Outside the Camp

Outside the camp In mocking cruelty They crucified Their King. ‘Away with him’ They cried, And thus Religion triumphed For another day, The status quo Preserved for priests Impelled by hatred To defend their faulted cause. Too blind to see The God-writ symbols Of their ancient rites, Those pointers To the Prince of Life They pierced And pinned Outside the camp. They saw their deed A timely vindication Of their careful rule To keep the Roman peace. This self-appointed Christ Suits not their concepts Of Messiah come – Too mild to liberate Their Israel from its pagan yoke. Dark prejudice saw not This faultless Christ, Messiah born to live And die Deliverance For the greater captives Chained in slavery to sin. Outside the camp His death-cry founds A kingdom Mightier than a thousand Romes, And crumbles all the edifice Of Judah’s temple fair. Outside the camp In death He slew the greater foe – And I go free! Written many years ago after reading these words: “Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.” Hebrews 13:12-13