The Mocked King took on our Sin

 Mark 15:1-20 

Jesus Faces Pilate

1 Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. 2 Then Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"

He answered and said to him, "It is as you say."

3 And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. 4 Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!" 5 But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.

Taking the Place of Barabbas

6 Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. 8 Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" 10 For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.

11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 12 Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"

13 So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"

14 Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?"
But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!"

15 So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

16 Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. 17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, 18 and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. 20 And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

The King of the Jews is king of all as we find Him taking the place of a criminal representing sinful humanity because He had confessed His divine identity to the disbelieving religious leaders of Israel.  They had sought to kill Jesus for quite some time and could not catch Him misspeaking to twist and misapply His words against the sovereign Lord and Christ whom they had despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:3).  Since their law did not allow them to legally sentence anyone to death, they manipulated their Roman occupiers to do the job for them by false accusations and insinuations to achieve their evil end.  Pilate questioned Jesus but was met with silence to show that the incrimination came from others and not Himself who was as innocent as an unblemished lamb (Isaiah 53:7) being prepared for the slaughter of sacrifice.  This was God’s plan to cover our sin by bearing it on Himself in our place (Isaiah 53:10-11) as he did with Barabbas then.  Jesus kept silent as He was led to the sacrificial death on a tree of cursing for our sin (Deuteronomy 21:23, Galatians 3:13-14) to redeem us from sin’s curse as our substitutionary savior.  The Roman ruler Pilate followed tradition to allow the people to choose from the accused who would be put to death and they were incited by the religious authorities to choose the sinful criminal over the righteous one that these events which God preordained would come to pass as promised.  They overwhelmingly wanted the prisoner exchange and the sinner was set free while the innocent Lamb of God was sent to be sacrificed for Barabbas as a type of we who are all born sinners (Romans 3:23, 5:6, 6:23).  They crucified the Sovereign Lord of all after beating Him severely and then mocking Him as they paraded Jesus to His demeaning death.  They called His true title with jeering instead of worship as they mockingly bowed in false honor to the King of the universe.  Yes, every knee will eventually bow truly on the last day (Isaiah 45:23-24, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10), and those who do so now with such irreverence will find shame and eternal pain to reward their rejection of the King of kings and Lord of all lords (1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, 19:16).  The mockers will remember their flagrant disregard and disrespect for the One who could have been their Savior if they had repented of their sin to believe and receive Him!  This is eternal regret with everlasting consequences.  Jesus the Christ took on our sin to Himself even as He was mocked that we who hear may turn from our sin nature and actions to Him who alone (Acts 4:12) is our righteousness and hope of salvation.  The mocked King took on sin for all who repent and put their trust in Him and His work on the cross.