Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have. Luke 24:39, NIV

 

I had only recently read about the similarity between the crucifixion of Jesus and the priestly ordination rituals of days gone by and truly reflected on it.

 

At ordination, blood was placed on the right earlobe, thumb and big toe of the priest (Leviticus 8:23-24). When Jesus was flogged and crucified, he endured being crowned with thorns – blood on the ear – while nails were placed through his hands and feet. High Priest personified.

 

Unusual darkness enveloped Jerusalem the day Christ was crucified. After Jesus had given up his spirit, the earth started to quake and rocks split, and the tombs opened. Thank goodness the holy people of God, who had been in the tombs, only started moving around after his resurrection. How eerie it all must have felt.

 

But that day, at the foot of the cross, a centurion who had overseen this crucifixion said, “Surely, this was the Son of God.” A crusty Roman legionnaire had his eyes opened – Jesus’ death had already started to have impact. But where were his wingmen? The men Jesus had spent his last earthly days with had largely fled at his arrest.

 

In Max Lucado’s book, "No wonder they call him the Savior", he wonders where the disciples were when the sky turned black. How did they spend that weekend?

 

“It certainly was an awkward position in which to be. Caught on that uneven ground between failure and forgiveness. Suspended somewhere between ‘I can’t believe I did it.’ and ‘I’ll never do it again.’ Too ashamed to ask for forgiveness, yet too loyal to give up. Too guilty to be counted in, but too faithful to be counted out.”

 

Yet, the impact of Jesus’ life and death drew the disciples back together – and they found forgiveness and restoration. Jesus quelled their doubts by revealing the hands and feet that had so been scourged.

 

Many of them went on to be martyred. They may have stumbled that night at the Garden of Gethsemane, but they turned that haunting failure on its head, blazing a trail we still follow today.

 

The Passion of the Ultimate High Priest has not ceased to have an immeasurable impact.

 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being so gracious. You love us and do not bear grudges, and we are able to turn to you again and again when we falter as we are so prone to do. Amen. 

 

Kyk na my hande en my voete: dit is tog Ek self. Voel aan My en kyk! 'n Gees het tog nie vleis en bene soos julle sien dat Ek het nie.” Lukas 24:39, 1983-vertaling

 

Ek het eers onlangs gelees en toe nagedink oor die ooreenkoms tussen Jesus se kruisiging en die rituele tydens die priesterwyding in vervloë dae.

 

Tydens die priesterwyding is bloed aan die regteroorlel, regterduim en regtergroottoon van die priester gesmeer. (Levitikus 8:23-24) Jesus is geslaan, gekruisig en daar is 'n doringkroon op sy kop geplaas – bloed op die oor – terwyl spykers deur sy hande en voete geslaan is. 'n Verwysing na Jesus, die groot Hoëpriester.

 

Ongewone duisternis het oor Jerusalem gekom die dag wat Christus gekruisig is. Die oomblik toe Jesus gesterf het, het die aarde begin skud, rotse het uitmekaar gebars en grafte het oopgegaan. Dankie tog, die gelowiges wat in die grafte was het eers na Jesus se opstanding begin om in die stad aan mense te verskyn. Hoe vreemd moes dit nie gewees het nie.

 

Maar daardie dag, aan die voet van die kruis, het die Romeinse offisier wat Jesus bewaak het, gesê: “Hierdie man was werklik die Seun van God.” (Markus 15:39) 'n Rowwe Romeinse soldaat se oë het oopgegaan – Jesus se dood het reeds begin om 'n impak te hê. Maar waar was sy vriende? Die mans met wie Jesus sy laaste dae op aarde gespandeer het, het omtrent almal gevlug toe Hy gearresteer is.

 

In Max Lucado se boek, "No wonder they call him the Savior", wonder hy waar die dissipels was toe dit donker geword het. Hoe het hulle daardie naweek deurgebring?

 

Lucado skryf: “It certainly was an awkward position in which to be. Caught on that uneven ground between failure and forgiveness. Suspended somewhere between ‘I can’t believe I did it.’ and ‘I’ll never do it again.’ Too ashamed to ask for forgiveness, yet too loyal to give up. Too guilty to be counted in, but too faithful to be counted out.” [Dit was definitief 'n ongemaklike posisie om in te wees. Vasgevang tussen mislukking en vergifnis. Êrens tussen 'Ek kan nie glo ek het dit gedoen nie' en 'Ek sal dit nooit weer doen nie.' Te skaam om vergifnis te vra, maar tog te lojaal om op te gee. Te skuldig om ingesluit te word, maar te getrou om uitgesluit te word." – vrye vertaling]

 

Tog het die impak van Jesus se lewe en dood die dissipels weer bymekaar gebring – en hulle het vergifnis en herstel gevind. Jesus het hulle twyfel geblus deur sy hande en voete vol merke aan hulle te wys.

 

Baie van hulle is later gemartel. Hulle het miskien daardie nag in Getsemane gestruikel, maar hulle het daardie mislukking op sy kop gedraai en 'n pad gebaan wat ons vandag steeds volg.

 

Die Passie van Christus, die groot Hoëpriester, het nie opgehou om 'n onmeetbare impak te hê nie.

 

Gebed: Here, dankie vir u genade. U het ons lief en koester geen wrok nie, en daarom kan ons keer op keer na U toe draai wanneer ons struikel, iets wat ons so geneig is om te doen. Amen