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Rejection and Mockery
April 24, 2016
When Jesus was crucified, He suffered not only the agonizing pain of the cross, but also the humiliation, rejection and mockery heaped upon Him by His fellow Jews. He was smitten, taunted, lied against, and rejected as "just another local boy". He was falsely accused of trying to overthrow the Roman rule of Judaea. - Bernie Parsons
Rejection and Mockery
A sermon by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 04-24-2016
Presented to Load church of Christ on 05-01-2016
In the last lesson, “Lifted Up”, I talked briefly about the rejection
and mockery that Jesus endured at the hands of both His Jewish brethren
and the Roman soldiers. Today, I wish to examine a bit more deeply the
rejection and mockery of Jesus.
The rejection began when the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus as the
Messiah, the Christ.
John 1:40 "One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have
found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou
art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by
interpretation, A stone."
John 4:25 "The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which
is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he."
John 1:9 "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world
knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of
the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace
and truth."
Jesus was born into a common family, but was the Messiah that had been
promised.
Mark 6:1 "And he went out from thence, and came into his own country;
and his disciples follow him.
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue:
and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man
these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even
such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and
Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And
they were offended at him.
4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his
own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon
a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief."
His own kinsmen and neighbors rejected Him because of His humble
beginnings.
As we studied last time, the Jewish leadership rejected Him and sought
to kill Him.
John 10:31 "Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my
Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but
for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."
Caiaphas preferred that Jesus die in hopes of preserving things as they
were.
John 11:47 "Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council,
and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans
shall come and take away both our place and nation.
49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same
year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for
the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he
prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together
in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to
death."
Jesus was humiliated before the Jewish religious leadership.
Matthew 26:59 "Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council,
sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they
none. At the last came two false witnesses,
61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God,
and to build it in three days.
62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing?
what is it which these witness against thee?
63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto
him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be
the Christ, the Son of God.
64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you,
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of
power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken
blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have
heard his blasphemy.
66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote
him with the palms of their hands,
68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?"
The Jewish leaders falsely claimed that Jesus had tried to lead a
rebellion against Rome.
Luke 23:1 "And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto
Pilate.
2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting
the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he
himself is Christ a King."
Yet, Jesus had not taught any such thing.
Matthew 22:17 "Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to
give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye
hypocrites?
19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render
therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the
things that are God's.
22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and
went their way."
The false accusation of Jesus as a insurgent against Rome was His
alleged crime.
John 19:19 "And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the
writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was
crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek,
and Latin.
21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The
King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written."
Even as He agonized upon the cross, the religious leaders mocked Him.
Mark 15:29 "And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads,
and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in
three days,
30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.
31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with
the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may
see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him."
