But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.” vs. 5
Isaiah 52:12-53:13
As we read these words from Isaiah on this Good Friday, it’s important to remember that the prophet was not writing about Jesus. Rather he was speaking of the Servant Israel, the exiled nation that had undergone great suffering at the hands of the Babylonians. It had been an undeserved punishment that ultimately benefited those descendants who had returned to the land God had promised them. Much later on, after the crucifixion of Jesus, as the disciples studied the scriptures for insight and guidance, they saw this passage as a perfect metaphor for what had happened to Jesus. Again and again they returned to these words as an explanation for his suffering and death. As a result, millions of believers have come to tie the forgiveness of their sins to the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. There are some however who have difficulty believing that the unjust death of one man could cancel out the sins of all humanity, especially since Jesus himself freely offered sinners forgiveness long before his death. They see the cross as a sacrificial act of love, and not as a payment for sin. But however we choose to believe, there is no doubt that Good Friday is a time to contemplate the nature of suffering and love. Both can be redemptive, and both are wrapped up in the person of Jesus.
Thought for the Day: What does Good Friday mean to me?
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