Sorrowful Mysteries
2nd Sorrowful Mystery- The Scourging
3rd Sorrowful Mystery- Jesus is Crowned with Thorns
4th Sorrowful Mystery- Jesus Carries the Cross
5th Sorrowful Mystery- The Crucifixion of our Lord
Agony in the Garden: March 31 - April 1, 33/Nisan 12, 3793
Jesus’ Exodus begins
Our Father
And He came out and proceeded as was his
custom over the ravine of the Kidron, to the Mount of Olives; and the
disciples also followed him (Jn 18:1). They came to a garden, a place named Gethsemane; and He said to them: “Pray that you may not enter into
temptation.” (Lk 22:40).
Jesus
tells his disciples: "Stay here, while I go over there and pray." (Mt 26:36). (HM-1)
Entering the garden with Peter, James, and John; Jesus says: "My soul is sorrowful
unto death; remain here and watch with me." (Mt 26:38, Mk 14:34).
Jesus
asked for prayer! Jesus also asked them to keep watch (likely so that He would
not be surprised at the arrival of Judas). And He went a little beyond them,
about a stone’s throw, and fell to the ground, praying, that if it were possible, the
hour might pass him by. (HM-2)
 |
Garden of Gethsemane |
Jesus knew what was coming. He knew that he would be crucified and that it was required in order to complete the fulfillment of the sacrifice of the Pascal Lamb: in the first century A.D., the Passover lambs in the Temple were not only sacrificed; they were, so to speak, crucified. As the Israeli scholar Joseph Tabory has shown, according to the Mishnah, at the time when the Temple still stood, after the sacrifice of the lamb, the Jews would drive “thin smooth staves” of wood through the shoulders of the lamb in order to hang it and skin it (Mishnah:Pesahim 5:9). In addition to this first rod, they would also “thrust” a “skewer of pomegranate wood” through the Passover lamb “from its mouth to its buttocks” (Mishnah Pesahim 7:1). As Tabory concludes, “An examination of the rabbinic evidence … seems to show that in Jerusalem the Jewish paschal lamb was offered in a manner which resembled a crucifixion.” This conclusion is supported by the writings of Saint Justin Martyr, a Christian living in the mid–second century A.D. In his dialogue with a Jewish rabbi named Trypho,
Justin states: For the lamb, which is roasted, is roasted and dressed up in the form of a cross. For one spit is transfixed right through from the lower parts up to the head, and one across the back, to which are attached the legs of the lamb.
Jesus knew that He would be scourged and He would be crowned with thorns. Jesus had undoubtably carried a crucified Paschal Lamb from the Temple and had seen men crucified by the Romans. Jesus knows what is coming and stress is building.
His sweat becomes as drops
of blood falling to the ground (Lk
22:44). That is a medical condition called hematidrosis brought on by extreme stress. Hematidrosis causes the sweat glands to rupture making the sweat bloody and causes the onset of traumatic shock. Traumatic shock is the body’s self-destruct mechanism, wherein the air spaces in the lung (alveoli) rupture and the air tubes (bronchi) spasm. The
ruptured alveoli can no longer oxygenate the blood. The lungs begin to fill with the fluid from the ruptured cell tissue. This will, if the stress and/or
pain does not cease, ultimately cause the individual to “drown”
in cell tissue. (HM-3)
Fear that is anguish based on the unknown, is from the devil. Jesus does not fear
his passion; because the torment is not unknown. He knows exactly what is
coming and that knowledge is causing the stress.
Jesus was
praying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup
from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will” (Mk 14:36).
That
cup was the 4th cup, the “Cup of Acceptance”, that He had omitted
from the Seder meal: the cup He would
drink from the cross. Jesus
came back to where He had left Peter, James, and John and found them sleeping.
He said to Peter, “Simon, are you
asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?” (Mt 26:40). “Keep watching and praying that you may not come into
temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
He went away again a second time and
prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink
it, your will be done.”
Again, He came and found them sleeping,
for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. He
left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing
once more (Mk 14: 42-44). This
time an Angel came to console him (Lk
22:43).
Three times He is tempted and all three times He turns
to his father. All three times He submits his will to his father’s will. He
chooses three times to undergo torture and death! “There is no greater love
than to lay down your life for a friend.” (Jn 15:13).
