Crucifixion was the most cruel, shameful, and cursed death that could be devised. It was not at all used by the Jews, but by the Romans inflicted only upon slaves, and the basest of the people, who were capital offenders. The person was nailed to the cross as it lay upon the ground. Nails were driven through each hand, extended to its utmost stretch, and through both the feet together. Then the cross was erected, and the foot of it, with a violent thrust, was placed into a hole in the ground which disjointed the whole body of the sufferer. The whole weight of the body thus hung upon the nails, which went through the hands and feet. There the person hung till he expired by mere dint of terrible pain.
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our grief’s, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed”. (Isaiah 53:3-5)
Our Creator, Jesus, bore all our grief’s as He punished Himself on the cross in our place. Jesus remained in the sacrificed body for hours to deal with every sin, iniquity and hurt that could ever affect us. Daylight turned to darkness for three hours so that the people could not see the horror.
“As many were astonished at Thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men”(Isaiah 52:14).
His body was marred, disfigured and did not have the form of a man any more. All anger of God for sin came down on the body of The Messiah. He paid the price so that we may be saved and have Eternal Life.
In view of death, a dreadful death, Jesus told His disciples of the suffering and death facing Him in Jerusalem. That he would be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. That He would be scourged. Put to death and rise from the grave on the third day. (Matthew 20:18-19)
Jesus knew it was only through His willingness and obedience to God’s Will, to drink this cup of sorrows, that He would win the ultimate victory over satan. He knew that only through the shedding of His Blood would God’s Will be put into effect.
Jesus knew that by the shedding of His Blood, He would destroy the works of the devil. He was determined to face satan regardless of the cost to do God’s Will. Regardless of the cost, Jesus was ready to go to the cross for you, and for me.
YAHSHUA’S Last Hours (John 19:1-11)
The soldiers violently grab Jesus and strip His clothes from Him. They hit Him and force Him to His knees and tie Him to a whipping post in a bent-over position. They begin to beat Him, with a whip made of many leather strips, having pieces of sharp lead attached, the Roman soldiers beat Him. The blows rain down upon His back. The soldiers scream, their shouts are filled with intense hatred and devotion to whip Jesus like no man has been whipped before. Their fury and threats can´t be mistaken for that of normal men. No, they are certainly filled with their father the devil!
With each blow upon Jesus’ back, His body quivers. He cries out in pain. The metal pieces dig into the muscles in His back tearing them again and again, until His back no longer resembles human flesh. The stripes He takes upon His back, He takes for you and me. Jesus stands there in our place and takes the punishment for our sins, our rebellion, our sickness, our hurts, our fears, our loneliness, our disease, and every other evil thing that has ever happened to us. And with each blow upon His back we are healed! With each blow upon His back, the angry mob demands more blood! They demand more pain! They demand that Jesus be beaten to death!
Finally, the soldiers are commanded to stop the barbaric whipping. They are exhausted. They untie Jesus from the whipping post. He can barely breathe. His back is ripped to shreds. His ribs can be seen. Breathing hurts. Jesus can barely stand. They throw a purple robe upon His bleeding back. They twist together a wreath made of sharp, thorny spikes, resembling a victor´s crown. As they place it upon Him, the thorns are driven into His head. More Blood begins to flow down His face. They place a reed in His hand for a king´s sceptre.
They mock Him as they bow down before Him and cry, “Hail, King of the Jews.” They spit on Him. They take the reed and beat Him on the head. They laugh! They laugh! They mock Him. They laugh! They shout at him! They curse Him! They laugh! They mock Him!
Following Jesus’ torturous beating and mockery, Pilate returns to the angry mob outside the judgment hall. He says to them, “Behold, I bring Him forth to you that ye may know that I find no fault in Him” (John 19:4)
Then Jesus, bruised and bleeding, wearing the purple robe and crown of thorns, come forth. He looks at the crowd who curse Him. He knows He done them no wrong.
Sitting on his judgment seat, Pilate points to Jesus and says, “Behold the man!” (John 19:5)
Jesus stands there The Son of God. The Chosen One sent from God. The Anointed One. The Holy One of Israel .The Redeemer. King of kings and Lord of lords! My Jesus, Your Jesus.
He stands there beaten to a pulp. The Man who knew no sin. God’s only begotten Son. He has come here to save them from their sins; it is for this purpose He has come into this world.
But they despise and reject Him! They hate Him without cause.
The crowd shows no mercy on Him as He stands there in silent agony. They cry, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!!!!!!
“You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him,” Pilate replies. They answer. “He made Himself to be The Son of God. He deserves to die!” Hearing this, Pilate is afraid. Could this man standing before him really be The Son of God?
Pilate takes Him back into the judgment hall, and asks, “Where are you from?” Jesus doesn´t say a word.
“Don´t you know that I have power to release You or to crucify you?” Pilate asks. Jesus knows His life is not in Pilate´s hands. He knows He is in God’s hands and is there according to the Will of God.
Jesus tells Pilate, “You would have no power over Me if it were not given you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin” He says, His voice hurting. Its hurts to speak. It hurts to breathe.
Jesus is not afraid. He does not try to defend or save Himself. He stands here for you. He stands here for me. He stands here willingly. He is here to do God’s Will. As a Lamb of God without spot or blemish.
They tear the purple robe from His bleeding back and put His clothes back on Him. They drop the heavy cross upon the torn muscles in His back and shove Him through the streets. They whip Him. They spit upon Him. They shout threats of murder. They cast stones. They hate Him!
