What aspect of God is revealed by the persecution of the Lord Jesus? What aspect of God is revealed by the putting to death of the Lord Jesus?
The Lord Jesus’ persecution expresses the love of God, and His being put to death expresses the righteousness of God.
If the earthly life of the Lord Jesus had expressed only righteousness, there would not have been so much opposition. But since He received the tax collectors and sinners, the Lord Jesus expressed love also, not just righteousness. This is why the Pharisees criticized Him (Matt. 9:11). When the Lord Jesus healed the sick on the Sabbath, the Pharisees took counsel to destroy Him (Matt. 12:10-14). The Lord Jesus answered the disciples of John the Baptist, saying, “Go, report to John the things that you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; and the dead are raised and the poor have the gospel announced to them; and blessed is he who is not stumbled because of Me” (Matt. 11:4-6). Everything that the Lord Jesus has done here is grace. He said, “Blessed is he who is not stumbled because of Me” because He was afraid that some would be stumbled because of His abundant grace. The Lord said, “There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and to none of them was Elijah sent, except to the city of Sarepta of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them were cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:25-27). This also expressed love because a widow is a most pitiful person, while Gentiles were despised by the Jews. After the Lord said these words, the people in the synagogue were filled with rage. They rose up to cast Him out of the city, intending to throw Him over the cliff. During His entire life, the Lord was under persecution because whatever He did expressed God’s love.
The Lord’s death, however, shows forth God’s righteousness because He bore man’s sins on the cross. He was judged by God and He fulfilled the requirements of the law.
We thank the Lord that He first becomes the Friend of sinners, and then He becomes the Savior of sinners. He first loves us and then works so that we can believe and receive the redemption He has accomplished on the cross.
Home | First | Prev | Next