Matthew 27:32-55 – Jesus’ Crucifixion
Crucifixion originated in Persia. A criminal was lifted up from the ground as to not defile the earth. The earth was considered sacred to their god, Ormuzd. The Romans didn’t invent crucifixion, but they perfected it as a form of torture and a punishment that produced a slow death with maximum pain and suffering.
Crucifixion victims were usually made to carry their own cross, which was just a horizonal beam. It was very heavy and about the size of a railroad tie. A man named Simon from Cyrene who was probably a visitor to Jerusalem was approached by the soldiers and was forced to carry Jesus’ cross.
As they led Jesus to be crucified, they came to a place outside Jerusalem where people were crucified called Golgotha. There Jesus was offered wine to drink mixed with gall. He tasted it, but refused to drink it. This was a form of sedative and Jesus didn’t want to His mind dulled.
The soldiers divided up His clothes and gambled over the last piece. Above His head they placed the written charge against Him: “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS”. – Matt. 27:37. Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on His right and one on His left. This symbolized that Jesus stood right in the center of sinful humanity. Even the robbers rejected Him. Luke 23:39-43 tells us that one of these robbers repented and trusted Jesus and one did not.
As people passed by they hurled insults at Him saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” – Matt. 27:40. The chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders also mocked Him. “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.” – Matt. 27:42.
Many today mock and ridicule Jesus and His followers. They mock Him as Savior, King, and as Son of God. They mock His Word and laugh at Christian beliefs. It’s done in politics, in the work place, in school and in social media. When God’s name is used in vain, they’re mocking God because He commands us to honor Him. People mock God in many ways - by ignoring Him, not quoting Him correctly, blasphemy, disrespect, disbelief, hatred, and plain contempt.
What should we do when we are ridicule for our faith? We should do what Jesus did. Don’t get defensive, never lash out in anger, pray for your enemies. We should not be surprised, because the Bible tells us this will happen.
Jesus hung on the cross for about 6 hours, between 9am and 3pm. As all this occurred, an unexplained darkness fell over Israel for about three hours. It happened at approximately from 12 noon until 3 in the afternoon. This darkness was a symbol of the wrath of God. God was angry and his frown removed the light of day (Spurgeon).
Jesus cried out in Aramaic, quoting the words of Psalm 22:1 – “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God the Father had laid all the guilt and wrath of the sin on God the Son in fullest measure. There was a feeling of separation between Him and the Father, because God looked away because God cannot look on sin. Jesus willingly and obediently bore the accumulated sin of all the Christ-rejecting, God-hating, sinful world of man -- which we deserved so we wouldn’t perish but have everlasting life. He satisfied the wrath of God for us. He was dying by His own choice and in submission to the will of the Father. “God had made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Cor. 5:21).
Some who heard Him said He was calling for Elijah and one of the people immediately ran and got a sponge and filled it with wine vinegar and offered it to Jesus to drink. The others said to leave Him alone and let Elijah save Him. Then Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and gave up His spirit and died. John 19:30 tells us Jesus said, “It is finished”.
At that very moment the curtain in the temple which symbolically separated men from the presence of God was ripped in two from top to bottom. Nature itself was shaken by the death of the Son of God. An earthquake broke open the graves of many holy people who had died and they were raised to life. When the soldiers saw all that had happened, they were terrified and in awe and said, “Surely he was the Son of God!” – Matt. 27:54b.
Jesus didn’t suffer as a victim. He was in control. Jesus said of His life in John 10:18 – “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” No one took Jesus’ life from Him, He yielded up His spirit. He stood in the place of all sinners, but never was a sinner Himself.
Principle: Jesus accomplished His task on earth and fulfilled His life’s mission; He paid our debt of sin, suffering the ultimate punishment on our behalf.
Was it necessary for Jesus to die? God cannot leave sin unpunished because He is just and holy. The punishment for sin is death. Jesus willingly died on the cross in our place so we wouldn’t have to. He bore God’s full wrath against sin when He died on the cross. His death freed us from slavery to sin and eternal punishment. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Rom. 6:23. “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” – Rom. 5:9-10. “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” – Rom. 6:18.
Matthew 27:57-66 – Jesus’ Burial
A man called Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus’ body and Pilate agrees. According to John 19:38 Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus. John also tells us that Nicodemus helped Joseph and together they took Jesus’ body, wrapped it in clean linen and placed it in his own, never-used tomb Joseph had cut out of a rock. Then he rolled a large stone in front of the entrance to the tomb. Mary Magdalene and another Mary sat and watched by the tomb. They probably planned to return on Sunday, after the Sabbath, with more burial spices for the body (Luke 23:56).
The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate and said, “We remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘after three days I will rise again’. So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciple may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” – Matt. 27:63-64. So Pilate had the tomb sealed and posted guards at the tomb to keep the body from being stolen, preventing the disciples from faking a resurrection.
Why is Jesus’ burial so important? First, the burial proves Jesus was really dead. Second, the burial was important because it was a fulfillment of prophecy in Isaiah 53:9. Third, the burial is important in our understanding of baptism which is our identification with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Principle: Jesus burial proved He was dead, it fulfilled prophecy, and helps us die to self and live to Christ.
Jesus’ died, but we know it’s wasn’t over. Next week we will study about His resurrection! Join me here next week as we study the last chapter of Matthew -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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