Jesus Crucified
Matthew 27:32-66; Mark 15:21-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-42
Jesus was crucified on Friday, even though this Pearl is printed on Saturday.
When Pilate heard what they said, he was the more afraid. He went again to Jesus and said to Him: “ Where are You from? To what world do You belong?” But Jesus did not answer him. So Pilate said to Him: “Will You not even speak to me. Do You not know that I have authority to release You and I have power to crucify You?” Jesus answered Pilate: “You would not have any power whatsoever against Me if it were not given you from above. For this reason the sin and guilt of the one who delivered Me over to you is greater.”
And when He was accused of the chief priests and elders of many things, he answered nothing. Pilate said to Jesus: “Have You no answer to make? Do You not hear how many serious charges they are bringing against You?” Jesus did not answer a word, so that the governor marveled greatly at Him.
Pilate continued seeking to release Jesus but the Jews cried out: “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar! Anybody who makes himself out to be a king sets himself up against Caesar, is a rebel against the emperor!”
Hearing this, Pilate brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat. It was noon on the day of preparation for Passover. The people shouted: “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them: “Crucify your King?” The chief priests answered: “We have no king but Caesar.”
So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere with them, but that rather a riot was about to break out, he took water and washed his hands in the presence of the crowd, saying: “I am not guilty of nor responsible for this righteous man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered: “Let His blood be on us and on our children. Then Pilate set Barabbas free for them; he had Jesus scourged and delivered Him up to be crucified.
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the palace, and they gathered the whole battalion about Him. They stripped off His clothes and put a scarlet robe upon Him, and weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head and put a reed in His right hand. And kneeling before Him, they made sport of Him, saying: “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. When they had finished mocking Him, they stripped Him of the robe and put His own garments on Him and led Him away to be crucified.
Jesus bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. They crucified Him with two others. Pilate wrote a title for Jesus’ cross: JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. The soldiers gambled for his garments. The chief priests and scribes and elders mocked Him and others reviled Him. His words concerning them were: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Jesus bore our sins and sicknesses and diseases on Himself so that we could go free. When He had borne the fullness of our punishment, He cried: “It is finished! Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit.” Darkness covered the earth for a period of time. The veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom, the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; graves were opened. The centurion who witnessed this feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.” When evening was come, Joseph of Arimathaea, a respected member of the Sanhedrin, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Joseph took fine linen cloth and taking Jesus down from the cross, he wrapped him in the linen, laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of rock. Then he rolled a very large stone against the door of the tomb.