Luke 22:63, 64 And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.… In these touching words, which we cannot read without a sentiment of shame as members of the human race, we have - I. A PICTURE OF SUPREME ENDURANCE. How much our Lord was called upon to endure, we shall be best able to realize when we consider: 1. The greatness of which he was conscious (see ver. 70). He knew and felt that he had a right to the most reverent homage of the best and highest, and was thus treated by the worst and lowest. 2. The power which he knew he wielded: with what perfect ease could he have extricated himself from these cruel insults! 3. The character of the men who were maltreating him - the lowest amongst the low. 4. The nature of the indignities to which they subjected him; these went from bad to worse - from binding him to beating him, from beating him to spitting upon him, from this most shameful indignity to the yet more cruel sneer at his holy mission," Prophesy unto us," etc. They vented upon him the very last extremes of human contumely and shame. II. A PICTURE OF SUBLIME PATIENCE. He bore it all with perfect calmness. Here shone forth in its full lustre "the meekness of Jesus Christ." "When he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not;" "As a sheep before her shearers," etc. And wherein shall we find the source and explanation of this sublime patience? 1. He was bent on bearing, to the full and to the end, his Father's will. 2. He was determined to complete the work he had undertaken, and of that work those sufferings were a part. He was then "wounded for our trangressions," then he was "bruised for our iniquities," and by those "stripes were we healed." APPLICATION. 1. Like our Divine Master, we ore called upon to endure. In doing those things we believe to be right of which others do not feel the obligation, also in abstaining from those things we feel to be wrong, which other people allow, we come into conflict, we excite displeasure, we incur odium, we suffer censure, opposition, ridicule; we "bear his reproach." Thorough loyalty to our Lord and to our own convictions means exposure to the assaults and indignities of the world. 2. We have the highest incentives to endure. (1) As with our Master, it is the Father's will that we should suffer. (2) As with Christ, it is an important part of the testimony we are to bear and the work we are to do in this world. (3) Only thus can we completely follow our great Leader; he who does not go with Christ into the valley of humiliation does not follow him all the way he trod. (4) So doing, we are building up a strong Christian character, and are thus preparing for fuller and higher service. (5) Then are we especially, pleasing our Master, and "great is our reward in heaven" (Matthew 5:10-12). - C. Parallel Verses KJV: And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. |
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