Luke 22:63 – Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him and beating Him.
Mark 15-16-20 – The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they *called together the whole Roman cohort. They *dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him.
Matthew 27:22-26 – “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” 25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Matthew 27:50-54 – And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely He was the Son of God!”
The Savior knew what was coming, it was going to savagely hurt His body and He knew it. The people who would do it would laugh and every time He hurt they considered it their personal success. They wanted to break Him. Not just His body, but to sap His mind of any strength and reason. Also their goal was to destroy His emotions. They wanted the pain to destroy Him inside, they wanted to squeeze His heart and cause Him to cry out and agree to anything to just make the physical, mental and emotional pain stop. They wanted to embarrass Him, they wanted HIs soul. When He would look at them He would see they have no sympathy for Him. If their cruel hands brutalizing Him with horrific weapons were not enough, their eyes showed an evil hate of inhuman origin. They showed an evil not of this world but from dark souls with a dark lord pushing their hate to a fevered pitch.
Only their evil lord stops them from just running their sword through His heart. He does not want Him to have the relief of death. He is drunk on His pain. Right now he must do all he knows to do to humiliate Him. Jesus smelt the evil lord’s fouls breath and heard his whispered hate in His ear. Jesus heard “No, you cannot die yet, I will break you. You will bow to me.”
This evil lord makes the people whom He loved hate Him and turn against Him. They call for His death. They demand His death.
Near His last breath some who watch Him die, whom He still loves, taunt Him, defame Him, and long to see His final breath. They would cut open His chest and tear out His heart if they were allowed. In a long history of human evil and hurt the Savior witnesses the lowest level of human depravity as it is focused against Him. And yet, Jesus Christ is one hundred percent innocent of any wrong. In fact, He is beyond innocent as He has not only never committed wrong but has only done all things to help, for the good of others, and has loved. But His reward was their hate. Then.
The few who loved Him cried at His feet and were helpless to help. That hurt Him worse to see their pain. Oh, if only they fully understood. But He knew that the time for them to understand would come. He knew their overwhelming sadness would turn to the highest joy. But just not yet.
He could have stopped the pain and sorrow. But He was following a plan for the benefit of those who loved Him and incredibly, even for those who participated in His torture and death. He was obedient to the one whose plan was working out perfectly. He had not been defeated, He had begun the next step to the ultimate victory. He asked for forgiveness for the perpetrators. He willingly breathed His last breath and part one of His victory march, veiled to most, if not all at the time, was over and then He triumphantly moved forward.
I thank God I’ve never had a day like that. And I will never have to have one because Jesus did it for me. For all of us. Jesus had the worst day possible looking forward to the best day for all that He loved. Also for all mankind. Amazing Grace! Thank you Jesus! And now, throughout the world, the day of remembrance is known as Good Friday. Perhaps it should be called The Best Friday. Only God could plan it and make it work out exactly as planned. Only God! Praise God! Thank you Jesus!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.