More Than Conquerors

“12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:12-14)

We often talk about the death of Jesus and even recognize what is called “Passion Week” which reflects the last few days of Jesus’ life as we know it.  But have we really taken the time to really look at these events in depth to understand not just physical pain that Jesus endured, but also the spiritual and symbolic meaning behind these events?

When we look at these verses from John 15, we associate it with how we should treat each other.  Verse 13 brings out the laying down part of our lives as Christ did but let us not forget about the pain and humiliation that Jesus went through, thus, what we are commanded to do for each other.  What follows is a description of how Jesus laid down his life for humanity. These descriptions not only have a literal significance but a spiritual connotation as well.  We will look at these in depth and slowly for the readers do so as well.  

The first acts that we will focus on today are the spitting, slapping, and punching that was done by the high priest and by the soldiers found in the Gospel of John, Chapter 18, beginning at verse 19 and reading through verse 24 (1 9The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. 20Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 21Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. 22And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Answerest thou the high priest so? 23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? 24Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. Mark 15:19, King James Version, ¹⁹ And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.).  

The definition and symbolism of spitting upon another person, especially onto the face, is a global sign of anger, hatred, disrespect, or contempt. It can represent a ”symbolical regurgitation” or an act of intentional contamination. Therefore, by this act, the High Priest who represented the “church” and the soldiers who represented the government were not only disrespecting Jehovah God placing him in a level of authority below Himself and themselves above God.   As we read further in this verse, we will see that the servants of the High Priest took part by punching Jesus.

According to the articles, Roman Legionary — The Professional Heavy Infantry of Roman Empire, by Peter Preskar, “a Roman Legionnaire was trained for several months that included carrying over 100 pounds of equipment and to build lodging for a night camp. The Roman soldier was a man who was callused in regard to emotion.  In fact, the article states that any soldier who showed any type of fear was beaten to death by their fellow soldiers.”   (Peter Preskar , , May, 2020, Roman Legionary — The Professional Heavy Infantry of Roman Empire https://historyofyesterday.com/roman-legionary-a439d8493c5f). The level of force that Jesus when solders hit with the reed by the Roman solders as was noted in the previous paragraph much more than a swipe with a stick.

With this in mind, we get a good picture of the strength behind the pain that must have brought hemorrhaging with every blow from the soldiers against Jesus, yet He said nothing. 

According to 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.”  We can clearly see that the punching which causes bruising was the result in the natural.  Let’s look at the Hebrew meaning.  According to “www.gotquestions.org”, the author provides the Hebrew word used most often for “iniquity” means “guilt worthy of punishment.”.   A bruise is an injury transmitted through unbroken skin to underlying tissue causing rupture of small blood vessels and escape of blood into the tissue with resulting discoloration which is hard to look at; however, according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, bruised mean “crush.) (Strong’s, 7779).

A transgression in Hebrew according to Strong’s Concordance is defined as sin or rebellion (H6588).  Jesus not only died for all sin, but he also carried the guilt that sin carried.  We can see now why God was required to turn His face from the crucifixion because of the sin and guilt that His son was sent to carry.  God hates sin and the fact that Jesus represented taking on the sin of the world, Father God had to cast His eyes from His son.  Habakkuk 1:13 (KJV) reads: “13 Thou art of purer eyes” than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoured the man that is more righteous than he?”

From Isaiah 50:6, KJV “I gave my back to the smites, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting” we learn that his beard was plucked out from the root.

According to Kevin Conner’s book, The Interpreting of the Symbols and Types, the author states that a man’s beard was a symbol of honor, strength, and age (K. Conner, p. 125).

In the book of Jeremiah 46:36-38: “Therefore My heart shall wail like flutes for Moab, And like flutes My heart shall wail for the men of Kir Heres. Therefore, the riches they have acquired have perished. 37 “For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped; On all the hands shall be cuts, and on the loin’s sackcloth—38 A general lamentation on all the housetops of Moab, And in its streets; For I have broken Moab like a vessel in which is no pleasure,” says the LORD.)

It was the custom when one was in mourning the men would shave their heads and their beards.  However, based on Levitical law, it was strictly forbidden for a man to totally shave off their beards (Leviticus 19:27, “You shall not round off the side-growth on your head or destroy the side-growth of your beard.”  The Roman soldiers where not only mocking Jewish law, but in essence they were mocking God because it was God that wrote the law and the Deity of Jesus. They were also symbolically taking away strength (which is another word for power) and honor of which He represented as the Son of God. 

Many believers have not really absorbed what Jesus endured for humanity.  Our discussion today reflects only a few hours of His suffering. When I think about the slapping and spitting, tells us the instructs us to turn the other cheek and to forgive and He did the same thing as an example for us all to follow Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face, slapped and beat him He did relieve, (Matthew 27:30, “30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.) and then to forgive them. 

This is only a small part of what Jesus endured for us for all of us.    If we go back to the introductory verse that talks about laying down our lives for others, Jesus not only said this, but He demonstrated this commandment.  As we continue to look His last hours, let us ponder on this on how much He loved humanity.

If this has touched your heart and I pray that it has, and you are saying “I want to be brought inti God’s family all you have to is repeat this simple prayer, God knows your heart:

Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life. I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe your words are true. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior. Amen.

If you said this prayer, then get into a good church and tell the pastor or any one that will listen and WELCOME to family.

Stay tuned for the next installment as we learn more about those hours before Jesus looked to heaven and speaks. “It is finished”.  

Tony