Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. Matthew 27:27-31 (NIV)
As I read this the other day there were several things that stood out for me. In my last post I noted how Jesus showed compassion even in his time of pain toward the servant whose ear was cut off. First I want to focus on the soldiers in this story. Most of these had probably heard of Jesus but because they were not of Jewish decent they did not have any emotional or spiritual ties to who he really was. As far as they were concerned he was just a man who the Jews did not like and who they could make fun of. They had no real morals as to how to treat people. They must not have ever heard Jesus tell the story of the good Samaritan and who their neighbor really was. Their king was Caesar. Even the chief priests told Pilate that they had no king but Caesar as told in the gospel of John. How could they be so cruel? Are we ever that cruel to people? Do we ever make fun of someone because we don't understand them or because other people don't like them? Again, how could they be so mean?
At this time I want to focus on Jesus. We have already noticed Jesus' compassion. He had told his diciples that His Father could at once put at his disposal more then twelve legions of angels if He called out to Him. He knew what he had to do. Jesus loves us very much and wants all of us to come to know him. I can imagine as he was led into the room and his clothes were changed how sad he must have been. He knew the hearts of the soldiers. He knew their understanding of how things were. As they put the crown of thorns on his head and the robe on his shoulders I picture tears falling down his cheeks not only from the physical pain but because of his love and concern for the soldiers in front of him. Have you ever been hurt by someone and cried not as much from the physical or emotional pain but because you wish they understood just how much you do love them? I am sure there are parents who have cried many tears because their child turns away and just does not comprehend the love they have for them. Again I want to point out Jesus' self-control. He could have said "Enough." but he dealt with the pain and humiliation because he knew that his death was the only way we would have hope of being with him forever. He loves us that much.
I want to return to the soldiers a few days later. Were any of the soldiers that had mocked Jesus also at the tomb on that glorious Sunday? Did any of the company of soldiers that mocked Jesus stand at the cross and see the darkened sky and the bodies of the saints rise from the dead remember what they had just done and wonder if they had been wrong? Did any of them listen to Peter on Pentecost and repent and follow Jesus? We don't know but I pray that some did. How could they see the events of the next few days and not be touched? Did they instead believe the lie that was told and figure they were in the right? How hard was their heart?
I pray that we can respond to the love of Jesus. I pray that we will open our heart to his message and the hope that he gave us. Let's not let the tears that fell mean nothing to us. Respond to him today and decide that you will do all you can to share his love with those who are hurting and do not understand. Pray that all who mock Jesus will see the power of what his death and resurrection means for us that their heart will be softened and they will repent and join into Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection by obedience to his will for us to be baptized and follow him as a disciple. We must make sure we never mock Jesus by the way we live.
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