And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Over His head on the cross at Calvary outside Jerusalem was set His written accusation declaring Him to be Jesus the King of the Jews, even while as humanity's substitute He suffered to redeem from the curse of the law. Pilate had it written in three languages as the only charge named against Him, and when the Jews who claimed no king but Caesar asked that it read as His own claim, he refused, so it stood as a public witness that they put to death any who claimed to be their King. Though His murderers were annoyed by the title and mocked His kingship, they will see Him in heavenly glory and kingly power and be compelled to acknowledge Him as King, while even on the cross the repentant thief recognized the sinless Son of God and believed in Him as King and Sin-bearer. The disciples had hoped He would reign as a temporal prince on David's throne to deliver Israel, so to see Him crowned with thorns and dying as a condemned criminal amid mocking and insult collapsed their hopes and left them grieving and desolate until His resurrection revived them. His shameful, agonizing suffering as the Lamb who gave His life to save shows what He gave up for humanity, and beside that sacrifice human self-denial is small and the church's missionary work is far behind, leaving no room for complaint but calling all to undivided consecration, patience under affliction, and keeping the eye fastened upon Him in every trial.
The Inscription and Its Setting
Above His head was set up His written accusation, declaring Him to be Jesus the King of the Jews, so that He was publicly identified as King even while He suffered on the cross. Eyewitnesses at the crucifixion saw that inscription placed over Him, and the central cross bearing that title marked Him out before all who looked on. That public accusation belonged to the scene of His mockery, derision, betrayal and agony as He was crucified.
Pilate himself placed the inscription above Jesus, and it was written in three languages. It stated the only charge ever named against Him, that He was the King of the Jews. The Jews, who had insisted they had no king but Caesar, asked Pilate to alter it to say only that Jesus had claimed the title, but he refused to change it. By standing unaltered, the inscription publicly declared that they treated anyone claiming to be their King as worthy of death.
The setting was the crucifixion at Calvary, outside Jerusalem's gate. There, as humanity's substitute, He suffered to redeem from the curse of God's law. This came after the Jewish rulers and people chose His crucifixion over Barabbas, and after the Jewish priests and rulers forced the Roman governor to carry out their will. There He was attacked by the powers of evil as God's champion, the One in whom God's character was manifest, enduring a shameful and agonizing death on the cross.
The King Rejected and Believed
The title King of the Jews set above Jesus annoyed those who put Him to death, and though they mocked His kingship and rejected Him, they will yet see Him in heavenly glory and kingly power and be compelled to acknowledge Him as King. The central cross bearing that title held the Son of God, as the repentant thief beside Him recognized. Jesus had done no wrong, yet He suffered as a criminal, and the inscription confirmed the reports the thief had heard about Him. It helped awaken his saving faith in Christ as King and Sin-bearer.
The disciples had believed He would reign as a temporal prince on David's throne and deliver Israel. Instead they saw Him stretched upon the cross as a condemned criminal and malefactor, crowned with thorns and dying as a criminal. Around Him were the mocking and taunting of the Pharisees and the derision and insult and mockery of the cruel mob, with nails driven through His hands and feet.
Seeing Him crucified and buried collapsed their hopes and tested their faith. It left them grieving and discouraged, amazed and desolate in affliction and agony and terrible anguish that cannot be appreciated. So they remained until He was taken from the cross and laid in Joseph's new tomb. His resurrection revived their hopes.
The Sacrifice We Must Follow
The inscription stood over a scene of shameful, agonizing suffering, where the Lamb gave His own life that sinners might be saved, the Redeemer mocked and insulted, clothed in a purple robe, crowned with thorns, struck and betrayed. He was led away pale, weak and fainting to be stretched upon the wooden cross, with nails driven through His tender hands and feet, hanging there through dreadful hours of agony. Angels veiled their faces from the sight, and the sun refused to behold it and hid its light.
That suffering shows what He gave up for humanity, and beside it anything called self-denial by men is small and put in the shade. His sacrifice at Calvary is likewise the measure of the church's missionary responsibility, beside which its work remains far behind.
It was endured to show the way of overcoming and to bring the divine help without which people perish, standing with the wilderness of temptation and Gethsemane as the hard, self-denying path trod to save. While priests and rulers forced the Roman governor to carry out their will against Him on the cross, His endurance stands as faith holding firm against human power used for evil.
Such a cross leaves no room for complaint about hardship and trial in the work of overcoming. It teaches self-sacrifice, patience under affliction, solemn consecration to God, and fitting preparation for holy work. It demands undivided affections, a whole sacrifice and entire consecration, separation from the world and from dead, heartless profession, and refusal to be conformed to associates in order to remain agreeable and avoid censure.
Winning eternal life will cost something, yes, everything. Youth are therefore called to give up their own inclinations and the world for Jesus, and to accept conflict, self-denial, privation, weariness, toil and sacrifice.
Since His sufferings are greater than any suffering from false reports and mockery, those who follow Him will have just such experiences of mockery and reports. They must keep the eye fastened upon Him and look to Christ to uphold and sustain at every step. They must refuse to stop God's work to listen to reports, and must not give up to discouragement in winning heaven.
