Note the governor’s movement in and out of the Praetorium.
1. Outside, John 18:28-32. 2. Inside, John 18:33-37. 3. Outside, John 18:38-40. 4. Inside, John 19:1-3. 5. Outside, John 19:4-7. 6. Inside, John 19:8-11. 7. Outside, John 19:12-16.
‘The Praetorium’ was the Roman governor’s official residence when in Jerusalem, which could be one of two locations.
1. The palace of Herod on the western side of the city, or
2. The castle of Antonia, which housed the Roman garrison and overlooked the temple.
If the ‘luthostratos’ pavement, John 19:13, in the church of the Flagellation is authentic, it would be the latter. Notice they wanted to be able to eat the Passover, John 18:28.
This appears to contradict the other Gospel writers because it suggests that Jesus is going to be crucified on the day before the Passover meal. In other words, how can Jesus have eaten the Passover meal if the time for eating the Passover meal hadn’t arrived yet?
The answer to this question is fairly straightforward when we remember that the entire Feast of Unleavened Bread is referred to as Passover. We see this in the Old Testament, where Ezekiel refers to the Passover as a feast of seven days, Ezekiel 45:21, and we see this in the New Testament, Luke 22:1.
When we keep this in mind, John 18:28 becomes clearer. The priests didn’t want to defile themselves at any point during the feast of Passover because they would be eating sacrifices every night.
According to Numbers 28:16-24, they offered sacrifices to God every day, for the entire seven days of the feast. Jesus is now on trial before Pilate. John doesn’t mention Jesus being sent to Herod Antipas, Luke 23:6-12, or the message received by Pilate from his wife, Matthew 27:19.
Pilate is abruptly introduced into the narrative, without any personal details, which suggests that he was well-known to John’s readers. Pilate was made procurator in 26 A.D.
He established himself in Caesarea, a Roman city on the Mediterranean coast. He was extremely harsh in his day-to-day dealings. On one occasion, he set up Roman standards in the temple, causing a riot.
Within six days, they were removed; perhaps this is why he seems now to be more tolerant of Jewish ways. He had the power of life and death over his subjects; he had about one-hundred and twenty cavalrymen and over five thousand infantrymen, yet he himself was still subject to Caesar.
The whole assembly, Luke 23:1 / Mark 15:1, that is, all of the accusers who came to the garden, were men with evil on their hearts, men with false accusations with one thing on their mind, to get rid of Jesus once and for all, Luke 23:2 / Matthew 17:27 / Mark 12:17.
Notice the reason the religious rulers didn’t enter the Praetorium, ‘to avoid ceremonial uncleanness’ etc., John 18:28. A religious Jew wouldn’t enter the house of a Gentile, Acts 10:38 / Acts 11:3.
Pilate goes out to them and asks what accusation they bring against this Man? John 18:29. They said if this Jesus wasn’t an evildoer, they wouldn’t have delivered Him to Pilate,’ John 18:30.
They also said, they found Jesus misleading their nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King, Luke 23:2. Notice also the hypocrisy which shows they were determined to have an innocent man killed, John 18:29-30, they were prepared to lie to achieve their purpose, Luke 23:2.
They charged Him with sedition, rebellion, and treason, Luke 23:2. Since Jesus was sinless, the only option they had was to make up a bunch of lies about Him to get Him charged.
Pilate tells them to take Jesus and judge Him according to their law, but the Jews reply that they aren’t permitted to put anyone to death, John 18:31. The word ‘yourselves’ is emphatic; if the prisoner couldn’t be charged with crimes against Roman law, then it wasn’t for Pilate to decide.
Their reply reveals their desire, not that Jesus shall be fairly tried, merely that he be killed, ‘it’s not lawful for us to put any man to death’, John 18:32. The Jews didn’t have the authority to carry out sentences of capital punishment that were determined by their own courts, capital crimes had to be tried by Roman officials.
They wanted to put Jesus to death in accordance with Leviticus 24:16, which demands death for the blasphemer, but as they were under Roman Law, they couldn’t do it without Pilate’s permission.
Jesus had predicted that He would die by crucifixion, John 3:14 / John 12:32 / Matthew 20:19. If the Jews had executed Him, it would have been by stoning, the Law’s penalty for blasphemy, but He was to be executed by being crucified, a method never used by the Jews.
Most likely, the chief priests wanted Jesus to be put to death by the Romans because of the implications for Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God, Galatians 3:13, ‘Curse. Curse. Cursed,’ Deuteronomy 21:23.
Notice the words, ‘You, ‘emphasis’, you are the King of the Jews?’ Luke 23:3 / Matthew 27:11 / Mark 15:2 / John 18:33. All four Gospels record that this was the charge on which the Sanhedrin asked for Jesus to be condemned.
Pilate asked Jesus if He was the king of the Jews, and Jesus replied, you have said so, Luke 23:3 / Matthew 27:11 / Mark 15:2. Jesus admits that He is a king. Pilate must have expected a political revolutionary, a self-styled ‘king’ who posed a threat to the rule of Rome.
Jesus was the King of Israel, John 1:49 / John 12:13, but His kingdom was spiritual, John 18:36. The word ‘My Kingdom’, ‘basileia’, means sovereignty, royal power, dominion. Jesus asserts the spiritual nature of His reign, ‘My ‘basileia’ is not of this world, not from the world,’ John 18:36.
If it were physical, then His disciples would fight, John 18:36. It’s not worldly in worldly means, ‘My kingdom doesn’t belong to this world. If it did, my followers would be fighting to save me from arrest by the Jews.’
In the garden, He had forbidden His followers to fight, even to save Him, John 18:10-11 / Matthew 26:51-52 / Matthew 5:43-48 / Romans 12:17-21 / Ephesians 6:10-17.
In John 18:37, we find an ironic question, ‘You are a king then. You!’ Obviously, Jesus wasn’t a leader of the sedition, just as obviously, He claimed to be King of the Jews. What did he mean?
Jesus’ answer is ‘you say it correctly, you speak correctly, for I am a King, certainly I am the King!’ Jesus says, ‘This is why He was born, and for this reason He has come into the world, to bear witness to the truth, John 18:37. Everyone who is of the truth, is a friend of the truth, who belongs to the truth, hears and listens to my voice,’ John 18:37.
If the governor’s sole consideration had been justice, that would have been the end of the matter, but he was influenced by considerations of political expediency and personal safety.
One who is ‘of the truth,’ John 18:37, will put it before every other consideration, Proverbs 23:23. The word, ‘truth’, ‘alethea,’ means reality, that which is genuine as opposed to that which is false, John 14:6. Pilate wasn’t ‘of the truth’, Luke 8:15.
Pilate tells Jesus that He is a king, and Jesus tells him that He is a king, and this was the reason He was born, He was born to testify concerning the truth, John 18:37. Everyone who is of truth hears Jesus’ voice, John 18:37. Pilate then asks him what is truth? John 18:38.
We don’t know what Pilate’s attitude was; John merely records the fact. Pilate’s question couldn’t be answered by a simple yes or no. In the political sense, as Pilate would use the term, he wasn’t king, and in the spiritual sense, as Jesus used the term, He was king.
Jesus replies to Pilate and asks if he is saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell him about Me? Matthew 27:34. In John 18:35, Pilate is basically saying, ‘I am not a Jew, am I?’ As if to say, ‘I am not interested in your theocratic subtleties.’
The governor is impatient and says, ‘Your own nation and the chief priests, the Sanhedrin, have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ What had caused the Jews, who might have been expected to support their ‘king’ to demand his death? He must be guilty of some serious crime. What is it? John 18:35.
Despite the chief priests and elders accusing Jesus harshly of many things, Mark 15:3, Jesus didn’t answer, Matthew 27:12. Pilate asks Jesus if He hears all the things being testified against Him, Matthew 27:13, but Jesus didn’t answer, Matthew 27:14 / Mark 15:4. Despite Pilate asking Jesus about the allegations, Jesus remained silent, which amazed Pilate, Matthew 27:14 / Mark 15:5.
The Jews accused Him of many things but Pilate was honest enough to declare that he found no basis to charge Jesus, Luke 23:4 / John 18:38. He was to say this, three times, John 19:4 / John 19:6. This was in accordance with Roman law, Matthew 27:11 / 1 Timothy 8:13.
Pilate questions Jesus about His claims but under Roman Law, there were no grounds to have Him executed, John 18:31. Jesus’ teaching did stir up the people, Luke 23:5, but the people who were stirred up weren’t the common people; it was the religious leaders, Mark 7:1-9. It was no longer the Israel of God, but their nation. Because Jesus was Galilean and Galilee wasn’t Pilate’s jurisdiction, he sent Jesus off to Herod, Luke 23:6-7.
‘On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.’ Luke 23:6-12
Luke is the only writer who records Jesus before Herod, Luke 23:6-12. Herod Antipas was the ruler of Galilee and Perea, which was where most of Jesus’ ministry took place.
This is where we know that earlier the Pharisees lied about Herod wanting to kill Jesus, Luke 13:31, because we see that Herod had an opportunity to do so, but didn’t because he would send Jesus back to Pilate, Luke 23:11.
Herod only wanted to see Jesus because he had heard of the many miracles that Jesus had performed, Luke 23:8. It’s clear he thought of Jesus as some kind of showman or magician who was here to entertain the masses, Acts 4:26-27.
Jesus didn’t answer Herod because He didn’t accept his authority; Herod had no place of authority, Luke 23:9. Probably because the chief priests were vehemently accusing him, Luke 23:11, Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Jesus, then even dressed Him in an elegant robe,’ Luke 23:11.
We also see the tremendous self-control of Jesus; He knew exactly what was happening and what would eventually happen, John 10:17-18. Notice that Pilate and Herod became friends, Luke 23:12.
The hatred may have started between Pilate and Herod when Pilate had previously put down a probable insurrection in Galilee that was under Herod’s jurisdiction, Luke 13:1-2. Whatever the reason was for their hatred of each other seems to be laid to rest at this point.
Pilate now summons the chief priests and the rulers and the people and says to them, they have brought Jesus to him as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Jesus before them, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him, Luke 23:13-24.
He tells them that even Herod didn’t find anything in Jesus which describes death, Luke 23:15. Then Pilate declares that he will punish Jesus and then set Him free, Luke 23:16.
Pilate appears before what was now a mob and offers Jesus as the one to be set free, as was the tradition at that time of the year, Luke 23:17 / Matthew 27:15 / Mark 15:6 / John 18:39. Pilate knew that releasing Jesus would not please the crowd.
So, he tried to please the mob with a series of four cowardly compromises. Giving them what they wanted, without this whole fiasco turning into a gross miscarriage of justice.
It was a custom of the Roman governor to release someone during the Passover feast, Luke 23:17 / Matthew 27:15 / Mark 15:6 / John 18:39. This was done in order to appease the most radical Jews of the Roman Empire who were in Jerusalem at this time. Pilate asks the mob if they wish that he release for them the King of the Jews? John 18:39.
We are told that Barabbas was a notorious prisoner, Matthew 27:16, who had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection, Mark 15:7, a robber, John 18:40, and a murderer, Luke 23:19.
From this Mark’s account, we learn that Barabbas was a terrorist against the Roman government, Mark 15:7. He was possibly a member of the Zealot group of Jews whose ambition was to free Palestine from Roman occupation.
On this occasion and others, it seems that Pilate was trying to find some reason to release Jesus. Pilate once more asks, whom do they want him to release for them? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ? Matthew 27:17. Mark records that Pilate asks them if they want him to release for them the King of the Jews? Mark 15:8-9.
Again, we see their hypocrisy; that was the kind of Messiah they wanted, one who would throw off the Roman yoke. They lied about Jesus because they were determined to kill Him, John 11:53. Pilate knew they were motivated by ‘envy’, Matthew 27:18 / Mark 15:10.
Pilate sat on the judgment seat,’ Matthew 27:19 / Acts 18:12 / Acts 18:16-17, was a raised platform on which a Roman judge sat to pronounce a sentence, and Matthew 27:19 tells us of the message from Pilate’s wife, ‘have nothing to do with that righteous man.’
Notice it was the chief priests and the elders who persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death, Matthew 27:20. It is the religious leaders who are stirring up the crowd to release Barabbas, Mark 15:11. Pilate again asked the mob, which of the two do they want him to release? And they said, Barabbas.’ Matthew 27:21 / John 18:40.
