Via Dolorosa
Via Dolorosa is Latin for Way
of Sorrows or Way of Pain –
While this term does not appear in scripture, it
is the traditional pilgrimage route commemorating our Lord’s fateful Good Friday journey from
Pilate’s Judgment Hall to Golgotha .
Christians from all over the world go to Jerusalem
where Christ took His exhaustive journey.
It is almost impossible to determine the exact
route, because after the first and second revolts
all landmarks were destroyed or buried deep under
rubble.
This devotional practice representing the
gospel story is by the Traditional
FOURTEEN events or “Stations” of remembrance as fixed in
the 18th century.
PROPHECY – RABBIT TRAIL
PROPHECY FULLFILLMENT
- Zechariah
- Isaiah
53:7 Be
silent before accusers Matthew
27:12
- Isaiah
53:5 Be
scourged and wounded Matthew
27:26
- Isaiah
50:6 Be
smitten and spat upon Matthew
26:67
- Psalms
- Isaiah
53:12 Put to
death with criminals Matthews
27:38
- Psalms
- Psalms
69:21 Would
suffer thirst John
- Psalms
69:21 Gave gall
and vinegar to drink Matthew
27:34
- Psalms
22:1 Utter
forsaken cry to God Matthew
27:46
- Psalms
34:20 No bones
would be broken John
19:33
- Zechariah
- Isaiah
53:9 Buried
in a rich mans tomb Matthew
27:57-60
- Psalms
- Psalms
68:18 Ascend
into heaven Acts
1:9
- Psalms
110:1 Sit at
the right hand of God Hebrews
1:3
Passover
- Originally: Passover;
connected to the paschal lamb and the feast of unleavened bread
were two distinct, but consecutive festivals. – Later they were celebrated
as one event.
- Preparations began on
the 10th day of Nisan; an unblemished male yearling lamb was
selected and kept under special care till the 14th day of Nisan
when it would be killed before sunset. –
- On the 15th
of Nisan, The Passover meal with the roasted lamb would be
eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs – (No bones could be broken)
- Friday the day before
the Sabbath was known as the day of preparation.
- The feast (of unleavened bread) would continue
through the 21st of Nisan. (See
NYOBS 5 )
- The Paschal Lamb is a
foreshadow of “The Lamb of God”
Time Line
ARISE THE THIRD DAY
- The time is Passover Week. – The entire festival was
called Passover.
- Thursday evening, the
14TH day of Nisan, Jesus and the disciples prepare and partake
in the “chagigah meal” before sunset. This was a meal before the Passover feast
which would occur on the 15th of Nisan; where the feast of
unleavened bread would continuing on for seven more days till the 21st
of Nisan. – This would actually become Christ’s Passover meal. (There is much controversy over which
meal and which day – But this is my take.)
- Nisan
is their first month of the year and is a spring month of 30 days usually falling in
March–April on the Gregorian
calendar.
- NOTE: Jesus
said He wanted to eat the actual
Passover meal with them, but would not.
- Friday evening, the 15
day of Nisan, the actual Passover meal would have been eaten,
but He would be already dead. – He would become the Passover lamb.
- The sixth hour is
- Time Line - Thursday at
sunset/Friday – They go to the
- Friday very very
early He is arrested in the garden and tried by the Sanhedrin.
- Friday about
- Friday around
- Friday between
- In Jewish theology, the
“Blessed Souls” await in a compartment of Hell that is
called
- Friday between
- Three days in the grave.
- Friday before sunset
- Day one in the grave - The
day of preparation for the Sabbath
- Friday
sunset/Saturday is the Sabbath – Day
two in the grave
- Saturday
sunset/Sunday – Day three in the
grave – The first day of the week.
- Sunday - just after
sunrise. –Mary is at the tomb. - Christ has physically already
risen.
- My problem with the time line is that I want to
force Jesus to be in the grave three full days and three full
nights, but that is just not what the scriptures validate. – A new day
started at sunset. – His physical body was in the grave maybe only two
hours on Friday just before sunset, all day on Saturday the Sabbath, and
maybe only a half day on Sunday, the first day of the week around sunrise.
- Some commentaries
think that this His death happened on Thursday and not on Friday which
would give another 24 hours in the grave... If that’s the case, I can then
only pre-suppose that Mary could not go to the grave the next day to
anoint Him with perfumes because she would have become ceremonially
unclean and could not partake of the Passover; (that’s just my far out thoughts). - Also they think that they were using
two different calendars when reporting the days. – In the finality of things,
I have to go with what I find in the scripture of the four gospels which
is that of; one full day and two partial days.
Luke 22:15 -16 – I will not eat the Passover meal with you.
15 And he said to them, "I have eagerly
desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again
until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God
Mark 15:25 – The third hour was nine in the morning
25 It was the third hour when they
crucified him. NIV
Luke 23:44-46 – The sixth hour
is noon
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and
darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,
45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of
the temple was torn in two.
46 Jesus called out with a loud voice,
"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this,
he breathed his last.
