Penalty

Jesus and his disciples were in the area of Caesarea Philippi when he asked them what people were saying about him. What was the word on the street? The disciples told him that some believed he was John the Baptist; others said he was Elijah, and still others thought that he was Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Then Jesus asked the most important question:

The word “servant” or “slave” is a translation of the Hebrew word ebed. This is the description that God gives the coming Messiah in today’s passage.

We are sinners and cannot pay our debts. Our best efforts fall short, so God did for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Do you ever wonder why the person who cuts corners gets the promotion? Why one with no scruples lands the deal? Why do the promiscuous ones get the engagement ring? Why do the wicked ones prosper? The psalmist wondered the same thing.

What does it mean to be holy? To be set apart? Sanctified? And who makes us holy, sets us apart, and sanctifies us in the first place? Let’s check out today’s passage.

We call it Good Friday. But “good” hardly describes what was happening, especially as Jesus’ mother stood at the foot of the cross.

There was no shortage of “Messiahs” in the days of Jesus. In Acts 5, a prominent Jewish leader named Gamaliel noted two Jewish leaders whose large followings had “scattered” after the self-proclaimed “Messiahs” were killed.

At one time, I was an enemy of God. My back was turned on him, and I was headed in a different direction. I wanted to be the one in charge of my life and refused to acknowledge God’s authority. I wasn’t an atheist. I believed that God existed, but he was distant, and I was content to keep it that way.

“Condemned”—it’s a solemn word with heavy consequences. Often, it precedes the words “to die.” Condemned to die. Condemnation conveys hopelessness. In Scripture, the word describes physical death accompanied by spiritual and eternal death as well.