Lesson 5.7 Jesus’ Crucifixion PART II

Objectives I will understand that Jesus’ death was absolutely necessary to defeat death I will feel the sadness at the crucifixion of Christ. I will feel the awe at the awesome power displayed when Jesus died.

Jesus before Pilate Jesus was taken to Pilate, who was not sure Jesus was guilty of any crime. Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but he was afraid that the religious leaders would report him to Rome if he didn’t go along with the plot against Jesus.  

Jesus before Pilate “What shall I do with Jesus?” Pilate asked the people. They answered, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am not guilty of this man’s death,” he said. Then he had Jesus flogged and handed Him over to be crucified.

Flogging The Roman Scourge (Flagrum) The Roman scourge, also called the "flagrum" or "flagellum" was a short whip made of two or three leather (ox-hide) thongs or ropes connected to a handle. The leather thongs were knotted with a number of small pieces of metal, usually zinc and iron, attached at various intervals. Scourging would quickly remove the skin. According to history the punishment of a slave was particularly dreadful. The leather was knotted with bones, or heavy indented pieces of bronze. 

Jesus had a red/purple robe put on Him, and a crown of thorns put on His head. The soldiers laughed at Him saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” They spit on Him. The took the staff and struck Him over and over on His head.

The Via Dolorosa Via-Dolorosa – path of the cross The Roman soldiers compelled a man from Cyrene, Simon, to carry Christ’s cross. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6dwOX6N_Tk

The Plan of the Cross The crucifixion of Christ was not an isolated event that took place in a historical vacuum. It was the saving event of human history that God had prepared from the eons of past eternity. Before God spoke the world into existence – He planned the cross!

The Plan of the Cross That’s why the Apostle John called Jesus: “…the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8; c.f. 17:18). “God has saved us and called us…not because of anything we have done, but because of His own purposes and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus…” (II Tim. 1:10).

The Preparation of the Cross Every animal sacrifice in the Old Testament pointed toward the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. This is especially significant because of the defining role that the shedding of blood played in every animal sacrifice.

Qualifications for Sacrifices Every sacrifice was to be perfect and precious – so they were costly. Each one was precisely prepared in every detail according to God’s instructions. In each animal sacrifice, there was a loss of life.

Qualifications for Sacrifices Central to every sacrifice was an altar upon which an innocent animal was slain. Most importantly, the shedding of blood was the very heart of every sacrifice. All of these annual sacrifices from the Old Covenant were foreshadows of the perfect and final sacrifice of Christ that was the basis for the New Covenant.

Qualifications for Sacrifices “…He entered heaven itself…to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priests enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all…to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself…so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people…” (Heb. 9:22-28).

The Prophecies of the Cross Fulfilled prophecies are some of the greatest proofs for the divine inspiration of the Bible. Fulfilled Prophecy is also one of the greatest proofs that Jesus was just who He claimed to be – God’s Messiah, the Savior of the world. No other religion in the world has such a wealth of fulfilled prophecy as does Christianity

The Prophecies of the Cross No other world religious leader’s coming was foretold hundreds of years in advance in such minute detail as was Christ’s! The Old Testament was written over an approximate 1,500 years and contains several hundred prophecies and references to the coming of Christ the Messiah. These prophecies can be divided into two types: prophecies of a Kingly Messiah and prophecies of a Suffering Messiah. Jesus Christ fulfilled both.

The Prophecies of the Cross Specific events that Jesus could not have in any way manipulated: • The place of His birth (Micah 5:2) • The time of His birth (Daniel 9:25) • The manner of His birth (Isaiah 7:14) • The details of His betrayal (Psalm 41:9) • The way He would be put to death (Psalm 22:1) • The circumstances of His burial (Isaiah 53:9)

The Prophecies of the Cross He would triumphantly enter Jerusalem (Zech. 9:9; LK. 19:28-44); He would be a “stumbling stone” to Jews (Ps. 118:22; Rom. 9:32-33); He would be rejected by His own people (Ps. 69:8; Matt. 21:42-43); He would be hated without cause (Isa. 49:7; Jn.; 15:25);