Jesus' suffering was in reaction to the Devil's temptations. Remember that at the beginning of his ministry Jesus went out into the desert and remained forty days. At the end, when He was weakest, the devil came and tempted him three times. Then it says: "And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time." (Luke 4:13) and in Matthew it says "Then the devil left him and behold angels came and ministered to him" (Mt 4:11).
It is now the opportune time: the devil came to show Jesus exactly what He was going to suffer causing the onset of traumatic shock. “The effects of the hematidrosis, and the severe anxiety associated with it, are weakness, depression, mild to moderate dehydration, and mild hypovolemia (low blood and fluid volume) due to sweat and blood loss—all of which would have greatly weakened Jesus prior to His crucifixion.” The angels ministrations fortified him against what was about to happen.
Jesus came back to the apostles the third time and found them sleeping from sorrow (Lk 22:45), and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going; look, the one who betrays Me is at hand!” (Mk 14:43-46).
The sleeping disciples had exhausted themselves in
fear of what might be coming. Jesus lets them know they are not supporting him;
but He is gentle about it. He understood. (HM-4)
Now Judas, who was betraying him, also knew
the place, for Jesus had often met there with his disciples. Judas
then, joined by the temple guards, their officers, servants of the priests (who were sent by the chief priests), and the elders of the people, came there with lanterns, torches, swords and clubs (Jn 18:1-3, Mt 26:47). The group are all Jews, they have all heard of Jesus, and they know that Jesus is a great prophet. They are very hesitant to come forward being familiar with the story of King Ahaziah’s attempt to
arrest Elijah: two captains and their groups of 50 men sent by King Ahaziah were destroyed by fire at the word of the prophet. (2Kng 1)
Now Judas had given the crowd leaders a signal, saying, “Whomever
I kiss, He is the one; seize him and lead him away under guard.”
Upon arriving, Judas immediately went to Jesus, saying, “Rabbi!”
and kissed him.
Jesus said to him: “Friend, why are you here? (Mt 26:50) Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a
kiss?” (Lk 22:48)
The
crowd is afraid of Jesus. Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming
upon him, then steps forward right
in front of the crowd, asking: “Whom do you seek?”
They
answer: “Jesus of Nazareth”.
At
Jesus’ response, the ones in front, in fear at both Jesus’ use of God’s name
and the boldness of Jesus stepping toward them, take a step back, thinking of
the fire of Elijah. The step back causes them to fall over those in the back
who were still moving forward.
After
they get back to their feet, Jesus asks again: “Whom do you seek?”
When
they reply, Jesus answers: “I told you ‘I AM’; if you seek me, let these men
go.” This was to
fulfill the word which He spoke: “Of those whom You have
given Me, I lost not one.” (Jn 18:4-9). (HM-5)
Meanwhile Peter has jumped up, drawn a sword, and cut
off the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave (Jn 18:10).
Jesus calls out: “No more of this!” (Lk 22:51).
Jesus then said to Peter: “Put your sword back into
its sheath. For all
those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot
appeal to my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions
of angels? How then
will the Scriptures be
fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way? (Mt
26:52-54). Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (Jn 18:11).
Jesus was being arrested and his focus remained on the
cup of acceptance! (HM-6)
Notice
that while Jesus was stopping Peter and curing Malchus nobody in the crowd reacted to Peter’s attack.
Apparently, no one wanted to be the first aggressor
toward the prophet! (HM-7)
Jesus healed Malchus (Lk 22:49-51) and saw to it
that his disciples were not also taken (Jn
18:8-9). The crowd
has been attacked by Peter and yet they were so afraid of Jesus that even though
Jesus made it easy for them: “No one takes my life from me” (Jn 10:18). They did exactly as Jesus has said: after all, they just watched Jesus re-attach an ear
and heard Jesus tell Peter he has access to 60,000 angelic warriors (the sources
of the fire that consumed the two captains and the 100 men). (HM-8)
And Jesus said to
the chief priests
and officers of the temple [guard] and elders who had accompanied the
crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you
would against a robber? I sat
teaching in the Temple day after day and you never laid a hand on me.” (Mt 26:55, Lk 22:52);
but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.” (Lk 22:53)
And the disciples all left him and fled. (HM-9)
So, the temple guards, the commander, and the officers of the Jews arrested
Jesus, bound him, and led him to Ananus first (Jn 18:13); for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high
priest that year. Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised
the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on
behalf of the people. (Jn 18:14)
Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known
to the high priest. He entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest,but Peter was standing at the door outside.
