“And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23:49‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Following on from my previous thoughts, on what did they see, my attention is now drawn to people viewing Jesus from a distance. As we read of these events it is striking that these were the people who had been closest to Jesus. As Jesus was taken in front of the High Priest, Peter watched from a distance, denied his association and then wept bitterly. What emotions must have raged through him, he thought they had found the messiah, he dedicated three years of his life, left behind his business to follow, and now his dreams are in tatters. He has professed loyalty yet when it has come to the crunch he has been unable to stand, no wonder he wept.

Hours later at the cross Jesus’ closest companions had watched His crucifixion, they had seen Him tortured and tormented. They had seen and heard as the nails were hammered home. They had first hand sight of His pain and His suffering, They heard him cry out His final words, but all they could do was stand at a distance.

Many years later Paul would say “Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Sometimes all we are able to do is stand.