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.