Devotional 4-6-12

Who Could Imagine?

Please read Isaiah 52:13-53:12 and John 18 and 19.

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.  By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future?”

Who could have imagined that after the Passover meal with his closest disciples, Jesus would be betrayed by one of his own? 

Who could have imagined that Jesus would be led to the home of Annas—who was no longer the high priest; he had no jurisdiction.  Annas was the patriarch of a family known for greed and corruption.  Jesus’ action in cleansing the Temple of what he called robbers was a direct affront to the organized crime of the Annas family.  So rather than taking Jesus to the duly appointed high priest, or the Jewish council, or to jail, they took him to Annas—the “godfather” of Jerusalem.

Who could have imagined that another disciple, Simon Peter, who had vowed to follow Jesus “even unto death,” would three times deny knowing Jesus?

Who could have imagined the end result of the miscarriages of justice?  Who could have imagined that Jesus would be found not guilty but sentenced to be crucified to mollify the angry mob?  Who could have imagined that Barabbas, who was found guilty of murder, treason, and sedition, would be released?

Who could have imagined Jesus, healer, teacher, friend, rabbi, savior, hanging on a cross not for his own sins, but for mine?

Who could have imagined it is finished?

Was it for crimes that I have done,

He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

Jeff Taylor