NIV
Matt 27:46-50 –The ninth
hour - about three pm Jesus dies
46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,
lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?"
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud
voice, he gave up his spirit.
NIV
Matt 12:40 – Three days in the heart of the earth
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in
the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three
nights in the heart of the earth.
NIV
Luke 16:22 – Good people were held in paradise
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and
was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died,
and was buried;
KJV
Luke 23:43 – Jesus went to paradise
43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth,
today you will be with me in paradise." NIV
Eph 4:8-9 – He took those
in captivity in paradise to heaven
8 Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high,
he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended what is it but that he
also descended FIRST into the lower parts of the earth? KJV
Matt 16:21 – Prophecy – Rise on the third day
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his
disciples that he must go to Jerusalem
2 Cor 5:8 – Absent from
the body – Present with the Lord
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to
be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. KJV
A little background
- The
Pharisees
and other religious leaders were extremely bothered that Jesus had
gathered such a large following that had accepted Him as the Messiah which “to them”
was blasphemy and they were losing control over the Jews – Unable to cope
with this, they decided the best way to handle this blasphemy was to kill
Him…
- I want to jump in
here
to say that the Jews took YHWH;
the God of Israel, very seriously. They would not even utter His name and
for someone to claim that they were the son of God was blasphemy
and worthy of death. – Besides that, “Elijah” would come first, then the
Messiah. – They did not recognize that the “spirit of Elijah” had already
come in John the Baptist.
- THURSDAY
night/FRIDAY morning - The stage is set; - Jesus and the Disciples
have finished “their” Passover Supper and have left the city and now the
eleven have gone to the
- Jesus is in prayer
waiting for the betrayal of Judas’ to unfold - In anguish He calls out “Abba Father” – Abba in Aramaic means “Daddy”. – Jesus had
taken aside with Him; Peter, James and John who were supposed to be
watching, but fell asleep.
- As He is addressing
the eleven disciples, the mob quickly appeared lighting their torches even
though it was a full moon. They brought clubs to take care of any
resistance; and in their mist was Judas leading the way as he knew the
place well. – This was not a surprise, it was an expectation. – I can
almost see them crouched down secretly advancing to snare Him.
- When the solders asked
for Jesus, He voluntarily stepped forward and said twice,
“I am He”. Notice the Devine name “I AM” the name of Jehovah. - Already
identified, there was no reason for Judas to identify him in a full moon with
a kiss, but he did anyway. – Judas probably just wanted to “make good” on
his right to the 30 pieces of silver. – Jesus called Judas “FRIEND” which
is what you call someone you are in a “blood covenant” with. (NYOBS 5)
- The
presence of the Holy Spirit - The Soldiers upon hearing; “I am He”, became what the
Pentecostals refer to as, “Slain in
the Spirit”; -BAM they
fell down briefly as if dead men. – This certainly demonstrated the
power Jesus had over His enemies and His freedom to willingly
choose to go with them. – After they got themselves up off the ground,
Jesus asked again “whom do you seek” – You would think at this
point they would have taken off running in all directions. - “I AM HE”
- Peter thought Malchus; the
servant of the high priest needed a hair cut and sought to part his
hair with his sword, but only just shaved off his ear a little. Jesus fixed it. – Then went peaceably, fulfilling the prophecy that
none of the disciples would be killed.
- The arrogant religious
leaders
had waited for the secrecy
of the cover of night when most folks were home with their family. Herod held his court very early in
the morning and the city folk would wake up to an already done deal
with Jesus condemned.
- The
mob, including a
detachment of 600 Roman soldiers and temple police took Jesus
prisoner in the
- Anna had several sons
that succeeded him giving him a monopoly on the High Priesthood for over
50 years – Jewish sources list his regime as corrupt.
- They secretly had already called
an illegal assembly of the Jewish Sanhedrin court; some 70 of them
were waiting for Him. The Chief Priests; the Scribes
and the Elders were the three groups that made up the
Sanhedrin.
- False witnesses were
already present. – There were no witnesses for the defense – Pilate’s
company of 600 solders was already being secretly assembled. – Smells like a “SET UP”.
- The charges before
the Sanhedrin were; 1) Threatening to destroy the
temple and 2) Blasphemy.
- Jesus was made sport
of - He was “hoodwinked”
and they struck him (“rapisma”;
with a blow of a rod or a slap with the palm of the hand) with His face
covered. They asked Him to tell who
had struck Him. - They were mocking His prophetic office; - They pulled
out His beard as was prophesied.
- FRIDAY morning the Sanhedrin high council
continued court and just after sunrise, about seven or eight in the
morning they had in short order
condemned Jesus to death. - It was illegal to sentence someone to death at
night; they must have two trials a day apart, thus the daybreak session for
“the appearance” of legality.
- His
trial was in two stages
- First
Stage
- 1) The hearing before Annas –
2) The trial before Caiaphas
and the Sanhedrin 3) The
continuance of the same trial at daybreak and what they were going to tell
Pilate.
- Second
Stage –
1) The trial before Pilate – 2) The trial before Herod – 3) The trial before Pilate again
and the sentencing.
