O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken

​Invocation
In the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.  

Scripture 
Luke 23:18-25

18 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

Devotion - Based on O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken (439)


1. O dearest Jesus, what law hast thou broken
That such sharp sentence should on Thee be spoken?
Of what great crime hast Thou to make confession, -- What dark transgression?

I think these words by a fellow pastor beautifully summarize this stanza: "These words written in 1630 by German pastor Johann Heermann epitomize the astonishment of anyone who has heard of the abuse borne by Jesus as recorded in Scripture.  From reading Heermann’s words, one gets the sense that Heermann actually witnessed the very crucifixion of Jesus.  Jesus bore unbelievable abuse.  Soldiers shoved a crown of thorns into his scalp, piercing skin until blood streamed down his face.  They struck Jesus both with fists and objects.  They scourged him!  What does that mean? Scourging was a form of punishment carried out by the Romans, where the victim is beaten with a multi-lashed whip with pieces of bone or metal embedded, intended to rip and tear skin and flesh.  Everyone around Jesus mocked him as soldiers mercilessly urged him to the top of Golgotha to be crucified.  Even in his last moments of breath they gave him nothing but vinegar to quench his thirst.

This is punishment.  Cruel punishment!  One must be guilty of a horrific crime to warrant such severe punishment.  “What law hast thou broken?” the hymnist cries.  The answer?  None!  Jesus broke no law.  He never did anything wrong.  Even the heathen governor Pilate proclaimed to those demanding Jesus’ crucifixion: “Why, what evil has he done?  I have found in him no guilt deserving death.” (Luke 23:22)  This is an understatement!  Jesus has no guilt deserving death! He has no guilt at all!  Yet here he is being punished as if he were the worst kind of criminal, a thief, molester, and murderer."

The Bible makes it absolutely clear - Jesus is without spot or blemish, perfectly pure, without sin: 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Heb. 4:15)

And yet, when one looks at the cross, you can't help but think that for someone to suffer in that way then they must have committed some dark transgression, some wickedness that they DESERVE to be punished for. There Jesus hangs, suffering not what He deserved, but for us and our transgressions.


   4 Surely he has borne our griefs
      and carried our sorrows;
      yet we esteemed him stricken,
      smitten by God, and afflicted.
    5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
      he was crushed for our iniquities;
      upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
      and with his wounds we are healed.
    6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
      we have turned—every one—to his own way;
      and the LORD has laid on him
      the iniquity of us all.   - Isa. 53:4-6

This opening stanza wants us to consider horrific travesty of the scene and wants to lead us to understand why He would hang there and suffer such things.

2.They crown Thy head with thorns, they smite, they scourge Thee;
With cruel mockings to the cross they urge Thee;
They give Thee gall to drink, they still decry Thee;
They crucify Thee.

3. Whence come these sorrows, whence this mortal anguish?
It is my sins for which Thou, Lord, must languish;
Yea, all the wrath, the woe, Thou dost inherit,
This I do merit.

Stanza 2 picks up where stanza 1 left off (see previous post), but rather than asking why, it simply explains in summary the details of Christ's passion.

It's stanza 3 that moves things along.  The question is asked: Whence come these sorrows, whence this mortal anguish?

And the answer is deafening: It is my sins!  My sins are the reason for his sorrows and anguish. My sins put him on the cross. It is for my sins that the only truly innocent man suffered and died.

All the wrath of God that I have merited, he inherits. All the wrath that should have been poured out on me for all eternity was poured out on him.

What is the cause of all of this? My sins.

I love the way that Gerhard explains this: He was pierced with thorns, that He might heal our sin-pierced hearts. He bore the burden of the cross, so that He might remove from us the awful burden of eternal punishment. He exclaimed that He was forsaken by God, that He might prepare for us an everlasting habitation with God. He thirsted upon the cross, that He might meritoriously earn for us the dews of divine grace, and prevent our dying of an eternal soul-thirst. He was willing to be scorched by the flames of divine wrath, that He might deliver us from the flames of hell.

Thy sins must be punished, but God has already punished them in the person of His own Son. Great are the wounds of thy sins, but precious is the balm of Christ’s blood. Moses, in the law, pronounces a curse upon thee (Deut. 27:26) because thou hast not observed all things written in the book of the law, to do them; but Christ was made a curse for thee when He hung upon the tree (Gal. 3:13). The handwriting was written against thee in the heavenly court; but that has been erased by the blood of Christ (Col. 2:14).
 
Thy passion, then, O holy and gracious Christ, is my last and only refuge!

"O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken"
By Johann Heermann, 1585-1647

1. O dearest Jesus, what law hast thou broken
That such sharp sentence should on Thee be spoken?
Of what great crime hast Thou to make confession, -- What dark transgression?

2. They crown Thy head with thorns, they smite, they scourge Thee;
With cruel mockings to the cross they urge Thee;
They give Thee gall to drink, they still decry Thee;
They crucify Thee.

3. Whence come these sorrows, whence this mortal anguish?
It is my sins for which Thou, Lord, must languish;
Yea, all the wrath, the woe, Thou dost inherit,
This I do merit.

4. What punishment so strange is suffered yonder!
The Shepherd dies for sheep that loved to wander;
The Master pays the debt His servants owe Him,
Who would not know Him.

5. The sinless Son of God must die in sadness;
The sinful child of man may live in gladness;
Man forfeited his life and is acquitted, --
God is committed.

6. There was no spot in me by sin untainted;
Sick with sin's poison, all my heart had fainted;
My heavy guilt to hell had well-nigh brought me,
Such woe it wrought me.

7. O wondrous love, whose depth no heart hath sounded,
That brought Thee here, by foes and thieves surrounded!
All worldly pleasures, heedless, I was trying
While Thou wert dying.

8. O mighty King, no time can dim Thy glory!
How shall I spread abroad Thy wondrous story?
How shall I find some worthy gifts to proffer?
What dare I offer?

9. For vainly doth our human wisdom ponder, --
Thy woes, Thy mercy, still transcend our wonder.
Oh, how should I do aught that could delight Thee!
Can I requite Thee?

10. Yet unrequited, Lord, I would not leave Thee;
I will renounce whate'er doth vex or grieve Thee
And quench with thoughts of Thee and prayers most lowly
All fires unholy.

11. But since my strength will nevermore suffice me
To crucify desires that still entice me,
To all good deeds, oh, let Thy Spirit win me
And reign within me!

12. I'll think upon Thy mercy without ceasing,
That earth's vain joys to me no more be pleasing;
To do Thy will shall be my sole endeavor
Henceforth forever.

13. Whate'er of earthly good this life may grant me,
I'll risk for Thee; no shame, no cross, shall daunt me;
I shall not fear what man can do to harm me
Nor death alarm me.

14. But worthless is my sacrifice, I own it;
Yet, Lord, for love's sake Thou wilt not disown it;
Thou wilt accept my gift in Thy great meekness
Nor shame my weakness.

15. And when, dear Lord, before Thy throne in heaven
To me the crown of joy at last is given,
Where sweetest hymns Thy saints forever raise Thee,
I, too, shall praise Thee.

Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, You sent Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross. Mercifully grant that we may follow the example of His great humility and patience and be made partakers of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.