The Burial of Jesus

THE SENTENCE, v.1-16 v.1. The Lord Jesus had been declared not guilty of any crime. He had been sent to Herod, but Herod sent Him back to Pilate. Pilate had no right to scourge an innocent person, but he told the soldiers to do that anyway. v.2. The crown of thorns is proof of the curse God put on the earth [Gal.3:13]. Cursed is anyone who is hanged on a tree. He was bearing our curse. v.3. Purple robe: this was an act of mockery. They placed on Him kingly garments. In Mat.27:28, it is called a scarlet robe. In Lu.23:11, it is called a gorgeous (“lampros”) robe. These were the colors in the veil, tabernacle covering, and the gate. Blue and scarlet make purple, and “lampros” is white. Smote Him: this fulfills the scripture, “he gave His face to the smiters;” they insulted Him. v.4. Another declaration of innocence: six people declared Him innocent. [1] Judas [2] Pilate’s wife [3] Herod [4] Malefactor [5] Centurion [Pilate] v.5. “Behold, the Man”: Pilate may have been looking for people to be sympathetic towards Jesus when they saw Him beaten. v.6. Chief priests and officers: they had no authority to crucify Him. Jewish law was to stone the one who blasphemed; another declaration of innocence. v.7. Our law: the law commanded blasphemers to be stoned by those who condemned the victim. The Jews' accusations against Christ….

• He said destroy the temple, and He would rebuild it in three days
• He said He was the Son of the Blessed, the Son of God
• He was a malefactor, a lawbreaker
• He would not give tribute to Caesar because He was the King
• He stirred up the people

v.8. Pilate’s fear: when he heard Jesus was the Son of God, his superstitious mind was fearful v.9. Pilate’s question: “Where did you come from?” Pilate had not acted on what he already knew, so the Lord refused to tell him more. v.10. Pilate’s anger: he was used to prisoners trying to please him in order to be let off v.11. Authority: the law doesn’t give authority to set the guilty free and have an innocent one killed. God gave Pilate this authority to work out His plans. Some people are guilty of greater sins than others. v.12. Declared innocent again: he wanted to maintain Caesar’s friendship and did not want the Jews to accuse him to Caesar. He might lose his position. The Jews hated Christ more than they hated Caesar. v.. 13. Pilate’s decision: the “Pavement” was an elevated place where he could sit above the people and pass sentence. v.14. The Passover: [Num.28:16-17] There were two feasts the Jews kept. One was to remember the salvation of the firstborn before they actually left Egypt, and the other was the feast of unleavened bread. v.15. No king but Caesar: a decision was made in haste and publicly that put them under the rule of others for hundreds of years. v.16. Pilate’s response: he delivered Jesus to be crucified. He chose to please man rather than God. Overall, this was God’s sovereign plan to offer His only Son because of our sins [Rom.4:25; 8:32]

THE CRUCIFIXION, 17-24 v.17. Bearing His cross: there is no evidence of Christ being weak. When we read of Simon bearing it “after Jesus,” Mr. Crawford indicates in his book on Luke that Simon had to lift up the post of the cross, which would force the Lord to bend lower under the load. The “Place of the Skull,” “Golgotha” (Hebrew); “Calvary,” all refer to the same place. v.18. Crucified Him: Jewish leaders and the nation were charged with His crucifixion. Peter makes that statement in Acts 2:36, “God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Master and Messiah). Two others: these men were criminals, malefactors, thieves – Jesus was between them. JESUS “IN THE MIDST.”

• Acts 2:22. “In the midst of you.” Jesus in the world.
• Jn.19:18. “Jesus in the midst.” Jesus on the cross.
• Ps.22:14. “My heart… melted in the midst of My bowels.” Jesus in His sufferings.
• Ps.22:22. “In the midst of the congregation.” His exaltation.
• Ps.110:2. “Rule in the midst of thine enemies.” His future glory.
• Rev.1:13. “In the midst of the…candlesticks.” His priestly work.
• Isa.12:6; Hos.11:9; Rev.5:6; 7:17; Mat.18:20; Lu.24:36; Jn.20:19,26. “In the midst…” of His people; with His people – the Holy One: in the past—the Peace-Giver; in the present – Jesus Himself; in the future – the Lamb.

