We can be pretty ignorant at times. We can miss the picture
completely, despite being confident that we have things well understood. In the
text above, the chief priests and teachers of the law have completely
misunderstood what was taking place before them on that cross. They scoff at
Jesus, mocking him as this self-proclaimed “powerful Messiah”. Surely if this
Man was the legit Messiah, he would be able to rescue himself from this painful
and terminal situation. They have missed the picture completely. They think
Jesus is the one that needs to be rescued, yet it is they who need rescuing,
not Jesus. For in reality, through the sacrificing actions of Christ, it was actually
the mockers that were being saved. Jesus didn’t need to be rescued. In fact in
three days, the world sees Jesus defeat death, rising back to a living,
breathing man. Even though they were not the ones physically hanging from that
cross, minutes from death, the mockers were the ones truly perishing. The chief
priests and teachers of the law failed to see that by hanging on that cross…by
refusing to remove himself from the cross (an act that he was clearly capable
of performing)…Jesus was actually purchasing true salvation for all sinners.
Salvation for you, me, and even these mocking men that scoffed at the foot of
the cross. As we enter into the Lenten season…a solemn time of reflection before
a great celebration…may we take time to really think about what was done for us
thousands of years ago on that hill. And may we daily give thanks to the Lord
for what he has done…thanks in prayer and thanks in how we choose to live our
lives each day. To God be the glory!
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