Mark 15:16-20
Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.
“Notice what you notice.” I am amazed at Jesus’ strength – both His body and His character. First, bodily… As with yesterday, today we again have Him in the Praetorium being tortured and taunted by the Roman soldiers. He has already suffered a scourging, in which some die before it’s over. Now He gets a crown of thorns put on His head, with soldiers beating the crown into His head with a reed. (Ask me sometime about my crown of thorns.) Then He will still carry his cross to Golgotha and hang on that cross for six hours before He dies. He must have been extremely fit to go through all that.
And His character… To go through all that verbal and physical abuse and not respond. He knew that He had legions of angels at His disposal, but he suffered quietly. It was as Isaiah prophesied, He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)
I’m amazed…!
Slava Bohu!
Mockery, bullying – soul damaging beyond the physical. Situations that can lead to suicide, quitting, wilting. He bore those stripes too, but he didn’t cry out. The soldiers spoke in mockery, but the royal robes, the crown, the adoration were all true. Worthy is the Lamb!
Excellent post, Debbie!
It is intense to read these passages so slowly, digesting each little part of the betrayal and crucifixion over weeks. I don’t think I’ve ever done it over a period of time this way. Even though I don’t read my RTB passage daily, but usually a few days at a time, I am having an entirely new experience of it.
Just thought I’d share that…
A worthy post… Thanks for sharing!