by Rev Robert A Wendel
‘The Son of Man must suffer for the sake of many. Thy will be done.” (Psalm 13; Romans 5:3; Matthew 6:10 RSV)
In the world-wide Christian church the last seven days in the earthly life of Jesus of Nazareth is known as Holy Week. Older and more formal worship communities focus on the Cross of Good Friday and the death of the Savior. Less formal churches highlight the night of the Last Supper. All Christians hail Easter as the highest holiday of each church year.
The Jewish prophet Isaiah wrote about the Passion of Christ some 700 years before it happened. This series of scriptures is known as the Suffering Servant Passages in Chapters 42-53. Isaiah predicted the future birth of Jesus in Chapter Nine (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Since September, I have been learning the power that physical pain can have in a person’s life as I have been battling a persistent case of cellulitis in my lower legs. So, this temporary problem has given me the opportunity to focus on the pain and suffering in the Easter Story.
Palm Sunday is full of joy. The cleansing of the temple came next. Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts, challenging the authority of the religious leaders. Probably on Wednesday of Holy Week an unknown woman washed his feet while Jesus and his disciples were at dinner. Judas betrayed the Master on Wednesday as well.
Thursday was the Passover Seder followed by emotional pain as Jesus prayed in the garden. And, of course, Friday included the suffering and death of the Savior. Let us not overlook his suffering as we mark another Holy Week.
“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received him, to them He gave the power to become the sons and daughters of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1:1-2, 4, 11-12).
Why do we love? Because we were created to. We are made in the image of divine love. That’s the truth, as Christ reassured us. “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make ye free.” (John 8:32). John Talbot