The Prophecies of the Cross He would be betrayed by a close friend (Ps. 41:9; Jn. 13:21); He would be sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12; Matt. 26:15); The money would be thrown into the temple (Zech. 11:13; Matt. 27:5); Money used to buy the Potter’s Field (Zech. 11:13; Matt. 27:7);

The Prophecies of the Cross He would be forsaken by His disciples (Zech. 13:7; Matt. 26:31-32); He would be accused by false witnesses (Ps. 35:11; Matt. 26:59-61) He would be silent before His accusers (Isa. 53:7; Matt. 27:12-19) He would be wounded and bruised (Isa. 53:5; Matt. 27:26) He would be smitten and spit upon (Isa 50:6; Matt. 26:67) He would be mocked (Ps. 22:7-8; Matt. 27:31)

The Prophecies of the Cross His friends would stand afar off (Ps. 38:11; LK. 23:49) He would be stared at on the cross (Ps. 22:17; Lk. 23:35) His garments would be gambled for (Ps. 22:18; Jn. 19:23-24) He would suffer thirst on the cross (Ps. 22:15; Jn. 19:28) Gall and vinegar would be offered Him (Ps. 69:21; Matt. 27:34) He would cry out a forsaken cry (Ps. 22:1; Matt. 27:46)

The Prophecies of the Cross He would commit Himself to God (Ps. 31:5; LK. 23:46) None of His bones would be broken (Ps. 34:20; Jn. 19:34) His side would be pierced (Zech. 12:10; Jn. 19:34) Darkness would cover the land (Amos 8:9; Matt. 27:49) He would be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isa. 53:9; Matt. 27:57-60) He would be resurrected from the dead (Ps. 16:10; Matt 28:6)

The Prophecies of the Cross He would fall beneath the cross (Ps. 109:24-25; Lk. 23:26) His hands and feet would be pierced (Ps. 22:16; Lk. 23:33) He would be crucified between thieves (Isa. 53:12; Mk. 15:27-28) He would pray for His persecutors (Isa. 53:12; Lk. 23:34)

The Pain of the Cross History teaches us that crucifixion as a means of execution was first used by the Phoenicians. It was also adopted by the Carthaginians, Egyptians and Romans. Cicero called crucifixion the "extreme and ultimate punishment of slaves", and the "cruelest and most disgusting penalty, the death of the lingering doom"      Josephus called it "the most pitiable of deaths." (Jewish War 7:203.) But it was the Romans who perfected this diabolical means of capital punishment – especially for the execution of rebellious slaves, disobedient foreigners and the lowest criminal classes.

The Pain of the Cross “He might hang for days in the heat of the midday sun and the cold of night, tortured by thirst, tortured by the gnats and the flies in the wounds of his torn back from the scourging. Often men died raving mad on their crosses. Neither did the Romans bury the bodies of crucified criminals. They simply took them down and threw them away and let the vultures and the crows and the dogs feed upon them” (William Barclay, The Gospel of John)

Latin (Classical Cross) The Pain of the Cross Latin (Classical Cross) Patibulum (Cross Bar) Stipe (Vertical Post) Titulus (Sign with the victim’s crime on it, mounted to a staff)

The Pain of the Cross The Position of the Nails In the small bones of the wrist . . Not the palm Jesus told Thomas: “Behold my hands.” Word used for hand included the wrist.

The Pain of the Cross https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3t-btAgTSI A Physician Looks at the Crucifixion by Dr. C Truman Davis is a powerful view of the physical and anatomical aspects of the passion and death of our Lord. What did the body of Jesus actually endure in the night and day leading up to Good Friday and those 6 hours of torture on the Cross.

Jesus’ Pronouncements from the Cross "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) "This day you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43) "Woman, behold your son." (John 19:26-27) "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:46) "I thirst." (John 19:28) "It is finished." (John 19:30) "Into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46)

The Power of the Blood Shed on the Cross Redemption: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins…” (Eph. 1:7) “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ…” (I Pet. 1:18) “To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father…” (Rev. 1:5) Justification: “Since we have been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” (Rom. 5:9)

Galatians 6:14 “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”