Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
On the cross He was reviled not by the abandoned or heathen but by the chief priests with the scribes and elders, united with the passersby, soldiers, rulers, mob and one hanged malefactor in cursing Him. They taunted that He saved others but Himself He could not save, and challenged Him as King of Israel and Son of God to come down from the cross and trust God to deliver Him so they would believe Him. He answered their insults with silence and prayed for His murderers to be forgiven, though He could have come down or summoned angels and the heavenly host would have speedily answered, but no sign was given them. Their words were voiced under the inspiration of Satan, yet in repeating those very taunts they were unknowingly fulfilling what had been foretold would be uttered against Him. Even perfect innocence is therefore not safe from reproach and trial, so His followers must expect the same mockery and press on, while those taunts will be vividly remembered with terror and remorse when the mockers behold Him in glory at the judgment.
Mockers and Setting
Those who reviled Christ as He hung on the cross were not the abandoned class, the heathen who knew not God, but the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocking Him together with the others. He hung at Calvary outside Jerusalem's gate among criminals, between two thieves, as if He were the chief of sinners. His execution there fulfilled the role of the substitute who suffered the curse of the law for transgressors.
The mockery of the leaders joined the reviling of those passing by wagging their heads, the mocking of the soldiers offering Him vinegar, the railing of one of the hanged malefactors, and the cursing and reviling of rulers, executioners, the mob and rabble in corrupt unity against Him. Dignitaries of the temple, hardened soldiers, the vile thief on the cross, and the base and cruel among the multitude were all united in this abuse. The contempt of the chief priests and elders was shared with the crowd, whose jeers and insults formed that corrupt unity.
The mocking was insult upon insult and mockery upon mockery endured through the night trial and on the way to Calvary. Weakened by taking neither food nor drink since the Passover supper, by agony in Gethsemane in conflict with Satanic agencies, by betrayal, and by seeing His disciples forsake Him and flee, He was taken to Annas, then to Caiaphas, then to Pilate, then to Herod, then again to Pilate, and was twice tortured by the scourge. He bore Himself with firmness and dignity through the disgraceful farce of a trial, speaking no word but what tended to glorify God, yet bore the purple robe, crown of thorns, blows, derision and insult that caused Him pain. When the cross prepared for Barabbas was laid on His bruised and bleeding shoulders He fell fainting beneath the burden, while the crowd showed no compassion but taunted and reviled Him because He could not carry the heavy cross. People of every class and rank followed Him from the judgment hall to Calvary after hearing of His condemnation, with disciples and other believers among them, and He was at last stretched upon Calvary's cross as a malefactor, the climax of being in the hands of a cruel mob crowned with thorns.
Their mocking and cursing and reviling, including daring Him to come down from the cross, was cut off in the midst of half-uttered sentences by supernatural darkness at midday with no eclipse or natural cause. The darkness was deep as midnight without moon or stars, lasted three full hours, and enveloped the cross and all vicinity like a funeral pall. The silence of the grave fell on Calvary, a nameless terror took possession of all about the cross, and men, women and children prostrated themselves on the earth in abject terror while vivid lightnings without thunder flashed and revealed the cross. Priests, rulers, scribes, executioners and mob all thought their time of retribution had come. After a while some whispered that Jesus would now come down from the cross, and some attempted to grope their way back to the city, beating their breasts and wailing in fear. The darkness and earthquake later hid His final agony from their sight.
The verse belongs to the history of professedly pious Jews recorded in Matthew 27 and 28, to be read together with Christ's commission to His disciples in Matthew 28.
Words of Mockery
The leaders taunted the crucified Jesus that though He had saved others He could not save Himself, and challenged Him if He were the King of Israel and the King of the Jews to save Himself and come down from the cross so that they would believe Him. They jeered at His trust in God to deliver Him now if God would have Him, and at His claim to be the Son of God. Their claim was that His inability to save Himself disproved His kingship and His trust in God. Their mockery joined the reviling of those passing by wagging their heads over destroying the temple and building it in three days, the mocking of the soldiers offering Him vinegar and saying if Thou be the King of the Jews save Thyself, and the railing of one of the hanged malefactors saying if Thou be the Christ save Thyself and us. It was bitter hatred directed in scorn against the innocent Christ as He suffered for human sin.
