I am writing this on Friday April 18, 2025 Good Friday. These past few weeks, I have been restudying the events of that first Easter weekend, from Thursday night through the resurrection and what John and Paul say that this means to all of us. One thing that stood out to me this time around is something that I have noticed before but it didn't stand out as it did this time. The thing that stood out to me is that Jesus suffered many things, but he was never a victim.
Going back over my 67+ years of reading, hearing, and studying the events of that weekend, I have realized that many times (although I have no doubt that it was unintentional) Jesus has been portrayed as a victim on Thursday night and Friday. What I hope to show is that the Bible shows that Jesus was never a victim, he was not only in control, he kept the show going when I looked like it might not happen. Let's begin.
Let's start with Thursday night. The Last Supper has taken place, Jesus is in the garden where he has just finished praying 3 times to God the Father about the cup that he is about to partake. The guard shows up with Judas and John tells us this exchange.
John 18:3-6
3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)
6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Jesus meets the guard and ask them who do you want and hearing their answer Jesus says, "I am" he. It is one of the times that Jesus declares himself as I am, which is the name God gave Moses telling him who God was.
Do you see the response? Just that verbal declaration forces the soldiers backwards and they go down. With that one statement Jesus shows his power and sees to it that none of the people with Jesus are taken into custody. After this one of Jesus' disciples draws a sword cuts the ear off one of them and now see Jesus' reaction from Luke 22:50-51
And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.
Jesus rebuked his disciples and healed the man's ear. Again Jesus was in control.
Now we come to the mock trial. Even then look at what Mark says happened. Mark 14:55-59
55 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree.
jesus was on trial right where the chief priests wanted him but yet, they couldn't find anything to charge him with. so they asked Jesus directly and if Jesus remained silent like he had been doing this whole time, they had nothing, but instead Jesus spoke up and said this Mark 14:61b-65
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. 65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.
So instead of Jesus staying silent, Jesus answers with a phrase declaring himself to be the Son of Man. A title from Daniel 7 that declared him as being God. And with that the trial had done its job and the physical abuse kicked into high gear.
Then the Chief Priests take him to the Roman ruler, Pontius Pilate and notice the frank exchange that Jesus has with Pilate. Jesus talks frankly and not as someone who is on trial. John 18:33-37
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Then we come to his death. Here we see that before the Romans started breaking the legs of the men being crucified, Jesus declared that it was finished. in Greek the word is Tetelesti. It means paid in full. our sinful debts had been paid and now Jesus died on his own terms and not as others thought. John 19:30.
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
I hope that you see that through all of this Jesus was in control. That doesn't diminish the pain and suffering that he went through, but I think it gives the story more gravitas.
Now after reading these things think of what Paul declared in Philippians 3:10
10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
and agian in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
I could go on but and I hope that whoever reading this will do just that. just remember that it was no accident that Jesus took our punishment upon him so that we could be with him and to know him.
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