Crucifixion

Crucifixion
Matt. 27:39-44

39 And [de] they that passed by [paraporeuomai] reviled [blasphemeo] him [autos] , wagging [kineo] their [autos] heads [kephale] ,
40 And [kai] saying [lego] , Thou that destroyest [kataluo] the temple [naos] , and [kai] buildest [oikodomeo] it in [en] three [treis] days [hemera] , save [sozo] thyself [seautou] . If [ei] thou be [ei] the Son [huios] of God [theos] , come down [katabaino] from [apo] the cross [stauros] .
41 [de] Likewise [homoios] also [kai] the chief priests [archiereus] mocking [empaizo] him, with [meta] the scribes [grammateus] and [kai] elders [presbuteros] , said [lego] ,
42 He saved [sozo] others [allos] ; himself [heautou] he cannot [ou] [dunamai] save [sozo] . If [ei] he be [esti] the King [basileus] of Israel [Israel] , let him [katabaino] now [nun] come down [katabaino] from [apo] the cross [stauros] , and [kai] we will believe [pisteuo] him [autos] .
43 He trusted [peitho] in [epi] God [theos] ; let him deliver [rhoumai] him [autos] now [nun] , if [ei] he will have [thelo] him [autos] : for [gar] he said [epo] , [hoti] I am [eimi] the Son [huios] of God [theos] .
44 [de] The thieves [lestes] also [kai] , which [ho] were crucified [sustauroo] with him [autos] , cast [oneidizo] the same [autos] in his [autos] teeth [oneidizo] . KJV-Interlinear

39 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, 40 and saying, 'You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.' 41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him, and saying, 42 'He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we shall believe in Him. 43 'He trusts in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He takes pleasure in Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'' 44 And the robbers also who had been crucified with Him were casting the same insult at Him. NASB

Mark 15:29-32
29 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, 'Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross! ' 31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, 'He saved others; He cannot save Himself. 32 'Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!' And those who were crucified with Him were casting the same insult at Him. NASB

Luke 23:35-37
35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, 'He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.' 36 And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, 'If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!' NASB

One thousand years earlier, the mocking, the ridicule, and the jeering were foreseen:

Psa. 22:7-8
7 All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, 8 'Commit yourself to the LORD; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.' NASB

Psa. 109:25
25 I also have become a reproach to them; When they see me, they wag their head. NASB

The wicked, mindless, heartless, and fickle crowd had changed in just a few days from acclaiming Jesus as the Messiah to condemning Him as a blasphemer. The priests, the elders, all the religious leadership was represented there at the cross, taunting and tempting Jesus Christ.

They were not where they should have been (in the functioning will of God), but were very much outside of His will and condemning Gods plan for themselves and humanity in general. Gods will, is for each and everyone of us to be positive students of His Word, in fellowship, and advancing in our spiritual lives.

The city of Jerusalem was swelled to a population far beyond its normal size because of the feast celebrations. Jesus was crucified outside of the city as was required of all executions, and along side a very well traveled road. Many saw Him hanging up there in extreme pain. Many knew of His reputation and of His words, and of His miracles. Yet they mocked Him, they jeered Him, they made fun of Him, they challenged Him to come down from the cross.

They teased Him by trying to get Him to perform yet more miracles. 'Prove who you say you are.'

Yet the scriptures had already proven His identity. The experts in the scriptures rejected what they knew from the scriptures as not being a part of these current events. They wanted a Messiah who they could look up to. They wanted a Messiah who would fulfill their agenda against Rome. They wanted a Messiah who would do for them, that which they could not do for themselves - overthrow Rome and place them in even higher positions of power and authority. Once that happened, they would plot His overthrow yet again. Evil is never satisfied. But their agenda would never come to pass. Instead most would get total destruction in about forty years. Some would have a change of heart and believe in Christ, Acts 6:7.

The two criminals assailed Jesus with their verbal abuse as well. One of them will have a change of heart and will believe in Christ.

To what end and to what purpose were these insults launched at Jesus. Here is a man who did nothing wrong. A man who did only good and helped many thousands of people, but as we should already know, no matter what good God does for negative people, they will never be grateful. The giver of blessings is appreciated only while the blessings continue to come. When the people cease getting the things they desire, then their praises turn to curses.

Jesus had performed many thousands of miracles, but now allowed Himself to be arrested, beaten and now crucified. He was going to die. There was no miraculous defense, no surprise escape from the justice of Rome, no demonstration of the superior power of God against those in power. Jesus had become a great disappointment to the masses. He did not give them what they wanted.

It was true then and that kind of attitude is true even now in our current day. When people become discouraged, they resent God and life and anything and anyone that happens along. People are a self centered lot. It is in the nature of us all. We all get discouraged about life sooner or later. But the real difference which separates those who will be greatly blessed both now and in eternity, from those who will not be so blessed, is in the attitude of recovering back onto a spiritual growth path and getting back into Gods will.

Those who pick themselves back up and brush off the dust of this life and get back into their daily studies, to those will come tremendous blessings. But those who perpetuate themselves in their bitterness and such, those will lose out on tremendous opportunities.

Noon is only a couple of hours away now. T-minus two hours to judgment.

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