Blindfolded Jesus Struck by a Roman Soldierby CBPepper
22:63Luke 22:63
And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.
The men who held and guarded Jesus during his trial mocked him and struck him while he was still held before formal condemnation. That abuse came before any just hearing and violated the rule that a person is innocent until proved guilty. It included blindfolding him, striking his face, taunting him to identify or prophesy who had struck him, and speaking blasphemously against him. His head was covered with an old garment to blindfold him, and men spit in his face, including one who spit on him when the covering was removed.
This was a third scene of abuse, worse than that from the ignorant rabble, taking place in the very presence of the priests and rulers and with their sanction after the judges pronounced condemnation. Priests and rulers forgot the dignity of their office and joined the abuse with foul epithets, taunting him about his parentage and calling his claim to be the Messiah presumption deserving the most shameful death. The crowd in satanic fury rushed toward him crying for his death to tear him in pieces, and only Roman soldiers by force of arms kept him alive for the cross. Heathen Romans were angry at the brutality and declared that condemning him on his own testimony infringed Roman power and Jewish law, yet the Jewish leaders were dead to pity and shame.
What was done to him fulfilled what prophecy had foretold about what people would do to him. He was treated cruelly despite his loveliness and innocence. He remained meek and humble under cruel suffering, with no angry look toward his offenders and without retaliation. He came not to judge, condemn, or crush the world, but to save, heal, uplift, ennoble, and bless it, as part of his mission to bear human cruelty and save humanity.
The conduct of his guards reveals how men who claimed or appeared to be righteous could act from Satan's spirit to carry out wicked purposes driven by envy, jealousy, and religious bigotry. As he endured there was commotion among the angels, who would have rescued him instantly, but their commanding angels restrained them. Angels faithfully recorded every insulting look, word, and act against their Commander. That same calm, pale face that was scorned and spit upon is the face from which his abusers will one day desire to hide and the face they will one day see in glory, shining brighter than the sun to give light to the city of God.
The men who held and guarded Jesus during his trial mocked him and struck him while he was still held before formal condemnation. That abuse came before any just hearing and violated the rule that a person is innocent until proved guilty. It included blindfolding him, striking his face, taunting him to identify or prophesy who had struck him, and speaking blasphemously against him. His head was covered with an old garment to blindfold him, and men spit in his face, including one who spit on him when the covering was removed.
This was a third scene of abuse, worse than that from the ignorant rabble, taking place in the very presence of the priests and rulers and with their sanction after the judges pronounced condemnation. Priests and rulers forgot the dignity of their office and joined the abuse with foul epithets, taunting him about his parentage and calling his claim to be the Messiah presumption deserving the most shameful death. The crowd in satanic fury rushed toward him crying for his death to tear him in pieces, and only Roman soldiers by force of arms kept him alive for the cross. Heathen Romans were angry at the brutality and declared that condemning him on his own testimony infringed Roman power and Jewish law, yet the Jewish leaders were dead to pity and shame.
What was done to him fulfilled what prophecy had foretold about what people would do to him. He was treated cruelly despite his loveliness and innocence. He remained meek and humble under cruel suffering, with no angry look toward his offenders and without retaliation. He came not to judge, condemn, or crush the world, but to save, heal, uplift, ennoble, and bless it, as part of his mission to bear human cruelty and save humanity.
The conduct of his guards reveals how men who claimed or appeared to be righteous could act from Satan's spirit to carry out wicked purposes driven by envy, jealousy, and religious bigotry. As he endured there was commotion among the angels, who would have rescued him instantly, but their commanding angels restrained them. Angels faithfully recorded every insulting look, word, and act against their Commander. That same calm, pale face that was scorned and spit upon is the face from which his abusers will one day desire to hide and the face they will one day see in glory, shining brighter than the sun to give light to the city of God.