The whole point of a messiah was that they would come in power and might and defeat the oppressor.
The whole point of the messiah was that they would become the king.
The whole point of a messiah was that they did not end up humiliated, tortured and murdered on a Roman cross.
For Jesus’ followers, Good Friday was the day that it all went wrong. Everything they had given their lives to for the last three years was crumbling before their eyes. Jesus was not the messiah after all…
The powers of Darkness and evil had won. They had lured the son of God into a trap and killed him. Darkness had triumphed over light.
Except…
…Good Friday was actually the day that the revolution began.
…Good Friday was actually the day when death was defeated.
…Good Friday was actually the day that Jesus was victorious over the oppressive powers.
…Good Friday was actually the day when Jesus was crowned king.
By descending into hell, he made hell captive.
He poisoned it when it tasted his flesh…
When it encountered you in the lower regions,
It was embittered for it was abolished.
It was embittered for it was mocked.
it was embittered for it was slain.
It was embittered for it was overthrown.
it was embittered for it was fettered in chains.
It took a body, but met God face to face.*
But no one knew it…
* From St John Chrysostom’s Paschal Homily (c.400AD). This short sermon was first delivered on Easter Sunday at the turn of the 5th century, and is read out every Easter Sunday within the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches even today.
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