It’s amazing to think that Psalm 22 was written centuries before Christ died on the Cross, because many of its verses are teeming with prophecies about Jesus’ experiences at Calvary. Today’s passage, for instance, is a prophecy about those who mocked Jesus at the foot of the Cross. They added to His injuries by raging against Christ. As it states in both the psalm and the Gospels, they hurled insults against Him culminating in a mocking accusation of “He trusts in God; let God rescue Him!”
It must have tormented Jesus to hear those hurtful words from His own people. He had spent three years trying to draw them closer to God through grace, love, and peace. But the mob gathered at Calvary didn’t want to hear “All you need is love.” They didn’t want a Messiah who forgave their enemies. They didn’t want a leader who brought about change through helping the weak and healing the sick. They wanted a Christ who obliterated their enemies; they wanted a Champion who would kick the Romans out of the Promised Land.
And so, when Jesus failed to live up to their expectations, they turned against Him and mocked His powerlessness as He agonizingly died upon the Cross.
In some places and with other people, Christ and Christianity still face those torments. Atheists despise us and blame Christianity for all of the wars in the last two thousand years. Advocates of progressive change try to diminish our relevance and message by equating our Faith with other religions. Or they mock our Faith by revising and rewriting history in order to exclude the influence that Christianity has had upon Western Society and throughout the world.
But as long as Time exists and people remain on this planet, Christ’s words and ways will endure, despite the challenges and criticisms of our Faith. The Cross did not end Jesus’ global ministry; it actually began there. The Calvary mockers may have died 1900 years ago and turned to dust, but the Spirit of Christ endures and His mission remains.
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