“2They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. [28] [a] 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself!32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.” Mark 15.27-32
Some of the gospel accounts include the dialogue between Jesus and the two thieves. This is a famous conversation between two guilty men and Jesus. One, as you will remember, is repentant and asking Jesus to save him. To this man, Jesus promises to see him this very day in paradise. The other thief hurls insults at Jesus and, even though he is hanging next to the only one who can save his soul, continues in hatred and sin.
As Jesus is hanging there upon the cross, strangers who would pass by him on the road would also insult him. “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself.” Those who said these words also rejected Jesus, mocked him, and made fun of him. The only problem with Jesus saving himself is that he would forfeit all of us along the way. He could not do both.
Then, the chief priests and Jewish teachers of the law mocked him, saying, “He saved others, but he cannot save himself.” Lastly, those who crucified him “heaped insults upon him.” These were the Roman soldiers who did the Jews’ dirty work of killing Jesus.
Jesus was bombarded on all sides. Was there no one who loved him? It was really only the women who followed Jesus, his mother Mary, and the disciple John who stood at the foot of the cross and mourned the death of the Messiah.
We live in a world where sin prevails. Sin is Satan’s greatest commodity. He wants us to eat it up, to indulge in it, to sell it, and share it. All around Jesus, as he was slowly dying upon the cross, sinners were showing their true colors by hating God and what he stood for.
But this is what we once were. As Paul writes, “It’s true that some of you once lived in those lifestyles, but now you have been purified from sin, made holy, and given a perfect standing before God—all because of the power of the name of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and through our union with the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11).
We too were once sinners; now we are the righteousness of Christ. We are made pure from our sin, so we do not need to sin or live in it any longer. Jesus Christ has made us holy.
Jesus’ death upon the cross was not for nothing. It was for our salvation and for everyone who believes upon the name of the Lord. “The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires,” (Romans 6:10-12).
“O Lord Jesus, you are good. In my body, there is a war waging against myself, or so says Paul. It is a battle of the spirit and the flesh. My spirit wants to please you, but the flesh wants its way! Help me to subdue the flesh and make it obedient to you. Forgive me, Father. Help me know the love of Christ and to live according to your Spirit. I trust you, Lord, and praise your name. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen