Matthew 27:41-44

Matthew 27:41-44

In the same way the chief priests with the scribes and elders also mocked Him while saying, “He saved others, but He is not powerful enough to save Himself.  He is the king of Israel, let Him now descend from the cross and we will believe upon Him.  He has believed in God, let Him rescue Him if He should desire Him.  For He said that ‘I am the Son of God.’”  And the robbers who were being crucified with Him were insulting Him with the same things.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

More ridicule.  This time it is from the “victors.”  The religious leaders come to gloat over their victory.  This is a despicable perspective on humanity, but it is a true perspective.  Human beings do not win with grace very often.  When we do win with grace, it is only through the effort of our willpower.  We desire to be the top.  We desire to win.  We want everyone to know that we are the best.  We love to gloat and brag.  We love to be in charge and have everyone know of our successes.  That is the essence of humanity that these religious leaders bring to light today.

Have you ever want to gloat over your victory?  Have you ever wanted to brag when you have come out on top?  How does this human reaction compare to Jesus on the cross?

Second Thought:

Once more we see the undercurrent of God’s power running through this scene.  Yes, the leader’s ridicule Jesus.  But even their ridicule rings out truth!  Jesus did save others.  He healed many people.  He saved a prostitute from being stoned.  He saved men from demonic possession.  He fed the desperately hungry.  Jesus absolutely saved others!  Their other words also ring true in their other confession.  “He is not powerful enough to save Himself.”  Certainly Jesus could have saved Himself.  In that regard they are wrong.  But where they are not wrong is that Jesus is not powerful enough to disobey the will of the Father.  Being God, He must be perfect.  He must obey God perfectly and fulfill His will.  While God is powerful enough to do anything that He should desire, God is not powerful enough to go against His own will of righteousness.  God must be righteous in all that He does.  In that sense – and in that sense only – Jesus is not powerful enough to come off the cross.  The Father has ordained it.  Jesus must abide.

Are you surprised by yet another proclamation of truth by people who do not realize what they are saying and doing?  How is Jesus’ willingness to abide by the righteous decree of God and lay down His life actually a demonstration of His power?

Third Thought:

At the end of the ridicule, look at what the religious leaders say.  “Let Him come down from the cross and we will believe in Him.  We have shown how God maneuvers the tongues of the religious leaders to proclaim truth about Christ.  But now we also hear how God maneuvers the tongues of these religious elite to proclaim truth about themselves.  God is saving humanity through the cross.  Yet these men will only believe Jesus if He acts in a way contrary to God’s will.  They aren’t looking for truth – God’s truth.  They are looking for their own truth – their own understanding.

What do you seek in life?  Are you willing to make sense of God’s hand at work in the world or do you only desire to see what makes sense to you?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:45-46