New Testament Studies: Mark (17): Chapter 14 v53 to 15 v47 -- David Pawson

Summary

This powerful script recounts the final moments of Jesus Christ's trial, crucifixion, and burial as depicted in the Gospel of Mark. It delves into the emotional and theological implications of Jesus' suffering, highlighting the injustices of his trials, the profound human reactions, and the divine significance of his sacrifice. The narrative explores the desperation of the priests, the denial by Peter, the political maneuverings of Pontius Pilate, and the ultimate submission of Jesus to his fate. It also reflects on the reactions of those present, including the soldiers, the chief priests, and the women who followed Jesus. The script serves as a meditation on the depth of Jesus' love and the gravity of his sacrifice, inviting listeners to ponder the transformative impact of his death and the promise of resurrection.

Takeaways

• 📜 The narrative recounts the events from Mark 14:53 to Mark 15:15, detailing Jesus' trial, denial by Peter, and eventual crucifixion.
• 👥 Jesus faced a biased and illegal trial, with false testimonies and no proper charges, highlighting the injustice of the proceedings.
• 🤫 Despite being interrogated, Jesus remained silent before the high priest, demonstrating his composure and adherence to a higher calling.
• 👑 Jesus' claim of being the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, led to his condemnation, showing the religious leaders' misunderstanding and fear of his divinity.
• 😔 Peter's three-fold denial of Jesus reflects the human tendency to succumb to fear and pressure, yet his remorse and later redemption illustrate the power of repentance.
• 👎 Pontius Pilate's attempts to avoid responsibility for Jesus' fate, including his symbolic hand-washing, demonstrate the political pressures and moral dilemmas of the time.
• 👥 The crowd's call for Barabbas' release over Jesus reveals their preference for a political savior over a spiritual one, and the fickleness of public opinion.
• 🛡 The brutal treatment of Jesus, including scourging and mockery, underscores the extent of human cruelty and the depths of suffering he endured for humanity's sake.
• ✝️ The crucifixion at Golgotha and the division of Jesus' garments among the soldiers, as well as the casting of lots, fulfill biblical prophecy and symbolize the disregard for his divine mission.
• 🕊️ The darkness that fell upon the land at Jesus' death, the tearing of the temple veil, and the Centurion's declaration recognize the divine sacrifice and signal a new era in spiritual understanding.
• 📖 The burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea, a secret believer, and the presence of faithful women at the cross, underscore the hope and courage that persist even in the face of tragedy.

Q & A

What is the significance of Mark 14:53 in the context of the Easter story?

Mark 14:53 is significant as it marks the beginning of the narrative where Jesus is led to the high priest, setting the stage for the trials and events leading to his crucifixion, which are central to the Easter story.

Why did Peter follow Jesus at a distance and what does this imply about his character?

Peter followed Jesus at a distance, indicating his fear and hesitation. This shows his human weakness and internal conflict, as he was torn between loyalty to Jesus and the fear of association with him during his trial.

What was the false testimony given against Jesus during his trial before the high priest?

The false testimony claimed that Jesus said he would destroy the Temple made with hands and build another not made with hands in three days. This was used as a pretext for accusing Jesus of blasphemy.

How did Jesus respond when asked by the high priest if he is the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

Jesus affirmed that he is the Christ, and added that they would see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven, indicating his divine nature and future return in glory.

What does the tearing of the high priest's mantle signify?

The tearing of the high priest's mantle signifies his outrage and belief that Jesus' claim to be the Son of God is blasphemy, which in Jewish law was a serious offense deserving of death.

Why did the crowd ask for Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus?

The crowd asked for Barabbas, a known insurrectionist, to be released instead of Jesus because they were swayed by the chief priests who stirred them up, and they wanted a political leader who would fight against Roman authority, not a spiritual one like Jesus.

How did Pilate attempt to avoid sentencing Jesus to death?

Pilate tried multiple tactics, including questioning the charges, examining Jesus himself, sending Jesus to Herod, offering to release Jesus as part of a festival custom, proposing to flog Jesus as an alternative, declaring Jesus innocent, and symbolically washing his hands of the matter.

What was the significance of the darkness that fell upon the land from the sixth to the ninth hour as Jesus was crucified?

The darkness signified a supernatural event and is often interpreted as a symbol of God's absence or judgment. It marked the moment of Jesus' cry of dereliction, indicating the depth of his suffering and spiritual desolation.

Why did the Roman soldiers mock Jesus by placing a crown of thorns and a purple robe on him?

The soldiers mocked Jesus by dressing him as a king to ridicule his claim of being the 'King of the Jews'. The crown of thorns and the purple robe were a cruel joke, meant to humiliate Jesus and make a spectacle of him.

How did the actions of the Roman soldiers and the religious leaders contribute to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies?

The actions of the Roman soldiers and the religious leaders, such as the crucifixion, the mocking, and Jesus being numbered with transgressors, fulfilled specific prophecies from the Old Testament, particularly from the book of Isaiah.

What does the tearing of the temple curtain symbolize in the context of Jesus' death?

The tearing of the temple curtain from top to bottom symbolizes the end of the old sacrificial system. It signifies that the way to God is now open to all through Jesus' sacrifice, and that the separation between God and humanity has been removed.

Outlines

00:00

📖 Introduction to the Easter Story Meditations

The speaker introduces a series of three meditations on the Easter story, beginning with a reading from Mark 14:53 to Mark 15:15. The format includes reading a passage, discussing it, singing a hymn, taking a break, and repeating the process. The first passage covers Jesus being led to the high priest, false testimonies against him, his silence, and eventual condemnation. Peter's denial of Jesus is also included, highlighting his following from a distance, warming himself at the fire, and thrice denying association with Jesus.

