Matthew 27:26-31 records the mockery and scourging of Jesus just before the crucifixion. In Matthew 27:26-31 we see Pilate release Barabbas and order that Jesus be scourged before being delivered to be crucified. This moment reveals the brutal suffering Christ endured and helps us understand the meaning behind the stripes He received.
In this study of Matthew 27:26-31 we look closely at the scourging of Jesus and the purpose behind His suffering. The scourging was not only part of the Roman punishment but also part of God’s redemptive plan. Scripture teaches that by His stripes we are healed, and the events in Matthew 27:26-31 help us see why Christ endured such suffering.
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW BIBLE STUDY SERIES
This study of Matthew: Matthew 27 26-31 Mockery and Scourging of Jesus is part of a verse-by-verse teaching series through the Gospel of Matthew.
Previous: Matthew 27:11-26 Jesus Before Pilate
Next: 27:28-66 Crucifixion
Matthew 27:26-31 Explained – Mockery and Scourging of Jesus
Audio
Scriptures used to study Matthew 27 26-31
Matthew 27:26-31 Mockery and Scourging of Jesus
The Focus of This Lesson: Healing and the Mockery Connected to the Scourging of Jesus
In our next lesson, we will look at the crucifixion and the resurrection. That will finish the Book of Matthew. That is the plan, though plans do not always work exactly as expected. In this lesson, we will look at the section called the mockery. Most of us already know this passage well, but I want to focus mainly on healing.
Oral Roberts and the Emphasis on Healing
Earlier this week, I went to Atlanta and sat for several hours listening to Oral Roberts speak about his ministry of healing. He shared deeply from his heart and spoke about things he said he had rarely told anyone except his wife. What he shared stirred something in me about healing. As I prepared for tonight, that same emphasis kept coming forward. The message that keeps rising in me is healing.
Jesus Taught, Preached, and Healed
We must understand that healing is still for today. Preaching and teaching the kingdom are important, but healing belongs with that teaching and preaching. These three belong in the same thought. They belong in the same sentence. Jesus went about teaching, preaching, and healing (Matthew 4:23). When we think about the ministry of the kingdom, we must begin to think of those three together.
Matthew 4:23
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
The Lord did all three. When I think about healing, I must think of it the same way I think about teaching and preaching. Jesus did not teach and preach while healing was something on the side. He taught, he preached, and he healed (Matthew 4:23).
The Gospel of the Kingdom Includes Healing
This is part of what we are here to do. We are here to heal people. The healing I am speaking about is not only inner or emotional healing. I am speaking about physical healing for sickness and disease of every kind. That is the emphasis I want us to talk about. I want to pray for people, and I want us to return to the mindset that teaching and preaching alone are not enough. If we are not healing people, we are not ministering the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23).
Matthew 27:26-31 and the Scourging of Jesus
In this lesson, we will be looking at Matthew 27:26-31. This section is called the mockery. It is the event when Jesus was scourged before the crucifixion (Matthew 27:26).
Matthew 27:26
26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
By His Stripes We Are Healed
The aspect I will be capitalizing on is that by His stripes were healed.
Isaiah 53:5
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
I want us to see a clearer picture of the scourging and understand its purpose. Matthew records the moment when Pilate released Barabbas and had Jesus scourged before delivering Him to be crucified (Matthew 27:26).
The word “scourged” means to whip or lash as a public punishment. Scripture declares that by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Matthew summarizes the event in one sentence and then later describes the details of the mockery. I want us to understand what the scourging involved and why it matters.
The Roman Method in the Scourging of Jesus
Historical descriptions explain the Roman method of scourging. The victim was stripped and tied in a bent position to a post or frame. The whip was made of leather thongs with pieces of bone, brass, or lead attached. These tore the flesh of the back and chest. Writers who witnessed such punishment recorded that many victims died under it. This helps us picture what Jesus endured when He was scourged before the crucifixion (Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15).
Two men usually carried out the punishment. One stood on each side of the victim and struck with the whip. The thongs wrapped around the body and tore the flesh. The hooks of bone or metal ripped the skin and created deep wounds that cut down into the body.
