Embracing Death

Morguefile

“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross” —Philippians 2:8

In the space of one week three people I knew well, along with the stepfather of a friend, died.  Death isn’t usually so busy during an average week in my life. It was unsettling. But though we try hard to minimize it, death is inevitable. Even our language is designed to avoid its reality. We talk about people “passing away” or “promoted to glory” or “in a better place” or “with the angels.”

In a sense, death is the final frontier (with apologies to Star Trek fans) and we are not eager to talk about it, or to cross its boundaries. In some cultures even the mention of the word is frowned on just in case it invites “the grim reaper” (yet another way to avoid calling death what it is) to come and collect another trophy.

But Jesus embraced it. As God-become-Man He identified with us right to the last excruciating breath, crossing our final frontier just as we will someday cross it, but via suffering that we can only imagine. 

One of the big discussions of our generation has revolved around physician-assisted death—the right of people in extremis to legally end their lives at their own convenience. The argument is that when the end is inevitable and the pain is too much, people need to have the opportunity to end the suffering as quickly and efficiently as possible.

When we look at the cross we find a Saviour who “suffered” the cross and refused to excuse Himself from any of its torment. The Scriptures tell us that He would not even accept drugged wine to ease His pain (Matthew 27:34). The cheap wine given to the Roman soldiers would have been laced with something bitter such as myrrh or wormwood to dull His senses.

Matthew Poole commenting on this, writes: “Certain it is, that it was an ordinary favour they showed to dying persons, to give them some intoxicating potion, to make them less sensible of their pain. It is probable it was something of this nature; but our Saviour was not afraid to die, and so had no need of such an antidote against the pain of it; he refused it.”

He felt more than we will ever be called upon to feel and, as one commentator suggested, refused comfort so that we could find that comfort.

Jesus called death what it was, embraced it, and then crushed it so that we might never have to fear it.

Paul writes, quoting two Old Testament prophets: “‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54b-57).