Poured Out to Death

Isaiah 53:3-12, Philippians 2:5-11

Our Isaiah passage is one of the Messianic passages predicting the death of Christ with all its afflictions as an offering for sin for us all. This account prophesizes the agonies Christ goes through during his crucifixion on the cross. It even tells how Christ was buried in a rich man’s tomb. Verse 9 tells how he had done no violence and had no deceit yet we are told over and over in this passage how he was wounded for our transgression and crushed for our iniquities. It tells how by his bruises we have been healed and how the punishment he went through for us has made us whole. God laid on him the iniquity of all.

Philippians tells us that this was someone who shared equality with God, yet he didn’t grasp it. He humbled himself embracing humanness and humbled himself to be obedient to God in this way – even though in the Garden of Gethsemane in his humanness he asked for this cup to be taken from him. Then on the cross he quotes Psalm 22, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Still, he went through great affliction and humiliation to obey God’s plan of offering salvation to us.

Christ humbled himself to the lowest death, to the ridicule of which he said, “Lord forgive them, they know not what they do.” Philippians tells how he emptied himself while Isaiah says he poured himself out to death, yet he bore the sin of many and made intercession between God and the transgressors.

This is Holy Week where we reflect on what Christ went through to bring new life to us and reconciliation between us and God. As you read through the gospel accounts of what is called Passion Week, it is amazing how Isaiah in his prophecy got it right. Verse 11 tells of how out of his anguish he will find satisfaction through knowing that he shall make many righteous by bearing their iniquities. I think this knowledge got Christ through the agonies, degradation, and humiliation of the crucifixion.

May we ponder these passages anew acknowledging what Christ went through for us letting go of equality with God and pouring himself out to death to bring us salvation.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reconciled to New Life

Psalm 32, II Corinthians 5:16-21 The Psalmist in Psalm 32 tells how happy he is since his trespasses/wrongdoings are forgiven and his sin covered over. He tells how awful his life was before he repented and asked forgiveness including groaning and aching bones. Yet when he confessed- admitted his sin to God – then God forgave his sin and removed the guilt which was tearing him apart. This theme of forgiveness comes out in II Corinthians where we are not just forgiven but made a new creation due to being reconciled to God through Christ’s work on the cross. It says that God made Christ the one who knew no sin to be sin – take on all our sin so that in Christ we might become righteous. This reflects the Psalm when it talks about his sin being covered over. Jesus blood on the cross covers all our sins so that we can be reconciled to God. Being reconciled means mending a broken relationship. Due to our sin, our relationship with God was broken. This is the old spoken of. The new is o...
Read more

Setting the Veil Aside

Exodus 34:29-35; II Corinthians 3:12-18 This Sunday was Transfiguration Sunday which celebrates the time Jesus and his disciples went up to the mountain to pray. Jesus begins to shine brightly and is seen in conversation with Elijah and Moses. Our Exodus account talks about Moses experience with talking directly with God and returning with a shining face so bright it scared the Israelites. After telling the people God’s commandments for them he puts a veil over his face until he talks with God again.   Our Corinthians passage uses this figurative language of a spiritual veil saying that the Israelite minds have been hardened and a veil lies over their minds. Paul goes on to say that in Christ the veil has been set aside since when one turns to the Lord the veil is removed. He goes on to say that where the Spirit of the Lord is – who we receive when we turn to the Lord – is freedom. We are freed from having to submit to the law – accomplishing everything on it to earn our salvat...
Read more

Trust but Don’t Tempt

Psalm 91:1-2, 4-16; Luke 4: 1-13 Psalm 91 talks about having great trust in the Lord. It tells how God is our refuge–protection or shelter from danger and distress. Going along with this theme of protection is the image of being safely surrounded by a fortress. Because of this we are told that no evil will befall us. The idea of guardian angels comes from this passage when it says, “The Lord will command God’s angels concerning you to guard in all your ways. They will bear you up so you won’t even dash your foot against a stone.” The Lord will protect those who know God’s name and when they call God will answer – will be them in trouble, will rescue, honor them, and show them God’s salvation. Our Luke account tells of the Temptation of Christ. I am impressed by how Jesus when tempted with food after a 40 day fast, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 “Thou shall not live by bread alone.” When the devil tempts him with power only if he will worship him, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 saying ...
Read more