Then Came Jesus
John 19:5 “Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!” Then means a matter of consequence, thus “then” implies time, turn, and consequence or result and effect.
Preceding verses capture the subsequent trial Jesus faced as a result of Judas Iscariot’s betrayal. In furtherance of the narrative, the scripture indicates Jesus came forth, signifying His emergence from the court of trial, his appearance from the seat of scoffers, mockers; the torture chamber of the enemy, the place of condemnation. Essentially, the place of staring at the grave.
John 19:2 – “And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,” this verse is reiterated in verse 5, placing emphasis on the garments put on Jesus. However; note in verse 5, “Jesus came forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe”; indicating volition and willfulness. Jesus permitted the evil acts of the soldiers against His person. The items they placed on Him, He wore as instruments.
The crown on His head and the purple robe are demonstrative of the curse Jesus bore for us and the royal prestige within which, we the body of Christ, now operate respectively. Of His own volition, He wore the crown of thorns, bearing the curse on our behalf. His head, symbolic of the head of the Christian body, Jesus Christ, bore the curse intended for us. His body clothed in purple, denoting royalty and regality, assures us that we, His body, operate not under a curse, but we reign and rule. God is calling us to be conformed to the image of His Son, knowing that our Head has bore the curse and we have dominion to rule.
To assume the position of royalty, grow in the knowledge of God. As scripture says, “study to show yourself approved” (2 Timothy 2:15), knowing God is futile without coming to the knowledge of His Word. Hebrews 4:12 states, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”, to truly receive and understand the mind and heart of God, allow the Word to divide soul and spirit. Our soul longs for the things that are contrary to God’s plans for us, thus we must seek to allow the Word to penetrate so we are led by the Spirit.
To succeed, one must have the indwelling Jesus, i.e. the Spirit to function. Evidence of the indwelling Christ is the birth of a desire to pursue God. You cannot know God until you come to the knowledge of His Word. Jesus is the manifestation of God’s final word. Jesus is the exact and only expression of God, yet He allowed the Word to work within Him. (Hebrews1:1-4) The greatest reason for Jesus’ coming was the restoration of mankind and the greatest legacy, the Holy Spirit.
As illustrated in Isaiah 11, the 7 manifestations of the Spirit of God demonstrate the importance of the Holy Spirit for the future of the Church. The spirit of the fear of the Lord; this is the reverential fear of the Lord- holding him in awe. The spirit of knowledge, knowledge is the revelation of truth as revealed in the Word of God. It is backed by practical action and obedience. The spirit of understanding, the bridge between knowledge and wisdom. It is the ability to reason, analyze and draw valid conclusions from the facts. It is coordinated knowledge. The spirit of understanding allows the knowledge of God to be actualized and comprehended. Knowledge devoid of understanding leads to error, poor judgment and rash decisions. Understanding requires thorough appreciation of the facts, background and reality. Jesus displayed this spirit when He engaged the woman at the well in the discourse on worship (John 4:20-29). By this spirit the anointing is easily released and blesses the recipient. That woman at the well was infected and affected by the spirit of understanding that Christ exuded. She left the well calling him the Messiah.
The spirit of wisdom, that is the application of knowledge. It produces skillfulness in people and leads to excellence. When you receive the spirit of wisdom, excellence will be found in you. The spirit of counsel i.e. advice. The Bible calls the Holy Spirit both a counsellor and advocate (counsel) – impartation of wisdom and revelation of the application of the law i.e. the word. It gives mastery of spiritual contentions but also enables us share and impart other believers. The spirit of might manifests when wisdom and counsel are received; might is necessary to execute divine agenda. It is the inherent ability to perform an act. Spiritual might empowers one to resist temptation and endure trials; it energizes one to accomplish the mandate. Lastly, the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of power; it is the summation of the fullness of the Holy Spirit i.e. the aggregation of the six attributes. It typifies the lordship of Jesus and the Holy Ghost over the believer. It is the climax of spiritual empowerment which will not manifest without the other 6 being evident. The spirit dwelling completely and eternally in and on you!
When the Spirit connects with your spirit, He builds and strengthens you internally, causing a manifestation of God externally. Allow the Word to work in you. If we will allow Jesus to have dominion over us, we will function like him. If we allow ourselves to grow in Him, naturally, it will begin to manifest.
Shalom.