VIDEO Jesus’ Final Week, FRIDAY

Jesus’ Crucifixion and Death, Golgotha

Right after Pilate washed his hands and handed over Jesus to the crowd, Jesus was scourged.

 

 

Then, he was mocked, a crown of thorns was put to his head and he was led to the Golgotha to be crucified. On his way, he became too weak to carry the cross so Simon of Cyrene was pressed to carry the cross for him (Matt. 27:27-32).

Crucifixion

Crucifixion was Rome’s punishment for slaves, foreigners, and criminals who were not Roman citizens. It was the most agonizing and ignominious death a cruel age could devise. Nails were driven through the hands and feet, and the victim was left hanging there in agony, starvation, insufferable thirst and excruciating convulsions of pain. Death usually followed in four to six days. In Jesus’ case it was over in six hours. (Halley)

Christ is Crucified (Google Images)

The Site of the Crucifixion

Jesus was crucified “outside the city”, (John 19:17, 20; Heb. 13:12). At a place called “The Skull”, (Matt. 27:33; Mark 15:22; Luke 23:33; John 19:17). “Calvary” is Latin, “Golgotha” is Hebrew, for “skull”. There is only one place around Jerusalem which has borne, and still bears, the same “skull Hill”. It is just outside the North Wall, near the Damascus gate. It is a rock ledge, some 30 ft. high, just above “Jeremiah’s Grotto”, with a striking resemblance to a human skull.

The traditional place of the Crucifixion is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is inside the wall. Prevailing archeological opinion is that the wall is now just where it was in Jesus’ day, and that actual place of Jesus’ Crucifixion was the “Skull Hill”. (Halley)

Golgotha (Google Images/www.looking4theblessedhope.com

The Outline Story of the Crucifixion with the Seven Last Utterances

Since time immemorial, people believed that the utterances of a dying person are very important.

9:00 AM they arrive at Golgotha. As they are about to drive the nails in his hands and feet, they offer him wine mixed with gall, to stupefy him, and deaden the sense of pain. But he refuse it. (Halley)

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34 NASB), as they nailed him to the cross. As he hung there, all sorts of insult and mocker was thrown at him. Actually, even before he reached Golgotha, the Roman soldiers, elders and high priests mocked him. He prayed for them, a great application of his teaching, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44).

The soldiers cast lots for his garments and a superscription, “King of the Jews”, is placed above his head.

“Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43), he said this to one of the two robbers who were crucified with him. Both of them joined in the mockery (Matt. 27:44) but one of them changed his mind, acknowledged his sin and begged Jesus remember him when he come to his kingdom. As a result he was assured of his place in paradise (παράδεισος/’paradeisos’), “a place of future happiness or heaven.” (Strong-Lite)

“When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then He *said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.” (John 19:26-27) In his dying moments, Jesus showed great concern and love for his earthly mother. He made sure that she will be taken care of when he is gone. What a display of filial attention! An example all children should follow.

The darkness, from noon till 3:00 PM. His first three hours on the cross marked by words of mercy and kindness. Now he enters the final stage of expiation for human sin. Perhaps the darkness symbolizes God’s withdrawal, so that it might be an act of complete atonement. What Jesus suffered in that last awful three hours we can never know in this world. (Halley)

The last four utterances came just as Jesus was expiring.

“About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46 NASB) It was about 3:00 PM, after all, those who were hung on the cross were actually forsaken because of their sins. But in the case of Jesus, he was forsaken so that we can secure our access to the Father. He made the final sacrifice for our sins. He was alone!

“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, *said, “I am thirsty” (John 19:28 NASB). John gives us the context of this utterance, Jesus knew that he had already accomplished everything that the Scriptures has said. Thirst is one of the severest agonies of crucifixion (RWP). Burning fever and excruciating thirst were the accomplishments of crucifixion. It may have meant more. They offered him vinegar. His sufferings over, he took it (Halley). Unlike the wine mixed with vinegar in Matt. 27:34 which he refused to drink.

“Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30 NASB). As mentioned above, he was aware that the work of redemption has been fulfilled. Since it is already done, he “gave up his spirit”.  “No one took his life from him; he gave it up in a voluntary, unique act” (Bridgeway). Jesus is the ‘willing sacrifice’!

“And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last” (Luke 23:46 NASB). David also prayed the same prayer when he was in constant danger in Psalm 31:5. However, it doesn’t mean that the Psalm refers to the Messiah. In times of danger or death, we can always turn to our Father in heaven.

