It is very easy to gloss over the details of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, to the point that we overlook the sheer amount of suffering he endured, even before he was nailed to the cross. In today’s passage we are forced to face these details and squirm – the flogging, the crown of thorns, the humiliation, the rejection, and after all this, the eventual verdict consigning Him to death. Make no mistake! The suffering of Jesus Christ was very real. And in His humanity every pain fibre in His body would have been crying out. He is uniquely qualified to understand our physical and emotional pain. But as the perfect Son of God he also suffered for us. The One who really was the King, as declared by Pilate, would die in the place of others… ”to bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). No wonder we call Him the Saviour!
John 19:1-16
- Audio (MP3) 15 MB