[:en]Jesus Sentenced to be Crucified (vs. 1-16)
Jesus was being flogged, a twisted crown of thorn was put in His head and a purple robe was being clothed. Then they struck him in the face. When Jesus was brought before Pilate, Pilate tried to set Him free. But the Jews shouted:”If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar” (v. 12) The religious leaders made 2 accusation against Jesus to ensure His crucifixion. They accused Him of blasphemy, which deserved death penalty in Jewish law. And they used “King of the Jews” to accuse Him of treason in the eyes of the Romans. Despite of their intense hatred against the Roman rule, the Jewish leaders pledged allegiance to Caesar and rejected their own Messiah. The priests were supposed to turn people to God but they claimed allegiance to Rome in order to kill Jesus.
The Crucifixion (vs. 17-25)
Jesus was brought to the Place of Skull (Golgotha), a hill outside Jerusalem. It was a main road where many executions took place so that many people could see. The condemned man was forced to carry the cross along the road to the execution site. there, Jesus was crucified with two others, one on each side. A note “:Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” was fastened to the cross. The soldiers took his cloths with undergarment remained. They divided the garments and cast lots for His cloths (v. 24) The 3 Mary – Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene stood near the cross of Jesus. Jesus entrusted His mother to His beloved disciple, John.
The Death of Jesus (vs. 28-37)
When Jesus said: “I am thirsty”, the Roman soldiers gave Him sour wine. After receiving the drink, he said: “It is finished” and He gave up His Spirit. He paid in full all the penalty of our sins. Those who believe in Him can approach God and live eternally with Him.
The body of the dead was not supposed to be exposed overnight according to God’s laws. (Deut. 21:23) and they were forbid to work sundown on Friday when the Sabbath began. So they wanted to get Jesus’ body off the cross and buried Him by sundown.
The two other men on the cross were still alive. So they broke their legs to hasten their death. But Jesus was already dead, so instead of breaking His legs, they pierce His side with a spear to prove that he really died.
The Burial of Jesus (vs. 38-42)
The death of Jesus changed 4 people:
- The criminal hanging on the cross beside Him was saved and included in God’s kingdom
- The Roman officer proclaimed that Jesus was surely the Son of God (Mar 15:33)
- Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower of Jesus came out and asked Pilate for the Body of Jesus
- Nicodemus, a member of Jewish high council brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes and put on His body.
Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus’ body with spices in strips of linen and placed Him in a garden with a new tomb.
Things to Ponder:
- As a leader of the church, do you make decisions based on truth and justice? Have you been pressured by the majority vote to change your decision? (Pontius Pilate)
- As a believer, whom do you pledge your allegiance to? the world or Jesus? (the Jews)
- Have you ever crucified Jesus through your words and deeds? (Soldiers and the Jews)
- It is never too late to accept Jesus as your personal Savior. Grab the opportunity while it is still available. (the man on the cross beside Jesus)
- Do you take good care of your family members and look after their welfare? (Jesus cares for Mary)
- Can Jesus entrust you with a mission? (Jesus entrusted Mary to John)
- Will you stand firm to your faith when others deserted Him? (John, the beloved)
- Are you a secret follower of Jesus and willing to come out to be His witness? (Joseph of Arimathea)
- What offerings can you give to Jesus? (Nicodemus)
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