_THE PASSION_ ‘When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death.’ Matthew 27:1 I. OUR LORD’S EXAMPLE.—Christ is given us that all men should follow the example of His great humility. We pray that we may follow the example of... [ Continue Reading ]
_PILATE’S QUESTION_ ‘Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?’ Matthew 27:22 ‘What shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?’ Pilate in his relation to Christ is typical of many to-day. I. THE EXPRESSION OF A MISERABLE INDECISION.—Many a man face to fa... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHRIST REFUSING HELP_ ‘They gave Him vinegar to drink … and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink.’ Matthew 27:34 Why not? The Cross was to be endured with full consciousness. I. ENDURANCE TO THE END.—What is our lesson from this last act of self-denial of Jesus Christ? Is it not this... [ Continue Reading ]
_ON THE CROSS_ ‘Then were there two thieves crucified with Him.’ Matthew 27:38 I. CHRIST CRUCIFIED WITH MAN.—That there might be no doubt about the disgracefulness of the Saviour’s sufferings, He was hung between two thieves. The Saviour’s life entered into the life of humanity at its blackest.... [ Continue Reading ]
_APPARENT FAILURE_ ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save.’ Matthew 27:42 We must face the fact that Jesus, Who died, is in the world to-day. I. APPARENT FAILURE OF THE MASTER.—Judged by the ordinary standards of the world, and according to the capacity of the men who saw the Crucifixion, the... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHRIST FORSAKEN_ ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’ Matthew 27:46 A darkness had overspread the land, and there was darkness in the Saviour’s soul. We may not follow Him, but the awfulness of it we may partly understand from the exceeding bitter cry: ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou fors... [ Continue Reading ]
_‘HE DESCENDED INTO HELL’_ ‘And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb.’ Matthew 27:59 I. THE DESCENT INTO HADES.—The peace of the grave is only an image of the true, deep, conscious peace of the unseen world into which Christ passed... [ Continue Reading ]