Insulted and mocked

Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads….

In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him….

In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                       Matt. 27.39, 41, 44

It seems that Jesus is insulted by all parties. The claims He made were thrown contemptuously at Him. The Greek word for in the same way – hómoiōs means ‘to do likewise’. In other words, the people mentioned were all acting in the same way. They were copying each other. It’s as if they had caught a common disease, that of mocking God.

But God will not be mocked. I wonder what price those people paid for their actions!

Another aspect of this passage that comes to me is how wrong we can be. All of the mocking and disdain did not change God’s plan of redemption. Jesus overcame, and did so gloriously. We can say, or do, nothing that diminishes or minimises God’s power and authority.

Two things come out of this meditation for me to ponder. The first is: How do I treat God? Do I ever mock, or disbelieve, or distrust? Or do I treat Him with honour and respect, allowing Him to be my mighty God? And the second issue concerns His might. I can be assured, irrespective of what is said or implied by others, that God is supreme. He is my God, my Saviour, my Overcomer. Hallelujah!

O Mighty God,

I salute You as my Saviour and my Lord. You are sovereign in my life and master of who I am and what I do. I pray that I will never dishonour You with my thoughts, words or actions. May I respect You in all things. Let me praise You with my life and living.

I bow at Your feet. I pay homage to You in love and thanksgiving. Lead me through this day, to Your praise and glory, in Jesus’ name I ask.               Amen.