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The
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
 Intro:
As much as it
would be my desire to write on the Resurrection; my heart, yea
my very soul is moved in such exceeding gratitude and humility
for what Jesus did for me at Calvary.
Many times I find tracts with absolutely no mention of
the Resurrection or necessity of it in our witnessing. Without
the Resurrection there is no salvation no matter how great a
Sacrifice was accomplished on the cross. Christ must be alive or
we have nothing to believe.
Rom. 10:9
”…and shalt believe in
thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved.”
1Co 15:17
And if Christ be not raised, your faith
is vain; ye are
yet in your sins.
Who died on the Cross?
I
list the many names given to Him Who died for the sins of the
whole world. He is first mentioned in the book of Genesis as the
seed of the woman.
Gen 3:15
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and
between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel. In
Is.9:6 He is called
“…a child…” “… a son…” In that same book of Isaiah this One is
called “…man of sorrows…” in chapter 53. He is called the
Redeemer here in Job and many other places in the Old Testament.
Job 19:25
For I know that
my redeemer liveth, and
that he shall
stand at the latter
day upon the earth:
2 Cor.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.
Yes, it is with awe that I
write about the crucifixion of Jesus. How can it be that thou my God
should die for me? It is amazing love! I know God didn’t die but
that makes it even greater that He came in the flesh and suffered
and died in our place.
Heb.10:5 “…but
a body hast thou prepared me:”
and Phil. 2:6
Who, being in the form of
God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in
the likeness of men:
8
And being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross. Though I could never plumb the depths of the
sorrow, excruciating pain, and sacrificial love that were exhibited
that day at Calvary; I simply
begin with the fact, that this is where man’s sin met the grace of
God.
What a thought and great truth that my personal redeemer lives
today. Jesus Christ is the One Who was able to buy, purchase
that which was lost to sin. He paid the debt of sin for all as
the kinsman redeemer of all mankind. Let’s look at some other
New Testament names of the One Who died on the cross.
·
The Lamb of God
–John 1:29 The next
day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the
Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
He is called Lamb of
God. A spotless innocent Lamb who shed His blood for the guilty
simmer. All the way back in the Garden of Eden it was the little
lambs that had to die to cover Adam and Eve. The bible says the
Lord clothed them with skins to cover their nakedness. Blood was
shed in order for the skin to be used as a covering for them.
This was a picture of the Lamb of God that John the Baptist
cried out was present as he baptized in the Jordan there. It was
Jesus Christ who appeared there and John saw a Lamb. John knew
that this Man was going to give His life for the sins of the
whole world. For thousands of years before it was the blood of
animals (lambs, bulls and goats) that atoned for the sins of the
people. But it was not possible for those animals and their
sacrifice to take away sin. They had to be offered over and over
again because it was only a temporary covering. But, Jesus the
bible says offered Himself as a Sacrifice (A Lamb) for ever and
is seated at the right hand of God. His sacrifice as the Lamb of
God satisfied the LORD’s requirement and wrath forever. It is
finished because the Lamb was the perfect, pure, spotless
Sacrifice for sin.
·
The Just for the unjust
- 1Peter 3:18
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just
for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to
death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Make no
mistake Jesus Christ was and is the Just One. We are unjust,
wicked low down sinners. He is holy and was the innocent Lamb
that was slain for us. We are unholy, and ungodly deserving of
hell. Jesus the Just One took our place.
Act 7:52
Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?
and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of
the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and
murderers:
·
The sin – bearer
-
Heb.9:28
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and
unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time
without sin unto salvation.
Oh the glorious fact that the Son of God took upon Himself our
sins. He bore your sin, and even more wonderful is that He
bore my sin.
2Cor. 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.
Please understand this that my words could never say it or
convey just what it means that He bore our sins like how the
bible says it. I give
you three verses out the most wonderful chapters in the entire
bible. Read them and let it speak to your very soul.
Isa. 53: 4-6
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our
sorrows: yet we did esteem
him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isa.
5 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.
