The Cross
"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. " (Luke 23:33)
Each Spring, we're reminded of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While the modern day celebration of Easter is not Biblical in origin, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are very important.
In the Bible, this event is the pinnacle of God's plan of salvation for mankind.
"And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified." (Matthew 26:1-2)
Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus and His disciples were gathered in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem. There He agonized in prayer to the Father, as He knew what He would face.
"Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke 22:42-44)
Jesus was to be delivered up to be crucified. He agonized so deeply in prayer that He sweat drops of blood (hematidrosis). He was to take the sins of the world on Himself and leading up this event, many of the religious leaders were seeking to kill Him. They seized an opportunity as Judas, one of Jesus' disciples, betrayed Him. He was taken before Pontius Pilate and the Roman authorities. Though Pilate could find no fault in Him, the religious leaders and many others demanded Jesus be put to death. Pilate had Jesus scourged and the Roman soldiers mocked Him and crowned Him with thorns.
"Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!" (John 19:1-5)
Again, the people demanded Jesus be crucified and Pilate sentenced Him.
"And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away." (John 19:14-16)
Jesus took up His cross and was led out to die.
"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. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS." (John 19:17-19)
As He hung on the cross, He prayed for and forgave those responsible for killing Him.
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 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," (Luke 23:34-36)
Even dying on the cross, Jesus Christ remained the sinless Lamb of God. On the cross, the Bible describes something happening for the first time in eternity.
"And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
(Mark 15:33-34)
God the Father hid His face from God the Son as He laid the sins of the world on Him. The Bible says Jesus became sin for us so that we could receive His righteousness as a gift.
"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." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
His words that followed confirmed what had been done.
"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: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19:28-30)
It was finished.
The debt had been paid and the door of salvation opened to mankind. The divide separating man and God had been spanned and the veil to the holy of holies in the Jewish temple was rent in two.
"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;"
(Matthew 27:51)
This one time sacrifice was fully sufficient to save any sinner who would repent and put their faith in Jesus.
"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:10)
"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:" (Romans 3:22)
In the Bible, this event was so important that throughout the Old Testament, the coming of the Messiah was prophesied. Here in Isaiah 53, the prophet Isaiah, who lived in the second half of the 8th century, wrote of a suffering Saviour who would die for the transgressions of His people.
"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
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.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
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.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
Its a powerful testimony of God's prophetic Word and reinforces the importance of this event.
Its hard to imagine the confusion and defeat Jesus' disciples must have felt when He died. The Son of God who had healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, walked on water, calmed the seas and forgave sinners, was dead. The One on whom they believed was God's Messiah, seemed defeated.
Thankfully, this would change just three days later.
Without His Cross (Hymn)
>>BACK TO BIBLE TOPICS
"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. " (Luke 23:33)
Each Spring, we're reminded of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While the modern day celebration of Easter is not Biblical in origin, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are very important.
In the Bible, this event is the pinnacle of God's plan of salvation for mankind.
"And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified." (Matthew 26:1-2)
Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus and His disciples were gathered in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem. There He agonized in prayer to the Father, as He knew what He would face.
"Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke 22:42-44)
Jesus was to be delivered up to be crucified. He agonized so deeply in prayer that He sweat drops of blood (hematidrosis). He was to take the sins of the world on Himself and leading up this event, many of the religious leaders were seeking to kill Him. They seized an opportunity as Judas, one of Jesus' disciples, betrayed Him. He was taken before Pontius Pilate and the Roman authorities. Though Pilate could find no fault in Him, the religious leaders and many others demanded Jesus be put to death. Pilate had Jesus scourged and the Roman soldiers mocked Him and crowned Him with thorns.
"Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!" (John 19:1-5)
Again, the people demanded Jesus be crucified and Pilate sentenced Him.
"And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away." (John 19:14-16)
Jesus took up His cross and was led out to die.
"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. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS." (John 19:17-19)
As He hung on the cross, He prayed for and forgave those responsible for killing Him.
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 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," (Luke 23:34-36)
Even dying on the cross, Jesus Christ remained the sinless Lamb of God. On the cross, the Bible describes something happening for the first time in eternity.
"And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
(Mark 15:33-34)
God the Father hid His face from God the Son as He laid the sins of the world on Him. The Bible says Jesus became sin for us so that we could receive His righteousness as a gift.
"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." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
His words that followed confirmed what had been done.
"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: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19:28-30)
It was finished.
The debt had been paid and the door of salvation opened to mankind. The divide separating man and God had been spanned and the veil to the holy of holies in the Jewish temple was rent in two.
"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;"
(Matthew 27:51)
This one time sacrifice was fully sufficient to save any sinner who would repent and put their faith in Jesus.
"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:10)
"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:" (Romans 3:22)
In the Bible, this event was so important that throughout the Old Testament, the coming of the Messiah was prophesied. Here in Isaiah 53, the prophet Isaiah, who lived in the second half of the 8th century, wrote of a suffering Saviour who would die for the transgressions of His people.
"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
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.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
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.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
Its a powerful testimony of God's prophetic Word and reinforces the importance of this event.
Its hard to imagine the confusion and defeat Jesus' disciples must have felt when He died. The Son of God who had healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, walked on water, calmed the seas and forgave sinners, was dead. The One on whom they believed was God's Messiah, seemed defeated.
Thankfully, this would change just three days later.
Without His Cross (Hymn)
>>BACK TO BIBLE TOPICS