Coming down would have made no difference to them, for they would not have believed. Christ had already given convincing proof of His divinity by raising Lazarus, the strongest evidence that could be given. They had received evidence upon evidence but rejected it, sought false witnesses to turn the people against the truth, and resisted until it had no weight with them. Their mocking showed resistance to evidence upon evidence and fighting against the Holy Spirit until eternal night, and by hatred and envy showed they were not one with God and did not know Him whom to know aright is life and peace and assurance forever.
Their words were inspired by Satan and voiced under the inspiration of the devil as their father. They came from religious leaders who claimed great enlightenment, yet acted under Satan's influence against the innocent Son of God. The Son of God on the cross was bearing the insults of Satan through His human agencies, the chief priests with scribes and elders. In joining with the rabble in mocking and jeering the dying Son of God, the chief priests with the scribes and rulers forgot the dignity of their sacred offices. These men professed to be expounders of prophecy yet in blindness did not perceive that in repeating these very words they were fulfilling what inspiration had foretold they would utter on this occasion, when the dignitaries of the temple, the hardened soldiers, the vile thief on the cross, and the base and cruel among the multitude were all united in abuse.
Christ's Silence and Endurance
To the insults He answered with silence, and prayed for God to forgive His murderers because they did not know what they were doing. He answered none of their insults while suffering the penalty for humanity's transgression of God's law and giving His life to ransom His people. He suffered as the innocent victim bearing the penalty of sin.
He could have come down or summoned angels, but the angels were not permitted to answer the taunt. The challenge for the King of Israel to come down was heard by the angels, who would have speedily answered the taunt with one word of permission, but no sign was given them to act. While the heavenly host watched He suffered the most shameful death mocked and derided by His persecutors, yet the watching host did not break ranks to disperse His mockers. He refused to bring a cloud of angels or legions of angels to declare who He was.
His refusal to come down and free Himself from His bonds and triumph over His accusers did not prove He could not save Himself, but revealed heavenly forbearance. Even in humiliation and apparent defeat He asserted His right and power to forgive sins and showed Himself able to save to the uttermost all who receive Him. While the Creator who proclaimed the eternal law on Sinai hung in dying agony He was vindicating His right to pardon transgression and sin.
His suffering on the cross was part of a death of humiliation and suffering no human being could exceed. Its depth and breadth no one can fully suffer or understand. He hung there bearing humanity's sins, suffering for human sin as the innocent Christ under bitter hatred. His suffering at Calvary is the ransom by which He purchased the church with His own blood, giving His life to ransom His people. He endured the most shameful death and the bitter cup including separation from His Father to become a propitiation for a lost world.
He had laid off His royal robe and crown, stepped down from His throne as Majesty of heaven and King of Glory, and clothed His divinity with humanity to stand at the head of humanity as Son of humanity. He stood as humanity stands to bear the afflictions humanity bears and to be tempted in all points as humanity is tempted, so that He understands human affliction. He bore all that suffering on behalf of others, going through every phase of temptation and every phase of suffering, so that no one living on earth can say He never suffered as they suffered and does not know how to suffer and pity them. That death He bore under mocking makes it possible for humans to be partakers of the divine nature, and because He was partaker of human nature all judgment is given into His hand.
That hostility formed part of the opposition that led to His death, though He endured it without seeking applause or fearing the world's threats.
Prophecy and Final Judgment
The men who mocked were professed explainers and expounders of prophecy, yet in blindness they did not perceive that in repeating those very words of derision they were unknowingly fulfilling what inspiration had foretold would be uttered against Christ on this occasion. Their challenge to His kingship, their demand that He save Himself, and their jeers at His trust in God and His claim to be God's Son were the foretold abuse.
