by David Scott Robertson
(Mat 26:66 NIV) What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered.
(Mat 26:67 NIV) Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him
(Mat 26:68 NIV) and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?"
“Who hit You?”
Jesus knew him.
Jesus knew him well.
The God-Man had the power and capacity to respond to this question.
The Messiah could have wheeled around and replied:
“Who hit Me?”
I’ll tell you…”
“His name is Bildad, son of Hoshea, the son of Matthias, the son of…
(He could have correctly listed the genealogy all the way back to Adam.)
Bildad is from the west side of Galilee and lives next to Aholiab the Tanner.
Bildad has a wife, three sons and a daughter
Whose names are (in the order of their birth…)
Bildad by trade is a perfumer
And his net profit – not counting all the business he’s done under the table this year – is exactly….
Bildad has precisely 976,143,119 hairs on his body.”
The incarnate God, Jesus Christ,
Literally had access to this kind of information by the power of the Holy Spirit
That was in Him without measure.
Why didn’t He do it?
Two reasons, I think.
Reason #1: It wouldn’t have done any good.
These men surrounding him like a pack of wolves closing in on the kill
Weren’t interested in knowing the truth --
They just spat and slapped Truth in the face.
Instead of asking Jesus
“… in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Col 2:2-3 NIV),
They relied on their own flawed wisdom.
(Mat 26:66 NIV) What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered.”
Who cares what man thinks?
What does Yahweh think of Jesus of Nazareth?
Reason #2: The scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning the Christ.
Jesus not only had at His dispatch unlimited spiritual gifts,
He also had unlimited angelic military resources.
(Mat 26:53 NIV) Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
(Mat 26:54 NIV) But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
Our Lord and Savior suppressed every natural, carnal, sinful desire
To retaliate in order for prophecy and the will of the Father to be fulfilled.
(Mat 26:56 NIV) But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.”
So, back to the original question…could He have answered it?
(Mat 26:68 NIV) “…’Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?’"
Yes.
But before my (and perhaps your) righteous indignation rises up
And, like Peter, I want to take a sword (my tongue)
To begin to assassinate the character of these religious leaders…
I must admit,
Shamefully,
That it was MY sin that hit Him too.
I had my share in the nailing of the Son of God to the cross at Calvary.
So did you.
But Jesus endured it obediently, courageously, valiantly and voluntarily,
Walking out “not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42)
To fulfill that which was spoken of by the prophets centuries prior.
True to form,
Jesus did this so that one more prophecy could be fulfilled in the future tense:
(John 14:1 NIV) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
(John 14:2 NIV) In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
(John 14:3 NIV) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
(John 14:4 NIV) You know the way to the place where I am going."
DSR
9/24/01