Apologies: this is yesterday's devotion sent out late. Today's one will come a little later.
Victim or Priest?
| With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last. (Mark15:37 ) |
As we have seen, Mark keeps things short and simple.
From the other gospels we know that this "loud cry" included
"It is Finished" ("Tetelestai" - "Paid in Full")
and "Father into Your hands I commit my Spirit".
Mark captures the sense of this with his simple account.
The loud cry is one of triumph and victory.
Breathing His last indicates that Jesus was in control.
His life wasn't taken from Him by us - He gave His life for us.
This is a vital distinction.
Jesus is not a helpless victim, He is our Great High Priest who offers Himself.
Tomorrow we will see that the manner of His death is so striking that it moves a senior Roman Officer to utter one of the New Testament's greatest statements of faith.
Take a moment to reflect on a Saviour who
- experienced the excruciating (pun intended) agony of the cross,
- refused narcotics,
- fulfilled scripture,
- offered mercy to a hardened criminal,
- took care of His earthly mother and youngest disciple,
- and traversed God-forsakenness that reduced Him to His "mother tongue."
Then even in His final moments even death is His choice and not ours.
He is not a victim losing His life, but a Priest offering it.
As Charles Wesley's hymn asks:
"Amazing Love, how can it be, that Thou, O God, shouldst die for me?!"
