“A man’s biography ought really to begin not with his birth but with his death; it can be written only from the point of view of its end, because only from there can the whole of his life in its fulfillment be seen.” (Joseph Wittig)
When my oldest brother, Moses, came from Australia to visit dad before he passed away; mom kept asking Moses to talk to dad and see if he’d anything to say to the family. I suppose giving and receiving the last words from a dying man is one defining moment; those words would be taken seriously.
Jesus has been telling the disciples about some important last words in the form of questions, as they accompany Him on the way to Jerusalem. These words are aimed to correct their distorted view of messiahship and challenge them to follow Him on the way to the cross.
This is not a revolutionary march nor a celebration parade; this is a journey of pain, agony, execution, and a shameful death. How then should we understand His question to the disciples, “Why the Son of Man must suffer?” As we observe Good Friday, let us consider prayerfully if we are willing to stay with Him all the way to the very end.
