Jesus, the Devil and The Passion
“Scourge him” -- these are the words we know Pilate used.
The Roman soldiers seized the rope binding His wrists and led him out to the scourging pillar. As the burly soldier laid on the lash, Lucifer the Evil One whispered on Jesus’ ear: “Your people led you to this. How could they?! This is so unfair! You did nothing to deserve this!” Whip. “This is their fault. They don’t love you. They must hate you! Save yourself! We know you can. Summon that sniveling Michael, your angel” Whip … “He’ll make short work of these beasts.” “End this pain. Abandon this plan. People will never understand you or your Father.” Whip. “I’ve been right all along. You know I have been. Stop this!”
Jesus said nothing.
And wearing a crown of piercing torns, He was half-led, half dragged back to Pilate. Pilate was afraid now, and asked Jesus in a half-choked, hoarse whisper: “Where are you from?” Jesus made no reply.
Pilate: “You refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have the power to release you, and power to crucify you?”
Jesus: “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above.”
Lucifer screamed for only Jesus to hear: “Your cursed Father is doing this to you! He’s letting this happen! Damn him!”
The Chief Priests: “If you relerase this man, you are no friend of Caesar.”
With a hand gesture, made in frustration, disgust, fear, ambition, and denial, Pilate gave the order to the soldiers -- take him away. Crucify him.
The cross’ crosspiece was heaved on Jesus’ shoulder, with splinters and edge that cut into him. As he struggled to begin the way of the cross, Lucifer was at his ear: “How that hurts I know. It’s so wrong! You did nothing to deserve this. Your message was peace” (and with a sneer) “and love. Love! These swine know nothing. They can’t. Stop this madness! Rise up! Çurse them all as only you can! Love? Love yourself! Take the power! Crucify them! Them! Crucify all these gaping apes!”
Jesus grimaced with pain and said nothing.
Lucifer was there when Jesus fell the first time. “”Don’t get up.” And the second. “Stay down!!” And the third, each time screaming his hate and vengeance in Jesus’ ears.
Lucifer: “You know what’s ahead? They’re going to drive nails into your hands and feet. You’re going to have to stand on those piercing nails! The pain!”
Jesus looked at Lucifer then. What was in His eyes? Lucifer saw no hate there. Was it pity?
They reached Golgatha.
Lucifer: “Jesus, listen to me. Do you know what’s going to happen? You’re going to be nailed to that cross. Breathing will get harder and harder. Pain will rack you. You won’t be able to breathe. You know what then? You’ll DIE!! DIE!!! For what?” With scorn: “For them?!” Jesus didn’t look at him as the cross was shoved into place.
Lucifer was next seen on a grey-black shaggy rock outcrop, disconsolate, gazing at The Scene. Demons danced around him in a frenzy of ectasy as they lookd on the Son of God, bloody, humiliated, exposed, dying. A few pathetic, powerless humans weeping at the bottom of the cross.
Gleeful howls from the demons.
Lucifer shifted his gaze from the God-man to the demons. He fixed them with a hateful gaze, and said,
“You stupid, stupid deluded wastes. What do you see here? A crucified God? No, no -- you see our defeat. Our utter, forever, unchangeable defeat.
“Is any one of you willing to be beaten, whipped, scorned, sentenced with no iota of justice? CRUCIFIED? To win our war for the humans? I am NOT. And neither is one of you.
“No, Jesus has won. He has forever won. He has defeaetd us, utterly. Completely. Forever. This is his testament. His love for these sacks of sticking flesh has no measure. Surely no answer from us.’
“I have lost. Forever.”
No comments:
Post a Comment