515
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
November 1930
likely the leader. Look at the picture! the beloved Son of God dying like a common malefactor in the company of the vilest criminals! This also was the fulfillment of prophecy (cf. Isa: 53 :12, 9 where “His grave” stands, no doubt, both for His death and burial, though it has been suggested that the translation should be: “His death was appointed with the wicked” ; which, if true, would exactly fit the actual circumstances of the case), [Isa. 53 should be very carefully read in connection with this chapter. The substitutionary nature of Christ’s sufferings is very clearly taught in verses 5 and 6 , and their justifying nature in verse 1 1 : “by the knowledge o f him shall my righteous servant justify many"]. 28— T H E SCRIPTURE W A S FULFILLED , etc.— This verse was apparently not written by St. Mark, but was added by a later copyist; it is none the less true. W A S RECKONED W IT H TH E LAW LESS ONES— Lawlessness is sin (cf.: 1 John 3 :4 ). He was therefore reckoned among sinners, not only by man, but by God Himself, that He might deliver us from sin (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21). 29— RAILED ON H IM —The word is the same as our -word “blasphemy,” and indeed it was blasphemy in the common accep tation of the term (though in Greek blasphemy means railing against men as well as against God). THOU TH A T DESTROY - EST TH E TEMPLE— They remembered the words which (be cause they misunderstood them) they thought evil. This mock ery was foretold in the Old Testament (cf. Psa. 22:7, 8 ). 3d—SAVE TH YSELF— [Such was also the demand, at first, of the malefactors who were being crucified with Him (cf. Matt. 2 7 :44), of the soldiers (cf. Lk. 23 :36, 37), and of the Scribes and Pharisees]. O f course He could have saved Himself, but He could not save both Himself and us. 31— TH E CHIEF PRIESTS MOCKING— The word sug gests more of malicious joy than that applied to the passers-by; the priests and Scribes thought they had attained a great victory; never were men more deceived. HE SAVED OTHERS, etc.— This should be read: “He saved others! him self he cannot save!” It is not at all conceivable that the priests and Scribes would admit, even to each other, that He had ever saved anybody; to have done so would have been to condemn their whole procedure as a piece of the grossest injustice. Yet the words as commonly read are emphatically and blessedly true; He did save others, but could not save Himself because there were yet millions more to save. 32— CHRIST TH E K ING OF ISRAEL— This is an ascrip tion (though in mockery) of a wider dominion than that of “King of the Jews.” It is remarkable how throughout that awful day His enemies were led to ascribe to Him that royalty -which was ( Continued on Page 517) The Flower of Gratitude The story of the ten lepers whom Christ sent away to be healed, and who were healed as they went, is often duplicated in our day. Nine of them went their own way, perhaps going home to tell their friends in their great gladness, leaving but one to return to thank Christ publicly for His mercy. There is no reason for believing that any of these ten men were not sincere and good— they all had faith enough to be healed—but only one o f them had the beautiful grace of gratitude. Christ seems to have felt hurt that the others should have been so lack ing. God loves beauty. He covers the rock with mosses, and the hillside and the forest with flowers. He looks for the flower o f gratitude in us. It is not enough that we are good. We ought to be good in as gracious and as beauti ful a way as possible .— Watchman Examiner.
TO CRUCIFY H IM— They had no further use for Him, so they hasted to be rid of Him. 21— TH E Y COMPEL ONE SIMON , etc.— That is, they “impressed” him. It was a case of conscription, as the word sig nifies. Simon was a passer-by. Christ had borne the Cross part of the way (cf. John 19:16, 17) but had probably been found too weak to bear it all the way. COMING FROM TH E COUN TRY— Perhaps for the Paschal Feast or, which is more likely, from the field (the word will bear either interpretation), that is, from his daily toil, as it was not the feast day. What a memorable meeting for Simon 1 ALEXANDER AND RUFUS—Well known characters, evidently (cf. Acts 19:33; Rom. 14:13) . There is no evidence that the evil Alexander of the Epistle to Timothy was the same person. 2—TH E Y BRING H IM UNTO A PLACE— The word used indicates the application of force, with either active or passive résistance. Here the resistance was passive. _ He allowed Himself to be taken. What a picture! The divine submitting to human force! GOLGOTHA !— That is, the place of a skull [Calvary is the Latin form of the same name, with the same meaning]. Golgotha was outside the city gate. This was necessary in order that the Mosaic types should be fulfilled (cf. Heb. IS :12 ; Ex. 29: 14; Num. 19:2, 3 ). It is noteworthy in this connection that the leper had to be put outside the gate (cf. Lev. 13:45, 46). Christ took our sins (o f which leprosy was the divine type) and so became subject to the law of leprosy for us. 23— W E R E G IVING H IM W IN E MINGLED W IT H MYRRH— [St. Matthew says, “vinegar mingled with gall," but vinegar means sour wine, and the word translated “gall” means something bitter, so there is no real discrepancy]. This was given by the Jews to the victims of crucifixion to stupify them, and so deaden the pain. Its being offered to Christ was foretold by the Psalmist (cf. Psa. 69:21). H E WOULD NOT TA K E IT TbSb far from desiring to be delivered from the Cross, He in sisted on paying the whole penalty and enduring the utmost- punishment of sin (cf. John 18:11). 24— H AV ING CRUCIFIED H IM— Crucifixion was not only the most excruciating, but was considered the most shameful kind of death, fit only for slaves. This form of death was prophesied of Christ ages before (cf. Psa. 22:14, 16). TH E Y D IV IDED H IS GARMENTS— The clothes of the condemned criminal were the perquisites of the executing soldiers by Roman law. CASTING LOTS— But the lots were only cast for the seamless robe (cf. John 19:23, 24). This robe answered to that worn by the priesthood which was to be rent (cf. Ex. 28:31, 32). 25— iIT W A S TH E TH IRD HOUR— That is, nine o’clock in the morning. [St. John says that Pilate delivered Him at the sixth hour, but he almost certainly reckoned the hours as we do, that is, from midnight, (cf. John 1:39). They could not have stayed with Him “that day“ if the tenth hour had been four o’clock in the afternoon]. 26— TH E SUPERSCRIPTION OF H IS ACCUSAT ION— It was the Roman custom to put the crime for which the offenders were executed over the cross, having previously borne it before them on the way to crucifixion. K ING OF TH E JEWS— [A good deal has been made of the variations of the title as recorded by the four evangelists, but there is no actual discrepancy, only partial quotation ; the full title appears to have been JESUS OF N A ZAR ETH TH E K ING OF TH E JEW S ], It is noteworthy that Pilate could find no other crime than that of suggested sedi tion against the Emperor : Christ was therefore crucified for speaking the truth [He had admitted His kingship, (cf. verse 2 )]. It is remarkable how repeatedly Christ’s enemies were led to bear (unwillingly or unintentionally) witness to His authority and essential position. 27— W IT H H IM T H E Y CRUCIFY TW O BRIGANDS— Members, probably, of the band of which Bar-Abbas was most
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