I will therefore chastise Him, and release Him. Luke 23:16
A story is told of a teacher who arrived at a school of unruly boys in the hills of Virginia. He told the boys to create a list of rules, and a list of punishments for breaking those rules. They did so. One day, a big boy named Tom discovered that someone had stolen his lunch. The thief was soon discovered; it was a small lad named Jim. The teacher pointed to the rules, which stated that the punishment for stealing was five lashes with the rod with no coat on. Jim confessed he had taken the lunch because he had not eaten for a day. Jim’s coat was removed, revealing he had no shirt covering his tiny bony frame. Reluctantly, the teacher raised the rod to strike. But Tom stepped forward and offered to take Jim’s beating for him. As the strokes fell on Tom’s broad back, little Jim hugged him, sobbing his thanks, and promising to love Tom forever. Like the Lord Jesus, Tom was bearing someone else’s chastisement.
Our text brings before us Isaiah 53:5: 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. Our text contains the words of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, after he had twice declared Jesus innocent of all charges brought against Him. Even though he had declared Jesus innocent, Pilate, to appease the rage of the Jewish leaders, would have Him flogged, and then release Him. That was not enough, as we know, and Pilate would eventually submit to their demands for Jesus’ execution. Even by having Jesus flogged, Pilate was going far beyond the bounds of Roman law. No person found innocent was to endure any punishment. That was the law. And Pilate ignored it. But in doing so, Pilate expedited the purpose of God Who sent His Son into the world, to bear our chastisement. Just as little Jim had committed a crime against the one who eventually became his rescuer, so we had committed our crimes against the very God of our salvation.
It was Pilate’s intention to release Jesus after scourging Him. But it was never God’s intention to release the Lord Jesus from the chastisement that lay before Him. Throughout His life, the Lord Jesus moved purposefully and unswervingly toward that chastisement. In the garden of Gethsemane, He confirmed that commitment. At Gabbatha, He submitted to that commitment. And on the tree of Golgotha, He fulfilled that commitment. As we consider His willingness to take our punishment for us, how can we do less than to promise to love Him forever? -Jim MacIntosh