The Crucifixion
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Theme: The Life of Christ
Hope: To draw closer to our Lord and Savior through a greater understanding of his life and teachings here on earth.
Lately, we have been going over the last week and even last day of Jesus’ life before his death on the cross.
As we have noticed there was a great deal of happenings and teachings that went on even that last of his life.
In the last sermon we examined the Judas Potential that is in all of us and the need to guard against such.
How, if we are not careful we can go from a soldier of Christ to a deserted traitor of our Lord’s.
Today, we are going to pick up where Judas’ infamous kiss was meant and expected to lead, Jesus’ crucifixion.
And oh what a horrible scene it was.
The Prophecy
The Prophecy
This Had Been Predicted.
This Had Been Predicted.
About a thousand years before Jesus’ birth, David, speaking on behalf of the coming Messiah, described what the Messiah would endure on the cross.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— 17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
This is with out a doubt the most comprehensive biblical record of Jesus’ physical and emotional trauma.
And it was written a thousand years before it happened!!!
There were several prophecies about his crucifixion.
The Messiah’s back was to be beaten while his hands and feet were to be nailed to the cross.
6 I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.
16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—
The Messiah’s garments would be divided and he would be given vinegar and gall for his thirst.
18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
21 They also gave me gall for my food, And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
The Messiah’s bones were not to be broken, because he was the antitype of the passover lamb, even though it was common for the legs of those crucified to be just that (John 19:32).
46 It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones.
20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
The Messiah was also to be given a burial which was uncommon for those crucified.
Typically they were left to rot and be devoured by animals.
9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Summary
Summary
These prophecies are powerful evidence of the divine origin of God’s word.
There is no doubt the Bible is from God.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
With that in mind the question might should be asked…
Why The Cross?
Why The Cross?
The Jews Capital Punishment.
The Jews Capital Punishment.
The Jews were not “unfamiliar” with crucifixion and had used it on occasion.
However, this was very rare as they typically relied on four forms of capital punishment.
During biblical times the Jews mostly used stoning, but were also known for burning, decapitation, and strangulation.
So...
Why Was Jesus Hung On A Cross?
Why Was Jesus Hung On A Cross?
Why was Jesus hung on a cross in this Roman way?
There are several reasons for this, one of which is that Rome was the one who was “supposed” to handle all capital punishment cases.
But there are several others as well.
First, Christ had to die in some fashion that involved the shedding of his blood.
Without this there could be no remission of sin.
22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
Because the wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23), man, because of his sin, was supposed to forfeit his right to life.
Thankfully, it was determined that God’s Son would offer his life in exchange for man’s.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
It’s because of this that the cross was chosen as the method of death.
This method was consistent with the heavenly plan.
Secondly, under the Old Testament, hanging a body upon a tree was a special token of accursedness.
In Deuteronomy 21:23, Moses would write…
23 his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
Crucifixion was consider a most shameful punishment and was by design meant for the worst of the worst criminals.
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—
The numerous times the cross is called a “tree” is by design because it points back each time to what Moses wrote.
And as such Jesus not only took on the sins of the world by shedding his blood he also took on our “shame and curse” that comes with sin.
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Thirdly, the cross is a witness.
How is it that such a horrible mode of death that was so despised could become such a glorious badge of honor for Christians?
The “word of the cross” was synonymous with the gospel.
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Paul would write in Galatians 6:14…
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
The cross became a silent witness for authentic Christianity as it transformed from the symbol of embarrassment to the symbol of the saved.
After all we “take up our cross daily.”
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Summary
Summary
The cross was necessary because…
Blood had to be shed for our reconciliation.
A tree was required to removed our shame and guilt.
There needed to be a witness that stood the test of time and proved one’s obedience.
With all that being said we would be remiss if we didn’t actually take the time to be reminded of what our Lord and Savior actually went through on that cursed tree.
So let’s take a moment to remember…
Jesus & The Cross
Jesus & The Cross
The Prospective Victim.
The Prospective Victim.
Typically, before one was crucified, they were subjected to scourging or flogging.
This was a beating delivered with a three-thong whip, fashioned with plaited leather, and studded with bone and metal fragments.
The victims were stripped naked and then secured with leather ties.
He was then whipped from his upper back to the lower parts of his legs.
The flesh of the one being flogged would be flayed from the muscle.
Eventually the muscle could even be shredded from the bone often leaving the spine, ribs, and other bones visible in a bloody mess on the back..
Often these men died before they were even crucified from the extreme pain and lose of blood.
The Journal of the American Medical Association wrote several years ago…
“The severe scourging, with its intense pain and appreciable blood loss, most probably left Jesus in a pre-shock state. Moreover, hematidosis had rendered his skin particularly tender. The physical and mental abuse meted out by the Jews and the Romans, as well as the lack of food, water, and sleep, also contributed to his generally weakened state. Therefore, even before the actual crucifixion, Jesus’ physical condition was at least serious and possibly critical.” Dr. W. Edwards
Having suffered such unimaginable pain the beaten and bloody were then taken to be…
Hung On A Tree.
Hung On A Tree.
Some history of crucifixion.
Crucifixion it appears to have originated with the Persians roughly 522 BC.
It was a most horrible way to die, obviously.
Later it was employed by the Greeks.
Following the destruction of Tyre, Alexander the Great crucified 2,000 men of military age.
The Jews even used crucifixion on occasion.
In the 400 years of written biblical silence, Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 BC) crucified 800 Pharisees who had been involved in a revolt.
But the Romans were the most noted for this heinous practice.
In 71 BC, following a slave revolt in Rome, 6,000 recaptured slaves were crucified on the Appian Way leading to the city.
After suffering the floggings the one being crucified would be required to carry his cross as far as he could.
Many scholars believe this was just the upper part of the cross but even that still weighed about 125 pounds.
It’s no wonder Jesus fell under the weight of it.
26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.
Upon arriving at the “place of the skull” Jesus would have been laid on the ground with the crossbeam under his upper back.
The arms then would have been attached with nails into the hands.
The Greek word for hands means also wrists, and since it is true that the palm tissue cannot support the weight of a person it is believed they were driven into the wrists.
Next Jesus after being lifted up and placed on the pole in the ground, Jesus’ feet would have been nailed to the upright beam.
In 1968 the first remains of a crucified man were discoed in Jerusalem.
A seven inch spike was driven through the young man’s heels.
The actual cause of death was usually either a loss of blood or suffocation.
Hence why they would break the legs to hasten the death as one on a cross could live easily for 36 hours or more.
Summary
Summary
Our Lord and our Savior suffered a most breathtaking beating and then a most horrendous death.
He hung upon the cross for a miserable six hours for my sins and yours.
Conclusion
Conclusion
I’m reminded of what the great prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 53.6…
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
All of us have gone astray but thanks be to God, that he sent his only begotten son for each and every one of us.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.