Christ has stood before the religious Jewish leaders and was condemned to death. He was next brought before the political Gentile leaders and was tortured and mocked, and then through the lies and the demands of the Jews was sentenced to die a by the Gentile crucifixion.
It is Wednesday around noon when Jesus was led away to go to the place where He was to be hung on the cross.
Luke 23:26-31- And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
As they led Jesus shredded, bleeding body through the streets of the city, they grabbed a man named Simon and made him carry Jesus cross as he followed Jesus.
People started to trickle out into the streets to watch the death procession. Some women started to mourn the coming death, but Jesus turned to them and told them to cry for themselves. He knew the two dreadful curses that the religious leaders had brought upon the entire race; He knew the death, destruction, and terror that the coming years would bring to that nation.
John 19:17-18- And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
Somewhere, possibly outside the city gates, Jesus took the cross from Simon and carried it the rest of the way to Golgotha, or Calvary.
Remember, the place was Jewish, but it was ruled by the Romans- so the place where Jesus was crucified had two names, one Jewish and one Roman.
Luke 23:32-33- And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Jesus wasn't alone in the death procession. There were two other men who were also being escourted through the streets of Jerusalem out to Calvary. These men were hung up with Jesus, on either side of Him.
Mark 15:28- And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
Even during this time Christ was fulfilling Scripture.
As Jesus was nailed to the cross, a paper was nailed on the cross with Him. The paper was written by Pilate.
John 19:19-20- And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.
Some people think that because the different gospels list different things that the paper said that there is an error in the Bible. But, you have to realize that the gospels were written by four different men, and the title was written in three different languages. That's where the difference comes in.
The title above Jesus said "This is Jesus of Nazareth The King of the Jews".
JOhn 19:21-22- Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
The Jewish leaders were not happy! Perhaps they felt that the way it was worded gave credence to Jesus' claims of being the Messiah. But, Pilate couldn't care less about the disagreements with him. He told the religious leaders that he wasn't going to change it.
And so, Jesus was crucified with His rightful title above His head, though many who saw it didn't realize how true it was!
John 19:23-24- Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
Again Christ was fulfilling Scripture, as He hung on the cross the soldiers were dividing up His clothes.
Luke 23:35-37- And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
There were many people present at the crucifixion. Some were there just to mock the dying. They said if He were truly a king, He could save Himself.
The soldiers even tried giving them vinegar to drink. Yuck!
Mark 15:29-32- And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, Save thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
Not only were the people attending the crucifixion mocking Him, but the two thieves that were killed along side Jesus also mocked Him!
But, during their time on the cross one of the men realized that something was different about Jesus.
Luke 23:39-43- And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
While one thief mocked Jesus and told Him to save Himself and get them off the cross, too, the other thief saw that Jesus didn't deserve to be there. He knew that he was guilty and deserved this death! He fussed at the other thief and told him to hush. Then he turned to Jesus and with some realization that Jesus was in fact who the Messiah, as Jesus to remember him. In other words, he repented and was asking for forgiveness.
Even though Jesus was hanging there in pain, He took the time to accept the man's repentance and promised him forgiveness.
But, it wasn't just the thief that He took time to take care of.
John 19:25-27- Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
As the firstborn son of Mary, it was Jesus duty to take care of her after her husband died. He knew that duty had to fall to someone else now, and He called on His disciple, John, who seemed to be the only one of the 12 present to take care of her.
It wasn't just the physical death that Jesus was suffering. He was also fighting a spiritual battle that no human eye could see.
I Peter 2:24- Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Jesus took every sin that was ever committed by anyone living (past, present, and future) into His body. And, once they were there the Lord God Almighty poured out His judgement and wrath on them.
Romans 5:6- For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
II Corinthians 5:21- For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
I Peter 2:24- Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5, 9-11- Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
When Jesus was on the cross, the Lord God Almighty turned His back on Jesus. Jesus became sin, and God judged sin there. Because Jesus was sin, He was forsaken by the Lord God Almighty.
He was on the cross from the sixth hour to the ninth hour of the Jewish day, in Gentile time that's noon until about 3pm.
Matthew 27:45-49- Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
Those watching thought, for some reason that Jesus was calling for Elijah the Prophet to come save Him. Perhaps, because Elijah is prophesied to show up before the Lord God Almighty comes to destroy His enemies.
But, they were wrong in this assumption. Something else was happening that creation itself didn't want to watch!
It isn't normal for it to get dark during the middle of the day. But, once forsaken by His Father, the sun darkened- almost like the sun knew that something terrible was happening.
When the sun darkened, the powers of hell showed up to mock Jesus. The devil, Satan himself, came to brag about killing the Son of God.
But, Jesus was ready for this, too! He knew evil would show up once God looked away, and He invited the devil to do his worst!
Isaiah 50:6,8 - I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
I Peter 5:8- Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Psalms 22:1, 6-8, 12-13, 16, 18, - My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
Colossians 2:15- And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Christ won the battle with the devil! And, once He won the He finished paying the full price for sin.
John 19:28-30a- After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished:
Now that it was done, God turned back around. The Lord God Almighty was satisfied with the sacrifice for sin, and Jesus could now entreat Him once again.
Jesus told the Lord God Almighty that He was giving His soul up. He was allowing Himself to die.
Those who were watching saw that something was different about this man!
Christ died around 3:00 pm on Wednesday.
Matthew 27:51-54- And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
When Jesus died, the temple veil- the cloth that separated the Holiest of Holies where the ark of the covenant was from the Holy place- split into two pieces. The sin that made it necessary to divide God from humankind had been taken care of! This was another sign to those who would acknowledge it that Jesus was the Messiah!
Not only that, but an earthquake happened, and graves opened, and when Jesus arose other bodies arose, also, and walked around and people saw them! This is probably where the legend of zombies comes from.
Luke 23:47-48- Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
John 19:31-37- The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
Once Jesus was dead, the Jews wanted the other two thieves to die quickly, so the Roman soldiers would break their legs so they couldn't stand up to breathe.
In crucifixion, the lungs slowly fill with water making it difficult to breathe and talk. To be able to get a breath, the men had to push themselves above their arms by using their legs against the nail that was through them. It was very painful to do.
When the soldier's pierced Jesus side, they put a hole into His lungs which made the water that was filling His lungs flow out- this was proof that He was dead and no longer breathing.
It is now after 3:00pm on Wednesday, but it is before 6:00pm which is when the Jewish Thursday would begin.
