The Soldiers Mock Jesus - Matthew 27:27-31
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
Reflection: It is enough of a travesty that the Son of Man had to die and willingly offered his life as a ransom for many, but today we see the cruel and barbaric way it was administered. And remember at any time Jesus could have called down legions of angels to smite his torturers. And it big part of it was the mockery of His supposedly being a King. They took great lengths to adorn Jesus as King, only to use it to torture him more. The crown of thorns dug painfully into his skull, thus we have many pictures of our Lord with blood running down his face. They took the mock scepter and beat him over the head with it causing further injury. And finally they jeered and mocked him crying, "Hail King of the Jews". All the while Jesus silently endured this abuse, not even cursing at his attackers.
Again as I have said many times, who would have invented this story? Who would have envisioned a scene where the most powerful, omnipresent and omniscient God would surrender himself to such abuse. Paul gives us probably the finest exposition of this in Philippians 2 when he states about Jesus, "Not counting his equality with God as something to be grasped, he emptied himself and became a bond servant/slave, even unto death on a cross".
So what is at the core of being a Christian? Someone who models their life after Jesus, emptying themselves and becoming a servant even unto death. That is challenge in a world where we seek our own rights, privileges and want to be treated well. Instead we should be asking the question, where do I need to empty myself? Where am i asserting my own needs over against surrendering them in emulation of my Lord?
As you go about your today, think about what it might mean to empty yourselves. How can you serve others having surrendered your right to be served? Amen.
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
Reflection: It is enough of a travesty that the Son of Man had to die and willingly offered his life as a ransom for many, but today we see the cruel and barbaric way it was administered. And remember at any time Jesus could have called down legions of angels to smite his torturers. And it big part of it was the mockery of His supposedly being a King. They took great lengths to adorn Jesus as King, only to use it to torture him more. The crown of thorns dug painfully into his skull, thus we have many pictures of our Lord with blood running down his face. They took the mock scepter and beat him over the head with it causing further injury. And finally they jeered and mocked him crying, "Hail King of the Jews". All the while Jesus silently endured this abuse, not even cursing at his attackers.
Again as I have said many times, who would have invented this story? Who would have envisioned a scene where the most powerful, omnipresent and omniscient God would surrender himself to such abuse. Paul gives us probably the finest exposition of this in Philippians 2 when he states about Jesus, "Not counting his equality with God as something to be grasped, he emptied himself and became a bond servant/slave, even unto death on a cross".
So what is at the core of being a Christian? Someone who models their life after Jesus, emptying themselves and becoming a servant even unto death. That is challenge in a world where we seek our own rights, privileges and want to be treated well. Instead we should be asking the question, where do I need to empty myself? Where am i asserting my own needs over against surrendering them in emulation of my Lord?
As you go about your today, think about what it might mean to empty yourselves. How can you serve others having surrendered your right to be served? Amen.
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