MATTHEW 27 THIS JUST PERSON As I read the on-going account of Jesus' journey, I saw the Lord Jesus Christ with bruised face and religious spit testifying to the Jews rejection of Him, led, bound to Pilate. The counsel of the Jews was a death sentence. They were not able to carry that out so they took Him to the Gentile governor to have this accomplished.
Judas in the meantime, realized the Lord Jesus was not going to deliver Himself and take kingship over the nation at that time. Judas' scheming plans did not work the way he had intended and his name is preserved in infamy from that day until this. The prophecies of Zechariah and Jeremiah were fulfilled by the actions of that self-centered, covetous man. There is no way to carry out the will and work of God by self-seeking attempts at finding a place for ourselves that we may become rich and famous before men. God is determined to put the proud man down, and to raise the humble man up. Judas' betrayal, his death, burial and doom are recorded as a testimony to those who do not have a right estimation of Jesus. The warning is there for all to learn from.
As the Lord Jesus stood before Pilate, the governor, His testimony was brief and easy to understand. "He witnessed a good confession before Pontus Pilate." He was not here to bring about an insurrection but to establish a kingdom of truth and righteousness beginning with His own people. Pilate knew the underlying envy the religious leaders bore against Jesus. He also knew the innocence of the Lord Jesus. He knew the results the Jewish leaders wanted - Jesus' death. His wife also knew this and was moved to warn Pilate of the mistake he was making. We are called upon to make decisions ourselves that seriously affect other people. It is not wise to act arbitrarily or out of a desire to appease the leading people if they are using you to achieve their own ends. In decision making we need to get the facts clear in our minds. Consider carefully what is behind the cause of the event. Do not be pressured by those who have a personal agenda they are seeking to use you to fulfill. Amidst the challenges, charges and pressures there is the truth of the matter. It is our obligation to seek out that truth and defend it.
When Pilate finally evaded the truth, to content the people, he condemned Jesus to die. The abuse of the soldiers and the vicious attacks on Him physically seems to be that of a cowardly pack of dogs like was prophesied in the Old Testament scriptures. The attitude of the population seems so unfair and unreal, one is caused to wonder if Satan had not released a horde of demons to try and have the Lord Jesus Christ die before He went to the cross to make atonement for our sins. It seems like they went so much farther than would have been the usual practice. We know the scriptures say, "Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree." The fullness of the redemptive work of Christ had to be done on the tree so we would be separated from the consequences of our sins and would live for God out of appreciation and the power of a new nature living through us and producing a whole new life.
There never was a question as to the innocence of the Lord Jesus in Pilate's mind. Even the religious leaders had to manipulate the laws to try and find an excuse for their own actions. The strange fickleness and mockery of the people and the soldiers seem to be the mindless movement of peer pressure. Once the reproaches, the mockery, the cruelty got started, it seemed to take on a mind of its own. The whole scene was one of the bloodthirsty people directed to only one of the three crucified people. The thieves on either side were not made the object of the derision and animosity of the people. We wonder at that until we stop to consider the presence of perfection among wide-scale imperfection; morality among immorality; honesty where lies and deception rule; truth against falsehood; holiness contrasted with ungodliness. The only way people could deal with the One who came from heaven was to get rid of Him. In spite of all the ways they tried to get a response from Him that would make Him say or do something they could accuse Him of, there was nothing. "When He was reviled, He reviled not again. When He suffered, He threatened not." "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth." The insults, the rejection, the humiliation, the pain and the suffering did not in any way turn Him from His purpose of "suffering the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God."
The darkness that covered the land for three hours was a testimony to everyone that something was happening to Jesus that was beyond anything natural. Such darkness brought fear to those who had come to watch Him die. They fled into the darkness perhaps realizing there was something happening at Golgotha that was stirring the heart of God. Then when loud cries from the Lord Jesus Christ came out of the darkness one after another including the loud, "It is finished!" there would have been that deep terror in the souls of all, that accompanies guilt. The great destructive earthquake would have sent terrified people into the streets crying out in fear. When the rocks around them were breaking they must have thought the end was here.
The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus would have started out as just another crucifixion to the soldiers. But as the crowd grew and the momentum of rejection had gathered, they had entered into it themselves. When the darkness came followed three hours later by the earthquake, they all, including the centurion, came to the same conclusion. "Truly this was the Son of God!" Even from my place of reading the words, though not being there, I am greatly impacted by the fact that "The Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me!" To me this whole event is very personal. This goes way beyond being a historical event to being the great redeeming act of God's grace that I might escape the punishment of my sins and be accepted by a holy God because of what the Lord Jesus Christ did for me - in my place, when He died on the cross. I am accepted in the Beloved Son.
