The non-sense of hating Jesus

Read Luke 23.

It is nearly impossible to make any human sense of the hatred of the religious rulers in Israel.  These who were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of the nation were plotting how to murder an innocent man.  His crime?  Jesus simply and consistently revealed His true identity as the Messiah, the King of the Jews.  The last straw came in Luke 22:67-71.  His accusers understood clearly that Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh.

Because they had no power of capital punishment, the "whole company of them arose and brought him to Pilate."  The Jewish leaders hated the Romans also, but they were more than willing to use the government to achieve their ungodly goal.  Notice the intensity of their emotions toward Jesus.

v. 5-"They were urgent."
v.10- They "stood by, vehemently accusing him."
v.18- "They all cried out together, 'Away with this man...’"
v.21- "They kept shouting, 'Crucify, crucify him!’"
v.23- "They were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified."
v.35- "The rulers scoffed at him."

Little did they realize then how they were being controlled by Satan himself.  From Genesis 3:15, the Evil One had made one attempt after another to stop the line of Messiah.  Satan is a defeated foe and now can only stir up those who reject God's word.  The cross for some brief hours seemed a victory for Satan and his religious minions.  But, what the Devil planned for evil, God had planned all along for our redemption.

Those who reject Jesus today fall in with the same hate-filled crowd of Luke 23.  Though some may have been hurt and disillusioned by religion, their rejection of Jesus makes no human sense.  Some will hide behind religion, as the self-righteous rulers in this chapter.  Some will attempt to lay blame on something or someone.  However, the truth remains.  There is no alternative for the forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

Devout Jews had been praying for and looking for the coming Messiah.  Simeon was such a man in Luke 2:25-32.  When the Holy Spirit revealed the true identity of Jesus, He broke out in praise and a prayer of thanksgiving.

"O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!"