Pilate then asked them what he should do with Jesus, who is called Christ? And they all said, Crucify Him! Matthew 27:22. Mark tells us that Pilate asked them what should he do with Him whom they call the King of the Jews? Mark 15:12, and they shouted back, Crucify Him! Mark 15:13.
Pilate again asked, why, what evil has He done? But they kept shouting all the more, saying, ‘Crucify Him!’ Matthew 27:23 / Mark 15:14. Pilate appears to be determined to release Jesus, and so once again he addressed the mob, but they kept on calling out, saying, ‘Crucify, crucify Him!’ Luke 23:20-21.
The word ‘him’ isn’t in the text. This has been called ‘an ominous chant, a monotonous refrain, ‘Crucify! Crucify! Crucify! Crucify!’ manipulated by their rulers, the mob shouted the same demand.
For a third time, he asks them what evil has Jesus, man, done? He has found in Jesus no guilt demanding death; he will punish Jesus and release Him, Luke 23:22. But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified, and their voices began to prevail, Luke 23:23.
Believing that the mob wouldn’t want a violent thug released to them, it didn’t work. The mob chose Barabbas, Luke 23:19 / Matthew 27:20 / Mark 15:11 / John 18:40.
Pilate wasn’t a Jew and had little understanding or sympathy for Jewish Law. He had the power of life and death over the people, but he would be reluctant to do anything that would disturb the peace; he didn’t want a riot on his hands, Matthew 27:24. The nationalistic emotions of the multitudes, therefore, were running high.
As governor of the region, Pilate had to make compromises with the intense Jewish multitudes in order to prevent riots in the city. With great pomp and ceremony, Pilate had a bowl of water brought to him and washed his hands, Matthew 27:24 / Deuteronomy 21:6-9.
He tells the mob ‘I am innocent of the blood of this good man, Matthew 27:24. Notice that John doesn’t record Pilate’s ‘hand washing’. The responsibility is yours!’ And they said, “That’s fine with us, ‘His blood is on us and on our children!’ Matthew 27:25 / Acts 20:26 / Matthew 27:24-26.
Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, Matthew 27:26 / Mark 15:15, and Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted, Luke 23:24. He then released Barabbas but delivered Jesus to the mob, Luke 23:25.
Luke doesn’t record the soldiers mocking Jesus, but the other Gospels do. As Barabbas is released, Roman soldiers flogged Jesus, mocked Him, and led Him out to be crucified, Matthew 27:26 / Mark 15:15 / John 19:1. Flogging was the governor’s attempt to convince the Jews that Jesus had suffered enough and should be released, Luke 23:16.
The soldiers then led Jesus out to be crucified outside of the city, Luke 23:26 / Matthew 27:31 / Mark 15:20 / Numbers 15:35 / 1 Kings 21:13 / Acts 7:58 / Hebrews 13:11-12, while a mournful multitude of faithful disciples followed, Luke 23:27-31.
The mob rejected Jesus in favour of Barabbas, a criminal, and so, Pilate decides he’ll have Jesus flogged within an inch of His life and that’ll come close to the real thing and satisfy the mob, Mark 15:15.
Pilate had Jesus flogged, John 19:1. Jesus suffered intensely in His last few hours. After being up all night, subjected to the stress of six different trials, if we compare the accounts in Matthew, Luke, and John, we also read that He was scourged, Mark 15:15.
Flogging was usually administered to one who was about to be crucified. Antiochus Epiphanies used it to force Jews to eat swine’s flesh, 2 Maccabees 6:30 / 2 Maccabees 7:1. The flagellum was similar to the ‘cat o’ nine tails’, a handle with leather thongs, tipped with bone or metal.
The prisoner was stripped to the waist and then bound in a stooping position to the post. The blows were applied to the back and loins, sometimes even to the face and the bowels. So hideous was the punishment that the victim usually fainted and bur rarely died under it.
Eusebius describes the death of Christian martyrs at Smyrna about 155 A.D., ‘so torn with scourges that their veins were laid bare, and the inner muscles and sinews, and even the bowels, were exposed’. Josephus tells of a man who was ‘flogged to the bone’ before a Roman governor.
Flogging was accomplished by tying bits of bone, metal and glass to a whip and then striking the victim’s back. This procedure produced excruciating pain, much loss of blood and sometimes even death. The victim’s back became a bloody mass.
Remember the Jews practised flogging, which consisted of thirty-nine lashes, but here The Romans had no restrictions on how many lashes they delivered on the victim; they would carry on until the one doing the lashing would tire.
Once again, all four Gospels mention the flogging but say absolutely nothing about it; there is no attempt to play upon the reader’s emotions. Also, at that age, people were perfectly familiar with it and needed no explanations.
After flogging Him, they took thorns, wove them into a crown, put it on Jesus’ head, and began to beat on it, causing intense pain. They put a scarlet robe on Him, Matthew 27:28, Mark’s account calls it purple, only to later rip it off, undoubtedly tearing open the blood-dried wounds on His back in the process. Then came the crucifixion.
Imagine striking the very One who created the universe! Imagine striking the very One who created them! Colossians 1:16. ‘The whole battalion’ was involved in everything, which is about to happen, Matthew 27:27 / Mark 15:16.
John records ‘a purple robe’, John 19:2, whilst Matthew records a ‘scarlet’ robe, Matthew 27:28. Purple, with the ancients, was a vague term for bright, rich colour, and would be used of crimson as well as violet.
It was probably the cloak of a Roman soldier, i.e., an officer. The ‘robe’, ‘himatismos’, is used generally of costly or stately raiment, the apparel of kings, of officials, etc., Luke 7:25.
It was often a prelude to crucifixion, but in this case, it wasn’t, as Pilate later tried to have Jesus released, and this flogging was an attempt to satisfy the Jews without killing Jesus.
The soldiers went further than just flogging and placed a crown of thorns upon His head, Matthew 27:29. This was a mock coronation for the one claiming to be the king of the Jews, and it was followed by mock worship of Him.
There are two thoughts concerning ‘a crown of thorns.’
1. That it was an instrument of torture, long, sharp spikes turned inward, or
2. That it was a radiant crown, with the spikes turned outward, similar in appearance to a crown worn by an emperor.
There is a shrub in Palestine called ‘spina Christi’ or ‘palimus shrub’ which has long, sharp spikes, and leaves similar to the ivy used for emperors’ or generals’ crowns; this is the traditional source of the crown of thorns.
Matthew says that they ‘put a staff in his hand’, Matthew 27:29. Notice they spit on Jesus, Matthew 27:30, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again, Matthew 27:30 / Mark 15:19.
Note the tense, ‘they kept coming up to Him, kept striking Him,’ John 19:3, it was repeated action. The picture is of a soldier after soldier coming up to Jesus, kneeling before Him, slapping Him, spitting on Him and shouting.
The soldiers then bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ Matthew 27:29 / Mark 15:18 / John 19:3. They worshipped Him, Mark 15:19. In John 19:4, we see Pilate for the second time telling the people that he can find no charge with which to charge Jesus.
He ought to have released Jesus at this point; if the prisoner’s guilt or innocence had been the sole consideration, Jesus would have been set free before this, but he is afraid of possible political repercussions.
When Jesus comes out, Pilate shows Him to the crowd, ‘here is your man!’, John 19:5. This was an attempt to gain sympathy for Jesus as if to say, ‘look at this poor fellow!’ How could they accuse such a pitiable object of treason? It’s a weak attempt to free Jesus. The governor is almost begging the Jews to show pity for the prisoner.
When the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out, ‘Crucify, crucify!’ and once more Pilate tells them to take Jesus themselves and crucify Him, for he find no guilt in Jesus, John 19:6.
They have tried to have Jesus condemned for sedition, Luke 23:2, now in John 19:7, they are forced to reveal the real charge against him, ‘He ought to die because he made himself the Son of God’.
The charge was blasphemy, and their ‘Law’ of Moses called for the death penalty, Leviticus 24:16. It was on this charge that the Sanhedrin had condemned Jesus to death, Mark 14:61-64 / Matthew 27:23-66, but they don’t reveal this until they are forced to do so. If Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God was false, then the Sanhedrin was right in condemning Him to death for blasphemy.
Pilate knows that the Jews aren’t allowed to crucify someone, and the offer to them here isn’t genuine but an attempt to get the crowd to move away. He is afraid of them, John 19:8, and wants this problem to go away as soon as possible. The governor was already a frightened man, John 19:8. Two things would have made him afraid.
1. His wife’s message, Matthew 27:19.
2. The words and demeanour of Jesus.
Pilate knows that it’s the policy of Rome to allow the natives religious freedom, as long as they worship Caesar, claiming deity as well. The Jews are aware of this policy and hope to use it to persuade the reluctant Pilate.
And so, Pilate takes Jesus into the Praetorium, and asks, ‘Where are you from?’ ‘To what world do you belong?’ John 19:9. Notice that Jesus didn’t answer, John 19:9, perhaps because worldly Pilate had already been told, and could not grasp the answer, John 18:37-38.
Perhaps also because a man who would scourge a prisoner, he had declared innocent, did not deserve a reply. To the governor, a kingdom based entirely on ‘truth’ was incomprehensible, for Jesus to have said that He was the Son of God who had come from heaven would have been more so.
He seems to get into a rage, and he can’t fathom what Jesus is all about. He arrogantly brags about his power, trying to get a response out of Jesus, even offering his freedom for the correct answers.
Refusing to answer could be regarded as ‘contempt of court’. Pilate, as Tiberius’ representative, had the power of life and death over a prisoner, John 19:10. He says, ‘Do you not know that I have power ‘exousia’ to release you, and power ‘exousia’ to crucify you?’ The governor’s ‘exousia’ was delegated authority, derived from Caesar.
Calmly, Jesus tells Pilate of the origin of His power, His authority is ‘given from above’, from God, John 19:11 / Romans 13:1. God had entrusted Him with the power He has, and He is answerable to God for the way He uses that power. Jesus reassures Pilate that he is not totally to blame for putting the Son of God to death, as he does so out of ignorance of the truth.
Caiaphas, acting officially for the Sanhedrin, had delivered Jesus to Pilate; he had ‘the greater sin,’ John 19:11. The deeper guilt lies with the man who ‘handed me over to you’.
This is Jesus’ final statement to Pilate, and in it, He affirms God’s supremacy, He is in control of human affairs, and also man’s accountability; the Jewish rulers and the Roman governors are answerable to God.
John tells us that Pilate knew that Jesus was no leader of the sedition against Rome, he was also frightened, so he ‘sought’, notice again the tense, ‘kept on seeking’, to free Him, John 19:12.
John doesn’t say how he did so, but he records that the governor finally gave up the efforts because of fear, John 19:12. The chief priests however had the Law, they ought to have recognised the Messiah but instead, they are about to force His execution.
This short speech of Jesus impresses Pilate, who recognises some characteristics that he doesn’t quite understand, so he tries again to persuade the Jews to allow him to allow Jesus to go free. The Jews shouted, ‘If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friends’, John 19:12.
This was political blackmail, and it ended the efforts to release Jesus. The Jews were saying, ‘Free this man and we will accuse you to the Emperor. The charge against you will be high treason, that you released a man who claimed to be King of the Jews.’
Tiberius was a very suspicious ruler; even a hint of disloyalty would be disastrous for a Roman official. Pilate knew that a charge of high treason could cost him position, liberty, and life, and so, this frightened him, and then he decided to put personal safety before justice, to condemn an innocent man to death.
The Jew’s new weapon against Jesus is all-powerful against Pilate. Jesus claims to be the king; thus, He opposes Caesar, who is the king of all the vast Roman domains.
This was the ultimate hypocrisy, as all present knew that the Jews didn’t consider Caesar their king and held no allegiance to him. This very good argument must have again caused a troubled Pilate to slip into a rage, but they now had him in a corner.
Pilate makes one last attempt to change the mob’s mind, but they will not hear of it; they want Jesus dead, John 19:12. John 19:13 could imply that Pilate had Jesus sit on the judgement seat; the Greek could have either meaning.
The Jew’s threat has decided Pilate, and at once he prepares to pass sentence, he ‘brought Jesus out’, that is out of the Praetorium and ‘sat down on the judgment seat’, Acts 18:12 / Acts 18:16-17, this was a raised platform on which roman judge sat to pronounce sentence.