- NOTE: It was not against Roman law for someone
to claim that they were god; so before Pilate, they changed the charges
against Jesus to indicate that 1)
He was subverting the Jewish nation - 2)
He opposed paying taxes to
- Executions were
restricted to Roman authorities only. - Since they had no authority to
invoke the death sentence, they sent Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman
procurator who was thought to be at the Antonia Fortress.
- Stoning was the Jewish method of capital
punishment; Crucifixion was the Roman method.
- FRIDAY
morning - Pilate was frightened about
the situation and didn’t want to sentence Jesus to death and sent Him to Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of
Galilee who was probably at his palace. - Jesus came from
- Herod’s
curiosity
wanted Jesus to provide a sign or a miracle show; Jesus wouldn’t do it - Jesus
would do a miracle for a beggar, but not to provide entertainment for a
great Potentate. - Jesus would
NOT cheapen His omnipotence with
a sideshow.
- Herod didn’t want to sentence
Jesus either and sent Him back to Pilate where under pressure; Pilate offers
to release a prisoner to the mob.
- At some point both Pilate and Herod have now become witnesses for the defense. They both
found Jesus to be “not guilty” of any crime. – But the people would
not hear it.
- Interestingly; there was a custom of amnesty
at the Passover feast to release one prisoner each year. Instead of Jesus, they shouted to
release Barabbas the notorious ZEALOT,
a murderer and an insurrectionist – A Zealot deeply resented the Romans
occupation of
- Scripture seems to
indicate that the crowd does not take a stand against Jesus, but are more like
spectators, passive rather than hostile, till they are stirred up.
- PONDER THIS - Many think that the
Zealot Barabbas was also named “Jesus” which was a common name, and to
make sure that Pilate did not misunderstand who there were talking about,
they used the word “Barabbas” - Bar
means
- Pilate
condemns Jesus to death.
Pilate’s action was not prompted by the desire for justice, but by political
and moral cowardice. – Barabbas was released and saved from
crucifixion. – Jesus took his place.
- It had been less
than a week since Jesus was honored
with His triumphal entry into the city and now they were shouting to crucify
Him. –
This begins the “Way
of the Cross” – Via
Dolorosa – The
Way of Sorrow
Matt 11:13-14 – John had the spirit of Elijah
13 For all the Prophets
and the Law prophesied until John.
14 And if you are willing
to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. NIV
John 18:2 – Judas knew where Jesus would be.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed
him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his
disciples. NIV
John 18:4-9 – I am He who you seek.
4 Jesus, knowing all that
was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you
want?" …. "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am
he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them …
Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?" And they said, "Jesus
of Nazareth."
8 "I told you that
I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let
these men go."
9 This happened so that
the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of
those you gave me." NIV
John 18:6 – Slain in the Spirit
6 When Jesus said, "I
am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. NIV
Matt 27:21 – Who do you
want to be released
21 "Which of the two do you want me to
release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they
answered. NIV
John 18:40 – No not Jesus
40 They shouted back, "No, not him!
Give us Barabbas!" Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion. NIV
Matt 27:20 – Release
Barabbas
20 But the chief priests and the elders
persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
Luke 23:18-19 – Barabbas
was an insurrectionist – A Hero
18 Away with this man! Release Barabbas to
us!"
19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an
insurrection in the city, and for murder.) NIV
Matt 28:4 – The power of the Holy Spirit
4 The guards were so
afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. NIV
John 18:9 – You need a hair cut
9 Then Simon Peter, having
a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right
ear. The servant's name was Malchus. NKJV
Luke 22:51 – Let me
fix that.
51 But Jesus answered,
"No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.
NIV
Mark 14:65 – Hoodwinked – Struck – Spit on - buffeted
65 And some began to spit
on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say
unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the
palms of their hands. KJV
Isa 50:6 – Prophecy –
Pulled out His beard.
6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to
them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and
spitting. KJV
Via Dolorosa
– The Tour
- THE TOUR - In
the tour
of the Via Dolorosa in
Station # 1 – The place where Jesus was condemned
- Jesus is condemned by
Pilate, the Roman Governor and handed over to his Soldiers.
- Jesus
is flogged
– Under Jewish Law, the number of lashes was determined by the crime, but
no more than forty. – Tradition has it that they always stopped at thirty
nine just in case they had lost count. – The Romans were not limited by this law.
- The subjects were
beaten with elm or birch rods or whipped with the dreaded flagellum (The cat of nine tails) a short
handled leather whip with many leather lashes that had pieces of bone and lead plaited into
its thongs that were meant to rip the victims flesh.
- Jesus was flogged
BEFORE the verdict. – Traditionally He would have been stripped and tied to
a low pillar so that His back was bent upward. – Two men would stand on
opposite sides bringing down the whip on the shoulders, back and legs. –
The skin on the back is left hanging down in ribbons. - This left Jesus a
bloody pulp with deep gashes probably exposing His bones and entrails. – The
Romans had no limit to the lashes - Most victims did not survive this
cruel punishment. – We are healed because He took the
stripes on His back.
