The Crucifixion of Jesus - Matthew 27:32-44
The Crucifixion of Jesus
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
Reflection:
Here we have the scene of the crucifixion of our Lord. Notice if we thought his treatment was bad up to this point there is no possible way known to mankind they could have caused any more agony and suffering physically, spiritually and emotional to a human being, let alone the Son of God. It is impossible to capture in words the full amount and extent of grievance toward our Lord, but we see the following today.
The range and scope of all those that participated in this cruelty. Starting with Simon of Cyrene, who was forced to carry Jesus' cross. Jesus had told his disciples to daily pick up their cross and follow him, this being an act of volition, whereas Simon was made to carry Jesus' cross. An interesting juxtaposition. The offering of wine was a custom dating back to King Solomon, yet back then it was prescribed with a sweet taste, almost as if offering the person to die one last merciful drink. But with Jesus the wine is mixed with gall, thus making it so bitter and distasteful that Jesus refused to drink it. Then, they cast lots and bet on his undergarments, thus leaving Jesus naked. Since some had felt they could find healing by just touching Jesus' clothes, perhaps they bet on it for financial reasons, or possibly for fear Jesus had some magic left up his sleeve literally!
Finally, not only there was physical abuse, but emotionally and mentally they also tried to treat him in the worst possible way. In the garden, Satan had tempted Jesus by saying if you are the Son of God ... It was his attempt to get Jesus to use his powers before their time. Now at the end of his life all the people around him, came mocking him saying if you are the Son of God save yourself. The chief priests and elders said, "he saved others, but he can't save himself!" Finally, even those who were rightly accused and rightly punished also hurled insults at him. Notice the beginning of His journey was a temptation to go another way outside of the cross and in these last moments he is buffeted with the same temptation to take some other way other than the cross. This time they are trying shame Jesus into defending himself and his own honor. But remarkably Jesus does not utter a word! How and why? Because Jesus had his eye set on God's mission for him to die for the sins of the world. Jesus, for the way set before him, endured the cross to obey His Father out of His love for me and you.
So besides the eternal gratitude we owe Jesus for what He has done for us, what else can his last hours teach us? How many of us have folded under much less of a trial? How many of us have bit on Satan's lie that it is better to save ourselves than to let God do it? And finally Jesus reminds us today, that the only way to withstand the temptation that will almost certainly befall us is, to keep our eye on Jesus, just he kept His eye on His Father. Even when everything and everyone around him was telling Jesus to take an easier way, Jesus said not my will but yours be done. May we have the courage to do the same when our faith is on the line and under fire in Jesus name for God's glory! Amen.
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
Reflection:
Here we have the scene of the crucifixion of our Lord. Notice if we thought his treatment was bad up to this point there is no possible way known to mankind they could have caused any more agony and suffering physically, spiritually and emotional to a human being, let alone the Son of God. It is impossible to capture in words the full amount and extent of grievance toward our Lord, but we see the following today.
The range and scope of all those that participated in this cruelty. Starting with Simon of Cyrene, who was forced to carry Jesus' cross. Jesus had told his disciples to daily pick up their cross and follow him, this being an act of volition, whereas Simon was made to carry Jesus' cross. An interesting juxtaposition. The offering of wine was a custom dating back to King Solomon, yet back then it was prescribed with a sweet taste, almost as if offering the person to die one last merciful drink. But with Jesus the wine is mixed with gall, thus making it so bitter and distasteful that Jesus refused to drink it. Then, they cast lots and bet on his undergarments, thus leaving Jesus naked. Since some had felt they could find healing by just touching Jesus' clothes, perhaps they bet on it for financial reasons, or possibly for fear Jesus had some magic left up his sleeve literally!
Finally, not only there was physical abuse, but emotionally and mentally they also tried to treat him in the worst possible way. In the garden, Satan had tempted Jesus by saying if you are the Son of God ... It was his attempt to get Jesus to use his powers before their time. Now at the end of his life all the people around him, came mocking him saying if you are the Son of God save yourself. The chief priests and elders said, "he saved others, but he can't save himself!" Finally, even those who were rightly accused and rightly punished also hurled insults at him. Notice the beginning of His journey was a temptation to go another way outside of the cross and in these last moments he is buffeted with the same temptation to take some other way other than the cross. This time they are trying shame Jesus into defending himself and his own honor. But remarkably Jesus does not utter a word! How and why? Because Jesus had his eye set on God's mission for him to die for the sins of the world. Jesus, for the way set before him, endured the cross to obey His Father out of His love for me and you.
So besides the eternal gratitude we owe Jesus for what He has done for us, what else can his last hours teach us? How many of us have folded under much less of a trial? How many of us have bit on Satan's lie that it is better to save ourselves than to let God do it? And finally Jesus reminds us today, that the only way to withstand the temptation that will almost certainly befall us is, to keep our eye on Jesus, just he kept His eye on His Father. Even when everything and everyone around him was telling Jesus to take an easier way, Jesus said not my will but yours be done. May we have the courage to do the same when our faith is on the line and under fire in Jesus name for God's glory! Amen.
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