“All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head” (Psalms 22:7)  

As He was dying on the cross, it seemed everyone was relieved no angels came to His rescue. They probably thought, after He’s dead, everything will return to normal. “The chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him’” (Matthew 27:41-42). Judas had mocked Him with a kiss; the Sanhedrin and Herod abused Him; the soldiers had crowned Him with thorns and mocked His royalty; and now, at what seemed to be the end, everyone piled on. 

 Imagine our Savior, after hours of terrible pain, hearing the sinners he came to save, rejoicing that he was soon to die. Why didn’t they have pity, at least at the end? Each sinner had his own reasons. One sinner was relieved that soon Christ would no longer be able to remind him of his guilt. Another deluded himself that the signs and wonders didn’t portend the Day of the Lord. Most were thinking, “Now we can return to normal. Who was He, to tell us, ‘you must be holy as God is holy?’”. You can tell if people have deep scars by the way they act. It was fitting, at the moment their Savior and King was suffering for them on the cross, they rejoiced, “We don’t need a Savior! We don’t need a King! We’re fine, just the way we are!”. 

Oh, Jesus, "despised and rejected by men", how could You die for men who treated You this way? This is love amazing, love divine, yes, love beyond measure. We, too, despised You and rejected You before you opened our eyes. But we admit, we continue to love the world in our hearts. Help us to remember the words of the Apostle Peter: “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

 “Thy creatures wrong Thee, O Thou sovereign Good! Thou art not loved, because not understood: This grieves me most, that vain pursuits beguile Ungrateful men, regardless of Thy smile”.