So, the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to
the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.
Then the
slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are also one of this man’s disciples, aren’t you?”
He said,
“I am not.”
Now the
slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it
was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.
(Jn 18:15-18) He then sat down with the officers to see the outcome
(Mt 26:58).
The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples, and about his teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have
spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret. Why do you question me? Question those who
have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said” (Jn 18:19).
When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You
answer the high priest?” (Jn 18:22)
Jesus answered him,“If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly,
why do you strike Me?” (Jn 18:19-23)
So, Ananus, once he received word that a
quorum of the Sanhedrin was assembled at Caiaphas’ palace, sent Jesus bound to Caiaphas the high priest (Mt 26:67, Mk 14:53, Jn 18:24).
Simon Peter again followed the crowd as it moved to the high priest’s palace. There
was a fire there also, so, Peter stood beside it warming himself. One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said: “Did I not see
you in the garden with him?”
Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.
And
after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter: “Surely you
are one of them, for you are a Galilean too.”
But he began to curse
and swear: “I do not know this man you are talking about!”
While Peter was still speaking, the cock crowed a second time and Jesus turned and looked
straight at Peter. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him: “Before a
rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and
wept bitterly. (Mt 25:69-75, Mk 14:66-72, Lk 22:54-62, Jn 18:15-18 & 25-27). If Peter denies Jesus when under stress; how much more, should I be praying not to undergo a test? (HM-10, GB, OMJ)
Reflections on the Agony in the Garden
Can you not spend one hour with me?
The surest way to fall asleep is to start a rosary. It is far better than any
sleeping pill. If I focus on just saying the Hail Mary’s I can usually get
through the rosary but that isn’t what the rosary is about. We are asked to
think about the Mysteries while we say the Hail Mary’s. During your agony in
the garden you asked for prayer and everyone fell asleep. I am willing to try
but without your help I can’t stay awake either. My mind wanders over all the
events of the day just passed and the day to come. My focus shifts from you to
me. Even you asked your Father to find another way to do what you knew had to
be done, but you then said “Your will be done”. Lord I know that if I submit
to your will everything will turn out for the best but it is so hard to trust.
It is so hard to surrender to you, to stop trying to control everything. Your
will is usually that I grow up and growing up usually hurts! Lord thank you
for the Holy Spirit. Ask him to give me the knowledge to see your will, the
wisdom to understand what I need to do, and the fortitude to stay awake and
face the growth I need to make to learn to love as you love.
Jesus loves in spite of our betrayals?
Did Jesus love Peter any less because he denied him? Jesus knew Peter would do it
and simply asked Peter to care for his church. Did Jesus love Zacchaeus or
Matthew any less because they were tax collectors. Jesus loves me as I am but because
He loves me, He calls me to become something more. He calls me to become what
God intended for me. Mary help me to understand your son. Teach me to respond
to that kind of love. Help me to learn to love as Jesus loves, so I too can
help to bring others to your son.
Do I judge others or let love trump the law?
Jesus, you are to be the judge but when you encountered sinners you didn’t judge them
you loved them, healed them and then told them to go and sin no more. If you
won’t judge how can I. Help me to see you in everyone I meet. Each person is
precious to you. You have created each for a unique purpose. Help my
encounter with each person to further each along the path to fulfilling your
plan for them.
The final temptations
After Jesus’ Baptism, He went out into the desert, where he was tempted by the devil. He underwent three temptations:
- To turn stones into bread – a temptation to use his power for himself.
- To throw himself from the pinnacle of the temple – a temptation to force God to miraculously save him, thus providing a huge spectacular sign making it easy to get the awe of the people.
- To worship the devil – a temptation to shortcut the whole thing and become king of all.
After Jesus rebuked the devil, he left Jesus to return at a more opportune time. Jesus was then consoled by an angel. Now here in the Garden as Jesus contemplates his immediate future it is the opportune time and once again Jesus is tempted three times. Jesus prays three times Lord remove this cup from me but not my will. Your will be done! And once again after the third temptation an angel came to console him.What were those three temptations? Think about it. I don’t know but my guess would be:
- Is death really necessary?
- Use your power to eliminate the pain.
- Come down from the cross and there by claim your victory over death.
What do you think?
The Trial of Jesus
The Jews had a great regard for life. When there was a capital offense, two trials
were required before someone could be condemned to death. The second trial
began the day following the first trial and had to start over from scratch.
