Death And Burial Of Jesus Series

Journey to Calvary

As the chief priests led Jesus away to be crucified, he fell beneath the weight of the cross. His back was torn and bleeding. He was weakened from blood loss. They grabbed Simon, a Cyrenian who was coming out of the country, from the crowd and forced him to pick up the cross and carry it for Jesus. They laid the cross on his back, so that he could carry it behind Jesus.

A great crowd of people followed Jesus. The women among them bewailed and lamented him.

They were astonished. His face and body were disfigured more than any man. As predicted by Isaiah, he didn’t even look human anymore.

“Many were astonished, his face was marred more than any man. His body beaten beyond that of any other,” Isaiah wrote. (52:14)

Jesus turned to the women and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. The days are coming, when they shall say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.”

Two criminals were led with Jesus to be put to death. These criminals carried their crosses up the hill. They arrived at the place called Calvary, which means “the place of the skull.” This was a place of execution, a place of death. In Hebrew, the name of the hilltop was Golgotha.

Forgive Them

The hill was near the city, where all could see the penalty for crimes. This public torture deterred others from breaking the Roman laws. To further the criminals’ humiliation, they were stripped of their clothes.

Jesus was offered a drink with myrrh in it. The myrrh would ease his pain a little, but it would cloud his mind. Jesus refused the drink.

Three crosses were laid on the ground. The Roman soldiers hammered nails through the prisoners’ hands and feet into the wood. They had never experienced anything more painful until the crosses were raised upright, and the weight of their bodies hung from the nails in their hands. Roman crucifixion was considered the most brutal form of punishment.

They crucified the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left of Jesus. As they set the crosses in place, it was nine o’clock in the morning. (Mark 15:22)

And the scripture which says, “He was numbered with the lawbreakers” was fulfilled.

Jesus called out from the cross, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they’re doing.” (Luke 23:26-34)

Jesus had preached “forgive your enemies” to the crowds, and now he demonstrated that forgiveness.

Pilate’s Sign

A sign was placed on the cross above each man. It stated his crime. Above Jesus Pilate had required the title, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” It was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, so that anyone who passed could read it.

Many read this title, because Calvary was near to the city, and people passed as they went to and from Jerusalem. On this day, many were coming to offer their Passover sacrifices at twilight.

Those who passed by yelled insults at him, shaking their heads in disgust. Still the chief priests were upset that the people were reading this sign that proclaimed Jesus as King.

They went to Pilate and protested, “Don’t write ‘The King of the Jews.’ Instead write ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’”

Pilate refused, “What I’ve written, I’ve written.”

His garments

After nailing Jesus to the cross, the soldiers took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier, and set his coat aside.

The coat was well-made, woven from top to bottom with no seam. Perhaps this coat was made by the loving hands of a mother.

The soldiers said among themselves, “The coat has no seam; therefore, let’s not tear it. Instead let’s cast lots for it to determine who will get it.”

The scripture written by King David which says, “They parted my garments among them, and for my robe they cast lots” was fulfilled. (Psalm 22:18)

Mocked

After this the soldiers sat down and watched Jesus as he suffered on the cross. (John 19:19-24)

As Jesus hung on the cross, there were shouts from those who passed by and those who stood watching.

“You who could destroy the temple and built it again in three days, save yourself,” some called out.

Others among them shouted, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

The chief priests also mocked. They stood with the scribes and elders. Shouts came from their group.

“He saved others, but he can’t save himself.”

“Let him save himself if he is the Christ, the chosen of God, the King of Israel.”

“Let Christ the King of Israel come down from the cross now, so we may see and believe.” (Luke 23:35)