Good Friday Meditation by Ed Hughes

“His visage was marred more than any man’s
And His form more than the sons of men . . . .”
Today, in the 21st century, this comes across as archaic language.
It enters the mind but doesn’t stimulate mind-pictures.
It stirs neither the heart nor the conscience.

People’s eyes don't tear up as they hear these words:
“His visage was marred more than any man’s
And His form more than the sons of men . . . .”
This hardly informs the modern imagination-
A picture of Rocky' face beaten to a pulp would do it much better.

The truth of it is
He was illegally arrested by uniformed thugs;
He was slapped, spat on!
Punched, battered black and blue --
until blood, bruising, broken skin,
mutilated muscle, and spasmodic limbs
rendered Him unrecognizable as a son of Adam.

He didn’t look like a man at all!
His forehead was lacerated
with a pressed-down crown of iron-hard finger-long thorns.
He was stripped naked, and nailed to an execution cross.

The truth of it is hideous!

“His visage was marred more than any man’s;
and His form more than the sons of men;”
Such benign words, expressing evil savagery.
The truth of it is hideous!
The truth of it is also redemptive!

He bore my sins in His own body on the tree!
To bring us to God He suffered, the Just for the unjust!
He loved me and gave Himself for me!
Christ, our Passover, is crucified for us!

“His visage was marred more than any man’s;
and His form more than the sons of men.”
My Lord and Saviour, help me to see
the price You paid to ransom me;
Help me to see, that I may know
how much I owe – how much I owe!