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CRUCIFIXION OF THE MESSIAH

John chapter 19:17 to 27

We are not given many details of the crucifixion of Christ in this Gospel. It was a Roman form of execution, where the condemned was forced to carry a heavy wooden cross along a main road to the execution site, and then to be hung on it and suffer a hideously slow and painful death by suffocation, as he became weaker and the weight of his body made breathing difficult. The order of events described in the Gospels was as follows:

1. the arrival at Golgotha (Mat 27:33; Mark 15:22; Luke 23:33; John 19:17)

2. the offer of the stupefying drink refused (Mat 27:34; Mark 15:23)

3. Jesus is crucified between two thieves (Mat 27:35-38; Mark 15:24-28; Luke 23:33-38; John 19:18-24)

4. He utters the first cry,"Father, forgive..." (Luke 23:34)

5. The soldiers part His garments (Mat 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:23)

6. The Jews mock Jesus (Mat 27:39-44; Mark 15:29-32; Luke 23:35-38)

7. The thieves rail on Him, but one repents and believes (Mat 27:44; Mark 15:32; Luke 23:39-43)

8. The second cry," ...Today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43)

9. The third cry, "... behold your son ... your mother" (John 19:26, 27)

10. The three hours' darkness (Mat 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44)

11. The fourth cry, "My God, why ..." (Mat 27:46, 47; Mark 15:34-36)

12. The fifth cry, "I thirst" (John 19:28)

13. The sixth cry, "It is finished" (John 19:30)

14. The seventh cry,"Father, into thy hands ... " (Luke 23:46)

15. Our Lord dismisses his spirit (Mat 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30).

The place where the Lord was crucified, called Golgotha (place of a skull-shaped mount, not place of skulls), was a hill outside Jerusalem along a main road. Romans used prominent places for the execution of criminals, so everybody could see them.

The Lord Jesus not only fulfilled prophecy concerning Himself, but also the types in the Old Testament: just as every bit of the sin offering was taken outside the camp into a clean place (Leviticus 4:12), the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our sin offering, was also taken outside the city. The writer to the Hebrews emphasises the fact that our Lord suffered outside the gate (Hebrews 13:12).

Types of crosses and methods of crucifixion varied; some people were tied with ropes, but Christ was nailed to His cross. It is believed that His cross was originally meant for the murderer Barabbas, and that the two others, crucified with Him, were his companions in crime. It was customary to write the offence of the condemned on a scroll placed on the cross. Pilate ordered the words: THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS to be placed in Hebrew, Greek and Latin on the Lord's cross.

It was written in Hebrew for the Jews, the language of God's own people, in Greek for the Gentiles, the common language of commerce, culture and education among nations at that time, and in Latin for the Roman occupation forces, the language of secular power and authority. Thus, it was written for all to see that He was the King of the Jews.

The religious leaders protested, for they didn't accept that the title was rightfully His. They must have been uneasy because of the implied mockery of them, and afraid of the effect on the crowd. But Pilate refused to change the inscription: he was probably enjoying their discomfiture. Technically he was correct, for he had condemned Jesus on this charge made by the chief priests (as a direct descendent of the royal house of David, Jesus the legal son of Joseph would arguably have inherited the throne of David, had the nation not lost its sovereignty centuries before because of its idolatry).

Those who passed blasphemed Him, challenging Him to come down from the cross; the chief priests also mocked with the scribes and elders, saying He saved others yet Himself He couldn't save, and if He was the King of Israel, let Him come down from the cross, and they would believe Him: "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.' "

Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing (Matthew 27:39-44). Little did they know that precisely because He is the Son of God, He would not come down from the Cross: He didn't have to prove anything at this point, but was giving His life for the sins of the world, as had been planned before the foundation of the world. As surely as He took the place of Barabbas, He took our place.

The Roman soldiers in charge of the crucifixion shared His clothes, as was the custom. But the most valuable piece of His clothing was a seamless garment, so they cast lots to determine who would get it, thus unwittingly fulfilling prophecy (Psalm 22:18).

A group of women was standing at a distance, then drew near the Cross, among whom were:

• Mary Magdalene,

• Mary the wife of Clopas and mother of James the less and of Joses, and

• Salome, mother of the sons of Zebedee (Matthew 27:55, Mark 15:40), and sister of Mary the mother of Jesus,

• The mother of Jesus.

Of the disciples, only John is mentioned as being there so he appears to have been the only one of the apostles with courage enough to take his stand with the women by the Cross.

The Lord called his mother simply woman, just as He had at the wedding at Cana (chapter 2:4). His hour had come: He was to die, but He would rise again and be glorified. His relationship to His mother was to be severed (Matthew 12:47-50) and to her, as well as to us, He was to be the glorified Christ. His resurrection would clear her name and her reputation would be vindicated, but she must come to Christ in faith just as every other believer comes. Yet while He was giving His life for the sins of the world, He did not neglect her.

We know that Mary would later accompany the disciples as they met in prayer in the Upper Room after His resurrection (Acts 1:14), and after that she dropped out of the picture. As long as she lived, John would keep her in his home and care for her, as the Lord Jesus asked him to do. As Mary's eldest son, the Lord had been responsible for her support since the death of his stepfather Joseph. He was therefore fulfilling His responsibility by placing her under the care of His trusted disciple (and cousin) John.

Mary's other sons aren't mentioned as being present, and probably still did not believe in Him (chapter 7:5), though they did later: after His resurrection Christ appeared to James (1 Corinthians 15:7) and they all joined the disciples in the upper room, before Pentecost (Acts 1:14), and James became a leader in the church of Jerusalem (Acts 12:17, 15:13, 21:18).

Our Lord was put on the Cross at the third hour, which would be nine o'clock in the morning. By the sixth hour, or twelve noon, man had done all he could to the Son of God, and darkness settled down. That cross then became an altar on which the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world was offered. (Matthew 27:45).

At about the ninth hour, three o'clock in the afternoon, Jesus cried with a loud voice "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46). These are the opening words of Psalm 22, which also gives the answer in verse 3: "But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel." When our sin was put upon Jesus, God had to withdraw, and our Saviour had to suffer the penalty for sin: death.

Psalm 22 is a very clear prophecy of what was to happen on that day, and is another great evidence of the Messiahship of the Lord Jesus, who fulfilled it - and also those around him, unwittingly, including His enemies - to the letter.

 

R David Jones

 

 

 

 

 

 

17 And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,

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

19 Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

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

21 Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the 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 each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.

24 They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots." Therefore the soldiers did these things.

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!"

27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.