THE WIDE MIX OF EMOTIONS AT THE CROSS – EASTER MESSAGE FOR GOOD FRIDAY
[A]. INTRODUCTION
Crucifixion was not an unknown event. The people in the Roman Empire were familiar with this cruel means of execution. That day outside Jerusalem’s city wall when three men were crucified at Golgotha, did not raise many eyebrows, yet this was not going to be any ordinary execution. Things were not normal.
For a start a voice spoke from heaven to the astonishment of those around. Secondly it was recognised that Jesus was special, so much so that one thief repented and was saved. Thirdly, this happened – {{Matthew 27:51-54 and behold, THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS TORN in two from top to bottom, and THE EARTH SHOOK and the rocks were split, and THE TOMBS WERE OPENED and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now the centurion and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “TRULY THIS WAS THE SON OF GOD!”}}
Indeed this was a special occasion and added more mystery for those who were interested enough to take note of the events that occurred. I want to look past all that today to hone in on THE EMOTIONS AT THE CROSS. This is a subjective study as we try to open people’s lives and feelings. Let us begin.
[B]. THE EMOTIONS THAT GATHERED AT THE CROSS
NUMBER 1: THE WORST OF ALL – HATE
I called this the worst of all because the hate was intense, demonic and brutal. It was unreasonable and could only be explained by what was satanically inspired. Satan is not omnipresent and he himself can only be in one place at one time. Be very sure Satan was in Jerusalem for all the passion week. He possessed Judas and controlled the religious leaders who called for Jesus’ death.
Chief among the haters were the chief priests, elders, and scribes with their bedmates, the Pharisees. In Jesus’ ministry, on one occasion He said, {{“He who is not for Me is against me.”}} (Luke 11:23). There is no grey area. How many viewing the execution as ghouls were against Jesus? My opinion is that it included the majority including the mockers who cried, {{Matthew 27:39-40 and those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”}}
Hate is spiteful and vengeful. We see that everywhere in Islam, but it stems from Satan who hated from the beginning of his sin against God and heaven. Hate will increase in this world as mankind departs further from God. With Satan on their side, the hate of the enemies of the Lord at the cross were indescribable.
NUMBER 2: FROM SATAN AGAIN - CONFUSION
How many at Calvary that day were in confusion? They could not comprehend the events played out before them. I suppose we could ask of today’s world, “Do you understand what is happening in the world, and why it is?” People know there is evil everywhere and some care and some don’t. What the world does not appreciate is that there is a war between good and evil. The same was so at the cross.
Many in the general populace at Jerusalem accepted Jesus as a man who did good and a worker of miracles, even though they would not commit themselves to the Saviour. Some knew not why he was being killed for doing good to others.
You see, what people miss is that Jesus died for the sins of the world – MY SINS – and the transaction at Calvary made it possible to be made right (righteous) with God. Satan does not want people to have true 20-20 vision about the true condition of their lives so they can turn to God for forgiveness. Confusion reigns everywhere and Satan, the angel of light who operates in utter darkness, loves it that way. Blind, confused men can’t find God. At the cross ignorance prevailed.
NUMBER 3: FROM MAYBE A FEW - SORROW
Who at the cross would be sorrowful? Not too many I would assume, but I would think one or two might have been there whose eyes had been opened to spiritual realities, and who had been healed in miracles. They would not have realised the truth then of {{John 12:32-33 and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die,}} but they had sorrow because the One who healed them was being crucified and they did not know why.
The disciples would be included here. Can you truly appreciate what it would be like to spend the whole of three and a half years with Jesus; to know He had come from the Father, and share meals, travel, ministry and so much more, then to have that One snatched from them? The whole joyous experience suddenly came to an end. The faithful women had this sorrow too.
Who had the greatest sorrow that dark day? These verses answer that question – {{Luke 2:34-35 and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed - AND A SWORD WILL PIERCE EVEN YOUR OWN SOUL - to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”}}
The sorrowful sword pierced Mary’s soul that day, and in sorrow, Mary went to lodge with John at the Lord’s request.
NUMBER 4: THE DISCIPLES’ DILEMMA - HELPLESSNESS
What could they do? Jesus was snatched from them at Gethsemane and they were powerless to do anything. In fact they ran away. They felt complete helplessness. But Jesus had prayed for His disciples, and though Simon Peter is in focus in the verse, I am sure all the disciples were covered in prayer – {{Luke 22:32 “but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail, and you, when you have turned once again, strengthen your brothers.”}}
The Marys at the cross felt helplessness as some others may have, but a greater plan was being worked out at Calvary none understood. In time they did.
