Divine Power and Holy Restraint
“And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.” (Mark 15:16–20)
This final moment of Jesus’s life would appear to be a moment of horrific defeat. Imagine you were in the position of Jesus’ disciples and family that day. If you were an eyewitness, wouldn’t you be thinking, where is Jesus’s power? Why doesn’t he do something? Why does he just stand there and take the abuse? Why didn’t Jesus call down an army of angels to deal with these blasphemous torturers? How could he let them mock his divine kingship?
You might even have concluded that this couldn’t be the Son of God, the promised Messiah.
But we know that this was far from a moment of weakness and defeat. Jesus was not succumbing to humans who hated him and wanted to harm him. No, in this moment, Jesus was exercising divine power and holy restraint.
He was committed to his eternal redemptive plan; he knew exactly what he was doing. The entire time, he was in complete control, fulfilling everything that had been planned and promised, all for our salvation.
Jesus understood the eternal plan of redemption. He knew the cross was his destiny, and he was willing. Jesus knew that his suffering was part of the plan that his Father had established before the world began. He knew the glory of grace that his suffering would unleash. He stood there with the worshiping multitudes in mind, the redeemed from all times and from every tongue and nation.
All of us would have broken at some point. All of us would have been able to bear only so much. All of us would have tried to escape or to fight in our own defence.
But Jesus refused to be diverted. He did not rise to his own defence. Jesus never had a moment of self-regarding anger. There wasn’t even a moment of self-preservation. Even when wishing that the cup of suffering would pass by him, he did not seek escape and did not exercise his power to preserve his own life.
He did not let mockery or physical pain cause him to abandon his substitutionary mission. He did not come to earth for his own pleasure, comfort, or acclaim. He could not give in and save himself, because through his suffering he would deliver salvation to multitudes. Jesus’s response to this torture did not mock his identity; it was his identity (Isaiah 53).
Jesus’s last moments paint a powerful picture of divine power and holy restraint. The King of kings and Lord of lords, who had legions of angels and infinite power at his disposal, submitted himself to human rejection, betrayal, injustice, and torture till death. He endured the torment and mockery for you and me.
Though as the Son of God Jesus had the right to defend himself, he did not exercise his power to do so. He exercised divine power and holy restraint for the salvation of those who would believe down through the ages. Jesus chose not to defend himself, no matter the cost to himself, because he knew his Father’s will and his love for the lost.
Now, by grace, that same divine power and holy restraint is ours as the children of God. We stand in both his power and his victory. In him we have the power to stand true in the face of mockery and suffering. When we are mocked, we do not have to be afraid or retaliate, but we can do what Jesus did. We can commend ourselves into the care of our heavenly Father, knowing that he will vindicate us in the end.
A Prayer for Today: A Prayer for Today: Jesus, I worship you. You were the embodiment of humility and I’m in awe of who you are and what you’ve done. Lord, for me, you did not retaliate against those who mocked and scorned you on the day of your crucifixion. And as a result, by your grace I have your power and holy restraint available to me. Thank you for your immeasurable love toward sinners like me, and thank you for enduring all that you did that I might experience your enduring grace. In your holy name I pray, Lord Jesus. Amen.
God bless,
Paul Tripp
Discussion Prompt for Children
• Why do you think Jesus put up with all that he did the day he was beaten and mocked before his crucifixion when he could have easily shown his power over everyone around him?
• What do you think the word “restraint” means? Why do you think restraint is actually a greater sign of Jesus’ power than taking revenge on the people who hit him, spit on him, and made fun of him?
• Why can we always trust God when people might make fun of us for following Christ?
Reflection Questions
1. How is restraint a greater display of Jesus’ power than retaliation against those who mocked and scorned him?
2. What in your life causes you to “fly off the handle” and not show restraint? Why do you think it is so difficult for us not to retaliate when we are mistreated? Even if you’ve failed in this area before, why is there always hope for you to grow and change as a Christian?
3. If suffering was the way of Jesus, how do you think suffering might play a part in the life of every believer? How has suffering been a part of your story? How have you seen God use your suffering for his glory and your good?
4. How can you be an instrument of God’s grace in the lives of other people because of the suffering in your own life and the suffering of Jesus himself?
5. What was your initial response when you read that the same divine power and holy restraint of Jesus is also now yours as a child of God? On a daily, functional level, how are you able to see God exercising his divine power and holy restraint in your life? Take some time to examine how God can utilize his power and restraint in your life, and then ask him to do so in specific ways that you know will bring him glory.