Substitution 1

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. (1Co 11:23-26)

 When Jesus was hanged on the cross, there were insulting comments and jeering by the Sanhedrin.

 Let us have a look the mocking of the spiritual leaders of Israel against Jesus fulfilling the scripture;

. . . All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted in the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. (Ps 22:6-8)

 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. . . (Mt 27:41-43)

 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. . . (Mr 15:31-32)

 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. (Lu 23:35)

 When Jesus was being hanged on the cross how many of you  believe that he was fully naked ??

Looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2)

 Question; why would not Jesus save himself?

When Peter tried to rescue Jesus with the sword, . . . Think you that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? (Mt 26:53) . . . Why?

 Answer; First; because it is for you and for me.

Paul wrote; . . . 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: (1Co 15:1-4)

 Secondly: For the glory of God the Father

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has 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. (Php 2:8-11)

 Unknowingly the Sanhedrin as the rulers of the people of Israel were blinded of the significance of their own words, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

 ...  indirectly pointing to the purpose of the cross;

 For he has made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2Co 5:21)

 That is the spiritual concept of substitutionary atonement.

In other words ...

God made Jesus to be sin for the fallen human race in order whosoever believes in Him, should not perished . . .

 As it is written; Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (Joh 5:24)

 An Illustration;

One particular tribe maintained its control of the choice land because its leader was not only the most physically powerful but the most wise of all. And the success of the tribe was due to this great leader the fairness and the equity and the wisdom of the laws and enforced upon his people. His word was law and among his greatest laws were that parents must be loved and honored. He also said that murder was punishable by death and stealing was to be severely punished.

The tribe was prospering greatly when suddenly a disturbing thing began to happen. Someone in the tribe was stealing. It was reported to the great leader that this was going on and he sent out the proclamation that if the thief was caught he would receive that severe punishment, ten lashes from the tribal whip master. Stealing continued despite the warnings, so he raised it to 20 lashes. It went on so he raised it to 30 lashes. And finally he raised it to 40 lashes and knew there was only one person in the whole tribe that could survive that lashing and that was him because he was superior in strength.

Finally the thief was caught. To the horror of everyone it was his own mother. The tribe was in shock. What was the leader going to do? His law was that in everything parents were to be loved and honored. But thieves were to be whipped. Great arguments arose on the day of judgment. Was he going to satisfy his love and save his mother or was he going to satisfy his law and have her die under the whip because she could never endure that?

And finally the judgment day came. The tribe was gathered around the great compound in the center of which a large post was driven into the ground. The leader's great throne sat in the place of prominence and with great pomp and ceremony the leader entered, took his place on the throne. Soon his frail little mother was brought in between towering warriors. They tied her to the post. The crowd murmured in debate, will he satisfy his love at the expense of law? Or his law at the expense of his love? The tribal whip master entered, a powerful man with bulging muscles, a great leather whip in his hand and as he approached the little lady, the warriors ripped her shirt off, exposing her frail little back to the cruelty of the lash. Everyone gasped. Was the leader really going to let her die?

He sat staring without moving. The whip master took his stance, his great arm cracked the whip in the air as he prepared to bring the first lash upon her. In every heart was the question, would he allow his love to his mum be violated or his law?

Just as the whip master started to bring his powerful arm forward with the first cutting stroke on that frail little back, the leader held up his hand to halt the punishment. A great sigh went up from the tribe. His love was going to be satisfied. But what about his law?

They watched him rise from his throne and he strode toward his mother. As he walked he was removing his own shirt. He threw it aside and proceeded to wrap his great arms around his little mother, exposing that huge muscular back to the whip master. And then breaking the heavy silence he commanded, "Proceed with the punishment." Thus both his law and his love were satisfied.

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