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Author: Stephen Weller
684 words, 4 minutes read time

Jesus Is Derided

Scripture: Matthew 27:39-40, 43; Mark 15:31-32; Luke 23:35-37

With the previous lesson we finished the section in which Jesus and the two criminals were nailed to their respective cross, a sign attached to the cross Jesus hung on, and his clothing divided among the soldiers. With this lesson we begin a new section which covers the time Jesus was alive on the cross.

M^{t 27:39} And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” ^{Mk 15:31} So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. ^{Lk 23:35} let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” ^{Mk 15:32} Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” ^{Mt 27:43} He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ^{Lk 23:36} The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine ³⁷ and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”

In Hebrews 13:12 (ESV), we learn that “Jesus suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.” Thus, as people went to and from the city of Jerusalem, including many pilgrims that came for Passover, they saw Jesus on the cross and they derided him for claiming to have supernatural power and yet remained nailed to the cross. They cried out to him and said that if he was who he claimed he was then now was the time to prove it.

Jesus claimed that by faith through him one could be saved but now in their minds he is seen as a fraud because he cannot save himself. These who derided him see their Messiah as a great political leader who would lead them to victory over Rome, not as one who was to provide deliverance from the bondage of sin and death and provide spiritual life. They wanted to see him cry out in victory pull his hands and feet free from the nails and come down from the cross fully restored and draw the people together in great power and lead them in victory over Rome, but such a victory would only be temporary as another empire would arise in the future to again overcome Israel when they backslide into sin.

However, God is forming an eternal kingdom from those who believe in the work Jesus is completing on the cross, and one day Jesus will bring that kingdom to earth is great power in victory over the kingdoms of the earth, but now this is the time for these sinful men to commit their evil as God converts it to our good in providing our salvation. Now we who are evil, God can draw to himself and cause us to be born again (Ephesians 2:4 – 5).

This sour wine or “wine vinegar” was the ordinary wine the soldiers drank, and it appears that by offering Jesus a drink they intended to prolong his suffering by quenching his thirst. Perhaps they were providing him more time to save himself, but Jesus needed to die so they could be saved through the salvation that he was in the process of purchasing.

Conclusion

The clock is ticking towards the time of death for Jesus. He is being derided for claiming to be the Son of God but now in his time of need he appears defeated and unable to save himself; totally helpless. I am sure the powers of darkness were rejoicing in the victory that would soon be theirs, but little did they realize that a resurrection would soon follow, and their enemy would rise with overwhelming power to judge them and condemn them to an eternal hell.