‘The pavement’, John 19:13, ‘luthostratos’, was stone-paved; Josephus states that Temple Mount was covered with a mosaic pavement. Hebrew ‘Gabbatha’ means raised place, elevation.
John 19:14 seems to make this quite possible, Pilate showing the Jews a weak, blood-covered man not able even to stand and needing the seat more than Pilate.
The Day of Preparation was the day before Passover, John 19:14, which began at the next sunset. John mentions it was ‘about the sixth hour’; scholars and commentators are divided about whether John uses Jewish or Roman time. Jewish time is twelve noon, but Roman time is six a.m.
John is in Asia Minor, writing toward the end of the first century, when Jerusalem had been destroyed, and the Jewish state ceased to exist. It would be natural for him to give the time according to Roman reckoning. In Mark 15:25, Mark would use Jewish reckoning; at 6 a.m., the trial was in progress, at nine a.m. Jesus was crucified.
When Pilate says, ‘Behold your King!’, John 19:14, this was a joke in bad taste at the expense of the Jews. ‘They yelled, ‘off with him! Off with him! Crucify Him!’ John 19:15. Pilate replied, ‘The King of you shall I crucify?’ John 19:15.
The chief priests, who were the religious leaders and teachers of the nation, replied, ‘We have no king but Caesar’, John 19:15. In fact, they claimed that as Israel was God’s special nation, God was their only King, and they hated Caesar and bitterly resented the Roman occupation.
With the use of the argument by the mob, in favour of Caesar, Pilate knows that he has lost to satisfy them, and so, he hands Jesus over to be crucified, John 19:16. This declaration was ‘the crowning apostasy of Judaism’ and ‘the utterance of a nation turned traitor to its noblest traditions’.
After they had mocked Jesus, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him, Matthew 27:31 / Mark 15:20. Then they led Jesus away to crucify Him, Matthew 27:31 / Mark 15:20 / John 19:16.
No doubt he shows them the wounds that have been inflicted in the hope that they would now be satisfied, but alas the appearance of Jesus only makes the mob rowdier and bloodthirsty. You never get rid of a pack of wolves by showing them blood!
The trials before the Roman authorities started with Pilate, John 18:23, after Jesus was beaten. The charges brought against Him were very different from the charges in His religious trials. He was charged with inciting people to riot, forbidding the people to pay their taxes, and claiming to be King.
Pilate found no reason to kill Jesus, so he sent Him to Herod, Luke 23:7. Herod had Jesus ridiculed, but wanting to avoid the political liability, he sent Jesus back to Pilate, Luke 23:11-12.
This was the last trial as Pilate tried to appease the animosity of the Jews by having Jesus scourged. The Roman scourge is a terrible whipping of thirty-nine lashes.
In a final effort to have Jesus released, Pilate offered the prisoner Barabbas to be crucified, and Jesus released, but to no avail. The crowds called for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified. Pilate granted their demand and surrendered Jesus to their will, Luke 23:25.
The trials of Jesus represent the ultimate mockery of justice. Jesus, the most innocent man in the history of the world, was found guilty of crimes and sentenced to death by crucifixion.
Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution, in which the victim was tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang there until death. It was never performed for ritual or symbolic reasons; usually, its purpose was only to provide a particularly painful, gruesome, and public death, using whatever means were most expedient for that goal.
The history of crucifixion can be traced back to the ancient Persians, and there’s evidence to support the Greeks practising this form of torture. As always, the Romans adopted the custom from Carthage and used it for slaves, rebels, and anyone who was their enemy, along with criminals.
While most Roman citizens were exempt from crucifixion, if you were a Roman and found guilty of treason, then you could face crucifixion. Crucifixion was considered a humiliating way to die. The prisoner usually had to carry the horizontal beam, patibulum, to the place of execution, not necessarily the whole cross.
Crucifixion was an art form for the Romans, who had specially trained men to carry out the sentence. There would usually be a commanding centurion and four soldiers. When it was done in an established place of execution, the vertical beam, stipes. was sometimes permanently embedded in the ground.
The horizontal beam of the cross, the transom, could be fixed at the very top of the vertical piece, the upright, to form a ‘T’ called a tau cross. The horizontal beam could also be affixed at some distance below the top, often in a mortise, to form a ‘T-shape’ called a Latin cross.
Alternatively, the cross could consist of two diagonal beams to form an ‘X’. A single, vertical wooden stake with no transom at all has also been cited by some.
The ‘nails’ were tapered iron spikes approximately five to seven inches long with a square shaft 3/8 inch across. The victim was probably affixed to the cross by ropes, nails, or some combination of the two.
In popular depictions of the crucifixion, possibly derived from a literal reading of the description in the Gospel of John, of Jesus’ wounds being ‘in the hands’, the victim is shown supported only by nails driven straight through the feet and the palms of the hands.
However, the flesh of the hands can’t support a person’s body weight, so some other means must have been used to support most of the weight, such as tying the wrists to the cross beam.
Another possibility, that doesn’t require tying, is that the nails were inserted just above the wrist, between the two bones of the forearm. the radius and the ulna.
The nails could also be driven through the wrist, in a space between four carpal bones, which is the location shown in the Shroud of Turin. As some historians have suggested, the Gospel words that are translated as ‘hands’ may have, in fact, included everything below the mid-forearm.
Another possibility is that the nails may have been driven in on an angle, entering in the palm in the crease that delineates the bulky region at the base of the thumb, and exiting in the wrist, passing through the carpal tunnel.
The Romans would often display the victims, still on the cross, in rows. There would be row after row of condemned criminals lining the streets of the main entrance to the city, so that everyone entering a new city would know what would happen to them if they didn’t adhere to Roman laws and regulations. It also sent a powerful message to any oncoming enemies of the fate which awaits them.
Crucifixion was a very public affair; criminals, rebels, etc., needed to be reminded of the terrible consequences of breaking Roman law. Fear ruled the day.
Unlike what we see in many artists’ impressions of the crucifixion, the victim was usually stripped naked and hung naked. Historian art has most people who were crucified covered in a loincloth, but this simply isn’t true. Nakedness was often a symbol of spiritual shame and ignominy.
Death could come in hours or days, depending on the exact methods, the health of those crucified, and environmental circumstances. It’s widely accepted that the typical cause of death is asphyxiation.
When the whole-body weight was supported by the stretched arms, the victim would have severe difficulty exhaling, due to hyper-expansion of the lungs. The victim would therefore have to draw himself up by his arms or have his feet supported by tying or by a woodblock.
Indeed, Roman executioners were said to break the victim’s legs, after he had hung for some time, in order to hasten his death. Once deprived of support and unable to lift himself, the victim would die within a few minutes.
The Romans often broke the prisoners’ legs to rush the death process. Please note that the Roman soldiers responsible for carrying out the sentence were responsible for the victim until they died. In other words, the Romans weren’t being kind by breaking the victim’s legs; they broke the victim’s legs so that they could get on with their other duties.
Burial afterwards wasn’t usually permitted. According to history, Emperor Constantine abolished crucifixion in the Roman Empire when Christianity became the state religion.
Notice that the mere fact of the crucifixion is recorded, in John 19:18, as with flogging, John 19:1, it isn’t described. First-century readers knew well what was involved in these acts.
Roman law didn’t permit a Roman citizen to be crucified; it was regarded as the death of a slave. The punishment was handed out for such crimes as treason, desertion in the face of the enemy, robbery, piracy, assassination, sedition, etc.
Cicero said the folowing.
‘Let every name of the cross be far away not only from the body of a Roman citizen but even from his thought, his eyes, his ears.’
After Jesus was flogged, we know that He carried His own crossbar, weighing in at seventy-five to one-hundred and twenty-five pounds, and He carried it outside the main city walls. The upright part of the cross was probably permanently mounted in the crucifixion area.
The crossbar would be balanced on the shoulders, and His arms were tied to the crossbar. We can only imagine what this would have been like if he had tripped or fallen. He couldn’t use His arms to break their fall; he would likely fall face-first into the ground.
Jesus went out, bearing His own cross, John 19:17. As they went out of the city gates, Simon from Cyrene, Luke 23:26 / Matthew 27:32 / Mark 15:21, which is in north Africa, Acts 2:10 / Acts 6:9 / Acts 11:20 / Acts 13:1, was forced to carry the cross of Jesus, Luke 23:26 / Matthew 27:32 / Mark 15:21. This must mean that Jesus was unable to carry it, an execution party would show no mercy to a condemned man.
Once Jesus reached the place for crucifixion, Golgotha, or Calvary, Matthew 27:33 / Mark 15:22, in English, it means ‘skull,’ John 19:17. He was offered a drink of wine mixed with myrrh to act as a mild painkiller.
Although this was a kind gesture, usually done by the women, Jesus refused to drink, Psalm 69:21 / Matthew 27:34 / Mark 15:23. We need to read Luke 23:37-41 for details of the procession to Golgotha. It’s called ‘the place of a skull,’ John 19:17, but what and where was this? Here are three proposals.
1. It was a hill resembling a skull, but the Bible nowhere describes it as a hill.
2. It was a place of execution, littered with skulls.
However, the Jews wouldn’t allow bones of dead men to litter the ground close to the city. Joseph of Arimathea wouldn’t have a tomb near such a place, John 19:41.
3. That according to legend, it was the place where Adam’s skull had been buried.
The truth of the matter is that we simply don’t know why this place was simply named ‘Skull’, Luke 23:33. Whatever the speculation, the fact remains.
Jesus is taken by Roman soldiers to the place of execution, called Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, which was probably the hill on the Northern side of Jerusalem. Golgotha was close to the city, and the inscription was read by many, John 19:20.
The Gospels suggest it was close to the road as Jesus was insulted by ‘those who passed by’, Matthew 27:39 / Mark 15:29. It’s outside the city walls, a wall was present at the time, and the hill has a strange appearance, almost like the face of the skull.
This may well be why it is called the place of the skull and why it was designated the place of execution. Some even say that the crucifixion occurred at the present-day site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but this place is now generally accepted to be inside the city walls during Jesus’ time.
There was a large number of women who mourned and wailed for Jesus. Jesus turns to speak to them and tells them that they should mourn for themselves, Luke 23:27. Jesus knows the calamities that were about to come upon them in the desolation of their city by the Romans, Luke 23:28-31.
It was at this point that Jesus says, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do, Luke 23:34. Note the numerous prophecies that were being fulfilled at this time.
They divided His garments, Psalms 22:18 / Luke 23:34 / Matthew 27:35 / Mark 15:24 / John 19:24. With Him, they crucified two thieves, Isaiah 53:9 / Isaiah 53:12 / Luke 22:32-33 / Matthew 27:38 / Mark 15:27. He was numbered with the transgressors, Isaiah 53:12.
They blasphemed Him, wagging their heads, Psalm 22:6-7 / Psalm 69:7 / Matthew 17:39-40 / Matthew 27:39 / Mark 15:28. Jesus’ clothes were then divided up, which was also a fulfilment of prophecy, Psalm 22:17-18 / Luke 23:34 / Matthew 27:35 / Mark 15:24 / John 19:23-24, and the soldiers kept watch at the foot of the cross, Psalm 22:17 / Matthew 27:36.
The ‘four parts’ would consist of a head-dress, turban, sandals, outer robe and girdle, the soldiers cast lots for these. Because His tunic was seamless, they then diced for this as a separate item, John 19:23-24.
Josephus, in his writings, says the following.
‘The linen tunic of the Jewish high priest was a seamless garment; this fulfilled Psalm 22:18.’
John’s statement in this verse sums up his abhorrence of the whole incident, ‘so this is what the soldiers did.’ John 19:24. We are reminded again that this was to fulfil prophecy, John 19:23-24 / Psalm 22:18.
The clothes Jesus had been wearing were split up among the Romans present, and His only possession, His cloth, was gambled for. Jesus was thus left with nothing to give to those He had left behind. He had given His all, even Himself.
The actual physical pain endured by Jesus is too horrific to contemplate, John 19:19-22. Over His head on the cross was the inscription, ‘THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS’.
It was the custom of those days that the accusation under which men were condemned should, in every case, be posted above their heads and under the circumstances, the inscription posted by Pilate amounted to a sadistic jest. The people passing along the road North all saw Jesus on the cross and read the sign as it was in all three main languages of the time, John 19:20.