05:03

📚 Injustices of the Jewish Trial

The speaker outlines 15 illegalities associated with Jesus' Jewish trial before the priests, painting it as a 'rank injustice' and 'judicial murder.' These include the lack of a formal charge, the trial being held at night, the high priest acting as a witness, and the hasty organization of the execution without allowing time for an appeal. The speaker emphasizes the desperation of the priests and the significance of Jesus' claim to be the Christ, leading to his incrimination.

10:07

😔 Peter's Denial and Humility

The narrative shifts to focus on Peter's denial of Jesus, highlighting his presence in the courtyard despite his eventual denial. It is noted that Peter's facial expressions and speech betrayed him, and his weeping over his denial is presented as a sign of his remorse. The speaker suggests that Peter's sharing of his own failure serves as a form of humility and a means to encourage others.

15:08

🕖 The Roman Trial and Pilate's Dilemma

The account moves to the Roman trial, describing Pilate's attempts to avoid condemning Jesus. Pilate's efforts included demanding the charge, examining Jesus, giving Jesus a chance to defend himself, and suggesting the release of Jesus as part of a festival custom. The speaker details Pilate's political and personal dilemma, influenced by his wife's dream and the potential for causing unrest among the Jews, leading to his eventual compliance with the crowd's demand for Jesus' crucifixion.

20:10

👑 Mocking Jesus and the Path to Crucifixion

The summary describes the mockery of Jesus by the soldiers, dressing him in a purple cloak and a crown of thorns, and the subsequent procession to Golgotha. It details the scourging of Jesus, an unnecessary act of cruelty, and the compelling of Simon of Cyrene to carry Jesus' cross. The paragraph also touches on the humanity and restraint of Jesus, who could have retaliated but chose not to.

25:11

🏺 The Crucifixion and Its Aftermath

This section covers the crucifixion itself, including the refusal of the offered wine mixed with myrrh, the division of Jesus' garments, and the posting of the charge against him. It also discusses the reviling Jesus received from passersby, the chief priests, and the thieves crucified alongside him. The account concludes with the darkness that fell upon the land and the final words of Jesus from the cross.

30:12

🤔 The Centurion's Realization and Joseph's Burial

The speaker recounts the Centurion's acknowledgment of Jesus as the Son of God after witnessing his death. It then describes the actions of Joseph of Arimathea, a respected council member and secret believer, who requested Jesus' body for proper burial. This act is framed as a form of atonement for not having openly supported Jesus during his life. The paragraph ends with the burial of Jesus and the women's observation of the tomb's location.

35:14

🛖 The Significance of the Burial

The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of Jesus' burial and the impact it would have had if it signified the end of the story. It discusses the despair and shattered hopes that would result, questioning the existence of a good God if the story concluded with Jesus' death. However, the speaker assures that this is not the end, hinting at the upcoming resurrection and the continuation of the story.

Keywords

💡Easter Story

The Easter Story refers to the sequence of events described in the Christian Bible, which includes the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the central theme of the video, as it discusses the events leading to and including Jesus' trial, crucifixion, and the reactions of those around him.

💡High Priest

The High Priest, in the context of the video, refers to the Jewish religious leader during the time of Jesus. The High Priest plays a significant role in the narrative as he is involved in the trial and condemnation of Jesus, highlighting the religious and political tensions of the era.

💡Peter's Denial

Peter's Denial is a pivotal moment in the narrative where Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, denies knowing Jesus three times to avoid association with him during his arrest. This act is a demonstration of human weakness and betrayal, which is later contrasted with Peter's remorse and reconciliation.

💡False Witness

False Witness refers to the act of testifying untruthfully, which is depicted in the video as part of the trial against Jesus. The inconsistency among the false testimonies presented by the chief priests and elders is highlighted to illustrate the injustice of the trial.

💡Crucifixion

Crucifixion was a method of capital punishment in which the victim was nailed to a cross and left to die. In the video, it is the means by which Jesus is executed, symbolizing the ultimate sacrifice and the culmination of the suffering he endured for humanity's sins.

💡Pontius Pilate

Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor who presided over the trial of Jesus and ultimately handed him over for crucifixion. His role in the video is to represent the political aspect of Jesus' trial and the broader context of Roman authority and its interaction with Jewish religious leaders.

💡Barabbas

Barabbas, in the script, is a prisoner whom the crowd chooses to be released instead of Jesus. His name, meaning 'son of the father,' is symbolic and contrasts with Jesus, the Son of God. The choice of Barabbas over Jesus reflects the crowd's preference for a political revolutionary over a spiritual leader.

💡Mocking

Mocking is depicted in the video as the act of ridicule and contempt shown towards Jesus by the soldiers and passersby. This keyword highlights the humiliation and disrespect Jesus faced, which was part of his path to crucifixion and is a testament to his suffering.

💡Darkness

The Darkness that occurred at the time of Jesus' death symbolizes the spiritual separation and the absence of God's light. It is a dramatic element in the video that signifies the profound gravity of the event and its theological implications for Christians.

💡Resurrection

Although not explicitly mentioned in the provided transcript, the Resurrection is the foundational belief in Christianity that follows the crucifixion, signifying Jesus' triumph over death. It is implied as the event that would change the despair of the crucifixion into the hope of the Easter message.

💡Atonement

Atonement refers to the Christian belief that Jesus' sacrificial death reconciles humanity with God, atoning for their sins. It is a central theme in the video, as it discusses the purpose and significance of Jesus' suffering and death on the cross.

