David Bahn – Reflections

John 19:16b-22

So they took Jesus, ¹⁷and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. ¹⁸ There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. ¹⁹Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” ²⁰Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. ²¹So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” ²²Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

The name Good Friday seems to be a contradiction. Jesus of Nazareth, a good, humble, faithful servant of God is nailed to a cross between two thieves. A mocking sign is placed above his head. Jesus dies. Those who have looked into this horrific practice judge it to be one of the most cruel forms of execution: death by asphyxiation, shock, and trauma beyond anything man should have to endure.

Who is responsible for this? Not only the Romans who used this method of execution, but also the crowds who call for Jesus’ death, and even the Jewish religious leaders bear responsibility. Neither does this day appear to be good based on the behavior of Jesus’ own followers: One of the twelve has already betrayed him. Many flee in fear and defeat. Satan seems to have the last word on this day.

As often is the case with the work of God, there is more to this picture than meets the eye. For there is something truly good and pure that flows from the events of this day. Two things are brought into sharp focus:

1. The utter depravity of man, and
2. The abundant mercy of God.

Looking with the eyes of faith we see the desperate need we have for a Savior; we have sinned and fallen short of God’s praise. Even Jesus’ disciples forsake him; all except for one of the twelve, and a few women and his mother. One of them actually betrays him to his enemies. Cruel punishment becomes a spectacle for the crowds to gawk at. The thieves (both of them initially) rail at him. There is plenty of sin on display.

This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. That means he is dying not only for the sins of those who nailed him to the cross, but for your sins and mine. Any denial of that simply provides further proof of our depravity.

Yet against the backdrop of man’s depravity the shadow of the cross testifies to God’s mercy. For God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting man’s sins against him. Jesus died willingly at the hands – ultimately – of God himself. Isaiah says it well, “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief (Isaiah 53:10). We must keep in mind the goodness of this day because it is the day the Lord has made. And God is eternally, ultimately, perfectly, mercifully good. Good Friday is good because God is good and this is the day of God’s salvation. Thanks be to God.