Culver Community Church

Pastor Chris Sweeney

Sermon Notes

May 26, 2019

Matthew 27:27-44 Crucifixion Cruelty

{vs. 27 - 30} Pilate unable to escape his role in Christ’s death, summons the soldiers and he gives them the charges or crime Jesus was ‘convicted’ of, directs them to flog Him and prepare Him for crucifixion.  It is at this time that they flog or scourge Jesus – without being too graphic, they strip and bound Him to a pillar or log and began to beat Him with a whip made of many leather straps.  However, that is not painful enough, into each of the straps was imbedded sharp pieces of bone, glass or metal.  The end result was a cross between cutting strips of flesh off the back and skinning the victim alive, often times exposing the internal organs.  This seems cruel in our society, where even those condemned to death must be executed in a ‘civilized way’, so that they don’t suffer or feel pain.  However, this served as more than just cruel punishment – knowing this awaited those caught and convicted was a powerful deterrent.  Scourging was also a way of extracting further confessions and finding co-conspirators!  For every blow or stripe – the condemned was given the chance to confess something - - - if it was worthwhile information, the next blow would be lighter.  However, those who would not confess or had nothing to confess received a heavier blow!  These were hard, cruel men accustomed to war, death and punishing prisoners.  Jesus remained silent during this process – taking the full wrath of the whip – because He had no sins to confess, and because the only ones that He could give up were the same sinners (you and I) that He came to redeem!  He literally took the blows to protect us!

The religious leaders mocked Jesus as a prophet and Messiah, but these soldiers mock Him as a King (Hail King of the Jews!).  They put a scarlet (John says purple – the color of royalty) robe upon Him, place a rod into His hand as a royal scepter and fashion a crown, not of Laurels (the symbol of victory) but of thorns (the fruit or result of the curse – Genesis 3:18).  Kneeling, spitting upon Him and even taking the ‘scepter’ (the symbol of Royal authority) from His hand to beat Him over the head (crushing the thorns into His head!)

Everything they did was to further mock the pathetic man who would not give them the satisfaction of confessing, defending Himself or pleading for mercy.  To them Jesus must have seemed like either a fool or lunatic and they treat Him just as cruel boys would treat such a deficient person!  After all this mocking and abuse – first at the hands of the religious leaders and their temple guards, then from Herod and his men, and finally from these Roman soldiers – Pilate tries one last ditch effort, bringing Jesus out for the to see, saying “Behold your King!”  Isaiah 52:14 prophesies of Him - "His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and His form marred beyond human likeness".  Have you ever seen a person really beaten up, huge welts, bruises; face distorted?  That is what Jesus looked like when they were finished with Him. You couldn't even tell that He was a human being.  However, the people were unaffected by the pathetic sight that was once the strong strapping Jesus and they cry out "Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!"  Be very careful of the crowds you find yourself in – the company you keep - - - it is much easier to fall into sin, even especially cruel or wicked sin when in the anonymity of a crowd!

{vs. 31-32} While this may sound like they are finally done being cruel, ready to get on with the business at hand - - - even the simple act of removing the robe would re-open the wounds on Jesus’ back.  Jesus’ own robe, made without seam (as the scriptures required for the High Priest) a linen tunic would have clung to the open wounds, once again beginning the clotting process - - - only to have them ripped open again as they came to the place of the cross (Golgotha). 

On the way to His execution, the soldiers would lead a parade through the city by the longest route, which is often referred to as the Via Dolorosa or ‘Way of Suffering’.  The condemned prisoner would have a plague hung around their neck with their crimes displayed for all to see.  This was the normal practice so that all of the city would know “this is what happens to the one who does this!” 

