Dying for Life: 2 April, 2021 – Good Friday
This day is the second part of the liturgy called the Three Days: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Vigil of Easter (on Saturday). This day is time to ponder Jesus’ death. Ancient practice for Good Friday is still today to read the entire story of Jesus’ Passion according to the Gospel of John, to honor the cross, and to pray for the world’s needs. This stands in contrast to some more recent liturgies that take Jesus’ last words from each of the Passion narratives and spin them together as if the Gospel accounts don’t differ. The differences matter and are best left separate in order to emphasize the differing angles from which the Gospel accounts portrayed Jesus’ life and death among us. –– Melinda Quivik
We are among those who draw near to the cruciform throne of grace in confidence, in full assurance, holding fast to the confession of our hope, and not the confession or the whitewashing of our sins. As the Son of Humanity is lifted up, we look on him and not on ourselves. We are awed by his astonishing glory, as he loves us to the end.
This part of the mystery ends with death and burial. Yet we have seen foreshadowings of the vindication of God’s servant, adumbrations that the offering of our great high priest is acceptable to God. From Jesus’s “I am” in the garden to the cry that “it is finished,” the work of our redemption is accomplished.
The whole Passion story is a call to faith, faith in the one whose love to the end brings us on our own Passover from bondage to freedom, through death to life, following Jesus. The hour has come. –– Paul G. Bieber
John 18:1––19:42
In John’s telling of the passion of Jesus, he dedicates a large part of the narrative to describing Pilate and his struggle with being confronted with an innocent man. The decision he makes could lead to Palestinian riots or revolt by Jewish authorities even more. Even though Pilate likely did not see Jesus as a serious threat or radical rebel, after conversation with the prisoner, he would have gleaned evidence for conviction on grounds of treason.
In response to Pilate’s query about his actions, Jesus speaks about his kingdom. In Greek, basileus is the same word for empire and kingdom. How could Pilate not hear Jesus as an empire builder in direct threat to Rome? It is a good thing we know the “correct” meaning of kingdom that Jesus seeks to build even today. Otherwise, we too might be convicted of treason, as we demand that “Rome” deal justly and righteously with its citizens. Surely, empire and kingdom are not to be seen as lion and lamb together. –– Sara Webb Phillips
Hebrews 10:16-25
[This Epistle reading] reminds us of the new law that Jeremiah 31 highlighted on Lent 5. Since forgiveness has been offered, the death of Jesus is interpreted as a once-for-all sacrifice. –– Sara Webb Phillips
Isaiah 52:13––53:12
Hearing the text as framed in Handel’s Messiah, the Christological interpretation is nearly automatic. The work of the servant results in resolving the debt for the sins of many and provides their return to wholeness. Yet this passage does not link the servant with a particular person or historical period. Perhaps for our purposes this day, the servant can be presented as the ideal servant of God. This one does not seek fame, turns away from violence even when confronted with false accusations, and suffers for truth. The church recognizes Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of this idea, but the church can also model a servant who suffers on behalf of justice and righteousness. –– Sara Webb Phillips
Paul Bieber is pastor of All Saints Lutheran Church, San Diego, California.
Sara Webb Phillips is a United Methodist minister serving Grace UMC in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a former co-editor of the journal Liturgy published quarterly by The Liturgical Conference.
Melinda Quivik, an ordained ELCA pastor (who served churches in Montana, Michigan, and Minnesota) and former professor of worship and preaching, is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Liturgy, a writer, and a preaching mentor with backstory-preaching.mn.co.
Homily Service 42, no. 2 (2008): 78-88