He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
~Isaiah 53:3-4 New Living Translation
There are many mysteries in the Bible, many things that puzzle and confuse which we are left to accept by faith. However, for me, the most troubling mystery is the depth of sin the human soul is capable of. When I watch reports of ISIS's actions, school shootings, mail bombs or fire doors locked to leave hundreds to die, I have a difficult time accepting that people could make willful decisions to do such unspeakable acts.
And then there's Jesus. Clearly he was a man without malice. He could have rebelled against Roman rule, rejected the legitimacy of Herod as king, or the authority of the Sanhedrin and High Priest, but he didn't. Instead he made sure to obey and encourage the obedience of his followers. He had plenty to say about how the priests administered God's law, but he never violated the scriptures. He could have scoffed and turned his nose up at depraved sinners such as adulteresses, tax collectors, centurions and thieves, but he didn't. Instead he offered them repentance and forgiveness. He could have avoided the lame, the sick, the blind and others who were 'unclean', but instead he offered healing and salvation. He could have separated himself from the gentile Romans, or the despised Samaritans, but he didn't. Rather, he offered them the same healing and grace and forgiveness that had previously only been offered to the Jews. His ministry and miracles were not for his own benefit, in fact it is clear that he wore himself out in his teaching tours and healing missions. He truly was a good man, in every sense of the word.
So how is it that his very own disciple accepted payment to betray him? That his own religious leaders conspired, not just to condemn or punish him as the law commanded, but to put him to death which was not their law? How is it that his King was willing to accept the execution of a religious Jew at Passover? How is it that the Romans, knowing he was not guilty of a crime worthy of death, were willing to crucify him at a time when the city was filled with Jews on their religious pilgrimage? How could those Roman guards find so much enjoyment in torture, and mock a man who was clearly suffering in great pain? I can't answer that. I look in my heart and I can't find enough hatred, anger, greed, or fear to be moved to condemn an innocent man. It is a heavy thing to carry blood on your hands. I suppose in some global way we all bear responsibility for systems that have been unjust or oppressive and led to the suffering of those we don't even know. But in Jesus' case, even when given the opportunity to show mercy and release him, they cried 'Crucify him!' all the louder.
The mystery of man's inhumanity to man makes the case to me that we are all in need of a savior. We have all fallen short of the perfect love that God intended us to show. We have all been selfish and self-righteous and substituted our will and desires for those of God. And for that reason, Jesus had to die. Not because of the will of some hard-hearted leaders, but because of the will of God -- God's desire to grant us forgiveness and bring us into relationship with Himself for eternity. Jesus' resurrection was God overturning the decision of sinful men, and replacing it with His perfect grace!
Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power.
~2 Corinthians 13:4 New Living Translation
