The Crucifixion of Jesus




Matthew 27:31-37

And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. (Matthew 27:31)

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The Romans used crucifixion extensively.

It was carried out along the highway to warn people of what happened to someone who violated Roman law.

Crucifixion was a vivid illustration of the consequences of going against Rome.

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Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. (Matthew 27:32)

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Executions had to take place outside the city because the Jews didn’t want it to be defiled.

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As the procession came out of the city, it was apparent that the Lord Jesus Christ’ strength was giving out.

His blood was draining away.

He had no sleep since the night before.

He had been betrayed by Judas Iscariot.

He had witnessed the defection of His disciples.

He had undergone the injustice of His trials.

He had endured the humiliations that followed.

The scourgings and beatings had taxed His strength.

And there were no angels to strengthen Him.

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As the Lord Jesus Christ came out of the city, Simon was coming out of the country.

As he walked by the procession, he was conscripted by the Roman soldiers to carry the cross of Jesus.

No Roman would carry a criminal’s cross, and certainly not that of a Jewish criminal.

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And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. (Matthew 27:33-34)

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The lord Jesus Christ wouldn’t drink the mixture of wine and myrrh.

He was not going to allow any of His senses to be dulled.

He was committed to enduring the full pain of the cross.

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Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots." (Matthew 27:35)

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A Jewish man usually wore five pieces of clothing: shoes, an inner garment, a headpiece, belt, and outer cloak.

The soldiers each took one piece.

Since there were four soldiers, they decided to gamble for the inner garment by casting lots.

How indifferent the soldiers were!

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Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. (Matthew 27:36)

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With cruel mockery they stayed on their guard to make sure nothing happened beyond what had already happened.

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And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. (Matthew 27:37)

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Pilate was mocking the Jewish leaders.

He wanted the people to look at that claim and laugh at both the Lord Jesus Christ and the Jewish nation.

He even had it written in three languages: Greek, the universal language; Aramaic, the language of the area; and Latin, the language of the Romans.

Pilate remained sarcastic to the very end.

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The world is full of people who are like the soldiers.

There are many people who laugh at even the thought of the Lord Jesus Christ, seeing Him as a joke.

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The world is full of ignorant people who are callous toward the Lord Jesus Christ.

They don’t know who it is they are rejecting.

Unless they awaken to Him, they’ll spend an eternity with the same kind of remorse these soldiers were experiencing.

1 comments:

  clmizell

July 26, 2011 at 10:12 AM

You have a very graphic way of explaining the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. I could see him at the point of Extreme Fatigue as he was being lead to the place of the skull. You have done a great job with this scripture and I'm sure many will benefit from your blog.

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