It can be quiet revealing to read segments of the Old Testament alongside segments of the New. The reading in Leviticus describes for us much about atonement. It describes the nature of atonement, that is, it is meant as a substitutionary sacrifice to satisfy God’s wrath against sin and provide salvation for the offender. Leviticus also describes the picture of atonement, that is, sacrifice is a very bloody, costly, horrific event. It is not a pretty picture when sin is being dealt with and removed! In addition, Leviticus describes the grace and glory of atonement, that is, it is through this God-given act that man is reconciled to God and God dwells with his people! However, for all that we learn about atonement in Leviticus, those sacrifices were a shadow of the full, final atonement to come in Christ. Those sacrifices had to be repeated often and always until the coming of Christ because they were symbolic. The complete atonement would come when the Lamb of God, Christ, was slain for the sin of God’s people.
The full, final atonement is what we find in Mark 15. The betrayal, the denial, the scourging, the scorn, the humiliation, the crucifixion, the darkness, the cry of abandonment, all of these things were part of the atonement. This is how it looked when all of our sin was placed on Christ and was punished! “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is what it sounded like when full atonement was made for our sin! All of the descriptions in Leviticus have found their completion in Mark 15!
Isn’t it so very interesting that the people around the cross kept taunting Jesus by saying, “Save yourself, and come down from the cross!” Jesus was not there to save himself! He was there to save us! He was making full, final atonement for everyone who would believe in him!
I can't give you the artists' names, but I remember reading of different ones who would use some aspect of Jesus' life or death for their subject and would use their own face for the face of one of the characters, say Joseph of Arimathea lifting Jesus' dead body down from the cross. In doing this they were imagining how they themselves would feel in that person's place. The expressions on the painted faces would mirror their own hearts, their own confession of denial, betrayal, or worship. So I've been thinking while I've been reading these last 4 chapters of Mark, which character would I choose? I'd have to use my brother's face for a man, of course, but just choosing one of the friends, or enemies, by the part he or she played, which one would I choose? I wish I had the skill to portray what I "see" when I picture myself in the scene, I haven't. But it is an interesting question, isn't it? Which would you choose?
ReplyDeleteIt's an odd question, and I'm certain one that has no eternal significance, but I've been wondering why Judas betrayed Jesus with the false respect ("Rabbi") and the false affection (the kiss). Do you think that he could have thought that this would fool ANYBODY? Jesus knew what Judas was there for, He'd told him to hurry and go do it during their supper. The mob following Judas certainly knew the purpose for the clubs and swords. The other 11 disciples would certainly catch on the moment they saw the crowd and Judas leading them. Was Judas trying to deceive himself?? The Bible doesn't give an answer to this question (that I can find), so any answer could only be conjecture, but I'm wondering none-the-less.
In my opinion (and this is just opinion), I don't think Judas was being deceptive in his respect or affection. I believe he did respect Jesus and did have a positive regard for him. I think Judas was trying to force Jesus' hand. He was hoping that if put in this situation, Jesus would take over and conquer the Romans! Judas had some greed problems as well. But if Judas actually hated Jesus, that doesn't explain why he was so distraught and hung himself when it was clear Jesus was going to die. If he didn't have some regard for Jesus, he wouldn't care. He would have kept his money and went home.
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