March
23, 2003
HAIL,
KING OF THE JEWS!
"So
then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers
twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they
put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, 'Hail, King of the
Jews!' And they struck Him with their hands" (John 19:1-3,
NKJV).
"Then
the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium,
and they called together the whole garrison. And they clothed
Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it
on His head, and began to salute Him, 'Hail, King of the Jews!'
Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him;
and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. And when they had
mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes
on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him" (Mark 15:34).
"Then
they spat on His face and beat Him" Matthew 26:67. Centuries
earlier Isaiah had prophesied, "I gave My back to those
who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the
beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting"
(Isaiah 50:6).
"Wonder,
O heavens! and be astonished, O earth! Behold the oppressor
and the oppressed. A maddened throng enclose the Saviour of
the world. Mocking and jeering are mingled with the coarse
oaths of blasphemy. His lowly birth and humble life are commented
upon by the unfeeling mob. His claim to be the Son of God
is ridiculed, and the vulgar jest and insulting sneer are
passed from lip to lip.
"Satan
led the cruel mob in its abuse of the Saviour. It was his
purpose to provoke Him to retaliation if possible, or to drive
Him to perform a miracle to release Himself, and thus break
up the plan of salvation. One stain upon His human life, one
failure of His humanity to endure the terrible test, and the
Lamb of God would have been an imperfect offering, and the
redemption of man a failure. But He who by a command could
bring the heavenly host to His aid-- He who could have driven
that mob in terror from His sight by the flashing forth of
His divine majesty-- submitted with perfect calmness to the
coarsest insult and outrage.
"Christ's
enemies had demanded a miracle as evidence of His divinity.
They had evidence far greater than any they had sought. As
their cruelty degraded His torturers below humanity into the
likeness of Satan, so did His meekness and patience exalt
Jesus above humanity, and prove His kinship to God."--
The Desire of Ages, p. 734.
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