Jesus and the Color Purple

Commentators say that the color purple in the Bible signifies royalty. If you do a search on the word purple in the Bible you will see that the first references are regarding, yes, the tabernacle. Purple was one of the colors of the entrance, the veil, and the tabernacle (proper). It is interesting to note that purple was always mentioned between blue and scarlet, and purple is the color you get if you mix blue and scarlet.

When the Israelite camp was on the move, God gave directions regarding the altar of burnt offering. Aaron was to clean it of ashes and cover it with a purple cloth (Numbers 4:13). Once covered, it was the Kohathites' duty to carry the altar of burnt offering using staves. So when it was on the move one only saw the royal covering (and the four guys carrying it). When camp was established, then the purple covering is removed and the activity of slaughtering and burning burnt offerings resumed. The purple was removed before the offering of sacrifices could start.

Jesus, crowned with thorns, was clothed in purple (in a mocking sort of way but it was still purple (Mark 15:17)). And the purple was taken off when He was led away to be crucified (Mark 15:20). The purple was removed before He offered Himself as the sacrifice that was the fulfillment of every burnt, meat, peace, sin and trespass offerings ever made.

Isn't this what Jesus did figuratively? He was clothed, as it were, in royalty in heaven. He removed His royal robes, laid them aside to take on the form of a man, to walk among His creatures. With His royal garments removed, He took on the form of a bondman (or servant) to do the will of His Father, even if it meant sacrificing Himself on the cross...for you and for me!

For let this mind be in you which [was] also in Christ Jesus; who, subsisting in the form of God, did not esteem it an object of rapine to be on an equality with God; but emptied himself, taking a bondman's form, taking his place in [the] likeness of men; but emptied himself, taking a bondman's form, taking his place in [the] likeness of men; and having been found in figure as a man, humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and [that the] death of [the] cross. Phl 2:5-8

I like how Charles Wesley put it in that great hymn Amazing Love (or And Can it be? depending on your hymnal) -

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!