It was a mighty spectacle the day Jesus of Nazareth passed through the Governor’s Palace. An entire battalion of Roman soldiers cleared the bench to harass the convict. His skin was already flayed from the scourging. Marred beyond recognition. Already in unimaginable physical and emotional pain, he now subjected himself to the phycological torment of history’s most brutal executioners.
Mark 15:17 says, “And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him.”
They covered him with a robe of mock-royalty. Covered him with shame, humiliation, and insult. Covered with the iniquity of us all. They twisted for him a crown of thorns. Twisted his crown. Twisted his message. Twisted his miracles. Twisted his kingdom.
They taunted and jeered him. Mark 15:8 says, “And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him.”
The Son of Man covered in spit, thorns, shame, and blood, and “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter…. so he opened not his mouth.” I will never understand what all he wore for me that brutal day. It is hard to think about.
Who really covered the son?
Judas placed the kiss.
The Jews orchestrated his arrest.
Pilate delivered the verdict.
The Romans placed the crown, robe, and cross.
Yet, none of these had ultimate authority. Isaiah 53:6 says, “the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:10 echoes, “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief.”
It was the Father who covered the Son.
The insults, the stripes, the crown of thorns and the cross — the father covered the son with my iniquity.
And here is the mighty glory of Calvary: Because the Father covered the Son, the Son covers us!
2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” He wore our sin, so we could wear his righteousness. He wore the shame and suffering so we could wear His purity. He wore the covering forged by our sin, so we could wear His dazzling garments of holiness.
What are you wearing in this season? Put off the old self with anxiety, worry, bitterness, and sin. Put on Christ! The one who was covered by the father, now lives to cover you with his intercession. Come under this covering and celebrate all he wore for us that Good Friday.