Service of Shadows
STEMMING FROM LATIN, THE WORD “TENEBRAE” MEANS “DARKNESS.” SUCH A DEFINITION IS SUITABLE FOR THIS SERVICE, WHICH CENTERS AROUND THE INCREASING DARKNESS OF THE CHURCH AS THE LIGHTS ARE EXTINGUISHED.
THE DARKNESS NOT ONLY PROVIDES AN ATMOSPHERE OF REFLECTION ON CHRIST’S DEATH BUT ALSO SYMBOLIZES THE DARKNESS THAT JESUS EXPERIENCED AS HE HUNG ON THE CROSS.
THE GOSPELS RECORD THE INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT FACT THAT DARKNESS COVERED THE LAND DURING JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION (MATTHEW 27:45; MARK 15:33; LUKE 23:44). MANY BIBLICAL SCHOLARS AND SCIENTISTS HAVE SPECULATED IF THE DARKENING OF THE SUN WAS DUE TO A SOLAR ECLIPSE AT THAT TIME.
SCRIPTURE, HOWEVER, INDICATES THAT THE SHROUD OF DARKNESS OVER THE LAND WAS A SUPERNATURAL SIGN OF JUDGMENT ON SIN. THAT DAY WAS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER SINCE A WORLD-CHANGING EVENT WAS HAPPENING — JESUS WAS ENDURING THE SINS OF ALL MANKIND.
AS ISAIAH PROPHESIED, CHRIST “WAS PIERCED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS CRUSHED FOR OUR INIQUITIES; THE PUNISHMENT THAT BROUGHT US PEACE WAS ON HIM, AND BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED” (ISAIAH 53:5).
BECAUSE OF THE SINS PLACED ON HIM, JESUS EXPERIENCED THE PAIN OF BEING SEPARATED FROM THE FATHER. IN HIS HOLINESS, GOD THE FATHER LOOKED AWAY FROM THE SON WHO BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY (1 PETER 2:24).
FEELING THE DARKNESS OF HIS SEPARATION, JESUS CRIED OUT, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” (MATTHEW 27:46).
DURING A TENEBRAE SERVICE, WE ARE GRADUALLY IMMERSED INTO A PHYSICAL SETTING OF DARKNESS, ALLOWING US TO REFLECT ON JESUS’ SUFFERING, THE DARKNESS THAT COVERED THE LAND AT HIS CRUCIFIXION, HIS SEPARATION FROM THE FATHER, AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF OUR SIN.
AS THE LIGHTS ARE EXTINGUISHED, WE ARE REMINDED OF THE COSTLY PAYMENT FOR OUR WRONGDOING, THE SACRIFICE OF THE PERFECT LAMB OF GOD (JOHN 1:29).
ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE LIGHTS ARE EXTINGUISHED, THE CHRIST CANDLE STAYS LIT IN THE DARKNESS.
THE POWERS OF DARKNESS MAY HAVE BOASTED OVER JESUS’ DEATH ON THE CROSS, BUT HE HAD THE FINAL WORD. AS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, THE DARKNESS COULD NOT OVERCOME HIM (JOHN 1:5). SATAN ASSUMED THAT JESUS WAS DEFEATED AT THE CROSS.
HOWEVER, THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE. AS THE APOSTLE PAUL EXPLAINED IN COLOSSIANS 2:14-15, JESUS “CANCELED THE RECORD OF THE CHARGES AGAINST US AND TOOK IT AWAY BY NAILING IT TO THE CROSS. IN THIS WAY, HE DISARMED THE SPIRITUAL RULERS AND AUTHORITIES. HE SHAMED THEM PUBLICLY BY HIS VICTORY OVER THEM ON THE CROSS”
JESUS DEFEATED SATAN AND THE POWER OF DEATH (HEBREWS 2:14).
THE IMAGE OF THE CHRIST CANDLE, UNEXTINGUISHED, DURING THE TENEBRAE SERVICE POINTS TO THE REALITY OF JESUS’ MISSION, VICTORY ON THE CROSS, AND THE ASSURED HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION. LIFE SEEMED DARK TO THE DISCIPLES ON FRIDAY, BUT THE LIGHT OF SUNDAY WAS COMING.