6 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. I would almost have to
underline the whole of the verses but we see He bore,
carried what was ours. We should bear it
all but He did for us. It was at the Cross Jesus became
the Sin-Bearer.
·
The Saviour –
Isa. 43:11 I,
even I,
am the LORD;
and beside me there is
no saviour.
How wonderful to know the Lord provided a savior in fact He is
the Saviour.
Luke 2:11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord. His name is Jesus Christ.
Why
did He have to die?
Rom.6:23 “For the wages of sin is death…”
·
It doesn’t get any clearer than that. There is a payment that
must be exacted for sin and that payment is death. In 2Cor. 5:21
the bible tells us that He (Jesus) became sin for us. Jesus
didn’t have any sin to pay for but He took upon Himself our sin
which He paid for by dying on the cross. He had to die because
He became sin!
·
The sinner should be in absolute awe of this wonderful, loving
Saviour Who took our place. Is. 53:10 we find that “…it pleased
the LORD to bruise
him…” God the
Father and the Son, yea the whole Godhead were in absolute
agreement that this was the way to pay for sin’s wage. They seem
more happy and pleased with the plan then the forgiven sinner.
Why? Perfect, unconditional and sacrificial love.
·
Jesus died because sin‘s wage needed to be paid and the Good
Shepherd said in John 10:17, 18 these wonderful words
17 “Therefore doth
my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take
it again. 18 No man
taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to
lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment
have I received of my Father.
·
Jesus died because He loves you.
Who did He die for?
The Calvinists can squirm in their seats and crush their tender
tulips as they gnash their teeth against the truth of -
Heb 10:10
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering
of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all.
Jesus died for every
person ever born past present and future. The bible says all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Rom. 3:23 There is
none righteous no not one.
Rom. 3:10 We all
needed a Saviour so Jesus became the Saviour of all men. He is
the only Mediator between God and men.
1Tim.2:5
Jesus died for sinners of which all human beings qualify. So who
did Jesus Christ die for – YOU!
What did His death accomplish?
–
The requirement to bring man back into fellowship with his
Creator was finished at the Cross of Calvary.
Rom 5:8 - 11 But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
9.
Much more then, being
now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through
him. 10.
For if, when we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much
more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
11 And not only
so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom we have now received the atonement.
Jesus’ death on the cross reconciled man back to God. We were on
a collision course and doomed for hell as the enemy of God.
Through His death He opened the way to be brought back into a
right fellowship with God.
What happened at Calvary?
·
The events leading up – This is a sterile set of facts
1.
The Last Supper
2.
The Garden of Gethsemane
3.
The Arrest
4.
The Mock Trials
5.
The Beatings, Scourging and Mocking
6.
The Walk to Golgatha
7.
The Crucifixion
·
Physically and Medically, His Suffering–
I will attempt to describe what Jesus Christ physically suffered
shortly before and during the crucifixion. Following the Last
Supper Jesus left the upper room and went across the Kidron
Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane. It was here He would face
His most extreme
anguish. It was here He surrendered His will to the Father’s. He
prayed more earnestly the Bible says because He was about to
bear the sin of the world and be forsaken by His Father.
The Bible says in Luke 22:44 “…and his sweat was as it
were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. This is a
medical condition called hematidrosis, and only Dr. Luke records
it for us. It is caused by extreme physiological stress which
causes the tiny capillaries under the skin surface to distend
and go into arterial spasm with necrosis (the death of living
cells) and rupturing into the sweat glands. The result was a
bloody sweat. Jesus was already tired from sleeplessness and now
is dehydrating and going into the very early stages of shock.
Now we understand why an angel had to be sent to strengthen Him.
Now comes the mob to take Him.
Space does not allow the indignity to the Son of God let
alone the gross violations of Jewish Law. Without going into all
the events that took place from the arrest and mock trials, with
not two witnesses to agree, I will focus on the physical events
that took place that night into the early morning before the
actual crucifixion.
