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“Lesson 08 - Understanding the Darkness of Calvary”
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Lesson 8 - Understanding the Darkness of Calvary
Introduction
In the spring of 1945, Allied troops marched across Germany. On April 4, the 89th Infantry captured the German town of Gotha in south central Germany. Just outside of town was the Ohrdruf concentration camp. It was one of several sub-camps serving the Buchenwald extermination camp, several miles north of Gotha. Ohrdruf was a holding facility for over 11,000 prisoners on the way to the gas chambers and crematoria at Buchenwald. Just before the Americans arrived, the Germans marched all the inmates who could walk to Buchenwald. The rest were killed. When the Americans arrived at Ohrdruf they found thousands of bodies of prisoners who had died from bullet wounds, starvation, abuse, and disease. Bodies were piled throughout the camp. Many of the mounds of dead bodies were still smoldering from failed attempts by the departing Germans to burn them. The stench was horrible. General Eisenhower ordered every American solider in the area not on the front lines to visit Ohrdruf and Buchenwald. Eisenhower said that the atrocities were “beyond the American mind to comprehend.” He ordered every German citizen to tour the camp. After doing so, the town mayor and his wife went home and hanged themselves. Eisenhower would later remark that he “never dreamed that such cruelty, bestiality, and savagery could really exist in this world.” In the coming months he would order civilian news media and military combat camera units to place their observations in print, pictures, and film. He explained, “I made the visit deliberately, in order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things, if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to ‘propaganda.’?1” That day has come. There are an increasing number of people around the world who deny the existence of the Holocaust. Most notable is Iran’s vocal Islamist leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He has said, “They have created a myth today that they call the massacre of Jews and they consider it a principle above God, religions and the prophets”?2.
Fast forward 56 years later to a bright, cloudless September morning on the East coast of America. Arab terrorists hijacked four planes and successfully destroyed New York’s World Trade Center and parts of the Pentagon in Washington D.C. It is widely believed that the fourth plane was destined to hit the United States Capitol in Washington, before those on board overtook the hijackers. That plane crashed into a field near Shanksville, PA. September 11, 2001 is a day that will go down in infamy. Almost 3000 persons lost their lives that day. Most of the events were recorded on video as they took place. Yet, even with clear evidence, there are a number of people around the world who deny these events were acts of terrorism. They believe 9/11 was a massive conspiracy, perpetuated by the government in order to have an excuse to exert its power over the people. One theory goes like this, “The Twin Towers collapsed because demolition charges were planted inside them, not because of fire and structural damage resulting from American Flight 11 and United Flight 175 plowing into them. The buildings had been designed to withstand great stress and the fires were not hot enough to melt steel. And, if the buildings had collapsed, they would have fallen at an angle—not pancaked straight down, as only buildings destroyed by controlled demolition do.”?3 Theories like this ignore the massive amount of time and preparation that would be necessary to plant the number of explosives necessary to take the towers down. It is just a simple rejection of the realness of 9/11.
The denial of the proven reality in these acts of evil is a direct result of darkness, which constantly works to get us to gloss over its horrible effects. Darkness would have us to smooth things over and shift the blame somewhere else. If the Lord tarries and allows time to go on, those who wish to rewrite history will only grow. We must never fall for incursions of darkness, no matter how strong the pressure.
In the darkest moments the world has ever known, Jesus was crucified on a cross outside Jerusalem. All the events of that Thursday and Friday were nothing less than the best efforts of darkness to thwart the marvelous plan of God. How did darkness work at Calvary? How does darkness work to separate us from the gravity of these events? Do we truly understand how dark the events of Calvary really were?
Darkness at work: The last 36 hours of Jesus’ life
When Jesus came into the world, Satan's power was turned against Him. From the moment He arrived, Satan continually worked to bring about His destruction. In every possible way he sought to prevent Jesus from developing a perfect childhood, a faultless manhood, a holy ministry, and an unblemished sacrifice. Ultimately he did not succeed. He could not lead Jesus into sin. He could not drive Him from fulfilling God’s plan of redemption for mankind. Through Jesus’ resurrection, Satan was crushed and dealt a mortal blow, Hebrews 2.14-15.
While we know the outcome, we must not underestimate the work of Satan during the last 36 hours of Jesus’ life. This was Satan’s last, desperate chance to thwart God’s plan. Each second must have felt like a year for Jesus as he weathered the ultimate storm of temptation. In every way possible, Satan and his forces of darkness exerted an intense and focused assault on Jesus, mercilessly oppressing Him. Yet, as Satan pressed, Jesus resisted, clinging to the hand of His father.
The story of Jesus’ last hours is contained in Matthew 26.15-27.56; Mark 14.12-15.41; Luke 22.7-23.49; and John 13.1-19.37. As we read these chapters it is important to see how darkness worked.
