A Disquieting Thought

I have been thinking about the death of Jesus and thinking about watching The Passion. It has been in my Netflix queue for years, yet I never have seen it. His death is difficult to think about. 

Here is how the message describes His Death in Matthew 27

27-31 The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor’s palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun. They stripped him and dressed him in a red toga. They plaited a crown from branches of a thornbush and set it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand for a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mocking reverence: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” they said. “Bravo!” Then they spit on him and hit him on the head with the stick. When they had had their fun, they took off the toga and put his own clothes back on him. Then they proceeded out to the crucifixion. 

32-34 Along the way they came on a man from Cyrene named Simon and made him carry Jesus’ cross. Arriving at Golgotha, the place they call “Skull Hill,” they offered him a mild painkiller (a mixture of wine and myrrh), but when he tasted it he wouldn’t drink it.

35-40 After they had finished nailing him to the cross and were waiting for him to die, they whiled away the time by throwing dice for his clothes. Above his head they had posted the criminal charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews. Along with him, they also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: “You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you’re really God’s Son, come down from that cross!”

41-44 The high priests, along with the religion scholars and leaders, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—he can’t save himself! King of Israel, is he? Then let him get down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then! He was so sure of God—well, let him rescue his ‘Son’ now—if he wants him! He did claim to be God’s Son, didn’t he?” Even the two criminals crucified next to him joined in the mockery.

The disquieting thoughts of the crucifixion led me to other disquieting thoughts. The soldiers were just being soldiers. They were just following orders. Sure they killed people, but they were enemies of their country, they deserved to die. Didn't they? Can we really condemn them for doing their job, a necessary job, and enjoying it? Rome needed soldiers to protect the people in the empire, and such service in defense of one's country is honorable. 

These thoughts led to my final disquieting thought. When these heroes of the state returned home, did the people back home thank them for their service? 

Comments

[Peter]

Very worthwhile line of thought in my opinion. That movie is an emotion more than a doctrinal explaination.

Disturbing thoughts can be very benificial , we all are under some brutal authorities but nothing like this picture, thanks.