“In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself!” (Mark 15:31)
“When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. ‘Let’s not tear it,’ they said to one another. ‘Let’s decide by lot who will get it.’” (John 19:23-24)
“A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.” (Luke 23:27)
Over the course of Holy Week, we will be looking in our Church at three groups of people who were present around the crucifixion of Christ: the priests, the soldiers, and the women. In the brief observations of the Gospel writers, we catch a glimpse of the general reactions of each group to the crucifixion and impending death of Jesus. The priests and teachers – mocking, deriding, goading Him; the soldiers doing a job and gambling for His garment with an almost casual detachment, a ‘professional’ disinterest; the women weeping and wailing for Him – overwhelmed and completely distraught.
All three groups will be seen again at the resurrection in Matthew’s account (Matthew 28:1-15) with very different reactions on that occasion. But at this stage, on the journey to His death on the cross, their reactions mirror those that are still found today. When we tell our Easter stories there are those like the priests who will react with outright rejection and ridicule and opposition. There are those like the soldiers who will shrug their shoulders and ask, “So what? What’s it got to do with me? Who cares?” And there are those like the women – and like us? – who are deeply committed and personally invested in following Jesus.
‘Lord, immerse us again in the events of Holy Week and the Crucifixion. Help us, Lord, to absorb afresh the significance of all that Jesus endured. Keep us focussed on Him and undistracted by those who would ridicule us or who would see no relevance for them in the death of Jesus.’