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DISPLAY OF IGNORANCE

Some of the governor's soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire battalion.  They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.  They made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on his head, and they placed a stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery, yelling, "Hail! King of the Jews!"  And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and beat him on the head with it.  When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. – Matthew 27:27-31 (NLT)

      It is quite obvious that the soldiers did not know who they were dealing with on this day. For them it was just another criminal and another threat to the order they were charged to keep. The contempt they showed for Jesus in the pretense of acknowledging Him as King revealed the depth of their ignorance.  We imagine the expression on Christ’s face as He witnessed the worst that humankind had to offer. But there He stands with a crown, scepter, and robe that were anything but royal. The solders strike Him, spit upon Him and then lead Jesus to where He will die.

      The irony in all this is that Jesus was voluntarily sacrificing Himself on behalf of the men who were mocking Him. His crucifixion would pay the price for the sins of all who have treated Him with contempt. The greatest desire of Christ is to forgive those who act in ignorance against Him.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Jesus, forgive me for mocking You through my ignorance of Who You really are.