When evil rears its satanic head, people feel more and more helpless. This is how many are feeling in my nation and I know also in the USA and Britain. Mini-dictators and Marxist governments are taking control of people’s lives and we can do nothing about it. We are helpless, but the Lord has not left us abandoned. We understand what is happening.
Helplessness becomes evident largely when injustice mounts up to overtake all before it. That is how it was for the disciples and other followers of the Lord who could do no more than look on a scene of despair. They observed in dejection but had no solution.
NUMBER 5: THE ENEMIES’ REJOICING - DELIGHT
Yes, there were those who watched at Calvary with delight and glee. How can a human being look on the torture and hurt of another and take delight in that? It happened in Israel on October 7th 2023 when Hamas tortured, raped, beheaded infants, murdered and abducted innocent people, and the terrorists’ own atrocities, were the cause of their sadistic delight.
It happened at the cross when the chief priests and scribes and the elders and the Pharisees and Sadducees stood with joyful delight at the death of the Son of God. Their hearts were black while held in chains by Satan. Now they are in the chains of hell. The high priest rejoiced.
After the resurrection, the disciples’ sadness was turned to joy, but when these people who delighted at Christ's death, died themselves, their delight turned to the greatest remorse and pain in hell.
Do not delight in the downfall of others. It is a relief when butchers and criminals are taken down but these words come from God – {{Ezekiel 18:21-23 “If the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practises justice and righteousness, he shall surely live. He shall not die. All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him. Because of his righteousness which he has practised, he will live. DO I HAVE ANY PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF THE WICKED,” DECLARES THE LORD GOD, “RATHER THAN THAT HE SHOULD TURN FROM HIS WAYS AND LIVE?”}}
NUMBER 6: THE DEPTH OF REGRET - SHAME
Peter’s well-meant claim that he would not deny his Lord was spoken in full human assurance, but it was no more than that; the frailty of human resources that snapped at the first test it met. He failed three times and went out and wept bitterly. Such bitter tears of failure, regret and shame! There must have been regret there as well.
Of all people looking at the crucifixion that day, it was Peter who was flooded with utter failure and shame. He must have felt the lowest of human beings and he would never forget that look that came from the Lord after the third failure. It was not a look of hate but one of compassion, love and acceptance. God never abandons one of His failed saints but wraps His arms around them to hold then close.
What a wonderful God of forgiveness we have and that is the whole story of the cross. It is the centre of forgiveness – the repentant thief knew that, and so do we who have trusted the Lord for salvation. Peter’s shame was turned into deepest devotion and service.
NUMBER 7: THE COMPASSION OF THE HUMAN HEART - PITY
In the NASB translation “pity” is used only once in the New Testament and it was when Jesus was asked this – {{Mark 9:22 “and it has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him but if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”}} Only the Lord can have true pity but I wonder were there those who felt pity for the Lord of all creation on the cross?
Perhaps there were, and if so, did it change their lives?
NUMBER 8: THE GREATEST POSITIVE EMOTION OF THEM ALL - LOVE
We love Him because He first loved us. Jesus came into the world and many women ministered to Him. There were the several Marys and others who loved the Lord. They were at the cross and their love was not destroyed. They loved the One so abruptly and savagely taken from them. Just one in particular – Mary of Magdala – she had been delivered from demons and her love was unbounded. We will speak about her in the Resurrection message.
You know it was love that was the motivation for the cross – {{John 3:16 “for God SO LOVED THE WORLD that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life”}}. The cross is the beacon of the love of God for a fallen world. Our response should be nothing less than total devoted love and commitment to the Lord.
[C]. BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU – YES, YOU?
What do you think of all this? If you were at the cross on that Good Friday, what would your emotions have been? In spite of what people think they would do, nearly all would have felt great opposition, even hatred towards the Lord because Satan works with great deception and delusion.
Jesus said this once – {{Matthew 12:30 “HE WHO IS NOT WITH ME IS AGAINST ME and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”}} There are only two camps, no middle one. You are either with Christ or you are against Him. You either gather with the Lord or you are scattering in Satan’s service. Most at Calvary were against Him. We also would have been against Him as well.
Looking at the scene that day, those people gathered there, what were their attitudes? Maybe indifference was the greatest emotional attitude – “Well I don’t know any of them so I don’t care. It’s not my concern.”
