MARK - My Works (23)

 

Early on Friday morning the Jewish leaders made their plan.  Jesus was bound tightly so that he could not get away.  He was then taken to the regional ruler called Pilate. 

Pilate asked Jesus what he made of the charges against him.  “They say you are trying to be their leader.”  But Jesus did not defend himself, which surprised Pilate.

Pilate knew that at this time he usually released a rebel, as a 'peace offering' to the people.  He offered to release Jesus.  Pilate could see that the Jewish leaders were jealous of Jesus' power.

“Let me release Jesus, your so-called leader” goaded Pilate.  This provoked the people, who screamed that Jesus was to be executed.  “Release any idiot before Jesus” they commanded.  “Even Barabbas, the violent, murderous bully.”

Pilate saw that there was nothing else to be done.  This act of injustice was preferable to a violent mob riot, with potentially many deaths.

So he ordered Jesus to be heavily whipped, and sent for summary execution in the traditional manner.

The Soldiers played around with Jesus.  They dressed him as a ‘king’, with an expensive purple robe, and the made a crown from a twisted torn branch.  They marched before him, then one lashed out at Jesus.  “Who did that oh King?” they taunted.

"I am a man; I count nothing human foreign to me"  Terence, Roman Comic Playwright.

I find this a challenging quote.  (I assume 'man' means human.)  All the atrocities and objectionable obscenities can reside in my mind.  They enter all areas.  Time and again we see otherwise 'normal' people falling into Hell. Rape, murder, torture.  All societies are guilty across all time.

Do we think we can get away with it?  Some people try.  They push it to the back.  They live carrying heavy weights.  The victims, the perpetrators, often unobserved by the world.  

The Creator allowed these possibilities to exist.  Like creating a world surrounded by high cliff.  The cliffs exist.  It is our choice to keep away from them.

Jesus was brutalised like any prisoners today, except this one was played with by by the soldiers.  They couldn't resist dressing him up as a king.  After all, this was his crime.  Treason; pretending to be someone he had no right to be.  Except when he died, the Roman officer in charge remarked "Surely this man was from the Creator". 

Pilate released Barabbas.  We know that Barabbas represent me.  I am spared death, but it feels like it was a close thing.