Only when someone had been condemned twice was he executed. The book of Daniel
describes what was supposed to happen when someone was condemned: Suzanna was
tried and found guilty on the basis of two witnesses. But because someone
spoke up in her defense on the way to her execution, they rushed back to re-try
her, even though the someone was a young boy
(Dn: 13:28-62). If you look carefully at the
Gospels three of them mention that Jesus was taken before the Sanhedrin in the
morning (the second trial.) In fact, while John only describes events at
Ananus’ house, Matthew and Mark describe the first trial at Caiaphas’ palace,
and Luke describes the second trial.
There is an ongoing debate about the legality of the trial of Jesus. There are those
who maintain that Jesus was tried as a Mesith. A Mesith is a
someone who subverts the nation by causing the people to worship some other
god. Such an individual is tried without any of the benefits of, or protection
normally provided the accused under the law. For this to be the case Jesus
would have had to be found guilty under the law of that charge. Pilate said to
the Jews: “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to
rebellion (sounds like a Mesith), and behold, having examined him before you, I have found no guilt in
this man regarding the charges which you make against him. No, nor has Herod, for he sent him
back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him”
(Lk 23:13-15) That statement may imply the Jesus was found guilty of being a
Mesith; but the charge was both ludicrous and irrelevant so that both Pilate
and Herod ignored it. However, Jesus
was also tried and condemned for blasphemy; as Pilate was told: “We have a law and by that law he ought to die, because
he has made himself the Son of God”
(Jn 19:7).
What likely happened was that the Sanhedrin originally intended to try Jesus as a
Mesith. His arrest and trial would only be legal if He was tried as a
Mesith. The witnesses kept contradicting each other so that after several
hours they had nothing on which to condemn Jesus as a Mesith. So, as Matthew
states: “Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony
against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. They did not find any, even though
many false witnesses came forward”
(Mt 26:59-60). Thus,
they failed to be able to condemn him as a Mesith. Then Caiaphas used a double
meaning to trap Jesus.
Caiaphas knows the Christ (Messiah) was to be a son
of David: which made him a “son of God” as all the Davidic kings were sons of
God by adoption. The high priest puts
Jesus under oath (Jesus must answer) and since Caiaphas knows that Jesus is in
fact the Messiah he knows that Jesus will answer in the affirmative. Now for
the high priest to put Jesus under oath and demand the answer to his question
should have had the whole proceeding thrown out but the trial has begun as a
trial for a Mesith for which that could actually be considered legal if they
condemned Jesus as a Mesith. When Jesus responds Caiaphas tore his garment.
Many scholars claim that the tearing of Caiaphas’ garment was illegal
(Lev 21:10) and invalidated
his role as High Priest. However, the restriction only applies to when he is
in the temple wearing his ceremonial robes, which was not the case here. Even
then the violation would only have had him publicly scourged not relieved of
his office. Caiaphas screamed “blasphemy!” Because everyone heard Jesus’
response they are now all witnesses to what they are calling blasphemy.
Caiaphas has suddenly changed tactics to charge and condemn Jesus for blasphemy. Since
the members of the Sanhedrin who are present are now all witnesses to the
blasphemy, they have no problem finding Jesus guilty of that charge. However,
the charge of blasphemy requires two trials with one on the next day to support
condemnation. By rationalizing the use of the Temple calendar, they can have the
second trial later in the morning at which they will condemn Jesus to death
(Mt 27:1, Mk 15:1, Lk 22:66).
Jewish law provided that a final decision for acquittal could come on the first day but a decision for condemnation could only come after a 2nd trial on the next day, except in the case of a trial for a Mesith. Blasphemy is of course a crime against the Temple, so they rationalized the use of the Temple calendar.
While the Israelites measured the day from sunset to sunset, the Temple measured it from sunrise to sunrise. The difference was due to the serving priests’ need to finish the sacrifices that were still in process after sunset. The change in serving priest occurred at sunrise. Needing two trials, on successive days, to legally condemn Jesus to death; they rationalized the days based on the temple day since the first trial ended before sunrise and the charge was now blasphemy.
Many of the events of the trials, provided us by the Evangelists, were provided
because the described events or interactions, rendered the trials invalid and
should have resulted in the acquittal and release of Jesus. Some examples:
- Questioning the accused by Ananus. Note that Jesus said to Ananus: “Why do you question me?” (Jn 18:19). It was illegal
to do so!
