Mark 15:21-32, The Passion of Christ (4)

We have spent a long time at the cross of Christ, which, of course, is a good thing.  The cross and the empty tomb should be part of daily meditation.  And we are still at the cross as we return to our verse-by-verse study through Mark’s Gospel.  We are under the same title, “The Passion of Christ,” picking up where we left off just over a week ago.  (There might be some duplication.)

·       15:22: “Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.”  Golgotha is from the Hebrew/Aramaic term; Skull is from the Greek.  The Greek term was became “Calvary” in Latin.  Why did this location have this name?  1) Possibly it was littered with skulls from previous executions, an explanation with very little evidence.  2) Possibly it looked like a skull, a thought that captured Gen. Charles Gordon who popularized the site in the 1800’s.  3) Possibly because Adam’s skull was at the base of the cross, which is the Catholic tradition behind the location inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  4) Possibly because Goliath’s skull was in the area, having been brought to Jerusalem by David (1 Sam. 17:54).  As you should know by now, I favor the sight that Gen. Gordon identified, not because it looks like a skull although that is possible, but because it fits Gen. 22:14, that salvation would be provided in “the land of Moriah;” and because it aligns with Leviticus where all the sin offerings involving a lamb were to be killed on the north side of the altar (cf. Lev. 1:11, etc.); and because it is outside the city (Heb. 13:12); and because it was by a busy road where many could see (Jn. 19:20).  The exact location is not important, but the truth of God’s word IS important.

·       15:20-22: “led … brought.”  There is an interesting possibility here.  They “led” Him out to Golgotha, but He was unable to bear His cross so they enlisted Simon to help.  Then it says they “brought” Him to the place.  “Led” means to be “led.”  “Brought” is a Greek term that clearly means to “carry.”  It is possible He was so weakened by all that had already taken place that He had to be carried.  In God’s plan, Jesus would not die somewhere short of the cross.  He must be lifted up.

·       15:23: “wine mingled with myrrh.”  We have already noted that the point here is that Jesus was not interested in this anesthetic that would reduce His pain.  This took place when Jesus was first on the cross; it was the only hint of Roman mercy for those being crucified.  You will remember that later, Jesus said “I thirst.”  In terms of the “seven sayings of Christ” from the cross, He only said “I thirst” after the darkness, after “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me,” and shortly before He would pronounce, “It is finished” and then “into Thy hands I commit My spirit.”  We refer to this as “the fullness of suffering.”  Why did Jesus want to endure all the suffering?  This sounds like someone with a “martyr’s complex.”  It is not, of course.  Let’s continue this in our next post.

Mk. 8:34; Lk. 9:57-62, The Privilege of the Cross

Mark 8 is “pivotal” in the literal sense.  There is a pivot in Jesus’ training of the twelve.  The pivot first comes in Jesus’ life when He tells them that He is heading to Jerusalem where He will suffer at the hands of men and then be raised from the dead.  The pivot in the twelve is that following Him so as to be made “fishers of men” has now come to, “if you want to follow Me as I go to Jerusalem and the cross, you must deny yourself and take up your own cross, and continue in My footsteps.”

Dr. Luke had this pivot in mind giving us the same message in Lk. 9:23-26.  Then, in v51, Luke says He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.  The pivot was first in the heart, but not only in the heart; it became evident in the trip planning!  All who would follow Christ were/are privileged to bear the name of the Messiah.  But what privileges or benefits accrue to those who follow Christ?  Here are a few!

·       Lk. 9:57-58: discomfort and inconvenience.  “The Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”  Material blessings are not guaranteed.

·       Lk. 9:59-60: a strong sense of urgency.  “Let the dead bury their own dead but you go preach the kingdom of God.”  Someone else will set your daily schedule.

·       Lk. 9:61-62: commitment.  “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” 

Before we move on, note that all three of these things you can see in Jesus’ life and ministry.  If you follow Him you must “follow Him.”

·       Mt. 8:23: storms.  The disciples “followed Him” into the boat, and suddenly they were covered with waves.

·       Mk. 6:1: opposition.  They follow Him to His own country where the local synagogue rejected Him.

·       Lk. 22:39: temptation.  They followed to Gethsemane and encountered temptation.

These are real “privileges,” in that you only get them by following Christ.  But let us note some other benefits promised to those who follow Him.

·       Mt. 19:27-30: rewards, now and later.  Peter asked and Jesus answered: all who have left all to follow Me shall receive and inherit bountifully.

·       Mt. 28:20b: the presence of Christ.  As we make disciples as He did, He promises to be with us in power for that ministry.  What a blessing!

·       Rev. 19:14: In this passage, the moment of Jesus’ return to earth, those who have followed Him are still following Him.  That’s pretty amazing to think about.

