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.)
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