AP

Mark 15:16-20  The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers.  They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.  And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!”  Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.  Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.  And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him.  Then they led him out to crucify him.

“And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him.  Then they led him out to crucify him.”

As I read again and again these words, and began to have judgmental thoughts about these soldiers, and the Jewish authorities and others involved in the harsh, unjust treatment of the ‘Man of Sorrows’, I found my heart singing: “Behold the Man upon a cross, MY SIN upon his shoulders; ashamed, I hear MY MOCKING VOICE call out among the scoffers.  It was MY SIN that held him there until it was accomplished; His dying breath has brought me life – I know that it is finished” (Stuart Townend).

Yes, because my Saviour has endured all this at MY HANDS, in MY PLACE, for my eternal comfort I can know (as the New Testament puts it) that I HAVE BEEN saved, that I AM BEING saved, and that I WILL BE saved (all 3 tenses of the Greek verb ‘to save’ occur) … yes I can know that “It is finished”.

It is not about what THEY did, but about what I DID.  “‘Man of Sorrows’, what a name for the Son of God who came ruined sinners to reclaim!  Hallelujah! what a Saviour!  Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned he stood; sealed my pardon with his blood;  Hallelujah! what a Saviour!” (Philip Bliss).  Lord, “Living, dying, let me bring my strength, my solace, from this spring: that he who lives to be my King once died to be be my Saviour” (Dora Greenwell).

– Bruce Christian