Highlights

Jesus is brought before the high priest and faces false testimonies and accusations, highlighting the unjust practices of the trial. (Mark 14:53-65)

Peter denies Jesus three times, fulfilling Jesus' prior prophecy and showcasing human weakness and fear. (Mark 14:66-72)

Jesus remains mostly silent during His trials, choosing to speak decisively only to affirm His identity as 'the Christ, the Son of the Blessed.' (Mark 14:61-62)

Pilate, caught between the demands of the crowd and his own uncertainty, engages in a reluctant dialogue with Jesus, questioning Him about His kingship. (Mark 15:1-15)

The crowd chooses Barabbas over Jesus, illustrating the fickleness of public opinion and the manipulative power of the chief priests. (Mark 15:6-15)

The brutal treatment of Jesus by Roman soldiers, including mocking, scourging, and crowning with thorns, depicts the cruelty He endured. (Mark 15:16-20)

Simon of Cyrene is compelled to carry Jesus' cross, symbolizing the burden of the innocent and the universality of suffering. (Mark 15:21)

Jesus' crucifixion is portrayed with stark simplicity and restraint, avoiding sensationalism to focus on the profound tragedy of the event. (Mark 15:22-32)

Jesus' death prompts the tearing of the temple veil, symbolizing the end of the old covenant and the accessibility of God's presence. (Mark 15:37-38)

The centurion's recognition of Jesus as 'the Son of God' after witnessing His death underscores a pagan's acknowledgment of Jesus' divine nature. (Mark 15:39)

Joseph of Arimathea's bold request to bury Jesus highlights his courage and devotion, transitioning from secret follower to open disciple. (Mark 15:42-46)

The consistent emphasis on Jesus' fulfillment of prophecy throughout His trial and crucifixion underscores the divine orchestration of events. (General observation from Mark 14-15)

The narrative juxtaposes human betrayal, cowardice, and brutality with Jesus' dignified silence and submission, illustrating His unique character and mission. (General observation from Mark 14-15)

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes the reality of suffering in the Christian journey, presenting it as a central aspect of discipleship and faith. (General observation from Mark 14-15)

Peter's subsequent tears of repentance after denying Jesus portray the possibility of redemption and forgiveness, even after grave failures. (Mark 14:72)

Transcripts

Mark's gospel chapter 14 verse 53 we're

going to have three meditations this

morning on the Easter story and I'm just

going to read a passage and then talk

about it then we'll have a hymn and a

break and then another passage and so on

the first passage is Mark 14 53 to Mark

15 15.

