Issue 1656 – Seven Satings – Part 2 – October 4, 2024
Good morning.
Let’s jump right into the first of Jesus’ “Seven Sayings on the Cross” … The Word of Forgiveness”
Blinded by their jealousy over His popularity, the Jews had been plotting the death of Jesus for some time now. He was seen as a significant threat to their power and prestige.
The Jews convicted an innocent Jesus in a kangaroo court and took Him to see governors and kings to be executed. Eventually, after unrelenting pressure from the Jews, Pilate folds his hand, and the command is given to crucify Jesus.
The Roman garrison mocked, flogged, and tortured the Christ to the near the point of death. Ironically, the flogging was seen as an act of mercy. Flogging weakened the victims with shock, trauma, and blood loss, which in turn shortened their suffering on the cross as they died more quickly.
Jesus is nailed hand and foot to the cross … without crying out and hung to die. Death by crucifixion was the ultimate form of humiliation and reserved for the vilest of criminals and enemies of Rome. The victim was beaten and hung on the cross naked to be shamed for all to see.
If there was ever a person who did not deserve this death, it was Jesus. He was no criminal; He was the most innocent person who had ever lived. Rather than humiliation, He should have been praised and glorified as the complete incarnation of God.
The full wrath of God would have been justified had it rained down out of the sky that day. They rejected the light and committed the most heinous of crimes, the worst of blasphemies. Truly, the Jewish leaders, the rulers, the Roman garrison, and the crowds who cried “crucify Him” deserved the strongest of penalties (as do we all for our sins).
Yet, Jesus did not rage at them. He did not call down fire from the sky or lose tens of thousands of mighty angels to fight for Him. He went as a lamb, silent before the shearer, and willingly endured the indignation and pain.
Those truths are remarkable, but the words Jesus spoke are stupefying.
… Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34a
Forgive them? They were not repentant. They were guilty on all counts. Why would He ask for their forgiveness?
… it is a fulfillment of prophecy … “…because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:12b
Eight hundred years before Christ came, it was foretold that He would intercede for those who had wronged Him. If we honestly examine the fulfillment of prophecy in the Scriptures about Christ, it takes willful blindness not to see Him.
Isaiah 53 has nearly a dozen specific promises about the coming Messiah and is well worth reading and meditating on. We may have a more detailed look in a future series.
It is also because Jesus understands God’s holiness. God cannot overlook sin; His very nature demands that sin be punished. There is no lowering of God’s standards to accommodate people’s blindness or unintentional sin. Sin is sin and requires punishment, or God is not pure, holy, and just.
Even the Law of Moses makes this clear.
“If anyone commits a breach of faith and sins unintentionally in any of the holy things of the Lord, he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation, a ram without blemish out of the flock, valued in silver shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering. He shall also make restitution for what he has done amiss in the holy thing and shall add a fifth to it and give it to the priest. And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and he shall be forgiven.” Leviticus 5:15-16
Even the secular world recognizes this truth in the old maxim, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.”
Because of their spiritual blindness, they did not know what they were doing. Yet, they still must be held accountable. Jesus interceded for them.
All sin is against God, yet the crucifixion must have been the most blatant. Still, Jesus sought to redeem even these sinners.
What marvelous love and mercy.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
Please share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.
Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1
___________________________________________
(c)2024 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.