Luke 23:35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
This verse always hurts my heart for a couple of reasons. The first being for the people who are making the comments about Jesus saving himself. I am sad for them that they do not understand who Jesus is and the love it took for him to endure the journey to the cross and then the cross itself. If Jesus saves himself, that is, if he comes down off the cross, then we would still be in the same predicament we were in before the cross. We would still be in the sacrificial system for ourselves. Our sin would not be atoned and we would still be in need of a Savior. Jesus can't save himself and save the world at the same time. It's just not how the system works. So, sadness for those who completely missed his purpose. The second reason this hurts my heart is for Jesus. I can't imagine loving someone so much that even in the midst of the horrible insults, the incredible pain, the lies and untruths being spoken you are able to stay on that cross and complete the calling of death, once for all. What must it feel like to have unrequited love at that level? To love someone so deeply, to the point of dying for him/her, and not have that love even remotely be returned? Unfathomable. I would have been like, "Alright fine. You people are on your own then. I'm coming down and you can be responsible for your own sin. I'm done." But Jesus, for the sinner's sake, for our sake, endured the cross and said, "It is finished." What an amazing, sobering, love.
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