Lesson 49

Were You There When They Crucified My Lord

John 19:1-3; 16-37

In our study of the Gospel according to John we have come today to chapter 19. We have come to the cross of Jesus. The cross is the most significant symbol in all of Christianity. It is the central event of the Christian faith. Not a manger, not a fish or a loaf of bread, not a cup of water - all significant in the life of Jesus Christ - but a cross.

Nothing symbolizes better than a cross. The cross is what Christianity is all about. We put this symbol atop our churches and wear it around our necks. We sing about it in a hundred sacred hymns. We love the cross.

In Jesus' day the cross was an offense. The Roman statesman-philosopher Cicero said that it was "the most shameful of all punishments." "Let it never come near the body of a Roman citizen, nay, not even near his thoughts or eyes or ears." But for Christians today, the cross in not an offense; it is an ornament. Jesus changed forever the meaning of the cross. Because of Jesus the scaffold of death has become the symbol of life.

The cross of Christ is the focal point of the scriptures. The Old Testament tells us that it would happen. The New Testament tells us that it did happen. The gospels speak of when and how Jesus died on the cross. The epistles tell us why Jesus died on the cross. The authors of the New Testament letters to churches and letters to Christians would often remind their readers of the cross. 1 Cor 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to ... us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Cor 1:23 We preach Christ crucified. Jesus endured the cross, says the author of Hebrews. He died the death of the cross, says Paul in Philippians. In that same epistle, he speaks of those who are the enemies of the cross. Paul tells us that we have been reconciled to God by means of the cross (Eph. 2:16), that we have peace through the blood of his cross (Col. 1:20), that our sins have been nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14). No wonder Paul wrote (Gal. 6:14) "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Today, we have come to John's account of the cross of Jesus.

Systematically, John, the Apostle, has been telling us the story of Jesus. Selectively, he has chosen to record those events which best demonstrate the deity of Christ, that indeed, Jesus is the Son of God, the nature and essence of God. In telling us the story of Jesus, John has put the most emphasis on this event. The first twelve chapters of John covers the 31/2 ministry of Jesus. The next eight chapters occur in a four day time period. Seven of those eight are about a period of less than 24 hours.

Systematically, event by event, John chronicles the road to the cross. Teaching the disciples in the upper room. Judas's betrayal. Jesus' arrest. The Jewish trial. Peter's denial. The Roman trial. The torture. The crucifixion. The death. The burial. The resurrection. The appearances of Jesus.

As I read each day during this past week this portion of scripture, I couldn't help but notice that the Holy Spirit leads John to simply report the facts. John does not in any way tell the story in a sensational way - there is no melodrama, there is no emotionalism, no gory details - just a statement of the facts. The power of this even is simply that it happened. John seems to not want to detract us from seeing the truth by blurring our vision with tears of emotion. And so, the crucifixion of Jesus is told in a matter-of-fact style.

Today, as we consider John's account of the crucifixion, let us linger at the cross and not rush away. Let us not simply glance in the general direction of Jesus death, but let us fix a steady gaze at the cross. As you linger and look at the cross, there are four things that John wants you to see.

The Cruelty Of The Cross, 19:1-3; 16-18a.

Looking at the cross, you see man at his worst. The cross was surrounded by wicked men. The criminally wicked were present at the cross, two thieves crucified next to Jesus (19:18), who themselves cursed Jesus (Matthew 27:43-44). There was Pilate, the knowing wicked, who although, he knew that this was an innocent man, scourged Jesus and made him a public spectacle. There were Roman soldiers, the ignorant wicked, who probably didn't have a clue about who Jesus was, yet they tortured him and gambled for his garments. There was the crowd, the fickle wicked, who one day hailed him as the coming Messiah and the next day demanded his crucifixion and then when it happened that reviled him and watched him suffer and die. There were even the religious wicked, the chief priests and Pharisees who mocked Jesus. The cross shows man at his worst.

There was incredible cruelty at the cross. Jesus was slapped and spit on, punched and mocked cursed and belittled. He endured the incredible torture associated with scourging. The victim of a scourging was fastened to a post. A soldier, using a many-thonged whip into which were woven sharp pieces of metal or bone, brought it down with all the force of his arm on a man's back. The first blow knocked the breath out of the body. The second blow laid open the skin and turn it to bloody ribbons. With each blow the muscle would be exposed and torn. As the punishment proceeded flesh was ripped from bone. Sometimes blood vessels and vital organs were exposed. People died beneath the scourge. Often those who survived were maimed for life. Scourging was not generally associated with crucifixion. It was a punishment of its own. When it was used on one who was crucified, it was intended to weaken the body so that death would be hastened. Capital punishment in our day is designed to be as quick and painless as possible. Not so, then. This torture was purposely made as slow and as painful as possible.

