Daily Wisdom

Led Away – Mark 15:20

Key Passage

After they finished teasing Jesus, the soldiers took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led Jesus out of the palace to be killed on a cross.

— Mark 15:20 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

“After they finished teasing Jesus …” What a sad and sobering commentary. Jesus is not a person in the minds of the soldiers, but a toy for his sadistic persecutors to use to amuse themselves. Mockery, derision, and brutality were their purposes in the crucifixion journey. They did their job well and were now ready to get him to the destination of their savagery. We must never doubt Jesus’ love for us. He didn’t die a quick and quiet death for us. He was repeatedly abused, insulted, ridiculed, mocked, and belittled. Not only was he doing this to be our Savior, but also to be our example. He practices what he has taught—turn the other cheek, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. Now he asks us to be willing to follow in his steps if it is necessary. We are called to be redemptive even in the face of abuse and scorn.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, please use me to be a redemptive influence wherever I find myself. Even if I find myself in hostile and unfair circumstances, please help me live up to the example of your Son. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t stand against an evil person. If someone hits you on the right cheek, then turn and let him hit the other cheek too. If a person wants to sue you in court and take your shirt, then let him have your coat too. If a soldier forces you to walk with him one mile, then go with him two miles. If a person asks you for something, then give it to him. Don’t refuse to give to a person that wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those people that do bad things to you. If you do this, then you will be true sons of your Father in heaven. Your Father lets the sun rise for the good people and the bad people. Your Father sends rain to people that do good and to people that do wrong. If you love only the people that love you, then you will get no reward. Even the tax collectors do that. And if you are nice only to your friends, then you are no better than other people. Even the people without God are nice to their friends. So you must be perfect, the same as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:38-48

A person might have to suffer even when he has done nothing wrong. If that person thinks of God and bears the pain, then this pleases God. But if you are punished for doing wrong, there is no reason to praise you for bearing that punishment. But if you suffer for doing good, and you are patient, then that pleases God. That is what you were called to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. You should do the same as he did. {You should be patient when you suffer,} because Christ suffered for you. “He (Christ) did no sin, and no lies were found in his mouth.” People said bad things to Christ, but he did not say bad things to them. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten (speak against) the people. No! Christ let God take care of him. God is the One who judges rightly. Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his (Christ’s) wounds you were healed.
1 Peter 2:19-24

Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people {that are killing me}. They don’t know what they are doing. ” The soldiers gambled with dice to decide who would get Jesus’ clothes.
Luke 23:34

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