The Lamb of God

In family devotions we are reading the book of Mark together.  This is no rapid read-through.  Rick takes his time, taking apart the verses line-by-line, word-by-word.  In this week leading up to Easter, we just happen to be reading Mark 15.

It struck me as I listened to my husband read the chapter aloud to the family that Jesus did not have to be silent.  He stood silently before Pilate, condemning the governor's weakness, his desire to please the Jews and keep his position with Rome.  After His one affirmation that He was, indeed, the King of the Jews (You have said so - a good confession - see I Tim. 6:13), He stood silent, fulfilling Isaiah 53:7.  He was lead like a lamb to the slaughter, and like a sheep before his shearers was silent.

Mark 15:2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, l “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus l made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

I am amazed, too, but for different reasons than Pilate was amazed.  I am astounded that God the Father let this happen - no, that He purposed that it should happen.  It leaves me awestruck that Jesus didn't call down fire from heaven to burn up Pilate, Barabbas, the Sanhedrin, and all of the wicked crowd who ignorantly called for His blood to be on their heads, and on those of their children.

God hated what happened.  

How do I know? 

Proverbs 6:16 

There are six things that the Lord hates,

seven that are an abomination to him:

17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that devises wicked plans,

feet that make haste to run to evil,

19 a false witness who breathes out lies,

and one who sows discord among brothers.

Haughty Eyes  Can any eyes be more haughty than those of men in authority?  The Chief Priests, the Sanhedrin, the Scribes and the Pharisees all considered their authority to be of utmost importance.  They challenged Jesus' authority, and called him an illegitimate Nazarene.

Matthew 21:23

And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?

A Lying Tongue - Those that accused Jesus lied repeatedly. 

Mark 14:56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.

Hands that Shed Innocent Blood - Jesus NEVER sinned.  God the Father made Christ to be regarded and treated as “sin” even though Christ Himself never sinned (Heb. 4:15; cf. Gal. 3:13)

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Acts 2:23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

A Heart that Devises Wicked Plans - They plotted together to kill Him.

Matthew 26:3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

Feet that Make Haste to Run to Evil - Judas was told to go quickly to carry out his evil plan.

John 13:27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”

A False Witness Who Breathes Out Lies

Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward...

One Who Sows Discord Among the Brothers - Stirring up the people.  Pilate wanted to release Jesus, for he found no fault in Him.  But the leaders would have none of that.

Mark 15:11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.

God hated the betrayal.  He hated the lies.  He hated the discord, the haughty eyes and the wicked plans.  Don't for one minute think that any of that pleased Him.

Yet, as the KJV puts it, "It pleased the Lord to bruise Him."  Or as the ESV puts it, it was the will of the Lord to crush him.

Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief;

God did that which He hated with a fiery passion, in order to save those He loves.  

Jesus didn't have to stand there, taking the mocking and the spitting and the scourging.  He didn't have to listen to the false witnesses, hurling accusations at Him, while He stood there, innocent of all charges.  He didn't have to endure silently the plucking out of His beard, while the torturers demanded that He should name them, even as their names whirled around in His head.

He didn't have to.  But He did.  He did it out of obedience to the Father.  He did it out of love for those He was saving.  

Our Great God did not have to ignore those things that He hated.  He didn't have to turn His back on His Son, His only begotten Son, His sinless Son with Whom He fellowshipped from the beginning.  But He did.  He did it because it was the only way to pay the price of sin.  

The wages of sin is death.  But the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ, His Son.

He did it for me.