KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF LOVE || Lesson 36 

KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF LOVE

[With Reference to the Events Concerning Jesus’ “Passion,” note how Jesus’ love is amazingly displayed throughout and therefore ‘stand in awe of God, the Most High.’]

Lesson Thirty-six

At Golgotha (Calvary) – Cont’d. – Matthew 27:38-44 (Mark 15:27-32; Luke 23:35-43; John 19:25-27)

Matthew 27:38-44 – ³⁸Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

⁴¹In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴²“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. ⁴³He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, `I am the Son of God.'” ⁴⁴In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

V.38 – Since it was the custom to give those who were being crucified a cup of spiced wine to ease their pain, we assume that, unlike Jesus, these robbers drank it and therefore did not feel the full brunt.

Note that being in the middle signified that Jesus was the worst.  However, it was a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12 (AMP) – Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great [kings and rulers], and He shall divide the spoil with the mighty, because He poured out His life unto death, and [He let Himself] be regarded as a criminal and be numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore [and took away] the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors (the rebellious).

V.39 – This was a fulfillment of Psalm 22:7 – All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

MESSIANIC PASSAGES:  Note that Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 are among the Scriptures called “Messianic Passages.”  These passages plainly predict the coming of Christ and are not applicable to any other person in history.  See Acts 2:22-36.

V.40 – “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! – Thus the false accusation continued.  Compare John 2:19-22 – ¹⁹Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

²⁰The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” ²¹But the temple he had spoken of was his body. ²²After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God – Compare the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) and note Mark 1:13 – and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

We assume that angels were also attending Him on the cross, strengthening Him as had happened at Gethsemane (Luke 22:43).

Luke 22:43 – An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.

V.43 – This was also a fulfillment of Psalm 22:7-8 – ⁷All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: ⁸“He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”

Luke adds:  Luke 23:36-37 – ³⁶The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

V.44 – Luke adds:  Luke 23:39-43 – ³⁹One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

⁴⁰But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

⁴²Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

⁴³Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

V.43 – … “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” This is the Second of the “Seven Statements from the Cross.” Note that the “statement” was as a result of the repentance of the criminal.  See V.40-42 and contrast Matthew 27:44 – In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Application: Let us ask the GOD OF LOVE to help us to heed 1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

John adds: John 19:25-27 – ²⁵Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” ²⁷and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

V.26-27 – “Dear woman, here is your son,”  “Here is your mother.” This is the Third of the “Seven Statements from the Cross.”

General Application: With reference to Luke 23:43 (Second Statement), let us ask the GOD OF LOVE to help us to abide by Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.