and they LED Jesus to the high priest

and all the chief priests and the elders

and the scribes were assembled and Peter

had followed him at a distance right

into the courtyard of the high priest

and he was sitting with the guards and

warming himself at the fire

now the chief priests and the whole

Council sought testimony against Jesus

to put him to death but they found none

for many more false witness against him

and their witness did not agree and some

stood up and bore false witness against

him saying we heard him say I will

destroy this Temple that is made with

hands and in three days I will build

another not made with hands yet not even

so did their testimony agree

and the high priest stood up in the

midst and asked Jesus have you no answer

to make what is it that these men

testify against you

but he was silent and made no answer

again the high priest asked him are you

the Christ the son of the blessed and

Jesus said I am

and you will see the son of man sitting

at the right hand of power and coming

with the Clouds Of Heaven and the high

priest tore his mantle and said why do

we still need Witnesses you have heard

it says for me what is your decision

and they all condemned him as deserving

death and some began to spit on him and

to cover his face and to strike him

saying to him prophesy and the gods

received him with blows

and as Peter was below in the courtyard

one of the maids of the high priest came

and seeing Peter warming himself she

looked at him and said

you also were with the Nazarene Jesus

but he denied it saying ah neither no

nor understand what you mean

and he went out into the gateway and the

maids saw him and began again to say to

the bystanders this man was one of them

but again he denied it and after a

little while again the bystander said to

Peter certainly you are one of them for

you are a Galilean but he began to

invoke a curse on himself and to swear I

do not know this man of whom you speak

and immediately the crowed a second

time

and Peter remembered how Jesus had said

to him before the crows twice you

will deny me three times

and he broke down and wept

and as soon as it was morning the chief

priests and the Scribe with the elders

and scribes and the whole Council held a

consultation and they bound Jesus and

led him away and delivered him to pilate

and pilate asked him are you the king of

the Jews

and he answered him you have said so

and the chief priests accused him of

many things and pilate again asked him

have you no answer to make see how many

charges they bring against you but Jesus

made no further answer so that pilate

wondered

now at the feast he used to release for

them one prisoner whom they asked and

among the rebels in prison who had

committed murder in the Insurrection

there was a man called Barabbas

and the crowd came up and began to ask

pilate to do as he was want to do for

them

and he answered them do you want me to

release for you the king of the Jews

for he perceived that it was out of envy

that the chief priests had delivered him

up

but the chief priest stirred up the

crowd to have him release for them

Barabbas instead and pilate again said

to them then what shall I do with the

man whom you call the king of the Jews

and they cried out again crucify him

and pilate said to them why what evil

has he done but they shouted out all the

more crucify him

so pilate wishing to satisfy the crowd

released for them Barabbas

and having scourged Jesus he delivered

him to be crucified

our Lord had two trials a Jewish and a

Roman one

and both of them were rigged

both of them were rank Injustice

I have jotted down for example 15 things

about the Jewish trial before the

priests that were illegal and here they

are one

he was arrested without a charge being

made

now even in those days if anyone was

arrested they had to be told at the time

why they were being arrested but no

charge was laid against Jesus second the

arrest was organized by his judges

who thus became accomplices to the

arrest

third

the trial was held at an illegal time

such trials had to be held during

daylight hours and this was held at

night

fourth it was held at an illegal place

in someone's home

and it should have been held in the

Public Law Courts

fifth the trial began without a charge

sixth the witnesses for the prosecution

had no consistent story

so there was no case

seventh

the witnesses who disagreed with each

other were not punished for perjury and

the Prisoner was not released as he

should have been when the witnesses did

not agree eighth the judge became a

witness for the prosecution

and therefore partial

ninth the judge asked a leading question

of the prisoner and condemned him on his

own confession

tenth

or the tenth was that he condemned him

on his own confession eleventh that he

called No Witnesses for the defense and

made no examination of our Lord's claim

12th he condemned the prisoner for

speaking the truth by calling him a liar

13 no vote was taken from the members

14 a full Quorum of the council was not

present

there were members of that Council who

were not there

15th the execution was organized for the

same day not allowing the normal time

for a legal appeal to be made against

sentence

15 things

that make the first trial rank Injustice

this was judicial murder

and the one thing that I would draw from

this is that the priests were desperate

men desperate men do Dreadful things and

these priests were desperate and they

were doing Dreadful things to our Lord

and Savior Jesus Christ

finally let me underline our Lord's

words on which they incriminated him

are you the Christ they asked a direct

question

the son of the Blessed

and his reply was an incredible reply he

said I I am which is the name of God

himself

and as soon as the high priest heard

that he tore his clothes and said we

don't need any more trial you have heard

from his own mouth he claims to be God

but he never stopped to ask is it true

for any man to have said that was

blasphemy

and it was the worst crime in the Jewish

book and if any human being had said

such a thing he deserved to die straight

away

but then this was not just a human being

speaking and our Lord was saying the

Sober Truth I I am

the very name that God had given of

himself to Moses but they rushed through

with the execution

and Jesus said whatever you do to me one

day you'll see me coming in the Clouds

Of Heaven in glory

and he was claiming to be the

Fulfillment of one of the predictions in

the Prophet Daniel

the next incident is out in the

courtyard

I'm sure that you've heard so many

sermons about Peter's denial that you

don't need me to preach another

it's so human so real and you and I have

done exactly the same thing in the

school in the office there has been an

opportunity when we could have said

openly that we belong to Jesus and we

found it

so let us not throw stones at poor old

Peter but let's notice four things first

of all at least he got as far as the

courtyard which the others didn't

I'm not trying to whitewash him I'm just

trying to put it in balance and just

remind you that at least he followed and

at least he was there

but when it came to the push he couldn't

go through with it

second he did deny him both his face and

his speech gave him away

and our face and our speech should give

us a way that we belong to Jesus

thirdly he did weep

it broke this man's heart Judas couldn't

