The third part of the series, The Ten Stages of Christ’s Suffering
Stage 5: A scarlet robe and a crown of thorns
After the horrific beating that Jesus endured, He was placed in the middle of a group of Roman soldiers who took Him into the Praetorium, the open courtyard or judgment hall. Then, as in ridicule and scorn, they placed a scarlet robe on his shoulders. Similar scarlet robes were worn by kings and emperors but of more refined quality and texture. The reason the soldiers put this cloak upon his shoulders was to mock Him for His claim to royalty.
The Roman soldiers put a stick in His hand and placed a circle of branches filled with sharp thorns upon His head. They slapped Him, spit upon Him, knelt before Him, and taunted Him mockingly, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews.”
Matt. 27:29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
Little did the cruel soldiers know that they were acting out a role that every man and every woman would demonstrate one day. Why? Because according to Philippians 2:10,
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
(I praise God that I too will be a part of those who will crown Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords.)
Evil men taunted You, my King
With a robe and a thorny crown.
But you never looked harshly upon them,
You never gave them a frown.
But one glorious morning, you will rise
In power and majesty.
You will show Yourself for who You are
As we all bow on bended knee.
Stage 6: They led Him away to crucify Him
The crossbeam of the cross was affixed to Jesus’s shoulders. The severe scourging that Jesus had endured and sheer exhaustion combined caused Him to stumble and fall under the weight of the cross. As he attempted His slow trek up Golgotha’s Hill, he could not bear the cross’s weight. The Bible tells us in Luke 23:26 that he received assistance with the cross.
26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
Dear friend, each of us who are followers of Christ will have our cross to bear. The size, shape, or weight of our crosse is uniquely designed to make us into the image of Christ.
Luke 9:23-24 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
The first stanza of a song by Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers, entitled Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone? says:
Must Jesus bear the cross alone
And all the world go free?
No, there is a cross for everyone
And there’s a cross for me.
Yes, Saints, we all have a cross to bear if we are going to make it into the Kingdom of God. 1 Peter 4:7 says:
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
In Part 4 you will find Stages 7. They crucified Him and Stage 8. They reviled Him.