Good Friday 2008

Before going into the readings, let me handle some odd bits. This year, Easter comes very early. Why? The question actually is why Easter, unlike Christmas, is not fixed. The reason is a paradox. While nobody knows on which day Jesus was born, we can be relatively sure when he died. Since nobody knew the birthday of Jesus, the Roman Emperor was free to fix any convenient date. December 25 was the feast of Apollo, the sun-god. Now that the Roman Empire had converted to Christianity and Christ was now their sun of justice, it would be convenient to replace Apollo with Jesus. On the other hand, Jesus died before the Jewish feast of Passover. Therefore, it would be easy to determine when Jesus died and rose again from the dead. However, the Jews follow the lunar calendar, not the solar one like the Romans. Therefore, the Nicean Council in 325 AD defined Easter to be the first Sunday after the first full moon after Spring Equinox. Yesterday was Spring Equinox and tomorrow (Saturday) is full moon. Therefore, the coming Sunday is Easter. Interested readers may click this link to my webpage to know more about it.

Tonight, we read the Passion according to John. In his account, Jesus was in full control of everything. In the story of his arrest, Jesus confronted his captors. He took the initiative.
Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" (John 18:4) His captors answered Jesus of Nazareth.
When he said to them, "I am he Ἐγώ εἰμι," they drew back and fell to the ground (John 18:6)! How powerful these two words are! And scholars usually interpret them as Jesus' claim to his divinity. These captors were powerless in front of the God of most high. Jesus had to surrender himself to these incompetent captors. He was led to the house of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest.
The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching (John 18:19).
In John's account, Jesus was tried by the high priest not in the Sanhedrin, but in the house of Annas. Then comes a curious verse.
Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest (John 18:24). Didn't the high priest question Jesus in Annas' house? Why does John say Annas sent Jesus bound to the high priest? Probably, it means to the house of the high priest. But nothing happened there. Then Jesus was sent to Pilate and another drama unfolds (John 18:28).
When Pilate asked the Jewish leaders what accusation they brought against Jesus, they did not answer directly. They simply said that Jesus was an evildoer and they had no way to put him to death according to their law (John 18:31). Killing Jesus was their sole intention. Then Pilate asked Jesus whether he was the King of the Jews (John 18:33). Where did Pilate learn of this charge? John does not give a clue. Now, it was Jesus' turn to question Pilate.
Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" (John 18:34) Of course, Pilate did not believe Jesus was a king and would never acknowledge him one. How would a king land in his court, to be tried by him?
Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?" (John 18:35)
For Pilate, a Jew would probably acknowledge Jesus king. But the fact was Jesus was disowned by his own people. Then Jesus talked about his kingship and his kingdom.
Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world." (John 18:36) His kingship is neither of this world nor from the world. When Pilate showed doubt of his kingship, Jesus explained further.
Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice." (John 18:37) Jesus' kingship is to bear witness to the truth.
Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" (John 18:38) Was Pilate interested in knowing the truth? I think not. Seeing this miserable preacher, Pilate was only sarcastic. Later, when Pilate learned that Jesus had claimed to be the Son of God, he was afraid (John 19:8). What made the Roman procurator afraid? What did the Son of God mean to him? Why was he afraid of the Son of God?
Pilate entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave no answer.
Pilate therefore said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?"
Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin." (John 19:9-11) This is the last sentence Jesus spoke to Pilate. The Roman procurator had no power over this Jewish preacher.

My Lord, You are all powerful. You hold all the trump cards. Yet, You do not use them like a tyrant. You confront us only to show us our true state of life. We are powerless and miserable. Have mercy and grant us new life. Amen.