Blindfolded Jesus Struck by a Roman Soldierby CBPepper
26:68Matthew 26:68
Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
In the palace of Caiaphas Jesus stood on trial for His life, blindfolded with a garment thrown over His head, struck in the face and challenged to use His prophetic office to name who had smitten Him. The demand mocked His claim to be Christ the Messiah, turning prophecy into humiliation with a jeering call for a sign while priests, rulers and the rabble joined in satanic fury. He bore the shame, reproach and blows meekly, making no retaliation in word, look or angry response. Though as Prince of life He had supreme power to stop the smiting hands or strike the multitude down, and though the hosts of heaven witnessed it, He did not use that power and angels were restrained from rescuing Him. His willing endurance was part of the plan of redemption, wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities to ransom humanity and bring many sons and daughters to glory, and those who scorned His calm face will one day see it in glory brighter than the sun.
Trial Setting and Mockery
The taunt belongs to the examination in the high priest Caiaphas's palace, where Jesus stood on trial for His life before Caiaphas as presiding officer after condemnation as guilty. It was a mock trial conducted under pretense of legal process and kept secret, so the people could not testify in His defense and expose His works, lest they turn against the Sanhedrin, undo its actions, and secure His release and renewed honor. Caiaphas had regarded Jesus as a rival because His simple, eloquent, and wise teaching drew large crowds ready to accept His doctrines, rousing bitter jealousy. Though momentarily struck with admiration for His bearing and convicted that He was akin to God, Caiaphas banished the thought.
Caiaphas sat on the throne of judgment in gorgeous robe with glittering tiara and costly breastplate where the light of God's glory had formerly flashed, with judges and those specially interested on either side and Roman soldiers ranged on the platform below. Jesus stood beneath at the foot of the throne in coarse, homely garb, though He had reigned in the courts of heaven crowned and in garments of brightness attended by holy angels. He stood calm, serene, dignified, majestic, and heavenly as King before the earthly tribunal. He heard Caiaphas's sneering, haughty demand for a mighty miracle as though He heard not, and made no answer to the mocking demand.
His calm bearing stood in contrast to the excited, malignant agitation and deportment of Annas and Caiaphas. A holy influence emanated from Him and pervaded the atmosphere, so that even the hardened multitude questioned whether one of God-like presence should be sentenced as a common criminal. Perceiving that influence, Caiaphas hastened the trial. After the judges pronounced Him guilty, a satanic fury seized priests, rulers, and the rabble together, and forgetting the dignity of office they joined in abuse, roaring like wild beasts and rushing upon Him crying He was guilty and must die and be put to the most shameful death.
Bound and held by two men, He would have been torn in pieces or killed before crucifixion had not Roman authority intervened by force of arms, with soldiers and officers restraining the mob and rebuking the Jewish authorities for condemning a man unproved and on His own testimony. An old garment was thrown over His head to cover and blindfold Him, and His persecutors struck Him in the face. They clothed Him with an old purple robe and bowed to Him in mockery as to a king, and when the covering was removed He was spat upon in the face. The words, "prophesy" and name who struck Him, mocked His prophetic office and His claim to be Christ the Messiah, turning prophecy into humiliation. They joined to that challenge a jeering demand for a sign or miracle to prove He was the Saviour, while despising Him for His low birth and parentage.
Endurance and Redemptive Meaning
Blindfolded and struck while challenged to name by prophecy who had hit Him, He bore the humiliation meekly and made no retaliation in word, look, or angry response toward the deluded souls emboldened by priestly sanction. He endured the covering of His head, the blows, and the taunt without answering abuse with anger. Though He was the Prince of life with supreme power and divinity by which He could have stopped the smiting hands, struck the multitude down, or driven them away, He did not use that power. Though the hosts of heaven witnessed His humiliation and the least angel could have dispersed the throng, angels were restrained from rescuing Him.
His willing endurance of shame, reproach, pain, scorn, and abuse was part of the plan of redemption and His work as humanity's Redeemer in giving His life. It was part of the bitter cup of agony He drank to the full without refusing, strengthened by God to drink it. In this He is a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, wounded for transgressions, bruised for iniquities, bearing the chastisement that brings peace, with healing by His stripes. He suffered to pay the debt of sin incurred by transgression, to ransom with His own life the humanity He created, to bring many sons and daughters to glory and elevate humanity to God, becoming a propitiation for a lost world, so that every temptation He endured and every stroke that fell on Him places man on vantage ground with God.
His present shame stands in contrast to the glory He will have in the city of God. Angels recorded every insulting look, word, and act against their Commander, and those who scorned His calm, pale face will one day see it in glory brighter than the sun and pray to be hidden from Him. The scene shows how people without His Spirit, like the scribes and Pharisees with false statements and hostile actions, reflect a spirit opposed to Him that can inflame others and make Him appear in the worst light. Even those who mocked and abused Him could have been forgiven if they had repented, as Saul was. His willingness to bear such insult calls believers to Christlikeness, to labor as He labored, and to understand what it means to suffer for His sake.
