The Crucifixion of Jesus

 It's hard to sit down and write about the crucifixion of Jesus. To write about it, is to take responsibility for the part you had in it. Jesus died a harsh and cruel death because even though I know everything about what Jesus did for me, I still can't stop sinning. I think it would be one thing if I was really good in almost every area, but I had one thing I completely struggled with, but Jesus died because I have 15-20 areas of my life that I can't seem to keep straight.  I have days when 2-3 things don't go the way I thought they would, and it makes me want to either eat everything I see or just go back to bed. Let's look at some of the things that Jesus went through in Matthew 27:27-31

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. 

What is your definition of Mock? When I think of someone mocking me, I think of maybe someone going over the top making fun of the way I laugh, walk or say a certain word. I've never been stripped, had a crown of thorns pierced through my head or been spit on while being beat. I think when we read that the soldiers mocked Jesus, we read what it says but our mind translates it to some school kid mocking. I think that's part of why the movie The Passion of the Christ is so powerful. When I am watching those scenes, the word mock doesn't come to my mind. Let's continue with Matthew 27.

38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. 

Now he is up on the cross and it still doesn't stop. You have people passing by yelling things at you, they are making fun of everything you have ever said about who you are. You also have all of the religious leaders walking by and leading the charge of questioning everything about you. At least all those people finish walking by at some point, but he stills has the criminals next to him making comments. 

50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” 

Finally, after seeing Jesus die, the curtain in the temple torn, an earthquake and bodies of holy people who had died walking around, someone finally admits he was the Son of God. 

Jesus did all of that so that 2000 years later I can be forgiven for all of the times I make a mistake. It's hard to write about the crucifixion of Jesus because when I read about it, I just don't understand why I don't do more. I don't understand why I struggle.