Xanthe Hancox

There is a green hill far away,

Outside a city wall,

Where the dear Lord was crucified,

Who died to save us all.

He went out, carrying his cross, and came to “The Place of the Skull,” as it is called. (In Hebrew it is called “Golgotha.”) There they crucified him; and they also crucified two other men, one on each side, with Jesus between them. Pilate wrote a notice and had it put on the cross. “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,” is what he wrote. Many people read it, because the place where Jesus was crucified was not far from the city.  John 19:17-20a

Cecil Frances Alexander was quite an extraordinary woman. Born in Ireland in 1818, she started writing hymns and poems in her childhood. By the time she was 22 she was already known as a hymn writer and her compositions were soon included in Church of Ireland hymnbooks. She married an Anglican clergyman at the age of 32; he was six years her junior and this was cause for family concern in those days.

Alexander believed that spiritual truths could best be taught to children by suitable songs, so devoted much of her talents to writing hymns for children. She based the words to the well-loved Easter hymn ‘There is a green hill far away’ on the words "Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and buried," of the Apostles' Creed.

Jesus went through all these things in order that we would never have to. He experienced sorrow and grief in a way that we ourselves could never have endured. He was punished for sin, though he himself never sinned.

It may have been written for children some 150 years ago, but Alexander’s hymn contains the essence of Easter and the core of our faith, which is why congregations all over the world still sing it every Easter. As we prepare our hearts for Good Friday, listen to the words of this hymn. Picture the hill outside the city gates, picture the three crosses and the people going past who read Pilate’s notice. What is your response to the King of the Jews?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0ybUpuLn8M

Prayer: Lord Jesus, it was my sin that sent you to the cross. Father, we marvel at the humility and compassion of your Son. There you finished the work of my redemption. Thank you for your astonishing love. Renew us daily in the joy of our salvation and help us to live in light of even greater things to come. Amen