Jesusluvsall's Blog

I think it is sometimes easy for us to read the accounts of the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and perhaps be critical of the lack of faith on the part of those who lived through the actual events. John gives the more complete list of the people who were there as Jesus died. His mother Mary was there. Mary Magdalene was there. Mary the wife of Clopas was there. What about his disciples? The ones Jesus spent a lot of time with mentoring them, teaching them, taking them into his inner circle? John was there, but where were Peter, James, Andrew, and the rest?

They were scattered and in hiding. They had deserted him. So do we judge them? Should we make light of their lack of faith? Do we have the right to feel superior to them?

NO!!! I don’t think we can begin to understand what they were going through. Maybe someone living in a country overly hostile to Christians and our faith and might be killed or put in jail could understand the pressures the disciples were under. The disciples could have risked execution themselves or jail if they had been out in public. Peter denied Jesus three times out of fear, but I am not going to try to judge Peter for his failure.

There were Roman soldiers all over the place. The religious leaders were openly hostile to Jesus and his followers. The disciples knew a conspiracy had happened. They were there when Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss and they saw Jesus arrested and taken away. What could eleven men do against all of those soldiers? The women, the three Marys, would not have been viewed as a threat, but the disciples would have been. It amazes me that John was there/

But the main reason I have no place to think less of them is this- I would have probably also run and hid. And if you are honest, you probably would have too. I think about the times I have not been willing to be identified with Jesus in my life. The times I have denied him by staying silent. When I look inside of me, I realize that I am not just as weak as the disciples were, I am weaker. They did not have the rest of the story yet. Jesus had told them he would die and rise again, but it hadn’t happened yet and they did not understand until after it happened. But I have the whole story to read. I know that it did not end on Calvary that Friday. The rest of the story took place Sunday morning when Jesus defeated death through his resurrection.

In a way, I deny Jesus just like Peter and the others did when I shy away from being identified as a Christian. The times I fail to share his love and his message with those who desperately need him.

With today being Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus let himself be crucified, my hope is to renew my faith and my desire to share Jesus.