“Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged severely. The soldiers braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head and they clothed him in a purple robe. They came up to him and again, said, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they struck him repeatedly in the face.” —John 19:1–3
Jesus is experiencing incredible suffering … for our sake. The moment has come for the Old Testament prophecies to be fulfilled:
“He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him, he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.” —Isaiah 53:3
“He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed.” —Isaiah 53:5
The eternal Son of God, whom the Father’s countless angels stood at the ready delighting to honor, steps down out of His glory to be the perfect and needed sacrifice for all the sins of the world. We see our Lord here willingly beaten by His own people, unjustly condemned by a judge who proclaimed he could find no fault in Him, and finally delivered up to an excruciating death with all the sins of the world heaped upon His bleeding and disfigured body. Who loves like this? Only God—His love is a love that stands alone.
Paul tells us:
“You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross! As a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” —Philippians 2:5–11
The suffering of Jesus puts into perspective our own suffering. What was it like for Him to beaten and mocked? We are called to follow His example of patience in all trials and afflictions of life—especially those brought upon us for our faith in Him. It is He and He alone who gives us the grace, the power, and the strength to meet each trial. We have His strength in us!
Become More
“But the LORD delivers the godly; he protects them in times of trouble.” —Psalm 37:39
Further Reflections
“He, the innocent sin-bearer, wore the crown of thorns, that we, the guilty, might wear a crown of glory.” —John Charles Ryle
“Whatever the circumstances, whatever the call, whatever the duty, whatever the price, whatever the sacrifice—His strength will be your strength in your hour of need.” —Billy Graham
“Want of trust is at the root of almost all our sins and all our weaknesses, and how shall we escape it but by looking to Him and observing His faithfulness. The man who holds God’s faithfulness will not be foolhardy or reckless, but will be ready for every emergency.” —Hudson Taylor