Certainly, This Man Was Innocent [Luke 23]

 ³²Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him. ³³When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.  ³⁴But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
³⁵And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One."

 ³⁶The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine,

 ³⁷and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!" ³⁸Now there was also an inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

³⁹One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!"

 ⁴⁰But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  ⁴¹"And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." ⁴²And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!"

 ⁴³And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." ⁴⁶And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His last.

⁴⁷Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent."

As Jesus was hanging on the cross the people around were still trying to decide whether He deserved to be there or not. Even though it was too late for it to make any difference, there was still a strong sense that each one had to decide.  "The people stood by, looking on" captured with the drama of whether He was who He said He was.  "And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, 'He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.'"(emphasis added).  It was if they still were trying to justify that it was the right decision to have this man die. After all, He could still save Himself if they were wrong about Him not being God's Chosen One, they reasoned. Even the soldiers joined in the debate, secretly wondering if this man was really righteous and undeserving of the treatment they were giving Him.

It is a decision that each one of us has to make even now, 2000 years later.  Did Jesus deserve to die?  Was He truly innocent?  The two criminals hanging beside Him illustrate the only two possible answers.  One yells out, "Aren't You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us."  It didn't matter to him if Jesus was truly innocent.  He knew what he deserved but he wanted to save his own skin. 

The choice the other criminal made was the right choice.  "And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."  His decision that Christ was indeed God's Son and that He was completely righteous enabled him to receive the truth - Christ died for him. And today he is with Christ in Paradise because he made the right decision.  The criminal that deserved to die for his sin received the forgiveness that Christ prayed for him. "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."

 

What is your decision today?  Did Christ deserve to die that slow and painful death or did He die for you? (see also Romans 5:6-7)  Can you declare with the centurion, "Certainly this man was innocent?"

 

Father, I praise You for Your Son, who was righteous and did not deserve to die.  Thank You for the forgiveness that is mine because He paid for my sins, which I could not pay for, when He died on the cross.  I praise you that I will also live with you in heaven because I have received this truth.