Sometime around the middle of the first century, less than twenty years after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, the Apostle Paul confidently declared that there is an appointed “…day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”  (Romans 2:16)

Paul happened to be in ancient Athens when he amplified on this theme, saying that in times past, God made allowance for ignorance of His will, “…but now [that Christ has come], God commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man that he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

Paul argued that the resurrection of Jesus made God’s promised judgment inevitable, and unavoidable.  It proved that Jesus had the right, the power, and the exclusive authority to judge.  Was Paul’s audience of worldly Greeks, steeped in Hellenistic philosophy and tradition, deeply concerned and penitent?  Not exactly. 

Several people present that day—a couple of whom were prominent enough to be mentioned in the Biblical record by name—readily accepted Paul’s message.  But among the majority, opinion was divided: “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.” (Acts 17:32, emphasis added)

“Mocked” is a most interesting word in this context.  “Doubted” I can imagine.  “Disbelieved” I can see.  “Dismissed,” though not especially broad-minded, I can at least understand.  But “mocked?”  Why mocked?

To mock is to imitate in unflattering ways, to mimic and exaggerate with hurtful intent, to deride, jeer, insult, or ridicule. Mocking is not poking fun at ironies, incongruities, or absurdities for comic effect.  It is mean-spirited, extending beyond parody or sarcasm to malice or spite.  Mockers tend to attack openly, but may conceal their real motives, as in Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest…” (act 3, scene 2).

Jesus Christ was not only fiercely criticized throughout His earthly ministry, He was mocked:

“While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live…And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.”  [Luke 8:53 adds: “…knowing that she was dead.”]  But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.” (Matthew 9:18, 23-26, emphasis added)

The mourners blew Jesus off, cynically treating Him and His assertion that He could raise the little girl, like a joke.  To them, the whole idea was a belly laugh, and Jesus, no more than a clown.  But when He took her by the hand and stood her up, the laughter stopped.

Jesus was the target of concentrated and vicious mockery at virtually every step of his journey to the cross.  After He was wrongly convicted of blasphemy by the leaders of His own nation, but before He was hauled before the Roman governor and falsely accused of sedition against Caesar, Jesus was mocked by those who were supposed to be guarding Him:

“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 22:63-65, emphasis mine)

During Jesus’ trial before Pontius Pilate, the procurator discovered that Jesus was thought to be a Galilean.  Nobody seemed to know that He was actually born in Bethlehem, in Judea.

“Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.  And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.  When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean.  And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.” (Luke 23:4-7)

Pilate hoped he had spied a way out of a volatile situation and was eager to avoid having to decide Jesus’ case.  Pilate is not alone in this forlorn hope.  From the start of Jesus’ public ministry, down the centuries to this day, countless others have tried to avoid making a decision about Jesus.  Are YOU one of them?  Hide, evade, run as far and as fast as you can, there is no escaping that fateful choice.  

We see this in the gospel account of Jesus’ arraignment and trial before Herod.  Note that once again, Jesus is not condemned.  But like the Roman governor, Rome’s Jewish vassal tries to dodge responsibility for taking a stand for or against Jesus.  Having no response to Christ, Herod resorts to mockery of Christ, and His kingship.

“And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.  Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.  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.”  (Luke 23:8-11, emphasis mine)

Despite having already pronounced Him not guilty, Pontius Pilate proceeds to have Jesus flogged in an effort to satiate the bloodlust of the mob.  Then, “…the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.  And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!  And they smote him on the head with a reed, [representing a foolish scepter] and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.  And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.”  (Mark 15:16-20, emphasis added)

“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.  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.”  (Luke 23:33-35, emphasis added)

“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.  And a [mocking] superscription [dictated by Pilate himself] also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews.”  (Luke 23:36-38, emphasis mine)

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.”  (Luke 23:39, emphasis added)

“But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:40-43)

A decision for Jesus, immediately honored by Him, from His cross, even as Jesus’ own life ebbed away.  Later, at the moment of Jesus’ death, the mocking stopped.  Breath caught in the throat.  The laughter died on the lips.

“Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.  Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.” (Matthew 27:50-54, emphasis added)

The mockery of Christ was all-pervasive—so consistent, so savage, and so unrelenting—that it cannot be coincidental. Diabolical orchestration and coordination is well established by the evidence of a clear and easily observable fact pattern.  The existence of a strategy and tactical plan is so conspicuous, it cannot be denied.  The Devil himself is the ventriloquist and puppeteer.  He had the means, motive and opportunity.  There was obvious malice aforethought and signs of lying in wait.

What were the Devil’s goals in unleashing wave upon wave of mocking attacks?  We may never fully know, but there is ample reason for informed and confident speculation:

1. Stick a finger in God’s eye and multiply His pain at what Jesus was going through 
2. Goad Jesus into freeing Himself and lashing out, contrary to scripture and the will of God
3. Crush Jesus’ spirit so completely that He abandons the way of the cross
4. Convince the Jews that whoever or whatever Jesus may be, He could not possibly be their long-awaited Messiah
5. Persuading the ignorant and uninformed that God is impotent or cruel, and therefore disqualified from serious consideration as a loving, gracious, holy and righteous Lord.

The astounding thing is that Jesus refused to take the bait.  He truly DOES love us beyond comprehension and is truly that unwilling that any should perish, but that all should come to faith and repentance.  You talk about faith!  Jesus truly believed you are THAT valuable, that whatever He had to endure to save you was totally worth it.  He has not changed His mind.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  (Philippians 2:9-11)

But what about the mockers?  They’ve already gotten away with their sick, sadistic, and pitiless attacks on the Son of God, haven’t they?  No.  It turns out God has a few plans of His own.  His first words are addressed to Christians: “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (I Peter 4:17). 

The Apostle Paul adds: “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:10-12)

The Judge of all the earth will compel truthful testimony and will not entertain any excuses. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19, emphasis added) 

That event is fast approaching.  While we await it, we have God’s solemn promise: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

I pray dear reader, that you have long ago repented of your sins and placed your trust and hope of salvation in Jesus Christ.  But if you have not, and are still mocking the resurrection of the dead, still sneering at the warning that all will face judgment one day, I beg you to reconsider.  It is not too late or too difficult for you to be saved.  But more time is not guaranteed to anyone.  Act now.  Accept God’s free gift of salvation.  Here’s how.

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words, and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you.  Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams, and character).

SOME KEY TRUTHS:

• “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)
• “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)
• “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)
• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)
• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
• “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…”  (Revelation 3:20)
• “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13)
• “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  (Romans 10:9)
• “Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)
• “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.”  (John 20:31) 
• “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  (I John 5:13)