Course of the Crucifixion of Jesus, from the judgment to the resurrection

In this article, we will talk about the crucifixion of Christ: because it happened, who did it, the consequences that Christ's death had for Israel, the world, and other details ✝️.

The death and resurrection of Jesus are the most important event for Christians and the most awaited according to the Scriptures.

The Gospel of Christ could not be justified without him; it would be incomplete and meaningless:

"Now, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless; you are still in your sins,"
1 Corinthians 15:14

It marks a before and after in biblical history.

1. DEFINITION OF CRUCIFIXION

The word crucifixion comes from the Latin crucificare and meant to hold a person on a piece of wood and nail them to its limbs 🔨. 

It was a procedure used in Rome to bring condemned criminals to justice ⚖️. 

Contrary to what is thought, this procedure was already known in the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia. It is believed to have originated in Assyria, later adopted by the Persians and later by the Greeks and Romans.

2. CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS IN THE GOSPEL

The crucifixion of Christ is of great importance to Christians. Jesus presents himself as the lamb (Colossians 1:22; 1 Peter 1: 18-19) unblemished to redeem the world from its sins (John 1:29) and also as the greatest test of God's love for man (John 3:16).

See the article: Jesus died for our sins

"he has now reconciled you by his death in the body of his flesh to present you holy, blameless, and above reproach, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven"
Colossians 1:22

"knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot,..."
1 Peter 1: 18-19

"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."
John 1:29

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16

His death was already foretold in the Scriptures ( Isaiah 53: 3-9 ) centuries before it happened.

But there is more... This represents the greatest act of obedience and alignment with the Father's will (Philippians 2:8) and lays the foundation of salvation for future believers (Galatians 1:4).

and having appeared as a mere man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2: 8

"who gave himself for our sins, to deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,"
Galatians 1: 4

 

3. WHEN WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED?

The Word cites the death of Jesus on the eve of the Jewish Passover 🇮🇱 (Luke 22: 7; Matthew 26: 1-5 ).

👉 Learn more about the meaning of the word INRI on the cross

"The day of unleavened bread, when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed, came,"
Luke 22: 7

In Leviticus 23: 5, the lambs 🐑 were slaughtered in the first month of the calendar, which falls between March and April of our current calendar.

"The Passover of Lord begins at dusk on the fourteenth day of the first month."
Leviticus 23: 5

According to the Gospel, it was Pontius Pilate, then prefect of Judea, who ordered the execution and crucifixion of Jesus at the end of his trial. Pontius Pilate held this position from 26 to 36, before being sent back to Rome. The death of Christ therefore took place between these years. ( Luke 3: 1-2 ).

According to researchers, there are only two Fridays between these years that coincide with the month of Nisan, which are April 7 of the year 30 and April 3 of the year 33.

To refine the data, scientists are searching for the eclipse that would explain the darkening of the sky during and after the death of Jesus 🌑. 

"from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, darkness came over all the land "
Matthew 27:45

With all this data, the probable date of the death of Christ is estimated to be April 3 of the year 33, in accordance with the Jewish Passover festival 🕎.

"Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us."
1 Corinthians 5:7

A. TRIAL OF JESUS BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN

The high priest of those years was Caiaphas,

"One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them: "You know nothing; you do not consider that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.…"
John 11:49

His sons and his father-in-law, Ananias, were also priests and members of the council. They belonged to the group of Pharisees, the most important priestly branch of Israel.

According to the Gospels, the Sanhedrin has rendered one of the most arbitrary and irregular judgments against Christ:

• only two sessions were held (Matthew 26:57; Luke 22:66).
• He presented false witnesses against him (Matthew 26:59-61; Mark 14:55-59)
• He pronounced a hasty death sentence 💀. 

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said: "What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as deserving death.…
Mark 14: 63-64

If we look closely at the judgment, we could interpret that the Pharisees condemned Jesus out of hatred and envy. 

Christ criticized them for:

• the inconsistency between what they taught and what they did ( Matthew 23: 1-3 : "Therefore do and observe all that they tell you; but do not imitate their actions, for they say and do not." )
• their inability to correctly interpret the Scriptures (Matthew 22:29: "Jesus answered them: You are in error because you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God." ; Matthew 12: 3-8: "If you had understood what means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
  "You would not have condemned those who have done no wrong. Indeed, the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." ; Matthew 16 : 1-4 : "There will be a storm today, for the sky is dark red. You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.").

And the miraculous manifestations he performed, as well as the multitudes who followed him (Matthew 4:25; John 6: 2), which the Sanhedrin considered a threat to their power (John 11: 47-51).

B. PONTIUS PILATE

If the Sanhedrin had already condemned Jesus to death, why did they send him back to Pontius Pilate 🤔?

Many historians justify this by the fact that Israel, being a province of the Roman Empire, was subject to Roman penal codes, which stipulated that only the Roman governor or his delegates could ratify and execute a death sentence.

The Pharisees conspired to kill Jesus (Matthew 12:14).

