Resurrection Eggs: Egg Five

*This is number five of a twelve post series. There will be a new one each day for the next eight days*

Egg #5: Leather Whip


"After His trial by Pilate, the Roman soldiers used leather ropes with rocks and metal woven in to whip Jesus leaving 39 deep gashes in His skin.

Read: John 19-1-15 (For further context, also read Matthew 27:26-31.)

At more than any time, these dark and evil days were scary and sad for the followers of Jesus. The Jewish leaders had brought Jesus before the Roman governor in Judea, Pontius Pilate, to defend Himself for claiming to be God. Because Jesus claimed to be God, they said He was an enemy of the Roman Empire and of Caesar, its king. They wanted Him sentenced to death!

Can you believe Pilate put Jesus to death? But before he did, he told his soldiers to scourge (or whip) Him. At any time, Jesus, the Son of God, could have stopped the trial, the whipping, and even His death. But He wanted to do the will of His Father. And so He did nothing and said nothing to defend Himself.

In the Bible, a long time ago, it was foretold that Jesus would be whipped and beaten. Isaiah 50:6 says, 'I gave My back to those who strike Me, and My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.' Also, Isaiah 53:5 says, 'But He was pierced through for our transgressions [breaking God's laws], He was crushed for our iniquities [sins]; the chastening [punishment] for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.' God allowed His Son to be scourged in our place...for our sins. Jesus didn't deserve to die because he had never sinned. But we have sinned. Jesus died in our place for our sin even though it is we who deserve to be punished."

From Resurrection Eggs Randal Lee Walti