By Marvin Jones
PINEVILLE – Death by crucifixion was a public spectacle and a huge crowd had gathered on a small hill just outside of Jerusalem that day. Roman soldiers, politicians, common people, a few followers of Jesus, even Mary, his mother, and John the Apostle were there to witness the death of Jesus the Christ on a cross. Normally, onlookers observed a public display meant to symbolize justice was being served yet again. But this time witnesses experienced an act of justification that would not need repeating.
THE KING’S PUBLIC EXECUTION
Matthew 27:36 states “sitting down, they watched him there.”
A few saints and many sinners sat down as the Savior died. Some were mocking him, some were laughing, some were contemptuous, and some were indifferent. But a few were grieving Him as He took His last breath.
Importantly, all of them saw a man suffer a torturous punishment, although He had committed no crime.
Already, he had been beaten with whips designed to tear the skin from the body, and the trauma to the muscles was so intense that he could not walk steadily. His veins were bared; His scalp pierced with thorns; and, His back was nothing but quivering ribbons of flesh ripped by the beatings.
They saw Him nailed to a cross, and raised up so the weight of His body stretched His bones out of socket – not broken, but still causing excruciating pain.
They saw His labored breathing, His forcing Himself up to gasp for air as He fought asphyxiation.
They saw Him denied water for His aching thirst.
Adding insult to injury, they saw soldiers gamble for His royal robe.
They heard Him question God, “Why have you forsaken me?” Then they saw the sky darken just as he summoned the strength to shout, “It is finished.”
They saw him die a cruel death for you and me.
THE KING’S PUBLIC ‘CRIME’?
John 19:20 reveals Jesus’ only supposed crime was to claim to be King of the Jews. But His was a valid claim and the Sanhedrin’s rejection did not make it any less true.
Moreover, the King came into the world to conquer sin, and He was not defeated by death. To the contrary, His death defeated sin.
He fulfilled an eternal, divinely orchestrated plan devised by the Trinity to offer salvation to all humanity.
Revelation 13:8 proclaims Jesus is “the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world” and 1 John 2:2 declares He paid the price for the sins of “the whole world” but effectively only for those who receive Him and believe on His name (John 1:12).
King Jesus reigns in victory over sin and Satan, and, brings peace to those who accept His offer of salvation by grace.
THE KING’S PUBLIC MIRACLE
Ten disciples ran away from Jerusalem during the Lord’s trial. The Bible does not record their hiding place but it does state they came back to Jerusalem. Indeed, they were assembled together when the news arrived that Jesus’ body was missing.
His death was undeniable and verified by Roman soldiers who speared him.
But His resurrection was witnessed by Roman soldiers as well.
Matthew 28 details how the guards of His tomb “shook with fear” upon seeing Him alive. Some returned to Jerusalem “and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.”
Even so, despite hearing firsthand testimony about Christ’s resurrection, the religious leaders rejected His divine nature, paying the guards a large sum to keep quiet that He was again alive.
But Christ also appeared in the city, once before 500 witnesses at one time (1 Cor. 15:6); and, for forty days straight He preached the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).
If that’s not enough, His resurrection was authenticated by the restored lives of others.
Matthew 27:51-53 records that upon Jesus’ resurrection “many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised” and that coming out of the graves, “they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”
Think about it – even as the religious leaders were trying to quash the news of Jesus’ conquest of death, many followers of the Way who had died returned to their neighborhoods, and their resurrections gave proof to the news that Jesus lived again.
In the twenty-first century world of skepticism it seems absurd to believe in an ancient miracle.
But given the historical evidence, it seems foolish not to believe.
There was no hoax by the apostles, and the conspiracy of silence conceived by the religious rulers failed under the sheer weight of the eyewitness accounts of the day.
Even more convincing is the evidence we can see today.
Transformed lives attest that Jesus is alive.
His power to change you and me is proof He is risen! He is risen, indeed.
Marvin Jones, Ph.D., is professor of Theology and Church History at Louisiana College. His column is part of a series of commentaries provided by Louisiana College relating to the Southern Baptist Convention’s calendar of Special Emphasis Sundays.