- This is where Pilate
uttered the words “BEHOLD THE
- Then the soldiers took
Him to the Praetorium (the
hall of judgment) where a whole company of soldiers were waiting and
surrounded Him. – Jesus, in the center, was stripped again of His clothing
and mockingly given a cast off old “troopers” short cloak which
fastened at the right shoulder described as a faded color of red,
purple or scarlet to wear like a king.
- The
Praetoriun
was originally the military general’s headquarters along with that of the
soldiers; the Praetorian Guard - The Bible uses the word Praetorian
as the place where Pilate was located or was his residence. – Anyway, this
was the Judgment Hall.
- The Jews would not go
inside because they would have been ceremonially defiled and could not eat
the Passover supper that night; so for sure; this is Friday the 15th
of Nisan
- Then they twisted
thorns together to form a crown and then forced it down on His head and
then they gave Him a reed staff in His right hand for a scepter to add to
their mockery
- Two
thorny shrubs; the “Christ
Thorn” shrub grows to about 12 feet and has sharp thorns on the
bottom of its leaves. – Another plant similar in name growing to about 8
feet is also found around
- They proceeded to
mockingly kneel down before Him, calling Him the”King of the Jews”.
Then they snatched the reed staff out of His hand and beat Him over
the head, smacking down on the crown of thorns; over and over again and
spiting upon Him - Their abuse continued as they took turns until they
wearied of their sport.
- Pilate brought Jesus
out and said, BEHOLD THE
- Jesus is condemned to
death by crucifixion – He has been left extremely weak which contributes
to His early death.
John 18:28 – The Jews did not want to be ceremonial unclean
28 By now it was early morning, and to avoid
ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they
wanted to be able to eat the Passover. NIV
John 19:15 – We have no king but Caesar.
15 "We have no king but Caesar,"
the chief priests answered. NIV
Luke 23:20-21 – Crucify
Him, Crucify Him
20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to
them again.
21 But they kept shouting, "Crucify him!
Crucify him!"
NIV
John 19:5 – Behold the man
5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns
and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Behold the Man!"
NKJV
John 19:6 - I find no
fault in this man.
6 But Pilate answered, "You take him and
crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him."
NIV
Matt 27:26-30 – Jesus is
mocked - given the crown of thorns
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus
flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
27 Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus
into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers
around him.
28 They stripped him and put a scarlet
robe on him,
29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns
and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front
of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit
on him,
30 and took the staff and struck him on the
head again and again.
NIV
Isa 53:5 – We are healed
by the stripes on His back.
5 But he was pierced for our
transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment
that brought us peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. NIV
Station # 2 – The place where Jesus receives the cross
- Jesus is stripped of
the scarlet robe and His clothes are put back on Him and then He is led
away carrying His own cross through the streets to expose Him to more contempt.
- At this stage, normally
only the horizontal transverse bar of the Roman cross was carried strapped
across the shoulders , about 30 to 40 pounds – We don’t know if it was
this bar or the whole cross that Jesus labored under.
- Normally a prisoner
went naked to his place of execution dragging the cross piece and was
flogged along the way, but Jesus had already been flogged.
Matt 27:31 – They led Him
away with the cross
31 After they had mocked him, they took off the
robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify
him.
Station #3 – The place where Jesus stumbles under the weight
- This station is preserved
only in tradition marking the first stumble or fall of Jesus
while carrying the cross.
Station #4 – The place where Jesus speaks to his afflicted mother
- Jesus sees his mother
Mary and tells her that from hence forth that the disciple John is to be
her son and she is to be his mother; He says that John will take care of
her, and he does.
- Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother
of James the less and Salome the mother of James and John was
also present. – “The less” means either he was less known, the younger, or
shorter.
John 19:25-27 – Jesus
speaks to his mother Mary
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother,
his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the
disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear
woman, here is your son”
27 and to the disciple, "Here is your
mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. NIV
Station #5 – The place Simon the Cyrenian is forced to bear the cross
- Jewish tradition
has it that Jesus stumbled under the weight of the cross, and as some suggests,
a black Jew from an old
Greek settlement on the coast of
- Later Simon’s wife became
a well known Christian along with his two sons, Alexander and Rufus. – It
is thought that Simon was already a disciple and that they selected him to
bear the cross as a reprisal; to set an example to others
who might be thinking about discipleship
- To Simon, this
troublesome unwieldy load of the cross came out of nowhere - Now Simon’s
name will be remembered and honored where ever the Gospel is preached as a
memorial.
- The story is not
about the load that came out of nowhere. - It’s about us carrying the
load.
Luke 23:26 - Jesus stumbles and Simon carries the cross
26 They seized Simon from Cyrene, and put
the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
Mark 15:21 – Simon was the
father of Alexander and Rufus
21 A man from Cyrene
Rom 16:13 – Rufus and his mother are Christians.
13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his
mother, who has been a mother to me, too. NIV
Station #6 – The place where Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.
