Men hated the Lord Jesus. In fact, He said, quoting from Psalm 69, “Those who hate Me without a cause are more than the hairs of My head” (v. 4). The prophet Isaiah wrote, “He is despised and rejected by men” (Isa. 53:3). In Nazareth, Jesus warned the Jews that God’s grace would not be confined to them only, but would be extended to Gentiles also. This filled them with wrath, and they “rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built: that they might throw Him down over the cliff” (Lk. 4:29). They would have killed Him, had He not used His divine power to “pass through the midst of them” and go His way.

When the time came that He should die, they arrested Him, blindfolded Him, buffeted Him, and asked Him to tell who it was that hit Him. He went through a mock trial; they accused Him of blasphemy; they brought false witnesses against Him. They scourged Him, and placed a crown of thorns on His brow, put a reed in His hand, and mocked Him: “Hail, King of the Jews! Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head” (Mt. 27:29–30). When they had done all this, they led Him to the place of a skull, and crucified Him. Sitting down, they taunted Him to come down from the cross if He was the Son of God.

How did He respond to such unjust treatment? “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Lk. 23:34). Peter sums it up: “Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet. 2:23–25). May God give us grace to forgive, and to leave our hurts and injuries in His hands!