EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH
Crucifixion witnessed by all of us

By Rick Stinton

It is one of the rich hymns that the next generation doesn't know about: "Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?"

Many of us have trembled at Mel Gibson's powerful portrayal, "The Passion of the Christ." Although the graphic focus is on Jesus and his suffering, we were also reminded of the people who were there.

Pilate was there, caught between the wrath of Rome and the wrath of the crowd. Barabbas was there, a violent man elated to escape justice. A mob was there, full of fickle people who days earlier had hailed Jesus as king and now were manipulated to shout, "Crucify him!"

Religious leaders were there. The one who is the truth had threatened the establishment powerbrokers, so they conspired his destruction. Soldiers were there. Calloused legionnaires, who were accustomed to carrying out gruesome acts with unquestioning duty to their chain of command. Simon of Cyrene was there. A brutal procession had intercepted his pilgrimage, compelling him to an unforeseen act of mercy.

Criminals were there. Two men who had broken the law were paying an awful price for it. Mourning women were there. With uncontained tears they pleaded: "What harm has Jesus done?" "He healed my child." "My crippled husband now walks." "My blind friend now sees." "Why are you treating him so savagely?" Mary was there. Suffering anguish beyond words.

A lot of people were there at Jesus' crucifixion. Were you there?

In one sense, we were all there. Friends of Jesus. Enemies of Jesus. People who had only heard stories about Jesus. Religious people and irreligious people. Churchgoers and Sunday morning TV watchers. Worshippers and blasphemers. Military men, civilians. Politicians, citizens. Powerbrokers, peasants. Weeping women and wicked men. Kind people and cruel people.

We were all there at the crucifixion of Jesus. You were there, and I was there. The prophet Isaiah spoke of that day seven centuries before it took place: "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed" (53:5).

Beyond the lash of the whip, the piercing thorns and nails, and the agony of crucifixion, Jesus suffered for every evil thought, word and act in human history. Unfathomable pain. Yet forgiveness for every sin was in the blood that was shed.

The spiritual benefits of Jesus' death are available to every person, for we all were there at the foot of the cross. Yet the benefits must be received, for John also writes that to all who receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12). We can become God's adopted sons and daughters, possessing all of the spiritual benefits of Jesus' death and resurrection, which can be summarized as eternal life.

Pastor Rick Stinton is serving as a minister at large in Hawai'i.