The Scars of Jesus

When I was in college, I worked for a grocery store stocking shelves at night. One night, as I was opening a box with a box cutter, I didn’t move my right hand out of the way and I cut my hand right below the thumb. Blood went everywhere. Throbbing. Burning. Pain. A co-worker immediately got a towel, wrapped it around my hand and took me to the emergency room. I received eight stitches and a scar for life. Every time I look at my right hand, I take a trip down memory lane.

Scars tell a story of that day’s event. No matter how we got the scar, it is a constant reminder of what caused it? Who caused it? And/or, why it was caused?

Jesus has his scar story, too. His scars didn’t happen by an accident or a surgical procedure, but rather, by a group of thugs who hated him. Jesus’ scar story begins after the so-called “religious leaders” made a spectacle out of Him by persuading Governor Pilate to do a criminal swap…Barabbas for Jesus. Barabbas was a murderer; Jesus was the Son of God. No contest, right? Wrong! The people wanted the inspiring thug and gang leader Barabbas rather than the lowly liar Jesus, who “claimed” to be the Son of God.

For the Governor, the only politically correct thing to do was give the people what they wanted…A death by crucifixion.

The scars of Jesus began at the flogging. It was a beat down of the criminal before the crucifixion. Under Hebrew law, 40 lashes was the limit. But, under the Roman law, it was limitless. Jesus was beat to a pulp. Bloody. Bruised. And, weakened by the whip of metal or bone that pounded his body over and over again. Jesus received a crown to represent his kingship. However, this was not your ordinary crown of gold and rubies, but rather, a crown of woven thorn branches that was pushed into his head to cause head trauma. After the anointing of the crown, came the cross. It was cruel. Heavy. Painful. A criminal’s death made public. Nails that kept Jesus in place as they lifted the cross and placed it in the hole for it to stand and for the people to watch the show until He died.

The nailed scared hands and feet and the speared side would become the scars of proof that Jesus is truly the Son of God. Thomas, one of the original twelve disciples needed to touch the scared up Jesus as proof that He was alive. Just like any Jesus story, He accommodates the faithless. Unannounced, Jesus walks into the house, goes straight for Thomas and said, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” John 20:27 (NLT)

The scars of Jesus demonstrate hope and healing. Isaiah 53:5, “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.” (NLT)

Jesus’ scars are not to be minimized nor marketed for the sake of making someone feel guilty or ashamed; but rather, to see the scars of Jesus as a testimony of God demonstrated love for all of us, Romans 5:8 and John 3:16!

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian