And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled. (Mark 15:3-5)
One of the greatest weapons that the enemy is going to deploy against Christians in the end times is ‘false accusations’.
If these false accusations come from outsiders is understandable but when it comes from so-called ‘believers’, it's really heart-breaking.
satan is going to use Christians— including Spirit-filled Christians—in the last days to make statements against men and women of God, in both the pulpit and the pew.
The enemy has discovered that outward persecution cannot put a crack in our armor. The church has always grown when it has been persecuted. For example, the children of Israel grew in number when they were persecuted. When the early church was persecuted, the entire Rome became Christian. satan does not desire unity, but disruption from an eruption!
Therefore, when leaders in the church or people of influence in the church begin to complain and accuse, then the serpent will be spewing water out of his mouth to bring a flood. (Revelation)
Just make sure satan is not using you as His tool to spread his venom of lies and accusations.
David experienced this when the battle became long between the “house of David and the house of Saul.” Somewhat exhausted, David cried out, “I am weak this day though anointed king!” Even the most anointed people can become battle weary when the battle within the house seems never-ending.
“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. (Matthew 12:25)
Everywhere you see people posting expose’ of Christians ministers - it's never about a Muslim cleric or for that matter another religion (nothing against them). Why does it always have to be a Christian minister?
Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS. (Mark 15:25-26)
Lord Jesus carried all your accusations on the cross
The gospel of Matthew says that the soldiers “put a scarlet robe” on Jesus (27:27-28), The gospel of Mark says that “they clothed Him with purple ” (15:16-17), and the gospel of John states that the soldiers put “a purple robe” on Him (19:1-2).
There is no discrepancy here since the Gospel writers simply used the terms scarlet and purple interchangeably.
Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. (Mark 15:21)
This is a prophetic picture of intercession. Simon carried the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. He literally carried the burden of the Lord. Similarly, an intercessor carries the burdens of the Lord. They are not his burdens but he gladly carries them anyway.
And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!” (Mark 15:34-35)
According to a number of sites, including Wikipedia, the saying "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani" (or in Mark's version "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani") was originally in the Aramaic language.
History tells us that the Jews at that time spoke both Hebrew and Aramaic (plus some Greek), then why did they not understand what Jesus was speaking?
Twice Jesus was offered wine while on the cross. He refused the first, but took the second. Why so?
The first time came in Mark 15:23, “they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.”
According to an old tradition, respected women of Jerusalem provided a narcotic drink to those condemned to death in order to decrease their sensitivity to the excruciating pain . . . . When Jesus arrived at Golgotha he was offered . . . wine mixed with myrrh, but he refused it, choosing to endure with full consciousness the sufferings appointed for him (The Gospel of Mark, p. 564)
This first wine represented an offer to ease the pain. But this offer Jesus refused, and in doing so, chose “to endure with full consciousness the sufferings appointed for him.”
The second time came in Mark 15:35. After some bystanders thought he was calling for Elijah, “someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.’”
A sour wine vinegar is mentioned in the OT as a refreshing drink (Numbers 6:13; Ruth 2:14), and in Greek and Roman literature as well it is a common beverage appreciated by laborers and soldiers because it relieved thirst more effectively than water and was inexpensive . . . .
While the words “let us see if Elijah will come” express a doubtful expectation, the offer of the sip of wine was intended to keep Jesus conscious for as long as possible”
So the first wine (mixed with myrrh) was designed to dull Jesus’ pain, to keep him from having to endure the cross with full consciousness. This wine he refused.
And the second (sour) wine was given to keep him “conscious for as long as possible,” and thus have the effect of prolonging his pain. This is the wine Jesus drank.
Other condemned criminals would have taken the first (to ease their torment) and would have passed on the second (so as not to prolong their horrific pain). But Jesus would take no shortcuts on the way to our redemption.
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