Father, "into Your hand I commit My spirit"

 

 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hand I commit My spirit.'" Having said this, He breathed His last.  

 

So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done,  beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. 

 

Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.  That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.  

 

- Luke 23:44–56

 

On Saturday, we read that there were also two others, criminals, who were led with Jesus to be put to death.  And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."  And they divided His garments and cast lots.  And the people stood looking on.  But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."  The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."  And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."   But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."  Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

 

  Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. The sixth hour is noon, and the ninth hour corresponds to approximately 3:00 in the afternoon.  We see that the very rhythm of creation is disturbed in this murder of its Creator.  Regarding the veil of the temple, my study Bible comments that the veil that separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple was a symbol of the separation between God and human beings.  Christ's death, it says, opens the way into the presence of God for all people, giving people access to that which is most holy of all:  God Himself.  In many Orthodox churches, there is a curtain between the altar and the nave which is drawn open during liturgical services in order to emphasize that communion with God, which was at one time sealed off from humanity, is now available to all who approach in faith. 

 

 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hand I commit My spirit.'"  Having said this, He breathed His last.  My study Bible comments that Jesus does not have His life taken from Him, but will voluntarily commit it to the Father.  His was the first human soul not to be taken to Hades.  Instead, Jesus gives His soul freely to the hands of God.  So, therefore, He frees all of humanity from the grip of death.  Jesus' death is a reconciliation of humankind to God, not through satisfaction of a need for blood-justice as some might teach, but by causing all aspects of our corrupt human nature to be transformed -- for whatever divinity touches is healed.  My study Bible says that Christ accepts human nature in order to sanctify human nature.  Christ accepts our weakness in order to make us strong; He takes on our sin in order to free us from sin; He suffers in order to transfigure suffering; and He enters death in order to destroy it (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).  Jesus is quoting from Psalm 31:5; He is likely praying as the entire psalm is the story of the Crucifixion.  

 

 So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done,  beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.  My study Bible cites St. Cyril of Alexandria, who reflects on the conversion of the centurion as follows:  "Observe that no sooner had Christ endured the Passion on the Cross for our sakes than He began to win many unto knowledge of the truth."

 

 Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.  If the apostles had buried Christ, my study Bible states, doubters could claim His body was simply hidden away.  Joseph of Arimathea, being both a council member and also a good and just man refutes any possibility of deception by the apostles.  Moreover, the spiritual significance of this tomb where no one had ever lain before is that Christ died a death unlike any person had ever died.  That is, a death without corruption, a death which leads to victory over the grave itself.  

 

 That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.  Christ's rest in the tomb, my study Bible notes, fulfills the image of His birth in a cave (Luke 2:7) and reveals the ultimate purpose of Christ's coming into the world.  The faith of the women, my study Bible adds, while stronger than that of the disciples who are now in hiding, was still imperfect in that they prepared for the corruption of Christ's body.  Moreover, as God rested from His work of creation on the original Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3), so now Christ rests from the work of the new creation on the Sabbath.  So, therefore, Christ gives the Sabbath its ultimate meaning, and He fulfills the Law even in death.  At Matins of Holy Saturday, the Orthodox hymn declares, "This is the most blessed Sabbath on which Christ sleeps in order to rise on the third day."

 

 We should note something a little subtle about the passages in today's reading.  Even though the unthinkable has happened, even though the world and all aspects of creation seem out of whack, upside down, there is a particular rhythm or cycle to what is happening.  It is more or less "upside down" that there was darkness all over the earth from noon until 3:00 P.M.  We're even told that then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple -- established to protect the people from the powerful holiness of God -- was torn in two.  Perhaps these words describe an eclipse, but ancient people knew what eclipses were, and there is clear evidence that astronomical knowledge was developed enough to know their cause.  Nonetheless, these events tell us about the creation that responds to what has just happened, and perhaps even more importantly, what is taking place.  For the powers of heaven are shaken.  Christ the Lord has died His human death and will ascend now to assume all power in heaven and on earth.  In the psalms we read, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.  Their sound has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world (Psalm 19:1-4).  When Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and His disciples shouted out in His Triumphal Entry, Jesus said to the offended religious leaders, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40).   In the perspective of Scripture, all of creation forms a kind of icon of the Creator and the reality of the divine life, its purposes, its meanings.  Creation, in this sense, is alive with meanings and messages if we but could understand and hear.  So, as Jesus prophesied of the end times, there are signs in the sun on this occasion; moreover the very veil of the temple has been torn in two, symbolizing the opening of heaven to human beings through Christ's death on the Cross.  And then the rhythm of Creation is taking place.  Jesus dies on the day of Preparation, which we know as Good Friday.  And then the Sabbath comes, and He rests, even as His faithful followers, the women from Galilee, also oversee His resting place, the tomb, and then withdraw so they themselves abide by the Sabbath rule.  What we find, remarkably it seems, is the pattern and path of duty midst all of this upheaval.  Even the pattern of the Preparation and the Sabbath are asserted through the faith of Christ's followers.  Joseph of Arimathea, taking tremendous courage, goes to Pilate and asks for the body of Jesus.  Through his faith and generosity he wrapped Christ's body in linen, and donated an unused new tomb, hewn out of the rock, an expensive gift and honor indeed, unheard of for One who is crucified on a cross in the Roman system of punishments, and for One so ignominiously treated by His own nation and its religious leaders.  As my study Bible noted, Christ goes even as He was born as an infant, in a cave, and wrapped in swaddling.  And although the apostles are in hiding, the women observe the tomb, and prepare what is necessary for His burial:  the spices and fragrant oils.  Then as faithful duty in the rhythm of creation, and their humility before God, they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.  These powerful events teach us so much about faith, humility, and duty in the face of the unthinkable and shocking in our lives.  We still have a duty, a job to do.  We still honor God, and do what we know according to the commandments we know.  For Christ teaches us what we are to be about, and how we serve Him under all circumstances.  Let us remember our road, our truth, our life.  Jesus says, as His last words, "Father, 'into Your hand I commit My spirit,'" quoting from Psalm 31.  Ultimately we follow His lead, and commit all things to God's hand, for that is where we belong, too, regardless of what happens in the world around us. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Make straight the way of the LORD,'" as the prophet Isaiah said

 

 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am

'The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

"Make straight the way of the LORD," '

as the prophet Isaiah said."

Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"  John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 

 

- John 1:19-28 

 

Yesterday, the lectionary gave us what is known as the Prologue of John's Gospel:   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.  

 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  Here the theological Prologue to John's Gospel is finished (see yesterday's reading, above), and the testimony of the Gospel has shifted to the beginnings of Christ's earthly ministry.  Thus begins the witness of John the Baptist in today's reading.  This next part of John's Gospel, extending through chapter 2, verses 1-11, is another type of parallel with the book of Genesis.  Just as John's Prologue began with the words, "In the beginning" in order to give us a picture of the Logos, the Son of God in His divinity, today's reading begins the first of seven days given as the beginning of Christ's ministry in our world, as Incarnate human being.  It begins with John the Baptist, a highly revered figure in his time, whose ministry gave to Christ His first disciples, who had been first followers of John the Baptist.  

"Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness:  "Make straight the way of the LORD," ' as the prophet Isaiah said."  My study Bible comments that John the Baptist is a prophet, but not the Prophet, the Messiah, whose coming was foretold by Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-19).  Here John is quoting from Isaiah 40:3, identifying himself as the one who fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah as "the voice of one crying in the wilderness."  He, we understand, is the herald of our Lord's coming, proclaiming to all to be prepared for the coming of the Messiah.

 

Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"  John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.   The Pharisees have come to him as part of the ruling Council, and those who wish to scrupulously regulate and examine the faith.  John by now is well-known.  Here John again points to Christ, "One among you whom you do not know."  John's baptism is not Christian baptism, but one of repentance in preparation for the Messiah.  

My study Bible explains of John the Baptist that the call to repentance was traditional for prophets.  Thus, his role in baptizing for repentance in preparation for the coming of Christ is one that fulfills the role of prophet, and John himself is traditionally considered in the Christian faith to be the last and greatest of the Old Testament type prophets.  My study Bible notes that John's baptism did not grant remission of sins once and for all (unlike Christian baptism with the Holy Spirit), but prefigured and prepared people for the baptism of Christ which was to come (see Romans 6:3-11).  It also notes that John is a figure of the Law in that, like the Law, he denounced sin but could not remit (or "put away") sin.  Both John and the Law point to the One who can remit sin, Christ.  There is another way to understand our text, and that is in keeping with the parallels to Genesis we're given in these first seven days of Christ's ministry, beginning with the call of John the Baptist to repentance in preparation.  My study Bible comments on this aspect of the text that on this first day, John the Baptist bears witness to the Light (see yesterday's reading, above), who is the Christ, in the presence of the Pharisees, those coming from the Council and in this sense representing the Jewish nation.  This parallels the creation of light on the first day in Genesis 1:3-5.  This call of the Baptist is extremely important, for it gives us a sense (as my study Bible suggests) of how the Old Testament calls us to the new, and points to Christ.  Clearly this preparation is essential for understanding who Christ is, for preparing the people to know the Christ, to receive the Messiah.  Many factors will be at work in terms of how the people accept or reject Christ and His ministry, not least of which are popular expectations which are false, but in fact John gives the true preparation by quoting Isaiah the prophet, showing how God has prepared the way for the Lord, and even for the Baptist himself.  What we may gather from this is first of all the importance of preparation.  When we journey along the road of faith, we may begin to observe that all that has come before in our lives, when taken in faith, can work together to point us to our salvation and a growing or deepening participation in the life of Christ, a deepening of our faith.  Secondly, the passage shows us unmistakably how John the Baptist is essential to this salvation economy, for each one plays his or her role in God's plan.  Nothing is wasted in the sense that each has a part to play.  It also tells us how greatly John was revered by the early Christians and remains an essential figure to our faith.  John is the Herald, or the Forerunner, the one who -- like the servants of a king, or a modern day diplomat or emissary who prepares the ground for a visit of a President or Prime Minister -- readies the people for the greater man's message.  John in this role is a model of humility, and serves today as such a model, especially for monastics.  The very creation of monasticism would be inspired by John and his role in the wilderness, for he lived his life in complete devotion to God.  Today the Feast of the Transfiguration is commemorated around the world, and it is important to remember, in this context, that the Transfiguration is about the revelation of the divinity of Christ to His disciples.  But perhaps most importantly, the Transfiguration (in Greek, Μεταμορφωσις/Metamorphosis) serves for Christians as the image of the Light which transfigures all things and especially transfigures us.  In the Transfiguration we are given to understand that faith is meant to be a process throughout our lives of transformation in the light of Christ, transfiguring our every day moments into something serving our salvation, a capacity for a growing and deepening faith and participation in Christ's life and kingdom.  In His light, we see light (Psalm 36:9), so that we may become the image He has for us.  So we listen to the Herald, John the Baptist, who played his part in teaching us about repentance and preparation, for the One who always makes all things new, and who continually asks us for, and gives us, repentance and renewal. 

Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God

 

 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?"  And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.  Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" ' Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."  So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.  

