Mark 15:27-32

Passage

They crucified two thieves with Jesus, one on either side of Him.  People who walked by blasphemed Jesus while shaking their heads.  They said, “You said you could destroy and rebuild the temple in three days, yet you cannot even come down from the cross yourself!”  The religious leaders in Jerusalem likewise made fun of Jesus by distorting His words, saying, “Let the Christ come down from the cross so we may see and believe.”  Even the thieves crucified with Him mocked Him.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus was mocked upon the cross.  This was actually the point of the cross.  The reason that the Romans crucified people was so that they could publically humiliate them.  They wanted people to see the person on the cross and say, “I don’t want to be that guy, so therefore I won’t do what he did.”  As they walk by Jesus, the crowds do exactly that.  They mock Him.  They take His words and twist them.  They close their hearts to what God is doing largely because of the social pressure put onto them by the world.  They assume that because Jesus is on the cross, something is wrong.  In reality, nothing could be more right according to God’s plan.

Why do we succumb to peer pressure so easily?  Why do we have such as easy time accepting things that are publically accepted already?  When can this be a bad trait?

Second Thought:

The Jewish leaders likewise mock Jesus, which is no big surprise.  However, look at their words.  They say, “Come down from the cross so we may see and believe.”  What they don’t realize is that Jesus does exactly that.  Jesus does come off the cross.  He will live again.  Yet they still won’t believe.  There words here are hollow and without true substance.  The Jewish leaders are cruel in their pursuit of leadership and dominion over that which had been placed in their hands.  Their leadership is not one of love, mercy, forgiveness, and discipleship.  Their leadership is dominion, control, power, and force.  Their leadership does not welcome others but derides all who are different than they.

Why do powerful leaders often grow cruel and cold under the weight of their leadership?  Have you ever seen a good leader turn bad?  What is so dangerous about power and control that it does this to so many people?

Third Thought:

Even the thieves mock Jesus.  The thieves, who were themselves destined to die, felt the need to mock Jesus.  This is the old trait of humanity that doesn’t want to be the lowest man on the totem pole.  Even though they were themselves being crucified, if they could make Jesus lower than they were then their situation would be “better.”  Even during a crucifixion we see humanity acting in this way.

Why do we not want to be the low man on the totem pole?  What does Jesus say to those who would follow Him by being the low man on the totem pole in this situation?  Go back and read Mark 10:45.  How does that verse come alive when we see the thieves acting in this manner?

Passage for Tomorrow: Mark 15:33-37