Min kristna samhällsblogg: He suffered for us - Jesus

* "He suffered for our salvation" (LCMS)
* "Han på korset, han allena" (Prosten Henrik Perret)
* "A prisoner on death row" (WELS-devotion")
* "Christ - the God-Man" (Gnesio/Franz Pieper)
* "Gud är död" (khde Stefan Sjöqvist)
* "Good Friday sermon" (Rev. A. R. Voltattorni)
* "Guds ord och löfte" (Långfredag) J. Rättö
* "Guds Sons offerdöd" (pastor H. Pihlajamaa)
* "He dies for me" (Rev. dr Scott Murray)
* Långfredag (ELBK) Komminister Lars Borgström
* Lördag: Psalm/khde S Sjöqvist
* Påskafton (Lutherord) J Rättö
* Lördag: "The tomb is not his own" (Rev. Voltattorni)
* "What happened on Saturday?" P. T McCain
* The Vigil of Easter (Cyberbrethen)
* Meditation: "In stillness earth awaits the resurrection" (Cyberbrethen)

* "Durch dein Gefängnis Gottes Sohn" (BWV 245)
* "When He was on the cross" (I was on His mind)
* "Old rugged cross" (Brad Paisley)
* "The song of Moses and the song of the Lamb"
* "God will make a way"
* "There is a fountain filled with blood"
* "Nothing but the blood of Jesus"
* "Yeshua, You are worthy"
* "Siehst du das Lamm?"
* "In meines Herzens Grunde"
* "Wonderful merciful Saviour"

HE SUFFERED FOR OUR SALVATION:

"What thoughts come to your mind during this Lenten season when you think of the suffering of Jesus? As with many Christians, the first thing is probably the words we have said so many times when confessing the Apostles' Creed: "He suffered under Pontius Pilate. ..."

That definitely calls to mind the many physical sufferings Jesus endured on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. The pictures we have seen so often, whether paintings by the masters from centuries ago or the unforgettable images from the movie The Passion of the Christ from two years ago, are locked into your mind's eye.

Look at the following passages to try to understand the intense and brutal bodily suffering inflicted on Jesus under Pontius Pilate: Luke 22:44, Is. 50:6, Matt. 26:67, 27:26–29, and Luke 23:23.

But there is much, much more than the bodily suffering Jesus endured under Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, and his sadistic soldiers.

The Athanasian Creed opens up the full meaning of our Savior's suffering when in it we confess, "He suffered for our salvation." His suffering was not only physical in nature; more important, it involved our eternal salvation. "It is truly good, right and salutary ..." that we consider the how, the why, and the full meaning of Christ's suffering for our salvation.

His entire life on earth was a life of suffering, it was in reality a Passion Story. Let's search the Scriptures to discover some of the suffering Jesus endured prior to Holy Week: Read Luke 2:7 and imagine the King of kings and Lord of lords being born this way for you and me.

Next, read Isaiah 53 for a powerful description of why Christ was "despised," "rejected," "stricken," and "pierced."

His greatest suffering for us was endured on Calvary's cross as our sins and the sins of the entire world, past, present, and future, were transferred to Him. Read Matt. 27:46 to hear Jesus' response to our sin laid upon Him.

Forsaken by God the Father is the greatest torment that He endured in our stead. Read 2 Cor. 5:21 and 1 Peter 3:18 to understand the reason for Christ's suffering and desertion by His Father.

How grateful we should be that Jesus the Christ suffered for our sins as our substitute. With the Athanasian Creed, we humbly affirm and assure ourselves that "He suffered for our salvation."

Andrew Simcak

http://witness.lcms.org/pages/wPage.asp?ContentID=58&IssueID=9
The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod

HAN PÅ KORSET, HAN ALLENA (prosten Henrik Perret)

"Jag har de senaste dagarna stannat inför Ps. 22, som är en av de mest centrala texterna för den kristna påsken. Hela GT är fullt av profetior om Kristus, men Jes. 53 och Ps. 22 är mycket centrala.

”Min Gud, min Gud, varför har du övergivit mig?” Ropet, som var så starkt att Matteus och Markus återger orden på grundspråket (de små olikheterna beror på hebreiska resp. arameiska). Ropet är ett citat ur Ps. 22:2. Hela Ps. 22 är en döendes liturgi, men det anmärkningsvärda är att det inte är en botpsalm. Ingen syndabekännelse eller ånger finns med, därför att Den Döende inte hade några synder att bekänna, däremot nog att bära!

