Session 12
29 Those who passed by were yelling insults at him, shaking their heads, and saying, “Ha! The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself by coming down from the cross!” 31 In the same way, the chief priests with the scribes were mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! 32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with him taunted him.
Lead the group to look at the leaders’ accusation in Mark 14:58.
Discuss how Jesus’s teaching would have threatened them.
The leaders didn’t understand that Jesus was talking about His death and resurrection, so they used it as an insult.
Emphasize that Jesus could have responded in a way that would have removed any doubt about who He was and why He came.
But if He had given in to the temptation to defend Himself, He would not have fulfilled God’s plan.
Encourage the group to silently consider how people mock and insult Jesus today.
Challenge them to think about how they insult Jesus and diminish His sacrifice through their own words and actions.
Allow them a few minutes to pray, asking God to forgive them and to help them live in a way that honors Him.