And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!" Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him. --Mark 15:29-32
Oh the irony! Here are the people as well as the chief priests and the Scribes mocking the One who did only good... Here are the chief priests finally speaking truth in regard to Jesus. He did save others...He had healed many, but instead of honoring Him for it, they despised Him for His good and returned evil upon Him.
Unbelievably, but in fulfillment of Scripture...see Isaiah 53, Psalm 2, and Psalm 22....they were mocking, reviling and crucifying Jesus, the Son of God...the Messiah, who had committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth. Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. They crucified the very Man who, had He saved Himself that day, could not have saved us. Instead, He obeyed His Father and loved us to the very end...
Jesus is our example. I look at verses like these and am overwhelmed. Jesus was cruelly and horribly treated by men, and yet, He submitted to His Father to the point of the death of the cross. He did not answer His attackers back. In fact, He offered them forgiveness...He died to save them. I am to do as Jesus did...to walk as He walked. Do you see why these kind of verses could overwhelm? This CANNOT be done in my own strength. Without Him I can do nothing BUT I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can do all things when I surrender to the Spirit of God dwelling inside me. Jesus is not only our example...He is our strength and our power. He enables us and empowers us to follow Him. In Him we are strong and mighty...even when and especially when, we are weak. In fact, take pleasure, the Scripture says, in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions and in distresses for Christ sake. This is when the power of God will rest upon you as you cry out to Him. Pray and watch His grace abound!
The next time you are offended, think of Jesus surrounded by evil and overcome the offense with love. Overcome evil with good.