Jesus was then stripped and belittled and mocked as though he were king. They made a crown of thorns (not briars but long needle sharp thorns of the middle-east) and thrust it upon his head. They spit on him and beat his head with a reed, forcing the thorns deeper and deeper into the skull. Then they paraded him toward the place of his death. Criminals were required to carry their cross (in excess of 200 pounds) or at least the cross-beam to the place of crucifixion as a mark of guilt. On the crossbeam would be nailed a placard announcing the criminals crimes.

And when they arrived at the place of the skull, Golgotha in Hebrew, Calvary in Latin, Jesus was crucified. Crucifixion was not Jewish in origin. And although the Romans had not invented it, they had perfected it. It was a horrible way to die. A post hole would be dug into the ground. The cross full constructed consisted of two beams - one vertical, the other horizontal fixed together. Jesus' mangled back was put to the vertical post. His arms were stretched out across the horizontal post. A heavy mallet and an experienced soldier drove the nails through hands and into the beam in one crushing blow. One in each wrist where it joins the hands, one alone through both feet. Often a stupefying drink was given to the victim, not to ease the pain, but because of the real danger of shock, to render the victim unable to thrash and tear himself off the cross. Jesus refused the drink. The cross was lifted and dropped without mercy into the hole. Then began the slow death of crucifixion. There was excruciating pain, dizziness, cramps, fever, thirst, public humiliation and suffocation. Crucifixion consisted of a painful cycle. To support your weight on the cross with your feet was incredibly painful. To relieve the pain, the one crucified would take the weight off the feet and hang by the arms. However, this caused the person to be able to inhale but not to exhale and so they would be suffocated. To relieve the suffocation he must support his weight on his feet. On so this was the cycle, hang by arms until you had to catch your breath, stand on your feet until the pain became unbearable. (Quote Dr. Truman Davis "The Crucifixion of Christ From A Medical Point Of View).

By looking at the cross, you see incredible cruelty. The real criminal is not the one on the middle cross. The real criminals are those surrounding the cross. The cross reveals the wickedness of man.

The Irony Of The Cross, 19:19-22.

John makes a point of mentioning what the placard on Jesus' cross said. "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Was that His crime? The chief priests wanted it reworded in such a way that it implied His treason and sedition. But Pilate refused to change what he had written. The Jews had crucified their King. The words were posted in three language. It was apparently in a very public place where people who had come to Jerusalem from all over the known world might pass and be able to read in their language what was said about Jesus. The cross itself, ironically, became a gospel tract proclaiming to all the world who Jesus is.

When you take time to linger and look at the cross, you can't help but see some irony.

The Loyalty At The Cross, 19:25-27.

Perhaps because he was there, John reminds us of those who stood with Jesus, who remained loyal to him all the way to the cross. Besides himself, there were four women and three of them were named Mary. The loyalty of these women is admirable. More than could be said of ten of the now eleven disciples. Women seem to be able to be present when there is pain and suffering better than men. Sometimes our emphasis on the Biblical truth that the church is to be lead by godly men is interpreted as a disregard for the importance of good and godly women. Need I remind you that women were last at the cross of Jesus, first at His tomb and first to tell the story of His resurrection. Christianity was always depended on godly women.

John tells us that Jesus mother was there and her sister. That would probably have been Salome, John's mother. Then there was Mary the wife of Cleophas. She, I believe, is the unnamed companion of Cleopas to whom Jesus appeared on the road to Emmaus. And there was Mary Magdalene and of course John was there.

Even in those most painful of all moments, Jesus was a good son to his mother, providing for her care after his departure. He gave his choicest disciple, the youngest of them all, the one who had rested on His bosom, to be her adopted son and to care for her.

When you take the time to really linger and gaze at the cross you see loyalty.

The Prophecies Of The Cross, 19:23-24; 28-37.

From a strictly human standpoint, it is clear that Jesus was murdered by wicked men. Some might therefore conclude that Jesus was not in control of his fate, that he died a martyr. But John takes the time to point out how all this was a fulfillment of prophecy. It had been predicted in the Old Testament that his garments would be gambled for, vs. 23-24 - Psalm 22:18. Jesus words "I thirst" spoken from the cross were also a fulfillment of prophecy, v.28 - Psalm 69:21. Vs. 31-36 were a fulfillment of Exodus 12:46. The whole scene according to verse 37 fulfills Zech 12:10. The whole point of reminding us that this fulfills prophetic scripture is to tell us that the death of Jesus on the cross is not simply an accident. It happened just as God said it would. It was all always God's plan. And so when Jesus said, "It is finished" it was not a bitter wail of agong and defeat but a might word of victory and completion. It is three words in English but just one word in Greek. The root of this word is used in Matt. 11:1 and translated "made an end"; in Matt. 17:24 it translated as a payment; in Luke 2:39 as performed and in Luke 18:31 as accomplished. Jesus made an end of sin. He made the payment of our redemption. He performed all the requirements of the law. He accomplished the work the Father gave Him to do. It is finished - the consummation of suffering, the confirmation of the scriptures, the conquering of sin and the completion of salvation. Today, you are invited to visit the cross. it is the place where your sin is put on display and where God's love and desire to save you was demonstrated.