Scourging of Jesus

Intro - last week we left off with the passover meal with Jesus and the Disciples and we understand that they were celebrating what happened in the past but we also understand that Jesus was looking to the future celebration of His sacrifice on the cross

This week we will continue the story of Jesus

In the garden we see something amazing happen

Matthew 26:36–46 NASB95

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. “Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”

First Jesus takes those closest to him “a little farther”

Often times those closest to Jesus go a little further and we as believers see it

Then we see Jesus Prays to take away the cup because he knows what is happening, and understands that he will have to take on Gods wrath

Like a child praying because they know their parents will be super upset or worse, disappointed.

Jesus is seeking God in a moment of turmoil, as our example we should be doing the same, and like the disciples we often fail

Jesus is facing the wrath of God for all of our sins, and instead of taking it lightly, He goes and spends time with God the father

As believers Jesus is our example and we are to follow His leading, when the turmoil of life hits us we are to seek God in prayer, serious prayer, not the passing prayer while driving, but serious intentional prayer!

Jesus Prays and then comes the betrayal

Matthew 26:47–51 NASB95

While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.

Jesus is betrayed and arrested

He is betrayed by one of His own, Peter chops off the ear of the High Priests guard, still in the midst of this crazy turmoil Jesus still responds and see opportunities to share His love with people

I wonder how often we miss those opportunities to share His love during those crucial moments of turmoil

Matthew 26:57–64 NASB95

Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome. Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’ ” The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Jesus’s trial was illegal because they were not to be conducting business or trials because of the festival either on the festifule, also Jesus was to have 2 or more witnesses

speaks to this idea of doing no work on or before the festivuals mentioned.

Then the story brings us to the scourging of Jesus,

This is the part of the movies we don’t like because it is often to graphic for us, or we pass over this without and talking about it because we think we know what happened

Matthew 27:26 NASB95

Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Dr. William D. Edwards, MD from the Mayo Clinic

Article on Physical Death of Jesus Christ

For scourging, the man was stripped of his clothing, and his hands were tied to an upright post (Fig 2).11 The back, buttocks, and legs were flogged either by two soldiers

(lictors) or by one who alternated positions.5,7,11,28 The severity of the scourging depended on the disposition of the lictors and was intended to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death.

As the Roman soldiers repeatedly struck the victim’s back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissues.7 Then, as the flogging continued, the lacera- tions would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quiver- ing ribbons of bleeding flesh.2,7,25 Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock.12 The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross.

Jesus was scrouged no more than 39 times the exact number is not known

Isaiah 53:4–6 NASB95

Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

It is becuase of Christ’s sacrifice that we have freedom

Jesus also foretells his beatings and facing the wrath of God scripture

Matthew 20:17–19 NASB95

As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.”

We can go back to the first sin and see that blood had to be shed to cover those sins, a price must be paid for your sins and mine

Jesus died, Jesus shed His blood in our place that way we might have life

This brings our story for today a close

It is my prayer that understand what Jesus went through to ultimately die for you.