The execution of Christ and scenes around that event
I invite you to read the text reverently, grasping each scene and realizing a little of the price that was paid for your sins and mine!
I invite you to read the text reverently, grasping each scene and realizing a little of the price that was paid for your sins and mine!
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| .1 ¶ When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: | The night had been passed in illegal trials. |
 .3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. |
2
- Delivered him Pilate was at his residence
or office in Jerusalem instead of at Caesarea, the Roman provincial capital.
This was probably because Jerusalem would have been at high risk of insurrection
because it was the time of Passover.
3 - Judas A sad story pointing out the bitterness of a life of sin. Judas is discussed in connection with a text in Revelation about being unable to die. re0906. 3 - Repented Judas was sorry for the consequences. He apparently thought Jesus would do a miracle and escape and take over the Jewish government. Then he, Judas, would have a high position. 3 - Chief priests Notice the setting. I believe God wanted it to be very clear to these Jewish leaders that they were about to shed "innocent blood." When their day in judgment comes, they won't be able to say that they didn't understand. Image from
Hurlbut's
Life of Christ, 1915.
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| 6 And the chief priests
took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into
the treasury, because it is the price of blood.
.7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. .8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 10 And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me. |
7 -
Potter's
field As predicted by the prophecy of Zechariah.
zc1112,13.
8 - Field of blood See on ac0119. 9 - Jeremy That is, Jeremiah. The clearest symbolism comes from Zechariah. Matthew could have mentioned Jeremiah because he was more prominent. There are allusions to the story in Jeremiah, je1901ff, je3206ff. In fact the symbolism there is essential to the meaning drawn by Matthew. je1803. I am seeing the base begun by Jeremiah, picked up by Zechariah zc1112 and fulfilled in the gospel story. |
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| .11
¶ And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him,
saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. |
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| 15 Now at
that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner,
whom they would.
.16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 11 - Stood before His being sent to Pilate is recorded in v2. 16 - Barabbas Apparently a leader of an anti-government uprising. |
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| 19 When he was set down
on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing
to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a
dream because of him.
20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. .22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. .24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. .25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Image (hands) © 2001, Goodsalt. goodsalt.com |
22 - What shall I do with Jesus? A question we may ask ourselves. Pilate knew what to do. 24 - Pilate must have lived without peace to the day of his death. |
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| .26
¶ Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus,
he delivered him to be crucified.
.27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 31a And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. |
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| .31b
And
after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him,
and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. |
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| 33 ¶ And when they were
come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
.34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. 35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. 36 And sitting down they watched him there; 37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. .39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, .42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. .43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 34 - Vinegar See ru0214. |
Mocking him, v41, view from the cross © 2001, Justinen Creative Group |
| 44 The thieves also,
which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
.45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. .46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. 48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. |
45
- Darkness Passage discussed at mr1533ff.
46 - Ninth hour They counted the hours from sunrise. This was midafternoon on Friday. |
 .50
¶ Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the
ghost.
.51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; .52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. .54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. 55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: .56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children. 50 - Ghost Or "spirit" here meaning breath. He died re1411g. If Jesus Christ is God and God is immortal, how could Jesus die? Remember that He had a dual nature ph0206ff. His divinity did not die jn1017. 51 - Top to bottom Don't miss the significance. When the Jewish nation rejected Jesus as the Messiah He told them that their house – the temple – was left for them, desolate mt2338. This was the Passover time jn1931. When the Lamb of God gave up His life, the temple veil was torn open. Sacrifices and offerings in the temple no longer had that event to point forward to. 52 - Graves opened The resurrected ones were taken to heaven ep0408. 56 - Mary Magdalene Magdala was on the coast of Lake Galilee mt1539. See map. |
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| .57
¶ When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named
Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:
58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. 59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. |
57
- Even Or "sundown." Jesus died at around 3 p.m. mr1534
and sundown came at around 6:30 at that time.
57 - Joseph Described by the other gospel writers as linked above. |
| 61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against [across from] the sepulchre. | 61 - Mary Magdalene We believe she was the sister of Martha. She left the scene late and returned early Sunday morning. |
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| .62
Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests
and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
.63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. .64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. |
62
- Next day The weekly Sabbath lu2354.
64 - Until the third day Counting part of Friday, all of the Sabbath, and part of Sunday. This time is referred to in several different ways. See statements at mt1240, mt1621, mt2763,4, mt1723, mt2764, mr0831, lu0922, lu2421, jn0219-21. These verses show that the three days is referred to in several ways so we cannot see it as three 24-hour periods as we think of it today. The reference in green is to this verse at the left. |
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