Because He Loves You...

One commentator has called it one of the most horrifying forms of execution ever devised.  Yet, it is the universal symbol for Christianity.  Today, we come to the cross of Jesus Christ.

 

It is Friday morning, and Jesus has been up all night being tried by Caiaphas and the Jews.  He was then tried by Pilate and the Romans.  Jesus was then sentenced to execution by crucifixion.

 

As I did two Sundays ago, instead of turning back and forth between all four gospels, I have attempted to harmonize the story of Jesus’ crucifixion from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

 

 

1. The Crucifixion of Jesus included a demonstration of unbelief: what was said by the Jews, what was believed by the Sanhedrin, and what was done by the other insurrectionists.

 

Luke 23:27-32

27 And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. 28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ 31 For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”  32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.

 

Mark 15:22-24

22 And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23 Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. 24 And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.

 

Did you know the word “Calvary” comes from the Latin word for skull “calvaria?”

 

John 19:24-25a

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.

 

This is the first of at least 4 and probably more fulfillments of OT prophecy in the crucifixion story.

 

Psalm 22:18

18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.

 

Mark 15:25-26

25 Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. 26 And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 

The third hour is 9 AM.  That was when Jesus was nailed to the cross.  They nailed the equivalent of railroad spikes in each wrist and through His feet, one on top of the other, and I will come back to this process in a just a moment.

 

John 19:20-22

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.”

 

The entire title probably read, “This is Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”

 

Mark 15:27-28

27 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. 28 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”

 

Here is the second fulfillment of OT prophecy.

 

Isaiah 53:12

12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

Luke 23:34

34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”  And they divided His garments and cast lots.

 

Mark 15:29-32

29 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”  31 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” 

 

Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.  Remember, the Jews thought Jesus was talking about the physical temple when He was really talking about Himself.  When the chief priests and scribes said He saved others, they were referring to Jesus’ healing ministry.

 

Luke 23:39-43

39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”  40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”  43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” 

 

We can learn much from the thief on the cross.  We learn that there is no waiting period between death and heaven for the believer.  Paul said to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. 

 

Secondly, we see that baptism cannot and will not save.  The thief was not baptized, not because he didn’t want to be but because of timing, and yet he was saved and spent eternity in the paradise of heaven.

 

John 19:26-27

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. 

This unnamed disciple was John, and we see that with believers, even relationships are transformed. 

 

The Christian family rises above the biological family.

 

 

1. The crucifixion of Jesus included a separation from the Father: was a judgment on sin, was judicial not relational, and allowed for Jesus to physically die.

 

Mark 15:33-35

33 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  35 Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!”

 

This is now 12 noon, and the whole city becomes dark.  Simply put, this was a supernatural event.  It was a sign of God’s judgment according to Amos 8:9-10.

 

Amos 8:9-10

9 “And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the Lord God, “That I will make the sun go down at noon, And I will darken the earth in broad daylight; 10 I will turn your feasts into mourning, And all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist, And baldness on every head; I will make it like mourning for an only son, And its end like a bitter day.

 

Here, we also see God’s holiness and justice as He turned away from sin because He could not look upon it as Jesus, even though sinless prior to this point, for a split second embodied the sin of all humanity.  See 2 Corinthians 5:21.

 

2 Corinthians 5:21

21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

 

John 19:28-30

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

 

Luke 23:46

46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last.

 

 

• The crucifixion of Jesus included the elimination of barriers: the barrier between God and man, Jews and Gentiles, and men and women.

 

Mark 15:38

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

 

Don’t simply pass over this.  This was significant.  This was the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple.  When Jesus died, everyone who would believe would then have personal access to God. 

 

Previously, you had to go to God through the human priest.  That changed when Jesus died on the cross. 

 

Hebrews 10:19-22

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

 

Matthew 27:52-53

52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

 

Now we have this third significant event that is recorded as happening when Jesus died.  First, the temple veil was torn.  Second, the earthquake occurred.  Third, Matthew recorded that tombs opened.

 

However, notice in verse 53 the timing of all this.  It says after Jesus’ resurrection, they came out of the tombs and went into Jerusalem and appeared to many.  I know this is weird, and it is debatable as to who these saints were.  Matthew certainly leaves many questions unanswered.

 

Mark 15:39-41

39 So when the centurion, who stood 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 looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, 41 who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

 

This Roman soldier was a Gentile who recognized that Jesus was the Savior not only for the Jews but for the entire world.

 

And the mention of these women is monumental considering the Twelve had deserted Jesus when they going got tough.

 

John 19:31-37

31 Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Then 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 did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. 36 For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” 

 

Now, for at least the third and fourth times, OT prophecy is fulfilled in the events of Christ’s crucifixion.

 

Psalm 34:20

20 He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.

 

Zechariah 12:10

10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

 

 

Conclusion

Jesus did all of this because He loves you.  Maybe it doesn’t sound like much.

 

Dr. Truman Davis is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine.  He is a practicing ophthalmologist and author of a book about medicine and the Bible.

 

“Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh, a mild analgesic, pain-reliving mixture.  He refused the drink.  Simon was ordered to place the patibulum on the ground, and Jesus was quickly thrown backward, with His shoulders against the wood.  The legionnaire felt for the depression at the front of the wrist.  He drove a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood.  Quickly, he moved to the other side and repeated the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexibility and movement.  The patibulum was then lifted into place at the top of the cross. 

 

The left foot was pressed backward against the right foot.  With both feet extended, toes down, a nail was driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed.  The victim was now crucified.

 

As Jesus slowly sagged down with more weight on the nails in the wrist, excruciating, fiery pain shot along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain.  The nails in the wrists were putting pressure on the median nerve, large nerve trunks which traverse the mid-wrist and hand.  As He pushed himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He placed His full weight on the nail through His feet.  Again there was searing agony as the nail tore through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of His feet.

 

At this point, another phenomenon occurred.  As the arms fatigued, great waves of cramps swept over the muscles, knotting them in deep relentless, throbbing pain.  With these cramps came the inability to push Himself upward.  Hanging by the arm, the pectoral muscles, the large muscles of the chest, were paralyzed and the intercostal muscles, the small muscles between the ribs, were unable to act.  Air could be drawn into the lungs, but could not be exhaled.  Jesus fought to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath.  Finally, the carbon dioxide level increased in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subsided.

 

He suffered hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, and searing pain as tissue was torn from His lacerated back from His movement up and down against the rough timbers of the cross. 

 

Then another agony began: a deep crushing pain in the chest as the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart, slowly filled with serum and began to compress the heart.

 

The end was rapidly approaching.  The loss of tissue fluids had reached a critical level; the compressed heart was struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood to the tissues, and the tortured lungs were making a frantic effort to inhale small gulps of air.  The markedly dehydrated tissues sent their flood of stimuli to the brain. 

 

The common method of ending a crucifixion was by the breaking of the bones of the leg.  This prevented the victim from pushing himself upward; the tension could not be relieved from the muscles of the chest, and rapid suffocation occurred.  The legs of the two thieves were broken, but when the soldiers approached Jesus, they saw that this was unnecessary.

 

Apparently, to make doubly sure of death, the legionnaire drove his lance between the ribs, upward through the pericardium and into the heart.  John 19:34 states, "And immediately blood and water came out."  Thus, there was an escape of watery fluid from the sac surrounding the heart and the blood of the interior of the heart.  This is rather conclusive post-mortem evidence that Jesus died, not the usual crucifixion death by suffocation but of heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium.”

 

Romans 5:8

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.