(The Crucifixion - Part 1 | Part 2)
In the first part of this study, we noted the growing popularity of Jesus on the part of the crowds that followed Him. At the same time, this was happening; the chief priests and teachers were plotting His death.
The Scripture: Matthew 26:14-15
“Then one of the twelve--the one called Judas Iscariot--went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?’ So they counted out for him 30 silver coins.”
1. What did Judas do?
2. What did they give Judas?
Jesus wanted to celebrate the Passover with His disciples. That night He warned them that one of them would betray Him. Of course, they all denied His words.
The Scripture: Matthew 24:31
“Then Jesus told them, ‘This very night you will all fall away on account of Me.’”
3. What did Jesus say would happen?
The Scripture: Matthew 26:33
“Peter replied, ‘Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.’”
4. What did Peter insist?
The Scripture: Matthew 26:34, 35
“Jesus answered, ‘This very night before the rooster crows, you will disown Me three times.’ But Peter declared, ‘Even if I have to die, I will never disown You.’ And all the other disciples said the same.”
5. What was Peter’s denial?
Judas had been watching for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to His enemies. That same night as Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas had his opportunity, and Jesus was arrested.
Jesus was immediately taken before the high priest, who sentenced Him to death for blasphemy. As Jesus had prophesied Peter denied Him three times.
Once Jesus was sentenced, Judas was filled with remorse and tried to return the money he had received. Then he went away and hanged himself.
Authorities throughout the ages have tried to figure out why Judas betrayed Christ. Of course, no one knows for certain. Scripture only tells us: Then Satan entered Judas. How Satan was able to do this is part of the mystery, but we must always be on our guard against those characteristics in us that give him entry.
Jesus was turned over to Pontius Pilate, the governor. Although he had ample opportunities to release Jesus, he gave in to the jeering crowds and handed Jesus over to be crucified.
And so Jesus was crucified between two robbers, insulted and mocked. Before His death, He still had the opportunity to save others. One of the two robbers crucified beside Him realized who Jesus was.
The Scripture: Luke 23:42, 43
“He said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.’”
6. What did the thief say?
7. What was Jesus’ response to him?
Jesus’ last thoughts were for the other people who were being crucified with Him.
The Scripture: Luke 23:34
“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.’”
8. What was Jesus’ prayer?
Jesus’ death in a seemingly unimportant village becomes the most significant event in all of history. What would those who crucified Him have done if they had known whom they were crucifying?
Certainly, the people who put Jesus to death did not know what they were doing. The following scriptures tell us who they were crucifying:
The Scripture: Collsians 1:15-20
“The image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the first born from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.”
The Scripture: Acts 3:15
“He is the author of life.”
The Scripture: Galatians 1:4
"The Lord, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age.”
The Scripture: Philippians 2:5-8
“Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross.”
The Death and Burial
The Scripture: Matthew 27:51-52
“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.”
9. What happened at Jesus’ death?
The Scripture: Matthew 27:54
“When the centurion and those who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, “Surely, He was the Son of God.”
10. What did the witnesses to Jesus’ death do and say?
The Scripture: Matthew 27:57-60
“A rich man from Arimeathea, named Joseph...asked for Jesus’ body....Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and placed it in his own new tomb. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance of the tomb and went away.”
11. What happened next?
Scripture tells us that the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate and asked that the tomb be made secure so that Jesus’ body could not be stolen and people told that He had been raised from the dead. Pilate agreed.
The Scripture: Matthew 28:1, 2
“After the Sabbath...Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled back the stone and sat on it.”
12. What happened after the Sabbath?
The Scripture: Matthew 28: 5-7
“The angel said to the women....’He is not here; He has risen.....Go quickly and tell His disciples.’”
13. What did the angel tell the women?
The Scripture: Matthew 28:8-10
“The women...ran to tell His disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met them....Then Jesus said, “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee; there you will see Me.”
14. What happened next?
After the chief priests and guards realized what had happened, they devised a plan of saying that the disciples had come at night and stolen the body. The soldiers did as instructed.
The Scripture: Matthew 28:16, 18
“The eleven disciples went to Galilee....Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”
15. What did Jesus tell the disciples?
The Scripture: Matthew 28:19
“Jesus continued: ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing; them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
16. What was Jesus’ commission to His disciples?
During His last forty days on earth, following His resurrection, Jesus made many appearances to the disciples and others. Then He was taken up to heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God (the place of power).
The Answers
- He went to the chief priests and offered to hand over Jesus to them.
- Thirty pieces of silver
- That they would all betray Him that very night.
- That even if everyone else fell away on account of Jesus, he never would.
- That even if he had to lie he would never disown Jesus
- He said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
- “Today, you will be with Me in paradise.”
- Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
- The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; there was a mighty earthquake and the tombs of many holy people who had died were raised to life.
- They were terrified and said, “Surely, He was the Son of God.”
- A rich man named Joseph asked for Jesus’ body. He wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and placed it inside his own new tomb. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance of the tomb.
- The two Marys visited the tomb. There was a violent earthquake because an angel came down from heaven and rolled back the stone.
- That Jesus had risen. Then he told the women to go tell the disciples.
- Jesus appeared and told them to tell the disciples to meet Him in Galilee.
- That all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him.
- To go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and to teach them to obey everything Jesus had commanded.
All scripture quotations in this publication are from the Holy Bible, New International Version
(unless otherwise indicated)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, New International Bible Society
Copyright © 2010 by JoAnne Sekowsky