Jesus and the Soldiers

The archeologists are sure of the manner of his death, because a nail remains in place through his heel bone and there are gashes on the bones of his lower arm.

Why is this the only one?

Because most of the time, the bodies of the crucified were allowed to remain exposed until they were torn apart by dogs and vultures.

That particular one had been permitted to be taken down and given regular loving burial, but the nail could not be removed because it had bent when it went into the wood of the cross.

The Romans were brutally efficient about everything they did.

The Jews had kicked out the Syrians and for nearly a hundred years had maintained almost independence.

However, because of internal squabbles one group invited the Romans in to help their side of the argument, and once they were there, the Romans never leave...they take over.

Submit or die are the only choices.

Time after time, there were independence movements in Israel, each of them harshly put down.

2,000 crucified one day, 3,600 another day, in the year 70 when the Roman army besieged Jerusalem, they were regularly crucifying 500 a day, every day.

There was not room along all the roads to line up the thousands of crosses.

That is the atmosphere into which Jesus travels when he goes to Jerusalem.

A troublemaker, one who might stir up the crowds to action, another one who says that he is a king, or whatever else...not much is needed for the Roman war machine to grind another victim.

The soldiers cast lots for Jesus' clothes, which they can sell for a bit of change to supplement their pay.

All of this harshness makes it all the more remarkable that Mark reports that the centurion said, “Truly, this man was the son of God.”

Somehow, by the mercy of God, he was awakened to a greater reality than what he knew in his life as a centurion of an occupying army engaged in a regular and unpleasant task.

What a dangerous thing for him to utter!

We know nothing more, where his insight led him, what difficulties he faced because of it, or who else may have been influenced by it.

We have only his one-sentence confession of faith, and that will be enough to encourage us in the times of our darkness and confusion.

If the centurion was somehow able to see the truth and react appropriately, perhaps also our eyes and ears and heart can be opened to what is true about Jesus as the Son of God and son of man.

And once that it clear, then we can begin to work on the implications of that truth in what we do and say.

The blood and honor and suffering of Jesus is not in vain.

Then with more appreciative eyes we can look back to the story of rescue from the Old Testament, the exodus from Egypt.

Yes, blood is involved here too.

A lamb is sacrificed and its blood used to mark the doorposts and lintels of the Hebrews' houses.

It becomes a mark of protection when the angel of death passes over their houses but strikes the first-born in the Egyptian homes.

--A lamb's blood in the place of the blood of the Hebrews.

--A life given in order to protect the lives of many others.

--A meal established as the framework in which to tell the story, so as to make clear the connection of that saving action of God with every succeeding generation.

--A life ever after to be lived in thanksgiving for that action.

--The presence of opposition that turns to violent military action to try to prevent the exodus.

We hear all of those things now in the light of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

The gospel of Luke uses the word “exodus” to describe Jesus' actions:

at the Transfiguration, Luke says that Elijah and Moses appear in the vision with Jesus, “speaking of his exodus which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”[9:31]

And there is violent military involvement in this exodus as well.

But it is not just the soldiers; everyone else participates in the scheme to rid the world of Jesus.

--Herod who passes the buck to Pilate.

--Pilate, the one who placates rather than leads the nation.

--Pharisees and other good citizens who keep neither the letter nor the spirit of the law.

--Disciples who are slow to understand and quick to flee.

--Crowds who are fickle, and tardy in understanding the truth.

--And all of us today who go right along with what our ancestors did.

Those who keep saying how good and noble humanity are talking about a dreamworld.

Even St. Paul said “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” [Romans 7:19]

There is not much evil that goes on in the world that we do not meet first in our own hearts.

A well-known preacher said, “On most days the only difference between me and Attila the Hun is that he had an army at his disposal.”

That is how much power that evil has in and over us.

A college student was asked what he had learned about life in his time at that institution.

After some thought, he replied, “I've learned that people are not what they appear to be.”

It wasn't sourness at a romance gone bad, his comment was reflecting the shenanigans of the faculty!

Evil disguises itself in the most pious and elevated situations.

Where is there good news in all of this?

It can only be that God has not simply done away with us, as we surely deserve.

Instead he is come among us in the flesh.

This means that no matter what awful things we have done, most especially the crucifixion of Jesus, we cannot give up hope, because Jesus has taken up our cause.

God has taken us to himself.

The cross, which is the sign of what is worst in us, becomes the sign of the greatest goodness in God, and our only source of hope.

God has taken the event of great evil, with much blood and suffering, and has used it as the occasion of blessing for us, for forgiveness, forever.

The soldiers, even though they may not have recognized it as such, became agents of this great wonder.

Let all who marvel at this, say Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.