 

 

 

The following comments were taken from Halley’s Bible Handbook:

“Jesus was already dead when the spear pierced his side, after being on the cross six hours. Some medical authorities have said that in the case of heart rupture, and in that case only, the blood collects in the pericardium, the lining around the wall f the heart, and divides into a sort of bloody clot and a watery serum. If this is a fact, then the actual immediate physical cause of Jesus’ death was heart rupture. Under intense pain, and the pressure of his wildly raging blood, his heart burst open. It may be that Jesus, literally, died of a heart broken over sin of the world. It may be that suffering for human sin is more than the human constitution can stand. (John 19:33-34)

The Earthquake (Matt. 27:51-55). The earthquake, the rocks rent, and the tomb opened, were God’s salute to the Conquering Savior. The rending of the veil in the Temple, was God’s own proclamation that in the death of Christ the barrier between God and man disappeared (Heb. 9:8). The risen saints were God’s evidence and guaranty that the power of death had been broken. Note that even the centurion, officer of the Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus, was convinced that Jesus was indeed the Son of God.”

The Burial of Jesus, Joseph’s Tomb (Matt. 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:17-30)

“Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” (John 19:41-42 NASB) This means that the tomb in which Jesus was buried was very close to the place where he was crucified.

General Christian Gordon, 1881, found at the west foot of the “Skull Hill” a “Garden”. He set a gang of men to digging, and, under 5 ft of rubbish, he found a tomb of Roman times, cut in a wall of solid rock, with a trench in front where the stone rolled to the door.

The Garden Tomb” (Google Images/www.gracechurchsc.org)

There is an opinion that the “Garden Tomb” was the actual spot where Jesus was buried. (Halley)

Jesus’ Final Week – FRIDAY

 

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Good Friday: The Crucifixion and The Thief

 

Today is the day we call Good Friday, the celebration of the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the day we remember that our Lord was beaten, whipped, spat upon and had a crown of thorns pressed down into his scalp. He was forced to carry a large and heavy wooden cross until He had no more strength to carry it.

Then He was laid down on the cross as Roman soldiers hammered large iron spikes through His hands and feet (possibly the ankles) and then the cross was raised up. Death on a cross is caused by slow suffocation. With the arms nailed out to the sides, the weight of the body pulls down on the chest, making it harder to breathe. Over time, it gets even harder to breathe until after hours of agony, He could no longer breathe and died.

Without Christ’s death and resurrection, there would be no Christian faith and no hope of salvation.

While we focus on the crucifixion of Jesus, and rightly so, we often forget about the two thieves that were also crucified along with Jesus. One of those thieves received forgiveness of his sins and salvation while on the cross, providing us a lesson that it’s never too late to repent and be saved and received into heaven for all of eternity.

 

In 1983, I wrote this poem about that thief and I wanted to share it with all of you today.,

The Thief

The sand and grit will cut and bite

When carried by the wind’s force and might.

This desolate land so barren and brown

Can’t wait to get back to that miserable town.

 

Such pangs of hunger and feet so bare

Must get some money, steal if I dare.

From the rich or the poor, the widow or the lame

It’s not my fault, I’M NOT TO BLAME!

 

There’s no work to be found in this wretched land

And I was born poor ‘mongst a thieving band.

Never learned a trade or skill or such

For the likes of me, no one would touch.

 

So steal as I must to get by each day

As long as no one looks this way.

This way of living stinks like a sty

But it’ll be my way until I die.

 

Get your hands off me you Roman dog

I bought this food, I sold a hog.

What do you mean, throw him in jail?

I’ll curse you all, right down to hell.

 

You call me a liar and then a thief

You’ve hurt my pride, I slump in grief.

Not guilty I claim, may I testify

What! To be nailed to a cross and crucified?

 

I’ll curse and swear and bite to get free

You Roman swine can’t do this to me.

Carry that cross myself you say

Ha! You’ll not hang me up there today.

 

You filthy sand ticks, those nails do sting

I told you I’m innocent, don’t do this thing.

It’s not my fault, I’m not to blame

A-a-augh those nails feel hot as flame.

 

Well what do you know, there’s welcome news

They’re crucifying me next to the King of the Jews.

Hey Lord!  I like the company you keep

I guess we’ve sown and now we’ll reap.

If you’re God’s son and have no fear

Then why don’t you get us down from here?

What’s the matter, can’t you speak?

Look at me if you’re not too weak.

 

Oh my Lord the look in those eyes

Don’t swear at Him, don’t you realize?

He’s innocent, not like me

What are doing, can’t you see?

 

Lord forgive me and let me dwell

At your feet in heaven and not in hell.

I know my life has been but sin

But let my other life with you begin.

 

My guilt is no more and the pain is gone

For the first time in my life I feel like song

If only I’d found you before this day

I wouldn’t have sinned my life away.

 

By David Jolly

Original here

 

 

Our Heavenly Home

Revelation 21:22-27; Revelation 22:1-5

A popular misconception about heaven is that it’s ethereal and lacks any tangible substance, but this view is not supported in Scripture. John described the New Jerusalem as a material structure (Revelation 21:10-21). Although there are aspects that mirror our earthly existence, some things will be very different.