When we first read of Judas’ decision to betray Jesus, Luke tells us that Satan entered into Judas, who then went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them, Luke 22.3-4. John’s gospel also tells us of Satan’s activity concerning Judas during this period, John 13.2, 27. Satan knew exactly how to “get to” Judas. His greedy heart is a well known fact by readers of John’s gospel, 6.71; 12.4-6. The lure of easy money and the draw of building favor with the Jewish religious leaders was the perfect entry point for darkness. John 11.57 says that the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should let them know. Judas could have easily envisioned monetary reward and a place of recognition by these “powerful” people. Darkness told him that the most important thing was himself. Taking this into consideration, it should be easy to understand why Judas didn’t even resist. He allowed Satan to walk right into his heart. As you reread the gospel accounts of Judas’ betrayal - he could have stopped at any moment. He did not have to go through with it. Darkness hardened his heart.
The conversation recorded in John 13.21-27 is especially interesting. Jesus said one of the 12 would betray him. John, sitting right next to Jesus, leaned back and quietly asked who it was. Jesus said, It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it, 13.26. Then He gave the morsel to Judas and the record says Satan entered his heart. Judas who never made an attempt to resist Satan had hardened himself to the point where there was no turning back. He immediately went out from their presence, 13.30. The depth of this betrayal is absolutely astonishing. Thinking again of the private conversation going on between Jesus and John about the one who would betray Him, why not just tell John directly that it was Judas? Jesus wanted to impress on John the enormity of the situation. “Judas was ready to betray the One out of whose very hand he had been fed!”?4 Consider the emotional toll this event must have had upon Jesus. The depth of His suffering would fall to unimaginable levels. Think of the humiliation of being turned in by one of your own for monetary gain. Think of how Satan would have enjoyed twisting the metaphorical knife he had just used to stab Jesus through with the actions of one of those closest to Him.
John 13.30b should not go unnoticed. The record simply says, and it was night. The fact that many of these events happened in the darkness of night is fitting. What a dark night it must have been! Jesus Himself said that men love to do their unrighteous deeds in the dark, John 3.18-20. Make no mistake, Satan was in overdrive that night - using every moment he had to derail Jesus from the mission. The activity of Satan does not stop with Judas. Once Jesus and the disciples leave the house where they had gathered for the Passover meal, they head to the garden of Gethsemane. While there, don’t think Satan sat idly by. The level of temptation during these moments must have been agonizing. As Jesus struggled, desperately wanting another way to go through crucifixion, Satan would have worked to reinforce those emotions. Hear Satan tell Jesus that they just aren’t worth this. Think of how Satan must have worked to magnify the thought of the torture Jesus was about to experience. And yet, three times Jesus resists in the only way He could - through prayer. The emotional toll is almost unbearable, so much so that an angel from heaven appeared, strengthening Him, Luke 22.43.
After returning from the last time of prayer, Jesus walks back to find his disciples sleeping. As He questioned them, Judas led a band of soldiers to arrest Him. He knew right where to go. Judas knew Jesus would be there praying. He had been there with Jesus before. John describes the soldiers and officers of the chief priests coming with lanterns, torches, and weapons, John 18.3. They approach Jesus as if He were a criminal! This is the ultimate insult! Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me, Matthew 26.55. Jesus saw all of this as an enclosing shroud of darkness: But this is your hour, and the power of darkness, Luke 22.53. Judas approaches and kisses him! “Judas, the treasurer, the man in whom the others had put their trust, he was now standing with the powers of the prince of darkness.”?5
Dragging Jesus off, shackled by chains, they bring Him before the Jewish Sanhedrin. This body consisted of seventy one members. They had legislative, executive, and judicial power. There was no appeal available for its decisions. It’s authority was supreme in all matters - civil, criminal, political, social, and religious. Darkness was most assuredly at work inside the hearts of these men that night. Every aspect of this trial violated their law. Jesus was arrested because of a bribe. Jewish law prohibited any part of legal proceedings by night.?6 Their law also forbade court proceedings to be held on the “eve of the Sabbath, or that of any fesitval.”?7 Jesus was asked to incriminate Himself. The entire trial took place over the span of a few hours. In capital cases, Jewish law did not permit the sentence to be pronounced until the day after the accused had been convicted.?8 There was no intention to give Jesus a fair trial. Think of the humilation of being tried before self-seeking and hypocritical men like Annas and Caiaphas. All the while they worked their evil plan they had to maintain their “purity” in front of the people, John 18.28. This is darkness at work!
