"Nothing Off Limits in Christ's Suffering"

Matthew 27:44: Even the robbers who were crucified with him reviled Him with the same thing.

This short verse is like the final nail in the coffin of Christ's mental anguish. The sourging by the soldiers was well documented. Bad enough then to have the crowd against Him, doubting and making fun of all that He had taught. Of course, there were the chief priests who had conspired against Him, and actually brought Him to this moment. Their ridicule would be expected.

But then there are the two robbers. They would suffer the same death as Jesus, yet they join in the taunt of the Savior. Matthew's purpose is to show the exteme suffering and rejection of the Jewish Messiah. Mark's account is the same, but Luke records that one of the thieves did repent and ask that he be remembered when Christ entered His Kingdom.

Luke reminds us that even in the worst circumstance the Gospel can reach down and save a soul. One thief was justified by the blood of Christ that day. A perfect reminder that we are all under the condemnation of death until we come to the Savior that bore our sins in His own body on the Cross.

"The Great Crime: I am the Son of God"

"The Great Crime: I am the Son of God"

Matthew 27:41-43: 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.

The very chief priests who had plotted against Jesus now gloat over their accomplishment of getting Christ crucified. While belittling and ridiculing Him, they uttered a great truth which they themselves did not comprehend. That truth: "He saved others; Himself He cannot save." This is a profound truth that Jesus had brought salvation to others, and yet could not save Himself from the Cross. It was the Cross that would bring validity to the salvation that He brought to others.

Psalm 22 is quoted [whether by intent or just a fulfillment of the prediction of Psalm]. Psalm 22 is remarkable for its accurate description of the crucifixion scene. Only Isaiah 53 rivals that Psalm in describing the pathos of Good Friday.

Jehovah's Witnesses claim that nowhere in the Scriptures does Jesus claim to be the Son of God. They see Him only as the angel of Jehovah. However, in verse 43 we have the chief priests again confirming that the reason for plotting against Jesus was His claim that He was the Son of God. One who is only human claiming to be the Son of God (thus equal with God) is blasphemy worthy of death. There is no way around that. The next time a JW comes to your door, show them that verse, and pray for them that the blindness will be lifted.

"The Crowd Taunts the Savior"

Matthew 27:39-40: 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.

The hearts of those passing by were untouched by the Lord's affliction on the Cross. They continued to mock Him, raising again the old accusations.

The false charge that was tendered at the trial at Caiaphas' house is now revived by the crowd beneath the Cross of Jesus. They foolishly thought that He had said that He would destroy the actual Temple Complex and rebuild it in three days. John 2:21 states that Christ was speaking of the Temple of His own body. The three days would be the time that His body would lay in the grave before He would take it up again.

They demanded proof that Christ was indeed the Son of God. To the crowd (and to Satan) the best proof would be for Christ to just float down from the Cross in front of them all. As a proof, it would at the same time counter the value of the Cross. Redemption would be incomplete, and Satan would have his triumph.

How sad that they missed the real miracle that would prove that Jesus was the Son of God--the resurrection after three days in the grave. Today, so many continue to miss the real miracle--even with a day to commemorate it.

"Crucified with Thieves"

Matthew 27:38: Then two robbers were crucifed with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

It was normal in Roman times to have several people crucified at once. The horrific visual was indelibly placed in the mind of any who might think that they lived in a free society. Crucifixion victims were often political prisoners. In this case, Jesus would have been the only one who would represent some sort of rebellion against an oppressive society. Although He made it clear that His Kingdom was not of this world, His detractors made it such.

Matthew is quick to remind his Jewish readers that even in the arrangement of the crosses, there was a fulfillment of Scripture. Isaiah 53:12, part of that great chapter that so accurately depicts the scene of the crucifixion, confidently affirms: And He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

The fact that Christ was crucified with robbers was to all of us a reminder that He came for sinners. Jesus Himself said that He did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Christ's motive and mission in coming to earth was not a great photo-op with the leaders of planet Earth, but rather to offer redemption to the hopelessly lost in this sin cursed world. As the second Adam, He came to right the wrongs and set the record straight that had been so marred by the first Adam. How thakful we can be for the cross. How thankful we can be that He even permitted Himself in death to be associated with sinners. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!

