Stories of heroes, battles, and risk-takers inspire us.

This is one of the reasons in my weekly newsletter I share a story of strength every week… hearing a story of someone’s feat of strength and courage helps us get off the couch and get into action.

This week’s story is one that is well-known to Christians… we remember it especially ever year at Easter. But this week as I was going through this with my family, some details jumped out at me in new ways.

This is the story of the mockery Christ endured by the Roman soldiers before His crucifixion.

After the mob gives Barabbas his freedom instead of Jesus, Pilate rather infamously washes his hands before the rowdy crowd. He then has Jesus scourged and delivered over to be crucified (Matthew 27:26).

Pilate’s soldiers take Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and an entire battalion of soldiers stomp in before Jesus.

And what happens next is just sarcastic and sadistic ridicule.

• The soldiers strip Him of His clothes

• In pure mockery they twist a crown of thorns together and put it on his head, along with a scarlet robe and a reed in His hand

• They spit on him, smacking Him with the reed they gave Him, while chanting “Hail, King of the Jews!”

What struck me going through it this week was Christ’s steel-like resolve to endure one hardship to the next.

This moment with the soldiers happens right after immense betrayal and right before His crucifixion. Jesus had already gone through so much, and He was about to go through worse.

His friends had betrayed him on the Mount of Olives.

His disciple Peter had publicly denied Him.

His nation’s religious leaders interrogated him falsely.

The people at the feast chose to release a scumbag over Him.

Now the Romans are mocking and mutilating him.

And there was a cross waiting for Him at the end of all that.

This is a stunning display of strength in the midst of cruel adversity. And He is worthy of all worship and adoration for it.

What a savior!

“… looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”

– Hebrews 12:2