Matthew 27:26-44 (Click title for audio access)
"The Crucified" • 4.10.11 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- We continue to stand on very sacred ground together in the theater of time, gazing at the Cross of Jesus Christ.
- I don't want to be guilty of overstatement or understatement when it comes to these verses. I cannot stress their importance to the Christian life enough.
- And while that is the case, I do not think that there is any way to sufficiently cover the amazing, pivotal moments in our history.
- I pray that as we look on, the Holy Spirit, will draw our attention to the details that our spiritual ears need to hear.
Text
• Matthew 27:26 : " Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified." : Barabbas, the criminal, has gone free, Jesus has been scourged and now Pilate delivers Him to be crucified.
- This was the will of the people, who nearly rioted in order to secure this judgment.
- Crucifixion was a very common practice in the Roman empire, one commentator mentioning that there were 30,000 Jewish men that the Roman Empire crucified!
- Rome was indeed practiced, though they were not the originators of this brutal practice.
- Some believe that the Egyptians practiced crucifixion when the Pharaoh "hung" the chief baker. Later, the Persians "hung" a man named Haman, who had tried to extinguish the Jewish race.
- The practice seems to have been employed by many nations. In the annals of history, Jesus was just another person sentenced to this horrifying death.
- For Jesus, this had been the will of the people, but it was also the will of His Father.
- Crucifixion had to be the method that would end His life. There was no other death that could have fulfilled scripture as perfectly.
- Stoning was the method of His own people, but it was crucifixion that the Old Testament prescribed for the Messiah to endure.
- When Abraham and Isaac went up the mountain to worship the Lord, Isaac carried the wood upon his back, just as Jesus would carry the wood of His cross.
- During the first Passover, the blood of the lamb was to be placed upon the sides of the door, as well as the lintel or the top part of the door, forming a cross.
- When Israel was out in the wilderness and snakes had been allowed to rise up and bite the people, Moses was ordered to raise a bronze standard with a snake draped across the top.
- The Psalmist specifically writes that they pierced His hands and feet in Psalm 22:16.
- Jesus had to die this specific way in order to fulfill the pictures in the Old Testament that prophetically spoke of Him. Crucifixion was the only method that would qualify.
- God went to all this trouble to be sure that Jesus came to earth at this exact time and in that exact place, so that He would die in this exact way!
• Matthew 27:27-29 : "Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!'" : The Praetorium was the head quarters of the Roman brigade. This was a well adorned palace made by Herod The Great
- The entire garrison was there. They had nothing better to do this day and each was now available to add insult to injury.
- They are ignorant of the theology. To them, this was just another criminal to harass.
- They were under the impression that Jesus had proclaimed Himself to be the King of the Jews. This was a major insult to their authority and in the eyes of the world, a silly concept.
- The Jews were under Roman occupation. What good was a King to an occupied people? They chose to mock Jesus as the King of the Jews. How would they treat a defeated King?
- First, they removed His clothing, leaving Jesus completely naked. Any dignity that could be removed, was removed.
- This would have been additionally injurious, as the scourge would have left the Lord's back bloody. The cloth would have dried upon it and I'm sure that the soldiers did not remove it kindly.
- Jesus stands there naked and what do they put upon Him? A scarlet robe. Of all things to put upon Jesus at this moment, a roman military cloak that was scarlet colored.
- Two allusions stand out to us. First, there is the allusion of being clothed. Clothing often refers to righteousness. Here Jesus is unclothed. He is naked physically, but also theologically!
- Jesus is becoming the federal representative of sinful man, who is born without clothing.
- The second allusion reminds us of the words of Isaiah the prophet that he uttered in Isaiah 1.
- God has been rebuking Israel for their external religion that caused them to ignore their true calling from the Lord. He hated their meetings and wants them back on track. Listen to these words.
• Isaiah 1:16-18 : "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. 'Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the Lord, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool."
- What a beautiful picture that the Holy Spirit leaves for us. Jesus became naked and was clothed temporarily with the scarlet thread of our sin and shame!
- This was literally put upon Him by sinful men, and theologically, in obedience to His Father.
- Then, the soldiers supposed that the King of the Jews would need a crown. They would make it from thorns. There are several men who have been to Israel that claim to know the exact thornbush!
- However strong and large the thorns were, and there are some horrendous indigenous thorns, this was another in a long line of painful experiences.
- They did not just set the thorns gingerly upon Christ's head. They twisted them down upon Him, opening up a fresh head wound. The pain is indescribable.
