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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
save H imself and save sinners. He could no t come down from th e cross w ithout sending us down to hell.— Sel.- v. 37. Superscription In Greek, L atin and Hebrew. The languages of reli gion, science and government.— Comp. Bible. It was w ritten in these th ree languages th a t it m ight be known and read of all men, bu t God designed by it to signify th a t th e Gospel of Christ should be preached to all nations, be ginning a t Jerusalem , and be read in all languages.-—Henry. v. 39. One of the. m alefactors. The th ree crosses which stood together on Mount Calvary are a continual emblem of our world. A dying Savior had on one side of Him an enemy and unbe liever and on the other side a friend and believer. Thus it is today in every p art of th e globe wher,e Christ is preached. Thus it is. in every Christian congregation, thu s in every household. ■—Adams. v. 40. The o ther answering. Note some of th e things th a t Jesus enjoyed in His la st hour: (1 ) Testimony of a robber (v. 4 1 ); (2) testim ony of a centurion (Mt. 2 T,: 54 ); (3) recognition as K in g * (2 3 :4 2 ); (4) recognition as Son of God (M t.'2 7 :5 4 ); (5) th e faith of a dying robber (2 3 :4 2 ).^-B everidge. The signs . of renewal w rought in the h ea rt of th e penitent th ief are th e sure work of th e Holy Spirit. There were the fear of God, th e sense of justice in his suffering, th e confession of evil deeds, th e recognition of o,ur Lord’s sinless ness and dignity and th e anticipation of His coming kingdom .||-Devo. Com. All about him was such as would ripen a man for heaven or for hell. He had heard all in silence, bu t now he can keep silence no logger. For in th a t plural “ us” th e other is seeking to draw him into th e same blasphemy w ith him self.— Trench. Dost n o t th o u fea r God? His words are more th an a protest. They are an appeal to awaken better thoughts, ju ster conceptions of Christ and a sense of his own sinfulness. His faith is thu s in stan tly proving itself by works. He is doing all' in his power to save his fellow, and then, in the hearing of th e other, he recognizes Christ as Lord and so adds to th e force of the direct appeal by draw ing the o th er’s thoughts to th e divine Sufferer who hangs between them .— Butler. / v. 42. Said un to Jesus, Lord, remem ber me. The thief could not use his hands and feet bu t his h ea rt and tongue were free, th e very organs called into
his opponent to the dust. This was the outcome of thè age-long conflict be tween th e seed of th e woman and the serpent. Satan has the power of/d eath and a t last succeeded in bringing the Son of Man beneath his sceptre. His trium ph was short-lived and apparent only. David cut off Goliath’s head w ith th e g ian t’s own sword. Through death Jesus destroyed him th a t had th e power of death. The Seed of th e woman placed his pierced heel upon th e ser pent’s head and stamped him to de struction. v. 33. They crucified Him. Crucifix ion was not a Jew ish punishment. It originated among the Phoenicians, from whom it passed to th e Greeks and R o m a n s . The K eith L. B rooks c r u c ifi x i o n of COMMENTS EROM Jesus was uncon- MANY SOURCES sciously avenged by th e Romans, who, a fte r th e fall of Jerusalem , cruci fied so many Jews th a t th e re was neither wood for th e crosses nor rodm to set them up. The protracted agony of crucifixion sometimes lasted for days, death being caused by pain, hunger and th irst. Jesus was crucified on a cross w ith four arms, as is proved by a title being placed over His head.—Dumme- low. v. 34. F a th e r, forgive them . Noth ing could sour our Lord and stir His good-will into malice, His serene benev olence into wild revenge. How is it w ith me? Are my foes able to maim my sp irit as well as my body? Do they win th e ir end by making me a sim ilar man? or am I magnanimous even on the cross?— Jow ett. v. 35. Derided Him. Of th e th ree who hung upon th e crosses, only the sinless One was th e b u tt of ridicule du r ing H is dying agonies. The world hates a holy man more th a n it hates a bad one. Passers-by, ru lers, soldiers and even th e m alefactors united in ridiculing Him (Mt. 27:39, 44). This ridicule broke th e h ea rt of Jesus because He loved those who mocked Him (Ps. 69: 20). Jesus made no reply to all their reviling (1 Pet. 2 :2 3 ). The religious leaders were th e most prom inent per-: sons in th is reviling of Christ.—Tor- rey. v. 37. Save thyself. He could not
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