Read: Mark 15:29-32
And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” (vv. 29-30)
As we see in Luke’s Gospel, while Jesus was being crucified, he said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Those who crucified him—and there were many guilty parties—not only didn’t know what they were doing; they didn’t know what they were saying either.
The words in our text today were, of course, meant as an insult: “Jesus, you think you’re so powerful that you would be able to destroy the temple and rebuild it. Look at you now! Let’s see your superpowers now and come down from the cross!” The word “Aha!” tells it all.
Those are hard words to listen to. But the fact of the matter is, Jesus could have come down from the cross. But he didn’t. And the reason he didn’t is because of his wonderful love. He stayed on the cross so that we could receive the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Staying on the cross and dying there proved that the love of Jesus for us was without limit. If he had come down from the cross that would have meant that there was something he was not prepared to suffer. But he went all the way through with it and died to save us. —John Koedyker
As you pray, thank the Lord for his limitless love.
About the Author
Rev. John Koedyker has been a pastor in the Reformed Church in America for more than forty years. His ministry began in Japan where he served as a missionary for ten years. After that he has served churches in Iowa and Michigan. He has served as the Stated Clerk of Muskegon Classis, RCA, for the past sixteen years and also presently serves as pastor of congregational care at First Reformed Church of Grand Haven, Michigan. John has written a number of times previously for Words of Hope and he has a bi-monthly religion column in the Grand Haven Tribune. He is married to Marilyn, and they have four grown children and seven grandchildren.
