Mark 15:25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. I. "We may learn something from the fact that our Lord was actually put to death like an ordinary criminal. All of the evangelists call attention to the circumstance of Christ's having been associated with two malefactors crucified at the same moment. Thus Pilate makes the two robbers intensify Jesus' shame in the eyes of the multitude. Each one of the common people who saw the sad spectacle, would inevitably draw the conclusion that Christ was the chief malefactor of them all. The terrible humiliation of the death which our Saviour suffered is thus made apparent. But the power of this scene is, singularly enough, deepened by this very particular. We call to mind as an illustration of such a statement the tale of Colonel Gardiner's conversion, — a tale so remarkable that it has remained historic for more than a hundred and fifty years. He was a gay military man, without any virtues to commend him, licentious, profane, and intemperate. One Sabbath evening he had been carousing in company with some roystering comrades; late at night he retired to his chamber. There his eye accidentally lighted upon a book entitled "The Christian Soldier; or, Heaven taken by storm." He took it up to ridicule it, but fell asleep while it lay in his hand. He dreamed: he thought he saw a prodigious blaze of light shining upon the volume; raising his eyes to know what was so suddenly bright overhead, he saw suspended in the air a vivid representation of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross; distinctly then he heard someone saying, "This I did for thee; what hast thou done for Me?" Struck to the very depth of his conscience, he was wakened instantly; at once, filled with contrition, as a sinner he sought peace and found pardon for his soul II. We may learn, also, something from the record that this form of death was a fulfilment of prophecy. Mark says that when Jesus was "numbered with transgressors," the scripture "was fulfilled." III. We may learn, once more, something from the account given of the taunts which our Lord received. It would appear that all sorts of people joined in this sarcasm. The passers-by "railed," the rulers "derided," the soldiers "mocked;" even the thieves "reviled" Him. The utmost ingenuity in invention of jibes and epithets seemed to grow in demand that awful morning. The lesson here is plain; the patience of our Lord is simply wonderful. How He could bear all this contumely and reproach passes under. standing. IV. In like manner, we may learn something from the sudden darkness which Jesus endured on that day. This darkness is to be understood as symbolical of God's horror of sin even when borne vicariously by an innocent Christ. How an impenitent man can hope to have audience with his Maker, so as to implore and obtain pardon, when even Christ was left in the darkness unpitied, passes all comprehension. V. We may likewise learn something from the grief of our blessed Lord when He found Himself deserted. VI. We may learn something, also, from our Lord's rejection of the draught proffered for His relief. What an example of self-sacrificing fidelity there is here for us! How little courage we have when our day of trial comes on! Jesus had always been the embodiment and pattern of dutifulness and affection in His Father's sight; He was not going to shirk and shrink and fail now. He told His disciples once in simple sincerity just what was His purpose: "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me." VII. Finally, we may learn something from the cry which oar Lord uttered as His "great voice" at the last. It was really a shout — a shout of triumph. There is great significance in the fact that not one of the inspired biographers says Jesus died; they all agree in an unusual form of speech which preserves the notion of His entire voluntariness in the surrender He made to death's power. He "yielded" His soul, He "gave up" His breath — such are the expressions; but the adversary did not gain the victory: it was Death that died in the conflict. What this cry was is told us in the Gospel of John — "It is finished!" His entire work was done. The Lord standeth sure now for the believer. It is recorded of a dying minister, one of the faithfullest of modern times, that in his last hour his son asked him, "Father, are you comfortable now?" And he answered, "Certainly: why not? for I lie most comfortably resting upon the finished work of my Lord Jesus Christ." (C. S. Robinson.) Parallel Verses KJV: And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. |
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