Men jag har i år särskilt stannat för orden i Ps. 22:17 ”Mina händer och fötter har de genomborrat.”

När man läser olika översättningar, märker man att det finns en viss brokighet. KB 1917 och SFB översätter just så: mina händer och fötter har de genomborrat. Men Bibel 2000 översätter: ”händer och fötter är skrumpnade.” (Ps. 22:16).

De finska bibelöversättningarna översätter ”mina händer och fötter såsom lejon” (”Käteni ja jalkani niinkuin jalopeurat”, KR 1933/38) och ”mina händer och fötter är lemlästade” (käteni ja jalkani ovat runnellut).

Den äldre finska kyrkobibelns sats blir meningslös. Satsen blir utan predikat, mina händer och fötter som lejon..! Översättningen beror på att ordet kā’arî kan översättas såsom lejon (ari betyder lejon).

Men mot denna översättning talar förutom att satsen saknar predikat och mening det faktum att den äldsta judiska texten, dvs översättningen av GT till grekiska, Septuaginta (LXX), använder ordet ”ōryssō”, som entydigt betyder borra, gräva, göra hål, sticka.

Det finns en naturlig förklaring på hur det har gått till. Också i Dödahavsrullarnas Ps. 22, den äldsta hittills funna hebreiska texten till Ps 22, har ”kā’arû”. Ordet kommer från verbet ”kur” och betyder då ”de har genomborrat”. I hebreiskan liknar bokstaven ”jod” och ”waw” varann, jod är kortare och waw längre, men de ser så lika ut i Dödahavsrullens text att forskare kan ha svårt att skilja mellan dem.

Om en avskrivare hade dålig utrustning, kan waw ha uppfattats som ett jod. Därför har många texter ”kā’arî” i stället för ”kā’arû”, som det sannolikt skall stå.

Professor Antti Laato bekräftar denna uppfattning i sin nya bok ”Kristus psalmeissa”. Han understryker att det finns skäl att påstå, att den gamla kristna kyrkan kände till en hebreisk text, som motiverade LXX att använda ordet ”ōryxan”, som betyder ”de har genomborrat”.

Bibel 2000 har inte stöd för ”skrumpnade”. Det finns översättare som försöker hävda, att ”mina händer och fötter krossades i lejonets mun”. Men den översättningen är inte exakt, den bygger tvärtom på att ”ari” betyder lejon och så föreställer man vad ett lejon kanske gör.

Det skall stå ”mina händer och fötter har de genomborrat”. Detta är inte – som en del judiska teologer har hävdat – förorsakat av att kristna teologer skulle ha manipulerat texten så att den passar in på Jesus från Nasaret. Tvärtom är det judiska översättare, som är grunden för översättningen. LXX översättas ca 200 år f. Kr. då varken judar eller kristna (som inte fanns) visste att någon korsfästelse skulle ske ca 200 år senare!

Textens kā’arû = ”de har genomborrat” är den riktiga översättningen. Det bekräftas av att LXX har ”ōryxan”, som inte kunde ha använts om inte grundtexten på denna punkt hade varit klar.

Det är skäl att konstatera att såväl den äldsta grekiska översättning vi har (LXX) och det äldsta hebreiska textfyndet (Dödahavsrullarnas Psaltartexter) vittnar om detta ”De har genomborrat hans händer och fötter”.

Både i Ps. 22:17 och i Sak 12:10 pekar texten tydligt mot den korsfäste Jesus.

Men varför skedde detta? Varför hade Gud övergett Jesus?

Jag har denna stilla vecka tänkt på ordet ”mig”.

I påskens texter träder nämligen En Enda person fram:

Han på korset, han allena.

Och det är därför Han, och endast Han, kan hjälpa oss och frälsa oss. Skuldebrevet är fastspikat på korset, det brev, som anklagade oss:

”…och strukit ut det skuldebrev som med sina krav vittnade mot oss. Det har han tagit bort genom att spika fast det på korset.” Kol. 2:14.

Detta är så suveränt! Vi har ingen del i det, vi har ingenting med Guds frälsningsverk att göra. Det är helt och hållet ”Han på korset, han allena”.

Men vi är föremål för denna Guds välgärning mot oss. Det är så stort!

I många andliga sånger i vår tid, och ofta i förkunnelsen, är detta nertonat till förmån för en mänsklig aktivitet inför Gud. Vi ger Herren vår kärlek, vi tillber, vi tror, vi vill leva som Hans barn osv. Och det är ju rätt och riktigt. Men mitt i allt detta blir huvudpoängen bortglömd: det är Han, Han allena som gör allt för oss.

