Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. (Mark 15:1)

They Bound Jesus

Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God. He healed every disease without fail, restored sight to the blind and speech to the mute and caused the deaf to hear. Jesus healed the sick without being present. The dead were raised by the power of God. All the spirits that possessed men fell at the feet of the man from Nazareth, submitting to His will. Jesus walked on water, calmed the violent storm, and turned water into a wedding feast delight. The disciples marveled as Jesus took two small fish and five barley loaves to feed more than five thousand hungry people with twelve baskets of bread left over. Jesus could curse a tree and it would die or bless a crippled man to rise from his bed of affliction to see him jump for joy. And yet they bound Jesus.

Early in the ministry of Jesus, the son of Joseph and Mary returned to the city of Nazareth to read in the synagogue. The people did not receive their native son and became so angry with Jesus, they thrust Him out of the city. Leading Him to the brow of the hill, they planned on throwing Jesus over a cliff to kill Him. He passed through them unnoticed and went His way. It was not His hour to die and the mob stood puzzled at what had happened to the man they planned on killing. After feeding the five thousand, the people desired to make Jesus their king. They were willing to force Him to be their king and seemed to be making plans to carry out their rebellion. Jesus departed to the mountain by Himself alone.

Early one morning, Jesus came into the Temple and began teaching the people. A woman caught in the act of adultery was brought to Him to accuse her before the Lord and test His teaching. The Pharisees were angry that Jesus was able to dismiss the charges and then accused Him of blasphemy when He claimed to be the Son of God. No one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come. Shortly after that, when Jesus claimed to be before Abraham was and to be I AM, the people took up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the Temple, going through the midst of them. Later, the Jewish leaders would again try to seize Jesus, but He escaped from their hands.

When Judas brought the mob of Jewish leaders and soldiers to the garden of Gethsemane, they bound Jesus and took Him away. In the morning, the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole council again bound Jesus to deliver Him to Pilate. Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, allowed men to tie His hands and lead Him away. Seventy-two thousand angels were waiting for the call from the Lord God to rescue His Son, but no call came. Jesus had the power to dissolve the restraints that bound Him, but no power would be seen. It was within the power of Jesus to disappear as He had on other occasions, but the Son of God stood before His accusers bound in heart, not bound in hand. The binding that secured Jesus were not the chains or ropes but the will of His Father. He could easily have destroyed His accusers. The Jewish leaders were intent on killing Him and they succeeded. When the Roman soldiers scourged Jesus, He permitted it. Bearing the cross was the choice of Jesus. Arriving at Golgotha and being thrown to the ground and nailed to a cross was an expression of the love of Jesus.

The nails that pierced His hands and feet did not hold Him to the cross. Jesus was bound so that sin would no longer bind the hearts of men. He allowed the hatred of men to kill Him so that His disciples could live in a world of hatred free of malice. Jesus permitted the binding of His body to carry out the will of His Father when it was the time to save humanity. Thank God Jesus was bound and did not resist. He submitted Himself to show His love. How much greater love can I show than to bind my heart to the will of the Son of God to be free.