Commentary Insight
Hendrickson describes the Roman scourging in detail. He said that in some cases, the internal organs were exposed.
This shows that the common pictures people imagine are inaccurate. The victim was not standing upright against the post. He was bent over while the lashes crossed the back and wrapped around the body. The tearing did not affect only the back. It also ripped the flesh around the stomach and chest.
Most of us have heard of the scourging, yet it is difficult to grasp the suffering it entails. Our minds struggle to picture that kind of torture and pain. We do not see things like that in our culture. Because of that, it is hard for us to comprehend the agony the Lord Jesus Christ endured.
Still, that is what happened. Christ was scourged and beaten in this way. When I think about that suffering, I remember Isaiah’s statement that it pleased the Father to bruise him (Isaiah 53:10).
Isaiah 53:10
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
The Purpose of the Scourging of Jesus
We must understand that the Father is not sadistic. The Father was looking at the purpose and the good that would come from it. What pleases the Father is when His purposes are fulfilled. Through the scourging, the bruising, and the wounds placed on Christ’s body, healing became possible for us. Because He received those stripes, we can receive healing in our bodies (Isaiah 53:5).
His body was bruised, so our bodies could be healed. His body was beaten so our bodies could be made whole. That is why it pleased the Father to bruise Him (Isaiah 53:10). The purpose was the fulfillment of God’s plan.
Isaiah 53 and the Meaning of the Stripes of Jesus
When we look at Isaiah 53, we see the meaning behind Christ’s suffering. The prophet describes the beating and explains why it happened. Yet many Christians today do not believe in healing. To me, that is almost blasphemous. When we read Isaiah, we must ask why those afflictions and stripes were placed on Christ.
Understanding that purpose strengthens faith for healing. Christ took those sufferings for a reason. Isaiah declares that He bore our grief and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4).
Isaiah 53:4-5
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Now why? And with his, what? Stripes or His wounds, we are healed.
Healing and Forgiveness Come Through the Same Work of Christ
Most believers have no difficulty believing in salvation. I am not only speaking about groups that deny healing today. I am speaking about us as well. We need greater faith and a deeper understanding of healing. Salvation is easy for us to accept. Isaiah says that Christ was wounded, or pierced, for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5). Because He was wounded and pierced, the transgressions of the human race can be forgiven (Isaiah 53:5).
Isaiah also says that He was bruised, or crushed, for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). These statements deal with sin. We believe that through those wounds, sin can be forgiven. We believe a person can be saved instantly. Yet when we come to the part that says by His stripes we are healed, people hesitate (Isaiah 53:5). All of this happened in the same moment and to the same body. If we remove healing from the work of Christ, it begins to sound almost blasphemous.
The Stripes and the Scourging of Jesus
The suffering of Christ was severe. Isaiah says His appearance was marred beyond recognition (Isaiah 52:14).
Isaiah 52:14
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
That beating had a purpose. Through His blood, our sins are forgiven (Ephesians 1:7). Through the stripes on His body, healing becomes available to our bodies (Isaiah 53:5).
Forgiveness and Healing in the Work of the Cross
Forgiveness of sin and healing belong to the same work of Christ. I say this to myself as well. I can teach, and I can preach. Yet if I am not healing people, I am not carrying out the full ministry of Christ (Matthew 4:23). The same applies to anyone who follows Him. Ministry is not only speaking to people. We must lay hands on people and pray for them. The body of Christ is called to bring healing, both personally and within the body. Teaching, preaching, and healing belong together in the same work (Matthew 4:23).
The Ministry of Christ: Teaching, Preaching, and Healing
If we said Christ died only so we could be healed, that would be wrong. If we said He died only so we could be saved, that would also be wrong. He died so that we could be saved and healed. I am speaking to myself about this because it is my responsibility to pray for people when they are sick. Oral Roberts once said he had prayed for more people who were not healed than any man on earth. Yet he had also seen more people healed because he had prayed for more people than anyone else.
A day may come when everyone is healed, but until then, we must still pray for people. Some will be healed, and we must continue to minister to them. My desire in this lesson is to remind us that the Kingdom of God includes healing along with teaching and preaching. Jesus Himself went about teaching, preaching, and healing (Matthew 4:23). That pattern defines the ministry of the kingdom.
