Page 62 - Back to Bethlehem 2-5-19

There’s a great illustration of this in Matthew 27 when Jesus
was on the cross, wicked men mocked Him but when they
mocked Him they praised Him. They didn’t try to praise Him.
They tried to mock Him. Matthew 27:29, “And after weaving
a crown of thorn, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right
hand; and they kneeled down before Him and mocked Him,
saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’” They put a crown of thorns
on His head and in mockery they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
But that’s actually a praise; “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Matthew 27:37, “And they put up above His head the charge
against Him which read, ‘This is Jesus the King of the Jews.’”
Over his head they put the cause of His death but listen to what
they said, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” They didn’t try
to praise Him but they ended up praising Him.

Matthew 27:42, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He
is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross,
and we shall believe in Him.” They tried to mock Him and they
said, “He saved others; save Himself!” But in that mockery
they confessed that He saved others. God turned the mockery
into praise.

Matthew 27:43, “He trusts in God; let Him deliver Him now, if
He takes pleasure in Him; for He said, “I am the Son of God.’”
They said, “He says that He trusts in God and God delights in
Him,” but they were mocking Him. But they also confessed
that He trusts in God and He saved others and God delights in
Him. They said that He said He was the Son of God. As they
tried to mock Him they said, “He’s the King, He saved others,
He trusts God, God delights in Him, and He’s the King of the
Jews.”

I don’t know if you are familiar with Friedrich Krummacher, a
German reformed theologian. He was meditating on this
passage and he said, “They stoned His cross with roses.” They
tried to throw stones but, instead, they just honored the Lord.