Sermon #87 Series: Matthew

Title: “THEN THE SOLDIERS”

Text: Matthew 27:26-32

Reading: Office: Rex Bartley Aud: Buddy Daugherty

Subject: Christ Scourged and Mocked by the Soldiers

Date: Tuesday Evening - July 2, 1996

Tape # S-69

Introduction:

I want you to read my text with me. It is a short, but very solemn description of the scourging, mockery, and shame inflicted upon our Lord Jesus Christ by the Roman soldiers before he was crucified. Let us read these lines with reverence and meditate upon them with gratitude, realizing that all that our Redeemer endured at the hands of wicked men he endured for us according to the will and appointment of God, “that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a people zealous of good works.”

Matthew 27:26-32 "Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. (27) Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. (28) And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. (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! (30) And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. (31) And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. (32) And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross."

Proposition: The Lord of glory was humiliated, scourged, and mocked by men, that we might be exalted, embraced, and honored by God.

Divisions: I am very reluctant to even outline this passage of Scripture. I do so only to make it easier for you to follow the message and retain what you hear tonight. we will look at these verses under three divisions.

1. The Scourging of Our Savior (v. 26)

2. The Sport of the Soldiers (vv. 27-31)

3. The Service of Simon (v. 32)

I. THE SCOURGING OF OUR SAVIOR

Matthew 27:26 "Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified."

Barabbas was released and the lord Jesus took his place, was scourged and crucified in the place of a vile criminal, a man who was guilty and worthy of death. Thus, by an act of divine providence, we are given a vivid picture of our own salvation by substitution.

· 2 Corinthians 5:21

Luke tells us that Pilate tried to appease the Jews by scourging the Lord Jesus rather than crucifying him (Luke 23:22). But the Jews wanted his death. Therefore we read here that the order was given first for our Lord to be scourged and then crucified.

This act of scourging was almost as cruel, inhumane, and barbaric as crucifixion. It was done with a multistranded whip. The cords were made of something like rawhide. Each strand had numerous pieces of bone fragments tied into it. When the whip was dragged across a man’s back, it literally plowed it up. One lash would be indescribably painful. Our Lord Jesus received thirty-nine lashes from the scourge! Thus the Scriptures were fulfilled.

Psalms 129:3 "The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows."

Isaiah 50:6 "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."

Isaiah 53:5 "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

Matthew 20:19 "And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again."

Note: This scouring of Christ was an emblem of the scourges and strokes of divine justice which he endured in his soul as our Surety, when he was stricken, smitten, and afflicted by the sword of divine justice as our Substitute.

But scourging was not enough. We could never be saved if our Lord had only been scourged for us. He must be slain for us, and slain in an accursed manner. Therefore, once Pilate had scourged him, “he delivered him to be crucified.” No peace could be made, except by the blood of his cross (Col. 1:20).

II. THE SPORT OF THE SOLDIERS

Matthew 27:27-31 "Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. (28) And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. (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! (30) And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. (31) And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him."

Notice the first word of verse 27 - “THEN.” Normally, a convicted felon, even in those barbaric times, was given some time between being sentenced to death and his execution. Usually, he had a few days to be visited by family members. But the Son of God was hurried off by the soldiers to be tormented as son as he had been scourged. While they were preparing the place of execution, an entire band of Roman soldiers (At least 500! Perhaps 1200 or 1300!) got together in Pilate’s palace to have a little fun with this man who was to be executed. The Lord of glory became an object of sporting torment for a band of depraved men! Yet, even this was according to the will of God, for the fulfillment of Scripture, both to assure us that Jesus is the Christ and that he has ransomed our souls by his great sacrifice for sin. These barbarians, hardened by a lifetime of bloodshed, tried to make our Lord’s death a thousand deaths in one. I want us to go over their actions briefly, with deep reverence. We must never speculate about such mysteries as these. Yet, these thin are written for our comfort and learning. May God the Holy Spirit both teach us and comfort our hearts by them. We are specifically told by Matthew of seven things, seven acts of barbarism these soldiers did to the Son of God.

A. “They stripped him” (v. 28).

It appears that the only thing in this world that belonged to him were the clothes on his back; but now he was stripped even of them. The shame of nakedness came into the world with sin (Gen. 3:7). Therefore, when Christ came to be made sin for us, to satisfy the justice of God for it, and to put it away.

1. He was stripped naked and put to public shame! He was put to shame that we might be given honor.

2. He was stripped that we might be clothed with white raiment.

· Revelation 3:18

B. They “put on him a scarlet robe” (v. 28).

They took some old red coat of one of the soldiers, or some old red blanket, and draped it over Immanuel in mockery, because he claimed to be the King. Thus, they derided him. Yet, in their derision of him, they fulfilled the will of God and the Word of God. This is he of whom the prophet declares, he was “red in his apparel” (Isa. 63:1-2), who “washed his garments in wine” (Gen. 49:11). Our sins are described as being both scarlet and crimson. Thus, as he was about to be made sin, our Lord was here providentially draped in the scarlet robe as our sin-bearer.

C. Next, “they platted a crown of thorns and put it on his head” (v. 29).

Continuing to mock his claims as the Messiah and King of Israel, they made a crown for his head, but a crown of thorns designed by them to torture him. But this crown of thorns was also made and shoved upon his brow according to the purpose of our God.

1. Thorns are the result of sin and part of God’s curse upon it (Gen. 3:18). Therefore when Christ was being made a curse for us and would remove the curse from us, wore the emblem of the curse.

2. This was a fulfillment of the typical ram caught in the thicket that Abraham sacrificed for Isaac (Gen. 17:13).

3. These thorns drew forth blood upon the brow of our great High Priest, which flow down from his head as precious ointment (Ps. 133:2).

D. “They put a reed in his right hand” (v. 29.

Again, this was mockery of our Master They gave him a bamboo scepter, as if to imply that his claim to a throne and his kingdom was no more than a reed shaken in the wind. How mistaken they are who fail to see that Jesus Christ is King forever!

· Psalm 45:6

E. “They bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!” (v. 29)

Like Joseph’s brethren, they said, “Shalt thou indeed reign over us?” Like multitudes today, they mocked his claims to sovereignty and dominion. But man’s mockery will not last for long.

· Philippians 2:9-11

F. “They spit upon him!” (v. 30)

I do not know which is more shocking: that men should dare spit upon his holy face, or that the Son of God should stoop to being spit upon as one who is utterly contemptible! Yet, to this great depth our God condescended for the salvation of our souls!

· 2 Corinthians 8:9

G. Then, “they took the reed, and smote him on the head” (v. 30).

They beat him on the head, while he was wearing the crown of thorns, inflicting all the pain they could upon him! Why? Why was all this done? Why did the Lord of glory submit to it? FOR US! The Son of God endured this misery, this shame, this torture, that he might purchase for us everlasting life, and joy, and peace, and glory! But these things were not sufficient to save us. These torments could never satisfy the justice of God. He must be crucified! Therefore we read...

Matthew 27:31 "And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him."

A. They put his own clothes back on him, that all might recognize him.

B. They led him away, as a lamb to the slaughter, to crucify him.

· Hebrews 13:10

III. THE SERVICE OF SIMON

Matthew 27:32 "And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross."

This man Simon was one of the Lord’s disciples (Mk. 15:21; Rom. 16:13). Whether the soldiers knew that or not we do not know. But he was compelled to carry the Master’s cross because they feared they might be robbed of their final sport of crucifying him. However, even in this, our God was ruling and overruling, to teach us spiritual lessons.

A. If we would follow Christ, we must take up his cross and do so daily (Luke 14:25-33).

B. If we take up his cross and follow him, we must be compelled by grace to do so because it is so contrary to our flesh.

Application:

In the light of these things, I urge you once more, my brothers and sisters in Christ, to give yourselves to him in unreserved devotion.

1. Remember your baptismal profession (Rom. 6:4-6).

2. Renew your commitment daily (Rom. 12:1-3).