"For all that I've been through -- and it seems even strange for me to say it -- but I am at a certain peace, and it is because of a lot of prayers for me," King said at a town hall in Cherokee, Iowa.

"And, when I have to step down to the floor of the House of Representatives, and look up at those 400-and-some accusers, you know we just passed through Easter and Christ's passion, and I have better insight into what He went through for us partly because of that experience."

The hours before Jesus' crucifixion are referred to as Christ's passion and reference the events -- including torture and intense public shaming -- that he went through before being nailed to the cross. For Christians, the Easter season is a time of remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice, ultimately leading to his death and his resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday.

An Iowa Republican with a history of racist remarks, King was likely referring to being stripped of his committee assignments and rebuked by members of his own party after giving an interview with The New York Times in January in which he made racist comments.