 

In the evening He came with the twelve.  Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."  And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?"  And another said, "Is it I?"  He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish.  The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!  It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.  Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

 

- Mark 14:12–25 

 

Yesterday we read that while Jesus was in the temple, following a confrontation with the religious leaders regarding His authority, He began to speak to them in parables:  "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.  And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.  And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.  Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'  So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do?  He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.  Have you not even read this Scripture:  'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? "  

 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?"  My study Bible notes that while the synoptic Gospels (such as here in St. Mark's Gospel) date the Crucifixion on the first day of Passover, John dates it on the Preparation Day, the day before Passover.  So, in the synoptic tradition, the Last Supper covered in today's reading is the Passover meal.  In John's Gospel, however, Jesus, as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), dies at the same time the Passover lamb(s) were being slain in the temple.  My study Bible says it's not possible to know which one is historically accurate, but both traditions are accurate theologically; the Mystical Supper is the fulfillment of the Passover meal (synoptic tradition), and Christ's death is the fulfillment of the Passover lambs being killed (John's tradition).

And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.  Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" ' Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."  So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.   My study Bible explains that these two disciples are Peter and John (see Luke 22:8).  

In the evening He came with the twelve.  Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."  And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?"  And another said, "Is it I?"  He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish."   My study Bible notes that Christ emphasizes both that His betrayer is one of the twelve, and also that he is one who dips with Me in the dish, not so much in order to identify the person.  Rather, this emphasizes the level of betrayal; His betrayer is one of His closest friends (see Psalm 55:13-15).  

"The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!  It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."   My study Bible comments that divine foreknowledge of the betrayal takes away neither Judas' moral freedom nor his accountability.  It says that for God, all things are a present reality; God foresees all human actions, but does not cause them. 

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.  Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."    To give thanks has as its root the Greek word eucharist.  My study Bible says that this immediately came to refer to both the Liturgy and the sacrament of Holy Communion.  Before the end of the first century, an early manuscript called the Didache ("Teaching") makes reference to the celebration of the Liturgy as "the Eucharist."  My study Bible adds that in AD 150, St. Justin said of Holy Communion, "This food we call 'Eucharist,' of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing [holy baptism] for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ commanded us."  Jesus says, "This is My body."  In the Orthodox Church it has always been accepted that Christ's words are true, (quoting St. Justin) "that the food consecrated by the word of prayer which comes from Him is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus." 

 

Today's lectionary reading skips ahead in St. Mark's Gospel from the the one we read in yesterday's reading, from chapter 12 to chapter 14.  But it is, nevertheless, remarkable and interesting that we go from a focus on the parable of the vinedressers (who failed to deliver the harvest of vintage to the vineyard owner) to Jesus' statement in today's reading that He will "no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."  In light of the discussion of the parable in yesterday's reading and commentary, we might yet again consider what "the fruit of the vine" means here.  Is Jesus talking about literal wine, or the fruit of the vine in the Kingdom?  Or is this yet another reference to the spiritual fruits which go to make possible the time of the New Jerusalem, the cosmic wedding feast of Bride and Bridegroom, of God and God's people?  These sort of "coincidental" occurrences and overlaps within Scripture (such as today's reading echoing an element of yesterday's from a different chapter) invite us to think more deeply about the language and concepts give to us by Christ, and to seek to understand what He has given us -- even the questions He invites us to ask.  It's also quite startling to look at the details invoked in today's reading.  When the disciples Peter and John ask about preparing the Passover, Jesus replies with very detailed instructions:  "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.  Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" ' Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."   Not only is this remarkable in terms of wondering how Christ not only knew but had planned all of the detailed instructions, but how it is related to the note in my study Bible regarding Judas' accountability for his choice.  To remind, let us repeat the contents of that note in my study Bible:  that divine foreknowledge of the betrayal does not take away Judas' moral freedom or his accountability.  This is explained by saying that for God, all things are a present reality; that in fact, God foresees all human actions, but does not cause them.  Both Christ's minutely detailed instructions regarding preparations for the Passover (including what words to say, that the man will be carrying a pitcher of water, that they will be shown a large upper room), and His apparently detailed understanding of where Judas has been and what he has already done (in Mark 14:10-11, the verses just prior to today's reading) fall into this pattern.  The Gospel once again shows us that Christ is divine by revealing these details of His knowledge, even as we're given to understand that God's foreknowledge of all things as present reality does not take away responsibility from Judas.  It reminds us that every detail of our lives, of our days, our choices, our actions, even our words are known to God and are included in Christ's knowledge of us (see, for example, Matthew 10:30; 12:36).  In the context of today's reading, it is clear that Christ knows precisely where He is going (to His Passion) and how that is going to unfold.  As we journey this week toward Christ's Passion, death, and Resurrection, let us remember this knowledge about our Lord and Savior, even as we prepare to participate in it and live it with Him in our worship services, and especially through the Eucharist.  In keeping with the subject of yesterday's commentary, let us, moreover, with Him, look forward to the day of the new wine in the kingdom of God and the New Jerusalem -- for we also participate in that, especially in the spiritual fruits we produce through faith.

 

This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many

 

 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?"  And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.  Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'  Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."  So His disciples went out, and they came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.  

 

In the evening He came with the twelve.  Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."  And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?"  And another said, "Is it I?"  He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish.  The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!  It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."  

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.  Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."  And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

 

- Mark 14:12–26 

 

Yesterday we read that, following Christ's teaching on end times, after two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.  But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people."  And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.  But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?  For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor."  And they criticized her sharply.  But Jesus said, "Let her alone.  Why do you trouble her?  She has done a good work for Me.  For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.  She has done what she could.  She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.  Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."  Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.  And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money.  So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him. 

 

  Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?"  My study Bible has a note that tells us that while the synoptic Gospels date the Crucifixion on the first day of Passover, John's Gospel dates it to the Preparation Day, the day before the Passover.  So, therefore, in the synoptic tradition, the Last Supper (which is part of today's reading) is the Passover meal.  But in John's Gospel, Jesus, as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), dies at the exact time the Passover lambs are being slain in the temple.  While it is not possible to determine which is historically accurate, we must keep in mind that both traditions are theologically accurate.  That is, the Mystical Supper is the fulfillment of the Passover meal (the synoptic tradition) and Christ death is the fulfillment of the Passover lambs being slain (John's tradition).  

