Title: Seven Words on the Cross
Contents
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13. Behold, my servant shall prosper, and he shall be lifted up and exalted, and he shall be highly exalted.
14. Many were astonished at him, because in the past his appearance was worse than others, and his appearance was worse than men.
15. He will astonish the nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him, for they will see what has not yet been preached to them, and will understand what they have not yet heard.
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39. One of the evildoers on the run slandered, saying, Aren't you the Christ, save you and us?
40. One rebuked the man, saying, “Do you not fear God, though you are under the same condemnation?
41. Since we receive a fair reward for what we have done, it is only natural that there is nothing wrong with what this man has done.
42. And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43. Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise."
Content
Title: Seven Words on the Cross
Text: Isaiah 52:13-15, Luke 23:39-43
‘Horse’ is an abbreviation of ‘Ma Al’ and is also called ‘the grain of the heart’. This is why Jesus also called His Word “seed.” How we react to those words determines our lives. This is the teaching contained in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:5-15). The meaning of a word is determined according to whether it is said ‘who?’, ‘where?’ or ‘when?’. Today is the Sunday of the Passion of Jesus. I would like to think of the seven words Jesus said while suffering on the crucifixion. These are the words of the 4 Gospels. These are the seven words of Matthew and Mark, three words of Luke, and three words of John. These are the words of Jesus at the most important point in his public life. Therefore, the contents of the words also transcend time and space. It has a superuniverse meaning.
Even as Jesus ascended to death, when He saw the great crowd of women who followed Him, weeping and mourning for His suffering, He told them to weep for the misfortune they and their children would suffer rather than for His suffering (Luke 23:26- 31). Crucifixion, which was carried out by the Roman government at that time, was the worst punishment for the worst sinners. So it was a sentence that was not executed for those who had Roman citizenship. It was a sentence that was only inflicted on felons who were considered ‘human scum’. So the cross was the culmination of curses and misfortunes for both Greeks and Jews (1 Corinthians 1:18-25). But the Lord said that His death on the cross was “to glorify God the Father and You, the Son” (John 12:23-28), and it was for His people (Luke 22:19-20). This is the paradox of crucifixion.
These are the words of the Lord who was nailed to the nails in both hands and feet and hung on the crucifixion. 1) ‘Father, forgive them. for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). As much as the sin of knowing and committing (Psalm 19:13), the sin of ignorance is no excuse. This is a word to warn against the pride of all human knowledge and wisdom. It makes me think that the solution of all sins is with God, not with humans (Romans 3:23). It is also reminiscent of the intercession of our great High Priest Christ, who is still offering at the right hand of the throne of God (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 4:14-16). 2) ‘Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise’ (Luke 23:43). It will be the first fruits of salvation through the intercession of Jesus on the cross (Luke 23:34) and the way of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).
3) ‘Woman, behold your son’ (John 19:26). “Behold, thy mother” (John 19:27). It is a word that reminds us of the importance of blood relationship as well as spiritual blood relationship. It also reminds us of the lesson that love is always with us, wherever we are. 4) ‘Eli Eli Lama Sabachthani’ (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). This is a message shared by both Matthew and Mark. It reminds us that the reality of all sin is separation (Genesis 3), and the result is judgment (Hebrews 9:27). 5) ‘I am thirsty’ (John 19:28). These words remind us that the sufferings of Jesus on the cross were real. “Knowing that all things have already been accomplished” (Matthew 1:21), “that the scriptures might be fulfilled” (Psalm 69:21). 6) ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30). You just have to believe in that history (John 3:16). 7) ‘Father, into your hands I commit my soul’ (Luke 23:46).