There were those who were judgmental. “Well they probably deserved being hanged. Criminals, no doubt. Serves them right.” The judgmental attitude is very common among people living on this earth. Being critical of others without a desire to know the truth is becoming all too common these days. No doubt there were some who were sympathetic but could do nothing. “This seems a bit extreme and it belongs to the Romans, not to us Jews. It is all too sickening to watch.”
Yet one more group would have been there. They would say, “I don’t care. None of my concern and it does not affect me.” Ahh BUT it does affect you. Your acceptance or rejection of the crucified Saviour affects your eternal future. How shall you escape if you neglect so great salvation?
When the Lord touches your heart there is a dramatic change the bible calls being born again, and God uses words such as repentance, reconciled, justified, redeemed, saved. It speaks about coming to the kingdom of light from the kingdom of darkness. We are plucked as burning sticks from the fire, given a new nature, made partakers of the Holy Spirit being sealed by Him. We have an inheritance in heaven that is undefiled and eternal, and made sons and daughters of the living God and heirs of the kingdom.
None of that we deserved but it was grace that overcame, for it is by grace we are saved. We have the righteousness of Christ but deserved nothing. God’s grace, mercy and love were on display at Calvary where sinful man and Satan did their worst to destroy the sacrifice. We love Him because He first loved us and gave Himself for us.
[D]. LET US DRAW NEAR TO THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE OF EMOTION AT CALVARY – LET US LOOK AT THE LAMB OF GOD
If we had only the New Testament then we would be scratching to understand what were the emotions of Jesus that day on the cross for the emotional aspect is not really covered by the 4 Gospel writers. In the past, and currently to some extent now, the Catholic church sees Jesus in a mystical light, far above us mere mortals. This attitude was portrayed in many of the old paintings and icons with an insipid, emotionless Jesus, almost detached from real life.
In the New Testament Jesus was tempted in all points as we are (emotions) yet without sin. We see Jesus weep (Lazarus’s tomb); moved with compassion (two blind men); yearned and desired Jerusalem to turn to Him (Matthew 23:37); anger at those misusing the Temple and there are a lot more.
To understand the great range of emotions for the Lord at the cross we must turn to the Old Testament, especially the Messianic Psalms 22 and 69, and to Isaiah. I want to list what we find there, just briefly.
PSALM 22
Psalm 22:2 I cry by day and have no rest.
Psalm 22:14 I am poured out like water.
There are so many inferences derived from these in the Psalm – forsaken; I am a worm despised by men, a reproach; trouble is near with none to help; my bones are out of joint; my heart melts like wax; bands of human dogs and evildoers surround me; save me from the lion’s mouth.
PSALM 69
Psalm 69:3 I am weary with my crying.
Psalm 69:7 because for Your sake I have borne reproach. Dishonour has covered my face.
Psalm 69:10 When I wept in my soul with fasting,
Again more inferences in this Psalm – {{Psalm 69:2 “I have sunk in deep mire and there is no foothold; my eyes fail; those who would destroy Me; borne reproach; do not let me sink; may the floods not overflow Me; do not hide Your face; I am in distress;”}}
Psalm 69:20-21 “Reproach has broken my heart, and I am so sick, and I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They also gave me gall for my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”}}
ISAIAH 52 AND 53
Think of the emotional turmoil that would have lain behind these following statements:
{{Isaiah 52:14 “Just as many were astonished at you, My people, so His appearance was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.”
Isaiah 53:3 “He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”
Isaiah 53:5-6 “but He was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”}}
The Lord endured the vilest hate of man and Satan and we will never know the emotions our dear Lord endured for us so that the fight against sin might be won. No matter what others might think of Jesus, or use His name as a means of cursing, we love Him because He first loved us and gave Himself for us.
THIS IS PART OF A POEM OF MINE :-
More than others, see that body marred.
Behold Him on that cross of grief.
Hung there; from the human race debarred.
See for Him, there was no relief.
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The Lord crushed Him, putting Him to grief;
But in His mouth was no deceit;
And on either side they nailed a thief,
But one of them was made complete.
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King He was, but in appearance not.
Those who gazed saw no attraction,
And His stately form you would not spot.
Sinners wanted no transaction.
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Was there any joy for the Lord at the cross or were His emotions only sorrow and grief? Yes there was joy – {{Hebrews 12:2-3 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.”}}
At this Easter time may the Holy Spirit give us a whole new appreciation of what the Lord has done for us.
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
