So Jesus was sentenced to the cruelty of crucifixion. He had stood trial in front of the Sanhedrin; taken thence to Pilate, who in turn sent Him to Herod. Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. Both Roman rulers had declared that Jesus was an innocent man and had done nothing that deserved death.
Yet Pilate sentenced Jesus to be crucified up on Calvary's Hill; that "Place of the Skull". This at the insistence of the Jewish throngs, cheered on by the Sanhedrin members. Add in Pilate's wish to please the Jews and to keep control of the crowds. The death wish upon Jesus was granted.
My heart broke as Jesus was led out bearing His cross. He was not in any fit condition by this time with all the beatings and floggings he'd been pommeled with. He was in a very weakened condition and was struggling to carry the cross which likely weighed between 14-18kg (30-40lbs).
That's when Simon of Cyrene was laid hold of to help carry Jesus' cross. It was such a sad sight that the women along the route to Calvary's Hill wept for Him in great sympathy. I didn't blame them; tears streamed rivers down my cheeks too.
Jesus must have been in great painful physical condition and in such a weakened human state by this time. Additionally, that state where any man would have been quaking in fear of what was about to come next: more pain. The pain and shame of being hung on a cross was beyond imagining. This must be all consuming in the mind of even the most hardened of criminals.
Nevertheless, the care and love and concern of Jesus for the people just could not be contained. He wanted to warn the people to the last iota of His strength. He tells the weeping women not to have sympathy for him but for themselves!
What a surprise to hear that. They must have been thrown. I think those women didn't know how to respond to those remarks. Why would Jesus say to pray for themselves?
He warned that the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was going to come. Jesus said it would be so bad that it would be better if those women did not have any children!!
What!?
Shocking statement!
Not have children!? We Jewish people love children and see them as a blessing, not a burden. The message was loud and clear that the destruction was going to be exceedingly terrible if He would declare such a thing as it being better not to have children! I cannot comprehend it.
On top of that, Jesus said the coming destruction would be so bad that they'd want the rocks and hills to cover them. They would rather want to escape the coming wrath through death, than face the suffering and judgment for their unrepentant hearts at the brutal hands of an invading army.
It makes me shiver to think of it.
Jeremiah, one of our forebear prophets, in his book called, Jeremiah, and chapter 1, was sent to warn the Israelites of those times that destruction of Jerusalem was coming. It did. It came in 536 BC. Yes, it was devastating! The people of my time now, should recall that and realize these things could and do happen. Jesus was warning that it would happen again.
Instead of sympathy Jesus wanted people to repent. He was literally on the way to the cross so He could offer them the salvation they needed. He would be/still is, the source of wisdom and strength to repent and to then live a holy life.
I'm forever grateful to Him for this.
This is how we can escape another kind of judgment and destruction that is coming, sure as sure. The destruction of ending up in Hell at the end of our life on earth. If a person does not repent and accept salvation through Jesus, their destruction will be terrible and for ever and ever.
Jerusalem got rebuilt but our eternal state can not be reversed or changed once we pass from life on earth to death and the after life. Pause and consider and have right response to this message please; I beseech anyone reading this. It is imperative that one finds our Savior's love and forgiveness here and now.
",,,behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2 KJV).
I do not want anyone to end up in total desolation in Hell, as it is a forever condition. No turning back.
Come to Jesus Christ while you may.
I've mentioned that Jesus' crucifixion was carried out at "The Skull" or "Calvary". This is where, for as long as I can remember, crucifixions have been carried out. It was a hill or rock projection outside of the city of Jerusalem. How did it get its name? I've learned that in Latin, the Romans' language, that the word 'Calvary' comes from their word meaning, "skull". As this became a place of death, the word is aptly used and it is no misnomer.
Most people hereabouts know that The Skull is where particularly wicked criminals are hung on crosses; especially those that "reek" of treason. There were three men crucified that day but only two were criminals. Those were the two hung on either side of Jesus' cross. The inscription placed above them declared to one and all the prisoner's particular crime. It is to be noted that these two who hung alongside Jesus, were indeed of the treason type of iniquity.
Above Jesus, the sign hammered there read, "Jesus, the King of the Jews". To claim to be a king other than the Roman kind, was deserving of treason death. The more than subtle message here was that Jesus had attempted to overthrow Roman rule. Pilate's insistence at not changing the wording of this sign sent another message, as if a spear had been hurled at the Sanhedrin. Mocking them, and shaming them.
Pilate knew how to get his revenge. The Sanhedrin twisted his arm, causing him to yield to their demand of "murder" of Jesus, to happen; forcing him to crucify an innocent man. He would not change that sign for anything, thus shaming the Jewish religious leaders fair and square. He showed them who was still in control; he, Pilate, the Roman ruler!
Yet, the bitter gall and taint of such accusation could not be removed. By association - Jesus was implicated as if He too, was a sinner, and every bit as wicked as those two criminals who were murderers and insurrectionists gasping for breath and suffering in agony along side of Him. As a sinner, this Jesus Messiah could not be God. What a dreadful message was proclaimed.
