Today I really struggled with what to reflect on. After lots of procrastination, I had my reflections all drafted, and then my computer died. You are now reading my second attempt to figure out what is really speaking to me in today’s passage. Do you ever have that happen when you’re just not “feeling it?” I’m quite sure I can’t recreate what I had done before, but here goes!
I even laughed out loud today when read the part about the woman spitting in her brother-in-law’s face. I know that doesn’t sound particularly amusing, but I was picturing myself, and I have a couple of great BIL’s. I couldn’t imagine spitting in their faces. Ever. But tradition was important, and God was putting it into perspective so that every married man who dies childless would have a way of being “remembered.”
The passage about punishment is what we’ll focus on today. The number 40 makes an appearance. Have you noticed how that is a popular number in the Bible? Moses and the Israelites stumbled around in the desert for 40 years. Jesus was in the wilderness fasting and being tempted by the devil for 40 days. Noah, Jonah and Ezekiel all have the number 40 in their stories. The number 40 appears in the Bible 146 times. It usually refers to a period of testing. So what about the 40 lashes?
I understand that prior to having a limit on the number of blows, floggings could consist of nearly 100 blows. So limiting the worst offender to 40 seems like something a compassionate, caring God would do. I had forgotten Paul’s reference to his own lashings. In 2 Corinthians 11:24, he says, “Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.” Other translations say 40 minus 1. Five times! Ouch! Why 39? To allow for error or to make a statement that Paul wasn’t the “worst” offender.
We recall that Jesus took a brutal beating. I don’t think they stopped at 40 lashes. The results of scourging is often referred to as “stripes” as well. Isaiah 53:5 reads, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” (NKJV) Jesus was not guilty, yet he received treatment as if he was.
When I think of what Jesus went through for me, I am humbled. I can read the words, but they came to live for me when watching the “Passion of the Christ.” You can’t watch that and not be moved when you imagine it happening for real. We recently finished watching a Netflix series on Mary Magdalene. It was all in Spanish because actors were from Colombia. It was very well done. But the flogging scene, seeing a bloody Jesus character, I couldn’t help but weep for what my Lord did for me.
Take some time today to put yourself at the foot of the cross. Leave your troubles there. Jesus has taken them already.
Let’s pray…Lord, I am so grateful for what you have done for me. It is so hard to imagine how horrific your final hours were. I can’t even express my gratitude in words it is so deep. Thank you for your forgiveness and mercy. May I be willing and able to forgive others for when they do wrong to me. The world is hurting so bad right now, God. Send your mercy and peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
