There is a lot of irony in how the Easter story unfolds, starting in the garden of Gethsemane in chapter 14 and proceeding to the end of Mark. Today I explore the hidden irony and several ‘Easter eggs’ in the crucifixion story.
The Garden
It is not a big observation, but notice that Adam started the reign of man in ‘the Garden’, and was cast out of the Garden because of sin. He started naked and left clothed. Ironically, Jesus was arrested in a garden –in the garden of Gethsemane. As an extra twist, there is a reference that says a disciple fled the garden naked (Mark 14:51-52). To me, it seems that God bookends the story and makes it clear that He is in it. This same prosecution centers around the event that began in the Garden at the beginning of man’s time – the fall of man. It is about to be handled once and for all.
The Messiah
There is irony in knowing that the Jewish people were looking for a king with power, who would free them from oppression under Roman rule. There are tons of passages in the Old Testament that seem to say this. But, there are also a number of passages that say the Messiah will be a suffering servant and meek, like a shepherd. Jesus as the human messiah is ironic, because he never raises a finger of aggression, and passively submits to the abuses he received. The Messiah revealed to us by God is beyond what a human could have thought of– we see God’s power revealed in weakness. In this irony, we face the realization (yet again) that God can do so much more than we ever could ask or think.Who to blame
The most frequent placement of blame is placed on religious leaders. How often has it been said — I do not go to church because so and so is a questionable preacher, or so-and so said such and such? Ultimately, we reject leaders and religion because of our own personal decisions. Ironically, the crucifixion happened because people, such as me, were too blind to see the power of God leading us to the cross.
The crowd’s choice
The crowd's choice is ironic. Jesus, who had no interest in causing sedition or social upheaval, will be crucified between two brigands. Barrabbas, a brigand guilty of murder, will go free because Jesus has taken his place on the cross intended for him. The crowd chooses the one who takes the lives of others to achieve its own selfish ends and condemns the one who will be comfortable with murder and mayhem, not one who refuses to resist evil with violence. It is a fatal preference. [The NIV Application Commentary: Mark (p 579)]
A group of people can be easy to manipulate under the right circumstances. One of the few things that can separate us from following the crowd is to know God’s truth, and know when we are being manipulated. It is a sad commentary that our senior citizens are regularly manipulated by scammers who know how to push buttons and press us into a corner of panic, in order to steal our money. Some day we will all be old. It is hard to say what pressures will be brought upon us. What we can know is what is happening now. We can know the difference between what is morally right and wrong. We can know the difference between what action is really needed now, and what can wait.
Indecision
The story of the trial before Pilate reveals indecision. Pilate seems sympathetic to Jesus’ plight, since he did not want to pronounce death. A couple apocryphal books (Acts of Pilate and the Gospel of Peter) defend Pilate and speak of his conversion. In the Ethiopian and Coptic churches Pilate has been canonized. Mark makes it clear that a superficial read of Pilate as sympathetic is not accurate. Pilate was concerned only with preserving order and protecting his job, regardless of the injustice suffered under his rule. He eventually caves and his poor morality shows through.
It may seem ironic that indecision is treated by those on the sidelines of faith as not something worthy of condemnation. There is a reality to indecision. At some point we all have to decide. If we do not decide, we are like a rudderless ship that is adrift, and eventually our ship will pay the cost by running aground. If we want God’s favor, we need to stop with the indecision,and turn to God now.