Jesus however was not like the run of the mill crucifixion victim – He was in no condition to carry the cross through the main streets of Jerusalem, let alone out of the city and up to Mount Calvary.  He who had been up all night in prayer, who had already been under such stress that He had bled “great drops of blood” and He who had been tried in six different court sessions and was mocked and beaten at each step along the way – this was once the strong Carpenter, but He is no longer capable of carrying the weight of the wood!  Jesus must have been collapsing or slowing down the procession, so the soldiers press a man named Simon into service.  This man was coming in from out in the country, a man of Cyrene (a city of Libya in North Africa).  He has a Jewish name but his children who are later known to the believers (Mark’s gospel) have Greek names.  We can safely suppose that he is a merchant or trader, living and doing his business in this foreign land.  It is at Passover that he has made the long trek as God requires of every Jewish man who is able.  However, in carrying the cross and touching the transferred blood, he has become defiled and would be unable to celebrate the Passover (what a waste of such a trip, such an expensive trip!)  He certainly did not volunteer for this gross duty, but when the weight of a Roman sword is placed upon your shoulder – you either submit or die!  The crowd cried out to Pilate “His blood is on us and on our children!” but this man literally carried Christ’s cross and was covered in the blood!

{vs. 33-34} There is, even to this day a small hillside that resembles the sunken sockets of a man’s skull outside of Jerusalem.  It is just up from the main road (and in modern times, a bus stop) and it is a stone’s throw away from what we call the Garden Tomb.  Jewish Scriptures required that executions take place outside the city and the Romans made sure to put them where everyone would see (like by main roads).  Now Jesus is ready to be hung upon the tree, he has been stripped naked, laid upon the wood and offered some wine to drink.  The bitter mixture was spiked with gall, a narcotic and was used to pacify the condemned.  While this may seem like kindness or mercy, sadly it was not to lessen suffering but it was given for one reason - - - to keep the victim from fighting while they drove spikes through their feet and wrists.  Jesus tasted and refused it in order to bear the full weight of the punishment with His full capacities – for you and for me!

{vs. 35-36} The gospels simply state the truth without going into graphic detail – they crucified Him.  All those of that generation had seen the crosses – thousands upon thousands – they were common in Israel, designed to bring a halt to crime and rebellion.  The four soldiers now responsible for Jesus, sit at the base of the cross, guarding Him so that no one would either try to take Him down or speed His demise.  One of the rewards for carrying out this cruel duty is that they would get to keep the condemned persons property.  Each one received a piece of Jesus’ clothing (shoes, head covering, belt and inner garment) but the fifth piece – His valuable tunic woven from top to bottom in one piece (without seam) would be the reward of a game of chance (lots).  This is a direct fulfillment of Psalm 22:18 – “They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”

{vs. 37} The plague bearing the charge against Him “This is Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” was hung on the cross.  It was written in Hebrew (the native tongue), Greek (the universal means of communicating) and Latin (the language of law).John 19:21-22 tell us that the religious leaders objected to this title. They felt it was false, because they did not believe that Jesus was the King of the Jews. They also believed it was demeaning, because it showed Rome’s power to humiliate and torture even the “King of the Jews.” Yet Pilate was finished being pushed around today and would not alter it, “What I have written, I have written”.

{vs. 38} One more humiliation – not the death of a prince or high-ranking person but that of a common criminal.  Jesus was executed on the cross meant for a murderer (Barabbas) and was surrounded by thieves.

{vs. 39-44} Crucifixion is a barbaric way to die, designed to be the most extended and painful method of execution – we get our word excruciating from the practice.  Those who saw Jesus would assume Him to be helpless, unable to prevent this from happening but Jesus is still very much in control – He refuses the wine, He stretches out His arms and feet to receive the nails and He hangs there being mocked with the full weight of the world’s sin upon Him.  If at any time He would have decided to back out – He could have called ten legions of angels or by His own Devine authority and power could have saved and healed Himself - - - but then there would be no hope for us.  Even if Jesus would have floated down from that cross, they would not have believed in Him (not truly).  They had seen God’s miraculous power at work in His ministry – but could not, no would not believe!  Jesus was saving others – by not saving Himself! The leaders, those passing by and even the other two men being crucified cruelly mocked Jesus as He was paying the price for their forgiveness and ours!