Friday, April 10, 2020

Jesus was crucified

Six hours on the cross

     Jesus was hung on the cross around 9 am. The soldiers cast lots for His clothes; they hung the sign over His head that read "This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews", in three different languages.  The people who had gathered to watch Him, including the elders, priests, and even the two criminals crucified with Him, mocked Him and blasphemed against Him. They taunted Him with accusations that if He was who He said He was then surely He could come down from the cross or have God rescue Him.
     After a while, one of the criminals repented.
     Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”
     But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
     And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Luke 23:39-43 NKJV
     Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour (around noon to 3 pm), there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
     Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 
Matthew 27:45-48 NKJV
     None of Jesus' disciples were there except for John. With him was Jesus' mother Mary, her sister, another woman, and Mary Magdalene.
     When Jesus, therefore, saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
     After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
John 19:28-30 NKJV
     Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
     So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Matthew 27:51-54 NKJV
     About this time, the Jews asked the Governor to have the legs broken of those being crucified, so they would die quickly. It was Preparation Day, the day before the Sabbath and so all work had to be finished by 6 pm. Pilate allowed it. The guards broke the legs of the two criminals but when they got to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead, so one of them pierced His side to be certain.
     A councilman, the one who had dissented in Jesus' trial, Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body so that he could bury Him. Joseph had a new tomb hewn into the rock. He and Nicodemus took Jesus' body and wrapped Him in strips of fresh linen prepared with spices, laid Him in the tomb and rolled a large stone across the opening.
     The next day, the priests got permission from Pilate to seal the tomb and set a guard there because Jesus had claimed that after three days, He would rise.

* Please note, I'm reconciling the four gospels in order to present a picture of what Jesus endured in his final hours. He did this for you. He did this for me.

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