I am reminded of the words of Jim Elliot: “He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”  And then there are the words of Paul: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.  (2 Tim. 4:7-8)

Luke 23:35-49, At the Cross (B)

 (The conclusion of meditations on those who were "at the cross" when Jesus died.  What did they think? or say?)

·       v47: The centurion glorified God.  He had seen the entire event.  He had seen Jesus’ attitude and heard His words.  Father, forgive them.  Today you will be with Me in Paradise.  Into Your hands I commit My spirit.  He had experienced the three hours of darkness in the middle of the afternoon.  And he watched as Jesus breathed His last.  In a Pastoral role, and as a father, I have seen people breath their last, as did this centurion.  No matter how you approach it, or try to make it “normal,” it is a profound event, a deeply emotional moment.  The man put his faith in Christ.  Certainly, this was a righteous man.  Those words and that heart glorified God!

·       v48: The remaining crowd beat their breasts.  They mourned.  The crowd knew of Jesus.  They knew of His message, His claims, His miraculous signs.  Perhaps they stayed because they were sure He would “come down from the cross.”  But He didn’t come down.  He stayed on the cross, shedding His blood for the sins of all who were gathered there that day, and all who ever lived and would ever live, and you and me.  But the crowd did not understand this.  For them, whatever hope Christ was to them, He died and they lost all hope.  They mourned, and then the next day would get up and trudge on.  They would leave behind the death of the One who claimed to be the Son of God!

·       v49: His acquaintances stood at a distance.  They were filled with confusion.  They had seen His greatness in the miracles and teaching.  But they had not understood His humility.  Nor could they make sense of He will rise again (Lk. 18:33).  That would come later.  For now, those who had followed Him from Galilee, and had been close to Him, stood at a distance.  Wondering.  What in the world has happened?  What do we do now?

All these people saw the same event.  But the thoughts varied.  Two believed in Jesus that day.  As for the rest, don’t think that many that day were not, as two men later put it, hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel (Lk. 24:21).  Honest men who think deeply know something is not right.  Their conscience tells them that.  They know, as one criminal put it, that they are under condemnation!  Death is always a reminder of this.  Which is why people need to come to the cross of Jesus.  They need to get close to death, His death.  They need to hear that this Man has done nothing wrong.  But through this Man’s death, sinners have been “redeemed.”  The price has been paid for sin.  (God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).  Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness (1 Peter 2:24).  Through this Man’s death, you too, the day you die, can be with Him in Paradise.  You too can glorify God!  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Luke 23:35-49, At the Cross (A)

Biblical Christianity considers the cross of Jesus the center-point of history.  When the gospel is preached today, it is a call for people to go to the cross.  The cross is the only place where men created in God’s image can honor their Creator.  I don’t know what your thought is on the importance of the cross.  But I would guess it is akin to at least one of the people who were there, in person, that day.  Dr. Luke gives us a picture of the crowd that was there.  What were they thinking?

·       v35: The people stood looking on.  The general crowd was apparently not saying much.  Jesus, being crucified in the Roman way, was in a location where large numbers of people would see Him.  Not on a hill far away, but on a roadside just a few feet away.  As these people “stood,” they likely had some understanding of who this was.  They stopped, even momentarily, their Passover-busy day, and stared, and filtered whatever they knew of Jesus of Nazareth through the lens of extreme suffering and shame.

·       v35: The rulers were sneering.  That’s because they are what the Bible calls, “the workers of iniquity.”  In 3 ½ years they had never been able to put Jesus in His place with their arguments, their tricky questions, their attempts to turn the people against Him.  But now they had “won.”  Let Him save Himself if He is the Christ.  Death is irreversible.  Jesus would soon be dead and they would be able to get on with life, fleecing the flock of Israel, living the life of ease.  When you think you have the upper hand, you want to broadcast it.  So, they sneered.

·       v36-38: The soldiers also mocked Him.  These are not the rulers.  The soldiers knew little or nothing of who they making fun of.  But that was what they did.  They were putting someone through excruciating pain, killing them, all of which is a heavy burden on the soul.  Ask modern day soldiers who have been in live conflict.  You need a diversion for your mind and heart just so you can go to sleep at night.  So, you make it a game.  If you are the King of the Jews!

·       v39: One of the criminals blasphemed Him.  He is about to check out of this life, suffering a horrible death.  Yet, he has not come to reckon with the issue of sin and guilt.  Or perhaps he has heard the rulers sneering and he repeats their line: if you are the Christ!  Why would he think Jesus would save him?  I would guess he didn’t really expect Jesus to do anything.  He was mimicking the religious leaders but he wasn’t religious.  Like so many people, he had gone through his life without considering the consequences for his actions.  The Roman consequences.  And the Divine after-death consequences.