Since it was the time of Passover, they wanted to participate in the festival (John 18:28), and to avoid being implicated in the murder plot (Matthew 27: 6; Mark 15:10), they decided to excuse themselves by sending him to Pilate, accusing him of being a criminal of the Roman Empire 🏛️ (Luke 23: 1-2; John 18: 29-31).

Pilate judges Jesus' case and quickly realizes that he is innocent (Luke 23: 13-16; John 19: 4), and that he had only been sent to him out of envy (Matthew 27:18).

His hesitant attitude towards Jesus contrasts with historical writings of Flavius ​​Josephus , who describes him as violent and extremely cruel.

Warned by his wife (Matthew 27:19), he tried to free Jesus by asking the people's opinion (Luke 23:20 and John 19:12). Finally, he condemned Christ under the pressure of the Pharisees, who incited the people (Matthew 27:20 and Mark 15:11).

"From that moment, Pilate sought to release him. But the Jews shouted: If you release him, you are not a friend of Caesar. Whoever makes himself king declares himself against Caesar."
John 19:12

4. WHY WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED?

✝️ The death of Christ had already been foretold centuries earlier ( Isaiah 53:2-9 ).

Even Jesus had already predicted his death 4 times (Matthew 16:21; Mark 9:31; Luke 18:31-33; John 12:23-33).

God himself had said that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sin.

"And almost everything, according to the law, is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."
Hebrews 9:22

No man could give his life to save the world, because they were all sinners. God had to do something to avoid losing his most beloved creation.

One way or another, Christ had to die to redeem man from sin.

See the article: Jesus, died for our sins, to learn more

 

A. WHY ON A CROSS?

📜 The law of Moses establishes 4 types of death for all who violate God's law:

• Stoning
• Strangulation
• Beheading
• Death by sword and burning at the stake

(Leviticus 20; Numbers 15: 32-36). Based on Deuteronomy 21: 22-23 and Galatians 3:13, crucifixion is considered forbidden in Israel 🇮🇱. 

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.'"
Galatians 3:13

At the time of Jesus, crucifixion was the punishment for the worst criminals of the Roman Empire.

It was the most shameful and humiliating way to die, and it inflicted a slow and horrible death on the condemned ☠️. 

According to Wikipedia, this punishment is a shameful torment. The condemned is tied and/or nailed with arms outstretched on a beam. At the top of the beam is an inscription with the reason for the condemnation (titulus). The penalty is sometimes preceded by preliminary tortures, such as flogging. The sufferer must then carry his cross to the place of execution, a place clearly visible to all.

When he is delivered by the Pharisees and then condemned by Pilate, Christ must face crucifixion.

5. WHERE WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED?

Once condemned, Christ must carry the cross to the place where he will later be crucified.

A. GOLGOTHA

According to the Gospels, Christ is taken to Golgotha (Matthew 27:33; Luke 23:33; John 19:17, better known as the place of the skull .

At the time of Jesus, Golgotha was a hill then located on the outskirts of Jerusalem (Hebrews 13:12 and John 19:20).

There, he was crucified with two thieves (Matthew 27:38 and Luke 23:32).

The Gospels say little about the malefactors, but the version differs because while Matthew and Mark mentioned that both mocked the crucified Jesus 🤭 (Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32), Luke emphasizes that only one of them mocked Christ (Luke 23:39), while the other defended Jesus (Luke 23: 40-41).

The location of Golgotha is provided by Helena , the mother of Emperor Constantine, who discovered it in 325 AD.

There, he built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre , which still exists today 🕍. 

This location is not accepted by all, who date other places based on the description offered by the Gospels, the reconstruction of Jerusalem by Hadrian, and other historical writings of the time.

 

B. WAY OF SORROW

The Way of Sorrows refers to a street in the old city of Jerusalem through which Christ carries the cross.

The Catholic Church identifies 9 of the 15 stations of the Way of the Cross. It begins inside the Lions' Gate (or Saint Stephen), near the ancient Antonia fortress, and heads west to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

According to the gospels, several things happen: Simon of Cyrene is forced to carry the cross,

"As they went out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry Jesus' cross."  "
Matthew 27:32

while Jesus addresses the multitude of women who were weeping over his condemnation (Luke 23: 27-31).

The Gospels say nothing about the 3 falls of Christ, not to mention the encounter of Jesus with his mother or Veronica, but it is assumed that he may have fallen under the weight of the cross and therefore Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry the cross, preventing him from dying before being crucified and maximizing the suffering.

C. ABBREVIATION INRI ON THE CROSS

At the time of the Roman Empire, a sign was placed with the accusation or inscription of the condemned as a sign of mockery.

The evangelists differ in the inscription, but it is known to read,

« Jesus, the King of the Jews " (Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26 and Luke 23:38).

Only John mentions that it was Pilate who ordered the sign to be placed:

"Pilate had prepared a notice and attached it to the cross. It said: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."
John 19:19

and that it was also written in 3 languages: Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, so that the crowds could read it, whether they were Hebrew or foreign.

This also reflects the priests' protest to change this inscription, to which Pilate opposes the famous phrase: What I have written, I have written (John 19: 21-22).

Centuries later, when the Vulgate (translation of the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin) was made 📖, the inscription remains as Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum, hence the acronym INRI used in Latin Christian art.