have wept

set for himself but Peter wept

it's all in that word there's something

very cleansing about tears especially

when a man weeps over something he has

done

and fourthly

Peter himself must have told this story

to John Mark or we wouldn't have it in

the gospel of Mark and the man who did

this was the man who wanted us to know

about it

which tells us of his humility

he wanted to encourage Us by telling us

that he failed and that he led the Lord

down and that the Lord picked him up

again as we know later now we turn to

the Roman trial it is now six o'clock in

the morning

Peter denied Christ at three in the

morning

three o'clock every morning a Roman

bugler blew his trumpet

it was the change of the Guard the end

of the first watch of the day from

Midnight to three and it's interesting

that the bugle blown at 3am was called

the Crow it may be that this is

what our Lord was referring to but by

three in the morning Peter had denied

Christ it is now six o'clock in the

morning pilate has had to bedragged from

his bed early and the trial is now

shifting from a religious trial to a

political one

and the charges have been changed

the Jews condemned him for blasphemy but

now when they come to pilate they say it

is a political crime not a religious one

says he is the king and that was a

challenge to Roman Authority can't you

see how they twist the truth again and

again changing the charge on which he

has tried but pilate wouldn't be

interested in blasphemy

so they present a political charge to

Pilate

now pilate tried eight things to get out

of this dilemma

at least he tried eight times Pontius

Pilate tried to evade what they were

trying to get him to do

here are the eight ways in which he did

it first of all he demanded that the

case be reopened and retried and he

demanded to know the charge he was not

going to take their word for it

so he said tell me the charge and they

said oh there are so many we can't tell

you now

he's guilty you must take it from us no

he says tell me the charge

I'm not going to let you get away with

that

secondly he did examine the prisoner

himself

he could have taken the easy way out and

simply rubber stamped their decision

but he did examine the prisoner himself

by direct question again incidentally it

was a leading question pilate said are

you what they say you are

and Jesus simply said well you say so

in other words Jesus was saying you

should not ask me you should examine the

evidence

you don't ask a criminal did you do this

right you're condemned

even if he pleads guilty you must

examine the evidence and so Jesus said I

am not saying you say so because they

have said so but you as a judge must

examine the evidence

thirdly pilate did give Jesus a chance

to defend himself which the others have

not he said have you nothing to say

but our Lord would not defend himself

so fourthly pilate passed Jesus to Herod

hoping that that would be a way of

getting out of this dilemma but Herod

sent him back again

fifthly pilate had a brain wave

at every Feast when there were so many

thousands millions of Jews in Jerusalem

it was a very tense situation and to

keep the crowd happy he always used to

give them a sop at this time a favor and

say I let loose any prisoner you name

from my prison for you at this time and

it kept them reasonably happy and he

said now look here he is you've

delivered him to me shall I let this man

go this time

I usually do so here's a ready-made

prisoner to hand back to you they were

not having any of that they said we want

another man and it's very interesting

that the man they asked for was called

Jesus Barabbas

same name

and do you know what Barabbas means bar

means sun and Abba means father and they

said we want Jesus Son of the father

it could hardly have been more pointed

they were saying this man is called

Jesus and says he's the son of the

father we want another man called Jesus

a son of the father release Barabbas

it's so meaningful

and Barabbas was a political resistance

leader he was an insurrectionist and the

crowd that welcomed Jesus on Palm Sunday

thinking he was going to fight for them

and get them free are so disappointed

with Jesus now because instead of going

to tackle the Roman Garrison he simply

cleansed the temple that crowd is now

saying we'll have this man

away with that man he's not going to

give us what we want Jesus Son of the

father Jesus Barabbas give us Barabbas

he'll do it

it's an amazing choice and so pilate

couldn't escape that way

sixthly

he said well I'll tell you what I'll do

I'll have him flogged to within an inch

of his life will that settle it

now that was a very naughty thing for

pilate to say he had no right to condemn

an innocent man to a flogging like that

again he was trying to give them a stop

trying to buy them off

and they weren't going to let him off

they said no whipping's not bad enough

for this man crucify him

so he tried seventhly

simply to stand there on the steps of

his house and say this man is innocent

and they shouted louder than he did

crucify

so he tried one more way of getting out

of this dilemma he asked for a basin of

water and he washed his hands in front

of them all and he said it's none of my

business this I wash my hands of it

and when he did that he made sure that

for two thousand years at least his name

would be forever linked with the death

of Jesus for wherever Christians have

recited their faith they have always

included one human being in the Creed

One Man Apart from Jesus and its pilate

suffered under Pontius Pilate pilate you

tried eight times to wash your hands of

this business you've tried eight times

to get out of doing what was right and

what was unpopular

but you couldn't get out of it

and so he washed his hands and as he

washed them he said crucify him then

now many people say the real problem

with pilot is how could he come to do

such a terrible thing

the real problem however is precisely

the opposite how Pilate

could ever try and get out of it

why do I say that because I've read up a

bit of the history of pilate I know

something of this man he started Life as

a slave he was the first slave ever to

be a Roman governor and he was the last

and he was no good at it and this was a

man with a petty mind this was a man who

was a bully

and when he came to Palestine in the

year 8026 this man did certain things

that were blunders and that were the

blunders of a bully for example

he set up a Roman Eagle in the temple

and he caused such a riot and he ordered

soldiers to go in civilian clothes with

their swords under their cloaks and kill

the rioters and it says the blood of

galileans mingled with sacrifices in the

temple

that was a blunder

he was a bully

another time he was building a water

supply into Jerusalem an aqueduct right

from the pools of Hebron I've seen the

aqueduct you can still see it today a

wonderful construction it cost a lot of

money and pilate was very short of money

so he said to himself now they're

getting good collections at the temple

just now I'll borrow a bit from the

treasury only he forgot to tell them

that he'd borrowed it

and it started another riot

and again he sent Roman soldiers in

among the rioters with swords inside

cloaks and killed the rioters the act of

a bully now word of these two blunders

had got back to the Roman Caesar and

Caesar sent a letter to pilate one more