·       v40-43: The other rebuked him and entreated Christ.  The other feared God.  He did understand that he was on a cross for a good reason, and that his death would not be the end.  He still had a date with his Creator.  For some reason, he had a thought that Jesus could help him with the Divine encounter.  I suppose he had heard of Christ before this eventful day, hearing enough to know this Man has done nothing wrong.  And if He has done nothing wrong, and yet is on a cross, and is not complaining, and if perhaps the criminals both heard Jesus forgive those who were driving the nails into His hands and feet (v34), then perhaps He really is a King, and knows that He also will have an after-death encounter with the Creator, and will receive a King’s reward.  I don’t have to have all the “ifs” and “perhaps” correct to know that this man put his faith in Jesus, confessing his sins and confessing Him as “Lord.”  

 (We will conclude these meditations in tomorrow's post.) 

Heb. 13:8-16, The Power of the Cross (4)

The Language of the Altar (Sacrifice)

·       The sinner was in need of an adequate sacrifice, the shedding of blood.  As we have seen, everything we have considered was dependent on the blood of the Savior shed on the cross.  Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Heb. 9:22).  For generations, men sacrificed animals.  Day after day, year after year.  For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins (Heb. 10:4).

·       The Savior, Jesus Christ, was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29).  This Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God (Hb. 10:12). 

·       The cross was the altar on which Christ was sacrificed. Unlike the blood of bulls and goats, the blood of Christ offered to God is able to cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hb. 9:14).  This altar was outside the gate of Jerusalem, and it is where Christ suffered (Heb. 13:10-12).

·       The choice is faith in Christ.  Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.  For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come (Heb. 13:13-14).

The Language of the Morgue (Quickening)

·       The sinner is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13).  Not lethargic.  Not lazy.  Not unconscious. DEAD!  Though Adam and Eve lived hundreds of years after they sinned, yet they died spiritually when they sinned.

·       Of the Savior, Jesus Christ, it was said: In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (Jn. 1:4).  And again, He said, I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (Jn. 10:10).  To give life He had to destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release who through the fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Heb. 2:14-15).

·       To destroy the one with the power of death meant that He, the Savior, had to die.  Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up (crucified), that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (Jn. 3:14-15).

·       The choice is one of faith.  Jesus said: Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believe in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life (Jn. 5:24).

There are “constants.”  The sinner is hopeless in every language.  The Savior is just that, the Savior, in every language.  In Rome the emperor was called “Savior” because they depended on him to meet their needs.  He himself, the emperor, was doubly hopeless: in need of a sinner and unable to redeem his citizens from sin.  In every language, the key is Christ on the cross!  Every language!  And the only response to receive from the Savior is to receive the Savior.

Psalm 97

This great Hymn begins “The Lord reigns.”  Several Psalms in the “90’s” begin this way (93,96,97 and 99) while two others make specific reference to the Lord as “King” (95:3; 98:6).  God displayed great wisdom when Israel requested a king.  First He gave them Saul, a man who was everything the nation would have wanted in a king.  Then He gave them David, the man after His own heart.  One disobeyed God; one inquired of God and followed God’s leading.  Thus God reigned over His people through David, as well as all of David’s descendants that walked in David’s footsteps.

Another display of God’s great wisdom and unsearchable ways (Rom. 11:33) is the connection between David and the promised Messiah.  In Christ Jesus both David and God would reign at the same time for He is both Son of David and Son of God (Luke 1:32; Rom. 1:3-4).  God has set His Son on My holy hill of Zion, promising to give to Him the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth as His possession (Ps. 2:6-9).  God will reign over the entire of creation when every knee bows to Christ (Phil. 2:9-11).

For all this, it is no wonder that the words The Lord reigns should be attended by the cry, Let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad (97:1)!  And given the world of evil in which we live, it is no wonder that all the earth has not bowed the knee to God.  The distinction is clear between the wicked and the righteous.  And further, to love the Lord is to hate evil.  If it is not this way in our lives then we are clearly in rebellion against the Lord who reigns!

How do we know it is the Lord, YAHWEH/Jehovah, the God of Israel, who reigns?  It is because He is the only real God.  Ps. 97:2-6 describes the awesomeness of God.  Likely the Psalmist has been transported back to Mt. Sinai where all of this was visible to Israel.  The combination of what the Israelites saw (clouds and darkness, fire, lightnings, etc.) and what they received (righteous and just Laws) showed them a God who could be counted on.  Every other so-called god would put to shame those who served them.  From v7 the gods (Heb: elohim) who were carved images (something made by man; Ex. 20:4; Isa. 44:9-20) were mere idols (nothing, empty, worthless).  Only the Lord, YAHWEH, is the most high (Heb: elyown) above all the earth … exalted (Heb: alah) far above all gods.