Aramaic, used by the common people, Latin, used by the elite and legal rulers of the empire, and Greek, used by the forces in the region, Luke 23:38 / John 19:20, it was the language that was universal at the time. Hebrew was being used only by the Jews in their religious dealings.
Regarding the ‘notice’, ‘title’, ‘titlon,’ John 19:19, this was a board stating the victim’s name and crime for which they were condemned. He was adamant, and he refused to change what he had written, John 19:21-22. Notice the four different accounts of what was written above Jesus’ head.
When we put the words together, we see that it would read as follows.
Pilate wouldn’t remove it, John 19:20, probably because he wanted to do something to impose his will on the people in response to them imposing their will on him by having Jesus put there. This was, of course, an entirely honest and true statement to make. Jesus was indeed the King of the Jews and the King of all nations.
Pilate had been willing to yield to the ruler’s demand for the death of an innocent man because His own safety was threatened, John 19:12-13, and the Jews protested to Pilate about the sign.
The chief priests of the Jews come to Pilate and ask him not to write the words The King of the Jews but that he said, I am King of the Jews, John 19:21. Pilate tells them what he has written, he has written what he has written, John 19:22.
There were also two thieves who were carrying their crosses with Jesus, Luke 23:33 / Matthew 27:38 / John 19:18. On each side, they crucified a common thief to show their contempt for Him; He was numbered with the transgressors, Isaiah 53:9-12 / Luke 22:32-33 / Matthew 27:38 / Mark 15:27.
When we consider that the One who was struck and mocked in these few passages was the One who created all things, including those who were mocking and striking Him, Colossians 1:16, we realise that God is far greater than the imagination of our minds.
He had the power to call on the angels of heaven for His own deliverance, Matthew 26:53-54, but He didn’t issue the command. He allowed Himself to be humiliated in order to provide redemption for those who mocked and struck Him.
This was the darkest hour in the world’s history, yet out of the darkness would soon come light as Jesus conquered death and the grave, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 / Revelation 1:17-18.
Bystanders laughed at the idea that He could rebuild the temple when He couldn’t even save Himself, Matthew 27:39-40 / Mark 15:29-30. Come down from the cross, they taunted, and we’ll believe in You! They blasphemed Him, wagging their heads, Psalm 22:6-7 / Psalm 69:7 / Matthew 17:39-40 / Mark 15:29-30.
Some Jewish officials standing nearby smirked that He had been able to save others but was powerless to save Himself, Matthew 27:41-43 / Mark 15:31-32. The chief priests are also mocking Him, Psalm 69:19 / Luke 23:34-35. Jesus was certainly the prophesied Messiah.
The soldiers also mocked Him and offered Him vinegar, saying, if you are the king of the Jews, save yourself, Luke 23:36-37. Even the two thieves who were executed on either side of the Lord ridiculed Him, Luke 23:39-43 / Matthew 27:44 / Mark 15:32.
We see in John 19:18 that ‘two others’ were crucified with Jesus. Matthew and Mark say, ‘robbers,’ Matthew 27:38 / Mark 15:27, whilst Luke says, ‘criminals,’ Luke 23:32. John says one on each side. This occurred simply to ensure Isaiah 53:12 was fulfilled.
Matthew only records one of the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”), Matthew 27:46.
It’s near the end of Jesus’ human life. He senses it. He has hung on the cross for a little while now. It has become hard for Jesus to even get a breath. Hung from His arms, He must pull Himself up each time He wants to breathe. But even still, He’s thinking of others, Luke 23:34.
Does Jesus mean to forgive only those soldiers who carried out the crucifixion? Is He asking God to forgive only those who were present that day? Possibly, I personally believe He’s speaking about every single sin that mankind as a whole has committed against God, since creation.
He’s paying the price for the sins of the world and prays for God to forgive us all because none of us knew what we were doing until we became Christians; we were all enemies of God without realising it, Romans 5:6-10.
The people at the time of Jesus, much like us today, didn’t understand the extent of their evil hearts nor recognise Him as the true Messiah, 1 Corinthians 2:8. Yes, they committed many sins that day for which they will be held accountable on the Day of Judgement, but they will not consciously and intentionally crucify the Messiah.
And just like we didn’t realise how our sin caused Him to go to the cross, we didn’t know that in a sense we crucified the Saviour of the world. What we see here with these words is the great intercessor at work, Isaiah 53:12 / 1 John 2:1-2.
Even on the cross hours before His death, we see Jesus thinking of others, and despite the evil that all of mankind had done through the ages, He still asks the Father to forgive them. The cross should always be our example when it comes to forgiving others. He taught us to pray in His prayer, Luke 11:4.
And if we have an example anywhere in Scripture of someone following Jesus’ example in terrible circumstances, it’s Stephen. Here he is in front of the religious leaders, who were getting angrier with him by the moment because he spoke the truth, and they didn’t like it.
They picked up stones to stone him to death, and just before Stephen died, he said, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them. When he had said this, he fell asleep,’ Acts 7:60.
The cross is our example for forgiveness, and Paul reminds us of this when he wrote, ‘Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you,’ Colossians 3:13.
In Luke 23:39-43, we find the full conversation which went on between the two thieves and Jesus, which is worth having a look at.
On this right-handed cross, we see the figure of a dying thief. He is in pain and suffering. Yet more significant than his physical anguish is his scorn and hatred for Jesus. He said, ‘If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us,’ Luke 23:39. Has there ever been any ‘if’ about it? That little ‘if’ has enough venom in it to destroy a soul.
What had Jesus done that so aroused this thief? Nothing that we know of. He challenged Christ to save ‘yourself and us,’ Luke 23:39. What impudence! What had this thief ever done that entitled him to make such a demand? Here is a thief, within the shadow of death.
Obviously, his sins did not bother him even as he was about to die.
How much this reminds us of those who live in sin all their lives and then, when faced with death, they rail at God, accusing Him of dealing harshly with them, demanding that He do something to relieve them of their situation.
This cross depicts the enmity that many have toward Jesus. It typifies clearly the unbelief of the world at large toward Jesus. Thousands have perished on this right-handed cross of rebellion ever since. Despite all that we know about Him, men still reject him.
There is enough information in John’s Gospel to produce faith in Christ, which can lead to salvation, John 20:30-31. Yet men reject Him despite the evidence, John 14:6.
We have a clear choice. The only way to eternal life is through Jesus. If men rebel and reject Him, then there is no hope. They are lost eternally, having never been cleansed by His blood.
Again, we see the figure of a dying thief. Yet instead of dying in his sin, he was dying to sin. It was a cross of repentance. This thief twists himself upon the nails to look at the centre cross, but not to scoff in unbelief, but in recognition of who Jesus was, Luke 23:40-41. He, like the other thief, would like to get his hands free, but more importantly, to free himself from his guilt and sins.
Earlier this thief had joined with the other thief in reproaches against Christ at the beginning of the crucifixion, Matthew 27:44. But now we see in this man unfailing evidence of a great change.
As the day progresses, he becomes more and more aware that this was God Himself in the person of Jesus. Notice his faith and reverence in the presence of Deity. To the other thief, he said, ‘Do you not even fear God?’ Luke 23:40.
There follows an immediate admission of his own guilt when he said, ‘We receive the due reward of our deeds,’ Luke 23:41. He expresses his belief that Jesus was suffering ‘wrongfully’. But ‘this Man has done nothing wrong,’ Luke 23:41. Then there is his open confession of the Deity of Jesus. He calls him “Lord,” Luke 23:43.
Finally, we see genuine repentance and humility on the part of this dying thief. He says to Jesus, ‘Remember me when You come into Your kingdom,’ Luke 23:42. He wanted to change and be in the Lord’s kingdom.
Repentance, simply explained, is a change of heart, 2 Corinthians 7:10. Everything about this thief indicates his regret over his sins and a desire to be with the Lord.
What a difference between these two thieves! The first saw Jesus as only a man, the second saw Him as Lord. The first saw Jesus as a mock king, but the second saw Him as the ‘King of kings,’ Revelation 17:14 / Revelation 19:16. The first saw him as an impostor, the second saw Him as Saviour, John 3:16.
We can understand better now why Jesus answered him, ‘assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise,’ Luke 23:43. Paradise is another term for heaven; both Jesus and the thief would be in heaven when they died, 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 / Revelation 2:7.
The salvation of this thief occurred while the Law of Moses was still in effect. About fifty days later, Christ would set in force His new covenant law. Today, we live under this new law, found in the New Testament, not under the Law of Moses.
The terms of salvation under this new covenant require that one believe, Hebrews 11:6, repent of our sins, Acts 17:30, confess the name of Jesus, Acts 8:37, and then be baptized for the remission of one’s sins, Acts 2:38.
Some have used this man to prove that one can be saved today without ever being baptized for the remission of sins. This is simply not the Lord’s plan for us today.
Here we have the cross of redemption. Jesus, our Redeemer, died for the sins of the world. By his blood, we can be brought back to God, Ephesians 1:7. It was also a suffering cross. We cannot begin to imagine the torture of those nails driven through His hands and feet.
The victim of a Roman crucifixion literally suffered a thousand deaths. There was also the shame and reproach associated with death on a cross. It was reserved for the vilest of criminals. Added to this were all the mocking and verbal abuse from the mob.
The thieves were suffering for their own crimes, but Jesus suffered for you and me, for our sins. He had no sin, 1 Peter 2:24. Our Lord was under no obligation to pay the debt for our sins. Someone had to suffer for sin, so he was willing, 1 Peter 3:18.
Why would Christ give up the glories of heaven and come down to this sinful earth to die for our sins? Because of our utter helplessness to provide a remedy for sins, Jeremiah 10:23.
Also, He came to show us the redemptive love of God for sinful man, 1 John 4:9-10. Why was it that He alone was the only one who could die for our sins? First, because He was spotless and able to provide the perfect sacrifice, 1 Peter 1:19.
Second, it was because God, the Eternal Father, appointed Him for this work, Philippians. 2:6-8 / 1 Peter 1:20. To this middle cross, each sinner today must look for salvation. There is no other way, John 14:6 / Acts 4:12. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us of our sins.
Just outside the city of Jerusalem, there was a hill known as ‘Calvary’ or ‘Golgotha.’ It was also called ‘the place of the skull.’ Luke tells us, ‘And when they had come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left,’ Luke 23:33. There were three crosses in a row. Naturally, we are usually concerned only with the one in the middle. In this lesson, we want to take a look at all three.
Here we see the figure of a dying thief. Yet, more significant than his physical anguish is his scorn and hatred of Jesus, who is also suffering agony. What had Jesus done to so arouse him?
This thief’s cross was a cross of rebellion. This cross depicts the enmity of many toward Jesus. It clearly typifies the unbelief of the world at large toward Jesus. His statement points out several things.
1. He was in pain and agony, within the shadow of death, yet this did not humble him.
His sin did not even bother him in death. I have seen people like this.
2. He said, ‘If you are the Christ,’ Luke 23:39.
Has there ever been any ‘if’ about it? That little ‘if’ is a powerful word and has enough venom in it to destroy a soul.
Since the late eighteenth century, certain Bible scholars have been denied the authenticity of the Bible. Modern liberal theology denies that Jesus is the Son of God.
They look upon the Bible as mostly myth. On the whole, it usually takes many years for myths to develop because at the time, a myth would not be recognised as truth.
Yet we learn from Acts 2 that within fifty days after the death of Jesus, we have Peter affirming that Jesus arose from the grave. All his enemies had to do was produce a dead body to prove Peter was lying.
Just twenty-seven years after Jesus’ resurrection, Paul devotes an entire chapter to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. This doctrine was already formulated and widely believed in the Roman world. This stands in contrast to the hundreds of years it usually takes for a myth to be accepted.
A modern-day group of Bible scholars known as the ‘Jesus Seminar’ say that Jesus did not say eighty-two per cent of what is attributed to Him in the New Testament.
Most of the remaining eighteen per cent are considered somewhat doubtful, and only two per cent of Jesus’ sayings are considered to be authentic. This reminds us of Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 3:7, ‘Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.’
For them, it remains as Paul says, ‘For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.’ 1 Corinthians 1:18.
3. He challenged Jesus to save both ‘yourself and us,’ Luke 23:39.
What impudence! What had he ever done that he could demand salvation? How much this reminds us of those today who live in sin all their lives, then when faced with death, they rail at God, accusing him of dealing harshly with them, demanding that He do something for them.
