Gospel

Baiting Him On the Cross

by Roland Crim
07/18/18
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. Matthew 27:38-44 NIV

Even as Jesus hung, dying on the cross, the insults and taunting did not cease. I am sure the evil one was egging Him on, just daring Him to come down from the cross to prove that He was the Son of God. Just as Jesus had not taken the devil’s bait by turning stones into loaves of bread, He had no intention of disturbing the Father’s perfect plan for mankind’s redemption.

What Jesus must have felt. No one else would be able to endure the amount which our Lord endured. He did this out of love for the Father, and out of love for fallen mankind.

Those present at His crucifixion would have no more believed that He was the Son of God if He had come down from the cross. This was just baiting by the evil one. We are so blessed that our Lord remained on the cross, suffering beyond our comprehension, that we might have a way to be reconciled to our creator. Thank you for enduring the suffering for us Jesus, that through You we might have eternal life.