And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women which also bewailed and lamented Him. Luke 23:27
The procession that made its way from the Roman governor’s judgment hall to the site of execution was a strange mixture. The procession was led by the Roman soldiers who were carrying out their orders for the day. With them were the three prisoners: Jesus of Nazareth and two murderers. Not far behind followed the Jewish leaders and their cohorts, eager to see the success of their plot to have Jesus destroyed. The excitement caused by this high profile case also spread to the people in the streets, many of whom decided to tag along and see the events transpire. But among the procession was a group of women who were deeply distraught over what was happening, whose grief and dismay was obvious to everybody. The same groups of people are still with us today, some two thousand years after the execution.
So many people today are too busy to pay any attention to the Gospel, and they will tell you that if you give them a tract or invite them to a Gospel meeting. They will attend religious services out of duty, but only because it is what is expected of them. They consider the Gospel to be irrelevant. Today’s counterparts of the Jewish religious leaders include many of the religious leaders, so busy prosecuting their religious agendas that the cross of Christ is thrust aside as a nuisance to their plans. The opponents also include those who declare there is no God, those who promote the folly of evolution, those who oppose the teachings of the Word of God, cults, false religions such as Islam, and the promoters of evil lifestyles that are condemned by the Word of God. The curious onlookers at the crucifixion are also still among us, people who have no real interest in spiritual matters, but are looking only for entertainment and amusement. For example, we can place many of the charismatic groups in this category. How sad that so many failed to understand or care what was happening that day!
But there were some who understood a little and cared a great deal. When the disciples and other men had all fled in terror, brave women stood by the Lord Jesus. They refused to be pushed aside, and they remained as close to their Lord as they could. Their sorrow and support undoubtedly marked them for mockery and derision by the crowd, but that did not matter to them. They were followers of the Lord Jesus, and when the following got rough, they still followed. Their courage and devotion serve as a powerful example to us today, shaming us for how little we are willing to endure for His Name.
I have never seen the move The Passion of the Christ. But people who have tell me that its depiction of suffering moved them to tears. That is not surprising. Billy Graham saw it and wept. So did the pope, I hear. But they miss the point. The real reason for sorrow over Calvary is not so much that Christ suffered, but that it was our sins that caused His suffering. Were the women weeping over that? I don’t know. But I do know that we should.. – Jim MacIntosh