Again, we have the figure of a dying thief. Yet, instead of one dying in his sin, he was dying to sin; his was a cross of repentance. This victim also twists himself upon the nails to look at the centre cross, but not in scoff and unbelief, but in recognition of Him.
He, like the other thief, would like to get his hands free, but not to smite but to deliver the sufferer from the middle cross. From his statements, we see unfailing evidence of genuine belief and repentance.
1. His reverence in the presence of Deity. ‘Do you not fear God?’ Luke 23:40.
2. His ready admission of his own guilt. ‘For we receive the due reward of our deeds,’ Luke 23:40.
3. His belief that Jesus was suffering wrongfully. ‘But this man has done nothing wrong,’ Luke 23:41.
4. His open confession of the Deity of Jesus. He calls him ‘Lord,’ Luke 23:42.
5. His humility. ‘Remember me when You come into Your kingdom,’ Luke 23:42.
What a difference between these two thieves. The first saw Jesus as only a man, but the second saw him as Lord. The first saw Jesus as a mock king, but the second saw Him as the ‘King of kings.’
The first saw Jesus as a sinner, but the second saw Him as a Saviour. There were no ‘ifs’ in his words. The result was that Jesus answered him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’
I think it would be useful to look at what the Bible says about heaven first. Genesis 1:1 ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’. The Bible tells us there are three heavens.
Speaking about himself, the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:2, ‘I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago, was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body, I do not know—God knows.’
So, we have here three ‘heavens’.
1. The heaven which is God’s spiritual, eternal home.
This isn’t physical and isn’t created.
2. The heaven where the stars and planets are.
This is physical and is created.
3. The heaven surrounding the earth where the atmosphere is, and the birds fly.
This is physical and is created.
The word ‘heavens’ is used in different ways in the Bible.
1. It refers to one of the two heavens that God created.
2. It’s also used of the third heaven.
This is the uncreated heaven where God has always been from eternity. The heaven where God has always lived isn’t physical; it hasn’t been created. ‘God is spirit’, John 4:24. He doesn’t need a physical place to live in. He doesn’t need pictures or images or temples or mosques or churches or shrines to live in, Acts 17:24-25.
Remember the rich man and Lazarus! Luke 16:19-22. Note the term, ‘Abraham’s side’, this is a Hebraism that the Jews understood to mean, ‘the paradise of God’. So, clearly, once again the Bible teaches us that Lazarus was in ‘paradise’.
It’s a figurative phrase that appears to have been drawn from a popular belief that the righteous would rest by Abraham’s side in the world to come, an opinion described in Jewish literature at the time of Christ.
The word ‘bosom’ or ‘side’ is ‘kolpos’ and literally refers to the side or lap of a person. Figuratively, as in this case, it refers to a place of honour reserved for a special guest, similar to its usage in John 13:23: ‘One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.’
In the case of Lazarus, the reserved place is special because it’s beside Abraham, the father of all the righteous. The phrase may be synonymous with the paradise promised to the thief on the cross, Luke 23:43. Together, these passages support the conviction that a believer enjoys immediate bliss at the moment of physical death.
According to Revelation 2:7, the overcoming church will eat from the tree of life in the eschatological garden. Sin and death through redemption are now cast out of the human experience. The way is open for the faithful to return to the garden of God. Paradise is the Christian’s final home.
Look at what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4. Notice that Paul says he was caught up to the ‘third heaven’, whilst in the same setting says, caught up to ‘paradise’.
Surely, the phrases ‘caught up to the third heaven’ and ‘caught up to paradise’ mean the same thing! Surely, the ‘third heaven’ and ‘paradise’ are one and the same place! The ‘third heaven’, or ‘paradise’ is God’s spiritual eternal home, which isn’t physical and isn’t created.
This is the place where not only Paul found himself, but the place where Lazarus found himself when he died, the place where Jesus and the thief on the cross went to that day, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise,’ and the place where God was before the other heavens were created and where He resides now and forever and the Christians final home.
Paradise is a Persian word for ‘an area enclosed by a wall’ or ‘garden,’ Nehemiah 2:8 / Ecclesiastes 2:5 / Song of Songs 14:13. The Greek word, ‘paradeisos’, is used for the garden in Eden in Genesis. Genesis 2:8-16 / Isaiah 51:3 / Ezekiel 28:13.
The intermediate state was transformed by Jesus’ emphasis on being with him ‘today,’ Luke 22:43. There’s no denying where Jesus was going; he was going to ‘paradise’.
No longer is paradise just an anticipatory condition awaiting the messianic presence at the end of the age. Those who die in faith will ‘be with Christ’, Philippians 1:23.
And Jesus promised the thief that he would be with Him in paradise that day, not weeks, months or years from now, but that day, ‘today, you will be with me’. Now, we must be careful that we don’t make the same mistake that many have made about this thief, that his example means that today one can be saved without baptism.
We must remember that even as Jesus was dying on the cross, this event transpired during the period of the Mosaic dispensation. The Christian age wouldn’t come into effect until fifty days later, on the day of Pentecost.
But there may be more here than meets the eye. We’re somewhat amazed by his knowledge and faith. Could he have heard him preach on different occasions? According to Matthew 3:5-6, as a result of John’s preaching, ‘Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptised by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.’ Could it be the thief was one of these?
John 3:26 says, ‘all were coming to Jesus to be baptised.’ There were several occasions during his ministry when Jesus forgave sins. He had the authority to do this. While we admire the thief, we mustn’t use him as our example of what to do to be saved.
In Matthew 3:13-17, we have the example of the Saviour of mankind coming from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised. If Christ had to be baptised in order to remain in favour with His Father, can we remain in His favour and refuse to obey?
Obviously, baptism is important. At first, John refused, but Jesus said, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness’, Matthew 3:15. The Book of Acts gives us eight specific examples of conversions. In every example, the person or persons were baptised. There are no exceptions.
It still amazes me the animosity that many in the religious world have against baptism. At the very suggestion that baptism is for the remission of sins, as stated in Acts 2:38, one will most often encounter hostility toward this simple command that is so important to our salvation.
This is sad, yet probably sadder is the fact that out of the six billion people on this earth today, probably nearly one half or more have never heard the name of Jesus.
We have failed greatly in the great commission that was given to us by Jesus. His final words before ascending to heaven were, ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,’ Matthew 28:19.
Jesus’ final hours on the cross lasted from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., a period of about six hours, Matthew 27:41-43. Answering the question of how long Jesus was on the cross is complicated by the fact that two systems of marking time are used in the Gospels.
Matthew, Mark and Luke use the Jewish system of marking time. John uses the Roman system. Using the Jewish system, Mark says, ‘They crucified Him and divided His garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour when they crucified Him,’ Mark 15:24-25
According to this, Christ’s crucifixion began at 9:00 a.m. Also, using the Jewish system of marking time, Matthew says that ‘from the sixth hour there was darkness over the land until the ninth hour,’ Matthew 27:45. That is, the darkness lasted from 12 noon to 3 p.m. These were Jesus’ final hours on the cross.
Both Matthew and Luke tell us that Jesus has been on the cross for three hours, Luke 23:44-45 / Matthew 27:45. It’s now noon, which means the sun would have been high in the sky. All of a sudden, complete darkness falls over the entire land for three hours. Luke tells us that the sun stopped shining altogether.
The word ‘land’ is the Greek word ‘ge’, which can mean a region, which would imply all of Palestine, but it can also mean the whole earth. So whether this darkness fell over Palestine only or the whole earth is really difficult to say.
The word ‘darkness’ is the Greek word ‘skotizo’, and it carries with it the idea of sudden darkness. This wasn’t something which happened over a period of time; it happened suddenly.
We can almost picture the silence as every animal and every person was wondering what was happening. We can almost imagine people speaking with each other, trying to understand exactly what was going on, Job 5:13-14 / 1 Samuel 2:9.
Tertullian said the following.
‘In the same hour too, the light of day was withdrawn, when the sun at the very time was in his meridian blaze. Those who were not aware that this had been predicted about Christ, no doubt thought it an eclipse. You yourselves have the account of the world portent still in your archives!’ Tertullian, Apology in the Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1957), Vol. III, p. 35.
Why would Tertullian appeal to Proculus, a Roman senator, if the Roman records concerning this darkness weren’t true?
The Greek Historian Rufinus, when writing to Roman historians, says the following.
‘Search your writings, and you shall find that in Pilates time, when Christ suffered, the sun was suddenly withdrawn and darkness followed’. Rufinus, Greek Historian
Rufinus would never have asked the Romans to search their records for the account of the darkness if it didn’t happen.
The point is that this miraculous event did happen, and we know it happened because Pontius Pilate himself wrote about the event. Pontius Pilate sent the following report to Tiberius, emperor of Rome.
Note, the following quote has been debated for years as to whether it is legitimate.
‘And when he had been crucified, there was darkness over the whole earth, the sun having been completely hidden, and the heaven appearing dark, so that the stars appeared, but had at the same time their brightness darkened, as I suppose your reverence is not ignorant of, because in all the world they lighted lamps from the sixth hour until evening. And the moon, being like blood, did not shine the whole night, and yet she happened to be at the full.’ Pontius Pilate, To Tiberius in Ibid., Vol. III, p. 463.
Who or what caused the darkness? There are a few people who try to come up with answers as to where the darkness originated, but for this study, we’ll only look at four possibilities.
1. There are those who believe that the darkness was caused by a simple natural phenomenon.
They believe it was probably just an earthquake or some kind of volcanic eruption, after all, Matthew records there was an earthquake around this time, Matthew 27:54.
Although a volcano erupting may indeed cause thick dust to fill the air, both Matthew and Luke record that the entire land of Palestine was in complete darkness, but the darkness suddenly left after three hours.
Also, the Bible doesn’t mention any other earthquake happening before the darkness came, but it does record an earthquake happening afterwards when an angel rolled away the stone from Jesus’ grave, Matthew 28:2.
2. There are those who believe that the darkness was caused by some kind of dust storm or cloud cover.
Most people who have witnessed dust storms and thick black cloud coverings tell us that they can be spotted coming on the horizon, whereas the darkness recorded by Matthew and Luke came suddenly.
3. There are those who believe that the darkness was caused by an eclipse of the sun.
Remember, the reason for this darkness was because ‘the sun stopped shining’. Luke 23:45. The last total eclipse in the UK was on 11 August 1999. It could be seen over Cornwall and parts of Devon, which were on the path of totality, although cloud cover ruined the view for many areas.
The Natural History Museum says the following.
‘A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. When the Sun, Moon and Earth line up exactly, it causes a total eclipse. This is because the diameter of the Sun is 400 times that of the Moon, but coincidentally, it is also 400 times further away. During an eclipse, the Moon temporarily covers the Sun, blocking out the daylight for a short period and casting a shadow on part of Earth.’
The miraculous darkness recorded at the time of Christ’s crucifixion could not have been a solar eclipse because the Passover always occurred at the full moon. Many of us have witnessed eclipses in our lives, and we know that they don’t happen suddenly.
As I mentioned earlier, the word ‘darkness’ is the Greek word ‘skotizo’, and it carries with it the idea of sudden darkness. The darkness here happened suddenly, and note also that the darkness was all over the land for three hours, Luke 23:44-45 / Matthew 27:45. A normal eclipse only ever lasts for a few moments.
NAASA say the following.
‘Total solar eclipses last anywhere from 10 seconds to about 7.5 minutes.’
4. The only possible reason the darkness came was that it was God who caused it.
We only have to cast our minds back to the ninth plague, which God hit Egypt with, it was the plague of darkness, Exodus 10:21-23. This was a judgment against the sun god, ‘Re’, who was symbolised by Pharaoh himself. For three days, the land of Egypt was smothered with unearthly darkness, but the homes of the Israelites had light.
The Israelites must be utterly shell-shocked by what’s happening. They must have been in awe as they enjoyed the light, but the rest of Egypt is in total darkness.
They must have been thinking to themselves, ‘Is there anything that this God cannot control or do?’ I can imagine them saying to themselves, ‘No wonder our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob worshipped this God.’
It was God who created light in the beginning, Genesis 1:3, and it’s God who removes the light. God put Egypt in total darkness to the point where no one could see anything, but at the same time, the land where the Israelites were had light. Imagine being in Egypt and witnessing this event, while Egypt is in total darkness, the land where Israel lived was completely sunlit.
