Passion of the Cross

The passion of the cross should evoke feelings of gratitude and worship.

“About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli Lema Sabaktanei?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’”—Matthew 27:46 NASB

How can we begin to understand what Jesus experienced on the cross? To answer this question, people often have turned to music, which somehow helps us feel His suffering and express what it means to us.

Perhaps the most monumental attempt to experience His suffering through music is the St. Matthew Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach, which debuted on Good Friday in 1727 in Leipzig, Germany. It is considered one of the greatest accomplishments in music history.

Like all passions, this music tells about Jesus’ suffering and death based on words from Matthew’s Gospel. However, according to scholar Christoph Wolff, Bach was determined to surpass “everything that had been written previously.” The result was 68 movements requiring “an eight-voice double choir and a richly equipped double orchestra.”

Over the years, this musical work has inspired countless people to reflect anew about Jesus’ suffering and death. Yet Bach would tell us he simply was pointing listeners to the cross and to the Savior who died there for our sins.

Many people know about Jesus and His death, but how many understand what the cross really means? How many truly appreciate what Jesus did for us? As Paul wrote, “The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Jesus died so that you could be forgiven, set free, and empowered. Worship Him!

Reflection Question: Write a prayer of thanks for what Jesus endured on the cross for you.