And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.  Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'  Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."  So His disciples went out, and they came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.  These two disciples are Peter and John (Luke 22:8).  Let us note once again, as in Christ's instructions for the preparation of His Triumphal Entry, the careful and deliberate planning by Christ even of the details that go into preparations for the Last Supper.  

 

 In the evening He came with the twelve.  Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."  And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?"  And another said, "Is it I?"  He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish."  My study Bible comments that Christ emphasizes here both that His betrayer is one of the twelve an that he is one "who dips with Me in the dish."  This is not so much to identify the person as to emphasize the deep level of this betrayal -- that this was one of His closest friends (see Psalm 55:13-15).  

"The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!  It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."  My study Bible says that divine foreknowledge of the betrayal takes away neither Judas' moral freedom nor his accountability.  For God, all things are a present reality; He foresees all human actions, but does not cause them. 

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.  Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."  When Jesus took the cup, He gave it to the disciples only after He had given thanks.  My study Bible comments that the verb translated as "give thanks" (εὐχαριστέω) has the Greek word "eucharist" as its root.  This immediately came to refer to both the Liturgy and the sacrament of Holy Communion.  Before the end of the first century, it notes, a manuscript called the Didache ("Teaching") refers to the celebration of the Liturgy as "the Eucharist."  Also, my study Bible comments, in the year AD 150, St. Justin says of Holy Communion, "This food we call 'Eucharist,' of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing [holy baptism] for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ commanded us."  Jesus also says, "This is My body."  In the Orthodox Church, it has always been accepted that Christ words are true.  St. Justin writes that "the food consecrated by the word of prayer which comes from Him is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus."  Let us note that this is a mystical reality of the sacrament; it is accepted that it is true by the power of the Holy Spirit, but without explanation as to how this happens.  This was the viewpoint of the unified Church of the first millennium, and remains the perspective of the Orthodox.

 

 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.  This hymn is a psalm from a group of psalms traditionally sung after the Passover meal (Psalms 113-118).  

In today's reading, we can discern the sacrificial nature of Christ's impending death, both through His words and teaching, and also the events of the Passover and particularly the killing of the Passover lamb.  In modern perspective, especially perhaps in the West, even the word "sacrifice" tends to have negative connotations.  That is unless, of course, there is a payoff to be reaped, where sacrifice is an investment for a good return.  One "sacrifices," for example, to pay for schooling which hopefully will return the investment with a good job or career.  But perhaps we need to understand sacrifice in a different context and within a different definition in order to see more clearly what sacrifice, in this sense in the Gospels, meant to the ancient peoples.  Primarily sacrifice was an act of community, with the sacrifice making a communal meal which included the deity of the people.  In our context, we therefore call the Mystical Supper, the Eucharist, "Communion."  We share in the Body and Blood of Christ, who became the Lamb of God for us.  He became the One sacrifice that replaced all, so that we have communion in Him, and we as faithful are called the Body of Christ, denoting that communion.  So we give thanks, in effect, for that which brings us communion, makes us one body.  The Lord's sacrifice and subsequent Resurrection makes this possible for us, and we are to understand it in this sense.  It is akin to the slaughtering of the Passover lambs in that the blood of the lambs saved the ancient Hebrews, freeing them from death, and enabling their liberation from slavery.  Perhaps we could more closely understand this in a modern context if we considered the sacrifices people make for their families, for the life of the communion or body of the family.  So we see Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, and our communion as we participate by partaking of His body and blood, mystically present in the Eucharist.  This is not a question of defining how precisely this happens in a physical sense, but rather asks of us a true understanding of the nature of His sacrifice and His gift of the Eucharist so that we may participate in His life, including His Resurrection.  It is very important that we understand this as a mystical reality, for it is not possible to accept without faith and the work of God present within all of it, and the work of the Holy Spirit present with us and in the midst of our worship.  Our communion is not simply ourselves as faithful, but also the whole body of the saints, which includes the angels and heavenly hosts, as well as Father, Son, and Spirit.  It is for this communion that we give thanks, for this sacrifice of Christ, who became human by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that we may fully participate, in turn, in the life He offers through this cup and bread. Its mystical reality is made possible through God and God's work in the world, including the Incarnation, which incorporates the Cross and the Resurrection.  For God will experience human death, and as such He will defeat the death that would seek to enslave us in many forms.  In this way, the whole "family" of God is nurtured, built, expanded into the inexpressible knowledge of God's infinite perspective.  We give thanks in the communion, the Mystical Supper that allows us to be a part of His Mystical Body that is also the Church, in which we each may play a role and participate in God's saving work.  Jesus says, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many," meaning for all.

 

 

 

 

I am "The voice of one crying in the wilderness"

 

 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am

'The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

"Make straight the way of the LORD,"'

as the prophet Isaiah said."  

 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"  John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 

 

- John 1:19–28 

 

Yesterday the lectionary gave us what is called the "Prologue" of John's Gospel:   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

 

 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"   He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  This John is John the Baptist.  Yesterday, we read the theological Prologue to the Gospel, which taught us about the origins, divinity, and mission of Jesus Christ the Son of God.  Today the focus shifts to the beginnings of Christ's ministry, in the witness (testimony) of John the Baptist.  Just as the Prologue gave us an echo of Genesis, by starting verse 1 with "In the beginning" (see yesterday's reading, above), so the Gospel now parallels Genesis by giving us this "first day" of Christ's ministry.  Over the course of the next several readings, we will be given seven consecutive days.  Each day parallels the themes in the same days in the creation story of Genesis.  Here in today's reading, John the Baptist bears witness to the Light -- the Christ -- in the presence of the representatives of the Jewish leaders sent from Jerusalem.  Today's reading parallels the creation of light on the first day in Genesis 1:3-5.  

