Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
After Pilate’s cynical political decision to scourge and crucify Jesus, Roman soldiers begin to carry out his decree: “And the soldiers led Him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and thy call together the whole band. And they clothed Him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about His head, and began to salute Him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they smote Him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon Him, and bowing their knees worshipped Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took off the purple from Him, and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him” (Mark 15:16-20). According to the cruel laws of the Romans, these men have a job to do. However, they did not have to enjoy it so much. They did not have to mock and scorn and spit and add to the punishment. What do these soldiers have against Jesus? Nothing. Yet their animus becomes another indication that He is completely different. Our culture frequently uses the name of Jesus as a profanity, something that it does not do for any other religious or historical figure. More Christians, bearing the name of Christ, were martyred in the twentieth century than in all other centuries combined. Some of those deaths were politically motivated. Often, though, it is simply blind, mindless hatred of that which is different, that which is good and right. The brutality that Jesus endures” even before the Cross reminds us of His words in John 15:20c: “If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” As always His words are true.