Jesus & Pilate (Matthew 27:1-31; Mark 15:1-20; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28-19:16)
~Matthew, in his account of Good Friday, is the only one of the four Gospel writers who tells us what happened to Judas, "And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself." (27:5 ESV) After feeling bad about betraying Jesus, Judas returns to the High Priests and tries to return the money. They won't take it, he hangs himself, and the priests buy a field with the money.
~The reason Jesus goes before Pilate next is because the Jewish Law did not have provision for the death penalty, so they wanted to condemn Jesus under Roman law and Pilate was the Roman Governor of the area. Although while reading Matthew and Mark we get the impression that there is one appearance before Pilate, we learn from Luke that after the priests tell Pilate that Jesus incites the people, Pilate learns that Jesus is Galilean. Pilate did not want to be the one to put Jesus to death so Pilate attempts to "pass the buck" to the ruler over in Galilee, King Herod. Herod does not find any reason to condemn Jesus to death and has Jesus sent back to Pilate.
~The reason Jesus goes before Pilate next is because the Jewish Law did not have provision for the death penalty, so they wanted to condemn Jesus under Roman law and Pilate was the Roman Governor of the area. Although while reading Matthew and Mark we get the impression that there is one appearance before Pilate, we learn from Luke that after the priests tell Pilate that Jesus incites the people, Pilate learns that Jesus is Galilean. Pilate did not want to be the one to put Jesus to death so Pilate attempts to "pass the buck" to the ruler over in Galilee, King Herod. Herod does not find any reason to condemn Jesus to death and has Jesus sent back to Pilate.
Jesus & Pilate round 2
~John shares with us a more intimate detail of the trial where Pilate takes Jesus inside and asks Jesus directly if he is the King of the Jews. Jesus tells Pilate that Jesus isn't an earthly king (right now) but is instead a king in Heaven. Pilate decides that there is nothing worth the death penalty in this and tells the crowd that he finds no fault in Jesus.
~Pilate attempts to appease the crowd and (this was an actualy tradition in the area) offer up two prisoners to be released around Passover time. The crowd decides on the murderer Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus.
~Pilate tells the crowd that Jesus is going to be flogged but he will not put Jesus to death.
~There is a misconception here that when Jesus is flogged, he is whipped 39 times. This would be true if he were whipped under Jewish Law, but he is not. Jesus was ordered to be whipped by Pilate and there was no such provision in Roman Law limiting the number of whippings a criminal would receive. Roman Law had it to where you would be beaten to a point where you would be near death, just not dead. More than likely this would have been a viscious beating and whipping of untold number of whippings.
~Pilate attempts to appease the crowd and (this was an actualy tradition in the area) offer up two prisoners to be released around Passover time. The crowd decides on the murderer Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus.
~Pilate tells the crowd that Jesus is going to be flogged but he will not put Jesus to death.
~There is a misconception here that when Jesus is flogged, he is whipped 39 times. This would be true if he were whipped under Jewish Law, but he is not. Jesus was ordered to be whipped by Pilate and there was no such provision in Roman Law limiting the number of whippings a criminal would receive. Roman Law had it to where you would be beaten to a point where you would be near death, just not dead. More than likely this would have been a viscious beating and whipping of untold number of whippings.
Pilate gives the death sentence
~The four Gospel accounts give the same events, just not in the chronological order. After the flogging Jesus was mockingly robed like a king, and the crown of thorns was placed on his head. Pilate leads Jesus in front of the crowd to show them that Jesus had been beaten and mocked but the crowd kept screaming for Jesus to die.
~ Pilate hears that Jesus had called himself the Son of God and he decides to question Jesus in private again (John 19:9-11). Jesus does not give any indication that he is looking to revolt against Roman rule so Pilate again decides that Jesus is not deserving of death.
~The crowd gets increasingly ridiculous and outrageous. When the crowd says, "We have no king but Caesar" they were completely full of hogwash because the Jews were famous for not submitting to any foreign rule; especially to the Romans. It is here that the crowd is near rebellion.
~ Pilate decides that he is getting nowhere with this crowd and does not want outright rebellion. He shows the crowd that he does not want any part in being Jesus' condemner so he washes his hands of Jesus' blood. Pilate gives in and turns Jesus over to be crucified.
~ Pilate hears that Jesus had called himself the Son of God and he decides to question Jesus in private again (John 19:9-11). Jesus does not give any indication that he is looking to revolt against Roman rule so Pilate again decides that Jesus is not deserving of death.
~The crowd gets increasingly ridiculous and outrageous. When the crowd says, "We have no king but Caesar" they were completely full of hogwash because the Jews were famous for not submitting to any foreign rule; especially to the Romans. It is here that the crowd is near rebellion.
~ Pilate decides that he is getting nowhere with this crowd and does not want outright rebellion. He shows the crowd that he does not want any part in being Jesus' condemner so he washes his hands of Jesus' blood. Pilate gives in and turns Jesus over to be crucified.
The hour has come... (Matthew 27:32-61; Mark 15:21-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-42)
~Remember earlier when we touched on Roman flogging? Jesus was flogged to the point where he could not carry his own cross because the Romans were brutal with flogging. Someone had to be forced to carry the cross for Jesus- a man named Simon from Cyrene. The place they went to was called Golgotha (in Aramaic) or Calvary (in Latin).
~ Luke only records a speech that Jesus says to the mourners following him in verses 28-31. Jesus was not speaking about present sufferings but was instead alluding to the Tribulation when things will be very bad for those here on earth.
~Matthew and Mark mention the bitter wine that is given to Jesus before he is put on the cross. Matthew mentions the inscription above Jesus' head (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews), but John tells us that it is written in three different languages common to the area (Aramaic, Latin, Greek). Have you ever seen a picture of the sign over Jesus' head and saw the letters "INRI"? This is your Latin for "Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum" (Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews).