And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."   Although the Gospel does not overtly state it, it was understood (and also evident through the text) that John the Baptist was an extremely significant figure at this time just prior to the public ministry of Jesus Christ.  We can see from the questions asked by these representatives sent from the religious leadership in Jerusalem what significance John had as a public figure, who was clearly considered a holy man by the people.  They ask him if he is Elijah because the Prophet Elijah was prophesied to return before the Christ (Malachi 4:5-6).  Elsewhere, Jesus indicates that John the Baptist was Elijah returned in spirit (see, for example, Mark 9:13).   Here although he is a prophet, John denies that he is the Prophet, whom my study Bible says is the Messiah, whose coming was foretold by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15-19. 

 

 Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness:  "Make straight the way of the LORD,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."  John the Baptist quotes from Isaiah 40:3, the word of one who prepares the way for the Christ, the Lord who is coming and will establish His kingdom.  

 

Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"  John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.    As these representatives are sent from the Pharisees, they quiz John as to his purpose in baptizing.  Luke 3:3 tells us that John was preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  My study Bible comments that the call to repentance was tradition for prophets.  But John's baptism did not grant remission of sins once and for all; instead, it prefigured and prepared people for the baptism of Christ which was to come.  It notes that John is a figure of the Law in that, like the Law, he denounced sin but could not remit ("put away") sin.  Both John and the Law point to the One who can remit sin.  That is the One John says, "whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  By this language, John is comparing himself in spiritual authority to Christ, in humility declaring that in this sense, he is not even worthy to be a slave of Christ.  

 

 In today's reading, John's Gospel gives us a "first day" of Christ's public ministry.  Note that in this first day, Jesus has not yet made an appearance.  He is alluded to by John the Baptist, but even John the Baptist will indicate in the following reading in this Gospel (Thursday's reading) that at this stage, he does not know who the Christ is.  These details tell us something very important for our own lives of faith.  Most of the time, we tend to think of these great saints and figures of the Gospels as having a spiritual wisdom that has so much to teach us that they are something akin to omniscient.  But, in effect, we see John's great humility teaching us much more about who and what he is than we can imagine for ourselves.  John's humility -- in stating that he personally is not even of rank enough to be a slave to Christ -- is a great key to who John is.  John is a prophet who has dedicated absolutely everything in his life to serving God.  He has no wealth.  In dress he bears resemblance to Elijah; Matthew tells us that John "was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey" (Matthew 3:4; compare to the description of Elijah in 2 Kings 1:8).  It is in great humility that his detachment from worldly things is so complete in order to serve God.  It is John's great humility that effectively enables him to be not only the final but also the greatest of all the Old Testament style prophets.  As we enter into Lent, this is the right time to think about our own humility.  The traditional fasting practices of Lent are meant to help us cultivate detachment from worldly things, to all the more focus on Christ at the center of our identity, and helping us to lead our lives in the fullness of His way for us, even as individuals.  There is yet another element about John on display in today's reading, and that is that his fidelity to mission is so complete that he is able to prophesy and prepare people for the Messiah, although he does not know Him.  While we have the stories of the prophecies regarding John the Baptist and Jesus in the stories of their mothers, the cousins Elizabeth and Mary (in Luke 1, 2), the revelation of the identity of the Christ will come to John only at the time of Christ's Baptism.  So John the Baptist carries out the fullness of his mission without knowing the identity of the Christ, even until the moment this is revealed to him.  As such, we can take a great lesson in this story in terms of our own lives.  Unlike John, we are not all prophets, but even this greatest of the prophets (Matthew 11:11) does not know all the answers nor the outcome of his ministry; neither does he know the Christ for whom he's preparing the people.  This should equip us to understand for ourselves that although we do not know the outcome of our lives nor our efforts as those who would also be Christ's followers, we are to carry on day-to-day even in a state of unknowing.  There are some things we know, and some we don't know, but faith is always an ongoing process in a life that unfolds through time.  We don't have all the answers, but we can follow John's example of humility and even a state of faith despite our unknowing, and be confident that this is simply the way things are, and the way things always were.  Let us, like John, cultivate the detachment that allows us to remain in this place of both humility and unknowing, even as we pursue our faith.  This is the right mindset to cultivate for Lent, for all of its associated historical practices are meant to help us to develop just such a detached state of mindfulness, and a focus on Christ, even in the midst of unknowing.  Let us take confidence in John the Baptist's example. 

 

 

And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar

 

 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'   Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

 

- Matthew 27:55-66 

 

Yesterday we read that, when Jesus was crucified, from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.  The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"   

 

  And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  The Gospel gives us a partial picture of what takes place at Christ's crucifixion, and the witnesses there who've ministered to Him since His ministry in Galilee.  My study Bible comments that Mary the mother of James and Joses is seen by most patristic writers as the Virgin Mary, as she was in fact the stepmother of James and Joses (see Matthew 13:55, compare Mark 15:40, 47).  Theophylact summarizes the teaching of the Church Fathers thus:  "James and Joses were sons of Joseph by his first wife.  And since the Theotokos was called the 'wife' of Joseph, she is rightly called the 'mother' of his children, meaning 'stepmother'."  It is notable, also, that it is the women who remain faithful witnesses here, while the male disciples fled and remain hidden.  It is considered a sign of the divine order restored to a fallen world, in which a woman companion led a man to sin (Genesis 2:18, 3:6). 

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.  My study Bible comments that to ask for the body of Jesus is a bold public act for this wealthy man, showing that his faith has overcome any fear.  Joseph of Arimathea was a prominent member of the Council (see Mark 15:43, Luke 23:50-54), and together with Nicodemus, his action in the Gospels tells us that there were members of the ruling religious parties who did not side with the decisions of the authorities and were followers of Jesus.  My study Bible also comments that Christ is buried in a new tomb so that no suspicion might later arise that another had risen instead of Christ.  

