… The king’s garden … (Nehemiah 3:15) Mention of the king’s garden by Nehemiah brings to mind the paradise that the King of kings prepared for Adam. Sin has utterly ruined that delightful dwelling and has driven out the children of men to till the ground, which yields thorns and thistles to them. My soul,…

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. (Psalm 22:14) Did earth or heaven ever witness a sadder spectacle than this? In soul and body, our Lord felt Himself to be weak as water poured upon the ground. The placing of the cross in its socket had shaken Him…

… The place that is called The Skull. Luke 23:33 The hill of comfort is the hill that is called The Skull or Calvary; the house of consolation is built with the wood of the cross; the temple of heavenly blessing is based upon the riven rock—riven by the spear that pierced His side. No…

And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. (Luke 23:27) Among the rabble that hounded the Redeemer to His doom, there were some gracious souls whose bitter anguish found an outlet in wailing and lamentations—suitable music to accompany that woeful march. When I…

For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? (Luke 23:31) Among other interpretations of this suggestive question, the following is full of teaching: “If the innocent substitute for sinners suffers in this way, what will be done when the sinner himself—the dry tree—falls into the…

O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? (Psalm 4:2) An instructive writer has made a mournful list of the honors that the blinded people of Israel awarded to their long-expected King. 1. They gave Him a procession of honor, in which Roman legionaries, Jewish priests, and men and women took part,…

Therefore let us go to him outside the camp. (Hebrews 13:13) Jesus, bearing His cross, went to suffer outside the gate. The Christian’s reason for leaving the camp of the world’s sin and religion is not because he loves to be isolated, but because Jesus did so; and the disciple must follow his Master. Christ…

… _Laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus._ (Luke 23:26) We see in Simon’s carrying the cross a picture of the work of the church throughout all generations; she is the cross-bearer after Jesus. Notice, Christian, that Jesus does not suffer so as to prevent your suffering. He bears a cross, not…

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Mourning Christian, why are you weeping? Are you mourning over your own sins and failings? Look to your perfect Lord, and remember, you are complete in Him. You…

But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge. (Matthew 27:14) Jesus had never been slow of speech when He could bless the sons of men, but He would not say a single word for Himself. “No man ever spoke like this man,” and no man was ever silent like Him. Was…