Jesus preached for about three years. He was betrayed by his disciple Judas Iscariot and crucified by those who did not believe he was the Messiah. Jesus became the price of our salvation. He was flogged and mocked before crucifixion. Wearing a purple robe and a crown of thorns, a mocking image of a king, soldiers spat on Jesus while they beat him. Jesus suffered so harshly because he willingly submitted himself to the punishment. Jesus had the power to resist, for he had authority over angels (Mt 26:53). To human eyes, with only a surface understanding, Jesus lost dearly. But how wrong to think Jesus lost, when he actually won the hardest battle we face—the battle against sin and death itself (1 Cor 15:53–57; Col 2:15).
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