I believe that most people today make an effort to take care of their faces. Whether it be with washing it, moisturizing it, putting on sunscreen, shaving it, putting on beard oil, etc., people take care of it. But could you imagine enduring the mockery of others spitting in your face? When I was in elementary school, another boy spit in my face on the playground. It was such a terrible thing that I still remember it some forty years later.
Having someone spit in your face is to experience a great indignity. Our Lord experienced this and endured such vile treatment for our eternal benefit. The prophet Isaiah foretold of it (Isaiah 50:6). Jesus had told his apostles that this would happen to him: Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon" (Luke 18:31,32 NKJV). We later read of the Jewish leaders spitting in Jesus' face: Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands (Matthew 26:67). But Jesus did not call those twelve legions of angels. After he was delivered to Pilate, we read of the Roman soldiers ejecting saliva from their mouths at him: When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on 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!” Then they spat on Him and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified (Matthew 27:29-31). But Jesus still did not call the angels to come and destroy those men.
The apostle Peter was close by in the high priest's courtyard while Jesus was being mistreated before the Jewish leaders (Matthew 26:58,69). He never forgot the longsuffering of his Lord during such abuse and scorn: For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:21-23). We too, should never forget. Sometimes we may just think about the agony of his crucifixion, but we should also remember everything else he endured for us that was recorded in Scripture. In so doing our love for him will grow more and more, especially as we experience injustices committed against us.
One day, those who will be ushered into heaven will see his face. That face that endured such indignity so many years ago, will welcome the faithful to their eternal home. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever (Revelation 22:4,5). Don't you want to see his face?
Brotherly, Jamie
