From Matthew 27:27-31 / Whom do you serve?

Note first: Apart from the crucifixion itself, Mathew devotes only these 5 verses to Jesus’ physical suffering at the hands of the Romans. Mark allots the same. Luke merely glosses with one sentence, and John only 3 verses.

I am grateful for the tempered reports of the Gospel writers in this regard. It is often the case, that the brutality and cruelty take center stage, rather than who it was that was suffering and why. Preoccupation with the gory details diverts the eye from the from the purpose of it all and becomes morbid. One thinks of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of The Christ.

Yes, Jesus suffered, but what He suffered is not as important as THAT He suffered, and in our place and for our sin. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). The means and method are secondary, except in the fulfillment of prophecy and in the symbolism of Jesus’ death as a foul criminal of the lowest sort.

How many stripes He endured, how the whip was fashioned and wielded, what He felt, how much blood was lost, etc., these are all useless to us. Speculative and morbid in curiosity.

Here is what is important: “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?” (Isa. 53:2-8)

If these considerations are not the chief of our focus, we have missed the glory and wonder of our salvation. Christ, has died for us!

Note second: How the mocking of the Romans all centers around one thing: Jesus’ Kingship. The robe, the crown, the faux scepter – the mocking kneeling – all of it.

And herein lies the key to understanding human condemnation – we do not want anyone – even God, to rule over us. We want complete human autonomy. This is the cosmic rebellion of the which the human race is guilty.

Many are those who love the idea of Jesus as Savior, delivering them from the wrath of God and Hell.

Many love the concept of a sympathetic deity, a healer, and a help in times of trouble.

But the truth of the Scripture is, we cannot have Him in all of saving benefits, if we still reject Him as King over our lives. As one having the absolute right of supremacy over our entire being.

R.C. Sproul notes: [At the time of the Gospel writers] “Christians were considered enemies of the established order of Rome and guilty of treason for their refusal to subscribe to the cult of emperor worship. The test for loyalty to the empire was the public recitation of the words “Kaiser kurios” (“Caesar is lord”). Christians refused to recite this oath, even when it cost them their lives. When they were called on to utter it, they would substitute “Iesous ho Kurios” (“Jesus is Lord”). Christians were willing to pay their taxes, to give honor to Caesar where honor was due, to render to Caesar those things that were Caesar’s. However, the exalted title Lord belonged to Jesus alone, and Christians paid with their lives to maintain that assertion.”^{11 Sproul, R. C. 2009. Who Is Jesus?. Vol. 1. The Crucial Questions Series. Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing.}

Beloved, this remains the great cosmic question for each and every one of us – not simply do we believe Jesus was real, lived a sinless life and died on the cross for our sins? – these are simple facts even the demons know to be true (James 2:19).

Do we know Him as who He is in all of His divine glory as our Savior, God and true King of our being? King over all of us, all we have and all we are? For rejection of Him as King, is the very fundamental rejection of Him in His crucifixion.

We may look on the Roman soldiers as violent brutes, but before they mocked Him as King, the Jews gathered had already proclaimed “We have no king but Caesar.”

It is no less damnable to say – in our hearts if not out loud: “I have no king but, me.”

Note third: It is this very cosmic rebellion that Jesus’ blood atones for – and provides full and free forgiveness for all who come to Him in faith.

Won’t you come today? You will find Him the wisest, sweetest, most benevolent, faithful, merciful, gracious, tender and loving King. Infinitely better than yourself, with all your enslaving passions.

As the old Bob Dylan song said:

[Verse 1]

You may be an ambassador to England or France

You may like to gamble, you might like to dance

You may be the heavyweight champion of the world

You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls

[Chorus]

But you’re going to have to serve somebody, yes indeed

You’re going to have to serve somebody

Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

But you’re going to have to serve somebody

[Verse 2]

You might be a rock ’n’ roll addict prancing on the stage

You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage

You may be a business man or some high-degree thief

They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief

[Chorus]

But you’re going to have to serve somebody, yes indeed

You’re going to have to serve somebody

Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

But you’re going to have to serve somebody

[Verse 3]

You may be a state trooper, you might be a young Turk

You may be the head of some big TV network

You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame

You may be living in another country under another name

We all have to, and do serve somebody. Who, is your Lord?