He Could Have

“’He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.’” (Matthew 27:42 Scofield Study Bible)

The scoffers never really got it. These men were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of Israel, but they never perceived the truth. Jesus applied the prophecy of Isaiah to them which said that they would be ever seeing but never perceiving.

The taunts of these leaders of Israel were nothing more than that. They said they would believe if Jesus came down from the cross. This statement rings hollow, because these were the same folks who said that Jesus cast out demons by the prince of demons. People who are determined to not believe are not going to believe, regardless of any parameters they may set. So their taunts were just taunts. They would never believe.

The reality is that Jesus could have easily come down from the cross. He could have called on 12 legions of angels, but what would that have accomplished? What needed to be accomplished was being accomplished already on the cross. That was something far bigger, far more encompassing than the immediate situation revealed. Jesus was achieving the possibility of the redemption of mankind, and that required that He remain on the cross to take upon Himself the sins of mankind, so that the possibility of the forgiveness of sins might be offered to the world.

While it pains us to think of all the suffering Jesus endured through the crucifixion, we also come to the realization of gratitude that we have now been made right with God through the blood of Jesus, through faith in Him. For this we are eternally grateful.

Lord, What You did for us is almost beyond believe, unimaginable. Yet, You remained on the cross so that we might know You and know what a life of fulfillment is really like. We thank You. Amen.