46. Heart Thoughts Revealed

Heart Thoughts Revealed

A sword shall pierce through thine own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. Luke 2.35.

Old Simeon addressed these words to Mary the mother of Jesus when she and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple for the first time. Mary did not understand them then, but years later when she beheld her son on the cross, she knew what it was to have a sword pierce through her soul. There, in that cruel act, the “thoughts out of many hearts” were revealed.

Hear first these words of Jesus, “For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornication, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness: all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7. 21—23). It is interesting to notice that every one of these thirteen sins was revealed at the cross.
Judas was one of the first to have the thoughts of his heart revealed. For a long time he had been able to conceal them, but finally they came out in the open. Judas first became possessed with greed; and greed, when it had conceived, brought forth theft. This finally led him to become a traitor and sell his Master for a few pieces of silver. Jesus’ final words about him were “Good were it for that man if he had not been born” (Matthew 26. 24). Jesus’ crucifixion revealed the heart thoughts of this subtle hypocrite.

Calvary also revealed the hearts of the chief priests and the officers. At their fatal committee meeting, they confessed, “If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (John 11. 48). They had “an evil eye.” That led to “hate,” and “hate,” when it was full grown, brought forth “murder.” No one would ever have suspected that these dignified, religious leaders had such wicked hearts. It took Christ and His cross to reveal them.

Pilate’s heart was also revealed at the cross. It was full of pride and deceit. He was more concerned to keep the favor of the crowd than to do what he believed was right. When he saw that his popularity was at stake, he yielded to public opinion. Had he stayed by his conviction, “I find no cause of death in him” (Luke 23. 22), we never would have read the sad words, “Pilate gave sentence that what they asked for should be done” (v. 24). Calvary opened Pilate’s heart wide, and revealed it as very corrupt.

Herod, the murderer of John the Baptist, also had his hand in the crucifixion. 1-le seemed very glad to see Jesus. “He was a long time desirous to see him” (Luke 23. 8). However, Jesus “answered him nothing.” Why should He talk to a man like Herod, whose heart was full of “fornication,” “lasciviousness,” and “adultery”? Jesus has no word for a sinner who refuses to repent. John the Baptist had faced him with his sin, but there had been no repentance. Jesus therefore had nothing to say to a man who insisted on living in such sins. He who silences God’s law gets no word of God’s grace. Herod exposed the true spirit of his heart when he “with his soldiers set him (Jesus) at nought, and mocked him, and arraying him in gorgeous apparel sent him back to Pilate” (Luke 23. 11). Calvary revealed his heart as a cesspool of evil.

The soldiers of the Governor, though under rigid discipline, were given a chance to expose their hearts. When the authorities let these men do as they pleased with Christ, “they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And they platted a crown of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spat upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the head” (Matthew 27. 27—30). These men revealed hearts full of “foolishness,” “evil thoughts,” and rank “wickedness.” No one could have suspected that these well-groomed soldiers who looked so noble and impressive in parade, had their hearts so filled with evil. It took Christ and His cross to reveal them.

The crowd that passed by the cross had their hearts exposed, too. We read, “And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27. 39—40). Their hearts were full of “railing.” If Christ would
meet their expectations they would believe on Him. If they could see first, then they would believe. These were the people who looked and acted so pious at the religious festivals. Now in the presence of Christ and the cross they reveal what hard and unsympathetic hearts they actually possessed.

The soldiers who were given the gruesome task of crucifying Christ also exposed their hearts. When they had finally suspended Christ on the cross, they “took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat” (John 19.23). Since the coat was without seam they did not want to ruin it by tearing it into four pieces, so they suggested, “Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be” (John 19. 24). There, directly under the cross, these gamblers revealed their covetous hearts. All they thought about Was selfish gain. They could hardly wait for their victim to die that they might pick up their little pile and go home.

In closing it will only be fair to ask ourselves the question, What are the thoughts of our hearts? Did you by any chance recognize any of your heart thoughts? If you are honest you will answer Yes. Then we must admit that we, too, were represented at Calvary. If we have any of these sins lurking in our hearts, we are as guilty as those who had a part in the crucifixion. Then we need not mercilessly condemn the characters we have here reviewed, but rather turn our attention to ourselves. Before Christ died He cried out, “Father, forgive them.” He asked forgiveness for these who had exposed their hearts at Calvary, for “He died for all” (2 Corinthians 5.15). He died not only for the sins that were revealed there, but for all the sins that are still hidden away in the dark recesses of many hearts. Thank God, Christ on the cross not only revealed sins—He gave His life for these sins. May we never forget that “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15. 3).


The End
My Heart's Desire
Maynard A. Force
1949