- While I do not find
this in scripture, this is the spot where tradition says Veronica wiped blood,
sweat, and dust off the face of Jesus. – I cannot find her name mentioned anywhere
in scripture – Again this account is preserved only in tradition.
Station #7 – The place where Jesus stumbles or falls a second time
- This second fall is
preserved only in tradition
Station #8 - The place where Jesus speaks to the women.
- A group of women
followed Jesus mourning, weeping and wailing, and Jesus turns and speaks
to them. – He foretells the sad times coming upon the city, the
destruction of
- Don’t weep for me;
weep for yourselves and your children.
Luke 23:27-30 – Jesus
speaks to the women
27 A large number of people followed him,
including women who mourned and wailed for him.
28 Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters
of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.
30 Then they will say to the mountains, "Fall
on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ‘NIV
Station #9 – The place of Jesus’ third fall or stumble.
- This third fall is
preserved only in tradition.
- NOTE: I can’t find recorded in scripture
anywhere that Jesus fell, staggered or stumbled although I believed He often
did.
Station #10 - The place where Jesus was stripped of His clothes.
- Jesus was stripped of
His clothes; There was probably only five articles of clothing; a headdress
(turban), an outer garment (cloak), an under garment (tunic),
a belt (girdle) and sandals; the soldiers divided them up
among the four of them and they cast lots for His undergarment which was
seamless; it was also called an “inner tunic”. – Jesus was naked on
the cross. – No underwear.
- NOTE: A seamless
undergarment was designated to be worn by the high priest. – In all
probability this was a gift from His mother
John 19:23 -24 – The soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ clothing
23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took
his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them,
with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one
piece.
24 from top to bottom "Let's not tear
it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get
it." NIV
Ps 22:18 – Prophecy – They cast lots for my clothing
18 They divide my garments among them and cast
lots for my clothing. NIV
Ex 39:28 – An undergarment
seamless for the priest
28 and the turban of fine linen, the linen
headbands and the undergarments of finely twisted linen. NIV
Station #11 - He is
nailed to the cross
Station #12 - He dies
- Anyone who hangs on a
tree is under the curse of God
– Jesus took our curse removing the curse from us; fulfilling scripture.
- Jesus is led to a
place just outside the city called
- The most common
conjecture for the name
- Interestingly, there were three
crosses already prepared for the rebels, which included Barabbas the insurrectionist. –
Now Jesus is nailed to one of them. – Jesus took the rebellious
Barabbas’ place; and ours.
- Another
interesting Note: One of the two criminals asked Jesus to remember him when
he came into His kingdom – This was a shadow of Prophecy; “One will be taken and the other left”.
– This sinner was saved without being baptized. – Baptism in water does
not save. – If you come; Christ will not cast you out. – It’s in the
Book.
- Webster:
- Roman crucifixion
included nailing the criminal
to the cross; although the nailing is NOT found in scripture, Jesus shows
his disciples the hard evidence of the holes in his hands
and tells them to quit doubting. Technically,
the nails were put into the wrist; the reference to hands would include
the wrist as well.
- Webster
– Crucify
– to put to death by nailing or binding to a cross and leaving to
die of exposure – to be very cruel – to torment.
- NAILS - They have found
remains of victims that had been crucified with nails through the wrist
between the Ulna and the radius to prevent the flesh from tearing loose
from the nails. The feet were turned at a right angle with a single spike
of hard Olive wood driven through both the right side of the right heel
and the right side of the left heel and then into the cross; The angle
making it harder to push up to breath. – A rope was put across the chest
to prevent them from falling forward. The scourging had already left Jesus
very weak. - To breathe He had to
push up with His legs and pull up with His arms; collapsing back down in
exhaustion; enduring horrible pain from His ripped up back and legs and
the nails that suspended Him.
- Scripture records the
four words – “And They Crucified
Him”.
- CONTEMPT - While many today
use the middle finger to show contempt; they WAGGED their heads, jeered and hurled insults at
Him as they passed by. – “He saved others, let Him save Himself” – “Come
down and we will believe”.
- Jesus is offered
“Soldiers Wine,” probably by the women, mixed with the stupefying myrrh
drug to deaden the pain, but He refuses it, choosing to experience the
full brunt of the pain with all His senses intact to the very end.
- Jesus asks God to
forgive them, because they don’t have any idea what they are doing. – God
separates Himself from Christ and allows Him to experience spiritual death
in the place of sinful man. – That’s when Jesus cries out; My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken
me.
- Jesus
dies –It was a bloody,
painful, shameful and cursed death - Jesus spoke His last words in
a loud voice; in full strength; and in triumph, “It is finished”. - “The
Plan is finished” – The plan that was put into effect before the
foundations of the earth.
- Normally the
execution team would smash the legs of the victim so they could not push
up to breath and the shock and suffocation would bring death on pretty
quick.- Since Jesus had already died they did not break his legs fulfilling
scripture. He is our Passover Lamb.
- NOTE: Traditionally the Passover lamb cannot have a bone in its body broken.
- Wanting to be sure He
was dead; a soldier named by “tradition” as Longinus thrusts his spear into the side of Jesus and
blood and water came out fulfilling prophecy.
