Elements of the Passion: Number 7: Rock and Stones

On Good Friday I led a Good Friday Meditation at one of my churches called Elements of the Passion. During the meditation I looked at seven elements that are present in the Passion story and explored them in turn. (I'm not a scientist so I'm sure that some of my seven are not strictly elements so please humour me!)

I thought that I would share them with you here over the next seven days so here's the seventh which is on rock and stones.

Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. (Mark 15:46)

Stone and rock, something else that is there throughout the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life. The rolling of the stone over the entrance of Jesus’ tomb brings to an end a journey that has started in the wilderness with Satan trying to tempt Jesus to turn stones into bread, but Jesus wouldn’t. 

Then he had taken Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and encouraged him to throw himself off reminding him of the scripture that says:

“He will command his angels concerning you

And on their hands they will bear you up,

So that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”

But Jesus would not put God to the test. And Jesus often spoke about stones and rocks in his teaching. When he was teaching his disciples about prayer he said;

“Is there anyone among you who’ if your child asks for bread, would give a stone.”

He talked about the wise man building his house upon the rock and in the parable of the sower he spoke about seed falling on rock

And continuing with that theme of foundations being rooted on rock he said to Peter;

“I will tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.”

Stones and rock are symbols of strength and endurance. The house founded on rock doesn’t collapse when the storms come. Sometimes they might wobble a little, as Peter had done when he denied Jesus three times on the night that he had been arrested. But ultimately a house founded on rock stands firm and that is what Peter did becoming the foundation for the Christian church as we know it today.

And Jesus also described himself in terms of solid stone foundations in Chapter 21 of Matthew’s gospel when he said;

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.”

 And it was on the rock of Golgotha that Jesus established the foundation of our faith when he suffered and died for us on the cross.

And what about us. Have we built our life on the secure foundation Of Jesus? Is he the rock that holds us fast when the temptations and trials of this world assail us?