07- Passover Day

Luke 23:12

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Formal Trial – Early Morning 6 am

Matthew 27:1–2; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66–71 & John 18:33–38 Jesus was taken bound? Don’t you think it is strange? They could not come and arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had submitted to them without any resistance and had forbidden His disciples to fight when He was taken. If Jesus had wanted to escape, they could not have restrained Him no matter how much they bound Him. Trial before Pilate – Morning around ⁷ am

Matthew 27:3–10; John 13:33–38 Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recorded Jesus answering Pilate’s first question by simply saying, “it is as you say.” John, however, revealed that there was quite a conversation between Pilate and Jesus.

John 18:33–38 (NKJV), Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.

Pilate finds no fault in Jesus, and as soon as he hears that Jesus is from Galilee, which falls under the governorship of Herod Antipas, he sends Jesus to Herod, who was, at this time, in Jerusalem. Before Herod

Luke 23:6–12 Jesus comes before Herod Antipas, the same person who imprisoned and beheaded John the Baptist. When Herod Antipas hears the reports about Jesus’ ministry, he is convinced that Jesus was John the Baptist raised from the dead. The scripture says he was eager to see Jesus because he had heard about Him and His miracles, hence was looking to see some miracles. Not only did Jesus refuse to defend Himself, showing His humility, but He also refrained from venting any of His anger against this man who had senselessly killed His friend whom Jesus said was the greatest of all the Old Testament prophets. So, Herod sees no point in speaking to Jesus so he sends Him back to Pilate. Another interesting point to note here is that both Pilate and Herod who were at loggerheads prior to this become friends after this incident.

(NKJV) – That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other. Before Pilate the Second Time – Morning around ⁹ am

Matthew 27:15–23; Mark 15:6–14; Luke 23:13–23 & John 18:39–

This time Pilate seeks the company of all the religious leaders to judge Jesus owing to the dream his wife has, warning Pilate that Jesus is a just Man. Her name is Claudia, which we get from the secular records, who is the only person who supports Jesus in the

whole trial owing to her dream from God. Also, Pilate fails to find any fault in Him in his heart. What all the more surprised him was Jesus’ composure, not answering him back. In his experience, Pilate would have seen scores of people crying out aloud expressing all possible emotions hearing the death sentence, whereas Jesus here was not moved at all, no fear of death whatsoever.

Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent, but he was looking for some diplomatic way of releasing Jesus that would not cost him any loss of popularity with the Jewish leaders. This was why he sent Jesus to Herod. He was hoping that Herod would pass judgment on Jesus and save him the trouble. When that scheme failed, he then drew on an old custom of releasing a prisoner to them at the feast. He gave the people a choice between Jesus, who he knew was innocent, and Barabbas, who was a murderer. Pilate thought that the crowd would certainly choose Jesus. However, through the insistence of the chief priests and scribes, the people chose Barabbas as the one who should be released. Remember the very same crowd cried out five days before “Hosanna to the King!” Never fall for people’s praises! The one that praises you may well crucify you as well.

Pilate was out of ideas as to how to let Jesus go yet save face with the Jews, so he condemned Jesus to death. Pilate violated what he knew to be true in his heart because of a fear of men and what he thought they might do to him. Without the chief priests’

cooperation, he ran the risk of trouble among the Jews and possible punishment by Caesar for failure to govern well. Why did the religious leaders who were well versed in the scriptures, practicing for years together, fail to recognise Jesus?

Matthew 27:18, For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. (NKJV)

Mark 15:10, For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. (NKJV)

Do you see what envy can do to you? There are many well-meaning God-loving people serving the Lord who have gone astray because of this envy. Envy blinds your eyes and your heart making you wretched. These religious people were not able to digest that Jesus could do so many miracles and people were praising Him but not them. The best thing here is that others could see it!! Just like Pilate.

The chief priests had deceived themselves and other religious people into believing that they were condemning Jesus for godly reasons, but even an ungodly ruler like Pilate could see through their lies. Religious bondage blinds people to truth even more than sin. The true motivation behind the chief priests’ and scribes’

actions was just envy. They were doing all of their religious works to be seen of people (Matthew 23:5), and Jesus was getting more recognition than they were. The same thing is true of persecution today. All strife is rooted in pride (Proverbs 13:10).

