16 Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole cohort. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and after twisting some thorns into a crown they put it on him. 18 And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. 20 After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. 21 They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. 22 Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. 25 It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two rebels, one on his right and one on his left. 29 Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.
Prayer Focus: Just as Jesus predicted, he has been arrested and tried. Now, as he predicted, he is beaten and mocked. In a single verse, verse 24, we get simply, “And they crucified him.” This was a public and humiliating punishment, a gruesome and painful way to die. Abandoned by his disciples, Jesus has only mockers as he hangs there on the cross. Ironically, the words they speak are true – he could come down from the cross, he could save himself, he is the Messiah – but Jesus chooses to remain on the cross for you and for me. Do not mock this death. Seek to hear this story and see it with new eyes today.
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