FINAL LAP
From an unjust midnight trial to the hill of Golgotha, explore the quiet majesty and unshakable purpose of Jesus during His final hours. Even when facing mockery, unlawful violence, and the road to the cross, His calm authority exposed the corruption of the world He came to redeem.
REFLECTLATEST
Stephen
10/3/20262 min read
Last week, we saw that the Lord Jesus willingly stepped forward and surrendered to the arresting band. Before doing so, however, He ensured that His disciples were allowed to leave. They all abandoned Him and fled for their lives; one man even left his garment behind and escaped naked.
Jesus was taken first to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest, and then to the high priest for trial. There, the high priest questioned Him about His disciples and His teaching.
Jesus answered, “I spoke openly, and in secret I have said nothing. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who heard Me what I said to them.”
When He had said this, one of the officers struck Jesus with the palm of his hand and demanded, “Do You answer the high priest like that?”
Let’s Pause and Consider
This was the same Jesus who had:
Stilled the storm
Healed people with leprosy
Raised Lazarus from the grave
Led thousands with a few loaves and fish
Walked on water
The list could continue. Yet now He allowed Himself to be struck by a human hand. He did not answer violence with violence; instead, He insisted that the truth be established.
Jesus replied, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?”
The Tone and Force of Jesus’ Response
Jesus’ response is calmly defiant, rational, authoritative, and deeply ironic. The slap was intended to humiliate Him and force compliance, yet He neither retaliated nor traded insults. Instead, He addressed the officer directly and demanded a reason for the assault.
In doing so, Jesus became the rational interrogator. He placed both the officer and the high priest on the defensive by exposing their failure to follow their own legal standards: a prisoner had been struck before any guilt had been established.
The irony is profound. In effect, Jesus told the court: “If My words were wrong, present the evidence. But if My words were right, then your violence is the true wrongdoing.” His reply carries a quiet majesty that exposes the court’s legal and spiritual corruption.
Jesus did not ask the question because He expected an honest answer. It was a rhetorical challenge that remained in the air, leaving His attacker without justification.
In the next 3 hours, he had undergone many things. Beaten with rods, slapped, crowned with thorns, scourged, mocked, clothed with purple rope.
Flogged with a lead-tipped whip and He bled, disfigured and became beyond recognition. When he was offered wine mingled with myrrh to ease pain (This was a mild narcotic or anesthetic routinely given to condemned prisoners to dull their pain.) He refused to take it. Everyone was watchingmalong the way, some with sympathy and others with mockery. Finally, the journey ended at Golgotha.
9.00 AM
Lord Jesus was crucified on the cross.
(Thought of concluding this week but let us do it NEXT WEEK)