“They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him.” 

They were the best of the best, the cream of the crop, the top 1% of their class.  What were they, students?  No.  Athletes?  No again.  Salesmen?  Not by a long shot.  They were the Praetorium Guard.  And they could kill you faster — or slower — and with the least — or the most — amount of pain, depending on the situation, than any other assembled group of soldiers.  They were specialists at torture, fighting…and winning.  All the Caesar’s had them as their personal bodyguards.  In Rome they were the only armed military units south of the Rubicon River, the northern border of Italy.  To cross that river with soldiers, as Julius Caesar had in 49 BC, was an act of war against the current regime.

In the early days Praetorium Guard members in Rome did the bidding of the Caesar.  Most were handpicked by Caesar himself.  They functioned liked Secret Service agents protecting the president.  Most were similar to what the Bible describes in the Old Testament as “mighty men”: strong, scheming fighters who knew the tricks of the trade of warfare.  As General George C. Scott, starring in the title role said in the film, Patton: “Your job is not to give your life for your country.  Your job is to make the other d**n b*****d give his life for his country!”  Praetorium Guards were masters at that.

After Caesar Augustus, Guard members became such a strong and elite force that they gained independence from the various Caesars that came and went, even affecting the political landscape.  Caesars frequently had to win the confidence of the Guard.  In some cases the Guard murdered a Caesar or two along the way and installed another to their liking.

But it wasn’t just Caesars that had their Guard members.  Some served middle managing Roman rulers around the empire.  One such ruler was Pontius Pilate, Governor of Judaea, whose primary function was military control, then tax collecting and limited judicial responsibilities.  Pilate had Praetorium Guards in Jerusalem at his personal disposal like other provincial governors, ranging from 300-600 in number.

There is nothing much worse than soldiers stationed at home “on leave,” so to speak.  Hanging around all day with little to do and no one to kill, boredom sets in fast.  Chasing down rumors or rounding up terrified civilians who put up little resistance was not much excitement or fun.  So when the occasional condemned man came up for execution, well, now we’ve got something to do!  Torture and causing agony got their hearts racing.  Now there’s some action!  Betting on the endurance of the victim was common.

This was the company of men that mocked Jesus.  When they heard the condemned was “the King of the Jews,” who had just been flogged, “they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head.  They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him.  ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said.  They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.  After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him.  Then they led him away to crucify him” (Matthew 27:28-31).  This was no small company; it was upwards to 600 men.  For them this was theater…and drama…and action…and sport!

In some respects the mocking from this military mob may not look as bad as it could have been.  But realize that Jesus’ back was torn open from the scourging.  Realize also that his mocking had nothing to do with paying for our sins.  That was accomplished on the cross.  So why then did the Father have it planned out for Jesus to be mocked in such a manner?  Several reasons: (1) The crown of thorns identified Jesus with our sins, thorns being the symbol (Genesis 3:18, 22:13, etc.).  Being a crown, the symbol of authority, he became authorized to pay for them.  (2) Jesus fulfilled the presentation of his kingship over Israel by showing in graphic detail the Jews’ rejection of him.  (3) Jesus did not deserve this kind of treatment, even if he were personally guilty of a crime, and yet he took it anyway without resistance or violence.  By doing so, he showed just how wicked humanity can be at their worst, taking it head-on, and magnified his character by demonstrating self-control, grace, endurance of personal injustice, patience, etc.

Revelation of such character draws many unbelievers to Jesus.  What do they see in yours?