#136 The greatest victory of faith

From Meditations on the Epistles of John, by Samuel Froehlich

Luke 23:35-37 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

A large part of Jesus’ sufferings for us was the ridicule (Luke 22:63, etc., Luke 23:11, etc.). This is actually one of Satan’s strongest weapons. This is what his fiery darts are mainly made of. They penetrate deeply into those who are still sensitive to them because of the self-love and pride that they have not died off to. Mockery penetrates to the bottom of believers’ hearts. It affects our boasting in God, Christ, and the Spirit, and God has chosen us to be His children. Yet, we are subject to the world’s contempt just as though God had not accepted us. The best indication that a person is unmoved and unprovoked by ridicule is when he can pray for his enemies like Jesus, Stephen, and others did. The greatest victory of faith is to keep silent through all the mockery of the highest and lowest in the world with the knowledge that we have been chosen by God.

Luke 22:63-65 And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

Luke 23:11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.