The Tree of life: [1] in the midst of the garden [Gen.2:9; 3:3] [2] in the midst of the paradise of God [Rev.2:7; 22:2]. The Lord’s People (in the present):

• Walk in the midst of trouble [Ps.138:7].
• In the midst of people of unclean lips [Isa.6:5].
• In the midst of a crooked and perverse generation [Phil.2:15].
• In the midst of wolves (as sheep) [Mat.10:16].
• In the midst of the fire (walking) [Dan.3:25].

Trespass in the midst: Achan, after the fall of Jericho [Josh.7]. A woman in the midst: condemned by men and the law because of sin [Jn.8:9]. A little child in the midst: the kind of people in the kingdom of heaven [Mat.18:2; Mk. 9:36]. The veil rent in the midst: the way opened to God [Lu.23:45]. Summation: Pro. 4:20-21. “Keep them in the midst of thine heart.”

v.19. A title: the statement on it was true. That was to tell the reason for His death. v.20. Three languages: the writing was for all to know. v.21. The Jews objection: they didn’t want to be identified with Him [Jn.1:12]. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” v.22. Pilate’s refusal: “I have written.” He writing makes clear to all the reason for Jesus’ death. v.23. Jesus’ clothes: scripture is fulfilled again: “They parted my garments among them…” Why is the fulfilling of scripture so important? v.24. Seamless robe: this reminds us of His sinless perfection; Scarlet robe – of the shameful rejection; Separated (linen) clothes (in the grave) – of His supernatural resurrection. v.25. Stood by: standing by the cross were His mother, His mother’s sister (Salome, self-examination); Mary the wife of Cleopas; Mary Magdalene (redemption) v.26-27. John: accepting responsibility for Mary. Jesus was not being impolite or unkind when He called her “woman.” Mary’s other children were, up till now, unbelievers [Mat.13:55-56; Jn.7:3-5]. The third cry from the cross, “Woman, behold thy son, behold thy mother.”

• “Woman,” a revelation of life: the seed of the woman [Gen.3:15]; the Son of God came, made of a woman [Gal.4:4]. Here was the woman, and there was her Seed. The word of God was fulfilled. The bruising of the serpent’s head was about to happen. Life had come to an end in death.
• “Woman,” a revelation of light: it is never recorded that Jesus ever used the word “mother” when speaking to Mary. He would never use a word that would give the slightest support to the worship of Mary. Even when the wise men came at His birth, they worshipped Him and presented Him gifts, not to them. Mary glorified God her Savior. Mary was blessed among women, not above women. Our last view of her in the Bible shows her praying with the disciples, not for them. Here, the Lord is cutting the earthly relationship. John is now her son; she was John’s mother.
• “Woman,” a revelation of love: the Lord had to go through the death of the cross alone. By using the word “woman,” He was sparing her from any insult that perhaps would come because of being her son. Mary didn’t take John to her home; Mary is put under the care of John and he is in charge of her.

THE DEATH v.28. Accomplished: between verse 27 and verse 28 were the three hours of darkness recorded in other Gospels. During that time “He bare our sins;” “He suffered for sins;” and “the Lord laid on Him, the iniquities of us all.” The fifth cry from the cross is “I thirst.”

• The Deity of Christ: “Jesus knowing…” The first time His “knowing” was mentioned is in John 1:48, “Whence knowest Thou me?” The last was in John 21:17, “Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love Thee!” In between, we read in John 13:3-4, “Jesus knowing the Father had given all things into His hand…” Our Lord was in full possession of His mental faculties. This was in the fulfillment of scripture [Lam.3:19] but contrasted with the vigor of the previous cry, is the dignity and intelligence of this one.
• The Devotion of Christ: “That the scripture might be fulfilled…” He makes this cry on behalf of the scriptures. The first three cries were on behalf of other people. Now, after the darkness and the distance are past, His mind is on the prophetic word. Although many scriptures had been fulfilled, the one about the thirst [Ps.69:21] had not yet been fulfilled. It wasn’t the thirst that opened His lips, but the scriptures that must be completed. These words were not so much an appeal as an appointment. This was an application that had to be fulfilled even in the midst of His affliction.
• The Dependence of Christ: “I thirst.” Thousands of angels could have come to His aid, but the One who created water cried, “I thirst.” The same verse that tells us of His essential deity tells us of His absolute humanity. This is the mystery of godliness – “God was manifest in flesh.” He began His public ministry by hungering, and finished it by thirsting.

v.29. Vinegar: the scriptures were fulfilled now. This was the last prophetic one that must be fulfilled. v.30. Finished: this is the most quoted one and perhaps the most well-known. Peter wanted to “see the end” [Mat.26:58]. Calvary was the “end of all flesh” [Gen.6:13]. Calvary was the “end of the world” [Heb.9:26]. It was the “end of the law for righteousness [Rom.10:4]. It was the “end of the Sabbaths” [Mat.28:1]. The sixth cry from the cross, “It is finished.”