Jesus is led before several people the first being Annas who
examines Him while one of his officers strikes Jesus. Remember
Jesus is bound. We are told in Luke 22:63, 64 He was mocked and
beaten while blindfolded. He was asked to prophesy who had
struck Him. He did not cower at every blow even not knowing when
they would be administered.
Jesus is now led
before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin for another mock trial. The
charges are changed and false witnesses cannot agree in their
testimony. Jesus is becoming exhausted by the continuing events,
abuse, dehydration and ridicule. He stands before this Roman
governor with no guile, or bitterness but in supernatural power.
He makes no defense and finds no mercy.
Pilate attempts to appease the mob by scourging Jesus. He
is beaten mercilessly with a wooden handled whip of three cords.
Metal shards and bones rip open the flesh upon every lash.
Tissue is torn out and away with each strike and the skin is now
falling in ribbon like pieces causing profuse arterial bleeding.
Next the crown of thorns pressed deeply into the scalp result in
more bleeding as He falls into a deepening state of shock. A
robe is thrown round about Him and could have temporarily acted
as a compression for the gaping, bleeding wounds. The soldiers
mock Him, spit upon Him, beat Him with rods and pull out His
beard. Is. 50:6 If
you have ever had hair pulled from your face you would know the
pain and swelling that would result.
Behold the Man!
Before a howling mob He stands clammy and lifeless now
most probably in shock. He has cold, pale sweaty skin with His
mucous membranes turning blue and cyanotic (a condition from
lack of oxygen in the blood). His visage is marred more than any
man as He stands before Pilate with pulse pounding and breathing
shallow at best. Pilate condemns Him to death and the robe is
stripped away. Why the mention of the robe being pulled away;
but because it is like a bandage being ripped off carelessly
from a recently dressed wound. Needless to say the blood begins
to flow again.
Jesus arrives at the hill called Calvary and is thrown
back onto the transverse beam as to secure Him to the cross.
Careful were the executioners not to fully extend His arms for
that would only hasten His death. Large triangular nails were
driven through His hands, probably at the lower portion of His
forearm and wrist. Here the nails would compress the median
nerves that go into the hands. This drew the thumb into the palm
of the hand because the tendon was affected. Note: the nails
weren’t put into the palms of the hands as they would tear right
through from the weight suspended on them. Next the same was
done to the feet through the arches with the knees flexed.
The Romans had perfected this brutal art to just how long
someone could last by how they flexed their legs to expedite
breathing. The position on the cross forced a person into a
horrible exercise of pushing up on the nail in the feet to
relieve the pain in the arms as they slithered downward.
Dangling there caused severe muscular pain in the upper
extremities and chest muscles. Eventually a paralysis of the
intercostal muscles of the chest wall would take place. The
result was air being drawn into the lungs but easily exhaled
resulting in a build up of carbon dioxide.
Also, lactic acid would create intense muscular spasms
throughout the body. Jesus’ body is now ravaged by shock,
exhaustion, and incredible thirst, pain in the central nervous
system, muscle spasms, dehydration and gradual asphyxiation. Not
one reviling word is uttered. The chest wall further elongates
as He hangs there and He becomes grossly distorted. The stomach
area sinks and the altered blood circulation in and around the
heart cause the pericardial sack to fill with fluid. This causes
sharp searing pain in the chest with heartbeat and attempted
move of the body. These events are found in Psalm 22. Though all
His bones are out of joint not one was broken.
He is dying! The Lamb slain!
He cried “It is finished”
Paid in Full!
·
The Blood –
This was sinless blood, precious blood, innocent blood (Even
Judas knew that.) -Mat
27:4 Saying, I
have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood…”
His blood justifies the
believer and atones for our sin. Without the blood is no
remission. You cannot have your sins forgiven except the blood
of Jesus Christ be applied. There is no other way to cover the
sin of mankind. Jesus’ blood was not tainted with sin. He was
born of a virgin, and though human he had no earthly father.
Since He had no father, He had no sin as the sin nature is
passed through the man. It comes by way of that first
transgressor Adam. Rom.
5:12 tell that “…by one man sin entered into the world. Look
at these precious verses about the Lord’s precious blood.
