Courage Unto Life
Fear of God is enmity with man
What was in the cup? Christ cried out to the Father while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” There are numerous Old Testament examples of “the cup” being the symbol of divine wrath against sin. Jesus knew his whole purpose was to be the drink offering for all sins of all people; past, present, and future. He knew the full weight of all that sin and therefore, all of the Father’s wrath, was his to bear. He knew that the hour had come.
He told the disciples who were with him that his soul was “very sorrowful, even to death.” He was distressed to such a point that he had never yet experienced in his earthly life; to the point of sweating blood. That distress would only grow over the coming hours. Even in the moment all the Lord wanted was those nearest him, his disciples, to have a sympathetic understanding during his greatest time of need. Instead, the fell asleep. Three times he went and prayed, three times they slept.
Christ had the courage to ask God the Father to remove “the cup.” To remove the wrath of all sin. The cup that would bring with it his earthly physical suffering. Immense pain and turmoil in the physical sense alone. Worse, he knew it would bring separation between him and the Father. He knew his imminent contact with sin would sever him from the Father. For our sake, God made him who knew no sin to become sin.
Three times Jesus boldly asked God to remove the cup. Three times he courageously submitted to the the Father’s will. Each time recognizing, nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” After his third time praying only to once again find his disciples sleeping, he knew the hour was at hand. He knew the cup would not be removed and that he must drink from it in accordance with the will of the Father. It took immense courage for Christ to submit to the Father’s will. His courage is the starkest contrast to the cowardice displayed by Judas and the authorities who came for him.
Jesus told the recently roused disciples, “Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” He courageously stepped forward to fulfill his divine mandate. The Apostle John’s account informs us that Judas had “procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees” and went to Gethsemane “with lanterns and torches and weapons” to arrest Jesus. They were cowards being led by cowards. We can be sure that some were just following orders, some did not believe, some were filled with hate, or as discussed on Palm Sunday, “many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”
John goes on to tell us that Jesus, because he is truly God, knew “all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” Courageously, Christ confronted them! He knew they were cowards. He knew they were consumed with their own sin and hatred for the truth. He knew that his hour had come and that he must drink of the cup. Their cowardice is further laid bare when Christ confirms that he is Jesus of Nazareth. When he confirmed this, the armed cowards “drew back and fell to the ground.”
In short order, Peter’s attack on Malchus occurred. Jesus heals Malchus and still the cowards refuse to bend to the truth. Again, Jesus courageously steps forward to fulfill God’s will. He questions Peter saying, “shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” He knew the cup was all sin. He knew he was to be the drink offering for the whole of mankind. He knew he was betrayed by sinful cowards, yet he courageously steps forward to be the propitiation for all who believe.
In chapters 20 and 21 of Job there is some discourse between Zophar, one of Job’s friends, and Job himself. Zophar argues that the wicked will suffer, that suffering is “the heritage decreed for him [the wicked] by God.” Job’s retort is that in reality the wicked prosper. Ultimately, Job’s answer is that his friend doesn’t know what he is talking about. That the world has shown time and time again “that the evil man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath,” and that no one repays the wicked “for what he has done.”
Job requested that the wicked have “their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.” Drink of the wrath of the Almighty. So drink. You must drink and I must drink. All who have ever lived must drink of the cup. For we are all wicked. One sin seals our wickedness and we are born to sin. God’s own justice demands that we drink of the cup. We ought to drink of the cup. We have violated every law, broken every command, disdained Him, disobeyed Him, worshiped false idols in His stead. We are GUILTY. Every last one of us.
In Psalm 89 the psalter tells us, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of [God’s] throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before [God].” Yet we know from the Apostle Paul that "none is righteous, no not one." If righteousness and justice are the foundation and not one is righteous, the only justice is that we be held accountable for our own unrighteousness. Yet, because God is equally just, but righteous and loving, but faithful, He provided an atonement for us. A substitution for our unrighteousness. He has every right to extract justice on us. Instead, He chose to send His only begotten son to this wretched earth to be the substitution for our own wickedness.
John tells us that “the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him.” The band of soldiers is referring to the Roman soldiers, for they were the occupying force. Sure, they let the Jews have some control over their own affairs. This was one of the brilliant aspects of the Pax Romana which helped the Roman empire expand and maintain relative peace during their era of dominance. In many areas that were under their control, the Romans allowed the people to maintain their religions, culture, and even their own government. That is, as long as taxes were paid and fealty given to Rome.
Rome still had garrisons and regional commanders or governors in their conquered territories too. They were there in order to suppress any uprisings, maintain order over their conquered peoples, and be a constant reminder to those subjects that Rome ruled. After Jesus healed Malchus’s ear, he told Peter to sheath his sword. John then explains that “the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him.”