Those taunts will be vividly remembered at the judgment, when the impenitent see in glory the One whose love they rejected and whose compassion they abused. In the resurrection to judgment they will behold Him as He declared He would sit on the right hand of power and come in the clouds of heaven, and memory will come upon them with thrilling power. They will be speechless before Him, turn from His piercing gaze, and seek to flee from the overpowering glory of His presence. They will behold the marks of the nails and the spear with terror and remorse.
Doctrinal Meaning of Rejection
Religious office and a claim to know Scripture did not make the chief priests, scribes and elders faithful to God, nor did outward profession of piety and sanctity make them sons of God or reflectors of His character. They were whited sepulchers deceiving the people by outward appearance of sanctity while they reviled One who came from heaven to save a perishing world, in whose heart zeal for right and justice and for the glory of God was the highest object. By choosing Barabbas they yoked up with Satan, joined the rebellion against God, served Satan's purposes, and acted under Satan's influence against the innocent Son of God. They failed to recognize divinity joined to Christ's humanity, though the Majesty of heaven suffered at their hands while bearing humanity's sins, suffering the ransom by which He purchased the church with His own blood. To spectators with true religion it appeared as if Satan were linked with the men triumphantly shouting blasphemy against One who was Commander of all heaven.
Their mockery as He hung on the cross, challenging Him to come down that they would believe Him, was part of the rulers' effort to kill Him and destroy the champion of God and truth. The taunt that He saved others but Himself He could not save was spoken in unfeeling scorn by spiritually ignorant revilers, joining His murderers and those passing by who reviled Him. At that very time the Creator who proclaimed the eternal law on Sinai hung in dying agony vindicating His right to pardon transgression and sin.
Their mocking showed hearts hardened by rejecting light, resistance to evidence upon evidence, and fighting against the Holy Spirit until eternal night. Coming down would have made no difference to the blasphemers, for the raising of Lazarus was the strongest evidence that could be given and had no weight with them. By hatred and envy they showed they were not one with God and did not know Him whom to know aright is life and peace and assurance forever, though they professed great righteousness while inciting the people against a sinless Saviour who had never harmed them and crying for His crucifixion. The account shows Jewish priests and rulers opposing Him so far as even to compel the Roman governor to carry out their will, presenting His suffering as an example of faith standing against human power used for evil.
Warning and Example for Believers
The demand for a miracle as the price of belief made at the cross is repeated whenever those who refuse the light God sends demand healings and miracles to prove His messengers have the truth. To speak those taunting words of His murderers in the face of clear evidence puts the speaker in their place and shows ignorance of what spirit controls him, while evil angels exult in triumph over deceiving him. It closes the eyes to clear evidence and to the light God sends, seeking pegs on which to hang doubts and excuses for rejecting heaven's light. Left in that course, a person rejects the most evident truth and believes the most foolish error, and is confirmed in deception when Satan answers the demand with false miracles. Even perfect innocence and goodness is not safe from reproach, suffering, and trial, so Christ's followers cannot expect a better portion. His sufferings are greater than any they will face, and they will have just such experiences of mockery and false reports about their work, so they must not stop God's work to listen to reports but keep the eye fastened on Christ, walk in humility helping, strengthening and praying with one another in perfect harmony, refuse discouragement, and press on knowing Christ will uphold and sustain at every step to win heaven. When men cherish unbelief, jealousy, and pride and reject light and evidence, aided by Satan they become capable of doing that same work against God's cause and messengers.
Together with His conflict in the wilderness of temptation, His life of self-sacrificing love, His soul agony in Gethsemane, the cruelty of the judgment hall, and His suffering at Calvary, the mocking teaches self-sacrifice, patience under affliction, solemn consecration to God, and fitting preparation for holy work. He endured it as a self-sacrificing example to show the way and bring the divine help needed for salvation, and as an example of faith standing against human power used for evil even to compelling the Roman governor to carry out the rulers' will. They struck Him in the face, spat upon Him, and mockingly demanded a sign that He was the Saviour, as part of the bitter cup of agony He accepted for sinners when He could have refused to drink and escaped separation from His Father and this humiliation, but was strengthened to endure agony and shame to become a propitiation for a lost world. In view of that infinite sacrifice His followers are to lay aside their own standards and self-serving, follow His methods of labor, reveal Christlikeness, and learn what it means to suffer for His sake. One called by God to sacred work must put all energies into it, make every other consideration secondary to it, and feel the solemn obligation of one honored to unite with angels in ministering to souls and enlightening them with divine truth.
