please contact Mark D. Roberts<\/a><\/p>\n<\/h4>\nLuke 23:44-47<\/strong>
\n44<\/em> \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,\u00c2\u00a0 45<\/em> while the sun\u00e2??s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.\u00c2\u00a0 46<\/em> Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, \u00e2??Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.\u00e2?\u009d Having said this, he breathed his last.\u00c2\u00a0 47<\/em> When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, \u00e2??Certainly this man was innocent.\u00e2?\u009d
\nReflection<\/strong>
\nAt first glance, Luke’s version of the centurion’s response to Jesus’ death seems like a glaring understatement. “Certainly this man was innocent,” rightly identifies Jesus’s lack of guilt. It makes clear once again the fact that he didn’t deserve to be crucified for sedition against Rome. He was no ordinary revolutionary, no guerrilla warrior, no terrorist. So, yes, “this man was innocent.” But couldn’t Luke have done better than this in his telling of the story? Mark’s version seems so much stronger: “Truly this man was God’s Son!”
\nWe can’t be sure why Luke fashioned the narrative of Jesus’ death as he did. But we can understand that “Certainly this man was innocent” carried more weight with Luke than it might seem. Some translations, including the classic King James, have, “Certainly this was a righteous man” (23:47). This is a literal translation of the Greek, which uses the word dikaios<\/em> to describe Jesus. Dikaios<\/em> can mean innocent, but it is the usual word for “righteous,” and the base of such words as “righteousness, justice, justification” (dikaiosyne<\/em>) and “justify” (dikaioo<\/em>). From the lips of the centurion comes something far more than a recognition of Jesus’ innocence. It’s an ironic confession of his character as the righteous one, indeed, The Righteous One.
\nThat Jesus was The Righteous One identifies Him with the Suffering Servant from Isaiah 53. In this classic passage we read:<\/p>\n3<\/em> \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0He was despised and rejected by others;
\na man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
\nand as one from whom others hide their faces
\nhe was despised, and we held him of no account.
\n4<\/em> \u00c2\u00a0 Surely he has borne our infirmities
\nand carried our diseases;
\nyet we accounted him stricken,
\nstruck down by God, and afflicted.
\n5<\/em> \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0But he was wounded for our transgressions,
\ncrushed for our iniquities;
\nupon him was the punishment that made us whole,
\nand by his bruises we are healed.
\n6<\/em> \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0All we like sheep have gone astray;
\nwe have all turned to our own way,
\nand the LORD has laid on him
\nthe iniquity of us all. . . .
\n11<\/em> \u00c2\u00a0 Out of his anguish he shall see light;
\nhe shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
\nThe righteous one [ho dikaios], my servant, shall make many righteous,
\nand he shall bear their iniquities<\/em>.
\n12<\/em> \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,
\nand he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
\nbecause he poured out himself to death,
\nand was numbered with the transgressors;
\nyet he bore the sin of many,
\nand made intercession for the transgressors.
\nIsaiah 53:4-6, 11-12<\/p><\/blockquote>\nBecause Jesus was righteous, because he was innocent, not just of crimes that deserved crucifixion, but of all wrongdoing, therefore he was able to make many righteous by bearing the sin of others. He became the spotless sacrifice for all people.
\nOne of my favorite passages from the New Testament explains in theological language the import of Jesus’s death: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Simply put, God made Christ to be sin in that he became an offering for sin, taking our place in receiving the death that sin begets. Christ was able to do this because he was The Righteous One. In exchange for his death, we receive his own righteousness (dikaiosyne<\/em>), the very righteousness of God. Through Christ, we are brought back into right relationship with the living God and begin the process of being made fully right, just like Jesus.
\nSo the apparently simple expression of the centurion, “Certainly this man was innocent” turns out to mean much more than it suggests on the surface. Jesus was not just innocent, but righteous. And he was not just any old righteous person, but The Righteous One who came to fulfill the role of the Suffering Servant. Through his righteous life, and through his sacrificial death, we receive the gift of his own righteousness. What a wonder!
\nI close today with the wonderful poetry of the classic hymn, “The Solid Rock,” by Edward Mote:<\/p>\nMy hope is built on nothing less
\nThan Jesus\u00e2?? blood and righteousness;
\nI dare not trust the sweetest frame,
\nBut wholly lean on Jesus\u00e2?? name.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
\nAll other ground is sinking sand,
\nAll other ground is sinking sand.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
When darkness seems to hide his face,
\nI rest on his unchanging grace;
\nIn ev\u00e2??ry high and stormy gale,
\nMy anchor holds within the veil.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
\nAll other ground is sinking sand,
\nAll other ground is sinking sand.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
His oath, his covenant, his blood
\nSupport me in the whelming flood;
\nWhen all around my soul gives way,
\nHe then is all my hope and stay.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
\nAll other ground is sinking sand,
\nAll other ground is sinking sand.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
When he shall come with trumpet sound,
\nOh, may I then in him be found;
\nDressed in his righteousness alone,
\nFaultless to stand before the throne.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
\nAll other ground is sinking sand,
\nAll other ground is sinking sand.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Prayer<\/strong>
\nMerciful Lord, thank you for being The Righteous One. Thank you for your perfect life and your sacrificial death. Thank you for taking my sin upon yourself, and giving me your righteousness in return.
\nLike the centurion, I look upon your cross today with wonder. But I’m not only struck by your legal innocence. I’m astounded by your willingness to suffer and die for me, the Righteous One for the unrighteous. All praise be to you, glorious, gracious, giving Lord! Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Copyright \u00c2\u00a9 Linda Roberts, 2007. For permission to use this picture, please contact Mark D. Roberts Luke 23:44-47 44 \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,\u00c2\u00a0 45 while the sun\u00e2??s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.\u00c2\u00a0 46 Then Jesus,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-stations-of-the-cross"],"yoast_head":"\n
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Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/729","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=729"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/729\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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