The captain or chiliarch is the chief officer of the Roman cohort. He is similar to what we would call a colonel today. The chiliarch would have been in charge of about 1,000 men if the cohort was at full strength. History tells us that in all of Judea there were six Roman cohorts; five infantry and one calvary. Furthermore, historical accounts reckon that there was one cohort in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’s arrest. This cohort was primarily made up of auxiliary troops recruited from the region, and not actual Roman citizens.
Nonetheless, the leadership of such units would have been Roman citizens and soldiers who rose through the ranks. From a governmental standpoint, we can be almost certain that the chiliarch would have been in personal communication and reporting to the likes of Pontius Pilate. In “Eli, Eli, Lema Sabachthani” we talked about the centurion and his men. A centurion was in charge of 80-100 men and would report to the chiliarch. We cannot be certain if the centurion who later recognized the truth of Christ’s deity was present at the time of the arrest, although if he wasn’t, we know he became involved in the physical torment of Christ in short order.
When we think of Roman soldiers, or really any soldier, we often associate courage with being an aspect of what makes a good soldier. At the time of Jesus’s arrest, we see an awful lot of cowardice, not courage, however. The betrayal by Judas, the plotting by the chief priests and Pharisees, the amount of Jewish officers and members of the cohort who came to arrest Jesus, how they all fell to the ground in fear when Christ courageously declared that he was the one they were looking for, the disciples fleeing from his presence.
In short order even more cowardice is displayed. Peter denies Christ three times. The Pharisees hold a sham trial where even their informants can’t coordiante their false witness to align and condemn Jesus. The Pharisees continued cowardice is displayed when they take Jesus to Pilate because they didn’t want to kill Jesus themselves for fear of Rome. Then there is Pilate who finds no guilt in Jesus, so then sends him to Herod in a cowardly attempt to remove the problem from his plate. Herod also finds no guilt in Jesus so he sends him back to Pilate.
In continued cowardly fashion, Pilate condemns Christ and gives in to the will of the Pharisees. He releases a known criminal, Barabbas, and chooses to crucify Jesus. He holds true to his own cowardice by claiming to wash his hands of this bastardization of justice. He was in charge and had the final say. There is no washing his hands of that. The centurion and his men participate in the cowardice by flogging Christ, mocking him, and carrying out the unjust execution.
We see courage though too. Primarily that of Christ, although some of the others too, such as his mother, Mary, and others who remained near him and at the foot of the cross until it was finished. Christ, courageously committed to the will of the Father, submits to all the lies and fraudulent legal processes to which he was subjected. He knows the end will result in his earthly death. Nonetheless, he courageously holds to the truth and declares the truth throughout.
He courageously tells Pilate that his kingdom is not of this world. He courageously tells Pilate that his whole purpose for coming into the world was “to bear witness to the truth” and that everyone “who is of the truth listens to [his] voice.” He courageously remained silent to Herod. King Solomon said, “There is a time to keep silent, and a time to speak." (Ecclesiastes 3:7) Jesus courageously marched to the cross. He courageously endured the separation from the Father. He courageously committed his spirit to the Father. He courageously called on the Father to forgive the people “for they know not what they do.” He courageously forgave one of the criminals crucified alongside him.
That criminal too showed courage. While the other mocked and told Jesus to save himself and them, this criminal recognized the truth of Christ. He rebuked the mocker and courageously recognized that they were being justly punished for what they had done. He courageously asked Jesus to remember him. At his bitter end, he recognized the truth. The truth of a life lived in sin. The truth that he was receiving the due punishment for his deeds. The truth that he was deserving of not just physical death, but spiritual death. He recognized the truth of Christ and submitted to his lordship.
The centurion, and the soldiers with him, remarkable turn from the cowardice and into their courage too. Matthew and Mark tell us that the centurion said Jesus “was the son of God,” and Luke tells us that the centurion “praised God, saying, ‘Certainly this man was innocent!’” These men swore fealty to Caesar. To say “Christ is Lord” instead of “Caesar is Lord” was punishable by death. But they too, like the criminal, had their eyes opened to the truth.
Church history and extra-biblical accounts claim that the centurion was a man named Longinus. From the gospel accounts, we know this centurion courageously proclaimed Christ as God’s Son. The man is, biblically, unnamed, and that the name Longinus is likely derived from the word for “lance.” The varying accounts claim that Longinus left military service and dedicated his life to spreading the gospel. Some claim that he returned to his homeland of Cappadocia, modern day Turkey, and spread the faith there. Some claim he was martyred in short order by Pilate for declaring that Christ was Lord. Still others say that he had his tongue cut off and eyes gouged out for his courageous stance on the truth of Christ.
Regardless of what happened to this centurion, we can be certain that his courageous confession of the truth of the cross and the truth of Christ radically transformed his spiritual journey. Last Easter we were talking about the centurion and the other soldiers who mercilessly flogged, mocked, tortured, gambled over, and crucified Christ. I asked out daughters what they thought about that and if even the very people who carried out the physical actions of crucifying Christ could be saved from such wretched sin.