On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'   Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.  The stage is set for what is to come.  There will be no doubt about what the women will witness.

The women wait and watch, looking on from afar, witnesses to all that has taken place.   They have been with Jesus since His ministry in Galilee, and have followed Him all the way to the Cross.  We get the image of a silent group, watching perhaps on a hill, waiting and staying with Him in their own way, faithful to the end.  It is these women who will be the ones to witness the almost unbelievable news that will follow at the tomb.  But for now, let us watch them, silent as they witness and observe.  What they have is their faith, and one imagines that this is what they hold fast to, what they cling to within themselves.  When there is nothing else to do or to say, this is what we can do:  we can witness and we can cling to our faith -- and that is still doing what we can do.  These women serve as an example today, because they teach us about what to do when it seems like there is nothing we can do.  It is Jesus who has repeatedly warned the disciples that the time is approaching when the best they can do is "watch and pray."  When we enter into times -- as most certainly is this time recorded for us in the Gospel -- in which all seems upside down, unstable, the unthinkable happens, times of great confusion, then it is time for us to consider what these women do.  They do not desert Christ, they do not desert their faith, but they do as they can do.  They watch and they pray and they witness.  They do not flee and do not panic.  They wait on the Lord and they wait in this time, as silent witnesses.  In contrast to the men, they keep their heads and their hearts in place, and do the one thing they can do.  They watch and wait, and witness.  There is a poem by Rudyard Kipling called "If--" (found at this link).  It used to be an oft-quoted poem, and is ostensibly about what it is to become a man.  It begins, "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs . . ."  It seems to me that it is these women who exemplify in the Gospels what it means to "be a man" as described in the poem by Kipling.  They set us an example.  By their forbearance and tenacity they will become the ones who first witness what the men cannot, the ones to whom Christ first appears.  And notably, as my study Bible reminded us, in the story of Jesus Christ they are the ones who turn the story of the Fall upon its head.  They are the steadfast ones who resist temptation and struggle through this terrible time of testing, and they are the ones upon whose shoulders the rest of us will stand when the story of Christ is repeated and Resurrection proclaimed.  There are times in our lives when there is nothing that we can do but wait and watch.   In a modern world, this type of thinking seems sadly out of step with the endless encouragements to "be the change you want to see" or to be on board with a new slogan making the rounds.  But the Gospels, in their wisdom, remind us that there are times when we can but watch and pray, and the best we can do is witness and continue practicing the things we know are good while we await a new juncture, a new sense of where we are and what we need to do.  Forbearance and patience become assets and virtues, filled with meaning, at the Cross.  For there we find ourselves, even when the world would proclaim that the only thing that matters is decisive action and effort.  The power to bear pain properly, to endure, is something understood perhaps only with experience.  Wisdom teaches us at times that patience takes effort, and so does quiet strength, even silent witness of the time.

 

 

 

 

 

Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"

 

 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  As it is written in the Prophets:

"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, 

Who will prepare Your way before You."

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

'Prepare the way of the LORD;

Make His paths straight.'"

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.  

Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.  I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

 

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.  Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 

Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.  And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

 

- Mark 1:1-13 

 

Yesterday we read that as the disciples discussed the experience of the two on the road to Emmaus with the risen Christ, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, "Peace to you."  But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.  And He said to them, "Why are you troubled?  And why do doubts arise in your hearts?  Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself.  Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."  When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.  But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, "Have you any food here?"  So they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb.  And He took it and ate in their presence.  Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."  And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.  Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  And you are witnesses of these things.  Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."  And He led the out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.  Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.  And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.  Amen.

 

 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  My study Bible comments that gospel (in Greek εὐαγγέλιον/evangelion, literally meaning "good news" or "good tidings") is a reference not to Mark's writings per se -- but rather to the story of the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  That is, it is the good news of our salvation.  Beginning, my study Bible writes, points to the opening events of Christ's public ministry given here in Mark's Gospel.  Specifically, it begins with the preparation by the Lord's forerunner, St. John the Baptist, and Christ's encounter with him. 

 

As it is written in the Prophets:  "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You." "The voice of one crying in the wilderness:  'Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight.'"   Mark the Evangelist quotes from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3, indicating John the Baptist's highly significant place in salvation history.  John the Baptist's ministry is the fulfillment of these cited prophecies.  Mark reminds us that for the first Christians, the Scriptures were the Old Testament Scriptures; there was no New Testament when this -- the earliest dated Gospel -- was written.  

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.  John preaches a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  In the Greek, the word for repentance (μετάνοια/metanoia, pronounced "metanya" in Greek) means "change of mind."  This call to repentance was traditional for prophets, but John calls people to preparation for the Messiah.  My study Bible comments that John's baptism did not grant remission of sins once and for all, but prefigured and prepared people for the baptism of Christ to come (see Romans 6:3-11).  John is a figure of the Law in that, like the Law, he denounced sin but could not remit ("put away") sin.  Both John and the Law point to the One who can remit sin.  We can see how revered and popular a figure he was in that all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

 

 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.  I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."  John is notably clothed in a manner which is similar to that of Elijah (2 Kings 1:8), and this distinction is a clue that he fulfills the prophecy of Elijah's return (Malachi 4:5-6).  This will be later affirmed by Jesus (Matthew 17:12-13, Mark 9:11-13).  Again, the significance of John as fulfillment of prophecy indicates his stature as a figure of great importance in the Church.  Here, John reveals his own capacity as a prophet, as he prophesies baptism with the Holy Spirit.

