14th April - On the Cross

Luke 23:26-49

The Crucifixion

26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Death of Jesus

44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.

Reflections by Louise Kim

I grew up in a Christian home. I followed my parents to church every Sunday and was educated with bible stories from birth. However I don’t think I was a real christian then. It wasn't until the winter holidays in year 11 when I accepted Christ as my saviour. God guided me to see the depths of my sins, and helped me realise that I could not save myself. God led me to see Jesus as my personal saviour and Christ. When I started university I encountered SOW. It was there where I grew a curiosity to learn about Theology and experienced what the precious fellowship of believers truly was. I felt immense joy, satisfaction and even thrill learning about God in the context of covenant theology as I could see that the stories from Sunday School I learnt as a child were all so deeply related and rooted in the teachings I engaged in at SOW.

This experience has shaped me to be curious and eager to learn about God even now. 

What jumps out at you from this reading?

What jumps out at me is Jesus’s interaction with the criminals and the crowds. Even at the point of death Jesus acknowledges the criminal who believed in him and comforts him, saying that He will be with him in paradise. Even at the point of death, Jesus protects the people asking God to “forgive them for they know not what to do”. As a human Jesus would have experienced pain just as we can. Even as he was dying on the cross Jesus truly loved his people.

What questions does this reading raise for you?

I question and wonder if I would have been one of those who mocked and laughed at Jesus if I were there. I also question if I could have faith like the criminal who believed in Jesus and boldly confessed his faith in him as he was dying.

What do you think the writer is urging his readers to believe or do?

Luke paints a very detailed account of Jesus’s death. I think Luke is urging his readers to believe that Jesus really did die on the cross. His account in his passage mentions that there were “a multitude of the people”, “the people stood by watching”, “crowds that had assembled” etc. Jesus’s death was a real event that happened and many were eye-witnesses of it.

What in this reading would you talk about with a friend and why?

I would talk about Jesus’s compassion on the cross. The Sacrifice he made for his people, even to the point of death.