Yet...
Yet, again, Jesus did not let all of that bother Him nor deter Him from still thinking of others. This is one way in which He showed His care and even the 'duty' of a firstborn son. I was touched He even thought of me in the midst of His suffering. He "handed me over" to John for "safe keeping" and visa versa.
First, though, He was thinking of the destiny of those who had even propelled Him to the cross. What of their eventual punishment for condemning Him, an innocent man, to death on the cross? That, plus the fact that this "man" being the Son of God, their Messiah, their end would be great and terrible sentencing.
What did Jesus say?
"Forgive them, Father!"
It is inconceivable! Even as I had watched at a distance, His words were rang clear. What a great Man! How divine!
Could you forgive someone who had treated you so abominably?
Jesus went further to exonerate them.
"Forgive them, for they do not know what they were doing"!?
He made it an "unintentional" sin (see Leviticus 4:2-3 for punishments for unintentional vs the intentional sins; also Numbers 15:30-31). An intentional sin had drastic consequences whereas an unintentional sin could be forgiven if atoning sacrifice was made.
Jesus is such a forgiving God! In fact, the only forgiving God. There is only one God.
We, His children and followers are called to be the same. We must ask His help to be forgiving and to forgive. After all, He has forgiven us our sins too, if we have accepted Him as Lord and Savior of our lives.
I still have so much I want to spill out here and my pen is going along well today. Let's continue...
Jesus was crucified on the cross when He said those blessed words of mercy and grace and forgiveness. This shows us how much Jesus loved His people despite what they had done to Him. He was still able to forgive them.
The soldiers divided up Jesus' clothes among them. They cast lots for them. This is further humiliation and insult.
Clothes removed.
Possessions taken.
Gross indignity and loss of identity.
I wonder if they flippantly joked, "Oh, He won't need these anymore, considering where He is going."
Tears continue to stream down my cheeks creating multiple rivulets as I ponder on all these things. It was such utter humiliation for Him.
There is something that put some hope in my heart though. Even though the Jewish leaders and the Roman Soldiers continued to make fun of Jesus and see how much they could humiliate Him, the people may have been having second thoughts for the part they had played in this "tragedy". They just watch.
Picture yourself standing there watching too. Watching from the foot of Jesus' cross. Looking up at Him, blinded by the sight of the deep whipping gouges scouring His body even as He struggled to take His next breath, what would have been your thoughts?
Which category of people would you have been in?
The subdued crowds?
How about the Jewish religious leaders who mocked?
"He saved others - let Him save Himself. If you are God, as You say You are, then do that!"
But Jesus stayed up there. Nothing changed except perhaps to get weaker, physically.
How about the Roman soldiers? Would you choose to join in with them? Rough, godless men who mocked Whom they did not know? "King of the Jews," they sniggered, "save Yourself!" At least they did one infinitesimal act of kindness, they offered Him the wine vinegar - a type of sedative to ease the pain.
Jesus refused it though as He wanted to take the full heat of the punishment for our sins. Which is another reason -- the BIGGEST reason -- THE Reason, He did not come down from the cross. He didn't save Himself. His agenda was much bigger than that.
He was there to save others, all mankind, from the curse of sin! This was His big momentous moment. His purpose for which He came.
Would you have been in Pilate's shoes? His motivation was to allow the crucifixion to go forward out of self preservation.
God still had the last word though. HE was the ultimate one to control of Pilate's motivation to leave that inscription as it was worded above Jesus,
"This is the King of the Jews" (Luke 23:38).
This declared who Jesus was. He was Who He said He was and that He was the King of the Jews; the Messiah, Whom they had all rejected.
Solemn.
Perhaps, you'd be like one of the criminals who'd been hung up along side Jesus.
There was that wonderful redeeming moment among the three men on the crosses. One of the criminals continued to join the mockers and hurl insults at Jesus. However, the other having had time to think last thoughts and read, or hear read, the inscription above Jesus, realized Jesus was actually an innocent Man and that He was truly King.
This criminal asked Jesus to remember him when he comes into His kingdom! Jesus promised him he'd be with him that very day.
FAITH was rewarded.
Faith was, and still is, what God looks for. That, and a repentant heart.
What a merciful Savior we have. Not only did Jesus ask God to forgive those responsible for His death, saying they didn't know what they were doing, He had compassion towards the criminal hanging next to Him and promises him, he'd be with Him in Paradise that day.
As you picture yourself affiliating with one or other of those groups, what are your thoughts? Do they lead you to Christ in humble repentance? To salvation through Jesus? He will forgive you too. He offers you everlasting life; His love and care. Won't you accept Him?
Father God, it is with deep gratitude in my heart that I thank You for sending Jesus to endure such pain and agony at the hands of the ones You loved and cared for and had sent Jesus to secure salvation for. I did not understand the full extension of Your merciful love and grace for Your human creatures.
Thank You, Father. Thank-You Jesus, I whisper in awe.
In Jesus precious Name I pray and praise.
~ERC November 2020~
Based on Luke 23:26-41 NIV
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