Unreasonable Brutality

The mocking, scourging, and crucifixion of Jesus offends both our intellect and sense of morality. Usually, when a government decides to execute a person, it does so dispassionately. The execution of Jesus, though, had all the hallmarks of a man being slaughtered for stealing someone's wife or killing their small children. It is possibly one of the most cared-for executions in history. There was such great revelry from the actors; people were delighted to see Jesus tortured and murdered. Though one later repented, even the crucified thieves somehow found the strength to mock Jesus with their final breaths. From a purely human perspective, the whole thing is an outrageous scene. But to look at it through merely human eyes is to make a mistake. Behind the spitting, the jeers, the beating, the yelling, the whipping, nailing, contempt, and fear was a demonic realm at feast.