Following the Pattern of Jesus’ Ministry
I have helped many of you through teaching and preaching. That is part of my calling. Still, I want to see more healing among us. Scripture says that Jesus went through all Galilee, teaching, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease (Matthew 4:23). If we follow His example, we must do the same.
Commanding Sickness to Leave
Some believers today say healing is not for the church. Their prayers often sound uncertain, as if healing might not be God’s will. Jesus never prayed that way. Instead, He commanded sickness to leave and spoke directly to the disease (Luke 4:35). Oral Roberts’s instruction follows the same idea. We do not pray to sickness. We command it to leave.
By His Stripes We Are Healed
Oral Roberts spoke about the prayer that was prayed over him when he was a young man with leukemia and tuberculosis. That testimony reminded me again that Jesus taught, preached, and healed (Matthew 4:23). We have much teaching and preaching in the church today, but we need more healing. To say healing is not for today is wrong. By the stripes that Christ received, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
Denying healing is like denying salvation. The same suffering that removed our transgressions also provides healing (Isaiah 53:5). Those wounds and that beating accomplished both. Teaching, preaching, and healing belong together in the same thought. When I speak of the gospel of the kingdom, it includes all three (Matthew 4:23).
Healing in Scripture means to cure. It refers to physical healing, not only inner healing. When Christ was scourged, the price for our healing was paid. His blood established the new covenant and brought forgiveness of sin. The tearing and piercing of His body also brought healing (Isaiah 53:5). The same Christ who gives salvation also gives healing. Jesus ministered to people by teaching, preaching, and healing them (Matthew 4:23).
Healing Must Remain Part of the Gospel Ministry
Looking again at the crucifixion helps stir our faith. Sometimes in our services, we run out of time and tell people to wait after the service for prayer. That can create the feeling that healing depends on whether there is time. Jesus did not treat healing as secondary. He taught, preached, and healed (Matthew 4:23). We must give time to pray for people and allow healing to take place. Teaching and prayer matter, but we must also heal.
What if we treated the offering the same way? What if we said, if you have time, you can stay and give. That would show what we really value. The point is that we emphasize what is important to us. I had to stop and say, “Help me, Lord.” Look at the passage in Matthew 10:1.
The Authority Given to the Disciples to Heal
Matthew 10:1
1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
A disciple is a learner. A disciple is someone whose mind is changed as he learns from Christ. If we are disciples of Christ, then we have been given the power to heal. Jesus called His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He gave them power to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness and disease (Matthew 10:1). That is authority to act. The disciples did go about healing people. They proclaimed that the kingdom had come (Matthew 10:7). I then moved across the Scriptures toward Mark chapter 16.
Signs That Follow Those Who Believe
In Mark 16, Jesus is about to ascend and gives the great commission (Mark 16:18). After His resurrection, He appeared to the eleven and rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart (Mark 16:14-18). There is still unbelief in the body of Christ. Sometimes we need to be shaken awake. I know that I do. I can become so focused on preaching and doing what I think I must do that I neglect the important work of healing. The Lord has been correcting me about that.
Jesus then commanded them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). Those who believe and are baptized shall be saved. Those who do not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16). Signs follow those who believe. Believers cast out devils, speak with new tongues, and are protected from deadly things (Mark 16:17-18). These are the credentials that follow believers. Then Mark 16:18.
Mark 16:18
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Believers Will Lay Hands on the Sick
Jesus said believers will lay hands on the sick and they will recover (Mark 16:18). That means believers do this. If we believe, then we should be laying hands on people and seeing them healed. The ministry of the kingdom includes teaching, preaching, and healing (Matthew 4:23).
The Gifts of Healing in the Body of Christ
Let’s look at 1 Corinthians chapter 12 to see that healing was not only for Christ. These gifts are given to the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man for the benefit of all (1 Corinthians 12:7). Among these gifts are the “gifts of healing” (1 Corinthians 12:9). The word gifts is plural, while “healing” is singular. There is only one healer, but healing may come in different ways. These gifts are given to the church and to the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7).