Peter’s denial of Jesus would have certainly added to the sorrow of the moment. As Jesus entered into the house of the high priest, Peter, who within the previous hour, had sought to boldly strike out at the enemies of Jesus with a sword, shriveled into a shell of his former self. Driven to the point of cursing and swearing, Peter denies his association with Christ a third time. The rooster immediately crowed and the Lord turned and looked at Peter, Luke 22.61. Who and what caused Peter’s courage to evaporate? Who and what is piercing Jesus through with the emotional toll of being rejected by one of his closest companions? We know the answer. Darkness.
Now Pilate enters the scene. As always, darkness exploited the weaknesses of the Roman governor. Throughout the entire process, Pilate’s sole focus is on himself. Should he please his wife? The Jews? What would the Emperor think? How would his decision impact his career? There was no concern for anyone else. There was absolutely no consideration for the innocent life that he was going to terminate on a cross. After seeing he could go no further in convincing the Jews to release Jesus, he took water and washed his hands saying, I am innocent of this man’s blood, see to it yourselves, Matthew 27.24b. Darkness influenced him to believe the lie he told himself. It said he had done nothing with Jesus - when he was the only man in the city who could have passed the death sentence. He wasn’t responsible. Someone else was. Any decision he made was the result of his being pushed into it. Pilate attempted to be “neutral” in this situation. But when it comes to Jesus, neutrality is impossible. Due to his own personal weaknesses, Pilate succumbed to intimidation and allowed darkness to do its work.
I believe there is an important reason why we see Pilate’s continual declaration of Jesus’ innocence. It was meant to communicate that Jesus was not condemned to die because of his own transgressions. It was for the transgressions of the world that He died. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed, 1 Peter 2.22-24. Put more specifically, it was for our sins that He died. Never forget this important fact.
Darkness also manifested itself that ugly day through a most unlikely character - Barabbas. A notorious robber and murderer, Barabbas was more than deserving of being on a cross that Friday afternoon, Mark 15.7. A greater contrast could not have existed between the two men. Pilate thought he had the perfect out. Offer up one for execution and release the other. He figured the people would overwhelmingly choose Barabbas for crucifixion. It didn’t happen. His plan failed. What made the crowd choose Barabbas over Jesus? Imagine the utter humiliation and repulsiveness of this moment. Here is Jesus standing next to the vile and insolent Barabbas. Jesus, who minutes earlier had just been declared to be without fault by Pilate, 18.38, is now offered up as a choice in a gruesome contest where the “prize” is a cross. Darkness won. Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified. Imagine how darkness continued to work on Jesus as He struggled under the weight of His cross, carrying it through the streets of Jerusalem and finally up to Golgotha. All the way to the bitter end, darkness was actively pursuing Jesus.
Then comes the crucifixion itself. As Jesus hangs there, darkness fell over the whole land, Luke 23.44. This literal darkness could be interpreted to symbolize the blackness and heavy weight of sin. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God, 2 Corinthians 5.21. The agony of these moments cannot be overemphasized. Now in the midst of darkness, Jesus feels completely alone - separated from His father. My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me, Matthew 27.46. This is a quote from Psalm 22 where the Psalmist asks, Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest, Psalm 22.1b-2.
Then He died. For the next 36 hours, all appeared lost. Satan probably thought he was the ruler of the world. Had evil really triumphed?
We understand Jesus had to die. But why the cross?
Three centuries before Jesus, ancient peoples devised one of the most terrible forms of execution ever known to man. The Romans took crucifixion and perfected it to the point where the condemned individual experienced as much humiliation and agony as possible. A person could expect to die a slow, painful, gruesome, and public death. Some individuals lingered for days before finally succumbing. After death, the victim was often left hanging on the cross as a display to warn others that the authorities were serious about punishing lawbreakers.
Hundreds of years before Jesus, the prophets foretold of His suffering on the cross. In prophetic writings, David said, I am...scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads. I am poured out like water; and all my bones are out of joint; my strength is dried up and my tongue sticks to my jaws; they have pierced my hands and feet. They stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots, Psalm 22.6-7, 14-15, 17-18. Isaiah also said, He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace and with His stripes we are healed, Isaiah 53.5.
When Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation, sin entered our world. Those who transgress God’s law, commit sin, 1 John 1.4. Sin has a terrible price: death, Romans 6.23. All are guilty of sin and it is Jesus who rescued us from this predicament through His sacrifice. By offering Himself for us, Jesus turned away the wrath of God. Paul wrote, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus, Romans 3.23-26.