- Striking the accused(Jn 18:22).
- Capital cases are to begin with the case for the defense.[15].
- Only in a trial for a Mesith does
it begin with the case for the prosecution. They began as a trial for a Mesith
and did not start over when they had failed to convict, and tactics changed.
- They never had the case for the
defense at either trial.
- The High Priest questioned Jesus
(Mk 14:55). Talmudic law prohibits
direct questioning of the defendant. The Talmud indicates that a man does not
belong only to himself; just as he has no right to cause physical harm to others, so he has no right to
inflict injury on himself. This is why it was determined that
the confession of the defendant had no legal consideration. This rule, which
has its own formal substantiation, served courts for centuries as a powerful
weapon against attempts to extract confessions by force or persuasion. Not only
can no man be forced to incriminate himself through his own testimony, but
self-incrimination has no significance and is unacceptable as evidence in
court. That Caiaphas sought such a confession from Jesus, even to the point of placing him
under oath, is ordinarily seen as nullifying the proceedings.
- At face value, Caiaphas’ statement that we have no further need of witnesses, should have also
invalidated the trial. Mishnaic law specifies the need for two or three qualified witnesses agreeing
as to what had been seen or heard.
However Caiaphas may have been referring to the fact that all the assembled members of the Sanhedrin are witnesses to the blasphemy.
- In capital cases the
Sanhedrin was not allowed to render a unanimous verdict of guilty[19], yet we are told
“they all condemned him as deserving death”(Mk
14:64)
- The trial in the morning before
the Sanhedrin was the second trial on the charge of Blasphemy (Mt 26:65, Mk 16:63). There was no
case for the defense, they directly interrogated the defendant, and they
unanimously found Jesus guilty.
The Trials before the
Sanhedrin
At
Caiaphas’ palace the Sanhedrin first condemned Jesus to death. To condemn
Jesus required a trial on two successive days.
Matthew and Mark describe the first trial.
Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to
obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. They did not find any, even though
many false witnesses came forward.
But later on, two came forward, and said: “This man
stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in
three days.’”
The high priest
stood up and said to Jesus: “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are
testifying against You?”
But Jesus kept silent (Mt 26:59-62).
During
that first trial, various false witnesses have come forward but their testimony
is conflicting, finally, two witnesses actually agree and Jesus ignores them.
In frustration, the high priest said to Jesus: “I adjure you by the living God,
tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” (Mt 26:63).
Not able to convict Jesus with false witnesses, Caiaphas uses a double
meaning to trap Jesus. Caiaphas knows the
Christ (Messiah) was to be a son of David: which made him a “son of God” as all
the Davidic kings were sons of God by adoption. The high priest puts Jesus under oath (Jesus must answer) and since he
knows that Jesus is in fact the Messiah he knows that Jesus will answer in the
affirmative.
Jesus acknowledges that He is the Messiah and the Son
of God: “You have said so” [what you say is true], and then He provides two
Messianic quotes: “but I tell you: from now on
you will see the ‘Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power’ (Ps 110:1) and ‘coming on
the clouds of heaven’ (Dn 7:13)” (Mt 26:64).
The
high priest tore his robes
and accuses Jesus of blasphemy: claiming to be the “Son of God” (Mt 26:65). Caiaphas
thinks he has trapped Jesus. They all agree he deserves to die: the first
trial.
Although
striking the accused was illegal under Jewish law, the soldiers felt free to
strike Jesus once He has been condemned. Now that they are safe, no fire has come down from heaven, they are
repaying Jesus for the fear they had felt earlier. The men who were holding Jesus in
custody were mocking him and beating him, and they blindfolded him and
were asking him, saying, “Prophesy, who is the one who hit You?” And they were saying many other things
against him, blaspheming (Lk
22:63-65). The scribes and priest in
their hatred of Jesus make no attempt to stop them. (Mt 26:67-68, Mk 14:65, Lk 22:63-65, Jn 18:22).
Later the same morning the Great Sanhedrin met as was
normal on Wednesday. The Great Sanhedrin met daily. It did not meet on the Sabbath, festivals, or festival eves.[25] Friday would be a festival eve. Jesus
could not have been taken before the Sanhedrin on Friday! During
the Wednesday morning meeting, the Sanhedrin held the second trial required to
put a man to death (Mt 27:1, Mk 15:1, Lk 22:66).
