I very literally get goosebumps when I think about the person of Christ getting the treatment approaching what the conquering Christ will receive upon His return.
But as this is Controversial Christianity, I don't think even Palm Sunday (more correctly, "Holy Week") should escape the controversy, so...
Let me start by saying the name "Holy Week" has always bothered me. By its very name, it implies that the other 51 weeks aren't holy. I'm pretty sure God doesn't grade on a scale, nor does He 'weight' the questions.
But, that really isn't too bad, it just proves that the Church cares more about a 'sound bite' than good grammar.
Here's the part that has bothered me for several years now. I am not trying to minimize the wonderful, powerful, and amazing sacrifice (no pun intended) that was made when Christ opted to die for us, but...
...He had an advantage. As God Himself, He had full knowledge of where he was going to go at His resurrection. Maybe better said, He knew what He would give up if He did not fulfill the prophecy. He was not acting on faith alone. He was not accepting the will of God blindly. He was God, He came from Heaven, and knew that in a few days He would be back in Heaven. That's a pretty strong incentive; and, I believe, a pretty significant advantage.
I've heard stories of missionaries who have given their lives while preaching the "good news" in Africa (or even America and England). These individuals willingly gave their lives in pure, blind faith. Again, I'm making no attempt at minimizing Christ's actions.
...Was there another way? Within the confines of my human-bound brain, and a limited one at that, I've always wandered, why? In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays, "...if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me...." [39]. Not once, nor twice, but three times in that passage of scripture. Luke records, that Christ sweat blood in His earnestness. With all the power of Heaven and earth (and beyond), there wasn't another way?
God is God, and I don't doubt that. In fact, it is because of that, the whole thing always seemed a bit odd. All He had to do was snap His fingers--less, think it; and the result could have been the same. I'm thankful--literally, eternally thankful--of Christ's role as sacrificial lamb; but it seems to me that the 'cup' could have passed him. In fact, it seems to me that Jesus could have stayed at God's right-hand.
The quick answer is: "It happened to fulfil the prophecy." First, I'm pretty sure that God could have found a thousand other ways to fulfil that (those) prophecy(ies). Even more so, HE is who gave the prophecy, and HE did so with Jesus' earthly life in mind. So, He could have given different prophecies. He could have deemed and in turn prophesied that the savior of man would be a purple pigeon, and the result could have been the same.
Other thing I've heard from pulpits for years is something like: "Since Christ has been human, He is able to better intercede on our behalf." Not only is that a bunch of hogwash, it is close to blasphemy. My belief structure is one of an omnipotent God; not a God that needs "on-the-job training" to better understand His own creations. So, I dismiss this stance out of hand.
Please don't take my words as flip, or trite; they are simply thoughts of "why?" Hey, its a blog with the name 'controversial', what do you want?
I don't believe there will be a press conference in the sky, where God will 'entertain' questions from us; but this, I humbly believe, would be a good answer. I wonder if even in my heavenly form, my mind will be able to comprehend God's ways? I accept the God would not be God if I could understand Him. I not only accept it, I need it. But I do hope that as I walk with Him, I will slowly understand more. Thanks to Christ's sacrifice, I've got all eternity to work on it.
Always Remember: "Whose you are, and at what cost."
