◄ What Does Matthew 27:42 Mean? ►

"He saved others; He cannot save Himself He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.

Matthew 27:42(NASB)

Verse of the Day

Some of the truths that are recorded about the Cross are so shocking and so profound that they shake us to the core of our being, when we begin to comprehend the significance and poignancy of the eternal meaning behind them.

How true that the Lord Jesus had saved others for He went about doing good. Yet, as these very words were being spat out of the mouths of those who ridiculed Him at the foot of the Cross, our Saviour was bleeding, dying, and bearing the weight of the sins of the world so that even those who were taunting him might be redeemed by His blood. And so He prayed: "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

Had Jesus so chosen to do so, He could have saved Himself from the punishment of the Cross. He could have called on myriads of angels to 'save' Him. But had He "saved Himself," as the sneering, scornful mockers were tempting Him to do, He could not have saved you, and He could not have saved me. Had Christ come down from the Cross, He would have condemned the human race to an eternal hell; separation from God forever.

Praise God that Christ did "save others," you and me. And praise God that He chose not choose to save Himself, for by dying on the Cross He paid the price for the sins the world and redeemed mankind. And because He paid the price, all who believe on Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

May we never be those who join with the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders, doubting and mocking Christ, but may we be those who, like the centurion, gaze at our Saviour and say: "Truly, Jesus is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world." And may we give Him all the thanks and praise and glory, now and forevermore.

My Prayer

Father God, forgive me for my lack of understanding of all that it meant for Christ to suffer on the Cross for me. Thank You that He chose to remain nailed to the Cross and to pay the price for my sin so that I might live eternally. Praise His holy name, AMEN.