Jesus' Death and Resurrection
Monday, September 30 Luke 22:31-38; Isaiah 53:10-12
“He was countedamong the rebels”
Jesushad previously told the disciples to go out without extra clothes or food ormoney to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom, trusting God that he wouldsupply them through the hospitality of the people to whom they ministered. But now it will be necessary to take a purse,a bag, and even a sword. They are nowgoing to minister in a world that may well be hostile to them. What takes place fulfills Isaiah 53:12. Jesus will be considered a criminal and byimplication, so will those who identify with him. The disciples must be prepared for what liesahead and understand that ministry will take place in a context of resistance.
The disciples misunderstand his rhetorical remarks about defendingthemselves in the face of opposition. They think that Jesus wants them to take a sword inventory to get readyfor battle, and they note they have two swords. But the sword inventory they really need is an inner one. Will they have the inner strength towithstand the spiritual assault they will face? Jesus thus makes a dismissive remark: “That is enough,” meaning “Thisconversation is over.”
Strengthen me, Lord, to stand strongagainst those opposed to you. Amen.
Tuesday, October 1 Matthew 27:45-49; Psalm 22:1-5
“My God, my God,why have you forsaken me?”
Jesushad been on the cross for about three hours when darkness came over theland. “Darkness” in the Bible is anevocative word. If light symbolizes God,darkness suggest everything that is anti-God, including wickedness and death. After about three hours of darkness Jesus’tortured body was nearly lifeless. Fromout of the darkness, Jesus’ voice cried out, “My God, my God, why have youforsaken me?” The darkness was a fittingcontext for the agonizing content of Jesus’ cry.
Jesus’ words are from Psalm 22. After the opening lament of verse one, David went on in his psalm toremember the ways in which God had delivered him from evil, but Jesus’ cry doesnot go that far. Matthew’s readers, whoknow the full story of Jesus, can think of the entirety of Psalm 22 as apreview of Jesus’ vindication by the resurrection. But Matthew focuses on Jesus’abandonment. Hell came to Calvary thatday, and the Savior descended into it and bore its horrors in our stead.
You were forsaken, Jesus, so I would not be. Amen.
Wednesday, October 2 John 19:16-24; Psalm 22:12-18
“They divided hisclothes among them”
Itwas common for Roman guards during a crucifixion to demand the right to theprisoner’s clothing. They take Jesus’clothes and divide them into four parts. These four “parts” have led to speculation as to what Jesus was wearing. His clothes probably included a headcovering, a belt, sandals, and an outer cloak, in addition to the tunic or robe. This last item draws special attentionbecause of its value and the soldiers’ interest that it not be torn in partsbecause it is seamless.
Thesoldiers gamble for the tunic, which John understands as a fulfillment of Psalm22:18. References to the Old Testamentbecome more frequent in John’s Gospel during Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, trial,suffering, crucifixion and death, presumable because his Jewish audience wouldhave been particularly skeptical about a crucified Messiah. By connecting Psalm 22, a passage about thesuffering of God’s righteous servant, to Jesus’ death, John is providingbiblical evidence for Jesus as the Messiah.
Even in the gamblingof soldiers, Lord, your Word is fulfilled. Amen.
Thursday, October 3 John 19:28-36; Exodus 12:43-46
“I am thirsty”
Just as the lossof his clothing was a fulfillment of Scripture (see yesterday’s devotion), Johnnotes that Jesus’ cry of thirst also fulfills Scripture. Jesus is fully aware that the work he hasbeen sent into the world to do is finished. He has revealed the Father’s name, gathered those given to him, andexhibited God’s love and revealed his word. His cry of thirst is not a desperate word from a dying man under aMiddle Eastern sun. Jesus speaks inorder to fulfill Scripture. “I thirst”recalls Psalm 69:21, “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for mythirst.”
John makes itclear that Jesus dies during Passover week. On the first night of the Passover the most perfect animal from theflock was to be chosen as the Paschal Lamb. And not one of its bones was to be broken when it was sacrificed and itsblood was poured as a sign of grace on this night of death (Exodus 12:46). Jesus now has become the perfect PaschalLamb, shedding his blood to save his people, and none of his bones has beenbroken.
You finished thework, Jesus, and so fulfilled your Father’s will. Amen.
Friday, October 4 Luke 23:44-46; Psalm 31:1-5
“I entrust myspirit into your hands”
In Psalm 31 therighteous sufferer prays that God might deliver him from his enemies, whileexpressing his confidence that his fate is in God’s hands. He prays for deliverance from enemies whothreaten to put him to shame (verse 1), who attack him (verses 2-3), and whoseek to trap him (verse 4). In the faceof his enemies, the psalmist seeks refuge in the Lord (verses 1-2, 4). He appeals to God’s righteousness (verse 1),to his willingness and ability to hear, see, and help (verse2), to his name(verse 3), and to his redemption and faithfulness (verse 5).
Where thepsalmist entrusts himself to God as he is surrounded by enemies, Jesus entrustshimself to God in the face of imminent death, expressing his submission toGod’s will and his confidence that God will deliver him – that is, bring himback from the dead. When Jesus quotesPsalm 31:5, he extends the original meaning of the psalm from God’s protectionof a righteous sufferer to God’s protection of a righteous person who has died,heightening the strength of the psalm’s profession of faith in God.
In life and in death, Lord, I entrustmyself to you. Amen.
Saturday, October 5 John 20:1-9; Psalm 16:1-11
“They still hadn’tunderstood the Scriptures”
It isMary who first comes to the tomb only to discover that something hashappened. The stone has beenremoved. When Mary sees the open tombshe assumes the body is gone. She mustget this news to the disciples, so she runs to share it with Peter andJohn. When the two disciples hear herstory, they take off running for the tomb to find out what might havehappened. John arrives first. He does not go in, but stoops down at theentrance and looks in, seeing nothing but the linen cloths. Obviously there is no body there.
It isPeter, impulsive and courageous as ever, who goes in all the way and sees thegrave clothes lying there neatly, all in place. Now John goes in, and we are told that “he saw and believed.” The empty tomb and the folded grave clothesare quiet evidence for him that Jesus is alive. Later the living Christ will illuminate and open up those Scriptureswhich testify to his own resurrection, pointing perhaps to Psalm 16:10, Isaiah53:10-12, and Hosea 6:2. These arepassages the disciples never understood during Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Youare risen, Lord, in fulfillment of your Father’s Word. Amen.