Day 115
Joshua 8:1-9:15, Luke 22:63-23:25, Psalm 51:1-9
Things seem to be back on an even keel with God and the Israelites in the Old Testament and yet not so much so in the Gospel. In fact we are within the plotting and scheming parts of the crucifixion narrative as Jesus is sent backwards and forwards between Pilate and Herod.
The description of Herod's part in this is quite enlightening. Remembering that Herod had not wanted to behead John the Baptist, we now see him wanting to question Jesus and see a miracle, rather than some real loathing going on that sends Jesus to the cross. In fact it is the people who send Jesus to the cross, neither Herod nor Pilate can find fault. If we compare this to the Old Testament people of Israel, this is one of those occasions when they have gone way off piste. This is "the Christ" and they are about to kill him.
When you read the Gospel straight into the Psalm, this is almost as if it could be Pilate's song. Having sent Jesus to his death, we see the words "Have mercy on me" leading into a real plea for God's forgiveness. There are times when we need to take our place in that queue. Remembering Christ the small child, and remembering that what we see before us in this passage is the reason he came, we could ask how often we stand among the crowd, how his death can be pinned on us.
Even so we call for mercy, and we know his death has washed away "all our iniquity". That is the love of Christ at work in us.
Things seem to be back on an even keel with God and the Israelites in the Old Testament and yet not so much so in the Gospel. In fact we are within the plotting and scheming parts of the crucifixion narrative as Jesus is sent backwards and forwards between Pilate and Herod.
The description of Herod's part in this is quite enlightening. Remembering that Herod had not wanted to behead John the Baptist, we now see him wanting to question Jesus and see a miracle, rather than some real loathing going on that sends Jesus to the cross. In fact it is the people who send Jesus to the cross, neither Herod nor Pilate can find fault. If we compare this to the Old Testament people of Israel, this is one of those occasions when they have gone way off piste. This is "the Christ" and they are about to kill him.
When you read the Gospel straight into the Psalm, this is almost as if it could be Pilate's song. Having sent Jesus to his death, we see the words "Have mercy on me" leading into a real plea for God's forgiveness. There are times when we need to take our place in that queue. Remembering Christ the small child, and remembering that what we see before us in this passage is the reason he came, we could ask how often we stand among the crowd, how his death can be pinned on us.
Even so we call for mercy, and we know his death has washed away "all our iniquity". That is the love of Christ at work in us.
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