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Sermon - Good Friday (B) - 10th April 2009
St Aidan's Anglican Church West Epping
Reading: John 18:1-19:42
Today we have listened to one of the most amazing stories we will ever hear in the English language. We have heard the story of a corrupt legal process being played out in detail. It is hard to imagine that this is anything but an eyewitness account of what happened, and told from John’s perspective. We have the Jewish leaders who wanted charges brought against Jesus even though he hadn’t broken any Roman law deserving death. All the Jews had were their numbers so they kept shouting, “Crucify.”
Then we have Pilate whose job it was to defend Roman law. The Romans were very proud of their sophisticated legal system. And though the law permitted capital punishment the process had to be lawful. If Pilate did not operate within the law he would be vulnerable to his own political enemies who would love to have him up on charges in Rome. It was obvious even to Pilate that Jesus had broken no Roman law. Therefore, he was desperate for a loop hole. He remembered the Passover custom of releasing one prisoner. Surely that could be Jesus. But that could never work. The Jews were too keen to lock Jesus up – not to find a reason to let him go free. Pilate attempted several times to question Jesus but there was nothing in what Jesus said that was worthy of death. Finally, Pilate had Jesus scourged, but even that didn’t satisfy the crowd.
And as the story progresses the conflicts and stresses between Pilate and the Jews are slowly played out. But notice what John does. Interspersed into this story he tells another story, and that’s the story of Peter. Its almost as if there is a contrast between Peter and Jesus. While Jesus remains in control, Peter is like a man on the run. Another disciple whom we assume to be John himself had access to the high priest’s courtyard where there was a fire. He went out and as he was bringing Peter is a girl at the door recognised him as a disciple, but he denied it. Later on wile he was warming himself he was asked a second time if he were a follower and again he denied it. Then a man spoke up who was a relative of the man who had lost an ear to Peter’s sword who said he recognised Peter from the time of Jesus’ arrest in the garden. But for the third time Peter denied it.
And at that moment a cock crowed which fulfilled Jesus prophecy that Peter would deny him three times. When Jesus gave the prophecy it seemed inconceivable to Peter that he would every deny Jesus. Yet when he was confronted with the reality of Jesus’ arrest and the expressed anger of the Jewish leaders he couldn’t remain faithful. Peter communicates to us the fear and the danger of the situation. He indicates to us that it was no small thing, the danger and the fear that was engendered by Jesus arrest.
But it would be a mistake to conclude that events were out of control. Yes, there was a power struggle between the Jewish leaders and Pilate. Each was attempting to out-manoeuvre the other but John gives us two clues to show us that events weren’t completely out of control. The first clue is the strange behaviour of Jesus. Jesus doesn’t seem much of a participant in these events. Rather, he behaves more as a commentator on what others were doing. When the mob came to the garden to arrest him, they didn’t approach him, rather he sought them out and questioned them, “Who is it you want?” When they said “Jesus of Nazareth,” he declared it was him and they drew back and some fell down to the ground. It almost forces us to ask who is arresting whom here. Again, when he was questioned by the High Priest, rather than answering their questions Jesus says, “You were there, you heard m preach, you know what I said.” They struck him and again he commented on their behaviour “Have I said something wrong, or if I am speaking the truth, why did you hit me?” There was no answer to that question. Jesus did this also with Pilate. When questioned about being a king Jesus asked if this was his own idea or had someone else fed him the question. Then Jesus explained to Pilate the nature of his kingship and Pilate realised no Roman law had been broken. But this reflective tone from Jesus seems to indicate that Jesus knows and understands all that is going on around him but he wants the others to think about what they are doing and what part they are playing in this drama. But as for Jesus, everything was turning out exactly as he had planned. He knew his mission involved the cross and no matter what the Jews or Pilate did, he knew he was about to die. Everything was going to plan.
And John gives us a second clue that the story was unfolding as it should. He does repeatedly in these two chapters something he does nowhere else. He points out how each of these events is a fulfilment of what Jesus had promised or what was promised in the Scriptures. Here are two examples. When Jesus was arrested he demanded that the others would be let go. This fulfilled Jesus’ promise that he wouldn’t lose any of those God had given him. then in verse 31, the Jews were debating with Pilate the legality of executing Jesus. John points out that this fulfilled Jesus teaching about the kind of death he would die. And through all of this John is making one very important point.
Though it might seem that Jesus has been caught up by the petty jealousies, the machinations and the power struggles that went on between the Jews and Pilate, though we see human nature being as bad as it can be John’s point is that there is another story here. It is the story of God who sent his son into this chaotic world to save it from itself. This Son endures the horrors of this world, while remaining in control of the events, as they fall out exactly as he said they would. At the same time we see the darkness of this world, and the glory of the Son of God. This too is a transfiguration. In the horror of this day, the glory of Jesus is revealed as Lord of his creation – rescuing and recreating his world, taking up his cross, enduring the agony of death. As he said, “Unless a kernel of wheat fall to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. but if it dies, it produces many seeds.” His death wins our life.