The Weight of Compassion
As we study the final moments of Jesus before his crucifixion, the reading becomes harder to bear. If these men knew whose life they held, they would never have mocked them as they did. Yet, the King of Glory took their abuse with mercy and grace. Even in these painful moments, love kept him in those bonds. It motivated him to remain as each blow tore at his skin. With one word, he could have silence all those who lied about him and walked free, but love kept him silent.
Though these soldiers mocked and beat him, his nobility and deity had to have affected them. In fact, Charles Spurgeon gave a sermon that focused on the soldiers who mocked and abused the Christ. He pointed out that no civilian was allowed in the praetorium. Either the Holy Spirit revealed everything that happened behind the closed doors, or at least one of the soldiers repented and gave their life to the Lord. He assumed the later was most likely the case and said, “Our Lord’s marred but patient visage preached such a sermon that one at least who gazed upon it felt its mysterious power, felt that such patience was more than human, and accepted the thorn-crowned Savior as henceforth his Lord and his King.” Every part of Jesus’ life brought revelation of the coming of God’s Kingdom and the plan of salvation for humanity. Though Satan rejoiced with each blow, God used those strikes to break down the walls around men’s hearts. What Satan thought was victory, in truth, was the proclamation of his defeat.
Life often works out differently than we had planned. Satan wasn’t the only one who would discover his celebration came too soon. The very priests and leaders of the Jews would forever be reminded of their failure as well. The chief priests brought Jesus to Pilot to be executed. Their pretense was that they were not allowed to sentence a convicted criminal to death. While this was technically true, it never stopped them before nor after. In Acts 7 we can read how the high priest and the other priests threw Stephen out of the city and stoned him to death for his testimony about Jesus. Perhaps, the priests were not so concerned about Rome’s prohibition to their carrying out their own punishment. Perhaps, they feared the many thousands of followers of Jesus and wished to have the anger over his murder directed at Rome. Unfortunately, no one blamed Rome for the crucifixion. Though it was ordered by a Roman, carried out by Roman hands, and guarded by Roman soldiers, there is no confusion over who truly sentenced Jesus to death or why. The Romans had no quarrel with Jesus, the priests and the Sanhedrin did.
Conceivably, one of the greatest lessons we could take away from today’s reading is to never underestimate the power and compassion of God. Even in what appeared as Jesus’ lowest point, he stayed the course. Love kept his back bared to the whip, not chains. Love showed through his eyes to the men who spat on him and mocked the Son of God. It took power to carry that cross but compassion to want to. All of humanity, past, present, and future, rested on those shredded shoulders. Those swollen eyes didn’t see enemies, they saw lost children in need of a savior. That is why he came, and that is why he stayed.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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