Tabletalk Devotions with R.C. Sproul - December 14, 2020

Mocked and Beaten Matthew 27:27–31 "And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him" (Matthew 27:31). Reformed theologians often describe Christ's work in terms of His active and passive obedience. The active obedience of Christ is His doing the Father's will, taking specific actions — teaching, miracle-working, obeying the Law — to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:15). The passive obedience of Christ encapsulates His submission to death. We cannot absolutely separate Christ's active and passive obedience, for Jesus must actively set His mind on the Father's plan if He is to endure the cross. Still, passive obedience is an appropriate description of Jesus' nonviolent resistance to suffering (1 Peter 2:23). This passive obedience includes Jesus' arrest, trial, and scourging (Matt. 26:47–27:31). Jesus is scourged with a flagellum, a whip made of several leather straps embedded with bone and metal. Flogging is the first part of Roman crucifixion, and the number of lashes, though unknown to us, is limited only by the extent of the flogger's sadism. Our Savior is an innocent victim, and the Father does not approve of Pilate's sentence or the soldiers' deeds in themselves. However, God is providentially using their sins to bring judgment upon David's line for leading Israel astray (2 Sam. 7:1–17). In so doing, the Father also begins to condemn the sin of every repentant descendant of Adam (Rom. 5:12–21). Christ's passive obedience is also on display as He is mocked in the governor's headquarters (Matt. 27:27–31). Jesus' prediction in Matthew 20:17–19 comes true as the Roman soldiers (as many as six hundred if the whole legion is in town) dress Him up as the caesar and then make fun of Him, spitting in His face. Roman soldiers customarily make fun of those sentenced to death, but given the anti-Jewish sentiment that is part of Pilate's rule, these bigoted men probably abuse Jesus with particular delight. Our merciful Father pours on His Son the wrath we deserve in order to give us the blessings Jesus has merited. John Calvin writes, "Our filthiness deserves that God should hold it in abhorrence, and that all the angels should spit upon us; but Christ…to present us pure and unspotted in [the] presence of the Father, resolved to be spat upon, and to be dishonored by every kind of reproach." Coram deo: Living before the face of God The Christian faith is derided in many circles, and many professing believers throughout history have been tempted to play down the offense of the gospel or work hard to show the world that Christians are not as "uncool" as they seem. But while we must take care not to offend others with rude demeanors, we must also not accommodate ourselves to the world's values. If Christ was beaten and killed, can we not, by His Spirit, endure the mocking of the world? For further study: Genesis 37:12–24 The Bible in a year: Amos 7:1–9:15

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Copyright Information INTO the WORD daily Bible studies from TableTalk Magazine, Matthew Studies. Copyright © 2008 by Ligonier Ministries. Subscription Information This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog by Bible Gateway, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA. This email is part of a devotional or newsletter that you signed up for on BibleGateway.com. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact us. *Manage all Bible Gateway subscriptions —  *Opt Out of all Bible Gateway communication *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally R C Sproul R.C. Sproul (Drs, Free University of Amsterdam) was the founder of Ligonier Ministries and general editor of The Reformation Study Bible. A prolific author, he wrote more than sixty books, including The Holiness of God, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone, Chosen by God, What Is Reformed Theology?, The Glory of Christ, The Mystery of the Holy Spirit, and Getting the Gospel Right. Dr. Sproul was professor of systematic theology and apologetics at Knox Theological Seminary in Fort Lauderdale until 2004 and, before that, taught at Reformed Theological Seminary. He served as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel, Sanford, Florida, and taught on the national daily radio program Renewing Your Mind. Want to buy R. C. Sproul books on Alibris?