Over His head on the cross at Calvary outside Jerusalem was set His written accusation declaring Him to be Jesus the King of the Jews, even while as humanity's substitute He suffered to redeem from the curse of the law. Pilate had it written in three languages as the only charge named against Him, and when the Jews who claimed no king but Caesar asked that it read as His own claim, he refused, so it stood as a public witness that they put to death any who claimed to be their King. Though His murderers were annoyed by the title and mocked His kingship, they will see Him in heavenly glory and kingly power and be compelled to acknowledge Him as King, while even on the cross the repentant thief recognized the sinless Son of God and believed in Him as King and Sin-bearer. The disciples had hoped He would reign as a temporal prince on David's throne to deliver Israel, so to see Him crowned with thorns and dying as a condemned criminal amid mocking and insult collapsed their hopes and left them grieving and desolate until His resurrection revived them. His shameful, agonizing suffering as the Lamb who gave His life to save shows what He gave up for humanity, and beside that sacrifice human self-denial is small and the church's missionary work is far behind, leaving no room for complaint but calling all to undivided consecration, patience under affliction, and keeping the eye fastened upon Him in every trial.
The Inscription and Its Setting
Above His head was set up His written accusation, declaring Him to be Jesus the King of the Jews, so that He was publicly identified as King even while He suffered on the cross. Eyewitnesses at the crucifixion saw that inscription placed over Him, and the central cross bearing that title marked Him out before all who looked on. That public accusation belonged to the scene of His mockery, derision, betrayal and agony as He was crucified.
Pilate himself placed the inscription above Jesus, and it was written in three languages. It stated the only charge ever named against Him, that He was the King of the Jews. The Jews, who had insisted they had no king but Caesar, asked Pilate to alter it to say only that Jesus had claimed the title, but he refused to change it. By standing unaltered, the inscription publicly declared that they treated anyone claiming to be their King as worthy of death.
The setting was the crucifixion at Calvary, outside Jerusalem's gate. There, as humanity's substitute, He suffered to redeem from the curse of God's law. This came after the Jewish rulers and people chose His crucifixion over Barabbas, and after the Jewish priests and rulers forced the Roman governor to carry out their will. There He was attacked by the powers of evil as God's champion, the One in whom God's character was manifest, enduring a shameful and agonizing death on the cross.
The King Rejected and Believed
The title King of the Jews set above Jesus annoyed those who put Him to death, and though they mocked His kingship and rejected Him, they will yet see Him in heavenly glory and kingly power and be compelled to acknowledge Him as King. The central cross bearing that title held the Son of God, as the repentant thief beside Him recognized. Jesus had done no wrong, yet He suffered as a criminal, and the inscription confirmed the reports the thief had heard about Him. It helped awaken his saving faith in Christ as King and Sin-bearer.
The disciples had believed He would reign as a temporal prince on David's throne and deliver Israel. Instead they saw Him stretched upon the cross as a condemned criminal and malefactor, crowned with thorns and dying as a criminal. Around Him were the mocking and taunting of the Pharisees and the derision and insult and mockery of the cruel mob, with nails driven through His hands and feet.
Seeing Him crucified and buried collapsed their hopes and tested their faith. It left them grieving and discouraged, amazed and desolate in affliction and agony and terrible anguish that cannot be appreciated. So they remained until He was taken from the cross and laid in Joseph's new tomb. His resurrection revived their hopes.
The Sacrifice We Must Follow
The inscription stood over a scene of shameful, agonizing suffering, where the Lamb gave His own life that sinners might be saved, the Redeemer mocked and insulted, clothed in a purple robe, crowned with thorns, struck and betrayed. He was led away pale, weak and fainting to be stretched upon the wooden cross, with nails driven through His tender hands and feet, hanging there through dreadful hours of agony. Angels veiled their faces from the sight, and the sun refused to behold it and hid its light.
That suffering shows what He gave up for humanity, and beside it anything called self-denial by men is small and put in the shade. His sacrifice at Calvary is likewise the measure of the church's missionary responsibility, beside which its work remains far behind.
It was endured to show the way of overcoming and to bring the divine help without which people perish, standing with the wilderness of temptation and Gethsemane as the hard, self-denying path trod to save. While priests and rulers forced the Roman governor to carry out their will against Him on the cross, His endurance stands as faith holding firm against human power used for evil.
Such a cross leaves no room for complaint about hardship and trial in the work of overcoming. It teaches self-sacrifice, patience under affliction, solemn consecration to God, and fitting preparation for holy work. It demands undivided affections, a whole sacrifice and entire consecration, separation from the world and from dead, heartless profession, and refusal to be conformed to associates in order to remain agreeable and avoid censure.
Winning eternal life will cost something, yes, everything. Youth are therefore called to give up their own inclinations and the world for Jesus, and to accept conflict, self-denial, privation, weariness, toil and sacrifice.
Since His sufferings are greater than any suffering from false reports and mockery, those who follow Him will have just such experiences of mockery and reports. They must keep the eye fastened upon Him and look to Christ to uphold and sustain at every step. They must refuse to stop God's work to listen to reports, and must not give up to discouragement in winning heaven.