Here’s something sad to think about.  There is a time coming when all the earth will see the fearfulness of the awesome God, in ways even more powerful than at Sinai.  And the Bible predicts that when men see this they will not repent of their sin (Rev. 16:8-11).  They will not fear God nor give Him glory (Rev. 14:6-7).  They will neither rejoice nor give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name (Ps. 97:12).  What about today?  Will I rejoice in His Kingdom?  Will you?  There is only one way to humble ourselves before God, and it is to humble ourselves before His Son who is the Lord (Jn. 14:6; Rom. 10:9-10).  THE LORD REIGNS!

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Psalm 97, In Light of the Names of God

Again we would like to meditate on one of the Psalms, giving careful thought to the names of God.  As in Ps. 96 (see last Sunday’s post), this Psalm is a call to joy and gladness (v1).  But the description of the LORD is heavy (v2-5).  Clouds and darkness surround Him, righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne, a fire goes before Him to burn up His enemies, His lightnings light the world, the earth trembles, and the mountains melt like wax at His presence.  In a phrase, we are called to rejoice and give thanks when we think of His “holy name” (v12).

The joy is not the result simply of the LORD’s judgment on His enemies.  His enemies are, in fact, called to stop being His enemies, recognize His glory, turn from their idols and worship Him (v6-7).  The fact that the LORD deals with His enemies, who are Israel’s enemies also, brings joy to Zion as He carries out His judgments (v8-11).  Thus, they are called to rejoice in the LORD.

Now consider the references to God in this Psalm.  First, note the reference to “gods” (elohim) and the term “idols” (things that are nothing, that are empty and worthless), both in v7.  We saw this in Ps. 96.  But note the call that is issued in v7: Worship Him, all you gods.  The term elohim means “mighty ones.”  It is used of angels and also of important and powerful men, as well as “gods”, but mostly of God.  Yet, an idle is nothing.  Its “mightiness” is bound up in the person who made it and worship’s it.  That person considers himself to be mighty.  Thus, the call to worship YAHWEH, is given to the mighty one who made the idle; “gods” that are nothing have nothing to offer the LORD in worship.

The most prominent name is YAHWEH (LORD), the God of Israel, appearing six times.  But it is not the only reference.  In v5 we read of the presence of the LORD and the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.  Both refer to the same Person.  He is Israel’s God (LORD); and He is the Master or Strong One (Lord).  The Hebrew is not “Adonai” (only used of God) but “Adown” (used 335 times in the OT, 31 times of God, and the rest to various lords and masters on earth). 

There is another name to note.  In v9 YAHWEH is said to be most high above all the earth.  This is not the name “El Elyon” (God Most High) but simply says He is “elyon” (most high).  The adjoining line has a synonym, that He is exalted far above all gods (elohim).  The root idea of this term is “strength.”  But I found it a bit humorous as in one attempt to define the term the author used the term muchness.  I wasn’t sure there was such a word, although having “googled” it, the British apparently are allowed to use this word for “greatness in quantity or degree.”  I laughed, not because the LORD doesn’t fit such a description, but because, when we are trying to describe the infinite LORD, we sometimes find ourselves out on the far edges of the English language.  He is truly incomprehensible!

Isaiah 55, The Power of the Cross (3)

The Language of the Marketplace (Redemption)

·       The sinner is enslaved to sin (Rom. 6:17; 7:14).

·       There is redemption in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:24).  In other words, He is our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).

·       The cross is where the redemption (the ransom) was paid.  The price was the blood of the sinless One.  In Him we have redemption through His blood (Eph. 1:7).

·       The choice is always a choice of faith in Christ.  But that choice becomes our “lifestyle,” not just a one-time act.  We were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Cor. 6:20).

The Language of Wrath (Propitiation)

·       The sinners are by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3).  We were in need of propitiation, someone to satisfy God’s righteous wrath.

·       The Savior had to made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people (Heb. 2:17).  He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 Jn. 2:2). 

·       It was on the cross that Jesus was set forth by His Father as a propitiation by His blood (Rom. 3:25).

·       The choice is one of faith.  The propitiation is through faith (Rom. 3:25).  He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (Jn. 3:36).

The Language of the Courtroom (Justification)

·       The sinner has no righteous standing before God.  They are all under sin.  As it is written, ‘There is none righteous, no, not one (Rom. 3:9-10).

·       The Savior fully satisfied the righteous demands of the law (Rom. 8:1-4).  Therefore He became the LORD our righteousness (Jer. 23:6).  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

·       Again, this legal agreement was secured at the cross: having now been justified by His blood (Rom. 5:9).

·       The choice is one of faith.  It cannot be by our works, our accomplishment, but must trust the Savior and His work on the cross.  A man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law (Rom. 3:28).  But to him who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, His faith is counted for righteousness (Ro. 4:5).