Some thoughts on the Crucifixion after reading the first part of Insurrection, by Peter Rollins.
Fully God, yet fully human.
In the beginning of the Gospels we see the fullness of God within the flesh of man.
In the Garden, we see all of humanity's fear felt by God.
On the Cross, we see God feeling the totality of the loneliness and desperation of our worst moments.
"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Doubt moves to the knowledge of rejection.
The agony of every human pain. All of our feelings of isolation and separation from God condensed into a short time.
All of our reasons for disbelief in an instant. The reasons why we can't believe, no matter how much we might want to believe.
Experienced by Him. Felt by Him.
Physically, emotionally, existentially, all taken into the experience of the Son of God and the Son of Man.
And then...
"It is finished."
The Victory.
Salvation from our sins, from our selves.
Scandalous, yet triumphant.
The scandal of the Incarnation, God fully experiencing what we experience in our bodies; the scandal of the Crucifixion, God fully feeling all of our doubt and angry reasons for disbelief and disobedience.
All endured, understood, and then made Divine.
But, why? Why lower Himself? Why break the boundary that separates our imperfection from His Perfection?
Love. Love in its purest and perfect form.
The story doesn't end there...
Fully God, yet fully human.
In the beginning of the Gospels we see the fullness of God within the flesh of man.
In the Garden, we see all of humanity's fear felt by God.
On the Cross, we see God feeling the totality of the loneliness and desperation of our worst moments.
"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Doubt moves to the knowledge of rejection.
The agony of every human pain. All of our feelings of isolation and separation from God condensed into a short time.
All of our reasons for disbelief in an instant. The reasons why we can't believe, no matter how much we might want to believe.
Experienced by Him. Felt by Him.
Physically, emotionally, existentially, all taken into the experience of the Son of God and the Son of Man.
And then...
"It is finished."
The Victory.
Salvation from our sins, from our selves.
Scandalous, yet triumphant.
The scandal of the Incarnation, God fully experiencing what we experience in our bodies; the scandal of the Crucifixion, God fully feeling all of our doubt and angry reasons for disbelief and disobedience.
All endured, understood, and then made Divine.
But, why? Why lower Himself? Why break the boundary that separates our imperfection from His Perfection?
Love. Love in its purest and perfect form.
The story doesn't end there...
Great thoughts. I guess I've always supposed that part of the reason was for Jesus to feel what we feel. Knowing everything as God, I guess He already knew, but somehow it just doesn't seem the same as His actually going through it in the flesh. Thanks for a great post. :)
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