Missförstå mig rätt: kristen tro är inte att vi håller fast vid Kristus, primärt, utan att Han håller fast i oss! Jeremia ville gå bort, han ville sluta som profet och förkunnare, men HERREN lät inte honom gå.

Det är kristendom.

Både i min tro och i min tjänst gäller detta: Han på korset, han allena!

Välsignad Stilla vecka och väntan på Herrens Påsk!

Henrik

Epilog den 5 april 2012:

Ps.22.16

http://henrik.perret.nu/

CHRIST THE GOD-MAN (Gnesio/Franz Pieper)

Franz Friday

"Christ the wonderful person – the God-Man – performed an equally wonderful work (‘ergon‘). The work to which He was appointed and which He willingly assumed is the salvation of mankind. Matt 18:11: “The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10; 1 Tim. 1:15). All that Christ, the God-Man, did for the salvation of men in the state of humiliation and still does in the state of exultation constitutes the office, or work, of Christ. His very name, given to Him by God, “Jesus” indicates the nature of His office. Matt. 1:21, 25: “Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (cp. Luke 1:31, Luke 2:21).

Christ’s official duties did not begin with His Baptism, which was His solemn induction into His public ministry, but with His incarnation, with which His humiliation coincided. Christ was the Christ for us in His very conception, birth, circumcision, filial obedience, etc. “Christ passed through all stages of our existence that He might fully remedy our unclean conception and birth.” Hear the eloquent words of Luther: “Our salvation was brought about by this very thing, that Christ and the believing heart are so united that what the one has, is given to the other. And what do they give each other? Christ has a pure, innocent, holy birth; man’s birth is unclean, sinful, cursed, as David says Ps. 51:5, which cannot be healed other than through the pure birth of Christ…

Thus, then, Christ takes from us unto Himself our birth and sinks it into His birth, and gives us His birth that we might become pure and new in it, as though it were our own. Christians may rejoice and glory in this birth as though they, like Christ, had been bodily born of Mary. Whoever does not believe that, or doubts it, is no Christian.” (St. L. XI:127; cf. also XI:2022ff.) In the same way Luther speaks of the vicarious character of Christ’s circumcision.

from Franz Pieper, “Christian Dogmatics, vol. 2″

Gnesio
/http://gnesiolutheran.com/

"GUD ÄR DÖD" (khde Stefan Sjövist)

http://betrakt.blogspot.com/2012/04/gud-ar-dod.html
Se hela det långa blogginlägget här.

GOOD FRIDAY SERMON by St. Romanos the Melodist (Rev. A. R. Voltattorni)

"Pilate fixed three crosses on Golgotha: two for the thieves, and one for the Giver of life. When Hell saw it, he said to those below, “My ministers and powers, who has fixed a nail in my heart? A wooden lance has suddenly pierced me and I am being torn apart! My insides are in pain, my belly in agony, my senses make my spirit tremble, and I am compelled to disgorge Adam and Adam’s race. All men were given to me by the Garden’s tree–but now a tree is bringing them back again to Paradise.”

When he heard this, Satan, the cunning serpent ran crawling and said, “What is it, hell? Why do you groan for no reason? Why produce these wailings? This Tree, at which you tremble, I carpentered up there for Mary’s Child. I suggested it to his enemies for our advantage, for it is a Cross, to which I have nailed Christ, wishing by a tree to do away with the second Adam, just as I did away with the first one. So do not be afraid. It is dry and barren. It will not harm you. Keep hold of those you have. Of those we rule, not one will escape again to Paradise.”

Hell replied to Satan, “You have lost your senses–you, the cunning snake of old! All your wisdom has been swallowed up by the cross, and you have been caught in your own snare. Lift up your eyes and see that you have fallen into the pit you dug! Behold that Tree, which you call dry and barren, bears fruit: a thief tasted it and has become heir to the good things of Eden. Moses’ rod led the people out of Egypt, but this tree brings mankind back again to Paradise.”

Satan answered, “Wretched hell–cease this cowardly talk! Your words reveal your thoughts. Are you afraid of a cross and of the Crucified? Not one of your words has shaken me, for these deeds are part of my plan. I will also open a grave and entomb Christ, so that you may enjoy your cowardice doubly–from his tomb as well as from his cross. When I see you, I will mock you. For when Christ is buried I will come to you and say, “Who now brings Adam back again to Paradise?”