Darkness is often used figuratively in the Scriptures to demonstrate God’s judgment. In Isaiah 5:30, we read about God’s judgment against Judah. In Isaiah 13:10-11, we read about God’s judgment against Babylon. In Ezekiel 32:7-8, we read about a judgement against Egypt.
When a Jew hears language like, the stars are going to be darkened, the moon is going to turn dark, the sun is going to fall. When they heard talk like that, they didn’t think that was the ‘end of the world,’ they thought, ‘What nation is God judging now?’
When Jesus uses that kind of language in His sermon, He’s saying that God is sending judgment on Israel, Matthew 24:19, just like He did on Judah, Babylon, and Egypt. The Jews certainly believe that the darkening of the sun was a depiction of God’s judgment on the world for an especially heinous sin.
Darkness is also used figuratively in a spiritual sense, where people who don’t know God or have a relationship with Him live in spiritual darkness. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they go through life stumbling time and time again without knowing why, Proverbs 4:19 / Micah 3:6 / John 11:10 / John 1:5.
The land of Zebulun, Naphtali, etc were the main sufferers in the first Assyrian invasion under Tiglath-Pileser, Isaiah 9:1-2. They were the first to enjoy the blessing of Christ’s teaching and to see His miraculous works.
The land of Galilee, which is the land of the Gentiles, will indeed be honoured. They were in the darkness, but they will be in the light. Jesus says He is the light of the world and speaks of darkness as a reference to those who are walking in sin, John 8:12. In 1 John 1:5-6, John uses the word ‘if’ to speak about the terms and conditions for having fellowship with God and His Son.
If we claim to have fellowship with Him, we can’t at the same time walk in the darkness, we can’t lie, we can’t continue to live in sin, and we must live out the truth.
If God can cause the sun to stand still for a full day in order that Joshua can win his battle against the Amorite kings, Joshua 10:12-14, then why can’t He cover the land of Palestine or the whole earth with darkness?
Hezekiah, on his deathbed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah, who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof, and so Isaiah spoke to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees backwards, 2 Kings 20:9-11.
If God had put the clock back ten degrees, that’s forty minutes, then why can’t He cover the land of Palestine or the whole earth with darkness? Why can’t the One who created the universe be able to cause the darkness? Genesis 1:1-5.
When God spoke to Abraham about Sarah laughing when she was told she was going to have a son in old age. The Lord more or less said to Abraham, nothing is impossible for God, Genesis 18:14.
Why did God cause the darkness? God caused the darkness because He didn’t want anyone, either in the land of Palestine or everyone on the whole earth, to have any doubts that the death of Jesus was significant for everyone.
His Son came to die for the world, John 3:16, in order for us to have a way to be saved, John 14:6. Just like the purpose of the miracles of Jesus, God used the darkness to bring about faith in His Son and who He claimed to be, John 20:30-31.
When Jesus hung on the cross, and the land of Palestine or the whole earth became totally dark, we can only imagine what people must have thought. I’m sure some would be scared, while others would be intrigued. But make no mistake about it, this was God’s doing to prove to the world that His Son was indeed who He claimed to be.
Over and over again, we read of the religious leaders demanding a sign from Jesus during His ministry, Matthew 12:39-40 / Matthew 16:4. They asked for any kind of proof, any kind of miracle, in order to prove that He was who He claimed to be.
The only miracle they really needed to witness was the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus refused to give in to the religious leaders’ requests, and as a result, they just wanted to get rid of Him; they wanted to kill Him, John 8:58-59.
As Jesus hung on the cross, many people would have witnessed the miracle of the three hours of darkness, Luke 23:44-45 / Matthew 27:45, the veil of the temple was torn into two, Matthew 27:50-51 / Mark 15:37-38, the earthquake, Matthew 27:50-52, the graves opening up and dead people being raised to life, Matthew 27:50-53. They would have to conclude, as the centurion soldier did, that ‘Truly, this man was the Son of God,’ Mark 15:39.
When God gave Moses instructions concerning the Tabernacle. He tells him that the veil or curtain, as some translations render it, was to be a divider between the holy place and the Holy of Holies, Exodus 26:31-37.
The veil was made using four colours, blue, purple, scarlet and white of the fine linen. These four colours were also used at the Door of the Outer Court, Exodus 27:16-17.
It was over seven feet high, thirty feet wide and was supported by four pillars set in bronze sockets. This curtain separated the people from the outer court of the tabernacle. They could only enter when they brought their sacrifice to the gate as an offering for God upon the bronze altar.
These four colours were also used at the Door to the Sanctuary, Exodus 26:36-37. This veil separated the people in the outer court of the tabernacle from the Holy Place. Only priests were permitted to enter the Holy Place after they had made the proper sacrifice at the altar and washed at the bronze laver.
These four colours were also used for the Cherubim Embroidered Covering that forms the ceiling of the Tabernacle, Exodus 26:1-6. These four colours were also used for the Ephod that the high priest wore, Exodus 28:6-14 / Exodus 39:2-7.
Josephus describes the temple veil as follows.
‘Before these doors, there was a veil of equal largeness with the doors. It was a Babylonian curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, and purple, and of a contexture that was truly wonderful. Nor was this mixture of colours without its mystical interpretation, but was a kind of image of the universe; for by the scarlet there seemed to be enigmatically signified fire, by the fine flax the earth, by the blue the air, and by the purple the sea; two of them having their colours the foundation of this resemblance; but the fine flax and the purple have their own origin for that foundation, the earth producing the one, and the sea the other. This curtain had also embroidered upon it all that was mystical in the heavens, excepting that of the [twelve] signs, representing living creatures.’ (The Wars Of The Jews 5.5.4)
Blue indicates heavenly and godly: “Behold your God”, Isaiah 40:9, pointing to John’s Gospel, where doubting Thomas eventually says to Jesus “My Lord and my God”, John 20:28.
Purple signifies kingship: “Behold your King”, Zechariah 9:9, pointing to Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus, the descendant of King David, Matthew 1:1, declares after rising from the dead “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to Me”, Matthew 28:18.
Red signifies blood. “Behold My servant”, Isaiah 52:13 / Isaiah 53:5, pointing to Mark’s Gospel, where Jesus says He “came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many”, Mark 10:45.
White signifies purity and real humanity. “Behold the man”, Zechariah 6:12, pointing to Luke’s Gospel, where Pilate says of Jesus, “Behold, I have found not one fault in this man”, Luke 23:4 / Luke 23:14.
The veil we are speaking about is the veil which separated the holy place from the most holy of holies. This is the final door to pass through, to enter into the presence of God in the Holy of Holies.
Entry was forbidden to all except one, the high priest, but he couldn’t just stroll in there anytime he wanted. He was permitted entry only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, when he brought the blood of the sacrificed goat to sprinkle on the lid, called the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant, Leviticus 16:15-16 / Hebrews 9:6-7 / Exodus 25:10-22 / Exodus 37:1-9.
In Herod’s temple, there were two veils in front of the Holy of Holies.
The Talmud tells us the following.
‘It was not known whether the veil in Solomon’s temple was hung on the inside or the outside of the entrance to the Holy of Holies. When the Temple was rebuilt after the exile, they hung two veils — one on the outside of the entryway in the Holy Place and one on the inside of the entryway in the Holy of Holies.’
According to the Talmud, ‘the veils were sixty feet long, thirty feet tall and four inches thick’.
Herbert Danby says the following.
‘The veil was one handbreadth thick and was woven on a loom having seventy-two rods, and over each rod were twenty-four threads. Its length was forty cubits and its breadth twenty cubits; it was made by eighty-two young girls, and they used to make two in every year; and three hundred priests immersed it.’ (Herbert Danby translator, The Mishnah, p 161, par 5)
Jewish tradition claims that the veils were so heavy that it took three hundred priests to hang them.
The size of the veil would have made it absolutely impossible for any human to tear it into two pieces. But the fact that it was torn from top to bottom, Matthew 27:50-51 / Mark 15:37-38, signifies that this was a work of God.
The Greek word for top is ‘anothen’ in the New Testament, and it frequently means that something comes from above, that is, from God, John 3:31 / James 1:17. God tore the veil from top to bottom to show that it was He who was making a way for us to come into His presence.
It’s often overlooked that when the veil was torn in two, there would have been many priests within the temple at this time. We can only imagine what they were thinking as they witnessed this happening before their eyes.
Imagine if you were a priest, and you heard this loud noise, and when you go to investigate, you see the veil is torn in two. Imagine, as you examine it, you realise that this hasn’t been cut with a very sharp knife by someone because the tear starts from the top of the curtain, not the bottom.
Wouldn’t you be thinking to yourself what does this mean? Wouldn’t you be speaking to the other priests, trying to figure out what happened and why? Could this event be one of the reasons why a large number of priests would later become Christians? Acts 6:7.
Matthew and Luke both record that the centurion at the crucifixion saw everything which happened, Luke 23:47 / Matthew 27:54. Did he witness the veil tearing in two? Some suggest that this Gentile soldier could see straight into the Holy of Holies, but I personally doubt it.
Rabbi Gabriel says the following.
‘In the Jewish Talmud, the Temple veil is spoken of as the ‘tunic of God’. It’s ripping at the time of the death of Messiah speaks of the tradition of tearing one’s clothes as a sign of mourning. God tore His ‘tunic’ when Yeshua died.’
In other words, they believe the veil being ripped in two signified God tearing His ‘tunic’ as a sign of mourning when Jesus died. Some scholars have suggested this was the curtain that separated the court of the Jews from the court of the Gentiles. This would make sense in light of what Paul said that Christ has torn down the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile, Ephesians 2:14.
I believe the torn veil signifies something much bigger. I believe the veil which was torn in two was the veil that separated the holy of holies from the other parts of the temple.
The word ‘veil’ in Hebrew means ‘to separate’. The veil itself was a symbol of our sin, which separated us from God; it reminds us that we were excluded from the presence of God because of our sinfulness, Isaiah 59:2 / Romans 3:23.
However, just as the Passover lamb was slain for the redemption of the children of Israel in Egypt, and the goat was slain so that its blood could obtain God’s forgiveness for the Israelites on the Day of Atonement, so Jesus ‘bore our sins in His own body on the tree,’ 1 Peter 2:24.
It’s now possible, on the basis of faith in Jesus’ death for our sins, to stand in the presence of God as justified and forgiven people, Romans 5:1-2. As Hebrews 10:19-22 shows, the way to the Holy of Holies has been opened up for us through the veil of Jesus’ flesh being torn on the cross. There is a ‘new’, literally ‘freshly slain’ and ‘living’ way for us to enter.
The Lord Jesus Christ is not just our freshly slain, dead offering; He is also the Living One who rose from the dead, Luke 24:5 / Revelation 1:18. He ascended as our great High Priest, with our names on His heart, going into the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence is over the Ark of the Covenant!
When Jesus cried out, ‘It is finished’, John 19:30, this was a cry of triumph. He had accomplished the work He came to do. As the Lamb of God, John 1:29, He had now finished His work. In the very beginning, we have the promise of the Head crusher, that is, Jesus, Genesis 3:14-15.
The Seed of woman, Jesus, would eventually crush the head of Satan by His death on the cross, and so, freeing mankind from the control that Satan has over mankind through sin, Romans 16:20.
In crushing the head of Satan on the cross, Jesus would bruise His heel by His own death. However, His heel would only be bruised because He would be raised from the dead.
Satan was now defeated, his rebellion against God was ruined, and his works were destined for destruction, 1 John 3:8. He was the perfect sacrifice, an innocent man dying in our place in order for us to be forgiven of our sins, Hebrews 9:22.
No one else could have done this, no one else could ever do this; Jesus alone was worthy, Revelation 5:1-10. The way to God was finally opened to everyone, regardless of their race or gender, Hebrews 4:16 / Hebrews 9:11-12.
Why did God tear the veil? God tore the veil in two because it signalled the beginning of the end of the Jewish worship system, Matthew 24:1-2. God tore the veil in two because He didn’t want anyone to have any doubts that the death of Jesus was significant for everyone.
His Son came to die for the world, John 3:16, in order for us to have a way to be saved, John 14:6. Just like the purpose of the miracles of Jesus, God tore the veil from top to bottom to bring about faith in His Son and who He claimed to be, John 20:30-31.