From this passage, we clearly see that Jesus had to die. A person can die many different ways. Why crucifixion? Why the cross? Sin is hideous. Sin is repulsive. Sin is reprehensible. Sin is an affront to the justice and righteousness of God. It is polluted, miserable, and filthy. It is degrading and shameful. It binds a person into captivity. It renders a person hopeless. God used the cross as a visible symbol to demonstrate the vileness of sin and to prove the lengths He was willing to go to save us from sin. Jesus became a curse for us. Jewish law said that a hanged man is cursed by God, Deuteronomy 21.23. He stood in our place. Jesus was not guilty of our sin, but bore the punishment for our transgressions. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed, 1 Peter 2.22, 24. Jesus died so that all humankind can be saved, Galatians 3.13-14. Jesus released us from the bondage and chains of sin. His death brings freedom and hope. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also, John 14.2-3.
Jesus died to free us from sin and give us hope. In speaking of Him, John the Baptist described Jesus as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, John 1.29.
We must make the connection.
It is very hard to reread the accounts of the Passion of the Christ and not be emotionally stirred. When we consider the intense sorrow, pain of betrayal, blood spilled, and the torturous six hours Jesus spent nailed on the side of a tree, our hearts break. When we picture the smug smiles on the faces of the Pharisees and Sadducees and the mocking of the Roman soldiers it is difficult not to feel a twinge of righteous anger. We might marvel at those in the crowd that day. How could anyone have stood there gawking at such a grotesque scene? We become frustrated at the impotence of the Roman governor who allowed himself to be intimidated by hypocritical and calloused religious leaders. We shake our heads at the shortsightedness and ignorant foolishness of Judas, who allowed his insatiable desire for money, prestige, and power move him to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. We shudder as we think of what could have been, had Judas only repented like Peter. The darkness of that day was real in every aspect.
But, as I mentioned in the beginning, darkness has an uncanny ability to convince us that it is not as bad as it really is. We must ask, have we allowed this to happen with the cross? Now that time has separated us from that day by a span of around 2000 years, is it real to us? Have we made the connection that it was our sin that put Jesus on the cross? Darkness deludes us into thinking that we weren’t so bad. Jesus died for all the really bad people in the world. The problem is, we are that person.
This matter is highly personal. He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities, Isaiah 53.4-5. Paul said that He was delivered up for our trespasses, Romans 4.25. Peter said, He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, 1 Peter 2.24. Paul includes himself and every person in the list of ungodly enemies who were aligned against God when He decided to send Jesus to die in our place, Romans 5.6-10. If we were the only person on earth, rebellious, dirty and stained with sin, God would have enacted His great scheme for our redemption. God’s love and compassion for us is personal - just as our defiant and insubordinate actions were once personally against Him.
Darkness seeks to separate or disconnect us from this fact. If it can get us to delete the personal connection with Jesus’ rescue from sin, it has the upper hand. Darkness moves to keep us away from the brokenness that is necessary to receive the gospel as God intends. We must come to God conscious of the reality that exists, realizing our vile condition before Him, and confessing our need for His cleansing power. If it can convince us that we are somehow disconnected from the awfulness at Calvary it will send our spiritual life into continual dysfunction. Until we make it personal, our spiritual lives will never prosper as they should.
Questions for discussion.
1. In betraying Jesus, what was so attractive to Judas?
2. Describe the shame and humiliation that comes packaged inside the act of betrayal.
3. What would Satan’s method of attack have been as Jesus entered the garden of Gethsemane?
4. What were some of the illegalities associated with the trial of Jesus?
5. Who and what caused Peter’s courage to evaporate? What emotional toll would this have had on Jesus?
6. Did Pilate succeed in his plan to be “neutral” with Jesus? How? What lessons are there for us in this?
7. How did darkness work through Barabbas?
8. What did the literal darkness that fell over the land while Jesus was on the cross symbolize?
9. Name two reasons why God used the cross as Jesus’ instrument of death?
10. Today, what does darkness attempt to tell us about the cross?
11. Why is brokenness so important as we approach our relationship with God?
12. How can darkness hamper our relationship with God through the lack of a personal connection with the events of Calvary?
_____________________
1 Eisenhower Memorial (2012). “Ike and the Death Camps.” Retrieved 02/02/2012 from http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/stories/death-camps.htm
2 BBC (2005 December 14). “Iranian leader denies Holocaust.” BBC. Retrieved 02/02/2012 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4527142.stm
3 Ridgeway, J. (2007). “Homeland Insecurity: The 9/11 Conspiracy File: Myths and Facts.” Mother Jones. Retrieved 02/02/2012 from: http://motherjones.com/politics/2007/09/homeland-insecurity-911-conspiracy-file-myths-and-facts
4 Hendrickson, W. (2002). New Testament Commentary: John. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker. p. 246.
5 Hendrickson. p. 379.
6 See Mishna in “Sanhedrin” Volume 1.
7 See Mishna in “Sanhedrin” Volume 4.
8 Hendrickson. p.396.
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