The sacrificial, saving victim

The sacrificial, saving victim The Passion, Luke 22—23

In Luke’s Passion narrative, Jesus becomes passive, like Mark’s lion being tied up and muzzled, or Matthew’s Teacher refusing to call up legions of angels. Here the reason is divine necessity: ‘it is necessary’ (dei) appears seven times (9.22; 13.33; 17.25; 22.37; 24.7, 26, 44; as opposed to only once in Mark, 8.31). The bearer of burdens must bear the burden to the end; the ox must go to Jerusalem to be sacrificed…