The Death of the Cross

Who can imagine a death that could be so cruel and undeserving? A man killed without reason or fault. A man mocked, tormented and killed for someone else. See Jesus Christ didn’t die for the sins that he had committed but died for the sins of the world. He was innocent of the crimes that he was accused of.

Now remember Jesus was the son of God. He could have called twelve legions of angels to come and rescue him from the cross but didn’t (Matthews 26:53). He chose to give his life so others could receive salvation. He loved the world and didn’t want any to perish and receive death (2 Peter 3:9, Romans 6:23). He wanted to extend his hand to anyone that would only believe on him and ask him for salvation (Romans 10:13, John 3:16).

You might ask why Jesus had to die for the sins of the world. Well, God is a holy God, full of righteousness and hates sin. Romans 1:18 says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” Unrighteousness and corruption cannot enter into Heaven; (1 Corinthians 15:50.) This is why Jesus- his holy son, came to die for the sins of the world. His blood paid the atonement for our sins at Calvary (Hebrews 9:22, Romans 5:10,11, Matthew 26:28).

To fully appreciate what happened at Calvary, you need to see what took place. In the following verses you will see that he was scourged, mocked, hit, unclothed, spit on, and then crucified.

• Mark 15:15–And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
• Verse 16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.
• Verse 17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,
• Verse 18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!
• Verse 19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.
• Verse 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
• Matthew 27: 27- Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
• Verse 28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
• Verse 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!
• Verse 30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
• Verse 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.
• Verse 32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
• Verse 33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
• Verse 34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
• Verse 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.
• Verse 36 And sitting down they watched him there;
• Verse 37 And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews.
• Verse 38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
• Verse 39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
• Verse 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.
• Verse 41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
• Verse 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.
• Verse 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
• Verse 44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
• Verse 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
• Verse 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?
• Verse 47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
• Verse 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.
• Verse 49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
• Verse 50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

What exactly happened when one was crucified in the past. Crucify means: execute or put (someone) to death by nailing or binding them to a cross, esp. as an ancient punishment.