The Gospel of John

Vinegar Victory (John 19)

Things look grim. Soldiers all over the place, the Jews in a big hurry to get the Son of God out of the way before they celebrate Passover. The world has been drunkenly dancing on the edge of an abyss ever since the Fall, and here is God's answer done in the only possible way to keep the whole pack of us from falling over.

Jesus has already had a world's worth of bitterness dumped onto him. His heart aches for the people meets, people whom he could save if they would turn to him and listen with more than the surface of their ears. You'd think the Romans could find a decent drink, but they find some old vinegar and give him that. No last meal deluxe in those days.

The Pharisees are all standing around, tapping their feet, looking at their watches. "Come on, come on," they think. "I have to go home and get ready for the party. I have some new clothes that'll just knock everyone out. And we can't have this hanging over us because it's against the rules."

So, Jesus takes the vinegar he's offered, and then, by his own free choice, gives up his spirit. The pain ends. He dies. The Pharisees are freed of the embarrassment of someone who speaks with great authority but says things that just don't fit with their teachings. They all breathe a sigh of relief. That little problem is taken care of. They run off through the weeping women to their important plans.

Jesus' whole life was characterized by bitter events. He continually tried to give sight to blind people, but willful blindness is incurable. The blind see the vinegar, see God die, and think that's the end. Jesus looked beyond the vinegar to the richness of being reunited with his Father, and being able to have fellowship with us. He chose to give up his life so that we could meet him, spotless.

posted by Larry @ 12:03 PM