The Wonder of It All

John 18:21-23 (KJV)

Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

I have thought about these words that I read for part of my devotion this morning. Jesus simply tells the priests that everyone knows what he said. He is declaring his innocence, and mocking the accusers by reminding them that they have no witness because there was no crime. 

For his comment, one of the minions strikes him, probably hard enough to draw blood, certainly hard enough to begin bruising his face. He is reprimanded for insulting the “high priest”.  Now it was the high priest’s job to recognize and honor the Messiah of God. What did the high priest do? He condemns Jesus to death, fearing his competition.

Jesus answers honorably, “if I spoke evil, tell me where. But why do you strike me?” Jesus knew very well that the priest were engaging only in what we have come to call a “kangaroo court”, one in which the principal was already convicted.

It does take my breath away when I stop to consider that the Creator of the Universe was struck, beaten, and crucified. The wonder of that sacrifice will be overwhelming for us all. In his very fingertips lay the power to completely undo the whole universe, yet he chose to endure a painful time of torment and death that I might live. I will never stop wondering at the grandeur of it all!