Luke’s
account of the trial is an account of the second trial. During that trial,
they didn’t bother with the witnesses they get directly to the point: they
said: “If you are the Messiah, tell us.”
Jesus
replied to them: “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I question you,
you will not respond. But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated at
the right hand of the power of God.”
They
all asked: “Are you the Son of God, then?” (Lk
22:70).
To
which Jesus answers: “You say that I am.”
Then
they said: “What further need have we for testimony? We have heard it from his
own mouth.”
(Lk 22:66-71).
Scourging – April 2, 33/ Nisan 13, 3773
“He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with
his stripes we are healed." (Is 53:5)
Our Father
Jesus was taken to Pilate later Wednesday morning. The Jews intended for him to die
Wednesday or Thursday thereby avoiding the Temple Passover Festival. They could
not allow his disruption of temple commerce to go unpunished, thereby undermining
the authority of the priests. They led Jesus to the Praetorium, but the Scribes and priest did not enter so that
they would not become un-clean (Jn 18:28).
Therefore, Pilate went out to them and said: “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”
They answered and said to him: “If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered him to you” (Jn 18:29-30).
So, Pilate said to them: “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.”
The high priest then informs Pilate
that they have found Jesus guilty of a capital crime under their law and have
thus condemned him to death. By Roman law, they cannot execute Jesus, so they are
asking Pilate to execute him. The Jews said to Pilate: “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,” to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke,
signifying by what kind of death He was about to die (Jn 18:31) and to fulfill the prophecy of
Caiaphas that is was better for one man to die…(Jn 18:14) (HM-1)
Pilate
informs the Jews that under Roman law they do not condemn a man without first
examining him.
Pilate takes Jesus inside and bluntly asks: "Are
you a king of the Jews?" (Mt
27:11, Mk 15: 2, Lk 23:3, Jn 18:33).
Jesus answers: “Do you say this on your own or have
others told you about me?” Jesus wants to clarify for Pilate that this was a
claim made by the Jews not by Rome.
Pilate
answered: “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed
you over to me. What have you done?” (Jn
18:35).
Jesus
responds: “I am a King, but my kingdom, [the
Kingdom of God], is not of this world.”
Jesus then points out his kingship is non-violent thus
no threat to Rome: “If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants
[would] be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it
is my kingdom is not here.”
Pilate
said to him: “Then you are a king?”
Jesus
answered: “You say I am a king. For this I was born [as a first-born male in a
stable used for the paschal lambs, inspected by the Levitical shepherds, and
found without blemish, thus qualified for the paschal sacrifice: for his crucifixion. He was born the Lamb of God! He was also selected by the people, on lamb
selection day, as the Paschal Lamb for this Passover!] and for this I came into
the world, to testify to the truth. [Jesus’ message, the truth, is the Kingdom
of God]. Everyone who belongs to the truth [the Kingdom of God] listens to my
voice.”
Pilate
said to him, “What is truth?” (Jn 18:33-38).
Little
does Pilate know that before him stood the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn 14:6). (HM-2)
After examining Jesus, Pilate
realized that Jesus was innocent of everything but being hated by the high priest. Pilate said to the chief priests and the
crowds: “I find no guilt in this man”
(Lk 23:4).
But they kept on insisting, saying: “He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee even as far as this place” (Lk 23:5).
When Pilate heard that,
he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that Jesus
belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in
Jerusalem at that time (Lk 23:6-7).
Jesus was probably taken to Herod Wednesday afternoon.
Herod was delighted to see Jesus for he had wanted to see him
for a long time, because he had been hearing about him and was hoping to see
some sign performed by him. Herod interrogated Jesus at length (Lk 23:8-9) trying to get him to work a miracle but he failed to get Jesus to even respond to him.
The chief priests and the
scribes were standing there, accusing him vehemently. And Herod, with his
soldiers, after treating him with contempt and mocking him, dressed him in a gorgeous
robe and sent him back to Pilate Wednesday
evening.
Now Herod and Pilate became
friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with
each other (Lk 23:10-11).
Herod
had killed John the Baptist; he was not about to kill another prophet. He
would leave that to Pilate.
Jesus
was likely held overnight under guard near the praetorium. Dressed in an
expensive robe and not yet judged by Pilate, the soldiers would have showed him
some respect.