Releasing a prisoner was not only customary those days but also religious, as mentioned in Deuteronomy 21:6–7 and Psalms 26:6. Matthew was the only writer to record Pilate’s washing his hands of guilt, just as he was the only writer to record the dream that Pilate’s wife had. These instances underline that Pilate did not innocently condemn Jesus to death. Pilate will be trying to wash the blood of Jesus off of his hands through all eternity. In response to Pilate’s question regarding the prisoner release, the Jews all in one voice said, “let His blood be upon us and our children.” What a curse to bring upon oneself! This reckless statement by the crowd had

severe consequences. Not only did it condemn their souls eternally, but it has cost the Jewish race untold suffering in this life too. In AD 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, up to 500 Jews were crucified per day. Since that time, history has been bathed in the blood of Jews until today. Pilate then releases Barabbas condemning Jesus to be crucified at Calvary. He also wrote the inscription on the cross in Hebrew, Greek and Latin.

Roman Soldiers Mock Jesus

Matthew 27:27–31; Mark 15:16–20 & John 19: 1–4

They stripped Him of his clothes, put on a purple robe, and put a thorn on his head and a reed on His hand. They beat Him and spat on Him. Some said mockingly, “Hail the king,” as if they were worshiping Him. They ridiculed Him so badly.

Matthew 27:29–31 (NLT):

They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

He took the shame and all the pain the agonising way!

The Way to Calvary

Matthew 27:31–34; Luke 23:26–33 & John 19:16–18

Matthew 27:32 (NKJV) Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.

The soldiers had beaten Him up so badly that He could not even carry the cross, hence, as the above verse states, forcing Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross. The Gospel of Mark 15:21 (NKJV) states, Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.

This same Rufus is later greeted by Paul in his letter to the Romans (16:13). Golgotha, where the crucifixion takes place, literally means “the skull” (Strong's Concordance). Only Luke used the Greek word “KRANION” (“'cranium” [Strong’s Concordance]), which was translated as “Calvary,” to identify this place (Luke 23:33). These

following facts are evident from the biblical accounts

• Golgotha was near Jerusalem (John 19:20)
• Outside the city walls (Hebrews 13:12)

Golgotha was by a well-travelled road. Mark 15:40 and Luke 23:49 mentions being able to view the crucifixion from a long way off, suggesting that Golgotha was a hill.

Crucifixion around 9 am in the Afternoon – the 6th Hour

Matthew 27:32–44; Mark 15:23–32; Luke 23:33–39 & John 19:18–24 While on the cross, Jesus refused to take the wine, usually given for alleviating the excruciating pain on the cross. That’s possibly why Jesus was in such pain and could not even speak properly. There was also a solar eclipse that the sky became very dark for the next three hours, until ³ pm in the afternoon. Crucifixion was one of the most torturous means of death that man has ever devised. Crucifixion began with a whipping of the condemned and the whip that was used was made of several strips of leather that had jagged pieces of metal, glass, or bone tied on the ends that did not just inflict great pain but actually tore open and laid bare the skin, causing great bleeding and weakness. Jesus received thirty-nine of these stripes during His trial before Pilate (Matthew 27:26 and Mark 15:15).

The person to be crucified would then be tied to the cross or, for the more violent offenders, nailed to the cross. The feet were placed one on top of the other with the knees in a bent position and a single spike driven through them into a footrest on the cross that would give partial support. The arms were outstretched and nailed to the crossbeam through the wrists. Jesus’ statements in Luke 24:39 and John 20:27 have caused many to believe that He was nailed to the cross through the palms of His hands. Once the person was nailed to the cross, the cross would be hoisted up into the air and then dropped into the hole with a violence that would tear the tissues and cause excruciating pain. The pain of all this was

unbearable, but one of the worst aspects of crucifixion was that of suffocation. The way a person was hung on the cross, with his arms raised and extended, allowed him to inhale but restricted his ability to exhale. Therefore, in an effort to breathe, the crucified would lift himself up on his feet and gasp for air until the pain in his feet would cause him to sag, once again stressing the pain in the wrists and stopping his breathing. Jesus must have done this countless times during the six hours He hung on the cross.

This torment could continue for two or three days before a person actually died. There have been cases where people lived as long as nine days before death came (Unger’s Bible Dictionary). Therefore, because the Sabbath was approaching (John 19:31–33), the Jews asked Pilate to break the legs of Jesus and the other two who were crucified with Him, so they would no longer be able to lift themselves and would suffocate.

Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross The First Word

Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

The Second Word

Luke 23:43 “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

The Third Word

John 19:26–27 Jesus said to his mother: “Woman, this is your son.”

Then he said to the disciple: “This is your mother.”

The Fourth Word

Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

The Fifth Word

John 19:28 “I thirst”

The Sixth Word

John 19:30 “It is finished”

The Seventh Word

Luke 23:46 “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

The Centurion’s Testimony

Matthew 27:51–56; Mark 15:38–41 & Luke 23:45–49 First, the temple curtain was torn from the top to bottom. The Holy of Holies was separated by the curtain so that none can go inside except the High Priest who could go once a year with the blood sacrifice. So, there was a clear distinctive separation between God and people. Now as soon as Jesus died, the penalty for all our sins was paid in full, requiring no more separation between God and His people – tearing the temple curtain from top to bottom.

