When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” Matthew 27:54
Painful Passage
This is one of the most painful passages in the bible to read as we see Jesus being tortured and murdered for us. “Truly this was the Son of God” who laid down His Sovereign rights and sacrificed Himself for our benefit. We are going to take it a little at a time, since this reading is fairly long.
Pilate gives up
In our last Easter passage, we read about how Pilate kept trying to convince the people that Jesus was innocent and did not deserve death. Here in Matthew 27:24-26, Pilate gives up his arguing and gives Jesus over to the angry mob to be crucified.
24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
Public Humiliation
Insult added to injury as the soldiers take Jesus to be cruelly mocked and humiliated before His crucifixion.
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews
32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
Truly this was the Son of God, the King of the Jews, and yet they considered it a charge against Him. They should have bowed down before Him in worship, but they tortured Him instead.
In the class of robbers
38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
They put the Son of God in the same class as robbers and even the robbers had no respect for Him. As Jesus was in agonizing pain on the cross, insults were hurled at Him.
The Death of Jesus
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”
48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
Miracles
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
Wow! It is hard for me to even imagine the scene when Jesus died. His death in exchange for our sins reverberated inside the temple, tearing the extremely heavy curtain that set apart the Holy of Holies (the seat of God’s presence) from top to bottom. The very earth felt His death and shook, the rocks tore open. In the cemetery, the graves opened and the dead got up and walked around town. Zombie, apocalypse, anyone?!
Revelation
54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Matthew 27:24-56
Revelation of who He was came to the people after seeing the signs and wonders that happened at the moment of the death of Jesus. Truly this was the Son of God!
When you see what Jesus has done for you, do you have that revelation in your heart? Truly this is the Son of God!
Action Step:
Our Focus today is the EASTER STORY!
Easter Story: We will take days throughout Lent to learn different events leading up to the resurrection of Jesus.
Today’s part of the Easter story is the crucifixion of Jesus. Often we gloss over the pain and suffering Jesus endured for us. Today, take a moment to realize and reflect on the fact that the Son of God, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords willingly submitted to that humiliation, undeserved accusation, torture, and agonizing death because He loved us so much. Truly this is the Son of God!
Prayer:
Dear God, We can hardly even fathom this kind of love. Love that willingly lays down His life for people who have not even been born yet. Thank you. Help us to never lose sight of the incredible sacrifice Jesus made here on earth. We are so grateful. In Jesus’ name, amen.
