THE KING ON THE CROSS. Matthew 27.

Soldiers delight to honour their superiors, sloping arms and standing to attention; barking out orders; buglers sounding out ’reveille’ or ‘the last post‘. However, these degenerate military under the governor took the Field Marshal of eternity into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison around him- for spectator sport and to mock Him. The scripture says that “he humbled Himself , becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’

‘They stripped Him’, man’s greatest dishonour among men and women. ’Not content, they ’put a scarlet robe on Him’,(v28) It was an old legionnaire’s uniform, faded, moth-eaten, grubby, and only fit for discard, yet the gown of disgrace for the precious Saviour of men. They heaped unlimited embarrassment on Him.

If He be a King, then a crown was fitting. ‘They twisted a crown of thorns , put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. The razor-like thorns cut into their gnarled hands staining the coronet with their corrupt blood. Medically, what diseases would be revealed from examination of the blood of these brutal men. The Lord would soon shed His own precious blood for our sins. Their ill humour (Hail, King Jesus ) prompted them to give a sceptre to the King, even a bruised reed. Guffaws followed as they humbled the dear Lamb of God.

They further mocked Him, ’bowing the knee before Him and saying, ’Hail, the King of the Jews.’ (v29) aul says ‘That in a coming day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.’ Every soldier of the roamn guard will be included in that special moment. And the agnostics and unbelievers of our day will also bow the knee to the holy One.

The ultimate insult was ‘to spit upon Him, so that the filth of a life time, generated in the soldie’s lungs was poured on the p[ure Son of God. Our Lord woulod have known the nature of the sputum, more so than our present culture and sensitivity testshows what organisms are present and which antibiotics will be effective. They demeaned our Lord.

They took the rod, the mock sceptre, and struck the Lord on His head. ‘ Paul shows how the Lrd is the Head of the church which is His body, the fulness of Him ,Who filleth alll in all.’ Their assault on the Saviour is a subtle rejection of His headship.

When they had exhausted their mockery, they took the robe off Him, and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.’. (v31) Every detail of scripture had been breathed by God’s Spirit; even at the cross iwhere the soldiers gambled for His own clothes. ‘Without the shedding of blood thee is no remission’ so the leading to calvary, even by brutal, callous soldiers was directly in the permissive will of God.

‘They found a man from Cyrene, Simon by name, as they came out, whom ’ they compelled to bear His cross.’ Our Lord was physically exhausted, His back scourged, mocked by religious and heathen men, and grievously insulted; having faced three or four unjust trials in the one night; dehydrated, and thirsty and tired. Simon carried the physical cross, while our Lord Jesus bore the spiritual weight of the sins of the whole human race. ‘Made sin for us.’

Of all sites around Jerusalem, they chose ‘the place called Golgotha, the place of a skull.’ which still bears the image of a skull. It was known as the site of multiple crucifixions; the ground stained with the blood of many evil men; the air polluted with their dying curses. They chose such a site for the King of Kings.

A later study’ Beauty ws restored at Calvary’ will amplify the meaning of Golgotha.

Thirsty from exposure, ‘they gave Him sour wine to drink, mingled with ( nauseating ) gall’. His parched lips burned as ’he tasted it’ and spat out the wine. Determined, ’He would not drink of it,’ even though it would have mercifully relieved some of the physical agony.

No words express more vividly man’s brutality and utter depravity than ’They crucified Him’ (v35) He - the Word made flesh’- the Son of man - the son of God-- whose Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace-

Yes, they crucified Him, who had come as their Saviour to rescue them from hellish practice.

The jagged nails were cruelly driven into His gentle hands and feet. They disregarded the nerves and blood vessels in His hands and feet. They were the execution gang - and He the sinless One. His distress cry was not recorded. All heaven watched, longing to release their champion. Legions of angels on the ready longed to look into the great salvation.

Scripture told us why the soldiers put His garments on Him while leading Him to the cross. So that, callously indifferent to the word of God, they could fulfil its precious prophecies. ’They divided His garments among them, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: they divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.’ And so, Psalm 22;18 was mysteriously brought to pass.

Not with a tender shepherd’s eye, ’They sat down , keeping watch over Him there.’ (v36) Did they gloat over another successful crucifixion, ridding Jerusalem of an evil man? In Isaiah 53 ’It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; to put Him to grief.‘ God purposed redemption.

Who painted the banner, which governor Pilate ordered? ’THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.’’ They put up over His head the accusation written against Him.’ Herod had grasped the extraordinary nature of the One, claiming to be the King of Israel.

With temper aroused, he infuriated the Jewish leaders, by choosing the inscription. And refused to budge when they insisted that it be changed. Isaiah said in chapter 53, ‘Who has believed our report, and who shall declare His generation?’ Israel failed to attest His Deity, Pilate vaguely did so. Let us affirm Him as our personal Saviour and Lord of our lives.

What shameful company that God’s Son was killed among thieves. ‘Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.’ (v38) Our Lord heard as their groans and curses filled the air, distressing the sensitive women and John, assembled to comfort the Son of God. Fighting for His breath,, He brought salvation to one robber, promising him ‘That this day you shall be with Me in Paradise,’ which words have reassured many during their final hours.

The passers-by hurled blasphemy at the suffering Savior. In reproof, they wagged their heads. They continued mocking Him ‘You who destroy the temple and buid it in three days, save Yourself. ‘Again they deliberately misunderstood the reference of the Lord to His rising again after three days in the grave. Finally, ‘If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ Satan tried to draw the Lord away from the cross , despite its shame and suffering, Did he foresee the amazing triumph of the Lord in rising from the dead? To be continued.