Keep Going…

“In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day – for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!”

- Luke 13:33 (Thompson Chain Reference Bible NIV). Quiet Time: 18/04/2019, adapted for 19/04/2019.

Why is today called “Good” at all, when it marks the day our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was crucified – what is ‘good’ about it? While we celebrate his death, we cannot avoid its horrific nature. Ironically, Jerusalem symbolizes a deep spiritual and emotional attachment and identification for adherents of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. While Jews everywhere view it as existential proof of ancient magnificence and independence-cum- centre of national revival, Christians see it as the scene of Jesus’ torment and victory. On the other hand, Muslims associate it with Prophet Muhammad’s magical night traverse as well as being the site of one of Islam’s most sacred temples. For all three faiths therefore, it is a holy city, a centre of pilgrimage, and an object of devotion (Prawer et al., 2019).

Built on Mount Moriah and Mount Zion with its foundations resting on the Salem of Melchizedek and the Jebus of the Jebusites, it was the capital of Israel during the reign of King David, until its destruction by the Babylonians. However, it was rebuilt by a remnant of the Jews under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah (Flanders, 2012). If you are a Christian, what does Good Friday mean to you? While strands of epistemic relativism may be gleaned from the liturgical celebration of Good Friday, which has undergone several transformations over the centuries (Hillerbrand, 2019), the good news is, we are/and unlikely to succumb to ontological nihilism (Turner, 2009) because of the indubitability of scripture.

Epistemic relativism would posit that the comprehension of Good Friday was valid only relatively to a specific context, society, culture or individual (Kusch, 2016), while ontological nihilism suggests that the experience is a fable. The latter especially is not helped by a major controversy in early Christianity regarding if, and when to observe Jesus’ death and resurrection. As we commemorate the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, how connected/relatable are you? Is it a day of sorrow, fasting or atonement for you – or is the whole thing a fable? What is your Jerusalem? Are you feeling like things are stacked against you? Are you experiencing physical and/or mental ill health? Is it poverty? Are you still finding it difficult to overcome trauma from abusive relationships? Perhaps you miss having a father figure in your life. Do you find it unimaginable to overcome addiction in your life – drug, gambling, gaming, masturbation, alcohol, sex? Are you a college dropout? Are you an ex-prisoner and living with stigma? Are you facing deportation? Have you been denied justice, oppressed by the system and driven to a dire and desperate situation?

Have you recently been publicly humiliated, especially because of your faith in Christ? Are you confused because you failed, despite doing everything that you knew to do to succeed? Remember Christ’s power and all the miracles, signs and wonders ascribed to him? So, why did he appear to be powerless at his greatest time of need? It is even worse when you tell yourself that the Lord is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), so why should you be experiencing life in all its negative forms? Have you even felt like quitting? Welcome to torture - the Cross! And note that there is no resurrection (Easter) without the Cross. The way you handle your situation determines how connected you are to the cross. Note that your trials are being offered to you as the Cross (1 Corinthians 1:23-24), if you embrace them as such.

If you have not been to the Cross (identifying with the sufferings and death of our Lord Christ Jesus), your situation will remain a stumbling block and prevent you from experiencing Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. If you are not living a victorious (1John 5:4-5) Christian life, it is because you have not yet experienced a Good Friday – the Cross!

From Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, one could see that despite having knowledge of his trial for blasphemy by the great council (Sanhedrin) in Jerusalem, Christ was not afraid to journey there. Jerusalem was notorious for exclusively slaughtering prophets, according to Ellicott's Bible Commentary for English Readers. This is also corroborated by Gill's Exposition, which states that no one was put to death by local Sanhedrins, but they were brought to the great Sanhedrim in Jerusalem, and kept till the feast, and put to death that everyone might fear (Deut. 17:13). See also Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible, which supports the fact that prophets were slain in Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s Sanhedrin’s exclusivity is further described by Benson Commentary as having the status of ‘supreme court’.

The Life Application Bible equally says Jerusalem had a history of rejecting God’s prophets, including Christ the Messiah. While Halley’s Bible Handbook locates Christ’s utterances on Jerusalem within ‘Perea’, Herod’s domain, Dr. John Lightfoot (1602 - 1675) reminds us of many prophets who were and are going to be killed in the city – e.g. the death of the prophet Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-22); the death of the prophet Uriah (Jer 26:20-23); and the future deaths of the two witnesses (Rev 11:3, 7-8). According to Bible Study New Testament, the two witnesses will be killed in Jerusalem, and their dead bodies will lie in the street, which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also Our Lord Christ was crucified.

So, why did Christ say he must keep going, when he knew what awaited him in Jerusalem? Interestingly, the Geneva Study Bible states in its tenth note to Luke 13:33 that “Nowhere else are there more cruel enemies of the godly than within the sanctuary and Church itself: but God sees it and will in his time have an account for it from them”. Now, that is scary stuff! Have we (as a body of believers) learned from history at all or, according to Doug Dingley (2019), are we still constantly criticizing, cutting down, causing confusion and aiming to divide? Are we bent on conquering, ostracizing, marginalizing, judging and condemning out of envy, fear, insecurity, jealousy and prideful self-promotion - do these features best describe our 'Jerusalem'?

As I bring this expository study to a close, may I ask what your Jerusalem is – what is your object of veneration, and how close does it bring you to the Cross? And do not forget that your sufferings must align with the purpose of Christ - 1 Peter 2:21–25: 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” [a] 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray” [b] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Keep going, do not even think of giving up, and remember that you cannot handle your adversities, trials and tribulations in any way that is different from how our Lord demonstrated purity and perfection, even on the Cross!

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