- Pilate prepares a
sign in three languages; Aramaic, Latin and Greek - It was customary to parade the sign around for all to
see, then to hang it on the neck of the victim or places it on top of the
cross – The superscription over His head set forth the crime - Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the
Jews. - He was put to death because He said He was the King of the Jews.
– Pilate meant it for ridicule - God meant it for a declaration.
- The serpent has bruised
the heel of Jesus, but Jesus has crushed
the head of the serpent
John 19:19-20 Pilate makes
a sign in three languages
19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to
the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place
where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic,
Latin and Greek. NIV
Matt 27:33 – Golgotha – The place
of the skull - Crucified
33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of
the Skull).
Luke 23:33 – Criminals on his left and right
33 The place called the Skull, there they
crucified him, along with the criminals-one on his right, the other on
his left. NIV
John 19:18 – Jesus was in the middle
18 Here they crucified him, and with him two
others-one on each side and Jesus in the middle. NIV
Luke 23:42 – One says remember me
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom." NIV
Matt 24:40-41 – One is
taken and the other left
40 Two men will be in the field; one will be
taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one
will be taken and the other left. NIV
Deut 21:23 – He was under God’s curse for us.
23 you must not leave his body on the tree
overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day; anyone who is hung
on a tree is under God's curse
John 6:37 – Christ will not cast away anyone who comes to Him
37 All that the Father gives me shall come to me;
and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out KJV
Matt 27:46 – God forsakes
Christ to take on the sin of man.
46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud
voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my
God, why have you forsaken me?"
NIV
Mark 15:23 – The four
words – and they crucified Him
23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh,
but he did not take it. And they
crucified him NIV
John 20:27 - They used nails in his hands
27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your
finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my
side. Stop doubting, believe."
Luke 23:34 – They don’t know what they are doing
34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for
they do not know what they are doing." NIV
John 19:34 – A spear in the side
34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced
his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. KJV
Zech 12:10 Prophecy – they have pierced
They will look on me, the one they have pierced,
NIV
John 19:36 – Prophecy Bones not broken
36 These things happened so that the scripture
would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," NIV
Ps 34:19-20 – God protects
all His bones.
19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the
LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones, not one of
them will be broken. NIV
Gen 3:15 – Prophecy – Jesus will crush Satan’s head.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and
between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike
his heel.
John 19:30 – The plan is finished
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said,
"It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his
spirit. NIV
Eph 1:4 – The plan before
the creation of the world
4 For he chose us in him before the creation
of the world to be holy.
THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF
CHRIST
- Father
forgive them; for they know not what they do. – A prayer for
those who are nailing Him to the Cross.
- Verily
I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in
- Woman
behold thy son – Behold thy Mother. – Those of His; with needful care
will be provided for.
- Eli,
Eli, Lama Sabachthani – Translated - My
God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me? Jesus who knew no
sin had taken on all our sin and felt the presence of God step back from
Him. – The weight of sin was intense - He was abandoned, deserted, and
alone, separated for the first time from the presence of God.
- I
Thirst
– He had been offered wine mixed with myrrh, a narcotic to dull His senses
to the pain, but He refused it, taking in the full brunt of the agony into
His full senses.
- It
is finished
– The prophetic utterance that the Plan of Salvation has been
completed.
- Father,
into thy hands I commend My Spirit – Jesus bowed His head and willingly
gave up His Spirit. - He becomes the firstborn among many who will defeat
the last enemy; death.
- Seven is the number
for completeness.
- It is remarkable for
someone when crucified to be able to speak near their death, as they are
already gasping for air; they can inhale, but it is extremely hard to
exhale, let alone speak. – Jesus spoke in a loud voice.
Station #13- His body is taken down
Station #14 – He is laid in the tomb
- There
were two kinds of tombs; a natural cave and a very expensive one hewn
out of rock. Jewish tradition indicates that a groove or channel is cut
in the rock on an incline for a disk cut flat stone to roll easily
down to seal the entrance of the tomb; but would take several men to roll
it back to open it. – This was to prevent animals and grave robbers from entering.
– The entrance was low requiring stooping over before entering.
- NOTE: There are two
places only a few hundred feet apart where they think the tomb is
located. One is called The Garden Tomb near
Gordon’s
- In 1883, near to the Damascus Gate, General Gordon found a rocky
escarpment (now situated just behind a bus station), which from several
angles resembled the face of a skull; -
Since then it has been referred to a Gordon’s
- Joseph
of Arimathea;
was a man that was “waiting for the
- The tomb was not in a
public cemetery, but was in a private garden.
- Note: Joseph was not present with the assembly
that condemned Jesus to death
- Permission
to bury was
granted only by the imperial magistrate – Such permission was granted to friends or relatives of
the deceased. – Some commentaries indicate that Joseph was the Uncle
of Mary; the mother of Jesus, therefore he was a kinsman redeemer – I am unable to validate this. –
However permission was NEVER granted in the case of High Treason. – The
Romans often left the dead on the cross for several days to rot.