The Spirit distributes these gifts to every person as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11). That means believers are expected to participate in this work. We are the body of Christ, and we are to go about teaching, preaching, and healing (Matthew 4:23). The administration of the gospel of the kingdom includes all three. These signs follow those who believe (Mark 16:17-18).
Healing in the Ministry of Jesus
Scripture repeatedly shows healing in the ministry of Jesus. The leper was healed (Matthew 8:3). Peter’s mother in law was healed (Matthew 8:16) (Mark 1:31). Healing was part of the gospel ministry (Matthew 9:35). The withered hand was restored (Matthew 12:13). The blind and mute man was healed (Matthew 12:22). Many were healed by touching His garment (Matthew 14:36). The lame, blind, and mute were healed (Matthew 15:30).
Healing continued after Jesus through the apostles. At the gate called Beautiful, Peter and John healed a man (Acts 3:7). Peter healed people in the early church. Paul also healed people. He healed the cripple at Lystra (Acts 14:10). God worked miracles through him so that handkerchiefs and aprons brought healing (Acts 19:11-12). He also healed on the island after the shipwreck (Acts 28:8-9).
Healing clearly continued in the New Testament church. Peter had walked with Jesus, but Paul had not. Paul was a post-ascension apostle. Peter had personal contact with Christ, but Paul only saw Him in a vision (Acts 9:3-6). Scripture never says Jesus laid His hands on Paul. Instead, a believer named Ananias laid hands on him (Acts 9:17). Ananias came to Paul on the street called Straight (Acts 9:11). Paul received the Holy Spirit and then began to heal people (Acts 9:17) (Acts 14:10).
Healing and Prayer in the Church
The point is that healing continues. I know we believe that, but I am also speaking to myself. We must spend more time healing people. Look at James chapter 5 and read about something before closing.
James 5:14–16
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
I wanted to look at the wording in the lexicon because Doug showed me how it reads in the King James Bible. The passage shows that sins are forgiven and that healing then comes. Other translations do not make this quite as clear. James asks whether anyone is sick among us and tells that person to call for the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord (James 5:14).
If he has committed sins, they will be forgiven (James 5:15). This shows that forgiveness can come through the prayer of an elder. I realize that we have not yet fully grasped the authority and submission that Scripture describes. Some of these truths are difficult to say because of the responsibility they carry. Yet Scripture teaches that the elders can pray and anoint with oil, and that the Lord will raise the person up.
Confession and Healing
James then says to confess faults to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed (James 5:16). These verses show that sometimes sin can hinder healing. I am not saying sin causes every sickness, but sin can keep someone from receiving healing. At times, a person needs prayer so that forgiveness can come and healing can follow. Confession may need to be made to one another rather than only to God.
Sometimes people are not healed because there is bitterness or unresolved sin in their lives. Some will not go to the elders because they are angry with them or unhappy with how things are done. Bitterness blocks the healing they desire. These are thoughts the Lord has been showing me as I speak. Healing is clearly a major part of the New Testament. We already understand teaching and preaching, but we must develop a stronger mindset about healing.
You will have to bear with me because I just spent six hours listening to Oral Roberts, and it stirred me up. That stirring was needed. Scripture teaches that the elders can anoint with oil and pray, and people can be healed. We can also confess our sins to one another and receive healing (James 5:14-16). That leads to the question of what makes healing possible. What causes the healings that we attribute to the Holy Spirit or to the power of God? The answer is the suffering of Christ. Healing comes through His stripes (Isaiah 53:5).
The Point of Contact in Healing
Oral Roberts often said he was tired of hearing people pray, “Lord, if it be your will.” He said it is always the Lord’s will to heal. He explained healing with a simple illustration. When someone lays hands on a person, that moment becomes a point of contact. The contact is like a light switch. The switch does not contain the power. The power comes from the power plant far away. The switch simply connects the person to the power.
That raises the question of what the power is and what the switch is. The power is clear. The power is the work of Christ. The question is what acts as the switch that releases that healing. It may involve confession of sin. It may involve the elders praying. My walk with the Lord has been a search for answers, like putting a puzzle together.