His mother and His disciples hoped He would manifest His mighty power and silence His revilers by coming down from the shameful cross, and they were pained by the taunts spoken in unfeeling scorn by spiritually ignorant revilers. The disciples who only days before had expected Him at His triumphal entry to reign as king on David's throne and deliver Israel saw those hopes die as they watched Him stretched upon the cross as a malefactor and criminal, bringing bitter disappointment and affliction and agony that cannot be appreciated. That ordeal tested their faith and caused them to mourn and fast as they would soon see their beloved Teacher persecuted and killed. His lonely agony on the cross under mockery and derision contrasts with sympathy shown to mourners, for He suffered without sympathetic friends by Him. Yet through His death and passage through the tomb He made it a place of hope, bringing hope and joy in the face of death so death need not mean permanent separation and those who rest in Him will meet loved ones again.
His derision, insults, crown of thorns, and crucifixion display what He gave up and endured for humanity, making any sacrifice asked of followers small by comparison and answering whether following Him requires too much self-denial. Measured against that great sacrifice on Calvary the church is far behind in the greatest work ever given to mortals and must labor with greater zeal to bless a world in darkness with the last message to be given to the world. Those who taunted and abused Him could have been forgiven if they had repented, as Saul did. That endurance, bearing every phase of temptation and suffering so none can say He never suffered as they suffer or does not know how to pity them, calls for sympathy with Him, love for Him, and imitation of His character, as He seeks to give a crown of glory and open the gates of the city of God to all who have kept the truth.
On the cross He was reviled not by the abandoned or heathen but by the chief priests with the scribes and elders, united with the passersby, soldiers, rulers, mob and one hanged malefactor in cursing Him. They taunted that He saved others but Himself He could not save, and challenged Him as King of Israel and Son of God to come down from the cross and trust God to deliver Him so they would believe Him. He answered their insults with silence and prayed for His murderers to be forgiven, though He could have come down or summoned angels and the heavenly host would have speedily answered, but no sign was given them. Their words were voiced under the inspiration of Satan, yet in repeating those very taunts they were unknowingly fulfilling what had been foretold would be uttered against Him. Even perfect innocence is therefore not safe from reproach and trial, so His followers must expect the same mockery and press on, while those taunts will be vividly remembered with terror and remorse when the mockers behold Him in glory at the judgment.
Mockers and Setting
Those who reviled Christ as He hung on the cross were not the abandoned class, the heathen who knew not God, but the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocking Him together with the others. He hung at Calvary outside Jerusalem's gate among criminals, between two thieves, as if He were the chief of sinners. His execution there fulfilled the role of the substitute who suffered the curse of the law for transgressors.
The mockery of the leaders joined the reviling of those passing by wagging their heads, the mocking of the soldiers offering Him vinegar, the railing of one of the hanged malefactors, and the cursing and reviling of rulers, executioners, the mob and rabble in corrupt unity against Him. Dignitaries of the temple, hardened soldiers, the vile thief on the cross, and the base and cruel among the multitude were all united in this abuse. The contempt of the chief priests and elders was shared with the crowd, whose jeers and insults formed that corrupt unity.
