Good Friday Yrs A B C 2026

Title

What is special about the crucifixion of Jesus?

Outline

One can ask why the crucifixion of Jesus was so significant

There were many Messianic figures crucified or otherwise executed in the first century, usually along with their followers. Some are mentioned in the Gospels and others are discussed by Josephus.

Jesus did not lose a single follower to Jewish or Roman violence. Jesus was crucified, but while crucifixion per se was brutal, Jesus’ was relatively mild in that the actual crucifixion lasted only 3 hours before he died.

What is significant about the crucifixion of Jesus is that he is in control.

In Isaiah he is silent because he wills to bear the sin of others. It is God’s will, but the Servant, the Lamb does not protest, for it is his will too.

In Hebrews he is the unique high priest because he offers his own blood, not the blood of another victim, which is only possible because he functions in the spiritual sphere. He does suffer, but it is the discipline of a soldier who has enlisted to fight the battles. And he was perfected by perfectly fulfilling all the prophecies. He prayed loud cries, but he is aware loud cries were heard by God.

In John he is supremely in control, starting with his powerful ’eyeh at the arrest, taken from the burning bush (which is about as close as scripture can come to Thomas Aquinas), to his refusing Peter’s “help,” to his calmness before Annas, to his differentiating answers before Pilate, differentiating his kingdom from worldly ones, to his judging Pilate by indicating who has the greater sin and indicating that Pilate would have no power over him had God not given it to him. Finally, during the crucifixion he actively or passively fulfills prophecy until the point he knows all is fulfilled and his Father’s will is done: “it is finished.”

Jesus is not a passive victim in the crucifixion, but as the scripture had indicated, an active victim, the one in control, conforming everything to the will of the Father.

This brings us back to Mary

Her response to Gabriel was, “Be it done to me according to your word.” She then does whatever is appropriate in living out that word.

Jesus has a greater vision of the word for he is the Word and is one with the Father. He has authority where Mary has trust and obedience.

But the principle is the same: the word of God, whether angelic or scriptural, will be fulfilled. Mary starts this chapter of the story by trusting and obeying, carrying and bearing and raising Jesus. Jesus as the Word himself raises this obedience to the Father to a divine level, showing what trust and obedience look like in the God who has willed to suffer for others. And then, having freed us from the power of evil, allows us like John to live out that freedom in trust and obedience with Mary as the divine story moves into its penultimate chapter in which we still live.