The Real Purpose of Easterනියැදිය

Day 1: Power and Submission

We constantly hear that Jesus went willingly to the cross, but sometimes we hear it so much that we lose its meaning.

Jesus’ power was obvious in Gethsemane. The religious leaders sent a “band” of soldiers to arrest Him, meaning a group of 300 to 600 armed and well-trained Roman Soldiers, plus a handful of temple officers, but when they asked for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus responded with “I am He.” This pronouncement of identity was so powerful that it literally threw all those soldiers to the ground! Jesus even told them that He could have requested more than twelve legions of angels from God to fight back.

Jesus proved that they didn’t have the power to take Him—yet He allowed them to seize Him and lead Him away, silent and obedient, literally like a lamb led to the slaughter.

Holding back this power couldn’t have been easy either. This was no formal, respectable trial that Jesus was being led to. In the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, all the religious leaders gathered to blaspheme, scream at, and abuse Him.

The Bible says, “...they spit in his face and buffeted him.”

In that culture and time, spitting in someone’s face was considered to be the strongest show of utter disgust or hatred. When someone spattered his spit on another person’s face, it was meant to humiliate, demean, debase, and shame that person.

But humiliating Jesus with their spit and curses didn’t satisfy the hatred of these men; they wouldn’t be satisfied until He had been physically maltreated. The word “buffet” in the original text means to strike with fists and is usually used to picture a person who is violently beaten.

These so-called religious leaders became so caught up in their sick behavior that they sadistically enjoyed the pain they were putting Jesus through. They blindfolded and slapped Him repeatedly, telling Him, “Come on, prophet! If You’re so good at prophesying and knowing things supernaturally, tell us which one of us just slapped You!”

The guards in the religious court, too, took advantage of the moment. The use of the particular Greek word for “mocked” categorically lets us know that these men turned a few minutes of that nightmarish night into a comedic charade at Jesus’ expense.

They put on quite a show as they almost certainly pretended to be Jesus and the people He ministered to. Perhaps they laid hands on each other as if they were healing the sick or lay on the floor “quivering,” as if they were being liberated from devils. Whatever they did, it was a game to demean and humiliate Jesus.

After a long night of this torment, Jesus was sent to Pilate, who quickly shunted him to Herod Antipas’ court. Because Jesus wouldn’t perform miracles on demand, Herod unleashed his rage against Him. The members of Herod’s court heckled Him in much the same way that the temple guards did, playing games of charades and wrapping Him in a vibrant garment so they could pretend to adore Him as “king” as part of their mockery.

This is what “willingly” means. Jesus had already knocked a cohort of soldiers on their backs with just a word, and He could have called down legions of angels to defend Him, but He didn’t. He knew it was time for Him to voluntarily lay down His life for the sin of humanity. Literally, no man had the power to take Jesus’ life from Him or abuse Him like this. Jesus had to willingly lay it down to rescue and redeem you and me.

Questions to Discuss:

1. When we think about the divine power available to Jesus that night in the Garden, it seems silly that Peter thought his sword offered protection. What pitifully inadequate substitutes for God’s power have you attempted to rely on?

2. No foe could have withstood the power in Jesus, and that is the same power in you. Is the devil attacking some area of your life? Remind yourself of the overwhelming power within you and then use it to actively resist the enemy!

3. Jesus’ enemies derived gruesome satisfaction from His hideous maltreatment. Have you ever been subjected to treatment you did not deserve? If so, how did you respond? As you consider Jesus’ example, could you respond differently in the future?