Mark 15:16-20. This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on March 7, 2021.
Mocking is one of those things that can come from very different motivations. Kids will mock things out of silliness and lack of understanding. Their mocking is very superficial, whereas, adults can mock things with a far deeper hostility towards another, and with very evil intent. Mocking was even used by the prophet Elijah towards the prophets of Baal in order to drive home the point that Baal was not a true god. Elijah’s intent is not evil, but rather to make it clear to the onlookers just how impotent Baal really was. He was trying to draw them back to worship of Yahweh, the One True God.
The sad thing about the mocking of Jesus is more than the reality that he had power to stop it. The sad thing is the ignorant, misguided, and deluded state that these people had come to be in. We see them using their power and flaunting it over Jesus, while he basically does not resist. They are indicting themselves, and foolishly bringing the wrath of God to an even greater degree. Jesus is the only one who can save them, and they are making a joke of him and his “power.”
Today, we will read about the soldiers mocking Jesus, but throughout his arrest and crucifixion, many different groups are shown mocking Jesus, Jews and Gentiles, great and small. It is a recurring theme, the mocking of man towards the humble nature of God.
Let’s look at our passage.
Mark’s Gospel moves quickly to the crucifixion. From the other Gospels, we find that there is far more happening here. Jesus will be sent to Herod Antipas, the king of the Galilee region, when Pilate finds out that Jesus is from there. Herod finds it amusing at first, but Jesus is not talking and so Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate. Verse 15 mentions a scourging. Jesus was scourged and then presented to the crowds again in hopes that they will relent once they see how badly Jesus had been injured, but it was not to be.
I refrained from talking about the scourging last week because I felt it fit better with the scene we have today. I believe that the mocking of the soldiers depicted here happens on the heels of his scourging.
At this point, Jesus has been kept awake all night, beaten several times, and most likely neglected in physical needs like water and food.
This scourging will serve two purposes. First, it will serve as a horrible, visual deterrent for the onlookers. After seeing his tortured state, few would dare follow in his footsteps. Second, the scourging serves to weaken the vitality of the man to be crucified. It puts him in a state that is very near death (it was not rare for those condemned to crucifixion to die from the scourging).
The leather scourge, or whip, would have many strands coming off of it. Metal balls were attached to it in order to bruise and pulverize the back muscles. Sharp items like sheep bones were also attached in order to puncture and cut the skin and muscles. Such a scourging would leave the back shredded with ribbons of flesh and some areas exposing the bones beneath. Loss of blood alone would put him in a state of physical shock. This kind of scourging was not punishment; it was a stage in execution by crucifixion.
Isaiah 52:14, in speaking of the Messiah, tells us, “His visage was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men…” In chapter 53 verse 5, we are told, “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.” How could such a shocking thing be necessary for our sins, our peace, and our healing? Many today, still balk at the idea that such a thing is necessary. Surely our sins are not so evil as to require this! Yet, the God of heaven disagrees. Our sins are a great evil that cannot be overlooked, nor atoned for on our own. We needed Jesus, and he willingly surrendered his back to these scourging.
As horrific as this treatment is, it is not over yet. When they are done, the soldiers mock the idea that Jesus believes he is the king of the Jews. They put a purple cloak on him because it is a color that is expensive to make and was connected to high station, and royalty. He thinks he is a king then we will dress him up like a king!
Next, a crown is fashioned for Jesus from the branches of a thorn bush. These are then pushed down on his head. It is said that the thorn bushes of this area can have thorns up to an inch long. Clearly, this mocks his kingship while also adding to his pain. A crown of pain is all that he will wear. Of course, Jesus is the one who God has anointed to be King of kings and Lord of lords. No crown of this earth could truly honor this man.
Mark mentions Jesus being struck with a reed. It is Matthew who tells us that the reed was put in the right hand of Jesus in order to mimic a scepter. This scepter exudes weakness instead of power. However, it should remind us of Isaiah 42:3. “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.” A reed is easily broken, and so Jesus would look weak, or at least that is their intention. Yet, Scripture states that, though he is weak, he will not break until he has accomplished bringing forth true justice (not justice according to this world’s ever changing definition).
We live in a world that is tired of waiting for justice. Many are clamoring and attempting to force justice as they think it should be, but such a spirit can never bring true justice. It will only bring greater destruction and the wrath of God upon our stubborn insistence on rejecting His help and doubling down on our frail attempts at it.
Having finished their costume, the soldiers begin to give him false worship. The word translated worship in verse 19 refers to the idea of bowing down, or prostrating oneself, in order to kiss the hand or feet of an authority. In this case, they bow as if before Caesar and give the vocal salute, “Hail, king of the Jews!” The word translated as “hail” is often thought of as only a welcome greeting, but it includes the idea of joy and cheer to the individual. At this point in time, Jesus would feel anything but joy and cheer. Thus, their ridicule reaches a ridiculous level.
Rome was used to having its way with these Jews. To them, a king of the Jews was completely under their power. Even the God of the Jews, was nothing to them. The most powerful of these people were weak and impotent in the face of Rome and her legions.
This begs the question. What will you worship? In their mock worship of Jesus, these soldiers are truly worshipping the idol of Rome’s power, especially Caesar himself. Will you give mock worship to Jesus all the while actually worshipping the powerful things of this world? Will you worship the things of this world that can do what they want in the face of the weak? Or, will you worship the one who became weak in the face of the powerful of this world in order to make their guilt evident, and to save you? Yes, we testify to the world today that its power and wisdom is impotence and foolishness. We testify to the world that Jesus is the true authority and the only one who is worthy of our worship. Let us stand with Jesus in these last days regardless of what the powerful may think and do to us, and so join with him in the day of his reward!