Matthew 26:67
Then they spat in his face and struck him; and some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who is it that struck you?”
It’s the abuse that I find most difficult. Much of the Passion, when you read as slowly as we are, is hard to endure. From the agony of the garden to the betrayal by friends to the crucifixion itself, it is a harrowing story. And yet for some reason I find the abuse and belittlement of this scene among the most difficult parts of the story to read.
Perhaps it’s that Jesus’ treatment bespeaks such an absolute loss of respect for another person’s basic humanity. It’s not enough that they punish him, if that’s what they think they are doing, or even put him to death. When you witness the spitting, slapping, and petting insults it seems that they are out not just to torture his body but to demean and demoralize his spirit.
Some may argue that such treatment is an integral part of Jesus’ suffering for us, that it demonstrates that he suffered more than anyone else and therefore that his “payment” makes full satisfaction for our sins. I don’t buy it. First, I don’t think God required payment. God is God, fully capable of forgiving us just as we forgive loved ones without exacting payment ourselves. (What an impoverished view of God, when you think of it, that God is so protective of justice that God cannot do the thing each of us has done easily throughout our lives!)
Second, I don’t think you can even begin to make the case that Jesus suffered more than anyone else. Certainly he suffered – tremendously – but others have suffered by disease, despair, or torture for years. I don’t think the point of Matthew’s story is that Jesus suffered more, just that he suffered like – like us, like others, like all those who have been wrongly accused or had their spirit diminished by belittlement or neglect or injustice. Jesus, we confess, entered into our existence, taking on our flesh and living a life like ours so that we would know a) God understands our circumstances and b) God loves us wholly and completely.
I don’t like this scene, and I wish Jesus had never gone through this. But I am grateful that all those who have suffered such humiliation – and all of us whenever we have felt the hurt or insult of others – know we have a God who identifies with us, understands us, loves us, and promises to redeem us and all things.
Prayer: Dear God, as we read of the suffering of your Son, remind us that whatever we may experience, you understand….and care. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you David, for articulating and sharing this perspective on Matthew 26:67. What can I say, but Wow!? Somebody else with infinitely more spiritual education (than this retired administrator of almost 70 years of age) actually thinks like I have most of my life, but could never articulate it.
I love a quote attributed to Emerson: “What you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you are saying.” In my heart I knew that a God of love would not need to exact a blood sacrifice upon his Son for human sins–it would contravene everything we are told about Him. Thank you for the validation.
Further, thank you for all of the work you are doing to inspire us in our little arenas of evolving the Christian message into the 21st century. The message remains the same; its communication must change. God is showering us with solutions, many of them coming through and from you; it’s time we put them to work.
“A New Day” “The Resilience and Restructuring of Religion of Canada” by Reginald W. Bibby, Board of Governors Research Chair in Sociology at the University of Lethbridge (downloadable free)is an enlightening (and encouraging) read.
Bill Nicoll
St. Paul’s Lutheran
Olds, AB CA