Why Were The Roman Soldiers So Mean?
Answer: The Roman soldiers were mean for the same reason that people are mean today- they didn’t love God or care about his ways.
Roman soldiers were trained to keep people in line and kill if they had to. The Roman soldiers were mean to Jesus because they treated all criminals that way and they thought Jesus was a criminal just like all the others.
(Some religious leaders wanted Jesus crucified because they didn’t like what he was saying and because he claimed to be the Son of God.)
And the soldiers felt pressure from each other; one started and the others joined in.
Though the Roman authorities found Jesus innocent, they went along with the crowd and killed him on the cross, just as the prophets had predicted (see Psalm 22:18; 34:20; Zechariah 12:10).
Key verse: [The Roman soldiers] beat him on the head with a cane and spat on him. They made fun of him by bowing down to “worship” him. (Mark 15:19)
Related verses: Matthew 27:1-37; Mark 15:1-32; Luke 23:34-37; John 19:1-37
Related questions: Why did Pilate let Jesus be crucified when he knew that he didn’t do anything wrong? Why did the bad men make a crown for Jesus?
What does mocked mean? Why did they put a staff in Jesus’ hand? Why did they cast lots to get Jesus’ clothes? Why did they change Jesus’ robe to a purple one?
Why Did The People Say, “Come Down Off The Cross If You Are The Son Of God”?
Answer: The people who said this didn’t believe in Jesus and thought he was lying when he claimed to be God.
Actually, Jesus had the power to come down off the cross, but he didn’t come down because he loved us and wanted to pay for our sins.
When Adam and Eve sinned, everybody was separated from God. Jesus died so everyone could have the chance to be forgiven and be with God again.
If Jesus had saved himself and had come off the cross, we couldn’t be saved from our sins. Jesus showed his power in a much greater way by rising from the dead three days later.
Aren’t you glad Jesus stayed on the cross?
Key verses: The people laughed at him as they walked by. They shook their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him.
“Sure, you can destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days! If you’re so wonderful, save yourself! Come down from the cross!” (Mark 15:29-30)
Related verses: Matthew 27:40; Luke 23:35-37
Related questions: Why did they force Simon to carry the cross? Did they do the same thing to the two robbers that they did to Jesus? Why did people think that Jesus was calling Elijah from the cross?
Note to parents: A child’s questions about Jesus’ death on the cross may be a good opportunity to explain that he died for them, in their place, to pay for their sins.
Explain that your children, individually, can trust in Jesus for salvation. You can lead them in a prayer confessing their sin, expressing trust in Jesus to save them, and thanking him for eternal life.