27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 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.
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
Jesus Crucified
Jesus, I never really thought of the crucifixion as an enthronement. Such a picture of horror seems to indicate something less than royalty. I think of you enthroned at the right hand of the Father, but I do not think of you enthroned on the cross. Yet I have thought of it before as a moment of glory. The love and compassion shown on the cross is beyond measure. It is glorious. You have one on your right and one on your left, like the image that James and John conjured up when they asked to be sat on your right and your left. So many of the disciples would share this glorious enthronement in death. The glory of martyrdom did await them. The reality of your royalty was acknowledged here at the cross, but it was in the words of mockers. It’s as if all of reality is cast in a sad joke. It’s as though the royal courts of heaven are recast in the tones of blood and pain.
Thank you for enduring such shame. Thank you for being enthroned on the cross. May you reign in each of our lives without any rivals.
Questions
- What did the Romans do to Jesus?
- How was Jesus mocked?
- How is the scene one of mock enthronement?
- What does the horror of the crucifixion have to do with you?
- Did Jesus gain the kingdom of your heart when he died?
Plymothian 