That Friday series Archives

That Friday: The Centurion

We are very familiar with the events of Good Friday. We know the people, the details, the horror and the injustice of it all as well as the love and strength of Christ. It is the key to our salvation and redemption. But in the background of the events are several people, minor characters in the unfolding drama. However, when we give them a closer look, we may find they are more familiar, more recognizable than we realized. We’ve seen how Malchus prepared us to engage with those who see Jesus as a threat. Pilate’s wife represented the many who depend on their superstitious ideas about Jesus rather than the truth. Some of us are more like Simon. Others may be more like one in the crowd. But sometimes you can find someone like the centurion.

Roman centurions were commanders set over a centuria of 100 soldiers. (Captains in the US army are over a company which is roughly around the same number of soldiers) Six centuria made a cohort and ten cohorts made a legion. During the Passover season, the entire detachment headquartered at Caesaria likely accompanied Pilate to Jerusalem. Some of them oversaw the arrest of Jesus, and they certainly participated in the mocking and brutal scourging. One centurion in particular drew execution detail that morning.

The centurion would have been in the ranks for 10 or 15 years before his promotion, which came either after a vote of his fellow soldiers or by special appointment. Either way, he was seasoned, experienced and loyal to Rome. He would have had no patience and certainly no mercy for the Jews he was to execute. Not even for the one called Jesus.

Starting out, it was a typical crucifixion. Lots of groaning, suffering, mocking from the crowd. But then it got dark at midday. And the prisoner on the center cross extended forgiveness to his executioners. He promised paradise to one of the other criminals. He arranged for his mother to be cared for. Not typical criminal behavior.

The man seemed in control of his faculties. In fact, his suffering seemed to be mental, even spiritual, as much as it was physical. After three hours of the weirdest darkness, the man managed to shout, “It is finished!” Shout, mind you. Most crucified prisoners could barely breathe. They couldn’t muster enough strength to shout. Then after a shout, the earth quaked violently.

When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Mark 15:39

The centurion came to the only logical conclusion.

The centurion wasn’t swayed by emotion, or by a persuasive argument. He objectively observed what happened with Jesus. He had no doubt seen noble deaths as well as the ignoble. Jesus was unlike any man he had ever encountered.

We may meet some this Easter who examine the claims Christ made, who evaluate the circumstances and manner of His death and agree that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be–the unique Son of God. Hallelujah!

When this happens, we need to be ready to help them take the next step, that is, understanding that Jesus came to provide the salvation and reconciliation with God we so desperately needed. Access to that salvation is available to all who accept it by faith in the finished work of the cross.

Whether the centurion was making a statement of saving faith or not we can’t really say from one sentence. Romans believed the gods could take on human form, so he may have meant something like that. However, I think Mark provides some key clues.

The gospel of Mark was written with a Roman audience in mind. Gentiles figure prominently throughout his writing. Just like we saw with Simon, Mark was showing his readers that Gentiles, even Romans, were welcome in the kingdom of God. The body of Christ wasn’t just a Jewish thing. The centurion’s bold statement would have been an encouragement to the Roman believers, especially as persecution intensified.

The centurion gives us encouragement as well. Even those who seem the most hardened, unlikely to respond, and difficult to reach with gospel are not beyond the outstretched hand of God. In addition, God demonstrates His great power to work drawing people to Him even in the worst possible circumstances.

That Friday: One in the Crowd

By Paula Wiseman

Jesus’s time on the cross is nearing its end. The land is supernaturally dark and has been for a couple of hours. Four Roman soldiers stand guard along with their centurion. A small crowd, including religious leaders and others who called for Jesus’s death watched the execution. Their mocking insults are shattered by Jesus’s anguished cry, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” (Matthew 27:46). In Aramaic, the word for My God sounds a lot like the name Elijah. During the Passover, everyone looked for Elijah. So that became the new line of mocking. “This man is calling for Elijah.” (Matthew 27:47). And one in the crowd was prompted to action.

Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.
Matthew 27:48

We don’t have any other details so the action can be interpreted several ways.

The one in the crowd was compassionate.

Even though he didn’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah, he was clearly moved by His suffering. John 19:28 records Jesus saying that He was thirsty. He may have been the only one in the rowdy crowd who felt any pity for Jesus. So he ran for a drink to honor the dying man’s request.

This Easter season you may meet people who are sympathetic to Jesus. They believe He was good, that He died a noble, selfless death ending a tragic story, but not unlike others they have heard about.

We can’t dismiss Jesus as just a good man. He Himself claimed to be Son of God. In fact, the reason the Pharisees sought to eliminate Him was He claimed equality with God. We must gently correct and inform those who would reduce Jesus to just a good man.

