No greater love
Posted on October 23, 2009 by Pastor Tom
This morning I was reading about Jesus’ last hours. So much happened on that Friday. The reading began with this: “Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him.” Somehow, I got stuck on that verse for awhile.
Sometimes I read too fast. But a measly 8 words describe one of the most horrific punishments Rome inflicted on its criminals. The scourge or whip was not a single strand like that used in old Westerns. The Roman whip often had multiple strands. Bone or metal fragments were attached to each strand. So the “whipper” would strike the flesh of the criminal and then rip out the whip to tear the flesh. Many criminals did not survive a flogging.
“Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him.” Then they put on the crown of thorns. Then they put on a purple robe which would cake to his body because of his dripping wounds. They they forced him to carry his cross. Jesus could have stopped it at any moment.
But he pressed on even ministering to another crucified criminal and his mother from the cross. Because of that great love, Christians have life eternal and life with God today. Thank you Lord for this unimaginable love.
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