Then hell spoke back, “Now is the moment for you to listen, Satan. Now you will see the power of the Cross and the great authority of the Crucified. For you, the cross is folly. But the world sees it as a throne, on which, as though seated, Jesus is nailed and hears the thief cry to him, ‘Lord, remember me in your kingdom.’ Listen now as he answers, kingly, ‘Today, poor beggar, you will reign with me. For with me, you will go in again to Paradise.”

At these words, Satan began to wilt, and what he heard he saw: a thief witnessing to Christ crucified. And so, amazed, he struck his breast and said, “Christ did not answer his accusers, and yet he speaks to a thief? To Pilate he never spoke a word; but now he addresses a murderer, saying, “Come, live in pleasure”? What is this? Who has seen words or deeds done by this thief, by means of which he goes again to Paradise?

Again the devil called out, “Receive me, Hell. I turn to you; I submit to your views, I, who did not believe them. I saw the Tree at which you shuddered, made red with blood and water. And I shuddered, not, I tell you, at the blood, but at the water. For the blood shows Jesus’ slaughter, but the water shows his life, for life has gushed from his side. For it was not the first but the second Adam who carried Eve, the mother of all the living, again to Paradise.”

Now Hell and Satan cried out together, “Let us lament as we see the Tree which we planted transformed into a holy trunk, beneath which thieves, murderers, tax collectors and harlots will find shelter, and reap sweet fruit from what seemed barren. For they cling to the Cross as the Tree of Life. Pressed against it and swimming, through it they escape, and come again as to a harbor, again to Paradise.”

Hell said to Satan, “Swear, tyrant, finally to crucify no one.” And Satan replied, “You take an oath to kill no one. We have had our experience, let us draw back our hand. Let neither of us ever again tyrannize the race of Adam, for it has been sealed by the Cross, it has been given life, like a treasure of a precious pearl in a fragile pot; life, which a thief, well-suited to his trade, took on the Cross. For stealing he was nailed up to die ; and having thieved he was called again to Paradise.”

O most high and glorious, God of fathers and of youths, your willing outrage has become our honor. For in your Cross, we all may boast. To it we have nailed our hearts, that on it we may hang our instruments and sing to you, the Lord of all, from the songs of Zion. The ship from Tarshish once brought gold to Solomon; but to us your Tree gives back, every day and every moment, wealth beyond price. For it brings us all again to Paradise."

http://allbeggars.blogspot.com/

GUDS ORD OCH LÖFTE (Stilla veckan/Långfredag) Lutherord:

Och han sade:

"Jesus, tänk på mig, när du kommer till ditt rike."

Jesus svarade: "Amen säger jag dig,

I dag skall du vara med mig i paradiset."

(Luk. 23: 42, 43).

Här beskäres Frälsaren tröst; i örtagården gavs den genom en ängel; nu ges den här på korset genom en mördare, som hänger vid Hans sida. Det är en underlig Gud, som låter sin Son tröstas genom en mördare. Denne måste se rakt igenom Kristi kropp, se rakt igenom smäleken, begabberiet och lidandet, annars hade han inte kunnat tro eller bekänna, att Kristus är en herre och har ett mäktigt rike.

Sålunda har nu Kristus kommit igenom helvetet, och så stiger trösten upp i rövarens själ. Gud låter inte sin kyrka alldeles gå under. Därför är det riktigt sagt: ”Den tro som dött hos Petrus, den står åter upp hos rövaren”. Ty psalmordet måste bekräftas och bestå: ”Härska mitt ibland fienderna”. Då tänker Kristus: ”Jag har ändå en nådig Gud, Han har berett åt mig ett rike och låter denne syndare njuta mitt lidande tillgodo”.

Därför fortsätter Han och säger: ”Idag ska du vara med mig i paradiset”. Rövaren ser sin skuld och Kristi oskuld; därför tänker han: ”Kristi oskuld ska hjälpa mig”. Där ser han Kristus in i hjärtat genom en tjock mur.

Rövaren tillhör oss; vi är honom lika. Låt oss därför ropa till Kristus, så ska Han svara oss med sitt: ”Ja, ja”, så som Han svarade rövaren."

