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Bible - NT - Matthew: Tragic gospel

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The trial and death of Jesus looks like a tragedy, for Him. It isn’t, not in the least, and not just because He’s raised from the dead. He’s no victim of circumstance or fate, but lays down His life for His sheep.

But there is tragedy, the tragedy of Israel. One by one, Israel divests itself of its privileges. It uses the law to condemn the Law-giver. It finds God guilty of blasphemy. Caiaphas rips up his priestly robes. The Jews renounce their living temple to save their doomed stone temple, and they deny Yahweh to His face. They join Judas in “handing over” Jesus, and they will share His condemnation. It all climaxes with “His blood be on us and on our children.” Filled with frenzied self-protection, Israel strips itself naked.

This is the ironic twist in every attempt to suppress the gospel. Those who have spilled their blood for and with Jesus never suffer tragedy, but their persecutors always do.

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 3:10 pm

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Bible - NT - Matthew: Tragic gospel

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