There is no way to truly describe all that happened there because it was so profound in scope. The actions of God from way before creation, had this day and work in view. The illustrations, types and shadows in the Old Testament had this work in view. The psalms that were sung hundreds of years before, described this event. Now looking back from where I am today, that moment in His-story stands out above all other events as the one that changed the whole universe. It changes people from within when they take time to consider what happened that day that made it possible for sinful people to not only come to God, but be made "children of God by faith in Jesus Christ." "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The burial of Jesus was remarkable also because the scriptures had foretold how He would be buried by the rich. Joseph stands out from among the Sanhedrin, and Nicodemus too as they take Jesus' body and carefully take it to the rich man's tomb and bury it as befits the One who is the Supreme Ruler of the kingdom of heaven. The watching ladies sitting by would have been grieving and Mary would be waiting to see Him rise from the dead as He said He would. In one way we too are waiting and watching to see what happens next. The Lord had told them He was going to rise again on the third day. He told us He was coming again on an unknown day. Perhaps this is the day He will come. So I watch and wait.
It was no doubt a fearful thing to those priests and Pharisees when the earthquake happened and the veil in the temple was torn from the top to the bottom before their eyes. How they would have reacted is not recorded except that now they were aware that what the Lord said actually happened. The priests and Pharisees, even Pilate, had learned that when God works, all other authority is powerless to change the course of events.
As I considered the journey of Jesus to this most pivotal moment in history, I am again made to think of the saving power of "This just Man." There has taken place all that is necessary for justice to be done as far as a holy God is concerned. A sinless, just Man had died in the place of a sinful unjust man. The gift of eternal life has been given to me by the One who had eternal life and was able to give it to me. Acceptance with God is now a fact and I am not cowering in fear in view of meeting God. There is an anticipation as I think of the future and all it holds. "Abba Father" is not an arrogant approach to a righteous God but is the wonderful privilege of one who has become an adopted son of God. This whole event on that day of all days has brought blessing to me that is so far beyond what I deserve that I cannot describe it. Not all of the songs and hymns written about that day and events can describe what that means to me. Many have, and many will try to express the blessings that came from the Savior that day, and we will all fail to do so. I guess the best I can say it is, "I love Thee, Lord Jesus. I truly do!"
What could I say about that day that hasn't been said before? How can I express the thoughts of my heart from the words I have in store? The best I can do at this moment at least is to place myself at each event - And in that way perhaps can personalize that it was for me He was sent.
When He was bound and led to the priests, those bonds should have been on me. The bands that held Him were powerless to Him, but needed that I might be free. The betrayal of Judas was awful, but I wonder what I would have done If someone had offered me money to deny or betray God the Son.
The silence that made Pilate uneasy was so His innocence would be known. And at the same time the reproaches laid on Him were reproaches I should have borne. He was just and everyone knew it, I was unjust so for me He did take The reproaches, the blasphemy and humiliation for this guilty sinner's sake.
The perfections of His Person were obvious, what can be done to One so innocent? Pilate with a word condemned Him, though doubtless with a guilty conscience. Condemnation was pronounced on me because the wages of sin is death. But I am legally freed because the Lord Jesus has given me His kind of life.
The cross and the suffering and the pain would have been mine forever in hell. What the Lord Jesus endured on that tree only God Himself can tell. But I know He bore my sins there, now the punishment for me is gone. The grace of God has accomplished redemption, the atoning work is done.
I stand by to watch in my mind, the whole scene, the darkness, the 'quake. And I am overwhelmed by the cost and the judgment the Lord Jesus for me did take. My heart is like water within me, I can't find words to express what I mean As I go over the account that is written and as the writer describes that scene.
But there does arise within me a gratefulness I cannot express. The best I can do is trust the Lord knows my heart wants to bless Him with all that is in me and with holiness I honor Him - Who without spot and blemish in Him, took full responsibility for my sin.
Now I, like that centurion and his men, say, "Truly Jesus is the Son of God." He is my Savior from sin, I want daily to honor Him as Lord. By God's grace shown and given to me, I want to faithfully give to Him All that can glorify and honor His name even as each new day begins.
"Thanks be unto God, for His unspeakable gift" - those words I mean from my heart. "The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me"- this is a good place to start. "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross..." - this I really mean. "He made peace through the blood of His cross" - I testify I have peace with Him.
"O Gracious Loving Father, what can I say to Thee this morning except, "Thanks", from the bottom of my heart. There is no way I can adequately thank Thee for what Thy grace has brought to me. Please accept the unspoken thoughts as well as the words, as tokens of my appreciation. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."