- The thorns also provide a reminder of the curse that Man's sin brought upon the earth. Jesus would bear the fruit of the curse upon His very head.
- Finally, the soldiers gave Jesus a mock sceptre, a reed in His hand. This particular reed is similar to our bamboo in appearance, but a bit more flexible.
- Then in a final moment of irony, the soldiers bowed before the Lord in mockery. "O hail the King of the Jews!"
- What a frightening moment when these mockers learn to bow before the Lord and acknowledge His majesty.
• Matthew 27:30,31 : "Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 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." : They just kept on spitting and beating and berating Him. It was never enough!
- Jesus would now begin to actually walk with the cross beam that He would eventually be nailed to. The walk was about a tenth of a mile, not a long walk, but consider the details.
- Jesus has likely not slept at all the night before. He was beaten with fists late in the evening by the gathering at Caiaphas' home. Early Friday morning, He endured a Roman scourge.
- This would have left His back open and exposed. Now, He has had a crown of thorns placed upon HIs head, allowing even more blood to spill.
- Blood loss of this nature would lead to serious shock. Now, they have hit Jesus on the head again with this reed. It's possible that Jesus suffered from a concussion by this time.
- Now, He is going to walk a tenth of a mile, with a cross beam tied to His shoulders!
- The cross beam alone would weigh over a hundred pounds. Some have suggested that Jesus carried the entire cross, which would have put the weight in the 2 to 300 hundred pound range.
- Imagine what it's like having the worst flu that you have ever had. Now, walk a 10th of a mile without any weight attached! That He could carry the cross for any amount of time is a testimony.
• Matthew 27:32 : "Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross." : The soldiers knew that He could not have carried the cross for long. This is where Simon of Cyrene comes into the picture.
- Cyrene is modern day Libya. He may have been one of the many traveling Jews that had come into Jerusalem for the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread.
- He was uninvolved, but that didn't matter to the Romans. It was not unusual for Roman soldiers to force anyone within their realm to carry luggage or other burdensome things for them.
- All they needed to do was press their sword upon your shoulder and you were pressed into service! They pressed Simon into service and made Him carry Christ's cross.
- Mark identifies Simon as being the Father of Alexander and Rufus, who is mentioned by Paul in Romans 16, who again mentions that Rufus' mother is a mother to him.
- It's entirely possible that this "chance" moment changed the entire landscape of his family's life! It was a moment that changed their lives!
• Matthew 27:33,34 : "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." : The word "Golgotha" means "Skull." it's a craggy hillside just outside of Jerusalem.
- The crosses were laid out on the ground and it was standard procedure for the Romans to give the condemned a final drink, a medicinal chaser.
- There is some debate as to the intent of this drink. Some believe it to be an anasthetic. Others believe that it was an actual poison. That's what the word "chole" means.
- In their mind, their were being merciful. Why endure the pain of the cross? This man was already walking dead. Why prolong it?
- In the mind of Satan, he was stopping the cross. This was God's finest moment. Redemption history is about to be fufilled. Prophecy is about to be fulfilled.
- In the mind of Jesus, He was refusing to bend. He was still choosing the cross.
- He tasted it, but He did not drink. He was not going to be anasthetized or poisoned! He would taste the full measure of the Father's cup, without dulling or diverting the affects.
• Matthew 27:35 : "Then they crucified Him..." : The Romans laid their victims on the ground and put them in positions that allowed their legs leverage.
- Often times, criminals were tied to their cross with ropes. This would keep a person alive as long as possible, hanging helplessly in the hot middle eastern sun.
- The elements would become an additional part of the torture, from exposure to the sun, as well as flies and even birds. It wasn't uncommon in some cases, for dogs to come and begin to eat.
- Jesus was nailed to His cross while on the ground, the metal spikes, about 5 to 7 inches in length, would be driven through the right and left hand.
- The feet would be placed one upon the other and nailed together.
- There is some debate as to the precise location of the nails. Part of the issue is that no bones could be broken, but it had to be in a place that would support the weight of a human body.
- Most scholars believe that the nail was placed in the wrist area, between the radial and ulna bones of the forearm. The two bones would provide the strength to support the body.
- A person's body weight would pull down upon his arms, causing his lung capacity to shorten. Instinct would drive him to push up to breathe would put added pressure upon the nail in the feet.
- You had to choose which you wanted: Breathe or endure searing pain!
