ROBED AND CROWNED AS KING
“Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head. They clothed Him in a purple robe and went up to Him again and again, saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they slapped Him in the face.
“Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, ‘Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.’ When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, ‘Here is the man!'” John 19:1-5.
What! Is this the man you said was not guilty of any crime, Pilate? Are you sure it’s the same man? He looks as though He’s been through a mincing machine. Is this the way you treat an innocent man?
“…His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being, and His form beyond human likeness…” Isaiah 52:14b.
What did Pilate hope to gain by having an innocent man flogged – beaten with a whip made of leather thongs interlaced with lead and bits of bone which ripped the flesh out of the prisoner’s body until his bones were exposed? Flogging was so brutal that many prisoners died under the whip. Did he think that the sight of Jesus beaten beyond recognition would change His accusers’ minds? Perhaps they would back off when they saw what their hatred had done.
It seems that there was no control over the soldiers’ abusive bullying. Why were they permitted to brutalise a prisoner before he was sentenced? Who was in control of them and why was he indifferent to their behaviour? Was this normal practice or was Jesus singled out because He did not retaliate?
“When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” 1 Peter 2:23 NIV.
Even after the brutal flogging, Jesus stood before the crowd, dressed in purple, crowned with thorns and drenched in His own blood, regal and silent. He did not weep in agony or plead for His life. Through the blood and sweat that ran down His face and into His eyes, He looked His accusers in the eye, calm and unflinching.
“As soon as the chief priests and officials saw Him, they shouted, ‘Crucify! Crucify!'” John 19:6a.
There’s something about a person who refuses to cringe under cruelty that enrages his tormentors. Instead of remorse for what they had done, the religious leaders began to yell, inciting the crowd, ‘Kill Him! Kill Him!’ They were not satisfied with blood. They wanted death, and the crueller the better. Stoning was their method of execution but it was relatively quick. Crucifixion was the Roman method and it suited the Jewish hierarchy well. They could watch Him die a slow, agonising death, perhaps lasting many hours or even days, with great satisfaction because they believed He deserved it.
However, there’s another side to the story. These religious rulers had delegated authority which they used against the one who gave it to them. The day would come when they would give an account of the stewardship of that authority. They would stand before the one who stood before them on that Passover day, but He would no longer be wearing a borrowed robe and a thorny crown.
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God.” Revelation 19:11-13 NIV.
Jesus had to die. He had to bear the worst that human beings could throw at Him without reacting. It was the only way to conquer sin, death and hell and to reverse all the effects of Adam’s sin both in humans and in the entire created universe. Pilate brought Him out to the people like a masterpiece on show. “Here is the man!” he declared. What are you going to do with Him?
Acknowledgement
Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.