Isaiah prophesied about the cruel death of Jesus, “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant…He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.” (Isaiah 53:1-5)
Isaiah continued, “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, Yet HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth…He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:7, 12)
This is what actually happened to Jesus, “…the chief priests had a discussion with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate…And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but HE ANSWERED NOTHING. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” (Mark 15:1-4) “…they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?” Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “LET HIM BE CRUCIFIED!” Then he released Barabbas to them; and when HE HAD SCOURGED JESUS, he delivered Him to be crucified.” (Matthew 26:67-68, 27:22, 26)
THE SCOURGING…
These cruel men had many times scourged poor criminals to death at this pillar. They resembled wild beasts or demons, and appeared to be half drunk. They STRUCK OUR LORD with their fists, and dragged him by the cords with which He was restrained, although He followed them without offering the least resistance, and, finally, they barbarously knocked Him down against the pillar. It is quite impossible to describe the cruelty shown by these ruffians towards Jesus: they tore off the mantle with which he had been clothed in mockery at the court of Herod. Jesus took off His garments as quickly as He could, but His hands were bloody and swollen. Jesus put His arms round the pillar, and when His hands were raised, the archers fastened them to the iron ring which was at the top of the pillar; they then dragged His arms to such a height that His feet, which were tightly bound to the base of the pillar, scarcely touched the ground. Thus was the Holy of Holies violently stretched, without a particle of clothing, on a pillar used for the punishment of the greatest criminals; and then the two furious punishers began to BEAT HIS SACRED BODY from head to foot. The whips or scourges were composed of the ligaments of the ox, or of strips of leather with pieces of metal and bone in them which tore the flesh off the body of Christ. “He was wounded for our transgressions.”
“GOD LOVED THE WORLD SO MUCH THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON SO THAT ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.” (John 3:16)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham