"And they all cried out at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas" "Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" "But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested." (Luke 23:8-11, 13-14, 18, 20-21, 23-24, NKJV throughout)
The robe had been put on him to shame him, for it's color was the color of sin. We would call it red but it was a crimson-purple color dyed with very expensive dyes of the time. The color is called 'purple' and 'scarlet' in the scriptures. Please note: "So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck Him with their hands. . . . Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, 'Behold the Man!' " (John 1:1-3, 5) "And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. " (Matthew 27:28-31)
Later, as Jesus was hanging upon the cross (or more exactly translated from the Greek word σταυρός, Stauros which means 'stake') the soldiers divided his garments, and cast lots for the magnificent coat: "Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots." "Therefore the soldiers did these things." (John 19:23-24)
Yes, Jesus was totally shamed, being crucified with thieves and malefactors, beaten and spat upon, whipped with a cat-of-nine tails until he resembled a piece of hamburger meat, and then hung naked upon a tree just as common criminals and murderers were hanged. The scriptures give us a prophecy of what Jesus was going to have to go through in: "They gape at Me with their mouths like a raging and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it has melted within Me. "My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. "For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. "They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. " (Psalms 22:13-18)
Yes, our Savior spent many hours of shame, degradation, pain, sorrow and then death, paying the eternal price for OUR SINS!! Have you really considered the PRICE with which we have been bought? How can we not be a BOND SLAVE to Jesus the Christ? |