Hail, King of the Jews!

 

 Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"  So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"  Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!"  So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.  

Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.  And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.  And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.

 

- Mark 15:12–21 

 

Yesterday we read that immediately, in the morning, after Christ's night trial at the home of the high priest, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.  Then Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  He answered and said to him, "It is as you say."  And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing.  Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Do You answer nothing?  See how many things they testify against You!"  But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.  Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested.  And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion.  Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them.  But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"  For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.  But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them.

 

  Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"  So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"  Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!"  So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.   Three times Pilate has asked the crowd whether they want Jesus to be released and three times they demanded to release Barabbas and to crucify Jesus.  My study Bible comments that Pilate's sin was less than that of the Jewish leaders who delivered Christ to him (John 19:11), as the Jews had the Law and the prophets to instruct them, and Pilate did not.  Pilate wasn't without sin, however, as he knowingly sent an innocent Man to death, out of his desire to gratify the crowd.   That he scourged Him means that Jesus was treated as a condemned prisoner, and punished with a whip or lash which inflicts great pain.

Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.  And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.  And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.  My study Bible comments that every king is proclaimed by his soldiers.  Although the intention here is mockery, it's prophetic that Jesus is clothed with purple, and has a crown put on His head, and the soldiers of the governor salute and hail Him as King.  Moreover, bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.  See a similar example in John 11:49-51, where Caiaphas unwittingly prophesies Christ's redemptive work.  My study Bible says that this mockery shows Jesus as the One despised and rejected by human beings who bears the iniquity of us all (see Isaiah 53:3-9). 

 Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.  My study Bible comments that Mark mentions that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus as they were likely still living when this Gospel was written, and possibly even known to Mark's hearers.  The spiritual message, it says, is that we, like Simon (whose name means "obedience"), are not only called to carry the cross set on us by Christ, but seeing Christ in others, we are called to bear each other's burdens as well (Galatians 6:2).

