Day 29 | The Crucifixion
Matthew 27:33-56
And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Words: Scott McKinnon Read: 0 - 5 mins Published: 29 March 2024
As I picture Jesus on the cross, I am overwhelmed by what it means for my soul, my family, this church and the entire world.
“In the Christian theology of history, the death of Christ is the central point of history; here all the roads of the past converge; hence all the roads of the future diverge” – Bishop Stephen Neill
What Jesus accomplished through His sacrificial death on the cross was no small thing. Indeed, this is the hinge point for all of history. But what does Jesus dying on the cross really mean?
Well, it means quite a lot.
The words following are what comes to mind when I think of the crucifixion scene.
Read it fast or read it slow.
Let the finished work of Jesus on the cross, sink into your soul tonight.
- Grace – Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God… - Lamb of God – John 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! - Kindness – Titus 3:4
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared… - Atonement – Hebrews 9:12
…he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. - Redemption – Ephesians 1:7
…he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. - Mercy – James 2:13
For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. - Wounded – Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed. - Communion – Matthew 26:28
…for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. - Saviour – 1 John 4:14
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. - Forgiveness – Luke 23:34
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. - Repentance – Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me. - Beautiful Exchange – 2 Corinthians 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - Restoration – Jeremiah 30:17
For I will restore health to you,
and your wounds I will heal,
declares the LORD,
because they have called you an outcast:
‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’ - Freedom – Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. - Suffering – Psalm 22:24
For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
but has heard, when he cried to him. - Healing – 1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. - Salvation – Revelation 7:10
…and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” - Washed – 1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. - Righteous – Romans 5:19
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. - Holy – Acts 3:14
But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you… - Sacrifice – 1 John 4:10
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. - Justice – Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Lord – 1 Corinthians 12:3
Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. - Election – 2 Timothy 1:9
…who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began… - Regeneration – John 3:3
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” - Conversion – Mark 15:39
And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” - Justification – Romans 3:24
…and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, - Mercy Seat – Hebrews 9:5
Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. - Adoption – 1 John 3:1
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. - Sanctification – John 17:17
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. - Compassion – Psalm 51:1
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions. - Victory – Colossians 2:15
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. - Joy – Hebrews 12:2
…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. - Faithful – Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Servant – Philippians 2:7…but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
- Deliverance – Matthew 6:13
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. - Ransom – Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. - Great High Priest – Hebrews 4:14
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. - King of Kings – Revelation 19:16
On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. - The Temple Veil – Hebrews 10:20
…by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, - Reconciliation – 2 Corinthians 5:18
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; - Friendship – Luke 23:12
And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. - Unity – Ephesians 2:14
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility - Peace – Ephesians 2:15
…by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, - Intercession – Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors. - Mission – Acts 13:47
For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” - Pain – Psalm 22:16
For dogs encompass me;
a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet - Mediator – 1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, - New Covenant – Jeremiah 31:31
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, - Love – Romans 8:39
…nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.