The Son of God
John 19:7
The purpose of John's gospel is unambiguous. It is to show that Jesus is the Son of God. This he took the opportunity to impress upon his readers every time he had the opportunity. As we see in verse 7 here, the leaders of the people had handed him to Pilate and on his part, Pilate after scourging him, brought him back the leaders hoping that the disfigured and bleeding body of Christ after the punishment would change their minds. He was shocked by what he heard, that Jesus made himself the Son of God. Pilate understood the statement very well just like the leaders of the people, they understood that Jesus was making himself to be equal with God. His query of Jesus after the incidence with the leaders made his issue worse, this was not what he bargained for. This testimony about the deity of Jesus is found in other places in the gospel according to John. The testimony of the actors in the text within the context of their time and culture shows that they understood that Jesus was not just talking about being a son in the sense that a male child is the progeny of his father, he was talking about something deeper and higher than that. That in a unique way he was unlike other sons but the son, He is God.
Easter and the Love of God
April 15, 2017 by Jide Ajayi • Issues, Life, Thoughts • Tags: Christ, Easter, Easter Sunday, Good Friday •
It is another Easter season. Traditionally, this period starts when lent (traditional 40 days fasting for Christians) comes around and ends with the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday.
On Friday after an agonizing time on the cross, a place he got to by carrying his own cross after receiving a crown of thorns, abuse from the soldiers and mockery from the people, he asked for forgiveness for everyone who had taken part in the abuse of the innocent one and after a while he said it is finished and he gave up his life. He was taken down from the cross, his body was washed and spices were applied to his body and the grave was closed with a very heavy stone and soldiers were appointed to guard the grave and everyone went home for the Sabbath and the passover. On Sunday morning, the world changed forever.
This period is probably the most important period in the life of Christians because it culminates in the resurrection of the Lord which basically is the beginning of the Christian church. During his 3-year ministry, the Lord told the disciples and everyone who cared to listen that he would die and be buried and would rise again and would return to his Father. The disciples would not hear anything of it but he kept on with the message. Another group of people showed interest in this idea but were rather interested in not seeing it come to pass. This group arranged his death, provided false witnesses and judged him through some illegal judgment to ensure that he was out of the way and his “lies” would not come to pass and also made sure that a lie would be circulated concerning the resurrection when it eventually happened. From the moment he was arrested to the moment he said it was finished, his disciples were confused and in disarray. They had left all to follow him, they had trusted him with their lives, everything about them found its identity in him and here they are miserable and helpless because he has been taken from them and there was nothing they could do about it. Then the Lord appeared to them and they saw him and they were convinced that indeed He has risen. They received such an awakening that nothing else could have given to them. Everything the Lord had told them suddenly made sense, they understood him with such clarity they had not had in a while. They were emboldened and they knew immediately what they had to do especially after the Lord himself told them “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:19-20).
This is the season to remember that the Lord of life, gave himself for people who did not deserve him and received from the people that which he did not deserve but accepted took as the Lamb of God the true passover lamb.
So more than easter eggs and other fun stuff, let us remember to thank God for the best gift ever.
Happy Easter!