The Roman garrison is staging a mock coronation ceremony for Jesus because they have heard him called the “king of the Jews.” They placed a purple robe on him and pressed a crown of thorns onto his head. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. – Mark 15:18-20 The brutality of Christ’s humiliation is staggering. And it is all the crueller because what the soldiers say and do is all true. Jesus is indeed the King of the Jews and, more, of all existence itself. If they had been willing to understand who Jesus was, they would have done more than just fall on their knees before him; they would have fallen prostrate before him and begged for his forgiveness. When the soldiers had finished beating him and spitting on him and mocking him, they took off the purple robe on him and put his own clothes on him to soak up the blood. Such is the way of the world. The only time many give attention to Jesus is to mock him. And after that, they just move on to other things and forget him. Imagine yourself at that scene when Christ was beaten and mocked by the soldiers before his crucifixion; what would you have felt? What would you have said to the Lord? How would it have changed the rest of your life? The reality is that you don’t have to imagine it because that scene happened. And so, respond to that scene today. Find a place where you can pray and pour your heart out to him.