Truth Writ Large in Ironic Jest

Luke 23:36-38

36 • The soldiers also mocked him,
coming up and offering him sour wine

37 • and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"

38 • There was also an inscription over him,
"This is the King of the Jews."

The soldiers took their clue as to how they should behave from the ruling classes gathered at the execution site. Back in the barracks they had already had their fun with their platted crown of thorns and their borrowed purple robe but they were ready to dish out more of the same. They didn't know how to taunt a false messiah but, whether or not they could read the sign above his head, they knew how to mock a pretend king. But they didn't know what they were doing.