Have you ever been to a Passion Play? I have. We visited some friends once who lived in Missouri. They took us to the “other side” of civilization to see a Passion Play in Arkansas. Fascinating!
But it sure seems strange to call something a Passion Play, given our current idea of passion. Until you know it derives from the Latin word which means suffering. Then it makes total sense. It relates to the suffering and death of Jesus.
Can anyone deny the passion-the depth of being-involved in that death? The pain. The suffering. The agony. The resolute heart and mind. A conviction that led to His death and subsequent resurrection? *The controversy about who killed Jesus is marginal. He chose to die. The Father ordained it. He embraced it.*
Did you catch that? He embraced it. Ugly though it was. Painful though it was. Lonely though it was. He embraced His death. He embraced the passion of His life and death.
There are those who want to deny the crucifixion. I’ve been reading enough about that lately. They may grant that Jesus lived. It is hard to deny history. But they may say He never died (if they agree He lived). *But to deny Jesus was crucified is like the denial of the Holocaust.* Unbelievable. I knew someone who did. Respect for that individual ended. Wipe my hands of that nonsense.
During this Lenten season, think anew about the passion of Jesus.
Note: All statements made by John Piper are highlighted with an * outlining his statement. They come from his book The Passion of Jesus Christ.
I was more than ready for the Advent season a few months back … and I come with the same expectancy to Lent, so hungry for Jesus.
And that is a prayer which will get answered.
I am not sure they call it a passion play, but we visited a Church a number of years back while in Florida visiting friends and vacationing. One evening we were invited to take part in a dramatic narrative of sorts that involved various stations that depicted the events leading up to and including Jesus’ resurrection.
It was powerful to not just observe, but to interact with those portraying the various individuals involved with those events.
Sounds interesting Ryan. We attended something like that at a church for Christmas but even though they mingled they would not converse. I sorta wondered what’s the use?
The thought of Jesus actually embracing His death made me look at the entire passion with new eyes, Bill. And yes, my former church did something like what Ryan describes above at the end of the Palm Sunday service, as a preparation for entering Holy Week.
Blessings!
Sounds interesting Martha. We don’t even have the space for people let alone a production.
Thank you for a wonderful post, Bill.
As time goes by, we are breeding a new generation which wants to interpret many events in history to suit their own beliefs, (however unproven), and to further their own cause. Yes, there are those who deny the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. Some of these are amongst the clergy, I fear. But I take comfort that God can take their lies and their anger. After all, He took their lies and anger when hanging on the Cross. He overcame death then, and will overcome today’s generation’s attempts to deny Him.
God bless.
You’re welcome Victor. And thanks for your input. You are right about the clergy being involved. Right in the middle of lots of it.
I’m staring at a DVD I brought about three months ago called The Passion Live. I guess this is a push to actually sit back and enjoy it, as it’s still in it’s packaging.
One thing about the Passion that always gets me is that, yes, He embraced it… because He knew that the ending… was only the beginning.
Sounds like a Passion Play Ed. i would sit back and enjoy it. And you are right about knowing the ending. That humbles me.
It’s amazing how lost people will believe all other first hand accounts throughout history, but not about the Greatest miracle ever. Free will is a powerful thing…