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The eight words of Jesus
Michael Sadgrove
About the book
Each of the gospels has its unique insights into the meaning of passion; each paints its own distinctive portrait of the man on the cross. Many Christians are used to meditating on the last seven words from the cross, drawn from all four gospels, but the gospels also record several sayings of Jesus on the way to the cross: words spoken to the crowd, to Peter, to the high priest, to Pilate, to his mother and his best friend. In John's gospel, these words seem imbued with a kind of universal significance beyond the immediate story itself. This book helps us reflect on an evangelist whose story speaks of the coming into the world of the Word made flesh, for whom words and signs are linked throughout his gospel.
You can buy The eight words of Jesus here.
About the author
Michael Sadgrove has been Dean of Durham since 2003. A former Dean of Sheffield and Precentor of Coventry Cathedral, he has also served as a parish priest in the north-east of England and as a teacher of biblical studies at a theological college. He is the author of A Picture of Faith. He was born in London in 1950, is married to a psychotherapist and has four adult children.
You can find a full list of Michael Sadgrove's SPCK titles here (search for author = 'sadgrove')
Questions about The eight words of Jesus
- Our search.
Take a piece of paper and write the phrase, 'My Search' in the middle then add any words or short phrases that come to mind such as 'Faith', 'Peace', 'Belonging' or whatever your own choices are. It's important not to 'self censor', that is to reject ideas as too silly, too obvious or inappropriate; so if 'for a new car' or 'where are my keys' come to mind, allow them to go down!
After a few moments, share you results and compare your words. Do common themes emerge and how do they relate to the words of Jesus explored in Chapter One?
- Destiny.
Michael Sadgove concludes that, 'without gratitude there is no Christianity'. What do you understand him to mean by this?
- Speech.
'Institutions enable energies to be organised, memories to be conserved, experience and learning to be harnessed. But the Passion Narrative warns against investing too heavily in institutional religion'.
In your experience to what extent does the church enable or disable the gospel? Do the words of Jesus explored in this book offer a challenge to your view and experience of church?
- Kingship.
What do you understand by 'The Kingdom of Heaven'? How and where do you see it in everyday life? What are the key qualities of Pilate's Kingdom and Jesus' kingdom? For a different way of looking at this, write a paragraph for a travel advert for each kingdom such as: 'Come to the Kingdom of Pilate where the mob gets its way and marvel in the political expediency of practical decision making in the real world...' 'Come to the kingdom of Jesus. How do you find it? There are no flights...'
- Silence.
List together the different types of silence you have known with examples if you can: embarrassed, awe struck, confused, bored, peaceful, long awaited, prayerful...
What is your experience of the role of silence in worship and church life generally?
- Treachery.
In a time of silence think back to any experiences that relate to treachery such as breaking of confidences or promises, saying one thing and doing another. If appropriate share these and discuss them in the light of the author's words on page 73: 'For that open door is nothing less than love's invitation and command to come back in again out of the night, and sit and eat'. Can we apply this to our own treacherous thoughts and actions; can we apply it to those we feel have acted treacherously towards us?
- Intimacy.
Read the short quote from Alan Ecclestone from the bottom of page 83. Does this ring true to your experience, do you consider yourself a member of one body or can the experience of Christian life be isolating? How can the quotation become more true for you and, if you have one, for your church?
- Desire.
Augustine writes passionately about his love for God and asks, 'When I love you, what is it that I love?' Can you put into words, perhaps just a few hesitant words what love for God means to you - if anything? Does it have a personal, perhaps passionate dimension or is it more practical, perhaps political. Is it about decisions to act in a certain way, perhaps out of a sense of duty; is there a more intimate component as suggested in this chapter?
- Endings and beginnings.
Do you recognise the author's 'major threat facing Christianity in our time', a 'kind of triumphalism with its crude expectation that God's reign will restore truth and right wrongs by an act of force majeure'?
- The author ends his book with the idea that we are 'looking in hope'. What do you understand by the Christian hope?
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