~While up on the cross Jesus is mocked and taunted by the peanut gallery. How sad that they couldn't grasp the concept that Jesus was allowing his crucifixion to take place because it had been prophesied and must happen as the perfect sacrifice for sins...
~It has been mentioned that if Jesus were to have nails put through his hands it would not have supported his weight on the cross (which is true) but the purpose of the nails through your hands was not for support; it was to make it so that you could not manipulate the rope tied around your wrists (which was for support). Also the nails would have inflicted extra pain...
~ Luke only records a speech that Jesus says to the mourners following him in verses 28-31. Jesus was not speaking about present sufferings but was instead alluding to the Tribulation when things will be very bad for those here on earth.
~Matthew and Mark mention the bitter wine that is given to Jesus before he is put on the cross. Matthew mentions the inscription above Jesus' head (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews), but John tells us that it is written in three different languages common to the area (Aramaic, Latin, Greek). Have you ever seen a picture of the sign over Jesus' head and saw the letters "INRI"? This is your Latin for "Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum" (Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews).
~While up on the cross Jesus is mocked and taunted by the peanut gallery. How sad that they couldn't grasp the concept that Jesus was allowing his crucifixion to take place because it had been prophesied and must happen as the perfect sacrifice for sins...
~It has been mentioned that if Jesus were to have nails put through his hands it would not have supported his weight on the cross (which is true) but the purpose of the nails through your hands was not for support; it was to make it so that you could not manipulate the rope tied around your wrists (which was for support). Also the nails would have inflicted extra pain...
The promised sacrificial Lamb of God
~All four Gospels mention that the soldiers standing nearby cast lots to see who got Jesus' clothes
~Luke mentions about the two criminals hearing Jesus say, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (23:34
ESV) and how one mocks Jesus but the other asks to be remembered by Jesus when he dies. Oh how I wish I could hear Jesus say to me, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43 ESV)
~John speaks about what happens to Jesus' earthly mother when he tells John to take care of Mary. (John 19:26-27)
~Matthew, Mark, & Luke mention pure darkness from the 6th hour to the 9th hour. This would have been amazing to see because that's from 12 noon until 3 pm.
~Matthew and Mark record Jesus crying out at 3 pm, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34 ESV) Some of the mockers thought Jesus was calling for Elijah, the Old Testament prophet, to come save him. John records Jesus saying "I thirst" at this point so the on-lookers give him some of that sour wine on a sponge attached to a long stick. Luke records Jesus saying his last words, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (23:46 ESV)
~Luke mentions about the two criminals hearing Jesus say, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (23:34
ESV) and how one mocks Jesus but the other asks to be remembered by Jesus when he dies. Oh how I wish I could hear Jesus say to me, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43 ESV)
~John speaks about what happens to Jesus' earthly mother when he tells John to take care of Mary. (John 19:26-27)
~Matthew, Mark, & Luke mention pure darkness from the 6th hour to the 9th hour. This would have been amazing to see because that's from 12 noon until 3 pm.
~Matthew and Mark record Jesus crying out at 3 pm, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34 ESV) Some of the mockers thought Jesus was calling for Elijah, the Old Testament prophet, to come save him. John records Jesus saying "I thirst" at this point so the on-lookers give him some of that sour wine on a sponge attached to a long stick. Luke records Jesus saying his last words, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (23:46 ESV)
It is finished...
~John records that in order to speed up the criminals' deaths the Roman Centurions keeping watch were going to break the criminal's legs. They didn't break Jesus' legs because he was already dead. Instead they pierced his side with a spear. It is interesting to note that in ancient times the kidneys (not the heart) were thought to be the seat of emotion. Piercing someone's kidneys would have "broken their heart".
~Matthew, Mark, and Luke record the Temple curtain being torn in two from TOP TO BOTTOM- this couldn't have happened unless God Almighty himself were tearing it. This split in the curtain represents that there was no longer a barrier between man and the Lord God. Matthew & Mark also record earthquakes but Matthew tells of people coming alive up out of their graves and walking around the town for awhile.
~Matthew & Mark (after the earthquake) and Luke as well record a centurion's thoughts about who Jesus was. Matthew & Mark have the centurion saying that Jesus was the Son of God & Luke has him saying that Jesus was innocent.
~Evening comes and Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus- also a member of the Jewish council who did not agree with the council's decision on Jesus, comes to take the body of Jesus and put him into the tomb.
~Matthew, Mark, and Luke record the Temple curtain being torn in two from TOP TO BOTTOM- this couldn't have happened unless God Almighty himself were tearing it. This split in the curtain represents that there was no longer a barrier between man and the Lord God. Matthew & Mark also record earthquakes but Matthew tells of people coming alive up out of their graves and walking around the town for awhile.
~Matthew & Mark (after the earthquake) and Luke as well record a centurion's thoughts about who Jesus was. Matthew & Mark have the centurion saying that Jesus was the Son of God & Luke has him saying that Jesus was innocent.
~Evening comes and Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus- also a member of the Jewish council who did not agree with the council's decision on Jesus, comes to take the body of Jesus and put him into the tomb.
Remember THIS picture
~It is tempting to think back on all that we've gone over from only two days worth of events and remember the suffering and passion that was felt by Jesus Christ and focus on the sacrifice that Christ made for us on the cross. But I implore that you take a look at this picture (of the empty cross) and remember that Christ was placed on this cross ONCE, and sacrificed ONCE, but now the cross sits empty as a reminder of that SINGLE sacrifice. That is right folks, Jesus is not still nailed to the cross as a continuing sacrifice- that is not necessary- instead for right now he lays in the tomb awaiting his appearance for the single greatest event of all time...