The mocking was insult upon insult and mockery upon mockery endured through the night trial and on the way to Calvary. Weakened by taking neither food nor drink since the Passover supper, by agony in Gethsemane in conflict with Satanic agencies, by betrayal, and by seeing His disciples forsake Him and flee, He was taken to Annas, then to Caiaphas, then to Pilate, then to Herod, then again to Pilate, and was twice tortured by the scourge. He bore Himself with firmness and dignity through the disgraceful farce of a trial, speaking no word but what tended to glorify God, yet bore the purple robe, crown of thorns, blows, derision and insult that caused Him pain. When the cross prepared for Barabbas was laid on His bruised and bleeding shoulders He fell fainting beneath the burden, while the crowd showed no compassion but taunted and reviled Him because He could not carry the heavy cross. People of every class and rank followed Him from the judgment hall to Calvary after hearing of His condemnation, with disciples and other believers among them, and He was at last stretched upon Calvary's cross as a malefactor, the climax of being in the hands of a cruel mob crowned with thorns.
Their mocking and cursing and reviling, including daring Him to come down from the cross, was cut off in the midst of half-uttered sentences by supernatural darkness at midday with no eclipse or natural cause. The darkness was deep as midnight without moon or stars, lasted three full hours, and enveloped the cross and all vicinity like a funeral pall. The silence of the grave fell on Calvary, a nameless terror took possession of all about the cross, and men, women and children prostrated themselves on the earth in abject terror while vivid lightnings without thunder flashed and revealed the cross. Priests, rulers, scribes, executioners and mob all thought their time of retribution had come. After a while some whispered that Jesus would now come down from the cross, and some attempted to grope their way back to the city, beating their breasts and wailing in fear. The darkness and earthquake later hid His final agony from their sight.
The verse belongs to the history of professedly pious Jews recorded in Matthew 27 and 28, to be read together with Christ's commission to His disciples in Matthew 28.
Words of Mockery
The leaders taunted the crucified Jesus that though He had saved others He could not save Himself, and challenged Him if He were the King of Israel and the King of the Jews to save Himself and come down from the cross so that they would believe Him. They jeered at His trust in God to deliver Him now if God would have Him, and at His claim to be the Son of God. Their claim was that His inability to save Himself disproved His kingship and His trust in God. Their mockery joined the reviling of those passing by wagging their heads over destroying the temple and building it in three days, the mocking of the soldiers offering Him vinegar and saying if Thou be the King of the Jews save Thyself, and the railing of one of the hanged malefactors saying if Thou be the Christ save Thyself and us. It was bitter hatred directed in scorn against the innocent Christ as He suffered for human sin.
Coming down would have made no difference to them, for they would not have believed. Christ had already given convincing proof of His divinity by raising Lazarus, the strongest evidence that could be given. They had received evidence upon evidence but rejected it, sought false witnesses to turn the people against the truth, and resisted until it had no weight with them. Their mocking showed resistance to evidence upon evidence and fighting against the Holy Spirit until eternal night, and by hatred and envy showed they were not one with God and did not know Him whom to know aright is life and peace and assurance forever.
Their words were inspired by Satan and voiced under the inspiration of the devil as their father. They came from religious leaders who claimed great enlightenment, yet acted under Satan's influence against the innocent Son of God. The Son of God on the cross was bearing the insults of Satan through His human agencies, the chief priests with scribes and elders. In joining with the rabble in mocking and jeering the dying Son of God, the chief priests with the scribes and rulers forgot the dignity of their sacred offices. These men professed to be expounders of prophecy yet in blindness did not perceive that in repeating these very words they were fulfilling what inspiration had foretold they would utter on this occasion, when the dignitaries of the temple, the hardened soldiers, the vile thief on the cross, and the base and cruel among the multitude were all united in abuse.
Christ's Silence and Endurance
To the insults He answered with silence, and prayed for God to forgive His murderers because they did not know what they were doing. He answered none of their insults while suffering the penalty for humanity's transgression of God's law and giving His life to ransom His people. He suffered as the innocent victim bearing the penalty of sin.
He could have come down or summoned angels, but the angels were not permitted to answer the taunt. The challenge for the King of Israel to come down was heard by the angels, who would have speedily answered the taunt with one word of permission, but no sign was given them to act. While the heavenly host watched He suffered the most shameful death mocked and derided by His persecutors, yet the watching host did not break ranks to disperse His mockers. He refused to bring a cloud of angels or legions of angels to declare who He was.