The tearing of the veil from top to bottom was nothing less than another miracle from God. This miracle signified that He had opened the door for us to come in and have a relationship with Him. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice, so the veil, or separation, was no longer needed. We can now enter His presence through Christ Himself.
As Jesus hung on the cross, many people would have witnessed the miracle of the three hours of darkness, Luke 23:44-45 / Matthew 27:45, the veil of the temple was torn into two, Matthew 27:50-51 / Mark 15:37-38, the earthquake, Matthew 27:50-52, the graves opening up and dead people being raised to life, Matthew 27:50-53. They would have to conclude, as the centurion soldier did, that ‘Truly, this man was the Son of God,’ Mark 15:39.
This was the final of the seven words from the cross, Luke 23:46. The three utterances given by Luke are omitted in the other Gospels, just as Luke omitted the utterances they included. All seven of these utterances of Jesus are authentic, historical words truly spoken by the world’s Saviour while upon the cross.
When He had accomplished all that was predetermined before the creation of the world in relation to the salvation of man, He gave up His spirit into the hands of the Father. The first part of the plan of redemption was accomplished. Jesus died with a prayer on His lips.
The words, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,’ are from Psalm 31:5, with one word added, Father, Psalm 31:5. That verse was the prayer every Jewish mother taught her child to say the last thing at night.
Just as we were taught, maybe, to say, ‘Now I lay me down to sleep,’ so the Jewish mother taught her child to say, before the threatening dark came down, ‘Into your hands, I commit my spirit.’ Jesus made it even more intimate, for He began it with the word Father. Even on the cross, Jesus died like a child falling asleep in his father’s arms.
1. A word of intimacy.
It was also a moment of intimacy. The two belong together, trust nurtured by intimacy; intimacy nurtured by trust. The intimate word Jesus added to the words of David was Father.
David cried out to his God, ‘O Lord,’ he would say, ‘You are My God,’ Psalm 31:5. In David’s time, such language was radical. The Psalms of David personalise the spiritual life in a way that earlier biblical literature did not.
But Jesus took it even further. He consistently spoke of and to his Father. And to his disciples, he said, ‘When you pray, say, ‘our Father’, Luke 11:2. This language of intimate converse with his Father he shared with his followers.
He prays to the Father as he has done throughout his ministry. For Jesus, death is no out-of-control enemy. No matter how bleak the moment, he knows his Father is present with him, now present to receive his spirit.
2. A word of trust.
Second, Jesus entrusts himself to his Father. In Psalm 31:5, the word ‘commit’ is the Hebrew verb ‘paqad’. The corresponding Greek word means to entrust to someone for safekeeping, give over, entrust, commend. As He lets go of this life, Jesus trusts his eternal destiny to the Father’s everlasting arms.
3. A word of surrender.
Finally, Jesus speaks a word of surrender, Luke 43:46. He gives up His human life to His Father, who gave it to Him thirty-three years before. The word ‘spirit’ is the common word ‘pneuma’, which means breathing, breath of life.
It can refer to the Holy Spirit, but here it refers to the personal spirit of Jesus, part of the human personality, Hebrews 4:12 / 1 Thessalonians 5:23. He gave up his life as a voluntary sacrifice. The loud voice just mentioned was significant. The loud voice shows that Jesus did not die of exhaustion.
If death had come from exhaustion, his vocal cords would not have functioned at all. Jesus’ death was conscious and voluntary, fulfilling his prophecy recorded in John, John 10:17-18.
Jesus prays his final prayer with this kind of equanimity and peace because He knows the Father and knows that there is life with the Father beyond death. As a devout Jew, He has prayed these words as part of an evening prayer all His life.
Now, at the end of His life, He prays them one last time and lets go of human life in order to embrace the Life that the Father has to offer in His own presence. Death had no legitimate power over the sinless son of God, Philippians 1:20-23.
All seven of these utterances of Jesus are authentic, historical words truly spoken by the world’s Saviour while upon the cross. When He had accomplished all that was predetermined before the creation of the world in relation to the salvation of man, He gave up His spirit into the hands of the Father. The first part of the plan of redemption was accomplished.
A centurion and those with him were responsible for guarding Jesus; they had witnessed everything that had just happened and became terrified. They said, surely, he was the Son of God! Luke 23:47 / Matthew 27:54. Here are more Gentiles confessing who Christ is, something which the religious leaders refused to accept.
Henry, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The centurion who commanded the guard. This testimony amounts to the same as ‘Truly this man was the Son of God’, for if Jesus was a righteous man, he said very truly when he said he was the Son of God, and therefore that testimony of Jesus concerning himself must be admitted, for, if it were false, he was not a righteous man.’
Luke records that the centurion says that Jesus was a righteous man, Luke 23:47, but Mathew, Matthew 27:54, and Mark, Mark 15:39, record the centurion as saying that Jesus was the Son of God.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘From Matthew’s account, it is clear that the words, ‘Truly this was the Son of God,’ were not spoken by the centurion only; they that were with him’ also being subjects of the verb ‘saying’. Thus, there were multiple speakers, and this necessarily means that there were multiple sayings also. The most astounding physical wonders ever known on earth were occurring. The miracles of the loud voice and it was that, was precisely the act that prompted the centurion’s utterance that ‘Truly this man was the Son of God’, as plainly stated in Mark’s account. Note that it was when the centurion saw that Jesus so gave up the ghost, that he recognised Jesus as the divine Son of God.’
When everyone saw what had happened, that is, when they witnessed the earthquake, the graves opening up and the darkness over the whole earth, Luke 23:48 / Matthew 27:51-53, they all beat their breast, Luke 23:48, because they knew that an innocent man had just been crucified.
By the time Jesus went to the cross, multitudes of people from all over Palestine knew Him, including the woman who had followed Him from Galilee. Once again, we see the faith of the women who faithfully followed Jesus and took care of His needs. Some of these women were relatives of the disciples who lingered at the cross with John, Luke 23:49 / Matthew 37:55-56 / Luke 8:2-3 / John 19:25.
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons, were all present. Mark records the name of the mother of Zebedee’s sons as Salome, Mark 15:41. The women were the last to wait upon Jesus at the cross and the first to whom He revealed Himself after the resurrection.
It was these people who stood at a distance watching the events happen, Psalm 38:11. These were Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, Luke 24:10. To these three, Mark, in Mark 16:1, adds, Salome, but some think that this was only a surname of one of these Marys.
I’m sure we’ve all sat around the table to partake of the Lord’s Supper, and we’ve heard someone make some kind of comment or reference to Jesus’ ‘broken body’ on the cross, either in their talk or in their prayer.
Maybe you are reading this and wondering what the big deal is, concerning the bread representing Jesus’ ‘broken body’! Maybe you’re thinking, well, that’s what the Scripture actually says, isn’t it!
Let’s go ahead and carefully read the four accounts concerning the bread and Jesus’ body.
Now notice that in each of these four accounts, the word ‘broke’ is used; however, you will also notice that it is used in reference to the bread which was ‘broken’, not Jesus’ body.
When we carefully read these four accounts again, we find that Matthew and Mark record Jesus saying, ‘This is my body’, in Luke’s account, he writes that Jesus says, His body ‘is given’ for you, and finally, Paul writes and quotes Jesus as saying, His body is ‘for you’. Nowhere in the Scriptures do we read that Jesus’ body is ‘broken for you’.
So, where do people get the idea that Jesus’ body was broken?
Notice that the KJV says, ‘this is my body, which is BROKEN for you’. This is where people get the idea that Jesus’ body was indeed broken. It’s not surprising that many people quote this passage of Scripture during the Lord’s Supper because it’s a popular version of the Bible, and people have heard this being quoted time and time again over the years.
Part of the problem is that the word ‘broken’ isn’t in the original text, and it isn’t in a vast majority of manuscripts. My Greek Lexicon has it written as follows:
The word ‘broken’ isn’t in the actual text; in fact, when we read through the three Gospel accounts again, we find that none of them actually say, ‘this is my body which is BROKEN for you’. When we read 1 Corinthians 11:24 in most translations, we find it’s very similar to what Luke records, except Luke adds the word ‘given’.
We also know from Scripture that they clearly teach that Jesus’ body wasn’t broken, even after His death, in order to fulfil Scripture.
Notice, John says that Jesus’ bones were not broken. What John does here in his account is quote from Psalm 34 to let us understand that this prophecy concerning the Christ was fulfilled in Christ at the cross of Christ, John 19:36.
Psalm 34 is a psalm of the deliverance of David when he changed his behaviour before Abimelek in order to spare his own life, 1 Samuel 21:10-15. We know that bones are the structural framework of the body, and so, God metaphorically provides structure to the life of the righteous. Though the wicked will reap the reward of their evil, God will preserve those who are His.
Psalm 34:20, points us to the Christ, who is the only truly righteous One, and saw the complete fulfilment of this on the cross, John 19:36. Jesus is ‘our Passover lamb’ who was sacrificed for our sins, John 1:29 / 1 Corinthians 5:7 / Hebrews 4:15 / 1 Peter 1:19 and the Passover lamb wasn’t to have any of its bones broken.
Over the years, I’ve heard countless arguments suggesting that the body can be broken without the bones being broken. I’ve heard people say, ‘ah well, His bones weren’t actually broken, but His body was’!
I hear people say that ‘when they flogged Jesus’ back when they placed a crown of thorns on His head, when they nailed Him to the cross, when they did all these things, they actually broke His skin, which is a part of the body.’
As thought-provoking as that sounds, it appears to me they’re just trying to make sense of the word ‘broken’ in the KJV of 1 Corinthians 11:24. Yes, the Scriptures teach that His body was ‘wounded’ and ‘pierced’, Isaiah 53:5 / John 19:34, but it doesn’t say His body was ‘broken’ for us.
Another popular idea is that it was Jesus’ spirit, His human spirit, which was broken. I guess when we look at what Christ went through, we could easily conclude that this was true from a human perspective, but we must remember Jesus didn’t crawl to the cross like some defeated victim, He marched to the cross as a man who totally embraced the will of the Father, Hebrews 10:5-10, and said triumphantly: ‘it is finished,’ John 19:30.
It appears that some Christians are a little confused about the word ‘broken’, and so they end up being confused over the ‘breaking’ of the bread with Jesus’ body. I think we’ve seen that the Scripture clearly teaches us that it was the bread which was ‘broken’ and not Jesus’ body.
The next time someone asks you to thank God for the bread at the Lord’s Supper, or the next time you hear someone saying or praying about Jesus’ ‘broken body’, remember the Scriptures teach that Jesus wasn’t broken in any shape or form, His bones weren’t broken, His human spirit wasn’t broken. It was the bread which was broken, but our Lord’s body was given for us.
Since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Mark 15:42, Joseph of Arimathea had to act quickly, Luke 23:50. He had to act quickly since according to Jewish law He couldn’t bury the body on the Sabbath day, which officially began at sundown, Mark 15:42. He wished to give the body a proper burial.
It’s also worth noting that the Romans didn’t take the criminals down from the cross, they left them there to rot, to act as a warning to anyone who walked by if they broke the Roman laws and the soldiers at the cross couldn’t leave to go home until the criminals were officially dead, hence why they drove a spear in Jesus’ side and didn’t need to break any of His bones, John 19:31-37.
He was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin, Matthew 27:57 / Mark 15:43, and also didn’t consent to the execution, Luke 23:50-54. He was ‘rich’, Matthew 27:57, ‘a respected member of the council’, Mark 15:43, ‘a good and righteous man,’ Luke 23:50 / John 19:38, who had ‘not consented to their purpose and deed’, Luke 23:51.
He was ‘a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews’, John 19:38 / John 12:42-43. Evidently, he had kept his belief secret until now. He was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, Mark 15:43.
He ‘took courage and went to Pilate’, Matthew 27:58 / John 19:38 / Mark 15:43, asked Pilate for permission to bury Jesus’ body, Luke 23:52 / Matthew 27:58 / Mark 1543 / John 19:38.
He must have been a very important person because not anyone could go and speak to Pilate. Pilate was surprised that Jesus died so quickly, Mark 15:44. Not one bone in His body was broken, Exodus 12:46 / Numbers 9:12 / Deuteronomy 21:22-23 / Psalm 34:20 / Zechariah 12:10.
