Seeing And Believing

by Merchant, P. | Category: Voice From The Cross | Oct 1996

Just like delicate snowdrops giving welcome colour to a British cemetery on a cold spring morning, so the miracles at Calvary gave hope to that appalling scene of suffering. People who were there saw and believed.

There were miracles - signs of God's power - at Calvary. In the garden of Gethsemane on the night before He died, the Lord responded with unmerited compassion when one of his enemies had his right ear severed by an angry Simon Peter. Jesus healed the man's injury instantly(l).

Later, during His suffering on the Cross, 'From the sixth hour until the

ninth hour darkness came over all the land'(2). Creation was affected when Christ suffered. At the time of the day when the sun would normally be at its brightest, darkness descended for three hours. God the Creator exercised His power to disturb the created order that day and used darkness as a sign of the evil for which His Son was suffering on our behalf. 'He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree'(3). And the darkness added to the terrible loneliness of the Saviour by separating Him from His relatives and disciple who were keeping their vigil at the foot of the Cross.

Let us not forget the miracle that did not happen at Calvary. The Lord challenged those who arrested Him, 'Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?'(4). But Jesus did not appeal for this assistance. Instead He went back down the valley and through the city gate to endure a mock trial followed by execution. He denied Himself the luxury of a miraculous escape.

When Jesus died, 'At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom'(5). The Jewish Temple had an inner room, the Holy of Holies, and the curtain covering this sacred place was torn. 'From top to bottom' indicates a complete tear. This act of God was His method of showing His displeasure with the worship of the Jews. Their way had now been replaced by a heavenly Holy Place into which there is access through His Messiah, Jesus Christ. 'We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God' (6)

Changed at the Cross:

The crucified criminal had received the assurance of forgiveness and eternal life at Calvary. The hard-hearted centurion, who would have crucified many other people before, saw what happened when Jesus died, and exclaimed, 'Surely He was the Son of God'(7). He had watched the way the Lord accepted His suffering, had

heard His cries from the Cross, overheard His words of hope to the thief. All this struck deep into his heart. Yes, at the end of that day the centurion knew he had participated in an unjust execution.

The crowds who had turned up to see this common spectacle of crucifix-ion were also mourning Jesus' death. The previous hours had jolted them into seeing how different was the Man on the centre Cross. 'They beat their breasts and went away' mourning His death(8). Joseph, a wealthy, secret disciple, was provoked into action by the Cross. With courage he went to the Romans and requested Jesus' dead body in order to give Him a dignified burial(9). He was granted his request and with his friend Nicodemus they buried their Lord. The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee were unshaken in their love and went away from Calvary to prepare spices for His body. Their practical service continued, even in His death.

In recent issues of Needed Truth the brief contemplations on the Voice from the Cross have given us insights into the suffering of Christ and its effect upon those who were there. Let our gratitude to Him be like the thief, our actions be as the obedience of John, and our response have the courage of Joseph. 'Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed'(10).

(1) Luke 22:51;

(2) Mat. 27:45;

(3) 1 Pet 2:24;

(4) Mat. 26:53

(5) Mat. 27:51

(6) Heb. 10:19-22;

(7) Mat. 27:54

(8) Luke 23:48;

(9) Luke 23:50-54

(10) John 20:29.

Biblical quotations from the NJV

Merchant, P. | Oct 1996
Voice From The Cross