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.  Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  Mark's is the shortest of the Gospels, and here we read a brief exposition of Christ's baptism by John in the Jordan.  But this highly significant event, which in the earliest times of the Church was celebrated together with Christ's Nativity, is an Epiphany or Theophany.  My study Bible comments that Jesus does not need purification.  But by making the purification of humanity of His own, He accomplishes several things:  He would wash away humanity's sin, grant regeneration, and reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity.  (Thus, the revelation here of the presence of Father, Son, and Spirit is a Theophany or manifestation of God.)  Therefore, my study Bible adds, Christ's baptism was necessary for the fulfillment of God's righteous plan of salvation.  It quotes St. Gregory of Nyssa:  "Jesus enters the filthy, sinful waters of the world and when He comes out, brings up and purifies the entire world with Him." 

 

 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.  And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.  Here we see the immediate action of the Holy Spirit, beginning Christ's public ministry.  The first thing necessary is this preparation of forty days in the wilderness, tempted by Satan, with the wild beasts, and the ministering  angels.  To be tempted is to be tested in fundamental areas of faith.  For the details of Christ's temptations by Satan, see Matthew 4:1-10, Luke 4:1-13.  Each temptation is regarding the use of His power, and especially Christ's loyalty to the Father.  The language here tells us of the powerful action of the Spirit; the word translated as drove (ἐκβάλλω/ekvallo) means to throw or cast out. 

If there is one thing we can gather from this beginning of Mark's Gospel, it is possibly an understanding of the need for preparation for an important event or undertaking.  Everything in the story of Christ's life and ministry unfolds with a certain level of preparation, a sense of proper steps to be taken in the accomplishment of something.  God does not just drop upon us, all at once, the most profound changes and mysteries.  Instead, we are prepared.  The prophets have come throughout the spiritual history of Israel, preparing the people for the Messiah, calling the people back to God.  Without the prophets, we would not have an understanding of the mission and ministry of John the Baptist.  The people would not have understood what he was about, what it meant that he was preparing the way of the Lord, that John is the messenger, the forerunner, the one sent in advance to prepare the people with baptism and preaching -- yet again, in the words of the earlier prophets -- repentance; that is, a call back to God and to the ways of God.  Ultimately, everything is a preparation for the Messiah, for the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ.  John comes in fulfillment of the prophets, crying in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight."  But then we observe, even in this briefest of the Gospels, the preparation of Jesus for His public ministry.  He first submits to be baptized in the Jordan by John, a way to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:14-15).  This accomplishes all manner of things, because Christ Himself prepares the waters for Christian baptism through this process.  Moreover, the Holy Trinity is revealed in the voice of the Father, the identification of Christ as Son, and the presence of the Holy Spirit which rests upon Christ.  Powerfully, Christ's public ministry begins with a manifestation of the Trinity, the fullness of the Godhead.  And then, immediately the Holy Spirit acts to throw Christ out into the wilderness, where He is tempted and tested by Satan in preparation for His ministry, with the wild animals, and ministered to by the angels.  The temptations of Satan test Christ's loyalty to the Father and seek to break that loyalty, which will be the all-encompassing power to complete His saving mission for the world.  Without that loyalty, we would not have our Savior nor our faith.  It is the one thing that the evil one must break in order to prevent Christ from successfully completing His ministry and mission to the world.  It is the thing that will be severely tested through rejection, heartbreak, pain and suffering, even betrayal by one of His chosen Twelve.  It is the one thing that will make His mission complete.  It is the one thing He will teach us that remains for us above all, as He taught us to pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10), and to be like Him.  For all of the fullness of this mission, and for our own understanding of it, all of this preparation is necessary.  It is paving the way for the salvation mission of Christ.  God helps us to make Christ's paths straight, so that we are prepared to accept this giant, colossal gift we have been given, and to understand its fullness as it manifests as we are able to grasp it in our lives.  Jesus will go to the Cross, but we -- and the disciples -- will have been prepared along the way to understand the meaning and power of the Cross, and the mission of Christ to save, to redeem, to transform, and how we are also invited into that mission to follow Him as well.  Let us consider the power of preparation in our own lives:  how we are tested and prepared by circumstances for deeper challenges we might not understand in advance, how the power of prayer helps us prepare to be the people we need to be when we are challenged, how our own circumstances give us opportunities to make a deeper commitment to Christ and to living God's love in our own lives.  If we look upon life the right way, we might come to see everything we have received as preparation, including our mistakes and heartaches, the bad times and also the good.  The Gospel teaches us about the Old Testament Scriptures, and how they are preparation for the New, just as the Law and the Prophets were preparation for the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of our Lord.  John baptizes with water, but he knows the Lord will baptize with the Holy Spirit -- as we are taught to find and serve the things God asks of us.   Finally, let us look at a detail included by Mark, that Jesus goes into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, and is with the wild beasts.  This hints to us deeply of preparation, for the first Adam in naivety and unknowing, and against the teaching of God, made a choice for wisdom beyond what humankind was ready to have (Genesis 2:16-17).  But Christ, who is the New Adam, is here to undo the effects of that choice, and to bring to us what it means to resist temptation and testing, to set aright and put us back in relationship not only with God, but even with the wild beasts of the wilderness, to set a world back together after it had been broken.  He gives us the way, and all that has gone before has been preparation.  Let us follow Him, for we may all become "beloved sons" by His preparation for us.

 

And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. Then they prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment

 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' "  Having said this, He breathed His last.  So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.

Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.  That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. 

- Luke 23:44-56a

On Saturday, we read that were also two others, criminals, led with Jesus to be put to death.  And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."  And they divided His garments and cast lots.  And the people stood looking on.  But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."  The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."  And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:  THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."  But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."  Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  How is it that the natural elements of the world are affected by the Crucifixion of Christ?  He is the light of the world (John 8:12); at His murder all things are "topsy turvy."  My study bible notes that the veil that separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple was a symbol of the separation between God and man.  Christ's death opens the way into the presence of God for all people, giving people access to that which is the most holy of all, which is God Himself.  In many Orthodox churches, one will see a curtain between the altar and the nave, which is open during liturgical services to emphasize our communion with God -- at one time sealed off from human beings,  now available to all who approach in faith.

