Lenten Poem XVIII

Inspired by the work of Andrew Roycroft (pastor and poet from Northern Ireland), I am attempting to offer Lenten poems in the style of medieval poets writing thirty-three poems, each thirty-three words long; one word for each year of Jesus' life.  Collectively, they serve as commentary on the life of Jesus, focusing on His final week.  Blessings.

   “Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”” (John 18:19–23, NIV)  

XVIII

Passion Week - late Thursday, early Friday

Night had fallen

They came for you

Men of authority

demanded to see you

"Law" they proclaimed

and Law they trampled

Fear of exposure

compelled their subterfuge

Their greatest hypocrisy?

Dishonor judged Virtue.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Despair

Image
Despair A friend died last week.  Let me clarify that...a friend took his life on Friday.  He left behind a beautiful family - wife, five children, loving parents.  They are left angry, grief-stricken, hurting and perhaps the cruelest blow of all - questioning with no hope of answers.  Friends and acquaintances are no better off.  This man was a leader within the church, a worship minister, a shepherd and one who helped others.  What could bring a man who believed in the Eternal, and hope for believers in Him for eternity, to the point of self destruction? Pain. Despair. However, that is only supposition.  That is the cruelty for those left behind by suicide.  Picking up the pieces and questions without any answers.  The answers, what few we can get, come from those who have been close, but not successful in their suicides.  They can help...a little. Pain.  Physical pain can be the basis, but the real culprit is a p...
Read more

Sleepless

Image
March 1, 2016 Sleepless I woke up at 2:30 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep.  This happens every so often.  My wife also struggles with sleeplessness.  After several minutes of restless tossing and turning.  Well, the reality is, after about an hour I picked up my Kindle and opened my Bible software program.  It delivers a daily Bible verse.  That's it above.  Normally, a little Bible reading and prayer and I'm off to sleep.  Not this time.  That's due in great part to the passage above.  It's Philippians 2:8.  It's bad enough that the passage was Philippians - one of my treasured studies.  It's from the second chapter of Philippians.  To make matters worse, it's from the first half of the chapter.  If the quote had been verses 19 and 20, I probably would have drifted off to sleep as normal, Verses 19 and 20 are about Timothy, and Paul says of him, "I have no one like him."  I like that.  I...
Read more

Lenten Poem XV

Image
Inspired by the work of Andrew Roycroft (pastor and poet from Northern Ireland), I am attempting to offer Lenten poems in the style of medieval poets writing thirty-three poems, each thirty-three words long; one word for each year of Jesus' life.  Collectively, they serve as commentary on the life of Jesus, focusing on His final week.  Blessings. “ While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, t...
Read more