The Ultimate Plot Twist: From Shame to Coronation 👑
When we read Scripture with Western eyes, we often miss the cultural “shouting” happening in the text. This Easter, I’m struck by the incredible parallel between the story of Joseph and the walk to Calvary.
In Genesis 50, Joseph looks at the brothers who sold him into slavery and says:
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good… the saving of many lives.”
Fast forward to the Crucifixion. To the Roman world, the procession to the cross was designed to be the ultimate public shaming. But as scholars like Ray Vander Laan point out, the details of that walk read from the book of Mark—the crown, the robe, the soldiers, the “kingly” title—actually mirrored a Roman Triumph.
A “Triumph” was a parade for a conquering general, his path to being honored as a god-like figure.
Easter proves that what men intended as the “ultimate shaming” was actually the ultimate honor.
The cross wasn’t just an ending; it was a throne-room entry.
He didn’t just rise; He took the throne. And from that throne, He continues to do exactly what Joseph promised: He saves many lives.
P.S. The Romans thought they were mocking an imposter, but they were actually acting as the world’s most ironic stage crew for a King’s coronation. God loves a good plot twist!
📸: The Chosen
Sources: Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, Ray Vander Laan
