Luke 23:3 – I wonder if Pilate understood this in some other way than the obvious, Earthly King. Certainly Jesus was not an Earthly King, but would Pilate be asking that? I realize that I’ve been reading it that way, Pilate asking if Jesus is the Messiah. In actuality, he’s only trying to test the claims of the leaders. Does this guy really think he’s a king?
\nLuke 23:8 – Interesting that Pilate doesn’t seem to know of Jesus at all, but Herod does. Jesus was from Herod’s jurisdiction and was well known there, but evidently was not well known in Pilate’s.
\nLuke 23:34 – I thought about his statement of Jesus. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” It’s an outrageous statement, isn’t’ it? They’ve arrested him without cause, beaten him, ignored the pleas of authority to release him and sentenced him to death and hung him no a tree. And his first comment from the cross is forgiveness.
\nI think that forgiveness comes in part because of Jesus’ grace filled nature, but also because of the second half of that statement – “… for they know not what they do.”. Jesus’ perspective all along has been completely different from everyone around him. He can see through heaven’s eyes, they see through Earthly ones. From his perspective, he can understand theirs and see that from their limited perspective this all make perfect sense. This understanding helps grace come easy. They just don’t understand.
\nThis understanding also gives us hope. We cannot see through heavenly eyes, though we try and get closer as we mature in Christ. Still, our eyes drift to Earthy ways. From our perspectives, many things seem important and natural which are not. Based on our limited understandings, we commit sins against one another in the name of Jesus – just as these men did against Jesus in the name of God. We divide over things that aren’t worth dividing over, we cast out and judge those who are doing their best just as we are.
\nAnd Jesus can see why we do. He understands that from our limited, Earthy perspective it all makes perfect sense. And he can say of us as well, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
\nLuke 23:49 – I can imagine looking on wondering how it had all gone so wrong. I’d wonder what was I thinking following this carpenter? Three years of my life, lost. But it couldn’t be lost, it wasn’t lost. His love, his wisdom and his authority and understanding were unlike anything I’d seen. But now he’s gone. He’d predicted it, but it didn’t make sense then. I wish I’d have paid better attention, asked more questions. I must have missed something. Now what am I to do? Will they come for me too? Jesus always knew what to do next, but he’s not here. Are we to just go back to fishing?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"