Méditation sur la crucifixion : les paroles de pardon de Jésus au milieu de ses souffrances les plus profondes

We continue our meditation on the drama of Christ's crucifixion and the words He spoke while on the cross. To prolong the torture and pain, the Romans placed a piece of wood called a Sedile under Christ's feet so that the crucified person could support some weight and take another breath. His back had been flayed and was full of open wounds, so every time He pushed down on the Sedile to take a breath, His back must have suffered terrible pain as He moved against the cross. From all sides of the cross, blood was seen dripping from His hands, feet, head, and back. His face was barely recognizable due to the beatings to His face and head. Isaiah prophesied, “Just as there were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness” (Isaiah 52:14; emphasis added). Here’s how the New Living Translation translates it: "Many were amazed when they saw him beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know he was a person" (Isaiah 52:14 NLT). Luke wrote about the mocking of the religious elite:

³⁴Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. ³⁵The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." ³⁶The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." ³⁸There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. ³⁹One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" ⁴⁰But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong" (Luke 23:34-41).

If anything reveals the depravity of the human heart in the absence of God, it is this scene. How can anyone look up at the bloodied, beaten, disfigured Lord Jesus and utter such mocking insults with a sneer, “Let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One”? They did not understand that His mission was to be the Atonement, the One who would come to take away all sin. Jesus came to bear the judgment of sin in His body so that those who trust Him can be freed from sin and be born again spiritually. At its worst, humanity was allowed to express its enmity and hatred. Can you imagine the thoughts and pain of His mother, Mary, as she watched her Son bear our sins? On every side of Christ she looked at, His blood was dripping down. Yet, still, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." God, forgive us for how humanity has scorned and beaten You, the One who created us. Forgive us our sins, for Jesus' sake. Keith Thomas

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The YouTube video of this talk with subtitles in 65 languages is found at the following link: https://youtu.be/98EY8UNmpmk

The written notes are at the following link: study 63. The Crucifixion of Christ