The one in the crowd was callous.

He had mocked Jesus along with others for hours, unmoved by the darkness or the pain Jesus was in. Now after the latest outburst, he’d had enough. He had to shut the guy up. Maybe the sour wine was enough to dull the senses.

Some who come to Easter would undoubtedly prefer to shut down all talk of sin, salvation, redemption and resurrection. They’ve stood back with their friends and made fun of the entire idea of religion for years and this year is no different.

Maybe they are difficult or even impossible to engage. You may have to respect their wishes not to discuss Christ. If so, the important thing then is not to let the callous rob you of your joy or dampen the thrill that comes from knowing the risen Christ.

The one in the crowd was challenging.

Mark’s gospel singles out the man saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down” (Mark 15:36). The other gospels have others in the crowd saying those words. It was a demand for yet more proof.

The thing is, you can’t ever offer enough proof. The Pharisees made these same types of challenges. “Show us a sign and we’ll believe” (Matthew 12:38, 16:1). Signs strengthen existing faith, rather awakening faith. The proof is there, but darkened hearts reject it.

Jesus never tried to prove His statements. The Son of God does not answer to man’s demands. Most challengers aren’t truly interested in proof. They are more concerned about making noise. A sincere reading of John’s gospel leaves no other conclusion than Jesus is exactly who He says He is. Readers can still ignore that conclusion if they choose.

With so little to go on, it’s hard to say which one fits the one in the crowd who ran for the sponge. He may also fit a profile not listed here. But then, the people you encounter this Easter season may also be hard to box in. They may be a combination of all these profiles. No matter what, approach them with love and respect and follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Next week, we’ll finish up with one witness there that Friday who leaves few questions about his take on the crucifixion of Jesus.

That Friday: Simon of Cyrene

By Paula Wiseman

They forced a man coming in from the country, who was passing by, to carry Jesus’ cross. He was Simon, a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus.
Mark 15:21

Simon, a Cyrene

We learn quite a bit from this short verse in Mark. Simon was one of the many pilgrims in Jerusalem for the Passover. Because so many people were there, many out-of-towners stayed outside the city traveling in each morning to offer sacrifices or attend worship and prayer services at the Temple. Cyrene was a large city in Libya. Islam doesn’t exist yet, so it makes most sense that Simon is a black African converted to Judaism.

Mark adds that he is the father of Alexander and Rufus. Mark wrote his gospel to Gentile believers and most likely those at Rome received it first. He mentioned Alexander and Rufus to connect his Roman readers to the account. “The Rufus you know, your Rufus … this is has father.” In Romans, Paul adds, “Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother—and mine” (Romans 16:13). Rufus’s mother, that is Simon’s wife, was like a mother to the apostle.

Carrying the Cross

Part of the punishment and humiliation of crucifixion including having to bear the weight of your own cross to the place of execution. Envision something like a railroad tie. After the brutal scourging Jesus endured, he was too weakened to carry His own cross beam to Golgotha.

Roman soldiers were legally allowed to compel any citizen to carry their stuff up to one mile. This rule was the basis for Jesus’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matthew 5:41). So Simon was pulled from the crowd of onlookers to carry the cross for Jesus.

We are Simon

We don’t know if Simon even knew who Jesus was, or if any words passed between Simon and Jesus. We don’t know if his sons were with him and witnessed this act. It seems incongruous at first that the Christ who was sovereignly in control of all the events surrounding His arrest, His trial, His death and His resurrection, stumbled here. Later, Jesus would have the unnatural, the supernatural strength to cry out “It is finished!” with a loud voice. Why not here?

Jesus bore no guilt. Carrying the cross was a sign of guilt. By impressing Simon into service, the Romans unwittingly drew a beautiful picture of the core Gospel message. Simon represents us all, burdened under the heavy weight of guilt of our sin. Jesus, who had no sin guilt, died under the penalty that sin guilt required. If Jesus had collapsed under the burden, He could not have completed the sacrifice. If we would die for our own sins, justice would be satisfied but redemption could not be accomplished, and we would be forever separated from God. Simon shows us the first step in that divine exchange– our sins for Christ’s righteousness.

We all come to Easter with the heavy load of our sin. Some of us have given that burden to Jesus. Many have yet to. I think Simon was forever changed by his experience. The testimony his family left gives evidence of that. They all understood the profound truth Peter spoke of.

