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Today’s text offers a sure comfort: We are free from the sins that Christ bore on the cross. Did we deserve it? Or rather, did we deserve it, since Jesus already gave His life while we were still sinners? This leads directly to the next question: Do we give the sacrifice of Jesus and His resurrection the right priority?

Peter invites us to see Christ as our example: we should follow Him, not our own convictions or feelings, which can ultimately lead us to godless conflict, for example, when we are treated unjustly. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it if when you are buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God”.

It is difficult to recognize God’s grace in enduring unjust treatment. At this point, only looking to Jesus Christ can help.

Christ committed no sin; no lie ever passed His lips. He endured insults without protest, He did not defend Himself against mistreatment; rather, He entrusted His life to God, who is a righteous judge, prophesied by Isaiah, 53:7-9 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”

How did Christ accomplish this? Because He is the Son of God, because He is God Himself? Of course, that would be a quick answer, but Jesus was also fully human. As a human being, He lived in the love of God. Out of this love, He loved sinners. Through this love, Jesus becomes our example. To this day, out of this divine love, He is an overseer who knows His sheep and wants to save them so that they may one day be where He is: in love with God (Verse 25).

John, the apostle of love, writes in his Gospel: “Greater love has no man than this: to lay down That a man lay down his life for his friends”. (John 15:13) Jesus is speaking of His life, which He will give so that His friends may live (for all time) as freed people. No other human being would be able to obtain forgiveness of sins for his friends, even if he were to offer his life as a sacrifice, do we recognize in this the unimaginable value of Jesus’ life, which was so precious as to atone for all the sins of His friends for all time? Jesus gave this life for us.

Elsewhere in the Bible, we learn that “His friends” are those who hear His commandments and do them. Even this comes about solely through His will: ‘I call you my friends, for I have entrusted to you everything I have learned from the Father’ (John 15:15). Indeed, Jesus no longer views His disciples as servants who know nothing. And only do what they are told (even that would be a great achievement), but He entrusts them with the teachings and the will of His Father. Through Jesus, God has physically approached us humans and revealed Himself to us. He has descended to our level in order to save us.

But Jesus also admonishes us: “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:16). It becomes increasingly clear to us: everything happens only through love, especially the love of God the Father for His Son Jesus Christ, which Jesus extends to people—His friends. Jesus repeatedly advises “His friends” to make use of this love in order to be in harmony with Him (selection):

John 15:9 “Remain in my love!”

John 15:12 “Love one another as I have loved you.”

John 15:17 I say to you again: Love one another!”

Jesus bought our freedom at a high price out of love. The price was His life. On the cross. Our sins hang there. They are constantly nailed to it by our failures and His love. Jesus is bleeding for my sins today. I thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, with tears of repentance and in love, for by your wounds on the cross I am healed. “The cross is the sign in which all false security in our lives is judged and faith in God alone is established.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

The passage encourages us, even in the injustice of this world, to look to Jesus, the good one. To trust in the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. His love desires to protect us from being consumed by the struggle between “right and wrong.” To remain in this love even in trials and challenges is the gift of our Lord’s grace—then, now, and for all eternity.