˚ "A death by crucifixion seems to include all that pain and death can have of the horrible and ghastly. Dizziness, cramp, thirst, starvation, sleeplessness, traumatic fever, tetanus, shame, publicity of shame, long continuous of torment, horror of anticipation, mortification of untended wounds, all intensified just up to the point at which they can be endured at all but all stopping just short of the point which would give to the sufferer the relief of unconsciousness. The unnatural position made every movement painful. The lacerated veins and crushed tendons throbbed with incessant anguish. The wounds inflamed by exposure gradually gangrened. The arteries, especially at the bead and stomach, became swollen and oppressed with surcharged blood and while each variety of misery went on gradually increasing, there was added to them the intolerable pang of a burning and raging thirst. And all these physical complications caused and internal excitement and anxiety which made the prospect of death itself, of death, the unknown enemy at whose approach man usually shudders most, bear the aspect of a delicious and exquisite release." Frederick Ferrare
- Crucifixion was less an execution. It was much more about torture and making a statement.
- Essentially, crucifixion would end with asphyxiation, when the victim could no longer muster the strength or will to lift himself for breath.
- Once Jesus was nailed to His cross, the beams would then be lifted into upright position.
• Matthew 27:35,36 : "...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.' Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there." : Literally, the soldiers began to tear at His clothes and began playing a game that would determine who ended up with what piece of His clothing.
- This is a fulfillment of Psalm 22:18. Listen to these words of the Psalmist.
• Psalm 22:16-18 : "For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots."
- Jesus was hanging naked upon the cross and the soldiers, not knowing the scriptures, sought to gamble with His clothes.
- The Lord's clothes were no doubt soaked in blood. They could not have had any value. But these were bored soldiers looking for another way to mock and de-value the Lord.
• Matthew 27:37 : "And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS." : It was customary for the Romans to place the charge over the top of the condemned.
- In fact, most of the time, one would either wear the charge on their way to the cross site or soldiers would carry the charge upon a standard, as they walked to the site.
- In the case of Jesus, Pilate had written out this charge in Hebrew, Greek and Latin.
- This was much to the dislike of the religious leaders, who protested directly to Pilate.
- They wanted him to write that He said that He was the King of the Jews, but they Pilate was all out of accomodation.
- They were indignant that this sign proclaimed Jesus to be their King. He was not their King by choice, but He was and is indeed, their one and only King!
- It has been suggested that another possibility for their outrage was that the Hebrew letters that begin each of the main words stand out from afar as "YHWH."
- In any event, when people passed by, they had no choice but to recognize Jesus in this way.
• Matthew 27:38-44 : "Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, 'You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.' Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 'He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing." : Jesus is placed between two robbers, likely the ones that had been in league with Barabbas.
- Isaiah 53:12 tells us that He would be numbered with the transgressors and here it is, the King of all creation, standing next to two common thieves.
- It wasn't enough that Jesus was crucified, in complete agony. The hatred continued. People came by and insulted Him, while He was on the cross.
- They wagged their head, or shook their heads in disappointment and disgust. They had heard of him speaking of the temple and now told Him to come down and save Himself!
- They blasphemed Him and His claim to be the Son of God. At the same time, the Chief Priests and their phony religious friends stood there as well, mocking.
- Notice what the say here: He saved others! There was never a dispute with the miracles that the Lord performed, except where they came from!
- But here again, the chief priests make an interesting comment: "He saved others; Himself He cannot save!" If He did, we would be lost forever. This was a true statement that they made.
- That was the extent of their truth, as they also said, "If you come down we'll believe." If Jesus took them up on their offer, they would have found some other explanation!
- "See, He's in league with the devil after all!" They had enough to believe, but they chose not to. Even here, where prophecies are being fulfilled left and right, they will not see it!
- They mocked Jesus as the Son, the Savior, the King and finally, as a believer. "He trusted in God." The implication is that if we trust in God, then there will be no suffering!
- "Let Him deliver Him now." What a sad misunderstanding and misrepresentation of the nature of God! It was God who delivered Christ to be crucified!
- The greatest thing that could possibly be done for humanity was happening at that very minute! His suffering was procuring salvation for the very men who mocked.
- The robbers, who were in just as much agony as Jesus was, even spent their precious breath on insulting Jesus in the same way!
- Utter hatred and vile wickedness, all focused in one direction.
Conclusion
- If there has ever been a doubt about God's commitment and love for you, let it be settled now! If you have ever suffered for Him, even a moment, know that it's nothing compared to this.
- He went through this, the suffering, the pain and the hatred, so that you will never have to!
- He was treated in an opposite way than what He deserved, so that He can treat you in an opposite way than you deserve!
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