Day 49: The Power of Darkness (Luke 22:47-23:16)
Today’s Passage: Luke 22:47-23:16
Darkness envelopes. Turn off a light, and darkness floods a room, seemingly, in one swoop, making incomprehensible that which had been so clear.
At Jesus’ arrest, he notes there were many times they might have arrested him. Yet he knows. He knows how fitting it is that they come at night and in secret. Darkness’ power grows in both.
In this darkness, tyranny reigns and truth is obscured. Consider the soldiers. Unleashed is their ridicule. Unbridled their disrespect. Consider Pilate and Herod. Uninterested in justice. Consider Peter. Unwavering in his loyalty no more. Undone by his fear.
Jesus’ phrase, the power of darkness, has my attention. This is more than a youthful fear of the dark. Perhaps those childhood fears are not so misplaced.
Jesus has said he is the way, the truth, and the light, that no one can come to the Father but through him. Darkness’ goal, Satan’s goal, is to destroy this Way, to annihilate this Truth, to snuff out this Light.
The only way for Jesus to defeat Satan is to enter this darkness and prove that he is Light inexhaustible.