School is just around the corner, Father, and today was full of preparation – a bus driver meeting, following by a 6 hour long open house to meet families. Needless to say, I am worn out. May our time together be restorative and uplifting. Amen.
Mark 15:1 (<<click to read the passage)
Very early in the morning the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law—the entire high council [the Sanhedrin]—met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor. (NLT)
One single verse…but as the notes in my study Bible* state, these few words speak volumes. Here is the note;
Why did the Jewish leaders send Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor? The Romans had taken away the Jews’ right to inflict capital punishment; so in order for Jesus to be condemned to death, he had to be sentenced by a Roman leader. The Jewish leaders wanted Jesus executed on a cross, a method of death that they believed brought a curse from God. They hope to persuade the people that Jesus was cursed, not blessed, by God.
This belief was founded on Deuteronomy 21:23.
…the body must not remain hanging from the tree overnight. You must bury the body that same day, for anyone who is hung [who is hung on a tree] is cursed in the sight of God. In this way, you will prevent the defilement of the land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession. (NLT)
They may have considered themselves scholars of God’s Law but in their foolishness, they were condemning the Author of the Law for in Galatians 3:13 it states,
But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” (NLT)
And this verse then reminds me of a statement by Joseph son of Jacob (Israel) in the book of Genesis when he revealed himself to his brothers who had sold him into slavery, setting the stage for his eventual rise to power in Egypt, with only Pharaoh himself holding more power than he. He said,
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Genesis 50:20 (NLT)
God took what was meant to be a curse and made it to be a blessing for all of mankind! The goal of the Jewish leaders was to destroy and all along God’s goal was to save!
Lord Jesus, it makes no difference how awful this world becomes – it seems that it can get no worse – but regardless You – the sovereign King of all that has been, all that is and all that will be – You, Jesus, will have the final say! You will judge the living and the dead. You alone will save and You alone will condemn. Almighty God, Your will will be done!
*The Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Aug 22nd, 2019, Thurs, 8:44 pm
