Tag Archives: purple robe

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED

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THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED

16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. 17 They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. 18 And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. Mark 15:16-20

The Roman soldiers, though supposedly neutral, got caught up in this spectacle. Why did they treat Jesus with such contempt? Was it because of their loyalty to Rome? Were they mocking His claim to be a king? Yes, by their words and behaviour! They had Him in their power, king though He claimed to be, and they wanted to make sure that He knew it and felt it.

Viewing this scene from a broader perspective, both Jew and Gentile, representing the whole world, were drawn into the guilt of condemning and crucifying an innocent man but, more than that, the very Son of God. How terrifying the thought that they will stand before the very same Jesus whom they mocked, abused, insulted and spat on, the one whose authority and kingship they refused to take seriously, and hear His verdict on their guilt; not because He has not already pardoned them – He did that on the cross – but because they did not recognise who He was or receive His forgiveness for what they had done.

The saddest thing about Jesus’ sacrifice is that, for the vast majority of people who have ever lived and will ever live, it will have been in vain either because they did not know or because they refused to accept the forgiveness of sin His sacrifice purchased for them. Ever those who insulted, abused or crucified Him were included in His prayer, “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.”

When it was all over, when they went home with their memories of the day flashing through their minds over and over again, how did they deal with the events of the day when their excuses no longer held water? How many of them chose to harden their hearts, and how many broke down in grief and repentance and received the forgiveness He uttered? How many were terrified and how many elated when He rose from the dead and the news spread around the city?

Robed And Crowned As King

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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 NIV.

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 NIV.

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 NIV.

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 crueler the better. Stoning was their method of execution but it was relatively quick. Crucifixion was the Roman method and it suited them just find. 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.

But 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?