Thoughts for another day

March 27, 2013.

Today's verse: John 19:5, 13. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Here’s something intriguing in John’s Gospel.  Consider this:  Jesus, the King of glory…the Master of the universe, the ONE who holds the life breath of every human being and who with a Word can destroy mountains and plunge the planets into oblivion; yes, Pilate orders Him scourged and then brings Him, into the ‘hall of judgment’ and tells the marauding crowd of Jews, ‘Behold the Man!’ Little did Pilate realise that the One he called, ‘Man’ was the Creator of the universe Who held His peace so that Pilate and the Jews could both be reconciled with God.   

Then, Pilate sat Him down in the judgment seat not knowing He was seating Him, Who is the Judge of the entire universe, onto the earthly judgment seat, which if Jesus desired, He could’ve destroyed with, but a Word.  But He held His peace so that what was written about Him in the Scriptures would be fulfilled and He had just the previous night, submitted fully to the will of His Father, which was that He die for us men to liberate us from the clutches of sin and death.   

My friend, if you’ve read this and thought of the awesome significance of this Scripture, blessed are you, for know that Jesus, endured the shame reserved for men, nay, for criminals who committed gruesome crimes, just because He loved us.  So vast was His love, He didn’t consider being judged by a frail mortal as shameful.  On the other hand, when it comes to us, we don’t even like to talk to lower ranked people. 

Jesus was made to sit on the Pavement, to be judged…imagine, Him the Blessed, Almighty and Holy One, seated on His throne in heaven, flanked by glorious angels who didn’t dare look at Him, yea, the same Jesus, sat on the pavement.  Don’t forget He had endured much pain and shame a few minutes earlier when the Roman soldiers had spat on Him, teased Him and tortured Him even to chunks of flesh, being yanked off Him ferociously.  And while in intense pain, all Jesus did was think of you and me.  Oh, so beautiful a God; how can we thank Him enough that He is our God and He has called us unto Him, giving us the privilege of being His children.