We’re nearing the end of Holy Week. Today is Good Friday, the day Christians reflect on Jesus’s sacrifice upon the cross. It’s both a day of solemn reflection and tempered hope. We know that the cross gives way to the empty tomb but we can’t be in too much of a rush to get to Easter. Good Friday gives us an opportunity to reflect upon the depth of our sin and an even deeper love that led Jesus to the cross.
We cannot fully appreciate Easter unless we experience the sorrow of Good Friday.
In that way Good Friday is The Empire Strikes Back of holidays. Both are a little depressing and both leave you wondering if things are going to turn out all right.
Check out a chart I previously posted comparing the two.
|
Good Friday |
Category |
The Empire Strikes Back |
|
Jesus Christ √ |
Betrayed Hero |
Han Solo |
|
Judas Iscariot |
Betrayer |
Lando Calrissian √ |
|
Simon Peter |
Sidekick |
Chewbacca √ |
|
Pontius Pilate |
Lead Bad Guy |
Darth Vader √ |
|
Caiaphas |
Other Bad Guy |
Boba Fett √ |
|
Cat of Nine Tails √ |
Torture Method |
Electrocution Thingy |
|
Cross √ |
Suspended From/In |
Carbonite |
|
Jerusalem |
City |
Cloud City √ |
|
Donkey |
Mode of Transportation |
Millennium Falcon √ |
|
“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” √ |
Hero’s Final Words |
“I know” |
|
Garden Tomb |
Burial Place |
Jabba’s Palace √ |
|
Easter Sunday √ |
Conclusion |
Return of the Jedi |
|
Salvation √ |
Outcome |
Top 5 Movie Ever |
Both Good Friday and The Empire Strikes Back leave us a little sad but mostly hopeful. Just like we know the Jedi will return, we know that Sunday is coming and death will not hold Jesus back.
Today is a great day to reflect not only on our sin and brokenness but also the grace and mercy that wash them away. Take some time at the cross before moving onto the empty tomb.
Great post, Scott! God bless you and yours today and this Easter.
How could you miss the Blessed Princess, erm, I mean, Virgin, standing there at the foot of the cross, I mean, carbonite machine?
A few other parallels:
* You have Hahn descend into the carbonate machine. Jesus descended to the Dead.
* The first person Jesus meets after His Resurrection is a woman, the first person Hahn meets after his “resurrection” is also a woman.
* Jesus rises again on the third day. Hahn rises again in the third movie.
All perfect.
I might steal some of those for a Return of the Jedi/Easter post next week.
Happy Easter!
What have you started in my head?!
“And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away”
Reblogged this on Then and Now and commented:
A few days late twisting this, but an awesome geek look at Good Friday and Empire Strikes Back.
And by twisting I meant posting. Stupid autocorrect. Interesting symbolism with in the movies that I had never caught.