What does "He trusts in God" imply about Jesus' relationship with the Father? Immediate Literary Context (Matthew 27:39–44) Matthew records a triad of mockeries hurled at Jesus on the cross—by passers-by (vv. 39–40), the religious elite (vv. 41–43), and the crucified criminals (v. 44). The chief priests, scribes, and elders jeer, “‘He trusts in God; let God deliver Him now, if He wants Him,’ for He said, ‘I am the Son of God’ ” (Matthew 27:43). Their taunt centers on the verb pepoithen (“he has placed confident reliance”), highlighting the very relationship Jesus consistently claimed with the Father throughout the Gospel (cf. Matthew 11:27; John 5:19–23). Old Testament Backdrop: Psalm 22:8 Matthew cites verbatim the Septuagint wording of Psalm 22:8(9 LXX): “He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD deliver Him; let Him rescue Him, since He delights in Him.” First-century Jews recognized this psalm as Davidic yet messianic. By applying it to Jesus, Matthew shows that even His enemies unwittingly confirm prophecy, underscoring an already intimate Father-Son bond foretold a millennium earlier. Trinitarian Dynamics Within the Godhead, the Son eternally delights in the Father (Proverbs 8:30; John 17:24). The incarnation did not diminish but displayed this delight: “I always do what pleases Him” (John 8:29). The mockers therefore deride not mere human faith but the eternal intra-Trinitarian love now visible in flesh. Christological Obedience and Kenosis Philippians 2:6–8 teaches that the Son “emptied Himself” to obey “to the point of death—even death on a cross.” His trust is therefore cruciform obedience. The taunt ironically highlights His mission: vindication would come, not by avoiding the cross, but through resurrection (Romans 1:4). Prophetic Fulfillment and Divine Pleasure Isaiah 42:1 presents the Servant “in whom My soul delights.” At Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration the Father twice affirms, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; 17:5). Thus, the mockers’ demand—“if He wants Him”—ignores God’s publicly declared pleasure already expressed. Vindication Through Resurrection The Father’s ultimate answer to the taunt is the empty tomb. Early, multiply attested creedal material (1 Corinthians 15:3–7) predates the written Gospels and reports the Father’s vindication of the Son. More than 500 eyewitnesses saw the risen Christ—empirical validation that the Father “delivered Him” on the third day. The Contrast of Misplaced Trust Matthew juxtaposes the leaders’ reliance on the Temple system (Matthew 23) with Jesus’ reliance on the Father. Their mocking question—“Let God rescue Him now”—reveals their own conditional, transactional view of deity, whereas Jesus’ trust is unconditional and filial. Implications for Believers’ Assurance Because the Son’s trust was vindicated, believers united to Him may echo Psalm 22: “You answered Me” (v. 21). Romans 8:32 argues from greater to lesser: “He who did not spare His own Son … how will He not also, with Him, graciously give us all things?” Our assurance rests on the same Father who vindicated Jesus. Liturgical and Devotional Usage Church tradition reads Psalm 22 on Good Friday to emphasize Jesus’ trust amid dereliction. Meditating on Matthew 27:43 deepens worship: the Father’s silence to the mockers was not indifference but a planned, cosmic yes at Easter dawn. Eschatological Overtones Psalm 22 ends in global worship (vv. 27–31). Revelation 5 shows this fulfilled as the slaughtered yet standing Lamb receives universal acclaim. Jesus’ cross-centered trust secures the final consummation where the Father and Son are worshiped together. Summary “He trusts in God” exposes, through ridicule, the Son’s unwavering filial confidence. That trust is rooted in eternal Trinitarian love, prophesied in Scripture, displayed in obedient suffering, vindicated in resurrection, and offered as the foundation of believers’ hope. The mockers intended scorn; Providence turned their words into a public witness of the Father-Son relationship that secures human salvation and invites every listener to trust likewise. |
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