blunder like this and you're finished

upset these Jews again and you'll be

looking for a job

pilate knew that if he took one wrong

step and caused one more Riot among the

Jews that was the end of Pontius Pilate

the governor

so the mystery is not why he let them

crucify Christ you would have expected

that knowing his background the mystery

is why he tried to stop it

and the reason is because he had a wife

and because she had a dream that night

and because Romans were superstitious

and put great store by dreams and his

wife said pilate I've had a horrible

nightmare it's something to do with this

man they've brought to you I dreamed in

the night that if you had anything to do

with this man it would finish us off

don't touch it and you can see pilate's

dilemma caught between Caesar and his

wife

caught between the Romans and the Jews

caught in this dilemma if I let Jesus go

it'll cause a riot

if I don't

I have betrayed Justice

and that dream will certainly bring

disaster to me disaster faced in both

ways and pilate caught in that dilemma

did what every one of us would have done

in such a dilemma

tried desperately to save our own skin

that's what we would have done pilate

was not desperately wicked he was just a

man caught between his past and his

future and we've been caught like this

and we've behaved like this maybe with

not such far-reaching consequences but

haven't we done this it's instinctive in

us to behave this way

two things and then I finished this

study first it was not Jesus who was on

trial that morning

the people who were really on trial were

Anis and Caiaphas and Herod and the

soldiers who spat on him and Pontius

Pilate and his wife and Caesar and

everybody else it seems to me as I look

at this trial that Jesus stands there as

judge

and that all the others were on trial

that day

and the other thing that strikes me is

this if ever anyone suffered for the

sins of others it was Jesus

you can see the sin even of Peter

pilate of the priest and all that sin

seems to come unto him so that the one

who suffers for their Envy their

cowardice their cruelty is Jesus

and so he's led a way to be crucified

let us bow our heads in prayer let us

all pray

oh God this morning it is not Jesus who

is on trial in our thinking it is

ourselves

and we realize that the most important

question is not what do we think of him

but what does he think of us

we realize that one day Jesus will be on

the Judgment throne

and standing in front of him will be

Pilate

and Kaya Fest

and Herod

and ourselves

Lord we realize his majesty as we study

this story

and we pray that as we continue to read

it

you will help us to see those sins of

ours which crucified him

for his name's sake amen

and having scourged Jesus

he delivered him to be crucified and the

soldiers led him away inside the palace

that is the praetorium and they called

together the whole Battalion and they

clothed him in a purple cloak and

planting a crown of thorns they put it

on him

and they began to salute him hail King

of the Jews

they struck his head with a reed and

spat upon him and they knelt down in

homage to him when they had mocked him

they stripped him of the purple cloak

and put his own clothes on him and they

led him out to crucify him

and they compelled a passerby Simon of

Cyrene who was coming in from the

country the father of Alexander and

Rufus to carry his cross

and they brought him to the place called

Golgotha which means the place of a

skull and they offered him wine mingled

with Mer but he did not take it

and they crucified him and divided his

garments among them casting lots for

them

to decide what he should take

and it was the third hour When They

Crucified him

and the inscription of the charge

against him read the king of the Jews

and with him they crucified two robbers

one on his right and one on his left and

those who passed by derided him wagging

their heads and saying aha you who would

destroy the temple and build it in three

days save yourself and come down from

that cross

so also the chief priests mocked him

saying with to mocked him to one another

with the scribes saying he saved others

he cannot save himself let the Christ

the King of Israel come down now from

the cross that we may see and believe

those who were crucified with him also

reviled him

now two things strike me about this

story

one is the Restraint of the writer

you could paint a terrible picture of

crucifixion you could play on the

emotions you could really

touch the feelings and yet it is stated

in bold simple fact

there is no attempt to move our feelings

the facts are presented to us we are not

here to pity Jesus we are not here to

dwell on the Gory details I am going to

give you some of those

try and help it to be fresh to you but

not in any way to play on your feelings

Jesus said weep not for me weep for

yourselves

the other thing that strikes me is the

Restraint of Jesus

do you know I say it reverently but he

could have blasted them off the face of

the Earth

they spat at him but with one word he

could have just blasted them to Eternity

and he's so restrained

doesn't lift a finger against them

let's just go through the five things

they did to him they scourged him this

was an totally unnecessary

a man who was crucified was never made

to suffer beforehand

never

this was totally wrong

but pilate did it and allowed it now the

scourge was a terrible thing it was a

long leather thong with pieces of bone

and metal fastened to it at intervals

and a man who was flogged with that not

only had his back torn to ribbons

but he could be blinded very easily he

could be paralyzed

he could even be killed by this flogging

it explains why Jesus could not carry

his cross more than a few hundred yards

he must have been half dead before he

ever set out on that Journey

I remember a preacher once saying this

and I found it a remarkable Insight he

said in all the sacrifices of the Old

Testament in all the hundreds and

thousands of lambs that had been killed

up to that point not one had been made

to suffer

a quick clean cut with a knife and it

was all over

not one lamb offered to God as a

sacrifice for sins had ever been

tortured first

but when the Lamb of God came men added

to the sufferings that God had ordained

for him God did not ordain this

scourging it was man who thought of that

and we see that something of the

suffering of Jesus was added by the

cruelty and Malice of human nature they

scourged him the second thing is they

mocked him

it was a bit of Barrack room buffoonery

and they dressed him up they took his

clothes off them they platted that Crown

of Thorns they put a purple robe on they

said King King and still to this day on

the floor of the place where they did it

you can see scratched in the floor the

games of the soldiers and one of the

games they played was mock King

you can see it scratched in the stone

today they would cast lots and one of

their number would be chosen as king and

they would dress him up and make him

King for the day and bow down to him and

take orders from him and they decided

this day to laugh at Jesus

I remember going to see a lady who had

been offended because of something that

happened in church

somebody said something to A rod did

something to her and off she went she

was never going to that church again and

so on and I remember going to see her

