30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 18 31-34 KNOWING THE THINGS THAT ARE SPOKEN OF HIM 05 God’s great love and His awesome wisdom
📖 Luke 18:31-34
20Oct2020 - *God’s great love and His awesome wisdom* - _Luke 18:31-34_ - KNOWING THE THINGS THAT ARE SPOKEN OF HIM 5 – Bible reading: _John19:1-16_
_Luke 18:31-32 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. (32) For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon._
Though the Lord had repeatedly told the disciples, with utmost importance, that He would be crucified, buried and raised the third day, the disciples did not understand or rather chose not to understand what He was seeking to make them comprehend.
We find that the religious leaders were behind the plan of crucifying Jesus. _Mark 15:1 Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate._
It is indeed horrifying to see that the entire council of Jewish religious leaders, in one mind, were determined to have Jesus crucified through the hands of the Romans, the Gentiles. Was there not even one voice in the council that took a stand and resisted the plan of the Jewish leaders? There was no one.
Why were they determined to have Jesus crucified? _Mark 15:10-13 For he (Pontius Pilate) knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. (11) But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. (12) Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?" (13) So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"_
Pilate conducted a mockery of a trial of Jesus and in this trial, he knew that Jesus was innocent as he found no fault in Him. He said so several times _(John 18:38; 19:4; 19:6)_ Yet, Pilate had Jesus mocked, insulted, spat upon, crowned with a crown of thorns, scourged and finally crucified. _(John 19:1-6, Matthew 27:27-31, Mark 15:17-20)_ Look at the extent of evil in man that a person who is declared innocent is being treated in this manner.
Both Jews and Gentiles, together, revealed the extent of their evil and twisted mind in the act of crucifying of Jesus. The entire crucifixion of Jesus is a witness to man’s sin. This is what man’s sin ultimately did to the Anointed One of God
_ Act 4:26-27 THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.' (27) "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together_
Let’s take a step back and assess what this means. Man is a sinner and is in need of a Saviour to be made righteous before God. God initiates action and sends His Son, who takes on flesh, lives without sin, though tempted, and therefore becomes the only person, who can be man’s substitute to take our sin upon Himself.
What should have been man’s response to the Saviour? We should have welcomed and embraced Him but we took action to put Him to death on the cross.
Man, on one side is the victim and needs a Saviour. Man, simultaneously, is the aggressor, who puts to death His Saviour. Let’s hold this reality on one side. Let us now take a look at Satan.
Satan, on one hand, is trying to prevent Jesus from going to the cross. _Matthew 16:21-23 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. (22) Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" (23) But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offence to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."_
Satan is also the one, who schemes to crucify Jesus on the cross. _John 13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him,_
Are we able to see the confusion in the camp of the enemy?
Man is in confusion, for he is both a victim, needing a Saviour and also an aggressor, taking Jesus to the cross. Satan is in confusion not knowing if he should prevent Jesus from going to the cross or to send Him to the cross.
In the midst of all of this confusion, God’s love and God’s wisdom prevails and the way of the cross is prepared for us to be reconciled back to God.
*Thought to ponder*
```Oh the love that drew salvation plan, Oh the grace that brought it down to man!```