Jesus Spit Upon, Buffeted and Smote - Matthew 26:67

Matthew the apostle wrote how the high priest demanded of Jesus, “I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you be the Christ, the Son of God”, and “Jesus said unto him, You have said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Matthew continued, “Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now you have heard his blasphemy. What do you think? They answered and said, He is guilty of death”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse sixty-seven of his book, Matthew wrote how the religious leaders, “spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him” where we read:

Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

The verse reads, “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him;” Matthew began words, “then did they spit” which means “at that time and moment the religious leaders spit” “in his face” or “in Jesus' face”, “and buffeted him” which means “struck Jesus with their fists as well as maltreated and treated Him with violence and contumely”. Matthew shared how the “religious tribunal” began to “spit” on Jesus and hit Him with their fists.

The verse goes on to say, “and others smote him with the palms of their hands,” Matthew continued with the words, “and others” or “and other ones who belonged to the religious group” “smote him” which means “slapped Jesus” “with the palms of their hands” which refers to “the flat, open and inward portion of their hands”. Matthew shared how other religious leaders slapped Jesus with their open hands.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how the “religious leaders” began to disgustfully “spit” upon Jesus and hit Him with their fists. Others within “religious leader” group began to “slap” Jesus with disdain as they punished Him for declaring He was the “Christ”. Jesus was and is “God in the flesh”, and we cannot even begin to imagine treating God this way. Yet, these “religious leaders” who were “elders and members of the Sanhedrin”, began to abuse Jesus like a vicious criminal. “God so loved the world”, and He “sent His only begotten Son” to be tortured, beat, “spit” upon and eventually “crucified” because mankind needed to be forgiven for their sins. Let all who read these words begin to understand the extent God has determined that they might live with Him eternally.

Next time Matthew shares how the religious leaders say, “Prophesy unto us, you Christ, Who is he that smote you?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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