Story: The Crucifixion

Category: New Testament
 Scriptures: Matthew 27:31-27:56   Mark 15:20-15:41   Luke 23:26-23:49   John 19:17-19:37  

 Commentary

We are all familiar with the account of the gospel writers about the death of our Lord, and all four writers give us an account of it. Even though there were, according to historians, about thirty thousand people crucified in the same era in the land of Israel only Jesus is known. Thirty thousand people were crucified by the Romans, but we only know one name. Why is it that the crucifixion of Jesus is singled out for worldwide importance? Most people know the answer, at least superficially. They say because He died to save sinners from eternal wrath and punishment in hell. He died to save sinners from their sin and divine punishment. 

There are many passages in the Bible that tell us that, explaining the significance of His death. The familiar words from Isaiah 53 come to mind, “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” What Isaiah was saying: He died in our place.

Romans chapter 5, the apostle Paul says that, “God demonstrated His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5 that, “The Lord, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” These are all explanations of the theology of His death, that it was substitutionary, that it was a sacrifice for sin, that He was God’s chosen sacrifice, and that God was satisfied.

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Matthew 27:31-27:56

31 When they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.

32 As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.

33 When they came to a place called “Golgotha”, that is to say, “The place of a skull,”

34 they gave him sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink.

35 When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,

36 and they sat and watched him there.

37 They set up over his head the accusation against him written, “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

38 Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left.

39 Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads,

40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

41 Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said,

42 “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.

43 He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

44 The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.

46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

47 Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”

48 Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.

49 The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”

50 Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.

51 Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.

52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.

54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.”

55 Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him.

56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Mark 15:20-15:41

20 When they had mocked him, they took the purple off him, and put his own garments on him. They led him out to crucify him.

21 They compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross.

22 They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, “The place of a skull.”

23 They offered him wine mixed with myrrh to drink, but he didn’t take it.

24 Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take.

25 It was the third hour, and they crucified him.

26 The superscription of his accusation was written over him, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

27 With him they crucified two robbers; one on his right hand, and one on his left.

28 The Scripture was fulfilled, which says, “He was counted with transgressors.”

29 Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days,

30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!”

31 Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, “He saved others. He can’t save himself.

32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.” Those who were crucified with him also insulted him.

33 When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

34 At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

35 Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.”

36 One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down.”

37 Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit.

38 The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.

39 When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

40 There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

41 who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and served him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

Luke 23:26-23:49

26 When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus.

27 A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him.

28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

29 For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’

30 Then they will begin to tell the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and tell the hills, ‘Cover us.’

31 For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?”

32 There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death.

33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.

35 The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”

36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,

37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”

38 An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

39 One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!”

40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.

45 The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

46 Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.

47 When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.”

48 All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their breasts.

49 All his acquaintances, and the women who followed with him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

John 19:17-19:37

17 He went out, bearing his cross, to the place called “The Place of a Skull”, which is called in Hebrew, “Golgotha”,

18 where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. There was written, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

20 Therefore many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

21 The chief priests of the Jews therefore said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘he said, “I am King of the Jews.”’”

22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

24 Then they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it will be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says, “They parted my garments among them. For my cloak they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.

25 But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

26 Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”

27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.

28 After this, Jesus, seeing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty.”

29 Now a vessel full of vinegar was set there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop, and held it at his mouth.

30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.

31 Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation Day, so that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special one), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

32 Therefore the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who was crucified with him;

33 but when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs.

34 However one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

35 He who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, that you may believe.

36 For these things happened, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him will not be broken.”

37 Again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they pierced.”

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