A reflective piece by Daniel McGinnis
I have noticed that when I’m stressed or fatigued, I’m often not at my best, and sometimes this can bring up what’s really deep down on the inside. Maybe you can relate?”
I remember years ago, when I was in the throes of completing my PhD, leading a growing church, and having young children. I was tired. We were going on a family holiday in North Wales and stopped at a very crowded McDonald’s on the way for lunch. There was one table free, so I set my children down there to ‘guard’ it and went to order our food. When I came back, someone had moved the kids and taken that one table! I don’t know what came over me, but I was furious and basically lost it in a very public way. It certainly wasn’t my proudest moment, and I remember with great embarrassment the shocked look in my children’s eyes as they watched me struggling to navigate this moment well. Processing it later, I realised that this was my body’s way of reminding me how tired and stressed I was. It was a helpful wakeup call that I needed to heed—thankfully, that holiday and the beauty of Wales brought some rest and refreshment.
As we approach Good Friday, I have been reflecting on how Jesus navigates the experience of the cross—his seven sayings (septem verba) are a rich source of insight into what this excruciating pain brings up in him. And what comes up is remarkable—even in his time of greatest need and suffering, after being betrayed, scourged, tortured, publicly humiliated, and nailed to a wooden cross, he is loving and caring for others. He was too weak to even carry his own cross, as most victims of crucifixion customarily did, and yet he is able to speak words of life, joy and forgiveness to those around him. The peace and life he carries within himself come out naturally when he is pressed. I’d like to briefly look at his first three sayings from the cross as examples.
The Word of Grace
The first word Jesus speaks from the cross is The Word of Grace: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’ (Luke 23.34). What an extraordinary declaration to make about the very captors who are causing him such brutal suffering. Jesus is here demonstrating one of his most challenging teachings about loving one’s enemies and praying for one’s persecutors (Luke 6.27-36). The Greek verb is an active aorist imperative—it is not a passive stance, but active love, and active protest against injustice. And it strikingly conveys the heart of Christ—even when suffering such great pain and sorrow, he is able to offer forgiveness to the very people inflicting it on him. It’s almost too much to comprehend.
The Word of Salvation
The second word Jesus speaks from the cross is The Word of Salvation, spoken to the penitent criminal being crucified beside him: ‘Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’ (Luke 23:43). This man somehow recognises who Jesus is and cries out, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ How can Jesus, while hanging on a cross, offer salvation to someone else? Even here, his selfless, sacrificial, others-oriented love is just stunning. The Greek word for ‘paradise’ is the same word that the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT) uses for the ‘garden’ of Eden in Genesis 1-3—this suggests the new creation, and the rediscovery of the primeval garden, of walking intimately with God in the cool of the day, and Jesus’ Jewish hearers would have picked up on this significant garden/paradise imagery and its resonance with the earliest biblical narratives. I find this interaction hugely meaningful and reassuring.
The Word of Family
The third word Jesus speaks from the cross is The Word of Family: ‘Woman, behold your son! … Behold your mother!’ (John 19:26-27). This is spoken to his mother and John, and the text follows it with ‘from that time on, the disciple took her into his home.’ It’s tragic that John is the only member of the Twelve to actually stay with Jesus at the cross—all the other male disciples have fled, denied him, or betrayed him, and only John remains. But John is not alone—there is a significant group of women at the cross, and all the Gospels highlight their courage and faithfulness, both here and as the first witnesses to the resurrection two days later. This saying once again shows Jesus caring for and looking after others in his time of greatest need. A widow without a son to care for her in the ancient world would be extremely vulnerable and imperilled, so this is more than a gesture; it is actually an important provision for Mary. Though ‘woman’ sounds harsh in English, the Greek word is actually a respectful form of address, like ‘madam’ or ‘lady’. In a culture defined by family identity, Jesus is creating a new family here, and this also says something significant about the Johannine community and their role in salvation history.
As we approach Good Friday and remember both the horror and the wonder of the cross, perhaps we can ponder what it reveals about what’s really inside Jesus. In this moment of unspeakable trauma and pain, when he is pressed to such an extreme, what emerges in him is pure love and compassion for others, and the ability to speak life and forgiveness to those around him, even his persecutors. What extraordinary love and grace, and what an example to seek to emulate! I didn’t handle things very well at that McDonald’s—I was exhausted and stressed. But I hope that as I grow closer to him, I’ll be more filled with his love for others, even—and perhaps especially—when I’m pushed to my limits.