THE DARKNESS NOT ONLY PROVIDES AN ATMOSPHERE OF REFLECTION ON CHRIST’S DEATH BUT ALSO SYMBOLIZES THE DARKNESS THAT JESUS EXPERIENCED AS HE HUNG ON THE CROSS.
THE GOSPELS RECORD THE INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT FACT THAT DARKNESS COVERED THE LAND DURING JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION (MATTHEW 27:45; MARK 15:33; LUKE 23:44). MANY BIBLICAL SCHOLARS AND SCIENTISTS HAVE SPECULATED IF THE DARKENING OF THE SUN WAS DUE TO A SOLAR ECLIPSE AT THAT TIME.
SCRIPTURE, HOWEVER, INDICATES THAT THE SHROUD OF DARKNESS OVER THE LAND WAS A SUPERNATURAL SIGN OF JUDGMENT ON SIN. THAT DAY WAS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER SINCE A WORLD-CHANGING EVENT WAS HAPPENING — JESUS WAS ENDURING THE SINS OF ALL MANKIND.
AS ISAIAH PROPHESIED, CHRIST “WAS PIERCED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS CRUSHED FOR OUR INIQUITIES; THE PUNISHMENT THAT BROUGHT US PEACE WAS ON HIM, AND BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED” (ISAIAH 53:5).
BECAUSE OF THE SINS PLACED ON HIM, JESUS EXPERIENCED THE PAIN OF BEING SEPARATED FROM THE FATHER. IN HIS HOLINESS, GOD THE FATHER LOOKED AWAY FROM THE SON WHO BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY (1 PETER 2:24).
FEELING THE DARKNESS OF HIS SEPARATION, JESUS CRIED OUT, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” (MATTHEW 27:46).
DURING A TENEBRAE SERVICE, WE ARE GRADUALLY IMMERSED INTO A PHYSICAL SETTING OF DARKNESS, ALLOWING US TO REFLECT ON JESUS’ SUFFERING, THE DARKNESS THAT COVERED THE LAND AT HIS CRUCIFIXION, HIS SEPARATION FROM THE FATHER, AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF OUR SIN.
AS THE LIGHTS ARE EXTINGUISHED, WE ARE REMINDED OF THE COSTLY PAYMENT FOR OUR WRONGDOING, THE SACRIFICE OF THE PERFECT LAMB OF GOD (JOHN 1:29).
ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE LIGHTS ARE EXTINGUISHED, THE CHRIST CANDLE STAYS LIT IN THE DARKNESS.
THE POWERS OF DARKNESS MAY HAVE BOASTED OVER JESUS’ DEATH ON THE CROSS, BUT HE HAD THE FINAL WORD. AS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, THE DARKNESS COULD NOT OVERCOME HIM (JOHN 1:5). SATAN ASSUMED THAT JESUS WAS DEFEATED AT THE CROSS.
HOWEVER, THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE. AS THE APOSTLE PAUL EXPLAINED IN COLOSSIANS 2:14-15, JESUS “CANCELED THE RECORD OF THE CHARGES AGAINST US AND TOOK IT AWAY BY NAILING IT TO THE CROSS. IN THIS WAY, HE DISARMED THE SPIRITUAL RULERS AND AUTHORITIES. HE SHAMED THEM PUBLICLY BY HIS VICTORY OVER THEM ON THE CROSS”
JESUS DEFEATED SATAN AND THE POWER OF DEATH (HEBREWS 2:14).
THE IMAGE OF THE CHRIST CANDLE, UNEXTINGUISHED, DURING THE TENEBRAE SERVICE POINTS TO THE REALITY OF JESUS’ MISSION, VICTORY ON THE CROSS, AND THE ASSURED HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION. LIFE SEEMED DARK TO THE DISCIPLES ON FRIDAY, BUT THE LIGHT OF SUNDAY WAS COMING.