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Easter Questions
A wealthy entrepreneur was giving a seminar on managing money. He reminisced about a time when he had little but in response to a charitable appeal he gave away all he had. People cheered, but he blanched when a man asked: "Would you do it again now?" I wonder what the main characters in the Easter story would say if asked that. I’m not talking about the wisdom of hindsight, but rather the question as to if given a second chance would anything be different. Caiaphas, the high priest of Israel was a man with a grim responsibility. He was charged with keeping alive a thousand years of religious traditions while living under the thumb of an occupying power. Rome ruled with an iron rod. Word had reached them of some temples in the empire reduced to rubble when they were discovered to be the epicenter of nationalistic rebellions. He stood between Caesar’s ire and the local hot heads. Religious power and control had to remain in his hands – offshoot movements from Galilee were too risky to tolerate. Better that one man die than the whole nation perish, even if that man was a popular preacher. Yet some of the religious leaders had become secret disciples of Jesus. They strove to be a voice of moderation inside the governing council. Is it better to be brash, bold and loose than to be working below the radar towards a surreptitious victory? Power in the hands of the wise can be effective, but it must be guided by both courage and perspective. One without the other is a recipe for failure. Leaders like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea sought to couple their allegiance with Jesus to diplomacy among his detractors. Surely that was the best avenue to protect this crowd-moving Prophet? Their choice was about where best to employ influence. Crowds couldn’t know that. Those crowds contained a mixed multitude. In clandestine dress, dagger wielding men moved to pick off a soldier a day. Barabbas was a man who spilled blood for the sake of patriotism. His knee was never going to bow to an occupying power. Not strong enough to meet the invaders on the battlefield they targeted the Roman soldiers in alleys and markets. The notches on his knife eventually brought him to prison and the death sentence. Suddenly all was changed. The whims of a fickle crowd had called for his release and a Teacher’s hands were spiked to the cross instead. In the ranks of the crowds were the confused disciples. All their lives they’d heard talk of a coming Messiah. Who better to fill this roll than the Man who could speak so as to make huge crowds flock to His side? They were at the heart of the most wide ranging popular movement of their times. It took sacrifice to be his close confidants but they’d left businesses and homes gladly to be in the right place when He set up a whole new national order. The time for their own thrones could was surely at hand. Then there was the healings and miracles – what a rallying point! The only part that didn’t fit in with their agendas was all that He’d taught them about unselfish living. Would they follow Him again in the hope of fame and glory? In a heart beat! Most important of all, there’s the Crucified One. If you asked Jesus about doing it again He’d show you nail scarred hands and tell you there was no other way for the justice of God’s law to meet the love in God’s mercy. The God Man was nailed there and the old Easter song comprehends the mystery in this verse: Five bleeding wounds He bears, received on Calvary. They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me. "Forgive them, o forgive" they cry, "nor let those ransomed sinners die!" The verse hints at the post resurrection work of Jesus for now in heaven He represents the life redeeming message – the Innocent has died for the sinner and the Immortal has tasted death to give eternal life to the morally condemned. An empty tomb undersigns that victory proclamation.
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