Ancient Imagery

Good morning All,


When I first saw The Passion of the Christ, the Mel Gibson movie from a number of years ago, I was struck as many of you were by the scene when Christ is scourged. The scene is brutal as was the practice, most likely portrayed more violently than it actually was, but none the less it was striking. This morning I encountered in my reading of the Apocrypha what well may have been the source behind this violent portrayal. It comes from 4 Maccabees in the 6th chapter and it recounts part of the story of Eleazar, the man from the priestly family we mentioned yesterday; the part of the story where Antiochus tries to compel Eleazar to turn his back on the Mosaic Law and eat pork by scourging him mercilessly. I present it here for you to read, not so much to consider Eleazar and his plight, but to make the jump from this description to the scourging of Jesus. Considering once again what our Lord endured for us that we may be reconciled to God.

NRS 4 Maccabees 6:1 When Eleazar in this manner had made eloquent response to the exhortations of the tyrant, the guards who were standing by dragged him violently to the instruments of torture. 2 First they stripped the old man, though he remained adorned with the gracefulness of his piety. 3 After they had tied his arms on each side they flogged him, 4 while a herald who faced him cried out, "Obey the king's commands!" 5 But the courageous and noble man, like a true Eleazar, was unmoved, as though being tortured in a dream; 6 yet while the old man's eyes were raised to heaven, his flesh was being torn by scourges, his blood flowing, and his sides were being cut to pieces. 7 Although he fell to the ground because his body could not endure the agonies, he kept his reason upright and unswerving. 8 One of the cruel guards rushed at him and began to kick him in the side to make him get up again after he fell. 9 But he bore the pains and scorned the punishment and endured the tortures. 10 Like a noble athlete the old man, while being beaten, was victorious over his torturers; 11 in fact, with his face bathed in sweat, and gasping heavily for breath, he amazed even his torturers by his courageous spirit.
Have a blessed day! Your brother in Christ,
Faron