Jesus Is Scourged And Mocked.

MEDITATION

While walking in the valley of the Jordan, Jesus halted, turned around and spoke to his disciples with words they found impossible to comprehend: “Behold, we are going to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated, and spat upon; and they will scourge him and kill him”.

Today, the full meaning of those enigmatic words are clear, as Jesus found himself in the courtyard of the Roman governor in Jerusalem; and where the grim ritual of torture and flogging began; while outside this palace, the crowd began to swell in the anticipation of his condemnation and death.

Here, Jesus was in the hands of the authorities, and somehow, we get a feeling that they took pleasure in dealing out their kind of disciple … by beating, scourging and terrorising him … not just physically, but mentally, mocking him also, trying their best to make him feel worthless, and an affront to his personal dignity.

We also read in John’s gospel how they played out that insulting parody, based on the popular game of “mock the king” … where a crown was made of thorny twigs; his clothes replaced by a purple robe; and an imperial salute was given as in “Hail, Caesar!” but resounded with the derisory, “hail, king of the Jews”. Behind all this mockery, we see Jesus being reviled like a pretend king, where in fact he was the king … of all kings.

Jesus was the king whom Matthew tells us that would condemn every torturer and tyrant, and summon into his glory not only their victims, but all those who visited prisoners, tended the wounded and the suffering, and assisted the hungry, the thirsty and the persecuted. … For now, however, the face that was transfigured on mount Tabor in glory, is now being disfigured in shame; and the one who is “the reflection of God’s glory” … is darkened and abased; in the manner Isaiah proclaimed.

This great messianic servant Jesus, had his back furrowed by the lash, his beard plucked, his face covered with spit … and in him we see, not the Glory of God, but a man suffering, a man in pain, revealing the true humanity of Christ … frail, weak and fragile, just like every other living creature on this here earth.