Our Lord speaks of His death not as tragedy, but as divine necessity: “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise from the dead the third day” (v. 46).
Christ’s death was essential for our salvation. Without it, God’s justice would remain unsatisfied, sin unpardonable, and guilty sinners forever barred from His presence. On the cross, Jesus—the sinless Substitute—bore the wrath we deserved, dying the Just for the unjust (1 Pet. 3:18). There He fully paid our infinite debt, satisfied divine holiness, and opened a way for sinners to approach God with boldness (Rom. 3:26; Heb. 10:19-20).
By faith in Him, we confess our guilt yet plead His finished work: Christ has died in our place. Through His blood alone we receive life, pardon, and acceptance before God. True faith sees far more than a martyr’s suffering—it beholds the glorious payment that secures complete salvation for all who believe.
The Message to Proclaim
Jesus commands that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations” (v. 47).
These are the first and most urgent truths for every person: all are guilty before God and stand condemned, yet everyone who repents and believes in Christ receives free, full, and immediate forgiveness. Repentance and forgiveness are inseparably joined—there is no pardon without turning from sin, and no true repentance without trusting Christ for cleansing.
Even the maturest saints grow deeper in holiness only by a continual return to these foundational realities: sorrow over sin and joyful reliance on our Savior’s mercy and pardon.
Prayer: Oh Lord, our God, stir in all of our hearts true repentance towards you and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant us free and full pardon through his blood. In generations to come and now present, use us to proclaim this gospel to the nations. Amen.
2Cherish2Commend 