There will be no temple, “for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Revelation 21:22). Throughout the ages, there have been dedicated places of worship, like a temple or church building, but none of these will be necessary when God dwells among us.

The city has no need for sun nor moon, “for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23). God’s glory will light every inch of that city, and there will be no night.

The gates of the city will always be open. No enemy will ever storm these gates. Nothing impure will ever enter because sin is banished and only holiness dwells in this heavenly city.

It will be a place of abundance. From the living water originating at the throne of God to the fruit from the Tree of Life, all we need will be supplied.

There will no longer be any curse. Death and decay will be absent, and pain and suffering will cease to exist.

The government will be perfect. The Lord God will reign from His throne, and we’ll see His face and serve Him forever in delight.

What awaits us in the New Jerusalem is joy beyond comprehension because we’ll be with the Lord, the source of everything good.

He Days Shall Be Prolonged

“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” (Isaiah 53:10)

In this one verse, found in the wonderful 53rd chapter of Isaiah, there is an amazing prophecy of the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins, His resurrection from the dead, and the resulting salvation of many lost sinners.

This Old Testament chapter, written 600 years before Christ, contains probably the most complete and cogent exposition of the saving work of Christ on the cross to be found in the entire Bible.

How could it “please” the Lord to bruise His only begotten Son? It could only be because of the great work this would accomplish.

Then, indeed, “the pleasure of the LORD” would be realized. As to the Son, “he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11).

After the Father has allowed the enemies of His Son to “bruise him” to death, it would be soon known that this was actually “an offering for sin” and that, having satisfied the requirements of God’s holiness, the Son “shall prolong his days.” Though He died and actually “made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death” (v. 9), death could not hold Him and “he shall prolong his days.” As He would later proclaim: “I am alive for evermore” (Revelation 1:18).

And because He has done this, He “shall see his seed.” “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10). What a wonderful Savior! HMM

Be Armed with Courage

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

—James 1:6

When entering the prayer chamber, we must come filled with faith and armed with courage. Nowhere else in the whole field of religious thought and activity is courage so necessary as in prayer. The successful prayer must be one without condition. We must believe that God is love and that, being love, He cannot harm us but must ever do us good. Then we must throw ourselves before Him and pray with boldness for whatever we know our good and His glory require, and the cost is no object! Whatever He in His love and wisdom would assess against us, we will accept with delight because it pleased Him. Prayers like that cannot go unanswered. The character and reputation of God guarantee their fulfillment.

We should always keep in mind the infinite loving-kindness of God. No one need fear to put his life in His hands. His yoke is easy; His burden is light.   WTA048

Increase my faith; increase my courage. Amen.

 

To do good and to communicate forget not

To do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.—Hebrews 13:16.

Freely ye have received, freely give.—Matthew 10:8.

 

Surely Thou hast some work for me to do!

Oh, open Thou mine eyes,

To see how Thou wouldst choose to have it done,

And where it lies!

Elizabeth Prentiss.

 

Then saw I that each kind compassion that man hath on his fellow-Christians with charity, it is Christ in him.

Juliana.

 

Say not you cannot gladden, elevate, and set free; that you have nothing of the grace of influence; that all you have to give is at the most only common bread and water. Give yourself to your Lord for the service of men with what you have. Cannot He change water into wine? Cannot He make stammering words to be instinct with saving power? Cannot He change trembling efforts to help into deeds of strength? Cannot He still, as of old, enable you in all your personal poverty “to make many rich?” God has need of thee for the service of thy fellow men. He has a work for thee to do. To find out what it is, and then to do it, is at once thy supremest duty and thy highest wisdom. “Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.”

George Body.

 

You Should Be An Expert Searcher

“For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.” Exod. 34:11

This He does at the first when His elect are like wandering sheep that know not the Shepherd or the fold. How wonderfully doth the Lord find out His chosen! Jesus is great as a seeking Shepherd as well as a saving Shepherd. Though many of those His Father gave Him have gone as near to hell-gate as they well can, yet the Lord by searching and seeking discovers them, and draws nigh to them in grace. He has sought out us: let us have good hope for those who are laid upon our hearts in prayer, for He will find them out also.

The Lord repeats this process when any of His flock stray from the pastures of truth and holiness. They may fall into gross error, sad sin, and grievous hardness; but yet the Lord, who has become a surety for them to His Father, will not suffer one of them to go so far as to perish. He will by providence and grace pursue them into foreign lands, into abodes of poverty, into dens of obscurity, into deeps of despair; He will not lose one of all that the Father has given Him. It is a point of honor with Jesus to seek and to save all the flock, without a single exception. What a promise to plead, if at this hour I am compelled to cry, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep”!