Hebrews 10:19–20 (NKJV) – Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.

Matthew 27:51 (NLT) – The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God! As per the above verse, the centurion and the soldiers believed that Jesus was the Son of God. Matthew also records later that the authorities even bribed the soldiers not to tell others about what had happened (Matthew 28: 11–15).

The soldiers took permission to break the legs of the three to avoid leaving the bodies hanging on the cross for the next three days because the next day was another annual Sabbath. But when they came to Jesus after breaking the legs of the two thieves, they found Him dead already, not requiring the breaking of His bones, fulfilling the prophecy that not one of His bones will be broken. Hence, they pierced the side of His body to confirm His death, leading to the gushing out of water and blood (John 19:35), fulfilling another the prophecy given by Zechariah 12:10 that they will look at the One whom they have pierced.

Pilate Surprised That Jesus Is Dead Pilate is surprised when Joseph of Arimathea comes to him asking for the body of Jesus. Pilate asks the centurion and also sends his soldiers to verify this fact. After confirming His death, Pilate then grants Joseph permission to bury Him in the tomb.

Mark 15:43–47 (NKJV) – Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate marvelled that He was already dead;

and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

The spices used on the body of Jesus could be worth several thousands of dollars as per today’s value, figuring the value equivalent to the hundred pounds used on Him then. His body was buried in a rich man’s tomb before 6 pm on this Passover day, 14th Day of the first Month of Nissan! Because the next day, the 15th Day of the Nissan Month, on that particular year was an annual Sabbath – called the High Sabbath – so no work could be done on that day.

Also, do remember that Passover is a festival – not a Sabbath – when you can work and celebrate. But on the Sabbath, you cannot do any work; hence, they made sure that Jesus was buried before 6 pm when the annual Sabbath starts.

The most convincing arguments that Jesus was the Christ come from the hundreds of Old Testament prophecies that He fulfilled. Below is a list of some of the prominent Old Testament prophecies concerning His death and their appropriate New Testament fulfilments.

Old Prophecy New Testament Testament

Genesis 3:15 Victory over Satan Colossians 2:15 Numbers Type of serpent John 3:14–15 21:9

Psalms 16:9– Messiah would not see Acts 2:27,31 & ¹⁰ corruption 13:35

Psalms 22:1 Christ forsaken Matthew 27:46

Psalms 22:7– Messiah mocked Luke 23:35

Psalms 22:16 Piercing His hands & feet Mark 15:25; Luke 23:33; John 19:37 & 20:25

Psalms 22:18 Casting lot for His garments Luke 23:34; John 19:23–24

Psalms 34:20 Not one bone broken John 19:36

Psalms 35:11 Accused falsely Mark 14:57–58

Psalms 35:19 Hated without a cause John 15:24–25

Psalms 41:9 Betrayed by friend Luke 22:47–48

Psalms 49:15 His resurrection Mark 16:6

Psalms 68:18 Raised to God’s right hand Mark 16:19;

Ephesians 4:8

Psalms 69:21 Vinegar as drink to His thirst Matthew 27:34;

Mark 15:36 Psalms Reviling and wagging their Matthew 27:39 109:25 heads

Isaiah 50:6 Spat on His face Matthew 26:67

Isaiah 50:6 Messiah scourged Matthew 27:26

Isaiah 52:14 Lost the form of human Matthew appearance 26:67,27:26,29–30;

Mark 15:15–19 and

John 19:34

Isaiah 52:15 Gentiles receive spiritual Hebrews 1:3 cleansing

Isaiah 53:3 Despised and rejected by John 1:10–11 people

Isaiah 53:4 Bore our sickness Matthew 8:16–17

Isaiah 53:5-6 Wounded for our Romans 4:25,1; transgression Peter 3:18

Isaiah 53:7 Opened not His mouth Matthew 26:63,27:12 & Mark 14:61 &15:5

Isaiah 53:9 Buried with rich Matthew 27:57–58,

Isaiah 53:11 Shall justify many Romans 3:26, 5:19

Isaiah 53:12 He was numbered with Mark 15:28 & Luke transgressors 22:37

Isaiah 53:12 Crucified with criminals Mark 15:27–28

Jonah 1:17 Sign of Jonah Mathew 12:40, 16:4

Micah 5:1 Struck with a rod on cheek Matthew 27:30 Zechariah Betrayed for ³⁰ pieces of Matthew 26:15 11:12 silver Zechariah Betrayal money will be used Matthew 27:5–10 11:13 to buy the potter’s field Zechariah Strike the shepherd and Matthew 26:31 & 13:7 sheep’s scattered Mark 14:27