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; you have been healed by His wounds.
1 Peter 2:24

That Friday: Pilate’s Wife

By Paula Wiseman

We are very familiar with the events of Good Friday. We know the people, the details, the horror and the injustice of it all as well as the love and strength of Christ. It is the key to our salvation and redemption. But in the background of the events are several people, minor characters in the unfolding drama. However when we give them a closer look, we may find they are more familiar, more recognizable than we realized. Last week, we saw how Malchus prepared us to engage with those who see Jesus as a threat. This week we’ll look at a woman of understated influence– Pilate’s wife.

Scripture doesn’t record her name. Tradition says it was Claudia Procula. The Eastern Orthodox Church venerates her. Why? A dream and a message.

While [Pilate] was sitting on the judge’s bench, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I’ve suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!”
Matthew 27:19

This is extraordinary. To interrupt an official proceeding was highly unusual, especially for a Roman woman, even if she was the governor’s wife. We have no way of knowing whether the dream was from God (like Pharoah’s or Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams) or simply a bad dream. We do know Romans put great stock in dreams and other omens and portents, so her nightmare would have carried great weight with her and with her husband.

She and Pilate undoubtedly knew who Jesus was. They had heard accounts of His arrival in Jerusalem earlier in the week. They likely knew about the miracles He was reported to have done. Her word, righteous, is sometimes translate “innocent” but the Greek word, dikaios, means righteous. Her declaration that Jesus is righteous reminds me of the young ruler who called Jesus “good”. Jesus pressed him on the implications of that pronouncement.

Whether Pilate’s wife believed Jesus was merely innocent or righteous (by implication, like the gods), she clearly did not want Pilate tangled up with the case.

This Easter, we may encounter people who rely on superstitions or intuition about Jesus rather than the truth about Him. They may respect Him as a teacher, appreciate His work with the poor and marginalized, but discount His claims of deity or their need for His forgiveness and atoning sacrifice. They may wear a cross or have a tattoo of one without truly grasping its significance. It is up to us to open the dialogue. Jesus pressed Pilate about what truth really was. Perhaps the question for those like Pilate’s wife is, what does it mean to be righteous or good? Who makes that determination? What is the standard and who sets it? What happens if you don’t meet the standard?

Pilate took his wife’s message seriously but lacked the moral courage to do the unpopular but just thing and stand up to the Jewish leaders. Instead, he was railroaded into a politically expedient judgment. We may encounter people who take Jesus’s message seriously but lack the courage to act on it. Let’s make sure we stand with them and offer whatever support we can, so they can make a life-changing decision for Christ.

Again, we would do well to take Peter’s advice.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
1 Peter 3:15

That Friday: Malchus

By Paula Wiseman

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. (The slave’s name was Malchus.)
John 18:10

Malchus was the servant of Caiaphas, the high priest, the one pushing for the arrest and removal of Jesus. It is possible that he was serving as the representative of Caiaphas at the arrest, while the high priest quickly gathered the Sanhedrin for the coming trial. I envision his role something like Joseph’s when he served as Potiphar’s steward. If he was loyal to his master, he likely would have seen Jesus as a threat.

As Jesus negotiates to ensure His disciples are allowed to leave in peace, Peter acts in violence. There are a couple of ways to frame Peter’s action. He was intending to fight his way out and killing the nearest man was the first step. Except he missed. Or Malchus mostly dodged the attack. Another possibility is that Peter only intended to deliver a non-lethal but humiliating injury. If Malchus were maimed, he would not be allowed to serve with Caiaphas in the Temple. Further, the high priest may not have wanted a servant with a physical deformity and may have sold him. This would have cost Malchus his position. This makes Peter’s act one of petty vengeance rather than foolhardy bravado.

Whatever Peter’s motive, Jesus’s power, compassion, and love for His enemies is fully displayed as He rebukes Peter and heals the ear (Luke 22:51).

Why should we give Malchus a second thought?

He represents all those who come to Easter season and see Jesus as a threat. He threatens their lifestyle–no more shallow relationships based on selfish gratification. Jesus threatens their politics–no more support for things like abortion or sexualizing children. Maybe Jesus is a threat to their leisure time–an end to lazy Sundays and a time commitment to participate and serve somehow. Or perhaps it’s their view of themselves as totally okay without “religion” that’s most at risk.

We as believers cannot engage with people who already see Jesus (and us) as a threat the way Peter did with Malchus. We must not set out to destroy them. We must not set out to humiliate them, even if it’s on social media. That just results in deep wounds.

Instead, let’s be Jesus. Let’s extend mercy and compassion. Let’s work to bring healing. (Remember we don’t have to do the healing. That’s a Jesus thing.) Let’s be willing to love sacrificially. Let’s let our deeds and lifestyle match our words and our profession.

Peter certainly picked up on that lesson, maybe even from his attack on Malchus. He writes:

Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:12

Next week: Pilate’s wife.