Scripture is like a large puzzle made of many pieces. Some pieces fit together quickly, while others must be set aside for a time. When a piece does not fit, I do not throw it away or force it to fit. I lay it aside until the right place appears. Healing is the same way. Many people have searched for the one piece that explains why everyone is healed every time. We have not yet reached that piece of the puzzle.
Some pieces already fit together, and they work. Until the full picture is clear, we must continue to pray for people. We must heal as many as the Lord allows and touch as many lives as possible. Teaching and preaching remain important, but we must also keep our minds focused on healing.
The Trial and Scourging of Jesus
The account in John gives a strong picture of the mockery and crucifixion (John chapters 18 and 19). The trial before Pilate is described in greater detail than in Matthew, Mark, or Luke. Jesus was scourged before the final sentencing (John 19:1). Pilate wanted to release Him and attempted to do so several times. The crowd insisted that Jesus be crucified (John 19:15). Because of that pressure, Pilate allowed the crucifixion to happen, and the scourging occurred before the sentence was carried out (John 19:1).
John 19:1-3
1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.
Pilate’s Authority and God’s Sovereignty
One passage that stood out to me is where Pilate spoke of his authority (John 19:10-11).
John 19:10-11
10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
Pilate claimed he had the power to act as he wished. Jesus answered that Pilate had no authority except what was given from above (John 19:11). That response shows that even Pilate’s authority operated under the Father’s sovereignty. I see Pilate in a similar way to Pharaoh or Judas, as an individual raised for a specific moment and purpose.
The Mockery and Scourging of Jesus
Matthew also records the mockery that Jesus endured (Matthew 27:27-31).
Matthew 27:27-31
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
The soldiers stripped Him and placed a scarlet robe on Him. They twisted and braided a crown of thorns and set it on His head. A reed was placed in His hand, then taken and used to strike Him. They mocked Him, bowed before Him, and spat on Him. After the mockery, they removed the robe, returned His own clothes, and led Him away to be crucified (Matthew 27:31).
Christ the Silent Lamb
Throughout that entire scene, Jesus remained silent. He did not defend Himself. He held His peace in fulfillment of what Isaiah described. The prophet said,
Isaiah 53:7–8
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
The final thought I want to leave with us is this. Many times, the Lord may be bringing us into situations where we are meant to endure something for His purpose, yet we ruin it by opening our mouths and trying to defend ourselves.
Christ said that when He is lifted up, all people will be drawn to Him (John 12:32). No power on earth can stop that. Often, we interfere with what the Lord is doing by opening our mouths to defend ourselves. There are moments when God intends to lift us up in a crucifixion-type way so people can see Christ, but we speak too much and spoil the purpose.
The Crucifixion Could Not Extinguish Christ
Jesus was then led away to be crucified (Matthew 27:31). The word for “crucify” carries the sense of impaling or fixing someone to a stake as if to extinguish them. Those who led Him away believed they were extinguishing Him. Instead, that act became the beginning of something that could never be extinguished. The small ember became an eternal flame. The kingdom of Christ became like the stone that crushes every other kingdom (Daniel 2:34-35).
Next time, we will look more closely at the meaning of crucifixion and the form of the cross. Whether it was a T or X-shape. The shape does not change the central truth. Christ was crucified. That discussion will come later. In this lesson, the emphasis is different. The Spirit of God is directing us to focus on healing.
Believers are called to heal. We must lay hands on the sick and expect recovery (Mark 16:18). We become the point of contact that connects a person to the power of God. In that moment, we act like the switch that turns on the light in someone else’s darkness.
Matthew 27:26-31 Summary
Matthew 27:26-31 shows the scourging of Jesus and the mockery He endured before the crucifixion. In Matthew 27:26-31 we see how Christ suffered under Roman punishment before being led away to the cross. The stripes placed upon Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy and opened the way for healing and salvation. Understanding Matthew 27:26-31 helps us see both the suffering of Christ and the power of His sacrifice.
Key Lessons from the Scourging of Jesus
The scourging of Jesus reveals the cost of redemption.
The brutal beating that Jesus endured was not meaningless suffering. The scourging of Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah and showed the price that was paid for the forgiveness of sin and the healing of humanity (Isaiah 53:5). His wounds remind us that salvation was purchased through real suffering.
