Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited

but emptied himself

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death

even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:5-8

On Good Saturday, this is what I remember: “being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death.” This is not about God offering up a sacrificial Lamb, but about God becoming human to the point of death– a much greater bridge to cross.  We hear God approving this move at the Baptism, a time when Jesus was humbling himself before John the Baptist, and again when Jesus predicts and submits to his death in John 12:27.

“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say–‘Father save me from this hour? No, it s for this reason that I have come to this hour. ‘Father glorify your name.'” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

Jesus goes on to predict,” I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (12:32)

Jesus is always vindicated by God, his Father, for submitting to his call–first to be baptized, then to his emptying, then to die. He always took the low path, that path to humility. At no point does Jesus predict he will die for our sins. He dies because of our sins. That is how God is glorified: Jesus submitting.

First there was incarnation, then slander, then accusation and conviction, finally execution, a culminating emptying.  This is what the Christ endured in his encounter with his creatures.  This is how we usually deal with any who oppose our agendas, our tenets, our power.  Humankind would not permit mercy or diversity or dissent. Jesus exposed us by his emptying, his submission to the power of humankind , and death.

Some say Jesus descended into hell to free the dead.  That would not resonate with the idea of “Emptying Saturday,” because it presumes total emptying in death. In the hours following his execution, Jesus was nullified as a human being.

But perhaps the harrowing of hell (setting souls free) follows his emptying and precedes the resurrection, the first act of one returning from the dead.  Emptying, then the empowering. That is what the hymn quoted from Philippians states:

Therefore God has highly exalted him

and given him the name

that is above every name, (Philippians 2:9)

Whatever the course, I remember Holy Saturday as Jesus touching the bottom of the parabola: life-death-resurrection.  Thank God for his humility, his emptying that gave us life and showed us the way to abundant life.