Mark 14:65
And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.
Mark 14:65 belongs to the account of Jesus before Annas and the court of Caiaphas. It places Him in the judgment hall before the fully assembled council, the judges and others specially interested, with the multitude watching Him and Roman soldiers ranged on the platform below the throne amid wild excitement. In that hall Caiaphas presides in gorgeous robe with glittering tiara and costly breastplate, in strong contrast to Jesus in coarse, homely garb. Yet Jesus had reigned crowned in the courts of heaven in garments of brightness attended by holy angels and now stands at an earthly throne to be tried for His life. There He stands calm, serene, dignified, majestic and God-like, revealing His true heavenly kingship.
A holy influence emanates from Jesus and pervades the atmosphere, moving even the hardened multitude to question sentencing such a presence as a common criminal. Caiaphas himself is struck with sudden admiration and conviction that Jesus is akin to God, then banishes the thought and scorns his own mind. Perceiving the influence gaining ground, he hastens the trial and mockingly demands that Jesus work before him one of His famed mighty miracles, which Jesus hears as though He heard not. Earlier in the examination, after Annas was silenced by Jesus' answer, an officer struck Jesus in the face and challenged His reply.
After His condemnation, while bound, Jesus is mocked and physically abused during His trial: His persecutors spit on Him, cover His face and head and blindfold Him, strike and buffet Him, and taunt Him to prophesy by identifying who struck Him. That abuse takes place with the priests and rulers present and approving, while Roman soldiers restrain the violent crowd from killing Him before He can be crucified. Jesus bears the insults and violence without retaliation: He remains meek, calm and dignified, does not answer with anger or force, calmly asks the officer to identify any wrong He has spoken, and answers the abuse without retaliation. Though He could have used His divine power to stop His tormentors, and though angels were ready to rescue Him but were restrained by their commanders, He bore the suffering as part of His mission to become humanity's Sin-bearer and as part of the plan of redemption. Those who scorned and spat on Him will one day see His face in glory, for the abused face will give light to the city of God and shine brighter than the sun.