- By
Jewish Law,
the body could not remain on the cross overnight. – The Romans
didn’t care.
- Jewish tradition has it that bodies
should be buried on the day of their death and Joseph took this
command seriously – It is believed that this was an Extra Tomb for
Joseph, as an executed criminal could not be placed in a family tomb.
- Prophecy
fulfilled –
He would be buried with the rich.
- Its FRIDAY
just before sunset – Saturday, starts at sundown Friday; they had to hurry
to finish the burial before the tradition of sundown ended the day. – This
Saturday was the High Sabbath; the first day of the ‘Feast of
unleavened bread ‘.
- Joseph took the body down
with the help of Nicodemus also
a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin; quickly they embalmed it with
seventy five pounds of Myrrh and aloes, which was a rich amount fit
for royalty, and then wrapped the body in a fine linen cloth and
placed it in Joseph’s new tomb which had just been hewed out of rock.
- With limited time of washing
and preparation it is thought that their servants also probably helped - They
planed to finish the process after the Sabbath; Mary Magdalene also had
some spices with which to anoint and perfume the body as an act of love
and devotion.
- The actual anointing
of perfume for the burial of Jesus had already taken place sometime
before in
- Myrrh is a sticky
oily substance that solidifies quickly.
It is mixed with aloes and applied over the embalming cloths.
- They treated the body
of Jesus as a treasure of great worth. – None of the Disciples were present.
Luke 23:50-53 – Joseph of
Arimathea buries Jesus
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of
the Council, a good and upright man,
51 who had not consented to their decision and
action. He came from the Judean town; Arimathea and was waiting for the kingdom of God
52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body.
53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen
cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had
yet been laid. NIV
Isa 53:9 – Prophecy – Be
with the rich in His death.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked and with
the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit
in his mouth. NIV
John 19:39-41 – Nicodemus buried
Jesus in the Garden Tomb
39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man
who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh
and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.
40 Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped
it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish
burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a
garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.
NIV
Deut 21:22-23 – Bury the
criminal the day he dies.
22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to
death and his body is hung on a tree,
23 you must not leave his body on the tree
overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is
hung on a tree is under God's curse. You must not desecrate the land the
LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance. NIV
Mark 14:3-9 – Jesus was
anointed for burial in advance
3 While he was in Bethany
8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my
body beforehand to prepare for my burial.
9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is
preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory
of her."
NIV
Luke 24:1 – They came on
Sunday to finish with spices.
1 On the first day of the week, very early
in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to
the tomb. NIV
John 20:11 – Mary bent over to see inside the tomb
11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she
wept, she bent over to look into the tomb NIV
John 20:5 – John stooped
over to see inside the tomb
5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw
the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
KJV
Matt 13:46 – He was a pearl of great price – A treasure
46 who, when he had found one pearl of great
price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. NKJV
I will arise in three days
- Jesus the Christ has predicted
three times that He will rise again in three days.
- The stone is rolled
in its slot to seal the tomb. – A wax seal is placed – Guards are posted.
From a Virgin Womb to a Virgin Tomb - It’s Friday; but
Sundays’ coming.
It’s Good Friday, but EASTER is about to EXPLODE.
Matt 27:66 – Secured with
a large stone
66 So they went and made the tomb secure by
putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
NIV
Luke 9:22 - FIRST PREDICTION of His death and resurrection.
22 And he
said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the
elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the
third day be raised to life."
NIV
Luke 9:44-45 – SECOND PREDICTION
- they didn’t understand
44 "Listen carefully to what I am about to
tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men."
45 But they did not understand what this
meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were
afraid to ask him about it.
NIV
Luke 18:31-33 – THIRD PREDICTION
– He will rise again
31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them,
"We are going up to Jerusalem
32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They
will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him
and kill him.
33 On the third day he will rise again."
NIV
Matt 27:62-63 – Remember
He said He would rise the third day.
62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the
preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that
deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
KJV
Garden
Three important Garden events
- Sin entered into man
in the Garden of Eden
- Jesus accepted the
fact of his death in the
- Jesus was put in the
Garden Tomb and rose again.
Christ has risen
- THE
FOURTEEN STEPS
of the Via Dolorosa has
finished, but the story continues with the resurrection of Christ.
- Who rolled the stone
away
–The stone is rolled away not to let Jesus out, but to let His followers
in, so that they could see that He had risen – If Christ has not risen
from the dead, then our Faith is in vain.
– But He did. – The guards validated what happened.
- Easter
Sunday comes: On the day of His resurrection, Christ
appears bearing the horrendous marks of the scourging, plus the nail holes
in His hands and feet; (The
Greek word hand can also mean wrist.) His presence is marred. - He first appears
in a tangible body to Mary Magdalene who did not recognize
Him. She became the first
missionary… She is sent… to the eleven disciples. He
has risen as He said. – Mary also starts the “Women of the Church” movement. – (See
NYOBS 5)
- Jewish Culture
disregarded the testimony of women as worthless; but where were the
men? The scriptures comments with four words, “For they were
afraid”.
