When Jesus admitted that He was the King of the Jews (Mark 15:2), it made absolutely no sense to Pilate. After all, the Ancient Romans relied on their military power to maintain control and to preserve order in the way they wanted it. That’s why the soldiers mocked Jesus the way they did: they couldn’t imagine a king who refused to lead an army, a king who refused to use brute force to achieve his ends. Clothing a beaten prisoner with imperial purple was nothing short of comedy for them (Mark 15:16-21).

And unfortunately, this sort of worship of human power is far too common in the modern world. Our increasingly polarized politics demonstrates that far too many modern Americans worship at the altar of whatever candidate promises to improve their material condition. These worshippers of the state refuse to rely on prayer, placing their faith instead in laws and regulations to make the world a better place. They have no interest in a king on a cross. Instead, only rulers who push people around are impressive to them.

But if we know Who Jesus really is, the comedy in this scene is replaced with irony. For the fact is that when they bowed the knee before the Son of God (Mark 15:19), the Roman soldiers were doing exactly what they should have done, and what all devotees of human power will eventually do. When the soldiers hailed Jesus as King of the Jews (Mark 15:18, 26), they were acknowledging His true identity as the Messiah sent from God, not only to rule over the people of Israel but over the whole world.

And by their very acts of abuse the soldiers were, however unconsciously, proving Jesus’ true identity and authority. For in Psalm 69:21, David predicted that Jesus would be given vinegar and gall to drink. In Psalm 22:16, David said Jesus’ hands and feet would be pierced. And Psalm 22:18 says this: “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Mark 15:24).

And so we see the true power of the true King. For in spite of their brutality and mockery, His enemies were only able to accomplish His perfect will, working out the plan He had conceived from before the foundation of the world. And so, we would all do well to bow before Him in sincerity, for no human power can possibly stand against Him.

Mark 15:16-26 (NASB)

16 And the soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort.
17 And they dressed Him up in purple, and after weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on Him;
18 and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
19 And they kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting at Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him.
20 And after they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, and put His garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.
21 And they pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.
22 And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.
23 And they tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it.
24 And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.
25 And it was the third hour when they crucified Him.
26 And the inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”