John 18:1-19:37
When Jesus was arrested, he was abandoned by his disciples. One of his closest friends denied knowing him. He was dragged around, handled roughly, and mocked. He was examined by powerful men, any one of whom he could have awed with a word, but held his tongue, knowing what was coming.
He was questioned by Pontius Pilate, and even though Rome did not hesitate to put 'barbarians' to death, Pilate wanted to free him. But Jesus refused to answer, to work with him, to do anything to escape the fate awaiting him. He was whipped, beaten, and mocked by Roman soldiers who were used to breaking men's spirits with such brutality.
Then Pilate made him a public spectacle, powerless, a figure of ridicule. Finally, he agreed to order him killed. They forced him to carry his own cross, and marched him out to die. Such an execution was not meant to be a merciful end; it was designed to be as painful and terrifying as the Romans knew how to make it.
He endured everything they did, without complaint, then asked his Father to forgive them for what they had done. When he had hung there, in agony, for hours, he "gave up his spirit". Even then, no one else could take his spirit from him. He had to give it up, to deliberately yield to death.
Why did he willingly suffer all this? Because with his death, he defeated death once and for all. The very nature of death would no longer be the same. By offering himself as a sacrifice, he transformed our greatest enemy into something we need not fear. - Ray Beere Johnson
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