Jesus offers Himself willingly. He does not turn aside. He keeps walking the road of Calvary!
Through the streets of Jerusalem He walks, struggling beneath the weight of the cross. Struggling to breathe. Struggling to see!
The people along the way laugh and mock Him. Some of the women who were among His followers walk behind Him, weeping and wailing loudly. They don´t understand. Why? Why must He be treated like this. He only done good. He is like no other man. He doesn´t deserve this. They don´t understand. It´s not right! They cry! They cry! They cry! He doesn´t deserve this. Why? Why?
Along the road Jesus falls. He is so weak from His suffering that He cannot carry the cross. He looks at the men and women who are cursing Him. Looking at the men and women He loves.
There He lies on the road the wooden cross lying over His body. The blood pours from His back. The crown of thorns is set deep into His brow, and blood is pouring from His face. For a moment Jesus looks up to Heaven. Tears fill His eyes. They kick him. They whip Him. “Get to your feet king!” they shout.
Jesus doesn’t say a word. He endures the pain and suffering. His eyes are set on the joy that is set before Him. The display of God’s glorious power! The display of God’s love. The victory of the greatest battle!
Jesus rises to His feet as the blows keep raining down. He accepts the pain and keeps on walking the road to Calvary! His steps are slow, time drags on as the whipping continues. The soldiers place the cross on the back of Simon of Cyrene, who follows behind Jesus carrying His cross, until they come to a place outside of the city which is called Calvary or Golgotha, which means “the place of the skull.”
When Jesus arrives at Golgotha, they offer Him a drink of vinegar “mingled with gall” which is to deaden the excruciating pain He will experience during the crucifixion (Matthew 27:34).
But, Jesus refuses it. He chooses instead to endure with full consciousness the suffering which were appointed for Him. In Gethsemane He had emptied Himself of His own will and now He willingly chooses to drink the “cup of sorrows.”
He willingly goes to the cross to die to bear the judgment and wrath of God for the sins of the world. Your sins and my sins!
They strip Jesus. They lay Him on the cross. The angry mob are hysterical with excitement. They want to see Jesus nailed to the cross. “Nail Him to the cross! Crucify Him!” They shout. Jesus looks up into heaven. He looks at the soldiers who take the hammer and, with strong blows, begin to drive huge iron nails into His hands and feet. The pain is excruciating. His whole body trembles. He cries out in agony. It hurts so much!
They raise the cross and thrust it into the ground with a fierce jerk.
There Jesus hangs, a sacrifice for you and me. He suffers the pain, disgrace and humiliation of the cross in our place that we be set free from the bondage of sin that we be healed that we become sons of God that we will be given a position of power and glory! He suffers as no man has ever suffered. He who knew no sin has become sin for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
As Jesus hangs there dying, the Roman soldiers divide His garments among themselves and cast lots for His seamless coat.
In these final agonizing moments, satan attacks! He challenges Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God. He tempts Jesus to come down from the cross.
The people passing by shake their heads in disgust and ridicule Jesus. “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” (Mark 15:29-30)
The chief priests and scribes also mock Him among themselves: “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. Let this Messiah, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” (Mark 15:31-32)
Now in the heat of the battle, while Jesus’ body is wracked with pain, His soul in torment, forsaken and rejected, satan tries to get Jesus to save Himself. Hundreds stand before Him as He hangs there mocking Him. They show no mercy.
Jesus has the power to lay down His life and take it up again (John 10:18). All things have been delivered into His hands (John 13:3). He could call a legion of angels to destroy His enemies and set Him free. But, He knows He must die. He knows that it is through His death that Satan will be destroyed, and man will be saved and set free. God’s Will, will be done.
Jesus does not come down from the cross. He hangs there. He looks up to heaven. A tear runs from His eye. He looks to the men crucified beside Him. He looks at the soldiers, at the angry mob at the deceived Priests, and He prays for them. He prays for them! Asking the Father to forgive them for they know not what they are doing. He prays for them.
Knowing that all things have been fulfilled according to God’s Will purpose and plan Jesus cries out, “I THIRST!” (John 19:28)
One of the soldiers fills a sponge with vinegar and places it to His mouth during His final moment of agony. “Drink this!” he shouts. They laugh. They show no mercy!
Bruised, bleeding, His bones out of joint, dying from thirst, dying from pain, Jesus hangs there. The words of David’ ands prophesy fulfilled (Psalm 69:20-21)
After been offered the vinegar, Jesus cries out, “IT IS FINISHED!”
He commits His Spirit into God’s hands. He knows that He has left nothing undone. He has finished the work He has been given to do. He has endured the shame and the suffering on the cross.
The victory is His! satan is defeated! The power of sin, sickness and death is broken. Man is free, redeemed by His Blood. God’s Will is fulfilled. The earth shakes. The veil is torn in two. They who crucified Him, shout; “Surely He was The Son of God!”
And Tree days later. The tomb of Jesus is empty. The Son of God has Risen!
How heavy the weight of our sins lay on Him!!!! How fearful His agonies!!! How fervent His Prayers!!! Yet great was His submission to His Fathers Will; marvellous His readiness to suffer, and kind His rebukes, even to the worst!
But, alas! How was He hated by men! Plotted against without cause! Envied of His honours! Betrayed for a trifle! Shamefully discredited and contradicted, even by His Saints! Presumptuously apprehended! Despitefully abused!
Let us always honour Jesus, whatever be the expense! Let us always watch and pray against temptation. Let us always embrace His preached gospel. And, on His demand, gladly let us receive Him into our house and heart.