They agreed that it was possible, if there was true repentance. I then asked them what they thought about the centurion who participated in the unjust violence and execution of Jesus admitted that Christ was Lord. Our second eldest daughter, Iris, who was six at the time said, “it shows that God’s love never ever stops.”
Absolutely correct. God’s love never ever stops. I was stunned that she was able to pierce right to the heart of the matter. Regardless of our sin, regardless of how many times we sin, God loves us. He loves us so much that He sent His only son to earth in order that if we repent and believe in him, we will be saved from the cup that we ought to drink from. Instead, Christ did it for us.
I was also reminded of another courageous act by Jesus. In Matthew 21 Jesus enters “the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”” He then performed miracles by healing the blind and lame. The children began to praise him saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” But, the chief priests and scribes, those who would have him put to death later, were indignant at the children and what they were saying. Jesus replied by saying, “have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”
Joseph of Arimathea is another stark example of courage amongst the cowardice of the masses. Joseph was one of the Sanhedrin, the group of 71 who voted over matters pertaining to the Jews. Luke tells us that “he was a good and righteous man who had not consented” to the decision to bring false arrest, false witness, false punishment, and murder on Jesus. Remember, John provides for us that “many even of the authorities believed in [Jesus], but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” Joseph’s pursuit of the truth and the kingdom of God gave him the courage to remain true, even if it meant being put out of the synagogue.
Furthermore, Joseph had the courage to go to Pilate and request Jesus’s body so he could receive a proper burial. This could not have been an easy task. Joseph knew the rest of the Sanhedrin would be opposed to helping any followers of Jesus. He knew they likely would have deployed their informants to watch him since he went against their plans to kill Jesus. He also knew things could go south when approaching Pilate with his request. Pilate knew it was the Sanhedrin who forced his hand (even though he still succumbed to his own cowardice), and now one of them came to retrieve the body. Still, Joseph courageously walked forward for truth.
Peter’s cowardice through his three denials of Christ were briefly touched on earlier. In the closing verses of John’s Gospel, after Jesus is resurrected, Jesus asks Peter three times if Peter loves him. Peter answers in the affirmative each time, yet nonetheless is grieved. Peter was grieved because of the lessons he had learned from Jesus. Lessons that included revealing Peter’s own cowardice. Jesus also foretells Peter’s martyrdom in this section at the end of John.
How was Peter able to turn from coward to martyr; from succumbing to human fear to courage? Courage is the opposite of cowardice. Cambridge Dictionary defines courage as “the ability to control your fear in a dangerous or difficult situation.” Peter initially was not able to control his fear. No doubt that experience helped shape him and turn him into a more courageous man later in life. He was ashamed at his cowardice when he denied Christ and it struck him like a lightening bolt after the third time it happened, just as Jesus said it would.
This article discusses six types of courage. Physical, emotional, intellectual, social, moral, and spiritual courage. It also says, “Courageous people are often called heroes because they do what others would not dare to do—even at significant personal risk. But what makes someone courageous? Courage is about facing your fears, pain, or danger. Courage is being scared of something but doing it anyway.” Christ embodied all these types of courage in the most perfect way. He is the ultimate example of perfect courage. He is the ultimate example of selflessness, love, and perfection in all things. He willingly drank the cup that was meant for us. Today we celebrate his resurrection. We ought also celebrate his courage. That he would courageously submit to the Father’s will in order that we might be saved if we will believe in him and repent of our sins.
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” -Isaiah 53:3-12
The prophet Isaiah’s description of what was to come for Christ as seen above in Isaiah 53, is one of my favorite chapters in all of Scripture. It portrays the cup. The cup that Christ took in our stead. Christos Kurios; Christ is Lord.
Further related reading:
What a beautiful writing!
The reality of the Resurrection of Our Lord promises us that light overcomes darkness, life overcomes death, truth prevails, and sacrificial love changes everything.
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We look all around us and see ruination, destruction, craziness, darkness, inversion and subversion. We know in our heart that the Cross of Christ is our only hope and it is not even just a hope in our earthly life, but a Truth that makes everything somehow make sense and realize that it is One Who came into this world for the purpose of giving each one of us have a real hope of eternal life in Heaven.
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John 1:5
“and the light shines on in the darkness and darkness could not overcome it.”
One little point --
John 18:6 - International Standard Version --
When Jesus told them, "I AM," they backed away and fell to the ground.
I don't think this was an act of "cowardice" as you put it.
Jesus' made a power statement: I AM. And they fell to the ground -- they didn't run away like cowards. They literally fell to the ground from the power of that I AM statement. Jesus had to repeat himself by saying "who do you seek?" - so they were still there.
Wonderful piece. I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you.