April 7, Morning
C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling
"O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame?" — Psalm 4:2 · KJV
An instructive writer has drawn up a mournful list of the honors that the blinded people of Israel awarded their long-expected King. First, they gave Him a procession of honor, in which Roman legionaries, Jewish priests, and men and women all took part, He Himself bearing His cross. This is the triumph the world awards to Him who came to overthrow man's direst foes: derisive shouts are His only acclamations, and cruel taunts His only songs of praise. Second, they presented Him with the wine of honor. Instead of a golden cup of generous wine, they offered Him the criminal's stupefying death-draught, which He refused, that He might keep an uninjured taste with which to taste of death; and afterward, when He cried, "I thirst," they gave Him vinegar mixed with gall, thrust to His mouth on a sponge. Oh, wretched, detestable inhospitality to the King's Son! Third, He was provided with a guard of honor, who showed their esteem for Him by gambling over His garments, which they had seized as their spoil. Such was the bodyguard of the adored of heaven — a band of brutal gamblers. Fourth, a throne of honor was found for Him on the bloody tree; no easier resting-place would rebel men yield to their rightful Lord. The cross was, in fact, the full expression of the world's feeling toward Him: "There," they seemed to say, "You Son of God, this is how God Himself should be treated, could we reach Him." Fifth, the title of honor was nominally "King of the Jews," but that the blinded nation distinctly repudiated, and really called Him "King of thieves," by preferring Barabbas and by setting Jesus in the place of highest shame between two thieves. His glory was thus in all things turned into shame by the sons of men; but it shall yet gladden the eyes of saints and angels, world without end.