Part 3: Jesus Mocked and Crucified (Matthew 27:27–44)
After his Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem a few days ago, our King is now made ready to take his throne. He is given a scarlet robe, a crown, and a scepter. He is hailed as King! But hold on, for details matter.
Our King is delivered to be crucified into the hands of the masters of cruelty that were Roman soldiers. After they whip Him, these soldiers strip Jesus and put a scarlet robe on Him. Scarlet is the color of royalty. They place a crown upon His head, but it is no jeweled piece of metal, but rather thorns twisted together. And I doubt seriously that any care was taken to place it carefully. A symbol of power is given to Jesus: a reed that was to resemble a scepter. And then the King is mocked. Spiting on Jesus, these scoundrels bow and proclaim, possibly with laughter and scorn in their voices, “Hail, King of the Jews.”
After they have their fun, they lead Him away to be crucified. They force another man to carry the cross, and finally, at long last, they arrive at the throne room. But hardly anyone noticed. Interestingly, Jesus is crucified at Golgotha, the Place of a Skull. A hill that was shaped and looked like a skull is under the feet of Jesus when he is killed. And just before they crucify Jesus, they offer Him gall, a bitter drink of herbs mixed with wine. But He did not take it. No, Jesus was there to suffer for the sins of the world. To suffer hell in your place. He would not have this drink null His senses or numb his pain.
Finally, Jesus is crucified. The sign of His sentence is put over His head: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. The King has taken His throne, but even still, the mocking does not end. Now it is the turn of the passersby and the robbers crucified with Him.
Listen to their blasphemy against Him! Hear the devil tempting Him even here at the cross! “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” Alas, for Jesus to rebuild the temple in three days, He first had to be destroyed. And notice their assumption that He would be seeking self-preservation. They think that surely if this man were the Son of God, He would use his power to save Himself!
The chief priests and elders take their turn in mocking Him: “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.” The reality is they don’t believe He saved others. If they did, they would already believe in Him. And since many of them still refused to believe after the Resurrection, then they are lying about what they would believe if He came down off His cross. Here the teachers of the Law understand so little of what they were experts in, they do not see that the fact that Jesus is God and it is precisely because He is the Son of God that He doesn’t come down off the cross! In order to save you, He cannot save Himself.
God would have been just to zap every one of these blasphemers. But in His mercy, on the cross and listening to them do it, He is winning forgiveness for them. For all who have and all who will sin against Him. They may not trust in Him for this salvation, but from Judas to Pilate to the people here mocking, the battle is being waged on their, and our, behalf.
Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD
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