1Pe 1:18, 19
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with
corruptible things, as
silver and gold, from your vain conversation
received by
tradition from your fathers;
19
But with the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Mat 26:28
For this is my blood of
the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of
sins.
Rom 3:25
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation
through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the
remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
It just doesn’t get any better than that. Some do not like the
bloody sacrifice of Christ for the pardon or forgiveness of
their sins. There is no other way because the Bible says -
Heb 9:22 And
almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and
without shedding of blood is no remission. I will take the
perfect blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the cleansing of my
sin with a grateful heart.
·
His Death –
Satisfied the requirement of sin. The wages of sin is death.
Rom.6:23 We needed
the shed blood but we also needed a death if I can say it that
way. If our Lord Jesus becomes sin on the cross than He must die
because He paid for OUR sins. Rom. 5:12 says that because Adam
sinned, in came death. Death passed upon all men for that all
had sinned. Though Jesus Himself never sinned aren’t you
grateful He died your death.
·
His Burial -
Jesus made no advance plans for His burial but a tomb was
provided. Prophesied 700 years before, of His burial.
Isa. 53:9
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. John chapter 19 and Mark 15 both
tell us that Jesus was taken by Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple
an honourable men. Jesus was laid in a sepulcher never used by
any other man.
·
Who killed Jesus? –
Oh, there were those who said crucify Him but they didn’t kill
Him. He gave His life. This was God’s plan not man’s. Yes, the
Pharisees conspired against Him and yes the people went along
and desired Barabbas, but on the cross Jesus “gave up the ghost”
He gave His life no one took it from Him. He is the Good
Shepherd Who gives His life for the sheep. It was our sin that
put Jesus on that cross and His love for a lost world kept Him
there. Who killed Jesus? Look
in the mirror.
·
Why crucifixion? -
This was originally a Phoenician
practice but was perfected by the Romans. Sounds sick
doesn’t it that men would perfect killing and execution but we
do just do the same today. It was known and used around the
Palestinian area from approximately 200 BC until 300 AD when it
was finally abolished by Constantine.
·
The scene at the cross from the third to the ninth hour.
1.
9:00am to 12:00 noon -
Three hours of mocking, ridicule and worst of all gambling at
the foot of the cross. There is no understanding that the very
Son of God is dying for them. Jesus Christ does nothing but take
care of His mother, and his disciple John by binding them to
each other in a mother son relationship. He then saves a thief
who not long before was casting accusations at Him. He spends
three hours writhing in pain and bearing the cruel mocking
undeservedly.
2.
12:00 noon to 3:00pm -
The Bible tells us that darkness fell at noon.
Luke 23:44
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness
over all the earth until the ninth hour. It is also said in
Mark15:33. What
happened during this time we are not fully told but that we must
conclude that this is when the Father poured out His wrath on
SIN. Jesus in the place of the sinner condemned. This was not
for man’s eyes but between God the Father and His Son. For three
hours Jesus endured not just His Father’s punishment for sin but
He was forsaken. It was at the end, the ninith hour Jesus cried
out - Mar 15:34
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?
Wouldn’t we be a hopeless people had it not been for the final
words spoken on the cross?
John 19:30 When
Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said,
It is finished:
and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. The payment has
been made for the sin of the world. No more sacrifice needed.
Paid in Full.
Then the Bible says He gave up the ghost. I believe Jesus
stopped His heart and breathed His last breath. He gave up His
life no one took it. He said as God in flesh I will now die.
Take some time and think about the Great Sacrifice for your sin.
Conclusion
I am done. There may be more to write and in fact there
certainly is. I just know that writing this paper has taken me
through the whole gamut of emotions. I have hurt in my heart for
Him. I have cried thinking of what He did and that He did it for
me. I have cheered. Praise the Lord Hallelujah to the Lamb.
Anyone who takes any time to consider the Crucifixion of
Jesus Christ should come away with the same conclusion that
centurion and those with him did.
Matt. 27:54
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.
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