“He saved others”, they said, “but he can’t save himself!”
At the heart of the Christian faith is a cross – but what does it mean?
I have heard it suggested that the gospel writers tell us what happened, but it was for subsequent writers, including the church’s theologians down the centuries, to explain what happened there. It was for them to present their ‘theories of the atonement’.
While surely thankful for our rich heritage of two thousand years of theological reflection, what strikes me when reading the gospel narratives is that they give us clear clues about the true significance of Jesus’ death. Here are just three.
The timing of Jesus death: He was killed at Passover, the annual commemoration of God’s delivery of God’s “passing over” His people in the plague on the firstborn. Again and again the gospel writers make that link. On that occasion, a lamb was killed as a substitute for the first-born son of each household. In his gospel, John directly links Jesus to that lamb (Not one of his bones will be broken – John 19:36).
Barabbas: the gospel writers tell us how Pilate offered the crowd the release of Jesus, but instead they called for the release of a terrorist, Barabbas. New Testament scholar Morna Hooker comments: …the story provides an interesting ‘parable’ of the wider truth that is being enacted: Jesus, acknowledged as innocent, is put to death, while Barabbas, justly condemned to death for his crimes, goes free. If it hadn’t been Jesus on that cross, it would have been Barabbas.
The mockers: as Jesus hung on the cross, the chief priests and teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others”, they said, “but he can’t save himself!” To them, Jesus’ crucifixion marked Him out as a fraud and a loser – how could He possibly be the Messiah? But of course He did not save Himself precisely because He was saving others. Put your name into that sentence where it says ‘others’!
Note how clearly just these three clues point to His death as our substitute, dying to bear the punishment for our sins. The idea of “penal substitution” is no mere “theory of the atonement” but woven into the very gospel accounts.
The other clues about Jesus’ death which the gospel writers make best sense if penal substitution is the over-arching purpose of His death. The circumstances of Jesus’ death (judicial execution), His cry of dereliction (separated from the Father as He who had no sin became sin for us), His cry of accomplishment (“It is finished”), and the tearing of the Temple Curtain all make sense if, amazingly, Almighty God gave us His Son to die in our place, to bear God’s wrath instead of us, that we might be forgiven, and that this was fully effective. The gospel writers want us to be in no doubt at all!
We’ll be meeting in the open air at All Saints’ Garden in the city centre this Good Friday to hear more of this wonderful message, and to try to make it known to all who pass by.
