The Unfurling of the Robe

Henry Ossawa Tanner 1905 Jesus By deflam

So Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped. The soldiers, having braided a crown from thorns, set it on his head, threw a purple robe over him, and approached him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they greeted him with slaps in the face. John 19:1-3; Mark 15:16-20; Matthew 27:28-31

Lying on a stool nearby was the robe. A scarlet robe, worn thin, weathered and faded to a shade of purple. It had covered many backs. Soldiers on duty, harsh battles, cold nights, dusty storms.
Now it lay upon a stool waiting another use. To adorn a King.
Laughter and mocking filled the room. Jeering around a blood clotted man in the centre.
Like bully boy cocks strutting around, tails in the air, the soldiers danced and prowled around the quiet shivering victim.
The smell of death whispered ‘I am coming to have you’

‘Hey, lets have some fun, grab that old robe’

The robe no one wanted was quickly embraced. The colours matched perfectly. Red upon red. Blood upon blood. Purple upon bruises. Perfect match.
Round and round the soldiers danced.
‘Hail, hail the King of the Jews’. ‘Worship him, isn't he so Kingly, powerful, majestic in robes of red. The purple of a great King’. ‘Hail, hail the King of the Jews’ 
Laughter, evil torments, demonic dance, Satan in full uninhibited delight.
Jesus, quiet, waiting for the nails.
A slap on the face after a kiss. Hands leaving bruises on blood.

Robe unfurled to reveal full splendour.

Spittle flying, then dripping off his face. The crown of thorns pressed in harshly to the skull.
A stick is placed in his right hand as a sceptre. ‘Hail, hail the King of the Jews’ 
Blows to the head from some one, some where.
With the man barely conscious the robe is removed and thrown in the corner. Splatted with blood and spit, it is discarded.
Demons dance, swirling in ecstasy at the party performed. Now for the final act of the show.

Tears form in a fathers face. Fury and wrath constrained for another day.

Mock worship. Worship without personal cost. Sacrifice without suffering is a sham.
Jesus bids us to come, follow, and die.
What is your response to the man who wore the purple robe? Tell him in a comment below.
Barry Pearman
Image: By deflam Creative Commons Flickr
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