The scourging of Jesus demonstrates the depth of Christ’s obedience.
Jesus did not resist or defend Himself during the abuse and mockery. Instead, He remained silent and submitted to the will of the Father. The scourging of Jesus shows His willingness to endure humiliation and pain in order to accomplish God’s plan of redemption.
The scourging of Jesus is connected to healing.
Scripture teaches that by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). The scourging of Jesus is directly tied to that promise. The suffering placed upon His body opened the way for healing and restoration for those who believe.
The scourging of Jesus reminds believers of their calling.
Christ’s ministry included teaching, preaching, and healing (Matthew 4:23). Because the scourging of Jesus made healing possible, believers are called to continue that ministry by praying for the sick and trusting God to work through them.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Scourging of Jesus
What was the scourging of Jesus?
The scourging of Jesus was a brutal Roman punishment that took place before His crucifixion (Matthew 27:26). Roman soldiers whipped Jesus with a scourge made of leather thongs embedded with pieces of bone or metal. The scourging of Jesus caused severe physical suffering and fulfilled the prophecy that by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
Why was Jesus scourged before the crucifixion?
The scourging of Jesus was part of the Roman judicial process that often preceded crucifixion. Pilate ordered the scourging of Jesus after releasing Barabbas and before delivering Christ to be crucified (Matthew 27:26). Though it was a Roman punishment, Scripture shows that the scourging of Jesus also fulfilled God’s redemptive plan for salvation and healing.
How severe was the scourging of Jesus?
Historical descriptions of Roman punishment show that the scourging of Jesus would have been extremely violent. Victims were tied to a post and whipped with a flagrum, a whip designed to tear the flesh. Many victims died during scourging alone. The scourging of Jesus left deep wounds across His body and fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy that His appearance would be marred beyond recognition (Isaiah 52:14).
What do the stripes of Jesus mean?
The stripes refer to the wounds caused by the scourging of Jesus. Isaiah declared that by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). The suffering of Christ through the scourging of Jesus is connected to both the forgiveness of sins and the healing that God provides.
What should believers learn from the scourging of Jesus?
The scourging of Jesus reminds believers of the cost of redemption and the depth of Christ’s obedience. It also shows that healing and salvation come through the same work of Christ. Because Jesus taught, preached, and healed during His ministry (Matthew 4:23), believers are called to continue praying for the sick and trusting God to bring healing.
Truths from Matthew 27:26-31 Explained – Mockery and Scourging of Jesus
Christ willingly endured the scourging of Jesus for our redemption.
The suffering described in Matthew 27:26-31 was not forced upon Christ against His will. Jesus submitted to the scourging of Jesus and the mockery of the soldiers as part of the Father’s plan of redemption. His suffering fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that the Messiah would be wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5).
The scourging of Jesus reveals the seriousness of sin.
The brutality of the Roman scourging shows how terrible the penalty for sin truly is. The scourging of Jesus reminds us that salvation was not purchased cheaply. Christ endured physical suffering and humiliation so that humanity could be forgiven and restored.
The scourging of Jesus is connected to the promise of healing.
Isaiah declared that by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). The stripes that came from the scourging of Jesus are tied directly to that promise. The suffering of Christ opened the way not only for forgiveness of sins but also for the healing that God provides.
The mockery of Jesus shows the blindness of the world.
The soldiers mocked Christ as a king while unknowingly standing before the true King of kings (Matthew 27:27-31). Their actions reveal how the world often rejects and ridicules the authority of Christ even while fulfilling God’s purposes.
The silence of Jesus demonstrates perfect submission.
Throughout the abuse and humiliation, Jesus did not defend Himself. His silence fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be like a lamb led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). The scourging of Jesus and the mockery that followed reveal His complete obedience to the will of the Father.
The scourging of Jesus points forward to the victory of the cross.
The soldiers believed they were humiliating and defeating Jesus. In reality, the suffering they inflicted became part of the work that would defeat sin and death. The scourging of Jesus prepared the way for the crucifixion, which would become the victory of the cross.
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