145. Mocked of the Soldiers.

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! - Matthew 27:29.

The shameful spectacle! What element of scorn is lacking!

Roman soldiers mocking a supposed rival of Caesar are sure to go to the utmost lengths in their derision.

Jesus himself is a victim so novel in his gentle weakness that they set no bounds to their scorn.

The spectacle is as cruel as it is derisive. Thorns and rough blows accentuate mockeries and scoffs.

Roman legionaries were the brutalized instruments of a race noted for its ignorance of all tenderness; they wrought cruelties with a singular zest, being most at home in amusements of the most cruel kind.

Let us go into the Hall of the Praetorian guard, and watch with our Lord in the hour of his mockery.

I. HERE LEARN A LESSON FOR YOUR HEART.

In the Lord of glory thus made the center of cruel scorn:

1. See what sin deserved. It is all laid on him.

· Ridicule for its folly. It should be despised for its mad rebellion against the omnipotent will of the great King.

· Scorn for its pretensions. How dared it propose to usurp dominion over hearts and lives which belonged alone to God?

· Shame for its audacity. It dared defy the Eternal to battle. Oh, wretched, braggart sin!

2. See how low your Savior stooped for your sake.

· He is made the Substitute for foolish, sinful man; and is treated as such.

· He is scoffed at by soldiers of the meanest grade.

· He is made a puppet for men who play the fool.

3. See how your Redeemer loved you.

He bears immeasurable contempt, bears in silence, bears to the bitter end; and all for love of his people.

4. See the grand facts behind the scorn.

· He is a King in very surety. They said, "Hail, King!" and he is indeed the King whom all shall hail.

· He is glorified by conquering earth's sorrow: he is crowned with thorns. What a glorious diadem! No other coronet ever betokened such a conquest.

· He rules by weakness: a reed is his scepter. What a glory to be able to reign, not by force of arms, but by patience and gentleness!

· He makes men bow the knee: real homage is his; he reigns, whether men will have it so or not.

· He is the true Monarch of the Jews. In him the dynasty of David endures for ever, and Israel has hope of glory.

5. See that you honor and love him in proportion to this shame and mockery.

· Bernard used to say, "The more vile Christ hath made himself for us, the more dear he ought to be to us."

· Can you ever reach so great a height?

II. HERE LEARN A LESSON FOR YOUR CONSCIENCE.

1. Jesus may still be mocked.

· By deriding his people. "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Men mock the Master in the servant.

· By contemning his doctrine. Many do this who affect to admire his character. This is the peculiar sin of the present age.

· By resolves never fulfilled. Sinners vow, but never pay; confess faults, and cling to them. This is to insult the Lord.

· By beliefs never obeyed. It is common to pretend to a belief which never affects the life, mocking great truths by acting contrary to them.

· By professions never justified. May not many a church member be guilty of putting the Lord to an open shame in this fashion?

2. If guilty of mocking him, what shall you do?

· Do not despair, but confess and lament your sin.

· Do not give all up for lost. Believe and live.

· Do not repeat the sad offense. Repent, and quit the crime.

· Do not abide in sullen silence. Honor him whom you once despised.

3. What shall you do in any case?

· Crown him with love.

· Scepter him with obedience.

· Bow the knee of worship.

· Proclaim him King by your personal testimony.

Ye sinners, destroy the sins which grieved your Savior!

Ye saints, defy all the contempt of the world for his sake!