Without a Blindfold

They all condemned his as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guard took him and beat him. Mark 14:64b-65

The high priest, chief priests, elders and teachers of the law unanimously condemn Jesus as worthy of death. Why the need to blindfold him now? So they can spit on him and hit him and jeer at him? No doubt, the blindfold gave them false courage for their cowardly actions but I don't think that is it.

I think they blindfolded Jesus because they could not bear to meet his eyes.

To look into his eyes is to see a true reflection of yourself.

To look into his eyes and see yourself...stripped of your own illusions...sinful, broken, incomplete...is painful. But to do so outside of a relationship with him is unbearable and unthinkable.

The truth is, apart from his grace and mercy, apart from the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, we cannot bear the reality of who we are.

Walking with Jesus means walking with our eyes open. It also means meeting the gaze of the One who loves us and knows us. It means resisting the urge to cover up the truth of what he sees.

Jesus, give me the courage to look into your eyes and see my true reflection. Help me to become more like you.