The Encourager
“Jesus Faced the Cross Willingly, by Jeff Curtis”
Jesus Faced the Cross Willingly
by Jeff Curtis
The more we learn about the cross, the more we will come to come to love and adore our Savior for the sacrifice He made for us. As we study the cross, we should come to a deeper conviction that the crucifixion was not a mistake or an accident. The cross was a part of God’s eternal purpose. There was a cross in the heart of God long before there was one planted on the hillside of Jerusalem (Ephesians 1:3,4; 2Timothy 1:9; 1Peter 1:19-20).
What better way to could God show His absolute justice and at the same time His love for us (Romans 3:24-26)? Since Jesus came to do His Father’s will, He viewed the cross voluntarily because He saw Himself as God’s servant.
So, what held Jesus to the cross?
The Roman soldiers drove nails into Jesus’ hands when they put Him on the cross (John 20:25), but what made Him stay there where others said, “If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (John 27:40)? It wasn’t the nails that held Him there (Matthew 26:53; John 10:17-18), but the Father’s will (Matthew 26:39). Jesus remained on the cross until His death because it was God’s eternal purpose that He do so (Philippians 2:5-11). He endured the cross for “the joy set before Him" (Hebrews 12:2). In response to this great show of love on our behalf, our love for God and Christ should cause us to remain faithful in the kingdom of God, no matter what.
The Torture of Scourging
The extreme severity of the beating Jesus received is not described in any of the four Gospel Accounts. It was necessary to do so, because the people of the first century were quite familiar with these types of scenes. Like the term “crucifixion,” the mere mention of the word “scourging” was sufficient for one to draw a mental picture. “Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified” (Matthew 27:26).
While the Jews could only apply thirty-nine stripes (2Corinthians 11:24), the Romans were not known for compassion and not limited by Jewish laws. The number of stripes Jesus actually received is unknown.
The scourging of Jesus was especially harsh. Instead of simply involving a leather strap, the Greek term points to a beating which used a whip with pieces of metal and bone tied into it. It was no doubt administered by a professional Roman soldier. Doctors’ accounts of this act say that Jesus was probably left in a pre-shock state. Therefore, even before the actual crucifixion from a medical perspective.
The cruel scourging Jesus received was a precursor to the crucifixion; in reality, the two events are tied together. Isaiah prophesied about the Suffering Servant: “But 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 53:5).
Remember He did all of this willingly. For you and me.