Evil can often be said to be a time upside down, in which truth is perverted, and everything that makes sense is distorted into a false logic which is the opposite of the truth.  In this scene of false trial before the crowd, we have several elements which bear witness to this.  First of all, it was a crowd that welcome Christ into Jerusalem as Messiah a week before this event.  Are there members of that crowd here?  Are they simply stirred by whatever is passing, or whatever others are doing?  And what of the crowd which heard Him with delight as He debated with the religious leaders in the temple?  It is Mark who tells us that "the common people heard Him gladly" (Mark 12:37).  This particular crowd, representing those same people who are in Jerusalem for the Passover, seems quite different from those who were eager to hear Jesus in the temple and who welcomed Him into Jerusalem, for these are somewhat easily stirred by the religious leaders.  Perhaps there are many who simply "follow the crowd" -- but we know that in Jerusalem there are also faithful.  The second strangely inverse parallel is the name of Barabbas.  It means "son of the father" and yet we know that Christ is the true Son of the Father.  The religious leaders use their influence to rig the game, so to speak, in favor of the other "son of the father," who seems to be, according to the Gospels, a nationalist brigand and insurrectionist who has also committed murder.  What we see is a kind of exchange, in which the true Son and fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets is crucified in place of one who uses violence in the name of nationalist insurrection.  One embodies mercy, the other embodies political expediency for power, a fitting representation of these particular leaders who stir the crowd against Christ whom they know to be innocent.  And then there is Pilate, who clearly understands the envy of the religious leaders (see Mark 15:10 in yesterday's reading, above), and has found for Himself that Christ is innocent of the charges brought against Him.  He clearly knows how guilty people act, and Christ doesn't even defend Himself.  But although he is the Roman governor, he also seeks to appease the crowds.  We can understand that his job is to keep the peace as he also has to answer to Caesar.  But the Romans were also known for their law and codes, and this "order" is simply used to treat an innocent Man in the cruelest and harshest way possible.  Scourging and crucifixion were reserved for the worst criminals because of the amount of suffering they inflicted.  So the evil time -- and, we could say, the devil -- has its way in that the compassionate, loving, and merciful Lord receives the worst punishment of a system of law designed to keep a certain kind of peace.  My study Bible explicitly remarks upon the mocking acts of the soldiers hailing Christ as King, and even worshiping Him bowing their knees (see Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10), which become inadvertent prophesy.  These examples of truth turned inside out and upside down are frequently characteristic hallmarks of evil.  This is found in the parable of the Wheat and the Weeds (or Tares), in which the indigestible weeds, which aren't nutritious for human beings, resemble the good wheat (see Matthew 13:24-30), also understood as a characteristic of heresy.   Evil sets up a pattern that seemingly is fully aware of the good, as it so often seeks to pattern itself in the image of the good, only suited to its own purposes through lies.  In a recent historical example, there are well-known forms of propaganda used by the Nazis which twisted seemingly good and truthful maxims into masks of order which conceal hideous truths, such as the phrase "Work makes freedom," found on concentration camp gates.  (It was originally a phrase used to describe the therapeutic value of work for rehabilitation of criminals.)  We can think of other examples of modern propaganda designed to cover up terrible abuses of power and acts of extreme destructive cruelty and violence, especially by tyrannical or totalitarian movements.  They all bear this similar stamp of perversions of truth, patterning themselves after the good in horrific imitation.  This mimicry of truths seems to indicate an awareness of the good, a deliberate choice to subvert what is understood as good and true.  And so, we can look at the nature of evil which presents itself in a pattern.  But what of our Lord, who takes on all of this voluntarily?  In the second letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul writes of our reconciliation in Christ, and that "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (see 2 Corinthians 5:18-21).  What this means, according to my study Bible, is that Christ voluntarily assumed the consequences of the sin of human beings, corruption and death, without sinning Himself.  He submitted to this unjust suffering we read in the Gospels because of the sinful passions of human beings and angels.  What it means is that salvation is much more than forgiveness of sins; it is rather new life -- we are reconciled to God and become new creatures.  Moreover, He is that faithful and true Witness who is ultimately the Judge of all.  Through His suffering and death, He needs no other testimony to condemn the ruler of this world who is the ultimate tyrant and cause of evil, the one ultimately responsible for the perversion of truth and misleading and suffering of human beings.  Christ once and for all takes away the justification of expediency and injustice, for in His own innocence He remains the perfect witness against the evil of the world.  The early Christians understood themselves as those who witness, following Him even to death.  The word "martyr" literally means witness in Greek.  We walk in His way, and our own innocence also contributes in metaphysical terms to this struggle which is ultimately "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).  Let us consider the great significance of remembering what we are about when others follow the crowd, when we are stirred to violence by those who seek power for themselves.  For as faithful we enter into His struggle and follow Him, and all of this has meaning and value and substance far beyond what we see in the moment.

 

Hail, King of the Jews!

 Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"  So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"  Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!"  So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified. 

Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.  And they clothed Him with purple, and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.  And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.

- Mark 15:12-21

Yesterday, we read that after His night trial before the Sanhedrin, immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and the scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.  Then Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  He answered and said to him, "It is as you say."  And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing.  Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Do You answer nothing?  See how many things they testify against You!"  But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.   Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested.  And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion.  Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them.  But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"  For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.  But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them.

Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"  So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"  Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!"  So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.   My study bible notes that "the envy of the Jews brought Jesus to Pilate [see yesterday's reading].  The cowardice of Pilate allows envy to have its way.  How pathetic is Pilate:  known in history by billions of people for his complicity, perhaps the greatest coward of all time.  Scourged means flogged with a Roman whip consisting of several leather strips with small pieces of bone and lead at the tips."

Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.  The Praetorium is the residence of the Roman governor, of Pilate.  My study bible says that Pilate may have resided either in Herod's palace or in the Fortress Antonia which was near the temple.

And they clothed Him with purple, and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.  And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.   My study bible points out that the mockery of the soldiers includes the salute, "Hail, King of the Jews, a parody of the salute to Caesar.  It is astonishing that the King of kings humbly condescends to be shamefully treated as a criminal."   

Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.  A note tells us that "compelled signifies the right of soldiers to press civilians into service.  Cyrenian:  that is, from Cyrene, a city on the coast of Libya, North Africa, where many Jews lived.  Simon has the unique privilege of helping the Son of God, weakened by flogging, to carry His Cross to Golgotha."

My study bible points out that of the soldiers who mock Christ, it is likely that most of them will also reject the reality of His Resurrection and His victory over sin and death, and therefore "one cannot help but grieve" for them.  At the same time, Simon, who is compelled to carry Jesus' Cross, is the father of two men, Rufus and Alexander, who are obviously prominent enough in the early church to be mentioned in Mark's Gospel.  If we look around ourselves, we'll see many times and many ways in the world in which incongruent circumstances seem to work to produce coincidental actions that are unpredictable.  An old friend or acquaintance turns up in a time and place we don't expect them to; the descendent of someone we knew turns up at some pivotal point in our lives.  People's lives intersect in ways which are unpredictable.  But it's the choices we make through life that really matter.  Each opportunity presents itself for a "yes" or "no" to the love of Christ and where it leads us in our relationships to others.  And that's why encounters become powerful and significant.  It's safe to say that no one who touches or whose life intersects with Christ's in some way in unaffected, one way or another.  In each encounter, no matter how brief, there is an opportunity for acceptance or for rejection of something.  So it is with the image of Christ within ourselves and within others; each encounter becomes an opportunity for acceptance or rejection -- what we forget in selfishness is that a rejection of that image is also a rejection of who we truly are, the person our Creator has made us capable of becoming.  The mockery of the soldiers, although in some ways an "official act" as it is understood by the state and the powers that be, serves as an image of cruelty for all of us, an image of bullying, of the powerful against the powerless, of what happens when we are too small to fill the shoes of the person we are meant to be, the image that is planted inside each of us by Creator.  We may be on the receiving end of such treatment by those whom we considered our friends.  We may be tempted to be one of the crowd that gangs in on a defenseless victim.  Or we may somehow be one who is compelled to help the victim.  In some sense, this intersection of people gives us each a story of encounter.  Which of these people truly makes something of themselves?  Which of these individuals is the heroic?  Which of these actually is leading us in the world in Whose image we follow, if we call ourselves Christians?  Let us remember this scene, and how we may be limiting ourselves in life by joining in with a gang, through abuse of the powerless, through a failure to worship Christ at every encounter, to find our way through the world by remembering Him.

"Hail, King of the Jews!"

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison behind Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

- Matthew 27:24-31

On Saturday, we read of Jesus presented before Pilate, the governor of Judea. Pilate said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" Jesus responded, "It is as you say." While Jesus was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Pilate prodded Him, but He wouldn't respond, and the governor marveled greatly. It's the feast of Passover, and the custom is for the governor to release one prisoner. Pilate asked the crowds, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife told him: "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him." But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!" Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!" Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison behind Him. The Praetorium was the governor's residence. Here, we have to remark on the importance of the prisoner: the whole garrison is gathered here behind Him. This is an efficient Empire, and one which understands nothing if not power. A whole garrison would not be put to use without purpose.

And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. The prisoner, King of the Jews, is humiliated, mocked, stripped, spat on. It's like an official act of humiliation. My study bible has an important note: "Every king is proclaimed by his soldiers. Thus it is fitting that Jesus should be crowned by the soldiers, although they are unaware of what they are doing. His crown of mockery shows Him 'despised and rejected by men' (Is. 53:3) and thus the One who bears 'the iniquity of us all' (Is. 53:6). Jesus is clothed in scarlet (Mark 15:17 and John 19:2 have 'purple'), representing both His royalty and the sins of humanity which He has taken upon Himself (see Is. 1:18). That the Son of God would be so humble Himself to release us from our sin and death should melt even a heart of stone."

And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. Jesus goes to His crucifixion as Son of Man, with His own clothes on. The King of Glory is now a prisoner awaiting death by crucifixion, a horrible and torturous way to die.

Reading about Jesus' humiliation and mocking, I can't help but be struck by the love that He has given. Of the Roman soldiers, I think we can surely say - with my study bible and the words that Jesus will pronounce from the Cross - that they don't really fully know what they are doing. And yet we know what they are doing, Jesus knows fully what they are doing. The fullness of this time is unmistakable, and perhaps its weight will grow as we understand Christ's love more deeply for ourselves. We have to remember that all of this was done for us, out of tremendous love. This suffering, the extreme ironies, the agony of rejection, betrayal, humiliation, degradation, this is all for us. It's an inescapable part of the story. It teaches us about ourselves, gives us a picture of our world. What do we so easily degrade and step upon? What do we do with things we don't understand? When we suffer any form of humiliation or degradation in our lives, does it say something about who we truly are or does it tell us about the people who would do such things? Over and over, Jesus has preached against faith in appearances alone, a life lived for the construction of an image. In these images of Christ's torture and mockery, we have to see His words played out even more truly and vividly than we can imagine. Does this scene really show us who He is? Yes, He is the man of sorrows. He is also King of kings and Lord of lords. In His humiliation and sorrow, He teaches us something about ourselves: life is not about making a perfect image before others, but about being true to what we are. And the truth belongs, ultimately, to the Person who is Truth. It's there we find ourselves. Not in the images the world would paint of us, nor those we might seek to paint of ourselves. We can't put faith in what the world would show us, or a false face, a mask of an actor in life, a hypocrite (which literally means actor in the original Greek). We put faith in the place where we know who we really are, and where we are truly known. Christ gives us the gift of His humiliation and sorrow. He knows who He is, and He will teach you who you are.

Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!

And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end. Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'" And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?" But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! What do you think?" They answered and said, "He is deserving of death." Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?"

- Matthew 26:57-68

In yesterday's reading, we read of Jesus' betrayal by Judas. Judas came into Gethsemane, where Jesus is with His disciples, and he was accompanied by a mob of people with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders. Judas said, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him." Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" They laid hands on Jesus to take Him, and one of the disciples struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. But Jesus said, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?" In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end. We will see what role Peter plays as the night progresses. Inside, an illegal trial is commencing. Night trials were forbidden in Jewish law.

Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. Again we are given further violation of Jewish law in Jesus' trial. It is a time of deep error in so many ways. It's important to note that pointing out violations of the law isn't the purpose of the Gospels -- but it is a part of the story of Jesus, something essential for us to understand as an element of this time. Even the false witnesses themselves cannot hold up as evidence. There is obvious failure here in so many ways.

But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'" This is quite an interesting detail. Of course we know where this statement comes from, as it's reported in the Gospels. These witnesses have misunderstood the statement, as did the leadership to whom it was made. John tells us that the disciples recalled it later, after Jesus' Resurrection. My study bible says that "some Jews believed the temple would be destroyed and a new one rebuilt by the Messiah," an important understanding.

And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?" But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" Jesus has been silent, keeping silence in what is already an illegal trial made with only one aim in mind. It's interesting to think of His warning to Judas at the Last Supper, His attempts to save Judas by including him in the Eucharist, and even addressing him as "Friend" at the betrayal in the garden of Gethsemane. But here, where there is nothing to be gained with these men who only wish Him to be put to death, who in order to do so are violating their own law which is theirs to protect, there is no point. So far, the witnesses really prove nothing worthy of this aim. Therefore the high priest demands the word of Jesus.

Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." My study bible notes, "Quoting from Psalm 110 and the prophecy of Daniel (Dan. 7:13), Jesus confesses He is the Messiah, both fully man, indeed, the Son of man, and fully God -- for only God can sit at the right hand of the Power, sharing the authority of the Father. Jesus also proclaims He will yet establish the Kingdom of God in its fullness, coming in His glory on the clouds of heaven." "It is as you said" is a variation of what we will hear from Jesus in several places; it is the same phrase He said to Judas at the Last Supper. The phrase seems to me to imply their own witnessing, the words out of their own mouths.

Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! What do you think?" They answered and said, "He is deserving of death." The sentence is pronounced abruptly, through Jesus' own words and not those of any witness. None of the other accusations could stand, so the judge makes this one - yet another violation of the law. My study bible says that Jesus' "claim to be God is the real reason the high priest sentences Him to die. Jesus' statement is befitting His divinity, but the high priest can neither comprehend nor endure such a thing."

Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?" This ridicule strikes us as the most base treatment. It's not yet scourging nor crucifixion, but an example of the most heinous sort of thinking. To my mind it is a truly crude example of blasphemy of the Spirit. It's an example of ignorance at work, debasing and hating what it does not understand. We have been witness, through these latest chapters in Matthew, to Jesus' prophecies about Jerusalem and the temple, to His foreknowledge regarding arrangements for His entry into Jerusalem and the Last Supper. This abuse of power regarding a prisoner, seeking to abase His spiritual gifts, to this Man who fed multitudes and healed so many, serves to us as an example of everything He preached against. It's a vivid warning by illustration of our own capacity for the worst kind of error.

Despite the trial errors and evil intent, the overwhelming evil of this hour in darkness, I just can't get out of my mind the crude treatment rendered to Jesus. Whatever their opinions and aims, Jesus was popularly considered at least a holy man, or a prophet. We observe the intense irony of contradiction here: even as He professes Himself to be Son of Man, coming into the Kingdom, on the right hand of the Power, He goes through the debasing ritual of the powerless, the crude blasphemy -- after He is falsely accused of blasphemy. It's hard to think of a more profound example of what it is to seek to debase another human being, of the perspective of those in whom there is no mercy and no justice. And yet, it is quite possibly a scene we could imagine anywhere. The victim may not be the Son of Man Himself, but it very well could be any person acting in good faith, or through faith, whose actions someone else wants out of the picture. If we are to see in the "littlest ones" the image of Christ, we best think about this scene, and how easy it is to turn something good into something spat upon. Jesus' story also tells us of the importance of justice and truth, of institutions that preserve for us an honesty in the seeking of justice. Let us understand the impact of His life and His story upon us all, our cultures and our institutions. He is a gift to us in so many incalculable ways.

Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!"

Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?" So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!" Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!" So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.

Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.

- Mark 15:12-21

Yesterday, we read about the chief priests and their decision to condemn Jesus. They took Him to Pilate, the Roman procurator of Judea. Pilate asked, "Are You the King of the Jews?" Jesus replied to him, "It is as you say" or "You say so" -- an indirect confirmation of His identity. But He would answer nothing else to the charges the chief priests kept asserting. Pilate marveled at Jesus' silence to the repeated charges. It was the custom on the day of the feast to release one prisoner to the crowd. Among the prisoners was Barabbas, a nationalist rebel who had committed murder during the rebellion against Roman rule. But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them.

Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?" So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!" Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!" My study bible notes that this crowd, "stirred up by the Jewish leaders, is quite likely a crowd of their own supporters hastily gathered in the early morning." We recall their decision was made in an extra-legal session, at night -- then hastily officially confirmed in the morning when it was legal. The note continues, "It is probably not the same crowd which welcomed Jesus as His Triumphal Entry, nor the general populace feared by the Jewish leaders (14:2). However just days before on Palm Sunday, no doubt some of these same people had praised Him. The multitudes were always interested in Christ. Now they turn against Him. Why? The multitude is fickle. The crowd follows the crowd. It loves good teaching and prophetic insight, but avoids discipleship, suffering and perseverance."