In the meantime, Pilate had gone home and tells his
wife about the holy man the high priest wants to have executed. They conclude the
priests are envious of Jesus (Mk 15:10). (HM-3)
On
Thursday morning upon arrival at the praetorium Pilate finds that Jesus has
been returned by Herod and the Jewish leaders are back demanding his execution
before the Friday festival. But Pilate
can "find no guilt in him." (Lk
23:4, Jn 19:4-6). Pilate needs
to identify a capital offense if he is to condemn Jesus.
Pilate summoned the chief
priests and the rulers of the people: He tells the Jews that there is no capital offense;
that even Herod found him innocent of any capital crime (Lk 23:13) “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to
rebellion, and behold, having examined him before you, I have found no guilt in
this man regarding the charges which you make against him. No, nor has Herod, for he sent him
back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him. Therefore, I will punish him and release him.”
(Lk
23:13-16) (HM-4)
A messenger then interrupts as Pilate’s wife has sent
him a note. The note tells him: “Have nothing to do with the holy man for I have
suffered much over him today in a dream.” (Mt 27:19).
Pilate
wants to figure out how to save Jesus. He thinks that a solution may be to
appeal to the crowd: for he knows that the priests fear the crowds (Mk 12:12). If he has
Jesus scourged, then maybe the Jews’ envy will be satisfied and they will stop
demanding that He be crucified. Pilate realizes that he needs to satisfy their
envy or releasing Jesus will just cause the priests to find another way to kill
him.
A scourging
should also elicit sympathy from the crowds. Pilate may then be able to release Jesus on Passover as the festival prisoner
release. Pilate announces that he is having Jesus scourged (Lk 23:16, Jn 19:1). (HM-5)
Pilate informed the soldiers that they should not kill
Jesus because he wants to release him Friday. Jesus was likely scourged
Thursday afternoon. The scourging was done by two men each using a flagellum.
The lead balls on the leather strips were made to bruise and at the same time
to tear the skin. (HM-6)
While Jewish law restricted the number of blows in a
scourging to 39 (Deut 25:3), Roman law had
no such restriction. The objective of the soldiers was to mark his entire body
below his head. Looking at
Jesus on the Shroud we can see that they succeeded.
A member of the team that studied the shroud in 1978 counted
the markings: 124 lashes. The shroud image as shown in this document (following
the Sorrow Mysteries) is in black and white, it is yellow and brown on the
original. But consider the black and blue bruising on his body that resulted from each
of the strokes of the flagellum! With each stroke, 6 lead balls traveling more
than a hundred miles an hour (161 kilometers an hour) strike his body!
Anywhere, below his neck, that was not bleeding was bruised. (HM-7)
Jesus responded to the Jews and Pilate’s questions but not to Herod. “He gave him no
answer”
.
Pilate
knew that you were guiltless. He knew that the high priest out of envy sought
your death. Rather than respond like Gallio
Pilate sought
to placate the Jews by having you scourged and then crowned with thorns. That
led ultimately to a confrontation in which out of fear of a conflict that could
lead to his own loss of status; he allowed you to be executed. How many times
out of fear of offending someone have I failed to do your will? Our culture
today has made that which is wrong right and that which is right wrong just as
you said it would do. Help me to be motivated by fear of offending You; rather
than fear of those who are offended by the truth. Give me the wisdom to be
able to love the sinner while hating the sin. Make me your instrument to draw
people back to you.
You spent Thursday night in the cistern with the other prisoners. You could not
lay down as there was nowhere on your body that was not bruised and cut, except
the bottom of your feet and your head. The floor was covered with sewage with
the only clean spaces occupied by someone else. As you stood in the dark you
spoke with the others present. As the newest person dropped into the cistern
you were probably questioned by those already present. You must have struck up
a conversation with Dismas because you made a huge impact on him. All the
others present heard the conversation you were having with him but only Dismas
responded. Please give me the grace to respond to you in whatever disturbing
disguise you come to me in.
3 comments:
A Case for Tradition
The following thoughts were provided by Fr. Joe Vieira the Pastor of Holy Nativity Catholic Church in Payson, Arizona; an Ordinariate Rite Roman Catholic Church. I have added this to the site via comments on the Sorrowful Mysteries so that others may follow the example and add their own reflections:
We also believe the Tradition that makes up our faith. The story of Veronica is a classic example. The story of Vericonica is part of tradition which we are supposed to believe. However it is also supported in history and is tied to the woman, Bernice, who had the hemorage cured by touching the hem of Jesus' tunic. See http://www.shroud.com/pdfs/iannone2.pdf for a detailed discussion of the subject.
