Spit and a Reed upon Jesus' Head - Matthew 27:30

Matthew the apostle wrote how Pilate the governor, “scourged Jesus” and “delivered him to be crucified.” Matthew continued, “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!”, and in chapter twenty-seven and verse thirty of his book, Matthew wrote how the soldiers, “spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head” where we read:

And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

The verse reads, “And they spit upon him, and took the reed, ...” Matthew began words, “and they spit upon him” which means “the soldiers spit their saliva upon Jesus”, “and took” or “and lay hold of” “the reed” or “the staff or rod made of the stem of a plant”. Matthew shared how Pilate's soldiers began to “spit” upon Jesus and forcefully grabbed the “scepter” like “reed” away from Him.

The verse continues, “... and smote him on the head.” Matthew added the words, “and smote him” or “and struck or thumped Jesus” “on the head” which means “upon His head”. Matthew shared how the soldiers continued their torture and taunting of Jesus by “smiting” Him upon His head with the “reed” they gave to Him.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, can we even begin to imagine the restraint Jesus manifested while these soldiers treated Him this way? Here was the “Creator of the Universe” standing among these minuscule “soldiers” allowing them to abuse Him with disdainful “spit” and “striking” Him with a make believe “scepter”, and Jesus endured it. There is one main reason: He loves people, and He was willing to be mocked, beaten and ridiculed so people could be saved from their sins and live forever with God. May all who read these words carefully understand the great price Jesus paid for their sins, and let them yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” and receive His promise of “everlasting life”.

Next time Matthew wrote how the governor's soldiers, “took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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