• Scriptures were finished: many references are made regarding the death of Christ in the Old Testament. These were now fulfilled, and the texts of the prophetic statements give the picture of the Lord being despised and rejected by men, and at the same time, heaven’s offering for sin. “He was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God…” [Acts 2:23]. He was cut off in the midst of His years, yet prolonging His days. He was cut off having nothing, yet seeing of the travail of His soul and being satisfied [Dan.9:26; Is. 53:11].
• Sufferings were finished: In His ministry [Mat.8:16-17] and in His death [Is.53:4] He suffered. “Surely He hath borne our grief and carried our sorrows.” All of the offerings He would have made in His life would have been reminders of the cross, which was before Him. The Messianic Psalms and other scriptures that were His custom to read would have been vivid in His mind as He thought of His approaching death. Three years of being misunderstood and misrepresented; of temptation and trial, were finished. Now, he could bow His head and rest. Joy lay ahead of Him who endured the cross and despised the shame.
• Sacrifices were finished: [Heb.10:5-10] none of the thousands of sacrifices previously made could put away sins. They were only covered. By this one offering, He perfected forever those who were sanctified. The sacrifices are obsolete now. Christ’s sacrifice rises above all those and supersedes them. His offering is supreme, solitary, and sufficient. Any other form, such as the mass, is an insult to the finality of the work of Calvary. There can be no other atonement for sin.
• Service was finished: [Jn.17:4] His Father’s work, He started doing as a boy [Lu. 2:49], was done. Now, He could lay down His head. He had no place to “lay down His head” in His years of service. His work was not finished until the cross work was accomplished. The supreme work He came to do was complete. The work He is doing now in preparing a place for us in heaven, and appearing in the presence of God for us, is not part of the supreme redemptive work that He declared finished.
• Satan was finished: [Jn.. 12:31; Heb . 2:14] Satan’s power over believers is destroyed, and his doom is certain. We are warned of the “wiles of the devil,” but are not to dread his power [Jas.4:7]. We are told to “resist the devil, and he will flee…” The success of the cross spelled his doom. He will be bruised under our feet shortly [Rom.16:20].
• Salvation was finished: We are freed from the penalty of sins – it has been paid, and the wrath against it exhausted in the cry of triumph from the Lord. Freedom from the power and presence of sin follows as a result. We are saved by His life because we have been reconciled by His death. His second appearance unto salvation is because of His first appearance to put away sin. The Greek word for “It is finished” is “tetelestai,” one word meaning “Finished.” God finishes what He begins. He finished creation. He finished propitiation at Calvary, and He will finish the good work He began in us, in the day of Jesus Christ [Phil.1:6].
• Sin was finished: [Jas.1:15] The death of the Lord Jesus Christ has finished sin. It does not have dominion over us. It is not our master. Because of what Christ did, there will be a time when sin is done away with, and there will be only righteousness.

v.31. The broken legs: the Jews asked that this be done. They were careful to keep the law even when committing murder. There could be no broken bones in the Passover lamb [Ex.12:16; Ps.34:20; Zec.12:10]. v.32. The Lord’s promise to the thief could be kept because they both died that day. v.33. Jesus was already dead: He gave His life as ransom for all. No one took it from Him. He laid it down Himself deliberately. v.34. Pierced His side: perhaps the soldier was making sure, but he was really fulfilling God’s purpose. “Behold My hands and side…” v.35. John testifies: he must have taken Mary home (“from that same hour he took her unto his own home”) and returned to the cross. John makes reference to the water and blood in 1 John 5:6. v.36. Explanations of God’s control over simple situations and v.37. Over the actions of men. Some unexplainable things have to be seen from God’s view.