gesticulating fist pounding the air Priest. I shake my fist in willful rebellion, unsubmitted man that I am. I rage within at the one who manifested love and tenderness like no other. In him is life and yet I pound my fist against him- hell bent on death if only I can be the one controlling our relationship.
Pilate is on the right panel. He is expedient in this situation. He is ruthless as Roman leaders had to be. He choose submission to cultural norms instead of taking the hard road. That road would have likely cost him his position and even his life should the Hebrews rebel and being a revolt. He could have stood his ground. He declares right here in this passage he finds no guilt in Jesus, yet still he had him flogged. But even that wasn’t enough. He handed Jesus over to be executed. Why?! Where is the justice? He sought out to save his skin instead of pursue justice in being faithful in his post. He turned the only perfect man over to a mob bent on blood lust. The water bowl is in midair to further convey a sense of haste and carelessness.
How often am I expedient in life, choosing the easy way out instead of seeking holiness. I go with the flow, embrace the easy road of cultural security instead of taking a good hard look at what is just and right and boldly go that way for the glory of God and the good of his people.
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