(1) Repeated word: Mocking
a. The soldiers called together the whole cohort and mocked Jesus. They abused Jesus physically and ridiculed Him as the king.
15:17 They put a purple cloak on him and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on him.
(NET) The purple cloak probably refers to a military garment which had the color of royal purple, and thus resembled a king’s robe. The soldiers did this to Jesus as a form of mockery in view of the charges that he was a king (cf. 15:2).
The crown may have been made from palm spines or some other thorny plant common in Israel... Their purpose would have been to mock Jesus’ claim to be a king; the crown of thorns would have represented the “radiant corona” portrayed on the heads of rulers on coins and other artifacts in the 1st century.
15:18 They began to salute him: “Hail, king of the Jews!”15:19 Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Then they knelt down and paid homage to him.
b. Jesus' charge also showed the mocking of the executioners
15:26 The inscription of the charge against him read, “The king of the Jews.”
(NET) the inscription would normally give the reason for the execution. It shows that Jesus was executed for claiming to be a king. It was also probably written with irony from the executioners’ point of view.
c. The passerby defamed Him
v.29 b “Aha! You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 15:30 save yourself and come down from the cross!”
d. Of course, the chief priests, the experts in the law were mocking among themselves
d. Of course, the chief priests, the experts in the law were mocking among themselves
v.31b “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! 15:32 Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe!”
(2) Summary: Crucified on the cross was extremely painful. However, Scriptures focused on the mocking, not the physical sufferings. Why? Why did the soldiers mock Him? They did not even know Him. All the mockings have a common point. He was Christ, the King of the Jews, the One Who came to save man. Now, this glorious King seemed to be defeated and being hung on a Cross.
(2) Summary: Crucified on the cross was extremely painful. However, Scriptures focused on the mocking, not the physical sufferings. Why? Why did the soldiers mock Him? They did not even know Him. All the mockings have a common point. He was Christ, the King of the Jews, the One Who came to save man. Now, this glorious King seemed to be defeated and being hung on a Cross.
The irony of the event is that Jesus is the King and He can save us, but His salvation was through His death on the Cross. Therefore, people should not have looked down on Him.
(3) Reflection:
Do you honor Jesus as the King? Are you looking forward to the day that He comes back as the glorious King and rules the whole earth (Kingdom of God)? Even when He was beaten and mocked by others you still honored Him for Who He is?
How about when people around you despised Christianity? Are you intimidated by them and afraid to let people know that you are a Christian?
If we are looking forward for His rulership in the future shall we live under His rulership now? Are we willing to give up our own rights for God?
Audrey
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