He was dishonourably stripped of his raiment and dressed in a scarlet robe. In their attempt to make derision of him, they made him a crown of thorns and as a mock royal sceptre, they placed a stick in his hands, kneeling before him in contemptuous reverence. Saying; “Hail, the king of the Jews!” They spat upon him and hit him, effectively communicating their scorn. Royalty was subjected to indignity; the once glorious king was now covered in filth, in bruises.
The average human on receiving news about his soon-to-come death, would probably start to put his house in order, apportion his amassed substance to his relatives and probably leave his generation, some of his garnered experiential admonition.
However, average speaks nothing of a man whose life destiny was to die for mankind. From the instant the seed of divinity was inseminated into the garden of humanity, the blueprint of redemption was drawn on his hands. The word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. The whole lot of the sinful burden of the world – different nations, different tribes, different races, placed upon the shoulders of one man. And then, there he was, heavy on his knees. Conveying to his Father, the deep murmurs of his distressed heart.
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Matt 26:39
Here we see, unabashedly displayed, the helpless love of a saviour. One can only imagine how broken he was when his own sold him out for a mundane substance of thirty silver pieces and betrayed him with a counterfeit display of affection. He was bound and hauled away like a criminal. Hardly was he given a fair chance of defence at trial, than he was accused of crimes he never committed. In him was found no fault, no blemish.
Yet, in an attempt to justify their outright felony, they sought an excuse from the bowels of their self-righteous piety. Then, they framed him for blasphemy, charging him to death. They chose a notorious murderer over him, in whom was found no imperfection. And with these two words; “crucify him!” they made the decision that inaugurated the genesis of God’s
primordial master plan – the salvation of mankind.
Also Read: EASTER, ORIGIN AND DATES: AN EXPOSITORY INTRODUCTION
He was dishonourably stripped of his raiment and dressed in a scarlet robe. In their attempt to make derision of him, they made him a crown of thorns and as a mock royal sceptre, they placed a stick in his hands, kneeling before him in contemptuous reverence. Saying; “Hail, the king of the Jews!” They spat upon him and hit him, effectively communicating their scorn. Royalty was subjected to indignity; the once glorious king was now covered in filth, in bruises.
Still, with his quivering knees, he was forced to carry upon his shoulders, the heavy weight of the crucifix. He did not have to do it. He could have stopped halfway and dished out a well-deserved penance to all those who had mocked him thus far. However, the formidable admixture of his desire to do the will of Him who sent him, and his passionate affection for mankind that simmered in his vessels, fueled his resolve.
And then, when they arrived at Golgotha (the place of skulls, so named because of how it appeared from a distance), they nailed him to the cross. The intense pain that travelled through his neurons was vented in the heavy drops of blood mixed with his tears as the metals attained progressive depth in his body. He was thirsty, yet they gave him vinegar mixed with bile to drink – a perfect analogy of “adding fuel to the fire.” They parted his garment amongst themselves and cast lots. The mockery continued as the Light of the world was abandoned in darkness to die.
Then, crying out in a loud voice and with the final words: “It is finished,” he yielded up the ghost. The age-long veil was then ripped in two, top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks
weathered in response to the grand finale of mankind’s liberation.
Now, those who mocked him, scared that he would rise again true to his words, laid him in a tomb and very tightly sealed it off.
The first day, the second and then the third. Then there was the gentle awakening from slumber; a great rolling away of a stone. The impossible had happened. “Oh death! Where is your sting? Oh grave! Where is your victory?” For the Messiah is risen. Behold, the gravestone is rolled away and he no longer lies in Sheol.
The man Jesus Christ had fulfilled his divine mission on the earth. An impossible task of redemption of man was accomplished by God. For he, having terminated the tyrannical government of sin had erected a monument of salvation to all them who believe.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
