“Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him.” (Luke 22:63)
Jesus was taken to the high priest’s house. Early the next morning He would stand trial there before the council of elders, chief priests and scribes. But there was no fair trial. Even before Jesus was properly questioned, He was mocked, beaten and ridiculed by the men who were supposed to guard Him. Remember how He had foretold this before He traveled to Jerusalem…
Jesus could have delivered Himself. He could have silenced all those present with one word — as He did earlier with a roaring sea. He could have avenged Himself. But He did none of that.
In a letter written later by the apostle Peter, he takes Jesus’ attitude as an example for believers. For they too sometimes suffer unjustly. Peter calls on them to endure that suffering patiently and leave vengeance “to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:21-23).
How difficult that is! We tend to stand up for our rights. When we are wronged, we make ourselves heard. But precisely when we suffer for God, we should not fight back. “For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly” (1 Peter 2:19). Are you willing to do that?