Ur: Guds ord och löfte/Jari Rättö
http://gudsordolofte.blogspot.com/

"GUDS SONS OFFERDÖD" (Pastor Hermanni Pihlajamaa, S:t Thomas luth.förs)

http://blogg.sanktthomas.org/#home

WELS - devotion:
http://www.wels.net/spiritual-help/daily-devotion/2012-04/devotion-april-6-2012

"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But 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. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Isaiah 53:4-6

Look Again

"A prisoner on death row. A convict being prepared for lethal injection. A man on a cross…

He must have been a very bad man. He must have done something terrible. He must be getting what he deserves…

Is that what we see happening on a hill outside Jerusalem?

From the perspective of a first century observer, standing at the cross of Jesus, what do you see? A man on a cross. But not just any man. He is supposed to be some sort of spiritual leader. Yet he is a man condemned. A man suffering. A man dying. A man separated from God! God has stricken him. God has smitten him. God has afflicted him. He must be getting what he deserves.

But wait. Look again.

From the perspective of the 700 BC prophet Isaiah, looking at the cross of Jesus, what do you see? A man on a cross. But this is no ordinary man. This is the Son of God, the promised Suffering Servant, the Savior. He is not getting what he deserves; he is sinless, perfect, holy. He is getting what we deserve. He is being pierced for our transgressions. He is being crushed for our iniquities. He is wounded and punished for us.

Now. Once more. Look again.

From the place where you stand or sit or kneel today, pondering the cross of Jesus, what do you see? Your infirmities taken up. Your sorrows carried. Your transgressions, your iniquities, your punishment—on him. And because he is the sinless, suffering, serving, saving Son of God, you see peace, healing, forgiveness.

Look again. You have peace, healing, forgiveness. In Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, bless me as I look again upon your cross, pondering all that it means for the world and for me. Amen.

Today's Devotion is brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com

http://www.wels.net/

"HE DIES FOR ME" (Memorial Moment/Rev. Dr Scott Murray):

"The mystery of the cross accomplishes all good. It is our entire theology, as Martin Luther says. Everything is reduced to the cross on this day and from the cross emerges and spreads out the entire faith of the church passing through the open tomb into the baptismal font through which we are dying to live. No wonder then, that Good Friday, the very day of the cross, is so important in the church' s calendar. The holy of holies has been opened to us this day. (Mt. 27:51). We can approach no closer to God than to stand below the cross to see the man dying for us. While the cross means all good to us, it does not appear to be good. It appears to be an ignominious and humiliating death for a man who claimed to be God. And reason howls that the God who dies cannot be God. Yet, this is the clear teaching of the Scripture. This man is God, who dies. He dies for the world. He dies for me."

Lactantius:

"I will now speak of the mystery of the cross, lest anyone would happen to say, 'If death must be endured by Him, it should have been not onethat was manifestly infamous and dishonorable, but one which had some honor.' I know, indeed, that many, while they dislike the name of the cross, shrink from the truth, though there is in it great reasonableness and power. For since He was sent for this purpose, that He might open to the lowest men the way to salvation, He humbled Himself that He might free them. Therefore He underwent that kind of death which is usually inflicted on the humble, that an opportunity of imitation might be given to all. Moreover, since He was about to rise again, it was not allowable that His body should be in any way mutilated, or a bone broken, which happens to those who are beheaded. Therefore the cross was preferred, which reserved the body with the bones uninjured for the resurrection.

"Having undertaken to suffer and to die, it was fitting that He should be lifted up. Thus the cross exalted Him both in fact and in meaning, so that His majesty and power became known to all, together with His passion. When He extended His hands on the cross, He plainly stretched out His wings towards the east and the west, under which all nations from either side of the world might assemble and repose. But of what great weight this sign is, and what power it has, is evident, since all the host of demons is expelled and put to flight by the sign of the cross. Before His suffering Christ put to flight demons by His word and command, so now, by the name and sign of the same suffering, unclean spirits, having insinuated themselves into the bodies of men, are driven out, when racked and tormented. They confess themselves to be demons, they yield themselves to God, who harasses them. What therefore can the Greeks expect from their superstitions and with their wisdom, when they see that their gods, whom they do not deny to be demons, are subdued by men through the cross?"

The Epitome of the divine Institutes, 51

Predikan Långfredag (via ELBK) komminister Lars Borgström:

http://www.elbk.org/data/images/predikningar/langfredag12lb.pdf

SÅNG OCH MUSIK:

"Durch dein Gefängnis Gottes Sohn" (J.S Bach BWV 245) - I love this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=692UGWiRor4
Thanks to Gunnar E.

"When He was on the cross (I was on His mind)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbk4d9uFqb4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Thanks to Maria Å.

"Old rugged cross" (Brad Paisley)