Introduction

Last Sunday, being Passion Sunday, we reflected on the incredible betrayal, by his friends, that Jesus endured.

Perhaps it is because I am rather existentially inclined — a forerunner of today's emo-kids, one might say — but I believe that betrayal is probably harder to take than physical pain. The suffering of betrayal is an emotional suffering, the effects of which are carried subconsciously, long after we push the feelings aside. Emotional suffering continues to affect and influence us, for the worse, long after the initial pain.

Physical pain, on the other hand, can be rather quick. Thus, if one grits his teeth hard enough, then he would be willing to bear pain, in the case when he knows that it's coming. "It will be over quick", we might tell ourselves, "then I'll be able to adapt". "There are levels of survival we are prepared to accept", said The Architect in the 2003 Warner Bros movie, The Matrix: Reloaded.

However, this point assumes that the physical pain is for a good cause. I am sure that no one, in their right mind, would be willing to endure pain and suffering if it were pointless. The emotional suffering of betrayal is always pointless. Physical pain can sometimes be for a good cause; in such cases, one might even be willing to accept such pain.

But what about death? Under what circumstances would someone be willing to forfeit their life for the sake of another person? I believe that I would be willing to suffer for my friends, and maybe even my neighbours, but I don't know that I would accept death for anyone less than my immediate family — for what it's worth, I'm just being honest.

The apostle Paul wrote, in his Letter To The Romans:

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us (Rom 5 6-8).

This too is a glorious mystery worth looking at more closely: Jesus was willing to die for sinners! Before we journey with Jesus to the incredible hope of Easter, let us proceed from the incredible betrayal to the incredible crucifixion.

Exegesis

The biblical passage that I would like us to explore this morning is found in The Gospel of John. So follow along as I read the passage Jn 18:1-19:42:

Read biblical passage aloud from Bible at hand.

In this passage, the focus is completely on the events leading up to, and including, Jesus' death on a cross. As we discussed last week, Jesus experienced these events from a human frame of reference, yet having a divine perspective, and, somehow, that equipped him with the altruistic courage to step forward and willingly suffer pain far beyond that of a pin-prick.

The Betrayal And Arrest Of Jesus

Judas' betrayal reached fruition as the soldiers and police came to arrest Jesus (18:1-11). The passage reminds us that Jesus knew what was going to happen to him and he willingly accepted his fate (:4-5a). It's great to read that the soldiers and police recoiled in fear at his authority and courage (:6).

His disciples — or, at least, one foolhardy disciple — was brave enough to draw a sword to defend his master (:10-11). Why didn't Jesus jump at this chance to skirt the suffering for which he was destined? The crowds would certainly have rallied around him if he had taken up arms to lead a military revolt.

But, no, his crucifixion yielded exactly the results that were necessary — "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life" (3:16) — and he was willing to endure whatever it would take to bring about those results!

Jesus Before The High Priest

In the next sections of the passage that we are exploring, Jesus is brought into the courtyard of the high priest's house and is questionned there (:12-27). This religious leader is unable to understand Jesus, nor is he able to catch Jesus is a deception. Being a person who should have recognised Jesus for who he was, the promised Messiah, the high priest, representing the religious establishment, condemns Jesus by sending him to the secular authorities.

During this episode, Peter's denial and betrayal also comes to fruition.

Jesus Before Pilate

Whereas the high priest's questionning was in defense of the religious status quo, Pilate's questionning was more philosophical and, I believe, more sincere (18:28-19:16). He recognised the trumped up charges laid against Jesus (18:29-30), and wanted to understand his predicament. Yet, he too was unable to understand Jesus because he too only defended his own worldview rather take advantage of this opportunity to seek Truth.

Enjoying the conversation notwithstanding, Pilate must deal with Jesus and thus attempts to free him (18:38b-39). The revenge of the religious authorities stirs the crowd's bloodlust — seeing him tortured was not enough — so they demanded his crucifixion (19:6). Pilate can do nothing to either satisfy them or free Jesus, so, like any 'reasonable' politician, he gives into the mob.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

I am not one for melodramatics in preaching, and I will certainly not take this opportunity to describe all the gory details of Jesus' torture and death — if you want that, Mel Gibson's 2004 film The Passion of the Christ admirably depicts all the detail, and then some. I will not attempt to frighten or disgust you into faith; however, even the most cursory acknowledgement of the torture that Jesus endured must stir even the hardest heart (19:16b-37).

He was forced to carry his own cross through the gauntlet of the crowds, along the winding path that is the streets of Jerusalem; his body was nailed to a wooden cross and hoisted upright; he was rejected by the crowds, even as his loved ones watched on; his clothes were gambled away, before his very eyes; he was given sour wine to drink; and, his side was pierced with a spear. Just one of these elements alone would be enough to help me recognise his love for me, yet he bore them all, with grace and humility, even though he did not deserve any of it!

Conclusion

Humanly, why would anyone be willing to accept such suffering? Luckily for us, Jesus was only partly human.

Both his suffering and Jesus' nature are a mystery to us — who can explain such behaviour, in the face of such pain, other than to recognise divinity in him (cf. 27:54)? — but what a glorious mystery which leads us from betrayal, through the cross into hope!