Its Detractors

Around the cross itself, we have four classes of people: the soldiers; the religious people; the criminals; and the passers-by. These four classes of people each make some derogatory remarks about our Lord. We may take these groups as representative in general. The world is full of religious people who, in their supposed cleverness, reject the claims of the only Saviour of the world. The soldiers represent the might of Rome, the passers-by the ‘man in the street’, those who tend not to think for themselves but follow the crowd. The criminals represent those who are outside the law and the normal flow of society. All these groups reject the cross and its claims.

The passers-by, or the ordinary people, take out of context or misunderstand the words of our Lord. ‘Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross’, Matt. 27. 40. There are a number of points in their comments to look at. First, the destroying of the temple was the only accusation that the false witnesses could agree upon at the trial of the Lord, 26. 61. In one confrontation with the Jews where they were seeking a sign, the Lord answered by pointing to the cross and the resurrection, John 2. 18, 19. The temple that the Lord spoke of was His body. The destruction was His death, and the rebuilding was pointing to His resurrection.

What we see from the passers-by is what we see from the spiritually ignorant and ill-informed in the world today. Their attempt to detract from the Lord and His cross is really a judgement on themselves. He that believeth not is condemned already, 3. 18.

Second, we note that there is a mention of salvation which we shall look at in more detail later.

Third, there is the seeking of a sign, which is something that was characteristic of the Jews, 1 Cor. 1. 22; John 2. 18, but the Lord had already told them plainly that no sign would be given, except that of the prophet Jonah, Matt. 12. 39. The greatest sign that could be given was taking place before their eyes, yet they could not see it.

Fourth, we note the common language between the passers-by and that of the Devil, in the words ‘if thou be the Son of God’, 4. 6; 27. 40; these words have the same origin and are said in a futile attempt to frustrate the purposes of God.

Next, we shall look at the religious leaders, who, although they held themselves up as virtuous and the protectors of the law of Moses, were really no better than the passersby. Again, there is the theme of salvation, 27. 42, and the seeking of a sign. The religious leaders refer to the Lord as ‘the King of Israel’. On their lips, it is no statement of faith, as in the case of Nathanael, John 1. 49; it is a statement of mocking derision and contempt. The Lord is the true King of Israel, something that was recognized not only by Nathanael, but also by the crowds on what is commonly known as Palm Sunday, 12. 13.

The religious leaders taunted the Lord with words from Psalm 22 verse 8, and, in so doing, unwittingly fulfilled the prophecies of the psalm, Matt. 27. 43.

When we come to the malefactors, there is again the thought of salvation. In His dealings with the repentant malefactor, the Lord demonstrates that even in His dying hour, He saves others.

The final group of mockers were the soldiers, the representatives of Rome. These rough and brutish men made sport of their victims, mercilessly mocking our Lord with a cruel mock coronation, v. 29, the humiliating, degrading scourging, and the gambling for the Lord’s seamless garment. To these soldiers, this crucifixion would be the same as many others. This one, however, was different; what they missed (except perhaps one of them, 27. 54) was that ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself’, 2 Cor. 5. 19.

We have noted that the theme of salvation occurs several times. What the mockers missed was that the work of salvation was taking place before their eyes. Indeed, the name of Jesus given to the Lord at His birth means ‘Jehovah the Saviour’.

The Gentiles, in their mocking, used the title ‘King of the Jews’, Matt. 27. 29. This is a political title, and one the Lord could rightly claim, 2. 2. When He entered into Jerusalem as the King of the Jews, He was rejected. However, there is a day to come when He will enter Jerusalem in fulfilment of Zechariah’s prophecy, Zech. 9. 9. The Jews referred to the Lord as King of Israel, which has messianic and religious implications. The King they were waiting for, when presented to them, they rejected in favour of a Caesar, John 19. 14, 15.

Both Jews and Gentiles could not see that the one hanging on the cross was the King of kings and Lord of lords, Rev. 19. 16, but they will, one day, bow their knee to Him, Phil. 2. 10.

The cross will never be without its detractors; those who deride the blessed Saviour. The cross may be foolishness to some, a stumbling block to others, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God, 1 Cor. 1. 18.