Isaiah 52:13–53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1–19:42
From our Lord’s wondrous example of generous love, we move to the scandal of the cross. How did it come to this? Was it necessary? This is one of those times when the original text, in this case Koine Greek, is helpful. When the soldiers and the temple police brought by Judas ask for Jesus of Nazareth (18:3-4), our Lord limits his answer to ego eimi, which simply translates as I AM. Now, when Moses asks for God’s name (Exodus 3:13-14), God’s answer is also simply I AM, Hebrew היה, transliteration YAHWEH, Latin Jehovah. Therefore, all the redemptive power of what is about to happen in Golgotha relies upon God’s simple response to the evil processing of torches and weapons seeking to arrest the Christ: Here I AM.
Many centuries before the crucifixion, God foretells through the words of Isaiah a servant who would rescue the people from times of devastation and hopelessness. A servant with no majesty (53:2), who would be despised and rejected (3), stricken (4), wounded and crushed (5), oppressed and afflicted (7), wronged and killed (8), and yet destined to make many righteous by bearing their iniquities (11).
The author of Hebrews pleas to their audience to “approach the throne of grace with boldness (NRSVue),” for we now have in Jesus a God who sympathizes with our weakness (4:15), our tears (5:7) and our suffering (8), and who promises salvation for all who place their trust on what God has done for us (9).
The psalmist proclaims:
For the Lord does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither is the Lord’s face hidden from them;
but when they cry out, the Lord hears them.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
Let those who seek the Lord give praise! May your hearts live forever!
Their descendants shall serve the Lord,
whom they shall proclaim to generations to come.
They shall proclaim God’s deliverance to a people yet unborn,
saying to them, “The Lord has acted!”
(Psalm 22:24, 26, 30-31, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, ELW)
Bridging Faith 