“As many were astonished at him – his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance………”
On Good Friday (or God’s Friday) we naturally and rightly face the Cross; the instrument of torture and death whereby our Saviour won our redemption at so great a cost. We contemplate the image of the crucified, we walk with him in his final journey; we honour the wounds he bore for us. We “gaze upon those glorious scars” – glorious now but then so torn and lacerated. We, in the words of the hymn, “turn not from his grief’s away.”
The image of the crucified is placed before us today as we gather together to mourn his suffering and death which in a very real sense is also to mourn for our own sinful state which was the cause of such suffering. The hymns and music of Passiontide and Holy Week draw us closer into the mystery of Christ’s suffering and death, and often lead to a profound emotional and spiritual reaction within us.
It can seem that the events of last night and the events of today are simply about us being present, wanting not to forget the cost of our salvation, wanting not to turn from his grief’s away and with our Lady wanting to stand at the foot of the cross weeping.
Yet, I want to suggest that the image we so often have of this day, right as it is, can be altered to give us another perspective. One of the Gospel texts beloved of evangelical preachers is “Sir, we would see Jesus” John 12:21. Apparently, that text is carved into the top of the pulpit in Oak Hill Theological College Chapel. But how do we see Jesus? Do we see him today hanging on the cross and mourn for our sins and failings? Do we see him suffering and dying and gain strength for the difficult road he has called us to tread? Do we see him being nailed to the cross and contemplate all those who suffer in our world today? Well, yes, I hope we see that and much more for the depth of the mystery is such that it is unfathomable.
However, I want to suggest to you this year that there is a perspective that we easily miss. It’s understandable that we should miss it, as fixed as we are upon that image of Christ Crucified. The perspective I am talking of we can never physically see ourselves for we are in the wrong position. If we are to see the perspective I am referring to we would need the eyes of another. I refer of course to the eyes of Jesus himself, for it is his perspective that we so easily miss.
We talk of him humbly bearing all the pain, of his being like a lamb dumb before its shearer; we talk of him being fixed on fulfilling his Father’s will and of his love for us driving him on to Calvary to win our salvation. We talk of his pain and humiliation, his agony and death. But do we ever think about what he saw while he was hanging on the Cross?
Well, we know he was facing the Holy City of Jerusalem, the city of Peace; and that he was facing his Father’s House: the Temple. We also know that he could see the pinnacle of the Temple where the Devil had taken him in a vision during his temptation in the wilderness. We know he could see the fortress Antonia where the occupying Roman forces were stationed.
It was spring and so we know that the ground was a riot of colour and sweet scented plants: olives, cyclamens, wild daffodils, irises, fennel, poppies, daisies and red anemones; and in the air he may have seen swallows darting hither and thither. He could see the surrounding countryside: the high place of Gibeon where Solomon prayed for wisdom; Mount Scopus where Alexander the Great quailed before the majesty of the High Priest; he could see the Mount of Olives and the Kidron Valley; and he could see Mount Zion – the place of the Upper Room where the very night before he had shared his Last Supper with his Apostles. Spring is the season in which the weather is very changeable in the Holy Land. One day can be glorious and then it can snow the next, or be one of stifling heat. Up from the south-west can come the ‘Khamsin’ – a hot, depressing wind. Such is the topography and nature which Christ could have seen at such a time of the year.
But our Lord also saw human nature in all in various forms. He saw friends, amongst which there were those who were secretly so or openly so. There were no doubt many sympathisers, but in all likelihood these were cowed into silence, although among them were almost certainly strangers to the city who must have been shocked at what they saw. Then he saw those who were indifferent – what’s one more crucifixion when you’ve seen hundreds? He saw the inquisitive, almost ghoulish types who enjoy human suffering, rather like those old wood cuts of people knitting at the foot of the gallows. And of course he saw and heard the scoffers – those who, now that Jesus is helplessly nailed to the Cross, are finally brave enough to hurl insults; and he also sees those who had been determined to do away with him – not only the Roman soldiers, but also among them many dignitaries and members of the Jewish aristocracy demeaning themselves by gloating at what they were achieving? And all these types of people are seen by our Lord amidst the turbulent mob that line the streets and gather at the foot of Calvary.
Also amongst those that the Lord sees are the countless numbers of pilgrims coming into the Holy City for the Passover and they look at what is happening. Some look at him with pity in their eyes, others cannot be bothered to spare him a look, and in others he sees contempt. Jesus also sees those going about their business with carts laden with goods entering or leaving the city pulled by oxen; working men cursing and bemoaning their lot because yet another crucifixion is drawing a crowd that is hampering their journey.
And amongst this vast throng of people gathered outside the Gate of Ephraim and those trying to get in or out of it are those who he recognises as those he has healed, delivered or forgiven. He sees those he has taught, encouraged and admonished. In the eyes of some of these he sees distress at what he is going through, in others he sees betrayal and cowardice.
And then he sees his loved ones: “By the cross of Jesus stood his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” A little further away he can see another group of friends and other women who had followed him from Galilee. He sees John the Apostle to whom he bequeaths his Mother who is to become the Mother of the Church as he also bequeaths John to her.
But then as he looks around surely he notices something else: the absence of the Twelve, except for John; and especially the absence of Peter, the first to recognise him as the Christ – indeed the very person responsible for the name we give our Saviour: Jesus Christ. These then are among the missing – those Christ misses as he gazes from the cross…. including, of course, the one who was lost: Judas.
And as his life ebbs away he prays for those he sees, “Father, forgive them…..” As his life ebbs away he may even have seen his tomb as it was near the place where he was crucified. As he says “It is consummated” he sees Hades in which are Adam and Eve, and the souls of all those held captive by Satan, whom he is about to take by the hand and rescue saying, “Awake, O sleeper and arise from the dead and Christ shall give you life.” Finally, as he breathes his last he sees Hades emptied of its prisoners, as he leads captivity captive in through the gates of heaven thrown wide open.
However, there are some he saw that I have not mentioned….. indeed, you may be surprised to learn who they were. They are a mixed bag of people, some are full of pride, some are simple souls, some are making a mess of their lives, and others are doing very nicely. Some are poor and some are quite well off. Some know their need of God and others go through the motions. Amongst them are those that are fearful, those that are grieving, those that are sick or lonely, and those that are joyful and glad. And where does our Lord see them from the Cross,…………..sat here before him today.
For Christ not only sees those physically present beneath the Cross, but also all those for whom he is dying down through the ages…., and amongst them are….yes, you and I….for he died for us too, died for the guilty to lead us to God. His gaze from the Cross also rests on each one of us, for yes, we look on him and bewail our sinful nature knowing that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). That gaze is one of compassion and love: “Father, forgive them….” We rightly contemplate his suffering and death on the cross which achieved our salvation, but through his eyes we see and understand far more.
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