And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' "  Having said this, He breathed His last.  Jesus gives us all an example, as on the Cross He is praying; this is a verse from Psalm 31 (verse 5) which we may read carefully in its entirely to understand its significance to this time.   My study bible tells us that Christ does not have His life taken from Him, but rather He will voluntarily commit it to the Father.  In the understanding of the Church, His was the first human soul that was not taken to Hades (the place of the dead); rather it is freely given into the hands of God.  In this way, He frees all of humanity from the power of death.  His death reconciles human beings to God -- not as satisfaction for blood-justice, but because every aspect of our fallen human nature is transformed in Him, even death.  Whatever divinity touches is healed; this is our faith.  Christ becomes human in order to sanctify human nature; as my study bible notes, He takes on our sin in order to free us from sin, He accepts our weakness in order to make us strong, He suffers in order to transfigure suffering, and enters death in order to destroy it (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  My study bible quotes St. Cyril of Alexandria, who writes, "Observe that no sooner had Christ endured the Passion on the Cross for our sakes than He began to win many unto knowledge of the truth."

And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.    To beat their breasts is a formal sign of mourning, an act of grief.  But we note Christ's followers -- and especially Luke mentions the women who followed Him from Galilee.  They stand at a distance and watch, true witnesses, with Him even in death.  They do not participate with this fickle crowd.

Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.   My study bible says that if the apostles had buried Christ, then doubters could have claimed that His body was simply hidden away.  Joseph of Arimathea is both a council member and also a good and just man.  His involvement refutes any possibility that deceptive activity had taken place with Christ's body.  My study bible adds that there is as spiritual significance to the tomb where no one had ever lain before.  That is, Christ died a death unlike any person had ever died before.  It is a death without corruption, and a death which leads to victory over death (or the grave) itself.

That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.  My study bible notes that Christ's rest in the tomb fulfills the image of His birth in a cave, traditional place in the Near East where animals are kept (see 2:7).  It reveals the ultimate purpose of His coming into the world.  The faith of the women, it says, while stronger than that of the disciples who are in hiding, was still imperfect in that they prepared for the corruption of Christ's body.  But, we note, they continue in their role as ministers to Him (8:1-3).  Preparation is Friday.  The original Sabbath (Saturday) is the day God rested from God's work of creation (Genesis 2:1-3), and so Christ rests from the work of the new creation on the Sabbath.  Therefore, my study bible says, He gives the Sabbath its ultimate meaning and even in death, He fulfills the Law, as do the women. 

Let us note a certain sense of the beauty of the Gospel of Luke.  Luke is the one who also gives us a picture of Christ's birth -- an event of cosmic importance (in fact the central event of cosmic history from the point of view of the Bible), first prepared by angels making announcements not to the world, but to individuals of quiet status in the society, news known only to them (Luke 1).  It is the shepherds living out in the fields to whom the angelic hosts proclaim this event, and Mary who keeps these tidings, pondering them in her heart (Luke 2).  This is a quiet revelation that shakes the reality of all that is, of the birth of the One whose death creates darkness at noon, and rents in two the temple's veil.  So it is in Luke with His death.  There is a sense of quiet over it all:  the women who have faithfully followed from Galilee stand and watch His crucifixion from afar, like silent witnesses who follow His command to "watch."  They have been "ministers to His ministry" and continue to minister to Him in their preparation of His body for burial.  They are obedient unto the Law, and rest on the Sabbath.  In this quiet, the whole of the world is awaiting a new birth from this cave.  At the crucifixion, one man, the centurion, recognizes Christ's righteousness and will later become an early member of the Church.  One thief on the cross confesses and is reconciled to Christ (see Saturday's reading, above).  Joseph of Arimathea, member of the council who did not consent to Christ's death, a good and just man -- and obviously a man of wealth -- privately goes to Pilate and requests Jesus' body, having quietly prepared with great care a new tomb.  There is a humble quality to the verses in which we're told he wrapped Christ's body in new linen and laid it in the tomb.   Of the apostles we read nothing.  They are scattered and in hiding.   These acts of cosmic importance do not come with great fanfare, and their very silence is a beauty given to us in Luke's Gospel.  It teaches us of the centrality of our own faith, which so often comes as a mere whisper in the heart, a prayer in silence, in our own room with our Father in the secret place who sees in secret (Matthew 6:6).  Contrary to the blockbuster films that ever seek to make up for lack of meaning through increasing explosions, special effects, and grittier violence, the actual blood and grit of crucifixion is absent here.   Christ's suffering, in fact, has as much or more to do with the cruelty and spiritual blindness of those who mock than anything else.  This is a book written by those who know full well the violence of the world, its gore, its illnesses, its physical suffering (and after all, St. Luke was himself a physician).  It is a book which tells us the importance of this story in the women who watch from a distance, who remain obedient to the Law, and the greatness of One who loved us so that He died for us and will change the entire order of the cosmos in so doing.   By contrast, it is the fickle crowds who clamored for His death and now beat their breasts.  This is a book for the faithful, who accept the world matter-of-factly on its terms, and yet retain a faith through all things, keeping in mind what is truly important and essential.  That is, that this crucifixion, one among countless in the Roman Empire, is of our Savior, the Lord of all, the One for whom we seek to live each moment and follow by taking up our own crosses.  His story is not yet finished and not yet complete, for it is the Resurrection that transforms all of this, everything, anything that came before and all things afterward.  It is the Resurrection that enters us into the end time, the sureness of His Return, and the way in which we also watchfully live our lives.  Let us prepare, as do the women, and understand the true place in which we take our rest, even through all things, and remember why.