So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified. We know that Pilate understands Jesus is being delivered to Him, and the chief priests are demanding condemnation to death, simply because of envy. But the crowd is stirred up, and his job as procurator or prefect is to keep order for the Empire, especially so that taxes may be collected. Because of the threat of rebellion, this essentially military man perhaps does what he considers to be expedient. But my study bible notes: "The cowardice of Pilate allows envy to have its way. How pathetic is Pilate: known in history by billions of people for his complicity, perhaps the greatest coward of all time. Scourged means flogged with a Roman whip consisting of several leather strips with small pieces of bone and lead at the tips." We remember from the accounts of Jesus' healing work that both illness and oppression by demons is represented in language that recalls suffering and torture under cruel rule. "Affliction" for example, here in the Greek is another word that also means to "scourge."

Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. As with those who held Jesus after the meeting of the council, so these men also mock Jesus. A condemned man is subject to humiliation. The Praetorium is the residence of the Roman governor. My study bible notes, "The mockery by the roman soldiers includes the salute Hail, King of the Jews, a parody of the salute to Caesar. It is astonishing that the King of kings humbly condescends to be shamefully treated as a criminal. One cannot help but grieve for those who abuse Jesus, for most of them also will reject the reality of His Resurrection and His victory over sin and death." It adds, "Even in their mockery they prefigure things to come. They will bow the knee to Him once more, for 'at the name of Jesus every knee should bow' (Phil. 2:10)." What we see is a strange, sinful, awful parody of justice on all levels here. The irony of the name of Barabbas (see yesterday's reading and commentary) combines with the irony of Pilate: wanting to keep order, he releases a violent rebel who has committed murder in rebellion against Roman rule. And it is the peaceful Jesus who is to be scourged and crucified! It is a time of the world upside-down, where truth is the last thing to be served. Following the stirred-up crowds is not a sign of leadership nor heroism, not a place for true reflection and understanding and wisdom, but a place of cowardice. So often the Gospels will teach us the difference between the choice for the "praise of men" or the "praise of God." None of the leaders in this story live up to the authority vested in them, on every level. There is only One who shows true authority and leadership through all things. As for the soldiers who carry out orders and know nothing (yet) of Jesus, we will remember His words of forgiveness as He is nailed to the cross, and the depth of its truth that "they know not what they do!"

Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. The soldiers have the right to compel civilians into service. Simon is from Cyrene, a city on the coast of Libya, North Africa, where many Jews lived. He is most likely in Jerusalem for the Passover feast. My study bible says, "Simon has the unique privilege of helping the Son of God, weakened by flogging, to carry his Cross to Golgotha." Alexander and Rufus, by tradition, are considered to be early members of the Church at Rome.

Today's reading gives us great contrasts between the whims and emotional stirring up of the crowds, and the individual choices we find made around the events that concern Christ. Pilate has failed to show leadership by not honoring what he knows to be true and just. The leadership of the Jewish religious leaders is simply subject to envy and fear of displacement by Jesus. The pragmatic approach to hanging onto power, the expediency of the use of force to manipulate all circumstances is what prevails here in both cases. The whim of a stirred up crowd becomes the bottom line somehow. Can we trust a mob to make good decisions? Or must we look to our hearts for something which takes into account wisdom, deliberation, justice, truth? And there is the personal moment in which Simon of Cyrene is compelled to help Jesus carry His cross. We know that by this touch, this connection, his family will play a role in the Church (as we note the mention of his sons). And so we will also read of the words of the centurion at Jesus' death. Somewhere in this story of injustice and evil, we must come to understand the deeply personal and its power to help us to make good choices. What is the truth that we find in our hearts? Do we simply follow the crowd? The bottom line of popularity, or this week's opinion of the crowds, cannot be a good marker for good judgment, or wisdom for good leadership. We see how easily a mob can be manipulated for any purpose. There must be something more. As we delve into the personal here, we must also understand the power of the personal at work within us, through relationship, even through touch and circumstances. We just don't know what the power of a touch or an encounter can bring, what its fruits will be. But we do know the power of what is in the depths of our hearts, and an honest encounter there with truth. How do we make good choices? What kind of leadership comes from an encounter with truth? How do the love and compassion of Christ, the things which embody His kingdom, teach us what good choices and good leadership really are? Let us consider now the power of that love and that kingdom, and where it rules in our hearts, and what it can bring to the world when we make good choices.