In the palace of Caiaphas Jesus stood on trial for His life, blindfolded with a garment thrown over His head, struck in the face and challenged to use His prophetic office to name who had smitten Him. The demand mocked His claim to be Christ the Messiah, turning prophecy into humiliation with a jeering call for a sign while priests, rulers and the rabble joined in satanic fury. He bore the shame, reproach and blows meekly, making no retaliation in word, look or angry response. Though as Prince of life He had supreme power to stop the smiting hands or strike the multitude down, and though the hosts of heaven witnessed it, He did not use that power and angels were restrained from rescuing Him. His willing endurance was part of the plan of redemption, wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities to ransom humanity and bring many sons and daughters to glory, and those who scorned His calm face will one day see it in glory brighter than the sun.
Trial Setting and Mockery
The taunt belongs to the examination in the high priest Caiaphas's palace, where Jesus stood on trial for His life before Caiaphas as presiding officer after condemnation as guilty. It was a mock trial conducted under pretense of legal process and kept secret, so the people could not testify in His defense and expose His works, lest they turn against the Sanhedrin, undo its actions, and secure His release and renewed honor. Caiaphas had regarded Jesus as a rival because His simple, eloquent, and wise teaching drew large crowds ready to accept His doctrines, rousing bitter jealousy. Though momentarily struck with admiration for His bearing and convicted that He was akin to God, Caiaphas banished the thought.
Caiaphas sat on the throne of judgment in gorgeous robe with glittering tiara and costly breastplate where the light of God's glory had formerly flashed, with judges and those specially interested on either side and Roman soldiers ranged on the platform below. Jesus stood beneath at the foot of the throne in coarse, homely garb, though He had reigned in the courts of heaven crowned and in garments of brightness attended by holy angels. He stood calm, serene, dignified, majestic, and heavenly as King before the earthly tribunal. He heard Caiaphas's sneering, haughty demand for a mighty miracle as though He heard not, and made no answer to the mocking demand.
His calm bearing stood in contrast to the excited, malignant agitation and deportment of Annas and Caiaphas. A holy influence emanated from Him and pervaded the atmosphere, so that even the hardened multitude questioned whether one of God-like presence should be sentenced as a common criminal. Perceiving that influence, Caiaphas hastened the trial. After the judges pronounced Him guilty, a satanic fury seized priests, rulers, and the rabble together, and forgetting the dignity of office they joined in abuse, roaring like wild beasts and rushing upon Him crying He was guilty and must die and be put to the most shameful death.
Bound and held by two men, He would have been torn in pieces or killed before crucifixion had not Roman authority intervened by force of arms, with soldiers and officers restraining the mob and rebuking the Jewish authorities for condemning a man unproved and on His own testimony. An old garment was thrown over His head to cover and blindfold Him, and His persecutors struck Him in the face. They clothed Him with an old purple robe and bowed to Him in mockery as to a king, and when the covering was removed He was spat upon in the face. The words, "prophesy" and name who struck Him, mocked His prophetic office and His claim to be Christ the Messiah, turning prophecy into humiliation. They joined to that challenge a jeering demand for a sign or miracle to prove He was the Saviour, while despising Him for His low birth and parentage.
Endurance and Redemptive Meaning
Blindfolded and struck while challenged to name by prophecy who had hit Him, He bore the humiliation meekly and made no retaliation in word, look, or angry response toward the deluded souls emboldened by priestly sanction. He endured the covering of His head, the blows, and the taunt without answering abuse with anger. Though He was the Prince of life with supreme power and divinity by which He could have stopped the smiting hands, struck the multitude down, or driven them away, He did not use that power. Though the hosts of heaven witnessed His humiliation and the least angel could have dispersed the throng, angels were restrained from rescuing Him.
His willing endurance of shame, reproach, pain, scorn, and abuse was part of the plan of redemption and His work as humanity's Redeemer in giving His life. It was part of the bitter cup of agony He drank to the full without refusing, strengthened by God to drink it. In this He is a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, wounded for transgressions, bruised for iniquities, bearing the chastisement that brings peace, with healing by His stripes. He suffered to pay the debt of sin incurred by transgression, to ransom with His own life the humanity He created, to bring many sons and daughters to glory and elevate humanity to God, becoming a propitiation for a lost world, so that every temptation He endured and every stroke that fell on Him places man on vantage ground with God.
His present shame stands in contrast to the glory He will have in the city of God. Angels recorded every insulting look, word, and act against their Commander, and those who scorned His calm, pale face will one day see it in glory brighter than the sun and pray to be hidden from Him. The scene shows how people without His Spirit, like the scribes and Pharisees with false statements and hostile actions, reflect a spirit opposed to Him that can inflame others and make Him appear in the worst light. Even those who mocked and abused Him could have been forgiven if they had repented, as Saul was. His willingness to bear such insult calls believers to Christlikeness, to labor as He labored, and to understand what it means to suffer for His sake.