# Big Ideas- Grace is free, and entirely from God’s initiative- Jesus is bold in front of his accusers. He is forcing their hand. - Jesus is giving himself up- This phrase in Greek is “paradidomi”- This word occurs 7 times in Chapter 14, translated there as “betrayed”- Same word for what the priests and Pilate do. Handed over. - In Mark, Jesus was “handed over”- God hands Jesus over- Jesus hands himself over. He is active in this process, not passive.- THIS IS WHO GOD IS- God is the one who hands himself over. - He is the self-giving God.- He’s not all powerful because of strength and violence, but because of self-giving love. - The second coming will not be different from this one, it won’t be Jesus coming back with violence to conquer death. - God has always, and will always, conquer by being conquered, defeat death with love.- Redemptive violence does not exist. # Questions- How does all of this strike you? - In your mind, is the cross a “different” event than the way God will finally conquer sin and death? - What do you think about this emphasis on “giving over,” on “paradidomi”?- How does it change your view of God if he is consistently, always, the God who gives himself over? - Can you conquer by being conquered? - How would you change yourself if you really bought into this being true?
