Matthew 27:39-40 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,… I. WHAT THEY DEEMED HE COULD DO. "Himself He cannot save." 1. He could. It was not in the power of man. 2. He could not. He would fulfil the Scripture. II. WHAT THEY ALLOWED HE COULD DO. (S. H. Simpson.)When originally spoken. I. Implied a critical position. II. Expressed a mistaken view of religion. The men who saw the Saviour dying thought exclusively of the present; were more concerned for pain and physical deprivation than for sin; argued from self-love to the salvation of others. III. Witnessed unconsciously to the principle of atonement. A moral necessity compelled Him to die: the righteousness of God had to be vindicated; He could only save others (in the deeper sense of the word) by self-sacrifice. The great question with us all now should be, not "Could He save Himself?" or "Could He save others?" but, "Has He saved us — has He enfranchised us from self?" (A. F. Muir, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,WEB: Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, |
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