👉 Learn more about the 20 Secrets of the Miraculous Medal on the blog.

6. THE DEATH OF JESUS ON THE CROSS

The death of Jesus is the climax of his passion: here are the last important events before his resurrection and several biblical prophecies related to his death have been fulfilled 😇. 

The Word reports that Christ, when crucified, watches how the soldiers dispute over his clothes (Matthew 27:35), fulfilling the prophecy of Psalm 22:18.

"They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment."
Psalms 22:18

They also give him wine mixed with myrrh to drink (Mark 15:23) and endure the suffering of the people, who expected him to come down from the cross by a miraculous device (Mark 15: 29-32).

"Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it."
Mark 15:23

"Darkness occurs over the land (Matthew 27:45) and an earthquake (Matthew 27:51)."

"In accordance with his redemptive work, the veil of the Jewish Temple is split in two (Luke 23:45), revealing that Christ presents himself as the lamb who redeems the world from its sins, restoring the relationship between God and men 🙏🏻."

"for the sun stopped shining. And the temple curtain was torn in two."
Luke 23:45

"A. THE 7 LAST WORDS OF JESUS"

"These are not exactly 7 words, but rather phrases that Jesus expressed while he was nailed to the cross."

"None of the gospels mention them all, let alone chronologically, but based on their study, they can be listed. These are:"

1. "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)
2. "Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
3. "Woman, here is your son." (John 19: 26-27)
4. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34)
5. "I thirst" (John 19:28)
6. "It is finished"  (John 19:30)
7. "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46)

According to the study, Matthew and Mark mention the fourth, Luke the first, second, and seventh, while John the third, fifth, and sixth.

Christ dies. At that time, to hasten death during crucifixion, it was customary to break the legs of the condemned 😰. 

B. THE HOLY LANCE

Only John mentions this event (John 19:31-32), in which the priests did not want the bodies to hang until the next day (which was Passover and according to the scripture of Deuteronomy 21:22-23), so they asked Pilate to hasten the death of the condemned.

When they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so one of them, to be sure of it, pierces the side with a lance ( John 19:34-37 ).

The author of the event is mentioned in the apocryphal gospels of the fourth century and the lance began to be identified as a relic. 

There are several in Europe (Vatican, Vienna), although according to studies, their origins date back centuries after the crucifixion.

7. BURIAL OF JESUS

Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Council (Sanhedrin), who secretly followed Christ's orders out of fear of the Jews, dared to ask for the body of Christ (Mark 15:43 and Luke 23:50-52).

We know that the Jews embalmed their dead and did so in two ways: an honorable one for those who had lived with dignity and a dishonorable one for criminals.

In the case of Christ, they mention that they wrapped him in a clean cloth, anointed him with oil, and placed him in a new tomb dug near Golgotha (Luke 23:53), probably intended for another crucified criminal.

The urgency to bury the body is due to the beginning of Passover (Luke 23:54 and John 19:42) and the ordinance in Deuteronomy 21: 22-23 .

8. RESURRECTION OF JESUS

The resurrection follows Passover and is the greatest miracle of the New Testament ✨. 

This is the foundation of the Christian faith, as Paul expresses in Romans 10: 9 and 1 Corinthians 15: 13-17.

While the leaders of other religions are dead, Christianity proclaims Christ's victory over death.

"When this corruptible body has put on incorruption, and this mortal body has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory."
1 Corinthians 15:54

His resurrection confirms his divine origin as the Son of God;

"and declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,"
Romans 1: 4

reaffirms the truth of the Scriptures (Isaiah 53: 10-11); justifies future believers.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification."
Romans 4:25

And at the same time, he brings promise and hope to all who believe in him (John 11: 25-26; 1 Peter 1: 3-4 and 1 Corinthians 15:20).

"But now Christ is risen from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep."
1 Corinthians 15:20

On the apocalyptic level, it opens the special time of grace, a parenthesis between weeks 69 and 70 (Daniel 9: 24-26), during which the Church is formed ⛪. 

9. GOOD FRIDAY

Many Christians remember the passion and death of Christ (Luke 24: 44-48), as part of the redemptive work of the Savior (Mark 16: 15-18).

Historically, his death coincided with the Jewish Passover , which recalled the liberation ✊🏻 of the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt.

If Christ had not died, we would all be dead, as sinners, still under the ordinances of the law (which establishes death for sin) and there would be no promise or hope of resurrection for all believers.

👉🏼 To learn everything about Good Friday: read the article dedicated to it.

10. CONCLUSION

The death of Christ marks a before and after in biblical history.

He presents himself as the savior and redeemer who ends the age of sin, fulfills the prophecies that announce his death and glorious resurrection, and opens the last opportunity to bring humanity closer to God 🙏🏻. 

We know that his judgment was rigged, that he suffered cruelly from the mockery and transgressions of his people and the Romans, and that he also experienced and felt the agony of death, bearing the sins of the world and being crucified while he was innocent.

But all this was part of God's plan of love "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3: 16-17 and Romans 5: 8).

"But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5: 8