How you treat the condemned

 How you treat the condemned, says nothing about them, but a whole lot about yourself. 

Mark 15:15-20

15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. 17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, 18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! 19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

The king had sentenced the man to die, there was no revoking the sentence. The word of the king was law. 

What the guards did to the condemned man say much about what was in their hearts.

They called together the whole band - this was going to be a high sporting time

They clothed him in purple 

They made a crown of thorns and beat it into his head

They mocked him

They beat him and spat upon him

Plucked out his beard

Then they led him out to die

While he was dying 

They divided his assets up and

When he was thirsty they mixed human spit with vinegar for him to drink

The " I told you so crowd" was also at the cross

They walked by wagging their heads and said,

"He saved others let him save himself."

Nothing reveals what is in your heart like how you treat those who are helpless to defend themselves. 

There are times when the king declares that people involved in the kingdom must die. Sometimes it is the result of wrong attitudes and actions, sometimes the condemned is innocent.

We cannot change the decree of the king, but we don't have to add to the suffering. 

All of us will spend some time in a dying process. No one can change that! 

The king declared it to be so. 

In my time of suffering I met some of the greatest angels of mercy, who did everything possible to lesson the pain. They were ambassadors of Christ, offering friendship, understanding, and gave us hope for tomorrow.

I was also violently abused, by people I thought my brethren. We were ganged up on, abused, beaten, stripped and humiliated. 

How you treat the condemned, says nothing about them, but much about yourself.

The high sport of piling on - 

Jobs friends come readily to mind. As they sat around for days, surmising about his sins and crimes. They seemed to feed off of each others, whit and insights ... 

Their judgements showed wisdom, they were insightful, but they were grossly inaccurate. 

And God held them liable for their treatment of him.

The danger of running with a mob

Human beings tend to exhibit very unique behaviors or habits once they’re in a group. Some sociologists call it “herd behavior” but it is more often described as “mob mentality.” 

Mob mentality refers to the behavioral tendency of people to act in unison with the group of which they are a part. Often these mobs develops a morally reprehensible consensus, crimes that would never be committed individually are easily tolerated with impunity. 

So with Jesus, facts, laws and judicial procedure were trampled in a rush for judgement. 

Facts were ignored, 

judgement was perverted

Mercy was forgotten

The mob had spoken... 

"never was a man's visage so marred" - the piling on of the mob

 

Right now everyone of us knows someone in a dying process. 

Ignore what the crowd is saying, Be careful how you treat them, God is watching and keeping an accurate record. 

There is one other solitary man mentioned. 

Mark 15:21

And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

He stood alone, and helped the condemned carry his cross. Again he could not altar the sentence of the king, but he made the process easier, the load less heavy.

How you treat the condemned says nothing about them, but it speaks volumes about yourself.

In his dying, one of the thief's, cried out to Jesus, " will you remember me when you come into your kingdom? "

Jesus actions said nothing about the condemned, his guilt or innocence, but volumes about Gods nature. " today you will be with me in paradise" 

He did not stop the man from dying, the king had spoken. 

What he offered the Condemned was hope and mercy.

How you treat the condemned says nothing about them, but it speaks volumes about yourself.

LM