If you read in the historical background of this document the section on Names it points out that a significant event in a person’s life may very well bring a name change. Remember Sarai, Abrahams wife’s name was changed from Sarai (quarrelsome) to Sarah (princess) after she gave birth to Isaac. The reason that we don’t find reference to Bernice as the person who wiped Jesus’ face with her veil is likely that she was never called Bernice after that event.
Remember that she had timidly just touched Jesus’ clothing believing she would be cured. Suddenly she is the center of attention as she has been cured. She had incredible faith in Jesus to have believed that it only required contact with him. Afterwards she had to have been very grateful and probably joined the other devout women who traveled with Jesus and his disciples. So now as Jesus is about to be crucified, she has joined the other women to follow Jesus to his death.
When Jesus fell under the weight of the patibulum, the cross piece, about 75 lbs. He falls face forward into the dirt. Instinctively he would have brought one arm around in an attempt to plant the edge of the patibulum into the ground to break his fall; if he had enough time to react. Either way He was going to land face first. The 75 lb. patibulum falling onto his back. His face was wet with blood from the crown of thorns which continued bleeding all day, as well as from sweat resulting from the traumatic shock, and spit. When the soldiers removed the patibulum from his back and grabbed each arm to lift him to his feet, Bernice could see that Jesus’s face was covered with mud. He likely could not even open his eyes. She boldly stepped forward and wiped his face without regard for her own life. Touching the condemned was punishable by instant death. She was rewarded with an image on her veil that startled the soldiers, they reported the event to Pilate. That was for her a life changing moment. From timid to bold. She was likely not called Bernice again but was called by the phonetic equivalent to the exclamation uttered by the soldier who saw the image on her veil: ver iconica "true image".
We can see another excellent example drawn from the Stations of the Cross. While it is very unlikely that Jesus fell three times under the weight of the cross, it is very likely that He fell multiple times. Jesus had lost a lot of fluid: blood during the scourging, the crowning with thorns, and the sweating that accompanies traumatic shock. He would have been very weak by the time he carried the patibulum. We can tell that he fell to his knees after being nailed to the patibulum, while attempting to carry the patibulum to the stipes (the upright portion of the cross). We know that because dirt was found on the shroud at the point where the shroud was in contact with Jesus’ knees. Jesus’ tunic would have covered his knees as carried the cross. That is until He was stripped of his garments prior to being nailed to the cross. The significance of the number of falls is a spiritual one. Just as Jesus fell multiple times and He kept getting up and continued his journey to his death so we are encouraged to keep getting up after we fall into sin.
One other spiritual example is when Jesus cried out "Eli, Eli lema Sabachthani". Jesus had switched from Aramaic to Hebrew which caused those present to think that He was calling out to Elijah, while actually He was naming a prayer. The people spoke in Aramaic but prayed in Hebrew. Matthew and Mark provide us with a translation from the Hebrew: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.” Which by tradition has been taken to imply that just as we have frequently felt forsaken by God so did Jesus. However, by this time, Jesus was almost dead. His lungs were nearly filled with fluid and talking would have been very difficult and yet He still said “I thirst”, “It is finished”, and “Father into your hands I commend my spirit.” Notice the length of the sentences, the last one is the longest.
What Jesus was doing when He said “Eli,Eli lema Sabachthani" was naming the prayer we know as Psalm 22 that He was about to fulfill by saying: “I thirst”, drinking the wine, and then saying “It is finished”: thus completing the Seder Meal. Psalm 22, written by David 300 years before the first man was ever crucified, and a 1000 years before Jesus was crucified foretells a crucifixion which will provide a deliverance that will be proclaimed to all generations. Jesus is pointing out to his Mother and the apostle John that he is finishing the last supper, the Seder Meal: a Todah for a great deliverence, and fulfilling the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Our salvation is complete. That is not what is expected from someone who feels forsaken. But let us not forget that God, in the person of the Holy Spirit inspired David to write that first line, the name of the psalm: “My god, My God why have you forsaken me.” The Holy Spirit knew that it would be centuries before we understood what was happening and many souls would be aided by the thought that Jesus felt forsaken.
Absolutely beautiful and moving. Thank you.
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