This is how I would like to rewrite today's blog post. There are only a few days left until this year's Easter, which each of us designs differently. And when you think of Easter, different aspects come to mind. While for some it means a long weekend of sweets and good food, for others it's holiday time. The children are at home and have 2 weeks vacation and you are preparing for a relaxing time. You make yourself comfortable and let your soul dangle. Most people have forgotten what really happened at Easter or they can only remember it faintly. Perhaps one or the other still has a vague memory from religious instruction. But very few have real memories.
But for a believing Christian, Easter is a celebration of joy. With his death on the cross and the resurrection, Jesus Christ not only conquered the death caused by sin, but also paid the penalty for all people equally.
A celebration of joy, yes it is. But this was preceded by a painful ordeal.
This Jesus, begotten by the Spirit, born of a virgin, became fully man. Son of God Most High. With a task and a mission. And an end so terrible and inhuman. This Jesus died for all the sins of men, but only those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Redeemer and try to live according to His laws and commandments are saved from eternal death.
He paid the price for me. And he paid it voluntarily and out of obedience. He took all the pain to obey his father God. For me, Easter is a time of repentance and forgiveness. Because although I am a believing Christian and try to live accordingly, there are always things that are just not right. I often think badly of others and still judge people who don't fit into one of my categories. And again and again and especially in this time it is your turn to ask for forgiveness on the one hand and to forgive other people on the other.
Walking with God is not for the faint-hearted, for those who take it easy, for those who always want to take the path of least resistance. For me, being a Christian means constantly dealing with myself.
As a person, I love action films. Fast-paced chases, wild shootouts and great special effects. However, when I saw the film "The Passion of the Christ" I felt very uneasy. And of course I know that Mel Gibson didn't manage to make the film authentic, but the suffering and the crucifixion are very well portrayed.
HE, Jesus Christ, paid that price. For me and for you!
The flogging
At about two o'clock in the morning Jesus Christ was taken to the court of Caiaphas. The soldiers beat him and asked, "Who beat you?" An interrogation was held, at which two witnesses should have been present.
In any case, the execution had to be political. That is why Jesus Christ was called the king of the Jews and thus the inciter of the people.
Pilate sent Jesus to Herod because he wanted nothing to do with the matter. He found no reason for a death sentence and flogging ensued.
The flogging was carried out with the flagrum, the whip. It was a multi-tailed leather whip with small metal or bone weights attached to the ends. The greater the crime, the more cruel the flogging, except where crucifixion was intended, where the individual was still to live.
The victim was stripped naked. In a stooped position, his hands were fastened to a pillar. It received blows from both sides. As a result, swelling (hematoma) and pleurisy effusions formed.
The victim rolled, screamed, trembled, fell to his knees only to be hauled up again until he could no longer stand. He vomited, fainted, uttered blood-curdling screams, begged for mercy.
Man was beaten into an exhausted mass of flesh crying out for water. It was a traumatic shock.
According to the Mosaic Law, 40 lashes were permitted (Deuteronomy 25:3,39). Only 39 were given because of the risk of miscounting. With Jesus Christ the situation was different; the Romans determined the number of blows. Pilate wanted to appease the people with the flogging. It was unsuccessful; Barabbas was demanded and released.
Jesus walked this path out of obedience to the Father, God, and out of love for His Father's creation. For you and for me!
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