The death of Jesus stunned those left around the cross at the end.  What were the crowd to do now?  All hope had gone.  There was no point staying there, so they went back into the city.  But before leaving, they beat their breasts.  Culturally, death was greeted with loud wailing which expressed the personal loss of the loved one. But 'beating the breast' was more than that; it was a public loud sign of hopelessness, dismay, and remorse (Nahum 2:7).  Their only hope was dead, and the future had nothing to offer.  They had failed Jesus and regret was not enough.  
 
Somehow the crowd had understood that the death of Jesus Christ was about them too.  Those who had shouted, "Crucify Him!" (Luke 23:21), then heard the centurion pronounce Him 'not guilty' (Luke 23:47).  So, when the crowd felt guilty, they were right.  It was for their sins that the Lamb of God was slain.  Isaiah 53:5 puts it like this, "… He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed."
 
But if they had believed the words of Jesus and the numerous prophecies in the Old Testament, they would have been full of hope - looking forward to His resurrection.  But that was the problem: they did not believe Him, and so they were hopeless.  Even the disciples did not understand what Jesus had plainly told them about His death and resurrection (John 12:16).  They could not link Jesus’ words with the Old Testament Scriptures; but interestingly it was those scriptures which enabled them to grasp what Jesus had been saying (John 20:9).  The Holy Spirit used the Word to teach their hearts what they could not appreciate even when Jesus taught them, and later helped them to connect with what Jesus had said (John 16:12-15).

So many people, even religious ones, feel hopeless today.  They do not know that the love of Jesus is still burning towards them; that the power of Jesus is close at hand; and that the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus is free to all who 'beat their breasts' (despair of themselves) and put their trust in Him.  There cannot be any hope in following even the wisest of dead leaders, because our future is always limited by how much we can achieve.  However, when people allow the Holy Spirit to breathe through the pages of Scripture, they will understand how much they are loved and how there is abundant hope in following the risen Jesus.  His sacrifice for our sins is far greater than anything we can do, and also gives us access to His living love and power, now and for ever.  If you know it, rejoice ... and tell others ... it is the best news in the world (www.crosscheck.org.uk).