Sister Sharron Sunday School 3/15/15

Sister Sharron Sunday School 3/15/15

Mat 27:24  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Mat 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Adam Clarke - Pilate - took water, and washed his hands - Thus signifying his innocence. It was a custom among the Hebrews, Greeks, and Latins, to wash the hands in token of innocence, and to show that they were pure from any imputed guilt. In case of an undiscovered murder, the elders of that city which was nearest to the place where the dead body was found, were required by the law, Deu_21:1-10, to wash their hands over the victim which was offered to expiate the crime, and thus make public protestation of their own innocence.

David says, I will wash my hands in innocence, so shall I compass thine altar, Psa_26:6.

“His blood be upon us and our children.”  What a terrible thing to say!  They didn’t realize what they were saying and doing.  People today that make choices really don’t realize what is the end of the matter.  When people leave God, they think that they will be the exception. 

I had the same attitude.  I used to know everything; I don’t know what happened.  I realize, I don’t know anything.  When it comes to conflict, It is easy to put barriers up, but how will we work with them in the future if the barrier is there? 

I am amazed at crucifixion.  How could people be so barbaric?  To crucify is to kill someone by tying or nailing their hands and feet to a cross.  They were scourged; even in the scourging, some of them died.  The whip was not just one that would leave stripes, there were things tied on the end, pieces of bone and metal that would rip out flesh.  Crucifixion was meant for those that went against the government: pirates and such like.

Sometimes they would strangle them to help them along in the process of crucifixion.  It is thought that the cross would have weighed 300 pounds, the crossbar itself would have weighed 100 pounds.  Jesus had already gone through scourging, mocking and that is not easy to go through.  Simon helped Jesus carry the cross. 

Pilate is thought to have had enough men behind him that he could have stopped the crucifixion.  Even though the mob was there.  He could have stopped this.

It was a very cruel time and the same spirit still exists today.  Alexander the Great is thought to have crucified 2000 individuals. 

The Isis has crucified in this day and age.  In Japan it existed from 1467 to 1673.  Before this they had lived for 350 years without capital punishment.  It is real and it is inhumane.  Contemporary Burma, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan,… it is real today. 

Mat 27:33  And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

Mat 27:34  They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

They would take wine that was old and give them it to help them with some of the pain.  Jesus refused it.

Mat 27:35  And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

It is so humiliating to be crucified.  They took their clothes from them.  Jesus is always pictured with a loin cloth.

Mat 27:36  And sitting down they watched him there;

Mat 27:37  And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

There was no reason for Jesus to be crucified.  They did it anyway.

Mat 27:38  Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

Mat 27:39  And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

Mat 27:40  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

It is terrible to ridicule and make fun.  This sounds as it did when Jesus was tempted, “If thou be the son of God…”

Mat 27:41  Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

Mat 27:42  He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

They wouldn’t believe the prophets.  They would not have believed if he came down from the cross.  If they had any love of God in their heart or of humanity they would have hung their head that some human was suffering.  They instead reveled in it.  The chief priests!  Religious people! 

This is why we need to be careful in going along with people.  It is easy to be carried away. 

Mat 27:43  He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

Mat 27:44  The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

There were six hours that He hung on the cross.

Mat 27:45  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Mat 27:47  Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

Mat 27:48  And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

Mat 27:49  The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

There were people there not only to crucify Him but there were people there that loved Him.  To be delivered from our sin!  It is wonderful.  It was a great price that Jesus paid that we could be free from our sin. 

God couldn’t look on the sin.  He forsook Him there on the cross.  Jesus did it for us!