GOSPEL MESSAGE & RECORDING
If we listen closely to the hymns of the Holy Friday service, we will hear a lot of emphasis on how the Jews killed Jesus. In fact, in my opinion, it personifies them as guilty of the crime. Indeed, they are guilty; but so are the Romans, and so are all of us.
In recent times there has been a shift, mostly from the “nice guys” in our society who have diverted the emphasis on the Jews and their involvement in the death of Christ, to the Romans being the sole guilty group responsible for the death of Christ. Again, it is a fact, based on the Gospels that the Jewish authorities and some Jews wanted Jesus dead. Likewise, it is also a fact that many Jews probably didn’t want him dead, like the Mother of God, St. Mary, and the Apostles, and of course the Jewish women wailing and weeping as Christ was carrying the Cross to His crucifixion. In the same way, some Romans wanted Jesus dead for political purposes. Most of the Romans probably didn’t even care. Whatever angle that we look at this from, we must realize that both the Jews and Romans were guilty; and also, that, there were Jews and Romans that supported Christ and didn’t want him dead. Most importantly, we must understand that we are guilty of Christ's death. We didn’t hammer the nails into his hands or feet, nor did we spear him on the side, nor did we flog him, nor did we spit or abuse him as he carried his Cross. No, we were not there, right? Well, it depends on how you look at it.
In the Pauline Epistle today, we are reminded by the Apostle Paul that “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:3) Our life is hidden with Christ. In other words, when Christ was crucified on the Cross, we were hidden in him; that is, he died for us, past, present, and future, who would believe in him. If he died for us then we are guilty of his crucifying him, in the same way, the Jews and Romans are guilty. That is what it means that our life is hidden by Christ. As Christ carried the Cross to Golgotha, he could have called upon his angels to come and destroy his enemies. But he didn’t. Because he saw in front of him all those who would receive salvation through his sacrifice. How the world would be redeemed through his blood. Finally, as he was hanging on the Cross on Golgotha, it was not only the weight of his body that was weighing him down but our “life” that was hidden in him. This is why we say, Christ took our sins to the Cross. It has real and physical meaning. He physically took every one of us with us to the Cross. Therefore, we should recognize that our involvement in the death of Christ is just as explicit as the Jews and Romans. Then, if we are guilty as charged, where do we go from here?
Though we were hidden in Christ as he hung on the Cross, it is this experience of dying with him that allows us to live in victory. The Christian life is about dying with Christ and rising with Christ. That is why the Apostle Paul says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1) We die with Christ, spiritually speaking, by warring against the flesh and taming our passions. We rise with Christ, spiritually speaking, by putting on the virtue of love, compassion, and kindness. This is not something that is a one-time deal, but an ongoing process until our death.
Guilty we are because it reminds us that we are no different than the Jews or Romans. We might even say that they were better than us. They did not know what we know now. They did not have the Gospels or the Saints. So, then, we are even more guilty. But this is not a fact that should bring us to spiritual defeat. Rather, it should allow us, especially during this Great and Holy Lent, to put on humility and repent with tears. Further, it should allow us to live a life of victory because even though we are guilty, Christ’s blood washes us from all unrighteousness and his resurrection has defeated death, giving us eternal life.