His refusal to come down and free Himself from His bonds and triumph over His accusers did not prove He could not save Himself, but revealed heavenly forbearance. Even in humiliation and apparent defeat He asserted His right and power to forgive sins and showed Himself able to save to the uttermost all who receive Him. While the Creator who proclaimed the eternal law on Sinai hung in dying agony He was vindicating His right to pardon transgression and sin.
His suffering on the cross was part of a death of humiliation and suffering no human being could exceed. Its depth and breadth no one can fully suffer or understand. He hung there bearing humanity's sins, suffering for human sin as the innocent Christ under bitter hatred. His suffering at Calvary is the ransom by which He purchased the church with His own blood, giving His life to ransom His people. He endured the most shameful death and the bitter cup including separation from His Father to become a propitiation for a lost world.
He had laid off His royal robe and crown, stepped down from His throne as Majesty of heaven and King of Glory, and clothed His divinity with humanity to stand at the head of humanity as Son of humanity. He stood as humanity stands to bear the afflictions humanity bears and to be tempted in all points as humanity is tempted, so that He understands human affliction. He bore all that suffering on behalf of others, going through every phase of temptation and every phase of suffering, so that no one living on earth can say He never suffered as they suffered and does not know how to suffer and pity them. That death He bore under mocking makes it possible for humans to be partakers of the divine nature, and because He was partaker of human nature all judgment is given into His hand.
That hostility formed part of the opposition that led to His death, though He endured it without seeking applause or fearing the world's threats.
Prophecy and Final Judgment
The men who mocked were professed explainers and expounders of prophecy, yet in blindness they did not perceive that in repeating those very words of derision they were unknowingly fulfilling what inspiration had foretold would be uttered against Christ on this occasion. Their challenge to His kingship, their demand that He save Himself, and their jeers at His trust in God and His claim to be God's Son were the foretold abuse.
Those taunts will be vividly remembered at the judgment, when the impenitent see in glory the One whose love they rejected and whose compassion they abused. In the resurrection to judgment they will behold Him as He declared He would sit on the right hand of power and come in the clouds of heaven, and memory will come upon them with thrilling power. They will be speechless before Him, turn from His piercing gaze, and seek to flee from the overpowering glory of His presence. They will behold the marks of the nails and the spear with terror and remorse.
Doctrinal Meaning of Rejection
Religious office and a claim to know Scripture did not make the chief priests, scribes and elders faithful to God, nor did outward profession of piety and sanctity make them sons of God or reflectors of His character. They were whited sepulchers deceiving the people by outward appearance of sanctity while they reviled One who came from heaven to save a perishing world, in whose heart zeal for right and justice and for the glory of God was the highest object. By choosing Barabbas they yoked up with Satan, joined the rebellion against God, served Satan's purposes, and acted under Satan's influence against the innocent Son of God. They failed to recognize divinity joined to Christ's humanity, though the Majesty of heaven suffered at their hands while bearing humanity's sins, suffering the ransom by which He purchased the church with His own blood. To spectators with true religion it appeared as if Satan were linked with the men triumphantly shouting blasphemy against One who was Commander of all heaven.
Their mockery as He hung on the cross, challenging Him to come down that they would believe Him, was part of the rulers' effort to kill Him and destroy the champion of God and truth. The taunt that He saved others but Himself He could not save was spoken in unfeeling scorn by spiritually ignorant revilers, joining His murderers and those passing by who reviled Him. At that very time the Creator who proclaimed the eternal law on Sinai hung in dying agony vindicating His right to pardon transgression and sin.
Their mocking showed hearts hardened by rejecting light, resistance to evidence upon evidence, and fighting against the Holy Spirit until eternal night. Coming down would have made no difference to the blasphemers, for the raising of Lazarus was the strongest evidence that could be given and had no weight with them. By hatred and envy they showed they were not one with God and did not know Him whom to know aright is life and peace and assurance forever, though they professed great righteousness while inciting the people against a sinless Saviour who had never harmed them and crying for His crucifixion. The account shows Jewish priests and rulers opposing Him so far as even to compel the Roman governor to carry out their will, presenting His suffering as an example of faith standing against human power used for evil.
