The Road To The Cross !

The Road To The Cross

Study of Christ's sufferings on the way to Calvary for our Salvation.

Mt 27:25 -54

by Bro. Cook

My friends, you need to know what Christ suffered on the way to the cross. Ever since the birth of our Lord, he was on the road to the cross, but I want to take your hearts to the point in history when Christ was taken to a place called Golgotha and was nailed to a Cross. Lets start in Mt 27:25 which is just after the people chose to release Barabbas and to crucify Jesus.

Mt 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

“His blood be on us and our children.” We will take responsibility. We will suffer any divine punishment that comes upon us and our children. Thats a fearful statement, because they did and still do suffer because of this one statement they made. The history of the Jewish people from that day on has been the darkest recorded in all human history. They have been the most persecuted people on the earth, just to name one, Hittler tried to destroy them by attempting genocide, and others have also tried.

I don't want to spend to much time on giving examples, you can research them any time you like. What I would like to explain is, they had no idea that their sins actually would be passed on for all their generations to come, that just as Christ was persecuted by them, they and their children would be persecuted by the world. Read what David says in

2Sa 1:16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.

You see their very own mouth testified against them and continues today.

Mt 27:26 ¶ Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Here we see they have released a murderer, Barabbas. And Jesus was scourged, now it was custom for one to be scourged whom was condemned to die. Usually it preceded the crucifixion. It was a horrible punishment, inflicted by soldiers, and didn't stop until the victim was fainting due to the pain. This was straight out torture. What is scourging exactly, well in the Roman method which would have been the method they used, the person would be stripped, stretched with cords or throngs and beaten with rods, or a handle with three lashes or throngs of leather, sometimes with pieces of metal fastened to them.

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Christ did not have to endure such pain, he did this because he loves us, it was the only way we as sinners could be healed.

Mt 27:27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

After the scourging was inflicted on our Lord, they took him to the common hall, which most likely was the governor's palace. The whole band would have been from four hundred to six hundred soldiers on duty at the palace at any given time. All of them gathered to mock Christ. There was great cruelty mixed with mockery. These Roman soldiers were men who took amusement in such things, most considered it sport. Not only was there a prisoner delivered to them, but he was charged with making himself the king of the Jews. Talk about putting a kettle on a fire, that really gave them something to use as sport in mocking Him. They were not moved or persuaded by his gentleness, but they sought to inflict all manner of scorn towards our Lord.

Mt 27:28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

His clothing which had been stripped off at the scourging, had been replaced, but was now removed again so they could wrap him in a scarlet (purple) robe which were the royal colors. They did this out of mockery and scorn. Next they made a crown of thorns and put it on his head as a way of torture and mockery. Many of us have been poked by a thorn, it hurts. Well Christ had a crown of thorns pushed onto his head, the pain had to have been great. Thats not the end, they continued. Next for a scepter they placed a reed in his right hand. After they arrayed him, in a royal robe, a crown of thorns, and fake scepter, the mockery continues. They kneel before him and shout out in laughter, “hail, King of the Jews.” Then they began spitting in his face, striking Him in the head. How much Christ suffered for us. I can't help but to ask what if you or me were one of those soldiers, would we have participated in the acts they committed against our Lord? Before you answer. hear me out. With so many soldiers there was probably a lot of peer pressure for everyone to join in. Have you, or do you give in to pressure to do things you know are against Christ, cursing, drinking, smoking, pornography, making fun of someone passing by, ect... Well then you and I are guilty just as the solders are, and just as the Jewish people are.

Ro 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Do you truly understand, whether you answered yes or no to whether or not you would have joined in with the soldiers, you already did because of your sins!

Mt 27:31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

After hours of being mocked and beaten Pilate presented the bleeding prisoner once more to the people, to try and secure their pity, and made one more effort to release him, but it was in vain. They then put his own clothes back on him. And Christ was led as a lamb to the slaughter, as a sacrifice to the altar where he would pay the ultimate penalty for our sin.

Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Could you stay silent through what Christ went through? I know I would not have been able to.

Mt 27:32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

Cyrene was a city in the northern part of Africa. At first the cross was laid on Jesus, it was custom for a prisoner to carry their own cross to their Crucifixion. As you can imagine after all Christ was put through the scourging, the beating, the mocking, He surely was very physically weak and could hardly hold himself up let alone His cross, this is why they persuaded Simon. Simon was the father of two known Christians Mr 15:21 Alexander and Rufus. Can you imagine yourself in the place of Simon how heart breaking it must have been for him to see his Lord and carry his cross.

Mt 27:33 ¶ And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

Golgotha, A Hebrew word, meaning a skull. From its Latin equivalent, calvaria, from which comes our English word Calvary. Golgotha was the common place of execution, outside the gate of the city.

