The Sufferings of The Savior- Part 2

Today, as we approach Resurrection Sunday, we continue to look at the things Jesus suffered for us. Yesterday, we discussed the trials He was forced to stand through with the religious leaders and the Roman leaders, as well as the cruel scourging He was subjected to.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. Matthew 27:27-28 (KJV)

Any clothing that had been placed upon Jesus after His scourging was removed and a scarlet robe placed on Him as an act of shaming Him. Being accused of saying He was the King of the Jews, they placed this robe on Him, mocking Him as royalty. A king or high-ranking official usually wore such robes.

And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! Matthew 27:29 (KJV)

In addition to the robe, the soldiers fabricated a crown out of thorns and placed it on His head. Once again, this was to mock Him as royalty. They placed a reed, or a rod, in His hand to represent a king’s scepter, and they pretended to bow before Him as king. This was all done to humiliate Him.

And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. Matthew 27:30 (KJV)

The soldiers spat on Jesus and then took the reed they had given Him and used it to repeatedly and violently strike the crown on Jesus’ head, driving the thorns deeper and deeper into His scalp, causing more pain and more blood to flow out of His head. It ran down His head and face, mingled with spit.

And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. Matthew 27:31 (KJV)

At this point, the robe had likely begun to stick to Him as the blood started to coagulate and dry in places on His body. As they tripped it off of Him, it likely caused more pain as it ripped the cloth away from the drying blood. Pain after pain He endured. They then put His own clothes on Him and led Him away to be crucified.

Roman crucifixion was done using a T-shaped cross, not the cross we have seen in most paintings or illustrations. Jesus was made to carry the top beam, the crossbeam, on His shoulders. He collapsed from all He had been through, so the Romans forced a man named Simon of Cyrene to carry it for Him.

 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. Matthew 27:35 (KJV)

The cross was actually a tall execution stake used for criminals who had offended Rome. Soldiers laid the upright stake on the ground and placed the crossbeam in a notch in the top end of the stake. Then, while the cross was still on the ground, Jesu was stripped of all clothing, and His wrists were nailed to the crossbeam and His feet nailed to the stake. Then, the soldiers lifted the entire cross and dropped it into a hole dug into the ground to hold the cross upright. Jesus felt the full impact of them dropping it.

Blood was flowing from Jesus’ head due to the crown of thorns. Blood flowed from His back and other parts of His torso where He had been flogged. His wrists and feet bled from being nailed to the cross. Jesus hung on the cross, a naked and bloody mess. Flesh was missing from His body and some flesh probably hung from Him as His naked, mangled body was displayed for all to see. For six hours He endured the excruciating suffering of the cross.

Tomorrow, we will finish our discussion of the things Jesus Christ suffered for us when He took our place at Calvary.