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Jesus Dies on Calvary
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They also gave me gall for my food,
And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Psalm 69:20, 21
To those who were put to death on the cross, it was permitted to give
a stupefying drug to deaden the pain. But when Jesus had tasted it,
He refused it. His faith must keep hold on God, His only strength.
To cloud His senses would give Satan an advantage.
Priests, rulers, and scribes joined the mob in mocking the dying
Savior. The Father’s voice from heaven had earlier witnessed to
Christ’s divinity. Now it was silent. No testimony was heard in His
favor. He suffered alone.
“If You are the Son of God,” they said, “come down from the
cross.” “Let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of
God.” Satan and his angels, in human form, were present at the
cross, cooperating with the priests and rulers who were joined in a
satanic frenzy.
Jesus heard the priests declare, “He saved others; Himself He
cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from
the cross, that we may see and believe.” Christ could have come
down from the cross. But because He refused to save Himself, the
sinner has hope of pardon and favor with God.
One Crucified Thief Believes
One gleam of comfort came to Jesus on the cross—the prayer
of the repentant thief. Both men crucified with Jesus taunted Him
at first, and one only became more desperate and defiant in his
suffering. But his companion was not a hardened criminal; he was
less guilty than many who stood beside the cross insulting the Savior.
He had seen and heard Jesus but had been turned away from Him by
the priests and rulers. In trying to stifle conviction, he had plunged
into sin, until he was arrested and condemned.
On the cross he saw the great religious leaders ridicule Jesus.
He heard his companion in guilt take up the abusive speech: “If You
are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But among the passersby he