she told me the whole story in detail

even though it had happened many years

ago

and I didn't know what to say but

finally when she'd finished I said one

thing to her I said did did they spit at

you

and she said I should think not

well I said they did spit at Jesus

and he said forgive them

for they know not what they do they spat

on the Lord of Glory

spat on him

they mocked him the Son of God who made

the universe they spat on him

the third thing they did was to March

him through the streets and make an

exhibition of him now I want you to

picture the scene this is how it was

done

the crime was written on a board

and a soldier walked in front carrying

the board like this so that everybody

might learn the lesson of Roman Justice

and so pilate said now what shall I

write on on this board because he'll be

led through the streets and they will

say why is he being crucified there must

be a crime on the board so he wrote down

in languages that everybody could

understand the last little burst of

Courage he ever showed and he wrote down

this is the king

and so against all the Jews pilate's

board was carried then behind the board

came a ring of soldiers and in the

middle of the Ring The Prisoner carrying

the heavy wooden beam that was to be the

cross piece of the cross

and Jesus couldn't even carry it

a most interesting thing happens here

they didn't go straight from pilate's

house to the place of crucifixion they

used to go around and around the town

making the procession as long as

possible so that everybody might learn

their lesson and never do anything

against Roman law

and a short way round this tortuous

route he fell

and the Roman Centurion the regimental

sergeant major that was the rank was in

a dilemma

no Roman would carry a cross it was

beneath his dignity

he knew that he dare not ask a Jew to

carry the cross

because that would render him unclean

for the Passover the next day and would

start a riot among the Jews what was he

to do and he looked around the crowd and

he spotted an African

there's something strangely relevant

about this too that he picked on this

man because of the color of his skin to

carry the load for the Europeans

so he got hold of Simon he's called in

the Bible Niger or black

and he got hold of Simon and he made him

carry the beam

it was an African who carried the cross

of Jesus up to Golgotha

and you know what happened to that man I

can tell you because I can read between

the lines in the rest of the New

Testament as he carried that heavy cross

he saw that poor wretch with his flesh

torn to Ribbons staggering along in

front and he must have wondered who is

that man what's he done

do you know he got interested that day

in the cross of Jesus and he got

interested in that men

and he began to ask questions and do you

know that he became a leading Christian

in the first Gentile church at Antioch

and even in Mark's gospel he is so well

known now to the Christians that Mark

can say this man you know the father of

Alexander and Rufus the readers of this

gospel knew this man this great African

Christian the first African to be a

Christian and he became a Christian

because on this day he had to think

about the Cross of Christ

I don't know if there's anybody here in

this service a bit reluctantly if you

didn't want to come and somebody

persuaded you to

they persuaded Simon or Simeon from

North Africa to be part of this story

and he found himself getting interested

and he became a Christian as the result

if you're here under persuasion this

morning it might even be

that you could get interested in the

cross and become a Christian

then they crucified him

they came to a Hill Called Golgotha

which means not the face of a skull but

the cranium the Dome and they came to

the top of the hill the cranium as it

happens there is a hill outside the city

wall where you can see the sunken

Hollows of the eyes and the nose and the

mouth of a skull carved out by the wind

and the erosion of centuries in the

cliff but on that day they came to the

top of it which is called the cranium

the Dome the the what would we call it

the brow of the hills so we use the same

word the word brow and there they

crucified him they did four things they

gave him wine

to get him drunk and to deaden his

sensitivity a bit but he wouldn't take

it why not

partly because he was going to go

through with it all and partly because

he had said the previous night I will

not drink wine again with you until I

drink it new in the kingdom of God he's

keeping to his word and he didn't take

it

it had mirror in it that would have

helped to deaden the pain but he didn't

take it

if he had taken it we should never have

had the wonderful words from the cross

that came he would have been too drunk

to give them it was normal to make a

criminal drunk to help him

through the Dreadful pain they took

their clothes off him

his clothes off him and by the way in

spite of every picture you've ever seen

a criminal was absolutely Stark naked it

was part of the public shame

and then they gambled for his clothes it

was part of this the execution part is

right that they could have anything that

the prisoner had on him at the time of

execution and they didn't want to split

his clothes so they tossed up for them

if ever gambling was condemned it's

there six feet below the cross they

gambled and they missed the most

important thing that was happening in

the universe

then they drove the nails through him

nine o'clock at night in the morning

they pinned the board above his head the

board they'd carried through the streets

was now pinned up there there it was

this is the king and only one person in

that vast crowd believed it

and they put two criminals on either

side the last jest

and hundreds of years before the prophet

Isaiah had said he will be numbered with

transgressors

you know that night is the regimental

sergeant major filled up the day book he

would write down

9 A.M three criminals executed

and somewhere in a Roman record that may

or may not be lost now

somewhere in a Roman record Jesus was

numbered

with transgressors

then came the reviling you'd think

they'd done enough to him wouldn't you

you'd think that that was all they could

do but no they had to add to all the

pain and the suffering their mockery the

passes by reviled and said you've saved

others then get yourself out of this

mess and you know he could have done as

easily as I speak to you now it wasn't

the nails that held him to the cross it

was something else

and then the priests came by and all

their gorgeous robes and they said the

same thing look at him your king now

save you he can't even get himself out

of trouble take a good look at him

everybody you said he was great you

remember what he said about us too well

now you can see the truth we're the real

leaders we're the real religious leaders

of this nation look at this man they

mocked

and even one of the thieves

crucified with him had enough breath

left maybe taken that wine but he began

to mock too and even he did now to help

you to realize something of the horror

of the reviling that went on I'm going

to ask Christine to sing to you a modern

song

entitled it's God they ought to crucify

and in fact it seeks to take the words

of Jesus the words of this thief to

Jesus on the cross and show you the kind

of reviling that must have taken place

in his mind

to 15 33.