Being able to remove Jesus from the cross was a huge privilege for Joseph, Mark 15:45 / John 19:38. He gathered the corpse up in a sheet, Luke 23:53 / Matthew 27:59 / Mark 15:46, and put it in a hole chiselled into the wall of a cave, Luke 23:53 / Matthew 27:60 / Mark 15:46, which served as a typical grave in that era.
He closed off the cave by rolling a large rock over the entrance, and went away, Matthew 27:60 / Mark 15:46. The tomb was Joseph’s own and was new, unused, Luke 23:54 / John 19:41. It wasn’t a natural cave, but one dug out of the rock.
This was Joseph’s own tomb, in his own garden, which tells us he must have been wealthy, too. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away, and Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb, Matthew 27:60-61.
This was Joseph’s own tomb, in his own garden, which tells us he must have been wealthy, too. Significantly, Matthew and Mark include the statement that the two Marys saw where Jesus was laid, Matthew 27:56 / Matthew 27:61 / Mark 15:47.
These two women knew where the tomb was located, the women knew the exact location of the tomb, Luke 23:55, and so, because of that we can be sure that they were valid witnesses that when they returned three days later, the tomb was empty.
Nicodemus, John 3:1, joined Joseph in preparing the customary burial of the body of Jesus, John 19:39. Nicodemus joined him for His burial, John 19:38-42. He, too, was a member of the Sanhedrin and a believer, John 3:1-2 / John 7:50. John 12:3-5 indicates that Nicodemus was a rich man also. The amount brought suggests that they intended to completely cover the corpse with spices, John 19:39.
‘Myrrh’, John 19:39, was a gum resin used as a perfume and embalming fluid, ‘alces’, pounded wood of the aloe tree, also used for embalming, Psalm 45:8 / Proverbs 7:17 / Matthew 2:11. A hundred pounds weight, John 19:39, one hundred litras, one letra being equal to twelve ounces.
The ‘lined cloths’, Luke 23:53 / John 19:40, were linen strips that were bandages. The wrapping of the body in linen and the use of spices was the custom of the Jews, John 19:40. The woman also brought spices, Luke 23:56.
One layer of bandages would have been applied, followed by another layer of the spices Nicodemus brought along, and His body would have been finally wrapped in a sheet-like piece of linen. Both men would have been unclean as a result of this action and wouldn’t have been able to participate in the Passover.
Joseph’s ‘new tomb’ had not been used and was in a garden close to Golgotha, Luke 23:52 / Matthew 27:60 / John 19:41. Joseph, the owner of the tomb, was a believer, so Jesus’ body was always in the hands of believers.
It was now close to the Passover, and they hurried to arrange Jesus’ body in a nearby tomb, John 19:42. In keeping with the law of Moses, they had rested on the Sabbath, Luke 23:56, but will return to complete the burial rites of the Saviour which they had begun on the day of His death, Luke 23:54 / Matthew 28:5-6.
Because this tomb was ‘close to hand’, and the Sabbath was imminent, John 19:42, it appears to be a temporary arrangement. This suggests that Jesus was to be buried elsewhere after the Sabbath. It was very convenient as it was so near the place of the skull and the Sabbath was fast approaching, Luke 23:54 / John 19:42.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following concerning Luke 23:55-56.
‘This reference to the women prepares for the account of Jesus’ resurrection. When they went to the tomb on Sunday morning, they did not go to the wrong one. They had previously been there and had seen Jesus’ corpse in it. They prepared spices for their return visit on Sunday to honour Jesus further. Luke’s reference to the passing of the Sabbath with no disciple activity confirms Jesus’ prediction that He would be in the grave three days, Luke 18:33 / Luke 24:7. It also shows that Jesus’ followers observed the Sabbath as obedient Israelites, Exodus 20:10.’
Matthew is the only writer who mentions Pilate giving permission for a guard to be sent to guard the tomb of Christ. The Preparation Day, Matthew 27:62, was the Friday before the Sabbath of the Passover, Exodus 16:22 / Matthew 26:17 / John 19:31, and it appears that the chief priests and Pharisees were becoming a little nervous.
They go to Pilate and tell Him that Jesus said, ‘after three days, He will rise again’, Matthew 27:63 / Matthew 16:21 / Matthew 17:23 / Matthew 20:19 / Matthew 26:61 / Mark 8:31 / Mark 10:34.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning the deception.
‘That is, the last ‘deception’, or the taking him from the tomb, pretending that he rose, will have a wider influence among the people than the first, or his pretending to be the Messiah.’
They are determined to stop any rumours that Jesus would rise and so they ask that His tomb be guarded, just in case one of Jesus’ disciples stole His body, Matthew 27:64.
And so, to stop anyone from stealing the body of Christ, a security guard was granted, along with a Roman seal, Matthew 27:64 / Daniel 6:17. And that is what they did, Matthew 27:65-66.
Before we answer this question, I think it would be useful to look at what the Bible says about heaven first. The Bible tells us there are three heavens. Note the plurality in Genesis 1:1. Speaking about himself, the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:2 that he was caught up to the third heaven. So, we have here three ‘heavens’.
1. The heaven, which is God’s spiritual, eternal home.
This isn’t physical and isn’t created.
2. The heaven where the stars and planets are.
This is physical and is created.
3. The heaven surrounding the earth where the atmosphere is, and the birds fly.
This is physical and is created.
The word ‘heavens’ is used in different ways in the Bible.
1. It refers to one of the two heavens that God created.
2. It’s also used of the third heaven.
This is the uncreated heaven where God has always been from eternity. God is everywhere, Acts 17:27-28. He is present in all ‘three heavens’, Psalm 115:2-3. We cannot get away from God, Psalm 139:1-16.
So He existed before the heavens and the earth. These aren’t the heavens He has always lived in; these are the heavens where the atmosphere is, and the birds fly and the heaven where the stars are.
The heaven where God has always lived isn’t physical; it hasn’t been created. Because God is Spirit, He doesn’t need a physical place to live in, John 4:24. He doesn’t need pictures or images or temples or mosques or churches or shrines to live in, Acts 17:24-25.
Where did Jesus’ spirit go when He died? Some suggest He went to preach to the souls in hell based on 1 Peter 3:19-20. A proper understanding of what Peter means will help clarify what Peter means, and that’s simply that Christ in His spirit didn’t go anywhere to save those who were righteous before the flood because there were none, just Noah and His family, Genesis 6:5-13.
Does Peter mean that the Gospel was preached to those who were already dead? No, what he means is that they were dead whilst Peter wrote this letter, but they were very much alive whilst the Gospel was being preached to them.
What he’s saying is that the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, spoke through Noah to the people when they were alive. He’s not talking about what happened when Jesus was in the grave, and we shouldn’t make a text mean something it doesn’t say.
Paradise is a Persian for ‘an area enclosed by a wall’ or ‘garden.’ Nehemiah 2:8 / Ecclesiastes 2:5 / Song of Songs 4:13. The Greek word ‘paradeisos’ is used for the garden in Eden in Genesis, Genesis 2:8-16 / Isaiah 51:3 / Ezekiel 28:13.
The New Testament understands paradise in terms of its Jewish heritage. In Luke 23:43, Jesus promises the penitent thief, ‘Today you will be with me in paradise.’
The intermediate state was transformed by Jesus’ emphasis on being with him ‘today.’ There’s no denying where Jesus was going; He was going to ‘paradise’.
Wait a minute, didn’t Jesus say to Mary, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father,’ John 20:17? Yes, He did, so if we’re saying He went to heaven when He died, how do we understand what He said to Mary?
Jesus is telling Mary not to cling to Him because there is work to be done, she needs to tell others what has happened, and so there’s a sense of urgency. She wanted to hold on and not let go, but Jesus wouldn’t allow her. Remember, later Thomas was invited to touch Jesus, John 20:27.
Could it be possible that when He’s speaking to Mary, He’s speaking in terms of His new glorified body? He hasn’t ascended to the Father in His new everlasting body. Isn’t that what the resurrection is about? 1 Corinthians 15:35-44 / 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 / Romans 8:23 / Philippians 3:20-21.
We know from these verses that we will be reconciled with our bodies at the resurrection, but they will be new, in terms of glorious. If we know this, then surely, it’s possible that this is what Jesus meant when He spoke to Mary.
If we read 1 Peter 4:6, and come to the conclusion that Jesus went to hell to preach the Gospel to those who have already died, we would soon run into trouble with other Scriptures, especially, Hebrews 9:27.
In other words, Peter is saying that the Gospel was preached to them, the dead, when they were very much still alive but by the time Peter writes this letter they are now well and truly dead, 1 Peter 4:5. There is no second chance Gospel; everyone is destined to die once and then face judgment, Hebrews 9:27, no second chance to repent and become faithful.
Notice in Ephesians 4:7-10, when Paul quotes from Psalm 68:18, that he doesn’t even mention the word hell. In Psalm 68:18, David is looking forward into the future, it’s prophetic, David says, ‘received gifts’, but Paul says, ‘gave gifts’. This is David looking forward, and Paul looking at the fulfilment of this passage.
The words, ‘descended to the lower, earthly regions,’ aren’t a reference to hell, but to Jesus’ birth. Paul is referring to Christ’s coming to earth as a baby; he’s speaking about Christ coming into Mary’s womb.
Paul is saying that Jesus, who went up to heaven, that is, in His ascension, is the same Jesus who earlier came down from heaven. Paul isn’t speaking about Christ going to ‘hell’, he’s speaking about Christ’s birth as a human.
Notice in Romans 10:6-7 that Paul quotes from the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 30:12. Again, there is no mention of the word ‘hell’ in these verses. In this context, Paul is simply asking these Christians not to ask these questions, why? Because Christ isn’t far away, in fact, He is very near, and faith in him is as near as confessing with our mouth and believing in our heart, Romans 10:9.
When we read Acts 2:26-27 / Acts 2:31, we find the phrase, ‘realm of the dead,’ which is the grave, the place where the ‘body’ ends up. Notice it was Jesus’ ‘body’ which went to the grave, not His soul.
It’s obvious that Peter is using David’s psalm, Psalm 16:9-10, to show that Christ’s ‘body’ did not decay. In other words, Jesus wasn’t like David, ‘who died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day along with his remains,’ Acts 2:29.
No longer is paradise just an anticipatory condition awaiting the messianic presence at the end of the age. Those who die in faith will ‘be with Christ,’ Philippians 1:23. The dead in Christ will not experience life diminished, but life enhanced, as Jesus’ words to Martha in John 11 imply, John 11:23-26.
Note the term, ‘Abraham’s side’, this is a Hebraism which the Jews understood to mean, ‘the paradise of God,’ Luke 16:19-22. So, clearly, once again the Bible teaches us that Lazarus was in ‘paradise’.
It’s a figurative phrase that appears to have been drawn from a popular belief that the righteous would rest by Abraham’s side in the world to come, an opinion described in Jewish literature at the time of Christ.
The word ‘bosom’ or ‘side’ is ‘kolpos’ and literally refers to the side or lap of a person. Figuratively, as in this case, it refers to a place of honour reserved for a special guest, similar to its usage in John 13:23, ‘One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.’
In the case of Lazarus, the reserved place is special because it’s beside Abraham, the father of all the righteous. The phrase may be synonymous with the paradise promised to the thief on the cross, Luke 23:43. Together, these passages support the conviction that a believer enjoys immediate bliss at the moment of physical death.
When writing to the church in Ephesus, note what Jesus says, ‘I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God,’ Revelation 2:7. According to Revelation 2:7, the overcoming church will eat from the tree of life in the eschatological garden.
Sin and death through redemption are now cast out of the human experience. The way is open for the faithful to return to the garden of God. Paradise is the Christian’s final home.
Notice that Paul says he was caught up to the ‘third heaven’, whilst in the same setting says, caught up to ‘paradise,’ 2 Corinthians 12:1-4. Surely, the phrases ‘caught up to the third heaven’ and ‘caught up to paradise’ mean the same thing! Surely, the ‘third heaven’ and ‘paradise’ are one and the same place!
So where did Jesus’ spirit go when He died? The ‘third heaven’, or ‘paradise’ is God’s spiritual eternal home, which isn’t physical and isn’t created, this is the place where not only Paul found himself, but the place where Lazarus found himself when he died, the place where Jesus and the thief on the cross went to that day, Luke 23:43.
There is no Scriptural evidence which says Jesus went to or descended down to hell in any shape or form and there would be no purpose in doing so.