Mt 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

It was a bitter drink designed to lesson the suffering, but Christ refused. Here we see the prophecy in

Ps 69:21 was fulfilled.

Ps 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

The treatment of the Saviour was foretold in the Old Testament, and the exact fulfillment of the description is proof that it was God inspired.

Mt 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

Being crucified has to be the most terrible and shameful death known to man. The Jewish never crucified another Jew. The Romans never crucified another Romans. That the Jewish would demand the Romans to inflict this on Jesus shows the intensity of their hate for Him. To be crucified meant

driving bolts of iron through the hands and feet, and fastening him to the cross,. Then lifting him up to hang there as though he was a felon. Next another prophesy was fulfilled

Ps 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

The Roman soldiers who crucified Christ were not trying to fulfill the Scriptures when they parted his garments, and were casting lots. Yet they fulfilled the Scripture just as it was foretold. They sat under the cross and gambled for his garments. The nerve they had, to imagine this being done to anyone is heartbreaking enough, but to know it was done to our Lord troubles the heart so much more. The suffering, the humiliation, the mocking, the beating, the stripes, the nails being hammered through his hand and feet. Oh what my Lord has suffered for me, if only I were not a sinner my Lord would not have suffered.

Mt 27:36 And sitting down they watched him there;

37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

This was customary, to sit down and to watch to see that no one would come and take down those who were crucified till it was ordered. Some watched Him out of curiosity, some to make sure that He really did die, some even delighted in His sufferings, and there were some who wept for Him. Even still many mocked him. It was Roman custom to place a sign over the criminal's head stating the crime for which they suffered. Christ's read THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One day all men will profess Christ as king whether it be in Heaven by his side, or from a lake of fire. We all will acknowledge Him.

Mt 27:38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Now we see as said in

Isa 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

To show that they regarded Christ as the worst of the three criminals, they put him between the two thieves, giving him the place of dishonor. Thus was the prophecy fulfilled, "He was numbered with the transgressors.'' The two with Christ were paying the price for their sins, but Christ was paying the price for the sins of the world"He bare the sin of many." Now as people passed by they shook their heads as to show there approval in the shame that was put on him. Also foretold in

Ps 22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head,

Their false accusation, “Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross”. The chief priests, with the scribes and elders, despite their high standing, joined in mocking Jesus in his death. Every word that was spoken cut and pierced our Lord to the heart. They mocked him as a Savior:."He saved others; himself he cannot save." They mocked him as a King: "If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and, we will believe him." They mocked him as a believer: "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him." They mocked him as the Son of God: "For he said, I am the Son of God." Unknowingly they were admitting his deity, even the testimony that Christ's enemies bore against him it also revealed him. "He saved others;" "He is the King of Israel" "He trusted in God."

Mt 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Well the sixth hour would have been twelve o'clock noon. The ninth hour would have been three o'clock in the afternoon. So for 3 hours darkness covered the land.

Am 8:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:

About three o'clock Christ calls out to the Father. He was left to struggle without a sense of his Father's presence. “My God, my God!” shows that he was still his Father's own and had complete faith in his Father's will. I believe this is literally the point at which our sins were transfered to the body of Christ.

Mt 27:47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

The resemblance between the word "Eli" and the name Elijah is very close, they believed he was calling for Elijah because they had an illusion that Elijah would come before the Messiah. When in fact he actually said Eli, Eli which means My God, My God. One of the men had compassion and ran and gave him vinegar to drink. Fulfilling yet another prophesy in

Ps 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Next we read

Mt 27:50 ¶ Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Jesus Christ retained his life and endured his agony till he had finished God's work. He suffered all that was needed in order to become the Savior to all who believe in him. He then voluntarily gave up his life. Now Christ's strength was not exhausted, his last word was spoken with a loud voice, he shouted out the words, “It is finished.” Willingly dying, laying down his life

Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, this was no coincidence. The veil of the temple separated the most holy place from the other parts of the temple. The veil being rent in twain from top to bottom signified that now the way into God's presence was opened by the blood of Jesus Christ for all to come in unto the Father. The tombs were opened. The saints were raised. Their rising was a testimony that the death of Christ is life to the saints. The Centurion or (captain) was the Roman officer in command, and admitted this was the Son of God as he had professed to be. The scenes at the cross had convinced him that Jesus was more than man, that he was the son of God. It was truly strange that those men should confess what the chief priests and scribes and elders denied. Yet even today it is often found that the most profane have acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God while many religious rulers still deny Him. Our study ends here, but as you go about your day remember the suffering that your Lord went through, so that you might come to Him and accept his salvation which he has offered freely to you and to me. Don't deny him, Don't wait, or you may wake one day to find it is to late. Though he has offered salvation freely it does have an expiration date. Once Christ returns it will be to late.

God bless you, And I will be praying for you all.