The Politics of Good Friday
On a tree, Adam fell, but through a tree, a New Adam and a New Humanity are resurrected.
On the Friday of Holy Week, traditionally known as “Good Friday,” the great question is, “What do we do with this man?” Do we crucify him or let Him go? Will he anger Caesar or draw members of our political party to himself? Good Friday is replete with politics.
Throughout the Gospels, we often hear of the confusion and uncertainty about the nature of Jesus. But by this point, the leaders of the day have realized that Jesus is no ordinary man claiming to be the Messiah, but he is a kingly threat to the current establishment. After this realization, their tone changes drastically. Their plans of execution and murder suddenly become quite concrete. This is the politics of Good Friday, as one author observes:
God enters His creation, and His creatures concentrate all their ingenuity, passion, piety, and power to destroy Him.
What is distinctive about the politics of Good Friday is not that Jesus despises power; after all, he will receive all power and authority in heaven and earth from the Father. Instead, the uniqueness of Good Friday lies in the fact that power comes through death, where kingship does not appear in the splendor of a Roman coronation, but in the horror of a tree.
When Pilate handed Jesus over to the Jews and mockingly stated, “Behold your King!” little did he know that the destruction of his own kingdom was now inevitable, and the genesis and emergence of an everlasting kingdom were already underway.
Unlike Adam, Jesus did not fail to crush the Serpent. On a tree, Adam fell, but through a tree, a New Adam and a New Humanity are resurrected. Hail, Good Friday! All glory, laud, and honor to the Redeemer King!
Good Friday Confession of Sin
God of all mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,
opposing your will in our lives.
We have denied your goodness in each other,
in ourselves, and in the world you have created.
We repent of the evil that enslaves us,
the evil we have done,
and the evil done on our behalf.
Forgive, restore, and strengthen us
through our Savior Jesus Christ,
that we may abide in your love
and serve only your will. Amen.
Almighty God, have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life, Amen!