Daily #BibleStudy Reading 92: The Gospel According to #Mark 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. A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. Context & Questions: It looks like mere mockery. Before they take Jesus to be crucified, the soldiers will have some fun at his expense. But despite all appearances, this really is a coronation of Jesus as King. He really does fight his crucial battle with evil here. He really does find victory. He wears the sign of the curse of creation (the thorns) on his head. He bears that curse, and in bearing it, defeats it. It is God’s biggest paradox: by appearing to lose, by giving his own life over to death, new and immortal life will be gained. This is the turning point of the entire story of the Bible. Next up: Jesus and the damned
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 20:01:53 +0000