"The Accusation: King of the Jews"

 

Matthew 27:36-37: Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

the 36th verse refers to the hardhearted, indifferent soldiers who were to watch or guard Jesus while He was on the cross. What must have been in their thoughts that day. Perhaps we all may benefit by sitting down, and watching the Holy Son of God suffering unspeakably at the hands of men whose very lives depended upon His mighty power. We may learn much as we sit down and behold Him there, bleeding and dying for sins not His own.

Thursday, I spent several hours sitting in a county hospital waiting room for one of our church folks. The guards were talking loudly to each other about issues of faith. One guard told the other that her gambling problem was not that bad since Jesus died for all her sins. He admitted to a drinking problem that also was not that bad as long as he did it in moderation. Finally, I went over and mentioned that I was employed by the One who they were talking about, and I had an observation. Gambling and drinking to excess do not cancel salvation, that is true, but think about what Jesus did for us on the cross. He did not mean for his suffering and death to just make it acceptable for us to live like the world. The reaction that we have to Christ's love really demonstrates how much we love Him in return. This is vital, as it indicates the level of our understanding of exactly why Jesus willingly went to the Cross. When I finished, the other guard said, "That is just what I was going to say." She knew the truth, but then still try to bargain so we don't have to give up everything. It is like the diabetic looking at a large chocolate cake, and saying: "It's OK, It won't kill me. I can always take more medicine tomorrow."

It was customary to indicate by a placard the crime for which one was being punished. Executions in the Middle East today still have an accusation written attached to the person being put to death. The effect was to strike fear and awe in the rest of the populace being held in oppression by that government--this is what will happen to you should you resist!

Pilate had the inscription written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. All four Gospels mention the inscription, but do not record the same words. Putting all four together, we get THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Why is there a variation? Each writer might have been looking at one of the three translations of what Pilate wrote. We know that the Jewish leaders wanted Pilate to change the inscription to say, "He said that He was the King of the Jews. Pilate would not bow to them.

"For His Vesture They Cast Lots"

 

Matthew 27:35: Then they crucified Him, 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.

To say "They crucified Him" speaks volumes. The Jewish leaders had their wishes come true--they could not be blamed for the death of this great miracle working Prophet who claimed He was the Son of God. The crucifixion was a form of capital punishment that only the Romans could legally perform. Yet Matthew and the other Gospel writers have already presented the condemning evidence. The Jewish nation is guilty, and yet so are we all.

As is his custom, Matthew is quick to quote Scriptures from the Old Testament that predicted events associated with the Life of Christ. Psalm 22:18 predicts that the very clothes of the Messiah would be divided among those who crucified Him, and yet there would also be a gambling for his vesture (tunic). John 19:23-24 provides more details than we find here in Matthew 27. The garments were divided in four parts for each of the attending soldiers.

They observed that His tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. That is what prompted the soldiers to gamble for who would get the entire tunic.

All of this just confirms the supernatural nature of the Bible. For David to have written 1000 years ahead of the actual crucifixion that soldiers would gamble over the tunic of the Messiah would be an impossibility. It would be like St. Francis in the 10th century predicting what Pope John XXIII would do to revitalize the dying Catholic Church in 1962 (Vatican II).

"Jesus Led to Golgotha"

 

Matthew 27:32-34: Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. 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.

Tradition, not Scripture, tells us that Christ fell beneath the weight of His cross, not only once but three times; but this rests on no authentic records. However, it seems evident His physical strength was so weakened by loss of blood and excessive suffering thta even the callous soldiers saw He needed help in bearing His cross; so they laid hold on Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming that way, and compelled him to asist.

Simon had a privilege that he certainly appreciated. The early Christians said that the Alexander and Rufus, mentioned as his sons in Mark 15:21, both became followers of Jesus, and that their father too was of the Christian faith. Again, the Scriptures do not confirm this, but it would be a reasonable deduction.

Finally, they reached the hill outside of the walls of Jerusalem called Golgotha in Hebrew, and Calvary in Latin. The name "the place of a skull" if a reference to Gordon's Calvary today still has features that resemble a skull. General Gordon located this small hill right outside a wall of the city. The first century tomb found soon after during excavation still remains in British hands, and is known today as "The Garden Tomb."

It was customary to give one who was being put to death by crucifixion a drink that would make it easier for him to endure the fearful ordeal through which he would pass. Such a drink, composed of sour wine (or vinegar) and myrrh (a narcotic that dulled pain), was put to the lips of Jesus, but He refused to drink. Christ would not take anything that might numb His mind or alleviate the sufferings that He was undergoing. He would take the full measure of suffering for our sins. Praise His glorious Name!