by oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
and they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth. [isaiah 5:8-9]
when injustice is done to us– or when we see injustice, it is our natural tendency to be angry. i am struck when i read the gospel narrative of Jesus life and his trial and subsequent execution at his refusal to lash out in violent anger at those who unjustly prosecute him–consider this narrative of luke:
now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “prophesy! who is it that struck you?” and they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.
when day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, “if you are the Christ, tell us.” but he said to them, “if i tell you, you will not believe, and if i ask you, you will not answer. but from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” so they all said, “are you the Son of God, then?” and he said to them, “you say that i am.” then they said, “what further testimony do we need? we have heard it ourselves from his own lips.” [luke 22:63-71]
can you picture it? the scorn, the violence, the contempt, the hatred the injustice. Jesus had every right to say:
“this isn’t right! this isn’t just! let me speak to my lawyer, this trial isn’t legal”–because it certainly wasn’t–if that didn’t work we–as humans in the flesh could speak words of deceit–”you got it wrong, it wasn’t me, you have the wrong person!” but Jesus refused to get out of his predicament by speaking smooth words of deceit. what did the assembly hear from Jesus lips (vs 71)?
the opposite of deceit:
“if i tell you, you will not believe, and if i ask you, you will not answer. but from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
the truth.
today, let us be overwhelmed by the truth of Jesus Christ. yes–they made his grave, but he overcame the grave–he lives: at the right hand of the throne of God and in our hearts–let us live in the presence in whom we have redemption!
~ce