Question 27 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks: In what did Christ’s humiliation consist?

The answer given is: “Christ’s humiliation consisted in being born, and that in a poor circumstance;[a] in being subject to God’s law; in undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God and the curse of death on the cross; in being buried; and in continuing under the power of death for a time.”

As I write this, it is Good Friday of 2023, a day where Christ’s humiliation is highlighted in his crucifixion.

Recently, in my Bible reading, the rules for sacrifices as given by Moses in the book of Leviticus came to my attention. The seriousness of sin cannot be ignored when it is seen that death is the result of that sin. The animal must die so that atonement may be made.

The one making the sacrifice was right there when the animal was killed. The one making the sacrifice was an active participant in the shedding of the blood. He could not ignore the serious nature of the ceremony.

But growing up in the church in the 20th Century, it was too easy to have a sanitized view of the sacrificial system. Sure, we understood that the animal died, but it seems so distant and not connected with our current situation.

But Good Friday makes us face the seriousness of our sin. Jesus Christ had to die to make atonement for that sin. We see the horrific event of the crucifixion and can better understand the intensity of the love God has for us.

I am reminded of a passage from Hebrews:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Emphasis Added)

Hebrews 12:1–2, ESV

If you have any question about the what motivated Jesus to endure the cross, if you wonder what joy could be worth the pain, take this opportunity to go look in a mirror.

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When Joseph and his brothers returned to Egypt from burying their father in Canaan, this interaction took place:

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” (Emphasis Added)

Genesis 50:15–21, ESV

Why did Joseph weep at this point in the story?

Joseph certainly had a lot of things to weep about in his life. Genesis records his traumatic past in great detail. He was mistreated by his brothers and sold as a slave. He was also falsely accused by his employer’s wife and put in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He was subjected to multiple years of harsh treatment before he came into more comfortable circumstances.

But I don’t think that these are the reasons for his weeping in this instance.

It seems to me that in this context, Joseph is weeping because his brother still don’t understand him, even after he has shown them grace and mercy since their reunification. They still think that Joseph wants revenge.

As I consider this, I am reminded of our Savior lamenting over Jerusalem as recorded in Matthew 23 and Luke 13. Jesus, like Joseph, is saddened by being misunderstood by people that should have known better. Both Jesus and Joseph wanted the best for those who misunderstood and mistreated them.

What do we do with this? How does this apply?

Who among us can say that he/she has never been misunderstood? Who among us has not had his/her motivation questioned, even when it has been for the benefit of others? This story reminds us that we are in good company and God sees, understands, and can bring comfort to us when this happens.

This story also encourages me to do the right thing even when it will be misunderstood. Again I point to the example of Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect life for the benefit of others and was still criticized and condemned.

Alas, one of the hardest lessons I’ve learned in life is that I cannot please everyone. Someone will always take issue with the choices I make so I need to allow God to inform and guide those choices.

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Last month, as I was sitting on the balcony of a cruise ship, a large cloud passed between the ship and the sun, causing me to wish for the cloud to pass and the warmth to return. It was chilly and much less comfortable when the cloud kept the direct sun from shining on me.

I thought this event to be a fitting metaphor for life.

When the clouds come, we know that they have not extinguished the sun, they have merely obscured it to the point where it is hard to distinguish exactly where it is. In the same way, the trials of life (we all have them) cannot extinguish God’s love and faithfulness. The trials merely make it more difficult to perceive God’s love and faithfulness.

As I sat on that balcony, I could see that in a few moments the clouds would pass and blue sky and sunshine would return. As with the clouds which hide the sun for relatively short periods of time and then dissipate, the trials of life are not permanent and will likewise dissipate.

It can be difficult to perceive that God loves me when circumstances appear to be evidence to the contrary.

When this is the case, I need to remind myself that I have not yet experienced a morning when the sun did not rise. By reminding myself of the faithfulness of the sunrise, I can also be reminded that I have not yet experienced a morning when I have not been loved by God.

The clouds, and the trials, do not last forever and the light of God’s love shines through.

If you are encouraged by this post or would like to make a comment, please use the comment form below to offer your feedback. If you are reading this in an email and would like to comment, you can reply to the email or click on the “Read in browser” link below to go to the web page where you can enter a comment. I enjoy hearing from you.