Good Friday
Gospel: Jn 18:1-19:42
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032924.cfm
When we say that Jesus died for our sins, we make it sound like he had an active role in his death, but as we read his passion, he was far from active; he was passive. We need to think of Jesus as having an active role in it to explain his divinity in the very brutal things that happened to him, but he did not put up a fight or try to stop it. Jesus gave those around him free agency. He showed his divinity through healing and feeding not through control or forced servitude. God’s power is not control but redemption.
The gospel writer finds the need to explain how the actions needed to happen just the way they happened to either fulfill scripture or to fulfill words that Jesus spoke, but none of these things happened to fulfill scripture; the scripture was the way it was because that was the way it was going to play out. To say that something was done to fulfill the scripture has God having some agency in what happened, but God did not crucify Jesus, the government did on behalf of religious authority and their people.
Jesus challenged the power dynamics of his religious tradition. He extended God’s presence to outside the temple. He showed that others outside his tribe were God’s people too. He revealed that the true nature of the law was not a set of rules but was simply love of God and neighbor. He chose love and compassion over the customs of his people. He elevated those condemned by society and showed the limits of those in power. He emphasized baptism, fellowship, forgiveness, and repentance over the blood sacrifice of the temple. For these reasons, he was a threat to those who benefited from religious control. This is why they had Jesus killed.
Those religious leaders wanted Jesus crucified and so did their followers, but they did not want his blood on their hands so they handed him over to the government who found no guilt. In the end, Pilate ordered Jesus’ crucifixion for his own self-preservation. Pilate was protecting himself from an uprising. He also had the threat of punished by his leaders for not executing a man who was claiming himself to be king. Jesus was scapegoated to maintain the power dynamics of religious and governmental authority.
Jesus’ message transformed people. When individuals are transformed, it has the potential to transform societies. This will always threaten those who benefit from the status quo. Jesus offered a new way of seeing the world that challenged the cultural paradigms that were in place. Our God came to transform us and was ultimately killed for it.
Before we move to the resurrection at Easter, hold on to this moment and reflect on how we too scapegoat others, cling to our power, and maintain the status quo of our current society at the expense of others. We too are responsible for the death of Jesus in how we treat others today.
Lord, forgive us for our sins. Give us the strength for true repentance. May your grace drive us to become more loving. Let that love grow in fellowship and communion to bring forth your Kingdom forever. Amen.