- Witnesses - Then He appeared to TWO MEN, (Simon and Anna) walking along the
road who were two of His disciples, but not of the inner circle of the
remaining Eleven - At first they did not recognize Him. – OT scripture requires:
“in the mouth of TWO or three witness (men) is a thing established”.
- My reading of the scripture
suggest perhaps the appearance of Christ’s was at first with a marred
countenance that was under a progressive glorification over the forty days before He went back
to the Father as He was before. (God
hid and revealed His identity)
- Jesus
appears to the eleven Disciples – They are given the great commission.
- Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, the son and the Holy Spirit. – Scripture says Judas “went to his
own place”; note it did not say hell. (See
NYOBS 10)
- Further evidence of
His resurrected physical presence is that He ate physical food,
not of necessity, but for their conviction and Thomas touched the physical
nail wounds in His hands or wrist. – They have been given both the ocular
and tangible proof of His resurrection.
- More
Witnesses
– Then He bodily appeared to 500 witnesses all at the same time – And
to many others over a period of forty days after His resurrection. –
Our Lord is able.
- We have the eye
witnesses - The Thing has been
established. - He has risen as He said.
Mark 16:8 – The men were
afraid.
8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the
sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to
any man; for they were afraid. KJV
2 Tim 1:12 – He is able to keep us
12 for I know whom I have believed and am
persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until
that Day.
NKJV
Matt 28:2 – An angel
rolled it away
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel
of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the
stone and sat on it. NIV
Matt 28:11 – The guards
validate what had happened
11 While the women were on their way, some of the
guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests
everything that had happened.
NIV
John 20:15 – Mary
Magdalene did not recognize Him
15 "Woman," he said, "why are you
crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener,
she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put
him, and I will get him." NIV
Luke 24:13-16 – Jesus
looked different.
13 Now that same day TWO of them were going to
a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem
14 They were talking with each other about
everything that had happened.
15 As they talked and discussed these things with
each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;
16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
NIV
Luke 24:39 – Handle me –
See my flesh – Touch me
39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch
me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I
have." NIV
Luke 24:41-43 – He ate not
of necessity but for their conviction
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and
wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish,
and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
KJV
Deut 19:15 – Two or three witnesses.
15 One witness is not enough to convict a man
accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be
established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. NIV
1 Cor 15:4-8 – Appeared to
five hundred
4 He was buried, that he was raised on the third
day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the
Twelve.
6 After that, he appeared to more than five
hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still
living, though some have fallen asleep.
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the
apostles,
8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to
one abnormally born. NIV
Matt 28:19-20 Christ gives
the Great Commission
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age." NIV
Acts 1:3 – Christ showed
Himself for over 40 days
3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these
men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over
a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God
1 Cor 15:14 -17 – If Christ has not risen; we are still in our sins
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our
preaching is useless and so is your faith.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith
is futile; you are still in your sins NIV
John 20:17 – Don’t hold on to me – I have not yet ascended.
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am
not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I
ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. KJV
John 6:62 – Christ
returned to Heaven
62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to
where he was before!
NIV
Acts 1:25 - Judas
went to his own place
25 That he may take part
of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell,
that he might go to his own place.
KJV
I just wanted to say it.
- The Hebrews would often
use a garden as a burial place; that’s another reason why I favor “The Garden tomb” as His
burial site, even though they say it’s not the place.
- Jesus often sought to
get away to the
The believer is a garden watered by
the Holy Spirit
Jer 17:7-8 – Blessed is
the man who trusts
7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the
LORD, whose confidence is in him.
8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream. NIV
John 4:13 -14 – Will become a spring of water to eternal life
13 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this
water will be thirsty again,
14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will
never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of
water welling up to eternal life." NIV
John 7:38 – Streams of living water will flow from the man
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has
said, streams of living water will flow from within him." NIV
Matt 28:6 He has risen indeed.
6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he
said. NIV
HE IS NOT HERE – HE HAS RISEN
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Prov 11:14
I am grateful for those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical information, and scripture verses. Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further than I otherwise ever could have.
A Commentary; Critical, Experimental and Practical
- Eerdmans
Baker Commentary on the Bible – Walter A. Elwell
Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenny- White
Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer
Customs and Folkways of Jewish Life – Theodor H. Gaster
Complete Book of Bible Knowledge; The – Mark D. Taylor
Expositor’s Bible Commentary; The – Frank E. Gaebelein
Exposition of Genesis – H.C. Leupold
Harper’s bible Dictionary – Harper & Row
Illustrated Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s
Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The - Tyndale
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Bible Facts – Packer-Tenney-White Illustrated
Manners and Customs of the Bible –
Packer-Tenney
International Dictionary of the Bible; The New – Douglas-Tenney
Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan
Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest
Today’s Dictionary of the Bible - Guidepost
Victory Journey through the Bible; The – Beers
Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament – Mac Donald
Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Wycliffe Bible Commentary; The – Pfeiffer-Harrison
Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of he Bible; The
- Zondervan
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