What Jesus Did : Matthew 27:27-31 - The Emotional Truth
by Phil Ware
The Emotional Truth - Matthew 27:27-31
Then Pilate's soldiers brought Jesus into the governor's palace. All the soldiers gathered around Jesus. The soldiers took off Jesus' clothes and put a red robe on him. Then the soldiers used thorny branches to make a crown. They put this crown of thorns on Jesus' head, and they put a stick in his right hand. Then the soldiers bowed before Jesus and teased him. They said, "Hello, king of the Jews!" The soldiers spit on Jesus. Then they took his stick and hit him on the head many times. After they finished teasing Jesus, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led Jesus away to be killed on a cross. (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
Matthew describes this horrible scene so matter-of-factly. His account is devoid of emotion or nuance. The brutality and cruelty is just simply recited. However, each fact shakes us like a lightning strike a little too close for comfort.
They took his clothes and put on a robe.
They put a crown of thorns on his head.
They put a mock scepter in his hand.
They mocked him as King.
They spat upon him.
They beat him with a stick on his head.
They led him away to be crucified.
For those of us who believe, our hearts break with each thunderclap of hell's fury. This emotionless account stirs deep emotions within us. This is our beloved Jesus. This is our Savior. This is our Lord. He did this for us ... for me! How could they do such things?
More than simple historical facts, these events are the basis of our salvation and the cost paid to redeem us from our sin. They remind us of God's love. Simple and emotionless words stir something deep within us and make us cry, both with delight in our salvation and in horror at its cost. This is our King. We bow to him. He rules forever. Yet he withheld his power and suffered this horrible set of events for one reason: he loves us and wants us in his family.Today's Prayer
Gracious heavenly Father, as a mere mortal, there is no way that I can understand or feel what must have penetrated your heart when these events occurred. But I thank you. I thank you for sending Jesus to be my salvation. I thank you for withholding your power so that power could be directed to remove my sin. I thank you for loving me when I have not always been lovable. I thank you that this is not the end of Jesus' story, but the beginning of the very events that made your limitless grace accessible to me. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
Then Pilate's soldiers brought Jesus into the governor's palace. All the soldiers gathered around Jesus. The soldiers took off Jesus' clothes and put a red robe on him. Then the soldiers used thorny branches to make a crown. They put this crown of thorns on Jesus' head, and they put a stick in his right hand. Then the soldiers bowed before Jesus and teased him. They said, "Hello, king of the Jews!" The soldiers spit on Jesus. Then they took his stick and hit him on the head many times. After they finished teasing Jesus, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led Jesus away to be killed on a cross. The soldiers were going out of the city with Jesus. The soldiers forced another man there to carry the cross for Jesus. This man's name was Simon from Cyrene. They came to the place called Golgotha. (Golgotha means "The Place of the Skull.") At Golgotha, the soldiers gave Jesus wine to drink. This wine was mixed with gall. Jesus tasted the wine but refused to drink it. The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross. Then the soldiers gambled with dice to decide who would get Jesus' clothes. The soldiers sat there and continued watching Jesus. The soldiers put a sign above Jesus' head with the charge against him written on it. The sign said: "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS." Two robbers were nailed to crosses beside Jesus. One robber was put beside Jesus on the right and the other was put on the left. People walked by and said bad things to Jesus. People shook their heads and said, "You said you could destroy the temple and build it again in three days. So save yourself! Come down from that cross, if you are really the Son of God!" The leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the older Jewish leaders were also there. These men teased Jesus the same as the other people. They said, "He saved other people. But he can't save himself! People say he is the king of Israel (the Jews). If he is the king, then he should come down now from thecross. Then we will believe in him. He trusted God. So let God save him now, if God really wants him. He himself said, 'I am the Son of God.'" And in the same way, the robbers that were being killed on crosses beside Jesus also said bad things to him.-- Matthew 27:27-44 (ERV)
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