Following the Messiah(Part 24): Jesus' Death

Wayne Galloway
07/01/20 - Wednesday Evening Study/Service

Wayne T. Galloway

www.fortloganchurchofchrist.com

11 Following the Messiah Episode 10 (0-4:55)   Jesus’ Death

Opening:

1.  You have viewed the video “Following the Messiah Episode 10” at www.appianmedia.org and have worked through the study guide Lesson Eleven available by request at wtg2@hughes.net.

2.  In the last few lessons we have focused on the final week of Jesus’ life.  Most recently we have studied about His trials before the Jews and the Romans.  He has been charged with blasphemy for claiming to be the Son of God, the Messiah, and a King.

3.  He has been delivered over to be crucified.  The study guide from Appian Media observes that the gospel accounts provide a detailed notation of the chronology of the events associated with Jesus’ death.

4.  We will follow that chronology in this lesson.

Into the Text:

1.  6:00 – 9:00 am Friday   Read Matt. 27:26-30.  Read Mk. 15:16-21.

The diagram below will help to give you an idea of what a scourging entailed.

Pilate had Jesus scourged and then handed Him over to be crucified.  Jesus was dressed in purple and crowned with thorns and mocked.  They beat His head with a reed and spat upon Him, kneeled and bowed before Him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

2.  Shortly before 9:00 am Friday.  Read Jn. 19:16-17; Lk. 23:26-33.  

It was typical that the condemned carry the cross to the place of crucifixion.  There are those who debate whether Jesus carried only the cross beam or the entire cross to the place of crucifixion.  We will not enter that debate.  The fact of the matter is there are many details that are not made explicit in the biblical record.  Attempts to reconstruct the crucifixion necessarily involve some level of “interpretive license.”

The record says that Simon of Cyrene was pressed into service to carry the cross after Jesus, Himself, had born it some distance.

The 2004 Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ portrays the final twelve hours in the life of Jesus.  For a three minute excerpt portraying the crucifixion go to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoiF8skHYAc. 

I find it interesting that our tendency, as evidenced in the movie and other depictions, is to focus on the severity and emotion associated with being crucified.  And this legitimately catches our attention, but the gospel accounts speak simply, “They crucified Him.”  There is no detail about suffering.  There is no detail about what one dying on a cross experienced medically, not even by Luke, the physician.  No word is spoken about how much pain He must have endured.  If John was the one identified as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (Jn. 19:26) he was there personally and left out so many details.

3.  9:00 am to 12 noon Friday.  Read Lk. 23:34-43.

The mocking continued, even as Jesus hung there on the cross.  “If you are King of the Jews, save Yourself!”  Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”   I am reminded of 1 Pet. 2:21-24. 

One of the criminals abused Him, but was rebuked by the other.  That one appealed to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into Your kingdom.”  Jesus said, “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

4.  12 noon to 3:00 pm Friday.  Read Mk. 15:33-37.

“Darkness fell over the whole land.”  This occurred at mid-day.  Jesus quoted the first verse of Psa. 22.  It is ultimately a Psalm about God’s concern.  Verse 24 says, “He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from him; but when he cried to Him for help, He heard.”  Some, focusing attention on this fact observe that quoting the first verse implies everything afterward.  Thus, they draw the conclusion that God really does not forsake the afflicted.  While there is some sense in which this is true, ultimately Jesus arose from the dead and even in the Garden God sent an angel to comfort Him, but let’s not overlook the fact that there is also a sense in which Jesus is forsaken to the death of the cross.  I think this is a hard thing to accept for us, that the Father could have forsaken the Son.  But isn’t this required as the payment for our sin?   Perhaps we do not want Jesus to have to be forsaken by God for our sin.  I know I certainly do not.  However, the consequence of sin is death, i.e., separation from God and even though Jesus was only temporarily separated from the Father, it is not appropriate to diminish the idea here to make it more palatable to us.  Whatever interpretation we give to the statement of Psa. 22:1 in this context, there is really no way to soften what is happening here on the cross.  Jesus is left to die for our sins!  Ultimately raised, yes, and seated at God’s own right hand, but left to die on the cross for my sin.

The text indicates that the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.   I wonder how this piece of information became known.  Who first made the observation and associated it with the time of Jesus’ death?  Upon what basis did they draw this conclusion?  This is an unusual way for it to be torn.  And if I understand the nature of the veil being similar to a tapestry it would take great power to make such a tear.  It symbolizes the way into the presence of God now available.

Matthew 27:51-53 observes, “the earth shook and the rocks were split, tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection.”

The centurion remarked, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”

Application:

1.  Had you been a witness to the scourging how would you have responded?  Winced?  Begged for mercy?  Mocked Him?  Nothing?  Watched with anxiety?

2.  When you consider the time-line what thoughts enter your mind?  It was brief?  It was a long time?  I am surprised these things occurred all in one day?  Explain.

3.  If you had been Barrabas would you have been present at the crucifixions?  Would you have spoken to those crucified?  Would you have been somewhere else?  What thoughts enter your mind when you consider Jesus was crucified in your place?   What do you feel? 

4.  If you had been one of those crucified with Jesus would you have spoken to Him?  What would you have said?

5.  If were one of those observing the crucifixion would you have cast lots for His garments?  Paid attention to what Jesus said?  Gotten Him something to drink?  Prayed to God for Him?  Just watched?  Concluded that He was the Son of God?

6.  How has the crucifixion affected your life?  How are you different as a result of Jesus having been crucified?  Heb. 12:3 says, “Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  What does that mean to you?

7.  Heb. 9:14 speaks of how the blood of Christ, “offered through the eternal Spirit” cleanses consciences to serve the living God.  How does the blood of Christ affect your serving the living God?