A MENTAL IMAGE FOR YOU

Imagine this.......

"Just as there were many who were appalled at him-- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness"--Isaiah 52:14  

Let us dissect what this means because most artistic renderings of the Crucifixion of Jesus do not come close to the Scriptural description of Jesus' appearance right before He was crucified on the cross.

His back was beaten, beard pulled out, face spat upon.  

• "I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting." - Isaiah 50:6

Jesus was punched in the face and other places multiple times, mocked, insulted, stripped, flogged, and crowned with thorns.  

• "When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded." - John 18:22

• "Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him" - Matthew 26:67

• "Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him." - Mark 14:65

• "Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified." - Matthew 27:26  

• "They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.  After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him." - Matthew 27:28-32

• "All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." (Psa 22:7,8)

• "The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate."(Luke 23:10,11)

• "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him." (Mat 27:39-44)

• "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!" In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him." (Mark 15:29-32)

• "The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face." (John 19:2,3) 

At times it was not just hands that were used to strike Jesus, it was a "staff", according to Mark 15:16-20.  

• "The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, "Hail, king of the Jews!" Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him."

The flogging was not only a whipping but a brutalizing of the flesh with the Cat of Nine Tails.

From the movie "The Passion of the Christ"

The version of the Cat of Nine Tails the Romans used had metal shards, balls, or sharp blades of some sort stuck within the woven rope or leather.  This arrangement was so that when it struck the back or front of the victim it pulled the skin off and damaged the nerves when it was retrieved.  Jesus received forty lashes.

Now with the lack of sleep from the night before plus loss of blood and all the beatings and floggings and disfigurements, Jesus had to carry His own cross-beam.  For a while He managed but then His torture caught up to Him and the soldiers required a man named Simon to carry Jesus' cross-beam.

Crucified to a cross, Jesus was covered in lacerations, bruises, swellings, dirt, sweat, spit, splinters and blood all over.

• "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." (Psa 22:14-18)

Jesus was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was now upon him, and by his wounds we were healed. (Isaiah 53:5)  This, incredibly, was the will of God the Father who sent Him.  

• "Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand." (Isa 53:10)  

It is here, naked with a crown of thorns on His head, disfigured beyond belief, and people still hurling insults and mockeries that the real pain comes.  The sin of the world, past, present, and future hangs as a cloak on Jesus.  Father God turns His head away from every sin represented on His Son's body, mind, and soul - Jesus, the Word of God, who was with Father God in eternal past, is now - Alone.

• "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mat 27:46) 

O How He Loves You And Me!