and when the sixth hour had come there

was Darkness over the whole land until

the ninth hour

and at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a

loud voice

which means my God my God why hast Thou

forsaken me

and some of the bystanders hearing it

said behold he is calling Elijah

and one ran and filling a sponge full of

vinegar put it on a reed and gave it to

him to drink saying wait let us see

whether Elijah will come to take him

down

and Jesus uttered a loud cry and

breathed his last

and the curtain of the temple was torn

in two from top to bottom and when the

Centurion who stood facing him saw that

he thus breathed his last he said truly

this man was the son of God

there were also women looking on from

afar among whom were Mary Magdalene and

Mary the mother of James the younger and

of Joseph and Salome who when he was in

Galilee followed him and ministered to

him

and also many other women who came up

with him to Jerusalem

and when evening had come since it was

the day of preparation that is the day

before the Sabbath Joseph of Arimathea a

respected member of the council who was

also himself looking for the kingdom of

God took courage and went to pilate and

asked for the body of Jesus and pilate

wondered if he were already dead and

summoning the Centurion he asked him

whether he was already dead

and when he learned from the Centurion

that he was dead he granted the body to

Joseph

and he bought a linen shroud and taking

him down wrapped him in the linen shroud

and laid him in a tomb which had been

hewn out of the Rock

and he rolled a stone against the door

of the Tomb and Mary Magdalene and Mary

the mother of Joseph saw where he was

laid

six things happen now so quickly

the final climax has come

at midday when the sun should have been

so bright that there would be no Shadows

on the ground when the sun should have

been straight up it was as dark as

midnight

it was not just a human conflict this

the powers of Darkness were there but

the the reason the sky went dark was

this God is light

and God had gone

that's why my God my God why have you

gone too God is light and where God is

there is light but now it was black dark

at midday as there had been a star in

the sky at his birth

as when he comes back again there will

be lightning in the sky from east to

west now the sky goes absolutely black

the Savior dies after two loud cries

recorded here

the first proved as I said last evening

that Jesus went to hell for a few hours

to be in hell is to be so far away from

God that you can't get through to him

my God my God why is Thou forsaken me

the first time in all eternity that

Jesus and his father had been away from

each other

and if that is

a sorrowful experience for a little

child think what it must have been to

the Eternal Son of God to be separated

from his father

and then the cry it is finished

everybody was saying that the disciples

said it's finished

pilate said it's finished the priest

said it's finished

but when Jesus said it's finished it was

only just the beginning

what he meant was I've done all that I

came to do

and the effects of it will now begin

it says he expired at 3 pm

and in fact he shouldn't have died then

at all even though he was in a very weak

physical condition a man usually took

five or six days on a cross to die if

they wanted to hurry the death they

broke the legs with a spear so that they

then suffocated by because they couldn't

support their own weight to breathe and

when they came to do this to Jesus he

was dead

he died at three o'clock Jesus chose to

die Jesus decided to die he'd been

through hell for us he'd done it it was

finished there was nothing more to do

and it was Jesus who laid down his life

he had said that no one will take my

life from me I will lay it down of

myself

and if he had not laid it down he would

have survived maybe two or three days

longer except that they would probably

have hastened his death before the

Passover he died at three o'clock at the

very moment when thousands of lambs were

being killed for the Passover

the next thing that happened was the

screen divided

in the temple in the heart of it was a

huge curtain maybe 60 feet high

embroidered all over a beautiful curtain

a screen keeping people out of the Holy

place where God lived

and it says that the moment Jesus died

it was ripped into from the top to the

bottom

it was so high that no man could have

done that man would have ripped it from

the bottom to the top this was God

saying finished

all the temple priests vestments altars

incense sacrifices all that is finished

no Christian needs priests vestments

incense all to sacrifices temples none

of us need any of these things God has

ripped them up and you know when they

looked in there was nothing there

God was no longer to be found in a

temple made with hands he'd gone

the fourth thing that happened was that

the soldier this tough regimental

sergeant major this Centurion when he

saw how Jesus died how he breathed his

last

he felt blood on his hands

he said you know what we've done

this wasn't a criminal

do you know what we've done you can see

him turning to the other soldiers in the

execution party we have just killed the

son of God

a pagan Roman was the first to realize

who was hanging on the cross that day

the sad depart there were women there

they were last at the cross and first at

the tomb the men were still running but

the women were there

they saw him die they cared for the body

they came to find it on Easter Sunday

morning the women were around

I have noticed again and again at

funerals it is the women who know what

to do

just the women who know what to do with

the body it is the women who stay up and

watch it is the women who see it through

and this is so real the women were there

but finally bewildered and broken they

had nothing to stay for so they went to

and the final thing that happened that

day

was that a man who'd kept his light

under a bushel for many months now a man

who was a secret believer a man who

really believed that Jesus was right but

didn't dare to say so now that he was

dead he he took courage and he came

right out and he went to pilate and he

said look this criminal is not going to

be thrown out into a common grave nor is

he going to be left on that cross for

the birds and the vultures I'm going to

give him a proper funeral can I have the

body

Pilots said but he can't be dead already

and the Centurion said well he is and

pilate said all right you can have him

and out came Joseph of Arimathea

a man who until this moment had been

afraid to stand for Jesus afraid to

acknowledge that he really thought he

was right a man who had a lot to lose by

giving him this funeral a man who was

part of the very Council

a man who had not consented to the death

of Jesus but a man who even if he had

not consented didn't do anything to

protest and this man at last came out

I remember someone saying at Winston

Churchill's funeral when with all the

pump and pageantry of that someone said

to me

I would call it a national day of

atonement

when we made up

for our refusal to accept what this man

told us during the 1930s that's what

somebody said to me

I would apply the same words to Joseph

of Arimathea he was trying to make up

for the fact that he didn't openly

accept Christ when he believed in him

and in a sense it was now too late or

was it Joseph was to find out it was not

the tragedy is that there are many who

will one day say he was right they'll

come right out many in fact everybody

one day will acknowledge that he's the

Lord one day it will be popular to say

that Jesus is Lord because everybody

will say it

it's wonderful when people can get over

it now and come right out now and say I

belong to him now I believe in him now

whatever it costs

so they buried Jesus

they laid the body in the Tomb

and do you know that if that was the end

of the story

if that was all I could preach we would

have to close Commercial Road Baptist

Church down

if this was all we had to celebrate at

Easter wouldn't it be terrible

it finishes in uttered Lumen tragedy it

finishes in a grave the death of all our

hopes and all our dreams

and the disciples crept away shattered

men on the Saturday nothing

not a word

because if that were the end of the

story there is nothing left

nothing

it means that even the most perfect man

who's ever lived finishes in the grave

it means that all our hopes for the

future are dashed by the thing we call

death it means that however wonderful

Jesus teaching may be it is

impracticable and idealistic and it does

not work in this world it means that

Jesus was deluded

it means that there is no God in heaven

because where is a good god to allow

this to happen as we've just heard

in the song where is a good God if he

can allow the only perfect life that's

ever been lived to finish this way

but that is not the end of the story

we'll pick the story up at half past six

on Sunday morning on the top of Saint

Catherine's Hill and we'll shout

hallelujah because the story didn't end

there

let us spend two minutes in silence

we have often done that

to think of men who have died for others

this morning let's spend two minutes

silence

thinking of the son of God

remembering that even while we were yet

sinners

Christ died for us

and that he went through all this for

each one of us as if we were the only

person in the world