Warning and Example for Believers
The demand for a miracle as the price of belief made at the cross is repeated whenever those who refuse the light God sends demand healings and miracles to prove His messengers have the truth. To speak those taunting words of His murderers in the face of clear evidence puts the speaker in their place and shows ignorance of what spirit controls him, while evil angels exult in triumph over deceiving him. It closes the eyes to clear evidence and to the light God sends, seeking pegs on which to hang doubts and excuses for rejecting heaven's light. Left in that course, a person rejects the most evident truth and believes the most foolish error, and is confirmed in deception when Satan answers the demand with false miracles. Even perfect innocence and goodness is not safe from reproach, suffering, and trial, so Christ's followers cannot expect a better portion. His sufferings are greater than any they will face, and they will have just such experiences of mockery and false reports about their work, so they must not stop God's work to listen to reports but keep the eye fastened on Christ, walk in humility helping, strengthening and praying with one another in perfect harmony, refuse discouragement, and press on knowing Christ will uphold and sustain at every step to win heaven. When men cherish unbelief, jealousy, and pride and reject light and evidence, aided by Satan they become capable of doing that same work against God's cause and messengers.
Together with His conflict in the wilderness of temptation, His life of self-sacrificing love, His soul agony in Gethsemane, the cruelty of the judgment hall, and His suffering at Calvary, the mocking teaches self-sacrifice, patience under affliction, solemn consecration to God, and fitting preparation for holy work. He endured it as a self-sacrificing example to show the way and bring the divine help needed for salvation, and as an example of faith standing against human power used for evil even to compelling the Roman governor to carry out the rulers' will. They struck Him in the face, spat upon Him, and mockingly demanded a sign that He was the Saviour, as part of the bitter cup of agony He accepted for sinners when He could have refused to drink and escaped separation from His Father and this humiliation, but was strengthened to endure agony and shame to become a propitiation for a lost world. In view of that infinite sacrifice His followers are to lay aside their own standards and self-serving, follow His methods of labor, reveal Christlikeness, and learn what it means to suffer for His sake. One called by God to sacred work must put all energies into it, make every other consideration secondary to it, and feel the solemn obligation of one honored to unite with angels in ministering to souls and enlightening them with divine truth.
His mother and His disciples hoped He would manifest His mighty power and silence His revilers by coming down from the shameful cross, and they were pained by the taunts spoken in unfeeling scorn by spiritually ignorant revilers. The disciples who only days before had expected Him at His triumphal entry to reign as king on David's throne and deliver Israel saw those hopes die as they watched Him stretched upon the cross as a malefactor and criminal, bringing bitter disappointment and affliction and agony that cannot be appreciated. That ordeal tested their faith and caused them to mourn and fast as they would soon see their beloved Teacher persecuted and killed. His lonely agony on the cross under mockery and derision contrasts with sympathy shown to mourners, for He suffered without sympathetic friends by Him. Yet through His death and passage through the tomb He made it a place of hope, bringing hope and joy in the face of death so death need not mean permanent separation and those who rest in Him will meet loved ones again.
His derision, insults, crown of thorns, and crucifixion display what He gave up and endured for humanity, making any sacrifice asked of followers small by comparison and answering whether following Him requires too much self-denial. Measured against that great sacrifice on Calvary the church is far behind in the greatest work ever given to mortals and must labor with greater zeal to bless a world in darkness with the last message to be given to the world. Those who taunted and abused Him could have been forgiven if they had repented, as Saul did. That endurance, bearing every phase of temptation and suffering so none can say He never suffered as they suffer or does not know how to pity them, calls for sympathy with Him, love for Him, and imitation of His character, as He seeks to give a crown of glory and open the gates of the city of God to all who have kept the truth.