And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

Mark 15:20

For Meditation

The soldiers swooped over my Master in the Praetorium like vultures at the smell of carcass (Mk. 15:26). Their hour had come. The stage was set for their part in the play.

I hid my face from His naked body. My stomach churned with disgust at the crack of the Roman soldiers’ whip. Indiscriminately, their bone-tips tore through my Lord’s body. Soon, the floor of the Praetorium turned into a sea of blood, with gaping wounds decorating His body from head to toe. His screams were agonizing, and I couldn’t bear it anymore. I made a final effort to go to His aid, but the soldiers stopped me. They were having the time of their life. Their mockery became contemptible when they staged a mock coronation with His heavily bruised body. But what is a purple robe, a staff in His right hand, and a crown of thorns to the King of kings and Lord of lords? His heaven has the richest wardrobe anybody could think of (Rev. 1:12-17). His worship never stops. The four living creatures and twenty-four elders lead the host of heaven to sing and declare His glory night and day. So, what was this joke all about? Did the soldiers realize the irony of their cruel actions? But I know better now. It was all for me and you; heaven’s King in my place and taking my punishment upon Himself.

Finally, they put the heavy of His cross on His back and paraded Him through the narrow and winding streets of Jerusalem. As I towed behind the crowd, but making sure I saw everything, I remembered His cry over Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives: “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Lk. 19:41-44).

Now what’s going on there? What part does Simon the Cyrene have in this thing? Why didn’t they ask me to carry the cross for my Master? It would have soothed my pain a bit.

The crowd grew as we went through the city. The women from our company wailed. The chief priests, teachers of the law, the elders and Pharisees hurried ahead to gain “front row seats” at Golgotha. There, they nailed my Master to the cross, sandwiched between two criminals. It was the time of the evening sacrifice, but the chief priest couldn’t care. What a shame! But what irony. The Passover Lamb was going to be sacrificed on the altar of God at Calvary.    

A thunderous applause echoed through the valley as the cross was raised. They had bargained for it. But at what cost? Did anybody stop the think that it was our Messiah they had crucified?

At Pilate’s insistence, the inscription on the cross read: “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” As they cast lot for His cloths, I remembered the prophecy of Psalm 22:18, “They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”

The crowd mocked. The chief priests ridiculed Him. “He saved others,” … but he can’t save himself!Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe” (Mk. 15:31-32).

Despite their scorn, my Lord died graciously, forgiving His murderers and saving the criminal who asked for a place in His Kingdom. Is that not what this is all about?

Thirsty and dehydrated, the Master declared victory and breathed His last.

Again, I wept. But now I know better.
For, “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”